Hie Life of William Hut foil, of Birmingham. 



65? 



know them. No accusation ought to be 

 admitted without proof. Can that peo- 

 ple be cimrged with republicanism, who 

 have, in the course of one hundred and 

 thirty-two years, placed five sovereigns 

 on the British throne? As I was a mem- 

 ber of that committee, I was well ac- 

 quainted with the proceedings, and will 

 repeat two expressions uttered at the 

 board. Mr. WillUim Hunt remarked, 

 " That he should be as strenuous in sup. 

 porting the church of England as his 

 owii." The whole company, about 

 twenty in number, acquiesced in the 

 sentiment. This gentleman verifies his 

 assertion, by subscribing to more than 

 one church. I myself remarked, " That 

 what we requested was our right, as well 

 as that of every subject; we ought to 

 recover it; but, rather than involve our 

 country in dispute, we would resign it." 

 This also was echoed by the whole body. 

 These were all the presbyterian plots 

 either against church or king I ever 

 knew. Hence it appears, thai presbyte- 

 rians are as true friends to both as any 

 set of men whatever, except those who 

 hold church lands or court favours. 



Controversy was a third cause. Some 

 uncharitable expressions falling from the 

 episcopal pulpits, involved Dr. Priestley 

 in a dispute with the clergy. When 

 acrimony is used by two sides, the weak- 

 est is only blameable. To dispute with 

 the doctor was deemed the road to pre- 

 ferment. He had already made two 

 bishops, and there were still several heads 

 which wanted mitres, and others who 

 cast a more humble eye upon tithes and 

 glebe lands. The doctor on his part 

 used some warm expressions, which his 

 friends wished had been omitted. These 

 were placed in horrid lights; and here 

 again the stronger side ever reserves to 

 itself the privilege of putting what con- 

 struction it pleases upon the words of the 

 weaker. However, if the peace of so- 

 ciety is broken, we cannot but regret it, 

 whatever be the cause. 



The fourth occurrence was an inflam- 

 matory hand-hill, which operated upon 

 the mind like a pestilence upon the body. 

 Wherever it touched it poisoned. No- 

 thing could be more unjust than charging 

 this bill upon the. dibsenters ; and, in 

 consequence, dooming them to destruc- 

 tion. It appears from its very contents 

 that it could not proceed from a body. If 

 it was fabricated by a dissenter, is it 

 right to punish the whole body with fire 

 and plunder? This is visiting the sins of 

 one man upon another. An established 

 vaiim iif akjioian iiihall only be accouat*. 



ble for his own. It might be written by 

 an incendiary of another profession, to 

 kindle a flame. Perhaps the unthinking 

 fell upon the dissenters, because they 

 were vexed they could not find the au- 

 thor. I have been tempted to questiin 

 whether he meant any more than a squib 

 to attract public atttntion; but it proved 

 a dreadful one, which burnt our houses.* 

 The fftli was a public dinner at the 

 hotel, to commemorate the anniversary 

 of the French revolution. This, abstract* 

 edly considered, was an inoffensive meet- 

 ing. It only became an error by being 

 ill-timed. As the minds of men were 

 ruffled, it ought to have been omitted, 

 Triough a man is justified in doing what 

 is right, it may not always he prudent. 

 We may rejoice with iiny society of men 

 who were bound and are set free; but 

 the French revolution i> more their con- 

 cern than ours. I do not approve all its 

 maxims, neither do I think it firmly 

 fixed. One of its measures however I 

 admire, that of establishing itielf without 

 the ase and the halter, a practice scarcely 

 known in revolutions. Should a prince 

 and his people differ, the chief passion 

 it would excite in me, would be a desire 

 to make peace between them. To our 

 everlasting dishonour, more mischief was 

 done in the Birmingham riots than in 

 ovtrturnmg the whole French govern- 

 ment. 



Although the pubhc are in possession 

 of the toasts drunk at the hotel, 1 shall 

 subjoin them. The con-.jaiiy oi!t of re- 

 spect to nionarchy, had procured from an 

 ingenious artist three fii;tires, wiiich were 

 placed upon the table. One, a fiof me- 

 dallion of the king, ••ncircled witti glory: 

 on his right, an emblematical he.- re, re, 

 presenting British Liberty; on the left 

 another, represeiiung Gallic Slavery 

 breaking its chains. These innocent and 

 loyal devices weie ruinous; for a spy, 

 whom I tce.U know, was stuf into the 

 room, and assured the people witliout, 

 " That the revoluii'iiiists had cut off th^ 

 king's htad, and ulaced it oi: tiie table." 

 Thus a man, with a keen belief, like one 

 with a keen appetite, is able to swallow 

 the grossest absurdities. 



1. The King an.l Conbtitution. 



2. The National Assembly, and Patriots of 

 France, whose virtue and wisdom have laised 

 twenty-six millions from the meuiii'St condi- 

 tion of despotism to the dignity and iu^ipiness 

 of freemen. 



• It appeared afttr*' aids tlut it wa^ taorU 

 catcd ill London, hioughl to oumin,',ham, 

 and that a few copies were privately scattered 

 under the Cable at an inn. 



4 M 3 S. The 



