The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-01-30 00:00:00

HALIFAX MEETING.

On Saturday last, a meeting of the, principal in-
h ibitints of the town and parish of Halifax took
ieace at the Talbot inn, in that town, to consider
the propriety of petittoning Parliament against the
continuance or renewal of the income and Property
x.
Mr. hl main being called to the Chair, opened
the meeting by reading the Requisition, and the
names of the requisitionists; in consequence of which
be and his brother constable had called the meeting.
JOIIN Ritooes, Esq briefly introduced the busi-
ness of the meeting. He said he deemed it unneces-
try to occupy, at length, the time of the Gentle-
men present. Nor should he then enter upon the
objectionable nature of the tax in question. He believed
th:it the minds of the Gentlemen present were fully
made up on that subject, and it was unnecessary for
Ikn to anticipate objections. He had the honour to
propose to the meeting a Resolution which declared
it expedient, under all the circumstances, to present
a petition to the House of Commons against the
mnitieuarice or renewal of the tax in question. Con-
sidering the numerous and respectable attendance
around him sotlieient evid.aice of the expediency of
the measure which he proposed, he should content
himself with reading the Resolution, which was
seconded by Mr. Turner, Longhotham, and passed
unanimously. Each of the Resolutions was similiarly
pat and carried with perfect enanimity, and with the
usual expressions of.applause at public meetings.
•Mr. linones again addressing the Chair said, that
the Meeting having unanimously resolved to present a
Petition to• Parliament, he wished to ask if any
Gentleman had a Petition to offer ? No one having
come forward, Mr. •R. said, he should take the
liberty of submitting to the consideration of the
Meeting a Petition which he had dra'wn up. He
should be glad to receive any suggestion. or amend-
ment from any Gentleman present. Mr. Rhodes
then read the Petition, which was received with great
applause. At the instance of some of the Gentle-
men, it was read twice, and with similar marks of
approbation. Mr. Rhodes then said, that as no other
Petition bad been offered to the meeting, he moved
that the Petition now read be adopted, which being
seconded by Michael Stocks, Esq. was carried
unanimously.

Mr. Notinis then moved, with a view to the Vote
of Thanks, that the Chairman do leave the Chair.
Dr. Tnostrson said, that tholtgh it was impossible
to have any objection to the vote which the motion of
Mr. Norris contemplated, yet he could not but con-
sider that motion a; premature, as the Meeting had
not yet appointed a Committee to see their Resole-
ti ,ns carriA into effect. Nor did he think that the
Meeting could, with propriety, separate, without
expressing its obligation to those Gentlemen who had
been instrumental in bringing them together on that
cecasion. lie was confident that he but spoke the
feraings of every Gentleman present, in acknow-
ledging a great obligation to those Gentlemen, who,
stepping nut of the privacy of their usual occupa-
lions in life, bad called the present public Meeting.
As he bed not this honour to have his name attached
to the Requisition, be Wailed
_hive to have the ho-
not:r of moving a vote of thanks to the Gentlemen
vl,O signed the Reqoisition, led to the Constables of
I', fax, for calling the piesent Matting. Dr.
coucluded by reading the Resolution, which was
rt'.:eived with great akprobationiatd was unanimously
.w!ented.
paff die Res(

:dr. ?ionnte- said, the existeo . agri-
lion comprised 'what he intended to have proposed. culture? We have not long lost that great friend
Mr. STOCKS proposed a vote of Thanks to Mr.. to agriculture, Francis, Duke of Bedford. Since
iZhorles for his exertions on the present occasion ; 1804, has there been no improvement ? Has not the
W^h was seconded by several Gentlemen, and car. improvement kept pace with the times, and the pro-
ri,d unanimously. 'duce with the improvements? Every body who has
Mr. Rimini briefly expressed his acknowledgments , crossed the water must have witnessed the abundant
for the honour confeered upon him, crops in France ; and on his return, must have had
A Committee was then appointed, consisting of the most poignant feelings of regret at seeing the
the Requisitionists and the Cnnstables of Halifax. i blighted state of the crops in his own country; but
The Chairman having legjhe chair, and Mr. I how can the Legislature relieve this distress? There
Norris having been called teAlli the than.ks of the bare beet► times, when experiments have been made
meeting were unanimously voted to Mr. Mellin, for to starve countries at war with each other, but by
his conduct in the chair; moved by Mr. Rhodes, the blessing of God it had never succeeded. In the
awl seconded by ?.Jr. Taylor, of Heath. year 1792, it was a measure of this Government,
Froni the perfect unanimity which prevailed, the that corn should not go to France; and when
proceedings did not occupy much time. I Bonaparte, with the iron hand of power, was en-
The meeting consisted of about three hundred i deavouring to shut us out from every quarter, no less
Gentlemen, many of them from the country town- than 30,000 quarters came every week from France,
ships in the parish. j and we supplied him with money, which he as much
Iwanted. There is no power on earth can prevent it.
It is like the wind which bloweth where it listeth.—
Mr. W. denied that agriculture had improved in
France so much as in England; it was not from
France alone we received our supplies, but from
Poland and the Baltic. We are told these countries
i can supply us because they are not burthened with
tithes and taxes ; but what are the burdens on
•j the landlords there.? Those who till it there
are slaves, who till, it for their Lord, slaves
without a bed to lie on, without covering for
I their nakedness, or shelter for their wretched-
ness. Ile was sure there was no station of agricul-
ture in this country who would exchange their situa-
tion for any other in the globe. Suppose, says Mr.
W. there are two farms adjoining each other equally
well cultivated, with the same industry, same care,
and the'same skill, one may be blighted, and the
other good, can any thing that the King, Lords, and.
Commons can enact prevent this? Can any Legista.'
five interference make the had grain plump? This,
Gentlemen, is a short view of the case: I would not
advise you to go to Parliament now : I am of opinion,
if the Corn Bill hod been passed last year, the dis-
tress would have been the same, for it could not have
prevented the blight; nor will you be benefited if it
now takes place; next year Providence may bless
you with good crops,* hich will exclude the foreigner;
if it was not for him now, distress would tie in.
evitable: these reverses, however, ought not mislead
us : if I thought there was a possibility to remedy
your present grievances, no man would be more
ready. Mr. AV.ahoped they would do him credit to
believe that he felt regret at standing in opposition to
so large a body of the respectable part of the county,
but he knew if he went to Parliamenthe should only
mislead then). -
Lord Sr. Joint and Mr. Fosrca replied to the ar-
guments of Mr. Whitbread.
Mr. W. finding that he stood alone, handsoiely
retired before the Resolutions were put, when they
wets: carried unanimously:

COUNTY or DunnAu.—On Wednesday, the 25th
inst., a Meeting of the County of Durham was held
at the New Courts, to consider of. a Petition to Par-
liament epluit the Income Tax. A long discussion
took place in consequence, and much oprosition was
shown by the Earl of STRATUMOILE 1111(1 the Rev.
Mr. Istrarism); wbo spoke the sentiments of Mr.
Russet. in Ms absence. Mr. LAMBTON, the County
Member, strenuously supported the Petition, and
high words passed between him and Mr. Ns:sets:Li).
The question was not decided when the last accounts
came away. _ _ __________

GRAND LOTTrRY
Jaw. Isls.—Nn. 261, drawn this day a Prize
of Twenty Thousand Pounds, and, as the first-
drawn Prize above 9.51. further entitled to Twenty
Thousand Pounds more, waking together a Prize of
Forty Thousand Pounds, was sold in ono Half, one
Quarter, one. Eighth, and two Sixteenths, by Nttu-
-ris and Co. No. 8, Cortibill, at which truly Lucky
Office the fortunate Holders may receive their Prize-
money on demand. This is the most extraordinary
cirrimstance in the annals of Lotteries, there being
no other instance of a Twenty Thousand falling in
addition to a fixed Capital of the same amount.
When the prize was announced, by the posting of
placards on the windows of MARTIN'S Lottery Office,
a numerous assemblage of persons immediately re-
plired to the spot, stainus to get a glimpse of the
fortunate number. In the course of the afternoon,
the street in the front of the °fliee was so much
crowded, it was almost impossible for a foot passel]-
, ger to pass on that side of the way. In the evening the
office was illuminated with small lamps, which had
a v..,!y pretty effect. The crowd conticued to in-
crease up to a late hour last night. Amongst the
throng were observed several Ladies and Gentlemen
of the greatest respectability.
We understand that a Spanish Gentleman, who re-
sides in Bedford-square, is the holder of one half of
this ruminate Ticket.