BorBB13/11

Town of Bedford resolutions for the preservation of Liberty and the ..... Constitution.

12th December 1792

From: 1792 To: 1792

At a meeting of the Mayor, Aldermen, Bailiffs, Burgesses and inhabitants of the Town of Bedford in the County of Bedford convened at the Guildhall ........Town on Wednesday December the twelth one thousand seven hundred and ninety two By the Worshipful William Parker Esquire Mayor It was declared to be the general and unanimous opinion of the said meeting that now is the very season in which every good and loyal citizen every [admirer?] of the British Constitution and every zealous friend of the House of Brunswick should come forward and invite all his fellow subjects to join with him in the expression of a sincere and firm ........to the Constitution of these kingdoms formed indeed in remote but improved in succeeding ages. With a View to this the object of their Meeing the following Resolutions were entered into. First Resolved That experiencing as we daily do the Benefits enjoyed by all ranks of People under our mild true and equitable Government and that the lives and [progress?] of all persons are equally protected by the Laws, We do in the most unequivocal manner hereby declare our firm attachment to the House of Brunswick and to the Constitution of Great Britain as By Law established And that we will in our several stations at the harzard of our lives and fortunes use every effort in our power to repel any attempt that may be made to subert the same or to disturb the Peace and good Order of Society. Second Resolved That the Magistrates of this town be requested not to renew the Licence of any keeper of any taven or alehouse who shall suffer in future any treasonable or seditious meeting of disaffected Persons to be held at his House, or any treasonable Healths therein to be drank or other seditious expressions to be used within the same without giving notice thereof to some Magistrate immediately that the same shall come to his knowledge. Third Resolved That the Mayor be requested to covene the Inhabitants of this Town from time to time as occasion may require for the adoption of further Measures Fourth Resolved That in order to strike at the root of so growing an Evil as the Circulation and Exposure to sale of treasonable pamphlets and seditious Papers That we do all engage to set our Faces against the Vendors Distributors and Circulations of the same Whether they be Booksellers News Carriers or others Fifth Resolved That in Order to prevent the Plea of Ignorance the second Resolution here entered into be printed at the expence of this meeting in a fair and large character and two of each shall be left at the House of every keeper of any taven or alehouse and otherwise affixed on the most public places of the town of Bedford. Sixth Resolved That the above declaration and these Resolutions be fairly engrossed upon Parchment and ready for the signatures of the Inhabitants at the Town Hall by four o'Clock this afternoon, Any that every Person signing the same be requested by the Town Clerk to add his Profession or Trade thereto and that an alphabetical List of the Signatures be given in the Northampton Mercury of next week Seventh Resolved that the whole of these resolutions be inserted twice and that as soon as may be in each of the Public Papers hereafter following Northampton Mercury General Evening Post and Morning Post Eighth Resolved That the Thanks of this meeting be given to the Mayor for his readiness in complying with the wishes of several of the Principal Inhabitants in convening this Meeting. [The document is then signed by approximately 525 names. Please see attached alphabetical list which was also published in the Northamptonshire Mercury.]

2 membranes sewn together, No. of pieces: 1

manuscript

parchment and iron gall ink

Not fit for production

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