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in the proper place their truest redress. (The Noble Lord consentiments were to be learnt in the cluded amid the loudest cheers). Anti-Chamber of the Minister, and not in the great Council of the na- Lord ELLENBOROUGH said, tion. It was to these gentlemen that whatever differences of opinion that he should wish most particu-might exist between him and the larly to address himself-they were Meeting, he hoped, at least, that the persons who had the power of they would treat him with that imcompelling Ministers to a reduc-partiality which on a former occa tion, if they would only raise their sion he had experienced. He was voices together; but the difficulty willing to do the utmost justice to in which they were placed was the motives of the Honourable this how were they to satisfy the Mover: the principal difference country if a reduction were not between them was as to the best brought about? And how were mode of obtaining the object which they to satisfy themselves and the Noble Lord had in view. It their friends if it was? The Noble was agreed, upon all hands, that Marquis at the head of the Foreign great distress prevailed amongst Department had indeed stated, the agricultural classes-it was that at length there was to be some agreed too, that it was necessary small reduction; but why had it to afford them immediate and efnot been made three or four years fectual relief. The Noble Lord ago? Trifling as the proposed re-proceeded to argue that relief from ductions were, they might have existing distress was not to be obbeen introduced some years back, tained by a reduction of taxation. and with more effect than at pre- In 1816, 18 millions of taxes were sent. He felt much curiosity to removed. Did relief follow? No. learn the plan of the Noble Mar- The whole of that year was one of quis, and now that he had disco- the most distressing since the war; vered it, he found that it was a but if taxes to the amount of six scheme which would not reduce or seven millions were taken up, or the expense of the country-ex- that a bounty to that amount were cept indeed as far as the reduction given, that bounty, in point of fact, of one shilling per bushel on malt would not make a greater difference went. Those who lived by taxa- than 5s. a quarter upon wheat. tion endeavoured to prove that the In point of fact, the Meeting nedistress of the country was not gatived the idea of relief being caused by the pressure of that afforded by that means, when they taxation. If he were asked what laughed at the idea of relief folbenefit would result from Reform, lowing the proposed reduction of a he would answer that Reform, if shilling a bushel on barley, and it could not make amends to the yet that proposed reduction would country for the past, would at least make a reduction of 1,400,000l. preserve the remaining liberties of If the reduction were four times the country. He felt called upon that amount, no effectual relief to use every effort to repair those would follow. Whatever might be inroads upon the Constitution his impressions with respect to which had been made by that per- Reform, he did not wish to mix it nicious influence which had been up with the more pressing question described as meeting every man in of their distress; it was admitted every place. Let the people de- on all hands, that any relief to be clare; in the language of the Peti-effective must be immediate, but tion, that until the call for re- Parliamentary Reform could not trenchment and reform was heard, be immediate, and therefore was they would never cease to demand not the best, nor indeed any re

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medy. He continued, at some publie expenditure, and every length, to state his objections to, reduction of taxes which and the difficulties of effecting a be made consistently with good Reform, and observed that they faith, with the efficiency of our had been told that the great dis-necessary establishments, and with tresses of the country had been the general prosperity of our caused by the late war-to the State. corruption of Parliament, and tax- 5. Resolved, That we hope the ation, as the consequence of that Members of the House of Comcorruption; but they should recol-mons will, on this occasion, by lect, that in America, where there their sympathy with the people, was an equal representation and by the wisdom of their meawhere there existed the cheapest sures, prove themselves to be the possible Government, yet, in that real and worthy Representatives of country, distress had been more the Nation, and not afford us cause severe and more oppressive than it to desire any change in the anhad ever been in this country. cient constitution of the House of The Noble Lord then said, that if Commons. the Meeting coupled the question 6. Resolved, That a Petition, of Reform with the question of founded upon the foregoing ResoAgricultural Distress, they would [lutions, be addressed to the House postpone that relief which was so of Commons.

necessary and so much desired. 7. Resolved, That the following If they were dissatisfied with Mi-be the Petition:nisters, let them petition for their

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled,

change; if they were dissatisfied To the Honourable the Commons of with their Members, let them change them; but he entreated them not to tear down the sacred fabric of the Constitution-(a voice in the crowd: "It is Lord Lon

66

donderry, and not us, who is "pulling down the Constitution.") The Noble Earl concluded by proposing the following Amendment:

The humble Petition of the Freeholders, Copyholders, Occupiers and Inhabitants of the County of Surrey, in the County Meeting assembled,

Sheweth,

1. Resolved, that we are, and That your Petitioners are, and long have been, in a state of un-long have been, in a state of unexampled distress, immediately exampled distress, immediately arising from the low prices of agri- arising from the low price of agricultural produce, and the great cultural produce, and the great exexpenses of cultivation. penses of cultivation,

2. Resolved, That we earnestly That your Petitioners earnestly desire the House of Commons desire your Honourable House to adopt measures for our cer-to adopt measures for their tain, effectual, and immediate certain, effectual, and immediate relief.

relief.

3. Resolved, That such certain, That in the opinion of your effectual, and immediate relief will Petitioners, such certain, effecnot, in our opinion, be derived from tual, and immediate relief will not any of the measures hitherto pro-be derived from any of the mea posed by the King's Ministers. sures hitherto proposed by the

4. Resolved, That we implore King's Ministers. the House of Commons to en- That your Petitioners implore force every retrenchment in the your Honourable House to en

force every retrenchment in the public expenditure, and every reduction of taxes which can be made consistently with good faith, with the efficiency of our necessary establishments, and with the general prosperity of the State.

That your Petitioners hope, that the Members of your Honourable House will on this occasion, by their sympathy with the people, and the wisdom of their measures,prove themselves to be the real and worthy Representatives of the Nation, and not afford your Petitioners cause to desire any change in the ancient constitution of the House of Commons.

And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.

8. Resolved, That this Petition be signed by the High Sheriff on behalf of the Meeting.

knew he should startle the Meeting, but be would still hazard the assertion, that the taxes which had been repealed had contributed to that very distress. The Meeting here became unwilling to attend to any further observations from this speaker, and

Mr. GREY BENNET next came forward, and was received with the loudest and warmest marks of applause and public affection. He did not feel at all surprised that the words which had fallen from his Honourable Friend (Mr. Trower) had caused such marks of astonishment. He never could have imagined that so strange a sophism, that an absurdity as great as had ever entered the mind of the most incapable of human beings, should have taken possession of the strong intellect of his Honourable Friend. Did he not know that the strongest minds were occasionally led away, and bewilMr. DENISON, member for the dered by a love of parade? [Mr. T. County, was received with the here said, no, no, you mistake loudest cheers, and spoke at some me.] Mr. Bennet, in continuation, length fully in concurrence with said, he thought he had a glimpse the petition. He concluded his of the meaning of his Honourable speech with particularising the Friend. He thought that his Hosort of Reform which he thought|nourable Friend had some hankerdesirable, and we understood ing after a property tax (no, no, him to give his preference to one which would extend the suffrage to Householders and Copyholders, and limit the duration of Parliament to three years.

Mr. GAITSKELL seconded the Amendment.

Mr. TROWER spoke of the question of depreciation, and contended that a greater depression of prices was attributed to Mr. Peel's Bill, than was warranted by the fact. He considered it altogether unfounded that prices must go down progressively lower until the month of May 1823. There was a glut of produce in the market, and that was one of the concurring causes which led to the present agricultural distress. He

He

from Mr. Trower). Mr. Bennet
said, then he was at a loss to dis-
cover what could have entered the
head of his Honourable Friend---
what could have induced him to
tell the people that a reduction of
taxation was, if not the sole, at
least a great part of the grievances
under which they laboured.
could not for a moment conjecture
what the Gentleman could have
been dreaming about, when he
made use of what he (Mr. Bennet)
would take leave to call a most
absurd and preposterous proposi-
tion (laughter, and hear, hear,
hear!).--- Whether the public bur-
thens were increased 20 or 30 per
cent. by the operation of the Bank

Restriction Act, which was brought the people of England an active about by the scandalous fraud of and a vigilant and an efficient conMr. Pitt, or whether the operation troul over their property and their of Mr. Peel's Bill had a tendency | liberties. All eyes were turned to produce the same effect, was to Parliament--- that Parliament not now the question; but he must had sat a week, would they enterobserve that, in the introduction of tain the proposition for economy Mr. Peel's Bill, no precaution had and retrenchment? One hundred been taken, no attempt had been Members said Yes but two made, to reduce the public expen- hundred would say No. Amongst diture on the contrary, they had the latter number, he must say, selected a year for the introduction, that the name of the Member a year for the bringing forward for Surrey (Mr. H. Sumner) was that measure, during which they enrolled. He would ask the Meetinflicted on the country an addi- | ing, whether if the people of Engtional burthen of three millions of land were fairly represented in taxation. Now, when the distress that House, the Ayes would not be prevailed all over the country, the where the Noes were, and the only relief proposed was the re- Noes where the Ayes? (hear, hear!) duction of the Malt Tax--a reduc- It was now twelve years since he tion reluctantly and vainly made became a Member of Parliament; by Ministers, to silence the com- he did not feel it an honour to have plaints of a clamorous people.--- been a Member of Parliament, but The Noble Lord (Ellenborough) he felt it an honour for having rehad indulged in a variety of rich presented, he hoped faithfully recommon place; he had listened to presented, his Constituents for that that Noble Lord with an attention period. During that period he due to his rank and character, frequently found himself upon Conmore than to the matter of his stitutional questions; for on lookspeech; indeed, the Noble Lord's ing to the returns of those who good manner of speaking, and his voted, he found himself voting with character, had gained for him a the Representatives of Counties, greater degree of attention than of Cities, and of popular Boroughs, the substance of his speech could the real Representatives of the command or deserve. Never was People (hear, hear, hear!). And if there any thing more strange than there was a numerical superiority some of the propositions of the against him, it was because men Noble Lord; he (Lord Ellenbo- who were sent to that House, not rough) had asked what Reform by the people, but by A, B, C.—by would do for the people? he had those who trafficked in Boroughs, asked what immediate relief would and disposed of the seats in that it afford? He (Mr. B.) would an- House by inch of candle-by men swer him, by telling him what who were determined to support reform would do for the country--- any Government, however base— it would not restore to the people any measure, however hostile to the money that had been extracted the liberties and interests of the from them to support the calami-country-to support any set of men, ties---the aggressions which 20 however they might be inclined to years of bad Administration ac-poke their long fingers into the complished--it would not bring back those gallant spirits who had fallen in that disastrous war; but this it would do --- it would secure the country from the repetition of those calamities, and give to

pockets of the people.-The Marquis of Londonderry had plainly told the country that they were to look to the curse of famine, not to the blessing of plenty-that blessing, for which they were enjoined

by their common Liturgy to offer to cause it to be believed that taxaup their daily prayers to Heaven tion was not the cause of the present (hear!). The Noble Lord had told the people that they must look to distress; and the Gentleman just the power of nature as the main mentioned had gone so far to-day, source of relief-not in its pro- as to assert that taxation was a blessductiveness-not in its bounty, but in its sterility and barrenness ing, (Mr. Trower dissented here). (hear, hear!), What must be the His words were that the "country monstrous character of that arti- suffered from taxes being taken off," ficial system under which we live,

when the blessings of nature be("true, true," from the Meeting). come the curse of man-when that Mr. Cobbett proceeded to illustrate which, under a wise dispensation, the truth of taxation being burthenwould be deplored as a public affliction, is now sought for as our some; first observing that, upon the only consolation and hope. The face of the thing, to suppose taxation Honourable Gentleman, after some not to be burthensome, was some other observations, concluded by pledging himself to give his most thing too monstrous and too absurd zealous support to the Petition.to be soberly entertained by anybody (The Honourable Member's speech for a moment. His illustration was was received with loud cheers). this; suppose a hundred men having families to compose a community, the whole of whom were engaged in labours mutually useful and beneficial to each other; one a farmer, another a shoemaker, another a tailor, and so on. Suppose one amongst

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than the rest, to put himself at the head of 19 more, and suppose these 20 to be provided with arms (for that was the thing after all); the cunning and strong, fellow, in order to live himself and keep the 19 in a state of ease, would begin taxation, first taking a shilling from one, sixpence

Mr. COBBETT next addressed the Meeting. He was standing on the foot-board of his own post-chaise, and a wish was expressed for the purpose of his being heard more distinctly, that he should take his position in one of the wagons. He ac-them, stronger and more cunning. çeded to this request, and an avenue was made to permit him to pass through. He began by stating, that at that late hour and after the various speeches made by those who had preceded him, he should not trespass very long upon the attention of the Meeting, He should limit himself to the consideration of the objections from another, half-a-crown from which had been made to the Petition by the Noble Lord (Ellenborough), and by the Gentleman who spoke last but one, whose name was Trower. Infinite pains, he said, had been taken by the Ministers and by their adherents all over the country,

another, and so on. Now, would not the eighty suffer from this taxation? would not they have less to enjoy than they had before? We were told that the eighty would receive the money back again; that it would be diffused in the expenses of

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