The National Register.
London, England, 1809-10-08 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REMSTER:

1140

it be in rendering benefits to the distress' and its making some
of our fellow citizens useful to themselves; their children, and
the State. (Hear, hear!) In Edward the Third's time he rely'
of no 'limier, but he read of much better ohings; he read of
many good laws and public institutions, and of the ronfirmatior
of the Magna Ghana : such was the celebration of that .
Th:, %vas not a tone for that Court to set an example •.:'sensual
ity. or eudeavaer by a selfish prodigalit% to rai:c =till :fei:her
the poor, tie already enormous price of bread. 1 'lcy had f.,1
len under the heavy displeasure of their constituents, and he' ha..
even beam that a meeting was to he held for the purpose et
taking their condurt into consideration, (a laugh). Gentlemen
might hugh, but he told them the fop.; and he could not wor
der at it, n bon that Court was made't he engine of Ministmia
maneauvre, aud s hen the East India Company called list.;
the first corporation in the kingdom : and even the Bank
of Englaial breasts to sat them an example. No wonder th-ir
constatueots shauld he pained at these corporations, associating
merely to- their own private emolutuent, assuming ra. pre( e-
rteoite over them, the public corporate body Of the first city in
the world. lie did not w ish to opeak disrespectfully of the
; but he thought it little competent to set un examine or
political points. It increased by the calamities of !he country
—by one calamity it had its funds almost disohled; and the oh
noxious measure of the Income Tax was hatched by some o;
those very Bank Directors, even at the Mayoralty house--(Air.
Dixon here cried out " Who increased that lag?)" " I will
tell you (said Mr. \V.) it %%:+s Lord Grenville—that same Lord
G,enville who gave your son a place; and I was raising 'm\
voice ailitirist it when you and your brothers were soliciting at
the Treasury steps." Mr. W. said he had given his sentimen,...
on the suhject, and Atonld conclude. He was sorry to he com-
pelled to resold to persoisalities, but those who chose to catechist.
him must abide by the consequence. •
Mr. Dixon deprecated the attempts which had been made to
degrade him in the estimation of the public. He had now ea
tered into his fiftieth year, having paved his way throng!, life
by hard labour ; and never, in one instance, having eaten the
bread of the public. He had never asked for, or calculate('
upon receiving a place. Be had been nearly 40 years in the
employ of ono house; and, after having been so with the mast
irreproachable character, it was natural for hint to wish to
procure his son to he his assistant, and ultimate successor ; but
notwithstanding- the equally irreproanahle conduct of his son,
he was given to understand that this tymild not be the ease. His
son was too far advanced in life, to submit to indignities ;
he (Mr. Dixon), turned in his mind how he could put him for.
ward in the world. Mr. Dixon then confessed that he had writ•
ten to Lord Grenville hirwelf, and not through any other choo
nel, stating that line of conduct he had pursued in his puhlii
life, ht%d his determination never to depart from it. lie wonld
produce this letter had he it now in his pocket. He never sass
Lord Grenville its life, and had never daneel attendance upon
him. He never applied to any Administration.
Mr. Young said a few words in favour of a dinner at the Cor-
porations private expance.
Air. Marriott spoke against building alins-bouses.
Al r. Deputy Kemble was against the alms-house selleme. As
to the Finance of the Cif, , he was one of the Committee, and
thought that with economy it might come routid. At present.
however, it had no money to spare ; hut if the Court were de-
termined to afford a dinner out of mt, he could slim thiln a better
way in winds the money might be spent. and that was iu the re-
iease ct.f small debtors. lie compliinented the Report of the
Committee, to whom the celebration of the. Jubilee had been re-
ferred. When it was found that they did not recomn,and a dinkier,
go Report ever created o great satisfact 101 l out of doors.
Mr. Cri !:lid, that Gentlemen wanted to ram their hand•
into a purse alread emptied. Tbe tradesmeii of the City had
not been paid.— (Question, region. )—[The worthy Meinher
was here corrected in this Ile was giad to lied he
aas mistaken ; but it could be only lately that they had.
Mr. Wait Immo, in explanation, said, that he did not mean the
con,umption bread would be materially increased by the
City's dinieg together, but that it was an impolitic act to create
a feasting in proportiou as our distresses increased.
Air. Alderman and Sheriff Wood rose to answer the objections
Which had been made to his scheme. ft to the ex pence of
alms-houses, he calculated that E) might he raised for :SQOOI.
•Ind eudowed adeqoately for 5001. a year. It had been suggest-.
that tl.e City Companies would not he alive to this, but he
• 'l' not% state that two of the Court of Assistants of thejiro-
xt ;A, %pygmy did him the honour to say they should•be

OCT. s.

to meet the Corporation in fel% beitenie. lie very mceis
proved fife ri.lensing poor ilebtors, of whose mitteries, his skim-
as Sheriff, nt,w led lion to he so immediate a witness. Ile
•aould like, indeed, to extend it to-the relief anther prisoner',
sm;tieularly•those confined for their political writings. Ail he
eked was, thnt the busine"s should he referred to a Committee:
• ihey preferred the other scheme, he was ready to withdraw
his.

After a long and desultory conversation, Mr. Jack's amend-
satent was put and carried nem. con. viz.
" Thal this Court is of opinion that it will be more accept-
'hie to Almighty God, and more congenial to the paternal feel,
!!gs of our beloved Sovereign, to promote the release of the pa-
inter :and captive an the joyful Jubilee .about to be celebrated,
•tan in expending money in feasting and illumination; it is
refore resolved that the sum of 1000/. be subscribed to the
•:'ociety• for the relief and discharge of persons imprisoned for
small debts, provided the same be applied to the purposes of
.e Institution, on or °bole the 25th instant ; and especially for
1:.-.discharge of Freemen of this City."
The Lora Mayor expressed V -elf extremely proud of the
resolution of the Court, and 5h(....1.4 he happy to see all the
lleanbers at the Alaosion- llou-,e after church on the 25. th instant
a eat a hit of cold roast 1106., aid that
It was afterwards resolved that the d Standing Order of
he Court should be, upon that occasion, dispensed with ; and
:ant the Resulation of the Court of the 26th September, as to
iluminating the Guildhall. and Mansion-House, should be note
acted upon.
A t the breaking up of the Court, the Lord Mayor told them,
that as hot beef was better than cold; they should have it hot,:
and nothing, else.