Star. — London, England, 1821-01-13 00:00:00

4 , hole and corner" proceeding of the Loyal Address ers, who ought to have called a County Meeting before they ventured to promulgate their private opt itions as being those of the County at large. The present requisitors had acted in a more becoming manner: they had come forward openly and Corm tutionally, Unlike the interested party, who looked to preferment, not to principle—( Hear, hear, hear J— ana who fabricated their documents in secret corpcs t diens and enmities' closets. The Hon. Baronet then commented with great severity . upon the con duct of those Ultra Royalists, and defended the cho ral* of the County from the imputations which they had cast upon it. In some way or another Par liament ought to do justice to her Majesty. Her rame ought, without delay, to be restored to that Liturgy from which it was so indecently and impro perly withdrawn before any trial or condemnation land taken place. How could Ministers venture to lake out of the pockets of an impoverished people leexpenses of this scandalousaproceeding ? (Hear). fortunate it would be for the country if the sl4lMitiosr *old be opened to a sense of the iniquity 4' in Mittikters.lf some patriot could approach the King and sob 4.4 Oire, your confidence has been Abused, your cou4ri has been betrayed, by the vile ,Ishe odious acts qf your Ministers : listen to the voice dllf it loyal and affectionate People, who will in the Imo, be your best strength, whose hearts are a safer irLion for your throne and character than the yonets of millions of armed men under despotic finisters"—(tlsers).—The Hon. Baronet concluded by sugge,ung that the Meeting should give three cheers for her Majesty, which was obeyed with en thusiasm by the People. Mr. MA use came forward, and was received with great applause. He expressed the great pleasure he felt at seeing so numerous and respectable a Meeting assembled on this occa ion, under the auspices of the Constitutional Officer of the County—(Applause).— The presence of such a Meeting gave the lie to the base and mischievous mistatements of a venal and corrupt Press, which published that Meetings like the present could not safely be convened, for that sedition and blasphemy were abroad, and a contempt for the laws but too prevalent. The People, how ever, shewed that they respected both the laws and the Constitutional Authorities by whom they were administered. They shewed it there this day in the reception they gave a Constitutional Sheriff, who presented a fine contrast to the Sheriff of Dublin, who twat his fellow-subjects at the point of the bayonet, when they were assembled at a regularly convened Meeting under his own auspices --(Hear, hear). — The conduct of the Ukra-loyalists of Hants was very ludicrous ; they proclaimed that there ought to be no -County Meeting, because nine Peers and one hundred and thirty Freeholders thought it inexpe dient. The Requisition by which the present Meet ing was convened could only boast of the signatures of one Peer and seventy Freeholders. Why did not the nine Lords and the one hundred and thirty Free holders con:e before the Public and crush them with their superior weight?—(A laugh)—Two to one formed great odds, but nine to one would have been tremendous--(Repeated lasighter).—Besides, the Ul tras had a terrible weight of metal for the fight.— They could muster all the great guns from Ports. mouth : and if these did not do execution enough, they had at hand the small Canons of Winchester ! . . (Lind bursts of laegider).--But they had fled—their whole weight was spent after the attempt to become the great Colossus bestriding the county, and let ting the poor Freeholders like himself peep beneath, and find dishonourable graves. The Honourable Gentleman proceeded, in a grain of fine humour, to ridicule the pretensions of the Ultra-loyalists, and to e spose the secret machinations by h they en deavoured to prop a falling Ministry, and concluded ith giving his hearty consent to the Petitions which had been moved—(Great applause). The Earl of CARNARVON then presented himself, and was received with the most enthusiastic expres sions of approbation. He said he had waited thus long before he addressed the Meeting, in the expec tation that, after the able, manly, and constitutional speeches which they had heard, some one among the thousands who, according to the Counter-Requisi tion, were hostile to the Meeting, might even by ac cident have found his way among them, and have said something rational before the assembled County, in defence of the principles on which the present Meeting had been attempted to be suppressed. His regret at not heating anything rational stated on the present occasion in defence of those principles, was increased by the consideration, that not one word of sense had he been able to find in the Counter-Requi sition itself. It was indeed strange, after they had been told that they formed a paltry minority of the County, that their opponents had not sent a detach :neat of their forces to overwhelm then; if not by argument, at least by numbers—(Hear). What ne cessity was there for calling on the Freeholders of the County to say that they were loyal to the King and the Constitution, when that loyalty had never been rendered doubtful? But because they were all at tached to their King and Constitution, did it follow that there should be no County Meetings on public measures? Those who had expected such a prepos terous opinion, had not only insulted the people of the County,but had shewn how little credit was due to their mock Address, in which they professed their • readiness to defend the Constitution with the last drop of their blood (cheers); for he had no hesita tion in saying, that County Meetings called as the present had been, were as old, as essential, and as vital a part of the Constitution, as either of the Houses of Parliarnebt--(Great oppkuse). He should next say a word or two about this weighty counter-requisition, under which the whole county was to sink. At the head of the list of noble names, he found the Marquis of Buckingham and the Bishop of Winchester—(Cries of " Sloasse")l Whether the Bishop of Winchester had ever visited that county, he knew not—(" No never"); but this he would venture to say, that, whatever benefit the Right Reverend Prelate might himself have derived from his new See, be had no opportunity of knowing the sentiments of the county of Hants, and, therefore, it would have been just as decorous—for surely deco- rum was expected in the conduct of a Clergyman if he had not placed Isis name at the head of such a list—(Applause). Those nibble counter-requisitionists seemed afraid ill being soiled by the dust of the pre ss:a meeting i they were, no doubt, afraid lest their new stirs and ribands shoidd be dir.ied by coming into contact with the free tad independent free holders of the county,--( se). lie avowed hint- , air i Whig, whatever the Meeting- might think of the Whigs; and his reason for uniting himself to that polidcallody was, a firm conviction that by acting with them, he took the best, indeed the only way of remedying the evils in which the country had been involved —(Great applause). Without delivering any opinion on the question of her Majesty's guilt or in nocence, which had nothing whatever to do with the conduct of Ministers, it was enough for him to say that justice could never be administered by the course which had been pursued—that to pass a law three or four years after the alleged commission of a crime, was not becoming a generous people, nay, it was not becoming a just people—(Great applause). Yet such was the character or the late proceeding, which had roused the indignation of every generous mind in the country. On the subject of the Loyal Address, he was anxious to say a few words before he retired—that Address which was said to be so nu merously signed, and that by persons so much more respectable than the other Freeholders of Hampshire. He should be very glad to know how this snug Ad dress had got into circulation ? (Cries Ask the Under Sher:J7) He held in his hand a letter, ad dressed by the Under Sheriff to a Clergyman, re questing him to procure signatures to the Address among his Parishioners; and it was to be hoped that Mr. Hollis would explain his conduct in this matter. In the progress of the late Bill, they had been told that there was a Public Accuser, but no person had ever been able to find him out ; and so, also, there was a County Michas, it seemed, though the County had never heard of it but through the Papers. This letter was addressed to a Clergyman, for such secrets could only be whispered into the ears of the Clergy. He would take this opportunity of stating, that he venerated the Established Church, and was disposed to respect its Clergy; but in proportion to that vene ration and 'respect was his indignation at seeing it attempted to drill the Clergymen of the Church into the tools of a vile and wicked Administration, and to' degrade them into the trumpeters of the praise of Ministers. The letter to which he had referred com menced with the following words:--.. Reverend Sir,' I am directed to send you a copy of the County Ad dress r but he had the authonty of the High Sheriff 1 I for saying, that that Gentleman never gave the Us der Sheriff directions to send the Address in question. He hoped. therefore, that Mr. Hollis would state to, the Meeting who it was that directed him to set the Clergy on the task of procuring signatures, and also explain how he presumed to call this the Address of the County. He could only state his conviction, that if County Meetings were to be put down, the Con stitution of England would not survive them one twelvemonth 1--(Applause). It was the privilege and the duty of every man to express his sentiments, and he hoped he should never, like the counter-Requisi tionists, be afraid to chew his face before the assem bled County —(Great applause). His Lordship added, that he understood Mr. Hollis wished to address the Meeting on the subject of the letter which had been mentioned, and it would be but justice to hear with patience what he had to say in explanation. Mr. HoLus then came forward, and met with no , very gracious reception. He denied that the Loyal Address professed to speak the sentiments tit' the County, for it began with the words, We, the un dersigned Noblemen, Gentry, and Clergy, of the County of Hants," acc. and, therefore, could only be fairly considered the Address of those that signed it. He also denied that the Clergy had been improperly applied to on this occasion, for no Clergyman, or any other person, had been asked to procure signatures. Mr. FLEMING, one of the County Members, came forward, and was received with strong marks of dis approbation. He stated, that having seen the Requi sition for the purpose of petitioning Parliament, he had come forward to receive the instructions of his constituents ; but was sorry to say, that though he should feel it his duty to present the Petition, he could not conscientiously promise to support its prayer in his place, because he conceived its object was to procure the dismissal of the present Ministers for their conduct with respect to the Queen. No man could lament more than he did that proceedings had ever been instituted against her Majesty, or feel more deeply the stigma which they had fixed on the coun try. At the same time, Ministers could not justly be blamed for the consequences of that investigation, which was forced upon them by the arrival of the Queen: the rumours which preceded her obliged them to institute the inquiry, in duty to the King and Coun try, and in justice to the Queen herself—( Violent hisses).—But, however the Meeting might differ from him as to the necessity of that inquiry, there could be but one opinion as to the leniency of the mode of trial, and the fairness and impartiality of her Judges! They must all admire the temper and candour evinced by the Noble Lords of the Cabinet,—( Violent hooting:). In comparing the conduct of Ministers and their op ponents, he was compelled to say, that the charge of acting unconstitutionally came with a bad grace from those who, in 1806, created a Secret Tribunal, and tried and condemned the Queen without hearing her defence—(Cries of No !no He most heartily con curred, however, in the wish expressed in this Peti tion, that some method might be found of putting the question about the Queen to rest, and of prevent ing all farther discussion and agitation of it—(Gene sal applause).—The Honourable Member concluded with some observations on the subject of the Loyal Address, which, he said, he was proud to have signed. Mr. Jaavoter, the other Member for the County, then rose. He said be heard the Petition with great satisfaction, and should only beg them to believe his honest declaration, that he was ready to receive their instructions to present and support this or any other Petition that might be agreed to at a County Meet ing--(Loud cheers). Mr. HINCESMAN spoke at considerable length in favour of the Petition. Mr. BARING then replied. He insisted, that, not withstanding the explanation of Mr. Hollis, it was evident that the Address had been issued as the Ad dress of the County, though, in fact, it was only the Address of the Pitt Club; and it was important to consider, whether that Club should represent the County? He complimented Mr. Fleming for man fully coming forward, but .considered him as . per fectly :mire in his admiration -of the conduct of Ministers ui their proceedings against the Queen. All the other friensk.a Ministers, even the warmest, 'with whom.he (Mr. Baring) had esimmunicated, had expressed their regret that such an inquiry had ever been commenced. The HIGH SHERIFF then put the question on the Petition, which was carried unanimously, and amidst the loudest cheers: it was directed to be presented by the County Members. A similar Petition to the House of Lords was una• nimously and enthusiastically carried, and directed to be presented by Lord CARNARVON. Thanks were then, on the motion of Mr. MARSH, voted to Lord CARNARVON, for his exertions in re sisting the :.ttempts of a party to dictate to the Free holders of the County. Lord CARNARVON shortly returned thanks, and moved a vote of thanks to the HIGH SHERIFF, for his upright and Constitutional conduct in calling the Meeting, and for his dignified and impartial conduct in the Chair. _ The motion was unanimously agree 3 to, and the HIGH Salaams. returned thanks. The Meeting then quietly dispersed at four o'clock. BEDFORSIIIRE MEETIAG. This Meeting wok place yesterday in the Shire hall, which was crowded to excess; and a more respectable body of individuals was never seen as sembled in any county town, on any public occasion. Soon after 12 ,o'clock the Hton SHERIFF, the Duke of BEDFORD, the Marquis of TAY:STOCK, Lord HOLLAND, Lord W. Rossatc, Lord J. RUSSELL, F. Pyu, Esq. M. P. W. H. WHITBREAD, Esq. M. P. S. C. WHITBREAD, Esq. M. P. C. F. PALMER, Esq. M. P. and massy. other gentlemen of property, ap peared on the hustings. The HWW &inure having taken the Chair, pro ceeded to open the business of the day. The Duke of BILDFORD then came forward amidst the unanimous plaudits of the Assembly. He had not, he observed, often had the honour to meet the Inhabitants and Freeholders of that County, assem bled on any public occasion. The last time was to move an humble Address of Condolence to his Ma jesty on the demise of their late venerable and much lamented Sovereign: and the instance preceding that, was, to Address his present Majesty, then acting as Prince Regent, on the death of the late Queen. He now entertained the same true and loyal and devoted feelings towards the Throne which he che rished on those occasions —(Loud and repealed dseers.) And, though he had not to call on them to condole with The King on the decease of a virtuous Queen who had passed from this transitory life, yet he had to entreat the Meeting to address the King, to ask of him that he would restore the rights, and redress the wrongs of a living Queen, whose character had been assailed by the foulest, basest, and most ma lignant conspiracy that ever disgra ced the annals of this or of any other country—( Chores). ---Her honour, her fame, her character, which were dearer to a woman than life itself, had been attempted to be de stroyed, by means the most detestable. He would also call their attention to a series of Resolutions, in which the Address to his Majesty was embodied, and likewise to two Petitions, intended to be presented to both Houses of Parliament. But before he touched on those points, he would direct their attention to the deep distresses under which the Country was now labouring—distresses that were accumulating from year to year, but which were suffered to pass un noticed by his Majesty's Ministers. The Prayers and Petitions of the People had been disregarded by them; and they had even advised his Majesty not to attend to the complaints of his subjects—( Applause). His Grace then proceeded with great ability and eloquence to state his views of the present distressed and agitated state of the country. In summing up, " he was aware," he said, " that it had been often alleged that it was the object of the body of men with whorn he acted, to drive out Ministers, for the purpose of procuring their places." This was an imputation cast on the lovers of liberty at various times—(Applause). But was there anything so pe culiarly enticing in the present state of the country —serrounded as it was by difficulties and dangers-- that could induce any honest individual to seek for the places of Ministers ? It had been said, and doubtless would brir said again, that this was a mere party question—a question between the Ministers and their opponents. He solemnly denied the asser tion. When he proceeded to consider the case of the Queen, he allowed no feelings to operate on his mind but those of justice ; he allowed no principle to guide his conduct, but the love of his country—(CAeen). He did not, however, mean to disclaim party con nexion altogether. On the contrary, he acknow ledged that he was a party man. He had seen, in the course of his life, and he h a d lea rne d from his tory, that party had often been of use to States ; and in a Constitution like that of England, com posed of King, Lords, and Commons, to prevent the encroachment of one branch on the other, party might be employed for the g enera l b ene fi t of the State. For many years of his life he had the pride and satisfaction of acting under that great political leader, Mr. Fox. He had acted with that great and illustrious man, who, though he was not permittc§ to serve his country' in power, did essentially serve it out of power. By the energies of his mind, by the force of his genius, by the power of his eloquence, he had often seen that great man stem the tide of corruption, and stop the mad career of that ambi tion which would have plunged the country into anarchy and confusion—(Applause). He had the 'satisfaction of entering the all with that illustrious person who bore the name, the virtues, and the ta lents, of the great man whose praises he had so feebly pronounced—he meant' his nephew, Lord Holland—(Cheers). That 'Noble Lord was also a party man, and during the time he had sat in Par liament his voice had never been raised but in the cause of his country, of liberty, and of humanity-- (Chesrs). He had always considered him to be a perfect counterpart of the fine character drawn by the Poet, " No strobe, no hemline, deadliest shaft of adverse fate, Can make his gen'rous bosom quite despair, But that alone by wheels his Country falls! Grief may to grief, in endless round succeed, And Nature suffer when his children bleed ; Bet still superior must that hero prove, Whose first, last pinion, is his Country's love r (Cheers). The fist and last object of his Noble Friend, whether he was doomed to pass his life in or out or power, would be to support the happiness the ho. flour, and the glory of England ; that would be th: sole aim and object of his political Wes Ministers, he had no doubt, would adhere and power as long as they possibly , would stick to it as long as a plank rem: ship—as long as they could get anythin ; nuing with the wreck! They talked of ness, and said they would nut quit the rounded as she was by dangers. He was to recollect that disastrous period of our end of the American war; and he z Lord North talked a great deal about When he was taunted by the able Stat opposed to him, he said—" I took the I eir and I will not quit the vessel while she Mr. Burke, with that powerful eloquence tinguished all he said, and, he might add, bitter sarcasm which was entirely his os ig True, it was a storm, and a storm so bent the stately oak to the ground ; and 'the little paltry o illow that writhes and with every blast of wind, and calls its pli ness !" So with the Ministers cf the they shifted with every varying wind, 'mated their pliability firmness—(Loud , cheering). Those Ministers would endeav , themselves in poer by the A? post a knew not how to term them; they calk, the loyal men—(Laughter). They declared to be exclusively loyal. He knew not , were any' of them in the room i he would particularly address himsei What did tlieir loyalty consist in? Wh up Addresses in " holes and corners." Those Addresses served to swell the Court Gazette ; and the courtly readers specious compositions as speaking do country, he dared say—(Laughter). scription were those secretly loyal Gentl were well 'described by a celebrated MI " men who trade in loyalty, and lire uj They never lost their stock.in trade; i to a good market. ' If you asked one you a loyal man?" he would indignai " I am a loyal man, devoted to my K, try ; how dare you question it?" But the inquiry, and skid, " Are you loyal The answer wool(' be—" Oh, no! nr marketable commodity !"—(Match tat ,we he was, that if such a loyal man , more of his professions than the farmers bade , he would give up his loyalt7 fr (Ap artse)--and sigh out, " Farewell wel , to all my loyalty r--(4 laugh). i he thought, close his address better than ing his sentiments on the ques - ion of 7 Reform. From his first entering into pu, felt the necessity of a Reform in the Commons of Parliament, and, every year since, that - become more firmly rooted in his mil!" It was a question which had occupied of many eminent Statesmen, during th( George 111. A writer, speaking of thi, years ago, observed, that is Parliamentary was the dying legacy of Lord Chatty virgin effort of Mr. Pitt." He would the legacy of Lord Chatham had never and the virgin effort of his son was a leaving behind it no traces of fecundity His, Grace concluded by proposing solutions, embracing the different topic his speech; and an Address to his M; on them. In proposing the Address, vented to the exclusion of the Queen's Liturgy—a circumstance on which h( with great severity. Mr. W. H. WHITBREAD, in a short speech, the Resolutions and Address. Lord HOLLAND then came forward, the assembly in a speech equally remal quence, argument, and feeling. He had, signed the Requisition, becaose.he concei country could alone be saved by a of the voice of the People emanate.. Public Meetings. The proceedi ngs agail had been, for a long period, the great:. sideration of subjects intimately connected first interests of the country. In ore' - interests should be considered, it was the first instance, to put an extinguisher on those odious proceedings. How -- done ? By the voice of the People. to command it. He always thought ceedings against the Queen were not sary, but would ultimately prove useless rious to the best interests of the " thought so once—now be knew it"— By tbose proceedings the Crown had . them the People had suffered—(Applause)—Duti many weeks previously to thei r commencemo••• ' discussion of the subject had occur' of Parliament, and none of the People could obtain a moment's (Appkiusej—ln the course of his pui seldom seen a public day that had gi satisfaction. If anything could have pleasure he derived from the appearance of that Meeting, it was the manner " had received his Noble Friend and relaa had known, and that great good . his brother, be had known from infant He would not attempt to turn phrases racter of his Noble Friend (the Dub but he would say, that a better, a wr honest man in public or private life, any county or country in the world. cheers front all parts of the roost). The HIGH SHERIFF put the Resole find then the Address to the King, all 1 dared to be carried with only two dissentient Mr. WILTSHIRE came forward to to both Houses of Parliament. He' to the distressed state of the country, that the period was not far distant wi be in this country a Revolution or !(Hear, hear!).—He trusted Reform w, ternative adopted--(Greht applause`, that the. enemies of the People would I then a:luded to the case of the Queen, necessity of restoring her name to the reprobated the late proceedings in the (language. Speaking of the evidence ,jesty, he said, that any honourable criminal case, supported by such , have thrown up his brief l—(.lpp:ause).—J had a particle of ni:yiunialiq. tley - once dropped all prescedings,aasi adhere to 4; • • I t c'etilieldre d : re aco:inaugi v isilnea s d. :s be. w 4 :6: l4 l.l44 l : . M r i he Fe was old ena • remensbereeld ae • out his firm nes s; 4% " ram - she is in dism e e sla Loi lhit:eoiuseutalas°o(ikniinuddj:dvralagenithret::iewliereivihinastt:tii'Pclith:tetBl4lcll2:ll"irso:4l::::, het mnis its pliability g et . the present far_. Th M eimd c n al deai le a d vno t du h r e de m a d t: Th °p: Addressers ; b e • e ns eclared themselv es eat not whether th ere ,na ;if there were ; a g imself to the e) , wa . Why, in getta, iai rers."—(ber e -e•-•• 6"e'i he columns of* el cadets took the e g the sense of d T). Of what d e , n Gentlemen? n et ry d Irish Barristera re upon the tame le; they carried t ue one of them »A TI - ere gnantly exclaim- 1y King and Com• • • But if pursue" Loyal for noshing? a! my loyaky n a laughter). A n d It man could netsuk e 'se ormers did of* • t yalty altogethe r _ .well, a long fare. 0). He could tot, • S er than by ewe" • ate of Parliaroestay into public life, i t Losi, ie Commons Have •AI ce, that opinionbd .• mind—Wks*. 14 upied the =eat . fr• - ig the long twirl •11 of this subjoin* ja i. ' liamentary Chatham, intim •DI ould pnly say, dig d never beta* T as a mere abort* ' dity !—(Lestgie • r sing a series silk... • topics c omprised•• E :s Majesty, founded ress, his Grace Pl. :en', name from tie •i, h he animadvaxd art speech, secoackl ee g rard, and addressd n , eel remarkable for ek• le had, be obserrei, a t r conceived that the , el( a bold elpres* eat mating from gaol , r d l s against the Qom ;teat bar to thee* connected with the , rs order that thee was necessary, iguisher ahogehr --. .1 ow was that to k , le. It was far then .1 aght that the pro not only unan!e m useless and io .t the country. * . d r it"—(ApplasseP , had suffered-4 gr AppIaUSeHNUI y :ommencement, . :upied the anemia e sufferings of do •ra 's consideratio&-‘ public life he hi b e .d given him not on have added to for Qtc :arance and condi% nner in which the! d relative. Him le 9114 d man—t Cheer*" I ofancy—(Apis,_ . api rases upon th e e•a`" tot Duke of Bedfor4 Mh a worthier, or neon 'du life, never adorer /tee odd—Wart cords ,otl the ,esolutions strut llla , all of which he de wl ) dissentient hand* . Am to move PetiOon d e He briefly advert* • nuatry, and iusiing sal nt when thcreffleg or a Reformaneo: de ma would be trust let ause).--He !rum" could give way. be ueen, and urged tb cm o the Liturgy. sb in the most fora tb nee against het MP id tble Advocate in ,1 rl ch evidence, isuse).-1 f ti:ey would haute, reitored lur . Ih6,