Star.
London, England, 1815-11-30 00:00:00

FRENCH PROTESTANTS.

• T a SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING ofl
-lA, the COMM! rrEE of the PROTESTAN VSOCIETY for
the PROTECTION of RELIGIOUS mw.RT sr, convened at
the New Landon 'Cavan, Chearsids, London, on November St,
lilt 5, " To consider the Situation of the penecuted Protestants
of France,"

iAMITEI. MILLS, Eiq. In the Chair,.

It w& waived,

I. That We Committee, who include several Members tit the ,
National Church, and who represent many hundred Congrega•
tiaras of Protestant Dissenters—aed of Friends to Religious Li- I
betty of all denominations, throughout England and Wales, have
been taught by their forefather —and ever will continue, to re-
gard the tight of every man, in every age, and in every country'
to worship Goo accordiug to his conscience, as an inviolable—
sacred—unalienable right—which tin individuals—or gmtern-
ments—or legislatures can, without injustice and oppressiog, di-
reel iy or indirectly, latrine.
e. That althou,,h this Committee he principally anointed to
protect the Rehgions Freedom of their fellow countrymen, in
their native land—yet they should he unit serving of the name of
Buns—of Protrstants—ot Christians—and even of men, if
their philanthropy was not extensive as the world—it they did
not sympathize with all who suffer for t ontcienee sake—if they
del nor regard religious persecution, by any sect, with alarm and
abhorrence—and if they did not endeavour to effect i s extinc-
tem, by the exertion of every energy which they possess.
3. that at this period-hwhen iltetructiou is so extensively dif-
fused—when liberal principles are so generally professed—when
the most solemn treaties and the trait powerful Monarchs have
recognized the rights of conscience—arid when nations of every
Chrtsean Denomination have united in resistence to °pressen&
and for the restoration of peen:anent peace and prosperity to
Europe and to the world—This Committee did hope that perfect
Itekious l.iberty would have been regarded .w an hallowed
plant—and that all nations would have earticipated the beitelicial
fruits, which that liherty must produce.
4. Hat, even if this Commistee could have apprehended that
persecution would revive, they could not have expected that re-
vival, and especially the revheil of a persecution of Protestents,
wider Princes whose olevons interests demanded conciliation—
whose predecessors had devastated their own countries by fernier
perseculons —some of whose Charters had declared " that all
lelteions should be protected by the Lew, and that all men, of
all religion: professions, should be eligible to the oflices of state,'
and whose restoration and continued authority had bees chiefly
erected and upheld by Protestant liberality, Protestant perseve-
rance, Protestant valour, and Protestant support.
5. that the Committee have therefore learnt, with attonisle
mem mil deep regret, that at Nismes, and other places in the
nouli of France, a systematic and creel Persecution of Pro roams
has existed, since the restoration of the present lelouarch to the
prune of that Country; that their property has been seized ur
ecstroyed—that many persons interesting for their you ti and
try, or r ispcctable fcr their industry, their loyalty, their vc-ttie
salt!!( ir piety, have been assassinated—that an aged, vetteiatee
and excellent Minister of Religion hat been pm to death—anti
that the enormities which sepeistition, interest, and cruelty have
erected in former ages have there been re performed i—and that
they have learnt, with auolea•ed sorrow, that these barbarities
yet continue to be perpetrated, as they have not been suppressed,
with that promptitude and firnine-s which wisdom, gratitude,
benevolence and Christianity indispensably rentere.
6. That against deeds, so fall of horror, this Committee must
publicly protest; and that they smote the unhappy surviving but.
fermi, by such conduct, that they commiserate their destiny—
and that, it such assistance shmild be unfortunately necessary,
they wil endeavour, in this Country, to provide fur them an
Asylum—to inaigete their sorrows.aeel to supply relief.
7. That although tint Committee are not insenstble to the prin-
ciples wiech, untie; ordinary circumstances, might restrain the
Government of this Country from direct interference, on this
subject, with the Government of Prance : —yet they cannot for-
get that in former aed even hi leap enlightened times such inter-
positien has repeatedly and usefully occurred, under our best
Princes and our ablest atatesinen—that suck persecutions are' in-
consistent with general peace, and miolate those universal riehts
which all nations art (mud to protect—and that the Gl)Verilll tent
of England now possess claims to attention and respect which no
former vend mad present:—and that this Committee srko
know the lateral principles of their own Government, and who
have repereedly experienced their attention and their aid, win
humbly but earnestly entreat them to remonstrate against the
evils which they announce—and to exert their influence to pre-
vent the cantinuauce-of a system which they cannot but deprecate
and abhor.

8. That these Resolutions be respectfully communicated, by
the Secretaries, to the princii.al Mtmbees of Administration;
and that they he inserted in the Daily Papers, and Periodical
Publieatioi.s—and be circulated throughout Europe, as future cir-
curnstanc,:s may require.
9.1 hat this Cr muittee cannot separat without expressing their
thanks to their wrathy Secretary. JouN WaRS, E:q for the
benevolence and zeal which hr has cintinued to manifest in con-
vening this Meetinn and for preparing and proposing the Rests.
lutions which they have unanilhously adopted.
SAIIiIUEI. MILLS, Chairman.
O. That 'l.ie Committee renew their acknowledgments to flu_
Chairman f.r his attentiu3 and ability. and for that cordial at-
tacLnient to the glen cause of Religious Freedom which hr has
constantly display.:4l.

THOMAS PELLATT,/
Secretaries,
JOHN MILKS,
To whom any CommunicAtiont. or any atrhencie iuttliigence,
on this subject, may be addrezetil: at the New Loudon 'raver%
Ch. apiciv, London.