The American herald of liberty — Exeter, N.H., 1793-07-02 00:00:00, page 2

Mr- Dun com bb said a few word*.
Mr. Burke laid,it seemed todeferve much
coniideradon whether the Houle would do
right in receiving a Petition which had been
circulated in print, for the purpose of influen
cing the country, and only came there in the
second instance, particularly when it was con.
trary to pradice so to doj for he would not
rest much on the order.
Mr. Grey observed, that the order, if at at!
to be regarded, related only to private Peti
tions ; and that although the fignaturts in this
case were subjoined to a printed Petition,
yet it did not appear that the Petition had
been circulated.
Mr. Fox said that he . could not go the
length of faying that theHbufe were not bound
by any orders made during the uforpatjun ;
but in this case there was no Handing order.
The reafcn and sense of the thing did not’to
much apply to a Petition coming to the House
in print, as to the fad, whether it had been
previously printed and circulated.. It was
notorious, however, that-in almost every pri
vate Bill, the Petitions were printed and fet
tled, and often adverrifed in .the newfn ap ers,
before they came to be presented to the House. ’
In his opinion, negative precedents were of lit
tle confluence, and he would - therefore give
his vote for bringing up the Petition.
Mr. Bur ke explained that, in his opinion
the Petition coming printed before the House
made a material difference, because many
things might be done abroad, out of that
House, which they could not be acquainted
with. t .
The Ch-ancellox ot jh® Excuf^yn,
thought the House could not fuffer the Peti
tion to be brought up without departing from
ufagej It had been said by. ah Hon. Geatle
m«n opposite to him. (Colonel M’Leod) that
many cf the Petitions had come from the fame
(hop; and had this mode been conceived to
be regular and proper, i: would, no doubt,
have been adorned wr h regard toother Peti
tions, and they would probably have come
from the lime press. With regard to publish
ing Petitions in the newlpaptrs, the Houle,
perhaps, m>ght be ignorant of its having been
done, and it might have been done without
the knowledge 0 £ the parties. Upon the
whole, he must oppose the bringing up the/Pe
ttttOCr ’
Lord WrtLf am Russel and Mr. Wjl.
liam Smith said each a few words in favor'
of receiving { he Petition.
Colonel M'Lbod said, that the expression
that all the Prtnions had come from the Ihop,
had not been made use of by hirtf, but by a
Right Hen. Gentleman oppofire to him (Mr.
Pondas ) He begged, therefore, that the right
faddk might be put on the right horfe t and
that the R’ght Hon. Gentleman’s witticisms
might not be fattened on him and his friends.
.-•••/ .kL • ..5 i I a _
Lord g. h. Cavendijß presented a
pci t ion from certain inhabitants of the
town and neighbourhood of Derby ; praying
for a Reform of the Representation of the Peo
ple in Parliament; which was brought up,
and ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. Francis presented a Petition to the
Line purpoie, from about-6ood inhabitants of
the cities of Landon and Weftminfler, and
their vicinity. The Petition dated, that if a
specific plan of Reform should be required
from the Petitioners, they would beg leave to
refer 10 the plan w*hich had been laid down
by the Duke of Richmond, ten . years ago,
which entirely met their approbation.-—This
Petition was also brought up and ordered to
Fe on the table.
Mr. Br6wnb presented * Petition to the
fame effect ’from a number of inhabitants of
the town of Poole in Dorfetfhire.
Mr. War ton preiented a like Petition
from certain inhabitants in or near the parish
of Aidgate, in the city of London, which was
also brought up and ordered to lie on the ta
ble.'
Mr. Hoba r t stated that he held in his hand
a Petition, signed by upwards of 3700 inhab
itants of parilhes in the vicinity of the city of
Norwich ; hut he doubted whether it could be
received, as the names were fubferibed to a
printed copy of the Petition, in breach of the
orders of the Houle.
On the motion for bringing tip rhe petition,
The Speaker ftated^ that in the year 1656,
an order was mace, that no privet Petition,
to be directed to the Parliament, be printed
before it be preiented to the House; —and ano
ther order was afterwards made, for the doe
execution of that order.— He thought it right
to call the attention of the House to rhe time
at which the order was made, being during the
Ulurpation ; and slfo to this ci’cumllance, that
it was not in the form cf a Handing order ;
but he added, at the fame time, that it had
been the praflice and rule cf the Houfe.to de
cline receiving any petition ; either private or
public, that had been previously printed ; at
leill he believed, and had been informed,
that no printed Petition had ever been receiv
ed.
BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
PARLIAMENTARY reform.
HOUSE of COMMONS.
LONDON, MAY 6.
Mr, Sheridan (aid be was of opinion that
the Petition ought to be received ; but, at the
fame time, as it seemed a little doubtful, and
in order that the important business which was
to come on, viz. the motion of his Honorable
Friend (Mr. Grey) might not be delayed, he
was induced to with that the Motion for bring,
ing up the Petition should be withdrawn,
which was accordingly done.
After which a Petition, from certain inhabi
tants of the county. o f Warwick and its neigh
bourhcod was presented by Mr. William Smith
—one from about 1000 inhabitants of Hud
dersfield in Yorkshire, by Mr. Eifkinc—one
from a number cf inhabitants of the town and
neighbourhood of Dundee, by Mr. Sheridan
—one from a number of inhabitants of the
town of Paid ley, by Mr. Whitbread-—one
hem certain inhabitants of the burgh of Mont
role, by Mr. Curwio—one frem certain inhab
itants of the town of Kilmarnock—another
from certain inhabitants oi the burgh of Kil
marnock—and another from certain inhabitants
of NewmiHa, in ihe parish of Loudoun and
ft)ire pf Ayr, by Mr. Wharton—one from a
great number of inhabitans of the city of Ed
it gburgh, of the whole length of the floor of the
Houle, and praying lora thorough Reform in
the Representation, by Col. M’Leod—cne
from certain inhabitants of the town of Dum r
. barton, by Mr. Whitbread one from cer
tain inhabitants of the burgh cf Irvine—ano
ther from certain inhabitants of the town of
btrathaven ; another from certain inhabitants cf
the burgh of the county of Roxburgh ano
ther from certain inhabitants of the burgh of
Linlithgow—and another from certain inhab
itants of the town and neighbourhood of Auf
truther, by CbL M’Leod and one from a
number of inhabitants of the .own ot Notting
ham and neighbourhood thereof, by Mr.
Grey.
Mr. G&ey then presented a Petition, bear
ing to be the Petition of certain perlons whose
names were thereunto fubferibed, which was
brought up and read by the Clerk. The Peti
tion was of such length, that the reading cf it
look up nearly half an hour. It Rated, with
great propriety and diftindnefs, the defeats
which at pref, nt exist in the Reprefentatiqn of
the people in Parliament : It took notice of
the Division of the Repre/entation, or the pro
portions in which the different counties con
tribute to the total number of the Representa
tives ; (hewing, under that head, the ablnrd
disproportion which takes place in a variety
of instance:; so much that the county of Corn
wall alone (ends mere Members to Parliament,
than the counties of York, Rutland, and Mid
dlesex put together, &c. It proceeded to take
notice of the difribution of the tieeii'-ve franchite
or the proportional numbers, by which the
different Reprefantaiives are elefled ; stated,
under that head, that a majority of the whole
Houie of commons is clewed by less than
I y.ooo perlons,or, in other words, by the loth
part of the people to be represented, fuppoling
that they consist only of thiec million of a
dults, &c. It went onto take notice of the
right of •voting or the various reftridions and
limitations under which the privilege of a vote
for the choice of a Representative is bellowed,
fta ing rhe great evils and inequalities that
prevail in chat refpefl —Jt afterwards tock no
tice of the qualifications to be foffefjed b^ can
didates and tho/e eledled-^n^ considered the e
vils arising from the length of the duration
of Parliaments. It went on then to detail the
mode in which Elections are conduced and de
cided ; and, under that head, (hewing the evils
arising from the length of time to which Pells
are protracted; from the influence of Corpora
tion, by the pcni ers intrufiid to Returning Qf
fifrs,— and from the appeal to the Houfe* ;of
Commors under the operations of the Ads
joth, llth, 25th & ?Brb of GeoJH. as far as
the fame relate ro expcnce and delay. The
Petition proceeded to. take notice of the mi/-
chief rejulting from the defers and ahufti which
it had prwioufly pointed out, particularly by the
jyfiem of private patronage, and the tnfiuente
pofleffed by P eers and wealthy Commoner r, in
the nomination of what are called the Repre.
tentative! of the People ; (hewing, under this
head, that, by the Patronage and influence of
71 Peers and 2t Members of that House was
procured, which confldcrably exceeded • ma
jority of the House.— .The Petition dvwJtat
connderable length upon all, the points aln ady
mentioned, and detailed a Variety of other ••
buses, ail which rhe Petitioners offered to fub
ftanttate by proof: And it concluded by Ha
ting the great neceflity there Was, for tßeb^.
pheotion of an immediate remedy ; and the
high importance of such a measure— andpray
ed the House to take the matter into their fer
rous confederation, and to apply such remedy
and rediefs to the evils complained of as Should
appear proper.
Mr. Wind HA® stated, that the difficulty
upon the present queflion arose from the dif
ferent points of view in which it was brought
forward, foroetimes *s 1 matter of right, and
femetimes as matter of expediency. No focn
er did you take it up in one view than it was
presented to you in another, so that it waa im
possible for you to know upon what you wer e
arguing. There were two queftons involved
in the present fubjeft, rft, The Natural Equal
ity of Men. adly, The Right of the Majority
to govern the Minority. Mr. Windham pro
ceeded to define and examine both of the pro
po St ions. Jf anything, he faid,< was meant
by the natural equality of meh as applied th
Governmental was certainly thet from which
NATIONAL CONVENTION, ,
APRIL 12.
J> A HAYE read a letter by which it ap
peared that on 22d of March, Egali tb patt
ed through Sez, under the name of Fecamp,
who is one of his stewards. He a&ed the
landlord, at whose house he put up, whether
Eg a lite was beloved in that Canton, and
whether the people would like to fee him
KING, from thence EGALrrg went to
Alencon, and a few days after there was a vio
lent iniurre&ion at that place.
The convention decreed, that four Commis
sioners should be named, nominal appeal, to
go to Sez, and find out the track of EgaLlTb’s
journey ; to. take depositions, and bring the
guilty before the Revolutionary Tribunal.
The debate on this business was highly tu
multuous : Ac one time, all the Members on ’
the right fide, among whom Dupe ret was
particularly noticeable, each with a sword.
cane in his hand, the weapons drawn, hurried
in a body towards the Mountain.
The President inftandy put on his hat, and
it was a considerable time before tranquility
could .be te-eftablifhed.
Lecowtre wi(bed to resume his harrangue,
but was imerrupted by Calon, who demand
ed thac Duperrt should be ordered to the
prison De i’Abbaye, for having, sword in hand,
menaced feme of the Deputies.
• This motion gave rife ro an agitation, which 1
conftandy feemihg to draw towards a conclu- 1
Eon, and as constantly renewed, was of a very
considerable duration.
Duperb rat length attended the Tribunal. <
“ The favour, said he, I have to ask of the
Convention and the Tribunes, is a calm hear
ing—a favour that is not refufed to the gteateft
criminals. If I am culpable, I am not the man
who would wish to withdraw himfelf from
the avenging arm of my fellow-Legiflators.
“ For nineteen months, in the Legislative
Affembty, did I combat against despotism and
the Feuil lans.
** Sipce I have held a fest in th ^Convention*
I have unceasingly driven against a band of
mifereants, who have long fought the destruc
tion of the common wealv
** In win for the la ft two days has an at
tempt been made to come at a knowledge of
the accomplices of Dumourier jLbcoin
tkb has for more than hour endeavoured
co combat the proposition, of Marat, but has
refuked to the Community the greatest peflj
ble degree of happiness. This he proceeded
to shew might frequently be inconsistent with
the will of the Majority. An ingenious phil
ological writer had wittily remarked, “ That
a great part of the happiness of mankind de
pends upon particles in.” In the prelect in
stance he remarked, that if inflead of the pro
pefitien that all Government exifled from the
People, was fubftituttd that all Government
cxifted for the People, the application would
be much more proper. 7he Rheme which
theoretically was held cut in so engaging a
point of view was in reality falfe, and the mo
ment that the country approached to that de
gree of ideal perfeflion it was undone. Much
had teen laid of a nation being governed by
the will of the majority. There were three
forts of a majority a majority of reaten,
of number, and ot force. The good look
ed only to the majority of jeafen and of
force—the bad only to that of force : In ei
ther case the majority of numbers was of little
conlequence. What but the ccnlcicuteels of
a mrjorityof force had influenced the ianguin
ary and deteflable proceedings at Paris ? 3he
Hon. Gentleman who had brought forward
the Motion had often referred to the theuay of
the Constitution ; This, he remarked, was a
word of.great and dubious import. In a Con
i’itmjon which had been formed frem occasion
vnd emergency,the refuk in prafiice was more
to be looked to than the theory. Jn his fuppo
fiticn of the theory the Hon. Gentleman had
gone upen the principle, that the Commors
were to represent the whole of the People, if
this was the cale, what then had the Constitu
tion to do with,the Houie of Peers and the
Crown ? Upon tfiis supposition the Govern
ment became a pure Democracy ; every thing
was to be granted to the People, and every
prerogative of the Crown was to be regarded
as an invafton of their rights. Np grievance
whatever could juftify a change such as was
propoled in the Constitution, and luch as the
Motion of the Hen. Gentleman went toeffeft.
Inorder to fee how the People treated an As
sembly, entirely the work of their own hands,
it was only neceflary to look to the conduit of
the French with regard to their Convention,
Scarcely had they created this Assembly the
foie and free organ cf the national will, when
they set up another organ in oppefitipn to it,
and in order tocontroul its proceedings.—The
Jacobire Society, under the pretence of speak.
irg the fentitrents of the People, became par
amount to the very Assembly whom the Peo
ple had cbofen to conduit their public deliber
ations. Thus, in this case, the Nation , was
oppoled to the Nation ; and luch would be
the fate of every Assembly chosen upon this
principle, and in such circumstance.—Noth
ing could be so fatal and calamitous as to mak )
the Parliament entirely the Agents of the Peo
ple.
FRANCE.
(To be Continued.)
FRANCE.
PARIS, APRIL 8.
Yesterday five determined persons went
oat of Paris, who had (worn to ar re It Dumou
rier or to kill him.
General Cuftine writes, that he has been
betrayed by Gen. Newinger; thit by treach
ery and the cowardice of part of the army,he
has loft a deceive battle on the Ana. Gen.
Newinger is gone to the enemy, who have
seized the greater part of the artillery- Gen.
Cuftine has left a garrison at Mayenne and
has retired to Landao. What adds to these
new misfortunes is, that the army of Vofges
has been abandoned by that of Moselle-
At Canton a terrible famine prevailed when
the Indiaman failed from thence, which had
swept off thousands of the inhabitants. The
supplies of rice carried thither fetched a most
exorbitant priee, insomuch that the comm>a«
der of one of the Company's ships, which made
a Coast and China voyage, is said to have
cleared nearly fifty thousand pounds by the
sale of that article at Canton, inch it stated
was the distress of the inhabitants, that they -
raked the land for Angle grains of rice.—
111
FRANKFORT, APRIL IJ.
Madame Daniels, mistress roGen. Cuftine,
has been taken immen’s clothes by fhePiuf
fians at Gunterlblum. It :s said that (he had
36,000 French crowns with her.
GE R MAN r.
VIENNA, MARCHI’!.
1 HElattft accounts fromCor.fti.ntir.cple
state, that the Sultan has publicly oeclareo to
live in peace with all the neighbouring pow
ers of the Ottoman empire. His highi-efs
does not harbour thefn a’leß fear with regard
to rhe armaments made by Rtflia ;; theßiacll
Sea. The Ruffian charge d* affairs at Ccn
ftantinople has declared that thole armaments
had no other tendency »han to repulse in a
proper manner the French, who had been
talking of attacking the Crimea. The Sul
tan has likeuile given orcers to fend Turk
ish pilots on board of all those French ships
in the Archipelago, which for feme nmc
past have captured (hips under Ruffian co
lours.
A deputation of 2000 Poifs have waited
on his Imperial Msjefly, requesting to serve
in the Auflrian army, to tveiige the execu
tion of Louis XVI. on those who voted ioT
his death.
Our court will not only conclude a treaty
of alliance with England, and likewise with
Holland, but a certain convention will uke
place with' those powers on which it will
turn out to the advantage cf all parties. A
treaty is also td take place, between Austria
and Prussia, and the importation of French
wines into the territories will be entirely
prohibited.
The accouchmentof herlmperial Mrjefly,
the Empress, is expedled to cake place the
middle of April, and public prayers have
been ordered for her Majesty’s fafe delivery.
APRIL 15.
The Senate us Venice lately gave orders to
the French charge d’affaires in that city, ro
take down the arms of the French Republic
from his hotel ; but the latter not having
complied with these orders, within the time
appointed, the Senate caused them to be ig
nominiously taken down by some (tone ma
sons attended by an escort of two hundred
Shirris.
MONTEGO-EaY, may 25.
•Monday arrived the fl,i F s Apoilc, Stephens,
Othello, and J< by, item Africa ; the ictmer
with 252, ard the latter with 283 negices.
Capt. Stevens touched at Barbi.d<.t, arc Grez^
inferms, that Admiral Gardinee,
with fever fail of the Jine, ard five frigate.,
arrived at Far bacon, the 25th cf April ; that
on the rafiage out, the Ipngept frigate was
difpa’cned by the Actriral ro ciuize and re
connoitre ; and, tn returning to the fleet, re
ported, that in lat. 17 long. 51, (befell in
with 9 fail oi the French lire, and five friga
tes ; that the 1| higene ,Uas able to delcry
the name of Republican on the flern of one of
the ships ; that two of the ships were under
jury masts, and the fleet fleering W. had N*
The Iphigene was chafed by tbe French lega
tes, but ontfailcd them al). This intelligence
Caot. Stevens learned on board ihe Duke, one
of Admiral Gardiner’s /hips.
not been able to abtain a bearing. In the in
terim, a part of this Afltmbly was excited
by an emotion of indignation. 7 his impulse
I followed ; and wbilfl Lwas flattened in the
centre cf the Hall, I perceived a Mountaineer
level a piflol at my head. Seized by a na
tural emotion, ard impelled, it 1 may so ex
press myfelf, by a fury, 1 drew my (word.
But J had flill another weapon—a piflol ; at d
if I had merely made a trufl at cne of my col
leagues, 1 wculo icflantly have blown cut mv
brains,”
The Assembly at length put an etd to this
farcical ccnteft, by proceeding to a nominal
appeal on the nomination of cen missioners to
proceed to the department of De L’Orne,
FOREIGN INTEELIGENCE.
^Esr^INDIES.