The National Register.
London, England, 1822-02-17 00:00:00


WESTMINSTER MEETING•

On Wednesday last one of the most numerous and
respectable isitetiogs of the electors of Westminster, we
ever remember to have seen, took place in Covent bar-
den, where lis• ings were erected opposite to the church.
—The object was to promote the great cause of Par-
liamentary Reform, and to Petition Parliament for a
redress of the grievances under which the people of
England stifl'er ; to effect which reform in the representa-
tion of the people is now universally considered as the
only true meatus.
At one o'clock the hustings were occtified, and the
Hi-lit Bailiff read the resolution. Amongst the distin-
guished person s who assem bled were Sir Francis Burdett,
Mr. Hobhouse, Mr Home, Mr Bennet, &c.
Mr. Srußcrs informed the meeting, that several of the
electors of Westminster had requested that he would
propose certain resolutions, which hail been thoroughly
digested, and a petition to Parliament, founded upon
those resolutions, and praying a redress of the grievances
of the people, awl a reform in Parliament. Mr. Stnrch
concluded a speech of considerable length with moving
a resolution, teat" it is the opinion of the meeting that
the distress of the country will continue unless a full and
equal representation of the people in the Commons
House of Pali uncut shall take place."
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Nlr. STUiit it then moved, that a petition should be
presented to the House of Commons, complaining of the
oistress of the country, and other grievances, and praying
a speeuy anal effectual remedy, by the adoption of a com-
plete measure of reform.
This resolution was also carried in the affirmative
unanimously, and the petition, which alluded, amongst
other splendid topics, to the resistance winch America
had made to the encroachment of an arbitrary and en-
shying authority, was received with rapture, and adopted
with the consent of all.
A retioliiiion was then carried, that the petition should
be presented to the House of Cutworms by the two able
and independent representatives of the city of West-
minster.
Sir FRANCIS Bu MITT MOM forward, and was loudly
applauded by the meeting. Never, he declared, did lie
feel the importance of the crisis in which the country
was placed more deeply titan upon the present occa-
sion ; never did he feel greater confidence than in the
hope that the crisis he was contemplating would turn to
the benefit of the liberties of the country. In the whole
course of his political life he had never despaired, and
stow that the eyes of the community were opened, nosy
that the enlightened views which the Electors of West-
minster had long since taken, and vigorously supported,
were making way through the country, his hope as-
sumed a brighter aspect. When he observed such evi-
dences of the conviction of all ranks that the whole
system of Government, as it was now conducted, was
erroueons when lie saw 111.11 at the great County Meet-
ings the affluent owners of land joined the rest in pro-
niotiwt the object for which the electors of Westminster
had been so long contending, he could have wished
that they, powerful asohey were, had long since co-
operated to prevent the es as which they were now de-
ploring, and been the means of sparing themselves their
own soflerings, and the bulk of the population the mi-
series which they hart previously endured.—(Applause.)
—The country had now indeed reason to congratulate
itself alma the late display of public spirit—a feeling
high the County tip Norfolk exhibited with peculiar
force; but it would also be found that persons who had
hitherto been, it was to be supposed mistakenly, the
supporters of ministers, that the old partizans of wets in
power, acknowledged the necessity of other measures,
and yielded to a conviction which, he hoped, would be
followed by acts, that a remedy must be applied to the
intolerable grievance of a House of Commons not faith-
fully representing the hotly of the people. The worthy
Baronet next alluded to the petition, which he said was
drawn up with great spirit and ability, and did tint con-
fine itself to the subject of taxation, but went to the
more important consideration of the gross, scandalous,
and nionsirotv violation of the rights or the peoplr . The
petition held up to view the principles of ministers, and
wew hack to the first gre.tt attack on the rights and li-
berties of America. It told the peoplthe that An;et lea
resisted what they were now resisting, e greatest of all
injuries, taxation without representation.—(Applause.)
—ln 179.3, this country entered into a wicked and scan-
dalous war, lor the purpose of imposing on France the
intolerable yoke of the Boisrbons, which ministers now
glory that they have achieved—a glory winch the House
of Cmon partakes with th. ‘Vherever strugales
baseobeen m sule for liberty, theym
have beets opposed by
the English government. and it would be as reasonsb!e
to expect that ligh. should arise out of darkness, as that
any inner conduct should be pursued while the House
of Gowitions continues to he constituted as it is at pre-
sent.—(hear:)—Butt the march of liberty will not be
restrained—Spain !teal Portugal air tree—ltaly is full of
hope—another hemisphere is free—and will
make no exertion to induce the House of Coninous to
do justice to the people! All these subjects are ably
stated in the peti.om, which it will l•e his honour and
duty to present. It is questioned by some, whether the
present agricultural distress lie produced by taxation, or
is rest rreblc to other causes; but it must be allowed by
all that the cti et of unnecessary and excessive taxation
is to produce general misery, and that when taxation
becomes iiiittlic plunder, it is incompatible with liberty.
—He had no doubt they would b.: willing to give the
'hots riff Men hacks, it necessary, to the support of good
girvertniteiii, hot n *tabus. to give a farthing unjustly
dettiari.ll. There are two sons of .4,overnment—one by
lose, t
tite other by fear. The first was the best, 31141 the
either the ttttt st expensive of all governittents. (Hear.)
All who calmed the vulistitusiou of their fathers. mat
It'd IWCII Ismiglll silos blood, honourably sited in
tae nett' Atilt till the scaffold—by the sacred blood of
•114o,i,den, of S) dot), 4t;tl 0: liot,, ;wilt, were conso!ed
UI tittar no,ottt. to the hope that d nig were ',titling an

,TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER

imperishable charter of freedom, mast unite in the object
of the petition, and rejoice in the belief that it could be
attained without any interruption to the tranquillity of
the country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HOBHOUSE said, it was the pride and glory of
his life to obey the commando of the electors of Nest- I
minster, and since first placed in the eminent situation of
their representative, he was never backward of his semi-
ments in the House of Commons, and they should
always find hint at his post, undaunted, and confident
of their support. It was not the agricultural interest
alone that was suffering ; tor if the landlord gets no rent,
the trader can have no customer.—There was no part of
the petition that would not receive the support of every
honest HUH in the House of Commons ; but how many
honest men were in that House he should not say.—
Still the petition might do good, by making the number
known, and his constituents might depend it should
receive his best support.
Mr. NICHOLSON came forward and moved, " That
their representatives should be instructed to move for
the repeal of the duty on malt, salt, leather, soap, and
candles.
There did not appear any perons to second his motion,
anti, after some delay, Mr. Nicholson left the hosting*,
and returner: before the close of the meeting with an
elector, who seconded the motion, which was then put
and carried.
The following resolutions were then put and carried.
" That it is the decided opinion of this meeting, that
the distress which has for several years pervaded the
country, pressing sometimes more set erely on some clas-
ses, and at other times more severely on other classes of
the commonity, will continne to lucre Ise, unless the
people be fully and equally represented in the Commons
House of Parliament.
" That a petition be presented to the House of Com-
mons, complaining of the distress which pervades the
country, and also of other serious grievances, and praying
for a reform in the House of Commons la! our represent-
atives, hir Francis Burdett, and John Cain Hobhouse,

" That the thanks of this meeting be given to Joseph
Hume, Esq. for ibis great exertions in unmasking and
exposing to the view of the people the enormous waste
of the public money ; for his petseverance in the face of
such obst-cles as nu man unacquainted with proceedings
in the house of Commons can appreciate; for the un-
exampled courage he has all along displayed, which has
increased as attempts have been made by the enemies of
the people to put him down, and to stifle inquiry, by
scorn, contempt, and insult.
" That Mr Hume be requested to pursue the straigh-
forward course he has entered upon, satisfied as we are,
that he will convince every person not a dependent on
corruption, that many millions of taxes may be taken off,
and hopeful as we are, that when the people see that
taxes cannot be taken off while the House. ()IC° 11111 l ons
remains as it is, they will join us in demanding a reform
in that House.
Mr. Hume came forward amidst the most enthusiastic
applause. He said it was gratifying to hint in the high-
est decree to receive the approbation of .he electors of
Westminster for hia public conduct. The meson dis-
tress of the country was brought on by an excess of tax-
ation, imposed when the country was in a state of fever,
and every exertion should now be. made to reduce the
amount to the healthful state in which no more money
would be taken from the people than was necessary for
their own interest. (Hear, hear.) The current ex-
pellees of the Government for the last year was 26 mil-
lions—for the year 1793. seven millions and a half...-with
such an increase of expense the present state of the
Houe of Commons was not surprising; but let the sup.
pliess be cut off, and the Members will conic to their
understanding. (Hear, hear.)
A vote of thanks was moved to the Hon. Henry Grey
Bennett, and carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Whitbread was also carried
by acclamation ; as were votes of thanks to Mr. Wyville
and Sir J. Honeywood. After which the following
resolutions were moved :
" That the thanks of this meeting be given to our
worthy representatives, Sir Francis Burdett and John
Cant Hobhouse, Esq. for their zeal and active exertions
on all occasions in behalf of the people.
" That the thanks of this meeting be given to Arthur
liMorris, Esq. the High Bailiff, for his re-dy compliance
with the requisition, and for his impartial conduct in
the chair."
The vote of thanks to Sir F. Burdett and Mr. Hob-
house being carried by long continued acclamation, as
soon as the applause had subsided, these gentlemen
again addressed the meeting in warm expressions of their
uratitude and fidelity to the principles of liberty supported
by the electors of 'Westminster.
Tile vote of thanks to the High Bailiff being carried
unanimously, he expressed his sense of the honour clone
him, and the high gtinification he felt at the propriety of
conduct which had distinguished the assembly, which
'' I he then dissolved.
nd

A requisition is now in course of signature among
the inhabitants of Southwark, for the convening of
an early public meeting, to consider the propriety
of petitioning the Commons House of Parliament,
to amend the present defective state of the repre-
sentation of the people, and adopt a rigid system of
economy in the expenditure of the public money ;
and also to take into consideration the propriety of
thanking Mr. Hume for his laborious and persever-
ing exertions in Parliament to effect a reduction of
taix.ition.
Mr, Lambton has become the purchaser of Her-
rington Hall, and about 70 acres of land attached
to it—price 19,0001. exclusive of the coal, which is
to be valued and paid for in addition. This same
property was bought for 7,5001. about twenty-five
years ago.