APPENDIXES

APPENDIX I

ADDRESSES TO THE KING[1]

“To the King’s most Excellent MAJESTY:  The humble ADDRESS of the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses, in Parliament assembled.

“MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN,

It is with the utmost Concern, that We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful subjects, the Commons of IRELAND in Parliament assembled, find ourselves indispensably obliged, to represent to Your Majesty, our unanimous Opinion:  That the importing and uttering of Copper Farthings and Halfpence by virtue of the Patent lately granted to William Wood, Esq.; under the Great Seal of Great Britain, will be highly prejudicial to Your Majesty’s Revenue, destructive of the trade and commerce of this nation, and of the most dangerous consequence to the properties of the subject.

[Footnote 1:  Addresses by the House of Commons and the House of Lords presented to the King in conformity with the resolutions passed by these Houses.  See Introductory Note to the Drapier’s First Letter.  The texts of these addresses are taken from “Fraud Detected:  or, the Hibernian Patriot,” printed by George Faulkner in 1725. [T.S.]]

“We are fully convinced, from the tender regard Your Majesty has always expressed for our welfare and prosperity, that this Patent could not have been obtained, had not William Wood and his accomplices, greatly misrepresented the state of this nation to Your Majesty, it having appeared to us, by Examinations taken in the most solemn manner, that though the terms thereof had been strictly complied with, there would have been a loss to this nation of at least 150 per Cent. by means of the said coinage, and a much greater in the manner the said Half-pence have been coined.

“We likewise beg leave to inform Your Majesty, That the said William Wood has been guilty of a most notorious fraud and deceit in coining the said Half-pence, having, under colour of the powers granted unto him, imported and endeavoured to utter great quantities of different impressions, and of much less weight than was required by the said Patent.

“Your faithful Commons have found, by experience, That the granting the power or privilege of coining Money, or Tokens to pass for Money to private persons, has been highly detrimental to your loyal subjects; and being apprehensive, that the vesting such power in any body politic or corporate, or any private person or persons whatsoever, will be always of dangerous Consequence to this Kingdom, are encouraged, by the repeated assurances Your Majesty hath given us of Your Royal Favour and Protection, humbly to entreat Your Majesty, That whenever you shall hereafter think it necessary to coin any Farthings or Half-pence, the same may be made as near the intrinsic value as possible, and that whatever profit shall accrue thereby, may be applied to the public service.