1822 April 12

Rid Yourselves

Lett. 17

Relinquishment entire

See now on this point how it is with Monarchs: and in particular with

that God on earth, who, having, in the most distinct terms, been so long ago invested

by lawyers and their fictions with the attributes of omnipresence immortaility and

impeccability, has insensibly become invested with the too real attribute of

omnipotence, and is worshipped, in conjunction with the the God of Heaven, by the

prosecutors of blasphemy and their dupes.

On the ocasion of the war which ended in the independence of the

Anglo-American United States, Tucker, Dean of Gloucester, wrote against the policy of it. The pamphlet made a

sensation. I read it at the time. Cui bono? was the title

of it. When public spirit, or whatever else was the motive, drew from him a breach so

conspicuous of the sacred law of passive obedience, the Dean, it may well be

concluded, had no great expectation of ever seeing himself a Bishop: if he had, it

was not realized: mammon in these its richest shapes went of course to the supporters

of the fruitless slaughter. Trusting however to the composing influence of time, -

not many years after, when some of the evidence I have been laying before you had

made its appearance, this more honest than successful monitor ventured to place

himself in the circle at a levee. So far as words went Majesty was now become

gracious. Mention being made of the Colonies "Well Mr Dean (said he) "we begin to be

of your opinion: we find we are as well without them as with them." A few hours after

the words were uttered, they were reported to me by one by whom they had been heard.

As far as words went, here was wisdom: wisdom or to speak

more correctly probity. But in deeds - but in deeds did the probity ever follow? Oh

no: but instead of it, the course marked out by the opposite improbity not only then

was, but ever since has been pursued: pursued with that eagerness and that disastrous

success, of which the bitter fruits continue to be forced down our throats in such

sad abundance. Witness the last gathered of them - the Ionian Isles and that English

" protection" the infamy of which, without any of the

profit, vies so successfully with that of the primaeval Persian tyranny.

As to those emancipated children, after parting with whom the Royal

father found himself so well at ease - could he but have prevailed on the necessary

instruments to keep work g on, best of

Kings (for by whom could this appelation ever be refused to the husband of the

fruitfullest of Queens?) best of Kings and fathers would

have drained all his other children of their last farthing, rather than have left

unsubdued and unpunished, any of those rebellious ones to whose rebellion their

consequent virtue and felicity has given whatsoever could be wanting for its

justification. All this is human, and of course more

particularly regal nature; pride forbids the confession of

miscarriage; love of power forbids the parting with any the least scrap of the

fascinating appendage, how troublesome soever so long as any the faintest hope of

keeping it can be kept.

End of this Letter.