The National Register.
London, England, 1808-11-06 00:00:00

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, ISOS.

No. 45. ';

" •

(

POLITICAL DISQUISITION:

NUMBER FORTY-FbUlt.

TO THE CITIZENS OF LONDON:

4 ENTLEM EN $

You have given on a recent occasion, the most une-
quivocal proof, that your independence; as Citizens, is
not inferior to your obsequiousness as subjtets: We notice,
with pleasure, this distinction; the' more so, as it coin-
pletely refutes an imputation strongly attached to your
'resolutions of late years, that as often as they referred to
the conduct of 'Ministers, however objectionable it may
have been, they were formed w►th a spirit of adulation and
servility, as contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, as it

was unsupported by precedents, in the course bf your former
proceedings. We will not cuter here into a recapitulation
of the addresses your corporation voted; in the beginning
of this, and towards the conclusion of the last reign ; the
monuments in your Guild-Hall incessantly remind you, on
what principals your predecessors *.cted. Statues are always
considered as marks of the highest honour and gratitude,
when voted by independent assemblies; and so splendid a
distinction is never conferred; in free countries, but on
men who have rendered the most distinguished services to
the community. Under this impression the Coinmon Coun-
cil of London resolved to commemorate and perpetuate
the services rendered by Mr. Bcckford, during his Mayor-
alty. What were those services; which the most respect-
able corporate body in Europe thought lit to requite in
the most honourable manner; in which human actions can
be rewarded ? They cAMsisted in the generous efforts he
made, during his Magistracy, to preserve inviolate the
rights and privileges of his fellow-citizens, and in his in-
corruptible attachment to the genuine spirit of the Consti-
tution. If the patriotic exertions of that illustrious citizen
deserved the immortality, Which is bestowed on the greatest
uenefactors of mankind, his conduct must have been; in
the highest sense, meritorious ; and his principles should
'serve as a beacon to guide and enlighten his successors in
office. These observations are either strictly just ; or the
eonduct of those who voted so e,:traordinar•. a remunera-
tion, was the most silly, unretlecting, and pernicious
in its consequences that can possibly be imagined: It
must be either allowed that Mr. Peckford rendered the

t»ost distingtiished services to his country; or the Com-
mon Council of London were guilty of the dangerous
and indefensible levity of rewarding a factious and tur-
bulent citizen, with the same profound marks of their
veneration and gratitude, as are given to the greatest
statesmen and warriors. If that be the case, no only the
men who voted this uncommon and undeserved distinction,
but those who tolerate it, arc equally reprehensible. such
an apotheosis would be an insult to virtue, to merit, to
.o:tiee, and the present tnembtlrs of that respectable body,
if they consider it in that light; arc traitors to their con-
stituents, and insensible to their own rcputanon, if they do
%tot hurl from its pedestal, a statue er,:aed to su undcierv•
Nu. _IL.


PRICE 84.

ing an object. But should you feel a reluctance, Gentle-
men, to attach so much criminality to his conduct, and wish
to extenuate it by imputing it to the spirit of that time,
acknowledging that his intentions were honest, though
mistaken, you arc equally blameable in allowing that me
diocrity or error should usurp an honour due only to the
most disinterested patriotism. This unwarrantable prosti•
tution would place you in the same rank with the degrr
Senate of Rome, when they placed Caligula'S horse
list of the candidates for the Consulship, or voted stl
to his master; but the latter, as soon as the tyre]
overawed them, ceased to exist, rescinded their if
decree, and overturned the altars and monument!,
so servilely raised. You are not placed iu the gam(
cament. No tyrant intimidates you with the apprel
of instantaneous death, should you form any obni
resolution.

It is thr_.refore only doing you justice to presu►
you consider the services rendered by that honest
in the same distinguished-light in which they were
by those who thought them worthy of so eminent
compense.

You acknowledge, Gentlemen, by thus sanctioning
honours conferred on a former member of your Body
the greatest virtue in a magistrate and citizen, and
monnt to every other obligation, is a strict adherence(
very principles which prominently marked his put
duct; and that the right of petitioning is the ma
and inalienable right of Englishmen. The proceed
moved in a former Court, relative to the Answer
to your Petition, are irrefragaide prooli: that
liberal and patriotic spirit which immortalised the
of Air. Reck ford, still exercises it's powerful and
influenre. Your spirited and truly constitutional
on this occasion, has secured you the thanks and the
hation of your country, whilst it shims that your
to your ..Sovereign is too genuine and enlightened to
language of submissive. undiscriminating adulatior
would be :is injurious to his real interests as insult::
understanding. The Monarch nmsti and ought
proached by his people ; for his situation exclu,
from a knowledge of particulars: it is so much hi!
to know, and-which the persons who imbiediately
him might feel it their advantage to conceal. If ii
what is proverbially repeated, that the Servant;
Crown frequently sacrifice to their passions the ho
their master and the interests of their country, it
pensably necessary that he should have since other,
through which he may be acquainted with the grie'
and complaints of his subjects.
On no occasion was this necessity' go iniOrions as
of the Convention of C;utra. The honotir of his M.
government, which is inseparable from that of his subjects,
was so strongly implicated by tnat disgrltceful acid unwar-
rantable transaction, that it was a murk of duty on the
part of the people to sympathise with the feelings of the
Sovereign. They hastened to convey to the Throne the
expression of their tugret aad disareo'nteaent ; and a slight

.

~,

1

I'l l

•
A

P

table prosti-
Ate degraded •
horse on the s
toted statues
tyrant, who
sir infamous
:Silt they had
• f
:• same predi-
Ipprehension
y obnoxious
resume, that 1!
voest citizen
t
ere regarded
natant a re-
'cl
ctioning the
r Body, that • 1,
, and tants-
et•ici3 to those
s public con-
140)9f skied
proceedings,
6.
wer returned
isat the sauce
1 the services
and salutary .•
mat conduct,
d the appro-
your loyalty
ed to adopt a.
allot), which
suiting to his
;ht ti' be ap-
!xcludes hirrt •
h his interest
ely !surround
If it be true,
rants of the
ih honour or
y, it is indis-
thus-
C grievances
ws is on that
his Majesty's