The National Register.
London, England, 1818-06-22 00:00:00

'7IIF NATIONAL. REGISTER

miglit be Isis deficienees, they knew him not destitute of
courage in maintaining their rights amid liberties, or brcon•
tending against corruption. He would not now touch on eke
conduct of others. lie had done so on other occasions, when
lie earl been himself no candidate. Every liveryman had a
right to consider well the character of a candidate, and it was
ills duty to exercise that tight, He bad heard souse of those
gentlemen speak of their love and veneration of the etinstitn.
Lion, and protest that they had uniformly defended the con•
stitutioi: ; yet during the time they had been in Parliament,
the Hainan Corpus Act, the great bulwark of the British
Constitution, had been suspended not lees than Tor n
Those gentlemen bad always supported our glorious misfile-
tion, and yet they had always stkported the Minister iii sus-
pending the constitution. They bad often heard it boasted
of, that the right of petitioning was free and mainipxiired.—
The House of Commons had,botvever, been crowded with
petitions, complaining of grievous injuries, and praying for
redress; yet a motion fur inquiry into the truth of those pe.
titions had been refused. Would they again return those men
to Parliament? A great many elections had come ander his I
observation, but he had never known a candidate proposed
before who bad not been a liveryman. A chandler's shop
could not be opened without a license ; the members of the
Common Council had many laborious and compulsory ditties
to p‘: riot m ; yet notwithstanding all this, they were unworthy
ui the houuur of representing theca; Abe livery had not, for-
sooth, talent enough among themselves, they must be indebted
for protection to others. But they would,he trusted, depend
upon themselves, and not delegate their representation to
these who Mow for the finst time came upon their hustings,
and who had lately been hustling through the city for a quali-
fication. Were the Corporation of Loudon, second to none
in the kingdom, to Gave their interests thus upheld ? He had
only.forther doeay, that is couuteractingiiittluence hail ever,
and would now, be exerted against them. litifthe influence
of public opinion was the only influence on which he de-
pended. Ifti prevent undue pressure and intimidation, he
hoped the livery would poll early.
Mr. Wilson neat addressed theilivery. In consequence of
tho solicitations of a great number of respectable individuals,
he had come forward to•olfer himself as a candidate for the
representatiou of this great and nuciera icity.. He hoped he
should nut be accused of ietruding, on the groniel that he
did not belong to the corporation. He was convinced that to
be a member of that body was not an essontial qualification,
and that if he should he found in other irespects worthy of
their choice, they would not reject him on that deficiency.—
He was at present necessarily little known to some that heard
hint. Ail he could say was. that whatever trust might
be reposed in bins, he would exert himself to the best of hi}
ability in performing the duties which belonged to it.
The show of hand* now commenced. All the Aldermen
were, according to the usual practice, pot in nomination first ;
and on the name of Alderman Shaw being put up, there was
great applause. The show of hands for Sir William Curtis and
Iderniau Atkins was less than for any of the other candi-
dates, and that for the latter was very inconsideratile. At
last the City kteinembraucer, by older of the Sheriffs, dinelared
mat the cimice of the Livery had fallen ou Mr. Waitliman,
Alderman Wood, Alderman Thorp, and Mr. Willsoa.—
This was the order in which, judging from the show of hands,
the candidates appeared to be favoered by the Livery.
A poll was then demanded for Sir William Corns and Al-
derman Atkins.

At half past 4 the polleoramenced, and continued till half-
past 4 ; and was shortly after decler ed to stand as follows :
Fsr Mr. Alderman Wood ... 176 For Mr. Wilson HO
Mr. Waithman ... . ... ..... is 9 Alderman Sir W.Curiis - 94
Mr. Alderman Thorp ... 136 Mr. Alierniao Atkins •57

By thee .t appeared that Mr. Allerruau Ellett mad retired
front the poll
During the poll one of the poll clerks had put down a gen•
•tlrman as having ro►ed for Mr. Aidt rtnao Wood, Mr. Watth.
man, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Alderman Atkins, whet, the
last name might to have b..en Mr. AlJeramn Thorp. A friend
of the voter•oserlookiug the check elf' k, however, observed
the mistake; the mater was investigated by the strerifi, and
after Amur couveisation had passetl, it vas agreed that the
Note should be taken hula the name of Mr. Alderman Atkins,
and g.veu to that of Mr. Alderman Thorp, fur whom it had
been originally iuteoded.