Star.
London, England, 1819-07-27 00:00:00

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veral minutes. When the applause had somewhat
subsided, and as the Worthy Alderman advanced to
address the Livery, two or three Gentlemen came
behind him with their hats on, which excited consi-
derable displeasure. Silence was, however, soon re-
stored, those Gentlemen disappeared, and the Worthy
Alderman addressed the Meeting neaelY as follows :
—Gentlemen of the Livery, on this occasion, as well
upon all others, I most cheerfully throw myself into
the hands of my brother Liverymen. I never allow
my private opinions to interfere with public rights
and public privileges ; and, connected as I am with
the Magistracy of the City of London, I always wish
to do every thing in my power which can add to its
utility, and preserve its dignity. I always make a
wide distinction between the office and the man ; and
while I respect both, have no bias to gratify in the
discharge of an important duty. I have been in-
formed, that I was called upon at the last meeting
of the Livery to take the chair; hut I pledge my ho-
nour to my fellow citizens, that it was unknown to
me. I had rather decline it, if it were left to my
own election ; but when called upon by a majority
to fill the chair, I consider I have no choice, and I
obey their wishes. It was unknown to me that the
Lord Mayor refused to convene a meeting upon a
proper requisition being made to him for that pur-
pose; and I shall now briefly state to you the conse-
quences that have resulted at former periods from
the pursuance of a similar line of conduct by others
of your Chief Magistrates. Even, before the Revo-
lution, a Liveryman of the City of London was
taken into custody for insisting upon his right to dis-
cuss the matter of public grievances, and for declar-
ing that previous to their proceeding to any election,
such matters should be there debated. Through this
illegal act, influenced by the Government, did that
Goverameat subsequently proceed to suspend the
Act of Habeas Corpus ! More than 10 years ago
the same attempts were made to prevent the Livery
from expressing their opinions, or discussing their
various interests and grievances, as they would have
been at this moment, if it were not for the manly
spisit with which they had resisted it. Even lately
they were prevented the exercise of their undoubted
right to do so, although at that period to which I
have just called your attention, the Livery had made
a noble stand, declaring they would not proceed to
any matter of election, until they had also the power
to enter upon the discussion of their grievances. It
was the opinion of the celebrated Mr. Dunning, that
the Livery had at all tunes a right of discussing
grievances when assembled in that Hall ; and those
who refused to allow such discussions did not best
es iece either their own soundness of judgment, or
well judged zeal for the interests and the wishes of
their fellow citizens. The Livery have at all times
to decide when they choose to exercise that right ;
and no peuer, of which I know any thing, caulegallv
ant coi atitutionally prevent their doing so.—EThe
Lard Mayor at this period pa,sed through the Hall,
aad was almost overwhelmed with hisses and loud
howling's, and after the clamour had ceased, Mr. Al-
derman Waithman, the Chairman, resumed.] —lt is
nut for a Magistrate, elected by the Livery, to say to
that Livery, " You shall not meet to discuss any
subject that does not please myself." No, Gentlemen,
such is not the conduct becoming a man whom you
have elected to so high and honourable an office—
nor could I therefore, in consistency with those feel-,
ings, have refused to answer to your call. I have
obeyed it, because I felt it to be my duty ; and
in
acceding to your request, 1 feel I cannot do wrong.
It is, Gentlemen, very well known, that I hold opt-1
nions very different from those which are held by
persons who have called me to this chair—and these
opinions I cats never consent to alter, until I am tho- '
roughly convinced that' are erroneous. When this
occurs, I shall become a convet t. Until then, I shall
honourably hold those principles, of whose incorrect-
ness I have not yet been convinced. I certainly feel
there is too much risk in calling public meetings in
the public places and squares ia the Metropolis, ex-
cept on very serious and important occasions. lam
one of those who would much rather they were let
alone, even though I approved of the objects they
were assembled to discuss. Gentlemen, lam one of
those who would not deny to any man the exercise
of his rights ; let prudence and honour always direct
us in the choice of the occasion we may select to do
so. Gentlemen, after all, what are.the People to do?
No man denies their distresses and privations—no
man denies the pinching poverty with which they
are attacked. No man says they do not suffer griev-
ances of the most severe description ; and is it to be
endured, that when they call upon the man they have
themselves elected to preside at a meeting for the
purpose of their redress, that he refuses to.accede to
the request, and positively denies them the exercise
of their incontestible rights'? Gentlemen, they are
rot the friends of peace or cf order who do so; they
are not the friends of public tranquillity who do so,
and who ultimately drive the discontented and dis-
tressed into the very streets and highways to discuss
their grievances, and remonstrate against the oppres-
sion with which they are afflicted. I should have' felt
happy to be relieved from this situation, but there is
no post of danger to which m fellow citizens may
call me that I will shrink from. I know nothing of'.
the objects for which I have been this day called to
the Chair. Nor does it follow, even when I do know
them, that they may have my approval. I merely
act as the organ of the meeting ; and I call upon all
those who intend addressing you, to act with cool-
ness, temperance, and moderation ; and by so doing,
form a striking contrast to the conduct of those who
violently exclude you from the exercise of the most
valuable and important rights that free Citizens of a
free State can possibly enjoy.—(Load cheers.)
Mr. STEPLIZNS—A striking contrast is just exhi—
bited in the conduct of our late and present Chair-
man. You selected the worthy Alderman who has
just addressed you, to a situation of the first import-
ance, in consequence of the patriotism and honesty
of his principles ; while the Lord Mayor, who has
acted so improperly by you, was never the free
choice of the Livery of London, or of any majority
of his fellow citizens. The Lord Mayor's conduct;
during the last week, was extremely reprehensible,
indeed, so much so, as to call forth the loud disap-
proval of every friend to peace and order within the
City of London. We are all friends to peace and
tranquillity, and were ready to be sworn in as spe-
cial constables, did the preservation of the public
peace require it; but when we found the Chief Ma-

gistrate was only the tool of Administration, we re-
fused to second his views. The public peace was
not endangered; but a shew of bustle and activity
was put on in order to procure the triumph of a Ba-
ronetcy for his Lordship. We would not assist him
in procuring such an honour—for we neither thought
nor think that his conduct has entitled him to it. The
inhabitants of another Ward were equally ready to
come forward were their assistance necessary—they
naturally asked by whom they were to be directed,
and on finding the Lord Mayor so unnecessarily
busy, they refused to act—for they saw at least the
apprehensions entertained by some were merely an
empty bubble. I have, however, principally come
forward on this occasion, to propose a vote of thanks
to those worthy, discreet, and patriotic Gentlemen,
who acted so becomingly dining the last week. They
did not provoke disturbances as the Lord Mayor did,
nor could I even look upon the statue of Beckford
now within my view, without wondering how the
present Lord Mayor came to have acted in the im-
proper manner he has done. The vote he intended
to propose had nothing whatsoever of party feeling
in it, and he was therefore the more certain of its
being unanimously passed. Every man must have
smiled at the strong tale of the Lord Mayor, of the
intended destruction of the whole City of London ;
but as his Lordship said, he had information of the
fact upon the oath of several persons, he was bound
to come forward and substantiate his assertions. The
worthy Gentleman, after a few further observations,
concluded by moving the following Resolution:
" Resolved, That the thanks of this Common Hall are emi-
nently due, and are hereby given to Mr. Alderman Wood and
Mr. Alderman Waithman, fur their zealous and patriotic atten-
tion to preserve the peace of this great City during the Meeting
held in Smithfield, on Wednesday, July 21st ; for their consti-
tutional and spirited protests against infringing on the liberties
of this City, by the uncalled for parade cf the military., where
not the slightest disposition to riot was manifest, and for the
judicious advice given by them in their capacity of Magistrates;
of this City, which in the opinion of the Meeting, were calcu-
lated to temper and moderate the estraortlinary ze3l displayed
by the Right Hon. the Lord May ~r upon that occasion."
Mr. Wool.Eit next aneared amid the greetings of
the Livery, and addressed them at considerable length
in seconding the motion of thanks proposed by Mr.
Stephens. Ile observed, that the Lord Mayor only
wished to act the dictator over the citizens of I.on-
don, at the head of the Life Guards, and felt satis-
fied the line of conduct adopted by his Lordship was
more likely to have created than prevented riot. He
hoped the Lord Mayor would not have been able to
make so precipitate a retreat, until he (Mr. Wooler)
was first enabled to stamp the burning lie upon his
brazen forehead. No riot took place at 51114101,11,
nor was there any thing in the conduct of the radi-
cal Reformers which could have led to it, if it was
not for the ill judged /cal of the Right I lonourable
the Lord Mayer. If they intended to burn and
destroy the whole City of London. they would not
have given three full weeks previous notice their
intention to do so—nor would they put it into exe-
cution in the middle of the noon-day. The Refor-
mers, however, were provokingly tranquil--and his
Lordship therefore thought his preparations should
have been the more extensive. The Lord Mayor
throughout seemed to act in total contempt of Hs'
fellow citizens, and the only way to reward him
would be—for his single contempt to return him the
contempt of his insulted countrymen. He richly de-
served it, and he might preserve it as a testimonf
how timeserving ended and prospered in the world.
Mr. FAVELL said, .that he should, upon this and
every occasion, clairnfor the Liverymen of London
the tight of expressing their opinions upon every po-
litical topic, which involved their interests or their
grievances ; and if this privilege were not to be firmly
maintained, what would become of the Bill of
Rights? What would become of those glorious pri-
vileges, to the exertion of which the Illastrious House
of .Brunswick owed their elevation to the Throne of
this Realm ? The conduct of the Chief Magistrate'
upon late occasions, he thought it impossible to
avoid condemning. When the last Members, who
represented the City in Parliament, lost their seats,
on the ground of their political principles, there was
something manly in their conduct, when they fairly
expressed their dislike to measures brought forward
in that assembly. But the present Chief Magistrate
observed a quite different conduct ; for not only did
he refuse to comply with a Requisition of the Livery,
most respectably signed, to call a Hall for the dis-
cussion of a subject he did not like, but even this day,
when the Livery were assembled, and might take the
occasion for discussion, he takes assay the mace, and
attempts to dissolve the assembly. But while he
(Mr. Ewell) had a hand to raise, he would raise it
to the last against a proceeding so unconstitutional.
When a Requisition was recently presented to him,
signed by upwards of forty most respectable Livery-
men, for calling a Common Hall, he refused to com-
ply, because, he said, there were some things propo-
sed for discussion which he did not like ; but if the
Chief Magistrate should attempt with success such
conduct as this, there was an end to the freedom of
the City of London. The subject of discussion to
which the Lord Mayor objected, was Parliamentary
Reform. But he, .Mr. Favell, protested against his,
authority to reject or to dictate any subject upon
which the Livery of London might or might not
choose to discuss. He trusted, however, he was at i
this moment addressing a body of sincere Reformers;'
but he most earnestly deprecated every attempt to
effect such a measure by the clamour of tumultuous!
assemblies, as a means the most fatal to so desirable
a measure. The worst foes to Reform were the pro-
moters of such assemblies. For upon this point, he
would quote the Spanish proverb—" GOD deliver
me from my friends ; I will take care of my enemies
myself." He trusted that before the next Session of
Parliament, the Corporation of London would dis-
cuss the subject of Parliamentary Reform, and lay
their sentiments on that subject before Parliament, in
such a manner as, he hoped, would be found to de-,
serve the unanimous co-operation of the whole king-
dom ; which yeas the best road to ultimate success.
The vote was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. WAITBMAN assured the assembly, he would
rather address them on any other subject than the
present. He received this new proof of the kindness
and confidence of his fellow-citizens with sincere
thanks. He felt no claims to their gratitude for the
plain straight forward conduct they had adopted on
'the late occasion. The measure he had recommen-
ded in opposition to the conduct of the Chief Magis-
trate, had been previously agreed to in the Court of
Aldermen, and he and his brother Magistrates felt it

consequences they
were likely to produce. He would, however, put a
ttlhl r
Ldnurtdy tmo
agyansrl: talnedi r
thhe andesv
proceedings of
il
of the plot he had
of tchoen seq
question to this assembly, and it was, whether, if the
Chief Magistrate really knew
stated, for the conflagration of the City and the mur-
der of its inhabitants, why he concealed this fact
the very eve of the day it was said to be fixed for ex-
ecution ? or why did he not give them some intima-
tion the day before ? and why with a belief, if he en-
tertained it, that the murderers were stalking through
the streets, had he no other measure to prevent it than
by taking thirty or forty constables to take away
from the meeting a single person, and thus excite the
very tumult he professed to apprehend ? He con-
cluded by returning his sincere thanks for the vote.
Mr. WARNE proposed the following Resolution re-
lative to the conduct of the Lord Mayor :
Resolved—That this Meeting, considering the conduct of the
Right. Hon. the Lord Mayor towards his fellow-citizens to he
highly derogatory to the situation he fills, that he has thereby
forfeited all claims to their confidence and esteem.
Mr. Hum', in moving an Amendment, said that
the Motion made by the Honourable Gentleman was
such as he could not agree to. A respectable Com-
mon Councilman had spoken of the unwise Meeting
in Smithfield, and had stated the impolicy of the
Public assembling there, while they might have had
the use of the Guildhall. But that Gentleman must
have known that none but the Livery could legally
meet in this Hall, and the Meeting he would further
say, at Smithfield, was as regular and as legal as
any one ever held in this Hall, at least they had the
sanction of Lord Sidnionth and the City Officers for
saying that it was. As to the question of the Na-
tional Debt, he would say that as Englishmen had
never contracted it, but that it was solely occasioned
by the Boroughmongers, he was for them paying it.
—Mr. Hunt then, after several further observations,
on the conduct of the Lord Mayor, said, tliat if his
Lordship durst meet his fellow-citizens on a future
occasion, without producing that person who swore
to the information submitted to his Lordship, or
Otherwise the person' who were alleged to have con-
trived that hellish plot, he would, for one, have no
hesitation in pronouncing the whole to be a fabrica-
tion of his Lordship's. The Amendment he now
proposed was stronger than the original Resolution,
and he did not know who was to 'second it, not being
in, the habit of having consultations before hand.
Should it be seconded, however, he would leave it
in the hands of the Livery, with the fullest confi-
dence in their decision. He should now read it, and
then leave them to dd as they, saw proper :
Resolved—That the Right Honourable John Atkins, the
Lord Mayor of the City of London, by his intemperate and
officious conduct during the Meeting in Smithfield, on Wednes-
day last, by inciting the peuccable citizens to acts calculated to
produce ri.,t and bloodshed, in direct opposition to the advice
of his brother Aldermen, is a proof of tae disregard in which
he hot is the rights and li'oerties of his fzll citizer.c, when pot
in campeti!ion with his own ambitious views and party feelings.
‘• ite;aived, therefore, that he has betrayed the trust reposed
in hini. 113 S therel,y rerdcred himself unworthy the future con-
liderce and support of his fellow-citizei.s."
Mr. Woottn recorded the Resolution. It was im-
possible that any Resolution could be tco strong in
expressing their contempt for his Lordship. The Lord
Mayor had grossly insulted his fellow-citizens, thanks
to their folly for having placed him in his present si-
tuation ; but he having done so, it was their duty to
let him see the sense which they entertained of that
insult—( Applause).
Mr. WAITIIMAN said, it was his duty to hear the
opinions of all without expressing his own, but as
he was peculiarly situated on that occasion, and as
he wished that no part of their proceedings should
suffer from--
Mr. HUNT rose to order. The Chairman had no
right to express his opinion on any Resolution which
'he was called upon to put from the Chair.
Mr. WAITHMAN (to Mr. Hunt).—" I call you tc
order, Sir."
" Mr. HUNT—" And I call you to order, Sir."
Mr. WA' TII M A N—" Gentlemen, 1 am in your
hands. It is quite disorderly to interrupt the Chair-
man. If such disorder be continued, I shall feel it
my duty to relinquish my present situation. I know
that I am not ex:ietly in order in offering my opinion
on this Resolution, but surely as an old friend I may
be allowed to say a word or two."
Mr. HuNv—" I move that the Chairman himself
decide whether the Amendment shall or shall not he
put ? Ile had better do so at once. His duty, how-
ever, is simply to put the Resolution handed to him."
( .17:plause and 1. isse s).
Mr. WA ITIINIA N--" This conduct is well calculated
'to create disturbance. I shall put the question; but
if I see any more behaviour of this kind, I must
make my bow and retire. As many Gentlemen as
are of opinion that this Resolution be--"
Mr. HUNT (in a loud voice)—" You are out of or-
der ; the Amendment ought to be put first"—(C'ries'
tf bravo, Hunt ! and some hisses).
Mr. WAITIINIAN" Sir, you need not bellow like
a ball!"
Mr. HUNT—" Nor need you, Sir, bellow like a
bullock 1—( Applause and hisses). Here is a Member
of the House of Commons who does not know whe-
ther an original Motion or an Amendment should be
first put"—( The noise was here so great that it was (VI
cult to hear whet passed).
Mr. WAITIIMAN—" If this conduct be continued
I must certainly make my bow and withdraw. I
know that it is usual to put the Amendment first, but
surely this could be done without such turbulence
and bullying. It cannot be supposed that lamto be
influenced by such conduct."
Mr. HUNT—" Your shuffling won't do ; it is too
late ; you have lost your power in that way."—
(C.heers and hisses).
Mr. WAITHMAN—" Gentlemen, you hear I am'
taxed with shuffling, and am told that I have lost my
power ; I can only say, that bullying • and violence
will not do here, however it may answer elsewhere.
The Amendment was then put, and carried by a
considerable majority—( Loud cheering).
Mr. BTEPHCNS said that the Meeting had still an
important duty to perform ; he rose to propose a
Vote of Thanks to their worthy Chairman, for his
praiseworthy conduct in the Chair—( Applause ).
He then proposed the following Resolution :
" Resolved—That the Thanks of the Livery be particularly
presented to Mr. Alderman Waithman, for giving an additional
proof of his devotion to the rights of his fellow-citizens, by con-
senting to preside upon the present occasion, thus enabling the
Livery to express their sense of the irregular conduct of the
Lord Mayor."
Mr. HUNT had insisted on his right, in ordcr to

shew that he wlts not to be driven cr.-tr. t 7
now came forward for the purpo, e vt
he was not in fhe slightest degree in via,el .c•
or party feelings He miist cordi.ul:
Motion—( Cheers, and
• The Resolution was carried unaninti..isl.-.
Alderman Vs-ArrnstANAilid, that, iii •
call which the Li7erymenad made upon
the Chair, he had not done any thing
duty. He returned thanks for the v"te
had just passed in favour of his conduct, ti•
sent, except to one individual, whose
been such that he could not feel a \ ote
from him as a compliment at ail. (,:decd.not believe that the individual to whom !;c•
had joined conscientiously in it, bec.m.e i;
Berman Waithman's) conduct had dcseivej
terruptions as it had net \\ hit from that
could not he justly entitled to his thar:ks.
of the day had taught him one le—inn, \ihi,.!;
not easily forget ; it \vas this—iicver to al
self to preside over a public meeting a: v.
person was pre,ent, or to place himsch
where that persOn could insult him. !!
peated his expressions of gra:itude, 1). •
meeting, Lind retired amid a mingled
ings and applause, in which, howevcr the
dominated. _ .

Mr. I lN T shortly afterwards Collewek.
not seem to attract rn,:ch of thc atteridcn
The Alee;ing then dispersed.

EMPLOYMENT TiiE POOTZ
Mle.Oh-EN's PLAY.

Yesterday a very numerous ascernh!ntr
and Gentlemen net at the City of L0n,.4.,
to receive t!:e lkpoit of

a former Mectiug, to consider the t:
ing an Establishment upon Mr. atve
Employment of the Poor, the Dtit;:i of ki
Chair.—llis Royal Highness, after an impie,
dress to the Meetipg uron the neces,ity
every pus',ible n.e. as for the relief and seen;,
the pfior un..hr the pre:ent calamit,als circlu
of the country, wad upon the pre, iiet.y (.1
an experiment on the s•: tern of Mr. (P.y2N,
given a distinguished proof of the Fat:tit:4
his theory, read the followiag Report :
a That the... have met several times,
. •

N, VA

Pre:i leacy of his Royal Highne,s the 11,11:e
that the risalt of there met:jags, at tvitic:t

del of Mr. Owen's proposed Establishment
jetted to inspection, and -.4r. Owen himself c
to give further elucidations of it, while it ha, at
the Committee a more accurate view of the
nature of the proposed E,tablislirnent. leaves
'egret the want of an et..perience of Uie effect
Establishments in practice.
.‘ '11:e concurrent testimony, howe,•er, of
sons who have visited the Establishment at Y
nark, leaves no room to donb: t::e etliciency
plan adopted there, under the immediate pure
dente of Mr. Owen, for promoting the' coinh
happiness of the persons employed in it:
training their children in those habits of anon.
pline, by which that comfort and hap :ins,
all human probability, be enstn ed.
" The Committee, however, remark, that tii
as proposed for national adoption by Mr. (hr
fers, in many essential particulars, from t;;.it
cessfully pursued in the commercial Linden.
New Lanark ; but there is, in the opinion
Committee, sufficient analogy between them
tify a well-grounded expectatiowhat simil
rangements might produce effects of an equal
neficial nature and result.

" Influenced by this consideration, and sti

impressed with a sense of the acknowledged
pauperism, and of the waste and abuse of tht
mous sums raised for the support of the pool
Committee hope they shall not be considered
passing too much on the confidence of the pth
gladly availing themselves of any apparently ,
cable prospect of relief from evils 'o oppre
increasing, they venture to recommend, that •
Establishment, of the description in question,
be founded, by way of an experiment, to a!
the nature and extent of the advantages to be
from it.

" The more immediate benefit they cont.
would be the constituting a resource for agri,
and other healthy employments for the ;Wulf
system of progressive useful education for th.
poor ; thus affording the means of relief, b)
drawing those classes from the injurious hal
associations of Workhouses in the Parishes
Metropolis, and other populous places.
The Committee anticipate also the poss:l
rendering such Establishments subservient to
system of parochial relief ; and that a co
proportion of the enormous fund raised in
the larger parishes, consolidated and appn
to the foundation of one common Establish!
the kind in question, would, at no distant p(
amply sufficient to support the poor, in cen.
of the productive labours of the indiNien;
'should be placed there.
" The beneficial effects of an union of fi
already, for some years, been experienced in
where the parochial workhouses have been svi
by the erection of Hundred or District Ho'
which means much waste and local abuse
funds have been obviated, and the poor-rat,
rially lowered in amount.

" The Committee cannot conclude this ti
port, without expressing their cordial thank!
Owen, for the liberal manner in which he
the wishes of the Public and of the Comm
affording every facility for promoting the
tion of his Plan, and for the candour evinced
on all occasions, in his intercourse wit'a ti•(

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