The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-09-26 00:00:00

Ared.., YANR Y died ea' the Scaffold!"

the arrival of Sir Francis Burdett and Mr. Brougham,
%dowers expected to take the oaths also as burgesses ;
bat 'aeither had artived at five o'clock, and the Common
Rail was diasoln4L

THE DINNER.
At half past five o'clock, hard Itamciarre entered the
&change Rooms, and took his seat as Chairman, at the
bead of tbe'prineipal table. On his lordship's right hand
sat the members for Nottingbatn, Messrs. Denman and
Birch. Oa his left, were Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. who
did not eater the room until dinner was nearly ever; Sir
Robert Herne, Bart. M 4 P.; Mr. Alderman Waithman;
Colonel Johoson. M. P.; Col. Wildman, of Newsteari Ab-
rist;l'. Birch, jan.; th Messrs. Strut's, of Derby; Mr.
(Cbairmao oldie Essex Quarter Sessions) the
timenbors elate Corporation ; and upwards of 400 respect-
Ale inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood occupied
the other tables.
As soon as the cloth was removed, the Chairman (Lord
Raoctarte) gave the health of the King, and the band
struck ap the royal aothem ; then followed the healths of
the fiord Fondly.
Th4uatamas.—We must drink the following toast with
three ftes three. " The People." (Three cheers.)
lberitumeWass thee said; that it was his duty to pro-
pose a Meet; which-came well after tbal they Bad jtuitgives
cappany wouhrontitipate, is doubt, fhat.he was
aboot te'propose thin healtbs of their worthy representa-
tives, Messrs. Birch and Denman, (Applause.) Ile ex-
pressed the highest' satisfactior at having the honour of
proposing such a toast. He had once had the honour of
bein their representative, bet circumstances had compell-
ed him to relinquish that station. Never had he felt greater
pleasure, than that which his situation now afforded him
of proposiog the healths of men who, as their representatives,
were engaged in parehing the same' public course which
he, if in Parliament, would also have endeavoured to put.
sue. Lois tr might their exertions tend to promote and
adore the taterists of the people oY Nottingham, and of the
country at large. (Applause.) If ever they, failed in pay-
tog to each characters a just tribute to their merit, he
should have to say that they would incur the censure of a
late Noble Lord who had used the singular expression of
their " turning their backs upon themselves." (La.igh-
ter.)
Mr. BIRCH Said, that as senior member, be understood
the task devolved npon him of ackno.vledging, in the first
instance, the toast which they had just drank. As lie would
be followed by Well of transcendent talents. he should not
presume upon the patience af,the company.by detaining them
long while he delivered his sentiments. lie felt that he was
addressing constituents who weuldinterpret with candour
and indulgence his observations: lie spoke with the expe-
rience of enjoying that indulgence upon many former occa.
sloes. He was upheld by the gratification of seeing old
Atoos aroood him—men of 20 years' arqusiotance. with
whom he had the satisfaction of enjoying a lung friend-
'hip, and reciprocity of pursuits. Ile bad first been recom-
mended to diem ass friend of civil and. religious liberty,
sod it was for them to say, whrti.er by his parliamentary
conduct lie had since redeemed that pledge.—(Cries of
" You hare.") He knew that the early reconnuendaioe
he had received, and which lie hoped lie had sustained, had
secured for him the support of a large class of enlightened
men. As a merchant (and he was proud of the appellation),
he had always watched their interests, and endeavoured to
analetaiss, roan, hailepaedant charaster: He . had now the
pleasing task of congratulating them upon the, amended
policy which had sirleeu since be first knew them, and on
the ancestors of their better policy, which bad embodied
among the members of their corporation distinguished non.
residents. Had they had such aid in 1803, the bill which
went to degrade their innoieipsi privileges, by extending
them to the county, would no have been thought of. The
lion. Member concluded by paying a high compliment to
the integrity and independence of their worthy Chairman,
Lord Ra.ncliffe.

Mr. DINNAN rose amid considerable applause. He said
he was happy to give precedence to " so potent, grave,
and reverend a eeignor" as his worthy colleague. and
trusted that be should' long have to enjoy a similar gratifi-
cation. for he was perfectly convinced that his honourable
friend had always acted a manly, honourable, and consistent
part to his constituents. (flear,hear ) He ventured to think,
that it was the conduct of the inhabitants of Nottingham,
in 11302, at the first election of his honourable friend,
which had lit the torch of liberty that had since
blazed in so manyother parts of the United Kingdom. And
it was due to the citizens of Nottingham to say, that in no
small degree was attributable to their early efforts, the sub-
sequent progress which the great question of independence
bad acquired among the public bodies of the country. They
had since that period achieved another great public ser-
vice, by rescuing half of the representation of their country
from the state of neutrality into which it had so supinely
fallen. He .wodld not disguise that, even io their last
straggle, they had performed a public service—a service
which those who on that occasion contended with them,
and who charged them with intending to make their re-
presentation a close borough, would have spared, had
they (their opponents) gained their point, for then the
reproach would not have been, that the burgesses Were
making a close borough of Nottingham, but that those wish-
ed to make it so had lost the power they aimed at, of handing
it over as such to the Administration of the day.—. Applause.)
—They had in their struggles established the triumph of
principle; and much as he valued the honor of being one of
the representatives of the body so independent, still more he
claimed credit for the assurance of wishing perpetuity to
the maintenance of so great a principle, rather than for the
countenance (highly as he valued it) of any honor which
was personal to himself.—(Applause.)—The burgesses of
Nottingham bad sent him and his worthy colleague as
their representatives in Parliament, to consult and watch
over their particular interests, as well as those of the people
at large. It was not their lot, he admitted to have had the
honour of originating in Parliament many new and active
measures; but they bad atoned for that want of original
power, by watching and endeavouring incessantly to check
and control the heedless career of Ministers, backed, as these
Ministers were, by majorities in the House of Commons,
who, to say the least of them, represented, if they represented
any thing at all, sentiments which were the counter part
of those felt and avowed by the people of Nottingham.—
' (Cheerer)--The country knew, that the Ministers and ma-
jorities of whom he spoke, were not the friends of public
liberty 3 it was perhaps more the fault of their education
than of themselves that they were so; and under this un-
ham delusion, caused how it may, tbe advocates of those
Ministers had presumed to arraign their oppouents, by ra
under upon them the imputation of meaning revoludoi
instead of reform. Where was the proof of such a charge ? I
Had the people abandoned the frank and independent spirit
of their ancient character ? Had Mey ever sent forth spiel•
and informers among their opponents ? Had they, contem-
plating a daring and violent exercise of authority, dis-
patched by. their own contrivance the emissaries who were
well adapted to pave the way for tire ulterior infliction
(slur.
hear.) Had the people ever countenanced a public
'diary of thanks to the soldiers and magistrates, of whom
Amy knew nothing. bat their' last violent act of crating
thee throats of numbers in a crowded assembly. (Hew.)
Bad the paitpinever tolerated an alien bill, to consign- t
the flaw mercies of the Secretaries of State, all strangers

PRIER MtY(cl,

wno were either foreiguers, or rendered Inlay others. Ole
baa an interest in their expulsion ? Had the' people sap-'
hirted such odious measures, then, indeed, they might
ve been reproached with having contemplated innova-
tion. But not so had been the course of popular feeling ; .
they had on the Cobtrary opposed all these odious measures;
they had opposed the foreign enlistnieut bill, which ergot •
to exclude British valour from participating in the mak •
lishment of the principles of freedom ; they had opposed
the base persecution of an injured and hapless Queen.
(Cheers.) They load established the ground-wotk of
good 'principles, so much so, indeed, that lie was at a lees.
to conceive any place in the country, in which a public.
man would venture to come forward in the face of his
countrymen, and honestly deny the necessity of Parlia-
mentary reform. If public opinion bad gained this great
advantage over violeut and exploded prejudices, he was
proud to feel that from Nottingham the example had been
set. Westininiter had caught the glowing spirit, an
evince 4 it by electing as its representative the ilittstrioos
man (Sir F. Burdett) who sat by his side. (Cheers.)
"London, by a kindred Orin, was. about to manifest the
same spirit, by electing as its chief magistrate, the worthy .
alderman (Mr. Waithnian) who sat near him. (Applause.)
indeed Om 'metropolis waa,altvjsys the, rallyiag point of
public Spirit; ant lusts a citadel in a besieged country, it
held out for the• mainteuance of the last rights of an as-
sailed commhaty. (Applinse.) To the higher classes
of the coantry much was also due for an independent oi.-
play of spirit in late times; but above all, that tribute mast
be paid to the middling classes, who had mainly persevere
in promoting and keeping alive the great and eshriittal.
Cause of reform, and by so persevering had indispatahlv
secured its final inevitable triumph. (Cheers.) The hon.
and learned member, after some Nailer observation., ie
furtherance of the great cause of reform, conclude I by
thanking the company, for the honour they had d. ne
and proposing the healtil.of their noble Chairman, Lord
Rancliffe. (Applause.)
Lord ItaNeta WYE returned thanks, and expressed hie coy
dial approbation (Attie principles which they had this day
m tto celebrate. Ile took a review of Mr. Brougham awl
Mr. Denman upon the' late Queen's trial, and said that it
justly entitled those dietingnished lawyers to the thanks
and confidenie of their country. His Lordship concluded
hr proposing the healths •orthe independent electors of
Nottinglia:n.—Three times three.
The Criateatait said, that he had now to propo e the
health of a very distinguished ind vidttal, w ,on they Gad
king wished to eee amongst them —Sir Francis Bartlett.—
(Loud cheers.) after naming a man an known an 1 so
admired, he was relieved from The task of reeountirw hie
public 'services. and the undaunted perseverance he had
uniformly diiplayed in the cause of the people and above
all itathat great cause of eagles, without whiCh all ocher
measures were but a mockery upon ifikpuldia enderesanding
(Applause.) To the steady and persevering eltoets of the
worthy Baronet, aided by the- goad principles of other
pqhlic turn, and harked by the people 'a voice, be looked
forward for as ultimate triumph of their great oattsd.-4
(Cheers.)
The worthy Baronet's health was didn'
t.: wi h g •oat en
thusiasm.

Sit Fit %NCIS Bt RDIETT said, tirit he felt so much in•
debt.el to the kindnesi of his noble friend who had pre.
posed his health, and to the mennerin whieh the company
had recciredit, Abet he.waseno-able to expilneiree be could
wish the sentiments which animated his Ile be-
I bend, however, that the siri4sat way was the bee', and
more especially when lie Isb'spared under the feelings St,
strongly excited. That he had done his duty towards the
people of Nottingham, and these of the country at large.
but more especially to all good Englishmen, who like them
hail evinced a determination to maintain the great and
glorious principles of civil liberty—those principles
the steadfast maintenance of which had raised them far•
manly in the eves of the world, and filled them with renowu
--•ebk was only. his (Sir F. Burdett's) dory, and he was
proud at receiving for the performance of it, so warm and
grateful en expression of their thanks. It was his pride to
cherish these sentiments, and, as an Englishman, if he
felt them strongly (cheers); they were of that description
as to induce him to feel every a:tack or idjustice committed
upon the humblest of his countrymen, as ode offered to
himself.
_(boud cheers). This was formally (with pre-
sent recollections, he said " formerly" with pain) the pre-
valent feeling of that old class of men of rank in the
country who were styled" the aristocracy." When the old
aristocracy of the land, acting under the wholesome re-
collection that they held their large estates for the public
good, were proud to come forward to defend their country
when menaced with public danger, there was a salutary
protectfen for public rights; but he lamented to see heA.v
ititioh that bond of public strength hail been weakened, so
far as the aristocracy of the land were concerned, since the
French revolution. On that remarkable °cession, the
people deprecated foreign interference, and proclaimed the
mode of doing so pursued by the Government to be hostile
to the principles upon which the British constitution was
professed to be founded.. The higher classes. unfortunately.
wok a different view of the signs of the times,and by an un-
manly and unworthy decision for themselves, unmerited by
the lower classes, and, unfortunate for all, they adopted a
course which made them in the end accomplices in the guilt of
others, whose views were despotic, and whose pri nci pies, both
thenandeterisince, wetesubversive of British freedom, and of
the principles upon which the English Constitution was
professed to be founded. But notwithstanding that tedt-
porary fatality, he Was happy to • say, and that conviction
was his pride, that the spirit of Englishmen was not to be
subdued; that, notwithstanding the arbitrary acts of nn-
bridled power,—notwithstanding the scandalous encroach-
ment and usurpation of parliementary corruption—there
was still a regeueratingand invigorating spirit among the
people of England, which would yet reaio the torrent of
arbitrary power, and ultiinatelyestablish that only secnrity
for a free nation, the right of electing those who were to
make the laws which were to affect their lives and pro-
perty. (Applause.) His learned friend (Mr Dennsan,)
bad already touched upon that parliamentary pnagigacy
which had sported with the destinies of ills country--s-he
had alluded-to those measures which wicked ministers, sus-
tained by corrupt Paliamons, had achieved, and then
with an air of triumph had asked what set of men in the
country Would be found qow to advocate such measures?—
lie (Sir Francis) agreed with his learned friend in this in-
teriogatioa, but with one exception, and that was, the ma-
jority of the 638 gentlemen, calling themselves the House
of dommons.• (Great applause.? That majority,' he be-
tiered, would continue, if permitted by the patience of
the wanks-, for the future as heretofore, to •parsaf
same career of public injury, regardless of the
quenees. Amongst the many injuries of which the
had to complain, not the least was the gross ['demi..
ation of their object; they were represented as being
parietat of wholesome eontrool, and anxious to. subvert
mai order,—(s laugh,) but this gross absurdity, 01-
itibustalenthy, believed by trove of the timeeser*
used it for • their eight sinister purposei, but rrh
driten to assert arty thing, hoWever untenable. t,
their projects, was not now -attempted to he
the public credulity. What was it 'that the peopll
raise boldest of de°, had ever asked for? Ohlystivis
both of which they hal always been told were Rea:

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