W. Moorhouse and John Houghton to William Wood 11 June 1792

fol. 126. MS. letters of resignation from W. Moorhouse, Huddersfield, and John Houghton, Huddersfield, to William Wood, Leeds, 11 June 1792.

Revd Sir

        Being absolutely prevented, by bodily Indisposition, from attending at Bradford on 14th Inst. wod beg leave, by your hand, to communicate a few Thoughts to the Meeting which I intended to have delivered in Person, had Providence permitted. 

        I know almost Nothing of the Sentiments of the Party with which I stand connected, but for my own part, am come to a conclusion (except some unexpected Changes take place) to decline both Committee and general Meetings of this nature.

        My Reasons are 2 fold; First, the original Object of our Wishes viz, the Repeal of Test and Corporation Acts, seems to be at a far greater Distance than it was many years ago--No rational Prospect appears of obtaining it in the present Generation, so that our Meetings seem not to answer any End deserving of the Time and Expense – we only bring down national Odium, without doing ourselves any Service.

        We were surprised to see, that at a Time when the greatest Unanimity of the three Denominations was professed, and Measures taken to bind them in one compact Body, in order that they might act in concert, and to the least Effect, the unitarians have lately made Application to Parliament for a Repeal of all penal Laws, in their own Name in particular, and in the Name of other Denominations of Dissenters in general, by which we appeared in the eye of the Public as a Party concerned, though we were ignorant of any such Design.

        Such a step is not only a Manifest Division of Parties, but has also rendered all future Efforts very doubtful as to their Success; and if such Measures are pursued, we do not know what kind of Applications to Parliament we may be supposed to sanction, by our being connected with those who make them.

                I am, Revd Sir

                        very respectfully

                                    Your hume Servt

                                                    W Moorhouse

Revd Sir

        For the same Reasons expressed by Mr Moorhouse, I beg leave to decline being any longer one of the Committee.

         I am Revd Sir yours respectfully

                                                John Houghton