The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-10-26 00:00:00

SIR RODERP WILSON.

A public meetiug was held yesterday at the City of
London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, •• to take iutc con-
sideration the conduct of his Majesty's Ministers to-,
wards Sir Robert Wilson, and the propriety of promoting
a subscription, already opened, to indemnify him, and so
place that gallant individual above the reach of Minis-
&dal- malice and vengeance."
At one o'clock the Marquess of Taviatock, the lien.
H. G. Bennett, M. P. ; J. O. Lantltton. Esq. M. J
Mute,
„.F.Aq._k_P.iar.l.l.nshin_ P • ►e

:Mr. A. Roberts, M. P.; General Long, Mr:
Monek, (Reading), Air. 51artinean, Mr. Pavel!, Mr.
Weatherstone, and Mr. Itowcroft, appeared in the
spaces allotted to those Gentlemen, wbo meant to take
an active part in the proceedings of the day. At this
time the body of the room was crowded to excess. Had
it been three times as extensive, it would still havebeen,
crowded; hundreds having retired from the house who
had in vain endeavoured to obtain admission to the im-
mediate scene of action. The meeting was personally
as respectable, as it was numerically extensive.
Mr. FAVELL.—I beg leave to move that Mr. Lambton
be requested to take the chair.
The motion was carried by acclamation; and
Mr. LAMISTON immediately proceeded to address the
assembly. He said he had felt it to be a most sacred and
imperious duty to obey the invitation forteertled to him
by the Southwirk Conlinhtee, to attend the meeting
Which was this day held in the City of London; and he
could assure those whom he bail time honour of address-
ing, that no circumstances of personal inconvenience
should ever weigh wills him, when he was called on to
lend his aid in supporting the cause of justice, or in
upholding the interests of so enlightened a body as the
inhabitants of this great metropolis. Before he entered
more immediately into the business of the day, he wished
to account, in a few words, for the part he had taken in
the subscription recently set on foot. lie had taken the
course with which they were all acquainted, not from a
wish that his name AOO4l be known to the people of
England in a plain and open way ; but because he was
a near and intimate friend of Sir Robert Wilsen, he was
desirous that the subscription should originate with that'
gentleman's constituents. While he was most anxious
to stand' forward to state his sentiments and feelings
with respect to the atrocious transaction which occa-
sioned the present meeting, be was sensible that he bad
no right to call on the people of England to follow
him. He felt that he bad no right to sesame to himself
the honour of moving first OD an occasion so important
and so interesting. Impelled by these feelings, and by
these alone, he acted as be hod dohs; and on this ac-
count be felt more strongly that it was his duty to
attend the meeting this day, in order to explain to his
countrymen the motives that had influenced his conduct.
—(Applanse.)—He hoped that be should be allowed to
say that this was not the cause of an indieidual.—(Ap-
planse.)—No ; it was not the cause of Sir Robert Wilson,,
it was an important national cause.—(Applause.)--For•
if this precedent were not resisted—if it were allowed
that a soldiery should we set on foot to overawe the people
—if the soldiery were to act blindly and implicitly, et the
nod and beck of the Crown—then would he say, lbws
was an end, an utter extinction of the liberties of the pw•
ple. If no other qualification were necessary for bolding
rank in that army, which was once composed, and be
hoped was still composed, of gentlemen, but an unlimit-
ed obedience to the Ministers of the Crown—Volker'
were to forego their constitutional feelings—then this
was no longer the boasted land of liberty and of law.—
(Applause.)--But be trusted that, even amongst the
most bigotted and determined Tories, such a doctrine
would not be established. He hoped there were amongst
them those wbo would not allow their sons to weir the
avowed badge of despotism—to wear that livery which,
if lb. system were suffered to exist, must be considered
as a proof that they were in the service of Insisters ra-
ther than of their country.--{Applause.)—lle bad been
at some pains to discover what the grounds were on
, which Ministers bad acted in this transaction. They
had given to the public no reason for their coodu4.—
~ (A gentleman exclaimed 4‘ They cannot give a reason.P
He (Mr. Lawsbton) was aware, as had been said by
' *his lion. Friend in the centre of the room, that they
could not adduce any reason: and he pledged his eke-
' raster, knowing as be did every act of Sir R. Wilson,.
'and, be believed, his every thought, no the day wiles, his
lestoduct gave such mortal offence to Ministers. that the
•retiorte circulated against bins were false and noTowt.leil
,calunsuies.—(('beasts.)—He pledged Isis honour, that on