22 cents? This subject concerns the patriot and moralist as well as the devoted Christian." Mr. Thayer likewise "appeals to the patriotic, the moral, and religious feelings," and Mr. Mann says the correctness of Mr. Thayer's remark is unquestionable.

It is paying but a poor compliment to republican patriotism, or to the “high minded lover of his country" and moralist, to say that it consists in endeavouring to prohibit a free investigation into the merits of the established institutions and habits around him. As an advocate for free discussion, and having risked prosecution for the open vending of publications advocating the republican principles of this government in a monarchical country, I question but that I may lay as great a claim to the title of generous, patriotic, high minded lover of mankind, as any of the priests of the. Zion's Herald. As falsehood is immoral, he acts the parts of an immoral man, and is the low minded misanthropist, that endeavours to retard the progress or the developement of truth by prohibiting free discussion. As truth can only be discovered by free inquiry, it is the duty of the moralist even to make sacrifices to support it, because his interest is allied to the public welfare.

It is to the priests, and the ignorance of men generally, that we are indebted for such hideous representations of God as are to be found in the books called holy. If the print of the Bible God be a "caricature," his Bible description is one. This god of the Jews and Christians, or the trinity in unity, is sketched from Rev. chap. 1st, verse 13, 14, 15, 16; Psalms chap. 18th, verse 8, 11, and Habbakuk chap. 3, verse 4. The intolerants in England attempted to prosecute for the vending of this print; but Mr. Hobler, a lawyer, told the mayor of London, it could not be done without prosecuting the vending of the Bible, also. As well may the engraving of the Hindoo deity Ganesa (which appeared in No. 11 of the Wesleyan Missionary quarterly paper, for March, 1823) be called a caricature by the Hindoos, as this print. Both are founded in ignorance, though they profess to be emblematical. The elephant's head of the "Hindoo God of Wisdom," is as consistent as the two edged sword and the horns coming out of the hands of this print, and the custom of invoking his protection on all occasions is similar to the Christian.

Richard Carlile, of London, the publisher of this print, says, in his Republican, Vol. 13, No. 1, "I perceive it to be a fair sketch of certain descriptions found in a book which we call the Bible, and by no means a 'caricature,' nor exhibited by me as a likeness of any thing in existence.” And "the print is an exhibition of the ignorance of mankind about the qualities of those powers, or that power, which they concentrate under the name of God or Deity. By me it is meant to instruct and not to offend." And, in No. 2, Vol. 11, he says, "I have seen religious descriptions of the Bible God quite as ridiculous as this print. In one Bible, I have seen the God made with a face as the sun is drawn, and all the lower limbs clad in armour. In a Roman Catholic missal, I have seen the Holy Ghost overshadowing the Virgin Mary; and the representation was that of sexual intercourse, the middle of the body being enveloped in a cloud." (Here is Christian obscenity and horrid blasphemy for you, Mr. Thayer.) "Doctor Parkhurst has a representation of the Deity, I am informed, with four heads and a cloven foot, as mentioned in the book of Revelations. If my print of

the Deity be taken into a court of law, I must take with me all the similar prints published by other persons, and a pretty collection it shall be." His Satanic Majesty would likewise have been exhibited, if as creditable authority as a Bible description of him could have been found. Dr. Parkhurst's Deity may do for him, as it displays a cloven foot.

It is not to the example of my "fathers," or to Washington, that we must look as a proof of the existence of a supernatural intelligent being called God, but to the demonstration of the existence of such a "glorious being in whom they trusted." What knowledge have my fathers or Washington communicated to the world in proof of their Deity? None that I know of. Nor am I aware that "the light of the philosophy" of my fathers, of Washington, or of any of the priests of the present day, is any thing but "a baneful gleam, to bewilder and lead to ruin," or idolatry. If they have communicated any thing more than superstition, or ignorance, I for one should be happy to be informed. In the absence of knowledge for its foundation, it must be idolatry, and the doctors in divinity mere quacks in their profession. It is even more degrading to man than the Pagan worship of the sun, as there is more reason for feeling a reverence toward a tangible object, the source of vegetation, than in rendering ourselves slaves to the Bible Deity.

To show how deliberately these Christian editors can assert without the least inquiry, Mr. Thayer tells his readers that "he believes Carlile is not yet liberated," and that "the sale of his books was suppressed; and the Repository says, "they are the same for the publication of which Carlile was punished in England." Mr. Thayer's belief and that of the people of England are at variance in this instance, for the newspapers had much to say on his liberation, and on so extraordinary an imprisonment of six years for the publication of only two of these "same" publications-"Paine's Age of Reason," and "Palmer's Principles of Nature." Mr. Carlile was liberated on Nov. 18th, 1825. I was in company with him in April last, and saw him after a visit to some of his friends in the country for the benefit of his health. He was quite recovered, and no doubt will do the priests much more mischief. His shop has been kept open, and his publications have been sold freely before and since his imprisonment. It is one of the best book-shops in appearance and moral worth in London.

I consider it my duty to make this public statement that I did not compromise with the Dover Manufacturing Company, as the editor of the Dover Republican (or some one else for him) insinuated, by saying "the paper containing the advertisement did not reach the presiding officer in Boston until Friday last. A special meeting of the board of directors was called the same evening, and a committee appointed to visit Dover, who, by availing themselves of the mail stage, arrived on Saturday noon. The subject has since been fully investigated, and we believe the community may rest satisfied that any exertions to infuse the poison of Atheism into the public mind will prove abortive." The Repository of the 16th of August echoes the above preamble, in substance, and finishes by saying, “the Dover Republican states that the effort to spread moral poison will be ineffectual." I can assure these editors that "the community may rest satisfied" I have unreservedly sold these publications since my advertisement, (which

appeared as often as I contracted for,) and will continue to sell them, as a matter of fair play and free discussion, until I am convinced of religion being well founded. I have done this in the face of a government partly composed of a set of bloated, hypocritical tithe eaters, and at a time when the hag superstition was glutting herself with victims; and shall I be denied my right and liberty of free discussion in this so much boasted free country!

Mr. Thayer says he hopes they will frown indignantly on the wretch who has the hardihood thus to attempt the destruction of their religious and civil institutions-to invalidate the obligations which religion and morality impose and, finally, to destroy the best hopes of man as a social and immortal being." My hardihood in opposition to religious institutions proceeds from as pure motives as the hardihood of the primitive Christians in opposition to the Pagan idolatry. But what have I attempted against your civil institutions? It was your republican system of government, and the opportunity this gave of promulgating truth, that allured me to accept of my present engagement. I only wish "to invalidate" that which is ill founded, and only "to destroy" such hopes as are chimerical. The "obligations that morality imposes" I know it is my interest and duty to attend to, because on them rest the happiness and well-being of mankind. But I know nothing of the obligations of religion that relate to morality. To me it appears separate from morality-allied to falsehood; and that man cannot call himself a lover of truth, but acts immorally, who attempts to retard free discussion. Unrestrained inquiry is the only way to beat down bad systems, and make virtue predominate over vice.

It is not true that my motive was to "give myself currency" by claiming a connexion with the Dover Manufacturing Company, and "avowing myself as their pattern designer," as the Repository states; yet I will admit it may appear so. I did it as a matter of address, as the street I reside in is new and nameless, built and tenanted this summer. I found myself at a loss for a proper address: I could have given myself currency in the same way in England, if I had had the motive attributed to me; but I did not require it, nor do I now. I am sorry I did so avow myself, but it is no more than true. The Repository says, "this foreigner ought to have known, before he set foot in New England, that this is a Christian country, and that Christians look upon such men as he is with feelings of mingled pity and disgust." That foreigner knew, long before he engaged himself for Dover, the character of the place he was coming to; and, the more Christian it was, the greater the necessity for anti-Christian publications; so that "the man has certainly (not) mistaken his market." Wherever Christianity exists is the right market; and, though you may boast of your missionary progress, and reviving the superstitious and ignorant to the practice of Christianity, you only pull down one idolatry to set up another; while "infidels nearer home" are increasing, and becoming more formidable as knowledge spreads. Your "good tidings," which have been only good to the priests, and “ everlasting gospel," which will only last so long as you can keep people ignorant, have been well discussed publicly in England, and exposed as false in all their bearings. That discussion rebounds on America, and will find its way wherever your missionaries have carried their knapsacks, until the "hag superstition" be banished from civilized nations, and give place to the Goddess of Reason, which will consummate the true millenium of man.

I should suppose the Repository is opposed to the missionary system, as the missionaries might be told by those to whom they are sent the same as he tells me, that they ought to have known theirs was not a Christian country, and that they looked upon them with pity and disgust. Until I am convinced of the truth of religion in any shape, I must look upon it and its professors with as great "pity and disgust" as they say they look on me and my opinions. JOSEPH LAWTON.

Dover, N. H., Nov. 3d, 1827.

ROBERT OWEN.

WHEN we alluded to the proceedings of this gentleman during his stay at New Orleans, we were only enabled to give the substance of his "challenge" to the clergy. Having since received a complete copy, we subjoin it for

the satisfaction of our readers :-
:-

MR. OWEN, TO THE CLERGY OF NEW ORLEANS.

Gentlemen, I have now finished a course of lectures in this city, the principles of which are in direct opposition to those which you have been taught it your duty to preach. It is of importance to the world that truth upon these momentous subjects should be now established upon a certain and sure foundation. You and I, and all our fellow men, are deeply interested that there should be no farther delay. With this view, without one hostile or unpleasant feeling on my part, I propose a friendly public discussion, the most open that the city of New Orleans will afford, or if you prefer it, a more private meeting, when half a dozen friends of each party shall be present, in addition to half a dozen gentlemen whom you may associate with you in the discussion. The time and place of meeting to be of your appointment.

I propose to prove, as I have already attempted to do in my lectures, that all the religions of the world have been founded on the ignorance of mankind; that they are directly opposed to the never changing laws of our nature; that they have been and are the real source of vice, disunion, and misery of every description; that they are now the only real bar to the formation of a society of virtue, of intelligence, of charity in its most extended sense, and of sincerity and kindness among the whole human family; and that they can be no longer maintained except through the ignorance of the mass of the people, and the tyranny of the few over

that mass.

With feelings of perfect good will to you, which extends also in perfect sincerity to all mankind, I subscribe myself your friend in a just cause. ROBERT OWEN.

New Orleans, Jan. 29, 1828.

P. S.-If this proposal should be declined, 1 shall conclude, as I have long most conscientiously been compelled to do, that the principles which I advocate are unanswerable truths.

To the Editor of “The Lion.”

SIR,-Your remarks in page 644, vol. 1, on those who particularly call themselves Christians, lawyers, when clothed in power and place, and live by what is termed law, is so just, that it calls to my mind Mr. Henry

Constantine Jennings' (the curious and learned antiquarian, of Chelsea) remarks which he printed and published to give away among his friends in 1784. I will transcribe it, and if you think it worthy of a corner in your LION, it is at your service. I am, your respectful subscriber,

London July 15, 1828.

I. S.

An extract from a free enquiry into the enormous increase of Attornies, with some serious reflections on the abuse of our excellent laws. Dedicated to John Sawbridge, Esq., 1784.

"The object of my enmity is not the law, it is the wretched, quibbling, prostitute habits of its practisers, the expensive grievances of its formalities, the insolence and roguery of its professors, when they impudently reject fair sense, unless delivered in the technical obsolete jargon of a special pleader. The affected zeal, but callous indifference, with which a hungry prowling advocate, newly hired by a litigious villain (like a bloodthirsty Brabancon, gaping for plunder, eager to enlist on every side) deems himself venally bound for a paltry guinea, without the merit of personal risk, not only to browbeat and intimidate an honest witness, but basely to avail himself of a mere unguarded informality which shall yet defraud a worthy family of its rights, and effect its ruin.

"These destructive nuisances, each of which I have unequivocally experienced, and others without number, which I know exist, added to the insupportable charge of a just, though, for these reasons only, a precarious suit; these, I say, are what every honest man must of force join with me to reprobate, and what all lovers of their country should unite with one heart, radically to extirpate.

"I would commence this Augean task, with the inferior class of those devouring locusts; for their unlimited existence necessarily involves that of a proportional body of counsel. Let any man then reflect, with temper if he can, on the many thousands of licensed and practising attorneys now actually preying on the vitals of their country, and that in barefaced evasion and defiance of repeated statutes for their limitation.

Their number, inclusive of their counsel, is, I think, computed at twenty-four thousand; so that, rating the yearly gain of each, at the low average of 1301. per annum, not to reckon the mischief they create, and the loss of their real services to the community, their annual drain upon this distressed country, considerably exceeds the enormous sum of three millions sterling. Is not this serious? Can there be a more palpable proof, either of their multitude or of the wide spreading mischiefs it has occasioned, than the oppressive expedient, that men of opulence are reduced to, that of retaining, in imitation of the first Tudor, each an Empson or a Dudley? And the princely fortunes rapidly realized by these pests of society, sufficiently proclaim the iniquitous profits of their stewardship.

Lawyers, it is urged, if you have laws, are necessary to enforce them. Allowed. So in that case are hangmen; so is the gallows; and would you therefore multiply them like lawyers, at least fifty-fold upon the face of your country? Would you therefore associate the one into your household or adorn your parks with the other?

"HENRY CONSTANTINE JENNINGS."

Chelsea, 1784.

Printed and Published by RICHARD CARLILE, 62, Fleet-street, where all Communications, post-paid, or free of expense, are requested to be left.