Birth and Parentage. $7 



a supporter of Mr. Pitt, and was a member 

 of the Pitt Club, then established in Carlisle. 

 But after the decease of that distinguished 

 statesman he modified his views, and united 

 himself to the Whig party, especially to those 

 who advocated a reform in the representation, 

 and the removal of all shackles on commerce. 

 There were several circumstances which led 

 to this change of party, though, as Mr. Dixon 

 used to maintain, it was not he so much 

 who had changed his views, as the supporters 

 of Mr. Pitt who had changed theirs, and had 

 ceased to carry out the liberal policy of their 

 leader, who, had he been permitted to live 

 to the termination of the war, would, as 

 Mr. Dixon believed, have been the first to 

 initiate many of those changes or reforms 

 which have since taken place. In truth, it 

 was not surprising that a man of the late 

 Mr. Dixon's character and tone of mind 

 should be an ardent reformer. There were, 

 undoubtedly, many grave abuses both in 

 Church and State, and especially the former, 

 which forcibly affected a mind such as his, 

 and led him to take an active part in their 

 removal. It was under the influence of these 



