The National Register.
London, England, 1817-10-13 00:00:00

FLECTIO3.I FOR 4 LORD 3/.41011.

This lleetion, the most reutarkal4e within our remem-
aoce. closed on !Ittliday with a result k% hick must have been
aniietp.ited troth the first eommeneetneut of the poll, Mr.
Alderman Smith being at the top of the list iq a most trium-
phant majority. The natitheti CS exhibited on the final close

we! e.
Smith, 427* Wood ff 27
I
Atkin*. 1',87 tiooditehere
A few mutates after the poll board had been exhibited,
Mr. Smith came forward Anil endeavoured to address the nu-
merous assemblage in the Hall, but, as on every preceding
day, the gang of ragged, dirty wretches who had possession
of the ground immediately in front of the hustings rendered
every word inaudible. Mr. Sheriff Alderson endeavoured to
obtein a hearing thr hint, but without effect.
Mr. Aldermen Atkins succeeded rather better. He dis-
elaiesed all idea of standing before the livery on the principle
of rotation, only, for he allowed the propriety of passing over •
tiosi•e whist were not qualified to fill die high office to which lie
aspired, but at the same time, he saw no reason for breaking
in upon the regular routine, unless there was some specific
Haw in the character of the person whose torn it was to be the
Chief Magistrate of Ilse City.
After this, all became confusion ; Mr. Williams, the sup-
porter of Xlr. Smith, attempted to speak, but his voice was
di-evened in the cry of" Winder, Woofer."
Mr. Hutchins and Mr. Wender successively presented them-
eel% es. hut they were equally inaudible, the friends of • the
seceeseful candidate beiuig tesulved that thefts* should not
be nll on nor side.
'rite Sheriffs seeing that there were not the slightest chance
of tranquility being restored, declared the poll to be at an
end, and ordered the Livery to disperse. There was a strong
disposition on the pa t of Mr. Woofer's ftrends,that he should
address the Meeting in defiance of' the Sheriffs. 'Flue City
Marshall went to the Sheriffs to know their pleasure, and nit
his return summoned the constables, mid dettemiced his inten-
tion of arresting any one who should violate the,privileges of
the Corporation.
Mr. Hitchins seemed disposed to throw the ganntlet of de-
fiance, boot a more temperete friend of Mr. Winder begged
him not to commit himself, at the same time giving it as his
opinion, that the persisting to address the Meeting would he
In about half an hour the Hall began to he cleared of its
inmates, and the patriot orators, with their patriot friends,
smothering their disappoi ;;;; nent, sullenly withdrew.
Out Wednesday the Lord Mayor proceeded in state to
Guildhall, where a Court of Aldermen was held by adjourn'
intent to receive the report Of' the Sheriffs respectieg the elec-
tion of Lord Mayor for the year ensuing, vs heti the Slietiffs
reported the choice of the Livery to have fallen on Christo-
pher Smith, Esq. Alderman and Draper, and John Atlas's,
r,sq. Alderman and Merchant-1400r. The Court then imme-
diately proceeded to the se, tiny, alien Mr. Alderman Smith
was elected. At one o'clock the Lord Mayor, followed by
Aldermen Mr. C. Smith, Sir W. Curtis,Sir J. Slaw, Mr. At.
kips, Mr. Goodbehere, the present and late Sheriffs, ascended
• the hustings. The Recorder then advanced, mud annotinced
that the majority of votes aeon the late poll having proved to
be in favour of 111 r. C. Smith anti Mr. Atkins for filling the
office of Lord Mayor tor the year ensuing, the choke of the
Court of Aldermen had fallen upon the former gentleman
(Amolatise.)
Mr. Alderman Smith came forward, anti was invested with
a geld chain, the principal ensign of the civic chair. He ad-
dressed the Lively in a short and perspicuous speech. After
emu, ASillg his gratitude for the honour rtilltrirrti upon 'lila,
Ise begged to assure than, that no evertions which lie could
make should be wanting to deserve their approbation_ and to
guard against the risk of appeal ing fn disgrace their stoffragex.
With meant to the late tassatest, he had lint • wish to ex-
press, end it was, that ottillte feelipgi to which it might have
giteen list! SllOlllll lre fin :gotten and forgiven. As to the future
he had only to renew his pledge of a sincere desire to defend
and tir 1111 l ote the interests of the city of London. The not-
thy Alderman withdrew amidst general testimonies of appro-
bation.
Aril Mayor nbserved, that lie naturally felt 511111 P
any-
ioty ill CC/Millet' his fellow citizens, that he hail, shoring the
emitinitance of the late rimiest, acted in conformity vs till ihme
principles by which his public conduit had aluay • been re-
pedaled. What he wished to establish in his mantic capacity
4• die reputation of a consistent man. His re-cent nomina-
tion a Willi tilile to set ye the annual office of laird Mayor had
taken place without his knowledge or instigation. So far
from entertaining any ambition for the continued enjoyment
of such an emmistence, he felt that it was incompatible with
a due attention to his pi ivate bushier.% awl his domestic c .
forts. He had on various occasions, not wily in the circles
of his present aciptaintance, but openly is the presence of
the gentlemen of his own WWII, declared, that it was not in
his contemplation, if elected, to enter a third time upon the
functioue of the Chief Magistrate. lie turd heard it said, that
he might have made liitinselfa most popular mom, by withdran.
lug his ranee limn the list a. candidates at the esuinleneetnrnt
of the poll. For popularity so obtained, be could assure them,
be hail no taste. The popularity he aimed at was the good
opinioo of his electors, thirty acquired by an honest and un-
remitting real in their service. l'he principle upon which lie
bad endeavoured to entitle himself' to their good opinion, was
- *'determined spirit of supporting, against all encrogel lots,
that rights, their pi ivilegee, and their franchises. For these
lie had exerted himself to support in every sitnation to which
they had dalle hint flue 'armour to appoint Von, whether in the
exereisc of his akdirs as a Magistrate and: the guendium of the
peace of the inetropolie, ie •his place indite House of Coin-
n;oos,m his eontirences wilt the Ministers of the ('roan. In
this lAA Mentioned situntion lie had been called upon to de-
fend s us of their meet importing and ancient privileges—the
rsOit of electing the Sheriffs for London and Middlesex. It
lead bet to deem ibed to him as a mere feather, but heregnrded
it as a sehetantiid right, will worth the preeery Ong at all times
sod under all circumstances. With reterence to the principle
upon which he hash permitted his name to ennti tttt e in the
poll books. lie would no tely athlete to the ease of that excel-
lent man and inflexible patriot Alderman !Atelier in the year
nna. When reunited with Alderman Couul,e, in opposition
to Alderman Staines, a second time, he did not decline serv-
leg till the favourable result of the election a as made known.
lle, on the contrary, as he load already intimated, had very
generally •lenifierl his intesotiou not to undertake the duties
of this si,iiii•i tttt a 3d time, evert thou b called upon to do so
by the wishes of his fellow eitizeits. If he was asked, wits he
had pubroely deleted his determination to the assembled la-
ses) he until,' answer, Cita: his object, like Alarms:no Skill-
W.I. Its give them an opportunity of showing, that they
rowel! the light of electios ny exercising it. His 011.ilTi *an
le please the Livery, by doing his duty,in protective; their