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Wl]L]LIAM IBECKFOIRB Efq[uire^ twiceXortl Majror -of X.ondou., ol}:2i!June'i77o JE n2 KagT'vU by Pniiiifaian fVam altrfii^ •fA^ftin C'arluii KfifT m^^'^'-.: .4-- t:'V/ : ■■ '1-.. ^fwrrtA affinrTW-^ ">' I •! !!■> «HI| I W ft. CITY PETITIONS, ' Usi f'- mi ■-'r#4>«ii4U»4k4^w«M4V'^ :.^i,. -ADDRTESSES, REMONSTRANCES, COMMBNCINO In the Year M.DCC.LXIX. A N D I N C L U I> I N G T H E LAST PETITION, For the Burial of the Right Hon»'i« the EARL OF CHATHAM St. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL- WITH His MAJESTY'S ANSWERS^ A t • a Mr. Alderman BECKFORD'» SPEECH TO TMB KING,; On the Twenty-Third of M a v, 1770. » -' '■ ' ■ . m -—^J)elirant rtge/f pleSuntur jicbivi. Hor* >' *^ wmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmammmmmmmmmmmmammmamamm L O N D O Nr Pfinted for DAVID STEEL, Number i,> Uniom-Row, th« X«ower-Ead of thcMiNORizs, Littlb Towxji*HiLt« ■^"7*""^-"'^^^' M.DCCLXXVIII* '•■■*• \ « / T * . ^ - ,- ♦ •-.%..• ♦• r . y «. ■«' . > il V M . i ! Jl 1 .- ;. .■,;»*•;■?■ 'i A.. JjlilW*'""' [ i 3 I -. 1 / .i fc ■i ifi/' O Jiiyhi ta ir'M'^ifcOrmo^^l' O^y-^fcilUlfcjMHlll-ilmfc^ j^|fc iM-^f- •^f Li*' PREFACE- I IS a that an melancholy reflediorr^ obftinate attachment to a fet of men, who have ever been inimical to the prefent roy- al family, from principle, and whoi in the language of that great flatefman and patriot^ lord Chatham, " hold princi^ " pies incompatible with free- 5* dom„" fhpuld,, contrary ta the •■-.^^ ■v f/.-y w i\ the wiflies and repeated prayers of his majefty's true fubjeds, be the means of continuing them in c t •-»■■•<. .45-. ■ '■' * V office, to the utter preclufion of thofe able minifters, who have raifed this ofice formidable na- tion to the bigheft pitch of glo- ■■*" , ' * r ' How different was the con- dufl: of that wife monarch, George the fecond I who, after having difmifled from the public l^rvice thofe upright men who dared to contr adid their fove- reigns [ iii 1 reign's pleafure,* upon the peti- tion of his loyal citizens of London, gracioufly condefcend- ed to lay afide his natural predi- ledionfor his favourite Hanover, and to reftore thofe illuftridus ftatefmen, Pitt and Legge, to the direftion of public affairs, and, by that means, to govern^ ment the confidence of the people : the glorious event fhewed the wifdora of the mea- fure. Since that unlucky pe- riod. * In refaiiDg to fend Britiih troops to German/w A-: .-''.■ib\»\i'J.M . Without the fpirit of divina- tion, it feems evident, at this melancholy crifis, that, unlefs ithe prejudice long conceived a- gainft one party, and the blind regard for another, be totally removed, we may lofe (which [Heaven avert !) more than North imerica. Oh, then ! ** In vain with tears oar lofs we may deplore^ ^ In vain look back to what we were before ; ♦* We fet, likeftars that fall, to rife nomore.**' ' The Editor. 91 9 * ' r-^' /.,.* ♦ - 1. •- 1 »• '» •■ ■r '.rfr * •■ : 1 •^ > ■r:r'r'j ^ . I j* , . . -1 . •, ^ * V - , . .. ^ >i u- ■4 I- .• ■* .v; \ -» .V ; .. . v^j^ I: ^ J Addreffes, Remonftran- .Ices, Petitions, &c. ,v Vp tt W ^^^v^r ^r W ^F^p tk^^ i^^v "^^iF^^^F^r ^p ^F'W '-^ ^^ ^|P ^n ^^ "^',1^ • '^^>" TURNER, Mayor. • - f mpH f' • : • 'I In a meetings or ajfemhly, of the vicyor^ alder- men^ and liverymen^ of the fever al compa* nies of the city of London^ in (ommon-hall affemhled^ at the Guildhall of the f aid city ^ : {fn Saturday^ the twenty -fourth day of Juney 1769: jv,. ^'h\:\ \ h' '']/■) frrTrtR- MICHAEL LOVEL pro- 1 1 jyi B- 1 auced a petition to his ma- ^«».«.»......9g» prepared with the afTii^ancc of fevcral liverymen. A motion was then made, That me faid petition be read : the fame was read accordingly j and, the lordr - X B mayor 'iii. t*,'2?S'-r^i>K*5pc:;y«;% '■j«i?t-'*"' ■ -■•'^•s« "*---'"**^^-»^'*'''''**^ tirirT4 i < jldU > L| .r-»- -■—-—■ r r' I N^ [ 2 1 mayor objedling to the title of the petition being called The petition of the lord-mayor^ commonaUyy and livery , of the city of Lon^ den^ another petition wa$ produced, in- titled, ne humble petition of the livery of the city of London^ in common hall ajfemhled: which was then read ; and, upon the quef- tion being put. That this petition be pre- fented to his majefty ; thq fame was unani- moudy agreed to by the holding up of hands. To the king's molt excellent majedy. The humble petition of the livery of the city of London, in common-hall aiTem- bled. Moft gracious fovereign, WE, your majedy's dutiful and loyal fubjc(fls, the livery of the city of London, with all the humility which is due from free fubjeds to their lawful fo- vereign, but with all the anxiety which the fenfe ■"^ ■" r-^-^ t 3 ] fenfe of the prefent opprefTions, and the juft dread of future mifchiefs, produce in our minds, beg leave to lay before your majefty (bme of thole intolerable grievan- ces which your people have fufFered from the evil condud of thofe who have been entruded with the adminiftration of your maJelTy's "government, and from the fecret andlinremittTngn hflucncc oTThe w orft of counfellors, ' ' , We Ihould be wanting in our duty to your majefty, as well as to ourfelves and our poftcrity, (hould we forbear to repre- fcnr to the throne the defperate attempts which have been and are too fuccefsfully made to deftroy that conftitution, to the fpirit of which we owe the relation which fubfifts between your majefty and the fub- jefts of thefe realms, and to fubveft thofe facred laws which our anceftors have fealed with their blood. B 2 Your •^ I* _ i; / I « 1 ' Your miniftcrs, from corrupt ' princi- ples, and in violation of every duty, havie, by various enumerated means, invaded our invaluable and unalienable right of trial by jury. • / v ; • \' i X They have, with in^punity, iflued ge- neral warrants, and violently feized perfons ivate papers. .:,.%:..-: They have rendered the laws non-effec- tive to our fccurity, by evad ing the Habeas Corpus. ... - .,, They have caufed puni(hments,and even perpetual Tmprrfbnment7~to be Inflidted, without trial, convtdloTnj'onientchce. y* c^i They have brought into difrepute the civil magiftracy, by the appointment of perfons who are, in many rcfpeds, un- qualified for that important truft, and have thereby purpofely furnilhed a pre- tence for calling in the aid of a military power. They f As in thecafe of John Wilkes, efq. and others. rrtipt^ prinH- yduty, havie, ans, iiivaded able right of .'■- f^ . ; '• :y, iffued ge- feized perfons iws non-effec- ig the Habeas ents, and even be inflidted, [entcnce. ^ difrepute the pointmcnt of rcfpedts, un- t trull, and lilhed a pre- of a military They q. and others* Ci 5 J They avow, and endeavour to eftabliflr, a maxim, abfolutely inconfillent with our €on(litution : " That an occafion for ef- fe<5tually employing a military force always prefents itfelf, when the civil power is trifled with or infultcd." And, by a fatal and falfe application of this maxim, they have wantonly and wickedly facrificed the lives of many of your majefty's innocent fubjedsj-f- and have proftitutcd your ma- jefty's facrcd name and authority, to jufti- fy» applaud, and recommend, their owa illegal and bloody aflions. - They have fcreened more than one mur- id'erer from punifhmenr, and in its place have unnaturally fubftituted reward. J They have eflablifhed numberlefs un- conftitutional regulations and taxations in our colonies 5 they have caufed a revenue to be raifcd in fome of them by preroga-^TC B 3 tive; f In ihe cafe of Mr. Allen, in St. George's fields* X In the cafe of Balfe and M*quirk, &c. (, ..f-^ ,fi»fc»gi(H'iWiH|i m\tmv^ttf\9im / 16-] tive ; they have appointed civil-law jud- ges '0 try revenue caufes, and to be pa id from out of the condemnation-money. Z( c After having infulted and defeated the law, on different occafions, and by diffe- rent contrivances, both at home and a- broad, they have at length completed their dcfign, by violently wrefting from the people the^laft^facred right we had left, the r ight of elc<5li on, by the unprc- eedentcJ feating oTa candidate, notoriooC' \y fct up and choicn only by themfelvcs jf they have thereby taken from your (ub* je61s aJl hopes of parliamentary redrcls, and have left us no refource, under God, but in your majefly. :? All this they have been able to effed by corruption ; by a fcandalous mifapplica- tion and embezzlement of the public trea- fure, and a fliamcful proftitution oFpublic honours f Colonel Luttrell, for the county of Middle^ fex, in the room of John Wilkes, efij. who was chjfen by a large majority, , .-,>J»-.^-*--- 'ww.i'*'' »t T> «w *»i i W^»K >^'*> mmt-^ * ■■ » 4wii '< '"»» < - > i r>f ( ^ . ,„ . ^j» .>i ■|.i'''--i -■^'■f'-' " J [ 7 J honours and employments; procuring de- ficiencies of the civiKlift to be made good wic hoor^yam inacion Y and, inftcad of pa- "^ ^^ nifhing, conferring honours on^ a pay- mafter, the public defaulter of unaccount- cdmillions.f *' From an unfeigned fenfe of the duty we owe to your majeily and to our country, we have ventured thus humbly to lay be- fore the throne thefe great and important truths, which it has been the bufinefs of your minifters to conceal. We moft ear- jieftly bcfcech your majcfty to grant us rcdrcfs. It is for the purpofe of redrefs a- lone, and for fuch occalions as the pre- fent, that thofe great and extensive powers are entrufted to the crown, by the wifdom of that conflitution, which your majefty's illuftrious family was chofen to defend, and which, we truft in God, it will for ever continue to fupport. . ' B 4 BECK. f Lord Holland. ,1 I [ 8 ] • :;> "n^ij ■' .:,.<■; .^,..: '^U.•;^^U1 ) I. (, '. M^.j/ B E C K F O R D, Mayor. :^ 7;; ^ meetings or afewhly^ of the mayors alder* men, and liverymen, of the fever al compa* niesoftbe city of London, in common-hall ajfemhled, at the Guildhall of thefaid city^ "' on Tuefday, the Jixth day of March^ 1770: u ■■-< ':. :\ \:'U: I -\ li .\ i,t viKt An addrefs, remonflrance, and petition^ t§ .: the king, being produced, a motion was ~.^nade that the fame he read', and, the >. : queftion being put by Mr, Common Serjeant^ HI it was refolved in the affirmative : where- vMpon the fame was read and agreed to as : follows* . ^ ' . / ;-;: _. ■./.%•; To the king's moft excellent majefty. : The humble addrcfs, remonftrance, and petition, of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and ^.j~.-^~-^^^_-^^i^j-^^^^:^_;^-^-^^^ ■ ■ 'W*».ti ' iii common-hall alTemblcd. ; I suit.; .i» May it pleafe your majefty^ WE have already, in our petition, dutifully reprefented to your ma- jefty the chief injuries we have fuftained. Wc are unwilling to believe that your ma- jefty can flight the defires of your people, or be regardlefs of their affeflion, and deaf to their complaints. Yet their complaints- remain unanfwered, their injuries are con- . firmed, and the only jud^ e^j-removeable at^^ the pleafure of t he crown, h as been difmjj^ fedJiromhis high office for defending in^ parliament the law and the conftitutioiu. -.We, therefore, venture once more to ^drefs ourfelves to your majefty, as to the father of your people, as to him who nrjft be both able and willing to redrefs' pur grievances j and we repeat our appli-, cation with the greater propriety, becauf(*; t.^*i;._,iw;j'i'* ;.» B 5 we- f. Lord Camden, lord-chancellor. -e^- '■•W II '. r 10 ] we fee the inftruments of our wrongs, who have carried into execution the meafures of which we complain, more particularly diftinguiflicd by your majefty's royal boun- ty and favour. ^ i Unc4;r the fame fecret and malign influ- ence, which through each fucccffive admi- niilration has defeated every good and fuggcfted every bad intention, the majori- ty of the houfe of commons have deprived your people of their deareft rights. ^ - • They have done a deed more ruinous in its confequences than the levying of fliip- money by Charles the firft, or the dif- penfing power affumed by James the fecond : a deed, which mud vitiate all the future proceedings of this parliament; for the ads of the legiflature itfelf can no more be valid without a legal houfe of commons than without a legal prince upon the throne. .r> Reprefentatives [ " J . , Reprefentativcs of the people arc cffcn^ tial to the making of laws, and there is » time when it is morally demondrable that men ceafe to be reprefentativcs. That time is now arrived. The prefen^houfe of commons do not reprefent the people, i • ju -r« ^»' ■ '.•ii • 'I (^ •• i -tf, ■ His ^.:A;;.«^:I^S^^'.^^'v£i^t;%irk;:AA'.b \ \ [ H ] His majefly*s anfwer^ delivered the i^tb of Marcby 1/70. ,. ^ , 1 (hall always be rrady to receive the re- quefls and to liflen to the complaintj of my fubjc6ls ', but it gives me great concern to find that any of them Oiould have been fo far mifled as to offer me an addrefs and remonftrance, the contents of which I can- not but confider as difrefpedlful to me, in- jurious to my parliament, and irreconcile- able to the principles of the conAitution. I have ever made the law of the land the rule of my conduct, efteeming it my chief glory to reign over a free people : with this view, I have always been careful, as well to execute faithfully the truft repofed uTme, as to avoid even the app earance of invading any of thofe powers which the conftitution has placed in other hands. It MTonly by perfevering in fuch a condu<5t iKat I can either difcharge my own duty, or fccurc ^ [ >5 ] fccurc to mjr^ fubjcdls the free enjoyment of thofe rightff wliich my family were called to defend ; and, while I adb upon thefe principles, ! (hall have a right to expedt, and I am confident I Hiall continue to re- ceive, the fleady and affedtionate fupporc of my people. ,;.*.•. / L BECKFORD, Mayor. ' J.' •> ..>,*.».' .A n , .' . V * A common- council being holden in the chamber cf the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Monday^ the i^tb day of May^ 1770: A motion was made^ and quejiionput^ that an humble addrefs^ remonjirancey andpeti^ tion^ be prefented to his majejly^ touching the violated right of ele^ion^ and the ap- plications of the livery of London^ and his majejly*s anfwer thereupon: the fame was refolved in the affirmative : which addrefs^ remonjirance^ 1 1 [ «<; ] nmonftrance^ and petition^ follows in thefe words. "■:j To the king'is moft excellent majefty* q The humble addrefs, remonftrance, and petition, of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council affembled. May it picafe your majefty, WHEN your majefty 's mci faithful fubje6ts, the citizens of London, whofe loyalty and aflfedion have been fo of- ten and fo eiTvdlually proved and expe- rienced by the illuftrious houfe of Brunf- wick, are labouring under the weight of that difpleafure, which your majefty has been advifed to lay upon them, in t!ie an- fwer given from the throne to their late humble application, we feel ourfelves con- ftrained, with all humility, to approach the royal father of his people. . -v...... .^ ... Gonfciotis,, * i t^ ^ I .*■.,» J .'. .4 1U.V\ ;>- '.A/V.ti':.« .l.-t^' : * -.-4 il. ::IA'*^i, [ »7 ] ■ i \ • ? i > »., •, }h'"'i/,tK '^l^A Confcious, fire, of the pureft fcnti- merits of veneration which they entertain for your majefty*? perfon, we arc deeply concerned, that what the law allows, and the conftitution teaches, hath been mif- conftrued into difrefpeft to your majefty,' by the inftrumentsof that influence which (hakes the realm. - , ^ . < * . .y-:j Perplexed and aftoniflicd as wc are, by the awful fentence of cenfure, lately paf* fed upon the citizens of London, in your majefty's anfwer from the throne, we can- not, without furrendering all that is dear to Englifhmen, forbear moft humbly to fupplicate, that your majefty will deign to grant a more favourable interpretation to this duiiful, though perievering, claim to our invaded birth-rights, nothing doubt- ing the benignity of your majefty's nature will, to our unfpeakable comfort, at length break through all the fecret and vi- V , fible (■; #»j»«^*., » ♦». i^»(%. ,««i». «^ ■ 1 B^ am 'M i t i8 ] fible machinations to which the city of London owes its late fevere repulfe, and that your kingly judice and fatherly ten- dernefs will difclaim the malignant and pernicious advice which fuggefted the an- fwer we deplore : an advice of moll: dange- rous tendency *, in-as-much as thereby the cxercife of the cleared rights of the fub- jc<5l, namely, to petition the king for re- drefs of grievances, to complain of the vi- elltion of the freedom of ele(5tion, and to pray dilTolution of parliament, to point out mal-pra£tices in adminidration, and ta urge the removal of evil miniders, hath^ by the generality of one compendious word, been indifcriminately checked with reprimand ; and your majedy's affli^ed citizens of London have heard, from th'^ throne itfelf, that the contents of their humble addrefs, remondrance, and peti- tion, laying their complaints and injuries at the feet of their fovereign, cannot but be confidered by your majedy as difre- . . fpedful ii . 'i.frSi [ '9 ] fpe^lful to yourfelf, injurious to your par-' liament, and irreconcileable to the prin- ciples of the conilitution. .!) vv 4 . ' X. Your majefty cannot difapprove that wc here aflert the cleareft principles of the conilitution againfl: the infidious attempts of evil counfeJlors, to perplex, confound, and (hake, them. We are determined to abide by thofe rights and liberties which our forefathers bravely vindicated at the ever memorable revolution, and which their fons will always refolutely defend. We, therefore, now renew, at the foot of the throne, our claim to the indifpcnfiblc right of the fu bjedt ; a full, fre e, and un« m utilate d^^parEam ent, legalTy chofen iiv all its members; a right, which thi. Soufe of commons have manifeftly violated, de- priving, at their will and pleafure, the county of Middlefex of one of its legal re- prefentatives, and arbitrarily nominating,: as a knight of the (hire, a perfon not elec- ted I ««^ *;•"* **■• ' '*„*^~»<« •' ■?rri<:?r""-'T^"~* tl; « I: ted by a majority of the freeholders. As the only conflitutional means of reparation now left for the injured eledors of Great- Britain, we implore, with mod urgent fupplication, the diiTolution of this pre- fent parljamcnt;, the removal of evil mi- niders, and the total extinclioa of that fa- tal influence which has caufed fuch a na- tional difcontent. In the mean time, fire, we offer our conflant prayers to heaven, that your majedy may reign, as kings can only reigq, in and by the hearts of a loyal> dutiful,, and; /rcc, people^ i; . t • i; u^i' ri->: :%-\> His majefifs anfwer^ delivered the 23^ $f ■Wi LA^ Mayy 1770. ; ;,i iVi *-(-*, '' r . ?;•.-- I fhould have been wanting to the pub- lic, as well as to myfelfi if I had not ex- preflcd my diffatisfation at the late addrefs. My fentiments on that fubjed continue the fame -, and I (liould ill deferve to be confidered as the father of my people, if I (hould ) ■ ■—»•»>»»%» ^^..^ ^^-t, .• fliould fufFer myfelf to be prevailed upon to make fuch an ufe of my prerogative as I cannot but think inconfiftent with the intercft, and dangerous to the con(^*'-> lion, of the kirigdomf. < • ( < - ' ###iM»#«NiN|MlM||Hj|Ni#t#g^^ A common-council holden in tU chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Friday; the 25/^ day of May^ 1 770. 'the lord-mayor being called upon to acquaint this court what he had faid tp his majefty^ ■ after receiving his majeflfs anfwer to their addrefsy remonjirance, and petition^ the fame was accordingly produced-, whichy being read, was ordered to be entered into the journal of this court, in the following words. 1 'fi i fi >\ • .J <-! -A ■( , (: ; Moft -'] ii i ■^'*t •-«-*!^-' ■ it w ] ■J ,!' (i '(' '•■■ t ■■;■ 1 ^•'^lifflinlfF* Mod: gracious rovereign» WILL your majefty be pleafed Ho fur to condefcend, as to pefmic the mayorof your loyal cityof Loadpn tp de- clare in your royal prefence, on behalf of , his fellow-citizens, how much the bare ap- prehenfion of your majcfty's difpleafure would at all thnes atifeft their minds. . The ^declaration of that difpleafure -h^s ,al- ^ ready filled them with inexprpHljl^le anxiety and with the deepeil: aHlidion. Permit me, fire, to aflure your majefty, that your majeily has not, in all your dominions, any fubgeds more faithful, more dutiful, ^r more a6Fe£bionate, to your majefiry's perfon and family, or more ready to facri- fice their lives and fortunes in the main- tenance of the true honour and dignity of your crown. ; ; I ■ • - We do, therefore, with the greateft hu- mility and fubmifiion, mod earnefily fup- plicace Si: '■k W^-fl^^^^r' [ ^3 ] plicate your majcfty, that you will not dif- mifs us from your prefence without ex- preffing a more favourable opinion of your faithful citizens, and without fome com- fort, without fome profpcft, at Icaft, ofre- dreis. ..>v-. , ; J. V -•-.'■■> A , •■••J^ 'V ■-) Permit me, fire, farther to obferve, that whoever has already dared, or fliall hereafter endeavour, by falle infinuations and fuggeflions, to alienate your majefty's affefbions from your loyal fubjedls in gene- ral, and from the city of London in parti- cular, and to withdraw your confidence in, and regard for, your people, is an enemy to your majefiy's perfon and family, a violator of the public peace, and a be- trayer of our happy conftitution, as it was eflabUfhed at the glorious revolution. 4 wotioji f , I \ 1 i'AVffiilN',' F^ h\ i 24 ] .-r,(, -;f3C / yi motion was made, and queftion put^ that .. an humble addrefs he prejentedto bis majeftyy to congratulate him on the fafe delivery of thequeeny and the birth of another princefs ^ . the fame was unanimoujly refolved in the jf affirmative : which addrefs is as follows. ■1 'v ;/ To the king's moft excellent majeftf. The humble addrefs of the lord-nmayor, al- dermen, and commons, of the city of * London, in common-council aifembled. i-' ' ...,-,.. Moft gracious fovereign, > - cj yr WE wait upon your majefty with our fiiicere congratulations on the hap- py delivery of our moft gracious queen» and on the birth of another princefs \ and . to aflure your majefty, that there are not, in all your dominions, any fubje(fts more faithful, more dutiful, and more affedi- onate, -.^i i; ,-- «. *_-.H,,^__,»„.j^ .»»f/IHIX*»,„l., ,' .Jfci^ gr/.^,'-,lA---X-.*fl.'; ^. ^ ^^ :_^ (- [ as 3 onatcto your majcfty's perfon and family, or more ready to facrifice their lives and fortunes in the maintenance of the true honour and dignity of your crown, i v" . Long may your majefly reign the true guardian of the liberties of this free coun- try, and be the inllrument, in the hands of providence, of tranfmitting to our pofte- rity thofe invaluable rights and privileges, which are the birth- right of the fubjedls of thiskingdom.v^'^i' I ^ii ' t^J-K^^^^ * . * * His majeftfs anfwer^ delivered the^oth day of \i^\ %*>.^'i\-\:. nyr^.. .^^^ '^iivj- ■.^iu^)v< Vi i ' r^ May, 1770 I receive with great fatisfadion your congratulations on the happy delivery, of the queen, and the birth of a princefs; and I return you my hearty thanks for your duty and afFe<5tion to riiy perfon and family, and the zeal for the trud honour and digjiity of my crown which you exprefs upon this Occa(ion.\ >; \ /v- v a . ■';\v.j'^-'''t> . C The i\\ ■ m i 1! . (,■ . , ,^ ■' ':. .',:..'. i..:::i.iLi Jii iAs i£..-i,-::.ALL, V I The city of Lomion, entertaining thefc loyal fentimcnts, may be always aflured of my protcaion. ^ ,.^ ,m^,u...u^. ;,,M.s.uv.t court ^ touching the violated right of eke* ; ^Hion^ and praying a dijfolution of \ i: 'i ■ . , . We, . therefore, again implore your ma- jcfty in this fad crifis, with hearts big with forrow and warm with aflfcdicn, not to be induced, by falfe fuggeftions, contrary to tlifc benignity of your royal nature, to (hut tip youi* paternal compaflion slnd juflice a- garntt the prayers of unhappy fubjeds, claiming, as we now again prefume to do, with equal huniility and free-born plain- nefs, oui tndifjiutable birth-rights, free- dom of clcSidh a'rtd right of petitioning. 'rWc >4-U^ ,.^- .hi PEt::^",'i")->''r:!-ri:!'.; :'J> *.!■:■'' \c» I 29 1 .».' Wc have feen the known law of the land, the Cure guardian of right, t/o^dea down, and, by the influence of daring miniders, arbitrary difcretion, the law of tyrantSrj fet up, to overthrow the chpicq of the ele(5tors,and nominate ^o a feat in paf,<* liament a perfon not chofen by the people*;^ Yourmajcfty's throne is founded on the free cxercife of this great right of eledlion ; to prcferve it inviolate is true loyalty •, to undermine and deftroy it is the nioft com- pendious treafon againft the whole confti- tutiom^ ""*'"" " ^ " ~~^ ' '^ " t- y,i, Deign, then, fir, amidft the cpmpli- cated dangers which furround us, to re- ilore fatisfadlion and harmony to your faithful fubjeds, by removing from your majefly's prefence all evil counfcUors, and by recurring to the recent fenfe of youc people, taken in a new parliament. ^^ijj; cs :a' By ^■*-:*i»»,. ,^L.Ml. E 30 ] r By fuch an exertion, alone, of your own royal wifdom and virtue, the various wounds of the conftitution can be cfFedu- aHy healed ; and, by reprcfentatives freely chofcn, and ading independently, the fa- lutary awe of parliament cannot fail to fccure to us that facrcd bulwark of Engl ifh liberty, the t rial by jury , againft the dan- gerous deHgns ortholibji who have dared o« penly to attempt to mutilate its power and / cJeftroy its ef!kacyi I •So will dilTatisfadbion and national weaknefs change at once into public Cvuifi- dence, order, ftrcngth, and dignity ; and this boafted conftitution of England, fo late the envy of nations, no longer hold forth, to the dtrifion of Europe, cleftors not fuifercd to eled, juries forbid to j^dge of the wfcole matter in IfTue before them, and dutrfuVpetlttoners, remonllratihg the mod flagrant grievances, branded, by the minifters M: }*'f'^. I, [ 3» J' t inmifters who opprefa them, a^ feditious^ infractors of that conftitutign wc religioudy revere^ and, togetlicr with your majefty's facretipcrfon, will unccafingly defend againll all enemies and betrayers, .% ' ': His Majejifs mfwer, delivered thi 2 1^ day of November ^ 1770. As I have fcen no reafon to alter thq 0- pinion expreffed iti oiy anfvycr to your for- mer addrefs upon this fubjcd, I cannot comply with the prayer of your petition. ^-A. CROSBY. Mayor. A common- council holden in the chamber of thi Guildhall of the city of London^ on fFednef" day^ the sth day of June^ lyyi* u,-.^ .,, A motion was madcy and quejlion put, That an humble addrefs be prefented to his majcf-^ C 4 tyy [ 3« ] v/y, to congratulate him on the fafe delivery ef the queen ^ and the birth of another prince : the fame was refolved in the affir^ • tnative : which addrefs was agreed to^ as follows, ' '^ . :c; li :n:':\^i il;> V To the king's moft eXcellcfit majeffy. ' - The humbhv addrefs of the lord-mayOr, ' aldermen, andcomnnons, of the ci^v of London, in common-council aif .l.;.J». - .Moft gracious fovcreigny .1^ • ,'f '^ , WE, your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjedts, the lord^mayor, al- dermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council aflembled, embrace this joyful occafion of approach- ing your mujefty with our fincere congra- tulation on the fafe delivery of the queen, and the aufpicious birth of another prince. * ir6ur majefty's ever loyal and faithful citizens of London, exceeded by none of *'^ your 4: p^ ■^\ [ 33 ] your fubjefts in honeft and anxious zejfl for your majefty's happinefs, and the glo- ry and profperity of your reign, rejoice in all events which augment your majefty's domeftic felicity -, firmly trufting, that e- very increafe of the auguft houfe of Brunf- wick will prove an additional fecurity to Gur religion and the great charter of liber- ty, which, in confequence of the glorious and necelTary revolution,, that illuftrious' houfe was chofen to defend. > .''''■■■ - ■ * ■ ■ ■ ■■ • ' • ' • ^ His majejifs anfwer^ dilivered the nth of June, 1771. I thank you for this dutiful addrefs, and for your congratulations on the lafe delivery of the queen, and the birth of another prince.. . . It gives me great fatisfa(5lion to ncteafe of my fa o our rflision »y that you confider the i as an addit'onal fecurity and to that liberty which Hook upon with C 5 pleafure i '.< ,'n (,*/«»/ ■:.£::'i^i^^.-i'^,> ^- i'f\iiA* vji;i*^.-,i k> I*- I E 34 1 pi*afure as the bafis of, my government, and which I HiaH always think my honour and intereJd concerned to defend. , > , .■• f ■ ■ ■', .. ' ' C R O S B Y, Mayor. .' * '^ Jn a meetings or ajfemhly, of the mayor ^ of- dermetjy and liverymen of the fever al com^ panies of the city of London^ in common^ hall affemhledy at the Guildhall of the faid iity^ on Monday y the i\th day of June^ A motion was made, and quefion put. That /'. an humble addrefs, remonftrance, and peti- tton, be prefented to his majejly, from thi 10 Igrd-maypr, aldermen, and livery, of the city of London, in common- hall affembled: the fame was refolved in the affirmative, s^And, an humble addrefs, remonftrance, and \ petition, to his majefty, being produced, a motion was made, That the fame be read : andf V# iU i%i ^ t, ^:. •i ■..■''^.•■' ^ »* ♦itt^m* C 35 J and^ the queftion being put hy Mr, Tcwn- Clerk^ it was re/olved in the affirmative ;. whereupon the fame was read, as follows* : To the king's moft excellent majefty. The humble addrefs, remonftrance, and^ petition, of the lord- mayor, aldermen^ and livery^ of the city of London, in^ common-hall afiembled.. i . t <' Moft gracious fovereign, WE, your majefty's dutiful and loyal= fubjefts, the lord-mayor, alder- men, and livery, of the city of London, in the anguilh of our hearts, beg leave to approach^ your royal perfon, and deeply to lament,, that we dill fuffer, together with many others, all thofe great and unparallelled> grievances, which we have before fubmit- ted to your majtfty, with the hope of a^ full and fpeedy redrcfsfrom our fovercign,, as the father of his people, - . C 6 The 4 ^\ . j,iii, . ■) ALC^tMt<:.Hit^-l'ji'J^i. imf ■r u t I 36 J -V '. ■ : . ■. . , • ^ - ■'-'- ' ^' •>•■' .^ ; The fame arbitrary lioufe of GommonSy wjiich violated the facred right of ek^iQn>^ and featcd among themfelves, as a repre- fcntative of the people, a man who was never chofen into parliament^ have, the Tafl: feflion, proceeded to the moff extrava- gant outrages agaihft the conftitution of this kingdom and the liberty of the fub- je£t, of which your majcfliy is, by Taw, the great guardian. They have ventured to hnprifon our chie£ magiftrate,. and one of our aldermen,* i.v»r: difobeying their illegal orders, and not violating the holy fandlioa of their oaths to this great city, as well as th ejr duty to their country. They have, by the moft artful fuggcftions, prevailed vipon your majefty to fufFer your royal name to give a pretended authority to a proclamation, iflued at their cxprefs de- fire, contrary to the known laws of the land. At length they proceeded to the t ,' k enormous * BraiV Croiby, efq. and alderman Oliver. j«V'* k \ Ji >L.« der col our of equity, infefted in that law an unufual faving claufe, fubverfive of the known and cftablifhed laws of JDrbperty : they have, without any pretence of anibufe, jfu- perieded the confcfvanty 6? the river Thames, in the liberty which the citizens of London hav e enjoyed from, the con* ( •f In t.he cafe of John Wilke?, efq. ^mm » m i ^ *n i^ '■ ^-^.?i!'.'J--."r:^ ^-**tf-~;^- >^*^'«lti .■^»:-^i..j»-». ■■■-.•'- 'i;);^:"--'"!' [ I ■'"■!hs;f , We, therefore, your remonilrants, a- gain hun>bly fupplicate your ^majefty to reflore our rights, and to give peace to this diflraded nation, by a fpeedy diiTolution of the parliament, and by removing your prefent wicked and defpotic minifters for ever from your councils and prefence. H His majefiy*s ^anfwer^ delivered the lotb of - I (hall ever be ready to exert my prero- gative, as far as 1 can conftitutibnally, in rcdre/Ting any reaV grievances of my fub^ jefts ; and the <;ity of London will always find mc difpofcd to liften to any of their well-founded complaints : it is, therefore, with concern that Ifce a part of my fubjefts ftilkfo far mijlcd and deluded/ as to renew, ■ '• in fuch rcprehenfible terms, a requeft, with which, I have repeatedly declared, I can- not comply, TGWNSEND,. W^-TVi^i'- i[ 39 J T b W N S E N b. Mayor. 1 1 >j. > iu , J >i ^ common council holden in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London.^ on Thurfday^ the 4th day of February^ ^773' i A motion being made^ and quejlion put, that . an humble addrefs of congratulation be pre- . fentedtohis majejlyy by this court, on the , .fafe deli't)ery of the queen, andths birth of another prince, the fame was unanimoufly . refohed in the affirmative ; which addrefs was agreed to^ aS follows, ;, ,, „.. 'i . , . .../ .. .:.,.. /.. . ... .i ,.., -. ■■ ,,,;.,■ To the king's moft excellent majefty. The humble addrefs of the lord-mayor, al- dermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common^council aHembled. Moft w «'1 " J n 11 1 Hi ■t t 40 ] ,; ^jf:t Mod gracious fovereign^ ^n » YOUR majerty*s loyal fubjeds, the lord-mayor, aldermen, and com- mons, of the city of London, in common- . council afiembled, approach your majcfty with their congratulations on the happy delivery of their moft amiable queen, and the birth of another prince. *'■ ' Your faithful citizens of London, ever "zealous for your majefty*s happinefs, and '^ the true honour and profperity of your reign, will continue to rejoice in every member which adds to your majefty's do- meftic felicity. And they hope that every branch of the auguft houfe of Brunfwick will add farther fecurity to thofe facred laws and liberties, which their anceftors would not fuffer to be violated with impu- nity, and which, in confequence of the glorious and neceffary revolution, that il- luflrious houfe was called forth to protect and defend. ^ His r 3Je6i:s, the and com- n common- our majcfty the happy queen, and ondon, ever ppinefs, and icy of your ice in ev-cry najefty's do- 3e that every of Brunfwick thofe facred eir anceftors with impU' lence of the lion, that il- h to protect [i 4t • ]i His. ^taje/iy^s anfwir, delivired the £ih day ,u cU.>^u. of February^ l^^Z*^\^\\ vh \i, . -^ ilhank'.you for this dutiful addrcfs, and yoiir congratulatio'na on th« happy de- livery of the queen, and the birth of ano- ther prince. The religion, laws, and li- berties,, of; my people, hav6 always been, and ever Ihall be,\ the cooftan^ object of my care and atteption/i^-i ^j^ ^t^ii ?.t>yi '.liij M ; J'5j. tfii':, 'ISJII •■'-*• ■: '1 f ' < ,r.i:;dO;WJ? S E N D, Mayor. 7« ^ meetings or affemhfyi of the lord-may or ^ aU dermefty and liverymen of the feveral compa" nies of the city of London^ in eommon-'baU ' ajfembledt dt the 'Guildhall of the f aid (ity, 'on Thurfdayj the nth day of Marth, T7 t«! I. ^K I i i ^* Afr". fVsHiam Bijhop acquainted the liveryy V d>af^ af a^prevMus meeting, sf. the Hvery^ at the Half-mpon tofo^rus i^ Qheapftdey an addrefsy remonfiranee^ and petition^ to hit , mii^jfy^\wM'agrud.tOi and ordetred to \h6 ' iaid before' thtHvery^m comnvn-hoM affenu. M4 far their approbation. And a mO" ' tion was fkade^ That the fame he read \ x'uand^ the'i^Jhiomheing^^tt H umt r/folved 'aJm. Jii njfirdatkte ^ i^ivk^retiptsd \ thi famm was read and agreed to as: fioiio/^Jb^ ijir -^^^rti ^^!f^o the k^g's mcil: exceUsnt majeilf, ..^ The humble addrefs, remonftrance» and pelitbn, of ^ "^e ioi^^-manrbr, • alikrmen, and livery, of the city of London^ ia ^^^ MoftgrpQWi^ ipvereigru ,♦/•.. ^.,S' '£, ycijir na^e^jr'fi dvtjful aw] %al I, fubjcias, the iord -mayor, aldcr- mcn> and livery,, of the city of London, .filv. beg I f *;.:k.<;.^.#.' Ail ;/.i4^ii4iilAL^J^J.■ '■*Wi«r^. )ftde^ an f, to bif )i to ht i a mO" k reai% ih'/amm ice» and ikrinen, ndon» ia •^W^Wi St Hi n4 %al , aldcr- Londotiy beg , I 43 1 beg leave to approach the throne, with the rcfpcft becoming a free people, zca* louOy attached to the Iaw« and conflitu- tion of their country, and the parliamen- tary right of your majelly to the crown of thefe realms. r- .r^ •:'^' F'jfltvnc^ ., We defire, with all humility, in the grief and angui(h of our hearts, to fubmit to your majedy, that the many gricv^moes and injuries we have, fufe^ed ivom.yovut mtnift era ilttl remaan tinre drcflec? ,. nor bn the public juftice oi the kingdom reccjved the leaft fatis faftion for the fre qu ent atro* cious violations of the laws, which have been . . » II I * 9... committed i n your reign, by your mu niilers, with a dar ingcon tempt ofgi^ery prin* ciple, human and divine. Yo\ir people have^ with the deepefl: conGern,obferved, that theit former humble petitions and remonftrances were received wbh a negled and difregard^ very haridly broqked by the high fpirits Th e right of jbcing re- t)rfffented In parliameiiit js jhe jnherien t, iinalienaBIe,_prIvilege^ as well as peculiar glory, onHeFreie-bprn inhabitants of jthis unty of of legal om the of that 1 only a tative of agalnfl: foeir their confetit, through, the iike corrupt influe nce of the famerm inifter. T he chief jnagiftratejind one of the aldermenofjhis city were imprifoned, forppt obeying, thq illegal mandates of an arbitrary houfe of commbhs, and vblating the folemnoaths they had taken for the prcfervation of the -'— — r-T ' ■ liberties and franchih s of the capital of your n-jajefty's dominion s. We recal l to your niajefty's reniembr^ce,^ wiili. honor, that unparallelled adl of tyraiiny,_the^a- zing a judicial record, in ord er to flop t he courfe of juftice, j;q intrqduceal^ of ^°^£L5gji^ffi'^^^* ^"^ ^^ ^^^ ^ upii byLlhc roots, truth and law from the earth. . . We, therefore, your remon ft rants, a- gain fupplicate your majefty to employ the only remedy now left by the conftitution, the cxercife of that faiutary power with which you are entrufted by law, the dif- folving of the prefent parliament, and the removal of thofc evil counfellors who ad- vifcd ' I'.i t ■'.' !^ik*!if,4 J i'iS, . iVi •■■i'. )! -1., ' i ■it -Ir ; i*..' S (^:- ,21 P +8 1 viittd the meafures fo generally odious to the tjationi and your.majefty, a« the true guardian of our rights, (hall ever reign in the hearts of a grateful people. • ^ Sis mjeflfs anjwir^ delivered the 26th of ' Marchy ijy^. U» h.; « - -^ * . i» ■. , I have the fatisfa^lion to think that my f^ople do not doubt of ipy readinefs to attend to their complaints, or of my ar- dent defire to promote their real happincfs 5 which I cannot more effedlually do, than by refilling every attempt to fow ground- lefs jealoufics among them. Your petition is fo void of foundation, and is, befides, conceived in fuch difre- fpeclful terms, that I am convinced you do not, yourfelves, fcrioufly imagine it can be coiSnplicd with, ' : ' ' ', ^ ". . ^ • ' > ■ o \ Farther 'iv/ (.M •r H.kTL:**L<:i- 1.,,'. ",'.:■ . . :^. ' \'jMl^^h t ^ 1 *^ ^ A Fartbtr proceedings sf thi cPrnmn-halii on - : ; ^burfdi^^ the 1 1 /i& p/ March^ ' 7 73 • ' ~E, the liN^rymen of London, jp common-hall aifembled, taking into our ferious confideration the perni- cious efFedls of long parliaments, and be- ing convinced, that the moft likely and cfFcftuai remedy, for the many grievances under which the people of this country have fo long laboured, is to be found in a frequent appeal to the p eople by fbort par- liamcnWji^ dojrefqlye, That we will not vote for^ countenance, or i *rt, either diredly or indiredly, any candidate, or candidates, to reprefent this city in parlia- ment, until he have, previous to his (landing forth as a candidate, folemnly af- ;feinted tQ,^^! t \ V < 1 I'W I I I . -i V ;,?.-•>,» '; T « , iy.. ;,&7:;/^!feyk:iJi '•:, :^i.iA■ •:.;,.> *.' {./■.j-'A,-'^, .. • • , *u;t.,, ■. .^^'',,;V:•■*■ T ^/u7^h I ^ 1 ; Rcfolvcd, That the engagement be in Ec words' folio wing : ^-"^^ -^^ * ^'^■^' *^^' '"^^'^^ ■tvii %^' ^/^6a>rDf^dfilej^^% A. B. do moft iblemnly engage k> r^T^-^ '*« itVsim a mem ber of either houfe'of par- «« liamcnt when a motion for the above '•* purpofe fhall be made, I will not fiil to "attend, and give my utmoft fupport to '^*fuch motion.'; r - -Ik {U^ ■ ^ ;..;;ih ;;,o s ? ^; d^-'ot M:fi-^i.F^ '--rij /;- ..iTOWNSEND. e^^ -«uv i* ^^-m. m ¥ » ^ > ^^ r 50- ] I 1 < "0 To fir Robert Ladbroke, knight ; the right honourable Thomas Harley, Bar- low Trecothick, and Richard Oliver, : elquires. , ... v . Gentlemen, ^ *" ' THE arbitrary ftridcs of government, which feem daily increafing, to the prejudice of our liberties, cannot fail of alarming us in the moll fenlible manner. Suc!i, indeed, is the difmal complexion of the times, that to the whole world we ap- pear even on the brink of flavcry. To enumerate the feveral ads, which have fullied the prefent reign, would be much too tedious 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 live s of innocent J^cople wantonly ta- kcn a way. Had -' ^ i>r'» ^"*l^t ", f m'- ' '' . [ 5' ] ' Had this nation been blefled.with a vir- tuous houfe of commons, we fliould by no means have experienced the oppreflion> which, for thirteen years pad, we have unhappily laboured under. To long par^ 11 a me n ts, therc forcj and a ve nal majo rity, we may, with g reat juft ice, attribu te the whol e of our misfortun es'. In what light can we behold a houfe of commons, which be- comes fo proftit ute, as to be capa ble of vot ing a minor ity to be a majority ? A houfcj which could, without the Icaft co- lour of jufti ce, tyrannically impri fon a fubjedlf between three and four m onths in a diftempered jail, and inhumanly refufe him the fame liberty which had been granted to two felons J accufed ^wilful murder ? A houfe, which, devoid of all decency, could force the poor timid fer- vant of a corporation to craze a judicial record? A houfe, that could even punifh D 2 ' > ' - two t Capt. Allen, % The two Kennedies. •^r-jtmn-k,,. fe**i*'.*.".:i/ji/..!;i 't I I, •.■.;■ J/ ' I' ' \i J. •a ■v I :. I / ft I f / )- i 52 ] two members of its own body, in a mod arbitrary manner, for ading with integri- ty in a judTciaFcapacity ; nay, for'adhe- ring to their charters and~theTF oaths,. and virtuoufly adminiftering juftice ? Indeed fatal experience hath taught ns, that what was intended as a bulwark, in defence of our liberties, is now become a mere en- gine of oppreffion ; and thofe weapons of defence, which have been intrufted into the hands of our reprefentatives, to op- pofe the encroachments of the prerogative of rhe crown, have been infamoufly per- verted to ftab the vitals of the conftitu- tion. . .^ ' . , ' . ; V 'i :■■•.':.. ' - '" .'' " \ < - i--ih ' ■'■ When we made choice of you, firs, to tranfacl our bufinefs in parliament, we confidered all of you to be pofTefled of fortune fufficient to render you indepen- dent ; bu^ fuch is the depravity of the pre- fcnt age, that the more wealthy fcem the cafieft to be corrupted. * ' . .; . ; . ' .. * Although fr •;. ill <• . C S3 1 i.... •^1 4; - Although fome of you miy have ap- proved yourfelves worthy of the confi- dence rcpofed in you, yet others, we are forry to be obliged to obferve, have 'v.;eni deficie nt in thei r duty. It becomes n€- ccflary, therefore, that we (hould exercifc our indifputable right of inftruding you, our reprcfentatives. A worthy alderman of this city, whofe political principles feem of the pureil: kind, and, as fuch, denote him a fit ex- ample for other members of the legifla- ture, convinced of the extreme danger of * cntrufting any bodjr of "len w ith fepten- nial powers, has more than once attempt- ed to fliorten the duration of parliaments : but with regret we refleeouncil alTcmbled, !> Moft gracious fovereign, WE, your majcfty's dutiful and loyal fubjeds, the lord-rnayor, alder- men, and commons, of your ancient city of London, in common-council affem- bled, beg leave to approach your ma- jcfty*s facred perfon, with our warmeft cong»atulations on the happy delivery of our moft excellent queen, and the aufpi- cious birth of another prince. ■ ^ -f \ • With gratitude to the divine goodnefs, we behold the increafe of yo^r majefty's auguft houfe, as it augments your ma- jefty's domeftic felicity, and gives a more permanent fecurity to the civil and reli- gious liberties of your people. D 4 His •^' [ 56 ] His majejiy^s anfwer^ delivered the ^tb day of Marcbf 1774. . • , I receive with pleafurc this dutiful and affedlionate addrefs : your congratulations, and the fentiments which you cxprefs on the farther increafc of my family, cannot^ fail of affording me great fatisfadion. I / V BULL, Mayor. : / :r ^ common' council holden in th'e chamber of the Cuildhall of the city of London^ on Friday ^ the ^d day of 'june^ 1 774» . ;t. :k i , Amotion being made, and quejlion put, That this court do agree to petition the honour- able houfe of commons, That the bill, now depending before that honourable houfe, tn- titled, " An a^ for making more effectual " provifionfor the government of the pro- " vince of ^ebec, in North America^* ' ^ ^ may ri .JT^. -'\'-' ^-'^-rqascess ■;,-,^WH'''!'''r^%**''- ;'Mf, •" '' C 57 3 f may not pafs into a law^ the fame was re- ' folved in the affirntative : which petition was agreed tOi as follows, » ' - ^'. ^^ •i To the honourable the commons of Great- Britain, in parliament afTembled. The humble petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of '■ London, in common-council aflcmbkd^ Shewcth, • . • THAT your petitioners are deeply concerned, and much alarmed, to find there is now a bill, depending before this honourable hou>fe, intitled; *' An a6l for making more effedual pro- " vifion for the government of the pro- " vince of Quebec, in North America :" which, in all civil cafes, takes away the exercife of the Englifli law, and that fa- cred part of it, the trial by jury, and fujj- ftitutcs in its (lead the French law of Ca- \ D5 nada. -«■>■»■■» >....-i>^;«^.r^>--».»>_....vj^i^w~-rg;_'^-'^^ >-.>^5fss5r^ E 5? J nada, whereby the freedom of the perfbn and fecuricy of the property of his ma- jcfty's fubjefls are rendered precarious. Thar, if this bill palTts into a law, the Roman Catholic will be the only legal efta- fclifhed religion, without any provifion being made for the free exercile of the protef- tant religion ; which may prove greatly injurious and oppreflive to his majefty's protedant fubjeds, who do now, or may hereafter, refide in the faid province. That the legiQative power is veiled folely in perfons appointed during pleafure by the cro wn •, which ijs totally i nconfiftent with the liberty and principles of the Eng- li(h conftitution. Your petitioners, therefore, mod hum- bly pray. That the laid bill may not pafs- into a law. JBULL, *M,. V' iSiSKSii ":7*-*<^*" «>»»(•. r- [ 59 ] )^:- m^m^mm^^^^^^m^m^m^^'^ BULL, Mayor. j4 common- council holden in the chamber of' the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Sa^ turdayy the iSt h day of June, ijj^* X A notion being made, and qucftion put. That this court do agree to apply to his majefly, by addrefs and petition, 'praying, That his majefly will be pleafed not to give his royal . affent to the bill entitled, " An a^ for ma^ king more effectual provifion for the go* vernment of the province of ^ehec, ift ~f— <« North America," the fame was unam^ moufly refolved in the affirmative : which addrefs and petition was agreed to, as foU <( C( lows.. D 6 To ! r '■.M-- .J^'*-»-A*««»w«M^r((«**-*»* tV., .,-..■*> • ;;D»..;i,»Hl;*;(pWi»M"«''^»«*'lilv- ^''o^.J:: ,,«ea*.*i-K^.-- ;■»• -.jjitiWj X < .^'^ iwW|iv|?«Ji^|Ji'7i'^,J!il>AyMWf(>i^ if t'4 i?$ [ 60 ] To the king's moft excellent majefty. The humble addrefs and petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common- 4 council aflembled. Moft gracious fovereign, WE, your majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjecls, the lord-mayor, al- dermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council aftembled, are exceedingly alarmed, that a bill has paffed your two houfes of parliament, in- titled, " An afl for making more cfFec- " tual provifion for the government of " the province of Quebec, in North A- ** merica y* which we apprehend to be entirely fubverfive of the great fundamen- tal principles of the conftitution of the Britifli monarchy, as well as of the autho- rity of various fclemn a6ts of the legifla- ?ure. . *-«• -A. j*.i«# .^s^i ' 1 \ [ 6i ] ; We beg leave to obferve, that the Eng- li(h law, and that wonderful effort of hu- man wildom, the trial by jury, are not admitted, by this bill, in any civil cafes ; and the French law of Canada is impofed on all the inhabitants of that extenfive pro- vince : by which both the perfons and properties of very many of your majefty's fubjedls are rendered inlecure and preca- rious. '■ ■ ' ' We humbly conceive, that this bill, if pafled into a law, will be contrary, not only to the compadt entered into with the numerous fettlers of the reformed religion, who were invited into the faid province under the facred promife of enjoying the benefit of the laws of your realm of Eng- land, but likewife repugnant to your royal proclamation, of the 7th of Odtober, 1763, 'for the fpeedy fettling the faid new government. That, ;.^f — ..>-~---^' ">, - :^i -. :■ it.— *'•■ rrsii ^M* [ 62 ] f. 'i That, confident with the public faith, pledged by the faid proclamation, your majefty cannot ereft and conftitute courts of judicature and public juftice, for the he aring and det ermining all cafes , as well civil as cr imin al,, within the faid pr ovince, but as near as may be ag reeable to the laws of England : nor can any laws^^ flatutes, o r or di nanc es, for the public peace, welfare, and good-govern- ment, of thefaid,province, be made, con- ftituted, and ordained, but accord|ng^ta the laws of this realm. . j That the Roman Catholic religion, which is known to be idolatrous and bloo- dy, is eftabliflied by this bill ; and no le- gal provifion is made for the free exercife of our reformed faith, nor the fecurity of our proteftant fellow - fubjecls, of the church of England, in the true worfhip of almighty God according to their con- fciences.. That -"—...,,„,.,. — [ 6? J l;J \^ That your majcfty's illuftrious family" was called to the throne of thefc kingdoms,, in confequencc of the exclufion of the Ro- man Catholic ancient branch of the Stuart line, under the exprcfs ftipulation that they fliould' profefs the proteftant religion : and, according to the oath eftablifhed, by the fandtion of parliament, in the firft year of the reign of our great deliverer,king Wil- liam the third, your majefty, at your co- ronation, folemnly fwore, that you would,, to the utmoft of your power, maintain the laws of God, the true profelTion of the gofpel, and the proteftant reformed reli- gion eftablilhed by law. ■ ) ; That, although the term of imprifon- ment of the fubjeft is limited to three months, the power of fining is left indefi* nite and unreftrained •, by which the total ruin of the party may be effected, by an enormous and excedive iine. That m ^'^.'•'^■?- w % 1 i 'l 1 /I '{ -■•y /■"' rj* I I H ■ [ 64 ] ' That the whole legiflative power of the province is veiled in perfons to be foleljr appointed by your majefty, and, remove- able at your pleafure j which we appre- hend to be repugnant to the leading prin- ciples of this free conditution, by which alone your majefty now holds, or legally can hold, the ^ imperial crown of thefe realms* '•«-■- ^ ■ ^^'^-i ■-* ■■■ ■■:■' . - • '.-• • ;( "- • -r * * f ; , ' . '■ 1 (» ■> * ' • _ J 1. ■ That the faid bill was brought into par- liament very late in the prefent feffion, and after the greater number of the mem- bers of the two houfes were retired into the country j fb that^it cannot fairly be prefu- med to be the fenfe of thofe parts of the legiflature. i - ; * i' ^' Your petitioners, therefore, moft hum- bly fupplicate your majefty, as the guar- dian of the laws, liberties, and religion^ of your people, and as the great bulwark of ■JtV. «l*.4L*«tv - .- .- - -^ t ,i»tvi«v»i' **«v'*V''!i!f!^; ■ [ «9' ] of the protcftant faith, That you will not give your royal aflent to the faid bill r i n \ /■ And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray. i . t «■ . X «.; > •r':»'»'. .Vi v., V. -'. , i - . T'he king*s anfwer^ delivered by the right hO' nourahle the earl of Hertford^ lord cham- herkin to the king^ the 22d day ofjunef ^77^* Frf ■■-*. « *■ ■ ^ ■ ,' • «■'■;■■■ i ■ V As your petition relates to a bill agreed on by the two houfes of parliament, of which his majedy cannot take public no- tice until it is prelentcd to him for his royal affent in parliament, I am com- manded by the king to inform you, that you are not to exped an anfwer, "' ' *• \ \ / WILKES, i ri 1 1 . :i r ■*—t>^'. T- I ,) 1 I:, V->i' W ! ! 5;*"-' 1-1 [ 66 ] . ,. f WILKES, Mayor. ^ common -council holden in the chatnher of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Tuefdayy. ' the ^jft day of January ^ 1775. This dayy Mr, Alderman Bull prefented unto^ this court a letter^ which he had lately re- ceived from Francis Maferes^ efq, agent to : the proiejiant fettlers in the province of .Slueleci which *'jjas read in thefe words^ . Sir, Inner Temple, London, Jan. i6, 1775* HIS majefty's ancient and loyal fub- jeds, the proteftant fettlers in the province of Quebec, (who have done me the honour to appoint me their agent for their public concerns in England,) have lately fent me inftrudions, to exprefs to you, and to the court of aldermen, and tke common-council,, of the city of London^ ic i [ 67 J London, their mod finccre and hearty thanks, for the great mark of fraternal re- gard and afFedion which you fome t'lmt » fince teftified towards them, by your ad- drefs to the king's moft gracious majclly, intrcating him to refufe his royal affent to the bill for the government of the faid pro- vince. ,' -' .'. ; Theyexprcfs very ftrong apprehenfions of the mifchicfs that muft attend the opera- tion of this bill ; and they more efpecially lament the abolition of thofe moil valua- ble parts of the Englifh law, which relate to thp protedion of perfonal liberty by means of the writ of Habeas XTorpus, and of thofe which eftablidi the trial by jury in civil cales : which abolition they conceive to be involved in thofe very general words ofthenewad, which dired, "That, in all " matters of property and civil rights, " refort (hall be had to the laws of Cana- " da, and not to the laws of England." , This 1 i 'f' \ rn I l-l \ I ■H is !^\ MWlAlil II '■■(» %; ».» J|. I p^ l' ( ' ''J \i ^i [ 68 ] \-' 1. 1 '^ .,(».^i ^ This total expulfion of the laws of Eng- land, and total reftoration of the laws of Canada, jn^ivH ma^terSa_^hkb is fo grie- vous to themfclvcs, they alledgc to have been no way necefiary ta the fa tisfaftion o f the Canad ians ; but, on the contrary, they declare, that the major ity of t hofe new fubjed^s of^his_majefty have rather cxprefled a liking for the general body of the laws of En^^ 1, llnGe they have had experience of them, tha n a wife to fee their fornrlerl aws r eftored ; having enjoy- ed, and being always ready to acknow- ledge they have enjoyed, a greater degree of liberty for their persons, fecurity for their property, and encouragement to the exertion of their induftry in trade and a- griculture, fince the introduflion of the laws of England into the province, than ever they had known before ; together with what they value, perhaps, more than all the reft, an exemption from the infolent .-7:17 ' ~~~"' " and \ [ 69 ] and capricious treatment of thci' former fupcriors. And, m purluance ot this fa- vourable opinion entertained by them of theEnglifli laws, great numbers of them were laft year difpofed, as my correfpon- dents aflure me in the mod pofitive terms, to join with the Englilh inhabitants of the province in petitioning his majefty for_the continuance of t he Englifh laws^ and were only deterred from fo doing by falfe a- larms, fpread among them by their fupe- riors, concerning the dangers to which their religion would be cxpofed, if they joined with the Englifh m any public re- prelentations. • • -^^ The paflage of the letter of my corref- pendents, in which they relate this im- portant fa<5t, is fo remarkable, that I beg leave to tranfcribe the very words of it : they are as follow. " In juftice to the " bulk of the Canadian inhabitants, who *« have formerly fmarted under the rigour " of ri I » . ! ! )) ] I. i T —~— »,,«-— :.--«;appf* ■ !(, * ( 1 i t' i ■' .,.■*,■■; ri.itjSk !'■..■ ^ : ' TKefe, ^i 1^ imbail^lil 't*-.**-' t n I of it of time, le u- fhefe, Thefe, fir, are the fentiments which I am authorifed to exprefs to you, and to the rcfpedtable corporation of the city of Lon- don, upon this fubjeft, by the committee of the proteftant fettlcrs in the province of Quebec, whofe names arc thefe tha^ follow* James Price, John Aitkin, Randle Meredith, John Welles, John Blake, John Lees, Ifaac Todd. Zachary Mac Aulay. Thomas Walker, To thefe fentiments 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 J I mean the public declaration which has been made, at a meeting of the American merchants, by a gentleman con- ne(5led with government, concerning feme rcfolutions already taken upon this fub- E % jc£l: \ m t; 7& I je6l : for, according to this declaration, h appears, that the wifdom and equity of his majefty's minifters have anticipated the •wilhes of the proteftant fcttlcrs in the pro- vince of Quebec, with refpedt to two of the points above complained of, (the abolition of the laws concerning the writ of Habeas Corpus, and concerning the trial by jury in civil cares,)and have induced them to dircdt a draught o^ an ordinance to be prepared here in England, under their own infpec- tion, by a gentleman of great abilities, in order to be fent to Quebec, and pafTed into an ordinance by the legiflaiive council of the province, for re-eflablilhing thofc two important branches of the Englifh law. This proceeding, at the fame time that ic gives a fan(flion to the defires of my con- ttituents upon thofe fubjc<5^s, affords a proof of the uprightnefs and candour of his majefty's minifters, and the purity of iheir intentions with refped to this province, infomuchthat I cannot but indulge myfclf in ij- [ n 3 in the hope, that they will be eafily pre- vailed on to go one ftcp farther in this good work, and gratify my conftituents in the manner as well as the matter of their requcfts, by promoting the e{b|bli(h- ment of thefc important points by an ait of parliament to enlarge and amend the for- mer adt, inilead of an ordinance of the le- giflative council, to the end that all the inhabitants of the province, both French and Engliih, Roman Catholics and Pro- tcftants, may have the fame folid and fa- tisfadory fecurity of an aft of parliament, for the enjoyment of thefe great founda- tions of their civil liberty, as has been granted to the Roman Catholic inhabitants for the free exercife of their religion and the legal maintenance of their clergy. I have the honour to be, fir. Your mod obedient and humble fervanr. m '1 Francis Maseres. m E WIL,KES, [ 78 1 r' *•. WILKES. Mayor; 1 3 f-v ,. » ...■■■. ^ common- council holden^ in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London, on Friday ^ the lothday of February ^ ^77 S' , . . Mr. Alderman Kirkman reported, from the committee, appointed, the thirty-firfl day of January laft, to draw up an anfwer to a letter prefented unto this court by Mr, AU derman Bull, which he had lately received from Francis Maferes, efq, agent to the prcteftant fettlers in the province of ^ebeCy That the [aid committee had prepared an an- fwer, which he delivered into this court : and the fame was read, and agreed to, in the following words. To the honourable Mr. Baron Maferes, agent to the proteftant fettlers in the province of Quebec. Sir, ) ^ . [ 79 ] Sir, . r Sir, TH E lord-mayor, aldermen, and common council, of the city of London, in common-council affembled, in anfwer to your letter communicated by Mr, Alderman Bull, defire that you will be pleafed to acquaint the committee of the proteftant fcttlers of the province of Quebec, for whom you are agenr, that nothing in the power of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and common council, fltall be wanting towards promoting fo defireable a purpofe, as the obtaining redrels, re- fpedting the late Quebec aft, for the pro- teftant fettlers in Canada, whofc com- plaints again ft that law are manifeftly founded in juftice and reafon. The pernicious tendency of the Quebec a6t is fufficicntly evident to all perfons of impartiality and difcernment *, and it is therefore eafy to conceive, agreeable to the reprcfcntation made by your conftitu- £ 4 entSy i ■■i\\ k [ 80 1 cnts, that the majority c f the inhabitants of Canada, even thofe profefling the Ro- man Catholic religion, could not have been defirous of fuch a law. Men, who were born under an arbitrary government, but who were afterwards happily placed iti a ftate of freedom, muft have been void of underftanding, and deftitute of the com- mon feelings of human nature, if they had been dcdrous of again returning to the un- happy fituation of thofe who are fubjedl- cd to defpotic laws. And it cannot ex- cite any furprife that deceit and mifrepre- fentation were employed, to render the in- habitants of Canada filcnt and acquiefcent, when meafures were concerting fo prejudi- cial to their beft and greateft interefts. The fcheme, that is faid to be in agita- tion, of granting to the inhabitants of Ca- nada the privileges of trial by jury in civil cafes and of the writ of Habeas Corpus, to be ordained by a legiilative council, holding fita- Ca- Icivil fpus, incil, ding [ 8i ] holding their feats at the will of the crown, (an inftitution, of which the hiftory of our country furnilhcs no precedent but in the moft arbitrary times,) is evidently not fuch a fecurity as Britl(h fiibjefbs are enti- tled to: privileges, of fo important a na- ture, ought to be hb\d by an authority tru- .ly legal, and. not' depend for their conti- (nuance on royal will and pleafure, which is al tenure totally inconfiftent %1th the ge- nius and fpirit of the Britiih conftitution. The power of abrogatihg old laws, and of making new, is of "too great importance to be poffeffed by any man, or by any bo- dy of men, uniefa fuch as are eledled by the people themfclves, and whom they think proper to', cpnllitute as their del€> gates and trufteei*.; * •if- iP - We pray ycftj, fir, particularly to ex^ prefs to yout conflituents o jr fincere con*- cern, at feeing, tliat, by the authority of the Britifh parliament, it is ena(5ted : • : .i E 5 *' That U AMi ' ■>l»*_/.^.*f.,*i!^iii*K*»v^*^:^^^^ ■ * ■ '^^***s^:<»*^i€z^-H-i^^>**j&^ I I I M ill! lu ^ " ' V ^ 'Jt '^*'?".'" v*y- ur&f*>-ft=i'ii.jZ- .^. — -,^A •m^.'^r'x " v»< r^%^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) L % // 1< «i 1.0 I.I Ui IJj |2.2 £ Iffi 112.0 u 1.8 1.25 U IIIIIM V Hiotograpliic Sciences Corporation 33 west MAIN STREET WEBSiiR.N.Y. t45S0 'y\t) 873-4503 '^Z^ r.^" [ 84 ] j^t'' I Refolved, That, as a bill is propofed to te brought into parliament, to prohibit the Nev^-England fifhery, which, if com- plied with, may materially injure the commercial n ■".v-y"? 'r C 85 ] comra^cial interefts of this city, and of the kingdom in general, the lord-mayor be requefted by this court to convene the fame, to confider. Whether it may not be the duty of this court to petition parlia- ment againft the propofed bill, the princi- ples of which, fo far as they have been hi- therto declared, appear to be repugnant both to juftice and the true intcrcfts of the Britifh empire^ '^^v '"<'- •; .J* .-, i 3 . s. '-. A; \ ii ^ K ■y ercial 7 W I L K E S, jviayor. / ji common-council holden^ in the cbamher of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Tuefday^ the 2 ifi day ef February ^ lyyS^ The right honourable the Idri-mayor laid he' fore this court a printed copy of a billy wuf depending in the honourable t i|il^l$^m« monSy intitled, ". A bill to rejirain the trade •' and commerce of the province cf Mafa* i,.:;-.nr.-.-- - ? thufetSz ""*''"•, J^^ i i(r ; •* ehufeiS'bay and New-HampJhirjSy and J ♦* colonies of Connecticut and Rhode* ' " ijlandy and Providence plantation^ in *' North^America, to G¥ eat -Britain^ Ire^ , •• land^ and the Britijh ijlands in the Weft* •* Indies ; and to prohibit fucb provinces " and colonies from carrying on any fifhery . •* ^« the hanks of "Newfoundland^ or other •• places therein to he mentioned^ under ** certain conditions^ and for a time to he ** limited ;" and the faid hill was read. RESOLVED/ Tliat the meafurcs of adminiftration, _ref£e6ling our fel- low-fubje6ls in ^America, adopted by the late paFliament, appear to this court in the highcft degree dangerous and alarming, and demand our moll ierious attention. ^. i^'lat^Jl^ *^ 'kefolved. That, as the opinion of this ' court hath already been very fully and par- ticularly declared, againfl: an adl of the late parliament, entitled, " An ad for the ** making more effcdual provifion for the "^"^ : -^ ' ** government (C u r 87 j " government of the province of Quebec,. ,f*:in North-America," we think it cquall/ our duty to bear teftrmony, alfo, againft four^ther adts of the faidj^parl iamen c, ^^i?l?J''*B^.^ft^^n highly injurious To^ur fellovy-fubjedts jn Ame rica : viz, An ad, intitled, " An adl for the better regula- ting the government of the province of the Maflachufets-bay, in New-England ;" and alio an a<5b, intitled, '' An ad for the impartial adminiftration of juftice, in the cafes of perfons queftioned for any ads done by them, in the execution of " the law, or for the fupprcflion of riots •' and tumults, in the province of theMaf- " fachufets-bay, in New- England ;" and alfo an ad, intitled, '♦ Art ad to difconti^i " nue, in fuch manner and for fuch time *^ as are therein mentioned, the landing " and difcharging, lading or Ihipping, of *' goods, wares, and merchandizes, at ** the town, and within the harbour, of ^* Bofton, in the province of Maflachu- cc cc cc 1 t, 4 iomfnon-Muncil boldm^ in the chamber oftkt , GuiUball of the city af London^ ttn ^hurj- t <%> the 2 2d day of Fihruary^ ^775* m jt-: !)"?; •:i:\ \ ' fTj&tf commifUe, appointed hy this courts thi \ iwenty-Jirfi infiant^ to conftdtr whether fs there are any parts in the inlU depending I in parliament^ intitled^ ** A bill to nfr : " ftrainthe trade and commerce of the pro* -■ *' vince of Maffacbufets-bay and New* ?^ *' Hampfitire^^c^^hicbma^ be proper for : ihis court to oppbfe^ did this day delifver int9 ' this court a report in writings under tbeir hands : which was read in thefe words, >/ Tq \r i ii jiijJti r / '• :! J, it m [ 90 3 To the right honourable the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council affembled. r,* ^ '.^ "T -r f|' '•,'♦• WE, ^vhofe names are hereunto fub- fcribed, your committee, appoint- ed by this honourable court, the twenty- firft inftant, to confider whether there are any parts in the bill, depending in parlia* tntnty ijititled, *^ A bill to reilrain the ** trade and commerce of the province of «< Maflachufcts - bay and New-Hamp- •« (hire, ^c,** which may be proper for this court to oppofe^ and to report the fame to this court on this morning, do humbly certify, that we have met for that purpofe ; and^ having had the faid bill fe» veral times ready and duly confidered the fame, are of opinion. Thai: the following parts in the faid bill may be proper for thi& court to oppofe* .;- i- I. So K I W' R-:it i !i,t,. ^ -...-^..i™ ) , •': I ring this L So [ 9t 3 ■ .'.,'.'■■■ I , t . I • *" ' • u ^* * ■ ' t / * ' I. So rtiucn of the principles of the laid bill as prohibit fuch provinces and coronies fdt'^Wrrying on any fiflicry on the banks of Newfoundland, or other places therein -to be mentioned, under certain condition^, and for a time to be limited/ f m \Vri 1)^2 II. Page V. claufe io. Whereby the North Americans are reilrained from im- porting wine, fait, &c, except horfes, vidluals, and liilen cloth, the produce and manufafture of Ireland, imported diredly from thence. AViU,, ^'IH J Page V. claufe ii. Becaufe it gives a power to his majcfty's officers, by knd and fed, to licenfe fmuggling. IV, Page vi. claufe 13. Becaufe it prevents any fubjedl of Great-Britain and Ireland, or any different province, from being part-owner of any American (Wp or veffel, allowed, by the faid adl, to carry on thefifhcry. - "' ^ ^ (' ( f ■' »f . \ V r-3 if \. 4 ' A •*T"."V^'3P'f'"»fr ^iv^^ ■A .' 1} . f/ -V. ♦ Page viii. dawft i8. Becaufe it j,veiU an undue aMthorj^y in tbc , gpvj?i?|i;c)r ^nd council of .MaiTachufet^-bay ^y^r-dsie jsroviflces thereja ,^6nUpnedc 4)lv:<^htph we fqbm^t.to 4:hjs.^ Jionpur^^ cpi^riti, t(us 23d day of Fckyu^jr, 51775.-1: b ^r^ kir. ,j • William^Purlqrd, Frederick Bu11,m ^j.-Thomasilydcv^ , ,. John Sawbitidgc, ' ^ James Sharp, .-J >£i Rich^dQliveil, x. Ij^ Edward Tutet, ; George Bellaa, f.j v , ThomasHarxifon, William Saxby, ^ William Stone. Edward Houie^ .^•u And a motion being made, and.quef- tion put. That ihis ooort do agree with the committee in their faid report* the fame was refolved in the affirmative. .V'l Another motiop was made^ and queP tion mit. That it be referred to the com- mittee to withdraw immediately, to draw up a petition to the honourable houfe of // commons comnion&i^iDil the faid bill: the fame was refolved in the affirmative. • • :;i And the faid committee withdrew ac- cordingly i and, returning again into court, prefented a draught of a petition by them prepared ; which, being twice read, and fome amendments made thereto, was unanimoufly agreed to, in the following To the honourable the commons of Great- Britain, in parliament aflembled. The humble petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common council afTembled, Shewcth, i ' I • THAT, although your petitioners bear all due refped to the policy of thofe adls of parliament which have an- ciently preferved to Great-Britain a neccf- iary and beneficial (hare of commerce with ' our ■i ^ .'■■'■\.. itii— ■r.l.i^.l - mmn' !' I, ( I I I s , '. '" i' in [ 94 ]• our colonies, yet they are exceedingly a* larmed at the confequences that mud en* fue, if the bill, now depending in this ho« nourable houfrr, fhould pafs into a law^ entitled, " A bill to reftrain the trade and ** commerce of Maflachufets-bay and ** New-Hamplhire, and colonies of Con- ** nedicut and Rhode-ifland, and Provi- " dence plantation, in North America, to " Great-Britain, Ireland, and the Briti(h *« ifles in the Weft-Indies ; and to prohibit fuch provinces and colonies from carry- ing on any filhery on the banks of New- " foundland, or other places therein to be ** mentioned, under certain conditions, *' and for a time to be limited :*' the faid bill, as your petitioners conceive, be- ing unjuftly founded, becaufe it involves the whole in the puniftiment intended for the fuppofed offence of a few. . ,; , •;, That it mufl:, in its confequences, over- whelm thoufands of his majcfty's fubjedls with Cl ? il *^ ,v ■ "' ^1 SJ,. >ver» ieds rich t 9S ] with the utmoft poverty and diftrcfs, in- afmuch as they will be thereby deprived of thefifheries which are the natural means of fupporting themfelves and families. .. „^,^ ^-^hat the extenfive' commcrci between Great-Britain and her colonies will, by this bill, be greatly injured, as a capital fource of remittance will be (lopped ; which will not only difconnedl the future commercial intercourfe between thofe co- lonies and this couhtry, but it will even- tually render them incapable of paying the large debts already due to the merchants If lii of this city. / That the utmoft confufion will probably cnfue frorrrcnforclng this bill, if pafled in- to a law 5 as it canTTdf BeTuppofcd that a great number ormen7~naturally Tiardy and brave, will quietly fubmit to ajawv/bich ' will reduce them almolt to famine, they not having within them felves provifions fufEcicnt for theirjubfiftence. That r 1 I ' M .^- 11 f: ^-'T^ >.f' Si y i (i ."i I- II I I. ■I.- f!i .* * 4f*'. [ 9« ] vn^vu'.: ii'TT'^;; ^ii.i u:'-:r -^•^•f-ft, ■ - -111 'j^nff^h ?f ^^atit will induce? the FJendh to' ejei? tend their fiflieries, and by that means in- creafe the wealth and ftrength of our rivals in trade, to the great prejudice of this country., ,_;;,. ;-Kn 'ni m.: i:'-^:^^-ii-.::-'}D I • - ■■ ' ■ ' - ■ ■ 1 ' '. I • ' •■' ' That y our petitioners feel for the many hard (hips which their fellow-fubjedte in- America already labour under, from the execut ion o f feveral late ags of parlia- ment, eviden tly par tial and oppreilive, and which feem to be extended and conti-^ nued by this bill, inafmuch as it confirms thole a6is, which, in particular cafes, de- prive the American fubjed of trial by ju- r^i prohibits the* ihfiabitants from carry-^ iiig provifion from one colony to another, invites a contraband trade under military :i ons, prevents an y fubjejSt of Great-Britai n or Irel and from being part- owner of certain American (hips or vefTels, and veds an undue and dangerous authori- r* k -A ^ii^^i^. 'r.i .* .v^' •^^ -t^ » . ■• t '9? ] ^ ty in the governor and council of MajQah Your petitioners, therefore, humbly .prsiy this honourable houfe. That the faid bill may not pafs into a law., ^^3 ^^^^^.^j.^ 1 j *... . ' ■ ' '■ ' .4;:^nW I L K E S, Mayor! tt.i A common'Councilholden^ in tbt chamber of the :i{Guildball of the city of London^ on Tuef' 'CJi^/ty, the i/^h day of Marcby i yy^. t^ ^^ right honoHrahle the lord-maysr acqitatttU " ti td this courts That he had called them toge- -'. ther to confider of a petition to the houfe of t > lords^ againft a hilly now depending^ inti^ « ? tledy *' Ah aSi to refirain the trade and com* Hi •« merce of the provikce of MaffuchufstS' ** hay^ ^c" andy a motion being made y and queflionputy nat this cour* do agree to te- tition the right honourable the houfe of lor is t' c< '■' ■' ■ '* *', F ^ ^ againft t % i.\ .r-t^'>:f i * i-S .k p I V. t L ii - v^Z^^A ^Pf^fd i>iih. the fame was refohed in the affirmative : which petition is as fol' lows. V ,.,' ! -ifc To the right honourable the lords fpiritual and temporal, in parliament aflcmbjed. ^The humble petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common council afTem bled, THAT your petitioners conceive^ that the bill, now. depending in this ho- nourable houfe, intitled, " An aft to re- " (train the trade and commerce of the *' province; of Maflachufets-bay and New- •^1 Hampfbire, and colonies of Connedi- " (rut and Rhodc-ifiand, and Providence " plantation, in North - America, to *\ Great-Britain, Jtcland, and the Britifh ^^Viflands in the Weft- Indies r, and to pro- liibic (u^h provinceSi and colonies from .carrying on any fiflicr/ on the banks, of " Newfoundland, (C u M'^vlA i ! ''■ r «fe,t MMHPi 7hed if oh 1 - '-IK ,. ritual led. . vj layor, ity of iblcd, [ 99 ] *' Newfoundland, or other places therein ff : mentioned, under certain conditions *' and limitations," will, if pafled inio a Jaw, be of mod pernicious tendency, and dangerous in its confequence to the inte- reft and commerce both of Great-Britain and her colonies. #: t ' if;,' i.i( t^I= ^■■'li Your petitioners humbly apprehend, that, if the faid bill fhould be pafTcd into a law, the trading veflcls of his majefty's fubjeds will be, in a mofl: unconftitutional manner, fubjedted to the difcretion and controul of military power, and that the general principles of the faid bill are re- pugnant to equity and the rights of Britifh fubjeds, S : n ; ;- , ; >: :.... ' . Your petitioners apprehend, that the defign of the faid bill, to deprive the in- habitants of Maflachufets-bay and New- Hampfiiire, and colonies of Connecticut and Rhode-iQand, and Providence planta- tion, in North- America, of the liberty of F 2 fifhing »■< # ■f '^ ';■■ / • .■ I % I lOO ] filhingon the banks of Newfoundland, is contrary to every principle of humanity ^nd policy, that it is highly injurious to Sour North- American ifellow-fubje<5ls, and -prohibits the moft beneficial means of carry- ing on the Newfoundland filhery ; a trade, affording to this country the greateft com- mercial advantages : and the faid bill tends to throw that importantfifliery into the hands of a powerful commercial rival, for whom a careful and efpecial provifion is made by this bill, whilft common jullice is denied Co BritiQ) fubiedls. . Your petitioners farther apprehend, that leaving t he operation or fufpenfion of an a6t of parliament to depen d on the dif - cretion of any governor is a moft alarming 'viola tion of the " pFThciples of the BritiJh c onftitution ; and, though there hath been an inftance of this in fome late a<5ls, yet your petitioners conce ive it to be highly \invvarrantable and dangerous. . . ; ^ : . '- "■ ' Your I'' I- : . ' ' *» . ., -•»;,.:,• -k fa : ;', (, Vi,.ii'; iii-i'^^, iiii/i-i ?^'' ■ ^ ;■ -i.' .■■■■. ' ■■1^, ^ A'T', '■■■■ and, is imanity ious to :is, and )fcarry- a trade, -ft com- >iU tends he hands ar whom made by is denied )prehend, lenfion o f Injhcjdif- [alarming le Britiih Ihath been a6ts, yet |be_^highly Your Your petitioners humbly apprehen(^fc| ' that, if the faid bill fhould pals into a-, lawot can have no other effedl than toA ^^ ' t v, widen that unhappy bf^fgh. whlfK nnw / ^ ^ ' "3| iSBMs between thc^cpL^^^ ^ j t , ] ther country, and ma^Jherrforej^ be £r^ ' '■ dudlive of the moft da ngerous confec^uea * CCS to both. \'„ -.J -;*-ii The fuprcme legi dative authority of j v ^ this free country cannot be founded on ar- v*^ ^^ //^U bitrary power, but is itfelf limited to pre- i of every ierve the conilicuti part of the Britifli empire! •,\v The American colonies have contribu- ted ineftimable benefits to this country, becaufe they derive from the conftitution of England, and have participated with us, the enjoyments of free fubjedts, reftrided only bv wife regulations of trade, from which Ireland and America have promoted the general profperity of the Bxitifh empire, ,;V y t 3 and m ■M ■■.,Ai: fe [ 102 ] and thence received the protedlion of Great-Britain. And your petitioners pre- fume to add, that oppreflive meafures, re- fpedtingt^he colonies, mu ft eventually be highly ' peTiiTcIbuFto GreatjBritain, which has been brought to its prefent dignity and fplendoiir by the freedom j)f its conftitu- tution, and its adherence to equity and humanity, but may be reduced to de- ftrudion by meafures founded on irijufticc a nd ^efpotifm * ■'.-, ^ -^ ^ • v: • ..i y'^- riil; Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray, That the faid bill may not pafs into a law. , . .._ . . - ' 1 ■." ##-^*****-:^***************# df : .1 l: W '. WILKES, Mayor. ' Ih iftneitingy or ajfemhly^ of the mayors aU dermetiy and liverymen of the fever al com- panies^ of the city of London^ in common- ball ajfembled^ at the Guildhall of the faid . ^ . - city^ C' .-,>»; : i . of ^^iiJ:. '^%%% ?r, al- ii com- \mwon-' 7e /aid city. ''^/ ^ [ 103 ] r/'/y, on Wednefday^ the ^th day of Aprils 1/ «iii)>,.i:-4j ii ^775: A motton was made:, and queflton put^ That an humble addrefsy remonfirancey and peti' tion^ he prefented to his majefty, from the lord-mayor^ aldermen, and livery, of the. city of London, in common-hall affemhled^ againft the meafures adopted with refpe^ to America : the fame was refolved in the af^ firmative ; and, an humble addrefs^ ft^ . monflrance, and petition, to his majefty, be- ing prefented, a motion was made, That the fame be read : and, the qttefiion being put, it was refolved in the affirmatives whereupon the fame was read, as follows. iii ..1*1 'Vj* . if^^*,** . ^ !' <.. -t-». To the king's moft excellent majefty* ■ ¥-i'/f\ ^ .1 The humble addrefs, remonftrance, , and petition, of the lord-mayor, aldermen,, and livery, of the city of London, in. common-hall affembledif ^'*^ • A- F>. Mo^ .. i f .-^ ^ ■ laSi *>« I / v^t / 4 /• V 104 ] >>/^ y*'K/^v "x* *w\s i\\-- ■%/\\ 'r^\^> ■ \'.A^U ■.'•' {(SW \ . Moft gracious fovereign, • ?; : c t WE, your majefty's dutiful and loyal fubjeds, * the lord^mayor, jJdcr* men, and livery," of* the city of London, beg leave to a^ Toach the throne, and to declare our abhorrence of the meafures, which have been purfued, and. are now purfuing, to theoppreffion of our fcllow- fubjcfts in America. Thefe meafures are ^1 big with all the confequences which can a- larm a free and commercial people : a deepj and perhaps fatal, wound to com- merce J the ruin of manufaflures •, the di- minutijQn of the revepvie, and cor\fcquctit j increafe of taxes 5 the alienation of the colonics i and the blood of XQUX ipajefty's V^fubjeits. - . . i' it ! 'J ■ "Slit your petitioners look with lefs hor- r<5r at the ponfcquences than at the put- pbfc of thefe meafures : not, deceived By the fpeclous artifice of calling detpotifm ^Ct^Vi. ,;'^^'l dignity. \ ■-•f ^ Vf^.lf'n^Tt-Jl/fr :fty's hor- :d6y )Otiftn |gnity» [ 105 ] dignity, they plainly perceive that the real purpofc is to eftabli ^^bitr^ry-poweg oagt. - all America. ♦ ••■•»,■ i -L Your petitioners conceive the liberties of the whole to be inevitably conneiled with thofe of every pare of an empire, founded on the comnionrightaof mankind i they cannot,, therefore, obferve, without the greateft concern and alarm, the confl itution fundii« mentally violated in any part of yoUr ma* jefty*s dominion : they efteeni it an eflen* , tlal, unalterable, principle of liberty, the fource and fecurity of all conilitutional rights, that no part of the dominion caiy be taxed without being reprefented. Up- on this great leading principle th'^y mud ardently wi(h to fee their fellow-fubjeds ioy America fecured in what their humble pe- tition to your m aje ft y prays for, peace, li-^ berty, and fafety. Subordination- in com- merce, under wjiieh the colonies have al- ways chcarfuUy acquiefced, is, they con- F 5 ceive. \^ I \': "R .if,,i..t;i'ii'«.Sf i.^bM ( f [ io6 ] b/ ccive, all that this country ought in juf- tice to require -, from this fubordination fuch advantages flow, by all the profits of their commerce centering here, as fully compenfate this nation for the expence in- curred, to which they alfo contribute, in men and money, for TEcir dcTcnce and protection during a general war 5 and, in their provincial wars, tHey^Tiave manifeft- cd their readinefs and refolution to defend themfelves: to require more of them would, for this reafon, derogate from the junice arid magnanimity, which have beer* hitherto the pride and charader of this country* ;^ ,. ,,i--iff l^-^'t;.}"^ li: uy . . t J . •' JU- 1^1 It is, therefore, with the dcepefl: con- ^^JILllllLw^Jl^y^X^SlLihi^i^^^^ fecurity of reprefentation in therr aflembiies wreft- c^ feni thernl the trial by jury abolifh- eJ, and ihe^j>diaus_ppwer& of excife ex- tended to all cafes of revenuej the fandu- ary of their houfes laid ppen to violation " ■■■ > ^ '■ at >ji ^ « • t4 ^ ' *,. :a [ 107 ] at the will and pleafure pf every ofiiccr and fer'vant in the cuftomsj the difpcnla- ti'on of juftice corrupted, by rendering their judges dependent, for their feats and falaries, on the will of the crown j liberty];' and life rendered precarious, by fubjeft-*- ing them to be dragged over the oceari^ and tried for treafbn or felony here, where the diftance, making it impofliblc for tli^.:; moil guiltki^, to maintain his innocence,. iDuft deliver him up a vi<5lim to tvk^ri:. nifterial vengeance v foldiers, and o--^^ thers, in America, have bpen inftigated tp»2, fhed the blood of the people,, by eftablifli-^,., ing a, mode of trial which holds out impUrj, nity for f^ch murder*, the capital of,iNe}W-ri, England has been punifhe d with unexam- pled rigour, untried and unheard, invoU ving the ihribcent^and tTie furpc(fiedf ^in one common and inhunrian calamityj. chartered r'fghts h a ve^ceiTtakenj^wi^)^ with Jut a'ny* forfeiture proved, in order to deprive thb people of every legal exertion a^ainft the n I! i ■« m.^ ' rrri tyranny ■i > : '"Wf^M' • |. /'t- B ■ -ts^ [ io8 ]• ty/anqy pf their rulers •, the Habeas Cor- pus ad and trial by jury have been fup- prcflTcd, and French dcfpotic gc vernmenr^ with the Roman Catholic religion, have been ellablifhed, by law, over an exten- five part of your niajefty's dominions in America : dutiful petitions, for redrefs of tliefc grievances, frpm^ all j[our majefty'a American fubjtfts, have been fruitlefs* l^JK M iTofillup the meafure of thcfc oppref*' fioSa, ftn army has been fent to- enforce' thiE*m ! fuperadded ta this, meafures arc noV planned upoh thiS mod mercilefs poli- cy of ftarving our fellow-fubjedls into a to- tal'ilirrender of their liberties, and an unli- mite»d fubmiffion to arbitrary government, . Thefe grievances have driven your ma- jc;fty*s faithful fubjedls to defpair, and compc^l'pd them to have recourfe to that re- fvftarice which isjuftifiediby the great prin-, ciples, of the conftitution ; adluated byi which; at th^ gl9xipus^ peripd of the revor j~ ., lution, v'.liS' -%. !#j^, ,*l" ■(,• ', "■ ^.'-j ,v: 'jP* ^ •* [ 1^9 ] lution, our a^cefbors transferred the impc-" rUl crown of thefe realms, from the Por-;' pilhand tyrannic race qf ihe ^toarts, to tb« iHuftrious and Prot^ftant houfe of Brunf*'. • I Iff "'■ \ • jiTuad Your petitioners arc \ thefe meafures originate in the fecret advice of men, who are enemies equally to yoiH'- \» r. •« II ■'•».> ^^ -,^.J^■'■:^^^JftS^k^^'f■(t,f^g^«1^,^ ^•r^" -t «*1?:/ hf'' h 'i..' the firft ftep towards a full redrefs of thofc grievances which alarm and afRidl your whole people : fo Ihall peace and com- merce be reftoreds and the confidence and afFedtion of all your majefty's fubjccls be the iolid fuppqr ters of your throne. ; ' . . '^ilis mdje'flfs anfwer to the faid addrefs, , ■o: It is with the utmoft aftonifhment that 1 find any of my fubjedts capable of encou- raging the rebellious difpoiition which l.i- .^ happily exifts in fame of my colonies ia Ig North America. Having entire confix %7 dence; in the wifdom .of my parliament, the great council of the nation, I will flea*- dily purfue thofe meafures which ihey have recommended, for the fupport of the conftitutional rights of Great-Britain, and the protedipn of the commercial inte- rells of my kingdoms. •ji. J ■.' <■ r- r.fi-.5 WILKES^ 'i::'' y.. [ 1" J ■ 1 y i-,^i\>^"-" ■•^ :) 't .1 t> .1 The rigkt honourable the lord-mayor having received a letter, from the general committee of affociation for the city and county ofNeW' I. Tork, addreffed to the right honourable the ^lord-mayor, the aldermen, and common- council, of the city of London, his lordfhip delivered the fame into this court ; and it was read, a:' follows. . ) ■i • '.ViS COMMITTEE I . I -1 1 Iff*" I i . / y ;:(■}•? •^■■.■^'y;'W5 • '^, I! ( £ "2 3 COMMITTEE CHAMBER, ■:h' * ' J New- York, May, 1775.' My lord and gentlemen, ' DISTINGUISHED as you are by your noMe exertions iri the canfc of liberty, and deeply inter^fted in the expi- ring commence of the empire, you necef- 0riiy command the moft refpedful atten- tion. The general commictee of aflbcia- tion, for the city and county of New- York, beg leave, therefore, to addrefs- you, and the capital of the Britifh ef ipire, through its magiftrates, on the fubjjf^lr of American wrongs. Born to the bright in- heritance of Engliih fi-eedomv the inhabi- tants of this exten^ve continent can never fubmit to the ignominious yoke, nor move in the galling fetters, of flavery. The difpo- fal of their own property, with perfedV fppntaneity, and in a manner wholely di- vefted of every appearance of conftraint^ ::$• ir-. 11 is their indefeafible birchrighe. This ex- alted ble0ing they are refolutely determined to defend with their blood, and transfer U uflcontan^inated to their poilerity. " • '* . . ( . You will not, then, wonder at their car* ]y jealoufy of the defign to erefb, irj this land of liberty, & defpotifm, fcarcely to be parallelled in thef pages • of antib[uity, or the volumes of modern times: a defpo- tifm, confiding in power aiTumed, by the reprefentatives of a part of his majedy's fubjedbs, at their fovereiga will aiid plea« fure, to ftrip the reft of their property. And what are the engines of adminiftra> tion to execute this deftrudlive projed? The duty on tea; oppreHive reftraints on the commerce of the colonies ; the blocks ade of the port of Bofton ; the change of internal police in the Maffachufets-bay and Quebec ; the eftabliihment of Popery in the latter ; the extenlion of its bounds i the ruin of our Indian commerce, byregu- , lations I ^i t^i ,'Ju^^i ■ .tf tf «-» . . , 1. .o..! . ■ ' ■■ >i..« > — -a.-**^ (I t \\ { < ' I "4 J: lations calculated to aggrandize that arbi- trary government •, unconftitutional admi- ralty jurifdiftions throughout the colonies i the invation of our right to a trial, in the moft capital cafes, by a jury of the vici- nage ; the horrid contrivance to fcreen from punifhment the bloody executioners -of miniftcrial vengeance; and, not ta mention the reft of the black catalogue of our grievances^ the hoftile operations of an army, who have already (bed the blood of our countrymen. The druggies, exci- ted by the deteftable damp-ad, have fo lately demonftrated to the world that A- raericans will not be flaves, that we ftand aftoniflicd at the grofs impolicy of the mi- nifter. Recent experience had evinced, that the poffeflbrs of this extenfive conti- nent would never fubmit to a tax by pre^ text of legiflative authority in Britain : difguife, therefore, became the expe- dient. In purfiiit of the fame end, parlia- ment declared their abfolute fuprcmacy o- ?'-o;' J , ,' ■ ■ ' ver 0¥-a; ,-.v— * *(;: "i f^oi^i .b-^0,1 ^^ [ irs ] ver the colonies ; and have already endea- voured to exercife that fupremacy, in at- tempting to raife a revenue, under the fpecious pretence of providing for their good government and defence. Admini- (tration, to exhibit a degree of modera- tion purely oftenfible and delufory, while they withdrew their hands from our mod neceflary articles of importation, determi- ned with an eager grafp to hold the duty on tea, as a badge of their taxative power. Zealous, on our part, for an indiiToluble union with the parent (late *, iludious to promote the glory and happinefs of the empire; impreffed with a juft fenfe of the neceffity of a controuling authority, to re- gulate and harmonize the difcordant com- mercial interefts of its various parts ; we chearfully fubmit to a regulation of com* merce, by the legiQature of the parent ftate, excluding, in its nature, every idea of taxation. •'• i'i:-^ir<'' -'^'^''^ ..i'.^^..u ' '^ "^ ' "^ ' :Whitheri > 1 ■ . Vi I I' i \ :'\- "Ul m fM/ i: i ■ i fl; [ "6 I .} , * Whither, therefore, the prefent machi^ nations of arbitrary power infallibly tend^ you may ieafily judg6 : if unremittedly purfucd, as they were inhumanly devifed,. they ViH, by a fatal nfecieffity, terminate in a total diflblution of the empire* *' '^' The iubjcdls of this country will not^, we truft, be deceived by any meafures,; conciliatory in appearance, while it is evU dent that the minifter aims at a folid rere-^ nue, toberaifed by grievous and oppref- Gve ads of parlian9«9t> and by fiertsk and armies employed to , enforce their execu* tion. They never will, we believe, fub- mit to an au^ion i^ the colonies for the Uiore effeftual augmentation of the reve» n]^^, by holding it up, as a temptation to^ theniy that the higheft, bidders fhall enjojr the greateft ftare of goyernnicntal favour. This plan» as it, wpvild tend to fow the feeds of difcord, would be far more dan- feroui t^ian hoCiile force \ in which we hope ! ...i '■ __». A. ; ,"►■.»; "'.■ ! '^ lacnr- tend> ittcdly jvifedi. ninate lU not^ lafures^; is evi<^ I tcTe- Bta and cxcca* c, fub- for the ; reve- tlon t(x 1 enjoy favour, bw the dan- lich we hope I 117 ] ndpe^tne king's troops will ever be, as they have already been, unfuccefsful. Inftead of thofc unufual, extraordinary, and un- conflitutional, modes of procuring levies from the fubjedt, fhould his majefty gra- cioufly be pleafed, upon fuitable emer- gencies, to make requifitions in the an- cient form, the colonies have expreffed their willingnefs- to contribute to the fup- port of the empire j but to contribute of their voluntary gifc^ as Englilhmen : and, when our iinexafhpled grievances are re- drefled, our prince will find his American fubjeftsteftifying, on all proper occafions, •by as ample aids as their circumftances will permit, the moft unlhaken fidelity to their fovereign, and inviolable attachment to the welfare of his realm and dominions. Per- mit us farther to aflure you. that America is grown fo irritable by opprcffion, that the lead Ihock, in any part, is, by the moft powerful and fympathetic affedion, inftantaneoufly felt through the whole con- tinent. > 7 ^11 ' ^ .& Ill ■ Ir. J: .•* ■ ill) ■i: J !1 { ii8 tinent. That Pennfylvania, Maryland, anc^ New-York, have already flopped their exports to the filhing-idands, and thofe co- lonies, which, at this dangerous jundturc, have refufed to unite with their brethren in the common caufe },and all fupplie^ to the navy and army at Bofton ; and that probably the day is at hand when our continental congrefs will totally (hut up our ports. The minions of power here may now inform ad minift ration, if they can ever fpeak the language of truth, that this city is as one man in the caufe of liber- ty ; (.nat, to this end, our inhabitants are almoft unanimoufly bound by the enclofed aflbciation ; that it is continually advan- cing to perfedlon by additional fubfcrip- tions •, that thi:y are refolutely bent on fupporting their committee, and the in- tended provincial and continental congref- fes ; that there is not, the leaft doubt of the efficacy of their example in the other coun- ties 5 in fhort, that, while the whole con- tinent A ii -.ft **^'*^ ■■'#TC^ [ 11.9 ] i tinent are ardently, wifhing for peace, on fuch terms as can be acceded to by Eng- liflimen, they are indefatigable in prepa- ring for the laft appeal. That fuch are the language and condudtofour fellow- citizens will be farther manifefted, by a reprefentation of the lieutenant-governor and council, of the firft inftant, to gene- ral Gage, at Bofton, and to his majedy's minifters, by the packet. AfTure your- felves, my lord and gentlemen, that we fpeak the real fentimentsof the confederated colonies on the continent, from Nova Sco- tia to Georgia, when we declare, that all the horrors of a civil war will never com- pel America to fubmit to taxation by au- thority of parliament. ■/■'■ A fincere regard to the public weal and the caufe of humanity ; a hearty defire to fpare the farther effufion of human blood ; our loyalty to our prince, and the love we bear to all our fellow -fubjeds in his majef- ty's \ I 1 • I t t ; P. V. B. Livingfton, Daniel Phoenix, ,-; I Lewis Pintard, Fredk. Jay, J, ....!* Jno. Imlay, Samuel Broome, Eleazar Millar, jun. John de Lancey, vu>rj , Jno. Broom, Alex. M'Dougall, 1 Jno. B. Moore, John Reade, Nicholas Bogert, Jofeph Bull, rman. John Anthony, George Janeway, • " .-.- Vidor Bicker, John White, ■ ' • :> William Goforth, Gab. W. Ludlow, ■ : . I Hercules Mulligan, John Lalher, illiam G Nicholas I I ■ I i'1 I ■ » \ .:>^A^.^k.j^..^,. II .^ I f . ' .]';: V > t 122 ] Jacobs. LefFcrts, ;y Nicholas Roofcvclt, Antho. Vandam,; ^ Abraham Walton, Thomas Randall, Aug. V. Home, ; Ab. Duryce, -r Saml. Verplanck, Corns. P. Low,^ 1^ Frans. Bafletc, James Beekman, Thomas Ivcrs, "William Denning, John Berrien, rr I KudolphusRlczeman, Benja. Helme, John Morton, ' , Wm. W. Gilbert, Jofcph Hallett, Hamilton Young, Peter Goelet, Gerret Kitettas, Thomas Buchanan, Daniel Dunfcomb, John Lamb, \ Richard Sharpe, Jno. Moringfcott, Jacob Vanvoorhis, - * JamesDcfbroffeSjjun. Comfort Sands, Petrus Byvanck', Edward Fleming, Lawrence Embree. Lancafter Burling, Benjn. Kiflam, To the right honourable the lord- mayor, the aldermen and common-council, of the city of London. . New- A gc fcri anc of] p., depeni of its cution fafety, prcveni which govern ers, ar ty of: the avi raife a by thbl MalTacI lemn C "3 ] clt, ing. y New-York, April 29, 1775, crt, )e, ott, ^rhis, s, ng, ling, 1. mayor, il, of A general aflbciation, agreed to and fub- fcribed by the freeholders, freemen, and inhabitants, of the city and county of New-York. PERSUADED that the falvation of the rights and liberties of America depends, under God, on the firm union of its inhabitants in a vigorous profe- cution of the meafures neceflary for its fafety, and convinced of the neceOity of preventing the anarchy and confufion which attend a difTolution of the powers of government, We, the freemen, freehold- ers, and inhabitants, of the city and coun- ty of New- York, being greatly alarmed at the avowed defign of the miniftry, to raife a revenue in America *, and, (hocked by tlrit bloody fcene now a6ting in the Maffachufets-bay ; DO, in the moft fo- lemn manner, refolve never to become G 2 flaves > 15 t ' ir I t M hi I fiavcs ; and do afTociate, under all the ties of religion, honour, and love to our country, to adopt, and endeavour to car- ry into execution, whatever meafures may be recommended by the continental con- grefs, orrefolved upon by our provincial convention, for the purpofe of preferving our conltitution, and oppofing the execu< tion of the feverai arbitrary and oppreflive adls of the Britilh parliament, until a re- conciliation between Great-Britain and A- merica, on conftitutional principles^ (which we moft ardently defire,) can be obtained j and that we will in all things follow the advice of our general committee, refpefl- ing the purpcfes aforefaid, the preferva- tion of peace and good order, and the fafe- ty of individuals and private property. Dated, in New- York, April and May, * ^775' WILKES, ■ ii''-V'»ii:fjfi;:i!ji4«\».'^i\A'iaiI*ii*.<^ ^j. s 't .^: ■■;"•. [ 125 1 WILKES, Mayor. At a meeting of the livery of London, in am* mon-hall affemhUdy on Saturday^ the twen- ty-fourth of June^ 1775: The right honourahk the lord-mayor reported^ that he bad received a letter from the right honourable the earl of Hertford^ lord- chamberlain to his majefty^ and that his lordfhip bad returned an anfwer thereto ^ both of which were read. My lord, THE king has dirc£ted me to give no- tice, that, for the future, his majel^ ty will not receive, on the throne, any ad- drefs, remonftrance, and petition, but from the body corporate of the cky. G3 .'.■fir'.J'iWii'JAs-aJativ.H fc^tfeh^fa^.TA l-,jy>,;ai.Sii ^' J. y'i . , I III hi [ 126 ] . I therefore acquaint your lordfliip with it, as chief magiftrate of the city : ar i have the honour to be, My lord. Your lordihip's mod obedient Humble fcrvant, Grofvenor-ftreetf HERTFORD. The right hon. John Wilkes, lord* mayor of the city of London, '11 Manfion-houfe, May 2, i775» My lord, IT is impoflible for me to exprefs or con- ceal the extreme aCtonifhment and grief I felt at the notice your lordQiip's letter gave me, as chief magiftrate of the city, ** That, for the future, his majefty •• will not receive, on the throne, any ad- " drefs. \^i. ):\ Z)\ 41 (C r 127 I drefs, remonftrance, and perition, bur from the body corporate of the city.'* ku'- I entreat your I'ordlliip to lay me, mth all humility, at the king's feet ; and, as I have' now the honour to be chief magif- trate, in my name to fupplicate his ma- jefty's juftice and goodncfs, in behalf of the livery of London, that he would be g;racioufly pleafed to revoke an order highly injurious to their rights and privi- leges, which, in this infta'.ice, have beea conflantly refpeded, and carefully prefer- ved, by all his royal predeceflbrs. The li- very of London, my lord, have approved themfelves the zealous friends of liberty and the proteftant fucceflion : They have iteadily purfued only thofe meafures which 'Hre calculated tofecure the free conftitu- don of this country; and this, your lordlhip well knows, has created them the hatred of all the partisans of the exiled and pro- fcribed family. They form the great and G 4 . powerful i i \ [I u U l(^ [128 ] powertol body of the corporation, in whom mod important powers are vcft- cd : the elcflion of the firft magiftrate, the (heriffs, the chamberlain, the auditors of the receipt and expenditure of their reve- nues, and of the four members who rcpre- fent in parliament the capital of this va(l empire. The full body corporate never Si ' He, nor could they legally altoge- ther . one great aggregate body •, for, by the conditution of the city, particular and diftindl privileges are referved to the va- rious members of the corporation: to the freemen, to the liveryrpen, to the com- mon-council, to the court of aldermen. His majcfty's folicitor-general, Mr. Wed- derburn, was confulted by the city, in the year 1771, refpedting the legality of com- mon-halls, and the remonftrances of the li- very ; in conjundion with Mr, Serjeant Glynn, Mr. Dunning, and Mr. Nugent, he gave an opinion whiqh I have the honour of tranfcribing from our records. y : ^ • - ^; ■ ' "We' «c «« (i «c «« cc (( «( 4( .-!lrf:if,.^:, ■""..^ilL**-;**. ■'■'•Kiur<; '.v.. [ 13' ] ven denied^ by penfioned pens and tongues in' the fervice of the arbitrary miniftcrs o£ arbitrary kings. Your lordftiip, I am fure, will now no^ longer fufFer a doubt to remain in your mind as to the legality of common-halls, orof their cxtenfive powers 5 and therefore I prefumc to lay claim, on behalf of the livery of London, to the ancient privilege of prefenting to the king, on the throne, any addrefs, petition, or remonftrance.. In this manner have the addrefles of the- livery conftantly been received, both by hia prefent majefty, and all his royal predeccf- fors, the kings of England. On the moft ex- adt refearch, I do not find a fingle inftanca- Xfi the contrary. This immemorial ufage,, in the opinion of the ablcft lawyers, gives an abfolute right, and is as little fubjcd to controverfy as any fair or ju ft prerogative of the crown. Other rights and privileges of the city have been invaded by d^fpotic ■' G 6 monarchs,. f ,:'t.f^^ .••^^•y-;>- - "*■ [ ^32 ]; r."^narch5, by feveral of the accurfed race of the Stuarts -, but this in no period of our hiftory •, it has not even been brought into quelHon till the prefent inaufpicious sera. I have an entire confidence, my lord, that a right, left uninvadcd by every tyrant of the Tarquin race, will be facred- ly preferved und^r the government of our prefent fovereign,becaure his majefty is per- fedtly informed, that, in confcquence of their expulfion, his family was chofen ta protect and defend the rights of a free peo- ple, whom they endeavoured to enflave* i ' ' ' ■ It cannot efcape your lord(hip*s recollec- tion, that, at all times, when the privileges of the capital were attacked, very fatal confequences enfucd* The invafion of the liberties of the nation we have general^* ly feen preceded by attempts on the fran- chifesof the firft ciry in the kingdom y and> the fhock has fpread from the centre to the mod diflant point of the circumference of this . . ;S^v'"''^:,:.. . . ;■: Av' >''/,y>*'^v«>w*i,.;^^«>"%- lit,..- ■■'^— m [ 133 I. this wide extended empire. I hope hi» majefty's goodncfs will revoke an order, which might, perhaps, in this light, be conlidered 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 appre« henfions of futurity. The privilege, my lord, for which I contend, is of very great moment, and peculiarly ftriking. When his majefty re- ceives on the throne any addrefs, it is read by the proper ofEcer to the king, in the prefence of the petitioners. They have the fatisfadion of knowing that their fovc- reign has heard their complaints. They receive an anfwer. If the fame addrefs i» prefented at a levee, or in any other mode, no anfwer is given. A fufpicioa may arife that the addrefs is never heard or read, bccaufc it is only received, and ini- snediateiy delivered to the lord in waiting. If ^ [ 134 J- If he is tolerably verfed in the fupple infi- miating arts, praflifcd in the magic circle of a court, he will take care never to re- mind his prince of any difagreeable and difgufting, however important and whole- fome, truths. He will ftrangle in its birth the fair offspring of liberty, bccaufe its cries might awaken and alarm the parent ; and thus the common father of all his people may remain equally ignorant and unhappy in his moft weighty concerns. Important truths, my lord, were the foundation of the laft humble addrefs, rc- monftrance, and petition, to the king, re- fpedling our brave fcllow-fubjects in Ame* rica» The grcatncfs, as well as goodnefs, of the caufe, and the horrors of an ap- proaching civil war, juftificd our appli- cation to the throne. It comprehended" every thing interefting to us as a free and^ commercial people : the firft principles of cmr common liberty, and the immenfe ad- vantages >«■- i '35 ] ifantages of the only trade we enjoy unrF- vailed by other nations. I greatly fear that your lord(hip*s letter^ immediately following his majcfty's unfavourable an- fwer to the rcraonftrance, will be confi- dered as a frefh mark of the king*s anger againd our unhappy brethren, as well as of his difpleafure againft all the faith- ful citizens of his capital; The li- very, pofTefllng the purefl intentions,, the moft noble and exalted views for the public good, will comfort themfelves witR the appeal to that jufticc in the fovereign'* heart, which cannot fail of foon refloring them to the royal favour: but the Ameri- cans may be dri en to deipair, unlefs mer- ciful Providence fhould gracioufly inter- pofe, and change the obdurate hearts of thofe unjuft and wicked minifters, who have been fo long permitted, by divine vengeanccj to be a fcourge both to us and our brethren. The true friends of liberty, I am fure, will not be remifs in their duty, r Idoube .„i«,* [ »J5 J I doubt not, my lord, from that love of your country, and ^.cal for his majefty's glory, which have equally diftinguilhed your lordfhip, that the livery of London will have your hearty concurrence with them, as well as your powerful interceflion with the king» for the revocation of the late order. Such a conduct will fecure to your lord'-iip the efteem and affeclion of all good men, and add to the unfeigned refped, with which I have the honour to be> My lord. Your lordlhip'is moH: obedient * ■ . Humble fervant, JOHN WILKES. To the right honourable the earl of Hert- ford, lord-chamberlain of the king's houfehold, Refolved,' -*ffl«!««%¥F— : t '17, 1 ' i] I • Rcfolv^d, That whoever advifcd hisma- jelty to declare, l\c would not in future, receive, on the throne, any addrefs, re- monftrance, and petition, from the lord- mayor, aldermen, and livery, of London, arc enemies to the right of the fubjeft to petition the throne, becaufe fuch advice is calculated to intercept the complaints of the people to their fovereign, to prevent z redrefs of grievances, and alienate the minds of Englifhmen from the Ha..overiaii fucceffion. *' Refolved, That it is the opinion of this common-hall, that, unlefs his majefty hears the petitions of his fubje^ls, the right of petitioning is nugatory. Ij A motion being made, and queflioa put^ That an humble addrefs, renctoo- ilrance, and petition, be prefeqted to his ipajefty, from the Iprd-maypri aldermen, and ..wt.>i ■»i » *4** < w*t*.r^*^^. ■MiA^HHlfefnMii ^.j^^ih^- w ,1 [ 138 J and livery, of the city of London, in common-hall aflembled, on this impor- tant crifis of American affairs, the fame was refolved in the afErmative.'"^ -' And, an addrefs, remonflrance, and petition, being produced, a motion was made. That the fame be read 1 and, the queftion being put by Mr. Recorder, it was ref&lved in the affirmative : whcreup-, on the fame was read, as follows. ' I To the king's moft excellent m^ijefty. The humble addrefs, remonftrance, and "petition, of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and livery^ of the city of I-.ondon> in* common-hall alTembled* . \ . Moft" gracious fovereign, WE, your majefty*s moft faithful fub- jeds, the lord-mayor, aldermen, andiivery, ofthecity of London, in com- mon-hall aflembled, are compelled sigain • - to I 13.^ J to difturb your majefty's repole with our complaints. i ^ We have already exprefTed to your ma- jefty our abhorrence of the tyrannical mca- fures purfued again^ our fellow- fubjedts in America, as well as of the men who fe- cretly advife, and of the minifters who ex- ecute, tbsfc mcafures. We dcfire to re- peat again, that the power contended for over the c6Ionicsjr7iS3er tHe^^piSous name of dignity, is, to jdiintems and pur* pofcs, ^^ojijm :— that the exercifc of def- potic power, in any part of the empire, is inconfiftent with the chara^r and fafety of this country* ' ' ir As we would not fufFer any naan, or body of men, to eftablifh arbitrary power over us, we cannot acquiefce in an attempt to force it upon any part of our fellow- fubjcils. We are perfuaded, ihat, by the facred, unalterable rights of human nature, as well as by every principle of the / ■/ u ^-/...-^ CL I 140 1 the conftitution, the Americans ought to enjoy peace, liberty, and fafety : that whatever power invades thefe rights ought to be refifl cd>4We hold fuch refiHance^ in vIn3ication of their conftitutional rights, to be their indif penfible du ty, — to God, (from whom thofe ri ghts are deri- ved i) — to themfelves, who cannot be fafe and hap py without them i— to their pofteri- ^, who have a right to claim this inheri- tance at their hands unviolated and uninn- We have already remonftrated to your -f-(f(J BPajefty, that thefe meafu res were big with all the confequ ences which could alarm a free and commercial people : a deep, and perhaps fatal, wound to commerce ^ the ruin of manufadures \ dhe diminution of the revenue, and confe quent incrcafe of taxes J the alienation of thc^colo liies'rand the bipod of your majelfpsl^^fts. Unhappily, --.^-hT ,11 t Ht ] ^ ;ll Unhappily, fire, the worft of thofe ap. prehcnfionsjs n ow realized in al l its hof*. _ ror. Wc. have feen, with eqi/al dread and concern, a civil war commenced in America by your maj efty's commander in chief. Will your majefty be pleafed to coniider, what mud be the (icuation of your people here, who have nothing now to exped:, from America, but gazettes of blood, and mutual lifts of their flaughter- cd fcllow-fubjefts ? Every moment's profecution of this fa- y tal war may loofen irreparably the bonds • '^ fi .1 of that cbmv^fion, "on which the glory and fafcly of the Britifh empire dp end. If any thing could add to the alar i of thefe events, it is your tpajefty's haviiig declared your confidence in the wifdom of "^^"? a majority of whom arc no torioufly bribed to betray'their conltituents and their countiy. It is the misfortune of your ma- "~~ jefty. :vy7/i^r I :; * )' \^ I t »4» ] je fty, it is the misfortune an d grief of your people, to have a grand council and a re- prefentative under an undue and da.nge - MuSciZjvkich,. is rous influence ; an though procured by your jminifters, dan gerou s to your triaj efty, b y deceiving you, — and t o your people, by b etraying them. . In fuch a fituation, your petitioners are bound to declare to your majedy, that they cannot and will not fit unconcerned : that they will exert themfelves, at every hazard, to bring thofe, who have advifed thefe ruinous meafures, to the juftice of this country and of the much-injured co- lonies. We have already fignified our perfua- fion, that thefe evils originate in the fccret advice of thofe who are equally enemies to your majefty's title and to the rights of your people. Your petitioners arc now compelled 'g it ,•''3 3 cdmpeUed to fay, that your throve is fuc* ro unded by men avowedly imipicsil: to thofe principles, on wKFch your m£Jefly poflcflcs the crown, and the people their liberties. At a time of fuch difficulty and . danger, public confidence is cflential to your majefty's repofe and to the preferva- tion of your people. Such confidence can- not be obtained by miniders and advifers who want wifdom, and hold principles in« compatible with freedom : nor can any hope ^f relief b e expected f rom a parlia- ment, chofen under a national delufion, ^ '^ infidi oufly raifed by mifrepreientat ions touching the true ftate of America , and artfully embraced by a precipitate diflblu- jtion, ■ Your petitioners, therefore, ag-in pray and bffeech your majefty, to difmifs your prefent minifters and advifers front your perfon and councils for ever : to dif- folve a parliament, who, by various »&% of 11 ; Ml 'I i) 1. / ,3Li I 11 [ H4- 1 6f citlelty and injufticc^ have niariifcftcd a iplfitof perrercuciorTagainft out brethren in America, and given their fandion to po- pery and arbitrary power : to ptit your fu- ture confidence in miniders, whofe known andjinfhaken attachment to the conftitu- tion, joined to their wifdom and integrity, may enable your majefty to fettle this a- larming difpute, upon the fure, honoura- ble, and lading, foundations of general liberty. " ' ^ ^ ' ' ■J ;) ^vJ^^- W ^ W TP "W ^ W" " " W " "W* " ^F^Pw^F W^^W^^^F^f ^ W 'W 'W '^ WILKES, Mayor. ' . ' ■ " •' ' '■' ' ' i In a meetings or affemhly^ of the mayor^ at. dermen, and livery of the feveral compa- nieSj of the city of London^ in common-hall iijjembled, at the Guildhall of the f aid city^ on Tuefday^ the 4th day of July ^ ^775 ' ^he right honourable the lord-mayor acquaint' ed the livery ^ that thefheriffs waited on bis majefiy^ 1^45 5 waj^y^ <*' Si» James's, on fVednifday I hfi ; and ihtit Mr, Sheriff Phmer addreff- ■ ed'his maj€jiy as follows. :-' " May it pleafe your majefty, WE arc ordered, by the lord- mayor, aldermen, and livery, of the city of London, in common-hall aifembled, to wait upon your majcfty, humbly to know your majefty's royal will and pleafure, when your majefty will be pleafi^ to re- ceive, upon the throne, their humble ad- drefs, rennonllrance, and petition r i -^ ^ , ;>?. i^ls i 2j? which^^hwe^^ anfwered. i:} 7U ,/.'). ^iTou will pleale to take notice, that I will receive their addrefs, remonftrance, ' and petition, on Friday next, at the levee. > iff' 31 Mr, Sheriff Flomer replied, j * " • ':>' < '. '"I - ' '■.Ji'J ► ' ' '■:$>■ ■• ■ ■ ■■ ■ ----- - • ■■ - : Your majefty will permit us to inform you, that the livery, in common-hall nf- -^ H lembled. r ■ I •' #• { •A A' :i-.u-:~S-- t-* - '- r ^'-.- ' ^JJ 'f ,i.L. '7-t 1 1\ I' I \ I 146 ] fcmbled, have refolved not to prcfent chelr addrefs,. remonftrance, and petition, unlefs your majefty fhall be pleafed to re- ceive it iitting on the throne. ^0 which his majefty anfwered^ \ I am ever ready to receive addrefTes and petitions,— but I am the judge where. . T . . ,.. ■',•■,'!' •"•• 'l • / ' • ' i ' 1 . ^ ■ • , : V,. ■ , i , ■» ! J.;. ■ » ..i •■'' -• c ' ■ " The lord-mayor then declared, that, in confequence of the order of the livery, that the addrefs, remonftrance, and peti- tion, (hould not be prefented to the king but fitting on his throne, — the (heriffs* re- port to him, — and lord Hertford's letter, — his lordihip had not attended his majeily •with the faid addrefs. Refolved, That the king is bound to hear the petitions of his people ; it being the undoubted right of the fubjed to be heard, and not a matter of grace and fa- vour. ' Refolved, K*.' 'V.'.4S. »***lvt.-»*J»''^^--' — ** Mj* »j .i fr y*>-« <'-'fi-^.,y. [ 147 1 ifty :ing Rcfolved, That his majelly's anfwer is a diredt denial of the right of this court to have their petitions heard. r . Refolved, That fuch denial renders tne right of petitioning the throne, recogni- zed and eltabliihed by the revolution, of no efFedt. Refolved, That, whoever advifed his majefty, dircdtly or indiredly, to refufc hearing the humble addrefs, remonftrance, and petition, of this court, on the throne, is equally an enemy to the happinefs and fecurity of the king, and to the peace and liberties of the people. - Refolved, That the following inftruc- tions be given to our reprefentatives in parliament. Gentlemen^ « You arc inftru^ed by the livery, in common-hall alTembled, to move, imme- H 2 diately i i i .1 /^ ■l. I Ij- t h8 ] diatcly on the next meeting of parliament, for an humble addrefs, from the houfe of commons to his majcfty, requefting to know who were the advifcrs of thofe fatal meafures, which have planted popery and arbitrary power in America j have plun- ged us into a mod unnatural civil war, to the fubverflon of the fundamental princi- ples of the Engliih liberty, the ruin of our moft valuable commerce, and the deftruc- tion of his majefty's fubjc6ts :— to know who were the advifers of a meafure, (6 dangerous to his majedy's happinefs and the rights of his people, as refufing to hear the petitions and complaints of his fubjefts. You are farther inftrufted, gentlemen, to move for an impeachment of the authors and advifers of thofe mea- fures ; that, by bringing them to puMic jujlic€y evil counfellors may be removed from before the king •, his throne may be eftabliflied *, the rights of his people vindi- cated i and the whole empire reftored to - the the enjoyment of peace, liberty, and fafc*» J : .. . %mm .^#***##^-^#*#***^#^-^^ ;j. "■''■> >C • '■'■ •<>'• '■,. i V ? ; > WILKES, Mayor. • \ ^ common- council holden^ in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Fri' '' d^ thi'jthofjuly^ 1775, . f 4 motion was made^ and queflionput. That , an humble addrefs and petition be prefented ^.t} his majefty^ from this courts praying ^ that his majefty will be pleafed tofufpend J. hoftilities againji our fellow-fuhje^fs in North America^ and adopt fuch conciliatory meafures as may rejlore union^ confidence^ andpeacey to the whole empire: the fame wai refolved in the affirmative : which pe- tition was ready and agreed to, as follows^ '>ii-! ^ I'.: Hs To .«>',i ^»i.^ s 5r *lkJ^VA«.««'ji . •( . • ... I To the king*s mod excellent majefty. The humble addrefs and petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common- council affembkd. Moft gracious fovereign, YOUR majcfty's moft loyal and dutiful fubjeds, the lord- mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council affembled, with all hu- miriiy hejx leave to lay themfelves at your royal feet, humbl/ irrploring your benign attention towards the grievous deftruflion of their fellow-fubjeds in America. - Tile charafleriftic of the people, fire, over whom you rei^, has ever been c- qually remarked for an unparallelled loy- alty to their f overei gn, whilft the princi- ples of the conftitution hav e been the rule of his government,— as well as a firm oppo- iicion :.f_J^- 1^ [ »5' 1 fition whenever tLeir rights h a ve been in- vaded. Your American fubjedls, royal fire, dc- fcended from the fame anceflors with oiir- felvcs, appear e^ally jealous of the pre- '^^S^li^^'^ o^ freeme n, without which they cannot deem themfelves happy. - Their ch earful and unafked-for contri- butionSy as well as^willing fervices ip tlie mother-country, whilft they remained free from the clog of compulfory laws, will» we arc fure, plead powerfully with the hu- manity of your difpofition, for gracioufly granting rhcra every reafonable opportunity of giving, as freemen, what they feem refo- lutcly determined to refufe under the injunc- tion of laws made independent of their own confent. The abhorrence we entertain of civil bloodflied and confufion will, we truft, fire, if not wholly exculpate us in your H 4 royal K\. [ 152 I royal mind, yet plead powerfully in our fa* vour for the warmth with which we la- ment thofe meafurcs, whofe dcftrudlive- principles have driven our American bre- thren to ads of defperation. Convinced of the carnefc difpofition of the colonifts to remain firm in: all duteons obedience to^ the _con(litutiMal ajjtjiority of this kingdom^ pcrnnFus, mod gracious lovcrelgn^ to bcfecch you, that thofc ope- rations of force, which at prefent diftradt them with ihc moft dreadful apprchen^ fions, max Jbe fufgen^ i and that, uns- controiiled by a reftraint jncompauble^ with a free government, they rnay poflcl3 an opporiunity of rendering fuch terms of accommodation, as, we doubt not,, will approve them worthy of a diftinguifhed rank amciig the iirmcft friends of this CO'- itrv. . \i-r ■• --''f '■ ■■'■^•^ ^'' :^^ '■'' i ^ '. ■ '■■' ■ - - • His E »53^ 1 i-'- . f s s 1l His majejty*s anfwer^ delivered the \^fth day of July, 1775. I am always ready to liften to the duti- ful petitions of my fubjefts, and ever hap- py to comply with their rcafonable re* quefts ; but, while the conftitutional au* thority of this kingdom is openly refifted by a paff of my~7inTenc^^ 1 owe it to the reft of my people, of whofe zeal and fidelity I have had fuch conftanc proofs, to continue and enforce thofc meafures, by which alone their rights and interefts can be afferted and maintained. i WILKES, Mayor. In a meeting, or ajfemhly, of the mayor, al- dermen, and liverymen of the fever al con^ panies, of the city of London, in common^ ■ ball ajlmbkd, at the Guildhall of the faid H 5 city. vv t 154 J city^ en Friday, the 2gih day of Sepiem- The right honourable the lord mayor acquaint^ ed the livery y thai he bad received a letter ^ . from the congrefs at Philadelphia, di^e^ed to his lordfhip and the livery of London ; and, if it were their pleafure, he would read it ; which being defired by the livery^ bis lordfhip then read the letter y which foU lows in thefe words. My lord, PERMIT the delegates of the people of twelv* ancient colonics to pay your lordfhip, and the very refpedlable body of which you are head, the juft tribute of gratitude and thanks for the virtuous and unfoiicited refentment you have (hewn to the violated rights of a free people. The city of London, my lord, having,, in all ages, approved itfelf the patron of liberty, and the fupport of juft government, a- gainft lawlcis tyranny and opprcflion,. can- not -'•"'«»^'■^. , Hlf'~y}.^^ [ ^55 ] not fail CO make us deeply fenfible of the powerful aid our caufe muft receive from, fuch advocates : a caufe, my lord, wor- thy the fupport of the firft city in the world, as it involves the fate of a great continent, and threatens to (hake the foundations of a flourifhing, and, uatit lately, a happy, empire. North-America, my lord, wiflies mofl: ardently for a lading connexion with Great-Britain, on terms of juft and equal liberty ; lefs than wliich generous minds will not offer, nor brave and free ones be willing to receive. A cruel war has, at length, been opened againft us j and, whilft we prepare to de- fend ourfelves like the defcendants of Bri- tons, we dill hope that the mediation of wife and good citizens will at length pre- vail over defpotifm, and reftore harmony and peace, on permanent principles, t% an opprcflcd and divided empire. • H 6 We r- >^%r'' '. /e hive the honour to be, my lord, with great cfteem, Your lord^ip's ^ *l. Faithful friends and feliow-fubje£ls« (By order of the congrefs,) '. f , ( , i. . 7*iai THE mifchiefs which have already arr- fen, and the greater calamities which are threatened, from the unnatural war excited in America, by the arbitrary and inexorable fpirit of his majefty's mi- nifters and advifers, have impreflcd our minds with alarms and apprehenfions, which occafion this addrefs to you, ' As 1, i ^ - \-iHi ^^i# i iaA,..iA'!ia!.''.-fTor opportunity may foon be re- ftored to them, of evincing the (incerity of their profeflions, by every teftimony of devotion, becoming the moil dutiful fubje(5ls and the moil afiedlionate cclo- To this petition an anfwcr has been re- fufed. The unhappy petitioners are left to deplore thr; profped of an inexorable war and defoladon, and to feek proteftion in thofe fatal refources, which fclf-preferva* tion f uggcils againil impending dcilruc- tion. ( ' i This, [ 16; ] t * ■ ... This, gentlemen, is the alarming (late of America, which fills us with anxiety and apprchenfions. . _ . ^ We lament the blood that has been al- ready (hed : we deplore the fate of thofe brave men, who are devoted to hazard their lives, — not againft the e licmies^f the Britidi name, but againft the friends of the profperity and glory of Great-Britain : we feel for' the honour of the Britifh arms, fullied, — not by the milbehaviour of thofe who bore them, but by the mifcondu(Sl: of the minifters, who employed them to the op- prcffion of their fellow-fubjefts : we arc a- larmed ac the immediate, infu£pqrtab)e, cxpcnce, and the probable confequences, ofa war, which, we are cohvTnced, origi- nates in viol ence and injuft icc, and muft end in ruin. . -™^-^ Thefe are the fentiments, gentlemen, which we take the liberty of communica* ting :. {. ii II r ■ ^1 fi %- V9i Hi I [ »6f- ] ting to you, as the rcafons upon which we have adted : trufting that, if they meet with your approbation, you will co-ope- rate with us, in endeavouring to bring the authors of thefc evils to the juftice of their country. . , . ' :, ., . .. , .,( , . I i » •■ III - . I h rp ^P W W W " W W W'W'^i^lff ^Ww www wwwww w Www wwVf» S A W B R I D G E, Mayor. -/f common-ceuncil holden^ in the chamber of the Guildhall cf the city of London^ on Thurf- day, the 14th day of March, 1776, '• ■ I RESOLVED, That the thanks of this court be given to the reverend Rich- ard Price, dodor in divinity, fellow of the royal fociety, for having laid dowfj, in his late publication of " Obfervations on " the Nature of Civil Liberty, &c" thofefure principles, upon which, alone, the fupreme legiflative authority of Great-Bri- tain over her colonics can be juftly or b*-, neficiaily i =i»^- t J- m on 'c" ;the hi- lb-'-,.. laily [ 159 ] neficially maintained ; and for holding forth thofe public objeds, without which it muft be totally indifferent, to the king- dom, who are IN, or who are OUT of, power.' ,., . , A motion being made, and queftion put. That the freedom of this city be prc- fented, in a gold box of the value of fifty pounds, to the reverend Dr. Richard Price, as a grateful teftimony of the ap- probation of this court, for his late pamphlet, intitled, " Obfervatioris on the Nature of '* Civil Liberty, the Principles of Go- " vernment, and the Jultice and Policy " of the War with America," and that the chamberlain do attend him with the fame ; the fame was refolved in the affirma- tive, arid ordered accordingly. Refolved, That this court do preftnt to his majefty an humble and dutiful ad- drefj and petition, that the mofl: folemn, clear, diftind, and unambiguous, fpecifi- I cation \ .- '^fcr ! ■ t ilio j] cation of the juft and honoijrabld tefms which his majefty, with both hcufes of -parliament, means to grant to the colonies, .may precede the dreadful operations of his armament : which addreis and petition was read, and agreed to, .as follows. . <• ' i To the king's moft excellent majefly. The humble addrefs and petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of. the city of London, in common- council aflembled. •: : 'J ♦ t * * f r • t ' r * * * s , , ' • - ■ ■ • ' ' . ■ - •* Mofl: gracious fovereign, , WE, the lord-mayor, alderman, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council aflemblcd, beg leave to approach your throne, and to intreac your majefty's royal attention, whilft, with the humility of dutiful fubje(^s, m^ lay before your majefty what at preknt moft immediately affects us, in the tpirit and tendency of the public mealures now depending. •1- [ I/I ] depending, and the anxiety we feel at the flaked and expofed ftate in which this country vill be left, by draining it of the national troops, as well as at the danger and difgrace attending the late treaties for fo- reign mercenaries, whofe latitude is fuch, as to provide the means of introducing a fo- reign army into this realm. and ttent pirit now ding. We cannotj fir^ without horror^ look forward to that difmembermpnf nf thecal-, pire,— that increafe of jljejiatianal debt and of burthenfome taxes, — the lofs of our moll valuable refources,— thole diftrefles of our merchants and manufadlur ersj — tl-Hjfe deficiencies of the revenue^ — ^h^l^rfr tufionofthe blood of our countrymen and brethren,— that failure of public credit, — and thofe dreadful calamities and convul- fions, — which mud follo w a ci vil war, fo began and purfued, wH oie~exre nt no wif- dom can forefee. I 2 We Wti' ■';*'"?r^^*f^'ii.-'""u "iLiiji'ifi'i I 172 J lifi ■•i( n jc:<':»l .. ! ' We humbly conceive, that no people can be bound to furrender their rights and ifbertTes ks T~ reTurff lor^prbtedfibh. The colonies have fought our battles with us 5 and, in the laft war, they fo far exceeded their abilities, that this nation thought it juft and neceflary to make them an annual compenfation. And even now, driven to open hoftilities in their own defence, they are willing (their charters being inviolably lecured) to contmue to us all thofe advan- tages ojf regular and exclufive commerce, to which we have long owed our op ulence and profperity ; and we have every affu- rance, which men in their fituation can Tafely give, that, TPalEeH as freemen, they arc willing to go farther, and to af- ford, to the exTiaijTtcd ftate of the reve- nue of this country, fiirfi reafonable and vo- luntary aid as their abilities permit, provided that their contributions arc unalicnably ap- plied to relieve that diftrefs, which is the on- .1 ly [ 173 ] ]y fair and poliric foundation of requiring them ; and that neither their aids, nor our own finking funds, fluU be any lon- ger perverted from a public benefit, and mifapplied to the purpofe of corruption,^ inilcad of redeeming the debts of t he na^ tion, according to its fir ft wife andjuft in- Ititution. ,- Indulge but, moft gracious fovereign,^^ the humanity and benignity of your owa royal difpofition, and our prayers will be granted. We implore the extenfion of your majefty's juftice and mercy toward that continent, which, when arbiter of the t-iiJis of peace, it was your majefty's own determination to prefer to every o- ther compenfation for all the expences of the laft war. We humbly and earneftly befeech your majefty, that the moft folenin, clear, dii-_ tintl, and unambiguous, fpecification of thofe juft and honourable terms, whicb I ^ your rsi ■ [ m 1 your majefty, with both houfes of parlia- ment, mean to granf to the colonies, may p recede the dreadful operations of yo ur arm ament ; every colour and fufpicion of injuftice and oppreflion will then be remo- ved from the proceedings of the mother- country ; and, if thofe juft and honoura- ble terms are not fubmitted to, your majcf- ty will undoubtedly be enabled to meet what will then be rebellion, with the zealous hearts and hands of a determined, loyal, and u- nited, people. " His mnjejifs anfwer, delivered the 2 id day of Marchy \y'j6, I deplore, with the deepefl: concern, the miferies which a great part of my fub- j efls in North>Americ a h ave brought up-. on themfelve s, by an unjuflifiable refift- ance to the c'onllitutional authority of this kingdom ; and I fliall be ready, and hap- py, to alleviate thofe miferies by a<5ls of merey and clemency, whenever that au- ^ thority I i thority is eftablilhed, and the now-cxifting' rebellion is at an end. To obtain thefe fa- lutary purpofes, I will invariably purfue- the moft proper and effcdual Tieans. xV ■jb.jt. jv jfc ^jfc j(. j^ ji, j^ ji. j^j^. j^^ ji, jt, j^, ji. j^ jj, j^jfc '^ifc:i^l^ jlfcjjfc-'ifejte^t^ « S A W B R I D G E, Mayor, r ^^ common' council holden^ in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Monday^ the 2^th day of Jpril^ lyj^* Ji motion being madii, and qucftion putj Thai ' an humble addrefs of congratulation be pre- 1 fenied to his majejlyy by this courts on the. ' fafe delivery of the queen^andthe birth ofan* - other princefsy the fame was refolved in the ^' affirmative, and ordered accordingly: which 'addrefs was read, and agreed to, as foU lows. l;r ) ■ i ' 1 f). I 4 To, I. #* [ 17^ ] Ml To the king's moft excellent majefty. The humble addrefs of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council aflembled. rrw ^i ' ". • Moft gracious fovereign, YOUR raajefty's loyal fubjeds, the lord-mayor, aldermen, and com- mons, of the city of London, in common- council affembjed, approach your majefty with their congratulations en the happy delivery of their moft amiable queen, and the bir^h of another princefs ; and to aflure your majefty, that there are not, in all your dominions, ^ny fubjeds more faith- ful, or more ready to maintain the true honour and dignity of your crown. Thpy will continue to rejoice at every event which adds to your majefty's domeftic fe- licity : and they hope, that every branch of the auguft houfe of BrunPvvick will add farther fecurity to thofe facred laws and liberties. ^ r 177 I liberties, which their anccftors would not fufFer to be violated with impunity, and which, in co|iftqiience of the glorious and necefTary revolution, that illuftrious houfe was called forth to proteft and defend. His majejifs anjwer^ delivered the ^d day of I thank you for this dutiful addrefs on the happy delivery of ihe queen, and x\\q \ "th o^ another princefs. I'he fecurity of the laws and liberties of my people has always been, and ever Ihall be, the objed of my care and attention. / Farther proceedings of the i^th hy cf Jpril^ The town-ckrk acquainted this courts Thai, according to the order of the laji court y he 1 5 had- w I'i ^ ^ ^J^ ^J^^f.0. ,%. ^' o%l IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) I 1.0 1.1 M: 11.25 la iM |2.5 150 i"^* HR^H •^ 1^ 12.2 us m.r, 2.0 18 U 11 1.6 /] / •^' Photograph! Sciences Corporation -$^ S V <>^ :\ \ V'\*. "^^ 33 WEST MAIN STREET '<^»STER,N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 T ) ^ ^ l\ m mi if ■ [ «78 1 "^^'ifad waited^ with their vote of thanks, on i.ithe reverend Richard Price, doctor in di- '■■ vinity, fellow of the royal fociety, to which ^ he had received the following anfwtr* ' ' ' " J 4* k-i. Sir, I favoui Requeft the favour ot you to convey, to the lord- mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council affembled, my warmeft acknowledgements, for the very conde- fcending refolution of thanks with which they have honoured my Obfervations on Civil Liberty. Thefe obfervations were written with no other intention than to plead the caufe of liberty and j'jftice, and to remind this country of the dreadful d?n- ger of its prel^jnt fituation. The teflimo- ny of approbation, which they have recei- ved from a body fo rcfpectable, annually €le<5ted by the firft city in the world, and io diflfinguilhed for giving an example of zeal in the caufe of liberty, will, it may be :\ ' ■ [• ^79] be hoped, lead the public to fix their views more on fuch meafures, as (hall fave a finking conftitution, and preferve us from -impending calamities. :i VV }\ 'I "^il'mAx tn '.i.Vf.i^.fA w 1 ,■ ■ i:s \\:^-.) * t • ^- * #'^' ^- Sir, r ■A V .. ■ i , .''-l '.!(>■>'» *' '^ ■\\y V » k 1 b 1 • ^ " ■ '.' \ ttrr .1 --/■ • - e V ■*' -^i *Vi ^\i With great refpefl, " * \ Your fnoft obedient iand Humble fervant* Newington-Green, , i.^ :.:. :' -JlZhJ ■;'•'..: ii». . J|larch23, 1776, I , ^ '* RICHARD PRICE., 'J^iJ^ \ 'fo William Rix, efquire, town- clerk of the city of London. • 1 ' J. 1:6 SAWBRIDGE,, I [ I So ] v?> )i i\ "KUj^m Di.cuQ .a f t (^ f .^ S A W B R I D G E, Mayor, , ^ eommon- council holden, in the ebamler of the Guildhall of the ciiy of London, on Tuefday, the 2 ^d day of July ^ 1776. This day^ Mr, Chamherlain laid before this court a letter he had received from the rev, doBor Price i which was ready in theff words. • I 1 ■ • -^ f Sir, Newington-Greeoy Julyar, 17761 IAm very happy in the opportunity gi- , yen m,e^ by receiving from your hands the freedom of ihe city of London, to repeat my thanks to the lord-mayor, the aldermen, and common-council, for the great honour they have done me. It is impoflible I (hould not be deeply irn- prclled by teftimonies of their approbation^ 10 condefcending and generous. May the city > -Ml /J [!>?«. I J city of London always flourifh, and ma^ the kingdom be delivered fr&m the dread- ful danger with which it is threatened by. the prefent civil war. ^ Av,.'' I am* fir. . • t . i, i With great refpefly ^^' V YoiK moft obedient and ' y ".• I ';^ "''^^ Humble fervaut, u: .; ;^ ^^ - V RICHMp PRICE. To Benjamin Hopkins, efq. chamberlain of the city of London. JJ H A L L I F A X, Mayor, /f commo ft' council holdetiy in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Fridaj^^ the I ^th day of February ^ ^777* ^'Vl ...is4.s;:ttvs:''>t ;'" ( ■ [■ 181 ]J A ; wothn mas madit . and quefticn pufi That 1 this court do agree to petition the honour^ ' able houfe of commons againft the bill^ now i depending in that honourable houfe^ in- titledy '* J bill to tmpower h^s majefty to " fecure and detain perfons charged with^ " orfufpe^edofy the crime of high- treafon, " committed in North- America, or on the ** high feas \ or the crime of piracy ;" the fame was unanimoufly refolved in the af- ' firmative : which petition is as follows . To the honourable the commons of Great- « - . ' - • -" Britain, in parliament aflembled. The humble petition of the lord-mayor, ' aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, , in common-council aflembled, Sheweth, . ^ THAT your petitioners have feen a bill, depending in this hopourable houfe, ** To empower his majefty to fe- 'u «* cure It' Wt V < [ 183 ] " cure and detain perfons charged with, *• or fufpedled of, the crime of high-trea- •' fon, committed in North-America, or " on the high feas 5 or the crime of pira- C( cy »i i; »: That, if the faid bill fhould pafs into a law, your petitioners are apprehenfive, it will create uneafinefs in the minds of many of his majefty's good fubje<5ls, and tend to excite the moft alarming difturbances j all _^_— .. .11 ■■111* II I ■■ ' » '- I <^i m ill ■! I " ■■ H I ■ ■ — ■■ i-ii ■ I I, ,111 I, _ _ I III —^ perfons, indifcriminately, being liable, upon the ground of fufpicion alone , with- out any oath made, and without convenin g the p arties, or he aring what th ey can aJ* ledge in their own iuftification, to be com- mitted to a remote prifon in any corn er of the r ealm, there to remain without bail or mainprizc. Mil That the Hab eas Corp us, which is the great fecurit y of the libe rties o f the pe ople^ willbeluipcnded.^ ♦ ■ -'■~" '■■ > i ^ . . . That !.,ii!;.'A.,ii i-i-.\::.^^^ii'i4JM-\ &k^'\ I >»4 1 • ■■■:" . ^'-^ • ; . '• ■ ' ' That your petitioners are deeply affcdled with what they conceive will be the dan^en rous confequence of fuch a law ; as, from little motives of refentment, and various other inducements, there may be perfons, competent to commit, who may be tempt- ed toexeralFtTiaFpSwer^^ lati- tude anTextent. That meafures, To violent and unconfti- tutional, fo fubve rfive o f the facred and fundamental rig^htsof the peo ple, fubjedt- ing them to the moft cruel oppreffion and bondage, will, in the judgement of your petitioners, be introdudlive of every fpe- cies oFmifchlef and confufion, and there- by precip itate the imp ending ruin of this country. ; V Your petitioners, therefore, earneflly befeech this honourable houfe, that the faid bill may not pafs into a law ; or, ac lead, to take fuch care as in their wifdom may [ i«5 ] may feetn meet, to prevent it from being extended, in its operation or conftruAion, to any of his majclly*^ fubjedls refident in thefe kingdoms : :■( .: }Ai ' And your petitioners, as in duty bound, (hall ever pray, ^c, , .; >/: ^,H ALL IF A.JCj Mayofv J , ,!.<•, -V 4 ,~ . ci - ^ cmmen^csutUfi hfildetij in tbi chamber oftH .iGutUhall cf the city of London^ on Tuef-- .•if. [f A^mQiien bein^ mad«^ and qntfiim$uty That; . an bumble addrefs of congratulation be pre- > ifented to bis majefiy^ by tbis court y on tbe\ fafe delivery of tbe queen^ , and the hiUCtk fif. anotber princefs^ tbe fame was refolved in '^Hbt affirmative : li^ich addrefs was read "and agreU toas foUowsl"' '" ' ^•' ^ k) To i'f i I « I 1 !. i fie J , To the king's mod excellent nujtdy^^/ ) The humble addrefs of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of . London^, in common-cpuncil a/Tembled. ^ / 1^1 «-. '^ #-— . Moft gracious fovertigrt, " '^ J' 'to WE, your majefly's moft dutiful and loyal fubjtdts, the lord-mayor, al- dermen, and commons, of the city of London, m- common*councii affcmbkd, humbly beg leave to exprefs our unfeign- ed joy upon the happy delivery of our- moft gracious queen, and the birth of ano- ther princtffs 5 an event, which we confider as an additional flrength to the prefent hap- py cllablilhrtnient in yoiir majefty's JlluftHobk*- family, and ai a farther fecurity for the en- joyment of our extelknt cohftitXition m church -and- ftare.ri^^^*.^? v\4\5 t:,^i?'iVv^ ^.U\^ iC. ^'/T^^^-^-^ i.-'r ^Tv'A ^'\\ :\^ ^'-v^ T' ^Long iT|iay your.rhs^efty reign the true guardian of the libcxtiea of this free couji- try, and be the inflrument, in the hands of i 187 1 of providence, of tranfmitting to our poftc- ritythofc invaluable rights and privileges* which are the birthright of the fubjcdls of this kingdom, *- ■ s , His tnajejlfs anfwery delivered the yth day of November y 1TJ7. . I thank you for this dutiful addrefs, and your loyal congratulations on the hap- py delivery of the queen and.^^®, birth of another princefs, '^' ^ ^iv * , It is my invariable object to prefcrve, ^ and tranfmit entire, the conftitutional li- berties of my people, which I fhall ever confider as forming the bafis of my go- vernment. * ^> «'; ■ i ii i } ^ r pSDAILE, < ■* «,.' VJ t^ i . '..u^ ■ u:i' ' < <■;■■ .' 4 [ 188 ] It I E S D A I L E, Mayor. A common-council holderiy in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Wed* nefday^ the 4th day of March^ 1778. ji motion being made^ and quefiion put, That an humble addrefs and petition be prefented .: to his majejly^ praying that fuch con* iiliatory meafures tftay he adopted^ he^ tween Great- Britain and America^ as may put a fpeedy end to the deftruc- \ tive war in which we are now engaged^ the fam^ was unanimoujly refolved in the ajffir* tnative : which addrefs and petition was a* greed to^ as follows. To the king*s moft excellent majefty. >■ r The humble addrefs and petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of ^.«.4jv-"^'-^fis Jjfingdpm i and we are confident, that infinitely more (kill ^^^ a ttention have.l^iecn ufed to engage us in this war, than have been emplo yed to £ondqd: it to honour pf advantage,- — if ho- nour or advantage could be obtained, by any conduct, in fuch a war. We hav^ been induftrio ufly taught to f ufped the profefllons, ^nd to deip ife the refiftance^ of our brethren, (Engliflimen, like our^ fclves,) whomwe had, no. fQj;t of ripafgn to think deficient in the finccrity and courage which have ever difting,ui(hcd that name .1 and 1 , mm m !.?■ '^T'^fspi^v-'-ffr^'-Y W I i ■*■' f and i[ '19a .] rate. Their inclfnatiohs have been ■ ■- ■■■^■■hi^i ■■!! II..— .>^-fc>«i» ■■- ...^ . . ., mifreprefentcd, — their natural faculties de- preclated,— tHeir refources miifcalciilatedi-^ th eir feelings inf ulted,---u ntil, fury and de- fpair fupplyihg whatever might be defec- tiv c in foite, we have feen a whole arm y, *^^ flower 6f thel Bmi ne3"m ilitar7^hren of G reat^ricam and her allies^ famiih ing in the wildernefs of America, laying down their arms, and owing their immediatte rdfcae frohi deafh to titofc very men, — -•— — ^ .-»—- . ^ ii " ' ill C — — .. whom the murders and rapines oi the fa*. vages (unhappily employed) had forced from hufbandmcn into ibldiers, and who lT[a3^"5cen painted in iuch colours*" oiFcon- tempt a s to take a wa y all confolation f rpm our calamity, ' ' < - We have feen another army, equally brave, and equally well commanded, for two years Tn an almoft continued courfe of vidlory, by which they have only wafted their own n umbe rs, without decreafing the __ .„ ^^ _ . . ftrength £ 193 ] ftreng th of the rcfiftjng po wer j without iea ding to any forF of fu bmifllon, or bring * ing to your maiefty's obedience even the f malleft and weakeft nf thirtgen revnUert p rovinces. The union of thofe pr ovinces amongft themfelves, and their animofity to~ybur majdKy^sliiSrnmiSration, have on- JjTbeen encreafed by the injudicious me- thbds laken to break the one and to fub- due tHe" other!! Fleets and armies are maintained, in numbers almoft egual, and at an expence copg^arativcly far fuge- rlor, to what ever have be en employed in the moft glorious and fuccefsful Jftrugglcs of this' country againll a combination of the nioff "^ancient and formidable monar- chies of Tlurbpe. A few inconfiderable detacKeH*inan3s, anH^one dcferted town, on the continent, _whcre .your majefty's combined army ha s a perilous and infecure footing, are the only frmts of an expence, exceeding twenty millions ; of ninety- three flii£s^£wajrj Jixty thoufand of the ' ■'■!. \ i u ! ■ l:f) ii ) U I >94 ] : i)tfyoldi*rs which could be procured, ei- ther at home or abroad, and appointed for that ipecial fervice. Your majcfty's for- . ces, both by Tea and land, have (we are told) done all that could be expefted from the mod accomplifhed difcipline and the mod determined courage, and yet, the t otal defeat of fome of thefe forc es, and the inefFedual vidories of others, have al- mofl equally confpired to the dcftrudlioA o fyour power and the dilmefl ibeFment of your empfre. We (hould be unpardona- bly heglfgent of our duty, — to your majef- ty, to ourfelves, and to our country,— if we did not thus folemnly exprefs our feel- ings, upon this dreadful and decidve proof of the madnefs with which this at- tempt was originally made 5 an^Jwhichi faithfully following it through every ftep of Tts""progrcls, anHTvcfy meafure for its cxccutionV TiaT^complck^^^^ hy uniform mifconduft, t¥e milcFicFs which were commenced in total ignorance. We are convinced. , ?■ [ 195 ] convinced, that not the delufions of artful and" de figning men, (>Vhich , like every }^^'^S fal fe, cannot be perman ent,) but^he general fenfe of the whole American peo- plc, is fet and determined againft t he plans of coercion, civil and military, wfilcft have been hitherto employed againft them. A whole united a nd irr itated people cannot be conquered : if the forc e now empl oyed cann ot do it. no f orce, within^ our abilities, wiKdoit. iform The wealth of this nation is great 5 and e**ir difpofition would be to pour it out with the moft unreferved and chearful libe- rality, for the fupport of the honour and dignity of your crown ; but domeftic peace and domeftic oeconomy are the only means of fupplying cxpence for war abroad. In this conteft our re- fourc^s are exhaufted, MiiS thojc of our rivals are fpared ; and we are^ ev ery year of the continuance of this war, alcerintr ■II II i_i ■ -. . _ t? K 2 the ■j>^'> '4 '' T V ■ ■i ' A I y il i [ >9« r iUe balance of our public flrength and fichc s lrT their favour. . . ' We think ourfelvcs bound, moft dread Sovereign, to exprcfs our fears and appre- iienfions to your majefty, that, at a time when your majefty's gracious fpeech from the throne has hinted, and your vaft naval preparations, in a ftyle much more expli- cit, announce, to us and the world, the critical ftate in which we {land, with re- gard to the great neighbouring powers, we have not the comfort to learn, — from that fpeech, — from any aflurance of your majefty^s fervants,— or even from common fame,— that any alliance whatever has been made with the other great dates of Eu- rope, in order to cover us from the com- plicated perils fo manifeftly imminent over this nation ; we have as little reafon to be certain that alliances of the moft dangerous kind are not formed agai nil: us. J In n ] »97 I . ^. y -'1 [n In this (late of anxious doubt and daw- ger, we have recourfe to the clemency and wifdom of your majefty, the tender parent and vigilant guardian of your pea- ple, that you will gracioufly take fuch meafures as may reftore internal peac e, and (as far as the miferable circumfta nces, '" to which the hie deftrudtive courfes hav e brought us, will perm rt) re-unite the Bri- tilh nation in f ome happy, hono urable, and permanent, coniun fction ; kit the co- Jon res, cxafperatcd by the rigours of con- tinued war, Ihould become t otally aJiena- ted" fr om th e ir pareriFco untry ; left every remaining fpark of their aife<5lion Ihould be extinguidied in _h^ts_of_mutual (laughter and rapine ; and left, in fome e* vil hour, they, who have hitherto been the great fupport of the Britifti ftrength, ihould become the moft formidable and lafting acceffion to the conftant enemies of X 3 the '^ ^'.M - [ 198 ] the pawer and profperity of your king« doms. ~ We humbly hope, and truft, that your majcfty "^ill_give all due efficacy to the concefiion;. (we wifli thofe conceflioris may not have come too late) which have been propofed in parliament : and we have that undoubted reliance on the magnanimity of your majefty's enlarged and kingly affec** tions, that we are under no apprchenfions of your majcfty*s being biaflcd by private partiality to any fet of men, in a cafe, where the good,— where the very bcing,-^ of your people is at (lake: and, with an humble confidence, we implore and fup- plicate your majeily, that nothing may ftand in the way of thofe arrangements, in your councils and executive offices, which may beft forward the great, neceflary^ a nd bleded, work of peace } which may tend to refcuc your affiurs from unwife and im« provident tnanagemeQt i and which may ". . obtain, > I ^99 1 obtain, imprave, and fecure, the return- ^"S conii Hefice o f all y our people. In fuch meafures and fuch arrangements, for fuch an end, your citizens of London will never fair to give your majefty their moft affedionate and fteady fupport. His majefty* s anfwer, delivered the i^th of March, lyyt. m .. • ) I can never think that the zeal of mf fubjefls, the refources Of my kingdoms, and the bravery of my fleets and armies, can have been unwifcly and improvidently exerted, when the objedl was to maintain the conftkutional fi>Hordination which ought to prevail through the feveral parts of my dominions, and is effential to the profperity of the whole. But I have al- ways lamented the calamities infeparablr from a (late of war *, and (haH moft ear* neftly give all the efficacy in my power to thofe meafures which the legiflatuire has a- K 4 dopced^ A fiSMM m ^^ngm m' i [ 200 ] dopted, for the purpofe of reftoring, by fome happy, honourable, and permanent, conciliation, the bleffings of peace, com- merce, afFeaion, and confidence, between the mother-country and the colonies. E S D A I L E, Mayor. ji common- council holden^ in the chfimher of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Sa* turday^ the 2^d of May^ 1778. ■( A motion was made^ and queflion put^ that this court do agree to petition the ho- fiourahle houfe of commons^ that the re^ mains of the late William Pitt^ earl of Chatham^ he depojited in the cathedral church of St, Paul, in the city of London: the fame was refolved in the affirmative ' which petition is as follows. flfe' ..' T9 ^ [ 401 ] •■' , ' ''i. ■ r. Ij; ::: ; ■ /c '-■! [ To the honourable the commons of Great* Britain, in parliament afTembled. The humble petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council afTembled, Sheweth, THAT your petitioners humbly beg leave to return their grateful thanks to this honourable houfe, for the noble and generous teftimony which it has borne to the fervices and merits of the Ute Wil- liam' Pitt, earl of Chatham. ? < -m ^ I „ < •/ •:. And your petitioners, with all humili- ty, defire, that their zeal may not feem unpleafmg to this honourable houfe, or be interpreted as a wilh in your petitioners to vary from the general fenfe of their country, as expreffed in the late votes of this honourable houfe, by their requefting. That the remains of the late earl of Chat- ham iiilUH BMBe •«« iii^ i \ if 1 \ ii't -H. ::i t ?02 ] h^m be Jepoficevi in the cathedral church of St. Paul, in the city of London. . ^ Yiur petitioners f^^rther reprcfent to this honourable houfe, that they entirely feel the delicacy of their fituation, in con- ftquence of the feveral meafures taken by this honourable houfe } but hope that a fa- vourable interpretation will be put upon a- ny particular marks of gratitude and vene* ration which the fird connmercial city of the empire is earned to exprefs towards the (lateftnan, Yfhok vigour and couiifcli had fo much contributed to the protedlioR and extenfion of its conamerce* . \ , E S D A 1 L E, Mayor, Acommon'Counctl bolden in the chamber of the Guildhall of the city of London^ on Mori'- da^y the i^th day of May^ ^7J^* ^^ .V;:' > [ 203 ] A motion was madcy and quefiion put, 7'hai " an bumble addrefs and petition be preftnted to his majtfly^ by this courts refpeSfing the burial of the late IVilliam Pitt^ earl of Chatham : the fame was refolved in the affirmative : which addrefs and petition was agreed to, as follows, ' To the king's mod excellent majefty. The humble addrefs and petition of the lord- mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common- council alTembled. ^'T Ui Moft gracious fovereign, WE, the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons, of the city of London, in common-council alTembled, beg leave to return your majefty our mod humble and dutiful thanks, for the repeated and iignal marks of your royal attention to the public fenfe of gratitude due to the met^o- ,...■.* ««.«-ir!':i* **»**?^ "- F| »>■ r1 [ 204 ] 17 of the late William Pitt, earl of Chat- ham, as truly exprelTed by the reforution of the commons of Greac-Britain, in par- liament aiTembled. And we humbly hope for your majefty*s mod gracious indulgence, when the tefti- monies, thus paid to the public virtues of this illuftrious ftatefman, encourage your mod faithful corporation to intrear, that the metropolis of your empire may be ad- mitted to a (hare in the exprefTions o^ pub- lic veneration to a minider, fo exemplary for his integrity, ability, and virtue. For this purpofe we humbly bcfeech, that your majefty, in your royal condefcenfion, would give permiffion, that the remains of the faid earl of Chatham be depofited in the cathedral church of St. Paul, in the city of London, We hope that we are not guilty of unwar- rantable prefumption in conceiving, that our wifhes on this fubje^ are not incjnfili^ tent w^ai*' f^^nr f Chat- rofurion in piar- lajefty's e tefti- tucs of e your it, that be ad- •^ pub- mphry . For It your :mains )ofited in the inwar- , that tenc [ 205 ] tent with thofe of the honourable houfe of commons ; and we flatter ourfelves, that, if your majefty ihould gracioufly acquiefce in this our humble prayer, it cannot fail to be agreeable to the family of the de- ceafed, whofe attention to us on all proper occafions it is our pride to remember, wHo condefcended to become our fellow-citi- zen, and to whom, could he have forefeen it, we are convinced this attempt to che- riih his memory would not have been un- acceptable. And we beg farther humbly to reprcfent to your majefty, that we feel ourfelves fin* gularly happy in thinking, that in this our humble petition we (hew our duty and at- tachment to our mod gracious fovereign, and the illudrious houfe of Brunfwick, by our refped to one of their moft zealous and faithful fervants ; at the fame time ihat we >:;xprefs our gratitude, as a commercial bo- dy, CO £. man, who fo fignally fupported its ^V~~''Tt»T*W •'*•»«* ••«»-■ ■■■"•'fijfrr 'is.V w *'i' f i 'if .1 A7 1 .•1 .'>;; U*VHf t 2o6 ] .»!-'■ f. ks ibtenefts : and humbly ^if^ ifiu tht nobkdb edifice in your noajeflys dominions may become thedepofitory of the remain! $iif one among the nobleft of your iubjedls.^ , /i/iv miqtfifi ianff»erj delivered the ^tb ef '"^ ■■■■•-' ■■■ ■ ■■• •■ • •' s Inconfequenceof the addrefs of the houfe of commons. That a monument ihbuld be erected to the memory of the late earl of Chatham in the collegiate church of Str Peter, Weftminller, it has been or- . dered that his remaiiis be there interred, and the neceifary preparations have been made for that purpofe. .. , % H-i- » «< ' , I : ji ' :. i X*i- , i » *, ■ .^ i.•K\.^i ill'.- '■. V » ' ' • THEE N t). > .-. I .* » ' -' .• I i ** t ,.' • V ' I ' •s ... . - ' R 't- .4' I v.- ,«^- "' » that tht >minions remaini fubje