The Sun. — London, England, 1823-03-21 00:00:00

ESSEX ,COUNTY MEETING. In pursuance .of a. , requisition, addressed , talite High Sheriff of the County,of. Essex, find subscribed with the names of 900 land-owners And J occuiers of land within the county, the High Sheri ff , . ,Jotter ohioryt TUFFXELL, 11.41.. convened a meeting of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and Freeholders of the County, to be held 4the ford, yesterday at twelve o'clock, " to take into consideration the distressed condition of the farmers and Others dependent upon them, and the general declining state of the .agriculture of the country, in order to make soch,representations to the Le ,gialature as the urgency of the ewe, rename:" ,The requisi tion on which this meeting WAR called eves signed by Charles `Western, Esq., M.P.; T . B. Lennard, !gsfles. M.P,; We Pi Horrywood, hog., M.P.; Nicholas Calvert, tesq.; M.P.; Sir T. B. Lennard, Sart.; P. Wright, J. H. Powell, John Dis ney, C. T. Tower, Sherley Western, Esqrse a nd many other gentlemen of the first rank and respectability in the County. The Meeting took place yesterday, and, considering the snow whien hail fallen dunng the night of Wednesday , a nd conti tued to fall at Chelmsford during the whole of yesterday morn. Mg, was very numerously and respectably attended. A little after twelve o clock, the High Sheriff entered the Hall, attend ed by some of the most respectable Gentry who had signed the requisition • amongst whom we noticed Mr. Western, M.P.; Sir John T i yerell; Sir T; B. Lennard ; Col. Branuitone ; Mr. Len:lard, M.P.; • Mr. HooywOod, M.P. ; Menne' Disney, Hinton,Tower, Hanbury, Du Cane, &c. The Thou SHERIFF opened the business of the day by de airing the Under Sheriff to read the regulation and the notice on which the meeting had been convened. The Under Sheriff having read them, the than SHERI r pegged leave, before any Gentleman proceeded to address the .Metting, to read to it a letter which he had just received from Sir E. Hervey, one of the Representatives of the County.— .. (Hear!)—The lion. Gentleman then read the letter in ques tion, which stated, that though the writter wa s p revented from attending the Meeting by the recent death of Ids son, he. was ready to give every practical assistance in his power, both in Pan i :a/tient tind out of Parliament, to restore landed interest to its proper state and influence in the community. Mr. HINT Ox said, that he should be as brief as possible in stating the reasons which had induced him, a yeoman, to come ierward on the present occasion, to propose to petition the Le , gislature to reconsider the circumstances in which the agricul ture of the country was now unfortunately placed. He should confine himself to the mere statement, that it was a fact im pressed on the minds, and also on thepockets, of all whom he. addressed; that all the enactments which the Legieleture had yet made for the relief of the Agricult4yal Interest were nu gatory and inefficient. It was, therefore, their duty to state ta the Legislature that they stood in e need of its further as sistance. :Meetings, he knew, had been held in other coun ties, antecedent to the present. meeting, for' the same pur pose for which it was convened ; and it might appear to some, that the county of Essex was late, too late, in now coming forward to call for relief. On that point he must say .that he held a very different opinion. The county of Essex had waited with patience in hopes that the Government would make a declaration of its intentions respecting the agricultural . interests. The Government had at least made that declaration, and had stated that the evil under which the agriculturists suffered must be left to remedy itself. They all knew that if such were to be the case, they would sink from knee-deep to waist-deep—from waist-deep to chin-deep, until agriculture and its ashes would only be remembered as a thing which had once. been.—(Hear!)—lle was glad that the present meeting had originated with the yeomanry of the county : to him it was a most gratifying sight to behold the farmers joining with the landed aristocracy in taking measures to avert the ruin which was impending over both. He thought that such an union would prove to the world that the charge of supineness anti in-, activity which had been hitherto justly brought against the. agriculturists, would in future be unfounded, and that their de-• termination to re-occupy the situation which was their due place among the King's subjects, would be productive of the most beneficial consequences. The other classes of society had, long had their standing-committees to protect their respective . interests :, this was the first time that the farmers had ever conic' forward to advocate their own cause, and .to ask for those re medies to which they were fairly and justly entitled.—(Cheers.) eelle could not let slip this opportunity of observing, that, in spite of all the despicable slanders that had been utter ed, that farmers might be compelled to return to their smock frocks and leathern rackets--there were nu men who had .a greeter claim upon the country than the farmers, for loyalty, consistency, and integrity of conduct,--for a filial and fra ternal atleetion, and for all the moral duties which united Men together in a state of society,.—six years ago he might havea said for their riches. He could not say so now: but no matter ;---they dial not weigh men by their riches, but by, their sterling merit.—(Cheers.)--They had been told in print, , that the landlord ought to reduce rent. He allowed that be ought, and he bad great pleasure in stating that most . of the lendlords in Essex had already done so. It ought, how ever, to go forth to the world, that if land were tanned under the pr esent circumstances, and no rent were paid to the land lard, it would be Impossible for the farmer to make any profit. Lion: Gentleman, after stating the several causes to which the Agricultural Distress was attributable; and . ethewing that the mode proposed by several theorists to remove it was fallacious and impracticable, proceeded to describe the petition which he intended to propose for their acceptance. They would obeerve that one part of its prayer was the repeal of the duty on barley. He believed that the general policy of all Governments had been to protect the produce of their own soil. There , was economy . more clear than that the produce of a, country was its real riches, and its oopelation its real stre.ngth..--(Citeers.).-slf this axiom, which had been received for ages,..were admitted by the theorists of 104 every body u.ust reprobate sthe immense tax which .was , .new levied upon barley, one of the most important productions ache earth. Five quarters of barley were generally grown per . acre. That cittautity made into malt paid 01. duty; so that the malt-duty, independent of the beer-tax, inflicted a land-tax of W. per acre on all the growers of barley.—(Cheers.)--As he thought no man could doubt of the propriety of getting rid of. such a grievence, be was certain that all present woad - join in this part of the prayer of the petition. The lion. Gentleman . after some further remarke, moved the foll Owing petition : "rrhet the occupiers of land have for .some time pail found the produce of their industry and labour totally inadequate to meet the various demands to which they have been, and still are, liable ; and so great has been the deficiency, and such their exces.eve dietreee occasioned thereby, that thousands have al ready been ruined; and there are few who in a very short pe riod Lave not been deprived of the greater part of the earnings of their whole= life. tinder these circumstances, The owners of lard have been : compelled to forego a large proportion of their ireorne ; end lauds of inferior quality,' though cultivated from lima imroemorial, and hitherto productive both to Cie owners and cultivatorS, will not now pay the expences of cultivation, intkpentient of any rent whatever. Tradestnen and otheis de pendent open the expenditure of the landowners and occupiers, have of course suffered proportionably by the extraordinary di. minution of the incomes of their employers. ",'first whilst youe:petitionere arc thus undergoing a detail-, ration of property hitherto unknown, other classes of society, and all persons of every description, deriving their incomes from the taxes, are . proportionally benefited. '1 discern, there fore, plainly, a reVOiptioll 'of property, and likewise of the state of society, thus going on silent but sure, by which the present landholders will be., degraded, the yeomanry of reoderate fere tune ennihdeted, the tenantry wined, and their dependents of every kind grievously oppressed and injured. ,They conceive that such injustice =not be finally constin:mated, without producing infinite notional calamity. They ask for „justice at yew hands ; they have always been ready to participate with otter climes of the community in any sacrifices that are items iori/ ; but they can neeer submit, silently to become the victims Which at present they appear doomed. " Your eietitloners are under the necessity of informing your Honourable House, that the projected diminution Of the assess- ed taxes will afford no adequate relief front the overwhelming difficulties under. which _they .are tanking ; they think they are justified in pressing upon your ponce other subjects connected I with their particular interests. They beg to remind you, that , a variety of heavy burdens are charged upon the landowners and occupiers, from which others are comparatively exempt: tithe*, county and _Parochial assessments, ore almost ex clusively borne by them. The duties upon !Arley are enormous; and such is the impolicy of loading with so griev ous a weight so important an article of British cultivation, front which the favourite and healthful beverage of the peo. plc Is derived, that they ask with confidence the entire re mission of the present vexatious anti oppressive duties and regte i, lations upon the manufacture of barley into malt. The protec tion to British agriculture against comparatively untaxed and malted countries, is very imperfect and inadequate ; they think they are entitled, upon every ground of justice and policy, to be put u e lon an equal footing at least with foreigners ; find for that purpose, e v e ry article of British agriculture should be guarded by duties upon all foreign produce, fully equivalent to the superior burdens to which the English farmers are subject. Upon the whole, the agriculture of the country is sinking with such rapidity, that your petitioners cannot but declare they :shall feel the utmost grief' and disappointment, if their situa lion does not command the immediate and most serious atten tion of your Honourable Houses" Mr. Dfset EY stated, that though he was himself a landlord, he bad great satisfaction in acceding to die wish of the yeo manry, in coming forward to second their petition. Ile re 'collected a time when the enclosure of waste lands was thought eeenateriel national object. In : tine session he believed 101 en- _closure bills had been passed- A different 'doctrine • VW, how,. ever, now preached up. 'They were now told, that though their' population was increased, their bad lands were to be thrown out of cultivation. For his own part, he could not see any reason .why there should be a diminution of produce because there had been an increase of population. Public faith had been pledged to .those.who had expended capital in enclosing land that it should not be thrown DLit elcultiVation.—(H ear !)--Why was notpulilic faith to be kept with theselilividnals la well as with Mr. Ricar- , gas ffee to cox ess he would much rather see .them saved than Mr. Ricardo.—(l.4iughter.)--That.gentlenian .was for taking half their estates from them to pay oft the na tional debL--(llear not know how they like commissioners .to come down to Chelmsford .to divide their lands for the benefit of the fundholders, and after making out .a map, to murk out one plot of ground for Mr..Ricaxdo, and another for ,Mr. Itethsdiild.---(Alaugh,)—lle hail nu doubt that Mr. ticardo would soon become enamoured ea residence among them, and there was one comfort; that M r.. Rothschild could not carry his plot of land away with. him to Holland.— (Laughter.)---He did not know whether Mr. Ricardo -was an Englishman or no—he rather believed he was not-.-(Cries, " file's an Inglishilewif)--but this he' was sure of, that the Iticardarian law would 'be as dangerous to the English tuition as ever the Agrarian law had been to the Boman.—( Hear . I After expressing his r opinion that the plan of air. Western re garding the currency was that best cdculuted to remedy the evils which at present existed, the Hon. Gentleman concluded by exhorting the Meeting to persevere in their present etthrts to obtain redress ; if they did, success could'not fail eventually to betide them; if they did not, they must, make up their minds to see their gentry forced to seek a, refuge. in foreign countries, , their-farmers compelled to become the inmates of their gaols, and their labourers reduced to the most pitiable state et , pau- perism and starvation.---(Cheers.) . , Illr. 1.). W. Hatay v.er conceived that the remedy which was suggested in the petition which had been just read to them, was not sufficient to meet the evils.under which they were sufKring. It appeared marvellous to him, that after the vaStrange of griev ances under which the agricultural interest was stated to labour, the mighty production of the aggregated wisdomof the yeomanry and the landed ariseocraey of the county for their remedy, should be conveyed in the short sentence—" Repeal the malt tax ; for by so doing you will make the tenants happy, and the landlords rich." If such should be the prayer of their petition, what an opportunity would be given to :11r. Canning to play off, at their expence, his pleat and gibe; in favour of the generous ex ertions nuule by his colleagues in the Ministry .? It was said that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had already done much to relieve aviculture by, repealing' 2,300,0001. of taxes in the pre sent Session. In his humble opmion the Chancellor of the Exche quer might as well.have done nothing, as far as the thrmerti were concerned:, indeed he considered what the Chancellor of the Ex..' ebequr had done. us a mere sop to quiettlielandlotds. .The Man . cellorof_the Exchequer, when he found a defection commence ing among his household troops, and Sir T. Lethbridge, who had proposed sending Sir F. Burdett to the Tower for speaking of Reform, avowing himself not a Moderate lint a Rathcalite former, began to fear that diseatisfaction should spread further even amongehis own friends. To retain them, therefore , in their ` 1 allegiance, lie determined to take off the assessed taxes. This sa tisfied the landlords who lived in large houses with many win dows, and.rolled in luxurious carriages. Butethen the Landlords, turned round and asked what they were todo to satisfy their ten.. ants ? "Oh," said he, "'let the farmer be allowed to ride to marketon a pony under 13' hands high„--that will surely satisfy him." " Yes," replied, the landlords, " that may do for the farmer, but what is in be done with the small tradesman ?" " Why," again replied the Chancellor of the Exchequer," to please them well, take off the duty on butchers' hones, from ambling mules, and conveniences of thatkind ?"—(Loud ter.)—So that it appeared, that while - 1,510,00111. of taxes were repealed which fell on the landlord, not more than 101001. was repealed of taxes falling on the farmer and the inferior trades man—namely, 4,4001. for butchers' horses, and 0;1001. for po nies and mules. Now, having had a specimen of what Go. *eminent intended to do for the people, it was only right that the people should in return tell the Government what it expect ed that the Government should do for it. He had endeavoured to embody in ,a petition the demands which the people ought to make on .their Government, and that petition, after reading to them, he should propose as a fit petition for the adoption of the M eeting.-4Cheenng.) " To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in Parliament assembled. " The humble petition of the freeholders and inhabitants of the County of Essex, 'in County Meeting assembled, pursuant to a requisition to the High Sheriff, signed by. upwards of nine hundred owners anti occupiers of land. " Sheweth, That although your petitioners, in common with the whole agricultural community, are labouring under peen liar and unmerited hardships, they seek no advantages input patible with the general good; but that they cordially unite with the intelligent and disinterested classes in a finn conviction that the misery and privations in which the greater part are plunged, and with svliicli till are threatened, are wholly to be attributed to the glaring inadequacy of the representation of the people in Parliament.—(Bravoes and hisses.) " That in the opinion of your petitioners, excessive and un equal taxation long has :been, antlstill is, the great and para mount grievance of this country, and the ,immediate cause of the present unparalleled distresses, ; ,the grasping claims of which are fast consuming the capital and fee-simple of the estate of every individual who does not in some measure live upon the public revenue..—(Bravos continued, mingled with some hisses,) ' " That the soil, besides the general Parliamentary imposts, is almost exclusively burdened with, the support of the., poor, of increasing prisons, highways, and along catalogue of rates and grievous charges ; that the enormous resources of the.church —many millions so amount, ~consume a large ,portion,of the fruits of the earth, anti paralyre the agricultural industiry of the country ; to which they must add the vexatious influence of the frequent and ruinous struggles between:the clergy and the laity, to The injury of the resources and the peace of mind of tht latter, and to, the incalculable prejudice of the mild and generous prin ciples which our holy religion eloquently enjoins. "That your petitioners, therefore, humbly, but firmly, sub mit to your Honourable Howie, that the present state of the nation demands the instant application of decisive, remedies;, and they venture to suggest the adoption. of . the following measures : " 1. Such a reform in the Commons House of Parliament, as more frequent elections by increased but concentrated con stituent bodies, and the extinction of those places, the insigni ficance of' which renders them objects of profligate contracts or oligarchical controul, cannot fail most beneficially and easily. to produce. "2. A repeal of the whole ditties on malt, beer, hops, leather, 'salt, soap, and candles.-,-(Cheers.) "'ll. .The abolition of all sinecure places and offices, and unmerited pensions—(great cheering)—and the rigid retrench ment of every unnecessary branch of the public expenditure. , " 4. A reduction of the salaries, pensions, and emoluments of all public functionaries, commencing at the highest, in pro portion to the diminished price of all consumable articles of life and luxury ; an equitable commutation of the present system of tithes, .with a due regard to the provision and just remu neration of the clergy, apportioned to the character and cons snowy of their laboeirs, and upon such a scale as shall make all easy And respectable, anti none intolerable and luxurious. " 5. The simplification and equitable application of the poor-laws, a revision of the criminal and civil code, . with a view to a milder and mote certain application of the former, and to the quicker and less expensive application of the latter. " 6. An equitable distribution of the burdens which are in. dispensable to the support of the good faith.and honour of the country, by adapting the scale of payment to unequal means, distinguishing tin: necessaries andcomforts of life front luxu rious and inordinate possessions ; and seeking the celleCtion of them rather by the cheerful acquetsceence of the contributorit, i than by an army of dependent and merciless tax-gatherers and I collectors.—eiCheeno " And your Petitioners will ever pray," ik.c. Sic. After the petition had been read, the Mott Sit lettere' asked whether any Gentleman seconded it? A short pause ensued. Mr. S.4.NrrEn then came forward and declared that he se conded it, becauee it embraced the subject of poor rates, taxes, .and tithes, which, in hisopitlion, swallowed up all the profits Hof aiericalture,—(Clieere.) Mr. WESTEME, after congratulating the meeting on the exhibition of spirit, judgment, talent, and intelligence which the yeomanry of the county had displayed, proceeded to ob serve that the Ilon. and Learned Geneleman who had just spoken had thrown &slight damp on the prospect of success - which' he had anticipated from their creations. lie seemed to suppose that the fiat of the Chancellor of the FA:chequer had gone forth, and that it was most ridiculous' in then' to attempt to reverse it. He would, however, advise them not • tociespiur of constitutionally preventing that decree from being inflicted on the country. They must all recollect that in 1816 the then Chancellor of the Exchequer opened his budget, by stating to the House that it wee; necessary for the preservation of public faith, that he Amulet impose on the country a property , tax of 5 per cent., and that, notwithstanding this statement, and his further declaration that his financial statements mere made up for the year, he afterwards abandoned all idea of continuing it on the people. :He contended that the success-which had at. tended their petitions on that subject, and also that which had attended their calls for a diminoteon of the malt duties, should encourage them to persevere in their efforts to obtain relief. He declared his conviction that if an ,union between the land ed aristocracy and the yeomanry could be formed in other Counties as it had been in Essex, the landed interest would soon be enabled to speak with a weight which must be felt both in and out of 'Parliament. Ile was at a loss to see the fair practicable ground on which the learned Gentleman had endeavoured to ridicule the petition which had been originally proposed. Thtiugh they might differ as to the causes of their present grievances, and of the remote and immediate come quennes to which they might lead, they all agreed as to their nature and extent. Even the Learned Gentleman agreed in the necessity of making a strong representation to the Legislature on the state to which agriculture was reduced.; and he believed that few of twee differed from his state mentohat it was the aggregate amount of taxation that weighed .down .the agriculturist. On that point the original petition conneved .a strong statement,--not Indeed so strong. as the Learned ..Gentleman's, but still it called on the Legisla ture to take the subject into its immediate and serious considera tion. ,It was not atoll extraordinary that it should point out the malt tax as-the most proper to he repealed. There wa.a more malt brewed thirty years ago than now,. and that was owing to 20s. a quarter being the duty upon it as malteand an additional 30s. when it cameunder the beer tax, to say notliing of the 131.105. which barley paid per acre, when used for purposes of dietilla • tion. Besides, the malt-tax wasperticularly injurious, as it affected a wholesome beverage, which formed the delight as well as the food of the labouring classes. The Hon. Member then proceeded to state, that the-opinions which he had expressed in parliarnent .regarding .the effects of the change in the.ciar rency remained ,unshaken, and to condemn Peel's Bill as an accomplished piece of jugglery; which had reduced ,the estate of the landlords, and diminished the capitals of the tenants full one half in their value. ,Under the operation—of that act, agriculture had declined in a most wonderful degree ; and if it continued to decline, every other interest in a very short time would commence taelecline with ,it. Adverting to the, amendment which hail been proposed, lie stated that he was most anxious that it should not pass,; because if it did ;sass, the harmony of -the meeting would be disturbed, -and the effect of its exertions coneiderably impeded. ,Ile folly agreed with.the fawned Gent. on the necessity of a .reform in the re presentation.; but he thought that the subject was of sufficient importance of itself to demand a separate discussion, and for that reason he advised the meeting to vote fir the original petition, as by so doing, they would not be the 31arplots who, took delight in the destruction of their own works.—(Cheers.) Mr. HONYWOOD, explained the reasons why he' supported the original petition,; but at the same time express-, ed a regret that it had not embraced the question at Re form, without which he considered all petitions to be use less under the present constitution of Parliament. lie had given his signature to the requisition on which the meeting had been called, because he saw that a great number of those who bail previously signed it were.labouring under severe dis tress, and because he thought that the boon. which they asked, though small, might Word some relief. Having signed the requisition, he felt himself to a certain degree ,pledged to support the petition .which was circulated along with it.— There were a few points in the inoended petition, to.whiell he could not agree; hut he fully agreed with the mover of it, that as the evils of the country arose In a great measure from an in crease, the remedy tbr them was to. be found in a diminution, of taxation.—(Hear!)--Ile felt, too, that the relief afforded by the remission of 7 millions of taxation would be more for the interest of the country than the keeping up of a.sinking-fund 0f.6 millionsto pay Of the nationalilebtee-(Hear.) Colonel 1111,p 3IS T ONE ,said, that as all trades.were exposed to vicissitudes, it ought not to be expected that agriculture, should he excepted trom it. Did lie, therefore, think, that agricultore ou"ht to be abandoned because it had been for some time, depressed? Certainly not: Indeed, he was happy to say., that though for the, last slit years it. had been badly off, it was now beginning again to look up.—(Disapprobation.)—.He olajectedso the original petition, because it .was calculated to continue a delusion that the . A griculuiriets might , even tually recover the property which they had .recently Jost. —After shewing that the remission of taxation ,already made had not been productive of the :benefit 'which had been an ticipated, he asked .what relief they expected to obtain from the remission of the malt -tax, for which the petition prayed ? (Cries, "An increased consumption.") elle ewittild say that, the ,relief for which they asked would not only not benefit them, but even,if it would, ought net to be granted, because it would require a-reduction pt the expenditure of the .state ; and he was convinced ,that no essential reduction .in the ex penses of the country could, be made witheutevielating the, ar rangements which had been made for the,security of the na tional creditor. If' lie could not agree with the °ripnal petition, still less could he agree with theeimended.one. ,l'ilere was one assertion in it that - he believed had then for die first time been proposed to die freeholders of Essex —be alluded to that sen tence in which it was proposed that the, property of -the church should be regulated as the Govermnent thought proper, and that a commutation of tithes should be resorted. to. Now, in the first place, the property of the church was as much its pro perty as, he estate of any ;gentleman, then present was his pro perty ; and, in the second, theoglialie word, commutation wee used, the word was directly opposed to the principle. Com mutation was generally supposed to ; .take.plece by consent of beds parties ; but here it was to be made by the will and power of one party without even asking the consent of the other.-,- !rho Honourable Gentleman .concluded by lamenting that lie was obliged to oppose both the petitions that had been proposed to the meeting. Mr. 1,..r.nrx.tun,.111. P., Atetetl, : that as lie agreed in almost every .sentence contained in the amendedpetition, except that which related to the touching the church property, he felt de sirous to explalp, why, he could not vote for it. Having signed the requisition to which the petition.was annexed, he felt that he should be guilty of a breach of faith, it' lie now turned round and supported. another. 11r. TowEn suggested to the lion. Mover of the amend ment, the propriety of withdrawing it, to prevent the harmony of the day from being interrupted. lie thought that the public creditor would be a richer man,, and ivoold have a better se curity for his debt, if 7,000,1)1)11/. of taxes had been remitted, instead of a Sinking Fund being retained of 6,000,0001., which bore die. same proportion to the debt as one did to two lions dred.—(Cheers.)—He looked upon the commutation of tithes in the manner proposed by Mr. Goulburn as a salutary measure, and. thought that the meeting; ought to take every opportunity of putting ,a stop to the odious practice of taking tidies in kind.--(Cheers.)—Though lie did not think the malt-tax the exact tax which ought to be repealed, the petition still adverted to many other points from which relief :night be obtained.— ( Hear, heart) • JOHN TVIUtELL could nqt support either the Petition o r th e amendment to it, which had been that day propoeed. lie declared himself a friend to a modified property tax, and stated his conviction, dieted that measure had been carried in 11116, .the farmer would have, been relieved front many of the evils under which he was now labouring. Mr. P. Witiowr, after confessing himself friendly . to re form, joined in die wish that , Air. Harvey would withdraw his amendment. Mr. D. W. *HARVEY said, that it appeared strange that nearly every. Gentleman who had spoken had concurred -with' some part or other of his petition, and that notwithstanding all of .thernehad desired him to withdraw it, fur the sake of una nimity.—(A 'laugh.)—Though he did not believe that the arir riginal petition, if passed unanimously, -would be attended with the consequences which sonic 'Gentlemen seemed to anticipate, still he would not have it attributed to him, that .but for his lamentable interpositien the petition .of the freeholders of Essex would have been successful, and the land lord and yeomanry have been restored to wealth by die repeal of the 20s. duty,.on malt. Ile therefore, in compliment to the Honourable Gentlemen who had addressed him, withdrew his amendment ; but lie hoped that they would show no reluctance to support it, . if, when they next stet, they found themselves still burdened with a2oe. duty upon malt.,.--(Laughter, and great and universal cheering.) Mr. Boxy woon, to prevent mistakes, said that the points in the amended petition, which he was ready to support, were the call for a reform in Parliament, the reduction of taxation,. and tile commutation of tithe. Mr. LENNAHD returned thanks to Mr. Harvey, for the courtesy he had displayed in withdrawing his amendment. The original petition was theoput, .and carried, with only two dissentient votes. It was then ordered to be presented to the Commune by Mr. Western, and to the Lords by Lord Bray brooke, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county. Thanks were then voted to the HIGH SHERIFF, who, after shortly expressing his gratitude, dissolved the Meeting at halt. past 6 o'clock. PA It VJAM ENT. HOUSE ,OF LORDS, THURRDAY, MARCH 20. Mr. To ML1)(8, from the Treasury, presented at their Lord ships' Bar an Account of all Monies received as Dreits of Ad.. miralty.—Laid on the table. A Person the an Affidavit and attested Copies of Pro ceedings in tile I,Cdesiaatical Court of Madras, a 3 evidence in support of a Divorce Bill. The General Turnpike Act Amendment Bill was read the third time. The Yeomanry Corps of Ireland Bill was read a third time. The ,Army and Marine Mutiny Bills were read a second time. The National Debt Reduction Bill was read the second time, and committed for to-morrow. The King's Property Regulation Bill passed through a Com mittee, and was reported without Amendment. A regulation, respecting Appeals, was made a standing or. der.—The House adjourned. present at four o'clock, There being HOUSE OF COMMONS, but thirty the House was adjourn until to.tuorrow (this day.) flvc Alembers PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Jovis,.W° die Mariii, 1523. The House met, and Forty Members not being present four o'clock, .Jr. Speaker adjourned the Houe. ORDERS of the DAY for THIS DAY. 1. Weights and I‘leasures Bill—Further consideration of Report. 2. Warehousing Bill—Committee. 3. Beer Duties Acts—Committee thereupon. 4. Prisons Bill—Report. 5. Supply 'Committee. 6. Merchant Vessels Apprenticeship Bill—Committee. 7. Ways and Means—,Committee. PRIVATE BILLS--SEconD REantwus for-THIS DAY. 1. Teignmouth and Dawlish 4. Chesterfield and Matlock Road Roads 2. Bishop's Waltham Road 5. Maidstone Gas Light 3. Bolton and 13/ackburn] 6. Scarborough Pier Road, , . • 7. Forties orLinsworthFishery Dropped Notices of Motions of Yesterday. 1. Sir Thomas Lethbridge--Resolutions relative to Agricultural Distress. 2. Lord Archibald Hamilton—Motion for the warrant of ap pointment of the Magistrates of Inverness. 3. Mr. Cripps—Parish Apprenticeship Laws. 4. Mr. William Williams—To regulate the right of voting at .Borough Elections, .arising from re4l property, and to prevent Occasionality. t. ,Sir. John Newport—Copies of all Letters or Memorials ad dressed by any Officers of the Board of First Fruits in Ireland to the Commissioners of that Board, or to the Lords .Commissioners of the Treasury,or to the Chief Secretary of Ireland, with Copies of the Answers given to such Letters ,or Memorials, anti of any Orders made thereon during the years 18e2 and .1823, respecting . the more exact valuation and collection of the Revenue arising therefrom. 6. Mr. Sykes—Bill to amend .r.W; Geo. 3, c. 21, relative to Quorum .Magistrates in Cities and T!.kwns Corporate. 7. Mr. Dominick Browne—Bill to discourage the granting of Leases in joint Tenancy in Ireland. Dropped Orders of the Day y* l'esterday. 1. Assessors at Elections Bill—Second Reading. 2. Supply—Report. 3. Marriage Act Repeal Bill—Third Reading.' 4. Grants of Aids Bill—Second Reading. 5. Innkeepers Bill—Second Reading.. Dropped Second Readings 9j . Private .1. Tarporley.Road 1 3. Pont Blydden Road. , 2. Wrexham & Barnhill Road. ST. MARY, NE NV INC] TON, SURREY. (IN SUNDAY NEXT, TWO SERMONS will be preached in this CHURCH, for the BENE FIT of 024 CHILDREN, belonging to the UNITED SCHOOLS of this PARISH ; .that in the Mornin},► by the Venerable JOSEPH HOLDEN POTX, 31. A. Archdeacon of ,London ; and that in ,the Afternoon: by the Rev. JONA THAN WILKINSON, M.A• of St. John's College, Cam. bridge, Morning Preacher of St. Stephen's Waibrook, and Sub-Master of St. Saviour's. Grammar School. This Charity has recently been enlarged on the Madras Sys tem, and United with the National Society. It now consists of 410 Boys, and 214 Girls, 250 of whom are clothed. PRICE a IF STOCKS ONE O.CLOCK. THIS DAY AT Bank. Stock p shut 3 per Cent. Red. shut 3 per Cent. Cons. 3i per Cent. shut' shut per Cent 1 0l d New 94t, 5 ?er-,Cents. 1797 Bank Long Ann. shut 3 , per Cents. India Stock India Bonds 20s. South Sea Stock Old Annuities _ _ Ex. Bills .10 9 pr, Ditto Small — Bank for Act. ac India for Con. Acct. Cons. for April .10 741 PRICE or FOREIGN STOU liSirt LONDON, ItAncii2 l l AT t) . !.it: Weimeti. Five per Cents. 78. • • Six per cents. 00. Russian Five per.Cents..(Aletallic) 00. , Ditto New 72. i Five per Cent. Bonds, 00. Neapolitan 1, Scrip, 00. Austrian Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00. Five r Cent. Bonds, 34. Spanish ' New Ditto, 28i. Scrip, 39b disc. Prussian 4 Five per Cent. Bonds, Bli. ~Ditto New, 774. Danish Five per Cent.l3onds, 801. Chili '.70. ColoinWan :Six per Cent. Bonds, 52. Peruvian New Loan, 00. • 13ank Shares £2l ss. Six per Cent. 90-93. American Five,per Cent. 04,-97. { Three per Cent. 70. ......1.-- TRICE OF. IRISH STOCK, 31Anat 11. Bank Stock NIA Cixand Canal Loati,4 p.ct. - 0 ov. Deb. 3 percent..,./18{.f+ ----Ditto 6 per cent. ... 61 Stock,3j per ct B5 ii g i —Ditto Stock Gov. Deb. 4 per cent. Royal Canal Stock - Gov. Deb. 5 per cent. — Wale-stress Cert. 6 per et I --Stock, 4 per cent. 934 Do. Deb. with Goy. Sec.... - Treasury Bills, 5 per cent Pipe Water Deb. 5 per ct. - City Debentures, 5 per Do. - cent , .. , Ballast Office tiovt. Sec. Lying in Hospital 4 per ct. 5 per cent. Exchange on London, ,'March 14, 04. French IfICIIIIITATER AT LONDO: 51orning. 23 tninutett after 10. BRIDGE TOZIORROW. Evening, 3 minutes after 11. THE- SUN. .60LEM QUIS DICERE F.4LSUM 4FIDE4T LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH it, 18i3. The Dispatches received the day before yes terday by Government, from Lord FrrzltoY SOMERSET, confirm the seizure of the Cassa de Credit() Public() by the Spanish Ministry. We are enabled to add, that when the last accou►►ts came away, the Ministers had prepared a list o perious who were thought capuble of contrib ing to a forced Loan. EXPRESS FROM . PARIS, We received Paris Papers, of Wednesday last, at a late hour this morning. PARIS, MARCH 19. [From the brapeau Blanc.] 141 - ANNE, MARCH 11.—The number of troops which have arrived here and in our environs is calculated at forty-seven thousand four hundred and twenty infantry, and seven thousand three hundred and ten cavalry. The first corps, commanded by the Duke de REGGIO, will be composed of four divisions, and will eater Spain by the way of Bayonne, Irun, Vittoria, Burgos, and Madrid. The second corps, com manded by Gen. MOLITOR, wilt be composed of three divisions, and will move by St. Jean Pied de Port to Pampeluna. The third corps, com manded by the Prince of llontxtonE, will con- sist of three divisions, and.will ent►er c 1 1n by the way of Oberon, Saragossa, and Calatayad. The division of reserve, composed of 6.000 rflo, will re main at Vittoria. It is estimated that the force now forn►in. at Perpignan sill be VEY thousand men.' CHAMBER OF PEERS, MARCH iS.—The Law • relative to the Veterans was carried by a nja . . jordy of 107.—Baron PAsQuiElt wade a prop°. tition to request the I.INO eta have some choge in the Martial Law in the ev ent of a war. its muffin; was negatived. In the Chamber osen f Depu ties, March IS, the Budget was preted bY the IV inister of Finances. There was no oppo sition, as all toe Members of the Cote gaud were absent. .. _ ..._________ NEWS FROM SPAIN. flat The situation of Madrid becomes every m p o o r t e l: cr N it T ic o a so, l i .lt is generally supposed that ere the King leaves Madrid, o ceans of blood will flow, as was the case wh en MunAT in 180 S car ried off from the Palace of Madrid, the-14°5 t F li a g m ht ily a a g r r e ea , It i s said jaoingerdeat fur the of military olficers ha" force the departure of the Kiag. 'Ever/ Palace : as soon as they perceive that the 1102 lacwasoitlerlttelttotin'eubembirleurle:lfseedt,hoefse "Iwslig " churches of Santa Maria are to be rung, wh ich it v e rt ui a i r c a s e o t s il o tt that f not does ttat thirty li beea to be the signal fur a general rising. lt is cal c " Ministers gave fi ve millions to Gen.13,k0.0116° ~, lOC BERT determititteAdsiptO:plp4oisseatnh'el adeniti:rte:re°9o.l):l-r.lie i,, c du PIP Geural BALLEsTEaos, not having enter Arragon, has been compelled t b o eeiri:Liuill I') :, Madrid. jrit'e;mrttatllivseviroooyon millions aretti*olil.rillieeexidh:iaalatituYgissiatsg4Sl'btlelittibilretlr:ll°tili'etiStill:titil4ll:tili::l arititleo.leCgle.e, srh 0 _ [From 0 At the the insurrection of ASIARANO n S ° I `) the Journal du Cononera.4 po oh) r e ' 1 1 last letters from Lisbon and e, ,d, ton 100 : 1 1 00 1 h a bi t daysa n ti imprisonment of 11 r Present .t+ importance. sio Sebastian, and n the 11th, eleven hundred of the „Idiersof . 1 1 0 1 , Faith, ti who lied been defeated by the COIISII t country nalists, had arrived at St• Jean flied de r ur ' where departure of the courier from Vayono,e: ;! An the y were disarmed. • i d e rn !ears to be decided, t hat PIO ° i 'i, quence l. -- PEntijereur rs, FRONTIERS ' .f.ll 'a ll' , renewed a a r id It a OF NAVAltilf, -'-' via , st, (mi ned and Santagona, which sre ' gel ' Pro i be capable of a long resstance, a re the Y places that n ill be delended• If he r' st D for will be abandoned to the iaottlersl ilsaornsmeiel a le: 11.:11:aeve;ccortied out which th e Until inh a bit ants are preparing, - 1 ovie . business i s suspended. The pen le of c i . o i , a") because Galicia is one of the polotiin 01 1 ; it is stand will be made against the etteivy ~,40 it there that the activity of iglu) od 1 ~ re d! MAD R , / ~,_ D, MA act' 9, at night-- Al l " we g e retiring will ije t d o is C r o ta ro y g e t d ie .with their :,..:, ti tur the that his MAJESTY Will nut leoe the tilt, departure of the JON°, th°ugh, assuredclipi tallBth, Th e jour ney nossib' 7.troopsi of the line, and The . will be as secret as r jo e? _ Cortes ti, ill follow the Kiso. It o f IV decided that the Report of the stBtc opt tho 1701 or if his health ttietiPe",, 4fation will only b e discussed after th e a 0 ,I .0 l' a o the Cortes • at Seville, where or-` off, f the " been the given for the accommodation a njo j . eMinistry, an d the Cortes. T .- 1 0 ", o e oi ' ( 1 ,0 unteer Militia have offered to a • ccol"P Government . as an escort. PARIS Ai ise vele the same uon'ber ''' l i e four ' Alt Clll9.—Fou r })last od re a 9111 r fu' Passengers left Cahis Weei• f° laud. NV lO' e have received tbe Bayonne Parr- , ~0 1 0 instant ; but their ; are .4'l' 4 the preceding principa l contents ► ropero Wed nesday. The wrecks of 13Eisi° Lunn and destroyed. have been interce p ted by a coluto fro,' I ---"'"----, ,( 0 1 1 Cl" The Dispatch from the politico , igs p, Gerona to which the Spanish Vice-Consul at l'erisoos, gives we have inserted in our preceding °'actife for rations Prepa the most cheering description of t he , et it4 Or 61 ' which are every where cola' defence o f Spain against the 0'11,111311 the o ra f o t k h s eheroic patriotism and jeal disPlaYettie co' the thusia of People. In 1311o:003ft 005 t sin is SO greitt, th3t eVell tiv IV delicate females have aided ia 10°"ti:iplete artillery and state putting the place in a c° ro od Hoe of defence. The fortresses of flgleoitria their cannon are receiving provisions anciPrfor 1,00 cannon for a siege ' The tow" Pu IV of Tarragona 0 are strengthening, aoti °en t