The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-28 00:00:00

. -' ..

, . -

Lion had observed that it might be matter of surprise
with the House, that tbia petition should be so very OA-
pectably signed ; but, he (Lord F.) could assure the

noise that, whatever might be Its feelings upon the sub-

Jett, there was a very large portion of the people who ap-
proved and decidedly approved, of the contents of this
petition." His. Lordship further observed, in allusion
to what Mr. Dundas had said in presenting the Berk-

shire petition, that the hon. gentleman bad talked of
some petitions being passed by clamour. He (Lord F.)
bad beard clamour enough against this petition ; but
bad never heard that it was passed by clamour, and had
never beard any clamour in its favour. After this, his
Lordship withdrew his notice of a motion for Wednesday
next. His notice was of a motion for a Committee to
take into consideration the petition of Mr. Charles An-
drew Thompson, who complained of the ruinous effects
of the change of the currency, and who prayed for an
equitable adjustment of contracts. His Lordship ob-
served that after the presenting of the Surrey petition
and this Petition from Herefordshire, he was inclined to

enlarge the object of his motion. Here were large and
most respectable bodies of men, complaining of the
ruinous effects of the change in the currency; com-
plaining of the confiscations now going on to the ruin of
the land and.the labour, and to theadvantage of the fund-

holder, the place-man and the pensioner: sad praying
in the most earnest manner for an equitable adjustment of
Contracts with regard to the public debt, and also with re-

gard to contracts between man and man; therefore,he would
pot off his motion until next Wednesday se'onight, the
12th of March, when be should propose to the House to
appoint a committee to " enquire into the propriety of
" adopting some measure for effecting an equitable ad-
" justment of contracts i►n general, both public and pri-
" vate."—Thus, then, this Herefordshire " Norfolk Pe-
" tition" produced an immediate effect. It did not drop dead
upon the table like another petition that came from Here-
fordshire. It did not go to swell the bill of the pricier
of the House of Commons never to be read or thought of
again by any human brings, except, per chance, it might

find its wayto the eyes of tome Washer-woman, who, its
this enlightened age, this age of education, might find a
kit of it to peruse for her instruction whilst she was tak-
ing out of it her farthing's worth of Scotch snuff.—How
_ _

Anna Brodie, " notwithstanding her coverture," must
have been abashed, when she saw no hero to take up the
glove for her in this case. It is easier, it seems, to assail
this petition behind its back than before its face. In the
barns and holes and corners of Norfolk, Anna has found
an abundance of chivalrous knights, lords, big-headed
'squires, admirals, generals (of vast renown) " keeping
" together in their chivalry in the well faughten" barns,
holes and corners. Nay, Anna saw Mr. Brougham
assail this document before it was presented ; be-
fore it showed its face; but, what must have been
Anna's surprise when she did not see the learned gentle
man rise to accept the challenge of Lord Folkestone.--
Mr. Brougham, in the excess of his kindness, was so
good as to express his compassion for es poor souls who
were deluded by our miseries into the proposing and
adopting of thin petition Lars wsg.Ne
eleven hundred and eighty poor deluded souls in Here-
fordshire ; and, what is very singular, the first upon the
list was the Rector of one of the richest parishes in the
county, and treasurer to the Bishop of the D'ocese. I am
assured that there were not less than four hundred free-
holders upon this list; many of whom I am also well
assured, and several I know to be, men of considerable
landed property. Now, here were objects for the learned
gentleman's commisseration. Had he no bowels for these
poor deluded creatures in Herefordshire? Had those of
Norfolk monopolized all his tender feelings. It is useless
to speculate upon such a subject, or else one might go on
to suppose it possible that the learned gentleman's snap
ieties are, just at this moment, engrossed by that new
kind of connection which he seems to be forming ; and
with regard to which we think it unnecessary to say any
thing more just at present ; though we wish our readers
to bear in and that we now say that we sh told not be
at all surprised to see the learned gentleman, from mo-
tives of the best description, no doubt, make a consider-
able change with regard to the place of depositing his
person in the Honourable House.
THE PETITION of the undersigned Land-owners,
Land-occupiers and Tradesmen of the County of Here-
ford:—
" Most humbly showeth,—" That the distress under'
which your Petitioners are now suffering, is unexampled
in the history of this country, and is rapidly involving
all landholders, and persons engaged in agricultural
pursuits, in immediate and inevitable your
Petitioners, called upon by the requisition and summons
of the Lord Lieutenant, to investigate the causes of this
distress, as well as to suggest such measures as may in
their opinion tend to the removal of it, feel it their duty.
humbly, yet strongly, to state to Parliament the result of
their deliberations on these most momentous snbjects.•
Your Petitioners have no hesitation ill ascribing all their
calamities to the principles and system on which the add
ministration of public affairs has been conducted during
the late reign, and that of his present most gracious Ma-
jesty, to the unfortunate wars in which the country by
almost incessantly been engaged during that period ; to'
the profligate profusion and corruption which have ills- i
tinguished every department of the State ; to the incon-
sistent and contradictory expedients which the Legisla-
ture has had recourse to, to supply the means of an
enormous and uncontrouled expenditure; to the ruinous
and arbitrary measures, first, of a detia-ed paper curren-
cy, and then, of a transition to metallic payments at the
old standard, without reference to the financial difficul-
ties of the country, or contracts between individuals en-
tered into during the previous system; hut, above
all, to the subserviency of public men to the adni.nistra-
tions of the day. That it is scarcely necessary for your
Petitioners to enumerate the awful consequences evi-
dently flooing from these causes. The property of the
country mortgaged for debts borrowed, and engagements
contracted in proportion to the fictitious value of pro-
duce, and of rents during a depreciated currency, its in-
(bratty burthened beyond example by a taxation imposed
under similar circumstances; ao empoverished aristo-
cracy; a ruined yeomanry; and silent revolution Jiro-
needing steadily to its cousummation. That your Peti-
tioners, yielding to none of their fellow stibjec's en loyalty
to their Sovereign and onshaksn attachment to the Con-
stitution, are willing to submit to any equal sacrifices
which way be require] of them to avert so drea ICA a
cal Amity; and although they feel great difficulty in
pointing out specific remedies for the prevailing die
tress, and hive litt!e confidence in any expedients which
have hitherto been resorted to for that purpose ; never•
tireless, they venture to suggest to your lion. house such
measures to arrest the further progress of these evils as

• • ‘,l
1.4,1; p r •
otifg Af ESMASr "1"".•
. ev,..uco4PlW•ll

are cleatiljait aniighlt,ible OW for the'publie good,lutit,
ever much-they mey Stt .sti'ppoied to 'interfere with the:
wishes of interestedititlividuals. They therefore pray
that your hon.house will forthwith direct, an exams-j'
nation into the effects produeed by the different alter-
ations in the currency, With a view to a fair and reason-
Able arrangement of contracts, between debtor and ere.
ditor, both public and private, in all their various rela-
tions, particularly in those of tax payer and tax receiver,
landlord, tenant, mortgagee, and annuitant, as shall re-
place all parties, as far as practicable, on their forrder
footing, according to the relative Yalu. of money and
other commodities during the late war, and that by such
means you will prevent, by some equitable adjustment,
the entire sacrifice of the agricultural property and in-
dustry of the country, to the monied interest. That you
will be pleated to suspend and apply to the public use all
pensions and sinecures obtained without acknowledged
service to the State; that you will cause the strictest
economy to be observed in the collection and manage-
ment of the revenue: that the army and staff in tirest
Britain and Ireland, the diplomatic establishment, and
all civil offices, with the salaries attached to them in
every department, be reduced to the scale of 1792.
"That you will be pleased to pass a Bill, excluding
all pensioners and plaremen except those whose presence
may he necessary to the arrangement of public business
from the house of Commons, tint the efforts of such re-
presentatives as are returned by the prove in the public
cause may not be impeded and rendered nugatory by
persons whose interests are directly at variance with
those of the public.
" That, under the pressure of difficulties so overwhelm-
ing, you will be pleased, till such arrangement of con-
tracts as they have suggested can be decided on, en-
tirely to suspend the operation of the Sinking Fund,
and Repeal such Taxes, particularly the hop duty, as will
restore to the Agricultural Proprietors of the Nation,
the prosperity and confidence they enjoyed when do
state of things, as your Petitioners have complained of,
existed.
" And your Petitioners will ever pray," &c.

STOCK EKCHANOE, HALF-PAST TwELV6 o'CLOCK.—
The Speech of Chateauhrian I has caused great sensation
in the City this morning, as it is decidedly for War, and
the Public are now looking with great anxiety to what
our Ministers will say on that important subject. Con-
sols opened this morning at 73111, 74 73, at which
price they remain, with a goad market for Money trans-
actions, though but little doing In time barg.iins. A "re-
port prevails that our Liovernment are not satisfied with
the conduct of Russia in the important alfairs cf Spain,
and that this topic am discussed in the Cabinet Council
held yesterday.
FOREIGN FUNDS.—There has been a
.frre it bustle in the
above Market this morning, and a good deal doing in
Spanish Bonds. Most people seem to be selling in anti-
cipation of hostilities commenting on the part of France.
Chili, 89—New Spanish, 3213-01 d. 41—New Prussia,
781—Old, SO—Russia, 731—Danish, 79—Neapolitan, 87—
Colombian, 4S;—Spanish Scrip, 34 dis.
ONs O'CLOCK.--It is this moment reported that the
French Funds came 79f 40c. and that Spanish have
fallen 3 per cent. at Paris.

Bayonne Papers to the 20th instant, reached us this
morning, by which we learn that there has been nothing
as yet remarkable from the frontiers, though so anxiously
looked for. The greater part of the troops which were ,
.gageMtneLatiteesetamilisagallambize marched into.thP
interior, leaving at each place only a small detachment.
General O'Donnell has caused to be printed in Spanish,
the answer of the Chamber of Deputies to the King of '
France's Speech, which he prefeccs with an expression of
his expectation that the French Army will shortly enter
Spain, and that in this event the Soldiers of the Army of
the faith will fraternize with the French Soldiers, for
the purpose of restoring Ferdinand to liberty.

Paris papers to the 2tith inst. bare brought us the con-
tinuation of the debate in the Chamber of Deputies on
the proposed grant of 100,000,000 flaws. On Tuesday
the anxiously expected speech of the .Minister of ForeiEn
Affairs, M. Chateaubriand, was delivered; but so little
was it in that spirit of accommodation which some of our
gala(-itunee had anticipated and to which they had as
cribed the reserve of Lewd Liverpool and Mr. Canning,
that Nine most unrelentingly hostile in its aspect towards
Spain, and most provokingly officious in fts reference to
this country. After quoting, as an authority, the
words of Lord Castlereagh's circular of the 19th of
January, 1821, that " No Government has a right to in
" terfere in the internal regulations of another
" Government, except in cases where its own immediate
" safety, or its essential interests are compromised," he
refered to the great example which, he alledgcl, they say
England gives in protecting the independence of nations.
He read a passage of the celebrated Devl iration of
Whitehall, dated October, 1793, when England was
commencing the war with France: and at the cunclosion
exclaimed, " Well, Gentlemen, what do you thick of this
" Dec'aration ? Did you not think that you were bearing
" the very Speech delivered by the King on the opening
" of the present Session"—" England," says he," acts in
" concert with her Allies ; and to us it is imputed as a
" crime that we have Allies! England promises aid to
" the French Royalists, and it is said to be wrong that
"we should protect the Spanish Royalists! England
" maintains that she has a right to interfere to save
" herself and Europe from the evils which desolate
" France; and we are to he forbidden to defend ours dyes
" against the Spanish contagion! Engi rad rejects the
" pretended consent of the French peopie, she imposes
" on France as the price of peace, ' the condition of este-
" 'blishing a Government founded on the principles of
"'justice, and capable of maintaining with other States
"'the accustomed relations;' and we are obli;ed
" to recognise the
,pretended sovereignty of the peo-
" ple, the legality of a Constitution established by
" military revolt, and we are not to have the right to ask
" from Spain for our security, institutions rend-red ligi-
timate by the liberty of Ferdinand." In the same
strain, M. de Chateauhriand proceeds to skew that the
case of exception which England admitted in her own
cause, she admits in the cau.c of another, and that
though her interests were not involved in the Revolution
of Naples, she judged it otherwise for Austria ; and,
that the example and opinion of England should be no
more cited in opposition to the French on the subject of

interference, he refers to the adinbsion of Mr. Yeel in
one of the late discussions in the House of Commons,
that Austria had a right to interfere in the affairs of Na.
pies." The conclusion to which the orator thus arrives is
that the war is as jnstifiable as indispeasable. He an•