Star.
London, England, 1810-06-09 00:00:00

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`support of an Ace, than thui* Ite,saw -goal imeel
unnecessary.•
21,,C,T411
Mr., W. FITZGERALD Armed it indispensibly
necessary that the repevsestadtit of his' Majesty in
Ireland, the Lord Lieutenant, should support his
situation With dignity and splendour, to do which
he did not conceive the present emoluments of,the
office. were aJequate. He dwelt on the greatitdvan-•
tage it was to the metropolis of Ireland that a Reghl
Court should be held there ; it was the last link
which bound many at the NObles, whose duty it was
to reside there, to. that devoted country, .and to re:
move the Lord Lieutenant would be to deprive the
country of the last.spark of its distinction. With re-
spact to the assertion made by the Hon. Gentleman
who spoke last, that the office of Lord Lieutenant
was useless, it was an argument so absurd and so
self-evidently fallacious, that he thought it was un-1
necessary to detain the House by answering it.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT inveighed against the in-
troduction of this demand at the latter end of the
Session, and after a speech of .considerable length,
in which he contended that an increase of the emo-
lumtnts of the Lord Lieutenant were wholly unne.,
cessary, he concluded by moving an amendment tol
the original question to the following effect :
To omit all the words after those representing the necessity dr
an increase of the income of the Lord Lieutenant, and substitute
' these " That this House most tatmbly beg leave to represent to
'his Majesty, that they have sincere cause to regret, that his Ma-
jesty's Ministers should have advisca his Majesty to augment the
salary of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, at a time when the,
tares were so oppressive, owing to the continuance of the war,
and at a period of the Session when it was utterly impossible to
make those inquiries into the necessity of such augmentation
which could justify Parliament in complying with the demand.
Mr. W. POLE, in a speech of considerable length
and ability, contended for an increase of the income
of the Lord Lieutenants of Ireland ; and observed,
that the Duke of Richmond had not the slightest
knowledge of the present demand. He had himself
been induced to suggest the necessity of it to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer from positive informa-
tion he had received from the Comptroller of the
Household, that the Duke of Bedford and the Duke
of Richmond had expended upwards of RSt4,C9O
per annum in the requisite support of d e dignity of
their office.

. •-•'• • •
•

of e away, but without rernmndt a single farthing
of-the salaries would ever go beyond the p ickets of the
Minister and his friends. Mr. Clifford then stated,
the pounds on which the late petiti;:n had been re-
jected, namely, because, as was said by the House, it
was intended to degrade the House of Commons: It
was their object to raise the House of Commons in
the estimation of the people; bur with all his know-
ledge of the English language, and all his respect
for the House of Commons, be. knew no terms in
which they could be told they were corrupt without
imputing to them corruption. It would, however,
be highly indecorous in them to persist in language,
which was disapproved by the House, aid therefore.
in the Petition he was about to propose to them, great
care had been taken to avoid any thing which .ertill
give even the shadow of offence. He then proceeded
to read the Petition, which, he observed, would be
signed by the Sheriff and 20 Electors, and no more,
there being an Act of Parliament which limited the.
signatures to that number, under pain of a heavy
penalty, and they were not willing to subject them-
selves to the mercy of a common informer, by ei-
ceeding that number
The Petition was then read, which, after complal•-
ing of the rejection of their petition as an infringe-
ment of their rights, proceeded to assert, that -the
allegations contained in it were true. and that the
committal of Sir Francis Burdett and John Gale
Jones was illegal; and that in limiting the number of
signatures to the late Petition, they had been careful
to comply with the law of the land, which limited it
to twenty. It then proceeds to assure the House
that there was no intention on their pan to insult the
House, and that it was only by its own acts that it
could be degraded in the opinion of the people.' The
Petition then goes et considerable length. into
state of the Representation of the People, and.the sale
of seats in Parliament ; and concludes with praying
for Reform in Parliament, the release of Sir Francis
Burdett, and the reception of the rejected petition.
Mr. BRNTLEY rose to second the motion. ' He said
that argument; against the Freeholders of Middlesex
were much wanted by their opponents ; and he in-
treated that their conduct this day might not afford
any handle to their enemies; but that they would act
with decorum and politeness, and hear fairly those
who opposed their wishes. By so doing, they would
best serve their own cause; and, by a coin ary conduct,
they would Maltreat their best friends, by an implied
opinion that they had not talents to answer theiroppoe
inents. He took this occasion to state the one of their
principal opponents in the House of Commons, was an
,apostate front that cause which he fornierly pretended
to defend; that he himself once saw this man, in a public
company, draw forth from his pocket a book, which he
reed, in condemnation of every principle of religion
and chrlstianity ; and that he had concluded his
reading, by declaring that book his creed, his Bible.
He had heard the same man, in a public company,
give this toast : " May the last of Kings be buried
in the guts of the last of Priests." - No person could
ever expect that any man who had thus apostatized
from his Gan, and traduced his King, would be true
to any good cause. No man could suppose such WAS
the conduct of a Jacob, but teller that of an Eaas.
Yesterday, in consequence of a requisition signed' With respect to the question before the meeting, he
by a number of the Freeholders of Middlesex, a meet.; totally denied the maxim, that the pfivileges assumed
ing was held at the Mermaid, Hackney, for the put- by any distinct branch of the Legislature had the
pose of taking into consideration the steps necessary force of law ; that eve, a Bill read three times its
to be taken, in consequence of the rejection of the late each House had that torce, until it obtained the for-
Petition by the House of Commons. mal assert of the Crown, when it became an Act of
At one o'clock the great room being about half full, Parliament, and a law of the land. He said that '
the Sheriff took the chair, and Mr. SheriffWoori was the privilege's of the House of CoMmons existed
proceeding to read the requisieiien, when some persons only to secure their own immediate proceedings
proposed adjourning to the Green : this was opposed from obstruction. like the privileges of every public
-by others, in which opinion the Sheriff agreed, upon Court. - Matters of libel belonged only to the dab,-
this a scene of great confusion ensued, some calling rate decision of the Courts of L iw, before a Jury ;
out Green, others Room, Room, and the Sheriff failed and not to the House of Commons, assuming the cha.
in several attempts to obtain a hearing : after some rasters of Judge, Jury, and Prosecutor, in its own
time having been wasted, it was found that a few cause. If once this assumption of privilege were ad- '
turbulent spirits were determined to prevent business mitted, it might become a breach of privilege for a
from going on without an adjournment, which ac.' man to eat a mutton-chop for his dinner.
cordingly took place to the Green. Order being re- Mr. BLAKE denied the positions of Mr. Clifford.
stored, the Sheriff recommended to the Assemble, to The people were enabled, by the provisions of the
give to every gentleman, whatever might be his prin.. Bill of Rights, to meet when and where they thought
ciples, a fair and patient hearing. proper, for the purpose of stating their °pillions on
Mr.. CLIFFORD, in coming ((reward to propose the public questions. He observed that Mr. Clifford was
Resolutions, lamented that the severe indisposition of also in error when he stated that a petition could only
Mr. Hare Townsend should have rendered it neces- be signed by twenty persons, this was only set to
sarj' for him to present himself to the Meeting at so petitions to which the approval of two Magistrates
early a period. He had, however, in the absence of that or the majority of the Grand Jury could not be ob-
Gentleman, been requestetuto bring forward a Peti. tained. He observed, that every statute referred to
tion to the House of Commons, and he recommended in the petition before them, admitted that men_rnight
to the present Meeting to adopt the same mode of he committed without a trial by juryloccording to the
conduct which had formerly governed meetings of law of the land, and the law of Parliament was part of
the County of Middlesex, namely, to hear both par. that law. He adduced Lord Coke, Sir W. Blackstone,
ties quietly, let the question be put and fairly decided, Chief Justice De Grey, &c. that a resolution of either
by a shew of bands. Lately, there had been nothing House of Parliament was law, so fir as the privileges
of public opposition, but instead of it private uncon- of 'that House were concerned; and with such autlao-
stitutional, he had almcst said, jacobinical Meetings, rities, and with Resolutions to a similar effect, passed
had been held at Taverns, as if the party were asha- and acted on by both Houses, at some of the best pe-
ened to meet their adversaries; id open day—(Ap. riods of our history, he asked, would the Meeting yen-
/rheum) He saw several Gentlemen near him whose ture to declare this to be a new and alarming assump-
political principles differed from his, who had signed don of power? He cautioned the Meeting against the
Counter-declarations, arid he hoped he should bear idea,. in a frantic moment, of seeking to deprive the
them deliver their sentiments on the present occasion, House of Commons of these privileges. IF they were
as lie was convinced the mbre the subject was dis- once given up, and were only to exist at the discretion
cussed, the more converts would be made, and the of the House of Lords, the' doom cf England was
morewould the pure beauties of our Constitution be ad- sealed. As they had been purchased, so could they
mired. Jelled beet imputed to Mr. Mellish, in the only, if once surrendered, be regained by the blood
Newspapers, with what truth he would not attempt of the people of this country. As the, question was
to say, that he (Mr. M.) had asserted in the House shortly to come before the Judges of the land, he
of Commons that the late Meeting was not respects. deprecated the idea of prejudging it. He then pro. '
ble, and that few of the persons assembled tvere Free- Pounced an animated panegyric .on Mr. Windham..? ,
holders. He trusted, liuwever, that the same would and was clieeted by both parties in retiring.
-..
not be said of the present Meeting ;no persons could Mr. CLIFPORD denied the doctrine laid down by
kuow the Freeholders so well as those who represented the last speaker. ' .!
them, and if he (Mr. M.) thought the present was not The Rev. W. DRAPER said, that baying besifd melt
a Meeting of Freeholders, it was his duty now to state of lase on this occasion, be wished for a little reason.
that fact. Mr. Clifford said, there had lately been He denied that the petition to the House of Commond 4.
some curious debates in the House of Commons, on was couched in language that could war-tent its rejec.
the subject of Sinecuee Places, and Parliamentary Re. tion. The petition hiving stated facts ill strong and
„.
form. Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. Bankes, and Mr. Tier- concise language, made, its respectful bow, which was
ney, were for moderate Reforni—courtly improve- 'as much as could-be 'reqeired in any polite publia $.
meat ; but he (Mr. Clifford) was not so to Ise misled, company. Had it Spoken in weak language, it would
and he ousted the people would not either. He , not have been thougheto come from petitioners who
would give them a simile re-Suppose a physician ! felt what they complained of. It was only since the .;
were called in to prescribe for a person labobiang under 1 introduction of Italian musicians in the lusarious I
en inveterate disease, and this physician were to con. times of this country, that the plan was discover:d of
tent himself with merely prescribing a medicine to re. setting groans to music; aqd if the lan
of
.move certain blotches from the face of his patient, and plaint was not conveyed it
still leave the disease, which was underrelnino his refined ears of the present
constitution, uatoucbed, what would be skid of Kim ? theft was trot with the
i Such would be the moderate Reform telked of by rMidJlesex, who` felt Tio
these Gentlemen : Reversion and Sinecures would be tetlings-
Mr. MALLET, from a

Mr. MARTIN opposed the motion of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer with much fire and eloquence.
After some further observations from Mr. Lyttle-
ton, Mr. Huskisson, Mr. Parnell, Mr.-Bankes, Lord
Desart, Mr. Grattan, Mr. Croker, Mr. Tierney, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Mr. Whitbread,
strangers were ordered to withdraw.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT withdrew his amendment
for one proposed by Mr. Bankes, and on which a di.
vision took place. The numbers were, For the amend-
ment 53—Against it 71L-Majority. 36.
al'he original question was then put and agreed to.
• The Vote of Credit Bill, after some observations
from Mr. WHITBREAD, was ordered to be read a
third time on Thuriday next.

The other Orders of the Day were then disposed
of, when the House adjourned at half past two.

MIDDLESEX MEETING.

; and if the language atom-
cl in tokles acceptable the
cut House of Commons, the
pl4n, hones; nfreehol..era-uf
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distant tart off` dig area. alf