The National Register. — London, England, 1820-08-06 00:00:00

236 AURIIVC// 'At one o'clock on Weilneulay, a Common Hat? was held at Norwich, for the purpose of considering the pro priety of presenting an Address to the Queen, under the c ir c umstances in which her M tjesty is placed.—The 'Mayor came upon the hustings and said, " Fellow Citizens, in pursuance of a reqiii,tition signed by a number of respectable inhabitants, I hive convened this meeting. I hold the keys of this place but in trust for you, and having discharged my duty thus far, you will proceed to the choice of your Chairmen:* A general call followed for the Mayor to take the Chair. The M Ar0R.••••" Gentlemen, I regret that I ant really unable front indisposition to preside at this meet ing; I am sure you will conduct yourself with that pro priety which has always marked the public meetings of Norwich, and I must request your permission to retire." Alderman LEMAN was then called to the chair; alter which Mr. Sheriff TAYLOR said, " Gentlemen, often as I have addressed you from this place, it has never been under feelings more different, and in some respeets more painful than at present. The accession of a King or a Queen ought to he a subject of unmixed gratulation, but we are assembled, not merely to perform the duty of congratulation to our Queen, but to mingle with this feeling our sympathy for her sufferings, and mar decided protest against she ungenerous, and unprincipled attack which has been made upon her. (Applause.) It has •been asserted these meetings are only convened for the purposes of faction. Gentlemen 1 deny the charge. I wish net to add in the dissention or disimion which exists among any of the branches of the Royal family. The wish of all true hearted Englishmen is, to see their King and Queen living in the dignity and happiness and -union becoming their exalted situations; but wecannot .and we ought not to be silent when an attempt is made to attack an unprotected woman, when the proceedings adopted against her have the stamp of injustice, and when, through her, the laws of the country are grossly and shamefully violated. (Applause.) We should not des ree the character of men or Englishmen, if we did not mark in the strongest terms against such proceed ings, and prove to her Majesty that weak and friendless .as she may appear to be: though bereft of parents, bro ther and child, she is yet strong in the affections of the people. (Applause.) Surely never was there a woman against whom a more constant and unrelenting perse cution has been directed. Yon all remember the infa mous charge which was brought against her in 1807. A charge much inure substantial, supported by witnesses of much greater apparent credit than the present, and which, in the language of the exalted personages who were appointed to inquire into it, was "coatplete/y dis proved" and declared to be " undeserving of credit."— During the public life of his late Majesty, her enemies were silenced—his kind and gracious conduct was her shield and support; but no sooner was that withdrawn than the machinations of her enemies were again com menced. Site was driven from those scenes of splendour and dignity, of which Mr. Canning truly said " she was the grace and the ornament ;" she was debarred from all intercourse with her daughter; the dearest and ten defeat ties of nature were cruelly severed, and she was -compelled to seek repose in foreign lands. It might have been supposed that here the malice of her enemies would have beets satisfied,and that she might have been suffered to enjoy that quiet and repose abroad which had been denied her at home. Yet even this was too much for her to expect. During the former period of her re sidence abroad, she visited parts of Europe, Asia and Africa, and here we find her the same kind hearted and generous woman she had always been in England. Its Sicily the poor partook of her bounty—at Tunis she was the ransomer of the Christian -captives—atCou atantinople and at Jerusalem the children of distress had reason to bless her. At length she took up her residence in Italy, and here it was that the efforts of her persecutors were renewed. She was speedily sur- TOUOded by spies—every motion was watched, and a German Baton had even the unheard of atrocity to sub orn one of her own servants to pick the lock of her -writing desk, and steal her papers. (Shame! shame!) During her residence there, the King died, and her name was instantly erased from the Liturgy. This insult was but the prelude to more attrocious attacks. As soon as it was known that she was coming to England, a messenger was dispatched to bribe or to threaten her into a compromise of her honour and her rights. With .that sagacity and promptness which has marked her conduct, she instantly saw through the base design, and indignantly spurning this base attack upon her honour, cone boldly and instantly to England. Gentlemen, 1 need not detail to you the reception she met with when she set foot on our shores. I could not, were Ito at tempt it, describe the enthusiasm with which she was every where received, and the warm and heartfelt proofs of devotion which every where marked her steps. What followed immediately upon this? Why, the production of a Green Bag. Gentlemen, I confess I have an in stinctive dislike to a Green Bag, having myself had the %moor or misfortune (call it which yon will) to occupy a a small corner in one. (Laughter.) On that occasion 1 remember requesting the excellent and patriotic Mem ber for Norfolk, Mr. Coke, to defy his Majesty's Minis ters to substantiate one single word which they had alledged respecting Norwich—Mr. Coke did so. And what was the answer which he got from Mr. Bragge Bathurst? Why, that what had been said about Nor wich was all a mistake! (Laughter.) I mention this merely to shew of what sort of evidence Green Bags have been composed. But, gentlemen, we have a right to ask of his Majesty's Ministers, why this Green Bag was not produced before? If the Queen was that in famous wretch they would have tat believe, how dared they to negociatc with tier? plow dared they to send over a messenger to make terms with her—to offer her . the means, wrung front your hard earnings, of revelling It. luxury and profligacy! if :bey hat these damning THE NATIONAL REGISTER proofs of her g uilt in their possession, was this the way to deal with her? No, no, gentlemen, her crime con sisted in coming to England. Had she kept abroad, we should have heard no more of the Green Bag, but the moment she was guilty of cl timing her rights as Queen of England on English gmutid, from that moment she was mailed for destruction. The production of the Green Bag was followed by a refusal to furnish her with the time or ptace at which the crime was alletlged to have been committed, or with any information as to the witnesses against her. And it is against this which we protest, not only because it affects ottr Queen, but be cause it may by precedent affect the liberty of any one of us. Never were words of more truth uttered by any one than by her Majesty, in her answer to the Newbury address—" The tyranny." said she, " which overwhelms me ?o-clay, nukes every mates liberty less secure 10-morroto." Gentlemen, I colvend that is tine of the grossest viola. lions both of the maxims and the practice of our law. I would ask you, Mr. Chairman, whether in your ex perience, when Chief Magistrate of this City, you ever heard of green hag evidence? Or whether it is not the uniform practice in all charges which have come before yeas, to have the amuses and the accused confronted, that the full extent of the charge may be known, both as to time and place, and the evidence by which that charge is supported? Then if so, why, I ask, is that justice to be denied to the Queen, which is granted to the meatiest and most cti I of her sulrjects? But we are told this is contrary to precedent. Is it possible then that the most despotic actions, the greatest out rages upon law which have disgraced the worst periods of our history, are to be cited as precedents? Gentle-1 mm, in the name of justice and humanity, let me call upon you to protest against these lawless proceedings, for if ever Englishmen become careless and indifferent to such measures, their liberties, their invaluable laws, an] their admirable constitution, will be lost to them for ever. (Applause.) I shall detain you nn longer, but to submit to you the following Resolutions: — Resolved, Ist.--That this Meeting do most cordially congmtu tat: her Majesty upon her safe arrival in this kingdom, and at tht same time beg leave to express their admiration of her Ma. kiirwn instances in which bombazine dressers had established jesty's conduct in firmly and courageously resisting the bribes and threats, alike odiaua and contemptible, which were offered to her Majesty, for the purpose of inducing her to forego her just rights as the Queen of England. ed.—That it being an undisputed maxim of our law to regard aid treat as innocent all who have not been tried and proved to be guilty, we are obliged to consider the omission of her Majesty's mine in the Liturgy, the refund to send a yacht to convey her tothis country, and to provide a place of residence suited to her exilted rank and station, as a cruel and wanton outrage upo n her Majesty's feelings, and as a manifest proof that her Majesty 's acaners are actuated rather by a spirit of persecution than by a deire of rendering impartial and substantial justice. f.—That the appointment of a Secret Committee to inquire inn charges grounded on the suspicious contents of a Green Bag. wtliout examining witnesses upon oath, and the introduction. upon this paper cx-parte evidence of a Bill of Pains and Penal. tin, for the purpose of degrading and divorcing the Queen of Ehgland, are proceedings which we cannot view without the geatest alarm and disgust—as being utterly abhorrent from the genuine principles of British Jurisprudence, and as tending to .he subversion of the Liberties of the People. lA.—That the refusal to specify time or place. when and where the crime alleged again Her Majesty is asserted to have been ximmirred, coupled also with the refusal to furnish her Majesty with a list and description of the witnessesin support of theaccusa. don, is a still further violation of the principles of justice,and the maxims of Rnglish jurisprudence—and therefore calls upon us. as Men and as Englishmen, to protest against this unmanly and .tngenerous conduct, and to tender to her Majesty the assurance of our deep sympathy with her, in the struggle which she is waging against her enemies, and our hope and trust that she will come out of the contest with the clear possession of her ho nour as a woman, and the full recovery of her rights as Queen. 3.—That this Meeting do instruct their Representative to sppose this Bill, if unbapily it should be brought into the House of Commons. B.—That an Address (signed by the Chairman) be presented o her Majesty, founded upon the above Resolutions. That the Mayas, Mr. S he riff Taylor. and the Members for 1 this City bertenested to present the same to her Majesty. The Rev.G. BEAUMONT addressed the meeting nearly is the following words:—" Gentlemen," said Mr. B. • in seconding the Resolutions I have only one or two observations to make.—lt is a law inherent in human amuse for the male to protect and defend the female. Even on the principle of mere gallantry we ought to defend our Queen. Had we a Don Quixotte here, me thinks he would take his man Sancho Panza and go to London, and there send Lord Castlereagh a challenge. gut we have a much better principle than that of gal .antry on which to ground our defence of the Queen of England—the eternal principle of justice. In justice to a persecuted female, and itt justice to our own characters as men, we are bound to afford her countenance and protection. But admitting that the Queen were guilty Ball that her enemies would lay to her charge, yet even then she is, in my opinion, notch to be pitied.—Brought from a foreign country into this nation in the just and natural expectation of obtaining a husband to support, protect, and comfort her, she was disappointed! Soon after her union she was separated, and alter that she was driven out of the land by persecution. Among the ad versaries of the Queen we find Lord Castlereagh very prominent. Gentlemen, Lord Castlereagh is like a prism—he has got three sides, but never a right angle. I(Applause.) The prism shews seven colours, but Lord Castlereagh can exhibit seventeen. He can be an enemy to blasphemy, and yet a friend to wickedness—he can applaud religion, and yet defend corruption—he can talk largely of law, order, and what yon please, without either truth in his words or sincerity in his designs. Gentlemen, Lord Castlereagh is a political pedlar—lie has been tramping all over Europe in the business of setting up Kings, and now he is come home again to pull down Queens. (Loud applause.) Gentlemen, in the years 1799 and 1800 I was in Ireland, in the towns of Belfast, Lisburn, and also of Castlereagh, the town which gives this man his title, and I was there told that this Gentleman having, previous to that time, had a great desire AO obtain a seat in the Irish Parliament, but being utterly unable to succeed by means of the High party, he suddenly became a zealous Patriot. The pa tiieric party, thinking hint to be sincere, exerted them- Ives in the astral way, by puffing his character in hand bills, &c. in consequence of which he obtained a seat, according to his anxious wish. But, no sooner was lie seated, than he became a violent ministerial supporter; and what part he has acted from that time to the presens we all very well know. (Applause.) Gentlemen, it it astonishing to me that the people of England will suffer such a man to insult them for so long a time; that they wilt so quietly and tamely per • him to form round himself a focus of coadjutors, who, with himself, care so little for either the feelings or the interests of the people. Gentlemen, in domestic life there is a description of women called char-women , many of these women pro• fess to do all work. Lord Castlereagh is a political char woman—he can do all work; he can be a patriot, a ministerial member of Parliament, au enemy to blas phemy, a friend to buying seats in a great house; he can help to set up. Kings, and he can attempt to pull down Queens. Gentlemen, we live in the times of miracles and mysteries, of inventions and innovations. The valuable inventions of iron bridges, gas lights, and steam engines, are worthy of our admiration; but we have also seen an innovation in the method of hanging people by means of the new drop—innovations in suss pending our liberties, and innovations are infesting us in various ministerial measures. Gentlemen, had I had previous notice of being called upon to take part in this business, I might have entered farther into the subject, but shall decline for the present; but in the mean time let me remind you, that as men possessing the common feelings of humanity, and professing an adherence to the broad principles of justice, we are bound to give our voices, our signatures, our support, and to afford all the succour and countenance we can. in behalf of a perse. cute(' and much injured female." After this the Chairman took a shew of hands. The hall rung with acclamations when the feeling of the meeting was so unequivocally declared. A young lad, a son we hear of Alderman Harvey, held up his solitary hand against them. Mr. GELDART." I have now to introduce to your notice an Address founded on the resolutions, you have just heard read. I had no intention of spe:king when I came upon the hustings, but having the address put into my hands, 1 have been reading it over, to see whe ther I can find any fault with it; but seeing nothing at all objectionable, I shall introduce it to your notice...-. The present meeting wishes not to prejudge the Question —but in the true spirit of the English Laws, conceive the Queen to be innocent, until she is proved to be guilty. The Gentleman who spoke last mentioned the principles of Lord Castlereagh; whatever the principles of that Noble Lord are; on a former occasion he had been authorised to inquire into the charges which were brought against her Majesty, and acquitted the Queen nut only of all criminal conduct, but also recommended that she should be received under the protection of his late Majesty. Believing as Ido this inquiry will have a like termination, and that her Majesty, is at present the iuno cent victim of calumny and persecution. I consider the address worthy the acceptance of this meeting; and I I trust the result of the present proceeding, although highly objectionable will terminate in her halite exculps tion—(Lond applause.) Mr. SP Arts:HALL seconded the address, and propoesd that the Mayor 01 Norwich, the two Members, and see- Sheriff Taylor to present it. Mr. TAYLOR returned thanks for the honour they had done him ; and stated that he had seen Mr. Gurney, who would have attended the meeting, had he not thought it extremely %indecorous, as he expected in a short time to sit as one of the judges upon her Majesty's conduct, at the same tune lie expressed his decided abhorrence of the measures pursued against her. I must said (Mr. T. trouble )oti with another general retain k, and that is to propose that the thanks of this meeting be given to our worthy Mayor fur his ready acquiescence with the wishes of the Requisitionists in convening this meeting; and we ought also to thank hint for not following the example of his brother the Lord Mayor of London, that he has not placed • troop of horse on the outside of the Hall to keep us in order." " Mr. T. MARTINEAU moved thanks to the chairman, (B. Leman, Esq.) which were carried unanimously " We understand that the lad who held up his solitary hand against the resolutions, is not even au inhabitant of Norwich ; the Chairman therefore with strict propriety recaoned him as nobody, and declared the resolutions unanimously carried. Fatal accident—On Wednesday night, between the hours of ten and l I o'clock, the Mllowing me lancholy accident happened near Battersea Bridge, to two young persons, named Sarah Russall and W. Firby :—ln the early part of the evening, accom panied by a lad, they took an excursion on the water, towards Cumberland Gardens, and on their return, it being dark, they endeavoured to effect a landing on the wharf of Messrs. Druce and Hill, near Chelsea. Not being a landing place, they pro ceeded to push the boat towards the shore, between the stem and stern of several coal barges, when the lad immediately mounted one of them. On the female making a similar attempt, with the assist ance of Mr. Firby, they unfortunately were both precipitated oul of the boat into the water, and in stantly sunk under the barges. The alarm being given by the lad, the watchman belonging to ti:e wharf, and several other persons arrived; but the tide running very strong at the time, all cllbrtsn. preserve their lives proved fruitless. The bodies were found about an hour afterwards, but not !he least signs of life remained in either. An inguto• tion was taken, at a late hour on Thursday evening, before Mr. Stirling, at the George and Dragon , Paradise Row, Chelsea, on the bodies, and a ye.' diet of accidental death was returned. It. is now rumoured that the Coronation will take place until the 23d April, being St. Geor4"' Day.