Star.
London, England, 1830-02-04 00:00:00

MEETING AT LINCOLN.

A Public Meeting was held me Monday at the Guildhall. Lin-
coln, for the purpose of taking into consideration the distressed
suits of the country—ths MATO& in the Chair.
Sir Kw,. Francis BROM/LID spoke at great lensth, and, in the
course of his address, aid he was not an alarmist; he had seen the
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manufacturing interest distressed before, but agriculture was nou-
rishing; he bad seen agriculture distressed before, but manufac-
tures were itiurishing, now aU were distressed alike; and, to com-
plete the picture, there was a glut of unemployed capital in the
metropolis. This might all suddenly pass off, and there might be
sunshine; no man could prophecy in politics; but there cet tangly
could not be any harm in a thorough inquiry. During the war all
I seemed nourisidog ; he would trace the cause to the public trans-
action, since that period. The whole interval bad been a scene
of feverish disorder; occasionally in a fever of temporary excite-
melt, and now in an ages fit. The list mischief consisted in the
stsolitioo of silver as a payment. He did not wish to call in the
present small silver, though below the standard ; he wished to see
dollars of the full standard, payable, like the old Spanish dollar,
over the world. He wished to see notes antler five pounds, nut
as formerly, without security, but with ample security. Ano-
ther cause was the dimial.hed consumption of the agricultural classes.
He detested monopoly in every shape, and bad, he feared, stood
alone among the country gentry in refusing to sign the petitions;
but no sound political economist could deny the right of a counter-
vailing duty. During the war Government expended more than n
raised in taxation. Now owing to the Sinking Fund, it actual.
raised more than it consun;ed. Ever since the peace capital bad bee.
accumulating in Lotsdoo, and seeking Investment abroad, or in fan•
tactic schemes. It was fashionable to talk of over-production, lapt th
fact-was, that people consumed le.& What %could have been tie po.
Rey of real statesmen under these circumstai.ces? They would have
opened every possible ch noel for the investment of their idle capitil;
they would have cleared out all the old channels, or even dug new
ones • they would have encouraged enclosures and public works,
in-
steadof Mexican Mines, the Swan River, and the Washing Com-
pany. On the same ground he approved of a real free to ale. He efas
aware that the body of the Meeting would look to the subject of
regulars. AU taxes were, of course, injurious, but be fairly owned
that he did not consider them as in any way a cause of the preient
distress, though, whatever that cause was, a remission, as bar as
pcnaible, would be useful. Sir Edward then proposed a Fetitiorr,
couched in rather strong terms, which, after alluding to the general
distress, and offering ',aliens opinions as to the causes of it, men-
tioned a lumber of existing abuses, and cuocluded by imploring
the Honourable House to place the state of the country, in all ice
departments, under thorough inquiry, and to rel.': taxation as far
as is practicable ; to enforce a most rigid economy without delay ;
and, if necessary, to suspend the operation of the Sinking Fund
until the energies of the nation shall have been restored.
Mr. BIDFOILD, stn. then rose and proposed an amendment. He
dwelt on the great cause of the national distress—taxation; and
said that taxation was caused by the building chttrebe" and chapel',
and the erection of palaces. He referred to whit lie bad heard
delivered from those benches by the Hon. W. hlcnon, who pre
dieted what would follow the extravagant expenditure of other
times ; and when be said that there was not a tobacco-box in their
pockets, nor a button on their coats but what would he taxed, as
things went on, and that without retrenchment there must be
revolution. He then proposed the fungous* petition as an amend-
ment to that of the Hon. Baronet :

The petition commenced by stating—
That your petitioners consider it their bounden duty to represent
to your Honourable House the overwhelming distress which per-
vades the agricultural and manufacturing clamors ; and, that mil- es
the present urgent distress be speedily relieved, ft must produce
moat disastrous consequences, hazardous to the peace and safety of
the kingdom at large.
That the Cause, of the distress and the proper mode of redress
are equally apparent ; end your petitioners beg to remind your
piouourable Howe that your duty upon assembling in Parliament
is to redress the grievances of the people previous to voting tile
sopplies.
That among the chief evils which require correction, your pail-
timers concur in representing the escesaive taxation which impedes
the demand for labour : the mode by which the Church el !ms an
undue portion of the produce of the soil ; the intricate and once..
tale system of law, which almost debars justice ' • and the unequal
representation of the people, which obstructs the timely redress of
grievances.
Your petitioners, therefore, pray your Honourable House to in.
vestigate the state of the country, and to rectify, with firlespree and
vigour, the innumerable abuses which affect its prosperity ; and, as
a commencement, forthwith to repeal all the taxes upon mak and
beet, and a greater part of the assessed taxes; thereby in some de-
grew, immediately relieving the distressed labourer and mechanic,
and cresting among the people of that class and ourselves, patience
and hope order tureen, privations.
Mr. Mason seconded the petition of Mr. Bedford, as the most
temperate petition of the two, and as least cakulated to inzharrass
Ministers ; and it was carried by a great majiirity.
Mr E. Baosenue then said the amendment would neuerglise
the meeting , end after a few simile( observations, an adjoonsebrat
took plow.

NEWGATIL AND LIADENNALL—THIA DAY.
Sy Ni. Comm.—Per m... 1 NU.
VW ....ds ad Ss ad Is 44 Wa1......is 4d aid s• ei
Maus—As id a 4d 4* Od I Pork —.So ad Mod 44 4d
'
'4 -44,151,100411,14, 101 *I hike:F.le% med t-t-.'-1•.,.. .

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