The National Register.
London, England, 1809-09-17 00:00:00

•TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Jefrlfi Ilea 4 OLIV. AP .4.

wfti.lM

S EPT. 17.

COURT OF. COMMON COUNCIL.

CELEBRATION OW 1113 MAJESTY'S ACCESSION TO THE TIIRONE.

In coosequence of a requisition, signed by several Aldermen
nod Commons, a Meeting of the Common Council was held yes-
terdity for the purpose of 'inking into consideration the proprie-
ty of celebrating, on the 25th day of October nest, the Anniver-
sary of his Majesty's Accession to the Crown, being the 50th.
The Lord Mayor having taken the Chair at twelve o'clock,
and there being present the Aldermen, Sir William Curtis, Sir
William Leighton, Thomas Smith, Christopher Smith, Joseph
Jonathan Smith (Sheriff), Scholey, Wood, and Goodbehere,
with a full Court of Commoners, 'the Requisition Was read for
convening the Meeting, after which,

Sir Wt t.LI A M CURTIS arose, and in a .neat speech, which he
delivered with much feeling, the worthy and Honourable
Baronet observed, that they 'were met to consider the pro-
priety of celebrating the anniversary of his Majesty's Acces-
sion to, the Throne. He was convinced that there was not one
individual present who would •not most. cordially agree, that
during the long period in which his Majesty had sat on the
Throne of these Realms, his equal, if he were to retrace
back the History of these Kingdoms, could not he nam-
ed. Indeed, the length of his reign had been exceeded
but by one King since the conquest-. It had been a reign gra-
tify ing to his subjects, and highly honourable to himself. His
Majesty had wisely and beneficially administered those laws of
which he is the guardian for the happiness of his people. When
therefore his people contemplated the security under which
they had reposed for the last forty-nine years, the mild and be-
nevolent Government of one of the best of Sovereigns, they must
he convinced, that virtues so eminently conspicuous were enti-
tled to the grateful approbation of the United Empire. The
whole of our Sovereign's reign has been marked by acts of at- ,
tention to the interests and liberties of his people. On his first
ascending the Throne, the first act of his reign, was to declare
the Judges independent of the Crown, thereby securing to the
people a just dispensation of the laws. This too, it must he
recollected,. was an act flowing from his own spontaneous will.
Apo: her act of grace worthy of a great and good King was, the
putting an end to the-issue of General. Warrants, which had been
much in use until the great stir which an Alderman of London,
Nr. John Wilkes, made,.cansed an inquiry into the subject, and
then it was that our Sovereign suppressed them. In comparing
the acts of his present Majesty with those of a former King,
newly, who reigned as long, it must be acknowledged, that
though Henry achieved great conquests, yet, under the present
Sovereign, our achievements were greater. It was only neces-
sary to look at the conquests gained by our army in Egypt, at
Acre, on the Shores of the Nile, of Camperdown, off St. Vin-
cent's, and in Spain. and every impartial man must admit, that
in a military point of view, this country has to boast des great
teats and actions as any- that had been gained under our ances-
tors. With this view of the beneficent results of the present
reign, he felt it his duty to call the attention of the Corporation
of the firSt City in the World, to hand don n, to the latest pos-
terity, their marks of attachment and duty to the hest of Sove-
reigns, by celehrating the fiftieth anniversary of his reign.—
The country ought to rejoice in the blessings which it had
derived from his Majesty's mild and beneficent Onvern•
mem, and the day on which he ascended the throne should
be a day of mirth and rejoicing. Being of this opinion, he had
signed the paper of requisition, convinced too that every man in
the country would feel a disposition to gtatify the best of Sove-
reigns. When we looked around us and saw time nations of the
Continent compelled to submit to the arbitrary mandate of a
tyrant, crouching low, in some instances misled, in all low and
debased, we must feel an increased portion of happiness that oer
valuable Prince had not listened to ,any wild or theoretical
Plans which had led to the dehttsement of the Monarchs, and the
ein of the States to which he had alluded. Eng,eand remained •
the same, its Sovereign firtwautl unshaken in those truly British
principles which he avowed in his first speech upon ascending
the throne--not only therefore to the people of this country,
but to the other nations of the wo: Id, men his Majesty be ad-
mired. The Hon. Baronet was ready to admit, that in main—
taining those principles this country had suffered privations,
bet the Constitution still remained inviolate—(iber.' hear!)
In bringing the resolutions fors tad, with which he should
conclude, he declared that he had not leaned either to one, party
or to the other—he did not care who was in potter of oot.of
power—he had beeu actuated aloce by a senseyr dot;' and of.,

593

• gratitude to the best of Sovereigns, for the benefits which he,
with the rest of his countrymen, bad pertakrn during so long tt
reign. In making this assertion he was sincere, and those who
doubted the truth of his declaration knew but little of hill
heart. Political motives had not been the inducements to ob.
Crude on the attention of the Court ; he again declared that a
sense of duty, and the gratification of his own ft clings, had urged
him to come forward to propose a mark of respect to a most
beloved and venerable character. The Hon. Baronet concluded
with proposing his Resolutions,
That this Court will celebrate the approaching Aneiversary
of his Majesty's Accession to the Throne of this Kingdom, on
the 25th day of October next, being the day on which his Ma-
jesty will enter the 50Ih year Nr his reign. •
That a Committee be appointed, cousisting of nll the Alder-
men, and a Commoner out °fetich ward, to consider of the hest
means of carrying the said Resolution into erect, and to report
their opinion thereupun to this Court.
The first resolution being seconded by Mr. .Alderman Sckoley,
and read by the Recorder,
Mr. WA ITFT M A N expressed his unwillingness to have Mitt-tided
on the attention of the Court upon the present question ; bat the
Hon. Baronet had nut produced any arguments to convince his
• mind of the propriety of the measure which lie was so anximei
to propose. lie was' aware, that by opposing the million, he
should place himself in an awkward situation, became he should
not only render himself liable to misrepresentation, but he should•
most certainly encounter it. He had, however, no hesitation in.
giving it as his opinion, that the motion was brought forward.
with no other.view but to cover the disgraces of Ministers. lie
could not perceive any other rational object which the Ilan.
Baronet had. Mr. NVaithman asserted that he had as much
loyalty as any man present, but the way to chew that loyalty.
Was, hy,preserving the principles of that Constitution o hick
placed his Majesty on the Throue. No man could look at the
present situation of the country without dismay—a situation*
which his Majesty's evil Counsellors had placed the country in.
ltlvould therefore better become us to approach his Majesty,
and by an humble and dutiful Address, to point out his wicked
Counsellors, in order that they, might be temoved. The Gentle-
man then took a retrospective view of the situation of public
affairs when his Majesty ascended the Throne, which he taw
frosted with the present situation of the Country.—At the.
former period the Country had a Chatham at the helm—was in
pease--had gained great acquisitions—was in strict alliance with
several of the powers of the Continent, and although at the eon-.
elusion of an ex pensive*war, the annual expenditure of the awn
try was not more than 7,000,00 a At present our annual ripen-.
dime isseventy millions. The increased amount of expenditure
Mr. W. attributed to the system recommentiei by Lord. Bute,
and still pursued, which he termed disgraceful to the country.
From these topics Mi. W. adverted to the Act of beneficence
noticed by the Honeurable Baronet, that of his' Majesty's ren-
dering the Judges independent of the Cro'sn ; and here he was
ready to admit, that if' the security and happiness of the country
were to depend on his Majesty's private virtues, the people could
not have a better security. ( Hear! hear !) But he hoped that
there was too much independence in the country to need such a
dependence as on the virtues of any Prince. Mr. Waithman
then read the Address of the Corporation to his Majesty on the
6th March, 17W, relative 'to the dismissal of Chief 3 ustice Pratt,
%%
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for the opinion which he gave on the subject of General ars •
rants, which he declared to' be illegal. The independence of
the Judges was the effect of the exertions of Mr. Wilkes, and •
not the spontaneous act of his MajestY, for in the endeavours to
crash that person they had done an essential service to their
country, 6v producing the der! :ration that Grneral Warrants
were unconstitutional. Mr. Wa ithman then noticed the dein v.
ing ti r. Wilkes of his Seat ire Parliament, although elected by
the voice of the county of Middlesex. lie bete read the Ad-
dress of the Corporation on that occasion. These unconstitu-
tional measures were the works of the then Administration. tie
imputed ti) those persons who caosceived thetoselyes, that.they
monopolized all the loyalty of the country, such as I'4l r. )hn
Reeves and Mr. John Booles—; hat interest was Oleic motives
—that t)u'ir loyalty was like g,ratitude, worth nothing tulles. it•
was paid fur lie was not, then fore, surprised that they
should act thus ; but his surprise' was excited that so many
respectable Illen as be saw around him,. should buffer them.
selves to be deluded by any .Adininisiration for ft was too
true the coiduet of the sAdnifoisirayons had been such
Cis to place his Majesty ia,so.fr.fiariees a situation, that the
thrbue tottetcd under . • l'ir'eaCt t6k cogottyAniornatg miiii
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