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display his conduct has afforded , of these liberal and enlightened principles which have distinguished Protestant Dissenters among the benefactors of mankind—for the important services which he has rendered to the cause of the French Protestants in particular , and to the interests of truth , liberty ,
humanity , and religion in general ; merits the warmest gratitude and esteem , and that he be requested to accept the most sincere and affectionate acknowledgments of this Committee . III . That this Committee recognizing
the sacred right of every man to adopt his religious creed ,. arid to profess his religious faith without molestation , insult , or privation—considering the recognition of this right by human governments to be essential to the
tranquillity and happiness of the world , and esteeming it as the first duty of Ilulers and Magistrates to preserve inviolate that right themselves , and to guarantee its enjoyment to all classes of societ } % free from outrage , interruption , or disquietude — cannot review the whole history of the persecutions which the Protestants of the South of * France
have endured , and are enduring , with * - -out horror and indignation . That from the verification of documents before possessed , ( the truth of which was never questionable , ) and especially from the evidence now produced by their respectable friend , it is perfectly evident to them , that the persecutions
so long and so disgracefully continued , have been instigated by bigotry and intolerance , and have beerTexcited and directed by powerful leaders , against the Protestants , as the depositories of those religious and social principles , which must always render their possessors efficient and honourable in
society 5 —that political opinions have only been the pretexts under which the odious projects of their enemies were concealed , as Protestants were as prompt , and as sincere in their acceptance of the restored dynasty , as any class of Frenchmen whatever : —that tne
impious , rapacious , and barbarous conduct of their persecutors , has exceeded the representations which have been made by the Committee , and has equalled in criminality that of the most guilty
persecutors of ancient times;—that it is impossible to exculpate , at least from connivance , the local , civil , and military authorities , because the extent of the outrages—the length , of their duration
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—the publicity of the crimes—the notoriety of the criminals—theuselesSness of complaints from the sufferers , and the vexations to which they have been exposed—the confidence with which the robbers and murderers have acted
and the impunity and protection they have experienced , are equally unknown in any country , where the magistracy , however feeble , has been active and sincere . That it is equally evident that from some cause , which this
Committee do not intend to assign , the higher departments of the Government have not taken a suitable interest in the dreadful calamities , which have been sustained by its faithful and honourable subjects—have not maintained equal security for the professors of the "Pr otestant and Catholic religions : —but
have appeared t ^ entertain the most lively jealousy of the unsolicited interference of benevolent persons in this country—have neglected to give to the Protestants , and to Europe , any satisfaction , by demanding an account of their conduct from the local or
extraordinary authorities—and , finally , have left the victims of persecution at the mercy of prevotal courts , composed of their enemies , who have inflicted on Protestants the most degrading and cruel punishments for alleged trifling crimes , and have honourably acquitted Catholics—covered with blood , and
guilty of numerous and horrid murders . IV . That it was not the design of this Committee to procure for the Protestants a temporary alleviation of their public miseries ; or to raise an viseless clamour , and then leave them a prey to persecutions more dreadful , because
they are more secret , and because they assume the character of judicial punishments , instead of the outrages of banditti ; but they were resolved to contribute , by every honourable means , to reinstate them in that security and comfort they had so long enjoyed , and , their title to which they have never forfeited . While , therefore , the
objects of their unabated solicitude are living under the most dreadful apprehension—exposed to the violence of hostile authorities—cut off from the enjoyments of civil society—fug itives their
from their homes—deprived of sources of support , and prevented from exercising , on account of their religious opinions , their industry and talent *!—while many , from the absence
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356 Intelligence . — French Protestants .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1816, page 356, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2453/page/48/
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