The National Register.
London, England, 1816-08-04 00:00:00

Ile otootored the meeting that it was not his intention to disturb
or o pis- the 111.'3,111e which they hail in contemplation. All
he desired was, that the resolution ch 10 be put upon a true
and proper footing. Ely a return whielo he held in his hand, it
ictopeare.l ilia; the nett revenue of the country was between
sixty-two s nl sixty•three millions, upward.. of 10,004,0301. of
was absorbed by the interest dime oil the national debt.
was this that bore down the population of this cowry ; it was
from this origin all the mischief proceeded ; aad it WAS 1111011
w recognition of this feet that the resoliotion in question ought
to l;e founded. The iitsuppoi table load of this taxation, prin-
cipally cause l by a system of profuse espenditoire, and the
prodigality with which large sums were lavished upon indivi-
duals, was the great evil which reqaired to 1w clued. If, there-
f ore, no other person should move an amendment, he should
f -not it his ditty to propose an omission of that part of the rest:).
ition which ascribed the distressed state of the country to the
transition front a state of war to a state of peace, and to state
she cause to he an enormons debt and a lavish expenditure.

Mr. Knowles seconded the amendment ; observing, that
it w.. 6 a strong symptom of the deciiniug state of the coon try,that
there WUS not a tangle article of our manufactures in which we
did not now labour under a disadvantageous competition with
tither countries. The distress was uni%eysal ; and in Stockport
alone there were 1,9J0 persons out of employment.
Mr. Wilberforce said, he was himself too much of an
Englishman, and had been too long engaged iu political trans-
act' 111 l s, to feel any surprise that those who felt warmly on snch
a sidkje‘-t us the present should be anxions to give expression to
their sentiments; but he could not help thinking, that upon cool
reflection, the noble lord and the gentleman a ho had just spoken
-would be of opinion, that their own object would be better at-
tained if they contioed themselves on this occasion to the dis-
tinct question under consideration. The noble lord said the
country was in a crisis, and would they apply a mere topical
remedy t but he might ask the noble lord if lie would refuse to
assuage the pain of a distemper because he had it not in his
power at once to cure it radically i—(Applausc,) To him the
existing distress appeared- to be u distemper which rather
called liar immediate alleviation, than for a speculative discus-
sion of its cause. lie thought the most charitable and manly
course to be pursued—that which must be most congenial to
what he knew to be the noble lord's own charitable and manly
disposition—wag, not to call upon the meeting to give an opi-
nion upon a political question not under consideration, so as to
divert them from pursuing it with diligence and confidence ;
but to pf.stpone to it titter opportunity a discussion of this no.
tore, and to unite cordially in the general cause of findine, em-
ployment and encouragement for our suffering fellow-citizens.
in referring to the plans adopted by the association of 1812, he
was also a witness to the frank avowal made by the late Mr.
Whitbread, that he had been miste.en : and that he was con-
vinced Itv subseqilent observation, that they had operated most
beneficially in communicating an impulse and a tone to the ex-
ertions of the country, without which they might never have
been called into action. For these 'cations he felt extremely
desirous, and entertained sonic confidence, that the noble lord
wonlil be induced to withdraw his a:noulment.

The Duke of Kent said, he haul offered the resolution
as it had been put into hi, hand; cud if he had conceived there
bed been any mention of a cause upon which a difference of
.opinion could exist, he hoped they knew him sufficiently to be-
lieve that he should have been incapable of requiring their as-
sent to it. lie be:teed, therefore, now to prapose an omission
of all that part of the resolution which had any reference what-
ever to the cause of the present distresses.
Lord Cochrane declared, that he did not wish to create
any unnecessary difference of opinion ; and with regard to him-
self individually, he had no objection to withdraw the amend-
ment. _ _

The Duke of York then read the amended resolution,
which was pnt and carried. _ _ -

The Duke of Cambridge observed, that after the very
excellent and appropriate speeches which had been made, and
the explanation which had taken place, it would be inexcusable
in him to take up any of their time further than to move the re-
solution which be held in his hand. He had had the means of
witnessing the extensive good achieved by the association of
1812. During his 25 months' absence from this country he had
also had the satisfaction of seeing what benefit had been de-
rived in Germany from the liberal subscriptions set on foot in
this country After the handsome manner in which the noble
lord had consented to relinquish his amendment , and as they
could have but one common object, that of charity, he antici-
pated an entire unanimity of opinion. He returned the noble
lord his thanks for having come forward, and regretted that
any allusion whatever hail been made to the cause of the pre-
vailing distresses The fact was indisputable, that distress and
great distress existed ; and he trusted it was equally indisputa-
ble, that the humanity which had been so conspicuously dis-
played in the relief of distressed foreigners CM other occasions,
would not be found less warm or active when the objects of it
were our own suffering countrymen. Here His Royal High-
ness read the second resolution, and sat down amidst loud
testimonies of approbation.
The resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Reed, was
rut b% the Duke of York, and carried in the affirmative.
The Archbishop of Canterbury.—Beibre he moved the
resolution which he then held in his hand, he wished to make
one or two observations in introducing it. It might be said
that there was something iu this attempt, both in appearance
and in fact, so inadequate to the great end which they had in
•iew, that it was not surprising if some entertained apprehem
Mons of a total failure : but it should be recollected, that if no
attempt were to be made until we were satisfied that we had
sinew and strength enough to east off the whole of the calamity,
and it' we were to remain under this impression passive and
quiese..at, the evil would be gaining ground in proportion as
our means of resisting it were diminished. The report, !ma-
ever, which had been submitted, proved that former efforts for
a similar purpose had not been ineffectual, and furnished them
at least with an encouraging example.
Mr. B. Long seconded the third resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
The Duke of Rutland expressed his confidence that,
with regard to the resolution he was about to propose, there
would be no discordance of opinion. After a few other re-
marks, lit Grace submitted the fourth resolution, which was
seconded, and caviled likewise in the affirmative.
The Bishop of London rose to trespass on the atten-
tion of the meeting only for the purpose of moving a resolution
which he bad no doubt would meet with unanimous approba.
lion. It was a motion of thanks to the illustrious Duke who
had honoured them by taking the chair, and who Veil portico-
laity entitled to the gratitude of the country for In conduct
on this occasion. He wished fr,„o •
y to add lime expression of
his own anxiety to promote the ob)e :tea view, and ins sanguine
hope that it would be attended with success.'
Mr. Bar.. 1::?, tor !• t tht