The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-06-05 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY; JU

I, 1818.

WESTMINSTER MIIkrING.

A Meeting *se ,held, yesterdor, put-mita to
public edverusement, of the Electors of West-
minster, for the purpose of nominating two. fit end
proper persons to represent that City to the ensuing
Parhutment.

A few initiates before one o'clock, Lord Cocik.
eagle, accompanied by Mr. STURcH, Pirrkft
WALK 6a, abd several other Gentlemen, entered
the room. His Lordship was received with load
cheering.—Ar. Hamar HUNT, utteloted by Nlr.
GAMIC Jolla. armed-soon drier. Mr. fits NT was
received with a mixture of plaudits and ',lases.
Ou the motion of Mt. Aossts,
Mr. liTtlltCli sou ealkd to the Chair.
He observed, in opening the business of the days
that it was soneetimes the duty of • person who
-1%.101119.11 a be Wind to the Choir. To take ean.a.
datable pains to explain to nil u.reuably the object
sad occasion of its meeting—but at was perfectly
unnecessary fur him to du so at present, as the ad-
vertisements published in the newspapers, 1 the
bills posted up in the streets, spoke sufficiently
plaits on the subject. The object of the Meeting
was a simple and direct out. It was, in the first
place, to receive a communication trout Lord Coch-
rane. who wished to take his leave of the Electors;
sod. in the next, to nominate two 8t and proper
persona to represent this greet and populous City
is the ensuing Parliament. It was equally unne-
cessary to inform those whom he now addressed,
whit.wal proper to he done on this occasion. For
some years the City of Westminster had been the
theatre Of the most free and liberal political di.-
cussieu. Those subjects which interested [onets
beings in the highest degree, so far at least us re-
garded their temporal welcome, hail been anxiously
inquired into --insomuch that it was impossible for
him to entertain • doubt, that the Citizens of West-
minster were as well informed of their rights,
and were as strongly determined to defend them,
as any body of Electors in the kiugdone—f Ap-
piewse./e-Every person must know, that, to have
a voice in the making of flume laws, which had the
power of disposing of his property, his liberty. and
his lifesi—to have a vote in the enacting of those sta.
tut's; which bound all—must be the right of
Apphoree./—Ou this point certainly some dif-
ference of opinion, some degree of doubt, had pre.
veiled. He would not treat that doubt with
contempt, because it was cherished by persons
for whom he entertained. and ought to euter-
tain, a very high respect. Whether that right
was to be restored at once and altogether—or
whether they were to procure one right after
*notion, till all. by degrees, were granted—was a
question he would Dot expatiate opt.—(Crks of
44 We um* have Mr whole rights at oar? P'—" No
compromise!"/—He wee nut arguing the pinta,
but merely stating the question as it stood. What-
ever might be the difference of sentiment on that
subject, there was one point ou which all were
agreed—namely, that the present lepresentatiun,
or rather the misrepreseutatiou of the peopl, in
Parliament, was not what it ought to he,— (4p-
plawse.)—lt did not answer the end and purpose
fur which the representative 'poem was adopted—
the preservation of freedom, and the security of
those invaluable and inalienable rights, without
which even life itself was .comparatively of little
moment.—(Appluare.)—The whole subject had
been so often brought under the consideration of
the electors of Weatminster, that it was not tor ces-
sary to enter at large into it—for every man knew it
as well as he could pretend to dn. Twelve years
ago. au effort was made to rescue the City of West-
minster from that thraldom in which it bad lung
been held. The experiment was fairly tried, and
it perfectly succeeded. It was found that it waisted
only a few persons of spirit to take the lead, and that
the recovery of their rights was certain. The electors,
when success atteuded their exertions, chose no ser-
vile tool of Ministers—no person patronised by a
Nobleman—to represent them. They chose a man
of whose ability nod integrity they were well as-
sured. From that time to the present he had con-
tinned to be their representative—and he had on all
occasions shewn the greatest love for freedom, and
the utmost zeal for the maintenance of their.rights.
—(Applause.)—They would soon have the power
of electing representatives again—and be hoped
they would elect two persons every way worthy to
fulfil the duties of that high trust. He had no
hesitation at ell iu anticipating, that their choice
would fall on the individual to whom he had al-
-1 laded, as owe of those representatives.— (Yee! yes !
from all ports of she roots.)—He understood the
Noble Lord, one. of their present representatives,
thought it necessary, under particular circumstances,
to retire. He was present. and would explain him-
self fully. It would then be for the Gentlemen
presept, to say whom they would put in no tatiou
with the Hoo. Baronet. in the room of the Noble
Lord. He hoped, nay, he was confident, that
whatever was stated. every Gentleman would b;
heard with candour and attention. Ile trusted the
proceedings of this day would add one more proof to
the many which were in existence. that the electors
of Westminster were not, us they had been termed,
a mere mob, bat the steady, rational, and ealialit-
cued friends of freedom mud of peace. 'Flits
proper order of proceeding would be to hear the
Noble Lord who was about to retire—and then.
any norninanous, whether live or 25, be knew not,
might be made. When soy Gentlemau was uomi-
rutted, his fuiend would say what lie pleased in his
favour, un naming him—and the whole of the noun-
nations having been gone through, they could then,
by a show of hands, decide in whose favour the settee
of the assembly was.—(.lllsch applaree.)

Lord Cocusows How wrouutted the table—awl.
when the plaudits of the &Irving had subsided, lie
said-11 Eiritileusen-We are omen In understand,
that probably, in a eery few days, there will de-
volve on the people that right, which should always
rest with the prop la—the right or givibg ihrir votes
for them who are empowered to dispose of Om