Star. — London, England, 1821-01-16 00:00:00

proposed should be adopted. He should like to see it , ,breathc spirit of independent thought, as well as of loyal expression; of attachment to the Constitu-, tion of the country, as well as of personal affection to the King ; and he did not think this was such an Address as ought to go to the Throne, or such a one as the independent County of Lanark would wish to send to London—( Hear, hear). —He should like to behold some deviation from these loyal effusions, which exhibit a servility and an adulation truly la mentable and disgraceful—(Hear, hear).—And, therefore, he would wish some sentiments intro duced equally gratifying to the feelings of the Sove reign to whom they were offered, and creditable to the principles of the People from whom they pro ceeded. Gentlemen roust be aware, that Meetings, are now assembled, not with the sole purpose of offering to the Throne mere assurances of their loyalty ; but that the object of the present Addresses was more to uphold the King's Ministers, than to express attachment and fidelity to himself; and the Sovereign, he was persuaded, must have seen that the Addresses that have gone from Scotland, are snore expressive of loyalty to his Administration, than of loyalty towards himself—(Hear, hear).—ln the Amendment he was about to offer, there would be no reference to the present Ministers of the Crown; .because he would consider such an allusion not only as a breach of good taste, but as inexpedient in it self, and highly disrespectful to the Throne. But in an Address coming from a County unique in Scot land, in sending a Member to Parliament (Lord Archibald Hamilton), who has deserved so much from his country from the independence of his con duct, and who, in this and other respects, has done more, and deserved more than all the other Mem bers put together—( Hear, hear),—some reference should be made to the circumstances and condition of the People. Indeed, he might be said to be the sole Representative of the Commons of Scotland.-- The political character of this part of the bland, he was sorry to say, was not so high as could be wished, and every exertion should be made to remedy this evil. Look at the Peerage of Scotland, and compare it with what it was at former times ; there is baldly now to be found above one Member of that honour able body who supports his high station in the man ner which he ought to do—(cries of shame, and some applause).—This censure might perhaps not ex tend to them all, but there was one, splendid example, who was far above all the rest—it was unnecessary to say that he alluded to the present Chairman, and he hoped that the conduct of the Lord Belhaven of modern times would be equally glorious with that of the Lord Belhaven of the Union—(Cheers). — As ' he wished to be brief, he would proceed to read the Amendment ; and he hoped if it did not meet with the unanimous approbation of the Meeting, it would yet experience the support and approbation of some gentlemen around him. After the first paragraph of the original Address, which went to express admiration of the Constitution, as by law established, the Amendment recommended retrenchment, economy, and reconciliation, as the best and only means to restore confidence and pros perity ; and that all the remainder of tire original Address should be left out. Mr. Mossmaw, of Auchterfardle, seconded the Amendment. Mr. CHARLES STIRLING, of Kenmuir, thought that Mr. Hope Vere had totally misunderstood the original Address. He had assumed that the original Address alleged the country to be in a discontented state, s hen no such assertion was to be found in it. The Amendment proceeded upon that assumpticn, but the Address itself was totally free from it. It merely mentioned attempts to mislead, and attempts of the Press to demoralize, but did not accuse the country of being disaffected. The Amendment goes much further than the Address, and asserts that these at tempts have infused into the minds of the People a spirit of discontent—(//ear, hear, and noise). Mr. NV. Notts stated, that if anything had be en wanting to prove that the Address contained what his Honourable Friend had imputed to it, the last speech had settled that point, and had made it per fectly plain that the Address impeached the loyalty of the People and the utility of the Press: He was sure that they all felt loyalty and attachment to the King and Constitution every moment of their lives, and he had no objection to express that loyalty and attachment every day. But in a free country, such as this, we ought to do something more than merely express loyalty and attachment: and when mention is made of the spirit of discontent and attempts to mislead, we ought to examine into the nature of that spirit and of the measures which have produced it. As this was not done in the Address, he was sure that there had been " a blast from the Treasury,"— ((;rH,fitsion and cheers).—lt was prepared merely to meet a certain purpose. No person can deny, of all the honourable men to whom he is opposed, that it has been got up merely to support " a tottering Ad ministration"—(Hear, hear. Much clamour).—lf this be not the case, the present Meeting has no meaning at all, and is unnecessary altogether, as no person will feel inclined to believe that the Constitu tion is in such imminent danger from mere "attempts," as to render it necessary to address the Sovereign so repeatedly and so urgently. The supporters of the Address must strew that there is some special reason at present for expressing our attachment. This reason was said to be attempts to infuse into the minds of the People sedition, disloyalty, and immorality. How, are we to address his Majesty for mere attempts? If this be a good reason, there can never be either end of or interruption to addressing. But it is plain, that these attempts are presumed to have been successful, and that they have been listened to at this time by the People. This is the basis upon which the Address is founded, if it be founded upon anything. And what is this but accusing the People, in an ambigu ous, round about, and timid manner, of disloyalty, and of being disaffected ? This is exactly the state ment of his Honourable Friend, and he must agree with him in thinking that this accusation is untrue., The Provost of Glasgow knows that his large town and the country around are at present quiet, although some time ago treason was afloat in it. The events ui Bonnymurr, however, had always appeared to him to be liker the acts of lunacy than of treason. And the Learned Lord Advocate would not have acted with so much temper and moderation, if he had not known that the great body of the People were sound. The disaffection of the present time was of a different kind, and arose merely from the acts of the present Administration—(Hear, hear) —and that disaffection may be easily removed by a change of measures or of men—(Great noise and complete uproar). Lord BELHAVEN begged that the Meeting would listen to the Chairman whom they themselves had chosen and that if they did not, nothing would in duce him to keep his present situation. He begged, therefore, that the Meeting would be quiet, in order that all might hear what the Gentleman was saying. Mr. 'Nous proceeded to observe, that the original Address held out that the People were well pleased with the present Administration, which he did not see how any person could maintain for a moment. — He gave the Ministry full credit for restoring peace to Europe, but could not say that the Ministry fought the battle of Waterloo in Downing. street. He would rather say, that it was won by the extraordinary and unexampled bravery of our troops. When, however, he considered the acts of the Administration since that time, he could do nothing but heap living coals of fire upon their heads. How did they behave when employed in framing the treaties of peace? He ap proved of the Amendment, and would support it.— He thought that it would be indecent and indecorous to send up an Address to the Father of his People, without something" like the information of the real wants of the country, as contained in the Amend ment. Otherwise the Address would not contain the truth ; and he was sure that his Majesty would dis like any Address which contained an inaccurate or deficient account of the country, or which was in tended merely to flatter his Ministers. Ile had more than the mere common reverence of a subject for his Majesty. He believed him to be a most patriotic King, and that he would take delight in having the true state of the country presented to him. Mr. DICKSON, sen. Advocate, of Kilbucko, said, that a number of observations had been made upon the war, but he must recal to Gentlemen's recollec tion, that no expression or allusion to subjects of this description is contained either in the Requisition or Address. What Mr. Inglis stated, is out of the ques tion. Ile must also remind them, that they are not assembled to review the acts of Administration, but to consider the propriety of addressing his Majesty, at a time when a spirit of discontent—( Hear )—is attempted to be infused among the people of this country—( Hear, hear).—They were neither called upon to recommend the dismissal of one Ministry nor the establishment of another; but, as loyal and in , dependent men, to uphold the Constitution as con firmed in 1688, against the designs of mischievous and deluding agitators. That schemes of this cha racter are entertained by sonic, common observation fully discloses. lie believed that the intervention of Parliament could alone effectually repress it. He solemnly believed, that attempts were making totally to dissever the two great political parties in the coun try, and to create that irreconcileable enmity be tween them, which will only prove the forerunner of , future disasters. The Amendment embraces sub jects with which this Meeting had nothing to do.— County Meetings are not called to talk of economy, or to restrain the Minister in the expenditure of the public money. That is the duty of Parliament. He could not omit that opportunity of expressing his astonishment at the insinuations, and, he might add, the most seditious language, that had been applied to the Representation of this country in Parliament. Are they to be told that Scotland only sends one in dependent Member to Parliament, when every Gen tleman must be aware of the impropriety of such a charge Ile highly respected the character and pub lic spirit of their excellent Representative, but there were some parts of his political conduct he felt him self obliged to disapprove. But, in adding hie re gard for the character of that Noble Lord, )ie never would allow the observation of the Honourable Gen- tleman, that Scotland only sent one independent Member to Parliament, to pass without immediate coral adiction. He could not but blame also the terms in which he lidd spoken of the House of Lords, in language calculated to excite general discontent. All must know, that many Noble Lords from Scotland do most faithfully and conscientiously discharge their public duties. He begged Gentlemen to remember the object of their meeting, to adhere to the reason for which an Address was proposed, and concluded by repeating, and shortly commenting on, some pas sages of the Address which Mr. Vere wished totally to exclude. Mr. HOPE VEEP. said, in explanation, that it was more out of respect to the Meeting before whom the accusation was made than to the accused, that he repelled with indignation the insinuation of seditious language which had been applied to him. Expres sions bearing such an interpretation, he never in tended, and trusted could not utter. While men tioning Lord A. Hamilton, he alluded to him merely as the Member who attended more than any other to the interests of his constituents ; and while he de plored the representative system of Scotland, he was not aware that he was talking sedition. His remark on the House of Peers alluded merely to the Scottish representation in it ; and while he praised one Mem ber of it as pre-eminent above the rest, he did not deny the others all merit, and never made any attack upon the House of Peers. Mr. DiegsoN said, that the word "unique" ap peased to him to justify the application he had given to a part of the Hon. Gentleman's speech. Mr. MiDoKALc, of Staffa, said, that he had not in tended to speak, but that he felt it impossible to allow some observations which had fallen from a Learned Gentleman upon the battle of Bonnymuir, to pass unnoticed. That Learned Gentleman had considered the designs of those days as the result of delusion or lunacy ; but he well knew, from his own particular observation, that they were the consequences of a deep and artful plot, to overturn the Constitution.— A faction had been formed to separate the two con tending parties of Whig and Tory, and to ruin every thing—to extinguish the confidence of the people in the higher classes—to rouse them to resistance, and to involve the country in the horrors and devastation ,e 1 civil hostility. It was only, however, to the leaders of this conspiracy,' and to those infatuated men who yielded to these infamous propositions, and not to the general body of the community, to whom he applied the previous remarks. The exemplary for bearance they had displayed in the season of suffer ing, well entitled them to the approbation of all classes. To them he could apply nothing but ex pressions of well-mer ited praise. No man, h owever , had a better opportunity than himself of knowing " Z.=e_ f=ir ---• .w , 'and of estimating the extent of danger to have been apprehended from the recent attempts to overthrow the Constitution ; and being so circumstanced, he felt himself constrained to deny the accuracy of the cha racter the Learned Gentleman had given to them. Should the Constitution be again assailed,, he was Well aware that only one feeling would pervade all present. " And," said the Learned Gentleman, " the Aristocracy would be the first to storm the breach in defence of that Constitution, and to avert the storms with which it ever may be threatened"—(lm mense applause). Mr. Nous, in explanation, amid loud cries of Spoke, Question, Chair, chair! said, that he would not go beyond the bounds of explanation, but he could not allow such a construction of his opinions as that made by the Honourable Gentleman, to go forth to the world. He admitted that treason existed, but that from the moderation and humanity of the Crown pro secutors, he could not but think those efforts the re sult of delusion or lunacy. KIRKMAN FINLAY, Esq. said, that it was quite contrary to his wish to have spoken at the present Meeting, but the extraordinary observations made by the Honourable Mover of the Amendment, could not be listened to by him without feeling indignant. He lately had enjoyed the honour of being an un worthy associate of those who are said to unworthily represent Scotland in the Commons House of Par liament. He had the good fortune to know most of them, and he could say of them, that no persons dis charged all their duties to their constituents with more zeal and fidelity than they did. He thought further, that the insinuations thrown out against them are a libel upon those Members. He had also formed the same opinion of the attack which had been made upon the Representative Peers, as forming part of the Upper House, and as taking little or no interest in the affairs of their native country. There was no room for such comparisons as the Gentleman had drawn. It was well known that the Scotch Mem bers of both Houses were remarkable for their intel ligence, public spirit, and disinterested patriotism. The Afisendment recommended economy, but he did not think that the conduct of the present Admini .tra tion warranted any want of confidence on this sub ject. He contended, that they were a most economi cal Administration, and had always shewn the great est desire to retrench, and far diminished expendi ture. He concluded by stating his approbation of the Address. Mr. CRANSTOUN rose and said, that he was averse to coming forward on this occasion, as his very re cent connection with the county had not yet allowed him to become acquainted with the kind of discus sion, or with the bu•iness of such Meetings. After hearing, however, the statements which had now been made, he could not run the risk of having his silence misconstrued, or his opinions misunderstood. It was not with the Address, considered in itself, that he dis agreed. There was no expression from the beginning to the end of it, to which he objected when separately viewed, or with which lie could not declare that he agreed from the bottom of his heart. It was not with what was expressed in that Address that he was dis satisfied, but with what was implied—not with what was said, but with what was signified. There was more in that Address than met the ear. In the sen timents of loyalty to the person of his Majesty, and of attachment to his government, he and all who heard him, he trusted, were unanimous. It was the wish and the duty of every good subject to strengthen the hands of his Majesty in the exercise of his just and legal prerogatives. Every good subject must regard these as a vital part of the Constitution, as the surest defence of our rights, and the safeguard of our liber ties. But in spite of all this, it was impossible for him to concur in the Address which had been pro posed. For though unexceptionable in regard to the sentiments which it contains, its tendency is liable to be mistaken on account of what it Wants.. He would refer it to any person who now heard him; and he was sure that there was no Gentleman in the room who would disallow that there was implied an inten tion beyond what the terms of the Address, taken by themselves, expressed. He would say more : it was well known, that there were thousands of persons-- persons upright, honourable, and independent, who placed the most implicit confidence in the present Administration, who believed that the measures of Mr. Pitt and his disciples were dictated by the most consummate wisdom, and who thought that because the Government was still preserved, that this was 1 1 alone effected by the prudence and good manage ment of Ministers—(Hear, hear). It was likewise well known, that there were other persons equally loyal, equally upright, and equally honourable, who held opinions diametrically opposite ; who, though they saw the King still upon the Throne, and the Country saved from the perils of a long war, yet think that those advantages might have been at tained by other measures—measures which would not have impoverished the agriculturist, ruined the trader, and brought the country to th e v e rge o f ru i n. His friend, Mr. Finlay, thought that economy was a distinguishing virtue of Ministers. On this point there was certainly great diversity of opinion, and many even thought that they were remarkable for a very opposite propensity. All were aware, that at the present juncture there were thousands and ten; of thousands of their fellow -countrymen who, in all quarters of the kingdom, were loud in their expres sions of a very opposite conviction—who, addressing themselves to the Throne in a legal and constitu tional manner, were praying for a change of mea sures, and in many cases for a change of men. He wished to avoid political discussion; he would not interpose his judgment in regard to these two oppo site and contending opinions. The truth on this sub ject was not the point which he would now bring to issue, it was sufficient that th e f act o f t hi s oppos i tion of parties was notorious. In these circumstances, and at such a juncture, they were called on to vote a loyal Address. In such a crisis, it was impossible not to see that the object intended was , b y implica tion, to throw 'discredit on those who thought diffe ready in politics from the movers of the Address, and to use it as a counter-weight in favour of Minis ten, against the overpower ing d ec l arat i ons o f public opinion—(Hear, hear). No one, indeed, could look abroad at .what was doing in other Meetings of this nature, and not be aware of the scope and intentions of such an Address as the present. Looking at what was done in other Counties in Scotland, he certainly , must regard the present Address with disfavour. Hunt it to Gentlemen, whether the purpose to which . he had alluded was not that for wi was intended? whether it would no, by all persons out of doors? whether would not be openly professed by the Address themselves, as soon as at a close? If, then, it be not proper of our fellow-subjects should be cal. an Address like the present (vagu( though it be, yet on that account i to accomplish its true but unacl becomes the instrument by which be proclaimed, it was impssittle his support. On the other hand, tions could, in his opinit,n, be l a id ; ment ; and if adopted, it would obi such inferences being deduced. Address, it expressed loyalty to thi ment to the Constitution; and it leo sures of economy and conciliation if adopted, there was no one, he cot acknowledge them to be kr the ad , rity of the country. Before conclui Gentleman made some remarks on becility of that party spirit which itself exclusive, or at least pre-emit would brand their antagonists with A firm and independent opposition be they who they might, he consid( of the Constitution. And he dept measures of Administration and di tending to create a distrust in the' tion, and to vilify and degrade them tion of the People. Mr. LOCKHART, of Cambusneth Amendment, because it attacked G sinuation, and if adopted, would el, the Address—(Load cries of " Quest, Mr. HoPKIRK addresse the Mee; the Address. Mr. MONTEITH, upon intimatin was informed by Lord BELHAVEN, trary to all rule for the seconder t. if the mover were disposed, he had (Cries of " Question .''') The .011 was called about half-; P. td. Mr. JOHN DicKsoN, senic Teller for the Adless, and Mi.. Ji the Amendment, and Lold Bum. state of the vote to be_ For the Amended Address For the Original Address - Majority in f.ltrour of the Ainendin, The cheering, upon the announce was instantaneous, and commut Hall to the people out of doors, a; itself through the town. - Lord BELHAVEN, upon obtainii that although he did not wish to cumstance of his being their Chat leave to state, that, had there been would have given his vote for the ' It was now moved by Mr. HOPE to unanimously, that the Address Meeting should be presented to hi Duke of BEDFORD, Earl FITZWI, SKINE, and Lord A. HAMILTON. Thanks were then voted to Lot his conduct in the Chair, which mot by acclamation. A Declaration, in the current ketable loyalty, was proposed at tit on Saturday, and signed by Lord' of the Post-Masters•General, by three Minister ial Members of Parl, other Magistrates. The Declaratiol accompanied by the following Prot " We, the undersigned Magistrates, acting Division of the County of Sussex, having upon in the afternoon of the second day of on the proposition of one of his Majesty's f to sign a Declaration similar to one Which . Papers to have been adopted by the Magist: Division of the County of Kent, think it % the course of justice to declare—That, in nets of the Court ought not to have been Magistrates called out of Court for such previous notice; but, that if any such intention to have been mentioned on the first day of it ing to the usual practice, when there was tendance of Magistrates. And we further Mg to no men in our attachment to the stitution, and holding in abhorrence all the religion and morals of the country , pared as Magistrates to use our authority all blasphemous publications, we still feel upon by any sense of public duty to put which we consider as brought rot ward of upholding an Administration which confidence of the Country. Thursday last, a Meeting was be) hall, in the Borough of Brading, _ the purpose of petitioning the Commons liament to procure the restoration name in the Liturgy, and those dis perly belong to her as Queen Consort and also to vote an Address of Cons . MAJESTY on her recent triumph. An . Petition were proposed and carried. The filled by Joust JAMES, Esq. The Nobility, Gentry, and other Fr, County of We:ford, have unanimously voted and affectionate Address to the KING. Tows proposed the Address and read it, add FLOOD seconded it. The Ilion SHERIFF question that the Address which the _ heard read, should be the unanimous Address County, it was carried by acclamation, all vociferating gg Aye!" as if each individual his voice should be distinguished from A Public Meeting was held at D'Arcy s Dublin, on Thursday last, on the subject of the!' lent dispersion of the late County Meeting at mainham. Colonel TALBOT was in the Chair. FINLAY read the Report of the proceedings L Committee appointed to obtain redress for that rage since their last Meeting. The Coml. said, had presented an Address to the LORD I TENANT on the subj ec t, b ut no answ er had been turned. Mr. CURRAN concluded a long and speech, with moving a Petition to both Wo es . Parliament. It was nearly a transcript of the morial to the LORD LIEUTENANT. The mown carried with acclamation. A letter was Dean PONSONBY, declining to attend the . being occupied with the important duties of ncal profession, b ut express i ng hi s unqu alified probation of the measure pursued at the' Meeting. Messrs. O'CONNELL, CLINCH, DONNEL, spoke at consider 44 length. calumniated,l i ayn% ‘ r t e lso. c lit p etit c hir e ie m elhi e : t 11$ 11 w t t l t7 l l:lP 4 S ei n P : SCe t j i ti . : :1 : :::: : " t 1_ in: deai,lultdrhesiestei,n34:. ~ the bheititliertoqa:;: , ilg e ... f, a ..... e i And ei , 1 1 --- e ite fo it cknowledged i th is calutnan, no 54 0 4 444 _ . tor 1 I against thea; 5 'vEl a t; e u a a ll l y d : n ic hs. trot 11 he King and c a fur onceived, but advantage and of P lading, th e , whic in the invetetm e • the ( I would arrog,:e; ninent loyaltv, e .h the oppeitit e. Dn to the Ilin, t. • dered the life -it, i )recited the r e , . their adherer,;,. : r legitimate 044 hem in h in, objected t ). t io a v entirely frittm estion !") ' T i leering ill strr -- this 1 ing a wish to ref Ti s, that it was r, the 1 to reply ; but ... rentllinit G overnment m i: .. t o w f it E li -pas: threeQ:lr Tt nor, was app., i St Jolt N .I.t iti?! \t, ! been II AVEN deci..i ' t• ,. ! t 31st - - st at C - - so . eight adinent —I • 'cement ofthent. lades anicating from k third appeared to eta;, are s: their ling silence, 'tar e vote, trot:.: .t systei airman, he 1 , ,•,•;t Th een an equalirt,'; Dece e Amendment. . MAJI F , E VERE, and a • • to an ms adopted by O Mae lis NI AJESTY by ' - p 'ILLIAM, Lord bad a the n Drd BELNAVEX, on hi motion was ~ • expel • accot t language of RODE the Lewes - • and 4 d CHIChItSTU, • Th • Lord &Uri' . HENI rliament, and Ltion, however, to sat rotes( : Fr acting for the ig been suddenly ob F r, of the Quarter s Post-Xmas. daY• ch appears hy tk • 1- _ _ igistrates of th e lialr MS I it due to mukluk it • n our opinion, skis se en interrupted, tsi i a purpose, wakes torn( tendon exists:4lo Austr of the Semite, wad • 'mi l d, is a more Rama it is a, her declare, tbt filli • Throne and the ' be cesi attempts to r ; and bins rhe Niv y for the soprellk! xl ourselves not au cipat our names to a Pap. merely for the pm? On tl I has deyrealy WO • ta r y " T. it. KEMP. •.. "G. D'ALSIAC , seen ms e t h e netni, held at the GO Isle of Wight. it very mons HouseclPt . 182( of her Maio ram dignities which i r ort of these Res* than 3.ngraAntuAladti d o r n ess to • 1 3 1 tiasi. p or o un r , hi. The Chair' 10,7 , • tape r Freeholders, cl ' tously voted al. (iso. Lord Cot' ' the' read it, and SI ;HERIFE rating f: h the Meeting L . nmoautsioAn,ddariesls pdattit fro: lividual was ono , • a d s ien s : 'rom the others! l' frost t D'Arcy's Rm el reciu e subject of the " , yinl‘thieeetCinhgaira.t iii proceedings of a sets edress for that % I the Committee , • E :o the Loan LID p nswer had been I 1 a long and all • coot to both Houses nor tnscript t, of the ' rner r. The motion 1 del,' :ter was read fry his i ttend the Meets art duties of his 4. ' of S is unqualified di the 1 lat the late Coo vent CLINCH, and • evil ngth.