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but alas! except in the solitary instance of that good and really pious and miserably persecuted man, Joseph Harrison, of Stockport, not one preacher of the gospel that I have yet heard of, appear to care for any thing but the abstruse and knotty points of their peculiar ism.

Although I am not a Deist, yet knowing your honest zeal and cruel persecution in the cause of reform, I could not refrain, while you are in prison, from letting you know how you are spoken of, and giving you a chance, if you think proper, of vindicating yourself.

I hate and abhor persecution under any cause, and in every shape. Wishing you every solace under your undeserved situation,

I ami,

dear sir,

Yours truly,

W. GOODMAN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE REPUBLICAN.

SIR,

As the following speech (by a friend of mine) bears an analogy to the contents of the Republican, and is poignant: giving it permanence, by insertion in your invaluable miscellany will oblige, Your constant reader, and occasional correspondent,

Camberwell, Sept. 22, 1820.

J. J. BRAYFIELD.

On Saturday (Sept. 16.) at a meeting of the inhabitants of the parish of St. Luke, Middlesex, to consider of an address to the Queen. After some judicious observations by Mr. S. C. Whitbread, he took a brief review of the former proceedings against the Queen, upon evidence which was subsequently found to be false, and to be the offspring of a conspiracy. (Applause.) It seemed, however, unhappily, that there was to be no end of her Majesty's calamities: her enemies partook of the nature of the fabulous bird called the Phoenix, which, when burnt, become revivified at the end of the year. It was true that the Queen's enemies only became exposed to the flames. once in seven years. The last time, indeed, they were prettily bumt, every body must acknowledge; but nothing, he feared, equal to the scorching which must attend the next purification through which they had to pass. (Laughter and applause.) Mr. Edwards addressed the meeting in support of the resolutions generally, in a very humourous

speech. He regretted that there was a part of one resolution, which he must deny, namely, that part which declared that the present proceeding against her Majesty was unprecedented. He could not accede to this declaration, because he knew there were in history something like precedents, worthy of such a cause, and the precious agents employed in it. The precedents would be found contained in a book he feared, not often looked into by his Majesty's present cabinet ministers he meant the Bible. (Loud laughter.) These worthies, if they searched the records in that book, would find three or four precedents just suited to them; they would find that when Babylon was once taken by a monarch, named Darius, there were cabinet ministers then in that city, who thought they found one of their body who was guilty of the crime of being too pious. Integrity and piety not being then the fashion among the cabinet ministers (he hoped it was not so now)—(loud laughter.)—the utmost pains were taken to get rid of the pious colleague. The ministers of that day advised, by a bill of pains and penalties, that nobody should be prayed to or for but the party himself: the consequence was just what it ought to be, viz. shame and disgrace upon those who wished to be the perpetrators of mischief. (Applause.) There was also the precedent of Ahab, 500 years earlier. He coveted his neighbour's vineyard, and sent to one of his privy council, or keepers of his conscience, (for such people lived in all times.) (A laugh.) Letters were then sent, not to Milan-he begged pardon, but to Jezreel; sealed orders and green bags went forward to the nobles from King Ahab, he was sorry he had not their names, for perhaps some of the present ministers might be found their descendants. (A laugh.) The elders and the nobles did as they were desired, and in the language of the Scripture, "the men of Belial witnessed against him (Naboth) in the presence of the people, saying, that Naboth did blaspheme God, and the King. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stone, that he died." All this was done to a man, guilty of no crime. There was a remarkable coincidence between that case and the present; he hoped the parallel would not be conducted to the end. In Jezeel, the sons of Belial were proved to be perjured, and King Ahab for his conduct met with shame, disgrace, and death. The sons of Belial were truly described by Mr. Scott, the able commenta for upon the Bible, as being abandoned villains. There was another case in point, namely, that of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, who, when he got drunk, wanted to get rid of his wife, and had advisers about him ready to make a new law and gratify his wishes. Perhaps the ninisters had these cases in their eye when they instituted their proceedings against her present Majesty. (A laugh.) There was also the case of Haman, who was a wholesale dealer in green bags; at one time he had no less than 127 of them in progress together. (A laugh.) They must remember Hamas's proceedings against Mordecai. and his having perished on the gibbet 30 feet high, which he had

prepared for his victim, au innocent man. Who could say that ministers had no precedents to guide them in their present course, when such hopeful ones as these stared them in the face? (Loud laughter.) He concluded by declaring his belief, that all the present ministers wanted was to keep their places at any rate, and he was convinced so little principle remained among them, that if the Queen would give into their hands the 60 places she was said to have at her disposal, they would be found to be as gracious to her, as they are now to their royal master. (Repeated laughter and applause.)

The resolutions and address founded thereon were then carried unanimously.

Much clamour has been raised against the Bishops for attempting to support the bill of pains and penalties against the Queen, but to us, their conduct appears as consistent even as that of Lords Eldon, Liverpool, Sidmouth, and Castlereagh. The whole affair is quite consonant with the major part of the principles inculcated in the Bible, as far as examples can imply principles. In no book that is in print is conjugal fidelity set at nought so much as in the Bible, and as the Bishops profess to live and act according to the principles laid down in the Bible, they are quite in character in the present affair. The objection to their character is, that they are acting in opposition to the laws of this country and its notions of morality; but it should be recollected that those holy men are not guided by temporal laws, they look much higher, and their ideas and notions are regulated by the spiritual precepts found in the word of God. Here Polygamy is approved-harlotry vindicated, and adultery declared to make a man resemble his creator. King George the Fourth stands as white as snow when compared with David or Solomon: therefore let us hear no more objections to the conduct of the Bishops. There is no inconsistency in those holy pastors.

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MANCHESTER ADDRESS.

This Address was presented by Major Cartwright. Mr. Alderman Wood, Mr. Hobhouse, and Mr. Wooler. Sir F. Burdett was absent from severe indisposition. Her Majesty received the Major with the greatest kindness, and paid him the most marked attention. The following is the answer her Majesty was pleased to return to the Address, which was signed by 33,000.

"I receive with great satisfaction this loyal, affectionate, and impressive Address, from so numerous, so useful, and so efficient a part of the community as the artisans, mechanics, and labouring classes of the town of Manchester. The true honour of the country has been in the highest degree promoted by their incomparable skill and their unrivalled ingenuity, while their persevering industry, has so largely contributed towards the means of maintaining the dignity of the throne and the power and glory of the kingdom.

"No time nor circumstances can remove from my mind that beloved object which so vividly excites your fond condolence, and still so tenderly excites my affections. If this calamity frustrated the fond hopes of the people, how much did it deduct from the sum of my happiness, and add to the number of my woes! It aggravated my other manifold afflictions, by the invention of a new conspiracy, which, if it was not in its origin more detestable than the former, was certainly more formidable in its aspect, more artful in its contrivance, more extensive in it ramifications, and more powerful in its means. My own innocence, combined with the good sense and justice of the people, has been at once my solace and my support under this new and terrible persecution.

"The conspiracy by which I have been attacked has already been more than half vanquished by the flagitiousness of its chiefs and the turpitude of its auxiliaries. The most artful combinations of perjury cannot long endure the piercing scrutiny of truth.

"I am happy to perceive that the industrious classes in the town of Manchester, as well as in the rest of the kingdom, regard the unconstitutional attack upon my rights as an illegal invasion of their own. The Bill of Pains and Penalties, which threatens my degradation, weakens the security of that sacred tenure by which every Briton is protected in his liberty, his property, and his life. He who venerates a free Constitution will indignantly repel the introduction of arbitrary power in any of its varied forms.

"We naturally compassionate the severe privations and deep sufferings even of the idle and dissolute; but how much more forcibly is our sympathy excited by such privations and sufferings, when they are accumulated upon the industrious, laborious, frugal, and virtuous part of this exemplary community! My mind indeed has been often VOL. IV. No. 6.

agonized by the recollection of that dreadful day, to which the industrious classes of Manchester particularly allude; but while we cannot but know that the same hand has been our common oppressor, let us, as far as we are able, bury the past in oblivion; and trust that, though these things have been, they will be no more! Let us endeavour to calm the perturbed passions and to heal the bleeding wounds of our distracted and lacerated country; and, for myself, though my afflictions have been in number and long continuance, I shall think them all amply compensated if they should, at last prove the means of contributing towards the harmony, the prosperity, and the happiness of the kingdom."

EXTRACTS FROM THE ANSWERS TO VARIOUS ADDRESSES TO THE QUEEN.

ST. LUKE'S.

I would willingly resign all my rights and privileges for the benefit of the people, or for the interests of liberty; but ought I, with patient acquiescence, to suffer them to be taken from me only in order that my adversaries may the more easily infringe the rights of the nation, and promote the purposes of tyranny? I feel no higher ambition than that of promoting the public good; and the nation have had several vincing proofs that a sordid avarice is not among the imperfections of my character.'

ST. BOTOLPH-WITHOUT, ALDGATE.

con

Though my adversaries omitted no means, and neglected no opportunity, of crippling me as much as possible in my means of defence, yet integrity is so strong, that truth, and nothing but truth, has already, in a great degree, defeated the machinations of my enemies. It is said that liars ought to have long memories. The witnesses produced against me had long memories and short memories, and memories of all extents and dimensions, as seems best suited to the views of my adversaries: but, notwithstanding the accommodating potency of their memories, which could contract into a nutshell, or dilate into a hemisphere, they are found to have rendered no further service to my enemies than to prove that there is no solidity in falsehood, and no stability in treachery; that there can be no consistency without truth, and no security without uprightness,'

PADDINGTON.

The good wishes which I am daily receiving [from all parts of the kingdom are not empty sounds or airy professions, but the realities of affectionate regard. The oppressor and the tyrant may be greeted with the fulsome incense of extravagant praise, but its very extravagance will prove its insincerity. Very different is that tone of approbation which is perceived, and that cheering voice of sympathy which is heard, when the feelings of the people unfeignedly harmonize with the joys or the

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