Star.
London, England, 1816-01-15 00:00:00

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• • WfLI.AMS's LIBRARY, •
, •.. Itr.otaoss-sTairwr,./axtriair 12, 11116.
T .MEETING of the commirrEE ap-
,pointed by the General Body of Protestant Dissenting Mi.
oisit..rs of the three Denotu:nations, for the purpose of inquiry,
awl also for the Superintendence and blitributitin of the Funds,
which nisi, be 'contributed for the Relief-of the French Proms-
topic -stifTering for Conscience take,
,lht irrniousty Resolved,
I. Thet this Commitive have observed with astonishment and
regret; that attempt are making through the medium of the
press, to defeat their object by misrepresenting their motives; and
although the Committee know too well what is due to the dignity
of that respectable 50.'y by which they arc deputed, to engage in
useless warfare with those who are labouring to stifle that public
sympathy which it is the wish of the Body to excite, they yet owe
it to their own character, and to the taus* which they have un-
dertaken, to state candidly, once for all, the motive! by which
they have been guided, and the end they have In view.
2. That this Committee, thereforeoluerly disclaim, for them.
selves and their Conetituents, all party feeling on a question Which
they conceive to he purely and exclusively religious ; but that it
they ntu-t be ranked with a party, they are hippy in ranking on
this occasion with that of the Government, which listened so can-
didly to their representations, entered so warmly into their feel.
top, and pledged itself so readily to employ its good offices for the
same humane purpose to width thlinterferenee has been directed.
o. Thar if any man calling himself a Protestant, an impute
to Dissenting Ministers, as a crime, that they have *hewn them-
selves peculiarly forward on this occasion, be should remember
that they are the descendants of those who, for conscience sake,
suffered the spoiling of their gnnais, and the loss of th. ir lives,
dird to whose constancy under persecution t is chiefly owing that
religions liberty is now firmly established in this favoured land.
1. that feeling the value of this inestimable blessing, they
could nut but. be deeply interested by any -occurrence which
might threatep its loss, to dune especially with whom they are
united by the lye of a common faith, and a cOmmou worship;
nor could they refuse their sympathy, or their relief, to men
bleeding in the cause which rendered the memory of their
Fatbete immortal.
5. That though letters have been received front Iklinivers In
France, vxpreq.ing n:ijections to the interiererce of their Pro.
testant brethren in England. the Comminute have ascertain-II
from unquestionable evidence, that sunw of these letters have
been written under constraint. and that others have been dic-
tate t by an a,:prehension (ir it hoped, erroneous), lest such .:n
irate erecce should injure them in the estimation of their use.,
Government. or, tallest, lest it should expose them to the fury
of a taction, watch s-fts the Government itself at defiance. And
the Conunittof are of opinion, that if complaints are cautiou.ly
otterel, they deserve the more the considera ion and sympi.by ot
those who are aware of the cans* in which this caution originate,.

6. Thai while they haste been acting consistently with !heir
own principles, in expressing their abhorrence of all religious per-
, iecution, by whomsoever pravised or countenanced, they cannot
but suppose, that in contributing to alleviate the distresses uf the
Fronch Protestants, they are coinciding with the intentions t f tne
French Government, which has been taking measures to suppress
those outages, which, if not suppressede must occasion its own
disgrace, a. 1,1 compromise its own safety.
. 7. 'Ma the Committee have the most flattering encourage-
to• nt to persevere in the Subscriptions and CollecLions alreldy
ir.sk!e, in use spirit which is spreading throughout the kingdom;
and in the prospect that this spirit wiU ultimately 'Dahl theni
to grant important relief to their suffering brethren, and to the
Widows and orphans of the victims ot persecution. !pry do.
therefore, most earnestly retptst the unremitting co•operati ))))
Protestants of every denomination, but esptcially of Prniestme
Dissenters, in this labour of love; and they express their (unit
dent assurance, that in contributing 10 this object, without 6.111.-r.
leg their zeal to be damped by any insinuaiens or awl, iott3
whateva, they are promoting the spread and establishuisnt oi
dial enrisitau Liberty* which is the grs'acest e.rtilly Linn iLari
HLAVaN can bestow on man.—By order ot the Comintree,'• •
(S,gned) HoM AS MORGAN, Secret:try