Ten Commandments already in The Supreme Court buidling

[Gdzine]

The supreme court of the United States already has the ten commandments. Read my comments to find out more

[vannrox]

ALABAMA CONSTITUTION OF 1861

---

ARTICLE I

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS

 

That the general, great and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and established, we declare:

Section 1. That all freemen, when they form a social compact, are equal in rights; and that no man or set of men are entitled to exclusive, separate public emoluments or privileges, but in consideration of public services.

Section 2. All political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit; and, therefore, they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform, or abolish their form of government, in such manner as they may think expedient.

<STRONG>Section 3. No person within this State shall, upon any pretence be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshiping God in the manner most agreeable to his own conscience; nor be compelled to attend any place of worship; nor shall any one ever be obliged to pay any tithes, taxes or other rate, for the building or repairing any place of worship, or for the maintenance of any minister or ministry.

Section 4. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control or interfere with the rights of conscience.

Section 5. No person shall be hurt, molested or restrained in his religious profession, sentiments or persuasions, provided he does not disturb others in their religious worship.

Section 6. The civil rights, privileges, or capacities of any citizen, shall in no way be diminished or enlarged, on account of his religious principles.

Section 7. There shall be no establishment of religion by law; no preference shall ever be given by law to any religious sect, society, denomination, or mode of worship; and no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under this State.

Section 8. Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty.

Section 9. The people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions from unreasonable seizures or searches; and no warrant to search any place, or to seize any person or thing, shall issue without describing them as nearly as may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.

Section 10. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused has a right to be heard by himself and counsel; to demand the nature and cause of the accusation, and have a copy thereof; to be confronted by the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor; and, in all prosecutions, by indictment or information, a speedy public trial by an impartial jury of the county or district in which the offense shall have been committed: he shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself, nor shall he be deprived of his life, liberty, or property, but by due course of law.

Section 11. No person shall be accused, arrested, or detained, except in cases ascertained by law, and according to the forms which the same has prescribed; and no person shall be punished, but in virtue of a law, established and promulgated prior to the offense, and legally applied.

Section 12. No person shall, for any indictable offense, be proceeded against criminally by information; except in cases arising in the land and naval forces, or the militia when in actual service, or by leave of the court, for oppression or misdemeanor in office.

Section 13. No person shall, for the same offense, be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall any person's property be taken or applied to public use, unless just compensation be made therefor.

Section 14. All courts shall be open, and every person, for an injury done him, in his lands, goods, person or reputation, shall have remedy by due course of law, and right and justice administered without sale, denial or delay.

Section 15. No power of suspending laws shall be exercised, except by the general assembly, or its authority.

Section 16. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel punishments inflicted.

Section 17. All persons shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient securities, except for capital offenses, when the proof is evident, or the presumption great; and the privilege of the writ of "habeas corpus" shall not be suspended, unless when, in cases of rebellion, or invasion, the public safety may require it.

Section 18. The person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud, shall not be detained in prison, after delivering up his estate for the benefit of his creditors, in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.

Section 19. No ex post facto law, nor law impairing the obligations of contracts shall be made.

Section 20. No person shall be attainted of treason or felony by the general assembly. No attainder shall work corruption of blood, nor forfeiture of estate.

Section 21. The estates of suicides shall descend or vest as in cases of natural death; if any person shall be killed by casualty, there shall be no forfeiture by reason thereof.

Section 22. The citizens have a right, in a peaceable manner, to assemble together for their common good, and to apply to those invested with the powers of government for redress of grievances, or other proper purposes, by petition, address, or remonstrance.

Section 23. Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the State.

Section 24. No standing army shall be kept up without the consent of the general assembly; and, in that case, no appropriation of money for its support shall be for a longer term than one year; and the military shall, in all cases, and at all times, be in strict subordination to the civil power.

Section 25. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Section 26. No title of nobility, or hereditary distinction, privilege, honor, or emolument, shall ever be granted or conferred in this State; nor shall any office be created, the appointment of which shall be for a longer term than during good behavior.

Section 27. Emigration from this State shall not be prohibited, nor shall any citizen be exiled.

Section 28. The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate.

Section 29. No person shall be debarred from prosecuting or defending any civil cause, for or against him or herself, before any tribunal in this State, by him or herself, or counsel.

Section 30. This enumeration of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people: and to guard against any encroachments on the rights herein retained, or any transgression of any of the high powers herein delegated, we declare, that every thing in this article is excepted out of the general powers of government, and shall forever remain inviolate; and that all laws contrary thereto, or to the following provisions, shall be void.

[gravitybow]

"The other is a carving of two tablets that are inscribed with the Roman numerals I through X. (The anti-God group claims this refers to the Bill of Rights rather than the Ten Commandments -- a tenuous argument since the Bill of Rights contains eleven articles -- but let that one go.)"

Where are those two tablets?

[Congressman Billybob]

Those two tablets with the inscription "I, II, ... X" are on the wall of the Court's chambers, as is one of the two sculptures of Moses with the tablets.

John / Billybob

[TankerKC]

That comment and your tag line just don't jive.

[gravitybow]

"Those two tablets with the inscription "I, II, ... X" are on the wall of the Court's chambers, as is one of the two sculptures of Moses with the tablets. "

There aren't two tablets on the wall with Roman numerals on them. Where are you getting this information?

[Congressman Billybob]

A photo of these tablets was on FR a week ago. It identified that as being in the Chambers. It's been almost 20 years since I've been in the Chambers so I can't say from memory that they are there.

I do know that the anti-God crowd makes the Bill of Rights rather than Ten Commandments issue, including quotes from the architect who put the plaque up. So I know it's there, but I cannot say with absolute certainty where it is in the building.

John / Billybob

[yoe]

To believe in God is not 'religion' it is faith. Faith in a supreme being is not dogma, canons or tenets, all which compromise a 'religion'. The Ten Commandments are indeed a call from God to adhere to moral and ethical rules or laws and those rules are what civilizations were founded upon long before the Romans or even the Copts got into the business of ‘organized’ religion, as we know it. Obviously the Creator or Supreme being knew full well that man would need some guidance. So are those laws a religion? IMHO, No they are not.

[gravitybow]

"I do know that the anti-God crowd makes the Bill of Rights rather than Ten Commandments issue, including quotes from the architect who put the plaque up. So I know it's there, but I cannot say with absolute certainty where it is in the building."

When you say "I know" and then are vague or incorrect about what it is exactly that you know, you sound like a...politician. ;)

I hope this isn't the caliber of research you put into your legislation.

[Congressman Billybob]

Geez. I KNOW the plaque exists at the Supreme Court because of the specific references from the architect who created it for that building. I THINK the plaque is in the Chambers, though I do not clearly remember it from twenty years ago when I was last in the Chamber.

Since there are two sculptures of Moses with the Ten Commandments, one in the Chambers and the other on the East Pediment, and there's a debate about this plaque, the plaque isn't necessary to make the case. If you want more precision than that, feel free to do your own research and report back.

John / Billybob

[Monster Zero]

Later read

[gravitybow]

"...the plaque isn't necessary to make the case...
...If you want more precision than that, feel free to do your own research and report back."

But you used an unfounded reference to it to slap around a group of folks who don't share your views. I'm not the one who needs precision.

[Congressman Billybob]

My argument rests squarely on the statue of Moses with the Commandments, which IS the central figure on the East Pediment, and on the bas relief of the same which IS in the Court's Chamber. Both those things exist, they are where I say they are (photographs of both were long since posted on FreeRepublic). And anyone who claims that the Commandments should not be in the Alabama Courts building MUST deal with the fact that the same thing IS in the Supreme Court building and is unchallenged in the Supreme Court.

You're getting sidetracked by a minor side issue that doesn't matter in the least. Give it a rest.

John / Billybob

[Godzilla]

"But you used an unfounded reference to it to slap around a group of folks who don't share your views. I'm not the one who needs precision. "

Please view earlier posts as there have been numerous posting of the engravings in the SCOTUS. It is a non-issue as it does exist.

[gravitybow]

Numerous posts? Great! Could you point me to one that has the Ten Commandments/Bill of Rights plaque as Congressman Billybob describes it? Perhaps I've missed something. I've seen pictures at one time or another of just about all the representations of Moses and the Ten Commandments at the SC (I keep a file), but I haven't seen that one. Thanks.

[Godzilla]

One is #42 on this thread, others on other threads. I've seen the pict refered to, but can't remember which thread as there have been many over the past week.

[gravitybow]

Thanks, Godzilla. That's the one I suspected Congressman Billybob incorrectly described in his accusation. That's the one of the Bill of Rights in the center between the seated figures of the Majesty of Law and the Power of Government.

[gravitybow]

"Any competent and honest student of American law knows and would acknowledge that the Judeo-Christian tradition in general and the Ten Commandments in particular, are at the root of both British and American law. British law is important because much of it was carried over into American law."

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, Februaury 10, 1814 knew that wasn't so:

"...For we know that the common law is that system of law which was introduced by the Saxons on their settlement in England, and altered from time to time by proper legislative authority from that time to the date of Magna Charta, which terminates the period of the common law, or lex non scripta, and commences that of the statute law, or Lex Scripta. This settlement took place about the middle of the fifth century. But Christianity was not introduced till the seventh century; the conversion of the first christian king of the Heptarchy having taken place about the year 598, and that of the last about 686. Here, then, was a space of two hundred years, during which the common law was in existence, and Christianity no part of it..."

[takenoprisoner]

The very voice of Moore itself. "If you're not an Exodus-venerating Christian, you're not really a citizen."

I'll need to verify this one. Have link?

[takenoprisoner]

Since the majority are Christian both now and from the beginning, newbies might find some well established symbols here they may not agree with. Remove those symbols because they don't agree with your perspective as a newbie, then you might find a bloody war on your hands. Christians have had it with this BS and from what I know of history, Christians aren't really the kind of folk you want to piss off. Since they have been known to ignore the turn the other cheek line especially when they feel their way of life is in danger.

[f.Christian]

It looks like the federal judiciary system from the ussc on down is doing ... power sharing and pandering with liberals --- SOCIALISTS !