The National Register.
London, England, 1822-11-10 00:00:00

3.!ig

TRIAL BY mu-.

Tuesday, between two and three hundred Gentlemen dined
together an the large rams ut the Clown and Anchor Tavern,
wand, to celebtate the Twenty-eighth Anniversaiy of the Ac-
quittal of Hardy, ike. in 1794, of the charge of con-
structive High Treason.
The company having assembled, Mr. GALLOWAY proposed,
that Mr. 11 OOLER should take the Chair.
This was agreed to amidst warm applause.
The cloth having been removed, Mr. Wesutca said, that he
should endeavour to :,unit himself as their Chairman with as
muelt,pronapinews as ought to be expected from "a prisoner at
large.
The CHAIRMAN. in giving the first toast, " The Majesty of
the People," expressed the hope that they would not be fouud
wattling in loyalty to his Alajesty.
The second toast was, " The Trial by Jury." The CHAIR—
MAN onaiserved, that the toast was somewhat suspicious, but still
there were Juin,. who had done their duty. (Applause.)
'The CHAIRMAN said. that the next toast more immediately
approximated to the business of the day. They had not so much
✓eason to applaud the acquittal of Alessrs. Hardy, &c. us the
✓escue of the hoerties set die country from the most fatal stab
that had ever been Mural at them; tot if the doctrine of con-
structive treason hail been established. their liberties won't( have
Len completely destroyed. The smitd of use people then only
cull have emancipated them—but from that calamity a trial by
,Jury hail rescued them. The individuals who had been saved,
particularly Mr. Hardy, had existed to prove that they were
amongst the best subjects of the country ; and he therefore gave.
with peculiar satisfacuon, " The health of Messrs. Hardy, esc."
—(Loud applause.)
Mr. HANDY was received with enthusiastic and long continued
applause. He felt the deepest gratitude for the manner in which
they had received his health; but lie malted words to express the
feelings which agitated :and delighted his mind at that moment.
lie trusted that the would take " the will fur the dud." (Loud
applause.) He was most thankful to them for the manner in
which they had honoured the toast. (Applause.)
Mr. TifEtwatn returned thanks in a speech of some length,
dwelling., on the difficulties he had undergone, the manlier in
which lie had been persecuted for endeavouring to serve the
public cause, and his constant maintenance of those principles
which had occasioned the proaecution Of him in 1;94. lie was
gratified with the company. he saw before him—the increased
numbers were most pronasing; lie was pleased to observe that
the principles so dreadfully persecuted iti 1;94 were still warmly
supported. He eulogised the ' Cu :ttiiiitional Society," and
added, if revenge could be indulged, how amply might they
enjoy it in the present condition of the landholders, in their ina-
ibluty to obtain any rents. 'The rnin, it would seem, had over-
taken them in the most frightteilshape.—lie was grateful to theta
Cfr the manner in which they had drunk his health.
r. B•vecit returned thanks fur the manner in which his
health had bteu drank.
• The next lowit was,_ " The memory of John Home Tooke,
ant the other deceased Patriots of 1794." (In silence.)
Sung, Air. Murphy—" house, ye tfritons."
The CHAIR/dais, in giving the next twist, said it was his duty
to read a letter which had been received train Lord Erskine, in
answer to a deputation of the Committee, who had waited on his
Lordship. He had read it with peculiar pleasure, because in the
course of the letter Lord Erskine, who had been the principal
means of vindicating the threatened liberties of the Constitution,
promised to be present at the next anniversary, if alive. (Ap-
plause.)—Mr. W . then read die following letter;—
" To Alr. NICII(SLsON.

" SIR..-1 beg the layout that you will explain to Mr.
M•Crevey and Air. Gardner the cause of my being prevented from
the pleasure of receiving them, with youiself. on Wednesday last;
and you will further much oblige me, by expressing to your
worthy friends, when assembled on the Sth of November, that
I regret my not haying it in my power to meet them ; but that,
ilthey desire it, l will not fail to be present when they re-ass. in-
Ue next year.
" When all circumstances are duly considered, no public
eveut c..n, in my opinion, better deserve to be held in perpetnal
reowilibronc: amongst us than the acquittal of Thomas Hardy,
in ;794, twin the unfounded charge of consintetive High Trea•
son. A great portion of the ordinary period of human life has
sauce passed away, and a very short time• indeed can now renutia
to me; but I am sure that, retii In dying hour. 1 shall call
to nod the a,,emo sf.ac•a^.r of Lni.dou to, ea,, s lii,h
provtd at "Lee toe firm fa:lads:4,n ato lives 17..; ~be. ties Mist
the'll IAL NY J r nle sta.: tontintle. ittAl the worth:l,4i ut Moss
wl:1 Les now to V./1111e 'OlOl a b:ri,mp..
•• I have :he Lohour to be, Sir,
" Your faithful humble servant,
" Buchan MB, Nov. 1,

" P.S. I have ever since the trial kept up my ceyuaintance
with Mr. Hardy, and believe him to be an itinocera and worthy
minded man. inrap..ble of meditating the destruction ut the
]knish Cal,c.itution."
The letter was received with loud applause.
The masts of—The Alemory ut Muir. Veinier, Ike.—the Me-
mory of T. Paine—the I.ilicity of the Press—liadical Reform,
followed ; and alter various other toasty the company bepa-
rata.' at eleven