The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-02-01 00:00:00

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NORFOLK. t•A ' A .j•
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• On Tamils', .a public dinner, at which pearly we
bell at King's,

hnorlred persona sat down ingether. was
Lynn, on the subject of Agricultural Distress. Mr.
l'ohbett attended in consequence of especial invitation
The following toasts were drank ;—" The Ring"—
Th. Sovereignty of the People-6. The Memory of
Caroline of Brunswick. the illustrious and isisred
Qneen of England"—" Prosperity to the Agricultural
Interest of the County of Norfolk."
The Chainuas (Mr. Ave) proposed the "health of
Mr. Cohhett." in introducing Mr. Cohbett's name.
he said be felt it Necessary to state that. however much
he admired him as around political writer, he regard-
ed him still more highly as the friend of Reform. Mr.
C. bad done more for Reform than thousands put to-
gether. He shed torrents of light on England; yet
• no man was mote grossly vilified. The hireling press
constantly calrunnlated him; but there he was, after
'all. amongst them, hale and hearty. He (the Chair-
man) did not hops that Mr. C. might lire for a thou-
sand years ; but he hoped he would live to see esta-
blished a thorough Reform of Parliament—A radical.
rational Reform.—(Applause).—He wished to see roe-
Trued** cut up toot and branch----and, feeling these
seetinseate strongly. made him admire the more the
Deadest's whose name he had announced to them.
The health was drank amidst the greatest applause.
Mr. Connate then rose, and after expressing et
some length the reflections that occurred to him on his
approach to that place Arles be passed through the
town of Ely, where the Local Militia were logged at
which he bad impressed that indignation which occa-
sioned him a heavy prosecution, he proceeded to the
topios on which be had intended to address the nom
'patty. Aod first. said he, comes the Property Tas.
The Property Tax. I beer, is the order of the day.
There are two ways of laying that tax on. If it is a
partial tax. and is confined to the the fundholder, it is
so much a redaring of the Debt. and so far so good;
but it is set a Property Tax then—cull it its right
same. sod Ow right name will be The feast of the
Gridiron. But if this tax is to be .e general tax—lf
it is to extend to the landlord and occupiers of land
.(in which point of view I would wish to consider It
now)—if it is to be so extended, then lam prepared to
Abort to say 'one but the proposers of the measure,
for:it is quite evident that they must have lost their
senses, that the tax so laid on must operate injuriously
en the tenant and landlord, both of whom will be in a
worse condition. in consequence of it, than they are
eves at present. Having stated- at large his reasons
for this opinion, Mr. Cobbett proceeded to abew what
sort of change was expedient in the country, in order
to render such a measure unnecessary. The reducing
Af die taxes. said be, is the great step towards working
that change; and that cased be des. without dimin-
ishing the interest of the debt—and that cannot he
done-without reduction of the army—and that is
hopeless witholt a Reform in Perlis men t.—(A pplause.)
Not to tire you. continued be, with the discussion of
priseiples over and over again demonstrated ; not to
fatigue you with showing that it is just and right that
he alto contributes to the support of U meet, and
who is liable to be called out to risk his life in defence
of it, should have a voice in the framing of Imre, which
are to affect ills life and interests ; not to go over these
beateOtrackt. I shall simply consider Parllisiestary
Reform as a money concern, For after ail.. it is in
this view that the consideration of it itelibely ea he
*most avail. 'We want to save money. The Bareatte.
the Ordinates, Secret Service Money, Bribery at
Elections, Policies, Jolts, he.; these items stand the
country is uo less a sum has 15,009,0001. What do
we west of these Moire ? What are the Barracks for ?
Nothiag greets is them, eoreept one or two bastard
children in a year. What do we want of Ordnance,
'or Jobs? Now, if we get rid of these. here are fifteen
millions cut off oat of the fifty-three of timid expend-
iture. Now. Oentlemen. all this fifteen millions is
spent in nothing more or less than remain a Re.
form. It has no other object—it can have so other
object. Ministers say very truly—and I despise the
hypocrisy of those who say they can—they say that
they cannot do without this expenditure. And why
can they not? " Because the people are discontented,"
say Ministers, " they are led away by designing de-
magogues and pretenders. who have no other object in
view than leading them astray." I agree with Mi-
llis**** —I say the people moot be kept is order.
Bot give the people Parliamentary Reform, that will
keep them quiet; and there will be an end to the ne-
_ cooky of the fifteen millions expenditure. Then there
would he a something oat of the burthen that weighs
to heavily upon the nation. After vindicatikg the
character of Parliamentary Reform. and adverting to
'the effects of Mr. Peel's Bill, and to a variety set other
topics. Mr. Cobbett in conclusion said, that in every
view pf oar present difficulties. there is nothing good
.to be expected, no relief to be hoped for without a Re-
farm is the Commons House of Parliament.
interval,

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After a short iaterval, -.
I , 1 . The Cnataxax rose, sad stated 'that it was to little Ili
purpose to meet together and hear the soundest advice, hii
,
,
without 'doing something. It was, therefore. that be 11
1 • ---1 'had prepared certain
.Resolutions, which, if they were ti'
rt. .. - agreed to, would be embodied is a petition to be pre-
.
_sestet-to the House of Commove.W
0' * He then read the Resolutions, as follow : le
• "I. That the rise is the value( stoney, and the de- xi
- • pression is the price of agricultural produce, which has ci
been caused by the Act commonly called Mr. Peel's st
'Bill, have totally destroyed the spirit of all contracts, si
anti are so ouch enriching the public annuitant, plate- v
Rit 'N man, end pensioner, at the expense of the landlord, the
I
1, 'farmer, the tradesmai, wad all tbe labouring classes,
i 1 • that, %loins* change be speedily adopted, a :sou aw-
ful ..
tbavalsion must be considered u the natural con- 9
segnesee. • t
"1. That there appears to be every reason to suppose
• that pito,s will sink much lower than they now are;
beg, that, eveelf they should not, it is evident to ns that
tbe/asel, in geneeid, can yield to rent, seeing that the I
• . taxes. rates, and tithes, do now steamily absorb all that is
. :taet etiolutely.necessary to be given an the shape of
I, Magee for the cultivation of the farm.
„ - * • l' "3. That we see no remedy other than that of a very
a.
dAreet reduction of the taxes ; we are convinced that
, .1 - -• .. *nits redaction ought to begin with the army ;we cut
. . .°l-ese soya for *stormy. ankas to keep the people is
Pl . , •" oil iiis,ano 4 to pretest Parliamestary Reform ; sad see.
. . so inspect or aft mid to oar calamities, but in a
. a the Common House of Parliament, it is
the.titteg of every was to alaisavoar to obtain such Re
• faro.
1 ‘,.
"4. That a pillion; fowled on thele Itasolatioas.
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