The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-05-22
&tsrODg.
SIR FRANCIS BURDEIT.

<he IoilowlnS extraordinary publication
appeared in CGbbett's Register Of March
"a:
Sir Francis Burdest TO his Constituencies
denying the fio7ver Of The House Of Com
mons 10 im1hrison tie Peohle Of Eng
lind
GENTLEMEN,
The house of Commons having
passed vote, which amounts to a declara.
ton, that an order Of theirs is to be OF more
weight than Magma Charta and the Laws
OF the Land, think il my duty To lay rly
sentiments thereon before my constituents,
whose character, as free men, and even
whose personal safety, depend in 50 great
degree upon the decision of this Question:
| a question OF no less importance than this ::
whether our liberty be still to be secured
| by the laws OF our forefatners, or be 20 lie
al the absolute mercy OF part of our fe,
ow subjects collected together by means
which 1t is not necessary for me to describe
| In order to give to this subject all the at
tention to which it is entitled, and to avoid
the danger to be unprecedented from partial
views and personal feeling, it will be advi
| sable to argue the question on its own me-
iits,. putting the individual (however we
may depiOre his present sufierings) out of
view; though, at the same time, every man
ought to consider the case his own because
should the principle upon which the Gen.
tlemeD of the House o: Commons have tho't
| proper to act In this instance, be once ad
mitsed, 1T is impossible for any one to con
Jecture how SOON he himself may be sum
moned from his dwelling, and be hurried,
without trial, and without oath made against
him, from the bosom Of his family, into the
clutches of jaiior 1t is therefore now the
time to resist the doctrine upon which Mr..
Jones has been sent to Newgate or it is
hiSh time to cease all pretensions to those
liberties, which were acquired by our fore
fathers. after 50 many struggles, and so ma .
ny sacrifices.
Either the House of Commons is autho
| riSed to dispense with the Laws OF the Land
or is it not. If the Constitution be of so de
licate texture, so weak n frame, so fragile
a substance, that it is to be only spoken of
in terms of admiration. and 10 be viewed
rneraiy as apiece OF curious but Improbable
workmanship if Magma Charta, and air
the wholesome laws of England, be a dead
| letter; in that case the affirmative Of the
ipropOSitioi may be admitted but If the
Constitution lives, and is applicable to its
I end namely. the happiness of the communi-
ty, The perfect security of the life, liberty
and property OF each member, and all the
members OF the society, then the affirmative
OF the proposition Can never be admitted -
then must we be freedmen; for We need no
better security, no more powerful protection,
Tor Our rights and liberties, than the Laws
aBd Constitution. We seek for, and we need
seek for, nothing new We ask for no more
than what our toreiathcrS insisted UPON as
their OWE 1; we ASK Tor no more than what
they bcQueathed unto lis; we ask for no more
than what they, in the Testament which
some OF them had sealed, ard witch the
rest of them were ready to seal with their
blood, expressly declared TO be "the Birth.
right of the People of England" namely,
"tne Laws of England" 10 these Laws we
have right to look, with confidence, for
security; 10 these Laws the Individual now
imprisoned has, through me, applied tor re-.
dress III vain. Those who have imprisoned
him, have refascd to listen to my voice,
weakly expressing the strong principles OF
the Law, the nj .eDiabe claims of this En-
glshman's birth right" Your voice may
cOne with more force may Command greater
respect; and i am not without hope that il
may prove irresistible, If it proclaim TO the
House OF Commons, in the same tone as the
tcgues OF our ancestors proclaimed to the
; kings Of cid, " Nolumus Leges Anglia Muta-
1:" or he our own more clear aud not less
forcbe language, the laws of England
shall not be changed"
we are Eow contendiog, is the same princi
pie tor which the people of England have
coutended from the earliest ages, and their
glorious success in which contests are now
upon record ia the Great Charter of OUT
. rights aud Liberties, and in divers Other
subsequent Statutes Of scarcely less impor.
tauce. il was dis same great principle
which was again attacked by Charles IN,
First, in the measure of ship monies, whei
again the people OF E0gIa'id, and an uncor.
rupted House of Commons, renewed the con
test a Contest winch ended in the impri
Sonment, the trial, the condemnation, ant
the Execution Of that III advised KING -
the self same principle il wsS, that was 81
daringly violated by his son James the 5e
cond; for which violation he was compel
led to flee from the just indignation of tht
people, who not only stript bim of mis- crown
5 but who prevented that crown from descend
ing to his family. In all these Contests, tn
. courage, perseverance, and fortiiude OF Oh
ancestors, conspicuous as they were, yer
J not more SO THAI their wisdom, for "a Is d
. long as VIC will about Rights, Liberties, Fran
( chises, Privileges and ImmuDitles. OF vim
D avail are aDy, or all Of these together, IL oI
JclSolts can, at he sole Nffl! aHt, cum,sfarfI +