Star.
London, England, 1821-01-13 00:00:00

HANTS MEETING.

Yesterday, a Meeting of the Noblemen, Gentle•
men, Clergy. and Freeholders of the County of Hants*
was held at Winchester, for the purpose of consider-
ing the expediency of presenting Petitions to both
Houses of Parliament, on the subject of the late im-
politic and disgraceful proceedings against the QUEEN',
praying them to take such steps as to them may ap•
pear wisest and most effectual to remove every ob-
stacle to a final and satisfactory arrangement, as well
as to prevent the renewal of any measure whatever
against her MAJESTY. The Requisition, in pursuance
of which the High Sheriff of the County convened
this Meeting. was signed by several persons of rank..
At one o'clock, the County Hall was filled by Gen•
tlemen of consideration, and the open area in front
was occupied by a very large concourse of people►
As the Hall was inadequate to accommodate, with
convenience, the whole of the persons who attended
at the Meeting, it was arranged that the speakers
should address their sentiments to the large, assem-
blage without, from the windows of the Grand Jury,
Iligh Sheriff previously opened the busi-
ness of the Meeting, by having the Requisition read
in the County Hall. • .

Mr. ALEXANDER BARING, M.P. then came forward
to the window of the Grand Jtrry Room, and com-
menced his speech by observing, that at the present
momentous crisis, and under the circumstances in
which the County had been placed, he felt it impos-
sible to refrain from thus publicly coming forward
and delivering his sentiments, although he did so at
much personal inconvenience. The Hon. Gentleman,
after alluding in pointed terms to the manner •in
which the Ultra-Loyal Addresses had been got up,
said, the Ministers of the Crown having got them-
selves and the country into the deepeet mire of dis-
grace, hoped, by sending forth a.cry of alarm, to
stifle the voice of the people, by indiscriminately
branding every man with being an abettor of sedi-
tion and blasphemy, merely because he saw through
their acts, and the meanness which dictated them.--
The whole of the Loyal Addresses were intended io
prop up these Ministers, and to attempt to justify
their late disgraceful measures: that, and nothing
else, was the drift and tendency of the Loyal Ads
dresses—(Hear,hear).—lf then, the County of Hams
was of opinion that Ministers deserved the confidence
of the people—if they thought their late proceedings
against her Majesty were dictated by wisdom and
good policy—then, and then only, could the Free-
holders sign the Loyal Address—then, and then only,
could they hold up their hands against that which he
had to propose, or one of a similar nature—( Cheers).
—ll, however, they thought with him, that Ministers
bad violated their duty to the King, had compromised
the public honour of the country, and grossly violated
the best principles of the Constitution, then they must
see that they had no other course, after the Loyal
Address which had been clandestinely sent up in their
name, than to come forward and publicly speak out
their sentiments—(Cheers).—He should on the present
occasion rather propose a Petition to Parliament than
An Address to the Crown. The question was one un-
fortunately of great delicacy to the Crown, and he,
who had been always reared up in the plain and blunt
expression sf his sentiments, could not concur. in id?e
adulation ; although, at the sante time, he was as
willing as any man could be to pay proper deference
to the Throne, with all that loyal duty and respect
which became an Englishman—(hear, hear). Under
all the circumstances, however, he thought it more
befitting the occasion that the country should address
Parliament. Parliament, which was constituted to be
the will and organ of the public sentiment, should
also be the depository of the People's complaintS—
(Hear, hear),--Ile was not an advocate for any vio-
lent or sudden Reform ; but, on the contrary, rather
what was called a moderate tefermer. When he said
this, it was also tight for him to add, that when the
House of Commons met for the dispatch of business.,
if they did not stigmatize, as the People had done,
these horrible and disgusting proceedings, of whith
his Majesty's Ministers were the authors, he would
be the first to say, that the House of Commons,- by
not participating in the public feeling, would hate
done more to. incur disgrace and disrespect, than
was done by any House of Commons in the -an-
nals of British history—(hoar, hear,
He called on the People to watch the conduct of Oat
House of Commons at its meeting, as the test of its
character and claim to public support. Let that
be the true test for ascertaining whether Parliament
sympathizes with the Peopleat large, without which
sympathy it was impossible the; e could he. any Re-
presentation—(Loud cries of hoar). What he there-
fore proposed was a Petition to the House of Coni-
mons, expressing the sentiments of the County upon
the nature of the late proceedings of his Majestyl's
Ministers, which were try that House proclaimed to
be " derogatory from the honour and cli.;rity of the •
Crown ~and injurious to the best ests et the Peoisle
—(hear, hear). lie verily beneved that •no set of
Ministers in the history of the- cotton y could bb
found to have acted from mote base and unworthy
Inotives— (leers). They did net hesitate to prejudge
-the Queen's ca-c, by striking her Majesty's name out
of the Liturgy. Every stetifice but the places they
so ttassairtrtily held they were ready to make. What •
conduct, then, could he mote base or contemptible?
(Cheers). He concluded by repeating that the cobn-
try was reduced to the alter native of either subset tir-
ing to the loyal Address, or to that which he now
submitted, as a Petition to the house of comoio"
The Honourable Member, an:id loud cheeis, read
his Petition to the House of Consemos, which embo-
died the principal sentiments of his speech.
Cussitoes Nlit.r. came forward and seconded
the motion for adopting ibis Petition, in every senti-
ment of which be declared his full concurrence. •
BirW. C. De CnEsPlomr, M.P. next addressed the
Aleeting, declaring his hearty approval of the Peti-
tion. He condemned, in the strongest terms, the