made use of to refute and expose the sophistries of infidelity. This plan of operation however, was never put into practice. These champions of royalty and episcopacy followed the old beaten track of the Vice Society, and invoked the aid of the civil magistrate to arrest the progress of irreligion. By thus abandoning their original determination, they afforded, at the outset of their labours, a triumph to their opponents, who very plausibly contended that this alteration in the mode of attack; amounted to a tacit admission, by the gentry in Bridge-street, that the sceptics had formed a correct estimate of the weakness of christianity. "For," said the free-thinkers, "if this new confederacy, after a long and attentive consideration of the subject, had been convinced that the religion of Jesus was founded upon a rock, and that the gates of hell could not prevail against it, they would have adhered to their original declaration, and instead of stifling inquiry, have courted the keenest investigation, and endeavoured to propagate the truth by argument, and argument only. What reason then can be assigned for this change of system? To what cause are we to attribute this sudden varia tion in the tactics of an association, who pledged themselves to their subscribers to write down the supporters of heterodoxy?".

That they were aware of the impolicy of persecution was evident, and therefore it was boldly stated that they declined the contest from fear. Unfortunately for the established church, it suffered more from the support of its friends, than the attacks of its enemies. The association had raised great expectations: the promised productions were looked for with eagerness their funds were sufficient to remunerate talent exerted in their cause, and as they were openly encouraged and praised by the hierarchy and the court, the virtuous, moral and religious public hoped that the time was fast approaching, when the specious sophistries of French philosophy would be unravelled, and the purity and truths of the gospel made plain to the commonest understanding. But when the bubble burst, and fines and imprisonment were employed to protect the Revelation of God; when the cause of truth was advocated by the bayonet and the dungeon, the public began to suspect that Mr. Murray, and his associates, had undertaken a task beyond their abilities, and many worthy individuals who from conscientious, but mistaken motives, had subscribed, now perceived that they had been duped out of their money.

But this was the least evil that occurred

The followers of deistical opinions became confirmed in their disbelief, and many who had never doubted of the genuineness and authenticity of the Scriptures, imbibed the sentiments of Paine. Nor did the mischief stop here, the people not only became immoral and irreligious, but turbulent and refractory. Pompous advertisements appeared in the newspapers, (containing a list of most of the dignified clergy, and most of the nobility with munificent donations) and it was readily believed that the association was a tool in the hands of ministers. With this impression on their minds, it is not to be wondered at, if the people relaxed in their veneration for the church, and wavered in their allegiance to the throne. We are not among those, who consider the public infallible in their judgments, nor are we desirous of being regarded as the apologists of insubordination; but we do maintain, that, when large funds were levied by the adherents of an administration, which had passed the Six Acts, and placed in the hands of a set of men of ruined character, for the express purpose of putting down discussion, the people were justified in suspecting the government of a systematic attempt to overturn' the liberty of the press. Let it be observed, that these angry political feelings were never excited against

the Vice Society, nor was it supposed that they were the agents of the minister, consequently, their proceedings though equally unwise, did not create such violent animosity; for the respectability of Mr. Wilberforce, was of itself sufficient to guarantee the general credit and honour of those, with whom he acted.

But in the Constitutional Association, the case was widely different: the unprincipled motives of those who were most actively concerned in it; the vindictive malignity which characterised their proceedings, and above all the detestable system of espionage * established by their emissaries, drew down upon them the contempt, indignation

* The connection of government with Castles and Oliver, and the public defence of the spy system in the House of Commons, excited the loudest indignation. Nothing can be urged in vindication of this detestable practice, which men of virtue in all ages and countries unite in condemning. Edicts were made against delators by Titus, Nerva, and Trajan. Tacitus hated them heartily, and calls them, "genus hominum publico exitio repertum, et poenis nunquam satis coercitum." The younger Pliny was of the same mind; but men of honour, have ever agreed in disliking and shunning such vermin, though men in power have sometimes been fond of them. Cicero. Orat: pro Roscio, 20.

The Emperor Tacitus enacted that slaves should not bear witness against their masters, even in high treason." In

and resentm nt of the nation. Under the mask of religious zeal and political virtue they recruited their own bankrupt fortunes, and so notorious was their worthlessness, so revolting their hypocrisy, that not one single individual of any consideration could be found willing to identify himself with the direction of the association.

The Society for the Suppression of Vice, and the Constitutional Association, have fallen into so forlorn and abject a condition, that it may appear unnecessary to expose the folly of the one, or chastise the turpitude of the other -but it must be recollected that the verdicts which they obtained, now form part of the legal precedents of the land, and at some future period may be adduced to justify the most alarming violations of the liberty of the press. When the fundamental laws of a state

eadem natione cavit ut servi in dominorum capita non interrogaventur, ne in causa majestatis quidem." Vopiscus in Vita Taciti. P. 608...

When Cyprian was brought to his trial before the proconsul of Africa, that magistrate asked him to give him the names of the presbyters of Carthage. Cyprian replied, that he would not discover them, saying that even the civil laws justly condemned delators. Act. Cypr.

Jortin's Remarks on Ecclesiastical History. vol. i. p. 344-5.