The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-01-10 00:00:00

COM MO H4L L.

A Conintnn flail of the Livery of London was
yeste-day convened, accoediag to suinnious, sad.
h. . • o o'clock. when the busmen commenced. the
. •
• was antnerously attended. Tbc various Al-
:runes, as they made their obeisance from the
hustings, were greeted with applause or hisses. as
their political opinions were supposed to he friendly
or adverse to the purpose of the meeting. The
Lord Mmyot, Mr. Sheriff Wood, Mr. Alderman
Co:nbe, dlr. Alderman Goodlebere, and others.
were received with shout. and huzzas; while. an the
other hand, Sir W. Curti , Sir J. Shaw, Mr. Sheriff
Atkins, and whers, were met with hootiags and
hisses. When the noise Lid a list e subsided.

The LORD lil•Y411 came forward and said, that
he had receierd the Report of the Sheriff*, on
the subject of the Itesolutions agreed twat their kit
nireserag, wad proposed that it should now Wisest
to 'firs. Before he retired, he wished to notice.
that ft would be highly proper for the meeting to
OriisVery Gentleman, who was desirous of address*
it/ diem, s kir sod imparti.rl hearing, whether his
view of the subject was or was not consonant with
their own.

The Report was they read. It stated, that the
Last Mayor and Sheriffs, accompanied by the Re-
ineusbrancer of the City, had waited upon the Se-
cretary of Slate, to know when the Petition and
Address of the Common Hall could he smiles:4
by His Majesty, stud to expiese their wish Inc its
being received un the elimUlfig LIIVCV. To ibis the
Secretary of State had answered, that it was His
Majesty's pleasure that the Petition should not he
presented at the Levee ; bur, as in all cases for the
List four years, excepting in those of Petitions koru
the Universities, or the Common Cuuneil of Linden,
that it should be sent through the Ake of the Se-
cretary of State. On a subsequent day, when the
Address l'imn the Common Council was present 4
to His Majesty, at the Levee, the Lord Mayor ea
Sheriffs hail egainpolied to the Secretary of State
to haw His Mejust)'s pleasure as to receiving the
address of the Common-hall at the same time, and
eosin the Secretei y had declined consulting His Ma-
jesty 41111 the subject, re-stating his tea .on- for nun-
Conspliaoce, sod offering to receive the Petit ;nil from
thee, himself, in arch r to save them the ti ou I.le of go-
ingtohisollice. Aqviin. on the Stath, they had waited
on Use Set•retary, at his office, at Whitehall, for the
Mille purpose ; and his answer to their request was,
that Hi. Meje,ty's Jileasure having already been
taken, he did net think it proper to make a further ap-
plicatioa. Upon the, Mr. Sheriff Wood proposed,
that a petsonal audience of His Majesty should be
requested; to which the Secretary answered, that no
such audience could be asked, unless the object
was specifically stated : and he was sure it would
sot be granted on this occasion, when the grossods
had 'lmlay been /before His Nliejesty.—Upon the
issue of these mural conferences, It was deemed
necessary to convene and take the opinion of this
Common Hall.

Mr. FayELL then addressed the Meeting. and
observed, that, whether guilty' or innocent, tbe per-
sons complained of in their address did not seem
very anxious to be put on their trials. To hint it
appeared, that the prod gist itictioo between despot-
ism and frtedolll was, in the ast.y access of the
people, living wide► a government of the latter dr-
ier:piton, to the throne. Upan this suliject. then,
he called on .-very M. of order and good govern-
ment to he etd•inlly anai•'us lor its nieces., and not
to ttutrer tbronge.% is to be led aside by the sue ores.
I utnnies of their oppos.eats, charßites them with want
leyolty. The be•,t proof of lo) city that could be
glveit Imp in opperisnx bad counsels, This is a. far bet-
te: than in congrsitliating Of apprOVing, eelisceti
inure of reol ott4chureni. torn suppostag isoth taws*
eree-ort !y lienhy.of epirt GLOM 60 ucnorirr.

.

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ralc4- PIXIMII4:II.NALIIkIP Y.

the present instance, Ministers hat! shrunk hel,!iid
the throne, and represented those •ho wi-ar ts(lvrr.►.
to lista' as hostile to the Crown sat) the (;.,satin,.
lion of the country. 'rliey might represent them
ilk they pleased; but were they not loyal. when
commisetating those of their countrymen oho hail
Wert—who had. su ties ed---who Tad fallen in the
listeclisastrous expeditions ? Were those only to
frienslly to the Constitution who protocol
Austen? Or, were they not equally or *utot•e
toysl rod constitutional, who refused shipsmoi.i.y.
when exacted without the sanction of Parliainest ?
Weit those not constitiltional who lironglit • 11:h.
ham the Tlard to lice throne : Were the) in lot
thought disloyal who established the ['away/et:au
succession ? who were ready, in the field or out the
scaffold, to. shed their blood with a Hainpett it
or • Sidney., It was under the ciretinintatoeta
in which they were now placed, that today
thought It nec to convene a Hall, where a
fair and explicit opinion of the public might be
given. They lived at a time when, if they stoti-ol
support the throne or the empire nom surcuinutio,;
dangers, it behoved them to stand forward iu the
preservation of their rights. For this purposc, if
they agreed with him, he would submit ctn., is
Resolutions.

Three Resolutions he then read, to the tailoring
T. That It was thifitaintrotett raritt of the City efLoatino
to moron their Pennon to Hia open the Theliwt
► they bail 0: Mk natal, faro is moon riaptet to tlio
Mairott, and suntan,: neonates *Hit presentitg w too
at the Levi e.

1. 7 hot not only Lid that bore dented to the Petition
agreed to at the lasi Common Hall, hot the Lord Muyvr and
Sheriffs bad eves been refueed a persoual and sacs of H.s
MitjaMatyy
3. flat this de.isl was twit only solwersire of the rights
Otos Livery, but u Savant violation of the rights of pe-
titiou, as made, demaLultd, and f,tsiutcd upon, by the JAI f
Rights.
•. That all complaints scaliest At ih.t.tery would be likely
to be tmentrwy, write they sot to he p.....1ute.) to the l b; dn*
bet to piles through the haul. of those very streams, is' abyss
coattail they eirwitatsvd.
These naulutions were all that t'r. Falwell rend
at this time; but, iu order to keep the r• b4mice of
the whole in one View, we here telltiu'iu.tite other.
S. That whoever advised His Majesty not to t,.CIAVIS lie
Petition, were guilty of a scandalous breach of duty, wad in-
(naivenessl upon the rights of the subject.
6. That, sotwelbetandurg the .1:11IMIMS, and wisest wen.
aspens of the corrupt, ti..> were perfectly del, rut utu.-d to
easiatuin their rights awl privikges, against all evil cosu-
sailors.
7 That the Representatives in I'm lament should he Hint
instructed, " To si,.tiort all mottoes for as inunediate any
✓igid impairy late the tate arbesamptod calamitous expethtinne
Mt* Waielaarea,llpalo, and Permed —Almi to bring Auteuil
miditupport a moths. for I oquiiiinto the violation of tbe right
of petitaisajug ; and to support WS measures, which ',teat 10
the equeorkoo afpliblie Minims ; to the reduction and 'Lou-
Utellifeerl places, pensions, and erocrstuus ; M proem e
tits shorter duratiou of Puliansents, sail the purity of ths.s
representatives
is. That this Sheriffs, accompanied by the llketumbrancer,
shall wait en His Maesty. mid usurer into Hie Majesty's
bands ■ Capp of the foregoing Resolutions, Mired by tits
Tema Cici Is.
Mr. F*VICLI. continued, there were but
modes of
.procerliqs. either to_setter their
(*peso tliressigh the oIL:e irf_thistetrejt SW*, •
or, as before. to put the petition into His Ma.iest, 'a
own hand. anti publish it in the public
Were they content with the first mode? i Mei
of IV* !no !I Theo their only course was to 4,10 pt
rim Resolutions he had now to reed. lie then read
the lith awl 7th, which were received with :Ada..
mations.

Mr. Jones secended all the Resolutions pro-
posed by the rim speaker. and lamented that they
should be called for by the calamitous state of the
country. The questioo seemed deeply to involve
the right of petitioning. The City of London, us
has justly been expressed. had made, demanded,
and insisted upon being permitted to pre.ent dit it
petition* to the Throne itself. From axonsidern-
sines of Ilie Majesty's infirmities, they led of late
been satisfied with presenting them at the Levee ;
but now even this was denied them, and the office
of the Secretary of State was substituted for their
legitimate privilege. It was dangerous at all units
to wave a iirivilege..and the descending scale he
hail jit.t mentioned, proved how much they had
suffered from it. if their petitions were to go
throigh the Secretary of State, the chance was that
they might never reach fits Majesty. If the mea-
sures pursued by Minister. were wise, then it wets
possible that lii. Majesty might receive their ad-
dresses ; but if their measures were bad, the chluice
was that they would not suffer an impartial ac-
count of them to reach the royal ear. Sit b ws.
the case with the present itnttecite Admnittdra!tott,
su unlike that of the great Chatham, that be cons,-
demi those as the best friends to their country.,
who swathed and promoted their removal front office.
The Crier read the first Resolution.
Mr. W•ITHMAN said, ih'at although he might
have availed iiimistlf of a later period of this dia.
cession. to offer himself to their notice ; yet. he
chove to come forward thus early, in order to vet
right some parts of what he had deliveted to the
last Common Hell, what+ had acme forth to the pub-
lic, in an erroneous fornq and might be tonal, %lid
to the injury of individuals. Ott that occasion, r•i:
had taken an opportunity of auituadverting upon
the waste of public triongy,end the large proport;o
of what semidries° from the taus enjoyed by certain
fartilies, arh•,:h he then mimed. Sauce that. he bad
seu.i maim:thermions on what he was supro-sil
hate se;.i. in several of the public ?Janet...—
The mistake of what he really.ifiti say ittig,iit
arisen either from the errors the irporters. or
from the want of distinctattes lit li.s own mode tit
expressing lumitelf. it was. however, but justice
to those gentlemen, and to dile public, now to stmt:
explicitly a. at ire did mean to say. He ars;ed.
that, in woe way, either from office.. performed
by deputy. peusiun, tit *MOW!, certain families
received from thirty. forty. to Sit,oool. of the
public 'Emery annually. This was t-ur. He
hod Ceo said that the hinsilies of the Ma quis of
Hertford sad Lord Cat•Verem gh. enjoyed feoui 30
to 40,0001. pet aaseet, were eziende

and the fiuniliee stymied, by the tiewiesPert;
whereas, he fact, he meant theca ss one. Besides,
be had not spoken of his own know ledge, but enema
ly ineotowsed oust he had gathered front the publiC
prints, for the last twelve mouths. (nee of which he
had is his pocketl. which mitered into compute-
tious, to shevr that this %taffy erijoyesl 36,0001.
per sou. us salaries- and plans. He had no amain
of ascertaining the correctness of thew statements,
mere than say oue weed heed him ; cud he sup-
Mooed. that. as Lord Castlereash't salary must have
cussed with his going oat of office, the sum total
must now be smeller.* lie considered it due to
then noble personages, to make this acknowleilg-
shut ; and be never sae ashamed to standiturward
W melees au error, ie order to do justice to any
Whiniest who might be winged by a suus-state-
seats la mese of the papers the rest of his 'slate-
souls were correctly given ; but iu one it *as re-
ported. that he said Mr. Perceval. its places, sine-
cures, and reversions, enjoyed to the antouret of
60.0001. a-pear ; whereas. he stated the sure to he
46,0001. He whined all these things to be fully
understood. Hiving disposed of this part of his
subject, he begged leave 0' offer t very few obser-
venom eo the bovines. of the day. He agreed
with the Mover of -the llesolutions, the it wn,
sat proper to digitate to the meeting, but to sul •t
to their own feelings, whether they would have
their petition prosentsd to the Throle, or give
it the chance of reaching His Majesty through the.
*See of the Secretary of State—whether tory
would relinquish a right never before denied to the
Livery or to any public body. It 11411 long heels
their undoubted privilege to pieseut their addresses
tos the King upon the Throues and. (as was truly
- MOW in the Hassolotious) it was only very lately,
that, out of personal respect to their Sovereign,
they had agreed to present them. ut the Lever.
They had now been denied even this mode, end it
. was only left is them, whet hisd never been denied,
tO retinue s pc/sited salience of His Maje'llt in
eider to mete their grievances. and to he sure that
they would reach Has Mwjegy's ear. This also hail
bees domed; and they had sio resource but through
the very Ministers, of ohmic iniecouduct they com-
plain Be bad upon this point a fact to state.
which be believed to Incorrect, as be bad it from
the Freeholders of bliddlesex engaged is the after.
diheet leer or five years ago a petition was present-
ed from the Freeholders of Middlesex. and trams.
Vatinid to His Makeup, through the Secretary of
State's OfAce. About twelve esetits after its deli-
!lvey. epos smite. inquiry being made, it was found
I. the some *See. with the seal unbroken. types
this *rouge discovery. the Freeholders interested
es the business inquired why their petition had
weer embed the King? and theastseer they red
sawed was, that as there had been it. public levees.
it MO set con ideal with efiveetie far the lucre.
nary of Sods I. present it in au) other way. Tease
it appeand, that an (native subversion of the right
of piltitipmeg had taken place ; and that peti-
tion= were, oody
_allowed to use a channel, by
erleneele precluded from serving them in the
promotion follllesent of their indubitable
elegies. Where. thee, ea• the utility of perinea,
leek if their petition*. calling for inquiry into
the waste of public morny--the aliases of the state
torrents of blood. shed in foolish. useless, and
suemillegexpoditions-.wed the preveleoce of cot-
suldwwi wore to lie title new eilininistratioa found
these rotting is the diem, or them now ie Power
lied effected the total ruin of the country ?* On re-
Reeding ma this *abject, which he had done not
' Reedy,. he mold not 'help fain, ing he was living
=4,4in the times of Charles the ltd. than of
Use lIId. At the former period, the seine
ilbetneetioas were given to the right of petitioning;
sod the petitioners were, as now, repreusiteill by
the altruist. red their supporters, as adverse to His
Majesty and the eonstituuon of the counts,. lint
tbe.JParliaaseet of that day, so far from 'MAUI
them likely to hurt or injiire, were of amnia's, that
they were pennies the only mown to preserve the
twootitutios. They (the Parltaineut, is the thus
of -Chaim the Ild) passed many stroog ream
lanais; and ordered those who ohstrected the
psmestiag of pastimes to be prosecuted. They even
west further. and told the King that they slot only
whiled petitions fur the assembling of Perliainent,
bet that Paeliament might actually sit and redress
the pithlie grievances. le the year 1660, they ex-
period a Member from the House for the causes
espeaseed is the Reselistives, which he would mow
rood to them, avid which clearly skewed, sot only
die otriseg public fueling, but the feeling of Pars
hawse is these days, when the right of petitions
bog came tabs qtiestiosed. Here Mr. \l'aithrnan
weed the Remises, of the Howe with regard to
fir F. Withiss. is Ifielly as follows :
el That lie Pesach WNW., by promoting sad premeds'
se Its Menoty ars Adams,' feeetire as abbsorresee
poilloo Ms Majesty he the sad tinily of Parlia-
ments, bath betrayed the tookoile rights a the oehjecta
eg;littiallse ataiJ Sir F. Within* he expelled the House
far this MO crime."
Tins was a Parliament which aete,liudepentlent.
ly. and were not foetid convenient for the servants
of the Crown—they were consequently dissolved.
What a similarity exisied between these and the
present- thainswoluse.almia. at the conduct of the
CINIIIIO4 Hall, cud of the Members who represeut-
id the City in Parhament—ohey supported the
rights of their fellow-eitixem—they received the
awoke of the Hall—they were re-elected into Par-
. liansent, and a mutual assurance passed between
them rad their i:oirstituents, that they would stand
by one weather, in defence of their rights, with their
bees osal fortunes. Their charters were then
seised, and the popular party for a morr.ent put
down. What followed? Aa awful and tremeo-
does Mince like that which precedes the bursting
of • velem.. The Revolution ensued, and the King
was driven from liieThrone. This was done by those
who opposed the people's rights. and vilified the
• purists of those days, as enemies to their King rod
Constitution. He was firmly persuaded that the
grisly morns of preserving the State, at this awful
crisis, when dangers anffumuled them, was by pay-
lag the strictest regard to their rights slid 'five-
lege% sod ion to suffer encroachments of any kind,
or from any qinuter. If the patriots ill those days
bad so much to do, what Innen they bow hare to
contend against. whet& they had so many tax-ga-
th to oppose them ? fie wan not clear. that,
with every virtue and every exertion on their parts.
they would be able to avert the impending s vile.

ant they were not therefore to be positive; far lets
were they to lend a hand to the ovetwbeliniog
weight if correptioo. It was for them to call for
the reduction of peusionwa.for the re-establishment
of Perliument to its engine pority--aud forpeanh.
'neat on the guilty, ea well its the di:anis:Al of the
week, is order to pretierve the Crowu Irons dangerous
encroachments, their own liberties from risk, and
the empire from the ruin which threatened it ou
every side. Unaeimity was recommended to them
by the took of Ministers; but bow were they
to enariaimia, if they were to endure sill these

evils ; ell the heat of .tax-gatherers; all the
in-
qutsitiote of the property tar ? Let those who
callti tot eiMilltaity, if they really wished it, give
up part of what they drew from the public purse,
and the heavy loads laid upon the lower muks of
.ociety. Unless they did this, it was in min to call
fur unanitnity. Cussiderate ,ineu never could go
over to the lode of corruption, and become the ad-
vocates in support of abaves. He woo afraid he
had trespassed on their tune too long, but the sub-
•ject under investigation could not Le too strongly
tmpremed. He might be accused of violence; but
of violence there were several kinds; and the em-
pire was in greater dan,,er bola the plausible
violence of those in poser. pretending to be act-
ing niider the eduction of the laws, than from
allthose who, stood boldly forth for their liberty
and independence. Let am luau be deterred from
such a tomato tivitial course. tie the slanders sisal
calumnies of the corrupt. These were Viet new
tricks they were the anme as those which bed
often been employed too effectually ; they were the
same as those used in the nig,' of Charles H.: they
were the bolter as these ►e.ertrd to in every age. and
in every country, to silence the asset woof the pub-
lic ri4lits and privileges. He advised th.•in to be
firm, yet moderate; and concluded with giving hie
seal 'nest aliprishation to the present a,
This speech we received ihroaighotii with the loud-
est smerlu .f applause.) .

The itesultation. were then reed severally. and
the first. second, third, rod fourth, carried una-
nimously.
The fifth Resolution was carried, with only one
dissenting voice. upon which the meeting seemed
extresiely indignant, tome of theta even going so
for as to call for his being turned out.
The Loa* M ITO' interineted, aged stated, that
every individual or the Livery had a right toe:press
his sentiments ; end the Gentleman against whoa
their norlignstion was directed. was a Lieeryulau ;
he hoped therefore that they would peirmit the bolo.
Della to go on.e
The expreseion of disapprobation dill continuing
strong-a -
51r. Quin came forward. Hr said that he did
not en. r himself to tOecr :itteatiou as a meduitur for
any 101111, lout he fell a confidence whets he stood
forward as the assentor of the rights of the 'Livery.
The Livery, is hostopiattou. should conaider. that it
*as not oue men ,with whom it had to combat in
that great cause in which they were engaged. nor
with oue thousand men. if they differed in opinion
from others, they elionld at least give them a chance
of coming forward. They (the Livery) had to fight,
not against one itodividual—oiliey had to light
mgainst the Treasury. against the exciere against
the customs. against the teargatherere; nay. if
it were possible, the army, the miry, and the
church itself, would be pressed into the service
against them. He congratulated theta upon the
I Diable spirit with which they communal in re-
%sing to give their petitims to the Secretary of
State. He could mete to them. that their petition
would be delivered, toot only to the Secretary nt
State. but from thence to the Lords of the Council,
there to debated whether the. IMO/ fragment was
worthy of being transmitted to His Majesty. Their
r!lstes they well knew. were retabliaheil by the
Ball of Rights. The first nsodification of the prin-
ciple which wee attempted, was in the year 1773 ;
yet, upon that occasion. His Majesty coinireceimed
to sneer into a full explanation In the year 1797
His Mejasty tied gist condescend to explain. In the
year WOO Hee Majeaty *mold receive their petition
just as he pleased. Rot now. in the veer 1809. the
Secretary of Siete informed them, that Slot His
Majesty, but Hal Majesty's Secretary, should re-
ceive it in future. So that their privileges were
gradually frittered away, and the Constitution
silently, though not less seriously, infringed upon.
He was not one of those who would be willing to
entrench upon the comforts of his Sovereign; but
he thought that His Majesty might receive a peti-
tion from 12,000 of his subjects ashen the
some hand was extended to memo Generals, and
all those whom spleudoor isod equipage recom-
mended. respect to the eatserable oleo who
coudueted the affairs of the couutry at presest,
they had assumed a confides*, which every due
would understand. Every one moat see that their
cokfidence was that of itifatuatioes, blinders,, and
desperation ; they must see that the very report of
their gigantic strength, a report originating with,
and confitied to themselves, arose from a conscious-
new of their own rotteuners ; and that wild drspwir '
to which their situatioo exposed them; rye hoped
they would excuse him for trespassing so far. while
eudeavourtng to impress upon them the dignified
conduct which it became them to adopt.
The Sixth Resolution was carried unautimously.
The Seventh being put---
Alderman CURTIS came forward, amid loot} hos
molts of ludicrous encouragement slid serious die-
approbation.—lle said that he felt it his duty. in
the present stage of the business. to deliver hits sen-
timents ; he was not the chainpiou of any party ;
the cnuutry was already acquaiuted with his semi-
ments, as delivered in another place. He would
give all the support in his power to any ioquiry into
the various expeditions—even to the expedition to
Walcheren. At the same time, he felt eonvinced.
that the Commander-in-Chief, himself, was as
anxious for that inquiry as any other man in the
kingdom.—/Loud istaiihoig and disepprotnition.)—
With regard to the right of petition, am man
would be more ready to stand forward in support of
it than he would. It was customary for the. A-1-
dresses of the Corporation of London, and e • the
two Universities, to be received on theTh7otie.--/le
had once had the honour of rearming an address
to Hisillheyesty, tit one of his Levees, its which he
felt great satisfaciioii, it bring upon the re c.s-ion
of His htijesty's recovery from a severe
(Loud Mit/Aims.) He was sore that, as loyal meat,
they would not rev, displeased at his satidsetiou.

(Appkatees.) They had seat hits into the Mall
of Comatose,. as oae of the representatives of
,the'
people, there to hear mod there to deteranitee--VVr.e
he would determine, according to the best 9aAni_.
judgeseat. for their interests. as God was 'tisk, gel
Mr. Alderman Coma said, that he would re-
peat to them what he had often btfore declaredi
that he felt, itt the strongest usanurr. the necessity
of supporting the rights of the people ; /se thongbt
it necemary that inquiry should be made into the
misconduct of Ministers; bat he considered it
particularly essential to the safety of the nation.
that the duration of Parliaments should be made
shorter, and the parity of the representation more
effectually secured. Harty occasion unfortunately
prelleitted itself, in which he could not agree iu
their opinions, he should feel himself bound to re-
linquish his situation, and give theta au Opportunity
of substituting some one else, more conforinable to
their view, slid sentiments.—(Losol applaeser,)
Sir JAMES Shaw then cause forward, amid
marks of disapprobation mita ridicule. He wished
that his sentimetits should be completely under-
stood upon all subjects. in which the rights of the
city, or the particular interests of the city, were
culicerned. He was ready to obey their will ; but,
upon subjects of general policy. he felt himself, as
a representative, bound to consult his own con-
science, and to set areor.litigly. With respect to
the expedition to Walt:herrn. he had an hesitation
to say, -that it Int:t disappointed the hopes and ex-
pectatiosts of the country ; he woul.l, therefore, rate
for an inquiry into its proketion and couduct.
With respect to the abolition of unnecessary places.
pensions, Ike.. he should only state, that he was a
Member of the Finance Committee; and that. iu
that Committee, upon all occasions, he gave a con-
scseatious vote. Upon the right of petition. he
agreed with the great character who now tilled the
Chair of the House of Commons, that the ear of
the House, and of every public man, should be
thrown open to the petitions of the people. That
principle he slionld observe towards the highest and
the liwest iudiviJual of the community.

This Resolution was also carried in the affirma-
tive, with the single dissentient who had already
made hicuarlf su conspicuous. Tn.: clamour
war again renewed, and the disposition of the as-
sembly toilispense with Ms compmy attested in the
mum unequivocal cry of " Tern Aim eat: fares Aim
mu .0"