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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Test Ao £ is no grievance to tke J } isseuters , and yet voting for its repeal , thus , to gratify his religious connexions , neglecting his incumbent duty
as a Senator . I hope Mr . Coke had misunderstood him ; for sentiments more just and liberal might have been fairly expected from an intimate friend of Mr . Lindsey , and a . political associate of Fox . J . T . RUTT .
House of * Commons , Si a , May 28 , 1789 . I received yQtir letter thi 3 mornipg , and talie the firsfc moment % o return you my thanks for it , and particularly for the latter part of it , because I am
always ready to explain the motives pf my public conduct , and think myself obliged to any gentleman who will give me an opportunity of so doing .
I certainly did give my vote against the rep ^ l of the Test Act , and I never gave a vote more upon conviction in nay life . No man is a greater friend to perfect liberty of conscience than
I $ m \ and if X could see the matter in any degree in the light of religious persecution I should abhor it . I feel that there ought to be a political union between the Church and the
State , and that a religious Establishment is as necessary a $ a civil one : if that is admitted to me , I think it follows , of course , that tho&e who hold the good things of one establishment should conform to the other . I dqn'tmean to enter into argument upon
the question - y that is not ; witjhin the compass of a letter , $ nel if I dkl I am sure I could not find better arguments than those which , in your eyes , appear to be contemptible . I thipk Lord North ' s speech upon that occasion was th $ speech of a very able statesman ^ and I have fyew more tlmu once convinced by the arguments contained in that speech . Another circuinstanee happened
upon that occasion which confirmed me in the opinion , which 1 Lad formed . I saw Mr . Lqc ( formerly Attorney-General ) in one of the committee rooms th ^ t evening , anil was asking his opmion very seriou&ly as a Dissenter , % m \ he told me that lie thought tiie Dissenters complained without
( fouqe ; that t , foey were not oppressed ; qf tHs tl > &t though h © meant as oue of
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190 Original Letters from D . P . Ca / te , Esq ., M . P ., to Gilbert WahefieU ,
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their persuasion to gwe fefeepa a vote , he though * there was no ground for the application . As far as my own experience goe » where I l&e , I have seen very respectable Mssenters constantly in the habit of conforming for the common situations of Mayor ,
Aldermen , &c . j and , therefore , I suppose in general it is not understood to be a very great hardship . I certainly have not read the two hooks which you mention , but \ think it probable that I might , aftei ? reading tWnp , still be of the same opinion , because I consider the m ^ tt ^ r ia a
political vievy , \ consider a very great question , which is now before the House , in the s ^ me way . I have the strongest wish in tfie world to he ^ ble to vot for tfre total abolition of the Slave-Trade ; but if it is to he followed
by the certain loss of $ \ the West-India Islands , I will not * o £ e for it in that case ; and , at all events , I shall vote for every humane regulation which , may tend to the better treatment of those unfortunate people .
I have great re $ pect » and great ; obligations to the Dissenters ia the town of Nottingham 3 of course I have ev $ ry wish to give the utmost indulgence to their application for Feligious liberty , hut I think they have it already . And I only beg te ^ ve to add , that whenever I vote upon any public ctiaestion , I
never consider it upon narrow ground , as it applies to individuals , but upon great constitutional grouad . I can easily conceive that this may be attended with , considerable risque to me personatiy ; be it so . Motives of that sort will nftvet weigh with : me ; and nny vote upon all these questions will be the same at the heel as at the
commencement of o , Parliament . I have taken the liberty of mentioning this matter to you with great siocerity anxl frankness ., because I know when I am speaking or writing to a
gentleman of understanding ** nd a liberal education , # r ^ at al lowances will be naad $ for a , difference of opinion , if it 1 $ supposed to cruise from mistake , and not to be foMH ; de 4 in corruption ,
You will p&rdon me , Sir , for troubling you with so long n letter , but 1 wished to give you an immediate answer . AqcJ I cannot conclude my letter without again : repeating rtt Y thanks to you , for giKLo # me your sentiments upon this subject , and for
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1826, page 190, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2547/page/2/
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