SUMMARY OF POLITICS. WESTMINSTER ELECTION.--On Monday last, the 29th of June, the chairing of Sir Francis Burdett, as one of the members for this the first city in the kingdom, took place. As I look upon this event as the memorable sign of an era in politics, I am not a little [PRICE JOD. To rob by law; Religion mild a yoke THOMPSON'S LIBERTY. Chairman to bring up the Rear. Large Sky Blue Eanner-M (to. "THE CONSTITUTION." Mr. JENNINGS supported by Messrs. GLOSSOP and ADAMS. Large dark Blue Banner-Motto, "THE TRIUMPH OF WESTMINSTER." SIR FRANCIS BURDETT [2 pleased that the history of it will thus stand In a Grand Car, drawn by four Grey horses. at the head of a new volume of this work, the history of the election itself having been given in the preceding volume.The procession took place according to the order, which had been published some days before, and which was as follows. Marrowbones and Cleavers, four and four. Ditto, ditto, ditto. High Coustable on Horseback. Nine Assistants, three and three. Band of Music, three and three. the Majority painted thereon. Large White Flag carried on Horseback-Motto, "PURITY OF ELECTION." 1. Flag of St. Anne's Parish. Electors, four and four. 2. Flag of St. Paul, Covent Garden, and St. Martin Le Grand. Smali dark Blue Banner-Motto, THE SENSE OF THE PEOPLE." Horsemen, four and four. Carriages to close. The concourse of people was, of course, immense in all the streets and squares, through which the procession passed before it came to Sir Francis Burdett's house, where the whole of Piccadilly was found ready filled in such a manner as to render it extremely difficult to make a way through. Sir Francis, who is still scarcely able to move about, even with the aid of crutches, was carried to the car by two gentlemen. Until now there had been very little huzzaing; but, the moment the Baronet's head became visible above the crowd, the air rang with a shout, in which, had the king been in town, he would have heard the sense, "of his people," of that people whom it had been attempted to blind and to mislead by a hypocritical cry of " no popery." in this shout he might have heard the sound of that voice which he will, 'ere long, hear' from all his subjects, the voice of love and admiration of those who are the real friends of the country, and of indignation at those who are its real enemies, and who, while it is threatened with such terrible dangers from without, are, for the gratification of their own selish views, tearing it to pieces. All the streets, through which the procession had to pass, were crowded so as tɔleave not a foot of vacant ground. The hackney and other coaches, the carts and all sorts of wheel-carriages were placed on each side of the streets, filled and covered with spectators. Every window was full. Some were taken out for the purpose, and where they were large, as in the case of shop windows, in the wide streets, there were benches erected for people to sit behind one another as in a theatre. Where the balconies were broad, benches were erected in a similar manner. All the parapets and the flats, upon the houses. were covered as completely as the streets below; and, upon the gutters and the ridges of the houses, and even upon the chimneys, numerous spectators were seen. When we arrived at Covent Garden we found all the low buildings in the middle of the square so loaded with people that the chimney tops were hidden from our view; hundreds were sitting or standing upon the roofs and ridges of the houses round the square, and, upon a moderate computation, there could not be less than a hundred thousand personis, who here saw the procession at one and the same time. It was half past two o'clock when Sir Francis ascended the car, and exactly five when he alighted at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand. At seeing, during the whole of this procession, his colours streaming from the houses; at hearing the air resound with blessings upon his head, while that sex whose voices could not be heard testified their union of sentiment by the waving of their handkerchiefs or by the scattering of flowers and laurels as he passed; during these hours, what must have been his reflections, if reflection was not banished by feeling? He must have reflected, that it was a triumph over every public vice that had so long been warring against him and against his country; and must have formed a resolution, never to be shaken, to devote his life to the happiness of a people, who placed such implicit confidence in him, and who, for his bare endeavours to recover their rights and their honour, repaid him with marks of grati tude unparalleled.--THE DINNER, tickets of admission to which were twelve shillings each, as high a price as that given by the out faction at Lord Milton's dinner, was attended by about 2,000 persons, which number would have been greatly increased, if there had remained room in any part of the house. In the great room, the space between the several tables were filled with persons, who were content to take their dinner standing. After the cloth was removed the following toasts were given by MR. JENNINGS from the chair, 1. The King, the Constitution, the whole Constitution, and nothing but the Constition. 2. The People. 3. Purity of Election; and may the elec tors of the whole kingdom take a lesson from Westminster school. Previous to the drinking of Sir Francis Burdett's health, the Chairman rose and observed, "that there were many who had "before attended at this place on great pub"lic questions, but he was confident that ".there was not one who had ever come to an assembly on any occasion so important as the present, on one which if improved by the virtue, the courage and perseverance of the people, would lead to "such beneficial results, to the best interest "of the country If the great example set 66 by the Electors of Westminster be fol"lowed throughout the kingdom, the House "of Commons would soon be restored to its "old office in the government. The right "of election was not a mere matter of form. "He always conceived it to be the most "valuable appendage, the best franchise of an Englishman. It was given to him for the purpose of maintaining his proper consequence in the state; and controling the conduct of weak or wicked ministers, particularly whenever they form a conspiracy against popular rights. It is a privilege infinitely dear to us, and ought not 66 ster have had integrity and fortitude suf"ficient to repel all the arts of corruption, "and all the menaces of power, and the "result is, that you on this day meet to ce"lebrate the most signal triumph achieved by liberty and the people for more than a century past. The Electors of West"minster have obtained such a victory as must serve to give additional eminence to "the principles upon which the great object "of that victory rests. By such vic"tories, which I hope will be often repeated, the people of England can alone succeed in securing such a House of "Commons as they ought to have such a one as is necessary to perform the func "tions which the constitution assigns to that Assembly-such a one as would "be able and willing to control a weak or wicked administration. Let these victories be repeated, and the constitution 66 66 "will be brought back to the good old principles on which it was founded. The people will recover back their importance "in the state given by the laws, and those * mischievous and profligate knots and cabals, who conspire together to sell at the highest price their associated iniquities will "be broken up and disbanded. Among the evils resulting from the present system is "this, that any man who exhorts the people "to think for themselves, to consult their ❝own interest-that attempts to speak the "truth, is sure to have the most atrocious and virulent abuse directed against him.-<<<< Indeed, while such a man continues to vindicate the interests of the people, those who prey upon them will continue "to slander him until he ceases to be "active, they will not cease to be hostile; "but their hostility is contemptible. This "proud day must serve to shew the calum"niators, that their envenomed scurrility is of no avail. These calumniators and "their employers wish to prevent the peo"ple from knowing the truth. They con"sider and treat them as tyrants do their "miserable captiver confined in dungeons "and in darkness, they fear and justly "fear that if the light should break in up"on them, their first motion would be to "look at their fetters, and the next to exa"mine where they might be broken. The man whom you have just elected to repre"sent you has been long the object of calumny, among these conspirators and "their instruments, because he has deserv"ed the praise of honest men. He has re"ceived the abuse of all the parties, who, "under the pretence of public good, have sought their own selfish views, whose "best recommendation to power has been "the readiness they have exhibited to base"ly merchandize and trafick with their "duties. I hope that the distinction which "you have conferred and the judgment. you have manifested in this instance, "will serve to shew the principle upon "which the people act; that as you have "selected a man as the object of your "choice, upon the recommendation of his "character, other men may learn from the example, that they may promise "themselves the same popular support, by practising the same virtues. It would "be of the highest importance, "other benefit resulted from the triumph if no we are met to celebrate, than the lesson "it teaches to public men, that if they "wish for the confidence of the people, "they must deserve it. The people will "never be faithfully and firmly served un tilinembers of parliament, taught by this "Gentlemen, it is quite impossible for me to express in adequate terms the sense I feel of the affectionate manner in 66 which you have been so good as to compliment me. -Your confidence in my, "public principles, and in the sincerity of my professions, has called me, when I "least expected it, from the retirement I had "chosen. I have but small hope, that any "weak endeavours of mine will be able to "benefit my country; because the choice of " a new House of Commons is not what it "ought to be, and what it is hypocritically "pretended to be-an appeal to the sense of "the people.-In November last, the then "ministry, by an unusual dissolution of "parliament, affected to appeal to the sense of the people. And this sense of "the people, immediately consented to "drive themselves from the first floor to "the garret, and to beggar their posterity, "by confirming to the ministry, a yearly "tenth of all the income and profits of the "property and industry of the whole nation, together with an additional ten per cent. upon the already enormous assessed taxes. -Only six months afterwards, another "set of men, the present ministry, follow "the example of the last set, and affect "in their turn, by another dissolution of "parliament, to appeal likewise again "to the sense of the people. What this "last taken sense of the people will pro duce it is easy to fore-ee, and we shall soon experience.-Gentlemen, they both "of them laugh at the people-they despise the people - and those who have "robbed us most, have justly the most " contempt for us. It is the common cant "of both parties to deny that there is any "such thing as the people-and they in sultingly ask us, where such a thing as "the people is to be found in England?"I can now n wer their question-in West"minster in the metropolis of England. And, if the corrupt and mercenary fac"tions shall see the other inhabitants of England act firmly and perseveringly like "a people, they will quickly acknowledge "them to be such-and those who now "tread oppressively upon their necks will "be found humble at their feet.I cannot, "Gentlemen, go back to my place at the table, without returning my sincere thanks "to the electors, of Westminster, for the honour they have conferred upon me; " assuring them that my whole life shall "be devoted to their survice. "Sir Francis concluded by giving 5. The Electors of Westminster. The chairman then gave 6. The 5134 Electors who so nobly stood forward to assert their own Rights, and to excite the People of England, to assert theirs. 7. Those electors of Bristol, who on the 2d of June, with Mr. H. HUNT, at their head, assembled to celebrate the return of Sir Francis Burdett. 8. May the ineffective of THE REGIMENT be speedily disbanded, and the RED BOOK reduced to its proper dimensions. After a song, in which allusions were made to the practices of Greece, MR. FREND rose and made a short speech as nearly as can be recollected in the following words: "Gentlemen, I should not have "presumed to address you, nor should I "have thought it right to call upon your at"tention, if the object of my rising could "with propriety have been proposed from the chair. But, as I have now so far en"gaged your attention, I shall trespass upon "it; and I hope meet with some indul gence, notwithstanding the allusions in the excellent song, which we have just " heard. If I do allude to the Grecians, "modern times have afforded frequent in"stances of the same example; and the game of ancient days admits of varia"tions. I mean to speak to you of an old "Greek game, played to the amusement of many of the courts of Italy. There it was not unusual for a splendid court to be "seated in grand form, to witness what 66 with shouts of triumph, parading in their "places with all the pride of victory, and "receiving various rewards from the sove"reign, who is looking on from an adjoin-* "ing balcony.- You cannot conceive," "Gentlemen, the delight which a game of "this kind gave to a court in Italy, and to "those of the populace, who could get a "sight of it as they stood on the banks of "the river. But what you would most ad"mire is the small expence, at which this game is played. For five thousand se"quins the expences of both parties are de frayed; their dresses; their poles; their" "ribbands; and all their honours and re"wards. Much depends in this game on "the goodness of the leader; on his know“ing bis men, and their attachment to him.*. To be at the top of the bridge secures to "the leader of one party unbounded ap"plause, whilst the leader of the other band' "skulks about at a distance, complaining) "most bitterly, sometimes at court, and "sometimes among the populace, just as it 66 may happen, of unfair play.- -This "beautiful, this delightful game, Gentlemen, is played on the bridge of Pisa, at no greater expence than five thousand « sequins. In another country that sum "would not procure a deputy leader of the "band; and in our own country this beau "tiful, this delightful game is played at the expence of as many millions. Yes! "Gentlemen, you are all witnesses to a si"milar game, though it may not afford you so much amusement, as the bridge of Pisa "does to the noble and royal spectators of "Italy. The Ins and the Outs, Gentle men, for by this name they are called, are our combatants: but this day has given a "fearful apprehension to both parties, that "another. is likely to start, that may choose to have some share in the game.. In"deed, if it was so delightful at Pisa to see "first one party, then the other, tumbling "into the stream, do you not think, that "they would have been in raptures to see, "8 was to them a very pleasing and agreeable "kind of combat. Two parties, dressed "out in different colours, took their station "at the opposite ends of a bridge: such a one is at Pisa, the last place, I believe, "where the game has been played with any great effect. The business of the parties is to endeavour to get at the top of "the bridge, to drive their adversaries be"fore them, and to keep possession in spite "of repeated attacks. Each party is armed "with poles, stuffed at the end that they may not hurt one another, but sufficiently strong to drive an opponent forwards, and not unfrequently into the river. Then "the court sets up a great laugh; the ladies "titter; the courtiers are delighted. "each side you may see dukes, marquisses, dung the height of the conflict, a third party unexpectedly rising, and driving "both the others into the river? Which "would have laughed most on this occasion, "the court or the populace? That the game "had been greatly improved, all, I am per"suaded, would acknowledge. The game On" in its old form was played last Friday! and was kept up from five in the after " ❝s noon to past six in the morning: it is to be renewed again, I understand, next "Monday; and notice is given for ano"ther trial of strength in about a fort"night after. The combatants will pushi "at each other and throw each other "down, and triumph over each other; and "complain some of them most bitterly; " and what will after all be the result of the "wordy conflict?. The defeated combatants will retire to their country seats, to refresh "themselves after their fatigues, and to prepare for another attack; when they will "not fail to put forth all their strength to "drive off their adversaries from the places "they held on the top of the bridge."But this day, Gentlemen, has put a new face on the game. The nobodys-the "nothings--the men, who according to the "apprehension of the rival combatants, "have no stake in the country-the men, "who are fit for nothing but to find the "poles for the game, or to make their bo"dies steps for a combatant to get to the "bridge without soiling his shoes-these " ་་ " " men are found at last to be something. "Yes, Gentlemen, when we consider the "order and regularity of this day's proces "sion; the myriads that hailed its progress; "the blaze of beauty, which from every "window beamed propitiously on the be "loved object of this day's solemnity; we may be assured, that it has read a lesson, which the rival parties will make the subject of the deepest meditation. A third party is now, they will be persuaded, formed and this third party is the Pub"lic. The public cannot be satisfied with "childrens play; the bandying mercly of "words; the idle contest of which is to be "at the top of the bridge. It is time, "Gentlemen, to get rid of words and terms, which have too long been bandied "about in our history. Whigs and Tories "have had their day: they are gone by: may they both be forgotten forever! "For, though I acknowledge; that the principles of the Whigs are deeply fixed in my breast; yet the persons professing "them, have been so mixed with those of "the other party, and have sa frittered "down those principles, that the name only "remains; the substance is lost. But, if "the name of Whig is to be retained, and " we are to be classed under that denomina"Hon, a distinction should be made, and the high and the low Whigs should be separated from each other. Let the high "class, the aristocratical Whig, aim at a post on the top of the bridge: we, the "low Whigs, will be contouted with our "stations at the foot: but, we demand, ་་ " that such men only should deliver their "sentiments in parliament, and for this "reason the claim is just, and reasonable, " and must be approved of by all honest men, that the House of Commons be purged of its placemen and pensioners; that its members be the representatives of the public, not the choice of a few private individuals; that parliaments be frequent, so that the members may not lose sight of their duty to their constituents; and thus, that all parties may co-operate in a zealous attachment to the true interest of their king and their country. ---'--' Gentle"men, I will detain you no longer. This day! will be long remembered; and, "when you reflect on the nature of the ❝election, which has been crowned with so < noble a triumph, you will, I am convinced, always bear in mind the exertions of the committee, by which it was so well conducted, and applaud the choice they "made of my worthy friend in the chair, to "speak their sentiments on the Hastings. The manner in which he performed that task, will ever be glorious to him. It "commanded the admiration of his ene"mies, and secured to him that approba tion from the public, which he had long "enjoyed among those to whom he was "more intimately known. I am sure that the toast I am to give will be received "with universal applause, and for that purpose I need only name to you the health "of Mr. Jennings, our worthy chairman This speech of MR. FREND was received with applause proportioned to its excellence. The company, as he proceeded, applied every part of his description, and the battles of the bridge will now serve as an apt figure, whereby to point out battles, in which we are much more nearly concerned.- -Mr. Frend gave 9. Mr. Jennings, our worthy chairman. |