Star.
London, England, 1810-02-10 00:00:00

doubt,
that the time for the'reformation of that place

was. come. The present system was avpreted 4sto•
torious and mooed eorruption,-,Sents inPeeilesent
were acknowledged to have been bough; and sold, and
the practice had been defended. Nothing but a Reform
in Parliament could make the Representation what it
ought constitutionallyto be. • His Lordship nest ad-
verted to a sort of corruption upheld by the sante :Ts..
I tem, with which species'of corrupdonlse Must naturally
loe more acquainted than manyof those who-heard him
as it was intimately connected with 'the profession oi
which he was a Member. This corruption, they would
recollect, preyed upon the vitals of a service essential,
to the existence of this country, and frequently para.
lized its efforts. Upon this part of the subject,. his
Lordship first mentioned, that lkt ships of the line
were in commission for the purpose of watching about
forty ships of the enemy, a number on our side which.
he thought rather unnecessary. He next adverted to
the system which began in 1796, by which the Adthi-
rals were deprived of the power of rewarding merit,
and the patronage placed in the hands of those who
made the service subservient to their political views,
in gaining over the boroggh interest. Promotion was,
therefore frequently the reward not of merit and service
but of political influence, and thus a practice was pur-
sued which had a direct tendency to paralize the exer-
tions
of the navy, the encouragement of which was so
necessary to the power and even safety of the nation.
His Lordship next adverted to the abuses in the Ad-
miralty Court, and stated that the present Chancellor'
of the Exchequer had in reversion no less a sum than
' X:33,000 per annum. From the complicated sys-
tem cf fees and charges of different descriptions in
that Court, the captors did not find it worth their,
while to sue for condemnation, the expellee of which
often exceeded the whole value of the prize. Even
when a valuable prize was condemned, it often h ip-
pened that the charges of condemnation exceeded the
whole sum paid to all the captors, officers, and mcn.
When a privateer was brought in, and condemned,
and the charges and fees for sinecure and other offi-
cers amounted to more than the value of the prize, the
difference was made up out of the pockets of the peo-
pld (dpfilauser). His 'Lordship also stated, that Cap-
tains, in order to suport this system, which swallowed
up the produce of cltptures, were deprived of a third
of their former shares, to • be divided among the sea-
men. Ought these things to be? Was this just ? Was it
not contrary to every conception which could be enter-
tained of justice and sound policy ? His Lordship
then called their attention to the system of commerce
pursued by our wise Ministers. Under which, he oh:
served, there was great reason to believe, that the com-
merce of France.was carried on with as much facility
as our own. On the subject of Licences, his Lordship
expressed his suspicions, that these were not given to
all who demanded them, but that they were made
subservient to the great object of Parliamentary sup-
port. But however that was, there was reason to be-
lieve that foreign vessels were admitted into this coun-
try in great numbers, in defiance of the navigation
laws. No one could pass tip and down the river
without being convinced of this. He stated that up-
' wards of 10() foreign ships, with French produce, had
arrived lately on one day, and 70 or 80 a few days
afterwards. IR the river of Bourdeaux alone, there
had been lately a convoy of more than '2OO vessels.—
It was necessary that the public should be acquainted
with these things ; but he would not trouble them
any further on the subject, as he intended to bring it
before Parliament, m hen he hoped it might be discus-
sed without shutting the doors.—[His Lordship's
speech was received with great applause, but we regret
that we were not near enough to catch all the points.]
Sir FRANCIS &ALM rr presented himself to the at-
tention of the Meeting, and was received with loud
and universal acclamations. The worthy Baronet ob-
served, that if any thing were necessary to induce a
steady perseverance, an increased exertion in the great
cause which convened the Meeting, that inducement
was.presented by the unanimity which so happily pre-
vailed upon this occasion. That unanimity was in-
(lced so ardent and impressive, that the man must
have strange feelings whose heart it did not serve to
cheer—whose resolution it did not tend to encourage
and to animate. For himself, he should only say, that
he felt as he ought. that such a people deserved a bet-
ter fate than they were permitted to enjoy. But this
had always been his opinion, and he had never omit-
ted to express it in a room not far distant. (Shout'
of applause.) He had never hesitated to declare,
that the people had as much right to one-third share
of the Legislature as the King had to the Throne •
(aNdausts), and
.yet of that right the people were be-
reaved. "that which legitimately belonged to them
had got into the possession of a new power in the State,
and to this power all else was obliged to bend. The
contest was not now as formerly against an arbitrary
King, or an arrogant Nobility. No, but against abase
Borough faction,which was equally hostile to the rights
and insulting to the independence of the People, the
King, and the Nobility. Against that faction the
measure then under consideration was pointed, and
unless they were overthrown the country was gone.
For how could it exist under its present circumstan-
ces—in such a state of distress and difficulty, as
the overweening power and corrupt proceedings
of that faction had occasioned ? To submit to the
sway of such persons was really degrading to the
people. It was not a submission to the lion, but to
the jackalls (Applause). These Bdroughmongers were
in fact the very worst men in the community, and the
evils with which, they afflicted the country, not only in
its freedom ard finances, but in its morality, were
really incalculable. Yet when any of these evils were
pointed out, were made too glaring to be deceived—
why an act of Parliament—as if we had not quite
Acts enough to punish guilt. But, in fact, the pro-
position of a new Act was only a mere evasion, ope-
rating generally to protect a criminal, without any
tendency whatever to prevent a crime. Already we
had about 115 Acts or ParliaMent to regulate
elections, when a new Act' was 'added, the whole
calculated only to impose upon the public, without
koldiag out even the promise of any effectual good,
without serving in any degree to cur the evil corn-
plained of. That evil consisted hi .the unequal re-
presentation of the people in the Cornmons' House of
Parliament. Let that evil be. removed ; let the ax
be applied to the root, and then all the acts he had
alluded to would become unnecessary. But 'how
could such acts ever be necessary ? How could'any
Act. of Parliament be required for the punishment Of
public robbery, any more than for other crimes, Wbicla

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rat; punks was held sacred I. These Acts were,
*ded, brongbt forward, ,only to' avoid the real re-
apsly for gut t ; but that remedy must be obtained ;
irsot, the country could not but foresee its doom ;
*al if it disregarded the several serious warnings it
'Mod received, it must expect to suffer. He remem-
bered 'a fable, in which an old man was described to
have received apromise from Death, that he should
not be taken off without three sufficient warnings.—
Well ; first the old man lost his hearing next the
use of his limbs ; and, thirdly, his sight : yet, when
Death the old man complained that he

, approached,
had not had sufficient warnings. But could the people
of. England ever complain, that they had not had suf-
ficient warnings of their approaching fate? They had
the warning of barracks, of bastiles, but among
many other warnings, they had that of the intro-
duction of foreign troops. (Loud altitiause.) For
what good purpose could. these troops have been in-
troduced among us ? How were they necessary to
our safety ? Were we not able to defend ourselves
Could we not rely upon the gallant soldiers,. who,
although extremely inadequate in. numbers, were.
able, at least, to arrest the progress of that enemy
which chased those Germans out of their own courts
try.? (Loud I:l3watt.) The introduction of these
foreign troops was is every view he could take of it,
a most offeusive proteeding. They were not required
for our defence, and why then should oar resources,
already so burdened, be subject to incionbrance for
their support ? Or our liberties, already so much im-
paired, to be exposed to the danger of their presence ?
These troops were in fact, little else in effect, than
the advanced guard of Bonaparte—they were the best
pioneers he could select. For their appearance and
connection throughout the country, where many of
their officers were invested with important commands,
was calculated to damp the spirit of English freedom
—to deteriorate the nature of the English character,
and to fit it for subjugation. To avert, if possible,
the dangers to be apprehended from the introduction
of these corps, he had thought it his duty to bring
forward a motion in the mom overtire way—(a
aittlawe)" from the result of which he hoped to have ,
the means of devising some adequate provision.—
After adverting to the dangerous system of attack
pursued against the press, 'that great palladium, or.
rather that inseparable accompaniment of liberty,
particularly by the usurped power of the Attorney-
General, and the vicious mode of irnpannelling juries
for the trial of libels, the Honourable Baronet con-
chided with an impressive appeal to the meeting upon
the state of the country, and the vices of the Govern-
ment, and upon the indispensible necessity of reform
to save the country from ruin.
The Thanks of the Meeting were then voted to the
High Bailiff, fur his conduct in promptly obeying
the requisitiOn, &c.
Mr. MORRIS returned his thanks for that honour in
a short speech, which was loudly applauded.
Mr. FINN ERTY also spoke 'in favour ola reform.—
lie spoke of the conduct of certain members of the
House of Commons, and thence inferred the necessity
uf.a complete reform, mote especially from that of a
Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Windham) who
had unjustly cast a stigma on a certain class of per-
sons who professionally attended the*Gallery—per-
sons who were to the full as honourable and respec.
table as himself, and with whom he would never have
been able to enter into any competition had he not
been born 'to fortune. But for that circumstance, in-
stead of being a Member of Parliament, he (wanting.
abilities to follow their profession) would probably at
this period be editing a new edition of Joe Miller.
Mr. WARDLE then came forward. After some
preliminary observations, he said he trusted the peo-
ple would constitutionally persevere in seeking a re-
dress of the grievances beneath which they laboured
by insisting on a fair and equal representation, and'
demanding a Parliamentary Reform. He expatiated,
at some length, on the necessity of, and the advan-
tages that would result from a Reform. He had on,
a former occasion told them, that if they were fairly
and honestly represented, the whole of that oppres-
sive and inquisitorial tax (the property tax) might
be taken off. For this assertion he had been called to
a severe account in that Room—(Here be pointed to.
wards the House of Commons). He had, in conse-
quence, pointed out wherein great savings might be
made. He had proved that more than eleven mil.
lions might be saved to the people of this country.
He had followed up the subject by moving for certain
documents, from which lie would prove the truth of
his assertions. Whenever the people were fairly re-
presented, he was certain that more than eleven millions
might be saved ; and said, if he lived till that time he
pledged himself to save more than that sum, At pre-
sent it any public abuse were brought • forward into
which it could not be denied but an. inquiry ought to
be made, Ministers appointed their own Commission-
ers to investigate the evil complained of. Those Com-
missioners were continued in office year after year,
and the result was, the public had to pay large sums
in remuneration for their services in addition to their
former burdens. Six years ago it was thought
necessary to appoint a .Committee to examine the
accounts of General Delancey. The Commis-
sioners had constantly received as a reward for
their exertions the sum of 87000 a-year. They had
never made bat one report, and he understood the in-
vestigation was in such a state, that it was not expec-
ted the accounts 'would be thoroughly examined these
30 years. Thus, for an inquiry into a defalcation of
£loo,o€lo, for that was the sum deficient, the public
were to pay £7OOO per annum, he knew not how
long. He would next call their attention to a more
open subject. The Physicians forming the Medical
Board of York Hospital, Chelsea, in their Report
far year 1800, stated the quantity of wine
drank in that Hospital amounted to twelve pipes;
but in the last year it appeared that a pipe had
'been drank in every ten days. Our brave soldiers
bad been sent to languish in Watchmen. Where
then were their medical attendants ? They were
not to be found, Or at least could only be found in
'Chelsea Hospital, drinking their port wine. With
respect to the calumnies by which his character had
been assaileA, those were no more than what every
'Man must expect who presumed to advocate the
cause of the people. It could not be expected that
he should reply to all die falsehoods which bad goal
abroad. Such a general refutation, as it would no
be'worth their_ beanng4so it would not be worth his
utterance. There was, however, Me point to which

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