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

What has been prom}, does not think a reform setea
nary, he is not worth your anger—do pity and com-
passionate him—(Losz and continued clam).— It bad
been said by an. able man, and confirmed by many
since, that England can only be ruined by a Parlia-
ment. Other States had fallen, and England would
also fallwhen the legislative bodybecame more corrupt
than the executive. Let the lawyers say what they
choose, the people should watch and scrutinize their
Parliament ; they should keep this sound opinion in
view, if they wished to hold what they most all ex•
ult in and venerate. These were old principles, and
old principles, in the present corrupt state, must be
recurred to, and ought never to have been forsaken
—(Loud cheers). After all the routine business was
finished, perhaps the usual tribute would be rendered
to the Lord Mayor—( Incessant clamour—shouts of
No, no ! and hissing). I only say, said Mr. W. those
who choose to do so may : for my part, I have no
relish for it at all---(Shouts of applause). He said
he would not now trouble them any longer, but he
hoped they would hear all sides with impartiality.
On the first Resolution being read, it was seconded
by lar. Miller.
Alderthan Sir WILLIAM CURTIS came forward to
address the Livery, but from the violent hissing and
hooting he experienced,could not be heard in a single
word.

The Loa]) MAYOR then came forward to intreat
order, and endeavour to attain for each gentleman
disposed to speak, a patient and impartial hearing,
but with little effect; for when Sir W. Curtis again
came forward, his reception was little better than be-
Ere. He spoke for some time, but was scarcely au-
dible for a dozen st:ccessive words, in any thing like
cc nnection. We could only collect from him, that
to the Resolution not-: proposed (the 2d) he could
not subscribe. It stated, that the system of Govern-
merit was corrupt—(clamours and hisses: " so it is,
so it is, and yotiknow it") He was perfectly aware
of the unfairness of the endeavours of parties in and
out of Parliament, to criminate the Duke of York.—

No man regretted more than he did, the abuses that
had been proved in the course of the late Parliamen-
tary Inquiry to have existed : but still he was most
firmly convinced from that evidence, that the Duke
of York was free from all corruption and guilt, and
upon that conviction he had given his vote. He knew
that his worthy Friend who had brought forward
these Resolutions, meant to say something respecting
the Parliamentary conduct of the City Representa-
tives. On that he begged leave to say a few words.
—(Hisses and clamour)—For himself, in that respect,
he would say, the subject of the Inquiry lately before
Parliament, had been taken up by so many able
speakers, in speeches of three or four hours each, that
he had little or no opportunity- of speaking his own
sentiments, (No matter for your speeches ; how did
you vote ? Clamours and hisca of long continuance.) It
is my fullest convictioi , that although in the course
of that Inquiry, abuses were proved to exist in the
obtainment of Commissions in the Army, yet accord- ,
ing to the evidence and the principles of the law of '
the land, no corruption was proved against the Duke
of York..(Hieses and clamours.)—He gave his vote
conscientiously and from principle, and with the
judgment of the first law authorities in the land. It
was recorded upon the Journals of the House of Com-
mons, that some infamous practices had existed
through the machinations of the Duke of York's mis-
tress ; but not with the connivance or privity of the
Duke of York himself. He voted in the fullest con-
viction for that decision. He was no Placeman, no
Pensioner, (but you are a Contractor, and a tool of
the Ministers.) You lie! I voted according to my
'conviction and the best of my judgment.
The Baronet, now assailed by hissings and groans
from all quarters, was at length obliged to retire,
without being able to attain a further hearing.
Mr. QUIN next came forward under an auspicious
reception fr In the auditory. He lamented that the
worthy Alderman who preceded him, had not been
able to obtain a favourable hearing ; but pledged him-
self at least not to be so forcible in -endeavouring to
conciliate attention. With respect to the motion now
before them, be should be not only ashamed to face
the Livery, or to walk London streets if he did not
support it, although he confessed himself hurt that his
worthy Friend who brought forward the Resolutions
now proposed, had not consulted him, as with all his
ability, he had passed by many material points to
which he should have adverted ; for instance, the
character of the man who brought forward the In-
quiry in Parliament, and whose conduct, he was con-
vinced, had no other stimulus than the spirit of truth
and the honest pride of character. Every man who
heard him, that looked at the characters of public
men in this country for some years past, must have
been convinced there was something rotten in the con-
duct of the late Commander in Chief ; and yet there
was not a man to be found who dared to propose In-
quiry, until Colonel Wardle appeared : a man till
then only known to his country as a gallant soldier
fighting against its foes, and almost unknown as a
Member of Parliament, until rendered popular by
his courage, perseverance, and ultimate success in an
Inquiry, to deter him from which every system of
threat and statagem had been exerted in vain, and
to frustrate which every species of influence had been
used ; on one hand, the promise of patronage ; on
the other the dread of dismissal ; not a department
of the state in which the influence of office was not
exerted to procure votes against him. Age, tottering
on the brink oi. the grave ; sickness, dragged from
death beds ; the lame, hobblidg on their crutches ;
and the blind, in their leading strings, were brought
to the House of Commons to muster on the Treasury
Benches, in support of the Minister and the Royal
object of his defence. But in spite of the majority
thus effected, the Commander in Chief felt himself
forced to bow to the popular sentiment and to retire.
Thus had the people gained a triumph, but still they
had much more to atchieve ; for tho' the Royal Com-
mander in Chief had retired, how was he succeeded ?
Why, by the identical Sir David Dundas, who, as
President of a Court of Inquiry upon the subject of
the infamous Convention of Cintra, gave his signature
to a decision which sealed the humiliation and tar-
nished the glory of his country. But he verily be-
lieved the Duke of York, on-retiring from office, had
left behind him his mantle, and that his successor was
no better than his mere proxy. lie wished to vindi-
cate Mr Wardle- from the blame improperly thrown
on him for thanking Ministers for their assistance in
the 'l.Kap . His meaning might be couched in
irons; ao fouls/Won was just, •for he bad no and