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 1 
 
 2 
 
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(>o 
 
K. 
 
 £ 
 
 4 
 
 T T 
 
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 T O T H E 
 
 PUBLIC MEETING 
 
 • » - ■• 
 
 or THE FRIENDS TO THE 
 
 REPEAL t 
 
 -.1 :. ;;'v^ 'n\ 
 
 OF T a K 
 
 TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS, 
 
 A T T H E 
 
 LONDON TAVERN, 
 On FEBRUARY the 13th, 1790. 
 
 FROM 
 
 A LAY DISSENTER. 
 
 ^'"^-w!!"!^^ 'if*r'""/u' ^o"'^"" «<»» l»n«. idventure too little, repent too foon. vU 
 ftldon diit« bufincfi home to tb« fuU pcilod, content with • Mediocrity of Sueceft 
 
 LORD BACON '1 ESS AYSfV^ 
 
 LONDON: AJIIMTED. 
 
 M,DCC«XC; 
 
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 mi 
 
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 «ft 
 
^?{^S<^^^<^^^5^«<^^t<^^;<s^<s^<s^^ 
 
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 L E T T E R, 
 
 &c. 
 
 w i n o mM im n MawwtM mmn M c tw w 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 D 
 
 E P R I V E D of the fatisfaaion of 
 being prefent at your meeting, I feel myfelf im- 
 pelled to take this method of fubmitting a few 
 thoughts to your confidcration, in fupport of the 
 Resolves which will be p'^opofed for your con- 
 currence. At tliis critical period, there is 
 
 fcarcely an Individual whofe efforts in favour of 
 religious liberty may not in fome refpefts be be- 
 neficial. In a little Army not a private foldier 
 fhould be abfent from the Ranks : We fhould alt 
 confidcr ourfelves as bound to do the belt we can 
 for the advancement of the common caufe, and 
 to evidence our zeal, that we may incite others 
 to activity. 
 
 Aft Ii 
 
tC 4 ] 
 
 It is my convidion of the nccefTity of a general 
 exertion, that leads me to addrcfs this Letter to 
 you, and not the vain preluniptioii, that my fer- 
 viccs can have any thing more than a good in- 
 tention to recommend them. Though the nightly 
 guard of your perfons and your property gives 
 you no information when he calls the hour, yet 
 youjuftly require him to do fo, becaufe it is a 
 proof that he is prefcnt at his ftation, and mind- 
 ful of his duty. Thefe few lines may at Icaft 
 ferve to fhcw that the aftual number of your 
 meeting is by no means a complete catalogue of 
 thofe whofe hearts are full of ardent wiflies for 
 the reftoration of our rights. I folicit your at- 
 tention with confidence, becaufe I know that I 
 am touched by feelings which arc not particular, 
 and that I exprefs not my own opinion only, but 
 that of many of the mofl rcfpeftable among our 
 friends. 
 
 :.*;:" 
 
 This I am fure of, that the RrfuhUions are 
 founded on fentiments, which not only all diflcn- 
 ters, but all friends to freedom and to truth, 
 ought to entertain concerning thofc ftatutes by 
 which fo many of us and of our fellow citizens arc 
 deprived of our rights; and it is hoped they are 
 framed fo as to fear no antagonifts but thofe of 
 liberty and reafon. It cannot be necefTary, in 
 writing to fuch a meeting, convened for fuch 
 purpofes as it is, and at fo intcrcfting a time, to 
 
 fay 
 
C 5 ] 
 
 fay much in fupport of motions which are ground- 
 ed on the general principles of liberty, and which 
 are defigned to accelerate the removal of a na- 
 tional difgrace, and an irreligious prophanation. 
 This would be attempting to illuminate a fun- 
 beam ! 
 
 It is plainly unncceflary to endeavour \o per- 
 fuade you to declare. 
 
 That cxclufion from civil offices, on account 
 of religious opinions, is unjuft and impolitic. 
 
 "■.«■■■ ' ■ ! ' ' 
 
 That the Diflencers have been guilty of no 
 
 crime deferving fuch difgrace and punifliment. 
 
 That the Tell Laws are oppreflive and perfe- 
 cuting. 
 
 That a Sacramental Teft is a vile proftitution 
 pf a facred ordinance. 
 
 That the Clergy, as honeft and religious men, 
 ought to aflift our endeavours. 
 
 That the beft means ought to be devifed for 
 procuring the repeal of thefe unchriftian Statutes. 
 
 That the Diffenters, if compelled againft their 
 wills to have an intereft feparate from that of their 
 
 A3 fellow 
 
 i. 
 
ir: 
 
 I i 
 
 .* 
 
 C 6 ] 
 
 fellow citizens, ought to fupport that Intcreft, 
 and to guard it. 
 
 That the charge brought againft us, of wifhing 
 to overthrow the national church, is a wicked 
 mifreprcfentation, and an unmanly device for ex- 
 citing thepaffions of our countrymen againft us. 
 
 Or, That thofe who have hitherto been aflive 
 friends to our applications, merit our confidence, 
 our gratitude, and our fupport. 
 
 This is the fubftance of what you now will be 
 fnoved to refolve ; and to fay much in favour of 
 fuch fcntimcnts to you, gentlemen, would be 
 wafting your time unprofitably, and would be be- 
 traying a moft unwarrantable diftruft of the free- 
 dom and liberality of your opinions. 
 
 In declaring thefe fcntimcnts, which I hope 
 will become yours, (if fimilar thoughts come not 
 in a better form before you from fome other 
 quarter), it has been intended to exprefs them 
 plaiiily, manlily and difcreelly. The two former 
 qualities, thofe of perfpicuity and fpirit may pre- 
 vent them from difhonouring the reafonabienefs 
 and juftice of our claims: the latter, tiiat of dif- 
 cretion, it is hoped will render them palatable even 
 to the moft timid and cautious of our friends. In 
 order to remove, as far as it could be, the poflibi- 
 
 lity 
 
 \ 
 
I » 
 
 \ 
 
 C 7 ] 
 
 lity of difTcntion, it has been thought right to rc- 
 prefs the Ardour arifing from a fatisfaftory con- 
 fcioufncl's of good intention, and to facrifite 
 in fome degree, even judifiablc opinions of pru- 
 dence to the poflible apprehenfions of otiicrs. — 
 For, Gentlemen, I do intreat you to be well aware 
 that Timidity is not always prudence, nor ismild- 
 nefs at all times a virtue. There arr Occafions 
 which demand a fpiritcd aflertion of a freeman's 
 claims ; there are fiiuations where fafety is only 
 to be found in firmnefsand in fpirit. I know not 
 what the honeft paflion of indignation was given 
 us for, if it is not to be excited by continued mif- 
 reprefentation and by intolerable oppreflTion. — 
 But general reafonings in favour of fpiritcd mea- 
 fures come from ajuHly fufpetled quarter when 
 urged by an anonymous writer, and I therefore 
 appeal from them to the undclufivc, intelligible 
 evidence of fatl. For more than a hundred 
 years, years made long by repeated perfecutions, 
 and by a perfevering refillance to our wifhes ; we 
 have requited good for evil, and have been the 
 moll indullrious as well as moft elfcetual friends 
 to a Conllitution, equal and impartial to all men 
 but to us. We have fubmittcd in filence, in a 
 Silence only broken by a few feeble requefls for 
 juftice ; but never interrupted by rcfentment on 
 thofe requells being refufed. You have ever been 
 loyal to your fovereigns, obedient to the laws, de- 
 voted to the conllitution : perhaps by being firm 
 ^ . A 4 friends 
 
( 
 
 
 C 8 ] 
 
 friends to the latter, you may have loft the coun- 
 tenance of the former: perhaps your love of 
 your country may not have very greatly incrcafcd 
 your intcrcft at Si. James's. 
 
 Will you bribe your Governors to your in- 
 tereft by becoming the Tools of power? or will 
 you hope for fuccefs from the energy of your own 
 exertions ? Mere Quietnefs will never do. You 
 muft become bad citizens before your Enemies at 
 court wiU Voluntarily admit you to the privileges 
 of good ones. What have you obtained by your 
 peaceable demeanour ? Are you rcinftated in 
 your Rights ? Have your fubjeflion and your pa- 
 triotifm recommended you to government ? Are 
 we not excluded by Law from all places of Truft, 
 from the Chancellorfhip down to that of a public 
 Executioner? Can that refpcftable gentleman be 
 permitted by Law to perform his important Office, 
 unlcfs he has firft duly qualified himlelf at the 
 Lord's Table ? Can the fatal Knot be legally ty- 
 ed, except *' hy the hallowed Jingers of a Comviu^ 
 nicant ?" 
 
 It is with rcluftance I go on to claim more of 
 your Time; but a Spirit of Servility is abroad 
 which requires attack anddeteftion. 
 
 An unexpei^ed oppofition may arife at the 
 Meeting, which however i hope, and am indeed 
 
 convinced 
 
C 9 3 
 
 convinced, may be rendered inefFo^ual. Should 
 any divifion be called for by tliofc who will only 
 venture to attack particular exprelfions in the 
 Refolutions ; fuch oppofers mull be left to fatisfy 
 their own confcicnccs refpefcling the prudence 
 and generofity of their conduft. All the objec- 
 tions I can forcfcc may be reduced to one, ' That 
 
 * the Refolutions breathe a fpirit too bold for the 
 
 * temper of the Times.' All the arguments 
 likely to be urged, will be arguments in favour 
 of caution, prudence and moderation. 
 
 Gentlemen, It is too often taken for granted, 
 and I think efpecially among ferious people, that 
 want of fpirit is prudence ; that fcarfulnefs and 
 inatlivity are policy. It would indeed be hard, 
 if timid and indolent men had not rcfolution and 
 vigour enough to raife them up in their eafy 
 chairs, in order to indulge on their darling topics ; 
 the cenfure of fpirit ; the abufe of enterprize. 
 
 Moderation is unquedionably a Virtue: but 
 not a Virtue of all times and of all feafons. It 
 is on fome occafions Cowardice, on others it is 
 Treachery. But I turn with pleafure from ge- 
 neral remarks to the authority of years and expe- 
 rience ; to the authority of one of the wifcft, and 
 for many years one of the honeftell men that ever 
 fat in an Englifh Parliament, Col. Titus. In a 
 debate on the Exclufion Bill, during the reign of 
 
 thit 
 
 
[ 'o ] 
 
 that profligate promife-breaker Charles the Se- 
 cond, this great man faid, " We arc advifed to be 
 *• moderate; but I do not taK^ Moderation to be a 
 prudent Virtue in all cafes that may happen. — 
 If I were fighting for my own life, and the lives 
 •• of my wif? and children, fhould I do fo mode- 
 rately ? If I *Arcre riding on a road to fave my 
 Throat from Thieves, and I fliould be advifed 
 to ride moderately left I fpoiled my horfc, 
 would not fuch Advice fcem contemptible at 
 •' fuch a time? And fo certainly if we were in a 
 •* finking (hip (no unapt reprefentation of our de- 
 •* caying conftitution) would it be wretched coun- 
 *' fel to pump modcratdy for fear of a fever ?" 
 
 <( 
 
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 (( 
 
 «f 
 
 «( 
 
 (( 
 
 I : 
 I ■ 
 
 
 ' Thefe foft words, gentlemen, generally "mean 
 " more than meets the car." They are often ufed 
 to proteft men from the laudable refentment of 
 injured innocence. Candour is an excellent qua- 
 lity : Civility an ufeful virtue : Politenefs an a- 
 greeable qualification : but there is one thing 
 which for great occafions is fairly worth them all 
 — Truth, In the little incidents of human life, 
 let ihcfe petty, fubordinate excellencies appear 
 andpleafe; but let them not prevent men from 
 aflerting ferious rights in fcrious expreflions, from 
 fpeaking of grievous oppreflTions with jull indig- 
 nation. In fuch a fituation as we are placed in, 
 it would be Hypocrify to treat tyranny with re- 
 ]"'7r ■ . ' \:.-<'\v^^ ,.■" ... vcrcncc. 
 
 *) 
 
C «« ] 
 
 vcrence, or honour falfehood with the ceremony 
 of confutation. It would be Treachery to our- 
 felves to bow down with feigned refpeft before 
 thofe who deny iSjuftice: It would almoftbe im- 
 piety towards our Maker to fpeak of profanation 
 and irreligion in any terms but thofe of the fe- 
 vcreft Cenfurc. If then we arc blamed by any 
 for the ufe of terms correfpondent to our feelings, 
 let us not by a tame and filent fubmiflion acknow- 
 ledge a fault when we have a right to afTume a 
 Merit. What fuch men mean by moderation and 
 decorum is indeed of great ufe in public Affairs, 
 never of greater than when it fhelters folly from 
 ridicule, and diflionefty from deteftion, or when 
 meafures are confidcred which nothing can pre- 
 ferve from Contempt hut the folemnity with which 
 they are treated. Great men are incircled by the 
 fortifications of ceremony : approach them in form, 
 and they have fettled rules for your reception. 
 Speak plainly, and Speak the Truth : you find 
 them poor human creatures like ourfelves, and 
 quite unprepared to anfwer language which fur- 
 prizes them from its novelty. O ! but " we 
 ** (hall excite Oppofition" — yes — but Oppofition 
 begets examination — Examination begets convic- 
 tion. We triumph in the anticipation of fuch 
 an Oppofition ! We rejoice in the profpeft of 
 fuch an Examination. ' , 
 
 What 
 
[ 
 
 12 
 
 ] 
 
 What have we to fear from the efforts of our 
 Enemies ? if we may judge of what they can do 
 from what they have clone. 
 
 f 
 
 
 ■ ■ --'J . ..■■■.- 
 
 At Southampton an interefted Corporation 
 
 ^ ( triumphing in a monopoly of Offices, bccaufe its 
 
 members could not otherwife enjoy them) meets 
 
 and paffes refolves equally devoid of good fenfe, 
 
 good writing, or good grammar. . ; ; 
 
 A Prelate diftinguifhed by the meeknefs and 
 humility of his chriftianity, having been defeated 
 with difgrace in his attempts to difturb the peace 
 of a fcientific Society, turns his noify butharmlefs 
 weapons on the unoffending diflenters, and if I 
 am rightly informed, fecures to an honeft Gentle- 
 man his elc6lion, by declaring that he wifhes him 
 lo lofe it. We will not leave him to the Chaftife- 
 mcnt of his own confcience, till wc are fure he 
 can afford to keep one. We will turn him over 
 to the refentment of the Houfe of Commons, 
 whofc privileges he has violated. — Though his 
 fcandal is void of hurt, yet he may be juftly pu- 
 nifhed, as witches were of old, bccaufe they 
 thought themfclvcs witches. Not becaufc they 
 did mifchief, but bccaufe they intended it. ^ 
 
 A County meeting is called by a junto of thofq 
 independent gentlemen, the Lords of the Bed- 
 chamber, 
 
 m 
 
C '3 ] 
 
 chamber ; and there, even there, the refolves 
 againii us are carried by a fmall majority. 
 
 The chief Officer in a diftinguifhed manufac- 
 turing town convenes only thofe of its Inhabi- 
 tants who are members of the eftablifhment, and 
 then finding a Majority againll him, refufcs to 
 hear any debate in a Meeting exprefsly called for 
 the purpofe of confultation, and ventures to 
 affix his name to refolutions, which were never 
 read norpafl'ed. \ 
 
 A fociety for promoting Chriftian knowledge, 
 feizeswith avidity fo inviting an opportunity of 
 diffufing religious information ; takes our intend- 
 ed application into confideration ; forgets every 
 thing that is religious io the queftion ; paffes ovex 
 in total iilence all our objedions to the proflitu- 
 tion of the lacrament, and afferts the neceffi- 
 ty of Teft Laws, without bellowing one fingle 
 folitary thought on the nature of that Teft, of 
 which it defends the propriety. Yet over this 
 meeting one prelate prefided, and another fram- 
 ed the refolutions ! ! Save but the Temporalities 
 of the church, and let the laws of Chriil be vio- 
 lated with impunity ! 
 
 A clergyman elevated into public notice by a 
 citizen in high office ; an illiterate zealot, as he is 
 
 generally 
 
Cm] 
 
 generally imagined ; but in fa6l a well-meaning 
 ignorant friend to us, who not knowing much, 
 yet knowing this, that the DifTenters have for 
 a century been trying in vain, what fair ar- 
 gument and good temper could do in the fupport 
 of their caufe ; plainly faw, that his only chance 
 for affifting them was, by employing againft them 
 illiberal abufe, and ungovernable rage. Magnani- 
 moufly regardlefs of his own charafter, he will- 
 ingly facrifices that in the caufe of reafon ; and 
 therefore, as far as we are concerned, leaves us 
 only to lament that the facrifice was fo infignifi- 
 cant, the vidim fo ridiculous. 
 
 Such oppofition as this, is better than fupport. 
 JLet the fpirits of faBion do their worft. Let 
 them ere6l their crefts, and roll their gilded fpires, 
 and hifs, and threaten, and throw their venom 
 around. The fpirit of Liberty, like the divine 
 rod of Aaron, fhall fwallow up all the ferpents 
 of the Magicians. The day of triumph cannot 
 be far diftant ; if we are not wanting to ourfelves. 
 However you may difpofe of the Refolutions 
 that will be propofed to you, fuffer not the meet- 
 ing to pafs away without doing fonic^thing. This 
 would be to render ourfelves ridiculous in the 
 cyesof our country friends; and contemptible in 
 the eftiraation of our advcrfarics. We have every 
 
 thing 
 
[ '5 1 
 
 thing to hope from aftivity, and nothing to fear. 
 Ourfituation cannot be worfc; it may be better. 
 
 Let thofe that put their truft in the paternal af- 
 feftion of Kings, and the tender confciences of 
 Minifters, wait for the relief which they will not 
 demand ; but let us rely on the vigour of our own 
 exertions, on the good fenfe of our countrymen, 
 and on the wifdom of parliament. Perfeverancc 
 in a bad caufe, makes even a bad caufe refped- 
 able. Perfeverance in a good caufe, renders a 
 good one irrcfiftible. Be not difcouraged by the 
 apparent difproportion between the influence of 
 fingle efforts, and the magnitude of the diffi- 
 culties you have to encounter. Nothing good 
 or great is to be obtained without courage and 
 induftry; but courage and induftry muft have funk 
 in defpair, and human life remained unornament- 
 ed and unimproved, if men had nicely compar- 
 ed the effeft of a fingle ftroke of the chiffel with 
 the pyramid they were to raife, or a fingle impref- 
 fion of the fpade with the mountain they were to 
 level. 
 
 I have the honour to be, 
 
 ■^ Gentlemen, your moft refpeflful. 
 
 Humble fervant, 
 
 * # # * * » 
 
 N