Star.
London, England, 1809-04-03 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

S tirc ay, pursuant to a requisition, signed by
. most respectable Livery of London, a
was held, which was most numerously
• •...-1•!!.. There were at least .5000 persons present.
:.11-a one o'clock the Right Hon. the LORD MAYOR
ci. cd Guildhall, and proceeded to the hustings,
ti. cal •
• Ie had scarcely ascended, when the indigna-
ti,,n cf the meeting was vented against him, with a
r ince and fury almost unexampled. Hissing,
rsoe
F.To',.ting, and hollowing, assailed him on all sides.—
repeatedly attempted to address the Livery, but
vain. The Hall was opened in dumb shew, for it
v-•.; impossible to hear a word of the usual form of
p -ceeding. The tumult at length subsiding,
•7' s,ir.l.Varrirmau came forward. He hoped he would
tg excused the liberty which he took in requesting of
e Hall to hear all persons who presented themselves
behre it with patience and impartiality. He consi-
dered it necessary to their own honour and charac-
ter. He felt as indignant as any man at dm conduct
which the requisition of the Livery had received;
y.d he was proud to say his &ism was not attached
to it,
because he never would submit to such dicta-
tin. (Loud show of applause.) He appeared before
them only from the request of several respectable Li-
verymen, and feared he would have to lament his
want of ability in their cause. He felt himself, how-
ever, considerably relieved by the reflection, that the
01-practices which they had met to consider were so
ielf.evidently established, that there was not an int&
Toal in the land who was not competent to decide ;
sue)who could bring himself to hesitate. (Loud
It might be asked, why then were they
celled together ? Because the decision of the House
egoramons had been so directly opposite to that of
those by whom they were delegated, that it was be-
come necessary for the people to express their unequi-
vocal sentiments on the subject—because also they
would take care that the dauntless spirit of an indivi-
cilia!, who had done what various .Committees had
failed in doing, should not be borne down—to take
care that, when the Ministers, the Law Officers, and
oval and military Commanders, with two solitary
exceptions, voted and arrayed themselves against the
Teeple, Colonel Wardle should be supported in the
exercise of his painful duty. (Cheers from all parts of
the IMO It was an indubitable privilege of the
people, insured to them by the Bill of Rights, that
they might meet and petition Parliament on their
grievances ; and was it to be borne, that any Chief
Migistrate dare demand from those signing a requi-
sition to that effect, What particular abuses they corn-
pldin of ? (Lotto' cheers.) He would now tell what
they complained of, andwilat his Resolutions would
pcin: at. First he would allude to abuser, and 're-
solve that his Royal Highness the Duke of York con-
nived at them ; then he would move the thanks of
the Livery to Colonel Wardle, and the honest men
who supported him-; -then he would notice the pro-
ceedings of the Hobse of Coalitions, which were. di-
rectly against the wishes and interests of the people.
After all this, perhaps; he would say something con-
cerning the conduct of their own particular Represen-
tatives. ( Continued cheering.) Ministers had- com-
plained of popular clamour,--Where did it exist ?
There was no doubt-kliat all had made up their minds
upon the abuses which had been proved ; but it was
also true; that till they had been fully proved, there
was no indication of public opinion on the subject.—
But uhy did Ministers dare to make such a charge
upon the people—those very Ministers who had
themselves originated a yell, not only to delude the
House of Commons, but the public who elected them?
Now the people ought to be clamorous : if they were
indifferent—if they sawcoolly deviations against every
principle of truth and integrity—then indeed he would
exclaim the country is lost. (Loud cheers.) What
reduced other countries ? The want of that freedom
of spirit which in this reigned predominant. Had
they the power of meeting and appealing on the first
cymptom of corruption, we should not see them in
their present melancholy situation. This right of
the people of England they would firmly maintain—
they would meet—not to overthrow the Govern-
ment—not to broach hpstility to the House of Bruns-
wick, but to preserve their Liberties inviolate
(Enthusiastic applause,) This his Resolutions would
plainly express. Now as to the conduct of the Lon-.
don Representatives, (loud chart) 'ere the last elec-
tion he had felt it his duty to tell the people fairly
that they ought not to trust such a deposit in the
hands of such men ; though, this advice was rejected
—though he was degraded by having such Represen-
tatives, still he must say they had not done much in-
justice ; he must say he was not disappointed at their
conduct. What else could have been expected from
them ? (Loud laughing.) They had said, how-
ever, that their minds ought to be left free ; that their
constituents ought not to bias them. Well, they
had been left free, and what was the consequence ?
what impressions had those pure minds received ?
What conviction powder had they swallowed ?—Why
after the plainest proof of abuses, they had vote,.
with Ministers against their constituents. But "they
had voted from conviction ;" aye, and so had all the
placemen, all the law officers, military and naval of-
ficers, all, all had voted from conviction, if. you
would believe, themselves. But he would not believe
them, nor would he believe, that if the whole country
was polled, a number of men equal to the majority
in the House of Commons could• he found to vote in
same way, after what had been proved—(Loud
~:cuts and cries of No, not a man, not one.)—The peo-
ple had been too long deluded.by propositions of re-
iwtn, by sham Committees, but hot one culprit had
l•vn brought to justice, not one—until the dauntless
te'rrity of an individual had wrought the miracle.
..,. 6
r.e people might see by this what one honest ;flan,
..ot afraid to raise his voice against corruptions could
eifect. Many discoveries had been made corrup-
u)ns in the East India Company—all of which dis-
f"veries were to be attributed to Colonel Wardle.—
nose various Committees had been appointed for
Party purposes, and by men who were anxious to put
at other men, and to gain their places.--meh who
•`-ad affected much ardour and honesty, and yet the
aders of the three parties of which the House of
(A•mtnons was composed had all voted against Colo-
Wardle ! A few honest men supported him, a
:!v•- disinterested stragglers !—(Loud cherre We
ta.t.ri some adequate reform is wanted—(A single
was here heard, which created a loud tumuk ;
cversal cries of Thrn Aim out, turn hint out !)—No,
Mr. W. if thefc is a creaturo here, who, after