The National Register.
London, England, 1818-07-13 00:00:00

MR. WMTIIMAN'S DINNER.

The friends of Mr. Waitlima° dined together on Wednes-
day at the London Tavern ; they were numerous and very
respectable. Mr. Alderman Croodbelicre was in the Chair ;
Mr. Waldman, Mr. Thorp, lee. sat on his rizlst.; Mr. °pig,.
itc. on his left.

After dinner, the usual toasts were given; -and npon the
Chairman proposing '• Mr.Waithmatuithe intrepid ant. perse•
vering friend and defender of the people's rights, and may
lie long continue one of the .representatives of .the Cit.y,
of London ;"

Mr Waithman spoke as follows.;=" Mr. Chairman and
gentlemen, were I to attemptio describe my feelings at this
moment I know the attempt woulJ be vain. I never felt so,
oppressed, if I may use the term, with the 'kindness of my
friends as at this moment. If you were met here this day
merely from personal attachment to me, I should feel •great
difficulty indeed in addressing you ; hut knowing, as 1 do,
that you are assembled to celebrate the signal triumph of the
cause of truth and freedom in the election which returned me
as one of your representatives, I summon fortitude to speak
and to congratulate you on your success, on the success of the
(illy of London, oo the success of the whole British empire.
For myself, WI. may be.allowed to speak on so important a
subject, ii .have to thank you for, placing me in the proudest
situation in which an individual can bw,pineed—a situation in.
which he can advocate the rights and likertiesof the first nation;
in the world; and you have placed me in tbis-sitnatiouotot by
the powerful friendship of any partialitar person, but by your
own intlepraidentchoice, fur the purpose- of supporting your
independence, and restraining the tyranny introduced and
supported by Ministers and their agents. Their gigantic
efforts to establish a system of opinions and of public con•
duct foreign to the feelings and to the habits of this nation,
I hope to see nut only shaken but overthrown, absolutely
overthrown, and that for ever. From my boyhood my opi-.
wions of puolie liberty have been unaltered. i remember the
American war, and my opinions were then formed by the
doe Wiles of Mr. Fox. Upon those upirlious I acted then,
upon those opinions I lease acted all in .life since, and 1
now see no reason to change my opinions. In the year 1793,
a war was commenced, on the same principle as the American
war ; it was a war to support taxation witl 1111 l t fermentation.
Against this war, this cruel and destructive war, this war
which has been the cause of all the ditheulties and esils we
uow feel—against this war 1 was the first man w hopsiblicly
stood forward out of Parliament, and was the.first who pro-
posed to petition against it. I,passover.all the Intermediate;
events, and say that I was thefirst to eisposo the Inman, Tax,l
and not wily to opposer that obhoreed tax, book) overthrow:
it. lame efforts, if they were not in thcanselvesel much:
value, at least tended to keep alive this flame of liberty which
has led to this victory which we now celebrate. It is indeed
a great victory for the City of Landon—for the friends
of li..edy•all over the world. This victory has been acLieved

JULY ls

by von ; the whole credit of it belongs to you. 'Waterloo
will: nothing to this victor. Waterloo was lio eeeeee ruble to the
.11i ills!' character—it washonourableto the skill and bravery
of our arms ;.but what were its:reoultsl Were not the Frerch
nationsubjeeted to chains .of steel, in•order to compel them
to hen a system of governinenteuited :to she views of tyrenbet
In ollr :own country, was PO a standing army kept lip in time
of peace, only for the purposes of oppreroo. on t Nu retrench.
meld was adapted—no reform was admitted. The battle of
Waterlini was the Minister's battle, in which neither this
countrymor the Continent gained any benefit. It Mils not,
therefore, to be compered to the victory gained in Guildhall .;
for till then the City of London had been the Minister's
strong hold.; it. as, as they knew., strong and imassnilable.
In theCitythe Minister had his tools as ready and as active -its
in the !douse of:Commons. It is now gratifying, at the end of
'2O sears, to remind those who insulted us, and whose power
we contended against in vain—who laughed at us, cajoled us,
and abused us, till the British lion was roused and hurled
them from their station, it is gratifying to remind them that
their power wits foundedin :falsehood and oppression, and is
therefore short lived. When I 'first entered into the corpo-
ration of ,Linnion, there was none to suppoi tine except the
exec/lent-and tried friend who has now done me the hononr
' to till the chair; tinder his banners I listed, .and whatever
differences:of opinion we may hove hail, our friend-hip has
never been interrupted. The Common Hall was then a set..
vile instrument iu the hands of Ministers. They had only to
send one thither to propose a favourite measure, and it was
adopted. Every thing was carried on with shin doors, and
no talents were' even allowed to he bronght.iiiin action. The
livery have now tilt their own etreitgthranu I hope they will
never renonnoc-the power tliey have acquired. lii %Vesicant.
ster aristocratical influence was powerttil, Init.it was nothing
to what it was in the city; 'for the Ililinister never attempt-
ed any measure without first paving the way in the city by a
meeting of merchants, traders, der. For the war there was
a meeting in Merchant Tailor's Hall, at which the war-whoop
was first raised, and at which no man thirst oppose the Minis.
terial sentimentsvithont hazarding his life ;for a friend whom
I have in my eye (Mr. -Favell) very narrowly escaped with
life from that meeting. Every mail's life was then at the
pleasure of the Minister, who made daily eneroachments on
the-constitution, and had reconrseso perpetual suspensions of
the Habeas Corpus. Another meeting was held at Grocers'
Hall, in consequence ol'a petition line the livery in Common
Hall against the war.; at that meeting, which you enlist alt
remember, I must have lost my life but for you. At that time
all who advocated reform, who opposed the war, or who dis-
agreed with the Minister, were revolutiouists, fire brands.
acd persons not to be enchired•in society. Of late, they have
acted otherwise ; but they have done so, only because they
have found:their delusion at an end. They formerly retiree(
into corners, and voted the public resolutions of the
Livery disloyal. Will they now charge us with disloyalty.?
Look at the late meeting of the loyalists ;•they soon set a kick-
ing one auotlisr out oftloors, and it ended in a:common squab-
ble. We Jacobins, on the contrary, meet and enjoy one
another's society in quietness and social humour. In can-
vassing, I found such a change of opinion, such a warmth
and feeling in viewing public events, as proved the lively
interest now taken in the conduct of your representatives.
At the same time I found many who hail no idea of making
any other use oftheir elective franchise but merely to ob-
lige or serve a friend. I hope those will-soon catch some of
the flame which is happily now so powerful. It is most gra-
tifying to me to see so litany of the lowest persons, who ate
' usually called rabblc,taking such a keen but.-peaceable inter-
est in the triumph of independence. Those persons are
usually'treated with contempt ; but is it not from those that
our army and navy arc supplied.: and shall they have so much
praise fur sacrificing their lives in war, and yet be execrates,
if they but express a political sentiment ? Of professions I
stave none to make. My -past conduct is the only profession
I otter. :If your present representatives are found deficient
in talent or in principle, your triumph is not therefore less ;
for you have :chosen men whom you thought yon could rely
upon, and you have displaced those whom you knew you
could not rely upon. I thank you for the expression of your
sentiments at this time; I thank you :for the exertion you
I made during the election: I hope you swill transmit the ex-
' ample to your children, and teach them to act in the same
manner, when they find thegovernment of the country carry-
ing on measures inimical to the interests of the nation."
When Mr. -Waithman concluded this speech, the whole
company rose up as by one spontaneous feeling, applauded
by every demonstration of and concluded by three
most hearty cheers.
Mr. Waithman then proposed the heath of Mr. Alderman
Goodbehere.

Mr. Alderman Goodbehere returned thanks, and congratu-
lated them on their deliverance from the transom's which had
confined all their effosts. Maukind would ere.now have been
muchadvanced in science, literature, wealth, and -happinesa.
but for the preposterous systems of government which had
prevailed, and entailed slavery, privation, and misery upon
men. He hoped that their late se,ecess would prove but►
the commencement -and Use stimulus to u better order of
things.
"The 4603 liverymen who voted for Mr. Weidman."
" Mr. Alderman Thorp."
Mr. Alderman Thorp, in returning thanks, congratulated
them, not so much because he happened to be one of their
trepresentatives; not even because of their choice of his
friend, whose long, able, and conscientious support of ft ve-
llum,- entitled him to the warmest patitude of his fellow ci-
tizens ; but because they had established their own indepcsi.
device. It -would be his duty and study to:Mkt:is the pledges
Itedtad already given, and he trusted that when the day of
account came heshouldnothe.futiud to Lave been
His:father, if his age and health had allowed him to be pre-
sent, would 'myeloid I ' what. his principles had been for 50
years, and from them they might perhaps have inferred his
own. Of his election he had only to say, that while Mr.
Waithmau's was doubtful, he had no right to enquire their
votes; but he had to thank their good Wilt and their affection
for his success.
" tllr. Byng, and the independent elec tors. of Middlesex."
Mr. Ityne said that England, nay-the world, was indebted to
them for the example they .had given. They had given an
example to the powerful. that they were answerable ter their
condor t to ,those from whom theyslerited all their power.—
The change mas.edretuly visible. -Those who had 01W11)11
branded them as factiuiss, discontented, and dangerous, now
spoke *lteeir conduct as only. CrniblitUliollai Oppd.alllOU. 1► o
thing in this Judgment was so tattier's at tins 11111 l neuter. the
administration Omen. He should persevere iu the comae
which had obtained the approbation of the people. Hite
ft It alarmed when his constituents felt no alarm, he would re.
-sign his seat, and not attempt by his puny efforts to counter.-
. . act theigeuetal setae of the
.people. The.Freach.terolitUost

JULY 13

was the fro tile resource for every kind of alarm. Nothing
had occasioned the evils of that revolution but the obstinate
tyranny of the old Royal Family of France. The principles of
freedom alone had raised this country non distiuction.mind
those principles would lake it still higher, if they were un-
checked, and generally prevalent.
Several other patriotic toasts were afterwards drank, and
the company di.•pereed at a late hour.

WESTMORELAND ELECTUON:

APPLEBY, JuLv 4.

The Weann for this comity is conclowled. The polling
bo'►tlas were this morning doweled. and the crowd assembled
at an early hoar round the Im-stings to hear the result. Mr.
Brougham and most of his friends had left town early this
morning, and the blues took very little interest in the core.
mom' that was to succeed. At a quarter before 11 o'clock
the Deputy Sheriff appeared on the hustings, and declined
Lord Loss they and his brother, Colo►►el Lowther, daily elected
as Knights of the Shire for the county of Westmoreland.—
This otheial declaration was received with acclamations by a
great hotly of the yellows in front of the hustings mid on the
hustings. The field was now uncontested, and the success-
ful announced their views and principles without
ally cut►tradiction, and made what appeared to their friends
a successful defence of their conduct during the contest.
Load Lowther thaulted the freeholders for the prot►td sittose
lion in which they had placed him on the poll, and the dis-
tinguished honour which they had done him by retnruing,
him as their representative. He reminded them, that this
had been a contest of principles, not of HMI, and denied
that there had been any personalities shown to the opposite
candidate by himself or any of his friends. Mr. Brougham
complained of the array of the peace officers, but this was
the first time that ever he heard any objection made to the
most ample arrangements to preserve the public tranquillity
during an election. During the contest at Bristol, 1400
constables had been sworn in to preserve the peace ; but Sir
S. Hominy did not complain of this, as his antagonist had done.
—He claimed for his friends as much independence as the
other side could claim. The triumph which he now en
joyrd was the triumph of the Westmorelatid fa erhulders, as
well as his ;he w:.s merely an instilment in their bands. A
contest had been threatened at a future election, but he
would be found at his post, and would never desert friends
by whom he was so honourably supported.
Col. Lou ther felt pat ticularly gratified wills the result of
this day, as the Member fur Winchelsea bail declared that
his opposition was solely directed against his return. He
anticipated certain success teem the beginning, and his trust
in the honour and zeal of the Westmoreland freeholders had
sot been disappointed. If the poll had continued to-day,
SO impolled freeholders were in town to give him their sup-
port, and more than 100 others would have arrived from the
country, if' their services had been required. lie had no
apprehension of the future contest threatened by the Mr tuber
fur W inchelsea.
The following may be regarded as an accurate state of the
poll on the la►t day of the curtest. It hiss been drawn up
after a careful survey of the poll-hooks, and we give it
(fur the same reason that we have anxiously given the state
of the polls in different parts of the comps y) as an indication
of the direction which ',oldie opinion has taken in a question
where it IMinerly could nut be said to exist.
Far Mr. Brougham. Ld. Lowther. Col. L.
. .bY3 13 4

Plumpers . t