The National Register.
London, England, 1822-06-16 00:00:00

Palo: 94d.

numerously signed, and hoped that every man who would
not sign it might die, as he deserved, in the ditches of his
own dilapidated farm. (Cheering-)
The Earl of DARN LEY said, that the distress under
which they now laboured had not arisen from any detect
in the preseift House of Commons, but from the conduct
of former Houses of Commons, which, bad net duly con.
trolled the expouttore of the country. This occasioned
that accumulation of debt which, added to the norm toes
annecessary establishments that had already been ad-
verted to by those who addressed them, oppressed and
impoverished the country. (Applause.) As the present
petition embraced in general terms two great object.—
the distress of the conntry, and the want of a due repre.
sentation of the people—he had thought it his duty to pet
his name to the requisition as a freeholder of the county.
(Applause.) The prevailing di. . arose, in his opinion,
not from any one cause, bat from a concentration of
causes, amongst which the pressure of taxation was the
only one to which an immediate relief could be applied.
Some talked of saving the farmer by defrauding the
public creditor. Ceitainly those who contracted the debt,
had a just right to pay it. The tissue might, indeed, come,
whets necessity would oblige tliem to call the credit°, s
together, and pay them so much In the pound; but, mild
that time arrived, until they were imperatively called on
to pursue that course, it was their duty to pay their just
debts. The only resource remaining then was, the ditto-
-11116011 of taxes, by a at, ict, rigid, and persevering economy
in every department of the public expenditure, both mili-
tary and civil. If those whom he addressed were fond of
parliamentary reform, let them at the next general election
return two parliamentary reformers, and let the electors
for Rochester, for t.:anterbury, and for Maidstone, follow
the example. (Applause.) Let those who hail a 'taut ,f
voting ex. t.ise that right for the good of their
and they would very bOOll have an effectual reform in
Pat liament. (Applause.)
Sir E. KNATCIIBILL, at considerable length, asserted.
that the House.of Commons was not in need of reform—
was not corrupt, mil declared that. he believed every
member of the house gave his vote most conscientiously!
Mr. COBGETT now matte his appearance, and was re-
ceived with cries of "Off, off," 'nixed with the violate.%
of his friends. After this clamour had coututued her aUllid
time, . . .

The High Sherifisaid, " I am directed to ask e lieCaer
you are a freeholder ?"
Mr. Cobbett.—l am. •
The High Stieriti—A re you a freeholjesef Kent
Mr. Cobbetu—V es, siir.
Mr. COBBETT then proceeded to address the meeting.
He said, the spirit of reform that now I,ll't stied every
class had originated with the Radicals—lie lidicnled the
idea of effijent relief while the interest on the funded
debt was to be paid—he urged the necessity of reducit g
the interest on the funds, 411,1 concluded by moving the
following words as a litter to the petition:—
" And your petitioners beg leave likewise most humbly
to pray, that your honourable house will cause a just re-
duction of the interest of the national debt, as soon as you
have completed a reform of your honourable house."
The Earl of DARNLEY maintained this rigut of the
public creditor to be paid the debt which was justly due
to him. A great majority of the lauded proprietors and
persona interested in the soil having sanctioned the House
of Commons in supporting the Minister in the prosecteduit
of those measures by which the debt was lucurted, it
would not be fair to 'mu round uu thein and say, " It is
true we have contracted that debt, hot we will neverthi•-
less only pay se uuu•h in the ;tumid." The time, it was
true, might come, when the country might bes educed to
that unhappy extremity ; but until that period at rived,
they were, as honest men, bound to pay their debts. Au
honest man, either to a public or a private capacity, was
bound in lionotir unit conscience to p..y what he o.sed.
(Applause.) Mr. Cobitett had spoken of radical refer...,
which lie (the Earl of Dernley) Supposed meant anon as
parliaments and univer,al s,ittsage. Now stately Mt-.
Cobbelt had too •b acute not to know, that if siteit
plan was to take place, it %unlit cod in depriving ail who
heard hint of whatever property tit. y possessed, and
would lead to nothing shoat of revolutiJil.
A elesultoly conversation then took place, as to the
mode in whicu the should ne put by the
Mr. FOOTE and %it. RADER l'ApteS•Cll their 'ft iliiaiglicot
to adopt the siaggestiiiii of Mr. Cobbett.
Lord DARNLEY •tined, that be would hold up his hand
against lite petition, if the clause proposed by Mi. Cuts ►tat
were agreed to.
The petition, with Mr. Colibett's amendment, was then
put,amil carried by ate immense maps' ity.
Mr. RYDER moved, that the thanks of the mewing be
given to that indefatigable economist, Mr. linme.
Mr. ISA it et.t. seconded the tom, out the Sheriff re-
tit•rd to pill the question, as the sul►bect was Out included
in the reguistioni.
Thanks is cue now voted to the Slitgifi; after which, on
the sitc:.es ion of Mr. Cubing', toe a...candy g..s e liu re
cheers, as a mark of respect to Mr Home. 'limy then
dispersed.

f, , ;.,4.

Among the presentatious at toe levee on Wed-
nesday last we perceive the name of" Mr. Deninan,
oil his being elected Lommon.Sergeant of the. City 0
of London." Knowing the perfect übsenceof c
tetnptible, petty, pitiful feeling on the part of to,.t
Monarch, we doubt not, under all the circumstances,
• ' •
Oat his reception was intml gracious. I • • 4
It is the intention, if possible, to get through a 0 ,
the business of the session in sufficient time for l'ittso - • ,4)
.-
liament to be prorogued the'seeomi week iu July. klr. .."-1
• ."/ •