The National Register. — London, England, 1822-05-06 00:00:00

A., --7., - fat ) t -f,- (- ,--- --- ~--~- IP tionat A toitittr+ Our Kling, eotunitution, anb ZabA. No. 1,368.—V0L. XV.] STATE OF IRELAND. KERRY.-WANT OF FOOD. TRALEC, APRIL understand a memorial lies been forwarded by the magistrates at the present General Sessions, to his Excellency the Lord Lieu tenant, praying his Excellency would be pleased to direct such prompt measures should be taken, by the encouragement of the importation of pota toes into this part of the country, as may avert a famine in the ensuing summer, and afford a suf ficiency of seed potatoes for the ensuing year. It is supposed that no more than one fourth of the usual quantity of the ground has been sown in this county, the great scarcity of potatoes having obliged the poor landholders to consume what was necessary for seed. The large quantity of oats in the country has as yet prevented the actual starva tion amongst the peasantry in general. The scarcity of hay has produced a great mortality among the cattle. We have heard of one gentleman who has suffered a loss of 32 cows within a short time back. We regret to state, that fever cases are very fre quent in this town at present. GALWAY, APRIL 27.—The distress of the poor increases daily, new groupes of beggars are con stantly to be seen arriving from the country, prin cipally from the westward. No spot upon the face of the habitable globe presents such a scene of mi sery, want, and wretchedness, as this town does at present. Many are now affected with that kind of fever which is ever attendant upon a want of food, and each day records some death after a very short illness.—A town meeting is called for Monday, the 6th of May. CASTLEDAR, APRIL 25.—The committee for ma naging the fund for the relief of the poor of this town have come to a resolution to distribute bread, for a month at least, which they are to purchase at three-half-pence, and to sell at one-half-penny per lb. We are glad to hear that application has been made to the Lord Lieutenant, by the Rev. Secre taries of our fund, in behalf of the poor of this town. Aram 28.—The price of potatoes this day was eight pence per stone. The situation of tke poor is really deplorable. There are many bad cases of fever, too, in the Fever Hospital. APRIL 26.—Our hearts bleed within us at the terrific aspect before us of a scarcity. Po tatoes are at present almost at a famine price, six pence a stone in our present distressed and impo verished state. is equal to Is. 6d. a few years since. —lt is a well-known fact, that the neighbouring counties are in a moat deplorable state, tar. far worse than our own. APRIL 2.9.—1 t has been intimated to us, that the Directors of the Chamber of Commerce are disposed to give 1,0001. towards forming a fund for the relief of the poor of this city, provided a similar sum is contributed by the public for the same purpose.— Prompt and effectual means must be immediately taken to procure a suitable supply of food for the people, or the consequences may be calamitous, 1 he Mayor of Limerick has, in consequence of a requisition presented to him, called a meeting of the inhabitants for Tuesday, the :10th, for the purpose of taking measures for the relief of the poor, in consequence of the high price of potatoes. Notwithstanding all the protestations made by Robt. Cussen after his conviction, for breaking into Mr. Shelton's house, and all the awful imprecations made use of by him, of his being totally ignorant of; or having knowledge or participation in the out rage, it will surprise our readers to learn, that on the 30th ult. he was fully identified as being the principal concerned in attacking the Police of Churchtown, county of Cork, when several of them were killed, and the barrack, with horses, Ste. to. tally consumed,—Cussen remains under sentence of death, and to u gentleman who visited his cell on Wednesday, he said, " that he did not care a pinch of snuff as to the difference of his being hanged or transported." DisTßEss IN IRELAND. On Friday last, pursuant to public notification, • weeting Wyk{ held at No. tw, Lointhud-strcet, MONDAY. MAY 6,182 t. to take into consideration the propriety of forming a deputation to wait upon his Majesty's ministers to call a general meeting, &c. to relieve the distressed peasantry of Ireland, and to adopt instant measures of relief, by sending over provisions of every de scription. Soon after twelve o'clock several gentlemen as sembled in the chambers of Mr. Fortune, Lombard street, and after waiting some time they were in formed that a communication had been received from Mr. T. Wilson, M.P. Mr. Bainbridge, &c. wishing this meeting would suspend their operations, and recommending the calling of a mare general meeting at the City of London Tavern in a few days, when they, with several distinguished personages, would most certainly feel it their duty to attend and deliver their opinions on the subject. The gentlemen assembled all concurred is the propriety of this measure, and several of the com pany withdrew. Those that remained instantly ex pressed themselves in terms of warm approbation of the conduct of the gentleman who first brought for ward the subject. A committee has been formed, who are to arrange the general meeting, and they sit to receive communications at the City of London Tavern, and 29, Lombard-street. Much interest was excited in the City by report of such a meeting being held. CITY OP LONDON GENERAL PENSION SOCIETY, FOR TUE PERMANENT RELIEF OF DECAYED ARTIZANII, MECHANICS, AND THEIR WIDOWS. On Wednesday last the fourth Anniversary Dinner of this Society was held at the Albion tavern, Aldersgate street. Hti Hoyal Highness the Duke of Sussex in the chair. His Royal Highness, en the dinner being concluded, gave the toasts appropriate to the occasion. The first, of course, was " The King," which was drank with all due honour, a military hand who was in attendance perform- Mg the national anthem, " God save the King." 'l' he next toast was," The Duke of York, and the rest of the royal faintly." Then followed, "'file Navy and Army," all which were drank with enthusiasm. His Royal Highness next gave " The Duchess of Kent and Prince Coburg, the panoness and patron of the institution," which was drank with unbounded applause. His Royal Highness. in proposing the next toast, said, he felt it was incumbent on him to ofer some statement respect ing the institution which they were assembled to sup port, though he was aware that nothing could be necessary to insure their support of an institution, the excellent effects of which they had witnessed. it was founded on the benevolent and patriotic principles of providing a comfortable support for persons whose honest industry had cuiiiributed to the greatness of their country, and whose holiest pride made them reluctant to solicit parish relief; and it was one of the best effects of the institution that it held out to persons in the situation in life to which it was calculated to afford relief, the encou raging hope that by propriety of conduct they would, in the event of being visited by misfortune, which might be the lot of all, be saved Irani the painful necessity of being obliged to resort to indiscriminate charity. ()fall the benevolent institutions. which were the prole of the metropolis, he considered It one of the most useful, and it was most grateful to witness its rapid progress. His Royal Highness thee gave, " The City of London Ge neral Pension Society." After this toast had been duly honoured, Mr. WILLIAMS. M.P. the treasurer of the society, proposed the health of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who had that d a y so great l y contr ib ute d t o t h e prosperity of the institution. lie said, that no member of the illustrious House of Ilatio%cr was more distin guished frr his support of every benevolent institution than their royal guest.—( Hear, hear.) The Duke of SIMILE said, that Providence had, for wise and benevolent reasons, ordained that there should be distinctions in rank, but he could with equal truth and satisfaction assure the meeting, that every member of the royal family felt it amongst the highest and most gratelul of their ditties to unite with every class of their countrymen in the promotion of benevolent institu ions. His Royal Highness next gave, in terms of warm eulogy, the health of Mr. Williams, the treasurer of the institution, which was revetved with acclamation.—llis Royal Highness proposed in succession—The Duke oh Bedliird and the other Vice-Presidents—The Aldermen and Corporation of London, &c. all which were drank wilts great applause. At eleven o'clock iiis Royal Highness left the meeting, who manitetted the greatest delight at the honour he had conicrrLd of the instauttutt. PRICE 94d. BANK OF ENGLAND CHARTER. A meeting of the Governor and Company or the Bank of England, was held on Thursday. for the purpose of submitting to a Court of Proprietors, a resolution upon the proposition made by the Government to the Bank for the renewal of their Charter. It was introduced by the Governor, is the shape of a resolution, approving the proposition of Government, and recommending it for the adoption of the Court of Proprietors. He prefaced his resolution by stating, thae in the course of the last month he had various commu nications with the Earl of Liverpool and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, upon a proposition originating with his Majesty's Government to renew the Bank Charter, from the Ist of August, 1833, (when, as the law now stands, it would expire,) to the same in 1844, upon cer tain conditions which were afterwards embodied in a letter which he would now read, from the Noble Earl and the Right Hon. Gentleman, dated at File House, 26th April, 1822. This letter, divested of its official forms, and the tech nical recital of the several Acts of Parliament which now regulate the Bank Charter, contained a proposition on the part of Government to submit to Parliament a Bill for renewal of the Bank Charter from the Ist Aug. 1833, to the Ist of August, 1844, on condition that the Bank would consent to the relaxation of that branch of its privilege or monopoly (secured lay the Chaner), which prohibited she establishment of any Bank for the issue of notes under 51. in value, with more than six partners in the concern, in any town or place within 65 miles of London. The said notes to be payable its notes of equal amount of the Bank of England, or so vereigns. Mr. B. SHAW proposed the resolutions, declaring their concurrence in the plan for the renewal of the Chutes. recommended by the Governor and Directors at the de sire of the Government, auil he took measion to praise, in the highest terms, the manlier its which the Bank had uniformly transacted the general business of the couniry. In conclusion, he proposed his resolution, declaring the concurrence of the Court of Proprietors in the approba tion expressed by the Directors of the plau fur the renewal of their Charter. MC. PAYNE, banker of Bath, declared, that he was one of those tw•ho were once of opinion that the Batik had not conducted their affairs with due caution he had been misled by theorists and experimental calculation, but upon a more reflecting consideration of the whole case, he had altered his opinion, and he became cots. vinced that the Bank had acted wisely, and that thuse who imptinged their conduct were in the wrong. Mr. HOARE, the banker, said, that he approved of the directors yielding to the desire expressed by Lind L. and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to relinquish that part of their privilege which certainly restricted j pint stuck banking concerns in the country, although fur his own Imo, lie was of opinion that little advantage would arise from again exposing the nation to the inundation of country bankers' notes. He was most anxious to see the circulating medium of the country firmly fixed upon a ►afe basis, and batik notes convertible at the will of the holder into • metallic currency.--(Hear.)--lf *timely this new tileaiiure should, in its consequences, opeiate against *bat, lie should deplore the consent he now gave to the present resolution. Mr. Yours hoped that the present proposition would not be decided on the spur of the occasion at this meet ing, but rather be left open for decision on a future day. He wished besides to know, how these Country Bank Notes were to be made payable in Bank of Etigland Notes, as was said, whets it was known that the Country Notes were chiefly one and two pound, and the Wok of England now did not issue any at these sums. Dttl the bank mean to re-issue small notes? The GOVERNOR said, that the Country Banks had the option of paying their pound notes either in Batik of England notes of the same amount, or in sovereigns ; and it thry had not the one, they could get suiyheit with the other—(sovereigns.) Mr. H. JACKSON, at some len4th, defended 311 the measures of the Bank la their past intercourse with the Government. Mr. ROUND, (Ipswich Binker,) inquired if the plait so long in nroare.s at the Bank of lifigiand, for uevising a tootle of executing a mom beautnul and safe note was now matured, or had n failed I C;0111141fUR sail , Mat as the Back (front their present judgment) %%ere 110 t likely to isstie Small notes. tio deetsloll had been taken upon tile titan alluded w.— it was still, however, tinder consideration. lie 'T6(4.11141,11 %vas ihen pin and carried, (as the Go vernor said) unanimoud); AM we believe Young held up Illi hand .Ig4lllal It. A Portugal Loan has been treated for; 62 was offered, the interest to be 5 per cent. but the Por tuguese pvcrtunent declined the proptmil,