Is it necessary to offer you though they shook down the any comment upon this? I think Romish faith, there was very litit is not; but I will just say a tle chance of their keeping their word upon the pretended rea-ground themselves, and there son for this strange, this mon- was the chance of the Protestant strous conduct. It was alleged religion, that religion being acthat the French and the other cording to the word of God, revolutionized countries had be- coming at last to supply the come, or were becoming, Deists, place of the damnable doctrines and even Atheists; and that, of the Church of Rome. And though the Romish religion was yet we did weep over the fall bad, it was better than none. of the Romish Church, and we How false this pretence was did rejoice at it's restoration! you will see in a moment; and, indeed you must perceive it at once, without any observation of mine. For, if the doctrines of the Church of Rome were what we had been told they were, how could the change to Deism and Atheism make them think worse? If the Romish doctrines were damnable, how could the evil go farther? Deism and Atheism as long as you please; as bad, as villainous, as wicked, say, that your CONCLAVE as hellish as you please; but look upon the Clergy of the they could not be worse than damnable! Deism and Atheism will, doubtless, send a man to Hell, but they cannot send him further; and if the doctrines of the Church of Rome would do the same, where is the difference in the two? Besides, there

was this advantage on the side of Deism and Atheism, that,

What I have here been saying may serve to elucidate the apparent mystery in the conduct of your Priests, who have harmonized so completely in their hostility to the cause of Reform, with the Clergy of the established Church, with whom they differ so decidedly, and towards whom they express themselves so bitterly, as to all other matters. It is unnecessary to

Church as blind guides, false lights, and so forth; it is unnecessary to say, that they give them these names, in words, for their very existence as Methodist Priests gives the Clergy of the Church these names. If 1 dissent from the Church, I, in that very act, declare the Church Clergy to be blind guides and

false lights; and, therefore, I, | Parliament, and disposed of for for my part, shall take special public purposes. In short, the care never to dissent, if the Es- Clergy know very well, that tablishment live as long as I do. we have only to look into the Your CONCLAVE can have no Statute book to see, that, withground of separation from the out any violation of any princiChurch, except it firmly believes ple of the law or of the Constituthat the Church do not lead her tion, the Parliament might dischildren in the path of salva-pose of the Church property, tion. Now, pray, mark this and apply the proceeds towell. If the CONCLAVE has wards the liquidation of the this opinion of the Church; and Debt, or in any other way conthis opinion it must have, or it sistent with the laws and usages has no ground of separation of the country. The Clergy of other than that of merely get- the Church are aware of this; ting money from you; , if the and they are also aware of the CONCLAVE has this opinion great and pressing necessities of of the Church, what must it the State. I believe they are think of the Clergy of that further aware, that it is impossiChurch? I ask you what the ble for the interest of the Debt CONCLAVE must think of the to be paid in cash; and they Clergy of that Church; and I are besides aware of the asask how, then, the CONCLAVE tounding difficulties in the way can account for its so perfectly of reducing that interest. Aware harmonising with that Clergy of all these things, the Clergy upon the subject of the cause of must naturally fear a Reform of Reform? the Parliament; because such

It is easy to perceive motives Reform would necessarily put for the Clergy of the Church into the House of Commons opposing themselves to a change, men less interested than the which might produce other present men are in preserving changes, and changes, too, very untouched this immense mass injurious to them. The property of property; and, for my own of the Church is not so precisely part, I frankly avow that, though of the nature of private property I sincerely say, that it would as to exempt it from all possibi- be with pain that I should see lity of being seized on by Act of the necessity arise for passing

The CONCLAVE have no

laws touching this property;dent enough to me. They find I frankly avow, that I think it themselves very well off; and would be very difficult for the men that are well off are never nation to be extricated from its ready to listen to proposals for embarrassments without some-a change of any kind. This is thing being done with regard an observation which applies to to a part, at least, of this pro-all men in every rank and state perty. Viewing things in this in society. You easily rouse a light, and knowing very well fellow from a bench or a settle; that the Clergy view them in but he takes time to rub his eyes the same light, I feel less of- before he tumbles from a feather fended than the greater part of bed. the Reformers do at the incessant and vigorous hostility which tythes, no glebes, to lose; but we experience from the Clergy of the Church. They are but men, and all men like to keep what they have got. They would, I dare say, give up a part; but they are not sure how far a reformed Parliament might go. They look upon their all as at stake; and, there- is, that the same cause, which is fore, we cannot so much blame at work to ruin the farmer and them for endeavouring to pré-tradesman, and to starve the la vent a change which they well know must be injurious to them, in a greater or less degree, and which might, by possibility, be totally ruinous.

many of them have comfortable houses, competent salaries, and have their sons at school at your expence, and those sons are coming on to take their chance in the race for office, honours, and emoluments. You will observe another thing; and that

bourer by depriving him ọf employment, is at work in favour of your Priests. For, mark well, that the low prices produce a clear gain to them. They still Here are reasons, I take it, receive the pennies, as they did more than sufficient for the hos-five years ago, though every tility to Reform on the part of penny now will buy twice as the Clergy of the Church. And, much of food or raiment as two the reasons for the hostility of pennies would then. So that your CONCLAVE, though not your loss is their gain; that quite so manifest, are still evi-which causes you to suffer causes

them additional pleasure; that hands. A reformed Parliament which makes you, gaunt, gives rotundity to their corporations. The Clergy of the Church are, in fact, only a particular de scription of farmers and land

lords. They therefore share in the fate of farmers and landlords. They partake in a certain degree of the distresses of the country; but your Priests are lucky fellows, indeed: they, like the fundholders, and others

might see no very good reason for this; and I must confess that I should be for leaving them in their capacity as CONCLAVE, wholly unnoticed by the law. One establishment; one religious establishment, would be quite enough for me; for the moment I gave countenance to two (1 must necessarily be guilty of countenancing error in the one or in the other.

+

The CONCLAVE is not less

3

who derive their income from taxes, still receive the same sharp-sighted than the rest of sum, though in fact it be nearly mankind. Its members can see or quite double in value. To act that the funding system is fairly they must now reduce the not immortal; and some of pennies to half pennies; but, their little savings consist you will wait very long, I be-doubtless of that description lieve, before they will appear to of thing called Stock. They understand this very plain principle of political economy.

T

may very well be apprehensive, thatta reformed Parliament would not attempt to compel the nation to pay the full interest of that stock in: cash. Their alarms here are foolish, because this can be done by no

No: they ate very well, and, therefore, they can see no ne cessity for a change. Besides this, however, they can see other reasons for disliking a Reform of the Parliament. They have ob- power on earth; but the foolishtained by degrees legal posses-ness of the alarm is no proof of sion of houses and chapels. To it's non-existence. 1 if what extent they are a corpo- All these reasons together rate body I cannot tell; but it have great weight with the is sufficient that the present CONCLAVE, who_certainly laws give them power over pro- would have no objection to see perty to a certain extent, and the Church reformed again; place funds legally in their and I'much question whether it

would be absolutely necessary | his own servants.

He would

to put them in irons and carry probably have told him, that it them by force, to compel them was a vile book, that the author was a most seditious and rebellious dog, and that he ought to

to take possession of the Donatives, Perpetual Curacies, Vicarages, Chapelries, Rectories, fling the book into the fire; but Prebendaries, Arch-Deaconries, a Church Parson would not have

condemned the reader to Hell; and if he had, the reader would have given him a sharp reproof, and would have set him at defiance.

Such are the reasons; such are the real reasons of your Priests for their hostility to a Reform of the Parliament; and these reasons being summed up together, amount to neither more nor less, than a horrid dread of losing the pennies. This is the sum total of the cause of their hostility. They court the Government in all manner of ways. They swallow up so much of loyalty, that the wonder is that there is any left for any body else. They wish to have

Deanries, Bishopricks, and ArchBishopricks. I dare say that they might be prevailed upon to enter upon these; and even to receive the tithes, dues and rents appertaining to them. A Reform of the Church, if that could take place in this sort of way, might suit them well enough; but a Reform in the body of law makers might give rise to certain alterations that would be very inconvenient to the CONCLAVE. What they most dread is, freedom of discussion. This is the great dread of every man situated as your Priests are. This freedom of discussion could not be other wise than injurious to them; and this they well know. I know the Government at their back; a Methodist Priest, who told a man that he would be damned if he read Cobbett's Register. This is an absolute fact; and it shews how your Priests dread examination and enquiry. There to compel you to come down is no clergyman of the Church with your pennies. It is very who would have had the inde-true that many of the clergy of cency to say this, even to one of the Church have acted a strange

and if you were to back-slide in any considerable numbers, I should not at all wonder, if they were to fall upon some scheme for applying to the Government