The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-05-05 00:00:00

th e leading men of this city, who have profited by hems, at various times come forward, in order to give a tone to the expression of your public sen iin,,,oe, They have come forward at Merchant Taylors' Hall, at Grocers' Hall, and at the Man sion House, in order to support the odious In. come Tax, and to serve the Ministers of the day, tit he have oppressed you ; but yet you have nevi. found any of these moo who have ever opened their. mouths to deplore the failures which have recently diejaced the country, or the- calamities which o wes helm you. I conclude, Gentlemen, by giv. lee my cordial approbation to the Resolution which has been read to you. I trust you will act eitli firm:muss, with unanimity, with decision, and at the same time with that temper which becomes men who are contending for their dearest and most invaluable rights—those rights which justly be. lung to you, which the Constitution gives you, i which you have been deprived of, and you have a li right to have restored to you. These: I ant sure I you will with firmness jurist upon, and nothing ci s,. [ Vehement and general bursts of applause followed this speech.' Mr. THOMPSON said he congratulated the Livery that the borough-mongering servants had permitted them this day to be out of prison, far they claimed to send.thean there when they pleased. They had become so fastidious that they could not boar the truth. To use the words of scripture se those who have the truth on their side, could bear to coma to the light ; but those who had it not shunned the light, because their deeds were foul." lie stated that he had no doubt that various means would be resorted to in order to make the Livery go beyond what the Constitution would warrant, that there might be a pretence for accusing the!): of Jac:befit:in ; but he trusted they would be upon their guard, and by that means keep their scoundrel opponeuts at defiance. It had been said on the last evening in the House of Commons a report had gone forth that there were but eight honest men in that House, and that all the rest were rogues: How, he asked, was•that aspersion received? It might be supposed that the immaculate characters of which the House of Commons nes composed, would have heard it with , hidignation; but, on the contrary, it only occa- Monett a general laugh. Now, he observed, if he were to gu to a place where there were a gong of thieves ,glid was to say to -them, you ire a parse! of thieves, he should naturally ex pect they would laugh at hen. Bust if he was to go Into a company of honest men, and tell them they were thieves, he had no doubt their indignation would be raised against him, and that with one accord they wouttl turn hire wit of the recon ;--the inference lie said was clear. Wheta bonest men were charged with roguery, they would not salter the charge to be made without resenting it ; but on the contrary, where an assem blage of people who were conscious they were rogues, were so denominated, they would nate. rally be disposed to get rid of the aspersion by a bug*. T 4., business, lie observed, that the Livery bait met fur was one of the greitestireportance. T hai • :gimbal, was+ whether they •wouli „Heat the•feet:tof • a Berossett.mougering faction ? Woold they doom -thee:paves aed their posterity to be slates, or mould they assert dal right the Constitution gave them by expressing their determination to be Om ? Betrustad they would demand their lost rights, in order that they might transmit them, nut only un. taratatede lent improved, to their posterity. Ho was. satisfied seek would be:the sentimeut laV the Livetyof London.. -He' observed, that the flu. rough:aitungering faction, in sending Sir Fraucis Butatett to the Tower, had nut done so because thee felt there was- any thing unconstitutional in. his letter and arguments to his Constituents, but .beeause• they thought it necessary to keep the ..epirit of the Piiiple down, and to do. pave them df the bcoefit of the wholesome Laws . of the Constitution. It. was the invincible virtue of the Baronet, the love and esteem of the People for him,and the notice he sad given of his intention to bring forward the. question of Pat lie. ineneary Reform that 'the House of Commons dreaded: They knew that such an inquiry would be attended with their own .destruction. He had listened attentisety to the Resolutions which had been -read, and approved of them but he did not ditok they went -far' enough. - Just and spirited as they Were in - expressing the disappro bation of the Livery at the conduct of those worst lueasts of the country, the Ministry, ho thought they ought equally to reprobate the Grenville faction. The people, he said, ought nut to de ceive themselves; but when they found that the Opposition could rally round the standard of Cur. /option as well as the Ministers, the public ought to manifest their abhorrence of the one as well as the other. He certainly despised the present Mi nisters, because they were composed of a base con temptible faction ; bet he lather wished to see see them retain their situations, because the opposition with equal wickedness had more wean's% What was to be expected from a change of Ministry ? What advantage' could be derived to the country, by exchanging Mr. Perce. vat and his colleagues fur Lord Grenville, Lord Grey, and Mr. Ward, who as foolishly as wickedly had moved` that the Petition of the Elec tors of Westminster should not be received. The Ministers were too wise for that Gentleman, who, upon that occasion, represented the opinion of the Whigs, and therefore they consented to receive the Petition, and very artfully threw all the odium of its intended rejection on the Opposition. He said he rejoiced that Mr. Whitbread had come forward in the way he had done ; but he hoped the People would not suffer themselves to be deceived. He wished them to recullert, that when the question, of the Slave Trade was broughtforward in the House of Commons, Mr. Pitt gave his friends and adherents a holiday, leaving theta to vote as they pleased, but, at the same time, well knowing that they would not vote in a way that was,con, trary to Lis wishes. So the Opppsitiott sometimes gave their Members holidays, employing indivi duals among them as a kind of decyy ducks, that they might make ;Ise of the People to turn the Mi. testers out of- pleee t ih order that they, the Op position, might get in. The orator neat referred: to tomcthing that had been &signaled at the Hack- ney Meeting, with respect to's dissoluum. _ liament. lie discountenanced this idea. 'He was - Convinced that some of the Honourable *at Independent Representatives of -the City of London, well knew what would be the woe queuce of a dissolution of. Parliament—that they would have nothing more to do thaw to canvass the Bank, the Excise Office, the Stamp Office, and the East.lndia House, fur the purpose of bringing up recruits, who,- like lambs going to the slaughter, would be obliged to' sign their names and give their votes iu favour- of Men with respect to whom - they would be sere could have no other object in view bet that of destroying their liner. ties. He hoped that the Livery of London would set their face against a system of this kind, and that upon a dissolution of Parliament they would elect more men of the description and character i of their worthy representative, Harvey Christian Combe, a representative not only disposed to act right of his own accord, but ever willing to obey the instructions of his constituents—a retire. sentative who would not sit smiling on the Treasury Bench at the sufferings endured by the people. He was persuaded that nothingshort of a radical reform. could redresstbe miseries under which the eoun t ry lap bowed; that alone would prove the true shield and palladium under which the people could regain thAr rights. lie wattled nothing bat the ancient Con. stitution of the kingdom, and he trusted those Who sought it would not be branded with the odi. otts imputation of Jacubinismths real jacobins were those who were alienating the affections of the King from his people, and exciting a jealousy on the part - of the people against the King, Ifs calling upon the Crown to enforce the ills-gal= warrant of the Speaker of the House of Com mons. He adverted to what he described the base-and cruel murders which hail been committed by the King's Guards during the 'late disturbances, s , observinglhat these men, uneurthy of the uatne of soldiers, had never achieved any honourable exploit—fought a battle, or even drawn their swords, except against the unarmed and defence less inhabitants of the metropolis who paid theta, , and those old women and children, %to had ahoy Misfortune to fall its their way, and from these redoubted heroes were conscioni they hail nothing, to fear. He trusted that the-Report of the Ma. gistrates of the City of London upon the subject of the late disturbances and murders would be sa tisfactory sad that as Ministers had uttered a re ward for those who had shota ballet through the hit of Ensign Cowell, stia reward would be of. fereel for the apprehension of the miscreants who hail shot bullets through the hearts of the Citi zens of London. The orator then matte a variety of remarks, which it is intpossibleto do justice tti...:rhe scope and object of them was to ex. press his utter contempt of that particular party, heretofore denominated the Whigs. He attributed to them the establishment of the odious and op pressiee Income .I'ax ; and having somewhat • enlarged, 011 this subject he recommended that there should be not Only geuoral County, Meetings, but also Meetings in every wswel, garish, villagvand hatttlet its the kingdo.A.;--. He attributed not only to Miniities*".llitsi 14 - IKe . Whigs, a principle of action, which • urged both the. one and. Or other to plunder the public ; and of the two evils -he preferred seeing the -present Ministers where they were, rtither than to have, them.replaced by 'the o:pposition. He censured the House of Cumitionstor their conduct in send ing the most virtuous of the Representatives of the People. to the Tower, at that particular period, when an inquiry was going forward alth regard to the scandalous conduct of Ministers, and when that- Member had given notice of Isis intention of bringing forwards motion on the subject of Parliamentary Reform, and then h o eancluded•by mentioning au anecdote respecting Dr. Parr, who had accent • pattied hiuk.to the hustings at Brentford, during the Middiesex.Election, and who had observed to him, that. see Francis Burdett might base rode over the course on that occasion,..if, without pledging himself to .support Ministers, he hail only given an assurance that he would not oppose them. Mr. THOMPSON was heard throughout with mud) applausC. The , Resolutions were then put anti carried al . most unaninsously. The only hands we saw held up against them were those of Mr. Deputy Kern. ble, Mr. Samuel Dion, and about six or seven more ' whose names we did nut hear. Mr. Kem. ble and Mr. Dixon were very much hooted. The Resolution of Thanks to Sir Francii deft was passed with the loudest acclantatiens 'of, applause. Mr. WADDINGTON spoke shortly In favour of the Resolutions. Mr. qUIN then came forward to read the Pail. tion. After the very able arguments which he had heard this day, and when he ,considered how clear the case was, and hew perfectly well it was tinder. stood, he did not think it necessary to add any thing to what had already been said. He believed that it was perfectly understood that this inonst roes and undefined privilege 'which was claimed by the House of Commons, weekd be absolutely . destructive 'of the whole system of our jorispee:. deuce. [Applctusej He new came forward at the re. 'quest of his manly, able, and Honourable Fariend (Mt.Favetl), who moved the Resolutions, to read:a Petition -which was prepared to be sub. mitted tit the ,Honourable House of Commons. If the Petitioiskitered .in some deg!ec from the solutions, the 'maim was, that the Honourable House of Cominons had last night rejected the Petition of the County of Middleton. It ap. peared to them, that.in the Petition the truth had not been stated to them with all. tke gentler:lady polish that it was susmitible of.. [A laugh]. As the Middlesex Petition had there ore been reject. ed on those grounds, it became necessary to re vise the Petition intended for the City of London, to trick' It Out in such dress as might please the fancy of that Ilonourablp House [is leugh3i and to give it a sort of Corinthian pace. Hating been one of 'those who sere employed for that purpose, he had been now applied to, to read the humble Address, Remonstranc e and and Petition, of the City of London -to the Honoureble the House of Caimans. • - • , TUB sfrAtz-MAN. - Mr.' Qtrinlieitieletriffictoitoiting Petition I with great elePileeies: !ma , tScOlVed loud applause. 'ia Bat NONOURASLC THE COMMONS OW TIER UNIT . ED Et WISDOM OT GREAT BRITAI2f4II4I IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.' The hambie Address, Remoretrance, antPetltioo, of the Lard Mayor, Alums', asel.Livery of the City of Loaders, -is Common Hall assembled, this .4th day dt May, 1810. We, the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Livery of the City Of London, in Common Hall assembled, beg leave, with feel lap of the most anxious concern, to present this our humble Address, Petition, ant Remonstrance; and we earnestly en , treat your iloomsroble House to give to it &favourable recep tion; for how can we hope for redress and relief, if the bare statement of the wrongs and grievances of which we com plain, be rejected ? We also beg your Honourable House to believe, that in the language we may have occasion, and are indeed compelled to employ, no offence is intended to your Hoortrable House. The circumstance which most deeply afflicts us, and which nowt strongly Impels us at this time to approach your Honour able House, is what appears to us to have been, on your part, a violation of the personal security of the people of the land. We humbly conceive, that, without law, and against law, I you have imprisoned two of your fellow subjects, and that, withiiut a trial, without a hearing, you have condemned them. Law requires legal process and trial by Jury of our equals. afettice demands that no person shall .be Prosecutor, Juror, *Judge, and Esecationer,ln his own cause. We beg leave to Impress ourcipavieti on that this eternal principle of linnsatabk justice cannot for annulled by any House of i•oromous--:by any -King—by any Parliament—by any Legislature upon earth. But It appeases to us that your iipetoorable Haase have r ia the. ine manors of Mr. J ohn Gale Josses and Sir Francis Burdett, as sumed, accumulated. and esereised.all these °Sees. We feel it A duty which we owe to you, to nueselve4 to Our posterity, to 'cite, that, in our conception; lois lark diction is out iiiuded ; and we humbly. bat firmly declare our opines .ignlnst the existence of this power' assay beads; • jurisdiction uoknoss a to as, a power abos ( ealle law, 1 and which could be enforced only by military 414,61 a violence 'node manifest by the breaking open of an English mwes castle, _and by the preceding and subsequent murder of peaceable sa d naoffending citizens. Permit as humbly to observe, that the construction of your Wm.-Home prevents our surprise at this conduct of your Hon. Home. We atilt not eater into the details, so often and so atilt gusted fo your Hoo. House, by which it ap pears. that upwards of 30(1 Members of your Hon. House, ra FAO:LW steal-Wales only, are not electe d by the People, ' io any honest sense of the word PEOPLE; but are sent to soar. Hon. Souse by the absolute menituttion or powerful in , Euenee of about 154 Peers and others ' as averred in a Peti . dots to your Hon. Heine in the year 1791, ant which remains On sour Journals uacentroverted, This is the great constitu tional disease of oar country. Th 6 is the true root of all evils, corruptions, and oppressions, tinder which we labour. If it be not onteitlatod, the Nation must perish. In support of this our sincere coovictisio, we Deed only re fee to the never-to-lie-forgotten Vote of your lion. Haim, refusing to examine evidence ou a charge against Lord Castle reagh awl Mr. Perceval, then twieof the King's Ministers, for tralacking at seats at year Hon. House. . We remember well, that when It MO gravely averred, and proof neared, in a Petition which sto•id ua your Journals„ and the complaints thereof unredresied for snore than twenty years, " That seats for Legislation in the House of Commons mere as tinfoil/nisi', rented and bought as the standings. for •entlle at a fair," time then Honourable House treated the as sertion with effected indignation, and the Minister Iterate-vied to pettish the Petitioner, 'for presenting a scandalous sod bilious Petitiop. But we have lived_ to see a House of Cum moos avow the traffic, andthine accused of thilluvach of law and tight, because it has equally committed by aft parties„ raid was a practice " as notorious as the Son at - Ipools day." Al this vote, an lat these practices, we feel as our-aneemeet would have felt,"•asid causal rem the CZ. passion of .. our iodignationaad disgust." .s Under these eirettinstances, may we not bepermated toast, *item 6 your justice, where your dignity t Me,. John Gale ..41tiees is confined within the walls of alesviate, foe oe alleged • .eitace swans% yourselves which, if committed agaiiwt any other subjects of these re alms, or e ven against the Rinse ban 'orjf, must have beep adjudjted ay the established Rides and , Laws of the Land! Lord Castlereagh continued to be &pejo- 1 ti pal Miniiter of the Crowe and is now a free Member of cur Honourable House 1 Sir Francis Barden, drag dby a military force from the bosom of his family, is committed to the Tower for'exereising the right of coostitutional diricutO . estiamon, and. larked, undeniable to. see, to us, to all ! • Aldirsgennteef Perce.val continues a Member of your Humours -11. eirg asking a lead iwyour deliberations,, the Mil ' ulster of the Crown, and the chief adviser uf. the Royal • Councils. Under the agonizing feelings excited by the Lite imprigta7 , tuent of our fellow collects, can it be memory for us re- . capitulate the massy instaiiiia, as thus appears to us, of refusals „ to tiotitute just and necessary inquiry, to purritrito condign . punishment public•delintments and peculaturr, to economize the means mil resources 'of theltate, to adtaiuluer to peo ple relief end redress foe the various disgraces which . the na tion it honour has sustaisteil, for the lavish pinsfusion of Sri- • 4611 blood and treasure„eetravogantly stalled its ill connived and fruitless casuipaigin. sad more particularly • in the ating and ignonnitious ex pedithia 4o she Coast Q r saapo, is which the greatest armament that ever left par sh4res,.. was • exposed to the score, contempt, and ridicule of the ettensyTt 1 and the-Bower of the British . Arnte left ingloriously to 'perish In the pestilential marshes of Wei n, without sucsourl• witnaat necessity ! without oh 1 1 t hope ! • These-mid sanitise proceedings • Haauurable Home. require on coalmen* ; hut we earn y our, silence, become accomplices the ruin armor cosaltau and 'dam put conceal from you the wholesome. thougb oppleasant truth, that they appear to us to have • sh,aken wh at remained of the eatettlence of the subjects, uf . realms in the wisdom your Huntim•able Hpuse. • We tberetore humbly, bet Grady, entreat You to reeonsidbr • tens evaded, to retrace. your steps, and to expunge from cur .1 *womb all your orders', deckirations, and resolutions, pecthia Mr. Gale Jones and -ir Foods Barden, and that as Sir Francis Burdett Mu out been expelled from your Hu i awtrable,*loase, be be no longer prewaned from exercising Ibirein .41 Pm eludes of a Member of the sidle. weasarnestly pray your lionosirable House, in ealljunetista with Sir Francis Burditt, nod In conformity to the notice he has given, to devise and adopt such Measures as 1 will effect an immediate and radical Reform in' the Clint mops Housed Yarliaineot, and to insure to the People a full, fair, and substamist Represeutetion, without which they must ' lees evilly cease to esist a great, a frees semi**, sad ludo pendent nation. • • trite Petition' was adopted unanimously, with the exception of the votes of Mr. Deputy Kt:foible, Mr. Samuel Dixon, anal another. A Resolution was then passed, that this Petition sh'ould he presented to 'the House of Commons by , Aldertnart Harvey Coady and the other Represen . tativei of the City. Sir WILLIAM CURTIS came forward, apps really in considerable agitation, and said, that he held it his duti s its their Representative, to pre. sent any Pedtiun that he was ordered to present. As to the rest, he would always do, as, he had done, what appestat° him to be his 'duty. Etbed cries, Will you support it 7"] The Alderman gave no answer. Aldermin COMBE said, that he should be happy not only to obey their instructions in psi sends% it, but in an pportinK it. (Bravo! Bicatio I) His opinion respecting Parliamentary Fluters bad always been the seine as it is at present, and he would always lend every ulfbrt In his power totlie 'success .uf that cause. (Applause.) He would also conceive himself at all times bound .te obqy the instructions of his Constituents, or,-resign Ids place. Sir C. PRlCEslkidt , that he *as ready to ob the instnictleas.eff his COnstituenti as ,to Weleg.4" , . . % A' .- ¢P .? r _ _ . _ I itig the' Petition . (" tapperf OP') The 'Alderman made no reply, aid was much hooted. Sir JAMES SHAW then expressed himself nearly in the same manner, mad was also mutts. hooted. • Mr. WAITIIMAN moved the thanks of the Common Hall to Alderman COmbe, one of their Representatives. Ile then stated, that one of their Representatives, who had pleaded illness through the early part of the Session, found him. self on a sudden well enough to sit up till seven o'clock in the morning, when the question was to hermit Ministers fur their Walcheren Expedition. ,He was informed of this by report, and he should put it as a question to the Mn. Member. Sir W.ICURTIS came forward, and, with evi. dent tokens of displeasure, declared he had at. tended his duty during the whole of the investiga. tien t and the deliberate.copclosion he camC to was that the Expeditiou .wafizoise and politic, and that Lord CHATHAM Was a mot able Commander. -6 (Laughter and disapprobution,) Mr. WALTMAN replied. that it *U not to him he alluded, but to Sir Charles Price; • After the resolution had been agreed to, Alderman COMB! returued thanks for the ho. Dour he bad received. Sir C. PRICE stated that to he the first time thit ever als 'individual had come forward to call alum &Member of Parliament to account for his evnttect...[lfere the continued cries of Of, 0,, ftc. rendered it isiplssibk for hiss to proceed.] The LORD MAYOR reminded oho Mreting 4 that their own credit and the honour of the City reqUireit of them a. patient hearing for all: Sir C. PRICE. thought, as a Member of Par. liaintint, he-ought to be heard. [Marks of divot). probation). He Would state the With and toothiest' but the, truth [disapprobation]. A 66 dark assetesiu'i -had come forivard and endearobred to 'Stab bite id his character [disapprobation]: 11. did not pet himself in competition with Mr. -Weidman ; -[' 6 No, yea are uneorthy of that,"] ho held 'himself above him [disapprobation and -laughter.] Mr. Waithman had put himself above • the Lord•olayor, in comitig forward and calling on them for silence. Ile would. ask.a.Was Mr. Waithman the greatest man in the City ? [" Yes! and much your superior, .at all events."] Ho had never absented himself from the House of Commies. but when his health or necessity com. yelled him to do so. If the Walcherets Inquiry could come over again, he would vote as he did. before. The lion. Baronet was not' allowed• to proceed further.• Sir J. SHAW spoke, but could not be heard oft account of a loud hissing anti shouts of disappro. hation. Mr. QUIN observed, a difference of °pinks% had existed with respect to, two Gentlemen whits I had been introduced to the notice of the Livery— he would introduce a 'third to restore harmony...—. He then, after a• very elegant panegyric on the, • Lord Mayor, moved--That the Thanks of .this Meeting should he given to the Lord Mayor, for his conduct as Chief Magistrate, and for his etudes. I - tours to preserve theapeace of the City witbuut the • akin rice of th'e The LORD MAYOR, returned thanks fur the honour that had been dune him, and declared that not only through his Mayoralty, but through his ,whole life, he should persevere in those principles which had obtained their applause. • Mr. QUIN then' peop•ised the Resolution of Thanks to the Sheriffs., which was carried upsni. mouslyess to Sheriff Wood, but with many dissent. tug voices as to Sheriff Atkins.- • : , - • Mr. Sheriff WOOD, in returning ,ilheOks, said that he hoped he had given already art account of conduct, with respect to the removal ,of the .military. *which would be satisfactory to the Pets. isle of England. [Perfectly so, front many]. There was 'molter circumstance .which bethought it necessary to state, as he knew that improper eoestrections had been put upon it. When he was altered to wait upon Sir Francis Burdett, -at Ow-tower, by the County of Middlesex, he [tbelegist it. was proper to go, as Sheriff, to steam li[ildgii! right! from numbers]. He considered theuet,uf carrying the' Address of the Cuuuty Meeting to the Tower, 'as - a continuation of the Meeting ; -and he knew it as his duty. to•attead *the Mooing IN STATE. intended in the same 'Manner, and on 'the same reasoning; to go to wrstez to present the Address to Sir F. Burdett that was now resolved on by the Livery. [Braeot] in so doing, he thought he was discharging the '-duties attached to his ministerial situation. [Loud applause). Mr. Sheriff ATKINS had ever endeavoured ho. • lady to discharge his duly.. Ile tobb . no merit io himself - for his endeavours to preserve the peace without - the assistance of the military all the 'praise was duo to the Chief Magistrate. Though, In some instances, he might -be' so 'unfortunate as 'to differ from them ;- yet, considering himself as their Minister, he had never stepped either to this right or to the left, but had uniformly eudeavoured to:act fairly between man and Man. Ile would never betray his trust ; but, as he admitted, that others who differed from him might be right, he . hoped they would think with him, that every man ought to be permitted to enjoy his own Opitilohs. Whatever his • storthy colleague might think he - could not see the propriety of going inState to carry. an* address to any individual, however highly hissight be respected. Ile did not think any in. dividual could be in titled to 'the same respect they . were accustomed to pay to the assembled Hem. . seatatives of the. Country and, site . einereign on. the Throne. [" Burdett ,desertale every ho. no.ur!"] Ile should- be haperiste-ohey, their wishes in presenting their"..Address to Sir Francini Burdett; but he wished to deeliee riga in State. [Here was a loud cry of. s##o4-amed r —Wilt you. go or not P" . Mr. titeriti: *kites, we understood, in the end, to decline•laing at all." • • It was than moved that tie Itesolutionti,. ite. 4 the Meeting should be inserted its all the Morning and Evening Papers, when there vss a general' cry of "No Post, not in • the Morns* fast!" The Motlue was Carried, ma the MuisMag iwolkil up. • • • • :•: • MA: • .';."l' i .~