The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-06-14 00:00:00

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9111

STANCE TO SPAIN.

OROCEEDINGS Br THE PUBLIC MEETING 'AT THE
LONDON TAVERN, CONTINUED PROM OUR PANE t t
TEE lERDAYI
M Sir JAES lACINTOSII on standing forward was re.
crierd with considerable applause. Much as he was in.,
terested on the present occasion— Lem!p as he felt thet
wrongs initteted •be the ' VS upon fri Urnilrgraff.
alists of Earope—he could not enter upon his present
task without considerable hesitation..—Hannver safe st
Mivertiment might fanry itself—horn powerful soevrr it
Wight imagine itself In the strength of an artued•farre—
lie would sa!, and loudly and emphatically say. that
whether a tioverament Itctively oppressed its own rople
or connived at the oppression of another it _.overttutrtit
Oyer !loather peoples it behoved it well to guard against
theorerwheLuing influence and omnipotence of a nation
aroused to a due sense of the wrongs .it had endured to

the privileges to which it was by nature entitled an I
qualified. The eloquent Knight then took a most
noos an.l general view of the various acts of despo'ic
powe►, as opposed to the rights of man, and the privi-
leges of freenwn.—((.and cries of " Adjourn to the Es.
change," here interrupted Vie spesker. The staircases
and front of the Tavern were thronged.)
After waiting some time for the restoration of silent
Sir *lasses proceeded. The result of pzst :tamp a-
should teach the reigning Powers of the present ds f
how they followed in the beaten tracks of those who h.&

preceded them. Ile would illustrate the present case by
a homely position. if a gang of robliers infested ei
neighbourhood. those who had not suffered had goal
reason to anticipate such a tlrcnmstanr': if this gang,
avowed their tontine% and cutrtended for its proprietv
upon assumed principles of right, would not a great
cause of fear exist? And if a nriglihoor would allow
this gang to "assemble in his house for the purpose of f .
cilitating titer operations upon tho.e who resided near
him, would he not justify the appell Ilion not merely
a silly man or a boohy—but a dastardly coward, who
etas u unable to defend littoself as unwilling to maker

a sacrifice in order to rescue the safety of his friends?
lie would leave those wfia heard him to apply this
simile—it was apposite—it was true. He swou'ed not
deface the speech of their noble Chairman, by allnilinx
to the military consideration oh the solijco. Ilia
ship. although a soldier, was a staunch friend of consii—
tutional liberty: be had evinced his Mlitary ability And
his sioind judgment in 180 S, by his discovery of the real
and extensive resources of oppressed Spain; and his
opinion at the tiresent mamont was therefore of the
greater iniportanee, as his former anticithitioui bo'cit

borne out bt• the rrsulr.—(l;reat applause.) —I t was not
cause a nation sustainrd adefeat, that it could not Gain

I.l.otory. History proved that ni my of the grvatest batt!es
hatibeeit pveceded hy a long series of ill success in the party
which was eventually triumphant. The Hon. Knt. then. in
a alyte the most 'ominous and elognent, apealed to the
hearts of the 'tritons who heard him, wnether tketinal

success of the Spaniards world not derive an additional
glory front its previous misfortunes. The ditli.ml.y
the present struggle should not he concealed ; it was in.
deed one of the utmost difficulty it should nit re
espoused by the slave of success or the followers of fn:-
tune.—(Cheers.)—it 'was a cause which did not retti.
hypocritical profession, or that support which only sill. .t
itself to victory. It was only worthy of bring sustained.
by those whose breast was warmed with tie trio: and
genuine love. To those the present cause of Spain must
appear as glorious as that of A th-ns in 116 strogglt a for
freedom. As to the rebel regencies, the bigutted
of those half fools and half knaves, the degraded
Spanish grandees, they were not original—similar tricks
bad been resorted to at the invasion of Napoleon, and,
they were not now move likely to succeed in imposing
epos the credulity of Europe, touch less on that of this
free country. Never was there a Inure questionable rea-
son urged as justifying an invasion than that nave ad-
vanced—the internal dissensions of the country invaded&
For his part,. he thought that the strongest possible rea-
son why they should the rusher claim their compassins-
ate assistance, than their despotic invasion and oppr•s-
sion. After delivering a speech of considerable length,
which was frequently interrupted by the cheers of the
audience, he concluded by proposing the first resolution!
1. That every nation possesses the right of choosing
the laws and institutions by which they shall be govern-
ed, anti that to admit an interference with this right to .
any degree or on any pretext, is to forfeit all claim to the
blessings and dignity of independence.
JOSEPH MARRYAT, Esq. M. P. with pleasure seconded
the motion which had been proposed by the eloquent
Knight who bad preceded Mm; it advanced a principle .
which could not be denied by any freeman wbo valtted
the liberty he enjoyed. If the present war should be of .
loug continuance, he could not think that the Govern-
ment of this country could avoid being engaged in the
contest ; in which case, it might depend upon the unani-
mous support of the best energies of the people of Great
Britain. •
The resolation was then put, and carried onanimonsly- •
General Lord hTNEDOCII cause forward with pleasure to
propose the motion he held in his hand ; unaccustomed
as he was to public speaking, he should not have done so,
but for the zealous interest he felt in the success of the
gallant and oppressed people of Spain.—(Loud and con-
tinued cheering.)
2. That the heroism and perseverance with which the
spanisli people commenced and accomplished their suc-
cessful struggle against the usurpation of the former
Ruler of France mainly contributed to the triumphant
issue of the late war, and entitled them to the everlast-
ing gratitude of those nations who had previously con-
tended, in vain, for the same cause.
Mr. BROUGHAM. on presenting himself to the Meeting
was received with great applause. The modesty of the
Noble and Gallant General oho had jest addressed them,
bad prevented his telling the Meeting that he greatly
shared the glory of the former deliverance of Spain from
despotic tyranny. Would to God he and their Gallant
Chairman were there now to second, with heart and band,
the cause they had so ably advocated with their tongues:
He wag less accustomed to meet the people on occasions
like the present than those in the House of Commons, ,
With whom he waged a war very similar in its principles
to that of the Spaniards against the power of Franc?,
for the protettion •of the people against the encroach-
ments of power. Yet, even there, none had hared to
come forward in defence of the unprincipled invasive of
Fiance; and if any half dozen had dared to say it was
just, they had breathed their vile sentiments in corners
and in lurking boles with their fellow•reptilese--the toad,
the rat, and use spider. Let the Bourbons now set their
'foot on British ground ; would nbt the people show their
obedience to the orders of headquarters, and evince
their strict neutrality? Aye: not a hand would he
'raised against them—not a voice would express ire de-
testation of their impious conduct—hut they would feels
-lf.they-had tbe feelings of men, the strong curse of si-
lence and contempt. When they were here they were
unfortunate,. and ,they elicited fitun British feeling de
compassion and assistante to which their misfortunes
titled them; bat now, after the disgusting, bigotted.uue
just,. ongrked,. and irreligious line& upon all that
was most dear So Freemen—new, in'lS•23, if they dared
venenre-ew 4iritislrgroun4, they would learn how tox,-
• Violate the rights of nations, and hew to avoid the ext-
ctations of a free people.—(Great applause.)-41w
Learned tlehtlemen coseladed by seconding the pro-
posed Resolution. . ,
A. Bkilasesi, Esq. M.F.Vould not detain the petting.
,after the very eloquent gentleman they had Learn, longer
than was barely necessary toelprees his strong feeling of
the infamy 'of French aggressitv, and the claims of the