The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-06-12 00:00:00

TI

I 4 . ,
-IrAGENT: CbtiNTY MEETiV
4/, A'. i - • • '
.
Maidstone, Toewley Morsing,,Jone 11,18!=.
"We lefttentioe yesterday at about fair is *of
',none. with the weather as hot as 1 ever Ware lit
J
England in ane. Litre"' half the hay is get u•dUl
we come to Farningbare. but oa this side of that
place, not half cereal*: "I The crepe of gran are very.
"good, particularly these of Wet Fele and Leierne.-4
They do not cut the former at an age enffacieatle
early. Mr. Tur.t, gives convincing reuses dor stir
• sing it always before Me Moons COWIN on. or may
port of it. If left till the field leeks red. the bay
cannot be half so good. It is hot a puorish reentry.
till you get to Wrothans. within 'levee mills of
M.,idstone ; that is to say. poor compared with what
it is here. where the cultivation consists pertly.of
4eits, and where the land very much resembles that
between Ilooitoa and Enter. and that is the neigh-
bourhood of Ross, Hereford. sod Qoventry, eseept
that, here, the bottom is Milk, and thetas it is rod
stone. In very poor OOHS the barley aartoos may.
perhaps, have suffered from the drought or bp a bus
they are quite hig cense; here. Beth aromgry for-
ward. limb, is some places, corning Istelied. The
_when is all I. ear; wed some of it irrhfoliik ' The
crap meet be in proportion to the eatstre orilie laid. in
a great degree; !nit, penally. the,leildit !now •e.
Itiediegly well ; and it is so very ensily Oi 'to seem to
set 'blights at dermas!. It minis Important* that we
should not have some new tannin the market by the
20th of July; so that, if the collective . fie not leek
sharp, they wiU net have the posesiog seijest ready
for receiviag the first (rafts of the barmy.- at any
vete. The peas and bean (very mach ealtivated in
this county) mast suffer from the &Mist, and cape-
pecially the latter. which hate hag as mach as wheat
level it. I tried, but in vain. to raise ores Mangan
Beans, in Loog Island. Last night there was a goa-
ds'sl of thunder and a very fine rale, which seems to
have reached over a great pact of Ms corny. I
1 hope It was co good as to drop a little 'poi Erasing-
ton, where some strAwberry-bedli stood very much in
heed of it. 'flee hops. wilds the Loadsw papers told
as were blighted, discover no nab appeuruses hare or
at Town-Melling. They hen Nearly toppled the
poles, and are throeriag set irraosbes. ~ Th are
heat. It is the cold that is the g-t en injury tee inu .
to hops. It must be a long dtee tidied igen
.... bottom of their fanner n the whole the
crops are exceedingly protnisii . and, which is the
protection against blight. eery ear* The rain of
last night laid fin oaf mall piece el wheat. and oily
that one which I have seem la comibg eleven miles.—
' The wind is now (six o'clock) coolies from the North
and the sun is come back, apparently to see the hay-
' making finished. A few days of rain after that, and
then we shall ha getting ready foe beaseat4 What
Lord Liverpool will do with th sthen-abliedanee.
Hod, who is the giter of it, cool knolwei I have
tfrosght, though I have kept the arlierityself,
that the collective mein to rental,. la $ e Per-
.' manent," in order to'ibe ready,* eavesa emergen-
cies, arising out of this " overtpradaefious" and this
is, perhaps, the tree interpretation of the sir is Ready.
" boys, ready," played at the ie.. Pill-Rvmp dinner, at
the close of the Lord gisaiilierV4pse4„ white that
pink of iarkpeollenee, Cariereighepost •Northatepton•
`Aire, was in the chair. Cerullo it Is, that something
most be done with this " over-prodection." Europe
and America are niggly so cram ned, that they ere
remitting forth upon es is such a way, that we are
hardly able to prevent absolute inundation even with
the aid of the commis of that wise and vigilant body
that holds " Seance Permanent" at Hendersou's Ho-
tel, with the great Wean at its head. What is to be
I dose. then, if it shosld please (1 .d. to cause on owa
soil to go on producing in this way ? There are pits
land rivers to fling it into, to be sere; but, might it
not be as well; I offer it merely as a random thought;
might it not be as well to sot the jaws of all the le-
boning classes to work to grind it op, and so get rid
of it? I sin aware of the presumption of potting
death suggestions, when our affain are watched over
by such " absolute wisdom ;" but, to my plain under-
standing, it really does appear, that where the evil is,
imperabundane of corn, a stoat fellow, with a set of
teeth, wanted by the exhalations from an over-
gorged stomach. would be full as adeastageously Olit•
played in grinding away core, as is digging holes
I one day and Jailing them sip Mc next, though the lat-
ter have this i• its favour, that it was engendered in
the mied of our " great political philosopher:' As
to the jaws of the Irish labourers, which recent and
even present circumstances might lead some persons to
conclude were perfectly disposable fur this specks of
employment, they (if we believe their landlords) are
not fitted for the griediog of corn. Their months are
called "potatoe-trape;" a sort of equeezieg or press-
leg things, calculated to deal only with pulp, and
having the recipient and denary organs, that is IS
say, the hopper and the gutter. that is to say, the
mouth and throat. of 1 capacity, but wholly
unsuited by nature to the grinding of any thing of a
more substantial kind. This is the account of the
Irish Landlords, who, being. in geserali a deseriptiat
of men not less remarkable for their veracity than for
their humanity, we must. of course, believe, that.
while in Ireland, the potatoe-traps are wholly imappli-
cable to the grinding of cora, of which we have, in-
deed, iadebitable proof in the feet, that, while the
Img r s isb are getting together, by subscription, pots.
lees to send over to prevent the Irish from stareiag.
I the Irish are sending prodigious quantities of Cons to
England. Bet. experience, and pretty ample expe-
rience, enables me to say, that the " putatoe-traps."
when removed oat of 'reload. grind corn excerdingly
well ; and that, after a time, they perform but very;
indifferently their usual operations of mashing seal
'wenn* One thin I can assert positively, and I
1 cell thousands of employers and tavern-kcepers is
I America to attest the truth of what I say ; and that
is, that it is with great reluctance that the owners of
the potatoe-traps, ever, in that comstry, is. them is
the grinding of any thing bat wisest .and meat, ex-
cept, perchance, in the way of amusement thertry
them upon apples, peaches. and melons; and 1 mast I
confess that I have a hundred times seen Irish can
men grj.lairfg, not potatoes. bet pinc-eppke, in the
streets of New-York. Neither do the Web, wheal
oat of Ireland, prefer a hOvel, without chimney. to a
house with a shimmy. So that, one of two tbisgs
I must be; Namely, that the faculties of the jaws of the
Irish Labourers and the taste of those labourers as to

. , .
derellieg-plaess.. undergo a total chow"» im.—
of eaustry ;Ibis pawn det ; or Om» :mho assert the
'reps to bOunfitied for other was, and that the own-
ers dirlike chimney,. =lnt be the greatest tiers sod
most Wausau' a erackes ,that over disgraced the face
if flu earth. Let the reader decide for himself.
- WM. Consurr.
COUNTY SLEETING.
. .
difkgisoon, Jose 11. Int.
. A Meeting of the Frselsoldersof the Conroy of Kent
-wee ay holden at Maiditone, pursuant to a Ito
illresesed
• Mot promoted to the Ilieli Sheriff (John Powell
I, gsa.) " to consider of a Petition to Parliament
es the Distressed State of the Country. and the Defective
Ilereeentation of the People." •
Tits Ragaisitioh was signed by npwards of 450 of the
most respeeable Landed Proprietors of the County,
amongst Whim were the names of the Earls Thant,
Cowper. Dailey, and Jersey, Lords Sondes, Folkestone).
Clifton. Ike. fix.
Is the early part of the morning. the Gentles** of
the County began to pour iota the tows. and they Mo.
dosed to arrive up to the middle of the day. Atop
eleven leeirock e parses disui hated among the crowd a
petiole assembied In and near the Market-place. 6
"rinsed Address...o* To the Noblemen sad Geodesist»
Freeholders of Mos Counts? of Kent," calling upon *dr
tit units theli efforts In the sacred cause of Reform. la
addition to this, &little boy took his stand in the midst 'of
the throng, boldirg a placard, upon which was written
." Cobbett's Farmers' Wives Friend; or,.the Doke of,
Bockinebata's Bill of Fare for Farmers."
At twelve o'clock, the High Sheriff, attended by the.
deaden's wile were expected to take a leading part is
the Meeting. took his station in ose of the carts placed
fur the sootassoodation of the Speaks».
Among tbelVobleuseu and Gentlemen present we no-
ticed (in additions to these already mentioned) Mr.
Honywood, M.P..for the Comity, Sir E. Kuatchhull,
ditto, J. L. Hedges, Eq. the Rev. J. Gambier, Rev. C.
ICage • Rev. ---Cage, .1. Rider, Esq. J. Pohill, Esq.
the Cage,'
C. Neel, Win. Cobbeu, lisq.,lo. When Mr.
Honywood made his appearance he was lewdly cheered
I by the Meeting.
The Hiou Sooner opened the business of the day
by stating, that he had convened the Meeting in conse-
quence of a Requisition hiving bees presented to him,
to which were attached the names of the most respect.
able Osatlemen of the County.—(The Requisition was
here read by the Under Shiriff.)—Phufligh Sheriff .hes
stated. that he should be happy to attend to every Gen-
tleman who wished to address the Meeeting, and he
hoped that they would give every man a fair fearing.
It was decided, en the motion of the Karl of Daanbar
that the High sheriff should take the Chair. A letter
from Lord Sondes to the Chairman was then read. It
stated his Lordship's regret at being unavoidably pre-
vented front attending at the Meet,ng, but at the same
time expressed his full concurrence with the objects
which had brought them together—(Applause.)
Mr. Foora. in coming forward to propose a Peti-
tion for the adoption of the Meeting, observed, that
having already »frequently experienced the indulgence
of his brother freeholuers, he should feel himself want-
, lag in respect and gratitude to them if he did not come
leeward and state shortly and candidly the opinions
which be entertained upon the importaut questions be-
fore them. In the few observations which be bad to
offer he should not attempt any eloquent illustration,
nor trespass upon their time by any display of argument:
the former he did not possese, the latter he was sure was
totally unnecessary. There were, however, a few facts
which he felt it loves:mei to lay before them. He should
neither use flattery nor &Milano' in what he had to
'offer. • Ile felt diet it was necessary to speak out when
Ulu voist:llll4B34istitry lab: the Led.—Oltresses sear". reir.).—.ss
1,0
:sorb a case it would be Capable) to Batter, sod tree-
Arsons to deeeive. The present condition of the Bri-
tish farmer was alarming and perilous in the extreme;
his sufferings were greater than could be easily ima-
gined. He was reduced to the last state of depre-
dation and decay. In no former period had he been
worn down to such a state of destitution--(Hear,
,bear.)—lt was true that a few taxes had been recently re•
emitted, but in reality no relief had been afforded to the
agriculturist. What was the actual state of things as it
'respected the fanners? They found low prices in the
market, while the poors'-rate and the other charges ac
cumulated epos them in Opole alarming degree.—(flear,
.bear.)—lt was an incontrovertible tact, that there were
•ia every part of the empire oval 00000 families anxiouatto
obtain work, and able to do it, who were obliged to re-
sort to their parishes for relief in the absence of employ-
ment. It was the case of thousands; and what were
they to expect in such a state of things ? It was known
that industry was the main spring of the poor usan's
life; with industry be was equal to his landlord is his
little comforts and• in his independence; without- it, it
was impossible that be could avoid starratios, or the
most abject dependence.—(Hear. bear.)—lt was not his
intention to take u*.s the time of the Meeting by catering
into a detail of the distresses under which the *Kneel-
turista laboured. But he could not help observing, there
did exist a set of persons who objected to granting
any relief to agriculturists, on the 'ground that it would
go to prejudice commerce and muesli:moires. For him-
self, lie must confess that he was unable.» perceive what
injury could by possibility be indicted on any other class
of society by granting the relief which the agriculturist
sow claimed. But to afford effectual relief, they must
bring about a Reform in the Representation of the Pee-
ple in Parliament. It was now an undenied fact, that al-
most all persons, not only in towns but in every part of
the country, were not only anxious but clamorous fee
reform.—(Hear, hear.)—ln preferring their prayer few'
Reform, they asked for nothing new ; they proposed as
wild or visionary doctrine ; they advocated no raped-
mental project, oo theoretical scheine.—(Applause.)—lf,
asked what's' meant by his plan of reform, he should
answer • bat he wished to circumscribe the iuduence of
the Crown ; to shorten the duration of Parliaments,;,
to extend the right of voting froin freehold to cis
pyhold property; and to increase the number of
Members fur populous towns in proportion to the
at number of Borough Members.—(Applause.)—
If be were asked further what be meant by Reform, he
should say that he wished to increase the 'lumber of In-
dependent Members in Parliament: that he was auximu.
to add to the number of that patriot band who so tea-
-1 timely supported the measure lately proposed by that able
and virtuous young Nobleman, Lord Jobs Russell.—
(Loud applause). That Nobleman supported his plot of
1 Reform with an ability and an energy seldom equalled,
and
making more converts to the cease of Reform th.n any
other gentleman who bad recently advocated that great
measure.--(Cheers).—Fortsimself he must observe, that
though lie derived great pleasure from the measure duel
theeloquence ofthat Noble Lord, be felt no surprise at
the one or the other having unseated from his powerful
and commeoling intellect. He (Lord J. Russel ) inhe-
rited and acted upon the principles of his illustrious an-
cestors.—(Applause.)—He wished to watch over and
support the fabric of the coastitetiou with a jealous but
laudible partiality. He looked to it as his birth-
right, and was moot desirous that it should not be placed
at the will or caprice of any Minister, or seta Ministers.
Ina word, he wished to see the laws of the country ad
ministered in their spirit and letter.—(Applause.)—Hr
should not detain the meeting further, as he was aware
that many Gentlemen possessing much greater aliillos
than he could presume to, were about to address them

.. ---
.
He should, their-fore. proceed to road the PP:If..I
whieli he intengled to propose fur their eonsid•r.ri.,u
The Hoonorairle tientleuran then read tige following
petition:—

• " The humble shety.eli —That your pc.
titiosers have waited with thelll9st anxiety, to see
what measures of relief would he proposed by your
floaouralsle Hooters, in beirtseoneace of the repr ta.
(ions of distress which hare been (rum time to time
urged be your petitirmers, is common with other
ties; and though by the proceedings of your Honor-
able House they observe the distr.., is fully admitted,
•the measures that have been foueded thereon are futile,
and inadequate to the wants and wishes of your peti.
tinners, and aggravate by disappointment the wilts
sufferings eerier which they labour.
" The evils and grievances of which year petitionen
hare complained, have now risen to a height that impe-
riously calls for great and efficient remedies; and they
earnestly demand of your Honourable House that rte
dress which it has the power, and ought to ham the in-
clinatioe, to afford.
" Your petitioners have men every abuse defended,
and every proposal for efficittat retreat:he/wet rejease,
or so temil as to 'sesame insignificant; and they nerd
more implore your Honourable Moose to consider %that
relief may be obtained by a real and Admit economy,
a reduction of useless places, and a further dinsiontion
et the weight of taxation, which se grievously oppresses
all classes of the people. They basso particularly no-
ticedllte appliestirse a no lease sum than 5,009,001410 the
establishment of a Si ski nz Fund, at a monist Mom the
hartbeest( taxation is so severely felt; and they submit
to your consideration whether, et such a asetasat. ouch a
sum should:he exacted, for theestsblisktuent of a Fend,
the benefit of which mast be 'senate, if not. as it bas
therto proved, completely Joins ye ? The distreu which
now so heavily presses upon Your petitioners, aid whici,
is daily inereasieg, arises evidentlt, is a ghat degree,
oat of the extcavagaut warts of public money, smeetiosed
by your Hon. House: and pet petitioners are thereng.
ly persuaded, that such a misapplicatiou of the public.
money never coned have Wien place, or, having taken*
place, the obvious remedy to be form„, in earneasy east
retrenclemeet, would not have been 10 long Neglected, if
public opinion and the public interest had their dee
Weight in the deliberations of your Hee. Haw; aid it
is thereby become man.fe'st to your Petitiomitra. that
fell sod fair Representation, 011ie people is meal eines
and indispensible for the correction soft present abeam,
sad for security against their recurrence. Toot polities..
era, therefore, request that year Hooeurable Howse will
resolve forthwith to emir open the great work4freferm-
hog the Representation, as by this alone can your Ho-
nourable House regain the confidence of the people,
which has been forfeited by the spasm of
hitherto pursued, and sanctioned by your Honourable
House.
" By the fatal mismanagement of the affairs of the
Country, one part of the Empire is reduced to a state of
actual famine. while your Petitimaere are eufferiag se.
verely in the midst of abundance. The Capital amadal
in Agriculture* is nearly exhausted ; sad aaabers of
those who *militate inferior soils are daily reload to
beggery sod pauperism, while ruin ant general bank-
ruptcy threats* every class of caltivatora, who is their
fall must shake the very foundation of the Empire.
" Deeply affected with these calamities, year Peti-
tioners unmet view, without indignation, the gross nil-
applicition of the !lotionsl resources employed to
establish a corrupt indesses in your Honourable Hesse.
which has been openly avowed and unblushingly de-
fended; by which their representatives are seduced freer
their duty, the spirit of the Constitution is violated. and
every attempt at eificient retrenchment shamefully
eloded. ae
" Your Petitioners call epos yonr Honourable 011111S0
tai shake of this Iniefal Wieser* which INN hitherto
your roceedinis. aid to giro than is
spirit and is truth, at retrltevent and reform which
the critical situationof the country, and the abases is
your Honourable House imperiously demand, which
alone can save our country from convulsion, give sta.
Inky to the Throne, and perpetuate the Constitution.
" And your Petitioners further humbly pray that
your Honourable Howse will be pleased to teaks a jut
.reductiort of the Interest of the National Deht, 48 soon
as you haws completed a Re/urns of your Honorstwils
Horse."
[This part in italics was the part &Rewards moved by
Mr. Cebbett.]
He observed, In conclusioh, that he should not tres-
pass much farther on their attention, bat lie could not
conclude without eoegratulatiog his Brotber-Free-
holders upon the respectability of the Meeting of that
day. Upon no other occasion bad they witnessed Mb
large and cep respectable a Meeting. By thus assembling
upon that inept lest occasion they had disappointed the
hirelings of Ministers; they had done more—they
had shown to Ministers themselves, that, if they wished
to procure fawning and flattering sycophants, they must
not look for them amongst the sturdy Freeholders of
the County of Kent.—(Loud applause.)
Mr. Kt DIU came forward to second the Resolutions.
The objects of the Meeting were two-fold,—they had as-
sembled to considsr of the dist by which taey were
pressed acrn, and the best means of remedying those
distresses. No man doubted that at the present tune the
people were obliged to pay io taxes a great proportion
of money, which ought to remain in their pockets.—
(Applanse.)—Tha main causes of lbs calamities under
which the country laboured, Wight be traced to an im-
prudent alteration of the currency to-an overwhelming
upeghtitliaosnt,snootf las tota
tehet,peaopiel
paer;rYfaeaternsaolfinhtllie complaints and prayers
dpnr.shrssaetguarehrdsodfobtfieexthantei:•
of the people recently preferred to Parliament? Whc,
their Petitions lied been read ;—bad been placed on the
Table —or perhaps ender the Table.—(Applause).—lint
what else had been done? Had any attention been paid
to them ;—bad any redress been granted ? Noce, nose
whatever. The people, however. tgooraem of the pro-
ceedingseitioni were not atteedad
ef Parliausent, at leasto to;—that
knewtat
theyis peired o
that their Ps-0
lbesencial change in their favour.—(Applause.)—Tbers
was, however, a remedy which, if tried, would prove be-
neficial t—he flea at Parliamentary Reform. Withost
this, as had been ably stated in the P..tition, the country
must necessarily be ruined. Ile should enter into a sbort
comparison of the portent and former times. In 1791
the whole rev( one of the country amounted to ers
snore then 19.000,0001. ; at present it was 71,000,1101/.
Could it be wondered at, then, that the roil!'
were likely to be starved, or pressed down to the
lowest degree In 1792 the armed force of the country
amounted to 86,0011aud the chargetheir
maintenance was 2,3111)11,0001. In Intl the number of
men was 243,91 i, and the charge to the couaor
r 4,909,0110/. meld' or three tinier( the number of uses lityt
op ill 1792, and bur times the expense incurred at that
period ; and this too, be it observed, in a period of pre•
found peace, arid when they were told from the Threes
that there was a moment at which outihreige telt:
lions were in a mere perfect state of trait/161W] atd
peace.—(Applause.)—lt had been objected that dolga&
noes of Aericultity.il Distress and Parliamentary Re
fortis bad been osixial up ; for his part he could sets
how they could with propriety he separated: the rfe..
in fact was the only remedy that could be Applied tor
101'
*ldler. It was kietryn, and could not he denied.
'here was in the 1 trousers( Commons a party cat 31e41411
wise were paid °sit of the pockets of the people: r,„16.4
of men who ha I mothiner to sio, Mit who w ere t 177
sod coomisand*d h.? Seeretary of tli- Tr,•l, to he
UUtallasi that a Scritallt.tliapt could di a cogr