the national loyalty, to draw the House into measures which, upon fome cool reflexion, they would have reafon to repent of. Among other riots that had happened, he adverted to one that had occurred at Manchefter, which was caufed by a new Affociation for preferving property, &c. against Republicans and Levellers. In the chair of that meeting was a member of that Houfe, Mr. Peele, reprefentative for Tamworth, whom he was then glad to fee in his place. He then read a paragraph from an evening paper, defcribing this meeting, and giving an account of Mr. Peele's fpeech, in which he obferves, that it was time for good citizens to roufe themselves, as a number of perfons, enemies to all order, and foes to the Conftitution, had affociated under the name of Reformers, &c. &c. He requested that Mr. Peele would be good enough to declare, whether he used this incendiary language; and, if he did, to name the perfons whom he accufed of fuch difpofitions. In the evening after this fpeech, the riots commenced, and the houfes of Mr. Cooper and Mr. Walker were deftroyed. He then mentioned the little pamphlet, iffued by the Society at the Crown and Anchor, called, "A Pennyworth of Truth from Thomas Bull to John Bull," and read a paffage from it, which afcribed the American war, the national debt, &c. to the Diffenters, in order to inflame the minds of the people againft them. He moved, that the Attorney general be ordered to profecute the author of this libel.

Mr. Peele did not think an anonymous news-paper paragraph fufficient authority for accufing a member of parliament; but, as it had been mentioned, he affured the Houfe that not one word of the paragraph was true, except that in his fpeech he faid God fave the King." He added, that Tom Paine's and other feditious works, were put into the hands of all the people, but without making any impreffion on them.

The Attorney-general, having nothing to do on fuch occafions but to obey the orders of the Houfe when he received them, wifhed barely to fuggeft that, when gentlemen moved for protecutions for libels, they would give fufficient notice, that members might confider of them, as nothing leffened the dignity of the Houle of Commons to much as ordering profecutions, and be ing afterwards defeated.

Mr. Fox very eagerly urged the propriety of Mr. Grey's motion. The principles which actuated fome of the affociations were not, in his opinion, very laudable. They circulated papers among the inhabitants, which they defired to have figned, as teftimonies of their loyalty to the King, and attach

ment to the Conftitution. Some of his tradefmen and others applied to him to know what they fhould do. He advifed them by all means to fign every paper prefented, becaufe, if they refufed, they would be pointed out to the populace as objects of refentment, and might be ruined in their vocations. This he thought they might do without any alteration of their real fentiments. Their perfonal fafety demanded it. He con. demned affociations by which all men who differed from them were exposed to the greateft calumny and danger.

Mr. Wyndbam faid, the Houfe had directed no profecutions on either fide, and therefore could not be charged with partiality. The law was equally open in all cafes. The indignation excited against Mr. Walker was much more fairly imputable to his political opinions than to his being a Diffenter. It was natural, and even juftifiable, for men to feel indignation against those who promulgated doctrines threatening all that was valuable and dear in fockety; and, if there were not means of redress by law, even violence would be juftifable. But we had laws; therefore violence ought to be punished; and on this ground he defended' the affociations, as tending to prevent violence by giving vigour to the law.

Mr. Dundas expreffed his regret that Mr. Fox had not given a more honest advice to thofe who confulted with him. For his recommendation infinuated ftrongly an opinion that danger was to be apprehended from the friends of Government, and may induce men of all principles, traitors as well as others, to affociate themfelves with perfous whole views and defigns were the prefervation of paoperty, tranquillity, and order.

Mr. Serjeant Bond, Meffrs. Scott, Montague, Mitford, Efle, Drake, Dundas, and Anflruther, feverally spoke, when the motion was negatived without a divifion.

H. OF LORDS.
December 19.

Lord Grenvike brought in a bill for in pofing

ened to display, there was no unpreju. diced man who could poffibly behold it without indignation and horror. He wished his fentiments not to be millaken when he pronounced, that the proceedings against the royal family of France were founded in injuftice, horyor, and pufillanimity. This he believed to be the univerfal and unanimous opinion of all people in England; and, if the knowledge of that opinion was likely to make any impreffion in France, he should be happy to concur in any means by which it could be promulgated.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that, while he was in the fituation of one of their conftituents, without any feat in the Houfe, he was informed of proceedings, which, had he been a member, he would have ftrenuously op. pofed by every effort in his power. The one was an amendment propofed to the Addrefs, and the other a motion for fending an ambaffador to France. No means had been, or would be, neglected by his Majefty's Minifters to terminate the differences with France in a pacific manner; but he could not hear, without indignation, of a propofition fo extravagant, fo humiliating, and fo bafe, as our fending them an Ambassador.

The number of men stated in the prefent vote was such as was deemed fulficient at the prefent moment, and fuch as it was moft convenient immediately To raife; but, fhould hoftilities take place, a number would be required in addition to thefe, which may, he trusted, render the British arms fuccessful. He then fimply propofed "that an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, most humbly befeeching his Majely to order a copy or extract of the intructions, tranfmitted to Lord Gower on his leaving Paris, to be prefented to the Houfe." The motion was carried, and fuch members as are of his Majelty's Privy Council were ordered to prefent the fame.

LORDS. H. OF December 21. The Houfe met at four a clock, pur. fuant to fummons.

Lord Rodney and the Bishop of Exeter took the accustomed oaths at the table, and their feats accordingly.

Lord Grenville, without any preface, moved the fecond reading of the alten.

The Marquis of Lansdowne apologized to the Houfe for offering a few oblervations which had occurred to him previous to the fecond reading of this unprecedented bill, which was not more reprehenfible in principle than the precipitancy with which Minitters attempted to hurry it through the Houfe; but confefled that the influx of foreigners into this kingdom, in confequence of the diftractions upon the Continent, called loudly for the interference of Parliament, in making fome falutary provifions for thofe who had found an afylum amongst us, and depended only upon the charitable donations of a ge nerous public. When he went for the purpofe of fubfcribing his mite, he was aftonifhed to find no lefs than 8000 upon the lift. The bankers had informed him, that it required 1000 l. a week to furnish each with his pittance. The provifion held out by the bill to thofe unfortunate perfons was by no means congenial to his lordship's fentiments, inafmuch as it impofed refirictions which were incompatible with the general principles of our Conftitution. He was exceedingly forry to find fuch a reluctance in the majority of both Houses of Parliament to appoint a Minister to negotiate with the prefent Executive Council of the French Nation; for by fuch an embaffy alone could a good understanding he effected between the two nations. An,embafly to France might alfo produce an alliance between the Belligerent powers upon the Continent, and ftop the effufion of blood. Another object might be accomplished by negotiation, which, to every man of feeling, would not be the leaft important: an unhappy monarch was in a state of great humiliation and danger-a monarch, who had uniformly studied the interest of his people, and might juftly be called the Reflorer of Liberty to France, was degraded beneath the dignity of man. By this time, perhaps, his fate was determined; yet a timely interference on our part might avert the execution of the fentence. The noble Marquis ftated, that he had two Refolutions to make to the above effect, which, he trusted, would meet with the concurrence of the Houfe. If they did not, he would dif charge his duty by introducing them; and, if they were negatived, he could only thank God that the odium did not reft at his door.-The Refolutions of the noble Marquis fhall be given in our next.

bill.

"O that i was the exclamation of H that mine adverfary had written

holy Job, confcious of his innocence under his aggravated calamities. But here is a book which completely anfwers the purpose of having the moft inveterate adversary for its author -a for rago of evidence founded on hearfay, furmifes, probabilities, tittle tattle about a clergyman dining at an inn, another of the clergy is jaid, &c. one of the magiftrates faid, one man was beard to fay to another, others came as they faid, a boy faid, a young man of my congregation faid, a perfon in a green coat three gentlemen on horfeback, a perfon who had the appearance of a gentleman, his linen being fine, and with ruffles turned up, a perfon difguifed in a great coat, a perfon above the lower clafs, with a riding-coat buttoned up, a lady in a mixed company, athes of the meeting folicited by one clergyman of another, a red-hot brick from it to be fent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the 'difcourfe of fome officers at Brighthelmflone, &c. &c. Few names are brought forward, for fear of mifchief to the perfons; but every name that is alluded to in this work is ready to be produced, if neceffary" (preface, p. v). Bigotry and Hierarchy are largely infitted on through out the work; the extreme ignorance and profligacy of the people in manufacturing towns, where the poor are taught nothing but their particular art or trade, and where they have no leifure or means of acquiring general knowledge (pief. p. vii) t.

"The fufpicion of the fabrication of the hand-bill has now fallen upon the perfon alluded to by Mr. Burn and Mr. Dundas. It is well known to all our friends that I had no connexion with the perfon, and that he was leaft of all likely to be governed by my advice. This, however, I will fay for him: that, though he thought freely on the fubjeas of government and religion, he was as far from any thing properly feditious as Mr. Burn himself. I believe him to be an honeft

*This perfon, or Mr. Brooke, is candidly let off with "This, however, they might have faid with respect to a perfon with whom they had no previous communicafion" (p. 57).

and well-meaning man; though I never thought him the most prudent. It is to the disgrace of his country that fuch a person is under the neceffity of leaving it" (p. 47).

"The generality of the church-people of rioters, nor hate I ever given that idea of Birmingham were far from favouring the

them. The promoters of the riot were a few, but certainly all of them church-men” (p. 49).

"It is therefore in this fenfe (by mifre prefentation of the Unitarian Dillenters, and myself in particular), though in this only, that I accufe the Clergy of Birmingham, and especially Mr. Madan, as having been the promoters of the riot; and, if it fould terminate in that deftruction with which I am fiill threatened, I fall charge them with being the caufe of my death" (p. 42). ́

We must tranfcribe a whole fe&tion, to ftate the charges brought against the national juftice, the imputations on the counfel and judges, p. 82; notwithflanding which, it is faid,

"In this country then, the Government of which is fo much boasted of, it has not been my fate to receive either protection or redrefs; and all my fellow-fufferers may fay the fame. We do not complain of the intention of the law, or of the difpofition of the judges, but of the unabated malice of the country in general. They fpared no our enemies, and the influence they had on means to prevent our having any redress; and our fufferings were fo far from foftening them, and exciting any degree of compaffion, that the greateft fufferers were exposed to the greateft infults. I hardly know an inftance of any men deferving better of any town than Mr. Ruffell and Mr. Hutton; men the most difinterested, public-fpirited, and indefatigable in public bufinefs: and yet they were the perfons on whom the extreme of malice and grofs abuse chiefly fell. But fuch, in all ages, and in all countries, has been the fate of great and active worth" (pp. 91, 92).

"So much trouble and expence have attended this bufinefs, that, in cafe of any other misfortune of the fame kind (from

which I am far from confidering myself as exempt), my prefent determination is, to fit down with the lofs, and not to trouble the country on the fubject. The law, as now adminiftered, may do all very well for Church men, but I have found, by experience, that it is not calculated to prote& Diffenters, as fuch, or to procure a redress of the wrongs done to them" (p. 98).

The Doctor puts the whole of his pecuniary lofs at 1920l. 15s. 6d.; "be

GENT. MAG. February, 1793.

Tu: fee p. 25.

and

and much more expenfive fituation than I was in before" (p. 91). The Philofophical Society at Manchester, and the Royal Society of London, are brought in for their share of the Doctor's reflections (p 105-109). Ejected members of the latter are vindicated; and of the Prefi dent it is obferved, "If the Society muft. be both philofophical and royal, I do not know where we could find a more proper prefident" (p. 109).

"In this almoft univerfal prevalence of a fpirit fo extremely hoftile to me and my friends, and which would be gratified by my deftruction, it cannot be any matter of furprize that a fon of mine fhould wish to abandon a country in which his father has been used as I have been; especially when it is confidered that this fon was prefent at the riot in Birmingham, exerting himself, all the dreadful night of the 14th of July, to fave what he could of my most valuable property; that, in confequence of this, his life was in imminent danger, and another young man was nearly killed because he was mistaken for him. This would probably have been his fate if a friend had not, almoft perforce, kept him concealed fome days, fo that neither myself nor his mother knew what was become of him. I had not, however, the ambition to court the honour that has been fhewn him by the National Affembly of France, and even declined the propofal of his naturalization. At the moft, I fuppofed it would have been done without any éclat ; and I knew nothing of it being done in fo honourable a way till I faw it in the public news-paper. To whatever country this fon of mine fhall chufe to attach himself, I truft that, from the good principles and the fpirit that he has hitherto fhewn, he will discharge the duties of a good citizen. As to myself, [ cannot be fuppofed to feel much attachment to a country in which I have neither found protection nor redress. But I am too old, and my habits too fixed, to remove, as I own I fhould otherwife have been difpofed to do,

to France or to America. The little that I am capable of doing muft be in England, where I fhall therefore continue as long as it fhall please the Supreme Difpofer of all things to permit me. Since this was writtes, I have myself, without any folicitation on my part, been made a citizen of France, and, moreover, elected a member of the prefent Gonventional Affembly. Thefe, I fcruple not to avow, I confider as the greatest of honours; though, for the reafons which are now made public, I have declined accepting the latter" (pp. 110, 111, and note).

If it be fo honourable to have fellow hip with and a feat among Atheists and Infidels, among Brutes and Savages, who have lefs mercy on their own fpecies than Britcas have for the brute creation;

and if it be thus highly fpoken of by a minifter of the gospel of peace, who refents in fuch ftrong terms the comparatively lefs fhare of injury and milchief than has fallen on any individual who cannot submit to the prefent mode of government in France; from fuch honourable company, God, of his infinite mercy, deliver this nation, pray we; and let all the people fay AMEN!

After a brief vindication of his political principles, as favouring our prefent form of government, he thus concludes:

"A very great majority of Englishmen, I am well perfuaded, are friends to what are called high maxims of Government. They would chufe to have the power of the Crown rather enlarged than reduced; and would rather fee all the Diffenters banished than any reformation made in the Church. A dread of every thing tending to Republi canifm is manifeftly increafed of late years, and is likely to increase still more. very term is become one of the most opprobrious in the English language. The Clergy (whofe near alliance with the Court and the prefent Royal Family, after having been al

The

most a century hoftile to them, is a remarkable event in the prefent reign,) have con tributed not a little to that leaning to arbitrary power in the Crown which has lately been growing upon us. They preach up the doctrines of paffive obedience and nonrefiftance with as little disguise as their an ceftors did in the reign of the Stuarts; and their adulation of the King and of the Minifter is abject in the extreme. Both Mr.

Madan's Sermon and Mr. Burn's Reply to my Appeal difcover the fame fpirit; and any fentiment in favour of liberty, that is at all bold and manly, fuch as till of late was deemed becoming Englishmen and the difciples of Mr. Locke, is now reprobated as feditious. In thefe circumstances it would be nothing leis than madness seriously to attempt a change in the Conftitution; and I hope I am not abfolutely infane. I fincerely with my countrymen, as part of the human race (though I own I feel no particular attachment to them on any otherground), the undisturbed enjoyment of that form of government which they fo evidently approve: and, as I have no favour to ask of them, or of their governors, befides mere protection, as to a stranger, while I violate no known law, and have not this to ask for any long term, I hope it will be granted me. If not, I must, like many others, in all ages and all nations, fubmit to whatever the Supreme Being, whofe eye is upon us all, and who, I believe, intends, and will, in his own time, bring about the good of all, thall appoint, and by their means execute" (pp 113, 114).

How different the concluding fpirit from that which animates the preface!

"Un