Only five days ago I saw more than twenty sailors on Westminster Bridge, neither of whom had any linen on, and some neither _shoes, stockings,_ nor _hat._ But, the numbers who have perished and who are perishing from the _diseases_ occasioned by want are not to be counted. And yet, it was a crime in you, and the sanguinary sons of corruption called for your instant execution, because you obeyed the call of the _distressed_ to hold a meeting of them in Spafields! Not to have obeyed that call would indeed have been a crime; but, it was a crime of which your nature was incapable. "I now come to the _City Petition_ and the _answer of the Prince Regent._ This is a very important matter, and, therefore, I shall insert the documents themselves previous to making any remarks on them. "'ADDRESS AND PETITION. "'May it please your Royal Highness, "'We, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled, humbly approach your Royal Highness, to represent our national sufferings and grievances, and respectfully to suggest the adoption of measures which we conceive to be indispensably necessary for the safety, the quiet and prosperity of the Realm. "'We forbear to enter into details of the afflicting scenes of privations and sufferings that every where exist; the distress and misery which for so many years has been progressively accumulating, has at length become insupportable--it is no longer partially felt, nor limited to one portion of the empire--the commercial, the manufacturing, and the agricultural interests are equally sinking under its irresistible pressure; and it has become impossible to find employment for a large mass of the population, much less to bear up against our present enormous burdens. "'We beg to impress upon your Royal Highness, that our present complicated evils have not arisen from a mere transition from war to peace, nor from any sudden or accidental causes--neither can they be removed by any partial or temporary expedients. "'Our grievances are the natural effect of rash and ruinous wars, unjustly commenced and pertinaciously persisted in, when no rational object was to be obtained--of immense subsidies to foreign powers to defend their own territories, or to commit aggressions on those of their neighbours--of a delusive paper currency--of an unconstitutional and unprecedented military force in time of peace--of the unexampled and increasing magnitude of the Civil List--of the enormous sums paid for unmerited pensions and sinecures--and of a long course of the most lavish and improvident expenditure of the public money throughout every branch of the Government, all arising from the corrupt and inadequate state of the representation of the people in Parliament, whereby all constitutional controul over the servants of the Crown has been lost, and Parliaments have become subservient to the will of Ministers.