The National Register.
London, England, 1815-06-18 00:00:00

JUNE 18.

•
both king and people, that a pure representation should be este.
Wished in a great utisltbourinF country (applause). The apprehen-
sion which they might entertain from a man endowed with the abi-
lities of Napoleon Bounapartetheing at the head of a brave and po.
pulous nation, possessed of great resources, was not thst which
was uppermost in their minds. It was the dread lest freedom
should be enjoyed by them (applause). Mr. Hunt had spoken to them '
with the frankness ot character which belonged to him ; and as his
audience were not probably ot the opinion of the Judges in Westmin-
ster Hall, that truth was a libel, he might rely on them for protea-
tion. while they were convinced that however offensive the truth
mead he to those who profited by the abuses, they would not only as-
quit him of all offence in speaking the truth, but applaud the courage
of any Englishman who dated in those degenerate days to speak
the truth. He would ask if it was not the fact, as had been ste-
t d by Mr. Hour, that this was a liberticide war throughout the
world? If this was not true, how would the war have been carried
to America after it was over in Emope ? There they saw a country,
of which the people were under a Government desirous of peace.
That was almost the only country from which we had nothing to ape
prehend--their interests were so connected with ours, that they
could not promote their own interests without at the same time pro-
moting the interests of the people of England; but, though w saw
this, the borough.mongering faction saw a country where there was
a real representation, and not a sham one—they saw an example of
a free :ieopte, and a Government the elsoice of that people ; and
this was alone a sufficient motive for prosecuting the war. This
was of a piece with the conduct of that Assembly of Tyrants at
Vienna towards every thing that bore the name of 'freedom—they.
bad seen the allied despots at the Congress of Vienna, backed by a
Minister of Epgland, extirpating every thing like a free Government.
throughout Europe (applause). Having done thia in Europe, there
remained only one country in another hemisphere which enjoyed any
thing like tivedom—with that power we went to war, hoping to
crush it, mistaking altogether the notion of a free nation, and con-
founding liberty with a dissolution of society. So much were they
persuaded that they would succeed in this mute-tillable undertaking,
that it was let out in an incautious moment by a person in an offi-
cial situation in the House of Commons, who said when Buonaparte
%las deposed they had not yet done all their work, they had yet
another prison to depose, Mr. President Madison. The true cause
of all the wars in which we had been engaged by the Borough-mon-
gering faction against Frauce, was a fear lest the People of England
should recollect what the teal Constitution of England WO. That
apprehension had been the cause of all the wars in which we had
been enraged during the greater part of a long reign. (Applrottle.)'
The House of Commons ought to be brought bark to the constituti-
onal duration of one year—an annual election was the best security
for the integrity of Parliaments—short elections were the life and
soul of the English Constitution (applause). Frequent elections.
were productive of that health in the political body, which arose
from motion in the natural. Water, when not agitated, soon became
stagnant, and intke manner, when public bodies were left to re-
main long in possession of power, we had the most certain experi.
lame of their constant disposition to act contrary to the interests of
the people, they soon came to give themselves out, not as the ser-
loots bat as the masters of the people. An annual Parliament
would never have broken up %% idiom giving an answer to their peti•
non. An animal Parliament, an impensioned parliament was now
the one thing needful, and the sole ground on which the rishts and
liberties of- the nation conld depend (applause). It was admitted
by the ablest men that England's liberties would never again be en-
Oangered by the nndne extension of the prerogative, hut that if ever
we tell, it would be hybecoming a sacrifice to the corruptions of the
House of Commons. Whether we had so fallen or not yet, he would
)tave to the people of England to determine. Certainly it was,
however, that corruption now existed in a degree which was incon-
sistent with a fres Government (applause). The Electors of West?
ininster had nobly done their duty—what they did would, however,
he bnt of little avail if the whole country was not disposed to follow
their example. He trusted that large meetings would take place
throughout the whole country. Our sole object was a Reform in the.
Representation of the People in Parliament. He could say with
the most perfect truth, that he was never mote gratified than at the
present moment, because it chewed that the minds of Englishmen
were not dead to a sense of freedom. and that they still kept alive
the a cred spark in their hearts. He had to return his thanks to
them for their approbation of his conduct, and to assure them that
he would do his duty to the best of his power, in presenting and
supporting the Petition which they had committed to him (loud
applauses).
Mt. Hunt, after explaining that lie did not pledge himself to prove

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the truth of what be had asserted, bfitillerely that pitch worlds own
firm conviction, proposed the Thanlks of the Meeting to Major
Cartwritht, which was agreed to unanimously,
The Meeting then broke up.

TUESDAY'S LONDON GAtiE7TE•

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