The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-05-24 00:00:00

H ESTMINSTSIE ELECTION ANIVIrERSIRY.

Ptwsaant to advertisement in the public papers, the
free and indepeodent electors of Westminster dined toge-
ther yesterday, in the great room of the Crown and An-
chor Tavern, to celebrate the fourteenth anniversary of
the return to Parliament of Sir Francis Burdett, as repre-
'rotative for that city.
At a little after five the worthy Baronet, followed by
J. C. Hobboose, Esq., hi. P.; S. C. Whitbread, Esq.,
M.P.; and various other gentlemen, entered the room,
and was received with enthusiastic applause. Dinner
w•.* then served up.
Upon the cloth being removed, the first toast given by
the Hon. Chairman, Sir Francis Burdett. was " Tbe
people, the only source of legitimate power." Tuni—
s' Briton's strike home." This toast was drank with
three times three. It was succeeded by, "The King;
and may he never forget his own declaration, that the
Crowe is held in trust, for the benefit of the people."
(Three times three.) Tnne—" Hope told a flattering
tale." The Chairman then gave " The Queen," a toast
which was greeted with rapturous approbation.—
Three times three was the compliment suggested by the
Chairman; but it would be impossible to say how nu-
merous were the iterations of the plaudits which ensued.
These were succeeded by the national air of—" Rule
Britannia."—" The only cure for all our grievances, a
thorough reform of the Commons House of Parlia-
ment." was followed by the tune of " Kick the rogues
•ut."
Mr. Alderman Wools, after a suitable introductory
speech, gave—
" The constant opponent of tyranny and oppression.
and the steady advocate of constitutional reform, un•
ileanted by persecution, and unsullied by corruption.—
(Immense Applause.)
Sir FRANCiS BCROtTr (silence being obtained) ob-
terve& that it could nut but be highly gratifying to
his feelings to meet so numerous an assemblage of the
electors of Westminster, and to experience such flat-
teeing testimonies of their regard and approbation.
after an seqnsintance—an intimate connexion, he
Might say—of so long a standing as that which had
now for many years subsisted between them and him.—
(Cheere.l—That connexion had endured too long to
admit of doubt, either of sincerity on the one band.
or of dupery on the other.—(hear, hear.)—The
electors of Westminster were well ca:ciilated and well
able to judge of that conduct on the part of their re-
presentative which they had thought worthy of their
approbation ; and when he addressed a bode of men
uho had so often approved themselves the friends of
purity of election, and of constitutional liberty, he
knew of no other assembly which was as, capable of
judging upon that conduct, or to whom lie felt so re-
sponsible for it. After the very handsome manner in
Which the worthy Alderman had introduced the men-
tion of his (Sir F. Burdett's) name to this meeting, he
could only say that what hail been termed his services,
he felt to .be more than amply repaid by the good-will
of the company present.—(Cheers.)--But when lie re-
flected on what the worthy Alderman had said relative
to the inconveniences which individuals were now sub-
ject to encounter in contending for those constitu-
-0..821 rights which certainly belonged to the people of
England, lie could not attribute to himself any merit
upon the score of suffering in that sacred cause; at
least he could not, when he turned an eye upon the
real, the aggravated sufferings of our unfortunate coun-
trymen, n ho had fallen under the penalties and inflictions
—she was going to say, of the law—(cheering,)—and it
might be, technically speaking. the law—imposing pu.
oishments and creating offences which bad never been
deemed to he each, or to require such visitation, by any
government that ever bad swayed the councils of this
country since the espulsion of the Stuarts.—(Hear.)—
In once mot —meeting the
gratifyingti ndeeo it
to see the same ardour for constitutional freedom—the
same solid and regulated determination to obtain the
constitutional rights to which the country was entitled.
or that great object in which (as it had been truly stssed,
upon the occasion of doing his name the honour of pro-
posing it to the meeting) these mere all comprised—be
meant the fair and full representation of the people of
England : it was gratifying to see the same feelings ma-
nifested by that company, which on so many former oc-
casions they had expressed. It was gratifying to see'
them steady in this pursuit, and constant to the same
end, after die lapse of so many years since they first be-
gan to labour together in the same unprofitable vine-
• yarti.—(ilear.)—He trusted that the whole mind of this
great country was now beginning to be enlightened;
and when he saw that fortunate omen with which they
were attest favoured—the number of persons distinguisli-
,esi by great wealth, and probity. and consideration,
who were opposed to a system. the mischievous
operation of which had now reached the highest
• es well as the lowest stations, and had made all
men feel alike the necessity of such a measure—lie
could not doubt of their ultimate success in obtaining
. that reform which was the object of their exertions.
He did trust that there might be many pessons, enter-
taining very different opinions, Of opinions marked
only by shades of difference, in politics, who would
feel it incumbent on them to ally themselves with
men who had laboured so long and so consistently to-
` 'ether. Daring his absence from the House of Com-
mons, in the present Session of Parliament—(Cheers)
this great question of reform was taken up by a gen-
• Oman every way calculated to do it justice, and who
• as far as depended upon his exertions, did it justice
ond though his (Mr. Lambkin's) motion went off in a
• . way which could neither be expected nor foreseen, he
trusted that the question did not suffer in his hands
This event occurred by an accident, and an accident
alone. He did not attribute any motive upon this
occasion, to any set or party of men in the House.—
• —(Cheers.)—He did not believe that any wish existed
iiroo.ig them to get rid of the question ; but that I,
only so terminated by a mere accident. as be had said
before. Notwithstanding all this, lie (Sir F. Bur-
. Jett) thought they ought to look with some degree of
• confidence to their futnre prospects—and to anticipate
with sume-degree of certainty, the future triumph of
this question—when they contemplated the number of
Members in the House of Commons who were known
to be friendly to it, or who were pledged, when if
rlfrould next be agitated, to give it their support.—
if the meeting looked only to the general sitaation
.4 the rolatry, they had certainly sulking very con.
solatory iwview, because. upon every side, they would
see only eacroactsments upon the must ancient right's
width, anhieet liberties:of England.. Perhaps among
these weeriachawati there nose which ought

TI

N.

a
to cause the natio, more alarm or create greater
uneasiness than that which affected the important, the
vital question respecting the liberty of the press.--
(Hear, hear.) And now it was, that for the first time i
England, they saw a body of people leagued aping
it, falsely calling themselves the constitutional assoilms,
tioo; yet acting for the subversion of the liberty
of the press.—(Hear, hear, hear.) One should have
supposed, indeed, that they who were most hostile to
the press, might at least have been satisfied with those
arbitrary and unconstitutional powers which had for
so long a time been exercised by the Attorney tie-,
send of the Crown. One should have thought tbati
this was enough, without another body of men lib*,
setting themselves up, as if it were in reprobation of
the forbearance, forsooth, of the Attorney-tleneral WI
these matters ;--a-(or as if the Attorney-neutral him- '1
self had not sbewn a desire to put a constraint upon
every just principle and every necessary exercise of
the liberties of the people. When gentlemen looked
at the names belonging to that association—that
save anconstitutional, un-English association against
the liberties of their country—it could not but prove
a matter of lamentable surprise, to find that tidsongst
them were the names of many individuals, hat of one
in particular, who was indebted to this very people for
every thing which be enjoyed,—(Hear,)who de-
rived from them, not only his wealth and his posses-
sions, but who owed to them even his renown.—
(Hear, hear.)--Not only was be indebted to the purse
of the people for his emoluments, but their courage
for his fame.—(Loud cheers.)--There were circum-
stances in the history of a country, under which the
very virtues of the people might become so many
charges against them, and when the very courage of a
nation might be converted into the instrument of ri-
veting its own chains only the more securely; and
this but too often occurred where one portion of the
population was unarmed, and the other portion was
armed ; where the latter portion, under the shape, or
wills the assistance, of a standing army, excluded the
other from all participation in the benefits and the ,
wealth of the country. It was, however, some conso-
lation,
at least, to think that it was not to those brave I
men that the country attached that indelible oppro- 1
'slim which was fixed upon the particular persons
who committed those atrocities at Manchester, which
had been recorded, and could never be forgotten.-1
(Cries of " never,")—The attempts, indeed, which had
been made to bring those offenders before the tribunals
of the land had hitherto proved ineffectual ; but he did
hope that he should yet live to see some jostire done
in this memorable case.—(Hear, he3r.)--So atrocious
were the acts committed at Manchester, that Ministers
themselves dared not to avow those unrequited deeds,
when first they were divulged to the public.
They thought it necessary to make excuses—
to hold out pretences—as some justification of
the acts which had taken place; excuses which
they had experienced to he untenable, and pretences
that had since been proved to be entirely groundless.—
(Hear, hear.) The charges made by them against the
people had been subsequently demonstrated to be entire-
ly false; therefore their own plea was defeated and
overthrown. Their own verdict, as it were, had beets
shown to be erroneous ; and the farts upon which it pro-
ceeded, not being entitled to belief, could never justify
it. But the public should never forget how little
credit could in future be due to formal statement's
made by men in the highest official situations.—(llene,
hear, hear.) With respect to the Noble Lord who stood
so high in administration, that Noble Marquess had de-
tailed to the House of Commons a series of total%)
groundless statements upon this subject.—(Hear.) Not
content with general accusations of riot and disaffection i
against the people, that Noble Lord described imaginary,
cargoes of stones, and bundles of stick, and affirmed that
the riot act was read not once only, but a second and
a third time. When a man found this to he the case. hr
hardly knew in what language to express Wiwi., upon
such assertions proceeding f torn in such situations.
" Whstever cunning friend it was
" That wrought upon thee so preposterously z•
• • • • • •
66 If that same demon that hsth gull'd thee thus
" Should, with his lion gait. yolk the whole world,
•• Ile might return to vasty Tartar hack,
" And tell the legions I can never win
" A soul so ess) as that Englishman's."
" Irishman's" be should rather say.—(Cheers and
laughter.) Yet these were the charges which were
made the foundation of those violent six acts—those
scandalous encroachments on the rights and liberties of
the country—which had been all passed in one session.
[The Hon. Bart., in a speech which our limits alone pre-
chide us from reporting, went on to enforce upon the
Meeting the connection which he considered to have ex-
isted between the transactions of the 16th of August at
Manchester, and the desire of the Roroughtnongering
oligarchy to put down at once all future importunity on
the subject of reform. What had done more to advance
the interests of that great cause in which they were all
united, than the efforts of any other individuals in the
country, was the press—of which he knew not how to
speak upon the present occasion with sufficient warmth
of praise to give vent to his own feelings.—(Hear.)—
When he saw the integrity with which it was directed,
the abilities with which it was conducted, the seal with
which it was served, and the progress it was making in
the minds of the whole people; and whe he looked upon
the difficulties which it had to encounter, and more par-
ticularly as it regarded the probable ill consequences, in
times like these, to those who display the most virtue
and the purest patriotism in this department, he could
not help trembling for the dangers which they incurred
by standing forward and exerting themselves for the
pnblic service, and the cause of public liberty. He wish-
ed be could suggest a thought, or throw out a hint to be
hereafter improved upon, by which a means might be
devised to ensure from the public to persons so acting
that support which might be souse recompense to them
for the dangers which they ran in so honourable a cause.
The Hon. Baronet, after impressing upon the meeting
the necessity of zeal and unanimity in their efforts to aid
the cause of Parliamentary Reform. sat down amidst en-
thusiastic cheering, which continued for several seconds.
Tune.—.. Whilst happy in my native land." The Chair
tbs. gave, " The memory of our defenceless and unfor-
mate fellow-subjects, men, women, and children, who
were slaughtered at Manchester on the 16th of August,
1910." This was drank in solemn silence. Tune.—
Dead march in Saul.
Mr. D. KINNAIRD then proposed the health of " John
Cam -Hokhouse, Ea+, the able and intrepid opponent of
the boreuglinsongering oligarchy-.the man who dares
to *tack apostary %viten sheltered by power." This toast
wet received with toad cheers.

Mr. Ilonnoces in reterning thanks expressed his
gratitude to the electors who had by their votes placed
him is so honourable and so dangerous a situation.
From the danger he should never shrink, because he
knew he should always find io them able and candid
l
judges of his conduct, and because they had mood-•
toed with him s friend and a phileeopher, whose ex-•
ample was seieieut to inspire any man who hall
coneage enough to fo'low it. tlr. then apologised is
the name of Mr. Leonard, Mr. Elm, and Lord Na.
gent, who had been prevented by their duties in the
House of Comnsons from attending ibis meeting; who
bad requested him to express their great regret at be'
ing unable to state personally their-fell concurrence
in the expediency and necessity of that Reform
which was the object of the Gentlemen pet.
sent. Ile then took occasion to speak of the
Constitutional Association, which he designated as
consisting of persons who were desirous of distinguish•
ing between the liberty and thelicence of the Press. Therm
were certain persons who were assistants to the Allot'
aey-Oeneral, and were called his devils ; the Constitu-
tional Association seemed, however, ambitious of being
called his stub-devils. It was composed, among others,.
of Sir John Sewell, Alderman Rothwell, and Sir Tim.
Lethbridge, whose hair, it woold be recollected, had
stood on end upon an occasion to which it was hardly
necessary for him to allude. The Hon. Gentleman then
went on to recommend the list of the subscribers to be
published at Charing-cross, and the Royal-Exchange, and
prophesied that instead of the Association encircling
their brows with laurel, they would fix upon them the
cap and bells used in the ancient May-games. Ile con-
cluded by praying that they might live long to jingle
them, and that they (the electors) might live long to
laugh at them.
Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Coke, Mr. Home, &e., were then
given, as were a number of other toasts. Mr. Hume, in
returning thacks, commented on the nature of the self-
called •• Constitutional Association."
At half past ten o'clock Sir r. Burdett, and many
other members of the House of Commons, left the room;
soon after which the company (which was one of the
must numerous and respectable we have witnessed on
any similar occasion for many years) separated. Nearly
4011 pemons Fiat don n to dinner, and very 11141 y, %%•• Lo-
deronod, were obliged, tur want of room, to dine behm
stairs.

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