The National Register.
London, England, 1812-12-20 00:00:00

7r4

London 'raver-, Th-,:eiriber 15, 181'2.
At a 'Meeting of the C ON% MIT YEE of the Loyal an independent
LIVERY Ut Losnotv,
Alderman C TOP:!F.O. E`;11. MP. i:i the Chair
I?cselvcd--'That t g Address be publi.ll;:d as the unani-
Mous and decided opinions of this Committee :
The Committee of the Loyal and I niepcielent Livery of London,
feel theMselves called upon t.? conoatulate their Yellow Citizens on
the result of the late Election fir the Representatives of this Coy in
Pal-Hatt:en, ; as it has athrited :riot:ter decisive proof, that the hill on-
matory proceedings at several C. !moon Halls, were not expressive
of the sentiments of the Livery of London ; whose •ood sen,c mani-
fested on this occasion, has produced the most beneficial conse-
quences, and the example has been followed with similar success
throughout the United Kingdom.
Since the Declaration of the 4th May, IMO, signed by 2170 Loyal
and Independent Liverymen, abundant evidence has been exhibited,
that, by mislead rig the nvnds of the ignorant, and by inflaming the
passions of the desperate, Or‘r's have been made " to subvert the
Constitution as by Law established," the chief means for elncting
which, has been to decry the frame and construction of the Commons
House of Parliament, and ti erchy to expose its authority and Junc-
tions to the hatred and contempt of the people.
It appears to this Coennittee, that by new-modelling the House of
Commons, upon any principle dill'erent from that which now exists,
(the excellence of' which, as the firm bulwark of civil liberty, has
been preyed by. the experience of ages), a risk would be incurred of
shaking the British Constitution to its foundation ; and to stir the
question upon any scheme of uncertain and untried theory. or with
the expectation of future unanimity as to the basis of a new plan,
must he pregnant with the greatest danger. To extend the elective
franchise without increasirg the qualification of property in the Elec-
tors, will tend to give the House of Commons an undue democratic
preponderance in the scale of the Constitution ; from which, added
to the extensive rights it possesses, particularly in the power of with-
holding the supplies to the Crown, much evil :nay be reasonably ap-
prehended, frequent, it not constant, collision between it and the
other branches of the Legislature must be expected, and eager con-
flicts with each other wilt arise to the utter stagnation of public busi-
ness, until one or other must finally triumph in the contest ; when,
as the greatest power naturally will rest with that branch which holds
the Public Purse, the House of Commons will doubtless succeed,
and overturn (as in the lith century) the Crown and the House of
Lords. This state of things cannot but ul:imately produce all the
miseries attendant on complete Democracies, and probably (as in
France) after oceans of blood being spiNed, would end in a ferocious
military despotism.
Since the signature of the Declaration abovementioncd, a new watch-
word has sprung uo, and is coupled with the former, PEACE and Re-
/Tu'l) constit'utes the Shibboleth of discontent. There are men
'who are ever on the look-wit to mild use the worst passions of the po-
pulace, by magnifying each reverse and difficulty incident to a state
of protracted and complicated warfare The desire for peace• none
but the most weak or wicked of mankind can refuse to entertain; but
the man of reflection, who loves his country, will first inquire, whe-
ther peace can be hest attained by prostration at the footstool of the
gamy, or by teaching him that we possess the power to assert, and
the determination to maintein our independence ; every one who thus
considers the subject must conclude, that peace is not desirable if it
is to be obtained by imbecile concession, and that national tranquillity
cannot be purchased at the expellee of national honour.
The public have lately been told, that " we" (the nation)" have a
phantom for a King, a degraded A ristocracy, and an oppressed
people ;" that " no change of Ministers can be permanently and
importantly useful to the country :" that "the fault is not in the
infividuals, but IN THE SYSTEM ;" and that " the people with
united voice, MUST DEMAND REFORM, IN A LANGUAGE NOT TO BE
MISUNDERSTOOD."—\'f hat the import and intent of these mysterious
words are, must be left to the interpretation and tfiscernment of an
enlightened community ; but this Committee, holding such langUage
and such doctrines in abhorrence, consider it to he their uuty to call
upon all those who signed the declaration of May, 1810, to concur
with them in manifesting by every possible means, the detestation
which they then avowed of such opinions ; those who at that time
expressed their admiration of " the ph ne.pes of THE FETA' OLUTION,
which happily for the religious and civil liberties of Britons, led to
the Establishment of the House of Brunswick on the Throne of these
Realms, and who revere the Coieztitution as then confirmed, and as
now existing by law," will doubtless join to give efnct to such sen-
timents ; they accordingly submit to t tie consmeration of !lie resident
Liverymen, who by their votes, at the late Election proclaimed t h-sc
principles, whether it may net. at the present moment, he hi. lily
useful to endeavour to rescue the Corporation of London from the
direction of men, who are the avowed supporters of the dara;erous
doctrines thus so openly declared ? This, it is apprehended, may be
done by theopulent Inhabitants -of this City, taking upon them Cot-
orate Offices, in conformity with the ancient custom of its merchants,
'om several of whom many illustrious fatuities have descended) ;

(fi