The Sun.
London, England, 1830-11-22 00:00:00

MEET/NC; IN SURREY.

At a general meeting of the inhabitants or
Egham, on Tuesday last, the 16th inst., a variety of
resolutions were entered into, purporting that it was
their firm conviction that the late fires did not origi-
nate in any ill spirit among the inhabitants, but had
been the work of distant and foreign incendiaries.
A liberal subscription was immediately entered
into, and the gentlemen, yeomanry, and inhabitants
of the parish agreed to form themselves into a
mounted and foot patrol, to be placed under the
superintendence of a Committee appointed for that
purpose.

MEETING OF THE MAGISTRATES OF SURREY.

Some days ago a meeting, consisting of a few of
the magistrates of the county of Surrey, took place
at the residence of Lord Arden, to consider the ex-
pediency of convening a general meeting of the ma-
gistracy of the county, for the purpose of deliberat-
ing upon the present alarming state of the rural
population of that and the adjoining counties. At
this preliminary meeting, a requisition was agreed to
and signed, and immediately put into the hands of
Lord Arden, Lord-Lieutenant of the county, upon
which his Lordship directed Mr. Lawson to issue a
circular to the effect that the magistrates should
meet at the Spread Eagle, in Epsom, on Saturday,
the 20th instant, at twelve o'clock precisely.
In compliance with the above requisition, a meet-
ing was held at the time and place therein mentioned,
and with the view of laying before the public a full
account of its proceedings, reporters were sent from
this establishment, who were refused admittance;
and we have since learned that et the preliminary
meeting of Lord Arden's, the question of publicity
or privacy was brought under discussion, when the
gentlemen present, or at least the majority, were de-
cidedly opposed to any publication of the proceed.
ings of the then contemplated meeting. Without
infringing the rule laid down by their Worships, or
at all approaching within hearing of their voices, we
are enabled to state that Lord Arden (as might
naturally be expected from the office which he fills
in the county) presided on the present occasion.
Mr. DENISON, one of the members for the county,
moved a series of resolutions, which are given under-
neath, and pressed upon the consideration of his
brother Magistrates the necessity which there
existed fora combined and efficient plan of proceeding
for the intimidation of offenders, and the protection
of property, at the same time using every possible
means rather to reform than to punish.
Mr. BRISCOE agreed that the state of the county
indisputably demanded the interference of all who
felt, as every honest and impartial man must, that
person and property ought to be respected, and that
the Magistrates would be grievously wanting in their
duty, did they not exert, upon an occasion so mo-
mentous, an extraordinary degree of vigilance and
activity. Though entertaining those sentiments, he
could not, without much qualification, concur in the
resolutions which had been proposed for the adop-
tion of the meeting. He professed himself decidedly
the advocate of conciliation, and should be opposed
either to harsh measures or harsh expressions, until
means of conciliation had previously been tried; for
his full persuasion was, that the people in the main
were sound, and though they might have some
reason for discontent, and much suffering to en-
counter, the peasantry of that county could, by,
measures of conciliation, be easily restored to tran-
quillity; but, above all things, they should receive
ample and equal justice.
Mr. H. SUMNER addressed the !meeting, recom-
mending firmness and unanimity amongst his brother
Magistrates in maintaining and enforcing the laws.
Sir R. FREDERIPIC thought the present emer-
gency called for most energetic measures. In his
opinion the resolutions were not strong enough.
A long and desultory conversation followed, in
which several Magistrates took part, amongst whom
were Lord &saner, Mr. Crawford, Mr. H. Drum-
mond, Colonel Wood, and others, many of them
communicating details of various outrages com-
mitted in the districts where they respectively re-
side; from which it may be collected generally, that
the districts of Woking and Blackheath, and most of
those on the borders of Sussex and Hampshire, are
the chief scenes of discontent and outrage. It would
seem the universal opinion, that to those offences
against the law there were two parties—one, the
agricultural labourers, who are in real distress ; and
another, the small larmers, who are disposed to
urge their poorer neighbours to the commission of
excesses, in the hope that by such means they may
succeed in getting rid, of tithes, and diminishing the
mount of rent. Towards the end of the conver-
tuition, in the course of which the above particulars
were elicited,
Mr. Dituststosar moved an amendment to one of
the resolutions, which, like all the other amendments
moved during the day, was negatived. In the course
of the observations, however, which Mr. Drummond
made in support of his amendment, he suggested the
probable advantage of means being taken to procure
for the occupiers of cottages small allotments of land,
which should suffice, but not more than suffice, for
the necessities of tenants of that class. He was
enabled to state from personal observation, and from
intelligence upon which he could rely, that many
amongst the most intelligent of the people them-
selves were persuaded of the good likely to result
from the adoption of such a plan ; and were a dis-
position mice shown to make a beginning in that
way, it would have the immediate effect of calming
much of the irritation which unhappily existed. It
was a matter of notoriety that cottage land now
bore a higher rent than farmers land, and he con-
ceived it to be demonstrable, that until the two
rents made some approximation towards each other
in amount, nothing like tranquillity or peace could
be permanently established.
The foregoing will, we have reason to know, be
found a correct outline of what took place. There
was, we understand, as is usual on such occasions,
a great deal of loose conversation and much repeti-
tion; but from a source that may be relied on, we
understand
embraceth a t i
everysu important
bstanthe abovepartal
ic wari ll be
f
con-
nected with this meeting.
The following are the resolutions proposed by
Mr. DENISON, and said to have been unanimously
agreed to by the Magistrates assembled :-
4. Reeolved,—That this meetiog, taking into their con-
sideration the late diabolical proceedings of incendiaries in
this and other counties, whereby great quantities of agri-
cultural produce and other property have been destroyed,
and feeling bow deeply such practices, if continued, mutt
injure the industrious poor, both by increasing the price of
provisions, and throwing them out of employment in pro-
portion as their employers become ruined, do recommend
that the utmost vigilance be exerted in every district and
part of the county, by voluntary associations or otherwise,
in order to discover and bring to condign punishment such
atrocious and inhuman violators of the law.
This meeting also, taking into their consideration that
great numbers of persons have tumultuously assembled to-
gether, under pretence of demanding an increase of wages
and a reduction of rent and tithes, do declare their deter-
mination to enforce the laws by every means in their power
against all persons who shall be guilty of such outrages,
and recommend to the Magistrates, in their divisions, to
hold their Petty Sessions weekly, and to swear in special
constables under the authority of the Statute 1 George IV.,
for the preservation of the peace. At the same time this
meeting is desirous of evincing its unfeigned sympathy
with the sufferings which the circumstances of the times
may have imposed on many of the working classes of so-
ciety, and of expressing their readiness to concur in such
measures as may be thought conducive to their relief, as
fur as the same shall be consistent with the general welfare.
That it he recommended to the Magistrates to corn.
municate to the Lord Lieutenant, at his residence in St.
James's-place, London, the particulars of all such outrages,
and all fade relating thereto, as shall come to their know-
ledge, in their respective neighbourhoods.
44 the Clerk of the Peace be desired to inform the
Clerks to the several Petty Sessions of the days of the
week on which, and the places where, the Magistrates bold
their respective Petty Sessions, and the names and places
of residence of their Clerks."

The Magistrates present were, as we are informed, Lorde
Arden (the Lord Lieutenant), Monson, and Eastnor ; the
Hon. and Rev. Mr. Roscawen, Sir R. Frederick and W.
Jolliffe, Bark., Mr. W. J. Denison, 11.1. P., Mr. J. J.
nrieoe, , li. Drummon,i, EN., M. R. Jackson

Nottige, Rogers, Spicer, H. Sumner, W. IL Sumner,
Knife, Trotter, Crawford. Pucker, Allen,Ravenhill, Young,
&itch, T. Holland, Rev. W. Holland, 'Messrs. Pollen, Heb-
berden, Shaw, Budgen, Huthland, Barnard, Lambert,
(lose, Mangles, Page, Reeves, Horner, Ridley, Edgell,
Penryn, Nicholson, Master, Mayne, Steer, Woolley,
Courtenay, Turner, Warrington, Wightwick, Dunlop
Coles, Williams, Price, Ward, Painter, 'Weston, Hoare,
Ch;►lloner,Therntou, Kenrick, Wellbank, Alcock, and Reid.

We understand that on Friday, during the greater
part of the afternoon, and until night, an immense
multitude of the peasantry was assembled in Wok-
ing; the ostensible object of their coming there wa►
to consult about the payment of Mr. Boscawen's
tithes, though, upon the authority of a gentleman
conversant with that district, it may be stated that
not five of the tithe-payers were present. Mr.
Drummond, a Magistrate of the coo tity,went amongst
them, and, after a considerable time, succeeded in
inducing them to disperse. Towards the latter part
of the day, no small number went off to another
assemblage, which took place in the county of Sus-
sex, on the same day. The people of Woking, when
questioned as to the nature and objects of their
assemblage, said they were forced to do what they
did by the men of Horsham, whom they durst not
disobey. Another of the objects which they pro-
fessed to have in view was to procure the liberation
of some persons who were confined at Dorking, and
a large body of them followed a leader, dressed in a
smockfrock, who conducted them forward, with the
cry of " To Dorking—to Dorking."