The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-08-31 00:00:00

vv srMIrSiTER MEETING.

To Arthur Morris, Esq. High Bailiff of the City sod

Liberty of Westminster.
We, Ilse undersigned Electors of Westminster, do request
you to call an ea. ly Meeting of the Electors of this City
and Liberty, to take into consideration the propriety of ad-
dressing the Prince Regidit and the Nation or the conduct
of the Magistrates and the Yemeni towards the people at
their late public Meeting at Marchetti. r, held for the poi'.
pwit " of considering the propriety of adapting t►e stoat
legal anti effectual means of obtaining a Reform in the
Commons House of Parliament."
(Signed by Nearly 200 Electors)
The High Ratliff having refused to comply with the above
Requisition, the Electors who signed the Requisition hereby
give nosier, that a Public Meeting of the Inhabitants of
Westminster will be held fur the perms above stated, on
next, the Septembiel at Twelve e'Cluek
`at Nan, in-New Palaceeyard.
Sir MA NCIS BURDETT, iii. M.P. -

4 is the Chair.
The Chair will be taken st use /Mark preeinsly.
The CHAIRIIIIi issid„.4stsey would observe thtt
no day wa. fixed /or the Meeting', in the raper he
lard just reid. It wet fur the Electors present to
urine a day. They were now cosovened for that
purpose, and he trusted they would do that duty.
without travelling iivo irrelevant topics. At pre-
sent they had no necessity of touching upon the
Manchester Meeting —they were merely to fix a
time for taking that business into their most sermon
consideration.—(Apploase )
After • short pause, no person appeared inclined
to address the Meeting—
The CuaiawAs then said, that It was open for
the company to fix a day fur the Meeting, and lie
waited to hear what any Gentleman present had to
say upon the business.
Mr. HARLEY (4 LiVerylllllll of London), came
forward, and said, that he differed from the Chair.
man as to the business they had to traintict. and so
far from thinking that the Manchester business had
nothing to do with their discussion, he-thought it
had a great deal, indeed, that it was their only
business.—(Great appluate.)—For one, he was
infest anxious that Werimillater should take the
lead, in pronouncing an opinion on the affair at
Manchester; he knew that a Requisition was pre-
pored and signed, for, as a Liveryman, he had him-
self signed ii, to the Right Hon. John Atkins, Lurd
Mayor of Lutidosi—(9 laugh)—to call a Meeting
of the Livery, to take that shocking recta into con.
*nitro' . lie knew at the same time very well,
that John Atkins would call no Meeting. indeed,
that man ought not to be called Lord Mayor, for
he (Mr. Harley) knew that lie was not elected by
the Livery as he ought to have been.—(Cheers)—
Every good citizen ought now come forward and
speak his sentiments on the late outrageous isru-
erecting. at'Maoctiester.—(iipploase )
A general cry to fix the day for the Westminster
Meeting followed ;
nesday, inhere for Thursday. and more for Monday.
One ELECTOR said, that 'Monday would be the
fiver dry, and for this reason—he knew that the
Matquia of l'avistuck had left his house in Arline-
tun-street for his seat in Bedfordshire. and would
come to town on purpose to attend the Westmin-
ster Meeting, the moment he was apprized of it.
Now if the Meeting were fixed for Thursday, the
Noble Marquis could not have time by intimotioua
for lie could only hear of it by the port of tias
morrow night, which *mild not reach him heft**.
the middle of Wednesday. lie therefore trusteed '
that a later day would be filed. This was a time '
when, whatever were their particular differences,
they ought to unite with all who would join them,
in c ))))) ',Wising of an outrage upon the liberties and
I lives of the people—they should, above all, be
anxious to get the assistance of men of rank and
property in the common cause.—(Applaase.)—.
The Hon. H. G. Bennett was in town ready to
attend the Meeling, mail so would the Mu. George
Lamb, if lie had early notice; he was now on the
Northern Circuit, and could net well be up (ruin
Lancaster before Mondry next.
Another ELECTOR said, that no time was to he
lost—there had been sufficient notice fur the Gen.
tlrmen alluded to to come to town, and the people
ought no longer to wait, certainly not beyond %Veil-
wade,. or Thursday at furtliest.--(Hear. hear.) •
Mr. Guest said, that so esturieced war he of the
propriety of a !ben delay, that he would more, as

A person in the room inquired whetheAller High
Bailiff, or at least his Deputy, Me. Sated ley. had
not, when the requisition was transmitted, said that
it contsioed nothing improper ? and another hall-
virtual inquired its written mower to that effect" had
nut been given
The Gentleman who handed the requisition to
Mr. Smedley (who is the High Bailiff's; Deputy),
replied, that no such answer had been given. Nei-
ther approbation nor disapprobation of the requisi-
tion had been expres,ed by Mr. Smedley, when it
was handed do him ; the refusal was afterwards ver-
bally given—no written answer was (brnished.
Au Elector said lie knew Mr. Morris (the High
Bailiff) had himself no objection to call the Meet-
ing, hut as Lued Sidasouth was High Steward of
Westminster, he was. no doubt, afraid •to take.
such a step as might imply his sanction to the ob-
ject for which it was convened.
it was re-mated that the refusal was verbally
given, and that neither approbation nor disispion.
bstion of the Agquisitiou war conveyed by the High
Ba liff, or his Deputy:.
Mr. Honsobsg entered the room in the midst
of the business, and was loudly cheered. On be-
ing repeatedly called upon by the Meeting, he rose.
end from the table addressed the company: He
commenced by stating. that when he had last ap-
peared before them, he was endeavouring by their
indepeodent suffrages to place hitnself where he.
might have a wider sphere in which to exercise his
efforts in their behalf; he had told them on pan.
nig, that however narrowed was his circle of Be-
noit. they would still ever find hint ready at their
call to contend with them in the cause of liberty.—
He had told them on a former occasion that the
great evil was in the wain of a Reform in Parlia-
ment ; he had only now to repeat that such was
the root of their grievances. Without a Reform
they could have no relief—with it they need not
shrink from any of their difficulties.—(Great op-
plause.)—Since he had last addressed them, they
had *ern more of the bitter fruits, not of the Go-
vernmesit indeed, hut of those men who this-
ruled the people—(Applause)—who felt no com-
punction at consigniug to the soldiery.—(Cries of
" No, they were no soldiers PV—the dispersion et
the point of the sword of an unarmed and de-
fenceless multitude, among whom, too. were fe-
M4les.—(Crier of " Shame P)—lt was right
to say that these persons were sin soldiers—they
were, on the coutrary, persons who reckoned on
the effect which their swords would have upon a
mixed inultiinclethey rflied on the influence of
the Steel which was dug out of the earth, but forgot
that the arm that could wield it was a product of
the twine soil, and nerved to assert its own•rights.—
(Great applarse.)—The people would, however,
assert. their own digmty, and rescue their country•
trait such a system—their first call would, doubt-
less, be that of vengeance upon the immediate per-
petrators of the late atrocious' aci—vengeance, not
indeed like that which their enitniieis took by
brutal force, but
.vengeance, such as the laws
inflicted upon .the ,eutliors of such acts.—This
was the vengeance which became Englishmen,
who knew and. felt that they lived in a country
goeenied by equal laws, • which in happier days
conferred equal liberty.—((.rent applause.)—For
his pert, he assured them, they should find Inni
always at his post, and if lie could take the liberty of
making a suggestion respecting their Meeting, it
would be therthey would not delay it---(Applosi c).
lie hoped and trusted that the Gentlemen of the
country, who were really es interested a the people
theinselvesin the result, would be present with them
on such an secession—if they were not, it war not
the people's fault. He should not fail to obey their
call 011 all occasions.—(Applause.)—He had now a
much more important commuoicartiou to make to
them than any thing which could relate to his owe
co-operation—it was, that their worthy Represen•
tative. Sir Fraucis Burdett, hod arrived 116 town
this evening, to obey their call, m he had ever dour,
according to the old-fasbioaed custom—on the
first notece.—(4hosits of applovse.)—The worthy
Baronet would attend their Meeting, and. the
sooner they had. it the better.—(Apploesed.
Whea Mr. ilobliouse sat down, en Elector pro-.
posed a Vote of 'Thanks to hiM for his attention to
the affairs of Wesitaistater, and his -prompt attend:.
sure at this Nesting.'
This motion was received with great applawava

terms.
. •
The CRAWSAIf wits in the act of enaminctog
lint the bemires* of the Meeting hail rowed in the
appointment of Thursdsy next for the Meeting its
Paism-yowl—when
Mr. BRYAN presented himself, and said, 'hit
if-ifettetne them on such an occasion as this to think
of Mr. Hoot end his brother entirety's 'slits were in
dose custody in. Lancaster gaol, and for whom some
legal measures ought to be taken without delay, not
• to defend them against any charge of crime, for lie
believed they had been guilty of oboe, but to ens-
. tale them promptly and elßriesitly to bring their
persecutors to punishment. Indictments should be
nbrosielit without delay egoista the Magtstrates who
had kept them io close custody, fur eleven days wilts.
one knowing on what charge they could commit
them, sad -who had, daring that period, refused
to Allow their friends to see the Prisoners or to
see copies of their committals. Applications
:ought to he made forthwith to punish the Ma.
gnaw's offending so mach against the law, and
to bring them to trial, not tuderd iu Lintes-
_elite, but in some adjoining county. Such had
been done in Wadditigtou'e cow WI a charge of
aseigsfy of hops : the trial was remover out of
Kent. es, account of the popular feeling which
prevailed there. Some immediate step ought to be .
taken to do justice to the sufferer.. He had bit
no time, for he had gone on Saturday last to
sue out a writ of Habeas Corpus for the frisotwes
before the Chief Justice—he had gone to the
chambers of his clerk, but was amused with evasive
answers—he had been this day before Mr. Jamie.
Milroy(' and Mr. B001:1 Graham:in their Chambers
mud they were to give theiranswera to.morrow. Legal
assistance ought to be afforded without delay to the
sufferers. (A voice exclaimed, " Most certainly, but
have they not get .Mr..Peerson, the solicitor ?")
" No," resumed Mr. Bryant. "they have oolf got
him for the moment, for he has written up to tie.
cline the teak of undertaking their defence, and
begged that Mr. Harmer might be sent down for
~.that purpose. Some steps must be taken without
4.4. I shall attend the Meeting•in Pelisce.yard, ,
which, I agree. ought to take place immediptely.
and there ',port the state of the Prisouers, and
what relief they have a chance of getting from the
Judgei.“—(Applause.)
Theirks were then 'voted to the CHAIRMAN, who
expressed the gratification he felt at receiving thus
compliment, and the Meeting then separated.
Abo'ut goo person of respectebilay were present.
The Meetini lasted from eight until Woo's:lock.