Star.
London, England, 1819-11-13 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX MEETING.

Pursuant to a Requisition, signed by Major CAST..
WRIGHT, and some other Gentlemen of the County
of Middlesex, a Meeting of the Freeholders of this •
County was yesterday held at the Mermaid Inn,
Hackney,for the purpose of taking into consideration
the late ..ceedings at Manchester. A. Requisition
to this diva, most respectably signed, had been pre-
viously presented to the Sheriffs, but
.without. effect.
At one eitlect neirTy.lo6 persons had assembled, and
before the conclusion about 200 were present.
In a short time Major CARTWRIGHT, attended by
Mr. BYNO, M.P. for. the County ; the Rev. Mt.
DRAPER. Mr. J. T. CLARKE, and some other • Gentle-
men, entered the room.
On the Motion of Mr. CLARKE, Major CART-
Imam. was unanimously voted to thp Chair. The
venerable Major opened the business of the day, by
reading. the original Requisition, calling upon the
SheriS to convene a Meeting of the Freeholders of
the County. This Requisition, he observed, had not
been complied with, but the Freeholders moue not
thus to be prevented from expressing their sentiments.
They were determined to deliver their opinions on
the situations of those persons who had been maimed,
wounded, and lamed on the bloody 16th of August.
During the time when Gagging Bills were in
fashion, seven householders were deemed sufficient
to convene a Meeting—the Requisition by which this
Meeting had been called together, was signed by
seven times seven Freeholders, and surely this was a
sufficient authority for their being so assembled—
(Applause). Having been appointed to the Chair, he
felt it his duty to hear every Gentleman who offered
himself to the Meeting.
Mr. J. T. CLARKE, before he proposed the Reso-
lutions, which were to be submitted to the Meeting,
begged to offer a word or two. The worthy Got.-
tleman proceeded to express his regret at not having
had an earlier opportunity of expressing his opinions
on the late proceedings at Manchester—a subject
which engaged the attention of the whole country.—
He was, however, pleased that a County Meeting
had, at length, been called in Middlesex, and he
hoped that the example would be followed by the
Counties which had not hitherto assembled for similar
purposes. After a variety of observations on the
improper conduct of the Manchester Magistrates,
and on the hasty approval of that conduct by his Ma-
jesty's Ministers, Mr. Clarke observed, that,' before
he concluded, he would. quote to them the words of
a man, than whom there was none more meek, or of,
more profound wisdom—than whom there was no
greater man since the time of the celebrated Bacon,
whose admirer he was. He would address them in
the language of the celebrated Professor Dugald
Stewart, who, in his Elements of the Philosophy
of the Mind, said—" The violent revolutions which,
at different periods, have convulsed modern Europe,
have arisen, not from a spirit of innovation in. So-
vereigns and Statesmen, but from their bigotted at-
tachment to antiquated forms, and to principles bor-
rowed from less enlightened ages. It is the reve-
rence for abuses, which have been sanctioned by time,
accompanied with an inattention to the progress of
public opinion, which has, in most instances, blinded
tlle rulers of mankind, till government has lost all.
its efficiency, and till the rage of innovation has be-
come too general and too violent to be satisfied with
changes, which, if proposed at an earlier period,
would have united in the support of established in-
stitutions, every friend to order and to the prospe-
rity of his country"—(Cheers). He thanked the
Meeting for the attention with which he had been
heard, and concluded by moving the following series
of Resolutions :
" r. That from St Peter's Field at Manchester, and from
the tongueless graves of the sabre-slain on that never-to-be for-
gotten field, there conies up a moaning, a soul-stirring cry of
blood—That cry wafts shame and indignation through the sor-
rowing land—That blood crimrms our country with a stain of
dishonour, which no hand, but that of Jostler, can wash oat.
" 2. That wickedness in power having been in the habit of
seeking indemnity for violating the law, by moving Parliament
to violate the Constitution, it is become necessary to ascertain
tie extent of Parliamentary authority, and to mark its limits.
" 3. That the People of this realm have an inherent, sacred,
aid indefeasible right and property in that free Constitution (in-
cluding the institution of a Parliament) which their forefathers
&lose, and willed, to be the national polity, or system of Govern-
ment; and they (the People) have a right and property in the
dn.: process of constitutional law.
" 4. That Parliament (although next in the sovereign power
and majesty to the Nation) being still, only an emanation from
the national sovereignty—a creation for the People's-benefit-tea I
creature for their service—a trustee for controuling magistracy,
Cut it shall not wrong nor oppress—and a steward, for care of
the community's political estate, it is, therefore, manifestly im-
possible, that, under any conceivable circumstances, or on any
pretence whatsoever, Parliament should have a discretionary au-
thority, to take away from its Creator (the sovereign nation) its
free Constitution and sacred Liberties, either for ever, or for a
month, or for s moment.
" 5. That the Legislative authority of Parliament is neces-
sarily limited to the end for which it was conferred ; namely, to
the enactment of such laws only as shall be subservient to, and
conservative of, the Constitution; and which, at the same time,
shall accord with equity and reason. For to suppose Parlia-
ment had authority beyond such limitation, would be obviously
absurd.

44 6. That by self-evident maxims of truth—by the practice
of upright Judges—as well as by numerous declarations of Par-
liament itself, it is firmly established as constitutional and unal-
terable law in this land, that enactments of Parliament, in form
of Statutes—if they violate the Constitution—if they invade the
inherent Rights of the People—if they be inconsistent with
equity or with reason—or if they be contrary to the Law of
lstiture, xvhich Is the will of Goo—then such enactments are not
Statutes, but errors or corruptions, necessarily null and void, in-
capable of validity ; and, therefore, by the People, their Judges,
and their Juries, are to be holden for nought.
7. That consequently any enactment, in form of a Statute,
which should be passed for suspending any constitutional, and
therefore unalterable law, for protecting the entire community,
i7l the persons of all the individuals of whom that community is

-..
fourths of the verse. They were will' a ......."-......1,111 LS/ LIM U1.1,310a4 .• •••-
~,
„ -.
'-
........'... 200 or 200,000, their
.voice woultrbe the same, and means of maintaining the Constitution under with.
would,he hoped, have a powerful effect.
the aggregate;—or any enactment or screening from trial, or
with willing to associate
or Indemnifying persons ch4rgedWlith, or implidated in, the and love the Brotherhood," and also " to love
bi.ody deeds perpetrated at Manchester, on the 16th of August GOD and honour the King ;" but there was a fourth Thanks being voted to him, Major CARTWItIOLUI"-
observed, that' his extreme age might perhapi have Englishmen had the happiness to live. He conclude
by moving.the following•Address:-
-..iceth striking at the root of the sacred rights, laws, liberties,
matter and this bv the bve was the first—" Honour .
• t.-1,1 Constitution of our Country, must necessarily be not a ' „ . P . . . I .
where in his ness with
" To 1119 ROYAL 14101/241LIPS TIM runes ILEGINT.
all men —( Cheers). This great maxim was reject- eliqm
that he felt himself bound to attend every
pted him from the present duty, had it not been " wet the Noblemen Gentlemen, Clergy, and Freeholders': (
• tatute nor a law, but an error or corruption, and, as such, it
i
. v. ould accordingly be without force or liability, utterly null and ed, because, perhaps, it ill accorded with the termsthe County of Oxford; 'beg leave to a proaels your Reyal lk.lu•
unfeigned sentiments of veneration for the Laws A
v,:id, and, in natiorial self-defence, ought to be resolutely holden si Swinish Multitude"—" Dregs of the .People"— power, for the good of his feliow.;citizens; and had Institutions of (air Country, and of loyalty to your Royal IliV.'
for nought.
" lower and vulgar ar orders,' Ste. If men were in, he been even, in hii gray 4 if. It'were possible .fora ness's Person and Government.
rt. That should the time ever come, when a Legislature or • ~ gc •
:Ilt
need to quote ripture pattially, theri they mivht dead - "We cannot but. behold 'with indignation and abhorrence
es eciall one in Which the Pro le were not con- Ci man to hitve, risen, he should have appealed ho. untie d'e
tLis Country ( p y p
ao
s;itittionally represented) overleaping all limitations of legiti- bring it forward in support of Atheism ; Scripture anion
`them. . daring attempts of designing and turbulent men, who. , „
• • •-• specious pretext of considering of grievancestbut more Octet:if
mate authority, should unequivocally attempt, by pretended authority might in this way be quoted for saying . A r. Wrce (a Freeholder); then, at some-length, tor promulgating the most dangerous doctrines, and delivery"'
, - !_ws, to subvert the Constitution; by sham Statutes, to establish " There is no GOD*" for so the following
palsage addressed ihe Meeting,* iii a speech in which he the most inflammatory harangues, have arrayed under boo!"
a I)eipotism • or, by void Acts of Parliament, to make the People
would read, if cut' in two—" The fool bath said In strongly reprobated Universal Suffrage and Annual of sedition, and in various planes have assembled together inAi,
i ' slahiuste•ssistartoingleonuoldugfhantcoy
bind
that,
tlbnestat prod etic
rs irsgeav they
er y.ctoemfoserge.
e his hrart, there is no Gon"—( Cheers). All Gov -. Parliaments, 'as destructive .ti) the Constitution ; and dismay People, of the well-disposed, and tending to overawe La 7.
. . ing trusts there would be found, in the Nation so insulted, ments were instituted for the benefit of the People...-. he veryr earnestly' condemned the present Public stituted•Autiorities of the Law,-anti to endanger the Peace Ot
' t.ufficient courage to soap asunder such fragile chains; and suM- There was no axiom in litics more tenable than Meetings on that subj••ct.threu h the kingde' ''a the Country. •
1 cient wisdom firmly to establish its ancient liberties ou improved . . - . . Po .
lik l ct th eal- " gc
i• --k ' 's "'W have with feeliof horror the industrious disw-
ttirudations. • this. It mtght be ohjected,that the Resolutions which e y.to yetar t r Reffisra o...Paniament. " e seen ngs
t,
.0
9. That as die people 'ROM ere put.. to the sword
_in St. ihe had the honour f cf T • lilleS ficf atm' .1j • • 1 ' neinathal of seditious and blasphemous publications, design
‘,,' ;4, o
.secon in werestxong,, 444: ArtitZl4.. en - mversaSulfaaie.- •
. promote discontent and disaffection to the Power:uncut, aeg .
i'cter'itteld west nu•liamentary Re/twiner', and appear to have he ans*cied, that the occasions which called them Thanks being moved to the _wo h
rt--Y Inctiaber; bring into contempt the holy religion of the Country, and ts 4.
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