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not examined history for myself; for being of a curious and speculative turn, I have made myself acquainted with most denominations of Christians at present existing in the Christian world; and after having carefully examined their tenets, studied their prejudices, and observed their conduct, I do affirm, that how ever tame and tolerant they may be, while low in the world, they all possess the latent seeds of persecution. These only want fostering, by the genial warmth of power, to shoot forth with an enthusiastic fury, compounded of envy, ambition, pride, hatred, and fa natic zeal; as if it were commissioned by

from the charge of being likely to evince a persecuting spirit towards other sects, though they are capable of doing it as to their own people;* but the Friends of the present day are not a religious society, like the Weslian or Whitfieldian Metho dists. They are an Aristocratieal civil community; a trading company, and a set of respectable, industrious, economical, money-getting disciplinarians; who possess no more practical religion than the members of the Church of England.

commit whatever enormities they pleased, in defence of what they considered, or were told by their priests was the truth, is it not evident, from the diversity of sentiments of different sovereigns, and the opposite persuasions of their various teachers, that they must necessarily, at one time, and in one country, be punishing their subjects for entertaining opinions which, at another time, and in another country, were deemed perfectly orthodox. Does not this prove incontestably, that by once admitting the principle, that the magistrate is to defend Truth, he will much oftener be found defending ERROR? Every one will easily agree, that all systems cannot be right. "Er-heaven. I would except the Quakers "ror," says the same author, "has an immensity of space, and Truth is like a mathematical point in the prodigious "void." Now, although every one claims that point to himself, is it not palpable, as Truth is one, and Error multifarious, that the greater portion of religious murders, barbarities, robberies, and incarceration, must have been in defence of Error rather than of Truth. How modest, how humble, ought such considerations to make us? How cautious ought these reflections to render us, oft But to return to the sentiment of arrogating to ourselves the sole possession Franklin, respecting the early Christians of the truth, when we find that thou- It was shewn in my last, that they were sands who think different from us, claim persecuted by the Romans, at the insti the same happiness? Ought it not to gation of their priests, in the same manner make us diffident of ourselves, and for- as the Deists are molested by us, at the bearing towards others? Those who have instance of our priests, on account of the studied human nature, will have perceived simplicity of their tenets. I cannot illus that this violent animosity and furious trate the subject better, than by quoting. persecuting zeal, does not arise so much Justin Martyr, one of the earliest and from a generous love of virtue, or an most learned writers of the Eastern. enthusiastic admiration of abstract truth, Church, born of heathen parents, eduas from the inordinate thirst for powercated a pagan, and who was a platonic which pervades the heart of every human being. We wish others to think as we do, and the greater part of us would if we had the power, compel them to do it. The sword of religious persecution is an instrument upon which every party has played its tune, when raised to power. The celebrated Dr. Franklin remarks, that if we look into history, for "the character of the ancient Christians, "we shall find few who have not in their "turn been persecutors, and complainers "of persécution. The primitive Chris"tians thought persecution extremely wrong in the pagans, but practised it “ on one another." I could easily give credit to this assertion, even if I had

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philosopher, previous to his becoming a Christian, He resided at Rome, during the reign of Antonius Pius; and pen a persecution breaking out against the Christians, he presented an Apology in their behalf, pointing out in a very able manner, the impropriety and absurdity of religious persecution; which Apology caused the Emperor to send a letter to the States of Asia, not only forbidding the Christians to be persecuted, but enjoining, " that if any one hereafter shall go on to inform against this sort of

Ratcliff Monthly Meeting, for being SUSPECTED * See the case of Thomas Fuster, disowned by or believing in ONLY ONE GOD,

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*men, purely because they are Christi- France some of the greatest geniuses the ans, let the persons accused he dis world has produced, were united hand in charged, although they be found to be hand for fifty years, for the purpose of Christians, and let the informer himself enlightening their fellow creatures. "undergo the punishment." When shall is a great pity the enemies of supersti we see an Antonius? Yet the Apology tion, tyranny, and priestcraft are not which produced this, contains passages better known to each other; and more which no one would, in this enlightened, | organized in their exertions. Look at the himane, and liberal age, dare to advance. Fonaties of every description; how they In the second section, of his second Apo- unite, and how successful they are in logy, he says, "Reason informs and ad- stultifying the human understanding, that *monishes us, that true philosophers and most glorious ornament with which NA “nien of virtue, who have been filled TURE has vouchsafed to embellish man? "with godliness and holiness, have Would not a general medium of commu"loved and honoured the simple truth, nication for Theology, Metaphysics, and " and have turned aside from following Moral Philosophy, to be open with im"the ancients, whenever their opinions partiality to the Churchman, the Dissent "have been found erroneous, or bad. er, the Disciple of NATURE, the follow “Both scripture and souúd reason enjoiners of Pyrrho, and every class of Lati us, not only to avoid those whose lives have been wicked; who by teaching, "argument, or other means, have dis"seminated false and impious doctrines; "not to imitate, nor in any respect to be "led by them; but also prescribe, that the inquisitive lover of truth should prefer it to his life, and should not be "deterred by the fear of death, or threats "of torture, from speaking and acting "according to justice."

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These noble sentiments may be used by every reformer; they were appropriate to those who suffered in Smithfield, sto Galiléo, Huss, and Jerome of Prague; they may be used with equal propriety by the Deists of the present day, and by all persons persecuted for what they believe to be true. Those of my Friends who will take the trouble, will find much learning, philosophy, and curious matter in the works of this Father. I am writ ing a treatise upon the model of the Apologies of Justin Martyr and Tertullian, to be entitled, (if God spare my life, and that of the best of Princes, till he shall ascend the throne of these realias) "An Apology to King George the Fourth, in behalf of that most learned and "respectable portion of his subjects, the "Materialists, Sceptics, and Deists; by "aCHRISTIAN:" and intend approaching him in person with a holy boldness, to deliver a copy thereof. Every thing which has been done towards liberalising mankind in this country, will be found the isolated efforts of individuals; but in

tudinarian, be the means of facilitating
such an object? It would lead people to
think, examine, and judge for themselves;
and ultimately inculcate a liberality of
sentiment, which can only be acquired
by the exercise of our reason concerning
the nature of man, his intellectual fa-
culties, and education,
It would ena-
ble them to make that generous allow-
ance for the opinions and prejudices of
others, so essentially necessary to the
harmony of society; but which they can
never possess, while their reading and
observation are confined within the pale
of a particular seet; and while they are
in the habit of implicitly receiving their
religious notions, upon thecredit of others,
without investigation. A Journal of the
above description has long been a deside-
ratum in the republic of letters; for
notwithstanding the number and variety
of theological and controversial maga.
zines, there are none completely open to
all parties; whatever liberality they may
profess. Some are exclusively the vehi
cles of one set of opinions only, and
refuse insertion to every thing of an
opposite tendency. Others admit nothing
contrary to their own tenets, but what
they think can easily be answered by
some of their own partizáns, I have ta
ken the liberty of throwing out these few
hints, as to the nature of a Journal much
wanted by the Friends of Free Discussion;
and remain, dear Sir, your's truly.

ERASMUS PErkins.
London, Jan. 18, 1815.

Printed and Published by G. Houston: No. 192, Strand; where all Communications addressed to Editor are requested to be forwarded,

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VOL. XXVII. No. 4.] LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 28, 1815.

PARTIAL AND MEAN PERRY, Proprietor of the Morning Chronicle. READER, a full report of the proceedings of the Hampshire meeting was sent to the above Printer, together with the PETITION, which I moved thereat, and which petition (the only copy I had) was obtained from me, by the Reporter of the Chronicle, in order to be sent to London to be printed in that and other papers, It was so sent; but was suppressed by this partial, this mean, this despicable tool of a despicable place-hunting faction. ---I have jurt learnt these facts, and can only now say, that I will, next week, give this trick of PERRY the exposure,

which it deserves.

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Mr. Lovell of the Statesman was imprisoned a year or 18 months in Newgate, and also fined.--The selfish and unfeeling crowds, who are now clamouring against this tax; who are abusing it; who are applying to it all sorts of vile epithets and names, because they now feel the pinch of their pockets; these persons never meet to petition against the prosecutions of the press; no, and they never would have met for that pose, if every press in England had been demolished and the types thrown into the street, as were those of the American command of our military and naval printers at the City of Washington, by commanders.-These persons now call the tax partial, oppressive, cruel inquisitorial, tyrannical. They come it to every thing on earth that is odious, and some of them have gone to Hell for similies in the way of illustration. They declared, that it is every thing

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that is tyrannical, odious and detestable, and that it violates the spirit of our constitution; and all this in its PRINCIPLE; in its very NATURE; and ES SENCE.-Now, then, what are these ment What are these noisy petitioners? What is their character, even upon their own shewing? Why, that they are now calumniators of the government; or, that they have been slaves for the last 18 years. Let them take their choice,It is curious enough to see men, and great numbers of them too, who supported this tax when it was laid on, who voted for it in parliament, who, in fact, laid it on; it is curious to see these men, and in great numbers too, now coming forward and joining in the above horrid descriptions of the tax. They seem to be looking to new scenes. They are ratting from the Government. They begin to suspect, that the taxing and soldiering system must soon undergo a very material change. In short, the system (for it is of no consequence ministers) is in a state of great anxiety at least. The peace has produced the e.

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who are

tax.

OR

OR

The dividends on the National Debt must go unpaid.

these taxes, is alive to see the day when those, who clamoured for his destruction, clamour against those taxes. He is alive to see" the loyal" pouring forth all sorts of invective against things, which he laboured to prevent. Mr. ToOKE is not alive to enjoy this spectacle; but, his efforts, the noble stand which he made, will always be remembered with gratitude by those who retain any esteem for the rights and liberties of their forefathers.

fects, thus far, that I anticipated; and those effects will now develope them- The whole of the army, and nearly all selves, day after day.-In some places, the navy must be discharged; the petitioners have included all the war taxes, in others only the malt and property tax, in others only the property tax. The first is the only rational mode of Take your choice, good petitioners. proceeding; for, in fact, all the taxes One of the five propositions you must are equally burdensome. But, in some take. I am for the fourth. What say places, as at Worcester City, they are you? What sense is there in your clafor doing away with all the war-taxes, mours and abuse, unless you think that except the Landlord's part of the property the war taxes can be dispensed with ; and What a whim is this! What a child-if you think they can be dispensed with, ish distinction! Is it not clear, that the why do you not say so? One thing, Landlord's part of the property tax must however, in this senseless uproar, I am be included in the rent of the tenant, and highly delighted with. It is this: That that, finally, it must be paid by those there are no longer any accusations heard who eat the bread, the meat, the butter, against us Jacobins. It is not we, but the cheese, the poultry, the milk, and the loyal," who now cry out, who clathe eggs, and who wear the flax and the mour, who now deal out abuse on the wool? People are so galled with their taxing system. Mr. HARDY, who esdifficulties to pay the taxes, that they caped with his life, after endeavouring to know not what they say. Political eco-effect a reform in that body who imposed nomy is a subject too deep for minds in general; but, as every one now feels, every one cries out. Sir Francis Burdett, in 1811 or 1812, when he moved the address in the House of Commons, was most grossly abused for describing the Property Tax in colours far less odious than those, in which “ the loyal" now describe it. Thus time makes all sorts of changes.-But, if other taxes be imposed instead of the war taxes, what will the people have gained? If, for instance, JERRY JOBERNOL, the farmer, should get rid of his tenpounds a year of war taxes, and should, in future, have to IT is now evident to me, that our pay ten pounds a year in lieu of it, in his ministers mean to propose a law to put salt, malt, horse, window, soap, candle a stop to the importation of Corn. I am and leather tax, what would Jerry there-confirmed in this opinion by the language by gain? And, if the petitioners mean, of the COURIER newspaper for that no other taxes should be laid on in time past; and especially by the following lieu of the war taxes, they should say so. article, which appeared in that paper of -Then, do they mean, that the funding the 23d instant, and which article I am system should be destroyed, and that morally certain came from a source of the fund-holders should not be paid their authority. The reader will see, from dividends? No: they do not mean this. the ability with which it is written, that Why then do they not say so? And, it never could come from the same pen why do they not point out how faith may whence proceed the articles of the Editor be kept with the fundholders, and the of that paper; and the form and place, war taxes (without substitutes) be done of it, if the reader could see them, away? would strengthen the opinion. After inserting it, I shall endeavour to shew, how it blinks all the main points, how fallacious it is, how it is calculated to deceive and to mislead. "The Meetings upon "the Agricultural State of the Country es are become universal. This is a sub

The war taxes must be continued ;

OR

There must be new taxes laid on, equal to them in amount;

OR

There must be Loans in time of peace;

No. I.-CORN BILL.

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ject which we touch always with deli- " ever high it was, did not depend upon

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cacy, and almost with dread. It is "them. It arose from causes over which one of such vital importance, one in " they had no controul; from deficient " which a false step, or an erroneous doc- " seasons, and from the state of the con"trine, may do such incalculable mis- "tinent, with which all intercourse was chief, that we fear ever to pronounce "prevented. But allowing, for the sake any decisive opinion. What suggestions" of argument, that they did make large we throw out, we throw out with diffi-" fortunes, that must have been a public "dence and hesitation, convinced of our "benefit, inasmuch as the increase of being more in want of information, than" their capital would naturally lead them "able to communicate any. But there" to extend the agriculture of the coun are some facts upon which there can try, to improve bad land, and bring “be no doubt, and upon them we may "the waste into produce. The answer "safely reason--and in reasoning upon to the first question involves in it an them, we are quite sure that we shall answer to the second. Upon the third "not deserve, in the words of Mr. Burke," we very willingly observe, that we are "to be classed amongst "those wicked" for the people having this necessary of " writers of the newspapers, who would "life as cheap as possible; but we would "inflame the poor against their friends," not purchase an unexampled cheapness guardians, patrons, and protectors."--" to-day, with the certainty, or even the Upon this subject,more than any other, risk, of having dearness to-morrow. By "there are prejudices so strong as almost" the return of last Saturday's Gazette, "to resist the evidence of the strongest we find that the average price of wheat facts, and these prejudices are infinite-" was 31. 3s. 4d. the quarter, or 73. 11d. ly aggravated by the number of idle" the bushel: Barley, 11. 11s. 6d. ; and "tales spread about by the industry of" Oats, 11. 3s. 9d. This cheapness arises faction, and greedily devoured by the" from two causes-the admitting the malignant credulity of mankind. When" free importation of corn, and the con"grain is dear, the prejudice is against "sequent necessity under which the "monopolizers; when it is cheap, then" British farmer has been of bringing his "the cry is, to give the utmost license" grain to market. The generality of "and encouragement to importation, "mankind, looking only at the present " in order that it may become cheaper" result, will rejoice, and we are not sur"still, and thus, as we have heard it" prised at it, and feel disposed to look said, to be revenged on the farmer." with an evil eye upon any thing that "But revenge ought not to be exercised" would disturb it. Forbearance, and against the farmer. Revenge on the "the want of all interference would "farmer would soon be accompanied "be a greater disturber than any "other cause. For let but the sys

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" with a much wider vengeance upon the avengers-they would themselves be-" tem of encouraging the free imporcome at no remote period the victims of "their vengeance. Evils however at a dis"tance we are too apt neither to see nor care for. "Have not farmers (is the common cry,) been making immense "fortunes for the last twenty years? Have they not been living upon the "distresses of the people? And ought "not the latter to have the advantage “which the late harvests and peace have" given them, to have bread at as cheap "a rate as possible?" We answer each principle than this, that men will not "of these questions--That the farmers" apply their industry and their capital "have been making immense fortunes" to the growing or manufacturing an "for the last twenty years, is an asser- "article which they cannot sell at a “tion which it is as easy to make, as we 66 price higher than it cost them in grow"believe it would be difficult to prove. "ing or manufacturing it; a price that " But if they had, how would that bear" shall enable them if not to lay something " [“ upon the subject? The price, how- " by, at least to maintain them. Wheat

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