The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-10-15 00:00:00

that religion should be put in issue u s Weller
of fact to be decided by them. It semittl have
i.eea a disgrace to an English Cuirt of Justide, if
the Defendant had been suffered to pon in the
course he wished to take. The law Of 'England
ire a law of liberty and freedom-.it was founded
oil the religion of Christ, mid from the great
freedom in its admiuistrstion, justice was drawn.
liut although it was a law of • freedom, it did
not permit any man to do that which seemed
rood in his own eyes to the injury of society.
AVliether the publication in question was of that
eiture and character, was for theM to consider.
Mneli had been said by the Defendant concerning
intim. There were no means of judging of
r. ,e intention of any man but by his acts, and ac-
cording to common reason, * man must be supposed
intending what is likely to follow from those acts,
ualrss hr could prove the contrary in some extra-
wow. way. Now, the Christian religion bring the
fisv of the land, its truth must be taken for granted.
In considering the object of a man who proposed a
change, it was reasonable to compare the nature of
shin was already existing with that rapeseed to be
substituted in its place. Now he could not forbear
stating to them a sentiment which had always struck
Inni as a proof of the divine nature of Chriatiaiiiiy, it
was this, that inau had never vet done for man any
thing so good as the institution of the Sabbath.
The Clitisnail religion affords support to the af-
flicted—its doctrines are calculated to teach the
afflicted to bear misfortunes with patience, with
hope, seal resignation—it holds out hope of the
highest kind to the sorrowful, the hope of an eter-
inty of joy hereafter. Before any man should at-
tempt to affect an establishment which gave so
much blessings to mankind—to all men—ti, the
high and the low, the rich and the poor, the learned
mid the uneducated, we, said his Lordship, should
at least expects man would pause—he should, at
least, substitute something fur that which he at-
tempts to take away. No one mail who wishes
well to mankind could approach an inquiry into
such a religion without awe and reverence—without
feeling, in a high degree, the solemnity of the sub-
ject, and without expressing himself in terms cf
delicacy and decorum. To the creed of the Deist,
which they heard so much eulogised, the Atior-
twv-General had slightly adverted. Christianity,
said Iris Lordship, was addressed to all—it was
intended for all—and it was particularly addressed
to the poor; but what was Deism according to
the creed of the author before them ?—culd,
proud. and presumptuous, leaving to the bulk of
marikind nothing for consolation or for hope. It
states, that to do good was the only way to serve
God—that the wicked would come to some punish-
ment, bait that those who were neither good nor bad,
would be dropped as entirely unworthy of notice.
This was the doctrine of a man who bad the
vanity to say, that he wrote to ennoble and to
serve he species—he said indeed that the good
might lama fur reward, but that the generality
cal mankind would sink into utter arinifidation
—us if God created man to sink into nothing-
ti t se', or as if the ,distinctiou of place in thus
life should decide the destinies of the future.
Ilia Lordship said he thought it necessary to ad-
dress those observvations to the Jury. Much had
been s rid by the Defendant on the freedom of in.
quiry, and on the necessity of allowing it; his ob.
arrt alums oil this head were the greater part taken
from Christian divines, from men who were infidels
to God, that is the expression he applied to
►triy one who believed in Christianity. There
other topics dwelt on by the Defendant.—
Ile said he stood in an Inquisition, and was to be
handed over to merciless power. The Jury, his Lord.
ship said, were to consider of his guilt ; the con-
sequences were not to betaken into their considera-
tom. They knew too much as men of experience
in ;,:c *soda, that by convicting a Prisoner (if con-
vinced of his guilt), and sending him before a
Judge booed to do his duty purely and impartially,
neither the Jury nor the Judge deserved to be
spoken of in the way the Defendant had spoken of
them. The Defendant urged that free discussion
iris allowed by the law of England. It undoubt-
edly was ; but not that freedom which would entitle
.roie man to injure another, or to injure society at
Loge. Another topic ofdefence urged by the Defend-
sot was, that the Christian religion did not want the
hid of law. As a flint believer in Christianity, his
Lordship said he believed that the Christian reli-
giois would ultimately prevail—that it would go on
extruding itself, until in God'r good time it would
he taught, acknowledged, and followed, by all the
nations of the earth. But though Christianity could
not he overturned, yet it might for a time he sup-
pressed, and in their own times in ati adjoining
ctitiiiity that was actually the case. The worship
of Christ was neglected, and a system of Deism
4-stablislied. The Theophilanthrop:se, as they call-
..d theinselver, had the ascendancy. They knew
s..hirt took place; the bonds of society were
tins asunder, and a dreadful scene of anarchy,
blood, .11116' COilfUiloll followed the banish-
went of Christianity from France. After all,
c1:1 his Lordship, the question came to this ; what
meaning was its be attributed to the public.-
two in question:l The character of the work was
to be taken front the work itself. The whole of
is ass reed to ih11123-;It was before them. They
'rise not to foam theirudgments on any particular
.:,,..sages of .the batik, but 011 the entire of it—they
-.et, tun called on to condemn one part of it, if a
subsequent inert could do sway the impression
eirsited by the first; but lie was bound to say,
that it appeared to him from the suns and sub.
stance of the entire, that it was not a work
which listl fur its object a candid inquiry after
truth, but a work of calumny and scrifllog. Ilia
Lordshipsaid, that he had taken from the publics'.
11011 some expressions:—in one place it was said that
the object of the work was to vindicate the moral
Jutlive of Gort, from the calumnies of the Bible—
mat the Bible was too ridiculous for criticism—

trial the Bible was • book of hes—that the thing
ailed revealed religion war rounded on i►uposition
anal fraud—that the B►ble contained at parcel of con.
limptible tales. These expresoious occurred in

irk work, and in am part could there be found any
11'lair of a nature to soften them down, if oily ex-
'qt.-noon of remorse or repentance could hove that
Get. The tendency of the publiciiiims then
ly was to defame and vilify, and bring into
contempt the Holy Scriptures. Thinkin es his
Lordship did, and bound by the law to declare to
'hr Jury his opinion, he would declare to them

a

that his opinion was, that the work was • work of
calumny and ay. Ariz, and that it was unlawful—
but, said his Lordship, I desire ypq to form your
own judgment; oilier Juries have drawn the same
conclusion that I have, but neither . their opinions
nor mine is to bind you. You will exercise your
own understaudisig, and pronounce your judg.
meet according to your conscience. The Dr.
fondant produced witnesses to speak. to his moral
character ; but that was u mien not in (Nes.
lion, and of no relevancy. He was charged with
having published a book which vilified and deism.
ed the Holy Scriptures; although through the rela-
tions of life he conducted himself properly, if the
Jury saw a motive to attribute to him in publishing
the work in question, their verdict must depend on
that opinion, and not on his moral character.
His Lordship said he would say one word as to what
fell from the Defendant as to the duty of the Jury.
With that duty they were, lie presumed, well
acquainted. They were to deliberate, to advise,
and to consult with one soother, in order to found
their verdict on the united judgment of all. They
would apply that consideration to the subject which
became them as Christians and as men—as men
anxious on the one hand to protect the freedom of
discussion—and on the other to uphold the so.
cred character of the religion and the laws
of their country. Disregarding the opprobrious
names of bigots and persecutors, they would exer-
cise their judgments according to their conscience.
If the result of their reasoning convinced them
that the Defendant was guilty of the charge im-
puted to him, then they would discharge their duty
by finding him guilty; if otherwise, they would
acquit him.
The Jury retired at twenty minutes past four--
in five minutes after they sent a message to his
Lordship, stating, that they would wish to see the
Acts of Parliament so often referred to during the
trial.

His Lordship summoned the Jury again before
the Court, and shortly addressed them. He said
that the message they had sent him put him in
mind of an omission he had made as to these Acts.
He would take notice of them in a few words,
Ili the first of William an Act was passed for the
relief of Dissenters, with an exception as to the
penalties oil persons impugning the doctrines of the
Trinity. Alteraards, the 9'h and 10th of William
and Mary was passed for the suppression of bias-
pheiny and profanenes►, which imposes certain
penalties on persons educated in the Christian
religion, who should by writing, printing, or
speaking, deny that the Christian religion was
true, who should deny that there were more Gods
than one, or that the Holy Scriptures were of
divine authority. This statute remained in force
till the 53d of the King—that Act ►ecites the
19th of George 111, respecting Dissentiog school.
musters, and the gth and 10th of William and Mary,
as to the suppression of blasphemy and profane.
nem The Act of the i3d repeals the provision
respecting the Holy Trinity, but leaves the rest of
the provisions untouched; and thus blasphemy and
profaneness are prohibited as well by the Act of
William and Mary, unretwaled and unaffected as
it is by the 53d of the King, as they are by the
common law of the land. The Act of the 53d of
the King is in plain terms, and could not mislead
any one. It does nut tolerate blasphemy. What
indeed could they think of an Act of Parliament
that would leave the Christian religion to be assail-
ed. scoffed at, and ridiculed by any person who
might have the wickedness or the fully to misre-
present and to calumniate its doctrines ? Gentlemen,
1 put the Acts of Parliament into your hands."
The Jury then retired • second time, and at a
quarter past five o'clock, they returned with • ver-
dict of—Guilty.
The Court then fixed Carlile's trial, on the
charge of publishing Palmer', Principles of l'a•
tare, for to-morrow (this uso 11l ll g).
Mr. Hunt, who shortly before entered the Court
with a large parcel Of papers in each hand. applied
to his Lordship to know whether the King o. Stod-
dart would be called on.

The Chief Justice—Was not that cause fixed for
some day iu the ensuing week ?
Mr. Hunt—Your Lordship mentioned that there
might be a communication with the opposite Soli-
citor. My Lord, 1 have had no communication
with the Solicitor.

The Chief Ju►tice—The trial cannot, at all
events, he brought um in-night.
Mr. Hunt—Well, my Lord, I am prepared
when it does.

ITIREIGN INTELLIGENCE.