The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-09 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

would do great benefit to the King, and do great ho-
nour to themselves if they respectfully but firmly ad-
dressed his Majesty on the state of the country. Ile
had not heard either of the addresses read until he
heard them read at the Meeting. Ile had there paid
every atteution to their contents, and his opinion w;0,
that he would go every step with the original address, but
he did not think that that address had gone far enough.
He had very carefully read the Add ress proposed by
*ay of amendment. There were two or three words
in that Address which appeared to him to have been
improper. Ile objected, for instance, to tic word'
" illegal," as applied to the House of Commons. He
could not call that House an illegal assembly ; but he
looked upon many of their acts as most unwise and
most unconstitutional. It was idle for env loan to
think, that unless a great alteration took place in the
formation of that House, that any good could be done
fur the country. The corrupt and imperfect state of
the representation was the great parent of national
misfortune. When he saw a great nation, such as
England, unani 1111 l UP on any great question, he thought
that no Minister, that no power, ought for one moment
to resist the general voice ; hut how often did it hap-
pen that odious and injuriose, measures hail been ear-
tied against the declared opinions of the countrv. He
was for the amendment, because be thought it bad a
great advantage over the original—it spoke out
plainly—it went to the root of the evil.--(Applause.)
1Y23 there, he asked, any person hold enough to deny
the necessity of Reform ? Would any man hold up
his face and say that he (lid not consider Reform ne-
cessary ? Ile believed there was no one who would
do so—no--not even the lientleman who so ably de- l
fended the system of firers, Bags amid laughter).
There were two things most hostile to the freedom and
security of Englishmen—one was, the system of se-
Bret enquiry—the other, the imperfect state of the re-
presentation. One person had been heard that day
defending lireen Raga ; but he helirviol there was
not a man (Pliable the doors of Parliament.that wools!
be impudent enough to del-tool the manner in v Lich
the House of Common% sees constituted. If the ueople
were fairly col freely represented in the House of
Commons, as he hoped le-fore he died to see them ;
if the people were so represented they would nut have
ken in the fifth year of prare paying an annual sum
of eleven millions sterling fur the support of a stand-
ing army. That SUM of eleven millions was lint one
item in the account—the n hole was a system of es-
penditure of the public money, the most pro-
fuse and extravagant, wrung (rum the hard earnings
of the artisans and labourers. •He could have no ,
objection to see men of property enjoy all the raisk and
comfort belonging to their station, hut he world wish
to see the people relieirsi from their berthene—he
would wish to see them free and happy—they were the
vital strength of the country. If the Mouse of C -
mons bad been the proper guardians of the public ino- •
bey, no one would he so absurd as to suppose that the I
country would be in the state of misery and einbarras-
enent in which it unfortunately placed. Upon
that subject the minds of all mess were made up, al-
ways excepting dingoe who receive.) the public money
—(A laugh).—lle would not :As the opinions of such
men—he would not ask the opinions of the pensioned,
the idle and the corrupted, assisted as they were by a
slavish and hired press. lint every impartial and ho-
nest man wonld agree with Ishii in opinion, that the
system of corruption and profusion which had been so
long carried on, was wlsat routd he no longer endured
by the people. Ile was persuaded that his Majesty was
not at all aware of the extent of the public misery—the
humane character whirls Isis Majesty bore for so many
years, before he had mounted the Throne, was well
known to the country—it was impossible that his Ma-
jesty could well know the misery and distress of his
people ; it was, therefore, the duty of the people, and
really a benefit and a favour towards the King, for
them openly and boldly to express their opinions on
the state of their country—(Applause).—The lion.
Member then said, that there were some words in the
Address proposes! by Mr. Mills, to which he would oh- I
ject, and he proceeded to point out those improper
words as they occurred in various parts of the Address.
With these amendments, he (Mr. II.) would support
the Adders., because he slid not are a single statement
in it that was not true, and he thought that the coun-
try was in that situation which admitted of nothing
but a bold and derisive course. It was lamentable
to look at the state to whirls the country was re-
duced r' but embarrassed as it was, great and
alarming as were its difficulties, yet when he con-
sidered th • capital, the skill, the industry, and the
perseverance of the people, he was convinced that the
country would ultimately rise above its difficulties;
that it would regain its former strength and prosperity
if its affairs were in Ilse hands of able and honest men
--of men who would only wish to remove the public
evils and to promote ths• public advantage without har-
ing any wish to promote their own private interests or
the interests of their friends, at the expense of the hap-
piness, independence, and prosperity of the country.
Mr. Brea was of opinion that the original address
was by far the most proper to be adopted--(Cfieh of
no, no.)—He did nut pretend to speak the opinions of
the meeting, he only stated his own. He hoped they
would permit him to do so—((;heers.)--As an honest
representative of the people, he could not agree to
the Address as it originally stood, becauae it appeared!
to hint to have stated what was nothing more or less
(loan treason—(Strong disapprohation.)--It denied
the legality of the lioase of Commons, and the Ho-
nourable Gentleman amended it in six or seven places.
Altered as it was, the Meeting could not judge of its
effect or meaning, without first having a fair copy of
it laid before them. Ile hall another objection to the
Address. The object of the Meeting was to address the i
King to dismiss hits Ministers ; and also to present an I
address of congratulation to the Queen on her signal
triumph over the wicked and atrocious attack that
had been recently made upon her. There was not a,
word in the requisition about Parliamentat r Reform.
They stood un very strong grounds es long as the!
confined themselves to the object ',Tressed iu the
requisition; on the subject of her Majesty there was
• -- neevail ' tie -

so foully dishonoured per-
spitted to‘go on !ff any awn were to look at the state but one opinion prevailing throughout country
'fare country—at the state of its ntanufasitures, and I, there was but one feeling of public sympathy and ofl
its agriculture--at the state of the labourers. and the' public afecti•n towards her Majesty—(Applutee;)—
artisans, he could hot but see that a change was want- but if they would mix up with her question as
es
ed, sad wanted immediately —(Hear, hear!)—He traneous matter on which the roantry was g#eatly
thought, therefore, that the Freeholders of Middlesex divided--(Goud cries of " ttu, ha, au;")—ku woold

repeat that on the question of Parliamentary Re-
form, the country was greatly divided, whilst with
respect to her Majesty the country was unanimous.
Me found that among those who were the hired sup-
porters of Ministers, there was scarcely one to be
found who slid nut condemn their late proceedings.
Even in the Court of Aldermen—(Cheers.)--not one
would stand tip to support their cause.---(Cheers.)---
He said,theretore, that while they confined themselves
to the case of her Majesty they stood upon strong
ground. The cause of Reform was in itself sufficiently
strong--why not then call a County Meeting fur the
express purpose of taking that question into consi-
deration ?---(llear, hear.)---By tacking the cause of
Reform in this manner to other questions, they would
make it worn out and threadbare. He would seri-I
ously recommend that they should confine themselves
to the objects of tlo., Meeting, as stated in the Re-
quisition.
Mr. S. C. WHITBREAD, M.P. came (onward, and was
greeted with loud and repeated cheering. He was
sorry to offer himself to the tiotice of the Meeting, but
he felt it necessary to do so, in consequence of sonic
little difference which he perceived among some gen-
tlemen respecting the two addresses proposed. For
Isis own part, he slid not think the first address went
far enutigh.—(Hear, hear')—But at the same time I►e
would say, that'nnless souse expressions in Mr. Mills's
address were altered, he could not support it. (Bravo.)
He thought the matter would be settled, if they allow-
ed both addresses to go to a Cotnu►ittee, which he
would name.—(No, no !)—There were certainly some
expressions in the amendment, which, if he beard
them rightly, were highly offensive to the King. (No,
no ; yes, yes!) he certainly conceived it so. The Ho-
nourable Gentleman, after several observatiohs on the
subject of Parliamentary Reform, the only real reme-
ds• fer the distresses of the country, concluded by
moving that a Co: ttttt ince, consisting of Sir U. Noel,
Mr. P. Moore, Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Byng, Mr. Ilut►se,
Mr. B. Beamnont, Mr. Mill., and some others, he ap-
pointed to revise the amendment of Mr. Mills. If they
were to he detained there much longer, their proceed-
ings would resemble those of Ministers, they would be
in the dark.—(A laugh.)

Mr. MILL. expressed his readiness to adopt the
amendments proposed by Mr. Home.
After a few words from Mr. Sheriff Waitliman, Mr.
Mills, and Mr. P. Moore, it was put and carried, that
the Committee should withdraw and revise the amend-
ment to the Address.

After the Committee retired, Mr. Sheriff WAITIIM•N
said, that the meeting might employ the intervening
time by considering another subject which lay before
them, namely, the propriety of presenting an Address
if congratulation to her Majesty ; that Address, he
dorlersteod, was to be proposed by Sir Gerrard Neel.
Sir ti. Non . then came forward to move the Ad-
dress ; he said, that in doing so he did not think it
ssee to make any observation whatever. He would
merely state to them the contents of a letter recently
received from a Gentleman on the Continent. The
letter stated, that the writer had met a certain Hano-
verian Baron at an hotel at Brussels, who had been
intimately acquainted with the late Baron Oinpteda.
The Baron stated, that before Ompteda had been ap-
pointed on the Milan Mninission, he bad scarcely the
means of purchasing even the necessaries of life. That
after his appointment lie suddenly got rich, and died
worth two hundred thousand dollars, or X 50,000 sterl-
ing, which, the writer, added, went, a great way to
prove bribery by wholcsale—(Applause).---The Ho-
nourable Baronet concluded by moving the Address to
her Majesty.
Mr. Wootre spoke at considerable length. After
which the question on the Address to her Majesty was
put and carried unanimously.
Mr. C. PLARNON moved that the Address be pre-
sented to his Majesty by four Nobleasen----the Dukes
of Bedford and Leinster, the Eatis Grey and Gros-
venor. lie wished that these Noblemen should present
it, as they would revive former recollections in his
Majesty's mind they would be able to tell his Ma-
jesty that he at one time !named and pretent'ed to
entertain similar principles---( Load cries of " Erskine,"
and cheers).

Mr. MILLS, at the suggestion of the Chairman'
read the Address, as amended by the Committee. He
afterwards proceeded to remark, that there had been
more public money expended within the last 30 years
than during a thousand years before. Ile had crl-
culated the expenditure from 1066 down to the close
of the reign of lleorge 111. In the reign of Wil-
liam the Conqueror the money expended was 400,000/.
a year in tweuty-Jne years. Taking the reigns of
the Plautagenets and other families during a period
of seven hundred years, down to the secession of
Geo. 111. the whole expenditure was 795,000,000/.
While in the reign of tiro. 111. which was only 59
years, there wrs expended a sum of 2,357,000,0001.
a sum three times as great as that expended dur-
ing Cie whole previous period to which be bad al-
luded.

---
The Amendment was seconded and carried with-
onr-a^tMwsetrtirnt tole*, veva that et Mc. 11'i Baas.
who was loudly hissed, as he was on the proposal of
all the other Resolutions.

After some observations from several persons, it
was decided that the Dukes of Bedford and Leinster,
Earls (key, Grosvenor, Darnley, Darlington, Car-
marthen, and Lord Erskine, should present the Ad-
dress to his Majesty. It was also decided, that the
Sheriff should wait on the above Noble Lords, and
acquaint them with the Resointioa of the Meeting.
Mr. Sheriff WAITHMANT said that the Sheriffs had
at this moment mach basilicas to transaet, but no
time should be lost in carrying the wishes of the
Meeting into effect.
The Thanks of the Meeting were successively voted
to Mr. Alderman Wood, Messrs. Brougham, Den-
man, Loshington, Williams, sad the other Gentlemen
who defended her Majesty; Lady Ana Hamilton; the
Public Press; Messrs. By.g and Whitbread; Sir U.
Noel; Mr. P. Moore, and Mr. Hume.
The thanks of the meeting was also voted to Mr.
Nurses; for his exertions in detecting the couspi•
racy of Mr. Franklin. Mr. reuses returned thanks.
Moo *TN* sowed *She shooks of the meeting to
their ~ay iltestrit, fest his mealy and dignified
conduct is thmheir pond siiiiisseel.
Sheriff Wastamos lotrrood thanks, and the ant-
lag broke of shoot eh o'eloek.