The National Register.
London, England, 1822-03-31 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

On Thursday a Common Hall was held in pursuance
.1: a requisition, very numerously signed, for the purpose
taking into consideration the necessity of a Reform in
Parliament, and to discuss the existing distresses of the
country.
At one o'clock the Lord Mayor entered the Hall,
illowed by Aldermen Wood and Waitlimati, the
Sheriffs, and a number of Common COUI1C111111c1).
hill Lo KDSIIIP having informed the meetiii& for what
purpose toe), wire assembled, and expressed a hope that
ail intuant..tl hearing would be given to every speaker who
snould present himself,
r. FA VEL t. came forward amidst loud amdauses.—
Tile rtqinsition which called them together, very pro.
;wily, lie said, originated with the Livery, although
he had been requested to propose the resolutions
Which were to be offered for their ad:iption. And first,
he should beg leave to observe, that the Livery were
treated in a very extraordinary and contemptuous manner
by must of those who represented die City in Parliament,
not one of the members for London, with the exception
or Alderman li'ood, having appeared in his place.—
(Cries of shame.)—lt was 1101, unfortunately, neces-
sary to remind the great body he addressed, how
repeatedly they had asked for redress in the House to
which they had sent their four Members, or how often
their petitions had been neglected. The predictions of
the Livery had now b.-en fatally verified. The conse-
(unces which they anticipated stood upon record, and
wowed that out of the long and tuinous war in which
Hilgtomal had beets so lung engaged, arose the nefarious
system of taxation which had reduced die country to its
present deplorable condition. A considerable change
lied been effected of late in the public mind. 'f his had
been particularly exemplified in the great counties which
had been before in the habit of supporting ministers
through thick and thin. lir Surrey a member was heard
upon an important occasion, to say, that he had sup.
ported Mr. Pitt for many years, but that at last he found
that Mr. Pitt was a juge ler, and had cheated him of his
property, and lie would vote no more fur such a cha-
racter. (A 'nigh.) lit the reply to the complaints against
the system of that politician it was the custom .to
Ti.ose who do not like the country may leave it.
wail(' it now be rash or injudicious to say—" It would
be of more advattia,te to the cause of liberty if the friends
of that terlific system hail left Use couit,ry 1' (Applause.)
--it might be observed that the Livery of London were
rather late in coating forward upon this question, but it
appears to him to be natural that they should wait
un,il the diGrent counties made the necessary applica-
tions to Parliament to ascertain whether Ministers in-
teutled to bring forward measures of effectual relief. The
conduct of Ministers upon recessing the petitions of the
various counties slieweJ that no %lief was medi.ated.—
Otte of their children had been strangled in its birth.—
Tins was nothing less that% might base been expected ;
but the people had real close to he alarmed al the decla-
ration of Ministers. that useless places and pensions must
be kept up for the sake of a prettoutioatinz influence in
the House. of Coiiinlons. (Hear, hear.) This was a des-
perate blow at the liberty of the subject, and it was time
indeed to make a stand upon an occasion so awfully
ititer•sting. It was needless to say that the citizens of
London sympathised with the landholder's through the
country; that they felt deeply at seeing the respectable
yeomen and farmers insolveut, and the labouring matt
sunk iti calamity. The dictates of common lininanny
prompted to that compassion. Bin the interests of the
c;tizeits of London were interwoven with those of the
aarictiitural ptiptilation oft he empire, and the commercial
and tram log individual suffered in proportion to the dis.,
tresses of Alone who had recently matte ineffectual appli-
cations- for relief. Toe universal operation of the system
hail been felt. It was natural to complain of such evils.
It was ion 041111 e to deity that an unnecessary war bad
violate:it debt, and debt uxat ion ; and this war had been
siatienaken fur the purpose 01.S1114110r1111g the ill exercised
authority of Sovereigns abroad, and of preventing the
pitting down of abuses at hoine.—(Hear, hear.-13y this
Illeiltlll exasperated feelings %Vete pro.loced in the public
mind, and the emotions of tome irritated intlivhlualr
nereconsidered as a justification of the late unprincipled
attack upon the Britian Constitution, the passing of the
14%): acts. A military force was 10 be kept •up on this
principle—a terrible drain 111)01) our financial resources,
and holding forth a frightful appearance to the eyes of
those who hived the Constitutimi. All this was, as
Nil:1161M contended, resulting hem the increase of the
population and the difittaion of knowledge. But the
strength of the people was a better reliance than tile
sword of a 1.11/gOOll.--(N110:11 Ewell
then declared, tliat toe only remedy for the evils Cunt
plaitied 01 was a toll and tau representation of the people
tit lkirliantent. lie spoke of the 1411111ellbe population
4)1 SU:tiC ph, cis, W110:11 11.1,1 00 members at all, and of
:lie desolate comlittoit of others, which had seteral to
represent 110911. Ile %visited that S:r %Vitt. Curtis was
present, but the old system of calling those disbiyal who
appeared upon occaannts %%Inch the interest: inf the
public wt re intuited, was beginning to revive, autl the
Mettibtra who were ready Lot homer occasions to speak
uf the love ol their leliow citia.os, inljfit nut be disput,it.

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