The National Register.
London, England, 1819-11-29 00:00:00

ADDRESS TO TUE PRINCE REGENT.

The Honourable SUMER; COX. Aiember for Ilortfonl,
moved the Address, which was au ecno of the Speech front tha,
throne.

Mr. CUST seconded it.

The SPEAK KR having read the Address, .
Mr. 'IIERN KY rose. (The (louse was. uncommonly fall
nor.) He said, on ordinary occasions lie might nut ;lave felt it
necessary to rise. Ile understood that many assertions made to-
day were to be proved by documents; btu nevertheless he felt it
has duty to trouble the (louse with an Amendment. lie thought
not a moment ought to be lost in presenting to the Regent astate-
meat of what were their real sentiments, not a mere formi ad
dress, lie deplored the lamentable condition to wiiieli the Country
was reduced ; and he lamented as much as any man could lay
progress that infidelity. might have made. lie was, however,
glad that the laws hail been found sufficient to put down the in-
fidel. (Hear, hear.) Regarding the mass of the people, they
remained untainted ; they were mote moral and pious than any
pate le on the face af the earth.. As to the seditious and treasons
of the country, or rather of certain districts, he believed that no-
thing but a severe and rigid exertion of the Magistracy was
required to ptu them down.. It' theta were general disaffection,
what laws could check it ? But the real cause of all the difficulty
was the pressure of tattaion—the people in truth were overtaxed
—(l.oitilcheers.)—lie had pointed out these things in vain.—
Millions had followed millions. The people saw that the state•
of representation was not beneficial to theni-4Continued cheer•
ing.) Ile meant not the visionary symein of the Radicals,
for all things must have a name, but the people believed
most extensively that there must be Reform; (Hear, hear)
and he thought they were right. The House was the guardian
of the public purse ; if the public purse were abused. wl o could
the people blame but those gnarditina ? If Cie people's money
were always squindered—if armies wete granted in vela, as
well as new laws and new taxes--if trade were stagnant, and
distress every where seen ; was it surprising that the House
should be complained of—that the people should not have all
the desired on in the liaise of COMM,IIII. But with the
Radicals he would bold cot quarter; his plans were not their's—
their's 'were visionary and dangerous, and their partizans at-
tacked the opponents of Government in that House as vehe-
mently as Minuted., and he believed they were indebted to much
of then security fn consequence of so adroitly managing their
vitilacratiims. Rut he wiia bon alarmed at the Radical strength,
but ne did feel shinned at those circumstances which were press-
ing heavily oil the prospviity of the country. And he melt
alaeliel at ilia system who 'solid! set his face against afl Retinae.
rabic:viol' hail i reproved the population, and persons were to be
found at itie corner of every street who could not believe that
every thing which existed was wise, paid, and excelient ; and
if they thosigit of governing by force, then indeed was the
country on the verge Of. a dreudial evils. Such a system
would be f• and wrong ; they who urged it would uhi-
itettely tail: he was sate of this. (tiny.) In the Address lie was
surprised no allusicia a isa made to the fatal 16th of August; and
he contended. that the meeting would have passed ow quietly.
hail there not been the interruption of the Civil and Yeoinaurr

TOY. #9

aotliorities. As to the redrew talked of. what redress could be
elk:Amine i by a multitude again t a bench of magistrates; and
wnere was any coon maaVusig The olwr-ea.!ing
against Mr. Hunt was regarding what took place tefore the
meeting; for n list took place afterwards, where were the signs
that it cos. desimus to give redress. The Prince liegent's Letter
'a Thanks was must injudicious; it made the ministers and ina-
gietrates parties to the quesdon, and all of them were interested
in resisting inquiry. But inquiry lutist conic, and to the confu-
sion of many of those who now defended the Manchester magna.
ogee. Then, to unite 411 parties*, Caine the dismissal of Lord
Yitzwilliaitl—a man In whose case the whole country sympa-
thized. That Noble Lehi had been the main stay of Atluirms-
tion,and hisLorelehip had preserved the tranquillity of Yorkshire;
and the return lot such services was the removal of Lord Fitz
william. Ile wished to know why Mr. Hunt had not been
arrested the day before the meeting, if it was thought necessary
to arrest him at all. Precisely the same thing was done in
London in the case of a Mr. Harrison, who was taken in
Smithfield. and though troops were not employed upon that oc-
casion, they were in mediums to act. lie dad not know why
London should be put in such hazard. Mr. Harrison was,
however. taken quietly !, but why tile metropolis should be put
in connwstion, because at was judged expedient to take a man at
it o'clock uit one t'ay, who might have been taken at 12 o'clock
the day berme, was for the &iv leers of such a poxes:Mugu, deter •
mine. These were the reasons lie had or refusing to peafe reli-
ance in the conduct of ministers. and tot opposing any immediate
measure tending to the increase of nilitary force. The miliusry
powers of the country had not been in one instance overcome. A
necessity fur addiug to them might perhaps exist; but till a full
explanation of all these objections took place. till it was strewn
that minister. had properly usetl the means they possessed, he
coul ; not Mink of augmenting the military force. lie considered
that there was much apprehension in the country of an attack
upon the liberty of the subject, and that the attack was exempt'.
fled in the numerous attempts to provoke the people to tumult.
The Constitution was at stake in the debate of that night (II ear.
hear). Ills design was not to speak, except in general terms, of
the Manchester calamities, but he denounced alto .her the prin.
ciple of attempting to preserve the country by 'Mihaly law, or
any other system of coercion. If such a i»etliod was adoptial,
there could be no use in raising a titan's head in that House
upon the subje. t of liberty. for from that moment the people
would be at tie mercy of Ministers; and that line of separation
which lad been always deeded would be drawn, the line of
separation between the higher and lower orders—Olear. lour).
Be hoped those in power would take warning from the Revolt.-
don in France. By timely and discreet measure. that Heroin.
non might have been avoided; but nothing being done towards
conciliation, the contrary was the case, and all milers of society
were noted in indiscriminate confusion. which ended in general
destruction—Wear). lie dal not believe that the persons termed
Radicals were at all to be feared ; but there was a large popula.
tion, which was deeply attentive to die conduct of that House,
and not at all well du, osed towards it, in consequence of what it
had dune. 'float population it would IN dangerous to irritate to
a higlwr degree el disgust. It Ministers would spew a willingness
to make the necessary enquiry, he shwild stand by them ; but
while he was determined to uphold the laws. he was equally
resolute in maintaining their righta--(llear, hear). The Bight
Hen. Cientkinan concluded with moving an Amendment
expressive of the regret telt by the House at the proceedings
at Manclawner, and declaring the necessity of making an en.
quiry,
The Marquis of TAVISTOCK seconded die Amendment.
After ham.; made some general observations upon the perils
with which lie conceived the country to be surrounded, he advert-
ed to the IVlaticlieser proceedings. He culled for a calm and
patient investigation into the circumstances attending that event,
and disclaimed all idea of any other object in view than truth and
justice, and the people's happiness.—O(ear. hear !) He was nut
thsposul to question the motives of Ministers, as to their genensi
conduct, but he could nut view without surprise the iiisnossal of
a Noble Lord who had the boldness to oppose the ptinciples
which seeined to actuate those who dispersed the Meeting, and
who had before detected, and exposed the system of spies, (hear,
hear,) anti commanded the respect and approbation of the pub-
lia—That there were circumstances of danger attendant upon
large public meetings he was ready to admit, but prod, should
he g yen of the necessity of calling in the military, before ssch,
an extremity was resorted to. When Ministers (tad gone so tar
as not to he able to carry on the Government without the assist•
once of the bayonet, they has ii.decd much to answer fur..(l!ear.
hear.) It mold not but be acknowledged that there existed bnt
little sympathy beta ten die Parbanicia and die people. Concilia-
tion was Lodi ten-ably necessary; the burthens of the people
should be light, ned. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer Caine
down to the House with a renewal of the Property Tax, he Olie
Noble Lord) shotild agree with trial upon this condition—that the
taxes upon the poor soould undergo a proportionate diminution.
that the public should no longer be insulted by large grants of the
public money i nproperly made, and that all useless places shod.:
be abolished. Then. anal not tili torn, woual he vote Mr the pro•
petty tax. Tee Meech that now existed might be yet repaired, it
the people stele not driven to des, air. A step to ivatelsitefunn,
above all thiags, was necessary. lie was not prepared to say
what specific Befoul' would be adviseable. but lie wasoonvinced,
that so long as that House remained as it was, the people would
not, ant: ou,;lit net to he auistiaL ‘( II oar, hear.) Hints nail
been frequently thrown out against the loyalty of the people—
could any one doubt that loyalty, atter an expewive war, during
which they hail endured taxation patiently. Lie would venture
to say, that if weals of aniipassion were used in Scs place of the
iasulting language to which they were accustomed, thoueands.
whom Government thought their enemies, and treated, with
hatshmi.s, would be completely disarmed. The Node l.ord
concluded with again nvoinnietuling. in the strongest manner.
that an enquiry would be entered upon ; and above all, that the.
people should not be treated with derision and contempt.
Lord t:ANS 1.a•.1t1..At.11 114 1.0 uly.usr the
lie admitted ma .It len. were sow ;Aired in a most :to-
fu' teepowibillty, particularly as re ended Ille 1111111 N Well •
it was WWI expedient al an occusiou of ackhowled..ee
dateAer to pursue. Under She impies ' that the punkt
aafirty would het hiked ny delay, they had conic 10 11 defrr
suituttion to lay trumediaiels before Pailinment the
Station in tv loch it uses their intention Is propose men-
sures for the presei sad ))))) of the litlll.le
could IBA at She same time hip denying, stun fie most un-
qualified terms. that the co.& twice of the pimple in Pasha-
ineut hail diminished. lie was convinced that Valliant.,"
had iwied wits such anxious desire to broilt the
by that flies were üblc and resolved to inert
dillicuhie• at hums as well 10 abroad, Shill less doubi than
ever distr.(' semi s' of general approbat lam—Thee s
was seoliely a senate measure pursued I .iy 2a...honcho in
hick the public had not joined, tool SO far was Ilk. dDose
snider toe effisireid of the Public, that no Admioidrat too
could cyst n ithout its posit eve alit unequivot..il sasteth,n.
'1 here %rue, lea his opinion, .(round, for carry 'l4 the
nineollasiesit to the foul of the Throne, MI( Ilia he ever hem
it speech less qualified to make nu impressi iiii sit the nrces•
•sity of mutton.. stic a an addition Its the its ititaseil Address
di was, in fat t. a Not. eh made for the purpose of it -decree
Nine die dial sauul f the timid ry. . Up the question
of the state of the country us should not uuw ruler, as he
conceived it necessary to lay before tae House all the anfor-
- on:Ilion Government hail trefised upon the subject, before it
chamois,' should be entered upon. As ono its the papers
wbtitb 'odd be au readiness to-morrow) were read, be