The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-07-17
continuance in place of corrupt, weak and

o. Ne$0Ded unanimously, mat IN the
years 1879 and 1850 under the infamous
government of Charles ii the city of London.
and other parts of the country. pe,i,ioned
the king for redress of grievances and the Sit
ting of parliament.
That various counter petitions were presen
ted to his majesty expressive of their abhor-
ence OF the said petitioning. as tumultuous &c
sedi,ious, and encroachng on the royal pre-
negatives.
That on the 21st of Oct. 1850, the parlia.
mept met, and its first acts we've to expel
abhorrers. and to pass vote. That it is,
and ever hath been, the undoubted right of
the subject to petition the king for calling of
Parliaments. and redressing grievances
that to traduce such petitioning, as viola
ton OF duty, and to represent it to his majes-
" as tumultuous and setitous, is to betray
the liberty of the subject, and to contribute
to the design of subverting the ancient legal
constitution of the kingdom ;" and they APP
pointed committee " to inquire after all
those who had offended against those rights,
and accordingly expelled several of its mem
bers, and petitioned his majesty to remove
others from places of trust"
That on the 29ih of October. 1850. the
commons voted" That sir F Withers, by
presenting to his majesty an address, express
sing AN adherence TO petition his males
~ for the calling and sitting of parliament,
hath betrayed the undoabted rights of the
subjects of England; and that the said sir F
Withers be expelled the house for this high
crime"
That for the exercise of the untloubted
right OF petitioning, the City Chapters were
seized by quo warranto and it was argued
for the CITY by sir George Freely, their Re-
eorder-" That the constitution and the law
CT the land had given to the subject the right
Sf peutlonng. and OF access to the Supreme
Sovernor, to represent To him their erie van
ces. and to pray redress of them !; and :hat
che same law gave them also a right to state
IN their petitions those facts and reasons
which caused their grievances, provided
those facts were true" And further,
- nat as there was one part OF the constitu
zion which gave the king power to prorogue,
so there was another part of the constitution
chat gave the subject an original right TO
petition for redress of grievances and that.
therefore, to punish man shelving in his
petition hose grievances which ne desires to
be redressed, and the causes Of them was
fhe same hing as to deny him the right of
Petitionng and thar such denial would infer
oppression and the most AFFECT slavery; for
when subjects are misused. and grieved, and
are denied the liberty TO complain, and pray
the king to redress those grievances or shall
be punished for petitioning against them.
they must necessarily be abiect slaves"
9. Resolved, That these arguments hav
ing bren'over- ruled by venal Judges, indg
ment was obtained against the city the alb
horrcrS fer time triumphed The liberties
OF the people, with the right of pettioning
was subverted; and The succeeding mon
arch, in Consequence thereof driuen from, his
Tyrone and domiHions.
A. the revolution Of 1888 in the Bill of
Rights. " the undoubted right of the sub
ject to petition" was. among other things
d claimed, demanded, and insisted up
on
This right has been of late again invaded
the people oppressed with Unprecedented
grievances and calamites, have been deni
nave Seer to .hsfe GsoSSsregn their petitions
mons. and thei' grievances remain unheard
and unredressed.
thc exploded doctrine of passive obedi
ence has been revived i'm all it's extraya
gance, and new race of abhorrcrs have
sprung up, who, like the abhorrers in the
days OF Charles the Second. by the fouiest
calumnies, by vilifying and traducinp the
petitions Of the people are, lin the empha
tic language of the then House of Commons.
q betraying the liberties of the subject. and
contributing to the design Of subverting the
ancient legal constitution of the Kingdom. {"
That as the corrupt partiCipators in pub.
Tic abuse, under the mask of loyalty, sub
verted the liberties of the kingdom, and in
volved James the Second in ruin, so The cor
rupt and unprincipled of the present day.
under the same legal pretence, would in
volve the country and sovereign in similar
difficulties, if suffered to persist. 1t there
fore becomes the imperious duly of everv
real friend to the country to resist their mis-
chievous designs by recurring to he genu-
inc principles of the constitution, and by II
sing every legal means for obtaining full
Sair, and free representation of the people
in parliament
10 RESOLVED, That inseparably attached
60 our glorious constitution we admire, ven
crate, and will support and defend our king
our lords, and cur commons, in their res
pectivs and collective capacities, with all
their just prerogatives, rights and privile-
Bes; but we cah never Consent to grant se
paratcly to king, lords, or commons, a pow
er contrary to, and above the laws of the
land which are and must continue to be the
results of their collective wisdom and autho-
Kitty.
II Resolved, That notwithstanding the
rejection of our late petition, we still f.el it
our duty to give to the House of Commons
every opportunity of hearing and redressing
the grievances of the people, and that an
humble address, petition, and remembrance
be presented to that honorable house.
IL. Resolved, That the said petition be
fairly transcribed and signed by the Lord
Mayor, the Aldermen and ten Liverymen.
and presented to the House of Commons
b, H. c. Com6e. Esq. enc OF their represen-