The
CASE
of
the
Petitioners
touching
the
Election
of
Sheriffs
for
the
City
of
London
.
THE
Citizens
of
London
in
Common-Hall
assembled
,
have
had
,
us'd
,
and
enjoy'd
the
Liberty
(
by
Prescription
and
immemorial
Usage
)
from
time
to
time
freely
to
elect
and
appoint
their
Sheriffs
from
among
themselves
;
which
Liberty
hath
been
confirmed
by
the
Great
Charter
of
Liberties
,
and
many
other
Charters
and
Acts
of
Parliament
,
the
last
whereof
was
in
the
second
Year
of
the
present
King
and
late
Queen
,
wherein
it
is
declared
,
That
the
restoring
the
Citizens
to
their
Antient
Liberties
tends
very
much
to
the
Peace
and
good
Settlement
of
this
Kingdom
.
Notwithstanding
which
,
the
Court
of
Aldermen
for
some
Years
last
past
(
for
the
Lucre
of
Fines
)
have
discharged
those
from
the
Shrievalty
,
(
tho
every
way
qualified
)
who
were
legally
and
duly
chosen
by
the
Citizens
in
Common-Hall
;
and
have
caused
new
and
partial
Elections
to
be
carried
on
and
multiplied
by
an
inferior
number
of
the
Common-Hall
,
while
the
major
Part
have
adhered
to
their
due
and
former
Election
;
To
the
unreasonable
Trouble
and
great
Disquiet
of
the
Citizens
,
who
have
again
been
summoned
to
ten
or
more
irregular
Common-Halls
,
where
have
been
made
(
as
they
humbly
hope
to
make
appear
)
rather
forced
and
pretended
,
than
free
Elections
,
of
15
or
more
Sheriffs
,
whereby
above
5000
l.
have
been
raised
by
Fines
in
one
Year
for
their
Discharge
.
And
these
sort
of
Elections
have
lasted
for
near
three
Months
together
:
which
doings
,
if
still
suffer'd
,
(
't
is
humbly
feared
)
may
tend
to
the
hazard
of
the
Peace
of
the
City
and
Kingdom
,
and
may
have
evil
and
dangerous
Consequences
in
the
Example
,
to
the
encouraging
corrupt
and
sinister
Practices
in
placing
other
City
Officers
.
By
this
Practice
of
the
Court
of
Aldermen
in
discharging
of
Sheriffs
against
the
Consent
of
the
Electors
,
the
Right
of
the
Citizens
to
make
a
free
Election
(
according
to
their
Prescription
,
Usage
,
and
Charters
confirm'd
as
aforesaid
)
is
become
void
and
of
no
effect
,
and
(
as
they
humbly
conceive
)
wholly
taken
from
them
,
and
they
render'd
thereby
unsafe
in
their
Lives
,
Liberties
and
Estates
.
The
Power
of
the
Sheriffs
is
well
known
,
and
what
Service
or
Disservice
they
may
do
the
Publick
upon
emergent
Occasions
,
according
as
they
stand
affected
,
especially
the
Sheriffs
of
London
;
where
the
perverting
the
antient
manner
of
their
Election
in
the
late
Reigns
was
attended
with
very
mischievous
Consequences
still
fresh
in
Memory
.
The
placing
this
great
Trust
in
about
8000
of
the
most
grave
and
wealthy
Citizens
,
which
is
the
Number
of
the
Common-Hall
,
rather
than
in
the
Court
of
Aldermen
that
are
but
26
,
(
who
are
also
Members
of
the
Common-Hall
,
and
Co-Electors
there
,
and
whereof
thirteen
do
make
a
Court
)
sufficiently
shews
the
Wisdom
of
our
Ancestors
,
who
judg'd
that
these
last
,
being
so
small
a
Number
,
might
sooner
be
influenced
than
the
former
;
seven
or
eight
of
which
Court
have
often
discharg'd
Sheriffs
duly
elected
by
the
Common-Hall
:
Tho
it
seems
contrary
to
Reason
and
the
Method
of
Elections
,
that
seven
or
eight
Co-Electors
should
undo
what
themselves
have
done
in
Conjunction
with
so
many
thousand
others
.
Wherefore
it
is
humbly
hoped
that
the
Honourable
House
of
Commons
,
will
in
their
great
Wisdom
find
out
a
Remedy
to
redress
these
Grievances
,
and
settle
the
Election
of
the
aforesaid
Sheriffs
in
such
manner
as
may
be
most
safe
and
beneficial
for
the
City
and
Kingdom
.