The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-29 00:00:00

COMMON HALL.

A meeting of the Livery of London was yes-
terday held at Guildhall, for the purpose of considering of a
petition to be presented to Parliament on the subject of the pre-
sent distressed state of the country, and praying for a reform
in the House of Commons. The LORD MAYOR was in
the Chair.
The Town Crier having read the requisition, stating the ob.
ject of the meeting,
The Lora) MAYOR came forward,.and expressed his hope
that every Gentleman, whatever his principles might be, who
might wish to state his opinions to the livery, would receive a
patient and impartial hearing at their hands.
Mr. FAVELL then addressed the meeting. The requisition
had very properly originated with the Livery, although he had
been called on to have the honour of moving the resolutions
which were to be submitted to them for their consideration. It
was not often that they 144 been treated with such disrespect'
by their Representatives ill Parliament, as that three out of the
four (Mr. Alderman Woad was present) should not think it
worth their while to meet their constituents upon such an occa-
sion.--(Hear.)--He needed not to remind them them how often
they had before petitioned Parliament, and laid their grievances
and distt-ess before it, with no effect whatever. But those
complaints were on record, and the unhappy consequences
which theyahad pointed out as likely to result from the systeni
of government which they deprecated, had since taken place,
and effected a great change in the public mind. Many gentle-
Men, who had before supported the present Government, had
lately declared at county meetings that their opinions were al-
tered,- and they now thought with the friends of reform. They
(the Livery) were rather late in the session in coming forward
with their petition ; but they had hoped, when complaints of the
desperate state of the country poured in from every part of the
kingdom,. and when economy and retrenchment had been re-
commended• by
.his Majesty from the throne, that Mini.
sters would have adopted some effectual measures of reduction
in the public expenditure which would have rendered it unne.
cessary for them (the Livery) to have recourse to such a pro-
ceeding. But since no such efficient measures had been pur-
sued, and particulariy since the alarming doctrine had been
avowed in the House of Commons by the Ministers of the
Crown, that useless places should be retained because they were
necessary to support a commanding influence in the House;
such a blow had been aimed at the foundation ofßritish liberty
as proved it to be high time for the city of London to come for.
ward, and make some stand upon so important an occasion.
Mr. Favell then proceeded to show, that distress was as great
amongst the commercial as amongst the agricultural classes, and
contended that the only effectual remedy for the various evils at
present existing in the state was a Reform in Parliament. They
had heard of the great Common Council lately. He wished the
great Sir 'William was there, as he would not speak of him
behind his back as he should if he were present. He and two
others of their representatives had remained away—he supposed
upon the principles of the new system of tactics ; by which, if
you complain of abuse, you are called disloyal, the former epi-
thets of Jacobin, &c. being worn out. But he (Mr. Favell)
would say, that the principles which had brought them toge-
ther that day were the principles of 1688, and those by which
George IV. wore the Crown of these realms upon his head ;
and he said, this even though Secretary Murray were lurking
in the hall.—(Hear.)—lt was an address of the City of London,
in the mayoralty of Sir Thomas Abdey, which enabled King
William, towards the close of his reign, when the Stuarts were
on the point of getting in again, to dissolve his Tory Parlia-
ment, and pass the act of succession in the new one, by which
the crown was secured to the House of Brunswick. He trust-
ed he should see the young men of the age coming forward m
support of those principles, which gained strength as the under-
standing became enlightened ; and it would not be less difficult
to arrest the march of the human mind than to stop the planets
in their orbits, pr, the sun in its course.—(Cheers.)—He con-
cluded by proposing a resolution, drawn up in the spirit of his
address, and a petition founded upon it, to be presented to the
House of Cgromena.
Mr. G.ar.t.owax, in seconding the motion, said, it was unne-
cessary for him to add any thing to what had fallen from the
Hon. Allover, except the expression of his concurrence with him
in all which he had said, and of his regret at the absence of Sir
Wm. Curtis,. who, if he had appeared there to-day, would in
five minutes sarmore against the system which he supported
than any Gentleman in that Hall could say in five hours. He
remembered an election for Westminrter, at which Admiral
Gardiner and Home Tooke had been opponents. During six
days the. Admiral could not get a hearing, but on the 7th he did
get a hearing, and in five minutes he said more against himself
than Horne Tooke had said in the six preceding days.
The first Resolution was then put, and agreed to unanimously.
Mr. HANSARD begged leave to notice the lavish expendi-
ture of the Government, which procured them that predomi-
nating influence in the House of Commons. One family,
which had considerable influence in that House had received
of the public money 872,0001. One member of the family
(Lord Grenville) had received 88,-0001. as Auditor of the Ex-
chequer since 1805 ; another member of it had received in that
time 44,0001.; and the Duke of Buckingham had received
560,0001. of the public money. Was it to he expected that
such men would vote against the Government which paid them
and their relations so extravagantly ? He hoped the Livery
would,
.at the next election, choose men who would represent
their feelings, and not such men as Sir W. Curtis, who made
a laughing stock of his constituents.
Mr. PARKINS, after congratulating the Livery, on the pro-
gress of Reform, the first petition in favour of which, from the
Livery of London, had been agreed to on thelOth February;
1769, said, that he was requested by the friends 'of humanity to
propose a Resolution to the Livcry. He hoped they would
adopt it, and its object was to petition Parliament for a remis-
sion ,of the remaining part of Mr. Hunt's imprisonment.
No person having seconded this Resolution, it • could not be
put.-
Mr. NVAITIIMAN said, it would be inconsistent with his
whole public life if he neglected to make a few*Ohservations.
His opinions open the subject of Reform were well known, and
it was unnecessary for him to repeat them. The Worthy Al-
derman then, in a speech of some length,• ridiculed the state-
ment of Ministers, that a great part of the present distress had
arisen from excursive produce.
Mr. Favgl.t, then moved that the petition be signed by the
Lord Mayor, two Aldermen, and twelvt• of the Livery, which
was put, and carried unanimously. •
Mr. FavELL moved an instruction to the Representatives of
the city to support the petition, and that Alderman Wood pre-
sent it.
Alderman Woon declared that he should be always ready
to support the wishes of his constituents, and he trusted that his
colleagues, to whom he should give notice of the time of pre-
senting the petition, would support it.
The other Resolutions were then put and agreed to.
Thanks were voted to the Lord Mayor, who returned thanks,
and the Hall was then dissolved.

THE SHIPPING INTEREST.

- A
[FROM " THE PUBLIC LELCCIER."I
Sin-At the present period of universal difficulty and die-
tress, it can scarcely be matter of surprise, that each of the
various interests, of which the comrininity is composed, should
exert its utmost efforts towards obtaining relief from its own
immediate burthens, regardless of the addition it must, if suc-
cessful, shift on the shoulders of the remainder, while the ag-
gregate weight to be borne remains undiminished. The very
.universality, however, of this feeling, counteracts the tendency
which its partial operation would have to destroy the just equi-
librium between national interests ; since every effort made by
• •.•
one, stimulates to more active defensive measures.on the part of
the remainder. Hence the Petitions with which the tables of
the House of Commons nightly groan, from tisenigitculturist,
the Manufacturer, the Merchant, and the Colonist ; and the
bond of union is daily drawn closer with each to defend right
or repel aggression. To this' general rule, however, there ap-
pears one singular exception,; and as it occurs with an impor-
tant class of the community, among whom 77)e Public Ledger
has its most extensive circulation, I avail mySelf of its columns,
in the hope of drawing their attention to the anomaly. It is
obvious I mean the Shipping Interest.
To those who are aware how little active concert has ever
existed among Ship Owners—how unrepresented they have
always been in the Legislature--how ill adapted are their gene-
ral habits and engagements for any combined effort for the pro-
tection of their interests—it would appear almost miraculous
that they have not long since fallen a sacrifice. Fortunately,
however, for them, the manifest importance of this Interest, in a
national point of view, has done that for them which they never
would have effected for themselves : and, from the days of Eli-
zabeth to the present, so intimately interwoven has maritime
preponderancy been considered with national security, that what.
ever differences of political views may have actuated successive
Statesmen, all have vied in endeavours to foster and cherish our
Naval Power, and all have seen that the only means of perpe-
tuating that power consisted in the encouragement and protec-
tion of a Commercial Marine. But we have lived to witness a
new era ; and though for centuries every enlightened and Pa-
triotic statesman has upheld our navigation system, and though
the Father of the science of Political Economy has pronounced
it the wisest 8? our political code, and though under it national
wealth has advanced with unparalleled strides ; and through..
out its operation, and by its means, the soil of Britain has been
preserved unpolluted by invasion, amidst convulsions that have
shaken the whole civilizd world to its centre ; and when, in
turn, every other nation has been the theatre of the horrors of
war, though every year has demonstrated its-wisdom and ex-
hibited its advantages, undisputed and indisputable--yet, in
compliance with, and in deference to, a new and unexplained
light which has suddenly beamed on ministers.and legislators,
we are called on to abandon all that wisdom has devised, and
experience justified, and to commit national wealth and nation.
al safety to the hazard of untried theory and visionary experi-
ment. If, however, the Hydra of Innovation cannot be crush-
ed, let him at least be combated. While the Legislative and
Executive Governments gave protection and encouragement to
the Shipping Interest, those engaged in it might with impuni-
ty sleep at their posts ; when their -enemies are multiplied,
and their defence withdrawn, it is high time. foz-them to arouse
from their lethargy, and do their utmost to defend themselves.
Above all things, let them not at such a tithe be seduced by
insidious representations into a separation; efiinterests, which
must be alike fatal to all. By union among
.themselves, and
by union alone, can they hope, to Maintain then-30mnd.
This observation peculiarly arises frnni the prsceedings of a
Meeting, held at the City of London Tavern,.on Wednesday
last, having for its avowed object the protection 'Of the interests
of a particular class of Ship Owners, as distinct from those of
the general body. Were such the Qnly intention of its pro-
moters, however we might deplore the disunion,implied in the
proposition, we might at least indulge in thChope that the
great and important duties of Shipping wbuld.be maintained •
unimpaired, and that the utmost evil that could result from the
measure would be; that an undue preponderance ivould be ob-
tained by that particular branch, in favour of which it was
projected. The comprisition,howeVer, of the Csniamittee then
appointed, and the tendency .of some remark that were ad-
vanced, afford strong presumption for a belief that the designs
of those by whom the Meeting was convened are very different
from the protection of the interests of West India Shipping,"
and that a recent defeat, at a General Meeting of-Ship Owners,
stimulated 'to the attempt. to obtain that from partial interests
and partial apprehensions, which the voice.offfte general body
loudly, universally, and'unequivocally condemned.
It will, I presume, be readily admitted, ncnavithstanding the
-confidence with which it was there asseited !•tht the interests
of the Planter and the Ship Owner are insePailibly united,"._
that a broad and plain. line of distinetion exists between them,
in consequence of which they are and ever must be placed in
direct opposition to
.eachotner ; the Planter being turiforrnly,.
and naturally desirous of sending his produce to market at the.
lowest rate of freight.for which he can get it conveyed • and
the Ship Owner equally so to 'procure :4st terms he can
obtain for the employment of his ship.; -Th' ss is a conclusion
which no ingemiity can. alter, no soptristry.catirdisguise • it is
founded on the strongest impulse of. !wan mature, self-in-
terest; and experience •unanswera'nly demonstrates is truth.--
But we are told, that-unless the -Planter be enabled to sell his
produce to advantage, he,,caunnt :possibly-pay q...e-ight for its
conveyance. How then is- this'ilesideraturn-to be obtained? and
above all, how are theShip-oWners t.osontribute towards- -" a
consummation so devoutly to be wished ?"..By leading their
aid towards procuring such a relaxation of the navigation system,
for the benefit of the Planter and Merchant,• as wiill incur the
hazard of transferring an important branch "of the..pritish car-
rying trade to foreign bottoms. Aiid is it possible.;, it wiii be
asked, that.. they can be induced sby-any representations, how-
ever specious, to concur in an act of such suicidal absurdity ?
to abjure all these previous protestations and efforts for the
general good of the Shipping Interest? to lend their assistance
towards the subversion of a system they have ever, reverenced
and maintained ? Alas ! it is not from their convictions such a
concession could be obtained, But when the composition of
the Committee is examined, when it is perceived that by far
the greater part are Merchants, whose stake in shipping,
though sufficient to countenance such an appointment, is so
trifling, compared with that they have emlaarked in West
India property, as would render the payment of gond freights
to shipping an actual loss to themselves ; when it &recollected
that the remainder, with very few exceptions, are etrailoyed by,
and consequently dependent on them ; when these considerations
receive their due weight' it is not too much to be feared that
the real object of the Merchants is, by availing themselves of
the almost unlimited influence they possess over a particular
branch of the Shipping Interest, to procure the "co-operation
of that branch in effecting' objects peculiarly their Own ; a co-
operation they could not hope to obtain, but-undet the appre-
hension of a deprivation of their patronage. " Divide et int-
pera," is the motto : the Ship Owners united have-been found
too sturdy and unbending ; the apple of discord must therefore
be thrown among them; and when a part of them have given
their aid to the destruction of their own Pest' and most vital
interests, they themselves will in turn be sacrificed. But I trust
the ungenernus purpose will yet be defeated; that the ominous
and unnatural .coalition of many powerful Merchants, with afere
dependant Ship Owners, " for the protection of the 'West India
Shipping Interest," will yet be.averted ; 'and if p9t, that the
Legislature will be apprized that it is not the unbiassed voice
of the British Shipping Interest that speaks, put the forced and
unwilling representation of those who had na other alternative.
Let Ship Owners depend upon themselves for, the defence of
their own interests ; let them regard with jealousy and dis-
trust, those who would separate them from each other; and
let them especially suspect the Tecommendathans.of those whose
interests are so diametrically opposed to theirs,. however spe-
cious the pretence on which they court
,their alliance. I am,
Sir, your obedient servant,
A 'WEST INDIA SHIP. OWNER.
Jamaica Coffee Iloifse, March. 23, lfi22.
• I