Star. — London, England, 1822-02-04 00:00:00

DEVON , UNTY MEETING. Friday, a Meting, convened in pursuance of a I : Requi , ition to the High Sheriff, was held in the Cas tle-yard, Exeter, very spacious hustings having been greeted In, the purpose in front of the Sessions-house. A considerable time before the appointed hour the i extensive area began to fill with yeomanry. About twelve t he High Sheriff took his place on the hustings, and " 4 soon j..ine by many of the leading person ages ul .he County : these did not take particular sides, as is u u.O on party que.tions, but mixed indiicrinsi- ' . navel . Some tiom elapsed before the assembly was red tic to order. The Sheriff waited tor the arrival of Ln RoLt.a. When that Nobleman arrived, the Sheriff b efly addressed the Meeting, and requested that e‘ et v Gentleman ight have a patient hearing: The Undet Sheriff then read the Requisition, and the following letter Itsini his Grace the Duke of BEDFORD: • " Woburn Abbey, January U. " Six—l prrceive by the Exeter papers, that you have, in. compliance with a Requisition, numerously and regrettably signtd, convened a Nleeting of the county of Devon on Friday • • the Ist of Fe.truary, 'to take into consideration the propriety of petitioning Parliament on the present alarming state of the Agri - culture of the Country.' " Had I been in Devonshire, I should have felt it to be my duty to attend this Meeting, ba t as it is impossible for me to be there, I must apologize to you for my absence; and in doing this, I cannot refrain from expressing shortly my view of the momentous question about to be brought under the consideratiols of the county of Devon. I have endeavoured to divest my mind of all party feeling, as it is the duty of every man to do on such . an,occasion ; and on the most deliberate and impartial review I can Lite of the state of the country, l shall express freely the conviction of my mind as to the causes of the difficulties under , which we tabour. " The accounts I receive of the universal distress under width the extensive and once opulent county of Devon is maw suffer ing, ',deed melancholy ; and as the County is now about to meet for she purpose of petitioning Parliament, it is incumbent on us to endeavour to discover the real cause of that isistrs u, and to find out an adequate remedy. The main cause is, in my opinion, an oppressive and burdensome taxation, pressing hea vily on all the sources of our national industry, and paralyzing all our sfforts to struggle again this overwhelming evil : the - - , e‘ty is equally obvious—a reduction of taxatis remedy is equally 0.. _ __ -.......ei0n, retrenchment by way of rider, a clause praying for a time! 10T m . of all useless expenditur., and a strict and rigid system of eco. in the House of Commons. nanny in every branch and department of the Government ; and to this alone should our Petitions to Parliament be confined. Dr. McKee, though lassourine under severe indis- Without going into the various causes that have been assigned position, felt it his duty, as a Briton, to attend do fur the distress which now weighs so heavily on agriculture, or Meeting. A more momentous subject never afSelll - the rem:dies which have been suggested, I cannot abstain from caution:a% the country against that delusive mode of relief which bled them within those Castle walls. The agriclil - Las been so much insisted upon---proteegiN; duties. This is a pro. turists of Great Britain, in the last Session of Parlia jeet so utterly inconsistent with sound policy, thatleannot but re- meat , under the direction of that simpleton Webbe s that the more enlightened amongst our farmers are joice to • .4: Hall, sent silly Petitions to the House of Commons, daily upruing their eyes to the fallacy of it. The English farmer must :ie enabled to maintain a competition with the foreign which were, as they ought to have been. s illily treated. grower of corn by other means than forcing high prices. Th ere A Committee was appointel It met, and spoke, and is, moreover, something odious in the principle of levying a duty examined, and wrote. The Members of that Com m the Anal of man, and thus raising, by artificial means, the miller, like children at hide and seek, to use a Devon price ut such an article of the first necessity as bread corm shire phrase, were all burning; but not one of them 4 4 Taxation is the main cause that prevents tbe British culti vator from competing with the corn-grower can the Continent ; was lucky eaough to find the prize. They at length and the ovenvhetiniog weight and pressure of taxation, which prescribed patience—as it , atience would discharge affects nut only the farmer, but every class of the community, the rent of the landlord, satisfy the cravings of the must b. removed. Agriculture is the principal source of a us- tax.gatherer, and maintain the poor. But to talk ef co.'', wraith and prosperity ; and when that is crippled and de of t h e patience to the agricoltuitsts, when labouring under presstd, the depression must extend through all parts popul num. the weight of extreme distress—when they saw ruin .. It would be entering into toe wide a field of discussion, to bieaking the hour-glass of' Time, and seizing its exami.:e the various causes which have brought us into our pre- scythe to destroy their peace and property, was to scut difficulties ; it will sin te to say, that we must look chiefly to all impthvidem wate on our national resources ;to au extra . add insult to injury. Now was the time to speak vacant .ipenditure of the public money ;to a lavish disregard out. To the political system of the Tio ies they oaed of every princi e le of economy, grown into a system, long pun. .hear).— I most of their political wron g s—( • sue d by the Executive Govertunents and sanctioned by a coad- In defence of this maxim, he would that he could inz louse of Comnions. ,pie with their sturdieNt champion this day. 11l * One thing alone can serecu us against a recurrence of this g l ai mighty ivil, and this is, a timely and salutary Reform of the lie. as he was , he would meet hi.n even w i ithout his ar p es. litltio; of the People La the Commons !louse of Parlia-mom; he would go forth to battle with a sling and a •i, rt. I have long almost this, and every day's experience con- stone; and it he did not succeed against the Goliah a !In me wore add more in the truth and soundness of the opinion. of the Philistines, he would be content to be cursed a at ,y I request that you will have the goodness to commu ricati th. eoutents of this letter to the Meeting on Fri ay nett. out of the pale of civil society. The landed interest I have th.: h4riuur to be, Sir, your very faithful an d o b e d w: t had been told by one of the political economists of sorvant, "BEDFO II D.' the day, that the stockholders must nave their last Sir John Davis. Bart. High Sheriff of the county of Devon." shilling to support public faith. It was quite neces- Lail FORTESCUE came for tvarii. With all the care nary that they should not be deceived by those politi with which he bad investigated the subject, lie could cal economists. Mr. Malthus described the great GOD not bring his own mind to a sati•factory conciusioo ; of benevolence and wisdon—,he fountain of good and he trusted he might be allowed to add, without ness, the .ounce of knowledge.as providing a table o:Fence, that he did not come to this Meeting with nests ; and those who could one the expectation of deriving any cos.:elusive intorma. lion. Ile was anxious to exclude all extraneous matter get to the table were to be starved. You have had and all ieletence to party politics, this being a subject the theory of Mr. Malthus ; now for the practical knowledge of the Pi inie Minister, Lord Live' pool. His in which they were all sufferers in common—(Hear, Lordship !tear).— l he low prices, affecting every article of aga i rovisi provisions too abundant. Here are tells you that the table is.too large, and the theory and prac tice produce, enhanced by a heavy taxation, was p in opposition ; they do not, like Peace and Mercy, the evil of which they had to complain ; for, that kiss each other; but are like vinegar and oil in the high taxation and low prices could not exist together flame cruet—(Much laughter). Now, Gentlemen, for was a truism which he should be ashamed to repeat the cause : that cause is was. An amiable Poet tells us, before so respectable a Meeting, were it not forcibly " War is a game, were subjects wise, applicable to the business before them—(Hear, /rear). a Kings would not play at :" Their ~bject. therefore, should be to petition Parlia- (Cries of" Question !") —I am glad that my oppo anent to relieve them from a part of that oppressive limits admit that there is force in my expressions : taxation. He hoped no means would be used on the they touch those who ought to feel. They ought to present occasion to delude the farmer into the expects- come before you in sackcloth and ashes, and i epent. tion of deriving relief from an increased importation They have assisted in heaping upon you 800 millions duty on corn; he was not prepared, however, to say of debt; they have nearly plunged into the gulf of that it would not assist in the general end ; but no ruin, you, and your wives, and your little ones. In possible regulation in the import duties would meet 179.2, the whole expense of governing did not amount the evil in any material way. It was impossible, to eight millions; now it is about 27 millions. Re. therefore, that the Meeting could decide on any other duce taxation as nearly as possible to the standard of remedy than a relief from excessive taxation. Under 179'2, and you will again proper. 1 will tell you this impression, and conceiving that a series of Ileso- how it may be fairly reduced. Direct your Repre lutions would be only a circuitous mode of arriving sentatives to give Ministers double the sum which at the same result, he begged leave to propose the they had in 1792, for the expenses of Government, Petition, which he would read to them: and no ii.ore, and you will save eleven millions.— .. We desire humbly to Cali your attention to theovrrwhelm- Then one-third part of the most oppressive taxes may ing distress which has spread itself over every desciiption Of per sons connected with the landed interest ; which, If not s p ee dil y be rea.osed : these taxes are injurious in effect, as «r rested in its progress threatens to involve the whole comma- well as en. rmous in amount. They take from those Mt): in one general ruin. who want, to give to those whir ought not to require. aWe do not presume to point out to your wisdom the mum- Th e mode of taxation is unjust. Then, again, we hear sures which may best conduce to our relief, but we venture to express our opinion that it is not to be derived from any system much about poor -rates; but those as ho talk so loudly of protecting or prohibitory duties, since the evils of which we about these rates, forget that when the poor-rates did complain arise from causes wholly different from those to which not exceed two millions, the Excise amounted to no such remedies can apply ^ more than f i ve millions, and has now risen to 26. .. Without entering upon any discussion of the causes which . rhe productive classes pity 20 of the s e 26 milli ons , have produced the low paces of every article a agricultural produce, it remains only to adjust the means of the agriculturist and yet some grudge the six millions paid to the ve to the existing state of things, so as to enable him to bring the cessiteus brethren of these productive classes. Do produce of his industry to market with a reasonable profit to you, then, require taxation to be 'educed to a fair himself, and with consequent advantage to the country. level?---(" les,we will !")—I am sorry the Petition " We see no prospect of this object being e ff ec t e d, b ut by re. lieving him from the burden of those taxes which bear most proposed by the Noble Lord does not contain all the directly upon bins, and thus, in some degree,assimilating his con- requests which you ought to make. I second the dition with the cultivators of the land in other countries, where pro,,osition made by the Hon. Mr. Fellowes, antionly 1 the fiscal demands of the Government lie less heavily upon them. " So far from presuming to suggest what p art i cu l ar taxes regret that it extends no further. It seem s i s h ou ld might come within this scheme, we freely allow that our local call his amendment a rider 1 We have had too many hablts render us incompetent to take so comprehensive a view 1 riders in this country—the Clergy lave rude you •for ut the general ituerests of the country; we therefore humbly . centuries—now the Lawyers ride you : but ifou y submit that subject to the wisdom of those whom the Conatit o - tion has vested with the legislation of the whole kingdom. ta ke my advice, you %ill msike the seat uneasy to .. 11.0/tug submitted to your consideration, the state of the ac- . both—(i.aughkr). The day of adversity hes'begun— i tual cultivators of the land, we cannot overlook the condition of it is your • truly to try if you cannot regain happier the land-oolders, the clergy, and ~ flier tithe.owners, who ate of day, The 'Tories are fallen this day before you ; and ' necessity 'haters in the same Oulu. -•, and who, with reduced L i b . i . 411 ic,,,,i t h at t hey means, canout possibay sustain al.:: sai-e weight of tax a ti ou w hi c h op t. t 1 . tlisy have hitherto done. .sir. RODD considered the present all awful crisis. ~ To aft ct these purposes, that is, to aitord protection to the !MC subject was horrific; their 'uoble ship, the Bti. most numerous, the most useful, and meet respectable portion of nia, wag plunged in Most teemendostifireaken the community, which is the Dahl legitimate end of irienulls at • I not a rag Gina, water-logged, and niithout a held' t it is in one view become necessary " have MOM. OD 110 sons- but the elforts of her gallant crew could ordinary reduction of our Public Mahm4ats, Mgitary, resale her from sinkin nOII.IIII cal, and Civil, and to apply the 'economy to the admi- g. attrition of these which may be Waled to remit; and Nisbet, Colonel 411 A it e thought it perfectly useless, after to use an impartial and unsparing issid in paring down to tbe the two witty speeches which had just been delivered , present level (vegetative value ose incomes, frem that of the .„ trouble the Meeting, more than, for th e sake of highest to the lowest individual in the State, which arise out of the „ h u e expen di ture . T o m a measurer d one we no l oo k , unanimity, to agree to the Petition brought forward far any real and substantial redress; and we rely with the fullest by she Lord Lieutenitis caaidenee on the wisdom and power of Parliament for the ac- I Lord Cravirean, as otie of the Itequisitiosists, was complishment of our expectations, by turning their immediate anxious that there should be no appearance. of diva-' attention to our well-Emended claim on their interference en rat lisielL" sion in the Meeting. He would not say that he con • Lord ROLLE then came forward, but was received sidered the Petition as entirely perfect, dr embracing with marks of disapprobation by the Meeting. As all the topics th.st would be desirable ; but it appeared soon as silence was restored, his Lordship said his to him to answer all the purposes of the Requisitrenists.' object in addressing them was to second the Peti- Mr. HAHLYNr—It had been aptly said. that the tion—(Cheers). As a Member of Parliament, who knowledge of a disease was halt its cure. The canker would have to decide ultimately on the question, he which oppressed them was taxation and corruption; would mot now prejudge it —(Hear,hear). No an the remedies were Reform and Retrenchment. He put could be more sincerely zealous to promote the in- Reform first„for without that they would never have terests of agriculture than himself; and he should give the other. 'They should petition Parliament in plaits the Petition his warmest support when the subject and explicit language, to, Ministers were dull of ap came before Parliament. prehension when retrenchment was called for. It W. NEWMAN, Esq. (M.P. for Exeter), said he Colonel Pass addressed the Meeting in support of agreed with the Noble Mover, that excessive iazation the amendment. The times, he said, were perilous; had a great deal to do with the evil ; and he was de- and if the depression on agriculture were not re -1 cidedly of opinion that retrenchment, in an extraor- moved, the sinews of this great country would be un-' dinary manner, might be made without danger to strung, fir agriculture and commerce must rise or, the State. He recollected that, After the return of fall together. Nothing but a reformed representation peace, Mini.ters proposed establiAments still larger of the people would go to the extent•of the remedy. than they were at present, as absolutely necessary to The Rev. W. P. THOMAS conceived it their duty to the public safety ; but when deprived of the means of speak the whole truth ; si.d if he said that the Pet:- supporting them, they cut them down ; and he would tion ha : his concurrence, he should say what was un ask the Meeting, if their reductions had endangervo true, tor it did not go fa. enough. The Ite.eiend the country ? He thought they might still reduce Gentkinaii drew a comparison between (Jove, iiment them to a greater extent. expenses and taxe• of 1783 aed those of 1819. In The Hon. NEWTON FELLoWES said, he should be 1819, and let it be remeniberel that was a time of sorry to disturb the unanimity which seemed to pre- ( eace, he taxes were •eventy-seven millions, and the vail, but if it were their wish that he should tell them poor-r e• more than eight millions; and the differ what produced the malady under which they now ence in axes and other imposts, compared with the *vie suffering, he would refer them to a detective yea: 178:3, shewed an excess in the present day of state of the Representation. 11e therefore proposed.isixty-two millions • .lelleb Mr. BIRD icr :nngrat spec: of carrying up, a Petition on Parliamentary Re form. A Reform in Parliament, though rt w..utu riot pas' our debts, would convince the people that they were sincere, arid would restore the country once more to unanimity and happiness. Lord Forerescee said, that the Petition was purely the result of his nu n thoughts, without communicai min with any other persi.in. He hoped it would go forth as the unanimous voice of the County.--,it would then have a strong impression; but if divided, its effect would be lost. The UNDER SHERIFF said, that he should take the opinion of the Meeting upon the original Petition and, if that wit; adopted, then, whether the rider should be added to it. The Petition was carried by acclamation, without a dissentient voice: the rider was then rut, w hich was declared to be carried by a considerable majority. It was then moved and seconded that the County Members be requested to present the Petition to Par liament, and support the prayer of it. Several voices called upon the County Members to promise to support the prayer of the Petition. Sir "fatomns ACLAND then came forward and said, that he had heard the ref Bated calls of the Meeting, and he had not been insensible to them ; on the con ti ary, he had not obeyed those calls kroner', from that respect to the Meeting which would not suffer him to interrupt the regular order of its proceedings. " I hope (said he) to support the body of the Petition ac cording to the best of my own judgment, conscien tiously, disinterestedly, and with the knowledge that I am to meet you again; but, upon any particulac details, or the precise m de of effecting retrenchment, I do not conceive myself called upon to express any further opinion; and, as to the rider proposed to be added by Mr. Fellowes, I aid plainly ato. that that part of the Petition will receive no pledge of support from me—(:Much noise and ditapprokaton frons the eroted).-11, Gentlemen, you aie not disposed to let roe proceed further. I will no longer disturb the ge neral good hum , ur of the Meeting, but a ill only beg those a ho do not choose to hear my opinions, not to misre u resent them." Mr. BASTARD said, that be . should content himself with statirv,, that he should consider it his duty to attend in his place in the House of Commons, and present the Petition they had adopted. Lord PoirrEseue then moved the thanks to the She riff, and the Meeting dispersed. It is supposed that between five and 6,000 persons were assembled in the Castle-yard. Itulated the County on the pro- 1 lIE 1 ENIAG STAR,. LONDON. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, IS2. THE FUNDS. The Funds rise with great rapidity ; 3 per Cent. Consols, which were on Saturday 76%, were, at one o'Clock to day, 77%. All the great Bears have turned their accounts, and are now as sanguine of an advance as they were a few days ago of a fall. 3 per Cent. Reduced 77 s h 7/ i per Cent. Cons. 76 % 77 % 3V A per Cent. 88 1 ,-4 per Cent. 97 3 /i 5 per Cent. Navy Anns. 107% 5 4 %; % Bank Long Annuities 19 9-16 11-16 % India Bonds 78s. 795. pre. Exchequer Bills of £l,OOO, ss. 7s. pre. Ditto small 4s. 7s. pre.—Omnium, 6s. Bs. pre. Cons. Mir Acct. 76% 773/4. Lord LivitnPooL has sent for some of the City Bankers, who have this morning gone to Fife-House. We received a German Mail at a late hour this forenooa, which brings Frankfort Papers to the 28th ult. and the Algenteine Zeituxg to the 24th. The in telligence. from Constantinople, which is of the 24th of December, gives little prospect of the negociations between Russia and Turkey being •s 0 speedily or so amicably terininated Xs has .been represented. The account states what we have always urged, that Rus sia desires war, and Turkey seeks to 'avoid it: The following are extracts: AUGSBURG, JANUARY 24. The Lemberg Gazette has an article from the fron tiers of Kohiwria of the 28th of December, which say s the Turks daily increase in Moldavia. 0 1 t. frontiers they have erected huts of earth, and in ma, ,places they hare thrown up Ontrenchnsents. Ti.,ert Moldavian people, v ho hate nce taken any par t „h ever in the disturbances, are really to be p i for, after so many unmerited misfortunes, th ey now threatened *ith famine% The Turks have ordered eve quantities of IL? oats, sheep, own, and Othtr prOvisions, to be serf Ibrail. The bodies of the perscuu kilki lie in nets br along Me midi' and, As nobody buries them, they come the food of birds of prey, and of dogs that havl lost their masters. PROm THE SOUTH OF FRANCE A vessel has lately sailed from Marseille., French, German, and Northern military, sv;N) going to Calaniata. There are a great many' strangers in the same city, mbo, as soon as deity provided with necessaries, will proceed to die saw.; destination. 0.1 the othet hand, many individr4 who M ere absolutely destitute of means of subsistenf and whose papers were in pan not in order, have b e conveyed by the Bens &attires over the lion:T:8. cannot be made too publicly known, that it i, 0.4 lately impossible for the irieti !s of the Greeks to tain their object, if they are not possessed of n:•.; sufficient for the expedition. This is the more Le, nary, because, by authentic ACC. • tits from the • we learn, that those who an ive neither recrive money nor have any provision made for Ll.trn, . they must live at their own expense till they r3'. so e employment. According to accounts from Egypt, \kiwi., l'acha is by no means so well disposed tova..!.. 1 / 4 ,teel“ as has been re, orted, L. ougls he strict order in Egypt, and will not allow test ..ho have Red thither to be oi-treated. But ie . the same time devoted to the Porte, and baS itSie! bled a corps of troops near Alexandria, w:Llei is to be designed to go to Caudia to asti-t t e Several of his ships of war have been egliip a a: and expect further orders. It is alit rued that r particularly incensed, because the Greek ,hips • captured several merchantmen which were 1:6 8 Oil his oun act.ount. VII.NNA, JANUARY W. Letters itorn Constantinople of the 24th Del ber, say, that Prince Demetrius Ypsilanti Fa, himself proclaimed Prince of the Peloponne, u Those who are personally acquainted wit!: astonished at the part which he acts. Ti: u. !1 young, he is of a very weakly crinstitutinti. point of talent much inferior to his brothel Au der. The latter is still at Alungatsch, where well treated and everything is dcne to soften captivity. I The last Reis Effendi but one has still much r ence in the Divan. ne - chews the utroost maintain the peace with Russia. But the M•i•sal pride has not yet lost the recollection of their lot greatness. The Porte, however, nsented to evacuation of Moldavia and Wallachia, when quillity shall he wholly r. stored there. (This tradicted by the contiao.ii angnientaiion of the T. ish force in those povinces.) Then, and not be it will appoint llospodars; and in the nseantirre Principalities shall be governed by Cairnacan. The Porte, to prove its ~ a cific intentions, has journed the discussion of the question respectHg giving up of the Greek Insurgents. It may be ferred from this, that in the end it will be with the removal of the fugitives from the fron: With respect to the Greek Churches, the II affirms that the Sultan has always protected thl and that, if they have been destroyed in consccut of the rebelli 41, it is for the Greeks to aprly to tip Sovereign to have them rebuilt, and then lie will refuse them assistance. This answer is evidently indefinite, and shews that the negotiations ate nci far advanced as that the preservation of peace cat taken for granted. However, Russia seems to der as well as the Porte, to avoid war: on the or hand, it is certain that Austria, England, and Frat exert their utmost to maintain the good undeist: ing between the two Powers. The gradual of our paper currency proves that the public in ge: ral is easy on this subject. PISA, DECF.MBER 31. In the Romagna, several more persons, but of importance, have been arrested as Carbon Ari. ATW those banished is Count GAmbi, from Ravenna. Count has come to Pisa, with his daughter, Sig , Guiccioli ; and the celebrated poet, Lord Byron, I friend of the latter, immediately followed hcr. E' after the separation of Signora Guiccioli from husband, he had lived in the house of the latter, p 3 1500 scudi for his lodging, and spent 50,000 sew annually, especially in charity. In public he apper so seldom, that Englishmen oft en pay LCUli".i. to see him secretly, through the latticed windows a neighbouring house. The Magistrates of Harem have earnestly solicited the pardon of the Col (iambi; and the Legate has supported this pcti: to his Holiness, only for the purpose of taking INL the celebrated and generally respected guest. The French Papers of Thursday are plincipar filled with the continued debate in the Chamber Deputies on the subject of the Press. The wh01( the sitting was occupied in the consideration el 7th Article, which, for inaccurate reports, and wilt. misrepresentations of the proceedings in the Legidla• tive Chambers, or Courts of Law, subjects the Jout nalist, for the first offence, to a penalty of from I,ooof. to 6,000 f. and the second offence subject, the offenders to imprisonment from one month • rt , ;A.! t ii V; .4Str. • o . aa tl "‘ • It 1, ! !. is is .cr, 1.21*: I.: I lecem• k ltj etre e i:e :en his !-ne .uhr.aa rec.: to the i 3 cc:. !Tat;:- befc.re. c as al. ..e be in- t )ntier.. Diva:t them ; • :11Ellee their ill net y very net S.) an des. other ' rano, gra:: T les; urns The zrt:ra 1. the Even n her , paid scuji ,pears ws Cf Vellll3 barn ip21 1 .1 or ct c.l of .1 Jour . from bjects th to