Star.
London, England, 1819-11-26 00:00:00

EMPLOYMENT OF THE LABOURING
CLASSES.

V/-

~ ,

i

On Monday last we alluded to the necessity imposed
upon the Nation to find means for furnishing em-
ployment to our Labouring Classes, as the only
sound and rational plan for putting an effectual end
to popular discontent. This is rendered imperative
on our Legislators if they truly deprecate, and would
avert the horrors of a Revolution; for the distress is
real, and fine-spun anticipations, and exhortations to
patience, are no way adapted to allay the cravings of
present honer. The fact is simply this :—Such have
been the improvements in our Machinery of every
kind, of late years, that the British Weavers could
more than clothe the ..ahabitants of the whole earth.
British industry and ingenuity have outrun the de-
mands for common consumption ; and this can be
cured, only, by the Nation turning their whole at-
tention to Agriculture and internal improvements.
But how is this to be instantly effected ? Let Go-
vernment come forward with a loan to all such pro-
prietors as have not money to lay out, declaring this
debt preferable to all others held over the State, and
see the money judiciously expended in real, not fan-
c /Tut improvements; and let the interest of that money
be collected with the Taxes.

There is nothing so much wanted in the rural eco•
-
nomy of this country, as that the whole lands under
cultivation in the Island, should have at least three
good dressings with the spade; awaken the soil at least
a foot deep, then the effects of neither rain nor drought
would, comparatively, ever be felt. Were the spil
loosened, and laid open to the depth of a foot, in-
stead of the seed and tender plants so often perishing
by early rains, which mire and sour the surface,
tinder the present very imperfect mode of cultiva-
tion, the loosened subsoil would act as a drain in the
first instance, by drawing the moisture from the sur-
face downwards, and latterly preserve that moisture
for the support of the perishing plant, in times and
seasons of drought. In many instances, the plough
never penetrates beyond three or four inches deep,
while the subsoil .lies as hard and firm as the pave.
ment round St. Paul's. How often are we amused
with reports, from all quarters, of the early and pro•
raising appearance of all kinds of crops, the forebod-
ings of cheerfulness and plenty, till the summer fairlr
sets in; and then the Nation is thrown into the ut-
most state of alarm, the whole crops being burnt up
by a scorching sun, and destroyed for want of rain ;
prayers, are offered up imploring relief; whereas, if
the exarnple of the gardener (thefirrt agriculturist)
was adopted, no such effects could ever follow.—
A loosened soil of three inches deep is easily drenched
or drownee(r and as easily dried : the plants, like
thdse on ey ground, push forth and flourish till
the cl fonds, and then, alas, they are withered
aw , rn the nature of thilsgs, Dan it be other-
liciwever vigorous the .• plant may be, the
iavenfeat, or beaten sithsoil, presesits an impenetrable
barrier to the further progress of.; the roots ; and
perish they must, far want of nourishment : but open
the subsoil, and you not only create a drain in one
case, but also a reservoir for moisture in another, and
the tenderest root gets down beyond the reach of the
sun's rays, and soon covers the surface with a luxu-
riance of foliage that bids defiande to the scorching
beats; drawing nourishment from their roots by
day, and spreading their grateful leaves to receive
the dews of Heaves by night. We often blame
PEOVIDENCIC, for our own improvident mistakes and
foolish measures. No Nation better deserves peace
and plenty than Old England, and no Nation has
these blessings so completely within their reach; turn
the Nation to internal improvement, till the calls for
British produce is loud from all corners of the earth,
then the Nation will be improved and independent,
and the surest of all trades, our home consumption, in-
creased and permanent.

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Yesterday there was an tniustrally numercins at-
tendance of the Members of the Court, a Special
Court having been called by the Lotto MAYoa, pur-
suant to a Requisition, numerously signed.

THANES TO VIZ LAT' LORD MAYOR.
Mr. Deputy WILLIAMS rose to niove a Vote of
Thanks to the late Lord Mayor, for the manner. in
which he had discharged his important duties, dur-
ing the late Mayoralty. After eulogizing the pub-
lic and private virtues of Mr. Alderman Atkins, he
moved a Resolution in the usual terms.
Mr. PSARsE seconded the motion.
Mr. BLAMITT moved that the Minutes of the
Court of Common Council, of November, 1772, re-
lative to Alderman Nash, should be read. The pro-
ceedings were accordingly read by the Deputy Town
Clerk, from which it appeared, that a Resolution of
Thanks to Alderman Nash, for his conduct. as Lord
Mayor, had been negatived, by an Amendment, in
which, by a majority of that Court, he was censured
as guilty of the violation of the rights of the Livery,
by refusing Common Halls, and by abruptly break-
ing up Halls, when convened, by which the Livery
were prevented a discussion of their grievances—
(Hear, hear).
Mr. BLACKRTT, after the precedent which had just
been quoted, felt it his duty to move an Amendment
of a similar nature to the one which had been read.
—( For which see Advertisement ix our
.firsi page).—
The conduct of John Atkins, late Lord Mayor, fully
justified him in doing,so. Almost every act f that
Gentleman showed hiM no friend to the Livery or
their tights. The very first act of his was the re-
turn which he made of the pUmbers of his own
Ward, but which the Court of Aldermen had set
aside (Hear, hear, hear). He had also reftised to
convene Common Halls, on Requisitions being pre-
sented to him on proper occasions; one when three
millions of taxes were about to be imposed on the
country, particularly on the poor; and on another
occasion, when the Livery wished to give an opinion
on the horrid transactions at Manchester—(Hear,
hear). It was impossible to lament too strongly the
Meetings held in the open air; but if Public Bodies
were refused the use of their public halls, they had
no alternative but to resort to the open fields. He
certainly was most eminently entitled to a refusal of
thanks, because he uniformly resisted the will of the
Livery. He (Mr. Blacken) had voluntarily come
forward to move this Amendment ; and be must say,
that if the late Lord Mayor (Atkins) was now ho-
noured by their thanks, it was not possible fer any
future Magistrate to put such a value on their thanks
as was generally done.

Mr. C- ROOK seconded the Motion in a few words.
He could not, however, give his vote in silence, as
he thought a strong censure ought to be passed on
Mr. Alderman Atkins, whose Conduct had been, to
the several Deputations of the Livery who had wait-
ed on him, every thing but that of a Gentleman and
a Magistrate. Even when Halls were convened, the
Livery were prevented transacting their business, by
the sudden breaking up of the Hall. A Chief Ma-
gistrate, if he could not redress, was at least bound
to hear them patiently. But such was not the con-
duct of the late Lord Mayor, who always mixed his
political principles with the discharge of his duty.—
Besides, it was somewhat singular to hear Gentlemen
speak of his Lordship's hospitality. The fund which
the City gave him was for hospitality, not to enable
him to put L:4000 or £5OOO in his own pocket—
( Loud cheers)—but where was the hospitality of his
Lordship? where the boasted magnificence of his con-
duct, in supporting the dignity of his office as a Chief
Magistrate of one of the first Cities of the World?—
(Loud and continued applause). Nor was this the only
reason why he supported the I.mendment, because
the Lord Mayor had uniformly insulted the Livery
by his conduct when they waited on him. It was
with pleasure, however, he turned to the conduct of
the present Lord Mayor' • who had received the De-
putations which waited on him with a dignity and
an urbanity not less honourable to himself than gra-
tifying to the feelings of those who were thus received.
He concluded by seconding the Amendment.
Mr. Baowx contended, that there was nothing in
the Motion of Thanks which was not strictly true,
because he considered the conduct of Mr. Alderman
Atkins was such, as justly to entitle him to their gra-
titude. He thought no such reasons as those stated
by the Mover of the Amendment were sufficient to
justify the refusal of thanks. The Common Halls
never could be considered expressive of the general
sense of the Livery.
Mr. JACKS said, that with respect to the Lord
*Mayor's hospitality, he, for one, could say, that he
had certainly partaken of that liberality. The wor-
thy Member then entered into a very long detail of
the history of Common Halls. If the Lord Mayor
was wrong in refusing times to call Common
Halls, why had the Gentlemen not applied to the
Court of King's Bench ?
Mr. FATZLI, observed, that perhaps, if the chic-.
trines of the other side were true, it would be proper
that the election of Members for the City should be
confined to the Common Council and the Court of
Aldermen. The worthy Member then stated his rea-
sons for agreeing in the Amendment.
Messrs. JAMES and Gammas supported the 'mi.
ginal Motion.
Mr. Dixon said, there was apparent in the conduct
of those who supported the Amendment, a great de-
gree of envy.—A general call of ‘, Order" was ut-
tered, and Mr. Dixon declared, that they were ac-
tuated by envy, hatred, and malice!
The LORD MAYOR then interfered, and declared,
that the words were highly censurable.
The question was then put, and the Loan MAYOR
stated, that it appeared to him the. Amendment was
carried in the rotative. A division was called for,
when there appeared—
For the Aatesdarest ICS--Against it ST—Majority 16.
PROCRLDINGS BY ?NBC:001T OP ALDIRSIZN AGAINST
Tlll uvesiy.
The Requisition upon this subject having been
read, Mr. WILLIAMS rose is move a series of Reso--
lotions, the console:I of these voted at. the Coin-
mon Hallaare
ar whet as Me Asitnytionnesi in OW
:reelltaf 62411111116011ef the Com: After sense
eroF the sight and prilnla :
of the Livesyi and is prates of theee smdset of
scan WAITIMANg those oiler persons. sebum
SMUTS were ill drat ilae-eit boasted by the Ctotut

of Aldermen, he handed his motion over to the prof
per officer.
Alderman Woon seconded the Resolutions. He
Charged the Court of Aldermen with inhumanity
towards a brother Alderman, and stated that the City
Solicitor, who had been ordered to inquire whether
that Court had a right to interfere with the Livery
or not? had not yet been able to give an answer. He
(Alderman Wood) believed, that if a Common Hall
had been called upon the first application to the
late Lord Mayer, no Smithfield Meeting would have
taken place, and he wished the Court would add to
the Resolutions one to order the City Solicitor not to
go on with the prosecution.
Alderman CURTIS defended the Court of Alder-
men and the late Lord Mayor. If the Court had no
power, whit was all this form about, or all their scar-
let robes?—(A latigh). He reprobated the practice
of disclosing what took place in the Court of Alder-
men, and said he never could be guilty of doing so.
Mr. Alderman WAITSISIAN believed there never
had been a case like the present in the history of this
country ; for he never knew of the proceedings of the
Court of Aldermen against himself and others, till
he saw therit in a report of the Court of King's
Bench. • When the Honourable Baronet talks of the
election of a Lord Mayor being obstructed, did he
forget that it was the custom of all elections to exa-
mine the character of the Candidates ? Besides, was
it not known that there had been a conspiracy to take
possession of the hustings and to raise a tumult, and
did not that loyal body do every thing they could to
prevent the discussion of grievances?—(Loud cheers).
The worthy Alderman commented severely on the
proceedings of the Court of Aldermen, and declared
his determination to persevere in the defence of the
rights of the Livery, which were involved in the pre-
sent prosecution.
After a discussion, which. lasted some time, the
Resolutions were carried, without a division, by a
majority of about six to one. It was also Resolved,
that the Court should recommend to the Court of Al-
dermen forthwith, to drop any further proceedings in
the prosecution.
The LORD MAYOR laid before the Court a Letter
of Thanks from Marquis Camden, which
.was read,
and ordered to be entered.

An application was agreed to be made to Parlia-
ment for a further sum of money for completing the
improvements at St. Martin's-le-Grand.
Thanks were voted to the Chaplain to the late
Lord Mayor, and the CcoUrt broke up.

DR. WATSON A ROXSTED.—Dr. WArsow, after ha-
pa the Radicals, on Wednesday, was roofed-
ti ing-home, when he was arrested for the expenses of
the dinner given to Mx? Huslx, on his grand entry
into Londed. . • "
•