fol. 8. MS. copy of letter from William Wood, Leeds, to William Wilberforce, with duplicate to Henry Duncombe, 24 April 1789.

No. 1   Copy 

Sir

        At a public meeting of the three denominations of Protestant Dissenting Ministers in the West Riding of the county of York held at Leeds this 24th day of April 1789, it was unanimously resolved to request the members for this County to support an intended application to Parliament for the repeal of the Corporation & Test Acts.

        And in support of this request, we beg leave to observe that we submit the justice & propriety of the application to the calm decision of every unprejudiced mind.  We are confident that as Protestant Dissenters we hold no principles inconsistent with the character of good citizens.  We by no means presume to make any personal claims to places of trust & profit under the crown; we only wish the royal prerogative may be unrestrained, with respect to us as well as others of our fellow subjects & that our gracious sovereign may employ in his service such Protestant Dissenters as in his wisdom he may deem possessed of the requisite abilities & integrity, and we apprehend that our Episcopalian Brethren, when they have more fully considered the subject, will feel no jealousy of an application, which is in its nature entirely civil, & has no tendency to endanger the security or disturb the peace of the established Church.

        Your attendance & support when the Bill is brought into the house will highly oblige a number of your respectful constituents in the populous part of the County.

        Signed by order

                        William Wood, Chairman of ye meeting

Leeds April 24. 1789.

Duplicate to Henry Duncombe Esq