The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-03 00:00:00

THESPEECII.

On the motion of Mr. CANsitisGTtile adjourned delvte was
resumed. The amendment having been read by the Speaker,
Mr. Ct'n WEN regretted that he could not agree in the Ad-
dress, as he was extremely unwilling to add to the embarrass-
ment in which his Majesty's Ministers were placed by the ex-
traordinary and unexampled state of the country. Rut the
conduct of Ministers during the last Session of Parliament
had obliged him to do so. 'Through the whole of lust Session,
not a single measure of retrenchment had been proposed by
those Minist •rs. He could not approve of the Speech of the
Prince Regent. To agree to it would be to deceive the peo-
ple. It was mockery to congratulate the people, us the
Speech did, on the prospect there was of no new taxes being
imposed, when the !two') of Ministers forbearance was a con-
viction on their minds that not a single additional shilling
could be gained by additional taxation. The revenue had
veen deficient to an alarming degree during the past year;
but he feared it would be still more so during the present.
The distress of the country would increase, and nothing could
preserve its from ruin but the adoption immediately of the
most rigid economy. He contended, that the labouring
classes were perishing for want of employ. The labourers in
agriculture amounted to 2,soo,ooo—those employed in the
manufactures to 3,000,000. He would throw out of consi-
deration 500,000, and take the round number at 5,000,000.
Allowing each of these individuals to have the power of earn-
ing EN. a week, this would produce a smut of 150,000,0001.:
half these persons were out of employ; and what aims of
individual benevolence could relieve the distresses occasion-
ed by this circumstance r The lion. Gentleman then adverted
to that part of the Speech which said, disaffection existed in
the country—he denied the assertion.

Mr. BAPIKES disagreed with the last speaker entirely. He
could not admit that the Speech contained any misrepresen-
tations. If Ministers had been guilty °fatty offence, it was,
to say the most of it, having hoped too well of the country.
The HIM. Gent. then proceeded to take a review of our
financial difficulties, the failure in the revenue, the increase
of the national debt, &c. and contended, that the resources
and ettOrts °film country were still equal to the surmounting
of all our difficulties.

Mr. BROUGHAM thought there never was a time when the
plain truth ought to be spoken to the people more undisgni-
sr illy than at present. He then proceeded to take a review
of our present state, and compared it with what it was at the
termination oldie American war; t which time, he contended,
the country was in a comparative state of prosperity. The
heaviest year of the American war the permaneut taxes raised
did nut exceed 4,000,0001. During the late war we had raised
in °tic year 35,000.0001. Indeed, so far had taxation been
carried, that taxes could no longer be imposed upon the coma-
v ; or, if imposed, they could not be paid; out of this
necessity arose the boast that nu more taxes were at present
to be imposed. The Hon. Gent. then adverted to the pro-
posed Committee, and observed, that to render it efficacious
its labours ought to be carried on promptly ; and therefore
he would have it a peremptory instruction to the Committee,
that whenever they came to a resolution on any subject, they
should immediately, on the same evening, report that reFolu-
tion to the House.—With respect to the Speech, the Hun.
Gentleman could not but lament, that notwithstanding the
distressed state of our commerce and manufactories, not a
word was said of any commercial arrangement entered into
or set on foot for the relief of our distressed population ; anti
he was convinced that the system we were now pursuing on
the Continent was nut the one likely to open the continental
markets again to us. Those who supposed that the over-
throw of Buonaparte overthrew also his continental system,
greatly deceived themselves. That system still continued ;
and with this most important and dangerous ditierente to-
wards us, namely, that under litiottaparte the system had not
the support of the people, but now that they fully participated
in it.

CANNING agreed that the present was the most import-
ant crisis in which the country had been placed. He, in
COllllllOll with the rest of his Majesty's subjects, felt the ills-
' tresses and even perils of the State. But the real question
was, whether the House would agree to carry to the foot of
the Throne a determination to stand by the danger, and to
endeavour to avert the peril—Loud cries of heart—" With
respect to the Address, and the Amendment proposed, the
only difference is, that Ministers consent by the Address to
inquire into the ievoine and the expenditure, and the
supporters would hazard the going to a division for the sake
of obtaining a Committee on the state of the nation." The
Right lion. Gentleman defended lifeline of argument pursued
by his Hon. Friend (Mr. Ilitukc,), and maintained that Minis-
ters had as deep, as bull', and afflicting a sense of the situa-
tion of the rand ry as those Gentlemen who affected to feel
tOr that situation, and who grounded their attachment upon
long patriotic exertioas. With respect to the distresses,
mut•.h of them, he was afraid, was above and beyond contrail.
He might appeal to an Hon. and Learned Gentleman in
respect to one part of the distresses, namely, the Agricultural
Interest, which it was impossible to remove. The Right
Hon. Gentleman adverted to a pamphlet of Mr. Preston's,
in which thirteen causes of distress were stated, and only.
one was to be laid at the door of taxation. Gentlemen had

FEBRUARY 3.

talked of the distresses, and asked, what hail Ministers done
to alleviate these distresses? What reductions had taken
place? Why, he might state, that the military establishment
hail haen reduced as low as it could be, consistently with the
safety of the country; beyond that, would be trilling with
that safety; it would be paying a price a Inch the people
would not desire. Ministers were prepared to demand a vote
on that head of establishment, for a limited peri I 11
The Right Hem Gent. then observed upon the charge of the
Hon. lientlearin, in respect to the disaffection noticed in the
Speech, and that they were treated by Ministers as imnrgents
and rebels. But how stood the fact? The assembly of Spa-
fields met for popular purposes, but among them were those
whom the Speech might treat as disaffected. It was not
common or people to harangue a popular assembly in a
waggon loaded with ammunition.—!!car, hear It was not
against the well affected ; hut against those who disseminated
the poison, by exclai iii ing against relief; who considered
charity as a curse! rebellion as 4 duty !---Ilear, hear! —Vilma-
er the question of Reform was brought before the House
by the Hon. Baronet, he should be ready to meet the claim
by a direct denial of the grievance; and further, he would
be ready to prove, that for all useful representation, the pre-
sent Legislature was competent to all the purposes fur which
it was first formed. What was the conduct of these reform-
er.? they began by finding fault with the war, which had
established the safety of the country, and elevated its glory.
" Fancifid theorists!" said the Right Huh. Gentleman," those
who lend themselves to these theorists for visionary schemes
of annual representation and universal sufirage, will find
themselves in the situation of lambs, and Inc completely
sheared." The Right Hon. Gentleman here read some ex-
tracts from the Spencean plan, and spewed the evident
fallacy of that ridiculous system. Willi respect to the state
of the nation, be reprobated the despondency which in some
quarters was sliewn ; we had not yet risen to the sun of peace ;
we were only in the twilight : fiir God's sake ! let us, said he,
take care that we do not fall a puey to robbers and assassins.
—(/ear!—lie conjured the House to unite, and little doubt
would remain that the prospects would not only lie brightened,
but that vie should look back with regret to the black phan-
toms which had been %R&M] to appal us. The Right Hon.
Gentleman then, in a happy strain of irony, contrasted the
present call of the Right Honourable Member for a Committee
on the State of the Nation, with the one which heretofore
they were in the practice of demanding, and which Ministers
were determined to grant ; namely, a Committee of Income
and Expenditure. The Amendment of the Right Hon. Gent.
was that sort of figure which was called rigmarole ; neither
one thing nor ['other.— 1 laugh.—A more i iiii ocent Amend-
ment lie never saw. He concluded with supporting the Ad-
dress; and assured the House, that while the present Minis-
ters retained their places, they would take care to preserve
the constitution entire.— Loud cries liter, hear!
Mr. TIERNEY Contended, that the eloquence of the Right
Hon. Gentleman, brilliant as it was, could only be consider-
ed as transitory ; for unfortunately it embraced every thing
huddle immediate topic in debate. With respect to Parliamen-
tary Reform, he (Mr. T.) avowed lihnself a friend to that
object but not Annual Parliaments, or Universal Suffrage.
He addmitted that it must be used with caution, and proceed-
ed on with much deliberation. But the fact was, the Amend-
ment kept close to the point, and, notwithstanding the
flourishes of the Right Hon. Gentleman, was a fit subject
for discussion. He objected to carry the words of the
Address to the foot of the Throne, because he thought the
country was in a state of extreme danger. In agreeing to
the Address, the House would he giving, countenance to a de-
lusion. He denied that the falling oft' in the taxes was merely
temporary; and maintaiued that the Committee proposed by.
the .Amendment, would ettectuate all that was desired to
appease the irritation in the public mind.
After some observations from Mr. Vansittart, Mr. Saville,
Mr. Preston, ixe. the House divided—For the original
Address 261—For the Amendment 112—Majority 152.
Lord COCHRANE proposed a new amendment, which sta'ed,
" that in all the meetings which had taken place ou the SUR-
jeet of Parliamentary Reform, the House had nut discovered
any attempt to break the public peace."
No person was found to second the motion.
The question for carrying up the Address was then agreed
to, and at lialf-past three the House adjourned till Friday.