Star. — London, England, 1810-02-10 00:00:00

manner, to refer to , that Hon. Member, whom, _ their own• voluntary act, and without any expence or interference, On . his . Part, they had returned as their Representative. It was, indeed, the boast of Westmin ster, that she could say, she had two able and honest Representatiies; but, how many Other cities, counties, or boroughs were in this situation ? This, however, furnished another, and a most insidious argument to those same persons, who asked Reformers what they wanted. They told them, that they had every thing they could desire. They had only to follow the exam ple of \Vestminster, and then the necessity of any Reform would cease. But, alas ! how deceitful and insidious was this pretext ? Where were the places which could follow this example ? As well might vou prescribe to the prisoners confined in the jail of Newgate a walk over Hampstead Heath for health and recreation, as desire the Electors in your close boroughs to make choke of the Member whom they would wish to represent them. It would be eltially impossible for the one as for the other to attend to the recommendation,—they were equally prisoners, equally in chains, and equally deprived of the. tree exercise of their liberty ! Those same persons ac cased those who asked for Reform of being Jacobins and disaffected. Let those persons, however, .spew that every thing was correct in the administration of oun affairs,—that there was no corruption ; no vena lity ; -no jobbing in our representative system, as it was called, to be met with ; and then he and those ' , who supported his opinion, must submit to be stig matised as disaffected and as Jacobins : otherwise the imputation must attach to those who wished to throw it upon him and his friends. He concluded by moving seven resolutions, expressive of their opi. nion on the state of affairs, and particularly of the Representation of the People in Parliament, which, he hoped, would be approved of by the Meeting.— [The speech was receivedthroughout with loud ac clamations.] Mr. WimeEttey seconded the motion. Certain Resolutions were then read, and being put by the High Bailiff, were unanimously agreed to. A Petition to the King was then read and agreed to, and it was resolved, 44 that Lord Cochrane and Sir Francis Burdett, accompanied by the High Bailiff; should be requested to deliver the same to his Ma jesty." • A Petition to the House of Commons was also voted, in similar terms to the resolutions. It was resolved that this petition, signed by the High Bailiff and twenty-five Inhabitant Householders, should be delivered to Lord Cochrane and Sir Franeit Burdett, in order to be presented to the House, and that they should be instructed to support the same. ' . Mr. Wulf.% ita• then came forward, and observed, that nothing cool; be more constitutional than the bu siness for which they had 'been assembled that day, to obtain, if possible, such a reformation as would re store and confirm the Constitution, which could hardly. exist under the load of corruption by which- it was: weighed down. The supporters of this corruption charged them with being Jacobins and Levellers— but he retorted the charge upon themselves. They were the foundation on which Jacobinism stood. Their system was a hot-bed of Jacobins--the filth in /which they were hatched, like loathsome animals in a dung-hill. Mr. NV. then proceeded to trace the mis chievous consequences of this system—especially in its enabling men to retain the direction of the national affairs, who were utterly unworthy of the confidence of the country. Mcn, he said, might differ -as to whether Parliameni: should be annual or triennial ; they might differ as to whether the chief oflicera of . the Crown ought to have seats in Parliament, or whether placemen and pensioners should not he en tirely prevented from having votes in the House : but there were very few indeed, except those in terested in the stippert of the corrupt and venal sys tem, who did not think that Parliaments ought to be either annual or triennial—and who did not think that a great number of the placemen who did now sit in the House of Cornmais, ought to t•te excluded.--- Though the present set of Ministers werCremoved and though the most eminent men for talentA and virtue were put. in their places, yet without a thOrough and complete reform, it would be impossible for them to conduct the domestic concerns oldie nation in a man ner suited to their own ideas of what would be most for the advantage of their country. They would find themselves fettered on all sides, and under the necessi ty, if they continted in office at all, to adapt their con duct to the prevalent system. The greatest good one could do to his country, therefore, w.f.; to use every legal and orderly means of securing the great object of Parliamentary reCurrnation. Those who did so were the supporters of the Constitution of their Country, which seemed ready. to sink under the enormous weight of a corrupt and unconstituttt , ional system. He expressed his hope, that by persevering and con stitutional etrorts, this great object would he at length attained—which alone could restore this country to its ancient respectability and glory. The thanks of the Meeting being voted, upon the proposition of Mr. Peei.Eit, to Lord Cucto.ar.e and Sir Francis Burdett, for their general con,luct in Parliament, follow :Li by a distinct resolution of thanks to the latter, for calling upon the House of Commons in the course of the last Sessions, to take into their , siderat; , - - - he , te of the Representation, and for ' -Ipon that occasion. were called for by mt of the hustings. 'ward, and expressed )n , tituents, and' ex would follow the qv. of Westmin , ter, :itttlional means in object of Reform. heui v:ith his hat' .te attention to his ;" and his. Of tile necessity ‘‘:3o coolly alti dis could ;it all doubt. le (lea- and distinct lined in the petiron King, and the Me tie of Commons.— . Lordship then put .here were' a place to the House of Com- seems youth— the Crown ought to nave scats whether placemen and pensioners si tirely prevented from having votel but there were very few indeed, terested in the support of the corru tern, who did not think that Park be either annual or triennial—and that a great number of the placemer in the House of Commons, ought t Though the present set of Ministers w though the most eminent men for t were put. in their places, yet without complete reform, it would be impos conduct the domestic concerns of the ner suited to their own ideas of• what for the advantage of their country. themselves fettered on all sides, and t ty, if they contin in otlice at all, tt duct to the prev.t•ent system. Tiler could do to Lis country, therefore, legal and orderly means of securing of Parliamentary reformation. 'Those the supporters of the Constitution cot which seemed ready. to sink unde weight of a corrupt and unconstitu He expressed his hope, that by persi stitutional efforts, this great object w attained—which alone could restore its ancient respectability and glory. The thanks of the Meeting being proposition of Mr. PULLER, to Lox Sir Francis Burdett, for their ger Parliament, followed by a distinct re: to the latter, for calling upon the 1-1( in the course of the last Sessions, tc consideration the state of the Repret histable and constitutional speech ur Lord Cochrane and Sir Francis Not the people, and advanced to the fror Lord COCI/11 AN E: then came forwa his acknowledgement to his Con , pressed his hope that other places example set them this day by the Cit in adopting all the legal and consti their power to promote the grand o [His Lordship at first addressed ti off; but the people, with a delicat health, called out, " Put on your Lordship bowed, and complied.] of a Reform, he observed, no one ts interestedly considered the subject It was not his intention to follow t h • statement of important facts conta' intended to be presented to the I imorial to be presented to the Houi These spoke for themselves. His a hypothetical case—Supposing the Which a onotation lately used in t naoni aptly applied, where • A nittshell is a gilded barge, A bumble cot a palace large ; Where youth seems age, and age se M is deotion—;tought is troth. doubt, that the time for the'reformation of that place was . come. The present system was avpreted 4sto• torious and mooed eorruption,-,Sents inPeeilesent were acknowledged to have been bough; and sold, and the practice had been defended. Nothing but a Reform in Parliament could make the Representation what it ought constitutionallyto be. • His Lordship nest ad verted to a sort of corruption upheld by the sante :Ts.. I tem, with which species'of corrupdonlse Must naturally loe more acquainted than manyof those who - heard him as it was intimately connected with 'the profession oi which he was a Member. This corruption, they would recollect, preyed upon the vitals of a service essential, to the existence of this country, and frequently para. lized its efforts. Upon this part of the subject,. his Lordship first mentioned, that lkt ships of the line were in commission for the purpose of watching about forty ships of the enemy, a number on our side which. he thought rather unnecessary. He next adverted to the system which began in 1796, by which the Adthi rals were deprived of the power of rewarding merit, and the patronage placed in the hands of those who made the service subservient to their political views, in gaining over the boroggh interest. Promotion was, therefore frequently the reward not of merit and service but of political influence, and thus a practice was pur sued which had a direct tendency to paralize the exer tions of the navy, the encouragement of which was so necessary to the power and even safety of the nation. His Lordship next adverted to the abuses in the Ad miralty Court, and stated that the present Chancellor' of the Exchequer had in reversion no less a sum than ' X:33,000 per annum. From the complicated sys tem cf fees and charges of different descriptions in that Court, the captors did not find it worth their, while to sue for condemnation, the expellee of which often exceeded the whole value of the prize. Even when a valuable prize was condemned, it often h ip pened that the charges of condemnation exceeded the whole sum paid to all the captors, officers, and mcn. When a privateer was brought in, and condemned, and the charges and fees for sinecure and other offi cers amounted to more than the value of the prize, the difference was made up out of the pockets of the peo pld (dpfilauser). His 'Lordship also stated, that Cap tains, in order to suport this system, which swallowed up the produce of cltptures, were deprived of a third of their former shares, to • be divided among the sea men. Ought these things to be? Was this just ? Was it not contrary to every conception which could be enter tained of justice and sound policy ? His Lordship then called their attention to the system of commerce pursued by our wise Ministers. Under which, he oh : served, there was great reason to believe, that the com merce of France.was carried on with as much facility as our own. On the subject of Licences, his Lordship expressed his suspicions, that these were not given to all who demanded them, but that they were made subservient to the great object of Parliamentary sup port. But however that was, there was reason to be lieve that foreign vessels were admitted into this coun try in great numbers, in defiance of the navigation laws. No one could pass tip and down the river without being convinced of this. He stated that up ' wards of 10() foreign ships, with French produce, had arrived lately on one day, and 70 or 80 a few days afterwards. IR the river of Bourdeaux alone, there had been lately a convoy of more than '2OO vessels.— It was necessary that the public should be acquainted with these things ; but he would not trouble them any further on the subject, as he intended to bring it before Parliament, m hen he hoped it might be discus sed without shutting the doors.—[His Lordship's speech was received with great applause, but we regret that we were not near enough to catch all the points.] Sir FRANCIS &ALM rr presented himself to the at tention of the Meeting, and was received with loud and universal acclamations. The worthy Baronet ob served, that if any thing were necessary to induce a steady perseverance, an increased exertion in the great cause which convened the Meeting, that inducement was.presented by the unanimity which so happily pre vailed upon this occasion. That unanimity was in (lced so ardent and impressive, that the man must have strange feelings whose heart it did not serve to cheer—whose resolution it did not tend to encourage and to animate. For himself, he should only say, that he felt as he ought. that such a people deserved a bet ter fate than they were permitted to enjoy. But this had always been his opinion, and he had never omit ted to express it in a room not far distant. (Shout' of applause.) He had never hesitated to declare, that the people had as much right to one-third share of the Legislature as the King had to the Throne • (aNdausts), and . yet of that right the people were be reaved. "that which legitimately belonged to them had got into the possession of a new power in the State, and to this power all else was obliged to bend. The contest was not now as formerly against an arbitrary King, or an arrogant Nobility. No, but against abase Borough faction,which was equally hostile to the rights and insulting to the independence of the People, the King, and the Nobility. Against that faction the measure then under consideration was pointed, and unless they were overthrown the country was gone. For how could it exist under its present circumstan ces—in such a state of distress and difficulty, as the overweening power and corrupt proceedings of that faction had occasioned ? To submit to the sway of such persons was really degrading to the people. It was not a submission to the lion, but to the jackalls (Applause). These Bdroughmongers were in fact the very worst men in the community, and the evils with which, they afflicted the country, not only in its freedom ard finances, but in its morality, were really incalculable. Yet when any of these evils were pointed out, were made too glaring to be deceived— why an act of Parliament—as if we had not quite Acts enough to punish guilt. But, in fact, the pro position of a new Act was only a mere evasion, ope rating generally to protect a criminal, without any tendency whatever to prevent a crime. Already we had about 115 Acts or ParliaMent to regulate elections, when a new Act' was 'added, the whole calculated only to impose upon the public, without koldiag out even the promise of any effectual good, without serving in any degree to cur the evil corn- plained of. That evil consisted hi . the unequal re presentation of the people in the Cornmons' House of Parliament. Let that evil be. removed ; let the ax be applied to the root, and then all the acts he had alluded to would become unnecessary. But 'how could such acts ever be necessary ? How could'any Act . of Parliament be required for the punishment Of public robbery, any more than for other crimes, Wbicla ------- -- • • - rat; punks was held sacred I . These Acts were, *ded, brongbt forward, ,only to' avoid the real re apsly for gut t ; but that remedy must be obtained ; irsot, the country could not but foresee its doom ; *al if it disregarded the several serious warnings it 'Mod received, it must expect to suffer. He remem bered 'a fable, in which an old man was described to have received apromise from Death, that he should not be taken off without three sufficient warnings.— Well ; first the old man lost his hearing next the use of his limbs ; and, thirdly, his sight : yet, when Death the old man complained that he , approached, had not had sufficient warnings. But could the people of. England ever complain, that they had not had suf ficient warnings of their approaching fate? They had the warning of barracks, of bastiles, but among many other warnings, they had that of the intro duction of foreign troops. (Loud altitiause.) For what good purpose could. these troops have been in troduced among us ? How were they necessary to our safety ? Were we not able to defend ourselves Could we not rely upon the gallant soldiers,. who, although extremely inadequate in. numbers, wer e . able, at least, to arrest the progress of that enemy which chased those Germans out of their own courts try.? (Loud I:l3watt.) The introduction of these foreign troops was is every view he could take of it, a most offeusive proteeding. They were not required for our defence, and why then should oar resources, already so burdened, be subject to incionbrance for their support ? Or our liberties, already so much im paired, to be exposed to the danger of their presence ? These troops were in fact, little else in effect, than the advanced guard of Bonaparte—they were the best pioneers he could select. For their appearance and connection throughout the country, where many of their officers were invested with important commands, was calculated to damp the spirit of English freedom —to deteriorate the nature of the English character, and to fit it for subjugation. To avert, if possible, the dangers to be apprehended from the introduction of these corps, he had thought it his duty to bring forward a motion in the mom overtire way—(a aittlawe)" from the result of which he hoped to have , the means of devising some adequate provision.— After adverting to the dangerous system of attack pursued against the press, 'that great palladium, or. rather that inseparable accompaniment of liberty, particularly by the usurped power of the Attorney- General, and the vicious mode of irnpannelling juries for the trial of libels, the Honourable Baronet con chided with an impressive appeal to the meeting upon the state of the country, and the vices of the Govern ment, and upon the indispensible necessity of reform to save the country from ruin. The Thanks of the Meeting were then voted to the High Bailiff, fur his conduct in promptly obeying the requisitiOn, &c. Mr. MORRIS returned his thanks for that honour in a short speech, which was loudly applauded. Mr. FINN ERTY also spoke 'in favour ola reform.— lie spoke of the conduct of certain members of the House of Commons, and thence inferred the necessity uf.a complete reform, mote especially from that of a Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Windham) who had unjustly cast a stigma on a certain class of per sons who professionally attended the*Gallery—per sons who were to the full as honourable and respec. table as himself, and with whom he would never have been able to enter into any competition had he not been born 'to fortune. But for that circumstance, in stead of being a Member of Parliament, he (wanting. abilities to follow their profession) would probably at this period be editing a new edition of Joe Miller. Mr. WARDLE then came forward. After some preliminary observations, he said he trusted the peo ple would constitutionally persevere in seeking a re dress of the grievances beneath which they laboured by insisting on a fair and equal representation, and' demanding a Parliamentary Reform. He expatiated, at some length, on the necessity of, and the advan tages that would result from a Reform. He had on, a former occasion told them, that if they were fairly and honestly represented, the whole of that oppres sive and inquisitorial tax (the property tax) might be taken off. For this assertion he had been called to a severe account in that Room—(Here be pointed to. wards the House of Commons). He had, in conse quence, pointed out wherein great savings might be made. He had proved that more than eleven mil. lions might be saved to the people of this country. He had followed up the subject by mo v ing for certain documents, from which lie would prove the truth of his assertions. Whenever the people were fairly re presented, he was certain that more than eleven millions might be saved ; and said, if he lived till that time he pledged himself to save more than that sum, At pre sent it any public abuse were brought • forward into which it could not be denied but an. inquiry ought to be made, Ministers appointed their own Commission ers to investigate the evil complained of. Those Com missioners were continued in office year after year, and the result was, the public had to pay large sums in remuneration for their services in addition to their former burdens. Six years ago it was thought necessary to appoint a .Committee to examine the accounts of General Delancey. The Commis sioners had constantly received as a reward for their exertions the sum of 87000 a-year. They had never made bat one report, and he understood the in vestigation was in such a state, that it was not expec ted the accounts 'would be thoroughly examined these 30 years. Thus, for an inquiry into a defalcation of £loo,o€lo, for that was the sum deficient, the public were to pay £7OOO per annum, he knew not how long. He would next call their attention to a more open subject. The Physicians forming the Medical Board of York Hospital, Chelsea, in their Report far year 1800, stated the quantity of wine drank in that Hospital amounted to twelve pipes; but in the last year it appeared that a pipe had 'been drank in every ten days. Our brave soldiers bad been sent to languish in Watchmen. Where then were their medical attendants ? They were not to be found, Or at least could only be found in 'Chelsea Hospital, drinking their port wine. With respect to the calumnies by which his character had been assaileA, those were no more than what every 'Man must expect who presumed to advocate the cause of the people. It could not be ex pe cted that he should reply to all die falsehoods which bad goal abroad. Such a general refutation, as it would no be'worth their_ beanng4so it would not be worth his utterance. There was, however, Me point to which . . inoustriously repurcru, mat m twinging forw i i r d Inquiry into the condpct of the Duke of York, was influenced by his Royal Hi g h ness the Duke Kent, This he most distinctly denied. H e never had anrcommunication with the Duke of K. he did not even know his Royal Highness by si till be saw him in the Court of King's Bench, he was subpcened as a witness on the lat e tr i a l, thanked them for the Attention with which they h listened to hint, and hoped they would pu rsue , unabating ardour, that object the value of w hi ch been so well explained by their worthy repre.;eir.ativ A Mr. Cox now' steeped forward. He exhor t them never to relax their exertions till they had t e , gained their rights.—The crowd then dispersed. ow. . THE EVEN ING STAIi. LONDON. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10. PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE .O'CLOCE s per Cent. Cone. for money, 681.—... cc. Reduced 681,—Omnium 2 prem.—B=lmq. Bills Os. to 10$ PRICE OF STOCKS YF.STIiRDAY. Prf. Bank Stock 275 in& 3tock 187 S per Cent. Red. 641 India Bonds 9s. I Is. greet. 3 per Cent. Cons. 661 K Imp. Ann. 4 per pent. 84;1 Excheq. Bills 51. to t pre. 5 per C. Navy 991-4 Oinnium Long Ann. 184 9-16ths ' Coos. foe acc. sal Fl The COLUMBINE sloop of war t . Captain M u " h z arrived at Portsmouth from America with Mr. jpcx SON, oqr late Minister irk that country, on board. Accounts have been receibed from Jamaica of rather alarming nature The AssernhlY of that Island, in consequence o f the Government of this Country having expressed their disapprobation of some sever e measures against religions toleration, lately adopted in Jamaica, has formally intimated that up more sup. plies will be granted to the Crown until " their grief. antes am redressed." —The Duke of MAMIESTZit hal consequently dissolved the Assembly. These prop* ings took place on the 13th of December. The abuse intelligence was brought by the Pomona, arrived at Greenock, and the limaica papers are tq the 13th December. An article front Madrid, in the French papers, re. ceived yesterday, describes that city as being in state of perfect tranquillity, From Petersburgh we are informed that the Russians are daily gaining ad. vantages over the Turks ; but other articles iron; Constantinople, which are tr i tpre deserving of credit, assert the contrary. A long article dated Canton,. in China, sth Fe. bruary, 1809, repeats what we thought had been long ago known over all Europe, namely, that disputes had arisen between the Chinese Government and tbe British Officers on that station, in consequence of our attempt. to take possession of Macao. The French Jo urnalist is forced to admit that these differences have been adjusted, but assures his Readers that a spirit of hostility has been excited against the British interests in China, and that our trade with tha; coun try has been completely interrupted ! The Dutch Papers inform us of the last act of degradation to which the drivelling Emperor of Austria has submitted. Offence, it seems, has been ' given to the Emperor NArour.o.N, by certain articles which have recently issued from the Press of Ger ! many. 4 literary Censor has accordingly been ap pointed by the Erqperor FRANCIS, to controul the little that remains of the liberty of the Press inbis dominions. By the letters received by the Wild Boar, the arri val of which from Lisbon we mentioned yesterday, we learn that the Head-quarters of the British Army were at Visco, in Portugal ; and the advanced-guard was in possession of Ciudad Rodrigo. General BE RESFORD was absent on a military tour on the frontiers of Portugal, and the Portuguese army was advancing to cover Oporto. Essex ELEc - riov.—At the close of the Poll yester• day, the numbers stood thus— Hoessow 2247 BUROoTtss . 668 Majority - --1579 The Reward ♦ictualling transport, of Plymouth,bas been picked up at sea off Bourdeaux, and sent to Ply' mouth : she had not a soul on board, and four feet water in her hold. They chance a man has of rising instantly intobidgesedeseto is by purchasing a Ticket or Share in the Lottery. Wedaesdaf. the 14th, is the day on which the present Lottery will be Drawn, by purchasing a Ticket before that day, at SWIFT and Co.'she tenate Offices, you may gain £20,000. On Wednesday Next the State Lottery will begin, and ea* elude Drawing in the short space of Twelve Hours. Those mean to adventure should Oct delay their i'urchases, lest they sk• prism themselves of the grand Chance of obtaining Eighty Thor sand Pounds by one Number, which Event must happen oa tbe 14th of the present Month, when .6200,000 Prize Money ail be distributed in One Lay. Tickets and Shares are on Sale at the old Offices of R101.1111)3014 GoonavCE, and CO. The iPublic must have the Two Hundred Thousand Pound! Prize Money, to be drawn next Wednesday. HORNillr an4Co. assure their friends, that the Contractor cannot have a c haacefor the Prizes, it is a certainty that the Tickets and Shares will be disposed of ere the drairlng begins. lioit Nally and Co. urge those, who honour them with their favours to buy inunediatelf• In the last four Lotteries Hoesissr and Co. shared 4 of aopoo. 2' of aelo,ooo, 4 of £5OOO, 1 of £4,060, besides several of £2OOO, £lOOO, .eloll,' foe. Sm. Ste. No. 3 6, Cornhill, and 54 Margaret's Hill, Borougb. ' The Law's delay, and all that patient merit bears, kc. 11 1 4 hereafter be set at nought by those who, warned by the dor pobitment so many seriously felt last October, instantly naafi their purchases at Be.ixsetams and Co's old and Only One" leh 37, Cornball No. 11, Holborn, NO. SS, Haymarket, awl N 6 269, Strand, where kind Fortune Ms for so many years distribu; ted her favouis with a liberality easnampled ; for * °I which we need only view thei r prises' LONDON :'Pruned AO liablialefil by LEVEL IaNT, °L . C 3 1- terbuly-Place, Lambeth at the &Mlle.°, 1111114 Na I, Urea% PabilettelNlO at the STop.CorsicsoTworit . ....0m...a • Sunday last, at his sett at !Guam Howl, in the count/ Norfolk, in the 77th year of his age, the Right Hon. Lord Suffield.