Many religious journals, and
especially the _Rock_, clamored for legal protection against such
"blasphemy." Irate Christians called at our shop in Stonecutter Street,
purchased copies of the obnoxious paper, and, flourishing them in the
faces of Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Kemp, declared that we should "hear more of
this;" to which pious salutation they usually replied by offering their
minatory visitors "a dozen or perhaps a quire at trade price." Similar
busybodies called at Mr. Cattell's shop in Fleet Street, and plied him
with cajoleries when menaces were futile. One of them, indeed, attempted
bribery. He offered Mr. Cattell half a sovereign to remove our Christmas
Number from his window. What a wonderful bigot! That detestable
fraternity has nearly always persecuted heresy at other people's
expense, but this man was willing to tax himself for that laudable
object. Surely he is phenomenal enough to deserve a memorial in
Westminster Abbey, or at least an effigy at Madame Tussaud's.

Presently our shop was visited by another class of men--plain-clothes
detectives. They came in couples, and it was easy to understand their
business. We were, therefore, not surprised when, on January 29, 1883,
we were severally served with the following summons:--

"To GEORGE WILLIAM FOOTE, of No. 9 South Crescent, Bedford Square,
Middlesex; WILLIAM JAMES RAMSEY, of No. 28 Stonecutter Street,
in the City of London, and No. 20 Brownlow Street, Dalston,
Middlesex; and HENRY ARTHUR KEMP, of No. 28 Stonecutter Street,
aforesaid, and No. 15 Harp Alley, Farringdon Street, London, E.C.

_Whereas_ you have this day been charged before the undersigned,
the Lord Mayor of the City of London, being one of her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace in and for the said City and the Liberties
thereof, by JAMES MACDONALD, of No. 7 Burton Road, Brixton,
in the county of Surrey, for that you did in the said City
of London, on the 16th day December, in the year of Our Lord,
1882, and on divers other days, print and publish, and cause
and procure to be printed and published, a certain blasphemous
and impious libel in the Christmas Number for 1882 of a certain
newspaper called the _Freethinker_, against the peace of our
Lady the Queen, her crown and Dignity. These are therefore
to command you, in her Majesty's name, to be and appear before
me on Friday, the second day of February, 1