such persecutions give weight to opinions that are otherwise without weight: that they lay the foundation of a presumption that the promulgators of such opinions are only persecuted because they cannot be answered, and that an importance is given to persons who suffer for such publications, which no other means or qualifications they might possess could confer: thus, increasing by prosecutions at law, that evil, by many fold, which it is their professed object to ckeck. For the honour of science and literature, which are not mentioned without exultation in your honourable house, your Petitioners ask, that ill-founded opinions may not have weight given to them by prosecutions on the publishers.

Your Petitioners, therefore, most earnestly pray, that your honourable house will initiate some law, that shall encourage free discussion and protect the disputants about opinions from all penalties, so as to give the best their due weight, or so express its sense of the late prosecutions for the publication of opinions, as shall persuade from all further processes at law of that kind. And your Petitioners, &c.

WHEREAS, IGNORANT AND BAD MEN IN POWER HAVE EVER CONSPIRED TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM KNOWING MORE THAN THEMSELVES, AND TO CHECK ALL INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE THAT TENDS TO CHANGE SUCH OPINIONS AS THOSE UPON WHICH THEY HAVE INHERITED OR ACQUIRED POWER: AND WHEREAS, SUCH MEN HAVE EVER PERSECUTED SUCH OTHER MEN, AS HAVE DESIRED TO SEE THE HUMAN RACE GOING ON IN PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT: BE IT KNOWN TO ALL, THAT PROSECUTIONS HAVE BEEN RENEWED, AFTER MANY MONTHS CESSATION, FOR PUBLICATIONS WHICH QUESTION THE GOOD FOUNDATION

OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION; AND THAT, BETWEEN THE 7TH AND 15TH OF THE MONTH OF MAY INSTANT, THREE PERSONS WERE ARRESTED FROM THE SHOP, 84, FLEET street, LondON. THIS IS, THEREFORE, TO GIVE NOTICE, THAT ALL PERSONS, WHO WILL PRESENT THEMSELVES TO SELL BOOKS IN THE SAID SHOP, FREE OF COST IN GETTING THERE, ARE DESIRED IMMEDIATELY TO FORWARD THEIR NAMES, THAT THEY MAY BE REGULARLY CALLED UPON, SO AS TO PREVENT THE STOPPAGE OF SALE IN THE SAID SHOP.

IT IS MOST DISTINCTLY TO BE UNDERSTOOD, THAT A LOVE, OF PROPAGATING THE PRINCIPLES, AND A SACRIFICE OF LIBERTY TO THAT END, AS FAR AS IT MAY BE REQUIRED, AND NOT GAIN, MUST BE THE MOTIVE TO CALL FORTH SUCH VOLUNTEERS: FOR, THOUGH R. CARLILE PLEDGES HIMSELF TO DO, WHAT HE HAS HITHERTO DONE, TO GIVE SUCH MEN THE BEST SUPPORT IN HIS POWER, SHOULD ANY GREAT NUMBER BE IMPRISONED, HE IS NOT SÒ SITUATED, AS TO PROPERTY OR PROSPECTS, AS TO BE ABLE TO PROMISE ANY PARTICULAR WEEKLY SUM: NOR DOES HE MAKE ANY PROMISE WHATEVER, BEYOND HIS DISPOSITION TO DO ALL THAT MAY BE IN HIS POWER TO DO.

AS THE MATTER SEEMS TO BE AN EXPERIMENT ON THE PART OF LORD ELDON, ROBERT PEEL, AND Co., TO SEE HOW FAR THE OPPOSITION CAN BE CARRIED, AND WHETHER THE PROMISES TO COME FORWARD TO STAND PROSECUTIONS WILL BE REALIZED, ALL GOOD MEN ARE EXHORTED TO MAKE AND COMMUNICATE THEIR RESOLVE, AND TO HOLD THEMSELVES IN READINESS.

GOD SAVE THE KING!!! Done at Dorchester Gaol, May 16, 1824. In the fifth year of the reign of his most gracious, most religious, and most tolerant Majesty, George the Fourth, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain and Ireland, King-Defender of the Faith, &c.!

No. 21, Vol. IX.

Reasons for issuing the foregoing Proclamation, and for opposition to such prosecutions as those in question.

1st. Because, I have proved, indisputably, that, there can be no law, where upon to try matters of criticism upon the Christian, or any other, religion: for which, see, in No. 17, Vol. VIII., Republican, a paper, read to the Court of King's Bench, by Joseph William Trust. This paper proves, that I, and those who have been persecuted for acting with me, have never offended any law, to justify such prosecutions and persecutions as we have endured. Of all offence against the laws, I, therefore, feel an innocence.

2d. Because, I have proved, that, both the Old and New Testaments, or the books so called, are void of such historical foundation, as is essential to prove their truth, or that their pretensions are entitled to our respect. For proof of which, see the 1st and 7th Nos. of Vol. IX. of the Republican, and the volumes generally.

3d. Because, since I have grown sceptical on the matters concerning God, Gods, or Religion, impressed upon my mind in my youth, I have most sincerely, and most industriously, sought the truth, relating to such matters; and, in all my conversations or correspondences with clergy men, or lay men, I have found none so hardy as to say, that there is a personified God, or that God is a figure: when pressed to the question, one and all have confessed, that they have no knowledge of any such a God; therefore, if we have no knowledge of the figure of a God, we have no knowledge of any identity relating to the word God; and, it is, at least, a probable inference, in absence of all proof, that all mankind have been in error upon this subject, and that, no one has any moral power or justification to persecute, or to desire to controul, or to check the promulgation of, the opinions of another upon such a hidden matter; since, the most free discussion is yet required, to bring us to any proof, or truth, upon the matter of enquiry.

4th. Because, I have, at varions times, places, and occa sions, given proof, that morality, which is the definition and purpose of all practicable and useful human law, has no relation to the word religion or its ceremonies: morality, being a matter confined to a relation between man and man in society; and religion, a word, having no relation separate from man, as an individual, and his unknown creating power.

5th. Because, it has been lately implied, from observa

tions made by the Secratary of State for the Home Department, in the House of Commons, and by Chief Justice Abbott, in the Court of King's Bench, on the trial of Joseph William Trust, that no further prosecutions of the kind would take place; and, a cessation for several months, has guaranteed the propriety of the expectation; nor has any thing new occurred to warrant the re-commencement.

6th. Because, as right opinions, when advanced, will quickly triumph over those that are wrong, the absence of all moral opposition to the opinions which I promulgate, and desire to have freely discussed, is presumptive proof, that all the learning of the country cannot oppose my conclusions: were it practicable, it belies human nature to suppose, that any man, desirous of espousing opposite opinions, would be silent and leave to me the moral triumph undisputed.

7th and last. Because, in every act of mine, as a public writer or publisher, I have been seriously impressed with the conviction, that I have been and am the instrument of good to the present, and to future generations of mankind.

RICHARD CARLILE.

Dorchester Gaol, May 17, 1824.

TO MR. R. CARLILE, DORCHESTER GAOL.

SIR, ALTHOUGH—

Giltspur Street Compter, May 17, 1824.

"The powers that be," have my body confin'd,
The powers are not, which shall fetter my mind.

You, Sir, I presume, are by this time informed, through the medium of the press, of my unjust, and unlawful, imprisonment. Every rational man upon the hearing thereof would be ready to enqure, who I had robbed, who defrauded, whose wife or daughter have I injured; were I a drunkard, a disorderly character or a gamester? No; no man can lay any of those things to my charge. Can you guess, Sir? if you can, I am sure it would be more than Jesus Christ could have done: (for he did not know any thing about printed books) know then, Sir, I have been forced to prison by the humble followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, for selling a sixpenny printed pamphlet of the 17th No. of the Republican, Vol. 9. Agreeable to order, I went last Monday morn

ing the 17th inst. and opened your Shop, 84, Fleet Street. Determined to keep it open until some re-inforcements arrived from the country, and to insure this, I thought it would be prudent to refrain from selling the works which had been so unlawfully prosecuted, viz. the "Age of Reason," "Palmers Principles," and "Vision of Judgment." But, Sir, you must not suppose the holy saints could stand idle all the day, no, Sir, before two o'clock I had the honour of riding in a coach to Guildhall, with a man clothed with a little brief authority and dragged before the unbelievers; yes, Sir, I say the unbelievers. Do you think, Sir, those men who receive honour from men, John chap. v. ver. 44, and who are accumulating riches as fast as they can, believe that a rich man cannot enter heaven, laying up treasures on earth to weep and howl over, when those miseries shall come upon them. I often smile when I think upon that grand scene, which we are to see, as foretold by that holy apostle John, when the fowls of heaven shall be called to eat the flesh of kings, captains, mighty men, great men, small men, horses and all: what, Sir, would holy Paul say were he alive in the present day? Why I am sure he would scold the holy saints now, as he did the holy saints in his own days. What, he would say, is it so, is there not a wise man among you, no not one, that shall be able to judge between his brethren; yea, I speak it to your shame, you who are ordained to judge angels, yet when you have a matter against another you go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints; for, Sir, if I am accounted an heretic, I ought not to be rejected until after the first and second admonition, and then Jesus says, it is only to be told to the church, Matt. ver. xviii. chap. 17. He does no where order them to persecute or prosecute others, he tells them it is they that shall, and must, be persecuted, and if they will not bear the cross, and that patiently too, they will not be found worthy to share with him in glory. So, Sir, you must conclude there can be neither saints or believers in the present day whatever, for they all seem to take thought for the morrow, what they shall eat and where-withal they shall be clothed, therefore to their shame be it spoken, they dragged me before the unbelievers; and you, Sir, may naturally suppose how those unbelievers would treat a poor man like me when they had got me in their clutches, (not having their loins girt about with truth and their feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of Peace) they looked angry at me, and told me I had sold a very wicked and blasphemous book, I pleaded ignorance of the contents of the book, as I had not read it and asked their honourable servant if I had not refused him those books which he had asked for, viz. the "Age of Reason," and "Palmer's Principles of Nature," he replied, yes, but I had promised him he should have them in a day or two, and that if this was such a wicked book they should have sent me word it was so, if they knew it before; they then told me