Congress should not establish a religion and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contary to their conscience, or that one sect might obtain a pre-eminence, or two combined together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform.

James Madison (1751-1836) American statesman, political theorist, US President (1809-17)

Annals of Congress (15 Aug 1789)