The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-20 00:00:00

STATUE to the DUKE of WELLINGTON.

A meeting took place this day at the Egyptian Hall,
Mansion-house, pursuant to requisition, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the propriety of erecting a statue
to his Grace the Duke of Wellington. At a quarter-past
one the Chair was taken by the Lord.. Mayor. Among he
Gentlemen present were Captain Alsager, M.P., --
Hardy, Esq., M.P., Aldermen Winchester, Browne, Lucas,
Kelly, Sir P. Laurie, C. E. Law, Esq., M.P., Recorder,
&c., &c.
The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen, having received a requisi-
tion some time since, signed by upwards of 300 of my fellow-
citizens, principally of the mercantile classes, I have felt
it my duty, in obedience to their wishes, to afford an op-
portunity to those parties who may be desirous to promote
the erection of a statue in honour of his Grace the Duke
of Wellington, for the eminent services he has rendered
this great metropolis in the erection of London-bridge and
its approaches, to call this meeting. I wish to be under-
stood at the outset of our proceedings, that we are
not met here to give expressions to any political feelings.
We are met for the purpose of endeavouring to do all in.our
power to pay a debt of gratitude which the citizens have
incurred to the Duke of Wellington ; and I am sure those
associated with me in the Corporation will state that but
for the manner in which his Grace was pleased to devote
himself to the forwarding of that great work, we should
not now have the new London Bridge and its approaches
perfected in the magnificent manner in which they now stand.
He had received some letters upon the subject from different
individuals, among others from Mr. Alderman Wood, who
had by mistake thought the meeting was to be held on the
29th. He was detained on important business in Glouces-
ter, or he would have' with the greatest pleasure taken part
in the proceedings of the day, and be intended to subscribe
largely.—(Cheers.) The Worthy Alderman had charge
of the Bill in the House of Commons, and he well knew
that had it not been for the strenuous exertions and assistance
of the Duke of Wellington in the House of Lords the Bill
must have been lost.
Mr. Alderman BROWN rose to move the first resolution.
He could not but congratulate the Lord Mayor upon pre-

siding over a meeting convened for no party purpose, but to
do honour to an individual who had been such a benefactor
to their city. This was no political contest—men of all

parties had joined in the contest—and were now engaged in
furthering an object, which seemed in his eyes to be honour-

able to the national character. It was the more honourable
to those who were opposed to the Noble Duke in political
_ .

opinions.—(Cheers.) They were met to pay a debt ofgratitude
to the Noble Duke, who had raised this country to as high
a military character as it had enjoyed for ages as a naval
one.—(Cheers.) He would not trespass longer upon the
time of mercantile men, but at once to propose " That it is

the opinion of the meeting that a statue to the Duke of
Wellington should occupy some suitable position in the vi-
cinity of London Bridge, in the erection of which and its
approaches he evinced so great an interest, and to which he
furnishes so efficient a support."
Alderman LAINSON had great pleasure in seconding the
resolution, though he differed in opinion both from the
Duke and many of his brethren. He did so with the more
pleasure, as he was born upon an estate which was now
held by the great and Noble Duke.
The resolution was put and passed unanimously. _

Mr. C. BARCLAY rose to propose the second resolution,
" That a subscription should be entered into, and that the
citizens of London should be invited to subscribe to
the undertaking." He thought it was a subject of great
astonishment that twenty-one years had elapsed since the
battle of Waterloo, and no public record had been erected
in the great city of London to commemorate that event.
There was, it was true, in the neighbourhood in which he
resided some slight memorial of the great actions of his
Grace ; but the statue of a brawny wrestler was unworthy
of the many glorious actions he had achieved. He trusted,
however, that the monument it was the object of the pre-
sent meeting to erect, would be worthy of his great name,
and the victories he had achieved.—(Cheers.) He had
seen in a public print that morning, 15 names of victories
achieved by the Duke of 'Wellington which had escaped
his recollection ; but among them that of the battle of
Assaye had been omitted, which was the first of the nu-
merous victories the Noble Duke had obtained.—(Loud
cheers.)—and which had ended in the glorious name of
Waterloo.—(Cheers.) He wished to follow the course
pursued by the worthy Alderman, who had proposed the
first resolution, and abstain from stating anything that
would create a difference of feeling ; but this he would
say, that whatever differences there might be among those
present with respect to the political career of the Duke of
Wellington, all would admit that there wasp singleness of
purpose, a great disinterestedness marking every proceed-
ing in his political life.—(Cheers.) He hoped that the
proud column which would be reared by the . vote of the
meeting, would have one side uninscribed, in order that, in
twenty-one years, when all political feelings had subsided,
the Lord Mayor of that day, in accordance with the united
voice of his fellow-citizens, might record upon it the feel-
ings entertained by the citizens of London of that day, of
the name of the Duke of Wellington.—(Cheers.)
Mr. R. L. JONES begged to second the resolution which
had just been proposed by the Hon. Member for Surrey.
He believed that he (Mr. Jones) had been selected in the
absence of Alderman Wood, because no other individual
was so well able to estimate the services of his Grace the
Duke of Wellington. He (Mr. Jones) had watched the sin-
gleness of purpose and unwearied exertions of that distin-
guished individual in forwarding the great work that bad been
commenced. When he recollected the interest which his Grace
took in corning down to the Committee from day to day,
and keeping the Parliament sitting for the purpose of hav-
ing the Bill passed, the public would form some estimate
of what was due to his Grace. On that occasion the Duke
of Wellington had great difficulties to contend with, .but he
had ;set them a noble example by forgetting all political
differences on that occasion. He properly estimated the
value of' these works, and he felt that it would be
a disgrace to the city of London if the approaches
were not perfected in a suitable style of magnifitence.—
(Cheers.) He believed that the circumstance of a mil-
lion of money being entrusted to a corporation for expen-
diture was almost without parallel, but it arose from the
correct and economical manner in which the funds of the
London Corporation had been at all times expended.—
(Hear.) He (Mr. Jones) from his situation, was perhaps
as well able as most persons to appreciate the beauty and
advantages of the improvements that had been effected in
their metropolis, and he felt satisfied that the citizens ge-
nerally were not insensible to their obligations to his Grace
upon that point. It was unnecessary after the observations of
the gentlemen who preceded him to refer further to the cha-
racter of the Duke of Wellington as a military man, for
independently of that, they had incurred a debt of gratitude
which any city in the world would feel pride in discharging.
He felt much pleasure and gratification at being called upon
to second the resolution.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
" That, to effect the object of the meeting, subscriptions he im-
mediately entered into, and that the inhabitants of the metropolis,
and the public at large, be invited to co-operate in erecting a mo-
nument which shall be worthy of the first country in the world."
Alderman LUCAS moved the third resolution, the object
of which was the appointment of .a Committee to carry the
object of the meeting into effect :
" That a Committee be formed to carry the design into effect."
Mr. ROUTH seconded the resolution, which was una-
nimously agreed to.
Sir C. S. HUNTEIt had now to move the appointment of
a gentleman as their treasurer, to whom he felt satisfied
there would be but little objection. As it was likely that
a large sum of money would pass through his hands, it was
necessary they should have a respectable and efficient per-
son in that situation. It was only necessary for hint to
name John Masterman, Esq.—(Cheers.) He hoped that
the example already set by some of the public Companies
would be followed by all the others of the city, and that
they would have a statue erected which would rival those
magnificent ones that had been handed down to their ad-
miration from the remotest times.
Mr. SIMPSON rose to second the motion. Nothing could
be said in favour of Mr. Masterman's character, whose ser-
vices had been very efficient in the Committee. He was
very happy that he (Mr. S.) had something for him to do
in his office of treasurer. Many Noblemen and Gentlemen
had desired him to have their names put down for various
sums.—(Cheers.)
66 That John Masterman, Eaq., be requested to act as Treasurer;
and that Subscriptions be received by the several Bankers in Lon-
don and Westminster, and by the Treasurer."
The motion was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. BUIIBRIDGE rose to propose that Mr. Rainbow be
desired to continue in the office he had already so ably
filled—that of Hon. Secretary, He was most happy to
say that the Noble Duke was a Merchant Tailor of 20
Years standing. That Corporation which had ever been the
first in supporting the Throne—the Religion—and the
Laws of the country, had desired him to put down for
them the sum of 200 guineas.—(Cheers.)
Sir P. Lauatr, had great pleasure in seconding the MO,-
6011. He disagreed with one speaker, that the subject had
been exhausted. It never could be exhausted. While
the sun and moon existed in the firmament, the name of
the Duke of Welliogton would be green as the fields in the
minds of Englishmen. No one had alluded to the noble
simplicity of character of the Noble Duke—no one who
had ever spoken to him but, most have admired that simpli-
city, which was almost like that of a child.—(Laughter.) He
trusted the name of every person present would be put
down by Mr, Rainbow, and then they would have pleasure
of pointing to the noble column aad il,y, " I had a !1221:3 7.
-.earl.- that." He fell a glow of pride in la-:;-„g able to say
1 70--:
when he passed the column to the Duke
.
Pall-mall.
" That Joseph M. Rainbow, Secretary, be
114(1„ wilc4 has ,kindly
services to the Provisional Committee as Honorary,
requested ta centinue to act in that office,",' given his
of York