The National Register.
London, England, 1816-08-05 00:00:00

MEETING at the CITY of LONDON T.4VER.V.

A very numerous meeting took place on Monday at the
City of London tavern, to take into c:)nsideration the pre-
sent distressed state of the lower dames, and the most ef-
fectual means of extending relief to ilacni.
About halt past one o'clock the Duke of York entered'and
took the chair, supported on his right by the Dukv at' Kent, and
on his left by the Duke of Cambridge. ti' vra+ sortr-oailied on
his entrance by the Archbishop of Cartertntry, • ließtshop of
London, the Duke of Rutland, Lord slans:rs, the Coancellor
of the Exchequer, Mr. Wilberforce, and other distinguished in-
dividuals. _ _ _

His Royal highness the Duke of York immediately
proceeded to open the business of the meeting by observing,
that as the gentlemen then rosemOled together had done him
the honour to place him in the chair, it became his iluts to state
the object they were then rolled upon to consider. He
should do this in a very few woo ds not merely from a conscious-
ness of his owe inability, hut from a belief that many were to
follow him on the same subject who were fully competent to the
task. The meeting had been called to consider. and as far as
possible to alleviate, the present distress and sufferings of the
labooring classe,- of the rominnuity. 'These distresses were, he
feared, too well known to all who heard him, to requiire any de-
scription ; and all that he had to add to the bare statement of
them was the expression alias r,infidence, that the liberality
which had !wen so signally manifested In the cause of foreign
distresses, would not lief:mind to by wanting when the direction
of it was to be towards the comfort and relief of' our country-
men at home. (Laud apple, km.
Mr. Carter, the secretary to the association of the year
1812, then read a part of a report drawn iy uy a committee of
that society : it is stated, that the society, though with very in-
adequate funds, had product-41 very extensive good by °canna-
nicating activity to local henevuiesice, and by furiiishing a mo-
del upon which country nu:etings anti the snbseriptions and
efforts of particular districts might be ins mud, and brought into
a state of efficient operation. 'Phi upipaliesace of the room.
which was crowded beyond all example, interupttd !lie reading
of the report ; aud, at the request of the Duke of Cambridge, Mr.
Carter desisted.
The Duke of Kent said, he regretted much that it had
not been in the power of the genti,:taaa who had just sat down
to gain the nth. atiou of the meeting, and he attributed it en-
tirely to the weakness of his lungs; becanse, if tke whole had
been heard, he was sure that it would have e .evinced every
body of the correctness of the c iews originally entertained by
the association of ,Isitt, aid of the diligence with which they
haul been punned. The society had noel with lunch opposition;
it had been objected to them, that their objects were not pa-
triotic, bin palaical. 11, brava to stair, Ilia! the late Mr.
Whitbread !tad been so perfectly satis6ei of the futility ..f these
objections, that he had in the most public and candid manoer
acknowledged that his first intorpssi..os had beet) errotwoh,,
and he became acme in join:sag has eserdous with those of the
institutiou. Much dal he lament, oecause lie knew the value
of his assistant e, and row freely it watilii luaus. been alfirded,
Cie react of it on this *erasion. The plaln acid ()fluid princi-
ple noon whirl that society was f emelt, was, died those who
bad the 03t41116 Should etuilliiitito it due piopurtioii to the
relief of these %VII'. had tio means at fail. Tilt I Uilditioll of the
country at tlini period, the artaal calamity which pressed
upon It, were such *a- t. proelluee JWCloll.4l4l4,sad ever IMMO-

PIIICE 9'd.

rection. At present no such consequences had taken place;
and yet he would venture to state, that in many parts of the
kingdom, the sufferings which it was now their object to alle-
viate had at no former period been exceeded. With respect
to the causes of this distress, that presented a question into
which it was not necessary to inquire. with a view to their im-
mediate purpose. immediate object was to raise a fund,
in the subsequent accumulation
,and managemeut of which,
many ulterior arrangemeots might be projected, and from
which charity might soon emanate in a thousand directions.
He doubted not that every county and every ta svii would bo
quick to imitate the example of the metropolis. The associ-
ation M lel2 had, at least, the merit of producing this effect,
and hail spread through the whole land, that spirit of actiyo
benevolence which he was feebly invoking on this occasion.
He trusted that it was urccssary for him to say but little more
to ensure the adoption of the resolution which he should have
the honour to propose. He confessed be felt gratified wheu
he saw vi. great a concourse of his countrymen aseerubleil to-
gether for such a purpose, and additional gratification at seeing
by whom they were supported. On his left, in the chair, he
1.41/1111 an illustrious relative of his, who was always forward in
works of beneficence, and never forgetful of the interests of
the lower orders. Near bin, sat an illustrious Duke, whose
character was equally high in the country. On his right he
beheld the chief dignitary of the church, to whose high and
excellent qualities it was impossible for hint to do adequate
justice; and around him were many, whose station in society,
whose ranks as members of the legislature, and whose public
character and talents, were well calculated to advance and en-
sure success to their common object. He could not bid 're-
mark likewise, that the presence of a gentleman hi,h in his
Majesty's council,: (the Chancellor of the PAcheiluer) wus a
satisfactory pledge that the purpose they contemp!ated had the
countenance and sanction of government. lie wag sure, them
that he should not plead in vain to the motional liberality; but
that a remedy would be promptly offered to en evil, which he
trusted would be found but temporary. If they should be
foitud so happy us but to succeed in discovering new sources
of employment, to sniesly the places of Heim- channels whirls
had been suddenly shin up, lie should indeed despond if we did
not soon restore the eamitry to that same flunnshiuY cuudi-
lion which hr-1 long mode her the rusty of the world. It
would be imprJper for him ta trespass longer; he had dis-
close !itil his shale of duty, and Mid-only to read the first reso-
lution h was proposed t.. 7 submit to their consideration.
The resoletitm was then read. and 5545 iu N111”14111:e, " Tll4l
the sod-1., • transition from a state of extensive warfare, to 4
.ymein of peace, has been productive of a stagnation of cm-
limyment, and a revs sion of trade, deeply adertiog many
(laser,' of the community,aud producing, iu particular districts,
litany tustrocet,Ufgreat todisi luat &dress."

This adilres., was received with enthusiastic appiatie.

Mr. Hannan seconded the resolution, and expressed
his cordial coocuurence with all the observations of tto. Was-
trioos mover.

A Persun then addressed the meet;n_ from the lutra
and of the ball,4E dud bego.ted to express his opinion, that the
gloom and despondency which at present seemed to bans oser
the country acre unworthy of the diameter of Eng-F.4loer. or
of the glory they had acquired by the arduous strucgle which
they had su successfully surmounted. When a -celebrated an-
cient republic was CIOSCIy lit'Sie4ed and vigorously attacked by
superior forces, the ground upon which the eirmy's encamp-
ment WAS fixed teas sold at public Rllrtioll, and fetched as high
a price as if it had then been in the quiet oeouration of its
owner. Why, then, ought we to fear under the present cir-
cumstances? Hannibal was not at our gates. Exertions com-
paratively small would be entficient to extricate no from alt our
difficulties. If be were allowed to refer at all to the eause of
these difficulties, lie should not hesitate. to ascribe them all to a
sudden and aulaokol-for reduction of the eirculatim," medium.
It mi4lit not be easy to Mid a sofficient remedy; but he was
convinced that this was the single root of all the eel which
now cast a transient cloud over the knil. All that they had to
du at prez.amt, and all that it was,peimittedthein to do, was to
confute their effints to the raitie.atiou of individual distress;
and, instead of inJulgiaga spirit of unnecessary despondency,
:towel er grateful it always was to an Englishman to be told
that he seas ruined, look forward to the natural resources,
1111:411%, and enmity of the canopy, as the certain aud-ocerly
sources of a deliverance from its present burdens. This
speech was heard with a mixture of applause .and
faction.

•--------
Lord Cochrane then offered himself to the attention.
of the me etiti:l and was received with a loud clainout ; lit
Willett it was impossible to distiliguish whether timse tsbe hies.
ed or those who shouted approbation constituted flit majority.
Having succeeded in gainiug a hearing, lie stated. that lie
slmuld nut have trespassed on their attention, but for a par-
tirillar purpose width had occurred to Lis mind. Arthe the
snuuuons which be 114. h-trio veil. be should have deemed it a de-
reliction of his duty to have abstained frow mot:ding, awl Ise
ruse now became he saw tio miser indivithiai prepared to de-
liver his opinions. What be desired to impress upon the minds
of those allWll be hail the honour to address Vat, that the pre-
liminary resolution w hich had Oven .read Lyanillustriuni Dok”
was altnisether Minicled in fallacy.
could not he treks, ascribed to any sadden transition from war
to peace. Coisti it be pretended that it W 41.8 peace which had
neeasioised the fall in the value of all agricultural produce? or
could any man venture to assert that ale difficulties and 144 ii-
. of the manufacturing classes Lid out.. other cause than
a prodigious and enormous.: burden of taxation? Ltlkd Vidavyj.
Hr was h giatilieil at eeeing the Royal Duke- so active in
promoting a generous and lallifiAble undertaking ; and he Lop. d
to sttuold out he understood as treating them with disres:iert,
whim lie repeated that the resolution wits founded ni au emit e
fallacy. Bat net to content himself with a mere assertion of
his own belief, he had brought official documents to prove the
ourectuess of his statements; and if lie Omni.. be wrong, i.e
saw the Caancetlor of the Exchequer near him, Who vs ouldhax.e
the opportunity uf correcting his maim epi est 'nation. kJ noon

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lie avowed the meeting that it was not his intention to (bite' b
or oppose the measiiie which they had in contemplation. All
he desired was, that the resolution should be put upon a true
and proper footing. By a return which he held in his hand, it
appeared that the nett tevenne of the country was betweeli
sixty-two and sixty-three millions, upwards of 10,009,0001. of
which was absorbed by the interest doe on the national debt.
It Was this thdt bore down the population of this coon, ry ; it was
from this origin all the inischinf proceeded ; and it Was 1111011
a recognition of this fact that the results:ion in miesti ought
to be founded. The insoppin table In id of this taxation, pi bi-
cipally caused by a system of profuse expeinUture, And the
prodigality with which large 411111 s were la, islied upon indivi-
dual-, was the great evil Si hich required to be cored. If, there.
fore, no other person should move an amendment, he 01 Id
feel it his ditty to propose an omission of that part of the romp.
lotion which ascribed the distress, d state of the country to the
transition from a state of war to a state of peace, and to state
the cause to be an coot s debt and a lay iSh espenditure.
Mr. Knowles seconded the anuatilinent ; observing, that
it wasa str hug symptom of the deeliniug stiste of tilt. country ,that
tint re wan slot a single article of our minuilsetores In which we
did not now labour under a disadvantageous competition with
other countries. The distress was universal ; and in Stockport
alone there were 1,1100 person.; out of ionployment.
Mr. Wilberforce said, he was himself too much of an
Englishman, and had beets too long engaecil in political trans-
actions, to feel any surprise that those who felt warmly on slich
a subject as the present should be anxious to give expression to
heir sentiments; but lie could not help think ing, that upon cool
reflection, the noble lord awl the gentleman who had just spoken
would be of opiniosi, that their own object would be better at-
tained if they colitiami themselves on this oecasion to the dis-
tinct queßtiOn nodes eOnsiiirration. The noble lord said the
country was in a crisis, and would they apply a mere topical
remedy but he might ask the uoble lord if he won't' refuse to
assuage the pain of a distemper because Ii hail it not in his
power at once to mire it radically i•--(.4pplefoir,) To Bins the
existing distress appeared to Le a distemper which rather
called for immediate alleviation, than for a sireculative discus-
oion of its cause. He thought the twist charitable :mil manly
cuarse to he pursned --that whirls most be most congenial to
what he knew to he the noble lord's own charitable and manly
disposition—was, not to call upon the meeting to give an opi-
nion 11p1111 a political question not under consideration, so as to
divert them irom pursuing it with diligence and confidence ;
Lot to p( stpone to a fitter opportunity a discussion of this na.
t ire, and to unite cordially in the general cause or finding em-
it oyment and encouragement for our suffering fellow-citizens.
referring to the plans adopted by the association of Ihl2, lie
was also a witness to the frank avowal made by the late Mr.
Whitbread, that he had been mistaken : and that he was con-
vmceil by subsequent observation, that they had operated most
lemeticially in communicating an impulse and a tone to the ex-
ertions of the country, without which they might never have
been called into act . For these reasons he felt extremely
d-sirous, and entertained sonic confidence, that the noble lord
would he induced to withdraw his amendment.
The Duke of Kent said, he had offered the resolution
as I; la.ud been put lulu his hand; and if lie had conceived there
had ueen any mention of a cause upon which a difference of
opinion could exist, lie hoped they knew I • sufficiently to be-
lieve that he •I o Id have been incapable of requiring their as-
sent to it. He bes.acil, therefore, now to propose an omission
of all that part of the resolution which had any refereuce what-
ever to the Calls.' Or the present distresses.
Lord Cochrane declared, that he did not wish to create
any nunceesiary difference Of opinion ; and with regal dto I • -
sof indilidually, he had no objection to witlidiuM the amend-
ment.

The Duke of York then read the amended resolution,
which was put and carried.
The Duke of Cambridge observed, that after the very
excellent and appropriate speecliei 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-
aolution which he held in hi, hand. He had had the means of
witnessing the extensive good achieved by the association of
his 20 months' absence from this country he had
also had the I sitt.s.itet.on of seeing what benefit had been de-
rived in Germany from the liberal subscriptions set out loot in
this coantry. After the handsome manner in which the noble
lord had consented to relinquish his amendment , and am they
could have but one common object, that of charity, lie antici-
pated an entire witanimity of opinion. lie returned the noble
lord his thanks for having come forward, anti regretted that
any allusion whatever had been made to the cause of the pre-
vatting 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 on other occasions,
mould not be found less warm or active when the objects of it
were our own sufferim; countrymen. Here His lioyal High-
ness read the second resolution, and sat down amidst loud
testimonies of approbation.
The resolution, was seconbil by Mr. Reed, was
put by the Doke of You It, and carried in the affirmative.
The Archbishop of Canterbury.—Berore he moved the
resolution which lie then unit in his hand, he wished to make
one or two observations in introducing it. It might be said
that there was something in this attempt, both in appearance
sod iu fact, so iota legAdie to the greats end which they had in
• mw, that it was not surprising lissome entertained apprehen•
*ions of a total : not it should be recollected, that if no
attempt were to be made until we were satisfied that we had
*anew and strength enough to cast off the whole of the calamity,
and if we were to remain nosier this impression !Passive and
quiescent, the evil would be gaining grositid in proportion its
our menus of resisting it were diminished. The report, how-
ever, midrib had berm submitted, proved that former efforts for
a similar purpose had not been ineffectual, and fund:lied them
at least with AA AliCiAlrAgilel example.
Mr. B. Lon,',4. seconded the third resolution, which was
evrried unanimously.
The Duke of Rutland expressed his confidence that,
with regard to the resolution he was about to propute, flu rr
would be no discordance of opinion. After a few other re-
marks, his Grace submitted the fourth resolution, which was
seconded, and carried likewise in the atilt:native.
The Bishop of London rose to trespass on the atten-
tion of the meeting only fur the purpose ut sooting it I
Which lee had no doubt would meet with nominations approba
non. It was a motion of thmks to the illustrious Duke who
fiat honoured them by taking the chair, and who was particu-
larly entitled to the gratitude of the country for his cornflour
on this occasion. Ile st islied merely to add the expression of
hit own anxiety to promote the object in view, anti his sanguine
hope that it would be attended with success.
Mr. Barclay ruse to second tae inotion.