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Parliament and the London Corresponding Society Portland State University PDXScholar Dissertations and Theses Dissertations and Theses 2-28-1975 Parliament and the London Corresponding Society Reed Joseph Vandehey Portland State University Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Vandehey, Reed Joseph, "Parliament and the London Corresponding Society" (1975). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 2542. 10.15760/etd.2538 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of PDXScholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. M A1ll/lrMCt. or THE 'l'IDIS OF Ried Jaaeph Vandeblly fc:mt tM Hlat.r of Art• in ll1stm.y Pl!lllnted ~ 21. 1976. Tba PJ1P* of this diuertation ia to dmawtrat• how the J.andcll QJa'lwpcndift8 looUty, duftng the lut deoede of the 11th emtury, aaupt Parl.1-lt.azy refom that would end the 11J8tm of ~ OOft'b:tolled and CXftUPted by the rich Dtgliah lDllmld:lna llft'try. The 1-ic aDa of the Sooiety WN to abolish tha ~ bcftu&b ayatm and to pin waiWNal .mm aaffNaa to all ~- The 1andan c.on..,cDUna Sooiety'e ~ w llbaped by the twin fllOtaN of U. D1gJ 1 eh Nfom mrrrnt of the 1710' • and the PNnch IW«>lutJan. Tba o:abinatim of the ...~ ratcm -· • nt'. Jdw and liiw.tuN with • 8\IOCl'18t\al ~ in • ~ inf.1.umt:lAl. 2 nation hid a ~ effeat an the ~ waddna olMa. '1'bla etfeat WU~ by tM plhlioation in 1790• of F.dlllund Bmb'• RlflAlcti.ona -Cll -the Rl\Ol.ution ---in ~. the a:m1181Wtift call to -- tlhich defend- ed the ri&hta of the p.'Op81Ued 0 1•••• to l\lle »wJ,and and cadr 1811 the !'Nnab ~. Thia NIOtiamy out:b.nt 1a11 ...,..s by a h3at of npl.W., the J&l9't fw beina 'naau Pa:lne'a '.!!!!!, Jti&bta !?! Man, which ci.t.md the eats ad pr.lnciplea of 'the PNnah Rnoluticn tihile c:s.a1.arina that all mn poueued omwtain Mtural ri&hta• It WU in thia poli:timl. climate that Thmu Baldy, a poor aelf-educated aho-mkel', fcuwJacl the Ulndan ~ Soaisty in Jmuary 1712. n. Soaisty' fOWlded in • time of INllt politUs&l qi.tad.en, pail zwpidl.y md by Hltif' l791f, it hid Oftlrl 5000 ........... and aintainld aomu­ ~ with Nfonl eom.tiea thlwgbout Great Britain. With thia natu..dde ca:~ neblodc. the U:S wa able to rally the Britieh 1wUoal Nfonl .,.., nt behind the driw fer Mtional Nfanl pad'timw. !hue p8't!:tima1 with thouMnda of ldpatuNa, WN ~to PG'lia­ Wlt in~ 1793 1 but WN ipored by Pitt' a ~. P11ru...nt:ary dU'eat ~y diaUluaianed 'tlw 1andcn CGn'u­ pcncling Society, and clurina the ..__.of 1793, it agitated far a Naticn11 Cawmt1cn to wd.te the VC'ioua Ndi.oa1 rafom eom.tiea in a o: nn effalwt to wk ParU r 1nttll'Y l'8fcna. A Natic:mal Convmtim WU b9ld in~ J.n ~ 1793 1 but WU 111oJcm up by tha aatJx:ri­ tiea. Two LCS l_,... wan trial and WltenCed to Aulstnl.ia. The hRsh .aticll of the Gownw«, aJ.cng with lta ~ ~ of the zwdoal N1Ww• by the a- Office ard Gcwul-Jt apcr....s 3 aom.ty a iu .,,1 i• to pom- out a vat Wl\Slt of anti~ ad pro-l'afclm JIL'OPll)lnda. Thia iaqepnda o retan QOUPled with the p:R)­ FNncll ~ of thl Nfclmr. cauw the GovwnwJt to G'lut twelva ] ..... of tb8 u:s and their allies in Mll.Y 1791f. 8dna alulrpd with Hi&li 'l'Nucn, thua lelldere Wl'9 tried m:1 acquitted in~ 17... 'D¥Nlb tbl U:S deolinad ~ after 'thl m1l:Wt of it• l..._.., 11: repined pcp1]m"i.ty in 1795 by CCIWWWlb•tina Qft thl naticn'a IOOiaJ and ecDIUJlo ill.a, and by Jll'OPOllinl IOluticm betcr. ... wtinp, attmdld by hundNda of thouMnda. The Govta:1wwwrt stNck blCk 1:1)' pue­ in& ti. Two Acta in ~ 1795, '1tdcb placed 8triat um:te cm ti. mtUJn'• tr..na of tha PN88 and --ly. The r!&1d enf~••••lt of the Two Aat• OAl-.1 'th9 evant\lal ~ of tbl LcnlDn ~ Soaitlty, who9e J.--.. WN G'l'Mted in AJr.ll 1797. Aft• 'this, the Sooifty NMI' mt ap.f.n and ... ~ by • Parl.immtary llOt in June 1798. The ut..J.al ot thia ti.ia-. derind larply Ina latt•w, dcQ'Mnta md p (bl.et• obt&inld tna ~ ~ pabliehed dul'inl thia peftad (1790-1718) and the to1loldna., <*-<111. The wt~­ at of 't1w pr1-ry ~ -. 'the O:!lpl!t! Ol>lleoda\ !!! 8ta1:e Tri.ia, (lmlll), tM ' ..... - ~·..i~ 21 1'Nnc1a Plw, the Tr:W8 !!. '1'lml8 ~ !!!!. ()thee (Sibl.y), the Pm-11• •.., H1sto!y ~ Enl1@d (lillneal'4), thl .lnual ~and tba ~ Anrual ~· 'lbe fto ~ ...... of gN&test value wzta Alf'Nd Cobbm' • Thi- Debate ------on thl !Niall IMolu- ~ mm P. A. Blaal' a cla•ic .- '.!!!!_ Flw1ch t.vo1uticn A!. pw!iah Hi!tc!y, wtd.cJ\ is ~ in telling the lltcry of the ~ In aanaluaim, ~ effcl'ta in tzwdns tha hlatary ot the I..aml ~ aom.ty. ~ tbat thee la • diNct lJ.nk Mb•• the 11th Century Nfcm mr.rm1nt and the Rafam Bill of 1812. Hiily of tha NdiMl •· mo 1'onMd the 1*IJc:bane of the u:s in their ,auth, aan-­ tm.cs to llpelk ciut and ~ ~ Nfam duftna thdr latar ,._., nwer P.vin& up their dz 1m. n. hopes of the laMbl ecn..pxMting SocHty•. atr.lvm and fGU.IJrt rm- apinft an otte 'tyNn­ niO'l lfritilh ~in the 1790'• ..... finlllly N&J1Md by the 11th ~ Nfcm *""' ant. PARLIAMENI' AND THE WNOON CORRESPONDING SOCIETY by REID JOSEPH VANDEHLY A thesis subnitted in partial fulfillment of the requirenents for the degree of MA.STER OF ARI'S in HISTORY Portlan:::l State University 1975 TO THE OFFICE or GRAilJATE STUDIES AND RESF.ARCB: .The members of the Comnittee approve the thesis of Reed Joseph Varrlehey presented February 27, 1975. APPROVED: David T. Clark, Dean of Gra uate Studies and Research February 27, 1975 iii ACKNOWLLJ:x;El1DJTS I w::iuld like to thank all of my family and friends (particularly a special loved one) for their concern and encourageirent during the years of my graduate w::irk. I owe a special debt to my parents, who encouraged me throughout my life to seek knowledge. Their love and understanding was a source of great strength too especially during a period when personal prob­ lems alrrost forced me to quit graduate school. I am deeply grateful. There are tw::i men to whom I am also greatly indebted to: the late Dr. Frank Chipps of Pacific University, my old alma mater, and Dr. Charles LeGuin. Dr. Chipps fired my interest in English and European history with his interesting and hUTIOrous approach to the past. As a result, I have acquired a lifelong interest in history despite whatever my vocation in life is to be. I shall never forget my old advisor and I like to think that Dr. Chipps' spirit lives on in the w::irk and scholarship of his students. Dr. Charles LeGuin, my advisor at Portland State University, guided me throughout my graduate w::irk. His diligence, knowledge and nost of all, patience have made it possible for me to receive my Ma.ster's degree. Through him, I learned how to research, develop ideas and put them on paper, in short, how to create a thesis. He has spent countless hours of proofreading and suggesting ~rovements, thus making my thesis a reality. For this, along with his counseling, I am greatly indebted. 1V TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE N:.KNOWLED3EMENI'S . J.J.J. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION . 1 Farly Reform l1::>vements . 2 The French Revolution and Burke' s Reaction . 4 II THE FORMATION .OF THE LDNOON CORRESPONDING SOCI1TY Origin of the Society . • • . 8 Backgrourrl of the Leadership and Members • . • . 9 Framework of tre Organization . • . • . 16 The Constitution of the London Corresponding Society . 18 III THE lDNOON CORRESPONDIM; SOCIEI'Y IN ACTION Period of Growth • • • • • • 21 Revolutionary Agitation 22 Loyalist Reaction • . 27 The Association • 28 Activities of the I-bme Office • 31 Anti-Reform Literature Campaign . 32 Sting of Reaction • . 34 v CHAPI'ER PAGE IV THE SI'RUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL The Reform Petitions . 38 The Call for a Convention 41 The Br>itish National Convention 46 Scottish Trials 49 Hadical Anger 53 v PARLIAMENT'S ATTACK ON RADICALISM Arrest of the Society's Leaders 57 Parliamentary Action . • . 62 Camnittce of Secrecy H.eports 63 Suspension of Habeas Corpus 63 State Trials of 1794 for High Treason 67 Acquittal of the Deferrlants 73 National Rejoicing . • • . 73 VI THE REVIVAL OF THE LONOON CORRESPOND!~ SOCIEIY Haro Times for the Society and England • . 76 The Society's Mass Meetings 78 The ~ Acts: Legislation of Oppression . 83 VII DECLINE AND SUPPRESSION Gradual Decay of the Society . 88 The "Jew" King Affair 92 Role in the Great Mutiny . 94 Fatal Association with the United Irishmen . 98 Final Arrests and the Suppression of the Society . 101 vi CHAPTER PAGE VIII EVAI.lJATION AND CONCUJSION Ldter Lives and Careers of the Society's Member's 103 Role of the Society in English Reform 106 BIBLI03RAPHY 110 APPENDICES .• 114 J CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The purpose of this dissertation is to dennnstrate how the l.Dndon Corresponding Society, a society of Englishmen w::>rkingmen, sought Parlia­ mentary reform that would grant universal suffrage to all Englishmen an:i end the corrupt, graft-ridden system of government maintained by the rich landholding gentry during the last decade of the 18th century.
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