The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-10-06 00:00:00

TA VIS TO Cli M EETING.

At one of the most immerging and respectable
Meeting+ ever ussembhed at the Guildhall at Tart.-
lock, convened by ti Requisition of some of the
respectable of its inhabitants, on M lay, the
87flo tilt, to take into consideration the best memos
of expressing their sentiment. on the late proceed-
ing+ at Manchester, Mr. It Cues 'sit was unani-
ua. ugly to the Chair.
The Requisition to the Portreve, the Portreve's
reply, declining to convene the Meeting, and the
subsequent notice of the rerinisitioni-ts convening tht
Meeting, being read, together with two letters from
A. Wilson, Esq. and the Rev. NVni. Evan,, ex-
pressing their profound sorrow at the atrocities that
had been committed at Alsocheliter, and their full
concurrence in the objects of the Meeting. the
huginesis of the Meeting was opened by Mr. J.ll.
GILL. in the following speech :
" GENTLEMEN—We have just hail read to us
rosin the Chair, the Requisition to the Portreve, the
Portreve's refusal, and a subsequent Requisition to
convene the present Meeting, • to take into consi-
deration the best mode of expressing our seutiments
at the late proceedings at Alatichester.' Of the
Purtreve's refusal I shall take but little notice-1
can only lament, that on a question of such vital
inspnttanee there should exist any difference of
opinion, sand that it should be viewed in any respect
a+ a party question, for • Party' has been most
aptly defined to be the madness of many for the
gain of the few.' I will hope, that if the Portreve
bail bees prevent; his naturally humane dispositiou.
would have led him fully to concur in one of the
objects fur which we are assembled—the affording
relief to suffering humanity; and his regard for the
lows have prompted him to have advocated the
other—the bringing the violators of the law to con-
dign puniahment. I will now proceed. Gentlemen,
to call your attention to the-general objects of this
Meeting, and to the particular Reisoluf which it
is toy inteotiou to submit to the Chair; first dis-
claiming tny attachment to any party, but the party
of say country, and expressing my great satisfac-
boo that the present Meeting is not to be prosti-
tuted to party purposes. From every account that
has as yet reached us of those scenes of violence
that occurred id Manchester on the 16th of August
last, three facts appear to be established :—That
the Meeting wits legally convened for legal pur-
poses—peaceably conducted—soil violently dig-
posed. TO set at rest any doubts that may be en-
tertained by any of the present assembly, as to the
subject's right to petition, 1 will read to you all
extract from Blackstone, where he quotes from a
Statute of William and Mary, • That the subject
hash a right to Petitions and that all commitinents
oast prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal.'—
Is is a matter of proud exultation to use, as I am
sure it must be to you, Gentlemen. that our coun-
trymen have, on every occasion, presented so sub-
bow a spectacle of patient endurance when they
have met to exercise this right. No provocations
have been able to seduce them into a breach of the
laws at those Meeting+, so fully do they compre-
hend the vastness of its importance to the liberties
of Englishmen. It is not •my intention, Gen-
theme's, to hold up the Mogistrates, the di-
rectors of these gauguiviary deeds, or the Ali-
Mows of the Crown, who advised their Prince
so hastily to approve them,' to the execration of
an outraged and incensed people. I would rather,
in the true spirit of the Gosprl, that they should
have good returned them for evils and receive the
b:nelft of those laws that have been so cruelly vio-
lated. If, with Lady Macbeth, the small still voice
within them should cry, ' Ont, damned spot ! rat,
I say!' my prayer is, that they may be able to
make their peace with their consciences and their
God before the day of judgment. It is essential to
the well-bring of omelet), in all well-govertied States,
that all who hare offended against the law should
undergo the ordeal of the law, and not be screened
from its penalties, if they be declared delinquents,
however high their rank, for accorditig to lirocton,
a great and ancient law authority, Hex debet
ease sub lege, via Ler "wit Argent' (the King
should • lie snider the tow. .because the law
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