The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-02-16 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

he reported it to the Secretary of State, and, he be- In the Commonsthat most important of all
heves!, these troops were than removed. measures, the quest+) of the Corn Laws, or, more
Mr. Woon expressed himself satisfied with the ex- properly speaking, the proposed measure for keep-
planation,and said, if the circumstance of the presence .
ing up the price of Bread, was again agitated. The
of the military was indeed purely accidental the pro-
test of the friends of Mr..J. Burdett on that score observations of Mr. BARING and the other speakers
woute of course he withdrawn. on the highly indecorous and injurious proceeding of
Some further explanation on this point took place, hurrying this" measure of so much moment to the
which was, we thought, considered satisfactory to Public thretigh Parliament without deliberation or
the friends of Mr. Burdett, enquiry, save what may have passed at the re-
Mr. Kminarisn stated, that the friends of Mr.
litirdett finding that their utmost endeavours to hcarsals of the landholders and persons confessed to
promotelis interests were not likely to he Ultimately be interested, at Lord LIVERPOOL'S house, are of
successful, had resolved to withdraw their poll clerks an importance corresponding with the deep interest
from the hustings-.• the next (this) morning, not ,' of the subject, and deserving of more than appro.
wishing to disturb the peace of the Borough untie- station. The ports are already shut, and will be so
I
cessarily ; but the electors forming the Committee did
until May next, against importations of Corn ; and
not hold themselves .responsible fer the conducttef,
yet not an hour is to be lost in placing the country
any other electors, who, by polling one vote an hout,,,
Might keep the poll open for fourteen days. more and permanently at the mercy of corn-growers
Mr. Ilor.Lasin (who was the legal adviser of the and grain-dealers !—Though half the people' of-
High Bailiff in his official rapacity) said, that a dis-,: gip commercial kingdom were starving, they art
cretionary power was vested in the Returning 0111-. i not to be allowed to exchange their manufactures.
cer, by which he could close the poll at any period's and merchandise with countries which • require them
he thought fit, for the exercise of which authority,.
he was accountable to Parliament. In counties and for the means of subsistence! There are already,.we.,
extensive districts, it was sometimes necessary "to should apprehend, sufficient difficulties in the way of•
keep the poll open till the latest period alloy/ea by' our merchants coping with foreigners—the Smallest
the Constitution, to give the electors fair opportu-1I addition to the price of bread must make this centre-I
Mlles to come fore aid, many of whom might not tition still more difficult. ThelXiiclholdertinAr
know of the election until it had considerably ad.
farmers have not met, and prayed, and petitioeedicre.
vanced, and they might then have to travel a consi-
nothing, though the people have. If she price cif.
derable distance to give their votes. The case was i
different in the Borough, the electors lived in a small bread corn is to be raised so much beyond eves) their
compass, and could express their opinions without" own estimates and wishes, and the Property Tax
procrastination ; and in the event of there appear-1 is to be taken off also—it will indeed be wonderful
ing a disposition to create unnecessary delay, it was if they do not get out of their difficulties, from
in the power of the nigh Bailiff to return that Can- I
which we wish them at all .times a safe deliver-
didate tr ho had a majority of votes.
The HIGH BAILIFF perfectly coincided in opinion !ante; sad and enrol, on the contrary, is
with Mr. Rolland, and felt It his duty to close the: the fate of those upon whom the weight of all
poll. Ile then came to the front of the hustings, and ' this alleriation is to fall. Another diminution of
declared the numbers to be, • the loaf) another and insuperable bar thrown'la
Mr.
Burthttflarlay 1633
r. r 401 the way of a vent to our commerce, and another pa.
merciful screw given to the household taxes,, which,.
reach every one who has a covering over his heart'
and have already gone far to take that shelter frail
many, muse make sad havoc io the already din&
Iwished sum of public comfort. We deprecate public
commotion as much as any existing beluga; our
I strictures on public measures, if they are severe, ire
intended to show the framers of these measures.
the danger and impolicy of leaving the people
to he the guardians of their own interests; but
if nothing but the public voice will arrest mea-
sures conceived by the populace to endanger
I their interests, it is not difficult to foresee what
sill happen. The general voice has Avid"
spoken constitutionally upon this topic—it it a ne-
t tural inference that if the plan which has excited the
reprehension of the public is persevered in, they will
not continue to evince the necessary respect to au-
thority, or even reason, in any further expression of
their sentiments. The conduct of the populace at
Maidstone on Monday is a sufficient instance of this,
aad we should be sorry to have to record a similar
conduct on the pert of Englishmen, whose first glory
it is to act in conformity with the laws of the Con-
stitution, and by so doing, as often as occasion may
require, to preserve that Constitution, and' thiii
rights which it guarantees from vielsdio. - -
The LORD Maroa has given. proof that ha
. .
Iconsiders the interests of the country again in danger
by the proposition about to be submitted to_Parlia.
ment, and of the necessity of again having reconne
i to the Constitutional mode of opposition se krone,
I and successfully made to' he Tate Coin-131K; lit'has
notified that he will convene the' Coinin'in. aitkeit
upon as early an occasion as possible; teernerider the
pi ices to which the landholders hue %mask aftasti.
cis of the most indispensable necessity. ' That:octa-
-1 sion must indeed be early; or it will be too late:4.
The evil will be done, and the manufariteritig: and
commercial interests will long and degpli true the
dilatoriness which may involve them is a common
destruction.
It is stated to be the object Of the proposed Bill to
fix 80s. a quarter as the prohibition price, below
which foreign, corn is not be allowed to be imported
into this country. We decidedly say, that that price
will be ruinous to the trading interest. Look at
.France. Cross the Channel and examine the price,
and the improved state of manufactures there.
Ask the price of bread in that country ; and then see
whether it is possible for British manufactures to
I maintain a competition of six, five, or even four
I-years, under such a disadvantage. It Is impossible.
But, is 80s. a quarter a necessary‘protecting price to
the farmer, and will' he be Milted lithi this?
What security have we against an locionasi pf this
high price? What security is there that it will not
be converted by his landlord into a ground for an in-
; crease of rent ? We have only to look at what ter-
tain landlords have done to know how they would
again act in a similar situation ; and SOO-the ne-
cessity alledged for some such meanie- as Pot pro-
posed, we have only to consult their own. book of
evidence. There we shall find the witnesses—farmers,
land-owners, surveyors, Auld all the host of Interest-
ed persons 'mustered to testify in fawner of high
prices, stating, that If the farthers coflld baby law
protected to the extent of 705., 72i.t.ssel5s. per
quarter, they would have a living profit, ma under
the'preseef rents anctfaxes. This is; the nefersof the
evidence adduced by the landlords and hymn thing.
`selves. It is well known• bow was
sought or adduced of i coatnpr ft:4r `B7 their own
statement therefore, ex-- infra os tie; 'are, shall
we aloiselpdie them;? They.lneess edraltted that if'
the Property Tax ware taken off and tabour should
''. the diliereecs lu-theludtuetiotiireeidtbe . such

Malirity for Mr. Barclay

- 1232

Mr. WALKER then stated, that the friends of Mr.
Burdett did not think further exertions were likely
to prove availing whilst a military force was in the
neighbonrhood, in clirm opposition to the principles
of the Constitution ; they had, therefore, determined
to bring the contest to a conclusion,
Mr. BARCLIY then addressed the multitude; but
from the noise which prevailed, we could not collect
a word he said.

Mr. KEMMISIL next stepped forward, and while be
declared the intention of the Committee appointed to
further the interests of Mr. Burdett, to abstain from
further opposition, from their conviction of the im.
possibility of success, arising from the overpowering
influence of the friends of Mr. Barclay, he con-
gratulated them on the opportunity which had been
afforded them by the exertions of a few independent
Electors to express their sentiments in favour of free
and fair representation in Parliament. [Loudchecrs.]
The business then concluded.

Arr.

Mails. Dine
Malta ... ........ ... ... 1
France

O
O . HuMud

TRICE OF STOCKS TIIIS

hank
3 per Cent. Red. 613 t
R pet COOL Gm.' 6411
4 per Cent,. 811i1
rJ per Cent. Navy tqi

DA' AT ONE O'CLOCK
Len. Ann. 16 5-14
India Bondi 11 I? 0
Exchcquier Hill* 4 1 4 p
Oinninns 3 21 d
for Ac.- 641
. •

THE STATE.VIIIN.

LONDON:

yitURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 0115.

—■eb.•-•

The discussions in both Houses of Parliament,
last night, had much of interest in them. In the
Lords, that most disgraceful and flagitious violation
of British faith,which so strikingly appears upon the
face of the transaction that has annihilated the gua-
ranteed independence of Genoa, and transferred it
to the King of SARDINIA, to whom the Genoese
never owed any allegiance, was made a subject of
just condemnation by, the Marquis of BUCKINGHAM
and other Peers. Though this subject is one which
Is proved incontestihly to have been decided by the
documents which have appeared (and for the ho-
nourable way in which it has been decided, see
.Aur Paper of Wednesday last), and consequently
could not involve more than Ministers chose
of the close shut-up secrets of the pending ne-
gociations, Lord LIVERPOOL would give no expla-
nation on the point. Ignorance of the circumstances
urrrh.,r which this shameful transfer, made in the
teeth of solemn pledges to the contrary, had taken
place, might have been a good plea for withholding

. _
information ; hut though unable to disprove that the
British Government participated in the injustice of
this acs, and the similar pi,teedingi which have
characterised the conduct of the Congress, his Lord-
ship, pledged himself to show, .4 a proper season,
that the British faith had aot been violated, .uid
that no expectation had been held out which had

been disappointed ! Unless Ministers base added

• •
another bacillation to their weather-eock policy, and
lade another transfer of the Genoese State, his
.ordship, for we cannot call him the Premier, has
• set himself a task, and Lord CASTLEREAGH has set
himself and his Colleagues many more.
The keeping of the Militia embodied, when thee

is no law to authorize it, was also made a t6lsic of
discussion in the Upper House, and here also Minds•
sera, with the Crown Lawyers at their back, made
but a sorry defence of the innovations they have
thought it proper to make in our existing laws, by
Lecping op a handing Army in time of Peace. - r

r.

010:

as not to require this Legislative remedy. Now we
find that the Property Tax is to be taken off, and
that the fall in the price of provisions has occasioned
PI a diminution in the price of labour to a considerable
F extent, what occasion is there for this violent mea-
sure' so fraught with mischief and increased priva-
tions to the nation ? IVe trust a due and cautious
regard to justice and propriety will be evinced, by
the Legislature in this most important branch of do-
mestic policy, and that the public by the legal and
constitutional means always in their power will con-
tinue to exhibit a watchful vigilance over this and
every other measure which concerns their interest,—
in particular that they will not cease to 'lige
upon' an Administration which seems at a loss
to devise the . means of relieving the people,
that a retrenchment of its expenses, in the many in-
stances of unnecessary posts and pensions, and a li-
beral policy to the country at large, is a far more
likely metbod of producing the end desired than
throwing 'insupportable clogs on, and obstacles in
the way ,of. national industry, by distressing the
working man, and instead of adding to the resouic.es
Of the country, laying in the hour of peace and the
birth-time of national hope and re-animation, the
deadly seeds of national decay.

, We hare no fresh news from the Continent to-day.
CASTLEREiGH'S arrival in town is now daily.
expected by Ministers, the Duke of Wstmerwrogr
having reached Vienna on the Ist of this month,'
and received the Porte feuitk of the Negociating
departmentfrom his Lordship's unsteady hands, with,
it may be supposed, many sage admonitions dictated
by experience, and perhaps wishes, in which there
are those who will cordially join, that his Grace
they manage betters and with more consistency
than its` late holder.

# i'arripr so hold and ;.Statesman so gay
- Cooversed at the Vienna scene—.
71the Statesman, " y,oor w.effame, fciy I wait ait►tty
had r here too long 1 have been."

Two or three respectable houses in the City in the
silk trade were on Tuesdiy under the necessity of
suspending their payments.
Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the
East India House, when the following ,Commandets
took leave of the Court, previous to departing for,
their respective destinations, viz.: Captain SANDERS.
(Metcalfe) Madras and Bengal, Captain WELLER
(lluddart) Madeira, Madras, and Bengal.
SOuTlt%l RR ELECTION.—State of the Poll this day
at twelve o'clock:—
Charles Barclay. B•q. ~
Wm. Joucs Burdett, Esq.

Majority for Mr. Barelay 104 • ..,
The Duke of BEDFORD and Lord HOLLAND, were
1 both at Rome, on the 25th nit. The latter was then
confined by a fit of the gout.
Miss lloevrto NELSON is arrived in -Lender) Awm
Calais, after seeing the remains of Lady Hmitwrott
consigned to the grave.
lIMPORT owFuneraw-Gone.--The high duties 011
import, it iv thought, will act as a complete probibi-
tion oar ports will; in eonseqeence, close neat
Iweek, and continue for three months (and by that
time it is generally supposed some new Corn Bill will
be enacted) against the import of foreign wheit, rye,
'barley, end beans, except at the highest duty,
• • Sonteletters reached usonT.iesday foorn SOU th Ame.
rime, *hick remove all, doubts Ss to..the successful
t operotions of the Spaniards in the province of Chili,
and add some feats with which We were unacquaiet
ed. The troops composing •the expedition from
Lima, entered St. Jew litliteapital, on the sth of
1 October, when the insurgent authorities precipitate-i
17 left the place, undertook along and dangertioi
ahro.is the Cordilleras, and sought refuge-in
-Mordant; 'which, however, they were immediately.
ordered-to quit by the Governor, and nothing since
...-
•baislieettlrenrd regarding them. . _
'A Correspondent complains of the delay, and.
even the non-delivery of lettere by the carriers of the.
Two-penny Post-Office. He states, very truly, that
business may not only be retarded by such neglect,
butthat very serious injury may: sometinteijeselt
from K. It is the duty of these-who hseelhe.guligre'
intendince of this eoncern, tru-ptoxidn4 -sUfficient.
I-slumber *of persons to insure the strict performance of
their iWoction. ', • '