Petition from South Shields in County Durham, 31 August 1830

Transcript

The Humble Petition of the undersigned Merchants, Manufacturers, Ship owners and other Inhabitants of the Town of South Shields, and its neighbourhood,

Sheweth, [shows]

That the present State of the Representation, excluding from direct Influence, in the Election of Members of Parliament, very many of His Majesty's subjects, who sustain a great charge of direct Taxation, has thereby departed from the Principle of the Constitution, and has become in an especial degree, inadequate to the wants of the Country, in respect of the trading Community, inhibiting large Towns.

That the “Town of South Shields”, extending through the contiguous [neighbouring] Townships of South Shields and Westoe, contained in 1821, a Population of 16,500 Persons, exclusive of Seamen. That the Number, as your Petitioners believe, has of late years, greatly increased, and is chiefly engaged either in Manufactures, for which the Situation of the Town, and the Resources of its Neighbourhood, afford built [have] great Facilities, or in extensive Concerns of Shipping, there being 13 Graving Docks [these are dry docks where ships could be built and repaired], and 58,000 Tons of Shipping, owned by the Inhabitants of South Shields.

That your Petitioners humbly state their Persuasion, that the Trade and Shipping Interests of the Town, might have been more effectually [better] promoted, if your Petitioners, had been able to convey to the Legislature, the Facts and Arguments, collected by their own Experience, through the constitutional [Parliament], Organ of Representatives of their own Choice [M.P.s elected by them], and that, under every Event, the Decision of the Legislature [Parliament] , would be acted upon, with readier Alacrity [speed], if your Petitioners could feel satisfied, that such Decision had proceeded upon that full Consideration of their Interests, which it would be the Office and Duty of their local Representatives to procure [get].

That the County of Durham, wherein your Petitioners reside, returns from within the entire Body of the County, fewer Members [M.Ps], in the Ratio of its Population, than any other English County, namely 4 only, 2 for the County, and 2 for the City of Durham. That there is no Community between your Petitioners and the Electors of the City of Durham, in respect of Trade or local Interests, and that the Property in this Town and Neighbourhood, being, with an inconsiderable Exception, Leasehold under the Dean and Chapter of Durham, your Petitioners do not enjoy any influential Voice in the Return of the Members for the County; and it is the Belief of your Petitioners, that owning to these Circumstances, they labour [they suffer a greater lack of the right to vote.] under a more serious Destitution of the elective Franchise, than the Inhabitants of any other Town in Great Britain, of equal Trade and Magnitude [size].

That it is not the Intent of your Petitioners, to obtrude on your Honourable House, any Recommendation, as to particular Schemes, by which the Defects of the Representation may best be remedied; that they confide in the Wisdom and Justice of your Honourable House, so to regulate the elective Franchise, as to impart it more extensively to those of their Fellow Subjects, who possess enough of Intelligence, to form a judicious Choice, and enough of Property (the Fruit of Industry and Skill) to maintain that Choice with Independence. And your Petitioners most earnestly entreat [request] your Honourable House, to take such early Measures of Parliamentary Reform, as may redress [set right] these Grievances of your Petitioners, which they have humbly set forth, and promote the Concord [peaceful relations] , and Stability of the Empire.

And your Petitioner shall ever pray &c.