| TO prevent that abominable measure of Roman
Catholic Emancipation, I presented a requisition to the Sheriff for
a Meeting on the subject, signed by one hundred respectable names.
Supposing what might be the fate of the same, and the reason he would
assign for his refusal, I endeavoured to shew him what was the sense
of the County in regard to his conduct, in case of his obstinate denial;
and also to propose a vote of impeachment against the Duke of Wellington
and Mr. Peel. Upon this a bastard Whig Magistrate, a friend to Roman
Catholic Emancipation, an enemy to our ancient Constitution, sent
to the aforenamed Duke and Gentlemen, and under pretence that my proceeding
might produce disturbance, requested to know what was to be done.
Mr. Peel and the Duke quickly decided, and used that power placed
in their hands for the welfare of the State, to prevent that attack
upon and censure of their own conduct, which they deserved from all
true Protestants, and which the Duke and Mr. Peel knew they would
surely meet with, and they required me to be bound over to keep the
peace, and promise not to go to the Meeting I advertised I would attend,
or that I should be committed to prison*; and here an apostate Protestant
Lord Lieutenant joined them, writing to the Bishop against me. And
now forsooth they would have me be silent, and under pretext of what
I shall say being irrelative to the business of the meeting, put me
down. But I am not to be so duped and to be put down by them. No,
nor by all the Whigs conjointly †. And be not you, my Protestant
brethren. Remember, if there is any thing irrelative brought forward,
they have to thank themselves for it. I would have had a meeting for
the purpose, and they would not allow it. I must, therefore, endeavour
to take advantage of circumstances as I did before; nevertheless,
we may have perfect unanimity in petitioning for the repeal of the
Malt and Beer Tax, in this I am agreed with them, the repeal of such
taexs [sic] is what I proposed years ago, so that it is my
own motion, and they would take it out of my hands and get credit
with you for it; but the tax on Malt and Beer had been off years back,
had it not been for their covetousness, in that they regarded their
own welfare before yours, and if it is not now taken off it is through
this ‡. Be not therefore deluded, but petition
for the repeal of the Malt and Beer Tax unanimously, in this the
poor pay 200 per cent. tax, and it ought to have been the first
tax taken off. But while unanimous for the repeal of this tax, be
equally so, my Protestant brethren, in expression of your sense
of the conduct of the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel.
In the Hall I shall endeavour to mark their conduct. Remember how
the Duke of Wellington has dismissed two Military Officers. Also
how the Duke and Mr. Peel have broken in upon your Constitution
by their own confession. Remember how they are allying themselves
with Tyrants, such as Roman Catholics, Turks, Miguelites, the chief
of the latter, report says, they are striving to get recognized
against the will and wish of his Majesty. Remember to what a state
they have brought things. How distressing both to Manufacturers
and Agriculturists, and hold up both your hands against them, and
let your cry be, down, down with them. Let them be impeached.
The Constitution of my Country I admired - I venerated. Under it
England prospered, liberty flourished, and Britain fought and conqured,
[sic] and the people were happy. The ancient Institutions
of my Country, such as its Protestant Universities, I venerated,
and do so still. They may have faults, but compared with every thing
like them, they are faultless.
It is well known I have endeavoured to amend our University, but
while I do this I will uphold it and its sister with all my power,
and our glorious Constitution likewise, and this in spite of bastard
Whigs and apostate Protestants, whether Magistrates and Sheriffs,
or Lord Lieutenants, with even the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel
to head them. Protestants, do you join me. Is not our ancient Constitution
worth contending for? or shall we cowardly resign it, and idstead
[sic] of handing down what our ancestors procured with
their blood, shall we tacitly surrender it to a bully of a Roman
Catholic, because he has bullied the Duke of Wellington? I will
not so give it up. I will contend for it. Join me, my Protestant
Friends; never despair; never desist, and then we shall have back
what we have lost. A contest for our Constitution there must be,
unless we would surrender it to Roman Catholics, and now is the
time to have it, ere the sword is fully wrested from us and altogether
turned against us. Take, then, a lesson from our enemies. Behold
their activity and perseverance. Imitate it, and you conquer; join
me, persevere with me, and you do so. Protestants! come forward
against the Duke of Wellington and those that would deprive you
of your Constitution and your ancient Institutions, and defend them
to the last. The statesmen who would deprive us of them are our
enemies. Impeach them.
I am, GENTLEMEN,
Your most obedient Servant,
F. H. MABERLY.
Kingston, near Caxton, Cambridgeshire,
21st January, 1830.
TALBOT AND LADDS, PRINTERS, SUSSEX-STREET. |
