Sir. F. Burdettpresented a petition from the inhabitants of St. George's, Hanover square. It began with expressing their conviction, in common with the whole kingdom, that the House did not in any intelligible or constitutional sense represent the people, that they were the instruments of a weak and contemptible administration, who had suspended the constitution of the country, and punished the people at their pleasure. It then proceeded to state, "that the petitioners would most certainly resist the payment of taxes, unless the prayer of their petition is complied with."
Lord Castlereaghrose to request the clerk to read the last sentence over again. This being done, he rose again amid the cheers of the House, to say that the language and spirit of the petition were neither respectful to the House, nor re-concileable with the laws and constitution of the country, he therefore moved that it be rejected.
Sir F. Burdettcontended, that as the petitioners were to resist the payment of taxes only in a legal manner, their petition ought to be received. It was the very principle and spirit of the constitution, that the people should pay no taxes but through their representatives. If, then, they were called upon to pay taxes which their representatives had not imposed, the constitution and laws] of the country should protect them from the payment of those taxes.
§ The petition was rejected without a division.