The National Register.
London, England, 1812-04-19 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

COMYON COUNCIL.

Friday a Court of Common Council was held at Guildhall, to considyr
of the propriety of presenting an Address to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, praying for Redress of Grievances, Reform in Parlia-
ment, and the removal of his Majesty's present ministers.
The requisition having been read,
Mr. Qui N, in a speech of considerable length, adverted to the difficul-
ties and Distresses under which the country at present laboured, most of
which, he said, arose from the ►want of a tair representation of the peo-
ple in Parliament, and the measures adopted by the present Adminis-
tration. He concluded by moving a string of resolutions.
Mr. BLUNDLE seconded the Resolutions.

Mr. HEAR NE roso in opposition to the motion, and affirmed, that
the Regent, in continuing the present Ministers, had acted with great
magnanimity ; and lie firmly believed, that even. the illustrious con„bi.
nation of all the talents in the Court of Common Council could not
have displayel such a martial aspect to the powerful Buonaparte as
his Majesty's present Ministers had done.
Mr. JACKS was afraid the resolutions proposed for their acceptance
would create very opposite emotions to unanimity in the public mind.
The Gentleman who proposed the motion had displayed in a delightful
style the military successes of the country, but he had concluded by pro-
ih,sing measures which he was not conscious would operate to the public
welfare.

Alderman SMITU was of opinion, that could a man turn the globe
round in the palm of the hand, he would not be able to discover a
happier spot upon it all than the land he lived in. He opposed tile mo-
tion.

Mr. WAITHMAN was surprised at the manner in which the two
Gentlemen who spoke last had,manifested their opposition to the mea-
sure. For a period of sixteen yesieslie had recollected them labouring in
aid of a cause which they noy . reprobated. He wondered what in-.
fluence directed their counsels, and caused them to abandon primitive
opinions. For his own part, from a consciousness in-the 'propriety of
the measure upon the must extended and accurate examination, he was
prepared to lend it every aid that lay within the con.pass of hie power. •
Mr. DIXON said, that had the measure proposed been forc a removal
of grievances, .he should have been ready to vote, hut since it only
tended to promote dissentions, and sow insinuations amongst the people
against the Administration, he would vote againit it.
Mr. BROWN deemed it highly impolitic to hold the Administration up
to the contempt of the people. The nation appeared to him in flourish-
ing circumstances, and he hoped we would transmit unpolluted to pos-
terity the blessings we enjoyed.
Mr: FAVELL, from a contemplation, of British History for the last
twenty years, and from the situation of the Empire at the present period,
deemed the measure highly necessary.
Sir WILLIAM CifItTIS acknowledged the distresses under which the,
naanufacturerswere groaning, and which he reckoned solely attributabl
to the malignant spirit of our great enemy, Buonap.ate. Whatever
faults might belong to the Administration, he was not prepared to pull
dowa an edifice until he knew his ability to rear a hover in its stead ;
therefore he opposed the motion.
Aid rman Corm spoke in favour of Reform, and support of the Re-
solution.
\IL ATCHISON considered this as nothing else than an attemet of
Party to overturn the Administration; ai.d who would they'place in
their stead l (Grey and CJrenville, from several parts of the Imo Oh !
gun, you wish a keforn in Parliament, and for that purpose, desire the
l!uuses of Grey and Russel to have the power in the Administration,
Houses, 'Rho carry the majority of the boroughs already in their pockets.

249

• Sir C. Plug; spoke. favourably of the Orders in Cout,cil, they had
liustlinedthe•cosumerce in which the, country was en,!aged.
Alderm.in SItAR (otigratulatcd:tli. meeting upon the mildness and
moderati,m which they had shown during the corn ii;nu ire of the rebate,
and passed an encomium upon the Gentleman who propmed the R. soiu-
don, for the calm and temperate speech with which* had intr, 1 )L,ut:cti
it. But he could not be persuaded to give his assent to a Res:notion
tending to deprive the empire of those able and successful rs.
Alderman WOOD briefly suppwted the i„,',psOuti,o.
The question was then read by the RF cart oiR. and a disp!ay of hands
being inadequate to decide accurately tln• sense of the triet:tiii3, thr Court
was cleared of the strangers, and a division took ri.cc, wiwo there ap-
peared—ln support.of the Motion-98—A gainst.it 92-111.jority 6.