The National Register.
London, England, 1822-11-11 00:00:00

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TRIAL, Al JL:llr.

Tuesday, between two and three hundred Gentlemen dined
tn. ther in the large room of the Crown snd Anchor Tavern,
tti:rand, to celebrate the Twenty eighth Anniversary of the Ac-
quit:al of Messrs Hardy, tic. to 1:940 of the charge of cob-
stuctive High Treason.
The company having assembled. Mr. GALLOWAY proposed,
that Mr. W OOLE a should take the Chair.
This was ;tweed to amidst warm applause.
The cloth having been removed. Mr. Woo Lea said, that he
should endeavour to scquit himself as their Chairman with as
much promptness u ought tole expected front "a prisoner at
Lt-qe.'
'I lie CHAIRMAN. in giving the first toast, "The Mejesty of
the People." expressed the hope that they would nails found
wanting in loyalty to his Majesty.
• The second toast was, " The Trial by Jury." The C/lAIE
MAN observed, that the toast was somewhat suspicious, but sdll
there were Juries who had done their duty. (Applause.)
The CelA iIIMAN said, that the next toast inure immediate
‘pniximated to the business of the day. They had not so muchir.
reason to applaud the acquittal of Messrs. Hardy, &v. as the
ro-eue of the liberties of the country from the most fatal stab
tkit had ever been aimed at theme for if the. doetsine of con-
structive treason had been established, their liberties would have
tette completely destroyed. The sword of the people then only
have emancipaell them—but from that celamity a trial by
Jury had rescued them. The individuals eke had been sera'.
isrieularly Nit. Hardy, had existed to prove that they were
ainur.gst the best subjects of the country ;_and he therefore gave,
with peculiar satisfaction, " The healffi of Meares. Hardy, dm"
—(Loud applause.)
Mr. HARDY was received with enthusiastic and long continued
applause. He felt the deepest gratitude for the manner in which
they had received his health; but he wanted words to express the
feelings which agitated and delighted his mind at that moment.
lie trusted that the would take " the will for the deed." (Loud
applause.) tie was most thankful to them fur the manner in
which they had honoured the toast. (Applause.)
Mr. TRELW.CLL returned thanks in a speech of some length,
duelling on the difficulties he had undergone, the meaner in
viich he had been persecuted fur endeavouring to serve the
public cause, and his constant maintenance of those principles ,
waich had occasioned the prosecution of him in 1794. He was
entitled with the company. he saw before him—the increased
r ambers were most promising; he was pleased to observe that
the principles so dreadfully persecuted in 1;94 were still warmly
sipixirted. He eulogised the " Constitutional Society," and
added, if revenge could be indulged, how amply might they
enjoy it in the present condition of the laudholders, in their ina-
filmy to obtain any rents. The nun, it would seem, had over-
taken them in the must frightful shape.—He was grateful to them
t t the manner in which they had drunk his health.
Mr. B MYER returned thanks for the manner in which his
healdi hid b.en drank.

The next toast was, M The memory of John Horne Tooke,
and the other deceased Patriots of 1794 " (In silence.)
Song. Mr. Murphy—". Rouse, ye Britons."
The Cualasiay. in giving tbenext toast, said it was his duty
to read a letter which had been received from Lord Erskine, in
answer to a deputation of the Committee, who had waited on his
Lord-hip. He had read it with peculiar pleasure, because in the
cultist of the letter Lord Erskine, who had been the principal
ni..ans of vindicating the threattnixl liberties of the Constitution.
yornised to be present at the next anniversary, if alive. (Ap-
-1.:;,n,,:.)-31x. W . then read the following letter;—
"To Mr. NICHOLSON.
eta,—l beg the favour that you will explain to Mr.
revey and Mr. Gardner the cause of my being prevented from
t::c pleasure cf receiving them, with yourself. on Wednesday last;
and you will further mach oblige me, by expressing to your
Orthy friends, when asseirbled on the Sth of November. that
I regret my not having it in my power to meet them ; bat OW.
they desire U, I tpUl nut fail :o Ge pruent whew they rc-aarart-
t.L mart year.
• When all circumstances are duly considered, no public
event can, in my opinion, better deserve to be held in perpttnal
.^. r..enibranc.: amongst us than the acquittal of Thomas Hardy,
1.1 tria, from the unfounded charge of constructive High Trea•
,n. A great portion of the ordinary period of human life has
',see passed away, and a very short time indeed can now remain
1... me; but I am sure that, even in my dying hour, I shall call
t • mind the august spectacle of London on that day, which
roved at once the firm foundation of our hew and liberties whilst
t..e TRIAL ar JultY shall continue, and the aorthinass of those
who knew bow to value such a blessing.
" I have the lionotu to be, Fir.
" Your faithful humble servant,
" Buchan Hill, Nov. 1, lam. " ERSKINE.

P.S. I have ever since the trial kept up my acquaintance
v Hardy. and believe him to be an sonoceht and worthy
3! inded man, incapable of meditating the destruction of the
Constitution. '

Tile letter was received with loud applause.
The toasts of—The Memory of Muir, Palmer, dtc.—ithc
Me-
rcury cf T. Paine—the Liberty of the Press—Radical Reform,
eet. folicwed; and after various other toasts the company sepa-
rsis.l at eleven o'cluck.