HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Signal, 1848-12-22, Page 2Bost, and I have the moat perfoet codes
is its practicability. But before deeeribr
11. which t shall do as briefly sett will re
wit, and as accurately u 1 can, I mull 1
you that chi, plan a nut new; nor aur I t
Inventorthw Lwor of ILn laibeutiv0 Lel.sag
to an Bonner In Engl.ad who.. name
esca e4 my tuoruory, and apo made a r
. , 111rugtt a mons*; by that mesna, when
had been lust thought i.aprselicabfe
make a road, which was said when cu
plated to be one of the best roads thee
that put of the country. The meter
that be used for the foundation of but ro
was Baru, what to Scotland Is call
Whine, which he got bundled up like fa
gots, and 1 believe laid either gravel
sand un the top. You will say that webs
so wbus,,or broom, or heather in this cou
try; admitted, -but au have as good if n
better, for road making, and that tuu in gre
abundance and quite handy to all our road
Now for my plan fur making the Ilur
Road coutplete fur fifty years, with trieli
repairs. You laugh, but stop till you he
it, and as I ani doing it for no hire and par
ly with a desire to du good, you may l rgi
me if I err. Plane.—The road should
dug to the centre where pract cable, to t
depth of one foot, fur, ear one rod or 1
feet, or If you will 23 feet in width, my e
timate supposes the latter. The sutfa
levelled where dug, then bare ready pr
pared bundles of Brushwood, put up
bunches 8 feet long, 3 feet round, or abo
1 foot in diame!cr, there bundles are to
llrtnly waked with 4 wither on each, a
laid end to end across the road Isyi
solid oo the ground, and as close to ea
other as possible; they are to be made
fresh twigs or wattle, cut in a green
growing state, and may be in size from on
half inch to three or four inches in circut
ference; when laid they will hate the a
pearance of Brushwood logs all of the am
size, which two men can beadle with ea
either in losdiog them on slays or wagons
take them to the road or lay them in it, a
when laid, the interstices between the
should be laid with a little donee brush, an
then the ,tuff that was dug out should b
laid upon them and a little more from th
sides, till there was at least 18 inches
the clay or mud covering the brush -log
and so excluding them from the action
the air, which -if properly managed, woul
insure their lasting I think for the -time
stated, 50 yearn. The road made on th
principle could not at any time be very we
for you will obeervv that the brush -log
makes a perfect drain below; nor would
waggon wheel ever risk farther than th
brushwood,juntil it wore it through, an
that would not be easily done whilsi it wa
kept in proper repairs by gravel or sand.—
It is not my province to ay whether or not
the District Council would have the powe
to collect toll on such a road when finished
but if cot, the District would find mom
other way of paying the inane cost —
trif'uag I must call it, for several reasons
Fist, because it would allow fink and sal
and many other articles to come from Gode
rich at all times and for half of the coat 0
present carriage. it would give the forme
the chance of sending his estreat and potash
to Goderich instead of Hamilton if ho pleas
ed. It would raise the value of all the land
for many miles on every side of it from Nil
mot to Goderich. In short it would be the
meta of making the Huron District in
reality, what it has of often been termed,
and seems by natural advantages designed
to be, the garden of Umer Canada. If i
should be considered for the present tha
one rod wide of 164 feet would do for a
trial, my estimate of the costa would be re
duced one-third. I have calculated ,every
bundle of itis brush, say 8 feet long, 3 feet
is circumference, and withed with 4 withes,
and piled up at the side of the road ready for
laying, to cost .C18 13 4 per thousand or
4d. currency each. By the narrow gage,
two length', would be n.ffcient, and 32 of
them would complete the square; one rod in
length one rod in width, and the cost of
brush would be 10s. 8d. per rod; and say
320 rods per mile at 10s. 8J. per rod will
be£170 13 4 per mile, which would amount
to £10,240 for the material for the founds
tion, iso the supposition that 60 mile. were
to be done in that way. Preparing the
road, and laying the brush -loge and cover-
ing them 18 inches deep with the stuff
taken out of the foundation, and from the
sides of the road, and cleaning out the water
run or ditches on each ode thereof, can be
got dose, I Ibiok, for tis. currency per rod,
and for, es. -110 miles, 320 rode per mile,
19900 at pet rod, 44800; is whole for
comptroller, the road for 60 miles, excepting
Bridging as above stated, for the sum of
£16,040, or a small fraction over £250 per
mile; which, if 1 am erectly, informed
would not near half pay for • plank road of
the mune breadth and 1.ngth, end which for
durability, i am not ashamed to sate even
to you, Mr. Editor, to whom judgment
even in road -making, 1 am willing to pay
much deference, that with the same amount
of tear and weer, it would outlive four
Plank roads with leas repairs. i fear you
will think that I have already trespassed on
year patience and the columns of your
valuable journal. The only prospset of re-
ward I can at present hold out to you is,
that if through your publishing such com-
munications as may lead to enquiring, and
talking about the best means of laying out
lad saving public mosey. by doiag work in
the proper time and in the proper way, that
through such enquiry and talking, we may
get good roods and bridges is the Heron
District, and when these valuable blessing.
are once obtained population aril rapidly
And fur every subscriber that
sou bite now you may then hate three,
and begin to l.lk about panting by steam:
I volt now, alt your leave, return fur a
utile, to a tart..er couedet•hun cel the Dis-
trict Council wet, and hope you will Igoe
with we when I *y, that I am lolly cel
opinion that loweship Councils such as
was rutended when the moot of the preempt
Nintatry were formerly io o®ce, would he
less ex;M'nave, lees tioublesoue to the
people generally, and equally useful for all
purposes of the present law.
But should the same men be sow of a
different opieton, and should oilcloth still to
continue Dtetncta and Councils as they are,
v z: the spirit and letter of the law and the
s.ae ul the Districts, obliging those who
hive buainese to do a theCounrls as well as
members to travel, sore uf tbcut at least 50
•.r 60 miles, which I sincerely hope they
will not, then 1 think the law ought to be
amended with regard to the pay of members
of the District Council.. I thick they uugbt
to be allowed 7s. 6d. per day while attood-
ing Council, and 6d. per mile f r traveling
ezpeosea to and from the Cuuoetts. I never
will advocate the principle of giving too
high salaries to the set -ratite of the public
ebalever may be their rank; yet I will
maintain that those who serve the public in
any capacity ought to be paid for their serve•
cis a reasonable price. -
1 think that the District Council act
should require the appointment of, say three
commissioners or superintendent, of high-
ways in every township, to assist the Coun-
cillors of the towaehip. 10 apportion the
Statute labour, and to expend such monies
as may be odered by the District Courted
for the repair* of roads and bridges in said
townships, and to account for the same to
the Council through and by the township
Clerk. The Councillors by themselves ex-
pending the money that was by themselves
assessed, by settibg jobs or contracts on
tt,e road., is open to the surmises and sus•
picione that ought to be prevented. These
superintendents should be nominated by
tbe people at the township meetings, and
appointed by the District Council. I was
happy to see by a newspaper report (the
Colonia) of th. February Sessiooe of the
Home District Council, that 'Commissioners
had been appointed, for expending all tbe
money appropriated for the repairs of roads
and bridges amounting to some thousands
of pounds, in various parts of the said Dis-
trict. 1 hope the District Council of Huron
will do the same the next February session,
In the hope that at least some uf the
things that I have stated, and which 1
think would be reforms, may soon come to
pass.
I have the boar to be,
Yours respectfully,
A HURON SETTLER.
TWO COUNTIES FOR THE HURON.
TO Tnx EDITOR or Tam sour ■OLIL.
MOUNT VIEW, F.LLICO,
lith Dec., 1848.
Sea,—I observe in your last Niguel! of
the let current, that there is a notice as to
the townships of Mornington and Welles-
ley, which include a portion of country,
previously reserved specially for the Dis-
trict of Nitron by the Act I, Viet. c. 26.—
As the authorities there quoted have taken
some by surprise, inasmuch as they were
not generally known; therefore, to, con-
vince myself and some of my Waking
neighbour., 1 went to Stratford and ex-
amined the Acts of Parliament referred to,
and find that the reservation of the range of
land to the north of the District was acts -
ally given. And, moreover, that it did woiw
interfere with the District of Wellington,
as that District was originally planned; and
besides, I found that a division of this Dis-
trict into two counties was also reserved.
In•making my researches, ■ piece of in-
formation was given me, which 1 had sup-
ported would not have occurred with the
Hon. Mr. Coley, the present M. P. P. fpr
the Huron. Namely :—that although be
had brought in the Bill before the house of
Assembly on which the Act 9, Vict. c. 47,
(1846) was passed, to prevent farther en-
croachments on the tercttory to the north
of Huron; he had not made himself aware of
the claim by the llurou District to the
land where Mornington and Wellesley are,
and apparently appeared ignorant of the
same till it was pointed set to kim. It did
appear strange indeed, that he a Member
of the house, bringing in such • measure,
would not have been at the pains to hare
compared the Acts of Parliament, bearing
en the relative division of the Districts of
Huron and Wellington. But either or
both of the Magistrate/ asd Distriet Coun-
cil at their eesstona, were equally—nay
mora—remiss, in not representing the mat-
ter to the county member at the time of the
said Act 9, Viet. 47, being passed. They
were certainly supposed to be better ac-
quainted with the claims of the District
than the member. The nicety of obis/not-
ion was not even shears in judicial proceed -
Inge, for those poneaed of the means of
knowing, allowed suits or executions to be
proceeded with against individuals without
the District. What an 'emirate knowledge
they had surely of the finite of the Huron !
Again, the above Act of 9, Viet., only
gives the right of civil and criminal jirf.-
Lie/ioe to the Huron over the northern tee -
miry, No other right ia glees—not eves
tbo right, that wises a township ass sur-
veyed is it, its ishakrtasu ware to have the
privelege.f vetieg if they were qualified.—
How few words would have dose this.—
•
With what castors, y welt pnvil.Be ►eo
hitherto bees granted ! Verily, Mr. Cay
-
Iey, your liberal notleas were very scrupu-
b us ! Nor un 81.. Carley DOW urge that
an alteration thee, mould be an un .ecceaart
aterfereoee Wills the Act 8, Vic*. C. 7,
(u to fiw11. of 11) all recently passed
as in 1813; for, In same seanlun of 1846,
u the 8 Vict. c. 414 was passed, red rhe
eery act before ift'ehap. 48; there is an al -
titration of the counties of Carlotta and
Grenville, the limits of which were stated
in the 8, Vict, {j, 7. There Is thus no
excuse for Mr. Ca)ley, for nut getting ap-
propriated to the county of Huron, what
should by preview sights have belonged to
11; and ought to bare beta inserted in the
act of 1846; lied" fur the very glaring oris
sioa of not srCae q the righte m✓ voting, ID
any newly surveyed township.
But the main object of my 4ow address-
ing you is, to awaken some attention in my
brother settlers to the cost of the Dlarict,
to the contemplated beneficial measure to
be brought in by she members of Corers -
meet at the next session of Parliament, to
iacrcase the repreie tatioo of the Province
by creating new electoral divisions ur
counties, with olsrnben fur each. Aod 1
Went thaLib.to measure will not ..cape the
notice of the Division Committee at Strat-
ford, so as that sly of sur rights now ex -
may not for the time. be neglected.
Perhaps it is a matter of,superarogalion in
Inc to refer to the matter at all; but I sbculd
like the fact, in a inure public manner, to
be stated, than it ever yet has; as it is un-
deniable that a res.rvatto' for the county
of Huron to be divided iwto two counties,
was made in the Act I have before alluded
to; and what division reasonably can be
thought of, other than the sepdratiow of the
eastern portion (with Mir northern addi-
tiune) from Me western.
Who, then, will be looked toss our mem-
ber 1 Farmers .f the east—there aro cer-
tainly some amoaget us from Fullerton to
South Easthope, wbo are capable? This
is no idle question—the separation of the
District being granted, as it is most justly
expected; will be the tocsin for a movement
among the would be Conservative.. But
itis hoped that it dormers will know and do
their duty.
If it can be summed that the members of
the Executive, End out to a certain extent
the feelings add wishes of the inhabitants of
the various localities of the Province, by the
means afforded by the public press, 1 trust
that the allusions and statements made by
me, will not escape their notice—and I
think there is one among them, who from
his shrewdness lad kaowtedge of this Dis-
trict, ia able to 'hew that he is aware of our
position.
Wishing you eery success in the ad-
vocacy of the right, of the farmers sod
settlers,
1 am, sisopectfully, Sir,
A. B. C.
HURON SIGNAL.
FRIDAY, DECEM.$EA as. lime.
OUR DISTRICT AFFAIRS.
We had intended to say a great deal about
road making, but our Fallutoa correspondent
" An Old Settler," has said s seed more than
" • great deal" ea the subject, that we are al-
most at a low for aythieg to elm. We certain-
ly admit that good roads ars desirable, that they
are use of the first essenti.ls to the comfort and
prosperity of the District; and we would almost
go the length of saying that the improvement of
the roads should have the first claim in the die-
tribntioe of the taxes. But unless a di&reit
std a better method of improvement that that
hitbrrra permed, is adopted, rhes a far from
giving it the first claim, we. would hesitate in
goring it any claim at a11. if it is not ■ spoiling
of roads, it is at least a„ squandering of money.
We do tot wish :o attach blame to any party in
this matter ; we are willing to believe that those
also beet the maaagemeet of our District rade
t et for the best, according to their judgments --
Bat after visite( that we have little faith in
Iarepikiegelay roods, or in burying crossways
with mod, we may be permitted merely to hitt
that if such is to be tha mode of exploding the
taxes in future, it would be much better to per-
form the whole of this hied of road -making in
the latter part of Mar ud thebegisaieg *(Jia,
s that the clay and mud might be h*drned by
the *meati'. draught. Whoa this Mor Is de-
layed till the month of Septeibee, u it has been
this year, the heavy fall rains redoes the clay to
the consistency of ihi• mortar, and a large por-
tion of it rune back into the side ditches from
whence it was taken, rod the the labor is, io a
greet seamen, last. And at the season when
the beae6t of the improvement is most needed
ibe road becomes impassible. We *demand
that between three and four tkoussad pounds
have been expended es the reeds of the District
this year, led we think the universally admitted
fact, that the roods are ie a nuch worm eoedi-
ties them they have ever haus at any prior
period, should go far fa staying the elanwer for
gondi.g the noire local taxation ow ouch a 'To-
tem el read -madder. The idea that we will reap
the lesr8t .4 abs improvements. welt simmer,
a felleci..a Tba reeds 8..e got se nisch cut
sp that it will regain a groat deal of labor i■
leveller, to resider Arm oven passible ie em-
rsev. 1r w far as the imp.omeness etionsts in
good dela re earry the waver away free the
side' of the reed, the edemmgs will lie (.1t, het
the rest of the labor is. se say M least of 11, .f
very i.e.sodernble ►.unfit. With respect to
Me piss of taeplktag a reed with sky ted thee
eovrrlar it witb ravel, we umlaut .truer
doubts 01 its wisdom i Autry. W. shish the
graved *mid be visible ao leapt than the clay
got felly *tamed wttb raia, aad • kw imagoes
pseud over It. We bare seen it tried and
peasepe nor 101101141 rosy be er,oueoes, hat •t all
mots the e.peo.e a( eke eapenutcem atould
suggest Me propriety •( iryug 11 uo • null seek
' t kali
The gsestioa d a Pet Caart how* has created
stub ialuiet sad dt&i*aee of opieteu And .0
keg u it lay bosoms swag the room in the
goal. aad baiWieg a sew see, it might be re
garded as • ammo of opi.we is oar lucid econo-
my ; ban the question no longer retaius that
form. The Spend, we believe, ban decided that
the room la the goal ahall not m future be seed
as a Court home ; soil tit• gammon now as
whether we had better build • Coen house or
want • Court house. We already pay about
fury poued• a yes for District Oases, .u4 we
must mow pay, at lent, forty more fur some
temporary Court home, aad perhaps an smsse-
diue outlay of two kuadred pounds to render It
suitable for the propose. Thus we may safely
cakulate o• at least ninety pomade a year of out-
lay, fur fu worse accommodation than would be
supplied by • Ceara house at • cost of twelve
hundred pounds. It meat, therefore, be obvious
to every unprejudiced arcs that as • mailer of
economy—a saving of poa.ds, &Litany. and
peace—i: would be expedient to build • new
Court house, even though the amssat necessary
for rise purpose •hoald be .borrowed at legal in-
terest. We do not oak whether the DulriCl-
dividiag populatioa of Stratford are willing or not
willing ; we do net ask whether or not it would
be doing justice to them ; but we say that al-
though the District were divided to -day, though
the people of Stratford should pay one
peony towards it, if Goderich is to remain a dis-
trict town, we should, oo the principle of econo-
my, build a new Court house. We du consci-
entiously believe that twelve hundred pounds of
the sum eapeuded in tarnpiking crossways with
niud this year might hare belie profitably expend-
ed in the erection of a new stone Court house.—
IV. most here pay an honest compliment to the
people of Stratford and the east end of the Dis-
trict; by telling them that whether we vete for •
division of the District or not, we will at lent
vote that they shall have a Court house and Goal
fur their own accomrnoJatioi, and then 'very
limited premises will serve for the prosecution
sod punishment of crime •1 this cod of the Dis-
trict.
There are many little items pleat District ex-
penditure which might very honorably be dim -
pealed with, and which would aid cocaiderably
it paying the interest of the sum necessary for
the erection of • new Court house. And first,we
world ask seriously and solemnly is it true that
James Morgan Hamilton received roars pounds
• year, for being what is facetiously called " Sur-
geon to the Diaries Goal 7" We bare no ob-
jectinss to ay man being fairly remunerated for
the services which be renders to the public. We
bare so objectious: that the jrieads of Mr.
Hamilton shall pay biro forty or forty thousand
pounds* year if they think proper ; and we
have even no decided objeo;ion that Mr, Ilamil-
toe shall fill any public sfice for which he may
be qualified. But we have a decided objection.
to Mr. Hamilton, or any other man, receiving
forty pounds, or forty pence of the public money
without doing public service value for the salary•
unless tAe sad salary shall 3. gives and received
es cAarity. With Mr. Hamilton's qualifications
as a member of 'the Medical profession we have
nothing to do, but we have to do with the feet
that be receives twenty pounds • year for his
attendance at the District Goal as Surgeon ! and
we think this is the best paying part of his prac-
tice. He also is allowed twenty pounds • year I
for medicine to the prisoners ! sod we will vett-
ture to affirm that there never was twenty pounds
worth .t medicine within the walls of the Dis-
trict Goal since it was first built ! We do not
look upon this as a Job at ,the public expense; an
iniquity is only called a Job when it is out of
the ordinary *our* of iniquities, but this •p-
pointment of Mr. Ilamiltos to • salary of forty
pounds a year u Surgeon to the District Goal !
is in strict keeping with the general procedure
of the Tories, when entrusted with the public
funds;—they have no sympathy with the " great
uncultivated public," and therefore, this waste
of the public funds is not a"Job. We merely
mist est the abstract t Anshan sed ebsaadikp
endesvori•g to coerce the peculiar relit
mediae of any urau, however eat:rine or mosey
slat thew eouut.e may be 8.cb coerc,oa
absurd, became belief is au a muter
choice ; it be out a volumes eat of the will.
It stimulus bout c.artellea, aoJ CVO rlcuw mei
Alam ee.4.ece. if a alta has beer tight
believe di&reutly hew you, your perserutioa
his ianh mimeos alter tits kith, bus.... it ewe
el pistae i sad Wa ark 14444411,
+viler (w rte illi" e
tern smertwg, that whet a ane t iowu, whetb.r
is Scotland, or in the Duuicl of Bathurst, of
Drlbur.ae, er Illiroo, our general character
ef thewgb aur perfectly pew—will lo* •utht.g by
— beteg comPered with that of "A Lyme.
1. Gartland is sus .ey. .
t•
of snow!'..,rte,
a snow11SAYB roA LITTLE Doti".
soleal z•
You have a right to demand • moue fee every
shies you are vitae(' repaired to do or believe ,
ablestlet se nae deprive you of thin right. It is the
ablest swirliest your Creator has bestowed upon
Fos, sod 'robust Foe extreme it, yea will not
suly fail is fulfilling the highest duty of you
wbuilt wiser, but you will lose the bilt•f'early all
tie choice ble..iogs that your Creamer has placed
mule within your ule Eves the is.etirea►k blue-
iag of Di,tua revelation may be a dead letter to
roe except yea exercise your retst epos it
inducts
( Of all klwts meriting the exercise of ream.,
religion is the chief; and u you advance to
e wards manhood, you will discover that mankind
have all but prohibited and discarded the nae of
t reason on this important subject ; and you will
further discover the tenible effects of this nun
✓ duct. 1t is false philosophy, and it has conge-
✓ monody produced evil. 1 wish you to remember
. that 1 am not addressing you u touchers of the
Popish Cheich, nor the Epi.copaliaa, nor the
Prr.bytetian, nor any other Church. I ant
addrvwaing you as little Boys. alwgtther irrespee-
live of any peculiar religions ootiona which yew
ntay have learned. i ant aware that you oil:,
every one, learn the peculiar ontioe. of his
reapectite parrots ; and !hare neither desire oar
authority to advise you to the contrary. It is
' not my tnlentioO to teach you religious opiuioeu;
for this I am not competent. 1 merely wish to
iiuprrss your minds lith the duty and ueceut,-
. ty of exere:Cog roar reason on every subject,
mot on none more than on religion. Year reli-
-guo ails be either rational or absurd, either
booming or dim lonoring to God,—ia proportion
heat r. jour couclusiocehave resulted heata.prour
exercise et your reason. Your conceptions ant
a Dairy, of his moral government, and of your
own dvuro•nd destinies, will be esahr elevated
sod roblr, ver droveihng, and suprratitioas, ac -
ml
alter hos ea
ertctloes . rust yrresswrwa ane
him, •t *eidetic* of your cruelty and premum
toot, but it is eo evidence that ban COSY IC Lon
rue tale/. You may persecute, •ad proscribe
■od malign, and iojure biro. You may punish
and torture him till the terror or agari
of podia
tire#in iaduce• him to say p yup ..y, and to
worship a you worship ; but ,hough you should
break him on the wheel, you can never coolie hitt
think w yea AMA, till mute ruu Lave disused
his co.victioe•—and this can only be done b
bringing the proper evidence before the orisd.—
But, sesta, pesecutioo, tbr opinion.' sake, u
mast la every possible instance ; because, 1
th. member of stie Popish Church has *sight t
✓ ejwt the creed of the Episcopalian, sad tit
Episcopalian has a right to reject she Popish
creed, std the Presbyterian has • right to rejec
both,—then, coneequeutty, • fourth person has
an egaal right to reject all three ; and the mor
you multiply the number of different sects, ah
stronger is the right of rejection. So that be
O'•
M
T111 axsacut u► ■cele•.
fore any man can be justified in persecuting
another for heresy, be mus: first establish, by
principles of demonstration, that is orljwduzy.
The present de6nitioos are all arbitrary, and
limited by the views and opinions of the police
who bring them forward. It is true, the site u
persecution, so called, has goat by. There is
n ow no thumb -screws, nor racks, nor breaking
OS the wbeel,—nor faggot and stake applied as
remedies fur heresy. But it is also true—and
lamentably true—that the spirit of religious
persecution has still a readente among wen ;
and it may he token for granted that the man
who would rain you and your family, by aruus-
iog the religious prejudices of mankind against
yon, who would seek to destroy your reputation
and influence in society, by iusiouations about
heresy or infidelity, would also consign you to
the stake or the a heel, only th.t he is prevented
by the purer philosophy of the age. °
We may here observe that the word-iiifIdel
does not mean a man who retests to believe
what other people believe.—in ibis score, every
mac it the world would be ae infidel. You
don't believe as 1 believe, and 1 don't believe ae
you believe, consequently we are mutual infidels
to each other;=and so it is lith all mankind.
But that man only n an iuflJrl wLu does not
believe what he himself profraaes to believe, in
other word+, the man who is uofaitt.ful to his
own protcseion is a. infidel. We must, howe-
ver, for the honour of religion, state that howe-
ver far good meth may harp been influenced byi
:eel without knowledge to persecute and puled
what they called heretics io bygone times, no
Christian of the present age will ba•LtZef
persecution even to the extent of trjuieg a
man'. reputation. The iosioeatioos abourhaa-
I.7 and infidelity, and the nu ligoing of character
! on religious grounds, for the last twenty years.
have been confined ea.into to bad nen, who is
their hearts " neither Isar Go] nor regard man."
' Men totally destitute of all principtesof religioot
and morality, whose assumed sanctity is only
Inluatilejn their own estimation just *fust it
mrres to dusk their rillitay,—tae. woo, ,n
short, are err:! Infidels, and like our Arreiend
Inc.]i":t [omen," are is'se ao:l sa,il.lest to
their own p:..nrs-fun.
Our Reverend friend seems very eaiioss t,
teesitce his readers that he entertaus so hue -
tile tidings towards us ;, sod at we here charged
him already w,:h et 4ioil'dur•gar,! U :-side, we
shall endeavor to wbataouae our charge by
ron!rasting a few elf his friendly proles on*
wi-.h a few c( his cowardly ineinnau• Oe. In
his printed production tit the 1.3:h Septettiler,
he says, he •• attended the lecture with thy!
most charitable feelings toward, him, and with
a desire to obtrn bosh pleasure and iufsema- t
tion." In a former article we informed oar read- 1
en that he did not a:teed the Lettere, either 1
with " charitable" or with any other "fertilise"
—Le did not attend the Lecture at alt.! He,
was not within the walls of the Church that
evening ! This fact we wish to be conrtantly t
borne in mind ; Ior If it is oolr recollected that '
the ■othor of • croicism, founded oa.,8. as -1
samptions of religious heresy, igtredseeu hu
atrietures with a deliberate !ie,—consequently, I 1
the lie and the relgious profess:on pint inaettler a
forma •1r eapoeeot of the woos, ,, and go far to '
neutralise all his future statements. In hi. pro-
ducnoo of the 13th October, he say, "i have
no unkiodly feelings towards Mr. Macqueen—
am not ,personally acquainted with hinm. 11
refer to it as one of the numerous instances of
Tory iniquity which the people have to support
without knowing it, and we trust the the M.g-
iatracy will take it into consideration -at their
next meeting in Quarter Sessions ; and if it i■
thought necessary to have a Surgeon to the Dir
trict Goal, we trust they will have no objection
to adopt the same principle of economy that has
been adopted in reference to the Disniet Print•
iog—Por it to n4 Offer. And Ihosgh we are
always willing to site a preference to superior
professional qualifications, yet it is quite pori- I
ble that we may get a Surgeon to the District e
Goal whose professional knowledge and obit;-
ties will suffer nothing by being compared with
the 'ointments of Mr. Hamilton ; and we veo• •
tare a conjectsrs that at least twenty posed. a N
year may be saved by the change. .11...r This
most not be lest sight of t
"A LAYMAN."
a
Ameng the multitude of atrocities that have R
been perpetrated in the name of religise,•the h
moa wicked sod desolating has been that of tb
perecetios for option's ask. ; that i., the is
attempt of one mw, or one party, to control the o
opinions of otiters in w.ttwe qj faith. The et
progress of wifaee asd civilisation bus bees more
ohetrseied by this spirit of ietekrot presump- or
Imes, than by all other cane.; the adeaeeement di
of tree rebgioa has bees retarded by it ; human
happiness has been dimieiahed, and human
wretcbed.fes lad suffering have been loelder-
l.bly aggranwd by ,t . and, in short, its records
are wduee is chanters of blood in every
century where the Christian renews has been
promdpted. To expose the 1,1.1117 of it, se-
thisg more is necessary than a bore statement
et the feet, chat after matey ages of gross cruelty
sad operewoa, practiced oe meakfad, with the
istenli.s .f pre...clog a seiformity of belief,
there is as thin roonw.t • greater diversity .I
plains is matters .1.peeelatle, faith, than
ever vxteesd at tasty prow period et ser history.
We have not the slightest utei..a of enter•
taiaag ear readers with a pokaleal d'.quiefties
ea all se may of the ,hausesd meow as dogs*
.f .psuslauv. 'Orgies with which whisd
have mitered seeh sth.r. Ws wish merely ely es
cor,iing as your frescoing posters are exercised
nn the volume of Retelation. ' Tbts volume has
' Leen in the possess:un of warikiud fur eighteen
hundred yearn, and yet there are few u( as d..c-
' Lines upon which nuokind are agreed, and
their differences on these doemoes are the foulest
1 plague -spot on human society. Religious sec-
taiuuiam is not eo'y the heaviest borthen, in a
peruoiary point of view, which society has to
Liar ; but iria'miso the must bitter and implr-
1 cable spirit that takes pnesesvios of the human
mind. It may be honestly Ieggrded as the a -arse
of the eirili:rd leurld. 1t was first iotroikeed
by a perversion ora.glect o1 the powers of ver
json, lad it is perpetuated by the same cause.
There was a time when the esercise.o( resin
, iso- relgious aebjects wit entirely prohibited,
sail that prohibition was chericterired by whet
i has Leen rmphaiicsily c.I1ed the •• Dark Agee,"
1 when what wan denominated rel•.gion, wait no-
thing more thee a emetic ma.s of corruption,
mental prostration, super•titioo, and mystical
' ebominatioas. This degraded slam of society
I might be rrguded se the pesalty of by
' Dome Goodness to the neglect of the highest
faculty of our eaterr. The *roe error, io • less
nti..nel•f inrnl. p re, •des the Ifilglaue w•.,W at
t:.i• Vorn•..: ■n.! :1r penel'r is: sefn ,n The h•t-
:-r sn.nloei::^f,,: too -term :sin to which I :.s..
a:,a;rd. The Mal.olnetas iu•trmets his children
So eke deetriees and duties of the Aleoraa, and
an..,,. them that these are divine truths, and
that they have no right to dispel* or reason upon
then ; Met most lust receive look believe them
In.pikitly, or incur the penalty of the Dittos
d,spteasure. The nwrnber of the Popish Charch,
the English Church, the Scotch Church, sad
the other nrioua sect*, instruct their children in
their own rr:pective versions of Christianity.
Each one tells his sou that Illiterate the correct,
the evangelical views of the Divine recur) ; and
tbongh he does not exactly prohibit his son from
exercising his reaeno upon the .al jeer to a cer-
tain extent,—yet he insinuates that ouch exer-
cises is useless if not positively dangerous ; std
elle him that these yiews.re absolutely correct
because they have been cherished as sacred Ly
multitudes of good and aloe mea (or many
this is the argument of the Popish Church, of
be Presbyterian, of the E.iseop.lian, and of
linost every other church, and I doubt not 8 is
advanced aith equal eincerity by ails L would
be not only uncharitable, but •dao unresoaable
to suppose that any man would be insincere in
ruching his own children doctnues that were
o effect their weli•being in eternity. Re must,
herefore, give them all credit (or the sincerity of
heir conduct while we unhesitatingly deny the
propriety or the Millet -Of it. The fact of your
fathers knowing the evidence by which their
peculiar religious notions are supported, is no
evidence to you; neither have you any meet mit
believing troth upon moth evidence, more than
if you had believed error oe the same ground.
Yoe are believing on the teetimony of your
fathers ; and the children el error are clinging
to their errors and believing them to be true on
the very lame species of eridsace.—semely,
the icetimony of their fathers.
As 1 formerly ebwreed, this probibition,e( the
ee of neon, oat religious *bjeen, is (*1..
phitoaophyxercis; and so lost a it is tottiaued, ,trot
will be perpetuated: and the religious world
will continue to exhibit the *me anomalooe
aapeet,—the same sectarian ittollerasee, jeal-
ousies, htatberninge, and bittereee, which it
exhibits at present. in feet you elation knew
the difference between the greet truths of Cbde•
tient', and the gross rorroptisea ■td erases of
the Church, except through the exercise of ass
reason. You cannot eves kaww the differs,*
between the value of tha Christian Santora
and the rales of the M•heaeme sesiptsres
eaeept by soMa
ng them, sled by .empor(.t
the respective es' *nee epee whish they set.,.
ally rest their claim. to dries origin. 11 la
not aely your right, but year ditty to **arch, sad
esaesiue, ad ssralinise, ant sly the partiedee
doseri.m which aro offered for year adoption, hot
al* the Sanctum from which thaw de*ops.ts
are rake Yes did net wlm*es tMINr reced-
ed ,a thine &rapiers.: u04, tk.1.0.1 is ie
your duty to exam,* the •r.deetseetpan WWI
Toe are required to believe term. 1t is se sem. '
outman repo.! be tette, if u a disriwrtias 1 need s
or Corel ! " Among the multitude of rillians t
who bare .,.graced the name of wan, ere have
Tway. regarded Judas lscariot as the chief.
of exactly becade be betrayed his Muter, hat
because be did it with a fir. Our tonnory does
af, at pretest, furnish es with the name of any
chertnsfcaion of malignity with which
we ansa, eraf..tely, compare "A Layman"
s the same of Jades Iscariot. Our pions and
everend friend here offers as the Liss by saying
e has no unfriendly feelings towards us, and
en he bequeaths ss the traitor's nab, by tell -
g his reader. that if common report be true,
sr aegeeiotance is a distioctios not to be cov-
ed ! fled he raid that we had killed some.
body ; that we were a thief, a liar, • drunkard,
a gross blasphemer; h.d he charged a with
*honesty in our dealing., or with practical
wickedseas in ser conduct; or had he made
any distinct accaellon against ss,—we might
have bees able to refute it or give an explana-
tion ; at ill error., the public would have had
an oppottnnity of considering the probability of
its correetnes.. But "A l.ayinan knew we
were comparatively • avenger in Goderich,—
he had tie 41.1 .ct charge to prefer, and hence
his malignity suggested the cowardly imlina-
tioa af'• Cowmen report." We hare lever
glee ourself net sea paragns e( piety or morel
exeellesee We have 160.11, fathers, bet they are
sot hidden—the, are well kewn to every man
mid woman .8. ksows the man . end they are
* well knows le Goderieh se is an, other place
There is at tie particle of the beide", meet►,
white -(seed hypeeritieel sesasdrel in oar w►ek
eampeition We have alway..radied to keep
ser kelt* da the fere-grsaad of sear rhsrerter'.