The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-10-11 00:00:00

PERTH COUNTY MEETING.

(WU TOT ZDINIIIUROM STAR, OCT. S.)
At the Michaelmas Head Court of Freeholders of the
ogoly of Perth, held on Tuesday, there were not many
I Fewer, no business of any consequence having beep ex
~c led to come before them. James Drummond, Esq. of
rstrsthallan, M.P. for the County, in the Chair.
There was produced to the meeting a petition and me-
morial, addressed to the Lords Commissioners of his Ma-
leety's Treasury, by the Lines Manufacturers. Linen
'Merchants, and Illeachers of the County of Perth, pray-
ing that their Lordships would be pleased to direct the
t atemis ' donee*, who have been appointed by Parliament,
oth reference to the situation of duties on articles as be-
wen Great Britain and Ireland, to take into consider.):
:los the difference of duties, paid by the Manufacturers,
Merchants, and Bleachers, in this country aod Ireland:
—l,l, on ashes, pearl or pot; td, hard soap; 3d, soft
•
soap: 4th, starch: and to hare these duties equalised,
is terms of the articles of Union between Great Britain
ea Ireland.
The meeting having taken the petition into consider-
ation, resolved, that taking a deep interest in the Linen
Trade, of sun importaace to this part of the country,
they would request the member of Parliament for the
county to forward the object of the petitioners, by every
means in his power.
The meeting also considered a communication ad-
dr sod to the Conveners of the county, by the Com-
*
appointed by the General Assembly of the Church
, •otland, to take under consideration the present
' mil of striking the fiats of corn : and were of opinion,
tit/the liars of the county of Perth were struck with
perfect fairer" anti hitherto they bad beard no com-
p:mit on the subject. They considered that it would he
isexpedient to go I. Parliament requesting any new le-
gislative enactment on the subject.
The meeting requested the Preses to write to Mr.
skefie, who addressed a letter to the Convener of the
i °only. wishing subscriptions to the equestrian statue
of his Majesty, expressive of their regret that there were
n 4 public funds belonging to the county, from which
they could vote any sum towards that object.
Communications were also laid before them from Mr.
Henry Bell, of Glasgow, wishing the meeting to support
a claim he bad made to Government, for a remuneration,
as being the best person who brought into this country
the power of steam in propelling vessels against wind
and tide; and certain letters on the subject of the dis-
tillery laws; but they judged it unnecessary to come to
ate resolutions on either of these subjects.
Thine was also laid before the meeting a circular from
tNe Convener of the County of Thurso, requesting the
County of Perth to co-operate with the other Counties of
Sruiland in forming a Committee to consider the sub-
ject of the Corn Laws, and to petition Parliament on the
subject.
Sir A. N. Illacuststa said, that however indubitable
the f.o.t of the existence of greet agricultural distress
n as—however much to be deplored—and however they
and all felt it most deeply—yet that he thought Parlia-
ment too much Interested in the question to require to be
prompted to their duty. He therefore thought it better
that it should not at present be discussed.
Mr. hlutua, of Milton, regretted that the county of
Perth should pass the subject over in this way, and
thought that as so little, indeed nothing, war done last
session, to relieve the existing distress, the appointment
of a committee, to investigate the subject, was highly
Few ; at all events, that the present application should
cot he treated with so much disrepect.
Sir A LEXANDEU, in reply, said, that as a great diver.
..ty of opinion existed on the subject—hardly three gee.
teinen thinking alike on it—such a committee coal
outcome to any conclusion. It would be much betted
that the subject should not be entered into at present'
than eater into any discuseon, aid conclude with diser,
proving of the measure.
A letter from the proprietors of a metropolitan news-
paper was real to the meeting, which produced con-
siderable amusement. It contained a " very o6ligiey"
offer, as Sir A. M. M'Kenzie termed it, to publish
gratis such of the proceedings of the county meetings
as they wool,' order to be copied out and sent to Edit.-
Imre, for that purpose! A process which, however
troahlesoine to the county, would certainly abridge the
hiliotirs of reporters in no small degree. It will be a
11.1cyon time for the public journals, when public meet-
ings send accounts of their proceedings themselves, and
not trust to the newspaper reporters! Until such an ar-
rangement takes place, the other papers may always de-
pend on finding, in our columns, reports of every im-
portant matter brought under the consideration of the
County Meetings.
Afirr some routine road business, the meeting ad-
jaurned.