Star.
London, England, 1820-11-23 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK MEEING.

A Meeting of the Inhabitants of the Borough of
Southwark, was held yesterday at the Town Hall, to
take into consideration the propriety of voting a Con-
gratulatory Address to the Queen, and of petitioning
the House of Commons for the removal of the pre-
sent Ministers, and in favour of Parliamentary Reform.
The HIGH BAILIFF, accompanied by Sir R. Wit.-
!sox and Mr. CALVERT, the Representatives of the
Borough, and several other Gentlemen, entered the
Hall at half-past twelve o'clock, when the business
was opened by reading the Requisition.
Mr. MALDEN then came forward to propose the
Resolutions. He observed that the eyes of the world
were now fixed on the proceedings going on in this
country. He was attached by every principle to the
honour of the Throne and the character of the coun-
try, and therefore was most anxious to see the Queen
placed in that situation which was most honourable
to both. He was sorry that a Bill to degrade the
Queen should ever have been introduced into Parlia-
ment ; but having been once introduced, it was sa-
tisfactory to find that it was rejected by the Noble
House in which it originated, as well as by the uni-
versal voice and opinion of the people. The present
Meeting was not the result of any election trick, for
never was a Requisition signed with more unanimity
or with less of the exclusive character of party about
it, and he was happy on that occasion to act with all,
however he might happen to differ frcm a very few
individuals upon other subjects. It was a matter of
much regret with him, to find the established Religion
of the country sullied by the erasureof her Majesty's
name from the Liturgy—that religion which incul-
cated the duty of praying for all conditions of per-
sons. He hoped that the Public would persevere
until the error was corrected, not only because jus-
tice required it, but that Catholic countries might
see we did not hold the precepts of our own religion
in total disregard. He had seen the Queen at St.
Omer's, and was witness to the high respect with
which she was treated there, as he had subsequently
observed the enthusiastic reception she had met with
upon throwing herself into the bosom of this country.
After all that had passed upon the subject, he could
not entertain the least doubt that the present Meet-
ing would agree to the Resolutions with which he
should conclude, as well as to the Petition with
which it was intended that they should be followed
up. He concluded with proposing a series of Reso-
lutions, condemning the whole of the proceedings
against the Queen, asserting her innocence in the
strongest terms, and animadverting with an equal
warmth, upon the conduct of the present Ministers.
Mr. ELLIS, in seconding the Resolutions, took oc-
casion to compliment Alderman Wood, as an honest
and efficient advocate of the people upon all occa-
sions ; and, in the present instance, as an able ad-
viser and spirited friend of the Queen. He charac-
terised the acquittal of her Majesty as the triumph
of public opinion over Ministerial influence. He re-
joiced that no recrimination was made upon the part
of her Majesty ; it was an axiom of the Constitution,
that the King could do no wrong, and they had the
authority of the Bishop of London for saying, not
only that he could do no wrong, but that he could
commit no folly ; they had the same authority for
saying, that purity of character was not necessary in
an acceser. But he knew of no rule, notwithstand-
ing such authority, to countenance the infallibility of
Kings in this world and the next. The evidence pro-
duced in favour of the prosecution would not be suf-
ficient to convict a pickpocket, but considering the
constitution of the House of Lords, he was surprised
to find that 99 Peers had voted in favour of her Ma-

jesty. Any person who made a fair allowance for the
influence exercised in that place, would consider a
minority of 65 as amounting to an acquittal. The
case as it affected the Nation was exulting, every one
saw the enthusiasm of public triumph; they saw the
whole country in a blaze of joy and light ; he hoped
the manifestation 'would enlighten biz Majesty's Mi-
nisters, and induce them to repent and to retire. Un-
less they did retire; he did not see any hope of hem.

fit to the country, nor ultimate security to her Ma-
jesty from what had been already done.
The Resolutions were then put, and carried.
Mr. MALDEN then proposed an Address founded
on the Resolutions, which was carried unanimously.
The next proposition was for a Vote of Thanks to
Mr. Alderman Wood, for• the able assistance he had
afforded to the Queen, which was carried withoat
a single dissentient.
Mr. Alderman WOOD, who had entered the room
a short time before, returned thanks, and observed,
in the course of his address, that he would upon that,
as upon former occasions, avoid entering into any de-
tails, as there might yet be some proceedings which
would render it imprudent in bim to make disclosures.
He was at first persuaded of her Majesty's innocence,
and was happy to say that he had not been deceived.
He had seen, at an early period,, affidavits of the bri-
bery that was practised, and the conspiracy that was
formed. The Italians were not all to blame ; be did
not mean to defend or palliate the shameful perjuries
of the witnesses, but the conspiracy had certainly
originated in this country—(Applause).—He knew
for a fact, that persons bearing the rank of Knight-
hood had received two hundred a year for attending
in toffee-houses through the Continent, to say all
that they could invent in conversation, to the preju-
dice of the Princess of Wales. He had himself been
frequently asked, how he could justify her Majesty's
conduct ? But having seen those affidavits, knowing
the facts, knowing the declaration made by the
Queen, that nothing should prevent her from coming
to England, 2nd seeing her act upon that determina-
tion, he should have felt that he was unworthy' of the
name of an Englishman, if he had not gone to meet
her—(Applause).—After thanking them for the ho-
nour they had done him, he concluded with assuring
them that his most anxious wish should always be to
live in the esteem of his fellow-citizens.

The Thanks of the Meeting were then moved to
Lady Anne Hamilton, and agreed to unanimously,
after an appropriate eulogium on the conduct of that
Lady from Mr. Alderman Wood.
Mr. DONALDSON having moved that the Address
shuuld be presented by their Representatives,
Mr. CALVERT expressed great satisfaction at being
appointed to go up with the Address. He believed
in his conscience that the Queen was innocent ; the
proofs upon which his conviction was founded were
as strong as possible. She had refused to accept a
bribe of -050,000 a-year to remain on the Continent,
no single act" of adultery had been proved against her,
nor was anything imputed to her during the last three
years. The fact of ninety-nine Lords voting against
the Bill was also another strong circumstance, espe-
cially when they considered that seven Bishops, fif-
teen Scotch Peers, and all the Ministers, voted on the
ether side. His Honourable Friend had talked of
bribery, he might have added baubles, for blue rib-
bons had sometimes the same effect ; but if ever their
Representatives submitted to influence in the'shape
of bribes or anything else, he hoped they would turn
their backs upon them.
_ _

Sir ROBERT WILSON said, that to assist in the pre-
sentation of a Congratulatory Address, was one of
the most agreeable commands he had ever received.
They had heard the opinion of his Hon. Friend (Al-
derman Wood) as to the innocence of the Queen ; in
fact, all who had approached her, and were acquainted
with the details of the case, were persuaded that the
charges were utterly false. He would also state this,
that her Majesty's Counsel, who, in the first instance,
as was natural, approached the case with diffidence,,,
were now fully satisfied of the injury she sustained,
and were prepared to state, upon their honours, be-
fore the House of Commons, their full conviction of
her innocence. If such were not his own opinion,
though he should object to a-Bill of Pains and Penal-
ties, and endeavour, as far as possible, to mitigate the
sufferings of misfortune, still he never could have
taken the active part he had in behalf of her Majesty.
His opinion always was, that iflter Majesty was in-
nocent, she ought to come to England ; but he felt,
at the same time, that much must be left to the de-
termination of her own conscience ; and when he saw
her come, when he saw her reject the bribes that
were offered, his favourable impressions were all con-
firmed. Several new witnesses had arrived in this
country, many of whom he had the good fortune to
have known in Italy, and they all concurred in facts
which afforded the most convincing proof of her
Majesty's innocence, not only with regard to the
principal offence, but even with respect to the colla-
teral charges. There was also much to admire in
her conduct at the present moment ; her prosecutors
had assumed the character of vindictive persecutors ;
they had refused her a Palace, and yet she declared
that the People should not be burthened to procure
a residence for her, when the national munificence
had already provided Palaces for the whole of the
Royal Family. The Queen would accept of no un-
constitutional grant, much less of any favour from
those, who, by their conduct towards her, had dis-
graced themselves in the eyes of Europe. The pre-
sent conduct of Ministers was easy to be accounted
for: their object was to harass, and, if possible, to
drive her out of the country. If they should succeed
in that, the good effects of the late triumph would
~be undone, and the People, exposed to the mercy of
the Administration, would shortly feel the loch for
the conduct they had pursued. But he trusted, in-
deed he was persuaded, that this would not be the
case : the Queen and the People would still persevere,
and continue to manifest that firmness which entitled
them to the panegyric of future Patriots and Histo-
rians, when they alluded to the times in which we live.
The Resolution was then agreed to unanimously.
Mr. aus, in A speech of some length, proposed
a Petition to the House of Commons, the effect of
which was, to call upon them to withhold their con-
fidence from the present Ministers, and to take mea-
sures for the accomplishment of a Reform in Parlia-
ment. He observed, that in the course of a few
months they had succeeded against the Ministers for
the Queen, but the Ministers had always succeeded