The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-15 00:00:00

THE BRITISH' PRESS.

which occurred at I,landttlas. in ‘S'nleti. the Clergyman would not
nermit the child tube buried except seconting to form preicribeJ
by the sheen, relating to pereeis on whonr a verdict of felt) de at
had been teisined. The chib.l was fltraHy hurled in tworher parish.
It was high time that the law, a. regraded this'elara of Christians,
should be altered ; and Lord Liverpool had not discouraged them
from hoping that upon ,this subject some relief 'cold be efFirded.
((heerio.) He had promised to consult the Ai.eithishops and
Bishops on the tinhjeca, and he I.llr. Wilke) belied, in the course
of nest Session, the Bautista would le released from the opiates-
Ision they now complained of. Willi respect to this gondol', he
was glad to have the opportunity dal thittig justice to at least ode
member of the Established Church. Dean Wend had ten sed to
bury if child becalm baptised by a Steihodist. Upon thatautiicee
the Bishop .ef Nnrwith arms the Dean a letter. which he (Air.
Wilke) would reed, because it did credit to the l'etholic spirit of
its revered cud venerable author, and would endear him still more,
who was already NI dear, to all enlightened cheers.)
Jiir—" Days leapt JO) should speak. Red multitude ti' years
should teach wisdom." Now far Dean Wood cony acccsie to the
retch mf this remark, sa applicable to ow, I dare not venture pe.
remprorily to decide. Hot lem Inclined to believe, from the inter-
courfe whit% has passed between as on former occasions, he will
not be indiapoeed to pay some deference to the opinion of a brother
Clergrman, who is row in the ilthl year of his age ; and l have no
hesitation in stating most unequivncaliy shot that opinion is. The
decision or an well.tnformed a Civilians as Sir John Nichol!, jus-
tifies, I think, any slittister of the Established Church in pur-
suing that line of tendert torrents Diseenters of all denominations,
which candour. and meekness. and nuideradun, and Christian chit-
rity, must make him anal:net to parsue nn nil ocessiona, especially
upon so interesting a ones as that mentioorl in your I,PCI, and In
behel,f of am individual belonging to a sect reinatic.ittly peaceful,
pious. ind inoffensive. lie so good ea to show the Data whkt I
have written, he may, perhaps, be induced to respect my atlases-
lions. I. am, Sir, yours'. &e.

To the Rev, Time. Rowe. H. Notterten.
Wesleyan Minister, Lynn.
After reading this letter. the Learned Gentleman passed a most
eloquent cuing um on the venerable Bishop, arid onseved that if
ell the 'norther% of the Established Chnrch wan imbued with ON
spirit. no person would regret to see them in the enjoyment of all
that wealth and splendour which kliey now possessed. He then
pmeeeded to recommend a plot he •nleli he thought many of the
vexationslt.ttstrearroasesderogegjenaepuedesteeeimikaa& fox Dirt
'enter% to procure burial emu nth, or their own. He wen atom duo
le the country the expose et reining a eliepel often esti:meted their
finances, but he thought that whendver a new chapel was erected,
a piece of ground !Mould, if possible, be porouriated for a eeele-
tery. Such bad been done at Manchester. °The benefits that could
wipe from ouch a plan were obvious. Mary miscellaneous sub-
ject* hail come under the notice of the Society. They hat received
a letter Irmo the Rev. Mr. Thorpe, stating that a chapel being
about to be built at Mangotelitild, the clergyman hail threatened to
pull it dime if it wire erected in a situation so approximate to the
Established Church. The Committee replied that the chapel
ought not to be erected so near se to give neediess offence to any
pious members belonging to the Established Church, These
thing, were certainly little in themolves, but it was the aggregste
of tittle thine' rho mnde dupe great. The spirit of persecution
was manifested by them, and ,hewed that, though that spirit was
manacled by the law and the opinion of the public, still the send
existed, which .hewed the necessity of that law being upheld, and
the public opinion expressed. The Learned Secretary then made
observations on the eon-Liability of Dissenting Ministers to serve
on Juries, under the new Act, provided they did not follow any
business; also the exemption to which such Ministers were en.
titled, though following the buisinees of cultivators' of land, farmers
not bees' traders s.ithin the Bankrupt Laws. and therefore
such occupations did not deprive Direentieg Ministers of any
privileges which they enjoyed under the Toleration Act. He also
mentioned several cases relating to the necessary forms to be
°braved in obtaining cenificatea from the Registrar for legalizing
pieces of religious worship; and lie stated that it appeared
to him, in order to render such documents official it was necessary
they should be signed by the Archbishop, his Secretary, or of the
regular official registrar appointed by them. When the registra.
(inn had been made, either with the civil or ecelesisetical authority,
all was done that the law required. In the bile of Man a Mr.
Dalrymple had established a Sunday school in his own house,
which the Bishop had attempted to suppress. Every thing eclat-
ing to that island was involved in mystery. The Bildern claimed
this power ender some old Act of Tynwald, passed in IPA and
said that the Toleration Law heal no power in the Isle of Man. If
that wee so. then the Legislature ought to interfere, and not ander
that little isle to form a dark spot unillumined by th it light which
beamed over all the other parts of the empire. It Canada it was
known that the Catholic religion was the ntabliehed religion.
After the alteration had taken place, many Presbyterians settled
there, and an Act was passed to allow Protestants as well as Ca-
tholics to celebrate marriage, burial, and baptism. Subsequently
several Methodists and Calvinists settled there and enjoyed this
right ; but lately the Chief Justice lead refused to sign their books,
as required by the statute. An appeal WWI made to the courts of
law, when it was decided that Dissenters were not Proteststots.
The consequence was, the Metlpdists and Calvinist, were precluded
from the right they had bere enjoyed. An Act had, after a
second attempt, passed the tied Houses in Canada to rentektbie
defeet. but the Anorney.Geereal tied Chief Juetlee tlecfinell to
ratify It until it should be appreend 04aad continued by his Ma.
jestee Government. It woo under these eircutostattees that the
Canadians had applied to this Society for its interposition melte.
behalf. The Attorney-General and' Chief Justice.of Canada had
transmitted with the Bill a protest against its being plowed into a
law. [The Learned Secretary then proceeded to read the protest,
and to comment upon and point nut the futility of its rep_
Boning'. He next adverted to the necessity of some
tin enactment respecting the registration of baptisms and birtlie:l
It bad hitherto been supposed that regietratioti by a Dissenting
Minister was equally valid as that by a Minister of the Established
Church. but the contrary bad been determined by a decision of the
Court of Chancery as well as by the Ecclesiastical Courts. and, in
consequence, great dismay had been spread among the diuseming
congregations throughout the couniry. The registrar's, (A.. Wil.
hams) library alto was so imperfect, that it might be neonsary,
after a considerable lapse of time, to prune the hand-writing
of the parents and ()there, whose signatures were affixed. In con-
sequence of there inconveniences, it had been the (Meet/ of the
Committee last year to communicate with Governmen ee to appeal
at once to those who had the management of Of sirs in their
hands, and to seek their protection and support. TI ,e Committee
sought, while they contemplated bringing the subject before the
Legislature of the country, to obtain the patronage of enlightened
noblemen. and of the most distinguished senator., of the Lower
House of Parliament. The nuode by which he proposed to
remedy those ills was simply te consider the registration, not
as an ecclesiastical, but an a civil matter (applr,use), so that all,
without reference to their religious tenets, or the habits of their mi-
nister'', should equally have the right of inserting the names of
their children and of securing die means of authentication, sib
proposed also that the clerk, of the peace she old be the officers en-
trusted welt the care of those records. Weser] lie mentioned his
proposition to Lord Liverpool. that Noble. Lord declared that the
measure appeared to him desirable, and thee he was willing to lend
it his enncurrence (appleuse); but at the •rarue time intimated that
it was a measure which belonged more voticularlv to the province
of the Secretary of the Home Department. He (Mr. Wilke)
therefore waited on Mr. Peel, and he etruld not say that lie was re-
ceived by that Right Hon. Gentleman with the same cordiality as
by Lord Liverpool. Mr. Peel heeitused much about the expedi-
ency of the proposed alterations ' • he said ha should be obliged to
consult many erratum. Ile said he could not legislate on so im.
pertant' a matter in a hurry, and he said what he (Mr. Wilks)
could not coincide in, that the thing ought to be made compulsory.
While Mr. Peel doubted, on one 'mod, whether any alteration were
desirable, he thought, on the outer, that any mode of proceeding
which might be adopted ought to be made obligatory on all the
parties. The result was his ph anise that when the Parliament was
dissolved, and he should have some leisure, he would give the mat.
ter his attention, and make melds mind either to brit.g it forward in
the course of the next Session or or *lse to apprise the Society of his ob.
jections. The Committee leeld slot) caul Bred ii their duty to make
an application to Parliameree on the subject of negro slavery. That
was a subject on which all/Protestants should befunaniutous; and
a petition was In consequence presented, praying that negro slavery.
should be abolished fur ever. (Applause.) It might be doubted
whether that question Cats of too political a nature to be the
object of a Society horned for the protection of religious liberty.
But the question whetter 83,000 fellow.creatures ought to remain
slaves or not, aopear to the Committee to involve many religious
as well as moral coroiderations. It war the greatest blot in the
history of this wintery that slavery bad been permitted to exist so
long The cause of the abolition was a glorious cause ; but at the
same time they would not be friends to the neemes—they
would nor be friends to the country who should attempt pre-
cipitately to mill down an edifice, which, however wrongfully
erected, must .lee allowed to involve in its existence much
property and comfort. (Applause.) The declaration of the inten.
tious of Ministers, and the expression of public opinion, would, he
hoped, utren ithen the hands of those liberal persons who wished to
effect a change which was too long procrastinated. The Committee
bad been aetuatal by the belief that the guinea ought to be brought
forward again and again. It was not by adopting the sentiments
and cool reasonings of Adam Smith that any good was to be effected,
there were many persons, who, though they pretended to humanity:
yet cared snore for a prick in their finger than for the pangs of
thousands; who, if they were tall of an earthquake, would exclaim
“Altes 1" and talk again of the festering of their linger. (Applano.)
But gond could lei expected only from those who, while free from
the pains of others, sympathised with the agonies which rend their
hearts. With respect to the Test and Corporation Acts, the tat.
ease circumstances of the country. and the stiortnessof the See.
Otto, nrodered it unfit to address the Legislature on the subject., It
was therefore ;emptied. with the conviction that whenever it was
brought forward it eltould be brought forward as a great subject.
It was only by speaking firmly that the dissenters could hope to be
freed from those vexteitess laws. He hoped that they would be true
to themselves. He trusted that in giving their votes at the emitting
election they would not crouch to powereior be swayed by interest,
but cunt they would vote Our congenial spirits, who would pledge
theowelves to promote. here and everywhere throughout the world,
freedom, truth. and liberty of ceeseleice. He would here relate an
anecdote of is Gentlemareof the noblest principles.who was at present
Member for Surrey when asked by a freeholder. on one occasion.
what he thought of Bible Secietio, of popular education, end id
the Test Act, that Honourable Gentleman replied diet he was
President of a Bible Society in the comity in which he lived ; that
he maintained a school in the North of England, at his own ex.
pence aud that, with regard to the Test Act, he considered it a
disgrace to the Established Church. (Applause.) If the Protestant
Dissenter, were true to thenotelyee—if they would show their re.
apectabilityottength, and tletaminaikta, ha trusted that they would

be relented from the degradlow neneesify of an annual Act of in-
demnity. end from the Innumerable petty vexations which might be
aleeignated ineulterathof then-wrongs, He Bunted that they would
thus gain artentitin and struggle into command. (Great applattee.)
He was really compelled to go into many deed's. too speaking as
he WI/ with the knowledge that the Nodle Cli Armen win
&Aged to go at an early hour. he would endeavour to be brief.
He hoped he would be Permitted to state that lie received
optooriptiope and cienmeniestions from Scotland, which were
highly. hononwilele to that country as well as to the Society ; his
co rtespondent expecemel hie surprise that such differatein should
exist between renneuernittelpeparsted only by the Tweed. In the
Nneth, they said, they were treed from vexations laws ; but there
wee • time when dark cloud• hung over themselves ; they pro.
.11/iPCCI their amebae:Be to the Diseenf era of England in such a man-
ner ea to remove the slur of selfishness which bail been east on the
inhabitants of the North. (Applause.) He (Mr. Wilke) was not
one disposed to envy the revenues of the Esteblielied Chattel ;
'these who accused the Dissenters of envy, eutigeit, he believed,
front themselves. Llnitghter and applause ) Tee mirtoers of
the Protestant Dissenters did not yield to Rey, he was convinced,
inodity and teaming ; and when they--obliged as they were lo
liveten the love uPtheir parishioners—passed by the palaces of hi.
shops, it was their fervent prayer, he was sure, that those Prelates
might have, obit theft increased means of liberality, that literality
of heart- which could *Pine toinctiiy the means. But with what
feelings mold the ingenuous and educated youth of Dissenters look
at theaneignerable edifice.. in this country, which were thought to
Metro !. the deep and sacred spriegs of teeming ? He hail hitneele
wandered along the streams of the Cam and the Isis, and he bound
himself. on those hallowed batiks, estranger in Ms nauue land, and
on the borders of • Paradise which he amid not Met. DiSOCltars
could not be admitted into those Universities, utilege by apoetaciam
from the principles of their forefathers. and by the admission of
principles which their consciences raj acted. They co Id not gather
the laurels which grew teem, without signing article, of faith.
These were odious diatinctiopa, and he was glad of anythiag which
could do away with them. He am glad that men of influence and
of unbounded ability were endeavouriog to Mond in London a
University, in which Protestants and Catholics, Jews noel Chris.
tians, to t ell reed* mama I toftivation, without ssiy reference to
religious breeds. OpPlattets.) fir hoped that similar Colleges would
be nun hsaliteegreateistea,ehmoghoutthernaotry,andthatthe
causesotfreligfon and lileflity *weld go on triumphantly together.
He was deeirohs tie 4 *iwint: to trance : although a greet pm-
thfn dr Ktie pent& atter I•PrdnerY•wateroillmosetell ep most Imputation..
and although some bigoted !Immune, had been sallipted there. Wadi
were familiar to tyranny in all parts of the worltl, yet there were'
evidences of growing knowledge in France which could not be
overiooked ; the general enthusiasm cynical the ease of General '
Foy, and in the cause of the Greeks,' was rite Heat budding et a
Reins, which, be triteted, would ore long blossom and bring forth 1
fruit. With regard to America, there weewo country in which the
peeanns at the head Orating were more determined to support the
cease of liberty. He then adverted ro the conduce of Don Rodri- i
guez. Phut distinguished individual had rived how much might be
done by persevering efforts. H e had tat t during forty-one rears at
it
the college of Lim.* ; and when at the eof eighty, venerable by
his yeses and by his nentlmenta,he. *is led into the hall bf demi-
! ties ; Its there advociued the principlief of religloue liberty; he beg.
gad the deputies to repudiate from their counsels the doctrine that
the Roman Catholic religion was tees religion of the State, and he
declared Ills willingness to write in 'his dying blood that the religion
of Jesus Christ was the religion oCthe State. Such was the protest
of that great man. and it was rertarksble that among the persons
who signed that protest there w,te nine Catholic Priests. in 3letele
a. the same spirit prevailed. although strenimusly opposed by the
Priests. It wits the deternii Astir.° ef the Meaican Government,
however, that in every village of that great State there should be a
school and a er:roing-press ; and if schools and printing-presses
were countenanced by the (internment, the power of &Antes must
yield to the growing illitmi cation of truth andhnowledge ( Applause.) '
With respect to the Society. it was perpetually afteallal by letters
and by pamphlets, some of which condescehded to attack the'',
humbfe individual whorthen addressed tile assembly, but he MIN
not at all appalled by dense attacks ; on the contrary, complaints of
the bigoted and the eWejudiceil always inspired him with fresh
hopes • they seemed to him a criterion of the successof the Society.
But the hostility of /ouch persons did not diminish the patronage
which the Society vawyed, and which was displayed at their &afloat
meetings. On one of those occasions they had been Immure(' wi.lt
the presence of his' Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex. (Great '
applause.) On Leather occasion they had Mr. John Shilih. the
general friend oft um tnity and of liberty (applause) ; they had had
a descendant of (te House of }tureen (applause) ; they had bad a
Noblemen (Loa. Deere) who was then present, and whom he hoped
often to see spin. whose unsolicited attendance evinced a cordiality
which deserted the peculiar gratitude oh the assembly (great ap
plauve); they had had, too, a Nobleman (Mr. Wilk* here turned to
the Chairmen. the Marquis of Lareelowit) whom, days were devoted
to the aerate of his rountry,who laboured without remuneration, and
who env /tell with his whole heart in every question that concerned
the peontie or conesitutiottal liberty. (Immense applaute.) Well
might lie two° be •• rirtute non verbis!" It was not by eloquent
pretensions. hat by courage manifested In the defence of right, that
he solght to earn the gratitude of hie country ; nor would Ids
cow* prove ungrateful to him : he would live in the page of his.
tory le_he was one of whom it would he said, is: winkle/ea whop
rvirs y-iintr when dead deplored. (Immense applause.) But lie
(M.s. Wilke) would tell that nobleman, that it was not reserved for 1
KIVA statesmen to direct the destinies of the country. They might
Ming to a focal point the light which wan diffused among the
people; they might give a splendor to their arguments; but in the
present state of society everything depended oat knowledge; from
ftrue principles flowed true prosperity. Knowledge wasrapidly
advinci.lg. and then, with such commanders, and with such
a host, far be despair from their spirits. (Applause.) But
they ought not to allow their own happy circunietances to
create in them an apathy with regard to the situation of foreign
countries. Greece had excited a strong sympathy through all
Europe ; distinguished ladies ie France had bestowed their jewels
to aid that glorious caner: and he would bay, when addressing an
aaeembly composed of Christians and of females, that in England
there had been too much indifference to that cause. The creeks, it
was true, were called insuigents, but they were not ea that account
to be cnitdenined: what ware the Reformation ? what was the Revo-
lution ? what was the extortion of the great charter by the Herons?
were not all these insurrection,? (Great applause.) What was
light hut an insurrection from darkness? (Applause.) The Greeks
were insurgents, it was true, but they were insurgents in their na.
live land, struggling to be free from tyrannous itivaders. He
trusted that they would have timely succour, and would finally
prevail ; the moat adverse circumstances ought never to give birth
to despair ; the example of Holland struggling against the power of
Spain. or even of this little island contending with the migin of
Europe. ought to convince them of the truth of that tnaxim which
the sages of old had inculcated, that good efforts were never lost,
but that they would ultimately spring up and bear fruit. It could
not he denied that in spite of the difficulties of their struggles,
the Greeks were now approaching to the possession of their
liberty. At bliasolonghi, children of ten years of age, ma-
tron*, and wives, fought by the aide of their fathers and hus-
bands. With such a spirit, success was inevitable; the Cross would
never be trodden down ; Freedom and Christiaeity would
again celebrate their triumphs, and the peals of the rejoic-
ing Greeks would echo from the rocks, and electrify. the
unieene.—(lmmense applause.)—From their history we might
learn not to despair on account of difficulties in a good cause, nor
to relax in prosperity : we might also learn to cherish liberality
and religious freedom; we might learn the truth of the maxim.
Refigio non pnfrst cuyi, a sentiment which lactamius taught 1600
years ago ; tor he saw the folly of legislating on matters of religious
belief—he saw the fully of Teat and Corporation Acts, and of all
similar laws, which might force men to dissemble, but could not
convert them. Who could allow such a presumptuous intrusion
between his conscience rind his God ? 'flue right of such inter-
ference did not belong even to tire loftiest spirits. 'Whenever such
an interference with his conscience should be attempted, he would
lay his hand on his breast and exclaim, " Here I am, and here I
will be free."--(Great applause.)—But they ought to remember
that it was their privilege and their duty to sympathise with the
afflicted in all pare of the world. They were assailed by only
petty wrongs, but the world was now approaching the state of
one great faintly. A little pebble, dropped in one 'part of the ocean
of human society, soon caused a generel undulation over the whole
surface. Wherever a spirit was trembling to be free we ought to
aid and encourage it by our approbation. He reprobated the eel-
(Winers which sometime* influenced Pmteseent dissenters—which
induced than to bring their children to the parish churches, or to
send them to the Universities. He lamented the conduct of Moe
persons, not because they diminished the numbers of the rnniety,
but itecauee they sacrificed their honour, which was dearer than
life. They ought not to allow the spirit of selfishness to operate
on them; nor, when emerging from the cave of thraldom, nun
breathing the sweet air of liberty, ought they to be forgetful of
others who were labouring in afHiction. If he were able to show
selfishness in all it, deformity, he was sure that those who were
niost under its dominion would ehrihk from the monster. If he
could depict it with the hideous aspect in which it attracted the
young and the old, bentmebing and infusing into their hearts the
poison of apathy ; all, he was persuaded, would resist its iefluence,
and would continue etedfast in the attachment which had grown
grey wi,h many who were grey around him. But he would not
despair while the love of liberty increased ; with that the enters of
their cause was indissolubly linked; end if he were asked what
ought to be the motto of their Society, ge would reply, in the lan.
lower of the immortal Locke, •• Liberty, absolute liberty, just and
true liberty, equal and impartial liberty, is the thing we need."
(Enthusiastic plaudits accompanied the conclusion of the eloquent
1 Secretary'. speech.)

The Rev. Jodi' Mounisoti, of Chertsey. then rose to propose
the first resolution, which asserted and deprecated any interference
with the rights of conscience. lie could not conceal the satist4ction
he felt at seeing a distinguished Nobleman in the chair. lie had
been always accustomed, as a Briton, to look on the aristocracy as
the common property of the country, not to be noinopolized, there-
fore, by any one sect 01 party. He would take that opportunity of
telling his Lordship that the Dissenters were the most loyal portion
of the community—loyal, ht meant, to the civil part of theConstitu.
tion ; he hoped Mat those who dissented from the ecclesiastical part
of the Constitution would not on that account be deemed disloyal to
the country. But he did not wish to detain the Meeting; he would
only say. that if they were arrived at the period when no such de.
tails coeld be furnished as hail been heard that morning—derails
heard with run by v./cry generous mind—they would not even
then be justified in giving tip the Society; for if it were given up
the same evils would immediately recur. The bigotted were awed.
by the reflection that if they departed frail,' the ways of liberali.,
and justice, the eyes of the Society were on them. They feared
not imprisonment nor amercenient, but the move liberal punish.
merit inflicted by die opinions of 16 Ira people. (Applawic)

The resoludoit str4iielt wean:tended by lie Rev. T. Welker, new
then reed. and ' d unanimously.
card theilist*te wi'll(iletri temufent4;el6lLitilinheillettstin4"euaa'Wee,Pbrywrow". othferel7-
gionTheedii:'iiVn.L.rmif' , and the met esite of stab supeediee the not-jeep.
wHheickhlthethwar4thaeime7lgutlitto
offer
„rap,ohlottrumenifier tbhire, dbultst
tr.y lit::‘,3enetveattiiont:
he felt that it would be a dereliction of his duti base tiffiressi tie and
a Pro:Went Minister, if were to reinlii3 sifevit:...t was au im-
minent nbservation, . oat by his:ory, t;tet kpowledge, though
tartly and at times apP• try retrograde, was tot tfieditole mistral i iel
its ptuevene; public opinion, het the fabled severest 'inequity, might
enmesh:bee disappear and run under gioutul: but it would emerge
again and fertilise the mewl through which it fiewrl. Formerly;
godlike men were compelled to reach by stealth, biu now truth :night'
dare to come forth, and to ad venre anmegst men, with a maker, tuts('
grandeur rettliarly her own. Mut'e bad been done, but much
siel) remained to do; vexatiene, however iiicesesidevel.le they might
be, were repugnant to the principles of liberty ; the ptieoner. Ina
Hants his dungeon to breathe the tree air, would not feel leerier ye-
**tied while he carried a single manacle on his arm. He 'tuba
therefore express his conviction.. that as lure sh a eingle reetriction re.
mains' on freedom ofeonscience. sit Itn.g the end of that Society, tie
attainmsnt of true liberty, was not accomplished. It Was someway*
said the Prates:ant Dissenters were the ettrocatee oflibeityon iy eeemsfle
they were the lowest class of tiociey ; and that if tluy bedroll/ix the,
would soon become tyrants; but he appealed W e_hirtgay foreige
proof, that in all circumstences of power as Weir aj advarsity. the
Protestant Dissenters had been the steadfast. eyeless/ode arieocater
of religious liberty ; let timee who thought othetsitee rigid Procile,g
Answer to Hornse„Godurhe'r liirtnry ry die Rtpubfic., or the
Meanies of Castel Hutchinson, written by his Limners') wit.
He gloried in the name of a Protestant Di etentor, or Pectestane
Mlntiter. Let Indivldsals marmot their efiatieuteohtshled by the
indusety of their patents, end rile to am ship 10 the Establiehee
Church ; he would willingly east off sack incumbraimeca, eethhilhesnt
that the symmetrical faits of a religious society, when uhaderned '
with curb characters, wax adorned the most.. Thh•Disienters'
were governed only-by couviction e clear arguments alone milli
weigh with a rational mind ; persecution would al wart.heedlefeatests
it called forth the latent energies of men. Pereenstign wee new
Mall Of Arm mind as feathers to the oleic, which:thump" they
had come weight in themselyee,. eie make a ersrorossie
pisioa, and enabled' him to fleet* coos
' Le tram softie) hero /alb
Inok down with troetempt nn Outran/Ir' Welt crawled lehew. It
war ice superiority in liberal ,en , derhieh made this century
oesigi-
eke creligrii Mirerlifider et thw ' 'MB dlaillidian4
liberality were generally' diff - sirkil Belvetlir re
hisses of society. end cnnfined to th ' tie Med fere other&
the object of the Society would Mit rre iv a : (A oPlidle.)
stelw
The Rev. W. PLATT fecnildeal the tesolstioti.' atria was ther •
reed and carried uranimottoly.
The Rev. Mr. M. Wfens roue to propose a.resollition *high
he was sure would be carried unanimously and enthnelisticedly ; it
was a resolution of thsnkti me thee illustrious Chairman. (Greet
apedaueu.) He had beets Called on to propose a Resolution
rotative to the Test and Coltionition Acts. for which ,he gl:wlit
substituted that which he row proposed. He heft(' the;
the Noide Lord would allow the respectability asel intellect
(int/played in that *Numbly to weigh with hies—that be would
accept their acknowledgments and gratitude—and that, "bile they
pledged themselves, on one herd, to seek the abolition of those 'te-
atimes Acts. the Noble .Marquis would not refuse them tly aid of
that eloquence *Mee so often enlightened, not only ;he Heins* ef .
Parliament. but all Europe. (Applause.) it
The Rev. It. Dame. of Cumberland, seronded the reedistierie
which was carried with great acclamations ;it whit as fellness : •
Resolved, That this Meeting rejoice its an opportunity publicly
to express their prof/nand and grateful respect to their Noble their.
man, the Noble Marquis of latnedown, which has been inspired by
his private charateer Ord pubee worth, and assure him that lelt
dedication of high talents to the welfare of his country, to the
maintenance of f . , sod' to a general anielioratioa of the des-
tinies of man, has ob fined foe him admiration and love, confidence.
renown, anti unporc tile praise.
The Mat ;tie of west:low, certainly felt that it would be tee.
possible for him to Mt that room without expensing the deepens.,
which he entertain of the much tno flittering terms in witch that,
Me of thaski the!, kindness had dietitted,'lted been moved by the
r7a
eloquent and Rev. Gentlemen who had just addressed them. Tltd
only return that he could make for that kindness was to state (which
he (lid with that sincerity which had justly been described as the
first or virtues) dee real and heartfelt sattsfaclon with which he
found himself I-manure(' by the situation in which he new stood.
in a meeting' dedicated to the noble purpose, of supporting and pro-
tecting relietotiN Sherry. ((.'heers.) And he requested this &seem-
bly would feel assured that if he had come there to-day by invita-
tion. not an unwilling isticisiant to their proceeding—on a day
which might perhaps rather be considered as one of exercise
and recreation, he should not be found wanting among therb,
without invitation, on the ifey of peace; for he would not
honour with the name of cordlict that setjee of petty persecution*,
that little Yea/fare of hostile. but he trusted impotent, religious in -I
Utterance which had heed described and stated in thespeech el' their
most eloquent and able Secretary. He wnuid nut allow himself te
think that they were endangered from that fire of petty musketry
to those sufferings to ehich they had, indifferent times and in de-
fence of their eeligionl their comm.' bees eeposed, front the
heavy can fired' and"NrecietTfth, an lifetent. higieted, and per-
secuting, and therefore wicked hovernment. (Cheers.) In this
country, to a great eaten . they had the lair of the country with
them, and he trusted they Id balm it still more. And while her
certainly should not be ex in this place to give a particular or
detailed ofinion, with respect to any meaaure which he might be
called upon to vote, as a Member of the Legislature of the coun-
try, after having heard all that could be said for or against them,
he trusted he might appeal to the conduct of his public life,
in order to ask this Meeting whether they did not believe
that that conduct would appear to he determined by a desire or
every occasion, as the opportunity arose, to preserse and secure the
most ietertimable blessing which a onbjeet of a free country could
enjoy ? He saw with pleasure the meeting of this day, nos only
because it afforded a great and useful facility for procuring
information which was essential to:hem all, and aiding to obtain
the enjoyment of that right common to them all, but because he
thought the free in tercommunity and exchange of opinions between
persons differing in some shades in their religious opinions, but
uniting in the worship of one Saviour and one Uod, was in hock
attended not only with great temporal, but. if he might be allowed
to sac so, with great spiritual advantage. He believed that, tinder
these circumstances, they did not learn to cherish theirown peculiar
principles less, but he believed they learned to respect the principle,
of others more, and to devotee!, those great principles in which all
who addressed one Providence must he united. He had there-
fore only to repeat, that in every relation whet. he could till
in society, he still wax proud to find himself here this day. As a
man, he felt anxious to contribute initegarding and preserving that
right to others which he wished to preserve for himeelf—a fees
exercise of his own intellect, the first great gift of Providence so
man. (('heers.) As a political member of society, he felt anxioott
that the blessings of the Constitution under which be lived should
be extended without distinction to all ; and tint the attachment u(
all—its subjects should be rivetted by that which could alone rune
secrete and confirm attachment—a participation in all its rights and
privileges (cheers); and such a participation he would extend se
all, to those who differed front him most he would extend it in
the greatest degree ; because he, believed that that participa.
tion was to be finally the greatest corrective of all false
opinions, and the bond by which all Opinions might be bound to.
gether in the common cause of Christianity. He had said thee
much as a man, and as a member of the political society in which
he lived. But he felt also that he was a member of the Church of
' England ; and, as a member of the Church of England, having
told them what hr felt in other relations• he must add, that he most
particularly felt that her interests were concerned In connecting her
existence with the sanction of a free exercise of religious worship
tnroughout the empire. And far from thinking that she could with
propriety, oreven with safety. rely upon the rotten prop and the tree-
cherous defence of penalties imposed upon conscience, and premiums,
held out to hypocrisy (cheers), she owed it not less to her safety,
1 than he was sure she did to her fame, to rest her existenre(protected
as she ought to be since estabiished bylaw) upon the breast basher re-
ligious freedom, upon the free access ro the throne of God by every
man through that medium which he might think best calculated its
the honour of his name, and, anove all, by securing every comsat
of men's lives that right, and seeking what was of most value, that
liberty of cur science and liberty of thought, which need not now be
said, in the language of the most amiable of writer*, was a liberty
by poets left unsung end senators unexpressed, but which they
might always continue to add, is a l'bertyll which, " whose tastes
can be enslaved no more." (Cheers.) He would now take his
leave, which he should not have done so early, were it not that hie
family was in the country, and that he had attended with some in-
convenience to hitnself. Deeply impressed with the able and
forcible arguments that he had heard employed by the (Semis:nen
near him (Mr. iVilke), and the multitude of feces trench he had
stated, there could, he thought, be but one conclusion drawn—that
the importance of the callow which this Sosiety advocated added to
the safety and prosperity of the country. (Cheers.) .
Mr. WI Les said, he wax sure the Meeting would be ahem-
pointed if they were allowed to depart without haring the opporea-
nity of expressing their grateful feelings to the Noble Lord now
present (Lord Dacre), who had, on a former occasion, at their peas
titular request, favoured them with preoidirg at their anneal
Meeting. Unsolicited, on this occasion, the Noble Lord favoured
them with his company, and they could not allow him to depart
without expressing their regard and gratitude for his eontinued sap.
port to this great cause they had met to protect, and of their cones-
dence that he would live and die the friend and advocate of Carl
and Religious Liberty throughout the world. The foamed Oen-
denten then moved a vote of thanks to his Lordship, cob
aiu as
with the :tenements of his speech.
Lord Dec RE shortly returned thanks. and usured the NI
of his determined support being at all times given, to the ormelli3' '
his power, to the great principles which this Society moment to up.
holi. With respect to the 'fest Act, he onnsidered it to be one of
the greatest blots nn the Statute Hie*, and to which it behoved A
the friend* of Civil and Religious Liberty to address their best at-
tention and energies. If they did so, he was sure they would ulti-
mately succeed in getting it removed from the code of British
Laws. lie received with gratitude the testimony of .betr appett-
betinn.
The Marquis of ',wittier and Lord Dean now left the rooms
and were greatly cheered as they mused.
Mr. Stephens was again called to the Chair.
Dr. DROWN than rose to move several other reaolutioros which
the lateness of the hour made it necessary should be moved se
raise, in doing which he impressed upon the:Sleeting the heeessite
1 of entering the births of their children In thee family Bible whigt
' would prevent the necessity of their going to the EstmdemsdChursh
`for the purpote of baptism, which he understood was frequentln
done under the apprehenaioo that it was requisite, in order Memo
woo Itgalweidessoot.tho blab sod parentage of choir obilekten. All

th it the law regrind wee the best evidence that mold be given. and
u family tiocineeet would 'd'art he :rented as good evidence. The
t.:vßian then mowed, best a resoilition ;implying the powponement
t,,,f widest the Tett anti Corporation Acts, but declaring
the necerkity of persevering A a future Se...inn of Parliament in
seeking to obtain their repeal. Ai.o one a:mroving of the appli-
cation To Government. for the tettabliihnient of a public tegiatration
of birilout, of the sowport rendered hr the Committee to the Cans-
e.ian Dito.entetit, and to others in different parts of the world ; and a
vernhition recommending Di.etenters to bestow their votes only on
'tee who will support the objects or their !seeiety.
Thanks . were then voted the Secretaries, aril to Robert Ste-
phens. itm.
The Cu %testae (Mr. Stephens) shortly expressed his acknow.
iedgnsents.
ahe raectLitg then diesolvai.