Star.
London, England, 1823-02-10 00:00:00

mons. The lion. Gentleman then moved,

following Petition shoulslbtadoscd by the
" To the flonouhille the Cittris of the'llnited
Great 111 rttain, In Porliamean assitiumed.
The ham* Pedalo* of the WAN*
lithe County of Hertford,
Sbnwetin—ThdhyouiTeritioners Iseetrelipna former
Ass, salihmined to your lionourablefthirse theft opinions,
as at present constituted, your Horiblirable notire dirt
'Toady rvpresent the People of these Reelms; and '
proceedings of year Honourable House, which has i
restive Session given fresh proofs of a deviation fiong
uion, have coufinued your Petitioners in the vaturt
neither their interests nor their wishes are duly at(
your Honourabk House.

" instead of iteletsnalned resistance to the encroach
power, a tender care for the rights of the People, a j
over the Executory and Judicial Megistracy, and .
watch over the Pat)fic Treasure, it halt heeit the misti
your Petitioners to witness too ready. a compliance
wishes of whatever Ministers flay have dispensed the
the Croon).
“ Of this unconstitutional teaderiCy in Your tionourable
your Petitioners feel the total effects in the wanton and
gate expenditure of theltreeources—.in the nuintenance of a
military force dangerous to iheir liberties-.in the enactment of
laws inconsistent with the spirit of the constitution—and in the
frequent neglect with whias.the Peditons of the People have,
been treated in that quarter where they ought to have cape-
rknced the readiest and most anxious attention.
" The evils of an inadequate Repreientation have been com-
plained of by eminent statesmen of all parties, and at different
periods; but to your I'etitiouers these evils appear greatly ag-
gravated by the additional power and influence over your Ho.
nourable House, which are derived front the present large col-
lection of taste', and the unprecedented amount of our civil,mt.
litary, and colonial peace establishment.
" Icier Petitioners beg leave to represeht, that if the state
of your Honourable House, and the circumstances which affect
its independence are at all times subjects of great public interest,
they are more particularly so at a time when the absolute Mo.,
narchs of Europe, not content with arbitrarily governing their
own dominions, are leagued together in an ailiance, the Avowed
object of which is M' check the progress of liberty, and to pre-
vent the establishment of Representative Governments—an ob-
ject which they have but too successfully carried into execution
by the military occupation of those countries to which they have
power to dictate.
" Your Petitioners apprehend no each immediate violence to
the British Constitution, but they are fearful lest a pernicious in-
fluence should destroy the basis of their liberties, and ultimately
convert the forms of a free Constitution into the convenient in-
struments of an arbitrary Government.
" Your Petitioners, anxious that Parliament avail itself of
the present period of peace and tranquillity to enter into a full
consideration of the state of the House of Commons, respect-
fully but earnestly entreat your Honourable House to liquire
seriously into the causes of a state of things injurious to them-
selves, and dangerous to their posterity, and by a speedy sod
effectual Reform of you's. Honourable House to adopt the new
sure which alone can remedy the evils of. which they tom-,
plain, and restore that good agreement and perfect ssyyatpethy
which ought ever to prevail between the House of
and the People."
Mr. WEDD seconded the motion. . • •
Mr. KING FORDHAU rose to give his cordial ap-
probation to it. He was, he said, he believed the
oldest Reformer present, but he had never given his
sanction to any Reform, and never would give if tor,
any which could work injustice to any honest man ;
and in.that view the Petition met with his approval.
Mr. W. FORDRAM said he rose not to object, but to
make some addition to the proposed Petition. He
then took a review 'of the evils under which the
country laboured; amongst the most prominent of
which he. classed the enormous extent of our taxa-
tion. Before the war we paid 16 millions, and now,
with the same price for corn and cattle, we were
called upon for the enormous sum of 60 millions.
Another evil was the 800 millions of debt—a sum
which turned the head giddy to contemplate. Not
to dwell longer on the state of our own country, did
not every one know that France, Russia, and the other
Despots of Europe, were about to enter Spain, in or-
der to crush the Reformers of that gallant nation,
and this country .did not know how to act, ham-
pered as site was by her former conduct, and by the
amount of her taxes, which so burthened us, that we,
had not the power to lift an arm in defence of others ?
Our immense standing army was another grand
evil—how different from the time of Queen Eliza-
beth, who, when asked by the Spanish Ambassador
where her guards were, pointed to the assembled
People and said, os Thele ale my guards." This spe-
cies of force was opposed to County Meetings. He
next alluded to the memorable transactions 'at Man-
chester. But mark the course of retributive justice,
those very people who assisted to cut them down,
were now meeting to petition as they did. These
were some of the evils under which we laboured, but
the want of Parliamentary Reform was the grand,
evil to which every effort should be directed ; for
what man having a poison tree growing in his gar-
den would be content with lopping off a branch
from year to year; would he not rather lay his axe
to the root at once, and cut it down ?—(Cheers).—
He then censured the composition and duration of
Parliament, and would recommend a Reform, on
the principle that taxation and representation should
be coequal ; and as an addition to the proposed Pe-
tition, he would pray the House to-enact, that all
Placemen or Pensioners should be excluded from
seats, and Parliaments be limited to one year; and
after such Reform, the House would take into its
consideration the reduction of the salaries of the Civil
Officers of Government, the reduction of the Army,
and all Taxation, to what it was before the war; and
to accomplish this, the sale of Crown lands- and
Church property might take place—(fiiues and
cheers).—There could be no objection to the sale of
Crown lands; and as Tithes were created by the
Government, surely they might be appropriated by
the same power. He then moved an addition to the
Petition, in conformity to the topics of his speech.
Mr. EDWA RD FORDHAM supported the proposed ad-
dition to the Petition, as moved by the last speaker.
Lord DACRE had hoped that he might have ab-
stained from addressing the Meeting on the present
occasion, known as his opinions were on the subject
on which they now met ; and he had hoped that the
good feeling of every Hertfordshire man would have
spontaneously induced them to adopt the fair and
candid measure which had been proposed to them.—
On the general question, his opinions had been fre-
quently declared in that place, on former occasions,
and he would not therefore trespass on their time by
again repeating them. Without Reform, he feared
taxation would not be reduced, and on that ground it
was peculiarly proper that they should petition in fa-
vour of Reform. ThOugh he agreed in the general
politics of the Gentlemen who proposed the Amend-
ment to the-Petition, and. gave them credit for good
intentions, yet he could not agree with a proposition
so extensive as the conti.cation of the whole of the
property of the Church,.&c. For that reason while •
he gave his decided support to the Petitiou, he must
oppose the Amendment proposed.
. • .
The Hop. WILLIAM LAMB Opp**

" •
i

pi 4-( they
adopted the Petition alone, he would present it as one
adopted almost unanimously by the County ; if they
added the Resolutions to it, he would still present it,
but, in defence of his own honour and character, he
should feel obliged to state, that he could not give it
his support—(Applause).
Mr. Peteg then attempted to address the Meeting,
but after declaring himself against any Refornt'of
the House of Commons, as tending to the injury'
rather than the benefit of the People, he was inter-'
rupted by the disapprobation of the Meeting; and'
though the High Sheriff exerted himself, he was un-
able to obtain but a very imperfect hearing.
The que,tion on the Amendment was then put and
rejected, only three hands being held up in its favour,
and the original Petition carried by a great majority.
The HIGH SUIRIFF declined signing the Petition
on behalf of the Meeting, as he did not concur in it.
It was then moved and carried, that the Petition
should lie at Hertford for signatures.
The Thanks of the Meeting were then moved to
the Noblemen and • Magistrates who signed the Re-
quisition, and to Sir Jona SEBRIGHT and Mr. NIcHoL-
SON CALVERT, for their conduct in Parliament.
These Gentlemen severally returned thanks, and
the Meeting separated.

FRENCH PAPERS.

• ,

PARIS, FEBRUARY 7.
The following opinion of Prince Tilleyrand on the
projected Address in reply to the Speech from the
Throne, has just been printed. We copy it verbatim :
" My' Lords; it is now sixteen years since called on
by him who then governed the world, to give him
my opinion on a contest to be entered into with the
Spanish people, I had the Misfortune to, displease
him, in developing to hint the future, in revealing
to him all the dangers which would arise in crowds
from an agg9ta.sion not less unjust than rash. Dis-
grace wax the. Price of my sincerity. A strange des-.
tiny. calla 'On me, after so long a space of time, to
renew to our legitimate Sovereign the same efforts'
and the same councils.
" The Speech from the Throne has almost caused
the last hope of the friends of peace to vanish. Threat-
ening for Spain, it is, I may venture to say, alarming
for France. War, however, has not yet broken out ;
Peers of France, there is yet a moment, a single mo-
ment, to preserve the King, to preserve your coun-
try, from the chances of so dangerous an enterprize.
Make haste to -profit by it, to fulfil the most sacred
duty, to undeceiVe the King, misinformed concern;
ing the wishes of France, of the wants of his people,
of his own interest, not less than concerning the state
of that Spain which is represented to him too much
as weakened by its intestine dissentions.
" The desire of France, it is almost superfluous to
mention it, the desire of France is wholly for peace.
Satiated with military glory, it flattered itself, under
the government of the King, of being able in the
leisure of peace to repair all the sufferings of a war of
thirty yeari. All the parties of this vast empire,
which has so many different interests, are unanimous
on this question. Lille is of the same opinion as
Strasbourg, Lyons as Bourdeaux, Marseilles as Gre-
noble. the most audacious spirit of party dare not
contest this truth. And how should it be otherwise?
Has not the merchant of Bourdeaux and Marseilles,
in this respect, the same interests is the manufac-
turer of Lyons or of Rouen ? Is not one threatened
with the loss of the treasure which he has embarked
on the ocean, and is not the other, deprived atonce of
his best market, upon the point of seeing those ma-
nufactories shut up, which but lately formed the
glory and prosperity of our country ? What shall I
say of that portion of the population who depend
upon their daily labour; who already, in consequence
of the reduction of wages, receive but a small part of
what is necessary for the maintenance of their fami-
lies, and who are about to be deprived of this last re-
source? Can you suppose, Gentlemen, that agricul-
ture, more fortunate, would escape the calamitiei
which fall on our industry and commerce? In the
present refined state of society, the prosperity of one
class is intimately connected with that of every other
class. The embarrassments of the commercial interest
will fall •upon the cultivator, and our agriculture
will suffer from the numbers who will be withdrawn
from it to perish in the desolated plains of Spain.
" Why is it not given to the Potentates of the earth
to reckon the suffrages at this awful crisis? On.onel
side a whole people, and on the other—what shall 11
say ?—some individual interests which endeavour to
turn to their exclusive advantage a restoration founded
in the interests of the community. 1, will be bold
enough to speak the whole truth. The swine chi-
valrous sentiments, which in 1789 affected generous'
hearts, and seduced the .imagination, could notiive
the legitimate Monarchy; they may again desttoy ir
in 1823, and legitimate Monarchy is, what Franke re;
quires. Gentlemen;.the question Of •war
been said, a question of dynasty ; it it mereli'i ques-
tion of party: It is not the interests of &laity. which .
are at stake, but the interests of a party, 'faithfuh to
its ancient fzei tid)cent'anct its ancient. preterision.s,-und-
which is -less anxious to preserve. than to retcinquer.
They wish lo•take their revenge On the heights
.I,,yrenees. And. what 'are the 'substantial motives
aibtich can determine Franiie; happt, tritnltra; pths-
perous as she now is, to-tisk the chinces Of`i' war-
.against Spain? -.Of what has Frofice. to conip)ain?--•
..1,11 roducea itself to tins; the Spanish Chtutet
of imperfections. •
tool am oftopinioniliar it is ftril'olimperfee-
,;ionlq But siacpyrbat.gtried is it tlf.it -neighbouring

appall (1, - A 414. fit it os
be said that this is a chitneridarigpt?tlicsq: this pi,
rieide wish has liien teceetty''reeorded in those pt.
riodictil Journals, the organs or the impure passion
which agitate the surface of our country.
44 But et' what price would those Foreigners, up
whom they midi be reduced to refic9n, sell their fad
co-operation VW ho will pay their, atinieS ? Who 'IQ
support tlielitiV. Certainly not unhappy Spain; s
ha, no treasure she has' scarcely the means of silt.
sistence ; she is rich only in courage.
44 Prudence restrains me from developing at vats
length the dangers of the war against gain; yaw
own judgment and reflections will supply further do
tails. I have said enough. however, to justify tip
obligation of my' presence at this 'tribune. I felt is
self called upon, as an old man who respect, Fray
who is devoted to the King and all his family,
has taken so large the
restoration, who,
say; by his sticcest
sibility in the rene
and the House of
able, the great wor)
compromised by
"The King is
to undeceive him.
for war ; his people
64 He is told Ow'
compromised if '
Ferdinand VII. '
avenge injuries
to dignity, Loin
dained. The haj
Louis XVIII. am
He is told th,
source of danger
this assertion.
have made alarming pro
on the contrail-
power has mad.
" Let us notliesil
of truth heard
it is under this
ment which has
Barenti. I wish
be induced, by tbi
Charter, to give
" Gentlemen,
to ask you, if there
of Ferdinand?
sonal opinion on
which is but too
Spain was never
betty, than dutii
Valencay ; and I
of my Noble Colleag
period, their IL
attachment, could
deuce—whether
in arty other light
he should be the
with King Ferdil
refusal arose only
lity of. his subjects,
he wished to owe his
tion, notwithstanding
enable you to mr
Pao

It is affirmed,
lsy the Prince of
enter Spain with
and be detached
It is affirmed
will set off to-da:
des Debate.
Advices from
war between France
ander will place
which will have

An Imperial Ordi
at Milan for the'
will commence on
The Journal de
place between Fi
cordon of Belgic
frontier."

The baggage.,
quis de Lauriston,
army. That of
diced thither some

FROM
• AUG:
It continues to
will soon be heir
semble on the

Russian divisions
whiki'a third divi
intOltaly,.whenc(
..The **toile, of
!owing as a "precikfidek'
'give it as a speeir--
" The finances are
hope for a reduction .
" The King bas•receired
part of foreign. Powers.
•Powers are .v.er y;f4antily
64 While he. deplores the
his Majesty is determined
" • If, unhappily,.w.ar •t-
Britain. wit b .neighbouring
" The King sees -
• hetween -France and
as a mediatOr.bet,
• " But bis Majesty
to any armament,
which he gives to preserve
" His Majesty is o 0
the commercial Medals'
The fo7rnal

•
3, that the ment. To the Petition itself he had strawy ob'ec- nations have conceived themselv.es stithorised so
e jar: ~. ,
....• .. . ......, ... ~ -- • . • : : . .. • .•.- mand from an independent people the reforms.*
' wad tiottalibUtkc . thetle4. Ant it w'. ' elm '. ly dekes airk their political instirmtious? What singular ref MI ''
-fgo L.
___z_ • objects of the Psirhien. "leen it was-foorl‘thaV•what -strange Lycurguses, ors a hundred
freeb44`" Vie -different branches- pr government withopit eft-, soldiers, to be followed by a hundred thousand
. , .„, ,nor
ren.,,,.. nee,. crouching upon each other, acted simultaneoutlir for Who are to be imposed upon by this pct. 1""
. ,-rpintoes, that, the good of the whotr;- and when he considerettoliat Quixotism? Is it 'supposed that the secret cf. • ex
did- not ade.
a Constitution, though easily 'destioyed, could be re- new crusade can remmusj:ltery to tirinstistit
Ih.
id
-the recent stored only with great difficulty, if at all, he felt Suraper/giVG7ntrimen; Spam reconqueringter •-i in each suc-
bound to watcjs Any attempt at alteration with a berty--Spain, without privileged daises, presents
Ticptuiobnli,crnesiis jealous and scrutinizing eye. Me contended, that-the 'intolerable spectacle to the pride Of. Despot-mkt
tended to in Itefotrn now proposed, instead of" being a right, cannot be endured; and that which has faßesi -
oachrnents of
Would bean innovation (hiSses), for What were called France must be erected in Spain—a counter-revoi •
abuses Were as old as the Constitution itself. lion. I know Wellihat thevrlirk?l74t,
lie) rcni:i.v.ineffsacoti 16.
a jealous eye . • • . ,
id a ertitani Sir J. SEntircirr approved of the Petition ; but great conspiraCy againstthel
~ of midst!! are
misfortune of was averse to the proposed Amendment. He was mad enough to townmspriC. y, suFstsViripe sole 0.
Ice with the not a visionary but a practical man; he wished to see' forts a their piitisArYs:`
he favours of , .it 11... 4.1 ,'a
the House of Commons united to the Peoples let that' support ttpbk *filch -t4e. ..y famed tlieir last, hives?
arable 110411* be done, and those sinecure places and pensions corn- " Gentlemen, the ittliOrf, witliout which they 0
in and profit- plained of would soon be removed--4 Clasen). lfthey nothing, is the SupPtikt ortoreikners.. And let it ~.

x.gr:eblnya
hpaeis7erffirgiurttha:eaArvitsdeuiiithsmisoaftyinitiee,:dioireio::
ess, has place.] his glory and re,
:newal of the alliance between Fa,,
of Bourbon, to prevent, as.far as I w
rork of wisdom and justice firm bei
y rash and misguided passions,
is deceived, Geutleinen ; it is our dui
m. He is told that his people '
°pis desire peace!
that the honour of his Crown AN
F he does not avenge the jollities-
His grandfather, Louis XIV. did
much more atrocious; and, in res.
uis XIV. is a model not to be.
sappiness of France is the true ;,ler? •
nd Louis XVIII. is worthy w Wel.. •
that Spain, a prey tis
Cr to France.. The belt *ill: *.
Is it true that doctrines 'tor
rmingpriagttsi Is At
r, since the Revolution:Of
le the most rapill,strides-amotig as?
hesitate' tientienien, to make thr v
lir one King ;he never rejects
persuasion that I support the'A
I been proposed by M. the Baron
ih the majority of this Chamber
their fidelity towards the King and
e it the support of their suffregtt
1, I will add only one word, audit'
ere are not doubts as to the secret
I do not permit myself td give a ..
n this point.; I derive it from the
o well known. Certaihly the King
:r more completely deprived of al
ing the seven years of his captiv'.
l I appeal to'the recollectioi of ' .•
)]leagues, whether, at that unto
llustrioas names, or their affect.'
old inspire that Mcmareh with
r he beheld their' attempt to deliver
ht than as a rashenterprize, of vrlici
e victim? and my pet sonar relatioa•
linand authorise me to believe, dillies
sly from a noble confidence in theiie!
mts, to whose courage and ate*
re his deliverance; This last
nding the difference of the times,
nake many inferences."
ROM THE CMIOTIDIENNit. Oral
that the two divisions e. • -
Hohehlohe, wall, if war take
h the army of. she Western Ply
I to occupy Arragon.
that the Marshal Duke de
ay (Thursday) for Rayon. ••
a Vienna state, that in the ;wt(
.ante and Spain, 'the 'Emperor
e a fleet at the:disposal of Faits
land forces on board. - •
Ordinance has just been prOmnlg4si
: levy of 6,000 men. This amiss
on the 20th of March. . i,o
de la Belgique, states, " if war sibs
'ranee and Spain, it is thought.dots
,ic troops will be established on :Ow
, ..•
of M. the Lieutenatit.General :
in, was yesterday dispatched Sur tic
the Duke d'Angouleme was elle.
me days ago.
1m THE DRAPRAV BLANC. •. OE'
3SLIURG, DECEMBER 9.
.o be rumoured that a new, Cog"
Id at Vienna ; that the Allisvgillas•
Rhine 100,000 .men and 044,4#11,
is will be entainpe
onlifall .din a ses44ol#lr
.vision so,ol)oliusiianissill•-
ce they will enabitlc for Cat**.
>I Wednesday ovening, gatv
reckfadele" of. thißilig's
.hiseeclisn.7
:imen of Parisian lorgim7A-;:nr]
dal
ire in a proartrouicasi.i. we wy ow
in of taxes. - •
.rectived ehinwitissidtilkiiioaraneeo ono
wens. Tlw reladieosiblinginat iimietto
tendly and 3.11 ti
fires the dasgre vdsieltseeimbethdosttli Sp
rtnined to preserve a. attics asentiiikle"
War 'broko-out, theisaeifieWalidatdriio6l99
hi:wring States would eapedthititiiittititA
with pain the intssadesseasdingstrathltalli
id Spain, and- deelaresxhae hit
'etween those Powera. :
ty does nll/kali:2k acneerisaspashave*ONSO
in consequeatikel..the.ceiestaisill49lllo
weefflte
toneupte4 tscitY stwmree Mika"
101106 of Giro I • 21 JAW 10.1
des f3e6alt evlrifitteralik
- 101 gt-'4
, . _