The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-01-15 00:00:00

ft 1 s -4 _ lif!t ti 1 i • h.' • •••••..... • - .!~ L . . ~~~~i -_.,. -. • - • 41111111011 1 NOR! THUMBERLAND MEETING. To roaformity with public notice, a meeting of the' freeholders of the county of Northumberland took place at Morpeth, on Wednesday last, for the pur pose of taking into consideration the conduct of the ; High Sherif, in refusing to call the meeting, and for addressing his Majesty and both Houses of Parliament upon the late proceedings against the Queen. Sir Jones Soo:motet being- called to the Chair, was received with great applause. He fancied it was unnecessary to read the requisition: it had been pub- I listed in the newspapers, and must have attracted their particular attention. He would venture to say, that a requisition more temperately worded, or more constitutionally eleawn up, was never presented to a High Sheriff. With respect to the signatures, they meat be familiar to them all; they were respectable ! from their character, respectable from their talents andjability ; and he could safely say, that the gentle- men who had signed that requisition held landed pro perty in the county to the amount of 200,0001. per ' , mum. it had struck him with utter astonishment that such a requisition should have been flatly refused by the Sheriff. His Hon. Friend, Sir C. Monck, in writing to the Sheriff to inquire his reasons for that refusal, had offered him a fair opportunity to correct his judgment; but what did he do ? He not only confirmed that refusal, but refused tl give any reason for it. Such conduct was unprecedented and unwar rantable. He requested them to give every person a fsir and impartial hearing ; their's was a cause that would not suffer by discussion; and he hoped they tvould, by their good conduct that day, convince the world that the friends of liberty and the defenders of the constitutional rights of the people, were equally the friends of order, loyalty, and good government. —(Applause.) Sir COARLZS MONCK then addressed the meeting at cinsiderable length. After a few observations on the ti4ject of the meeting, be said, that in the present pe rilous conjuncture of affairs, it behoved them all to cordite' themselves with the greatest circumspection both in speech and action, because the purpose for they were met was to maintain the dominion of la*, and to complain of the inroads of arbitrary and despotic power. He should, proceed, therefore, in the first place, to explain his reasons for thinking that a vote of censure on the High Sheriff was founded both in reason and in right.—(lpplause.)—He did not deny that there was a discretion vested in every offi cer, but it was not nn arbitrary discretion ; it was a discretion marked out by law and by analogy to the principles of the constitution, and the authority by which the officer was appointed, In all courts of law, when a Judge refused an application, be invariably as signed the reasons which, under the constitution and the late. would justify him in not acceding to the application. If his construction of the law were correct, there could be no doubt that the conduct of the Sheriff was unlaw ful. The right of petition was established by law ; and it was a maxim of the coostitution, that whatever WAS lawful in itself, made every thing lawful nem ssry to it. The Parliament of that day, it wa, true, had not put any restraints upon the conduct of the Sheriff, because it never contemplated that he would ever attempt to obstruct the people's right of petition ieg, mach less be guilty of a direct infringement and violation of that law. In considering the conduct of the Sheriff, many circumstances Lad crossed his mind, aed 1w really felt unable to refrain from stating, that at that tune - the conduct of the Sheriff called for some partii tiler expression of indignation. It was little snore than a year since it was pretended, that there v-sre bodies of men holding meetings with reform in their mouths, but meditating nothing less than the destroction of the constitution ; and Parliament, upon such representations being laid before it, had pissed certain scatntes by which they pretended the right of petition would be better enjoyed by being confined in narrow bounds. And when the liberty of meeting, if not curtailed, was at least confined, was that the season for their regular officer to refuse his undies to a requisition of the county ? Was that the proof given to them of the sincerity of the profession of Mi- Livers, that the late acts were meant the better to se cure the right of petition, that when they wished to exercise that right they are thus to be obserncted and prevented ;—(Amilause). The Sheriff is an officer appointed by the Crown, and holds his office at the pleasure of the Minister of the day; and if the Mini ster did not animadvert upon his conduct, if he did not instantly dismiss him, he sanctioned and adopted the acts of the Sheriff. It was not yet 12 months since they had met in that hall to congratulate his Majesty on his accession to the throne ; their fidelity to the Crown was then extolled, and credit was given thorn fur their good intention. Was this refusal the earnest they were to receive of the feelings of the Government towards them? Sir Charles Monck con cluded by moving the several resolutions. Mr. Stolle seconded the resolationi. EARL GRIT here presented himself to the meeting, and was received with the most rapturous and enthu siastic applause. After it had subsided, his Lordship was proceeding to address them, but be had only ut tered a few words, expresSing as his reason for . rising as early, that he did not see a disposition in any per son present to oppose the resolutions which had been proposed, when Mr. Orde • observed he meant to op pose them ; and his Lordship instantly sat down, and said he would trait till Mr. Orde bad addressed them. Mr. Oars immediately rose, and was received with mast violent marks of disapprobation. The business of the meeting was interrupted . for a considerable time, and it was not before both the Chair Man and Earl Grey had begged of them to give Mr. Orde a patient hearing, that silence could be obtained. Mr. ORDR then proceeded.—He was sorry it should be considered a favour for him to be heard for a few minutes. He had site. given them his opinion, as a plain country gentleman, and be would never hesi tate to state his sentiments fairly andimpartially. He was too proud to affect an opinion for the purpose of gaining popular applause, and too high-minded to borrow the sentiments of another. He then alluded to the conduct of the High Sheriff, and obierved, that if the Sheriff bad complied with the requisition he &maid not have blamed him ; but as he bad not done ' so, he contended that he had only exorcised that dis cretion which he was bound to use in the discharge of the ditties of his office, and be was not bound to give - ••••••1 1 wit 'v.- STATESMAN. Tll the reasons which influenced him in that liednion.— (Disapprobation.)—And he considered that -the re quisitionists would better hare discharged their duty to their country. If they had suffered that already too much agitated question to sink to test, without unnecessarily re-agitating it there that day.— (Loud disapprobation.)--He contended that ministers were hound to institute the inquiry into the conduct of the Queen, and after stating the various suspicious circumstances in her Majesty's case, be declared he believed her to have been proved guilty, and he was supported in that belief by a majority in the House of Lords. There was but one opinion upon the acts of the Queen, but many as to the punishment and the mode of the proceedings.—(Loud disapprobation.)— He was sorry they were so unwilling to hear him ; they would listen, he was sure, with more attention to the noble Earl who would soon address them. He knew he would be heard at his expense—(Laugliter) —but he, (Mr. Orde) would scorn to be heard at the i expense of government, as many were, far the pur noses of declamation—(Disapprobation, and cries of " name, mone.")—He also objected to the resolutions because they presumed that parliament would not do justice to the Queen, and he did not see how they could reconcile their demand for inquiry into the Milan Commission with their hope that all further pro ceedings would be put an end to. There was only one further observation with which he would trouble them. Dear as liberty was to him—(A laugh),---he hoped that souse measures would be adopted to fetter, not the li berty, but the licentiousness of the press, which had deluged the country with a torrent of impiety, and loudly called for some special interposition. 'llse li berty of the press, like the Habeas Corpus act, might be suspended fur a moment, to pieserve Orin In theit greatest purity and force. He then concluded, amidst very general disapprobation, by giving hie honest. sealous, and hearty opposition to the resolutions. Earl Wirt then rose, and after roniplimenting the gentleman who had just sat down, for the courage and manliness of spirit which induced him to coins forward in so public a wanner to state his opinion. and having read a letter from Lord Ossuiston against the conduct of the Sheriff, proceeded in the following manner to the more immediate object of the meeting—the proceedings against her Majesty the Queen. It was not my inten tion to have delivered my sentiments at any knob on this subject. The whole case is so fully before she poli tic, their opinion has been so generally and universally expressed, and my conduct during the whole of the trans actions has been so open to observation, that it would not have been necessary for me to enter into any para. cular examination of this question, which can never be adequately discussed in a meeting of this nature, had it not been for some observations whirl& have fallen from Mr. Hrde. And here I twist complain of the monstrous injustice committed by that gentleman—that be, upon a partial investigation and incomplete legislative pro ceeding, should take upon bins to conelude the Queen guilty. Upon the nature of the proceedings and the de tail of the evidence against her Majesty, I have elsewhere delivered onysentiments; and having given the subject the fullest consideration in my capacities as a legislator and a judze, I arrived at so very different an opinion from that gentleman, that I declared then, as I declare now, that were I called upon to pronounce on the guilt or in nocence of her Majesty, the only verdict which consci ence and honour alike impelled me to giv. , was one of not guilty.—(Applatise.)—But it seems to Mr. Dole that this much agitated question hail b e tter be set at rest, and the public mind not inflamed by a discussion of this nature. For my part I should desire nothing better ; God knows it has been productive to me of nothing but pain and disquietude since it was first brought forward. But who is it that forces this discussion upon us? Who is it that will not suffer this question to he set at rest ? The proceedings against her thjesty are still continued open ; slanders and calumnies arc still circulated against her person ; and thoogli the legislative proceedings against her have been suffered to terminate, we are left In doubt whether the Queen is to be entitled to the be nefit of tier acqeittal, or she is still to suffer all the se verest inflictions of that odious and unjust 11111 of Pains and Penalties, as if she had been really found guilty. Mr. Dole says he considers her to have been found guilty by a majority of the House of Lords. I deny the fact. She stands now as fully absolved front all guilt as if the accusations had never been instituted against her. That the bill not has itio passed into a law, she cannot he de- 1 nuded of her rank and style of Queen, nor can she be deprived of the minor consideration of exercisiag the patronage and privileges attached to her station ; but her name is still excluded from the Liturgy, that act of original injury and insult ; a royal residence is still de nied her ; she is still dependent on ministers for that support which she ought to have derived from the li berality of Parliament, and is still exposed to suffer all these acts of injustice. What, though :the hill had failed according to Mr. Orde, she is to continue to be treated as guilty. But this injustice no Briton can ever bear ; for to suffer any penalties to attach to her .11ajesty wen the bill is abandoned. is contrary to that love o f . justice and hatred of oppression, which, whilst England is England, 1 trust, will ever characterize all who inhabit it.—(Applause.)—But says Mr. Or.le, it was incumbent upon ministers to institute the inquiry, on account of the reports in circulation injurious to her Majesty. But I shortie like to knew by whom those re ports were circulated.—(Applause.)-1 eerily believe, by those very persons who afterwards took advantage of them and made them the foundation of that commission, which it was pretended, was necessary to vindicate the honour of the King and the dignity of the crown.(—Applause.) 1 —lf the honour of the King and the character of the country were so affected by her Majesty's dissolute life, and if such proof of her guilt had been obtained by the inquiry into her conduct, as to make Ministers feel jus tified in bringing the late accusations against her, it does appear a most singular mode of supporting the ho nour of the King and character of the country, to offer to supply her with increased means of continuing such dissolute life, provided she would continue to reside abroad. If such was to be the result of the inquiry, why saddle the country with the expense of it ! why not give her the money at once, without instituting the inquiry at all ? Such are the absurdities which have marked . the whole of the proceedings against her Majesty, and into which men are betrayed who depart from the prin ciples of jnstice. You will, no doubt, feel the propriety of agreeing in the resolution for an Inquiry into the Milan Commission, the conduct of which is liable to great suspicion, and demands a severe inquiry; and also to those resolutions for putting an end ta this inquiry, for inserting her Majesty's name in the Liturgy, and for establishing her in all those rights and privileges which belong to her, and which the Minister himself admitted she would be justly entitled to, when freed from the pro secution against her. It was in answer to a remark from toe that be made this admission: he said the late prosecution mint either end is the degradation of her Ma may, by fully convicting her of the crimes alleged a nst her, or, if it failed of that, in allowing her all this rank, preeminence, sad dignity to which she was by law entitled. When the Minister withdrew that hill, therefore, why did he sot at oace restore her to all her r - _"_~'~~ rights, and abandosall proceedings against the Queen? Having hesitated to do so, it becomes us, the indepen dent freeholders of this great county, to press this act or justice upon bins, and to urge bins to admit the just claims of her Majesty. Mr. ()rde argues as if there was some inconsistency in deprecating time further agitation of this question, and in demanding an inquiry into the Milan Commission. Why, (food God! all we desire is to see justice done to the Queen, and an inquiry to he instituted into the conduct of the Milan Commission, the transactions of which are so liable to suspicion, and apparently so much involves the character of the go- , 1 verunsent of this country. So far from irritating the minds of the people, and keeping alive all unpleasant feelings on this subject, could any thing be more cal (misted to produce a contrary effect than an inquiry 1 show that these suspicions were unfounded, and that me improper steps had been taken to procure evidence against her Majesty.—(:Applause—My friend, Mr. Big e, has spoken of time loyal addresses which have lately been prepared in various parts of the country.— To such addresses in themselves, when simply confieed to expressions of loyalty. and on proper occasions, them can he no objection ; but when proposed on occasions which do not render them necessary. they give rise to a strong suspicion that they are intended to cover a pur pose which is not avowed ; and more especially wheelie see them ensanatiag from holes and corners, and filled with the grossest calumny and abuse of those whom these addressers dared not meet in the face. What is it that these animals mean ?—(Laughter.)—ls it their intention to justify the proceedings against her Majesty ?—Let ' them come forward and use bow many of their coun trymen will he found of thee way of thinking. Is it their object to support the Ministers who advised these proceedings? Let them try how many of the people of England are anxious for their support. If it is not for these objects, what circumstances in the present state of the country render them necessary? Are the, institutiol.e of the Country now threatened with de struction ? Are there now any nightly training* to arms ? Any nightly meetings on the Tyne and Wear i Any fabrication of Pikes ? Any collections of I know not what quantity of arms ?—(Applause)--in short, any of those alleged alarming circumstances, which last year frightened all our old women and so many of our Magistrates--.(Laughter and cheering)—almost out of their senses. But all sucim addresses, I have yet seen none so deserving of reprehension as that which has just emanated from that reverend body assembled in secret conclave " at my biome in the college at Dur hatn,"—(Applause and laughter)—The reverend gen tlemen who concurred in that address did not think I proper to attend the public meeting lately held in that county, but as the resolutions appear in the usual form as those passed at County Meetings, as being the reso lution of the nobility, gentry, clergy, and freeholders, they seem to fear that they might be suspected of con curring, in the decisions of that meeting. These reverend gentlemen say that it is necessary to publish a disclaimer in order to rescue the " body of the Clergy from the disgrace of concurring" in the sen timents of that Meeting. These gentlemen, continned his Lordship, have a different idea of disgrace from what I entertain. I should consider it a disgrace to shrink from maintaining my opinions in public, and then, sneaking into a corner, give utterance to caluns- 1 nies against, and cast imputations and aspersions open those whom i was afraid to meet ; this, indeed, I should have considered a great disgrace.—((.•heers.)—These persons wish to imply that the meeting assumed he rigbt of speaking for others, It assumed no such right: a meeting can express the opinion of none but those who attend it, and if those who differ in senti ment do not attend, it is a fair inference that they feel that the general sense of the country is against them. But what occasion was there for this declaration of time Reverend Conclave ? Did any one ever suspect them of joining in ,he sentiments of that meeting—(Cries of no, no ;, and laughing.)—Did any one ever suspect them of an inclination to differ in opinion from the mi nister of the day ?—(ltenewed cries of no, no.)—No such imputation could ever fall from any quarter. So little indeed can I suspect them of any such disposi tion, that shout I 1, by any accident, be called to power, a circumstance by no means likely to happen ; even I, reprobate Whig as I wig, would not despair of receiving the support of these men —(Loud applause, and laughing.)—Will these Reverend Gentlemen deny the general distress, that great discontent has been excited in the country by the harsh and severe rebukes given to time people on the expressi•sn of their griev ances ? Will they justify all the inroads on the liber ties of the people ms bich have been made, and which ap pear to he still contemplated ? Will they justify the abet tors of the Holy Alliauer, the true character of which is so plainly illustrated by time present proceedings against the kingdom of Naples, proceeding so completely con trary to the chatacter-und spirit of the British people ? Flying from all these timings, on which they cannot say a word, they attribute, in this most contemptible and abusive address, and as foolish as it is virulent, all the existing disconteat to the licentiousness of the press, regardless of the manner in which the advance ment of such an argum'nt must operate upon the cha racter I , f the government. They would wish us to believe that, after so lung an enjoyment of the bless ings of good government, after the glorious tennis*. Lion of the war, and the attainment of an advaselage. ous peace, and, notwithstanding all the laws which have been enacted, the people are still kept in a state of discontent and excitement against the government, merely by the licentiousness of the press. The present discontent, they say, has continued through tire lose turbulent years, and yet it is pretended that this die content is to be attributed entirely to the evil disPNI• funs of the people. But it is not true—it never was true, that the people are easily induced to entertain sentiments hostile to the government: they are natu rally disposed to regard all iostitutions with respite and reverence, a feeling which was never more forci hly exeniplitied than by the patience with which they have borne all their recent sufferings, and the insults offered them by such meetings as that 14 at my bane in the College of Durham." When discontent has ever prevailed, it may be assumed as the sorest signs previous misgovernment, abuse, and oppression. Proceeding then at some length to repel use calum nies of those addresses,aad especial those of a clerical kind, which had beet levelled against the people, sod against himself, his Lordship salted, are those ed• dressers so foolish as to suppose drat 1 do not know that the principles which I have advoeased through life were such as must exclnde me fawn power ? It bas happened to me more than once, twice. or thrice, to Mese even the highest o:fices of the State whea offered upon terms inconsistent with my principles. Can any of these reverend calumniators produce an instance of a similar sacrifice? From a firm adherence to nt ,,. principles, I have remained exeuded from power; and it perhaps may be satisfactory to them to knew that I shall remain true to the principals which I de clared in that hall when I first set out in life. And were the government offered me to.m..rrow, a dream. st.ince which ( consider by no means likely to happen, I would not accept it unless 1 could do it en terms satis• factory to my own consci, nee and honor. and without being enabled to effect a complete eialtore in the nu sent system of Government.--(Vehement applause).— This declaration I make without fear. There is o ne subject materially connected with such a elonnge..l mean the necessity of a reform in Parliament, upon which I have been much misrepresented. hly op. nions of the most proper mode of effecting swell a re form have undergone some modification. I flask th-t from fear of evil consequences reform shou1:1 be e f. fenced in a more gradual manner than I thought foe• cessary when life was young, and hope more sanguine, and my dread of danger less acats. To the principle s of reform, as detailed in the speech I made itt on the state of the nation, I still stiller.. A change in the system of Government in absolutely necemary to preserve the cotuotiention from destruction 4 and thought a reform in Parliament would be a wet powerful means of effecting that change, vet, whether that reform should be pressed in the first instance, is a consideration which, like every other public quesi t iea, must be indueneed by considerations of state expedieA cy, lest by a too hasty attempt to carry it into exeentien, the probable success of that reform itself be endangered. Alluding again to the . characters of clergymen, and to what it ought to be, mild, meek, generous, Oa ritable, and humane; sue) characters, said his Lord ship, are entitled to the greatest respect; and were they more frequent we should hear less of those at tempts to disturb the peace of society in the name of religion and pretended loyalty. But if we contemplate the reverse of this character, a busy meddling priest, hardly known in lois parish, except by the vexations co ll ec ti on o f his tithes, seldom heard in his church, a virulent writer of party pamphlets, so far devoid of charity as to visit all persons who differ with hint in sentiment with the severest condemnation, denouncing them as traitors to their King and apostates to their God, setting one part of the community against the other-1 will tell them that one such priest, much lee a whole conclave of them, does more harm to religion than twenty libellers of the met inveterate olevriptioa. --(Applause.)---I cannot conclude without expressing my thanks for the patient hearing which you have af forded me, and assuring you that on this, as en all other occasions, I feel most anxious to meet my former constituents, to whom I feel bound by every tie of gra titude ; and yea may always command my best as sistance and endeavours to support and promote that spirit of liberty so essential to the welter.: of the coun try, and if suffered to fall into decay, the country it self would soon foil into ruin. Here the Noble Earl concluded, amidst the o.tpturous cheers and applause of the meeting, a speech, the spirit anal animation of which it is utterly out of our power to convey an idea of to our readers. The resolutions were then put from the Chair, sad / agreed to unanimously, with the exception of Mr. Orde and two or three other persons. There was here a loud call fur Mr. Lambtou. _ Mr. 111AUMONT then, in a short speech, proposed the address to his Majesty, which was seconded by Mr. Selby. The cries for Mr. Lannvom being here renewed, that gentleman Jose, and said that it had not been his intention to have offered himself to their notice ; hut as they evinced a desire fur him to address them, he would make a few remarks upon what had fallen from Mr. Orde. Me accordingly did so in a strain of severity on the conduct of the Sheriff, who he thought should be treated with utter contempt, as he acted not from himself, hut from persons of higher authority, for he haii no doubt that his instructions travelled from the north through Morpeth to the Sheriff:4l_ond ap plause.)--Mr. Lambton also defended the press fro m the charge of liceatiousnes, brought against it by Hr. Orde, and maintained that nothing (-mild exceed the licentiousness and gross calumny of the ministeria press. Mr. Lanahton made a number of other re neat remarks, hut the length of the proceedings pr vents us from entering into them. The address was then carried by nearly a una mons vote. The petition to the House of Lords then moved read by Mr. Bi) and that to Commons by seconded, were Mr. Sum strain °teak posed the than motion was vote of thanks then broke The Swil Dumbarton. and was run The S out, her anchors. Waterford. _ twee and rani, Vassrt., London to the Cape of Uood Hope, 41. 36. lou. 14. 3. by the Ann, Lisboa. Violet, from Bristol to Trieste, on the stfist, Is too. I. by the Vigilant, Vl4lfintl, h ; &Trivet At Pensaiusib. then moved and read by Mr. Bigge, and that to ti Uoutnions by Sir Charles Mundt, which, being de : i seconded, were retried in a similar manner. Mr. Mann then rose, And in a manly and wa strain °trilogy, which it is painful to as to omit, pr posed the thanks of the meeting to Earl they. Th motion was carried amidst loud acclamations; as vote of thanks to Sir .1. Swiaburne. The then broke up. DIVORCE IN IjIQH LIFIL it is with much concern we announce a report whi is current, and which we state only because it current in the highest circles, respecting two pe . of rne moor Ix 411.TILD RINK w h o have been memo a few ycars,and whose union was supposed tsarist long personal attachment ; hat who, it is said, arcs to snake their appearance soon in the Consistorball.N inn snit of Divnree. The female is, we understand. applicant. This circumstance will astonish the wo and create no eotnnson degree of regret and pain eat the private friends of the parties, who are Dot beloved in the domestic circle than they are respects( public life. The Swift Packet, Parfet., of and for Bristol, frits Dumbarton, took fire in Belfast Bay, on the ilk idet. and was run into sha low water and scuttled. The S out, Roost, of Liverpool, having parted fu her anchors, ran on shore on Durnrough Bank, if Waterford, oh the 7th inst. but was got ue by as lace and carried into Passage. Violet.* SPOKEN wurn.—Caroline, Brows, ft/ London to tbs. Cape of Bond Hope, on the til ult. its,* 41. 36. lou. 14. 3. by the Ann, Hendry, artier.' al -