Army Remonstrance

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A manifesto adopted by the New Model Army in November 1648

Its intention was to abandon treaty negotiations with King Charles and to bring him to trial as an enemy of the people. Although it was issued under the authority of Thomas Fairfax and the Council of Officers, the Remonstrance was primarily the work of Henry Ireton.

In September 1648, Parliament opened negotiations for a settlement with King Charles 1 at the Treaty of Newport. Ireton wrote to General Fairfax proposing that the Army should purge Parliament of MPs who supported the Treaty. After Fairfax rejected the proposal, Ireton began drafting the Remonstrance. Fairfax agreed to call a meeting of the General Council of the Army at St Albans to discuss the situation but without the common soldiers. It was initially rejected by Fairfax and the moderate officers but their opposition evaporated after 15 November when the House of Commons voted to allow the King to return to London on completion of the Newport Treaty. After some last-minute amendments to ensure the support of the Levellers, the Remonstrance was adopted by the General Council on 18 November 1648.

The Remonstrance proclaimed the sovereignty of the people under a representative government while the King should be brought to account because he had broken the sacred covenant with his people. The Remonstrance also proposed a set of Leveller-inspired constitutional reforms, including the possibility of an elective monarchy. Parliament was to set a date for its own dissolution, to be followed by annual or bi-annual Parliaments elected on a reformed franchise. All office-holders, including the monarch, were to subscribe to the Levellers' Agreement of the People.

After an initial flurry of opposition led by William Prynne, Parliament postponed further discussion until treaty negotiations with the King at Newport were completed. With Parliament still refusing to discuss the Remonstrance and apparently intent on implementing the Treaty of Newport, Ireton initiated the train of events that led to Pride's Purge in December 1648.





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Retrieved from "https://wikireedia.net/wikireedia/index.php?title=Army_Remonstrance&oldid=7909"
Facts about Army RemonstranceRDF feed
DescriptionA manifesto adopted by the New Model Army
PersonThomas Fairfax +, Henry Ireton +, Charles 1 + and William Prynne +
DateThis property is a special property in this wiki.18 November 1648 +
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