The National Register. — London, England, 1819-07-11 00:00:00

r- */ s7l?' Oaittinali lip to3tiltr4 Our Shim Congtitution attb No. 1197.--Vot. XII.] ON RADICAL REFORM. WE this day give a circular which has been .ge tierally published, calling a meeting professedly to promote "Radical Rdews," though, we presume, if we judge from the complcction of the names attachol to it, with a view to promote revolution. Before, however, we proceed farther upon the sub ject, we owe it to the esteem we have fur the private Ammeter of one of those whose names have been Appended to that notice, as well as to the reverence we feel for the almost unequalled ability of the gentleman in question, to point out to our readers that Mr. Edward Taylor, of Norwich, with whom we boast of having an intimate acquaintance, by a letter especially addressed to us, which will be found attached to the circular, has declared that his name has been used without his permission, and that he l►es no intention whatever of attending the meeting. We know how far his enthusiasm may carry a man of lively imagination and energetic mind; but when We first saw the "circular," we hoped mind fee• vently trusted (which has turned out to be the fact) that Mr. Edward Taylor could never lend his name as an associate with such a set of -----. Th a t a I-I—, a W—, a T—, a G— .I—, and such a class of desperate characters, men who having nothing to hope for, (►roles.: their hope originate in the antici pation of the annihilation-of.propeny, respectability, and hon et tv), should cealesee to forward the destruc tion of every thing dike law and order is not wonder ful. We may lie allowed to quote an old song on this score, which says-- " That vogues arc for levelling's no wonder, 'Tis ert,y to guess at their views; - "ris they who - d get all by the plunder, they who have nothing to lose," tut we believed it impossible (and oar pleasure is beyond expression in being convinced of the truth of our belief) that a man whew powers of mind create admiration in all those who have the honour to know him, whose situation in life is all that a man of uninordinate inclinations can wish, who is surrounded by all the inexpressible endearments of an amiable wife and a fascinating young fatuity, frcm which he has every reason to rely upon com fort and enjoyment, during his prime, and solace, and support in his age; we did believe it impossible that a man so situated could be fltund who would •• ltnrier all the good he had inherited and proved Fur the d•xperate chance of goinctlting better which they promise." Now for the eircuLir. Who the gentleman is by whom it is issued, we have not been able to discover. By the " non-represented people of the British metropolis" must clearly be meant the Dregs of Society; for looking at Westminster as the capital, every body knows that there each house-holder has a vote; the parties, therefore, who are convened must be only those who would +be benefated by the superannuated Major's plan of Universal Suffrage ; and twist of the signatures that follow that of the Secretary, are worthy a forward situation among such permms. As to the meeting itself, with the remembrance of the SUNDAY, JULY 11, 1819. (ever witnessed, and we hope, if such should be the case, that punishment will follow delinquency. We arc averse to despotism, and arc convinced that no thing is so likely to produce it as the licentious liberty which these people would promote. We beg leave to draw the attention or our rcaders to the report of the trial of the journeymen coach makers and others of that trade, for a conspiracy.— The wickedness of such combinations, and the danger attending them both to the employer and employed, is so manifest, that we sincerely rejoice in this check to their progress ; and trust that the present example will operate upon the minds of other workmen, and induce them, to remain satis fied with a fair remuneration of their labour, and with regular employment, rather than be led away by the designing and profligate, to the adoption of measures where the guilt is apparent, and the punishment certain. At the same time it must be confessed, that firmness on the part of the employ ers, and a steady determination to resist the unjust demands of the employed, would materially check the nascent spirit of disaffection, and greatly contri bute to the mutual peace and security of both the parties The trial of these misguided men is full of importance, and will be read with interest ; and we devoutly wish, that it may trot be our task tar many years to come, to record another instance of an association so nefirrions. COMPOSITtON ON ASSESSED TAXES. The act for allowing a certain composition on the Assessed Taxes has now passed, and a brief account of it may be useful to some of our readers. It ap pears that the assessments made fir the year ending on the .sth of April last shall remain at the same amount, to all persons who shall compound for the payment thereof, for the term of three years. The composition is an addition of 5 pet cent on the pre sent assessment ; and the advantage resulting front it is this—that if last year a man paid fiw window tax five pounds, he is by the act allowed, far five shillings tame, to open double or treble the number of windows, at his own discretion ; and in the same way for horses, carriages, and other assessed articles —with this proviso, that the increase in his csta. Willson be made in articles of the same kind. A person, for instance, may, after paying his composi tion-money upon one horse, keep two or more with- out any additirmal charge of tax ; but if to kis horses he atlas a carriage, lie is still liable to the carriage tax. No composition can be emend into under the act with any person who has becomw chargeable in the present year, by reason of any different or addi tional establishment set up bet:ire the sth of last April, to a putter amount of duty than has been charged upon him in his Lt t msc::sment, witho►tt including as well the am►►unt of duty so charged in the aid asst..ssinent, as the increased amount of duty so becoming chargeable by reason of such different or additional establishment. similar meetings held at Spa-fields, we doubt not but If a person wish to take advantage of the tempo- Government will take strung measures to preserve sition only for three years in enlarging his establish that peace, the disturbance of which is, probably, the mcnt, he is required to give six months' previous wish of these wodhy gentlemen. Th e law, as it is, notice of his intention to discontinue the same, and is sufficient to do this, and we believe the civil must actually have ceased to keep the sante ow r power will achieve it without the intervention of calendar lawals prior to the expiration of the said the military. We dare predict there will be as period of three years. This is a point which we complete an exhibition of treason-spouting as was would rceounnesid to all compounders to bear in [PRICE 9.1/. mind, otherwise they may find themselves unwarily involved in a very serious expense, greatly exceeding their means or wishes to pay. Compositions on dwelling houses are to cease at the end of the year of removal, and on °Cwr articles by the death of the party coat:wattling. The monies to arise by virtue of the composition entered into under this act, are to be payable at the SWIM times, in ►he saute proportions, and to the same persons, as the duties of Assessol Taxes arc now payable. By the said act, too, any person may by laying his composition in advance, gain the ad vantage of a discount of 3 per cent. per annum, cal culated for the period or periods by which each respective sum shall be paid sooner than the period prescribed for the payment thereof. But a moiety of the annual sum payable by the composition entered into, is to be paid within ten days after the date of the certificate of composition ; which com position cannot b 3 entered into after the 31st October, 1819. We have stated the leading features of this act with a perspicuity sufficient, we trust, to make them perfmtly understood by those who have no oppor tunity to read, or patience to examine, the act itself. We are not very sanguine in our expectations that the revenue will be greatly benclitted by the adop lion of this plan ; though it is manifest that. math accommodation will result to individuals by an arrangement which will increase their comforts with out burdening their incomes ; and we doubt not many who have no idea of enlarging their establi,h ments will enter:into composition, merely to avoid the trouble and vexation of repeated surcharges, and to be rid of an evil almost as great as that of the as sessed taxes themselves—that of appealing to the Commissioners from the unjust demands of an in terested and overbearing surveyor. AN ANECDOTE VF.RSMIED. (/'nun an .4asiricaa P iper.l A Pat--an odd joker—and Yankee more sly, Once riding together, a gallows pars'd by : Said the Yankee to Pat, •• If I don't make too free, " Give that gallows its due, and pray where would you be " Why, honey," said Pat, " faith that's eadly known ; " I'd be riding to town by myself All alone." A letter from Gibraltar, of' the 19th nit stirs : " The Emperor of Morocco is about to take the field with an immense army against a large tribe of Arabs who lately defeated and wounded one of his sous, and succeeded in making one of his wives a primmer. Tiade at Gibraltar continues in a molt distiessed state, and no demand whatever for any kind of produce." A SPECIMEN OF TILE TIMES —Fifty •I wit clothiers have, during the last 20 years, carried on bosioess at a borough town in Wiltshire, and at their various manufactories afforded employment to a numerous population ; but now, the inhabitants of the place are sunk into pauperism and wretchedness, for of their 32 employers, 9 are dead, 17 have failed, 24. have declined, and only two remain in hosines.. Nor is this a singular ease, for there are within 8 codes of the above place, 4 other manufactaring• towns, in each of which the depression of trade has been equally severe. Mercantile letters reeeived fmtn Palermo, and other ports in the Mediterranean, to the Bth J une , give the same gloomy accounts, AS to the state of trade, us those from most other parts Of Europe anti Americo. They, however, contain the most grail. lying act-mints of the abundance of the crops of every description of grain anti fruit, whitst are said to be great and laautiagt Leyytal WI Canter precedent. • 0;0 07 I ' • to 1.. . - ... 1 , 44.,.