196:
by a minuscule portion of the population, meaning they were not truly representatives for the entire people of
England. The number of members were also not assigned to counties in a way that represented the population of England. They found that the right to vote was also limited to a small population, property owning men of a certain income who met religious and other requirements. The Society felt some restrictions should be lifted, allowing the voting population to be more reflective of the actual population. Similarly, they thought that the elections were held in a manner that inconvenienced many people, making it hard for some to vote. Voters often had to travel a great distance to be able to vote, which further dwindles the number of people voting. Also, although candidates theoretically only needed 300 pounds a year to qualify, the operation was set up in such a way to prevent anyone who did not own thousands of pounds from being a candidate. They also found that although Parliament was supposed to last no longer than three years, Parliament itself decided that in 1715, they could hold their seats for seven. The society felt that this duration should return to three, as laid down by law. The Society wanted all of these grievances to spark reform in the way Parliament was elected and operated. The report was given by
284:
373:", and included most prominently weavers as well as tailors, cobblers, brewers, bakers, tanners, butchers and hairdressers. The membership generally did not include general labourers, agricultural workers, colliers, spinners, foundrymen, masons and the like. The government feared such wider support and outbreaks of rioting in many places in the summer and autumn of 1792 were officially attributed to "an almost universal spirit of reform and opposition to the established government and legal administrators which has wonderfully diffused through the manufacturing towns", but most of the riots were due to other grievances such as an unpopular
175:. As a result, this address denied any association with the political reforms happening in France. They felt that the French reformists were trying to create a new type of government, while the Society was trying to make the current English government the way it was supposed to be. They also stated that their methods were reasonable and moderate in comparison. While the French had found hope in the government and resorted to violence as a means of bringing change, the Society was focused more on moderate reform through intellectual communication.
105:, which stated that the French Revolution was bringing good change to the political system of France. He also declared that the people of Great Britain should rebel to establish democracy and universal rights for all men in Britain. This paper fueled the radical ideology in Great Britain at the time. It also increased the tension between radicals and conservatives, leading to political uncertainty in Britain.
184:
87:
78:, which advocated for a less corrupt government that would work for the good of the people and not for the attainment of wealth. The idea of country-party ideology and civic humanism led to the formation of many reformist movements called for parliamentary reform in order to more accurately reflect the will of the people.
481:, representatives from the London Corresponding Society. The convention issued a manifesto demanding universal male suffrage with annual elections and expressing their support for the principles of the French Revolution. The convention was then broken up by the authorities and a number of men were arrested and tried for
53:, who increasingly drew on a wider membership. Members wanted parliamentary representatives to reflect the population of Great Britain, which could be achieved by making voting more accessible, by granting more men the right to vote, and by making it possible for a broader variety of men to take part in the government.
345:
helped establish the parliamentary reform that the
Society had called for. It removed representation from 56 rotten boroughs and lowered representation in areas with lower population from two to one. It also created 67 new boroughs so areas with larger populations had representation in Parliament. It
224:
was not a member, and it is argued that the society excluded him to separate themselves from the Whig party, with their only goal being the elimination of corrupt election practices. Fox stated that he did not wish to discourage the enthusiasts pressing for "more equal representation of the people in
195:
The State of the
Representation of England and Wales was delivered to the Society on 9 February 1793. This pointed out the unfair manner in which Parliament representatives were chosen and conducted business, and it called for change of these issues. They found that members of parliament were chosen
150:
The
Society wanted to extend the right of freedom of election to a larger group of men. They also wanted more equal representation in the House of Commons, and they wanted to shorten the maximum interval allowed by law between any two successive elections of members of the House of Commons In 1794,
332:
Compared to radical groups of the time, the
Society was quite moderate. In fact, they were so scared to be associated with the radical movements of the time that they rarely said anything specific at all. Instead of calling for drastic reform, they focused on listing grievances. As a result, their
129:
On 11 April 1792, a group of reformist Whigs started the
Society of the Friends of the People, a group dedicated to parliamentary reform. To gain membership, a prospective member must be proposed by two current members and approved by 90% of the members. Members paid dues of two and a half guineas
96:
The end of the 18th century brought political change throughout Europe. Although the French revolution brought about extreme unrest in France, similar ideas were being discussed in Great
Britain. The British radicals believed in the idea of the universal rights of man (life, liberty, and property)
308:
were guilty of threatening the constitution of Great
Britain through activities and publications that were consistent with radical reformist ideologies. This was discovered because of the infiltration of conservative spies in the societies, which led to the arrests of the leaders.
73:
became an important political consideration in
England. Civic humanism stresses the importance of abandoning personal gain for the common good. It called for a political balance in order to prevent corruption. In England, civic humanism gave rise to the
404:
Between
December 1792 and October 1793 held three "general conventions" of the Societies, the last being open to English delegates. Each convention and its aftermath increasingly frightened the upper middle classes away from the reform movement.
130:
per year, unless they joined with the intent to start a similar organisation elsewhere, in which case they paid only one. The group met on the first Friday of each month. Notable members and supporters include Reverend
255:
The Revolution in France sparked fear in the leaders of other European countries. They saw reformists and radicals as having the potential to completely overturn the government and destroy the nation. As a result,
580:. "Political Papers Chiefly Respecting the Attempt of the County of York and Other Considerable Districts to Affect a Reformation of the Parliament of Great Britain". W. Blanchard Publishing, 1794, Volume III,
324:
Although the Society was still advocating for parliamentary reform in 1794 after the arrests of leaders of similar societies, they disbanded some time after that as a result of the 1795 Acts.
634:
Clive Emsley. "Repression, 'Terror' and the Rule of Law in England During the Decade of the French Revolution." (Vol. 100, No. 397, pp. 801-825). Oxford University Press, 1985.Retrieved from
276:; combined, these prevented any meetings that were "seditious and unlawful" and required that a magistrate be notified if a meeting were to occur that included 50 or more people. The
155:
stated in a meeting that the society should support extending the right to vote in elections of the House of Commons to any male adult who was not a convicted criminal or "lunatic".
514:
Iain Hampsher-Monk. "Civic Humanism and Parliamentary Reform: The Case of the Society of the Friends of the People." (Vol. 18, No. 2, pp. 70-89). Journal of British Studies, 1979.
264:
at the time, wanted to destroy reform in England to avoid an uprising like the French revolution. Instead of using violence to combat reform, he used legislation. He suspended the
460:
who suffered a similar fate. The third convention was totally deserted by the lawyers, attended by Lord Daer for a few days only, and publicly renounced by Colonel Macleod.
283:
830:
662:
835:
333:
intentions seemed ambiguous. Francis himself stated that the Society delayed in making it clear what its intentions and feelings were about reform.
305:
172:
595:
The State of the Representation of England and Wales, Delivered to the Society, the Friends of the People ... on ... the 9th of February, 1793
362:
was founded in July 1792 with lower subscription rates than the English Society, attracting a wider membership which made it more like the
229:
609:
804:
167:. The Society feared being potentially linked to radical political movements like those in France or to radical English groups like the
650:
779:
754:
689:
265:
280:
required that all printing presses be registered in order to prevent the publication of material that criticised the government.
433:
35:
546:
277:
534:
825:
577:
164:
131:
820:
363:
301:
168:
312:
During this time, the British Government feared the threat of spies in the country. And so, the government created the
401:
unhesitatingly condemned these disturbances and threatened to expel from their membership anyone joining the rioters.
269:
152:
135:
114:
34:
was an organisation in Great Britain that was focused on advocating for parliamentary reform. It was founded by the
191:
dressed as an executioner standing next to a guillotine with a crowd of liberty-capped citizens in the background.
346:
also allowed a wider range of men to vote by loosening the property and tax qualifications to the right to vote.
217:
56:
The Society disbanded in the mid 1790s as a result of conservative reaction against radical political movements.
257:
792:
421:
75:
469:
397:, at each of which a "Tree of Liberty" was erected and there were cries of "Liberty and Equality", but the
261:
225:
Parliament" and voted for Grey's motion in Parliament which was defeated by 284 votes to 41 in May 1793.
429:
486:
437:
413:
213:
97:
and democracy. Conservatives wanted to maintain the monarchy and Parliament the way it was. In 1791,
635:
453:
515:
412:, by Lord Daer and by Lieutenant Colonel Dalrymple of Fordell, and given literary backing by the
681:
675:
200:, and would later be used by groups looking for evidence proving the corruption of Parliament.
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767:
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685:
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238:
221:
113:
In 1780, about 3% of the population of England had the right to elect members of Parliament's
17:
562:
478:
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342:
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118:
70:
715:
814:
394:
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The Report on Radical and Reform Societies from 1794 was a document stating that the
117:. Some of the largest cities were completely unrepresented and more than half of the
102:
759:
449:
408:
The first convention in December 1792 was well patronised by some of the Edinburgh
233:
183:
98:
90:
463:
The third "general convention" in October 1793 was held in Edinburgh and called a
593:
581:
742:
86:
441:
445:
417:
385:. Radical demonstrations were evident, not just in the larger towns such as
382:
378:
359:
228:
The Friends of the People caused divisions inside the Whigs. On 4 June 1792
652:, "Report on Radical and Reform Societies, 1794", Accessed 9 December 2015.
341:
Forty years after the Society of the Friends of the People was formed, the
163:
The Address to the People of Great Britain was written in 1792 by Reverend
771:
482:
409:
50:
316:, which regulated the number of immigrants who could move into Britain.
425:
370:
209:
42:
519:
457:
390:
366:. It soon had imitators in towns and villages throughout Scotland.
282:
182:
85:
610:"The Transatlantic 1790s: Project:Loyalists - Radical Activities"
564:
At a General Meeting of the Society of the Friends of the People
536:, "Britain and the French Revolution", Accessed 9 December 2015.
485:, with Gerrald and Margarot being sentenced to fourteen years'
369:
The rank and file were usually described as "shopkeepers and
448:. In the second convention a similar rôle was played by the
242:. Four Whig MPs resigned from the Whig group in parliament.
548:, "The Struggle for Democracy", Accessed 1 December 2015.
232:(a Friends of the People member) made a speech praising
807:(source of first section: Steel's "Scotland's Story").
121:
were so small as to attract widespread vote buying.
27:
Former parliamentary reform society in Great Britain
664:, "The Reform Act 1832", Accessed 16 December 2015.
45:was aristocratic and exclusive, in contrast to the
420:, Colonel Macleod. The effective leader at the
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
473:attending. The leaders of the convention were
561:Society of the Friends of the People (1794).
8:
805:Scottish Republican and Reformer Thomas Muir
424:faction at this convention was the eloquent
720:. Australian Dictionary of Biograph Online
467:, with delegates from some of the English
556:
554:
179:The Report on the State of Representation
287:Caricature of Republican Solidarity, by
498:
306:Society for Constitutional Information
173:Society for Constitutional Information
159:Address to the People of Great Britain
7:
831:1792 establishments in Great Britain
32:Society of the Friends of the People
714:"Thomas Fyshe Palmer (1747–1802)".
717:Palmer, Thomas Fyshe (1747 - 1802)
432:who was subsequently sentenced by
393:but also in smaller towns such as
82:Influence of the French Revolution
25:
350:Friends of the People in Scotland
764:A History of the Scottish People
268:in 1794. In 1795, he passed the
125:Friends of the People in England
836:Whigs (British political party)
250:
208:The membership included 3 Whig
278:Newspaper Publication Act 1798
251:William Pitt's Reign of Terror
1:
440:to the convict settlement at
18:Friends of the People Society
364:London Corresponding Society
302:London Corresponding Society
169:London Corresponding Society
852:
246:Disbandment of the Society
356:The Friends of the People
218:Richard Brinsley Sheridan
69:During the 18th century,
649:National Archives (UK),
545:National Archives (UK),
533:National Archives (UK),
146:Beliefs and Publications
109:Corruption in Parliament
793:Radicalism (historical)
677:Scotland: A New History
674:Lynch, Michael (1992).
639:(subscription required)
523:(subscription required)
470:corresponding societies
747:The Age of Improvement
292:
270:Seditious Meetings Act
262:British Prime Minister
214:Members of Parliaments
192:
93:
65:Country-party Ideology
766:, Fontana Press 1985
399:Friends of the People
286:
186:
89:
47:Friends of the People
826:Politics of Scotland
680:. Pimlico. pp.
414:Member of Parliament
204:Whig Party Influence
821:Politics of England
704:Lynch, 1992, op cit
454:Thomas Fyshe Palmer
436:to fourteen years'
637:30 November 2015.
578:Christopher Wyvill
465:British Convention
314:Aliens Act of 1793
293:
193:
165:Christopher Wyvill
132:Christopher Wyvill
94:
661:Parliament (UK),
489:along with Muir.
266:Habeas Corpus Act
239:The Rights of Man
222:Charles James Fox
16:(Redirected from
843:
749:, Longman 2000,
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696:
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612:. Archived from
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592:England (1793).
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537:
531:
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479:Maurice Margarot
296:Spy Infiltration
289:Isaac Cruikshank
115:House of Commons
21:
851:
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119:rotten boroughs
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91:Thomas Paine
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743:Briggs, Asa
430:Thomas Muir
358:Society in
320:Disbandment
274:Treason Act
815:Categories
737:References
724:18 January
442:Botany Bay
383:Enclosures
101:published
60:Background
36:Whig Party
620:20 August
452:minister
450:Unitarian
446:Australia
418:Inverness
410:Advocates
379:Corn laws
360:Edinburgh
328:Criticism
236:'s book,
38:in 1792.
787:See also
772:15079290
483:sedition
381:and the
375:turnpike
371:artisans
304:and the
272:and the
171:and the
51:Scotland
428:lawyer
426:Glasgow
422:radical
43:England
778:
770:
753:
688:
520:175513
518:
458:Dundee
391:Dundee
377:, the
260:, the
138:, and
134:, Sir
516:JSTOR
493:Notes
456:from
387:Perth
210:Peers
776:ISBN
768:OCLC
751:ISBN
726:2008
686:ISBN
622:2005
477:and
416:for
389:and
291:1792
151:Sir
30:The
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49:in
817::
774:,
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745:,
684:.
553:^
501:^
444:,
220:.
142:.
728:.
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624:.
20:)
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