to proscribe and punish them in the lump for a presumed delinquency, of which perhaps but a part, perhaps none at all, are guilty, is indeed a compendious method, and saves a world of trouble about proof; but such a method, instead of being law, is an act of unnatural rebellion against the legal dominion of reason and justice; and this vice, in any constitution that entertains it, at one time or other will certainly bring on its ruin.

We are told that this is not a religious persecution; and its abettors are loud in disclaiming all severities on account of conscience.  Very fine indeed!  Then, let it be so:  they are not persecutors; they are only tyrants.  With all my heart.  I am perfectly indifferent concerning the pretexts upon which we torment one another,—­or whether it be for the constitution of the Church of England, or for the constitution of the State of England, that people choose to make their fellow-creatures wretched.  When we were sent into a place of authority, you that sent us had yourselves but one commission to give.  You could give us none to wrong or oppress, or even to suffer any kind of oppression or wrong, on any grounds whatsoever:  not on political, as in the affairs of America; not on commercial, as in those of Ireland; not in civil, as in the laws for debt; not in religious, as in the statutes against Protestant or Catholic dissenters.  The diversified, but connected, fabric of universal justice is well cramped and bolted together in all its parts; and depend upon it, I never have employed, and I never shall employ, any engine of power which may come into my hands to wrench it asunder.  All shall stand, if I can help it, and all shall stand connected.  After all, to complete this work, much remains to be done:  much in the East, much in the West.  But, great as the work is, if our will be ready, our powers are not deficient.

Since you have suffered me to trouble you so much on this subject, permit me, Gentlemen, to detain you a little longer.  I am, indeed, most solicitous to give you perfect satisfaction.  I find there are some of a better and softer nature than the persons with whom I have supposed myself in debate, who neither think ill of the act of relief, nor by any means desire the repeal,—­yet who, not accusing, but lamenting, what was done, on account of the consequences, have frequently expressed their wish that the late act had never been made.  Some of this description, and persons of worth, I have met with in this city.  They conceive that the prejudices, whatever they might be, of a large part of the people, ought not to have been shocked,—­that their opinions ought to have been previously taken, and much attended to,—­and that thereby the late horrid scenes might have been prevented.