404 
$¢ to inquire after all those who have offended 
against those rights, and accordingly expelled 
several of its members, and petitioned his 
majesty to remoye others from ptaces of 
trust.” That on the 29th of October, 1620, 
the Commons voteg * That Sir F. Withers, 
by promoting and presenting to his majesty an 
address, expressing an abhorrence to petition 
his majesty for the caliing and sitting of Par- 
liament, hath betrayed the undoubted rights 
of the subjects of England; and that the said 
Sir F. Withers be expelled the House for this 
high crime.” That for the exercise of the 
undoubted right of petitioning, the city char- 
ters were seized by a quo warrcnto; and it 
was argued for the city by Sir George Freby, 
then recorder, ** That the constitution and 
the law of the land had given to the subject 
the right of petitioning, and of access to the 
supreme governor, to represent to him their 
grievances, and to pray a redress of them; 
and that the same law gave them also a right 
to state in their petitions those facts and rea- 
sons which caused their grievances, provided 
those facts were true.” And further, ** ‘That 
as there was one part of the constitution which 
gave the **"s ower (0 prorogue, so there was 
another £2't of the constveation thet gave the 
subject 77 original right to petition for re- 
dress cf. prievances 5 and that therefore to pu- 
nish a ‘an for shewing in bis petition those 
grievances which he desires to be redressed, 
and the cause’ of them, was the same thing as 
to deny him the right of petitioning; and 
that such denial would infer oppression and 
the most abject slavery; for, when subjects 
are misused and grieved, and are desied the 
liberty to complain, and pray the king to ree 
dress these grievances, or shall be punished 
for petitioning against them, they must ne- 
cessarily be abject ‘‘aves.” 
9. Resclved-—"; fiat these arguments having 
been overruled “y venal judges, judgment 
was obtained against the city 3 the abhorrors 
for a time triumphed ; the liberties of the peo- 
ple, with the right of petitioning, was sub- 
verted; and the succeeding monach, im con- 
sequence thereof, driven from his throne and | 
dominions. At the revolution of 1688, in 
the Bill of Rights, ‘* the undoubtec right of 
the subject to petition” was, among other 
things, ‘* claimed, demanded, and insisted 
upon.’ This right has been of late again in- 
waded, the people oppressed with unprecedent- 
ed grievances and calamities, have been de- 
nied access to the sovereign, their petitions 
have been rejected by the House of Commons, 
and their grievances remain unheard and un- 
redressed. The exploded doctrine of passive 
obedience has been revived in all its extrava- 
gance; and a new race of abhorrors have sprung 
up, who, like the abhorrors in the days of 
Charles the Second, by the foulest calumnies, 
by villifying and traducing the petitions of 
the people, are (in the emphatic language of 
the then House of Commons) ‘* betraying 
the liberties of the subject, and contributing 
State of Public Affairs in May. 
[June f,- 
to the design of subverting the ancient legal 
constitution of the kingdom.” ‘That as the 
corrupt participators in public abuse, under 
the mask of loyalty, subverted che liberties of 
the kingdom, and involved James the Second 
in ruin, so the corrupt aad unprincipled of the 
present day, under the same legal pretence, 
would involve the country and sovereign in 
similar difficulties, if suffered to persist. It 
therefore becomes the imperious duty of-every- 
real friend to the country to resist their mis- 
chievous designs, by recurring to the genuine 
principles of the constitution, and by using 
every legal means for obtaining a full, fair, 
and free, representation of the people in Par= 
liament. _ 
10. Resolved-——That inseparably attached 
to our glorious constitution, we admire, vene= 
rate, and will support and defend. our kings 
our lords, and our comamons, in their re= 
spective and collective capacities, with all 
their just prerogatives, rights, and privileges ; 
but we can never consent to grant separative 
ly to king, lords, or commons, a power con= 
trary :o, and above, the laws of the land, 
which are and nvast continue to be the results 
of their collective wisdem and authority. 
11. Reselved-—-That sotwithstanaing the 
rejection o! our late petition, we still feel it 
eur cu'y to give to the House of Commons 
every opportun:y of hearing and redressing 
‘the grievances of the people, and that an 
humble adcress, petition, and remonstrance, 
be presented to that honorable House. 
12. Resolved—That the said pe ition be 
fairly transcrib:d, and signed by the Lord 
Mayor,<the Aldermen, and ten Liverymen, 
and presented :o the House of Conmo/fs by 
H:.C. Combe, esq. one of their repree 
Sentatives. f 
+3. Resolved—-That the thanks of the 
Commen Hail. be given to the Right Hon, 
Lord Erskine, Sir Samuel Romilly, knt. M.P. 
and Samuel Whitoread, esq. M.P. ior their 
avle, constitutional, and independeat conduct 
on all_occasions, perticularly for the stand 
they have lately made in favor of the domi. 
nion of the law, against arbitrary discretion 
and undefined privilece. ‘ 
14. Resolved—TVhat the thanks of this Hall 
be given to ervey Christian Combe, esq. 
alderman, and-one of the representatives of 
this city in Parli:zment, jor his Support, in the 
House of Commons, of the right of the livery 
to petition the House, and for his general 
conduct in the House. he 
15. Resolved—That the thanks of thig 
Hali be given to the Right Hon. the Lod 
Mayor, for his readiness in calling this Hall, 
and forhis independent and honorable cone 
duct in discharging the duties’of his office, 
16. Resolved—-That the thanks of this 
Hall be given to Matthew Wood, esq. one 
of the sheriffs of this city, for the indepens 
dent manner in which he has always dis.” 
charged the duties of his office. ty 
The 
