prosperity, my friends shall hear from me often; but if adversity be my portion, why should I make others partakers of my misery. F trust I have clearly shown that the sanguinary penal code of the Jews, and the servile and demoralizing tendency of the Mosaic institutions, are such as must render any people who live in conformity to them, proud, yet servile; barbarous, cruel, and haters of the whole human race; and that such institutions could not possibly be the work of an all-wise and just Governor of the Universe, the father and friend of all mankind; and I think I may fairly take leave of the Jewish legislator for ever, by stating the following self-evident propositions. 1. That if the Jewish penal code which inflicted death on so many occasions, was the work of a God, that God was destitute of humanity and justice. 2. That if it was the command of a God that criminals should be executed by being stoned to death by the whole population, that God must have been desirous of brutalizing the minds of his chosen people. 3. That if the Mosaic institutions, giving absolute dominion to the priests, were the work of a God, that God must have been an enemy to the happiness of mankind. 4. That tyranny, injustice, and barbarity, being the distinguishing features of the Mosaic law, we have every reason to consider it as a system of delusion, invented by a set of knavish tyrants, in order to afford them an opportunity of tyrannizing over the minds of men. 5. That Christianity, being founded on Judaism becomes liable to all the objections I have urged against that system. I have clearly shown that the Book of Nature does not prove the existence of such a being as you denominate God; if then there be any evidence of the existence of such a being, it must arise from his having revealed himself to man. We have seen that the Mosaic system is founded on fraud, delusion, and injustice. The Christian system professes to be founded on that of Moses, and is chargeable with all the objections I have brought against that system. I have shown that the language of the Founder of Christianity partakes of the same cruel and barbarous disposition as that which marks the system of Moses. The intrinsic merit of these systems, so far from showing them to be the work of a God of Justice, shows them to be the work of the most tyrannical of men. In fact all the reasoning which has ever been employed on the part of religion has never yet been able to demonstrate the existence of a God; if then this first principle of all religion be yet unproved, we are justified in saying, that religion is a delusion, and that God is nothing more than a being of the imagination, a phantom, devised by knaves, in order to frighten fools. Religionists tell us, that God created man in his own image, however the truth appears to be that man make their gods in their own image. For though most of the professors of Christianity, profess to worship one God, yet if we except the universal adoration of wealth, almost every individual appears to have a separate God for himself. We find God pictured by different votaries in all the shades of difference from the savage wretch who will rejoice over the greatest part of his creatures suffering eternal torments in a lake of fire, to the refined and benevolent being, desirous of making all happy. It is evident that these different ideas of God arise from the dispositions, and from the circumstances in which their framers are placed. Each forms an idol suited to his own mind, gives him a number of fanciful and extravagant qualities, then calls him God and falls down to worship him. This is the superstition which degrades mankind, and renders them wretched and miserable. Instead of men being actuated by rational motives, and endeavouring by experience to determine the road to happiness, they pursue happiness by the road pointed out by the priest, or by a book, which, priests say, contains the will of God, but, alas! their course terminates in disappointment and misery. Instead of endeavouring to render this life happy, by searching out and applying those motives which are more conducive to happiness, men spend their time in idle dreams about an uncertain and precarious futurity. In conclusion, my only request is, that you will candidly examine what I have advanced. If my objections are well founded, and you are convinced of the evil tendency of what is called religion, I hope your exertions will in future be directed to promoting the happiness of men in this life, by the cultivation of moral virtue. On the other hand, if I am mistaken, all that I have to request is, that you will demonstrate the existence of your God. I am, Gentlemen, yours, &c. H. Boyle acknowledges the receipt of £1.; J. Rhodes, 5s.; and W. V. Holmes, 5s.; from the Friends to Freedom, who meet at by Mr. Robinson. One Pound for John Barkley, from J. W. an orthodox Christian, because he is fully convinced from reading the Books of Matthew,, Mark, Luke, and John, that Christ was a real Radical Reformer and a Deist. Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 55, Fleet Street. All Communications (post paid) are requested to be sent to Dorchester Gaol, until a further Ad. dress to some House or Shop be given.-Orders, with remittances, or references for payment, will be punctually attended to. Country Agents will find the most liberal Terins for prompt Payment. No. 5. Vol. VI.] LONDON, FRIDAY, June 28, 1822. [PRICE 6d. TO THE REPUBLICANS OF THE ISLAND OF GREAT BRITAIN. Dorchester Gaol, June 23, CITIZENS, Year 3, of the Spanish Revolution. AFTER a long wavering upon the question of peace or war between the Russian and the Turk, we are now told that there will be no war. We must not heed this conclusion for a twelvemonth to come, as the tricks of Courts and Courtiers are incessant. We must look at the question thus: All Kings are ambitious and ever desirous of extending their powers and extent of territory. This they prefer doing by conquest; and by what, among aristocratical brutes, is called military glory. The Emperor of the Russians has a very extensive territory already, but it is not the best and most pleasant in the world; and just beyond the bounds of his are situated some of the most delightful parts of the globe; which circumstance alone will attract him beyond his present sphere, when an opportunity offers, that has the least chance of success connected with it. This opportunity now offers, for whilst Turkey has more than a match with the Greeks on one side and the Persians on the other, she will become an easy prey to the hordes that may be poured forth from Russia; hordes that may be viewed as the Huns, the Goths, and the Vandals of former times, and unless checked by the progress of Republicanism, these bid fair to overrun Europe as those then did. But there are other checks to the ambition of Russia. A great majority of the inhabitants of the south of Europe are Republicans and desirous of throwing down both Kingcraft and Priestcraft to establish pure Elective and Representative Systems of Government. The despots of Austria, Prussia, France and England are fully aware of this circumstance; and tremblingly alive to every thing likely to draw them into war, either as auxiliaries or as opponents of Russia. Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 55, Fleet-street. They therefore counsel pacific measures between Russia and Turkey, and threaten Russia with the consequences of a war tending to accelerate the growth of Republicanism. This is all very natural, and but for this circumstance the flag of Russia would have been flying upon the turrets of Constantinople before this time. The question of peace or war does not rest with the disposition of the Turk, but is a question altogether to be decided between the ambition and the fears of the Emperor of Russia, or perhaps of the whole of the despots who form the Holy Alliance. This is the light in which I have invariably looked at the question, and all other grounds of probability as to peace or war have appeared to me as trifles and unworthy of notice. If intelligence or good information could be got into the Divan of Constantinople the most formidable preparation it could make for war would be, to make allies of the Republicans of the south of Europe, and to furnish them with every means possible to shake off the despotisms which oppress them. These Republicans are the only security for the existence of the Ottoman Empire, for even another seven years. Let me not be considered as the advocate of the despotism of Turkey: I am far from it, and view the thing, in these observations, only as the best means to procure our end. I would wish to see one despot well played off against the other, until the time came to abolish the whole, and that this time is fast approaching I can console myself with the assu rance. A crisis appears to be drawing near between France and Spain. Hostile movements are beginning to take place, and the question to be decided will be, whether both countries shall spew out the Bourbons, or again be reduced to absolute monarchy under that hateful dynasty? This may prove a war, or a question almost, or equally as important as a war between Russia and Turkey. The sanitary cordon on the French side of the Pyrennees may by some electric movement become a sanitary cordon on the French side of the Alps or the Rhine, against the aggressions of the despots of Russia,. Austria, and Prussia, should some little friction of the elements occur both in France and Spain. In the latter country the whole order of priests and nobles, countenanced by that contemptible blood-thirsty despot, Ferdinand, are making an effort to put down the existing Constitution, and to restore the Inquisition to its former power. That curse of mankind, Religion, is invoked with all the despair and fervency of fanaticism, to rouse the ignorant peasantry to arms against the only system that can protect and prosper them. Insurrections and fightings have actually begun, Priests are at the head of these insurgents, and it may be now seen in the case of Spain that nothing but the abolition of that craft can secure the peace of any country. It is really a miracle that they have not done more than has been done towards the subversion of the Constitution, considering the former state of Spain: the multitude of Priests and the blind devotion paid to them by the mass of the people. Citizens, it makes no part of my business to notice every passing trifle, I may, by and by, when the present session of Parliament is over, offer you some observations on what it has done, and infer from that what it is likely to do; but of all that is passing in Europe, the British Parliament is the least interesting to Britons. It has no relation to our interests further than to injure us: good is out of the question as coming from that quarter. This representation of the Priests and Aristocracy of Britain and Ireland has ever been and ever will be true to those whom it represents, but in no degree does it represent the industrious, the propertyproducing portion of the people. No man that could go into the House of Commons in its present state, could do any further good, than by interrupting the usual proceedings, and by making it the medium of useful public discussion. As to inpeachments of ministers, or as to bringing this, that, or the other person to justice, whilst the minister in power can count his votes as at present, it is all fudge and delusion, to talk about or even to hint such a thing: it is all a braggadocio. The widest mouth would soon find a suitable sop in that house. There are other ways of corrupting members there, besides giving them money for their votes, or pensions in reversion. A really honest and sound prineiple man would be quite careless about entering such an assembly and if sent there would go reluctantly. Beware of the man, whose ambition seems centered in that house, he can be no Republican or Radical Reformer, who does not look beyond that house for a Reform in the system of goNo Reform will ever emanate from the votes of that house. The principle of the thing would be, like a man or body of men voting their own annihilation. Attempts to reform the criminal code, and to restore Catholic Peers to their seats, two circumstances that could in no wise affect the present men and present measures of the Go verament, cannot be carried through the House of Lords! what then is to be expected of a measure that would soon vernment. |