The Sun.
London, England, 1819-03-01 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL JOUANALS.

(From The LicMeld Mercory, and Midland Chronicles of
the 216 h y February.)

MPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING AT WOLVERHAMP-
TON, TO PETITION AGAINS"I"THE TAX ON IN-
LAND COAL.
A Meeting of this populous town and neigh-
bourhood was held on Saturday last, at the Pub-
lic Office. This town is situated in the centre of
the inland district of coal mines; and the com-
pany assembled might be said to represent the
vital interests of at least half a milliou of people.
Sir JOON WRUTTESLEY, Bert. was called to the
Chair,. and briefly stated the purposes of the
Meeting, commenting on the great assemblage
of commercial and manufacturing interests which
were at stake in the question about to be agi-
tated.
After passing a Resolution, that " It was ex-
pedient to petition the House of Commons against
a Tax oil Inland Coal,"
R. FRYER, Esq. read the draft of a Petition,t hat
detailed the extent and importance of the mane-.
factures of the nation, which required a great
consumption of inland coal ; the depressed state
of those manufactures, from the low prices, by
,which we were alone enabled to contend in foreign
markers ; and which prices already afforded to the
poor mechanic so miserable a pittance, when in
htll employment, as to require, in cases of large
families, the aid of parish relict. The Petition
took a view of the oppressive and cruel opera.
tion of such a tax, on every stage of the chief
inland manufactures, from the smelting of the
ore, particularly in heavy Articles, in. which so
great a portion of the manufactures of. the neigh-
bourhood cote4sted ; and tau such portion of our
commerce, a tax on coal would bring instant and
overwhelming ruin. After various other details,
the Petition concluded with expressing the regret
and astonishment of the Petitioners, that such a
gtievous and iniquitous measure should be pro•
jec:ed in a time of profound peace, and when his
Majesty's Ministers were boasting of the prospe-
rity of the country and .the flourishing state of
the Revenue.--(Lund applause.) .
Sir J. WROTTESLEY, Bart. concurred warmly
in the spirit of the Petition, which was called for
by the strongest necessity. The only question-
able part of the Petition was, perhaps, that which
referred to the views of Mitristers, on the autho-
rity of the debates of the House, which might
possibly be objected to, as founded on no authen-
ticated document. It went likewise to adopt the
reasoniug and the conclusions of the Minister,
which the miter probably did not intend, and to
which he was not prepared to subscribe. It was
rather early in the present period of our finances,
to boast of a flourishing Revenue, while there was
an annual deficiency of twelve millions, which
had to be made up by loans in Exchequer Bills.
However this might be met, the public had a just
reason to object toany further taxation. A na-
tional saving of upwards of 50,0001. a year might
he made in the reduction of places of this kind,
which were without, the shadow or pretension of
use, and which had not the plea of rewarding
services rendered to the State. The heavy l'oors'
Rates of the County had been properly mention-
ed, as a proof of the depressed condition of the
people; and it would be recollected that large
sums were absorbed from these sources, which
did not contribute to the support.or comfort of
the poor, by the County Rates. The Magistrates
had an unlimited power of raising heavy sums fur
large public buildings, over which- the people had
no- check or coutroul. They had in tact the
power of raising any sum they thought fit for
such purposes ; and of imprisoning the High
Constables if such sums were not collected-1—
After noticing the oppressive operation of the
rates collected for the, poor, &c. Sir). IVrottesley
concluded by noticing' former efforts to raise a
Tax on Inland Coal ; and the ignorance of the
commerce of the country. which such intentions.
indicated.—(Loud applause.)
Mr. FRY ER explained, and stated that it had-not
been his object to adopt the argument of the Mi•
ulster, hut to echo beck his statement, as a con-
travention of the plea for extending the cruel spi-
rit of Taxation in a time of universal peace—and
that.too on one of the prime necessaries.of life in
this country. They might hold out the smallness
of the Tax as a delusion ;.but the jealous spirit
of commerce must keep such an essential article
of common use free from the touch of impost.—
Me. W. WALKER begged leave, as an overseer
of the poorAto observe to the Meeting, that Wetly
one argument more than another would shest the
irnpolicy of the projected tax, and how ill the ma-

nufactories or that town Anil neighbourboutl cu.9ld
beAr any turther ()mitens, it was !he circumstance
of st) or 90 pounds being weekly expended Upon
the poor of the parish, A s cut-poi, exclusively of
%That went to maintain the poOr ire the work-
lipuse ; a considerable portion of which sum was
paid to make up the wages of the Workmen; many of
whom were receiving but eight or nine shillings
per week for their labour 3 and it must he evident,
that those who had families must endure the
greatest distress, but for the assistance flow the
Pours' Rates.

For the trots► of these observations. Mr. W. in
the course of his remarks, appealed to his brother
Orcrseers.

Mr.. .Lewis said, that they must be unac-
countably ignorant of the• principal means of the
commercial greatness of this country who did not
see that our mines of coal wet e the diamond of
our commercial wealth. Look at foreign court-
'Ales. which were mere agricultural districts : they
were proverbial for poverty and slavery. To tax
such an article Were to kill the goose in order to
;et all the golden eggs together. Let them strike
this fatal blow at the universal commerce of the
'stare, and thensee were they will collect their:so
millions of '..axes from ! Look at' the numnfacture
of nails.; anfi,consider that in the. first instance 'it
;quires ten tons of coal to produce ntie ton of
iron in:its raw state ; look at the quantity further
consumer) in bringing iron into working rods ;
and consider that, to the very last loud, of the
mechanic, the consumption of coal is the constant
essence of the process. Yet in the present state
ot things,
~the, poor nail-maker is Worse off than
the poorest labourer in agriculture. Mr. j4.,C0111-trliSerated the oppressed people of the metropolis,'
in such a tax On their comforts ; but did nor see
how their relief must be necessarily and exeln7
ively sought through the impoverishment and
ruin of the inland counties.
Alter some further debate,

A Committee was appointed, consistin of.Sh'
J. Wrottesley, Mr. Pearson, Mr. Chrees, Mr.
Timniins, and Mr. W. Sparrow; who adopted the
substance of the Petition drawn up by Mr. Fryer.
At this meeting, a letter from F. J. Littleton,
Esq. M. P. for the Cooht.y of Stafford, %vas read,
who, with a highly cotiunentialde attention to the
interests of -his Constituents, had, with a thszen,
or more other country Members, addressed* note
to Lord Sidtpouth, signed by their respective
names, calling for an explicit answer on the sub-
ject of the•apprehended x on inhind
order dilly to apprize their respective constituents
of such a measure being in contemplatiqn.
A petition Wag after'wards drawn up against the
renewal of the Insolvent Debtors' Act.

From the LONDON GAZETTE of February 27.

[This Sazette notifies that the Prince Regent in Council
bat appointed Henry Davis,of 'Mullock, Esq. to be Sheriff
of PenthrolieShire, in the room of 'J.l'; Laugharne, Esq.(
and John Chambres Jones, of Brynsteddfod, Esq. to be She_
riff of Denbighshire, in the room of. Fdwgrd corbett, Esq.
Also, that his Royal Highnesl has appointed Alexander
Marsden, Esq. Commissary Judge; Justinian CassarnajMi
jun. Esq. Commissary of Arbitration; and William Rothery,
Esq. Secretary t o the mixed. English and Portuguese Coin_
mission to he established at London; Thomas• Gregory, Esq.,
Commissary Judge; Edward Fitzgerald, Eig.
of Arbitration ; and Daniel' Molloy Hamilton, Esq. to lie
Registrar to the mixed CommissiOn to be established at Sierra
Leone and Henry, Harqe, Esq. f.:mnaissary Judge; and
Alexander Cunningham, Esq.Commi;sioner of .•krhitration to
the mixed Commission to he established at Rio Janeiro; pur-
suant to the 5St h of the King, for carriing into' effect the
Convention with Portugal for preventing an illicit tragic in
slaves.--This Gazette also announces the following returns
of Members to serve in the present Parliament, viz.
M‘Kinnon, Esq. for Dunwich ; Sir T. B. Pecbell and the
Hon. B. Bourcrie. fur Downtou ; D. Ricardo, Esq. for Portar-
lington; and R. E. E. D. Grosvenor, Esq. fur New Romney."