Star.
London, England, 1820-12-07 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER MEETING.

Yesterday; notwithstanding he eery unfavourable
state of the weather, there was an Unusually nume-
rous and highly respectable Meeting of the Electors
of Westminster, in Covent. Garden, for the purpose,
as the Requisition expressed, of taking htto considera-
tion the propriety. of presenting to Ite7Most Gracious
Majesty, the (Irma, an-humble, loyal, and affec-
tionate Address of Congratulation, on the result of
the late proceedings against her Majesty ; and also,
to take into consideration the propriety of presenting
to his Most Gracious Majesty; the KING, an humble;
loyal, and dutiful Petition, beseeching his Majesty
that he would be graciously pleased t-r dismiss his
present Ministers ; and to supply their places by.mett
likely to adopt measures calculated to restore the
country to tranquillity and happiness, and to give
strength and security to his Majesty's Throne.
At one o'clock, the litort :lAtoter, accompanied
by Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, the Hon. G. Beneev,
Messrs. Enlace and HODHOUSE, and Sir G. N0r.1.1
ascended the hustings, which were erected for the
occasion opposite Richardson's Hotel. Their appear-
ance was ardently cheered by the people: Sir FRAN-
CIS BURDETT, we are sorry to perceive, does not yet
appear to have recovered from his late indisposition.
It was, we understand, of a very serious and severe
nature, and. hence we apprehend that its effects are
not likely to be soon removed. There was however,
we were glad to witness, no symptom of the debility
generally consequent upon disease, in the tone or
spirit of the worthy Baronet's address to the Meeting.
The business of the Meeting was opened by the
HIGH BAILIFF'S reading of the Requisition ; and
after some pause,
Mr. GARDENER moved the first Resolution, which
having been seconded by Mr. FISH, was put and car,
ried unanimously ; as were four other Resolutions,
which. were moved and seconded by the same Gen'
tiemen, without any remarks.
An Address of Congratulation to the Queen was
carried with universal acclamations of applause, as
was a Petition to the King, praying his Majesty to ,
dismiss his. present Ministers. A proposition wail
adopted,..that the Duke of Bedford, Earls Carnarvon
and Grosvenor, and Lord Erskine, should be re.
quested. to present the Petition to the King.
Mr. GARDENER moved the Thanks of the Meeting
to the worthy Representatives for Westminster, Sir
Francis Burdett and Mr. llobhnuse, for their uniform
conduct in Parliament, as well as upon every public
occasion, but especially for their strenuous and able
exertions against the late nnjusf arid odious Bill of
-Pains and Penalties, which proposed to deprive the
Queen of her rights, and to place the liberty and se-
curity of every iudividual in the Empire at the
mercy of the Minister of the day, and his Patliamen-
tarp Majorities.
This proposition was received with loud hrizzas
from every part of the Meetirig.
Mr. Pisa, on seconding it, said, that he ernuld not
suffer such a motion to be put mahout submitting
some observations won the subject. These observa-
tions should, however, be very brief ; for, from the
state of the weather, and the distinguished presence
before whom he stood, he should not deem it excus-
able long to occupy the attention of the Meeting
which he had the honour to address. All those who
heard him must be Naturally anxious to hear the
sentiments of their invaluable Representatives, a;
well as those of the highly-respected individuals by
whom they were accompanied on this occasion. But
still lie could not forbear from adverting to the cir-
cumstances in which their long-tried friend Sir Fran- -
cis Burdett was placed for his active and ardent exer-
tions in defence of liberty and humanity. These
circumstances were indeed such, that be was much
afraid - that, if the People did not stand forward in
due time, an attempt would be made to act upon a
verdict, which never could have been obtained but
through the mal-administration of public justice--
(Applause)—and that one of the most. enlightened
Patriots England ever knew might be subjected to a
severe visitatioir—(Cries of " No, no !").r-That Mi-
nisters would-be happy to place such a man as Sir
Francis Burdett hors de combat, there could not be'the
slightest-doubt. Such urea must be afraid of truth,
or any one likely to speak it with firmness, especially .
at the present crisis, when the public Mind was scr
strongly escited, trod when so ninth public spirit
prevailed throughout the country. But he hoped
and- trusted that- that spirit which had saved the
Queen from the persecution .of those Ministers,
would also be, exerted to rrrest their vindictive
purpose with- regard to Sir Francis Burdett.,--
This was the more naturally tA be expected, when
the cause for which the worthy Baronet was involved
was taken into consideration—when that cause was
his dided and impressive reprobation of those san-
guinary outrages at Manchester, which should never
be allowed to escape from the recollection of Eng-
lislunen—(Loud applauses). AliHsters, who were
notoriously remarkable for expedients, had, it was
known, resorted to all the rnitafts in their power to
remove the events at 'Manchester from the memory
of the People. At Manchester its'tic, indeed, obli:
vion and forgiveness were preached to the snfferers,
while praises and rewards "were administered to those
by whom the sufferings were inflicteJ. Was it-pos-
: sible that the most impudent tools could expect s uc-
cess from such a system, or that any but arrant fools
could become its dupes? *No; whl!e tyrants were
not only unpu:tilhed but cl.:isited, the reople would,