The Express.
London, England, 1850-11-01 00:00:00

KENT

- - - -
A meeting of the hop-planters of Sussex and Kent
wan held yesterday at Hurst-green, to take into considers-
nos the rep'y of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the
letter ed T. L. Hodges, Esq., for obtaining a further post-
posement of the remainiog moiety of the hop duty of 1848,
end to take into considess•ion any further measures which
might be necessary and effectual for attaining such post-
ponement.
It was originally intended to hold the meeting in the
great room of the 0...0rge Inn, but in consequence of the
large numbers who attended from the most distant parts of
tho hop srowing district, it was found necessary t 3 hull it
in the open air, in the large space:la front of the George lon.
The chair was taken by Henry &ham' Esq., of Beckley.
Mr. Law Hodges, Mr. Herbert Comae, M.P. Mr.
Fuller, M.P., Mr. Pressen, Id P.; and nearly all the !Lge st
and most influential hop-growers of Kent and Bases were
also present, amounting in the whole to between 700 and
SOO person
The CHAIRMAN wee glad to find that the postpone-
moot of the meeting had not in any way. diminished the
interest that seemed to attach to this most important ques-
tion, and he was happy to Worn them that the committee
applaud to a:fielder the course they ought to adopt were
perfectly agreed in principle and In objects upon this clues.
don. (Cheers.) In order to show the claim they lied upon
the government, he wished to make a few prefatory remarks
upon the meeting which took place some time ago in London.
whoa they had the honour of appearing before the Chan•
calor of the Exchequer in the form of a deputation. He
h. 4 been taunted for saying on that occasion that it would
be utterly impossible to collect the hop duty of 1848. He
had men given to nadermand sinee then that the first moiety
of t e hop duty for 1848 had been collected, wi.ls the ex-
ception et about 2,0001. He had always considered at
exceedingly desirable that when such obeermeiocs west
forth, and particularly when he addressed one of her
Majesty's government, that the truth should be strictly
adhered to ; and thought it might not aeipear that the feet
was strictly as he bud stated it, he wished to give an
explanation of what did take piece before the Chancellor of
the ,Exchequer, to satiety them that be was substantisUy
correct. He had said that it was morally impossible that
the whole of the duty of 1848 could be collected without
producing a social revolution; but when he said that, he
considered that the landlord should be paid, the tithes should
he paid, and the other taxes on the land should be paid ; and
ceminly he did cenaider that those who were miaowed
with the hopgrowiag districts were entitled to hays their
claims fairly sod impartially considered, be they what they
might. He contended that, in the main, his observations
were so ; and he salted that assembled multitude if
they had settled with the landlord, the clergyman-if they
had cleared off their rent and tithes, and other charges,
would they be able- to pay the hop duty? (No, no.) If
thin it was the fact that nen claims were at present
unsettled, he considered it a manifest injustice oa the part
of the government to insist upon eking every *tilting
oat of the hop growers' pockets; and therefore he repeated
that it was utterly impossible to collect the rellitainitur moiety
under say consideration or upon say terms whatever.
(Cheers.) He had bee* told by some of the hop planters
that the first immanent of the duty of 1848 had been paid
under the conviction that the other moiety would never
be called for. (Lead lAN of " Hear.") He really believed
that such was the case; but it was a misfortune, as it turned
o that the firm instalment had been paid, and that Sir C.
Wood meant to take advaatage of it. He had been told by
paellas who knew the government that the argument of Bir
C. Wood was-•' Yoe told me that the hop duty of 1818
could not be paid. I pet you to the tees. I lend down my
excise officers, and they brie( me back the duty-therefore
I infer that there will be little difficulty is collecting the
remainder." Now, if Sir C. Wood did not understand the
question of the hop duty, the soomr he could be made
to understand it the better. (Land cries of "Hear.")
He was satisfied from his views of the matter, that if Sir
C. Wood was determined to insist upon the remainder of
the duty of 1848, there would be as entire suspension of
business throughout the counties of Kent and Besse:.
and cheers) He did not mean to say that there
would not be some more successful than others. All they
required was to have the subject fairly sifted-he was
wiling to go into it to show what were the bearings of
the case, sod he wished that the government should con-
sider the importance of the tremendous meeting who were
now gathered around him, and he wished that they should
not return to their homes until they were satisfied that the
subject had been fairly and folly discussed. He contended that
It was a case of very peculier hardship, and he would maintain
that items utterly impossible to obtain the other moiety of
the duty by any other way than proceeding et ones to con-
&este the property of the hep-platter,. (Lewd cheery)
There was no other tax that he was aware of that could be
at all compared with the tax upon hope; it was a taxation of
the raw materiel, and he was not aware that any other ar-
ticle paid the same amount of duty that hops did. He
wished to anticipate one objection that had been raised to
the plan they had struck oat. He hoped that every gentle-
man who was about to address them that day would mean*
himself strictly to the line of proceeding they bad marked
out, and that was to demand a repeal of the war duty and
the five per mat. duty. (Hear.) He mentioned that bonus@
it was the point epos which the whole of the kopgrowen
were agreed. (Rear.) Some, no doubt, wished for more,
but they Emit Item be mind st unanimity was tnesegth,
and wi thee ft would be impounds for them se wry
out than (Cheers.) It wee mold by some peilleue,
" Your.hpasel mot a log to stead upon, Weems yen sly ask
for• Of the war duty. Yea only want me met of
the ten repheled es eats WNW pewee, and tle Mena re-
h wild
air Charlie •seed M mnientitri7:llaving
thelegkeell:wow"sille thetsitri:a"hessialmmellineyninglabe
yArglvsa
end rwere
epealed as d
if they asked to hares the meg Pep, taken
H. th
mW zett_it
bitngebw)_.Bfr
dChatiesaihecteyWihOtwhipsrhaihailliMpsbra :it.
inertly humbugged from time le•
nee te say humbugged, but certainly lank" had changed
their opinion', and they were told, " If you attempt to repeal
the duty you will threw the teed' entirely open,"-he for
one was perfectly prepared to run the risk of that. (Load
Ghosts.) He was perfectly mantled that 81r Charles Weed,

if be were an hooset man, and if the government were inclined
to do what was jest and right—he was satisfied that it would
i he impossible for them, after the power'ul appeal that would
he mace to them from the present meeting, conveying the
united opinions of the hop-growtre of Kent and:Amex, and
their conviction, of the distress it would entail to levy this
duty,—the effect would, in his (pie:lion, by Irresistible;
and it Sir C. Wood ,was an honest man, their claims to
his consideration must be attende dto As it was probable
that their proceedings would go before the public, he
would quote to them the correspondence of some of the
leading hop.facton, and they would see that there was
a remarkable ooinel
desee of opinion with regard to the
present posiUon and prospects of the hop growers. The first
letter was from Messrs. Pattenden sad Smith, who awed
that if the dusty was enforced upon the 15th November it
would entail very severe distress in the hop growing districts
—more par Westerly in Sussex, where prices were ruinously
low ; and if a large quantity of hops was suddenly thrown
into the market, the price must fall still lower. (Hear, Lear.)
Meters. Noakes and Joble wrote to the very same effect. If
the hope were brought suddenly into the market, In order to
obtain the means of paying the duty, it must necessarily
have a depreciating effect, and bear heavily upon the hop-
growers of Bu-sex. 11. had also a letter from his father,
which, with the permission of the meeting, he would quote
from. He stated that the hop market was at present in a
very bad rats, and if the duty was to be enforced on the sth
November It would throw a large quantity of hops into a
market already over-loaded. (Hear.) He had thus far dis-
posed of the case, and had endeavoured to show the °pore,-
sive eharacler of the tax, and had given them conclusive evi-
dence of the disastrous effects the enforcing the duty would
produce upon the hop masker. (Hear) But he had another
bone to pick with Sir C. Wood. (Hear.) When they were
in London be had listened with gravity to their observations
and had evinced a great deal of sympathy with them. He
had expressed to the deputation his great regret at the
distress that existed among the hop-planters,; hut as to
foregoing the hop duty, that wee out of the questiosi, as the
money could not be spared. Now, tr at we. a mood raison
for them to urge why the duty should not be demanded.
If • man was really unable to pay an sekaoseledgment of
the debt was all that could be demanded of him. Well,
what was the mutt of that deputation ? He was sorry to
say that it produced very little effect upon Sir Charles
Wood's mind, because the moment their backs were turned,
when the revenue accounts were added up, it smarted that
the government bad • surplus of about 2,000,0001. (Hear.)
He saw before him one of the largest and most influential
assemblages of hop growers that had met for many years--
they could not hold their meeting In a house, but must hold
it In the open streets, and their proceedings Wl*, he thought,
d g the serious consideration of tee govern men% There
was a very familiar way which the government and other par-
ties had of answering parties up en question's of difficulty, and
in meetirg the arguments of these who were plunged into
embarrassment by their They said, "If the
farmers cannot grow hops, let them grow something else."
So he said also; hut, if the fermin ware to be hand- d mein
that way from one thing to another, the interests of the
landlords, the clergymen, and the labourer", all of which
were indissolubly mixed up with each other, would inevitably
suffer, and by injuring one a severe blow would be inflicted
on the teat. (Cheers.) Besides, what was it they did
complain of ? He
tremendous crops of oats, or wheat, or anything else; all
they complained of was the overpowering hop duty. (Hear.)
It was essential that Sir C. Wood should be pot in possession
of their sentiments upon this question • it woe impossible that
the remainder of the ditty of 1848 could be collected without
confiscatiog the property of the hop planters. He had always
voted in favour of the present government. lie had done
so, and he would not stop to 'ague whether ha was right or
wrong, nor would he say that he had mere influence than
any other individual. If the government did not agree to
demands they now made—they wire, he thought, exceed-
ingly moderate, and he waa glad they bad made up their
minds not to ask anything unreasonable, and no honest or con-
scientious government could refuse it; but if they met with
any iuipedimeet, feeling sirong.y on the sot ject, he did sey
that he would be one of the first persona In that assem-
blage to hold up hie hand for the disp:acement of the present
government. (Tremendous cheering). The duty of 1848
was originally postponed In consideration of the distress of
the hop planters. In that instance the government had
behaved very honourably, although it was quite certain
they would out hare made that concession it they were not
convinced of the distress. He asked them now we re they
in a better position ? (.' No, no—not so well off ") Were
they In as good a position to pay off the duty a. when it had
been postponed ? (" Nut at all.") They hail had a most
unfortunate year to succeed 1848, end many hop planters
dal not obtain 1 cwt• per acre. Now Sit Charles Wood
must be aware that the produce generally was so inferior
that it entailed a tremendous loss upon the hop-planters.
Under these circumstances, he contended that it never
could be paid.
Mr. W. NOAKES, of Ticehuret, moved the first resolu-
tion. In his °pica.m the epestion rested entirely between the
Chancellor of the Exchequer and the poor man, who had
his family to support. It the right hon. gentleman called
upon the hop planters to pay their moiety of the duty of
1848, so surely must they go home and discharge their la-
bourer', because they had not, and could not, have money
to pay them. (Rear, hear.) The resolution expressed the
disappointment of the meeting at the short period allowed
for the payment of the duty of 1848; that, in roost quenc• of
the heavy payments to be made at that season for rent, tithes,
and other taxes, and the necessary provision for the em-
ployment of labour, the time allowed was not sufficient to
mist the exigencies of the case, and praying a further post-
ponement.

Mr. MONCKTON sounded the resolution. Tho present,
he admitted, was not the time to go Into matters of free trade
or politicil queetions, hut this he knew, that the landlords,
the aristocracy, and the influential gentlemen of the country
generally held back, and he knew no moon that could be
aniened why the aristocracy sod gentry of Kett and Sus-
sea should not have attended the ormolu meeting. (Hear.)
Why did they not come to that meeting to be a help, a stay,
and a support to the (armee ? One reason urged was that
they did not confine themselves to the questiou b-gitintately
before them, but why did not those gentlemen attend and
keep them in order? (Hear, hear.) They could do that by
their presence, by their example, and by their inflations.
If the gentry aid not Come there and assist them, the neat
thing they bad to do was to help themselves. (Loud cheer-
ing.) They wanted to petition for some little relief from
the burdens they were at present suffering under. The
government told them they could not afford to boar that
sum, and yet they were spending millions on the new Houses
of Parliament—no doubt a very splendid building—they
bad given 26,0001. a year to the Duke of Cambridge's family,
and they had given 260,0001. to build a palace tor an am-
bassador abroad. And whet was the answer they got to all
that extravagance ? "Dear me, it is not a penny a head
throughout this great and wealthy nation. (A laugh.)
And then they were told, you ought to be satisfied, and
pleased to get off so earl.' Well, then, their answer was,
if 2,000,000 or 3,000,000 of money was only a penny a head,
why should they not ask 180,0001. to relieve two counties
from atter ruin ? (Hear, hear.) And what wee the answer
the Chancellor of the hichequer made to that? Why, that
they were so terribly poor that the revenue and resources
of the country could not afford it. One or other of these
things must be • lie. (Loud cries of "Hear, hear.")
They could not both be true. (Hear, hear) There were
not a doses men in that large m-eting who could say
that they bad paid it. (Shouts of " Not one here.") It
had not been paid out of their property—lt had been
paid by money borrowed at 6,6, and 7 per cent (Hear.)
It was all very well for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to
my that it had been paid—it was all very well for Robin
Hood and Little John to insist oa the money; bu, it could
not be paid, and this state of things could net be borne.
(Vehement cheering.) The sooner the gentlemen behind
him, who were members of the House of Commons, repro-
sent'od the matter in its proper light to the government the
better (or all parties.
The resolution was then put from the chair and carried
with acelametion.

Mr. JOHN ANDERSON moved the next resolution
expressive of the opinion of the meeting that the arrears of
180 could not be collected without confiscating the property
of the filtlllol. In the parish of Horsemondean, in which
be lived, and which was peculiarly favoured, the poor rates
were only 18d. in the pound, because the farmers strained
every point to employ the labourers. The overseers went
lately round the perish, end were quite unable to collect
1301., and were cossequently obliged to go and borrow
the mosey. Now if a perish so highly (almond as Horse-
mcmdean eoald not pay that small sum, it was morally im-
possible that it could pay the 2,0001 due for hope duty.
(Hear, hear.) If the Chancellor of the Exchequer wanted a
precedent he would refer him to the year 1822, when the
moiety was paid after postponement. In the time of
Ps distress the government had advanced to Ireland a loan of
not leis than eight million', and he did not see why the hop
planten of England should not be treated with equal justice,
if not with equal kindness. Half of the racy had been im-
posed as a specific duty and for specific purposes during the
war, and ought to have owed in 1815. Notwithstanding
that, it had been continued for thirty.fire years longer—
(hear, hear)—and surely that alone ought to form a "urn-
eient ground for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to go to
parliament and ask for its postponement or remission.
(Hear, hear.) Again, they had another claim, in COMM-
queers of free trade. He would not argue the question, but
would simply ask had not free trade placed the agricultural
interest in a peculiar position—a petition of transition by
which their stock in trade had decreased considerably_ in
value 1 The present government had done the'. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer said if they could not carry on
their basin's and pay their debts they must remove, and
other persons would be found to supply their piss.
Mr. MOSES BODDY seconded the resolution. It was
unnecessary to maws the question further, for they were all
well aware that the duty of 180 could not be paid.
The resolution was umanimonaly adopted.
Mr. F. SMITH, Vino hall, snowed the third resolution, and
ealled their attention to one or two points connected with
the agitation of the hop duty, which had begun in the time of
their f 'telethon, and which he hoped they would ho able to
terminate. The dais they put forward for its reduction
was one which he thought could not be resisted. There was
peg thing more he would call to their recollection—namely,
that the mortgages upon the hop districts were something
like 700,0001.
Mr.THOMAS NEVE, of Benvenden, seconded the risen- •
ties, which was carried with acclamation.
Mr. T. L. HODGES, K. P., then came forward, and said
Mat he attended the present meeting in consequence of the
adjoarament that bed taken place on the 10th October. In his
communication to the Chancellor of the Exchequer he had
suggested a postponement of the payment of the duty till the
commencement of 1851, but that was not granted,
postponement was only to the 15th of NevembefllF-
regretted extremely that his application had sot cf.
eatiefactory. Ho entirely concurred is the reeds fr
had been come to. It was unnecessary to take up I ?":
of their tine in dwelling upon the distress that . f
X IP 44.
;g
:$ 0

Or

I'ACANCIII.

1,

• whemff the hoe plasters, as it had been fully referred
hI Mat he moolsonst he toil thus this, that when looking
for a ra p. et N the thatissessi duty teat was patois during the
paper ,orrery, he wee old swarth to remember that the
p dety up to that peeled was acne complained of. Prior •
to 1797 then had been no cuspidate; from the year 1819
up to the pr. sent One they had been is a Rat of coatiaul
emberresamene, and that would not be put a stop te
util
as alteration was sleeted. What happened doting duo last
30 years woad room with redoubled damn is the ant 30
years to come. He was firmly amtvineed that oadem there
was aa abates's. of the duty it would neva be paid at all.
(Hear.) That bad *lvan bees his opiates. He was ma-
dated that the duty was rapidly impeworlehlag the hop
`rowan, end the poor labourers world be the first to
He trusted that the efforts of the present meeting, which
had boon inducted with ithisahaity sad spirit,
would have the sleet of °Mathias seen alleviation of
the grimaces sada which they latsared. He should
to most hippy to so operate with his hos. fried
111 Cutlets and tin other etem,bers mescal io waitlog upon
the Chancellor of the Esehequer, oz carrying at the "rialtos
of the undies ia thy way In his power. (Chem). It should
las borne is miad that the Chancellor of the Izeheqour !el/
a Meat iayidiau p-s.tion as a public arrant 0( the crown,
but he hoped with their fathre negociationt with him, that
they would dad that the dews Of the government and the
hop farmers would sat be so entirely satarronimis. He did
sot imagist that there would be say difference of op lans as
to the mode in when the relief was to be obtained, sad
therefore the Chancall:r of the Eschetner would mot bs
furnished with the argues/at that they were cot unanimous
sang themselves. He was limbed of opinion that the
Tenelissin of half the dia'y was esseatially necessary, but that
meld sot be does wit bent the mast of parliament ; sad
at pithiest all that the Chthealla of the Exchequer could de
would be ta great a farther postposement, sad he trusted
that would not be rented totes bop p swam (Meer, hear).
FULLER, H P., expressed his readiness to co-
:pses with the otkar nprenntatirs present to obtain
U the relief that was possible for the hop farmers of M,Lot
and Imosa.
Mr. IItZWEN, X P., regretted that he was not present
at the nestles et the 10th Ozcolier, but was entitled to dad
that that meeting bad adjourned without nudes to any
specific arrangement He enured them that be had takes
every opportunity duties the past sossioo, who he could
clods an in'aview with the Chileans of the Exchequer,
sad since thee he had also urged upon him his conviction,that
it wee utterly impossible the remaining portion of the duty
of I+4B cou:d be paid. (Hear, bear.) The duty for 1848 f
Must Kent es 118,0001, sad the moiety of that was 69,0004,
ad it was atteriy impossible la the preseatstste of things
that that lane sum mold be paid. (Hear, hear.) He hoped
they would be enabled to obtain a further postponement,
sad sothiog should be waaties oa his part to brims about so
desirable a rends. (fled,_ttear )
Mr. H. CURTEIB, , said it was not his intention to
have slimmed thes, as he differed from some of them
regarding the hop duty, it Wog long his opinion that the
whole of it ought t 3 be repealed. Hs would, however,
cordially j tin in end ring to obtain a rep alof the war
duty and the 6 per cent., and should co operate with his
hot,. friends in endeavouring to postpone the payment of the
duty of 1848
Mr. FRENCH, of llolvenden, then addressed the meeting
in support of the objects ten which they had assembled,
pointing out the anomalous and oppressive character of the
hop•duty. He thought, under the seedier circumstances in
which the hop fermi rs were pissed, that the government
wore bound to come forward sad Mille them from the
moiety of the duty of 1848 yet unpaid.
Oa the motion of the CHAIRMAN, a vote of thanks we. '
unanimously carried to the masabers of parliament who had
attended the meeting.
Thanks were then given to the chairman, followed by three
rounds of applause.
The CHAIRMAN briefly ackaowledsed the compliment,
mad the seating separated.

AND CLERICAL.

Qurim's Cou.k.oz, CAMRRIDO; Ocr. 31.—Messra.
R. Dowson, P. J M. Frost, N. Y. DAUM, H. L. Price, and
J. E. Bigland have been elected scholars of this college.
Bebolauttipa of increased vales have been bestowed on W.
0 WiLienis and Nearly; and grackles ►are been awarded
toe. Smith aLd Fri et.

Rey. A. Iladfi,ld, to bilvordsle P.C., Linouhirs
'tile' 801 ; , V. of Wartori.
J 0. Milltown, to litetenstall C., Lancashire.
Rev. B. Mercer, to St.Psul C Racy, Lancashire.

BISKOPIIIC —Nova Scoua ; pat., the Crown ; Right Rev.
J. lash' dee.
Raccone.—Aston upon Trent to. BhardlowC.,Derbeshire,
die bah td; val. 1,030/. with residence; pat., 'E. A.
Holden, 12,q. ; Rev. N. P. Jokes= doe.
Paarwroes. Crnace.—Bothamsall, Notts, dio. Lincoln ;
val 621 ; pat , Disko of Newcastle ; Rae. G. ELawlineno, dec.
Cwarietnce to the Duke of Newcastle ; ate. G. New-
lin/a, dee.