The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-09-30 00:00:00

THE._ S'rA'

ELECTION OF A LORD MAYOR.
Yesterday a Common Hall was held at Guildhall...for
the purpose of electing a Lord Mayor for the ensuing
year.
Shortly after one o'doelt. the Lord Mayor, accompanied
by the Sheriffs, Mr. Alderman Thorpe, Mr. Alderman
Hunter. Mr. Aldermin Wood. Mr. Alderman Waldman.
Mr. Alderman Garrott, Mr. Aldermen Venables, Mr. Al-
derman Brown, and Mr. Alderman Key,entered the Hall,
and proceeded to the hustings.
The RSCORDCR advanced to the front of the hustings,and
addressed the Livery. They were assembled, he said, to
exercise one of the most valuahle privileges, in electing two
from the body of Aldermen who had filled the office of
Sheriff, whose names might, be returned to the Court of
Aldermen, in order that one of them might be chosen to fill
the important situation of Lord Mayor for the yea► ensn-
ing. As soon as the Lord Mayor and Aldermen should
have left the H.lll, the names of the Aldermen on the rota
would be read over to them, anti it would be their duty to
signify, by a show of hands, which two Aldermen should
be returned.

The Lord Mayor and Aldermen having proceeded to the
Council Chamber,
Tlie TowN CLIMIC apologised to the Livery for the ab•
sence of their Common .Sergeant, which was occasioned by
• heavy domestic loss—he might say a great public loss,
when he alluded to the death of so eminent a character as
Dr. Millie, the brother in law of the Common Sergeant.—
The Recorder having informed them for what purpose they
were assembled, he should proceed to read over the names
of the Aldermen on the ruts, who were eligible to the °lace
of Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.
Robert Albion Cox, El., A Iderman and goldsmith.
Robert Waitliman, Esq., Aldermen and frame work
maker.

William Venable., Esq., Aldermal and stationer.
Matthias P. Lucas, Faq , Alderman and vintner.
IVilLiam Thompson, Esq Alderman and ironmonger.
Mr. FAVELL then came forward and said, that lie had
been permitted by the Sheriffs to address a few words to the
Livery.. They were assembled there toexercise one of their
most ancient and invaluable privileges, and he congratulated
them on the opportunity which was this day afforded them
of giving their suffrages to a long tried and faithful public
servant, who hail so ably and manfully shoved that he
dared to be honest in the worst of limes, by maintaining the
rights of his fellow citizens, and the Constitutional liberties
of the country (applause.) It was unnecessary for him to
say much on the present occasion, because he was persuaded
every British heart must feel anxious to crown Alderman
Waithnian with .the laurels which he had so jnstly won.—
, To that Alderman who stood first on the rota he was sure

they were heartily disposed to give their votes; and to Al-
derman Oarratt, who stood next in rotation, their suffrages
would also be given with great proprirty.lVhenhesaidthis,
he by no means wished to derogate from the undoubted
right of the Livery to elect those who were not next in the
order of ro:alion. This right was as /tear to them as the
prerogatives of the Crown were to the Monarch; and there
were occasions on which it bad been most beneficially exer-
cised, as in the instance of the election of M Thorpe,
at a period of great peril. The Common Hall of the Livery
'of London had, from the days of the Smarts, maintained
its character as one of the noblest harriers which freeilorn
could oppose to the encroachments of power : arid he was
happy to observe, that even the Count of Aldermen was so
alt. red in character, that even the Leviathan himself could
not now carry a rank Ministerial job in that Court. He con-
cluded by enforcing the claims of Mr. Alderman IVaithumn
to the support of the Livery.
Mr. Oa LLOWAY concurred in much that had fallen from
the last speaker; there were some points, however, in which
he could not agree. He (Mr. li.) was an enemy to the
system of rotation, because, if that were observed, the
right of election would be totally annihilated. He did not
mean to say that because an individual stood first on the
rota, he was not worthy of their suffrages; but that circum-
stance, unless backed by stronger claims, ought not to en-
title him to their support. The Worthy Speaker proceeded
to panegyrise Mr. Alderman Waithman, and in the course
of his ob films exclaimed " I hope to God to see the
time when that statute (pointing to the monument erected
to the memory of Mr. Piit) may be polled down. (Here
the speaker was assailed by biases and groans, and attempt.
ed in yaiu to address some further observations to the
Livery )
Mr. Sheriff Laueta requested that the Worthy Speaker
might Le permitted to qualify the observation which bad
fallen from him.

Mr. GALLOWAY again attempted to address the Livery
amidst hisses, ended. aof '• off, off." If they differed from
him, lie said, in opinion, let them answer him like men,
but let them not degrade themselves by resortirg to a mode
of answering him, which was at variance with e.oninon
sense, instead of exercising that reason which distinguished
men from brutes. He made some further observations,
which the increasing clamour of the Livery rendered in-
audible, and he at length retired amidst the strongest marks
of disapprobation.
The names of the Aldermen were then severally pro-
posed to the Livery. No hands were held up for Mr.
Alderman Cox, and the show of hands appeared to be in
favour of Mr. Alderman Waithuran and Mr. Alderman
Garrott.
The TOWN Cultic declared, that it was the opinion of '
the Sheriffs, that those Aldermen acre elected to be returned
to the Court of Aldermen.
The Lord Mayor, Sheriffs, and Aldermen having returned
to the hustings from the Council Chamber,
The RIECORDER announced that the choice of the Coart of

Aldermen bad fallen on Robert Waithmin, Esq.. Alderman
and Framework-maker, and that he was accordingly their
Lord Mayor for the year ensniog—(Applause.)
Mr. Alderman Warrnmarr, having been invested with his
golden chain, came forward to address the Livery. No
man, be said; could be more thoroughly convinced of the
importance as well as the dignity of the office which had
just been conferred on him. Having been so long engaged
in the discharge of public business, he should subject him-
self to the charge of insincerity, if be did not boldly declare
that there was nothing io the duties of the office from
which he would shrink, or which, with their support and
assistance, he should be afraid of executing is such a manlier
as would do himself credit, and service to hie fellow citizens.
He trusted be should never forget that the office was con-
ferred upon him not for his own gratification, but- for the
public benefit. He should not, as had been done on some
occasions, make declarations now, which it was not his
intention to act up to when he came to discharge the dirties
of the office. While he should deem it a part of his
duty to give efficacy to the support of principles, he would
take care that no political opinions of his own should ever in
terfere with the discharge of his official duties. Whenever it
should be his duty to ?reside in that Hall, or in the Court of
Common Council, or in the Gunn of Aldermen, he should

. ,
never attempt to influence, and still less to counteract their
opinions. He should give every facility to the Livery to meet
there and express their opinions on all subjects which they
might think proper to discuss. If be had arrrived at this honour
without having been tried on various other occasions, he should
not feel so proud ■s he did at the present moment. It was now
nearly thirty years since he bad been actively engaged in the
support of their rights and privileges, ■nd he now caine into
once, sot by the mere acquiescence of his fellow citizens, but
with those strong testimonies of their good opinion which
could not but greatly enhance the honour, and render him
doubly anxious to discharge its (intim Whatever difference i f
political opinion might subsist between him and some Members
of the Court of Alaermen, they had suffered nothing like a
personal feeling to operate, for they had all, in a'manner most
honourable to themselves, and gratifying to bins (Mr. W.)
given him their suffrages oo the present occasion.—(Applause.)
Tbis afforded him the best assurance that he should not want
their advice and assistance .whenever he should have occasion
'o call for it. Whatever confidence he might feel as to the