The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-09-22 00:00:00

PETITION. TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TO VIE RIGHT 80X..111r EMMONS Or TUE lINITED
RINCIDEPIC OP.ORZAT SRITAIIf •AND IRELAND
• THE PETITION OF, &e. &e.
•

That your Petitioners, feeling as they have tver felt, the
wartneit:attacliment to British connection, and (from a con-
viction of their excellence) to the principles of the British
Constitution, in support of which they have shed their blood
and exhausted their treasure, and anxious only that those sacyi-
Bees shill not have been Made in vain, most horohly present
themselves before this Honourable Haase, beseeching it, as the
constitutional. guardian of iJtt British Empire, to take into its
Most serious rottsideration the consequences resulting from that
LegislMise Haim), which, in the year 1600, was enacted be-
tween Great Britain and Ireland. And your Petitioners the
more earnestly beorech this Honourable House now to enter on
this investigation, because It was an increase from the great,
solid, and exten►ive benefits" were promised to this country,
nod as immense addition nod consolidation of interest, strength,
stud erection :" to the Empire at large a measure which was
to counteract the restless machinations of.aninveterate enemy—
to calm all dissensions—to allay all animosities—and dissipate
all jeatousin—which nos to communicate to the,dister King-
dom " the ►tate of the Cnpi•al, and industry of England"—and
give to her " a full participation of the Commerce and Consti-
tution of fireat Britain."

Your Petitiorwrs consequently entreat the Honourable House
to enquire, whether that measure, which has now been put to
the decisive test of experience, ha, in any degree fulfilled, or
whether it is calculated to fulfil the the sanguine expectations
of its advocates—and whether its repeal has not been indis.
Feasibly necessary for the accomplishment of those very ends
•fur which its enactmeat was made a pretext.
That Your Petitioners humbly conceive a revisal and repeal
of the Legislative Union between Great Britain and Ireland,
Irresistibly called for ►y the following, amongst other consider-
ations

Bemuse from the earliest establishment of English dominion
in this Country, to the 'Year 1782, a resident• Parliament was
by the British Kings dremerl'occessary, and alone competent to
understand its wants, to encourage Its resources, and promote
its interests.
Because the Government of England,, while it could con-
troul the proceedings of the Irish Legislature, never propoifed,
Or recommended to the consideration of either a Legislative
Union between the two Countries; but that when compelled
to renounce that enotroul, and finally to declare the Parlia-
ment of Ireland independent, the Minister of England never
ceased to plot its extinction—and consequently, that the. real
motive for a Union was not the mutual benefits of the.Couu-
tries, but the trouble and difficulty of inanaglog an. iodepen-
dent Parliament, and the desire of procuring an Increase of in-
fluence in that of Great Britnin.
Because the moment seised on by theStiltdi Mlnisteifor the
accomplishment of his views, was that least fitted for a calm
dismission; Matteis investigation et Abe nntritywf amoserious
and impartial political question ; anti because, !Val under such
unfavourable circumstance., the' means employed to effect it.
were most corrypt and iniquitous.

Becapse the Parliament of Ireland " being delegated to, make
Laws not Legislator ," could not transfer their Legislative au-
thority without the express-sanction and approbation of their
Constituents; and that a decided majority of the Constitutional
Body was hostile to the measure is evident,fronsTheir Petitions
against it, and from the fact that the Minister, even after his de-
feat, feared to appeal us the sense of the People by a dissolu-
tion of the then refractory Parliament.

And your Petitioners subunit, that so decided was the opi.
nion of the Irish People, respecting the incompetency of the,
Irish Parliament to enact the measure of Union, nod so strong
their abhorrence of that measure, and their conviction that
they could not, in the language of the immortal and constitu-
tional Locke, be bound by any laws hut such as are enacted
by those whom they have chosen and authorised to make them
as appeal to Heaven must, in all probability, have
been the i..v..itable consequence, but for the preconcerted hor-
rors of the preceding rebellion."
Because the rapid improvement of Ireland, tender an inde-
pendent Parliament, together with the annexed statement,
Rust demonstrate that the interests of the country were much
better understand, and its resources better managed, by au lrish
11140 by an imperial Parliament.