Star.
London, England, 1821-12-05 00:00:00

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him to go far 'enough, as it only prayed his MAjesty
to institute an inquiry into the state of Ireland when
Parliament meets. But the other Petition prayed
his Majesty to assemble Parliament forthwith, for the
purpose of instituting an inquiry into those evils and
distresses under which Ireland has so long laboured,
and which. had given rise to enormities and atrocities
which no man could contemplate without feelings of
horror. He would therefore put it to the Meeting
whether such a Petition should not be presented to

es.
in produeintthe present state..of things' in Ireland.
Bet how was ?his scat things to be remedied ?
Heaven.alone could tell. Some said by making men
live on their estates--others .by taxing absentees:—,
But they must first make the country fit for a hnman
being to live in, before any of the libsentees
even for the sake of their own properties, give an
occasional residence among them. They must dis-
courage private distillation for the payment of their
rents, and, by so doing, withhold the strong excite.
meat which habits of smuggling and the intoxication
of whiskey give to the commission of midnight out-
rage. They-must cultivate better their own native
resources, and encourage domestic industilc Some-
thing, of course, must be done by the Legislature,
besides making a barrack of the country. But from
whom were they to expect that legislative assistance?
Was it from such an Administration as the present ?
Was it froM Ministers whose principles of Govern-
Knent were bigotted and despotic ? No ; he confessed
be had no hopes from such men. They had neither
.*e.vrisdom nor the honesty for the task ; nor could
any partial change in the Ii ish Administration work
any good for that unfortunate country. What was
the conduct of these men on a recent occasion?—
They deluded their Sovereign, who intended to serve
Ireland. The King was in fact shut out from all in-
formation of the real state of things, and the Mini-
stets deluded him by a mockery of idle parade and
apparent grandeur, which covered over beggary and
misery. Nothing could shew more the poverty of
Ireland than the utter inability of the people, with all
their good will, to contribute towards the intended
Palace; nor could anything exhibit more strofigly
the hollow character of the Irish placemen, than the
fact that even they, with their hundreds of thousands
each year out of the system—with the overgrown
wealth of the Church, and the plunder of the place-
men, would only contribute a few thousands on such
an occasion. The old remedy of coercion was again
about to be applied in Ireland. He knew that out-
rage must be punished; but were there no evils to be
redressed ? Talk not to the peasant of Catholic Eman-
cipation. What matters it to him, if starvation be
his fate, which Church shall divide the spoil? Bat
he called upon them to take c ire, that whatever re-
medy they now applied should go home to the pea-
sant, and inspire him with confidence and hope.
Their whole system of Government in Ireland was
too expensive; they paid too much for an influence
that was bad, and nothing for an affection that would
save them. They taxed the people too high for their
means, and more than half of what was got was
pocketed by the mode of collection. The people
could not bear this system any longer—their industry
had no fair play. A solemn inquiry into the state of
Ireland must take place, or the country was undone.
But that inquiry would be a mockery, unless they
declared at the outset that they were prepared to
make great sacrifices, and to begin them with what
were called the privileged orders; they, with the
whole twain of placemen and pensioners in Ireland,
extracted too much from the public stock. This was
the truth; he knew it was unpalatable; but it must
be told. His stake was small in the country, he had
suffered much from the present system, but he had
happily survived much of its effects; he could not,
however, but feel for his unhappy country.
A Gr.. rLEIIAN—I beg leave to move that we ought
not to hear this Gentleman any longer—(A laugh).
Mr. DANIEL DONOVAN said he had just concluded
his rem:tilts.
The Earl of DARNLEY said, he was glad the Paper
had been read, for though it contained much that
wasirrelevant to the object of the present Meeting,
and though many of the statements were exaggerated,']
yet he could not but confess that it also contained a
great deal of truth.
Mr. Wita.s read a series of Resolutions, and was
proceeding to call the attention of the Meeting to a
Pamphlet on the Population and Resources of Ire-
land, when he was called to order by
Mr. C. WATSON, who observed, that the only ques-
tion for the consideration of the Meeting was the ex-
pediency of presenting a Petition to his Majesty,
p aying him to convene the Parliament with as little
delay as possible; but if their time were to be occu-
pied in hearing dissertations upon the best means of
affording relief to Ireland, they might sit there till
Parliament actually met on the 3d of January.
The Earl of DARNLEY decided that the speaker
WAS out of order.
Mr. WILLS submitted to the decision of the Noble
Chairman. He could not, however, help expressing
a wish that an opportunity would be afforded to the
English Public to ,express their opinions upon the
existing ;tate of Ireland. He held in his hand a book
which pointed oiti in the clearest manner the causes
. of the disturbances at present prevailing in the sister
country, and—
• The Earl of bansmar was convinced that the
worthy Gentleman entertained a most correct view
of the case, and no doubt he would take an opportu-
nity of giving his opinion to the Public upon it ; and
in the mean time, if he would be so good as to men-
tion the name of the book to which he alluded, bis
Lordship pledged himself to study it before the next
Meeting of Parliament.
Mr. 1\ ILLS said the title of the book was 4' Obser-
vations on the Population and Resources of Ireland."
Mr. CORRY read the following Petition, which he
thought it would be advisable to present to his Ma-
jesty on the present occasion :
" MOST Gascrots SIMALICN—We, your Majesty's ever loyal
and dutiful subjects, the Noblemen, Gentlemen, Merchants, and
others, natives of Ireland, resident in London and its vicinity,
beg leave humbly to represent to your Majesty, the deplorable
*ate to which that country is at present reduced; humanity
shudders at the hare recital of such horrid and diabolical crimes.
" When your Majesty so lately condescended graciously tovisit
that Island, your Majesty's paternal heartfelt sensation of de-
light at the cordial, dutiful, and affectionate reception year Ma-
joey experienced from the warm-hearted sons sod daughters
at Erin ; but, alas! great Sir, what sorrow will the paternal and
anceptible heart of your Majesty new feel on node ee-
Tainted with the dreadful scenes passing there at this inonents
No tiw, divine or human, is respected, and neither life, pare"
nor property arc secure or protected, but the must atrocious and
*mulling murders are daily perpetrated with impunity. Most
august Sire, we whose limes are hereunto subscribed, agonized
wl:h this truly distressing mate of our native land, most humbly
. implore your Majesty to take the same into your Royal coin-
deration, and give such orders on the meeting of Parliament, as
in your Majesty's wisdom the nature and urgency of the case
• • requires. And we shall ever pray, &c."
The Earl of DARNLEY said the question was, first,
whether any Petition should be presented to his Ma-
jtaity, and, secondly, what the nature of that Petition
was tn be. The Petition just read did not appear to

lay as possible."
This Resolution being carried in the affirmative,
thanks were voted to the Noble Chairman, and the
Meeting separated.
Link irealisgtan, of bill-sticking notoriety, was present dur-
ing the whole of the proceedings, and endeavoured once or twice
to obtain a hearing, but understanding from those around hiss,
that he bad no right to address the Meeting, or else hopeless of
bring attended to, he declined giving publicity to his opinions
on the subject.

his Majesty.
Mr. SPRING RIM M. P. begged to offer a few
words before the motion was put. He should not
have obtruded himself upon the Meeting, were it not
that he had promised to convey to them the opinions
of his Right Hon. Friend the Member for Waterford
(Sir John Newport), who was unable to attend per-
sonally on this occasion. He came forward with
the less reluctance, as in delivering Sir John New-
port's opinions he was also stating his own. He did
not mean to discuss the propriety of presenting the,
proposed Petition, neither did he mean to enter into
the still more difficult and delicate question of the
distresses of Ireland. A time would shortly come
when he and many of those around him would have
an opportunity of discussing such subjects in their
proper place. But he objected in lintine to entertain-
ing any Petition at all. He objected to the constitution
of the Meeting itself. But even if the expediency oil
such a Petition were .allowed, he should still have
felt the delicate and difficult situation in which they ,
were placed : he should have dreaded the want of
the necessary inf amation upon which to act. He
should have feared the very great danger likely to
Arise on the other side of the water from such a
proceeding, whether the Meeting called for mili-
tary aid, or fee relief fee the sufferings of the People.
Small and trifling indeed would be the advantage to
be derived compared with the evil which such a pro-
ceeding was likely to produce. Could any man do,ibt
that Parliament would be speedily called together
fer the purpose of taking the disturbances in Ireland
into consideration? He was not, any more than the
Noble Chairman, in the habit of reposing entire un-
limited confidence in the present Administration;
but he felt that they must he less than men, that they
must be totally divested of all feelings of humanity,l
who could look to the present state of that country,
without taking every necessary step to inquire into
and relieve its distresses. On these grounds it was,
that he objected to. any Meeting being held on this
subject. But how was this Meeting constituted? He!
appealed to the Gentlemen present for the fact. Ile'
called upon them to pause before they established a
precedent so injurious, so fatal to the interests of Ire-
land. That Meeting was called by an anonymous
advertisement which appeared in the public papers.
He (Mr. Rice) feeling an interest in the subject,
wished to know by whom the Meeting was called?
The Gentlemen who published the advertisement had
kertainly given the Meeting a local habitation—he
wished they had condescended to give it a name and
designation also. He applied at that Tavern for the
names of the Gentlemen who had called the Meeting,
and was referred to the shop of a stationer in the next
street ; he went there, and the names were refused.—
The Hon. Gentleman went on to spew that this would
establish a dangerous precedent, inasmuch as it would
enable any number of persons to call a Meeting on
Irish affairs (in the absence of the great Irish Land-
holders), and there to discuss and decide upon the
most important matters. These were the opinions of
Sir John Newport, and they were his opinions also.
If any Gentleman wished to stimulate either the Irish
Government or that of this country to any measures,
let a regularly signed notice of a Meeting be given,
and let the subject be fairly discussed. Constituted
as that Meeting was, they could not call themselves
the " Noblemen, Merchants, and Gentlemen, of Ire-
land." It was true they had the good fortune to have
for their Chairman a Nobleman, whose name was
sufficient to give dignity and character to any Meet-
ing ; but then his Lordship was, like himself mid
many other Gentlemen present, only an adventitious
guest. The Hon. Gentleman in conclusion said, that
he had but lately returned from the county of Lime-
rick, where he had resided for the last two months,
and be could assure the Meeting, that nothing could
equal the misery: and distress to which the country
was reduced.
After a few words from Lord DARNLRY and
Mr.
Colonel Mosiscor proposed an Adjournment, for
the purpose of giving further notice of a Meeting,
when a fuller attendance might be expected.
Mr. Ham senior, moved that the Meeting do
adjourn sine die.
Mr. WATSON thought the Meeting would not pro-
perly consult its own dignity, if-it adjourned without
coming to some decision. The constitution of the
Meeting had been arraigned, and its competence to
die discussion of a measure affecting the interests of
Ireland was called in question. They were a Meeting
of Irish Gentlemen—that was their constitution, that
was their right. It was a libel en the King, and on
the Government of the country, to pretend to call its
attention to the present state of Ireland. It would be
better that the Irish Gentlemen should be told to go
.back to their country, and there exert themselves to,
check the progress of disorder, and to put an end to
the outrages that were there prevailing. He was sorry
Ito see so many Irish Gentlemen there. That was the
time of day when every man should be at his post; that
was the hour of action, when every man in the ship
should be in his station on the deck, and not slum-,
bering in his hammock—( Cries of Hear, hear ! )—'
Let the Gentlemen of Ireland be seen in their places,
let them there call Meetings similar to this; let them
repair to their estates, and there assemble their
te-
~nantry; let them tell them that they are deluded and
mistaken—that they are drawing down destruction
on their own heads—that not they alone are dis-
tressed, but that the whole Empire feels the pressure;
that in this country too it is heavy and severe,.but
that the people are bearing it with fortitude, like
men, and look forward with hope and confidence for
better days. From the mouths of their Landlords and
Gentry they would believe this, and by their advice
and exhortations they would be guided; but they will
not by those understrapping agents who are now
placed over them, and whom they have long looked
upon as their most grinding oppressors. The best
resolution for this Meeting to adopt appeared to him
to be an expression of ahem firm and unanimous re-
liance on his Majesty and the Government, for the
adoption of the best measures for amending the con-

IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL MEETING.

.. • 'n
dition of Ireland.--The question being then put on own country be too large: the question, in his ts:i •
the motion of adjournment, it was negatived. resolved itself into a small focus. By LLing om;
Mt. W. lIEMIER tl ght that in all cases of extra- corn a duty equivalent to the Poor-rate; ar
ordinary danger and difficulty, the wisdom of Parlia- charges, with which the English farmer ha,
but he thought preceding
iPe
)1, el..-
4 County meet was the best adviser to which the Governmeot tend, and of which the foreigner knew uctt
of the country could have recourse, and therefore former would be protected.
moved "'That in humble Petition be presented to his Mr. holrtaantfoo ;
trr agreed with thePrec a
Majesty, praying him to lay the present alarming con-
to imp
ditton of Ireland before Parliament, with as little de- the best for discussing the question.

Lord EGREMONT thought it too comp,
question to undergo calm and effectual discussion
a Meeting of the County. He wished to have so,
thing definite and distinct proposed now.
Mr. ELLS! AX, jun. advised another Periiina,
House of Commons; and then read a series
lotions censuring the Report of the Select Com -
of the House of Commons on the Corn Lay
congruous, its reasoning in some parts being b„
reedy opposed to that contained in other mho-tit
Report, as to leave the present race of farmers vett
little hope of escape from irretrievable ruin, sub
Petitions, and in still greater numbers, be pry
to Parliament in the ensuing Session, setting fori
dreadful and melancholy situation, and praying fa
immediate relief.

Monday, pursuant to advertisement, a number of
the most affluent and respectable Farmers of the
County of Sussex, assembled at Lewes, for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the present de-
pressed state of Agriculture. The Earl of f:cittamowe
took the Chair, at the request of the Meeting, and
stated that, though he had considered the subject at-
tentively, yet he found himself unable to come to a
decision on the Agricultural question.
Mr. LAMBS (a Magistrate from the East of Susses)
said, the distress in his neighbourhood was alarming :
he spcke not merely of the condition of the occupiers
of land, but also of the state of the Landlords and the
Clergy, who severely felt the pressure of the times.
The number of men out of employ in the Eastern
district was very great, so much so, that in the Rape
of Hastings only, no less than 1,000 persons were
unemployed.
Mr. HAYMAN') confirmed this statement.
, Lord Eonestosx wishei to know the real situation
of the poor in the neighbourhood of Lewes?
Mr. &Luise, sen. stated that, in the Parish of
Glynde, where he resided, the Poor-rates bad risen
very materially during the last twenty or thirty years,
although employment had been given to men who
otherwise must have had parochial relief. He had
paid for labour, during the last year, no less a sum
than from £1,400 to £1,500, a great proportion of
which had been useless to him.
Mr. Hayman° said, that in Burwash the number
of paupers had greatly increased, so much so, indeed
that out of a population of 1,900. there were actually
4.00 (including the whole families) unemployed.
Mr. LAMBE remarked, that the Poor-rates afforded
but a very deceptive criterion by which to estimate
the real amount of distress. In the East of Sussex,
there prevailed a system of billeting the poor; that
is, the farmers mutually bound themselves each to
maintain a certain number of paupers, who were thus
prevented from resorting to the parish for relief.
Mr. Hircutna said, the poor were employed at
Hailsham in the laborious and degrading employ-
ment of drawing gravel.
Mr. INGRAM must say, that it was disgraceful to
see paupers occupied in the way that had been de-
scribed ; as a further prcof of the feeling which pre-
vailed on the subject, he said they had received from
the lower orders the degrading appellation of convicts.
Mr. ELLMAN, jun. had prepared a series of Reso-
lutions, which he would either read then, or postpone
till a County Meeting could be determined on.
Lord EOREMONT thought a County Meeting would
be of little utility, unless some one should be prepared
with a specific proposition. His Lordship animad-
verted on the contradictory evidence presented to Par-
liament on the subject. In Yoikshise, where he had
large estates, the Poor-rates were only seven-pence in
the pound. The distress was not so severe as in Sus-
sex. His Lordship thought the present distress to
have been caused by too hasty an attempt to alter the
currency. He took shame to himself for having
voted in Parliament in favour of the abolition of the
Property Tag, since he was now persuaded that, on a
modified scale, it would be the most salutary mea-
sure that could be adopted. Every man, however,'
who mixed in public affairs, would often do things
which he would afterwards be compelled to regret.
It was said by many, that the Debt of she country
was a great evil ; yet no one could say that it was a
loss to the nation ; on the contrary, it was but the
transfer of property from one class of the community
to another. It was, in his opinion, a mine of wealth ;
and he was persuaded much evil would result if a re-
duction of the Debt should take place. For himself,
his Lordship said that he had not, nor would he ever
have, one farthing in the Funds, and therefore, in
what he stated, he could, of course, be influenced by
no personal feeling. He must say, that he thought
them a sort of bank in which all might take refuge;
and that we should find ourselves much poorer with-
out them. He had, during a life of seventy years,
witnessed many and various revolutions; and he must
say, that any one who could bring himself now to
speak confidently on the subject, must be of a very
different frame of mind from his own. He thought,
that before a County Meeting should
.be decided on,
the measure ought to receive a careful consideration.
Mr. ELLIIAN, jun. thought the importation of fo-
reign corn caused the depression. In 1818, the ports
were open, and no less than 600,000 quarters of fo-
reign wheat were imported, which thus met the early
and abundant harvest of the following year. The
supply for London was estimated at 16,000 quarters
weekly, one-eighth of which would have been foreign
corn. Now either 600,000 more quarters of English
and Irish wheat would have been consumed, or some
of the importation of foreign wheat must still remain
unsold. lii June last, he knew that 50,000 quarters
remained on hand, which the factors had orders to
sell whenever it 'reached a specific price. The con-
sequknce was, that the London market, which it was
well known had an astonishing influence on all others,
had, till the last harvest, been much depressed.
Lord EGREMONT, adverting to, att overflow of stock
in the markets, said that it might be•caused either
by too great a growth, or by 'the ppiierty of the far-
mer forcing him to send his corn.for sale.
Mr. HITCIIINS was of opinion,'that the primary
cause of the present distress was to be found in the
resumption of cash payments, and the con,sequent
diminution of the circulating medium, which bad the
effect of checking speculation, since now the agricul;
twist bad neither inclination nor means to.indulge in
it. He believed that this year would not expire with-
out the ports being opened. If the growth of our

The Resolutions pointed out several of the •
gruities complained of, particularly in regard to
importation of foreign grain. The spirit and
deny of the whole ate embodied in the two lag lit,
solutions, viz.
" That this Meeting are of opinion that 401. per 4naoaa
wheat, 10s. per cwt. on meal, and the amount af duties nem
'lterated, are the lowest which can afford protectius to the k
tish farmer; there being at least that difference between flue"
of production here, and the cost of production there, 44,
with the expense of conveying it from abroad, and therefore,"
cording to the admission of the Report, at page 16, sky"
only tains what they are fairly entitled to.
" That it is clear, that although the rain in the fn's his
must fall on the tenantry, still it is not len so, that u feu,
merely the surplus left after allowing the tenant a fair mow"
his capital and industry, it will soon reach the landlords,"
through them every class of society."
After some pause, Lord EGRKMONT row, andd,
serving, that as no one appeared disposed to sped
upon this proposition, he would take leave to suggtt
what, in his opinion, ought to be done; he wa,st
able, he was ready to say, to form any judgment,t .
so long a paper, merely from healing it once itt4
and he presumed that the same inability must anal
to others. Therefore, he proposed, that this pig
should be printed and published for general cis
deration, before that or any other Meeting wascathl
upon to decide as to the propriety of its adoption,
Mr. ELLNIAN, ill& stated, that he had this lawl•
ing received a communication from a Gentlest%
who stated, that it was the intention of Gores m%
early in the ensuing Session, to propose the shop.
Lion of the present Corn Laws, in order cookies
the imposition of a duty upon the import of kuips
corn. This Gentleman was Mr. Webb Hall, Ito
stated that he had received his intelligence lea Xt.
Huskisson ; and here Mr. Ellman read an extort
from the letter of Mr. Hall. The intention of
nisters was perhaps of the same nature as that pro•
posed by Lord Londonderry in the late Agricuitsral
Committee, namely, to reduce the Wareing price
to 70s. a quarter, and to impose a duty of 15s. en
every quarter of foreign wheat, which should after.
wards be imported. To this proposition, Lowe,
the Committee did not attend, or at least nodetisiat
was pronounced upon it. But with respect to tie
Noble Chairman's recommendation of waiting Gaul
the Spring before any measure was taken nod
against the evil of opening the ports, he coils:
by any means acquiesce in that recommeudnia;
for such delay on the part of the Agriculturistsuall
imply the desertion of their Parliamentary adezatec
and especially of the County Members, who his
strenously stood by them.
Several Gentlemen spoke in favour of a Coll
Meeting. It was then moved that it berecomanki
to the several District Meetings to consider dab
tress of Agricultuie, as well as the general stall
the Country.
Mr. BLACKMAN moved an Amendment, which*
tained an allegation in the Report of the Agtioltri
Committee, namely, " to consider of the jujus:kali
injury cast upon all classes of the people by angel
tied currency." After hearing of the cases aka
mity which had been stated in the course of date!
and particularly of Englishmen compelled,ficole
distress, to carry barrows from morning till WO
with bells about their necks, he could not help*
pressing his extreme surprise that a greater Of
had not been taken by the Gentlemen with
this. Meeting originated, and by whom it
to be conducted. He was surprised, for instance,
no observation whatever had been made, mall
any proposition submitted, with respect to these
through whose conduct the country had been
to its present melancholy ccndition—(Appieet
Nor was it even noticed that, among all tlO
and Commoners which this countty conuatat
one was in attendance at a Meeting upon s
of such importance, but the Noble Earl in the CM
who, so much to his own honour, seemed by bhp»
settee in due degree to sympathise in the xants,w!
evince so much solicitude for the interests do
country men—( Loud applause ).—But the Gentkas
from whom this Meeting emanated, seemed tail'
altogether lost sight of the object which they okt
to have kept in view, and not at all to have teak
the end, or conceived the extent of the evil whichio,
deplored, for they had not even adverted to ku!4
'where that evil was now operating with such ser/:',
He was astonished to hear Mr. Ellman ascribe'
our distress to the low price of wheat, whil!k,_,
tirely overlooked the low price of meat. Ass7l
aware that bacon was selling at 3d. a Polos_j,
that the peasantry of Limerick were in open T'S
against rent, tithes, and taxes? Did not the so;
Gentleman feel that the principle of that wall.,
the same as that to which the complaints dos
Meeting referred? Yet the very serious distur.
in Ireland hkai not even been mentioned by any
ceding speaker who supported the views of M
man. He agreed' with the Noble Chairman, ro
County Meeting would not be th proper
the discussion of a case of this natue re, uiless
j
tern and practices of the men who hadoeosi, La
our distress were also brought under consttraLa
The Meeting had heard a great deal about. thel;
and low prices of grain, but lie had un&•II°P

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