The Statesman. — London, England, 1822-01-16 00:00:00

i • _ ,3111. 111 7 .11 E. —row— THANK!, OP 'rue INU WITANT HOUSEIIOLDWIS OW KEtOING TO JOSEPH ESQ. M.P. In compliance with a requisition presented to Henry Pease, Esq. Mayor of Reading, a Meeting of the in habitant Householders of that borough was convened, on Monday last, at the Guildhall, for the purpose of • cinsidering of " the propriety of expressing their gra titude to Joseph Hume, Esq. for his constant and un wearied exertions in Parliament. and more especially for his most laborious and minute detail and demon stration of the wasteful extravagance exercised in va rious branches of the national expenditure, and of the correptiog inileence thence arising; and for his stre nuous and indefatigable endeavours to promote a sys tem of economy, retrenchment and reform." The Mayor having been railed en to take the Chair, and baying addressed the Meeting on the butanes* of the day, HENRY dlAßen, Esq., then presented himself to the Assembly. At the recited of a number of Gentle men who had signed the requisition which bad just been read, he came forward to offer certain proposi tions for the consideration of those whom he had the honour of addressing. lie did so, because be consi dered it to be the duty of every Englishman to lend his assistance when he saw his country involved in the must serious distress. Various were the causes to which the dist d situation of the country was attri buted; for Ministers themselves could not deny—no person, indeed, could deny—that great distress did at present prevail. Different political writers, had, however, assigned different reasons for the existence of that distress. He believed those reasons might be divided under three separate heads. One class of po liticians told them that a redundant population was the cause : soother class declared that the distress of Cie country arose from a superabundance of food ; a third body stated, that it was the effect of an aggra vated taxation, rendered still mote burdensome by a wicked. unjust, and impolitic tampering with the cur rency of the country. Now, that distress should arise from a redondentipopulation, sod a superabundance of food at the same time, was such an anomaly, was so gross an absurdity, that it could not be treated se viowsly, it must give rise to feelings of levity. That there was a body who argued that the evils of the country arose from a redundant population, was known to every one ; and the mention of this sect put him in mind of an anecdote which he had heard, relative to the wife of a clergyman wall known in the literary world. 'this lady became such au enthusiastic prose lyte to alit anti-population doctrine, that she went to alt the cottages in the village where she resided, coup selling the single against marriage, and the married against procreation. lint the most pumling part of the matter was, that the husband of 'his lady (she herself, by the way, having been a very fruitful sine) was obliged, la the coorse of his clerical duties, to exhort the people to " increase and multiply,and replen ish the earth."—(banAter.)—lt was evident that their inerstors were unacquainted with this anti-population doctrine; for the veryformula of the Church of England demanded their sympathies and prayers for the lovely part of the creation, when in that situation which was generally the concomitant of the " holy state of ma trintony."—(Applause.) The very laws were opposed to this novel doctrine. Were not young men who re omitted in a state of celibacy taxed nearly doable?— Some individuals, indeed, had such bad taste, that they preferred taxation as the smaller evil of the two— (laughter) ; but still it could not be controverted that their cell), try was visited as be had stated. But there were those who declared that a superabundance of food created all this distress. Now surely it was an ex traordinary thing, that there should be at the same moment too many months, and too much meat for them. It was said, that every age became wiser than that which preceded it. And certainly, if this were tree, be could not help thinking how exceedingly ig norant the ancients must have been, seeing that they never thought of this fatuous doctrine. The father of Solomon, who was himself a wise man, (or perhaps he would not have reared so wise a son, ) amongst . _ other prayers for his people, wished that their garners might be replenished with all manner of stores, and that their sheep might bring forth thousands and tens of thousands in the fields ; and the reason he assigned for this was, that there might be no decay of the na tion—no leading into captivity, and no poverty in the land. Now he should be glad to know why, in the days of King David, abundance should be deemed a blessing, and in the days of King George, plenty should be considered an evil? There was another class of politicians ; and to that class lie felt a pride in belong ing. Ile meant those who thought there was neither too much food nor too many mouths ; but who pointed out the real cause why those mouths and this meat were not united in that way which the natural sym pathy which existed between mouths sod meat autho rised. They attributed this divorce to the immense extent of taxation.—(Applause.)—Under the present grievous system which prevailed le this country the very laws of nature were violated: for certainly one would as soon expect the needle not to be attracted by the magnet, as to find the people of England petition ing to go to the woods of America, or to mix with the wild beasts of Africa, in order to escape from that rain and distress which encircled them on every side, if it were not for the system pursued by Ministers.— lie would not here enter into a detail to show what ruinous effects excessive taxation produced with refer ence to all classes of society. Ile would merely ex emplify its tendency by referring to one article— barley. It could now be purchased at 20s. per barrel. Bat, when it was converted into malt, and from malt into beer, and, finally, retailed in the public-houses, it paid very little less than Ws. duty to Government. Perhaps he might be told, that as the amount derived from the tax was very large, it was fair to suppose that theme was no falling off in the consumption. But al wise Government would not look uterely on the pre. sent consumption. They would c msidcr what the consumption would probably be under other circum stances. And if the tax were taken off, there was so doubt but that every cottager would be enabled to procure that nutritious beverage, beer, in a manner at once comfortable to himself, and beneficial to the agricultural interest.—{Applause.)—fiat there was another thing connected with this excessive wisdom which, if not attended to, bade fair to destroy whal some gentlemen were very fond of talking about— ' reanalt ei 1 order. Mr. Mar di then proceeded totrace the effects produced by the substitution, at first. of paper _ ~_. ~~ _. r , "'" THE STATESMAN. , for gold. nal afterwards the sotrising coupe,.._ which followed the resumption of rash payments. When, said he. a change was mark in the system—the agriculturists immediately perceived what was the wet ter. They were not perhaps very wise; tint it was asto nishing how very cunning misfortune would make a man in • short time. Those gentlemen saw, that if pro duce went down to the money price which it brought previous to the restriction on cash payments, they would Not be able to continue in that rank of society in which they had so long moved. There were then two courses for them to pursue—either to cation Parliament to !mi ster up the prices, or to reduce the amount of taxation. Instead of coming forward with the rest of the commu nity. they took the first course. They said to Minis. ters, 6- bolster up the prices to meet our views, and we will par the taxes." But what in reality did they ask for I Why, that in an average of years, when a certain quantity of provision was selling in other parts of the world for one ounce of gold, that the same quantity of provision should in this country produce two ounces. The effect of this would be, to give a manifest advan tage to other States. Such a proceeding would operate as a bonus for the transfer of capital and skill in foreign countries. Ministers, however, not wishing to affront the great Tory gentlemen, threw a tub to the whale, and said, .• Take your retro-bill," a measure which was carried at the point of the bayonet—for it ICU notorious that the house was surrounded by armed men when that bill passed. Bin %hat had the conse quence been ? A complete failure in the attempt to bolster op the Trice of the produce of the country. They might, said he, as well think they could dy, as. under the improved state of the currency, keep op corn at the rate of 20/. a load. What, then, was the duty of the agriculturists? Ile would say—Let them abandon Mr. Webbe Hall, and go to Ms. Cobbett. He said this publicly, and he gave Mr. Cobbett thanks for the ability and perspicuity with which he had treated the question on the resumption of cash payments. What little property lie (Mr. Marsh) possessed. was almost entirely in laud. The meeting must therefore feel, that he mast he anxious for the prosperity of the agricultural interest. Bat lie never would sign a pe tition for a little temporary relief, at the expense of another portion of the conimnnity.—(Lond applause.) If gentlemen would throw off a little of their Tory pride—if the farmer would approach Parliament and say, " I do not want to make provisions high, but to make taxation low," he would cordially co-operate in the plan.—(Applause.)—With respect to the geode man whom they were that day met to thank, he was one to whom he conceived the country was highly In debted. There were many individuals of great ability in the House of Co:nmons—they could make eloquent speeches, and declaim, with much effect, against tax ation; hut there were very few who could enter into the detail of accounts, and anatomiiie the public ex penditure, as Mr. flume had done.--(Applause.)—He bad laid bare the and sinews of corruption, and showed how they were nurtured by the public purse. He was a man to whom labour seemed to be a pastime, and in whom perseverance was nature.—(Applaase.) He hail done more to expose the present extravagant system, than any other indisidual in the House of Commons. He was not admitted, like the hero Her cules, to enter the Aegean stable fur the purpose of cleansing it—he was obliged to look through the crevices anti holes for the purpose of describing its filth ; and having done so, he called on the public to set about purifying it,—(Applaase.)— Mr. Home threw a new light on this system of " social order." Ministers, when they introduced . the topic, had al ways connected it with the necessity of supporting the Government ; but Mr. Hume had shown that the phrase bad another meaning, and that many of those who used it, meant " that it was necessary to be supported by the Government." (Great applause.)—He and a few others bad dune a great deal to the country. — He (Mr. Marsh) did nut wish to shock the modesty of his two lion Friends (Mr. C. F. Pelmet and Mr. Monrk), and as they were Members of Parliament. they must of course be modest; but be would say that it was impossible for any two men to be more consist ent in their conduct, or more invariably constant in giving all the assistance they possibly could to Mr. Hume.—(Applause.)—They might indeed be truly called his fellow-labourers. If, when they again stood for the Borough, they should talk to the electors in the ordinary slang of candidates, of the ireat favour which they desired to be conferred on thew, be hoped those to whom they addressed the ob a ions would ask them, how many nights they had sat up, bow many committees they had attended, and what portion of care and trouble they had undergone in consequence of the pleasant boon that bad been bestowed on them. One point connected with Mr. Hume, and with those who supported him, should net pass unnoticed. It was owing to them that the nefarious job, by which the parish of Newington would have been put to on immense expense, was completely defeated, and set at rest fur ever.—(Applause.)—lf any one thing could be more irksome than another, it was to point out evils and to devise remedies for them, under a moral cer tainty that the remedies would be rejected—that there was an organized majority to put them down.— Mr. Hume was placed in that situation ; bat if he were not attended to in the Menlo of Commons, every attention ought, at all events, to be paid to him out of it. As that House was at present constituted, little (lope could be entertained that the grievances of the people would be redressed. A responsible House of Commons could alone give the country a responsible Administration ; and without that, they might say of liberty, as had been said of virtue, that it was an empty name.—(Applause.)—The people ought, however, so insist on a ennatitutional reform. He hoped that, by steadiness and perseverance, the Angean stable would finally be cleansed ; and that the Constitution of England would really become the pride and envy of the world. The lieu. Gentleman concluded by moving a series of resolutions. Mr. J. H. Oates, after the very able speech which had just been delivered by 'his worthy friend, felt it totally unnecessary to expatiate on the subjects which his worthy friend had treated in sq luminous and ar gumentative a manner. He should, therefore, content himself with merely seconding the resolutions, unless any of the propositions laid down by his worthy friend happened to be controverted. In that case he would endeavour taanswer such objections as might chance to be offered to them. The first sia resolutions were then carried ottani mottsfy.. Mr. 1. Deana moved the thanks of the meeting I. C.V.- Palmer and J. B. Maack, Esqrs. the represents ars of-the Borough, for tht steady support they gave te , ll r. Hume. Captain HALL seconded the motion, which was car•l dell by acclamation. C. P. Nona, Eiq.immediately stood forward, and was received with long continued plaudits. tie said the resolution which the meeting had just been pleased to pass was extremely nattering to his feelings. he cause it cap d their approbation of his pnblic con duct ; and having done no more than his duty, in watching over, with his best ability, the interests of those who had sent him to Parliament, the compli- meat they had paid him was quite unexpected on his part. But though the compliment was unexpected by him, the votes he had given could not be uneapected by his coastitueots; because he had, during &canvass of a year and a half, before the election took place, given his opinion on almost every subject that had since been brought forward in Parliament. Therefore whenever any particular question was introduced, there was not an elector in the town who could not judge of the vote he inesut to give. It was on this principle that he had been a steady advocate for frequent elections, because it brought the representa tive and the voters together; the latter, if neces sary, to question, and the former to answer for what he bad done.—(Applause.)—He must, however, say. that until a measure of reform, on a plan much less limited than that pursued by Mr. Hume, was adopted in this country, he would not be satisfied. Ile would impress on the minds of the electors p the necessity of frequent public meetings, and be wished that in all boroughs and counties the people would assemble together as often as possible, because such a system tended to lessen the evil arising from the great lapse of time which occurred between elec.- I tions. At such meetings the electors expressed their opinions, and they became acquainted with those of their representative, which was a matter of no light importance. Mr. Hume had, perhaps, in the present owe of the country, while the existing system was carried on, adopted the best plan that could be de vised ; but he could not say that it was sufficiently ex• tensive to satisfy him. If it had happened that the great heaven-born Minister—the "pilot," as he was called, had started in public life at the same time with Mr. Hume, the " pilot " would have been called a " radical," and Mr. Hume "a moderate" reformer. When Mr. Pitt came into Parliament, his proposition was to annihilate the rotten boroughs ;and to add 100 members, to be elected by the counties and the metro polis. His observation was, that, "as there was a radical evil, there must also be a radical cure." If they looked to the debates of that period (about forty years ago), they would find that this was his language. Mr. Hume must, therefori, in comparison, be called a very moderate reformer. The species of reform ad vocated by Mr. Home was generally termed, at the period to which he had alluded, " economical reforma tion ;" and it also went by another title, that of " re form of official abuses." It was scarcely called " Par liamentary reform," but many persons in the House of Commons deemed it to be snfficient..—(Bear, bear.) Mr. Hums had adopted that plan ; and. with a degree of unwearied perseverance, and decided efficiency, which must ultimately prove beneficial to the people at large —(Loud applause.) He was quite sure, if it were followed through the next Session, as be had no doubt it would, with real and spirit, that such an ex tensive waste of the public money would be proved, as would compel Ministers to give up a good deal, for the purpose of mitigating the burdens of the people. —(Applause.)—He trusted he should be allowed to refer for a moment to the language made use of by Mr. Hume, in answering the address of the people of Hereford, who had presented him with a testimony of their approbation of his parliamentary career. In that answer he said that his exertions would have been of little avail, if it had not been for the support which he met with from a few members in the House of Commons. He (Mr. Palmer) certainly felt proud to s ty, that he was one of those who had voted with Mr. Hume.—(Applause.)—But that his assistance was of use to that gentleman he did not mean to assert. ' Ile stated this to show the modesty of Mr. Hume—the i modesty of a moderate reformer. Mr. Home farther observed, that in consequence of the extravagant sys tem long pursued by Ministers, pauperism and wretch edness had been increasing for souse yearspast amongst the lower ranks of the people—that pauperism and wretchedness had ascended from them amongst the middle classes, and that pauperism and wre chedoess had at last forced their way amongst the richer part ) of the community—the agriculturists. This state of things, Mr. House stated, must necessarily affect the , capitalits ; and if a stop were not put to it, the ruin of our finances must be the conseqaeoce. This had been averred by Mr. Hume—it agreed with every thing he had said in the House of Commons, and therefore it ought not to pass unnoticed. His labours in that house were won lerful. He there displayed an accu racy greater than that of any human being by (Mr. Palmer) had ever known. Ile seemed to know, not merely the routine of every office, but their most intricate, anti sometimes disgraceful details, better than those who were at their head.— He went through a detail of the abuses at the establish ment at Saudhurst, and proved that he knew more about the situation of that seminary that those who were immediately connected with it. From each labours they might naturally es peet a great deal of good. Mr. Burke, be knew, adopted a plan of econo mical reform ; but he believed that all the saving achieved by that gentleman's eloquence, if noted down in pounds, shillings and pence, would not cover the amount of the pension on which be retired. FJr• tonately for the country Mr. Hume was not fieriest. He said fortunately for the country, beCause since be (Mr. Palmer) had bees in Parliament, he did not bear den instance iu which a speech, hot loqaent, and however highly the speaker had bees applauded, had succeeded in securing a single vote.—(Applausr.) —Mr. Hume pursued a very different course. He brought forward his figures, they could not err, and the most blind and the most obstinate were obliged to confess thek truth. Eloquence could not do this; but patient perseverance and scrupulous Lc:uracy did , achieve it. Ministers bad, over and over again, coin pliuseuted Mr. Hume; but he was very sorry to say that be never saw their votes attending on their cum plintents.—(A laugh.)—With respect to the resolution now before the Meeting, he wished, with respect to one expression in it, to make an observation. He alluded to that part of it in which " consistency of comfort was mentioned." If any man, placed in the situation which be held, wished to preserve his character, be ~ ~_ • ' , must preserve his consisteecy ; bet consistency, his opinion, was not an adherence to person or pay:. but ac adherence to principles. If he voted in a a.- nority with the Chancellor of the Exchequer (is h o once did,) or if he voted against bis Honouralilc colleague, for he sometimes differed from him in opinion, such coodnet did not impeach his consistency. He proceeded oo principles which were before his co,. 'wittiests in black and white; and when he departed from them, he would be content to be charged with inconsistency. If doubts were ever entertained as to his conduct, he hoped some friend. as had been the CSie on a former occasion, would step forward, interre. gate him on the point, and enable him to enter inn a full explanation. Nothing could be more pleasin; to a man who bad no motives for concealment. That good was likely to be effected by Mr. Hume's eye-- 'ion's, he had no doubt; bet it could not depend oa him individually. He must have the warm and 'salons co-operation of the people. He must be strennoualy supported ; and if not supported by public meeting', he Irn:-vr not from what quarter be was to derivemp. port.—(Applause.)—Beaten as they had been by large majorities, what was to console Mr. Home and thaw who had fought by his side but the expressed and avowed sentiments of the people ?—(Applause.)—The Honourable gentleman again declared the gratifica tion lie felt at the honour which had been conferred on him, and sat down amidst load cheering. J. B. Moxce, Eq. next manned himself to the meeting, and was warmly applauded. The Hon. Ger. amen expressed his thanks for the flattering approba tion which had been bestowed on his public coodur, This be could safely say, that there was no part of Iris Parliamentary exertions to which he could look hark with greater pleasure than to the support be had given to Mr. Home's motions and suggestions is fa. ruin of economy and reform.—(Applause.)—lt was certainly necessary to have been present, and to have witnessed, as he and his Hos. colleague daily sad nightly had done, the efforts of Mr. Hume, his un ceasing perseverance, and his minute, his extraor.disary accuracy, in order fully to a preeiate his laboura— (Applasse.)—They all knew that at one period, 'bra the annual estimates were presented to Parliament, it was customary to have what was called " a grand field day"—one side of the house to make a geer:3l attack, and the other to make a defence as genera ; after which, the matter remained unnoticed iierie: the rest of the Session.—(Laughter.)..—But Mr. linme acted very differently. Instead of cleaner, treks. blows in the air, at random, he came to close quarter. and grappled with his adversary. Instead of makinz general, sod therefore unavailing, statements, heore, hauled the estimates, night after night, with the Ac curacy of an accountant, but with the enlarged 'hes and temper of a statesman.—(Applause.) It was is this manner be contrived to manifest the lavish e,- pcnditure of the public money, for that worst of pu pnses, the corruption of the people; sod he prsed that the national treasure was expended in *x those who ought to be the guardians of the nation. , rights and liberties, and who were most enspho cally denominated the guardians of the neanr.a! purse. Though this was demonitrated Hume, yet he made no converts—in no one iostace was he found in a majority—be was not able ro reduce the estimates a single *killing. Bur the House of Commons, with extraordinary imagist lacy, after having refined to emotion a single SO tkun for retrenchment in detail. suddenly voted f , t economy is a wholesale way. Yes. they voted that memorable address calling on his Majesty to direr: his Ministers to revise the whole expenditure of the country, particularly in the military department. — (Applause.) Now if the House of Croansons to thwart their own views, they took the best poreit-;< means to effect that object. Surely they did not at , : wisely to leave the work of economy and reform t•• Ministers themselves. It was very like asking r attorney to tax his own bill of costa.--(Laughter.)— He agreed most perfectly in the sentiments e..nttinra in the third resolution. which, with great justice, al signed excessive taxation as the principal cause of tie distress which was now felt in the country, aggravated as that taxation was by a return to their old hence system of metallic currency.—(Applause.) It was is evil hour when, in consequence of the state of the,: resources, recourse was bad, not to a depreciation, bat to a total annihilation of the currency of the coil:Arc —when cheap, unlimited, compelser/ paper currency was introduced.—(Applause.) The first effect of the was, no doubt, to give the floeernment a very great facility in the raising of loans ; and Heaven knew that I that facility was abused most prodigally and improve dently. But new they were making gold artificial!! dear by an immense, stupendous, and extravagant J • wand fur it. on the resumption of cash paymena when they were called on to pay in specie those it unease debts that were contracted in paper.--(Applausel It was in this way that the people of Englagd au their property bad been made the crate' sport of for tone who was blind enough, and of a false legislitier , which was still blinder. As the poet said, they wets compelled— - " To feel by torus. the change of fierce extreme& " Extremes by change more fierce." With respect to what bad been the degree of deprro tion in their paper currency, that they knew by el' experience pehnt what might hereafter be the rise gold and the fall of prices, they could only cosjertiv , since the matter was only in the progress of opera ' 1 It was, hot• a matter worthy of regard: Iv. !. gold was demanded, its value would rise, pries fall, and their taxes would be increased. S oul e g ent:• men thought the prices would fall until they rear'' . ' the level of 1792, the year preceding the war. Si! believed they were greatly mistaken. They would f:': much lower. There was this marked distinction fe WWI the two periods:—The exigencies of the in 1792 required only 16,91100 UL out now the suns S' re, , riry was near G 11,0410,000/. being ahout four till , " the amourit of 1792. There would, of course, he fo!! times more gold wanted to feed that insatiate and devouring mouth, the Exchequer. Now, hr must "!' that it was utterly impossible for this country to r'!, the sum of 60.000,0001. a year in money of the preses value. It might be attempted, bet if the attempt tie made, many of those whom he addressed would tem see • greater revolution in property, and a goo degree of distress ainougst families. than were known in any age or country. The only honest of averti,lg this calamity was by effecting a most rial reduction in the taxes.--(applause.)—lfs 10 4 reduction were made, a double benefit woni.l from it: the country would wot only be relieved to mount of the sum desinct•J, hut it would rend. r quantity of gold necessary for the public servi ••• . -