Star. — London, England, 1821-01-08 00:00:00

RENPAEw MELTING. laffrer very nunierons Meeting . of Free tied if the Peace, Commissioners of Magistratei of Towns of the County of -able(' in the Town Hall there, forthe taking into consideration the propriety of Majesty on the state of the Nation. of Caldwell, moved that Mr. CANIP. lyli4WOOd, M.P. do take the Chair, which ' by Mr. Amato:sea, was unani- to. being Made of want of accommoda 'the limited description of the persons attend the Meeting, it was proposed to more distant day ; but a motion to this ier-ruled by a majority of 19. there being iroceeding, and 4.4. for adjourning. - was then proposed by Mr. Mune, of Vice-Lieutenant of the County. TIM. of Southbar, seconded the mo there ianimity ; there was not one topic intro silated to excite discussion ; no recent .ken notice of, neither was there any spprobation or disapprobation of the conduct of Mi nisters: it was left entirely to his Majesty to employ obis Counsellors, those men whom he thought best calculated for that high station. Mr. MAXWELL, younger, of Pollok, M.P. said, it would ill become him, as the organ of the People, to his vote to an Address like the present, for he ' with shame and disgust the eitraordinary at , made to support a tottering Administration, whi; had entirely lost the confidence of the Nation. Ile felt it his duty to pay attention to the voice of the people, and he would certainly take the necessary steps to make his Majesty acquainted with the true state of public feeling—(Cheers). A fiiend of his had said, we were on the eve of Revolution; and to what cause was this to be ascribed, but to lung neglect and misusage on the part of the Rulers of the People. Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to state some of his reasons for disapproving of the conduct of his Majesty's Ministers. The few observations he had made, he hoped would not be construed as a wish on his part to foster discontent, for he felt it to be his duty to state the truth to the King .in such language as would tend to secure the Country from a national bankruptcy, and shew the true feelings of the Community. He would now read a counter- Address, and then retire with the consolatory feelings of having done his duty. The principal point of dif ference iu the Address was a recommendation to his Majesty to make such a change as would restore the confidence of the People in the Ministry of the Coun try.—Mr. SPIERS, of Elderslie, seconded the motion in a short speech. Dr. JEFFRAT said he had listened with much plea sure to the speech of Mr. Maxwell, but he differed from him in sentiment, as he likewise did with the Gentleman who spoke last. Their object was to throw the blame of all the misfortunes which bad be fella, the country on the devoted heads of the Minis ten, but this was a doctrine he could never sub scribe to- (Much disapprobation). Mr. Sirens, jun. of Culcreuch, said, if the Ad dress was merely one of devotion and attachment to the Ki all present (he was well assured) would most :.eartily agree to it. He considered it, how ever, a libel on the people, who had lavished their blood to protect their country, and whose loyalty was as firm as ever : he was perfectly at variance with the party who called this Meeting, for ho considered disaffection to Ministers to be loyalty to the King. Lord SUCCOTH begged leave to make a few obser vations. 11e thought every end would be answered by the original Address, and he could not conceive any necessity ibr a counter one, unless it were just for the sake of opposition. There was certainly no thing wrong in forwarding an Address to his Majesty, when they saw how many were forwarded to the Queen. He was nut able to give any opinion on the merits of that case, never having read the evidence; bit this he knew, that a number of Lords in their places declared it was not because they did not think her guilty, but merely as a matter of expediencY, that they voted as they had done. It was well known that the Queen was a rallying point of the evil-minded.' to awaken disloyalty, and her case had been tacked: to others, to create discontent—(Hisses). —We have been told the business of the present Meeting was to support a tottering Administration ; but there was in the Address neither approbation nor disapprobation of the conduct of Ministers. 111•CURINGHAME spoke in favour of the Amendment. Mr. STEWART proposed, as an Amendment, solely for the sake of unanimity, to add two lines to the bot- Om of the original Address, saying, that this Meet-1 ing neither meant to convey approbation or disappro bation of the conduct of Ministers—(Much uproar). Mr. flaxweta. said, he had proposed an amended Address, but he was ready to do anything to tran quillize and promote unanimity ; and although it was a child of his own, he readily gave it up for the pro motion of this desirable end. Dr. JEFFRAY said, there was nothing in the origi nal Address respecting the conduct of Ministers, and be thought this Amendment a sort of a side-wind to counteract the intentions of the Meeting. Lord SUCCOTH was of the same opinion. The question was then put, when there appeared— For the Amendment - - 44 Against it - - - -60 Majority - - - - —l6 Mr. MAXWELL protested against the proceedings of the Meeting for himself, as well as for a number Of the inhabitants of Paisley, who had signed a docu ment" which he read. Mr. SPIRES seconded the Protest. The Address was ordered to be transmitted to Lord SIDHOUTH, to be presented to his Majesty. The subscribers to the Loyal Address which has been hawked about the County of Hants, understand ing that the Sheriff had appointed a Public Meeting of the County, to be held on Friday next, to take the present state of affairs into consideration, thought proper to present what they call a counter-Requisi-. Lion, but which ought rather to be styled Remon strance, in which they endeavour to persuade the Sherd that their private Loyal Address has super seded the necessity of any other proceeding on the part of the County. The Sheriff, in reply to this Re monstrance, has stated shortly, that, having agreed Mich sleeting should be holden before he received the sounter-Requisitiuty the appointment must stand. • nik DUBLIN brITRAGI. DUBLIN, JANUARY t. Yesterday, the most numerous and respectable Meeting .that we have for sothe time witnessed in this City, took place at D'Aitcfs, Corn Exchange Tavern. It is worthy of remark, that although there was but a few hours notice of the Meeting, which was called for the purpose of considering the best means to be adopted in consequence of the late outrage on the Freeholders of the County of. Dublin, the crowded state of the Great Room evinced the anxiety and strong feeling which had been excited in the minds of the Citizens of Dublin, by the violent and uncon stitutional proceedings on Saturday, at the Court House of Kilmainham. . ARCHIBALD HAMILTON ROWAN, Esq. having been 'called to the Chair, Mr. O'Cornsem, moved that Counsellor Finlay should act as Secretary, which was carried unanimously. Mr. O'CoNNELL they said—" As one of those per sons who witnessed the late outrage on the remnant of liberty yet remaining in Ireland, I intend propos ing that a Committee be appointed to consult on the best means to be adopted to obtain redress for that outrage, and that the Committee shall make their re port to a General Meeting, on Thursday next. The County Meeting on Saturday, which was one of the largest witnessed for a length of time, was ton peace able to afford any pretence, even in Ireland, to take away the undoubted right of the People ; but Ire-, land, like the man's head in the fair, lay so fair for a blow, they could not resist the desire of striking at it., I now move, Mr. Chairman, that a Committee of eleven be appointed to consult on the most constitu tional mode of demanding redress for the outrage cornmittedon the Freeholders of the County of Dub lin, on Saturday last." Captain FOTTRELL next addressed the Meeting in nearly the following words:—" Mr. Chairman—l will vie in loyalty with any man, but I would not be satis fied in giving expression to it in a smothered voice; I would act on it. With that feeling I went to the County Meeting, on Saturday last, but I was not per mitted to deliver my sentiments. I was the more as tonished at the introduction of the Army into the Court House, on Saturday, by the High Sheriff, as I had an opportunity of witnessing his very proper con ' duct at the late County of Dublin Election. I, as an Officer, would have supported the Civil Power, had they been called in ; but they were not, although Al derman Darley and Alderman Cash were present. This much, however, I will say, that I did not see a bayonet in the Court House—( Voices in the crowd, ' I did, I did'). I speak, of course, only from my own observation. It is still my belief, that that out rage was not a premeditated act, and that it was not the act of Government. Some of the Magistrates condemned it; I heard Major Sin say, outside of the Court House, after it had been cleared, that 4 he would have permitted every man to deliver his senti ments.' For myself, I went to that Meeting by in vitation—by invitation of the High Sheriff, to vote an • Address to his Majesty, and certainly will never ac cept his invitation again." Mr. FINLAY.—" I hope the situation you have done me the honour to place me in does not preclude me from saying a few words on the unparalleled out rage of last Saturday—(Cries of No, no'). Gentle men, in my mind, that outrage was of too great a magnitude for Sir Richard Steele totave stumbled upon it by mere accident. What! when we go by invitation of the Sheriff, are we to meet under the range of artillery? Is this the way to suppress the public voice ? No, Gentlemen, it will operate in a very different manner; it will produce great political good ; it will excuse us in the eyes of all England for our late apparent apathy ; they will say, that tenor kept us silent ; they will see, that when we have con stitutionally met for a legal purpose, we have been dispersed by the bayonet. Gentlemen, by your for bearance on Saturday, you have succeeded in one material point; you have put your enemies in the wrong ; and it wanted but the slightest indiscretion, on the part of the People, to form a miniature—l should say, a picture of the dreadful scene at Manches ter. The Magistrates, whose courage was not of a holi day description, looked gravely on, whilst this feather headed Sheriff sent an armed soldiery to disperse the peaceable Freeholders. There he sat, forsooth, and, like a boy perched on the top of Patrick's steeple, all the world looked little- o him, whilst he looked little to all the world—(Great laughter) ;—or, like a monkey, with a lighted match, astride upon a barrel of gun-powder—(Laughter).—We all witnessed the drawling hesitation between him and the Magistrates, yet, when no Riot Act was read—no disposition to riot manifested—he called in the military to disperse his own Meeting. There were Members of Parlia ment also present, who will tell you that you cannot meet in the open air, and when you meet in your own Court-house, you are driven out of it. Is this what is called a constituent Government ? No, it is a mischievous abuse of words to term it such. Better would it be to live under the Dey of itlgiers than be subject to such outrages. Ingenuity itself can find no excuse for these men, who, when you open your mouths at a Meeting legally convened, that instant they open on you the mouths of their musketry.— Gentlemen, circulars have been issued, calling Meet ings in every County in Ireland to vote Loyal Ad dresses to his Majesty. I have seen some of them. Active exertions have been made ; and it is my be lief, that were it not for the proceedings of last Satur day, two and thirty Loyal Addresses would be voted from Ireland—( No, no!).--At all events, their number has been considerably reduced by the indig nation felt at this attempt to put down by force the honest expression of public opinion. We should re collect, that 4 MAO'S extremity is Goes opportunity ;' and we may yet hope that the orb of freedom shall rise in splendour over an astonished world— , Dangers retreat when boldly they're confronted.' " Mr. Finlay sat down amid great applause. ENEAS M'DoNNELL, Esq. addressed the Meeting in substance as follows Mr. Chairman, before Mr. O'Connell's motion is put relative to forming a Com mittee, I think it necessary that we should have some knowledge as to the mode likely to be adopted by that Committee. I declare that I went to the County Meeting without any knowledge of a previ ous Meeting having been held here, and it was my opinion, that the less discussion we had on public topics the better ; I declare also, that neither of the Addresses would have met my approbation. It has been mentioned here, that the soldiers who had been btimght into the Court-house had-no bayonekt t distinctly assert, that I saw bayonets; and it is my firm, conviction, that had I even remonstrated, I would have felt a bayonet. I beard. the Sheriff ex claim to the soldiers, " Why don't yoti do your duty ?" and to do them justice, I must say, the sol-* diers seemed very well disposed to it. Under these circumstances, does it require much deliberation to ascertain what should be our first course? Can any man hesitate, or require the assistance of eleven men in forming an opinion on this outrage? If such atrocious and unconstitutional proceedings are suf fered, we are not safe when assembled together in any chapel, church, or public place of worship.— That lives were not lost there, is or.ly to be attri buted to the forbearance of the People. Had lives been lost there, would it not have been murder Will those Gentlemen who calmly looked on while this outrage was perpetrating, will they say it would not have been murder ? Had murder ensued, would the Sheriff have been brought to trial ? I am confident, by the ease with which he 'moves through the City to-day, that he believes he would be borne perfectly harmless, and left to rest in full security, as if he had all the time been quietly sip ping his tea. I was one of the last that left the Court house on Saturday, when the soldiers strode over the benches, and moved towards Lord Cloncurry, fur the purpose of removing him ; his Lordship said, he would wish to ask the Officer of the guard (who was at that moment crossing the table) by whose authority he acted? I represented this to the sol diers, and I verily believe, that had I persisted in my remonstrance, I should have had a bayonet down my throat. Gentlemen, the first thing to be ascer tained is, whether the Government sanctions this outrage or not? I would put the question fairly to them, Do you, or do you not, sanction this atro city ?' Should the answer be, The laws are open to you for redress,' of course we know the meaning. It is a question of life or death. It is to ascertain whether the subject can be murdered with impunity? I would have you apply at once to the Castle, as it would give Government an opportunity of tranquil lizing the public mind. For myself, I would not wait for the opinions of any eleven Gentlemen to ex press my sentiments on this illegal outrage." Counsellor CURRAN next addressed the Meeting to the following effect:—" Mr. Chairman and Gen tlemen—lt was not my intention to offer any remarks of mine to the present Meeting, on the outrage com mitted on the Freeholders of the County on last Sa turday. But when the rumour has gone abroad that the soldiers had not their bayonets when they were brought into the Court-house to disperse that Meet ing, I feel it my duty to state, that such is not the fact. The soldiers were armed with bayonets, and when an Officer of the Guard approached Lord Clon curry, for the purpose of removing his Lordship, 1 was remonstrating with the soldiers, and I verily be lieve, had I persisted in that remonstrance, beyond what might suit the soldiers idea of propriety, that I would have been run through the body. Will the Magistrates who were present connive at, or were they participators in, the outrage committed by this intemperate and foolish Public Officer ? If there is not a suspension of that Officer, must we not sup pose that Government #anctions the act ? As Irish men,• let us yet chew to the world that we yet can value freedom. Though freedom is nearly extinct in this country—though we know little more of it than what we learn from our books—and though England may tell us there is little original among us, let us, at least, have the ambition to be imitators, in thus asserting our rights. I know not but I may be de nounced as an agitator—l care not. It is not neces sary to excite your feelings on this outrage; but did so much apathy exist as would require excitement, 1 should feel it my duty to inflame the public mind at this scene acted at our Provincial Theatre, from the grand performance in the Sister Kingdom." Mr. O'CoNeilia. said, in reply to Mr. M'Donnell, " I beg leave to say, that the words of the motion I have proposed for the appointment of a Committee are, that 4 they are to demand redress for the out rage: The word outrage was, perhaps, as strong a term as I could use, and of course the most fitting. I would not approve of sending to the Castle—l would have the affair brought before Parliament, and not let it be cushioned at the Castle. These are not times when we should go about with a begging box—we should assert our rights. See how the People of England have contended for liberty; and shall we be told we are well off, having passed through the year 1820 with only one outrage ? See how nobly Spain has contended. Look to Naples, that runs a peril, not from Austria, but from her .own bayonets, after having acted towards Sicily as one that we could name towards another coontry.— Did Portugal, in its emergency, send a memorial to the Brazils, directed to some man with a long name at Rio Janeiro, whilst they must wait patiently a year and a h alf for an answer? The Portuguese have been termed by a Noble Lord— . Base Lusian slaves—the lowest of the low.' Yet what have these People achieved ? They are, now the freest of the free. I would recommend, that the matter should be brought immediately before Parliament—that an Aggregate Meeting should be called, to hear the public opinion on it— and that a correspondence should be formed with dif ferent parts of England and Scotland on the subject. It is the business of one and all to seek redress, and if we'have it not, better lie down at once and perish. Yet the Poet's prophecy has given a glimpse of hope to his ill-fated country— " The Nations have fern, and thou still art young, Thy Sun is but rising, whilst others are set ; And tho' Slavery's cloud e'er thy morning hath hung, The full Moon of Freedom shall beam round thee yet. • Erin ' oh! Erin, though lung in the shade , Thy Star will shine out when the proudest shall fade !" Mr. ENZAS M'Doe Neu. having expressed his as sent to Mr. O'Connell's motion for a Committee, it was carried unanimously—by an amendment, the Committee was enlarged to fifteen, and the following Gentlemen were separately voted on it : Counsellor Curran Sir C. Morgan, Counsellor Finlay , Conn sellor Wolfe, Counse llor O'Connell, CounsellorEneas MiDonnell, A. Hamilton Rowan, Esq. Counsellor Burne, Lord Miscarry, William Humphries, Esq. William Murphy, Esq. J. Dennis Mullen, Esq. Captain Fottrell, Counsellor H. Dawson, Coun sellor Ilusband, sen. Mr. O'CoNetia. then moved the warmest thanks of the Meeting to Lord Cloncurry, for his spirited and becoming conduct on Saturday, which was car ried with acclamation, and the meet adjourned till Thursday ; to receive the Report of the Committee. LATE A BERDEEN MEETINGS TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR • - Aberdeen, January . l, 11 2 1 . SlR—Having ohsertied; in yt.ur Paper 4 , f the 29th ultimo,,a detail of the pi Oteedings winch are said to have taken place at the County Meeting held here on the 20th, copied from The Aberdeen Chronicle I think it necessary to send you the annexed copy of si letter I addressed to the Editor of that Paper, whiOh he published on Saturday last, and which liave to request yeti will also insert, along with this, in The Sran.:--I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, J. MENZIES: 't TO THE ECITOTt OT THE Astantam CHRONICLE. . • • ... " SlR—The account in your Paper of the 23d, of the proceed.: ings of tile County Meeting of the 20th, put so many things bud my mouth which I never said, that I cannot allow it to pass ute;. contradicted.— f did not say that I clid not consider' % . r. StiErg as having any right to call for the Requisition, or the names of those who had signed it.'—/ did nut say that Major Lertit }h had merely introduced the subject of propping up a tottering Administration, for the purpose of indulging in a violent philipz pie against Ministets.'—/ did not soy, though it is tiviile so as serted in your statement of the proceedings, and again in another article, with little Variation in expression, and none in meaning; that' far from approving of the conduct of Ministers, lirectlP the contrary was the case.' Nor did I say anything whateVer at all bearing the meaning of any of the said passages. Solve minor inaccuracy, and your turning in one place what I said into nonsense, are not worth my notite. You will please to sert this in your two next Papers.-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, J. Idinuats. " Aberdeen, December 27, 1820.'4 • trO VAT V IlsersdaY 1 4" Isiders, Justitel SaPPIY , and Ma l * a new, assentb es pose of taking Adsess' hts 3 M r . Ntuitzt of ma , of Blythaw 4 ming se conded 'poly agreed to A complaint b 4 Sip, and also of tl somm osed to attt a djourn to a mon t• a ge s was over-ru 53 tor ptoceedinE An Address w Caldwell, the Vii Mr. ALI:CANDI ion. He said, 'I framed for unani duced calculates TIAN were take approbation or di sisters: it was le as his Counsellor calculated for th; Mr. MA IWELI would ill become g ive his vote to viewed with shat tempts made to who had entirell He felt it his dut people, and he steps to make hit state of public fee said, we were on cause was this to misusage on the • Ihe Honourable s ome of his reass of his Majesty's had made, he h wish oh his part be his duty to si language as woo a national bankn the Community. Address, and the of having done It ference iu the A Majesty to make confidence of the SPIE in a short speech Dr. JEFFRAT sure to the epee • from him in sent Gentleman who throw the blame fallas the countr tern, but this w scribe to— (Alta) Mr. SPIKES; j dress wis merell the Ki all pi most :.eartily aF ever, a libel on blood to protect as firm as ever the party who c disaffection to N Lord SUCCOT I rations. He th by the original ,nr norn<city PORTSMOUTH MEETING. Wednesday a Meeting of the Corporation of thb Borough of Portsmouth was convened by the Mayot, (EDWARD CARTER, Esq.) in consequence of a Requi sition which had been addressed to him by several Members of the Corporation, to consider of agreeing to an Address to his MAJESTY, upon the present state of the country, and to pray him to dismiss his Ministers from his Councils ; also to send a suitable Address thereon to the House of Commons. The MAYOR being called to the Chair, the subject of the Meeting was opened lay Mr. Alderman HOWARD, who took a retrospective view of the most promi nent of the measures of Ministers, and particularly of those pursued by them with respect to the prose cution of the QUEEN : all which he considered as being injurious to the welfare and best interests of the country ; and therefore moved, " That a respect ful Address on the present unsatisfactory state of the country, and on the policy and measures of the pre. sent Administration, be presented to his Majesty, praying his Majesty to dismiss his Ministers from his Councils."—Mr. JAcKsoti seconded the motion. The Hon. Sir GEORGE GREY objected to the mo tion, because he could not but consider.that any Ad dress presented to the King, in which the Queen' name is mentionen, must be personally offensive to his Majesty; and, therefore, he (Sir George) could not coincide in the motion. He did not approve of the present Ministers, and he had refused his signa ture to the County Address : it was his opinion that these Addresses are doing injury in the country. Mr. SOAPER spoke in defence of Ministers, and in condemnation of the Queen. He was fully persuaded that in all their proceedings in the matter of the Queen, Ministers had been influenced by no other motive than their duty to their country ; and he be; lieved the Queen to be what a majority of the House of Peers bad declared her to be. _ _ The motion being put, a division took place, when it was carried by more than two to one. Mr. Alderman JOHN CARTER, M.P. then moved, that the Address to the King be presented to hii . Majesty by Lord Erskine. Mr. Carter prefaced the motion by exhibiting his Lordship's pure and inde pendent conduct•when the Representative of this Bo rough, and dwelt with peculiar felicity of expression on his Lordship's able, constitutional, and manly op position to Ministers in their proceedings on the pro secution of the Queen.—The motion was carried unanimously, as was the following one :—That the Petition to the House of Commons be presented by the Members for the Borough (Admiral Markham and John Carter, Esq.) Thanks were voted to the Chairman for his able and impartial conduct, and the Meeting dissolved. An Address from the Inhabitants of Petersfield has been transmitted to his MAJESTY, in v:hich, after giving renewed assurances of their unshaken attach. went to his Rayal person, they say— ,. We have patiently submitted, for a long period of time, to many deprivations, arising from the general stagnation of trade, depression in agriculture, burden of the Poor, and overwhelm ing taxation, without even our Petitions to the Legislature being attended to. We consider it, therefore, to be a duty irresistibly• imposed on us, in this conjuncture of affairs, most humbly, but most earnestly, to intreat your Majesty, thit you may be gra ciously pleased forthwith to remove from your Majesty's pre sence and councils those individuals by whose suggestions your Majesty, and the great body of your Majesty's subjects, have been involved in so many calamities; feeling confident, as we do, that the origin of these evils arises from the defective state of the representation of our country, we implore your Majesty, that you will be pleased to direct an early investigation for the purpose of removing existing abuses, in a moderate and Consi tutional manner; the oppressions of the present system are mul tifarious and great. The Burgesses and Freeholders of this ancient Borough have full reason to complain to your Majesty ; their rights and privileges were of the most liberal description, granted at an early period by charter, but they have long been deprived of them, as well as of their elective franchise, and only know them but by name ; and by the same corrupt means have been lost to them, the beneficial effects of an excellent public charity." —This Address was signed, in one day, by the majo rity of the Householders, although the original one, for Winchester, did not get one name in three days. When it is considered that, for nearly a century, the inhabitants of Petersfield have been I +Louring under a Boroughmongering controul, have had no share in the election of their Members,nor ever saw above one of them till lately, and that this is the first Address to their Sovereign, emanating from themselves, the truth of their complaints, and the.independent man ner of their servtiments, are worthy of men struggling for their lull share of political liberty. CORN Esc>,axor,• JAN. B.—There was a Wien. bly large supply of Wheat this morning, by land-carriage sam ples from Essex and Kent, but the navigation not being yet free, very little bus Mess was done, and prices may be considered the same as last week, which is also the case with Barley, not having hid any arrivals since this day se'nnight. Beans are Zs. dearer, but Peas and. Oats were dull sale, the demand for each being very trifling, in consequence of the impediment of working. SNITHIPIRLD MARCO', JAN. B.—Reef, 31. Bd. to 4s. 1041 per stone of Sibs. ; Mutton, 3s Bd. to 44. 10d. WA 41. 6d. to . 51.8 d. Pork, 4 , ..6(1. to 6b.od. lamb, 03.04. to Os.o4:—Cattle at Market Beasts, 8540 ; Calves I BO; Sheep and Lambs. 16,100 ; Pip, gee, Hay, 71.101. to el. 4s. Clover, 41. 103. to 3f.lJs, Straw, 1L 18. to 11. 16$.