Printed Letter 

A printed letter entitled “Countrymen and Brethren!” signed “A Christian” (with “W Wood” written in Wood’s hand underneath), from Leeds, January 1794.

The final document in the volume is a printed letter entitled “Countrymen and Brethren!” signed “A Christian” (with “W Wood” written in Wood’s hand underneath), from Leeds. The letter denounces the war with France and was obviously distributed in Leeds by Wood and probably published in various newspapers as well. It is dated January 1794 and though the repeal efforts had failed, Wood still retains his outspoken opposition to the Pitt administrations designs against France. At this point, he had not yet relinquished his involvement in political issues.

He begins his letter with his New Year resolution for 1794, which was that the war with France be stopped, and he is writing to the people of Leeds to wake them up to the calamitous nature of the war.  Even though England is not being ravaged by the immediate effects of war, as parts of Europe were, its effects are still being felt in other ways.  England’s trade is clearly suffering because of the war, and the war effort itself poses a serious threat to the long-term economy because of the tremendous debt being incurred by the Pitt administration as it prosecutes the war.  As a result, taxes have been increased to help pay both the cost of the war and the debt increase.  He says that the expences of the war the past year have wiped out all the savings from the previous nine years of peace.  “What then may be expected from another, and perhaps another year’s hostilities?” he asks. He does not condone the rage of revenge that has wrecked the French government and its original constitution, but he is convinced the war will only make the country more disordered, and thus it should stop, so they can restore order on their own. 

Whatever may be the guilt of any of its leading politicians, no neighbouring power can assert a commission from Heaven to be the executioner of the divine vengeance.  Judgment in these cases belongeth only to God.  Nor is it possible for man to attempt the punishment of a guilty few by the means of invading armies, without involving, in one common destruction, thousands and tens of thousands whose hands are unstained with blood, and whose hearts are unpolluted by any civil crime.  It is therefore the command of Benevolence, as well as the dictate of Prudence, to leave such a people to compose their own differences, and to settle their own form of government.  No nation can continue long in a state of anarchy, and lawless misrule.  And whatever system of policy the French nation may finally adopt, it hath suffered too severely in the present contest, both from within and without, that it cannot soon be an object of envy or fear to the rest of Europe; the course of half a century will scarcely heal its wounds.

Wood proposes that his readers petition the King and Parliament to bring an end to the hostilities.  He says the government cannot know what the will of the people is unless the people make their voices known.  He believes that these officials, including the King, have a “duty” to listen to the desires of their constituents.  If this can be done, then Wood will be happy in knowing that an honest effort was made to end the war.

Text: Text Acts Papers, unnumbered (b), Unitarian Collection, UCC 3/6/6, John Rylands University Library of Manchester.