Star.
London, England, 1810-01-16 00:00:00

417,!7'•.7

cot/Jar MEETING, BERKSHIRE.

,
Yesterday a very numerous Meeting took ptice of
the - Freeholders, Clergy, and lahabitants, of the
County of Berk:, in the Town-hali of Abingdon, pur-
suant to a requisition signed by a respect:dile body
of Freeholders.'

As early as twelve o'clock the Hall was corn-1
pletely crowded in every part, and about halt-past
one the High Sheriff, Sir T. M ETCALFE, having taken
the Chair, proceeded to re.ld the requisition. He stat-
ed that the meeting was called to consider of the pro-
priety of addressing his Majesty on the present alarm-
mg crisis of public affairs. The objects that would
present themselves would prObably be two:.-Ist,
Whether they should agree to address his Majesty at
all, anti 2dly, wbut the nature of the address should
be ? He hoped that every fiteeholder would be heard
with attention, and reminded them that the humblest
among them was as much entitled to that attention, as
the richest individual in the county.
Lord Foucesfoivz then rose. Before proceeding
to the business open which they, were c?tlled together,
be thought it right to say a few words in conscsinepoe
of what fell from the High Sheriff respecting the pri-
vileges of the freeholders to be heard for themselves.
He agreed with that Gentleman, as he supposed every
individual nbw present did also, that a forty-shilling
freeholder was entitled to as much attention as any
individual in the county ; but he could wish to hear
why the votes on all public occasions should be con-
fined to a freeholder of forty shillings a year, or why
it should not be extended to every individual' land-
holder? It was his wish originally not to have a meet-
ing of freeholders only, but of the whole county :
, the High Sheriff, however, had• thought differently,
and convened the Meeting in its present form. _ In
behalf of the freeholders under forty shillings, he
claimed the privilege of voting, and he touched on
this point thus early, that any freeholdersinesent, if
so disposed. might challenge the sight of voting which
be now claimed.

desultory conversation here ensued, and it
seemed to be the sense of the meeting; that freehol-
ders, of every description, should have the privilege of
voting.
Lord FOLKESTONE then continued: he congratulated
the meeting on the unusual circumstance of their being
assembled at Abingdon—he could not help consider-
ing this as a triumph, since frOm the erection of a
certain building at Reading, gentlemen had been ac-
customed to represent that town as a more convenient
place for public meetings. He had heard it insinuated
that the Sheriff's object in preferring Abingdon was,
that popular objects were more likely to be obstructed
there than at Reading. For his part he rather thought
the reason was, that Reading being nearer town,
made the people there better acqnainted With the
corrupt transactions which were carried on at the
seat of Government.

Here the High Sheriff interrupted his Lordship
by saying, that he would have preferred Reading as
the place of. meeting, but he could not• command
the Town Hall, and he would not condescend to ask
a favour of an; Corporation.—(ifftialauser )
Lord*FoutesroNE then proceeded : he conceived it
Impossible for any man, whether at Abingdon or at
Reading, to object to the Address he meant to pro-
pose. When they considered the present state of
Europe and of Great Britain, he did not think they
would consider the epithet of ala-ming as objection-
able, when- they reflected in what bands the dif-
ferent branches of the Administration of the Empire
were placed, and how peisoos in power conducted
themselves, Gentlemen could not but feel dismay and
alarm. The recent annexation of Holland to France
was sufficient to render the present moment alarming,
but when we turned towards Spain and saw how little
hope there was of the people in that country doing
any thing for themselves—when we looked to the state
of disaffection in which Ireland was placed by the im-
politic and imprudent conduct of Ministers towards
that country, we could not but regard the present
state of the empire as perilous in the extreme, There
was, another circumstance which added to the dangers
of the country, and which he hoped would not be lost
~sight of ; he meant the introduction into these realms
of nutherous bodies of foreign troops. He hoped the
meeting recollected the noble stand that was made by
our ancestors in the reign of King William, when they
opposed the introduction even of two or. three Dutch
regiments, whereas at this moment there were twenty
battalions of foreign soldiers nourished in the country.
(Lard applause.) Another circumstance which add.
•-,,ed to the alarming state of affairs was the dissentions
stow prevalent in India : he woulcinot entn at much
length into this subject, because he did not as yet
know whether to regard these disturbances as a sub-
ject of grief or congratulation—if we attempted to
retain possession of India by arms, he could not help
regarding it as a great calamity ; but if we saw that
the resources of the hostile powers were sufficiently
great to forbid any attempt of th it kind, he would
consider it as a haitpy event. We had been told
that our Indian teiritory was a great arm of
the Empire ; but, in his opinion, it was an arm
of weakness. It was false to suppose that the
wealth we derived from it was at all to be compared
with what we lost by it : it was a perpetual drain
upon our population, and rrinct produce the most
ruinous effects. It was extremely probable that the
saying of Lord Chatham would speedily be made
good, that Indian banners would he the ruin of the •
Country.—Another topic on whkh it would be ne-
cessary to dwell was our Expedition to thC Scheldt. '
No armament had ever cost so much money to the
Country: The number of men 'employed in the-dif
ferent departments amoitotel to above 100,000.
Over all these was set the name of Chatham —a name
dear to the Country. All this mighty project ended,
Itowever, in battering down the walls c,f the inolrm-
sive ;own of Flushing, and in the taking of Middle-
burgh, Winch had po walls at all. The Expedition
sailed in the month of August; in twenty-four
bouts it reached its destinatiou—jt could have accom-.
plisbed its object in a few days, but it was kept for
months in bogs a;id marshes, subject to all the diseases
of the country. He trusted that something would
be done to fiad out where the blc,r.te. lay ; if in the
plailnete. he hoped they would be punished; and if
in the Commanders, they ought not to escape with
impunity. But there was another still more disgrace-
calamitous expedition, namely, that to Spain
!lder Sir Arthur Wellesley. All present Must re.
nembes the spirit of liberty that broke g in that

. •

country, and how by the influence of zeal and love
of liberty, the Spaniards had succeeded in driving this
French out of their country ; they then introduced
local Governments, and sent to this country for sup-1
plies - here their misfortunes began—the Ministers of
this country did all they coula to crush the rising
spirit of freedom that was rapidly pervading Spain.
Their first act of impolicy was to create one central
Government, instead of those local Governments
which the people were bent upon establishing, and,
what was more surpriting, they compelled the Spa-
niards to proclaim Ferdinand VII. the very man
who had betrayed his country to France. The spirits
of the people soon began to flag, and' then external
assistance was resorted to. NVhen our armies arrived
in Spain, the people were as jealous of them as of the
armies of France. This had been witnessed in the
case of Sir John Moore, and one would naturally sup-
pose that this was a lesson to Ministers. Another
army, however, under Sir Arthur Wellesley, was
driven into the same snare by his bold but rash con-
duct—he obtained a victory, but it was followed by
all the consequences of a defeat ; the army was left
in an unwholesome cli'mate, and were now about to
return without having accomplished any thing. It
was no wonder that these things should happen, when
it was found that. the men who had the conduct of
affairs were quarrelling with each other, and yet
were still pci nutted to send out expeditions. What
remedy is left for the conetry, under these alarming
circumstances, but to Address his Majesty? If the
answer from the Throne resembled that given re-
cently to the Common Council of London, namely
that no enquiry was necessary, he must suppose that
Ministers had wilfully concealed the circumstances
from his Majesty ; for if he knew the ruin and con-
tempt which they brought upon the country, he
could not but be alive to their misconduct and to
the complaints of his people. it was the duty
of the meeting to tell his Majesty the truth—he
reminded them, that every speech from the King
was to be considered as the speech of Ministers,
and theiefore might be freely discussed. There was
no doubt that some persons would advise the people
to wait until Parliament met, and then lay their
grievances before it, but what bad experience taught
us on the subject of Parliamentary enquiry ? It was
a notoriouilfage that some how or ether, Ministers
bad the powl/of commanding majorities in both
Houses of Parliament. Heconceived, therefore, that
there was little to hope for from .Parliameht, and the
only resource left to the people, was to address his
Majesty and tell him their real sentiments. His Lord-
ship concluded by reading the following Address:
" We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal sub-
jects, the Nobility, Clergy, Gentlemen, and Freehol-
ders of the County of Berks, beg leave to approach
your Majesty's throne with feelings of sincere attach-
ment and devotion to your Royal Perscw, of anxious
solicitude for the honour of your crown and the safety
of your dominions, and at the same time with senti-
ments of the deepest affliction at the perilous situation
of the public affairs of these.kingdoms.
" It is unnecessary to remind your Ma.iesty of the
enormous burdens imposed on your people for sup-
porting the war in which we are engaged ; of the
species of taxation it has given rise to, novel in its prin-
ciple, offensive and invidious in its collection, and op-
pressive beyond all example in its magnitude..
Your Majesty has nevertheless seen that your
subjects have patiently and even cheerfully submitted
to sacrifices as unexampled in the history of this coun-
try, as they have been injurious to numerous' classes
of its inhabitants, in the hope and confidence that the
councils of your Majesty being directed by wisdom,
by prudence and fidelity, the privations of your sub-
jects would be hut temporary, and that their zeal and
sacrifices would be ultimately rewarded by the secu-
rity of your 'Majesty's throne, the prosperity of your
dominions, and the confirmation of their own liberties
and independence. It is, however, our duty and our
misfortune to halm it to state to your Majesty, that
we discover neither wisJom, prudence, nor fidelity, in
your Majesty's advisers ; that their acts are marked
by every appear-ince cE rashness, incapacity and f )11y;
and that under the government of persons so appa-
rently inadequate to avert the dangers and difficulties
of the country, we see no ea.i to our misfortunes.
44 We humbly crave hay: p:.rticularly to call your
• Majesty's attention to the f: witless efforts of your gal-
lant army during the last year. Your Mi.jPsty's.ad-
visers and commanders had for their guidance and
instruction, its the last campaign in Spain and Portu-
gal, the melancholy experience of the fate of the ever-
to-be lamented Sir John Moore, mid the sufferings of
his brave followers ; and yet a second British army,
superior in numbers maim first, and alike conspicuous 'for
its gallantry and zeal, was sent there, and hurried on
into the heart of Spain for no other purpose than that
of making a useless display of valour, and meeting its
own destruction. We crave your Majesty's gracious
attention likewise to the fatal expedition to the Scheldt;
when the flower of your troops, without the oppor-
tunity of performing any exploit worthy of them,
were permitted for months to perish by diseases pecu-
liar to the climate, and which your Ministers must
have known to be prevalent there at the time when
they thus doomed your Majesty's troops to destruc-
tion. At the same time we participate in the satis-
faction which no doubt must be felt by you' Majesty,
when, in contemplating these national disaiters, you
observe that the character of your army was never
more exalted, and that its undaunted valour has al-
airays risen in proportion to the difficulties which it has
had to encounter ; a consideration, however, which
must increase the regret, and aggravate the disap-
pointment which these disasters have occasioned.
" It is with equal grief and shame we are com-
pelled further to submit to your Majesty's attention,
that whilst the armies of your empire were perishing
by famine and the sword in Spain, and by disease in
Walcheren. your Majesty's Ministers, regardless alike
of the honour of their Sovertign and the dangers of
the Country, have consumed the time (which ought
'to have heen exclusively devoted to the public ser-
vice) in the must d:sgraceful sqnabbles, intrigues.
and cabals ; and have not hesitated, by publishing
these transactions to the world, to expose your Ma-
jesty's Councils, and the character of your Govern-
!new.. to the ridicule and contempt of surrounding
nations ; and to prove themselves the faithless and
unworthy servants of your Majesty and of the public.
We humbly, therefore, supplicate your Majesty, that
you will be pleased to institute a most rigid enquiry
into the causes cf the calamitous issue of the two ex-
111:ditions to Stain and tl Sclsel4; and we us;
• .

7

1

. ,
assured that your Isfiety ell do all that rietin_yotte
power • to prevent th, :.. eerence of similar disasters,
by bringing to cclkdie;: , ueishment the authors of our
misfortunes. We c.e.. at conclude this oer humble
Petition to your Majasty, without alluding to your
Majesty's gracious answer to a similar Petition from
the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Din-
don, in which your Majesty is pleased to refer the
Petitioners to the wisdom of Parliament. We pre-
sume to state to your Majesty, that we have seen for
years past, with the deepest concern, that attempts
to procure Parliamentary Enquiry upon the subject
of our National Misfortunes, have in all eases been
unsuccessful ; and in the course of the last Sessions
we witnessed, with not less astonishment than indig-
nation, that a system was adopted, and almost pro-
claimed, of protecting public men from public en-
quiry ; a system which is in direct defiance of the
uniform practice of the best periods of our history,i,
and the most undoubted andenvaluable principles of
our Constitution. It is on this account that we pre.
sume to prefer this our Petition to your Majesty, in
doing which, we have the happiness to exercise tint
great and constitutional privilege, which was at-
tempted to be taken from our ancestors by the arbi.
trary and unprincipled advisers of the House of
Stuart, but which was for ever secured to us by that
glorious revolution which produced the happy succes-
sion of your Majesty Family to the Throne of these
Realms." .
Mr. BLANDY seconded the motion for the Address.
Mr. MATHEW MoNeeoue then rose. He rejoiced
in the opportunity now given him of expressing his
most cordial approbation of the important privileges
given by the constitution to the people, of thus meet-
ing together and publicly discussing the affairs of the
State. He recognised, in its fullest extent, the right
of the subject to petition the King, and he also ap•
proved of that Resolution of the Meeting which gave
every freeholder, great or small, the privilege of de-
livering his sentiments. He considered such meetings
as calculated to check and contrail ti:e Ki:tg and
Parliament, if either was disposed ;o trench on the
liberties of the people. But while he recognised these
true and undoubted English principles, he could not
conscientiously say that it was judicious at present to
discuss the state of public affairs in so full a meeting.
(Hear, hear !) He thought that if the Meeting had been
confined to a smaller number of individcals, every pur-
pose might have been answered. As it was, however,he
hoped that Englishmen when addressed would con-
sult their reasons as well as their passions. He would
thus early say that he by no means came to the same
conclusions with the Noble Lord as to the present
state of public affairs, and he begged that the Meet-
ing would hear him patiently if what he said had rea-
son in it. (Much laugher.) There was a sort of slur
cast on Gentlemen who opposed popular addresses,
and on this account he thought it necessary to profess
that he had no selfish or sinister object to serve ; his
wish was to speak honestly and independently. When
the Noble Lord spoke of the alarming state of public
iaffairs,he perfectly agreed with him that they were
alarming ; but if affairs were alarming, let us beware
I of trusting to the representations of any set of men
1 whatever ; let us beware lest in the Lseat of the moment
we awaken against each other feelings which should
only be excited against the common enemy. One
great cause of our alarm, was the unity, vigour
and capacity which dlected the Government of
1
France ; ought we not then to beware of throw-
ing
difficulties and dissentions in the way of those
, whose business it was to meet the mighty arm
I of France ? With respect to Ireland, he saw no
I
grounds for arty alarm on that score ; he con-
I sidered that country as more tranquil at present than
: it had been in former times. As to the introduction
I of foreign troops, he did not think it fair to call to 1
i the recollection of the Meeting the antipathies of our 1
ancese rs to Dutch troops, particularly at a time when
our own standing army was so small, that the'King
might have overturned the constitution and destroyed
the libertie's of his subjects, by means of a handful of
foreign soldiers. With respect to the other causes of'
complaint against Ministers, the grounds generally
taken, and indeed the broadest of all was the failure
of oar foreign expeditions. He had no doubt, how-
ever, that when these expeditions carpe to be dis-
cussed in the proper place, namely, in Partament,
the people would be enabled coolly to judge for them-
selves : it was impossible, at a public meeting like the
present, to enter into all the various views of policy
which actuated Ministers in fitting out these expe6::-
ditions. He would not attempt to enter into so wide
a field. He did not flinch from the subject, because
he dreaded to meet the subject ; but he challenged
the Noble Lord to say, whether in subjects of such
importance we ought to lose that spirit of good fellow.
ship and unanimity so necessary to carry us through
.our difficulties, on account of Ministers ? He thanked
GOD that it was not of any importance to the public
at large who were Ministers—(a loud laugh.)—There
were talents enough still in the country to supply the
places of these now in power if they gave offence.—
" Gentlemen," said Mr. Montague, ,g let us despise
those men who talk of any set of as fit to be Mi-
nisters—let us despise thsse persons, who, by appeal-
ing to the passions of the populace, think to gratify
their ambition, if not their avarice. Gentlemen,
do you suppose that Parliament will not institute
a rigid enquiry into all the subjects of complaint
that may be brought before it ? Has Parl ament
ever been deficient in doing its duty?—(Always,
exclaimed a linndred voices). What ! Was Mr.
Fox i (A. They never listened to him.) What do you
. mean do you want to substitute yourselves for the
Parliament ? What, is your ground of complaint ? (A.
Its incompetency.) I can't help that—(Loud laughter).
What, arc we better able to understand the various
points connected with these expeditions than the Par-
liament ? Can we send for Lord Chatham or the
Admiral of the fleet ? Has the Sheriff any power over
them ? In short, I deny that it is in our poWer to in-
terfere except by overturning the State at once.—
Is the Parliamrt to be put down, because certain
Gentlemen are out of temper with it ? Do you
believe, that, by endeavouring to destroy the bul-
warks of the Constitution, we shall be better able
to be voted
to put down Bonaparte ? Why is this violent and
intemperatef,onredistrustingweek
bbefore
f Address de
tid
Itrohe
ses
es
meetingu(
o
(groan:
l will o"nf do
Parliament
a hints)
laiaitmuennttil l'laralima-
uorebehleieivieasthcoant
consulted
Kdpinargiwiaimllet;
mtheinnt
hrniseeMts.iniste3r2 bed!.
Is. h. e a stout-hearted Englishman if he does ?"—He
--ed that the present Parliament was as honest a

.. , , 1— . -----•••••4
me as elves itt In Nista ft Introduced and eeti.
blished many of those liberties which we now •
(tiny
and if, they are overturned, it must be by want of i:n,
aniniity among ourselves. He would maintain, that
those who stood up to eicite dissentinns at the pre.
sent moment, assisted the enemy. He did not thiak,
with a Noble Lord, that we should be bettered by
losing India. Perhaps the: Noble- Lord would time*
away the West Indies on the same ground !—With
respect to our Expeditions : was it to be said, that, be.
cause they were unsuccessful, the grounds were hapo
litic or unwise ? With respect to Spain, he did tint thick
that the Government could have acted otherwise than
they did. They
.could not know that the Spaniards
were cowards until they were in the field with diem
--,4 I next come to the dissentions among Minister
themselves. I - admit that nothing could be mot*
disgraceful, but I see no bse in noticing them here.--
1/ This I will say, however, that those who quaire!N
with each other were no patriots, and, thank Cob,
they are now out. Of cqurse nothing in the Al
dress now proposed can apply to,Ministers on Qt.,.
score ; and as for the Duke of Portland. we all kllo‘v
that be is out, done, gone,. dead—(mud. Ifili:lki„-)._
Those who remain arc not the men who planned or
executed the expeditions so much talked of ; but
if any of them do remain in the Cabinet, let theta
answer for it.• I can see no other object in this
Address, than the dismissal of Ministers, with this
addition, that its language tends to degrade and su.
persede Parliament. I see nothing but the advan,
tape of the enemy in this Address. Happy and
glorious will be the day to Bonaparte when he seesit.
Leave the business to Parliament, and if. they (I.);ft
take it up, let us meet again. And now, for the in.
formation of those who may vote with me, I must
explain that Ido not as them to reject the Address,
but only to hang it up until its objects can be more et
fdctually attained. I never knew any Ministry so Ltt.le•
supported by strength of party as the present. Waa
there any difficulty in punishing the King's son ! acts
and perhaps his. favourite son too ?" (How did. 3,,,4
vote, Mr. Montague on that occasion I said a freeholder.
—No answer.) He concluded by exhorting the free.
holders to suspend the expression of their sentiment;
until they saw what P.o liament would dn.

Dr. BARRY said he agreed with the last speaker LI
the propriety of withholding the declaration of their
sentiments until after the meeting of Parliament. 1-1,
did net see what business the County of Berks had to
resent the indignity which the City of London 11:14
received from Ministers. He had a better opinion
Parliament than the Noble Lord, and if Ministers
had done wrong, he thought they should be brougl t
to account in a constitutional manner. The Rev.
Doctor pronounced a warm panegyric on Minister!.
for their forbearance in not suspending the Habe2 g
Corpus Act, and for permitting the undiminisheit
exercise of the liberty of the press. With respect te
these expeditions which had been called rash, it ought
to be recollected that rash enterprizes were sometimes
successful—Their system of taxation was very torsi.
Berate. (1. oud laughter, mixed with kissing.)

Mr. BALLET warmly supported the addresst He
declared it to be his firm conviction, that the country
could not be saved witheut a reform in Parliament,.,.
(Loud apjdauses).—Lord Castlereagh openly avowed
that he had trafficked for a Seat in Parliament, ang
yet they did not turn him out ; and although tha
same Parliament was told that two of the King's Mi.
nisters bad frightened a Member out of his seat, be.
cause he had the boldness to tell them he would vot,
in the Duke of York's business according to his cen•
science, yet the offenders were not expelled. Ho
concluded by assuring the meeting that he was nt
party man—there was no title, no distinction, and nq
gift, which he Would accept of at the hands of 1;s
Majesty's Ministers, nor would he touch a farthing
of the public money, however circuitously it nligh;
be conveyed to him.
• Mr. CROFT said a few words in support of the
Address.

Mr. IvLamm (of Reading) deprecated the line of
policy pursued by Ministers towards the Citkholics of
Ireland. He then animadverted successively on the
expeditions to Copenhagen, Spain, the Mediterranean,
and the Scheldt. The pur.y efforts made to create
diversions in favonr cf Austria and Spain, resembled
the demolition of a gingerbread giant by a school-
boy, who generally began by nibbling off his toe; and
fingers. (A laugh). He thought the indignity ofrered
by Ministers to the City of London, was a mean
attempt to throw the hatred of the people from them-
selves upon the shoulders of ow. gracious Soverei:-,n,
Such conduct would produce more Jacobins an 4
Whigs than all the Tom Paines that ever lived.—
Their only care was to keep peace with a Borough-
monger. (Hear, hear)! "What (said Mr. Marsh) are
we to sit down quietly and trust to the investigation
of Parliament, after the specimen they gave us of
their integrity in the Duke of York's business
Did they not gravely tell us, that there was neither
corruption nor connivance at corruption !—but dtdo
the People believe them ? No ! He was certain that
nine hundred and ninety-nine, in every thousand in.
dividuals in the Country, were of a contrary opinion,
He trusted that the Country would always be able to
defend itself, both against foreign and domestic foes.
The ancients had represented Liberty as a beautiful,
nymph, and worshipped her as a goddess; and, lace
most Ladies, she required a little watching (a Lush).
Our ancestors celebra,ted her rites every three years ;
but septennial Parliaments were soon introduced, an 4
the homage paid by Parliament to her shrine became
less fervent. —lie concluded, by saying, that he had
no doubt the Prince of Wales, who had not received
a German education, but was an Englishman every
inch of him, would tell his father, that the people of
this country were not to be goaded too far without re.
senting it."
DCANE, of Waltham, supported the Address.
He went into a long detail on the subject of the As.
sessed Taxes, and was heard with much attention.--
In the course of his speech he stated, that the Sq•
veyor under the Assessed Taxes had recently sat-
charged a gentleman who kept a Tax-cart, beu,usa
he had the luxury of a cushion on the sent of it. 1-i!
supposed that if a man was to sit in a Taxed-cart .with
stuffiag in his breeches, the Surveyor would tel; him,
that under the Act he had no right to wear breoches
in a Tax-cart. Mr. Deane concluded with a /potion,
which was unanimously carried, to instruct the Ccunty
Members to apply to Parliament for a repeat! of to.at
part of thsassessed Tax Act, which vested do: powers
of deciding on Appeals in the hands of Cowl lisiio44