The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-09 00:00:00

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CORPORATIONS versus (Int LIBERTY and

PUBLIC PROSPERITY

SECOND SERIES.-I.crt►R V.

" Nos Pretres ne sont pager qu'un vain peupie pease,
Notre credulite fait tonte lour science."
-rm• STANWM'S MPS or VOLVOS'S, p. 104.
" That which makes the clergy glorious is to be knowing
in their professions, unspotted In their lives. active and 'alto-
; views is their charges, bold and resolute hs epitomise sedu-
cers, and daring to look vice is the fact; and, lastly, to be
walk, courteous, and conepauionate to all."--Soutn.
I SlR—The clergy owe it entirely to themselves, that
the public attention has been irresistibly attracted to
their conduct, and that it has become incumbent upon
thug*, who have undertaken the labour of discussing
political subjects, to canvass them in their clerical
robes. As a body, they come so aptly under the
description of privileged corporations, that it cannot
he necessary to offer explanation or apology, for dedi•
rating one of thibse letters occasionally to an exami-
nation of theirrinerits, particularly when those merits,
. as in the present occasion, in setting men together
by the ears, are so eminently conspicuous; when
ei pulpit, drum ecclesiastic," has sounded so vehe-
mently to battle, in favour of tyranny, persecution,
and all uncharitableness, and against knowledge and
Improvement of every denontinatine. Who were most
instnimental in the massacre of St. Bartholomew; in
the business of Manchester; and in many other similar
lairs? Why are tioe Society of Friends a more
Mural and physically a finer race of people. than any
other in the civilized world? Is it not principally be-
chute their regulations, in this respect, (the wisest
ever instituted among men,) de not admit of systematic
teachers of pernicions dogmas and delusions? They
have no priests! Until, then, yon ran show me that
there is any other description of persons to be fonnd
upon earth, as moral, as wise, and as healthy; or
swore moral, more wise, and more healthy, than the
Society of Friends as a body ; and that those persons
hate priests, I mint he allowed to infer that the
absence of priestcraft is the principal cense of their
eaperiority. I know not whether this idea is new. 1
ern not recollect ever haying read or heard of such an
inion. But, whether the doctrine he new or old,
whether it be original, or borrowed, it is well worthy
of farther investigation; sod I should be much obliged
ti an of your readers, among the respectable sect in
oveitiors, who should (through your hands) favour
me with preetee information on the subject. Does
not the peaceful spirit of these friend., without ghostly
• diteetstre, alien efford a strong ground for believing that
poleetetaftk together with government craft, constitate
the-tole causes of war, bloodshed, an.l desolation
amweget human rommernitiel ? It would be much
wiser, in the present day. fur the members of that
peofession to endeavour to fonnd their claims to the
direction of their flocks, to superior knowledge, inte-
grity, and practical charity ; than to the obsolete
rutinattery of an Anherent sanctity. Do the priests
among' ourselves really believe, and do they expect
azy piher person will believe that they speak the
truth, when, in takifig orders, they swear that they are
Ykspir'e'd by the Holy Ohost? do they expect credit
whin they profess tteir belief in the furious and insane
teed of St. Athattsolus? Do these gentlemen wish it to
he understood, that when they embark in their minis-
try, it is entirely from an innate regard for the salvatinn
of mankind; and a conviction that they themselves
are by far the most competent to point out the paths
of that salvation ; and not with any profane views of
income or power? But their loyalty, as welt as their
sanctity, is not only inherent, hot exclusive; or, at
lean, they only share it with excisemen and others of
pretension : whilst they attribute sedition and
Wasphetny exclusively to those who would prevent
ark monopolizing also the good things of this world.
Thus, tire Rey. Mr. Gilbert Beresford, Rector of St.
' Andrew's, Holborn, is a monopolist of sanctity and
loyalty in his parish, whilst hid parishioners, who
deny 'his right to between 12,000/. and 20,1100/. of
their earnings annually, are uneanctified, disloyal,
seditious, and blasphemous.
I know, Sir, that the selfishness and servility of the
clergy, as a body, has, in all ages, been proverbial
amongst enlightened observers; and I feel convinced
that it would be a foolish thing to attempt to non
them from their evil ways, by any remonstrances ad-
dressed to themselves, if that public credulity, which,
according to Yoltalte, constitutes the foundation of
their science, were net daily diminishing in force.
Those of them, heweter, who have' at all any discern-
ment, or who look beyond the boundaries of their
(ells, or convents, trust perceive the daily diminution
of this popular credulity, and that their own influence,
in is far as it it founded on delusion, must decrease
in the precise ratio of that diminution; as well as that
every attempt on their parts, to hold their influence
by compulsion, when the credulity, upon which it was
fonatfed has ceased, must be nugatory. They ought
also to be aware, that, to attributing to themselves
exclosit4 loyalty, and to the bulk of the nation dis-
loyalty, they inevitably provoke; by such unfounded
pretensions on the one hand, and gross calumnies on
the other, a rigid examination of their claims. For my
own part, considering myself one of the persons thus
villfirld, by the hole and corner men, of whom
members of the Church are generally the leaders, or
:the prompters; and knowing that my own loyalty is
genuine and disinterested, whilst their's is spurious
and 'selfish, I shall continue to analyse their preten-
sions, whilst they dare to utter such libels against all
• independent men, as their servile, and calumnious le-
aerations, falsely entitled loyal addresses, convey to
the ear of a deceived, betrayed, and deeply injured,
monarch. These knavish addresses, got up for the
most knavish purposes, shall not succeed in identify-,
ing or confounding the interests of the base ad-
dressers or their patrons, with those of the throne,
the people, and the constitution : i. e. the constitu•
' tlion according to Its genuine principles, as by king,
lords, and commons. yam. frormalte base alloy which
has almost wholly disfigured ur destroyed it; not that
ridiculous and disgraceful thing, the constitution?, ea by
law established. or rather as by Cintlereagh and Co.
subverted. I feel warranted brae past, in assert-
ing, that the future attempts of the enemies of the
;King, the Queen, and the people, end of freedom all
over the world, will fail to effect their elle purposes,
through the-medium of the persteutioo of that' illus-
trious lady, or any other possible atetliteis. The hire.