Star.
London, England, 1821-12-22 00:00:00

pleased to compliment him by saying that he had,
diirirg_ many years, been the firm supporter of libe-
ral prlllciples, and of measures beneficial to the inte-
rests of The Country. It -was tate he had, for nearly
thirty years, struggled against opposition and calumny
as a public man ; but, though much in the habit of
sailing upon troubled waters, he felt more difficulty
in addressing them upon an occasion like this, where
himself was the topic, than he would if called upon
to defend their rights and privileges. Never was it
more necessary than at present to send independent
and conscientious men into the Common Council.—
That body was one of the highest importance, inas-
much as it could upon all occasions give the tone to
public feeling, and had often set an example to the
rest of the nation with respect to the view that ought
to be taken of public measures. It would be useless
to quote instances of this, as many of recent date
must be within their recollection. For his part, he
never, while he had the honour of representing them
in the Common Council, omitted an opportunity of
pointing out the mischief that must arise from the
system of wasteful expenditure and oppressive taxa-
tion so long pursued, The consequences of this mis-
chievous policy were now evident in the distresses of
the country. Never, even at any period during the
ear, were they greater than at present. The farmers
complained because they could not get a price for
their produce sufficient to recompense them ; and
though, as Lord Liverpool ad mitted,there was a super-
abundance of the necessaries of life in the country, still
the labourers were starving, and unable to get work.
Wherever they turned their eyes, nothing was to be
seen but misery. The same might be said of the
sister country, Ireland. There, while there was the
utmost abundanLe of everything—while their cheese
and butter, and other provisions, were sent to supply
the fleets and armies—the people were obliged to live
upon potati:es. From what did all this arise, but
from excessive taxation and wasteful expenditure ?
Ile had been much abused for the part he had taken
at the late Inquest : He was represented as taking on
him the duties of an advocate—he never desired to
act the advocate. A murder had been committed,
and it was his duty, when he heard of those who
could give information on the subject, to bring them
forward. He did not wish to have the matter brought
home to any individual of the Guards, for he thought
the person who fired the pistol less guilty than the
()dicer who commanded him to do so, and the Officer
less guilcy than the Government who employed a
military force where there was no necessity for it,—
As allusion had been made to the funerals of Honey
and Francis, he begged leave to say a few words on
tha: subject. It was true, no great mischief occurred
at Kaightsbridget-but he had no hesitation in saying
that Govern:neat regretted the circumstance. They
were ai.prehensive of a riot, but still they took no
measures to prevent it. They had not a single officer
in attendance, and Mr. Conant, the Magistrate, who
was said to have read the Riot Act, did not, as it
appeared in evidence, remain two minutes in the
street, but got away through the horse Guards. He
(Mr. Waitlimai,) called for an in.,uiry into the cir-
cumstance, but it was refused. The examination that
took place was instituted for no other purpose but to
find ground, if possible, for a criminal prosecution
against him. Not one of the officers who attended
him was called upon.—After some timber observa-
tions on this subject, the worthy Alderman concluded
by expressing his gratitude for the honour conferred
on him.