The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-06-18 00:00:00

THE STATES

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. X4ST INDI4.II9IISE, Jvms 17. '
A Quarterly General Cove .of Proprletoto of tast
ladle Stock was this day held OA. Company's House,
In Leadenhell-street; for the transaction of.a Variety
of business.
HALF-YEAR'S DIVIDEND.
The Minutes of the last Court having been read—
The CUAIRMAN (John Pattisou4 Esq.) proposed,
theta Resolutiovi of the Court of Directors, of the
preceding day, recommending that s dividend of .54
per cent. on the Company's capital stock, for the
helLyear commencing the 51k of January last, and
ending on the sth of July neat, should be agreed to
by the Proprietors.
The motion was carried in the affirmative, after a
few words from W. Hunt., who complained, that,
inconformity with the By.Lawr, these. ought, en-
Dually, to be laid before the Proprietors an account
of ihe net profits of the Company, which had not
Mien done—and, in the absence of such an accoent,
It was impossible for him to say, whether the pro
pitted disidend'wasa just one or not.
COMMITTEE OF BY-LAWc.
. Mr. Cummtma presented the Report of the Com-
mittee of By-Laws, whose functions expired this day.
The Report esprened the satisfaction of the Com-
mittee at not discovering, through the past year, any
violation of the Company's Laws. -
The Gentlemen who perm' on the Committee of
By-Laws were then re-elrcelid, with the exception of
of Mr., %Vhitshed Keeneaisif Mr. Alexander Baring,
in whose places Melissa:. 3.4larby and J. 11. Trittom
•were elected. - 7 :if •
SHIPPING ACT.
The CUAIRWAN stated, that the Bill for amending
and consolidating bite one the several Acts relative to
the hiring of the Company's ships,':bid passed into
& law. .
. Mr. R. JacKsors took that opportunity of stating
Os hostility to the measure. In his opinion, the
whole of the shipping system should undergo a
revision.
Mr. titan reiterated the objections to the Bill,
which he had advanced on former occasions. The
'Hon. Proprietor then proceeded to offer some re-
snarks,on certain papers that had been presented to
;Parliament. Care, he observed, ought to be takeu
that the regulations of the different Presidencies,
;which were, in fact, the Acts rif Parliament by'
which their East India territories were governed,
should be sent to this country as speedily as possi.
ble.
.They had a right to expect, that, its the year
ISIS, a greater body of regulations titan those draw,
up in 1815 and part of 1816, shneld lose been serif
home. Some system ought also to be adopted to law;
sore the speedy tratismicsinn of memorials from tbete,_
officers abroad to the Court of Director.
The CuntussAN said, that the regulation% theses
not presented to Parliament, hail been received op to.
the end of 1817. Orders were about to be trans-
silted from the Court of Directors, which would,
In future, prevent any unnecessary delay—and
with
.respect to memorials, orders would also he given,
that no delay should take place in their transmission.
sr. lILLEN A.
Mr. Mime observed, ttat from the papers laid be-
fore Parliament, it appeared, that the ezpences in-
curred in keeping up an estattliahment at St. Helena,
had greatly indented. For the year ending, May.
`lBl5, it was 79,0001.; for.lEl6, it...mounted to
106,0001.; fer 11317, , to: 127,0001. ; for
.1818, to
173,0001. He wished to Ittibw, were tbn'Compiny
to make good thisexpence-.-or was part of it payable
by the Government ? • .4 * - •
The CuAtestasi said, the East India company
were not liable to pay any pert of the ettpence be-
yond what St. Ilmletta had usually cost them. The
surplus was debited and clmirged to his Majesty's
Government,.

COLLEGE PENSIONS.
Mr. Hum-know called the attention of the CAIIITt
to the College Pensions, which, he conceived, were
not properly granted. There was a prosiest of 2001.
to Edward Christian, 'Bic). late Professor of Civil
Law, who was, at present, as well able to perform
the duties of the Professorship as ever he was.
lie also observed a pension of 1201. to a French
master—and not more was granted to Dr. Gilchrist,
one of the ablest Oriental scholars that ever existed.
The Cliatß SIAN strongly deprecated observations of
this kind, which could be made with no other view
hut to Idwer• the Executive Body-in the eyes of the
Proprietors.
Mr. GRANT looked upon the proceeding of the
Hon. Proprietor, as extremely uncoostiitstilmal. If
he chose to bring forward any'rliecificWinrion, the
Directors would meet it manfully, but it was quite
impossible to answer those desultory attacks.
Mr: R. 'horst,* contended that his Hon. Friend
had a right to animadvert on papers regularly brought
before the Proprietors.
MR. HUDLEStON AND COLONEL WILKS.
Mr. HUDLESTOM said, he was desirous to lay be-
fore the Proprieturs * Report which he had drawn
up end submitted to the Court of Directors, on the
130th ult. It minted to the accusatiow'made against
him in Colonel Wilks's History of the South of
India. He hoped it would be found .tta be a coro.
Vice refutation of that statement. Belt, should' he
limo disappointed it; that hope, it would be his duty,
'as Ite had already intimated, to retire from the Direc-
tion without a murmur. He then moved—
' " That the letter written on the 9thlt sit, to the Court of Di-
gators by John Hudlettort. KN. be now re.sd—sual that Copirs
sr it should after-ear& be lett open sit that Hosts fur the peru-
sal of the Proprietor,"
The letter, which was exceedingly long, went into
a history of the Peace or Mangalore, to negociate
which with Tippeo, in 1784, Mr. 401 lier, Sir G.
Staunton, and Mr. Hudlestoit, were appointed Com.'
missioners—and denied, in the most decided terms
(the denial being supported by a chi% of argument,
drawn from circumstances,and strengthenedby docu-
ments), the accusation made in Colonel Wilks's
•
'book, against Mr. Iludleston and Sir G. Staunton,
on the authority of a native menial servant, viz. that,
fearful of personal violence, they had planned their
escape to a ship in Mangalore-roads, and intended
to leave Mr. Sadlier and their attendants to their fate.
The document having beets reed—
Sir. H. Russit.t. said, whets he considered the 'Foy
in which Mr. Hudleston had been re-elected, not a
single scratch having been placed against his name,
he could not, for a moment, doubt bat that the Pro-
prietors were perfectly satilified of his ivaoceuce.—

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. • ENGLISH 'LIBERTY.
Thethit II &Amore, Esq. Who is a Candidate fbt
ibe.citypt Eteter, his addressed a letter to those
etiliehtetted Electors of the City of Bleier, in whom
thi ancient spirit of Hoglish libetty still arthritis Will
perverted by sephittry, uhintimidated by poser, un-
contaminated by corruption, from which the follow.:
lug are ettricts
6' FELLOW-CITIZENS I—l hate come forward in
these arduous times expressly he vour Requisition
I hale no ambition to gratify but that of setting tt
free People ; l deem a seat in a corrupt Woes.,
neither an honour nor e benefit; it is the .manner
only in Which I em placed there,ithst makes the post
honourable, and if there be any individual who re.
Tents of having affixed his signature to the Itegnisi.
lion, I now literate him from his engagement. Theid
is not a man among y, n unacquaitt,ed with my
Utica% sett merits. It is my solemn emoriction, that un-
less a real and efficient Reform take place in theCom-
mt 11. o eof Par lia.nent, unless it he made truly and
effectually to represent the voice of the People, and
become identified with them, nothing hut accumulated
ry, and open, swotted, oligarchical• despotism;
he very wo s• of all forms of governments 'gaits this
unhappy and algicted nation. In the face of my
Creator, and as I hope for mercy for abundance of
human failings, I declare this to he my conscientiooi
Lbelief and I trust that on temptation will ever lead
we to any actions but what wilt accord with this he-
:lief. If 1 had valued a seat in Parliament, I could
very easily have obtained it ; seats are at the present
moment, for a very nbttous leas.bo, to be had et a
low rate. Should you therefore fail In your exec.
lions to return me tor your Representative, the chief
saucers, which I shall feel will be more on your se-
count than my own. -Nor will your efforts be lost;
your triumph will he great; the exemplary struggle'
of this remote and "ever faithful" city will bate
considerable effect in the great ClUffs of the Conglite.
lion. Happy shall Ibe lit the reflection that I have
in any degree, however small, contributed to so great,
so desirable ad event. '
a lint Amer a chafe
Not often unsure. .:tai: power warped
weititt.e," when oppoi.ett.
46 I am told that it is frequently obserted by your
enemiee, that I shall gain the Elemion, ,f I can frost(
to the promises which have been made to me. It is,
my friends; a vulgar error to charge the People with
tickleness4 it is their leaders who are tick... not they
—it is.iheihnpoileitt Pretenders to Patriotism, who
mount into plaCishy the ladder of Reform, then kick
it down, laugh at their deluded supporters. and con-
sole their reproaching conscience with some snug
sinecure, or profitable birth. ?'refit yea I my
friends!' why ; lam fighting your cause, not thy
own ; I have come forward by yaw- erpeest desire,
twice repeated, and the very doubt which Cotruptinta
cast" upon your pledge, shows pretty clearly, that •
she knows ways and means of securing votes, which
I scorn ; and I fear already that she has been dab.
bling in her dirty work.
64 One of those minor Squires, with whom your
neighbou, hood abounds, has, it is said, given it as his
opinion, 'hat I cannot possibly succeed because
will expend no money. This is certait.ly no great
romplimi tit to your virtue, and proves, if true, more
than any words, the necessity of that Reform for
which I have through life contended. The little
Sqaire is right; I do not mean to expend any too-
ney ; I have therefore appointed Iteitiltr Counsel,
nor Attorney, nor Agent. Accotding to the Con-
s itutioa, it it your own concern, and who so fit to
manage it as yourselves! If Mammon attempt to
disgorge his coffers among you, or Deihl to drown
your intellects in wine, you must see that there is
some reason for the atrocious deed, end whoever is
the criminal, he will be ashamed to own it. No man
throws away his money for nothing t he that buys
*ill also sell—
" ' Rob me the Exchequer, Hsi! the first thing
thou dost
" But remember that' the bribed elector is a trai-
tor to his country'
" One of your tmthsculate Corporation hes, I •
understand, laid a wager, that I shall not poll 900
votes, this is pretty bold, considering that the Re.
quisltion to me received 3il signatures; but as the
Gentleman has thus shown in whet little estimation he
holds your honour, I trust you will return the com-
;diluent by showing how little you value his judge
meta, and thus prove the old adage, that ' a fool
aud his money are soon parted.' I don't like Cor-
porate men betting ; they have too great a stake in
the contest ; for depend upon it, when once we ob..
tain a Reform in Parliament, the rights contained in
your old charters of the Henries, and John, will he
fully restored to you, particularly that paramount
right of electing your Mayor and Corporation.
" Trust you, indeed'. why ; the chief fault I
Ood in you is, that you place too great, not too little
confidence in me, and thus increase in no small de-
gree my difficulty in supporting that 'leveret station
in your good opinion which (so undeservedirheld.
repeat, that should any individual among you repent
of having affixed his signature to the Requisition, he
isatt full liberty to bestow his suffrage as he pleases;
I do not desire any compulsive votes, I desire only
men in whose breasts the free spirit of the genuine
English Constitution breathes with ardent and uncon-
taminated purity.
" You knoratlist no last shoulflbeenaded, notate,
inp the very reason why
yoarosoedw.nbutyb
choosing;
o
oalidgenthCaotllSent in Parliaments of
Acts of Parliament bind all is this, because every man
it party, and consenting to them.
6. You know that the basis of the tnglish Constitu-
tion consists in freedom of person, and .security of
property ; and that as your freedom oughfi not to he,
endangered but by a Jury of your equals; so year
property should not be taken from you, bet by alt • '
Assembly (as Mr. Pitt, of 17'85 swill) freely elected,
between whom, and the mass of the Pe ale, there
was the closest union and the most perfect sympathy.'
66 You know, for. Lord Chief Justice Holt hes told
yaw, that ' the elective franchise is the molded
birthright, and invaluable privilege of the subject.'
It is this alone which can melte the Honeuisoie
House what it ought ever to bet the express image .
of the feelings of the People;' whereas there it now ,
• no other way for the preservation of a decent ate
tendon to public interest in the Representatives but
the interposition of the lied, of the People itself.'

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