The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-12 00:00:00

ESSEX COUNTY MEETING.

A public Meeting of the Freeholders of the county of
Essex, convened, pursuant to a requisition for that pur-
pose, by Capel Cure, Esq., the High Sheriff, was held
yesterday, at twelve o'clock, in or rather in front of the
Shire-hall, Chelmsford, to take into consideration the
causes of the present distress which prevails throughout
that county in particular, and the country in general.
. . _ _

Colonel CONYERS rose, and said, that it could not he
denied by any man whose mind was not impervious to the
evidence furnished by facts, that the country never was in
so deplorable a condition as at the present moment, and
consequently it became their bounden duty to state the
whole truth on the subject to the Houses of Parliament,
and if necessary to his Majesty himself, for the purpose of
having some remedy applied to the evils which were so
fearfully increasing, and which, if not shortly alleviated,
might terminate so fatally to the country at large. On
the subject of the distress something had been said in Par-
liament, and the matter was mentioned in that cold-
blooded speech attributed to his Majesty; but although a
Noble Duke (Buceleugh) got up to second the address to
that speech, in his place in the House of Lords, the fact
that the kingdom, from one end to the other, was over-
whelmed by unexampled wretchedness could not be dis-
proved. After some further observations on the conduct
of Noble Lords, and Members of the Houses of Parlia-
ment, in the debate which succeeded the reading of the
King's Speech, Colonel Conyers read a petition, which
stated in strong terms the present distress of the country,
and implored Parliament to give it their most earnest con-
sideration,
T. B. LENNARD, Esq., M.P. for Mahlon, rose to
second the petition, which he strongly recommended to
the Meeting for adoption, as he was fully persuaded that
something must be done, and that, too, without delay, to
ameliorate the condition of the industrious classes, whose
sufferings, not as had been stated partially, or in particular
places only, but generally, was unhappily so lamentable.
If the real state of the country were not to be described
by the independent people of England, it would he hope-
less to expect that a fair representation could be laid before
them from any other quarter. He also could not help '
observing that the thing called the King's Speech was the
most cold-blooded piece of composition that ever was
penned, and freely acknowledging that he had hoped better
of the Duke of Wellington. The Noble Duke bad,
however, been evidently labouring under a wrong impres-
sion, and the sooner lie was made sensible of his error,
the sooner a remedy would be applied to the evil, which
was so loud and so justly complained of from every part
of the empire. There was not a corner of the kingdom
in which distress did not prevail ; and the strong feeling
which was beginning to manifest itself in all directions
pointedly called for the immediate interposition of Govern-
ment to ward off the consequences by a timely application
of some remedy. Things, obviously, could not remain
in their present state, consequently something necessarily
must be done, and that, too, quickly. In conclusion Mr.
Lennard said that sufficient had been shown to prove that
the Meeting was justified in adopting the petition of his
friend, calling upon the Legislature to institute an inquiry
into the nature and extent of the distress which so
grievously afflicted the nation at large.
D. W. HARVEY, Esq. M.P., should have accorded
his support to the petition which had been read by Colonel
Conyers, but that he thought it quite too general, and
therefore was convinced that no advantage would result
from it, It was clear that the people were taxed beyond
their power to pay, and whether those taxes came in the
shape of rent, tithe, or other impost, was perfectly imma-
terial, as profit could only arise after those deductions had
been made. The tithe tax perhaps might be about
50,000,000/., and if that was reduced 25 per cent. the
load upon the people would be lightened by upwards of
12,000,000/. Other taxes were capable of reduction in
the same manner. The Church revenues might be so ap-

pIiCU as (CP greatly alllellUraia Lae COMiltlOn
01 the people,
as there really was no actual necessity that a Bishop, in a
spirit of resignation should receive from 10,0001. to
30,000/. to roll about i❑ thankless voluptuousness, and
preach before the people submission to the Government
and obedience to their rulers. The Ecclesiastical esta-
blishment ought to be rendered consistent in all respects
with the character of Christianity.—(Hear, hear.)--After
some further observations, Mr. Harvey read a petition,
and moved it as an amendment to that proposed by Colonel
Conyers, to the effect that the distress of the country wa•
primarily attributable to the inadequacy of the represent-
ation and inordinate and unequal taxation, and that there-
fore the most decisive remedies should be adopted.
Cita s. TOWERS, Esq., supported the original petition.
Sir H. SMITH also supported the original petition, aid
commented on the great distress of the times.

C. WESTERN, Esq., the Member for the county, had
received reports from Blackburn, in Lancashire, and from
Huddersfield, stating that the operatives of those place,
were in a state of the most pitiable distress ; thousands o
them being obliged to sub4mt on 2/l. a day. Respectior
the general distress there could be little doubt on the mind
of any rational man, and that that distress had been mainly
accelerated by the departure from paper to metallic cur-
rency, was a fact incontrovertible.

After some general remarks upon the subject of the cur-
rency, Mr. Western recommended the adoption of the ori-
ginal petition.
Mr. Harvey's amendment was here seconded by Mr.
Rolfe, and Mr. Harvey and several other gentlemen having
again addres,ed the meeting, the amendment was put to
a show of hands, and declared by the High Sneritl to be
carried.

Mr. HARVEY then moved, that the High Sheriff should
be requested to sign his petition, and that the Members
for the county awl boroughs should be requested to give it
their support.
Thanks were then voted to the High Sheriff for his con-
duct on the occasion, and the meeting broke up at nearly
five o'clock.

FRICIS OF STOCKS THIS
Rink Stock ...........« 219
3 per Cent. Red. .........921e 3
3 per Cent. Cons. 92 1,4
*sf, per Cent lO4
Ditto Red. 100 14
4 per Cent. Ann. lOl%
Ditto. 1326
Rink L. Ann. l9 11-16
Ditto 30 years
Ditto 30 years
India Stock
Ditto Bonds pm. I

PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS
Austrian Bonds
Brazilian Bonds7OM 1 601 701
Buenos Ayres Bonds —
Chilian Bonds ...
Colombian Bonds 21N
Ditto, 1824 23 2j 3% 3
Danish
Greek Bonds 36
Ditto, 1825 37 8 7
Guatimala
Mexican Bonds
Ditto, 12325