Slate of Public Affairs in December. 



4 817.] 



the Hon. Charles, now Lord Grey, whcrebj' 

 it appeared tliat tlie great hoiiy of tlie peo- 

 ple were excluded from all share in the 

 election of members, and that the majority 

 of that hononiable house were returned by 

 the proprietors of rotten boroughs, by the 

 influence of the tresisury, and by a few 

 powerful families. 



We can, sir, no longer support out of 

 our dilapidated resources an overwhelming 

 load of taxation, and we humbly submit to 

 yonr Royal Highness, that nothing but a 

 reformation of these abuses, and restoring 

 to the people their just and constitutional 

 right in the election of members of Parha- 

 ment, can afford a security against their 

 recurrence — calm the appreliensions of the 

 people — allay their irritated feelings, and 

 prevent those misfortunes in whi' h the na- 

 tion must inevitably be involved by an ob- 

 stinate and infatuated adherence to the 

 present system of corruption and ex- 

 travagance. 



We therefore humbly pray your Royal 

 Highness to assemble Parliament as early 

 as possible ; and that you will be graciously 

 pleased to recommend to their immediate 

 consideration these important matters, and 

 the adoption of measures for abolishing all 

 useless places, pensions, -and sinecures; for 

 the reduction of our present enormous 

 military establishment ; for making eveiy 

 practicable reduction in the public expen- 

 diture, and restoring to the people their 

 just share and weight in the legislature. 



To which Address and Petition, his 

 Royal Highness returned the following 

 answer : — • 



It is with strong feelings of surprize and 

 regret, that I receive this address and peti- 

 tion of the lord mayor, aldermen, and 

 commons of the city of London, in Common 

 Council assembled. 



Deeply as [ deplore the prevailing dis- 

 tress and difficulties of the country, I de- 

 rive consolation from the persuasion, that 

 the great body of his Majesty's subjects, 

 notwithstanding the various attempts 

 ■which have been made to irritate and mis- 

 Ipad them, are well convinced, that the se- 

 vere trials which they sustain with such ex- 

 emplary patience and fortitude, are chiefly 

 to be attributed to unavoidable causes, 

 and I contemplate with the most cordial 

 salisfactton the efforts of that enlijhteued 

 benevolence wliicli is so usefully and lau- 

 dably exerting itself throughout the 

 kingdom. 



I shall resort with the utmost confidence 

 to the tried wisdom of Parliament, at the 

 time, which upon the fullest consideration 

 I have thought most advisable, under the 

 present circumstances of the country ; and 

 X entertain a perfect conviction, that a iiriu 

 and temperate administration of the Go- 

 vernment, assisted and supported by the 

 gooil sense, public spirit, and loyalty of the 

 uation, will eltectually counteract tliose 



Slfl 



proceedings, which, from whatever motives 

 they may originate, arc calculated to ren- 

 der temporary difficulties the means of 

 producing permanent and irreparable 

 calamity. 



At a Common Council held in Guild- 

 hall on Friday, Dec. 20, the following 

 resolutions were agreed to: — 



That the answer of his Royal Highness 

 the Prince Regent be entered upon the 

 Journals of this court— at the same time 

 this court cannot refrain from expressing 

 "its surprise and regret" that, at a mo- 

 ment of such acknowledged distress and 

 difficulty, when the nation is labouring 

 under aggravated and accumulating grie- 

 vances, and when this court was so neces- 

 sarily exercising the luidoiibted right of peti- 

 tioning for a redress of those sirievances, the 

 ministers of the crown should have advised 

 hi* Koyal Higlmess to have returned such 

 an answer to an incontrovertible statement 

 of grievances, and well grounded coin* 

 plaints. 



That his INIajesty's ministers have, in the 

 said answer, advised his Royal Hi:;hness to 

 convey an imputation upon those wh» 

 have been anxiously peiitiuning thrsughont 

 the coiiniry against the corruptions and 

 abuses of the state— of atteuiptiiis; to irri- 

 tate and mislead the people — and have 

 also advised his Royal Highness to state, 

 " that the severe trials they sustain are 

 chiefly to be attributed to unavoidable 

 causes;" when it is self-evident that the 

 present deplorable state of the country is 

 to be attributed to a long course of pro- 

 fuse, inconsiderate, and extravagant ex- 

 penditure of the public treasure, sanc- 

 tioned ])y the dependent and corrupt state 

 of Pailiainent. 



That it is therefore more incumbent 

 than ever upon the country to persevere in 

 their endeavours to obtain a redress of the 

 numerous existing grievances — and more 

 especially a reform in the parliamentary 

 representation of the people. — This court 

 doth therefore earnestly invite the respec- 

 tive counties, cities, and towns throughout 

 the kingdom, by a general and constitn- 

 tional expression of national feeling, to en- 

 deavour to avert impending calamities by 

 a timely reformation of all abuses. 



Questions relative to the public 

 finances, and to tlie sull'ering condition 

 of nearly every class of the peojiie, agi- 

 tate the minds of all men, except, per- 

 haps, those of the minisleis. They aloii* 

 appear to view the ^anxiety and the dis- 

 tresses of the country with apathy. 

 They seem, indeed, to .solace tlicniselves 

 in their favourite principle, of leitin^ 

 thinp^s Jiiifl their own level, without duly 

 considering the victims and tniseries 

 which must be created by such a 

 practice. 



Ill tlic mean time, the middling or- 

 dors 



