Chapter XXIII: Appendix: A (5)

Mr. James Morgan Clerk to the Lord Mayor acquainted the Committee that he was served on Wednesday Morning last the twentieth instant with an order of the House of Commons dated the nineteenth March 1771 to attend that House with the Minutes taken before the Lord Mayor relative to the Messenger of the House of Commons giving security for his appearance at the next General Quarter Session of the Peace for the City of London to answer such Indictments as may be preferred against him for the supposed assault and Imprisonment of J. Miller. In consequence of this Order he attended the House of Commons on Wednesday the twentieth instant with the book from between two and three o'clock in the Afternoon--that he was called in between two and three o'clock the next Morning and was asked by the Speaker who he was--he said he was Clerk to the Lord Mayor of London.--The Speaker ask'd for the Minutes that were taken, then he produced the book at the Bar. The Speaker sent for the book to him and ordered that part relating to Miller to be read. He was likewise ordered up to the Table and the Minutes were read. That a Motion was then made that those Minutes should be expunged which was carried in the Affirmative. That he was ask'd by a Member whether Mr Aldn Wilkes and Mr Aldn Oliver were there. He answered they were. He was then ordered to the Bar and was served with an Order of the House of Commons as follows--Ordered that Mr James Morgan Clerk to the Lord Mayor of London do expunge from the Minute Book kept by him at the Mansion House the entry relative to William Whitham a Messenger of this House giving security for his appearance at the next General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the City of London. That he answered he had no Indemnity for so doing. The Speaker said he was ordered so to do. He then did expunge that Minute accordingly. He was then ordered to withdraw.

This Committee doth desire the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor to call a Court of Common Council for Tuesday next and lay the whole transaction of the above affair before the said Court, when Mr Morgan is to attend with the Minute Book.

No. 87.

Letter from Charles Fox, Chairman of the Westminster Committee, to
the Town Clerk of London suggesting a general meeting of the
Committees of Association. Dated St. James's Street, 20 Feb.,
1780.

Minutes of City Committee of Correspondence.

Sir,

The Westminster Committee observing that the London Committee are instructed "to meet such Members of the Committees of the several petitioning Counties, Cities and Boroughs as are now in London, or who may be deputed for the purpose of presenting, or supporting their Petitions, and who may think it necessary to confer, on the means of promoting the common object of the said Petition" have directed me to acquaint you that it is their opinion, that nothing is so desireable in the present Stage of the business as a general meeting of the several Committees by their Agents or Deputies. From the correspondence they have had with the other Committees they have reason to think this opinion is pretty general; and therefore if the London Committee should concur in that opinion they would wish to know in what manner the London Committee think such a measure may be best effected.

It has been suggested that the London, Middlesex and Westminster Committees, might meet by their Deputies and that a joint invitation from them to the other Committees would come with more propriety and weight than such a proposal from any single Committee: But altho' this mode has been thought of, any other that is equally adapted to bring about the measure proposed, will be equally acceptable to the Westminster Committee.

I have the honor to be &c.
St. James's Street
February 21st 1780.

No. 88.

Letter of thanks from Edmund Burke to the same for the City's
approval of his Bill for Economical Reform. Dated St. James's
Square, 6 March 1780.

_Ibid._

Sir,

I receive with great satisfaction and very humble acknowledgement, the honour which the Committee of the Common Council of London have been pleased to confer on me, by their Resolution of the 3d Inst., which you have been so obliging as to transmit to me. Their approbation of the plan which I submitted to Parliament;--the effects which they expect from its being carried into execution,--these secure to me the co-operation and support of the greatest Corporation in the World, thro their very respectable Committee. Be so good, Sir, as to assure that Committee, that I shall be unwearied in my endeavours, to carry into execution the measures which they have approved, and which, under such a sanction, I am entitled to consider as leading to the attainment of some part of the desires, which they, in common with multitudes of our fellow subjects have lately express'd. I say some part, because I am sensible that much more is wanting; and I protest to the Committee, with great sincerity, that I shall be, as active, as industrious, and as zealous in supporting the constitutional and salutary measures, already proposed, and such as may be hereafter proposed, by other Gentlemen, as I have been in endeavouring to give effect to my own humble, but, certainly, well intended conceptions. The people alone can procure the final attainment of the just and temperate requests which they have made. Their interference as constitutional always, as it was now necessary, has already produced a visible effect. A continued watchfulness, on their part, will beget an active attention in the Representative body, to the Interests of their constituents. Let us continue true to ourselves, and we shall not find many that will dare to be false to us. Let each, in his station of public trust, give the best Counsel his capacity suggests, and let our whole collective and united efforts be applyd to execute whatever is wisely plann'd, be the Proposer who he may. Let us do this and the People cannot remain long unsatisfy'd in their just and reasonable desires. I have the honour to be &c.

Charles Street,
St. James's Square,
6th March, 1780.

No. 89.

Letter from Charles Fox to the Town Clerk of London forwarding copy
of proceedings of the Westminster Committee of Association, and
giving particulars of the proceedings of the House of Commons
upon Dunning's motion. Dated St. James's Street, 13 April, 1780.

_Ibid._

Sir,

I have the honour of transmitting to you a copy of the proceedings in Westminster Hall on the 6th inst. in which you will observe that the form of Association adopted by the City of Westminster, is nearly similar to that of the County of York.

There never was a time when Union was more necessary than the present, as the only hopes of those who wish to defeat the wishes of the people, are confessedly founded upon supposed disagreements among the true friends of their country.

I should long ago have transmitted to your Committee, lists of the Members who have voted in the late important questions, but have been unable to procure any on which I could depend. That which was printed in the Newspapers, was to my knowledge very incorrect.

I cannot close my letter without informing you that the three following Resolutions were agreed to by the House of Commons on the 6th instant.

"That it is necessary to declare, that the Influence of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished."

"That it is competent to this House, to examine into and correct Abuses in the Expenditure of the Civil List Revenues, as well as in every other branch of the Public Revenue, whenever it shall appear expedient to the Wisdom of this House so to do."

"That it is the Duty of this House, to provide, as far as may be an immediate and effectual redress of the Abuses complained of in the Petitions, presented to this House from the different Counties, Cities and Towns of this Kingdom."

The number who voted for them were 233
Against them 215

so that in one of the fullest houses that we have ever known a complete approbation has been given to the sentiments of the Petitions, with a promise to attend to their Prayers. How that promise will be performed, it is our duty to watch; If we persevere in our exertions, I think there is little or no doubt of obtaining our objects, but if we are lulled into Security by Success, it is but too probable that the Representatives of the People may relapse into their former inattention to their constituents.

I am &c.

St. James's Street,
April 10th 1780.

FOOTNOTES:

[841] The passage here placed in parenthesis was, we learn from a marginal note, for divers causes omitted from the original letter.

[842] He was esquire to the mayor (_Armiger Maioris_). After he had served the City faithfully for 20 years, and become incapable of further work, he was, in February, 1420, allowed an annuity of 40 shillings and his clothing or livery of the City in the same manner as the sergeants of the Chamber.--Letter Book I, fo. 238b.

[843] Creil (Oise).

[844] Verneuil.

[845] Meun on the Loire.

[846] The Orleans or Armagnac party (so-called from the Duc d'Armagnac, Constable of France) the deadly enemy of the Dukes of Burgundy.

[847] Samer au bois, near Boulogne.

[848] Cockets or seals delivered to merchants in token of their merchandise having passed the Custom-house.

[849] Sir William Neville, Lord Falconbridge & Earl of Kent.

[850] He had been killed at Barnet.

[851] Margaret, daughter of Henry VII, married to James IV of Scotland.

[852] Printed in Rushworth's Collections.

[853] Derby House, Cannon Row, Westminster, erected in 1598 by William, Earl of Derby. It was surrendered to Parliament _temp._ Charles I, and was used for Parliamentary Committee meetings and other state purposes.