The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-03-28 00:00:00

TIIC STATE MAN: •

the condition of the people of Ireland (applause). With
respect to Spain, they also affected liberal views, but ma-
ny thought that they were not sincere. As to Ireland,
they certainly pursued a more just and honest policy,
and they would be soon obliged to take a decided course
one way or the other with respect to the affairs of Spain.
In the meantime, whilst they seemed to take a part some-
what worthy of Englishmen, he would not oppose them.
He was not for plunging this country into a war—war
declared by this country might make the Government.
more popular in Prance—sit might prevent that which
he hoped for—to see the detested and false-hearted Bum',
bons driven a third time and for ever from a soil which
they had disgraced (great applause). If Spain in the
course aof that contest for her liberties, which was ap-
proaching, should want the assistance of Englishmen,
they would receive it. The dirty considerations of gold
would not be suffered to stand in the way of those great
considerations—the vindication of the national feeling,'
the rights of nations, the preservation of national faith.
lle (Sir ILibert) tees an enemy to the late war, until Na-
poleon invaded Spain; from that moment be supported
the principle of the war; had he done otherwise he
would have been unworthy the name of an E:tglislitnan.
Last year the Eloise of Commons had supported the
cul 1-blolded Lon londerry in his views of foreign pol:cy,
and they would sill have continued to support him had
he unfortunately for this country remained in p.wer.
That Minister always supported and promoted the ob-
jects of the Holy Alltance—those hypocrites who would
drive Liberty from the earth, and establish Thrones on 1
the basis of universal despotism. It remained to be 1
proved what course the present Minister won't: take—'
he hoped it might be for the honour of the English
name. The Honourable Baronet concluded wind the
applause of the Meeting, by moving that the following
Petition should be adopted:—
" To the Honoursble the House of Commons—The Hum-
ble Petition of the Inhabitants of the County of Lincoln,
duly assembled by the authority of their Sheriff,
" Who beg leave earnestly to express their conviction,
that neitner the wished nor the interests of the people are
duly at:euded to in your Honourable House.
" They have seen, during successive Sessions, your Ho-
nourable House, contrary to the universal desire for eco-
nomy and retreuchmetit, still sanction the support of inneense
establishments, and mock the public misery by tun mainte-
nance of unmerited pensions and places, avowedly useful
only fur the carrying on of Government, or, in other words,
for the corruption of the Legislature.
66 Instead of twir privileges being safe in your hands.
they bate frequebtly seen their rights diminished, and
:heir liberties sihrificed to the encroacliments of undue

power.
.• They do not complain of te return to cash payments,
but they cannot conceal their opinion, that in the arrange-
ment's for effeeing that necessary measure, for inure than
justice has been done to the funded proprietor, at the ex-
pense and almost to tee ruin of the landed population; an t
at such a period of deep distress, they cannot but protest
against being calle I upon to provide 6,000,0J0f. annually,
for a nonainat Sinking Fund, waich has hitherto operated
only as a delusioe on the couatry.
•* They have listened with joy to the just and liberal po-
lity recently professed by Ministers towards Ireland and
Spein ; but their joy is converted into shame, when they re-
flect that the same House of Commons which now 'Applauds
these generous sentiments, but lately supported those wile
ruled 'rebut I with an iron sceptre, scarcely even preseryed
a cold neutrality towards our old and unfortunate Allies at
Naples, and assisted,tather than opposed, the combination
of arbitrary Monarchs, united against freedom, under the
name of the iloly Alliance.
" More aed wore convinced that your Honourable Meuse
does not represent the feelings and opittiene of the nation,
they humbly pray that you will be pleased to take i Ito your
serious consideration, the necessity of makine 'melt a coin-
Mete end effective Reform as shall render your Honourable
'tense in fact, that which you are in titeory, tee real repro.
velvati yes of the people.
" And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c."
S:rJ. TuonOto said, that he considered the question of
Reform as a measure of vital importance; but, with respect
to arriculturel OistreFs, lie was sof opinion that retirees
would tie hest ootnined at the hands of the landholder. lie
hoped that the example which had already been set as to the
question of Reform. would be followed by every County in
the United Klinedoin. The Hoe. Baronet concluded by se-
conding the petition proposed by Sir Robert Heron.
On the question being put,
Major CARTWRIGHT said, that the Petition which had
been just read, appeared to him in some respects deficient ;
he should therefore feel it his duty to move an Amendment.
The venerable Gentleman then proceeded to make some ob-
servations in a very low tune of voice. The House of
Commons should represent the persons of the peop:e in the
most ample manner. 'rile people had a right to say what
they conceived to be their rights. He had been for 47 y ears
a Radicsl Reformer, and Le was likely to end where he be-
gan. Ile was, he said, between 90 and 9J years of age
he was in great pain; he had been fur three days going from
London to I in. uln; he had thought that be never would
have been able to go ten m;lea from London, but his strength
allowed him to make a last effort in the cause of Reform.—
The venerable Major concluded by reading two Resolu-
tions, as the ground-work of his Petition. The first stated,
that the people ought plainly and specifically to state what
they claimed ; tae second Resolution stated, that as Reform
was most needful for national salvation, it was expedient
that an Act should be passed for that purpose before the
investigation of particular and unqueliied grievances, save
the immediate repeal of taxes, end the immediate and ua-"
qualified repeal of alt laws affecting the liberty of Ow sub-
ject, particularly the Six Acts. lie then proceeded tq read
a letter which he had that day received from Boston, stat-
ing that jhe inhabitants of that place were convinced that
Reform was absolutely necessary, that if it were not grant-
ed, anarchy and csausien would inevitaely follow ; but
stating further, that tnat being thcir market-day, hey were
prevented from attending the Meeting. Ile concluded by
requesting a friend to read a Petition, embodying the senti-
ments contained in his speech.
The Petition having been read accordingly, Major C. then
moved that it be adopted by the Mamiug.
• Colonel JOHNSON rose to second the Petition. He
pits that when a question of the most vital importance
11 was urged in the nay it had bean, lie could not rennin
silent. He presented himself to the Meeting for the pur-
pose
of seconding the Petition which had been moved
by Major Cartwright, the leading features of which
were—Universal Suffrage, Election by Ballot, and An-
nual Parliaments There was a time when measures less
argent an 1 less derided would have satisfied him, but be
had waited year after year; he bad seen the Petitions of
he people presented StSSiOll after Session, read,ordered to
be pi lilted, and then thrown aside. It was, he conceived.
then full time for those who felt the necessity of Reform, to
declare their sentiments. But notwithstanding. what lie
101a4 stated his opinions to have been, he would have rested
Satisfied with the Petition moved by the Hon. Baronet,
bad not the question be. n raised by the venerable Major,
whether the people ought or ought nut specifically to state
what they conceived to be their rights ? -Had this been
a happy country—if wealth and happiness were spread
about It, then he would ackao.: ledge that there would be
nu necessitrfur Reform, but he deuied the facts —wealth
had gone into the wrong channel, it was taken out of Vie
people, to be squlndered and lavished by the tiovernment ;
if they (the people) only saw the way in whi.:ll their pe-
titious were treated, the spead with which they were got
r d or, they woad still nioiv strongly see the necessity of
Reform. It W 45 melancholy to ohnerve the apathy which
p evailed on that question ; men feemed to have given
themselves tip to despair,they were desired to be patient•
but he would tell them, and 'core particularly the land.
holders, t wit if they continued to remain in their present
st ate they would be eoon effectually ruined.- He had lately
seen a patnplilet tailed "An Alphabetical List of the
alsinbers of the Commons House of Parliament, and the
manner in which they voted ou 14 great tpleitions.r
teroin that Publication it appeared, thakof the 40 empties
in England. 25 Members voted for Minisleee, and 37
..gaiost them. For tS titles aod,opert boroughs, 57 voted

fur Ministers and Ho against. them. In 99 Cities and b°-
roughs in which the election is resolved into individuals,
'lslslembersvoted for Ministers, and 12 against them From
that simple statement the people Might see how necessary
it was to bring about a ralical reform to lay the axe to the
root of theevil.Cornwall alone had 21 boroughs, which seat
42 Members to Parliament; of those, 32 voted for Minis-11
tors, and three against them. The 21 Boroughs of Coro-
wall, which bait the power of sending 42 Members to
Parliament, did not coetain more than 42,000 inhabit-
ants; whilst Leeds, Birmingham, and Manchester,
which were not represented at all, hal a population of
324,030 persons. tie would not eo into a consideration
of the state of representation in Scotland ; he world onlyl
state that Glaseww alone, with a population of 140.000
persons, had no representative in the House of Commons.
Such was the state of the representation. Whet mea-
sures ought to be applied in order to correct it? Would
partial measures be sefficient ? Ile would put a familiar
case. If a rat broke out amongst his sheep, would any
one say that a few may oeglis to be cored? When greet
corruption, when frightful abuses prevailed, would it be
right to ab ate it but partially ; would it not be wiser tol
look fairly at the evil, and apply measures comtnensirato
with it ; He wituld nut go into a consideration of the
question of the c neeney, but this he would say, that the
alteration in the currency made one pound of the value
of two. A men who had borrowed ene thousand pounds
during the time of the paper currency, would find it
more difficult to par that 1,0001. in gold, than 2,0001. is
paper currency. In 1792, the interest of the National
Debt amonntedeo nine millions. In 1822, the interest of
the National I)eht amounted to nearly forty millions.
The whole eepenses of the Government amounted to
fifty-Us millii,us, whilst the bushel of wheat in 1792 and
1822 was nearly of the sante value. He would state one
fact more, and that fact be had out of a Report of a Com-
mittee of the Hoes • of Coestn 'es - 89 Members of that
House received of the public motley in the way of places.
pension., and einolume is (inclusive of the Army anti
Nave) 173 0001. annnaly. These 89 Members brined
the bulk of every majority on every question against the
' liberties of the people. !Levine stated these facts, he
would leave them to spe tit for themselves—he would not
further trouble the Meeiini, lug content himself with se-
condine the. Petition of the venerable Major.
Lo•d A LTIIORP next presented himself to the Meeting.
His Lordship silt, that from the feeling is Lich manifest-
ed itself on the question of Reform, he should not feel it
neres.ary to advert to these are meets whit It had deter-
mined hen in favour of th it measure ; lie knew it had
been asked, will Reform r re to tee Agricedterists from
distiess 7--!ie knew it eundl nit, he would deceive the
people if he bad slid it would —but though locking the
stable doorafter the horse had ben stolen would not re-
store the horse, yet it would secure the retnaintler of the
cattle ;due would then recommend the people sell to press
forwent their Petitions. Another objection bad been
urged against Refurni—it mass said that the Reformers
die not agree aintrt!,it themselves ; it was true the Re-
formers differee amongst theinsehes in some paints, but
teat teas the necessary consequence where independent
111.•11 deliberated upon a question which admitted of so
many views ; hut as to the mein question of Reform, up-
on that there was no di"ference of opinion, the great mu-
: jority of the veopht wished for it. Why, thee, said the
enemies .of Reform, hail it not been carried into effect?—
because it vas opts, used by a po.verfill party. The friends
of corruption %%tee able to make a formidable resistance
because they were united. Let the friends of Reform be
united also—let them not, by urging reooltitiona :Led
measures more strong than the generality of the reform-
ers can agree to, give support and triumph to their a I
versaries. That brought hint to the oueition immediate-
ly before them. Til• petition of the lionoerettl: Baronet
appeared to him a Petition which every Reformer might
sign, because it simply called for Reform, that necessary
Reform whieh woeittelise the people an influence over
their representatives. If reform co tit' be once establish-
ed, no man need much, care in what exact form it millet
I be. done, provided it was au effectual and complete ltie
form. 11 • (Lord A.) could not go the length which the
I honourable gentleman (Major Cartwright) proposed to
go. lie avowed that he was against the principle of
I..:Uiversel Sutfrege, Vote by Ballot, and annual Perlin-
ments. He was a friend to effectual and complete reform,
and until that should be obtained, he would not slacken
his efforts to promote that measure. lie lamented that
any disunion should exist at that Meeting, because he was
convinced that disunion on the part of reformers would
do more against the success of the measure than their
best exertions could do in its favour.
Sir Eow•an Feexcit BROOMUEAD next came for
Ile said that defects ought to be radically reform-
ed where they existed ; but he was satisfied that things
were now as good as they possibly could be made (a
laugh, and disapprobstiom) He would let the meeting
into the secret of the Speech of the Noble Lord (a laugh)
Tee fact was, there was a conspiracy on the part of the,
Aristocracy against the liberties of the nation en laugh.)
They wished to increase the number of the Aristocracy
in the House ; and to shut o :t men of talents, who might
come in for boroughs, lie should have no objection to'
such men as Mr. Pelham, or his Hon. Friend Mr. Chap-
o—(a laugh) 'f he great majority of able men sat for
sine(' Borough+. The lints. Baronet (Sir Robert Heron)
sat for a close Borough ; Sir James Mackintosh and Mr.
Tierney sat for small Boroughs. With respect to the
influence of Miuisters, they were defeated on many ques-
tions—they were defeated on the question of the Proper-
ty Tax—they were defeated by the vulgar economy of
the llouee uf Consumes on the question of a provision
for the younger branches of the Royal Family—they
were defeated on the question of breaking up the Con-
stitution of the Admiralty. (a laugh.) As to the book
that an Hon. tientlem in had alluded to, it was a tl sgrace
to the faction that produced it (great disapprobaion.)—
The House of Commons never intended to represent phy
steal force—it was only intended to represent particular
interests. Cornwall, to which so much allusion had bean
made, was never so ponulans as it Ives at pfeseut —but
those boroughs gave an opportunity to persons to repree
sent other interests—the East India Company—the Bank
—the Stock Exchange, were represented by means of
these boroughs, (is laagh.) He would say to the Meet-
ing, " Do not interfere with the Constitution which our
ancestors handed down." He thanked them for the at-
tention they gave him, which certainly was more than
Inn expected,
Mr. PELHAM next addressed the Meeting. He eaid,that on
the question et Reform, he had last year delve' ed Isis opie
nions; he Biro thought that Reformw•allnecessary ; he was
still of thesame opinion. He was convinced that the peo-
Ple were not represented as they ought to be, but het
could not go the lengths that many seemed -anxious to
go to. He world wish to destroy all the rotten boroughs,
and to s-a tile linded interest fully represented, because
lie was cons ittre i that tlie more fully the landed interest
was represented, the more secure would lie the liberties
and tile interests of the people. So tar lie would go; he
might, perhaps. be induced to go farther. No man re-
gretted more than he ;lid to see the manner in which the
prtitiops of the people were treat-d. He agreed with an
Honourable Gentlemen, that it was frightful to ate how
those pe lions were received, and to know that they
never after was taken into consideration. lie shout! be
anxious to see Reform originate in the Heim of Coin-
mons. With respect to the Petitions before the !leering,
he would vote in favour of that moved by Sir Robert
Heron, because it was general in its nature. Any per-
son being a Reformer might sign it ; it pledged hint to
an particular Mode of Reform ; it therefore had his sup-
port.
The Rev. Sir C. ANDERSON said, that the question of
Reform had been often pressed with little or no success;

this be imputed to the intemperate and extravagant zeal
of those who called themselves the friends of the mea- .
sure, but who were in fact its greatest enemies. He la-
mented that any thing like division. should exist at the
nieeting. There were two Petitions before the Mce ing, ;
it was an invidious thing to judge betwe is theta. Teo
Meeting, perhaps. would act wisely if they adopted the
principle ',in tnedio tutissimus fide." ‘V ith r.spcct to
the Petition of the venerable liejor Cartwright, it Ras
his opinion tlett if the object of it succeeded. it would go
far to subvert the constitution, and to destroy the social.
and moral virtues of the reentry. lie tt as anxious fee
the destruction of rotten Boroughs. lle alw•lta looked
upon them re a blot on the reresentAtion. lie wished
to see them abolished. and the representation extended
to great and monitions towns. Alive all, he would wish
for the abolition of Sinecures and Reversion try raves.
These created art undue intluen.:e in the House of Com-
mons—an einhothed phalanx of poh;tti corruption.—
'flue Reverend Baronet concluded by saving, that lie
would give the Petition moved by Sir lt. 11 .rett his in tec
unqualified support.
Mr. Citerider ea'3l, he woad not support either .Peti.-
woul,l net support the Pett!ien moved by Sir
Robert Heron, becaese it went to pledge tee Meeting to
Referen with nit run tinir ont any p.rtien tar nettle of Re-
form. He could mot e nith those Gentlemen who wool
sweep away the Borough franchise. I f there were but three
honest men in a Berottell, he saw no right in any body
of men to takeaway from them their rights. Upon that
ground he would oppose the question of Reform.
Colonel AbLtx slid. that lie was a it itlical Itcformer,
but lie was not a friend to Universal Suffrage or Annaal
Parliaments. lie was convineed chit those things, if
attained, woad only lead to the destruction of Liberty
—they would lead to the lawless ride of democracy.
and afterwards to elieolute power. He was a Radical K.
former to that Reform which woelti radically de tiny
corruption ; he would therefore prefer the Pe tido!, moved
by the Honourable Baronet to that of the Amention nt.
The question of Reform was advertise -I by shine of tot
most brilliant ornaniters the' England had to hoest of
by Mr. Pitt —hi Mr. Fox himself, a siercre, and cot:-
sistent lleformer—by the great Lord Chatham—and by
many others; but nofortan ttely that uyasure, so Dere,- •
serer t 3 the welfare of Elle line, had not y• t suceerde,!---
unfortunately it was so—they would net have wit-
nessed the frequent violations of the Coestitutien tho
extravagant expenditure of the pohlie money, Mitch le I
to so much distress and diecontent, had the Muse or
Commons been the honest stewares of the l'urse
—the faithful guardians-ef the People of Englenil.
Sir R. faithful
then replied in a few words. .1•6
Sheriff put the question uo the Meet:dinea% it il:1 Is 11.4 i
lost by a great majority.
The question on tto original motion wee then peie
when the Petition moved by Sir Robert Helots- ea,
adopted.altnest unanimously.
Sir It. HERON skid, he wished to lincev whether the,
High Sheriff had any ohjociion t • situ the Petition ?
The lima Si:utter said, he sholili 'lave no übjectiort
to sign the Petition on behalf of the fleeting. and :n !tie
o Bela! canteity, prori led it Ives stated that he did not
sign it as his Petition.
Sir R. Hgime said, that it wont! be un lerst md that.
the High Sheriff signed tite Peeiti ni on behalf of t:m
I Meeting only ; when the Petition should be }nester...l
to the House of Cum:nuns, he would take care th.at the
fact ehaultt be stated.
burl etl eTitußr then snored, that the Petition shen:.l
he presented to the douse of CO!1111101% by Mr. Pellet a
anti Sir It. Heron, which was aereed to.
Thanks were then voted to the High Sherilf, af.er
which the Meeting dispersed.