mons of Dublin, will have a fair Opportunity of judging how that unhappy City is governed in general, how unjustly, illegally and inhumanly the Author has been ufed in particular, and what he may hereafter expect, if he is so unhappy, as to fall into the Hands of their Honors. He paffes by, as unworthy of all Notice, the Reflections, the mighty Board of Aldermen attempted to caft upon him, and thofe thrown by the Commons, as of somewhat greater Weight, are set forth, and, he hopes, wiped off, in the annexed Letters to the Commons and Citizens, or to the free Citizens. But, what he chooses, at this Time, to lay before the Public, is the Conduct of the Lord Mayor, Sherifs and Cmmons, in their respective political Capacities, as well joyntly, as feverally, which will at once fhew how confiftently they have acted with the Duty and Dignity of their Stations, and with the Oaths of Office herein transcribed.

THE first Assembly after the Author was publicly discountenanced and insulted by the Lord Lieutenant, and cenfured by the Houfe of Commons, the Lord Mayor, Sherifs and Commons agreed, without any legal Color or Pretence, and without be ing able to effect it in Law, to disfranchise him, unless Cause; and the fame Day voted and made the following Addrefs to his Excellency, as a fupplementary Answer to that of the House of Commons, to his most wife and gracious Speech to both Houses of Parlement.

To his Excellency the Earl of Harrington, Lord Lieutenant, General and General Governor of Ireland.

The bumble Addrefs of the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor, Sherifs, Commons and Citizens, of the City of Dublin, in Common-Council assembled.

"May it pleafe your Excellency!

"6 THAT reciprocal Confidence and Harmony which your Excellency has recommended, between Great- Britain and Ireland, is and always was agree. "able to our fettled Inclinations.

"THE many and great Privileges We enjoy in common with his Majesty's "Subjects of Great-Britain, make Us truly fenfible, how much it is our Interest, as well as Duty, to co-operate with them in every Thing that may tend to the "Honor and Security of his Majesty's Government.

"HIS Majefty's unwearied Endeavors to promote the true and mutual Happi"nefs of his British and Irish Subjects, are fo many pregnant Proofs of his being "their common Parent, and justly clame from them an united Zeal for his Ser❝ vice.

"THESE Confiderations evince to Us, that every Attempt to ftir up or pro"mote Jealoufies between the two Kingdoms, (fo prejudicial to both) can onely "procede from them that are not Friends to either.

"THIS City has at all Times, been diftinguished for it's Loyalty to his Majesty "and his late royal Father; but the ineftimable Bleffings We at prefent enjoy, "(and which have been the natural Effects of their mild and gracious Government) "have improved that Loyalty into Gratitude, and will infpire Us with a Contempt " and Abhorrence of all fecret and open Practices, that may ever have the Shadow "of weakening his Majesty's Hands, by dividing his Subjects.

"IT is with the utmoft Pleasure We fee that the House of Commons' of this "Kingdom has paffed fuch a Cenfure upon that Enemy of his Country, Charles "Lucas, as his Infolence to you and his feditious Writings juftly deserved.

"WE shall be wanting to our felves if We omitted an Opportunity of testify"ing to your Excellency that Refpect and Esteem for your Perfon which your Ad"ministration in this Kingdom has imprinted on our Minds. Your laudable En"deavors to continue Love and Unity in his Majesty's Subjects of this Kingdom, "are no lefs humane than generous, but your Affiduity to promote and cherish "the like Sentiments between them and their Fellow-Subjects of Great-Britain, "fhews how much you interest your self in their prefent and future Happiness. Hence it is that We shall always have a lively Senfe of your faithful Services for

"the Honor of his Majesty and the Interest of his People, which can never fall "to be mutually advanced whilst they are committed to your Care.

"IN Testimony whereof, We have caufed the common Seal of the fayed "City, to be hereto affixed, this 20th Day of October, one thousand seven hun❝dred and fourty-nine.”

AFTER this, the Sherifs impaneled the feveral well-qualified Grand Juries for the City, mentioned in a Note on Addrefs XII. p. 158.

THEN, to complete the good Work and their good Characters, laft Chriftmas Affembly, the Right Honorable Sir Samuel Cooke, Baronet and Alderman, LORD MAYOR, Thomas Mead, Efq; and Robert Donovan, Efq; and fince made a Deputy Alderman to the Right Honorable and Moft Excellent Alderman Stanhope, SHERIFS, with the COMMONS fet forth in my LETTER to the FREE CITIZENS, the follow.ng Act of Assembly was passed in the extraordinary Manner following.

CERTAIN of the Commons fetting forth, that for fome Time paffed, feveral Papers have been printed and published, entitled, A Dedication to the King, and Addreffes and Letters to the Free-Citizens and Free-Holders of the City of Dublin, fubfcribed C. Lucas, containing feveral Paragraphs, highly, falfely and fcandalously reflecting on his Excellency the Earl of Harrington, 'Lord Lieutenant of this Kingdom, and tending to promote Sedition and Infurrections, and openly to justify the several horrid and bloody Rebellions, which have been raised in this Kingdom, and create Jealoufies between his Majesty's 'Subjects, and also to traduce and villify the Magiftracy of this honorable City; and therefore prayed to disfranchise the fayed C. Lucas, from the Liberties and "Franchises of this City, for the above Offences.

'ORDERED, that the above-named C. Lucas, be ferved with a Copy of the above Petition and this Order, and that he be required to appear at the Tholfel of the City of Dublin, on the next general Quarter-Affembly-Day, before the Af'fembly of the sayed City, and then and there to fhew Cause, if any he can, why 'he should not be disfranchised from the Liberties and Franchises of the fayed 'City; and in Cafe the fayed C. Lucas, can not be found, to be perfonally served ‹ with the sayed Copies of this Petition and Order, that the fame be left at his dwelling House.'

CERTAIN of the Commons fetting forth, that at the laft Michaelmas Alfembly, held at, the Tholfel of the City of Dublin, on the twentieth Day of October, 1749, a Petition was then prefered against Charles Lucas, in the "Words following.

To the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor, Sherifs, Commons and Citizens of the City of Dublin.

The bumble PETITION of certain of the COMMONS.

Sheweth,

સ THAT for fome Time paffed, feveral Papers have been printed and pub" lifhed, entitled, A Dedication to the King, and Addreffes and Letters to "the Free-Citizens and Free-Holders of the City of Dublin, fubfcribed C. Lucas, "containing several Paragraphs, highly, falfely and fcandaloufly reflecting on his "Excellency the Earl of Harrington, Lord Lieutenant of this Kingdom, and "tending to promote Sedition and Infurrections, and openly to justify the feveral 66 horrid

PP

ADDRESS XVIII.

I

N my laft, I endeavored to open to your View, MY MOST HONORED FRIENDS and FELLOW-CITIZENS, the legal and true Conftitution of our City. I am now, agreeable to my Promise, to attempt to point out the Breaches made therein, and by whom, in order to discover the most effectual Method of RepaTation.

By my ferventeenth and other Addresses, I hope it is made plane and evident, that all the Eftates and Revenues, all the Liberties and Franchifes, Privileges and Immunities, the Inflitution, as well, as the Election and Appointment of all the Magiftrates, Officers and Servants of the Corporation of the City of Dublin, were all granted to, and vested in, the CITIZENS at large, and their Heirs and Succeffors, FOR EVER; and, that no Power on Earth had, or could have, any Right to invade, leffen, abridge, or alter them, without the Confent of the Citizens.

AND yet, to our inexpreffible Grief and Aftonifhment! We find, that scarce any Effentials of this Conftitution now remane! We have a confiderable Rent-Roll of loffed, or alienated Eftate, under the Titule of Lands unknown; We have fome scattered Fragments of a vast Estate, some casual Revenues, and some unknown, unce tain Privileges, yet remaning; but, they are no longer in the Hands, Difpofal, or under the Influence of the legal Proprietors, the CITIZENS; We retain the Name and fomewhat of the outward Form of the Corporation; We have a Lord Mayor, Sherifs, Commons and Aldermen, fuch, as they are; but, none of them is, in any Sort, elected, or appointed by, the onely legal and juft Electors, the CITIZENS! In fhort, though the Corporation is yet, worth about eight thousand Pounds a Year, it has been run in Debt, about fourty thousand Pounds, fince the Year 1714. Nor are the Citizens poffeffed of one effential Right, or Privilege, except the bare, empty Name of Freeman; and a Vote, by Permiffion of the great ones, for the Election of Members of Parle

ment.

LET US enquire, what is become of all these remarkable Advantages, which should be in common to many thousands of Citizens? We shall find they have, for the most Part, been wafted, Squandered, alienated, or loffed, by the Corruption, Supineness, or Ignorance, of no greater a Number, than twenty-five, whofe Succeffors now hold the Remnant in their Hands, and use and apply it to no better Purposes, than their Predecessors did the Whole.

I THINK

I THINK I have already made it planely appear to You, that Aldermen, as fuch, were no essential Part of the Corporation of this City; and confequently, that they could have no Power, Privilege, or Authority above the Citizens, but what they derived from, and held in Truft for, THEM, their lawful Conflituents. It will appear the more ftrange, that these very Men, the Creatures and Servants of the CITIZENS, fhould, in a very short Time, become their Lords and Mafters, and ufurp all the Power, Authority, Rights and Privileges of the Citizens, regardless of their Truft, and of every Principle of Juftice, Law, and common Reafon; by which they have beggared, reversed, or overturned the antient, wife and noble Constitution of the City.

So regardless have these guardian Sages been of their Trust, and of the very Ends of their Inftitution, that they seem to have layen conftantly in wait, for the Destruction of their Ward: For, We find, that in every Commotion in the State, they took an Opportunity of wrefting fomething, or other, under the fpecious Form of Law, from the Affembly; untill they had at length, fo overloaded them felves, as by difgorging sometimes, to discover the Theft.

BEFORE the Reign of Charles I. I can not find, the Aldermen prefumed, or pretended to exercife any Kind of Authority, beyond that of Counsellors, without an Act of Affembly.

THE Election, or Nomination of the chief Magiftrate was vefted in them, by Act of Affembly, in the Reign of that crooked, bloody Tyrant, Richard III. By this Act, the Time of the Magiftrate's ferving, to wit, for one whole Year, is limited; a Penalty is impofed upon the Perfon elected, for Neglect or Refufal; and upon every furee or Alderman-neglecting to attend at the Election.

To efchew Contention in this Election, it was, by Act of Affembly, in the eleventh Year of the Reign of Queen ELIZABETH, ordered, that every Alderman should take the Office of Mayoralty by Rotation, according to Seniority.

THIS Act of Affembly continued in Force, untill the Year 1652, when the Commons petitioned against it, and defired the Affembly to lay down a Course for the Election of their annual Mayor, more agreeable to the original Conftitution of the Corporation. Whereupon, it was then enacted, that the Mayor fhould thenceforth, be yearly elected, out of fuch of the Aldermen, as had not yet ferved the Office, or in Default of fuch, out of the Board at large; the Election to be made by the Mayor and Aldermen, calling to their Affiftance the Sherifs and fixteen of the Commons.

THIS By-Law was not permitted to continue long in Force: It was made soon after, to give Way to the Fluctuation of Faction: For, in 1657, the old Rotation was again reftored and continued in Ufe, untill the New-Rules, made in the Year 1672, wrested the Election of Lord Mayor, Sherifs and Treasurer, out of the Affembly, and from under their Influence and Direction, by vesting it in the Lord Mayor and Aldermen alone.

I RECITE

I RECITE thefe Acts of Assembly, to fhew, that the Power and Authority of the Affembly, in the Election of the chief Magiftrate, was then acknowleged, as much, as it has been fince defpifed, in other Inftances, by the Aldermen.

In the 18th of Queen ELIZABETH, We find a remarkable A of Affembly, declaring and confirming the Power and Authority of the Affembly in the Election of Aldermen and Sherifs, Deputy Aldermen and Conftables of Wards; whereby, a Penalty is layed on every Perfon elected an Alderman, or Sherif, according to the ANTIENT MANNER used in this City, who fhall refufe, or neglect to ferve. This antient Manner could be none other, than that recited in King Charles I.'s Charter, mentioned in my Seventeenth Addrefs, and in the Charter of Edward VI. which was by the Mayor, Bailifs, Commons and Citizens, or Corporation at large.

FROM thefe Recitals, it appears, that these Elections must then have been in the Assembly; otherwife, they could have had no Power, or Authority to make By-Laws, or Ordinances to direct, reftrain or alter them.

LET US now confider, how fo great, fo violent a Change could be wrought, as to wreft the Difpofal of the Estate, Revenues and Franchises, and the Election and Appointment of the feveral Officers and Servants of the Corporation, out of the Hands of the Commons and Citizens. This could be done lawfully, by two Means onely; either by an Act of Affembly, or an Act of Parlement. And these must be made upon a Prefumption, that fuch a Change must be for the Advantage of the City, or the Kingdom at large, without which Confiderations, the Consent of the Citi zens, abfolutely neceffary in each Act, could not be poffibly obtained, and confequently, neither Act could be legally made.

FROM the best Accounts, I can draw, from a ftrict Review of the Charters and Records of this City, it appears evidently to me, that the Jurees, or Aldermen have conftantly layen in wait to poffefs them felves of all the Treafure, Power and Privileges of the whole Body Corporate of this City: That by artful Means, under tyrannical Kings and corrupt Administrations, or in fome violent Shocks or Commotions in the State, they have gained their Ends, at three or four remarkable Periods, and from three or four different Caufes, in the Reigns of Richard III. in the great Ufurpation of Oliver Cromwell, in the Reigns of Charles II. and of GEORGE I.

THE first remarkable Incroachment, that I can trace, among thofe, the Jurees, or Aldermen, made upon the Property or Privileges of their Ward, the Citizens, was that of their wresting the Election of Mayor out of the Common-Council. This was done

under the Reign of a factious King, who waded through civil Blood and Rapine to a Throne, in which, he afterwards fupported him felf by deep Cunning and Artifice; pretending great Regard to the Conftitution in general; enacting many popular Laws, and granting to feveral Cities, particularly to this, fome excellent Charters; at the fame Time, that he used all imaginable

Means