Star. — London, England, 1810-01-10 00:00:00

I ff I, I. PORTSMOUTH. MR. JOHN SMITH begs to inform-the Ppblic, that hem, and after the 28th Say of February nest, be in lords carrying on the Br.inss of Ship-chandler oo his own so:e -count, at No. el, broae--tenet, in Portsmouth. SMITH, MA TOR. IN a MEETING or ASSEMBLY of the MAYOR, ALDERMEN, and LIVERYMEN, of the several Companies of the City of London, in Common Hall assembled, at the Guild- ban of the salt' City, on Tuesday, the 9th day of January, 1810, 1. Respb:ed unanimously, That it is the undoubted right of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City of London, to p rest •It their Petition to the King sitting upon his Throne-; that oitt of personal feeling.: towards their Sovereign, they did, at the last Common Hall, wave the exercise of this right. S. Resolved unanimously, That it appears that the Secretary of State Informed the Sheriffs, that the Petition of the Livery ould be received only through his office ; that they have been de nied not cr.ly the usual access to his Majesty, by a personal au dience, but the undoubted right of presenting the same when they had ague access to his Majesty at the Levee, where they attended to present, and did present a Petition from the Court of Common Council. 3. Re-solved unanimously, That such a denial is not only sub versive of the Rights of the :verv, but a flagrant violation of the It - eht of Petitioning, claimed, demanded, and insisted upon, and confirmed to them by the Bill of Rights. _ _ _ 4. Resolved unanimously. That all complaints of the miscon duct and incapacity of his Majesty's Servants are most likely to be nugatory, if such complaints must pass through the hands of those wry servants, and the Pro; le can have no security that their complaints are heard. 5. Resolved, That whoever advised his Majesty not to receive the Petition of the Livery in the accustomed and established *ode, have committed a scandaluuS breach of their duty, violated one of the first principles of the Constitution, and abused the con fidence of &els Sovereigs. 6. Resolved unanimously, That this Common Hall, disregarding all attempts and designs of interested and corrupt hirelings, who dative emoluments from the national burthens, to impure u i wor t,ty and disloyal motives to those who resist unprincipled and dangerous encroachments uponstheir established rights, are deter roiled, to the utmost of their power, to maintain them against those evil Counsellors, who have thus raised a barrier between the King and the People, and thereby prevented their just com plaints front reaching the royal car. 7. Resolved, That the followirz instructions be given to our Re iresentatives in Parliament : G ENT LEM ZN-N ou are hereby instructed to move in the House of Commons 'or support such motion, if moved), for an humble Address to his Majesty, praying for an immediate and rigid in quirr into the c tu.;cof the unexampled failures and disasters which have attended our late Expeditions to Spain, Portugal, and Hol l.thd, whereby the blood and treasure of the country save been s:iarnefully sacrificed, without rendering any effectual assistance to our Allies, checking the progress of the enemy, or tending to the glory or security of his Majesty's Crown and Dominions. You are also instructed to support all motions which have for their object inquiry into the violation of the rights of petitioning—into the wasteful expenditure of the public money—the correction of public abuses—the abolition of all unnecessary places and pensions --the shortening of the duration of Parliaments, and restoring taem tv their constitutional purity and independence, as the oily means of retrieving our public affairs, and enabling this country successfully to contend against surrounding nations. 8. Resolved unanimously, That the Sheriffs, attended by Mr. Remembraneer, do forthwith wait upon his Majesty, and deliver' in, o his Majesty's hand, in the name of the Lord Mayor. Alder mien; and Livery of London, a fair copy of the foregoing Resolu tions, signed by the Town Clerk. 9. Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, for his independent *—haviour upon all occasions, and particularly for his conduct this 4aT. lin Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this Meeting be given to Sheriff Wood,for his general conduct, and for his having re mented an audience of his Majesty, agreeable to the instructions of this Halt. Resolved unanimously, That the Reselutions of this day, toge ther with the Petition agreed upon on the 14th day of December las', be signed by the Town Clerk, and published in the usual Morning and Evening Papers. WOODTHORI'E. To the KING's Most Excellent MAJESTY in COUNCIL. The humble and dutiful Address and Petition of the LORD Ma volt, ALDERMEN, and LIVER! of the City of Lon don, in Common Hall assembled. " MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, • 4 ' We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City of London, in Common Hall assembled, must humbly approach yoer Majesty at this awful crisis, to exercise a duty no less painful than im perious. " It is to represent with humility to your Majesty the present deplorable situation of public affairs, that we have again ap proached your Royal Person. " Attached to your Majesty's illustrious House from affection I and from duty, vie should in demonstrate the sincerity) of our loyalty, were we to conceal fn—, your ATajcsty that it is not amongst the least coneineeable ef eilir grievances that attempts should have been made to breed your Majesty': faithful subjects with disaffection to your person and Government, wherever they have exercised their indubitable right to complain of gross ahutes in the State, or to attribute the disgraceful failure of expennve and calamitous enterprises to the lgnot awn- and incapacity of those who either planned or executed them, a; if infallibility were the appendage of office, and belonged of right to n those who may be "Ailed into your Majesty's Councils. " With equal grief and indignation we have seen the disastrous result of various Expeditions, in which your Majesty's armies have beer. unhappily engaged, and which most forcibly mark the disgraceful imbecility of those distracted Councils, which have so scandalously lavished the blood and treasure of a patient, loyal, and burthened people. Towards the close of the preceding year yeur falderal Citi sons humbly expressed to your nlajesty their deep concern and disappointment at the disgraceful Convention of Cintra; but we have yet to deplore that due and efficient inquiry has not been made Into that disgraceful transaction. " It le equally painful to call to your Majesty's recollection the melancholy fate of a second army assemblen within the Peninsula, under the gallant Commander Sir John Moore. lenorant alike of toe state and disposition of the Spaniards, and the force and designs of the enemy, this army heieg sent into the interior of Spain, was in imminent danger of being captured ; in this critical emergency, and state of agonizing perplexity, abandoned to his own resources, this hapless, hut meritorious Officer at length dis covered that he had no safety but in flight ; with the loss of his ammunition, horses, specie, and baggage, and harassed al as sailed on all sides, he scarred the retreat ef the remains of his gallant followers, by the sacrifice of his own invaluable life. " Deriving no benefit from experience, a third well appointed army, under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley, was hurried into the interior of :Spain, :nine inrorant of the finite and move ments of the enemy, where, after an unprofitable display of Bri tish valour and a dreadful slaughter, this army, like the former, was compelled to seek its safety by h precipitate retreat, before (what we were led to believe) a vanquished foe, leaving thousands of our sick and wounded countrymen in the hands of the enemy. This loss, like others, has passed without inquiry ; and, as if im punity had placed the servants of the Crown above the reach of justice, your Majesty Inn been advised to confer titles of honour able distinction on the 'General who had thus exhibited a rash and ostentatious display of unprofitable bravery. " After these multiplier' errors, and in defiance of reiterated experience, we have seen another expedition, yet more expensive, more disgraceful, and mere calamitous than the former. Tbis ar mament, delayed until the fate of Austria was decided, landed on the unwholesome shores of the Scheldt ; where, after an unac countable state of inaction, thousands of our brave soldiers have miserably and ingloriously perished by pestilence, privation, and disease, without having eccumplished one national object. On such an Expedition, planned and conducted by a Miiiister, who it is now known had been pronounced unfit for his office by his c .11engues—a5 rept•clition that touches all minds with shame, and fills all hearts with .nony, it is too painful to dilate. " We cannot I efraio from representing to your Majesty, that while the affairs of the Nation have been so shamefully miscon dacted abroad, the most scandalous waste, profusion, and mis management, have pr ailed at home; and your Majesty's confi dential Advisers, denim! e of all those nualities essential to good gonernment, and regardless alike of the sufferings of the People and of the honour of their Sovereign, and insensible or indifferent to the surrounding &inure .r.d impending fate of the Country, have been engaged in the most dograceful squabbles, intrigues, and cal'al3, that aver degraded the rontxth of any nail; api which cannot but be as disreputable to peat Majesty's Gowen meat, as they are ruinous and dishonourable to the Country. pd While we disclaim all interest in the views of contending OW ties, from a firmsoninction that we cannot look for a reformation in the abases of the State, from any persons or parties, interested in the preservation of them ; we cannot but express our ardent hope, that your Majesty will be more fortunate hi the choice of the men to whom you may hereafter confide the conduct of af fairs ; and that your Councils will be no longer embarrassed, nori the Country insulted and dishonoured, by those disgraceful oc currences, which, while they have exposed us to the ridicule of surrounding nations, may embolden the enemy to look forward with confidence to the subjugation of a nation so distracted in her Councils, and so im; rovidently governed. That, while we forbear enumerating a long train of internal grievances, we cannot but attribute such a series of failures and disasters to the abuses and corruptions of the State, and the con quent want of constitutional controut over the public expendit and the servants of the Crown, whereby the responsibility of nisters ..ppcars to exist only in name. We, therefore, humbly pray your Majesty will be graciously !leased to assure your loyal and affectionate people, that the object to which their wishes are directed, is neither to be abandoned nor eluded; and that your Majesty will be pleased to institute a rigid, impartial, and general Inquiry, into these great national misfor tunes; into the plans upon which these Expeditions were under taken, and into the conduct of the Commanders to whom they were entrusted. Signed, by order, 41117pCIICIanC V. ••••••Aci was. • Caned into your Majesty's Councils. " With equal grief and indignation Is result of various Zxpeditions, in whist have beer. unhappily engaged, and whic disgraceful imbecility of those distract ec scandalously lavished the blood and tre and burtbened people. `.` Towanda the close of the precedin MIS humbly expressed to your Majest disappointment at the disgraceful Cony have yet to deplore that due and efficient Into that disgraceful transaction. " It iv equally painful to call to your melancholy fate of a second army assail under the gallant Commander Sir loin of ice state and disposition of the Spa designs of the enemy, this army being Spain, was in imminent danger of being emergency, and state of agonizing per own resources, this hapless, but metier): covered that he had no safety but in ft ammunition, horses, specie, and baggl sailed on all sides, he seztireld the rctr gallant followers, by the sacrifice of his " Deriving no benefit front experien • army, under the command of Sir A rth into the interior of Spain, alike innorai relents of the enemy, where, after an ui • tish valour and a dreadful slaughter, tl . was compelled to seek its safety by a (what we were led to believe) a vatiquis of our sick and wounded countrymen ia This loss, like others, has passed withal punity had placed the servants of the 1 justice, your Majesty hs been advised ' able distinction on the 'General who is and ostentatious display of unprofitable " After these multiplies' ernes, an experience, we have seen another cape, more disgraceful, and more calamitous liniment, delayed until the fate of Aust the unwholesome shores of the Schell countable state of inaction, thousands miserably and ingloriously perished by • disease, without having accomplished such an Expedition, planned and cant it is now known had been pronounced .e Alcagues--asa Expedition that touches fills all heart's with aeony, it is too pat "We cannot f re_ra.n _ram represent while the affairs of the Nation have hi &acted abroad, the must scandalous management, have prevailed at home: dentist Advisers, destitute of all Thom government, and regardless alike of t and of the honour at their Sovereign, i to the surrouudieg d angers and impen have been engaged in the most dill-4 HENRY WOODTHORPE. COMMON HALL. Yesterday a Common Hall was held for the pur pose of receiving the Report of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, on the Address voted by the Livery to his Majesty. About two o'clock, the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs entered the Hall, and his Lordship having taken his seat on the hustings, stated the purpose for which they were assembled ; and requested that in the sub sequent discussion, they would give every Gentleman a fair, candid, and impartial hearing. His Lordship was much applauded. The Clerk then proceeded to read the Report of the Sheriffs, which stated, that the Remembrancer had called at the Secretary of State's office with the Address, and an intimation that it was intended to present it on the Levee day. Next day he was told that it must be left at the Secretary of State's Office, to be presented (as was usual with all Addresses, ex cept those from the two Universities, and the Corpo ration of London), by him to his Majesty. On the levee-day the Lord Mayor told the Secretary of State that he then had the Address in his pocket, and wished to present it. The Secretary said it was best to give it to him, and he would save the Lord Mayor all further trouble; to which his Lordship replied, that he would not consent to present it to any one except to the King in person ; and that it was both the wish of himself and the Sheriffs to do it in any way which would save his Majesty most trouble. The Secretary said, the King's pleasure had been already taken and expressed as to the mode of presenting it. Mr. Sheriff Wood then demanded an audience of his Majesty, which the Secretary replied could not be granted, except upon some especial and expressed reason, and that no audience could be granted on a subject upon which his Majesty had already expressed his pleasure. Such was the Report, to receive which the Hall had been called. After tlae Report had been read, Mr. FAVELL came forward, amidst loud applauses, and said, din the strongest feature by which despo tism was distinguished from a free Government, was a free communication between the subject and the Sovereign—an open and easy approach to the Throne. Such was the right which they were that day assem bled to assert ; and without which, their Constitution could not be distinguished from a despotism. (*- Name). Every friend to the country must be anxious to see that right established—every friend to the King must have a similar feeling. And he alone was the best friend to the country, and the most loyal subject to the King, who wished to extricate both from evil and dangerous councils. (ifildaure). Bad men would, of cousre, raise a cry against this doctrine ; and bad Ministers, as was natural, would deprecate enquiry—they would shrink behind the Throne, and represent those who were dissatisfied with their con duct, and dared to speak out, as hostile to the Go vernment, and unfriendly to the established order of things. But was it, he would ask, hostile and un friendly to sympathise with those brave men, whose blood had been cruelly and unnecessarily spilt ?—men who had ever been forward to serve the interests of their country ; and who, in no instance, had ever de serted or disgraced its standard. (Applause). The man who could and would offer such sympathy was the best friend to the Constitution. When he used the word Constitution, he did not mean to use it in the pair maiere sense which men were fond of who lived by abusing it, and who were ever ready to ex claim against those who wish to restore it to its pri mitive purity. Were such men real friends to the Constitution ? Would they have opposed the ship money ? Would they have established King William on the Throne of England ? Would they have strug gled for the Hanoverian succession ? Would they have shed their blood upon the scaffold on which a Sydney and a Russell suffered ? (Loud applause:). He would now read some of his Resolutions, but before he began, he wished to save them and himself some trouble, by asking whether they would wish to have their Address presented, as usual, to the She riffs, and printed in the daily newspapers, or would they have it sent to the Office of the Secretary of State ? To thi4 latter proposition an universal negative was instantly given ; upon which Mr. Favell said he should then only read the Resolutions which he judged necessary, and was sure they would be supported by every man who was favourable to those principles which had placed his Majesty's family upon the Throne. (Loud applauses.) ,Mr. Favell then read his Resolutions, and retired. Mr. JONES came forward to second the Resolutions. The Livery of London had always held the right of having their Petitions presented to his Majesty upon his Throne. Of late, however, that right had been foregone, and the petitions were generally presented upon the levee days, and even this right was now be come a matter of discussion. He could not help de claring, that he thought it in the highest degree dan gerous to wave a right under any circumstances (ap plause.) If they now consented to do so, and allowed their Address to be sent to the Secretary of State's office, for the purpose of. being by him transmitted to his Majesty, it was very probable his Majesty would never year a syllable on the subject. Ministers ought not to oppose Addresses from the People. If . - they had acted wisely, dig he nothing to fear from the expression of public; switieent ; and if they had acted in a contrary aaanaer. kin, only just that his Majesty should be warned of their incompetency, and rescued from the consequent evils of their ma nagement, (applatue.) They had heard that those men who were most loyal were the men who sought 'to keep evil counsellors from the Throne. It was a 'most judicious observation, and needed no comment, lus he was sure there was not a man that day in the Hall, who was not convinced of its validity. (Mr. Jones then retired, highly applauded.) On the first Resolution being read, Mr. WAITHMAN said, that he was anxious to pre sent himself thus early to the Hall for the purpose of Icorrecting some misconceptions which had gone abroad with respect to what had fallen from him on the last occasion on which they had assembled. He had then alluded to some Noble families who had re ceived muck money from sums appropriated to the public expenditure. These sums had been certainly much mis-stated, partly by - the reporter, and, as was most likely, partly from misconception by himself. He wished now to take the opportunity of explaining that which he intended to have stated on the last day. He intended to say, that there were certain families in England who received 4150,000 per annum out of the public taxes, and that the families of Hertford and Castlereagh participated in this receipt tb the amount of 440,000 annually. These two families were nearly connected, and he meant to state them at the time as one family, whereas it had got into the newspapers that he had said each family derived such a sum in separate profit. He had, indeed, stated, that the families of Hertford and Castle reagh received for offices executed chiefly by deputy, thirty-one thousand pounds per annum. This intel ligence he had derived from the public prints of the day, and there was no one in the Hall who could not form an opinion from the same sbnrce as himself.— When he had mentioned the share that Lord Castle reagh had of such sum, he, of course, was to be un derstood as not imputing to him the participation in such share after he had retired from office. He had been also stated to have said that Mr. Perceval's fa mily received 860,000 a-year, whereas all he meant to have imputed to it was a receipt of £46,000 in the same time. He had thought proper to make this public statement, because he could not conceive that , any shame could possibly attach to a man for retrac ting an error of which he had been convinced. He should now proceed to the business on which they had assembled. It had been stated, that the ques tion was, whether they would give the Petition a chance of reaching the Royal ear, or whether they would be content to let it lie with the Secretary of State ? The right of ji e Livery of London to pre sent their petitions to is Majesty upon the Throne had never been denied ; it had been, indeed, waved at their last meeting, and consented to, to present it at the Levee. Even this, it seems, had now been refused, and the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs had been solicited by the Secretary of State to let it be sent through his office ; this they very properly refused e to do, as, had it lain there, most probably that would have been the end of it. He had heard from a Freeholder of Mid dlesex, that a petition from that county had been offered in a similar way about four or five years ago: nothing was heard of it for above a year, until at last on a change of Ministry, it was found in the Se cretary's office with the seal unbroken just as it had been sent there—(A laugh). The reason of this ap parent neglect was asked ; and the answer was, that I the King had now, on account of the defect of his sight, disused public levees, and that it would be con trary to etiquette to have it presented in any other way. Such, of course, would be the fate which their petition would meet with if it was presented in a si milar manner. The question then to-day was, whe ther they would give up the right of petitioning alto gether ; for surely such a right would merely be no minal, if, when inquiry was demanded why our brave men were sacrificed, and our treasures wasted, such demand was to be dormant until a change of Mini stry, or until the men who had caused such waste and sacrifice had totally ruined the country—(4- plague). He could not well persuade himself that he was not living in the reign of Charles the Second, in stead of that of George the Third ; such was the si milarity. In Charles's time, all those who wished to petition the Crown were branded by an incapable Ministry as enemies to the Constitution, and so they were now. He wished to impress those facts strong ly on their minds, and might, on that account, be accused of tautology ; but he would submit to the charge, sooner than not make the impression which he intended. In those times, indeed, the Parliament were the staunch friends of the people ; they reproba ted and prosecuted all those who denied the right of petitioning the Throne for their being convened, and even went so far as to enact the following Resolution against one of their own Members who had procured Addresses to be presented, expressing their abhor rence of the exercise or assumption of such right— " Resolved, That It has appeared that Sir F. Williams has be trayed the undoubted rights of the People, and accordingly he is expelled the House fpr thin high offence."—(Loud iipplawe.) That Parliament was, of course, found rather incon venient to the Ministry of the day, and, as was the case with the late Parliament, was immediately dis solved. What a wonderful similarity was this ! Then, however; in that Hall, the Citizens of London were staunch friends to the Country, and in their re-election of Common Councilmen, selected those who had served them faithfully, thanked them for their conduct, and declared their intention to stand by them to the last shilling of their fortunes and the last drop of their blood ?—( Loud and general apislaue). An awful silence succeeded—it was the silence which forewarned the eruption of the volcano; the Revolution followed ; a bad King was driven from his Throne, and deserted by those very Loyalig: who would sup port the Throne by treachery to the People, and prop the Constitution by nourishing its abuses—(4ftplause). If the patriots cf those times had so much trouble to defend their rights, how must that trouble be increee ed now, beset as they were by an army of tax-pp therers, both high and low, living on the people.— The only way was to strenously assert their privi leges, and establish once more their interest hi the country, by banishing the host of tax-gatherers, and the inquisition of the - Property-tax—(AlA mte ). Let bad men be driven from power, and a stand made by Parliament against corruption, and then the People might again have confidence. Let no violence cre ate alarm ; but let firmness unite with moderation, and the manly independence of Englishmen tol,N assert theirs privileges.—He gave his hearty a ssent all the propositions. The three first Resolutions were then put and car ried unanimously. The Resolution was then put which declared tlL,t those .vho had advised his Majesty to refuse to rt.. ceive their petitions, were guilty of a scandalou, breach of their duty, and . a violation of th e C onst i ta. tion. (There was only one hand held up aga;nst it, which, we understand, was that of the son of M r. Deputy Kemble.) This single opposition to the g t . neral voice produced a clamour of disappr.bation, and an universal hiss. The - Loan MAYDR come forward, and represented that every individual had a right to exptess his opo nion upon every Resolution proposed, either by his speech or by holding up his hand. lie therefore re quested that no individual might be impeded in die exercise of this right. (The clamour continued how. ever to be very great, and many called out " then let us hear his reasons.") The obnoxious individual, however, shock his head, and remained silent. Mr. Quie then came forward, and sAid, that ,!;.1 not come forward as a mediator for any man, al‘Ji uch as a supporter and warm asses ter of the rights tir.d privileges of the Liver:men, he would say that every man had a right to a fair hearing. They ought not, • however, to consider that they were contending agaivra - one man, nor even against a thousand; and so Iv from wishing to discourage their enemies from shevr. inn themselves, it was necessary to give them t! ;F.' • chance of coming forward. They had not a battle ; 0 fight against individual opposers, but they had to cc:a. tend with the Treasury, the Excise, the Tax-gatherer_; and, perhaps, even the Army, the Navy, and the Church, ( Here a murmur of disapprobation arose, a-.ci a Liveryman called " Look at the University of Ox ford) might be pressed into the ranks of their ene my. A Petition which was to be delivered to the Secretary of State, would be handed to the Clerk of the Council, to bring before the Lords of the Cons cil, to consider whether it should ever be laid before his Majesty or not. For several years past, the right of petitioning had been frittered away. At first, up on account of his Majesty's infirmities, the Petitions of the City were only to be presented at levees, and now it was said that they were not to be delivered at all into his hands, but to be sent to his Secretary. Now, although he bad as high a respect as any man for the feelings of his Majesty, and as much sorrow for the infirmities of his age, yet he could not under stand how it was possible that it could give much pain to the Sovereign to stretch out his royal band at a:: levee, to receive the Petitions of his City of Londu, when he gave audiences to private individuals. A.. 3 to the miserable men who now filled the different offices in the Executive Government; he considered them upon the brink of ruin ; and that this advice which was given to his Majesty, was merely the cry of despair. It did not proceed from any conscious ness of strength, but was a presage of their destruction. The fifth and sixth Resolutions then passed unani mously. The Resolution was then read for instructing their Representatives in Parliament. The substance of this Resolution was, that they should move for,-or sup. port any motions to be made for an enquiry into the circumstances of the calamitous expeditions to Spitln, Portugal, and Holland, wherein British blood and treasure had been shamefully lavished—also, to en quire into every violation of the right of the subject to petition ; into the improper expenditure of the pub lic money ; the correction of public abuses ; the mu necessary and burdensome places and pensions, and, above all, that they should support all measures for shortening the duration of Parliament, and bringing them back again to their constitutional purity. This Resolution was also passed unanimously with the exception of . young Mr. Kemble. (The perseve• ring opposition of this young gentleman to the general voice excited considerable clamour, and many persons cried out Kemble, what do you want ?do you ex pect to be made a tax-gatherer ?)" Upon the Vote of Instruction to the R epresenta tives being pa-sed, Sir WILLIAM Cott= came forward. (For a con siderable time hisses prevailed, intermixed with the cries of " hear the old Commodore.") Having ob tained a hearing, he said, that he now conceived it his duty to deliver his sentiments. He did not non mean to stand forward as the champion of Minis ters ; he had delivered his opinion against them us another place.—(4o/aure.) He wished an inquiry to take place on the Walcheren Expedition ; but he believed the Noble Lord who was at the head of it (Lord Chatham) was as anxious for an inquiry as any other man. As to the right of petition, he would always contend in favour of it on the part of all his Majesty's subjects, but more especially on the part of the Citizens of London, who had exercised that privilege from time immemorial. He knew that the Petitions of the Livery were formerly received at the Levee ; because he himself, when Lord Mayor, had presented at the Levee an Address from the Livery of congratulation to his Majesty, for his recovery from a dangerous illness. That, to be sure, was a complimentary Address. ( Loud laughing.) As to receiving instructions, they knew his sentiments. lie would go to the House of Commons to hear the ar guments on both sides, and (as GOD was his judge) to determine according to his conscience.—(i/m/aam) Alderman COMBE said shortly that he should into the House of Commons prepared to obey the in structions of his constituents; and that if ever his conscience should not allow him toobey these instruc tions, he would resigns This appeared to him to be the duty of a Representative, and this was an opinion , which " fire would never be able to burn out of On the present occasion, not only his duty but hi opinion went along with the instructions which hehad heard read, and which he was very ready to obey.-- (Loud applauit.) Sir JAMES SHAW said, that on any subject which regarded the rights and privileges of the City of Lon don, or their local interests, he would cheerfully °bey the instructions of his constituents ; but that on all subjects of general policy, applying equally to all parts of the United Kingdom, he-would colasider bun* self the representative of freemen, and a freenun himself. (Murmur: of diregsprolvaion.)—As to the Walcheren expedition, he was ready to declare that he thought it had disappointed the just hopes and(/' pectations of the country, (a general laugh) and rs s therefore a subject of serious inquiry. As to hisopuncfn respecting sinecure places and reversions, he conceived