THE DUBLIN CORPORATION ADDRESS.
The Mayor of Dublin Mr. Alderman Morrison, and Mr. Judkin Butler, having agreed With their brethren of the Corporation upon an Anti-Reform address to his Majesty, came over to London the other day for the purpose of presenting it. Two or three Irish Peers and came half a dozen of Commoners, from fear and from interest, were
• content to act as the tail of my Lord Mayor on the great occasion ; and, all things .completed, the procession set out on Wednesday morning to St. James's, to fell William the Fourth what the Orangemen of Dublin -thought of his doings. The Standard gives a most magnificent descrip- tion of the affair— "At an early hour' the portion of Regent Street in the immediate vicinity of the Tesidence a the Lord Mayor of Dublin and the deputation was tilled by a
large assemblage of people of all ranks. The managers of the deputation and its- supporters commenced to assemble about eleven o'clock, and at half-past twelve ("when the deputation started) were both numerous and respectable in the highest degree."
We are sorry we cannot inform our readers where the portion of Re- gent Street in the vicinity of the Mayor of Dublin's residence lies ; and the Standard, we suspect, from its omission of the number, is equally
in the dark. • "The civic equipages of the Lord Mayor and High Sheriff were particularly neat and gentlemanlike, and the effect of the whole imposing and dignified."' The neat andgentlemanlike equipages were received at the Palace with the honours due to the importance of their occupants-
" When the arrival of the deputation at St. James's Palace became known, the gates were thrown open .(although before the hour of admission usual on such occasions), and the procession immediately conducted to the apartment ap- propriated for those to whom . the right of private entree is given."
From the apartment appropriated to those who have the right of pri- vate entree, the Corporators were conducted to the presence; where Mr. Recorder Shaw read the address, f' in a firm and an audible tone," to 'show the King what sort of boys he had got before him. We give a bit of the document thus emphatically read. After Mentioning the Irish Reform Bill, the addressers say— "We content ourselves, at present, with laying at the feet of your Majesty, our most respectful, but firm remonstrance, against the particular Act, above
referred to, of gross partiality and great injustice, towards a body which has ever been distinguished by an unshaken loyalty to their Sovereign, an undeiat- ing support of the laws, and an ardent devotion to the conStitution under which
these countries have attained to unrivalled greatness. We likewise feel, that we
should he wanting in our duty to your Majesty, did we not respectfully express our holiest conviction, that the motive winch has induced this unjust treatment
is a deference to unreasonable clamour and intimidation, and a vain attempt to buy off the hostility of the .professional agitators, and habitual disturbers of the peace and tranquillity of this portion of your Majesty's dominions."
This is pretty well "for the present." The address closes with singular truth and modesty—
"We only implore justice for ourselves, a vigorous and impartial administra- tion of the laws in our distracted country, and equal protection for all classes of your Majesty's subjects."
Mr. Recorder Shaw read the address in a firm and an audible voice ; William the Fourth read his answer with equal firmness, and in a tone which will be audible from the Giant's Causeway to Cape Clear— have heard, with deep regret, the sentiments ea-pressed in the address, which has now been presented to me. I shall always be ready to listen to repre; sentations of such grievances as may appear to any of my subjects to give them just cause of complaint, and to afford redress to the utmost of my power. In this wish I am firmly persuaded that I only share the benevolent feelings which pre- vail in my Parliament. On their wisdom and equity, and on the integrity of my constitutional advisers, I rely with a confidence whicIt forbids me to suspect that they can ever be induced to expose any portion of my subjects to briar!, and injustice. Neither was it necessary to claim from me 'a vigorous and impartial administration of the laws, and equal protection for all classes of my subjects.' These have been from the period of my accession to the throne, and ever will be, the constant and unceasing objects of my government."
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr. Alderman Morrison, and Mr. Judkin Butler, returned in a neat and gentlemanlike manner to Regent Street, with their dignified and imposing tail behind them. So Much for the Dublin creatures. When they next venture into the Royal presence, they will do well to advance with their imposing part fore- most, that they may be all the readier to retreat from the chastisement which their impudence merits.
Previous page
