Reply #38: Here's the entire quote [View All]

[MrMonk]

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,-as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

The statement about the foundation of the government would be superfluous if it's only intent was to assure the rulers of Tripoli that the treaty would not be broken on the basis of religion.

Also note that the nation may very well have been considered christian due to almost the entire population being manifestly christian, such a condition would not control the nature of the government formed under the Constitution. The nature of the government is secular. There is no reference in the Constitution to the government having a godly foundation. The men of that age knew how to state their propositions clearly. No where in the Constitution or, as far as I know, in the deliberations that led to the ratification of the Constitution, was there a stated intent to found the government on christian principles.