The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-08-24 00:00:00

P.I.RLI4MENTARY REFORM.

YORK MEETING, Auo, 22.

Mr. W. B. Fawkes having some time since pub-
lished a letter, calling upon the friends of Reform
to meet bins at Etteridge's Hotel in this city on the
22d lastest, fee the purpose of considering what steps
woad lee loose expedieat to take in the present
alarmism state of the constry, a considerable com-
ber of *Mimeo assembled at that house at• twelve
o'clock this day, men after which the room was
filled. Among the persons present we ob d
Mr. Fawkes. Mr. Challoner, Sir W. Ingility, Mr.
Sykes, Col. Cradock. Mr. Wentworth, Sir 11. Vavasor,
Ste O. Citylev, Mr- Wyvill. lien. Wharton; Hon. E. Pe-
Ire. J. Crompton, M.P.. Mr. Stapyltoo, Colonel Cook.
Mr. C. Wilson, Mr. Leigh. Mr. Crompton, of Woodend,
Mr. Walker, Mr. Tonic, Mr. Rawson, (Sheffield.) Mr.
D, Oukell, Mr. Barlow. Mr. Witham, Mr. Maud, Mr. .I
Dealtry. Mr. lleynell,jon., Mr. J. Hague, of Rose Crsg,
Mr. J. Hutton, IN-. Bourne, Mr. Scroope, of Denby, Mr.
Haynes, Mr. Egremont,
Theru being a general cry of " Chair, chair'."
Mr. W. B. -Pewees cause forward.. Before he en-
tered upon the important business of the day—:be-
fore he had the )(moue of submitting to the meet.
leg the objeet which attracted all their attentions,
and all their hops, be •begged to offer some apo:ogy
for the situation In which be stood, and to explain
the nn which iodated him to call that meet-
ing. His conduct bad ma the one band been stig•
mating as arrogant and presumptuous, while on the
other he bad been accused of a deliberate, wanton,
and ill-timed lineation of disturbing the peace of the

county. He wee not, however, affected, by either of
these laapatatioos. When he reflected on the neg-
ritude of the county of York, and of the greatlin-
deface which hired always had in the •ffdirs of the
. .

kingdom, he felt surprised-that the question was not
earlier Ur:educed to their attention, and the more
especially ei it appeared that it was the only means
by which they could expect to be relieved from
the 11111eulties by which they were surrounded.—
Thy shield consider too, that all the other leading
,counties had deel‘red its favour of it, and that it bad
• at pretest to boast of many thousands of supporters
erbe *lily a lion tims•siaee were hostile to it. Tak-
ing ell these eireumetances into eonsideratiou, and
wises be reflected uposi the whole of his public life,
whets he reflected that several years ago he had, in
that very room, advocated the same question, in con'
jonctioa with many illustrieos persons who bad since
been takes from among them; among whom there was
one while name ought to be mentioned without
feelings of honour. of reverence, and of gratitude, and
*se airtight and independent character was above
• all peal,' I led shunt the lamented father of an Hus.
lientleman (Mr. M. Wyvill, M.P. for the City) theo
sear him, and who inherited all the virtues and pa-
tristic teenage which distinguished the late Rev. Mr.
Wywill;—(applaust)--when be reflected upon all this,
be felt that be should be guilty of a dereliction of his
defy if ►e did net make yet another effort in support
*f the great cause, and he therefore wade op his wind,
sntwithetaadiag• the odium and oblogny which it
would bring upon him, again to call upon the friends
of freedom to assemble and unfold the constitutional
standard of Parliamentary Reforte.—(Load applause.)
These were the motives which actuated him; he wished
to lefties a portion of popular iofluence into that Con
siltation apes which depeaded the lives, the proper.
ems, sod the liberties of the people of this country.—
(Applanne.)--fie might be asked, with en air of W..
aaaph, why distarb the County?-5111y bring again
that stale and hackneyed question of Reform?—Wit
drag again that obsolete doctrine from the oliwurity
to which the irrefragable arguments of its opponents

base consigned it ? Where the record of this achieve-
- meet was to be found be was at a loss to discover.
Was it in (be conduct of the various Administrations

who hag heels io power since the first introduction of

the great question of Reform? Was it in the treat-
' meet which the numerous petitions of the people, un-
der which the Table of the House of etontuons still
grossed, had met with ? Was it in the Resolutior.s
adopted by the Yorkshire Association of 17,32, in
which 400 country gentlemen declared their coneic
teen of the necessity of Reform, and, in the true spirit
of prophecy, pointed out the evils which would flow
from its coo-adoption?—(applause)--a prophecy
which had been bet too fully verified, in the miseries

hieh at that uarinient stared them in the fare. Or

was it depicted to them in the lucrative appointments
and the other good things enjoyed by the sinecuri•ts,
the placemes, the pensioners and the borongh•mongers
who were under the immediate controat and manage.
meat of the lilini&ter of the day ? If such was the
desperate cendi•i7o to which the cause of Itefotto was
reduced, sure y it became its supporters and advocates
to come forward in a body and rescue it from the
durance in which it was placed. If he was asked the
motives which *educed him now to come forward, he
would state, that his answer was written in legible
charactere—in the dang state in which the

errantry was placed—in tire acts and language of the
last
,bessios of Parliament.—(Applause.)—lo the dis-
tress to which nee pert of the people of the kingdom
were reduced, and io the anticipated winery which
threatened the other—in the starvation by which the
people of Ireland had been visited in the midst of
plenty, and the g I rein Which threatened a great
portion Of the empire.—.(Applause.)—It was to be
bound is a profttsioo of expeoditure nut to be equalled
in the annals of history—a billion and a half of pub-
lic money having been expended in the crone of 29
• years, making near 3,000.041. per week, or about
590,01..11. for every working day.—(Applause.)—It
was to he found iu an overwhelming titration and an
overwhelming debt—a debt, the interest of which
could sot continue to be paid without the tisk of
bringing about a great national convulsion, unless
some arrangement was made with the public creditor,
which would be at once satisfactory to him and to the
people at large. But this was an event which be
hoped would take place, unless accompanied by
a Reform In Parliament. It would further be found
is the leduesee poeseesed not so mach by the Crown as
by the Oligarchy, by the Borough influence in the
Rosa of Commons. That isdnence It was that caused
all Os Gawks which they had eodured, all the all-
udes which they still endured and which they were
likely to mdse. as load as the present corrupt system
was snouted to aalat. It out further be found is a
Modal= Report of a Committee of the House of Coin.
ass* la amend that one handrail sod ciao

--a

of their Members reetived no Imo agent than 209.8431.
eycluslvely of the fees of *See, the whole of which
was taken outof their pockets, oat of that public yam
of which they (the House of Commons) bed ken ip
poi need theeoustitstlensl guardians. By a careful pen
silo( thatlist,they would lad thatamsjorityafthel
of Commons were maimed by Peers,by the Ari=kl
and those immediately connected with them.
God ! could any man in that room, or to the intalskrls.
lay Lis baud to his heart, aid without soy than el
prejddice, say that a Haase of Common* eo
was one to which the lives, the properties, and
ties of the people of England ought to be ceased
(Loud applause)? It would he read in the proceedings
of that alliance, falsely and impiously called holy i an
slliarce which bad made England the ally of despotism,
and the enemy of freedom all over the world. It would
be fonnd in the undeviating system of Government, of
coercion of Ministers towards the people, sad their
studious inattention to their petitions sad complaints;
and in the intolerable coarse of vateillatiog eorreptio•
and extravagance of which the people had boos so Meg
the unhappy victims. He had perhaps selleiset)y MP.
plaineol the motives by which he was actuated Weeding
that Meeting; but as be had been accused of wiehlas
wantonly to disturb the peace of the toasty, be felt le
necessary to add yet soother rues., aid that wee the
perfect tranquillity which at this Nomaimi idpiated in
every part of it. *Maas at a 'atria like the'
when the country was in perfect ireestaillity .Fragels:,
and when there existed not the slightest danger free
ahroad, that the wise awesome of all times would *wall
themselves of the intrednetiee of any great sod Nome
airy reformation and ehange--(Applasse..l) When a
nation was surrounded with daggers and illiculties 1;
nstorally looked to the collective wisdom of its Repro.
sentatives for relief. The people have bad their eyes
steadily fixed apse Parliament, sea What ea. the r•
suit? Had they not bare disappidated ? HA'
_lll4
thine been done Mr their relief ? No. aething I
was heard is parliimeat bat doctrines COM%
those principles which oar anteaters' bad *stab%
and cemented with their blood. and headed down to es,
as their last and sees isvalnible Mended. In order te
prove this, it was net neeessary that he should bewilder
them by entering late say eatieserien research a it was
only nt yto go back to the Revolution—a period,
which they had bees tamest from their cradles to Con-
sider as one of the meet ;lode* is .ear history—a
period, the anniversary of which hull often been cele-
brated in that city with all the pride. pomp, and cir-
cumstance of public rejelethg. What **old the great
men who brought *bent that happy event say, had
they heard the doctrines to *bleb he shaded? Weald
they not, to use the words of the Speaker of tie Hones
of Commons start from their oats with ladigutaion
and ant-mishrnent ?—(Applartstri) la Moser times the
principles of liberty bad revolted ineeththeaoaroot
least. It was reserved for the peplos( the present day to
hearthe follo wi ripe a tiniest. broadly stated In Parliament:
—.. That it is remade) to the pedalo. of a Repreies-
tative Body that it should• oat he ideatiAset with, bet
for the people; nod that it Is a• alguel merit is the
British House of Commonss that it does not amount to
a direct delegation frees the= If such were the
case, he could not sus bow Member could re-
corneae it with the fad of hie being a Representative of
the People ; for as such only cosaft be premed to a seat
in Parliament. There certmely was so accesatieg for
tastes but bad he beea ait that HOS. Meshes was, l'a• ,
niche.! by the .palest Burgesses of the immod town is
the kingdom, be woald have left Cork Casthsead Old
Sarum to shift for themselves—(A leagli).—Ualess they
a ere prepared not to render the Howe of COSMOS* a
reflection of the ',abbe mind, violas they wished to
treat the Bill of Rights as wants paper, and throw It
into the fire, 'him they ought to oibe 644 forward
and prove the danger and leseceelty of each doctrine;
and to exert themselves is savisig die country from the
evils which must low from them. There was a time
when by the Act of Settlement, Please. were premtea.
ed from sitting in Parliament*, but now their plasm
was stated to be necessary to 'mine the King spas
his Throne, and to support the Constitution. Were the
men who held such doctrines aware of the results which
followed from them ? Could there be a better argument
urged in favour of Reform, than that the King amid
not hold his Throne, without the aid of bribery aid
corruption; or that, on the other hand. the Members of
Parliament were es sunk, so loot to shame sad d
that they would endeavour to abstract the pablieec=
ness unless kept to their duty by bribery and corrupt
influence?—(Applause)—There was a time too whets
there existed a dread of taxation, for there was an old
adage which said, " that no things were certain bat
taxation and death." Now, indeed, the ease was differ.
ent. Ministers told us first, that a reduction of taxation
would add to the distresses of the country; secondly,
that it would be au interference with the Great Author
of Nature; thirdly. that taxation was a disponsatioa 44
Providence—(A laugh); Led, fourthly, that our dl..
tresses from taxation were bet temporary, and woad
he cured on the principle. of resurreetios—(A laugh.)
Let the people say or do whit they might, they 'mild
obtain no relief. If they grumbled, it was said they
were impatient; if they eat dews adeptly ..der
their suffering, it was said they were satisfied.—
There was a time when there existed a strong jealousy
of, and when objections were made against the seed-
nuance of a standing army, when kaowleolge was consi-
dered as power, the source of wealth and happiness, and
the hest security for the preserved*. of virtue and pub-
lic order. • But now a standing army was cherished, and
knowledge was a nuisance to Ministers, in the counter-
scale to which they found It neceseaey to throw the
whole influence and sorreptles of *Mee. It was re'
served for the people of the preaeat times tar hese • Ma-
sister declare,
that
if the people Weeded She dignity et
the !louse of Gesserees y their redeems, the litteM
live possessed the power of mashing them as they de!
d. Would such decidee be tolerated is a
House of Consumes? Would any Minister darePeee
such language, if Members were freely chosen by the
people—(Applause)? He had "moths. exaggerated,
nor aught set dews in mike." llie migh' t say with the
Poet.

Who's in or oat, who guides the State machine,
" Nor moves my envy, aoreachos my epleee."
He cared not what party was is,
_p!oeided the country
was free, contested and hatpr. did sot feel in-
sulted when he beard the Lonstitatioe of this country
pointed oat as the envy and adutirsdoe of serronadiag
nations? Who could hear that language weed without
entertaining a fear that undersea a lettering disguise
there lurked a latent design of gemming the country
in tutors with responsibility or salami ? The deaden-
don ender which we were sinking had nothing to do
with the Constitution. It was the offspring of fraud,
cunning and corruption. It commenced with the Sep-
tenniel Act—it was named bythe Walpoles—it grew
op with giant strength ender the Pelhanis—it had in-
creased, was i serene' mg, and, unless diminished, it would
overpower and destroy the rights and Liberties of the
people of Eoglend.—(Applaase.) Hew the evils ender
which we laboured were to be averted melees by a Re-
form in Parliament, be vms at a loss to discover, although
Vaneittart told them that every thing would go oat
well without a Reform. It asked what description of
Representatives he wished to retera to Parliament, b.
ahould answer, men who acknowledged and acted on the
great prioc4Atte of tbe Constitution. He wished aGo
version' of tbroe estates.
Sir 11. Sear vwsure moved am adjoanimest to the .per
air, as numbers who meld nee get is wished to host the

THE STATESMAN.

Honourable Gentleman's eloquent speech [cries of "WI
on, go on.")
Mr. Fan mu proceeded—He wished.to have a Kiag
clothed in all the splendour ind dignity 'scenery tii
his station, ar-ned with full power to carry the boil-
Ness of the State into execution with energy sod
promptitude, hut at the same time a King, strictly li
mited by law ;—a King, with whom, when be mooni-
er' the throne and received the sceptre, a most solemn
reciprocal compact bad been entered into for the per
(ermines of certain defined duties;—a King, who
pledged himself to his subjects as they pledged them-
selves to him. He uislied a House of Lords, which
should be a balance between the King and tbe Com-
mons. preventing encroachments of the Crows en the
use hand, end venality and scurrility oa the other.—
He would have an Aristocracy contented with their
privileges, without infringing the rights and liberties
of the people, er seeking that which they could not
obtain without crime. Lastly, be would have a How
of Common fairly sad homily chosea—a set of nee,
who would prefer tbe lateness of -the century to their,
owe, or that of their patritaaand who would syn.
white with the people in the enactment of every law 1
the imposition of every tax,Snd 'the removal of
grievamee—a set of men who would not obey the call
*fa Stinisteror yield to his m . He would repeat as
extract from a resolution rf Parliament, which stated
" that theKi lig of England cannot have so perfect,so ho-
nourable a security to every thing that can make a
truly great and happy, as the genuine, free and
ral support of an uninfienned and independent Ho
of Commons." In leaving this part of the subject, he
wished to resided the meeting of a passage in Rolling-
broke's patriot King, where be says—" If Liberty be
the delicious fruit on wirich you are anxious to live,
the British Coastitation eillatfe.d to you thataliment,
on condition that you observe to trench aad fence it
well round against the beasts of the geld sod the insects
of the earth." The former were they who made open
sod aadisguieed attacks on them by the prerogatives of
she Crows, nil tin other, the 'odious and nibbling
vermin that belonged to the earth, were the nozioss
sad poisonous agitate of corruption and despondency.
The Honourable Heatless, after a few other observe-
s dune, said, it was Doeseessary for him now to eater
late a definer of tin doctrines supported by Reform-
ers; wiles proper ePpertanity arrived be would (ear-
-1 'cooly throw dome hie gaantletood nballenge his onto-
near. He expreind his satisfaction in having called
the meeting, as, by defog eo,he gave every oiler is the
countran opportunity of expressing his °philtres spin
the subject for which they were assembled, and had
also redeemed his pledges aot to relax in that seal
which he had through life Ann' for the liberty and
welfare of his country. H. hoped this tbe friends of
Reform would not hang back antil the moult of ca-
lamity arrived, for, if they did, them all virtue all win
dons, and all exertion, would be is nisi. The Hon.
Usatleman coacladed amidst the loudest applause of
meeting.
MG Cermet/eon then came forward, and said that as
the first measure was to choose a Chairman, he shoel
move that Mr. Fawkes do take the chair.
Sir W. Isms', seconded the motion. It was ear.
tied with great applatin.
Sir M. STAPTLION Spill moved an adjourament to
'another roost or to the open air; but it was over-
ruled amid cries of " It will bring us under the blessed
six acts."

Mr. FAA [Ultima read the following resolutions to
the meeting, which, be said, had been prepared by some
of t►ose orb* had first thought of the weetingg. They
were as fellow. ;
" Resolved, 1 bat it is the opinion of the Meeting that
a Reform in the Commons House of Parliament. suc► a
Reform as would render it the real rath, r than a virtual
representation of the people, is become a measure of ur-
gent necessity.
" That this Meeting collects the troth of this fact from
the recorded history of the House itself, where it is found
that every successive Administration, of whatever party,
can, with a few solitary exceptions, of which the inter-
ested spirit has been too manifest, at all times command
• majority;—
" And this Meatier is willing to believe that the nu-
merous body of Macaws and Pensioners, which a Com-
mittee of the House of Commons has reported to sushi
its body, has greatly tended to produce this spirit of de-
penthroce on the one hand, and of unbounded power on
the other ;
" Further, that the return of 'Umbels to the Com-
mons House of Parliament. as appears from numerous
statements wade in the House itself, bein effected
through the influence of Peers of the Realm, as well as
of the Lords of.the Treasury, is another cause why the
votes of the House so implicitly follow the dictates of
successive Administrations, and frequently with the sa.
eritice of the best interests of the country. Convinced of
this great truth, tLis Meeting thinks it right to watch
the opportunity fur adopting the steps necessary to rouse
this great county to those exertions which may be wanted
to effect such • Reform as shall restore our representa-
tion to a state of Constitutional purity, calculated at
once to protect the rights of the People and °fillet:rime.
" Farther, that to bring about this great object. it is
the opinion of this Meeting. that a Committee be imme-
diately appointed, with power to add to their umbers,
who s►all meet the first Monday io November, to origi-
nate a County Meeting;tir toodopt such other niwilures
'as they may conceive requiette to promote a Reform in
the Commons House of Parliament."
After these Resolutions bad been read.
Mr. B. TO said, that atter the eloquent speech
which the meeting bad just heard from his Honourable
Friend Mr. Fawkes, he would not add a single word,'
he would merely recommend She resolutions to their
pities aid approbation,
Sir W. InuiL•T seconded the resolution., as he
thought that they contained the only method of saving
the country from its present dangers.
Mr. CIIALOSaIt.—.4II giving his support to thest
resolutions lie bed a task of 110031) little uithtulty to
perform. as he bad to explain and account fur the ab
wore of a noble friend of his—no less a twin than his
noble friend, the member fur the county (Lord Mil-
ton) It was no small comfort to bitn that his state-
ineut on this subject could be corroborated by the
Hui. Gentleman who filled the chair. Ills noble

friend was at the present moment placed in particular
circumstances which bad uneroidably cawed his ab
scene ; bat though he could not attend, be (Mr.
Cbaloner) conid more the Meeting, that be was the
si advocate of the principle of reform. As to
elm opinions which he (Lord Milton) held on the de-
rails of the ;motion. it was "Mance ssss y (Jr him In
~oquire, as a better oppertnnity would be given to hi.
noble Mend himself on some future occasion. I.
dew remained Within to state to the meeting why hi-
noble Mend was sot now present. It was well known