82 
scoffs can rarely fail of arousing against him 
public opinion, than which nothing more is 
wanted to defeat his end. Between free- 
dom of discussion and absolute persecution 
there is no assignable medium. And no- 
thing seems to your Petitioners more im- 
politic than to single out the intemperate 
publications of modern unbelievers for 
legal reprobation, and thus by implication 
to give a licence to the grave reasonings of 
those that preceded them in the course of 
open hostility to the Christian Religion, 
which reasonings are much more likely to 
make a dangerous impression upon the 
minds of theirreaders. Butindependently 
of considerations of expediency and policy, 
your Petitioners cannot forbear recording 
their humble protest against the principle 
implied in the prosecutions alluded to, 
that a Religion proceeding from Infinite 
Wisdom and protected by Almighty Power, 
depends upon human: patronage for its 
perpetuity and influence. Wherefore they 
pray your [Right] Honourable House, to 
take into consideration the prosecutions 
Carrying on and the punishments already 
inflicted upon unbelievers, in order to ex- 
onerate Christianity from the opprobrium 
and scandal so unjustly cast upon it of 
being a system that countenances intole- 
rance and persecution. 
’ The Petition was received with the 
respect which it merited, and, although 
the Secretary of State equivocated in 
regard to exceptions to its principles, 
yet such a manly declaration from such 
deservedly respected parties must have 
its effect on the future practices of the 
executive, and must put to shame those 
who seek to introduce a Spanish In- 
quisition in England. 
Parliament was prorogued by com- 
mission, on the 19th, when the Lord 
Chancellor delivered the following 
Speech :— 
“ My Lords, and Gentlemen, 
* We are commanded by his Majesty, in 
releasing you from your attendance in 
parliament, to express to you his Majesty's 
acknowledgments for the zeal and assi- 
duity wherewith you have applied your- 
selves to the several objects which his 
Majesty recommended to your attention, 
at the opening of the session. 
“ His Majesty entertains a confident ex- 
pectation that the provisions of internal 
yegulation, which ydu have adopted with 
respect to Ireland, will, when carried into 
effect, tend to remove some of the evils 
which have so long afflicted that part of 
‘the United Kingdom. 
“We are commanded to assure you, 
that you may depend upon the firm, but 
temperate, exercise, of those powers which 
you have entrusted to his Majesty, for the 
suppression of violence and outrage in that 
Political Affairs in July. 
{Aug. I, 
country, and for the protection of the 
lives and properties of his Majesty’s loyal 
subjects, 
“Tt is with the greatest satisfaction that 
his Majesty is enabled to contemplate the 
floutishing condition of all branches of our 
commerce and manufactures, and the 
greatest abatement of those difficulties 
which the agricultural interest has so long 
and so severely suffered. 
“ Gentlemen of the House of Commons, 
“We have it in command from his 
Majesty, to thank you for the supplies 
which you have granted for the service of 
the year, and to assure you that he has re- 
ceived the sincerest pleasure fromthe relief 
which you have been enabled to afford his 
people, by a large reduction of taxes. 
“ My Lords, und Gentlemen, 
“His Majesty has commanded us to 
inform you, that he continues to receive 
from all Foreign Powers the strongest 
assurances of their friendly disposition to- 
wards this country. 
“ Deeply as his Majesty still regrets the 
failure of his earnest endeavours to pre- 
vent the interruption of the peace of 
Europe, it affords him the greatest consola- 
tion that the principles npon which he has 
acted, and the policy which he has deter- 
mined to pursue, have been marked with 
your warm and cordial concurrence as 
consonant with the interests, and satisfac- 
tory to the feelings, of his people.” 
SPAIN. 
We begin to flatter ourselves that 
the fate of the Bourbon banditti 
is decided in Spain. These invaders 
of a peaceable country, without pro- 
vocation or just cause, placed them- 
selves out of the law of nations; and, 
as outlaws, ought to be made a terri- 
ble example. Just so with the vile 
priests, nobles, and other Spanish 
traitors, who invited and have aided 
them: they are unworthy of their 
country, and, if ever found in it, will 
deserve the death which the Cortes 
have decreed against them. It is 
already announced, even in the jour- 
nals devoted to the British, ministry, 
that the French are meditating a 
retreat to the Ebro; but we trust they 
will not be permitted to retreat, and 
that “Sauve qui peut” will soon be 
their cry from Cadiz to Bayonne. 
If any thing could be more base 
than the unprovoked invasion of 
Spain, it has been the language of the 
enslaved Bourbon press of Paris. All 
the murders committed in Spain have 
been subjects of unblushing exulta- 
tion; and the God of Justice and 
Mercy has been unceremoniously de- 
scribed as the ally and protector ti 
the 
