Star.
London, England, 1829-01-30 00:00:00

~~

EAST INDIA AND CHINA TRAISE:
rogue urrinso PIS TAISHO 111T0 COMMA'S= THE MtAin OF
AANOIII/19 THE misfit 111111TAICTIONS 01 THE 114D1 or tut tort
1210111 AND CMUSA.

From the Second Mklois of the Limped Courier of Wednesday.
Ilfre sive Mr. Gladstone's Speech entire, as Jr. contains an the
mytotentp for the cm . vrtkids the MelAapts seek tirmake out,, in
whoteprsfrrcnce to ape-eases equally.l
Ihii'dey,'et twelve o'clock, a respectable and nume-
toasty attendettiffeerinrof the 'bierthants-and other
Inhabitants rf the town was. held in the liorough Ses-
sions-room, for/the purpose of considering of the most
effectual measures to be adopted for the removal of the
disabilitiesunder which the free trader to India at pre.
sent labours, in consequence of the restrictions imposed
~,hy the East India Comftany.
..Shonly after twelve o'clock NICNOLAS ROBINSON'
Esq. Mayor, attended by a number of Gentlemen, took
his seat on the Bench, and, after stating the object of
the Meeting, and his readiness to advance every means
which should be for the benefit of his fellow townsmen,
called upon the Town Clerk to read the Requisition for
calling the Meeting. The Requisition having been read,
Mr. (kepi:CONS rose to move the first resolution.—

He commenced by saying that the resolution which had
just been read by the worthy Town Clerk had informed
the Gentlemen whom he had the honour of addressing
that the great objects of the Meeting was to oppose the
renewal of the exclusive privileges which the East
India Company had so long enjoyed; to obtain free
access to and free trade with India, both with the coast '
a,:cl with the interior; and, also. to open the trade with
China, the ports, of yrhich were hermetically sealed
against all but the Company's traders—(Cheer-).—
The merchants and other inhabitants of Liverpool,
had frequently met in the field under The influence
of opposing and conflicting opinions, each party im-
pressed with their, own views, mid determined to op-
pose those of the other. But. on the present occa-
sion, he was happy to think that they would all be
found of one mind—all desirous to promote the princi-
'des of free trade and equal rights, not only for their
n individual benefit as merchants of Liverpool, but
for the general benefit of their fellow.subjects generally,
and those of the outports particularly—(Cheers). The
Noble Premier (the Duke of Wellington) had recently
- said that he considered the settlement of a certain great
que•tion as necessary to the well being, ant only of the
country generally, but of the inhabitants of the whole
empire individually. N rw, the question before the
Meeting was, he contended, one of equal importance.
Bettire, however, be proceeded to trouble the Meeting
with the few observations which he should think it his
duty to submit prior to moving the resolution which
he field in his Fraud. fie should read the resolution
for the information of the M eting—(Here Mr. Glad-
stone trod the melodist)). Such was the resolution
Vhich he should have the honour to submit to the
meeting before he sct down. This (sai 1 Mr. ti.) is
ti e third time be had had the honour to appear in
t e ranks of ditto who had been opposedto the exclusive
privileges of the East India Company. lathe year 1792
•theolerchams and inhabitants of Liverpool took the
field against thia overgrown monopoly. At this period'
they Mato -ome pr rest, it is true; but it WAS of a
very.llll.i ed extent. They obtained permission to ex-
port tv Lidii a bruited quat.tity of manufacturer, but
ciafined to the ships of the company, subjected to
heights and charges imposed by that body, and ex-
p tied through the port of London alone. Li.nned
and shackled as the intercourse was, the one ports availed
themselves of the petmission, rind participated part'.
ally in tie I rdia trade. Such Was the force of preju-
dice. such the influence of the Company, that more
could not. at that period, be wrung from the Legisla-
ture. It was urged, among other rearans. far renewing
the Cha,tei her t%eirty one yeitis, that'the Company's
debt might, in the ihtes val, he reduced; but the debt
had not he• n reduced born that day to this, and it was
now greater titan it had ever been—(Cheers) Again
in the years 1812 and 1818, he had oe honour to be
deputed. along with his worthy friend the Mayor. Mr.
Alderman Ilturne. and other Gentlemen, to proceed to
London, in order to oppose the renewal of the mks-
pie privileges which the East India Company had too
long enjoyed. There the deputation was met by depu-
tations from every considerable town in the kingdom.
Ile hoped that the same plan, the same system, would
be adopted on tire present occasion, and that the depu-
ted• n which might be s: nt luso this town would see
at their head the Chief Magistrate of the town. Tire
presence of the Chief Magistrate had given great
weight and influence to the deputation. and find pro-
moted the objects of the mission in no inconsiderable
degree. On that (cession certain further concessions
were made to the outports. Many of those canoed. As
were maJe, too. in the teeth of the hostile opposition of
the Company and their friend.—(Cheers), The outports
• were then told that they had obtained a free trade to
and free intercourse with India; but, in his opinion, it
was no better than delusion to sly that they hid ob-
tain-J
.a tree trade to India. They were denied all in-
tercourse wish the interior of that vast continent. They
were hampered be• licenses, the issuing of which' de-
pended on tire will of t':e C urt of Ditectors,.subject,
it was tures to the revision of the Board of Cont.oul.
N.) person was ever permitted td leave the presidencies
tut the interior without a license, in which the object of
the jodrney was lipeciAtaily *apses:ed. Their shirt
were limited in and they were compelled to
send vessels 'fan inconvenient war. These iessd. were
• limited in the nutnhefirf their seamen, and compelled to
restore or account' fin ewe one of: them, uodet hooey
fines and penalties. if teriiftapperied to be tlfislitfitest
deviation from thisepiessive. these coerOiv4 regu•
lartons—(Cheers). The ,outports were, too, denied a
participstion ill the import trade from the East,
certain articles of idiom having to be sent to L ,n-
-don for sale. in emit, their bands were tic', their flit
were shackled, and
.every step which they took was
token with difficulty and expense. The wonder was hue,
restricted as.the Oxide has been, the outpaces bad con-
trived to carry it on either with success or profit. That
they bad carried on both with success and with profit
was a striking instance of the energy and the enterprise
of British merchants; and the extent to which the pri-
vate trade to India was now carried might serve to show
the extent to which it might still be carried were ty.e
intercourse with the East unrestricted and free. Such
were a few of the difficulties with which the oatpoits
had had to contend in their traffic with India. His
friends who would follow him would, no doubt, point
ant others equally oppressive, and, as they were much
more competent to the task than he place this great
mercantile subject in a clear and striking point of view
before the Meeting--(Cheer,). To consider bow those
difficulties were to be removed and overcome was the
object of the present meeting. He was persuaded that if
the twenty feel., as he trusted it would feel, the impor-
tance of this peat question, and unites simultaneously
in the promotion and support of the object in view, there
was nu power that could effectually oppose or thwart,
BM vied deign--(Chters). He would now speak of
the Direcwn the East India Compatqt a blay which'