The Sun. — London, England, 1819-07-27 00:00:00

' CO dAION 11,1141, GUILDHALL. ELECTION OF A SHERIFF, 3,:c A Common Hall was held yesterday, for the Election of a Sheriff, to serve with Mr. Parkins, already elected, for the ensuing year. Shortly before one o'clock, the Lord Mayor entered the Hall. At one o'clock, his Lordship, accompanied by several Aldermen, and the usual City °Ricers, appeared 'Ton the hustings, amidst some marks of disapprobation. 'Vie purpose for which the Meeting was called having- been stated by Mr. Woodthat ne, the ''own Clerk, in the . absence of the Recorder, the Lord and Aldermen retired. Alderman ‘IIAtTHMAN then Cattle forward, and expressed a hope, although his name was among those who had been put in' nomination for the cflice of ••,ileriff, that he might not be chosen.— It would be impossible for him to do his duty as their Representative in Parliament, and act as Sixriff at the same time, with either satisfaction to himself, or benefit to theta.—(Applause.) Mr. Alderman RoTt-twEr.r, made also an ap peal to the indulgence of the Livery ; did Mr. FAVELL, nu die part of Mr. Key, like- . vtise on the list, on the ground of his private affairs retpliring his sole atientLn. Mr. Key was willing to serve, however, on any future ceeaSi.n. The "rown Clerk then read over the nlmes of the persons, upon one of win !he choice of the Lively %vas to fall. These were—Aiderman WaitLtnan, Alderman Rothwell, IL Martin, Eq. end W . Cay Kf y, E•5(1. The sense of the Nheting was first taken as to the Election of Altkrmati WaithttrAn, but not a stogie baud was held up; his appeal was there in e successful. Upoo Alderman Rothwell being proposed— . . Alt - . HUNT fltrCllllitect 10 COOle forward to Oa dress the Livery. This was resisted by .111 r. Woodthorpe, who said he should not interrupt the proceedings. The time fur addresiog the Livery bld gone by ; and if he did not retire, the Mar- Oais should be called to enforce order. Mr. HUNT—I demand, as a right, to be liear•d' [(Here a good deal of altercation followed, in whi c i, Mr•. Hunt appealed to the Sheriffs. In the hall, there wete alternate cries of " hear him,'' am! hisses.] Mr. HUNT—I vk ish to address the Livery to the question of the•election of Alderman Rothwell, end I again demand, us a Liveryman, to be heard. (Hear, hear :). After some further attempts to resist Mr. limit's efforts, he prevailed, and the Sheriffs ad mitted that be was entitled to be heard. Mr. HUNT then spoke as follows, amidst some interruptions :—" Fellow Citizens, you must Lear me before you can proceed. I tim contend ilia for your rights. 1 have no desire to try any tight' of my own. The next. Gentlemau whose name will be presented to`you, in order that you shall say whether you will, or will not, elect him as your Sheriff for the ensuing year, is Alderman Bothwell. 1 am about to address you, and to state to you my op;nion of what sort of mail you ought to elect for your Sheriff, and what sort of man you ought not to elect. Gentlenieu, at the present important and eventful period, it is the duty of the Livery of London to elect a man of character and of talent. It is your duty to elect such a man as Alderman Rotlitvell. You have beard what he has said on the present occasion, and no doubt you will allow him the same sort of indulgence which you granted to die worthy Alderman who was put up before him. If this anticipation be correct, then you will have to look further ; and in fixing your choice, let me intreat that you will not select a person who is likely to become the tool of any party or faction— (Hear, hear !)—and especially at a season so pregnant kith difficulty as this. The time ap proaches when he duties of Sheriff will require to be exercised with energy and with judgment, and I trust you will elect a man possessing both the one and the other. You ought to elect -a, man who will not be wavering to this or that party, but • who will conscientiously dis charge his duty to his fellow cHzens and to the Livery of London—(Hear, and cries of " Such as yoursrlt").—A man who will not be the tool of a corrupt and venal administration. You 'will not elect a who will for the sake of gratifying his own vanity, by an attempt to obtain some empty title; run the risk of setting this great city in flames.—(Hear, bear, hear !)—You will not elect a man who will not take the ad vice of his follow Aldermen. If you should elect such a man, it is more than probable (hal you will witness. that conflagration which my Lord Mayor has told you was likely to have taken place. I have had sufficient experience of the conduct of the people of the• Metropolis, and es pecially during the last week, to believe that no thing on earth will induce them to comasit an act of violence towards the Government; unless they are excited; and goaded, and driven to it by mad . - 'less. You have placed, by your' election, the Worthy Aldernien, who have been presented to you in the'offices which they bold as your Magis trates. You hiree also placed the present Lord Mayor iu the situation of your Chief Magistrate. (Cries of No, no, a false return). Gentlemen, you are a deliberate 'body. You possess a power en• joyed by rid' other" blnly in this country, that of choosing yourown!Magistrates and Sheriffs ; and in the exercise of that power it behoves you to act with wistldiri and - With caution.- The gentle man already elected as one of your Sheriff's (Mr. Parkins), bdth by character and fortune, will do great hotiOnr to'the -Livery - of LOiolin-Hear !) and it is your cla'n:s-to take care what'sort of a man you appoint 'as -his Colleague. A person who stands here,• kdow who he is (Mr. Wood rhorpe) endeavoltredto'prevent me feosu address ing you, and threat ened me with calling for the assistance of the • Marshals. If I have behaved improperly, I am most willing to submit to the laws of my country; lint it would be a most ex traordinary decision indeed, if 1, as a Liveryman, were prevented from addressing you, my fellow Liverymen, upon so important an occasion as the elect ion of one of your Sheriffi.--(Hear !)—I presume this person has authority from his' gown and wig ; but I little expected he was going to play the part of my Lord Mayor and Parson Harrison , ar.d take me into custodf. I re peat, that I will always bow with submissiou to authority properly exercised, butt 1 never will be deterred from doing what I corkceive to be my duty, and especially when I come libefore such a body es this. 1 hope and trust before this meeting is at an end, that what ever worthy Alderman may he elected—whether • Alderman Rothwell, or any other gentleman, that von will have either from him or from the Lord ;Mayor, an assurance that he has got in his cos tody those atrocious conspirators who were going to burn this great city, and to mustier all its peace able inhabitants—(Hear, hear, hear'.)-1 will venture to say, that there are not ten old women in this metropolis, and I will give you the Lord Mayor into the bargain, who believe one wot d of this notable plot—(loud langhter,)—Mr. Hunt then proceeded to advert to the practice of putting persons in nomination as Sheriffs, who, it was well known would not, or could not serve, mere ly for tie purpose of enriching the City Treasury —(Hear !)—This was a practice a s di sg r ace f u l as it was nejltst, and ought to be avoided. Before the Livery elected any Gentleman to the office of Sheriff, they should ascertain if he was willing to discharge its duties, i nnd that could easily be done. He (Mr. Hunt) hoped he would live to see the day when his fellow-citizens would not prove for ectful of their own interests ; and, for his own part, he always came forward with a disposition to do his duty.—No premer should- ever intimi date him, nor threats prevent him from ;wr ing according to the best suggestions of his feelings.;—He was told by a Wining Paper of the' day, that lie would be hooieil by the Hall, and pelted by the populace as lie passed along to at tend to its proceedings—wishes Somewhat in uni son perhaps with those of a petty faction, whom he saw in a certain corner ; but in despite of such a prophecy , he had es caped unhurt, and was now addressing his fellow-citizens. He always spoke what he felt and what he knew ;' and though ell the city officers we;e his addressing the Livery—although the little Gentleman in the -gown and wig was also desirous of preventing his speaking—indeed, peremptorilY so, together with one of the Sheriffs (Roberts) ; yet Mr. Sheriff Gwynne, wishing to do what was fair and honest by every man, allowed him to exercise his right, and for the kindness with which it was done, he 'begged to thank him. Mr. Hoot concluded-by thanking the Meeting for the patience with which • they heard him, and expreising his intention of again addressing them, if any necessity for his doing so should occur.—(Hisses and bravos.) The Town Clerk then put to the vote the n ames o f t he following Gentlemen, from whom a selection was to be made to fill the office of She riff:—Alderman Rothwell, Robert IL Marten, and William Gay Key, Esqrs. Tide Town Clerk now came forward, and an nounced, after the show of hands was taken, that the election had fallen on Alderman Rothwell— (Cries of " NO, no 1") Mr. HUNT.--I protest against the election al together. Surely if you allow a man to hold op his hand for one side of the question, you ought also to suffer hint to hold up his hand in its nega tive. This is not the way to carry such a ques tion. I hope the Gentleman elected will not pay his money ; I know I would not, if 1 were so situated. The Sheriffs here retired to the Council Cham ber, and shortly after the Lord Mayor, returned, when the Town Clerk reported that the return of the Sheriffs was confirmed ; and that Mr. Al derman Roth well was appointed to serve the office in conjunction with Mr. Parkins, for the ensuing year--(Cries of No, no !)—Proclamation to that effect was made in the usual manner, and the Lord Mayor ordered the crier to proclaim that the Hall was dissolved. His Lordship retired, and bowed to the Livery as he passed. At this period Mr. Stephens presented himself to the Livery, and said—Gentlemen, we are placed in a most extraoplioery situation, in having for our Chief Magistrate a wan who will. not take the Chair when properly called to it by his fellow-citizens. 1 shail, there fore, propose, that Mr. Aldet man Waithnian do take the Chair—(Bravo, bravo !) Mr, Tamocx—And l most cheerfully second it. Mr. Alderman WarrustaN then took the Chair, amidst cheering, and addressed the Meeting nearly as follows :—Gentlemen of the Livery, on this occasion, .as well upon all others, I most cheerfully throw myself into the Ipanda of my brother Liverymen. I never allow my private opinions to interfere with public rights and public privileges ; and connected as I am with the Ma gistracy of the City of Lopdon, 1 always wish to do every thing in my power which can add to its utility, and preserve its dignity. I always make a wi,kle distinction between the office and the mad; 8114 while I respect both, have no bias to gratify in the discharge of an im portant duty. 1 , have been informed, that I was called upon at the last meeting of the .Livery to take the chair, but 1 pledge my honour to toy fellow-citizens, that it was unknown • to . me. 1 had rather decline it, if it were left to my own election ; but, when called upon by a majority to fill the chair, I consider 1 have no choice, and obey their wishes. It was unknown to me that the Lord Mayor refused to convene a meeting upon a proper reqwisition being matte to him for that purpose ; and I shall now uiefly state to you the consequences that have resulted at former pe tiods from the pursuance of a similar line of con duct by others of your Chief Magistrates. Ewell before " the Revolution," a Liveryman of the City of London was taken into custody for insist ing upon his right to discuss the matter of public grievances, and for declaring that previous to their proceeding to any election, such matters should be., there debated. 'Through this illegal act, influenced by the Government, did that Go vernment subsequently proceed to suspend the Act of Habeas Corpus. More th an 40 years ago the same attempts. were made to prevent the Livery from ex pressing their opinions, or discussing their various interests and grievances, as they would have beep at this moment, if it were not for the manly spirit with which they bad resisted it.' Even lately they were prevented the exercise of their undoubted right to do so, although at that period. to which 1 have just . called your attention. the Livery had made a noble stand, declaring they would nn! prot•tni, to any matter til they had also the power to etr upon the dis cussion of their grievances. It %vas the opinion ut the celebrated Mr. I)unning, that the Livery had at all 'times a right of discussing grievances when assembled in that Hall ; and those who re- fused to allow such discussions did not best evince either their own soundness of judgment, or well judged zeal far tl►e interests and the wishes of their fellow-citizens. The Livery have at all times to decide when they choose to . exercise that right ; and no power, of which 1 know any thing, can legally and constitutionally prevent their doing so.—lt is not for a Magistrate elect ed by the Livery, to say to that Livery " You shall not meet to discuss any subject that does not please myself." • No, Gentlemen, such is not the conduct becoming a man whom you hove elected to so high and hootturable an office ; nor could I therefore, in consistency with thoF,e feelings, have refused to'aoswer to your call. I have obeyed it, becatt:e I felt it to be my duty ; and iii acceding to your recilleit, I feel I cannot do wrong% It is, Gentlemen, very well linnwin, that I hold opinions very different from those . which are held by persons who have called me to this Chair—and these opinions I can never consent to alter, until I am thoroughly con vinced they are erroueous.' When this occurs, I shall become a convert. Until then, I shall ho nourably hold those principles, of whose incorrect ou:,s I have not yet been convinced. I certainly feel there is too much risk in calling publh: meet ings in the piddle places and squar,-s in the Me ttopolis, except on very serious awl important occ,,si o os. I din one of those who would much rasher they were let alone, even though I ap proved of the objects they were aseinbled to dis cuss. Gentlemen, lam one of those who would Ito( deny to any man the exercise of his tights ; let prudence and honour alwayi ' dileCt as in the choice of the occasion we may select to do so.' Gen tlemen, after all, what are the people to do ?' Nci man denies their distresses and .privations—no man denies the pinching-poverty with which they . are attacked. No man says they do not seller grievances of the most severe description, and i s it to he endured, that when they call Ilium the man they have themselves elected to preside at a meet ing for the purpose of their redress, that he re fuses to accede to the request, and poFitively de nies them the exercise of their incoutestible rights ! Gentlemen, they are not 'the friends of peace or of order who do so; they are not the friends of public tranquillity who do 'so; ittd who ulti mately drive the discontented and distressed into the very streets and highways to discuss their grievances, and remonstrate against the opptes blot, with which they are afflicted. I should have felt happy to be relieved front this situation, but there is no post of danger to which my fellow citizens may call me that I will shrink from. I know nothing of the objects for which I have been this day called to the Chair. Nor does it follow, even when I do know them, that they may have my approval. I merJy . act as time or gan of the Alerting ; and I call upon ail those who intend addressing you, to act with coolness, temperance, and moderation ; and by so doing, form a striking contrast to the conduct of those. who violently exclude you from the exercise of the most valuable and important' rights that free citi zens of a free state can possibly enjoy. —(Hear, hear, hear !) Mr. ST ENS--A striking contrast is just ex hibittal in the conduct of our late and present Chairman : You selected the worthy Alderman who has just addressed you, to a situation of the first importance, in consequence of the patriotism and honesty of his principles, while the Lord Mayor, who has acted so improperly by you, was never the free choice of the Livery of London, or of any majority of his fellow•citizens. The Lord Mayor's conduct, during the last week, was ex tremely reprehensible—indeed, so , much so, as to call forth the !Mid 'disapproval of every friend to peace and order within the City of London. We are all friends to peace and tranquillity, and were ready to be sworn in as special constables, did the preservation of the public peace require it ; but when we found the Chief Magistrate was only the tool of Admi "e T refused to secon d hi s v i ews . he public peace was not endangered ; but a shew of bustle and activity was put on in order to procure the triumph of a Baronetcy,for his Lordship.— We Would not assist him in procuring such an. honour—for we neither thought, nor think, that his conduct has entitled him to it. The inha bitants of another Ward were equally ready to come forward were their assistance necessary they naturally asked by whom they were to be directed, and on finding the Lord Mayor so unne cessarily busy, they refused to act ; for they saw at least the apprehensions entertained by sonic were merely an empty bubble. I have, however, pi in cipally come forward on this occasion, to propose a vote of thanks to those worthy, discreet, and pa triotic Gentlemen who acted so becomingly during the last week. They (lid not provoke disturbance as the Lord Mayor did ; nor could I even look upon the statue of Beekford now within toy vietv, without wondering how the present Lord Mayor came to have acted in the improper manner he has done. The vote he intended to propoie hail nothing .whatsoever of party feeling in it, and he was therefore the more certain of its being onani• mously passed. Every man' must have swiletl at the . strong tale of the Lord Mayor, of the intend ed destruction of the whole City of London ; butt, as his Lordship said he had information of the fact upon the oath of several persons, he was bound to come forward and substantiate his asser tions. The ‘worthy Gentleman, after a few tur, Cher observations, concluded by moving the fol lowing Resolution : Resolved, That the thanks of this Common Hall arc emi nently doe, and are hereby given to Mr. Alderman Wood awl Mr. Alderman Waithintin, for their zealous and patriotic. at tention to preserve the peace of this great C►t y during the Meeting held in Smithfield, on Wednesday, July 91st; for their constitotional and spirited protests against infringing on the liberties of this City, by the uncalled-for parade of the military, where not the slightest disposition to riot was ma niftet ; a►nditot the 3 ithmous advice given by them in their capacity of Magistrates of this City, which, in the opinion of the Meeting, were calculated to tempe► awl moderate the ex traordinary zeal displayed by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor upon that occasion. Air: Woo LER next appeared, and addressed the tl►e Livery at considerable length, - in second ing the ►notion of thanks proposed by Air, Sf%'in t attiS. ilte observed, that the Lera e f. only wished to act the dictator over th e j ita titeus of London, at the head of tP.: Guards, end felt satisfied the line of C dn i d i ,, u ia adopted by his Lord s hip was more likely t ol * - 1 .1 created than, prevented riot. He hoped th e a r ;.. Mayor would trot have been able to make s" f re t cipitate a retreat, until he (Mr. Worrier) was Pi o enabled to stamp the burning lie epon his brand forehead. No riot took place at Smithfield' dle was there any Ibiug in tire conduct of the 14 . f i t cal Reformers which could have led to i t , ; l ej bt was not for the illje l ' dged zeal of the "i e Honourable the Lord M a yor. It they.iot el % to burn and destroy the whole City of they would not have given three full weeks p rev o ous notice of their i e t en ti on to do so; nor w" t ' lle they put it into eat cut ion in the middle of 1 0 , norm-day. The Reformers,'however, were Pr ot vokingly tranquil—and his Lordship the rei t l,e thought his preparations have tree e . ,t more extensive. The Lord Mityor througr i l ; scented to act in total contempt of his felloy-c,J tizens, and the oily w a y to rew a rd Ilia be,..—tor his single contempt to return' Idol t i 1)f couter»pt of his insulted countrymen. He tic ' deserved it, end he might preserve it as " t e : ie molly how time-serving ended and prospere" the wor ld. Mr. Fevete said, that he should, u pon this sort every occasion, claim for the Liverymen of Loll ",,, f the rght of expressing their opinions upon ec c ' or trolil cat top c, which involved their intere o their grievances ; a s h ' if ti n t s 'p r ivil eg e were oo t he firmly maietained, what would become of ee (11 Bill of Rights ? What t'oa'd become of 111°4 glorious prtvileges, to the exertion of whi . e b Illust loins Ileuse of Munswick owed their e leir i lion to tine' hrone of this Realm. The coniel"ct the Chief Magistrate upon late occasions he t lio 4 r 's e it lifilmssible to avoid condemnine. When last Members, who r epr esen t e d t h e City in r' r, liantent, lost their seats, on the ermine of theirr.; principles,there was somet bine . manly in conduct, when they fairly expressed their &wr it to measures brou g ht tot war, t that assenibiY; But the present Chief Magistrate observe') a O il , ditfereut conduct ; for not on l y did ire ,efese comply with a tetypieirion of ri e Livery, m ost r e : spectably signed, to call a Hall for the discuss° of a subject he did not like, h in t even t his 09 , when the Livery were assend4led, and might IPI, : the occasion for discussion,he takes away the flo r ; ; . and attempts to dissolve the assembly. But he (Mr. F.) had a hand to raise, he would raise the last against a proceeding so unconstiteti o "% When a requisition was recently. presented to 41 ‘ signed by upwards of 40 most respectable Liv e , ll :, men,for calling a Common Hall,he refused to . " 11. ply, beceuse he said there were some doings P r : 1 :1 posed for discussion which he did nut like b"' the Chief Magistrate should atternet with Suc re : such conduct as this, there was an end to the f r , c ; -' dom of the. City of London. Tine subject of "1 cussion to which the Lord Mayor objected, W a Parliamentary Reform. But he (Mr. Favell) P ro ; tested against his authority to reject or to diets', any subject upoo which tine Livery of Lon' ;( l ' 4 might or might not choose to d tISS• I ls trusted, however, Ire was at this moment 5 ' 4 dressing a body of sincere Reformers ; but he ro tr , l earnestly deprecated every attempt to eff;.ct s"c a measure by the clemour of turnu t teo es as`e in ; blies, as a means the most fatal to so desirab le i 4 measure. The worst foes to Reform were promoters of such assemblies. For upon 0)i , point, he would quote the Spanish prove r ",; " God deliver me from my friends ; I will (" c care of my enemies myself." He trusted t" before the next Session of Parliament, the C` if i pura , ion of London won't' discuss tire subjec t Parliamentary Reform, and lay their s eetirne n ‘ on that subject before Parliament, in such a In g i ll e ; ner, as, he hoped, would be found to deserve ", unanimous co-operation of the whole king," l)l 4 l. which would be the best road to ultimate socee'.; The vote 'was then put and carried monsly. Mr. tVAITHMAN assured the assembly, he %v" tl i rather address them on any other subject iha o present. lie received this new proof of the k", /- 1 , nest and confidence of his frilow-citizens sincere thanks. He felt no claims to their A r i",. titude for the plaint straight forward conduc t r a had adopted ou the late occasion. The i nieas t % ' he had recommended in opposition to the t" l l , f duct of tine Chief .Megiscrate had been previ ° ": l l agreed to in the Court of Alderman, and .he his brother Magistrates felt it their ditty to 0- r . their hands of the proceedings of the Lord Ma!'" ) : arid tire evil consequences they were likely to P r : duce. He would put a question to this ros e 3;;• lily, and it was, whether, it the Chief Magis lf4 h . o really knew of tine plot he hart stated, for conflagration of the city and the murder of its "" h w abi:ants, hy he concealed this tact from tho se fellow•citizens and fellow-magistrates until t ,e very eve of tine day it was said to be fixed for e% i , cut ion ; or why did he not gite titian some Oa mation the day before ; and why with a belie f : 14 he entertained it, that the murderers were sta lk ' i ii; through the streets, had he no other measu re * to . prevent it than by taking 30 or 40 constable s „ a take away from the meeting a single person , thus excite the very tumult he professed to sPp r re . Freud ? lie concluded by returning his since thanks for the vote jest passed. Le i Mr. WARNE proposed the following rtesor.- 0 relative to the conduct of the Lord Mayor o f Resolved, That this Meeting, considering . the con do cp s the Right lion. the Lord towards his fellow - c i "" ," 1,0 to be highly derogatory to the situation he tills, that he thereby forfeited all claims to their eon:Wetter and esteete Mr. HUNT, in 'miring an ammidnioit. said, that tub tion made be Um Hon. Gentleman was sneli as he coul a. l e tt agree to. A respectable Common Council-man had ` P o mp'' of the unwise Meeting in Smithfield, 'and had stated tlee : to t rolley of the puhlie assembling there, while they wig" a ce had the use of the Guildhall. But that Gentleman ttn" t t his known that none but the Livery could legally meet i" tuns Hail, and the Meeting he would jurther sav;at eunitetieldii e s as regular and as lea' any one evar held in this fla . thr i , least they had the sanction of Lot d Sid mouth and the Cit). cers for saying that it was. As to the q uestion of the Skitit'jity Debt, be would say that as Englishmen had never coot Pic' be but that it was solely occasioned by the li o roughtnunge":„ o l was for hem paying it.. The Wort it) Gentleman, after stvos, iurther this Lord M a yrie 6 c o n duct, said' „, o c° if his Lordship•dorst nit et his fellow citizens on a WIT irecation, casion, without producing that 11V1.5011 alto swor e to "7 0 0 formation submitted to his Lordship, or othcrwist , the P' peg who were alleged to hNve th,it hellish pii,),l,„ia would, for one, have tiobesitation .prononnein4 13 ,0' to he a fabrication of Iris Lordship. Lo s. proposed tvas stronger than the urisival 11;:solutioo) 4 'Poi 1: 141 - Ara PUb ly re Vie "Idry I Zrtl't j . tett ,e 4 11 Pl at , that •;1 k sei )341., ‘ l ,, e 8 4). ka ; ear-ri 10 4: t() ri gh , It e , Ne, Il t i li tti 1 1 11 1 .0 r ll ‘q, ,114