The National Register.
London, England, 1823-02-03 00:00:00

1111-

14

PARLIAMENTARY REFOR,
--...-

MISTING OF THE FRF.EHOLDERS OF BERKSHIRE.
Pursuant to a teijuisition sigovit by Lord Folkes.ime,
Sir F. Burdett, C. 1.. Palmer, E.q. J. li. Alolick, Esq.
and several of the most respvctatile Frechi.lilvi• of the
of the county of Berke, the High Sheriff, Sir G. Etc,
on Monday convened a meeting at Abingdon, " for the
p irritate of taking 11110 consideration the press nt state of
the !louse of CJnloious, and the necessity of a reform
therof."
A little before 12 o'clock the High Sheriff, attended
by 11,. Ward, as Clllirr Sheriff, entered itieTown
wh.ch was filled by a very nunierons body of the gentry
and yeomanry of the comity. Lord Folkestone, Messrs.
Palmer and biloack, the members for herding, Loni
Dooria,s T. Goudlake, Eq. H. Marsh, Eq. C. Eynon,
Esq. NV. lisllett, Esq. and many oilier gentlemen of
rank and consideration in the county were resent.
The High She'd opened the bissiless of the day, by
stating that a requisition had been handed to him, the
signatures to which were so highly respectable, that he
felt it to be his duty w accede to it, by calling the pre-
s-lit meeting.
T. Goormaza, E-q proposed that the High Sheriff
shou!il take the chair, which was carried by dCCIJIIIiI.
11011.

C. EYSTON, Esq. then proceeded to address the
assembly. He cu tttttt eticed by stating, that he most
unaffectedly apologised to the gentlemen pros .it fur pre-
mot for pleat g himself thus conspicuously and pro-
suiliessily Its their notice. Unacc :red as he was to
public speaking, and having little claim to their attention
he hilt it peculiarly necessary to request their indulgence,
which he trusted they would extend to him for a very
few minutes, since he could assure thelll that lie would
tint imerpoke longer between them sod some of the most
respectable inch% iduals in the county, whom he saw
around bins, and who would doubtless dela er their ern-
thorn's MI this occasion. The worthy freeholder con-
chided thus aristocracy began to see the necessity
of relorming, and the great body cif the people seemed !
anxious to coalesce with them. Acting under the bait.
nets of men who were able and willing to lead them—
marching towards th.a worthy, that great and desirable
objects an amelioration of representative system, brut-
pleas, t. nspx r, awl moderation, were the great ponds to
be stetinted to. (Hear, hear.) The people hail shoo
that they would be moderate—they had also shown that
they would be finis ; and he trusted that, in the rod,
they would procure a restoration of that Constitution,
consisting of Lords, and Commons (a hotly of
Commons really and truly representing the people),
wider .vlsico, in former shoes, they had been a proslte-
elms and glorious nation, and under the benign hides-
ei.ce of which they might again bore to he the envy
and admiration of surrounding countries. (Cheers.)—
Its the few observations which he had had the honour I
of submitting to the meeting, he was not, if lie knew
his own heart, actuated by passion, by prejudice, or by
peaty; the sentiments he had expressed arose solely
Irons the sincere conviction of his own mind. (Hear,
hear.) He woold now put the meeting in possesaitni of
the whole Petition which had been prepar. el for their
conisideration. 01 that petition lie was not the author;
but he entirely concurred its every sentiment which it
contained. (Hear, hear.) Th.: lion. gent. then read
the petition, which WO as follows :
" To the Honourable Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
" The Petition of the Nobility. Gentry, and Freeholders of the
County of Berks., in County. Meeting assembled.
" Showeth,—That the only legitimate end of Government is
the happiness of the governed, and that the Government which
fails to produce this happiness is unworthy of support and ought
to be reformed.
" That where no visitations of Providence, such as human
power cannot avert or guard against, where famine or pestilence
• or invasion from without, has nut occurred, the absence of hap-
piness in the people is a sure sign of detects in the Laws and
Government of the Country.
ou That there exists at this time, in every part of this Country,
the greatest distress amongst a very numerous and must important
part of the people, all those connected with agricultural pursuits;
and that the circumstances which have plunged diens in ruin are
those which alone have rescued from equal distress another part,
superior in number, and second only to them in importance, via.
—the manufacturing classes.
That this country has been Visited by oo *acting or over.
wlielrning dispensations of Providence ; and that all external
• wars have ceased for more than seven years that internal tran-
quillity lute beep unintarruptal i abundance has crowned all the
labours of the husbandman yet distress and poverty, so far from
abating, satin to increase in proportion as peace and plenty. here•
tofore reckoned the surest foundations and symptoms of happiness
and prosperity, have become penuanent and general.
" That though it appears, therefore, that the Government of
this country has failed to produce its only legitimate purpose, yet
the Constitution is so beautiful in theory, and did in practice pro-
duce for so massy ages such beneficial elLets, this meeting cannot
but attribute the4e unhappy results not to any inherent or neces-
sary defects, but to abuses grown up in the comae. of time.
That by the theory of the Constitution the House of Com-
mune ought to be the Representative* of the People.
o That, in fact, by tar the majinity of its members have
scarcely any connection with the people as such ; nominated, not
by their voice, but by ',tritons whose intereae are directly oppo-
sae to theirs, sod in very many Coals themselves enriched lay
their spoils.
.."1 hat by the theory of the Constitution no pert of die Exe-
artier Government of the country resides in the House of Com-
mons; that their main duty is to controul those who administer
the a/fan and direct the powers of the state, so that the people
m .y receive no damage in their persons, liberties, or propetties.
o Tout in practice this ditty has been wholly neglected, and
Olin on the other hand. almost die whole Government of the
tountey leas been absorbed by the House of Commons.
•"rtud, fmm the petted when the country was diet moulded
to its present f ,no steps have been taken by the Legislature
generally to extend and invigorate the popular voice in the elec-
tions of Members of the House of Commons.
Tbat Lilt extension of the elective franchise in particular
places, by occasional Acts of Parliament, and in counues by the
depreciation of the value of money, has had but a very partial
effect, more than counteracted by a variety of circumstances.
%solicit in the common course of things must necessarily, during
so loin g a period, have art en to Introduce an undue influence.
Tbat besides these unavoidable MPLITL*S of corruption, others
s.f an adventitious nature hove out been smiting, arising out of
the mole adopted tor the administration of the affairs of the
counti!, amongst which Tout Petitioners- vied.enly dneetion.too,

. •
•
IP‘ mrimai•dl •••••11•Nt „hAlitikb. 411L1.0
T isE REGISTER

—viz. the moment Immo of tazadon• and the prodigious
arts-
mvntation of the
That while fluidise of the people bas been, in fact, con-
tinually less and less Meant, the people have at the seine
time become, by increase of intelligence, information, and know-
ledge, more and more capable of donning • right judgment on
the conduct of their Representatives, and worthy of enjoying a
dnect controul over them.
" That it therefore appears due equally to the people to give
them a more powerful voice in the election of Members of the
olCommons, and to the Crown, to reform diet House,
hick, neglecting their own peculiar duties, have invaded the
prerogatives of Royalty, and usurped its power.
" That this Meeting is happy to be assured, that so desirable
change involves no innovation in the spirit of the Constitution of
the country t that it merely corrects its manifest abuses, and
adapts to the change of circumstances which time has occasioned,
recognised and acknowledged principles.
" 'I hat yow Petitioners therefore pray, that your Honourable
House will, without delay, adopt those measures which may be
necessary to effect such a change in the Constitution of the House
of Commons as will render it the real and efficient Representative
of the People, able and willing to redress their grievances, to
maintain their rights, and to provide alike fur their biippiuois and
for the honour of the Crown.
" And your Petitioning will ever pray."

The Petition having been gone through,
Mr. ELSTON seconded the motion, that the Petition
be adopted.
Lord FOLKIITOWS, in a speech of considerede length,
supported the Petition and the cause of Pali .nientary
Reform. His Lordship was followed by Mr. flatlet,
Mr. Marsh, and Mr. Mouck, all of whom pressed the
necessity of reform.
The question was then put and agreed to; there being
only two bands held up against it.
Considerable applause followed the declaration that
• the Petition was carried with only two dissentients.
Mr. Erarnx said, that those individuals who thus
expressed their dissent by their rote, acted in a fair and
manly manner. lie then moved that the Petition he
signed by the High Sheriff, on behalf of the Meeting.--
This was pin and carried.—He next moved that the Pe-
i titiou be declared—" A Petition, agreed to, with only
two dissentients, at a !Sleeting of the county of Berks.'
--Agreed to.

Mr. F. PALMER said he did not mean to contradict
the assertion of his hon. colleagde (Mr. )louck), that
the Petition, however strong and powerful, and strong
and powerful he admitted it to be, would be unattended
to by the house of Co tttttt ons. 'Coe utmost they could
expect was, that alter giving tile to some discussion, it
t would he ordered to lie on the table, and then be
braid of no more.—(Hear.)—The question now was, by
whom should this Petition be presented I He thought
it could not be in better hands than in those of the county
members, and therefore lie would move that it be pre-
sented by their two representatives.
This being pot and agreed in,
Mr. l)ustoata cause forward. He said he always
made it a practice to attend county meetings, in order to
learn the sense of the people. He had attended at the
celebrated York meeting for reform, in t7H4, and since
that time he hail nut been present at one which gave him
more pleasure than the meeting of this day. He had
listened with great ,satisfaetion to the speeches of the
mover and seconder, and also to the very able one of his
noble trim, the author of ►he Petition,,,which did equal
honour to himself and his country. The motion which
had just been agreed to ;ailed him up, and lie could
assure the Meeting that be would with great pleasure
present the Petition, and support it by every means in
his power.
Mr. HaLLerr next moved the thanks of the Meeting
to Lord Folkestone, for his unwearied zeal in the cause
of the people, and for his exertions in bringing about the
present meeting.—Carried.
On the motion of the same gentleman, thanks were
voted to the mover and seconder of the petition ; also to
the High Sheriff, for his readiness in calling the meeting,
and likewise for his impartial conduct in the Chair.
His Lordship and the High Sheriff having returned
thanks, the latter declared the meeting dissolved, and the
asaeu►hly separated after giving three cheers.

..t

political feelings of the country; it was nothing less than
to sepperil the democratic privileges of the people. The
regal privileges, and those of the aristocracy, existed,
but where were the democratic privileges ? where were
the franchises of the people ? Hail they not been pur-
loined? Had they not beets sunk In the aristocracy?—
Thu people were looked to as the source of power and
Indrstrl ? And were they to be deprived of that plower,
and of due controuil over the fruits of their helsistly
Awl for chit were they to he so deprived ? He would
nut advert to the dark periods of the history of our re.
presentation: and as to what was called the Constitretlen
of 1688, he was afraid to examine it too closely. The
boroughs whirls then existed had been bought up, and
such was the slide of the representation, that they could
not declare snore than 171 moinhers to be returnable, in-
dependent of borough-moisgeriese influence. Such a dread-
fel preponderance had produced calarnituns couse.
quences! thousands were thereby enabled to live in
laziness and luxury, independeM of any popular con.
trout. The American war had cost the country a hundred
millions; but the second war hnd cost the country a
thousand millions; and how the., could it be surprising
that inch calamities every where surronnded them ? lt
was time to look about then); and sure as etlect followed
cause, the country would be involved in complete rubs,
except a remedy were provided. That remedy was, that
the people should take their democratic station in the
Constitution; that the purse strings of the people shbuld
be kept close and that there should be a real watchful.
near over the interests of all classes. _ _

The resolutions having been put by the High Sherif,
Mr. Horn' appeared for the parpose of moving an
amendment. Mr. Sandford had surprised him by the
propositions which were submitted to the meeting ; they,
forsooth, were called upon to adopt the fatand of what
was agreed at the York Meeting. He thought there was
not a mail or woman amongst them, not one Somerset.
shire heart, that would not reject one proposition, He
did not differ from what had tallest from Dr. Ringlake.
however he diffehred from Dr.Kinglake's conclusive—the
necessity of supporting the Yorkshire resolutions. He
conclude., with moving
" The Petition of the Freeholders and other Inhabitants

of the county of Somerset, shewelli—
" That your Petitioner* have for a great number of
yews contributed large sums of money annually towards
defraying the expenses of lung and bloody wars, and (or
the support of a system of Gosertiment, which they were
taught to believe by the public Prtilo, by the Parliament,
and by the great landed and monied proprietors of the
country, were absolutely necessary for the protection of
the throne, and fur the safety. happiness, and welfare of
the people of England.—Your Petitioners wow lament to
fiud that their confidence was grmaly abused, that they
have been deceived, duped, and cajoled by the above
named parties, who conspired together to oppress end
plunder your Petitioners, to carry on wicked, unjust, and
unnecessary wars, entered into and continued, your Peti-
tioners to their sorrow now find, solely for the purpose of
it pholdieg and perpetuating a corrupt state of represent.
ation in the Commons House of Parliament.

" Your Pctitionei a now plainly see that the cause of all
this wanton, wicked, cruel, and unprincipled sacrifice of
the oceans of blood which were so unfeelingly spilled ;
that the protllgate waste of the wealth and prosperity of
the nation, which were wrung from the 'unship of a suf-
fering. patient, and confiding people, and which were so
lavishly squandered away, that all the king and cruel past
sufferings of the manufacturing and fabouring part of the
community; and that all the present insupportable suf-
ferings of your Petitioners have their origin, and are
solely to be attributed to the want of • fair, a free, and
an equal representation of the people in the CuaLtions
House of Perliameut. . . _

" Your Petitioners now very plainly perceive that the
seats in Parliament have all along been filled with rela-
tives, the hangers-on, and dependents, of certain great
aristocratical families, by means of borough and other
corrupt influence; which persons, hawing no interest or
feeling in common with the people, have contrived, by
their packed and corrupt majorities in Parliament, to ap-
propriate all the crown and church lauds, the undoubted
property of the public, amongst themselves, and by the
same corrupt and unjust means they have contrived to
obtain large grants of the public money, arising from the
sweat of the industrious labourer's brow, which they have
annually divided and apportioned among themselves in
pension', sinecures, and pay, fur useleu mid unnecessary
places..
" Your Petitioners therefore most tly and most
confidently pray that your Honourable House will forth-
with pass an Act to ensure such au immediate and com-
plete Reform in the Commons Howse of Parliasnet:: ms
will give to every Englishman, Scolchinan, and Irishman,
a vole for the Representative., who are to sit there; and
your Petitioners further pray, that to enable every man to
give his vote honestly and rouseitutiosnly, that they may
be protected he the ballot; these, your Petitioners firmly
believe, are the only sate and effectual remedies for their
present sufferings, and that without these your Petition-
ers can hope for no security in future for their lives, their
liberties, or their property. When such a reform is ef-
lected, your Petitioners will have full confidence that
such freely. equitably, and crwn, utiously chosen Parlia-
ment will, without loss of time, adopt such measures in
Church mot State as will secure the future freedom and
happiness of the people, the safety and honour of the
throne, and the peace and prosperity of the comitry.
" And your petitioneas !driller pray your Houourable
House to lake into your serious consideration, mid attend
so the prayer of those numerous petitions %Welt were pi r-
%toted to your Honourable House in the year 1817, pray-
ing for Reform; wltich petitions, although signed by
upwards of one million and a halt of Englishmen, %vete
totally disiegarded, and thrown under the able of your
lion. House. Mid your Petitioners will ever pi ay."
lies. H. CR LIMY ELL seconded the amendment. He
trusted that Hefts in would he peacefully accomplished;
but if a Swim arose, he should befoundthe
w
Hirai
net hand.
and
The SHERIF/ then pn
afterwards declared Mr. HOlll%l petition to have beta
carried by a csonsiderable majority.
The niertit.g was dissolved at flow o'clock.

Accounts from South America, dated August 27,
state, that the royal army in the vicinity of Limu is
16,000 strong, and that the Patriot troops arc much
dissatisfied. Lord Cochrane has arrived at Valpa-
raiso, having retired from the Cltiliau service fur a
short time. •- - •