Star.
London, England, 1828-12-23 00:00:00

ELECTION* OF COMMON COUNCILMEN.
WARD OF FARRINGDON WITHOUT.
A Wardmote for the election of sixteen Gentlemen to
represent. the Ward in Common Countil, was yesterday
morning held in the Chutch of St. Andrew, Holborn,
and it being generally known that Mr. Hunt and .Ir.
'Cobbett intended tb off r themselves, the Church at an
early hour was crowded to excess. Bills and placards
were in profusion, and the neighbourhood presented ell
the appearance of . a spirited contested election.
Mr. Alderman WAITISMAN having taken the chair,
he bike), stated the object of the meeting. He trusted
that their proceedings would be conducted with cider,
which it was his duty to enforce. There had been com•
plaints of disorder and mischief done on former occa-
sions, and he had received a letter from the Bishop of
London-on the subject, who pointed out the impropt iety
of holding such assemblages in so sacred a place; bat
he had represented to his Lordship the impossibility of
procuring another place so fit for the purpose, and
therefore it was hoped that the objection would be res
moved by the arrangements that' he had made to pre..
serve regularity. It was highly improper that any one
who was not an elector should interfere, for he believed
that that was the cause of all the disorders which had
been complained of. He had given directions to have
all such persons removed from the Church.

The worthy Alderman then read -the list of candi-
dates, and inquired whether there were any others to
propose?
Mr. BARRETT, Chairman of Mr. Hunt's Committee,
then addressed the Meeting, and proposed that Gentle-
man as a fit and proper person to represent the Ward;
He recommended him as an honest and discreet man
and one in whom he had the greatest confidence, and
whom he hoped his fellow-c;tizens would return as one
of the Members of the Court of Common Council.
Mr. COBBETT then rose-and offered himself as a can-
didate, but was informed by Mr. Alderman Waithman
that .t wee necessary that every candidate should have
his name previously given in in writing, with the name
of twa 'persons who proposed him.
Mr. COMMIT said that he did not believe that any
such course was necessary ; he offered himself to the
Meeting as a candidate.
Mr. Alderman Waithman said, that the usual course
was as he had informed the Wardmote; but Mr. Cob.
bett was well known to them all, and he should make
no objection to his becoming a candidate.
Mr. HUNT then rose and said, he. had on a former
occasion been accused of having addressed them as
Ladies and Gentlemen, but he should persevere in the
same course,•and so commence in the same terms. Mr.
Tailor had inserted in the public prints on a former
occasion a tenter, in which he admitted that it was he
that had told the lie, not him (Mr. Hunt), who had
been accused thereof. The Worthy Alderman in the
Chair had joined in the charge made against him by
those who were always saying, "that's a lie, Mr. Hunt ;
you're a blackguard." and the like abuse. He should
re-Iterate all his former statements, and see whether they
could again contradict them. He ...had said that it
had been agreed that the office of Secondary should be
sold for 10.20 W. He-was told that that was a lie. No*.
what he said had been decided on bytwotommittees ; but
thanks to the exertions of Mr. Charles Pearson, and the
support of the public press, that shamefsl measure had
been abandoned—(Hear, hear). He was next told that
the story of the baker, when the Allied Despots, as he
had called them, were entertained in the City, was a
creation of his Own imagination; but the truth of the
story was now confirmed by the publication of the Cor-
poration, which were in every body's hands. They could
not afford to provide a little meat for the unfortunate.
debtors in Whitecross-street prison, but they could ex-
pend upwards of twenty thousand pounds on one
dinner for themselves. He now presented himself to
them with the same principles he had always pro-
fessed, and when he abandoned them, he hoped they,
would cast him off, and look for those who were more
worthy of their support. - Mr. Bunt then adverted
to a number of. fabricated bills that had been issued
with his and Mr. Cobbett's name upon them. The
forgeries were as gross as any for which the authors
were brought to trial at the Old Bailey. There
was one Gentleman who put his own name, " Mr. V
Figgins," to a placard issued against him. It was not
necessary for him to say much about this production;
there was no definitive charge against him in it, but be
would put his charicter in competitiou with the moat
immaculate of these Gentlemenir(Hear, hear).—After
some furthesr observatiorls, he went on to make a state-
ment of the manner in which the City Accounts were
k-pt, and of his exertions in the capacity of City Audi-
tor. Mr. Figgins had declared, that it he (Mr. Hunt)
ere chosen, he should retire from the office if be were
elected! There was an insult to the electors! There was
a mortification the Ward would have to sustain! But
he would recommend Mr. Figgins to prepare to pack
p his traps, and rejoin his singing associates, in whose
.society he would be much more happy. Mr. Hunt
then sat down amid the loudest cheers, which lasted foe
a considerable time.
Mr.Woon then addressed the Meeting at some length,
in reply to Mr. Hunt's speech. and maintained that that
Gentleman was actuated by any thing but patriotic;
motive; in the attack that be had made upon every
meritorious public character. He bad gone down into
Somerstshire, not with any hope of getting himself
chosen a Member of Parliament, but to glut his re
image upon an eminent and highly gifted character,
whose name was never mentioned but with respect and
admiration. [Here considerable interruption arose, and
Mr. Alderman Waithman was obliged repeatedly to
interfere, and to call on the constables to take those
persons is the gallery into custody who at all interfered
by expressing applause or disapprobation of the speaker. 3
Mr. Wood then went on to controvert Mr. Hunt's finan-
cial statements. Mr. Hunt at first exerted himself to get
made auditor ; nay, he says he can do nothing till he is
made Commmon Councilman, and nest year be would
seek to be made Sheriff, and would never rest satisfied
till they had bestowed every thing on bins that they
could give.
Mr. COBEETT next addressed the Meeting, and said
he wished to know whether the Gentlemen uho served
the Ward last year had any thing to say in answer to'
the very heavy charges that had been brought against
them by Mr. Hunr, their advocate on the opposite side
(Mr. Wood) having wholly failed to exculpate them ? He
trad very heavy charges to make against the Corporation
of London, from whom he had received nothing but ins,
jury, although hewas a most heavy payer to them. He
thought it a question whether they should not be better
governed without their services, for which they paid so
'enormously. They never did, and dared not.--they dared
nor, he repeated, give a detailed account of their re-
ceipts. Fir :4 of tolls—they took twopence from every
cart that came into, and wait out of, the City, but they
were too polite to tai the coaches. This brought in above
43,0001. a year. This was an extortion as clear as ever
there was an Monier* They bad no authority what-
ever for it by their charter. and be would indict the
nest fellow that stopped his cart to demand this toll fo
felony or highway robbery. There was no account o