The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-02-04 00:00:00

relief from ai increased importation-iinty on Core; hr
was hot prepared, however, sooty, that it would not a--
slat in the general end ; but so possible regulatios
the import duties would meet the wit in any goatee' al .
way. They had, doubtless, beard a great deal on a
subject which he would have avoided touehing eon
were It not likely to become a subject of discoid 't
by others—he meant the responsibility of the fun !-
holder. Generally, as agriculturist,. they had n
much fellow-feeling with that description of persoa :
the subject certainly required sctupeloas investig t•
ties. aid mature refieetioa ; hut it had bee, said, with
snot troth, that they had borrowid large lees aid
inerweed the national debt, for the interest of which
they were new paying taxes, when money wits is a de-
based state: being at length resumed to what was
-waded a wholesome state of the reerwey, they were
-compelled to pay in geed leis what had been har-
rowed is depreciated Omer. This wall doubtless se-
jest; but the Mihaly wart. hew to septette the cal-
milidated masa of debt .; the creditor of 1792 was in-
volved is that mass in common with the creditor who
,loctivae so during the war, when paper money was de-
preciated. 'they must, therefore, attack the whole
(heir); and if this were termed injustice, or national
bankruptcy, he would appeal to every bee present whe-
thee a nation which could not even protect its mug-
'sewers from starving, was not in the worst state of
bankruptcy already ? Self-preservati4, thew, was the
lest principle to be attended to. Some years ago.i.
person would have beer looked upon as a visionary
ereculatist who would venture to say that Bank of
England paper was in a depreciated state. Palo:*
indeed, as convertible as gold ; it passed criteria
at the market and the shop ; but the moment tie
Notchetone was applied to it, the delusion mash,: i ;
sad what was the consequence? There were nit
enesient guineas to supply the currency. and
sites being circulated as coin. gold disappeared. 'fee
Bask had exceeded the King's prerogative of. coining
money out of gold and silver. to which he was
striated. and had coined it out of paper ; and in tea's
they were sanctioned by Parliament during the war.
Wien puce-came, there was an end of the usurpation
al' the royal prerogative, and the danger of beinz
obliged to exchange their proasiesory notes fur gol.l
Wend Parliamerif to pus a bill restricting them from
payidg in cash until May, isa. When the operation
ref this bill, therefore, should come lips full effect,
agricultural produce would be reduced still lower. It
was impossible, therefore, that the meeting could de-
cide on• any other remedy than a relief from exces-
sive taxation. Under this impression, and coneeivio:
that a series of resolutions would he oily a eirceites
mode of serivinig at the same result, he begged leave
'as puree the retitle* which ha weeld read to them : .
" We desire tembly to call your mantles w the ever-
tekeleires dieresawbeltia• treed ieseldiesuoview 4:
seeirdee of peewee coseseed with the landed interest I
which, if not speedily arrested is its progress, threatens
to involve the whole eommnnity is one general ruin.
" We do not presume to point out to your wisdom the
measures which may best conduce to our relief, hut we
vesture to express our opinion that it is not to be de-
rived from any system of protecting or prohibitory ita-
lics, satire the evils of which we complain arise -from
causes wholly different from those to which such red.:-
dies can apply.
" Without entering n2on any discussion of the causes
which hare produced the low prices of every article.of
agricultural produce, it remains only to adjust the means
of the agriculturist to the existing state of thirlgs, so as
to enable him to bring the produce of 'his industry to
market with a reasonable profit to himself, and frith sou-
sequent advantage to the country. .
" We see no prospect of this object being effected, hot
by relieving him from the burden of those taxes which
bear most directly upon him. and dins, in some degree,
assimilating his condition with the cultivators of the
land is other countries, where the fiscal demands of irro-
refitment lie less heavily upon them.
"So far from presuming to suggest what particular
taxes might come within this scheme, we freely allow
that our local habits render us incompetent to take ma
comprehensive a view of the general interests of tte
country; we therefore humbly submit that sublet
to the wisdom of those whom the constitution has relic
with the legislation of the whole kingdom.
.• Having submitted to your consideration the stale of
the actual cultivators of the land, we cannot overtook
the condition of the landholders, the clergy, and other
tithe-owners who are of necessity sharers in the same
distress, andi who, with reduced means, cannot possibly
senitain the saute weight of taxation which they have h,-
Sheet° done.
• To effect these purposes. that is, to afford protec-
tion to the most numerous, the most useful, and most re-
spectable portion of the community. which is the only
legitimate end of government, it is in one view become
necessary to have recourse to an extraordinary reductiiii
of our public establishments, military, naval, and civil.
and to apple the severest economy to the adniinistrati..l
of those which may be suffered to remain ; and further,
to use an impartial lied unsparing hand in parine d mei
to the present level of relative value all those income..
from that of the highest to the lowest individual in 'he
State, which arise out of the public expenditure. Td
such measures alone we can look for any real and sub-
stantial redress, and we rely witlt-the fullest confidence
on the wisdom and power of Parliament for the accom-
plishment of. our expectations. by turning their home-
iliate attention to ode well grounded claim on their inten•
fereuce on our behalf."
Lord Rutam • then came forward, but was receirel
"with marks of disapprobation by the meeting. As 5t....11
as silence was restored, him Lordship said his ohject in
addressing them was to second the petition.—(Cheers )
—As a Member of Parlianseot, who would have to de-
cide ultimately on the question, he would now fit
judge it.—(Hear, bear.)—No samn could be more sin-
cerely sealous to promote the int of a,:rieulto.e
than himself; and he would give the petition n.s
warmest support when the subject came before P.O-
-
K. W. NIVIVMAN. Esq. (M. P. for Exeter), said be
did not intend to address them when he came titer..;
but having been requested to second the motion of true
noble lord, lie euulu not refrain compliance with -o
flattering an offer; and though his powers of oratory
did not place lam iu a high station, he Hoped th:c
award give him credit fur honesty.—(Hear, hear
It was very satisfactory to hint that the Noble L o
wh' pr tried him performed that uthce. i.e at e d

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