The National Register.
London, England, 1820-12-17 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

On Friday the Livery assembled in the Guildhall,
pursuant to requisition, to vote an Address to the Queen
upon the fate of the Bill of Pains and Penalties; and to
pass a Vote of Censure upon the late. Lord Mayor, for
having called the military into the city.
The LORD MAYOR came forward amidst the loudest
cheering. His Lordship said, the Livery were this day
met in consequence of a requisition he had received,
signed by a great number of highly respectable Livery-
men. 1 he object of the meeting, his Lordship said, was
twofold;—first, to consider the propriety of presenting
an Address to the Queen, on her Majesty's late triumph
over her powerful enemies; and secondly, to take into
consideration the conduct of the late Lord Mayor, as
connected with the proceedings that had taken place in
her Majesty's ease. His Lordship then expressed his
confidence that his compliance with the requisition for
calling the present Common Hall would not be thought
invidious, it being the undoubted right of the I avery to
inquire into, and express their opinion of, the conduct
of every officer they appoint. This address was followed
by the greatest applause.
The requisition was then read.
Mr. COATES then came forward. He said he was
proud to address the Common Hall during the mayoralty
of their present Chief Nlagistrate, because he had come
to the chair, which his conduct dignified, not by rota-
tion, but by election, and was the distinguished object
of their uninfluenced choice. (Cheers.)—When last the
Livery met in Common Hall to address her Majesty,
they were surrounded by a military force, but now they
were surrounded by the twat alkctions, by the mitiounded
confidence and patriotism of the citizens of London.—
Ile was not ignorant of the responsibility he undertook
in coining forward to propose the address to her Majesty,
which he should have the honour of submittitig to their
consideration, for lie could not forget tile high talents
and respectability of the Patriots who had, on Emmet.
oCCaSiOilt, 50 honourably distinguished themselves by
proposing addresses expressive of die sentiments of the
Livery to her Majesty, but it was brought fit that the

address to her Majesty should be proposed by it" of
themselves—a person holding no delegated trust, but in
every sense and in every sentiment identified with the
assembly he had the honour to address. (Applause.)—
On the propriety of the present address, he thought it
impossible there could be any difference of opinion—
they must all remember that when a blow was aimed by
a maniac at the life of the late King, the Livery of Lon-
don lost no time in presenting their congratulations on-
his Majesty's happy escape, and when a blow had been
aimed at the Queen, by subornation and perjury, was
there not good reason to congratulate her Majesty on her
recent escape from the vilest plot that ever stained the
annals of history. (Applause.)—The worthy Liveryman
proceeded to take a summary review of the crmlties and
indignities, of which her Majesty had been the object,
ever since her first arrival in England. lie then ridi-
culed the exclusive claims to loyalty made by the Ward
of Cheap, and others of his Majesty's addressers, and
concluded with moving the resolution expressive of the
sense of the sense of the meeting upon the defeat o: the
Bill of Pains and Penalties.

In seconding the Resolution, Mr. WEATUIRSPOOW
said, the defeat had excited joy, new life, and vigour in
the nation, and formed a new era in its history, for never
belOre had a Queen been known to escape from a con-
spiracy The manlier of the defeat was also a matter of
great rejoicing. The slinkier had himself declared it,
and it was well known that lie would never have given
it up but for the anticipated opposition of the House of
Comtnons to a measure whicn led to such disgusting
exhibitions as had done more to produce disaffection,
than all the efforts of a licentious pre-; had ever done.—
(Applause ) The worthy liveryman concluded, by calliug
upon the Meeting to continue their endeavours to put
down the spirit of corruption.
Mr. Coates then moved an Address founded upon the
Resolutions.

Alderman AVAITHMAN said, he had not read or heard
a word of the Resolutions or Address until lie arrived at
that Hall, hut he agreed in erery sentiment contained in
them. The tricks now playing by the individuals who
advocated the loyal Meetings, were not new tricks.—
Those loyal Meetings were always formed against the
public, and were celebrated for always rising up to
brand the public with the imputations of sedition and
blasphemy. (Great applause) It had been said that
there loyal Addresses were drawn up merely with the
view of sheaving the attachment of those who inured
them to the Kiug, but there was an evil of a serious kind
lurking at the bottom. In every one of them there ap.
!seared an endeavour to stigmatize the bulk of the people
as engaged its pursuing a course injurious to the prilici-
ples of the Constitution. Every one of them cast an
imputation upon the people, at the same time that they
disavowed any iotentiou of doing so. It because those
who were not disaffected to conciliate the people, and to
go hand in hand with them for the purpose of obtaining
a relbrination of abuses the most insupportable. But, at
the same time he denied the existence of disaWction, he
declared that there was much disaffection, though there
was no disloyalty towards the King, there was great dis-
loyalty towards the Ministers, who kept up a standing
army in time of peace, against the liberties oldie Finpire.
(Loud applause.)
The Address was then carried unanimously.
VOTE OF CENSURE AGAINST THE LATE LORD
MAYOR.
Mr. GALLOWAY came forward. He said, he had
promised the Livery to bring his notice of a motion of
censure against Alderman Bridges, for introducing the
military into the city, before them upon the most con-
venient opportunity. This was the time; the peace of
the metropolis could be maintained upon all occasions
without having rcconrse to military interference. If no
violation of the peace took placellllollthe day the Queen
went to St. Paul's, what expectation could be enter-
tained that there would be any necessity for the appear-
ance of any person in such formidable attire? Every
Lord Mayor should take a wholesome lesson from the
result of Alderman Bridges' and Alderman Atkins's
labours. The Common Council had passed a vote of
censure upon the late Lord Mayor, and it was doubly
incumbent upon the Livery to shew their indignation iu
a similar manner. lie then moved the vote of censure,
which was carried unanimously. He next moved a
vote of thanks to the present Lord Mayor, for having
refused the aid of the military.
Mr. TlPPeit seconded the motion, which was cartied
unanimously.
The LORD MAYOR, in returning thanks, said, he
felt wonder that any human being could have been.
alarmed upon any occasion on which the citizens of
London had thought proper to meet to discuss their
rights and privileges. Ile had relied upon the web.
known character of his fellow citizens—he was ',lit
appointed; and he hoped that those who should succeed
him in office would never unnecessarily call for the as-
sistance
of a body more calculated to create than to pre-
vent mischief.—(Loud applause.)
A vote of thanks was then passed unanimously iO
Alderman Wood.
Tire worthy Alderman returned thanks.
Mr. WOOLER then said, that a subject had been
omitted in which the country had great interest. Ile
meant the detection of the atrocious system carried on
against the public by Fletcher and his aßsocialcs in ini-
quity. After sonic impressive remarks upon the conduct
of Mr. Charles Pearson, he concluded by moving a vole
of thanks to that gentleman, for his zeal and activity in
the detection of the system.
Mr. TlPPit.it seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.
Mr. PiiARSoN, in returning thanks,
mentioned, that
.
the plan in which Fletcher had been engaged, was of
boundless extent, comprehending all the turbulent cir-
cumstances connected with the meetings that had taken
place through the country. He assured the Livery that
his utmost ell;iris should not be wanting upon any oc-
casion which related to the rights of his iellow citizens.
The meeting then broke up.

LAIV INTELLIGENCE.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH,
MONDAY, DEC. 11.
WRIGHT V. COISBETT.

This was nn action brought by Mr. Wright against Mr.
Csibbett, to recover from him a compensation in damages for
the injury his character bad sustained from several gross,
scandalous, and malicious libels published by the loiter in
The Political Registers of the dates ofJ an. 4, 1817, March
6, 1819, and Jan. 6,1620, in whirl. be described the plain-
tiff as a wretch whom he intended to bold up to public
infamy on the first opportunity, as an associate with Cleary
in fabricating letters and false vouchers—as a person to
whom, in jest, he bad often said be would be hanged fur
forgery, and cautioning him to be careful that the jest did
not become a prophecy, and also describing hint as the
prime tool of baseness, formerly resident in Panton-square.
Mr. Scarlet' stated the case to the Jury in an eloquent
nod forcible speech, in which he commented in strong terms
on the conduct of Mr. Cobbett, who, having put a justifica-
tion on the record, and stated, that he could prove the truth
of the libels by the testimony of Sir Burdett, Mr. Marge-
rot, Mr.P. Walker, and others; yet Dow, when these gentle.
men were present, he had a ithdrawn his plea of justification,
he did not dare to fall them. This was proof that his
charge against 51r. Wright was false as hell. The defendant
had said he would state his reasons for withdrawing his plea
—let 11;in state them. But be (Mr. ficarlett) was sure he
could have no good, no honest, no true reason to state for
such conduct. The Learned Counsel then urged the Jury
to give such damages us would protect the liberty of the
press, by restraining its licentiousness, and recompense the
plaintiff, as far as pecuniary damages could do so, fur the
rejury his character had sustained by the defendant's
public:it ions.
The most important of the libels was as follows :—" You,
nay dear Sir, know the history of this Wright; you know
all his tricks, all his attempts. The public do not, and I will
not now trouble the public with a detail which, if put in a
puiiable form, would make a romance in the words of truth
far surpassing any thing that ever was Imagined of moral
turpitude. I will execute this task one day or other. if
the catiff should put forth any thing in way of palliation in
the meals time, there is Mr. Walker, there Mr. Margrave,
there is my attorney, tht:e is Mr. Swann, there is Sir
Burdett himself; there is my son John, who, though he was
then a child, will never forget the big round drops of sweat
that in u cold winter's day rolled down the emirs forehead
when lie was detected in fabricating accounts; and when
took Johnny by the baud (who had begun whituperirig for
poor Wright) and said, " Look at that man, my dear !
These drops of fiwcat are the effect of detected dishonesty!
TWA of that, my dear child, and you will always be au
honest man." Mr. Peter Walker and Mr. SWUM] were pre-
sent ut this scene, which took place in my room in Newgate
in 1811."
Henry Huy, printer, proved that he printed the Registers
its question for the defendant, and from manuscript and copy
received from him.
Thomas Dolby, proved that lie published the Registers for
the defendant. That an action was commenced against him
by Mr. Wright for one of the libels in question. He went
to Mr. Cobisett, and informed him of that rircunistance,
and asked him fur the means of defeuce. The defeuilant then
said he could prove the truth of all he had written respecting
Wright. No attempt was made by Mr. Cobbidt to deny
that the publication was Isis production.
Cross-examiued by Mr. Lobbett.—The record against him
was afterwards withdrawn, but Dot on any agreement that
be should become a witness against Mr. Cobbett in this
Cause.
Three letters from the defendant to the plaintiff, on the
subject of giving up the Registers, dated Juue 25, 26, and
V, 1810, were pat in and read.
Mr. Paul proved, that iu his belief, the libel, talking of a
wretch whose infamy was not lobe equalled by that of Jo-
netball Wilde, referred to the plaintill.
Letters were put in and read to shew the early connexion
which existed between the plaintiff and defendant, and that
at direrent times the defendant had been under obligations to
to the plaintiff.
The second libel, that of March 6, 1819, was then read,
and that of January 11, 1820.
Mr. Cobbett theu addressed the Jury at some length in his
worn defence. The old adage, let the cobbler keep to his
last, would apply to lawyers. If Mr. Scarlet' had kept lis
his brief, he would have saved the Court and Jury much
time mut trouble, as had be not travelled raid said so much
about I dear Innocent injured Mr. Wright, he should
have had but little to trouble them with. lie then pro-
ceeded to coinment oil the merits of this case, and said the
care with which Mr. Wright had preaaved every slip of
paper which lie thought likely by possibility to assist him in
laJuring his benefactor, mould shew beyond coats aaficlitin,
what sort of man the plaintiff was. ills attack tin Sir F.
Burdett had been dwelt on. Ile acknuw hedged mid regret-
ted that attack; he believed he was to blame, and perhaps
he had !meet guilty of a libel, but Sir F. fluid. tt knew that
was not t lie course Lis which a public mun's chat:icier would
be supported, Himself and sir Ilurdiat a ere antagonists
worthy to grapple with cacti tither; bitt their dit‘etilions
Would have subs:ded lung ago, hail it not beep for
used by dirty, low, mean mid contemptible compliatuiS to
keep their diiheotions alive, lie theu proceeded to i oun
nient on the evidence to the case, which he said dal Mit
prove that he was either the publisher or proprietor of the
Register, or the author of the alleged libels. Having closed
his address, lie called
Mr. Cli meats, ahu stated that in 1.'16 lie published the
Register far Alr. Cobbett, jun. but lie held the deli-lid:int
resputwilsle. He advanced a consiaerable sum 10 Cubbett,
jun. in 11117, for the ti,e of the defendant, previous to his
going to America. lie made this mimic° ou the contem-
plated profits of future Regiaers,
The entries Iron. the stampaillice in 1816 and 1817 were
put in, by a bleb it tippeared that Win. Coblit it junior's
name stood us proprietor.
William Cobbett, jun. soiled that in IStii he was pro-
prietor ot the Iteeivivr, and gave lib haler 301. is week
ttlilor, In 1,411 , I.r ;ace him .101. a week. the cent inn'
io Wild lob lathe' iclutuad Fl'• Un-
ary of the present year, vs lit., lit' IlaVe it Ile tL Bona ;1;0 ele•
The cause the Court limo 114 M 111 the
Marna% anal half' pas lulu i.; tlic vesiisig
The copy received front America, iel.la! IteLisler of Jae
4, 1817, ails materially nailed by I.iu,sci iold his brothel
John before it was inserted.
John Cubbett rorrottui stet. 1 I
Lie I..tiitiony of his Mother,
MG Mendell replied. after vs Inch
The Oiler Justice summed up. The Jury after &libel -
Sling alt hoar and three quintets, tuuuti .6013;4kt l.a tLe
P1411341...-Dalattgel llklt i.