This letter concerns the letters from Mr. Tom Scarborough and Mr. Roger Davis on the subject of the Christian principles of the so-called “Founding Fathers” of the United States.

Mr. Scarborough is quite correct. Despite the things that Mr. Davis quoted, Thomas Jefferson and about one-third of these men were not Christians in the normal sense that a Christian is considered to be someone that accepts Jesus Christ as Son of God, arisen from His death on the cross.

A deist, as Jefferson, accepts Jesus as a fine country preacher but certainly not Son of God. We have a copy of that “Jeffersonian Bible” that Mr. Davis mentions, but Jesus there is only a preacher.

In that sense, perhaps Mr. Jefferson considered himself a “Christian,” but most people would not.

That is why our two colonies, Florida and West Florida, the 14th and 15th, the “two new ones” remained loyal to the Crown: “We find no argument with good King George,” and why the American Congress passed to King George the beautiful resolution of loyalty the crown: “We have nothing but affection for your majesty … and for your house. We want no separation from the crown.”

The separation really came because the Christian monarchy meant nothing to the deists. The real argument was with Parliament about taxes with representation, not with the crown.

So many loyalists, who wanted no part of treason, went to Canada, Great Britain, the islands, and they came here to the loyal colony of British West Florida.

This comes right home to us today in our local early Georgian architecture from Springfield to Rosalie.

The original resolution of loyalty by the American Congress to King George may be seen in Canada.

Arthur E. LaSalle, president

The Historic Springfield Foundation

Jefferson County