and verily I never saw so much zeal for god in any human face before. I thought well, if any good comes out of this Nazareth, Dr. Watts is right, and that

ia godliness for which this town is famous.
The meeting continued until 11 o'clock, and
would have stayed, I believe, all night, had
I not requested them to withdraw, seeing that
the policemen (the messengers of the modern
gods) wanted me and their suppers. The
meeting was a public one in defence of civil
and religious liberty, and to take into consi-
deration the case of CHARLES SOUTHWELL. I
promised to do this when here the week be-
fore, but it was rumoured by the saints (in
glory, that of persecution) that I should not
return. The meeting passed resolutions de-
nouncing SOUTHWELL's persecution as unjust,
impolitic, and immoral in the very teeth of
my own prospective fate of the same kind.
It was between eleven and twelve o'clock
when I was apprehended. Quite a crowd
followed me to the station-house, cursing the
fiendish spirit of christianity from the bottom
of their hearts. And the most cheering cir.Bonner come again. Two witnesses were
cumstance was, that there were numerous
ladies among the concourse who had shaken
off the superstition of the nursery; their
manner told the indignation they felt, and
as their love is said to be more lasting than
ours, so is their hate more enduring. When
once they are awakened the knell of all cant
is tolled! I was seized without a warrant;
60 it seems the days of the bloodiest inquisi.
tion are come again, when the fiat of the
priest is sufficient to drag a man from his
friends and home, at the hour of midnight,
and plunge him into a gaol! when religion
is the pretext for any oppression, and the
glory of god an incentive and excuse for
any brutality! I must, in justice to the super
intendent of the police, Mr. Russell, say, that
during the first night I was treated in a very
gentlemanly manner. But to-day satisfied me
I owed this rather to humanity than the lord.
I will try to scribble you a few lines more, if
allowed pen and ink, when I return from
Yours, you know,

Behind a FROWNING Providence
He hides a smiling face.

However, it was none of my luck to see any
of the smiles-those, I guess, are reserved for
the Rev. Mr. Close. His mien was full of
fierceness, which, as he knew I was brought
up for conviction, I felt as so much demonism.
It struck me, while he was speaking, that in
the days of Bloody Queen Mary, Bishop
Gardiner would have inistaken him for Bon-
ner. And on the bench, the senior magis-
trate, whom the people here quaintly call
"old Capper," who must stand here, as I
am not familiar with him--and god, if there
be one, grant I never may-as Mr. Capper.
He and Bubb seemed to me-Gardiner and

court.

G. J. H.

Cheltenham Gaol, June 3rd, 1842. DEAR PATERSON. Don't wish you could officiate for me, as my curate, as you did in Sheffield. I would give my dinner for one of your hearty jokes to drive down the piety, damnation insult, and abuse, which has been heaped upon me this morning. Glad, too, you were not here, your blood would have been 202° above boiling heat. You know what a quiet piece of equanimity I am, but how the devil SOUTHWELL could brook the same treatment, and not go mad, 1 cannot tell. But to business. I am just returned from court. Three magistrates were on the bench. I am told, the more intelligent, and liberal ones, consequently, kept away, ashamed to be mixed up in the affair. A solicitor named Bubb opened the charge,

produced, an old man and a young one; of
the young one I thought little, but the older
one had such a care-worn face, I felt for
him-I don't think he has a bad heart. He
looked one of those fathers on whom fate and
a large family had pressed hard; his poverty,
and not his will, I think, consented to all he
said against me. Both, I believe, depend
for bread upon the Chronicle office, and Mr.
Close is said to be prime mover there, so there
is no doubt of the wheels within wheels, as
Ezekiel has it. I expect the rev. gent.
found a prosecution more convenient than
argument to oppose me with. Never was
anything more skilfully managed than the
could recollect one word, save the expressions
evidences of the witnesses. Neither of them
following produced the approval of the meet-
selected for indictment. Though the part
ing, and the part indicted was lost in that,
Mr. Henry Fry, editor of the Educational
Circular, a very respectable carver and
gilder, in the town, stepped forward as one
of my bail; and swore to being worth more
than £50, &c. I ought first to have told
you that bail to the amount of £200 was
demanded for my body. So valuable I sup-
pose I am become to the godly. But con-
sidering that I was but a stranger in the
town, with few friends, beyond those the oc-
casion made for me, it was proof they in-
tended to take good Christian advantage of
my helpless condition and keep me in their
fangs. Well, to return, Mr. Fry was rejected
after he had sworn to all the facts required,
because he said, when questioned, that to
the "best of his belief" he was worth the sum
wanted. I reminded the magistrates, as I
requested my friend to withdraw his offer,
that the evidence against me in many
parts was admitted, on the grounds re-
fused to my bail-viz., the "best of the be
lief" of the witnesses. "Oh no," rejoined

the Reverend Mr. Newall, one of the com-
mitting magistrates, " we can have no quib.
bing," although I stood at that bar: be-
cause I could not, and would not "quibble"
in answering Maitland's question. Another
gentleman generously offered his self as my
other bail, and was accepted. It was not
from accordance of sentiments, but from
humanity and sympathy for my family and
friends, that this friend came forward. But
when Mr. Bubb saw things likely to be accom-
modated, he demanded twenty-four hours
rotice of hail, and immediately Mr. Capper,
the Rev. Mr. Newall, and his brother magis
trates assented to its benevoleut propriety,
and my commitment was inade out to Glou
cester Gaol. I did think that mere respecta-
bility would, in a town like Cheltenham, have
induced godliness to, or at least a courteous
appearance, and that some show of feeling
would have paved the way to the cold-blooded
brutality of the dungeon. Mr. Capper sharply
stopped me in the midst of a question I was
putting through the bench, to the witnesses,
with the malignant remarks that, he would
hold no argument with a man who did not
believe in god." It was evidence, and not
argument I wanted, was my reply, but he
began arguing his self about death beds, and
all such balderdash, and ending as usual in
such cases, by imputing to me the worst of
motives, vanity, desire of notoriety, &e.,
when he knew I was completely in his power
and could not reply, How much would I
give at this hour to express all I felt at such
conduct. I have felt, since, a thousand
times, that expressive sentence of Thales,
the Milesian philosopher, quoted by Mr.
SOUTHWELL, in reference to Wood, the
Bristol Bonner, that the most hateful
thing he ever beheld was a tyrant ald.
I little thought then I should so soon un-
derstand this in all its bitterness. In Shef
field I became acquainted with such fine old
men, that I had begun to venerate the an-
cients of days gone by, and to regard those
men of the antideluvian world, chroniclers
of times, never to be seen by me; and having
been the recipient of their wisdom and
love, at first hailed with delight the ap-
pearance of an old man on the bench, and
from him expected kind counsel and gener-
ous advice. Oh! how bitter was the con-
trast! Adversity does not make us acquainted
with stranger men than does religion. When
being taken from the court, I saw numbers
of my friends of the over-night, whose admi-
ration of the new revelation of christianity
my case afforded, was nothing diminished.
At the station-house I was had up for private
torture, not, I suppose, having had enough
in public, where a surgeon and military gen-plicity and practicability are made evident.
tleman were inquisitors. The captain (as I
take him to be) was gentlemanly, but the

other behaved like a demon. I told him
that unless I was permitted to converse on
equal terms I would not converse at all;
still he raved on. I of course, like a lamb
at the slaughter, opened not my month,
Among other things, he asked whether
Robert Owen did not make me an Atheist.
I said no, I never was an Atheist until the
imprisonment of CHARLES SOUTHWELL took
place, and whatever of doubt remained on
my mind on the subject, was now removed
by the treatment I was receiving; that what
of god-belief might have been left in me
before, was throughly and for ever shaken
out of me then. His reply was the following
kind and Christian one: "I am anty sorry
the days are gone by when you, Owen of Lan
ark, and all like you, would be unable to hold
up your heads.” I never thought anything
so perfectly, so religiously bellish in my life
before. At this I was put into an infernal
hole with a poor miserable old wretch, it was
harrowing to look upon, the sense of whose
sufferings engrossed my own. The cell I
speak of and write in, has the fetor of
death in every corner. A grating at the top
reveals light to show the dampness of the
grave creeping up the bed, which is made of
a few boards, with a plank for the pillow-no
clothes-nothing but cold, filth, and stench.
And if bail is still refused, I expect to pass
several days and nights here. I am told
this place is not worse than others, but you
may gather from this in how nice a place I
am learning" the truth as it is in Jesus;" a
kind friend has just left me some dinner,
which, in another place, I could relish.
Show this to C. and tell R. my next shall be
to him. Cannot say more now. I have
put part of my dinner out for the poor wretch
mentioned just now; and instead of mine, I
am having a meditation on the goodness of
god-certainly of his servants-which is likely
to prove unusually profitable to me. Do
not let this meet the eyes or ears of Mrs.
Holyoake, I cannot bear the thoughts of that
yet. Yours, truly, my dear fellow,

G. J. H.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Conductor of the Oracle of Reason. SIR,-The anticipated immolation of the third victim to the brutal lust of persecution, induces me to address to you a very few lines; not with a view of inciting your readers to a full appreciation of the enor incite them to a vigour and promptitude of action mous tyranny of this last attack on freedom, nor to equal to the emergency of the case. I pen this scrap with a view to suggest a plan which I feel satisfied will be immediately acted upon the instant its sim

That there is a demand for the Oracle of Reason, infinitely greater than the facilities for supply, cannot

and where our rev. bloodsuckers take such prominent
parts! No, no! The working nien of this country
are not to be caught with chaff like this.
But I deny that either the revolution or its conse-

be doubted. That the ordinary publishing and trading channels are closed against it, is equally notorions. I propose then that each friend, to the cause of Free Expression of Opinion, shall undertake to obtain and supply twelve new subscribers; the supplyquences were brought on by the reading of the works to be continued as long only as the regular bookselling trade are afraid or unwilling to vend it.

This might be effected by those who objected to run any personal risk with perfect safety, by obtaining the dozen or more copies of publishers of others (Social institutions or classes, for example) who might be guaranteed as to integrity by the editor of the Oracle, or the nearest known general publisher of Infidel works. The persons supplied would be guaranteed by the person's own knowledge or after inquiry.

Shortly I hope to see that all will be matured; an organisation for this purpose is, I am happy to say, now in active formation. Yours, in haste,

M. Q. R. [Every week I am receiving information of the difficulties attending the procuring the Oracle; in some places it cannot be obtained at all, and in others not until a week or more after date. To remove these obstacles, the editor suggested, and I have determined upon offering the following to the consideration of those parties who are anxious to procure the work regularly: viz., To forward by post THREE numbers for every FOUR penny postoffice stamps, as may be directed. This plan will be an invaluable auxiliary to that of my friend, M.Q.R.'s, and will be readily perceived not to be tendered for the sake of profit-the three numbers just clearing a two-penny stamp. Where there is only one person, they could be forwarded once in three weeks. Letters, with stamps enclosed for one month or three, directed to the undersigned at 26, Upper Windsor-street, Ashted, Birmingham, will be attended to.-W. C.]

To the Editor of the Oracle of Reason. SIR, I perceive in your last number (June 4), an extract from the Cheltenham Chronicle, alias, the Rev. Francis Close's paper, appealing to the prejudices of "Jew-Bookers," with your explanation attached, by which it is shown that, with priestly consistency, it is very far from the truth; but who ever knew a holy bull-dog to speak truth of an unbeliever? I never did; therefore it is clear to me that it is in perfect keeping with the saintly character. Sir, it is time you set about using all your influence boldly to check the power of these demoniac fanatics. I see that another "moral Nimrod," yclep'd Standard (of bigotry) the prototype of Francis Close, has reared its head in Birmingham, in defence of that horribly stupid book called "bible;" in which the editor (a parson's lacquey) takes the pains to show the glorious progress of atheism, and its probable effects upon society to his dupes of readers, and calls upon the "legal butchers" of the people to annihilate all the cheap literature of the day, to make way for his ixpenny balderdash. In a long article, he labours hard to show that to the works of Voltaire, Rosseau, and others, we owe the reign of terror in France; just as if the middleocracy of that day in that country, any more than the same class in our own, when they wished the people to struggle for any privileges they wanted to obtain, would go to the populace of Paris with the volumes of philosophers in their hands, instead of the more genteel method of corrupting them with money and drink, as is done at our elections,

215

of these philosophers; it was the wretched misgovernment that existed, and the barefaced oppression and grasping extortion of the priesthood, that were the main causes of the popular outburst. But then, say these vicious-gerents of the deity, "they were Atheists that directed it." But I would have work ing men read any impartial account of that event (say O'Brien's), and they will find that the characters who figured most conspicuously cruel were believers in a god. But priestly cunning and dishonesty has tried to throw a veil over the bloody deeds of the" faithful" at that period, and to misrepresent the actions of those virtuous characters who endeavoured to open the eyes of the people, and stem the popular indgination; but who fell victims to the undermining machinations of our liberty-loving goencouraged the grand and wholesale slaughter of vernment. But was it Infidels and Atheists that

the Crusades? Were those priests, such as Peter the Hermit, and the kings of the earth, who led butcher and be butchered, Atheists and unbelievers? forth their thousands to the land of the foreiguer, to Or who organised the slaughter of Bartholomew, when nearly 100,000 innocent people were murdered in cold blood? I might mention the horrid massahunting through the mountains of Scotland, in search eres of the Waldenses, Albigenses, &c., or the manof Covenanters, and ask were these the works of Atheists? No; those were the works of priests, who defended their actions from that accursed book which is the record of every crime, and the authority for every cruelty.

I have often been amused at the impudence with which these holy babblers set off with the supposition have a right to express them! Now, none but in that none but those who hold notions like their own pudents or fanatics could hold such erroneous notions; but they have a purpose to serve; yes, they well know that their dogmatisms cannot stand the blinding the human race lies in exterminating their test of free discussion, therefore their only chance of opponents and annihilating their works. They must destroy free discussion or it will destroy them.

of religion, and the duplicity of its imbecile propagaBut the public are now beginning to see the errors tors; and, Mr. Editor, it now becomes you to euergetically strike at the root of superstition, for it has been, and is now, moulding the human mind to sloth and apathy. This is the inevitable consequence of its action upon a nation; or else It would," in the words of the late amiable Pemberton, when speaking ing babes dens of hissing adders, and change all the of priestly domination, "make the cradles of sleepchrystal waters of the universe into stagnant ponds and seas of putrid blood; and the monster talks of faith and religion too!" Birmingham.

THOMAS PATERSON.

[The following letter was intended for insertion in that number of the Oracle having a note relating to it: and the note was improperly inserted without the letter. But it was deemed of little cousequence that the letter was not put in, as it contained admissions of departure from principle

Or, Philosophy Vindicated.

"FAITH'S EMPIRE IS THE WORLD; ITS MONARCH, GOD; ITS MINISTERs, the priesTS; ITS SLAVES, THE PEOPLE."

No. 27.]

EDITED FOR CHARLES SOUTHWELL, DURING HIS IMPRISONMENT, [PRICE ID.

BY G. JACOB HOLYOAKE.

BRUTAL PERSECUTIONS!

MORE HELP TO THE LORD.
ARREST OF GEORGE ADAMS AND

HARRIET ADAMS (HIS WIFE),
FOR SELLING THE "ORACLE OF REASON."

home with me to fetch my infant, whilst I left four at home in bed. The man that went with me to the station was a rude fellow; he was quite abusive to me, telling me I should be locked up from my husband; saying, it was quite time such things were put a stop to. When we arrived at the station-house he would have locked me in a cell with drunken women, had I not sat down in the yard, and insisted on seeing the superintendent, who then allowed me to sit up in a kitchen, where policemen were coming in and out all night. My husband was much troubled on my account." Mr. A. was, at the time, suffering under a severe opthalmic complaint. During Mrs. ADAMS's absence from home, her kind (and of course Christian) landlord,went to the house, locked the door, and took the key away with him, leaving the children to shift for themselves.

THE bigots of Cheltenham having once buried their fangs in the flesh of an Atheist, like the tiger that first tastes human blood, they could not rest until fresh victims were furnished to satiate their sanguinary maws. Success had made them bold; strong-ribbed doors and massive dungeon-bars secured the "unresisting" HOLYOAKE; and the teaching of atheism was of course prevented, at least so thought the Rev. Francis Close and his worthy brother Newall, with the Cheltenham magistrates who presided at the inquisition at the police-court. But atheism, like the hydra, has many heads, which it will puzzle religion, with "the poor-man's church" for a club, to destroy. If public speaking be prevented, the press may yet make known the principles so much dreaded by bigotry, and denounce its villany; and so it happened in Cheltenham, for HOLYOAKE'S imprisonment was the signal for the introduction of liberal works, unheard of there before, and the natural consequences were the very general execration of the injustice committed. This speedily attracted the attention of the obnoxious few, and their sleuth-hound, looseved from his chain, was put upon the scent, and as no concealment was attempted, the

game was soon run down.

The next morning the prisoners were taken before the magistrates, and the following is the account of their examination, copied from the Cheltenham Free Press :—

CHARGES OF PUBLISHING BLASPHEMOUS
LIBELS.

GEORGE ADAMS was charged with publishing a blasphemous libel, contained in No. 25 of the Oracle of Reason.

Mr. Bubb-The prisoner stands charged with the publication of a blasphemous libel, and perhaps my duty will be the best fulfilled by merely proving the sale of the libel and reading it. It has been said that we are prosecuting here for the entertaining of opinions merely. That proposition I deny. The entertaining of opinions is not opposed to law if they keep them to themselves. If they step out of the way, and seek to propogate them by undermining the institutions of the country, by denying the existence of a god, by robbing others of "the hopes set before them," without offering the flimsiest pretext, it is the duty of all to prevent this. Such is the

vent them from doing what they believe to be their

On Monday evening, June 13th, at a public meeting called to consider the cruelty and injustice of HOLYOAKE's case, GEORGE ADAMS, a member of the Social body, was arrested for selling No. 25 of the Oracle, and opinion of those gentlemen who set on foot these he was therewith conveyed to the station-proceedings, and no clamour of persecution will prehouse. As soon as a knowledge of the arrest came to the ears of Mrs. ADAMS, she went to the station-house, to see her husband, when she, likewise, was served with a warrant for selling No. 4.

In writing to me, Mrs. ADAMS says, "I went to see my husband at the station-house, when I was detained; a policeman was sent

dnty. And if there are any here present disposed to take up this unfortunate trade, I would assure them that as long as the law punishes, and the magistrates uphold the law, so long will they bring offenders to justice So long as men say there is no god, or that the religion of the state is a farce and a fallacy, these gentlemen will not be deterred by any clamour. The libel here does this and more.