go 
the established constitution of this 
kingdom, as if a real representation 
of the commons were incompatible 
with the security of a limited mo- 
narchy, as if the crown were not 
safe with an honest unbiassed House 
of Commons, or as if the idea of 
such reform had been at all times 
reprobated, as it now is, by those 
who occupy the highest station of 
profit and confidence under the 
crown; and then by uniting us in 
the same description and obloquy 
with persons whom they call re- 
publicans and levellers, and with 
whom, if such doctrines and per- 
sons exist, we have no connexion, 
we think it incumbent on us to 
declare once more, that we disclaim 
the views and principles so basely 
and falsely attributed to us; and 
that detesting, as we do, the cor- 
ruption and baseness notoriously 
prevailing and increasing in every 
branch and department of govern- 
ment, our sole wish and object is 
to provide a constitutional instru- 
ment and power, by which they 
may be removed or corrected in a 
regular parliamentary way. That, 
calling, as we have done, for the 
Support of the country in their 
own cause, and for the purposes 
which we have repeatedly declared, 
and soliciting the assistance of every 
man who approves of our design, 
and may be desirous to promote 
it, we at the same time most ear- 
nestly exhort and conjure the true 
friends of the cause of reform, to 
discourage, and resist to the utmost 
of their ability, every attempt to 
support it by any other means than 
those which the laws permit and 
the constitution warrants. Mis- 
taken zeal is always at the mercy, 
and too often under the guidance, 
of real treachery. They who af- 
APPENDIX TO ‘ 
fect most to abhor sedition, are 
sometimes found at the bottom of 
it themselves; and instances are 
not wanting to prove, that, under | 
the specious pretence of strengthen- 
ing the hands of government, a de- 
sign may be formed of destroying 
the liberty of the press, of calling 
in the military power, and finally 
annihilating the civil government 
of the country. That whereas we 
have received assurances from nu~ 
merousand respectable associations, 
in different parts of this united 
kingdom, of their entire concur- 
rence in our declared views and 
principles, of their confidence in 
our integrity and prudetce, and of 
their determination to support us, - 
we earnestly hope that those asso- 
ciations, as well as all others who 
are friends to the same cause, will 
confine themselves to the same dis- 
tinct object that we do, and co- 
operate with us on the principles _ 
stated in this and our former de- 
clarations. In return, we promise 
them, that we will exerty and de- 
vote our faculties and our labours 
faithfully, honourably, and steadily, 
to the great cause of reform in 
which we are engaged and united 
with them. 
In the name and by the order 
of the society. (Signed) 
SamueL WHITBREAD, Jun. 
Chairman. 
Proceedings of the Society of the 
Friends to the Freedom of the Press. 
LIBERTY OF THE PRESS. 
Freemasons’ Tavern, Dec. 22. — 
At a General Meeting of Friends 
to the Freedom of the Press, 
convened this Day by public 
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