Page images
PDF
EPUB

revenues.

We likewife voted the last week

above 600,000l. as the laft parliament had above 500,000l. much above a million in all, on the fame pretext of paying the debts of the King, when his Majefty had enjoyed a competent revenue of 800,cool. clear of all deductions and contingencies, and those debts were of the most suspicious nature, even as to the independency of this Houfe. Let us not therefore, fir, affect more tenderness for the laft parliament in fo flagrant an inftance of injustice, as the cafe of the Middlefex Elec-" tions, than we have fhewn to them, and to ourfelves too, in other refpects. We ought, if we are men of honour and principle, to dọ juftice to all the Electors of this kingdom, and by a formal repeal to make fatisfaction to those zealous defenders of liberty, the fpirited freeholders of this injured and infulted county.

I defire, fir, to recall to the memory of many gentlemen, what paffed in this Houfe in the laft parliament on one of the great debates refpecting the Middlefex Elections. A noble Lord, the darling of his country, as well as the favourite of our army, whofe memory is dear to every Englishman, for he joined to the bravery

bravery of Cæfar all the mild and gentle qualities of our English hero, Edward the Black Prince, that noble Lord, fir, ftood up in his place here, and folemnly asked pardon of his country for having, as he faid, wounded the constitution, and violated the rights and privileges of this kingdom by voting as he had done in this Houfe in the business of the Middlefex Elections. He did not stop there. He was anxious to make public +reparation for a mistaken opinion-but of fuch momentand he afterwards joined the Oppofition in an important queffion respecting the difcontents of the people on this very fubject. We may all, fir, imitate the love of juftice and candour, if we cannot reach the high courage of that illuftrious, immortal character, the late Marquis of Granby.

While the Refolution, which I have mentioned, is fuffered to continue on our Journals, I fhall believe, fir, that the elective rights

+ Lord Granby himself thought proper to condemn, retract, and difavow, by a moft folemu declaration in the House of Commons, that very fyftem of political conduct, which Junius had held forth, to the difapprobation of the public.

Junius, vol. 1. p. 51.

tights of the nation lie at the mercy of the Minifter, that is in fact of the Crown, and that the dignity and independency of parliament are in danger of being entirely destroyed. It is evident, that no gentleman now holds his feat by the choice of his conftituents, but only by the good-will, and at the pleasure, of the Minifter, or by the Royal permiffion. The tenure is equally precarious, and unjust, for the conftitution has clearly lodged in the people the right of being represented in this House, by the man, who is the object of their choice. A committee can never have but that fingle queftion to determine, provided the party is by law eligible, and has purfued only thofe methods, which are waranted by law. I will seize every opportunity of importuning, of conjuring the Houfe, if they have any reverence for the laws, utterly to refcind this unconftitutional and iniquitous refolution. We owe it to the prefent, and to every future, age, and therefore I move, "that the Refo"lution of the Houfe of the 17th of Fe"bruary 1769, that John Wilkes, Efquire, "having been, in this Seffion of Parliament, ex“pelled this Houfe, WAS, and IS, incapable of

"being

« being elected a Member to serve in this prefent "Parliament, be expunged from the Journals "of this Houfe, as being fubverfive of the .. rights of the whole body of Electors of "this kingdom.”

VOL. II.

I

Extract

Extract from " A Report from the Commit"tee appointed (upon the 27th day of "March 1771) to examine into the several

facts and circumftances relative to the "late obftructions to the execution of the "Orders of this Houfe; and to confider what "further proceedings may be requifite to "enforce a due obedience thereto; and to 66 report their proceedings, together with "their opinion, from time to time, to the "House."

The Committee appointed to examine into the feveral facts and circumftances relative to the late obftructions to the execution of the orders of this Houfe, and to confider what further proceedings may be requifite to enforce a due obedience thereto, and to report their proceedings, together with their opinion, from time to time, to the Houfe, have, in obedience to the Order of the House, begun by examining into the facts and circumftances relating to the late obftructions to the Orders of the House; and, in order thereto, called before them,

William

« PreviousContinue »