but in robbery, and in all thofe public diforders which make life miferable. Thus would the prefent generation be certainly ruined; that which is to follow could not propofe to itself a remedy, but in purfuing the fame Arts of Peace which had been fo capriciously abandoned; and the more they profpered in that purfuit, the more they would contribute to reproduce the Inequality which had been before condemned and exploded. Where then are the Bleffings of this Reform, and to what purpose is mifery to be brought on the prefent Generation? It is with grief we fee that in a neighbouring country the carrying into practice of this wild doctrine of Equality and the Rights of Man, has already produced these evils, and others ten thoufand times greater. It is not yet publickly known, nor can it enter into the gentle heart of a BRITON to conceive, the number of atrocious crimes against God and Man, that have been committed in fupport of these opinions. Murders and affaffinations have been deliberately planned, and juftified by fome of these pretended philofophers, as the means to attain their ends of reform. With all their pretences and promifes, they have proceeded to vioIate every right, Civil and Natural, that fhould have been obferved towards their Equals ;--the people, who have only changed their mafters, groan under new tyrannies of which they never heard or dreamed; and are subjected to the chaf tisement of one defperate leader after another. The exceffes of these ruffian Demagogues have no bounds; they have already furpaffed the wildeft phrenzies of Fanaticism, Superftition, and Enthufiafm; plundering and murdering at home, and propagating their opinions by the fword in foreign countries;-impofture, fallacy, falfehood, and bloodshed ; their philofophy is the idle talk of Schoolboys; and their actions are the favage ferociousness of wild beafts. But, Such are the new lights and the falfe philofophy of our pretended Reformers, and fuch the effects they have produced, where alone they have unfortunately been tried. however thefe poor pretences may have imposed on the underftandings of men in a neighbouring country, bred in ignorance, oppreffion, and poverty, they can have no influence on the good fenfe and gravity of Britons, who have been used to the enjoyment of true Liberty, and every day feel the bleffings of abundance derived from a productive industry, protected by Equal Laws, and a free Government. It is well known, that those who are virtuous and honeft have many more means of acquiring eafe and comfort, wealth and diftinction, and in a fuperior degree, in this country country than in any other;-it is well known, that we already poffefs, and have long poffeffed, really and truly That which the pretended Reformers would perfuade ignorant people they alone can beftow. It has been the pride of BRITONS to boaft of their Liberty and Property; and although thefe vifionary Reformers have chofen to fubftitute the notion of Equality in the place of the latter, it is trufted there are enough who know too well the value of their Property, acquired under the influence of true Liberty, to furrender it in exchange for an empty name. It is well known, and we feel it daily, that we have as much of these pretended new inventions, as is neceffary and convenient for a wellordered Society. Every one has all the Rights of Man that leave him at liberty to do good to himfelf and his neighbour, and (what is worth confidering) to protect his perfon and property against open or fecret plunderers. He has as much of Equality as one man can poffefs without diminishing the Equality of his neighbour. We are told by our Religion (for We have a Religion,) that we are to do unto all men as we would that men should do unto us; and this is realized to us by the firm adminiftration of the Law; which fuffers no injury to go without a remedy, and affords a remedy equally to the proudeft and the pooreft. Such are The Rights of Man; fuch The Liberty and Equality which we have long enjoyed; under these we have lived and profpered, both in public and private, beyond the example of any country and to maintain them, as they are, unimpaired by the fancies of Pedant-Politicians, or the rude hands of Ruffian Levellers, every TRUE BRITON ought to fhed his blood. Impreffed with thefe fentiments in favour of our happy Eftablishment, and alarmed by the mischievous endeavours that are now ufing by wicked men to mislead the uninformed, and to fpirit up the difcontented by furnishing them. with plaufible topicks, tending to the fubverfion of the State, and incompatible with all Government whatfo ever: We do, as private men, unconnected with any Party or defcription of perfons at home, taking no concern in the ftruggles at this moment making abroad, but moft feriously anxious to preferve the true Liberty and unexampled profperity we happily enjoy in this kingdom, think it expedient and neceflary to form ourfelves into an AssoCIATION for the purpose of difcouraging, in every way that lies in our power, the progrefs of fuch nefarious defigns as are meditated by the wicked and fenfelefs Reformers of the prefent time; and we do hereby refolve, and declare as follows: B 3 FIRST FIRST That the perfons prefent at this Meeting do become a Society for difcouraging and fuppreffing Seditious. Publications, tending to disturb the Peace of this Kingdom, and for fupporting a due execution of the Laws made for the protection of perfons and property. SECONDLY-That this Society do use its beft endeavours occafionally to explain those topicks of public difcuffion which have been fo perverted by evil-defigning men, and to fhew, by irrefragable proof, that they are not applicable to the State of this Country, that they can produce no good, and certainly muft produce great evil, THIRDLY That this Society will receive with great thanks all communications that shall be made to it for the above purposes. FOURTHLY-That it be recommended to all thofe, who are friends to the Eftablished Law, and to peaceable Society, to form themselves, in their different neighbourhoods, into fimilar Societies for promoting the fame laudable purposes. FIFTHLY-That this Society do meet at this place or elsewhere, every TUESDAY, THURSDAY, and SATURDAY. SIXTHLY-That these Confiderations and Refolutions be printed in all the public Papers, and otherwise circulated into all parts of the Kingdom. By Order of the SOCIETY, J. MOORE, Secretary, N. B. All Letters and Communications are requested to be addreffed to the Secretary at this place. At a MEETING of the SOCIETY at the CROWN and ANCHOR TAVERN, November 24, 1792, JOHN REEVES, Esq. in the Chair. PON reading the CHARGE delivered by Mr. JUSTICE UPON Bench this Term, it was refolved, That the fame be immediately printed and diftributed in various ways for the better inftruction of all ranks of people in the value they ought ought to fet upon the good laws and government delivered down to us by our ancestors. The letters daily received from perfons who are defirous of affifting the views of this Society, are very numerous, and contain many ufeful communications. The writers of them are entitled to every acknowledgement; fuch as require private anfwers fhall receive them from the Secretary, and it will foon be feen what ufe is made of fome of the communications. The Gentlemen of this Society cannot refrain from announcing once more how happy they are to find the numbers of thofe increase, who come forward to fupport the design of their Inftitution. In confequence of a wifh exprefled by many, that an opening fhould be given for perfons of all forts to declare their defire of fupporting fo good a caufe, a book has been opened at the Crown and Anchor for names to be fet down, and it is now earnestly wished that all perfons favourable to the prefent defign, will fignify it by inferting their names in fuch book. One of the duties this Society has imposed on itself is to encourage perfons to form fimilar Societies in different parts of the town. It is much to be wifhed that a Society were formed in the City of London, another in Weftminfter, and another in the Borough. When those great Societies were formed, it might be confidered, and would be feen by the effect of them, whether it would be neceffary to make fmaller Societies around them, to affift and co-ope rate. It fhould feem, that the business of fuch Societies should be conducted by a Committee, and that the Committee fhould be fmall, as better adapted for difpatch of bufinefs; for it fhould be remembered, that thefe are not open Societies for talk and debate, but for private confultation and real bufinefs. The fociety at large need not meet more than once a month, or once in two or three months, to audit the accounts, and fee to the application of the money. The object of fuch Societies fhould be to check the circulation of feditious publications of all kinds, whether newspapers or pamphlets, or the invitations to club-meetings, by discovering and bringing to juftice not only the authors and printers of them, but thofe who keep them in fhops, or hawk them in the streets for fale; or, what is much worfe, are employed in circulating them from house to house in any manner whatever. SECONDLY, They should by reasoning, and by circulating cheap books and papers, endeavour to undeceive those poor B 4 people people who have been misled by the infufion of opinions angerous to their own welfare and that of the State. THIRDLY, They should hold themselves in readiness to prevent or fupprefs tumults or riots, if neceffary. LASTLY, It should be a part of the original compact of every fuch Society, that in what they mean to do, they fhall always act in fubordination to the Magiftrate and the Executive Government, and in their aid and fupport, and not otherwife. The Society, after full confideration of the nature of private meetings, formed with a defign to take cognizance of what is tranfacted by the Executive and Legislative Powers of the country, are of opinion, that all fuch meetings are irregular. Such distinct and unharmonized centers have the effect of intercepting and drawing around themselves fome of that force, and confidence of the people, which fhould pafs on to their only true center the conftituted Executive and Legislative Authorities of the State. But when fuch an irregularity has been once permitted, and the balance of the fyftem feems to be affected by it, the equilibrium perhaps cannot be more naturally restored, than by placing a counterpoife of the fame fort on he other fide. Wicked men, by the means of Clubs and Affociations, have been spreading among the fimple and ignorant, feditious opinions, deftructive of good government, and the happiness of us all. Good men affociate to counteract those evil defigns, to fupport good government, and to continue to us our prefent happinefs. To affociate in the forms in which they do (as appears by their printed papers exhibited to this Society) is always feditious, and very often treafonable: they all appear to be offenders against the law. To meet, as is now propofed, for fuppreffing fedition, for propagating peaceable opinions, and for aiding the magiftracy in fubordination to the direction of the Magiftrates-the law allows it, and the time requires it. By Order of the Society, JOHN MOORE, Secretary. |