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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 fmm A D DRESSES, c REMONSTRANCES, o AND P E T I T 1 O N Sj Commencing the 24th of June, 1769, Prcfcnted to the KING and PARLIAMENT, from the Court of COxMMON COUNCIL, AND THE LIVERY in Common Hall aflembled, W I T H H I S MAJESTY'S ANSWERS; LIKEWISE The S P E E C H to the KIN G, Made by the late Mr. Alderman BECKFORD, When Lord Mayor of the City of London. r1 1^^ ■1 I < 4 ( 1 . ■ Mil! Printed by Henry Fpnwick, Printer to the Honourable City of London, - -^ ■? I ^ Ol 01 I ■!& 3 ] E S D A I L K, M^iyor. A Common Council holdtn in the Chambi-r of the Giiildha I f)t-' the City oi" Londf/n. on F' /- .^^^•,rhe Twenty- Icventh Day ct' MarcL\ ' 7 7 -• ORDERED, Ihnt the AdJidlts, Remon- ftranccs, and Petitions, covimcncin:.^ the 24rh V of Junr,^ lybg^ which have been prelented to the Throne from this Court, and the Eivery in Common Hall aliembled, with his jMajeliy's Anfwers thereto ; as likewise the Speech to the .Kincj, made by tlie late Mr. Alderman Beck- fcrdy when Lord Mayor : And alio the Peti- tion ?greed by this Court, on the Third of JuKe^ i774» to ^c pre fen ted to the Houfe of Commons againit the j^ei^ec Bill, be printed in Odavo, neatly bound, and a Copy thereof lent to every Member of this Court, R I X. II f E S D A I L E, Mayor. A Common Council, holdcn in the Chamber of the Guildhall^ of the City of London^ on Friday^ the loth Day oi April ^ ^ll"^- ORDERED, That the Engac^ement to be en- tered into by the Reprelentatives of this City in Parliament, fettled by the Livery, in Common Kail alTembled, on the loth of Marcb^ 1773 ; the inftrudions to the Rcpre- fentatives, agreed to in Common Hall, on the 24th Q^June following -, the Letter from Fran- A 2 cis t^i P [ 4 ] CIS MafereSy Efq; Agent to the Protcdant Settlers in the Province of ^tdec ; and the Ai\- fwcr of the Court of Common Council to the faid Mr. M^ fires y in the Year 1775 ; the feve- ral Relblutions and Petitions from rlie faid Court to the Houfcs of Commons and Lords, on the Bill to reftralnthe 'I'rade and Commerce of the Province of AlrfJ/achu/rU Hay ; the Let- ter from the General Committee of the Alfo- ciation, for the City and County of New 7oi k^ read in Common Council, the 23d of June^ lyjS^ ^^^ Letter from Lord Hertford^ v,'ith Mr. Alderman f-Fi/kei^s Anfwer to him as Lord Mayor, read in Common Llall, the 24th of JunCy 1775; the Refoluticns thereon, and the Addrefs agreed to the fame Day, but not pre- fenred to his Majeily ; and the Refolutions on the King's Anfwer to the Sherifts, agreed to on the 4th of jftily^ ^77 5 y ^^^ Letter iVom the Congrefs at Philadelphia, and the Addrefs to the Eledlors of Great Britain, agreed to iu Common Hall, 29th Sept.t:::ber, 1775; the Thanks of the Common Council, and x.\vt Re- folution for prcfenting Dodor Price vvith his Freedom, agreed to the 14th of March, 1.776, and Dodor Prict'% Anfwer thereto -, be j-jrinted and neatly bound in Odavo, with the Ad- drefles, Rcmonltrances, and Petitions, already ordered to be printed at the laft Common Coun- cil ; and that a Copy thereof be fent to every Member of this Court. R I X. I 5 ] lli' Addresses, Remonstrances, and Petitions, &^c. TURNER, Mayer. In a Meeting or Aflembly of the Mayor, Al- dermen, and Liverymen of the fevcral Com- panies of the City of London, in Common Hall afTcmbled, at the Guildhall o^ the iaid City, on Saturday^ the Twenty-fourth Day oi June, i/6g, MR. MV/'^^/Z(?'y(f/ produced a Petition to his Majefcy, which he faid he had prepared v/ith the AfTiftance of feveral Liverymen, a Mo- tion was then made, that the faid Petition be read, the fame was read accordingly ; and the Lord Mayor objedting to the Title of the Petition^ being called. The Petition of the Lord Mayor, Commonalty, and Livery of the City ofLcndon^an- other Petition v/as produced, intituled. The hum- ble Petition of the Livery of the City of Loiidon^ in Common Hail afTcmbled •, which was then read, and upon the Quellion being put, that this Pe- tition be prefented to his Majefty, the fame was unanimoufly agre ^d to by holding up of Hands. I '.■?1 < M A3 r,' t 6 ] To the King^s moji Excellent Majejly, The humble Petition of the Livery of the City of London, in Common Hall aflembled. Alojl gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majefty's dutiful and loyal Subjeds, the Livery of the City of LondoHy with all the Humility which is due from free Subjects to their lawful Sovereign, but with all the Anxi- ety which the Senfe of the prcfcnt Oppref- fions, and the juft Dread of future Milchiefs produce in our Minds, beg Leave to lay before your Majeity fome of thofc intolerable Grievances, which your People have futfcred from the evil Condudt of thofc who have been entrufted with the Adminifbration of your Majefly's Govern- ment, and from the fccret unremitting Lifluence of the worft of CounfcUors. We iliculd be wanting in our Duty to your Majefty, as well as to ourfelves and our Poilerity, •fliouid we forbear to reprefent to the Throne the defperate Attempts which have been, and are too fucccfsfully m.ade, to deftroy that Conllitution^ to the Spirit of which wq owe the Relation which fubfiils between your Majefty and theSiibjc6l'Sof thoie Realms, and to tub vert thofe facrcd Liuvs which our Anccitor*. haveftaled with their Blood. Your Minlllcr^, from corrupt Principles,, nnd in Violation of every D4.ity, have, by various enu- [ 7 ] c imerated Means, invaded our invaluable an4 unalienable Right of Trial by Jury, They have, with Impunity, iflucd General Warrants, and violently feized Perfons and pri- vate Papers, They have rendered the Laws non-effeflive to our Security, by evading the Habeas Corpus* They have caufed Punilhments, and even per- petual Imprifonment to be infli(5ted without Trial, ConvI(ftion, or Sentence. They have brought into Difrepute the Civil Magiftracy, by the Appointment of Perfons who are, in many Refpedts, unqualified for that im- portant Trufl, and have thereby purpofely fur- niihed a Pretence for calling in the Aid of a mili- tary Power. They avow and endeavour to cftablifh a Maxim, abfolutely inconfiftent with our Confti- tution •, " That an Occafion for effe6tually em- ploying a military Force, always prefents itfelf, when the Civil Power is trifled with or infulted." And by a fatal and falfe Application of this Maxim, they have wantonly and wickedly facri- ficed the Lives of many of your Majefty's inno- cent Subje(5ts, and have proftituted your Majefty's A 4 facred h\ • Ui4 i •J [ 8 ] fkcrcd Name and AurlinrirA-, to ']ufTify, appland, and rccominaui their own ilKgal and bloody Actions. The'v bavc! fcrccnt^d more than one Murderer fwnu Piinillimenr, and in its Place have unnatu- rally fubititutcd Pveward. Thev have edabiiflicd numbcrlcfs unconftit-u- tional Rejr'jlations and Taxations in our Colo- nics; they have caufed a Revenue to be raifed in fomeot thoin by Prcro:^:itive ; tliev have api)oint- cd Civil Law lu.ijres to trv Revenue Cauies, and to be paid from cut of the Condemnation Tvloney, • • • After havino: infultcd and defeated the Law on difterent Occafions, and bv different Contrivan- ces, both at liome and Abroad, thvy have at length compleated their Defign, by violently wrctting from the People the lait facred Right we had left, the Right of I'Lledion, by the unprece- dented feating of a Candidate, notorioufly fet up and chofcn only by themfelvcs •, they have thereby taken from your Subjects all Hopes of parliamen- tary Redrefs, and have left us no Refource, under GOD, but in your Majelly. All this they have been able to cffcd by Cor- mption •, by a fcandalous Mifapplication and Em- [ 9 1 Embezzlement of tlic public Trenfure, rnd a fliamcful Proftitution of public Honours and F,m- ploymcnts i procuring DdicieiJcies of the Civil I.ill to be made good without Exnminarion, and inflead of punifliing, conferring Honours on a Pay-mallcr, the public iJefaulttr of unaccounted Millions. . . • I ! From an unfeigned Scnfc of the Duty wc owe to your Majelty, and to our Country, wc hnvc ventured thus humbly to lay before the 1 hronc thefe great and important Truths, which it his been the Bufinefs of your Minillers to conceal. We moft earnellly befecch your Majefly to grant: us Redrcfs : It is for the ]*urpofc of Ucdrefs alone, and for fuch Occalions as the prefcnt, that thole great and cxtenfivc Powers arc cntrulled to the Crown, by the Wifdom of that Conllitution, which yourMaje.fty's illuilriousFamily was choien to defend, and which, we trull inGOD^ it will for ever continue to fuppo^^ f|:| r ' ■'II PECK. m ^ C 10 1 BECKFORD, Mayor. In a Meeting or Affembly of the Mayor Aldermen and Liverymen, of the feveral Companies of the City of London, in Com- mon Hall aflembkd, at the Gmldkall of the faid City, on rucfd.'y, the Sixth Day of March, 177°- An Addrefs, Remonarancc, and Petition to the King, being produced, a Motion was made that the fame be read, and the Queft.on bemg put by Mr. Common Serjeant, it was rcfolved in the Affirmative, whereupon the fame was read and agreed to as follows : To the King's moji Excellent Majefty. The humble Addrefs.Remo^^arance, and Petition, of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and L.very of the City oi London, in Co;umon Ilall aficmbled. M(iy ^t pleafe your Aidjclty^ WE kwe alrendv in our Petition datliully iuries we have fuftuincd. We are unw.l ,ng Cbelieve that your Majefty can Paght the Defirc. [ ir ] • i of your People, or be regardlefs of their Affe^Ion^ and deaf to their Complaints. Yet their Com- plaints remain unanfwered ; their Injuries are confirmed •, and the only Judge removeable r.t the Plcafure of the Crown, has been difmifled from his high Office, for defending in Parliament, the Law and the Conflituti( -i. \Ve^ therefore, venture once more to addrefs ourfelves to your Majefly, as to the Father of your People ; as to him who muft be both able and willing tc redrefs our Grievances ; and we repeat our Application with the greater Propriety, bccaufe we fee the Inftrumenrs of our Wrongs, who have carried into Execution the Meafures of whi ^h we complain, more particularly diftin- guiihed by your M^jefty's royal Bounty and Favour. i= ■'■■%, \ i ■',3 ■ I Under the fame (ecret and malign Influence, which through each fucceflive Adminiftration has defeated every good, and fuggelled every bad Intention, the Majority of the Houfe of Commons have deprived your People of their dearefl Rights. They have done a Deed more ruinous in its Confequenccs than the levying of Ship Money by Charles the Firft ; or the difpenfmg Power alfumed by James the Second. A Deed, which muft vitiate all the future Proceedings ot' this Parliarr.cnt, '! ^^ i «K-p-. ! , [ 12 ] IJarliament, for the Adts of the Legiflature itfelf can no more be valid wirhout a Icgiil Houfe of Gommons, than without a legal Prince upon the Throne. . Reprefentativcs of the People are cfiential to the making of Laws, and there is a 1 ime when it is morally demonllrable, that Men ceafe to be Reprelentatives *, that Time is now arrived : The prefcnt Houfe of Commons do not repre- icnt the People. We owe to j^our Majefty, an Obedience under the Reftriclions of the Laws for the calling and duration of Parliaments ; and your Majefty owes to us, that ourReprefentation, free from the Force of Arms or Corruption,fhould be prefervcd to us in Parliament. It was for this we fuccefs- fuUy (Iruggled under James the Second •, for this we feated, and have faithfully fupported your Majefty's Family on the Throne : The People have been invariably uniform in their Objcdl, thouo-h the different Mode of Attack has called for a different Defence. Under James the Second, they complained that the Sitting of Parliament was interrupted, becaufe it w^as not corruptly fubfervient to his Defigns : We complain now, that the Sitting of this Par- liament is not interrupted, becaufe it is corrupted- ■i L 13 ] ly fubftrrvient to the Defigns of your Majefty's Miniiiers. Had the Parliament, under 'yames the Second, been as lubmiiTive to his Commands, as the Parliament is at this Day to the Dictates of a Minifter ; inilead of Clamours for its Meeting, the Nation would have rung, as no'.v, with Out- cries for its Dilibiution. The Forms of the Conllitution, like thofe of ReliLnon, were not eilablillied for the Form's fake, but for the Subilance; and we call GOD and Men to witncfs, that as \vc do not owe OLir Li- berty to thole nice and fubtle Diiiindions, which Places and Pcnfions, and lucrative Employments have invented ; fo neither v^iil we be deprived of it by them •, but as it was gained by the (tern Vir- tue of our Anceifors, by the Virtue of their De- fcendants it fliall bepreferved. ; "^ Since, therefore, the Mifdeeds of your Mifjcf- ty*s Miniders, in violating the Freedom ot" Elec- tion, and depraving the noble Cjnilitution of Parliaments, are notorious, as well as iubvcrfive of the fundamental Laws and Liberties of this Realm ; and fince your Majcily, bouli in Ho- nour and Jullice, is obliged inviolably to pre- ferve them, according to the Oath m.ade to GOD and your Subjcds at your Coronation : We vour ]\]ajelly*s Remonilrants affure oarfelves, that your Majcily will reilore tlie conftitutional Govern- ment and Qifiet of your People, by diifolviiinr thib lit li a"l ,1 ■ I [ 14 1 this Parlkment-, and removing thoie evil Mlni- llers for ever from your Councils. His Majify's Anjwer^ deliver cd the i\th ^/ March, J 7 70, I fliall always be ready to receive the Rcqncib, and to liftcn to the Complaincs of my Subjects \ but it gives me great Concern, to find that iiny of them fhould have been fo far miljcd as to offer me an Addrefs and RcmonUrance, the Contents of v;hich I cannot but confider as difrefpedfd ro •me, injurious to my i*arliamenr, and irrecoucilc- able to the Principles of the Conilitution. I have ever made the Law of the Land the Rule of my Conducl, efteeming it my chief Glory to reign over a free People : With this View, I have always been careful, as well to exe- cute faithfully the Truft repoftd in me, as to avoid even the Appearance of invading any of thofe Powers which the Conftitution has nlaced in .1. other Hands. It is only by perfevering in fuck a Condu6l, that I can either difcharge my own Duty, or fecure to my Subjeds the free Enjoy- ment of thofe Rights which my Family were called to defend, and, while I aCt upon thefc Principles, I lliall have a Right to exped, and I am confident I Ihall continue to receive, the fteady and afteflionate Support of my People. BECK- [ 15 1 i'l BECKFORD, Mayor. A Common Council hoklen in the Chamber of • the Guildhall of the City of Londorij on Monday, the 14th Day of -M?)', 1770. A Motion was made and Queftion put, that an hLiinble Adtlrefs, Remonllrance, and Petition, be pi'. I'enc'.d to his Majelly, touching the violated Right of Eledion, and the Applica- tions of the Livery of London^ and his Ma- jcfly's Anfwer thereupon, the fame was re- folved in the AfFirmative; which Addrefs, Re- monRrance, and Petition, follows in thefc Words : r I I I I ? -Ill To the King's moft Excellent Majejiy, The humble Addrefs, Remonflrancc, and Pe- tition, of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council affembled. Mry it pleafeyour Majefly^ WHEN your Majefty's moft faithful Sub- jedls, the Citizens of L^/;^^);/, whofe Loyalty and AfFedion has been fo often and fo cfftcLualiy proved "J iili fell] hi r m t [ 16 ] proved and experienced by the illuftrious Houfe ot Rrunfwick, arc labouring under the Weight of that Ditpicofure, which your Majufly has been advifed to Ijy upon them, in the Anfwer given trofii the Throne to their late humble Ap- plication, v;e feel ourfelvcs conft rained with ail Humility to approach the Royal Father of his People. - : Confcious, Sire, of the pureft Sentiments of Veneration which they entertain for your Majcfty's ' Perfon, we are deeply concerned that wliat the Law allows, and the Contlitution teaches, hath been mifconftrucd into Difrelped to your Majeuy, by the Inftruments of that Influence which iliakes the Realm. Perplexed and aftoniilied as we are, by the awful Sentence of Ccnfurc, lately palled upon the Citizens of London, in your Majcfty's An- fwer from the Throne, we cannot, without fur- rendering all that is dear to Englijhmeny forbear mod humbly to fupplicate, that your Majefty will deif^n to grant a more favourable Interpretation to this dutiful, though perfevering Claim to our invaded Birth-rights •, nothing doubting, that the Benignity of your Majefty's Nature, will to our unfpeakable Comfort, at length break through all the fecret and vifible Machinati- on:,, to which the City of London owes its late fevere i'l W ■A trie upon An- fur- bcar will ation m to that ill to reak Inati- s late ifevere t 17 ] (evere Repulfe, and that your kingly Juflice and fatherly Tendernefs, will difclaim the ma- lignant and pernicious Advice which fuggefted the Anfwer we dt-plore ; an Advice of moft dan- gerous Tendency, in as much, as thereby the Kxercife of the clearefl: Rights of the Subje(fr. namely, to petition the King for Redrefs ot Grievances, to complain of the Violation of the Freedom of Ele(5liorj, and to pray Diflblution of Parliament, to point out Mal-pra6lices in Admi- niftration, and to urge the Removal of evil Mi- nifters, hath by the Generality of one compen- dious Word been indifcriminately checked with Reprimand; and your Majefly's afflidled Citi- zens of London, have heard from the Throne it- felf, that the Contents of their humble Ad- drefs, Remonftrance, and Petition, laying their Complaints and Injuries at the Feet of their Sovereign, cannot be but confidered by your Majelly, as difrefpedtful to yourfelf, injurious to your Parliament, and irreconcileable to the Prin- ciples of the Conftitution. Your Majefty cannot difapprove that we here aflert the cleared Principles of the Conftitution, againll the infidious Attempt of evil Counfellors, to perplex, confound, and ihake them. We are determined to abide by thofe Rights and Liberties, which our Forefathers bravely vindi- cated at the ever memorable Revolution, and B which ■Fi ]\ M m u & I . I (i '} 1 'i f [ .8 ] which their Sons will always refolutclv defend : Wc therefore now renew, at the Foot of the Throne, our Claim to the indifpenfible Right of the Subjed:, a full, free, and unmutilatcd I'arlia- mcnr, legally chofen in all its Members : A Right, which this Houfe of Commons have ma- nifciUy violated, depriving, at their Will and Plcafure, the County of Middle/ex, of one of its legal Reprefentatives, and arbitrarily nominating, as a Knight of the Shire, a Perfon not eleded by a Majority of the Freeholders. As the only Conftitutional Means of Reparation now left for the injured Eledtors of Grral Brituin, wc implore, with molt urgent Supplication, the Diliblution of this prefent Parliament, the Ucmovivl of evil Minifters, and the total Ii.xtin(5tion of that fatal Influence which has caufcd fuch a national Difcontent. In the mean Time, Sire, we offer our conftant Prayers to Heaven, that your Ma- jefty may reign, as Kings can only reign, in e Hearts of a loyal, dutifuK an and by People. free His Majejifs Anfwer^ delivered the 23^ May, 1 77O1 I fliould have been wanting to the Public, as well as to myfelf, if I had not exprefled my Dif- fatisfadtion at the late Addrefs. MY Sentiments on that Subje6t continue the fame, and I fliould ill deferve to be conlidcred as the [ '9 ] the Father of my People, if I fliould fufFer my- felf to be prevailed upon to make fuch an Ufe of my Prerogative, as I cannot but think incon- fiftent with the Intereft, and dangerous to the Conftitution of the Kingdom. I I BECKFORD, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on Friday y the 25th Day of May, ^77^* The Lord Mayor being called upon to acquaint this Court what he had faid to his Majefty, after receiving his Majefty's Anfwer to their Ad- drefs, Remonftrance, and Petition, the fame was accordingly produced, which being read, was ordered to be entered into the Journal of this Court, in the following Words : Moft Gracious Sovereign^ WILL your Majefty be pleafed fo far to condefcend as to permit the Mayor of your loyal B 2 City ■ ri i.U: Hi.® I 1 '' \ , ' : .' i I \ I I I ! II !l .1 [ 20 ] City of London, to declare in your Royal Prefcncc, on Bchalt'oFhis Fellow Citi/cns, how much the bare Apprchenfion of your Majelly's Difpleafure would r.t all Times afled their Minds. The De- claration of that Difplcafure, has already filled them wiih inexpreflible Anxiety and with the decpeil Af]]i(ftion. IVrmit m^, Sire, to afiure your Majelly, that your Majefly has not in all your 13o!ninions any Subjects more faithful, more dutiful, or more affcdionate to youF Majelly 's Terlbn and Family, cr niore ready to facrifice their Lives ar.d Fonur.cs in the Main- tenance of the true Honor and Dignity of ) our Crown. We do, therefore, with the greatefl ITumility and Submillion, molt earneftly fupplicate your Majefty, that you Vv'ill not diimifs us from your Frcknce, with<;ut cx[)refrmg a more favourable Opinion of your faithful Citizens, and without fome Comfort, without fome Profped, at leail of Redrefs^ Permit me, Sire, farther to obferve, that whoever has already dared, or fliall hereafter en- deavour by falfe Infinuations and Suggeftions, to alienate your Majefty 's Affedtions from your loyal Subjects in general, and from the City of London in particular, and to withdraw yourCoafi- dence in and Regard for your People, is an Enemy to T r a' 3 to your Majcfly's Pcrfon anti Family, a Violator of the public Pence, and a Betrayer of our happy Conllitutlon, as it was eftabiillicd at the gloiious K evolution. I !''• A Motion was made, and Queftion put. That an humble Addrefs be prefentcd to his Majefty, to congratulate him on the iafe Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth oi* ano- ther Princefs ; the fame was unanimoufly reiblved in the Affirmative j which Addreis is as follows : To the Kings moft Excellent Majejiy. The humble Addrefs of the Lord Mayor, Al- dermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council aflcmbled. Moft Gracious Sovereign^ WE wait upon your Majcfty with our fincere Congratulations on the happy Delivery of our moft gracious Queen, and on the Birth of another Princefs, and to afilire your Majelly, that there B 3 are 'i :*ft fi: 41-1 ( ■ I ■I.I I ' I : I li '' ,'l» I I ' I ! I'! ., [ " ] are not in all your Dominions any Subjedls more faithful, more dutiful, and more afFcdlionatc to your Majefty's Perfon and Family, or more ready to facrifice their Lives and Fortunes in the Maintenance of the true Honor and Dignity of your Crown. Long may youi Majefty reign the true Guar- dian of the Liberties of this free Country, and be the Inflrument, in the Hands of Providence, of tranfmitting to our Pofterity, thofe invaluable Rights and Privileges, which are the Birth- right of the Subjedls of this Kingdom, His Majejly^s Anfwer^ delivered, the ^oth Day of May, 1770. I receive with great Satisfadlion your Congra- tulations on the happy Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth of a Princefs ; and I return you my hearty Thanks for your Duty and Affedtion to my Perfon and Family, and the Zeal for the true Honor and Dignity of my Crown, which you exprefs upon this Occafion. The City of London, entertaining thefe loyal Sentiments, may be always aflured of my Pro- tection. CROSBY, 1 ^3 ] :i CROSBY, Mayor, 1 ■ A Common Council holdcn In the Chamber of the Guildhall of the Ciry (>f London , on ^'hiirfda)\ the iP^t\\\^Ay o)i Novemha\ 1770. A Motion was made, and Qjcftion put, That an humble Addrcfs, Remonurancc, and Petition, be prefcntcd to his Majefty, by this Court, touching the violated Right of Elfd:ion, and praying a Diflblution of the prefent Parliament •, the Tame was declared to be carried in the Af- firmative : And ,a Divifion beino demanded and granted, there appeared fcvcn Aldermen and fevcnty-one Commoners, befules the two Tellers, for the Affirmative -, and eight Al- dermen and thirty-eight Commoners, befidcs the two Tellers, for the Negative ; whereupon his Lordlhip declared the fame to be refolved in the Affirmative ; which Addrefs, Remon- strance, and Petition, was agreed to, as follows : 'To the King's moft Excellent Majejiy, The humble Addrefs, Remonflrance, and Petition, of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council aflembled, WE, your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal Subjeds, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com- B 4 mons 1 (i;,i « I i. II ^^T" '■'■ I I I : i '! il I'll* i 1 i, I i [ H ] mons of the City of London, in Common Council afTembled, raoft humbly beg Leave to approach your Majefty, and mod dutifully to lay again at the Foot of the Throne, our aggravated Grievan- ces and earned Supplications. Although through Prevalence of evil CounfellorSjOur juft Complaints have hitherto met with Repulfe and Reprimand, neverthelefs, we will not forego the laft Confola- tion of the unhappy Hope, that our Sufferings will at length find an End from the innate Good- nefs of your Majefty •, the gracious Eifcd:s of which have, to our unfpeakable Grief, been in- tercepted from your injured People, by a fatal Confpiracy of malevolent Influences around the Throne. We, therefore, again implore your Majefty in this fad Crifis, with Hearts big with Sorrow and warm with Affedion, not to be induced by falfe Suggeftions contrary to the Benignity of your royal Nature, to ftiut up your paternal Compaf- fion and Juftice againft the Prayers of unhappy Sabjcdls, claiming, as we now again prefume to do, with equal Humility and freeborn Plainnefs, our indifputable Birth-rights, Freedom of Elec- tion, and Right of Petitioning. We have feen the known Law of the Land, the lure Guardian of Right, trodden down, and by the Influence of daring Minifters arbitrary Difcretion [ 25 ] Difcretion, the Law of Tyrants fet up, to over- throw the Choice of the Electors, and nominate to a Seat in Parliament, a Perfon not chofen by the Pco^jle. Your Majefly's Throne is founded on the free Exercife of this great Right of Election -, to pre- ferve it inviolate is true Loyalty ; to undermine and deftroy it, is the moft compendious Treafon againfl the whole Conftitution. Deign then, Sir, amidft the complicated Dan- gers which furr jund us, to reftore Sat'sfadlion and Harmony to your faithful Subjeds ; by re- moving from your Majefty's Prefence all evil Counfellors, and by recurring to the recent Senfe of your People taken in a new Parliament. By fuch an Exertion alone of your own royal "Wifdom and Virtue, the various Wounds of the Conftitution can be efTcdually healed, and by Reprefentatives freely chofen, and adling inde- pendently, the falutary ^\ve of Parliament cannot fail to fecure to us that u -ed Bulwark of Englijh Liberty, the Trial by Jury, againft the danger- ous Dtfigns of thofe, who have dared openly to attempt to mutilate its Power and deftroy its Efficacy. Sd "^7!!i>j: -V.L-.Z -' - (i ! I ii [ 26 ] So will Dlflatisfa^ftion and national Wcakneis change at once into public Confidence, Order, Strength, and Dignity -, and this beaded Confti- tution of England^ lb late the Envy of Nations, no longer hold forth to the Derifion of Europe^ Eledlors not fuffered to elect. Juries forbid to judge of the whole Matter in IfTue before them, and dutiful Petitioners rcmonftrating the mofl flagrant Grievances, branded by theMinifterswho opprefs them, r.s feditious Infradtors of that Con- llitution we religioufly revere, and together with your Majefty's facred Perfon, will unccaf- ingly defend againft ail Enemies and Betrayers. \\\ i:i 1.1 His Majeftfs Anfjocr^ delivered the ziji Bay of November, 1770. AS I have feen no Reafon to alter the Opinion cxprefled in my Anfwer to yonr former Addrefs upon this Subjed:, I cannot comply with the Prayer of your Petition, CROSBY, t 27 ] ^ * ^M CROSBY, Mayor. A Common Council holdcn In the Chamber of the Guildhall of ftie City of London^ on JVednefda)\ the 5th Day of JunL\ 1 77 1 . A Motion was made and Queftlon put, That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefly, to congratulate him on the fafe Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Prince ; the fame was refolved in the Affirmative ; which Addrefs was agreed to, as follows : J'o the Kin^^s mod Excellent Majejiy, The humble Addrefs of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council aflembled. Moft Gracious Sovereign^ WE, your Majefty's mod dutiful and loyal Subjefts, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council afTembled, embrace this joyful Occafion of approaching your Majelly with our fincerc Congratulation on the fafe Delivery of theQiK'cn, and the aufpicious Birth of another Prince. Your If H ' I I • ^'■■"y^ 1 l^!| i!i«i |ti;| ( !' i.'t [ 28 ] Your Majefty's ever loyal and faithful Citizens of London^ exceeded oy none of ycur Subj(:6ls, in honell and anxious Zeal for you/ Majcily's Happinefs, and the Glory and Profperityof your Reign, rejoice in all Events which augment your Majcfl:y*s domeftic Felicity, firmly truiling that every Increafe of the augufi: Houfe of Hrunfivick^ will prove an additional Security to our Reli- gion, and the great Charter of Liberty, which in Confequence of the glorious and necelfary Re- volution, that illuftrious Houfe was chofen to His Majejifs Anfivery delivered the 11th of June, 1771. I thank you for this dutiful Addrefs, and for your Congratulations on the fafe Delivery of the Queen and the Birth of another Prince. It gives me great Satisfa6lion, to find that you confider the Increafe of my Family as an additional Security to our Religion, and to that Liberty, which I look upon with Pleafure as the Bafis of my Government, and v.'hich I iliall al- ways think my Honor and Intcrell concerned to defend. CROSBY, III! [ 29 3 w Rcli- ich in y Re- fen to ,nd for of the [d that as an to tlvat as the hall ai- med to CROSBY, Mayor. In a Meeting or Afiembly of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Liverymen of the feveral Companies of the City of London^ in Com- mon Hall afTembled, at the Guildhall of the faid City, on Monday^ the 24th Day of June^ 1771. A Motion was made, and Qucfllon put, That an humble Addrefs, R/jmon I trance, and Pctirion, be prefented to his M.ijefly from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the Ciiy of London^ in Common Hall affcmblcd ♦, the fume was rcfolvcd in the Afilrniative. And an humble Addrefs, RemonOrance, and Petition to his Majelly, being produced, a Mo- tion was made that the fame be read, and the Queftion being put by Mr. Town Clcik, it was refolved in the Affirmative; wheicupoa the fame was read, as follows : To the Kiff^'s moft Excellent Mdjefy, The humble Addrcfs, Remonflrance, and Peti- tion, of the Lord Mayor, Akiermen, and Li- very of the City of London ^ in Common I Tall afTembled. Mv'il !l I ! ) Ml!,. II! Ml >'l I lli .,' if ll ill C 30 ] Mojl Gracious Sovereignty WE, your Majefly's dutiful and loyal Subjedls, .h- Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City of London, in the Anguifli of our Hearts, hcg Leave to approach your Royal Perfon, and deeply to lament, that we ilill fuffer, together with many others, all thofe great and unparalleled Grievances, which \\^ have before fubmitted to your Majefty, with the Hope of a full and fpeedy Redrefs from our Sovereign, as the Father of his People. The fame arbitrary Houfe of Commons, which violated the facred Right of Eledlion, and feated among thcmfelves, as a Reprefentative of the People, a Man who was never chofen into Par- liament ; have the lafl: SelTion proceeded to the moll extravagant Outrages againft the Conititu- ticn of this Kingdom, and the Liberty of the Subjcd, of which your Majeily is by Law, the great Guardian. They have ventured to im- prifon our chief Magiilrate, and one of our Al- dermen, for difobeying their illegal Orders, and not violating the holy San6lion of their Oaths to this great City, as well as their Duty to their Country. They have, by the mod artful Suggefli- ons, prevailed upon your Majefly, to fuffer your Royal Name to give a pretended Authority to a Procia- r 31 ] Prodamatlon, iflued at their exprefs Defirc, contrary to the known Laws of the LancL At length they procetd(^d to the enormous Wicked- nefs of erafing a judicial Record, in order to ftop the Courfe of Juftice, and to fruftrate all Poflibility of Relief by an Appeal to thofe Laws, which are the nobleil Birth-right and Inheri- tance of all the Subjects of this Realm. During the unjuft Confinement of our Repre- fentatives, they proceeded ta a Law, depriving the Citizens of London^ of a confiderable Part of their Property in the Soil of the River Tbamss^ folemnly granted to them by divers Charters, and confirmed by the Authority of Parliament, and under Colour of Equity, inferted in that Law an unufual faving Claufe, fubverfive of the known, and eftablifhed Laws of Property •, they havc,> without any Pretence of an Abufe, fuperfeded the Confervacy of the River Thames, in the Li- berty which the Citizens of London have enjoyed from the Conquefl. We, therefore, your Remonftrants, again hum- bly fupplicate your Majefty to rcflore our RightSy, and to give Peace to this diflradted Nation, by a fpeedy DilTolution of the Parliament, and by re- moving your prefcnt wicked and defpotic Minillers far ever from your Councils and Prefence. ) ; I y\i Hi IS rf-T ; I . |i!' 'I i'l' !l. 1' 1 1 1 i : 'l i i| [ 32 ] His Majejlji*s Anfwer^ delivered the loth of July, 1771. ** I fhall ever be ready to exert my Preroga- tive, as far as I can conftitutionally, in redref- fing any real Grievances of my Swbjedls ; and the City ot London will always find me difpofed to liften to any of their well-founded Com- plaints : It is, therefore, with Concern that I fee a Part of my Subjects ftill fo far miQed and deluded, as to renew, in fuch repr>'::henfible Terms, a Rcqucft, with which I have repeat- edly declared, I cannot comply." TOWN* [ 33 ) TOWNSEND, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London ^ on Thurf- cayy the 4th Day oi February, 1773. A Motion being made, and Queftion put, that an humbleAddrcfs of Congratulation, bcprefented to his Majeily by this Court, on the fafe De- livery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Prince •, the fame was unanimoufly refolved in the Affirmative, which Addrefs was agreed to, as follows : To the King^s moft Excellent Majefiy. The humble Addrefs of the Lord Mayor, Al- dermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council afTembled. Moft gracious Sovereign, YOUR Majefty*s loyal Subje^s, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council afTembled, ap* proach your Majefly with their Congratulations on the happy Delivery of their moft amiable Queen, and the Birth of another Prince. Your faithful Citizens of London, ever zea« bus of your Majefty's Happinefs^ and the true C Honor % m m ' • 1,-' r/T ri I ! I : I ' 1 1 1 N'illt 'I U< ii<> Ml !■ t \ III ' [ 34 ] Honor and Profperity of your Rei^n, will con- tinue to rejoice in every Member which adds to your Majclty's domeftic Felicity. And they hope, that every Branch of the auguft Houfe of Brttnfivick^ will add further Security to thofe facred Laws and Liberties, which their Ancef- tors would not fuffer to be violated with Impu- nity, and which, in Confequence of the glorious and neccflary Revolution, that illuftrious Houfe irds called forth to protedl and defend. His Majcjlj^s Anfiver^ delivered the p^th Day of February, 1773. I thank you for this dutiful Addrefs, and your Congratulations on the happy Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Prince. The Religion, Laws, and Liberties of my People, have always been, and ever fliall be the conllant Objedts of my Care and Attention, T O W N- i 25 ] T O W N S E N D, Mayor. In a Meeting or Aflembly of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Liverymen of the feveral Companies of the City of London, in Com- mon Hall aflcmbled, at the Guildhall of the faid City, on Tburfday^ the nth Day of Alarcby iyyS» Mr. fFilliam Bijhop acquainted the Livery, that at a previous Meeting of the Livery, at the Half-Moon Tavern, in Cheapfide^ an Addrefs, Remonftrance, and Petition to his Majelly was agreed to, and ordered to be laid before the Livery in Common Hall afiembled, for their Approbation. And a Motion was made that the fame be read, and the Queftion being put, it was refolved in the Affirmative, whereupon the fame was read and agreed to as follows : ^0 the King^s mojl Excellent Majejly, The humble Addrefs, Remonftrance, and Peti- tion of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Li- very of the City of London^ in Common Hall aflembled. \i i 'i i^ C 2 Mofi Kff Iff I. i ■I \ I \ II 'i I I' 'm If 1 1 i : 'Si 11 I i ii I 1 I { 36 ] A^o/? gracious Sovcretgn^ WE, your M.ijcfty's dutiful and loyal Sub- jects, the Lord Mayor, Aldcrmen> and Livery of the Ciry of London, beg Leave to approach the Throne with the Rt^fpcd: becoming a free People, zealoudy attached to the Laws and Con- flitution of their Country, and the Parliamentary Right of )'our Miijclty to the Crown of thefe Realms. We defire, with all LIumility, in the Grief and Angiiidi of our H<.'arts, to ilibmit to your Ma- jelly, that the many Grievances and Injuries we have fuflered from your Miniflers, (till remain unredrefl'ed ; nor has the public Juftice of the Kingdom received the leall Satisfadlion,, for the fre(|uent atrocious Violations of the Laws which | have been committed in your Reign, by your | Miniilcrs, with a daring Contempt of every f| Principle human and divine. Your People have, % with the dcci^eft Concern, oblervcd, that their .3 former humble Petitions and Remonftrances were received with a Ncgleci and Difrcgard, very,|*^ hardly brooked by the high Spirits of a great and '^ powerful Nation; but the Hopes of Red refs ftill ^ encouraging us to perfevere, we again fupplicate ^ your Majercy, to lillcn to the Voice, of your ag- grieved Subjedis, in Vindication of your own and ^ the Nation's Honor, againft your defpotic and ^ corrupt [ 37 ] oyiil Sub- id Livery I approach ing a free J and Con- liamentary II of thefe e Grief and ► your Ma- Injuries we ftill remain (lice of the ion,, for the Laws which rn, by your t of every »eople have, that their I trances were cgard, very I a great and ^ Redrefs ftill ' n fupplicate of your ag- our own and defpotic and corrupt Minifters, who have perverted the Foun- tains of public Juftice, and undermined the Foundations of our excellent Conllitution. Our Reprefcntativcs, who were chofcn to be the Guar- dians of our Rights, have invaded our mod fix- cred Privileges. The Right of being reprcfcntcd in Parliament, is the inherent, inalienable Privi- lege, as well as peculiar Glory of the free born Inhabitants of this Country, and a Pcrfon (juali- ficd by Law, a Magiftraic of this City, was duly elected a Knighl; of the Shire for the County of M.'ddiefcx, by a great Majority of legal Votes, yet has been excluded from the Houfe of Com- mons, by a Rcfolution of that Houfe ; and a Can- didate, who had only a few Votes, declared the eprcfentative of the ElecVors of the faid Coun- y, againft their Confent, through the like cor- upt InPiuence of the fame Minifter. The chief agiilrate, and one of the Aldermen of this ity, were imprifoned for not obeying the illegal andates of an arbitrary Houfe of Commons, nd violating the folemn Oaths they had taken or the Prefervation of the Liberties and Fran- hifes of the Capital of your Majefty's Domi- ions. We rccal to your Majefly*s Remem- rance with Horror, that unparalleled Adt of 'yranny, the crazing a judicial Record, in order o Hop the Courfe of Juftice *, to introduce a Syf- m of Power againft Right ; and to tear up by orrupt 1^^' Roots, Truth and Law from the Earth. ili m C 2 We, m Tft I ; '1 i' !Mf ! ri! i! i' I ' ! I 1,1 : < ! I I C 40 3 A^ of Parliament, to fliorten the Duration of Parliaments, and to reftore and preferve to the People their conllitutional Right of an annual, or, (if that cannot be obtained) at lead a triennial Choice of Reprefentatives ; and if 1 am Member of either Houfe of Parliament, when a Motion for the above Purpofe Ihall be made, I will not fail to attend, and give my utmoft Support to fuch Motion. TOWNSEND, Mayor. In a Meeting or AiTembly of the Mayor and Liverymen of the fcveral Companies of the City of London^ in Common Hall alfembled, ut the Guildhall of tlie fa id City, on Thurf- dayy the 24th Day oi June^ ^773- A Liveryman acquainted this Common Hall, that on the 24th of June la(t, the Livery of this City, in Common Hall aflemblcd, had agreed to ln(trU(5tions to their Reprefentatives in Par- liament, which were now read, and the Quef- tion being put, that the faid Inftrudtions be re- corded. ation of J to the lual, or, triennial Member I Motion will not pport to or. !ayor and es of the irembled, on 'Thurf- ion Hall, ery of this ad agreed es in Par- the Quef- ons be re- corded. '$ . ■>;■ 'i 1 [ 41 ] corded, and that the Town Clerk be ordered to enter the fame ; it was refolved in the Af- firmative, and ordered accordingly, which In- ftrudions are as follow : To Sir Robert Ladbroke, Knight, the Right Ho- nourable Thomas Harley, Barlow Trecotbick^ and Richard Oliver^ Efquires. Gentlemen^ THE arbitrary Strides of Government, which fccm daily increafing, to the Prejudice of our Liberties, cannot fail of alarming us in the moft fcnfible Manner. Such indeed is the difmal Com- plexion of the Times, that to the whole World \vc appear even on the Brink of Slavery. To enumerate the feveral A6ls which have ful- liec' the preient Reign, would be much too te- dious at prefent •, fuffice it therefore to fay, that it is impoffible for us to behold with Indifference the Laws of our Country daringly trampled on, and the Lives of innocent People wantonly taken away. Had this Nation been bleffed with a virtuous Hrule of Commons, we Ihould by no Means have experienced the Oppreffion, which for thir. teen Years pall, we have unhappily laboured un- der ; To long Parliaments, therefore, and a ve- nal ^!iii i* ^mwn (t( I liiil f I i r : \ I ! I I I !! ! I'' IS! i I I !' t '1 il •ill! r )i it ■I ! 1 [ 42 ] rial Majority, we may, with great Jiiftice, attri!)utc the whole of our Misfortunes. In what Light can we behold r.n Iloufe of Commons, which becomes \o prollitutc, as to be capable of voting a Minority to be a Mcijoriry ? An Houfe, which could, without the kail Colour of JuiV.ce, tyran- nically imprifon a Subject between three or four Months in a diilempercd Gaol, and inh.urnanly refufe him the fame Liberty, which had been granted to two Felons accufcd of wilful Murder ? An Houfc, which, devoid of all Decency, could force the poor, timid Servant of a Corporation, to eraze a judicial Record ? An Moufe, that could even punlQi two Members of its own Body, in a mod arbitrary Manner, ior ading with Integrity in a judicial Capacity ; nay, for adhering to their Charters and their Oaths, and virtuoully admi- niftering Juitice. Indeed fatal Experience hath taught us, that what was intended as a Buhvark in Defence of our Liberties, is now become a mere Engine of Oppreffion ; and thole Weapons of Defence, which have been entrufted into the Hands of our Reprefentatives, to oppofe the En- croachments of the Prerogative of the Crown, have been infamoufly perverted to flab the Vitals of the Conflitution. When we made Choice of you. Sirs, to tranfadl our Bulinefs in Parliament, we confidercd all of you to be pofTefled of Fortune fufficicnt to ren- der r 43 ] deryou Independent-, but fuch is the Depravity of the prefcnt Age, that the more Wealthy feeni the ealieft to be corrupted. Although fome of you may have approved yourfelves worthy of the Confidence rcpofed in you •, yet others, we are lorry to be obliged to obfervc, have been deficient in their Duty. It becomes neceflary, therefore, that we fliould ex- ercife our indifputable Right of inllrud:ing you, our Reprefcntatives. A worthy Alderman of this City, whofe poli- tical Principles fecm of the purell Kind, and as fuch, denote him a fit Example for other Mem- bers of the Legiflature, convinced of the extreme Danger of entrulling any Body of Men with fep- tennial Pov/ers, has more than once attempted to fhorten the Duration of Parliaments ; but with Regret we reflecl, that out of five hundred and fifty Members, not more than Fourfccre could at any Time be found, pofTciled of Virtue fuffi- cient to fupport fo falutary a Mcafurc : As we have no doubt of Mr. S'twhridge\ renewing his Motion next Winter, for the fame laudable Pur- pofe, we do infill that each of you alTord him all poffible Support, in order to reltore us to our an- cient Right of annually electing cur Reprefcnta- tives in Parliament, B U L U [ 44 ] i ! H '•■ ■i ! >: It I '. n ; II .:| I i BULL, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London, on nurfday, the 3d Day of March, 1774- A Motion being made, and Queftion pu% That an humble Addrefs of Congratulation, be prc- fented to his Majefty, by this Court, on the fafe Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Prince, the fame was refolved in the Affirmative ; which Addrcis was agreed to, as follows : ^0 the King's moft Excellent Majefty, The humble Addrefs of the Lord Ma5ror, Al- dermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council aflembled, Mofi Gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majeily's dutiful and loyal Subjefts, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of your antient City of London, in Common Council aficmliled, beg Leave to approach your Majefty's facred Perfon with our warmefl Congratulations, on the happy Delivery of our moft excellent Queen, and the aufpicious Birth of another prince. With r 45 ] With Gratitude to the divine Goodnefs, we behold the Incr^fe of your Majefty's auguft Houie, as it augments your Majefty's domeftic Felicity, and gives a more permanent Security to the civil and religious Liberties of your People. His Majefifs Anfwer^ delivered the J^h "Day of March, 1774. I receive with Pleafure this dutiful and affec- tionate Addrefs, your Congratulations, and the Sentiments which you exprcfs on the further In> creaie of my Family, cannot fail of affording me great Satisfaction. |{*. rfi I I! .;ii BULL, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of Londoriy on Friday^ the 3d Day of Jutte^ ^77 A* A Motion being made, and Queftion put. That this Court doth agree to Petition the Honou- rable Houfc of Commons, that the Bill now depending before that Honourable Hoiile, intituled, ** An Afes takes J and that and fub- ' Canada, d Security Is are ren- he Roman liihcd Re- ade for the on, which opprefTive ^b, who do BULL, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ a Saturday, the i8th Dayoi'Ju^ie, lyy^- A Motion being made, and Queftlon put, That this Court doth agree to apply to his Majeily by Addrefs and Petition, praying that his Majefty will be pleafed not to give his Royal Aflent to the Bill, intituled, " An A^ for ** making more effedual Provifion for the Go- *' vernment of the Province of ^(ebec, in *' North America" the fame was unanimoully refolvcd !f: ii<^ ; ii \ 1 ■^T^ c; W I I ri i i! I ) i \ ' K I ■ t, I ;1 il' i! \ ;1 I [ 48 J rcfolved in the Affirmative; which Addrefs and Petition was agreed to, as follows : To the K:ng*s mojl Excellent Alajcjly. The humble Addrefs and Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City oi London, in Common Council ali'embkd. Moft Gracious Soverei^n^ WE, your Majefty's mod dutiful and loyal Subjcdis, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com- mons of the City of London, in Common Council alferrbled, are exceedingly alarmed that a Bi 1 has pafled your two Houfes of Parliament, intituled, *^ An Adt for making more effeftual Provifion for " the Government of the Province of i^ucbcc, •* in North America,^ which we apprehend to be entirely fubverfive of the great fundamental Principles of the Conllitution of the Britifi Monarchy, as well as of the Authority of va- rious folemn Ads of the Legiflature. WE beg Leave to obferve, that the EngliJJi Law, and that wonderful Effort of human Wil- dom, the Trial by Jury, are not admitted by this Bill in any civil Cafes ; and the French Law o^ Canada, is impofed on all the Inhabitants of that extenfive Province, by which both the Per- fons and Properties of very many of your Majefty's Subjeple, London, J an, 16, 1775. HIS Majefty's antient and loyal Siibjedls, the Proteilant Settlers in the Province of Qucbe^y (who have done me the Honour to appoint mi their Agent for their public Concerns in Eng- land ) have iatclv fent me Inllru6lions, to exprclb to you and to the Court of Aldermen, and thcl Common Council of the City of London, their moll fincere and hearty Thanks, for the great Mark of fraternal Regard and Affection, which you fome Time fince teftilied towards them,] by your Addrefs to the King's mofl gracious Ma-| jelly, intreating him to refulc Ids Royal Ailcnt io| 1 the Bill for tiie Government of the faid Pro-f n vince. ;: .. 1 Thcj%^ D 53 ] They cxprefs very ftrong Apprehenfions of the Mirchiefs that muil attend the Operation of this Bill ; and they more efpccially lament the Aboli- tion of thofe mod valuable Parts of the Englijh Law, which relate to the Protcdtion of perfonal Liberty, by Means of the Writ of Habeas Corpus, and of ihofe which cilablifli the Trial by Jury in civil Cafes ; which Abolition, they conceive to be involved in thofe very general Words of the new Ad, which dire6t, " That in all Matters of Property and civil Rights, retort fhall be had to I the Laws of Canada^ and not to the Laws of ri;1 'V h This total Expuliion of the Laws of Englandy [and total Relloration of the Laws of Canada^ in [civil Matters, which is fo grievous to themfelves, they allcdge to have been no way neceflary to the >atisfad:ion of the Canadians ; but, on the con- trary, they declare, that the Majority of thofe lewSubjedls of his Majefty, have rather expreflcd liking for the general Body of the Laws of Ingland^ fmce they have had Experience of them, than a Wifh to fee their former Laws reftored ; laving enjoyed, and being always ready to ac- :nowledge they have enjoyed, a greater Degree of -ibertyfor their Perfons, Security for their Proper- ty, and Encouragement to the Exertion of their In- illry in Trade and Agriculture, fincethc Intro-, D 3 dudion mmm I i ll t 1 I ; It Ml I'lli ! I r 54 ]' duftion of the Laws of England into the Pro- vince, than ever they had known before, together with what they value, perhaps more than all the reft, an Exemption from the infoicnt and capri- cious Treatment of their former Superiors. And in Purfuanceofthis favorable Opinion entertained by them of the Englijb Laws, great Numbers of them were laft Year difpofed, as my Correfpon- dents allure me, in the mod pofitive Terms, to join with the Engliflj Inhabitants of the Province, in petitioning his Mnjclly for the Continuance of the EngUllo Laws, and were only deterred from fo doing, by falfe Alarms fpread amongfl; them by their Superiors, concerning the Dangers to which their Religion would be expofcd, if they joined with the Englijh in any public P^eprcfcntations. The PalTage of the Letter of my Correfpon- dents, in vrhich they tclate this important Fa6l, is fo remarkable, that I beg Leave to tranicribe the vefy Words of it •, they are as follow : " In juftice to the Bulk of the Canadian Inhabitants, ^ho haV-e formerly fmarted under the Rigour of the Ff^ficb Governmcrtt, and the Caprice of petty Tyrants of thofe Days, we muft confefs, that they prefer infinitely Englijh Law, which fe- cures their Liberty and Property, and gives a free Scope to their Induftry, and dread falling again ufider the Laws and Cuftcms of Canada" This w6 declare, upon our certain Knowledge, i ■m [ 55 3 as very great Numbers, throughout the Province, have offered to join us in petitioning for the Con- tinuance of 2'>|'///?> Laws, and difavcwing their Confent, Privity, or Knowledge of the Petition that was fent Home h[t Year in their Names, though (igned only by v. few Perfons in the Pro- vince; but when we had preparctl a Paper at their Defire, for them to fign, exprefluig thcfe well-known Fac^s, they informed us, that tiicy were with-held by tlieir Superjors, and conunand- ednot to join the Eiv^lifJj in any public Rc-prefen- tations \ for if they did, they were affured, tiiat they would infallibly be deprived of their Reli- gion •, but if they remained quiet, they might depend upon it, that the Englijh Laws would not I be changed. From this State of the Sentiments of the Majo- jiity of the Canadians^ it is evident, that it was by no Means neccffary to their Satisfaciilion, that the whole Body of the French Laws upon civil Mat- Iters fhould be revived, and the Englijh Laws upon jthofe Subjects fuppreffed -, but that, on the con- trary, that great and valuable End might have )een better obtained, by reviving or confirui- |ing only fuch Parts of the former French Laws IS related to the Tenures of Land, the Manner )f conveying and fettling it, and the Tranfmiflion )f it to new Pofl'eflbrs, by Dower and Inheri- tance upon the Deaths of its Ownors and pcr- D 4 haps \X t('1 a ' i^ li ^v f ii i im l! ' M 1 I I !■! i ;. i i 1 ■I I >t ' ii '\r- \ Ml •' r, t 56 ] haps a few other Heads of French Law, that might be neceflary to their domeftic Peace and Family Concerns, to which Revival of fuch Parts only of the French Laws, the Britijh and Protefr tant Settlers have often declared, and do now again declare on this Occafion, that they fhould not have had the lead Objedlion, And my Correfpondents further direct me to inform you, that though they are pleafed to fee that the criminal Laws oi England have been per- mitted by the late Ad to continue in the Pro- vince, they are neverthelefs uneafy at the exten- five Powers of altering thofe Laws, and making new ones upon thofe high and important Sub- jefts, which arc veiled by it in a legiflative Council of a very dependent Conftitution ; and "they particularly lament, that this legiflative Council, dependent as it is, is not eftabliflied for a few Years only, till it may be found conveni- ent to fummon an AfTembly of the Province, but is appointed for an indefinite Length of Time, as if it were intended to be the permanent Mode of Government in that Country. And in the lad Place, they exprefs their Con- cern at obferving, that though the. Popiili Reli- gion is eftablilhed in the Province, by the Claufe \ii the late Adt, which compels the Roman Ca- tholic f 57 J tliollc Inhabitants to pay to their Priefts the Tythes that were formerly due to them, (which in Conlequence of Sir Jeffery Amherjl's exprefs Refufal of the French General's Demand in that Behalf, at the Time of the Capitulation and Sur- render of the whole Country, in September^ 1760, they have not hitherto been obliged by Law to do) yet no Provifion is made in it for the Encou^ ragement of the Protcftant Rellmon. Thelc Confidcrations, they fay, fill their Minds with melancholy Apprehenlions of the Evils that may arife from the malignant Principles and overbear- ing Spirit of the Romiih Church, when elated by thefe Marks of public Favor. 1^ They, therefore, take the Liberty, humbly to intrcat the Lord Mayor, and the Court of Alder- men, and Common Council of this great City, to exert themfelves once more in their Behalf, by recommending it to the worthy Members, who reprefent them in Parliament, to ufe their utmofl: Endeavours to recover and confirm the civil and religious Rights of no inconfidcrablc Number of honclt and enterprizing Subjcdls of the Crown, who have been induced, by the royal Proclama- tion of 08ober, 176:?, to fettle in that dillant Country, and to rifle their Lives and Fortunes there with Chearfulncfs and Confidence, under the mod folemn Promifc of enjoying in it imme- diately the Benefit of the Laws of Lnglam^y and in due i:f ■Mi M ^ Hi ]!! "^ , r'-^T^T'^^'MWMMI I' i ITf I. \\ !' I 1 :• I I ' I !;< 1 1 I.' :: t i i: |;:; r 5S J 4 doc TimCj that of a provincial AflTcmbly^ wi:Ii the ufiial Powers of Lcgiflation. Thefe, Sir, are the Sentiments which Jam ?.u- thorifed to exprcfs to you, and to the refpedtable- Corporation of the City of London upon this Sub- jedt, by the Committee ot the Proteltant Settlers in the Province of i'^uebec^ whofe Names are thefc that follow : James Price, Randle Meredith, John Blake, Ifaac Todd, tho^ Walker, . John Aitkin, John Welles, John Lees, Zachary MacAulay. To thefe Sentiments of my Conftituents, I beg Leave to add a few Words concerning an Event, which I am informed, has lately happened, and which bears a near Relation to them, I mean the public Declaration which has been made at a Meeting of the American Merchants, by a Gen- tleman connected with Government, concerning fome Refolutions already taken upon this Sub- ject i fl \ I ! fi1 'l\l 'V !>*i»a : ! I' f il !l; } m; I;. I [ 60 ] Ex€rcife of their Religion and the legal Maln-f tenance of their Clergy, I have the Honour to be. Sir, • Your mod obedient and humble Servant^ Francis Maseres. WILKES, Mayor, A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on Friday y the 10th Day of /^^^rw^ry, 1775. Mr. Alderman Kirkman reported from the Committee, appointed the thirty-firft Day of January laft, to draw up an Anfwer to a Letter prefcnted unto this Court by Mr. Alderman Bull, which he had lately received from Francis Maferes, Efquire, Agent to the Proteftant Settlers in the Province of ^ehc, that the faid Committee had prepared an Anfwer, which he delivered into this Court, and the fame was read and agreed tO;, in the following Words ; To [ 6r ] '• f So the Honourabk Mr, Baron Maferes, /Igent to the Prctejlant Settlers in the Province of Qvicbcc. .V / P., THF. Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Conncii cf the City of Londony in Common Cjuncil alTcmbled, in Anlwer to your Letter, conimur.icacei by Mr. Alderman 5»//, defire that you will be pleafed to acquaint the Committee of the Protcilant Settlers of the Province oi' f^uel/ec^ for whom you are Agent, that nothing in the Power of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, iliall be wanting, towards pro- hioting f{> deur-ibie a Purpofe, as the obtaining ivcchcis rcfpcfting the late ^tcbec Acl, for the ProU'llauc Settlers in Canada^ whofo Complaints againfl: that La.v, are manifcftly founded in Juitice and P^ealbn. The jiernicions Tendency of the ^tebec Acl, is fufficicntly evident to all Perkins of Impartiaiity ond Difcernmcntj and it is therefore, cafy to conceive, agreeable to the Reprefentation mnde by your CoHttitucnts, that the Majority of the In- habitants of Ccnada^ even thote profefilng the Roman Catholic Religion, could not have been dclirous of fuch a Law. Men who were born under an arbitrary Government, but who were afravvards I if il. • I I I I i f »iiiii .» «i i '^- 1 !! I i I I ill ) 11 [ 62 ] aftcnvards happily placed in a Sta*'e of Freedom, mil ft have been void of Undcrftanding, and deftitiite of the common Feelings of human Na- ture, if they had been dcTircns of again return- ing to the unhappy Situation of thofe who arc fubje(5teJ todefpotic Laws. And it cannot excite any Surprife^ that Deceit and Alirreprcfcntation were employed, to render the Inhabitimrs cf Canada filent and aco^ui'.'fcenr, when IMcafiircs were concerting fo prejudicial to their bell and greatell Interelrs. The Schemeytluii is faid to be in Agitation, of granting to the Inhabitants of Canadn^ the Pri- vileges of Trial by Jury in civil Cafes, and of the"Vyrit of H^ibea^ Corpus^ to be ordained by a legiflative Counci', holding their Seats at the Will of the Crown, (an Inftitution of which the Hif- tory of our Country furnilhcs no Precedent, but in the mod arbitrary Times) is evidently not fuch a Security as Britifi Subjeds are intitled to. Pri- vileges of fo important a Nature, ought to be held by an Authority truly legal, and not de- pend for their Continuance on Royal Will and Plealure, which is a Tenure, totally inconfiftent with the Genius and Spirit of the BritJjJj Confti- tution. The Power of abrogating old Laws and of making new, is of too great Importance to be pofleflTed by any Man, or by any Bcidy of Men, unlefs fuch as are filedted by the People them- felvcs, t 63 ] fclves, and whom they think proper to confli- tiitc as their Delegates and Truftees. We |')ray you, Sir, particularly to exprcfs to vour Conflituents our fircere Concern, at feeing that by the Authority of the Briti/h Parliament, it is cnafted, *' That his Majefty*s Subjeds pro- ** fcfiing the Religion of the Church of Rome, ** may have, hold, and enjoy the free Exercife " of their Religion •, and that the Clergy of " the faid Church may hold, receive, and en- •* jny their accu Homed Dues and Rights ;" at the fame Time, that as far as depends on the Provi- fions of that Aft, the Protellant Religion is even iintolerated. (, m in I -r. As the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com- mon Council of the City of London, are zealous' to preferve their ov;n Liberties, and thofe of their Country, and to tranfmit them undiminiflied and unimpaired to Poilerity, fo it is their earnell Defire, that the Blefling of Freedom may be en- joyed by the Lihabitancs of every Part of the Brit'ijh Empire ; and you may aflure the Com- mittee of the Protellant Settlers of the Province ''bf '^iebec^ 'that the Reprefentatives of the City of London in Purliameiir, who are all Members of this Court, have been, and will be requell-d to iile their utmoll Endeavours to procure a Re- peal |i '•■| \ #1 f1 I ■v-^ •fMM ill t i 1 I 1 ^i; [ 64 ] p^al of the \vLtc ^(ebec A(5l:; an A(5l, which is equally repugnant to the Principles of Britijh Law and Hrihjh Liberty, inconfillcnt with Equity and JuRicc. and contrary to every Prin- ciple of found Policy. RESOLVED, That this Court doth requcd the Members who ferve for this City in Parlia- ment, and fuch other Members of this Court as are Members of Parliament, to ufe their En- deavours for a Uepeal of the A6t of Parliament paired lad Seflions, intituled, " An Ad for " making more efFed:unl Provifion for the Go- '* vernmcnt of the Province of ^ebeCy in *' Narlh America J* WILKES, * C f>S 3 I I, ■Ik W J JL K E S, Mr.yor. A Common Council holden In the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on Monday y the 13th Day of i^t^/z/^ry, 1775. RESOLVED, That the prefent Situation of iour public Affairs, in confequence of the fe- vere Proceedings againfl the American Colonies, Is fo exceedingly alarming, that it is the Duty of this Court, to ufe every pofliblc Endeavour to pre- vent all further Oppreflion, and to obtain Relief Ito fo numerous and valuable a Part of ourFellow- [Subjeds. RESOLVED, That as a Bill is propofed to be )rought into Parliament, to prohibit the Nezi) ^.ngland Fifliery, which, if complied with, may laterially injure the commercial Intcrefts of this 'ity, and of the Kingdom in general, the Lord layor be requefted by this Court to convene the fame, to confider. Whether it may not be the >uty of this Court to petition Parliament againll |he propofed Bill, the Principles of which, fo far they have been hitherto declared, appear to be jpugnant both to Juftice and the true Lnterefts [f the BritiJJj Empire, E W I L K E S, ii " r I AiW. ■ ( 1 ! m t 66 ] '■! ;!' ! „:, I , WILKES, Mayor. A Common Council holdcn in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on ^uefday^ the 2 1 (I Day of February^ ^115- THE Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, laid before this Court a printed Copy of a Bill now depending in the Honourable Houfe of Commons, intituled, " A Bill to retrain the Trade and Commerce of the Province of Maf- fachufets Bay^ and New HampJJoirey and Colonies o^ ConncElicut, and Rhode IJland, and Proz-idence Plantation, m North America, to Grci-^t Britain, Ireland, and the Britijh Iflands in the JVeJi Indies ; and to prohibit fuch Provinces and Colonies from carrying on any Fifhery on the Banks of New^ foundland, or other Places therein to be mentioned, under certain Conditions, and for a Time to be limited " and the faid Bill was read. RESOLVED, That the Mcafures of Admi- niftration refped:ing our Fellow-Subjedls in America^ adopted by the late Parliament, appear to this Court in the higheft Degree dan^i-erous and alarming, and demand our mod ferious At- tention. RESOLVED, That as the Opinion of this pourt hath already been very fully and particu- # larly [ 67 ] Jarly declared, agalnft an Ac\ of the late Parlia* mcnt, intituled, " An Acl for the making more «' effectual Provi-fion for the Government of the ** Province of i^iebec, in Ncrtb Ayncrica.'* We think it equally our Duty to bear Teftimony alfo agaijiil four other Afls of the faid Parliament, which we edeem highly injurious to our Fellow- Subjedls in America, viz. An Adt, intituled, " An A6i for the better re^ulatin"; the Govern- *' ment of the Province of the Majfachujets Bay^ *' in New England** And alfo an A61, intituled, '* An A61 for the impartial Adminillration of " Juftice, in the Cafes of Perfons qu-ftioned for *' any A6ts done by them, in the Execution of the " Lawj or for the Suppreflion of Riots and Tu- *' mults in the Province of the Majjachufets Ba)\ '^ m New England** And alfo an Ad, intituled, *' An Adl to difcontinue, in fuch Manner and for " fuch Time as are therein mentioned, the land- *' ing and difcharging, lading or (hipping of *' Goods, Wares and Merchandizes, at the *' Town, and within the Harbour of BoJlo:i, in ** the Province of Majjackufets Bay, in North " A ''erica** And alfo an Aft, intituled, " An " Adl for the better providing fuitable Quarters " for Ofiicers and Soldiers in his Majefty's Service *' in North America** They appearing to this Court, to be not only contrary to many of the fundamental Prlnciphs pf the Englijh Conftitu- tion, and mofb eflVntJaJ Rights of the Subjedt, E 2 bu( '/.! ,1 iii ii BSlS I [ 68 •]. but alfo apparently inconfiftent with natural Jufticc and Equity, and we are therefore of Opi- nion, that our Fellow- Subjeds, the Americans, are juftified in every conllitutional Oppofition to the faid A61. 1 1 !;1 ' :i I I , i^ i 1 A Motion wa? made, and Queflion put, That the Bill depending in Parliament, intituled, '' A *' Bill to reftrain the Trade and Commerce of the *' Vrovince of Mciffacbufels Bay, &c.'* be referred to a Committee, to confider, whether there arc any Parts thereof which may be proper for thi^, Court to oppofc, and report the fiime to this Court, on Tburfday Morning next ; the fame was unanimoufly refolved in the Affirmative, and a Committee was appointed accordingly. WILKES, I: ■■ r h ] WILKES, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber or the Guildhall of the City of London ^ on Tbiirfday^ the 23d Day of /'V^r/ztfry, I'J'JS* THE Committee, appointed by this Court, the twenty-firfl Inltant, to confider whether there are any Parts in the Bill depending in Parlia- ment, intituled, ^^ A Bill to reftrain the Trade '* and Commerce of the Province of Majfachufets " Bay, and Nezv Hampjhirey &c." which may be proper for this Court to oppofe, did this Day deliver into this Court, a Report in Writing, under their Hands, which was read in thefc Words : To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Al- dcrmen^ and Commons of the City of Londotiy in Common Council aflembled. WE, whofe Names are hereunto fubfcribed, rour Committee, appointed by this Honourable >)urt the twenty-firfl Inftant, to confider whe- ther there are any Parts in the Bill depending in ^lrliament, intituled, " A Bill to reftrain the Trade and Commerce of the Province of Majjachufds Bay, and New Hampjhire, &c." 'hich may be proper for this Court to oppofe, E 3 and i fi 1-1 wr \\' ii H !' ' i1 r I t 70 1 and to report the fame to this Court, ort this Morning : Do humbly Certify, that wc have met for that Purpofe, and having had the faid Biii feveral I iires read and duly confidered the fame, are of Opinion, that the fol- lowing Parts in the laid Bill, may be proper for this Court to oppofc. . ' - I. So much of the Principles of the hid Bill as prohibit fuch Provinces and Colonies for carrying on any Fiiliery on the Banks of Nczvfoiindland, or other Places therein to be men- tioncd, under certain Conditions, and for a Time to be limited. II. Page 5, Claufc to. Whereby the North Americans are retrained from importing Wine, Salt, &:c. except Horfes, Viduals and Linen Cloth, the Produce and Manufad:ure of Ireland^ imported dircclly frohi thence. III. PaG:e ^, Claufe ii. Bccaufe it mves a Power to his Majedy's Oflicers by Land and Sea, to licence Smuggling. IV. Page 6, Claufe i :^. Bccaufe it prevents any Subject of Great Britain^ and Ireland, or any different Province, from being Part Owners of any American Ship or Vcllel, allowed by the faid Aft, to curry on the Fifhery, V. t 71 ] V. Page 8, Claufe i8. Becaufe It vefts an un- |diie Authority in the Governor and Council of Maffachufets Bay, over the Provinces therein men- I tioncd ; all which we llibmit to this Honourable Court, this 23d Day of /V^n/^ry, 1775* William Hurford, Thomas Hyde, James Sharp, Edward Tutet, Thomas Harrifon, William Stone. Frederick Bull, John Sawbridge, Richard Oliver, George Bellas, William Saxby, Edward Howfe^ And a Motion being made, and Qiieftion put, 'hat this Court doth agree with the Committee in their faid Report, the fame was refolved in the Affirmative. Another Motion was made, and Queftion put. That it be referred to the Committee to withdraw Immediately to draw up a Petition to theHonour- ible Houfe of Commons againft the faid Bill; ^he fame was refolved in the Affirmative. And the faid Committee withdrew accordingly, md returning again into Court, prefented a Draft )f a Petition by them prepared, which being fwice read, and fome Amendments made thereto, ^'^s unanimoully agreed to, in the following ''ords. /.;i ;l4 E4 ft : i 1 ,1 '■ : 1 i !; i: ; ■' '' i! : 1 '1 ' :! L. * 1 ,■ 1 1 1 ' ill , ' )■ 1 ; :'! ■ 1 M irV ^M'': r r ^i 1 ' ;l .1 , ■ .\ ' , \ 1 1: i' : 4 'n' :i ' : i ' : (! '1 ! 1 l'' 1 I \A' hi [ 7^ ] To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britam, in Parliament ajfembled, ft The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of - London^ in Common Council affcmbled. Sheweth^ THAT although your Petitioners bear all due Refped to the Policy of thofe Ads of Parlia- ment which have antiently prefcrved to Great Britain^ a neceflary and beneficial Share of Com- merce with our Colonies, yet they are exceedingly alarmed at the Confequences thatmuft enlue, i£| the Bill nowdepending in this Honourable Houfe, fliould pafs into a Law, intituled, '* A Bill to re- drain the Trade and Commerce of Alajachtifcts Bay and New Hampjhire^ and Colonies of ConneEticiH and Rhode IJland^ and Providencs Plantation in North America^ to Great Britain, Ire/a fid, ^nd the Britijb Idcs in the f'FeJl Indies, and to prohibit fuch Provinces and Colonies from carrying on any Fifl"iery on the Banks of Nezvfoundland, or other Places therein to be mentioned, under certain Conditions, and for •' a Time to be limited;" the faidBill, as your Petitioners conceive, being unjuftly founded, be- caufe it involves the Whole in the Punifhment intended for the fuppofed Oficnce of a few. That (c C( C(- petition the Right Honourable the Houfe of Lords againfl: the faid Bill, the fame was refolved inthe Affirmative; which Petition is as follows : To the Right HonouraJAe the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament ajfcmtled. The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Alder- men, and Commons oi t\\t C'my oi London, in Common Council aflembicd. Shewethy THAT your Petitioners conceive, that the iBill now depending in this Honourable Houfe, jintitnled, " An Ad: to reftrain the Trade and *' Commerce of the Province of Majfachufcts Bay, '* and NewHampfiire, and Colonies of Connecticut, « and ;>ii i I il .il 1; f II fl! IT ^la i li i P Si ;•' iM t I ■ '!: t 76 I *' and Rhode I/land, and Providence Plantation, *' in Norfb America, to Greaf Britain, Ireland, '^ and the Briti/h Iflands in the fFeJi Indies •, and ** to prohibit fuch Provinces and Colonics from *' carrying on any Fifliery on the Banks of Nezv- ^*' foundland, or other Places therein mentioned, " under certain Conditions and Limitations;'* will, if palFed into a Law, be of moll pernicious Ten- dency, and dangerous in its Confequcnce to the Interefl and Commerce both of Great Britain and her Colonies. Your Petitioners humbly apprehend, that if the faid Bill fliould be paffed into a Law, the trading Veffels of his Majefty*s Subjects will be in a mod unconftitutional Manner, fubjefled to the Difcrction and Controul of Military Power, and that the general Principles of the faid Bill, arc repugnant to Equity and the Rights of Britijb Subjects. Your Petitioners apprehend, that the Defign of the faid Bill, to deprive the Inhabitants of ^^ ALiJjacbiifets Bay, and New Hampjhirey and Colonies of CcnmHicut, and Rhode IJland, and Proz-idrnce Plantation, in Ncrth America, of the Liberty of Fifliing on the Banks of Newfound' land, is contrary to every Principle of Humanity and Policy •, that it is highly injurious to our Ncrth American Fellow-Subjedts, and prohibits the moft beneficialMeans of carrying on the New^ JQundland [ 77 ] foundbnd Flfhery; a Trade affording to this Country the grcatcft commercial Advantages ; and the laid BUI tends to throw that impoirant Fiflicry into the Hands of a powerful commercial Rival, for whom a careful and efpecial Frovifion is made by this Bill, whill^ common Jullice is denied to Britijh Subjeds. Your Petitioners further apprehend, that leav- ing the Operation or Sufpcnfion of an Ad of Par- liament to depend on the Difcretion of any Governor, is a mod alarming Violation of the Principles of the Britijh Conftitution, and though there hath been an Inflance of this in fome late Afts, yet your Petitioners conceive it to be highly unwarrantable and dangerous. Your Petitioners hurnbly apprehend, that if the faid Bill fliould pafs into a Law, it can have no other EfFed than to widen that unhappy Breach, which now fubfifts between the Colonics and the Mother Country, and may therefore be produdive of the moil dangerous Confecjuenccs to both. The fuprcmelorrifl.itive Authority of this ivcc. Country, cannot l)e founded on arbitrary Power, jbut is itfelf limited to prefcrve the Conllitu- [tional Rights of every Part of the Bril:Jlj Empire. The American Colonies have contributed incf- timable Benefits to this Country, becaufe they derive ^' ' « m I i 78 ] derive from tlie Conftitution of En^^andy and have participated with us the Enjoyments of free Subjedts, redrided only by wife Regulations of Trade, from which Ireland and ylmenca haAc promoted the general Profperity of the Brtijh Empire, and thence received the Protcdtion of Great Brita-n, And your Petitioners prefume to add, that oppreflive Meafurcs rel'pecling tlic Colonies, mult eventually be highly pcrn'cioiis to Cm / Britain^ which has been brought to its prefcnt Dignity and Splendour by the F'reedom of its Conftitution, and its Adherence to Equity ai^d Humanity, but may be reduced to Dcftrudlion by Mcafures founded on Injuflice and Dcfpotirm. Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray, that the faid Bill may not pafs into a Law, WILKES, [ 79 ] WILKES, Mayor. In a Meeting or AfTembly of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Liverymen of the fcvcral Companies of the City of London^ in Com- mon Hall adembled, at the Guildhall oi \.\\q faid City, on IVedneJday^ the 5th Day of Aprils 1775. A Motion was made, and Qiieftion put. That an humble Addrefs, Rcmonrtrance, and Pe- tition, be prelentcd to his Majcfty, from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City of London, in Common Hall afiembled, againft the Meafures adopted with rcfp-dt to America, the fame was relblved in the Affirma- tive ; and an humble Addrefs, Remonitrancc, and Petition to his Majcdy being prefented, a Motion was made, that the la.ne be read, and the Qiiellion being put, it was refolved in the Affirmative, whereupon the fame was read as follows ; h i ni To the King^s mojl Excellent Majejly, 'he humble Addrefs, Remonft ranee, and Pe- tition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City of London, in Common Hall alTcmbled. mmmfm I 'li ^{ ! 'i ' 1 ' ! r ! . 1' '■ [ 80 ] WE,yourMajcRy's dutiful and loyal Subjedls, the Lord Mayor, -Aldermen, and Livery of the Ciry of London^ beg Leave to approach the Throne, and to declare our Abhorrence of the Meafures which have been purfued and are now purfuingto theOppreflion of our Fellow-Subjects in America ; thefe Meafures are big with all tlie Confequences which can alarm a free and com- mercial People. A deep, and perhaps fatal Wound to Commerce; the Ruin of Manufactures i the Diminution of the Revenue; and confcqucnt Increafe of Taxes; the Alienation of the Colonies, and the l^lood of your Majcfty's Subjects. But your Petitioners look with lefs Horror at the Confequences than at the Purpofe of thefc Meafures •, not deceived by the fpecious Artifice of calling Dcfpotifni Dignity, they plainly perceive that the real Purpofe is to eftablifli ar» bitrary Power over all America, Your Petitioners conceive the Liberties of the whole to be inevitably connected with thofe of every h art of an Empire, founded on the common Rights of Mankind •, they cannot therefore ob- fcrve, without the greatefl: Concern and Alarm, the Conftitution fundamentally violated, in any Part of your Majeity's Dominion •, They efteem it an e/Tcntial, unalterable Principle of Liberty, the Source and Security of all Conftitutional Riglits, that no Part of the Dominion can be I taxed [ 8i ] taxed without being reprelented. Upon this great leading Principle, they mod ardently wiih to iVe their Fellow- llibj eels in America fcciired in what their humble Petition to your Majefty prays for, Peace, Liberty and Safety. Subordination in Commerce, under which the Colonies have always chearfully actiuictced, is, they conceive, all that this Country ought in Jullice to require; from this Subordination, fjch Advantages flow, 1)V all the Profits of their Commerce centering here, as fully compenlatc this Nation for the Ex- pence incurred, to which they alfo contribute in Men and Money for their Defence and Proredion dur.ng a general War ; and in their Provincial Wars, they have rnanifefled their Readinefs and Refolutionto defend themfelvcs ; to require more of them would, for this Reafon, derogate from the Juflice and Magnanimity which have been hitherto the Pride and Charaeter of this Country. It is therefore, with the deeped Concern, that we have fecn the facred Security of Repre- fentation in their Alfemblies wrefted from them •, the Trial by Jury aboliflied ; and the odious lowers of Excife extended to ail cafes of Revenue ; the Sanduiry of their Houfes laid open to Vio- lation at rile Will and Pl.-afuie of every Officer and Serv.mt in the Culioiiis ; tlie Dilpenfation of Ju'liee coriuptjd, by rendering their Judges de- pe:vJ:i:'t, for their Seats and Salaries, on tliC Will of ilie down ; Liberty and f^ifc icndticd pre- F carious. *i I r 'I! A ws If 1 (■ ii ! i^ '■ r I ? • !i I ! : [ S2 1 carious, by fiibicArfing them to be clrac":p,e(1 over t]ic Ocean, and trieJ lor Treuibn or Fi;lony here, where the Didaace n^aking It ini; oHiblc for the niGil Guiltlels to m.iincalji his Innocence, mult deliver him up aV'icftim to niialf.erial Vengeance: Soldiers and others in Amer:c::, h.avc been iniliga'.jd to i?-'diid has been pu:il]ied with unexampled Ri;iOur, untried uivl unheard ; involving tlic Ir.nocent and tJie '"ul- ]ie(;:l'cd in one common and inhuman Calamity; Chartered Rights have been tr.Lcn av.ay v/itiiout an\ Forfeiture proved, in order to rjc]'>rive the People of every legal Txertion againltl'yranny ot their Rulers. 1 he llcbcas Corpus Acl, and 1 rial by Jury have been fupprelled, and Frcmh delj v^;ic G(/Vernmcnt, with the Roman Catholic Religion, have been ellablilhed by Taw, over an exienfive Part of your Mnjcf y's T)v>minior,; in America : Dutiful IVtitions lor Rcdrefs c thtk (Jricvaices, from all your Majelly's Amcricti. Subjct!:!:, have been fruitlels. I H' To fill uj) the Mcafure of tliefe OpprcfTion^l an Aimy has been lint to tnlorce rinMi; ibper |i adwkd lo this, ivlculurcs arv n;)W j JLHined tir^'Nl the ujoil iiHMeikfs I'olicy ct ilarving o'lr Fellow- IuLJcCls into a total Sumnder of theii ].il)ertK> aiid. an unliritited Subnfiiiien lo arbitiarv C)> V'xiinv.ent. [ 83 ] \'3.i^^icd over ^clonv here, blc for the ccncc, niuit Vcngeaiicc : cninuigat^d (labHll:ir':j;a .nity for fiich i,;ii has been untried and .nd th.c Suf- .n CalaiViirv; lY.'iiy v/ithout deprive the I 'ri'yrcinny of IS Act, , iind l'.\"!<'^ nan Catholic y ] /aw, ovt: 's Dominions r Rcdrefs o^ fty*S/////£77VtM • Oi>;>rt(Tions| I i'.r.nvd uponj >'r o'lr Fello\v-!i •' , ., ■ t hen Liberncr^^ •arbUiary ^^ I :u'.1 o.vl , Thcfc Grievances liave driven your MajcHy's faiihful Subjedls to Der])air, and compelled them t) havcRccoiirle to t!iat Ueiiftance, which is julli- fi'jd by the great Principles of the Conlbirution ; achiarcd by which, at the f^^lorious Period of the Revokiiion, our Anecltors transferred the Impe- rial Crown of thefe Realms, from the popiili and Tyrannic Race cf the 6'//^reiU and the Confidence and Aflediion of all 'our Majffty's Subjcds, be the folid Supportwrs >i your Throne. F 2 ///; ; ! i! u *■■> I li '^; [ 84 ] His Ivliijcjlfs Jnfwer to the /aid Addrefs, r'l IT is with the utmofl: Allonifliment, that I find any of my Subjects capable of encouraging the rebellious Difpofitlon which unhappily exifls in fome of my Colonics in North yimerica. Having entire Confidence in the Wifdom of my Parlia- ment, the great Council of the Nation, I will lleadily purfue thofe Meafures which they have recommended for the Support of the Conftituti- ojial Rights of Great Britain^ and the Protcdlion of the commercial Intercfts of my Kingdoms. \\ f 1 W I LK E S, i^« I 85 ] J WILKES, Mil) or. W'^ A Common Council holclen in the Cluimher of the Guildhall of the City of J^ondon, o\\ Friday the 2:^d Day of June, ^11 St and in the Fifteenth Year of the Reign of King George the Third, of Great Britain^ &c. The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, having received a Letter from the General Committee of Aflbciation for the City and County of Kew- 7ork, addreflfed to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of Louden, his L.ortlfhip delivered the fame into this Court, and it was read as follows : COMMITTEE CHAMBER, New-Torl-y M.iyy 5, 1775. M\ Lord and Grnthmen^ DISTINGUISH! ID as you are, by your noble xcrtions in the Caufe of Liberty, and deeply in- ;eretK'd in the expiring Con"5merce of the Em- ire-, you nccelTarily command the moll refped- ful Attention. 1 he general Committee of AlTo- F 3 ciation, , * y " ■' 1' \i "'111 lij !l i 4 idr [ 86 ] cjation for the City niul County of Ne'x^-Tcy^:, brg Leave therefore to Addreis you, and the Capital of the 5 ;///?> Empire, through its Magif- traces, on the SiihjctJ-t of y/wovVti// Wrongs. Born to the bright Inheritance of Eni^lijb Freedom, the Inhabitants of tliis extenfive Continent, can never lubmit to the ignominious Yoke., nor move in the galling Fetters of Slavery. The Dili-oial e[ their own Fropcrty A'irh }>erfcd." Spontantit)-, and in a IVlanner wholly i!i veiled of every Ap'v.'nr- ancc of Confl taint, is th'ir iiulcfeufible Kirtluiglii. This exalted BleflinL'" thev are rerokuelv deter- mined to deiend with rheir Jilood, and transfer it iincontaminaied to tiieir Fofteritv. You will nor tlien wonder at their earlv Jc;i- F>uly of t.'ie ))eri|.'n to erect in this Land of Li- berty, a Defpotiiin fearec^ly to he paralleled in the i'iiges (jf ;\ntiqi;ity, cr the \'oluiues of mo- dern 'I'lme^ ; a Dtlporiim, c(infiiling in Power ;i!- fumed by the Iv'-prefenrativi s of a Part of hi.i JVIrtJeiL 's Subit(^ts, at their foverei.vn Will imd l^lealure to llri[-» the nil of their Piopertx . Aiid what are the J'.iM/ines of A(hr,iniflr;:t;on to exe- cute this deIlr'viCLi\'e Projedf ? The Duty on Te;'. ; ojipretnve Reilrnints en the Commerce of the Colo;rc> •, the l)i()cka(.;e of the Port of lir./lnu ; the Change of int- n-ril Police in the .M'ffih b/^Jl'fs AVv and .^i^^/i'^rr ; tlrr Fihiblinnricn' oi' Fo})erv in tiic latter ; the Fxtenfion of its bounds j the Ruin . • ■ ." ofi , and the its Magif. >ngs. Eorn .•cdom, the , can never »r move in Diliolalct lantity, and ry Ap'v.'nr- Birtlniirlu. r early Jc;i- /and of Li- aralU'letl in ucs ot' mo- n Power iil- VwvX of hi; n Will ?.\v\ K\-x\ , AikI t:on to ex'> Dty on Te:'. ; irec ot the ij \' ll'.ftnn ; the '/f'/r /'///t'/.S' ./: [ 88 ] Power. Zealous on our Part for an indiffoluble Union with the Parent State, (ludious to pro- mote the Glory and H.ij^pinefs of the Empire, impreflcd with ajull Senfc of the NecelTity of a controuling Aurhority to regulate and harmonize the Dilcordant commt^rcial Iiitereils of its varicnis Parts ; we cheaii'ully fi'^mit to a Regulation of Commerce bv the Lei^'Huture of the Parent Sr.ite, excludin;^ in its Nature every Idea of Taxation. Whirhcr, therefore, the prefcnt Machinations of arbitrary Power infallibly tend, you ma\- eafiiy judge; if unremutcdly purlued, as tliey were in- humanly devifcd, they will, by a fatal Neeeditv, terminate in a tuta! Uiirjluiiun of the I^mpire, The Subjeas of this Country will not, wc trufl, be deceived by any Ivleiifure'i cuncili;jr:.ry in AppearanL'e, while it is evident that the Aii- niftcr aims at u iolid Revenue to be raiild bv grievou'^ and ojvprefiive Acls of parliament ; and by Fiiets and Armies e!r.[)loyed to enforee their Execution. They never will, we believe, U-.l)- mit to an Auellon in tb.e Colonies for the mor^ d- feClual An;..mentati()n of the Revenue, by lif)ldifig ii up as a Teir.ptation to llieui that the higluil Bidders Ihall enj'jy the greatclt i::hafe of guvern- mental Favour. Tills Plan, as it wuuld teixi to fo.v the Svcds or I;iicord, wuuld be far ;nore dan- gcrous than huilile Poice^ in which we hope tnc Kinj,'? T.oop^. will ever Ia', as they h^ve already Lecii, ndifToliible lus to pro- he Empire, :e(rity of a I harmonize iis various rgiilation of arcnt State, Taxation. [aclii nations 1 Li mav cafily !cy WL'i'e in- ii iNcccfiity, : Knipirr. ill not, wc conciiir.rrTv liar tlic Mi- e raifcd by iHK-nt ; and 1 force tlicir itlitVC, U;i)- the more U- , by hr)l'iui«' the bigluil ot iiovcrii- jiild iciid to r ;norc dan- \'c biopc tnc Kathetic Affe^ftion, inllantane- oufly felt through the whole Continent. That Feufs'htuiia^ M(i>y!tif?ii^ and NdW-Tork, have al- ready ilo()ped their Exports to the Fifliiiig Iflands, and thufe Colonies, which, at this dangerous Juncture have rcfufed to unite with their Brethren in the comn-.on Caufe-, and all Supplies to the Navy and Armv at Boflcn ■, and that pr()f>abl/ the Day is at Mand when o-ir coiuiiiental ConL^rcfs will totally iliut up our Ports. The Minions of Power here may now IniV.rm Adiiiinillialion, if they can ever fpeak the E.ma;uj[i;e of Truih, that this City i-j as one rvian in the Caule of Liberty : J /.I m ■( • ./1l «; ' .11 ill i jiiF i hi ut I I r\m [ 90 ] Liberty; that to this End, our Inhabitants are aimed unanlinoufly bor.nd by the* enclofcd Aflb- ciation ; that it is continually advancing to Per- feflion by additional Sublcriprions ; that they are refolutely bent on fupporting tlicirCoiiimittce, and the intended Provincial and Contliiental Con- greflcs i that there is not the leall Doubt of the Efficacy ot their Example in the other Counties*, in fliort, that while the whole Continent are ar- dently wifhing for Peace, on fuch Terms as can be acceded to by En^^li/bmerty tliey are indei'atigable in preparing for the lafl: Appeal: That fuch are tlie LanfHiao;c and Condut^l of our Fellow- Citi/.ens, will be further manifefted by a Reprc- fentation of the I/ieutenant Governor and Council, of the firil Inllant, to General Ga^ye at Rcjiott^ ard to his Majcily's Minillers, bv the Packet, Aifure yourjelvcs, my Lord and Gentlemen, that vvc fpeak the real Sentiments of the confede- rated Colonies on the Continent, from Nova Scotia toGeoy^hi^ when we declare, that ail the Horrors of a Civil War will never compel America to fu li- mit to Taxation by Authority of Parliament, A flnrcrc Regard tothePuUHc Weal, and the Caufe of ilumnnity ; an hearty Dcfirc to fpare the further Effufion of human Blood-, our Loyalty to our Prince, snd the Love we bear to all our Fellow-fubjcds in his Majefly's Realm and Dominions j a full Conviclion oi the warmed At- tachment ■I -i [ 91 ] taclircnt In the Capital of the Empire to rhe Caufc of Julliceand Liberty, have indi'cccl us to Adt refs you on this momentous Subjcdl ; »:onfi- dent that the fame cogent Motives will induce the mull vigorous Exertions of the City o^ Loudon^ to redore Union, nuitual Confidence and Peace to the whole Empi e. We have the Honor to he. My Lord and Gentlemen, Your mod obedient and Affect inr.ate Fellow- fubje(fls And Humble Servants, I fane Roofcvclt Cjabriel 1 1. Ludlow W'm. Walton ] Daniel Phcjcnix Frcdk. Jay S:imuel Broome lohn i\c Lancev Alexander M'lJougall John Reade Jwfeph Bull George Jancway John V\ liite Gab. W. Ludlow John Laflier I heophilus Anrliony Thomas Smith Richard Yatei Ifaac Low, Chairman. John Jay Fran. Lewis John A hop Phil. Livingilon Ta. Duane (j. Duyckrorck Wm. SetfMi William \V. Ludlow Corneruis Cioppcr Abrm. l-rinckcrhclF llenry Kenilvn Pvobcr: llav l.vert Fiancker Jok}>h 1 otten Abr.i. P. Lott David Bockman Oliver t ii 1 ijjfl I m o ^ ^r^-^ ■r3-- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I ■- 128 M 1.8 1.25 M 1.6 4 6" - ► ..^. V] <^ /] ^;. vC^. '^ s>^ /A Hiotographic Sciences Corporation M ^ '% Of the City of LONDON. [ 93 ] New-Tuik, Jtrn! 2()^ 177 D >n A General AlTociation, agreed to, and fub- icribed by the Frethol .lers, J reemen, ar.d Inhabitants of the City and County of Niw- 2^rL PERSUADED, that the Salvation of the Rights and Liberties of America, depends, under God, on the firm Union of its Inhabitants in a viororous Profecution of the Meafures necef- fary for its Safety ; and convinced of the Ncccfiity of preventing the Anarchy and Confufion, which attend a Diflblution of the Powers of Govern- ment, We, the Freemen, Freeliolders, and In- habitants of the City and County of Ncv:-To)k^ being greatly alanncd at the avowed Dcfign of the Miniflry, to raife a Revenue in //wtr/V^ -, and fliocked by the bloody Scene, now ad:ing in thr; Maffiichu/ds Ba)\ DO, in the mod folcmn Man- ner refolve, never to become Slaves ; and do af- fociate under all the Ties of Religion, lienor, and Love to our Country, to adopt and endeavour to carry into Execution, whatever Meafures niny be recommended by the Continental Congrels, or refolvcd upon by our Provincial Convcnrion, tor . ' If i f [ 94 ] for the Purpofe of prefcrving our Conflirution, and oppofing the Execution of the fcveral arbi- trary and opprcfTiveAfts of the BritiJJj Parlianicni; until a Reconciliation between Great-Hritam and America, on conftitutional Principles, (which we mod ardently dtfire) can be ob- tained : And that we will, in all Thiiitis follow the Advice of our General Committee, refpcding the Purpofcs aforcfaid, the Prefervation of Peace and good Order, and the Safety of Individuals, and private Property. Dated in New-Tork, April ^nd May, 1775. ,i}f^^ i WILKES, 'ii 1 ,1 1 [ 95 ] r ,1 WILKES, Mayor. At a Meeting of the Livery of London, in Com- mon Hall a (rem bled, on iSaturdayy'i\\<: 24th oi June, 1775. The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor reported, that he had received a Letter from the R ighc Honourable the Earl of Hertford, Lord Cham- berlain to his Majefty, and that his Lordlhip had returned an Anfwer thereto j both of which were read. My Lord, TLIE King has direfted me to o;ive Notice, that for the Fuiure, his Majefiy will not receive, on the Lhrone, anv yXddrefs, Remonftrance, and Petition, but from the Body corporate of the C-> • .ity. I, therefore, acquaint your Lordlliip with it, as Chief Magilbate of the City, and have the Ho- nor to be. My Lord, Your LorJlhip's moil obedient •' LIumble Servant, Crofvenor-JIreett Jotil 11, 1775. HERTFORD. The Riffht Hon. ^c\n Wilkes, Lord Mayor of the City of London, M^:n- li X \ » 1 )' 1 » ^ ' 1' Ji: ;, f [if m ) ! iii v^ [ 96 ] ■ Mafi/ion-hcufc^ May 2, ^JJS* My Lordy IT is imponible for me to exprcfs, or conceal the extreme Aftonifhmcnt and Grief I felt ar the Notice your Lordlhip*s Letter gave me, as Chief Magillrate of the City, " That, for the Future, " his Mujefty will not receive on the Throne, any " Addrcfs, Remonftrance, and Petition, but from " the Body Corporate of the City.'* \\\ I entreat your Lordfliip to lay me, with all Humility, at the King's Feet ; and as I have now the Honor to be Chi^f Magiftrate, in my Name, to fupplicate his Majefty's Juftice and Goodnefs, in behalf of the Livery of Lundcn, that he would be gracioufly pleafed to revoke an Order, highly injurious to their Rights and Privileges, which, in this Inftance, have been conllantly refpected, and carefully prcferved by all his Royal Predecef- fors. The Liwcry of Lof?dof7, my Lord, have ap- proved themfelves the zealous Friends of Liberty, and the Proteflant Succefilon. They have (lea- dily purfued only thofe Meafures, which were calculated to fecure the free Conilitution of this Country, and this your Lordfliip well knows, has created them the Hatred of all the Partisans of the exiled and prcfcribed Family. They form the great and powerful Body of the Corporation, in [ 97 ] in whom mofl: important Powers are vefted, the Eledlionof thefirftMagiftrate, the Sheriffs, the Chamberlain, the Auditors of the Receipt and Expenditure of their Revenues, and of the four Members who reprefent in Parliament the Capi- tal of this vafl: Empire. The full Body Corpo- rate never afiemble, nor could they legally a«5t to- gether as one great aggregate Body ; for, by the Conftitution of the City, particular and diftin(5t Privileges are referved to the various Members of the Corporation, to the Freemen, to the Livery- men, to the Common Council, to the Court of Aldermen* His Majefty's Solicitor General, Mr. M^edderburrtf was confulted by the City in the Year 1 77 1, refpc6ling the Legality of Common Halls and the Remonftrances of the Livery, in Conjundlion with Mr. Serjeant Glynn^ Mr. BuH' ningy and Mr. Nugent y he gave an Opinion, which I have the Honor of tranfcribing from our Records. .1 "J )■ im ic 4( " We apprehend, that the Head Officer of every Corporation may convene the Body, or any Clafs of it, whenever he thinks proper ; that the Lord Mayor, for the Time being, may, of his own Authority, legally call a Com- mon Hall, and we fee no legal Obje^ion to his caking the t-wo lafi -, we conceive it to be the Duty of the proper Officers of the feveral Com- panies, to whom Precepts, for the Purpofe of G " fummoning IP m t ill' h . » ii til: Iff I* '[ 98 ] *' ummonlng their rcfpcdlive Liveries liave been *' ufually clire(5led, to execute thofc Precepts ; *• and that awiltul Refufal on their Part is an Of- " fence, punilliable by Disfranchifcment/' The City^ my Lord> have been careful, that all their Proceedings fliould be grounded on the true Principles of Law and the Conftitution. Notwithftanding it is the clear Right of the Sub- ject to petition the King for the Rcdrcfs of Grie- vances i a Right, which fo many Thoufands of our Fellow-Subje(fts,my Lord, have juftly thought it their Duty, very frequently to exercife in the lafl ten Years; yet the City, from Excefs of Caution, took a great legal Opinion in the Cafe, and I find the following Words entered in their Journals, by the exprefs Order of the Common Hall, '^ The Livery of London, legally affcmbled in *' Common Hail, either on Midjtnnmet\, Michael- ** mas^ or any other Day, have an undoubted " Right to take into Confidcration, any Matter *' of public Grievance they may think proper, li " is beyond Difpute^ that the Right is inherent in *•■ them,^^ A Jury have like wife declared this in a folemn Verdicl:. I have been thus particular^ my Lord, on this Subjed, from our Records, becaufe I differ in one Point from the lad Opi- nion, which I quoted, for I know there is no Right or Privilege of this free People, or of Man- kind, ! [ 09 ] >inc], but what has been difputtdi and even dent - €d<. by pcnfioned Pens and Tongues in the Service of tlie arbitrary Miniftcrs of arbitrary Kings. Your Lordfhip, I am fure, will now no longer fuffcr a Doubt to remain in your Mind, as to the Legality of Common Halls^ or of their cxtcnfive Powers, and^ therefore, 1 prcfumc to lay Claim, on Behalf of the Livery of London^ to the antient Privilege cf prefenting to the King on the Throne, any Addrefs, Petition, or Remon- Itrance. In this Manner have the AddrelTes of the Livery conftantly been received, both by his prefent Majelly and ail his Royal Predeceflbrs, the Kings of England. On the moft exadt Re- .fearch, I do not find a fingle Infiance to the con- trary. This immemorial Ufage, in the Opinion of the ableft Lawyers, gives an abfolute Right, and is as little fubjedt to Controverfy, as any fair or jufl Prerogative of the Crown. Other Rights and Privileges of the City have been invaded by defpoticMonarchsjbv feveral of the accurfed Race of the Stuart s\ but this in no Period of our Hifto- ry. It has not even been brought into Queflion till the prefent inaufr^icious ^la. I have an entire ConHdence, my Lord, that a Right left iinin- vaded by every Tyrant of the ^^arquin Race, will be fiicredly preferved under the Government of our prefent Sovereign, becaufe his Majefty is per- fedlly informed, ihat in confequence of their Ex- G ,1 pulfion. 1*^ I ' 'I 1 i I .'.:■ I i hi II .;»i fitt > t 100 ] pulfion, his Family was cliofen to protecfl anJ defend the Rights of a free People, whom ihey endeavoured to enQave. It cannot efcape your Lordfhip's Rccolle<5lion, that at all Times, when the Privileges of the Ca- pital were attacked, very fatal Conlcquences en- fued. The Invafion of the Liberties of the Na- tion, we have generally feen preceded by Attempts on the Franchifes of the firll City in the Kingdom; and the Shock has fpread from the Centre to the moft diitant Point of the Cir- cumference of this wide extended Empire. I hope his Majefty's Goodnefs will revoke an Order, which might perhaps, in this Light, be confidered as ominous to the Citizens of this Metropolis. Such a Meafure only could quiet the Alarm, which has already fpread too far, and given gloomy Apprehenfions of Futurity. The Privilege, my Lord, for which I contend, is of a very great Moment, and peculiarly ftrik- ing. When his Majefty receives on the Throne any Addrefs, it is read by the proper OiHcer to the King in the Prefence of the Petitioners. They have the Satisfadtion of knowing that their Sovereign has heard their Complaints. They receive an Anfvver. If the farrie Addrefs is pre- fcntedat a Levee, or in any other Mode, na An- fwer is given. A Sufpicion may arife that the Addrefs is never heard or read, becaufe it is only received, [ lOI ] received, and immediately delivered to the Lord in waiting. If h " is tolerably verfcd in the fup- ple, infinuating Arts, pradtifcd in the magic Circle of a Court, he will take Care never to remind his Prince of any difagrcjuble and dif- guiling, however important and wholefome IVuths, He will flrangle in its Birth the fair Offspring of Liberty, becaiifc its Cries might awaken and alarm the Parent, and thus the com- mon Father of all his People may remain equally ignorant and unhappy in his moil weighty Con- cerns. Important Truths, my Lord, were the Foun- dation of the laft humble Addrcfs, Remondrance and Petition to the King, refpcding our brave Fellow-Subje6ts in America. The Greatnefs, as well as Goodnefs of the Caufe, and the Horrors of an approaching Civil \yar, juftified our Ap- plication to the Throne. It comprehended every Thing intereding to us as a free and commercial People, I'le firft Principles of our common Li- berty, and the immenfe Advantages of the only Trade we enjoy unrivaled by other Nations. I greatly fear that your Ix>rdlhip*s Letter, imme- diately following his Majefty's unfavourable An- fwcr to the Remonftrance, will be confidercd as a frefh Mark of tlie King's Anger againft our un- happy Brethren, as well as of his Difpleafure againft all the faithful Citizens of his Capital. The Livery, polTefllng the pureft Intentions, G 3 the I :3 l4i! I I 1. r m I \ tlie moft noble and exalted Views for the public Good, will comfort thciiifclvcs with the Apj^eal of that Jufticc in the Sovereign's Heart, whicfi cannot fail of foon reftoring them to the Royal Favour-, but the Amcricaf^s may be driven to ]."cfpair, unlefs merciful Providence fliould gra- cioufly interpolejund change the obdurate Hearts of thofc unjull and wicked Minifters, who have been fo long permitted, by divincVengeance, to be a Scourge both to us and our Brethren. The true Friends of Liberty, I am fure, will not be my Lord, 1 Zeal for rcmifs in their Duty. I doubt not, that L( of )ur Country, and Ze bis Majefty's Glory, which have equally diOin- guiflicd your Lordfhip, that the Livery of Lon- don^ will have your hearty Concurrence with them, as well as your powerful InterceiTion with the King, for the Revocation of the late Order. Such a Condudt will fecurc to your IvOrdfliip the Efteem and Aifedion of all good Men, and add to the unfeigned Refpefl, with which I have the Honor to be My Lord, Your Lordfhip's moH obedient, Humble Servant, JOHN WILKES. To the Right Honourable the Karl of Ihrtfcrd^ Lord Chamberlain of the King's Houfehold. Rcfolved, c public ; Appeal :, which c Royal riven to .lid G:ra- 2 Hearts ho have :e, to be . The not be / J.ord, iCal for didin- )f' Lot- e with >n with Order. Drdfliip n, and I have '.[ 103 ] Refolvcd, that whoever advifed His Ma- jcfty, to declare he would not in future receive on the Throne, any Addrefs, Remonftrance and Petition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Livery of Londof/, arc Enemies to the Rlgiit of the Subjed to petition the Throne, becaufe fuch Advice is calculated to intercept the Complaints of the People to their Sovereign, to prevent a Re- drefs of Grievances, and alienate the Minds of Enuty to GOD, (from whom thofe Rights are derived •,) to themfelves, who cannot be fafe and happy without them ; to their Pofterity, who have a Right to claim this Inheritance at their Hands unviolatcd and unimpaired. We have already remonftratcd to your Majefty, that thefe Meafures were big with all the Confe- quencc^, which could alarm a free and commer- cial People; a deep, and perhaps, fatal Wound to Commerce; — the Ruin of M an u failures j the Diminution of the Revenue, and confequent In-* crcafe of Taxes ; the Alienation of the Colonies ; and the Blood of your Majelly's Subjeds. Unhappily, Sire, the worft of thefe Apprc- hcnfions is now realized in all its Horror. We have (^ftp.^ with equal Dread and Concern a Civil War commenced in America, by your Majefty's Commander in Chief: Will your Majefty be pleaf- ed to confider, what muft be the Situation of your People here, who having nothing nov to exped from Ameriid, but Gazettes of Blood, and mutual Lills of their flaughtcred Fellow- Subjeds ? Every IK w "4 M i ■!!^ i . i ' I'm % 1; >|1 I:! t i 11 ir .■ ii . i' I: ;; !! m h y' ill >' i 1 4 1 [ io6 ] Every Moments Profecution of this fatal War, niay loofen irreparably the Bonds of that Connec- tion, on which the Glory and Safety of the Britijb Empire depend. If any Thing could add to the Alarm of thefe Events, it is your Majefty's having declared your Confidence in theWifdomof Men, a Majority of whom are notorioufly bribed to betray their Con- llituents and their Country. It is the Misfortune of your MajcRy, it is the Misfortune and Grief of your People, to have a Grand Council and a Rcprcfentativc, under an undue and dangerous Influence^ anlnflucnce, which though procured by your Minifters, is dangerous to your Majefty, by deceiving you, and to your People, by betraying them. In fuch a Situation, your Petitioners are bound to declare to yourMajefty, that they cannot and will not fit unconcerned; that they will exert themfelves, at every Hazard, to bring thofe wh*^ have advifed thefe ruinous Mcafures, to the Juf- tice of this Country, and of the much injure4 Colonies. We have already figniiied our Perfuafion, that thefe Evils originate in the fecret Advice of thofc, who are equally Enemies toyourZvIajeily's Title, and to theRights of your People. Your Petitioners arc now compelled to Hiy, that your Throne is fur- al War, Conncc- \tBritiJh )f thefe ed your ority of ir Con- fortune d Grief I and a igerous ircd by fty, by raying bound ot and I exert fe wh^ ic Juf- njure4 1, tnat rhofc. Title, ioners )ne is fur- [ 107 ] furroundcd by Men, avowedly inimical to thofe Principles, on which your Majefty poflefles the Crown, and this People their Liberties. At a Time of fuchDifficulty andDanger, public Con- fidence is cfiential to your M^ije^y's Rcpoie, and to the Prefervation of )our People: Such Confi- (ience cannot be obcained by Minillers and Ad- vifers, who want Wifdom, and hold Principles incompatible with Freedom ; nor can any Hope of Relief be expedled from a Parliament, chofen under a national Dekifion, infidioufly raifed, by Mifreprefentations touching the true State of America^ and artfully embraced by a precipi- tate Diflblution, • • •• Your Petitioners therefore again pray and be- fcech yourMajefty, to difmiis yourprefent Mini- fters and Advilers, from your Perfon and Coun- fels forever;— to dlllblve a Parliament, who by various A (fls of Cruelty and Injuftice, have mani- fefted a Spirit of Pcrf^cution againllour Brethren in America^ and given their Sanation to Popery and arbitrary Power •, to put your future Confi- dence in Miififtcrs, whofe known and unlhaken Attachment to the Conrtiturion, joined to their Williom and Integrity, niay enabje your iVIa- jefty to fc'trlc tliis alurniing Difpute, upon the fure, honourable and lading Foundations of general Liberty. WILKES, 1! I ! M ii: ! 'fr I i I Hi ■ \\' I ) r?' [ io8 ] WILKES, Maj^or. In a Meeting or Aflembly of the Mayor, Aldermen and Livery of the feveral Com- panies of the City of London^ in Com- mon Hall aflembled, at the Guildhall of the faid City, on T!uefla)\ the Fourth Day oijulyy 1775. The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, ac- quainted the Livery, that the Sheriffs waited on his Majefty at St. Ja^nes^s on Wednefday lafl, and that Mr. Sheriff Pkmer addrelTed his Majefty as follows^ May it pleafe your Majefiy^ WE are ordered by the Lord Mayor, Alder- nien and Livery of the City of London^ in Com- mon Hall aflembled, to wait upon your Majefty, Jiumbly to know your Majefty's Royal Will and Plcafure, when your Majefty will be pleafed to receive upon the Throne, their humble Addrefs, Remonftrance and Petition. to um I 1^9 1 yor, om- pbm- ac- To which his Majefty anfwereij YOU will pleafe to take Notice, that I will receive their Addrefs, Remonfirance and Petition, on Friday next, at the Levee. Mr. Sheriff Plomer replied^ Your Majefty will permit us to inform you, that the Livery in Common Hall aflembled, have refolved not to prefent their Addrefs, Remon- Urance and Petition, unlefs your Majefty lliall be pkafed to receive it fitting on the Throne. 'To which his Majefty anfwtred^ I am ever ready to receive AddrelTes and Petitions — but I am the Judge where. The LordMayor then declared, that in Confe- quence of the Order of the Livery, that the Ad- drefs, Remonftrance and Petition, ftiould not be prefcnted to the King but fitting on his Throne, the Sheriffs Report to him, and Lord Hertford^ Letter^ his Lordftiip had not attended his Majefty with the faid Addrefs. Refolved, that the King is bound to hear the Petitions of his People, it being the undoubted Right of the Subjed to be heard> and not a Mat- ter of Grace and Favour. Refolved, that his Majefty's Anfwcr is a diredt Denial of the Right of this Court to have their Petitions heard, Refolved, % 'I [ no ] Refolved, that fuch Demal renders the Rmht of Petitioning the Throne, recognized and cfta- blifhed by the Revolution, of no Eftefl. Refolved, that whoever advifed his Majefty^ diredlly or indiredtly, to rcfnfe hearing the hum- ble Addrefs, Remonftrance and Petition of this Court on the Throne, is equally an Enemy to the Happinefs and Security of the King, and to the Peace and Liberties of the People. Refolved, that the following Inftrudtions be given to our Reprefentatives in Parliament. Si :l^ ' i::;t Gentkmen^ YOU are inflrucfted by the Livery in Com- mon Hall aflemblcd, to move immediately, on the next Meeting of Parliament, for an humble Addrefs from the Hou fc of Com^ rrions to his Majefly, requeuing to know who were the Advifers of thofe fatal Mea- fures which have planted Popery and arbi- trary Power in America, have plunged us into a moft unnatural Civil War^ to the Sub- verfion of the fundamental Principles of the Engltjh Liberty, the Ruin of our molT: valua])le Commerce, and the Dedrudion of his Ma- jefty's Subje6ls ; — to know who were the Ad- vifers of a Meafure fo dangerous to his Ma- jelly's [ III ] Ufty's Happinefs and the Rights of his Peo- pie as rtfufing to hear the Petitions and Complaints of his Subjeds : You are further inftruded. Gentlemen, to move for an Im- peachment of the Authors and Advifcrs of thofe Meafures, that by bringing them to Public Juftice, evil Councellors may be re- moved from before the King-, his Throne may be eftabliOied ; the Rights of his Peo- ple be vindicated ; and the whole Empire re- flored to the Enjoyment of Peace, Liberty and Safetv* WILKES, [ "2 ] ; I I M fi il:' li k iilMJii i 1^ :' 1^ WILKES, Mayor. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on Fri- day the 7th of July t 177 5' ^ Motion was made and Queftlon put, that an humble Addrefs and Petition be prefented to his Majefty from this Court, praying that his Majefty will be pleafed to lufpend Hoflilities againft our Fellow-Subjedts in North America^ and adopt fuch conciliatory Meafures as may reftore Union, Confidence, and Peace to the whole Empire, the fame was refolved in thfe Affirmative; which Petition was read and agreed to, as follows : *To the King^s moft Excellent Majefty, Th^ humble Addrefs and Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council aflcmbled. Moft [1 VH ! t t»3 ] Mofl Gracious Sovereign^ Your Majefty's moft loyal and dutiful Sub- je6ls, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council af- fembled, with all Humility beg Leave to lay themfelves at your Royal Feet, humbly imploring your benign Attention towards the grievous De- ftruftioti of their Fellow-Subjects in America, The Charadleriftic of the People, Sire, over whom your Reign has ever been equally remarked for an unparalleled Loyalty to their Sovereign, whilft the Principles of the Conflitutron has been the Rule of his Government, as well as a firm Oppolition whenever their Rights have been in- vaded. Y out American Subjefls, Royal Sire, defcended from the faid Anceftors with ourfelves, appear equally jealous of the Prerogatives of Freemen, without which they cannot deem themfelves happy. Their chearful and unafked-for Contributions, as well as willing Services to the Mother Coun- try, whilft they remained free from the Clog of compulfory Laws, will, v/e are fure, plead pow- erfully with the Humanity cf your Diipofition, H for ■m V I ! iJiiij It ' I! !)t ,•1' ■■II If!! [ "4 ] for gracioiifly granting tlicm every reafonable Op- portunity of giving, as Freemen, what they ieem relolutelv determined to rcfufe under the Injunc- rion of Laws made independent of their own Conlent. The Abhorrence we entertain of civil Blood- died and Confiifion, will, we trull. Sire, if not wholly cxxulpate ns in your Royal Mind, yet plead jiowerfully in our Favour for the Warmth with which we lament thofe Meafurcs, whofc de- llrudive Principles have driven our American fjrcthren to Ads of DefDcvation. Convinced of the earnefl: Difpofition of the Colonics to rem.ain firm in all duteous Obedience to tlie conflitutional Authority of this Kingdom, permit us, moil gracious Sovereign, to befccch ycu, that thofe Operations of Force, which at prcfent diilrad them v/ith the moll dreadful Ap- prehenfions, may be fufpcnded, and that, uncon- rrouled by a R.e{lraint incompatible with a free Government, they may polfeis an Opportunity of tendering fuch Terms of Accommodation as we doubt not will approve them worthy of a dif- tinguifhed Rank nmongit the firmelt Friends of this Country, Bh C "5 J His Mr.jejl)*s Anfwer^ dclhered tJ:3 ij[tb Day of J^%? 1775- I am always ready to liften to the dutiful Petl-- tions of my Subjects, and ever happy to comply with their rcafonable Requells; but while the conflltutional Authority of this Kingdom is openly refilled by a Part of my Amtrican Sub- jecls, I owe it to the rell of my People, of vvhofe Zeal and Fidelity I have had fuch conftanc Proofs, to continue and enforce thofe Meaiurcs, by which alone their Rights and Interells can be allerted and maintained. \V I L K E S, Mayor. In a Meeting or Aflembly of the Mayor, Al- dermen, and Livervmcn of the fcveral Com- panics of the City of London, in Common -I^Iall afiembled, at the Guildhall of the fald City, on Friday^ the 29th Day of Sept* 1775. The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor ac- quainted the Livery that he had received a Letter from the Congrefs at Philadelphia, di- . redled to his Lordfliip and the Livery of Loh- don, and, if it was their Pleafure, he would read ir, which being defired by the Livery, his Lordfliip then read jthe Letter, which fol- lows in thefc Words : H 2 A^ II. I. I, i'ii -ii'i i'l i*'!ii '■ W ;;S|i >|!s I , %\ •5:i , - i n i t .; . H [ ii6 3 • My Lord, PERMIT the Delegates of the People ot twelve antient Colonics to pay your Loidfhip, and the very rcfpcftablc Body of which you are Head, the juft Tribute of Gratitude and Thanks, for the virtuous and unfolicitcd Rcfcntment you have fhewn to the violated Rights of a free Peo- ple. The City of London, My Lord, having, in all Ages, approved itfelf the Patron of Liberty, and the Support of juft Government, againft lawlefs Tyranny and OpprcfTion, cannot fail to make us deeply fenfible of the powerful Aid our Caufc mufl receive from fuch Advocates : A Caufe, My Lord, worthy the Support of the firft City in the World, as it^ involves the Fate of a great Continent, and threatens to fliake the Foun- dations of a flourilhingf and, until lately, a hap- py Empire. North Jmerka^ My Lord, wilhes mod ardently for a lading Connetttion with Great Britain, on Terms of juft and equal Liberty, lefs than which generous Minds will not ofler, nor brave and free ones be willing to receive. A Cfuel War has, at length, been o|>cned againft ifs, and, whilft we prepare to defend our- felves, like the Defcendants of Britons^ we ftill hope that the Mediation of wife and good Citi- zens [ "7 ] zcns will at length prevail over Defpotlfm, and rcftorc Harmony and Peace on permanent Princi- ples, to an opprefled and divided Empire. We Iiave the Honor to be, My Lord, with great Elleem, Your Lordfliip's Faithful Friends and Fellow-Subjedls. By Order of the Congrefs, JOHN HANCOCK, Prefident. To the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and Livery of the City of London. H3 Mr. 'i ' 1 11 I 1 i (, I > 1 w I ti'' 1^ m M'lii^ t ii8 ] Mr. Deputy P/piT acquainted the Livery, tliat at a previous Meering ot th.e Livery, at the Ildlf Moon Tavern, in Cl)eapfult\ on Monday Even- ing laft, at which Meeting he was Chairm.in, it was by them agreed, tliat an Addrefs to the Electors of Great Britain, on tr.e prefent alarm- ing Crifis of public Grievances, be recom- mended from that Meeting to the Confidera- tion of the next Common Hall : And an Ad- drefs being accordingly produced, a Motion was made, and Queftion put, that the laid Ad- drefs be now read, it v;as refolved in the Affir- mative, and the laid AdUrcfs was read and agreed to, as follows ; 1 he Addrefs of the T.ord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of Lcnaun^ m Common Hail alfjmbled. ^0 the E LECTORS of Great r>ritain. Ccnth::n:n, TLIE Mifchiefs which l;ave already arifen^ and tlie greater Calamities which are threatened, from the unnatural War excited in America, by t!ie arbitrary and inexorable Spirit of his Majelty's Miniilers and Adviiers, have imi^relTed our Minds \\\i\\ Alarnis and Apprchenfiuns, which occafions this Addrefs to You, As { "9 1 , that at the ILilf 'y Even- Ill irm '.in, fs to the it ahirin- recom- >n fid c ra« an Ad- Motion aid Ad- le Affir- ad and ermen, n ihn 1. arifen^ itcned, •J, by jcfty's VII nds iufiuns As As Electors, vvc are more particularly called wpon to take into Confidcration thcie dangerous Proceedings -jgainfl; our Fellow-Subjeds in /hie- ricr., bccaufe tiic Rcprefentat'ves of the People nre unhappily made the Inilruments of thefe Mea- fures. It is impolTible we can fee, without the utmofl Alarm, Preparations making for the Profecutioii of an expenfive and ruinous War with our owr. Colonics, from which fo much of our Commerce, and therefore the Sources of our Wealth are de- rived. The inevitable Confcqucnce of this mull be an Increafe of Taxes, already too heavy •, and an Addition to the National Debt, whicli prcffes us at this Time with intolerable Weight. We beg you to confider, what mufl be the Situa- tion of this Kingdom, under an Augmentation of Taxes and a Diminution of Commerce \ — an Increafe of National Debt, and an equal Dccrcafc of National Refources^ Thefe are the Immediate and unavoidable Con- fcqucnces of this War; — the probable ones arc dill more fatal. If our natural and inveterate JMiemlcs fliouUl fall upon us, when we are ex- liauited of I\Ien and Money, when our mod va- limblc Commerce is ruined, and our braved and veteran Troops f'lcrificcd, what is it that can H 4 Hiicld '3 Mi, !i. 'I' I r\ f|,: 1 1 1 1 V !i H mm 1 til i 'I [ 12C ] Ihield US from immediate Ruin ? If we involve ourfelves then in this obitinate andexnenfive Civil "War, we mult owe our Safety to the Forbearance of our Enemies : — Neither do we think it impro- bable, from the defper.itc Valour with which the Americans defend their dearcd Liberties, that all our Efforts will be unfucccfsful, and that we fhall at lall be obliged to fit down, under a grievous Addition of Debt ; the Shame of defeat- ed Armaments •, and the total Lofs of our ufefuj and alTcdtionate Colonics, The Provifion that is making for the Introduc- tion of Hanoverian and Hejfian Troops, inftead of removing, confirms our Apprchenfions, bccaufe we cannot have any Confidence in the Protcdion of foreign Mercenaries : and feci at once the Shame and Folly of that Policy, which is to bur- then us with Taxes for the Payment of foreign Protedors, while our own brave Troops are Haughitred in an unnatural, unnccellary, in- glorious Conteft, For the certain Expences ot this War, we fee no Reparation, even in Conquefl; defolatcd Fields and depopulated Provinces, are little likely to contribute to our NeccfTities, either by Revenue or Commerce. No Complaint from the Mer- chants and ivlanufacturers in Great-Britain, of il- licit that [ 121 ] licit Trade, and Afls of Navigation infringed, has called for thcfe coercive Meafures ; on the contrary, they have repeatedly petitioned againll the Principles upon which the War is founded ; To fecure our Commerce, therefore, can neither be the Aim, nor ilfue of this War ; neither can it be to fettle a due Subordination of the Colonies upon the prefent State, fince they have repeated- ly and folemnly acknowledged their Subordina- tion^ and fubmittcd to our Controul. i 1 We cannot, therefore, difcover any real Objedl or poflible Event of xhis Difpute, (fliould we be fuccefsful) but that of eftablifhing the arbitrary Power of the Crown over our Fellow-Sub jeds In 4>nerica, which muft greatly endanger the Confti- tution here, and encreafing the Number of Place- men and Penfioners already lb enormous, as to threaten the utter Deftrud:ion of Freedom and Independence among us. l^i The People of the Colonies have appealed to their FeHow-Subjeds in Great-Britain^ for the Juftice and NecelTity of their Condud ; We are convinced of their having been injured and op- preflcd •, We fympathize in their Griefs, and re- vere their Fortirude ; Every Motive of Huma- nity, of Juftice, and of Intereft, calls upon us to condemn the Meafures of which they com- plain i iSi, ! t \um I ■ i» i i Hi [ 122 ] piai'n ; and to declare, that we wUl never willingly contribute to urge their Oppreffions or abridge their Liberties. It has been our Grief and our Misfortune to fee, that the rep'fated Petitions, from his Majef- ty*s Subjcdls in ylmcriiti^ fupported by many in this Country, have not availed to prevent the dreadful Extremities we now lament. The Pe- titioners have been ftudicufiy driven to the laft Rcfourccs of Dcfpair, by a Denial of Redrcfs, and an Aeeumulation of Grievances, too fevere to be endured by a free People. In the united Petition laft Year, from all the Colonies to the King, they afked for Peace, Li- berty, and Safety. Did it become us to refufe fuch a Requeftj or to perfill in violating the Peace, Liberty, and Safety of any Part of our Fcllovz-Subjeds ? They pledge themfelves, '^ that in Time of War, they will be ready and " willing to demonftrate their Loyalty to his " Majelly, by exerting their moft ftrenuous Ef- *' forts, in granting Supplies and railing Forces." What can we in Juftice require more from a Part of the Empire, reftrained in Point of commer- cial Advantages for our Benefit; and labouring in confequcnce of that Reltraint, under a heavy and [ 1-3 ] raVd accumulating Debt ? Can we e:: * I ■ 1 ; m S A \V- [ 1^-7 ] S A W B R I D G E, M^yor. A Common Council holdcn in the Chamber of the Gtnldhall of the City of London, on ^httrfdr.y, the 14th Day of March, 1776. RESOLVED, That the Thanks of this Court be given to the Reverend Rtcbr,rd Price, Dodlor in Divinity, Fellow of the Royal Socitty, for having laid dov.n in his late Publication of " Obfervations on the Nature of Civil Libertv, &c.'* thofe furc Principles upon which alone the fu- premc legiflatlve Authority of Great Britain over her Colonics, can be juftly or beneficially maintained, and for holding forth thofe public Objeds, without which it mull be totailv indif- ferent to the Kingdom wlio are IN, or who arc OUT of Power. A Motion being made, and Queftion put, That the Freedom of this City be prefcntcd in a Gold PjOX, of the Value of Fifty Pounds, to the Re- verend Dr. Richard Price, as a grateful I'ellimony of the Approbation of this Court, for his late Pamphlet, intituled, " Obfervations on the Na- *' ture of Civil Liberty, the Principles of Go- *l vernmcnt, and the Juilice and Policy of the * "V/ar h [ 128 ] *' War with Americay* and that the Chamberlain do attend him with the fame ; the fame was rc- folved in the Affirmative, and ordered accord- ingly. RESOLVED, That this Court do prefent to his Majefty an humble and dutiful Addrcfs and Petition, that the moft folemn, clear, diftinc^V, and unambiguous Specification of the juit and honourable Terms which his Majefty, with both Houfes of Parliament, means to grant to the Co- lonies, may precede the dreadful Operations of his Armament •, which Addrefs and Petition was read and agreed to, as follows ; ^0 the KiugU jnqfi Excellent Majejly. The humble Addrefs and Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council alFembled. ii ■ ; i Moft Gj'acious Sovereign, WE, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Com- mons of the City of London^ in Conmion Council aflembled, beg Leave to approach your Throne, and to intreat your Majefty's Royal Attention, vvhilft, with the Humility of dutiful Subjedts, we lay before your Majefty, what at prefent moft: immediately afFefts us in the Spirit and Tendency of the public Meafures now depending, and the Anxiety [ J29 ] Anxiety we feel at the naked and expofcd State in which this Country will be left, by draining it of the National Troops, as well as at t!ie Danger and Difgrice attending the late Treaties for fo- reign Mercenaries, vvhofe Latitude is fuch as to provide the Means of introducing a foreign Army into this Realm. ii We cannot, Sir, without Horror, look forward to that Dirmemberment of the Empire, that In- Cicafe of the National Debt, and of burthenfomc Taxes, the Lofs of our mod valuable Refourccs, thofc Diftreflcs of our Merchants and Manufac- turers, thofe Deficiencies of the Revenue, that EfTufion of the Blood of our Countrymen and Brethren, that Failure of Public Credit, and thofe dreadful Calamities and Convulfions, which mud follow a Civil War, fo begun and purfued, whofe Extent no Wifdom can forefee. We humbly conceive that no People can be bound to furrender their Rights and Liberties, as a Return for Proteflion ; the Colonics have fought our Battles with us ; and in the laft War they fo far exceeded their Abilities, that this Nation thought it jull: and ncceflary to make them an annual Compenfation : And even now, driven to open Holtilitics in their own Defence, they are willing (their Charters being inviolably fecured), to continue to us all thofe Advantages of regular I and I i' ' I, II, SI [ '30 ] and exclufive Commerce, to which we have long owed our Opulence and Profpcnty -, and we have every AflTurance which Men in their Situation can fafcly give, that, if afkcd as Freemen, they arc willing to go farther, and to afford to the ex- haufted State of the Revenue of this Country, fuch reafonable and voluntary Aid as their Abili- ties permit, provided that their Contributions arc unalienably applied to relieve that Dillrefs, which is the only fair and politic Foundation of requir- in«r them ; and that neither their Aids, nor our own finking Funds, fhall be any longer perverted from a public Benefit, and mira])plied to the Pur- pofe of Corruption, infteud of redeeming the Debts of the Nation, according to its firit wife and juft Inditution. \ ■ it! 1 ■ Indulgebut,moft gracious Sovereign, the Huma- nity and Benignity of your own Royal Difpofition, and our Prayers will be granted : We implore the Extenfion of your Majcfty's Jullice and I^ler- cy toward that Continent, which, wh^^n Arbiter of the Terms of Peace, it was your iviajefty's own Determination to prefer to every other Com- penfation, for all the Expences of the lafl War. We hunibly and earneflly befeech your Ma- jefty, that the moft folemn, clear, diftind:, and unamblj^iious Specification of thole jult and ho- nourable Terms which your Majeily, with both Houfes [ 131 ] Houfes of Parliament, mean to grant to the Co- lonies, may precede the dreadful Operations of your Armament : every Colour and Sur[)icion of Injuflice and OpprelTion will then be removed from the Proceedings of the MotherCountry, and if thofe jufl and honourable Terms are not fub- mittcd to, your Majclly will undoubtedly he en- abled to meet, what will then be Rebel iit.n, with the zealous Hearts and Hands of a determined, loyal, and united People. His Majtijlfs Jnf^ver^ dcli'verci the 2 id Bay of March, 1776. I deplore with the decpeO: Concern the Mi- feries which a great Part of my Subjects in North America, have brought upon themfclves, by an unjuflifiable Refiftance to the Conftitutional Au- thority of this Kingdom ; and I lliall be ready and happy to alleviate thofe Miferies by Acfts of Mercy and Clemency, whenever that Authority is etlabliflied, and the now exifting Rebellion is at an End. To obtain thefe falutary Purpofes, I will invariably purfue the moft proper and eflec- tual Means. ' I 'A 'f I 2 S A W- i^^r m ii^^ [ '32 3 'iiK I'lli S A W B R I D G E, Mayor, A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of Lom'cn, on Alonday, the igtb Day of Jpril, 1776. A Motion bcingmade, and Queftion put,That an humbleAddrefs of Cono;ratiilation, be prefcnted to his Majefty by this Court, on the fafe De- livery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Princefs, the fame was refolved in the Affir- mative, and ordered accordingly ; which Ad- drefs was read and agreed to, as follows : To the King^s mofi Excellent Majefty. The humble Addrefs of the Lord Mayor, Al- dermen, and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council affembled. Moji Gracious Sovereign, YOUR Majefty's loyal Subje6ls, the Lord Mayor, Aldfrnien, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council aii'cmbled, ap- proacli or, mber of 'en, on 6. rhar an efcnted ife De- mcther Affir- :hAd. % Al- ondon^ Lord ity of ap- 'oacii [ 133 ] f roach your Majefty with their Congratulations on the happy Delivery of their moll amiable Queen, and the Birth of another Princefs ; and to allure your Majefty, that there are not in all your Dominions any Subjects more faithful, or more ready to maintain the true Honor and Dignity of your Crown. They will continue to rejoice at every Event which adds to your MajeHy's do- meftic Felicity : And they hope, that every Branch of the Auguft Houfe of Brunfwick^ will add further Security to thofe facred Laws and Liberties, which their Anceftors would not fuffer to be violated with Impunity, and which in con- fequence of the glor'ous andneceflary Revolution, that illuftrious Houfe was called forth to protedt and defend. His Majefty^ s Anjwer^ delivered the ^d Day of May, 1776. I thank you for this dutiful Addrefs on the happy Delivery of the Queen, and the Birth of another Princefs. The Security of the Laws and Liberties of my People has always been and ever (hall be the Ob- jed of my Care and Attention, 1: I W' ■ jl if 11 I Further •111 I i 134 J 1^1,; l|l Further Proceedings of the 29th Day of Jprilj 1776. THE Town-Clerk acquainted this Court, that according to the Order of the lad Court, he had waited with their Vote of Thanks, on the Reverend Richard Price^ Doftor in Divinity, ' Fellow of the Royal Society, to which he had received the following Anlwer. SIR, I requeft the Favour of you to convey to the Lord Mayor, Aldcrnitn, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council alTembled, my warmeit Acknowledgments, for the very condefcending Refolution of Thanks with which they have honoured my Obfcrvations of Civil Liberty. Thcfc Obfcrvations were writ- ten with no other Intention than to plead the Caufe of Libertv and Jullicc, and to remind this Countrv of the dreadful Dar;j?;er of its prefVnt Si- tuatton. i'he Teftimony of Approbation v;hich thcv have received from a Body fo rerncclablc, annually eleCbd hv the ti.ft City in the World, and fo diltinguiiiied Xox' giving an Example of Zeal in the Caufe of Liberty, Vvill, it may be hoped, of Aprils ' Court, 5"rt, he on the divinity, he had convey unions 'Ouncil s, for 'hanks 'arions I UTlt- ^1 this in- Si- vhfch orid, le of 0' be 'pcd, r ns J hoped, lead the Public to fix their Views more on fuch Meafiires, as fliall fave a finking Confti- tution, and preferve us from impending Cala- mities. I am, Sir, With great Refpedt, Your mod Obedient and Humble Servant, Nenjoington- Green^ March Zly 1776. RICHARD PRICE. To William Rix^ Efquire, Town-Clerk of the City of London, I S AW. [ '36 ] \. . -V ■ Wi. 'hi S A W B R I D G E, Mayor. » A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ on Tuefday^ the 23d Dayof 7«/y, 1776; This Day, Mr. Chamberlain laid before this Court, a Letter he had received from the Rev. Do6lor Price, which was read in thefe Words. Newington Green, July 21, 1 776. SIR, I am very happy in the Opportunity given me, by receiving from your Hands the Freedom of the City of London, to repeat my Thanks to the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen, and Common Council for the great Honor they have done me •, it is impofllble I iliould not be deeply imprefled by Tellimonies of their Approbation fo condefcending and generous. May the City of London [ J37 ] London always flourilh, and may the Kingdom be delivered from the dreadful Danger with which it is threatened by the prefent Civil War. I am, Sir, With great Refped, Your moft Obedient and Humble Servant, RICHARD PRICE. To Benjamin llopkinu Efquire, Chamber- Jain of the City of London, HAL. V- n ii h ' >M w\ i , ... i t 11 t 138 ] H A L L I F A X, M^;w. A Common Council holden in the Chamber of the Guildhall of the City of London^ en Friday^ the 14th Day o^ February^ ^777 • A Morion was made and Queflion put, That this Court doth agree to petition the Honour- able Houfe of Commons, a^ainft the Bill noiv depending in that Honourable Houfe, intituled, " A Bill to empower his Majelly to fecure and " detain Pfcrforis charged with, or fufptrdted of *' the Crime of High Treafon, committed in ** North America^ or on the High Seas, or the " Crime of Piracy ;'* the fame was unanimoufly refolved in the Affirmative j which Petition is as follows : ^0 the Ilonourahle th^ Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament ajfembled. The humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, AU tlcrmen and Commons of the City of London^ in Common Council alfembled. Sheweth^ [ ^39 I I THAT your Petitioners have fccn a Bill depending in this Honourable Hoiirc, " To em- " power his Majcftry to feciire and detain Perfons *' charged with, or fufpeded of the Crime of " High Treafon committed in Norib America^ *' or on the High Seas, or the Crime of Piracy." That if the faid Bill fhould pafs into a Taw, yourPcritionerj are apprchenfiveit will create Un- cafmcls in the Minds of many of his Majrfly's good Subje(^l:s, and tend to excite the moft alarm- ing Dillurbances, all Perfons indifcrimlnately be- ing liable upon the Ground of Sufpicion alone, without any Oath made, and without convening the Parties, or hearing what they can allcdge in their own Juflincation, to be committed to a re- mote Prifon in any Corner of the Realm, thereto remain v/itliout Bail or Main prize. Ill at the Habeas Cnpus^ which is the o-.-eat Se- curity of the Liberties of the People, will be fuf- pendcd. Hiat your Petitioners are deeply aiTeaed with what they conceive will be the dangerous Confe- n////^ Na- tion in fomc happy, honourable, and pepmanent Conjun6lion ; Icll the Colonics, exaiperated by Rigours of continued War, (hould become to- tally alienated from their Parent Country •, Icll e\'ery remaining Spark of tl^rir AfFeClion fhou'd be cxtinguiihcd in Habits of mutual Slaughter and Rapine; and leii, in fomc evil Hour, they who l\ave hitherto been the great Support of the Britijh Strength, fl\ould become the moil formi- dable and lalting Acceflion to the conftant Ene- mies of the Power and Proiperity of your King- dom6. We humbly hope and truft, that your Majefly will give all due Efficacy to the ConcefTions (we •wiih thofc Concefticns may not have come too Itttc) which have been pripofed in Parliament : And we have that undoubted Reliance on the Magnanimity of your M/ajefty*s enlarged and Kingiy Aftedlions, that we are under no Appre- hcnfions of your Majefty's being biaifcd by pri- vate Partiality lo any Set of Mcp, in a Cafe where the Good, where the very Bemp; of )'our People is at Stake : A"d, with an huUible Con- fidence, we implore and fupplicaie Vi.ur Majcfty, that [ 15' ] that nodiing may ftand in the Way of thofe Af- langcmcnis, in your Councils and executive Offi- ces, which may beft forward the great, necelfary, and l*lcllcd Work of Peace, which may tend to refcuc yotir Affairs from unwife and improvident Management, and which may obtain, improve, and fecuic the returning Confidence of all your People : In fuch Meafures and fuch Arrange- ment's., for fuch an End, your Citizens of Lon- don will r.cver fail to give yourMajelly their mod affeclionate and fteady Support. His Mdicjh^ s Ar. fiver ^ delivered the x^th of March, 1778. I can never think, that the Zeal of my Sub- jccts, the Refources of my Kingdoms, and the Bravery of my Fleets and Armies, can have been unwifely and improvidenfly exerted, when the Objccl was to maintain the conftitutional Sub- ordination, v/hich ought to prevail through the fcveral Parts of my Dominions, and is eflcntial to the Profperity of the Whole : But I have al- ways lamented the Calamities infeparable from a State of War-, and fhall mod earneftly give all the Efhcacy in my Power to thofe Meafures which the I.egiflature has adopted, lor the Purpofc of relloring, by fome happy, honourable, and per- manent Conciliation, the BlefTings of Peace, Commerce, AfFcCti(jn and Confidence, between the M-nher .Countrv and the Colonies.