Gentlemen,  it  is  not  for  roe  to  say,  that  It
was  unjust  or  impolitic  in  parliament  to  re-
ject the  application ;  but  surely  I  may  without
offence  suggest,  that  it  was  hardly  a  fit  sub-
ject of  triumph,  that  a  great  numbca'of  fellow-
ftuhjects,  amounting,  1  believe,  to  more  than
a  million  in  this  country,  had  miscarried  in
an  object  which  they  thought  beneficial,  and
which  they  had  a  most  unquestionable  ri^bt
to  submit  to  the  government  under  which
thev  lived ;  yet  for  this  cause  alone  (France
and  every  other  topic  of  controversy  beine
yet  unborn)  the  church  and  king  were  held
forth  to  be  in  danger ;  a  society  was  instituted
for  their  protection,  and  a  uniform  ap-
pointed with  the  church  of  Manchester  upon
the  button.
Gentlemen,  without  calling  for  any  censure
upon  this  proceeding,  but  leaving  it  to  every
]nan*s  own  reflection,  is  it  to  be  wondered  at
or  condemned,  that  those  who  thought  more
lareely  and  liberallv  on  subjects  of  freedom,
both  civil  and  relieious,  but  who  found  them-
selves persecuted  for  sentiments  and  conduct
the  most  avowedly  legal  and  constitutional,
should  associate  for  the  support  of  their
rights  and  privileges  as  Englisomen,  and  as-
semble to  consider  how  they  might  best  ob-
tain a  more  adequate  representation  of  the
people  of  Great  Britain  in  parliament  ?

Gentlemen,  this  society  continued  with
these  objects  in  view  until  the  issuine  of  the

J  proclamation  against  Republicans  ana  LeveU
ers,  calling  upon  tlie  magistrates  to  exert
themselves  throughout  the  kingdom  to  avert
some  daneer  with  which,  it  seems,  our  rulers
thought  this  kingdom  was  likely  to  be  visited.
