The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1817-01-08

ne Just wishes and expectations OF the
people for economy and retrenchmen,
expectations which, from the recon.
'msndstioh 70 q economy contained in the
Speech from the Throne, at the open.
ing OF the last Session OF Parliament,we
had every reason to hope would not b,
disappointed and our alarm is the
more increased, because since that time
We have heardthe complaints Of the
country against the hardness shd rn-
Willingness OF Ministers 10 make The
necessary retrercbmeDts, insultingly
denominatcd by one OF themselves, an
Ignorant impstehce Of taxation )" and
because We have seen these Ministers,
In despite Of the growing dis,resses OF
the nation, persist in the most lavish
waste and expenditure OF the public
money; calling for immense sums TO
Fn=e, the craving Unsuitable Civil List
increasing, instead of diminishing, the
cXorbitant salaries Of public officers
with large salaries annexed TO them;
adding TO, instead al reducing, the al
ready ovcrgrown list Of unmeritGd pen
sions and slnecufes and TO crown all,
because we have seen them in time
OF profound peace, keep up an enor-
| nous standing army OF 10000 men,
| one part OF which, in open contempt OF
| those principles which placed the House
vi Brunswick on the British Throne,
Is employed abroad for the purpose OF
supporting on the Throne OF France
Family Obnoxious 10 the majority 1f lhc
people, and the other part at home, Tor
purposes which We camnet but think
| hlBiiy dangerous 40 all those rights, III
berries, and privileges, which, as BIZ
tons, we have hitherto considered TO
be our birthright and inheritance.
Oh. lhat-it is the decided conviction
OF tbIs Meeting, that the grand and
primary cause! OF ali tue evils under
which the eauutry now suffers, is the
radically detective and corra2t state OF
the Representation in the Commons
House: aud that It is solely in conse
quence Of this that the people have
been deprived of their legal share III,
,he Government OF the country; thai
they have lost all constitutional con. TO.
over those who should DC the guardi
avs CT the public purse, tbat they no
| longer possess any security TO" the ell
Ioyment OF their legal rights, liberties.
and privileges that their property has
been placed at the mercy Ola corrupt
and usurping Borough Faction; ana
that MIniaters, through the prepondcr-
| rating weight OF ali undue influence,
have oeen enabled 10 prosecute those
Ubiquitous measures WHICH at lengbt,
| 81 ought the Country 10 the verge oil
ruin.
Yin. That il is lact but too we'll
authenticated, that the great majority
oil the people, in Scotland at least, nave
| no voice Intfie election Of members Of
Parliament, and consequently, no guar
| antee whatever for the andislurbed en-
| Joyment of any one OF their legal rights
and privileges; fer, although Scotland
contains near Two million oil Inhabitants,
yet, in tie election of The Is Members
returned 10 Parlia.nent from the 6s
! Royal Durghs, 90 persons only ar.
| permitted TO have voice, and the go
| Members for The Counties are chosen
by about 2,eoo, making about 2,7oO in
all, who are strictly and properly speak
ing. represented in Parliament and
who, in Justic ought alone to be held
responsible for that share OF the public
debt and other burdens, which their
Representatives have en,ailed upon the
country.
9th. That, under all the alarming,
The distressing, and the degrading cir.
cumstances which have now been spe.
cliied, it ia the decided opinion OF
this meeting that there is no other
means of relief, no other way of salts
lying and tranquilizing the minds OF
the people, for the present, or of secur.
ing them for the fsture, but by com
piete change, of the political system of
Enthusiastically a return from
wrong TO right and from injustice 10
tJustice--by an immediate reduction of
all unnecessary public burdens, and the
practice of economy in every depart.
IN. Gt OF the public expenditure--aDd,
above all, by speedily returning TO the
first principles Of the Constitution, and
restoring 10 the people their undoubted
right, that Of freely, equally and annu
ally electiDg their own Representa-.
lives to Parliament.
9th That VIXEN the ms eterate ma.
Iufe OF the present system of corrup
ton is considered, and the power and
Number OF that detestable Faction
which Is interested in supporting it,