The National Register.
London, England, 1818-11-23 00:00:00

TIM NATIONAL REGISTER.

MEETING AT THE CROWN AND ANCHOR

TdrER.V.

On Tamay an extremely crowded meeting was held for
the pterissems of consitirring also is a tit person to be pot in
nwitiet.stion tosupply the v4e.muy which ham (wenn e,l in the
tepresentation of Westminster.

Sir F. Burdett having taken the chair, imineoli.stely opened
the Waitron which ronsliinted the thltiret of the meeting.
The public advertisement which had topsoil's: them together
MI this occasioss had, he oliser.e.l, deafly esplained that it
was In consceinetter of the reciriel loss which they hail so--
tallied, and the necessity of sesprlyins it. Ile had hecii re
guested to take the chair, and now felt no sin all degree of
safi.laclienm in enntemplating the tionterons and tespeetable
audience whirl' had met to assist in the cunsideroilim at' this
subject. oreosion no, misluisisteelly most imputtaut, au
the %.Iflle time that the trim' moaners whit+ led to it, and
which could not he P‘ellideti fowls their ennuis, stare ow lid
and distressing. Define, however, he isrocce.led to NMl-
:mitre the bets Mess sit the day, he thought it right to disclose
the contents of a letter whirls he had receis ell from a gentle -
man who had considerable claims to their f4voisi ; and who
would probably have hetes, in *lre event of Ins monism
personally forward, the entices of their choice. The genele.
min to whom he Allotted, wars Mr. I). Kis:emirs!, aster boil
withdrawn himself entirely born their coosideradien us a
condislate, by a statement which lie (the Chairman) was re
quested to •e ate to them : and in which Mr. Kiii•
weird regretted 11141 engagements, which be felt to he binding
MI 111111, WOlllll prevent Isis attendance at this meeting, and
&prise Lion of the opportunity of ;raying his tribute of e-
specl to the memory of their tote representative, nt.d Of
mixing his own with the general grief. As, therefore. re-
sumed Sir F. Burdett, this ;semicolon hail placed himself old
of the elnestion, it was incumbent on them to consider what
other person it might ho most advisoble fur them ton -
Hate, in order to fill up the vacaticy left by the death of their
late lamented representative. It would be improper tor him,
in the binomial which he now held, to offer any opinions of
Isis a% it, with reg.ir.l to the personal qualifications or merit
.if individuals. It was his dilly to attend to all that might
nit offesed by others, and to collect impartially the sense of
Ilse room upon eve.> propositom that sliositil be submitted
wish refEreeee to the object of their mecting. It was not to
hr ceneraled that they were in a stale of • • danger ; and
of lamer arising floor a circumstance mimeo Irit mogul:tr.
Ihe fist difficulty which they hail to surmount was not II
a ant, bet a variety of choice. Five or six names had already
been mentioned to him, each of which he had reason to be-
lieve belonged to d man of indepenslem au.l Ilurzeeptionable
eliaroeter. With regard to their late representative, he
should he sorry to break in upon the busini.ss of °teddy by
any attempt to excite 01 C01111111111i(!ate those feelings of sor-
row which wire already siiii:erlol, and could neither be
heightened hoe alleviated by his remarks. He had died full
of honours for lalliselt;iCAViug his eutiiitrymen filled with ad.
iniration and regret, and a name behind him which never
could Le mentioned without a sigh. In disbui (telling theist.
selves, however, of their seise of this calamity, Sal far as to
undertake the discharge of the duty which had devolved inc
them, it shossid still induce them to regard, will, a more scru-
tinizing eye, the claims of every one at lio 'night be proposed
to till up so great a chasm. The public duty whiell had du.
volved upon them all was of a serious endure, and their ho-
nest elide:teems to discharge it would afford them the hest
consolation in the struggle w hide they must expect to en.
claimer. Above all things, he was desirous of impressing out
their minds what lie had touched upon at the outset of his
address—that their difficulty consisted not in the paucity of
those who were perfectly qualified to sepresent then:, and
might probably be submitted to their choice; but in selecting
one from mosey, all of whu,n were pwise.:4eal or claims equally
satisfactory and indisputable. hi the eunduct or this selec-
tion it WAS that, unless they ,Imiod act with unanimity, and
rally around one individual, they would incur the hazard, if
not the certainty, of a defeat by the hillisence of govern-
ment., Such was his respect for the several individuals
whose names had been transmitted to him, that he could sin-
cerely declare his opinion to be, that it' those names were
put in a balloting hex, the lint that might be drawn would he
a very proper person to serve as their representative. lint
as some choice must be exercised, their first care should be
to preserve unanimity amongst themselves. Whee one name was
adopted, lie hoped they would all steadily adhere to it ; and
that the friends of liberty would not again sutler them-
selves to be divided. Let them not enter into invidious com-
parisons of personal merit, or dispute about one man's
sup-
posed superiority over another, when all were equally good,
eligible, fit for their purpose, and attached le those prineiples
which it was the glory of Westminster to istahitaiu. Their
grand and paramount interest on this occasion 'was to exhi-
bit to the world a spirit of unanimity, both with a view to the
presarvation of their own character, and in order to prevent
that dreadful evil to which disunion would necessarily lead—
the debasement of their city, and the triumph of a venal anal
corrupt administration. Appealing, therefore, now to their
indulgence, for having so long tiespassed on their anew
tion, he moved that they should proceed to the order of the
day.
Mr. Bruce and Mr. Tlielwall presented themselves at the
tame time on the table, when the Chairman declared that the
former had first called his attention.
Mr. Bruce began by arsuring the gentleman who had en-
deavoured to precede him, that he should exercise his pa-
tience hut for a very short nine. His health was too weak to
sutler him to make any exertion, mid be had just come from
a bed of sickness. tic was incapable of saying any thing in
intention to what li al been aheady said, of the character of
that individual whose loss they all in common deplored, ex-
cept that he was in life adorned with every virtue ; and
that his death at this momentous period, was perhaps the
gicotest peiblic calamity that could have happened. His ob-
ject in now rising was to state, that he knew sto man mote ca-
pable of supplying the lose, and of inaisitaiuing with cite' gy
the same principles, than the gentleman who he was :buntto nominate. Atter the first resolution therefine, which he
held in hi. hand, aoJ which expressed hi general terms the
purpose for which they were then assembleil,it was his inten-
tion to submit a second, proposing John liohlionse, Esti. as
a tit end proper person to represent the City of Westminster
In Parliament.

Thetwall begged it to be known that he was not actu-
ated by any feeling of humility to Sir FIAVICIX Bunk ti.
When,after 4 ION; AbSCIICV, au old acquaintance appears wire
hone among Isis former friend', he may be esensed no .iii-
verting to the eirviiiiistdnees which have kept him so long
out of view. Twenty-one years had now elapsed since he
withdrew front ',HMI.: notice, after haying fought his way
tiarough Wads rultimis who wished to murder him. He

Nov

then made a resithil ttttt not in Illsl.lfese with
in toddle, tittles, hest Id find himself intlettemlent Is out his
proiessismal e set ns, or scoop potaie vole, g myry should
spine that life itself was not too (Ivor in he laid those its the
politic service. The first of these rusitiogoirie, been
evl.llll 41, he 111.!Ieliell, by the political feelings whirl, he
was known to cloa', in private ; and as In the st I' I pail
of the dilemma, he Itches ea that there W. 1.1 at pi-Armlet au
emel v.ncy which :gelled es cry itelisitinal in the nation.
It' we look nitro:id, w hat do we sue but an illegitiamit bond of
legitimacy, which iiisks allied Sits ea eigcs against the ti cesium
of their peopie. /Int while we look 'abroad. is tu. not forgot
to look at home. Waist do wr see bun an attempt to 'alas
bli•li 'Miami) rimer ? I believe I :oust slut roll it militaty
; that pm In:ps wonld be treasoo,.intl I do not wish
so e 't slit, mime 'mail,. The battalion of We
country at this moment is of estreme importance. It i. et
why a man who bat been silent for 21 years shoolti
open his mouth. (Signs sit impatiens', and cries of " Quo,
lino.") If he deviated limn die question, the Chair nimbi
call hint to order. It was neressary to attend to Ilie state of
parties, pat ticitlarly in IVestistilestor, They could not have
forgotten the proceedings at the late election. 'floe division
of die Es hints el lit erty,llll that °erasion, had distressed him
mare than the loss of has own lawny had done (riles of
" Ottesti tttt .") These divisions bed threntrinal even Ilse ie_
turn of their old and (4iihroi iepresentatite, the lini-oterame
'innate. and the only independent thenstivr its the House,
They oataitteil, indeed a cleat vicioty ultisnati ly, by tr-
imming host; but the effort was toss lA., hi cense it slid art
pat him in his propel place at the head of the poll. Let
them now take rare that the organized and shill bawls
of corruption did not tow the light isiftiiity of reform, while
dishiest atid Se.titered. It appeared to him that We 'mot
pertain inside of souring 5111'1,4,4 W..40011/1, wuuuimity in
fat/one of a prison who would Wester himself tr. vote amtilist.
tlist Miei,ter. His own poisrciph was, that it Weill/mat hove
ritianciii, we should lake a twopenny loaf nether than
stirs se. Natliing is politically desirable lost what is morally
possiisle. The: efsre It. as lakt: what we ran get. S% e ate
the tallying ',Mitt of seforiti, to which all the ii looms-is
through We kingdom litok for au example. IVIto can en-
operate with is. % All who hate military power; even the
‘Vhigs themselves who are true to their principles. If we
find a matt who t, ill art sip to his principles, ss aatever degree
of reform lee !defiles himself for, let us support him. lint if
we have decish ins, the will triumph ; silt ! what
a triumph will that be ! The bkciiit baker of the alinistae
will terroach its for relenting a tool of Csovenament. He
wools" vonelitile wills one word of advice. It throe is a man
who will attada himself to a trader of whom lie knows no-
thing, Wit from whim) he experts to recent. his hires, let hint
excite divisions. If there is a man wtio has the love of Isis
country in his heart, an-I who is anxious fur reform, let hint
endeavour to preserve unanimity.
Mr. floblionne presented himself to the meeting. The oc-
casion on which lie last appeared before them was very
flilreleal from tlic present; and, as tar as lie wal.
it was not so einharassing. Then, he and they were on the
eve of a triumph ; now, they were following a funeral. 'then
Ise had to speak for them; no-a, he had It .ilw3k for liitti-e,l*---
that mhjeet oil which he I, as Ilie least ipia'ified to speak.--
He that moment icreived a Colll,lllllliediital liwn a
great body of the Electors of Westminster, requestiog
Win to prevent himself as a Cduilidate; and, but for
that niftiest, lie shatild nut have appeared before them.
—lle was not an Elector, but lie was an Englislutian
—a name still glotiollsi, notwithstanding the attesitpts of a
base administration, who had eitileavosistal to spi east the
present disgrace of their country almost as wide as its lito nice
ahoy. He Was prond or the atiptadiation which lie had re-
rived fur his exertions at the late elt cliost. it svas not,
however, its the anticipation of this gnat reward, that he had
performed those tilling duties. His object was the appto-
hat ttttt of Isis fellow-citizens. Ever sluice his mind could eV-
pond itself in the pursuit of any object, he hail not looked fur
any thing but honest fame. Some might think this sits infirmity;
but lie thought it a glory to obtain hottest fame lions liotie•t
men. He had nothing but his principles to recommend him.
He was not eonuerted with any, great family. A person, lie
believed a friend, had said to him, " Who is Hot/house ?" lie
would answer that question negatively, and tell them who he
is sot. He watt not a person attached to any party. He wee
not a person brought before Wets) by auy Dirk, to give Mai
a chance of being rewrites'. It' another comes forward
better recommended, elect hint iu God's name. He only
wished, if they thought him tit, to Ise the person who should
snake their struggle for independuce effectual. It tias a, a
reformer that lie offered himself: the question of reform he
did not mean to mince; lie was for that teform which would
strike at the root of the evil which threatened the destruction
of the country. It had been said, that it was improper to
demand a pledge. 1/id not every borough patron ask a
pledge, and should not the people ask a pledge ? They should
demand a pledge; and though be might be silent, his silence
should be fatal to his cause. Any pledge in the ease of Sir
Francis Burdett was unnecessary, because he was well known
to them. He had not the inordivate vanity to suppose, that
when his name was chalked on the wall, es cry matt would
know his elsital.:lee. He proposed that every man should
ask Iliuh, " What is your opinion? what do you propose to do
for lIA 1" For this purpose he should attend on the!
they should !meditate hint, having no right to act optin tole
adopted by characters too well known to require their per-
sonal prestige on such occasions. Ile knew, lie felt, whim
lie was ambitions to succeed. Hr had liven brought up to
segard those great names which had beets in Weis representa-
tion with the utmost reverence. 'Ube enlightened lessuits of
their eloquence rennaitted still imp' essetf on his mind; hut if
lie should become their representative, lie should have for a
coadjutor a tried patriot, who would relies e and not Mono-
ber his exertions ; a man, who by a straight forward conduct,
deviating neither to Ilse right hand nor to the left, had t--
tablislied a character never heron. known. He spoke 11011
his heart. Sir Francis Burdett realised the dream. of pall leis
respeetiug the greatest elial'acters in Ott it skiiinary reptildirs•
This was not flattery; it' it were he would slot have Spain
it ; they would not have heard it. 'l* he object of the ad.
ueiuisUalloss was to degrade Ws in to a cinq SIC port,: Ile
saw that Sir Murray 3laswell reunited again to produce
himself', or rather to produee Isis pretensions and not him-
self: for lie seas not to come forward with the boldness of
a Segatall. Sailors neve all bold, but this candidate seemed
to sisrpa,s thesis all in audacity. Ili* object was not less
than to ‘te bject 'Westminster to the disripline of the quarter
sleek. Wise was not surprised that any seaman, for all of
Wens arc bold, nuue•sl,mid free, should loud himself to he
ihr toot of the basest Mid 11100 cruel admisiisitatime; mid
to aid them in assionlatiug our country to die Warm I -
bound countries of We Continent. It appeared, that both
Iris periou and leis purse wag sick. lie was sorry fur his