The Sun.
London, England, 1824-01-08 00:00:00

C A LIL E.

On Friday last a Petition to the KING from
Mr. CARLILE was forwarded to the office of Mr.
P 3 EL, the Home Secretary of State, with the
follow;ng letter :

" Dorchester Gaol, Dec. 26, 1823.
" STR—I take the liberty to forward to a Petition for pre-
sentation to his Majesty, and beg your attention to it at your
earliest convenience.

" I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

" RICHARD- CARLILE."
" To the Right Hon. Robert Peel, Secretary of State
for the Home Department."
These are portions of such Petition :
" TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
" May it please your Majesty.
" The Petition of Richard Carlile, in the fifth year of his im-
prisonment in Dorchester Gaol, for having sold a book en-
titled the ' Theological Works of Thomas Paine,' and a
book entitled Principles of Nature, by Elihu Palmer.'
" Showeth—That it was a practice with the first Christians,
when persecuted under the Roman Emperors, to write apolo-
gies for their opinions, -to present them, to the reigning Em-
peror, and that in many instances the Emperors have been
thereby moved to decree that throughout the Roman Empire
the persecutions of the Christians should be stayed ; though,
as the result has shown, the progress of the Christians to en-
deavour to overthrow the religion established by law, or the
worship of the Pagan Immortal Gods.
" That as the question at issue is the good foundation of
the Christian region, it is is submitted to your Majesty,
that discussion cannot alter the facto of the case, that your
power cannot defend it, if false, nor aid it, if true : the
only power your Majesty has in question is, to encourege
the discussion on the subject, and not to suffer the odds to be
on the one side. a prison against the pen, and profit on the other
in its support.
" That as your Majesty is the Head of the Church of
England, and has the ower to call a convocation of the
clergy, that they may discuss any subject submitted to them,
your Petitioner asks, that your Majesty will be pleased forth-
with tp call such a convocation, or to appoint a commission
to examine your petitioner's oppugnancy to the Christian
religion.
" That, your petitioner does not quarrel in the character of
a sectarian, nor is his object to establish any thing new under
the name of religion ; he has but one motive—to have all con-
vinced of the good foundation of that which exists, &c.
" Thaf, it is the opinion of your petitioner, that no one
thing that your Majesty can do would fix a brighter lustre
on your Majesty's reign, than to order the immediate libe-
ration of all prisons imprisoned on religious disputes; and
to guarantee the eight of free discussion on all subjects for the
future.

44 That there are eight persons now in prison for the sale of
your Petitioner's publications, and the ninth and the tenth still
keeping them in open sale, and proud to enter a prison upon
the same terms ; which perseverance is a line of conduct they
have learnt from the early Christians—the success of which is
certain. _ _ _

" Your Majesty has now the opportunity to claim the merit
of granting that which passing events will inevitably enforce—
the practice of free discussion.
" Your Majesty's Prisoner,
" RICHARD CARLILE.
" Dorc7;ester Gaol, Dec. 26, 1821"

\..,,,,,),F
ye 4.10,
v e-,) ~,,7
, ~ , . ,i* , ~
, ~..„
,a.

NORTHUMBERLAND.
FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS.
His Most Graciotts Majesty KING GEORGE the FOURTH,
ORAND ,PATRON.
His Royal Highness Prince 'AUGUSTUS FREDERICK
Duke of SUSSEX, Grand Master.. . . •
PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE- wilt
rit be regularly constituted and held at FiI.EEMASONS!
BALL, .NEWCASTLEUPON-TYNE, on. TUESDAY
the 27th January instant, at Eleven o'Clook in the Forenoon,
for the INSTALLATION of Sir MATTHEW WHITE
RIDLEY, Bart. M.P., as PROVINCIAL GRAND MAS.:-
TER for NORTIIUMP.ERLAND, in the place of Sir John
Edward Swinburrie, Bart:, resigned; whenthe attendance of all
Master Masons in the Province is requested ; and the Master
Masons in the adjoining Provinces are respectfully invited to
assist at the Ceremony.. •
The Provincial Grand Master, Officers,' and Brethren pre-
sent on the occasion, will, in honour of his Royal,Highness the
Grand Master's Birth-day, dine together: at Brother Dods-
worth's, the Queen's Head, at. Five o'Clock.

THOMAS BROWN,
Acting-Prim. Grand Secretary.
Navy-castle-upon-Tyne, Jan. 6, 1824.

MASONIC NOTICES FOR NEXT WEEK.
ENGLAND.
Jan. 12, LONDON. Nos. '4O, 143, 241, 313,
:'39, 33.5.
COUNTRY. Nos. 131,:233, 243,, 323,
378, 425, 433, 455, 473,
517, 536, 541, 546, 553,
5711, 574, 578, X, 701.
- 13, LONDON. Nos. 23,62, lOU, '9, 399,
387, 421, 479..4
E;JL-NTR Y. Nus. 24 67, 133 145 °ll
263, 235, 292, ,316, 427,
471, 477, 44, 501, 528,
579, 592, 694, 626, 649,
- 666
, 714.
iYednesday, 14, LONDON. Nos'. 3„-11, 16, 19, 29, 47,'
96; 237, 257, 334, 353,
435.
COUNTRY. Nos. 54, 121, 126, 129
' 159, 164, 213, 215, 232,
314, 344, 491), 440, 442'.
447, 468, 472, 478, Y;,
563, 577, 60f.,,, 647, on,
690.
Thursday, _ 15, LONDON. N as., 65,795 128, 152, 274,
388.
COUNTRY. Nos. 45, .57, 113,171, 214,
283, 384, 416, 420, 453,
461, 468, 469, 483, 5111,,
545, 556, SGI, 581, 58Z,
717.
---16, LONDON. No. 493.
COUNTRY. Nos. 28, 30, 55, 193, 479,
550, 600, 646, 655.
17, LONDON. * *
COUNTRY. Nos. 64, 358.
IRELAND.
Tuesday, Jan. 13, CORK. i'To. 71.

Monday,

Tuesday,

Friday,

Saturday,

NORTHUMBERLAND. . .
, .
. On Friday the 27th ult., being the Anniversary of St. JOfra
the Baptist, the Brethren of St. Mid's Lodge,.South Shields,
No. 440, of Free and Accepted Masons, of which his .N.laje..ity
is Grand Patron, the Duke of Sussex Grand Master, and John
George Lambton, ~Esq. M..P. -Provincial Grand Master, as-
sembled, at 9 o'clock, to instal officers for the ensuing year,
.when the following• Brethren were regularly installed;
4.7.
; .
George Potts, W. M. ; Thomas Hall; P. 31,.; ,lames Cana:,
3
J. W. ; JohnHalliday, S. ; Henry
Secretary ; Ralph 'Robson, J. G. ; and Robert Grieves, Tyler.
At 12 the Provincial Grand Master arrived, and was greeted
Robert Dixon,
.John Cummins
v ..Barnes, Treasurer
•by the ringing of 1)013. He shortly , afterwards opened file
31. i Wtch.e. J. D. ;
G
;11,
PrOvincial Grand Lodge in ample forrn;,and proceeded to the
Installation of Officers for the ensuing year, when the following
arrangement took place for the Provincial Grand Lodge, vivo....
Br. Wm. Loraine, Esq. D. E. Br. Thomas Ball, J. G. 1.).. f.
G. M. --,--:—.--Bonotnid, U.S.W.
SirCutlibertSharpe S.G.W. Thomas Hardy G. D. C.
—Wm. Fawcett, Esq:J.G.W. ,---11alph-Jn.Lanclb-, I 7.
Hedworth Larnbton,. Esq. ton, Esq. I i'
Grand Treasurer- , . Alex.Logan,Esq } Stewards
George Potts, G. R. Thomas Wilson 1
—J. P. Kidson, G. S. Jacob Stanley. j , •
-.. Thomas Small, S. G. D.
Alter the labours of the Lodge the Brethren partook of a
sumptuous dinner provided for the occasion at Oyston's, and
spent the evening with the usual hilarity and good humour.

F STOC
TWO O'CLOCK.
India tAtock ogn.
Intl:* Lionds - Ms.
&will Sea Stock 97
Old Annuities
Ex. Bills 53 t
Ditto Small
Bank for Act.
'lndia fig Con. Acct.'
Cons. for Op.