The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1805-02-21 00:00:00

VOLUNTZER CORPS.

Yesterday being F,•t Dy.y, the whole of the Vo-
lunteer Coips in the Metropolis and vicinity attend-
ed Divine service, at their several churches and

chapels.
The St. James's Volunteers mustered as early as
9 o'clock, to the amount of 500. in the Doke of
Portland's grand area is Piccadilly, under the com-
mand of Lord Amherst, and Major Downs. At
11 o'clock they proceeded to St. James's church,
where they heard an excellent Sermon, by their Rec-
tor, the Reverend Mr. Andrews, from the Oth chap-
ter of Isaiah, and the 13th verse :
For tne people tutneth not unto him that smiteth them,
neither do they ,eek the Lord of Hosts.
The church was uncommonly crowded on the
occasion. Among the congregation, we noticed
The Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford, La.iy G L.
Dover, Lord and Lady Lowther, the Marchioness of limb,
Viscountess Melville, Lord and Lady Cairiington, Lind and
Lady Hampden, Lord and Lady Harkesbury, Earl and Coun-
tess of Chatham, Le.
The St. George's Volunteers, commanded by the
Earl of Chesterfield, attended Divine service in
South Audley-street chapel.
The Duke of Gloucester's Loyal Volunteers, com-
manded by Lord Chetwynd, attended Divine service
at St. George's church, in George-street, Hanover.
square.
The Fulham Volunteers, commanded by Viscount
Ranelagh, attended at Fulham church.
The Queens two Battalions, the first at Charles-
street chapel, and the second at Chelsea.
The Royal British Artificers, in Charles•street,
Bloomsbury, chapel.
The St. George's and St. Andrew's, in St. An-
drew's, Holborn.
The Deptford Light Horse Volunteers.under the
command of Captain Goodhew, and the Rifle Corps,
commanded by Captain Mason, attended at St. Ni-
cholas church, Deptford, where they heard an ex-
cellent sermon, preached by the Rev. Dr. Milne ;
and the whole of the Infantry Volunteers of
Deptford, commanded by Colonel Finch, heard an
excellent sermon, by the Rey. John Inwood, at St.
Paul's church, Deptford.
The Duke of York's Royal Mary-Is-bonne Vo-
lanteers, commanded by Viscount Dancannon,
at-
tea Jed at Balsr-street chapel, where an excellent
Sermon was preached by their Chaplain.
The Duke of York, with his Staff, and all his
Aids-de-camp, with the whole of the officers of the
Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, non-com-
missioned officers, and privates, attended Divine ser-
vice, at York chapel, Westminster.
"[lse.M;litia and Vehrnteerszf the City attended
Divine service at the following churches, in their re-
gimentals :
The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs went in state to St.
Paul's Cathedral, where the Honourable Artillery
Company Volunteers attended.
The Regiment of East London Militia, to the
number of 606, made a respeetable appearance,
under the command of Sir Jubo Earner, their Co-
lonel, at Christ Church. Newgate-street, as did 300
of the sth Regiment of London Volunteers.
The three Regiments of East India Company's
Volunteers, to the number of 2000, were divided.
and went to the following churches : St. Andrew's,
Undershaft, Aldgate ; St. Michael's, Corn-hill; and
All-Hallows, Barking, Tower-street : at the last
chnrch, the River Fencibles attended, under Com-
modore Lucas.
The 6th Regiment. to the number of 600, heard
Divine Service, at Bishopsgate, and Great St. Oa-
ten's.
The Royal North Britons attended at the Scots
church, London Wall. All of them made the most
respectable appearance ; ands after the service,
marched back to their respeEtive drill-grounds, with
their bands of music.
The Farringdon Ward Without Association did
double duty, as they not only attended divine ser-
vice at their parish chnrch, but were previously in-
speCted by one of the reviewing Colonels. They
went through the manual and platoon exercise, and
some few movements, with their accustomed excel•
lence, and seemed to have lost nothing from their
late disuse of drills. The Impeding Officer express-
ed himself in strong terms of approbation.
Ile Law Association mustered for the purpose
of attending Divine Service at the Temple Church,
in which some fires had been carefully lighted ; but
the smoke occasioned by them denied all admission
to the Members of the Corps at the hour when the
service was to commence; and the Lawyers and
others,-after an apologetic address from Dr. Ren-
ncll, were obliged to sound a retreat.

On Monday night a barge laden with malt lying
in Bow Creak, was robbed of four touters of malt
and upwards of VOO empty sacks.
It is become a common praece of genteel look-
ing thieves to call at gentlemen's houses, under pre-
tence of enquiring the charaßers of servants, and
to plunder the room into which they are shewn.
The neighbourhood of Lineola's-inn-square has
lately guttered much from this species of depre-
dators.
A labouring man having lately found a gold
stud, and heard Oat a certain exalted personage
had lost one answering the description, immediately
set off with it to Windsor. Being ushered into the
Royal presence, he received a sum of five geine.as
as a reward for his honesty.

Tcsattttato.—The tunnel now forming through
Morwen Down, on the banks of the Lary and
Tamar, which is a kill about 700 feet above the
level of the tides in the rivers, has advanced about
900 yards; it is to be about thirteen miles and a
quarter long, and the excavation is to form An
acmes& over a valley, at the height of mote than
forty feet: the tunnel crown a very rich vein of
copper ore.

SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION 07 ricE.

Monday an adjourned General Meeting of as*
Fociety for the Suppression of Vice was held at stbd
Gray's-Inn C.,free horse, Holborn, to determine en .
the mntion made by Mr. Mecenty, at the last Meet-
ing, for expunging the paragraph from the report
of the Society of last, beginning with " the
necessity which the Committee have been under iA
same cash of resorting to artifice, tcc.'' to the end of
Lord Rllenboreugh's Charge to the .fin y on Bee-
tazzi's Trial ter selling Obscene Prints. Previous
to the Debate, a letter was rea,l from Lord Rad-
stock, apnlegising for his not being able to attend,
and advising the Meeting to leave the determina-
tion of the question to the Committee, who, he
said, must he the best judges of the necessity sr •
propriety of resorting in anereme cases to artifice.
Mr. Basittotott took a very minute view orthe
arguments on both sides, particularly the necelstt
of using artifice eeu any oe:asion ; he contend, d.
that in no ease could it be Amax*, for that if
once the doctrine of necessity or expediency were al-
lowed, no man could tell where to stop • it wroth!
he shaking off the dominion of the Almighty and
substituting man's opinion ; it wou!d even in the
best breast be a dangerous standard, and might lead
a man to commit excesees in vies, while he thong%
himself promoting the cause of virtue—witness the
papists in France, and the fanatics in our risen coun-
try, the latter of whom, in the times of Oliver
Cromwell, acted under the very doctrine that was
now sought to be established. He world not, he
said, trust any person, or any society, with anch a
principle, which WAS evinced by his objirc.i.g to it,
even the Committee of this Society, than whom there
was no set of men he more highly respected and es-
teemed. d. Where," said he, is the man who will
tell me his reason is sufficiently strong and correct
to entitle him to use his own discretion in adopting
or rejecting an absolute rule and command of God ?
Every man is an example to his neighbonr : and if
I am found breaking one law, or one command-
' ment, may not others think themselves jostifica in
using his discretion also, and keep or break it, as
will best suit his notions of necessity or eapeiliencyi"
He would take the rule as he found it, and obey it,
though it might not agree with the doctrine to ex-
pediency. He answered the argument of the
moral late, being a means, and -
tered into so wide a field, that,
ed, we cannot pretend to follow'.
on the subject of contradiEtory
Bowles at the former Meeting.
were no contradiaory duties •
choice, but they could not clash
into a metaphysical discussion
WAS interrupted by the Rev.
complained of his detaining the
vent arguments ; and, after Title,
remarks made by the last speaker at
ing, he concluded a speech of iv
I disclaiming any hostility or ill
I anittee.
Mr. Bowers rose to explain
which he complained had been mine-preented.
, said, he did not assert there were crintradiaory du-
ties, but that Man must use his understanding its
cases which seemed to clash. The Papists bad sup-
posed themielves sight in burning Heretics. and
densest themselves obeying the Divine Will. He
denied that the Committee had ever practised the
doctrine of expediency, which, lie said, had been
fOrced unon them, but which they disclaimed. :le
defended his former argument of the propriety of
using deceit, and quoted Bishop Taylor, Melaie-
thus, Br.c.
Mr. VAN MI Lnrn took notice of some harsh ex-
pressions, which, he said, bad been used in the course
of the debate. He deprecated, as be had always, the
discussing the subject in that open way, and parti-
cularly quoting Scripture before such a meeting--
He said, it WAS a subject on which a man could rot
decide, without retiring to has closet. and entering
deeply into his own heart ; be justified using strata-
vem and artifice, where the same end could not be
procured without them. He instanced stratagems in
war, which no man condemned, and which De cun-
sidered quite analogous, as the venders of indecent
prints must he allowed to be enemies to nuirality
and virtue. FiCtions there were in every Govern-
ment, and artifice in every rank of society. Deceit,
when it was intended to produce good, or avoid
evil, wasjnstifiable. Casuistry is universal in life,
and every man says many thiogs, wisich are not
strialy true, if scrutinised closely. Quakers and
fanatics, he said, were continually naiseonstining
scripture, which could not be taken always literally.
He instanced the Commandment, u Thou shalt not
kill," which is universally rend: real, o 'Eton sh .1:
do no murder," but which, if taken lite:ally. womd
seem to forbid even the killing of cattie. Ile con-
cluded by moving the previous question, in order tn
put a stop to the argument, which he coubidered
highly improper.
eau TOROS began by commenting on some
harsh and illiberal expressions which had fallen
horn the last speaker ; he did not mean to accuse
him of intentional disrespea to the o;.ininas of his
opponents, but took the liberty of :advising him to
use candour, as well as warmth and strength of
argument. He referred to the liberality shewn by
Mr. Bowles, whose arguments every one inuo re-
'pea, and which had double effea, as they rein.
urged with a suavity of manners, and a deportment
becoming a gentleman. rte begged pardon of the
last speaker, if he appeared hang in his expressions.
He highly respeled him for his abilities and talents,
and was only sorry to see him hurried *way by the
warmth of his feelings, he mast allow learelf
to have been illiberal, as he bad dvprecatel with
some warmth the using scripture on ~ne vrnile
he had allowed it on the other. He hat a.s • while
pretending to objea to using scriptural authornr,
availed himself of theirwholefiSres.by broadly assert-
ing that, were he disposed to make quntationa, it
would he found that the scriptures were all in his
favour." If this was n-4 benefiting hins‘eif of t!- at
authority, he (Mr. W.) knew not what could be
consiJerod so. lie was sorry !es ,ee gralemen
ols-
posed to groend their argtanenta nn any other au-
thority
m e :iber;
o"fats,:: ;aci.dpeMa.rth.
iWe es.,:c4i;hyst.nil:nnrstfess becameit was
a
principally with a view of heatinZ the esnictlutee
oftru calked of, often quoted, ani always consider, .
ed as a rule of conduit. I cannot conceive there
can be any harm in quoting from inch a book, bass

I

..
nr.tan end, hit en.
Alsougb we Id . -
Thers; As he did • )
ie
duties urged 41- t
•
fin contLmded tlf
there mi.gbe h:_' a
se sh ; he was enter A 7,
lof the snt)ject, t
Mr. 1-1:Wlet:, o
to Meetii4: ',..i; riie_
nticing a ti li
rea. at thel.r " —....,
f near twct rst by
ill will to the Cem-
s
an argument of his,

fore rich a body of men, who, I am sere, respe& it
us highly as I do." Mr. IV. agree•! in the inutility
Of Public argument, as many would, from opposi-
tion, push their opMions l'arthr than they at first
intended, or would wish t aid, inste.id of being con-
vinced, grow olive determined at:•.i rooted to their
first opinkns ; and, he was certain, the Commircee
could not at first have justified tile man they had
employed, and who, he was convir.ced, no:it have
exceeded his orders. They would no:, but from
opposition, • have insiaed on the nece,ity of ar
tifice, or in any degree have 'an:honed clic
using an untruth, but from apposition. They had
been driven forward to defend those doetrinc;
they ¶h,!:nselves would, some tithe since, have
abhors..! Bishop Taylor, he <aid. had been
often qnnted, and, he would beg leave to re-
mind them of one sentiment of b s, that casuistry
was often resorted to, to conceal the weakness of a
cause. a But,* says Bishop Taylor, "an honest
heart is the best casuist;" he was convinzed that
this instance would be used as a general system.
You L.snnot deny it," said Dlr, W. for it has

• been .a:3, th c von may as well give up the society
;:.. this principle. Good God ! Gentlemen, consider
what you a-e about, consider the sauetiou your
names and eharael-rs will give to vice of every de-
scription, what a latitude you are giving to the
opinions of nr:q. who will rrioA assuredly abuse it,
althnog% coil may not. You wish the world to look
up to rev us pattern., and they do look up to you!
Ta Gost's name. then, take care they do not look
anum upnn you ; do not give our enemies (for ene-
rviti we have) such a handle against us ; hut, say
yen, it is. All exaerne case. I say it is out an ex-
treme cacst ; your report does not say vc ; it says,
artificat has been resorted to in some instances,
latesi.ingio of coarse, a plurality. But why all this
atxumea►_t' why this stubbornness of opinion If
it be an extreme case, better even to let the offeader

go, than that such a ho ly of men :is we ars should
kan in er e;t, ;lion sitch a lie. We consent
mho it, sedan, therefore, partner. in it. When I
first heard of this argument and read the report, I
did nor reps& so much op; osition oat ale side, or
jushiicatior on the other. I exoehted that the Com.
rnittee wr sld have come forward, and avowed, in
the language of their report, their Far; ow .t the ne-
cessity of using artifice in that one inaaree referred
to, and bea,-ged for an ail of indemnity ; instead of
which, I ti id them endeavouring to ratae it into a
general system; 1 find them hugging it to their
breasts, and eating it as the life's blood of the So-
ciety. Sooner should the S.,cicty be dissolved
(much as I value it), than that we should give a
'Ration to such apt inciple, or depend I: pon that only
for stateless. I have a very high opinion of the
Gentleman before me (Mr. Bowles) ; but I would
set eves trust him with Inch a dangerous principle,
which may be perverted by ignorant agents."
We. W. then referred to the arguments on truth,
and oohed, 44 Is truth so abstruse that man cannot
@each k ; N. I Truth may be foand in every man's
breast. It need not be searched for in old folio
volumes, or is the libraries of antiquarians, but
artifice and untruth must be essentially vicious; and
we are expressly commanded, that, laying aside
lying, every one speak truth to his neighbour.
You say where it is doubtful, we have a right, and
are bound to choose ; but I say that Scripture has
no left this point at all ambiguous, but has clearly
aid forcibly expressed the obligation to truth."
He seat adverted to the argument of Mr. Bowleg,
that such a chai-ader had no claim to truth, and
said that no one could be released from the obliga-
. tion, as it arose from the command of God, and not
from the right or claim of one man upon another.
Upon this principle, he contended, a man might tell
one story to one person, and immediately turn round
and tel a diredly contrary to another behind. be-
cause this person has no right to trutß, and there-
fire he was justified in an untruth—the law will not,
he said, Vase any deviation or lazity of principle.
" Good God! Gentlemen," exclaimed lie, in an
impassioned and energetic tone, " what are you
centend'ng for ? what would the world say, sup
peeing our doors to be thrown open, and the wit-
nesses of eut (lease, would they nut think us fanatics
and Olive:ions? I am convinced, Gentlemen argue
front convierces. because, from such principle,, men
have committed crimes, which, when at ,he point
of death, they declared they thought themselves
iustatied in. The murderers of King Charles
draught k a rightor.ac ale, but will the world jus-
tify us, wit' they wish ant us in using systematic
artifice ? wtll our own consciences, and, what is more,
will the Almighty jtera'a us ?—No I" He contended,
that not only would the Society ha injured by the
general adoption of this principle. but, that it had
already, from the partial use of it. He instanced
the chambes of the City of London, which he was
well informed, had it in contemplation to afford a
ca-ant money and effeaual :issistance to the Society,
bat were prevented by bearing of the principle on
which they nail ; this he could Touch ;'ot, as he
had h from the .--st authority-else remindesi them
of tlie prrhable readtir.g (tom their
!eakia; down the barrier f caascience as exhibited
by Mr. Stephens, in the probable supposition of a
mail coming to the gallows, and saying he was led
;--to sin by the 8 sciety for the Suppreanon of ice.
Ile reprobated the using informers at all, and ad-
vised the Society boldly to take upon themselves to
bring (Mendel. to jestice ; and why, he asked, are
informers odious ? because, from the smallness of
their pay, they must nntnrally be of a low descrip-
tion, and because they meanly ingratiate themselves
into the confidence of others for the purpose of be.
tray ing them,—would you do so ? I know your
minds revolt at the idea ;-..then why make others
dowhat your consciences will not permit you to do ?
Would it not be more honourable to aft openly and
fairly, sad not attempt to cheek one vice by the
emarnissien of another ?" He instanced one mem-
ber who had shewn kis conrage in daring to a& in
such bad times; and concluded, by remarking, that,
use what stratagem they might, the offenders would
be too much fur them. He hoped they would de-
cide emits* and coolly. and not from any thing
like par 7
Mr. ?MIRE spoke in reply ; but we regret that
we cannot afford room for more than a sketch of
his able, spirited, argumentative, and lively speech,
which had the good effect of putting every one in
good humour, ifit did not convince him. He con-
jured them to consider what they were about, and
wished to bring them back to a little sober reason,

and to a calm and impartial view of the question,
stripped of all the intricacy and weight of argument
is;tii which gentlemen on both sides had loaded it.
He said be had objected to the discu,sion of the
question at the last Quarterly Meeting, when he had
the honour to be in the chair. Mr. Macauly had
since introduced it into the Committee, and it bad
been discussed ; he had also since discussed it in a
pamphlet, and what we; all this argument about?—
whether the Society would sandion lying ? ! that
they disclaimed the meaning of words that had been
tortured to thiow that tense on the word artifice,
as used by the Committee. Had the Committee,
in any one instance, endeavoured to
,inculcate the
d'ictrine (0- expediency ? that they also disavowed ;
they said there was a necessity for acting as they
had done, and that they must use their understand-
ing : when any two duties presented themselves for
them to choose, there must be a choice when both
could not be performed ; he noticed the old story
of one man following another with a drawn sword,
or the purp ise of murder, which had been stated
on both side; ; but it had been said, that a man
might hold his tongue ; he would, however, state
the case in a different way ; he would suppose the
man poi sued had taken refuge in his hay loft, and he
Was askt.l, .4 is the man in your loft ? aye or no."
What is ould silence avail ? And if such a case were
to come bet ore him, as a barrister or judge, be should
think himself bound to consider a man who told
where the man was as en accessary to the murder.
It bad been said, the laws of our country will not
sanction any deviation from truth : this he de-
nied. Ile instanced the proceedings of the Cri-
minal Courts; when a man pleads guilty, the
Judge puts a lie into his mouth by obliging him
to plead not guilty, in order that be may have the
benefit of Counsel, and he is afterwards made to
throw himself on God anal his country. 1 will
beg leave," staid Mr. rAftst, " to remind my
Learned Friend, Mr. Stephens, how often he is
obliged to use artifice or lies (if you will con-
sider it in that light). in the court* of his prac-
tice as a barrister. I declare I have often lis-
tened with delight and satisfaction to his argu-
L ments when in opposition to me, and have been al-
most ready to give up my cause, when he has imme-
diately turned round to me, shook his head, and
said, This won't do though.' I will also appeal to
the physkians, whether they do not think them-
selves warranted, in extreme cases (and it is enly
then it can be justifiable), to give a false dire Lion to
the mind : I will put the case of a woman in a dan-
gerous labour, and her child also at the point of
death ; would they not consider themselves doing,
in fad, a laudable ad, if they said the child was bet-
ter, in answer to the fond mother's inquiry ? would
they not consider themselves guilty of murder if
they aged differently, and immediate death were the
consequence ? I see a worthy physician before me
(Dr. Garthshore); I ask him whether he has not told
many such charitable lies in a day? and I ask the com-
pany whether they do sot think him a worthy, con-
scientious, and religious man ? • To lie like a physi-
cian' is an old adage, but it was never supposed or
meant as a refleetion on that respeetable body of
men. I will appeal to the breast of every man,
whether be is not obliged to use deceit of wino kind
or other continually ? and I contend, that if it be
done for a good end, it is innocent and commenda-
ble." He then referred to several instances in Scrip-
tore, the Egyptian midwives, who were rewarded
becanse they feared the Lord;' the harlot Rahab,
for saving the spies ; the prophet Elisha, and many
other cases. After all that had been said upon the
subjed, he contended that it had nothing to do with
the matter before them ; it was a plain broad ques-
tion, " Can the Society be of any real utility with-
out using artifice ?" He contended, with many in-
genioui arguments, that it could not. He next
asked, " Is the Sriciety to be broken up'?" Gentlemen
should consider that it was established for the pur-
pose of aiding the laws, which could not be en-
forced without srlrtlety ; their individual observ-
anc,.! of Them would have no effect, or if it would,
there was no occasion for their joining as a Society.
If any considered it as against their consciences, they
had better leave the Society, which could only be
useful in the way the Committee had aged. He
had, he said, the authority of Lord Ellenborough,
an several of the Judges, with whom he had
spoken on the subject, who were all astonished at the
proceedings iS Gentlemen on the other side.
He next adverted to the proposition of Mr. Wil-
berforce, that the Society should ad them-
selves, and not use hired informers. He asked him,
a Would you and I, with our grave faces, like to be
seen going into a shop, and ask for an obscene print,
or would the owner of the house, seeing us with per-
haps better coats on than informers, I do not speak
of my own, as mine may, from the colour, be sup-
posed to have been turned. /A lard lacy/.) Would
the man, I ask, like to serve us ? or, would he not,
supposing we were to adopt this proposition, im-
mediately peep up at us and uk us, as they would
every decent man, Pray, Gentlemen, do you be-
long to the Society for the Suppression of Vice r
How, Sir, I ask the Learned Gentleman (Honour-1
Ole, I mean), as we legal men have, I believe, arro-
gantly reserved that title to ourselves, I ask, what
he would do ? evade the question, or tell the truth,
and get rid Of a good pumping ? for not even his
grave face, or good coat. could save him from that
fate. Good God ! Gentlemen, will you let such a
nefarious [wadies continue ? Have you sons or
daughters, and will you permit their minds to be
thus polluted with impunity ? Go into the shop of
one of these scoundrels, and you will see shelves up-
on shelves loaded with pictures adapted to the dif-
ferent ages of the youths who frequent them ; and
how are you to deted them, but by such agents as
the Committee have used ? They are TIM to be con-
sidered as common informers, whom I look upon AS
men inf irming for the sake of the reward ; but
here there is only a regular pay, and the work is done
without any specific reward for the ad." He beg-
ged the Meeting to remember it was not meant to
be adopted as a general rule of pradice, but only
in extreme cases ; and reminded them, it was not a
question to be argued in a wide and diffuse way, but
abstra Redly whether the Society was to be of ser-
vice or not? lie thought it would be best to leave
it to the Committee; he concluded a speech replete
with wit, argument, and pathos, amidst a thunder
of applause, and the cry of Question, time:bon, the
previous Quinton !
Mr. Hitor True:mos made OW ottosoplis to

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