The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-10 00:00:00

SPANISH PATRICT.7.

A numerous and most respeaable Meeting of the
Merchants of London and others, took
.place yes-
terday at the New London Tavern, in Eitthangate-
street, pursnant to an Advertisement,. in peer tp
take into consideration the propriety of opening a
subscription, for the purposes of supplying•the
Spa-
nish Patriots engiigeil in the field in defence of the
independence of their country, with 'Articles of
Clothing, and other Necessaries.
The LORD MAYOR, who presided on the occa-
sion, stated very shortly the objeas for which the
.Meeting
,had been called together; and expressed
his conViction, that they were of such a nature as
mitst,powerfully recommend themselves to the feel-
ings* every Gentleman present ; so much so in-
deed, that they were far from requiring his recom-
mendoticin,

Sir R. Wtortsas spoke shortly to the same effect.
Mr. Alderman RowcttoFr then rose, and in a
.very neat speech 'entered - more fully into an explas
nation of the motives of those Gentlemen who had
proposed calling together the present Meeting, All
must be aware, he observed, of the.grear exertions
which had been made by Government in aid of 'the
Spanish Ntriots, and it was quite certain that the
-popular sentiment of the country fully went along
with them. Still, however, it had occurred that
the City of LOridon might be the organ of cod- .
Neying to the Supreme Junta of Spain the ardent
wishes of • the people of this country, and that in
the most substantial manner in which it could be
done. This, he conceived, while it manifested the
feelings 'of the people of this country, would • not .
fail to prove highly - gratifying to the Patriots of
Spain, as a pledge of the interest which we took in
the successes of their exertions. He thlinght it ne-
ceSsary to obServe, that since the notification of this
-Meeting had been Made public,. it had drawn -the
attention of Ministers, Who -naturally felt scime!
`ankiely,- lest the detlared object of the Meeting
shot 'Seetn to throw some'refle6licin on them, as
if they had not done all that was in •their power 'for
supplying the wants of the Spanish Patriots. This
had produced a letter from Mr. Perces/a,' Which 'he
should now take the liberty to 'read,
" My Lour),
" Unders.-tafiding that a Meeting is tO be toti4irened
under the sane ion of your Lordship, for • the put- •
pose of a SubseriptiOn 'for the purchase of sheei,
'clothes, and other necessaries for the Spanish ariny,
I feel it necessary to furnish yoU with the fullest in-
formation of what has been already done, and what
is now doing by Governnient for these ohjeEts.
hope I shall not be So, far 'misunderstood, as to be
supposed desirous repressing any proofs which
the 'City of LondOn may be 'disposed to give, of that
sentiment which is felt so generally in this country;
but I feel apprehentive, that unless great caution is
used, some injury might be done to that cause which
it is the Objeet, of the Meeting to promote. I '
therefore think it necessary to inform you, that as
to the purchase of shoes, which is stated as the first
object of the subscription, Government have taken
every means of procuring an abundant supply.
From the orders they had given, not only in Eng-
land, but in Ireland'and Scotland, they expea to be
Pirnished with 40 or 50,000 pair a month, for the ,
British and .Spanist armies. If the zeal of indi-
viduals were to go farther, there would be a great
danger that it Would create a competition, which-.
would raise the price, and be otherwise injurious:
The same observatiOn Would also apply to a Sub:-
scription for the pu'rpOse of. buying uniforms or'
Clothing. As to.arins, ordnance,, or field equipage, '
it would be unnecessary for me to trouble your
Lordship on those heads. .The money; however,
which might be 'subscribed, might be applied to
the purchase of other articles which could not inter-
fere With those on which Government' are ecetipied,
And which would have the advantage of Manifesting
unequivocally to Spain, that besides the Govern-
'ment.-Of this country, she- has with her the strong
poplilar wish and general feelineof the people of this
Country."
This', Mr. B tWCRoF' 'observed, Was highly cre-
ditable to Government. Still, however, there were
many objets to which the produce of private sub-
scriptions might be applied, without counteraeting.
the efforts of Government, and which would meet'
with their.unequivocal approbation, while they wet e
expressive of the generous feelings of the people of
this country ; and he had no doubt that the exam-
ple of London would be followed by all the great
Cities of the Kingdom. There were many requisites
for the Spanish Patriots, which private munificence
might contribute to provide for, without interfering
with the exertions of Government. But in order to
be properly guarded, it would be first necessary to
choose a Committee, who might seleet the proper
objets to which the subscriptions should be direeted,
and carry into efleift the measures for attaining those
obje&s. Mr. Rowcroft then moved the first fieSo- ,
lution, " That it was the sense of the Meeting, that
Subscriptions should be immediately enteredinto,
for supplying the Spanish Armies with Necessaries.'`
This Resolution was carried unanimously; and
with much applause.
Mr..QUIN said, that he should not make any apo-
logy for rising to address that most respectable meet-
ing on a subject that was of others the most
portant, and that which most affected the interests
of the human race,' namely, the exertions of' the
Spanish Patriots in support of the independence of '
their country. (Applause). When subscriptions
were entered into for the relief' of the Poles, he
thought they did honour to this country ; but the
fate of Poland was comparatively unimportant when
compared with that of Spain, whether the 'immedi-
ate interests of this country were considered, or. the
general liberties of Europe, and of the human race.
Nay, the claims of the Spanish cause might. be con-
sidered as at least
.equal, if not paramount, -to those
of the Patriotic Fund, which did so much honour to
:the liberality and munificence of this country. He
should not now allude to the reports of the disasters
of the Spanish Armies;. these were to be expe6ted
in the first instance, without giving ground for
despair; but whatever might be the fate-of Spain,
he trusted that even her expiring struggle in de-,
fence of liberty would be .atteoded with the ap-
plause, and cheered by the munificence of Britons
(Applause.) •

Mr. RowcßoFT here observed, that heivas autho-
..cis,:d to say, that Don A,podaca,- the Spanish Envoy
at our Court, had most willingly eng.ted to be the

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organ t.troup w_l i lcit a _now edge of tile Ceettt E,c.
anirintinifiTiee7or the
.people of London- might op
conveyed to the Supreme .by whylv yt as
Certain they would be received with highest gra=
tification, In proof ofthis, he read, a extraa from
the,. Madrid Gazette of the sth of . NoveMber,
Which Count Flotitla Blanca, the President, e pieSSe
the gratitude of that fiody;. and of the Spanish Na-
.tion, for the liberality which an unlitioWn inhabitant
Of London had displayed, in transhiitting the gift a
several thousand reals, amounting td i6Ol. for the
use of the Spanish
• the Meeting then .pro6e'eded to form a Com-
mittee, composed of a great number of the most
respetiable merchants of London, for the purpose of
carrying into etred the objects for which they were
assembled..

BoOki were initnediately opened for subscriptions,
and we have the satisfaelion to state, that upwards
of, ;0,0001. were subscribed in Mess than 'half an
hour.--Vide (he Advertisement in the second page
of our Paper..
The Thanks of the Meeting were then voted td
'the 'LORD MAYOR, whO rOplied iu a very neat d
,
appropriate speech.