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morning and Afternoon , to meet classes of the younger members of the congregation , and converse with them on natural theology or the evidences of Christianity . Of various societies in the west of England , for the promotion of Unitariauism and the extension of civil and religious liberty , he was an active and useful member ; and all who used to meet him at their annual meetings will long remember the cheerfulness he diffused ,
and the lively interest he excited . There are but few men who have exceeded Mr . Cox in obeying the precept , " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do it with thy might . " It is well known that he devoted all his energies , that he
gave his whole heart and mind , to every object he wanted to accomplish . This was obvious to those who were acquainted with his professional engagements , and may be mentioned , next to the skill with which he conducted them , as the chief cause of their success . The wide extent
of his practice , notwithstanding the iutegrityand independence which he manifested , aud the upright avowal of his religious and political opinions , where they were exceedingly unpopular , is a remarkable circumstance . It may be attributed , in a great measure to the earnestness
with which he promoted the cause of the iujured and destitute , and to the fearlessuess with which he exposed every instance of local tyrauny or magisterial oppression that occurred in his neighbourhood . About seven years ago the freeholders of Devonshire shewed their
sense of the value of his public services and legal acquirements , by electing him to fill the office of Coroner , in opposition to the claims of other candidates who were supported by what was called the high party . This triumph was peculiarly gratifying , because it increased his influence , aud added to his means of lessening the misery and advancing the improvement of his fellow-creatures .
But a greater triumph than this awaited him , or rather a party of which he was the leader . From the time of his first settlement at Honiton , he laboured most zealously to establish the independence of that borough . He saw with regret , that hundreds of electors were in the habit of returning two Tories , without
receiving , vigorous opposition . Accordingly ^ this noble-minded man gathered around him a few whose aouls claimed kindred with his own , and , in conjunction with them , commenced a glorious struggle . It was a struggle for the victo ry of freedom and integrity over slavery aud corruption , and for the emancipation
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of many from the thraldom of an interested few . Every defeat which flit * third party" sustained , only confirmed the expectations of their ultimate success , aud at the general election in 1826 , that expectation was realized ; one of the most upright men that ever sat in the House of Commons was then chosen by a large majority , aud returned again , without opposition , in the summer of
last year . The valuable services of his indefatigable advocate were amply rewarded by his votes in favour of Catholic Emancipation , the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts , and the great measure of Parliamentary Reform . It was remarked in our last number , that the latter is a cause that deserves
martyrdom . The excellent subject qf this memoir thought so during the election of 1830 . His exertions on that occasion were too much for a constitution predisposed to suffer from the effects of unusual excitement . Soon after the accomplishment of his favourite public objects , and the occurrence of those events on the continent which made " all Europe
ring from side to side , " he became exceedingly ill . His disease was ascertained to be an affection of the heart , and his symptoms were such as to induce his numerous friends and relatives to fear that he would be soon taken from them . Every effort that care and skill could devise to avert the approach of the great destroyer was employed , but in
vain ; and he who was so highly revered , admired , aud beloved , is gone to meet the Judge of all the earth . As there is no burial-ground connected with the place in which Mr . Cox was accustomed to worship , his remains were interred in that of the Independent Chapel . It is difficult to do justice either to the excelleut services of the Rev . W . Wright , the
Independent minister , who officiated at the interment , or to those of the Rev . H . Acton , who ( in consequence of the indisposition of the Rev . J . Hughes ) preached on the following Sunday at Honiton , in reference to the death of his valued friend . The respect in which the departed philanthropise was held by his townsmen was manifested in the
voluntary attendance of many of them at his funeral , aud in the sorrow that was visible among the bereaved congregation to whom Mr . Acton addressed his eloquent , consoling , and instructive discourse . The above sketch will probably be considered by many who knew the worth of its subject as very imperfect . We are aware that much more might be written respecting him , that we nave conveyed
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Obituary . —Isaac Co # t Esq . 497
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VOE . V . 2 N
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1831, page 497, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2599/page/65/
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