The Sun.
London, England, 1818-07-02 00:00:00

SIR I`,'ILLIAIII CURTIS.

Ye=terday a very numerous said most respect-
able Meeti»g of the Merchants, Bankers, Ship
Owners, &c. of the City of London, was held at
the Tavel n of that name, to consider on the pro-
priety of offering a public testimony of their re-
spect, to Sir WILLIAM Cu ens, for his eminent
services and independent devotion to their inte-
rests, as a Mere-ber of Parliament, for the long
period of twenty-eight years.
At too .o'elorlt, Mr. MANNING, having been
prevailed on' to, take the Chair, addressed the
company in .a brief hut pertinent speech, in which
he stated that the requisition for calling the meet-
ing had fully explained its object, and those who
had drawn it up had abstained from introducing
any an that might create a difference of opi-
nion. NO Man could doubt that some particular
mark of their esteem should be given to Sir It'll-
liam Curtis by the Citizens of London, for his
services in their behalf during the 28 years that
he had been their worthy Representative ; and
this being the purpose for which the meeting had
been called, he had only the duty to perform of
reading date Resolutions which had been prepared
for their adoption.
Mi.. WHITMORE apologized for not being in the
haVit of -public speaking ; but he could not refrain
frcitu.saying that be had had the advantage of
knowing the Lion. Baronet for a great number of
years; and had experienced from- him such ex-
treme. eirilit y and attention to every thing that
regarded the public interests of the body to which
he belonged, that, as an individual, he felt the
deepest regret at his not having; been again re-
turned to Parliament. lie would most cautiously
abstain from any observations which might be
deemed of a political nature, but he could not
refrain from saying, that the whole conduct of
the Hon. Baronet deserved the warmest thanks
of the company., It was therefore about to be
proposed, that the Meeting should, in the form
of Resolutions, express their deep regret that
the worthy Baronet had not been again returned
to Parliament, and that an appropriate address of
thanks be presented to bin, for his conduct
throughout the whole period that he had dis-
charged the important duties of a representative
of the City of London.
'I he Address and the Resolutions, (for which
see the Advertisement,) having been read,
Mr. U. Hatester rose to second thetn.—He
thought the company must all be of opinion, that
it was impossible for arty Gentleman to have re-
presented them for twentyceight years without
deserving, when he had separated from them, a
decisive tribute of their approliation. if it were
only from Sir William Curtis having been five
times elected, he must merit sonic tribute of re-
gard from those be had so long represented ; and
it had appeared to those who-4 had called the
Meriing, itiat the fairest and most appropriate
tribute would be that which should confine itself
to the services.he lead rendered tor the commercial
interests of London. If foreigners :were asked
''What had enabled us to carry on a tremendous
tautest for .20 years, to restore. the liberties of
Europe,
.and. to come out of it with honour and
glory,-they would say, although they.had called
us a nation of shopkeepers, that it was the uni-
versal power of British Commerce ; for we had
not only f.! Ships, Colonies, and Commerce," but
'we had ,brave and valuable seamen and soldiers to
defend- and protect them. To the interests of our
`Commerce the Honourable Baronet had always
been most earnestly devoted. Was there any
man who could say he had not ever found him
easy of access, and prompt in exertion ?—Could
they find any one of his actions that could be
called unfaithful, negligent, or ineffectual ?—On
the remarkable question of the Property Tax, the
Merchants and Bankers thinking it proper to sap-
' port the Funded Interest, had met in the Mansion
House, and professed their readiness to submit to
it, in order to enable Mihisters to raise the Sup-
plies as far as possible within the year. In the
same place they met when the war was over, and
agreed that it ought to cease. He saw the Hon.
Baronet in the House of Commons unfold their
ponderous and momentous Petition, which might
be considered as the principal means that caused
the abolition of the Tax ; and lie also spoke
against it, though it was tolerably well known
that his sentiments were very tar from agreeable
to men in power. A debt of gratitude was there-
fore due from the Citizens of London to the Hon.
Baronet, which he was.sure would be unanimously
accorded, as Englishmen were not more prompt
to shtsw their resentment at an unprovoked injury,
than to express their gratitude for favours con-
ferred. He should therefore second the motion
for carrying the Address and Res ns.
Mr•ANTHONY BROWNE said, h as sure there
could be but one feeling amongst t•• Company—
that of gratitude to the Hon. Bar. for his long
and unweeried attention to theists. But
there might be slime difference Or Ilion as to
how those sentiments might bi.lieSCCOuveyed, so
as to do credit to those who offered them. He
thought sonic substantial mark of their respect
should he offered to the Honourable Baronet,
which might be handed down to his posterity. It
was not his wish to disturb the unanimity of the
Meeting by any irrelevant observations, but he
thought a Resolution might be voted for offering
him a piece of plate as a testimony of the sense of
the Meeting respecting his eminent services. He
was proceeding to make some observations on the
satisfaction of the Citizens of London with the
Gentlemen who had just been returned, when
Mr. Dlxot4 spoke to order, and pointed out the
necessity of first carrying the proposed Resolu-
tions, to prevent disorder, after which any thing
that the worthy Gentleman chose to submit as an
additional Resolution might be considered.
After a brief conversation, the Address and Re-
solutions were unanimously agreed to.
A consultation then took place for a few mi-
nutes, and the Chairman stated that it was the
opinion of the Gentlemen who had called the
Meeting, that as their object bad been obtained,
it would be better not to proceed any farther.
Mr. Beowse consequently acquiesced, and
withdrew a Resolution which he was about to
offer.
The thanks of the meeting were atianimously
voted to the. Chairman, for his able and impartial
conduct, and the meeting broke up.