The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-10-17 00:00:00

P.IRLIAVENTARY REFORM.

•
1793, a Society, -entitled the Friends of the
People, of which the following were Members :--the I
Puke of Bedfdd, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Whitbread,
r.." 0 Ye), (how • Earl Grey), Mr. Tierney, I.nrd
Lauderdale, Sir Arthur Piggott, Mr. Dudley North,
General Tarlton, Sir Ralph Milbink, and many .
others, amongst whom *ere t 7 Members of Parlia-
ment, signed the following Petition to the House of
Commons, praying for a Reform in Parliament. It
was presented by Mr. Grey (now Earl Grey), who
pledged himself to prove the truth of the facts
alleged in It was received by the House; no
man attempted to deny the truth of its.coutentri but
it was never taken into consideration ; and there it
lies, unacted upon and unanswered to this day
f' Authentic Copy of a Petition• praying for a Re.
4erm in Paeiitagesti, preiented to the House of
Commons by CHARLES GlIEv, Esq. on Monday,6th

of May,
" TO CUE MOMOOBABLZ THE COMMONS 01" GREAT
TAIN IN PAALLIMENT ASSEMBLED.

" %mem'
That by 'the form and spirit of.the British Con-
stitution, the King is vested with the sole Executive
Power. That- the House of Lords Consists of
Lords Spiritual and Temporal, deriving their titles
and consequence either from the Crown or heredi-
tary privileges.—That these two powers, if they
acted withodt ciantroul, would form either a despo-
tic monarchy, or a dangerous oligarchy.—That the
wisdom of our.ancestors hath contrived, that these
aut:iorities may be rendered not only harmless, but
beneficial, and exercised for the security and hap- ,
piness of the people.—That this security and hap-
piness are tolielooked for in the introduction ofj
a third estate, distinct from, and a check upon, the
other two branches of the Legislature; created by, ;
represented, and responsible to, the people them-
selves.—That so much depending upon the presen-
tation of this third estate, in such its constitutional
purity and strength, your Petitioners are reason- ;
ably jealous of whatever may appear to vitiate the
one, or to impair the other.—That at the present
day the House of Commons does not fully and
fairly represent the People of England, which,
consistently with what your Petitioners conceive to
be the principles of the Constitution, they consider
as a grievance, and therefore, with all becoming re-1
sprct, lay their complaints before your Honourable !
ilouse.—That though the terms in which your Peti-
tioners state their grievances may be looked upon as
strong, yet your Honourable Rouse is entreated to
believe that no expression is made vise of for the
purpose of offence, Your Petitioners, in affirming
that your Honourable Bowe is not an adequate re-
presentation of the People of England, do but state
a fact, which, if the word " Representation" be
• accepted in its fair and obvious sense, they are ready
to prove, and which. they think detrimental to their
Interests, and contrary to the spirit of the Constitu-
tion.—How far this inadequate representation is pre-
judicial to their own interests, your Petitioners ap-
prehend they may be allowed to decide for them-
selves ; but how far it is contrary to the spirit of the
Constitution, they refer to the co,tsideration of your
Honourable House.--If your Honourable House
shall be pleased to determine that the People of Eng-
land ought not to be fully represented, 'oar Peti-
tioners pray that such yourdetermination may bemade
known, to the end that the people may be apprised
of their real situation • but if your Honourable
House shall conceive diet the people are already
fully represented, then your Petitioners beg leave to
tail ycior attention to the following facts :—Your Pe-
titioners complain, that the'numbe:of Representatives
assigned to the different counties is grossly dispropor.
tionate to their compaiative extent, population, and
trade:—Your Petitioners complain, that the elective
franchise is so partially and unequally distributed,
and is in so many instances committed to bodies of
men of such very limited numbers, that the majo-
rity of your Honourable House is elected by less
,than fifteen thousand electors, which, even if the
male adults in the kingdom be estimated at so low a
number as three millions, is not more than the two
bundredth part of the people tq be represented.—
Your Petitioners complain, that the right of voting
It regulated by no uniform or rational principle.—
Your Petitioners complain, that the exercise of the
elective franchise is only renewed once in seven
Saeirs.—Your Petitioners thus distinctly state the
subject matter of their complaints, that your Ho.;
moil ratite House mile be convinced that they are act.
ing from no spirit of general discontent, and that you
may with the more case be enabled to enquire into
the facts, and to apply the remedy.—For the evidence
in support of the first complaint,. your Petitioners
refer to the return book of your lionoarable House.
—ls it fitting, that Rutland and Yorkshire should
hear 119 equal rank in the scale of County. Repre-
Pentation ; or can it he right, that Common alone
should, by its extravagant proportion of Borough
Members, outnumber not only the Represents-
tivts of Yorkshire and Rutland together, bet of
Middlesex added to them ? Or, if a distinction be
taken between the landed and the trading ilterest,
new it not appear monstrous that Cornwall and
Wiltshire should send more Borough Members
to Parliament, than Yorkshire, Lancashire, War-
ts ickshire, Middlesex, Worcestershire, and Somer.
setshire united ? and that the total representation
of all Scotland should but exceed by one Member,
the number returned for a single county in England?
--The second complaint of your Petitioners is found.:
ed on the unequal proportions in which the elective
franchise is distributed ; and in support of it they
affirm, that seventy of your Honourable Members are
returned by thirty-five places, where the right- of
voting is vested in burgage and other tenures of a
similar description, and in which it would be to
trifle with the patience of your Honourable House,
to- mention any number of voters whatever, the elec-
tions at the places alluded to being notoriously a
mere matter of form. A.A.-this your Petitioners
ore ready to prove.—They affirm, that in addition to
the seventy honourable Membarcso chosen, ninety
more of your honourable Members are elected by
forty-sle'places, in slope of width the number of
voters exceeds fifty. And this yowl. Petitioners are
ready to prove.—They affirm, that in addition to
the hundred and sixty so elected, thirty-seven more
of your Honourable Members are .elected by nine-
tees *awl in own of whictt the number of voters