The Sun.
London, England, 1824-04-07 00:00:00

MAYO COUNTY MEETIN4.

,CASTLEBAR, MARCH 25, 1824.—A numerous
and respectable Meeting was held, on Thursday last, in the
Sessions House. The subject of the Requisition being read,
Sir SAMUEL O'MALLEY, Bart., commented, in a most elo-
quent and appropriate speech, on the declared intention of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, respecting the taking off the
bounties on Linens exported from Ireland—chewing, by the
clearest and most satisfactory reasoning, how essentially and in-
stantaneously the interests of this county would he necessarily
affected by such a proposition.
Colonel CoFrE, of Deal Castle, expressed himself of the
same sentiments, and in a strong and impressive manner point-
ed out the distress and misery that eventually would result to
the county at large, from such a measure being put into exe-
cution, and more especially to the barony in which he resides.
.The following Address was then proposed :-
44 To THE MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

" The Petition of the Nobility, Gentry, Merchants, Clergy,
and .Linen Manufacturers, of the County of Mayo,
" Humbly sheweth unto your Majesty—That your peti-
tioners, with others of their fellow-subjects' have been
grievously alarmed by the statement of. the Chancellor of.
the Exchequet, intimating an intention of taking off imme-
diately the bounty on the exportation of coarse Linens, and
ultimately from Linens of all descriptions. And that, al-
though it has been stated that this intention was modified,
and that the abolition was to take place gradually, yet it
has already had the effect of diminishing the - orders for
Linen goods, •and lowering-the value to the extent of one
halfpenny. per yard, making a loss of two shillings and two-
pence on the Hall web of fifty-two yards.
" In this district none are manufactured but coarse linens,
the sales of which, in three markets in this country, amount
to one hundred thousand pound's annually, and the manufac-
ture of which employs at least seventy thousand peopie in its
different processes.
" We call on your Majesty for the protection that is due to
all your subjects—we call on you on behalf of the growers of
flax, the owners of land, the merchants, and the manufactur-
ers—but, above all, we canon your illajesty for the fulfilment
of the engagement made by your Majesty's illustrious prede-
cessor, King. William. 111., who, in reply to the Address of the
'Parliament of Great Britain, praying of his Majesty that he
would be pleased to discourage and put,down the woollen ma-
nufacture of Ireland, and in its place to give to that kingdom
the linen manufacture, and force her to take it in lieu of that
of which she was to be deprived—was graciously pleased to say
that he would do all that in him lay to discourage and put down
the Woollen Trade of Ireland, and that he would encourage
and promote the Lineri Manufacture in its place to the utmost
of his power and ability, giving to it all sorts of encourage-
ment that could be given in every possible way.
" This Address of the Parliament and engagement of his
Majesty were fulfilled to the extent of taking from ,this
country the Woollen Manufacture. The bounties now
threatened by the statement of the Chancellor of the. Ex-
Thequer to , be withdrawn; were a part of the protection
and assurance 'pledged • to be given to carry •the inten-
tions of , his Majesty, King William, in favour of the
Linen Manufacture into abet. For this engagement and
encouragement of the Linen manufacture .we have paid
dearly. We had, it appears from the preamble of the English
statute of the 10th and Ilth of William HI. cap. 10, a flourish-
ing Woollen trade. The estates of-our Gentry were covered
with sheep, the manufacture of Woollens, congenial to our soil
and climate, gave and promised the most beneficial results ; all
at once it was taken from us, as it is now proposed to take
away the Linen bounties, and the country was plunged into
want and misery. This, the severest measure to which Colo-
nial dependance has been subjected that the history of the
world presents, was to be repaired by the substitution of ano-
ther manufacture—that manufacture has, however; been slow
in its progress ; and although one hundred years and more
have passed since the reign of his Majesty; King William 111.,
the Linen manufacture is far from being an established one.
In, the North of Ireland only has it arrived to any degree of
perfection ; in parts of Connaught, particula.ily in the counties
of.Sligo and Mayo, it is in a rapid state of improvement, but
that is all. In Leitrim, Galway, anti Roscommon, it has
merely taken root ; and in the greater part of the provinces of
Munster and Leinster the introduction of it has only com-
menced. Under all these circumstances, we pray your Ma-
jesty's gracious protection, and. that you will not suffer your
reign, covered with glory, to be tarnished by the destruction of
a large portion of your subjects, by permitting them to be de- i
prived of that.by which They exist, and which they should hold
by the most indefeasable bond on the part of Great Britain—
the
Royal word of the King solemnly pledged in answer to the
Addresses of both Houses of Parliament.
"- GEORGE JACKSON, of Mayo, Sheriff."
Sir FRANCIS LYNCH BLUSS, Bart. then rose, and declared,
that he felt, in common with all the Gentlemen of this coun-
ty, the greatest alarm at the expressed intention of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer to take away the bounties on the ex-
port of Linens from this Kingdom, which he was well aware
would check the growing prosperity of this country, and crush
its only manufacture in :the very zenith of its progress. . He
would have enlarged more diffusely on .the subject, were it not
that his meaning was more fully.expressed in the Address which
he now offered to the. consideration of the Meeting, to he
tendered to the Lords Spiritual and
.Temporal in Parliament
assembled.

The Address was seconded by the Right Hon. Denis Browne,
who agreed most cordially in every sentiment and feeling with
his friend and relative, Sir. P. Bloss.
" To the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in. Parliament as-
sembled. _

".The Petition of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freeholders,

andi Merchants of CouniY of.afity-o,
" Sheweth—That your petitioners have observed with great
alarm a statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
intimating an intention of taking off the bounties on exporta.
tion of Linens, first from coarse Linens, and ultimately from all
kinds and descriptions of this our Staple:Manufacture.
" We beg leave.to submit to your Lordships our positive
denial of any right of the Parliament to deprive us of this ma-
nufacture, or to take from us any of the advantages given for
its protection.
"For grounds of this denial, we heg leave, with the greatest
respect, to refer your Lordships to an Act passed in the year
1696, 7, and 8, William 111. cap. 39, to the Address of both
Houses of Parliament to King William, of the 9th of anne,
17Q6, and next to his :Majesty's answer to this addresi. With-
out going further into the extraordinary origin and cause of
these proceedings, we conlend that the engagements made to
us are binding and immutable, as the deprivation of the rights
forced from Us.was rapidly and strictly enforced, to the great
injury and indeed ruin oflreland.
" We prayof your Lord'ships, iu your high constitutional
capacity, to be a shield to the people,, if this measure Shbirld
unfortunately find its -way to your Lordships, and that we
should have the common right of the subject; to make solemn
appeal to your Lordships in defence of our undoubted rights,
to pray your Lordships will discourage attempts at taking off
the duties on transit of Foreign. Linens through. Great Britain,
and thereby prevent the extensive . trading influence of Eng-
land and her capital being turned to assist the industry of
Foreigners.
" We have in our petition to the most Honourable the House
of ConimOns prayed that a tax should be laid on the impor-
tation of Foreign Yarn, which we beg leave 'arso to sub-mit to
your Lordships whO have so deep an interest in the concerns of
Ireland, as well as your high constitutional place in the rule of
this-Empire, which we submit will go on better, when it shall
be,considered what we deem Ireland to be,.the right hand of
the British Empire."
ROBERT PATTEN, Esq. of the Firm of Patten and Smith,
next addressed the High Sheriff; and in sentiments replete with
the knowledge of trade in general, and this branch in particular,
in which he had been an extensive -dealer, -declared, that he
conceived the taking off the bountiei from linens exported from
Ireland, and repealing the transit duties on foreign linens through
England, would ultimately occasion the ruin of the linen ma.
-nufacture in this kingdom. We regret not being able to detail
the- entire of this Gentleman's views and opinions of the sub:
ject,—they were highly approved of, and met the Concurrence
- of every person assembled—communicating the most important
information on a subject so vitally connected with the true inte,
rests of _lreland.

He was seconded most ably by Mr. PONINICK BROWNE,
Member for this county, who saitihe was convinced, particu-
larly since HS last arrival in Ireland, of the ruin which the mea-
sure in question must inevitably entail on this county. The
Address was then moved by Mr. Patten.
" To the Knights;' Citizens, and ' Burgesses, in. Parliament
,
assembled. ,

" The Petition of the Nobility, Gentry, Freeholders, and Ma-
, •nufactures of the County cf Mayo,
" Sheweth to your Honourable House—That your petitioners
are greatly alarmed by the statements lately made in the House
of Commons by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, of his inten-
tion, first of immediately taking off the bounties payable on the
exportation of coarse Linens,: and ultimately from all descrip-
tions of this our only manufacture. This inteution, if carried
into effect, would have for its consequence the destruction of
this improving manufacture in the province of Connaught, and
would put an end at once to the encouragements that are held
out and given to,its introduction into the provinces of Leinster
and Munster at the present moment • 'affecting also a consider-
able part of the North of Ireland. We think it our duty to our
country, solemnly to protest,. against all invasion of-the rights
we have under the engagement of the Parliament of Great-Bri-
tain, by. the Act passed in the British Parliament in the year
098, 7thanff Bth of William 111, cap. 39, pursuant to which,

both Houses of Parliament addressed his Majesty on the 9th or •
June 1696, praying his Majesty to pledge his Royal word to
his Parliament, that the Linen Trade should receive all the ad-
vantage, favour, and protection from his Royal influence, to
the promotion and extension of the various branches of its
manufacture, and of all the advantages and profits they can
be capable of. To which his Majesty replied, by saying,
I will do all that in me lies to discourage the • Woollen
Manufacture in Ireland, and promote there the Linen Manu-
facture.'

" We wish it were possible for your petitioners to avoid men-
lion of the odious circumstances -under which this compact,
forced on Ireland, was made and sealed by the Royal word ; but
it is impossible to overlook, being necessary for the case to state,
that it wrested from us in the same breath the woollen manufac-
ture, of-which we were in full possession, and at a period when
it was a most beneficial and flourishing trade in this country, for
the avowed purpose-of benefitting the woollen manufacture of
England, which he had endangered. The wrong thus done us
should be burned in oblivion—it is the interest of both Islands,
now closely united, that it should be so; and we humbly think,
that that will be best obtained by forgetting a great part of
our history, particularly this feature of it. We pray of your
Honourable House to discourage all future alarms, as to
taking from us the advantage of our hard-bought bargaM,
and that it should be considered, as it is, sacred- and immu-
table. We pray also of your Honourable House to discou
rage all attempts at taking off the transit duties on Foreign
Linens, exported through the ports of England, which would,
contrary to that solemn compact, make the wealth of England
operate as a lever to work the industry of Foreigners against
the manufacture of his Majesty's subjects in Ireland—an in
tention of all others of most jealousy to this country.
" We pray you would be graciously pleased to put a duty On
the import of foreign Yarn, which importation in fact extend 4
the bounty to Yarn, manufactured by foreigners, which duty
is now only nominal. And that you will be pleased, by sty
other means as you-may think fit, in the promotion of this ~or
staple manufacture, to confirm to this country, in the eng:l;
ment of the British Parliament, made on its plighted faith.'
The Right Hon. Denis Browne made some observations on
matters which had arisen from the discussion, and moved the
following Resolutions, which were unanimously agreed to :--
" Resolved—That the Address to the King be rnost respect-
fully forwarded to the Marquis Wellesley. praying, that he
would transmit the same to his Majesty, and that his Excel-
lency would call the attention of his Majesty to this matter, so
interesting to the feelings and interests of his subjects of Ire-
land.

" Resolved—That the Address to the House of Commons'
be presented by the two Members for the county, praying,
that they will pay the utmost attention to this matter, and that
they will at all times, and in all places, oppose to the utmost
of their power and utility, every interference with the Lin'en
Bounties, or with the interests of the manufacture—conceiv-
ing it (as we do) to be a charter, on national right, of this
country, secured to it by the most solemn engagement .of
the Parliament of Great Britain, and they will consider par-
ticularly the transit duties (as we (16) an essential part of this-
protection. _ _

" Resolved—That the Address to the House of Lords be pre-
sented.by the Earls of Lucan and Limerick, or to WhicheV.er
of them shall be in attendance on Parliament, with expression
of our hopes of their Lordships' assistance.
- " Resolved—That these our opinions be printed in the A( (11/' 0
Constitution newspaper six times, and in other public Papers in
England and Ireland.
Resolved—That our thanks be given to the High Sheriff,
for his readiness in convening this Meeting, and for his very'
eredit'able, dignified, and proper conduct in the Chair."
Signed by order of this Meeting,
GEORGE JACKSON, High Sheriff.
The High-Sheriff having left the:Chair, and Major O'MAL-
LEY being called to it—the thanks of the Meeting were moved
to Colonel Jackson, for his readiness in convening the present
Assembly, his obliging attention to the. business of this day,
and his general conduct as High-Sheriff of this county.
Signed by order of the Meeting,
OWEN O'MALLEY, Chairman.

IRISII BURIAL ACT.—It seems to be thought
that the only way to make the opposite parties in Ireland keel)
the peace, is to allow them to bury each other. The conciliatory
effect of this measure will no doubt be great—
" In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius !"

LITERARY. CumosiTy.—One of the passengers
just arrived in the Lord Castlereagh East
man has brought with him a translation of the
New Testament in the Chinese language, written
or engraved on slips of a leaf of a plant or tree/
strung together.
Between eight and nine o'clock on Sunday
evening, a boy, about seven years of age, vras
found stripped naked, and. crying, in an unity'
habited house in Spa Fields. He was nearly
frozen to death with the cold. He stated that
his father kept a shop in Tottenham-court-
road, and on Sunday evening, as he 105
out at play, a boy promised him a handsome
guinea-pig if he would go with him to SO-
-1 Fields, which he did. The boy brought bial
into that empty house, where he strippea,
him of his new Sunday clothes, and told
him to wait there, and not to cry unlit
he came back, as. he was going for the guinea
pig, and would not be long.

. ,
COURSE OF EXCHANGE, April 6. - ..
Amsterdam • 12 I. C. r•
. 11 18
Ditto,
yls sight-,12 2
12 5 ir,
Hainbutgli B7 7 li 'f-'7:
A1t0n..'.....
- 2 s 2s 60 0 us.
Ditto
s•
3outtleaux, ditto
eliaortitge,r3daaitt:zi
Antwerp , Sight
25 85 0 1
Berlin •
Frank fort on the Main
•• • • 156 Er, MOilei
Petersburgh • 9 •
Vienna lO 7
Trieste
Madrid
'. tire
Cadiz 35
Bilima 3sf Effect!!c
Barcelona - ,
Fieville
Gibraltai
Leghorn 6i
i
Geis a 434-Venice, Ital. Lie. 27 0
Malta 45 -Naples 384
Palermo
4.ishon
Oporto
-
Rio Janeiro
Bahia. ' .. 50
Onlylin ......Cork &f per Cent.
BULLION. •
i Etfecti.e

Portugal Goldin Coin .. L.O 0 0 pergg'
,
Foreign Gold, in B:trs 3 17 6
New Doubloons . .... 0 0• 0 •
New Dollars . 0 4 91
Silver inliars. Standard 0 411 i - .