The National Register.
London, England, 1820-05-28 00:00:00

C0.M.410.,V CO IJATU.

A Court of Common Council was on Friday convened
for the purpose of considering the propriety of petition-
ing the House of Commons to institute an immediate
inquiry into the slat..: of the representation of the peo-
ple in that house ; and to take such measures as might
lead to an effectual and constitutional reform of those
abuses which ❑light be found to exist, aS the best means
of allay.ng the present discontents, and securing the
tights of the people, the stability of the Gu/ll:fllinent,
and the prosperity of the country.
The LORD MAYOR having stated that he received a
requisition cailing upon him to summon a special Conn
to ennSidel Luis subject, the requissition was read.
.Ir. FAYE!. then requested that the miutucs of the
November, 1816, 20th December, 18'6, and 23d
.anuary, 1817, relating to addresses to the throne and
imtitions to Parliament on the sulject of reform, iiiigot
be read, and commenced a long speech by assuring ti e
Loon, that his object was not to raise any frivolous or
vexatious objections, but to discnss the Unpins:int titles_
lion for which they hail assemblial fully, fairly, and
candidly. It was was the first time it had been discussed
independently of any other subject, and lie hoped due
attention would be paid to it. During a long life he
had been the humble advocate of the proi.ciples he now
wished to maintain, and he could state without the
slightest fear of contradiction, that he hail never wished
to urge refoini upon ally principles inconsistent with
the constinitioli, and had navel' oestivil the iolttption of
hasty or violent measures. He consith red the 'nests',
time most favourable to the di-cussion tit tills SUltjeCl ;
the cottony was in a state of profound riles', and do
impediment would be thrown in tilt n; y of a fair in.
Icbligattott. The principle which lie was peculiarly
anxiou► to Clliioce WAS, that the serest-illation of the
people was Lad, ana that • despotic power might be
created, so as to crush the power of the people
without any vt.ry materiai ettange in the coustuution.
He maintained Mat the representation of the people
could not be considered as being at all adequate, either

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THE NATIONAL REGISTER

as it regarded population or property. With respect to
the first point, population, it was a fact so well known,
as to render it unnecessary for him to dilate upon it,
that front 1702 to 1817, comprising a period of less than
I2U Years, the population had nearly doubled. It was
pl rin, therefore, that, as to population, the reptesenta-
thm was inadequate ; but the defeci was much inure
glaring in respect to property. Lotion, Westminster,
and Middlesex, returned altogether eight members, and
paid eighty parts of the land-tax ; Cornwall paid eight
parts, and returned forty-four members to Parliament.
Yorkshire and ltiitlandshire were upon a par with re-
spect to the number of representatives, and it was a fact
tom Cornwall and Wiltshire alone relocated as many
members to Parliament as Yorkshire, Worcestershire,
Middlesex, Lancashire, Warwickshire, yild Somerset-
shire united. The whole of Scotland returned only
one more member than Cornwall ; and Manchester,
Leeds, Birtniughatir, Bad other large manufacturing
districts were who ly unrepresented. The statement of
these simple facts was stillizient to prove to an unpreju-
diced mind the necessity of an alteratron in the state of
die representation. IN order the more forcibly to impress
upon the Court the necessity of reform, the worthy
member quoted at considerable length the observations
of Mr. Burke, Mr. Fox, Lord Chatham, Lord Bacon,
and other distitiguisned seamanly), and concluded b
omen% a series of resolutions expressive of the senti-
ments of tile Court upon tuts subject.
111.1. R. TAY Loit seconded the resolutions. He much
deplored the circumstance that violence had been used
to bring about reform, and tented that it had tended to
alienate the minds of many who would otherwise nave
been fat ()marble to the cause ; but keause a few totem.
per.rte, and perhaps malicious individuals had created
Ouse disturbances, that was no argument against in-
quiry.
Mr. JAMES opposed the resolutions.
Mr. Malmo); was surprised to hear that astonishment
was expressed at the v iorence of tile Deople in favour of
root in. Rather 111.111 taunt them in their distress he
would have pitied their misfortunes and felt for their
sufferings. The great evil was taxation. It was tax-
ation that 'waltzed the agriculturist, impeded the
merchant, amid shut the doors of commerce against us in
•ureigie markets.
Mr. 11 ILLIAMIS supposed the resolutions.
Mr. CLARY. opposed extensive Parliamentary reform,
t,ut supported the resoluttous, being always an advocate
ior inquiry.
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN also spoke at great length
in support of the resolutions. The great secret was the
want of controul over ministers : he spoke of all the on-
timers in a bwiy : they were the same to biro, fur he
had never received a farthing from any one of them, nor
did he expect it. (A laudi.) If tile cause of the dis-
tress was a tratisitiou Imin war to peace, this was the
longest transit he ever recollected, or had ever heard of.
Mr.l. N. WILLIAMS rose to speak amidst cries of.
aQueatdoi, question," but he persisted, and for some
minutes a great confusion existed. At length Mr.
Williams inured the adjournment of the debate. The
question was put, and lust by a very great majority.
The resolutions were then agreed to %vithnin a division,
and a petition rounded upon them ordered to be pre-
sented to Parliament.

FROM TUESDAY .VIGIIT'S GAZETTE.

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MAY 23.
Notice is hereby given, that his -• will hold a drawing-
. __ . „ .
the

iajesty
room, at the Palice—of Bnekinghatn House, on Thursday,
loth of June next, at two o'clock.
N.B.—His Majesty is graciously pleased to dispense with
ladies wearing hoopss they will be expected, on the ensuing and
future drawing rooms, to appear in court robes and lappets,
according to the regulations laid down by her late Majesty at the
celebration of the royal weddings.
FOREIGN OFFICE. MAY 43.
Tleittt: ing has been pleased to appoint the Right Hon. Sir C.
Bag G.C.8., to be his Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary
anti I nipotentiary to his Majesty the Emperor of All the
Hussies.
BANKRUPTS.
T. and R. Ainsworth. Bolton,and P. Con,Turton, Lancashire,
whitstcrs. Solicitors, Messrs. Meddowcrofts, Gray's lon Square.
J. Macnair and J. Atkinson, Cornhill, merchants. Sul. Mr.
I .atimer, Gray's Inn Square.
G. Frost, Wigan, Lancashire, shopkeeper. Sol. Mr. Ellis,
Chancery Lane.
A. sea ard, New Sarum, Wilts, grocer. Bois. Messrs. Brun •
Jett and Co., Temple.
W. L. Lott, I.landilo, Carmarthenshire, druggist. Sol. Mr.
Thomas. 1 Jand ilu.
R. W. Linitop, Badnall, Staffordshire, dealer. Solt. Messrs.
IV illiarns and White, Lincoln's Inn.
Lowes, Commercial Buildings, Mincing Lane, wine mer-
chant. Solo. Messrs. Watkins and Pearly Lincoln's Inn.
.1. Skilbeck, Leeds, linen draper. Solis Messrs. Stocker and
Co., Now Boswell Court.
A. Rae and W. Earle, jun., proprietors of the East London
theatre. Sol. Mr. Poole. Adam's Court, Broad Street.
J. Honyrnan, Church Street, Spitalfields, silk manufacturer,
Sol. Mr James, Bucklersbuty.
P. Caig, Liverpool, tailor. Sol. Mr. Wheeler, Castle Street,
Holborn.
J. Batter,, Southampton, grocer. Sole. Mesas. Willis and
Cs, Warnfoni Court, l'hrogniorton Street.
J. Whitehead, Denshaw, Yorkshire, clothier. Sol. Mr. Lever,
Gray's Inu.
B. Hughes, Bristol, victualler. Sols. Messrs. Poole and
Greenfield, Clay's Inn Square..
J. Smith, Coln St. Aldwyns, Gloucestershire, tallow chandler.
Soh. Messrs. Frowd and Rose, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn.
DIVIDENDS.

June 17, W. Iloberts,jUn.l.3eitil,ncerchant-17, R. Lincoln,
St. Juntas's Street. hatter—YO, J. Blackborn, Witham, Essex,
corn factor-13, It. Jordan and J. Smith, Stratford, Et.sex, and
J. Litchfield, Lerida)lran Street, coach proprietors—l 3, W.
Brwrn, KCIIIIIIOI.III, aine merchant-13, W. Ainsdell, Mar.:tow,
Etscx, baker—l 7, Ansed. Caruhaltou. Surrey, calico printer
.-13, T. England, Smithfield, simmer-16, N. Jobling, Bexley
Wirth, Kent, innkeeper-3, C. Mackenzie. Caroline Street,
BedMrd Nitrate, itierenant-30. J. Wiliam Kensurck, homer--
27, T. 1...1n0.r. 'I ouorster, Nortbaurpton, grocer-20,W . Boyle
Kin Aston upon Huli, merchant-13, Al. Patermm, Halifax, dyer
—May .27, J. Davalvon. East India Chambers, Leadenhall
Street, merchant—July 1, C. Chile, Commercial Roadoictualler
J. Walker, A cw lindsc Street, ironmoDgcr.

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