Richard Carlile.
The Times, 1824-01-07T00:00:00

On40F Fridtylt petition t..nihiilti&vds forwded t ffice of JUt. Peel, the a6ni&Stanff &taie, with the following letter --'-- ' ' ' Dorcbestdr Gaol, Dec. 26, 1M3. eibteriv toforward'toyosapetition foirnresenta- won to His Majesty, and bes; yoair attention-to it at your earliest con- venience. 'lam, Sir,, ymoir obedient servant, "RICHARD CARLILE." "To the'Right Ron. Robert Peel, Secretary of State for the IHome Department." These are portions of such petition: - tC TO THTE hIlliiS tO ECELLVENT MAJESTY. Ilfay it pOeiise vour -Nlaiest ' The petition of Ridhard CarIXe in the fifth year of his imnrison- ment in Doi6hester,gaol, for fiaing solda book, entit the TJteozocal iWorks of Thomas Paint, and a book entitled, Prii. ciplksOf Natrure, by Elihzk Palmer, " Siioweth,_That it was a practice with the first Christians, when peirscu ted under the Roman E3mperors- to wite apologies for their opinions, and to present them to the reigning Enfperor: and 'that iA many instances the Emperors bavehbeen tbereby moved to deetee, that throughoat thie Romanitrinpire the i owedsutions of the7 ~Cfiristiansshouidbe'stayed- th6sigh,-as the'resl'ut hasrshown, the' progress-ofthe Christiansetended to overthrowtheteligion establish- ed by law, or the worship of the Pagan Immortal Gods. ' "' It That s'tle question at issue is tie good foundation of'the Chistian religion, it is submitte& so your Majesty, that discussioni cannot alter the facts of the case; that yourpower cannot defend it, if false,noraidit,if true; the only power your Mlajesty has in question is, to encourage the disciussion on the subject and not to suf.r theodds-tobe,ontheone'sidea prison againstthe pen, and profit on thc other in its suppoft. " That as your Majesty is the head of the Church of England, and has the power to call a convocation of the dergy, thbtthey may discusA any sibshect submitted to them; your petitioner asks,tthat your Mtajesty wll be pleased forthwzith to call such a conv'ocatioP, or to appoint a commission to examine tour petitioner's oppugnancy to the Christian religion; "That yruf petitioner does not quarrel in the character of a'sc tarian, nor is his object to establish any thing new un'der the name of teligion, henas hut one' motive-to have 'all 'conviinced of. the good foundation of that which exists, &c. "That itis the opinion of your-petitioner, thatno one thing tiat your I%laiesf can do would fix a brighter luste. on vour Aihstv'tA Iresgn tnan to .raier the immediate liberation of all persons impri, 'soped tor religious disputes; and to guarantee the right of free dis- -cussion on all subjects for the future. - "That there are eight persons nov; in prison for the. sale of -our petitioner's publications, and the tintl and the teni stilkeep- iig them in open sale,and proud'to enter a prison upoin-the same terms; which perse.verance is a line Or conduct they have learnt from the early Christians_the success of which is certain. " Your Majesty has now the opportuity to claim the merit of grantng that which passing events Gill inevitably enforce_theprac- tice of free discussion. " Your Mlajesty's prisoner, *'Dlorehestef Gaol, Dec. 26, 1823." RIct4D:4RTh 1