YouTube

Journals Of The Houses Of Commons Volume 49 Page 663-664

download here

The Journals Of the Houses Of Commons Pages 663-664.

At a General Meeting of the London Corresponding Society, held at on Monday, the 14th Day of April, 1794. Citizen _ in the Chair.

Resolved, That all Sovereign, Legislative, and Judicial Powers are the rights of the people; and through the People have delegated those their Original Powers to others, In Trust, for the Benefit of the Community, yet the Rights themselves are reserved by the People. And cannot be absolutely parted by the People to those Persons who are employed to conduct the Business of the State.

Resolved, That the Constitution of England held by the King, Lords, and Commons, and other Officers appointed by the People, In Trust for the Benefit of the People; and though these Trustees may regulate and improve the Constitution, yet they cannot alter or subvert it without committing Treason against the Nation.

Resolved, That Magna Carta, or THE GREAT CHARTER OF THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND, made in the Reign of King John; THE PETITION OF RIGHTS, assented to by Parliament in the Reign of King Charles 1st; and the several Laws made at and in Consequence of the Glorious Revolution in the year 1688, are declaratory of those Parts of the Constitution of England, which are in and by them respectively declared.

Resolved That the Office of KING of England was not instituted by the People merely as an Office of Profit and Honour to the King, but he was so appointed as chief Trustee and Guardian of the Constitution of Rights of the People; and that important and laborious personal Duties are annexed to the Regal Office, the Objects of which are, to promote the Good of the People, and preserve their Rights in full Vigour from Innovation and Corruption.

Resolved, That it is the Duty of the King to preserve the Constitution of England and the Rights of the People against every Incroachment; and, in order to enforce that Duty, the following Oath is required to be taken by every King on his Accession to the Throne of Great Britain; to wit; The Archbishop or Bishop shall say—Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the People of this Kingdom of England, and the Dominions thereto belonging, according to the Statutes in Parliament agreed on, and the Laws and Customs of the same. The King or Queen shall say “I solemnly promise so to do” Archbishop or Bishop – “Will you to your Power cause Law and Justice in Mercy to be executed in all your Judgements?” ANS. “I will” After this, the King or Queen, laying his or her Hand on the Holy Gospel, shall say– “The things which I have before promised, I will perform and keep; So help me God” – and then shall kiss the book.

Resolved. That his present Majesty King George the Third, on his Accession to the Throne of these Realms, did solemnly take the said Oath.

Resolved, That the Constitutional Rights of the People have been violated, and that it is the Duty of the People, in the present alarming Crisis to assemble and enquire into the Innovations or Infrindgements which have been made upon the Rights of the People, and how far the Declarations of the Constitution, as they were settled at the aforesaid Revolution, remain in Force, and which of them have been violated, and by whom, and also whether such Innovations, Infrindgements, and Violations, have been committed from the Negligence or Corruption of those who have been intrusted with the Government of the State.

Resolved, That this Society do invite the People to meet in their respective Neighbourhoods to elect One or more person or persons as Delegates to meet in a Convention, to hold on the _ Day of _ next, at such place as shall be appointed by the Secret Committee of this society; and that the Delegates so elected do forthwith transmit to the Secretary of the Society No 9, Piccadilly, London, the Vouchers of their several Elections, in order that the Place of Meeting may be duly notified to them.

Resolved That is the Right and the bounden Duty of the People to punish all Traitors against the Nation and that the following Words are now not a Part of the Oath of Allegiance; to wit, “I declare that it is not lawful, upon any Pretence whatever, to take Arms against the King”