Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-05-11
6oreiou News.
The Chartist Petition.
TO the Hon. the Commons of Great Britain and


TO the Hon. the Commons Of Great Britain and
Ireland in Parliament assembled
We, the undersigned inhabitants Of the British
Isles, and subjects of The British Crown, thus a.
vail ourselves of the constitutional privilege of
submitting The consideration ofour political rights
and wrongs to your honorable house, in the hope
that they will receive from you that degree of
attention which the importance Of the one and
the oppresslveness of the other demand from the
guardians of the civil, social, and religious rights
of the people.
Your petitioners declare, that the great end of
oil governmental institutions should be the pro-
lection OF life, the security Of property, the pro-
motion of education and morality, and the dltfu-
sion Of happiness among all classes.
That your petitioners consider the only legiti-
mate basis of all equitable government Is the ex-
preston OF the mind Of the whole male adult
population, through the untrammele6 agency Of
the franchise
That your petitioners regard the representation
in Parliament of every man of sound mind as
right compatible with, and sustained by, the laws
Of nature and of God, and mans prlvalion by
his fellow creatures of such right is an act which
If federated, evidences the existence of tyranny
and injustice upon the one hand, and servily
and degradation upon the other.
That your petitioners regard the Reform Bill
as unjust, as it restricts the right of citizenship
to one seventh Of the male adult community, and
stamps the other sixth seveuths with the stigma
of political iuferiorlty.
Ihat the system which your petitioners ar
raign before the judgment of your honorable
house, renders seven men subseryient TO the will,
caprice, and dominance of one; that it not only
establishes the ascendancy of small minority of
the empire, but II invests minority of The small
enfranchsed fraction with the power of return
ing a maority ofyour honorable house.
hat non hav ri a
valid reason urged for maintaining the present
representative system, and that the arguments
pleaded against The admission of the people 10
the lmlnnnlties which The social contract should
guarantee, are based upon class sefshness, pref
pdices, and contracted views of humanity.
That your petitioners hold the elective fran
chise not 10 be trust, as has been absurdiy rep
resented, but right inherent in every man for
the preservation OF his person, liberty and pro-
perry, which is to DC exercised to the best of the
possessors judgment without let or hndTance
from his neighbor.
That your petitioners, believing the principle
of universal suffrage to be based upon those C.
ternal rights of man which, although kept in
abeyonce can neither be allenated nor destroyed,
appeal TO your honorable house to make such Or
ganlc reforms in our representative system as
will make that principle the foundation upon
which shall stand the Commons House Of Par
Lament Of Treat Britain,
That your petitioners, in order that the cleo
tor may possess perfect security in the exercise
of his franchise, pray that the voting at elections
for members OF Parliament be taken by ballot.
Your petitioners, aware Of the great, coercve,
and corrupted power possessed by wealth and
station over the poor eector, see no hope Of Sc
curing purity of election aud genuineness ofrep-
resenatloD, but in throwing the protective man.
tie of the ballot over the electoral body.
That your petitioners regard the present inc
quality of representation 10 be opposed 10 COM
mon sense and inilnlcal to a genuine represent
taton of the people. They therefore appeal 10
your honorable house to remedy this defect in
the legislative machinery, by the division Of the
country into equal electoral districts, assigning
to each district one representative.
That your petitioners hold the Legislature, G.
oually with the executive, to be the servants OF
the people, and consequently entitled to remu-
neraion at the public expense; and, believing
that the House of Commons should be the min
lister and not the master of the people, call upon
you to establish their just relative positions by
fixing an equitable salary for the service of its
members.
That your petitioners consider septennial Par
liaments UNJUST as they prevent, for SIX years out
of seven, those who are annually arriving at ma
turitv from exercising the right Of suffrage
Your petitioners also consider that seven years
is too long term for the existence of a Parlla-
ment; period that affords an opportunity TO ve-
nal and time serving men 10 promote their self
ish interests at the expense of those whose well
fare should be the ultimate of all their labors
Your petitioners, therefore, entreat your honora-
Bile house to create between the Representative
and the represented that salutary responsibility
indispensable TO good government, by the resto
ration Of the ancient wholesome practice Of an
nual Pariamenis
That your petitioners complain that seat IL
the Commons House of Parliament should be
contingent upon the possession OF property of an,
description, as they have yet to learn that legis
lative talent is the exclusive prerogative of any
order of nen; and therefore pray for the abol
ton of what is termed the "property quallfica
ton"
That your petitioners respectfully direct you
attention to the document entitled "The PeoI lei
Charter" which emUodles the principles and de
tails for securing the full and equitable repre-
sentation Of the male adult population, whic
document they earnestly pray your bonorabl
house to forthwith enact as the law OF the realm
Should the members Of your honorable hons
entertain any doubts as to The justice OF our de
mands, your petitioners humbly entreat to b
heard at the bar Of your honorable house by cour
sci or agents in support OF these claims
And your petitioners, NC.