If our landed gentry persist in keeping the tax on bread, they will soon have more to pay for Poor Leys, and riotous conduct, than they receive for extra rent. It is the interest of the rich to see there is employment for the poor; particularly in this country, where property is pledged to the poor if needed. The price of provisions must be subject to the price of goods. With bread untaxed our vastly increased population would be enabled to manufacture for all the world. Our climate, skill, and industry, place us in this highly important eommercial situation.

Landed and commercial men ought to go hand in hand. By enabling the working man to live on such wages as the manufacturers can afford to pay all would be harmony and prosperity. Ministers are commended for taking restrictions from trade. Corn is as much an article of trade as calicos; and foreigners cannot buy our calicos, if we cannot buy their corn. The French Ministers have shown themselves a century behind ours, in not agreeing to Mr. Huskisson's liberal commercial offer. It is as foolish, as if a grocer were to say to a draper, I will not buy your cloth. The draper says, then, I will not buy your sugar. So they are stupid enough to starve each other.

The persecution we must suffer from our friends for a conscientious holding of opinions, compels many of your friends to withhold their names from the public. The fault is theirs, and not ours.

With sentiments of the highest esteem,

I am, dear Sir, yours truly,

FIDELITAS.

TO MR. RICHARD CARLILE, FLEET STREET,

LONDON.

WORTHY CITIZEN, Bolton, Jan. 31, 1826. YESTERDAY, being the day appointed for the celebration of the birth of Thomas Paine, a number of his admirers met in this town for that purpose. The writings of Mr. Paine have had a most powerful influence, in softening people's minds, and in staying the iron hand of persecution for speculative opinion. They are every day making fresh inroads on the strong holds of ignorance and superstition. It is now scarcely possible, for any person not totally devoid of rationality, not to feel the utmost contempt for the book called the Bible, when put forth as a book of superior instruction. We had a more numerous meeting than was at first expected; it not being generally known that there was to have been any thing of the kind, until a late hour of the day. To me, it is a most pleasing circumstance to relate, that one half of the persons present never attended any of the preceding anniversaries, and the half of these, were entirely new converts. Mr. Richard Whitham was called to the Chair. He addressed the company in a very appropriate manner, stating so them the intention of the present meeting; and concluded with a high eulogium on the character and writings of Mr. Paine.

THE FOLLOWING TOASTS WERE GIVEN FROM THE CHAIR.

1. The immortal memory of Thomas Paine; may the sons of liberty ever cherish his name.

Song. "To the memory of Paine," composed and sung by Mr. Robert Blair,

SONG,

TO THE MEMORY OF THOMAS PAINE.

Sung to the well known tune of "The hills of Traquair."
Adieu to ye PRIESTS, and your crafty inventions,
The dark days of ignorance swiftly pass o'er,
Knowledge, unveiling your evil intentions,
Proclaimeth to man he's in thraldom no more.
But while we do sing, let us fondly remember,
The man who so justly despised your reign,
And strove in his time to awaken from slumber,
A Priest-ridden world,—it was GREAT THOMAS PAINE.
Let hypocrites smile with a sarcastic scorning,
Or let them declaim with their interests in view,
Their art and vile sophistry taint not the morning,
Which rises toward day on the path we pursue.
Their bodies to ashes will moulder neglected,
Their names will but live to be heard with disdain,
When monuments high, and with sculpture reflected,
Will rise to the memory of GREAT THOMAS PAINE.

The page of hist'ry most strongly evinces,
Since priests had the power to hoodwink and trepan,
That peace was destroyed by soul-saving pretences,
And shocking barbarities wrought upon man.

His blood they have shed with a direful effusion,
PRIEST-taught, he believed, it was "heaven" to gain
To free him from bonds of such mental delusion,
Up rose the intrepid, and GREAT THOMAS PAINE.

All true honest hearts must detest a religion,
That serves to enslave both the body and mind,
Supporting a PRIEST-HOOD, a baleful contagion,
That greatest of evils which prey on mankind,

But science, advancing in rapid progression,

Shall not diffuse her lustre in vain,

Fair freedom shall smile yet, in every nation,

And bards sing the worth of the GREAT THOMAs Paine,

ROBERT BLAIR.

2. The people-the only legitimate source of power.

3. The universal liberty of the press--may its congenial influence speedily uproot every species of priestly and kingly tyranny.

4. Mr. Richard Carlile, the HERO of Dorchester, may the noble example which he has shewn to the world, be a stimulus for every true Republican to follow; and may his future exertions in the great cause of philanthropy be as speedily crowned with success.

5. Messrs. Campion, Hassell, Perry, Clarke. Jeffryes, Christopher and Cochrane,-freedom of mind's undaunted Champions;-to whom the horrors of a British Inquisition had more pleasing attractions, than the liberty of locomotion, with " think what you will, but utter it not."

6. Mrs. Carlile, Mrs. Wright, and Miss Mary Ann Carlile, may they live to see their Christian Judges brought to trial before a Jury of their

own sex.

A caricature, or rather a true description of the humorous manner in

which an old Scotch Presbyterian is at the present day, in the habit of performing family worship, by Mr. William Hogg.

7. The Reverend Robert Taylor and the Christian Evidence Society.May its beneficial effects soon spread themselves through every part of the British Empire.

8. The immortal memories of Palmer, Mirabaud, Volney, Voltaire, Helvetius, Byron, Shelley, Diderot, D'Alembert, Meslier, and all those distinguished philosophers whose writings have contributed toward the advancement of human improvement.

9. The Age of Reason, Republican, Clarke's Letters, Newgate Magazine and Palmer's Principles of Nature.-May they become as universally read, as the Bible, Prayer Book, Confession of Faith and the Koran. Song by Mr. Thomas Pye, "The Bible expedition O."

10. The Republics of North and South America,—and may their example be speedily followed.

11. Messrs. James and Robert Affleck's of Edinburgh.

12. Mr. J. Dixon, Editor of the Bolton Chronicle.

13. The Messrs. Hunts, Editors of the London Examiner.

A variety of other toasts were given by individuals, one of which is worthy of being preserved. It was given by Mr. Edward Hamilton, who has not been out of the trammels of Priestcraft more than six months :"May the religious part of mankind be soon restored to the use of their reasoning faculties, and experience the supreme blessings which the man enjoys, who believes in neither GOD, DEVIL, HEAVEN, nor HELL."

Many songs were sung and the 'whole concluded with Holy Willies's prayer, in character, by your sincere admirer and well-wisher,

JOHN CAMERON.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE REPUBLICAN.

SIR, Bath, Jan. 30, 1826. A FEW of the friends of the principles of the "Noble of Nature" Thomas Paine assembled this evening to commemorate his birth. We cannot at present boast of numbers, but are well assured of the zeal in the good cause of all present.

With what pride do we contemplate the benefit which mankind has derived through his writings, aided and assisted as his works have been, by your magnanimous bravery in combating the Hydraheaded monster Priestcraft, Corruption and Bigotry. Posterity alone will be enabled to estimate their true value. We feel our chains lighter, when we view the rapid strides which have been accomplished towards free discussion. A few years ago we dared not to have thus assembled, to give vent to our feelings, without being in danger of the pillory and the dungeon.

We hail this morning star as a harbinger, of a bright and resplendent sun, which will shine on mankind and ripen their intellectual seeds into maturity.

We have not forgotten your imprisoned Shopmen, who have so courageously joined in the good fight. Although captured in the combat, they will return from their captivity with powers in

creased a hundred fold. We have added our mites towards paying for a good dinner, which we doubt not you have provided for them. Signed on behalf of the meeting.

THOUGH the weather was most appalling, as to leaving home, on Tuesday night last, this assembly was well attended. The interest of the discussions seems to grow, and the Reverend Secretary, I perceive, is seeking to mingle his flock with the flocks of other pastors; not, I trust, to verify the adage, that one scabbed sheep corrupts a whole flock; but to carry a mental medicine among flocks already scabbed from head to foot. A correspondent mentioned last week, that certain dissenting clergymen had announced their intentions, to preach to mechanics on the evidences, or want of evidence, in the Christian Religion. The Rev. Mr. Taylor calls these gentlemen, who have thus advertised themselves, the new twelve apostles; and he also honours them with his hearing. It appears, that one of them, a Dr. Styles, aware of his auditor, did not scruple to become personal, and the consequence has been the following letter from the Reverend Secretary, which forms, at least, a good joke.

I have not room, this week, for the Reverend Secretary's oration, of Tuesday night last, but I am informed, that it had some peculiarities, as to force and manner of expression, which cannot be described on paper.

R. C.

COPY OF A LETTER SENT TO THE REV. DR. STYLES, OF BRIXTON.

REVEREND SIR, YOUR very severe and personal reflections on me and my conduct, delivered under privilege of your pulpit yesterday evening, give to me a right to address you, and a claim on your consideration; of which right and claini, I avail myself, not indeed to offer any thing that may retaliate on your feelings, but solely to protect my own from any appearance of obtrusion and impertinence, which might be objected against me, if no such right and claim existed. He who brings public accusations, subjects himself to be replied to, and is bound to endure that reply. Against me, Sir, you have brought the charge of hypocrisy; and in the torrent of your eloquence have spared no epithet of scorn and hatred that could vent your own vindictive feelings, or excite those of your auditors.

In reply, Sir, I only. beg the justice of being allowed, without offence, to vindicate myself, and to assert with modest confidence, that " Hypocrite I am none." A hypocrite is one by whom mankind are deceived: are they deceived by me? He is one who would have men take him for what he is not. Has the Rev. Dr. Styles taken the Rev. Robert Taylor for that which he is not?

But it is this little adjunct to our names which it seems has given you offence; and you are angry that the distinction of the clerical character should be retained by one who, you suppose, does not believe in the Christian religion: but, Sir, unless you can shew that the title of the REVEREND does flow from the Christian religion, the renouncing of that religion will constitute no reason for renouncing that title.

If it be an honour, which the gratitude of society renders to those whose life and labours are devoted to the dissemination of just principles; to exalt the tone of public morals; to beat down falsehood, and to set up truth-it is mine, and I will have it.

If it designate our faith in Christ, I shall not quarrel against your pre-eminence; only taking leave to suggest to your introspection, that from what you delivered last night, the more intelligent of your auditors would suspect that when my faith shall kick the beam, a butterfly's wing will weigh down yours. So far am I from holding the title of Reverend with a view to deceive mankind, that I hold it solely as a means to undeceive them, and with no farther regard to myself than to take from those who seek it, a pretext to fasten dishonour on me, and to imply what I will never give them power to prove, that there is any passage of my life that needs to be concealed.

I have never incurred the Church's censure, and never deserved it; I am, therefore, not going out, and it is not in the