The Statesman. — London, England, 1820-12-21 00:00:00

lIEETING INH ABITANTSV On S outstay the meeting of the inhabitants of this o f which notice had been given by advertisement for some days pant, was held in the Pantheon, all parts of which were crowded to excess before the hour of meeting arrived. It is computed that between three and four thousand persons were present, bat a very contider;oie number of the inhabitants, and even seve ral of the gentlemen who had called the meeting, were enable to get in. all the accesses to the interior of the place being (bolted up by persons endeavouring in vain to obtain adminsi ,o. Shortly before the preses of the meeting took the chair, the meeting paid a well•nmerited compliment to theirvenerable townsman, Mr. Archibald Fletcher.— lie was received, as soon as he was noticed making way to a chair, which the committee intrusted with the arrangements bad provided for him, with three dis tinct cheers, and the greatest demonstrations of re spect. At twelve o'clock Mr. islets Ginsote rose, and pro• posed that Japes Muncreilf, E►sq., should be called to the chair, which was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Monomer took the chair amid great applause. lie said he was deeply sensible of the honour the meeting had conferred upon him, and assured them that he would discharge his duty to the best of his ability. The meeting were assembled, he observed, to exercise an Important constitutional right, the pri vilege of petitioning their King, the Sovereign of a free people, and respectfully to lay before him the acts of his responsilVe servants. It was by the ex prission of opinion at such assemblages that public liberty was preserved, and no state could lay claim to freedom where such meetings do not exist. Time learned gentleman then pointed out to the meeting the propriety of preserving order and decorum in their deliberations; and, as he knew of nothing which could prevent the inhahitants of Edinburgh from exercising their political franchise, so he had the fullest reliance on their good sense, that they would Lid ddi ire to ttessopt that might hr wade to produce any thing like tumult or disorder. Assem blod as t lice were to consider and discuss measures of a pu'llit ',tire, there might be differences of opinion; but he re l nested, that the greatest attention should be paid to those who might differ in opinion front the majority of the meeting. _ Ht. 31oNeat's: than read the requisition to the Lord Provost. He t.aid, that whatever observations any gentleman might think proper to make, he trusted would be confined to the objects expressed in the requi sition, and that-personalities of every kind would be avoided. He then called on the gcnslemen, who bad et„cr•l the requisition, to state their sentiments. .11r. Ji ir tttT rose, and was received with universal cheering. Ile said, that the motives the gentlemen had in view who signed the requisition were highly lin siorAhle to them ; but as it might be necessary to state to the meeting their reasons, he bad been requested by some of his friends to explain them. lie apologised fir being km prepared titan he could have wished, uM ing to his otheravocations, to enter upon the subject with that knowledge of it which it required ; but, not withstanding, he would Padeavour to explain to the meeting, with all the ability in his power, the objects of the requisitionists. Ile had, perhaps, been rather tardy in ateeolling tiseettage of this description. He was food of .esireutent, and had seldom leisure, from his other pursatite, to give the necessary time to enable him to al-ed s•ch meetings with effect. The present state of the times, however, was such, that to risk personal •bloquy was of no concern when the interest of the country required our attention ; and it was with pleasure he InW aronnd him many persons who, hr the first - time in their lives, had ever attended such meetings. When it is considered, that within a short period the middling and lower orders of the people have heretrie, from time dissemination of knowledge, intelligent, and, of course, have lately ri-en into rreat political consequence, he saw some measures were indispensably necessary to allay the discontent which prevailed ; one great cause of which, he believed, home. ti-d from the want of an elective franchise, for *Lich seine practical remedy sbould he applied. Oo irg partly to a want of this privilege were to be as cribed the strange notions which many persons enter tained of political reform. Hr was of opinion that were meetings of this kind sometimes held, they would correct those erronrons views, and silence the calum nies of those whose policy and the obvious tendency of their conduct is to confound with the well-meaning the worst enemies of the State. The policy of the p ot Government hail hero to divide the people into tw • classes, which had, he contended, the worst ten dency. if the persons in the lower ranks of life see ttieir rulers disregarilfol of their interest, and return ing to their petitil,nr sinners nut even conveyed in courteous language, it is then time fur the higher ranks tointerfere. There is only one remedy, and it is that the upper ranks should stand forward and snpport these of the roll., who, feeling their r4glits, seek re dress in a rcspeettul manner. The Learned Gentle man then noticed the very orderly and proper beha triOlf of the Meeting. He said there v. as une topic on whick 4 lie would say a few words. He referred to the assertions, that a number of the petaxis who signed the requisition had adhibitcd their names for the par. p ee of get i g into ps.tver, a• d that they were hungry expectatitsaoffise. The utter falsehood of such obloquies leas almost too obvious and apparent to require refute ; but be would ask, who are they who are charged with this They are those who ..re struggling against 'pilfer, and who might hare gained it by preferring posit to principle, their wish being to leave a land of peace and liberty to their posterity as the best boon they could bestow. Fur his own part, he solemnly de clared that he would nut accept place or etuolumeat to which he bad not a fair and a just claim. He bad no desire for office. He and his friends whom be found groom, him h ail, by their own exertions, alone brought themselves to the situation in which they now were ; they lived gaily and merrily; and, for his own part, he did not relish lite constraint the possession °fake mast bring along with it. He therefore considered the charges brought against him and his fries& hi bet law ralumeimm, absurd, and false; and AMMO be treated that the counsels width *ore advocated by the party to which be belonged wouipl be adopted, be was not sanguine enough to think that a Whig Admit.' trade, would penuaseotly gala an asoesJaotpt but should such be the sass, it withl sots iii ion teat some of their present epposests would oak over to their party, and share donitors wMe4 II tin be enjoyed. It had hoes Poly obiervid, thy every wit should bear in mind the seep* and ol.ect or this regal. si tion. that it was in etireopiesee it the la grant nse re daet of Ministers, in their foreign and domestic policy, that the distress which delisted the country had been brought about. He did lint think the* the state of the country would be much improved sinless a complete change of the present systeni was adopted. It was of little consequence whether the secusers of the Queen were or were not brought to punishment, if the measures of their conduct weals nterTirered;( It was their wasteful and uwptecodented expeaditure of the public money which was the root of all the evil under u hich the country laboured, and he would fear lessly assert, that if no remedy is applied it would be impossible to escape from the ruin which threatened us. The learned gentleman them made some pointed observations on the impolicy of the restrietioos on trade. Nu man, he said, who Is acquainted with the history of the times, cam be ignorant of the high and commanding attitude which this country bad attained iu 1614, in the eyes of the world; sod when hostili ties were again renewed, for the ostensible purpose of restoring and establishing freedom to Europe, the unrivalled prowess of British soldiers laid prostrate at our feet the usgatz_ power which seemed . to oppose I the object iirview. 'Mut how was the ailtantage im proved? It was altogether lust, and the sole purpose of the war seemed to be the aggrandisemeut of the greater powers of the Continent. One small state after another was seized by the more powerful ; and while Britain could have put an effectual stop to such aggressions, she evinced the most callous indifference; thus giving the lie to the professions she 1111141 C at the time when the continental people roused themselves to shake off unlawful pourr, and thus entailing upon the name of Britons a reproach and a stain which will not be soon wiped off. The Learned gentleman then made some remarks on the domestic policy pursued by tiovernmen:, and contended, that it WAS in vain to disguise, anal vain to deny. that no Ministry ever held the political franchise in such abhorrence, and this feature of their conduct, among other% deserted particular no tice. Ile then alluded to the employment of spies sad informers, which, he observed, had given a blow to the moral feelings of the people. The effects of this system had been, in point of fact, that those in formers were the very means and instigators of the disorders, fur the commission of which others suffered. The object of the Government was too apparent to be mistaken ; a spirit of disaffection was excited by these means, and the more opulent part of the community, alarmed fur their safety, were then told, that unless they rallied round the Government, their rights and their property would be involved in one co tttttt on ruin. He severely con ( donned the selfish principles which actuated the Government in having recourse to such proceedings, and animadverted en the terms of the thanks which his Majesty was advised to give to the magistrates of Manchester for the melancholy catastrophe which occurred in that town, and that too, before the truth could be known or investigated. Ile gave no opi 4.aissa so lb. lowlier, or illegality Wile,. sleeting ;1 Manchester; but Ministers had betrayed their duty to , their Sovereign, by advising thanks to be given to ;he Magistrates, when nothing more could hr known than that the blood of his subjects bad been shed. Ile was bontsd, when he took notice of this subject, to Col gr.tulate this meeting on the praise-worthy for bearance and conduct of she Magistrates in this country at the same time, especially at Glasgow, by which the country had been saved from witnessing the effusion of blood, and a most salutary example had been set to Magistrates in similar situations. '1 lie Learned Gentleman then noticed the conduct of the Government in removing Earl Fitss intim from an taco of taut, merely because he attended a meeting similar to the present—a measure which he considered ascalculated to make and to keep up an odious distinction between the higher and the lower ranks of the country. With regard to the proceedings against the Queen, be had neither leisure nor inclination to wade through the mass of pollution and obscenity which hail occupied the Upper House of the Legislature of the cquu. try. Ile would not now enter upon the question of gnilt or innocence; but after the opinion which the great majority of 'louse of Commons had expressed, he looked upon it as the most uncalled fur and most impolitic course to persevere in the proceedings against this illustrious female. A small majority of the Mi nisters had ventured to say, that the course which bad been adopted was called fur to preserve the morals of the country; never was so shallow a pretext made for any measure. Yet the proceedings were persisted in day after day, and month after month, with. out any precise object, and against the declared senor of the country. Addresses have ham poured in to her Majesty from all quarters. This showed the teenage of the people to be decidedly stalest the measure; for Ministers bad not obtained, not even front a close cor poration, one address in favour of their proceedings against the Queen. It was almost unnecessary, he ob served, to remark on the going forward and the going backward, which marked the signal stupidity and inca pacity of the projectors of the measure. They were knocked down at every set-to, which proved that they should be put out of the ring to giullaeoto more skilful 1 emstbatants. He then remarked on the impropriety of pro. 1 roguing Parliament at a time when so mash basiness bad lain over from the preceding session. And then to prorogue Parliament without a speech: even with out a Court-circular, showed the fear whim Minis -1 ters entertained of meeting Parliament. It is quite `clear from their manner, that they don't know what to do, and in point of fact there is ao Govern ment at all, so that the petition is not fur their execution; but only an order fir the interment and carrying off the dead. The learned gentleman ' made some oheservatioets ea the incapeelty of mu ' sisters to extricate the toiletry hoes its dithcalties, and remarked that it was net by new measures of 1110114011 that the .astute/ wield be Minya. Mt thei l melt eoleedele ow by Wing famine to Tides( sw& He emoslefled ui ti main the reee- Ivies% and set isms NNW &mtg. le the course el hie spee:h the imbed guidelines' wag te pees/41r isterrepsell by the engem ef the wain. ImAN. Mr. Herne seronded the maddens. In does like these, be said it was the die,' of every loyal tubject to press upon his Majesty's attention the saad proceedings of his advisers, which, if they do mat plunge the country in confusion, tend greatly i* abridge its liberty. The CIMAIRMAN then read the first resolution, which was unanimously adopted ; and when he bad sancluded rending the second, a gentlethan, whose mane we understand is Arun, rose for the purpose of opposing it. After some confusion he said, that a more complete Am than the present had never been acted on any Mage, and that however much the learned gentleman's speech might be praised, it was for a duassebk purpose. On hearing this expression, loud cries of " 'I urn him out" mounded from all parts of the meeting. The Citatsossi reminded them that every gentle man, whatever his °pillions might he, ought to be listened to with Attention; but he would not allow nay gentleman to use improper or indecorous lan guage._ Mr. R. B. BLTTN suggested, that the raptession might have been used inadvertently, and that if the gentleman apologised for it, he might be allowed to proceed. Mr. Avrow then expressed his sorrow for using so objectionable words, and sat down after repeating " up with Flyn, the Tories out, the Whir in." A geetleman thought that the second resolution did not go far etiotigh, and proposed that in the present embarrassed state of the finances, the meeting should offer themselves to carry on the business of the Adnii• nistration without fee or reward. The Chstastot said that he was afraid the meeting would he rather a nnmeroul Administration. The third and fourth resolutions were then read and adopted. SIR J. A. Attila/IT roe', and in a very eloqdent speech condemned the mea.nres that had been poryurd by Government in re•pert to the Italian itmes, and especially the ceviiini of Genoa to its natural ene mies. On the fifth resolution bring read, Mr. Coc►at;ne rise, and made some pointed obser vations on the bad effect which the employment of spies and informers had on the morals of the people. The Learned (lentlecoan (looted a passage from Iturke, as to the noble and spirited character of the nation in his time; since then, however, there has been a chasm between the governors and the governed, which is gradually widening, anti which, unless public spi rited men step' forward to prevent, will sink all orders in one common misery. After what bad been •aid by his Learned Friend, with regard to Spies, he slid nut think it nec essary to say any thing farther ; but he could not help remarking, that it must have struck the most superficial observer, that for the last sit years, there had nut been an instance where spies had been brought to punishment; their vocation had, in our days, been a trade, and he was afraii it was the only trade in which there had bee. no bankruptcy. Re quisitions had been circulated in different parts of the country, even from counties in the south of Scotland, to frame addresses to theSovereien,in which it is stated,that blasphemy and sedition prevail among the people. Yet, as a complete answer to these c dummies, thoesalsos not in ali Scotland a single person under such charges. Ries these charges against the peopte had hems denied by the King himself, in his answer t• the Court of Alsiermes, in which his Majesty said, that the great hotly of the people were loyal. The Learned gentle man paid a I onspliment to the press, anti to the hies. sings the conntry enjoys from its being unrestrained. He then alluded to the meeting, which, he said, was only a forerunner to others of a similar description, as their esansple would, he trusted, be followed all over the country. The public might then see the Town Councils sending up their addresses and other persons smuggling them undiscussed, without being appalled by such conduct. The other resolutions, and the address to his Ma jesty, which was so echo of the resolutions, were seve rally read and agreed to by acclamation. Mr. Jamas titnsom ruse anti said, that the elo- Tulare of the Learned Hentlettian. sad the appearance of the present meeting, gave the lie to all the calun►- sies which had been uttered and circulated by persons who described them as the scum of the earth. The object of the Whigs in no instance had been a scramble for power, or they might long ere this have b, en in possession of it, 'nil he was persuaded if a change did mot take place, a revolution would ensue. After some observations on thrimpulitic conduct of Ministers, he moved that the Dnke of Bedford. F.arl tire!, Lord Holland, or Lord Erskine, be requested to present the address. Mr. ANDREW St ovt seconded Mr. Oibson's motion, which was agreed to. lie had great pleasure in w.t• no wing this meeting, arra in bearing testimony to the service of the Whigs to the ountry ; even in the short peetsdpf their power, they had abolished the slave trod^ the disgr ice of the age. and had quitted office foe adherence to the principles of religions toleration. A Committee was then appuiited to Airtime the oh jetts of the ineetiag. Mr. .loam CLenit rose. and proposed the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman, fur his able conduct in the chair. Mr. J. P. GRANT seconded the motion, and con gratulated the abetting on the order and decorum which bad prevailed. As it was one of the blessings of our constitution that they might meet and /sprees their opinion on public measures, he, thereture, trusted they 'meld again meet, whenever occasion required. as sack public convent ions were attended by the best rimirisesees.—The motion was then. carried with ghat applause. Dlr. Joan Ca•to then proposed, anti the meeting resolved to return thanks to the gentlemen by warm it bad bean called. _ The Unatsatan then dissolved the wetting, after ststiwg how witch he had been gratified hy the deco rum aid order which had bees obsenrid. numith. standing the tory crowded state of aU parts of the building, lie begged them tu sere oat 'try sLwly, to prevent awideats. l'ho weedy them dispersed is the west orderly Ilia SIM*. Owing to the etawd, ne EdialatrgA Current states that the reporter au pretested free giving wore than as mediae of the speech... That of Mr. Jeffery, it llPPears, wag ocirercally admired, for it. eloquence, attest of information, wit, and good humour. The proceedings of the meeting listed for above three Morin. ORIGINAL POETRY. TUE CoMET. AN INOUE/PTV, ON HISSING A rummy OUTPUTS ?NAT ~ORLIC n►IVION ITAD lv TIM QVISN'S CASK SNOT LISS ♦ COMET TUMOVSN IRS BRITIAN ISLA. A Comet led over the land. And hriehr, 'neath Its radience. was seen n Angel of justice to stand, roteeting an Innocent Qt ten. Oppression sifts dumb with affright, And tyranny hambrd in dust ; While Barrens, with joyous delight, Encircled with born ber best. PAID of Pits. thy harp shou'd have sung In its softness the plahlt of her *oe ; Tfiy Noise warmed the hearts of the young While the egad vilth pity &ergots. at lilt are the airbags of thy tyre, pleasure breathes odorous dew ;• A thodsand mny feel the deslre: • The Genius %dont is with you. Thee 'wake, lot the seraph of joy The visions of pleasure dispel ; Thy highly-gift talent ociploy, Wer angering virtues to tell. A halo' of briThiness iIIIIMPS The Wormers sil'', Ilrltoos adore; When her enemies •ink in their tombs In her name shall posterity glom'. And proudly our children shall bout, When power depotie's leere'd, 'That 'Taut. resumes a host Which, unitud, can neer be ciierturnid. Ent the fiykt of the viefe•r is pest, Anil the omen airsick KIN.. with dianiay And the preitst have been feint with the blast, And their nadirs Is seatter'd array. One ffssyerteg kope-star of love, 'lids% the sttesky horizon is waist "ris the Aft of the purees above, Dot Noste htassamiatous lautan. C. M. W. • We believe the poet is now in Paris. - The diplomatiefioces which had been denied with boldness by The Curesiet, is at length acknowledged by one of his cotemporaries of the Ministerial press. " After what happened at Troppan," this joormlitt say', 6 , it is by no tnrans surprising that the Conrt of Vienna should n ish that Lord Stewart may he suc ceeded by another British Ambassador ; and it is equally probable that the spirited Lord may desire to be removed front a Court where be was provoked to resent an instilt to his King and coun•ry. We cer tainly regret (it is added) that the occurrence hap peaed." The advice' from St. Petershures, by the hot ar , rivals, are of the !4th ult. It had bean issagiard that the Emperor Alexander would have inlicteli a severe posaioimmeat-ow she twfriaMerlillopit. Ile has, hot - ever, dealt gessmoosly and tesiently with theta, hay ing hinted an order merely that the regiment should be disbanded. it would probably have bits!' imp9o si We to have passed a severe sentence on one portion of the troop*, without including the rensainticr, run misting of persous of the first families in Russia, whose iallaence was too p owerful to be opposed. The commercial letters mention that the navigation bad closed for the winter, in conwipence of the hard frosts. A Proclamation bas bred issued by Rohert Towns end Farquhar. Esq., Uovernor of the Island of Mau ritius, granting the freedom of that port. It men tions that his Majesty's Ministers being anxious to ex tend without delay to the Manrities, sad its depen dencies, the benefit of those enlightened principles which govern their measures with reference to com mercial relations with foreign powers, have directed that the trade between the island and its dependencies shall be conducted in such a manner is shall give ge neral satisfaction to the inhabitants. Certain regu lations are affixed to the Proclamation df his Excel lency, and are laid down in six distinct articles. This is as it ought to be. Yesterday. the Maass of Kent, the Princess Vic tort& and Feedort and unit, returned to her Royal Highness's apartments in the K►ing's Palace, Kerning ton, from a visit of some weeks to Prince Leopold at Claremont, and which was prolonged on account of the extreme mildness of the it&Suil. A DMUS. TO TUC Quers.—Yeeteriar, a Meeting of the Carpenters and Joiners of the meteopolks vras held in the Pulteney Assembly [Mom, sear °olden square, for the write of considegiug the propriety of an Addrees of lleogratalation to her Majesty.—Me. Jame. Armitage was called to the Cleeit, and briefy addressed the .Meetistg. by stating the objecafer which they were aseresbird, mad expressing his repast for a patient hearing of every gentleman who should ' deliver his sentiments for or against the Meeting Mr. limo then ruse, and. in a short speed'. proposed an Address to her Majesty. which being seconded, was unanimously agreed to, amidst loud applause.—Seve ral llentlemen afkerwards addressed the Weiss. as to the manner of pritseatio., the Address, atal in voting thanks to radiate public characters. and to the Chairman ; who then return( d thanks; and the meeting adjourned. Yesterday ntoritiag, about two o'clock. a ire broke out in a bcuse adjacent to liensiegton Palace, ad. joining to that M which Mr. Sicerd rebid's% which caused greet esuifesien in the Palace. There is no accounting for the origin of the /re; it tem discovered in one of the upper apartments shortly after it coo. • =roost. %rhea the parish engine arrived, aed rendered every assistance. 7be military was soon caileti mat. ' sea procredril to the Palace, mid mutinied until the fire was at as cod, which Listed several hours, but the lames were pt nosier by the arrival of the engines from Lomita. Daring the time the fire continued it burned wish great fury ; every etertion was made to more the property, which roved successful t bet the roofs ?f two bosses, that of Mr. Shard's. and the see adjoining. were emayletely destroyed. We an set ia formed of any farther oceideet. I „ _. F