The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-06-10 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PR ESS.

CITY OF LONDON ELECTION.
All the avenues to the Guildhall presented, at an early hour
yeeterday morning, the symptoms of an approachi g contested
elect•en. The friends of the various candidates put lore/not placards 1
with devices, to indicate their respective Merits. On Mr. Width. i
man's placards were printed, in conspicuous clianiacrs, "The
Ft lend of the Rights of lilt City." Mr. 'thompson's name was
I coupled with Commerce." The Lord Mayor was designated
as the " Friend of the Distressed Silk-weavers," in allusion to
his late benevolent exertions in their behalf. " Wood and Li-
berty" was as conspicuons as either, and " Ward and Ir.-
dependence" was to be seen in junta-position with every other '
placard. The friends of the candidates were busy in support of ,
their respective parties. There was a great crowd outside the Hall
as early as ten o'clock, but the door was rot opened till twelve,
when the rush was tremendous. In a short time the Hall was nearly •
filled, and before the Candidates arrived it was crowded to suffoca-
tion. The two small galleries were crowded with ladies, who
seemed to enjoy the scene. The lady of Alderman Thompson
and her sister were among the number.
It was impossible to distinguish the Candidates as they ap.
proached the hustings ; but. they were made known by the cheers
and shouts of the people at the door, which were readily repeated
by the assembled multitude.
The proclamation was read by the City Crier, and the election
writ and bribery oaths by the Secondary.
The usual oath was administered to the Sheriff's by the senior
Alderman. After which,
The LOAD ltlavoa came forward to the front of the timings
to address the Meeting. He commenced by saying, that although
he had often addressed the Livery in common hall assembled, he
never had had the honour of appearing before them to solicit
their suffrages. It was a source of great embarrassment, to
Ihint, that it was his lot to address then first, although he felt
that lie was the least qualified to do :13. They were all met
for the mime object, namely, the advancement of the City of
London, and he trusted that, whatever the issue of the con-
test might be, the choice of the electors would fall on the
most deserving candidates. (Cheering.) Nothing but the warm
assurances of support from a numerous and respectable body of the
electors would have induced him to present himself to the Livery. to
solicit the honour of a seat in Parliament ; but encouraged by the
assurances of support which he had received, he took the liberty of
offe.ing himself as a candidate for their suffrages. (Applause,
and some Meas.) Ile begged to assure the meeting that he
felt the importance of the trust which they had to confer; and
he should not be then before them. applying fur so responsible
a situation as that of their Representative, if he had not been
urged to it by the ardent wishes of hit friends; but if elected, he
would assure them that he would faithfully and diligently discharge
the duties of that high station. Although he would not enter at
large upon the several topics upon which a Member of the begin.
lature would be called upon to exercise his judgment, he thought
he should but Imperfectly discharge his duty to the Livery if he
did not mention some or those principles by which he intended to
be actuated. He had always considered the representation of the
City of London a trust of great importance, involving interests
of great magnitude; and sensible of the high importance of such
a trust before he commenced a canvass, he had made diligent in-
quiries as to the persons who might offer themselves for the honour
of its representation, and among the rest inquired of his prate-
essor, Ald. Garrett, if he should offer himselt as a candidate, and
that gentleman assured him that nothing would induce him to do
so. That circumstance he stated without any feeling of displea-
sure, as he was sure that gentlemen was ro party to the exertions
which were making to procure his return. lie wished again to be
understood as making that remark without any personal feeling;
he was of opinion that the Importance of this City depended on its
constitution, and upon its commercial interests: by the one he
meant constitutional liberty, and by commerce lie meant the free
exercise of industry, and not those vain speculations which had
been the ruin of many. Bred, as he had been, to trade and manu-
factures, he hoped he was sufficiently conversant with busi-
ness to attend to the trade, commerce, and navigation of the City
of London ; and at no time was it more necessary that practical men
should be in Parlianient to attend to those interests. He allotted
to the present doctrine of free trade, which had been put forward
by his Majesty's Government; and although he admitted the
soundness of the principles upon which these doctrines were sup-
ported, he thought they required to be carried into operation with
great caution. (Disapprobation.) At all events to be beneficial he
contended that they must be universal in their application.(Cheers.)
What greater anomaly could there be than the alteration in the
laws relating to the shipping interest, whilst the Corn Laws re-
mained unrepealed ? (Cheers.) Upon that point his mind was
made up ; he was decidedly of opinion that the laws preventing the
importation of foreign corn should be changed. The effect of
those laws was to increase the rental of landlords one hun-
dred per cent. There was one other subject to which he
wished to advert, and that subject, which was of great im-
portance, had been scarcely noticed of late. (Great uproar.)--
It was a subject which he treeed with great moderation, particu-
larly, as Chief Magistrate of the (Ay of London, he found himself
bound to do. This ci,), had suffered much on former occasions by
the agitation of that question. (Great uproar.) As some impa-
tiens was manifested by the meeting, he would not dwell longer on
the subject, but, if elected, he would readily lisien to the advice
of his constituents. (Cheers.) And he would entreat of the Livery,
as they valued civil and religious freedom, not to be betrayed
into any unbecoming expression or manifestation of feeling on the
subject. With respect to the Slave Trade, be always looked upon
it with horror and dismay, and every propo.seion for its gradual
abolition should have his cordial support. (Cheers.) He had no
more doubt of the propriety of a Reform In Parliament than he
had of his own existence (hear), and that nothing but the rash
and crude notions of some of its advocates prevented its accom
plishment ; and If he should be returned hr would, as far as in his
power, operate as a salutary check upon his Majesty's Minister.,
but not as an embarrassment to them. He was also a friend to the
education of the people, and wished that education to be founded
on the Bible. With respect to the public expenditure. he would
be a friend to its reduction as far as consistent with public today.
Ile begged to return the Livery his most sincere thanks for the pa-
tience
wi h width they had heard him, end he assured them that if
elected he would perform hisdutles with diligence, zeal, and fidelity.
Alderman Wool) rAtt presented himself. Notwithstanding
an air of gooti.humoureff confidence which ho assumed, the mingled
hisses anti, shouts of applause prevented him from addressing the
assembly for some minutes. As soon as order was somewhat re-
stored,
he commenced by saying that the Livery were met for the '
purpose of exercising their great and Constitutional right of elect-
ing fit persons to represent the City of London in Parliament, and
he would take the libert), to implore a patient hearing, not only for
himself, but also for each of the Candidates who might present them.
selves to the Livery for their suffrages. If he had done anything
to displease his fellow-citizens. he only asked to be heard (hear,
hear), and he would be ready to give an explanation. He had on
five occasions solicited the suffrages of the Livery, and in coming
forward for the sixth time, he would ask if there was a man in that
great assemblage who could say that he (Alderman Wood) had
ever neglected the application of any individual or of any body,
when an appeal had been made to him for his interference. of
there was any such person in the Hall, he wished to give him an
opportunity, and should be happy to hear him state his complaint.
He did not set up for infallibility, but be wished to be heard in
defence of any complaint that might be made (hear, hear); and it
would be afterwards for the Livery to decide, by the state of die
poll, what was their opinion respecting his conduct. He had as
much solicitude for the interests of the City of London as any man
could have. It IA been said by some persons that it requ:red a
particular character to represent the Cityof London. He would ask,
had he neglected the commercial, the shipping, or the trading in-
terests ? On what occasion was he absent from his post whenever a
discussion was expected to take place respecting either of these, or
any other interest connected with his constituents ? (Hear.) Ile
had often eat twelve hours in the House of Commons without de.
setting his post, whilst any interest connected with the city of Lon-
don was occupying the attention of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) He
would ask the bankers, merchants, and traders, whether It required
any particular talents to attend to their interests, or whether the
qualifications which he possessed, namely, perseverance, zeal, and
'lndustry, and he would add honesty, were not the great requisites
in their Reareertative
.-He warWl also. ask whether be had
any interest in the course which he pursued ? There had beet
some other objections made to his Parliamentary conduct;
but, instead of a speech, he would appeal to his votes for his de-
fence, as it would not be necessary for him to enter upon all the
subjects which had occupied Parliament whilst he had a teat in
that House. He would again say, that his hest explanation would
be a reference to his votes in Parliament; and he wished particu.
tarty that such persons as complained of hie being always opposed
to Ministers, would refer to those votes. Upon the important question
of the Corn Laws he had voted with Ministers; and the only point
connected with that question, upon which he differed with
nisters, was that they had not gone far enough, or rather, that they
began at the wrong end; as he thought, it was unfair towards the
commercial interests, to begin the new system with them. But,
whether the Administration was Whig or Tory, lie voted against
the useless expenditure of that public money which was principally
drawn from the industry and labours of the community. (Cries of
giving his vote
publicagainst increase
respectt loan
hear, hear.) He had sat in the House of Criminate, night titer night,
aunnyienpa.ropisHitesirion,
hweabirc.h) went to
important question which had sprang up in the course of the pre.
sent election, he did not wish to interfere with the opinions of his
constituents; but sans mislabels had gone abroad respecting his
sentiments, and what he had said in Parliament upon that ques-
tion ; and, as some of his fellow-citisens differed with him respect-
ing the question to which he alluded, he would state what occurred
in the House of Commons on that occasion ; and lie was the more
anxious to do so, as the gentlemen of the press seldom agreed In
their reports of his speeches. (Laughter.) What he stated oc-
curred on the presentation of a petition, when he took the opp°r-
tunic), of saying that no meeting had taken place in the city of
London in reference to the subject ; and, If any such meeting had
taken place, he would have left it his duty to attend ; even if a
meeting had tot beat called as the hall of the city, he would have
attended at any meeting called for the purpose. lie had stated
that his constituents had to delivered their sentiments, and he
also stated at the same time that be would willingly reed,. the
instructi
ons of his constituents--that If he differed with them, he
would endeavour to explain his femme and opinions, and, if they
continued to disagree in opinion with him, lie would resign into
their hands the trust with which ,hey had tunoured him. He
would now appeal to the Livery whether an n eating had beet
held, or whether any such had been called ? And he would there.
fore say to them, that they were to blame fir not Cliverin" gtheir
sentiments; as, upon a question of so much napitude, it was
natural that men would differ. Mr. Pitt thrught it would be of
great benefit to the country to setae the question, granting_ air.
tale ectoceselooa. (hare pewee is the creed c oat, " what

question do you mean ?" To which the worth) Alderman made
no reply ; but we believe his observations had reference to the (.a.
thnlic question.) He said, it was rot in the power of any man to
plume all ; but he would submit. Ills conduct to his fellow-citizens,
and he would abide by their opinions. He would poll to the last
man, and he hoped the result would prove the favourable opinion
of the Livery Inwards him; and, in appealing to his constituents,
he thought he was to be 'tied by the best tribunal. (Here there
was a cry of " No Popery !" to which the worthy Alderman re-
plied, ~Nu persecution i" and withdrew amid great cheers.)
wenithanconla
considerable c
cheering.the Teahteneuprfooarrwcaordn.tinaunadi
fsoarssomree.
minutes.er When a bearing could be obtained, he said, that lie be.
dieted he had oftener addressed the Livery in that place than any
man living, or perhaps than any man who had gone before
him ; upon no occasion had he addressed them on his own
' behalf, but always in support of their rights; and the duty of
upholding their rights he could better discharge than the task of
recommending hiniself. (Cheers.) The Livery were then met for the
purpose of discharging one of the most important—he would say,
the most important, dodo., which as freenteti they could exercise,
and he was sure they would discharge it independently. Other
' countries had their monarchies, but in this country there was acheck
to that power in the Representatives of the people. Ile had
heard a great deal said about supporting Government, and that
was termed loyalty ; but such uniform adherence to Govern.
merit was of that species of loyalty which had driven some
of die Monarchs of England from the Throne. Ile thought the
fairest claim to leyalty was belonging to the man who used his beat
endeavours to procure the adoption of such measures as he thought
tended most to the benefit of his country, and if he did not succeed
to the extent of his wishes, would, as far as in hint lay, shape those
measures as nearly as he could to the promotion of public good ;
and be would also think it loyalty to look with a scrutinizing but
candid eye into the conduct of the Administration. (Hear, hear.)
He had head a great deal of *het he could not but term nonsense,
respecting the oecessity of supporting particular branches of trade;
but his plan, if he should get a sell in Parliament. would be the
support of all. He thought, as the general interests of the commu-
nity were so dependent on each other, that It would be ab-
surd to require of a candidate to support any one exclu-
sively. No man had a higher opinion of commerce titan
he had, bta he could not support it at the. expense of
other interests. He considered that agriculture and commerce
should go together for the benefit and support of all ; but
whilst commerce and agriculture were attended to, was the middle
trader to have no person who represented his interest ? The fact
was, that there were so many interests, that the Representative who
voted with a view to the interests of all would beet perform his
duty. He regretted the late failures among bankers and other
leading interests, and be sincerely sympathized in their sufferings ;
but he must recollect that there had been lately upwsrds of one
hundred bankruptcies amongst the middle traders. and he had heard
very little sympathy expressed for their distress. (Cheers.) There
was the authority of the Secretary of State for saying, that for every
bankruptcy which occurred there were four instances in which indi-
viduals had compounded with their creditors; and when those cala-
mities were considered, was it aonderful that so many artisans
were starving, or partially supported in workhouses ? (Cheers.) He
would again say that it was by attending to the interests of all that
national greatness and wealth was produced ; nor was it by a par.
tial support of particular interests, but by a general diffusion of the
blessings of the constitution, that the liberties of all were seemed.
The rights and liberties of the people were never granted to
them as a favour, but sprang from the efforts of their own Repre-
sentatives in Parliantert ; and he would now say, that even if no
further accession of liberty could be obtained, they might ar least
raise an embankment, to prevent any trespass upon the present li-
:settles of Englishmen. (Cheering.) He felt the great inconve.
nience at which the Livery were detained in the hall, and he would,
therefore. not add to it by alluding to some topics which were of
considerable intere-t, and of which he had been for many years •
strict observer, and in many of them, he might say, an active agent.
Besides the inconvenience to the Livery, it would be en injustice to I
the other candidates, if he were tooccupy much more of their time ;
but he would, in Justice to many persons who had formerly been
his political opponents, say, that upon his late canvass they '
had done justice to the purity of his motives, and many
of them had the kindness to say that he should have their sup.
port, and throughout all his canvassing he had met with can-
dour, politeness, and strong assurances of support. His motto
was, perseverance," and he was sure that whoever would perse-
vere in the line of rectitude, would receive his reward. (Cheering.)
He begged the Livery to recollect that he was not sup ..rted by any
particular interest, nor was he upheld by any great y; he wee
supported by public feeling and public opinion alone. (Cheers)
He did not mean to allude oflineively to any Candidate, but he
wished to remind his fellow-citizens that he had no branch com-
mittee ; nor any other means of insuring success but such as he had
before alluded to. It was a source of great regret to him that in
the course of a very successful canvass he had not had an opportunity
of paying his respects personally to all the Livery, but he hoped his
friends would not relax in their endeavours to support him ; hemust
entirely depend on their kind offices, as he had no means of
bringing forward support. lie must again apologize for delaying
the Livery so long, and lie was grateful for their kindness ie giving
him a patient hearing. If they returned him to Parliament he would
enter upon the duties of a member of the legislature, with • deter.
mination not to represent hit own interests, but those of his consti-
tuents ; and not the interests of his constituents exclusively, but
the interests of the whole community. On questions of no general
magnitude, he felt himself bound by the instructions of his consti-
tuents, and whether right or wrong he would feel himself bound to
obey. This opinion he knew was opposed to the doctrine of free
and unshackled representation ; and if any case should arise in
which he felt himself bound to maintain his own opinion, in oppo.
sition to the wishes of his constituents, in such case he would relin.
quish his seat in Parliament, and resign into their hands the trust
they had reposed in him. He entreated of his friends not to remain
inactive clueing the poll, which he hoped wonld insure to him the
honour of being one of their Representative' in Parliament.
(Cheering.)
Al icemen P.nower then presented himself on the hustings. He
said he had the humour of appearing there as the representat ye of
Alderman Garrott. (At the mention of the name there were loud
hisses, and some applause, which, with repeated uses of " Thomp-
son," " Thompson !" continued for some minutes, and eluting
which time the Worthy Alderman made many ineffectual attempts
to be heard.) After the confusion had somewhat subsided,
Sheriff CHOWDER begged to call the attention of the Livery
to the important duty which they were met to perform, and unless
they heard all parties patiently, they would perform their duty but
iimperfectly. He war authorized to assure them, that the Worthy
Alderman who was about to address them, would not detain them
one minute. (Cries of " Hear, hear," and some hisses.)
Alderman Bitower then made an attempt to address the Livery,
but he was so repeatedly interrupted that we could not collect his
observations. One of his observations was, that be noticed a
gentleman (we believe a Mr. Savage), who professed to be the warm
friend of civil and religious liberty, interfennto prevent him from
exercising his privilege of addressing the Livery, and he would
Irate it to that gentleman to reconcile such conduct with his pro-
fessions, as the broad aasertor of liberal principles. (Cries of "go
on, go on !" and Mr. Savage manifested great mortification at this
personal allusion.) He appeared on behalf of a worthy Magistrate,
and an honest man, and he thought the Livery were entitled to be
told what were his sentiments. l'he kindness of a large portion of
their own body had led them to express a wish that Alderman
Garrett snould consent to be nominated as a candidate at the present
election. They all knew what was his public conduct, and if they
had an opportunity of knowing his private character, which he
( Alderman Brown) did, they would not he surprised at hearing of
his anxiety of withdrawing from public life to his domestic circle,
where he enjoyed every comfort and happiness; but as many of the
Livery had expressed a wish to see him come forward on this mesa-
sion, he (Alderman Brown) waited on him the preceding evening
to know what were his sentiments. Alderman Garrett then said to
him, whet lie had before often repeated, that his desire was to with-
draw himself from public pumice; but he also said, that as he had
been solicited by so many of his fellow-citizens to come forward, if
the Livery persevered in calling upon him, he would yield to their
wishes, and that in such case every private feeling on his part would
give way to the desire of the Livery. He said, that although he
was no candidate for the honour of a seat in Parliament. if
elected he Would use his best exertions to fulfiLtenaluties of that
high station to the best of his abilities. He (Alderman Brown)
hoped the Livery would allow him the privilege of delivering his
sentiments—a privilege of which he was attempted to be deprived.
(Here the worthy Atderman looked at Mr. Savage, and the
latter gentleman immediately proceeded across the desks, and got
upon the hustings, near the speaker, apparently with an intentinn
of addressing the Meeting, but he did not persevere in his foten.
tion.) He had looked forward with great anxiety to the quea.
lions which might be introduced to the notice of the Livery. He
had heard a great deal of the Corn Laws, he had heard a great
deal of Slavery, but had heard very little of the Catholic question.
(Hear, hear, and great uproar.) He had heard very little of those
who seek for temporal power, although they acknowledge a foreign
allegiance, whilst they seek the removal of et-vein disabilities under
which they labour. (Great uproar.) As the meeting were not dis.
posed to hear him, he would conclude by saying that he thought
Alderman Garrett conferred a great obligation on the Livery, in
consenting to be elected. (Mingled hisses and cheers.)
Alderman THODIettOII then presented himself to the Liver,
amidst tremendous cheering. When silence was obtained, he said
that the time was at last arrived when he was to address them—the
precedence having been given to those who by their station and se-
niority were justly entitled to it; and, who were, in common with
himself, candidates upon that occasion for the aufleages of the
independent Liverymen of London (cheers), and equally anxious
for the honour of representing them in Parliament. In presenting
himself to their notice, he earnestly solicited their indulgence for
a short time, while he explained to them the grounds upon which
he then and there appeared to solicit their support. (Hear,
hear, hear.) If he should abstain from noticing some of the
topics which had been dwelt on at considerable length by those
who had preceded him, it would not be because he deemed those
topics in themselves unimportant, but rather because they had all
of them been frequently under the observation of the Livery; and
he was convinced that they were as able to come to as sound and as
fuse a conclusion as any body of men in existence. (Cheering.)
With respect to his individual sentiments upon those questions, ne
believed they were too well known to the Livery, to render it neces-
sary for Mae then to enter into a protracted •statement of them.
((sheers.) The part which he had taken when those questions were
the subject of Parliamentary discussion, was sufficiently before
them to render any statement (tom him superfluous. (Hear, hear.)
He was not wholly unknown to them, and he could solemnly de.
elate as a man, that he had acted in the whole course of his public
life with • spirit of independence. (Immense cheering.) lie had
voted in opposition to the Government when, in his judgment, their
meesores were handed in error, end likely to be productive of mica.