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Untitled Article
were saved from being ; smothered by the previous question , " —having been read and discussed , it was resolved" That the passage now Tead from the Monthly Repository is calculated to produce an incorrect impression , and is , in its tendency , injurious to the reputation of those to whom Hfcrefers , and is likely to impair the union and harmony of the three denominations . " That the secretary be instructed to transmit to the Rev . W . J . Fox , the avowed editor of the Monthly Repository , and a member of this body , the preceding resolution , and to request its insertion in the next number of that periodical . "
Our readers will easily perceive the reason why we do not analyze , or refer to , the proceedings of the meeting at which the above-resolutions were voted ; for if <( privilege " make it a ceusurable offence to allude , en passant , to discussions and divisions which took place three years ago , and which were referred to and commented upon in various ways at the time , in various periodicals and pamphlets , a fortiori , the present must be held sacred , especially by a periodical which has an avowed editor . The sentence quoted from the Repository was elicited , together with other remarks , by an arrogant boast of the exertions of orthodox dissenters in the cause of civil and religious liberty . This boast our reviewer rebuked . It deserved rebuke . He alluded to a fact which was directly in point , —the division in the e ( Body" on petitioning for
the Catholics : we knew that his statement was correct , notorious , and on record ; and never suspected , nor could any man living have known , that , under all the circumstances , it violated any privileges . It would not have violated those of either the House of Lords or the House of Commons . The passage is said by the resolution to be " calculated to produce an erroneous impression . " Should it have led any one to suppose that the Trinitarian members of that body were generall y hostile to the Catholic claims ; or that many of them had not long and honourabl y distinguished themselves by advocating that great measure ; or that , after the previous question had been negatived , a large majority of them did not support the petition in opposition to a resolution , framed in an Anti-Catholic spirit , —then an " incorrect impression " has been made . But if the fair construction be , that , the Trinitarians being divided , and the Unitarians united , on Catholic emancipation , the votes of the former gave a majority for the previous question , and thereby against petitioning , and the votes of the latter turned the scale in favour of petitioning , and against the previous question , then no " incorrect impression " has been made . The recollection of the transaction may have become unpleasant ; the mention of it may noiv be " injurious to the reputation of those to whom it refers ; " but neither privilege nor vote can alter the fact or disprove the inference . Nor can there be a doubt that orthodoxy did more , in proportion , for Catholic emancipation , in the general body of dissenting ministers , than anywhere else . So much the more honour is due to those who consistently advocated religious liberty . They were placed in trying circumstances , and acquitted themselves like men and Christians . But so much the stronger , also , is the argument of our reviewer . We cannot allow their merit to become a mantle to cover the deficiencies of others . There is a limit beyond which we will not tolerate undue
assumption , nor submit to unjust reproach , even though we should " impair the union and harmony of the three denominations . " We rejoice to find that union and harmony so jealously guarded from even unintentional invasion or damage . It is one of the last strongholds of charity in this sectarian country , and a fierce siege is laid to it . Deeply should we regret having caused the abstraction of one atom of its strength , or having , in the slightest degree , misrepresented any class or individual connected with it ; but for the assertion , when the cause of truth seems to us to require it , of facts which we know , and of opinions which we hold , we have no apology to offer , whatever be the consequences .
Untitled Article
860 Correspondence .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1832, page 360, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1812/page/72/
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