Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-06-08

sxecutIoner In his owo cause; much
less to assume, accumulate, and exer
else all those offices in his own per-
son.
We are also convinced that the re-
fusal of your honorable house to in
quire into the conduct Of lord Castle
reagh and Mr. Percevai, then two of
his majesty's ministers, when distinct
" charged with the sale of seat in
your honorable house, evidence of
which was offered at the bar by a
member of your honorable house /;
and tho avowal IN your honorable
house, "that such practices was as
notorious as sun at noon-day,p prac..
tees, at the bare mention of which,
the speaker declared, that our aoces-
tors would have startled with indigna-
ton; and the conmittal of sir F. Bur-
dett to prison, enforced by military
pow r; are circumstances which rem
der evident the imperious necessity of
an Immediate reform In tLe represen-
tatioo of the people.
We therefore most earnestly call
upon your honorable house to restore
20 us our representative and, accord
ing to the notice he has given, to take
the state Of the representa- ion of the
people intoyour serious consideration !;
a reform in which, is, in our opinion,
the only means of preserving the peo-
pie from military despotism.
The hon. Mr.. Ward could notcon-
sent to the reception of what he con-
sidered a gross and glaring violation
of the dignity of that house--( Hear,
HearD He chiefly objected to the
wording ofthe petition, and thought
the Introduction of the term I" remon-
strauce" particularly indecorous. He
trusted that the petition would beuna-
nimously rejected by the house.
Mr.. Hall was Totally inandible in
the gallery.
Mr.. Curwen also objected TO the
of the petition, but thought
it ought not on that account to be re-
jected altogether. Perhaps the bes,
way would be to have it for the present
Withdrawn, in order that after IT had
been subjected to the revision Of the
petitioner it might be again present
ed in less Objectionable terms.
Mr.. Washington thought, that,
though the house ought 70 receive a
petition, still they were not bound to
submit to insult.
. .
Mr.. Whitbread was exceedingly
sorry that any objection whatever had
been raised TO the reception of the
petition. He wished TO have heard the
opinion of the chancellor of the exche.
quer on the subject before he gave
his own but still he had no hesitat or
in saying, that though he objected &c
inany of the phrases in which the pc
tition was couched, yeti the house on
that account rejected it, they would be
led into most violent act. The pc.
tition proceeded from meeting high.
~ respectable, convened according &c
law, and conducted in the most order
ly manner. The grounds therefore ol
its rejection should not be slight. An
objection had been made TO the intro
duction of the word remonstrance, bu,
the word itself conveyed no indignity
it was used in every petition to the
crown, and such petition was never
objected To on that ACT cunt. The e.
lectors Of Westminster were indignant
at thu arrcst and iInpri 81 nnent OF Que
of their representatives for what they
considered an cable, legal, and constr
tutional arguments" 50 FAR as it was
with them matter of opinion, and
they had right to express their OPT
Mon. As to the other point Of their
complaint---lbe acq ajttal Of Mr.. Per-
eeval and lord Casglercagh, that also,
az i appeared on the minutes of that
house, they had a rishtto comment
o. and still more had they a right to
express their concurrence in the OPT.
mons so ably exprs ssed by the speak
er, 70 the great instruction of the house,
and delight OF the country, and which
they might have seen faithfully report
ed in the very phrases in which they
were uttered. With respect to the
mode of exc cutting the speakers war
rant, after all that had passed, he did
no. wonder that doubts existed on the
subject Was it surprising, after the