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Spenceans, or Parochial Farmers

On Monday night, a considerable number of persons, who advocate the strange doctrines promulgated by Thomas Spence, assembled at the Mulberry Tree, near Moorgate, to celebrate the anniversary of their founder; the elder Evans was in the chair. About nine o'clock supper was placed on the table. On the cloth being removed, the following toasts were given in succession by the chairman: — "The Public Will. The source and support of all legitimate authority, and of all social institutions."—Three times three — "The Natural Rights of Man, neither prescriptible by time, destructible by the sword, nor extinguishable by tyranny."—"Agrarian fellowship, the only pure and perfect system of Political Justice, under which Equality and Freedom would necessarily and really prevail." "The Memory of Thomas Spence, to whose fearless spirit and incorruptible integrity the world may yet stand indebted for its complete emancipation from Feudal Slavery."—Three times three, with great applause. The younger Evans now stepped forward and delivered a highly coloured panegyric on the character of their founder. He stated him to be one of the mildest, and at the same time firmest and most persevering men that had appeared during his time. The next toasts were—"The Memory of the suppressed Society of Spencean Philanthropists; may its principles survive the unjust persecution by which their promulgation has been impeded"—"The Progress of Public Opinion, the sure and certain means of demolishing Social and Political Abuses." These toasts were each accompanied by a bumper of "the best cordial gin;" and Wedderburn, the "Spencean" preacher, spoke at some length, and blasphemously compared the heterogenous mass then assembled to the Meeting of "Pentecost" when the salvation of man was investigated in the presence of persons of all countries. A subscription was then entered into for the purpose of publishing their Society's songs, pamphlets, &c; and also for the support of the Chapel in Archer-street, Haymarket.