Star.
London, England, 1821-05-24 00:00:00

PURITY OF ELECTION.

Yesterday the Fourteenth Anniversary Dinner of
the Electors of Westminster took place at the Crown
and Anchor Tavern, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT in the
Chair. The Hon. Baronet was supported on his
right by Mr. HOBHOUSE and Mr. Alderman WOOD,
and on his left by Mr. WHITBREAD and the /lon.
DOUGLAS KINNA I RD.
Dinner was announced for five o'clock. At that
hour upwards of four hundred individuals had taken
their seats at the different tables. As soon as the
cloth was removed, the first toast given from the
Chair was--

" The People—the only source of Le;itimate Power."
This was followed by—
" The King—and may he never forget his own declaration,
that the Crown is held in trust for the benefit of the People."—
I Air, " Hope told a flattering tale."
The next toast was "The Queen ;" and it is impose
Bible to convey an adequate idea of the enthusiasm
with which it was received. The shouts of applause
continued for several moments. Air, " Rule Britan-
nia." This toast was succeeded by—
" The only cure for all our grievances—a thorough Reform
in the Commons House of Parliament."—lt was drank with
three times three, amidst repeated cheers. Air, " Kick the
rogues out."

Mr. Hume and Mr. P. 0011 E now entered the
room, and were gleeted by the company in the
warmest manner.

Mr. Alder man Woon then rose and said, that a
duty devolved* upon him which he felt himself en-
tirely unable to discharge. He was, however, in a
great degree, relieved from his embarrassment by
the conviction that the company were too well ac-
quainted with the great worth of their excellent Re-
pre,entative, Sir Francis Burdett, to require anything
to be said in favour of that distinguished patriot—
( Loud applause).—The Hon. Baronet was the firm
and undeviating assertor of the People's rights, under
all circumstances. Few had suffered more in the
cause of liberty, apd none complained less of his suf-
fering in that cause than their belo►ed Representative
—(Grentapplause).—lt appeared that he never con-
sidered his own comforts, when the interests of the
People were concerned. The Hon. Alderman then
proposed—
" The constant opposer of tyranny and corruption, the steady
advocate of Constitutional rights, undaunted by persecution, and
unsullied by corruption—Sir Francis Burdett."
As soon as the enthusiastic cheers of the company
had allowed him to proceed,
Sir FRANCIS Bvarierr.observed, that he could not
but feel highly gratified :in I flattered by the manner
in which his health had been received by so nume-
rous and respectable a meeting of the Electors of
Westminster as he now saw present. Indeed he felt
particularly so, after the long intimacy which had
subsisted between him and his constituents—an inti-
macy which he hoped neither party had any occasion
to regret—(Applause)..---It had continued too long fur
deceit on the one hand, or dupery on the other. Of
his conduct they were best able to judge; and he
might appeal to them with more confidence than to
any other body of men with whom he was acquainted.
He would further add, that to no body of men did
he hold himself so much responsible for his acts as
to the Electors of Westminster. The Hon. Alderman
who had proposed his health was pleased to speak of
him in very lfandsome terms ; yet he must observe,
that the privations and sufferings alluded to by his
Hon. Friend were more than repaid by the good-will
of his countrymen. When his Hon. Friend said that
he (Sir F. Burdett) had suffered in support of the
constitutional rights of the People, he formed too
high an estimate of the humble services which he
(Sir F. Burdett) had been able to render, as the ad-
vocate of freedom. When he (Sir Francis Burdett)
turned his eyes to others who were suffering under
what was termed, in the technical designation, the
law, for offences unknown to the Constitution, and
not considered as such by any Government since the
expulsion of the Stuarts, he could not help regard-
ing his own privations as a mere nothing (Applause).
The great object of the Electors of Westminster was
to obtain a fair Representation of the People in Par-
' liament; and it was truly gratifying to him, to see
that they went oh steadily' in pursuit of it. There
had been no falling off since the time they first took
up the question with so much earnestness ; and al-
though they had been so long working in an unpro-
fitable vineyard, he hoped, that while the minds of
the People became every day more enlightened, they
would more clearly perceive, that without Reform
neither their lives nor properties could be deemed'
secure—(Loud applause).—lt was a pleasing reflec-
tion that those who had been the most strenuous op-
ponents of Reform, were now convinced, by the fatal
effects of the policy they had adopted, that Reform
was necessary—(Cheers).—He trusted that by a close
union among the great body of Reformers, some-
thing might be done; and he felt great encourage-
4nent to go on in the course which the Electors of
Westminster had so long and so consistently pur-
sued. During his absence from the House of Coin-
mons, the question of Reform had been taken up by
a Gentleman every way qualified to do it justice;
though the manner in which it went off afforded but
little satisfaction to the Public ; yet he was convinced
that it lost nothing in the hands of the Gentleman to
whom be alluded. He would not impute to any
party the intention of getting rid of so important a
question in the manner it had been disposed of; but
if any unworthy artifice had been intended, there
were many persons who would not have countenaaced
it; for he knew that no inconsiderable number or
Members stood prepared to support the motion. In
looking at the situation of affairs at present, he saw
,nothing consolatory, foi fresh encroachments were
ruisdo ',MI day on the liberties of England. Nothing

• -v., •
•
•••
•
• - .1•4••••,,,
. •
-•• • • •.. ,
• •
• •