The National Register.
London, England, 1812-08-09 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

fr"m the Meting generally as to the means proper tebe.esed., was as
anxious aymy man could be to attain the benetirial olliect they
had in . .He was. friendly to reform,, if
to him that It could de sink good ; but he could not think that
an annular Parlionsetit -*mild. he any respect preferable ~to. a
septennial one, but, -iiirl'the contrary, lie thought it would. lead
to treater evils' than were at: present experienced. He did not ap-.
prove ;9T-the Pe' fitint}:' lie tholight - one couched in more moderate
ltinguaqe *mild hive been. better, but though ..he could not approve.
of that Which had. been read tp theta, he would not put a negative
on it,
.• . . • • . _ .
Eir F.,-,Bust Derr complimented the list speaker on-ate manly man-
-1
ner in which he had .coese forward, and lamented that the Gentlemen
At &glare' 'did met general] do the same. He','N'as sorry to say it, but
the English Gentlemed, inst sl coining thrward as they ought, on an
occasieb like the present, content to sit at home, and have their j.
estates coefisc• ated under their very noses, rather than give the-people
an oppeftonity of: resuming their dignity by asserting their. rights and
libertie+.' 'formerly the Gentlemen of England would have held them-
selves read.y toltead, to. conduct,. and to direct the people, and. if ne-
cessary. to sacrifice and abed their blood in the cause.- A Pail:steel'.
tary Refine, lie.was satisfied, would prove highly beifefiCial to the
gountry.,AsAl it did nor-make -men more honest, it would make knavery
tiler* likely to be detected and punished. To shorten the duration of
Parlinments-was, hi' his -opinion, very desirable,.. If. this were done.
those who liar rsetits iii ParliaMent would beohliged frequently to give
an account of their conduct to their constituents ; and he cotkld not
help obseteing,, in the words of a very homely proverbi• that " Short.
accounts utake long friends," It would, moreover, in a great degree.
prevent that.beaetly, Winnow, and corrupt connexion, which at present
existed between Mowhcrs of Parliament' and the Treasury—he would
not speak of Ministers, as it appeared that they were, but straws floating
dowu the stream, without power tO direct its course. The system,was
such, that whatever men appeared in Parliament as Ministers, they
were.to•be attended to as oracles—arid any measures that they might
propose were to be carried, Yet those who had thus made themselvest
the tools of ae overbearing oligarchy. called themselves the guardians
of the publie purse. He thought they
.ought rather to be called the
tut uetc4 9fike public. .When it was seen that the guardians of the
public purse.,held it constantly- open for (ix thief to put his hand in,
he thought it better-it Weird have no guardians at all. Whoever were
NI Misters now, they might sort° the people, as JoSeph said to the
Egyptians, "We have this day-bought you aed yaur lends." There
was, however, this difference betereen the two cases. In former
tones, when those on the land were bought with the !mid, they.were
fed by the purchaser; but now the bread was..taken front their months
by the purchaser, and the people were bought with.theie own money.
He c,mcleded by telling the multitude, that bud not his colleague (Lord
Cochrane) been confined to his bed, by indisposition, he would have
conded the motion oil the Slate 'of the Nation, which he (Sr Francis)
had brought fro! ward on the last day of the Session; and had not that
indispositrpn continued, lie (turd C.) would ha, e Ipid the hen, ur of
meeting them that day. • Before retiring. be expressed his 117.pe th;it
this Meeting would serve as an example to the Country to persevere
itt asserting their rights.; and when that was unanim:eisly done.
the Barouglimongering FaCtion • must, like the Devil, tremble and
et?ey.
This speech was loudly applauded, and the Petition las agreed
to. The usual thanks were then given and returned, and the Meeting
broke up.

*THE NEW MrSOLPE.NT ACT.

lids Act is exactly confqrniable to the Acts of this kind of former
years, exec pt in the following special a actments
All p in a foal cust.lly ou the 501 of June last, and whose
debts on that day did not amount to more than tioool.•are to be en-
titled to the ben, fit of this Act.
Where the debts.of prooLers exceed that sum, a Barrister of east,
of the C .hrtB of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer, 1,
to be aprimen to enquire into the same ; and if the party has been
iturisontll five years, he shall be discharged out of cloudy, should
his debts amount to 50001. ; and where the party has horn confined ten
' years, then to be discharged, whatever may be the aniowit of the
debt or debts.' .
isone; s tot to be discharged for debts incurred since the 5,h June.
Prisonets discharged subseluent to the ssh of June, without the it
. consent, nevertheless t• hare the benefit of this Act.
This Act is to eat nJ to the different nesi.lencies in India, and to
•Plinc:.! of Wi!les's Isl nd; But not to extend the relief of persons
confined in In la at the.suit of ti:e East India Company,. unless the
Local Ciovernmen'ts iu In& consent. •

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