The National Register. — London, England, 1811-03-24 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATIONAL REGISTER. Sta,—Among the many inconveniences which we Londoners are subject to, permit me to name one which rather deserves the name of nuisance, though apparently of a trifling nature. advert to the impertinance, nay, downright insolence, of *ose Israelites who vend oranges, &c. near the Bank and Ex change ; the incessant and troublesome applications they make to passengers, to purchase their goods, and the impudent man ner in which they follow them (generally for a considerable distance) is now become a really serious inconvenience. Females are more particularly liable to their impertinence, and I have frequently seen many well dressed and genteel women (so tired And teased by the applications of three fellows to =keel inrgain 1 actually give or rather pay money to get rid 4 them. I am confulent you will agree with me that this calls loudly for the interference of the Police ; and as I have with pleasure ob served, that you always endeavour to correct and give publicity to all.abuses, I hope (if nothing of greater importance occupies your columns) that you will insert these remarks in the next •number of .your valuable Register.—l am Sir, Youric respectfully, 'Dams Coffee-house, March 18; 131 . 1. X. Y. Z. Tut NATIONAL, - - Ul SA NCE. Si a6.lf IVESTMINSTLR MEETINC. A General Meeting of the lohabitants, House-holders of the City and Liberties of Westminster, was held on Monday in Pa lace-yard, pursuant to a Requisition signed by severiii respecta ble Freeholders. At one o'clock Arthur Morris, Esq. the High Bailiff of the City, took the Chair, and atter having read the Rerisition, Major CA irrwaiori r came forward, and said, that the task had devolved upon him of stating more fully the objects and the necessity of the Meeting. In the first place, it'was thought right that a City' of such importance in the empire as Westmin-• ster should address the, Prince Reg( nt ou his accession to that high office and important trust. It was not, however, possible. that address should congratulate the Prince, either on the causes which had placed him in that situation, or on the treat- h ment which he had received from the two Houses of Parlia ment. If there Nvas any 10.0111 for congratulation, it niust be to congratulate therniviVes and the country that access was again open from petitioners to the Throne, and that they had to pre sent their petition', to a Prince, whom they hoped and believed to be favourable to a redress of the grievances of the people of this country. It had been stated with confidence, that the King was likelyt to re-assume his Royal functions; if so, there were hopes that he would listen to no advice more readily than that which a retiring Regent might give. The Prince might there fore render the most important services to the country, even if he should shortly resign the rams of Government. The grand - object of this petition was, as all petitions calculated to produce great good to the people must be, for a Parliamentary Reform. It was obviously necessary to petition for it; fOr the people did not express their sentiments on the subject, there would,' without doubt, be plenty of visitors at Carlton-house, ready to whisper into the ear of his Royal Highness, that the people were j indifferent ITO the subject, and that nobody agitated the ques- doh except factiousmen, such as air Francis Burdett for example. —( Load cries of bravo ! bravo 1 )—There was no calculating what effects such whispers might prodtice, if dr: Prince was not to be informed by the people themselves of their wants and their grievances. It would contribute no less to his own peace of mind than to the interest of the nation, that his Royal Highness should learn the real sentiments of. the people. A most dangerous and unconstitutional power had been assumed by two branches of the Legislature in making the Great Seal of the Empire an humble instrument at their disposal. While they professed to give ilfe and actiyilyto this - seal, they produced effects such as had never beim heard of from seal, except at the opening of the fourth seal in the Revelations, when death and hell followed.— laugh;.—The Major thelidrvw a contrast between the state of the country now, and its situation in 1788; and dwelt at con sith.rable length on the necessity of Parliamentary Reform. He concluded by shortly stating. the substance of the Address which he proposed, and moving some Resolutions. Mr. 4VALKEK seconded the Resolutions, which were then read and carried unanimously. Mr. \Visite RT moved a resolution of thanks to Sir Francis Burdett, which was carried unanimously. 0000100.4110+ REG! STEIL 180 Sir FRANCIS BURDETT said, that however highly be felt him self flattered at all times by the approbation of his constituents, be felt still more satisfaction now than at any former period.— He felt that it was not so much to be considered as personal to himself, as an approbation of those sentiments of freedom, and those principles which he always had,.and trusted he always would, profess and adhere to.—( Lend applause.) After the perspicuous manner in which - the business bad been opened, and the very able speech of the Gentleman who seconded the reso lutions, he felt that there' was not much left for him to say, and he should therefoie not trespass long upon their time. They had heard it truly stated, that Al manner of abuses and evils tinder which the count' y groaned, naturally sprung from a cor rupt Douse of Commons, and that those who had been elected to protect the people against power send undue prerogative, were themselves, in many instances, the champions of power and prerogative against those liberties which they had been chosen to protect. The House of Commons had itself assumed prero gatives against those who elected them, greater than were ever assumed by any Kings, except by some of the family of Stuart, one of whom paid with 1113 life for his assumption of preroga tive. The national grievances wire therefore properly traced up to their corrupt source, and it was not difficult to prove to the people of - England, that those who were called thtir repre sentatives, often voted, not only not as their representatives, but in direct contradiction to their wishes and . their interests. As to informations es idficio l he would always maintain that they were contrary to the fundamental laws of the country. He might be told, that these laws to which he alluded were eb solete and old-fashioned ;• but he was convinced, that if ever the people of England recovered.their liberties, it would be by re curring to those obsolete laws, as others termed them, hut, as he conceived them, those ancient asid fundamental laws on which our freedom anthhe Constitution rested. The great ga ievance formerly was, that the protector of the peoples ri a lits, their Parliament, was often oppres-ed by the prerogative el the Crown; whereas the grievance now is, that that is done by Parliament which was formerly done by the Crown. No pal liative measure would cure the evils undsr which the cetifitry now settle I , and neither freedom nor safety as a nation could be had without a Parliamentary reform. He had been found great fault with formerly for using the expression of " a flogged nation :" it would be recollected, however, that Parltament • had the.power of sending as great a Tor ion of the to °pie.* they pleased into the armies; and that they were then lisble to be tlogsted. Was this, then, all the Roasted liberty of this coun try ?—( i Luzidopplaitae.)e-Wlsjor Cortwright had truly stated to them tie danger to which this country was exposed from the great power of Buonaparte, so hostilely directed against it.— Against Clio great and constantly encreasing daegsr, it was ue cessary to ad ipt meaaurea far (hare= from those which were pursued btt Niieiaters. Tu oppose the power and the talents of Boonaparte, it would be only necessary to reanre liberty to England.--{Great appiouse.)—Thr enemy had never yet sub dued free nations, nor would he be ever able to prevail over this country, if free and united : but there was no way of producing unanimity but by restoring to the people their just rights. is was in vairnfor those men to send forth an hypocritical call for unanimity, who were themselves doing every thing they could to proauce discord.. In times of difficulty and danger, like the present, a gpvernment of trick and delusion must necessarily be tun feeble tO suhaist ; and no Government coeld hops effectu ally to resi.-.1 so powerful an enemy as we are now engaged with, uniess a Government founded on the aiTeeiions of the people. To use a cionniou phrase, a free stage, and no favour, was all that England wanted in her contest with any enemy. A Go vernment that relied on the atfectioes of the people, and not uu such an unnatural and perverted order of things as moo prevails,. Would feel a great contideuce in the success of any war which was really just and necessary. If the Address now proposer' should be adopted, he would feel great pleasure in accumpany -1 ing the I-ugh Bailiff to present it to the Prince Regent. On, a former oecaaion he had refused to go uji with an Address, from which he thought no good could be derived. During the whole course of the present long, unfortunate, and misguided reign, the petitions of the people had been uniformly treated with con tempt. hie could remember, when in a coreupt, contan•ioated„ and self-elected assembly, the petiiions of the people bad beta • thrown on the flour of the House. He, however, now thought that an occasion had occurred, in which the people might pc itition with some hopes of success ; and that Major Cartwright had very properly seized the opportunity to state the g i ie vaece s 1 of the country to a Prince, whom the people. had long coast- : 4 dered as friendly to their liberties and happiness. Under these circumstances, with more than usual hope, and with uefeigied pleasure, he should be ready to convey their Address to the • Regent. (Sir Francis's speech was received with great ap- . pheuse.) • The business of the day being then finished, the thanks of the meeting were unienitnwasty voted to the high 3siliaL • ... ~ 411, i rrem.0•440.411%* %I; 4 , / Ns.• Ail