The Sun. — London, England, 1822-02-02 00:00:00

AGRICULTURE. ;•`, COUNTYOF ITER.TFORD MLETING. LAndholders _and. Farmers -wat 'yesterday held at the Shire Hail, in conse qpence of the following Requisition having been pTlesented' to the • High Sheriff (J. TIMPERON, . . • " - We, the undersigned, request that you will please to call a Meeting of the Owners and Occupiers of • Land in the County of Herts, for the purpose of taking into consideration the pro priety of Petitioning Parliament upon the Agricultural Dis tresses of the Country. (Signed)-4 Lord Dacre, N. Calvert; Sir CUlling Smith, W. Baker, D-Giles, W. Hall, jun., A. 3/eetkerke, NV. Wiltshire, W.. Dent. J. .Causton, Rowland Alston, - Thomas Daniell Lloyd, Thomas Newcombe, John. E. Cooke, W. Kimpton, H. Cozens, W. BoyS, Thomas Gregg, Saml. Adams, • John Carter, Geo. Mickl e y, W. Fl ac k, W . H ear d , C . T ween, .1 - = Thos. Kimpton, Wnr. Tween, Thos. Jackson, Wm. Bigg, W. Cater, W. H: Feilde, H. H. Feilde jun." ;:. To this Requisition the Sheriff "returned the •following An swer : . ." In pUrsuance of the above Requisition I have appointed - at .c. Meeting to be held at the Shire Hall,' in the town of Hertford, en Friday, the first day of. February next, at twelve o'clo c k a t noon. " JOSEPH •TIM PERON." • 4 ' New Barnes, Jan. 17. At twelve o'clock the High Sheriff entered the Hall, follow ed by the Gentlemen who signed the Requisition. There were also present the Maruuis of Salisbury, Earl'of 'Bridgwater, 7iscbunt CranboUrne, Sir J. Sebright, (M.P. for the County),• tie Honourable Mr. Lamb (M. P. tbr the County) Colo ; nel &c. &c.—The body of the room was fill e d b y •• ,Browne,. farmers of the most respectable appearance. At a quarter past twelve o'clock Mr. MEETKERKE came for ward-and observed, that the precise period fixed for opening the meeting had already elapsed ; he shoal therefore propose that • the IligUherifido take the Chair. Mr. N.TALVERT said it was usual on such occasions to • give an hour's law ; a Meeting called for twelve was understood to be - fixed for one o'olock. He hoped, therefore, that time would be given for the arrival of many, Gentlemen who had . delayed coming under this impression. • A Gentlonan at the Ta - bleobserved, that at the last Meet ing the Chair was taken rather before the time fixed•• by the . notice. Sir Srotato tit hoped that the Meeting would.not allow themselves to getinto a ny u n necessary discussloh, and that, above all things, they would avoid sipping up old grievances. On the motion. of Mr:MEET/U:1111E it was put and carried that the High Sheriff should take the Chair. • 'The HIGH SHEltar said that he had ;elt it his duty to con vene this Meeting in'consequence of having received a Requi sition for that purpose, which was numerously and most respect ably signed. The object of the meeting Was to Petition Parlia -I..?nent for relief from the distress under which the agrieultural Interest laboured, and he hoped that every Gentleman who at , ttlided the Meeting had come with that view, and with that view only ; and he hoped also that every Gentleman who came forward to deliver his sentiments should receive a fair and int pattial hearing. Lord DAcrtE rose and was received with loud and 'repeated cheers. His Lordship commenced by Observing, that the alarming state of distress under which the agricultural interests laboured, was such that it was felt expedient to call this meeting. of the owners and occupiers of land in that,county, in order to consider the propriety of petitioniug• Parliament for redress. Some friends of his (wi l d' a kind partiality, for which, : however awkwardly it might place him, he sin terelythanked them), had request e d hi m t o open the proceeding of the day. He should, in the first instance, in his own name and in that of the meeting, return his best, thanks to their worthy . High Sheriff for the readiness with which he had acceded to the wishes-of the Requisitionists.— (Applause.)—Having thus far completed a small • portion of the t a sk w hi c h d evo l ve d upon him, he could not help stating that he rose with much difficulty, delicacy, and anxiety upon this occa sion. —(Hear, hear, hear!)—lle felt that he was about to enter upon a subject of vast extent, and of the most vital importance ; a subject which it .-was his duty to lay as clearly as possible be fore the meeting. in attempting this, his feel ings of anxiety and delicacy arose from his knowing the heat and warmth with which he was in the habit' of expressing himself upon • political subjects, and -frequently with a strong political bias. Those who knew him best, knew that it was his practice, upon all occasions, to go direct to his object. If he wished to introduce Parliamentary Reform (a question which he should upon every proper occasion support upon sound constitutional principles), he should go at once to the point; but at present they were as sembled to consider of the distresses under which the agriculturists laboured, and of pointing out, if possible, a remedy for, those distresses. In stating the means by which, in his view of the case, those distresses could be mitigated, if riot wholly removed, he should trust to their patience and indulgence. The main difficulty under which , the landed interests laboured,' could be stated in a few word's : the inadequacy -of the, price of produce to cover the expences of cultivation.— (Hear, bear !)---And he .had' no hesitation in say ing, that if the distresses which now existed were to continue much longer, then the cultiVation of the lands of England must cease altogether.— ( - Hear, hear !)—Perhaps it would be here neces sary to state, that in speaking of the expence of cultivation, he did not include rent. Rent, strictly speaking, was what remained to the cultivator after every expence incident to cultivatiOn. was paid: The expencesko which he alluded were the Poors" Rate, road expences, the expences of labour, for whether the labourer was employed or in the workhouse, he was' equally supported by the land.(Hear, hear !)—When all these expences were paid, the residue, if any, was rent; b'nt un til, those expences were paid, the land'could not, anal ought not to pay any rent.—(Hear, hear Tu. speaking of the 'necessity of a- 'remunerating price to the farmer, he wished to guard himself against any idea of wishing. to keep up rc.qit or high prices:: There was not a single iota of such a thing either in what he said or what he thoUght. The question Was not now between the land owner and the occupier, the question was - whether the whole of. the lands of England. were to be transferred to other holders.—(Hear!)--But even if this 'transfer could take place, and that culti vation could still go on, he for one would pause before he -proposed any measure'to prevent such a change 11 for it was of little Moment, in a tinahcial point of view, whether lands were transferred or not,• so long as -they continued prodnetive.-L(Heir, hear, hear !)-I.ut, the mis chief. was, that unless some efficient remedy was - proposed, this transfer -must go on ; there mot be a. series of transfers front holder to holder ; 'and this would have the effect of ruin-1 ing the happiness of the people, Of , ruining the country, and of lowering us in the - eyes Of 17u rope. The price of grain -depe.tided upon the quantity produced, as well as upon the amount of the circulating medium., For the distresses which were.adthitted on all hands to exist, Va rions remedies' were proposed. One was a mono- poly of the home market; they had a perfect monopoly by the existing Corn Laws. Though many were dissatisfied' with those laws, and wished in preference for a' high protecting duty upon corn. (The Noble Lord was here interrupted by the en trance of the Marquess of Salisbury, Lord Verulam, and Viscount. Cranbourne.) After a few minutes he proceeded. Such a- protecting duty would be useless ; for even should a protecting duty of 40s. per quarter be imposed, still, according to the returns of continental prices made to Parlia ment the Session before last, such a duty would rwt.have kept out foreign Cant. -But.at present the English farmer had a complete monopoly under SOs. was it to be expected that it could rise to that price under the present state of things ? The- Cash Payments Resumption Bill having rendered all notes convertible into gold, he could not see how it could be expected that prices would rise' higher now than they were before the restriction took place. The circulating medium was now about what it was shortly before the Restriction Act. According to a calculation of the late Lod Liverpool, the circulating medium, a short time before the restriction, was 30,000,000/. We had at present 20,000,000/. of paper afloat, and about, 7,000,000 of sovereigns. This was near the cir culating medium of 1793. How then could it be expected that prices would rise higher now.than they were at that period ? And if this could not be expected, what fear was there to expect that such a rise would take place as to open the ports? He was of opinion that they ought to adhere to the Corn Bill. By any attempt to alter that Bill they would risk more than they could pos sibly gain by the alteration.—(Hear, hear !) The present distresses were caused mainly by the return to a sound and wholesome metallic] currency. In making these observations, he begged to state that he dreaded adhering to any fixed system of political economy. The thing might be good in theory, but it was visionary in practice. He would mention one circumstance here which would explain what he had just be fore asserted. When Mr. Peel's Bill was under discussion in the House of Commons, a Gentle man, for whom he entertained the highest possible admiration, respect, and affection, a Gentleman who was a most powerful writer upon finance, a wonderful calculator, and one of the greatest arguers he had ever heard, he meant Mr. Ri cardo, that Gentleman observed upon that oc casion, that prices could not vary more than two per cent., as gold did not vary in the market more than that amount. Ills Lordship, not wish ,ing to differ from a man of such experience, re mained silent ; so much for a thing which was apparently true, but practically false.—(Hear, hear !)—The next remedy proposed to relieve the farmer was certainly a handiland a simple, one; it was nothing more than to depreciate the currency of the country again.—(No, no.)—He confessed that he looked with much alarm to any measure of this kind. They had all seen the effects of that system of paper currency, and those who knew him would perhaps recollect that he antici pated those effects. There never was any instance where a paper currency was introduced into 'a country, that it did not give the means of affect ing the interests of the whole country. A great cause of grievance was our enormous debt, a debt increased considerably by the return to cash payments. The moment the storm subsided, the tide was changed, the funds were raised, and the landed propiietors became oppressed ;-- all became altered ;—every thing fluctuated in value, except taxation—that remained fixed and immoveable.—(Hear, bear!)—He should oppose any return to a depreciated currency (whatever relief it might afford the farmer) as a system which was fraudulent in principle and ruinous in practice.—(ll ear, hear !)—Having said that every thing was done to raise the prices as far as a mo nopoly (which the Corn Bill at present was) could go, he now came to the other part of the question. The. Noble Lord, after observing that it was a pressure of taxation only, which pre vented the English farmer from competing with foreign markets, said th a t lie would not go mi nutely into the pressure felt from the • various taxes; but he felt it necessary to state, that every thing in the shape of a poll-tax operated to oppress the landed. interest. For instance, if a 'man wore shoes, he paid a portion of the leather tax ; if he was a labourer, or if in the work house, the farmer equally contributed in wages, in the one case, and in poor's rates in the other, to pay this tax. It was so of beer, and many other articles of consumption. It might be urged that this operated upon . the manufacturer, also ; but were they to decline asking for relief from an oppressive burden be- cause other persons wouldbe relieved at the same time ? iie would advocate the total repeal of the Malt Tax,-(Hear, hear !)--:but he knew that many gentlemen were of opinion, that it would be more expedient to repeal other taxes. It was.true that 'other branches of industry were oppressed, as well - the farmer, but the manu facturer, for instance, could, if his business was unproductive, stop his spinning machines, and turn to another employment ; but the farmer Must go on whether his Inisiness was productive or otherwise. It was. true l►e might turn off a portion, or perhaps all.of his labourers, but then he must maintain them in a workhouse. Salt, leather, tobaccoooap, and candles, were neces sary to the. husbandman, and therefore all taxes upon such. articles were taxes upon land. The Noble Lord here read an estimate .which he bad made upon the annual taxation which fell upon the labourer, supposing him to have a wife and four children. For Beer (54 gallons), Excise cn Malt, Hops, and Beer - - - - - £1 7 0 Salt (261 b.) - - -_ _ . 0I; 0 Shoes (12 pair) - - . • - - 0 6 0 Candles (241 b.) Soap (121 b.) - - . 0 4 0 Tea (41b.) ' . - _ - - 012 0 Sugar - - - .. - - - 015 0 £3 10 Excise on Malt and Hops for the Beer fbund by the Master in•harvest and hay time, and turnip hoe ing, estimated at 36 gallons 0 12 0 £4 2 V Reckoning one labourer to '25 acrwc the - above taxes would be found 'to amount to rather more than 3s. 6d. per acre. It might be said, that a reduction of taxes•on those four items would not relieve the agricul(urists. To this he answered) • let any man count the number of agricultural la bourers, and multiply that number by the calcp • • lated sum which he had mentioned, and he would find that :t. would amount to an immense-sum.-- The Noble Lord proceeded to deprecate the idea so often broached, that the funded Was opposed to the landed proprietor ; it was nonsense' to Suppose it ; their interests were united they were bound up together, and they.must stand or fall together. After some further observations, he observed, that he should now propose to them a Petition, to be presented to Parliament. In this Petition he did not point out the reduction of any particular tax ; •let the responsibility of doing that rest where It should do, with the Go - verument ; the prayer of the Petition was simply a .mitigation of taxation.,--(Hear, hear 1)--Ills Lordship concluded by expressing a hope, that every Gentleman in the country would unite upon this occasion, for he did not hesitate to de; Clare, that without their united exertions, the country must he ruined.—(Cheers.) . - The following Petition was then read " The Humble Petition of the undersigned Owners and Occu piers of Land in the-County of Bells, " STlEwETar—That• your Petitioners are suffering Under the most intense and unparalleled - distress. Your Petitioners ab-; stain from an enumeration of the several causes which have, as they conceive, brought them to their present condition ; but they cannot but remind your Honourable House, that after the va rious fluctuations of prices which they have experienced, the circulating medium has been..fioally settled upon: a system which bears severely against the Agricultural interests of the country. , " Your Petitioners submit to your Honourable House, that the direct effect of the system thus adopted has been the virtual increase of that taxation under which•they have long and pi tienty laboured ; araconvinced, as they are, that a general re duction of the.prices of all articles used and consumed by la bourers in Agriculture, in some degree corresponding t o th e re duced prices of the products of th e so il, wou ld contr ib ute ' to their relief, they cannot but entertain a confident expectation that your Honourable House will take into its immediate con sideration the expediency of adopting some plan of reduced taxation, which shallrelieve the population of the country from those taxes which more immediately affect the price•of labour, arid which, consequently, raise to an oppressiVe degree the costs of cultivation. . • • " Your Petitioners beg te assure your Honourable House, that, unless adequate and immediate relief be afforded to the Owners and Occupiers of Land, they cannot but contemplate the total destruction of their property, being convinced that the rights by which they hold this property, are as just, as sa cred, as any that can be given by statutory pledges to other inte rests in the State, your Petitioners'confide in the justice and equity of your Honourable House;toaffOrd them equal securrtY and protection. Your Petitioners therefore pray that the press sure of their taxation may be mitigated, and that they may re. ceive that relief to which they cohtider• themselvei so justly entitled. " 'And your Petitioners, &c.", . Mr. KIMPTON seconded the Petition. • Mr. FORDHAM said, the cause of the distresses under which they laboured was easily discernible. Government, while they lowered the price of corn, still kept taking the same stun of money from their pockets. He had in his possession dime: assents to prove that this was the case. He intended to con clude by moving a Resolution expressive of their distress ' and . calling for a repeal of the duti es o n malte salt, beer,- leather, 'soap and candles. This would afford relief to the lan'dholder, and was at the same time the best means of restraining the, lavish, profligate, and unnecessary expenditure of the country—. (Cheers.)—He had in his possession an account of the poor's rates and other taxes levied upon several parishes in the three adjoining counties. In one parish the poor's rates was in 1792, 3741., last year it was 17861., and this year it was likely to be greater still. If they looked to the poor's rates they wouldfind them increase in proportion to other taxes. In several parishes the poor'S rate had increased fourfold, and the other taxes in the same proportion. In the parish of Asnwell the poor's - rates were less, and the lands better managed than in many others. In 1792, the poor's mte in that parish was 391. Bs. 10d. ; in, 1821 it was 691. Us. 4d. Let them look to the increase of the Malt Tax. In 1792 it was 66,4001. ;in 1821 it was four rnil2 home In 1792 the parish of Ashwell paid 1101. 7s. for malt e this was the value of 132 quarters of barley ; they now paid '6371. for malt, which. was the price of 764 quarters of barley. Here was a differente if, the quantity to be received to pay for the necessary quantity of malt. He would neat allude to the Salt Tax ; there were 900 persons in the parish of Ashwell ; they paid for salt last year 1291. (all sold in sixpence worths). Was not this enough to rouse any set of men—(Hear, hear, hear !) ?--They paid for soap 361. ; for candles 241. ; in all the articles together the parish of Ashwell, alone paid eight hundred and twenty-six pounds ; to pay which 991 quarters of barley must be raised by the farmer, without including, one • shilling of rent, one shilling of labour, or of the incidental ex pences of the farmer. In fact, the farmer was obliged at pre sent to sell four or five quarters of barley to obtain one quarter of malt. But let them look at the price of the article when brewed—a farmer must sell ten or eleven quarters of barley to purchase the produce of one quarter in porter. Was it to be wondered at after this that the money went so quickly out of their pockets? The poors' rates also bore almost exclu sively upon land. The farmer paid five millions a year,. while all the other bodies paid only two millions between them.— (Hear, hear, hear !) —But why talk of reductions ?—when they last year asked for a reduction of Bs.• per quarter, in the Malt duty, ,they were tauntingly, told that it would not exceed a penny in a pot of porter, and therefore that it could be of no use. What wonder'svas it that they were ruined, when they found that wheat was lower now than itavaa in 1792 (it was then 50s. it was now 43.5.) while our taxes ,had inereasediour-fold since that period ? Let them look for a moment to the meaner in which the money was spent. In 1792 our armyeamottnted to 86,000 men, and were supported at an expence of 2,300,0001. In 1821 the numbers were 240,000, and the expellee was 8,900,0001. — (Hear !)—Here they had three times the number •of men, and four times the expence. In 1792 . the whole staff of the army cost 22,0001. In 1821 the expellees of the Commander in Chief alone amounted to 15,0001. ; this was for one single individual, who had a salary of 16 guineas a. day, which office was before discharged for 9 guineas a day. He should like to see the Duke of York supported like a Prince, but surely that could be done at a less exptmite than 50,0001. or 60,0001. a year. Why, the parish of Ashwell, consisting of farmers and labourers, went on for a year to get a living, d ar i ng w hi c h t i me; the Chancd lor of the Exchequer employed every device in his power to squeeze 10001. a year out of them ; and the sum did not last the . Duke of York more than five days.—(Cheers.)—slle would ask' if this was a proper state of thin g s?—(No, no !)—ln fact, there were fifty parishes like Ashwell, all toiling night and day to pay their one thousand pounds a year each, and the Duke of York swallowed it all.—(Loud laughing.)—Hs would ask whether a portion of this expense might not be saved ?—He found also that they had no less than 10,040 Half-pay Officers. --These consisted of men who had fought the battles of their country, and had earned a portion of those honours corifele red on the Duke of Wellington. Of these man only 303 had been taken into active service during the last six years, while, during that period, 2,553 young sons. of• Gentlemen had•been „ put over the heads of those b rave ve t erans , an d thi s at an ex- I V NT should be cut for dryin g,jest when it is 1 I pence of 4,0901. a week for the l as t fo u ry ears —(Sh ame , s same.) in flower, and on a fine day ; for, if cut in damp —Was this not a proof of lavish and profligate 'expenditure— (Applause)? --The next item he could not explain, though p weather, the. leaves will turn black. It should haps some other Gentleman . might;—he found that the yeo- be tied in small bunches, and dried in a•shady Imanry cavalry of the county (among' whoin he had many fnends) place out of the wind ; but to retain its natural vir cost the country no less th a n 5001. a day---(llear, hear !)—he should like to know what the officers received ; he never could. tue more effectually, it has been found better to find that the privateS received a single farthing —(Loud laugh- place the mint in a' screen and to dry it. quickly marry of that county—to who was an annual char did ge .it g of —F or his 170:0001his partite d . for the yens i before a fire, so that it may be powdered 'and . irn m ?d not know that the privates were the only volunteers in the corps flied iately put into glass bottles, and kept well —(Laughing.)—He next came to the places and pensions of stopped. Parsley, thyme, sage, and other herbs, Sir T. I,laitland, brother to Lord 'Lauderdale ; he had 10001. a year since 1812, for services rende r ed in Ceylon ; he h a d 50001. retain their full fragrance when thus prepared a year as Governor of Malta, to - which place. he only went and are by this mode secured from dust, ,and once in two years ; he had 10001. 'as Lord High Commissioner always ready to the hand of the cook. of the lonian Islands, and 40001. for staff expellees; Here one man had 15,0001. a year, the produce of fifteen industrious parishes, Such as Ashwell, and he spent it all abroad- 7 (Heer, The funeral of th elat e D uc h ess of Si'. ALBAN'S ear, hear !)—Who' could for a moment believe that 24900 reached Lincoln. on Tuesday forenoon from Lon soldiers were necessary to keep down the pati e nt, s u ff er in g peo ple of this country? but it was said tisat they were troublesome, don. The hearse was hung round with escutch-, that they wanted to reduce the expenditure of the country-- eons, and attended by mourning coaches, in one of It was true, they did; aed perhaps for doing so they might which fwas the usual 'solemn emblem of deceased be taunted as they were before by . Sir Isaac 'Coffin, who told them they had better go home and fill their dung carts; this quality, the.coroiret of her Grace, borne on a velvet 'was an observation which that Gentleman; who had received cushion : plumes and other sable honours closed so much of the in public money, d a red not to h ave Made any melancholy' procession. The body lay in state where else but l'arliament—(Hear, hear, heal. !)--With re- the spent to the Army, Lord Grenville. said, in 1815,. that any all . Tuesday at the White Hart Inn above-hill, aclvoeete the support of such a Milit ar y , and proceeded thence for Redbourn:on Wednes—• .. e a u rn the Constitution :th s • , Establishment must intend to was said by a man who Nee not a :' , 7lical—(A laugh).— • ea) ~ bleat Tom sent out his doleful sound in - Let them now look t o th e navy. In 17 92, the ie. st the the forenoon half-minutely, and the hells of the r;o are, country 2,000,0001. in 1821 it cost the co un t r y 6,500,0b01. , oilier cLurches in LincOln knolled as the proc6. had:how a number of ships greater then the - whole world could easioed. bring against us, and y e t w e w e nt an b u ildi ns. W hat would .I slon . . . that meeting think of a man who set about getting cars, wag. 1 Bons, and Plotigh a made this year, because it was possible that he. mighthave a farm in 7 or 19 years time ?---(baughaug.) - - , Such was the case with our Ministers' at present, - they built ships now because it was not impossible that they might be • Volved'in a war at some future period.-(Laughing.)—When . during the War we had 120,000 seamen, we had seven Lords of the Admiralty, and perhaps it was proper that we should have that number; - but at present, that we had only' 19,000 seamen, how many Lords of tne Admiralty had we ? Oh, seveu still. There was a First Lord of the Admiralty at - 5,0001 a year, and six others at 1,0001. a year; there,was a Secretary to the Admiralty at 3,0001. a year, and a second Secretary at 1,500 a-yaar ; there was a Clerk at 1,1001. a year, and in addition to this they had all houses to live in and other perquisites. What were all these men wanted for? They were:not Wanted for the Navy—they e'ere not wanted for the Admiralty-;•but they were wanted in the Houie of Coinmons•—(Cheers).—They were wanted to vote for any tax, however oppressive, for- any Gaggibg Bill, however infamous—(Cheers.)-- . -lii fact, half the public money was spent in upholding . offices which gave Mini sters pbwer and patronage. Ile next adverted to the Colonies, the farms which we held off and seldom visited.. • The Cape of Good Hope, which, under the Government of the Dutch, sup ported itself, cost this country, in. 1821, for the Governor of that Colony 10,0001. a year, with a Colonial Secretary 3,5001., au Assistant Secretary 1,5001.; and a Private Secretary at 5001. 4 there were alsia thirteen constables at XOOl. and, he found - that they also had a Chancellor the ExcheqUer there (laughter), and he had alsohia snug 2,0001. a year and upwards. In addition to all this, he found that the inf amous s p y , Oliv e r , who had de- . ludedandgoaded the people into, partial rebellion--that even . that wretch was provided, at the Cape of Good Hope, with a sa lary of 3901. a y ear -4Shame, shame !—The Worthy , Gentleman next adverted to India, and observed, that lie found the,persens connected•with.that country were usually found in the ranks of Ministers. The Honourable Gentleman next commented upon • a Still remaining Army—an Army in 'the' 'HOLM. of Commons. He found that there were there fifty-taro • Mem bers, who received 162,0001. a year —(a person in the crowd oc for doing what ?")—I answer. for voting thick and thin with Ministers. He appealed to those Members around him, whether it was not a fact, that these ministerial hocks were obliged to attend nightly in their places, and whether, if they went out to dinner, a runper -was not kept in readiness to call 'them back in the event of an expected division of the House--(laughing) ? and yet this was the system they were not to touch ! If any at tempt was made to point out such grievances the ceywasaa" yoti Mean to 'overturn the Constitution ;" and thii was said by a set of men who had been - using their best endeavours to over turn it for the last thirty -years. The Honourable Gentleman, • alluding to the praiseworthy exertions of Mr. - Hume, observed, that that Gentleman divided. the .Housi 72 times'last yea: on motions for retrenchment (he was sorry he did not see the named of their County Menibers oftener in the divisions) I After a few other observations ' he concluded by mo v i ng a Resolutionapray ing a repeal of the duties on Malts leather, salt, beer, soap, and candles. Mr. ALSTON supported the Resolution. Lord . DACRE. asked; if the Resolution was meant as an amendment to his petition.? Mr. FoRDHA:te replied in the affirmative. • Mr. W. LAMB, M.P. for the County, in allusion to what had been said with respect to the -County Members, Observed, that he never did, nor ever would, act contrary to his judg ment, whatever might be the wishes and feelings of his constitu ents. He accounted'for his absence from Parliament by stating, that he had been ill in the country for a considerable time last year. He declared himself an advocate for economy and re; trenchment, though he .On, several occasions disapproved of Mr. flume's motions, because, however industrious, laborious, and persevering, he thought that Gentleman, he could not help oh -- serving that there.was much in the tone, spirit, and temp er o f his opposition, of which he (Nlr. Lamb) disapproved.--ASoma-, disappaobation; Mixed with applause.)—Soine obseriationa had been made respecting the yeomanry. He had been a 'Captain of yeomanry for sonic time, and though he had new reaignecl, he had no 'objection to give any Gentleman who. called upon him a full account of the whole of the expences of his trocna 'from the period of his joining to his quitting ,it. • -He should always study the interests of his constituents; - but if in 'duty to himself he felt it necessary 'to vote against them, he hoped, they would do him the justice to believe, that he acted from a, conscientious feeling that he was doing his dutYlo-the country.' —(Applause)—He declared himself an advocate for economy; and retrenchment, as far as either was praCticable, and he. thought" that the best way of 'obtaining it was by - a temperate, but firm application to Parliament. He had heard much about the national debt ; he hoped that there was not in that county a . man who Would break faith with 'the public creditor. He had been no advocate of' the-war, but whatever his opinions were, he knew that it was a severe struggle for those engaged in it, as well as for th e count r y. B ut whatever he might have thought, he felt himself bound to bear his proportion of the bur dens which it imposed on the country, no matter to what situa tion in sociefy Suctiburdens might reduce hini.—(Cheera.) Viscount URAWBOURNE said he did not wish now to enter into the constitution of the House of Commons, as it waatotally, unconnected with the subject, but he would ask, whether, if all the present Members were turned out, and a ne w sit elected upon an amended principle, corn would rise one shilling in ' price . ? —(A: paraon in the crowd—" Perhaps not immediately, but it is likely that taxes would be reduced.")—le would be a difficult thing to reddee Our establishnients ; and even if a few thousands were taken down bete and there they would foiind toe trifling to 'afford relief—(Hisses.)—They .would not, he was sure, make in the aggregate 500;01 . 301. The Noble Lord made some further observations, but the noise in the Hall prevented' his being heard. .51r..FonDitan (brother to the gentleman of thatharne whq moved the Resolution) condemned•theeenduct othlr. Lamb in refusing to goes far as Mr. Hume in favour .of.retrenchinint. • Mr. LAMB begged 'the gentleman's pardon. He said he. could not'aiways support : Mr, Hume's mo ti ons , but' it did not • follow that lie might not go further than that gentleman in • - • some instances.. • Mr. Fonntran proceeded to point -out, at considerable length, the necessity -of redUction. Ministers, public officers of all descriptions, ought to have their salaries, reduced one-halt; He would reduce rents, tithes, taxes, nay even th e i nterest o f the debt, one half, and for this simple reason, that the produce of the land had been reduced one-half. He concluded lay pro posing a Resolution in faVotir of Parliamentary Reform. Sir Joux SEBILIGIIT defended his conduct in Parliament, and declared, that however'hikbly he respected his constituents ? ;me would never consent to-go to Parliament fettered in his opi nions. He was proud to be their Representativ e , but he would never be their Delegate.—(Cheers, and so n i e 'di sap probation.) Mr. Po explained. Lord DAcnE, in speaking upon the AmeriAnient, observed, that he had abstained from Parliamentary Reform upOn -occasion, because he was anxious to preserve the. unanimity, if, possible. His opinions upon-Reform had not changed. When . !the proper opportunity offered, he should be found ready to give is sound constitutional Reform his zealous, support.-(Cheers.) . - Mr. E. KINCi FORDIJAM (not either of the Gentlemen al ready mentioned) recommended the witlidrawino of4he 'don, unless the Meeting were likely to be unanimous upon it. The Resolution, 'specifying: the Taxes to he'Re - pealed, and that for Reform, were then withdrawn. • . The Marquess of SALisnußi• expressed his belief that the proposed Petition would. be of no avail ; be. should not, how, ever; oppose it, as it held outhope of relief to the Gentlemen aronnd,him. - • , Lord Dacre's Petition was then put, and earned unanimously. The Rev. Mr. NEW COMB!!! niade a fe"W'obseriratiOns . .. After which the meeting was dissolved at Four o'Clock. VIOLENT ASSAULT IN PRANCE UPON ThaN s ENGLISH GENTLEMEN. • On Sunday the Wth,ul.t. about four o`ek~cic in the afternoon, as GEORGt TREVOI . I, son of the Hon; W. It, Hat;Ws/ K. N.; nephew to the Dean of-Witichestell and Mr. J 0 .111" FORDYCE, were on their rettirti from Paris, thei . got out of the diligence iii ‘vlticktilef were travelling, for the purpose of • walkingeu . l' one of the steep hills which lie between . logne and Calais; when they had almost ascended the hill, they were met by two Frenchmen-a - retied. with double-barrelled . guns, apparently:return. ing from sporting, who, after staring at themin - a. Very impertinent and 'offensive -manneri-ac costed them with " Vioade, ces Anglais." On Captain Hollis" remarking that:he-hoped the sportsmen would know . them -when they — me again, they cocked their guns, and .threitteeß"., to fire upon them ; at the same 'time -one-of 't -h° Frenchmen presented, and•ininiediately recover ed his arms ; but the other waiting till the ing lishinen had turned their backs in order to pro ceed on their walk, deliberately discharged his piece at them, at the distance of not more than 35 : paces, by which the whole- party were wounded. Captain Hollis received several shot (which were what the French Grill chevrOtin, and about the size ofqhe Engiish Wick...shot), in . his hand and arm, as well as in differen t,parte of his body, by which he was very seriously hurt, and Mr. Spencer and Mr. Fordyce wereals6 injured, although in a much slighter degree. - The "vff' lains proceeded down the hill till they. carne U 1 sight of the Diligenee, When they ran away across the fields, pursued by the wounded gentlemen, and Sir John Scott Lillie, who - WaS travelling in'their company, but happened to be at some distance behind when the assault was :committed. On finding themselves closely pursued; they again presented their guns;threatening to blow out the brains of any one who attempted, to,folltr.v ,them; so that the English party, who. were totally nil' armed, were compelled to abandon the attempt- On their arrival at Marquise,.they gaveinforron" tion to the Bens‘tParmes - on duty at the vittng_et- •who instantly went in - search - of the assassins: At Calais the affair was ...laid he the Pre fect of Police, who -behaved in the most gen tleman-like manner, and made every exertion to disc Over the perpetrators of thisemprovoked and cowardly attack upon three unarmed strangers. The party were also Very.much indebted' to the kind attention of Thomas Foeblanque, Esq., the English Consul at Calais, who immediately wrote a representation of the case to Sir Charles Stew art. In the event of their -tieing arrested, of which there can be little-doubt, the Gevtlemen have all pledged themselyes to prosecute, a nd we feel confident the French Government evil/ most severely visit such a violent breach :4' latiY and hospitality upon the cowardly oenders. MILDNESS OF THE SEASON.-----A gentleman a t Sutton St. Edmund's,' in Lincolnshire, Olt. WHITSEDO a few days before Christmas, cut several heads of asparagus grown lo the Qpen ui which was as tine and of tis.good liat.our as in tlie summer. i%lr. .I.)oLny, gardener, Spalding, has,at 11 '1 time a sampl e o f se lf potut.,eS proditccuL from last year's st oc k, o f a good size-; - theee them which were lately dug weighed a quarter of a pound. . COAI4-MARKET, PEE. ships at Varket. Ships said - 534 Newca s tl e - -17 t - • 11. Sunderland - - 5 Price. :33s ei.l to ills Oct 38s Ud to 4Z- COLTILW OF EXCHANGE, February )-. Amsterdam . 12 8 C. F. Ditto, at Sight l2 5 itotterd.uu • Antwerp.... 12 7 tianihurgii • . '37 5 21 ErS -. . .. Altona 37 ti "44 Us. Paris, 3 !lay's sight ............ - & '40.. di's. Ditto 23 70 2 Us. l . ourdeaux, ditto ' = 25 70 0 I(s.- '(;', mil, tort on the Main - Ex.M9ney , • ‘la(lrid ' 36,i Elle..!•lve ',.:(oliz l'illnia . r...celouit.. .. • 4 , 51 '. erille ,iii/raltai ' ' 3tiy . 1.,,g1i0rl (4,14. a ........ • . 48i--•Venn,.., It 31. L. 97 60 .Malta 45 -Napits 4(l Piderino 11 , -,•;. pet oz. ~ i,ishoti . . . ;:.)portu :) I ItioJaheiro - - 14 Dublin .... 04 Co. :, 91 pct. (.nt. , BULLION, l'ortugal Gold, in Cain / 0 , 07 per Os Foreign Gold, iu B.7rs i7 10i w Dotifyltions N hollars y o 4 Pi •i;ver.lll Bars, Staniinri; L bi itTILS. At Buiton;crescent, on the Ist inst., thiliAr of John Itfiii, Lsq.,of a,son. ~ .i • . ' On the 20th ult., of twins, the re.: - I,''' of Lieut. Woodkate.. or the 54th reglineut,_officer:,.of the .14int;oln'district. The eldes: of five of their children is under three years old. . . MARRIED.. • . , Yestertlny 'rriOrrririg; at St. Pancras jun„.l.4q.,.Civil Engineer, of ficr.viwni.4t7,ct, Fiqrny r squitre,. to Aligs Taylor, of the same ;dace. DIED. On 'Thitraday Marv;' the 'widow of Sprtrke; Es q; late of Gosdcn, near Guildford. At Newcastle-upon-Tyne, on' the 26th ult.' aged 88, Cuth bert Teasdalo t EgA_ the father "of, the hew ia the ,-INook of England, he haVingleen admitted an Attorney in the reign of. George the Second.. ; • Suddenly, on Sunday last, at his house, in Hatton-garden, whore , he had resided,upWards'of -30 years, Williain Esq. in the 63d year of his age. • Lately, at 1 - kekington; Ann, thedattghter of Mr. - Milken' Idle, aged 16 years; and within a wegli, aller, Mrs. idloOtisN wife, aged 5G ; and also;; on the, same day, John Elkihgton, their:gtrandson,.aged _three:years; whose futhei , and mother died t a few months ago. At Granthani, on :Wednesday last, aged ;38, Mattha, the • wife of T. Whitworth, one of the comedians of, that p , l - 0 , "-Tz7 She had in her childliOodhe(in the proteg6 of Ladi Athepar terson Anstruther, Fife House, Edinburgh. . On SatUrday last, at Peterborough; aged 67,; Diana Votile" , for 40 years ,a faithful servant in . the; family pf the late W.i, 1 41 5 ;; Moore, Esq., of Eye. In recording the death of this inotfen-, sive woman, it may to our distant readers appear.'sonse g whe ,/ extraordinary to state, though the fact is well known _to evtr,7- one in Peterborough and thb neiehbouithood; that . -fshL'. , l;{;,d stantly worn man's apparel from 28 years of and was larly employed itsthe business 'of a man servant. - Printed and Published for the PnoPIIIETofi, 4:pie,sk.N ; - OirrcE,' 112, Strazd, by J. E. CA:115'1'41111S. , / f i (V .: t Ti tice, to rec ( • Onc ( (.1 tae pry P e „ /1,74, tn t , ; ~, shall 'a,t t, ~lon. tFt,.. ~f'lac~t ',~ Th, CO L , fif E Prior Paid Masi enl " be it- burg Anna etiti, itiOc Of w have Nu i s 1 je~ 2. t vlat I Os. •boti TEI t Pri; .I:re 'ovs s Tici it It „He, 21A