TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE. "Sir, "At a crifis fo important as the prefent, there needs no apology on the part of the "London Correfponding Society," for addreffing itself to all other affociated Societies, who have in view the fame object as them. felves. "To the "Society of the Friends of the People," arguments are not wanting to fhew the importance and abfolute neceffity of a full and fair reprefentation of the people of Great Britain. They have investigated the fubject for themfelves; they have expofed to the world a series of plain and indifputable facts, which muft excite in the mind of every man well difpofed to his Country, apprehenfions of alarm for the fecurity of the few veftiges of liberty, from which, as Britons, we derive confolation. "Deeply impreffed with confiderations of this nature, the London Correfponding Society earnestly folicits, at this time, the concurrence and affiftance of the Society of the Friends of the People, in affembling, as speedily as the nature of the bufinefs will admit, a Convention of the Friends of Freedom, for the purpose of obtaining, in a legal and conftitutional method, a full and effectual reprefentation. "Our request is not made from the impreffions of the moment, but after the maturest deliberations on the value and importance of the object for which we are contending, and of the difficulties we may expec from those whose present interefts render them more hoftile to the wel fare of their country. "The oppofition of fuch perfons is no fmall argument for the goodnefs of our caufe; and their late conduct, when compared with their former profeffions, exhibits a depravity unparelleled, we truft, on the page of history. Under the aufpices of apoftate reformers, we have lately beheld ferious and alarming encroachments on the liberties of the people. "We have feen with indignation and horror men legally and peaceably affembled, difperfed by unconftitutional powers, and their papers feized. "We have seen fome of our most virtuous brethren, whofe only crime has been an imitation of Mr. Pitt and his affociates, fentenced to fourteen years tranfportation, without the fanction of law, or even of precedent, of which number, one was held up in the British Parliament as convicted and condemned, before he was even put upon his trial. "The infidious attempts alfo to introduce foreign troops into this country without the consent of Parliament, and the intended Bill to embody foreigners into his Majefty's fervice, are measures fufficiently calculated to awaken our fears for the existence even of the name of liberty. Nor can we overlook that part of the prefent fyftem of corruption which maintains, out of the public plunder, a train of fpies, more dangerous to fociety than fo many aflaflins, whofe avowed bufinefs is to deftroy the friends of the country one by one. "Thefe are the grievances which demand immediate redress, and when added to thofe evils which are neceffarily connected with every partial reprefentation of the people, call for the ftrenuous exertions of every lover of his country. "But we are told, that the prefent is not the time for reform, and that innovation may introduce diíturbance. Are thofe perfons to judge of the proper time to make a reform who exift only by corruption? Are the People of Britain to endure every thing without repining, without Without ardently feeking a radical reform, because difturbances may happen? Have the enemies to reform told us whence thefe difturbances are to originate? Has a fingle overt aft been committed by the friends to Freedom? Have not all the riots, all the public difturbances, all the feditious affemblies, been excited by the enemies to reform? And do they mean to tell us, that they will ftill find other inftruments for their wicked defigns; that they have yet thofe who will act over again the outrags that have been perpetrated in fome parts of Britain, and attempted in others? "If fuch is the determination of thofe perfons hoftile to a fair reprefentation, let them look to the confequences, but let them recollect that it has happened, and may happen again, that those who kindled the flames have perifhed by them." "The friends to reform are friends to peace; their principles can be promoted only by peaceable means; they know of no other method of obtaining the object they defire. But they will not be alarmed by the threats of venal apoftates, they will not draw back because they have feen fome of their best friends doomed to exile; they will purfue the course in which they have begun, and turn neither to the right nor to the left. "Convinced, as the London Correfponding Society is, that there is no power which ought, fo there is no power which can finally withstand the juft and fteady demands of a people refolved to be free, they will, therefore, look with confidence to the determination, and, they hope, to the co-operation of the" Society of the Friends of the People," in the attainment of an object which involves the dearest interests of fociety. "Convinced alfo that their intentions are of the pureft kind, they will never ftoop to answer the calumnies of their enemies; but will, at all times, and in all circumftances, endeavour, by firmnefs and perfeverance, to deserve the countenance and approbation of the best friends of their country, the friends of a fair representation of the people of Great Britain. "I am, Sir, "April 4, 1794. "Sir, "For the London Correfponding Society. " COMMITTEE ROOMS, Frith Street, April 11, 1794. "Your letter of the 4th inftant, addreffed to Mr. Sheridan, Chairman of the friends of the people, was laid before that Society at their meeting on Saturday last; and they instructed their Committee to thank the London Corresponding Society for their communication, and to exprefs the alarm they feel in common with every friend of liberty, at the late extraordinary proceedings of Government, fo ably detailed, and fo justly reprobated by your Society. They affure you, that all the friends of reform may look with confidence to the determination and co-operation' of this Society in every peaceable and conftitutional measure, which shall appear to them calculated to promote the object of their inftitution; but they do not think that which is recommended in your letter is likely to ferve its profeffed purpofe. They fear it will furnish the enemies of reform with the means of calumniating its advocates, and fo far from forwarding the caufe, will deter many from countenancing that which they approve.-For thefe reafons, the friends of the people must decline to fend delegates to the Convention proposed by the Londor Correfponding Society:-At the fame time, they renew their affurances of good will, and defire of preferving a proper understanding and cordiality among all the friends of Parliamentary reform, notwith 2 Standing ftanding any difference of opinion that may occur as to the best method of accomplishing it. "In name, and by order of the Committee, To Mr. T. HARDY, Secretary to the London "The following refolutions were then passed unanimously: "I. That this Society have beheld with rifing indignation, proportioned to the enormity of the evil, the late rapid advances of defpotifm in Britain; the invafion of public fecurity; the contempt of popular opinion; and the violation of all thofe provifions of the constitution intended to protect the people against the encroachments of power and prerogative. II. That our abhorrence and deteftation have been particularly called forth by the late arbitrary and flagitious proceedings of the Court of Justiciary in Scotland, where all the doctrines and practices of the Star Chamber, in the times of Charles the First, have been revived and aggravated; and where fentences have been pronounced in open violation of all law and justice, which muft ftrike deep into the heart of every man, the melancholy conviction that Britons are no longer free. III. That the whole proceedings of the late British Convention of the people, at Edinburgh, are fuch as claim our approbation and applaufe. "IV. That the conduct of Citizens Margarot and Gerrald in particular, by its strict conformity with our withes and instructions, and the ability, firmnefs, and difinterested patriotifin which it fo eminently dif played, has infpired an enthufiafm of zeal and attachment which no time can obliterate, and no profecution remove; and that we will preferve their names engraven on our hearts till we have an opportunity to redress their wrongs. "V. That any attempt to violate thofe yet remaining laws, which were intended for the fecurity of Englishmen against the tyranny of Courts and Minifters, and the corruption of dependent Judges, by vestin fuch Judges a legiflative or abitrary power (fuch as has lately been exercised by the Court of Jufticiary in Scotland) ought to be confidered as diffolving entirely the focial compact between the English nation and their governors; and driving them to an immediate appeal to that incontrovertible maxim of eternal juftice, that the fafety of the people is the jupreme, and in cases of necessity, the only law. "VI. That the arming and difciplining in this Country, either with or without the confent of Parliament, any band of Emigrants and foreigners, driven from their own country for their known attachment to an infamans defpetifm, is an outrageous attempt to overawe and intimidate the free fpirit of Britons; to fubjugate them to an army of mercenary cutthroats, whofe views and intereft muft of neceffity be in direct oppofition to those of the nation, and that no pretence whatever ought to induce the people to fubmit to fo unconstitutional a measure. VII. That the unconftitutional project of raifing money and troops by forced benevolences (and no benevolences collected upon requifition from the King or his Minifters can ever in reality be voluntary) and the equally unjustifiable measure of arming one part of the people against the other, brought Charles the First to the block, and drove James the Second and his pofterity from the Throne; and that confequently Minifters, in adviling fuch measures, ought to confider whether they are not guilty of High Treafon. "VIII. That "VIII. That this Society have beheld with confiderable pleasure, the confiftent respect which the Houfe of Lords difplayed for their own conftitutional rules and orders, on the fourth of the prefent month, upon the motion of Earl Stanhope, concerning the interference of Minifters in the Internal Government of France; and that it is the firm conviction of this Society, that this circumftance, when properly detailed, will have a confiderable effect in convincing the country at large, of the true dignity and utility of that branch of His Majesty's Parliament. "IX. That the thanks of this Meeting be given to Earl Stanhope, for his manly and patriotic conduct during the prefent Seffion of Parliament; a conduct which (unfupported as it has been in the Senate, of which he is fo truly honourable a Member) has, together with the timely interference of certain fpirited and patriotic affociations, been nevertheless already productive of the falutary effect of chafing the Heffian and Hanoverian mercenaries from our coafts; who, but for thefe exertions, might have been marched perhaps, ere this, into the very heart of the Country, together with others of their countrymen, to have peopled the barracks which every where infult the eyes of Britons. "X. That it is the firm conviction of this Society, that a steady perfeverance in the fame bold and energetic fentiments which have lately been avowed by the Friends of Freedom, cannot fail of crowning with ultimate triumph, the virtuous caufe in which we are engaged, fince whatever may be the interested opinion of hereditary Senators, or packed majorities of pretended Representatives, truth and liberty in an age so enlightened as the prefent, must be invincible and omnipotent." "This Society having already addressed M. Margarot, their Delegate, an addrefs to Jofeph Gerrald was read as follows, and carried unanimoufly. "To Jofeph Gerrald, a prifoner fentenced by the High Court of Jufticiary of Scotland, to Transportation beyond the Seas for Fourteen Years! "We behold in you our beloved and refpected friend and fellowcitizen, a martyr to the glorious caufe of equal reprefentation, and we cannot permit you to leave this degraded country without expreffing the infinite obligations the people at large, and we in particular, owe to you for your very spirited exertions in that cause upon every occafion; but upon none more confpicuoufly, than during the fitting of the British Convention of the People at Edinburgh, and the confequent proceeding (we will not call it trial) at the bar of the Court of Justiciary. "We know not which moft deferves our admiration, the fplendid talents with which you are fo eminently diftinguished; the exalted virtues by which they have been directed; the perfeverance and undaunted firmness which you fo nobly difplayed in refifting the wrongs of your infulted and oppreffed country; or your prefent manly and philofophical fuffering under an arbitrary, and till of late unprecedented fentence: a fentence, one of the most vindictive and cruel that has been pronounced fince the days of that most infamous and ever to-be detefted Court of Star Chamber, the enormous tyranny of which coft the first Charles his head. "To you and to your affociates we feel ourselves moft deeply indebted. For us it is that you are fuffering the fentence of transportation with felons, the vileft outcafts of fociety! For us it is that you are doomed to the inhofpitable fhores of New Holland; where, however, we doubt not you will experience confiderable alleviation by the re i membrance membrance of that virtuous conduct for which it is imposed on you, and by the fincere regard and efteem of your Fellow Citizens. "The equal laws of this Country have, for ages paft, been the boaft of its inhabitants: But whither are they now fled? We are animated by the fame fentiments, are daily repeating the fame words, and committing the fame actions for which you are thus infamoufly fentenced; and we will repeat and commit them until we have obtained redrefs; yet we are unpunished! either therefore the law is unjuft towards you in inflicting punifoment on the exertions of virtue and talents, or it ought not to deprive us of our fare in the glory of the martyrdom. "We again, therefore, pledge ourselves to you and to your country, never to ccafe demanding our rights from those who have ufurped them, until having obtained an equal reprefentation of the people, we shall be enabled to hail you once more with triumph to your native country. -We with you health and happiness; and be assured we never, never fhall forget your name, your virtues, nor your great example. The London Correfponding Society. "The 14th of April, 1794." "JOHN LOVETT, Chairman. “It was also unanimously resolved, "That the Committee of Correfpondence be directed to convey the approbation of this Society.-I. To Archibald Hamilton Rowan, prifoner in the Newgate of the city of Dublin, for his unfhaken attachment to the people, and for his fpirited affertion of their rights. "II. To John Philpot Curran, for his admirable and energetic defence of A. H. Rowan, and the principles of liberty, as well as for his patriotic condu&t in Parliament. "III. To the Society of United Irifhmen in Dublin, and to exhort them to perfevere in their exertions to obtain juftice for the people of Ireland. "IV. To Skirving, Palmer and Muir, fuffering the fame iniquitous fentences, and in the fame caufe with our Delegates. "V. To John Clark, and Alexander Reid, for their fo readily and difintereftedly giving bail for our Delegates, inftigated thereto folely by their attachment to liberty, uninfluenced by any personal confide. ration. VI. To Adam Gillies, Malcolm Laing, and James Gibson, for their able affiftance given to Jofeph Gerrald, at the bar of the High Court of Jufticiary at Edinburgh. VII. To felicitate Thomas Walker, of Manchester, and the people at large, on the event of his, as well as feveral other late trials, and on the developement of the infamy of a fyftem of fpies and in formers. VIII. To Sir Jofeph Mawbey, for his manly conduct at the late furreptitious meeting held at Epfom in Surrey. It was alfo unanimoufly Refolved, "That two hundred thousand copies of the proceedings and refolutions of this Meeting be printed and publifhed." " J. LOVETT, Chairman. "T. HARDY, Secretary. given to the Chairman, for his "T. HARDY, Secretary." From |