The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-10-27 00:00:00

--- a.. - ~-- - well founded, why were they not followed tip? If they were not well founded, surely he was not ju,lginy uncharitably, when he sail, that he had little reason to expect justice from those who so readily accused him. The Worthy Alderman here adverted to the: riots of 1780, and reminded the Court that the Lord Mayor (kennel) was fined 10,0001. for his remissness on that occasion. After which, when the Secretary fur the Home Department implored assistance from the City, Resolutions were passed, placing the whole of the Police, the City Militia, and the Volunteer .Corps, at the disposal of the Sheriffs. On this recent occasion also, it became the duty of the Sheriffs to be prerent, to prevent as mach as possible the effusion of blood. It therefore rested with the City to consider whether it would tamely suffer the insult offered to one of its principal Officers. Tumult was inevitable, and blood must certainly have been shed, and lives lost at Knightsbridge. had the soldiers not been persuaded to retire within the barracks.—What then was a Sheriff to do in such an emergency? If he remained inac tive, he became liable to a severe penalty, but if he in terfered, he did so at the risk of his life; and when he sought an inquiry into what took place, it was re fused ; if he sought to clear himself from any charge made against him, lie was denied an opportunity of doing so.—(llear.)--He had no doubt, had an inquiry been instituted, he should have been able to identify sowe of the soldiers—he could not say whether the marl %vim personally :wilted him, or the man who pre sented the carbine at him. There was another ince aka, which would lead to the discovery of sa e cif the rioters. He bad in his possession a ram r d which had been thrown at a female, by whom it was brought to him. Upon this ramrod was the re g;ir.eutil mark and number. By this no doubt the oe net could he identified. Having failed in his ap pi.cation for inquiry, be should itot call upon the Cone: or the Livery to take any step upon this or:ea sier,. It would be for them to consider what was due to their own honour and dignity as Representatives of the City of Loadon. Among the papers which he held in his bang' (and whit h he wished to enter upon the Journals of that Court) was a statement of what prised at Knightshrid4e, drawn up by a gentleman in the (Are of I .llr. Run:hell, the Deputy Sheriff, and who Lid accompanied hint on that day. Mr. FAVELL recoarniended that the documents should he cowered on the Journals, and then referred to the Coina.i!tee for General Purposes. After a f.iv words front Mr. Dixon, Mr. Gatitttzlia, Mr. WiLtaams, and souse other Members, The statement ..Laded to by Mr. Waitinnan was read. it was as follows : " 21, Red Lion-srptare, Ang. 27, 1821. I: St a_Agreeably to your desire. I shall endeavour to enumerate a few of the leading features occasioned by the procession and burial of Honey and Francis yester day. It is unnecessary for me to enumerate the assem blage by your order of the Civil power in and about Sit.ithfield, or the orderly manner in which the proces sion moved from thence to Hammersmith. The only provocation given to tumult on its passage, was occa sioned by a brickbat being thrown, as it was said, from the barracks at Knightsbridge, ut the individual ss ho produced it to you, and who appeared to be cut by the smut. Your interference had the desired effect, and tratqatillity was restored. On our arrival at Hammer south, every thing appeared very orderly, and no dan er of tumult. You. Sir, proposed returning towards the barraclss. for the impose of persuading the populace a, • ambled to restrain any irritable feeling which might be excited if the Life-guards appeared; with this in view, we arrived at Knightsbridge. But what was your stir rise at perceiving that the barrack-gates (which it is re,esaary to observe on the procession passing were closely stint, anti by which means tumult was prevented.) a... 1 the footpath near thegates covered with soldiers, Lt' .isles others drawn up on the inside, but all present to the public, which occasioned great disapprobation to he expressed by the people. Upon which you rode up au I requested them to withdraw from such position.— Instead of c implying, they immediately replied " they had a right to staud there." You observed that you slid not intend at such a time to dispute their right, but re quested them to withdraw ; that your sole desire was to preserve the peace and prevent mischief. which by their perseverance in appearing in such a station was likely to create; and further ordered that any individual who should ir.sult or give any provocation to a soldier should be imme diately taken into custody. At this the soldiers laughed and appeared determined to remain. You then inquired the name of the Commanding Officer, and that he might he informed it was your particular request that the men dui gait he withdrawn. No notice being taken by them, von immediately ordered your Officers to inform the Commanding Officer of this your request. Upon the °dicers entering the barracks they were ordered to re tire from the saute, with this, that the Sheriffs and they might go and be You then, Sir, addressed the soldiers (perceiving the temper of the people being ifritated at this insulting answer being circulates!, and fearful of the cori-opences,) ' that as the Sheriff of the County of Middlesex you was their Com manding Officer, and desired them immediately to retire, and that the gates should be closed.' Ilis spi rited address had the desired effect, for after a abort de lay.the gates were closed and the soldiers withdrawn. Part of the cavalcade then arriving, we proceeded with the same as far as the Canon Brewery, at Knightsbridge, persuading the populace to quietness and good order, when an officer of your's arrived and stated, that during your absence a disturbance had arose between some few of the guards and the people ; we immediately returned and perceived that a scuffle had ensued; that others of the guards were climbing over the Barrack walls (the gates being then closed) to the assistance of their com rades atones were being thrown by both parties, and a general truffle took place; this spreading in the Bar racks, and the soldiers likely to be defeated, about fifteen or twenty others rushed from the gates, armed with drawn swords and carbines, when you immediately rode up to the iceneof action and endeavoured to disengage the . eombatants: Not succeeding in the moment, we rode on the footpath in the hope of doing so, when I was atfacked by a soldier who nade a thrust at me with out effect ; but another struck use a blow on the thigh. and at the same instant one of your officers was knocked down by my side, and whom I pearly rode over, which presented the in the instant from riding to your assist ance; for on turning round, I discovered you in immi nent danger, ordering the people to desist, contriving to separate them, and desiring the soldiers immediately to return to their Barracks. Upon which the soldier whom you addressed, relative to closing the gates in the first instance, at the barracks, rushed up, and placing his shoulder to your horse, whilst you was thus en gaged (being then on the footpath, which bring an emi sauce, rendered your situation. the more dangerous) swore he would teach you how to ride on the Cootpeth, and was in the act of forcing you from the same, when you. fortunately for .your own preservation, struck the fellow with your stick , which made him forego his in tendon if Wining further violence. ile could not plead iglorande of your being the Sheriff, therefore the insult was the nor* gross. The officers arriving, ofccooded is peetsciaag you from fresh limits, but net till you bad o,t . ;er, F -- . TH STA'rk:SIIA 4 ' 70) ' __ Af t ' been forced by the solmer u roin the peen into 4h. foam. .. Heeepposed the Civil List °teethe t presebt enorme. It is also necessary to rein Icel ihrit a eeldiee was obe ein .scele, and proposed its reduction : Itutred for returns served loading his pilau with the evident intention of to prove iteirxtraesigance, but hismoilons were rejected. discharging it, which, upon b.:ing discovered by one of "He brought the expenses of the Colonies before the yonr officers, was struck our of his hand. The Officers in House each year, to induce the Government to economy.; • the Barracks, I pre.iime, - theirine rif this conduct, or- and the returns to his`ucciliOns first biOught the Gibril- - dered the soldiers tp return ; which, after some time, tar, .the Ceylon;St. Helene, and other amounts before was effected. To restore tranquillity once more was , the public. The expenses of the Colonies of (treat Bri your desire, and yonentrtions stideoeirfil - beyond . yetfr ' fain amannt to upiiirdi'd three •niillionit'sterling, and I most sanguine expectation' ; as also its withdrawine have been b r ought to view by. Mr. Hume. greater part of the populace from the busy scene. About " Heligoland establishment of 10,0001. a-year has been eight o'clock we returned towerds Tlyde Park Corner ; i abolished, and half a million might be as easily saved every thing appeared tramptillized; and thus ended a I immediately in the other Colonies. • most fatiguing as well as hazermlous duty for bimu, who I "He has for successive years tried to reduce the ex- I have the honour to subscribe theetelf his most obedient I pence of the lonian Islands of 110,0001. which is conti humble servant, " Hama Monemtee." nued contrary to Treaties, and solely for patronage. "Mr. Sheriff Waitliman." " Until last Session the debates on the Army and The papers were then ordered to be entered on the NAT Estimates seldom took up two or three nights in Journals and referred to the Committee of General all. Mr. Hume, by his statements and exposures for Purposes. three month:, rendered the country fully aware of the useless expenditure. and called from the country at FREEDOM OP THE (ITV TO .1. 111711 E, ESQ• M.P. large for retrenchment. The Requisition for salting the Special Court was " He attacked the large standing army, and by his ex then read. posures Ilse sheaved the unnecessary num ber and the ex- Mr. FAVELT., prior to tee'e',eg• his intended motion, travagance of every department; and although Lords begged that the minters of the Court for erenting the Palmerston and Castlereagh declare been that a single nian freedom of the City to Earl ( aemelen shonld be read. could not be reduced, 12,0 h ordered to be The Minutes were read. They Rt.ateri, that on the disbanded, whilst he has shown that 2.5,000 regulars 3d November 1819, the Freedom of the , & City, a.bad might be disbanded. • " In the number of the staff, in the number of the half been granted to Earl Camden, for !seeing so libe rally reeigned a large portion of hie income as a Teller pay officers, the extrevegaet expens es of the Militar y College, &c., although out-voted on every motion, his of the Exchequer, in con:ideratioo of the public die- statements groad uncontradieted, and he mainly cone tresses. • . pelted the Ministers to join in an A ddress to the Crown .. Mr. FAVELL said be hal reqnested the Mantes of to reduce the Army. " Ile exposed the extrevagance o f that de p artment this Grant should he mew:, not because the case was exactly F aillel with that w eie h be was shout to bring in a nianner never before done ; showed the appli cation of public money and patronage to the voters of Queen forward, but because he wishiel to remind the Court . in - oorough an extraordinary degree. how anxiously they ha I been upon the watch to re- " His stetemeents have all been manned by the Re ward every individu .1 who had exerted himself to de- turns be moved for, and great reductions have beets or crease the public experelian e. or increase the public dered in the branches he pointed out, although all were revenue- lie felt that it, loin:zing fit wird this mo- stated to he impossible, and he was out-voted in the tion, he was flailing the dying :erptest of a f r i en d by H ou , se , d ' e """" K *, "H e po i nte d out toe uselm: and extravagant expen whem it was first intradured, and who, with his latest breath, entreated him to persevere in it. He need not diture in the large estiblisliments of officers in tliedock yards, in building sltips, when we have already twice as remind the Court that Mr. Hume, the subject of this many as all the world, &c. motion, had been, and still was, the chatimpiou of eco- " lie summed up all the practicable reductions in the' notny and re'renchineet, when the nation w i ei in all public expenditure that could Ire made immediately, to quarters groaning wider its heavy harden and calling the amount ofneers,olioelo o /., having' previously pointed for relief. He then was the foremost to point out out all the items in detail, with the pm oafs of his proposal. If the country had not beep roused by Mr. Hunie's where relief could he applied, where the burden could I e xertions, the Ministers would not , in all prob abilit y , be lightened. He (Mr. Favell ) emit' appeal to time Ilave yiet.e.e. t eee h ee small agricultural tax of half a million records of their Court, in proof of the many petitions sterling. which they had from year to year presented to p er ii a . "It was equally novel to see one Member by his indi went, praying Retrenchment amid Referin. How, vidnal exertion, supported by but a few in the House, then, could they refuse to rewerd that nein who bad effect such a change, as it was to see the manner he de- unceasingly exerted himself to realise the p ra yer of feated the Ministers, and obliged them at the close of the Session to adopt his r ecommendation ; and at the saute their Petitions ? There was no want of precede n:s time state that :11r. Hume never lost his temper, although to sanction the proceeding which lie was about to re- Mr. Ward, Lord Palmerston, and others bad often at commend. Among the records of the Court, it ap- tempted, by rudeness and ridicule, to draw hint from his peared that in the year Ilia the thanks of the Court plans." were voted to the Rev. Dr. ['s ire. for a pamphlet which There was one more paper which be would trouble the be had written in favour of civil liberty: He had the Court by reading, from whirls it appeared that Mr. more pleasure in bringing forward this motion, beceure Hume was prepared to propose a measure fur making it wonld convince the public that this Court did nut a reduction in our esteblislemeents to ales amount of delight, as was falsely imputed to it, in the habit of 4,288,0001. He had minutely rte eeitheil'rmill the items passing votes of censure atel disapprobation, but that in this calculation, and the result was, that the ... whole they were glad of an opportuoity of conferring its ho- of the taxes upon candles, soap. salt, and leatipittatight nours upon an Houourable Gentleman, who had faith. be taken off. The Worthy Member next aditertell fo fully discharged the duty Which he owed to the coml. the remarkable coincidence between the motion for an try. The motion he was about to submit was one in Address to his Majesty.viltich was proposed by Me. which time community at large was interested ; for at Hume, and that which Iva! subsequently adopted by a time when an officer or high rank in the a r m y, an d his Majesty's Ministers.' 'I int objeetiof this proceed a Magistrate at time . head of the Police hail been de- ing was evidently to take away 01 the merit from Mr. graded by his Majesty's Government, becauset they had flume, and to place it to the account of his Majesty's nut thew') themselves sufficiently subservient to the Ministers. At the same time it was not his (Mr. F's.) measures of the Court, it was more peculiarly locum- wish to depreciate the 6overutnent, if they were will bent upon them to mark their gratitude for eminent lug to go hand in hand, o and wk in co-partnership public services. He spoke of a gentleman this day with Mr. Hume. Whether measures of retrenchment of no ordinary character, in regard to his assiduity, emanated from Ministers, or from an individual op firmness, and unwearied exertions in investigating all posed to theta, was of little cutieeqiietice, provided the those points, which were connected wimb the revenue great ol4ect of a reduction of the public expenditure and finances of the country, and which bed enabled were effected. The Worthy Member concluded by him, in the course of a short parliamentary career, moving the Thanks of the Court to J. Hume, Esq. to effect as touch as would have done honour to a M. P. fur Aberdeen, for his indefatigable exertions ,in long life of public service. He trusted that no ohjec. promoting every object which might tend to the diuii lion would be made to the motion, on the ground that nution of the public expenditure. other gentlemen had supported the measures proposed Mr. Ei ee-secended the motion. by Mr. Hume, and were therefore equally entitled to Mr. Dittos said, he was ready to admit the perse. their thanks. He was ready to give every praise to coring industry of Mr. Hume, and that a great deal of good might arise from what be had recommended in the the band of illustrious and excellent teen who had sup- way of retrenchment. It was equally certain, however, ported him, but it could not be denied that Mr. Hume's that his excessive zeal had carried him beyond the wonderful labours and indefatigable exertions pecu- bounds which men of sound and sober judgment could liarly entitled him to the thanks of that Court. When approve. Every one was aware, that io consequence of a similar honour was conferred upon the three eminent the wars in which we had been so long engaged, the lawyers who distinguished themselves in defendieg country wet necessarily burthened itith very heavy The officers on half - pay , both in th e a rmy her late Majesty, it was observed that three other ex p enses. and navy, were entitled to remuneration fur their ser lawyers bad also been retained in her cans-, but the propriety of confining the honour preferred by the' vices, and had an liOnourable and legal claim upon the country. Ile could not help thinking, that the object of Court to those who had most distinguished themselves Mr. Hume's persevering exertions in Parliament was ra was then admitted, and he hoped therefore lie should thee to embarrass the Government, than to promote the not now be met by a similar objection. He felt that public interests. Ile had called for more papers in one he should not do justice to the motion which he bad Session than all the Members of the House of Commons had done for tuany years.—(Hear, hear . ) — H e had, in undertaken if lie did not enter for a few minutes int o fact lost sight of all discrimination, and in bis (Mr. time history of Mr. Hume's Parliamentary conduit.— Dix on's) opinion, he would have done himself greater Such was the effect produced by the labours of this credit it be had called for fewer papers. He believed Mr. exit am dinery and excellent gentleman that Ministers -Hume had called for more papers than would serve the had been chegkcd iu their profligate career, and it was particular purposes of all the members of that Court for a common answer to the applications of their partie many years.--(Strong marks of disapprobation.)—Mr. zan's to say, " We would willingly accede to your re- Muse was net the only person who was desirous of re quest, but if we were to grant it. we should infillitly clueing the expenditure of the country • and the Worthy .. 4 . . Gentleman (gr. Favell) had been force d: to- admit, that bring Mr. Hum upon us."—(A laugh.) A Re lees there ware disposition on the part of Ministers to second' Member proceeded to read to the Court a paper fee- his example. It would be impossible to reduce the en tailing the Parliamentary services of Mr. Hemet— , ' larks of public officers to the scale of 1797, at a very " He opposed the three millions of taxes in 1819, and early period, because no persons could now live upon' then recommended by retrenchment to make a real sink- the same annual income as in 1797. Peculation would ing fund. " He has advocated on orrery occasion the removal of be the inevitable consequence of eremature reduction , the restrictions on foreign commerce, which at present and he hoped, therefore, - that there was no in- I so much cramp the prosperity of the country. tention of carrying retrenchment to any extravagant "He has submitted for three successive years, motions length. It would he better if souse worthy to reduce the expence of collection of the revenue in the members, instead of troubling themselves witli l Excise and Customs, and general revenues. the public expenditure , woul d l o o k to that of " He has shown that in Scotland and Ireland the ex their own Corporation. As to the merits of Mr. petters of collection have been doubled, and that there are between fonr and five millions paid for the collection Hume, they were greatly over rated . and much had of the revenues, of which one-third at the least might be been ascribed, Which, in point of fact. be had bor. saved, by returning to reasonable salaries and reduced rowed from Mr. Creevey. Mr. Creevey had col; establieliments. As an example of what might be dens, lected all the information in an excellent pamphlet, he pointed out the 65 sinecure offices of Receivers Gee of which Mr. Hume had subsequently availed him- neral, and 95 Distributors of Stamps, for threosoccese self. He intreated gentlemen not to make the v o tes sire years, and only succeeded by perseverance IS L the get a Committee appointed, which tit- of thanks' conferred lay that Court too cheap. The last Session to mended their abolition, saving 75,654 M. out of I 17,90 W. Worthy Gentleman had called • upon the clerk to "By this means ISO aiseeure offices w ill b e a b o li s hed, read the vote of thanks passed by that Cutlet to and exclusive of the corrupt patronage, as many ibis- Lore Camden, bat he had not ventured to make a sand ponsdi be saved annually. A Commissioabs.sow comparison between the two individuals. Lord sitting-in Scotland to inqhire Into the Stamps. '- :- Camden bad made a great _personal pecuniary es the"L".ll92' 11 9, and tion ' s 4ir e red m tic ; sala ri e s ot i7 pri 7:a p - ro - z i z i :r s ..., a i d upon -hie country. 1 hodgb be expected to be in 'a though rejected in the Howes of co m ma s . h i gcbm s a itioority. he still felt it his duty to oppose the me. adopted by the Treasury liana them. . ~..4 • -..-, •. OW; *he . pouseeiwed that Mr. Name had neither - - - - T ..4.---..e been long' enough a public character, no r 4, 3 , 1 ,, L such gurioeur sertrie to his c ountry , as toqii p i ,. title him to the tha $ of that" Court, arof the f ret , dim) of the City. Mr. GRIPVITIIS supported the motion. A plain undeistanding, I I amid the Worthy D e 0r00 . 4 never utter such things as he had heard f.:11• ia Hon. Member who had just sat dawn. • 'M s • tu ti t He could not conceive upon what grounds h • 4 N os Member could oppose a Vute of Thanks to such 4 I : as Mr. Hume, who bad deserved to well of the tot try. He knew no man more entitled to the th an k,; the country. Mr. Hume had stood almost alone, std had laboured with indefatigable perseverance in et , posing the extravagance of Ministers, and pro unotio • - retrenchment and public economy. No man m ore so', no man half so much. Ills labours were worth 4 d oo q . elaborate orators. They only spoke in favour a s i ; form ; he, by his exertions, was bringing it abost Mr. T. N. WILLIAMS asked whether it was the lines. t ion of the Worthy Member to follow up his !notion f or a vote of thanks by a motion for conferring the free* of the City ? Mr. FAY eta. replied, that it was certainly his l a tention, if his first motion 'ere carried, to l o o s that the freedom of the city be conferred upon U r , Hume ; in what particular manner, whether ie box of gold, or of heart of oak, -he sliouid lean to the Court. Mr. 'l'. N. Wintesats said, that as this was o io case, he should certainly oppose the motion. H e A admit•ed that a considerable degree of praise was due to Mr. Hume, but he could not go the whoa length Igf the measure. It was extremely easy find fault with Administration, and to call upon them for a reduction of the public expenditure; but if they went into sweeping retrenchment, whem o , he would ask, could the Soya reign plate his finger to reward his meritorious servants? He knew No. thing of Mr. Hume, and had no wish to disparage him, but it appeared to him extremely probabli • that he did not go to very pure sources for his in formation. How, indeed, could be obtain it, but from discharged clerks and serrates of the difu. ent public offices? The Worthy Member was pre reeding to arraign the conduct of a Member of iue Council, whom he accused of wasting the mosey of the Corporation, and assembling u jnota for the purpose of carrying a particular object, when he was interrupted by loud cries of order!" Mr. Alderman Warrumax rose to order. It vu the paramount duty of every member to uphold the honour acid dignity of the Court. He had seen with sorrow, for he was not present at the last Coart,the account of the disgusting proceeding which Lad takes place on that occasion, and he thought even the Woo thy Gentlein .n must have felt some shame at reading the report of his own language in the newspapers. Mr. 'l'. N. WILLIAMS said he would not be deuna f.ow that line of conduct by any statements no the newspapers. lie eepcated that the Worthy Member to . whom he alluded had called upon the Council to veto away a sum of motley, and at the Sallie time nubbin& the thanks of the Court to Mr. Waitliman. He should oppose the motion, because he conceived the object of Mr. Hume's parliamentary conduct was inure to haua per the wheels of Government than to do good to his Mr. Alderman WAIIIIMAN began by obsereiretem it had been said, that the object of Mr. Hume's thee sures was to deprive the public servants of those else lumenta to which their labours had justly entitled them. Now, for his part, he gave Mr. Hume credit for just and honorable motives ; but it was enough for kin to know tloht he had acted beneficially for the public; and w !miller his motives were good or bad, he (Mr.W.) as an individual, was equally obliged to bins. Same observations bad been made upon Lord Camden's re tinquishmett of elsoneasolunients of his Ate; bat, whatever might be the merit of that relinquishwest, it should be recollected ,that it was preceded la many Petitions of that Corporation, complaiuing if the wasteful expenditure of the public money, aid by complaints of distress from all parts of the king dom. A public benefit, however, was derived Iron Lord Coroden's resignation of the emoluments of his Tellership, and a 'public acknowledgment was his due. With regard to the political conduct of Me Hume, he was not a mere partisan, upholding the interests of a particular party ; but he bad taker that painful, laborious course. which no man thateo , tered the walls of Parliament had ever taken before. He had himself been an eye witness of some of his exertions, and he had eta the base attempts which had been made in the house of Commons to ridicule him and put him down. It was not by the impression which he made within the walls of the house that bit labours had succeeded ; no, it was his rigid twist lion of the finances of the country, and his exposure of the extravagant expenditure of the public mosry that had made an impression upon the public mild, and at length compelled the House to give hint a re* luctant hearing. It was not in great debates, in which a splendid but useless display of talent was wally made, that Mr. Hume bad signalised himself; he had taken an humbler walk, but one which was infinitely more beneficial to his country, by sitting night afar night„ . and investigating with patient and itairearlili perseverance every item of the public expenditure un til the eyes of the public were opened, and Parliament ous was at length induced to take the subject into consideration. Let the public then stand np for seri thil man, for unless they shewed that they approved of the conduct of able and disinterested public men, and ire" determined to uphold them, there would be no chance of effecting a redaction of our expenditure, or of !I' medying the grievances under which the country la. %loured. Notwithstanding all the oppositio n whir ! Mr. Hume had met with, after all the attacks tbitn had been made upon his private character , and I ts former situation in life, he still continued- to per' severe in his useful labours, until be compelled reluctant Administration to come forward and adopt . time very proposition which he had subunit: to Parliament without success. Could any alas be . credulous as really to believe, that if he had nal P . r' . severed in calling for Papers and Commi ttees of lo ' quiry, his Majeety's, Ministers or Mr. Hanks naplu have brought forward a proposition for retrene bises t as an amendment upon Mr. Hume's motion, or that" air. name's motion had been shap ed in press the saute terms as that of Ministers, it would bare bo a adopted by them ; As to great political debstra . ig te the House of Commons, they were worth s ot to ascrsega the people; the object of them was merely V