Star.
London, England, 1817-02-20 00:00:00

DEKKSHIRE.

AT a OENERAL MEETING of the COUNTY
of BERKt, convened by the HIGH SHERIFF, for the
purposu of taking into consideration the propriety of presenting
a PET( IIION to the HOUSE of COMMONS, for rt stories to
the People their alight to Free Parliaments, and a Represente.
two commensurate with that excellent principle of our Consti-
tution, which declares, That no Man shalt be faied without his
Own COnSeill j holden at the Town Hall, in Reading, on Toes
day, Feb. 11th, ISt 7, it was unanimously
Resolved, that great distress has been brought upon the People
Odds once flourishing Kingdom, by the ninconauct ot persons
-
waes. have been unfortunately entrusted whit the management of
oar national affairs, andabo have lavishly ,expended and prod:-
I gaily wasted the public money, In useless Places, Sinecures, en-
asetited Pensions, &c. and likewise engaged the Country in Po-
aegis Wars, undertaken without either justice or necessity, pro-
secuted on grounds hostile to the fundamental principles °tour
free Constitution, and highly injurious in their consequences to
the Commerce and Agriculture of the Nation, all which calami.
des would have been avoided if the true and genuine principles
dour most excellent Constitution had been duly preserved and
maintained. That our Government being a Government 6f 0
King, Lords, and Commons, the people are retitled to a full
third part or share in the Legislative Authority, which is secured
to them by the same ancient law df the land tram wheoch the
King derives his prerogative, and that both these iigiits are
rt-
qulote and necessary to a Leginnire Carrot's nit accur.ling to
the Constitution. Tliat it is the people themselves who consii•
cute the third Estate and not there Yarlianzahtary De-mules, who
are hid the iqktruntents by which the popular will is meant to be 11
carried taco effect : it bring bo:h a maxim ot our Ceintituriou
and also a general principle of justice and 11.314,, :hat ad Repre-
semative Power might to be exercised acco.ding to the wishes,'
and &sulk sole benefit of those by whom it it delegated. It is
therefore incumbent on the itepresentrive to take tie sense and j
follow the instructions of his Constenseuts in all matins which
essentially interest them, and particularly Money Bills, in order
that the Law and Constitution may be fulfilled, which says that
Aids can only proceed Irons the free goad le ill of die Na:son,"
nod that " all Taxes mina be iinposeel hi tl.e free cousent of the
people of the Realm and for the common pica: thereof."
'I hat having seen with regret Cowl data circulated of l‘ar-
Batrientary Representative* hsvipg been returned, not by the
Coostitunonal means of Flee Electuas, but by Bribery and cot-
rtspoon—Of the Mien of Suffrage having been confiued pat•
tally to a small number of Voters, whilst large bodies of Men,
although paying Taxes, were withheld from the erfoyment of
'that Franchise—Of Parliaments Saving been called facia ap-
, parent purpose of levying 'seesaw, Coutributions upon the
rboyle, Instead of redressing their Grievances, as originally in-
tweed ; and that Ministers have been able: co purchase seaport
la Parliament, to measures of the must ruinous tendency, by
Hack Pension, and Promotion, Civil, Military, and Ecciesias-
tical.--1 hat as these Charges were advanced, and off red to be
proved by Mr. now Lord Gage, and others race, and even
lamed the basis on which Mr. PICT grounded die Plan of
Reform, which he offered to the consideration of Parliament,
they appear to us to be an object of too great magnitude and im-
portance to be passed over in üblivioil, and therefore ought to
be either. disproved or refarmed, puticularly as tile character of
the Government itself is thereby implicated, ilmanucb as it le a
fact, not to be dented, that if the House of Como:ono should
be so constituted,' the 'third Branch of the Legislature wauld
in that ease be Unconstitutional and Illegitimate, and the 1 ales
it might icnaose ISO better than rubbery, according to the express
words and defluidaa el the late Lord CA/id:LH.
Wherefore it is Resulted, that a Petition be presented to
Parliament, praying that all due enquiry may be made respecting
the above matters; that all itut.ca Boroughs may be abolished;
that all who sell or buy Seats in Parliament, and all who give
or receive Bribes at hiectiono. may be subjected to exemplary
punishment ; that K presentation may be equally thotrinuted
that the Right of Suffrage may be more generally and imps' Lathy
extended—so that 'I axation and Representation may be insepa-
rably united; that the doralim of Parliaments may be reduced to
as short a teem as is consistent with public convaneuce and she
autieoi Laws and Constitution of the Realms
It was afterwards Kesu.ved by the Meeting, upon the motion
of C. Firma PALUSII, Esq. and seconded by :sir Joust 't 1111/OCi.•
11011LT011, Bart.
That as sine, thisigning the Requisition to the Sheriff far can
vetting the Meeting, a most violent outrage had been offered
the Person of His Royal Highness the Priuce Regent, on his
return from the House of l'aers, they comulered it a duty pe-
culiarly incumbent upon them to mark with due reprobation a
crime of such heinous magnitude.
That being legally assembled for the exercise of the Caudle-
tional righe of Petitioning the Honourable House ot Commas,
they could not have a more lit opportunity ot eapreuing their
abhorreace and detestation of the recent outrageous and trea-
sonable attack upon the person of ells Royal Highness the. Prince
,Regent; that we do, in common with all other Loyal Subjects
of the Realm, feel the deepest iitaignatiun thereat, and do most
sincerely hope att.' desire to see the perpetrators, alders or abettors
of so wicket and atrocious an aa,btouglit to condign punishmant..
It was further Resolved by the Meeting, that they trusted ills
late heinous clime would nut serve Ira Majesty • Monsters
with any pretext fur briogitig any Bill or alibis into Parliament,
for abridging the present right of Petitioning.
It was also unanimously Resolved, 'that the Thanks of this
; Meeting be given to Wattaa Hat.aar, Esq. the snorer*, the
Petition, and to loan hateful, Esq mho seconded the same.
R. P. W.,ISIINY ON, Chairman.
The Sheriff having left the Clair,che 'thanks of the Meeting
were, by accianation,voted to the Sheriff, for his promptitude In
euiavegiarg the Meeting, and for hie conduct whilst in the Chair.