And there is a popular Democratic constituency for disestablishment.
Because of the rising tide of evangelicalism.
Jefferson's allies are convinced Christians.
Who chafe at the domination of a church that seems to them spiritually hollow.
To be merely an agency of the ruling class, which is what it is.
Because in Virginia, not only do you not have bishops, no bishop in Virginia.
But you have local vestry control of the Parrish.
And every clergymen is the puppet of the local planters
who serve on the county court.
Who are not elected, whose
oligarchical rule will be perpetuated to the end of time if they have their way.
Because what do elites want to do?
What did they want to do then?
What do they want to do now?
They want to perpetuate themselves forever.
This is the great challenge in Virginia, my fellow Virginians.
We must destroy aristocratic, oligarchic power.
We must democratize the constitution.
That's why Jefferson wanted to be in Virginia.
To write a real constitution that would establish the ground work for liberty and
freedom of thought.
And disestablish the church.