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The Duke of Kent then proposed the health of Mr. Adam, which was drank with three times three.

Mr. Adam shortly returned thanks. He apologized to the meeting for leaving them at so early an hour, but his parliamentary duty rendered it necessary.

The Duke of Bedford proposed

"The health of the Queen, and every branch of the Royal Family, and may their conduct in patronizing the Lancasterian System of Education be followed by all ranks of people," -with three times three.

The Duke of Kent returned thanks" in the name of all those members of his family whose healths had been so warmly drank.”

"The Royal British System of Education," was then drank with three times three.

The list of Subscriptions for building, &c. was then readthe Prince Regent, 330 guineas; the Duke of Kent, 100; the Duke of Sussex, 80; the Duke of Bedford, 100; with a great number of smaller donations.

Mr. Lancaster expressed himself grateful for the patronage he had received, which far exceeded his expectations.

"The health of Mr Lancaster and his aged father," who sat on his left hand, was then drank, with three times three. Mr. Lancaster assured the company, that, by testifying their respect to his aged father, they had delighted him more than by any respect they could shew to himself.

The Duke of Kent, after a few observations, proposed the health of "The Duke of Bedford and Lord Somerville." The Duke of Bedford, in returning thanks, passed a very high eulogium on the merits of Mr. Lancaster.

The Duke of Bedford then proposed—

"The health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kentthe friend of the institution, and the father of the soldiers' children;" which was drank with three times three.

About half-past nine the Duke of Kent quitted the Chair. He stated that the subscriptions were at that time upwards of 13001. His Royal Brother, the Duke of Sussex, who intended to take the chair at the next Anniversary, would fill his situation for a few minutes, to permit any gentleman to come forward with his subscription. About 2001. was afterwards subscribed, independent of 7001. which had been lent this institution, but now converted into donations; making a total of 2,2001. The meeting, which comprised about 300 persons, separated a little after eleven o'clock. We never wit

nessed a day of more perfect enjoyment from the sentiment of benevolence than prevailed throughout; and, from the admirable warmth, eloquence, and feeling with which the illustrious Dukes conducted themselves, and animated the numerous assembly.

Trial respecting Sunday Schools.

TIMES, AUG. 7, ISII.

On Tuesday, a cause, which excited considerable interest, came on to be heard at the Sessions' House, Portsmouth, before JOSEPH SMITH, Esq. Mayor, and other Magistrates. It was an information preferred, nominally, by Henry Norris, but actually by the Rev. Dr. Scott, Chaplain of Portsmouth Dock-yard Church, against John Maybee and the Hon. George Grey, Commissioner of the said Dockyard. The information set forth that John Maybee, at an unlawful assembly, held in a certain room or office belonging or attached to the dwelling-house of the Hon, Commissioner Grey, under colour and pretence of exercising religious worship, in other manner than according to the Liturgy of the Church of EngJand, did unlawfully teach; at which meeting five persons or more were assembled, besides those of the household; contrary to 22 Car. 2. C. “An Act to prevent and suppress seditious Conventicles ;" and had thereby incurred the penalty of 201, each,

John Maybee, defendant, pleaded Not Guilty.

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Ric. Fowley being sworn-"I am a joiner in the Dock-yard. I was at the Commissioner's office, in the Dock-yard, Portsea, on the 9th of June last. John Maybee, the defendant, was there; there were near 100 boys also, or more. Maybee resides at Portsea: he is a superannuated shipwright. Maybee read the scriptures; he also read a prayer from a book published by the Philanthropic Society, intitled" For the Lord's Day Evening." Maybee did nothing else but read the scripture and the prayer; he did not read any commentaries or practical observations-I am quite sure he did not make any observations of his own on what he read from the Bible. Dr. Scott came in at the time these persons were assembled-Maybee was reading the prayer at the time, intitled as above-I re collect Dr. Scott addressed Mr Maybee-Dr. Scott said, Pray may I be so bold as to interrupt you?" "By all means," answered Mr. Maybee. After Dr. S. asked Mr. M. if he were disposed to be interrupted, and Mr. M. had answered " By all means," Dr. S. asked him what he was reading or preaching there? Mr. M. told him he was not preaching, but reading a prayer. --Dr. S. asked him what prayers they were-whether they were of the Church of England. Mr. M. answered that it was a family prayer-book-Dr. S. then requested to look at it: the book was handed to him, and one of the boys held a candle to him to read it; the prayer was pointed out to him. Dr. S. looked at the book, and returned it he made no observation on returning it. Dr. S. asked what other duties we performed there? Mr. M, told him that he read the scriptures. I heard Dr. S. ask Maybee how he came to be there to read prayers? or, in other words, by whose authority he came there? Maybee's reply was, he had no one's authority. There were none present that I know of who were sixteen years of age, except myself and Mr. Maybee; all the boys were under that age, as

far as I know. I heard Maybee say, "I was once a youth, and I wish to be a teacher of youth." I heard Dr. S. also ask M. if he expounded the scripture; and Mr. Maybee returned for answer, he did not."

Cross-examined by M. MINCHIN.

"It was a Sunday's school, and myself and Mr. Maybee were the only teachers on the evening when Dr. Scott came in. The boys were all on their knees when Dr. Scott entered. Mr. Maybee was reading the prayer before alluded to, at the time; he was about half way through the prayer. Another prayer (one of the Collects taken from the Common Prayer-book) was read by Mr. M. that evening; the Lord's Prayer, a Prayer for the King, and the Collect for the day, were also read; all from the Common Prayer-book of the Church of England. Mr. M. is a superannuated shipwright. Myself and M. are appointed as the teachers. The boys attended on the 9th of June in the morning and evening. The boys are taught a Catechism of the Church of England, before they can be brought to be confirmed by the Bishop."

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The Rev. Dr. SCOTT sworn.

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"On the 9th of June last, in the afternoon, I went into the Commissioner's Office, having often noticed an assembly or meeting there, without my knowledge or concurrence as Chaplain of the Dock-yard. Upon going into the meeting, I heard a man, in a ranting tone of voice, either praying or preaching. I listened for some few minutes with attention, to endeavour to distinguish what it was he said. I could not atall distinguish what he said. The room was dark; only one. candle that I perceived in it, which was by the person who was reading or preaching. I said, I am sorry to interrupt you, but beg to know what it is you are reading or preaching:' the reply was, I am not preaching, but reading a prayer.' I asked if it were a prayer from the Liturgy of the Church of England? The answer was from the defendant, he did not know, he supposed it was-it. was out of a Prayer-book. I asked what Prayer-book? he said, one he found there. The book was handed to me. I satisfied myself that the prayer was not from the Liturgy of the Church of England, and returned the book: I did not read the prayer through. I then asked the man his name, and by whose authority. he came there to preach or pray? He told me his name was John Maybee, and that he was there by the Commissioner's authority; and that he (Maybee) wished to be a teacher of youth. He said he prayed with the boys, and I asked him what he did when he had done praying? Ile said, that they then sang an hymn. I then asked him what he did when they had done singing, adding, Then you preach? he said " No, I don't preach; I read the scriptures." I continued, "And then, when you have read the scriptures, you expound and explain them." He said, " Yes, I do." I further continued, "How do you expound them?" he replied," I read the marginal notes and observations." I continued again, "And you are very careful to expound them in a proper manner." He said,

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Yes, I do, for I make the study of the scriptures my business at home." I asked him what Bible he made use of? He said, Scott's Bible; that it had a great many notes and observations to it; and that he found it there provided for him, with other books.

The prosecution was here closed.

Mr. MINCHIN, for the defendant, being asked if he had any thing further to offer for the consideration of the Court, observed-It was a considerable diffi culty in his mind whether, after the evidence the Court had heard from the Rev. Prosecutor's own witnesses in support of the charge, he should address the Court, Could it be for a moment entertained, in any mind, that an institution established for the benevolent and highly praiseworthy purpose of teaching the children of the poor, should be construed into a conventicle for seditious prposes? and that, too, by his honourable client, who was entrusted by his Majesty's government with the management of the largest naval arsenal, and allied to one of the first families in the kingdom:-a gentleman meriting the highest praises of every friend to social and domestic happiness? The malignity in the charge, indeed, must be so strongly fixed on the prosecutor, that he need feel no other oppro

brium than that which the Court, by their sentence, would cast upon him: his own conscience must be to him an accuser.

He observed, some had objected to the instruction of the lower classes, from an apprehension that it would lift them above their sphere, make them dissatisfied with their station in life, and by impairing the habit of subordination, endanger the tranquillity of the state; an objection devoid of all force and validity. It was not casy to conceive in what manner instructing men in their duties could prompt them to neglect those duties; or how that enlargement of reason, which enabled them to comprehend the true grounds of authority and the obligation to obedience, should indispose them to obey. The admirable mechanism of society, together with that subordination of ranks which is essential to its subsistence, was surely not an elaborate imposture, which the exercise of reason would detect and expose. Nothing in reality rendered legitimate government so insecure as extreme ignorance in the people. It was that which yielded them an easy prey to seduction, made them the victims of prejudice and false alarms; and so ferocious withal, that their interference in a time of public commmotion was more to be dreaded than the eruption of a volcano.

The true prop of good government was opinion-the perception on the part of the subject, of benefits resulting from it; a settled conviction, in other words, of its being a public good. Nothing could produce or maintain that opinion but knowledge. Of tyrannical and unlawful governments, indeed, the support was fear, to which ignorance is as congenial as it is abhorrent from the genius of a free people. Look at the popular insurrections and massacres in France: of what description of persons were those ruffians composed, who, breaking forth like a torrent, overwhelmed the mounds of lawful authority? Who were the cannibals that sported with the mangled carcases and palpitating limbs of their murdered victims? Were they refined into these barbarities by the efforts of a too polished education? No!-they were the very scum of the populace, destitute of all meral culture, whose atrocity was only equalled by their ignorance, as might well be expected, when the one was the legitimate parent of the other.

Instead of sanctioning prosecutions like what the Rev. Doctor had now instituted, we ought to congratulate the nation on the extent of the efforts employed, and the means set on foot for the improvement of the lower classes, and especially the children of the poor, in moral and religious knowledge, from which much good would accrue, not only to the parties concerned, but to the kingdom at large. These were not the times in which it was safe for a nation to repose in the lap of ignorance. If there ever were a season when public tranquillity was insured by the absence of knowledge, that season is past. Every thing in the condition of mankind announced the approach of some great crisis, for which nothing could prepare us but the diffusion of knowledge, probity, and the fear of God.

The learned Gentleman then went into an historical account of the times when the Act of Parliament, under which the present charge had been preferred, was passed; pointing out its intolerance and despicable spirit; how it was viewed by Rapin, Hume, Bishop Burnet, and other writers; and demonstrated the absolute absurdity of its ever being supposed to be intended as a penal statute in a case like the present one.

The MAYOR observed, the question having undergone a legal discussion, it now became his duty, from the situation he had the honour to fill, to decide upon it. He observed, he found the title of the Act, together with the preamble and its general tenour, an Act to prevent Seditious Conventicles: and it was no doubt a very proper Act in the times in which it was passed. But he would ask, did seditious conventicles exist now? Or would any man charge the defendant with establishing conventicles for seditious purposes? What, then, was the object of this seminary? It was proved, he said, by every witness that had been examined, to be a Sunday School, where the illiterate and the indigent, the fatherless and the friendless, are instructed in the Bible-are taught the sum of all religion-their duty to God and man-is not, he observed, such a benevolent institution intitled to the highest praise? Nay more-Is it not a Godlike attribute-the author of it

following the example, tracing the steps of our Great Redeemer? He found no difficulty in determining the case-he did not feel it necessary even to consult with his colleagues.

The defendant was acquitted; and the prosecutor withdrew the information against the Hon. George Grey, for having, as charged, wittingly and willingly suffered an unlawful assembly to be held at his office.

Debates on the Penal Laws.

IN

N a former number of the Philanthropist we have seen the progress of Sir Samuel Romilly's endeavours in the House of Commons, during the session 1809-10, to excite attention to the important subject of the state of our criminal laws; the same indefatigable zeal still animates the breast of that able and benevolent statesman, and we have now the pleasure of recording, in a short historical memoir, the circumstances which have occurred during the late session of parliament.

On the 8th and 18th of February Sir Samuel Romilly repeated his motions for an address to the Prince Regent, to obtain a return of all prisoners confined on criminal charges in all the gaols of the United Kingdom, from 1805 to 1810 inclusive, the nature of their respective crimes, the numbers convicted, and those upon whom sentence of death or transportation had been actually executed: all of which were agreed to.

On the 21st of February Sir Samuel Romilly recalled to the recollection of the House the pledge which had been given towards the close of the last session, with regard to the establishment and regulation of penitentiary houses; he said, it would not be necessary for him to preface his motion with many observations, as he did not understand that it was to meet with any opposition. He then stated the different bills which he formerly introduced on the subject of capital punishments. One only, that for repealing the act which made it capital to steal privately from the person to the amount of five shillings had been passed last session. He had the satisfaction to see that, from the short experience which they had of the consequences of repealing this act, great benefits had already resulted. The very principle on which he had proposed most of these acts was, that the severity of capital punishments prevented men from prosecuting, and juries from convicting, in cases which appeared not to deserve capital punishment: and that, therefore, if this great severity of the law was done away, there would be more prosccutions, and crimes would not so often escape with impunity, or offender grow so hardened in vice. This effect had followed from the bill which was passed last session. Since that time there had been many more prosecutions and convictions than before. The same effects, he was convinced, would follow from the adoption of the other, which he now wished to introduce. The first of them, that for repealing the act making it capital to steal to the value of forty shillings in a dwelling house was last session rejected in a thin house by a majority of two. The next was for repealing the act respecting stealing on navigable rivers and canals. He was convinced that all the good effects which he had formerly stated would result from the adoption of them. He was so convinced in his own mind of the importance of the principle, that he felt it his duty to persevere in it. He had no other motive for giving up his time to those subjects, than that he thought (as the great Lord Coke had said as his reason for writing a book) that every man who had succeeded in a profession, owed it as a debt to that profession, to do something for its benefit or advancement. He felt that upon this principle, he owed as much as any man, a great debt to his profession, which he could not discharge in any better manner than in endeavouring to correct any defect existing in the law, and labouring as far as he could for the happiness and advance

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