Star.
London, England, 1810-04-18 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER MEETING.

Yesterday a very unusually numerous Meeting of the
Electors of •Yestminster took place in Palace yard.
All the doors and, passages leading to the House of
Commons were locked and barricaded at an early
hour. The following hand-bill was posted up before
day-bleak :
"'1 he Electors of Westminster are requested to guard against
any r.ttanit that may be made to produce tumult or disord,r of
any kind, and to be particularly careful to promote a peaceable
andquiet disposition.'

The posse comitatta was also called out, and a num-
ber of extra constables were sworn in, to aid and assist
in preserving the peace. It was intended to hold the
Meeting in Westminster-Hall; but as the concourse
was so great, it was deemed more advisable to have it
in the open air.
Either in point of number or apparent ardour of feel-
ing, this meeting has certainly had no parallel within
onr recollection, or even in the records of history.—
The whole of the immense square was literally filled ;
there could not, indeed, have been less than 20,000
persons present, the majority of whom wore in their
hats placards, upon which were inscribed "The King,
the Laws, and Burdett." Along the sides of the
square were coaches filled with ladies and gentlemen,
among whom were a number of Fashionables and
Members of both Houses of Parliament. The win-
dows of all the houses within view were also crowded,
and as we understood, from an early hour of the
mcrning. A temporary hustings was erected oppo-
site the King's Arms tit/ern. About half-after twelve
o'cla.-k the High Bailiff made his appearance accom-
panied by Lnrd Cochrane, Mr. Wardle, Mr. Sturch,
Mr. Wishart, and other respectable electors. - Their
appearance was saluted by acclamations of applause.
The High Bailiff having announced the object of the
Meeting, which he cbserved he felt it his duty to con
veac compliance :vial the requizition of nearly 2000
E 1•?... tors,

Mr. S r (iron-monger, of Stanhope-street,
Clare-Market,) stood forward and said, that the Re-
quisition which had been just read by the High Bai-
liff, and which had been repeatedly published in most
of the papers, sufficiently expressed the occasion of
the meeting. He was sure there could be but one
t , tart[ vin; been deprived of the services of
one or. their Representatives, a Representative who
had givca so many and such convincing proofs of his
having the happiness of the Country, and the true prin-
ciples of the Constitution at heart, it was fit that his
Electors should diligently inquire into the circumstan-
ces of that extraordinary event, and, having made that
inquiry, that a meeting should be held to consider
whether any, or what measures, should be further
taken by the body of Electors. But however fit, and
even necessary such a meeting might be, and though
a Requisition for that purpose was signed by near
2000 Electors in little more than one day, it was
thought prudent by many of those who signed it,
that it should not be held immediately after the
strange event alluded to, while the minds of all men
were in a ferment, but that time should be given fur
deliberate investigation, and for cairn and dispassion-
ate judgment. He trusted, that on that ground,
they would think it right that the, meeting was not
held sooner. Full time had been given for every
Elector to make up his mind, and he trusted they
were come to that place fully prepared to express their
(pillions upon the whole case. He had now to state
to them, that some of those Gentlemen who had first
signed the Requisition had turned their minds to the
subject, and had thought it right to prepare matter 1
for their consideration, a part of which they had re-
guested him to read ; and he was happy to think that I
the time that had elapsed, had enabled them to con-
sider the whole subject coolly, and to commit their 1
thoughts to paper, in language which appeared to
him, and he trusted wotild appear to the- meeting, to
be correct and unexceptionable. It was unnecessary
fiir him to make many preliminary observations. The
case was well known to them all. They were de-
prived of one of their Representatives; and a more
upright, constitutional, and able representative West-
minster could never boast. He was taken from them
forcibly, by an army, and shut up in a prison during
pleasure. He did not do this with a view to inflame
the public mind, for he was a lover of peace and or-
der. but he stated it because it was a fact. Their re-
presentative was taken from them forcibly by an army,
and conveyed to a prison, there to remain during the
pleasure of :hose who said that he shad offended them.
He (Sir F. • Burdett) alledges, and in this he is slip.

the late
by high legal authority, that he has committed - that we have yet in England a Judge capable of at*.
no crime; that he has had no trial; and that the au- ing from the pure and elevated motives ulliitcyh
and
thority by which he is punished for doing his duty, , fluenced the conduct of Holt, as tenacious as he was
and no _more than his duty, in defending a helpless of the good opinion of his contemporarie
law
s and of poo
individual against an arbitrary stretch of power, toge- terity—and who like him will repel with dignity
.ther with the means by which that authority had been decision those who dare to invade()f the
enforced, were unconstitutional and illegal. He (Mr. country—(loid applagres.)—He would not 'be under.
S.) was persuaded, that if Sir Francis Burdett stood stood as at all disposed to interfere with the just pri.
alone in a righteous cause, his firmness of mind would vileges of the House of Commons ; nor did he thief:
not forsake him, he would be able to bear up against any part of his countrymen would countenance such
the utmost malice of persecution, and to endure to the a disposition, provided those privileges, which this
end. But he was also persuaded that the meeting House possessed for its protection against arbitrary
would agree with him, that when their Worthy Mem- Ministers, were not, in subserviency to the wish of sucti
ber was assailed on all sides by persecution, when he Ministers, perverted into weapons of attack aoliimt tl:e
was furiously attacked by his and their enemies, for people--(4lolauser.) —lf the House of i.:crnnic,;,
no other reason but his steadiness; asserting conatitu. chimed and used these privileges only whizh woe
tional principles, then was the profaer time; then it essential to the legitimate object, and proper cote' ae
was for the honour of this great city; then it became of their deliberations for the public ireietit, ro a -•
' constituents to express their attachment, affection, would be justified in complainimo If to so ....
• and gratitude to him as their faithful representative.. ployed their power only to remove obstreclio..,
[Here there was a short interruption occasioned by ', prevent the interruption of their proceed:a a s :
the dissatisfaction generally expressed at the placing a for instance, they had sent to prison a c,nr.:7y : c::• '
great number of hackney-coaches too near the Hust- : ber (Mr. Fuller) who had lately acted whli ••o oiii o
ings. When order was restored Mr. S. proceeded.] , rudeness and impropriety among them, net a ::::: r,.,.;
—He said, that he should now proceed to read the would have been heard—but they treated v.-i.ll oe.e.•
papers which he held in his hand, but he wished first that which was obviously wrong and utft: i-e, t:i....
to make an observation which occurred to him at the ; they fostened thEir severii2;tyhttii:onabapirii:iiireodivrgiti:luatati:-.
moment, and which he made not because he was ap- • tive discussion. But this w.is 111)t, ail. Mr. ite.:v..:
I prehensive of any wrong disposition in any part of the : published a pamphlet, in which lie stated, that Ice:
' great bode of electors whom he was addressing, but ' Houses of Parliament might ..
because of its general importance, and because of its . jury—that the Constitution in fact ni;glit be subvcr-
particular application to the present moment. He was ' ted, provided the Monarellyeemaincd, and all •,-.-0:1,1
persuaded therefore that when they heard it, instead go on well. For this extraordinary pu:iiica..ien •-e.:.
of being offended by it, they would thank him for it, Reeve was brou:obt belbre that braise ; but he wet. --o--
because they would be sensible that he could only forded the chance of.a fair trial by having his case re-
make it from a good motive: The sentiment which i ferred to the Attorney Ceneral and a July of L's
he wished to impress upon his .own mind and theirs country. This Mr. Reeve was acquitted, and ~..:o
was this, that when the arm of power was exerted with F. Burdett was sent to the Tower without imyasstreiarii
unusual violence and injustice,then was the time above Thus, while the case of a professed foe of the Consti.
all others for them to preserve their temper and to act tution was referred to the law, Sir Francis Burdett
with moderation and discretion ; then was the time was sent to prison against the law, merely for
for them to shew that they were peaceable and loyal ing the best principles of that Constitution. hat lh.,
subjects to the State, and that they had no objects in did not think the committal of Sir F. Burdett arose
view but such as were legal, and constitutional, and out of the publication of .that letter, which formed the.
honourable. The citizens of Westminster, he was con. ostensible ground of complaint. No—it was the con.
fident, would not by any, even the slightest act of in. sequence of the uniform tenor of the worthy Baronet's
discretion or tumult, give occasion to any set of men life—it was a punishment inflicted upon him for his
to accuse them of being disturbers of the public peace, active exertions in favour of liberty—for his iridefati.
and enemies of social order. They would shew to all gable firmness and integrity in the cause of the peopli•
the world by their conduct that they were the friends (4pidaisses). The Lite publication and conduct i•f
of legal authority, and that all that they hoped the worthy Baronet was, in fact, but a plea, or ape,.
or desired was nothing more than what they had al- logy, of which those enemies, whcau his virtue pre-
ways an undoubted right to enjoy, and what he trusted yoked, gladly availed themselves to subject him t•
they would never cease to call for till they obtained persecution (firtiauses). Indeed, the conduct vitae
it, namely, a fair and free representation of the people House of Commons towards this truly exceilex
in Parliament. This object, he trusted, dr:), would character was sufficient, if no other evidence existed,
constantly keep in view, for two reasons ; first, be- to convince - coat y candid man of the tice.:ssitr
cause it was their right ; and, secondly, because it was which called for heform ! But how various and how
their only security that justice would he duly and irn- strong wos the evidence of that necessity NVIIICII had
partially administered to all classes of men, that no 1 occurred of late years in this country. Vl•icn it was
more money would be taken from the people than the recollected that a private individual was cond..inr.ed
just ends of Government required, and that the money i to 18 months imprisonment fin' attemptie cerrtitet:v
so taken would he wisely and economically expetaled. to obtain a Seat in the House of Commons, whiic a
This was the object for which their faithful teprescn- Minister (Lord Costlereagh) was acquitted cf the
tative willingly made such great sacrifices and endured same offence, tinder aggravated c it curnstances, merely
such unmerited persecution, and if they were deter- in consequence of the notoriety of the crime, who could
mined to adhere to this object firmly and steadily, and doubt of the necessity of Reform ? But the reasons
at the same time peaceably and constitutionally, dime were glaring which called ter this Reform. How la-
could be no doubt of their final success. mentable was it, that while the people had so touch
The Worthy Gentleman concluded- with reading : occasion to commtinicate with their Sovereign, they
the following Resolutions, and also announcing his .! were utterly precluded front that communication;
intention to propose a Petition to the Hottse of Lona- : t nit probably his Majesty knew nothing of the last
•
mons and a letter to Sir Franc's Burdett: , 1-, et.t on addressed to him from that Meeting. Thus
was the old and wholesome practice of the Censtitu•
Resolved—That we most highly verove of Sir Fit ANC'S
BURDETT'S Letter to us his Coneituents, the sttl•j:-ct brit.;; or : - • .t . •d . . • I •it,
tom s, asi ~.,a00 ...e pcoole being obliged to commit
the utmost importance, and the argenitut incentrovertible. , ..,
t.., the hands of those very Ministers of whom they
That Sir FRANCIS BUILDS:TT s conduct in calling upon the
Civil Power for the Protection of his House azetinst a Military ! had raason to complein, the Petitions containing tlio-i
Force, was dictated by prudenee, knowledge of and confidence is , complaints, instead pi presenting them to their Sore-
the Laws of his Country. i
• vercion according to ancient custom, they wer2 de-
That the House of Commons be called upon to restore to us P
b all chance of redress. But such orievences
our beloved Representative, and to co-operate immediately with' prived of
him in his endeavours to procure a fair Representation of the Could only be remedied by reform. [4y-rase.]
People in Parliament. ' The Resolutions being r greed to, the tc,llowi:-. let.
That the Petition now read be adopted, that it be 4gned be to- to :,',ir I'rancis Burdett was •ilso reed and roe:!
the High Bailiff and Twentyofive Flectots, a.:d delivered to our . ; .„... , '';
remaining Representative the Right Honotuoble Lord Coe:: it I. N r., - " ; as was the 1 ~..it on to tale fluee of Con.*:.:s,
to be by him presented to the douse of Commons.
That a Letter be L.d..i.resitea to Sir FRANCI3 Ben or rr, ex- I Set —We nominated you to b.: D.:r lleeone; tative e t' nit
pressing our full and entire approbmien of the whole and every you: enowledge, aid we elected p;.l wiftotit your int. roterce.
part of his conduct as a Member of I%llll.imetzt. ! We A7,-1%. con.idere that yeti tvcett perfernt the duties of a Re-
That the Letter now read, he adapted; that it be signed !;y preeoeetive in Parliament with ab:lity and fidelity. lii (very
Electors in the name of this Meeting, and 'that the High Eaitiff reseect you love not only fulfilled, but receetliel our exeietatio::s.
be requested to present the sante to tic FRA acts Du r.DETT. We derive the lamest satisfaction from haviir peieted out to tile
That the Thanks of this hleeting he given to our V.'orthy Nation the way to be fairly represented. lied it leen o.seble,
Representative the Right Honourable Lord Cocnies a F., lot his that our example could have been foliewed Jed a plolo:r Etter:-
support of Sir FRANCIS Eur.DETe, deriog the present arduous oeetation thereby produced, the scenes we leave lately witty :sel
struggle. would not have disgraced our Country.
That the Thanks of this Meeting be given to those Indepen- We understood the nobleness of your mind, awl were confid •nc
dent Members of the House of Commous, who base: supported that you wield not descend to barter your trek fur a place under
the Rights of the People. ; Gavel-rinser% nor be the partisan or leader of those who support
That the l'haaks of this Meeting be given to It a Tilt' a Mo eat:, , or reject measures just as they happen to be proposed on this or
Esq. High Ilailia; for hi; ready compliance with the Requisi-ion , that side of the House.
of the Electors, AIR! fur his able and impartial conduct in the i We feel the indignity that has been offered to you, but we ara
Chair. ! not surprised to End, that when every excuse is nude for publia
Upon moving the first Resolution, I delinquents, that the utmost rigour is exercised against him who
I Mr. Wistimcc orFeted himself to second it. He pleads for the Ancient and Constitutional Rights of the People.
hoped that the importance of the occasion would Ycu nobly stept forward_ in defence of a fellow subject unjusit y
Imprisoned, and you questioned with great ability and knowledge
plead his apology for submitting a few,observations. : Of the laws, the warrant issued upon that occasion; the Hoose of
According to our Constitution, he remarked that the .
King had' his prerogative, the two Houses of Parlia- ' Commons have answered your argument by breaking into your
}louse with a military force, seizing your person, and convey_
• menu their privileges, an the people t leo- ri-ntc
'dl • • • : yo..u.by a large body of troops to the Tower.
' e• " • a our distinction between Privilege and Powtr remaite oral-
; each of which it was the duty of. those who wished ; tere.e; the Privileges et the House of Conite.cms are for L'..e pro-
; to maintain the constitution to uphold. The rights tection, not for the destruction of the People.
of the people had, however, been so grossly violated
t' • t • ,s• t'
by the iat...tc ion which gale ; is... als meeting, • the outrages committed tinder their orders, anti to coil ueon
. 03V.'e have resolved to remonstrate with the House of Commons
them to restore you toyour Stet in Parliament, which do Fe-
! that it became incumbent upon that and every other serf state of the Count ry renders more than ever accswry tor
popular assemblage to leave nn effort untried for the the furtherance of your and our object, a Reform of the Ittpr,-
: attainment of redress. Indeed, he must iced himself ation in that nite-.
quite ignorant of all the principles of the constitu- I sent Fi
„ wuh'ii'ciich its°i' " we camt but ca-
r:tie:7ft Membersnecessary r auret
tion, if it were consistent with those principles to ! tertain the gsreatesli apeprehenosionas fPor ''the rewain.ler o: our lilee-
I have the beloved, the roues[, the intrepid represen- collected together by meet?
ties; and the employment of a military tore,: against (Iry of tior
tative of that meeting forcibly dragged from his °w it body, is but A sad presage of what may be cap ''Od t.y thoseb
home, and committed too prison for vindicating. the
rights of personal freedom, for animadverting, •
in a , ILigh.s of the People.
wl.ua
.like you have the.couroge to stand forward is defence of e
letter to his constituents, upon the imprisonment of hoWietiO-lesnofwsee.c to mitigate the se-t.
an Englishman without trial. This was not, it would rreeet eacntd on
so ilytryr
ceonficien=nets;tat ions to des re) ti.e
be recollected, the first time in which the House of fficers without cause assigned; to restore for the comfort f
i
Commons had manifested a disposition to usurp au. uvearioty of -punishment in the army; w prevent the cashkring
no _
the worn out sold*, the Leslie property conveyed by a job to a
thority, and to rise above the precepts of the 1aw..., ti.i,rnivs,attehieii.obtlidouu4slegrec; cotp:(Pvwehnitchilteisextotesenspiounatoefthi!:
sban,rdiraecrkir6,3l-
- the beginning of the last century, they attempted the citizen ; to prevent the hart:auction of foreign troops;
to interrupt a civil suit instituted against one of their oatue to light an atrocious act of tyranny, bywhichaailli,
ryour
Members, denouncing-all those as.gailty of a breach.. %las kfc to perish on
.a barren reek; and above .
nue (n
of privilege who shoeild presume to promote that suit. of the Peo when render on the fineeess,
le in Parliament ; we
But when their Speaker appeared before Chief Justice usalinrelnitted exertions to obtain a full, fair, and free represe
Holt to assert their illegitimate claim, that venerable : evil report and good report;' we aro eager to e.sprlcvlsoctnewset
arei
Judge told him, that if he had the whole House in his the Unshaken constancy which you have insariebly sheahn "latti.
I.o7lnellpyatirCleSoltf i are net
belly, he would commit Jim to prisesem in five minutes Lgyi-,aarttliditleuwdinand atm/mental- to
at you, witheimen s
if he did not depart from that Court, where it was
his duty to administer justice according tc., law. The public abases. (Signed, &c. &c.)
ir ee
throughout the laudarhwaebhictoaoeinstvaniootf thintierCessitted but
debycocivtinryualiP;e6r]Speaker and his attendants, therefore, intmediately j Upon the motion of Thanks to Lord Coat— .
withdrew. And let us hope, exclaimed Mgr Wishart, being adopted, the Noble Lord stood forwar,i, :Ira

sacs de acclametions with Is hich he was received had The fail was, the country now was without the means
i
~ : the noble Lord addressed the Meeting as of repairing ; that, at this moment, there were not for
0.11,-,J('—' - the repairs of our present shipping six weeks mate-
(.ll,,ws :
,-- or Wettminstcr, I offer myself to your rials in Plymouth Dock ; that near half the artificers
I;i7rtc:s ,
•lii , most important moment, although not j had been discharged; and that we were absolnply
'c
-e •t t a .
sentiment, yet struggling with feel-; without the means of building the one half of a 74
3T"',c "1 -
of -1-) h I find gun ship. The Meeting was aware that these diffi-
••• tae expression t...ic almostmyself i
!:•.'' b' rd. I can, and do most freely sympathize - culties were likely to continue. We were cut off from
o•e'Pc‘r`- reflectingupon the serious subject which' all communication with the Continent, unless by a
-'2l` in
,;, dry convened us tii,et cr. reflecting how contraband trade, at least, all beneficial intercourse
Iti, i'''' power, stretched to its utmost with the Continent was interrupted. Besides, by the
1 iron hand of
bc t:ie - •
• • t e fellow subject Las been dragged from the i last returns made to the House of Commons, it was
t .:: , •
.1"—. ,11 of his family, and subjected to undefined im—l evident that whilst the number of British sailors en-
-1 gaged in foreign trade amounted to 16,000, that of
.
rs'n,nent, in the absence not alone of the substan- 'of that which constitutes a fair trials but • foteigners engaged in the samepursuitexceeded29,ooo.
t3l proce"
Akitliout the ordinary forms of the law of the land. ' The same comparative decrease was observable in our
even - •
t ?ear, Par. i Such a hardship inflicted upon an. y sub- shipping ; the number of British ships engaged thus
, mwt trade: any circumstances be a question for was 2000, while that of foreignei-s amounted to
Jec:' .1
_sowow much more aggravated in its 4000. Itwas true, that this country received naval
serlos alarm,
-K-. much more to be regretted by the materials from Canada and Nova Scotia, but the
ecroequen,, •
f his meat City, when we consider it has been Meeting must see that the continuance of such a sup-
13'4'e '• t . l'em who so deservedlfe stands high in . ply depended upon the precarious tenure of the wis-
• goed ur!on
in.,
_ _rimatien ? Upon that man, of whom it may : dam of our Public Counsellors. The Noble Lord
ot!,
te tru. • spoken, that he dares to be honest in the worst - concluded with expressing his most ardent hopes that
i
of times. (Hear, hear, hear.) I have to hope the friends to that Parliamentary Reform, which must
teat the constitutional protest of the people of this em- be attained at last, and without which there war
agsinst such a stretch of power, will prevent its neither security or hope, would, see the necessity of
Ib)eii.,,, considered as a precedent for future application preserving that order and decorum which would illus.
b.. ~ay succeeding Parliament. I trust it will not be trate the purity of their motives, and give the best re-
tam
edunreasonable in me to advert to a circum- . futation to the calumnies of their enemies. He had
c•ZCe uvre which I was unintentionally misrepre- only to thank them for the grateful manner in which
,
rented It did appear from the report of some obser- they voted him their thanks.
.
yatioiy, of mine upon the letter and arguments of Sir ' The loudest approbation followed this speech, and
Francis Burdett, that I ventured to condemn some of ' cries of Burdett and Cochrane, resounded through
seal as irrelevant and unnecessary, and 1 of course ' the whole assembly.
eras concluded to have reprobated it, so far as such ' Mr. WAItDLE next presented himself to the Meet-
vrms applied to a particular part of those documents. ing, and was received with loud and repeated accla-
vh.a I did say, I now repeat. I did think that some mations. He began by observing, that it was almost
of these expressions would be not 'only inapplicable, 1 unnecessary for him to say, that he agreed in the sen-
'zt ill deserved, if they were directed to the proceed- ! timents expressed by his Noble Friend, and heartily
legs of a House of Commons, which had more con- ! concurred in the truth and propriety of the Resolu-
riled the conscientious discharge of its duties, than tions they had just acceded to. (//jildauva.) He joined
the idle affectation of supporting dignity by the exer. : with them in all their feelings towards their honest
rise or a revere controul against the people. But' and incorrupt Representative, Sir Francis Burdett,
he was it possible, that I could think there existed : and avowed, that he esteemed it the glory of his life
in the present instance the regard which such an as- , to be enabled to call that honourable man his friend.
sernbly should feel for its character ? Was it possible ' (eeiredauser.)—He had read with all the attention that
{sr any unprejudiced man to think thus of that was due to it, the letter addressed by Sir Francis to
House, which upon the decision of the late Inquiry his Constituents, and upon the,maturest deliberation,
etn the Expedition to Walcheren, could bring itself he could look upon it in no other light than that of
0 rote that the policy of such expedition sees pro-' an able and fair discussion upon a great constitutional
ir,r, and that the retention of it after the destruction question ; it appeared to him to be any thing rather
.rt in many thousands of gallant men, was not alone than a libel. In that letter there was one expres-
tielly free from blame, but was actually justifiable? sion that had been much insisted upon in the course
-(llear, h.-ar.) When I reviewed such a decision, of the discussi ens upon it, as most offensive and libel-
;el was engaged in considering its exercise of 1)6- lous—it was that passage in which the Speaker's
rle;;;!. in the present case, did I not think justly, `'Warrant was described as a thing sui pmeris ; now, in
iihol I stated that the House of Commons would best ! order to shrew that this assertion was not altogether so
milt its dignity by conscientiously discharging its tint; Winded as had been pretended, and as nothing had
,I;is to the country, rather than by an attempt to i e- • as yet been said upon that part of the subject, except
:rain by strong acts of assumed privilege the popular : in the Resolutions, he would take the liberty of tres-
farreaication upon its actions? There are privileges : passing upon their attention for a few moments, while
shich that House mat necessarily (eight' to possess, he proceeded to trace the progress of this Warrant
le thefulland free performance of its trust ; eniongst s from the time of its being issued by the Speaker, to
~v.,: the posse: of commitment ought in some teases to i that of its being carried into eff ce--(Heara Hear.)—
';elllowed, hut soch power should of all others be li. :It appeared then that the Speaker, after having
tie:land defined. Ido think it right that that House ; drawn urn his Warrant, pre ented it to the Serjeant,
7...;:,i be vested with an authority of committing for i who proceeded to execute it—but, on his arrival at
eentes affecting its privileges, where such offences are 1 the house of Sir Francis, he stumbles upon the un-
raponlshable by the law of the land. But i.shere the I foreseen obstacle of a closed hall door—(a laugh)-
1-o.,:aa ;Ike cognizance of such offences, I do hold it I how was this formidable barrier to be disposed of ?
ascr.co;:stituticnal that tile trial and punishment of The Serjeant looked at his Warrant and then at the
errs should be taken from those courts of competent I door, and could make nothing of either—he found
ivrihlieticar, where the process is calculated to correct himself at a loss, neither more nor less than what
p:i.t and to protect innocence (Ip•ar, h,ar,) by the mere they called puzzicd—and," as in such cases sage ad-
'retch of arbitrary power. I hold it that it is impossi- I vice is desirable, he turns away from the. hall-door,
blei,t any tribirml to decide justly upon the presumed i and proceeds to consult the Speaker—and what does
e:rseality of the accused, where the party who ac-! the Speaker ? Why, he refers to the warrant ; and, af-
ese, has a rower to pronounce judgment, wirer, there I ter due delibzration, finds himself just as much puzzled
;< re oath administered either to the court or witnesses, !as the Serjeant had been !—(a laugh)—but there
aelwhere to tire individual arraigned, the power and I was to be another puzzle—the Speaker having ad-
wortcnityof being heard in his defence is denied (laud 1 vised the Serjeant to consult the Magistrates, away
tort ql 1-I,wr, hear.) Such a stretch of power wa, not Igoe; the Serjeant to the Bow-street Officers, but they
(cly in defiance of the positive enactments of our/ I:nler-stood too well the nature of a legal warrant to
law, but was hostile to those fundemental principles I e able to make any thing of an instrument with
vlrich are the basis of all contracts by which commu- we'd' they were so wholly unacquainted (apidauses),
nizies are bound. But in the present case there was a I and so the Bow-street Officers being as much puzzled,
rest unconstitutional agrjavation. I allude to the las either the Serjeant or the Speaker himself, refused
tilling out a military force to support the Serjeant at ! to give any advice at all upon the subject (a laugh) ;
Arms in break:llg into the house of Sir Francis Bur- I they understood the laws of the land, but they did
deft. Why were the military so unnecessarily pa- ! not pretend to the knowledge of a Speaker's warrant.
rade ! through the streets ? Why was the house of 1 But there was to be yet anether /meek (a laugh), and
re Honourable Colleague so beset ? It could be for lit was fated that this all potent and undisputed inven-
an other purpose, but intimidation. As for any vio- 1 meat of power, that had puzzled the Serjeant, the
lencedratcouldjustify such a pro( esding, I, having been) Speaker, and the Bow-street Megistrates, was to
411 eye witness, can positively state there was not any i puzzle no less than a Cabinet Council.--(Laughter.)
improper conduct, more than must he expected from The Serjeant in Iris distress turns from Bow-street to
a dowel of people upon any ordinary occasion (hear, the grave collected wisdom of the Government, where
es.) But I most particularly object to the manner 1 all the first men of the state, the learned, the mighty
in which that warrant was executed. Such execution in i and the wise, were assembled together in Council,
rnybelief was a violatioe of the rights of the individual, ! the Lord High Chancellor himself, and to crown all,
and of the dignity of the House of Commons. It forced : the unheard-of talents of the advise man of the East.—
the house of the Hon. Baronet in a manner the most i (Bursts of laughter, with cries of {6 we know him
eeraordinary, and called to the exercise of its own I well.") With all this accession of wisdom, what did
authority the assistance of a military force. It had 1 this great Council of State in order to solve the jue-
beenstated by the systematic opposers of Ministers in 1 zle ? Why, they resolved upon calling in the At-
Parliament, that they were culpable in not calling in torney General to help them.—(Laugher.)—As soon
.1 ..
We iii nary force for the execution of that warrant at a . as the Cabinet Council had resolved themselves puz- •
In,ich earlier period. That remissness constitutes in ' zled, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, himself a
111 Y Opinion, as far as it goes, the claim of Ministers lawyer, advises the Serjeant to ask advice of the
in our thanks. Be it then their praise, that for tWO Attorney General—just as all the others had, after
days they respected the constitutional rights of the grave deliberations, advised him to take advice
People, while it must be in the recollection of the of somebody else—( Laughter). Well then, the
"nttY for ever, that their opposers, the champions unfortunate paper, after travelling so far to no pur-
of public freedom, would not, if they had power, re- pose, now that it was before tire Attorney General,
Netted them even for an hour--(Hear, hear, hear.) might be drought to be in sight of land (laughter)—
The condemnation of Ministers upon this point is, accordingly the Attorney General bears down upon
that they had not persevered in their original resolo- 1 it with the whole weight cf his legal knowledge, and
t'oni that upon the third day they resorted to that, after studying and deliberating, and revolving, this
which was moat truly illegal. After some other ob- ' great Law Officer gives it as his opinion and advice,
smatioos upon the dot which the people owed them- I that the Serjeant should—lay a state of the case be-
'Oyes, the Noble Lord proceeded to state the peculiar • fore him, the Attorney General. (Laughter.) So
':dte of danger to refuels the country, by the progress much for this plain and explicit piece of paper, so par-
of the undue and unconstitutional system, was so likely amount, intelligible, and indisputable, though it puz-
to be reduced. It had to struggle with a system of zled the Serjeant who was to execute It, the Speaker,
tl'ation, which, in its pressure, weighed down upon who issued it, the Civil authority that was to enforce
t"c very necessary wants of the people—a taxation it, the Privy Council that sanctioned it, and the At-
"lied to this almost insupportable extreme, by the torney General that was to explain it. (40/asues.)
continuance of an unnecessary War Expenditure.— But after puzzling so many there remained one party
Such taxation must have its limits, and the mis- yet to be
puzzled, and that was, a British Jury.—
h stunt was, that the securit of the country, in i(H Here Mr. Wardle was interrupted by the repeated ae-
place of being advanced, was yrendered_ much more 1 clatnations of the Ekctors.) It perhaps remained for a
Ir"rieas, notwithstandin all the public'exactions. I 1 British Jury to shew, if not, what it was, for that
my conscience (said theg Noble Lord) believe that i might be impossible, what it was not. (Applauses.)
',i :v
I\'i s "sn
c"ity cannot rely for its security upon the j And yet though it had puzzled the knov ledge and
Y, fr,im the circumstances in which that branch • the wisdom of the State, it was a libel to call it se a
f.: (~11- In the name of common sense;
: defence is now from many causes placed.— thing sal :meth."

what was it ? He would not quarrel about words.
but was it, or was it not, a thing that no body could'
understand ? (Loudamr/aures.) If it was usage, why
had k been stated upon all hands that there was no
precedent for breaking open outer doors to enforce
it ? And if it was law, why were all the great lawyers
at such a stand ? Why should it prove such a stum-
bling block to a Government of lawyers ?
He would now beg leave to trouble them with one
or two observations on a case not yet adverted to—
When the case of Mr. Gale Jones was firsthefore the THE DEATH OF POOR JEFFERY.
House of Commons, how high and pompous was the " Plymouth, Apri 16.
language of certain Gentlemen upon the privileges of gi Friday last two smugglers, who had been some
Parliament —privilege, and nothing but privilege, time in the American merchant service, arrived at
great because undefined, its obscurity was pleaded as Fowey, with a letter to the mother of the unfortu.
,proof of its authority. The House was the Judge of nate JEFFERY, from the American Captain with
its own privileges, and no other power whatever had
a right to judge, to illustrate, or to circumscribe them whom they had sailed, stating, that he took the un-
[—the House alone could best know and decide upon happy man off the island.of Sombrero, atter he had
their own privileges. But how was this high tone been on it a fortnight without sustenance ; that he
lowered in the subsequent case of Sir Francis Burdett ? load eaten the flesh off his arms, arid di :A in two
Then those mighty privileges, of which the House •
hours after having been taken on hoard, though every
alone could judge, shifted their ground, and instead
of resting upon the undefined discretion of the House attention was paid him. Neowiti7staiOng his m-
itself, a question said to involve them all, is anxiously serable situation, he was perfectly sensible. The
ref.-reed to the decision of the Bow-street Magistrates. Captain has expressed his willingness to come ferwaitl
—(Laughter and applausa.) —Without saying more with his testimony on oath. I shall forbear entermg
upon the subject of that paper, he would take that more fully into this business till I have made a
opportunity of avowing to his fellow-citizens present,
that he had from the first affirmed in his place in the thorough inquiry, and for that purpose have snit down
House of Commons, that that House had no right to Fowey. In the mean time, give me leave to sav
to commit in cases of libel. It had no right to that I conceive the statement ruts on a good fonnda-
obtrude with its privilege to provide a remedy where
lien."
the law of the land had provided one already.—
We arc authorised to add, that the Gen:km:in who
(Hear.)—What was the language of Littleton ? I-Ie
meant the great Littleton. (4 /auk's). Lord Little- sent us the above information has desired us not to
ton had laid it down, that the dominion of law was; the withholl his name, from those whose duty it may be
dominion of liberty—but the dominion of privilege,in- to investigate this atrocious transaction.
definite in its meaning, azd arbitrary in its exercise, i
was the worst of tyrannies, in whatever hands it might
be placed,was thatwltich mightaffect in its consequen-
ces their liberties, co be put out of discussion because it
was not to be understood. Were the liberties of Eng-
lishmen to depend upon a mystt y, or to fluctuate be-
tween the various interpretations the invaders of those
liberties thought proper to put upon that mystery ?
But he must say one word more upon the conduct
of one of the two parties that divide that House
—When the house of their Representative was broken
open, and lie torn by a military. force from the
bosom of his family and conveyed to the Tower,
and when he, in a subsequent letter to the Speak-
er, firmly adhered tc) the declaration of those opi-
nions he had all along professed, then came forth
:bat party, wheth:r better known by the name of
The Whigs, The Talents, or The Outr--(laughter)—
they would call them which they pleased—but in that
moment d:d those staunch Whigs come forward and
pronounce that to be the time for rallying round the
Government—that Government which had fur so
!long a time, and so recently those very men had been
loading with keen and ceaseless vituperation; that
Government which they had denounced as incapable
And incorrupt ; as divided among themselves anti dis-
trusted by the country; as the authors of the Scheldt)
Expedition—of all our disasters and disgraces—that
very Government the same Whigs rally round when
they go out at the head of an army against ;
in their gratitude for this one act was forgotten all
the crimes of that Administration—the Copenhagen
robbery ; th 2 Scheldt Expedition ; all, all were for-
gone t in their common triumph over the man who
had the firmness to withstand the torrent of their joint
corruption (applause) ; of him he should only say, that
with such an honest advocate, in such an honest
cause, it would be criminal in them to despair of ul-
timate success. Sir Francis Burdett, in the discharge
of his public duty, had displayed a calm fortitude,
and unaffected integrity, that his enemies might envy,
but must admire (applause:). He liatlxroved how
formidable one honest man might be to a host of
place hunters, therefore did they unite in persecuting
the object of their common dread ; they acted for
themselves and their respective parties, and their ob-
ject was place and profit ; Sir Francis acted for the
people, and his object was their fair, uncerrupt, and'
adequate tepresentation in the Commons House of
Parliament (applanscs). When he considered the in-
herent weakiiess‘f corruption, and the progressive
strength of good efforts in the prosecution of a good
object, he could not hesitate to think final success
as certain—the game was in their men hands, and
they had only to pursue it with patience, firm.
tiess' and perseverance ; the false triumph of unre-
strained power might instruct, but ought not to it-1
rotate them (applause:); they would learn from it to de-
-1 spise the impotenceof outrage, and would be prepared
to answer with that temper of moderation that became
a cause in itself too strong to need the aid of violence.
(ifsidasser.) Let then their enemies enjoy their tri-
umph; they had dragged their honest Representative
from the sanctuary of his own house, and in doing so,
11 they flattered themselves that they had dragged him
from the hearts of his Constituents, ( fo,u,/ cries of
no ! sr.! never! never!) Such was their expectations,
but how miserably had they been disappointed (kui
plaudits) ; it was not in the limits of the vaunted pri-
vilege of that House to erase from their hearts the
memory of their Representative's services. He con-
chided with exhorting the Electors to avoid every
thing that could afford a handle to their enemies to
calumniate their constitutional efforts in favour of Re-
form as tumultuous and disorderly. (App.'ausa.)
The High Bailiff then retired, when Messrs. Power, Jennings,
&c. were called on by the Electors • the latter Gentleman Wilt
forward,
forward, and in a short address, eulogised the conduct and prin-
ciples of Sir Francis Burdett, and bore testimony to the peaceable
dispusition of the ltlectors of Westminster, who had carried on a
popular election without the slightest breach of the peace, in
which they had given an earnest of their future firmness, good
sense, and moderation. The Meeting then peaceably dispersed.

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18.
PRICE OF S'T'OCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCt.
per C. Cons. money, 6011—ase. 70 to 701.
Reilueed 61111-4 per Cent. 93.1 5 per Cent. Navy 9911.
Exchequer Bills 9s. 1 is. prem.—Bonds 15s. 16s. prem.

Yesterday we laid before our Readers letters from
Gibraltar to the 25tkult. By a typographical error
Major-General FRAZER and the 4th Regiment were
stated to have embarked on the 22d ult. to reinforce
the garrison of Cadiz—lt should have been "to rein-
force the garrison of Ceuta." On the 24th accounts
were received at Gibraltar, as stated yesterday in the
STAR, that Ceuta was occupied by the British troops
on the 23d.—The public may depend on this state-
ment being correct. A letter of the 28th ult. from
the same place says :-.-.46 An esptess arrived here this
afternoon with the very welcome intelligence that the
Marquis de la ROMANA, with the army under his
command, has fought a hard contested battle with
the French near Seville, in which it is stated that he
took 15,000 prisoners, and left on the field 8,000 of
the enemy killed or wounded."
This day three Gottenburgh Mails arrived, but
they bring no news.
1 We have received Cadiz Papers to the Ist instant,
but they are not of a very interesting nature.
We have also received lioniteure and other Paris
Papers to the Bth instant ; but their cu.-.tents are un-
important. NAPOLEON and his new Bride set out
from St. Cloud on the sth for Compeigne The idea
that this marriage will produce a peace with Eng-
land appears to be prevalent on the Continent, and it
is even reported, that an Austrian Envoy is on his way
to this country. We know not what degree of credit
to attach to this report, but we believe we may ven-
ture to state, that no intimation to this effect has yet
I been received by the British Government.

The Tuvalu schooner, of eight guns, captured on the Sth of
February the Dutch ship Havie, of lo guns and 52 men, with
a valuable cargo from Batavia for New York, and carried her
into Bermuda, after an action of four hours and a half, in wilich
the Havie had one man killed (and the Dutch Admiral &MHZ,
a passenger) and seven men wounded.—The Trtirrix had one
man killed, and Lieutemna PROCTOR and six men wounded.

•
REGIMENTAL ORDERS.
The following letter has been received from the Se-
cretary of State by the Commanding Officer :
" (CIRCULAR.)
" Sia, Whitehall, April 12.
" Having every reason to believe that the Metropolis is in a
great measure restored to its usual state of order and tranquillity,
I lose no time in acquainting you, that the circumstanees which
lately induced his Majesty to call for the assistance of the Corps
under your command, towards the preservation of the peace, no
no longer wake it accessary that they should remain assembled.
" k affords me the greatest satisfaction, to communicate to
you, at the same time, the high sense entertained by his Majes. y
of the zeal and public spirit by which the Members of your Corps
have beeen actuated on skis important occasion, and the confident
persuasion which is felt by his Majesty, that the same degree of
alacrity will prevail among them, shoOd circumstances make it
necessary to cell again far their ezertions.—l have the honour to
be, Sir, your arose obedietil humble servant, R. RYDE.R."

J
i