not, on this occasion, say of the Noble Lord as some persons had said of the writings of others, that this representation had proceeded from

the twenty. And so they undoubtedly would: It would come back to them; but, then, must they not give something for it, (" yes, yes," from the meeting); one must give a bushel "superior malignity," or from any of wheat for what he got back; ano-malignity at all; for, it manifestly ther a day's labour; another a pair proceeded from the simplicity of the of shoes; in short, all must contri-Noble Lord (a laugh), who really apbute something out of their earnings peared to understand nothing at all to obtain back that which was taken of the subject. If the Noble Lord from them before. And this was the had understood this matter, his sinnature of taxation (hear, hear, hear!). cerity would doubtless not have sufWhether it was a blessing or not, he fered him to omit to state, that, at would leave that to the Meeting. If the time when the 18 millions of it were, indeed, then was the bliss of taxes were taken off, the remaining this country most perfect. In the pro- 53 or 54 millions were, in fact, more gress of this taxation, some became than doubled by the operations of poor and miserable sooner than the Bank, which, being compelled by others. Sickness, misfortune. These law to pay in real coin in six months became the first paupers. In pro-after the peace, and being protected portion as the taxation increased, the pauperism would increase. And we knew, that in the exact proportion in which the taxes had been augmented in England, in that very proportion had pauperism and national degra- which remained on, were much more dation been augmented; facts noto-burthensome after the war than they riously true, and established by official documents.-Adverting to what had fallen from the Noble Lord who had---but, the shortest way was to call him by his name---Lord Ellenborough---adverting to what had been said by that Noble Lord, namely, that taxes could not be the cause of the agricultural distress, because 18 millions had been taken off soon after the peace, and that the distress began immediately to make its appearance | currency in a country, and the same

and attained its greatest height in 1816 and 1817. He (Mr. C.) would

merely from time to time until the year 1819, was all this time contracting the circulation of the currency; Country bank-paper as well as London bank-paper. So that, the taxes

were during the war. And this was the reason why the country began to sink and feel distress the moment the war was over, instead of feeling that relief, and rising in prosperity in the manner, that it did after the American war. The Jews and jobbers of 'Change Alley, in whose school so many of our Statesmen were unhappily bred, have not been able to distinguish between gold and silver as

metals as an article of merchandise. Hence had arisen the false notion,

contraction of the circulating medium, it had in the same proportion more aggravated the distress. What the Noble Lord said with regard to similar distresses in America, he (Mr. C.) would not speak of as a wilful misrepresentation of the Noble Lord, far less would he apply to it a word which he would not pronounce before the Meeting; but having the

so prevalent, and which had led to such embarrassment and confusion of mind in our Rulers, with Mr. Ricardo at their head, that because paper was only four and a half per cent. below gold in the market at the time of passing Mr. Peel's Bill, prices now have fallen in consequence of that Bill, only that 4 per cent. an effect quite inadequate to producing the present frightful distress. With best possible means of correct inforthis notion in their minds, they mation upon the subject; means of were quite astounded at the phe-information certainly not yielding to nomena which they perceived in the any that the Noble Lord could possess, political hemisphere. Now, the truth he could positively assure the Meetwas, that gold as currency and gold as ing, that (upon the grounds, without merchandise differed so widely from doubt, of some misinformation), the each other, that it was notoriously state of America, as described by the true, that when wheat was at the Noble Lord, was wholly untrue. Prices highest price, gold was at the low- had fallen in America even in a greater est price, at times during the last proportion than here; but the distress war. At other times, gold was at a had been confined to speculating very high price in the market when merchants, owners of wharfs and wheat was at a comparatively low ships, and others who were in debt price; some times the prices of from the paper system. As to disboth were high, at other times the tress among farmers in America, prices of both were low. Nothing could show more clearly than this, that gold as currency has very little in common with gold as merchandise; and, indeed, nothing at all, where the paper is of forced curculation or legal tender. The Noble Lord (Ellenborough's) argument, gument, was the strongest possible therefore, failed him here also. It proof of the unsoundness of that arhad never been said that it was Mr. gument; for, there, where the fall of Peel's Bill that produced the whole prices had been greater than here, of the distress: it was but a conti- there had been no agricultural disnuation of the measures which pro-tress; for could the Noble Lord duced the distress; but, as it more point to any single instance in peremptorily commanded a further America, where they can petititon

where almost the whole population were farmers, who were very seldom renters, and who paid hardly any taxes at all, no such thing had existed; and, the illustration furnished by America in this case, brought in by the Noble Lord to support his ar

where they please and how they now pay in cash: its notes were still please; could he point to one single a legal tender, and that legal tender instance of complaints of this kind kept in circulation an immense quanmade in that country? In a word, tity of country rags. Mr. Peel's Bill the situation of America completely had not yet gone into effect; it was demonstrated that it was taxation only approaching towards the time and taxation alone that was the cause when it was to go into effect; when of the distress in this country. The May 1823 came, then it would go petition which Mr. Leech had pre-into effect, and then the Meeting sented to the meeting, stated prices would see what would be its ultimate to be lower now than they were in consequences. At this time, if any the year 1790. That allegation was one went to a country banker, and perfectly true, as might be demon-asked him for gold for his notes, no strated by a comparison of price, if it gold would he give, but legally tenwere not too late in the day to go der him Bank of England Notes, into a detailed statement. The peti- which were, perhaps, less valuablé tion expressed the conviction of the in his eyes than the country rag Meeting, that prices of farm produce itself. But, when the time should would fall still lower than they were come, when every one could go with at present, in which opinion he the rag in his hand, and demand a (Mr. C.) fully concurred. The Gen-sovereign in its stead, did any one tleman (Mr. Trower) seemed to sup- believe that any of the numerous ser pose that those who entertained this vant men, or servant women, who, opinion were little better than mad; by the by, were by far the more senhe (Mr. C.) was one of these "mad-sible of the two, for what they earn men," and would endeavour to give clear reasons for his opinion. It was not at this time of day to be denied, for all agreed, that the contraction of the circulating medium had had a part, at any rate, to do, in lowering the prices. That being the case, we had only to enquire, whether the measures in operation would produce a further contraction. The public were told, that cash-payments had actually come; that the Bank was now paying in cash, and some had said that his (Mr. C.'s) prophecies had been falsified fa laugh]. But, nations; that would cause prices the fact was, that the Bank did not to fall in those nations, as the Agri

they generally kept with more care☀ did any one believe that any labourer, tradesman, or any person in his senses would lay by a rag when he could lay by a sovereign? Hence will May 1828 inevitably see a very large portion of the rags disappear. We were told, that in the stead of these rags gold would come, and that therefore the whole quantity of circulating medium would not be diminished. But let the Meeting mark the operation. Whatever gold come must come from other

cultural Committee themselves ad-Jexpences for the Navy, Ordnance and mit, and as every person at all ac- Army, in this season of profound quainted with the subject must know. peace, surpassed those of former seaOur prices must keep falling with sons of actual and widely extended the prices in those other nations, as war.-Now, the expences of these dethe same Committee also admits;partments for the year 1820 (the last and thus it appeared to him (Mr. C.) official account that he possessed), that the opinion contained in the Pc-amounted to 17,384,411. Let us tion; that the anticipation of still (said he) now see what were the exlower prices, and he thought much pences of these departments in the lower prices, was perfectly correct. year 1782, which (excepting the last The Petition alleged that the expences war) was the year of the most widely of the present establishment in the extended war that England ever sixth year of peace were greater, not knew. We were then at war on the only than those of the year 1790, but Continent of America from Canada more than three times as great; the to Cape Florida, an extent, in length, Petition might have gone still further, of 1,900 miles. We had to transport and have said more than four times troops across the Atlantic, horses and as great; for in the year 1790, the their provinder, down to their very net produce of the taxes in Great straw; we were at war in the East Britain, which he pledged himself Indies, at war in the West Indies, at to have taken from the official ac-war in the Mediterranean to defend counts, amounted (excluding one Minorca and Gibraltar; at war all million for the Spanish armament) to over the world. having to face the 12,832,2067.; and, for the year 1820, fleets of France, Spain and Holland; these taxes amounted to 51,328,824, and yet in that year the whole exThe Excise, in the year 1790, amount-pence of the departments beforeed to 6,008,2951.; for the year 1820, mentioned, amounted to 17,386,795l.; they amounted to 23,734,6157. These that was to say, 47,000l. less than it were the taxes that particularly press-was in the seventh year of this peace ed upon the farmer and his labourers-(cheers). And now he begged the (hear, hear!). This took away what Meeting to mark and to remember should remain for rent, and for suffi- that, in 1790 we had 20,000 seamen cient wages to the labourer; this and marines, and the navy then cost formed the ground of that part of the 2,433,636%.; while our present navy, petition which so reasonably prayed of the same number of seamen - and for taking the taxes from malt, salt, marines, cost 6,395,5527. though the soap, candles, and leather. Another prices of provisions, clothing and all allegation of the Petition, though ap-the material necessary articles were parently so incredible, was neverthe-as low if not lower in price now than less strictly true, ramely, that the they were in the year 1790. He

begged the Meeting to attend to public expenditure?-He now came another comparison still more as- to speak of Reform as connected with tounding. In the before-mentioned the Petition. The Noble Lord (Ellenyear 1782, having the fleets of borough), doubtless from mis-apprethree nations to fight with, with a hension or want of memory, objected hundred thousand seamen and ma-to this part of the Petition, because it rines constantly in employ, the prayed for Reform as the means of navy cost 7,803,2851. And (hear immediate relief, for the agricultural it he prayed them), in the year distress. The fact was otherwise. 1820, the navy having only twenty The Petition prayed to the present thousand seamen and marines on House for immediate relief by reduc board, cost 6,395,5521, (cheers). Was tion of taxes; but added, that the not this monstrous? Could any man county could have no security, from say that this profusion could possibly future oppression without a Reform have taken place in a Parliament of the House of Commons, which chosen by the people (cheers)? But made the two prayers of the Petition look at the navy and the army lists, and perfectly consistent with each other. the cause of the expence is explained. As to the sort of Reform, the PetiWe have ten Admirals to every nine tion said nothing about that; and he ships of the line; and we have one rather regretted that the HonourGeneral to every three hundred men; able Member for the County (Mr. even supposing the army to be upon Denison) had upon this occasion, the highest establishment during the expressed any opinion in detail upon last war. He put it to the Meeting the subject. He (Mr. C.) differed whether they could believe such things somewhat in opinion with that worwould be suffered by a Ilouse of Com-thy Gentleman as to the sort of Remons truly representing the people of England? If all the captains, subalterns, contractors, purveyors, commissaries, clerks, and retainers were taken into the account, he verily believed that we had in the navy one gentleman to maintain for every two common sailors and marines, and in the army one gentleman to every two private soldiers, now actually in ervice. Again, then, he put it to the Meeting, whether such abuses could possibly exist if the people were really represented in Parliament, and had thereby an efficient controul over the

form that was required; but, this was not a time to discuss that matter. Before he concluded, he would not blink to the great subject of all, namely, the reduction of the interest of the debt. The mover of the Petition (Mr. Leech) so fully proved the justice and necessity of such reduction, that he (Mr. C.) was somewhat disappointed in not having a prayer to that effect in the Petition. The National Debt was the great burden of all; for it formed more than three-fifths of the whole of the expenditure; and the time was not