The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-05 00:00:00

' Spaniards have spread a report that Bessieres had
capitulated and accepted the amnesty.
M. de Bois Bertrand, Commissaire General of
Police, arrived at Bordeaux on March 26.
PERPIGNAN, MARCH 25.—The Junta of Ca-
talonia having solicited the favour of being
presented to his Royal Highness, were in-
formed that the Prince would willingly re-
ceive the members as private individuals, but
that he could not give them audience in the cha-
racter they had assumed. The Curate 'l'orderas
and Father Miro were presented in the name of
the Spanish Ecclesiastic refugees, to his Royal
Highness, who received them very graciously.
The Baron d'Erotes continues to organize his
troops. lie refuses to recognize any act of the
Regency. Several chiefs, among others Carol,
have 'renounced every kind of military duty.
Mises is banished to St. Laurent de Cerdans,
where he lives quite retired with his family. A
great number of other officers have laid aside the
epaulets which indicate their rank. There is in
general very little harmony among the refugees.
The division of Eroles will encamp as soon as
armed, at the distance of a short league from
Perpignan, between the villages' of Baixas and
St. Esteve. The news from the frontier an-
nounces the arrival at Campredon, of a foreign
legion, 900 strong. it has taken the name;of
" the Legion of Death."—(Constitutionnel.)
BAYONNE, MAUCH 27.—An Aide-de-Camp of
General Guilleminot was arrested yesterday, and
delivered into the custody of two gendarmes, who
have taken him to Paris. The reason assigned
for his arrest is a military conspiracy in which he
is implicated.

Longa, one of the Ciders of the Army of the
`Faith, being unable to get 200 officers' uniforms
made, has sent to Toulouse, a Jewish mer-
chant, named Molars, who-is said to be in high
credit with, the Chiefs of the Faith. These
Chiefs continue to purchase horses, good and
bad, at any price. They pay 1,000 francs ready
money for them. Accordingly, all the inha-
bitants are eager to take advantage of this rise,
more especially as the food for horses was be-
come very dear.

All Spaniarda known to be attached to the
cause of the Cortes now in this town, have re.
ceived orders to depart without delay.
.7Letters from Saragossa state, that Capaspe,
Bessieres's Lieutenant, 'has finally capitulated
-with General Ballesteros. The foreign legion
which was formed at Bilboa is gone to Tolosa :
a part, it is said, will proceed towards 'run. It
is to serve as a free company. On the departure
of the last accounts, the Pastor was still at Irun,
where he was employed in organizing his corps.
Two battalions of Volunteers have arrived at
Barcelona from Majorca. Ten thousand muskets
of English manufacture have been lauded at
13 II boa .

' remedying the defects ; but which he ascribes to the difficulties
in the way. He considers, however, that great substantial
amelioration has been effected, and adverts to an Act of Par-
liament of the last year from which the greatest benefit has
been derived, and from the effect of winch he expects the
certain reformation of the laws, and of the judicial service of
the States.
This Address concludes with the following observations on
the late general elections.:—
" At the time (says Sir Thomas Maitland), that the present
charter was framed, it must .be known to those I am now ad-
dressing, that the greatest difficulties were supposed to exist in
introducing the system of voting viva voce, instead of the one
in practice of balls and ballotting boxes : and, it was even
contended, that this last manner of voting was necessary, for
the peace and harmony of society.
" It appeared to me then, as it (hies now, that the introduc-
tion of the system of voting viva voce on all occasions, would
of itself tend to form the character, and correct the morals, of
the people more than any other measure that could be adopt-
ed ; and its success has, I own, exceeded my most san-
guine expectations, anti, I apprehend, has also surpassed those
of every well-wisher to his country. For whether we look at
the number of electors who assembled, and their zeal and
anxiety to exercise their elective franchise, or whether we con-
sider the quality and description of the persons they returned
as their Representatives, it must be obvious, that every thing
that has been said by a few factious individuals, is proved I
by the act and deed of the whole of the Nobility, and of every
person of respectability or property in the country, to be ut-
terly false.
. _

"'The conduct, in fact, observed by all ranks of society,
Seems to me to be exactly the one best calculated to Ensure,
and at the earliest period, an extension of the liberties and
franchises possessed by the people.
" Let me not, however, be understood as holding out the
most distant idea, that his Majesty will ever permit the intro.
duction into these islands of those wild and destructive prin-
ciples which can only tend to Rap the wealth and happiness of
nations. What I mean to say is, that you will always find me
disposed to propose to his Majesty's Government such further
extension- of the privileges of the people, as a conviction of
their moral improvement, and of their increased attachment
and confidence in their Government may warrant—and any re-
commendation on this head, when limited within the bounds of
any real practical view of the case, will certainly meet the
sanction of his Majesty, from that anxious solicitude ever dis-
played in favour of these States by your august Protector, my
magnanimous and gracious Sovereign."

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

SUFFOLK MEETING.

Yesterday it Meeting of the Nobility, Gentry',
Clergy, and Freeholders of this County, was held at Stowmar-
ket, in pursuance of a Requisition signed by 1,300 Freeholders,
and presented to the High Sheriff, llzatitY USBORNE, Esq.,
for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of ad-
dressing a Petition to the House of Commons, praying that
Parliament might be reformed immediately and effectually..
The Meeting mos held in the market-place of Stowmarket, and
was numerously and respectably attended. Amongst the Gen-
tlemen on the Misting*, we observed the following :—The two
County Members, Sir Inn. Parker, Sir R. Hartland, Sir Wm.
Middleton, Sir ..^.. Eagle, Mr. James M'Donald, Mr. Gage,,
and several others.
Shortly after one o'clock the Hum Sit Earn- took the Chair,
and having read the Requisition, he shortly addressed the
Meeting. There were, he said, Gentlemen present of different
political opinions, but he trusted that every Gentleman who
should address ie Chair would receive a full and impartial
hearing.
Sir Ilitzmy BUNBUHY then came forward to propose the
Petition; he was received with loud cheers. -T he Hon. Baronet
commenced by saying that he bad in common with the Meeting
to regret the absence of Lord Henry. Fitzroy and Mr. Rigsby,
who were detained by unavoidable causes. The Meeting would
recollect that they had twice before petitioned for Reform,
and that their petitions were not attended to with any effect
—but he was persuaded that good resulted from those peti-
titions notwithstanding—they refreshed the memory of Hon.
Members—they conveyed salutary hints—they tended (to
use a phrase borrowed front the Fancy) to take the conceit
out of them,-(A latigh.)—Gentlenien in that House had said,
that the system, as it worked, was a very good one. It was,
no doubt, a good system for the majority of the House.--aye,
and a profitable one too.—(A, laugh.)—it was a pity that the people did not catch that rose-coloured view of the subject,
lie feared that 5-Ochs of the people were not prepared to pro.
nounce the system a good one.—(No.! no 1)--It was then to bp
lamented that the interests of the people and their opinions
were opposed to the interests,of Hon. Members of the House
of Commons.—lt was theAuty of the county again to petition
for Reform—.they had' pledged themselves to do so. There
was not, in his opinion, a more favourable opportunity for ask.
ing for Reform for the last 30 years. They did not stand alone,
they acted with the country at large--with Yorkshire, with
Herefordshire, with Lincoln, and many other counties. In
Yorkshire alone the Petition was signed by upwards of 15,000
freeholders.—(Hear, hear, hear 1)—It has been contended
by some persons, that the taxes that had been recently taken
off, afforded a satisfactory proof that the House of Com-
mons was disposed to do all that could be done for the
relief of the people, and that, therefore.—And first, with
respect to the degree of relief atibrded—he would ask
was that relief, great or small, to be ascribed to the self.
moving and generous patriotism of the Ilouse of Commons ?
No, the Minister saw the missry of the people; he saw a otorm
rising around him, and he found it necessary to do something
to allay it; he sent down his edict to take off'taxes but he( Sir
IL) felt convinced that if it had been the policy of the Minister
"to put on instead of repealing taxes, lie would .find equal fact.
lily on the part of die House of Commons. He might be re-
minded that the language of Ministers had of late improved
—he knew it, and lie congratulated the country that the
fact was so ; he hoped to see a more enlightened policy pur.
sued. The conduct of die Government with respect to Ire-
land—the measures which lie hoped were about to be car-
ried for the relief and tranquillity of that country, inclined
him to draw a conclusion so favourable to Ministers.—.
At home, the country, from one end to the other, resounded
with the groans of the impoverished, ruined farmer. Abroad,
the Despots of the Continent were leagued together to put
down the hopes and the liberties of mankind—(Cheers.)—The
Parliament had sat for two months—during that time, on nights.
when questions of the utmost importance were to be brought on,
the Speaker could not make a House; and even when Houses
were made, on questions of the utmost interest, not more than
from 70 to 150 Members could be prevailed on to attend.—
The Hon. Baronet next contrasted the present, state of the
House of Commons with what (he asserted) the Constitution
of England intended the House of Commons should have been.
The arguments of the HonoUrable Gentleman were nearly the
same as those urged in 'the Petition. He then alluded to the
conduct of " the Holy Alliance," an alliance (he said) of
tyrants against the liberties of mankind—(Loud cheers).—
Those unprincipled Monarchs turned their arts suid their arms
against the Spaniards, merely because the Spaniards aspired
to a state of freedom ; it never could be forgotten that when the
Thrones of the Despots were crumbling, they were upheld and
preserved by the patient fortitude 'ant! 'the heroic devotion of
those identical Spaniards—(Loud cheers),—supported by the
blood and treasure of England. Who but must abhor the vile
Bourbon and thecrafty Mostiovite—what Englishman, attached
to. the ancient Constitution of his country, but inust feel in-
dignant and alarmed at the peen hostility of the tyrants of the
West against all freedom and all representative Governments.
at al
To ,place. Great Britain in, that situation where she could
l times be able to defeat the projects of these tyrants, the
union of her people—the reforni of all abuses, particularly the
Reform of her Representative System,
eras absolutely neces-
sary. He wished for an effectual Reform; the detaili of the
measure might be gone into at a more convenient time. The
lion. Baronet then moved that the following Petition should be
adopted as the Petition of the Meeting s—
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
" The humble Petition of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy,
anti Freeholders of the County of Suffolk, assembled
at Stowmarket,
" Sheweth—That the County of Suffolk has twice laid Peti-
tions before the present Parliament, praying for a Reform in
the Representation of the Commons ; but that these Petitions,
as well as many others of the same tendency front other coun-
ties, remain without effect.
" That your Petitioners feel an increased cmviction of the
benefits which would result from a more free, more general, and
more frequent exercise of the elective franchise—but your Peti-
tioners renew their supplication not merely because they be-
lieve that Reform would be beneficial, but likewise because they
claim it as a constitutional right of the people.
" That your Petitioners regard with veneration and warm
attachment the genuine Constitution of England ; anti they
therefore feel the greater sorrow and indignation when they
trace the growth and witness the effects of abuses which de.
grade and endanger it.
"rhat this revered Constitution gives to the people a share in
the Legislature, and a power of checking the Ministers of the
Crown, by means of a body of Representatives in Parliament,
freely hosen 'by the Commons At large from amongst them-
selves.
"'!'hat the Peers of the Realm, and the Crown itself are pro-
hibited bylaw, as well as by the spirit of the Constitution, from
influencing or interfering with the Election of a Representative
of the People; so that the Rouse of Commons ought to be corn.

posed of Members chosen by the free Commoners of the realip
to protect particularly their rights and interests.
" That, in fact, the composition of your Honourable House
is widely different. That a large portion of your Honourable
House consists of Members nominated by certain Peers of the
realm ; a second portion by the Ministers of the Crown ; and
a third by individuals who have acquired an undue influence
in decayed Boroughs, and who too frequently make this
influence the means of bartering the interests of the na-
tion for their own personal advantage ; lastly, that a con-
siderable number of the Members of your Honourable
House enjoy lucrative Places, Pensions, or Commissions
under the Crown, which render them more 'or less dependent
upon Ministers. That your Petitioners beg leave to sub.
intt the present state of the Representation in Suffolk, as one
amongst many examples. That from this County sixteen
Members are returned to Parliament ; only two of whom are
chosen by the Freeholders of the County ; that two are elected'
by the Freemen of Ipswich ; two by those of Sudbury ;"and the
other ten Members are returned to your Honourable House
upon the nomination of a very few individuals.
" That your Petitioners disclaim any intention of throwing
who
who are
eindiscriminate
w ecre no sfunroe,moi rn
ai mt
opnu,tionrg
tuonawno rtthheymmeomti vbeesr to all
thus returned to Parliament ; but your Petitioners cannot help
seeing that, in consequence of these abuses in the Representa-
tion, a large majority of your Honourable House is composed of
Members who are completely independent of the people, and
whose interests are distinct from, and frequently adverse to,
those of the nation at large.
" That the injurious results of these abuses have been glar-
ingly manifested of latey ears in the subserviency of Parliaments
to the Ministers of the Crown—in the enactment of Statutes
which tend to,subvert the constitutional liberties of the subject
' —in a great waste of the public treasure—in the imposition of
excessive taxes—and in a disregard of the opinions and
.peti-
tions of the people—even under circumstances of great national
distress.
" That the severity and continuance of this distress make
your Petitioners feel the more sensibly the want of Representa-
tives whose interests would be the same as those of the people.
" That your Petitioners behold with disgust and indignation
the absolute Monarchs of Europe conspinng against the free-
dom of mankind, interfering with the internal affairs of inde-
pendent and unoffending nations, and trampling alike upon
civil rights and international laws. That your Petitioners can-
not but feel a• jealousy of the designs which these powerful and ,1
unprincipled invaders may entertain against the free Constitu-
tion of England, if they should unhappily succeed in destroy.
ing the liberties of Spain and Portugal. That your Petitioners
therefore deem 'it the more important that the Constitution
should be revived and strengthened by a timely Reform, and
that the liberties of the nation should be shielded by their pro-
per guarantee--a real Representation of the People in Par-
liament
" That your Petitioners do not presume to lay down a parti-
cular scheme of Parliamentary Reform—they only ask for such
Constitutional measures as may render your Honourable House
the genuine organ and the security of the people ; but they most
earnestly pray that your Honourable House will give the earliest
attention to this great object, and will thus, by restoring the
strength and harmony of. the Constitution, ensure the return
of domestic prosperity, general confidence, and rational power."
Sir Wsr. PAnxEn rose to second the petition. He so fully
concurred in the sentiments express:d by the Hon. Baronet,
that he felt it necessary only to say, that he approved of the
petition which had been just read.
The question was then put by the SIIERIFF on the Petition,
and it was (with the exception of one or two hands) unanimous.
ly adopted as the Petition of the Meeting.
Mr. Gooch, M.P., then came forward. The Hon. Gentle.
man was received with some strong marks of disapprobation,
which occasionally manifested themselves during the course of
his speech. As a freeholder he claimed the right of addressing
the Meeting. He stood there in the midst of his political ene-
mies—he was not supported by one single political friend—but
be felt it his duty shortly to state his sentiments. He always
wished that the people should enjoy the right of presenting
Petitions to Parliament, though he might differ with them as
to the expediency of certain measures. The Hon. Baronet
said, that some taxes had been taken off; but he would tell the
Meeting that it could be proved by .black and white, that not
less than 22 millions of taxes had been remitted by Parliament.
For himself he never touched, directly or indirectly, a shilling
of the public money.
A voice in the crowd...." No; but your sons have."
Mr. Goocu, in continuation, said, that if they intended to
401.ag
indeed;"
enldao
;ww”.wi He
ut
gl
oahnd.g)
He_edispassionately
enough.._.("
oti
gdhtiro, yicel considered
astni
hd
eetrsoetniiiitdsnhnxdastlebtoaylAyitriieyvrheneseceewtidftietsowoe
destroyed.__
free,
answer him by ridicule, he could not but wish them joy of their
taste—(" Don't be angry, Gaffer 1" a laugh). lie contended
that the Elective Franchise was more extended now than in
the reign of' Henry the Third, for 40s. then were as much as
e
mqruealoateesulrurt
feel it
of_alrlnniordietnyg.:
Reform, and he had made up his mind to this, that no Reform
ts of
his
ld
d
which had been yet proposed would be of any benefit to
the people.--(Liaughter, and muniiiirs of disapprobation.)—
' the Constitution, as it stood, was sufficient to correct abuses.
ThtftitnFaioiii::arteoui
din
itdneriu.as, cierti•itoetiii
hAtirslttarbii
seolusteienn:lfipic
000ttis(rwn:uerhgentierwedaberisis:.dtialt,hiliebdidloenaeoudarcernyettotdonetcitonatiiniinndnens
tstihtiiiedpiasdsteot
ok,rhle corruptiontii
ahntbtinetgicuiidaeirteslw
,Rwthihieiei
lie certainly
opt
hyhercc e
smieoe:
Representative,
nut
would not
annßo tethesocaynwswennett:eptoarothsppareeveeste
nhotri,s a
bnhuyatnrdei
re-
form
his
remain
. ,tt to
o.
free
do in)
present. saGoonr
terdobi u
lot independent.shpeerowu
:hen addressed the meeting in support of
the petition.
Mr. Jam ES .3lAcnosim.n bUpported the prayer of the peti-
tion in a long and very eloquent speech ; other Gentlemen fol-
lowed on the same side. The petition was ultimately carried
and ordered to he presented by the County Members.
rain
Durinfell ingcessantly. the Meeting, which was held in the open street, the

GENERAL STEAM VESSEL COMPANY

A most respectable Meeting of Gentlemen in.
‘erested in the formation of the above Company, took place yes-
terday at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, at one o'cicitic,
when Mr. JOLLIFFE having taken the Chair, he proceeded to
read a statement of considerable length to the Meeting, which
had been (as was understood) drawn up from the Committee.—
The principle feature of this statement were, Ist, the proposal
of receiving steam vessels from persons willing to become sub-
scribers, in lieu of pecuniary payments. Secondly, that, as the
amount of subscription was limited to 44,0001. the lists should
be allowed to remain at the banking-houses for an extended pe-
riod of two months. And thirdly, the practicability of engag.
ing with the steam-vessels in the trade to India, in support of
which a most able prospectus had been issued by Lieutenant J.
H. Johnson, It. N., who had been for some years engaged be-
tween Calcutta and this country.
Admiral Sir .1. YORKE, M.P. rose,-with considerable regret,
to urge such objections to any further attempt at • the establish..
ment of the proposed Company ; but certainly he, for one,
should withdraw his name from the list of subscribers, the
ammint of such subscription being limited to less than a sixth
part of the capital required. Gentlemen should not neglect
the consideration of the interests of those classes who would be
most affected by the execution of the plan submitted to them.
Before the Company could be established, It must pass through
the Parliamentary fire, and it was not a mall fire, as most of
those present well knew ; there A great part of the capital
must of necessity be expended, for Counsel would be cm-
ployed in suliport of the interests of those by whom the
present speculation was viewed with some animosity and a great
deal of jealousy, and of course the Company must also resort
to the assistance of legal Gentlemen, and the expense would be
found to be very considerable. The Worthy Chairman had
disclaimed any personal interest in the formation of the Corn.
pony ; but he (Sir J. Y.) had no hesitation in saying that he
(Mr. J.) was most certainly the person most interested of any
of those Gentlemen who had put down their names as sub-
scribers. After examining the statement of the Chairman In
its bearings, objecting to the premises advanced, which he de-
nominated a complete humbug, the speaker concluded by
moving " That the plan proposed be now abandoned."
Sir JOHN PAUL, M.P., supported the proposed Company.
HILTON JOLLIFFE, L'sq_. M.P., rather wished that the time
should be still further extended to the Ist of August.
Sir JOHN Petry, M.P., expressed his concurrence in the al-
teration suggested.
A gentleman proposed to do away with the necessity of ap-
plying to Parliament, by allowing the subscription list to re.
main open until the 24th of June.
Sir J. YORKE, M.P. referred to a calculation subjoined to a
printed statement submitted to a previous Meeting, and he
thought a more glaring imposition had never been submitted
to the public than the present.
The CHAIRMAN rose to express his astonishment that the
gallant Admiral should use language in a public room which
could not be repeated to a Gentleman.
Sir Joint pa Yonicz, M.P., was ready to meet any Gentle.
man to whom his language might be thought offensive. He,
however, had no hesitation in saying that he did not mean any
personality to the worthy Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN was perfectly satisfied with the gallant Ad.
mind's explanation. Another objection urged was, that it
was proposed to carry goods in the steam vessels, withouti con-
sidering the necessary alteration of the size of the paddles, and
the consequent increase of the required depth of water. In