are not more silly than the city proceedings usually are; but they are more curious; and, in them,

we have our saucy enemy on the hip. We have him fairly cenvicted on his own uncalled-for

confession. The account ought

to be read attentively; because

without that, any remarks that 1

Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN returned thanks. He was sensible of the importance of the office to which he had been elected, and in fulfilling its duties he should endeavour to redeem the pledge which he had given at his election. While, on the one hand, he was determined to give every facility to free discussion, which he considered the best and most invaluable privilege of a free country; he would suffer no political opinions of his own to interfere with the discharge of his public duties. [Applause].

The CHAIRMAN next gave the offer on it can be but imper-ent advocate of the liberties of his "health of the eloquent and consistcountry, Lord Erskine.”.

may
fectly understood. I have marked

some particular passages by Italic
characters.

Lord ERSKINE, in returning thanks, declared there were no re

collections from which he derived greater satisfaction than those connected with the period in which he "Yesterday the Sheriffs Elect, was more frequently in the habit G. B. Whittaker, Esq. and P, Law-of meeting the citizens of London. rie, Esq. gave their Inauguration He considered the privileges and imDinner at the Hall of the Station-munities of the City of London to be ers' Company, to which the Senior intimately interwoven with the best inSheriff belongs. The dinner was lerests of the country. [Applause]. of the most sumptuous description. The CHAIRMAN rose to proAmong the distinguished person-pose the health of a Right Honour ages present were Lord Erskine, able Friend on his left, who was not the Right Honourable G. Canning, more distinguished for his elothe Right Honourable W. Huskis-quence than for his political integrity, son, the Honourable W. Lamb, and whose public conduct had reM.P., Mr. Planta, Professor Schle-ceived the approbation, not only of gel, &c. &c. The Lord Mayor his colleagues, but of a great majopresided, and was supported on his right by Mr. Alderman Waithman, the Lord Mayor Elect, and Lord Erskine ; and on the left by Mr. Canning and Mr. Huskisson.

After the usual loyal and patriotic Toasts had been given,

The CHAIRMAN proposed the health of the Lord Mayor Elect, and congratulated his fellow-citizens on the absence of all party feeling which had marked his election, and which afforded the best security for the due administration of the duties of his important office.

rity of the people of this country [applause]. His Right Honourable Friend had just returned from visiting the northern parts of the kingdom, and he had found there at every step fresh proofs of the growth of the prosperity, as well as of the population of the empire.Every thing which he had seen in that part of the country furnished a complete refutation of the opinion entertained by our enemies, that we should be unable to cope with them when a period of peace returned.— Every part of the country was at this moment in a flourishing condition; and

none more so than those connected [ration of the causes which produced with our trade and manufactures. them. Great, however, as was the He might say with truth, that the prosperity of the country, God forsame prosperity prevailed among the bid that any degree of prosperity or citizens of London, among whom he tranquillity should suppress that fair was sure his Right Honourable discussion which the Lord Mayor had Friend would find that loyalty to the truly declared to be essential in a Sovereign, his master, and that free country, or restrain the expreszealous attachment to the great sion of public opinion. If our Conprinciples of the Constitution, to stitution rested upon a balance of which the country, and even the powers, the maintenance of it rested Sovereign himself, were indebted upon a free conflict of opinions, which, for the pre-eminence which they however they might be opposed to maintained above all nations. He each other in certain points, were concluded by proposing the health directed for the most part to the of "The Right Honourable George maintenance of that Constitution Canning," which was drank with great applause.

under which this country had reached so pre-eminent a station among the nations of the world. Mr. CANNING, in returning In almost every other country at thanks, said, it was impossible for this moment, extreme principles him adequately to express the sa- were at war. It behoved us, who tisfaction which he derived from had attained that high station which this testimony of their approbation, was the result of such a conflict, to which might be considered as em- abstain from unnecessarily aggrabodying the sentiments of the City vating the calamities of such a of London. The approbation of the struggle, by unnecessarily mixing ourSovereign and the respect of Parlia-selves in it; and if for a long series ment were great consolations, and of years prosperity and war had essential incentives to the exertions been coupled in this country by an of a Minister; but even these tri- unnatural union, let us repose in the butes of approbation were inade- more natural and permanent association quate unless backed by the applause of of prosperity and peace. To the worthy his fellow citizens. It has been truly Magistrate who was about to enter said by his respectable friend the upon his arduous office as succesLord Mayor, that, difficult as the sor to his Honourable Friend, he crisis was at which his (Mr. Can- could not wish a more auspicious ning's) Sovereign had done him the reign than that of his predecessor. honour to call him to his councils, He believed that the tranquillity of he had yet had the good fortune to the country, during that time, had witness the growing prosperity of been such as no preceding period the country. He had, indeed, wit- could surpass; he was sure that the nessed, in those parts of the country prosperity of the country had been which he had lately visited, an such as not half a century could universal testimony to the existence rival. He trusted the worthy Magisof a degree of prosperity which was trate who was about to succeed his almost unexampled, and which, he was Hon. Friend would enjoy the same persuaded, now rested upon a solid good fortune, follow the same exfoundation. That the causes of cellent example, and retire from his the difficulties under which the office with the warm approbation, -country lately laboured werc in a as he had entered upon it with the great degree of a transitory nature, cordial suffrages of his fellow citiwas proved by the fact of our in-zens [applause]. The Right Hon. creasing prosperity, and of those dif- Gentleman concluded by proposing ficulties having ceased with the ope- the "health of the present Lord

Mayor, and prosperity to the City | SIGNOR WAITHMAN, the famous of London."

66

The CHAIRMAN returned city cock." The hero is "de"termined to give every facility

thanks:

The CHAIRMAN next proposed

the health of a Right Honourable" to free discussion." Why this Gentleman who had in a particular

manner devoted his attention to declaration? It seems to have subjects connected with the trade been called for by nothing. Noand manufactures of the country-

"The Right Hon. W. Huskisson." body had been saying any thing

Mr. HUSKISSON returned his

sincere thanks for the unexpected about free discussion. But, mark, he will" suffer no political opi

honour which had been conferred upon him. As President of the

Board of Trade, it was impossible" nions of his own to interfere for him not to feel grateful for such a testimony of approbation, coming from a body of men representing so

with the discharge of his public

much of the intelligence and com-" duties." And, why this declamercial respectability of that great

city. After so gratifying a mark of ration? Wholly uncalled for too! their esteem, he must necessarily

feel anxious to render the labours The short and long of the matter of the Board over which he pre

sided, still more subservient to the is, he means to change his “ policommercial interests of the City of tical opinions." The boast about London-interests which he felt to be most deeply and intimately con

nected with the prosperity of the prosperity and about the growing whole empire. During the war, population and revenue; all this when a great part of Europe was

overrun by the tyranny of one man, makes him think, that the THING it was by the spirit and intelligence

of British merchants that we were is immortal, and that it is best to mainly enabled to overcome all ob

stacles. In a period of peace, he join the THING to do it by dehad considered it consistent with

sound policy to give full scope to that grees; but to do it, and to do it

commerce to which we were so much

indebted for a successful issue of the effectually too. See how different contest in which we were then en- the conduct of the partisans of the gaged. It should never be forgot

ten, that it was our commerce which THING, the enemies of reform. had raised this country to that proud

pre-eminence which we now enjoyed, and They never say (when they get which he doubted not we should

continue to enjoy above all the na-uppermost), that their own politics tions of the world. [Applause].”

shall not interfere. On the con

Taking these heroes in due trary, they, the moment they get order, we, of course, begin with hold of power, begin to express

their "firm determination," to in all manner of ways by its enegive every facility, not, like Mr. mies, when they have the power WAITHMAN to "free discussion;" in their hands; and when its

friends have the power in their hands, the power is to guard a strict neutrality; and Mr. WAITH

but to every thing tending to favour their own principles and their own party. They never talk of not suffering their own politics to MAN, the great city reformer, is, prevail; but, on the contrary, during the three hundred and they talk of their newly-acquired sixty-five days of his nobility, to power as the effect of the success throw his mace over the cause of of their principles, and as the reform, in exactly the same way, means, also, of maintaining those with exactly the same sort of preprinciples. When they get into face, and with exactly the same power, they congratulate their sort of effect, as Mr. CANNING

ninsula." And, I dare say, he will carry his imitation of his eulogist's right honourable "friend" one step further; that is to say, to the lending of us his "prayers"

hearers and their friends on the throwed his shield over the Pe- triumph which what they call loyalty has had in their persons; but, mark our modest reformer he will make no use of his office to favour the propagation of his own opinions. He will be per- for the success of the cause of refectly impartial. He will be as form. His pot companion; one much the friend of the haters of of his brother boosers and guttlers reform as of the friends of reform. upon this occasion would not give So that, if all the reformers were like the reformer Waithman, the of powder; but, the prayers of cause of reform would be in a him who made a jest of Ogden's comfortable way indeed. Openly rupture was at the service of the attacked; openly and boldly at- Spaniards. Signor WAITHMAN, tacked; and incessantly attacked whom the jester now calls the

the Spaniards a penny or a pound

least, they imagine it, and they are ready to run into the arms of the condescending party. I have always observed this characteristic in Mr. WAITHMAN; and I cannot refrain from quoting here a passage from the Register, No. 10, Vol. 34, dated in Long Island, 5th September, 1818. I had just heard of the result of the General Election of that year, which had put Mr. WAITHMAN, Sir ROBERT WILSON and some other "distinguished patriots," into Parliament. After some other remarks upon

worthy Magistrate, and whom, by [ing, while they see no chance of implication he condescends to the adversary's giving away; but, flatter, halting along in humble the moment he softens, they begin imitation, can promise to do no-to soften too: they begin, in fact, thing for the cause of reform; will to see the prize in view, or, at not suffer even his own political opinions to be active, and to derive benefit from the power that he is going to possess. But, I have not the smallest doubt that he would, if he were hard pressed, give the cause the benefit of his prayers. The truth is, I believe, that Mr. WAITHMAN has not found his political opinions to answer those purposes, which he expected them to answer. But, besides this, there is the ungovernable vanity of the man. Such men are seldom, nay, they are never proof against even the common-place the subject, I proceeded to obflattery of the great, or of those serve, in the following words, upon that they have been accustomed to the danger to be apprehended consider as their superiors. Their from the vanity of such men.— patriotism, as it is called, is never" They have vanity, conceit; they proof against even a little conde" would be thought profound. scension on the part of those whom they look upon as being able and likely to gratify their desires

"They will be tickled with "ho"nourable gentleman' and 'honour"able friend. They will have

They are very stout and bluster-" their heads turned, if they be