1822 April 11

Rid yourselves

Copied by R.D.

Ult r

Lett. 17. Relinquishm t entire

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

that King /God upon earth/ having in the most distinct terms been long ago invested

by lawyers with the attributes of omniprescence immortality and impunibility, been

now insensibly been invested with the too real attribute of omnipotence, and is

worshipped in conjunction with the God of heaven by corruptionists and their dupes.

On the occasion of the war what 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. Qui

bono? was the title of it. Where public spirit, or whatever else was the

motive that 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 war seeing

himself a Bishop, if he had, it was not realized: mammon in those its visited shapes

went of course to the supporters of the fruitless slaughter. Trusting however to the

composing influence of time, not many years after, where some of the evidence I have

been laying before you had made its appearance, the more honest than successful

monitor ventured to place himself in the circle at a [...?] As far as words went,

Majesty was now become gracious. Mention being made of the Colonies "Well M r Dean" (said George the third) we beging to be of your opinion:

we find we are as well without those as with them." A few hours after they were

uttered the words 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

- in deeds did the probity ever follow? Oh no: but instead of it, the course marked

out by the opposite improbity has ever since been pursued: pursued with that

eagerness, and that disastrous success, of which we the bitter fruits are year by

year forced down our throats.