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destroy the Queen, more particularly, as it is now proved beyond doubt, that all the tales have been fabricated in council at Carlton House, and such Italians hired as were willing to swear upon the cross, before our very religious and conscientious House of Lords, that all those obscenities had been practised by her Majesty. The leading members of the Vice Society are so intimately connected with the ministers, that they might be said to form a part of the administration; and it is not improbable that some members of the Society will ere long, be impeached and convicted of those very offences which they profess to associate for the purpose of suppressing or checking. This is just like every other part of the system we live under :-the most abominable characters are at the helm of affairs, and they endeavour to blind the bigotted part of the community by a profession of being very religious, and in supporting, in the most extensive manner, charities, and Bible Societies; but the misery and immorality which they produce, exceeds, in a ratio of ten to one, their charitable and moral influence. Their professions of charity and religion might be compared to the tears of the crocodile :-they allure that they might have the more to destroy.

The people are beginning "to open their eyes and to unlock their senses," and are not much longer to be dazzled with false pretences. They begin to seek solidity instead of shadow. As a proof of this, I would instance the falling off in the numbers which compose the Society of Methodists. This Society has had a most numerous increase every year since its commencement until the last, when, by some cause or causes, it has received a check, and has lessened in one year, 6,000 in number. I will pledge myself that this Society declines yearly as rapid as it has grown up. A committee of this Society, at one of their conferences, has issued a report, wherein it attributes the falling off in their numbers to the dissemination of "blasphemous publications!" Even this is a strange confession; but the dissemination of " blasphemous publications," is not the only cause that has occasioned this sensible decay. This Society has of late began to feel its importance as to numbers; and like every thing else that has been founded in error and fraud, it has issued decrees, forbidding its members to associate with those who demand a reform in the government, saying, that it behoves them to submit to the powers that be, whoever, or whatever they may be! In many instances its leading members have shewn themselves the immediate advocates and supporters of, not only all the

corruptions of the state, but even all the vices of the different individuals who are at the helm of affairs. They have shewn a disposition to assist in running down the Queen before the least enquiry had taken place. In fact, they have become extremely despotic, and have deviated altogether from the principles laid down by John Wesley. They seek to live in affluence and splendour, whilst their founder would not allow the best of them more than sixpence for a meal. This Society has made just such another progress as did the early Christians; and like them, it has no sooner begun to feel power and importance, than it has immediately fallen into a corrupt state. If there has been a falling off of 6,000 in every year in this Society which forms a perfect republic-an imperium in imperio, what must have the general falling off been in all other societies of Christians who are not united by such strong ties? I am of opinion that the Deists of last year increased an hundred thousand, and I am quite satisfied that they will go on to increase until there is not a Christian left that will publicly avow himself to be such. I have not a doubt that within the last two years, there has been half a million of Deistical volumes, pamphlets, and tracts, circulated in Great Britain. This is by far a more effectual mode of teaching true theology than all the preaching that could have been practised. For my part, I shall always suspect the intentions of any person that attempts to propagate opinions on theology by pulpit preaching. It is altogether unnecessary whilst we have a printing-press, and will lead inevitably to sects, to bickerings, to quarrels, and to dissensions. No man ought to be allowed to lead such an idle life as, to have nothing to do but once in seven days. All places of public worship I wish to see demolished, as I feel certain that it more than any other thing, defeats the object it professes to encourage. Real worship consists in private meditation, and can never be corrupted or suspected. Worship signifies admiration and veneration; and wherever it is clamorous, it is always to be suspected. It is certain to lead to private interests, sinister views, and to hypocrisy, and then it becomes a vice, instead of a virtuous duty.

Paine in his life-time appears to have been the advocate of a Deistical church, but such an attempt shall ever find my reprobation as unnecessary and mischievous. The sciences are best calculated to lead the mind to true devotion, therefore lectures on science can form the only utility in congregating bodies of people within the walls of a building. An

association for the progress and improvement of scientific knowledge would form the only effectual association for the suppression of vice. The vices of mankind have entirely risen out of the corrupt systems of government they have continued to live under, and punishment will be ineffectual to restrain vice in the humbler walk of life, whilst the example is hourly to be found among the most prominent characters in society. It is just like whipping an infant for the faults of its parents.

The society in Essex-strect, of which Pritchard the lawyer is the head and chief, will no doubt keep up its name as long as any thing can be gained by it in a pecuniary point of view, and it will be also necessary that it makes some shew of doing something by way of drawing in subscriptions; but it must be badly supported indeed if the box is really so poverty-struck as the committee have lately complained of. I care not how much this society prosecutes my Deistical publications, as it is the only means of obtaining an extensive circulation, and at the same time deprives the revenue of the duty on advertisements. I beg leave to assure the members, one and all, that I shall solicit the continuance of their favours by giving them every stimulus to prosecute my publications.

Dorchester Gaol, Oct. 11, 1820.

R. CARLILE.

DEFENCE OF THE QUEEN.

The Queen's defence came on in the House of Lords on the 3d inst. and as far as it has gone up to this moment it is perfectly satisfactory to her friends. Mr. Brougham, as Attorney General to her Majesty, opened her defence in a speech which occupied the house near ten hours. It was a speech of forbearance throughout, as the learned gentleman repeatedly intimated, that his case did not require such a defence as he could set up, therefore, he should abstain from all recrimination. This to us seems a singular method of defending a client, and convinces us that Mr. Brougham's object is to play a sure game, whichever side might triumph over the other. The learned gentleman very pompously intimated, that, although, he should abstain from recrimination before their Lordships, still, he would wish them to recollect that he was a member of the other House through which the Bill would pass, and that there he might be induced to recriminate if circumstances re

quired it. Whatever may be the abilities of this man he is not honest. One would have imagined that when an advocate had to screen a female from such a charge as has been brought against the Queen, his whole and, sole object should be to falsify the charge, and at the same time to shew the motive that had produced such a charge. This and this only could amount to a satisfactory exculpation in the public mind. The mere chance of a verdict in behalf of the female is not altogether the question, the perjury against her should not only be proved, but the malignant passion that procured that perjury; that when it was fairly proved that the conduct of the female was not the cause of the prosecution, it becomes the duty of the advocate, for the complete justification of his client, to shew where the cause of the prosecution lay, and to divulge every particular that had come to his knowledge upon the subject. Instead of this, Mr. Brougham tells their Lordships that he will not shew them the half of what he could shew them, but he will first try if the half of his evidence will do for their lordships, if not, he can use the other half another time and in another place. This is a novel and lawyer-like mode of defence, and affords a striking instance of the fact that neither genius or ability can become a sufficient cloak for dishonesty. If it could have been fairly shewn that the whole of the persecution of the Queen had proceeded from the malignant pas sions of the King, was it not due to the nation, was it not due to the Queen to have shewn it to be so? On the behalf of the Queen we have in her answers to her addressers, a daily repetition that such has been the cause of the persecution against her. It was clearly stated in her letter to the King, and her real friends daily promulgate the same doctrine; therefore it becomes evident that Mr. Brougham can have received no such instructions from her Majesty about non-recrimination, and this appears most certain, as Mr. Denman, her Majesty's Solicitor General, candidly told the Lords that he should feel it his duty to recriminate as far as possible in justification of the whole conduct of his client. We repeat, that to us it is clear that Mr. Brougham's object is to play a sure game, namely, to preserve the favour of the King as well as the Queen.

Mr. Williams followed Mr. Brougham, in a speech of six or seven hours, and boldly stated the case, pointing out the total failure of the evidence to support the preamble of the bill. He did not, like Mr. Brougham, call upon their Lordships to save themselves as "the ornaments of society," but fairly and frankly, like an honest advocate, stated the conduct of her Ma

jesty's enemies, and the influence that had been brought into action against her. He plainly shewed their lordships, that notwithstanding there had been a promise on the part of ministers to write to foreign powers to facilitate the removal of such persons to this country as should be necessary to her Majesty's defence, that notwithstanding all their promises and performances, there was a secret understanding in the bosoms of the Princes of the continent, that every impediment to that object would be, in fact, most grateful to the ruling powers of this country. This was fully verified in the case of the Grand Duke of Baden giving a positive refusal to his Chamberlain, and Deputy Chamberlain to come on that errand, and also in the case of the Austrian Government giving half an intimation to General Pino, the former employer of Bergami, that if he came he might expect to lose his commission. These are facts indisputable, although it appeared that they had not been previously communicated to the ministers of this country, still, it is evident, what is the general understanding with the powers of the continent.

The contrast is great indeed between the abilities and evidence displayed on the behalf of her Majesty, and that which has been advanced against her. The Solicitor-General, Copley, is a man of some ability, but he can do nothing in supporting such an infamous case as he has in hand. Had he been on the other side, he would, as Lord Castlereagh says, have been a contrast to his present self; as it is, he has destroyed his reputation and ratted at rather an unfortunate moment. The Attorney General, Gifford, is a mere driveller and drawler, he is a disgrace to an office in which so much is required: he has made such a botch of this business, that we doubt whether he would ever find employ again as a lawyer's clerk. He has displayed nothing but a cowardly malignity throughout the trial, and has been to the Queen just what Sir Edward Coke was to Sir Walter Raleigh. The one half of his malignant assertions have not even been sworn to by his Italian witnesses! Mr. Brougham is a man of unbounded talent, we wish we could add the word honesty to it. Mr. Denman and Mr. Williams are both able, honest, and decided. The supporters of the bill, with their Italian witnesses, are well matched and all of a piece, and if the affair had been trying in an assembly of honest unbribed, and unprejudiced men, the case would have been quashed without looking for a defence. The witnesses on the part of her majesty are selected from the most respectable part of the aristocracy, and the

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