Page:A History and Defence of Magna Charta.djvu/35

Rh being put in the houſe of lords, was carried in the affirmative by ninety ſix votes againſt ſixty one.

conſequence of this proceeding, various petitions were preſented to the houſe of commons, from different parts of the kingdom, declaring that the people looked upon it, as an attempt to overturn the conſtitution. The bill, however, paſſed the commons, by two hundred and ſixty-four, againſt one hundred and twenty-one, though the public had the greateſt right to oppoſe it, both in behalf of themſelves and their poſterity.

the year 1717, the monarchical mode of governing by ſtanding armies was adopted by the houſe of commons, though great oppoſition was made to this ſtep by the patriotic members.

the beginning of the reign of his late majeſty in the year 1732, the famous exciſe ſcheme was brought into the houſe by Sir, which ſtriking at the very root of our liberties, raiſed ſuch a tumult in the nation, that a number of petitions againſt the bill were preſented to the houſe from the city of London, Briſtol, and moſt of the capital towns in the kingdom. This occaſioned the meaſure to be dropped, on which the people expreſſed their ſatisfaction by the