ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the lecture by John Thelwall on ‘Civic Oration on the Anniversary of the Acquittal of the Lecturer’. In the lecture, Thelwall voices his opinion that if the Pitt's bills had been adopted without a spirited opposition from the people, the downfall of British liberty would have been complete and despotism would have been the attribute of the cabinet. He talks about convictions and principles that were in his mind when he first united with the London Corresponding Society. Thelawall also perceived that the happiness of mankind was neglected; that the advantages of a few were preferred to the welfare of the whole, from a due respect not being paid to the suffrages of the people.
