Star. — London, England, 1815-03-04 00:00:00

I , 71 _ . st . ♦ , .. • 14. .. - ... oft 1°• 4: ' , 0 ,„.„ ~ 4 .4 , ... .• • . i r 1 , . iv *• II . . if, Atli 4`‘' ''.-• • ... rm. vim: 7.'N5 , 777- •. cr - A ' e.,.. 1 1h, kw '4 • •••.41 ; 4 1rsig. f v o • • ••.; ' • ' I 71141 ).: 444"*""11/IL 7-* ' f • it;t l .l !j7t. • st" • • i . -,--. ~. 71 , 6 1 6 0" I • • s .' • r: ~si :.. ;~ - •1 t . INBER 8737• 1 ---.-.. .. . • SATURDAY, MAltcjt 4 1815. . • . . • • .I . IO.atICE SIXPENCE-HALFPENNY. rettod to to Hewn of • lbe prayer of the Petition In the Honourable Resolved, That throe Iloseluilens be published in the Si n, and in tbe Sabdrary aid Melbourne Newspapers. JOB. GAR L AND, Chairman. Resolved, That the Thanks of the Meeting be given to the Wonhipful the Matti, for hie pronaptit tide In calling the Meet ing, and tcrthe Chairman, for his impartial and gentlemanly eon duet in the Chair. • idEETINGS ON THE CORN BTLL. MANCHESTER. TIIE LARGE ROOM OF THII EXCHANGE BUILDINGS, MANCHESTER. T a very numerous and respectable PUBLIC IsIEETING of the Inhabitants of the Towns of Man. r .intlSalford, to take into 'moldered's the measures now ~, in the House of Commons relative to t h e PRIC E of and the propriety of petitioning Parliament against the ploing into Law; it uH HORNBY BIRLEY, Esq. Boroughroooo of Man. cheater, in the Chair ; It was unanimously Resolved, . lbat the great importance of Trade and Manufactures in .;nontry bas been fuUy evinced during the period of the NW by enabling us to call forth resources impracticable in elbji • that was merely agricultural. Ma a large exportation of our Manufactures is die** an to their support; and their sale in Fort* 114 rbp 11 , e insured only by their superiority and cheapness. ~ neat the great extension of Manufactures in France. Saris. Germane, and the Netherlands, where they possess don se advantage. t rout the low price gibbose, Is severed/ kit*, . c ountry, and i. truly alarming. i. 'fiat the proposed restrictions on the Importation of Coil tet materially raise its face, and consequently that of evert ter visict of provision. ; and as a great propertioo of It manufactures it and must be mimed, It wia be us hie to carry on competition with the Continent for nip rh of time. if the projected measure be adopted. That whilst the Landed Interest was enriched by the war, e class of Manufacturers sustained, Lt a variety of ways, ire' .vieA pressure. e. That no policy can he more short-sighted or unjust, than that • rich would redress the temporary grievances of a part of the • .aunuuity by permanently sacrificing the best interests of the .10k. 7. That the sense of the Country having been generally mad . expressed last year against this measure, further rept*. ,;.,lions have lii.lierto been abstained from • more especially le n,equence of the relief expected to be aff orded to both lands d and tenant, by the cessation of the Property Tax. F. That under these circumstances, the proposed alteration of Corn Laws not only merits the most serious attention of do ,sic community, hut calla fur our prompt and decided oppositioe. 9, That the Petition submitted to this Meeting, and new read, adored, and presented to both Houses ofiParliament. Th.t a Committee, consisting of the Boroughreeves, the notable;, and the Churchwardens of Manchester and Salford, r. Robert Peel, Mr. T. Lntwisle, Mr. Jeremiah Fielding. Mr. v, Mr. Ewan Mr. Fleming, Mr. G. Wood, Mr. N. Phillips , 'r. Richard W ood, Mr. N. Heywood, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Shut?. • worth, Mr. Bright, Mr. George R. Phillips, Mr. John Ken dy, and Mr. Gregg, be appointed to carry the objects of this ' .eetin:7 into effect ; with power to add to their numbers. 11. That a copy of these Resolutions be transmitted to the may Members and all other Members of Parliament coo sued with the County. . 11. That these Resolutions be Inserted in all the Mendota, :pert; in three of the Louden Papers, and in such others no s.e Committee may direct. is. That the Petition be left for Signatures at such places Ile .'Committee may appoint; and that the same he forwarded by e Chairman to the Members for the County, requesting then present the same to the House of Commons, and to support • prayer. HUGH HORNBY BIRLEY, Chairman. 14. That the Thanks of the Inhabitant, be given to the Bo ughreeves and Constables of Manchester and tildford, for their tention to the subject in the appointment of this Meeting ; and t'a. Chairman for the very able and satisfactory gunner in . nth he has conducted the business of the day. • F.bruary 27, 1815. • R. PEEL. TOWN AND COUNTY OF POOLE. T a MEETING of the INHABITANTS of 1. the Town and County of POOLE, holden at the Guild c:, on Wednesday, March 1, 1815, 10sEPH GARLAND, Esq. I.beriff, in the Chair : Iltiolved, That we contemplate the measures now before Par .cat for regulating the Importation of Corn, with feelings of ^c re regret, that the public sentiment an the subject so lately 1.0 strongly expressed, has produced so little effect, and with 710Ui appreheusions, that, by the efforts of designing men, an •iue prcterence may, by a Legislative Act, be given to the in 'iits of one pert of the community, to the manitest injury of other. That Land and the produce of Land have been more than ...Ailed in value in the last Twenty years, during which period c Merchant, the Manufacturer, and the Mechanic have suffer : accumulated distress( 1, from the depreciation of property, e tagtiatioti of Trade, the exclusion from alithe usual channels 'Commerce, and the numberless other disasters conscittent on rilarnitous and long protracted war; mid while the Land titer and the Agriculturist have experienced an unceasing flow rruspetity, and becu exempt from those cruel deprivations .1 aggravated distresses, which thousand, of the other classes the community haw sunk under, they have contributed to the ,rite exigencies at the same rate only on their permanent incomes real property, as has been imposed on the uncertain, a ire, and temporary profits of trade; and which contributions el have been more than amply repaid in theincreased tents of a;:tli and the enhanced prices of the produce of them. 'f hat to impose a Duty on Cont, which must necessarily ope 'as a prohibitiou to the importation of It at moderate prices, . in fact, to fix a Minimum below which It shall not be sold, ' O, must inevitably have the effect of enhancing the prices of all ai(st necessary ankles of life, fur k has ever been found by :p...ienLe that the value of all other articles of human subsist. , :e i, afFected by the price of Cern. Fha the measure now before Parliamett for regulating the •port.mon of Curn, evidently originates in a design to keep up e rnees of the most necessary articles of consumption, for the •:•.ost of perpetuating the present enormously increased Rent 1 . 3116 —a n•.•asiire in just in principle, oppressive in its opera '.• and ciimm s in its cassisequences, as our Manufacturers, who, experienc e a formidable rivaisbip in the perfection which radars , ./a.'t ~ : rained in the fabrication of various anicks r Irttich tips t y has hitherto been celebrated, must ileces '7ll,Y tail a comp et i t i on w ith th os e possessing the advantages frMd consequently of cheap labour. that the harmer and Renter of lauds has no right to claim a for his disappointed expectations, at the expense `fie other cia-tes of the community, nor the Land Owner a t to expect that his property alone shall be exempt from tele 'anger incident to human affairs; if the one has eoneonted to t , and the other to hire lands at a fictitious and exorbitant rate, itch the uocontroubble eh cunistsnees of an unprecedented state warfare could only warrant—they must both be content to re "to the natural order of things,produced by the restoratitnt of "; and the Farmer must seek relief of the Landholder, who lOW cr his rents, and the Landowner must look for a com e'4tion, in a re d uct i on o f T axes, an d wh i c h b e b as in fact sa ni/tit in t h e termination of the Property Tax, but wh i ch can ht cßeatually accomplished by abolishing all useless Places, mot rigid economy and retrenchment in the public departments. , _ . :at at th e preseat crisis It is the incumbent duty of the People , ert their claims with firmness, and to maintain their in. with magnanimity. ' t t l,at Petiti ons t h erefore b e presente d to the R i ght Honourable imu w • of a.ords, and the Honourable the House of Onni tai. praying that the interests of the community at large may _'' l . 4, l conipronik e d by any Legislative Act for the promotion of •c it tn e‘ cr . tsts ot ally particular class of the community. 14 ,2 1 " d, Th-t the Petilons now read, be the Petitions of the ""all:s of this Town and County to both Houses of Par ene:t. Rtuilti (1, 1.1 iat LTSTIII I.arraa, Prq. and Mi „•'_ANGF.I TAYLOR, gsq. the Representatives of this Town • n c 't •L r•nity in Parliament, be requested to ptesent the Petition tea I ,_,•G r notirsi t h : the House of Commons, and to ghee the rupee of ;, anpport ; and also to request seem Noble Member to pre ":.Tne Petiti‘n to the Right Honourable the House of Lords. "Itett s That the Members fui tits Count, of Dorset be re.' • • crrr OF LONDON. MEETING AT THE MANSION HOUSE. One of the most numerous and respectable Meet ings we have ever witnessed assembled yesterday in the Egyptian Hall of the Mansion House, to consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament against the Bill now in progress through the hearse of Commons. The Meeting consisted of the Bankers, Merchants, and Traders of the City of London. At one o'clock the LORD MAYOR, attended by Sir WILLIAM CURTNI, SIT JADIFS SHAW, Mr. Alderman ATKINS, Mr. Row crow; &c. entered, and were received with loud ap 'plause. - The. Lem MATOR informed the Meeting, they were called together, in consequence of a Requietion most respectably signed, to consider the measure now taking in Parliament, to prevent the importation of foreign corn. He was himself invited to take. tbe Chair, and conceiving the Egyptian Hall the fittest place for their deliberations, had accordingly appoin ted it. Some misrepresentations had gone abroad witk respect to his motives, in calling his fellow-citi zens together; but if he met with the approbation of his fellow-citizens, be should be most happy, particu larly as it was coupled with the still higher satisfac tion arising from his own conscience, and the reflec tion of having done his duty. (Loud aftplause.)— The measure now passing was of such a nature, that any one holding the situation which he had the honour 'to hold, would have betrayed she trust reposed in hits, if he had acted any other part, than that which he was accused of acting. (Aep/aufe.) He would entreat them tai observe, as the hays ef their conduct, on an occasion involving the vital interests of their country, a moderate and sober discussion. _ It was the course by which their efforts would be promoted, as by -avoiding any appearance of violence or disaf. feed( n. their petition could not . fail to be entirely successful. He requested; therefore, that they would hear every thing that could be urged for or against the measure. (Lead applause.) Mr. Lewis said he should not . trespass on the Meeting any longer than to recommend temperance in their deliberations. He then proposed rue Reso lutions, Vtich deprecated the measures now betore Parliament, for imposing restrictions upon the im portation of Corn. • Mr. ROWLAND arzertees seconded them. Mr. BENTLEY Wished, before they proceeded to decide on the Resolutions, to call their attention to what Government ought to do in the present circum stances of the country, end what the Bill now pen. ding in Parliament was likely to do. Having retur ned to a state of peace and prosperity, it was their duty to secure those advantages to the people. With this view they ought to begin with retrenchment. — (Here Me oeder was interrupted Is strong marks of du approbation, and cries of Qaestion 1 124estion !) He could assure the Meeting it was not his . intention to meddle with any pOlitical question not combined with that which they were assembled to discuss. ,t/s. /dam.) It was his object to shevi how Government could give food to the people, and encouragement to the merchant. He was then proceed!ng to take view of ere present system oPtazatiou, and to propos, some alterations, by Which their pressure might be remedied, when the disapprobation besame so tow, that he was obliged to desist. • Mr. WAIT/IMAM then came forward amid the cheers of the Meeting. He said, be had obtained permission from the Lord Mayor to read the Peti• tion to them, in order that they might be fully ap: prised of all the measures intended to be taken by• those who bad signed the Requisition. He agreed, fully in the observations Made from the Chair, as to the expediency of preserving order and temper in their discussions. If he was inclined to indulge in inflammatory matter, he could not select a subject in which he would be more likely to succeed, for as all orders were concerned, and the lower orders were particularly susceptible on the occasion, he should' avoid saying any thing by which the passions might be excited. If his voice could hi heard all over the country, he would tell them that they ought to pro. teed with temper. particularly as they were not left to fight their own battle, but were assisted by the first Magistrate, as well as by•the Bankers, Mer. , chants, and Traders of that city. In all the discus-. sions that had taken place in the House (If Commons, great efforts were made to prove that the Bill would not press on the trading part of the community. be: cause they were so combined with the landed, that' the interest of both was the same. As a gene ral proposition he agreed to this ; but when he saw them determined to interrupt the voice of the people, and cut them off from the exercise of one of their undoubted privileges, by indecently hurrying the measure, he might at least suspect there were some cases where it was possible that the people might be forgotten. Some of the great landholders, who were moderate in raising their rents, had no ohjec don to the srateof things against.which Parliament was now attempting to provide, while others were all anxiety for the continuance of those advantages which had grown up in an artificial gate of the coun try, and had benefited the speculative part of the proprietors. From every view that he could take of t the subject, he was contented that the Bill woul d' not operate merely as a tax upon bread, but upon' all the other articles of life—(Appiesue)—on butt& and cheese, and event thing that tame under the do. scription of sugtenance. How, under such cireume' stances, could they contend against foreign manufac: tures in the foreign 'market t—rifpfame.)—They were told that it would net !as. the price of bread— as well might ibex teil e tttlipeinaket &it a et; upon ase id 18.6....1 1 11 • • • .• J leather would not raise the price et shosa—(AM/sere) litedlotd was already reimbursed by the in• cteese 01 the prOtecring duty, .and taking all matters into account had not paid a single shilling towards the support of the war. At the 'commencement of the war, the average price was 445. to year 1800 was a scarce year, relief Was required, and after SOME time, for the protection of agriculture, the average was advanced to 635. They now came for ward to demand that it should be raised to 80s.-and the evidence upon whose authority they attempted to prove e its necessity were laud-surveyors, selected by weers--(aispiceue.).—Yet, even among those, imuseiecommended 78s. end others 75s and that be ;fore the removal of the Property-Tax; But now that the Atoperty-Tai was removed from them, and sub istitited by an increased taxation on the trader, they !asallrbeivs.Bos. • When be looked to the situation of ;the country at large—when fie saw how moth they had endured, and with what patience they bad en dured-it—when be recollected the times in which those Gentlemen met together to persuade the people leo te'venteisted with their lot, be could net bbt een sore their present proceedings. At one of those 'meetings a Gentleman, and a learned one too, cle rked them gravely not to repine, for their sufferings *me a visitation from PROVIDENCE for the sins they had committed—(A Laegh)—yet this was, as he had said, a very learned man, which proved that it was highly passible to have a head full of Greek and :4atin, without a grain of common sense. (A Laugh). lißut it the doctrine was well-timed, and if, as all must acknowledge, it was right to submit with pa t;enceto the will of PaovlDzNca in times of difficulty and distress, at least they ought to be permitted to enjoy the blessings that were showered upon them. War had passed away and peice was returned again, .yet the very same persons who could preach patience in calamity, had the arrogance to counteract the de. 'signs of PROVIDINCEAD a happier condition of the country. (Loud applause). One of their privileges r was to lay petitions at the foot of the Throne ; those petitions should be temperate, but firm. They should call - upon their Representatives to do their duty in the 'present crisis. Without violence,' they should be bold and distinct. It was in public meetings that the temper of the country was formed, as well as exprented, and they should bring to those meetings the disposkidks best adapted to produce advantage. He then read-two petitions, one to each House of Parliament, grounded on the Resolutions already re ferred to, and maintained, that the produce of land, if left to itself, would bear a fair proportion to the other articles of industry; but if attempted to be kept uli by the measure now in progress, would not only prevent the competition of our manufactures abroad, but would share the same fate with these Ma nufactures, and suffer equal injuty. (Lord applause). - I#lr. 'Rowena's expressed his imprint that the Meeting should manifest such little disposition to dis cuss a question of so much difficulty. They were now in the first Hall of one of the first Cities in Eu rope, and were themselves merchants and traders of intelligence and experience. He wished to •hear more upon the subject, and would now submit a few facts. It was proposed by Parliament to protect the agricriture of the country, and keep the plough going. (Here some trualorobation was manfested.) If the World was composed of ph , losophers and philan thropists, there might be no occasion for the measure, but, as it stood, they would find it difficult to ma nage 'Without something of the kind. He had good reason to know that the grain of France would not be brought to the London market under 60 shillings a qurtter. It was 'edmitted by all that some :prow don wairequired.' 11.1rin of No, no,)—and the only question was, of what kind that protection shobld be ? (lire diraplrrobries cow beams general.) life LORD bLysott observed, that from the under standing entered into on his taking the Chair, he ex pected that every thing would beheard on both sides. 'Mr. WAITHMAN next presented himself; but hu in esrlitencistas rendered unnecessary, as the Meeting desired thlit Mr. Rowcroft should proceed. • Mr. Rowcaorr, in continuation, admitted that corn`shoold be sold as low as it could be grown. The question was, what protection we should afford to our own farmer against the foreigner ? Some stated it at 725. others, Again, carried it as high as 87s. But &either party could know at what it should be laid-- nor did he think that all the heads and brain: in that room joined together, could arrive at any thing like &certainty in such an estimate. The House of Com mons had taken the medium of the two. He thought the het of Parliament ought not, and would not, ;'tire the price of 'wheat dd. in the quarter.—(Diraft jereistrieg.)—He could not speik to please them alone; and though he regretted the want of their favour, he could - not court it by any compromise of his judg ment to their wishes. But supposing the price of torn to be advanced five, or even ten shillings, by the operation of the law, what would be its effects on the price of bread ? Taking the advance at five shillings, the peke of the quartern loaf would rise one half-penny ; and taking it at ten shillings, one penny —(disapprobation)—acid as the consumption of bread by a labourer was estimated at two loaves a Week, the whole addition to his ezpences would be a penny, or, at the most, two-pence in the week.-- me dirantrobation becoming more violent the Lord Mayor again interfered.) What induced him to snake this , alcitlation was, to obviate the unnecessary and ex ,travagant alarm that prevailed. If the quartern loaf was raised to two shillings, instead of one, be was euraithere would be no objection to raising the wages bithe labourer to enable him to pay the difference.— (Load cries of de 0f ; v. to which the Speaker Sowed submission and retired.) Sir WILLIAM CURTIS said, he wished to offer a few words on that 'important subject. He had looked at the question in every point and bearing, and thought that sufficient protection was already afforded to the agricidture of this country—(Lard aftplanse.) On that conviction he had made his stand. If, however, IN ) measure passed the House, he must do his • best to hear it; but until it had passed,.he thoisld do hie best to defeat It. Ie his opinion an advance even to 725. would be injurious to the people—(Leado idastse)ii-sand be should nbt only be rea dy to p res e n t their Petidon, but to do all in his power to ruinous • the object of it—(Leadaft l eleare. Sir JAMES SRAW said, that ha v ing to attend a Cont. mitten at tifro o'clock, which was nearly arrived, he wished so address a few weeds to them before be left the. Hall. He concurred entirely in the sentiments of the Petition, which was written with such modera tion, that he should feel great pleasure in pres ent i ng andit supporting its prayer. He agreed that there iwas no otcasion tor any measure to protect thee agri culture of the country at the present moment.— (Lewd amime.) - Mr. Alderman Arsons said, that he and his col leagttes had o pp osed the measure in Parliament, and lithough be word always be willing to prcrect the lac. ded interests in case of need, he saw no necessity for it now. No alteration in the Corn Laws waseneces airy, but as they were the weaker party in the Boum of - Commons, he did wish to meet than half way, not to court the change, but to compromise if possible. —lt was with this view only he should agree to 725. The people of this country were not apt to be misled by clamour, and he thought the metropolis would do well to imitate the example of Bristol, which had sent up a Petition, signed by 40,00 h people.: (Load ap itlasue).—He thought they would be obliged to meet the measure by a middle course, or to abandon it altogether; for though he was confident their Petition must have a great effect, be was sorry he could not hold oat much expectation of complete success. Mr. Alderman C. Siam supported the Resolutions. Mr. Alderman HairGATE said, that a measure which was to raise the price of bread, should only be adopted in a case of imperious necessity. Parliament ought to call the persons who recommended 725. before the Income Tax was removed, and ask them at what rate they would now fix the protecting duty? He was lure their answer would be different. He thought there was still honesty enough in Parliament to attend to the petitions of the people. • • Mr. FEAROI4 and Mr. HARvar spoke in favour of the Resolutions. . • The LORD MAYOR said. that to save the time of the Meeting. he would put the question at once on the Petitions.. They were agreed to unanimously. M. Wet Tam AN :Aid, the Petitions 'mold be ready for signatures for two hours that day at the M4nsion House, and to-morrow there and at other places. It would be necessary to be quick, as the measure had got into a full gallop.—(4 kirgh.) : The Thanks of the Meeting were then given ' una nimously, to their Itepresent at i ' vee to the Loin Keyort, and to Mr. BARING , and the Independent Members who supported him in his opposition to the measure. Immediately after the Petition was agreed to, se veral skins of parchment were laid upon the tables in the outer room, which was crowded to-excess by per sons anxious to give their signatures ' PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. . . • HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH• S. • Counsel were heard in continuation, and haallY; respecting the Appeal Cause, " the Earl of Traquair v. Burrows.and others." Judgment postponed. • On the Chancery Appeal, " Jackson r. Blandforkinnes, and others, Counsel Counsel were heard in part; to proceed again on Monday. _ _ Their Lordships then adjourned for some time, during pleas awe. On the resuming of the House, The Bank Loan Bill was read a third time, and passed. CORN LAWS. Earl STANHOPE said, several Petitions to present to their Lordships, relative to the very im portant subject of Corn. The first was from the Parish of Christ Church, Spitalfields,' signed by be tween 5 add 6000 persons. He would move that it be read at length, in order to show the Petition every possible respect. This was accordingly done; the Petition was from the Rector, Churchwardens, Overseers, and others, the Parishioners of the above Parish. The docu. ment set out with stating the expectation of the Peti. tioners, that after the universal sentiment expressed during the last Session of Parliament, on the subject of the Corn Laws, no further attempts would be made to alter or vary the same, &c. The Petition being gone through, was ordered to lie on the table. The nett presented by the Noble E trl, was one from the Inhabitants of the Ward of Bishopsgate, in the City of London, praying in like manner, that no alteration might be made in the Corn Laws. The third was from the several persons whose names were thereunto subscribed, residents of the precincts of St. Catherine's near the Tower. Having presented this Petition, Earl STANHOPE stated, he had a word to sty to the House respecting a dreadful misconception of what be proposed on the subject to which the Peti tion related. When a person was so grossly misre presented, it became his duty to come forward and state it was so. It was understood that he was so absurd as to propose a diminution of the taxes ut ►h e country, so as to affect the dividends of the public creditor, or the peace establishment. Their Lnrd: ships would see that there was not the smallest ground for so false an idea. He had moved Resolutions epon the subject last Sesssion, which the,' House did not reject, but postpone. These Resolutions he begged leave to read, in order to refresh the memory of their Lordships: The first went to establish, that to provide an ample supply of provisions for the public, was at all times an object of the first national importance. Tbe second imported, that each could not be provided, unless due encouragement was given to the Growers et Corn in Great Britain and Ireland, so as to enable them to awry on the ins provedisystens of agriculture with advantage, and to enable the Fanners to sell their corn at moderate prices to the consumer. .The third, that in order to procure these essential objects, it we* expedient that those taxes which bore most heavily on the growers dawn on Me one bead, or on the laborious part of the sosupenity on the other, be repealed, as far as the reign of