Star.
London, England, 1823-02-27 00:00:00

the reasoning and calculations of Mr. Mushett, bat
the data taken by him were not fair, they should not
have been taken from 1797 but from an earlier time,
even Lefore 1792. Under all considerations he was

ready to admit that he did not think himself wrong
in the proposition he made in 1819, but in the extent
of that proposition—(Hear, hear).
Mr. 'NODEHOUSL: read an extract from, the
speech of the laze Mr. Horner, expressing an opinion
113 to the propriety of changing the currency when
the standard was depreciated. If, therefore, they
were in error, such was their authority.
Mr. HOLME SUMNER addressed some observa-
tions to the Chair, in the course of which he con-
tended that it was not it the power of the House to
deeite means for the full relief of the 'Agt icultural
Interests. Instead of relief to the Public being afa
forded by a compliance with the demands of the Re-
formers, the evils of corruption would be much more
oppressive if the representation of the country fell
into their hands. He then alluded to the Petition
from Surrey before the House; which, he contended,
did not speak the sense of all the Freeholders of the
county. Though he was opposed to many of them
at the Meeting when it was adopted, he was willing
to thank them for the degree of patience with which
they had heard liim—( Hear).
Mr. GREY BENNET rose, to recall to the House
thatthe Requisition for the Meeting, at which the
Petition before them was carried, was signed by five
Noblemen, and some hundreds of respectable Free-
holders—(hear).—That Requisition did not merely
refer to the distresses of the Agricultural classes, but
it embraced a distinct notice on the subject of Reform.
The difficulty with which a hearing was procured at
some County Meetings, by some speakers, was to be
regretted, though it could not excite surprise, as even
that House were occasionally unwilling to hear people
who were not liked, or who were supposed to talk
nonsense—(Hear, /sear).—lt was very unfortunate, but
it was so—(Hear, hear).—With regard to what had''
fallen from an Hon. Member (Mr. Ricardo), he,
would not enter into a long discussion, or pretend to
combat his opinions, without unnecessarily taking up
the time of the House on a subject not directly be-
fore it. lie could not, however, avoid expressing
astonishment at the trifling effect imputed to the
alteration of the Currency by the Hon. Member. As
if a change since 1813, which he (Mr. Benner) con-
tended, was 40 per cent. from a Currency of merely
paper, to that of paper on a par with gold, was of no
importance, and that in a country where credit was of
so much importance to millions—where its trans-
actions were carried on for more than a quarter of a
century in one Currency, and then in another, and
when at last the debt contracted in its greatest de-
preciation was finally paid in gold. All this appeared
so unhappy an authority, that he, the Hon. Member
who had supported the measures, and led the House
into them, could calculate the depreciation at four
per cent. and though even now he allowed it to be,
as if in repentance, 10 per cent. excited his (Mr.
Beane(s) surprise. In his opinion, the depreciation
at least amounted to 40 per cent. taking it even at
the 10 per teat. thus admitted, did it not add JO per
cent. to the revenue of the public creditor; to Place.
men, and to a class of persons who were termed
public functionaries, fr orn the King upon his Throne
to the lowest constable in the land, and 10 per cent.
to the pay of die Army and the Navy ? (Hear).—The
House went on at that period without consideration,
confidingly and unknowingly—(Hear, hear).—They
looked to what had taken place in 1797, and in 1812,
when that memorable vote was made, which decided-
in the wisdom of Parliament that things unequal in
themselves were equal to each other—(hear, bear)—
when they came to a vote which stripped Lord King
of his property—(Hear, hear)—when property was
They
by majorities—(Hear, hear)—and when
They voted that a pound might be paid by fourteen
shillings—(Hear).—Let it be recollected what Parlia-
ment then did, ignorantly but not dishonestly—
(Hear).—He called upon the House to look back,
and then to the distress- around it, arising from these
causes, and then he entreated it to take them into
consideration—(Hear)..—lt was often implored to do
so—Committee upon Committee had sat to take into
Consideration the state of Agriculture, and it was
extraordinary that-the source of all the evils should
have escaped their notice, and they never looked at
the effects produced by the change of Curt ency—
(Heer)—The House had been implored to look into
the origin of these distresses, and to appropriate a
remedy, but without effect. It was, therefore, not
surprising that the People should themselves express
their opinions, and discuss them in places certainly
unfit for the proper discussion of such topics—(Hear).
—There could not be a more unsuitable place for the
proper consideration of them than a public meeting ;
but if Parliament neglected to do its duty, the People
would do their's—( Hear, hear).—Though Gentlemen
might scout the Petitions of the People, he had no
doubt but that he could prove the equity of their
claims, even against the calculations of Mr. Mu-
shett ; and he would, for the present, conclude, by
hoping that substantial justice would be done them,
and that Parliament would take their case into con-
side' ation—(Hear).
• Mr. Sect etary PEEL- said, that if he were in-
fluenced by the choler which had appeared in the
latter part of the Hon. Gentleman's speech, he should
enter at large into the question of the Currency, al-
though the Hon. Gentleman, in a former part of his
speech, had said he thought the subject not imme-
diately within the ciiiestion before the House. He
(Mr. Peel) should not now go fully into that question.
lHe priocrindly rose to protest against the assumption
that his silence was an acquiescence in the opinions
and doctrines of the non; Member for Shrewsbury.
He could not allow hienself to enter into the discus-
sion of so moMentrius a subject in a partial way,
when the whole cptestion was pending. It was im-
possible by such partial notices to do justice to such
a subject, and therefore the best way was to abstain
until the proper time arrived. He would, however,
go so far as to observe, that be Could not at all un-
derstand how it could ever be supposed, looking at the
state in which the currency had been for many years
treceding 1819, so great a change could be-effected
without dui infliction of a. temporary partial pressure
....4Hear,hear).—He should, therefore, consider it no
argument against Ow measure, that such temporary
pealalines:ore had followed it. With regard to the
question Of good faith, he would reserve the consi-
deration of that topic for the discussion on the gene-