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London, England, 1821-01-24 00:00:00

the following Address.-4 Loud cheers.)--The
Hon. Mover then reed the Address, which warier
usual an echo of the Speech. '
Mr. littosonn then rose to second the Address.'
During the greeter part of his speech he was at.'
most inaudible in the gallery. He could not con-
ceive on what grounds any optaisilion could be
offered to the Address. He remarked on the peace-
able demeanour of the people of Ireland, who,
although in aster of great distress, had preserved
the greatest tranquillity. Not one even of their
most furious demagogoes had come forward to
join in the clamours that were excited in this coun-
try. The Hon. Mover coot:W.lrd by seconding the
Address.

Mr. Cuawaw observed that, he was extremely
sorry these lion. Members who preceded him, did
not adhere more closely to the tenor of the Speech.
This was not the first occasion, 01)011 which they
learned that Ministers appeared under:pointed with
the reel state of the country. or st least concealed
it from his Majesty. Were these times, when they
were to he congratulated on the prosperity of the
country ? Could they be ignorant of the extent
of agricultural di•tress? One of these Gentlemen
had talked of the people eating their bread in
comfort. when it was a fact beyond dispute, that
they bred no bread to cut.—(Hear.)—They had
talked of treason and immorality, but it astonished
him that they had been
.so tranquil.—(Cheers )
—There were some Gelitletien who arrogated to
thens.elyrs • monopoly of loyalty, but he did tint
believe there was • want of loyalty in the heart of
any mars in the country. He should lament ex-
ceedingly if the House dispersed without some ex-
preset 9999 on that subject. They hail seen Session
after Session pass away without any remedy being
applied to the evils under which the country la-
boured, and he hailed and rejoiced when he heard
the Speech from the Throne. It seemed as if the
olive branch had been held out, and that peace
might he soon expected. l'he principles which he
hail always avowed he would still adhere to. He
wished for a moderate and wholesome reform in
Parliament. which would give the people • coil&
eeitee in their Representatives. Thus far lie would
go and no father. He did not feel himself bound
to support any particular Administration; but he
could not avoid remarking, that an uni 1 feel-
ing had been manifested against those men who ut
present govern the affairs of this country.—(f/ear,
hear.)—He did not say this front any invidious
feeling, but he thought that those who were igno-
rant of the evils under which the country• laboured,
were not very likely to apply the proper remedy.
The nation was in a state of the greatest de-
pression; it was in vain fur thetas to go on
taxing the people. The money could not be
screwed out of their pockets. And why, in
the name of God, talk of the prosperity of the
country ! It is the boundep duty of every honest
man, at the present time, tk endeavour to conci-
liate. and not to irritate the feelings of the people.
—(Cheers.)—The time was now come when some.
thin efficient must he done. They might now
say, that " sufficient for the day is the evil there-
of." No men could look at the country without
the dtepeat regret. The poor were without em-
ployment, or any means of support. In this state
then they fasted theosselvea.—.and what would the
people say. when they found that not one single
word of solace shout their distresses was introduced
by Ministers. The only way to meet the danger
was to look at it fairly ios the face. The people
were di►posed to beer their burdens patiently, if
they could only find a corresponding disposition nu
the pert of Ministers to relieve them. He would
not detain the House longer : he thought it his
duty to express his opinions thus early on the pre-
sent occasion.

Mr. TIERNEY then rose. He said he always felt
extreme satisfaction on such an occatioo as the
present, when he did not feel himself called upon to
move any amendment to the Speech from the
Throne. It was generally considered (and, per-
haps, properly) as rather unbecoming in Minister.
to introduce any thing in that Speech that was likely
to provoke discussion, and it was rather an ar-
duous task for a Gentleman on his side of the
House, who had only heard the Speech a few
minutes before, to be called upon to discuss it.
He certainly never heard a Speech better calculated
not to provoke discussion than the present, and,
perhaps, that was rather a prudent course,
as it might not lead to a very agreeable ter-
mination. However, he trusted they would for-
give him if be could not let it pass without some
few observations. Ile was firmly convinced that
the only way to increase the revenue was to pre-
serve the tranquillity of the country. This done,
they might still be able to weather the storm.
With respect to the affairs of Italy, which had been
mentioned in the Speech, he (Mr. Tierney) was of
opinion that the Ministers of the Crown would per-
form their duty to the country imperfectly by ob-
serving a neutrality, and suffer the ►nterference of
the powerful to oppress the weaker Powers.—(Mitch
cheering.)—He was sorry to find after the millions
that had been expended lo preserve the peace of
Europe, that the country could only now indulge a
very vague sad distant hope of seeing that object ac-
complished. As to. certain transaction. which had
taken place at the meeting of Sovereigns at Lay bath,
he confessed that he did not exactly uoderstaial by
what rule,or under what authority,England could be
required to send out • Minister, not to a Congress
agreed on among the Potentates of Europe, but a
meeting of Sovereigns self-congregated, to survey
and alter the domestic arraugements of other mid
inferior States. Upon this subject, however, lie
wished to urge nothing more at present ; an op-
portunity would arise, in all probability, much
more favourable for explanation. For the notice
eontaiued in the Speech, of the arrangements made
by Parliament with respect to the Civil List, lie
must receive it as lie would any other notice from
fits Majesty, as • gracious communication ; but he
thought, considering the great distress and
rut-
barrsasmenta of the country at the time of grant-
ling those allowances, and the great liberality
of the House, evinced by them, lie had ex-
pected some notice of them at the close of the
last Session, especially u it was the first of a new
reign—he had hoped that some expressioos of gra-
tification at those very liberal provisions would have
passed from the Throne to the House on the occa-
sion. He believed, however, that the abrupt ter-
' initiation of that Session had not taken place in re-

• ~ r--

ference io the convenience or pleasure of his Ma-
jetty. Bat his Ministers had erevinualy discover-
ed that in the then present state of their public
affairs, and of their credit with the people of
the country, there might be great inconvenience to
themselves in suffering more discussion, and as
the shortest way of ridding themselves of this diffi-
culty, they determined on the plan of instant pro-
rogation. On this subject he also proposed to
postpone his remarks till • more proper opportu-
nity should arise, for at present he was anxious to
avoid discussion as much as possible. With re-
spect to the military reductions mentioned hi
the Speech, be could offer no opinion until he
knew of what they confined ; it would be for
the House, when the description was tenure them,
to judge whether they were an I cieuily economi-
cal, or if other retreochmeists were still necessity.
The most extraordinary part of the Speech win
that which related to the finances of die country.
He bud scarcely expected to have heard of any
great improvement hewing taken place in the reve-
nue, from the advanced and flourishing, state of
commerce. He wished to know what grounds there
were for such an assertion. The Speech declured
that the revenue of this sear exceeded that of the
hut by a considerable sum ; a part of this was
attributed to the imposition of three millions of
new taxes. Every man was aware that new taxer'
caused, or ought to cause, an increase in the re-
venire, but every HUM was not aware _that the
failure of those new taxes in their eviimated amount,
could be proof of retuning or increased prosperity
in commerce. l'lse Speech however, assumed, be-
cause there wastes increase of revenue as compared
with last year, that there was also an increased demand
for those articles on which the burden of 11w stew
taxes chiefly fell. He would state the nottwr
thus :—There were three millirem of new taxes im-
ported, which had been in operation for the whole
of the last year. Those tales, according to the rill-
mate, should hive produced in till 3400.000/. to
which sum the revenue of this year should have diet
of the last year, instead of which there was only a
surplus of 2,400,000/. on this year over tlw proceeds
of the last. As a plain man, judging from direct
and obvious statements. he would feel disposed to
say, that there was a diminution of at least one
million. As to the argument of an increase in
the consumption of the articles maiuly chargeable
with the war taxer, if the accounts in the newspapers
were correct, and et present lie had uo better do-
cuments to guide his judgment, he would say
that the assertion of sit increase was not found-
ed In fact. There would be better op;:ortuni-
ties and more ample means of ascertaining the truth
furnished hereafter to the House, but at present
it appeared to him, that there was a very materiel
falling off in those articles which were specified as
examples of increase. He could not conceive
what could be the necessity for holding out such
delusions to the public. Doubtless they were all
bound, as far as their abilities went, to assist in
making the revenue productive ; but it seemed to
him to be most unprofitable and silly to attempt to
support the- credit of the finances by misrepre-
sentations which must lie detected almost us fast as
they were made. A much better way would be to
admit the difficulties, and call for such regulations
as would obviate their effects. The 'seat topic tu
the Speech recognised some improvement in woe
particular branches of the manufactures of the
country. This, though it were only of partial ex-
tent, was a subject of great happiness; it would
restore tranquillity, as indeed it was admitted to
have done so. This was a proof that though there
was distress, there was not disaffectioti in the coun-
try, as had been so often and velmmently asserted.
Again, however, he wished to postpone his judg-
ment on this alleged improvement, until there were
some accounts to prove it. He was particularly
anxious to guard himself from being stultified
and betrayed into an admission of alines which
might be altogether incorrect, merely because they
were contained in a speech coming front royal heeds.
The next subject adverted to in the Speech was the
necessity of making provision for the Qiieeit's main-
tenance. It stated that his Majesty had been in-
duced to continue hitherto the allowance of 35,0001.
• year, greeted by the (louse to her Majesty as
Princess of Wales. What other arrangements
might be deemed necessary under the peculiar cir-
cumstances, his Majesty left it to the House to con-
sider and determine. He (Mr. Tierney) owned
that he thought it hail been always customary, as he
conceived it to be also most proper and becoming,
for the Crown to reconiinend such arrangements to
be made as might he requisite for the movie aaaaa for
any branches of the Royal Fomilv. The Noble Lord,
or his Right Hon. Friend (the Concellor of the Ex-
chequer), to whose department it more peculiaily
belonged, would in all probability let the House
know what was to be proposed as the amount of that
allowance. He was of opinion, however, that it
would have been more gracious and becoming in
Ministers to have at once admitted the necessity of
providing for her Majesty, and to have inserted a
suitable recommendation in the Speech from the
Throne. It would have put air end to a question
which had excited and harassed the country fur
several months past, from one end to the other. He
thought it was to be regretted that Ministers should
have gone out of the way, and taken an unusual
course to arrive at a point of duty, the meeting of
which in a direct and open matinee would tend In
so great • degree to allay discontent out of door!.
It looked ungracious, and seemed to indicate to the
country at large that more was meant by it than
met the eye or the ear. He was not aware of stay
thing else in the Speech which called for observa-
tion froth him. He would, however, express his
regret, that while his Majesty had been led to no-
tice the relations of our commerce and maitufuc-
tures, no regard was taken of the distress under
which the agriculture was labouring, though it was
plain by the representation. from all quarters of the
country, that the distress was excessive and very
burdensome. That the House would do its duty
in suppressing sedition, in upholding the laws, and
enforcing respct to those in authority under tlwm,
as was expressed in the Speech. there could be•no.
doubt. As to the Addresses of loyal devotion which
had been carried up to the Throne, and from which
his Majesty professed to have derived the highest
gratification. he would say that if they were cape•
ble of yielding gratification to any oue, his Majesty
had the best right to be so gratified. Of course he
must be considered as commenting on the Speech
as the production of Ministers. Those
.6entlcamen