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The French Revolution (1789)
Causes
The French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval which began in 1789, when King Louis XVI called the Estates General to help manage French finances and political tension. When it became clear that the political voice of the middle classes was to remain unheard, hostilities increased, and revolt broke out. Influenced by the American Revolution and Enlightenment ideals, the French Revolution triggered conversations and debates surrounding political change throughout Europe. In Britain the Revolution caused disagreements and hostility between the ruling classes and the aspiring middle classes, much like it did for most of Europe. However, it also inspired a period of governmental terror and uncertainty which increased tensions between those who supported the Enlightenment and the French Revolution and those who did not.
British Politics
In the late 18th century, the British political system weighed heavily in favour of those with wealth and power, but the ideas of the Enlightenment began to filter through the middle classes and parliamentary reform was debated and petitioned for. This desire for reform was further ignited during the French Revolution due to the ideas of Enlightenment and the publication of Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man (1792). These ideals, those of equality and liberty, questioned the current order of society and were, mostly, in opposition to those who held power. The Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, had himself petitioned for reform in 1785, but was defeated at the time and then opposed calls for reform during his terms as Prime Minister.
The French Revolution was initially perceived as being a positive step, the Leeds Intelligencer even described the imprisonment of King Louis XVI as a “precious opportunity” that “must not be lost” (Leeds Intelligencer, 20 October 1789). However, the more violent the revolution became, the less parliamentary support there was in Britain and the supporters began to be referred to as radicals. This label was dangerous to receive as three radicals were soon tried for treason in 1794. This trial was unsuccessful but was the beginning of a series of restrictive laws that were intended to repress radical thinking.
These laws, the Seditious Meeting Act and the Combination Act, together aimed to restrict the spread of radical ideas by limiting who could meet and when. The Seditious Meetings Act prevented meetings of above fifty people when gathering to talk about church or state, and they had to gain prior approval. Parliament also took part in a propaganda campaign that spread anti-radical and pro-monarchy sentiment that ensured that those who were proposing parliamentary reform were often seen in the same way as the revolutionaries in France, and as such the Unitarians became the main target of defamation.
This restriction should have limited the gatherings of Unitarians as many sermons were utilised in the spreading of political information and opinions. An example of this is a sermon delivered by the Reverand William Wood at Mill Hill Chapel on the turn of the century. He preached about enlightenment ideals, the negative impact of those who “employ their powers for little else than mischief” and informed the congregation about the political situation throughout Europe (Wood, nd. pp. 1-24). However, he was not the only Unitarian to openly express supportive sentiments about the Revolution.
The Priestly Riots
Joseph Priestley also openly supported the Revolution and as such became a target for mob violence during the first anniversary of Bastille Day. A group of ‘radicals’ held a dinner at a hotel in Birmingham to celebrate the storming of the Bastille, an event that physically embodied the ideal of dismantling old systems of oppression. The dinner was targeted by an angry mob, they took to the streets chanting “Church and King” reflecting government propaganda and defending the order of Britain’s political system. Preistley’s house, chapel, laboratory and scientific papers were destroyed by the mob, causing him to flee Birmingham, and eventually England all together, but he was not without support.
In a letter from his old congregation at Mill Hill, Priestey found the unwavering support of the Unitarians he had inspired and developed a kinship with. The entire letter, and a more detailed account of the Birmingham Riots, can be found at the Secret Library Leeds Blog. The letter recounts the respect that the Mill Hill Congregation had for Preistley and his ideals, but also proclaims their support for the Revolution by stating that the riots “which have disgraced our country in the eyes of enlightened Europe” had left them feeling outraged (Mill Hill Congregation, 1791). The threat of being held as treasonous and open to attack did not stop the support of the ‘radicals’ or Unitarians, which shows just how firmly they held to the belief of the rights of man and parliamentary reform.
Bibliography
- Image
- Eckstein, J. (1791) Rioters at Birmingham. [Oil on Canvas] [Online] [Accessed 21 November 2023].
- Primary
- (1789) ‘France. Close Imprisonment of the Royal Family.’ Leeds Intelligencer, Tuesday 20 October, np.
- (1791) Letter from Mill Hill Chapel to Joseph Priestley. [Online] [Accessed 21 November 2023].
- Secondary
- Colley, L. (2003) Britons. Forging the Nation 1707-1837. 2nd ed. London: Pimlico
- Day, C. (2023) The 1794 trial of Thomas Hardy: ‘New-fangled treasons’. National Archives. [Online] [Accessed 17 November 2023].
- HOP (nd.) Early involvement with reform. UK Parliament. [Online] [Accessed 28 November 2023].
- Loxton, A. (2019) What did Britain think of the French Revolution? History Hit. [Online] [Accessed on 11 November 2023].
- Mori, J. (2000) Britain in the age of the French Revolution. Pearson Education Limited: Edinburgh.
- Rose, R.B. (1960). The Priestley Riots of 1791. Past & Present. (18) Nov. pp.68–88.
