Star.
London, England, 1802-07-06 00:00:00

COMMON NALL.
mM...•mMa•nomib

Yellenlay wa the day appoititedfor renewing the
report of the Committee iiorhiltated th March lafi,
to ufe every e ertion for the tepeal of the Income
Tax, and for confidering the qualifications for
Members to reprefent the City it the chfulng Par-
liament.

Mr. Teems opened the mating, by calling
the attention of the Livery to the Manner in which
the Committee had extctited the truft committed
to their care. He Ihortly detailed the mode of
their proceedings j helm which it appeareds that
a communicatitm had been eflablifhed With all the
principal cities in the kingdoM, end that nothing
but the declaration of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, of his intention to repeal the Tax, could
hare prevented meetings for the fame purpofe in
every part of the country. It was chiefly, howe-
ver, to the exertions of the Lwery of London that
the repeal of this moll obnoxious and unconftftu-
linnal tax was to be tferibed ; and front their (*ne-
ed's in this instance, he hoped that they would be
encouraged in their exertions to fuppork the great
cattle of the rights and privileges of the people.—
Mr. Travers, after reading the report, moved that
it he adopted.
Mr. WAITHWAII feconded the motion in a very
neat and appropriate fpeech. Conlidering the na-
ture of the report, he thought it unneceirary to
enter into any argument in its fu port. It was
o: a nature to fecure general approbation, and af-
ti hied no plaufible ground for obje.tion. There
was only one circtmaftance which was perhaps not
Lenerzily known, as conneeted with this fubjed,
,vl;ich he thought it necciTary to nate to the Livery.
It had been, on a former occation, fuggefted that
nothing fimilar to the principle of the Tax on In-
e me bad previoully bccn attempted in the hiftory
of this country, on examination this idea turned
out to 'ue erroneous. There was one inftance of
t:ic fame fpirit which ought not to be forgotten.—
occurred under the adminiftration of Cardinal
Wolfey, that illtylriess advocate of defpotifm.—
(Mr. Waithman -here quoted the words of the hif-
re, ian, recording the event. They referred to the
propotition of the Cardinal for a Tax on Income
on the Cleigy and Laity, in the leading principles
funilar to that tax, from which we were lately fo
happily delivered.) He then refumed, by (Mery-
jug that the Citizens of London then utterly refufed
to atcede to this tax. It was a matter of deep
rtgret, that the fpirit of the prefent times was
much inferior to that difplayed in periods when
the principles of lib:rty were dearer to the hearts
of Englithmen. Had the fame noble fpirit of re-

' •
' fifiance been difplayta to the ellahliihment of the
income Tax as had been eihibited at the period
to which he alluded, therewas no doubt that fo
infamous an inquifition would not for a moment
have been tolerateJ in this free country.
The report was then unanimoufly adopted.
Mr. TRAVERS again addreffed the Livery, and
requefled to octopi their time for a few znomes,
vhile be turned their views to a ruble& of she
deepell importance, to a Coble involving the
fatety of their cleared interefts. The Livery were
now called upon to exercife the molt valuable pri-
vileevefted in them by the *kith Conftitution—
the privilege of vetting in the hands of reprefenta-
dyes the power of expreffing their fentiments in
the great Council of the Nation. In conferring
Co mterelling a trail, the grand point was, to fix
on a Randard by which the Inuit of the refpedive
candidates might be afcertained. To afcertain
thefe merits, it was, in the Bra inflame, neceffary
to examine if their retentions accorded with the
qualifications necellary for a Member of the lm-!
pedal Parliament. Attempting the enumeration
of thefe qualifications, he Ihould begin with Rat.
ing, that the candidates thould be men of liberal
education ; that they lhonld potters a laige and 1
comprehenfive mind ; men attached to the prin-
ciples of the Conaitution, and fixed in their de-
votion
to the caufe of liberty; friends to. the
Houle of Brizafwick ; lovers of the Sovereign;
but ahove all things, lovers of peace, for it was
by peace alone that the burden of our national
debt could he alleviated ; lovers of jultice, for, to
ufe the words of the immortal CHATHAM, "Jultice
alone could be true honour." Having thus briefly
&etched the charader of the proper qualifications
of a Britiffi fenator, he next begged leave Ihortly
to contrail the charaders of the preterit candidates
(math laughter asul aptlau fi. ) In what he had to
fay on this part of the lubjed, he hoped that it
1 would be fully underßood that he was adnated
by no fpirit of revenge ; malice, he was confcious, 1
, was a failing which never for a moment found re-'
fuge in his heart. Truth was his foie object, and,
truth he &fluid advance, independent of the con-,
fequences. The fira of the candidates that pre-
fented himfeif to his attention was a gentleman 1
who, in Rating his pretenfions to the Livery, had
boaßed that he was deeply engaged ,in commer-
cial concerns. He had no doubt that the com-
mercial concerns of this gentleman were as esten-
five as reprefented, and that the whole of his
tranfadions were conducted on principles con-
fittent with the niceß honour: but were the habits
of his life fuels as al fit him to be one of the Legit*-
lators nr a Gee and enlightened country Was a
man who had all his life been employed behind a
counter, and in tying up parcels, 2 perfon whom
the Livery of the molt confiderable City in the
univerfe would fele& as their reprefentative
crere abas a loud tweak oft hearing ibis feraiment..—
Many of the political opponents of the Speaker
wilhed.to ufe it as a handle for fcouring him off the
Hußings. His friends, however, who were by far
the alba numerous party, conlidered it very pro-
perly as a part of a general argument, and not as
any afperfion on trade, and liteceeded in procuring
him an opportunity to go on with his fpeech.)—
He refumed by obferving, that the Candidate in
quellion had obtained the Ration of an Alderman.
He himfeif was far from witting to difparage this
honour, if it was the reward of nfeful fervices and
, aetive virtue. But he could not go fo far as to
conceive that no one was It to reprefent the City
in Parliardeht who had not gone through the office
anil duties of the Magiaracy. On the fame prin-
ciple he could trot fandion; by his approbation,
the obligation under which every new candidate'
wa laid, of actepting ad Alderman's gown, if
at the time of an eledion he was not adually in
office. M44141'1, in his opinion, wait produc-
Live of very ihjttrioul effeds. It confined the
choice of the Livery within a very limited num-
bet-, and excludes! any exertions made in favour of
Candidates whole only pretenfions were founded
in iiiifdom and in virtue. He could nbt help agree-
ing with the late worthy Reprc(entative of the
City (Mr. Luthiagton), that the ditties of a Ma.
giarate necelfarily interfered with thole of a Bri-
tiff% Sthator, if to 'bete were added the purfuiu
of a great commercial concerti.
Another candidate had mentioned his indepen-
dence as a claim to the fupport of the Livery. For
himfelf he would not difparage the advantages of
an independent fortune. Riches might certainly,
under certain circumltances, enable an individual
to ea a more dignified, and a more honourable
part. He would not, however, lay this down as
a general principle. Much depended on the man-
net in which fortune had been acquired. It was
nothing that an individual was rich, nalefs his
wealth was acquired in an honourable Way.—
( Some of the friend: of the MhoArial Caroms es fasted
to fed fore at this afervatios, gad snore than au tithe
if men stifetruered vslthle fyiepeau of naotimq.--Mr.
Travers however proceeded. Much agitation, he
obferved, had been exhibited, but eras it not true
that great fortunes bad been obtained in the courfe
of the late war by loans and by contrads?—(Leed
apiskie/e.) In Rating this he meant no offence to
individuals.—(liere there was a try of same, swam)
No, he would not bring forward any names on the
prefent occafioa. His obfervations were of that
defeription, that thofe who felt hurt by them might
make the application, and, to apply the proverb,
" chore whom the cap fitted might wear it."—
(Sone partia/ murmurs.) Symptoms of dilapproba•
tion had in the prefent inftance been manifeiked
from a few individuals, though he rejoiced in the
generous fupport of the great body of the Livery.
He did not appear before them to court their fup-
port, nor was he to be daunted by fuch
infults
He came before them to Rate the fentiments of a
Patriotic and independent Eleftor. and be malt
obferve, that a fortune accumulated in the way he
had Rated was not by any means the moll honour-
ably acquired. It was a fortune out of which he
thought that virtue and independence were not
the molt likely to proceed.
After a few more obfervations, Mr. Tuvalu;
recurred to tome declarations of a new Candidate
(Mr. Alderman Price) on a former occafion, that
the Income Tax was unconftitntional, unjult, vex-
SUM'S and oppreffive. Yet this Gentleman, wity

had fpaen of the Ti!t in terms of fncit [meriting
indignation, had hind himfclf out as a toil of the
late.Adminiftration. (.4 good deatof torsi:ion. We
bareve that the Wore)), Member alluded so Mr. Pricgti
Laving atria a: a Coma loner on this very Tax.)—.-
Before he fat clown he begged leave to refer to an
oblervation of a Worthy Alderman (Alderman
Curtis) on a founts meeting. The oblervatinn he
alluded to was one which, if praaically obferved,
would utterly fubrcrt the whole reprefentative Cy!:
tern. .It went to a denial of the right of the con-
Rituents to give inftruaions to their reprefentative.
When be obferved this, he meant no perfunal hof-
tility to the Worthy Alderman. On the contrary,
he was happy to admit that the worthy Alderman
was_univerfitily known for his domeltic virtues.--;
He knew his many amiable qualities as A friend,.
and from his heart he could fafely fay that he re.
garded him with no feelings but thole of a ffeition.
When he fpoke of his public charaiter he was tin-
der the neceflity of Kling a different language. If
the principles which the Worthy Alderman pro.
felled *ere once admitted, for what was it that
our fathers had refilled olipreflion ? For what was
it that they had bled and expired ? •
Mr. TRAVE&S, after Mufti-kiting there ideas at
Come length, concluded by moving certain Refo-
lotions (See theft) page., Ef this Paper), expreffive of
the general fentiments contained in his fpeech.
The firft Refolution being inn—
Mr. WAITH MAN begged the Livery would in.
dulge him with a (tort bearing. He entreated
them to conduit themfelves with the dignity be-
coming their refpeitable body, in order that thofe
Gentlemen might bear all that paired, and there.
fore be prepared for their vindication. In making
his obfervaiions on the Candidates, he should
touch as gently upon them as he poesly could.
He Ihould take rather a different ground from that
of his Friend, for looking at their profeflions and
their conduit, was the only means of forming an
opinion of their refpeitive merits. Mary Common
Halls had been held for the purport of petitioning
for peace, as the Livery had never given their af-
fent to the war. Now, what was the conduit of
their Reprefentatives? He would elk. whether
they were fent to Parliament to reprefent the Li-
very or themselves? If they were rent to repre•
fent the Livery, why, in the name of GOD, did
they vote in a manner contrary to the fentiments
of their Condiments? They all fay they are fond
of the Conftitution; but he would with them to
come forward and put their finger on that parti.
cular they had done to preferve it. They have
fupported. the war, the fending of money out of
the country, and the Income rax ; and if by fo
doing they fay they have been fupporting the Cnn•..
flitution, it naturally folloWed the Livery had
been endeavouring to fubvert it. For himfell, he
declared that he ihoulti not give his vote to any
man who either direaly or indirealy had ftipport.
ed the Income Tat ; and he thought thofe gentle.
men ought to come forward and fay why they had
fupported a meafure which they found not to be
fo good a thing as they expeited He certainly
thought, that out of the whole body of the Livery,
' men every way fuperiorly qualified could be found
to reprefent the City in Parliament. He conclud-
ed by feconding the Refolutions.
Mr. Alderman Cu RTI s then came forward. He
mulled that the known candour of the Livery, and'
the manner in which he had been called upon,
would enfurc him a patient hearing. Public men,
who receive public favour, were hound to give an
account of their conduit, and he denied that he
had ever (aid, that the proceedings of the Livery
had been tumultuous. Such an expre@on had
never paired his lips.
Mr. TRAVIMS here raid, that Alderman Curtis
had not been alluded to. The gentleman who bad
made ufe of fuch an expreßion was Mr. Brtpk
Watfon.

Mr. Alderman Currie went on. Had this ex-
planation been given before, much mifunderiland-
ing .would have been prevented. When he had
denied that the Livery had no right to inftruft him
whit regard to his Parliamentary conduit, he had
done fo in a moment of irritation. It was a text
without a context, as he had done every thing in
his power at all times for the beft interefts of his
conitituents—(Here there was a general hifi ond green)
witnefs his conduit with regard to the Wapping
Docks.—He did not fee how a man could be fent
into a deliberative affembly, filch as the Houfe of
Commons, with his mind fettered, bin upon all
occafions be was anxious to do his duty according
to his confcience.

1 Mr. Ta arias here remarked, that it would teem
that, upon great national quellions, the worthy
Alderman would hold his opinion in defiance to
that of the Livery.
Mr. Ruwcaorr addreffed the Livery. Before
' the queftion WAS put. he wilhed them to bear a few
words on the oppofite fide. lie lamented that
force gentleman, snore fnited to public fpeaking,
had nut taken that duty from him, as he was not
I prepared to go much into the fubjed. It had been
; laid, that Members of Parliament ought implicitly
to obey the diredions of their conilituents. The
principle of the refolution to that effed was im.
practicable, not only fig, but was a direct folecifm
in morals. This was, however, the bare affertion
i of a plain man, not fo well verfed in law as the
mover and feconder of the refolutions appeared to
be; but the houfe of Commons itfelf could not be
a deliberative *nimbly, were inch a refolution to
be generally adopted. He agreed with the Livery
is thinking, that every Member of Parliament
Should linen and attend to fuch diredions as he
might receive, but if his own opinion was diffe-
rent,
he was bound to give it by the Conftitution
of Parliament. He willaed that he had a copy of
Mr. Burke's celebrated fpeech to the Electors of
Briftol upon the fame fubjea, as he would read it.
The fpeech was handed up to Mr. Rowcaorr,
, but a marked dilapprobation being fheWn, he did
not read it.
Mr. WAITHSIAII obfervecl, that the fpeech of
Mr. Burke upon that occafton had loft him the
election at Briftol, and.were be, or any man, to
make fuch a fpeech to the Livery of London, he
trolled that he might experience limilar treatment.
Sir WILLIAM ANDIR4OIO, in a very num fpeech,
which was molt unfavourably received, (aid, that

•
. ,
during the enstleltad been.in Parliament he has"
alone his duty, 'ffiithfully, and:now hoped for a re•
newal of the fuffra,,,,,es of the,Livery.
Mr. Alderman- CONDE came forward, and was
received with motl.enthullattit applaufe. He faid,
that the queltion ttaltoe the-Livery was, whether
or not a Member of:Parliament ought to obey his
tonflituents ? Certainly the, Houle of Commors •
ought to be free and independent, hut he would
with to know whether anr Lord t,f the Treafury
or any man fent in by Miniflers ever voted againti
thole men who fent him there; he meant ever voted
againft the Minitter, nt difobeved any intirudiosta
he might have received front him ? If any man
buys a borough, that many according to the Rate
of things lately, had more influence in Parliament
than the Livery of London. There ought always
to be a elute connection between confliruents and
their reprefentatives ; fuch had ever barn his with
and filch should ever be his praelice.
Mr. PhItRING then attempted to addrers the Li•
very, but was not allowed to proceed.:_
Mr. WA rot NAN then called upon Mr Alderman
Price to come forward.
Mr. Alderman Pk lc ee, in a (port fpeech, addreff-
ed the Livery. He Rated, that after he had been
called on, it WAS his duty to addrefs his fellow-ci-
tizens. His fentiments were well known, fuffi.
ciently fo, he trittled,p not to require any eluci-
dation at prefent. Th-morrow he should do him.
felf the honour of addreiEng the Livery in a man.
ner which, he trained, would entu're their good
opinion.
The refolutions were then agited to, and that
of thanks to Mr. Alderman Comas was then put
and tarried unanimonfly, as was that requefling
Mr- Comas to difeontinue his. perfonal canvafs.—
To both of thcfe tefolutions the worthy Alder-
man returned his acknowledgments in fuitable
fpeeches._ _ _ _

The thanks of the Meeting were then unani-
moully voted to the Right Hon.the LORD MAYOR,
for his impartial conduit in. the Chair.
The Meeting, immediately after his Lordhip
retuuted his thanks to the Livery, broke up.

SourHtwaßK ELvorton.— The elation for
Members to ferve in the eneuing Parliament for the
Borough of Southwark commenced yefterday,
when, at the clofe of the poll, the numbers flood
as follow: Mr. TM otiennt 333—Mr.Titiisy 277
—Sir T. TURTON 201.

Yeiterday the election for Marlow deed, when
the numbers iloiod thus:—For T. WILLIAMS, E.
190, OWEN WILLIAMS, Efq. :114, A. BACON.
Eli'. 4s. The two firft had many more to poll,
but the it unnecelfary, after Mr. Bacon de.
dined any fartherconteft.

The Elation for Colcheffer. clofect yefierday
morning about nine o'clock, in favour of Mr.
THoapyros and Mr. DillhISON, without any op.
polities.

YellerdiY Sir J. C. Hip pas cyr, Bart. Recorder
of Sudbury, and pHs PYTCH ts, Efq. of Crofton
Hall, were eleded MemiJera for that Borough •
witl,out oppolition.
- Marrs. CALV ERT and FF L LOWS, the Members
in the laft Parliament h r the town of Hunting-
don, were, yellerday re eleded, without oppofi.
tion. The Eledion fur that County comes on
next Saturday.

The Flab° t for the county of Kent is fixed
for Tuelday the 13th.
The Oxford elation commenced this morning.
WESTMINSTER ELICTIC4.—This being the day
fixed by the High Bailiff.of Weftminller, tor elat-
ing two Members to reprefent that City in Parlia-
ment, the fevcral Candidates made their appear-
ance on the • Hußings, attended by a number of
their refpeCtive friends. After the cullomary forms
were gone through,
Mr. WISMART came forward to propofe the re.
election of Mr. Fox, and, in a (port fpeech, ad-
verted to the merits of his public life, to his entire
devotion to the interells of his conitituents, to his
ardent and unconquerable zeal for the rights and
privileges of the people. He was heard through-
out with great approbation ; and Mr. Fbx was
nominated amid thunders of applaufe.
Lord Calumets was next put in nomination, by
*Mr. BUCKMASTER, and was received with a Mix-
ture of hiffes and applaufe.
A Gentleman, whole name we did not• learn,
then came forward to propofe Mr. Joan GRAHAM,
Andioneer, ChAncery.lane, as a candidate,—
There was fuels a noire, that he could only make
his motion, without prefacing it by any obferva-
tions.

Mr. For then came forward and addreffed the
Meeting in a molt admirable fpeech, of which want
of time prevents our attempting to give any detail.
It contained a declaration of the principles, which
as a public man. he had ever profeffed and ever
acted upon ; it touched on the motives which
had induced him to delft from 'egular attendance
in Parliament, and expreired hi, readinefs now,
or in the courfe of the nest Parliament, to give
way to any Candidate who fhould prefent himfelf,
with adequate qualifications, to reprefent the City
of Weiminfter.—The fpeech was received amidft
thunders of applaufe.
Lord GALT/111a faid a few words, in which he
thanked the Electors for their pall; !import, and
declared his refolution to devote himfelf to the in.
terefts of his Conftituents. He was full, how-
ever, but indifferently received.
Mr. pew Gealtan fucceeded his LerdfhlVitt A
fpeech expreffive of the principles on which be
meant to as if he fhould have the honour of being
ele&ed. He drew from.his balm a very curious
paper, containing his Political Creed, which having
read, he delivered. as his baud mut 'fah to the Gen-
tlemen by whom he had been nominated.. Thek
reading of this paper gave rife to mach laughter,
as did the obfervations by which it was followed.
The High Bailiff proceeded to put up the Can-
didate§ feverally.
For Mr. Fox the Phew of hands was prodigioes,
and for' Lord GARANIII it wasfruty
FOrMr. Joins Gasman therewas a veryfmall thew.
Mr. Fox atyi Lord GARDnallt were returned as
duly elected. Mr. GIt&MILM theVllo6 demtnded
poll, which began at half pall' 12 o'clock, and
will finally doh ea Saturday neat.