The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-08
mo. 9.

| nc was ot thc Sood opinion OF his conieHlpo-
raries and of posterity--and who like him
who dare to- invade the law or the
Country Loud afhiauscs. He would
not be understood at all disposed to inter
iere With the just privileges of the house of
commons; nor did he think any part of his
coun'rymcn would countenance such dis
position, provided those privileges, which
TINS house possessed for It's protection against
arbitrary ministers, were nc. in subseryien.
cy TO the wish Of such ministers, perverted
INTO weapons OF attack against the people.
{ .dhfl0UScs. If the houss. OF Commons
CLAIMED and used those privileges oniy
which were essential to the legitimate Oh.
ject and proper conduct of their deiibe nat,.,
Gus for the public benefit, no one would be
JUSTIFIED IN complaining. 1t they employed
their pnwer only to renroye obstructiaps, 70
pre- the Interruption of their proceed
inSs; IT, circumstance, they had sept to ,,ri-
soii q county member. who had lately ac-
ted with so much rudeDess and impropriety
afnong them, not murmur would have
been heard but they treated with lenity
that which was obviously wrong ard oifen-
siVc, while they fastened their severity uD-
on a mere argnmentativc discussion. But
this was not all. Mr. Reeve Published a
pamphlet, in which he stated, chat both
houses of Parliament might be abolished
without injury--that the constitution might
IN tact be snbverted. provided the monarchy
remained, and all would go on well. For
this extraordinary publication Mr.. Reeve
was brought before that house but he was
afforded the chance of a fair trial by having
ms case referred to the attorney general e
Jury of his country. This Mr. Reeve was
acquitted, aad SIR Francis Burdctt was sent
TO the Flower without any trial Thus,
while the case Of n professed foe Of the con-
sutution was referred to law, Sir Francis
kurdett was sent TO prison against the law,
merely Tor asserting the best principles OF
tie constitution But he did not think the
com mittal of Sir Francis BurGett arose cut
OF the publication of tnat-letter, which form
ed the os,ensihe ground of complaint No
1t was the consequence of the uniform
tenor OF the worthy Bsropet's !ifc--it was a
punishment inflicted upon him for his active
eXeftlons in favor of libertv-for his indefa-
tlgable ,irmness and integrity in the cause Of
the people. The late publication and con
duct OF the worthy baronet was, in fact, but
plea, or apology, of which these enemies,
whom his virtue provoked, gladly availed
themselves to subject him 10 persecution.
Indeed. the conduct of the house of commons
towards his truly excellent character was
sufficient, if no other evidence existed, to
convince every candid man of the necessity
which called for reform. But how various
ana how strong was the evidence Of that ne.
cessIty which occurred of late years in this
country When it was recollected that "a
priva.e Individual was condemned to lg
months imprisonment for attempting cor
ruptiy to obtain a seat in the house cf COM
mons, while minister Qord Easilereaeh)
was acquitted OF the same offence, under.
aggravated circumstances, merely in Conse.
qnence OF the notoriety Of the crime, who
Could doubt of the necessity of reforms? But
me reasons were glaring which called for
ans reform. How lamentaJle was it, that
while the people had SO much occasion TO
communicate with their sovereign, they
were utterly preoluded from thatcommuni-
cation: that probably his majesty knew
nothing of the last petition addressed to hins
from that meeting. Thus was the old and
Wholesome practice of the constitution set
ASIDE, and the people being obliged to com.
mt to the hands of those very ministers Of
whom they had reason to complain, the PEE
huons containing those complaints, instead
Ut presenting them 70 the sovereign. accor..
d,ng.to ancient Custom. they were deprived
OF all chance Of redress. But such grie.
vances COULD only be remedied by reform.
(Hftfiause
The resolutions being agreed to-, the fol-
lowing letter to Sir Francis Burdett was also
read and agreed to; as was the petition to
the house of commons.
THIS Letter mas in tie last Enquirer.
Cpon tie motion If thanks TO lord .Cocb-
ranc being adopted, the noble lord stood
forward. and after the acclamations with
which he was received had concluded, the
noble lord addressed the meeting as fol-
lows:
Electors of Westminster, offer nyselfto
your notice at this most important moment,
although not embarrassedin sentiment. vet
struggling with feelings, in the expression Of
WHICH almost hnd' myself overpowered.
can. and do most freely sympathize with Won
IN rejecting upon the serious subject which
has this day convened US together. In re-
Hecting how by the iron hand Of power,
stretched to its utmost bound, fellow sub
ject has been dragged from the bosom of his
family, and subjected t0unde 6ued imprison.
ment, IN the alb ence not alone Of the sub-
stautiai process Of that which constitutes a
fairtrial, but even without the ordinary forms
ct the law Of the land. { Hear !kear!') Such
a hardship inflicted upon any subject, must
under any circumstances be a question Of Sc.
r1ous alarm, but how much more aggravated
IN IT'S consequences--how -nuch more to be
regretted by the people of this great city,
when We consider it has been inflicted upon
him who so deseryedly stands high in our
estimation Upon that man, IF whom it NAV
be truly spoken, that he dAres to be honest,
in the worst OF times. { Near tear J
have tohcpe that the constitutional protest
of the peCOlc OF this empire arainet aurh a