The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-12-27 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

the people of these kingdoms bad been regular-
, and progressively becoming worse and worse.—
*lan), dais wealthier classes of people, who had been
entirely ruined by the late enormous depression of
every kind of property, had been reduced to a state of
comparative poverty. The state of all kinds of busi-
ness—agricultural, manufacturing, or commercial, was
such as to produce loss, in place of profit, to those
whose capitals are employed in them; and the fall of
the wages of the lab .wring classes had reduced the
great body of the people to pauperism and misery. In
this situation, it was surely the duty of the Meeting
to inquire what were the causes which had produced
evils of such magnitude, anti whether the general po-
erty was produced from the idleness and extravagance
vii the people, or from the faults or misgovernment of
the Ministers of the Crown. For his part, he would
say, that it appeared must clear to him, that it had
not proceeded from any want of industry or frugality
on the part of the great body of the people. For.
v 041,1 any man lay his hand on his heart and accuse
them of idleness or luxurious living? Were not their
working hours as long, and their exertions as great,
as human nature could bear? Could any abridgement
or saving be made from their allowances of food, or
noshing, or firing, or shelter? He acknowledged,
and deeply lamented, that some of the people were ad-
dicted to the :hose of spirituous liquors—an abuse
which was indeed a disgrace, and a curse to them and
ttv their country ; but he asserted, what be thong lit all
would allow to be true, that the great body of the
people passed their lives in the exercise of the hardest
and moat constant labour, and iu the practice of the
strictest sobriety and frugality. He asked if lie needed
to inquire further, whether the people of tbis coun-
try had been deficient in skill, ingenuity, or enter.
prise, in any of the arts of lif•, agriculture, inanufac-
tore, or cuiumerce—and whether it was not known to
all the world, that improvements in all these artf had
been such as had increased in an incalculable rate all

the products of labour, and all the necessaries, con-
treniences, and comforts of life? What then, be
asked. could possibly be the cause, that this increased
prodnition of all the materials and component parts
of ‘s.:altli had terminated in the poverty, degradation,
and miss r}• of the hotly of the people? One cause,
anu one manse only, he thought, could be assigned for
it—the unequ.il and irregular distribution of these
products of labour and industry, occasioned by the
:.!inost perpetual wars in which we had been engaged.
and the consequent increase of the National Debt and
lases, unchecked by the only possible controul, a just
and equal representation of the people in the Douse of
Commons. For the last seventy years, the British
t:,►'.ion had, he said, enjoyed very few years of peace;
moil almost every year an additional tax and burden
had been laid upon the people. While the improve-
ments ie arts and industry were sufficient to counter-
talance, and even to overcome the effects of war
and taxes, the Bl.iisterial party who bad so long
1W-covet-rued this country, had the audacity to hold
out these wars and taxes as the direct and efficient
causes of our prosperity. According to them, the sun
preme Governor of the world had, in his providence,
made it the interest of this country to be engaged in
constant hostilities and warfare against other nations.
Every war was • just and necessary war, and an en-
couragement to trade—every new tax was an addition
to the riches and prosperity of the country—the na-
tional debt itself was a prodigious mine of wealth and
capital to the Nation—and his Majesty's Ministers,
and the wisdom of their councils, were the direct

tansies of all this weal Is and prosperity. All these po-
sitions, he said, had from time to time been main-
t&ned by the Ministerial writers, and their friends
a•td followers ; and it was mot tong since Mr. Southey,
the poet laurel's, in the Minish•rial or Quarterly Re-
•iew, gravely proposed to make an immediate and
great addition to the taxes, as the certain and
tali method of relieving us from all our em-
1a meats. But dear-bonght experience bad
at last impressed the people with the conviction that
sooner or later the unchristian practice of war would
he visited on the nations who delighted in it with the
• first vengeance of Providence. And that the waste of
public money and human life, and the increase of debt
and taxes, which are the necessary consequences of
•• war, in place of promoting, were destructive of na-
tional prosperity. From the sufferings brought upon
the nation by the extravagance of Ministers,
. it bad become the most necessary and impe-

_ .
rious duty of oar Government to retrench its
expenditure, to reform its abuses, and to lessen the
heavy burden of taxes now levied from an overloaded
and impoverished people. Ile concluded that he
would not detain the Meeting any longer by further
observations on topics so extensive, but humbly pro-
pose certain Resolutions as proper to be adopted by
Cum.

The speeches of Mr. Oswald and Mr. Grahame were
frequently interupted by the loud and enthusiastic ap-
• plauses of the Aleeting.
Mr. J isles Gstviavocm, banker, having shortly se-
conded the Resolutions, the same were unanimously
carried by acclamation.
Mr. LANCASTER proposed that the address should
be presented by Earl Grey, Lord Erskine, Lord A.
!Inmates and others, whom be named.
Dr. RICHARD Mtia.an moved the Thanks of tfie
!testing to xlie Chairman, and the whole business then
• c Gael tidal .
The Meeting afterwards dispersed without the
.Xnaallest confusion; and, although there were upwards
of 2,500 people in the Church, no disorder or accident
'of any kind occurred—every one seeming anxious to
demonstrate how peacefully they could meet in the
exercise of their constitutional rights, and that no
danger could ever ensue to the community from ea
assemblage acting under the influence of the laws.
BRICON

A meeting of the ishibitan'ts of the borough of Bre-
ton tras.coovesed by the Baililfoa Tuesday last, at
the Towoball. for the purpose of subscribing a dutiful
and loyal address, to his Majesty, which was nume-
rously midmost respectably attended. The Bailiff be-
fog called to the chair. Stilted the pompom for which
else meals( was clime:wed. aid declared his deternii.
heti*. to abide impaithap by the. decision of the
*Wilt
Mr. B. ertios, la ai eioquest speech. proposition

address for the adoption of the meeting, which was
seconded by Capt. Rynd.
Mr. f►. Reis then rose, and, in a very dear and
energetic speech. submitted as an amendment another
address, which was seconded by Mr. Henry Powell
in a neat speech, in whirl, he forcibly vindicated the
loyalty of the tradesmen of Itreron, and contended
that they were as firm in their attachment to the King
and Constitution as the constituted authorities them-
selves. _ .

After which Hants Wan, sen. Esq. proposed a third
address, whirls conveyed nearly the same sentiments
as the second address. He expatiated in a very anima-
ted manner on the original address, contending that
the purport of it was nothing more or less than to
bolster up a tottering adwinistrat• .
This was seconded by Henry Lucas, Esq.
Mr. JOHN LLOYD then rose, and in a long and lu-
minous speech argued in favour of the first address.
lie was replied to by 11. ILot.n, jun. F.sq. in a very
neat and maiden speech, its which he differed upon the
points advanced by Mr. Lloyd.
Mr. Joust Jo-4 Es. in a very energetic and eloquent
speech, endeavoured to impress upon the meetiy; the
propriety of adopting the first address, to which, he
observed, nu honest DIDII or Christian could refuse his
signature.
1 'fhis a Lion was ably and forcibly replied to lay
Mr. Sinn. who sterility cosi:ended that those who sup-
ported the ►eroud address were equally worthy of the
appellation of honest men and Christians as any of
those who supported the other address ; and that it was
the duty of every loyal wool faithful subject to express
Isis sentiments to the king, when he pers•sived that
his Majesty's constittstion:s: advisers were, by theft.
acts and evil cou k, e.trottiging the affections of the
people from their S•irCl rig it.
Mr. JOHN Powau. spoke in favour of the original
address.

The Utiamott7s; then refused to put either of the ad-
d to the meeting, and .aid that he wo.uld only
sign the one proposed by Mr. I ',lurch, and no other.
A scene of the greatest uproar and confoosion imagin-
able ensued, and the Bailiff ;abruptly quitted the meet-
ing, together with the few who supported that ad-
dress, amidst the loudest cries of `o Shame, Sii3llll.• !"
from all parts of the hall. The amended address was
signed immetiistely by nearly 31111 inhabitants then
present.
After the conclusion of the meeting, and upon Mr.
Bold descending to the lower part of the hall, the en-
thotsiasno of the inhabitants was so great, that a chair
was prepared, decorated with laurel and ribadds, into
which he was forced, and triumphantly carried. pre-
ceded by a band of music and a large body of the in-
habitants, through the principal streets to his own-re-
sidence,
greeted with the loudest and reiterated cheers
of the people as he passed along. The bells of St.'
Mary's were rung on the occasion.
A requisition having been handed to the Bailiff,
signed by 73 iooloaloitant householders, requesting
him to convene an early meeting of the inhabitants of
the borough of Brecon, for the purpose of taking
into consideration a congratulatory address to the
Queen on the abandonment of the Bill of Pains and
Penalties, the Bailiff, in c.oupliance with the above,
appointed that such meeting be held on Friday lits 7,
the 22d inst., at 12 at noon, in the Townhall.

II I'DDERsFI E I,D MEETING

(11110 M TIU 88888 *Vint RV, DEC. 23.1

Monday hat a meeting of the inhabitants of the
town and neighbourhood of Hnslderhficl.l was 'arid in
the large room of the George 11111, " to vote an at--
dress to his Majesty," not to consider of the propriety
of such a proceeding, the practice of the loyal ad-
dressers being to determine first and consider after-
wards.

Sir J. L. KAYE, Hart. was called to the chait ; and
after expressing his acknowledgments for the honour
conferred upon him, be said, that as the object of the
meeting was specific, no debate or discussion would
he allowed. 'lbis extraordinary intimation, at the
very threshold of the proceedings, called up
Mr. SRN 1011. of Dalton, who inquired if it would
not be competent to a majority of the meeting, if they
disapproved of any loyal address that might be pin•
posed, to vote another loyal address by way of amend-
ment ?

To which the Coatitstsx replied, that he did not
think that any amendment could be allowed, except
with the consent of the ninety-three gentlemen who
signed the requisition ; and some of the requisitors
stated, that they had signed the requisition upon the
distinct understanding that the address to be proposed
by Dr. Walker. and no other. should be adopted!
On referring, however, to the requisition, it was found
that the words were fur the purpose of voting an ad-
dress, not the address, and it was then reluctantly admit-
ted that it was not imperative upon the meeting to take
the Doctor's potion, whether they liked it or not; it was
however, still strongly insisted, that no topic which
regarded the Queen, or his Majesty's ministers,
should be introduced into any address which
might be adopted, because neither of those subjects
was mentioned 'n the requisition.
Dr. WALKER then rose, and after contending
strongly for ottani 000 ity, delivered a very intemperate
speech, which could nut fail to produce that disunion
which be so much deprecated. In the coarse of this
soothing effusion, the Doctor stigmatised those who
were not of his own political creed, as " political in-
cendiaries—base calumniators—betrayers of their
King—and perfidious and disloyal subjects ;" and
bestowed upon that part of the press which does sot
stoop to court ministerial favour, but breathes the
spirit of freedom, the appellation of " seditious and
blasphemous." Having thus fulminated his ana-
themas. be concluded by moving, " That a dutiful
and loyal address should be presented to bis Ma-
jesty."
B. H. Asstx, Esq.' seconded the resolutions, and
said, amongst other things—" We are met not to ap-
prove or to disapprove of the measures of his Majesty's
ministers, but to vote fur a loyal and dutiful address to
his Majesty."
The CHAIRMAN then inquired if any gentleman was
prepared with an address. Oa which. Dr. Walker drew
the address from kis pocket. sad read It over to the
meeting. It was in meow very much the same as the
other exclosively loyal addresses. and declaimed is the
meal style egainit the "abettors of factloa"—a pre,-

tituted press," and s 4) forth forgetting, altogether,
that these topics were not in the requisition, and that it
had been laiel down as a rule of these proceedings, that
no topic which was not titers mentioned could be In-
trodnced.

Mr. SAMUEL CLAT begged leave to propose another
address by way of amendment, expressive of loyalty and
dutiful attachuseta to his Majesty's person and govern-
ment—of sorrow for the consequences produced by yr
misrule of his ministers—of imagination at the 'Wimp
recently made to degrade the Queen, and of a convictton
that these appalling disasters would not have taken
place if the people had been fairly represented in par-
liament.

This address having been sceonded by Mr. Joists
Boom a scene of jockeyship commenced, at which every
candid mind must revolt. Dr. WALKER contended that
the amended address was irrelevant, freestyle it introduced
subjects lot mentioned in the requisition. (In which,
Mr. WOOD inquired if the address •ed by the Doctor
was not open to the same objection, seeing that the re-
quisition dial not mention the press, and his address
made a furious attack upon it. l'he Doctor, instead of
answering this argument, burst out into a furious tirade
ngaisist persons who, he said, wished to dethrone both
their God anal their King. (Violent murmurs.)
Mr. SENIOR professed quite as much regard for both
his God and his King as was either felt or shown by
lk. Walker; and insisted that the hest way to serve the
King ..vas to tell him what they thought of his servants.
Josue 11A11311, Esc{{. then rose, and moved "That
the original address should be put and carried." To
this it was objected, that the amendment must of course
he put first ; on which Mr. Haigh actually moved that
the original address should be considered as an amend-
ment upon the amendment, and that in this way it I
should take the precedency ! This highly irregular
proceeding the Chairman adopted, and requested those,
who were fur the amended (original) address to hold up i
their hands. 4%3 might have been expected, an equireque
was thus raised, anal a number of persons did nut know
which of the addresses the Chairman had put. Sir
John then put the other address, in favour of which
there was a decided majority; but, from the confused i
mode of rtibutitting the addresses, no reliance whatever
could be placed upon the show of hands. Sir John, ,
however, exelainterl—" I believe in my conscience, as
Gaol is my judge, that the original address has it!" and
we believe, in our conscience, that Sir John is too ho-
mutt-able a man to ',lake any declaration that he did
nut suppose to he true. In this stage of the proceeding
considerable clamour anal confusion prevailed, both par-
ties contending that they had the majority ; and, in or-1
der to remove all doubt upon the subject, the gentleman
who moved the amended address demanded that a divi-
sion slionid take place ; but this request, reasonable and
honourable as it was, was not complied with, and Sir
John left the chair, and quitted the room midst:tut dis-
•olving the meeting.
Mr. Jou,' Woou was then called to the chair, when
the 311141.101 proposed by Mr. Clay was moved, seconded,
and carried unanimously by about -1-sths of the auto-1
her originally assembled.
Since the meeting both the addresses hare remained
open to the signature of the inhabitants, and the mu
-
hers of the subscribers to each are in about the same'
proportion as were their supporters in the room—that
is, shout four or five to one for the amendment over the
original address. The state of parties in Huddersfield
and its neighbourhood, as in most other places, is this
—a large proportion of the truly independent men are
against the • 'sten, and against their measures.,
This is the rase slid, a large majority of the middle,
and almost all the humbler classes of society. In the
higher classes, which are always the most susceptible of ,
alarm anal of court influence, the majority cling to the
ministers, thoech both with diminished numbers and
diminished spirit; and it is, we think, impossible to
give a more decisive proof of the lowered tone of the
ministerialist, than is to be found in Mr. H. H. Allen's
speech, when he declared that the meeting was not—
" assembled to approve or disapprove the measures of
his Majesty's ministers." This was alone wanted to
render the lonmiliation complete: even their friends are
ashamed of them, and when they come into public
they shrink from applauding and even from canvassing
their measures.

CORPORATIONS rem,: CIVIL LIBERTY aid
PUBLIC PROSPERITY.

--..0.--
SIXOND SERlES.—Lrrega IV.

"The Pharisees took Counsel how they night entangle
ker.—MATTHEW xvi,
•• Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites : for
ye devour widow's houses, and for a pretence make long
prayer ; therefore ye shall receive the greater datnnation."—
Marrnaw :sits. 14.

Sta—As there can be no doubt on the mind of any
rational man, conversant with the world, and with
the actual Ministers of this country, that, wholly in-
capable of profiting by experience, and determined to
persevere in the desperate career in whio It they have
been for sonic time engaged, they are now meditating
fresh insults and fresh injuries against the Queen and
the people, it is incumbent upon these to prepare anew
for the combat, and to take every measure of precau-
tion against a crafty, an united, and a practised,
although in other respects an incapable enemy. For
the purpose of enabling us to do so with effect, it is
necessary to enquire wherein the danger and the pro-
per measures of precaution consist.
With respect to the precise nature of the new ag-
gressions contemplated, it is quite impossible for
other persons to divine them, since Ministers them-
retires, who only exist by expedients from day to day,
and have not a particle of public principle for their
guide, cannot know, before hand, what course the
fluctuating circumstances of the passing moment may
next compel them to pursue. Of this, however, we
are certain, from abundont experience—that, in the
conspiracy against the Queen, in which they must be
considered as the chief actors, they can have nothing
but injustice for their object, and illegal and uncon-
stitutional measures for their means : and we know,
from human nature, that the mortification of previous
defeat is calculated considerably to augment the
activity, bitterness, and malignity, with which they
will, in future. per fee cut cc foe, seek the destruction
of their victim. Nor have we any reason, from past
transactions, to believe, that, in this pursuit, there
are any acts so base, any plans so prodigal., or any
proceedings so cruel, as to excite insernsostatable
scruples in their minds.
Under these eircurnetances, it is incumbent on the
teal friends of the King, of the Queen. and of the
people, to continue to exercise be utmost vigilance is
watching the common enemy, to redouble, if possible,
their seal, and to employ their highest diligence sad
ingenuity, in &alluding, by astleipatlea, the eraeM.
satiate of theme well-trailed etiospiratere wheat the
public weal. Persons like myself, who bare sot the
honor of being is the contemns of her Majesty, ma)

\.

occasionally discern things, which may happen r.,
escape the attention of those who are more in. de
diately engaged in her service, and may consequent:v
be enabled, from time to time, to *brow oat no.f.;:
hints for the promotion of the great cans, of train
and justice. I have, front the commenoentent
what has peen railed the trial of her Majesty, strongly
disanproved of that temporising policy, into whirl;
her Majesty was attempted to he betrayed, because
well knew the tactics of the enemy with whom she
had to deal ; and, that if they ever sought to.conci.
hate, it was only because they could not uth'r :se
destroy. It was, therefore, I confess, with meth
surprise, as well as with some pain, that I found
the Qneen's lawyers bad advised their client to ahsta:,
from htinging forward those matters ..f recritujuat;o„,
which she was not the less entitled, on account-of her
innocence, to adduce against the proseeigion. What
did they expect to gain from such persons as were
epposrd to them, by thus politely waving the exercise
of an essential right ? The only effect which plain
men could anticipate from curie policy, was a dint..
notion of the etrenzth of their rause, and an increase
of confidence and of force to their adversaries. Was
it expected that either Ministers, or those Members of
the House of Lords who were hostile to her Majesty,
were to be mollified or cajoled into justice, or fairne,s,
or decency, by this questionable forbearance? I shall
not now do more than merely advert to the several
stages of the proceedings, at which, in my opinion,
duty to their client required that her Majesty's Court-
i eel should have protested much more strongly the
I they did, against their gross injustice; and, if their
protests were disregarded, that they should have de-
dared it a denial of justice, and thrown up theii
briefs; particularly when the judges rcfused to suffer
any enquiry into the circumstances connected with the
Milan part of the conspiracy, and upon the occasion
'of the abstraction of Itastelli. This last precedent
being established, the other rrjured ss ituesses, we
are now told, are removed, without excitin a word
of comment; is this fact, or is it only thrown out to
sound the public mind, and to prepare it for such a
measure? Has it taken place with the knowledge and
consent of her Majesty's legal advisers? Hese they,
out of mere urbanity, connived at the escape of these
wretches from merited punishment? lam certainly
not an enemy to meenanimity or to mercy; but their
exercise should be well-timed, and they certainly
should not be made weapons for unfair adversaries to
beat our own heads with. This farther abstraction
of witnesses, if true, the machinations agaiust her
Majesty not being terminated, and her Majesty not
being formally re-'..red to all her rights and dignities,
requires explanation. Are they to be conveyed,
after a fertiler drilling, to the independent shores
of Hanover? I do not allude to these matters in
any spirit of personal hostility, or dissatisfaction
against her Majesty's Counsel. Lawyers have necessa-
rily too much connection with the iniquitous system,
which i.: the remote cause of all our calamities, to be
able to steer an independent and upright conrse.
They are in the leading strings of the system, and of
their party; and we ought to make tine allowances for
human frailty. Hut I will not suffer my complaisance
to blind my judgment so far, as to admit that they
deserved that mark of public favor and partiality be-
stowed on them by the Corporation of the city of
London. That body, when it meddles with bestow-
ing rewards for public virtue, should take care that
the honors are deserved, and that they' are granted
with equal justice. In the first place, Ido not admit
that the honors in question were at all deserved ; for
the triumph of the Queen is solely and exclusively
owing to her own innocence, and the spirit of the na-
tion. The lawyers, in merely doing their duty, and
they certainly did not do more, bad nut established
any particular claim to distinction ; and, if they hod,
it was quite as well merited by the junior, as by the
senior Counsel, or perhaps better. lam one of those
who think that they might have done more, and that
they durst not have done less, fur their illustrious
client ; and, if mere seal for a cause were entitled •',
the freedom of the metropolis, I would recommend the
King's Attorney and Solicitor-general to the Corpor-
ation, as deserving that hot:or in gold hates of double
value. The efforts of privileged Corporations to re-
ward merit, when they happen to take nearly a right
direction, are always wade with a left-handedness,
which burlesques justice. These observations are
not made with a view to censure, but to obviate future
errors in the way of complaisance, temporising, or
giving credit to opponents for qualities in which they
ate notoriously deficient. It is essential, in regard?
the final denountent of this drama, that all the pathos
concerned should feel, that not a particle of the-tri-
umph of her Majesty thas far, is owing either to any
extraordinary exertions of her lawyers, to the Chris-
tian temper of her Revisers, or to the justice or merry
of her self-constituted judges; but thet the whole of
her triumph is exclusively, as I have said, due to her
own innocence and the determination of the people:
and that to these sources alone she must look few the
completion of her victory. Haien .y to such adver-
saries, then, world be not only misplaced, but it
would be treachery to her Majesty: lam therefore
of opinion, and I know that in this I am not singular,
that the moment any new project against the eighteen
hone- of her Majesty is officially manifested, whether
by fresh proceedings, or the refusal to restore her
name to the liturgy, all those matters, which have
hitherto been prevented by technicalities and chicane
from being made known, as well as various extraor-
dinary information, which we are told is is the pot-
session of Mr. Alderman Wood, throwing light apt it
this conspiracy, should be laid before the puldh,
without scruple, or reserve, whoever way be thereby
I shall advert to one circumstance mote, w: i 1b
se ins to occasion sense surprise among the pibl.e.
They are wholly unable to divine according to whit
advice, or what policy, her Majesty has s• Meg al -
stained from formally appoiatiag her hensehold.
and exorcising, as far as depends *pan herself, every-
other function of a (Neale Consort of these realem•
Any hesitation of this kind, as if she herself ode,
entertain a doubt of the validity of her eights, whilot
they are questioned by her adversaries, give to ii,. •
adversaries greater adamants this they cenW vrir
have derived from their own *shimmies's. leak.
the advantages of the Queen's perternt. P
have all been derived firms the arms of he,