The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-17 00:00:00

These were, however, the precedents oh which Mi.
nisters relied, those very precedents which they ought
most sedulously to have avoided. Thetefore lie would
contend, that the proceedings of Ministets4 founded on
such base evidence, their lending themselves to tier-
man diplomatists, their lending themselves with so
Much pfompdtude to the will of &Sovereign who -had
separated from his consort, rendered them wholly un-
fit to continue in the situations which they at present
held.---(Cheers.)--.-They ought not to be permitted
hencefbrth to move in the same path of danger and
: Of mischief in which they had been travelling for so
many years.--(Applause.)—Ministers who felt them-
selves under the necessity of resorting to the agency
of Italian accusers anti German diplomatists, were no-
fit to guide the again of this country. They had
heard, to their utter astonishment, how far Ministers
were now under, not the will of the -,:rople of England,
but how far they wete undet thecontroland despotism
of foreign govetnments.—(Cheers and hisses.)—They
must surely have heard of combinations of sovereigns
against the libertiesof the people of Europe.--(Cheers.)
Now, though it *as not mentioned in the address
Which had been placed in his hand, (for, as he had
before stated, he was only the. substitute for their
&Ale representative), and which he was about to
shove ; still he regretted that the foreign relations of
This country had not been alluded to. He regretted it
On account of the doctrine maintained by the Holy
Alliance. It was true the British Ministers had not
placed their signatures to that alliance ; but they
knew how intimately connected, how nearly Mended
they were, with all the bad actions of that alliance.
---(Cheers.)---If he entered into a detail, it would
he painful for him to express the disgust and
abhorrence he felt towards many of the measures
of the present Administration—especially their
lending themselves to the prosecution, he might more
propetly say, the persecution of leer Majesty.—(Cheers
and hisses.) After doing that, he thought they had
no right to hold a public and responsible situation in
the government of the country. On these grounds,
added to the private affection he entertained for their
noble representative, he stood forward to propose an
address to his Majesty ; and, as he had before said, if
• there were any individual in that meeting who would
bdttlly, manfully, and energetically state opposite
opinions. and prove that his were wrong, he would
most cheerfully confess his error.---(Applause.)—But
he entertained a confident hope that the meeting,
with the exceptioet of those few individuals who
had (expressed their dissent, would carry, with ac-
clameigns, the address which he now had the honour
to propose.—(Cheers.)
Tbe UNDER SHERIFF read the address, which, after
'pointing out the demerits of Ministers, prayed for
their dkinissal.
Earl FirzwtwAlt next came forward, and u-as re-
ceived with long-continued plaudits. his Lordship
said he felt great pleasure in seconding the address,
which contained no sentiment that did not appear to
him to be perfectly correct. The conduct of minis-
ters appeared wholly ntjustifiable iu niany instances,
anal in none more .0 than in the manner in which they
treated the complaints of the people. Their miscon-
duct had produced conaiilerable discontent throughout
the country ; hut, instead of endeavouring to allay it,
by alletiating the hurdetta of the people, they had
recourse to a great additional military force, by which
the pothlie expenditure was increased. when it ought
to be diminished. The charge of disloyalty and se-
dition, which had been so confidently made against
the people, was founded on calumny, and calumny
alone.--(Cheers). The people of England had re-
peatedly petitioned.--their petitions had been neglect.
ed, and that this might generate discontent, he ad-
r•itted ; but lie maintained it to he compli taly proved
that there never was such discontent in exist-
ence as could justify a standing army of eO,OOO men
in time of peace. These were his sentiments ; lie
spoke slim fairly to his friends and fellow-country-
p+-n. and feeling them to be well-founded, he would,
ac•ii:r under their influence, support the proposition
of h:s noble friend.—(Cheers).
Mr. Founnam inveighed against the injustice of the
proceedings in the ease of the Queen, and pointed out
tt:e absurdity, as well as cruelty, of delegating the
anamalous powers of prosecutors. judges. and jurors,
to the same hotly. The speaker then proceeded to
call the attention of the meeting to the enormous
minding army which was at pr. sent kept up. on which
ministers depended for support, be their actions what
might. If they had not been conscious that they
had a large armed force in the neighbourhood of the
metropolis, they would not have dared to institute
proceedings against the Queen. In conclusion, the
speaker, after pointing out the necessity of parliamen •
tarn reform, proceeded to read a resolution on that sub-
ject, which he meant to mote.
The INera %tenter said the meeting was con-
Treed under a particular Act of Parliament, and he
could not put a resolution, the subject of which was not
mentioned in the requisition.
Mr. MERES r said there never wan, at any period of
their history, a greater necessity fur the people of this.
cisuotry to meet and sprak theireentiments than at the
present moment, threatened as they were by a total
subversion of that constitution which their forefathers
had purchased with their blood. Ministers had for
the last 15 months been. /bridging that constitution
with mischievous activitl: From all their actions, it
appeared that the policy of the present ministers was
to govern the pe,,ple of this country by military des-
potism and arbitrary power.---(Cheers.)--Instead of
endeavouring to put down any disaffection which
might hare existed in the country by wise and liberal
useasur:.s. what had they done ? They had agited the
country from: one end to the other, and brought it to
the brink of revolution, by introducing a proceeding
unknown to the constitution. When they saw ruin
and desolation staring them in the face; when they
saw the manufacturer and the agriculturalist involved
in one common ruin, they naturally asked to whom
all this was owing ? Time answer must be, to his Ma-
kitty's ministers, who seemed to be as dead to the dan-
gers that surrounded the country, as they were to
those that threatened the Crown.---(Cheers.)—ln loy-
constitution, and attachment to the 'House
inswick, he would yield to no man. He would
every thing that was dear to him in their de-
s should consider himself unworthy of tit*
Boglishatan if he did nut • come boldly fur-

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