THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR ALL CHILDREN--OF COLLEGES TEACHING THE HIGHEST GRADE OF SCIENCE--From this has evolved the present public school system, and Jefferson being saturated with this idea commenced by the establishment of the University of Virginia. A great service performed by this Committee fostered and largely encouraged by Jefferson and Mason was its BILL FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM--which met with more active opposition than did the other three, for it did not become a law until 1785. By it the State received its charter of divorcement from the Church--religion and politics were separated. It provided "that henceforth no man could be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship place or ministry, but all men should be free to profess and by argument maintain their opinions in matters of religion and the same should in no wise diminish, enlarge or effect their civil capacity." No elaborate or extended thesis or dissertation on the too apparent merits, virtue, value and importance of these measures, in this brief sketch, is attempted. The purpose really being, with emphasis, to declare without successful contradiction or any possible doubt or dispute _that in the Rising Sun Tavern at Fredericksburg on January 13, 1777_, these all pervading, all important laws of the greatest import were formulated and inaugurated by the Committee referred to. End of Project Gutenberg's Historic Fredericksburg, by John T. Goolrick