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them by their frienda in other quarters . HtiU ^ . being a populous town , $ ud ; beiog almost the only place in this , district , where Unitarian principles are openly espoused , is confessedly of importance as an Unitarian station . The friends of the cause who reside here are aware p ^ this circumstance , and they confidently
hope that it will serve to recommend their case to the notice of others . Subscriptions ou behalf of the Society may be forwarded to the Rev . W . J « Fox , Dais ton , near Loudon ; the Rev . G . Kearick , Maidstone ; the Rev . I . Worsl ^ y ^ Plymouth - W y and the Rev . . Worsley , HuU .
Edward Thompson , > Trustees Christopher BitiGos , f ¦* **»* ««* . William Worslev , Minister .
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Honourable Member observed , in presenting this petition , that although it was certainly desirable that the peace of society should no-t be disturbed by the violent agitation of subjects of a religious nature , yet that the acquisition of sound information required that they should be freely discussed , provided the dLscussior * were conducted with moderation and
temper . He was persuaded that theFO was no man in ihe country who would wish for the introduction of the Inquisition , and yet there were many who seemed disposed to follow the example of the Inquisition , in repressing ail religious discussion , instead of pursuing a more liberal , a more enlightened , and ,
he would say , a more Christian-like course . It was no where declared in the Scriptures , that one man had a right to punish another for the expression of his
opinions . That was a right , however , which , in the present times , was too frequently arrogated . For his own part * he was extremely anxious for the abrogation of every law which prevented all
persons speaking or writing their opinions on- religious subjects ; convinced , as he was , that that was the only way by which knowledge could be diffused , and truth established . The petition was brought up * read and ordered to be printed . ^^^^^^^^^ B ^^^^^^^ P
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PARLIAMENTARY . HOUSE OF COMMONS , May 13 . Toleration .. Mr . Hume presented a petition from John Dawson and others , of Rererley hi Yorkshire , praying for the general Toleration of Religious Opinions . The
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May 19 * tZdlnburgh Fr&etkinkers . Mir . HcnviE , said , he had had the peti * tkm which he held in his hand , for $ considerable time iu his possession . Having been urged either to present U , 01 * to place it in the hands of some other Member , he begged leave to submit it to the House . He certainly did very much wish that no occasion had been given for the presentation of such a petition , The petition was from some hundreds of individuals in Edinburgh * who were formerly members of a Society called ' ¦ ' The Edinburgh Freethinkers' Zetetic
Society . " They complained of the interference of the Magistracy and Police with their discussions * Their room had been forcibly entered , and the whole ofi their books taken from them by the public officers . Were met * in the present
enlightened times to be subject to this kind of inquisition ? There had lately appeared ia the [ papers a . decree , signed by Ferdinand , with whom we seemed to be running a race , in putting an end to all inquiry . Ferdinand , however , only took " forbidden books"" from those
who possessed them . We were not content with that , but we punished the persona of the possessors I Was it to be endured , that because a man differed in opinion from the authorities in Scotland , be should on that account be at once imprisoned ? He trusted that some answer would be given to tbe case of the petitioners .
On the motion that the petition be brought up , The Lord Advocate observed , that the Honourable Member for Aberdeen was very iU-infornied with respect to the circumstances of the case which he had described , into which , however , he ( the Lord Advocate ) would not go . Mr . Hume remarked , that as the
Learned Lord would not make any answer , he ( Mr . Hume ) should set it down that there was an inquisition in Scotland , and that the Learned Lord was the Grand Inquisitor . The petition was then brought up * and read as follows : —
" Uaito the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , in Parliament assembled ; the petition of the undersigned indiividuals , who were Members of the Edinburgh Freethinkers' Zetetic So * eiety ; humbly sheweth ,
" Xnat ynaur petitioners are of opinion , that severe laws , made to suppress fr £ c dfccttSfcUKU , and pirolsh those who question the truth and divine origin of reJi * « ioc , arc extremely pei nici « m * to noctftty ;
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Jntellig'en €€ i ^ Pm ^ ^ ^^ if ^ ToleirMiiof ^^^ S ^ nburgh Freethinkers , 44 >
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1824, page 443, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2526/page/59/
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