The Statesman. — London, England, 1812-04-08 00:00:00

I "1 r I 1' l~ A 1 . ,TFS.MAN. stiff iii /g -ffia expreised their abhorrence of that %my right for whik h'ttti. Common Hall this day con tendett ; not only did ditty dp so, but they ve n tured ryes, to go op to the Throne, and to tell the King, that those who stood up for the right , sere dk!oyal. 'Pc was sorry to think that there were individuals at the present moment, who would destroy this right kltogether. At the ppriod Of the year 1773, when the first check deriog pe riod piesent reign was given to t%is right, as previously exercised by the city of Lou.don, we were about to en tave jtva dreadful War with Arnerica—a . iiar which migh t have been avoided, had trio Petition of the Commonalty of Loudon been at fmal.el :a, and received its die lie shopld fie ettremely happy if any .9 those indiridnals, who thought that listening to Petitions or Addresses of this kind would do injury, would have .the goodness itv)w to step forward, and show the Me: , ting iyils'could possibly hare resulted from the circurn *nonce of the advice of-the Livery of kndon having been attended to ; and if, on the other hand, by.at temling to it, the dreadful War which -terminated in 'the disuniting America from this country might not hare been prevented ?—To a similar obstinacy r and to a similar perversity of council. he &artentlesl, , were to be attributid the calarnit.us war in which for the last 20 years we had been engaged -3 war which promised no boon& to 'its endurance' whici 'had ft-aped incalculable evils on the conntiV, and which threatened it even whit eventual ruin. Ile should be ghni to see any of thoseGentlere; , n, it such there were • in ~at step forward, and shot any thing bad which cou]d have -e4ulted 'from tltc reteivi-ig of those Vetitions, which could, by possibility, be firrured, at all calculated fO prodnee-Nnal evits from those which had actually resulted from the rejecting them? =--.[lnterruptions, clamours,' and cries of turn out. One person, in consequence, was taken into custody by the Marshal.}—On another occasion, when the Common Hall, In thi! year ISOO, craved that the Overture or Bonaparte to this •rountry for Peace, should not be rejeeed, their Address and Petition ivas 'once more refused to be received. He only sished to ask, was there a man in the country who could 'read the proceediugs of . the Livery on the oc casions to which he bad referred; end not agree that •it would have been more wise to have received the Peltioas than to have rejected theca He should how only beg leave to read the Resolutions. Having read the Resolutions, Mr. Waithman then proceeded. • The fact of two Addresses to his Majes ty from the Court cf Lieutenancy of the City of London which, in no respect leas a Corporate 1 . Body, being received by the. King on the Throne, tithe Addrtises from the Mayor and-Commonalty of the City Were refused to be received in the same man ner,' was fo notorious, that it' would be unnecessary for ifini tO' say a ii-urd more on the subject. The prefencesils, that the Livery was Rot a . Body Cor porate. Be (Mr. Waithmait)• would be one of the last to deny to the Com Mon .Council those privi leges to *which they were justly entitled ; but, he must say, that each of the Common Council and Common flail had distinct and separate privileges, and, though the acts of the Common Hall might not strictly be considered as Corporate acts, yet it was to be considered that the Common Hall wits composed _ of Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery, who united consfittited the great Corporate Body of the City, or the Lord Mayor and Commonalty. This Body existed long before the Common Council had ever, been heara 61. They alone could sue or be sued, even at this mo ment. it was not tlll the Livery became too numerous to be resorted to on every occasion, that the Coin 'ion, Council was thought' of. Tit: I.lvery did themselv:s originally appoint the Memiot , rs of the Common Council ; and it was by the . Livery wild Common Hall asse!Abled that the alterations in the mod:• of their 'appointment were agreed to. Any Man, Iv , ventured to assert, who dared now, in such clre:enstances, to recommend to the Prince Regent, to trespass on the rights of such a body ae the great Corporate Body of the City of London, after by to doing one King had forfeited for himself and for his family for ever, the Throne of these kingdoms, was deserving of the detestation, not of every Liveryman alone, but of every honest min in the country—[re-' vi fitted cpA. Wai there an invirlual, he asked, Who would net wl, that cri-h rights should be held sacred; and, if v . !.:q . cotild the Livery say of any than who migh' of that Ball and afterwards vilify their pro,:' 'di a ? Was there any way in.which the access of persc'es mot of the Livery, Into the MI, during the meetings of the Livery, could be •ntore effectually prevented than that which was now adopted ? If so, why was it not resorted to ? Or, ifGentlemen objected that the s ense Of the Livery was not fairly taken, let them call anotter Common to reconsider the matter. But let them• not go into holes and cntiers, for the purpose of cast irig.obloaei; as far as in them Inv on 'their own THE ST, • . to state our grievances. Ile had ,at a IVI - eating of. the Livery within these•few days, pointed-`:nit a satiety of circumstances occurring within the last 9i) years,' which, iii his opinion, 'went to chew, a growing con tempi for public opinion ; and he was sorry to she, in the inftance.now before them, a striking etempli hcation of this,.as applieOle to the [Averred -Lou don. •It had biten said, in some. of the venal prints •of the.day, that if the, Livery expected that their Addresses should he received at Court, they a should be framed in other 'swage. Ire did not doubt that this was the fact; and if the Livery, adopting the language.of sycophaucy and flattery, and abstaining from the statement of facts. whieh caused them , to complain of grievances, would approach the Throne with their Addresses, he did suspect they would find the way to St. James's strewed a little with roses. When they witnessed, however, ugh a dreadful se ries of acts of •malradministration, as that which' for the last twenty years had presented itself, he must say, that he would rather see the flagstaff 'of British t Liberty nailed to the mast-head, eed that we should .perish with the Constitution, than yield to the op pressions daily accumulating aiotind us.. If the de ports of the' Debates hi Parliament were correctly given to the Public, of which he had not a doubt, then had a Member of one of the Houser stated in t his plaie, that the Mover and secender .of certain Resolutions, lately come to by the Livery, ought to hrve been. sent to Newgate. if this 'was not like runniug down public opinion, he did not know what it was. Of the practices resorted to for the purpose pfciying down the Livery in Common Hall assembled, he had a peetty eatlskeiory instance comatunietited• to him some tune ago, by a Liveryman, who inform ed him, that after he'had been present in this Hall, and given . his assent to certain Resolutions then passed, he received a letter from, a certain Gentle man, informing him that if he_ did not go.te the _ _ London Tavern, and sign the Counter-Resolutions lying there, lie should no longer have his employ meet. This the Liveryman had the courage tq refuse, being prouder in the approba• ion of his own conscience, and thinking that the Poet was correct in his descrip- Bon when he said, • - " More true content Mareellas exiled feels, - • than Csesor _with a senate st his heels." Being-so near the monument of the great Lord Chat ham, he could not forbear calling the recollection of the Meeting to an observation of his in the House of Lords, respecting the City ofLoodon. Lord- ; ship remarked, that when he mentioned the City of London, he thought he saw a sneer on the faces of some of their Lordships; he was proud, however, of associating Ms name with theirs c The City Of Lou.! don had, from the earliest period of our history, been of high consideration in the country. The Lord I Mayor of London was one of thoft.legates who re ceived Magna Charta from the hand of John; but i t. ' ho* had the City of London been treated now ? They had been sent, sorely afflicted, from the pre sence of his Majesty, and had been reprimanded.— Such were'Lord Chatham's sentiments as.to the City of • London many years ago ; and such he (Mr. ' Favell)thoUght was no very unfair representation of her situation af-the present moment [applauset]. The first nine ilesolutions were then 'successively put, and almost unanimously carried. - Mr. WaititAtAN then came forward and said, that he had to propose-a series of Resolutions nearly similar to what had usually been adopted on former occasions --[Here he read that part of the R.esolu.l lions containing instructions to the City'Representa lives' sec Aduertiscmentj. .It was not necessary for I I . htm to make many observations on the subject of ! the motion. One of the Resolutions, he.believed, if carried, would not be attended witirany good effect—be' meant that which related to the vote of their meritorious Representatives. it was ' one of the privileges of a meeting like the preient, that it afforded them an opportunity of investigating the con duct of their' Representatives. .A,t the last meeting 1 , he had put a question to the gentlemen, which,' ix his humble opinion, was by no means invidious, respecting their vote, when the appointment of Co lonel M'Alahott came under dismission in the House of Commons. He hoped that if these Gentlemen came forward that day, that • every' word they said would hi , patiently heard--they• might' rely Omit - that whatever thes should say would be against titsimselvea. [Applause.) lle then adverted . to. Flint :had been said by the several ,Representatives at the last Hall. A worthy Baronet (Sir Wm.. Curtis p • we believe) had disclaimed all instructions—he wished !else bound.by nothing but his owo conscience. Surely the woreity Baronet must have hid some reason or other for acting as he did on the oceasien alluded to: HiS conscience would not allow him to give his reason. He wished to make a short observation en this subject of con science. When the House of Commons thought prli. per to change the period of their citting from threeto - , Ai. How t ey could reconcile these contradictions, and get out of those he left to themselves. But he hoped the Livery of Lpnclon would not be cajoled by declarations of purity of conscience, when they shoutd hear reas o n. The specimens of conscica4e he had witnessed, retuitided him -of that of Launcclot Gobboi it appeared to be a very hard sort - of . con science Indeed. [Much laughing and applause.] • • Sir WILLIAM Ludy's, after a sltotitt interruption obtained a hearing, He did not know that he was Wand to answer every question that might be put to him respecting his conduct; but he was ready, how. ever, to give such explanation. _What! was. be to go into the House of ConunOtts, and without paying the least attention to any arguments which might be used there, to sap bore are my instructions and from these I can in no ease deviate ? He had told 'them over and over again, that he would never con. sent to be so tied dOwn. lie meant no disresirect to theM, but he would discharge the duty wr -h his Constituents bad entrusted to Mm to the best of his own judgment. li e h a d been called on for expla nation respecting his conduct on the night when Col. - 11I'Mahon's case came before the House of Com inottS--It might appear invidious, hut he thought he was entiVed to say, that he was o.ie who was posed to act fairly and oiontly on every occasion.— That nigh', he would assure them, that he was con fined to his house. If his health had permitted him to go to the House of Commons, lie would have voted with the majority that night. He recollected at the beginning of the Regency, that the great Orator whom they had ja3t heard [hissing], told them that the Prince would now be enabled to re. word those who were really deserving of it. Pro. bably that Gentleman expected the rewards would be bestowed only on his own friends [hisses]. There were . places which ought to be given up, and when these places were pointed-out to him he would tote 4;' . . for their abolition Loplouse]. -By cutting down the Regent, they would only reduce themselves, and make themselves less than they were. With respett • to what had been said about the change of the dura- : tion of Parliament to seven years, he 'would tell thole, whether the time should be seven' or . three years, it would have no effect on his mind. Ile would do exactly what he thought fit, and they I would have an opportunity very shortly of judging of hireonduct. • Alderman Coma s declared he continued to main tain the principles which he had always hitherto pro fessed, .respecting the duty of a Member of Parte meut'. On that vubject he differed entirely from his colleagues. Sii `CHARLES Pater came forward, amidst loud 4 hisses and cries of Off! He obtained at last a•hear lag, but the iuterruptions were so loud and frequent, that we could understand het little of what be said. He explained the motives for his conduct in the House of Commons, on the night so often alluded to, and began to state the principles he would at all times follow in Parliament ; but the cries of Off! , became so loud, that he was obliged to withdraw. Sir dawns Saki, attempted ineffectually to speak for some time. The LORD MAYOR then came forward and observed, that. as one side had been so pattently heard, what would the public think if the other was prevented from being so? Every man ought to have an opportunity of_ explaining his conduct, without interruption. Sir JAMES SHAW resumed speaking:--Whenever ' the.local interests of the City of London were con cerned, he held the instructions of his Constituents to be imperative; but whenever a great hatiOnal question nos under discussion, he •conceired be ought to go into Parliament with a free and unbiassed judgment. These , weft his sentiments,: and WWI always publicly declared them.—He saw from this Resolutions, which be now held in his hands, that one of the ibstfinctions was for the abo lition of useless places. .The whole of his conduct in Parliament was fairly and Telly-before thong-; and he mould- ask any man if' he • could _say that he had notever voted in Parliament, from the first day to the last, for the abolition of - useless places?—He would shortly state to them the motives on which lie acted when the appointment of Colonel M‘Mabon was discussed in the House of Commons. He wished to do this in 114 . few words as poilible, as he was at present labouring undet an indisposition, which would have prevented him from coming there that day, had he not been anxious to attend the lhll. Be considered Colonel M'Mahou's appoint ment an insulated question. It was not the inten tion of.-the Mover, Mr. Bankes, than whom, he be lieved, there was not a man of a purer mind in the conntry, bet it was the intention of a party in the Muse. that night,•to *give a slap in the face to the Prince Regent. He could not vote in favour Of the Motion, and he- could not allow- hietself fo vote body, , and 'Of "`it .EI: 1 palling. down those tights wh i ch it seven years, the people ought to have something be- 1 against: it., Such were his motives. It was not ne stles, 'AA du to maintain.. Ois a former cm. sides theconselences of their Representatives to-look Icessary for Mm to go into the_ -Petition which eision — tp Live 'bad declared that . they would to. ConscienCe was ne doubt a very good thing; b6t i was voted in the Hall some time ago. The only stand by4helr Representatives, and 'defend them might notconscience be violated occasionally. Lieeifiglit . Question' was, whether the Petition should be re with their Hires: but now, where ' here the . Repre..inot a place, or pension, or contract, or -the et- ceived by the R egen t on the Throne, or as Petitions sentativesiby.'whin theX could stamht. Persons out pectation of them give, now and then, 4 bias to it ? ' from . other parts of the country. The Ilonaprible of &lora hidiaht of the f.iverethit:they could met iLA laughj—The_ltipresentatives were sent to Pir-.j Mover , however, had put the question on Qmother and pass reaeltitions `•, but, if an elitkloo cling, and i Kamera for the express purpose of doing the hnsiness 1 footing, namely,. the Right to Petition. ". Who tie the Bankeriekike to aolkitibeliVotl:lok,t&s,fteshoie..Of their*CenStituents- 'rherwere thidippiies of the :vied the right to petition/ The only question was, COndUit they professed to disapprere qf v :4hey . e m sktipeople, and bound to : speak their sentinients: No whether the Petition was to be received "on 'the not move kitty, hut mijit epgaN at.,Theihustiageond i'sktubt there were innumerable cases where it would Throne, or at the Levee. • The Prince Regent 'said vote as the were desired. TheiN,as 4 ‘ eitoketir3rW.l be neiessary, for these Representatives, to act before . very.fairly and honestly, 'he would receive it as his he complaitietrof, that tht jilvell.weitt . not lOWA . ` they possibly could receive instructions; but in all , fattier had, received 'petitions. Allusions had teen . to give freesia uttliatehd.rettit.' But ifa c eenprec,, cases where they did receive instructions, he held it ; made to the period of 1775. He way sorry to day that . time were resorte44 fer.the,purdose of . . Q .. I,tobi their 4ounden they t o com ply w ith th em . one'l the very factious proceedings which took piece thsii eiettlbfili of 'those *6 wcie . ,.omsni4f,y_tucir Ben. Baronet (Sir C. Price) had assigned the most had lowered the character of the Common Hall very st stetatisell, sred that; . tee, Wfth r thO 4 l KtWie approbation of those Brie Itepresentatives ~.theM4 rth .He iold.them he . saw a faction in the House,: end " Hear!"] It was a most serious thios, that selves, he wishedto know ou what pretence they the a id therefore he went away, N o w, if be o bse rv ed ,a ) , a few factious men should have the powei of leading Representatives) flared to complain of being'asksd to .1 4 fiction there, he should have staid, and voted against i,that assembly in the way that was done. [Cries qf . s4rifice their consciences' when at any tine 'tithed on" it. • But, because he could not 'vote with the faction, I " Off !"] In the present Resolntions'erery thing to obey' the instructions of the Livery ?--lye hoped; he . sacrificed his conscience and retreated.. .But this that had been d o ne since the Accession to this day the Livery would, 'in future, see thgkirqpropriety of . faction, it appeared, was no other than a majority of , was jumbled together. Could any thing rook more thkis sat:niacin& themselves and tho fs . country, ,and ' the House• of_Cotmnons. A n d then came another , factiottthan such a mode of proceeding ? * rcries I, would pursue a di ff ere n t li no o f conduct, even at the : lion. Baronet (Sir J. Shaw), for -they were all Ho- ! " Off ! uhich ai length became s 0 load that Su. hazard of the workho u s e . He 1 4 40 to see the day ; neural:lle Baronets, nimbly treading on thegheels of James retired.] when they would be prepared, sooner t `han thus seed,. , the former, and what did he say ? Why he told I Mr. DUNKIN advance 'to, the front of the. hest lice themselies, to surreuder,their lire ,(Loud and . them 'that tills faction, as hik Hen. Colleague had de - ings, and having obtained. ah attdiiince, obheri9d, repealed cheers.) :_. i sigaated them, were the wisest and. purest Base of that after the orders the Livery had received from 111-r FA iELL SeCOEded flupitegolutiOns. ke need, Commons the country ever saw--[Much laughter]— their General, he shoelditot now have offered -hire. hardly inform the present Meetieg, that one of the ' although it was notorious that seats in that House self tto their notice, (especially as be p never. be . fiy niost important privile g e s w hi c h the people of this; were made the subject of barter. That was the had had the impudence to do so) if he hid'not cis' country enjoyed, and for w hiel li our ancestors hadi House which one Hon. Baronet called a faction, and to statehis reaSous for holding up his hand ap Tin:ended, was an easy and free acc.ese to iheThrime which another panegyrited for its wisdom and pee all the Resolutions.—The Speaker was . here ?-: ' 7 • • .. , ~ ... . ~,~ .. ,- z • • , t ti - - • • 7 ~.. , ,• .- SIM .. • . to stop on account ,ef the tum..lt, The mil.: Wining sentences sae could milletmillet• re" thought the Resolutions a disgrace to ary men ; even to the Livery ; • they were abc.nuatit • a It. Gilos's Club. - The mntions of instruction to the Rep oF.etiivits of the City, ortlering the Sheer to deiivcr 010 it,._ solutions passed to. daµ kith tine 11:.nds of the regent, and for publishing them ar..i the Pelit::• i „ f :.March 2f, in the papers, were then agreed to z 1;, most unanimously. THE PRINCES° OF WALLS. The name of Mr. Aide:matt Wood having L e o n pealed from various parts of tine Ball, Mr. Alderman Woon addressed the I.iiery as f , O. lows :---" As it *nos appeared iu the pu. prints v.-. I intended on ti.'- to sert.ii. an Atig.;i, • Princess of Wales, I hope r shall be few words, for the purpose of ex; • „ 1 „. it not in my power to bring it fore a, ,1 );;C -occasion. i trust, likewise, y , ,u will grant me ai t moments of your time, that I may state in.% why I bring the matter forward'at all. Onn'• last, I tt.'ll4 upon the Lard NI • • or, to lea , n ii wed I at'mit such a question td in this (la) ;ft, r ,. diced. On consultation with the TotrA L irdship thou;lnt that a special precept woulii Ile. ce-:sary to atforl the requisite information , le Li. very, before timatter of so much importance were brought under consideration. Upon this sallject have not had the lea's( communication with any iudi victual connected with the Princess of Wales, nor With any person in the habit of attending her Royal flightless; for ladeed her provision is so inconsider. able, that much doubt whether she is provided with any suet' persons as usually surround the branches of the Royal Family. My reason for suggesting this Address is merely attachment to the Royal Family, and more particularly to the Princess of Wales, to ! whom this Corporation has, on former occasions, paid attention. It may, - perhaps, be recollected that the : City of London presented a congratulatory Address Ito the King, Queen, and Royal Family, on the mar. riage of the Rege; with the Princess of Wales, and another on the birth of the I riucess Charlotte, from which I .will read a fesr . words." •• Mr. Alderman ATKINS called the worthy Alder man to order: he objected to the intradectiow of a Witter Jf such grave insportance into a discussion to which it was wholly irrelevant—( Disapprobation.) —He appealed to the Livery, as men of sense and honour, whether, under the present circumstances, an argument. or even a conversation on such a sub ject could be permitted. • The Lone Alviroa-said 2 .that when Mr. Aldermaa Wood had stated his. reasons for not at present bringing forward his motion s he had done all that was now or necessaiL Mr. Alderman Wool) added, that he should be s 3. tisfied with assigning his'exitives for not suhtniitieg to the Livery the Alaildgess to the Princess of Wah, which he had prepared and had in his pocket. He had not consulted any one of his friends regar:!iag it, but had acted entirely on his own suggestiow.— , He thought that the Livery would agree with, him, that so distiugeished a CharaCter should not be left in the -sittseVicin In which the was now placed.-4 [Loud applause.] • The s u bject being dropped, Mr" WAITIIMAN moved, that the Thanks of the Livery . .he given to the Lord Mayor, for his impartial conduct in the Chair. He took thisepportuitity of noticing an egression which had fallen from one of the Members for the City, that he (Mi. Waithittati) attempted to lead the Livery—no assertion could be more unfounded—[it is a Libel]. The Livery would not allow themselves to be led by any per, sons ; nor would he (Mr. W at any time attempt to dictate the course of their procudings. Neither on his tart would he be drawn in to give his appro. bation to a measure, of which as yet'he knew no.. thing. His friend (Mr. Wood) was certainly . out of order in now.bringtiog forward the subject of as Address to the Princess of Wales, however merrito; rious might be the design, or the mode of carrying it into execution. On ,this matter, he (Mr. Waith man) would not now pledge hirtstlf, by offering any opinion. . The vote to the Lord Mayor • was then agreed te, who expressed 'his gratitude, stating however, that for the mere discharge of a public duty no man de served, tiatuks. Mr. WArritstast moved the Thanks of the !101l to Sheriffs Birth and . Heygate, who severally expressed their high - sense of the honour .conferred epob them, and their determination, while in office, ta maintain the tights and privileges of thp Corporation. The vote was passed unanimously. • ' After the Thanks had also been carried to Messrs. Waithmatt and navel!, for their steady zeal in the cause of public liberty, the Hall was adjourned. Some peoplp appear much 'eghflifrated at the dr ahnstance of only Ltto iaraeioappeitring ih oil !To of Bankrupts n Saturday's Gazelle k—their enjoyment is similar to whit would occur in the case of only two perionk thing, on tb.e same day, of a coutagi- Oils and maligpaytt distemiir Which. had already depo pulated half the neighbourhood in which they rera4edt SCOTCH 1144;11. LEITW and BERWICK Wharf. Arrii King George (lialllburton), Leith .•I 5 April Neptune friday), Berwick I 5 Affiion (Jameson), do. • 6 liwallow (White). Leith • 6 Allu.sn's Wharf. Fifeshire (Miller), Leith . Pilot (Sanderson). do. Trusty (13allitell), do. Comet Leutiuntngs), do. Leith (Marshill), - do. WATER Al' LON Mornfing, 16 Minutes after 11. iced. Sails. 9 April,'- 11, A.% 9 -11 A. M. • • 12 SS Feb' Aiirif 2 . . 1 .1 . -14 A, M. "14 : 1,. P. NI. Ii„:-: 4, P. 19, -, .7, A, Al. A. DI, JPI Evening inaE Kiagautes anc, _ . . MARRIED. str i e las et, t re w r k ict4f j !Ttro ues nias iCe lf ril ( 3 :fcr Es of q t ; to Ess M . re. Holc.roft, of Camden- DILD. On Friday last, 'et Dehmark.hill, Mrs. Wriggt, relict oftbe, late Peter Wright, Fag. Master of the Reports in the Cosa 4 " Chanter/. On th:, 7th instant, in the 63d year of his age, ittoePh Olt flan Stoequefer, Esq. many years one of the Arad to tee R o y Vine Company of Oporto. ____-.11.••■;;(01... LA:4IMM t !Mated and Pub&bed .1)7 D. Lewin,. STATrwan UViCf Fieet-qt*O. • • F 1' Fib!+•~