The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-23 00:00:00

THR iv.ino.v.it DER T.-THR PARSONS.
-.ler-

These subjects, upon a kit impression, appear to
he unconnected with each other; bat a very slight
inquiry will shew, lint only that they are so connected,
but that the contracting of the National Debt has con-
tributed very materially to support the Parsons: and
it will be no unfair conclusion, that they ought to
contribute largely towards its payment.

Tl►e National Debt, our readers are aware, is an
immense sum of money, which bas been borrowed
and expended by the Government; and it is no part
of our present object to enquire from whom that
money has been borrowed, or what is the security for
its payment. Suffice it to know, that the hate r►st is
rezularly paid: and that towards this payment, every
person in the kingdom is forced, directly or indirectly,
to contribute. Although he may not pay any tax
into the hands of the tax-;atherer, vet his tea, sugar,
beer, candler salt, and other necessaries are heavily
taxed ; and the taxes raise the price of thesecommo-
dities. As it has been clearly proved, that the price
of labor does not rise in proportion to th• advance
in price upon commodity, it follows, that even the
laborer is heavily taxed upon his exertions ; and that
if he cannot make the value of these exertions equal
to the amount of the tax and the commodity combined,
he most go without the commodity, and possibly
must starve.

The National Debt, in the year 179:1, was about
300 millions; an,! its anunal interest was 15 millions.
It may now he taken at 0011 millions ; and its annual
interest at 44) millions. We speAk in round numbers;
for eve t an error of a few millions would lie of little
consequence in this important argument. From this
increase of the National Debt, it must he evident
that if a man, in the year 1793, paid 170. in taxes.
upon the price of his tea, sugar, and so on ; he this
year will pay 411/. ; and, as the pri,e of a fahortee
'rude has not Larcased i 4 the same proportiu,s, the
hardship down to the laborer, is, by so much, the
greater. Haling given this idea of the debt, and of
its increase and its consequence, genepilly upon all
people : hvs shall proceed to describe the sitnstion of
the Parsons, their Opinions, and their conduct ; sad

we will then shew, how that conduct has affected the
National Debt.
A Parson derives hissupport, not froth the profits
ef trade; not from the exertions of his hands, or those
aids bead
:but entirely from the produce of the
earth ; which produce is brought into use by the la-
bor of other people. Now here it would seem at
first, that, notwithstanding all this, he must be sub-
ject to the strict operation of the taxes, as well as his
neighbours ; but it is not so. For instance, he is en-
titled to a pig out of ten pigs. Well : the Govern-
ment taxes this, that, and the other ; until, by the
effect of those taxes, the poor laborer becomes naked,
and his children starved.
...Still the parson takes the
pig: and the Taxes hive oxlrr rained its rabic ; and
this instance of the pig May be applied, in general, to
the whole of the system of tithes. When we hare
given tilt a little reflection, we shall not be surprised I
that, sejatever may be the hardship of the times, the
Parsomileta good house, an inviting wife, and a red
face ; or that he roars out against all " Innovation,"
which means nothing more than change. lie has all
the comforts of life, with few of its inconveniences :
for though the country should be engaged in a most
sanguinary war, the Parson is under no necessity to
endanger his carcase in her defence : although it is
that country from which he obtains his support, in
idleness, luxury, and insolence.
It is to be regretted too, that parsons entertain a
marked difference of opinion from their flocks upon
the most important topics. Not long since, a Brewer
was prosecuted for mixing pernicious ingredients with
his ale ; to the injury of people who generally move
in the humbler walks of life. We thought such a
prosecution highly proper ; but a parson thongist
otherwise. Desn AN navvies, on this occasion, wrote
to the men who were high in office o and observed,
that the brewer was a eery 011110 ilia's, is eery Goon
.11(givtrale, • IRIEND Or THE UtIVERNIIENT ; and
that, after all, the matter---only concerned ALF.
DKINKKIIS ! Nothing more! The Dean secured his
friend from punishment,—he swilled, and probably
yet swills his claret ; and therefore the matter
only concerned the " iguorant rabble," the " swinish
multitude"! This, however, IV* confess, is a mere
difference of opinion. We will give another instance.
The superabundance of our population had induced a
number of enlightened men to propose vArions ways to
I remedy the mischief. Various modes indeed were
suggested. Some were plausible ; some foolish
enough ; but they all appeared to be otrered by men
of benevolent hearts. At length, a Parson, called
MAL-rims, took np the pen; and as some of our
readers have probably not drudged through his work
on population, we wish them just to guess the mode
which was suggested by Ibis Parson, to check popa-
lation transport the soferabundant people, or
to hang them ?"—No. "To make them eat stones ?"
—No. "To support thew out of the enormons su-
perfluity of the Parsons resources ?"—Oh, no! It
was no one of these. This Parson suggested, that
ALL CIIILDREN Gore tifil r a
..!!i rovld
sot be stipported i 1 puts rats, SHOULD BF
LEF. r TO PERlSlil!—Would to God that those
readers might, with justice, throw down this paper
with c contemptuous incredulity !—Let them read
Parson MALTHUS.

The conduct of the. Parson 3lagistrates at 31an-
chester is well known ; and no doubt the Parsons
support their brethren, and assert that that conduct
was perfectly just : and where will a Parson be found
to say, that Sir FRANcIm Hi RDIAT ought nut to be
punished must severely for his memorable indignant
letter upon that sane conduct at Manchester
Having now described the situation and the conduct
of the Parsons, we must carry our reader's attention
back to our remarks upon :he National Debt. Wo
stated, that in the year (793, that debt was about 300
millions. At that time the French had just changed
their form of Government; and, with respect to reli-
gion, they left every Man to settle it with his Creator.
The Church-and-State (Sentry of England exclaimed
against this " Innovation," and bawled out for
near; and the Parous in particular declared that the
Christian Religion was in danger. The moderate
Refornmrs of that day, answered. " No, no ; let us
" have no war. There is no danger in the example
.4 of the French people as to our Constitution ; and,
" with respect to the Christian Religion, it will be

" better that our own Clergy should support it by the
" example of their own lives." This, the Parsons,
somehow ur other, thought and declared, was era(
fair mg!, of looking at Me sure:lion : and repeated that
the bosineso was to be accomplished by war alone.—
War we had. Many a good tall Etrlishman,
a sig.:fie Parsod, has perished in the conflict. Now
then the war :s over : the Bourbons and the Pope have
been restored ; anJ the debt, by this has been in-
creased to MOO) millions. The Parsons hare been the
principal maters; and they ought to take the
,con4e-
;pence of the game. The triumph is theirs :be
theirs the payment fur it. Their ability to contribute
inuaifiryetly cannot he douirteil : fur it is only the
other day that a Bishop, (Pi 'r I's 'pr.+ Tator,) " muni-
ficently" gate two thousand pounds for a painted
window

If a prerelleet be wanted, tee ran soppy one.
The Reformation and the attack npon Pro-
perty were ‘ittiultaneons: and a stoppogr cf half the
tillats, in part reduction of the :National Debt, might
be ronsiitati )))) and most laudably effected, by Act
of Parliament.—(Constitutiou Ste,irlay Paper.)

A letter which we hare received from St. Helena,
dated Nor. 25, says; The great General (Buotia-
parte), retains his rvde health, but appears to fell at
lentrth th• policy of being rational ; he now rides a
few lionrssluring the day. This station is a Paradise
to what it was six months since; the squadron cannot
be better fed at St. Helena than now, and at about
one-third leis expense to Uorernment, I thiuk."•—
Portsmoaith Paper)

At half-past twelveo'clock the doors of the Hall
were thrown open, and the multitude made a dread-
ful rush. Ihe utmosttosfusion followed, and in five
minutes afterwards the Hall was filled almost to sot-
location. We should have stated, that a few minutes
before Lord Macclesfield, the Lord Lieutenant of the
County, Lord Holland, Lord Jersey, and Lord
Churchill, all of whom were received uith warn►
cheers, the two Connty Members, and other persots
of distinction, had been admitted.
The Siientre having taken the Chair, read the Re-
quisition, in pursuance of which, be said, be bad
called the Meeting. He hoped that every Gentleman
who might address the meeting, refrainer might h•
his political sentiment, would be heard trill' patient e
and impartiality.--(Applause.)
Mr. REID ruse to propose the Addre•• to his H!l-
-jest}•. The tunes, he said, were of that complexion
which called even on private individuals to state th-ir
opinions--which called on good subjects to express a
sense of gratitude for the numerous mercies %limb
they enjoyed—which called upon them to pr.:clains to
the King, to the country, and ;o the world, that, b -
cause they feared Clod, they therefore hononred and
obeyed the King, and all those who were placei ie
authority under him.---Olere repeated and long corn•
tinned hisses interrupted the speaker.)

The SHERIFF called in vai►► to order; at length---,
Lord HOLLAND rose. His Lordship was received
with shouts of tunitiltnous applause. He said, he
had nu right to address a siugie we/4 to the treble.
holders, until they listened to the lientle►nan in pos-
session of the Meeting—(Applause.)--It was impos-
sible for him to say any thing, unless they Allowed
that lientlemati to give him something to ;luster,
(Applmo%)
Mr. Item said, that it was written in the meted
volume, thst every soul should be entirely subject.
" to the higher poners.--(Hisses and intecruptiot.)
Lord HOLI.%ND again rose. He entreated them to
bear the tientlen►an ; ii they did nut like the dish,
at least they ought to wait to take off the cover, us
order to see what the dish was.---(A laugh.) If it
should happen to be distasteful, the friends of !iherty
wjuld see whether they u►ight nut add some constitu-
tional 3a1117P.--(A laugh, and applause.)

Mr. Rat ti continued—%Vbu•a►ever, lie %Aid, re,:st
the powers that be, resist the ordinance of lien) ; th
written at the time when the and bloody tyrant Nero
was Emperor of Hong—(A voice in the crowd—" He
was bad enough, but ip e have oar modern tyrants 1.-)
Mr. Reid said be disliked tyrants ; lie was subject
to the divine cnnnandirients—the friend to social order,
and to religious tolrration.—(Uric:. of " and so are we
all.")—Ile derived gri at personal benefit from
associated wi'h his party.—(Loud iang,iiter.)—lle re-
joiced that the party in power were tolerant.—(A
laugh.)—lle railed un every good subject to rally
round the altar and the throne. Ile saw with horror
the publication of *Miaow' and blasphemous pnblica-
lions ; he detested doctrines whit h would rob the
people of their comforts in this world, and deprive
them of salvation in the next. Ile would say no more
than that tines srew.•d '• bi, null' the fate of Cato
and of (tome." Ile emu-hided with movilvg the Ad-
dress. It stated the attache ent of the Counts- to tie
Person and Family of his 51 jest).; and altliongli the
loyalty of OxtOril nos sufficiently known, yet at the
present periol, when sedition and diiluyalty were a.,
openly avowed and so industriously circulated, an
freeholders felt it their ditty, as good subjects.
openly to. disavow their netestatinii of doctrines
so subversive of every lo) al awl religious 'principle,
'anal which, if continued to he propagated would pro-
mote public calamity. Sensible of the blessings
they enjoyed, they ventured to approach the Throne
to express their veneration for the Constitution in
Church and State and their determination to defend it.

Mr. U. F. Svasyrox, Captain of the Yeomanry
Cavalry, rose to second the Address. He said that the
dish he wished to serve up was a dish of loyalty, with
totional saure---(a crowd—" we hope
it is not sword sauce.")—Mr. Stratton—lt was nut
French Jacobinical sauce.—(llisses.)--Ile was sorry to
say a spirit of hatred to established authority-3 dis-
loyal and irreligious spirit sliewed itself in all parts of
the country, and still contioneil to doso.—(lli•ses and
continued disapprohation.)--If they looked to the his-
tory of the last thirty years, they would find srhat he
said was true---(a voiee—" We hill find taxati.in and
tuits---applause.)---In 92, Atheism, borrowed fruits
Voltaire and the French school of philu.ophy, becan
to take root in this eouutrv.--{Hisses.)--1 h- name of
liberty a as made use of to ;114troy every thing that was
dear. The good sense of the country made a strug-
gle against those principles : but the generous, warm,
unsuspecting hearts of Irishmen -xi re wore easily de-
luged, and they were betrayed into acts of open rebel-