circumftance which has enabled him to give a more compleat account, and form a founder judgment of the events of these times than he could otherwise have hoped for. What is wanting to make these reports compleat, other persons of better information should endeavour to supply, so far as the circumstances of the times will authorize. Perhaps the doctrine of libel may relax a little from its present severity, and truth be permitted to shew herself among us, without being fo frequently fubject to the lafh of the law.Being defirous of contributing my fhare of information on these subjects (the refult of dear-bought experience) for the benefit of those, who, influenced by the fame motives, may become liable to the fame perfecutions, I have fat down to relate some of the political tranfactions which have taken place at Manchester, of late years; and I hope, that the reader will find matter for much important reflection in the narrative I am about to give.

Since the years 1715 and 1745, remarkable for the attempts of the Stuart family to regain the throne, the fons of those, who at that time abetted the Pretender, had with their hopes of fuccefs given up all attachment to the remains of that degraded and wretched family. But the old doctrines of paffive obedience and non-refistance were not entirely renounced, and very many among the inhabitants of Manchefter and its vicinity adhered with the ufual bigotry to what are commonly called High-Church principles; principles, which, it is well known, moft frequently defcend with the names and properties of those who profess them. Persons who embrace thefe opinions, take for granted, that the religion and the politics of a nation must always go together: and if one set of men be disposed to a different form of worship from another, it is held as a thing impoffible for the two to concur in a common form of government. Thus are fellow citizens fet at variance in this world for opinions that relate to another.

The

The established clergy, whofe falaries and finecures depend upon the continuance of the public error in this refpect, take care that the people fhall not be undeceived; and brand with herefy and innovation all those who express their doubts of a pofition, which, however vehemently afferted, has never yet been proved.

The commencement of party violence in Manchester may be dated from the year 1789, when the difcuffions refpecting the Corporation and Test Acts occupied much of the public attention. In that year the Proteftant Diffenters conceived, that from the apparent liberality of all ranks of men in matters of religion, the times were fufficiently favourable for them to renew their applications to Parliament for a repeal of the Acts juft mentioned, the majority against them on a former question being not more than twenty votes. The Clergy, however, either were, or pretended to be, alarmed; and, on a fudden, the fears of those who cried out, "the Church was in danger," became as wild and abfurd as ever they were in the days of Sacheverell and his party. At laft they became fufficiently enthufiaftic in Manchefter to call a meeting of thofe particularly attached to their own opinions, under the title of Members of the Eftablished Church, in order (thefe are their own words) "confider of and confult about the impropriety of the application to Parliament of the Proteftant Diffenters to ob"tain a repeal of thofe falutary laws, the Corporation and "Teft Acts, the great bulwarks and barriers, for a century "and upwards, of our glorious Conftitution in Church and *State." *

"to

The meeting held in purfuance of this advertisement was called a PUBLIC MEETING of the Members of the Efta

blished Church. The room, however, was nearly filled

* The requifition to the Boroughreeve and Conftables to call this meeting was figned first by the Churchwardens of about half a dozen of the parish, and other churches in Manchefter: a circumftance fufficiently evincing the activity of the Clergy upon this occafion,

A

by the adherents of the High Church party before any others could be admitted. To increase the folemnity, the Clergy attended in their gowns and caffocks. Some oppofition was made to the manner, in which the meeting had been called, and the indecent ftratagem by which the room had been previously filled; and it was particularly objected, that, according to the rule which the town had adopted in the year 1788, the Boroughreeve and Conftables had no right to call any meeting of the inhabitants, except a general But the clamour of the High-Church men was violent beyond defcription. Refolutions prepared before-hand were put into the hands of the Boroughreeve, while he was in the midst of his fpeech, and explaining why he called the town together; and these resolutions, feconded even before they were read, were as haftily paffed in the noise and confufion which prevailed. Till the next morning, when they were printed, it is probable that few of the perfons present understood a fyllable of what had been voted. †

one. *

A con

* Upon the 8th day of July, 1788, the following Refolution was paffed, at a numerous and refpectable public meeting of the Inhabitants of the town of Manchester, viz.

"Refolved,

"That the Boroughreeve and Conftables have no right to call any meeting of the Inhabitants of this Town, but a general one; and that the prefent Boroughreeve and Constables, Mr. George Barton, Mr. Nathan Crompton, and Mr. James Entwifle, have the very fincere and particular thanks of this meeting, for calling a general meeting of the Inhabitants upon this very great and important question.”.

† Among the Resolutions voted was the following, viz.

"That the religion of the State be the religion of the Magiftrate, without which no fociety can be wifely confident of the integrity and good faith of the perfons appointed to plaçes of trust and power."

If this be true, it ought to be carried further, and exclude from the Legisla ture all those who are not of the religion of the State. The fituation of the maker of laws, is much higher than that of the Magiftrate, who only adminifters them, and who is, or fhould be, accountable to the public tribunals for every mifconduct. Surely, if there be no danger in a Diffenter

A conduct like this gave extreme disgust to myself and others, who, without being partial to any body of men, wished to fee those of every religious perfuafion placed upon an equal footing. Religious differences would foon become

being a Member of Parliament, there can be none in his being a Country Juftice, an Alderman, or an Exciseman. But error is almost always inconfiftent.

However, as the Refolutions themselves, with the ftile of their introduction to the public, are fair specimens of the temper and principles of the High-Church party at that time, I here present them to the reader :

"CONSTITUTION AGAINST INNOVATION.

"THE real Friends of this Town and Neighbourhood, Members of the ESTABLISHED CHURCH, and firm in the OLD CAUSE, have again an Opportunity of congratulating their Fellow Citizens (this Day) on the complete Overthrow of the

"PROTESTANT DISSENTERS."

"And notwithstanding the Legions of Diffenting Congregations, headed by their respective PASTORS of this Town and Neighbourhood (who fo indecently feifted themselves, uninvited, upon the Meeting) they were ROUTED, and DISAPPOINTED in their MARKED VIRULENCE and RESTLESS OPPOSITION to the good ORDER and CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEEDINGS of the MEETING, as well as to that ORDER which ought EVER to prevail in the STATE.

"THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND FOR EVER. "Manchester, 3d February, 1790.”

"MANCHESTER, 3d FEBRUARY, 1790.

"AT a MOST RESPECTABLE and NUMEROUS MEETING of the "Town and Neighbourhood of MANCHESTER,

"Convened THIS DAY, at the HOTEL, by public Advertisement, inferted in both the Manchester Newspapers, and at the written Request of Seventy four Members of the Church of England, for the Purpose of confidering of, and confulting about, the Impropriety of the Application to Parliament, of the Proteftant Diffenters, to obtain a Repeal of thofe falutary Laws,

"THE CORPORATION AND TEST ACTS,

the great Bulwarks and Barriers, for a Century and upwards, of our glorious Conftitution in Church and State," when the following Refolutions were moved, feconded, twice read, and carried by a very large Majority,

although

become of little importance, if all men were left to go to Heaven their own way, without perfecution or profcription for their opinions. These fentiments prevailed among a great number of the inhabitants, who adjourned the fame day (Feb. 3) to a different houfe, and protefted against these High-Church proceedings.

Until

although the Proteftant Diffenters of the Town and Neighbourhood, attended in a very large Body, in direct Oppofition to the Requifition and Advertisements, which convened only Members of the Established Church,

"RESOLVED,

"I. That the Application to Parliament by the Proteftant Diffenters for the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts, is in our Opinion improper; because we cannot but efteem fuch Repeal fubverfive of our Conftitution in Church and State.

"II. THAT an established Religion is the Bafis and beft Security of civil Society; and it is found expedient for the public Tranquillity, that the Religion of the State be the Religion of the Magistrate, without which no Society can be wifely confident of the Integrity and good Faith of the Perfons appointed to Places of Truft and Power. Hence the Wifdom of our An ceftors in requiring fome public Profeffion, fome facred Teft of Conformity to the Establishment, for the due Exercise and Performance of Office, the Security of our Laws, and the Preservation of our Conftitution,

"III. THAT the Legislature of this Country hath an indubitable Right to enjoin fuch Tests, as they think will beft preserve our Religious and Civil Establishments; and we approve and admire the Wisdom of our Ancestors in enacting the Receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper according to the Ufage of the Church of England as a fufficient Teft, and effectual Safeguard to our happy Conftitution in Church and State.

"IV. THAT the Corporation and Test AЯts give Strength and Permanency to our excellent Conftitution, and ought to be tranfmitted unimpaired to the latest Pofterity.

"V. THAT the Teft Laws are in no wife intended to opprefs the Diffenters from the Church, but as a Security against any Endeavours to overturn the Establishment, and that as the Diffenters from the Establishment, become fuch by their own free Choice, they have no juft Ground of Complaint against thefe Barriers, which the Wisdom of the Legiflature hath thought proper to enact for the Prefervation of both Church and State.

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"VI. THAT