The Sun.
London, England, 1810-05-05 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

Yesterday a Common Hall was assembled st
Guildhall, pursuant to a Requisition addressed to tl.e
Lord Mayor---"- To take into consideration the
alarming assumption of privilege by the Honourab!e.
the House of Commons, of arresting and imprison-
ing, during pleasure, the People of England, for
offences cognizable in. the usual Courts of Law."
The Lord Mayer, followed by the Aldermen.--
Sir W. Curtis, Combe, Sir C. Price, Sir J. Shaw,
Sir M. Bloxam; J. J. Smith, &c. came on the Hot'
ings soon after one o'clock ; and' the Crier having
demanded silence,
Mr. FAVELL came forward to move certain ,Resn'
lutions. He observed, that he could not for one
moment believe bat that the Livery were impressed
with the solemnity of the occasion on which theft
were assembled—that they were really in earnest in
defending their rights, for he could as seriously tell
them, that if they did not, they were likely to lose
them. On a former occasion, he had told theta
(though he was not then aware of the extraordinary
events which had since occurred), that there were
symptoms of infringement on their rights—that
the doors of Parliament were shut against freemen,
and that all they would have to do would be to per-
form the solemn dirge over the liberties of EnglaesL
Those great and fundamental supporters of our Con-
stitution, Magna Charta and the Bill of Rights,were
invaded; public spirit was attacked, and the people
were told that they had nothing to do with the laws
but to obey them ; and as to the taxes—, why--they
mist pay them. The question for consideration this
day was, whether the people would submit to a ri;
gour beyond the law ? In short, the country stoou'•
as such, that he was jultified in advising them to as
with moderation—moderation was desirable. The
most moderate men, they kisew well, would not
execute a warrant by an armed force. When the
people were anxious to inquire into the lavish waste
of blood and treasure, was it nova dire insult f 0
find the doors of inisfuiry closed, and to be left ill
the dark ? . On the subject of moderation, an Hon.
Member for Cambridge (Mr. C. Yorke), who had
shut the doors against the people, received a good
hint, they did not believe in his moderation, but
notwithstanding he was taken into his Majesty's
Councils. Talk of moderation !—Why he would
ask them, suppose his house was on fire, would they
expel him to tell them to play the engines mode'
rately ? Suppose he was in a ship, and it was leaky,
would he direa the sailors to play the pumps al°'
derately ? Tae question of to-day was the most in...
teresting that had come under their consideration for
some time—it was more interesting than that 01e
General Warrants, yet it was not a new question,,,
for it had been discussed in the commencement nr
the present century, when the Lords addressed
Queen Anne--in which • address they denied the
right of one branch of the Legislature committing
to prison, and declared, that if they assumed that
right, the people of England ceased to be freenleP•
i
So it was at present ; and he was persuaded, that
the House of Commons imprisoned one half of tlla
people, they could not persuade the other half that
they had the right. With respe,A to their imprison-
meat of Sir F. Burden, it reminded him of a WI
in Lucian, in which Jupiter and a Countryman
entered into argument; when, finding that ELI
Countryman had the better of the argument, J'P,
peter shewed him his thunder, which he did n9`
like. So in the case of Sir Francis, the Hoois,
finding the Honourable Baronet had the best of the
argument, poured down its thunder on his head'
The 'Worthy Baronet was suffering for advocating
the rights of the people. Such was the fate of al.
true supporters of the State, whO in the language.°
a celebrated writer, were "Those men, those nighr
minded men, whe knew their rights, and (Wee,
maintain them." The substantial cure for 1115
abuses which had crept in was Reform, and i.e '4's
one of those who thought, " not withstanding the
crimes of the Government, that England was worth
fighting for, and consequently worth reforming'
The great national wealth, spirit, and energy of
people, placed it beyond comparison with other,
countries, although nearly overwhelmed and swab
s up by the locusts of corruption. If he were
called on a Special Jury, to give evidence, he would
say, that the greatest enemies to their country were
the men who opposed Reform, and suffered abuse
to exist. Mr. F, then adverted to the opinions
great men in former times, in support of his positio.nr;
and noticed the opinion of Secretary Burleigh, id
Queen Eiizaheth's reign, who saA, " that if Engle°,
was undone, it would be by a corrupt Parliameo
In 174 i, Sir John Barnard, Li his speeches on Be,
form, had stieneously urged the necessity of short'
ening tee duration.ot Parliament. At that time 11a3d
great Lord Chatham,- then a very young man, h
told he House of the necessity of excluding place:
men and all such persons as would implicitly 013e-1
tho nod of Ministers. Mr: Fox, in 1780, had iti(i
eonnnended similar measures of Reform. He 54,00
make one alluston mote, and that was to the spec'
e
of Colonel Bane 40 years hick in the House 0, !
Commons, which was a candid appeal to the sober
people of England, which the Ministers of this daft
would say arose out of jacobinism and faction;
were they afraid of jaeobinism S What then 0,-0111,c1
they think of the speech of Col. Barre, who among -
other thioes said; " I wish that I eever had the hn'
nour, or rather I should say the dishonour, of sitting
in this House. De you tuem to bring all men tea
level with yourselves ? the manner in which yogi
vote, which you think is a sectc.t, is not so. I wrl
speak . daggers to your souls, which must, if you
hate any feelings, make them a he!! of guilt and,
refleation. You have flagrantly violated tie law or
the land ; you Lave sent freemen to your bootless

who had the the courage and virtue to defend 016
freedom of your country,. &c."—After this speech
the Colonel, w.ith the whole of the Opposition, as
if °tic man, arose, and left the House. Mr. f.

concluded, atter in king some further allusions I.°
his own personal exertions some years since, in cols;
cert with Sir W. Jones, the Duke of Richmond, ant
other friends of Reform, and conjuring the Liver}'
to rdlly round its standard, with moving the ResolLl-
- He then stated, that aster the kesolutioni
were adopted, he should propose a Petition to tl'
House ot Commons. He then read his Resolution''
Mr. WAITEIMAN seconded the 'Resolutions, and
observed that the question under di,cus;rion had beoll
must ably discussed by the puniic prints, which was
an honour to the country. He was aware that arts
would be wade use of to impress it on the pll4li°