The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-11-10 00:00:00

LORD MAYOR'S DAY.
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Although the Civic Pageantry of this anpual
ceremony hat long been a standing jest westward
of Trashle.bar, and is now, perhaps, viewed even
by 66 'The Merchants and Rankers" with super-
cilious contempt, we canuot but lament the gra.
dual decline of the splendour svith which it was
wont to be celebrated.
We live in an age when politicians are inces.
:antis, bawling against innovation—Even the sub.
stitntion of votitive good, for acknowledged Evil,
is daily resisted an the ground of the danger-
rons tendency of innovation. The abolition of
the ridiculous fiction of John Doe and Richard
Roe, among the thousands of absurdities with
which the practical forges of our Law abound,
would, probably) be strenuously resist 241 upon the
same principle.. But whilst we thus resist Reform
in almost every shape, there never was a period in
the histwy of any nation, in which the general
state of Society was more rapidly changing. Thu
customs of our ancestors, are daily wearing down,
and the extraordinary facility ofeeoutiounication,
between the Metropolis and the most remote cur.
nor of the kingdom, must, in a very few years,
produce a general similitude of manners, by which
we shall at last, be reduced to that monotonous
uniformity of character so happily illustrated by
STlttifli, in the comparison of shillings rubbed ;
bright by constant attrisiou—all polish, without a
trace of disetimiaating marks of character. The
',thin the recollestieta of • greet I
majority of onr Readers, when the annual so.
lenenily of " Lord' Mayor's. Da2r was looked
forward to by the citizens of this mighty metro.
polls, with anxiety proportioned to the import-
*nee which it at that time possessed. The Livery
and the City Companies were then wont to assem-
ble in full numbers anti. splendour. The ancient
ceremonies woke rigidlynmintained, and it is im-
possible to hesitate in believing that the actual im.
portance of the office of Chief Mllstrate was in-
creased, in so far u the impression meek. upon the
minds of the inferior classes of the clilzva., by the
stately pump and ceremony which accompanied his
official investiture with that dignity.
In those days, the windows of the honstss before
which the procession missed, were crowded with
individuals, who testified their respect, by appear-
ing in full &els. It was a day of s&enlis ceremony,
succeeded by festivity, and had ce:taiuly, as.
we have already observed, an important effect.—
It is now rapidly degenerating, pari /mutt—with
our new-tingled system, into the careless uncere.
monicotiness.of modern manners. The windows
are still crowded with " 1)11, we ee
longer see in the dresses of the Ladies that re.'
spectral attention whlel formerly was deemed. es-
sential. The Morning Oress...the spencer and pe-
lisse..-arc now thought amply sufficient for the
vulgar sight.
'rho cavalcade of yesterday differed in no re- 1
spect from that which has of late years been pre.
settled to the eyes of the admiring crowd ; but I
the procession, comparing it wi!li these of former
days, was really contemptible. The " Mao iu
Arthour" preceded the state-carriage ; but the
ordk of the procession was sv imperfectly pre-
; served, as to destroy eren the illusion of memo-
, nious dignity.
The late LORD Ma von expressed considerable .
indignation in proem:dm; to Biacl;friars at dome I
persons who hissed ; end one rating man, by his
directions on the spot, was taken into
custody. His _Lordship's carriage was strongly
guarded by a corps of Constable:, another of
Firemen, and a third of Jews, who completely
environed ors Lordship's vehicle b' deep. An a,vo-
ciatinn of ideas, by no means unnatural at the
preseut juncture, produced an universal exclama
from the crowd of " Kemble's mob, Kemetic's
hired mob," which detectable soiled accompanied
the indignant Chibf Magistrate until the state.
barge conveyed biat heytiod the reach of these in.
harmonitius sounds. On re-landing at Black.
friars, the nets Lord Mayor was hailed by the'
joyful .11eClaseallons of the multitude, and on ap-
proaching Lilgatt-hill, the hezzas and expres-
sions of approbatiOn were very loudly ex-
pressed ; but the sounds with which the pre.
.sent Chief Magistrate was gratulateil, gra.
dually died away, on the approach of the " new
Baronet," and wr.-e succeeded by " :Mutation,"
most powerful. To the hisses of the populace
' were added some coarse expressions of disapproba.
lion. "No Court Pimp for the City".--" No
bacon-selling Baronet," with numberiess other
allusions, equally humouroar anti applicubk, re.
sounded from all quarters. But the Baronet did nut
appear to participate inithe humour of his fellow.
citizens. The disapprobatiou was so general, when
his ci-decant Lordship was turning the corner, at
' the bottom of Ltidgate-hill, that lie looked round
with astonishmeist, mingled with indignatio.t.
44 What mean thstse civic cars by hissing a man
46 'who has done se Much for his COI ntry."--anti
so little for himself." " What ahnegh I did
• refuse to call a Common Hall to thank Colonel
64 Wardle, ha; not my cold hot roast beef soft. I
C 4 eucil those stony-hearted Citizens. Did I aot ilia.
66 ablate in defiance of the Resolution of dal Comrt j
.‘ over which I presided...and though best, not!
66 least, have I scrupled to exhibit my august per.
• son at midnight in the street, roaring out God!
" save Me King for their amusement. True it is,
64 bacon I sell, and a Baronet I am, lint migrate.
44 ful as ye are, my services are forgutte9."—
Such we conceive to have been the worthy Baro-
net's soliloquy) which, when he had concluded,
we will presume him to have turned the corner—
but the more trying and 101)g-established corner
of public opinion, that of Kiog-street, was yet..l
to turn. Before the arrival of the proces-1

sion at that dreaded point, a number of ear.
lieges, containing the ievited guests,' had
fallen into the rank. The reception of
Colonel WAnate shewed the interest the Citizens.
took id behalf of that manly end independent
character ; and the disclo‘nre of the,:facts con.
teiaed in the affidavits which had been 'read in the
morning in the Court of King'. Bench, in esp.
port of the motion for a new trial, in the case of
W*t.ii, the ephoistoror:...seetristi to have been-
cow, weaned to the tetiltitude witb the vciecity
*. • d
.ue • si