8th. That the solicitous anxiety ceived the Royal Assent on the for the removal of all obstructions 29th instant-for the polite and to the promulgation of religious condescending attentions manifetstruth, and the love of religious lied to the members of this Comberty displayed by "the Commit- mittee upon, various occasionstee for guarding the Privileges of and for the liberal and important the Methodist Society," in their services rendered by his lordship cordial co-operation with this Com- to the very large body of people mittee merit ardent praise, and jus- whom this Committee have the tify expectations of their future as- honour to represent. sistance and undiminished support. (Signed) 9th. That the judicious, zeal- ADAM CLARKE, Chairman. Esqrs. the Secretaries to this COPY OF EARL STANHOPE'S ANSWER. Berner's Street, Aug. 3, 1812. Gentlemen-It is highly gratify 10th. That these resolutions, being to me to find that my exertions publicly advertised, signed by the in behalf of religious liberty have Chairman, and be respectfully met with your full approbation, communicated to the noblemen and with that of the General Com mittee of the Societies founded by and gentlemen to whom they rethe late Rev. John Wesley. May late. I beg the favour of you to return SAMUEL MILLS, Chairman. 11th. That the wise and impartial my cordial acknowledgments to your worthy colleagues for their conduct of the Chairman, not only obliging expressions and great at the present Meeting, but upon friendship towards me, and for every occasion, has obtained for their concurrence in those princi him the permanent and increasing ples respecting the sacred right of esteem of this Committee. At a Meeting of the General Committee of the Societies found. ed by the late Rev. John Wesley, held 31st July 1812, Dr. Adam Clarke in the Chair: private judgment in matters of religion which I have never ceas. ed to maintain, and which were most emphatically and unequi vocally declared in the Bill which I introduced last session to the The already House of Lords. tottering Tower of Intolerance could not any longer stand in opposition to the power of argument, aided by the force of ridi Resolved, That the most respectful thanks of this Committee be presented to the Right Honour. cule. That rotten and despicable able the Earl Stanhope, for his system has at last given way, and Lordship's unwearied exertions in it is only necessary to attack it behalf of religious liberty-for the properly, and with united efforts, support and valuable assistance directed by the light of principle, afforded relative to the bill respect to cause it totally to disappear ing religious worship, which re like an empty dream. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, your of Christians, will exercise their ever faithful servant, (Signed) own rules for the admission of public or private teachers among themselves, yet it is the unalienable right of every man to werchip God agreeably to the dictates of his own conscience and what he has a right to hear and 10 teach those Christian truths which he STANHOPE. To Dr. Adam Clarke, and Joseph Butterworth, Esq. The Resolutions of the said General Committee, respecting the principle which recognizes the rights of conscience, is recited in their circular letter, dated July conscientiously believes, without 31, 1812, in the following words, viz. "As to the principle, the Com. mittee, at an early stage of their deliberations, came to the resolu. tion. That although all well.regu lated societies, and denominations any restraint or judicial interfer. ence from the civil magistrate, provided he do not hereby disturb the peace of the community: and that on no account whatever would the Committee concede this fundamental principle." MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AF FAIRS; OR, The Christian's Survey of the Political World. Horrors upon horrors! Battles, murders, conflagrations call for the deepest feelings of sorrow on the one hand, whilst painted dolls, and infatuated su perstition, and blasphemous invocations excite on the other contempt and indig nation: Smolensko had exhibited a scene which harrowed up the soul. From this place the conqueror marched in the utmost conndence of victory to the entrenched camp of the Russians at Moskwa, about seventy miles from Moscow. A battle of two days decided the contest; a murderous battle, which, dreadful as have been those which this age has witness ed, exceeds them all in the horrid work of war, in carnage and destruction. The Russians fled in every direction, and left the road open to Moscow. The conqueror lost no time, and a few days after was seated in the Kremlin, the interior of the city, a fortress like the seraglio, that was the ancient seat of em pire, the throne of the autocrat. What resistance was made in the tak ing of the city we know not; but the barbarians who were conquered executed a plan which will hold them up to the detestation of the civilised world and of all posterity The erections of Moscow are chiefly of wood; and they have a market there for wooden houses. Many of their streets have also wood instead of stone for their pavement, Scarcely was the conqueror lodged in the Kremlin when the town around him was fired in every direction by wretches appointed for the purpose. All the engines had been previously removed, and the destructive element had unlimited sway for several days. The greater part of this unhappy city was thus reduced to ashes; the Kremlin alone, separated by high wails from the other part of the ton, remained unhurt; and the barbar ans who devised the plan had the piiful satisfaction of knowing that they had produced infinitely more misery than the conqueror ever intended; that they had rendered the city in great mea sure useless to him; and that if their arms should by the fortune of war be successful, they would find their capital destroyed by their own folly, their own wicked and murderous hands Whilst the fire was consuming Moscow, a different scene took place at Petersburgh. There they were buoyed up with the hopes of Russia being the seat of death to the French army. They received intelligence of the battle on the Moskwa on the name-day of the empe Yor, and the dispatch was read in the When the scene of action is at such a 657 That the French should stand in need of repose after such exertions is natu rally to be expected; that it should have so admirable a position for it is a great advantage. The mind of Buonaparte cannot in the mean time be idle; and as at Wilna he was planning the present conquest, so at Moscow he is preparing for the overthrow of the government at Ptersburgh. At this season of the year Muscovy is peculiarly unfavourable to military movements; for a certain time before the setting in of the extreme cold the country is not fit for travelling but after the setting in of the frost the country presents a whi e, level, hard surface, on which cannon can be transported great expedition, without making with any impression to injure the roads. The French army are therefore placed at present in the best situation for their ulterior ob ects, and we cannot see any reasonable grounds for those hopes which are cherished in this country, that the barbarians, with their broken armies, will be able to make any effecare now in tual resistance to the great conqueror. The nobles, whose estates are n his hands, may not be so attached to their government as to their property; and the peasantry of the country is so degraded that we cannot expect from them the magnanimity of freemien; and it has been said, that in the Russian language a word for Liberty is not to be found. Thus the governments of the earth are overturned, and man is taught that however high in honour he may be he has not here an abiding place. The mighty areast down from the thrones, and one of low degree is set over them. When will ye be wise, O ye kings, and be learned, ye that are judges of the earth? High and low, rich and poor must feel, when the judgments of God are upon the earth, that there is only one way of ruling a people; that rightcousness exalts a nation and sin depresses it; and however any tamily or sets of families may pride themselves on their distinction from their fellow mortals, yet if they do not possess those qualities, by which atene a family ought to be distinguished, they will merge into the common mass, and their descendants may suffer the very oppressions of which their ancestors were the in entors, Of the beneficial advantages of the confederacy between Petersburgh, Stockhoin and London, nothing decisive has as yet appeared, nor can we be sanguine in our expectations from it, The diversion to be made by Bernadotte is very problematical; and the season is so far advanced that he has sufficiently plausible reasons for delay. Could it also take place, the strength of the French is such on the shores of the Baltic, that little impression will be made by a force, to be brought in ships, to act on any quarter. A report was current, that the Swedish troops were to be employed against Norway, a country, indeed, belonging to an ally of the French, but how is this to benefit the, general cause? A more probable thing is, that this contest will end in the restoration of Finland to Sweden. In the south of Russia the Persians have obtained a victory over our ally, chiefly in consequence of the skill of the British officers, who had not heard of the change of affairs in Europe; and thus England is now zealous in support of those. barbarians, with whom, a few months ago, it was in open hostilities. So fickle, so changeable are worldly politics. Spain does not present any thing de-, cisive. The power of the Cortez is established at Madrid, and the intrusive king, as he is now called, holds his court in Valencia. There he is support ed by a very powerful army, and may maintain his ground for a great length of time, as Lord Wellington has found sufficient employment in the north. There he has been stopped for a long time by the castle of Burgos, against which he has made unsuccess ful attacks; but, most probably, it is at this time in our possession. The remains of Marmont's army have retreated to a considerable distance behind it, and are waiting for reinforcements from France before they can make any movement to support their sinking cause. If they can keep possession of the country to the north of the Ebro it is as much as they can expect. Some circumstances have occurred favourable to the Anglo-Spanish cause. Lord Wellington has been declared generalissimo of Spain; and thus he will be able to direct the forces of that country to the best advantage. He is in possession of the capital, and an increasing energy may be expected on the part of the Spanish; but we shall regret to have the report confirmed that the Inquisition is re-established in Madrid. It will be a melancholy reflection, that the success of the English armis should be tarnished by the re-erection of that horrid tribunal, whose existence is a disgrace to every nation, that upholds or counte nances such an infamous outrage on the rights of humanity and conscience. The Cortez, as was to be expected in the present plans of human policy, has made a decree respecting the persons who have held offices under the intrusive king; which, if the tide turns, will sanction a similar decree against them” selves; namely, to prevent the favour ers of the intruder from holding offices under the re-established government. Thus, the possessions and offices of the country may for a long time be in a state of great confusion; for Buonaparte will not easily be deterred from his pur pose; and if he returns successful from his barbaric conquests, the peninsula of Spain will not be easily wrested from his powerful grasp. To the wars of Russia and Spain is added that of the United States, which is now entitled to the name of a regular war, since hostilities have been announced by both sides according to the usual forms. They have also taken place under singular circumstances; for England has suffered a trifling loss, which was felt very keenly, and has gained a vic tory infinitely more important. The Americans sent a force into Upper Canada, which they deemed quite suffici into the province was preceded by a ent for the enterprise, and their entrance gasconading proclamation, too much allied to the infamous manifesto of the Duke of Brunswick, when he entered France. The American had soon cause to repent of his rashness: for he had scarcely advanced into the Canadian territory, when a much inferior force approached him; and, without a battle, without, apparently, a sufficient military cause, he laid down his arms, and surrendered himself with his whole army prisoners of war. Thus the Canadas are saved from hostile invasion, and the States may dread an attack from the Indians on their borders, who, though they behaved extremely well in the English army, and were kept within bounds, may, when left to themselves, carry on their plans with horrid barba rity. This is one of the wretched effects of this unhappy war, which might easily have been avoided by men of enlightened minds and christian principles in both cabinets. The gloom, spread over the United States by the loss of an army, was dissipated by a victory at sea; by one of our ships of war being destroyed by an American of far superior force. A fatal accident carried off early in the action the masts of our ship; but it was not surrendered till it was completely unmanageable, and soon after the prisoners were removed the ship went to the bottom. The Americans had how ever the satisfaction of seeing the captain of an English frigate with his crew prisoners in one of their ports. The disparity in force was not considered; a victory, however, gained over an English frigate was a subject of universal congratulation; aud on this side of the Atlantic it excited more mortification than the case required. The predatory war on the seas has been carried on by the Americans with considerable success, and the balance, as was to be expected, is on their side. Thus two nations, formed to benefit each other, are wronging themselves by mutual injuries, and are adding another to the innumerable instances of the follies of mankind, who fight for their lusts, their passions, their caprices, expend on war what would bring an extensive tract into cultivation, and lavish their treasure and their blood and their labour just as idly as the hired pugilists on a public stage; if we might not say that the latter have indeed more specious arguments to adduce in favour of their employment. “ Casting our eye from m the United States along the map of the new world, we see every where tracts marked by the outrages to which the present state of war and confusion gives rise. At Baltimore an inquest has been taken on the horrid murders there committed, but the murderers seem likely to evade the punishment of the law, and are supported in their crimes by a lawless multitude. At the Caraccas a counter revolution is taking place, owing, it is said, to the advantage taken by the priests of the late convulsions of the earth, which are artfully ascribed to the vengeance of heaven for their refusal to submit any longer to the government of the mother country. Miranda, the chief leader, is taken, and is deemed to be a traitor by all parties; but our in. formation is too incorrect for us to de termine on the reality of his guilt or innocence. At Mexico the revolution ary party is very strong; in Lima and Peru it is said to be decidedly uppermost. At Buenos Ayres very sanguinary measures have been pursued to quell an insurrection on the point of breaking out, of the old Spaniards against the existing government. The war between this colony and Moute Video con tinues; but the Brazilians have with. drawn from the contest. Every thing portends the separation of the old from the new world, to be united hereafter by leagues of amity and commerce, broken according to custom, as it suits the interest, folly and caprices of the cabinets by which the future countries will be governed. At home, the chief occupation of men's minds has been on the returns made to Parliament of the new knights, citizens and burgesses elected to perform the duties required of them by their constituents, who, it is well known, are very different in different places. In some they consist of a large body of electors, in others of very few; in some the election is independent, in others it results from the fiat of a single indivi dual. From a body of men so congregated the sense of the people of the United Kingdom cannot be collected, and their voice can have but little weight. At no time has greater apathy prevailed in a general election. Ageneral sentiment seems to have pervaded the electors of the little weight of their votes, whilst the system throws so much power into the hands of a few individuals, in whom, in fact, the legislature of the country is vested. In four places were very remarakable elections,-Westminster, London, Bristol and Liverpool, and we might add to them Leicester. In Westminster the popular party was triumphant, bringing in unanimously their old members, Sir Francis Burdett and Lord Cochrane, both of whom in their letters exposed in strong terms those abuses of which the country has too much reason to complain. In this city, a committee of independent men, of too much property to be made the dupes of the higher 'ranks, and too little to command influence, has by very wise measures secured the independence of election, and similar committees in great towns and counties would effectually produce the same effects, and establish, in due time, a |