Appendix to the lecturers lectured.

  • Roberts, Samuel, 1763-1848.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Appendix to the lecturers lectured. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

    5/8 (page 5)
    any regard either for the public or themselves, they would give it up. The result is well known. I had, as they well knew, my hands tied behind me; and, therefore, though I knew pretty well what was going on, I have, I believe, scarcely ever mentioned the subject since to any one, till the occurrence of the late riot. So far, then, I think it will not appear to any one to have been my fault. Nei- ther, I apprehend, will the proceedings which have taken p\ace there since they have had the premises, be attributed to me, any more than their having put persons in the possession of the premises, whose character and conduct were the immediate cause of the riot. The strong, and long continued exertions which I made before the passing of the Dissecting Bill, to prevent the enacting of a law, which appeared to me, so cruel, so un- just, and so wicked, must be remembered by a great pro- portion of the readers of this. I believed that, being at complete variance with what God requires, viz.—justice, mercy, and humble obedience, it never would, never could, prosper. The oppression of the poor has always been the pre- cursor of national tumult and national destruction.— There is no one in this town who has dared, as I have done, boldly and explicitly to condemn the conduct of the lower classes here, whenever they have suffered themselves to be misled to do wrong, by those whose motives they have since learned more duly to appreciate. I, then, am, in a particular manner, called upon to come forward with equal boldness to defend them, as well as I can, from the oppression and wrong of the higher classes. For the former, I can make many allowances, for the latter, I can make few, or none. The lower classes in this kingdom (I include nov7 all who of late have been termed opera- tives,) are like a high pressure engine, possessing almost enormous power, and while not oppressed, constantly exercising that power for the public good; but too much may be laid upon it. If forced beyond its powers, nay, if it be forced even near the extent of its power, and any neglect, or accident to the safety valve occur, the conse- quence is an explosion, attended by destruction to all within its reach. Unhappily, our Rulers, for some years past, have been so inattentive to this truth that they have blindly and stupidly been framing, and passing, Bills for the oppression of the poor, which are as inexplicable as they are base, cruel, and impolitic. In fact, there has been but few in- telligible bills passed during the last four or five years. I shall particularly instance the Chimney Sweepers' Bill, the