5797-1 
‘To tbe Editer of the Monthly Magazine. 
STR, aN 
I HAVE taken the liberty to furnith 
5: you with the following corrigenda & 
addenda, to the account which you gave 
in your laft Magazine of the death and 
character of Mr. Mafon. He did not 
proceed LL.D. nor was a F.R.S.; at 
leaft, he never ufed thefe additions, as - 
may be proved by infpeéting the titles of 
his various publications. He was not 
only an “ able fupporter of Britifh Jite- 
“Yature and morals,’ but for many years 
a zealous afferter of Britifh liberty ; his 
good fenfe and extenfive knowledge con- 
vincmg him,. that without _ liberty, 
“literature and morals’ could not flou- 
rifh, nor indeed fcarcely exift. He pro- 
feffed: himfelf a Whig, and fupported 
that party in its occafional endeavours to 
preferve and reform our laws and confti 
tution againft the corruptions which 
time, and other caufes, had gradually 
introduced. “The firft time in which he 
is remembered to appear in the field of 
politics, was in the great conftirutional 
queftion refpeéting the Middlefex elec- 
tion, the decifion on which he did not 
{cruple to confider as a grofs violation of 
the rights and privileges of the people. 
He, therefore, cordiaily joined with his 
friends, and the great body of independ- 
ent freeholders throughout the nation, in 
their petitions and other conftitutional 
proceedings for the recovery of their 
violated rights and franchifes. He main- 
tained, that the Houfe of Commons 
ought to be fairly and freely elected by 
the great body of the freeholders; that 
its duration fhould be reduced to the an- 
cient limits, and its independency fecured 
by every proper..expedient. Till’ the 
formet was accomplithed, he thought the 
people were imperfectly reprefented; 
and that without the latter, their liberties 
could not be fafe, or long maintained. 
* When, therefore, in the year 1779, and 
feveral following 'years,, the city of 
London, along with moft of the counties 
and great commercial. towns thoughout 
_the kingdom, agreed to prefent their 
petitions to parliament for a more econo- 
mical expenditure of the public money, 
and a more equal reprefentation of the 
people, Mr. M. came forward, and took 
an achve part in promoting thefe defigns, 
as one who was convinced of their im- 
Portance and real neceflity.- When the 
county of York affembled, on the 30th of 
Dec. 1779, and refolved unanimouily, 
“that a committee of correfpondence 
MonTury Mas. No. XVII. 
Account of the late Mr. Mafon as a Politician. 
437 
fhould be appointed, for the effeétually 
promoting the object of the petition then 
agreed to, and alfo to prepare a plan of 
afjociation to fupport that laudable reform, 
and fuch other meafures as may conduce 
to reftore the freedom of parliament,” he 
was chofen upon the committee, and was 
confulted with, or affifted in, drawing 
up thofe various manly, high-fpirited 
refolutions and addreffes to the public, 
for which the Yorkfhire committee were 
fo celebrated; and which were after- 
wards generally adopted by the other 
affociated bodies of Reformers*. Several 
other clergymen alfo came forwards upon 
this important occafion, roufed thereto, 
no doubt, by the charaéter, influence and 
example of Mr. Mafon, and took a very 
active part m endeavouring to obtain 
that parliamentary reformation, which 
they then believed to be neceflary, and 
the want of which is now fo feverely ex- 
perienced, Itis true, this part of their 
conduét expofed them to the frowns of 
the miniftry, and the cenfures of a very 
reverend divine, who made ufe of feveral 
acrimonious exprefiions againft them, 
and hinted that they were “‘ NOT IN 
THE ROAD ~- TO PREFERMENT.” 
But they defended themfelves with great 
fpirit againft thefe illiberal attacks. A 
manly and complete juftification of their 
proceedings and defigns, appeared in 
feveral of the county papers, foon after 
the charge was delivered ; and though it 
was anonymous, the general opinion 
afcribed it to the pen of Mr. Mafon+. 
| ‘ The 
* The whole of thefe papers and proceedings 
may be feen in the three volurnes of politica} 
papers lately pwblithed by the Rev. Mr. Wyvill 
—a name which will be refpected, as long as 
diftinguifhed talents, honour and confiftency, 
are allowed to be virtues. He yet remains am 
Abdel, notwithftanding the unexpe¢ted, and 
now almoft general, apoftacy of his affociatesy 
who, after having taken great pains in ftimu- 
lating the public to enquire into, underftand, and 
procure their political righrs, bafely deferted 
their pofts, abandoned théir former fentiments 
and profeffions, and are many of them now 
among the moft noify and violent againft all 
political reformation, ; 
+ This letter may be found in Almon’s Re- 
membrancer for the year 1779, or 1780. The 
Yorkfhire committee noticed the attack upon 
them in the following memorable manner : 
: They (1. e, the committee) have been menaced 
by high authority; they have been defamed by 
reverend culamny ; but confcious of the purity 
ef their intentions, certain of the legality of 
their conduct, they cheerfully commit their 
reputation to the juilice ef their countrymen, 
3 La and 

