Star.
London, England, 1830-10-11 00:00:00

LINCOLN COUNTY MEBTING.

At one o'clock on Friday a meeting of the Freeholders was convened
by the High Sheriff, at Lincoln, for the purpose, as expressed by the
requisition sent to him, of petitioning for the reduction of a considera-
ble portion of the present enormons taxation, and particularly for the
removal of the duty on malt.
The place appointed for the meeting was the Castle-yard, which is a
spacious quadrangle, surrounded by walls or buildings net either side.
It is capable of accommodating very many thousand persons, and on an
occasion about a year back, when a meeting was held on the subject of
the beer and malt taxes combined, it was crowded to excess. On the
present occasion it exhibited a marked contrast ; and although the time
of meeting was postponed an hour, and it was market-day, and the city
thronged with farmers, not more than 1,000 persons were assembled.—
These were, however, almost entirely of a respectable description. The
general feeling seemed to be, that they ought to wait till the intentions
of his present Majesty were ascertained.
The HIGH SHERIFF briefly opened the meeting, and, after reading
the requisition, expressed an intention of confining the discussion solely
within the limits pointed out therein.
Sir ROBERT HERON then presented himself, and commenced by
lamenting the paucity of the attendance on the present occasion. They
had at last certainly obtained a great deal off the beer tax, out to render
the measure complete, it must be taken off malt also. The latter would
enable the labourer to brew his own beer, and consume it at his home,
thus keeping him from the demoralizing consequences of public-houses.
The measure had never been opposed, except by that miserable faction'
which had Lord Eldon for its head, Michael Sadler for its tail, and
which was aided by the virtues of the Duke of Cumberland. He
thanked GOD that the time was gone when the opinion of that party was
of any consequence. They had now a most excellent King, who did
not think gew-gaws and gorgeous display necessary to the dignity of
the throne, anti who, he felt confident, had the interests of the people at
heart. (Great cheering.) They had a new House of Commons, one
certainly not more corrupt than the last ; and he, therefore, felt a con-
fidence that their prayers, if earnestly made, for relief, would be at-
tended to. After adverting to the recent events in France, and then
again to the topic of the effects of the Malt Tax, Sir Robert
Heron concluded by moving a petition to be presented to the House of
Commons.

Major HEALEY seconded the modest. I
J. C. CALCRAFT, EIR. M.P. said, that in the face of those who had
laid on those unjust and ruinous imposts under which they were la.
bouring—in the House of Commons to which they had sent him—they
would always find him at his poet, faithfully and undeviatingly per.
forming his duty. He had no hesitation in saying that the petition
for the removal of the Malt Tax had his hearty concurrence; but it was
not to that alone he would direct his exertions, for he would extend
them to two weighty burdens on the people—the assessed taxes and the
window tax. He would also labour for the reduction of sinecures. These
were subjects compared with which the malt tax was unimportant. He
was also an advocate for reform,provided it was a moderate and a prac-
tical one. In all these, he was ready to go along with them, hut he
begged to impress on them that there was not only much for their
member to
.do, but also much for them to do. The petition had his
concurrence, and he would advise them to petition and petition on till
they forced a hearing.
The SHERIFF inquired whether any one was disposed to come for-
ward and oppose the petition ?
No answer was made.
The Sitzairr, said, if the petition was not opposed, it was his duty
to announce it to be the unanimous petition of the County of Lincoln.
It was afterwards arranged that the petition should be sent round to
the various County towns for signatures, for which ample time would
be given, as it was not intended to present it till the month of February.
Mr. HEALEY wished, as one of the County Members (Mr. Chap-
lin) was present. to call on him to state whether he would support the
petition.
Mr. CHAPLIN said he had no objection to the first part of the peti-
tion, but he did not think the tax on malt the one most necessary to be
repealed. He would support any motion for a reduction of taxation,
which he did not think detrimental to the country.
Mr. HEALEY thought Mr. Chaplin was not the person in whose hands
the petition ought to be placed. He therefote moved that Sir William
Ingilby be requested to 'Resent and support it, and that Sit It. Heron
and Col. Sibthorpe be requested also earnestly to support it.
Mr. CALCRAFY seconded the motion, which was carried, and thanks
being voted to the Sheriff, the meeting then adjourned.