“The Independent Electors of the City and Liberty of Westminster” held their anniversary festival at Vintners’ Hall, on the 19th of March, 1747. The Stewards were the Earl of Lichfield, Earl of Orrery, Viscount Andover, Sir R. Bamfylde, George Heathcote, and Thomas Carew. On this occasion the stewards for the ensuing year were chosen; they were Lord Ward, Lord Windsor, Sir James Dashwood, Sir Charles Tynte, Sir Thomas Clarges, and George Cooke (who was then canvassing Middlesex). On the conclusion of the business of the afternoon, and after the festivities, toasts, as was customary, began to be proposed. _The London Evening Post_ gives a list of these healths, beginning with “The King;” but, as an implication of Jacobite proclivities, it is added in another paper that the royal health was honoured in the recognized Jacobite fashion--to “Charley over the Water:”--“Each man having a glass of water on the left hand, and waving the glass of wine over the water,”--but this accusation was probably a bold electioneering _ruse_. The succeeding toasts were as follows:--“The Prince;” “The Duke;” “Prosperity to the independent electors of Westminster;” “Prosperity to the city of London and the trade thereof;” “Thanks to the Worshipful Company of Vintners’ for the use of their Hall;” “The Lord Mayor of London;” “Success to the arms of Great Britain by sea and land;” “To the annexing _Cape Breton_ to the Crown of _Great Britain_;” “That the spirit of independency may diffuse itself through the nation;” “That the enemies of _Great Britain_ may never eat the bread nor drink the drink thereof;” “That the Naturalization Bill may be kicked out of the House, and the foreigners out of the kingdom;” “That the darkening our windows may enlighten our understanding” (tax upon light); “To all those that dare--be honest;” “The stewards elect;” “The late stewards, with thanks for the trouble they have taken;” “Our old Friend ----.” According to the _Gentleman’s Magazine_, “amidst this mirth, one Mr. Williams, Master of the ‘White Horse’ in Piccadilly, being observed to make memorandums with a pencil, gave such offence that he was severely cuffed and kicked out of the company.” It appears that a Jacobite complexion was given to the rather forcible expression of public contempt bestowed upon the Ministerial notetaker, who was branded as “the Spy.” A spirited version of this incident, executed closely in the manner of Hogarth, if not by that master, to whose portrait of Lord Lovat it in style approximates (the artist was himself one of the free electors of Westminster), exhibits the ignominious ejectment of “the Spy,” whose detection is further indicated by the paper he has dropped on the ground, marked “List of the persons, etc.” The pictorial view of an episode to which undue importance was attached, owing to the excited relation of parties at the time, is accompanied by a quotation from “Hudibras” appropriate to the subject:--