The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-16 00:00:00

MEETING OP THE COUNTY OF LAI.NARK.

(FrPITHER PARTICULARS ?ROM TIM tDINBVILGH STAR►)
General HAMILTON, of Dalziel. as convener of the
county, constituted the meeting, and took the chair.
As soon as the preliminary matters were finished,
Lord Doconas came forward. and prop9bed that
• Loyd Belbumm-derinitr thesis!*. - Thtirstetten IRV

seconded by the Convener, and carried unanimously.
Letters were produced from several individuals ap-
proving of the abject of the meeting, and apoligititig,
for their absence. One from Mr. Hamilton, yonnger,
of DaWel, excused his attendance on account of had
health, and contained an address which he thought to.
be suitable for the present occasion.
Lord BeLHATEN stated, that nhless this address
was* "tiered and seconded, it could not be brought
nnder the •considetation of the meeting by A were let-
ter, sea that therefore no attemion could he paid to it
at present.
'rite requisition having been read by the clerk, •
Mr. flamts-ros, Sheriff-depute of the county, nice
stated, that this meeting had been called, by
the convener and himself, for the purposes mentioned
in the requisition, and he hoped now that somebody
would propteic the address.
Sir CHARLI:S LOCKHART said, that lie was unse-
rostareed to address the public, and did wit therehee
titini.; that any thing lie could say (mild have the
siert of furwardi4 the object of the meeting. Ile
wonl4 therefore be leave to read the addre,s, st
i.e proposed should he adopted by the meeting; and
toe address was accordingly lead.
Mr. Moe-merle of Carstair• .---It has fallen to my
lot to second the address which has just been mowed
ht thy. Honourable Baronet, and I trust that it will he
so,auitilously adopted. I second this address the wore
r:•;:,:ily, as it appear:, to me to embrace all t!o• sub-
j..t.ts mentioned in the requisition, while it keeps
‘..;:ir of those dubious points upon which their pre-
s .'s a difference of opinion. Unanimity of opinion is
4.f iuspot'alico when we arc met to address, hi- M 4jesty;
and if any cirrionstatires were to occur which %%mild
prevetit address from going on uteinitnoo dy, I
should tr.erve to myself the right of speaking again. •
'Mr. Hot% VI.RI; said, that after what bad fallen
fr.eu the honurahle gentleman who hail preceded
him, and the desire lie had expressed fur the perste-
ya:iati 01 unanimity, he regretted that any nereSsity
for oppwing the address which had been
behitaitted to their consideration. and he the more pe-
niiarly laineeted that the honorable member should
be pot to the inconroliew e of redeeming his proffered
pl.lge, and answerinz the arguments which he and
others mieltt feel theiiisek es obli !zed to introduce
upon the pi eo.nt orea..ion. 'f hat unanimity was mast
desi►atilt io all, lie awl every gentleman around him
vonld most willingly allow; wohing could prove
si.ore grateftil to their feelings than to approach the
Throne with profesidons of loyalty and attachment to
the person of the Monarch, and of a firm Conviction
of the necessity of the maintenance of those principles
by which the stability of die constitution is guaran-
teed and secured. But, at the same time, without
any disposition to disturb thaeharinony lie rushed to
see prevail, he could not imagine that any insinus-
time; of disloyalty could he made towards those who
felt themselves conscientiously obliged to oppose the
pritiviplea on which the present address WWI founded,
and to mingle with their effusions of loyalty that ex-
pression of meanly awl independent sentiment whit Is
i: ought to be the duty, as he hoped it would he the
of such au, assembly as the present to
express. Loyal addresses had unquestionably been
4 atried to the Throne from almost every other
sootily of Scotland, and it might thus he thought
incumbent on them to adopt addresses of a similar
character to those generally passed elsewhete ; bet
if reasons should lie offered for some variation in
the tour and sentiment of the address issuing from
the county of Lanark, lie dial not think that the
vintititenatire and the manly expression of these rea-
son.; would justify an impeachment of their loyalty,
Lot would rather prove that they were guided by the
mu:Trite; dictates of principle, and au honest anxiety
ts convey to his Majesty the true expression of popu-
lar opinion, and the disinterested recommendation of
that policy which the existing crisis imperiously re-
qnited. Ile had come there with an inclination to
yin in the compliment paid to other counties, and to
bays c eicurred with them in the propriety of address-
the Crown; but he could not support the pried-
ides embodied in the address, or loth:Tribe to the ob-
servation of the honorable seconder, that these could
nit be inspeachel or contradicted. To him the ad-
dress was of so vague and indefinite a description—
so scrupulously evasive on those subjects on account
of which it was alone proposed, that he felt himself
ohliged to move an amendment : because in his mind
the county of Lanark should send to the Throne opi-
nions not only of a more explicit character, but of a
totally different description to that which the address
contained.—(lrear, hear.)—To expressions of loyalty
and attachment to the person of the Sing. and to
the principle* of the constitution, he was tar from en-
tertaining objections, but this could prove no reason
for asserting that discontent prevailed, or attempts to
excite it, without specifying the cireninstances which
produced it, or the peculiarities by which it was dis-
tinguished. Very different were the circumstances in
which an address of a similar character originated last
vear. Then lie had the misfortune in another county
to differ fron many respected friends on the necessity
of addressing and strengthening the Throue. But
that eeriod of danger has now passed away; and the
county, by the admission of the hon. seconder himself,
enjoys the blessings of uninterrupted repose. Peace
and contentment reign among the lower classes; and
during a season of imexampled suffering and priva-
tior, they failed not to display the utmost fortitude
and good conduct, which excited the praise not only of
those who witnessed their distresses, but claimed the
remoter admiration of the sister kingdom.—(Hear,
bear.)-1n circumstances like this, an address of a very
different character to that proposed should be adopted.
He should like to see it breathe a spirit of inde-
pendent thought, as well as of loyal expression ; of
attachment to the constitution of the country, as well
as of a personal affection to the King ; and be did not
think this was such au address as ought to go to thi
Throne, or such a one as the independent county of
Lanark would' wish to send tO*London.—(Hear, heat 4

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