The National Register.
London, England, 1809-10-01 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Wars that ever the country had been engaged in ; that all the
wis;e:as of the war, aoil America itself, were lost ; and that the
debt of this country was increased to a prodigious extent. Ile
could say more—that he believed that all the evils which have
ever:un the Continent of Europe, and reduced this country to
great danger, might he directly traced to the wicked policy
which dictated the American war. He therefore could not sips
room :or congratulating his Majesty on that portion of his reti
which went down to the dismetithertnent of the Empire and the
loss of America. If we were to come to more modern times,
and look at the history of the last sixteen years, we should find
that this country has been involved in a most bloody and cala-
mitous war, for an object which the people never understood.
The country knew when their Teets were in port, and when
they were not ; bat they never kt.ew what it was they were
lighting far. The calamitous events pf these bloody, expensive,
and disastrous wars, were certainly net subjects to congratulate
ltls Majesty upon. Were they to cougratulate his Majesty upon
the frequent suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act and of the
Constitution during his reign ? Could we congratulate his Ma-
wsty upon the Treason aid Sedition Bills, in consequence of
which many unfortunate young men suffered the most severe
punishment for merely repeating what had been said with
greater force at a former period, by the very Ministers who re-
commended the prosecution ? If we were to return thanks to Al-
mighty God, merely for prolonging the life of his Majesty, we
could not congratulate our Sovereign for having escaped bodily
foArmity, nor yet mild we conoratulate him on his family, or
an the silk-Tess of the measures his Government. After such
unexampled failures as the country has lately witnessed, it
should rather be a time for the city to go up and point out to
his Majesty the cause of those failures, than to 0x this as a time
to have a day of rejoicing. At the coticlasion of the last war
againit France, after hsying incurred a fresh debt of 20:) mil-
lions, the station was informed by the Secretary at War, (Mr.
York), that although we had gained battles, the akjeets Of
the war were lost, and that Europe was gone." Was it then
Yoe a war, attended with such expense; and )1.1 trofortunate in its
results, that his Majesty should be congratulated ? or was it
for tile events of the present war—the Convention of Cintra, the
unfoetunate occurences in Spain, or the Expedition to Walches
3h. the most disgraceful one that was to he found in the annals
.of the country—that a congratulation was to be voted ? He
inie.nt, however. ask what portion was it of his Majesty's long
ra;gn, which we could fix upon as the period 'ear a compliment-
ary Address. If the Address of the city had teen attended to Oil
a f .rarer occasion, and a proper inquiry instituted respecting the
Sltameful Convention of Cintra, the country would, probably,
not have had now to lament the loss which we have sustained
ill Spain, from the hasty advance and precipitate retreat of Lord
Viscount Wellingtou. No w, although the Convention of (Antra
bad been fel disgraceful to this country, yet there was
to stand up and say, that in this, or
ich is recorded in the annals of British his-
!ar so disgraceful and calamitous, as the
Expedition, which was intrusted to Lord
nobody that would say, that the Income
in of the Excise haws, were subjects upon
ould be corgratttlated. As to the conduct
, it was so extremely had, that :slam:SO
anger pf Generals on our Staff than Buo-
ained, probably, at four times the ex-
ones to select Generals for the command
select a W hitelocke, a Dalrymple, or a
Court see, with indifference, the waste of
'as occasioned by the fully of those who
he execution of the objects of our E pe-
said, and very truly, that the valour of
,rs had been conspicuoes in the late wars.
lame rested upon the Government. If we
id not fight, the wisest Govermnent might
when it is known that we have a brave
execute well whatever they are called
will rest exclusively on the Goverusaent,
.y of it; plans, and its selection .ofotlicers,
isele)s, end causes torrents Of British blood
Ainong the many faulis of the Govern-
,in, that although we had 3& Ambassadors,
per annum in 'pensions, in addition to
cry fess'Courts in which they would he
ul tvayi found that they were eons letely
We had lately an example Of this in
lens although evezy other man Ia the

• 1.

country knew that a revolution was probable, the British Ain,
assador alone appeared to know nothing of the matter. There
never was a great country whose affairs had hems so ill managed
as the affairs of this country : and yet Ministers spewed great
abilities in some things. They could easily discover all the
means that would prevent surcharges from being evaded; and
yet they never could discover the means by which the country'i
affairs in other respects could be managed with honour. • A(
the very time that the-taxes' were to be levied_ with the utmost
rigour, accounts to the amount of nine millions of money %sere
vet unsettled at the Victualling Office; and above seven millions
of West India accounts were yet unexamined, notwithstanding
the expence of the Commissioners appointed for that purpose.
In the very last year, above nine millions were added to this
yearly expenditure; and when it was considered, that from the
year 1797 to the pi sent year, the taxes hart encreased from 23
to id millions annually, without gaining a single object for which
weentered inns the war. *He could not see how his Majesty could
he congratuland on such calamitous events. It was impossible the
country couldlgo on much longer under such a progressive and e-
normous aA mulatioresifpublic burdens. Those Gentlemen on the
other side, o were al wifys'eallito;• for unanimity in that Court,
were acting ensistently when they brought forward perpe-
tually motions which must necessarily disturb that unanimity.
He' had himsAf for the whole of his political life, opposed, at
far as he was able, the system which had brought so many-. Cal-
amities on the country. For the greater part of that time, he
had been buffeted and bunted down as a jaeobin, and for many
years he could only prevail on five ioemhers to divide with him.
He however had never turned to the right hand or the left ; but
regardles;i of whatever odium the gentlemen on the other side
might excite against hint, he had fearlessly pursued through life,
and lie should al ways continue to do it, that line of conduct
which his sense of publiedisty pointed out. (Lind applausse
from below the bar. "Pie Lord Mayor called the gentlemen to
order.) These applaisses were certainly irregular, and he was
happy to say thitKit was an irregularity which did not often take
place. There ware, however, oceasion::,avhen it wns hard for
men to conceal Coarieelings ; and suchlernonstrations had been
heard, sometimes, in the House of Commons itself.' There were
many gentlemen in that court, who agreed with him in the
most essential points; and yet, because there were some shades
of difference, they, upon many occasions; threw themselves intei
the arms of the enemy. Nothing could be more mischieyous or
dangerous than such a course. Mr. Fox had elegantly observed,
in his history, that " it was much better to concede something
to a friend, than every thing to an enemy." • lie wished that
those, who on important poitns- thought as _he did, were
pressed with the truth of this sentiment. As to many of the
gentlemen on the other side, he might as well talk to. stocks or
stones, as to address them with any hopes of convincing them.
They were evidently playing a game of their. own; they were
evidently fishirmfor themselves, while he had nothing to hope
for or to fear from any government, and had never obtained or
sought any favours. He was astonished that a gentleman who
had given notice of a motion for the present day ( Mr. Deputy
tremble), should now feel different from what he did upon the
Convention of Cintra : On that occasion he mentioned, " that
his blood boiled with indignation, and that he was ready to go
up to his Majesty every week with a remonstrance on the sub-
ject." That burning zeal, however, must have now consi-
derably cooled. The City of London • could show no better
proof of, its loyalty to its Sovereign upon the present oc-
casion, than by pointing out to him those enemies who had
broug4t such disgrace: and dangers upon the country. An 1-lo
nom-able and Loyal. Baronet (Sir Wm. Curtis), had, npou a
former occasion, complained of his personality ; hut he did not
at that time recollect for what 4 number of yearS he, (M r. Waith-
man) had been exposed to the personalities of that Honorable
Baronet and his friends. He had, perhaps, forgotten, that
When he was in-a majority on the-Treason and Sedition Bills,
Gentlemen insisted upon a division, in order that it might be
seen " who were the enemies of the country." As to what was
called the monied interest, although he was himself a tradesman,
he would never took much to the monied interest 'to support
constitutional principles; nor to Bank Directors, who can get
Acts of Parliament to prevent their paying their notes in cash,
and who receive five per cent. far interest on a bit of paper
intrinsically not worth a penny. On this subject he reads long
passage from a speech of Lord Chathain,t,' which had been often
quoted, in which s.is Lordship says, " that be had the must per.
Ica mutt-alit for the Asiatic: plunderers in Leadenhal I-street,
un4 fur tit. jobbers ileCkaup-Aticy ; thai.they wore tenerully

bad been felt as most di
~ •
~ pa man liaaly enough
k• I any other liilore, nide
.4 et tory, was any thing nea
1
0 last and most infamous
.
9 1 Chatham. There was
'ax, and the extention
f
9 'w
hi ch. ii is ".11;•jesty shot
1 , pfour military affairs,
• 'we have double the nut,
? •
go 1 r.4.parte has, and nriinta
4 . p••ce; 3 et when it cor
f.% ' 'four Expeditions, we
thailiam. Could the C
134 fr4l blood which int
p:ann •d, or who had th
ilititsps ? It had been 1
a ir 3olei au and sailor
..if so, the gteater hlatn
rid soldiers who would
ail in i tli objeCtS j but
atroY and noyy that 1.4. i
, Ron to do,Lthe blame
:. .• I • the abSurilit,
• -..
• .
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4:;irt 4.... ii,1411
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a.l .: • i• 'lit: st. • 03e.
q
-. .
..t., „v,' .1- •• i .•eitaii
a 4f4A I,r,:e.
~..,.. 41 . 4.. O.
r vt
, • .1 .?.."4„ak •• ost 4
.4' ijlii‘' Vuty.
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.44 13; e A.i.libit" 'WV
. • • •
•

OCT. 1.

a race of blood-licktrs and muck-worms, who professed them-
e :es In support every -succeeding Administration, but in whom
no Admint,tra: toil could place dependance. These men always
ap :eared in support of any Ile w war, or loan, orjoh, in which
tney could have any interest." After a variety of other obser-
vations, he concluded by moving ttu Ameudmora to the origi-
nal Motion fax agreeing to the Report. Toe object of the
Amendment ,was to substitute a statement, " that the (Air
knew how to distinguish between the ben, acent intentions of his
Majesty, and the profligate and wicked system of his advisers:
Ind that in the pre eat calamitous situotiou of affair.;, it was not
adviseable to appoint a day of rejoicing."
Mr. Hearn defendeti himself from the allusions which were
.made to him ; but descent.'og into personalities,he was collected
by the Loyd Mayor.
Mr. Mawman did not wish to find fault with any report which
any Committee of that Court might think proper to present. In
Atte present it's ance, however, he was encouraged by the exam-
ple of the Committee themselves, many of whom had signed
their names, and yet had afieroards retracted their agreement.
As far as he could judge ,from such a report, he did not thin::
the .day wag sufficiently respected ; he had thought it was to
be celettrated ity a ,oust, and was surprised at finding this was
not the case ; he d:d not consider an Address on such an occasion
etiffici t 4 ; and be bad A plum to propose, which, he hoped,
would meet the satisfaction of all patties. He wished to
propose, that the Lord Mayor should be requested
to lend the Corporation the Egyptian Hall, and that
they should dine ttgether at their own individual expence.—
This, he calculated, would be at the rate of a guinea and a half
per man, and could not in the whole amount to more than one
thousand priunds. Surely such a trifle as this could not he re-
garded by so: h a Corro:ation as the City of London. Many
Members had objected to the celebration of a Jubilee on account
of the dejected siate of the country, but he would ask what
cause these was for such dejection ? When were our roads, our
inclosures, our apiculture. our navy, or our 'commerce, In
more prosperous con:.ltion ? In fact, they never were so floe-
rishing. The present Kits; ought to be respected by all ranks of
his subjects ; he hal reined for fifty years over a contented
people, ruling them by the laws, And under the guidance of our
blessed Constitution. .
Mr. Dixon hoped the Court might continue full to the con-
clusiou of the tfrbate. lie hoped also, that Members would at-
tend more exactly to the .question iN debate: for in his opinion,
many had de:iated widely from it. He had heard Members
deny any cause of congratulation on the present occasion; but
for his part, he thought there was abundant.
Alderman Goo.lbebere thought the questions between the Go-
vernment :old the people might to Ile completely separated. The
ap.riculture and its benefits ought to he attributed solely to the
people; the evils arising from a vilely conducted war entirely
to the Government. He would ask, was it for a double national
debt, a dototte ioemne tax, a devastating war, a loss of our
A inerican dominious, and ail the ruinous consequences of a mi.-
takenpol icy, that oe were about to return thanks?
Mr. Deputy Kembir spoke in favour of the Report.

. _
Mr. Clarke thnught the, hief object of the CoMmittee was to
cowgratulate the Sovereign on his long reign, nod not tit all to
advert to the measures of Administration—us a Member of the
Committee, this was his opinion.
Mr. Wailliman justified his conduct in not opposing in the
Committee those principles which he now condermi«l; he saw
how vain such au opposition would prove iu a Committee so
colotitntio
Ai r. Griffiths d-fended the Committee.
The first add-second Resolutions were then put and carried.
Up the I•aittl Resolution, concerniug the illutnination, being
prop: ed,
Mr. ....table said, he hoped ohlv the public buildings should
be ilkiminved, as the lighting up of private houses might cause
much diet rbance

CIF. Miller said, the whole question concerning the illomina-
tion, reminded him of an old pantomime called Harlequin Touch-
'tone; Walt quia, by virtue of his touchstone, could make any
peron.w Ivan he chose tell the truth : coo:414 one night to Paris
in a rejoicing, he asked ;t Parisian what illunkin•tion was
for. Tilt. Parisian wai just about to rivivoca:e, n hen Harle-
quin aPplied toour:astun.•, and he Was told the illumination
was el tended to keep the prol►le in the dark.—(A laugh, and
loud apv!rt,i4e. )

00 toe,4th aPIOIIIIIOII, alb to the dinner, briny pot,
Mr: Isiawsuau moved au amendment, propoviog 3 dinner.

Nlr. Marryot folly agreed in the amendment, and said, that on
the recovery of the King, in 1789, the common Council %I CIO to
ellUreti, non, still better. dined together afterwards—it would
be dreadful to go u jib an empty stomach into a cursed cold
hurch.—(A general laugh.)
Mr. Dhon said, he looked into a dictionary for the meaning
of the word " Jubilee," and found it meant an hearty and
terms feast.-,-(A laugh.)
Sir John Earner desired to hear if there ever was a precedent
of the Corporation's dining at their individual expence.
The Clerk knew of no Audi precedent.
Mr. Maw man said, as that was the case, he was content to
.iine at the ex pence of the Corporation.—(A laugh.)
After a few words from Mr. Vandercomb, we understand the
amended Retolutiou for a dinner was carried by a majority of
t ent) -five.
The Court then divided on a motion that the expence of the
Amer should be defrayed by the Members individually. The
numbers were :
Ayes • 4t
Noes - 47
Majority against each Member paying his own expellees-1i