The National Register.
London, England, 1819-10-03 00:00:00

Tait LlTralf 14.1011111 ATKINS, ESQ.

The expected scene took place on Wednesday in Guild-
hall between the Lord Mayor and Livery in Common Hall
tisseniblarl, in consequence of the recent refusal of his
Lordship to convene • Common Hall, in pursuance of
the Requisition submitted to him by a large and respect-
able body of the Livery, to consider of the melancholy
transactions of the Hithof August, at Manchester.
At a quarter past one o'clock the civic procession
moved from the Court of Aldermen to the hustings.—
Aldermen Waldman and Wood were received with loud
shouts of applause; Mr. Sheriff Parkins was also warmly
greeted , but his colleague, Alderman Bothwell, was
not so fortunate as to obtain the same flattering recep-
tion. Mr. Hunt, Mr. Hone, and some other GellllCUlcll
who are the objects of popular favour, were loudly cheered
as they mounted the hustings.
%Viten the Lord Mayor advanced to the front of the
hustings to make his obeisance, it is quite impossible to
describe the uproar with which his cars were assailed
front all quarters. " Fire r-" Murder!' &e. formed
but a part of the ejaculations that rebounded throughout
the Hall.

Tne Common Crier then made the proclamation for
silence in the usual manner, hot without the usual ef-
fect—for it was wet by shouts of " No Election"—
Q.testion of Grievances first !"--and the Recorder fol.
!owed, with the notification of the business of the day.

The Common Scrjeant then came forward, holding
a piece of paper, which was understood to contain the
list of Aldermen in rotation of service for the office of
Lord Mayor. Ile attempted to addrezis the Livery, but
Lis voice was uiterly drowned with cries of—" No,
No !"—" Our Grievances first r-" Olanchester,—
Manchester !''

Mr. Thompson now stepped forward, and said he
meant to submit a motion to them relative to grievances.
--(Loud applause )
The Common Serjeant here attempted to push Mr.
Thompson aside, but the latter, supported by Mr. Hunt's
firm, resisted and held his ground.
Mr. Able: man IVaithman insisted upon Mr.Thoinp-
sou's right to be heard.
Mr. Alderman Itothwell and Mr. Sheriff Parkins
(the new Sheriff.), then addressed the Livery together,
the former urging them to proceed to the regular busi-
ness of the day, and the latter calling on them to give an
impartial hearing to all who addressed them, and to sup-
pon their rights.
Mr. Alderman Waithman here appeared to hare a
sharp altercation with the Co tttt nun Serjeaut ; the
Alderman insisting that Mr. Thompson had a right,
which he hoped lie would not comp se, to address
the Meeting, and the Common Serjeant insisting that
the regular business of tin: election had precedence of
ecery thing eke.
Here Use City Oaken and the Gentlemen who were
insisting upon Mr. Thom son's right to be heard, were
bustling each other in front of the busting, but Mr.
Alderman Waitlituan, Mr. Thompson, ai.d other Gen-
tlemen near them, 4nuly held their ground.
The Common Serjeaut insisted they should desist
front interrupting the business of the eleetion, or else at
their peril take use consequences.
Mr. Alderman Waiihnian replied, he should not stir
one step : he would rem sin at his post until live o'clock
tto.nim row morning.—(Great applause.)

This scene of confusion lasted for unite time, when
at length silence being obtained—
Mr. Alderman Waithman made an animated appeal
to the Livery, cautioning them against surrendering on
this occasion an iota of their riOne. lie raid he war
surrounded on the hustings by the London Tavern
Junta, who had laid a plan to derive the Livery of
their rights. There was dir. Robert Smith, the loudest
.4 all in his interruption ; let the Livery hear the Gen.
tlenion if he had thing to say, bu. let them man-
*Ay awn their cord rights. l'he worthy Alderman
again entreated that the Livery would not suffer the
Lord Mayor to dragoon them out of their rights —The
Coninion Serjeatit was but the mouth-piece of the Slie-
r tr:., and had no right to prevent any Liveryman from
being heard.—(Loud applause.) lie hoped the Livery,
now that they were in possession of their Hall, would
nut depart until they atsetird and enforced their rights.
—',Lu...l accliarnstion-, and cries of " ‘Ve never will 1•'
Mr. Thompson then came Inrward, and persevered
in addressing the Livery, notwithstanding the impedi-
ments throw n its his way by the gentlemen neat
and after ninny other inteiriiptinns, concluded by may-
tale- the fidlowing Heroin:low
That the Livery of London, in Common Hall assem-
bled, have an ancient, clear, and undoubted right, ,upp,ir-
Ltd by the Inc hest !egul :is well as murinl
usage, on Midsummer, Nliehaelanwi, or nny other dad, to
'disc tow their consideration any mutter of public grievance,
and tiii the present OCCUSIWI it .s highly necessary rind int-
portant to exercise that riAht pies mu to cunning upon the
election of a Chit( Magistrate.

ti That the right of the pilyte to assemble and &liberate
on the bcst means of °lnitiating it minas at public mice:men,
is not only but essential to the prtscisiitiou of free-
dom.

S. That this Common Hall cannot sufficiently expect; its
ablforrsnce of the late s4nguituiry proceedings at Nl:inches-
ter, a here clearly appears, teat whilst the people were
peaceably exercising their imot.tutional right, they acre
illegally iaterroptea by the hlaotrate., and d4ehed by
the Yeomanry Cavalry, whose indiscriminate faty spar. d
rekber age nor sex, thertby producing s of horror
and aullering reboltoig to humanity, Iliad which would have
excited a mai ked t ttt I even if they had weal red iu
the most de.putic and barbarous t,meo.
4. That tae reading of the Riot Act at a legal and peace-
able !tweeting. has not only a wanton and wicked attack on
Vie linertic., of the people, but contrary to the very spirit
and intention ftethat Act ; and by tie non-obeer reader of the
tditioni etpre•wel by that law, which prebcribtv (even
Ave tear .1. foal riot) that it should be ooeoly, and not sarrepti.
1. and that the people • Imuid be entitled, had
as
.# caw ttotuttsl;. trat:sgre.ed, to a tall and fair erpneln-