The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-01-17 00:00:00

IP J - These were, however, the precedents oh which Mi. nisters relied, those very precedents which they ought most sedulously to have avoided. Thetefore lie would contend, that the proceedings of Ministets 4 founded on such base evidence, their lending themselves to tier man diplomatists, their lending themselves with so Much pfompdtude to the will of &Sovereign who -had separated from his consort, rendered them wholly un fit to continue in the situations which they at present held.---(Cheers.)--.-They ought not to be permitted hencefbrth to move in the same path of danger and : Of mischief in which they had been travelling for so many years.--(Applause.)—Ministers who felt them selves under the necessity of resorting to the agency of Italian accusers anti German diplomatists, were no fit to guide the again of this country. They had heard, to their utter astonishment, how far Ministers were now under, not the will of the -,:rople of England, but how far they wete undet thecontroland despotism of foreign govetnments.—(Cheers and hisses.)—They must surely have heard of combinations of sovereigns against the libertiesof the people of Europe.--(Cheers.) Now, though it *as not mentioned in the address Which had been placed in his hand, (for, as he had before stated, he was only the. substitute for their &Ale representative), and which he was about to shove ; still he regretted that the foreign relations of This country had not been alluded to. He regretted it On account of the doctrine maintained by the Holy Alliance. It was true the British Ministers had not placed their signatures to that alliance ; but they knew how intimately connected, how nearly Mended they were, with all the bad actions of that alliance. ---(Cheers.)---If he entered into a detail, it would he painful for him to express the disgust and abhorrence he felt towards many of the measures of the present Administration—especially their lending themselves to the prosecution, he might more propetly say, the persecution of leer Majesty.—(Cheers and hisses.) After doing that, he thought they had no right to hold a public and responsible situation in the government of the country. On these grounds, added to the private affection he entertained for their noble representative, he stood forward to propose an address to his Majesty ; and, as he had before said, if • there were any individual in that meeting who would bdttlly, manfully, and energetically state opposite opinions. and prove that his were wrong, he would most cheerfully confess his error.---(Applause.)—But he entertained a confident hope that the meeting, with the exceptioet of those few individuals who had (expressed their dissent, would carry, with ac clameigns, the address which he now had the honour to propose.—(Cheers.) Tbe UNDER SHERIFF read the address, which, after 'pointing out the demerits of Ministers, prayed for their dkinissal. Earl FirzwtwAlt next came forward, and u-as re ceived with long-continued plaudits. his Lordship said he felt great pleasure in seconding the address, which contained no sentiment that did not appear to him to be perfectly correct. The conduct of minis ters appeared wholly ntjustifiable iu niany instances, anal in none more .0 than in the manner in which they treated the complaints of the people. Their miscon duct had produced conaiilerable discontent throughout the country ; hut, instead of endeavouring to allay it, by alletiating the hurdetta of the people, they had recourse to a great additional military force, by which the pothlie expenditure was increased . when it ought to be diminished. The charge of disloyalty and se dition, which had been so confidently made against the people, was founded on calumny, and calumny alone.--(Cheers). The people of England had re peatedly petitioned.--their petitions had been neglect. ed, and that this might generate discontent, he ad r•itted ; but lie maintained it to he compli taly proved that there never was such discontent in exist ence as could justify a standing army of eO,OOO men in time of peace. These were his sentiments ; lie spoke slim fairly to his friends and fellow-country p+-n. and feeling them to be well-founded, he would, ac•ii : r under their influence, support the proposition of h:s noble friend.—(Cheers). Mr. Founnam inveighed against the injustice of the proceedings in the ease of the Queen, and pointed out tt:e absurdity, as well as cruelty, of delegating the anamalous powers of prosecutors. judges. and jurors, to the same hotly. The speaker then proceeded to call the attention of the meeting to the enormous minding army which was at pr. sent kept up. on which ministers depended for support, be their actions what might. If they had not been conscious that they had a large armed force in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, they would not have dared to institute proceedings against the Queen. In conclusion, the speaker, after pointing out the necessity of parliamen • tarn reform, proceeded to read a resolution on that sub ject, which he meant to mote. The INera %tenter said the meeting was con- Treed under a particular Act of Parliament, and he could not put a resolution, the subject of which was not mentioned in the requisition. Mr. MERES r said there never wan, at any period of their history, a greater necessity fur the people of this . cisuotry to meet and sprak theireentiments than at the present moment, threatened as they were by a total subversion of that constitution which their forefathers had purchased with their blood. Ministers had for the last 15 months been. /bridging that constitution with mischievous activitl: From all their actions, it appeared that the policy of the present ministers was to govern the pe, , ple of this country by military des potism and arbitrary power.---(Cheers.)--Instead of endeavouring to put down any disaffection which might hare existed in the country by wise and liberal useasur:.s. what had they done ? They had agited the country from: one end to the other, and brought it to the brink of revolution, by introducing a proceeding unknown to the constitution. When they saw ruin and desolation staring them in the face; when they saw the manufacturer and the agriculturalist involved in one common ruin, they naturally asked to whom all this was owing ? Time answer must be, to his Ma kitty's ministers, who seemed to be as dead to the dan gers that surrounded the country, as they were to those that threatened the Crown.---(Cheers.)—ln loy constitution, and attachment to the 'House inswick, he would yield to no man. He would every thing that was dear to him in their de s should consider himself unworthy of tit* Boglishatan if he did nut • come boldly fur- ~.--,-. 1' • alty to the of Brunstrii sacrifice ere fence; but Luse of En • i 0 , 11.... Y i ~, r want, 01 as mild, to •hie) and his country The Rey. hfi purity of the female character, aad he loved his So vereign, and would sacrifice bis life and property in his defence, and he prised liberty as highly as he did his lift. But though he loved his Sovereign, he could not at present express affection and attaelitnest to him, when he knew that he had degraded the fe male character. After expatiating on his Majesty's treatment of the Queen, and on several other topics, the re►erend gentleman proceeded to read an amended address, the first line of which stated that the parties addressing " view with the greatest regret and ab horrence the conduct of your Majesty." (Here a vio• lent storm of disapprobation prevented the Reverend gentleman from proceeding.). The UNDER Sasairr.---There never was a man more favonrble to free discussion than the High Sheriff of Cambridge; but he is commissioned by the King, and he would disgrace his Ace and himself if he allowed any offensive language to be used towards his Soeereign.—((ieneral cheering)—Eientlensen, you are quite conscious that the High Sheriff has an awful duty to perform toward his Sovereign, and I trust he will be protected in protecting that Sovereign from insult.—(Cheers.) Mr. LITTLE opposed the address. He defended the conduct of Ministers, who, he affirmed, had never done any thing since they came into power prejudi cial to the interests of the King or of the people. They had terminated the late war n►ost gloriously, they had raised the British name all over the world, they had given freedom to Europe, and had transport ed to a rock in the Atlantic, the despot who womb! have enslaved her for ever. In conclusion the worthy gentleman said, " In holding up your hands for the address, you are literally holding them up against your Sovereign."—(Much disapprobation.) The I•NDEa Sitcuarr.—The High Sheriff of this county will never hear it said in his presence that any individual is hostile to his Sovereign. The lion. tient. ought to explain words so offensive to as all. Mr. LITTLE, as we understood, said he did not mean the expression in the strict sense in which it was taken. The questi.ri was then put, and carried affirmative- I; by an immense ni.jority, not more than 12 hands being held up again-t it. . . F. I'vat, Esq., after a short speeds, moved that the address be presented by the Lord Lieutenant of the County and the two County Members— Vreed to. Thanks having been voted to the High Sheriff and to Lord F. 0. Osborne, the meeting, which consisted of about 2.000 persons, was dissolved. said it was ' being might ha the rejection of the petition.—(Applanse.)— The very act of petitioning the House of Commons implied that the petitioners considered it a legal House of Commons, for why all, as a favour what the Haile of Commons, if not legal, could not grant ?—(rsey great applause.) Major CARTWRIGHT conceded to the term, apd tote ,, petition so amended was unanimously agreed to. e Mr. Worms' next addressed the meeting, and mold three resolutions, which were carried unanimously. Mr. CLARKE moved the next Resolution; and de clared that, as a radical, he cordially went along with every sentiment it cootained. He observed that Mr. Pitt had declared it to be his opinion that, without a Reform in Parliament, no honest man could be a Minister of the Crown. He would not say that Mr. Pitt had himself falsified this doctrine, but the cha meters of some of the present Members of the Cabinet proved it to be unjust and founded in error.—(Diu approbation.)—He was far from implying any appro bation of the measures which the present Ministry had pursued—(ipplanse)—but the private virtues of some of them were too well known to be disputed.—(Hisses and uproar.)—lie verily believed that some of the pee. sent Ministers, however mischievous and unjust their measures bad been, were so convinced of the rectitude of their conduct, that they had, as far as their own litolings were cuueerned, all the merit of thorough paced patriots.—(tireat tumult, and cries of " name them, name thent.")—lie would name Lord Liverpool —(hisses)--Lord liarrowhy—(increased expression of disopprobation)—Lord Sitimoutli—(Loud laughter.) The uproar became now so general and loud, that Mr. Clarke found it necessary to retire. The resolu tion lie had uwved was agreed to unanimously. Mr. MILLS moved that the petition be presented by the county Members, and animadverted on the con duct of Mr. Sheriff Weidman, in refusing to call this meeting. Mr. MA LLPTT seconded the motion ; but, in the ab sence of Mr. Waithman, he was proud to stand up in his cause.----(Shouts of applause.)--Never was con sistency more valwible than at this time, and no where could they find a man inure consistently aealons for the rielits and liberties of the people than Mr. IVaith man---((ireat applause)•—who would support what be conceived to be right and constitutional while lie had breath in his body.----(Applause.) Mr. HYNU said lie would present it with the great est possible pleasure—(Applause.)—having been uni formly through life a friend to Parliamentary Reform. --(Great applause.)--Hut lie had always expressed, in the must derided manner, how far he would support reform. He had agreed with Mr. Grey in early life, and with Mr. Lambton. Ile had wished then, and be wished now, to see the rotten boroughs cut off, and the must populous places rioesesiteil in their stead, and to see all inhabitant householders, payir.► direct taxes, admitted to vote.---(Great amid continued plaudits.)--- The right of represtotation had originally been gives to all considerable towns, at least to all who were able to pay a representative. This principle of representa tion, long lost sight of, ought to be restored.---(Ap plause.).-+1 great many mercantile and manufac turing interests had siiiee arisen ; it was therefore pre-1 posterioss, from fear of innovation, to refuse to destroy the rotten boroughs, and to give to the people what they were clearly entitled to.---(Bravo, th.it's fair.)—lf the people came forward, he was confident reform would be granted.---(Applanse.)--The Cron a had not snffi cient power to carry any measure without the decisive voice of the people. If they would only be firm and moderate, and not admit revolutionary opinions, and if they would only state their whole oojert in so many words, they would take away from their enemies the pretence for abusing them under the name of Radicals. --(Applause and partial hissing.)---Those they called radicals lie called reformers.--(Applause.)--Universal suffrage and annual parliaments hail been brought be fore the House of Commons in I s Is, and there were only the two tellers to vote for the motion. .tt the general election, which soon followed, lie had hero told that be had voted against the mut' , and he found, during his renvass, universally, that such was not the reform which his constituents wanted.--(Ap plause, and a few hisses.) —Ile was sorry to see division emons; them, when they ought to unite heart and hand to reform abases.--(threat applause.)--Ile would set his face against all abuse of Whigs or Radirals.---(Ap plause.)---Ile hail been thirty years in their service, am' he knew well the warm attachment of his heart to their interests ; lie felt no separate or distinct interests from theirs, and he felt therefore assured of a due 'slue in their affections.---(Long and continued cheering.) Mr. tr nurnarail next came forward, and was re *sired with great cordiality. lie was always happy to meet the freeholders of Middlesex on any occasion, but at present he felt a greater pleasure than he had ever done since he had the honor of being connected with them, bet arse he was anxious to show that be was the same reformer now when he sat as their re presentative, as he had professed himself when a can didate for their suffrages.— (Applause.)--Ile conivl assure them that Le was wore strenuous in the cause of reform than ever; fur the more lie reflected on the subject, the more firmly was he convinced of the ne cessity of reform.--(Cheers.)---ile was at present too young a man to give any decisive plan of re-firm that should bind him ever after ; but this lie would Ray, that he should never be pleased till lie saw the House of Commons so consfitued that its members should not be ashamed of time manner in which they were elected. --(Applause.)- -till he saw that house different from what it was at present, when it was a breach of pit silege to say to any of its members, " You came in by bribery or improper oneans."--(Great applause.)--The topic had been so frequently and so ably discussed, that it eras extremely difficult to say any thing new on the subject ; but he bad an hesitation in declaring, that he would never cease to raise his voice in the cause of reform till the evils of whirls they complained were redressed.---(" Bravo bravo!")—lndeed, when they saw so 'many public mem who had started in life as reformers. and who had afterwards become the stress-, ass advocates of corruption, it would seem as if some secret 'veil bang over the cease of reform.--(Applanse.) —Althongh he was uowilling to propose aoy specific plan of /metal reform, yet there was one specis that be woad sups!, and that was to make the House of - • . ! independent of the Crown, in which ease the could have no interest or object, but the of the country.—(Applanse.) lie knew that some persons were milting in the belief that the failure of the Kill of Pains and Penalties had gives death-blow to reform, by showing that it was not M. cessary in the House of Commons. He thought, h ow , ever, that the failure of that measure had rather e rn , ed the eye* of the country to tls• necessity et • refi ne in parliament. The House of Consomme was first ia. mimed for the purpose of expressing the ()pintoes s the people: but the question of the Qum% whil e t sh.twad the power of the people, showed also that tile r were obliged to speak for themselves, *kat the 11, 4 4 of Commons as at present constituted would notspesh fur than.—(tireat applause.) If, :towever, the peopl e persevered in the rause of reform as steadfastly as th e y had done in the cause of the queen, they would be as suscessful in the one as in the other, unless indeed ministers thought they could govern the country with out the assistance of the people. If, even with tie assistance of their fire bills, they could not govern the country on the present system, let them dare to deny reform.—(lmmense applause.) Thanks baring been voted to the Chairman fm his able and impartial condurt, the meet' ng dispersed. REMARK:ME CASE OF FORGED STAMPS. .._. 4 ,.._._ TO THE EDITOR OF THE STATESMAN. Stu—The gross insensibility with which the Di rectors of the Batik persist in their blood-spilling 'vs !nu, calls upon every man of humanity, and esp. cially upon every /cgoi man to contribute his assist once to'protect the needy and the unguarded from falling victims to that cruel system, anal to such purse-proud hard-heartedness. You, who are always ready, indeed, I may say, foremost, to volunteer in such a noble service, will not refuse this article a place in your journal. If it does no other good, it may inspire the Jurors who shall hereafter try the selected sacrifices, of the Bank, with an additional portion of caution and of mercy. Ransacking my brains anal my memory for cases of eothrsics, and to conceive what can be the infernal spell of " forged Bank Notes," the following most re anarkahle case of colforiun, touching " Forged Stamps," recurred to nay memory, out of which, it strikes we, a quere may arise, how far a collusion could possibly exist between any person or persons connected in or about the Dank, and the monsters who make those mat. dermas forgeries. The case I am about to describe, is a ease of legal notoriety, well known to the Government, and was stated by the Counsel for the Crown upon a recent trial, at which I was present, in nay legal capacity. Until very lately, almost the whole of the Irish Stamp Duties, were consumed by plunderers ;forgt.s had so connected themselves with consumers, and es pecially with the bear o . gietri, that little or nu reve nue was produced to the Crown, whilst the meanest Clerks were living in splendour on the spoil. At a Session only a few years since, no less than fourteen persons, every one of %%loin were of respectable rank in life, were convicted, and have since Wen trans. ported for uttering Forged Stamps. Upon the trials of those unhappy men, the following ' most e.rtraordimary rase of eollaraiwa was stated to the Court by the Counsel fur the Crown : The preset'. Solicitor-General stated, that so exten sive, so universal was the fraud, and so closely inter woven, so admirably contrived was the col/traitor by which it was carried on, that Gertutsra Stamps were sold by the FORGER!, whilst their FORGED Mil were actually worked in his .11oftsty's Stootp-qfi.-e, whereby the frandnient customer was comple:ely protected, and the honest and honourable one exposed to Insall anal diverace, and put in peril of prosecution—nay, of conviction. The incredible, the amazing statement I have de scribed, coming from the council for the crown, pro duced, as might be expected, the greatest atten tion and curiosity, both of which were requited by his (the Solicitor General's) explanation of this matchless collusion and its providential detection. It appeared, that several stamps coining from per. suns of the most unexceptionable character, were arrested and detained as ji.rxeries, that a solemn ir• vestigation took place at the Sta►np Office, when it was pr... rd beyond all possibility of doubt, they were aelues.lp issued there:row. They bad on them the respective marks of the different officers and " teller:' through whose hands they had passed, and notwith• standing, they were the most turf:Peed Argerics. A spy was immediately set ui on the stamper who worked the die which bad been sa forged. O,S•luit ting the Office he was searched, the KING'A die was found in his pocket, and upon opening the bus in which the dies were deposited, when the day's bo‘'- ness was over, there was in it found the cormterliit. All that was left for the rascal was confession, which was to this effect. A certain forger in great prnetice had "sedated" hino into a "porta, rship." Every thy when his work was finished, jolliesd of returning the genaine dies to the supervisor, (whose duty it was to take charge of them), he gave him the/urged dies of his confederate. which never was suspected. That the genuine din were worked all the ercalag at the horse of thefroger. and replaced by him (his Majesty's stamper) the fo!- lowing morning. One morning, unhappily for those jugglers, hi' Majesty's " pith/al sciruat" was by tickue•a or some other fidelity, detained front his oilier, and another stamper was put to his press. The pour deaf fellow could nut exchange his dies, consequently the Ji.orged die was worked the entire of that day, asd impressions issued in thoesands to the public. Ir was by means of those impressions going ford, as I have before stated, that the fraud w•is detected• Finsbury-place, riouhur)-square. B• flltcettsrtato —We are very happy to state, on the best niedieal authority, that the epidemic fever in town has greatly snbsided amongst the higher apt! wl. l * dling classes ; and, from the report furnished hy the committee of the Dispensary, it will be found, that. from tb middle of November, when the disease first sr peered, out of 369 patients who have been admitted fiats that excellent institution, 12 only have died ; and , if 're state, that, in the whole, 71M1 persons, out of a popele* Hon of 16,000, have been afflicted, we believe the (situ 14tion to be as near the truth as ran be attained. au actual enumeration of the caves. No Oradell """ been affected by the malady. THIS ST 11011111,414 f occasion like the present, as far as ise Mt. liretrudons said .Id his Sovereign from father insult, boot do word " legal" try from inevitable roil.--(Cheers.) bat the retaining of it Mr. blsanawr said, he admired the rioning the rejection of • . ,"16 . itazmi=tis=itili i not t Orli disputing Words retained intim petition. flito have the effect of occa- good MIDDLESEX MEETING FOR REFORM. Yesterday at 1 o'clock, the large room at the Mer maid Tavern, in Hackuy, was quite full, and Mr. P. Moore, Mr. Byng, Mr. S. Whitbread, Major Cart wright, and several other gentlemen, entered on the hustings, which were erected in one end of the room. Mr. P. Moose, being unanimously called to the Chair, read the requisition to the Duke of Portland, as Lord-Lieutenant, and his brace's answer, appoint ing this day for the Meeting. It would not ha►e dis graced or dishonoured the Duke of Portland to preside at the meeting, hut he neither attended nor sent any explanation.---(Shan►e.)---They had called hie (Mr. Moore) to the Chair, and he would obey. Major CARTWKIGR r moved three resolutions, and a petition to the House of Commons, in favour of re form. The worthy Major !:as so long and so uni formly advocated his favourite subject, that he has quite outlived his own novelties. and therefore it most be unnecessary to give his H ac kney e diti o n of this day. Dr. DH;PER said that Ministers, while they charged the nation with blasphemy, had themselves taken the faith of every good old woman in the kitigdom.--(4- platise.)—A very pious old woman had told him, with grievous sorrow and lamentation, that she had proved for Queen Caroline in the relit of King George 11. that she had prayed for Queen Charlotte till every word flowed by rote, but that when she prayed fut George IV. avid instinetively proceeded to pray fur his Queen, the clerk held his hand on her mouth, and cried, " frhols :"---(lmmense laughter.) The resolutions were carried unanimously. The petition, which occupied 25 minutes in the reading, was received with great approh.ition. It was seconded by M r . Mills. The Cii.visswi having pat the piestion, " that the petition now read be adopted." Mr. BI'NG came fo:ward amid lou I cheers. and said, that before the question put from the choir w.is decided un. he thought it his duty to state, that he a t freed most cordially in the purpose for which the present meeting had been convened. At the same time, how ever, he felt it right to state to the meeti.ig. that to wards the end or the petition words were ititrodutod which, if lie was not deceived, it was tint safe or pro per for them to adopt. They had uniliinhteillv a right to say that such anal such things were not constitu tional ; but while the House of Commons continued as it was at present constituted, lie apprehended that its members must be acknowledged as the lezal repre sentatives of the people.—(Disapprobation and cries of " No, no.") Every gentleman present had a right to judge **himself on this subject ; but as the peti tion had biltS read rather rapidly, he thought it his duty, as their representative, to apprise them that such words were introduced—(Applause) ; for if it were presented in that form, he apprehended it was doubtful whether the House of Commons would re ceive it. Before the business of the meeting drew to a Conclusion, it was his intention to state more fully his opinions on the subject of Parliamentary re form ; but at present he did think that these words would only weaken the effect of the truths stated in the petition, and give a handle to the euemies of re form.—(Loud applause.) - ~.-r ~ . . ~.-.- - At the request of Mr. Ryng, the Chairman reattthe objectionable part the petition. It prayed the Howe of Commons not to agree to any future taxes Imposed by the rotes of persons who were " not legal and sun• stitutional members" of the house. Major CARTWRIGHT explained the distinction be tween de Act(' and de jure, and contended that tbs. House of Commons Jr fiz...to was not the House m Commons de jure. %. 7j I .... r ... "Miry