Star.
London, England, 1818-10-31 00:00:00

tion not to taki ten • shillings in the potincl, if aey
other Class bf etedliors got twenty.
Mr. Roams suggested that ten shillings should tie
paid to 'the tradesmen on their old debts, but that
twenty shillings should be allowed on those contrac-
ted during the last season.
Mr. WALKER expressed his conviction that all the
creditors would agree to such a proposal.
The appointment of the Sub-Committee was then
confirmed by the Meeting.
The cpiestion for the Chairman leaving the Chair
heir g put,
Mr. GEORGE ROBINS stated, that as this was pro-
bably the last time he should have occasion to ad-
dress the Drury-Lane Proprietary, he felt more than
usually anxious to avail himself of it. This desire
arose from a variety of circumstances, which he
should afterwards enumerate; and first, he had found
himself attacked in a printed circular paper, called
a Report of the Sub-Committee. This paper was as
widely as it was indiscreetly circulated, and at the
Meeting in September laic was presented to the Ge-
neral Assembly. At this period, and for the last
seven weeks, he had been absent from England, and
he lamented that none of his friends (knowing he was
in Paris), had not vindicated him from this side-
winded attack of this half-constituted Sub-Commit-
tee. In this precious document they had charged
him with being the principal instigator of the vexa-
tious proceedings in Chancery ; now it was very well
known that he acted with several other Gentlemen,
as a Special and Select Committee, who had done
him the honour of nominating him (when Lord Kin,
naird left England) their Chairman. In this capacity
the did institute, with the general concurrence of his
colleagues, the application to the Lord Chancellor;
but these Gentlemen of the Sub-Committee forgot,
in theirfamous Report, to state what had provoked
this application ; they had entirely passed over their
own disobedience to the positive direction of a large
majority of their constituents, who had pronounced
them utterly dispolfred to proceed in their avoca-
tidns, without certain ruin staring them in the face;
and that above all, they forgot the injunction of the
Proprietors, not to take any step towards the re-
opening, till the creditors were satisfactorily arran-
ged with. They did no! proclaim, in this their bril-
iant effusion, that Mr. Colman was selected and ap-
proved of; as the only fit person to uphold this tot-
tering fabric, and that in despite of this, they enga-
ged Mr. Stephen Kemble as their Manager, and were
going on rapidly to form the present bright company,
when an injunction stayed their proceedings. These
were some of the many reasons that might be urged
for the appeal to the Lord Chancellor ; and he took
leave to observe, that he did not envy them their pre-
sent feelings at this imaginary victory ; for it did not
escape him, that this high Legal Authority, after la-
menting that the Act of Parliament was imperative,
and upon that he would be obliged to dissolve the
injunction, took the opportunity to state, that he had
great doubts if the-Sub-Committee was legally con-
stituted ; and if not, they were personally liable to
the creditors for the whole amount of their claims ;
if this, his decision, gave them much pleasure, he
would not like to rob them of its full enjoyment.
This Committee had, during his absence from Ens- i
land, authorized some obscure slanderer, habited it
the security of an anonymous letter, to attack his
motives for opposing the mis-managing Committees
of the last three years. He wished he could trace
the name of his assailant ; but failing in this, he had
proclaimed him a libelious slanderer and cowbird in.
the publication th.tt gave birth to this attack, and he
should now leave the object to enjoy all the security
of his anonymous attack, and. digest those epithets
" with what appetite he may." But to the Proprie-
tary he had a different feeling, ar.d to them explana-
tion on one or two poiilts was due. He was accused
of being a large Proprietor of Covent-garden Theatre.
To that he had only to observe, that lie had not a
single share in that respectable concern, nor did he
originally subscribe to its re-building ; and he would
add, that he only lamented having embarked at least ,
£4OOO in Drury Lane instead of its rival. The one
held its head proudly high, while for the other he
'would like to get 2s. 6d. in the pouad upon his pro- ,
perty ; and this brought him to a subject upon which
he found it extremely difficult to observe, even with
common temper, he meant the e:ontnny of the prices.
Mr. Robins observed, that tor three years past his mind
had been gradually preparing, year after year, for
disgrace and defeat, under such unskilful manage-
ment ; but he had hoped to be saved this last act of
humiliation and degradation ; it was no less than to
proclaim, that " poor Old Drury" was reduced to the
level of a minor Theatre, and that Mr. Kean, whose
bright genius and extraordinary tal.vit had kept her
head high above the water, was now lowered to the
rank of an actor at the second Theatre. This was too
much to bear, and he did hope that the live persons
out of seven who visited this property, by this last
disgraceful act, should be proclaimed, that the world
might know to whom they were iadebted for this ir-
retrievable disgrace. lle was most anxious to ex-
cept some of the Sub-Committee from .the censure
rwhich he could not but pass on the majority. He
was wholly at a loss to express in 4 aL.equate terms the
respect he felt for Lord Yarmouth, and his sense of
the obligations which the concern owed to his Lord-
ship's attention to its interests. Lord Yarmouth and
Sir Thomas Turton wished that the Proprietors should
he convened before this fatal step was taken. But, ,
no ; this was not consistent with the plan of the Mis-
3Enag,ers ; they have lately lost all their popularity,
and their wise plans have been male fruitless, by
overwhelming majorities against them. This they
had not temper or good sense enough to combat
with, and therefore they took upon themselves this
dreadful responsibility. Mr. Robins concluded by
saying, he had now satisfied his feelings by placing
upon record his opinion of their rois-management,—
He should probably not again trouble them with his
observations but allow them to play the " Road to
Ruin" in their own way.
Lord YARSSOUTH said, it was his opinion so strong
a measure otsght not to have taken place without
consulting the Proprietors ; but, at the same time,
had it been brought forward before them, it would
have had his support.
Sir THOMAS TeaToN considered the reduction cif
ahe prices to be most ruinous in its tendency, unless
a similar course had beets taken by Covent Garden
Theatre at the same time.
!Ur. Roams was sorry to differ from the Noble
Lord, wilose opinion being opposed to his, was almost