Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

or than I trust I shall again find neces-" rated upon the best mode of taking

sary.

[ocr errors]

The Earl of ELDON observed, that the great consolation to him in his long career was, that he had always been opposed to the noble Earl. The Motion was not agreed to.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

66

66

votes, the ballot was adopted. When the hon. and learned Member ventured to impugn the integrity of men as "honourable as himself, and as attached to liberty, he arrogated to himself HOUSE OF COMMONS. 60 a license to which he had no title. REFORM-BALLOT.-Mr. O'Connell (Cheers.) For his part, he (Sir R. Wil presented three petitions for Reform in "son) had, throughout his life, done Parliament; and he took occasion to “quite as much as the learned Gentlesay, that, without the Ballot, it was im"man for the advancement of freedom; possible to prevent members being no"and he, therefore, could not suffer minated by the House of Lords, in the "such accusations, which applied to present state of the country; and that "himself, to pass unanswered. While he could not believe that that mode of" he had the honour of a seat in that voting would be opposed by any but" House, he would not allow any gen"tleman's reproaches to daunt him, not in the discharge of his duty. (Cheers, "would he suffer any man to direct him

those who desired the influence of the

Aristocracy over the votes of the people. Whereupon

and hear, hear.) He would be influ"enced only by a conscientious regard "for the interests of his constituents. (Hear.)"

66 Sir ROBERT WILSON rose with con"siderable vehemence. He felt it imperative upon him to contradict the asser❝tion of the hon. and learned Member" "who had imputed bad motives to all Never mind America, Robert, look at "who did not profess to hold the same France, Robert. And when the ballot is "opinions with himself (Mr. O'Connell). adopted in England, you will not see one "That learned Gentleman had chosen single hypocrite patriot" in that place, to denounce as insincere and dishonest Robert. A Mr. Ruthyen very sarcasti "the avowed opinions of men whose cally told you that you need not put "whole public lives had proved their yourself in such a pet, and he tweaked integrity to be quite equal to that of your ear for not being in the House "the Member for Waterford himself. when the division came on which bun "The Ballot was opposed by gentle-dled out the late Ministry. Ah! Ro

"men who had come into that House "with the sanction of their constituents "for that opposition.

66

bert.

[ocr errors]

COMMENDAM. -Lord Althorp an In the House nounced that the Ministers had advised they did no more than to maintain the King" to abstain from issuing the "the opinions which they had professed" instrument required for the purpose "out of it. (Hear, hear.) It was well "of suffering Dr. Phillpots to hold the "known that in the United States of "living of Stanhope together with the "America the ballot had proved to be a "Bishopric of Exeter." "deception-a cloak-aud encourage"ment to corruption. By the privacy which it secured, it induced men to sell "their votes. (Hear.) The most honour"able men had pronounced the ballot "to be fallacious and injurious; and, "at this moment, there was more fraud

practised in those States of America "in. which the votes were concealed by "ballot, than in those in which they were given openly. (Hear.) When the New States of Mexico were about "to institute a republic, and some of their wisest and best patriots delibe

SALARIES Lord Althorp moved for a Committee to inquire what reduc ❝tions can be made in the salaries and emoluments of office held during plea"sure of the Crown by Members of either House of Parliament. After a long conversation, this was agreed to.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

- Friday, 9th December 90 u

& HOUSE OF LORDS. DISTRESS OF THE COUNTRY, Lord RADNOR, the parish of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, pray on presenting a petition from the Vestry of ing a reduction of taxes pressing particulary upon the poor and industrious part of the

[ocr errors]

community, referred to something that had respect, particularly as far as regarded recom-
passed last night on the subject of the neglect mendations to his late Majesty. Ministers
of the distresses of the people by the Adini had, by law, no right to interfere with mat-
nistration of the Duke of Wellington. The ters of parish detail, which belonged only to
noble Lord had said, that the petition he now the overseers of the poor. He repeated, that
brought forward had been agreed to in June if the noble Lord would make any distinct
last, and upon the authority of a most re-charge, he should be ready to meet and to
spectable timber-merchant, he was able to refute it.
assert that the condition of St. Leonard's,
Shoreditch, was most deplorable. The rental
of the parish was 132,000, and the poor rates
in June last were 34,0004, while the inhabit-
ants were reduced to the lowest state of de-
moralization by the recklessness occasioned
by extreme distress. Shopkeepers formerly
taking at the rate of 201. per week did not
even in June last do business to the extent of

20s, per week. This was a condition that
ought to have received the attention of the
noble Duke and his colleagues, but they had
disregarded it, like the distresses of other
parts of the kingdom, and the responsibility
of Ministers was but a word, a mere farce, if
they were not punishable for such neglect. If
they were ignorant of the fact, their ignorance
was culpable: if they were not ignorant of it,
their apathy was criminal.

just where I

I

[ocr errors]

How obstinate this unfortunate Prince has been in verifying my predictions about him! Step by step he has walked asked him not to walk, and I am sure I warned him in language courteous enough; I never abused him him no gave "coarse language." I always called him "Prince" (when I thought of it), and I exhorted him, for the sake of his name and his picture, to mind what he did. If he had taken my warnings, he need not now have been listening to the scoldings in the House, the hissings and hootings out of it; he need not have scudied away from the people in the very streets, nor have had guards in his dwelling. But he would not listen!

The Duke of WELLINGTON called upon the noble Lord in candour to admit that he had not last night alluded to St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, nor to any particular parish, nor, in- NEGRO SLAVERY. Lord NAPIER predeed, to all the parishes of the kingdom put sented a petition against the continuance of together: what the noble Lord had said was, negro slavery; and in doing so, took the opthat the country was in a dangerous and difh-portunity of referring to the proposition he had cult situation, that the late Administration made on a former night, that a committee of found it so, that it was responsible for not their Lordships should go out to the West having relieved it from that situation, and India Islands, in order to furnish the House that it ought to be impeached for its miscon- with the best information upon the question duct in this respect. He now again required of negro slavery, before they undertook to the noble Lord to bring forward some distinct legislate upon it. Before he made that procharge, and to put it in a tangible shape, and position he had had no communication whatwhen he had done so, he (the Duke of Welling ever with anybody upon the subject. He had ton) should be most ready to meet it, and to no West India property, he never had had vindicate the late servants of the Crown. It was any, and he never expected to have any; but not because the noble Lord now brought for- still he felt interested on the subject, from the ward a petition from Shoreditch and supported knowledge of the colonies which his profesit by the assertions of a nameless person, that sional life had given him. Since he made the Ministers were to be made responsible for neg-proposition to which he now referred, he had lect of duty and disregard of the distresses of the country. He (the Duke of Wellington) had said before, and he repeated now, that he could not and would not make himself respon sible for any acts but his own. If he had had the power of putting matters to rights, and had failed at the proper time to exercise that power, he agreed that he was so far culpable. He had had nothing to do with the parish of Shoreditch; and were its situation twenty times worse than the noble Lord had described it, as he had nothing to do with the parish offices, he could not be answerable. He was sure that the noble Lords opposite must feel that they could do nothing upon such a subject. They might subscribe for the partial relief of distress, and recommend his Majesty to subscribe, but they could do no more; and he believes it would be found, that the late Ministry had not failed in its duty in this

had communications with different gentlemen connected with those places, and he found that they much approved of his plan. As there were several noble Lords who strongly supported the question of the manumission of slaves, and no doubt, whenever the country called on them to undertake the duty of going out as a committee of inquiry to examine into the subject, they would show their perfect readiness to obey the call. He had never once expressed his opinion on the matter, but he would now do so, and would state distinctly, that in his mind slavery in all its branches was a curse, and a heavy curse; but how to remove it was a question which their Lordships could never learn to auswer properly in this country alone. Their Lordships must remember, that the colonies were composed of islands taken from other countries during the war, as well as of thuse which had long

been in possession of this country; and he would defy their Lordships, by any regulation they might make here, to embrace all the different interests that existed in these various

"gift of the Crown, stating the value of each at the present time, and the

[ocr errors]

66

islands. It was impossible they could justly understand all these differences, unless they sent out a body of their own members to go there. He was ready, for one, to become a member of that committee; and he was satis-at fied, that when this appeal was made to those noble Lords, to whom he had before alluded, they would come forward and show their readiness to give their services in favour of the cause they had so often advocated, or, if they did not, they must for ever after hold their peace. (Hear, and a laugh.)

[ocr errors]

amount at which each is rated in the King's books." Mr. Fyler suggested that this should be extended to all livings; but Mr. Wellesley was not disposed, present, to do any-thing which “would have the effect of exciting prejudices against the Hierarchy, It was for that reason he had limited his return to livings in the gift of the Crown." But we must have the whole, sooner or later, Mr. Wellesley, whether it be prejudicial to the Hierarchy or not. A curious reason to give, by-the-by, and one for; for, of course, then, it would be a that the parsons will hardly thank you disclosure that would prejudice them! for if it is worse than the people suspect, They had better bring it out at once,

it must be bad indeed!

I am so pleased when I come across a piece of common sense, that I cannot help sticking it in at full length. This is sense as to this subject. Nobody can be other than against slavery, whether of whites or blacks; but the question of Negro-slavery, as it comes to our ears here in England, contains hypocrisy, falsehood, and impracticability, all Saturday, 11th December. at the same time, and in a degree astoHOUSE OF COMMONS. nishing. In the first place, the fellows The House met, contrary to custom, are hypocrites that prate about the on this day; but nothing of great consuffering blacks, and see with their own sequence, that I see, occurred, excepting eyes the suffering labouring people of that

not sending members to Parliament, and containing 10,000 inhabitants according to the census of 1821; and a Return of the popula tion of all the cities and boroughs in Scotland returning members to Parliament; and a Scotland not sending members to Parliament, Return of the population of all the towns in and containing 8,000 inhabitants according to the census of 1821.-Agreed to.

England with callous hearts. They THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER publish lies; I have detected and ex-moved for Returns of the population of all posed their deliberate lies. They pre- cities and boroughs in England sending tend to wish for that which is imprac-members to Parliament; also a Return of ticable; for they pretend to want the the population of all the towns in England practice of keeping slaves in the West Indies to be given up, when they know that they must either remunerate the Planters (which they cannot), or that the West Indies must be suffered to transfer itself to America, which it would be treason in them to effect. The same fellows that are foremost in this, are also foremost in denouncing the reformers as wild, visionary, designing! Always mind that. And it is enough for me to see a man sweating and tearing for liberty on t' other side of the world. I observed Wilberforce very early in my life: always saw him at this; and always saw him the deadliest foe of any approach to liberty at home.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. CHURCH.-Nothing importani, except that Mr. Wellesley moved for a "re“turn of all the livings (church) in the

I suppose this is to be the groundwork of the Reform; and now we shall see the accursed rotten boroughs, the source of all the villany, all the peculation, the squandering, and of all the ty ranny that was necessary to keep the thing a-going; we shall see these vile things destroyed. But we shall not see much done, unless we see the voting by bailot. Look out for that, therefore; and, perhaps, it will not be amiss, throughout the discussion, to look to the notable member for Southwark, the patriotic soldier, as a barometer: when his quick-silver is up (as it was about the ballot the other night), then all is

[ocr errors]

right; but when it is down, quiescent, ters, Merchants, and others, praying the look to it! No man on earth has faculties more alive to No. 1. Eyes, , ears, and nose-no one deceives him. The House was quite e astonished, the other night, at the life he displayed on Mr. O'Connell's eulogy on the ballot! He raved, and then even quitted the House. He took all that O'Connell had said, as pointed at him. To be sure all his senses told him that Robert Wilson would not be member for Southwark any longer than voting by ballot could be kept off. I am not surprised at his dudgeon, faith!

Monday, 13th December.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

[ocr errors]

LORD GROSVENOR rose to notice some of the new appointments to offices; but he soon went off to the question of the distress of the country, and said, If the landed interest were "not relieved from some part of the burdens "by which it was borne down, it would be "completely destroyed; and then, he would ask, what other interest could be upheld? The mouied interest would melt into air. "It was indispensable to the welfare of the "country that the landed interest should be

66

"maintained. Those who were interested in "the land, being attached to the soil, were not only of necessity devoted to preserve the * institutions of the state, but were unable to " evade their share of the public burdens. "But the monied interest was composed, to "a great extent, of persons having no connex*ion with the country-Jews and Gentiles, "inhabitants of France, of Russia, of Germany, in a word, of every part of Europe, "Asia, Africa, and America, who could at any time withdraw the money from the **funds, and escape from any share in the "burdens of this country; or, if they should << even be inhabitants of England, they might "lock up their money in that famous box, of which so much had been said in the House << on a former evening, and shelter it from "those taxes from which the landed interest had no means of escaping." This Lord has, I suppose, begun to find out that he is only a partner in his own estate. I told them all that they would find it out, sooner or later. The estates are being now as quietly transferred from Lords to loan mongers as heart could wish; and this is one of the symptoms of uneasiness felt by this particular Lord. He flatters himself that what he calls his, is really his! Poor man! he has now only a good, a pretty good, stewardship over it. Nothing more important than this was said, in this House, during the rest of the evening.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. SLAVERY.-The Marquess of CHANDOS presented a petition from the West India Plan

House not to take steps towards destroying their property until it had afforded them compensation. No one was a greater friend to the slaves than he was, but he could not help seeing that there were two ways proposed of getting rid of slavery in the West Indiesother by remunerating the planter for the loss the one was by popular clamour, and the that he must necessarily sustain. When the question came to be decided, he should unquestionably give his support to the latter of subject throughout the country, that the West these ways. So great was the clamour on this India Proprietors had no chance of having their cause heard, the most vigorous attempts had been made to fetter the Representatives of each borough and county, by a pledge on this subject, and to which no gentleman ought to submit. He himself had at once told his constituents, that though he would vote for the emancipation of the slaves, he could not for a moment disjoin that measure from the question of compensation to their owners. With respect to the other interests of the West Indians, he knew that Government was called on in every direction to make reductions; but he, nevertheless, trusted that they would be able to afford some consideration to the cause of the West Indies, so as to allow its produce to stand a better chance in the market. The petitioners whose cause he was advocating were in no way afraid of inquiry; and he, therefore, hoped that the House, and his Majesty's Ministers, would of the Slave question, and the general remucome forward with a plan for the settlement neration of the planters.

Mr. Marriott complained of the outcry against the West-Indian planters, and illustrated the outery by stating that a petition against them had been presented to the House by a noble Lord " on the 4th of November, traffickers in human flesh to hold seats in 4 which spoke of the impropriety of suffering "that House, where they appeared like Satan these howling, hypocritical wretches have "seated among the sons of God." None of None of them have seen them let at auction for seen English labourers put up to auction then! the day, week, or month; and, at the expiration of the term put up again, and again let? None of them have seen or heard of their being, in default of bidders, employed to do some de grading thing, some harassing thing, as it were just to remind them of their horrid slavery; something wholly useless, such as carrying a heavy stone for a certain distance and back again, so many times in the day; one of the wretches have heard of these things, I suppose? And of their being shut None of them up away from their wives? have heard of all this? Not one word has

ever escaped them about all this, even though it happens in their own country, their own parish; under their own noses. No, on the contrary, the meu who are foremost in this hypocritical howl are the loudest bawlers

against "the insubordinate," the "disaffect" as any man could be to desiring to goed," and the " designing," who would gladly" vern by military force; but when riot and change all the liberty that they possess to be" disorder every-where prevailed, the first as well fed and well treated as the negroes are "duty of the Government was to put it down." in the West Indies. I am confident that the Sir MATTHEW W. RIDLEY said, "he would English labourers, if they could but once "gladly learn how there could be any saving, conquer the natural repugnance to the term "so long as the country had to pay 30,000,000% "slave," would, if they could see the condi- " for interest of the Debt? The establish tion of the slaves of the West Indies, gladly" mects of the country did not amount to change lots with them.-But there is a branch" more than 17,000,000. He earnestly wished topic connected with this affair. It is pro-"to see taxes reduced, but he confessed posed to do away with slavery, because it is" frankly that he saw no hope of any such against the laws of God to deal in human flesh," happy consummation." That's it, Sir Mat and yet the people of England are to be taxed thew; that's the truth. It's all your own to make compensation to the West India plant-mess. What! have you nothing to hope ers for the LOSS OF THEIR PROPERTY! for but in the peaceable starving of the la Well done, THING: you wont beat that! bouring people, and, in their turn, the farmers Well done," envy of surrounding nations!" and tradesmen? But that wont take place; But stop-it is not done yet. they will shove it more and more upon your shoulders, and down you, or the funds, go.

Tuesday 14th December.

SALARIES.-There being a good deal of talk about reducing salaries, and getting rid of useless places, something was said about that of the Lord Privy Seal, whereupon Mr. H. HOUSE OF LORDS. Twiss contended, that it was a great mistake JEWS.-Lord Bexley presented a petition to suppose that the office of Lord Privy Seal from English Jews, calling for a removal of was a needless office. With respect to pen- civil disabilities. His Lordship "concurred sions, he begged to say that it was his hope" in the prayer, and believed that the petitionthe new Government would not be induced to "ers yielded to no other subjects of the Crown place the Sovereign in the invidious position" in loyalty and good conduct." of creating an immense mass of private distress. Reduction, he insisted, ought to be confined from Southampton praying for the redress of to offices during pleasure. Those emoluments grievances, and especially for the removal of ought not to be taken away which might be tithes. Lord King supported the petition, considered as vested interests. If the advocates and characterised tithes as" a public nuisance, of retrenchment and reform proceeded too far injurious to the landlord, as it made a posi in their demands, THEY would entirely defeat" tive deduction from his rent, oppressive to their own object. "the cultivator, as it rendered the gains of

TITHES.-Lord King presented a petition

I put this in for fun's sake. This person" his labours uncertain, injurious to the was one of the Under-Secretaries of State in" capitalists, as it prevented the employment the last Ministry, and is Examiner of Patents of capital upon the land. He wished to see in the present Ministry. His ideas of distress" some arrangement by which the lands of are truly amusing; but by this we may mea-"Deans and Chapters, who were utterly usesure the degree of feeling for the country "less as Ministers of religion, should be that is entertained by this class of persons." made available for the support of the workAnd this is a representative of the people," ing clergy. He hoped to see entirely cleared mind, and has been for many years!

"away from the Church all the cumbrous lumber of golden and of brazen Prebends, together with the Deans and Chapters." THE BISHOP OF LONDON said, that the noble Lord (King) had stated, with truth, that repeated and vehement attacks had of late been made upon the system of tithes. Why that sort of property should be attacked more than other property in land, which, as well as tithes, was possessed only by virtue of the laws (hear), he (the Bishop of London) could not explain, unless it were, because the Clergy, of whom they were the property, were the weaker party. No man more than the right rev. Prelate could be convinced of the claims of the country in its present state on the consideration of their Lordships. He knew, from many years' experience as a parochial clergyman, that the agricultural labourers generally were suffering under great distress; which, however, was attributable not to the tithe-system, but to the unfor tunate administration of the poor-laws

ARMY.—Mr. HUME asked Lord Althorp if it was true, as rumoured, that the Government" meant to increase the army, by adding 6,000 men to the present establishment. To which Lord Althorp replied, that "as to the question "which had been asked by the hon. Gent. it "was with regret that he should give a reply "to it, for he felt sorry to disappoint him; "but truth compelled him to state, that the "circumstances of the country had reduced "his Majesty's Government to the necessity "of making up their minds to propose the "increase of the army to the extent men«tioned. (Hear, hear.) But he could at the 66 same time assure the House, that every "effort would be made to effect that addition "in the cheapest manner possible. He was sure the House would concur with him in thinking, that at the present moment it was "no matter of surprise that the Government "should come forward with a proposition for “the increase of the army. He was averse

[ocr errors]
« ZurückWeiter »