MASTER 
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MICROFILMED 1992 
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AUTHOR: 
 
 COSMOPOLITE 
 
 TITLE: 
 
 TO THE BRITISH NATION... 
 
 PLACE: 
 
 LONDON 
 
 DA TE : 
 
COLUMBJA UNlVERSIPi' IJBRARIES 
 PRIiSHRVATlON DEPARTMENT 
 
 HI15LI0GRAIT1IC MICROEOR.M TARGET 
 
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 LmJ I 
 
 To the British nation. . .thoughts on the con- 
 vention bill ^signed Nov. 28th 1795, CosmoDolite,. 
 i;London3, ^^^ d.ale. D. 7p. 
 
 No. 11 of a Yol. of pamphlets. 
 
 
 
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 THOUGHTS ON THE CONVENTION BILL. 
 
 ij[ MOST heartily congratulate my country on the 
 vigour that is difplayed in oppofition to the two horrid 
 and hellifli bills which at prefcnt engage the attention 
 of, what is called, the Parliament of thefe realms. In- 
 deed I lliould have been inexpreflibly furprifed if their 
 paffing into laws had not met with the execration 
 which it is apparent they receive from the independent 
 and virtuous part of the community. What fupport 
 they experience is derived from the corrupt and pro- 
 fligate, from riacemen, penfioners, contraftors, jobbers 
 
 A and 
 
i'.. 
 
 ( o 
 
 and agents. That fupport is natural : fo is the aid 
 and countenance given to them by men of ill-gotten 
 wealth, purfe-proud fycophants, and abominable op- 
 preffors. They, fearful of their condud and meafures 
 being canvafTed, raife an alarm (the old artifice re- 
 vived) that the conftitution is endangered by popular 
 meetings : but the fad is, they have the mortification 
 to fee that the people are roufing from their lethargy* 
 and are determined to have an end put to the licenci- 
 oufnefs of the court, the rapadity and depredations of 
 an abhorrid adminiftration, and the horrible depravity 
 of the ariftocratic faftion whofe cabals create difcord 
 and diftrefs throughout the nation. 
 
 The two bills which are now agitating in the Houfc 
 of Commons, are a compound of villainy, injufticc 
 and cruelty. They are written in charadlers of blood : 
 and 1 have no hefitation in faying, bloody-minded are 
 thofe who introduce and fupport fuch accurfed laws^ 
 The reign of Charles II. is referred to for an example 
 how to treat the turbulent and difafFedled, and arc called 
 ' good times' ; how can they be termed ^ good* when 
 fuch liberticidal laws were enabled ? It would have 
 been more confident with the views and intentions of 
 minifters, had they taken for their precedents fome of 
 the fanguinary laws of that bigottcd tyrant, his brother, 
 
 as 
 
 ( :^ ) 
 
 as I am pdrfuaded prototypes of Judge JefFeries and 
 Colonel Kirke would not be difficult to be procured 
 from the defperate gang of their adherents to execute 
 any horrid meafures they might think proper to adopt. 
 Is it a good thing to deprive Englifhmen of their natu- 
 ral and invaluable rights, and upon the ruins of thofe 
 rights raife the regal power up to defpotifm ? I fay kC 
 the mini dry take care what they do : they may be ig- 
 norantly furnifliing Inftruftions and precedents for th^ 
 times of which they may perfonally feel the elfedts. 
 * Action produces re-adion : ' the bow if too tenfe 
 may burft the ligament by which it is reftrained, and 
 recoil upon the hands of the injudicious performer. 
 The old French government ought to learn them how 
 impdlitic arbitrary edids are, and the manner in which 
 they operate. I call them edifts becaufe it is obvious 
 Parliament is nothing more fhan a regifter office for 
 the crown. 
 
 It is not neceflary for me to expatiate upon the two 
 nefarious and infernal bills, as their alarming tendency 
 has been copioufly difcufjcd ; and I rejoice to obfervc 
 how generally they are reprobated. But what muft 
 excite the horror and dcteftation of every man, not 
 loft to every humane fentiment — not bereft of the 
 tender and foft fcnfations which are confidered to be 
 infcparable from human kind, is, that diabolical claufc, 
 
 A 2 propofed 
 
\ 
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 propofed by the folicitor general, that whoever fiiall 
 remain one hour after proclamation made, and not 
 difperfc, to be guilty of felony without benefit of 
 clergy ! ! ! A refinement upon cruelty ! and fit only 
 to be contemplated by the barbarous favage that pro- 
 pofed it. But, alas ! there appears to have been 
 eighty wretches aftuated by the fame favage prin- 
 ciples ! 
 
 Before I conclude, it may not be improper to re- 
 mark, that the precedent from which they pretend to 
 frame thefe bills, viz. that in the fecond year of 
 Charles IFs. reign, does not go to the extent of the 
 prefent, although at diat time he would not confider 
 himfelf fecurely feated on the throne, the.penalty in 
 that bill was, if any perfon incited or ftirred up the 
 people to hatred or dinike of the king and conftitution 
 ' were rendered incapable of holding any employment 
 in church or ftate ; ' but by the prefent bill it is tranf- 
 prtation for Jeven years ! I Ihall finifli with exhorting 
 you, my countrymen, to read and digcft well the funda- 
 mental of your rights and liberties : the compaa be- 
 tween the people and the King j you will then judge 
 whether thefe two bills do not virtually annul and 
 abrogate the ^/// of rights which I here fubjoin. 
 
 Art. I. 
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 The bill of RIGHTS. 
 
 Art. I- That the pretended power of difpcnfmj 
 laws, or the execution of laws by regal authority, 
 without the confent of Parliament is illegal. 
 
 a. That the preteaded power of difpenfing with 
 laws, or the execution of laws, by regal authority, 
 as it has been affumed and executed of late, is illegal. 
 
 3. That the commiflion for erefting the court of 
 commifTioners for ecclefiaftical caufes, and all other 
 commifTions and courts of like nature, are illegal a^d 
 pernicious. 
 
 4. That the levying of money for the ufe of the 
 Crown, by pretence of prerogative, without grant of 
 Parliament for a longer time, or in any other man- 
 ner the fame is, or (hall be granted, is Illegal. 
 
 5. That it is the right of the Subjeft to petition 
 the King, and all commitments or profecutions for 
 fuch petitioning, is illegal. 
 
 6. That the raifing or keeping a (landing army 
 within tlie kingdom in time of peace, unlefs it be with 
 the confent of Parliament, is againft law, 
 
 7. That the Subjefts being Proteftants may have 
 arms for their defence, fuitable to their conditions,' 
 
 -and as allowed bv law. 
 
 •< 
 
 8. All 
 
( '6 ) 
 
 8. All elcftions of Members of Parliament ought 
 to be free^ 
 
 9. That the freedom of fpeech, or debates and 
 proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached 
 or queftioned in any court or place, out of parlia- 
 ment. 
 
 10. That exceffive bail ought not to be required, 
 nor exceflive fines impofed, nor cruel nor unufual pu- 
 niflimcnts inflided. (How much this article is at- 
 tended to let poor Yorkers cafe anfwer.) 
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 And they do claim, demand and infift upon all and 
 Angular the prcmifcs as their undoubted rights and 
 liberties ; and no declarations, judgements, doings or 
 proceedings to the prejudice of the people, in any of 
 the faid premifes, ought in any wife to be drawn here- 
 after into confequence or example. 
 
 COSMOPOLITE. 
 
 November a8> 1795^ 
 
 11. That jurors ought to be duly impannelled and 
 returned ; and jurors which pafs verdifts on men for 
 high treafon ought to be freeholders. 
 
 12. That all grants and promifes of fines and for- 
 feitures of particular perfons before conviftion are ille^ 
 gal and void. 
 
 13. And that, for redrefs of all grievances, and for 
 the amending, ftrengthcning and preferring of the laws 
 Parliaments ought to be held frequendy. 
 
 i 
 
 
 And 
 
i 
 
 ''^^w^