The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-04-14 00:00:00

afforded by yotiiiitincturiblfiltitiaillitiltMly iniidequitiato the necessities aohecountri. "That whilst we are ground to the earth, by a weighS_Of debt., unexampled -in the history of soy country, the bitter fraitof ruinous wais, tarried on with the aid of a debased carman, we unhappily find that the lavish waste of public, nosey to which that war gave rise, has been little abated by Its 'termination ; that our establishments both at home and abroad are kept up on a scale and at qtsexpence,nneall - et for by any necieisity, and wholly disproportioned to the peewit condition of thepeopte by whom they ere defrayed ; that those Cofobies, which in the hands. of othsis States Were a source of prosperity and wealth, as soon as they camas Into ours, and indeed to the patronageof the Govern ment, but are a burden and an incemberance to the country, and that we are, -after sevemears of peacw. oppressed with en amount of military force no less dangerous to oar Riser- Lea then ruinous to our finances. "That those various infringements of the fundamental rights end libertierof the people, which imee been increas log for a series of years, ha, ye a strong tendency to reduce the English Government to a military despotism. '•Tnet we trace all those evils to one primary cause— namely. the illegal indseece in the construction of the repro sentative body. '" 'That the return'of Peace has therefore failed of healing the ealemitiei produced by the yaw, sad that the plenti which has crowned the labours of the husblindotan has, ac=l cording to the statements 'of the Ministim themselves; I served only to aggravatehis distress. "That the aspect of our foreign relationsis equally elev. nue and alarming; since, after the base acqaleseence of our Government in those various acts of spoliation anclviolenee which • combination of despots. blaspheraciesly styling themselves the Holy Alliance, have carried on against the fr,edom teal happiness of mankind, the people of England hay.- the pain and homilatien of seeing the very Sovereign, who was supporttd by their charity in his exile, *ad castor ed-byr their arms to his throne, pow made the tool °Vilma unprincipled combination, for the avowed purpise of ex*• initiating by force of arms in Spain, tilose natural rights of every Independent State, to the exercise of whitish% our owe coontry. we owe every thing that is valuable in the history of its constitution.. " That this meleneholy state of things (both at home and abroad) hos been brought about, as we conceive, by the sub serviency of your Honourable Home for a long period of years. to the will of arbitrary and extravagant Ministers. by your want of sympathy end connection with the people whom you ought to repiesent, and above all, by the direct interest which so many of your Members have in supporting a system of corrupt patronage, from which either In their own persons or those of their near relations, they derive so inch eaoluzcent. " That cons..onestly reason and experience alike teeth us how ruin it is to hope for any effectual shange ofthat sys tem in the present state of your Honourable House. " That to repeating,' therefore, our prayers to your Hof' ourshie House f. r the wise and economical administration of our affairs which akine can enable us to meet our present difficulties, we humbly, but earnestly, implore you 'to make without delsysuch a Reform in your*own body, as by ren dering it a real and efficient Representation of the people, may restore to it once more their lost confidence, and thus •ford them the best hope of repairing the mischiefs of the part. and of presenting their recurrence in future." Dr. Tucxea said, that he had often addressed his fel low Fr• ebolders before, but never on a question so lin portant or so urgent as the present. It was a question which came home to the bosom of every man who felt as an Englishman ought to feel—when they saw the spirit of tyranny sbrcati endeavouring to strangle the liberties of independent States, they might depend upon it, that the same spirit wmild strangle the liberties of England, if the Despots of the Continent would dare make the at tempt—(Applause.)—But if En , lislimen felt as their forefather!' felt, though all the tyrants in the world should be armed against them, they would still be free.—(Ap plaose.).-.A tew minutes before the Meeting, his worthy friend, Mr. Northinore, handed to him a copy of the Ma nifesto of the Duke of Angoulerne. Such a Manifesto teas never before exhibited to the world. It reminded him of the fable of the woHand the lembl whether the Web was above the stream or below ft, he was sere to foul it, tor the wolf-was determined to devoorthe lamb. He trusted, however, that the lamb of Spain would subdue the Gallic cock. Spain has already subdued Napoleon—Na poleon, whose criminal ambition made him so many ene mies : but, ambitious as he was, there was something sub lime in the flight of the Imperial eerie compared to the dunghill cock of ti.e Bourbons, (a laugh and applause). lie hoped that both cocks and eagles would listen to the rear of the British lion; if not, he hoped that the people of England atould teach them a lessee which they would not soon forget (applause). With respect to the imp' , (ant question which they met to discuss, it would be al lowed th at every Englishman had a right to be repre sent% in the House of Commons; and yet, taking it in the most favourable point of view, not one Englishman out of sixteen had a voice in the election of a Member of Parliament ; in a more unfavourable view, it would, he was convinced, turn out that not one in one hundred had the right of voting (applause) —Upon this point, he would remind the people, as well as their rulers, of a saying of Edward I. Edward, holding the language which a king of England ought to bola:, declared," that what concerned all should be approved of by all (ap plause)." Passing over a long apace of time lie would go from Edward I. to the time of passive obedience, and o f he r editary right, men ; and even in those times, an Art passed in the first year of the reign of James 1., which expressly stated, that the whole body of the peo ple should, by the laws of the land, he represented in the High Cotrt of Parliament. Such also was the doctrine of Mr. Burke before be became a sinecurist, and of Mr. Pitt before he became a renegade (applause). When Mr. Pitt gave his sanction to the Duke of Richmond's Rill fur Annual Parliaments, he stated that all the Commons of Engl.. id ought to be represented, save idipts and per sons incapacitated by law. It was, however, a fact, to the disgrace and injury of the English people, nothing liad been done to correct the monstrous abuses of the system.—After some further observations the Speaker proceeded—He wool,' not hesitate to say, that lie (the iligh Sheriff) acted in a manner ill-becoming a man— less becoming a freman (hear l) —itisgracethl to himself —and insetting to the people (applause). The High Sheriff had dared to refuse a Meeting .6f the Contity, al though a requisition was pieseuted for .that purpose, signed by no lisa than 626 independent freeholders (sp. plauee) ; and lie teas pleased to assign as a reason the slate of existing circumstances (tau filter and applause). Ile would not stop to inquire wuat those curious reasons were—they were best known to himself; but he would repeat, that the High Sheriff acted most improperly, when lie dared to refuse the call of such.• requisition. He would now leave the Petition in the hands of the Freeholders, reminding them of the good odd saying, " a long pull—a strong pull—and a pull togethe?', (applause). Mr. N O IMINIMIE then said—My Excellent Brother Freeholders-1f ever there was a time, if ever there were oire.uneitances, which called with voice, almost more than human, epon the people of England to demand an imme diate and effective reform of the representation, that surely must be the time, and those surely must be the cir cumstances, when an officer appointed by the Crown has refused to hear the complaints of the people; and when a Minister appointed by the Crown has openly avowed teat the Government of England has guaranteed the Des potism of the Continent :—Nay, tuore, the French writers have asserted, in kind reciprocity, that we have not only ettaranterd the throne of France to the Bourbons, but that the Bourbons have guaranteed to us the throne of the Duroughationgers. Of these lioroughmongers, there are no less 'ban 267 who, nominate rear 500 membere to what is celled the collective wisdom of the nation,, and sills system is supported by Je ws and Jails; by_ letters anal tread-mills, by six Acts and bayonets. You are now, Gentlemen, about to petition, once more, this col lective body, and I hope it will be the last time you will efnold%ti , ref it je P !h.' it is telso waist does not mean Waging. vants i to whom you used I - a day—and, upon my se duct one shilling, end eleven-pence from - . two shillings, the'remailider will be enough foelitothdern member.' Let us 'nose heir What our ancesteßthotight of Petitioning;—ln Magna Charts, clause 70 -erg, John states that " lirieyances sball be laid open to hie by pe tition for redress without delay, and if not rdressed 'within 4edays, the Herons shall distrain, anti distress him." In the Bill of Rights—" Our ancestor claim, demand end iosist upon this their undoubted rkirt."— sge Doddridge.says, " Public Proclamation a to be snide, that all ineu by a certain day bring in tbir peti tions; and if no answer be made, it is intended hat all see satisfied."—Sir R. Sadler says, " that Paiament gill not lie dissolved till ill petitions were diseased and answered."—The Mottos Tenendi states, 0 Pediment shall not dissolve as long as any petition made threunto hangeth undiseassed; or undecided ; the King bog de sirous to give his subjects redress of any intuy; awl not to stiffer his people to go unsatisfied."—Lor Coke' —" One d the principal ends of calling . Pediments is for redress of mischiefs and grievances, for the Co mmons are the general Ingssissitors of the realm."-Stat. 36, Edward 111. confirms this, and enacts, " that sr the redress of grievancils, a Parliament should be Maim evert year." And Sir M. Hale " gives his app ro at ion of t his good act." Slat. Prov. 25, Edw. 3—mtes, " that upon the mischiefs that happen, the King pght, and is bound by his oath, with the accord of his fople in Parliament, thereof to make remedy." Lord‘hin celloe Forteacue--And here, tientlemen, the only Alan tage which I envy our noble Chairman is, that se has the blood of this patriotic Chancellor iowingin his veins. Well, lard Chancellor Forteseue says, that 'Os King is appointed to protect his subjects in their Ives properties, and laws' for this very end and putpou hr has the delegation of his power (tom the people—fo the first thing which lives anti moves is the intention ti the people." Why! this Chancellor is guile a radicl!— You will nut then beg and tray to those who, &cord ing to the Poet— " One half the people by their arts bewitch, " And starve the other half to make them rich; " And when they have undone ten thousand scot , "Ara humbly prayed to ruin thousands more." Here th• worthy Gentleman went into an exatuinatin of some points urged by Mr. Stewart Wortley at the met • ing of the county of York, end then proceeded a fol lows:-1 will conclude with a proposal to the Wigs ! and I earnestly implore those Whigs i who real! and conscientiously wish well to the cause of Refound lis ten to me with Munition, before it be too late. 1 wl ad dress myself to those two noblemen of the Whig ply, who rank high in character—l mean the Duke of Biford and the Duke of Norfolk; the former has acknowilged (in a late letter) the principle " that the people (mkt to be restored tatheir undoubted right of being fully epre sented in Parliament ;" and the latter was a hither member with me of the Hampden Club, and of ears. has put his signature to a moldier principle. Mt Old field stater, that these two Noblemen possess the nosioa tion of, or idfiuence, over fifteen Members in Parlitnent. Now, if they will snake ov. r to me only six seats fr one twelvemonth, I will take the whole trouble of Worm off their hands. If their Braces accept this of*, the people will thank them; if they refuse this offer, tb peo ple will know them. (cheers.) Mr. Roan expressed his regret awl indignation the conduct of the Sheriff. Mr. HAMLYN said, that the present commt tate of our representation, add demoralized state of soder, were the principal cause of all our evils. Ile was glai to see that the county of Devon, by petitioning for Atom, had shown the wise determination of going to th source of the evil, instead of attaccking it in detail. Thgtier ance and complaints of the people were not atteded to, The corrupt system of representation spread its iduence far and wide—it destroyed the best feelings of th elect-. ors and the elected. Men entered inso life with le de. termination of Ihnestly performing their duty; be they soon found how the system worked, and they cosoled themselves with the ft;shionahle notion that politial in tegrity was only a joke. Some, however, there wet, the ornaments of their country, who would not bend i the storm, but who, like the oak, could only be tornip by the root. It was said by sonic shameless persons that corruption was necessary, but be had too good an option of human nature to suppose that many en-ertained doc trine so disgrarefol. Others imputed to the Reforwrs a disposition to i rift inge on private property; if by prate property was me int the right of property which Bo ronglimongers assumed in selling seats, he certainiswas for investing that property; he did not feel roue for the hardships of those Cientlemen. With respect ► his brother Agriculturist', he deeply felt for their diress, be was himself one of the sufferers—he felt for the Fern ers, but he owned lie did not feel for the Landlord, at least not for a great many of them ; for lie was conviced that if the cosmtry gentlemen had done their duty, ng land would not now be distressed at home, and dims pected abroad.—(Applause.) He wished to see a sytein of policy pursued which would be beneficial to the mole country, and therefole lie was a friend to Reform ;—:ap plaose)—he would also wish to see a corium:oaths' of tithes;—(continued applause)—a diminution of the one dens of tne people was most desirable, was must nees sary, end he hoped would soon take place. The Rev. Mr. Jorszs strongly condemned the con uct of the High Sheriff. The people of Devon felt the aces sity of Reform, and they met to demand it. Tbeirop ponents had not the manliness to come forward—heir absence was a strong proof of the weakness of heir cause. He regretted also that he did not see at the met ing any of their County Members ; in other counties the Members met their constituents, and fairly stated heir opinions. Snch was the case with respect to Mr.Stetrut Wortley, at York, with respect to Mr. Lamb and Finny others. The Rev. Oentleqtan uext adverted to the *le heated, speech of Mr. Canning at Liverpool, and reput ed arguments which had been already urged at piblic meetings in answer to j that speech. He then proceodes: to say that we had neither happiness at home, nor idlu ence ahroa.l. We were not able, notwithstanding allour victories anti all our efforts, to prevent au unholy stack against the rising liberties of Spain.--(Applause.) Mr. Rutroee said, that there was no hope of redress' without a reform in Parliament, and every man who did not profit by corruption, must be a friend to that Peas sure. The Petition was then put and carried unanimous ly . Dr. Tuciert next came forward, and moved the Mow ing resolution:— . ."L' That the unwarrantable refusal of the High Sleriff to convene &County Meeting, at tits request of 626 free holders, was highly unconstitutional, and reflected dis credit on his conduct, which it would be difficult fothim to remove." The resolution was unanimously adopted. A Vote of Censure on the County Members wasnext about to be proposed by Mr. RUNDLE, but that tiettle man did not press the motion. It was next resolved, that Lord Ebrington and Mr. Newman should present the Petition to the Houle of Commons. Mr. NEWMAN returned thanks, and said he should support the prayer of the Petition in his place. It WAS then resolved, " Tim et the Thanks of this Pett ing be given to the Magistrates for convening it, aid to Lord Ebringtun for his able and impartial condict in the Chair.' next .pre s .,.., w him to do butto wed with so mash geed Deus. _ ith pride and gratification that s. A presenting, their Petition to the He cordially *greed io ttibbo f e>t fdr. rogiter, that the gleeholders _Jgrt. Aged agaia to meet under the circuits- Vance in which they had met that day. ft was the first time that a Sheriff of Devon bad rAlsed to call o In'eti off of the con nty—he hoped it would be the last (applause). I deed, be could not but wish that the rights of the people: of England, in this respect, were placed on their ancient footing; that the right of the people to meet for the re-, dress of grievances nitglit not depend on the capriceof any Sheriff, or the will of any Magistrate; but that the us constitutional laws which coerced that right might be soon abolished and repealed (hear, hear, hear - .) would now say a few words as an iodividnal (bear, hear.) lie wished to make an observation with reference to something that had taken place in the early part of the Meetiog. A gentleman who was absent (Mr. Northmore), had stated, that if two Noble Lords, whom he described as sincere friends to reform, would nuke over to him six - Seam in the House of Commons, he would answer for the cause, without putting them to further trouble; and he was pleased to add, that if they refused to comply with so modest a request, the Reformers would know what to think of them. He (Lord Ebrington) had that da y re ceived a letter from his Noble Friend the Duke of Be dford, the only letter which appeared in his hand-writing since the commencement of that melancholy indisposition wider which Ids Grace had been for some lime labouring. That letter, I however, was not written for the purpose of being used'es a public document, and he did not bring it with hum to the sleeting. Ifs could however state the substance of it with accuracy. His Noble Friend expressed the utnvest aaxiety as to the resalt of the Meeting, end at the same time stated his.entire concurrence in the object for which it was nailed (hear, hear I). He added, my desire is to see a full, free. and fair representation of the people (cheers). Alluding to what had been said by a gentleman at the Somerset Meeting, concerning the Borough ofTavistock, he said—" Should any thing be said with respect to Tavistock, you know my senti ments; you. and all those who knew me, will readily be lieve that no paltry consideration of pecuniary interest would weigh one moment with me, in giving support to a measure which I thick so necessary to the public good as a Reform in Parliament." Such was the substance of the let ter written by his Noble Friend ; and it was but justice to his Noble Friend to state it. With respect to the proposal of the Worthy Gentleman, he (the Duke of Bedford) might think, as he (Lord Ebrington) certainly did, that the worthy Gentleman rather over-rated his own strength, and that of his friends, when he thought with the addition of six seats, the Radical Reformers would be able to do more than all the other Reformers had been able to do in that Assembly, which the Radical Reformers held in such utter centempt.— I f the Duke of Bedford thought that giving up those six would really advance the cause of Reform., he would be the first man in the country that would make the experiment ; but, whilst the Representation of the country remained in Its present state, he (Lord Ebrington) would put it to the common sense of the Meeting, whether it would be wise in the Duke of Bedford and others to give up the boroughs la their lands—those boroughs which are represented by men who always vote for Reform, and perhaps throw that int*. once into the hands of Tories, who would send to Warns ment Members who would invariably oppose that measure (hear, hear !). lie had to apologize for taking up so much of their time, and to thank them for the patience with which they had heard him, as well as all others who hail addressed them. The Noble Lord concluded amid the loudest cheers. -The Meeting than dissolved. - - and reJ•Meet= BRECONSHI RE MEETING. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. On Friday last, a meeting of this county . was con vened at the Shire-hall, Brecon, by John Christie, Esq. the High Sheriff, in com:lianae with the following re quisition, signed by about sixty freeholders:— '• Sta,—lo consequence of the distressed and ruinous s'a'e of the a4riculturists, we, the undersigned gentry, clergy, and freeholders of the county of Brecon, request that you willrappoint an early day for convening a county meeting to investigate our tlistresses, and to pe tition Parliament fur relief." At half-past twelve on Friday, the ibis Sumer, ac companierl by several of the gentlemen who signed the requisition, entered the Shire-hall. The assemblage at this time was not very numerous, but the parties present were highly respectable. The Htou.SIICRIFF being called to the chair, opened the business of the day by reading the requisition. He observed, that in compliance with this request, which reached him in a distant part of the country, he lost no time io repairing to Brecon, and, consulting with seve ral gentlemen who had signed it, as to the most conve nient time for convening time county, he tent off the next day to Swansea, to have notice given as early as possible of the meeting. He mentioned this, because he under stood that the requisition was on foot a considerable time back ; but had he had an earlier notice, be would have called them together sooner.—(Hear, bear.) Feel ing as he did, that the High Sheriff, in complying with a requisition of this kind, acted in a ministerial charac ter, he thought he should not have discharged his duty if lie allowed any impediment to oppose the expression of their sentiments on so important a subject by so large and respectable a baly as the freeholders of the county of Brecon. 'Else expression of their opinions upon all public questions was the inherent right of the freeholders of every county, and he trusted the day was very far dis tant when that right would become obsolete or un fashionable, or he looked upon with apathy by those whose duty it was to give it a constitutional form.— (Hear.) ')'he subject which they had now met to consi der was a grave one—one which had occupied the atten tion of the greatest statesmen of the country. It was unnecessary for him to offer any opinion upon it. In deed, sitting there as he did, it was rather his wish to be an auditor than a speaker. The discuision of this day would, he hoped, be conducted with time greatest candour and forbearance on all sides ; and lie trusted that those ' gentlemen who delivered their opinions, would confine themselves as closely as possible to the subject of the re qnisition. He did not mean that any gentleman should sacrifice his own opinion of truth to unanimity, but he begged to impress on the assembly, that it was of the utmost importance to the object for which they had met that they should confine 'themselves to that alone. —(Hear, hear.) He concluded by again reading the requisition. Jonw GwYNNE, Esq. said, that in the absence of the gentleman who was at the head of the list of requision ists, be intended briefly to call the attention of the meet ing to the question on which they had assembled ; bat, first he must congratulate them un being thus constitu tionally convened by the representative ofMajestyto seek from the Ministers of the Crown and from Parliament, that redress of their grievances which their situation de. winded, and which they had s right to expect from the wisdom of the Legislature. He was sorry that the con duct of high Sheriffs of other counties had not been si milar to that of the gentleman who now presided. They had seen that in other places Sheriffs had so :ar neglected the duties of their high station as to refuse to the inha bitants the means of coining together arid complaining of the grievances under which they laboured. lle trusted, however, that the example of this day would teach some of those public officers a little better understanding of their daty. As he had been en some degree instrumental in bringing about this meeting, it would of course be ex pected that lie should state his opinions of the present divtresses, and of the means by which they might be re• medied. These would be best otters by . the resolutions and petition which he intended to submit, and which he would now read. He would first observe, that us the re- TITO STAT ' • in rums* -flint. a pie o) aiNaTON ni Lift rightlitat s ItiJkaci e remained for it by word:—Palitio g," - t h ink le . lpieb,was cdoduct No in in begs- of .04n pitipnety. It was with d to pay wages, vit. two shilliags eccepted the trust of soul, f think, *you webs to de , House ofeommons. thwin-pence halfpeany from the irmseii by kis friend. A ;.1.a.. !IA painugh fora Modein might not be obliged a • • away which he had in view, his ohject was not to inju'e tiny other interest in the couLaunitv. He would not di. stray or disturb any thing which had ken guaranteil by the national faith, bet he thought tint., without any violation of that faith, a remedy might be found.. It was absurd to think that the evils ender which the agriculturists laboured. could not be in a great de gree removed, without injury to another class. He then read the followlig resolutions, and a petition founded on them " That the ne resources of the king- don are in strict connexion. withthe welfare end p ros/r ig ) , of the people, and tbat any advantage exclusively enjoyed by particular interests amounts to a national injury ulti mately ruinous to the state. "That the landed, commercial, and manufactnring inter ests are the great sinews of the nation, which should he united by the wisdom of Pa-liament to meet the distresses 'of the times bra genets! and equal participationof burdens.; but,unfortunately,at this moment the burdens of the Country tree more exclusively borne by the landed interests than by , lay ether of his Majesty's subjects. ' 44 •That ever since the year 1819, the agricetteral distresses hare become progressively ruinous, and are at the present moment so alarmingly great, as to scourge landlords and tenants with the dreadful consequences of poverty, hank ruptey, and the foreclosure of all estates mortgaged pre viously-to the push', of the Curve-cy Act. ".That subsequently to the conclusion of peace in lOU, the landedinterests, notwithstanding their efforts In suppers of along and expensive war, still continued to prosper; bet unhappily for the interests of Viis useful class of his Maje , - ty's *objects, a spolieting obangain the currency toolcplace. whit* involved landlord and tenant in total ruin, by placid; their estates at the disposal of mortgagees, and the enriched Ind still enriching fundholder. • ." That severely as the distreises are felt mad patiently btree by the landed interests, they are induced to expect that Parliament can and will afford their assistance, and in the present session devi-e and adopt measures of relief." Mr. (IWYNNIC then observed, that he underst.iod an- other set of resolutious would be presented to the meet ing—he would not say to them which they ought to adopt. He had read what were in his opinion proper for the occasion. When the meeting heard the uthers, let them decide. All he was ensious for was, th they should agree that great distress existed, and (which inset fellow) that it required a remedy. Let them cry aloud to the Legislature that distress existed among them; or if they did not, great miseonstraction would be elsewhere put opon their silence. It would be said that they were wallowing in luxury and comfort, and therefore did sit complain; but if it so happened that the 'freeholders of Brecon felt no distress—if they had escaped films the many evils which fell upon the landed interest in all other parts of the country, let them at least hare some feeling for those who did suffer, and let theta on this oc ' elision lift op their voices for their relief. But he knew 'that they, in common with others in the country, felt the prevalence of distress—that they had not the means of selling their corn at a fair and remanerating price—that as a neural consequerce of tenants not getting a market for their produce, the landlords were without rents. Theft were troths which every man who heard him felt, and, as they did feel, he called upon them to join in a petition for relief. He begged it might be distinctly understood that this was no party question—it was no contest of one set of political opinions against another. Fur his own part, he yielded to no man in loyalty and affection to his King and the constitution of Isis country, but neither the use nor the other was compromised iu praying fora relief frosn what he felt to be a grievance. He would mit up no party feelings with this qnestion. He felt as all who heard him felt the pressoreof distress, and he was net ashamed to avow it. The distress which was now weighing down the landholders did not concern them alone—the other classes must eventually be involved in it ; for if the landlord got no rent, the tradesman's bill must rbmais unpaid, and thus, as links in the general chain of society, they must all suffer. l'hc relief which lie sought went not, as lie had said, to the hp's) , of any other class, and therefore could not be opposed by them. Let them, thee. all petition to their representatives for relief, which would be given. Their representatives would listen to their voice, or, if they refused, let them have the mant ness to avow it, and, at another election, freeholders would choose representatives who would attend to their petitions. (Cheers.) He concluded by moving the reso i Before any gentleman seconded Mr. Gwynne's mo ion, lIIINRY W►LLmaiis, E•q., came forward. He said. though he agreed wilt the hon. gentleman who had just sat down, in the existence of the distress, and the neces sity of a speedy remedy, and also in many of the opinions embodied in his resolutions and petition, yet he could not concur with him in the whole. He would state• to the meeting what were his opinions, and for this purpose would read to them certain resolutions, and a petition founded on them, which he had sketched. Ile then read the following resolutions, and a petitices founded on them : " That the agricultural community of the United Kingdom is in a most unprecedented and alarmingstate of depression; and that it is use conviction of this meeting, that un l ess speedy and energetic measures are adopt. d by his Majesty's Government, that a large isroportion of the owners and oc cupiers of land, together with their families, will be involved in inevitable ruin. "That it is one of the first principles of political economy to distribute tie burdens necessarily imposed for thegenerat welfare of the State impartially among the different classes of individuals composing such State, who are entitled to equal protection from the laws and institutions of the Uo vernment. " That such impartial distribution does not exist under the system at present adopted for raising the supplies, inasmuch as the landed Interest contributes in a much larger propor tion towards the exigencies of the State than any other class of his Majesty's subjects: as, for instance, the laud tax, the maintenance of the poor, and the reparation of the high ways, ere burdens exclusively borne by the owners and oc cupiers of land. •That it is the opinion of this toasting that the adoption of the following measures will materially conduce to the general welfare and relief of Um agricultural community— namely, d direct tax upon all monied property in the same proportion as the tax already levied upon land; a fair sad equal distribution among all daises of his Majesty's sub jects,of the expense incurred in the Maintenance of the poor, and the reparation of the highways; a resters' revision and amendment of the laws relating to the currency and the im portation of agricultural produce; a system of strict econo my and retrenchment of the public expenditure ;and, lastly, the abolition of all places and pensions, excepting those con ferred as rewards for meritorious public services." The lion. Gentleman then read the petition. These (continued Mr. {Williams) were his opinions. The principal objection which lie had to the resolutions of his Hon. Friend (.tlr. liwynne) related to those parts where he spoke of the currency. His own opinion was, that the act which produced such an alteration in the currency was premature ; hut he thought, and this was the opinion of men most conversant iu the commercial world, that the repeal of the act at present would only tend to re-produce the evils which it at first created— would cause a revulsion as much to he dreaded as that no, der which the coun'ry had already suffered. Mr. °WY:SICK here begged to explain. His object was nob.the repeal but the revision of that act, for lie admitted that the repeal at this moineut would again plunge the country into many and serious evils. Mr. P. Wi Lt 3 awe, in continuation, said, that his ob ject was the sae , as that of his lion. Friend. He bud no party views to gratify. lie admitted the distress, and he earnestly sought for the means %hie!' were in his opinion best calculated to relieve it. The Key: Cuts. Gan-rims now seconded the resolu tions and petition of Air. Williams. Mr. H. BOLD second. d (pro forma) those of W. Owy Roe, that they might be read, though he did net Genoa is them.. NIP= the pnl‘ and 1 2) . jud voi tiv. , dre