Spanish And Italian Refug...
The Times, 1824-12-18T00:00:00

A public meeting *as yesterday hed at the-City of Londont Ta- verin, for the purriose of raising a subscription for the relief ath Spanish and- Iteiiantrefogees' Who are now uffiering, suth @eailful privations ab'out -the xmtropo1iN:-@Besides the gentlemeti whose names will appear below, the meeting was attended by several other respctablc individuails.' Owing lo tie shortness of the notice, it was not- so nfumerous as it otherwiise would have been. Tiie LOAD D.U 63t being voted to take the chair, opened the bu- siness Qf the mecttinj, by stating that he had been induced to convene it in consequence ot various applicatiorns nmade to lhim upon the sub- ject by several bankers and merchants Of Ttcpecalilitsy, who had been moved by the great distress whichi the Spanish and italian refugees were enduring in this inetropolis. It was unisecessary for him to dilate on 'the miserable condition; of those unrortunate men. Upon al Occasion of this kind, all- political and religious feeling should be guiarded against. Thei@ were six or- seven hundred of these individuals here at preseni many -of whom had fought with their {allant couitrymen in Spain, combined wistl the British army, in a catuse, the sucessfal issue of which liad probably saved our own-country from subjugatioit. It had been endeavoured to pro- vide for thcse unhappy men, by sending them to Colombia, Mlexi- co, or some oilier part of the new world, but that liad been Aound imnpracticable. A ll that could be done, therefore, was to support those who were now here; but at thesame time avoid holding out encou- ragement to emigration. The ft;nds raised last winter for this pur- pose were exhausted. Such, liowever, was the feeling on this sub- heCt, that lie liad already received upwards of 400i. at the Mansion- house for their use. (-ear.) It was melancholy to see men of edu- catiol and of Ihigh rank in their own country, aboutbthe streets of this citv in the condition in which they appeared. H(ewas satis- fied, however, that the public would willingly come forward as soon as a regular dhannel was opened for them to do so, antI cheerfully contribute towards the alleviation of tlieirsufferings. (Hear.) MUr. BYNO, Ml. P., felt the greatest pleasure in giving all the en- couragemnent in his power, by moving the first resoluton. It grati- fied his feelings as a man, to lhelp hlis-fellow-man. This was not a political question. They liad come here t. save the lives of their fellow creatures. (Hear.) On a former oceasion he had felt the same commiseration for the French emigrazits. although they bad5 not made tlie same exertions to defend their own cause. The resolution was then put, and carried unanimouslv. (For this and the other resolutions see our advertising columnns.) Air.J. SMuITH, Ml.P., said lhe wyas called ou to move a resolution discElaiming all party feeling on this occasion. A mneeting had been held Ilat spring for the samme urpose as the present; Rad its partial failure was attributed to thi%Xcscmstance that it was composed of indlividuals favourable to the constitutional cause in Spain, and its object, therefore, mixed up with party feeling. HIe was confident it was onily necessary to stdte that a great body of in. dividuals were amongst us wanting the necessaries of life, to eff'ect the benevolent puirpose they had in view. Many of these indivi- duals lied been accustomed to live in opulentc at home, and some of them in grandeur. Ile concluded by mioving the second resolutioni. (Appluise.) Dir. Alderman VFRNABLES seconided it with pleasure. Even if the feelings of the public were expressed upon the cause in which these unfortunate individuals had embarked, he was convinced they would not be unfavourable to them. But it was enough that we all had the broad ground of Christian chaf.ty to meet upon. One thing, however, might be said of them-they bad all been engaged fighting for the existing atitt established constitution of theircountry. (Hear.) MIr. COATES had the greatest reluctance to sav any thing that would anpear flr a moment to oppoic any part of the resolutions drawn us) by the committee; but it was one thing to avoid express. lug a politijal opinion, and another to disclaim it. MIr. h1derman WOOD, IU.P., thought the resolution unneces. sary altogether. He also alluded to the shortness of notice, which had occasioned themeeting to be so thin. The liORD AlIAYOR sai(i that the object of tlose who had framed the resolution was to exclude the cause of the former failure, by col- lecting all parties together. Ile vas, however, satisfied to omit the first line in the re8olution, and let it run, " Abstaining from, &c." His ILordship also entere( into an explanation of the cause of his having convened the meeting on so short a notice. Mir. ELLIS and Air. Aldermani VENABLES expressed their ap- probation of the alteration in the resolution, whiclh was then passed unanimously. Air. Alderman BRID .St. MP'.1;said that the English, both as a travelling and a commercial people, ought to affordl protection and hospitality to those unhappy toreigners. We owed a debt of grati- tude to lieaven for the superabundance of wealth we at present en- joyed, and we ought to prove that gratitude by extending assistance to our fellow-creatures. (Applause.) Se moved the third resolu- tioni which, being secon'ded by A:r. Capel, was put and carried. AIr. D. BARCLAY, in moving time fourth resolution, observed that these utntbrtunate men were not only exiled from their own country, but frosn every other in Europe save England. (Hear.) IMr. ROBERT SUTTON seconded the reselution. (Agreed to.) Mr. R. WVELLE5LEY, M1. P., was quite certain, from the high honour of the Spanish nation, that nothing but the most extreme distress would compel these unhappy strangers to solicit our bounty. They hadi exchanged their lpalaces for the field of honour, itl what they deemed their country's cause, and they were now starv- ing at our doors and in our streets. (Applause.) iMr. WILSON, MI.P., expressed himself highly gratified with the manner in which the Lord Alayor had introduced this business, and moved the next resolution, which was seconded by A)r.R. MotR- RISTo. and agreed to. MIr. 'ENMAN-, MP, after suggesting that the name of Mr. Brougham should be adItled to time commnittee. said, that he came tlhere with a aleiage from that gentleman, who, as well as himself, had only learned from the new8papers that morning that ttlis meet. ing was tO take place. It hlad been his (MIr. Brougham's) intention to have attended it, but he was prevented by being- engaged in court. Much as liis powerful eloquence might have aided the cause for which ';h,e^t wwt lassembled,hbis assistance would be still morevaluable unfortunate gentlemi en in their own country,andhe had there beheS them living in honour. He wished it to be known, that many of them were most distinguished individuals,who had sustained the first rank among8t their nobility. lie (M r. Deninan) himself could bear evidence to lhe cheerfulness with which tlhesedlstinguished individuals sacrificetl the grenter part of their own trifling comforts to the assist- ance of their more wretched brethren; and he had known many of' themn refuse assistance, although delicately tendered, anti endeavour to rely upon their own exertions. But these were not the only ob-- Jects to be assisted: there were the wives of those who had tied in prison; there were their children. Surely, if they had been cast upOn Our shores by a storm, or by shipwreck, they would rcceive our commiseration; and was it too much to say, that they were at least as much entitled to it as the victins of the most cruel des. potism? (Cheers.) He did net consider the meeting thin, considering the shortness of the notice on the contrary, it promnised every success. How very small a part of that sum which would be expended in increased festivities on this season of the year would be suflicient to pour gladlness into the hearts of thousanls; and what was this season meant to comme- morate ? To commemorate the coming of the great Arbitrator wivo ts tO sit in ;udgment upon him who took ini the stranger as one who ok in himself. (Loud applause.) He concluded by moving that the resolttions be advertised. Air. BOvRIRNG, having seen many of thesc foreigners at the head of the institutions ot their country, caine forwar(i to bear testimony of their virtues in prosperity as well as adversity. Every attempt hai been male to apen the door of reconciliation for them, but without success. Thsre were shine who had gone back on the most sacred promise of safety; but as soon as they arrived, they were thrown into a dungeon; wlhilst others effected their escape, and re- turned to this country only yesterday. In short, this country was the only place of refuge they had left. (Applause.) Ilei seconded the resgoattion, which was agreed to. Mlr. FRESHFIELD was appointed Secretary; and some additional names suggested by Mir. Alderman WOOD to be put upon the Committee; but, as the Committee bad the power toincrease their numtbers, q'he LORD MAYOR considered it would be more formal for the list to be sent to them, when, no doubt, they would gladly On1 the motion of the Hon. Aer.~ ELLIS, seconded by.$ir JOHN DOYLE, the' rbssks of the meeting were voted to the Lord IMayor for having convened the meeting, and for his conduct in The LORD MAYOR said, he felt it his duty te promote this cause, which, as it was now before the publlc, he was satisfied woultd be successful. Upwards of 1,1001., he was happy to say, were al- ready subscribed. (Applause.) Several other sums were subserihed as the meeting were separating. 'SPAmISEi AND !T4LIA-REFBPEGRes.