The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-05-18 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

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would be the opinion of an Englishmen at the un- revolted, and melt refuse its support and confided!.
f—
paralleled effrontery of such a messageeAnd how, to those who degraded themselves from the lofty
therefore, could he countenance its being dictated to rank of Sovereigns, to base level of soul-mongers
France ? [Greet applause.]—Now, as to the po. and soul-masters. Ile trusted that the Meeting
licy of such a measure at the present moment, inde- would strongly express; its hatred to that execrable '
pendent of its injustice, it was glaringly impolitic— tyranny which had in Spain established the dominion ,
this he would show, not from any abstract points of torture, and that Inquisition which had been most
of morality in philosophy, but from matters of blasphemously called holy. This Holy Inquisition had
fact, which were clearly intelligible to every one been abolished by Bonaparte, who had now also abo. I
who heard him. They all recollected and felt the lisped the Black Slave Trade. [Applause.]—Such 'esti
deplorable state into which the late war had loathe the blessings which Spain had received from the re.
people, and carried them almost to the verge of hu- establishment of hereditary right, and of its beloved'
man endurance. They remembered (for they had Ferdinand, who bad prepared himself for the labours
good cause) the terrible and inquisitorial oppression of his monarchy by embroidering petticoats for the
of the Property Tax, against which they had heaped Virgin Mary.—[A laugh.]—lt was true Louis the
Petitions upon the table of the House of Commons; Eighteenth had manifested similar piety, for when
while yet in this reduced condition, were they to his proceedings were interrupted by the return of
tolerate the renewal of an unnecessary war, for Napoleon, he was distributing Orders of the Holy
which such additional supplies must be torn from Ghost.—[A laugh.]—lt had been said that the
them? if they were, so far from there being any po. ' people of Genoa had hoisted standards, on whidis.
hey in the measure, he would pronounce it to bet were inscribed, " Hell, the Devil, and Bonaparte."
down-right insanity.—[Loud cheers.]—With this., It was no wonder that these persons, who had sees
impossibility to renew fresh means, or to provide for i the effects of religion and legitimate right, should
Immense existing financial embarrassments—with a' say, "if such be heaven, give us hell,"—" if such
debt that no intelligent person with whom be had be good, give us evil,"---" we prefer liberty, eves
weer conversed, dreamt the country could pay, what I under the protection of an usurper, to legitimate
chance could there be of meeting the expenditure i slavery, though sanctioned by the usage of a thou.
'alone of such a contest, or what prospect but the . sand years." If the injustice of war were not a suf.
rein of those constitutional blessings which their an.] licient reason to induce the people of England to
castors had wisely cherished ? Looking to Frannie, miter their protect against it, the enormous sum of
what danger could be apprehended from her Govern. money which most be raised to support it, the is.
ment? Her present appearance led to an opiniou crease of the taxes, 'which were even now so high,
quite the reverse from the chance of hostility on her would be a sufficient reason to induce all to behold
part towards us ; instead of aiming to destroy Eng- , it with dread, except those who basked in the public
lish laws and liberties, she was occupied in trans- I disgrace, who fattened on the spoils of the people,
planting them from their native seed-bed, and em- . and flourished in the ruin of industry.—[applause.]
bodying them in her own political system.—[Loud' —lt was enough to deter any man that one-fifth of
applause.]—The Ruler of France, like other Sove- the people had been by the last war reduced to the
reigns, had his faults and infirmities : let these who condition of paupers ; that the want of employment
bad been copying his evil, now imitate him in his , which that war had caused, by choking up the chan-
good—let them return to their own subjects, and in- ' nels its which the industry of this once happy coon-
, stead of conspiring against the liberties of France— I try had flowed, would be increased. The necessity
I let them do as her Ruler does—let them give their too of high duties and imposts, to protect the mane.
people a Constitution, and arms for its defence; this , lecturer and agriculturist of this country against us.
would be a simple and unobjectionable way of este.- i taxed, un-tithed, and un-poor-raled competitors,
bliehing what they say they want—the peace and the . had also arisen from the late long wars, and by
repose of Europe. Bonaparte appears to be one of another war would be rendered more urgent. The
those men who grew wise by experience--he has wit- I only ground of war which had been alleged was the
nessed the failure of his darling olqect—he has seen', character of Napoleon, which the Press of this
that the prop of a standing army was, iu the hour . country had been employed to blacken • but they
of danger, but a broken reed. The other Coalesced should remember that the same arts bad been made
Powers have had the same fatal experience—the walls , use of to blacken the President of the United States
of Berlin, Vienna, and Moscow, have seen the fu.' of America, in the inglorious struggle with which a
tility of relying for their integrity upon military ;id. I sum of money bad been spent which four years pro.
France herself, after all her victories, will hardly i duce of the Property Tax would not recap The
repeat the experiment ; and is, therefore, if left worthy Gentleman seconded the motion.
alone, not likely to endanger her own safety, by a The Petition was then adopted, two or three per.
renews lof hostilities with her neighbours. The sons only being dissentient.
other Sovereigns had better adopt the sense spirit ; Major Ceserwaroux then proposed the following
at all events, it' they did not make great haste, they Resolution:— .
would fied their career stopped at the very threshold " That we cannot adequately convey our Thanks to, nor our
of France by an armed population, united for com- admiration of, our Represeatotive, Sir Francis Burdett, Bart.,
mon purpose, of self-defence. To anticipate success for the inflexible integrity of his public conduct, and his scorn
under those circumstances was the height of folly and of the proudest Patrons of Corruption."
weakness ; he, therefore, warned the people against Sir F. BURDETT then came forward amiist loud
lending themselves to the phrenzy of war. The applause, and addressed the Meeting in weary the
venerable Gentleman concluded by reeding es ex- following terms : •
tract from the Thanksgiving Prayer for the 'Piste GENTLEMEN,—It will be with pride and satisfaction
with America, which described the evils and horrors that I shall again appear to present the Petition which
of war, and the gratitude of the people for the re-
you have now voted in the Assembly which calls it.
turn of peace. He then proposed the following self the House of Commons of England ; but when
PETITION. I say this, ram not able to persuade myself that it
TO THE TIONOURA BLE THE COMMONC OF THE
will produce the slightest effect in averting the con-
' UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRIT‘IN AND test with which we are threatened, nor can I hope '
IRELAND, IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED, that more regard will tee paid to the sentiments of this
THE PETITION oy THE INHABITANT woutemountas respectable Assembly than was paid to those of the
OF THE CITY AND LIBERTIES OF WESTMINSTER,
1 SeowEtn,—That, should England wage a new war against Liverymen of London. That Assembly will ens-
France. on the grounds recommended by his Majesty's Ministers, brace the same objection to the principles of the
of interfeling in the French choice of a Sovereign, such war, on Petition, namely, its hostile feeling towards cot-
the part of England, would be alp/sally unjust.
I That a determined rejection of Peace, by the insult of re-
ruption, and the determination which it expressed to
' fusing to negotiate with the Sovereign on the Theciae of Prance, procure a just and absolutely necessary reform.—'
will lint lessen the inju•tice of inch war. After you have been so ably addressed on this sub-
That cruelly (oppressed as the English people already are, by
Taxes to the utmost extent of humeri endurance—Taxes, which jest, I should trespass unnecessarily on your time if
aredailv adding tn the immense member of ourPanpere—to plunge I troubled you with more than a few words—[cries
our country, Wider b.(' il circumstances, lusts it new war, both un- I
...
no!] ; but it is necessary, and you have a right
ja,t and unnecessary, would have less the appearance of -Aft or. of
dinary deficiency ill A helot's than it would resemble desperation Ito expect that I should lay before you my undis.
or insanity. guised sentiments on the present situation of the
That, es respects the welfare of our country, your Petitioners
could not account for a policy so much researhling madnem, did country, and on the war, on the verge of which we
they not re( ousel that the domestic enemies, who have seem to be standing. lam the more desirous of ex.
the patina of its rightful Representation In tsetegisiature. Ire pressing my sentiments , as the people of E ngland
, a perpetual ilderest in inierioi up foreign war, whereby tee). .
may farther *•• the people of their property, sad in rime nave no constitutional organ left but public meetings,
wholly subvert the cowatution. such as the present, by which they can make known
That evil cuuniellori, alert in the adoption of unjust meows those sentiments to one another, which, when
to as unjust rad, have already, by corrupt influence. obtolioed
'an unqualified re-enactment of the Property Tax, which, raising strongly expressed and universally manifested may
articles of consumption iii price, and dommehing the means of make some impression, even on that House to
payment, is a crime of creel privations.
Trial such /mil couusellont and their abettors not only act ea which, for forms sake, they are always ad-
the iniquitous principle of Taxation without Representution, dressed, on the same principle which operates on
but Dies in prefeleate adopt, as sus instrument a terror in up-
! devils, who we are told, is believe and tremble too."
holding their onconstitutinotal power, that detested inquisitorial
system, is reprobation of which. the iniverrail indinriti(oo oft Though in the case of the Petition, which was pre.
seated by the City of Loudon, it was boldly asserted
I our raucli-injon d Country war, to your Hocourable Hook., so !
lately made kimwio.
that it was the Petition of a few inconsiderable per-
: orTsbahall if arty Minister or Minister, of the Crown have advised,
..o unjust tad needless war against France; or sons, and in an equally convenient manner will all
Kiley tech Minister or Ministers. by ui justifiable measures, or other Petitions be dis unless the voice of
by insulting the French Government, have caused. ur shall P p osed of ,all
me the avxrwhelniing calamity Of such a ear t• beeenp• is, `the people is expressed with that force that its ene-
miss cannot refuse their belief nor suppre 9 their
evhaide, such Minister or Ministers ought to he impeached.
sineWiimeheryett.ohree
late
its
setmi loners
siesrloalr?,„fitnshaittie)
(oats, ri
oHn .17...firoours,egowinill • 8 tip.
prehensions.—[Applause.]—With respect to the im.
IS. but that it will likewise afford the nation a learn portant and awful topic before us—the war in which
we are about to be en d I consider '
and the only possible shield, .
.gains) any !web wrimes in
lemare, by resorting toe radical Reform, which shall complete- gage must it as
the same as that which for so lung a time we for-
I/ identify Titration with Representation,
one years it being merly carried on, during the progress of which the
Parliaments of a duration not exceeding
mast manifest that, deprived of these rights, the people have no „
reople were duped by some other pretence, until the
liberty. DO security for their property, n. protection against
heleg needlessly involved in foreign wart, or exposed tudionesiic period, when no one can deny, that the re-establish-
persetentea and oppression. ' 1 ment of the Bourbons is the real cause of its re-
Major CARTWRIGHT next proposed— newel, as it was the real ground on which it ors-
" That the Petition mow read he adopted as the Petition of ginated. If we recal to mind the apprehensim'i of
the Inhabitant Howseboldeis of Use City and Liberties of West-
mioster ; and signed on their behalf 1,, Ihe I I igh Bailiff a French invasion and the successive feigned pre. nd le ' 1
Householders, and presented to the Iftou-e of Commons by oar ; tences which have been raised to cast in
Representative Sir Francis Burden, Bait. `shadow the real nature of the contest, it
Mr. P. WALKER, in seconding the Petition, ex.. will be seen that all these pretences have been
pressed his concurrence in what hind beets said by the abandoned, while one object has been universally
last speaker, on the injustice end impolicy of making kept in view—the restoration of the Bourbons. The
war upon a man who had beets chosen by the whole people of England can no longer he dupes to false
of France, and who bad called around him the noblest • pretences—to be fooled once an age is quite sufficient
friends of liberty and independence. He hoped that i —the object of the war stands clearly revealed
the Meeting would express its abhorrence of this —[applause].—A pretence, however, must he had,
new and atrocious attempt, as well as its disgust at and one only pretence can be found—the character
those undertaken by the Congress of Vienna to of the present Ruler of France, who, we are told, is
parcel out freemen, like flocks of sheep, to this or a man with whom we cannot subsist on terms of
theother Sovereign—one asserting that a just portion amity and peace. But who are found in alliance
of souls had not been assigned to him—another ex. against the Emperor Napoleon ? The Emperors of
claiming that his portion was not equal to his deserts, Russia and of Austria, and the King of Prussia.
and all in their kind and generous interest for the What treaties have these Powers not violated with
eternal welfare df liamlnity, wishing to take upon him, with os, and with one another—[loutl applause],
themselves the care of the souls of the greater part —as their immediate interest and their selfish deNire
of Europe. At such practices all the civilized world ,of aggraudisement made it convenient for them to do

so?, Whet faith then can bind these Allies to US. 4110
to say the least, are on a par with him against hem
life they conspire ? It was not the present Eoper ,r
of France, but the Government of this countr. alia
violated the Peace of Amiens, and a Message ,
on that occasion, brought down to the House 4
Commons disgraceful to the nation, but which raised
the Minister of the day to a Peerage, and which it
was now notorious contained not a word of truth.
Accounts, "as false as hell," were then circulated
of armaments preparing in the ports of France f.,e
the invasion of this country, and this Government
refused to do what it had stipulated to do, viz. to
deliver up Malta to France. That war has since
terminated, and the result was, as the (abject !4•1
been, the re-establishment of the Bourlins, shieh
Bonaparte, when First Consul, was once told %ere
the only terms on which peace would be accepre,i,.....
On the saute grounds are we again to be itivolvo
a war.—Who can foresee the result of one
who can foresee from this mad war what ren.s_
quences may ensue ? Yet it is in the power of this
country, at present, to continue in a State of sleety
and to maintain the peace of Europe. France is
confined to its ancient limits, has manifested a oleos.
_of peace, has not only renounced the views and evert
deprived itself (.f the means of aggression, atel
people has shown a desire to turn to that rational
and satisfactory employment of forming in a country
I Which for ages has been a prey to despotism and cu.
perstition, in all their horrid varieties-4 fair, ru 0.
Berate, and • rational system of Government. Why,
then, shall we go to war ? We must go to ear to
maintain the existence of the Borough factioa,—
IThat faction cannot see with indifference the prospect
' for France of a fair and equitable Represeatiere
Assembly—this is the cause of their enmity. It will
be instinctive to look at their Allies ; for it is a true
adage, " Tell me your company, I will tell you
who you are." They have not in their alliance one
free State ; their Allies are all despots, who, Aire
fair words in their mouths, proclaim (heir derire to
maintain social order, and to preserve the peace of
i the world. It was with the same feelings, and the
same professions, that the maternal Catharine was
induced to alleviate the miseries of Poland, by (skin.
' a large share of it to herself—that the King of Pres.
sia and the Emperor of Auetria, trampling ow th
rights of independent States, invaded and dividrd the
remainder of that unhappy country. Crimes avhich
are nearest home affect us most, and we therefore
shudder at the remembrance of the atrocities which
were committed during certain periods of the 110-0..
lution in France; but if tried in the balance, they
will not be found equal to those of which the' 1135.
sians were guilty in Poland. Bending with el
spoils of that ancient country, the Allied P.awers
march against fLanv, to renew the scenes degas.
talion of which-theiast 25 years have seen so tench,
I settle pet clown the spirit, of freedom whiclethe en.
lightened state of the 18th century hail spread, and
will, I trust, continue to spread, over the civilize&
world. Let us call. tc mina the attacks, which, dor.
ing the -last war, were-made on the Constituti en t.f
England—the prosecutions end persecutions endued
by those who dared to raise their voice against
' measures of the Governmeot—the victims who Ifni
remained untried in cells and dungeonsaor no ether
crime but that of which I am guilty. in which I glary,
the desire to put an end to an irrfemourly coerept
House of Commons, .and to put it in the potattr of
the People to choose their own ftepresentotives,.and
to protect their own property and ((berry in Pasha-
meat.—[Loud oppluuses.l—We remember the ,sais
pension of the Habeas corpus Act—how fatally to

some persons—
! [Here acme ittjudirioth friend of the Government put head
nut ten ssindow in Patar,-arclond tmere,l pesTr.,l
though he speedily retreyeeJ, the di,npitrottaihtio
gtgainet him, hod the 1440 e towed 4,11 she H. late
Baronet, Interrupted the Bleritof fitr f(l44e time)
Sir F. B. then proceeded. " How can we for.
hear to bieieve, that men who have so torenuotely
endeavour to undermine the liberty of their ono
country, would make use artily pretence to suppte,,
it in any another ? Let us also look to foreign coun-
tries, In order to judge of the disposition and Timis
of our Ministers. It will be recollected, that when
Spain was invaded by the French Government, and
that the Spanish people manifested a resolution to
resist the Invaders that resistance was loudly ap-
plauded by. the Government of this country. No-
thing, indeed, was heard from Ministers and their
adherents, but glowing eulogiums upon the character
of the Spanish Patriots; what, however, has been
since the conduct of those Ministers towards the ob-
jects of their former panegyrics ? These Spanish Pa•
triots established a Constitution, calculated in their
view for the freedom and happiness of their country;
but after having answered the end of Nlinisters in
resisting the French—after having been encoursgod
to expect, that when liberated from the dominion' .r
France, they should be secured the enjoyment of that
Constitution which, although not bound by parch'
ments, we were bound by honour to protect--fit'
Gnrte,, with whom we were ectually in alliance, wets
basely deserted; both Constitution and Cortes wet"
subverted, and a sum of money wrested from the in-
dustry of Englishmen, was actually sent by the E"1-
Loh Government for the purpose of :titling the t•A-
.verter—aye, for the purpose of supporting that odious
and contemptible Despot and Usurper, Fetdinnud
VII. accompanied by his Inquisition and his tortures.
But the patronage of torture was, perhaps, net extra-
ordinary. • Such has been the conduct of our Mi-
nisters towards the Spanish Patriots ! But farther,
, when some of those Patriots sought refuge in Gibed-
tar, and were surrendered to the Swinish Tytinti
our Ministers refused to interpose in their favoar, itt
order to save them from persecution, upon this
ground truly, which was stated iu Parliameet• that
this country could not consistently interfere is the
internal concerns of another Government. VA '"
Ministers who professed such deference for tioi
principle on that occasion—who wmild not Iti'
terfere with the concerns of a foreign Governs'ott
where freedom, justice, honour, or any principle
connected with the interests of lunnanity wYs at
stake, bad no hesitation to interfere, where despon,s
was the object.—[Loud trpplwired Yes, Ow
Ministers had no hesitation to interfere with Fritco,
for the purpose of preventing that county} :rani
choosing its own Government ; or with Genoa, for
the purpose of transferring it to the ou;wrtttil's'
Tytatit of Sardiuia ; or with Saxony, for the. F'"
pose of arresting it from the dominion of its eV.'

S'

lobed S.‘vereigo ; or with an ancient Ally, the Re.
public of lieu end, for the purpose of subjecting it to
a„ upstart King; or with the people of Belgium, for
the purpose of reii‘igning them to the dominion of
,ers whom they notoriously abhorred.—[Loud ap-
ses.]—Such have been among the results of a
war that had imposed the most enormous burdens
upon this manor—burdens, indeed, the pressure
of which all classes must feel. Of the nature of
these burdens e,cry one must be aware, who
took occasion to compare our situation at the
commencement of the war, with that to which
we found ourselves reduced at present. At the
former period the interest upon our public debt was
9,000,0001., at present that interest amounted to
40,000,0001., the debt itself in the first instance
b-log about 200,0e0,0001., ohne at present it ex-
ceeded 800,000,0001.; at the former period our
taxation was about 16,000,0001., while at present
it exceeded 70,000,0001. Our poor's rate too,
which in 1792 were little more than 2,000,0001.,
bad, in consequence of the aggravated wretchedness
of the people, through the pressure of taxation,
risen at present to nearly 7,000,0001. a-year.—
Such, independently of the shocking effusion of
human blood, has been the calamitous result of a
war, the only object of which was to set up despotism
wherever it was put down, or to put down freedom
wherever it was set op.—[/m:oases.] Yet this war,
with the same object, it is still proposed to renew.—
One should think that the people of this country have
quite enough to do to settle their own affairs, without
meddling with the affairs of others; and sore I am,
that it would better become their character and in-
terest to take care of their own freedom, than to dis-
turb the freedom of others—for should they succeed
ill destroying the freedom of other countries, there is
but too much reason to apprehend that thst success
would serve eventually to enslave their own.—[Ap-
plause.]—But I um wholly unable to imagine upon
what ground the Government of this country can
justify its attempt to preveut the exercise of the indu-
bitable right of the French people to elect their own
Ruler. Such an attempt, indeed, is the more unac-
countable when one considers tbi history of that Go-
vernment
itself. The resent family upon the throne'
had notoriously no claim on 'the score of heriditary
succession. No pretence of divine right could have
been set up in their favour; but this nation in the'
exercise of that right which the French now assert
cashiered a King for misconduct suul called the pre-
sent family to the throne. This family then was ap-
pointed to rule by the nation, and it would be recol-
lected how much the Bourbonsendeavoured to set aside
that appointment by restoring the tyrannical Stuarts.
For despots ever feel a sympathy for each other.—
Would that the people of all countries had a similar
sympathy for their own interests, and despotism
would soon cease to ez,ist.—[Long and continued
upplauses].—But history reeorded to their credit the
manly indignation which our ancestors manifested,
and the successful resistance which they made to the
presumptuous endeavours of the Bourbon family to
replace the Stuarts upon the Thretne of England.—
Yet we are now about to play the very same game
which our ancestors then so nobly repelled. For our
Government appears on the point of engaging in
war with the *kited and stupid view of replacing
upon the Throne of France a family which had been
hs ice cashiered by that nation. How very desirable
Neil that such an infatuated project should be aban-
slow d. At all events I hope stud trust the people
bill do their duty by imitating the examples of Lon-
don and Westminster—by protesting strongly against
a war full of peril, and what is worse, marked by
gross injustice--against a war which, whether sur-
cessfol or not in its object, must prove in its conse-
quences a certain calamity to the people ot.Euglaud.
—I-Acclamations of applause.
'the Motion of Thanks to Sir Frauds Burdett was
then put and carried unanimously.
Dar. SILVER came forward, and moved the fellow.
tor Resolution

That to m. am is see thanks, or the thaoks of the Coun-
try, mine etnineotly doe than to di it veteran Patriot. M ,jor
t.ir to right, Co. the great sarritre:4 ne hob Node. npd the incle-
-I.34iahle exrrtions he haa used io the cause of the People."
Mr. War.s ER. seconded the Motion, and at the
same time observed, that no man had ever conducted
himself on principles more purely patriotic than Ma-
jor Cartwright, nor was there one who more highly
merited the gratitude of his country both for the
services he perforteed, and the sacrifices he had made
to the public interest.
The Resolution was then carried nnanimously,and
the High Bailiff dissolved the Assembly.