Star. — London, England, 1822-01-19 00:00:00

~~ ~I ~~1 ~. I. '1 . : I li f` I i'; • . It 1. TALINPN. AartucULTURAL MEETING. • • • • ••• "Wedoestay last, a Meeting of the Gentry, Magis -4 b it ,tvte,jreeholdqrs, and Inhabitants of Taunton and 111 itinikpbOulhoci:, was held in this town, to consider the propriety of laying the present unparalleled dis tress of the Agricultural Interest before the Legislar ture. Before twelve o'clock the Guildhall was com pletely filled, and the number of persons continuing to accumulate. it was found necessary to adjourn the Meeting to the Nisi Prius Court, in the Castle, which was occupied in every part. ' • -EDWARD AYSHIORD SANFORD, Esq. wax invited ; , . .• to take the Chair. • • . WILLIAM AYSHIORD SANFORD, Esq. then rose, and sai•i—Gentlemen, I am very sorry to hear that Ministers are not 'aware of the situation of their coun try, and that they doubt, or affect to be incredulous upon .that fact, which is unfortunately so well and painfully known to you all. It is therefore necessary . to show them, by the concurrent testimonies of Meet ings, legally constituted and respectably attended, as • this e, to what an unexampled state of wretchedness Vie country is really reduced. Would to GOD that • the corn faints which are now issuing in tones loud and deep from every quarter of this kingdom were . . trerely the cries csf fictitious woe! Is this, Gentlemen, ask, the state of things to which we must be re duced, after having successfully fought the battles . which were to place Europe in the secure enjoyment. of its liberty—after having prostrated the Despot of France from his throne, is this to be the only country which is not benefited by the contest Are we to be the only people—are the bold yeomen of this . count! yto be the only persons upon whom the Weight of the heavy reckoning is:to fall? while Jews, con tractors, and loan-jobbersiare gmassing princely for tunes—(Great applause).—lt will therefore be the duty of the Reptesentatives of the People, and unfOrtu- Irately they are represented by too few,la theensuing I'arliAment, boldly to declare to Ministers theseverity of the condition to which we are reduced, and urge an efficient remedy, if any remain, for our.distress— (Applause).—lle then read the following Petition: " 10 THE RIGHT MONOURABLI las lAMIDSSPIRIILIAL wrtl viorreasx PARLILAIIEXT ASSIMILED. " We, the Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders, and Occupiers of Land, in the district of the once opulent Vale of Taunton, most humbly represent to your Ilonourable Douse— " That the cruel distress throughout the district in which we reside has arrived at an unparalleled height, and is daily increas ing to an alarming extent. " That the progressive decline in value of all the productions of the earth, accompanied by an overwhelming burden of taxa tion, such as was never before endured by any country, has swallowed up the capital of the farmer, and brought the greater proportion of the independent yeomen to the brink of ruin; ' which, without the most speedy relief, must ultimately termi nate in the annihilation of that must excellent and invaluable holy of men. " That ) our Petitioners, therefore, pray that the strictest eso ncazy and retrenchment may be enforced in every Department o: the State." CI:ARLES ANDERDON, Esq. seconded the Petition. The Bev. W. P. Triomas.-1 own, Gentlemen, it was with much satisfaction I received the invitation from my brother Magistrates to concur in assembling this Meeting. I have long known, and as a landlord have felt, the severity of the times; and can therefore unequivocally state, that unless some measure be re sorted to, it is utterly impossible that the farmer can live. The poor-rates ale everywhere an intolerable burden on the land ; and these, co-operating with a g: Bins; system cf taxation; disable the cultivator of the soil troin tealizinti the fair fruits of his exertions. I live in a parish where the rates, though less than they have been, absorb what might otherwise consti tute the reasonable gains of honourable industry. In 1793, the poor-rates were £B2l ; in the year 1821, they amilinted :o £2,000. Another source of the present mischief appertaining to, and w• ighing down the energies of the Agricultural Interest, is the in adequate duty on foreign corn. I am the last man in the country that would wish to see my poor neigh bour badly supplied with the comfcrts, much less the fi st nes.essaries, of life ; but protection to the corn g: ower of this country must be afforded, if any chance is to be allowed him of contributing, without abso lute ruin, to an exorbitant taxation. 1)r. KINGLAKE.—Sir, I rise to bear to this very numerous and respectable Meeting my personal tes timony to the great and crying distresses that do in deed afflict the Agricultural Interest of this country. There can be no doubt entertained of the reality of the grievances, a statement of which we are this day met to lay bet Ore the Legislature. But there is no mystery in this calamitous situation; the cause is as glaring as the effects are evident. A ruinous expen diture of the public resources of the country, during a war of nearly thirty years, has wretchedly over whelmed the landed interest with difficulties that are at length become insufferable. No country, however vast in its means, could have sustained the profuse waste of public money attending a protracted war, relentlessly carried on, and that, too, I will confi dently add, Sir, not for genuine British objects, but, on the contrary, to uphold and advocate political .views utterly repugnant to the true principles of our constitutional liberty. The measure of Parliamentary Reform is essentially connected with the subject un der discussion, because it is to a want of constitu tional representation that may be justly attributed not only the prevailing difficulties, but also the fearful prospect of still greater national calamities. Retrenchment and economy must necessarily be prac tised; the time is come when the means of further pecuniary extravagance are at an end ; they can be sio longer supplied, or, if they be, we shall soon have to compare notes on our actual instead of prospective ruin. The constitutional objects for which repre • scntation was designed were real public benefits—an anxious watching over the individual and collective interests of the community, which, if duly fostered and protected, would impart to the teople of these realms a physical security of happiness, as steadily and infallibly operative, as is the influence of those natural laws which govern the universe. But, in stead of this, it appears to MC that the representation, as at present constituted, is anything rather thali that which it purports to be— (Great applause). Sir T. 13. LETHBRIDGE, Bart. M.P. said he had listened with great pleasure to the beautiful speech the Me • had heard from the worthy and though he concurred in much yet he could not coincide the causes which he had the sources of the distress the Agricultural Interest. IE . II which it purports to DC ••••- Fj Sir T. Be LETHBRIDGE, listened with great pleasure the Meeting had just heat learned Gentleman; but the that had 'alien from him, in opinion with him as to bo eloquently insisted were which at preseut affected • Of the existence of that distress he was fully con-I vinced, and he therefore - most cordially assented to. the adoption of the Petition which had been submit! ted. for the consideration of the Meeting, as well suited ;to -die nature of the object, and the situation of the country.. Upon that topic of the learned Gentle man's addles: rei4tive to Parliamentary Reform (said the Hon. Baronet) I do not feel it my duty to enter, beCiuse "it-forms no feature of the business which we are assembled to discuss. Had the Meet ing been called for that purpose, I should have felt it , my duty to attend, and to express my sentiments with that fearlessness and candour which ought to belong to a Representative in Parliament, and which I have always endeavoured to evince. The Petition proposed to this Meeting is a proper representation of the People of Taunton to the Legislature, and I fully concur in its averment—that the distress is beyond example, and demands the most early and rigid attention. With that sentiment I most fully, accord, and I shall be at my post to advocate the Petition, to urge the most attentive consideration, and the grave and sincere application of the energies of Parliament to the amelioration of the state of the country. Upon the remedies which may be applied to that distress; I would rather reserve myself until more legitimately called upon for my opinion in ano ther place. I see a degree of distress pervading the country, it is true, but not' that degree of it which may not be remedied by the manly character of the British nation. When I hear it said that Ministers have pronounced the alleged distresses to be fictitious, I unhesitatingly say that, were that the case, they would be totally undeserving the office they respec tively fill. So tar, however, from their being igno rant of the public sufferings, I am well satisfied that they not only know the fact, but most grievously deplore it. The condition of the country is that from which we cannot be relieved in a day. The Learned Doctor has taken a comprehensive view of the na tional grievances; but highly as I respect his learn ing, his talents, and his reasonings, I do in my heart believe him to be wrong— ( Partial disappro bation).—My opinions may also be wrong, but they are given in sincerity, and in that spirit in which I have always acted, and shall continue to proceed through life--(Applause).--I have felt it my duty to attend this . Meeting, to listen to the sentiments or those about me, and, if I can, I shall faithfully en force them elsewhere to the best of .my ability— (Loud cheers). The Rev. H. Cerswer.t, insisted, at some length upon the absolute necessity of a Reform in Parlia ment ;. till then, all petitioning, must be useless. He concluded by moving a Resolution-- " That all restrictions whatever on foreign Corn be taken off' as the first step towards laying a fir:nand stable foundation fur the Agriculturist, on which to rest his future hopes." Mr. °Liven Ilaywaan, as a practical farmer of no inconsiderable extent, bore testimony to the setere sufferings of the Agricultural Interest, and seconded the Resolution of the last speaker.—(This Resolution was, in a subsequent stage of the proceedings, put to the vote, and negatived.) %V. DICKINSON, Esq. M.P. said, in the course of the few observations he should have the honour of troubling the Meeting with, there were two topics on which he did not think it necessary to dwell; the one was the actual distresses of Agriculture, which had been well stated to be as evident as that two and two make four ; and the other was, that he hoped he need not assure that Meeting of his willingness and readi ness on all occasions to give effect to their wishes and complaints in the House of Commons—( C'oniinued applause). What the I louse of Commons would say, when they saw the whole landed interest of England coming, in . lorma pauperis, to their Bar, was not for him to divine; but he knew that, both from interest and inclination, ever) attention that was possible would he given them, though he doubted whether any effectual remedy would be the result. One thing, however, it was the duty of Parliament to do—to look the misfortune full in the face ; there was a sort of bull-dog feeling about an Englishman, he liked to know the worst of his danger, and then he would en counter it well ; and if we were not yet come to the worst, it was the business of Ministers and Parliament to say so. Let the People know the worst they have to expect, and they would grapple with it courage ously, which was the best security for success. A Gentleman in the gallery had talked about paying off the National Debt ! it might be written off, but it never could be paid off; perhaps all the carriages in London could not contain, and all the horses in Lon don could not draw, and if they could, all the ware houses would not contain the necessary sum. Nine hundred millions is an ideal sue, it is infinitely more than is in circulation in the whole globe, and if by any species of alchymy the sum could be produced, the very circumstance of such an unusual proportion of money existing, would so embarrass the transac tions of the whole world, as to make them look to another medium of exchange. Mr. EATON said he had witnessed, in his profession of Land-Surveyor, a dreadful degree of distress throughout the country, and verily believed that, un less some remedy could be discovered, .500,000 of the most useful class of persons in the country must be ruined. He deprecated any endeavour to raise the rent of farms, and submitted as the best plan to meet the present exigencies, that rents and tithes should be reduced 20 per cent.; that Government should lower the interest of funded property ; and that £lO per cent. on real property shbuld be raised as a tax, ac cording to the scale he mentioned. He was himself a farmer, 'and had reckoned that in two years the value of his flock had declined from £4OOO to £3OOO. Mr. HAYWARD observed, that if the last speaker's loss was no more than what he stated, he must have found out a far better market than any other fanner in the country. Dr. Kt NGLAKE proposed an Amendment to the Pe tition that had been read, in which he introduced, in strong terms, the necessity of Parliamentary Reform. This was seconded by Mr. BUNTER. 1: proving, however, to be against the wishes of the majority of the Meeting, those Gentlemen did not press it to a diyi sion.—The thanks of the Meeting were then unani mously voted to the Chairman in a neat speech, and the Meeting dissolved. CREDIT.—Peter I. King of Portugal, to restrain luxury, and prevent the ruin of families, absolutely for bade all his subjects to buy or sell any of their com modities without immediate payment, and made the second commission of that offense death PUBLIC MEETLYG AT READING. • • The Anniversary Dinner of th 6 Reading Association for supporting the Purity of Election, was held on Thursday last, at the Crown lan, Reading ; Haulm Maass, Esq. in the Chain At six dclocle a nume rous and highly respectable company sat down to an excellent repast. .Amoopt the Gentlemen present were C. F. rALIIRR, Esq. and J. B. MONCK, E sq. the Members for the Borough ; T. GOODLAKII, Esq. J. Wuas&; Esti: Irawmt CaAviti, Esq. Smelt, Esq. W. BUDD, EMI. -..•TULIORD, Esq. PINE Lai, Esq. T. DIAN; Esq. &c. The cloth having been removed, the CHAIRMAN gave— * The King; and when his Ministers forget those prindpies that placed his family on the Throne, may the reopie never forget to remind him of it r which was drank with great applause. Glee--" With a jelly full bottle,"--one or two alterations being made from the original, to meet this particular occasion. Toast—" The Duke of York and the Army; and may they never forget, while doing their duty as soldiers, that they are citizens of England"—(Applause)• - - The CHAIRMAN said, he had fully expected, in common with many other Members of the Asspcia tion, that the Meeting would have been honoured by the presence of some good friends from London— friends to the liberties of the People, and, of course, friends to an Institution avowedly established for the purpose of upholding those liberties. He could as sure the individuals who attended on this occasion, that the announcement in the Reading Paper relative to the expected visit of the distinguished Gentlen.en to whom he alluded, was not sent forth as a puff.— To prove this, he would read some letters, account ing for the absence of Mr. Ilume, Sir Francis Bur dett, Mr. Hobhouse, and Mr. D. Kinnaird. What ever mistake had occurred, certainly did not rest with those on whom the preparations for the present Meet ing devolved. The Chairman then read letters iron: Mr. Hume and Sir Francis Burdett, apologizing to: their absence. Pie SECRETARY read an abridgment of the Con. stitution of the Association, from which it appeared, that its object was 44 to guard the • Electors of the Borough of Reading against corrupt and illegal in fluence, to afford them protection and security, and, as far as might be, indemnity, in the free and uncou straintd exercise of their elective franchise; and jut this purpose the Members engaged that they won't , use eery lawful means in their power to expose an, • bring to punishment all persons whomsoever. who should, in any way, illegally or corruptly, interfe r in the election of Members to represent the Borougi in Parliament." The Tat &SURER then made an e.rpose ot the finances of the kssociation, from which they appeared to be ' in a very flourishing state. Many new subscYiptions had been receited. On the health of the two Members for the Borough being drank, . • Mr. C. F. PALMtIt first returned thanks In an elo quent speech, in which he strongly advocated Parlia mentary Reform. He said he hoped that a Reform of an efficient but temperate description would be proposed by some Gentleman of consequence in the House of Commons. It would, he conceived, do much good ; because he was aware that the diversity of opinion on the subject of Reform, which had di vided the people hitherto, arose more from motives of a prudential nature as to the degree of Reform that would be wise and salutary, than from any dis similarity of feeling as to the necessity of a Reform in the Representation. The question was not whe ther such and such doctrines were not maintainable in argument, but whether or no it would beadvisable to bring them into practice?—(Great applause).—And it it appeared highly improbable that such a plan as many of the people wished could be usefully reduced to practice, whether, in that case, it would not be better for those who desired the most extensive Re form, to waive some of their demands, and to apply themselves to the procuring of a Reform, less com plete, perhaps, in theory, but certainly more easy of attainment ;—such a Reform as, when attsined, would accomplish every object which the people desired, by removing the abuses under which the country la boured, and introducing a state of happiness and content in the place of misery and wretchedness ? ( Great applause.) Mr. J. B. MoNcg also returned thanks, and con gratulated the Meeting on the success of the Asso ciation. Let but the Electors of this Borough do their duty, he said—let them set a bright example—such an example as would induce other Boroughs to pur sue the same line ofconduct—and then he would say, that an useful, because an effectual, reform had corn menced—(Applause). Nothing would then be neces sary to follow up the principle of independence, aud at last the People would most assuredly effect that long-desired Reform in Parliament which was the consummation of all their wishes—(Applause). After the health of several popular Members of Parliament and other Gentlemen had been drank, the company separated. The little Treatise just published, on " The Art of Eaudoying Time," hating excited considerable interest, we are requested to state on the Author's authority, that several persons have already practised this method of regulating the employ ment of time, for some years, with perseverance and success.-- It is particularly adapted to young people of the age of fifteen or sixteen years to twenty-five, but it is also calculated to con fer advantages on persons of all ages and professions—in all classes of society and in all circumstances of life. It tends to form the heart, the judgment, the understanding, the style, and the me mory, to preserve health, to neutralize or to give a beneficial direction to the passions, in short to nuke man more virtuous, more enlightened, and more happy. The Publisher of the Literary Gazette desires to submit to the Public the following List of the Cos tents of No. 261, for Saturday, the•l9th January : Reviews—of Italy, a volume of Poems (ascribed by the Edi tor to Mr. Southey), with copious extracts--of the iljantetts Me moirs of the Duc de Lauzun—of May You Like it, with a Tale from the Volume—of Phillips on Vegetables --of the Royal Progress, &c.—Original Paper on Etymology, by a very emi nent Author—a complete Account of the Quarrel between Byron I and Southey, the Extracts from their Writings which bear en the subject, and new and curious facts hitherto unpublished —a very interesting communication respecting Thnbuctoo, in the interior of Africa—and a Biography of Paye, an artist contempora r y with Sir Joshua Reynolds—N o . 1. o f the Shows of London (" guelque chose") will also appear in this Number, with original Poetry—Critiques on the King's Theatre, and Pirate at Drury- Lane—Anecdotes—Miscellaneous Intelligence in Arts and Science, &c. &c.—Subscribers who desire to begin with the New Year are requested to give their orders early, as the first Number is nearly out of prlut , —.....Literary (Agave office, 36.2, Strand. THE EVENING LONDON. SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 1822. STOCK EXCHANOE—ONK O'CLOCK. There is very little business doing to-day i n Market, and the prices are on the decline, re., are feu-liifeniy. 34; •and the Account, 7614, Bank Stock 467 54-sper Cent. Rod. 76 41 S per Cent. Cons. 76 75% 76 ',! l per Cent. 87 1 4-4 per Cent. 964 5 per Cent. Navy 107 7 / 8 108 Bank Long Annuities 19% 7-16 India . Stock 234 A—New Annuities7s 3 / 4 Exch. Bills £lOOO, 4s. 6s. pr.—Do. small Se, „ Cons. for Account 76 3 / 4 1 / a 'A. We have seen letters from Constantincple to t : 11th ult. but they contain no particular into! nm• with the exception of stating that capital to be ti anquil state. We this meaning received the Paris Jotunals Wednesday, and those of Sunday last; die ha Tner • almost exclusively filled with the ort of tl)...Cfr mittee on M. de Sins Project of Law relrive. die Press, of which we gave some account I•esle!l,.. M. de SERREC, the late Keeper of the Seals, had, ie; vious to the dismissal of the Milli ,try cf which 1. was a Member, presented two Pi'cjers fcr te F i l the Press of Fiance. Oae of these, for the Censorship, was abandoned by his uccest office. The other Projei was referred to a Co::. • tee, who have completely metamor i llosed i t made it partake deeply of the distinguishirg spiri:. Ultra• Royalist party from which it sprung. Report is of great length, and occupied - 11. Cio; FLET, an Ultra-Royalist placeman, eally an L. and a half in reading to the Chamber. . FIAT commenced with stating, that the laws ci in 1819, for regulating the Press, had failed MI; object; and he called tin the Char; her not to :ca: .:oncede great power to the Tribunals ; or, in :1 to allow them to exercise tt a vigour beyond the lAA The first article relates to religion. "It is !.•. says the Reporter, " by false indulgences, but rigorous penal laws, that the enemies of the aa the throne, and of our fundamental law, ought repressed." It is then propo:.e..l ati... , n!enr maximum of the penalty for outrage con; against the religion ct the State, 5h,,.. punished with imprisonment from three five years, and a fine of horn 300 to 10,000 r.... For offences against any other religion legalyte:. nized, the imprisonment is the same, but t 11:: ti::e to extend beyond'6,ooo francs. The next too curious and tot characteristic of the ; which it emanates, not to be given in the Ee t .o:t, own language. " Am 3. Atter his GOD, the King is ever} thing to a Tr:r; man : to be faithful to him is his hap,.iness. France ay.l his Ki are identified in the heart of a Frenchman: th-y become:lle. object of his love. The repression of outrage done to thr ought, then, to follow un. .11.:L.ty, in the Law, the te: , res,: of the outrage of religion. It has not been supposed that t king's dignity, his rights, his authority, the inviolabilty person, should be separated ; all these rights are inherea in Doubtless his constitutional authority will be protectel ; bet epithet (constitutional) of the ancient Law cannot be eniricr: for the purp(Ne of restraining it. Was not his authority rr: in his sacred person before the Charter was given to us ; si: we hold it only from his Royal will? Are no: the dig Lite o! Crown, the inheritability of the Throne in the order of pr:::: genitureship, the principles of that Monarchy of foureten ries, rights which ought to be respected, and rights which z. not of yesterday's date? It was, then, proper that the Law ject should suppress this word, and thereby anticipate the dons pretexts which it affords for protecting the guilty from demnation. Every attack on the Royal dignity, the Kiri authority, the sacredness of his person ; the succession to !! Throne, the rights of the Cbambers, are to be punished imprisonment of front three months to Ave yearn, and a 1:::e front 500 to 8,000 francs." The fourth Article extends the fines and inipri,.^l meets in the case of an attack on rights guarantee by Articles five and nine of the Charter. The ma: mum of imprisonment is three years, and of ti 4.000 francs. The fifth Article punishes the exciting to ha!tt or contempt of the King's Government, with an in: prisoornent of from one month to four years, and fine of from 150 to 5000 francs. M. Cif frit proposing this part of the law, said, the expresiionl " hatred and contempt to the King's Government, presented no uncertainty. However, to calm th most scrupulous minds, the Committee propose.it: add to this Article—" This provision shall not atre: the right of discussion, and the censuring of the act of the Ministers." It is needless to insist that tl., censure which has the public good for its °Neil should be respected. The law wishes to reach on: the artisan of mischief, who begins by casting odium and contempt on the Government, in order that may afterwards rise against it and attack it openly': The sixth Article proposes to protect the Tribu nals and constituted bodies, by punishing those vli , defamethem with an imprisonment of not less thaw fist days and not exceeding two years, and a fine fiorn 150 to .5000 francs. The seventh Article relates to offences against M nisters of Religion and Public Functionaries, received publicly, on account of functions or rank, which are to be punished with imprisonment of from five day to two years, and a fine not exceeding 4,000 francs. The eighth Article is very important, and relates to publishing Reports of the proceedings of its -cute le gran Charnhei M. Cnii is nece-sa • • happens, severe a spirit, or 1,. lapse wil s's.a fine. TI fence in bunals, a Jurym the spirit in these' olongei • e may • •!:. The Cnn Pure, to t not ail of for tLis . • mired pe prohibit tempt of 1. rf Judges ; The pun f tr. . 6000 frai re to three 7. 0 Article punishm , 1 3 2 ;1 . 4 aru Sl i l ij i , ' thoized. " 4. I t . . the distrib , spirit of rt ri. " The ii five days Im;: 4,000 fr. Ile 1 graphed ••• 1 the Govt excee..l ZOO irat, :it', • ArticA .t." by the 1.1 upon ti.e ;: eiering ti Thel: ted by J• giving to Journal. • s se u e c i l l i s' It wit e,v3. Itg a confi. :e the confitc.. he generab !:;'2 Z teamre at tiva!2r obje benefit of ti pwaesion of which a s KL.g might ?] be. a 'nada,: IL/ blow, and " Is the lit the t btile—an Lit ha under the, 1111iT.. •roprietori ta •lanzeable rio7,! " But it heir prope • • hose who funds in in " It i 6 n rived 01 :.:* • rty, but - they preset • mists ; tit benefit." The se !!:1 ith is • • ode of ate er • Article rosecuti is'r• *ther by .Ifence tc na%.• Article n regard Critrrt.r which, he in:- The 18 !id A cognizant r, quite •iori bunals of mt,' • he Mein Articb by the C iect , has been acts The 2( tl•t: against l je‘L shall be r:y Such iunt nistry pr t l'e whom th Iy." Jul ies sue he- the immi aho cases, th five rights an orn having tl sw/fiscate 31i- The gran ved very foe: are vrhsch it ays 'which pi :s. in all qu ties Are tt rte thetterc