Star.
London, England, 1831-07-11 00:00:00

THE KING'S VISIT.

Mr. JON ES presented a report, stating that His
MAJESTY hid signified his intention of being pre-
sent, with tLe QuEEN, at the opening of the new
London Bridge, wl.ich is to take place on the Ist
of Auust. (Applau,e.)

PHEsENTArIoN OF THE. FREEDOM.

Lord John Russell was then introduced into the
Court by the four Aldermen who represent the city
of London in Parliament, and by the two Sheriffs.
His h.rdship was loudly cheered on passing thiough
the Hall.

Lord John Russell having taken his seat at the
table, the Chamberlain proceeded to read to hint
the resolution of the Court which awarded his lord-
ship the freedom of the city.
The usual oaths having been administered,
The Chamberlain addressed his lordship as fol-
lows p

" Illy Lord John Russell,—The corporation of London
ever the uncompronthing Overton of civil and religious
liberty, have hailed with high approval the intrepid exertions
of your Lordship on various occasions, following the bright
career of your illustrious am., in the same noble cause,
and in having had the distinguished m,rit, only a few se t-
%toms past, to advocate and carry tl rough Parliament the
repeal of the Test Acts, which had long been the reproach
and disgrace of our statute books.

" The ability, temper, and discretion, evinced by your
Lordship on those °cessions, naturally and wisely induced
the King's Government to confide to you the charge of intro-
ducing and conducting through the House of Commons the
great measure of Parliamentary Reform. Already had the
principle of this bill, emanating from a united Cabinet. and
sanctioned by the Royal authority, been received by alit:mks
and descriptions of the community in England. Scotland, and
Ireland, wish unexampled satisfaction and approval,wheit its
further progress was arrested by the votes at the lion. Louse.
In this state of things, a good and patriotic sovereign has
made an appeal to the sense of his people. A new Parlia-
ment has assembled, and the represents :lees of the people
have nobly redeemed the pledge they made to the people on
the hustings. The bill has passed the second rvadirg by a
great majority, and, in a few days, your L :rdship will have
the proud satisfaction 01 taking it up to the Lord.. Here I
might stop ; but in this ens of our Akin, I t'eel impelhl to
offer up my prayers to lion. in his providence over the weal
of these realms, to conviace the reason of the Peers of
Pediment to induce them to adopt dim enlightened system
of reform, so well calcula:ed to strengthen and cmoulidate
the constitution—to satisfy the reasonable txpeciai:oB,2, of a
fr:e and intelligent people—and to mitten* to the tranquil-
lity, and safety, and indvendenceot our beloved c. unity."
At the conclusion of this address the gold box,
containing the freedom of the City, was presented
to his Lordship.
Lord Jour. RUSSELL then spoke nearly to this
effect :
My Lord Mayor and Gentlemen .1 the Corpor.ifon,—l
receive with feeh cgs of the dee, vra grail kid:. the httnotti which
you have this day conferred upon toe. I feel, at rite same
thee, how little mewed such an honour is oy any pa:Plural
act of my own. Still I cantien help coact:sing, that the
honour is m at giatifying to me, because it pea claims—not a
SOW of my merits—but a tense tit the importance, value. and
excellence of the measure which I, as caw of his Majesty's
Altimeters, have been the organ of introducing to parliament.
(Applause.) It has pleased your Chamberlain to allude to
toy forn.,r services, WE it respect to the repeal of the Test Act,
wraith, as he has truly stated, was a disgrace to our ststute
hook. I, for my own part, tel. that so strongly, that even
if I had not been eupporied by the approbation of the city
of London, and the people in gentle:, I atil must have cle-
iniu.did the repeal of than laws which affixed an unjust
brand on a numerous and innocent class of persons.( )
L..t I had the happiness of knowing that the city ot Lou-
don (which at another period had been opposed to the
memuie,) taking a lesson from the general improvement
and enlightened state of the country, had, to niamre
knowledge and reflection on the subject, also asked fee the ir
repeal, and the utak, which outer wi e would have was dial.
cult, if not impossible, hewn:. by the united setae of the
nation, easy and practicable. My herd, the present is soo-
ther inesaure iu which ie is likewise toy good fortune to par-
ticipate, having to bring it forward, nut in my sawn name, but
in the nsu:e of the Government, oho propose it in the con-
sideration that it is necessary tor the *clime of the people. the
security of die aristocracy, ano the maktenanc.e of the throne.
(Cheers) In that opinion l rejoice to say they have found
nearly the whole nation agree. I rejoice to say it, betau e, my
Lord, I must confess, that though i areal: had threat tars
wl h respect to the measure of reform which others may have
entertained, yet 1 did fear than in the transinion from one
state of things to the other, it might be difficult to gods the
reins between the impatience that existed on the one side
and the obstinacy that pervaded the other. (Applause.) The
degree of that difficulty was the greiver, because it did not
depend on any thing the Government could do, fur: her than
that, in proposing the measure to Parliameut, they w.te
' butind to show that they ieeptcted existing eghts and it..
wrests in conjunction with the necessity of improving the
represehtion of the country. That they have dune
this successfully has been proved by the generous
manner in which persons entitled to those rights :at el
privileges have consented to aid this measure, theiehy. fvr-
Liasig, in some degree, the value of their privileges in their
ardour to secure that pea. privilege which all may enjoy, t:..t
of being free people of Eng:and—a common and united bless-
ing—before which all mL.ur and smaller eighteen(' pt ivileg s
all. found to yield, and nowt of necessity yttld, in it.e
minus of men who love their country. (Cheers.) My Lind
and gentlemen, your Chamberlain hits gone on to allude to
the ea-sage of the through the House of Cotnmoos, and
to look to what may take place In the other house of Parlia-
ment. In that view I must sanguinely participate ; tor lam
p rameted, that there is that tempo ma this coon ry, that there
is 110 e.onsiderable body of men who will make an opinion f
et: ems a ground ter re:toeing mina has been e.alber.t,d to by
.he general voice of the nit on, *aid has been staid; ed.-as I
may say, with the great seal or the people'', apintittatiow....
(Cheers.) My land, it is thee:entre, with Icrit•ga et' gr.'.
hustle that I become a member of such a eommuoity es
that of the city of London, which is linked with all t!lat
is illustrious and rums:tied in our lotooty, std which
is united and combined with all ti.at is wealth), :did pine-
' perous, and great in the present condition tit time on. :try.
' (Hear, bear.) It is with gratitude attel joy that l hteuti:r a
member of this COlnalltalli, because I tut I, with the rein ,r*
the nation, that it has always been cemtected a tth the id, rty
of the country, and has always been testy to etil.pet t ,ht t,.
gal prerogatives of the Crown and the just stuthm y I I +oh.-
' anent ; because,that prerogative of the Civa n ai.d that ..0 lh
city ot Parliament are deeply and mittiately connected with
that security and weighty from which we de vile ail t 1 e Id. se-
I mgs we enjoy, and by favour of which, snider the gelid one of
1114004 and merciful Pat's tDE ca, I trust f.ttnue to
terry ; thankful for what we have, and at tie 'awe time
, watchful that by as supineness oh our part—that by no

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orty.irritation at one moment, or over-tardiness at anther—
we risk th..t freedom for which our ancestors bled in former
si,,d which. l trust, we shall transmit uninjured to I
posterity:9
The conclusion of the noble lord's address was
reveived with loud cheers and clapping of hands.
His lordship then received the congratulations of
the Lord Ma-or, aldermen, &c. on his admission to
the freedom of the city, after which the Court 'ad-
journed.
After the ceremony, a most superb banquet was
Fiyen nt the Mansion-house, in honour of the occa-
sion.

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