Star. — London, England, 1822-02-05 00:00:00

- • =Jar, AGRICULTURAL MEETING. Yesterday a very large assemblage of persons ap pealed at Epsom, so early as eleven o'clock. Three waggons were arranged opposite to the Spread Eagle, for the accommodation of those Gentlemen who were to take an active part in the business of the day. At twelve o'zlock the waggons became quite crowded. . Among the Gentlemen present were— Lora& King, lalenborongh, and Stanley ; Messrs. W. Weston, 'rower (late !Ugh Sheriff), Drummond, 11. Townshend, 1.31- brooke, J. Itlaberly, acne M.P. J. Maberly, inn. M.P. 11. 0. Bennet, M.P. J. Denison, M.P. 11. Stunner, Lowmies, and many others. The Meeting was exceedingly numerous and highly respectable. J. SPICER, Esq. the High Sheriff, stated that he had called thii Meeting in consequence of a Requisition, numerously and respectably signed, which he begged leave to hand to Mr. Under Sheriff, to be read. The Under Sheriff read the Requisition, which was . signed by Lord ONsLow, the Earl of TamcEttalLLE, J. DENISON, Esq. the lion. H. G. BENNET, Mr. MA. BERLY, and others, possessing lands in the county to the extent of 20,731 acres—(Flear, hear).—lts terms were confined tonricultural distress, and the means of relief. The HIGH SHEROF said the Requisition was signed on the 20th of January, and he had granted its re quest on the c.ist--(6hecrs).—As soon as a Requisi tion, numetously and respectably signed, was pre sented to him, he lost no time in acceding to it; for the person who brought it to him carried it back signed by hint for the purpose of holding this Meeting. A motion was then made, and seconded, that the Truett SUERIFF should take the Chair. The motion was unanimously agreed to. The 111 Gil SHEltlrr having already stated the readiness with which he had acceded to the wishes of the county, had now only to request that proper at tention should be paid to those who might address themselves to the Meeting. The subject was impor tant, perhaps of the greatest importance that could come before a County Meeting. lie bored their at tention would be confined to the object which was properly befOr e the Meeting, and that no other matter would be introduced. Whether what might be said should be in conformity with their opinions ur not, he hoped they would hear with patient attention, for that was a courtesy due to those who spoke—(.4pp/ause). Mr. Wean Westox, its coming forward to move a Petition to be presented to Parliament, declared, that of all the questions that had ever called for the at tention of a nation, this was the most important— (Applause). It was not possible that the landed in terest should sink, and that all others should not ; all must sink or swim together—(Applause). It was impossible that the other classes should exist if the agricultural class should inl!—(Applause). Land s, farmers, householders, shopkeepers, traders, fundholdets—who never could be paid without the aid of the other classes, and particularly the icul turi,ti—he was ready to pay them, and to do justice to all, hut they must have the means; all were in the s.ore situation, and must stand or fall together. It is an easy matter to o f high rents ; but before he came to that topic, he would advert to another s uisicaa. It had been sometimes said that landlords t,asants had not the same interests: lie maintained they had. It was very bad management for a land lord to let his land at a rent which his tenant would not be able to pay, after having had a fair com pensation for his capital, and a fair remuneration for his oxen tiros—V.ard C,rf!i:Niti. No landlord who was not a 1.01 would let leis lands otherwise. It was Lterest of lanilords, and every man's feeling of interest actuated his conduct more or less, to let his lan.ls at a rent that could thus be paid. If he let his lands otherwise, the tenant was obliged to n;•glect his lands, and the landiord lost the nnreasonaale rent he had imaoscd ; and afterwards he was obliged to let his lands at a lower rent than he could have got in the first instance. The present distress was of a very particular nature—he hoped it would not last long. The labourer was in unison, too, with the land lord and the tenant. Landlords, tenants, and la bourers, were but links of the %Mae chaia—(Applause) ....,they were all in the same boat, and must sink or swim together. Anollier misapprehension was more generally believed ; it was, that high rents and high prices had enriched landlords and farmers. Ile be lieved neither of the assertions were true, and lie thought he could prove it to demonstration. Land lords-were said to have doubled or trebled their estates. He, for one, had doubled his rents, and he was poorer than he had been before—(llear). This was occasioned, not by squandering, lEst they could not live iu the same state with double the income. They had not more to spend ; they had not so much; this he would say in his own case. When he had come to this County he had laid a pipe of wine in his cellar for £39, which now cost him from £lOO to £l2O. The double, then, would not now pay it. The carriage had cost him £110; k now cost him 0350. But to get out of his cm riage, to leave luxuries, and get to the necessaries of life, he had then bought a pair of boots for £l. ss.—they now cost him £3. at least so his sons told him-0 laugh).—Now the farmer could state a case for himself better than lie did as a landlord. The Poors Rates now were more than doubled ; leather, every,hing, was in proportion, but the room' hares were decisive, and they were tripled—quadrupled. If, then, neither the landlord sior the tenant had the money, who the devil had it? The . Government," was answered by several voices.) 'lie thanked them. It was so. The Government had got it for carrying on what they called a just and tecessary war, but what he called a crusade. It was a war which ought never to have been commenced —(Loud cheers).—He had been among the dupes who had been persuaded that the war was right— (Applartze).—lrt consequence of that war t h e expense had beconle enormous ; but the enormous expenditure had not terminated with the war. Places, pensions, and sinecures were created every day. Yes, they were not only continued, but additional burthens of this oseless nature were created every day. In the meant time they found their money gone from them. They could not raise the moneysequired, and those who bad been fairly above the world were fallen below it. .-Landlords were, generally, sensible of the change which had taken place ; they had lowered their rents. lie defied any one to say that rents had not been lowered u every County in England. There were individual exceptions, for there were foolish landlords and foolish tenaots- r (.Applause).—lle had lowered his rents, not a half, but above a third, and he never wished to see them up again; bat he did wish go lee the country relieved from tares which it could not ' bear-(Loud applause ).—Let them, only have low rents and low prices, as thirty years ago, and let their burdens be rednced to the same level. lie therefore recommended Reform— ( Applause f.—He wished for reduction and economy ; that was the Reform he meant (Ay, and Parliamentary Rifonit).—lie would submit for their adoption a Petition, which he begged leave to hand to the Under Sheriff to read. The U►naa SHERI?? read the Petition proposed. D FOX 31USISLN PETITION OF THE OWNIIRS AND ow:mato OF LAND, AND OTIISRS INTERNSTSD IN Tims wauctaxtraz OF Tait COUNTY or SI'ILILFV, " That the Committee, appointed by the Honourable the House of Commons, state, ' That a considerable portion of th e outgoings on arable fans is paid out of capital, and not from the profits of the tenantry. " That, in all probability, the prices of the produce of agri culture, in common with the prices of all other articles, will be lower, in consequence of the improved value of our money. " That they do not deny, that it is the duty of the Legislature to shorten the duration, and palliate the evils, of the crisis. " That they think the situation of the grower of corn both hazardous and embarrassing , in a country where the lowest price which is considered to effort him a remuneration, shall habitually and considerably exceed the price of the remainder of the world, althoizi, up to that price be should be secured in the convicts monopoly of that country. 0 That they think the ruinously low prices of agricultural produce at this moment cannot be ascribed to any deficiency in the protecting power of the laws—that protection cannot be eats ried farther than monopoly ; this monopoly the British growers enjoyed for the produce of the two last harvests (the ports, with the exception of the ill-timed and unnecessary importation of oats during six weeks of the last summer, having been uninter ruptedly shut against all foreign impert for nearly 30 months). " That they earnestly recommend that every opportunity should b.; watched, and every practical measure adopted, for re ducing the amount of public expenditure, as the only meals of approximating to a state of finance, which, without impairing the credit of the country, may lead to a diminution of the ex isting burdens of the people. '4 That they consider, so far as taxes fall upon the profits oel the active capitals of the country, whatever may be the object) upon which they immediately attach, or the parties by whom they arc in the first instance raid, they operate in their ultimate effect as an abatement of those profits ; equally affecting the trading, the manufacturing, and the farming interest, by dimi nishing their means, either of enjoyment, or of accumulating fur ther capital, by savings of their annual incomes. " That they do not disguise from themselves, that the weight of public burdens of the country (their nominal amount remain ing the same) must be more severely felt, in proportion as the money incomes cleaved from trading, farming, and manufac turing capital and industry are diminished. " That no exertion, therefore, should be omitted to endeavour to reduce those burdens as nearly as circumstances will permit, in the degree in which such incomes may have been reduced ; for, in considering this subject, it is important to bear in mind, that the general amount and real pressure of taxation have been positively increased, in the proportion of the improved value of our currency.' Here Mr. Wcsrow observed, that the part of the Petition which had been hitherto read, was no more than a recitation of the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons ; what followed emanated from themselves. "'That, notwithstanding such are the opinions of the Honour able Committee, no Parliamentary measures have been taken, except the repeal of the Horse -tax, or even recommended by therm that could induce your Petitioners to expect any immediate or to hope for any distant relief, by reduction of taxation. " That your Petitioners are induced, therefore, to humbly im plore your Honourable House to take the said Report into its most serious and immediate consideration, with a view to such an alleviation of the present burdens, as can alone enable the agri culturist to met the difficulties under which he now labours. " That they humbly suggest to your Llonourable Hume the reduction of direct and indirect taxation, as loein; the most essential Ntep to insure the abatements of the charges on raising produce, so absolutely ucct.s.sary to avoid bankruptcy to the landed Intere . st. _ _ _ " That your Petitioners trust they are borne out and justified in this humble request by thy Report of your CommitteT. " That your Petitioners are less reluctant in urging your Ho nourable (louse to this relief, because they consider the Scat: may be ably and safely governed at a much smaller expense than it now is. _ " That should your Petitioners' humble request be neglected, they are assured that it will take away from the labourer that eniployinent he so mainly relies on for his subsi.tence." MaitiAir.v, jun. said there were three causes from which the distress proceeded—depressed pikes, the restoration of the currency, and the enormous pressure of taxation, which principally occasioned the sufferings of the agricultural, and all other classes.— He then spoke in strong terms of the extravagance of Ministers, and their opposition to retrenchment. Lord KING now presented himself to the Meeting, and said, that though he had not signed the Regal salon, it had not been from a wish to throw any dif ficulty in the way; on the contrary, he thought the I Requisition most proper, but he had not thought that if went far enough—(Cheers}—lt was quite unneces sary to describe the digress which they-all felt; but it uas very necessary to inquire into the cause of it. Six years ago it had been said it was only a transi tion from war to peace. Well, the transition had been made, but the digress bad not passed away. Oh, then, it was the prosperity of one class which occa , sinned the distress of another, and - this was an acci dent to which property was always liable. Last of all came forth as the cause of the distress of the coun try—What ? Excessive produce laugh). The real evil was excessive taxation. All other cuses had been assigned only for the purpose of. delu sion : they were founded in fraud and deceit, and were in tended to keep cut of view the true cause, excessive taxation. This taxation hid risen to such excess by a war of twenty-five years, by the height of profusion and expenditure on the part of a Government that was not ccntrouled by the House of Commons, who were ready to vote eve!' more than was asked. Since the peace, too, a military establishment, beyond rea son or bearing, was maintained ; a very large civil list was voted; a paper currency, all the while, was making inroads into all pcisons' property (Applause). The very lowest military establishment was required, and the lowest reduction of the expenditure of Go vernment—(" And pensions and places"- 4, Ay, turn them out"): the Civil List ought to be reduced in like manner. That was the proper course to be adopted. If possible, the standard of 1792 ought to be conformed to. The whole expenses for England and Ireland had then been but L'7,000,000. Now they were 01,000,000. Why should they be three times as much ?—(Hear, hear). Reduction of taxa tion was then the only relief. They were first to begin Iwith a reduction of the estimates, and to carry it to the highest possible amount. He was a sincere Par-, Iliatnentary Reformer (Goat cheerixg); but, for the !sake of Unanimity, he refrained from moving an Amendment, because it was not in the Requisition. Till the House of Commons became the real repre, sentative of the People s holding a sufficient controul over the public purse, and not di s posed to vote all, and more tha n the Ministers asked, because they shared so much among themselves—.till the House was thus reformed, 4e believed, ia his consciences that she Wintry could uot enjoy iirosperky--(Leud and universal applaiss). Seven millions WON men tioned as a sum which might be reduced. If redac tion was not carried at least to that client, this coun try could not know improvement or prosperity. They complained that they had not remuneration; but the, question was in what manner they were to obtain it. RReduce the tales.") He quite agreed with the m. eduction was the only means—(Appkitee). A Corn Bill had been tried, and found delusory. If ever he felt proud of a vote, it was of the vote he had given against that measure. Let them not hope relief from that ; he was very glad that it was not recommended by any Meeting in the country. He derived great consolation, he must say, from the preseat state of things.—(Continued applause). Mr. LEECH said, that if Parliamentary Reform was not included in their Petition, they blinked the ques tion—(Applause}.—He was very sorry Lord King bad thought it not regular to move such a Resolution. — If they looked to the distress of the county, he could say that he was a considerable occupier of land, and, without calculating one farthing for feat, he was a loser—(lieae, hear).—Though be had not raised his ' rents for the last forty years--( 4, That's true, you haws not")—his tenants did not gain sufficient to pay him the old rent. Mr. Leech then read the following Resolution, which he wished to incorporate with the Petition : " Resolved, That it appears to this Meeting that Mr. Hume produced documents in the last Session of Parliament clearly proving that the public expenditure, both foreign and domestic. admitted of retrenchments to a very large amount, in despite of which, all the propositions submitted by him to effect this de sirable object were negatived by great majorities of the Houssof Commons, thereby making stiU more manifest, that the corrupt state of the Representation of the People is the real cause of all our distress. It is, therefore, our decided conviction ' that until the People are fully and fairly, represented in the Commons House of Parliament, no permanent and general relief from the pressure of our burdcns can reasonably be expected." Mr. TOWNSHEND supported the motion. The HIGH SIICRIFF said, he would suffer his right hand to be cut off, before he would allow that Reso lution to be put. He could not do it, in justice to the absent Freeholders. If they were se desirous of having Reform discussed at a County Meeting, and if they presented a Requisition to that effect, respeet:ibly and numerously signed, he would give it his best consi deration; and on a future occasion the question might be regularly discussed. Mr. MABERLY was ready to sign a Requisition for a Meeting for Parliamentary Reform ; but be would not destroy the unanimity of the Agricultural Meet ing. If the High Sheriff should refuse, as a Magis trate of the County he would join in calling a Meet ing--(Applause).---He hoped, therefore, that the Agricultural Interests would not be injured by cabal or speaking. Though Parliamentary Reform was the most desirable thing . they could have, it was inexpe dient to connect it with the present Petition. He con jured them, therefore, not to do what would be un reasonable, and would injure themselves. Mr. TitEcwata. said, the motion was quite regular. Mr. Lowxnes opposed the Amendment, and ob jected to the introduction of any matter which was not comprehended in the Requisition. The Hon. H. G. BENNEr next addressed the Meet ing, and was received with loud cheering. In allu sion to the distresses which now tprevaileJ in the country, the first word he was disposed to pronoun was—Reform. The last word was also—Reform.— The want of it was the source of all the misfortunes under which the country now lab anred ; it was the cause of the excessive taxation and of all the other mi•eties of which we had to complain—(llear, lerar). The question was now brought forward without a spe cific notice. '1 he Reformers of the County were not present, and, instead of having the question carried by a large majority, as he had no doubt it would have been, it a due notice had been given, it might per haps be negatived altogether—(Cries of " No i no; from several parts of the Meeting). He was folly aware of the feelings of the county of Surrey on the subject. But then the Itefortners present must be aware that the subject was not mentiosed in the Re quisition which had called the county together, and the Sheriff felt it his duty, and this was one of the blessed effects of the Six Acts to refuse to put any question not directly noticed in the Requisition.— By one of those blessed Acts the High Sheriff was bound to adhere to the strict letter of the Requisition —(Cries ef" No, nor).—Now the remedy which he (Mr. H. G. Rennet) would propose would be this— that a Requisition should be then drawn up and signed, calling on the Sheriff to call the County im mediately, for the purpose of considering the question of Reform ; hut if he should refuse to comply, why then, after the business for which they had assemble d was ended; they might go into the room opposite (the Assembly-room at the Spread Eagle), and there the power of the Sheriff would, notwithstanding the Six Acts, be at an end—(acers). They might there call a Chair, and agree to any Resolutions or Petitions on the subject of Reform which they might think proper. But while they had the opportunity of doing this, they ought not, he submitted, to neglect the one just then before them, of agreeing to a Petition to Parliament on the cause of, and the remedy for, the distresses of which they complained. The Petition before them complained of the excessive weight of f taxation, and of the exorbitant and unne c e ssar y ex penditure of the public money, and it prayed for economy and retrenohment. Now he implored of the Meeting not to forego the opportunity of sending that Petition to Parliament, as it would not at all interfere with any Resolution to which they might afterwards come on the subject of Reform. That economy and retrenchment were necessary, no one would deny... The country was just in that state when such measures must be pressed, if it was intended to save it from destruction. We were lite a man whose estate was burdened with debts : he must, if he intends to act honestly, dismiss those servants whom he cannot afford to keep—he must have a smaller retinue ; and if he cannot afford even one servant, must learn to wait upon himself—(Hear, hear).—On the present occasion, he sincerely hoped the Meeting would not throw away the opportunity which they had of ex pressing -their sentiments. He trusted they would first agree to the Petition which they had heard read. and after that they might assemble on the subject of Deform without (ear of the slightest disturbance, Mr. Coaam, spoke at tome length in favour of the motion for Deform. Mr. Liactt again presented himself; but the She riff' was still peremptory : he said he was not to be somata by the conduct 4f other an t ic ; an d bei ., asked, would he call a Meeting for Reform that dit i said at once that be would not. be would Compl y with a Requisition, and appoint an early day. Mr. CASE argued in favour of the Resolution. A person now called out, 14 Let us hear our County Members." Mr. DIMISOK immediately came forward, and a s . mired the Meeting that the call which they h a d j ust heard was not necessary, as far as he was concern e d , for that before it was made be was in the act of p re . senting himself to the attention of the High SheriE He had on every occasion been the zealous advo cate of Reform, Economy, and Retr e nchment ; and, w i th respect to Reform, he had throughout his life s lh .. ported it as a measure which he conceived necc, for the prosperity of the country. After the very try manner at which the several topics introduced Tly day to the Meeting had been discussed, he had little to offer worthy their attention. li e s i„ not, however, in the state of distress in whi c h , at present existed, wish to give a silent vote., When they were reduced to tbar degree of mi ser , , that they almost held their estates as trustees for per ism and taxation, it was very natural that they should look to the causes which had produced thr, misery. An immediate one was the grossly lavit, expenditure of public money which had been cattleC on for so many years. What else but poverty sr; misery could he expected from that expenditure? T o the year 1816, not less than one hundred and feur millions were expended. When such extravagan ce was committed, it was natural to expect that distm : would be the result when the bill came to be paid. Th.'. time was now arrived, and they were paying for with a vengeance. He stated his opinion, that mut might be done toward lessening the burdens of the country, and it was his object, and would be his cl;- ject, to-dall he could towards effecting a reducticr., Mr. H. Stpatita next presented himself, and said he had come•to the Meeting with an anticipation of the most perfect unanimity. He hoped, therefore, that no topio would be introduced to distract or di vide but_ that they would confine themselves to th e simple subject before them. He never flinched frost answering for his parliamentary conduct. He +, v , was of opinion that no good could be done to t}.. • farmer by protecting duties. For three years we lac t h e monopoly of our own market, and yet the distress existed. He had supported the war from princip:e. He would not say that no reduction might not be made ; but he would maintain that a great deal had been done in the way of retrenchment, that more was doing, and that it was the deternarnation of Minister: to correct excessive expenditure to the last farthing —(Grcat disapprobation).—Much was said of the amount of expenditure; but it was forgotten that a great portion of this expense was a debt incurred by the country in supporting a just war. Which of them would refuse to give support to those who had bra. fought for their security ? He declared, that s' ha:- ever truth there might be in the charges of corrup tion and bribery against Ministers, that at least 113 hands were clean. For twenty-five years of Parli.r inentary service, he would defy any man to roe that he gave an interested vote. Mr. COBDETT being about to address the Mee:Lie again— ! The Ilion Smarr, asked if what Mr. Cohhett was I going to say was in explanation? Mr. COMIETT, with a smile, "Yes, Sir."--llelb.a proceeded. The Hon. Member had told them ;h.:: Ministers were as:lions to reduce taxation and e 7.• penditure as low as possible. Now he (Mr. Cohhe;:i held in his hand a pamphlet, issuing from the TrCi sury itself; in which was this paragraph— ,, Minii:e-s will not have to apologise, when they meet Parlia3l:7% for the smallness of the reductions which they h Ivp effected, but to excuse the too great reductions %% Fin they have ordered !"—(Laughter),—That came fro, the Treasury, he was very well assured. It was az:r . • bated to Mr. Courtenay ; and it shewed that Minis:::s had not any intention to make further reducticr.; but lie (Mr. Cobbett) was confident that they srcu:a yet have to make some very considerable ones. A Freeholder from the crowd called upon 1.. , rd Ellenborough, who was present. to account to :re Meeting for the amount received by his family ea: of the taxes ; and next proceeded to comment on tre strengthening, as it was called, of the hands cf niters, by calling in the Grenvilles, who for the its: thirty years, he said, had been receiving from the ' public purse more than the amount of the taxes pa'll by the three towns of Guildford, Kingston, and Cr': doe, together. The Ilion SnEntrtr put the question on the 1 3 (.6• tion, and it was negatived by an immense majority, Mr. H. G. I3ENNET expressed a hope that the 11,-f: ing would not separate without coming to sem r:• solution on the subject of economy and retrenchrr.rr! The &MIFF declared the Meeting dissolved. a ein e lay* , 41 7 lUnty d as A . i just rued,, p re . :eq.. I', 'sate with, 51 11. .Sir r F s)l e ills , . *II very rd' they - rte., 'lsere, r pr. z . t they it: rtittleci ty . re? T o d feta 1 ! Tante . L Tha t • ; for much of th e lit el;- acticr.. d said icn of refore, or di. to the i frost e +icy/ tO e ve hat . • 'is:Tess netpie. not be ;al had • rre was . inister: • trthir.g of the that a Ted by rfthern rraveif C :ortup. !ast 3 Fore lett w.ts ihn tnd ie TrC.l 4 1 . 113127% ey hive Is %thin ne frol as . action; r ;s. Lrrl : to :ire • ;lily ea: cn of the ias: urn the ces ra:ti • d Cr.. . !.:e notify. erne t,:• ;:hnlrr.! ed. ):4. at an i 'resent le lull. t 1011.1 withheac rjj i 0a k new st " the oc , r ) t • will call If con,i- . ncforrA Lath e Nish • n t An a! - ;Ili tlie itr and • Mr. Obbet!. vas PeClock% MEETING IN THE ASSEMBLY-ROOM. As soon as the Meeting was declared to be at an end, the greater portion of those who were present went to the Assembly-room, in the Spread Eagle 11111 . Lord K INO was called to the Chair, amidst lout cheers. Upon taking it, his Lordship aisured Meeting that no man was more anxious than he was for a Reform, and be would n ow s i gn a Requis;:ion for the purpose of having a Meeting of the Com'AF called upon the subject :whinier. He would recom mend that a Requisition to that effect be imincJiately signed, and presented to the High Sheriff. He kne" . it would not becompliedl with that day, but never:!lc less it was as well to mark their opinion on the question. A Requisition was immediately drawn up to die following effect : “ We, the undersigned Landowners, Freels (Qtrs. and 4) "` : " piers of Land in the county of Surrey, do request you will tali an immediate Meeting of the County. for th e p ur pose of "r".:; dering the distressed state of Agriculture, an d also for a Buforro in Parliament." This was signed, and Lord King and Mr. Lech were deputed to wait upon and present it to the 110 1 Sheriff.—After an absence of about a q uarter of At % hour, his Lordship returned, and informed the Meet ing that the High Sheriff had consented to cali the Meeting for that day fortnight at the same h .Ill• place.— Thanks were now voted to L'rd lei Mr. H. G. Bennet, Mr. Leech, Mr. Hare Towilse.nJ, Mr. Deni4on. Thanks were also moved to Cobbet!, but there being general cries of " No, no," it was ao' pressed. The Meeting then (at nearly five o'clock' disfersed in the most orderly manner.