The Statesman. — London, England, 1818-07-08 00:00:00

~- :-- • re rat EDITOR or rna STATESMAN -.40•.- Stag'—Mr. Nome's speech at the County Elec: lion at Abingdon, having contained a gross misrepre sentation of my principles on the subject of Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments, I sent a letter containing a refutation of that statement, so far at least as it concerned myself, to the Editor of the Provincial Paper in which it was reported. As that Letter has not been faithfully printed from the ma nuscript, some passages having been totally omitted, and others changed, I take leave to request your insertion of the following in your patriotic Paper : 1 Mr. NE TILLE said, 6 ' That the Petition which Mr. A Liorli su pported, and signed in that County, re• commended that Tuition and Representation should be coeval.—(Mr. expressed dissent.)—At that Meeting Mr. HALLETT introduced a Mr. JOHN.. EON, from Buckinghamshire, who detained the Meet. fog opwsrds of two hours, in attempting to prove, from old authorities, that • Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments lied rsstored.— been the cu (No, n o ! stom in former from ig on es, and ought to !Mr. IiALLETT)._He (Mr. Nevit.r.t) never would forget the circumstance, for the Gentleman spoke from the mot voluminous notes he ever saw in his life ; besides, all these Gentlemen were the friends of Mr. Consul., who had hoisted the standard of Universal Suffrage end Annual Parliaments." here are four positive assertions, all of which demonstrate in the assertor an equal deficiency of information and accuracy. The Petition moved by Mr H. and s prawled by me, did not recommend that Taxation and Representation should be coeval; such a recom mendation would have been absurd, and Mr. Has, I ,Err's dissent no doubt was escited by the word re. commendation, as applied to coeval, and asserted to have been a part of the prayer of the Petition ; for as to the historic fact, that Taxation and Representa tion were co-existent and co-extensive among our ancestors, no man in the least conversant with our history con doubt it. The next assertion i., that I attempted to prove from old authorities that .4 Ulll. verbal Suffrage had been the custom in former times, end ought to be restored." Now, the very reverse of this is the truth. I then maintained, and do still maintain, that Universal Suffrage never did exist in England, and I sincerely hope it wirer will. Every man who has the slightest knowledge of the state of society in this country during the feudal ages, must know that Universal Suffrsgo COULD NOT then exist. Mr. Nutr.t.e, in making me say that this was " the custom of former times, and that it ought now to be restored," has not only made me the upholder of a tidicultsus doctrine, which on that and other occa. sions I hove invariably opposed, but he has also re presented me as being to the full as ignorant of our History and Constitution as he himself appears to be. With regard to the notes, not above half the matter contained in them was brought forward, owing to the impatience of some persons who are disgusted at Reform in any shape. The gram' object of these notes was to show that it is impossible, without di rect violence to the Law and Constitution of Eng land, to take the money out of any man's pocket without his free consent. These are facts to be proved by authorities. The extension of the Right of Suffrage is matter of opinion, and totally distinct from the other. As to our forefathers, they never gave a greater extension to Tasation than they did to Representation ; and if we had kept close to their example all would have been •ell. It is the men that have given an unlawful extension to Taxation—who have inflicted a frightful gash, it may indeed be call ed a mortal wound, in the Constitutioo, for which sore some would apply the remedy of Universal Suffrage. I prink with the late Mr. Fox, that this is a desperate remedy. I think as he did, that it will not fulfil tie end inteetied to be answered by it ; but 1 believe that they who propose this semi sly mein well ; and to me it is quite monstrous that they who have been the cause of the evil should upbraid them with the danger or the difficulty that may attach to the cure. Although it is my wish never to see Usti vessel Suffrage established in EttglAtid, yet 1 m!mit that if the Government will have Universal Taxation, Universal Suffrage must follow, or the Law, the Constitution, and the Rights of Englishmen must become as though no such things had ever been, in short, as the baseless fabric of a vision ! This is my conviction, arid therefore I hope that this lawless extension of the system will be renounced, and Taxation reduced to those constitutional hounds it occupird in the good old times of our an cestors. Taxation, when extended to the laborious end unrepresented classes, is, in the language of the Constitution, ROBBERY ; this is the term applied to it by Lord CAMDEN, in the quotation which Mr. HALLETT brought forward io his speech in reply to Mr. Nevtt.t.E ; and I cannot help observing, that ether greet constitutional lawyers, as Sir E. COKE, Sir It. AtrstNs, Lord SOMERS, end Mr. PETIT, have spoke of it in similar terms : but history affords us an eta rnple more primitive, and, to my mind quite un answerable ; an example which shows that this doc trine was not only coeval with our Constitution, bat that it constituted the Prodice as well as the Theory of the great founder of it ; I refer to no less a personage than the great ALvauD himself, of whom we are told that he hanged a greet many Judges; amongst these was one named HALE, whose crime was that he did not hang a Sheriff, an officer of great power and dignity in those days, who had made unlaysful levies for the t r - 7715, King's use. The words, as given by IioRNE are," He ()Weitzel) hanged IlAzt,because he saved 'IRISTRAK, the Sheriff, from death, who took to the iiii4G's use from another's goods against his will, for as much as any such taking from another against his will and ROBBERY bath no difference 1 ." Our ancestors had no need of Universal Suffrage, because they were too wise and too just to adopt Universal Taxation i their im positions, as we are assured iu a short treatise by the Marquis of HALIFAX, in Lord SOMERS'S Collection, never fell on the necessaries of life. Industry with them was unfettered, and of course wonderfully productive; but we have killed the goose to get the golden egg. My wish is, not to see the laborious classes admitted to Universal Suffrage, because they would assuredly abuse that right, but to see them, as they were for merly, esempted from Tasation altogether; which might be done if we, like our ancestors, had no RED HOOK, which I am persuaded takes more out of the public purse than the Tasstion of the industrious classes brings into it. Mr. NEVILLE has esposed his veracity to some hazard by asserting, that the per sons of whom he spoke as violent Reformers, among whom he thought fit to include me by name, were all the friends of CORBETT, who is described by him as the great promulgator of the odious doctrines of An nual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage. Now the fact is, that I never have been either the friend of Mr. CORBETT or of his doctrines; and as to Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage, that doctrine did not originate its him, but in the Duke of Rica- MOND. With regard to Annual Parliaments, no doubt they are conformable to the Constitution, of which I think even Mr. NEvILLE, if he has the least smattering of knowledge on that subject, must be aware : nevertheless I have isever recommended, as he is pleased to assert, their restoration, for reasons not necessary here to mention. If I am not very much mistaken, Mr. NEVILLE himself allowed the Petition in question to have the metit of steering clear of these same offensive doctrines, which he would now impute to Mr. HALLETT,beCause he knows hat Gentleman to be by far the most popular man in Berkshire, whilst his own support is derived en tirely from the Aristocracy of the county—these latter persons have said in the public Papers, that Universal Suffrage is another term for Universal Plunder, and therefore this doctrine serves the par. pose of bespattering that Gentleman ; and I, as his Seconder, on that. occasion, could hardly hope to escape. For this reason I have ht , is cooed the friend of Cueuvit, slid of Universal Suffrage, which those who Inas.i s.. called me do not believe to be true . It is an election trick, 1 admit—but the man who subscribes to opinions from serious conviction only ought not to allow his principles to be misrepresented for the sake of answering electioneering or any other purposes.-1 remain, Stc. Seymour-coirt, June S.), 1818. JOHN JOHNSON, TII V. SUSSEX ELECTION. Vide Mr. Sugden's own Account of his Reception and Treat ment at Chichester. Sir Godfrey (say% Sagden) looked fierce with disdain, And eyed me all over; l eyed him again, Andy eyed him most manfully he seemed to feel, And, abashed at my impudence, tteree'd on leis heel; I then spoke most warmly : they liiss'4l one and all, Tho I tried t° Wok big, yet I own I felt small; And detremieted, when nest I presumed to look big, To add to my stature the height of my Wig. TONSORIS AR UMBRA. The King or SWEDEN WM% to set out from Stock holm early in the present month. (or Norway, where he is to be crowned at Drontheim. --wwf• , -Tvgrereffiwr T 1 IV, gTATESyI 414 r CITY BUSINESS. ,7-r^ - • Yesterday * Coort of Aldermen wet held at Guild hall, for the dispatch of public business. John Roberts, Esq. one of the Sheriffs elect, at tended, and give bond to take upon himself the office on the 28th September nett. Thomas NVilson. KN. the other Sheriff elect, at• tended, and stated, that being a Member of Partia -1 ment he did not conceive himself liable to be coiled upon to PiPCOIP that office, and therefore refused to Rite bond ; whereupon the Lord Mayor we' request• ed to issue his precept for the election of another person. Several of the Rulers of the Watermen and Ugh txrmen'a Company were sworn in. The Lord Mayor laid before the Court the pro ceedings of the Court of Common Council., request ing the Court to take such steps as should appear most aUvismble for putting the existing laws into esecution, for preventing any other than Livery men from entering Guildhall on Common Hall days, which were read. Eight bars of gold, weighing about 840 nondes, were sworn to as foreign, previous to exportation. Mr. Alfred Lewis, one of the brokers of this City, was Iranslavpd frnm the Company of Comb-makers into that of the Dyers, by consent of both Companies. • ~~ 4 "flec' r,~...~ ...r ._. .. ~ REPORT ()it rHE 1, 4t;3 rims 4Th T ONS:• The Assize Court of Paris was occupied on Friday last, in investigating the a ffrir of the impostor calling himself Count Pootic, of St. Helena, who was dis. covered to have formerly been sentenced to fourteen years hard labour in irons, having been guilty of house -breaking, but who escaped from the witless at Toulon. It appeared that his real frame was Pierre Coignard, that the accused was now forty-two years old ; that, under a variety of pretences, he had con • ,rived to get raised to military rank, mixed with per sons of distinction, and thus committed his depreds. tions by heading a borly,of thieves. After the Court had deliberated some time, and witnesses had identi fied him, the business was adjourned to Friday. Wednesday last, pursuant to an old custom of new Members returned for Grimsby. standing god. fathers for any children that have not been previously christened, Mr. TENNYSON arrived at that place to perform his part ; when it was expected that upwards of 100 childreu would be christened. The conspiracy of the Ultra-Royalists to dethrone the BOURBONS can only be accounted for in that rest. less spirit for change which pervades every French man, and might have been encouraged by the hand bills lately circulated in Paris, inviting the People to choose some of the Two Thousand New Sovereigns, which are now ready for any adventurers, with 'rwo Thirty Thousands, and the most select Claret. Port, or Madeira in England, es may he seen in the Scheme of the present Lottery of only 8,000 Tickets, which begins drawing 4th of next month. This year the adders are more plentiful than has been observed for a long time back. In the muir of Rusky, near Kipper, several very large ones have been killed, some of them exceeding two feet in length. We are requested by Mr. BEETTIAII, the Secretary of the Eagle Insurance Company, to state, that Po licies expiring at Midsummer may be renewed with in 15 days from that period, either at Cnrnhill or the Ilaymsrket. where Annuities are granted and pur chased, and every description of Life and Fire In surance effected on the most equitable terms.— N. B. An allowance far Rept of Premises destroyed by Fire u heretofore. Mr. KESS' arrived at Paris on Friday WO. TAGS'S had returned from his tour through the Provinces on the day preceding. EAST INDIES. WP hive received Madras Papers filling up our series, but none of later date than those which had before come to hand. Of the proceedings of the Armies we learn but little that is new. Some few particulars, however, merit notice. In the af fair of the 19th of December, at Julibulporr, when Brigadier-General HARDYNIAN defeated the Soulosh of that place, Captain FITZCLARENCE. who had joined the detachment but a few days before, distin guished himself greatly as a volunteer. Letters from °Mater., dated the 26th December, state, that the whole of the troops under Brigadier-General TOONE have been exceedingly healthy. By a Government Proclamation it is ordered that the Silver Rupee shall in tutu's( constitute the standard coin of the Presi dency of Madras. . The coinage of the Pagoda is to be discontinued. This measure will save arc infinite deal of trouble to Merchants sod others, who have extensive pecuniary tratotactiuns with the different Presidencies. Sir GEORGE COOPER. the new Judge at Madras, landed there on the 27th of January ; and on the 26th he took his seat on the Bench with the usual foretellers. Sir ALEXANDER JOHNSTONE, Chief Justice of Ceylon, had proceeded with his fa mily to England on hoard the Alexander. The King of Ness' A will arrive at Berlin the 27th instant, with his August Ally the Emperor of Reesia; after having pewit ten days in that re sidence, their Mejesties will proceed together to During the tune of their stay there, there will he eseembled near to that city, f r om the environs and the Duchy of Saxony, a considerable body of cavalry and infantry to execute maticeuvres on a large scale in presence of the two Monarchs. — The two first battalions of the regiments of grensdiert of the guard of the Emperor ALEXANDER, and the Emperor FRANCIS, as well as a regiment of Land wehr infantry, will perform the sersice of guard to their Majesties at Aix-la-Chapelle. The balance of passengers between England and France begins now to turn greatly in favour of the latter : between the '224 and the '29th ult. there were 546 went from Dover to Calais, and only 189 frum Calais to Dover. Mr. PERCEVAL, who come' into Parliament for Enni', in Ireland, is a son of the late CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUF.R. Previous to the close of the books at the Election for Nottingham, a scrutiny was &fronded by Mr. SMITH, which was ferUSfll by the Sheriffs. In Con. sequence of this Mr. SMITH declared his inteittioi of petitioning the Rouse of Commons against the return. On Saturday morning a disturbance tork place in the Fleet Prison, occasioned by a party of drunken prisoners, when Mr. Nixora, the keeper, judged it necessary to lock four of them up in the strong room. Their imprisonment in this place gave of fence to another parts, who determined to disturb the prison until the men were liberated, and this they did by breaking the lamps and rolling large stones in the staircases. On Sunday morning Mr. Nixoe liberated the original prisoners, sod cotifined in their places three of the ringleaders of the second tumult. The last so confined determined not to remain in their degraded situation, and at midnight on Monday they broke the iron bars that confined them, anti lowered themselves by their sheets into the yard of the prison, and made their way to their respective rooms, and went to bed. On Mr. NixoN being in formed of this yesterday morning, lie sent to the Secretary of State's office, and a detachment of the 34 Regiment of Guards was ordered to his assist and will remain in the prison until the strong• room is rendered more secure. The three delinquents were carried back to the strong-room, and yesterday evening continued there, with eight soldiers to watch the windows, from which the prisoners have hung flag, and eight more soldiers guard the door of this apartment. The chapel of the prison is for the pre sent converted into a harrack.room. There was no thing serious either in the oriainal disturbance, or the proceedings which followed it. INSANE PERSON. — The fa mil y of 14. Thackray, Granny-place, Lambeth, was excessively alarmed yesterday Morning, by a mart in a deranged state of mind, who jumped from the street through the par lour window, smashed the panes of glass, broke the Venetian blinds, and seizing a poker, exclaimed to two ladies who were it. the room, that they had not a moment to live; the females ran out of the house very much terrified, and procured the assistance of a con stable, by whom he was taken before a Magistrate, who signed au order for his admission into Lambeth workhouse. The Thermometer in Paris, on Saturday last, was at 24 degrees and a half of Rgaunun; rather more than 85 of FAHRENHEIT. A young man of the name of Priest killed himself Isst week at Brighton, by drivkilig a pint of cold spring water ; while in a state °Meat. • , The Select Committee appointed to fair intti per. deration the Laws relating .to Auctions, and to report the same, with their observation's there upon, to the House of Commons;—have, purse ant to the order of the House, considered the same accordingly, and have agreed to the follow, ing Report : Your Committee itave Pim . iiiiti several tradesmel and respectable liuctioneers, who are all of opiniot that great frauds on the Public are constantly corn. mitted, by the mode in which Skies q iuction at conducted : that property is often s'ld under mit representation as to ownership; under various pre, tences ; such as owners going abrogd; metchao• property intended for exhortation; and empt 1 houses are filled with goods for the putpose:• that articles of the most infericir manufectuf made for the express purpose of putting in , sales, as the genuine property of individuals • respectability: viol to such lengths has th mode proceeded, that many noctinsieers who are Ithe practice of vending such articles, have, With view to impose more successfully upon the Pub , , been detected in using the names of several of t the most respectinle auctioneers, varying the spelli ' by alteration of a letter; and your Committee ifak had proofs, that several of the respectable auctioneers, whose names hue been so assumed, have in sever instances, in justification to themselves, been co Ipelted to appear personally at such sales, to ',W./ . the same being carried on in their lIAMPP, know ' such was done with a view to impose on the l'uhti 1 Your Committee fiild also that .sales at? mad linen, describing the same as foreign, sod the p 'way of Hamburgh and foreign merchants ; also r lery wares, and plated goods, in particular, of most inferior manuf!cture, with LontloO makk names thereon, publicly declared and sold as Lao don manufacture, sod to such an extent as tb covet the London makers to appear in the sale rooms, r in person expose the fraud and Imnosition attensi to be practised. Your Committee also find, that great frauds impositions hove ben practised io the sites of wi misrepresenting it as thP property of individual respectability, ild, ill OM t , 'here has her t , va an article, which at auctioa has not misrepresented; that sales dre atom niarle rlt attending to the due order of the eatilogoe, sometimes without any catalogue, and at ntho•s tita same cstalogue used for many days' sale* the Committee in this investigation have discos' that great frauds base been committed upon Op nue, inasmuch as at limes nb sale has town Will and at other times less in amount returoorl tlit antutely sold ;and that various pro , ecutions hat , from time to time necessarily Instituted by the Board. Your Committee hate reason to ,oppose, th facility given to these Pales, by describing pr, falsely as to ownership, affords rertly means oi fog goods dishonestly come by, and holds or means to the evil disposed debtor to sell fourth' the creditor's property, to t'os great and serifs , jury of the honest trader, raising atone,/ (in termed) by any secrifiLe of price. That 11:e iuferiority of manufacture sn col mis-stated is of natiortsl iojury. a;td your Com have had instant es Wier! , an exporter mediltrly shipped the article!: I: , 'tole. Wietni•e-,! the airiness purpose of deception, a! ri A H...t1 I discovered lid opened, and no responsibrit'y ling to the auctioneer, the buyers are left remedy ; that while these daily sales exist % cheek or controul. the regular manufacturei i tradesmen are but little resorted to, and wh , Committee submit (both buyer and seller), titled to every protection ; by reason,-Ist, I taxes of the country and the poor, fall ver en the established and fixed housekeeper, sv itinerant auctioneer, as many travel from r place, avoid paying any taxes; ann ;.alts , that per responsibility to the buyer resting with it •n) itoperfict or bad nrticle sold, and on judgment and credit the buyer very often plan self. Yos.r Committee consider these dale+ encouragement to the manufacturers of int' titles of almost every description, and are for the reasons before stated, to the honour% honest tradesman, creating a competition for of price, in preference to excellence of % whereby the best workmen are injured and ott of e t tli.loy. Your Committee have received information ing combinations, by a set of men who ate sales, and drive, by various means, respect% chasers away, purchase at their own price, a\ Bards privately sell the same, under a form lie auction, called " Knock out Sales." Your Committee have but shortly adverb substance of the evidence they have recei enough, they expect, to satisfy the liense some alterations, in the present Session, w prevent, in some degree, a continuance frauds and impositions on the Public; and resolve to recommend a complete revisio% Auction Laws, and at as early a period practicable. Your Committee therefore recommend House, that a Bill be immediately brought crease the annual licence from 12s. to '2Ol. auctioneer or person selling by auction • miles of the Royal-Exchange, the first yes , every future year the sum of 51. ; and t tiotteer without the space of ten miles, the t the first year, and the sum of 40s. for evi year ; and any person directly or indirectl any sale by auction, not being licensed, to every offence 1001. That no goods he sold, under a .heav: without being previously mowd to view, hours, nor without a catalogue previousl and sold in the order of the said catalogue the real name and address of the sue printed on the first page; and that a pen' , be inflicted on every person using an; name; and that the sales be confined t• from ten in the morning to six in the 'Pet cept book sales, end produce usually sot candle. That all auction-rooms for the put of goods by auction, Jodi as lineo-draper; • • )41 ' • '4 . i k 1/1:. • tti P. he k .11 III; 313 is. re.; .10 sty ire; nto •of his I. Ili h a the • liog rave WS, eral ' ring e • lie. . IP 4 t y pro- cut. the teat • n'tpet and 'pled s and wine:. . AIS of lreely ossly 4 ; end serer', reap• urood,. rn an. •eheett Eacise hat the ro : •orty at out that ulently oil. ill. SS it it ski and . mmittee • Iles lops • ! op for N 'IS not ', ithout without •ers and in, your are en• that the ry heavy shift. the plate llm fo to at pro• t t n whose ace. Nim- es afford redo'. ay. \ • ruitsous, ratite and r lowness quality, d thrown sr, of der• trend real table pur• and after. n of pub. tea to the iced; but to make xhich may e of these I therefore on of the as may be Id to the t its to its. I. on every •ithist ten ir, and for every sue• sum of 51. very future :tly making 3 forfeit for • .vy penalty, I at least 1.4 sly printed, e; and that ctioneer he NI/ of 1001. ry fictitious • the hour, ernoon, es. sold by she public sales my ) Wool..