The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-23 00:00:00

" DUTCH WAR.

" TO THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR OF LEEDS.
" Sir,—We, the undersigned merchants, manufacturers,
householders, and other inhabitants of the borough of Leeds,
request your Worship will call a meeting of the inhabitants of
the said borough, as early as possible, to determine on the pro-
priety and necessity of addressing the King against any hostile
interference on the part of this country in the affairs of Hol-
land and Belgium, conceiving that such a measure is not only
injurious to the interests of the kingdom, and likely to involve
Europe in a general war, but cannot fail to be highly prejudi_
cial to the manufacturing and commercial interests of this po-
pulous district."

This requisition was hanr!ed ahout with extraordinary
activity on Monday; late in the evening of that day it was
presented to the Mayor, and on Tuesday morning the in-
babi!ants were appritfd by a p;acard that they were to
meet on the following day to discuss the question of the
" Dutch War." Almost every name attached to the re-
qttisition was that of a supporter of Mr. Seller.
At the appointed hour of meeting the Court•licuse was
tilled to overflowing with one of the most rrspectable as-
s.unhlages ever witnessed in this town. The Tories took
their situations on the bench at the right of the chair, and
the leading Refirmers wationed mselves on the left side
of the chair. A few minutes before 12 o'clock TriomAs
TENNANT, Esq., the Mayor, entered the meeting and took
the chair.

The MArou said, I do not intend entering into the
question no•v before us, but 1 may be allowed to ray that
I am strongly opposed to any policy which is likely to
involve this country in a general war.—(A person in toe
meeting, " You should have been so 40 years since.")
The Mayor, finding it impossille to obtain a hearing, sat
down amidst loud cries of " Adjourn," which lasted a con-
siderable time.

This disturbance continued, with little interruption, for
about twenty minutes, (luring which time Mr. JOSHUA
Bowen. moved, and Mr. BAINES seconded, a (notion of
adjournment to the Cloth-balbyard. The Mayor, as far
as we could leatn, never attemided to put this motion,atid
he stated distinctly to those who were near him that he
would not adjourn. As several thousand persons were at
the various entrances to the Coin t-house, and as those
near the door were excessively crowded, the uproar and
cry of " Adjourn" was incessant, and at length the Mayor
declared the meeting dissolved. He lett the chair, and
quitted the Court-house along with thirty or forty gentle-
men, whose &Torture scarcely made any sensible hiatus
in the meeting.
All the rest of the meeting, amounting to 700 or 800,
remained, and by them, on the motion of Mr. RICHARD-
SON, St-Conti:li by Mr. BAINES, Mr. THOMAS BENYON,
jun., was called to the chair.
When the chair had been taken, the motion to adjourn
to the Cloth-ball was again proposed, and carried with
acclamation.

The meeting having adjourned to the Cloth-ball•yard,
10,000 or 12,000 were assembled in that spacious area,
and amongst them were a great proportion of the leading
manufacturers and merchants in the town.

Mr. Tome came forward, and was received with
cheers. He said, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,—With re-
gard to the requisition which I have read, two questions
present themselves to my mind—one, what could be the
object of the gentlemen who signed it? the other, what
would be the probable effect of an address " against any
h. s'ile interference on the part of this country in the
affairs of Holland ?" As to the first of these inquiries,
let us consider the absurdity of now addressing his Majesty
to prevent a hostile interference which will actually have
taken place before the address can be presented to the
King ; the success of such an address is so obviously
pr icticable, that it is impossible for us to believe that such
was the object of the movers of the meeting. What then
was their object ?—Was it to give countenance and support
to his Majesty's present Ministers ?—(Cries of " No, no.")
I Crow not, fur among the names of the requisitors I re-
cognise several who in 1813 (just 20 years since when I
first addressed my fellow-townsmen as a public speaker)
were then, have ever since been, and are now, the decided
opponents of the politics of Lord Grey. Can it be believed
then that the object of those gentlemen was anything else
but to obtain an addrees from the inhabitants of Leeds,
which, by expressing their disapprobation of a hostile
interference which has taken place, and may at this mo-
ment be consummated, would convey to his Majesty
the idea that the good people of Leeds had ceased
to repose their confidence in his present Ministers, and
thus encourage his Majesty to dismiss them from his
service?—(Cheers.) This leads me to the enquiry, what
would he the probable effect of such a proceeding ? It ap-
pears to me that such an address, if carried, would, in the
name of peace, be war in disguise. To explain how I come
to this conclusion, it is requisite that I should refer you to
the treaties of 1814 and 1815, when his then Majesty's
Ministers, instead of obtaining for us, as the fruit of the
British blood which, during a war of 20 years, had been
shed, and the load of debt under which we are now bur-
dened, an independent Government in Italy, and the re-
storation of the kingdom of Poland as it was before the
partition of 1773, with ample access for our commerce by
sea, they consigned Italy to the military government of
Austria, under which it still remains, reduced Poland to a
small duchy, and consigned that noble people to the tender
mercies of the Emperor of Russia, by whom every vestige
of freedom has been annihilated in teat unfortunate coun-
try ; and to crown al!, they and the Allied Powers by
these treaties compelled the inhabitants of Belgium to be-
come the subjects of the King of the Netherlands. More
incongruous materials were never put together ; the man-
ners and the habits of the Belgians and the Duich are so
unlike, that it would be more difficult to make them cor-
dially unite—(Loud cheers)—than effectually to mix oil
with water. So long as the troops of the Allies remained
to enforce the observance of those treaties at the point of
the bayonet, all was of course submission, and time gave
something like the semblance of security to those arranee-
meats ; but when the French had expelled Charles X ,1
and elevated to the throne their present King, the
old feelings of hostility and dislike revived, and it
soon became evident that the King of the Netherlands
could not govern his Belgic subjects. The Duke of Wel-
lington was then at the head of the British Government ;
and it is evident, from what he inserted in the King's
speech, and stated in his own speech to the House of Lords,
in November, 1830, that it was his intention, with the
aid of the other par ies to the treaties of 1814 and 1815,
to enforce the performance of those treaties.—(Great
cheering.) Does any man suppose that such a proceeding
could have been acconiplislied without a hostile interfe-
rence on the part of the British Government in the affairs
of Holland and Belgium ? W. s there any petitioning
against that interference then ? And can it be imagined
that such an interference would have been tamely sub-
mitted to? No, Gentlemen, the attempt would instantly
have driven the Belgians into the arms of France,
which, in her then excited state, were open to receive
them, and then no doubt we should again have been
involved in a general war with Russia, Austria, and
Prussia, fur the allies of Great Britain against free
Governments in Belgium and France. Happily fur us
and for mankind, at that crisis Earl Grey was placed
at the head of his Majesty's Government, and instead
of being actuated by the spirit of war, he and those joined
with him in the Ministry who had ever been the advocates
of peace, pursued a different course, and instead of en-
forcing the treaties of 1811 and 1815, be prevailed with
the other four great Powers, who were parties to those
treaties, to concur in establishing an independent and
separate kingdom of Belgium, and to place Prince
Leopold upon that throne, the security of which throne
was guaranteed to him by the parties of that, treaty.
The Dutch King refuses to submit to the terms of
that treaty, and to withdraw his troops from Antwerp.
Attempts have been wade, almost without number,
duce his compliance without force ; he nevertheless refuseS,
and the question, under those protracted discussions, be-
came, whether the five parties to that last treaty would

.

Udfil the engagement to uphold the independence of th
kingdom of Belgium, or would stiffer the dispute betwee
that state and the Dutch King to iiitrtain any longer tin
settled.—(Loud cheers.) If that --dOeStion had beet)
&lowed to remain unsettled much,lonft;•Or if by means
of addresses, disapproving of the artriaintiOn of France and
Great Britain, to effect the specific oIFO of driving the
Dutch troops from the fortresses of Antweinpol:e King of
England should be induced to dismiss hin*feent-Minis-
tap, can any reflecting person doubt that thi'qui•stion of
enforcing the treaties of 1814 and 1815 would be revived,
and that a general war in Europe would be the conse-
quence? Am I not justified, then, in considering that
such an address would, in the name of peace, be war in
disguise ? Mr. Tottie then moved the following address to
the King :
Mr. Joshua BOWER, in a short energetic speech, se-
conded the address.

" TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
" THE HUMBLE ADDRESS OF THE MERCHANTS,
MANUFACTURERS, HOUSEHOLDERS, and other
INHABITANTS of the BOROUGH of LEEDS, in
PUBLIC MEETING ASSEMBLED.

" Showeth,—That we, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal sub-
jects, the inhabitants of the borough of Leeds, humbly beg
leave to assure your Majesty, that•we have observed with satis-
faction the earnest and repeated efforts of your Majesty's Go-
vernment to support, by its moral and diplomatic influence,
the cause of liberty in Europe, without involving this country,
and the different States of which Europe is composed, in a
general war.

" We, at the same time, deeply lament that the faith of
treaties has been violated in Poland—freedom destroyed in that
State and in Italy,—nearly extinguished in the States of the
Germanic Confederation,—and menaced in Belgium and in
France, by a combination of powerful and absolute Monarchs ;
which doings are unequivocal warnings to us, that free Go-
vernments require all the countenance 'and support which
your Majesty's Government can with prudence give.
" We consider that your Majesty's Ministers, in pursuing
this noble end, have manifested an earnest desire to avoid war ;
and that their, object in the negotiations relative to the affairs
of Holland and Belgium has been to prevent a great conflict
between the free and the despotic Governments of Europe;
which conflict, if not averted, there is great reason to appre_
hend might terminate in the conquest of Belgium, or in the
destruction of freedom, both in that country and in France;
results alike pregnant with fearful consequences to British in-
terests, to general commerce, and to liberty.

" We are satisfied that the recent Convention formed be-
tween your Majesty's Government and that of France was
dictated by the necessity of ending a dispute likely to pro-
duce such a conflict ; and, being strictly limited in its object to
the expulsion of the Dutch troops from Antwerp, we feel as-
sured that this purpose will not be exceeded by your Majesty's
Ministers.

" We beg leave further to assure your Majesty that we con-
fide in those Ministers as most anxious to preserve to your
Majesty's dominions the blessings of peace ; and as determined,
if practicable, to avoid being drawn by the pursuit of a just and
specific object, into a war with other Powers. We therefore
humbly trust that your Majesty will not be induced to withdraw
your confidence from them."

Mr. II How Ann was sorry Mr. Tottie commenced
with the parish church—went from thence to tiie Catholic
question, and concluded by attempting to prove that the
address placard on the walls was a censure upon the
Ministers.—(Cries of "It is.") He would take it upon
himself to say, that that ad•iress had nothing to do with
his Majesty's Ministers.—(Laughter, and cries of " Oh,
what a falsity ; shocking, shocking," and other marks of
disapprobation.) The object of that address was simply
for the purpose of expressing a degree of apprehension
that was entertained on the p irt of the people and the
commercial interests of the town of Leeds, that their
interests would be injured if Belgium and Holland, Eng-
land and France, should come in collision. If Belgium
was allowed to be torn from the sceptre of Holland, it
was virtually connected with France. The fortresses
which separated Belgium and France had already been
pulled down ; there were now roads in every direction from
Belgium into France. They talked of peace ; they sa y
the affair is to be ended in a for'night, although there are
77,000 Prussians on the march to Venloo, and all this for
the purpose of creating peace. He did not fear to say,
that if King Leopold were to die tomorrow, Belgium
would be claimed by France. He contended that the
inhabitants of Hol'and, consisting of 3,000,000 of men,
would never have dared to place themselves in opposition
to the great Powers of France and England, unless
countenanced by the three northern Powers. Mr. Howard
condemned the partition of Poland, and said that the true
question before thern was, whether the torch of war was
to be again lighted up—whether another war of fifteen
years' continuance was again to be endured—a war which
would be more terrible than the bursting of lEtna. But
fer the interference of which he had spoken, all would
have been harmony in Belgium. They wanted no King
when they revolted : they waned a popular form of Go-
vernment, to be governed by themselves, and not by an
English pensioner.—(Cries of " Stand down ;" " Go
home.") They talk of the grievances of the Belgians,—
they have not suffered one half of what the Irish have from
a British Government.—(Cries of " That was a Tory
Governor: nt.") He begged to read a motion as an amend-
ment to Mr. Tottie's Address.
" That as the country has had sufficient war, a sufficient
loss of blood, sufficient loss of lives, and increase of expendi-
ture, the resorting to another war should be deprecated, since
it is calculated to effect more and increased embarrassments."

Mr. LEES, Secretary of the Leeds Political Union, said
that the proceedings of this day not only involved the ge-
neral question of peace or war, but the local questions of
the continued influence of the Leeds corporation, and of
Mr. Michael Sadler's election, both of which he thought
were in a very hopeless condition.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. GEORGE HIRST would, with the leave of the
meeting, move an amendment to the Address, not em-
bracing the topics included in what was meant to he the
Address, but from a source acceptable to the present meet.
ing,—from certain resolutions moved by the present Pre-
mier, then Mr. Grey, in the House of Commons in 1793,
which he read.

" That it is at all times, and particularly under the present
circumstances, the interest of this country to preserve peace.
" That it is neither reasonable nor just to take up arms for
the purpose of dictating terms between nations engaged in
hostilities, without'any reference either to the cause of the dis-
pute, or the circumstances of the war.
" That the refusal of an offer of mediation is no just cause
for a war :

" That the expense of an armament must be burdensome to
the country, and is, under the present circumstances, as far as
this House is informed, highly inexpedient and unnecessary."

The amendment was seconded by Mr. BOND and Mr. W.
OSBORNE.

Mr. E. BAINES, jun., said to the first of Lord Grey's
resoluticns, declaring ‘5 that it is the interest of the mon-
try to preserve peace," he (Mr. E. Baines) would give his
hearty, deliberate, and conscientious assent. He was the
friend of peace ; and it was as the friends of peace
that l.e, Mr. Tottie, and all those around them, came for-
ward. Their conviction was, that by the present inter-
vention, which was extremely limited in its extent, a great
explosion would be prevented ; for they believed that if
the present Ministry were turned out, and the Duke of
Wellington brought in, an explosion would take place in
Europe, and there would be a direct declaration of war by
Austria, Ru.sia, and Prussia against Belgium and France,
in order to bring back Belgium to the domination of Hol-
land, and France to the yoke of the old Bourbons.
Mr. Howard said, that the question was, whether Eng-
land and France were now to go to war with Austria,
Russia, and Prussia? That was not the question. What
he wanted, and what Government wanted, was to avert a
war with those Power.—(Hear, hear)—for if the dispute
between Holland and Belgium should continue, there was
the greatest reason to fear that war would break out.
France would take one side, Prussia the other, and a ge.
neral war would be the consequence. To put an end to
this state of things, and with the manifest and reasonable
design of bringing about a settled peace, Lord Grey's Ad-
ministration had sent the armament against Antwerp,
And, he would ask, by whom was that arrangement
formed for the union of Belgium with Holland in ISM,
that patchwork arrangement which they heard Mr.
Macauley so beautifully describe a short time since ? By
the Tories.—(Cheers.) The Tory plans sowed the germ
of the danger which now threatened Europe. By whom
was the interference of England in the Dutch and Belgian
dispute begun ? By the Duke of Wellington, the Minister
whom it was no doubt the ohject of nine-tenths of the per-
sons who signed the requisition to the Mayor, to bring
back to power.—(Cheers.) And who had fomented to
the utmost of their power the danger which now threat.
ened the general prace. He said it was the Tories of
England ; for they had constantly encouraged the King of
Holland to resist the reasonable demands of the Five Powers,
and yet these men, whose instigations had produced the dan-
objienacjntedorefd.
ger, were to be brought back to power to get us out of the
The object of the absolute Governments of the
danger.
continent was evidently to. turn out Lord Grey, and to
ee rfna meeting iwnntagesr,ews
that
Ilse toaot f t
thpheri es
commer-
cialee
on
country
ithey
get in the Duke of Wellington. The requisition said,
calling. manufacturingßtttlhl
fc:olmn manbederienniiianufacturing interests of the country were in
jured, and had for two years been injured, by the pending
dispute between Holland. and. Belgium; and they must
that the
continue_ (tHoeasru,.ffhe.erar.sriosusominejurgyeunntiteiml tehnatthdiosupguhtet was
smetigtihedt.without injury throw off the whole of our trade
with Belgium. He would state, therefore, some facts with
regard to the trade of Antwerp iu 1825. Of 800 ships,
which entered Antwerp from foreign ports, 114 were

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