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

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
MEETING OF TEE COUNTY OF LINCOLN.

The Freeholders, &c. &r. &c. of the county of Lincoln,
wet. pursuant to Requisition, at the Castle of Lincoln. on
Wednesday, the 26th ipst., for. the purpose of taking
into consideration the expediency of presenting a Peti-
tion to Parliament for a Reform in the House of Corn-
ett:es. The Meeting was numerous, and highly respect-
able. Amongst the Gentlemen present we observed
Lord Altherp, `the Honourable Charles Pelham. Sir Ro-
• brit Heron, Sir E. Brootuhead, Sir John Thorold, Rev.
Sir C. Anderson, Colon' I Johnson, M.P.. Colonel Allix,
Captain Wood, Major Cartwright, A. Welby, Esq., and
severe! others.
At half-past twelte o'clock the High Sheriff, Sir Wm.
EARLE W emir, took the Chair.
Sir Rouser Haltom then presented himself to the
Meeting, and was received with considerable applause.
He sai t, that there were persons who thought that Meet-
Ines like that he addressed were useless—he was of a
different (Tiniest. The House oomon., inded,
wonld not wil :ingly reform itselff ;C batm whenevere the
strong and unanimous voice of the people of England
should be raised in favour of Recent), the House of Com-
mon.; would not—dee e rot resist that voice. He was one
who thoiotht County Meetings, though they had nut yet
attained the end in view, were far from being useless ;
teey heti mole souse progress in the good cause—every
tit ill st was semi ted, Was a step in levour of Reform,
every useless place that was estmloheil, took away from
Ministers a vote hired against the people. The cause of
Reform would ultimately (lowish; it bad its enettiles—
it had met with misforotnes eh he I met with defeats
arising from the intrigues of those enemies on the one
11 ohl, and fro:n the of the people on the other.
At one time tl.e people were almost in sight of the mea-
s ire, when the apostasy of Mr. Pitt threw it b telt. The
Frencii lievoletion sticceeded. and a series of events fol.
lowed, of which the enemies of the country took Wean-
leee. At tope time Iwo or three mirerehle persons, with
a little powder in a stocking, created so much alarm, that
it was enepo•esl by some that these persons would have
overtutoed the Constitution. Those clams, so utterly
foundation, marked a peculiarity in the Briise
character; an Englishman, moderate in his wisnes
sod his views, always fet,' lest he should go
too for, was Vet willing to believe that his neigh-
bme would plunce the country into confusion, and
subvert every principle of a iciety.—(dear, hear) The
French and I t.liati.inferlor in mot reiptcts to tee &ig-
loo, always judged mist fevoitreble of their count:wane),
they al WeVS tlioeKht, 'heir c iuntcytnen like themseives—
an.Englision to never. It ell' from th tt reason, and
from others. that the faction which had so lo ig and so
P unfortunately rule! this country, were always able with
so 'twee facility to excite public elar.ns, ant by means of
these alarm; to put dewn for the time the cause of Re-
form, From recent transactions that cause had and re I
mech. Time County of .York, javtly tacit): a iced on
this question, determined to use every effort—they were
• seixi ins that every connty in the kingdom should make
ir cenet.on.exertion., any call tor one ceinnian object
so that the united efforts of tie people of England might
snake u deep impression, and compel the Parliament to
comply With the wishes of the nation; but a few misguid-
ed and intemperate men, by pitting forward the most
extravagant proeositions suieed the cause of Reform for
a ttte, and terrified many who otherwise would have
aided the people in favour of the measnre Men of mode-
rate and of peaceful habits began to think that it was nut
Reform, but anarchy and confusion, drew b irk, and lest
the Reformers thin in numbers ; he hoped those who had
wttlidrawn were now again aletenniacil to exert them-
eelyes—oo people were so easily ferried away as the Eng. I
lob, but no peepte so soon re:eat:red their seen l an l ho-1
nest opitions. Mtn respect to hi:, (iir it. IL's) opinion ,
on tee question of Reform, it wis nut with keu so u. icit
an (inject to state what yaricular Reform he smould wish
railer wish to state a g.neral proposition,
to which every sincere Reformer .would agree—namely.
that Reform was necessary. Ile was so true a friend to
Reform, that he. would rather sanction a mode of Reform
of which he might not approve, sooner than have no Re-
form at all 11 lie should nut feel dispased to pledge
himself to any specific plan of Reform, it was not
because he wished to urge any objection that might cre-
ate division—for the purpose of avoiuing disunion, he was
anxious to put forward a proposition which would not
pledge any loan to any thing more than to the necessity
of Reform. If he might give his opinion he would say,
that lie was anxious filet for Triennial Parliaments. Se-
condly, that every freeholder and copyholder should one
way or the other have a vote in the election of a Member
of Parliament. Haling said so mach he would not
at the same time pledge himself against what was called
a Radical Morns—Ulm were once convinced that it was
the del-Lied opinion of the people of England that thet
mode of Reform was necessary—he, on a question on
which the people bad so strong a right to decide, would
feel it his duty to support end to advance their opinion?.
(applause.) , Ile world not, however, do so until he had
Used every effortin hic power to convince them that they
were wrong. Since their last meeting nothing cer-
tainly had occurred thet could convince them thatßeform
was not necessary. The enemies of that measure had
acid, that Reform was no cure for art icultural distress—
no ; nor AN as gold for famine; but Reform would at least
prevent the recurrence of those misfortunes which grew
out of the present system, and which were always to be
apprehended until Reform should take place. It had
been said that Reform would not have prevented the war
with America and with France; that he denied. If
England had a Reformed Parliament, America would not
have been subjected to the insults, the sufferings and in-
justice which provoked the war ; nor would this country
have, at the commencement of the French Revolution,
suede common cause with the Despots of the Continent,
in order to destroy the liberties of France. The reign
of terror Would never have commenced—the Constitu-
tioral King of France, subject to Constitutional con-
week would have remained on the Throne, and all the
evil and the misery that Europe had suffered might have
been avoided. He was willing to allow that some taxes
had been lately repealed, that some places had been also-
fished ; but the House of Commons, at the very time
that they abolished those places, had given to hist Crown
the fail power of granting pensions without any eon-
tronl whatever ; and how did Ministers exercise that
power?. They gave three thousand pounds a year to
Lord Sithointille in addition, a place of four thousand
pounds
so year held by hue, as if for his son. the
(Sir Itobe.t Heron) was blamed last year, fur having
staled that circumstance, that was the very reason why
newsuentionedit a second time (applause !); lie never
tsonbl besi.we to expose the wretch who lived on his
came: y's plunder (aepleuse). Lord Sidineuth received
those elttfrilielle rains--ii man who had • done no service
to his country—a men who had no talents—o Ise oat
not fit fur office (at ). If he had ts lents why had'.
lie retired ? ,He ea- not old—lie was not feeble—be eas
oat out merely to shake room fee another person. His
Lordship bast, indeed, thenked the Magistrates of Mar:-
Ch-stet, et theeisne of.use far:a/cable insawe, for such
Le could call it—it was a dteadial affair, b the Mi.
uisters would °ever allow to have investigated. If more
lives-had not b. lost —if mare of the brood of innocent
Englishmen apt[ women had mgt beep shed that day, it
was not to his Lordship—it was not to the Magistrates
or the Yeomen that the country was indebted, but te the
peaceful conduct of the people therusel ee and to the ex-
cellent conduit of the
.regular troops. Th. re was one
pent to which, isocandour, he would allude. Minisiets
Lad lately shown a liberal disposition with respect to