The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-21 00:00:00

ESSEX ,COUNTY MEETING.

In pursuance .of a., requisition, addressed,talite
High Sheriff of the County,of. Essex, find subscribed with the
names of 900 land-owners And
J occuiers of land within the
county, the High Sheriff,. ,Jotter ohioryt TUFFXELL,
11.41.. convened a meeting of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and
Freeholders of the County, to be held 4the
ford, yesterday at twelve o'clock, " to take into consideration
the distressed condition of the farmers and Others dependent
upon them, and the general declining state of the .agriculture of
the country, in order to make soch,representations to the Le-
,gialature as the urgency of the ewe, rename:" ,The requisi-
tion on which this meeting WAR called eves signed by Charles
`Western, Esq., M.P.; T. B. Lennard, !gsfles. M.P,; We Pi
Horrywood, hog., M.P.; Nicholas Calvert, tesq.; M.P.; Sir
T. B. Lennard, Sart.; P. Wright, J. H. Powell, John Dis-
ney, C. T. Tower, Sherley Western, Esqrse and many other
gentlemen of the first rank and respectability in the County.
The Meeting took place yesterday, and, considering the snow
whien hail fallen dunng the night of Wednesday, and conti-
tued to fall at Chelmsford during the whole of yesterday morn.
Mg, was very numerously and respectably attended. A little
after twelve o clock, the High Sheriff entered the Hall, attend-
ed by some of the most respectable Gentry who had signed the
requisition • amongst whom we noticed Mr. Western, M.P.;
Sir John Tiyerell; Sir T; B. Lennard ; Col. Branuitone ; Mr.
Len:lard, M.P.; • Mr. HooywOod, M.P. ; Menne' Disney,
Hinton,Tower, Hanbury, Du Cane, &c.
The Thou SHERIFF opened the business of the day by de-
airing the Under Sheriff to read the regulation and the notice
on which the meeting had been convened.
The Under Sheriff having read them, the than SHERI r
pegged leave, before any Gentleman proceeded to address the
.Metting, to read to it a letter which he had just received from
Sir E. Hervey, one of the Representatives of the County.—
.. (Hear!)—The lion. Gentleman then read the letter in ques-
tion, which stated, that though the writter was prevented from
attending the Meeting by the recent death of Ids son, he. was
ready to give every practical assistance in his power, both in
Pan i
:a/tient tind out of Parliament, to restore landed interest to
its proper state and influence in the community.
Mr. HINT Ox said, that he should be as brief as possible in
stating the reasons which had induced him, a yeoman, to come
ierward on the present occasion, to propose to petition the Le-
, gislature to reconsider the circumstances in which the agricul-
ture of the country was now unfortunately placed. He should
confine himself to the mere statement, that it was a fact im-
pressed on the minds, and also on thepockets, of all whom he.
addressed; that all the enactments which the Legieleture had
yet made for the relief of the Agricult4yal Interest were nu-
gatory and inefficient. It was, therefore, their duty to state
ta the Legislature that they stood in eneed of its further as-
sistance. :Meetings, he knew, had been held in other coun-
ties, antecedent to the present. meeting, for' the same pur-
pose for which it was convened ; and it might appear to
some, that the county of Essex was late, too late, in now
coming forward to call for relief. On that point he must say
.that he held a very different opinion. The county of Essex
had waited with patience in hopes that the Government would
make a declaration of its intentions respecting the agricultural
. interests. The Government had at least made that declaration,
and had stated that the evil under which the agriculturists
suffered must be left to remedy itself. They all knew that if
such were to be the case, they would sink from knee-deep to
waist-deep—from waist-deep to chin-deep, until agriculture and
its ashes would only be remembered as a thing which had once.
been.—(Hear!)—lle was glad that the present meeting had
originated with the yeomanry of the county : to him it was a
most gratifying sight to behold the farmers joining with the
landed aristocracy in taking measures to avert the ruin which
was impending over both. He thought that such an union
would prove to the world that the charge of supineness anti in-,
activity which had been hitherto justly brought against the.
agriculturists, would in future be unfounded, and that their de-•
termination to re-occupy the situation which was their due
place among the King's subjects, would be productive of the
most beneficial consequences. The other classes of society had,
long had their standing-committees to protect their respective.
interests :, this was the first time that the farmers had ever conic'
forward to advocate their own cause, and .to ask for those re-
medies to which they were fairly and justly entitled.—(Cheers.)
eelle could not let slip this opportunity of observing, that,
in spite of all the despicable slanders that had been utter-
ed, that farmers might be compelled to return to their smock-
frocks and leathern rackets--there were nu men who had .a
greeter claim upon the country than the farmers, for loyalty,
consistency, and integrity of conduct,--for a filial and fra-
ternal atleetion, and for all the moral duties which united
Men together in a state of society,.—six years ago he might
havea said for their riches. He could not say so now: but
no matter ;---they dial not weigh men by their riches, but
by, their sterling merit.—(Cheers.)--They had been told in
print,, that the landlord ought to reduce rent. He allowed
that
be ought, and he bad great pleasure in stating that most
. of the lendlords in Essex had already done so. It ought, how-
ever, to go forth to the world, that if land were tanned under
the present circumstances, and no rent were paid to the land-
lard, it would be Impossible for the farmer to make any profit.
Lion: Gentleman, after stating the several
causes to which the Agricultural Distress was attributable; and
. ethewing that the mode proposed by several theorists to remove
it was fallacious and impracticable, proceeded to describe the
petition which he intended to propose for their acceptance.
They would obeerve that one part of its prayer was the repeal
of the duty on barley. He believed that the general policy of
all Governments had been to protect the produce of their own
soil. There , was economy . more clear
than that the produce of a, country was its real riches, and its
oopelation its real stre.ngth..--(Citeers.).-slf this axiom, which
had been received for ages,..were admitted by the theorists of
104 every body u.ust reprobate sthe immense tax which .was
, .new levied upon barley, one of the most important productions
ache earth. Five quarters of barley were generally grown per
. acre. That cittautity made into malt paid 01. duty; so that the
malt-duty, independent of the beer-tax, inflicted a land-tax of
W. per acre on all the growers of barley.—(Cheers.)--As he
thought no man could doubt of the propriety of getting rid of.
such a grievence, be was certain that all present woad-join in
this part of the prayer of the petition. The lion. Gentleman
. after some further remarke, moved the foll Owing petition :
"rrhet the occupiers of land have for .some time pail found
the produce of their industry and labour totally inadequate to
meet the various demands to which they have been, and still
are, liable ; and so great has been the deficiency, and such their
exces.eve dietreee occasioned thereby, that thousands have al-
ready been ruined; and there are few who in a very short pe-
riod
Lave not been deprived of the greater part of the earnings
of their whole= life. tinder these circumstances, The owners of
lard have been:compelled to forego a large proportion of their
ireorne ; end lauds of inferior quality,' though cultivated from
lima imroemorial, and hitherto productive both to Cie owners
and cultivatorS, will not now pay the expences of cultivation,
intkpentient of any rent whatever. Tradestnen and otheis de-
pendent open the expenditure of the landowners and occupiers,
have of course suffered proportionably by the extraordinary di.
minution of the incomes of their employers.
",'first whilst youe:petitionere arc thus undergoing a detail-,
ration of property hitherto unknown, other classes of society,
and all persons of every description, deriving their incomes from
the taxes, are. proportionally benefited. '1 discern, there-
fore, plainly, a reVOiptioll 'of property, and likewise of the state
of society, thus going on silent but sure, by which the present
landholders will be., degraded, the yeomanry of reoderate fere
tune ennihdeted, the tenantry wined, and their dependents of
every kind grievously oppressed and injured. ,They conceive
that such injustice =not be finally constin:mated, without
producing infinite notional calamity. They ask for „justice at
yew hands ; they have always been ready to participate with
otter climes of the community in any sacrifices that are items-
iori/ ; but they can neeer submit, silently to become the victims
Which at present they appear doomed.
" Your eietitloners are under the necessity of informing your
Honourable House, that the projected diminution Of the assess-
ed taxes will afford no adequate relief front the overwhelming
difficulties under. which _they .are tanking ; they think they are
justified in pressing upon your ponce other subjects connected I
with their particular interests. They beg to remind you, that
, a variety of heavy burdens are charged upon the landowners
and occupiers, from which others are comparatively exempt:
tithe*, county and
_Parochial assessments, ore almost ex-
clusively borne by them. The duties upon !Arley are
enormous; and such is the impolicy of loading with so griev-
ous a weight so important an article of British cultivation,
front which the favourite and healthful beverage of the peo.
plc Is derived, that they ask with confidence the entire re-
mission of the present vexatious anti oppressive duties and regte-
i, lations upon the manufacture of barley into malt. The protec-
tion to British agriculture against comparatively untaxed and
malted countries, is very imperfect and inadequate ; they think
they are entitled, upon every ground of justice and policy, to
be put uelon an equal footing at least with foreigners ; find for
that purpose, every article of British agriculture should be
guarded by duties upon all foreign produce, fully equivalent to
the superior burdens to which the English farmers are subject.
Upon the whole, the agriculture of the country is sinking with
such rapidity, that your petitioners cannot but declare they
:shall feel the utmost grief' and disappointment, if their situa-
lion does not command the immediate and most serious atten-
tion of your Honourable Houses"
Mr. Dfset EY stated, that though he was himself a landlord,
he bad great satisfaction in acceding to die wish of the yeo-
manry, in coming forward to second their petition. Ile re-
'collected a time when the enclosure of waste lands was thought
eeenateriel national object. In
:tine session he believed 101 en-

_closure bills had been passed- A different 'doctrine • VW, how,.
ever, now preached up. 'They were now told, that though their'
population was increased, their bad lands were to be thrown out
of cultivation. For his own part, he could not see any reason
.why there should be a diminution of produce because there had
been an increase of population. Public faith had been pledged to
.those.who had expended capital in enclosing land that it should
not be thrown DLit elcultiVation.—(H ear !)--Why was notpulilic
faith to be kept with theselilividnals la well as with Mr. Ricar- ,
gas ffee to cox ess he would much rather see
.them saved than Mr. Ricardo.—(l.4iughter.)--That.gentlenian
.was for taking half their estates from them to pay oft the na-
tional debL--(llear not know how they like
commissioners .to come down to Chelmsford .to divide their
lands for the benefit of the fundholders, and after making out
.a map, to murk out one plot of ground for Mr..Ricaxdo, and
another for
,Mr. Itethsdiild.---(Alaugh,)—lle hail nu doubt
that Mr. ticardo would soon become enamoured ea residence
among them, and there was one comfort; that M r.. Rothschild
could not carry his plot of land away with. him to Holland.—
(Laughter.)---He did not know whether Mr. Ricardo -was an
Englishman or no—he rather believed he was not-.-(Cries,
" file's an Inglishilewif)--but this he' was sure of, that the
Iticardarian law would 'be as dangerous to the English tuition
as ever the Agrarian law had been to the Boman.—( Hear .I
After expressing hisropinion that the plan of air. Western re-
garding the currency was that best cdculuted to remedy the
evils which at present existed, the Hon. Gentleman concluded
by exhorting the Meeting to persevere in their present etthrts to
obtain redress ; if they did, success could'not fail eventually to
betide them; if they did not, they must, make up their minds
to see their gentry forced to seek a, refuge. in foreign countries,
, their-farmers compelled to become the inmates of their gaols,
and their labourers reduced to the most pitiable state et , pau-

perism and starvation.---(Cheers.) . ,
Illr. 1.). W. Hatay v.er conceived that the remedy which was
suggested in the petition which had been just read to them, was
not sufficient to meet the evils.under which they were sufKring.
It appeared marvellous to him, that after the vaStrange of griev-
ances under which the agricultural interest was stated to labour,
the mighty production of the aggregated wisdomof the yeomanry
and the landed ariseocraey of the county for their remedy,
should be conveyed in the short sentence—" Repeal the malt
tax ; for by so doing you will make the tenants happy, and the
landlords rich." If such should be the prayer of their petition,
what an opportunity would be given to :11r. Canning to play off, at
their expence, his pleat and gibe; in favour of the generous ex-
ertions nuule by his colleagues in the Ministry .? It was said
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had already done much to
relieve aviculture by, repealing' 2,300,0001. of taxes in the pre-
sent Session. In his humble opmion the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer might as well.have done nothing, as far as the thrmerti were
concerned:, indeed he considered what the Chancellor of the Ex..'
ebequr had done. us a mere sop to quiettlielandlotds. .The Man-
.
cellorof_the Exchequer, when he found a defection commence
ing among his household troops, and Sir T. Lethbridge, who
had proposed sending Sir F. Burdett to the Tower for speaking
of Reform, avowing himself not a Moderate lint a Rathcalite-
former, began to fear that diseatisfaction should spread further
even amongehis own friends. To retain them, therefore, in their`
1 allegiance, lie determined to take off the assessed taxes. This sa-
tisfied the landlords who lived in large houses with many win-
dows, and.rolled in luxurious carriages. Butethen the Landlords,
turned round and asked what they were todo to satisfy their ten..
ants ? "Oh," said he, "'let the farmer be allowed to ride to
marketon a pony under 13' hands high„--that will surely satisfy
him." " Yes," replied, the landlords, " that may do for the
farmer, but what is in be done with the small tradesman ?"
" Why," again replied the Chancellor of the Exchequer," to
please them well, take off the duty on butchers' hones, from
ambling mules, and conveniences of thatkind ?"—(Loud
ter.)—So that it appeared, that while- 1,510,00111. of taxes were
repealed which fell on the landlord, not more than 101001. was
repealed of taxes falling on the farmer and the inferior trades-
man—namely, 4,4001. for butchers' horses, and 0;1001. for po-
nies and mules. Now, having had a specimen of what Go.
*eminent intended to do for the people, it was only right that
the people should in return tell the Government what it expect-
ed that the Government should do for it. He had endeavoured
to embody in ,a petition the demands which the people ought
to make on .their Government, and that petition, after reading
to them, he should propose as a fit petition for the adoption of
the M eeting.-4Cheenng.)
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain in Parliament assembled.
" The humble petition of the freeholders and inhabitants of
the County of Essex, 'in County Meeting assembled, pursuant
to a requisition to the High Sheriff, signed by. upwards of nine
hundred owners anti occupiers of land.
" Sheweth, That although your petitioners, in common with
the whole agricultural community, are labouring under peen-
liar and unmerited hardships, they seek no advantages input-
patible with the general good; but that they cordially unite
with the intelligent and disinterested classes in a finn conviction
that the misery and privations in which the greater part are
plunged, and with svliicli till are threatened, are wholly to be
attributed to the glaring inadequacy of the representation of
the people in Parliament.—(Bravoes and hisses.)
" That in the opinion of your petitioners, excessive and un-
equal taxation long has :been, antlstill is, the great and para-
mount grievance of this country, and the ,immediate cause of
the present unparalleled distresses, ; ,the grasping claims of
which are fast consuming the capital and fee-simple of the
estate of every individual who does not in some measure live
upon the public revenue..—(Bravos continued, mingled with
some hisses,) '
" That the soil, besides the general Parliamentary imposts,
is almost exclusively burdened with, the support of the., poor, of
increasing prisons, highways, and along catalogue of rates
and grievous charges ; that the enormous resources of the.church
—many millions so amount, ~consume a large ,portion,of the
fruits of the earth, anti paralyre the agricultural industiry of the
country ; to which they must add the vexatious influence of the
frequent and ruinous struggles between:the clergy and the laity,
to The injury of the resources and the peace of mind of tht latter,
and to, the incalculable prejudice of the mild and generous prin-
ciples which our holy religion eloquently enjoins.
"That your petitioners, therefore, humbly, but firmly, sub-
mit to your Honourable Howie, that the present state of the
nation demands the instant application of decisive, remedies;,
and they venture to suggest the adoption. of . the following
measures :
" 1. Such a reform in the Commons House of Parliament,
as more frequent elections by increased but concentrated con-
stituent bodies, and the extinction of those places, the insigni-
ficance of' which renders them objects of profligate contracts
or oligarchical controul, cannot fail most beneficially and easily.
to produce.
"2. A repeal of the whole ditties on malt, beer, hops,
leather, 'salt, soap, and candles.-,-(Cheers.)
"'ll. .The abolition of all sinecure places and offices, and
unmerited pensions—(great cheering)—and the rigid retrench-
ment of every unnecessary branch of the public expenditure. ,
" 4. A reduction of the salaries, pensions, and emoluments
of all public functionaries, commencing at the highest, in pro-
portion to the diminished price of all consumable articles of life
and luxury ; an equitable commutation of the present system
of tithes, .with a due regard to the provision and just remu-
neration of the clergy, apportioned to the character and cons
snowy of their laboeirs, and upon such a scale as shall make
all easy And respectable, anti none intolerable and luxurious.
" 5. The simplification and equitable application of the
poor-laws, a revision of the criminal and civil code, . with a
view to a milder and mote certain application of the former,
and to the quicker and less expensive application of the latter.
" 6. An equitable distribution of the burdens which are in.
dispensable to the support of the good faith.and honour of the
country, by adapting the scale of payment to unequal means,
distinguishing tin: necessaries andcomforts of life front luxu-
rious and inordinate possessions ; and seeking the celleCtion of
them rather by the cheerful acquetsceence of the contributorit,
i than by an army of dependent and merciless tax-gatherers and
I collectors.—eiCheeno
" And your Petitioners will ever pray," ik.c. Sic.
After the petition had been read, the Mott Sit lettere' asked
whether any Gentleman seconded it? A short pause ensued.
Mr. S.4.NrrEn then came forward and declared that he se-
conded it, becauee it embraced the subject of poor rates, taxes,
.and tithes, which, in hisopitlion, swallowed up all the profits
Hof aiericalture,—(Clieere.)
Mr. WESTEME, after congratulating the meeting on the
exhibition of spirit, judgment, talent, and intelligence which
the yeomanry of the county had displayed, proceeded to ob-
serve that the Ilon. and Learned Geneleman who had just
spoken had thrown &slight damp on the prospect of success
- which' he had anticipated from their creations. lie seemed
to suppose that the fiat of the Chancellor of the FA:chequer
had gone forth, and that it was most ridiculous' in then'
to attempt to reverse it. He would, however, advise them not
• tociespiur of constitutionally preventing that decree from being
inflicted on the country. They must all recollect that in 1816
the then Chancellor of the Exchequer opened his budget, by
stating to the House that it wee; necessary for the preservation
of public faith, that he Amulet impose on the country a property
, tax of 5 per cent., and that, notwithstanding this statement, and
his further declaration that his financial statements mere made
up for the year, he afterwards abandoned all idea of continuing
it on the people. :He contended that the success-which had at.
tended their petitions on that subject, and also that which had
attended their calls for a diminoteon of the malt duties, should
encourage them to persevere in their efforts to obtain relief.
He declared his conviction that if an ,union between the land-
ed aristocracy and the yeomanry could be formed in other
Counties as it had been in Essex, the landed interest would
soon be enabled to speak with a weight which must be felt
both in and out of 'Parliament. Ile was at a loss to see the
fair practicable ground on which the learned Gentleman had
endeavoured to ridicule the petition which had been originally