"siderable length, as it embraced the that of highway robbers. But, I observed, "different points of Mr. Portall's speech, if this was really the case, who were "and the preambles of the different Acts the highwaymen, this being a question "of Parliament on this subject. It also of very material importance to the Coun"alluded to the new creation of Knights, try, who had, during all this time, and observed, that as the Prince Re-elected and re-elected the men who imgent had been advised to reward the posed and supported this tax; that Sir splendid services performed by the navy WILLIAM HEATHCOTE, who had se"and army, his civil subjects also, who conded Mr. Portall's motion, was one of "had discharged all their duties during the first imposers, one of the supporters; "the arduous contest, and patiently sub- that the party, whose friends had now "mitted to such heavy burthens, con- brought forward the Petition, had raised "ceived themselves entitled to some con- the tax from six and a quarter to its pre"sideration for their discharge of duty, sent amount, and that they had done it, "and an alleviation from this most op- too, in the most odious, insulting, and un"pressive tax." feeling manner. (Here I was called to I opposed this Petition, which I repre-order again, though I was only asking sented: as more resembling a lawyer's who the highwaymen were, if it was a brief, in form and language, and a bill in highwayman's tax.)-I next observed, Chancery against the Regent, in matter, that, seeing that the Gentleman thought than a County Petition against a Tax. the imposing of the tax the act of highI observed, that the passage, alluding to waymen, and, as it is well known, that the new creation of Knights of the Bath highwaymen generally begin by stopping was peculiarly objectionable; that it sig- the mouth, that they next bind the persons nified to the House of Commons a sort of their clients, and conclude by ramming of envious and vain feeling; a poor their hands into their pockets, I should sneaking after a share in the baubles of not wonder if the Gentleman were to tell Knighthood, which was very disgusting, us, that the Parliament who imposed this aad in which I was sure the Meeting tax had proceeded in somewhat the same did not participate. [Here I was inter- way, and that the laws shackling the rupted by Mr. Portall calling to order. Press and diminishing Personal liberty, I was told, that I was wandering from the passed during the same period, ought, at subject before us. The reader will judge any rate, if we abstained from such irrewhat the Order of the Bath had to do with verend descriptions of them, to receive a Petition against the revival of the Malt our reprobation as well as the law impoand Property Taxes; but, he will, I am sing a tax on property. Upon this sure, clearly see, that, as the allusion ground I was proceeding to state what formed part of the Petition, I was strictly those laws were, and to shew how law in order, while I was objecting to that making proceeded, step, by step, until part of the Petition.]-1 next observed, it arrived at that stage, when, as the that the name of highwayman's tax, ap- Gentleman had asserted, it assumed the plied to the Tax on Property by Mr. POR- character of a highwayman's conduct. I TALL, formed a curious, contrast with was beginning with the law, which made it another part of his speech; for, there he high treason to send a bushel of potatoes had told us, that the tax was imposed or a pair of shoes to the Republicans' of at a moment, when the enemy was at France who, by the bye, had now some our door, and that the tax was "necessary food to spare for us.--[Here I was stopped "to the safety of his Majesty's Crown, this matter being wholly inadmissible, "the security of our holy religion, our having nothing at all to do with the sub"laws, lives, and properties!" What! 1ject of the Requisition; though, as the observed, and do the Meeting, then, really reader will perceive, it had quite as much believe, that the king and our holy reli-to do with it as the Order of the Bath gion stood in need of highwaymen measures to insure their safety? And, can the Meeting, can the people of England, look foreigners in the face, and prate about English liberty, while they confess, that we have lived for nearly twenty years under the operation of power, resembling picomts. 4.

could possibly have. I next observed upon what Mr. Portall had stated as to the cause of the tar, and how it came te be laid, and said, that it was a false alarm that prevailed at the time; that the enemy was never at our door; that he never did attempt to land, and that there never

a system of economy and peaceful government were adopted in place of the enormous expenditure, and that immense military establishment, which was wholly unknown to our forefathers, and which now threatened to swallow up all the civil powers and distinctions of the country: ---That all pretence for alarm having now ceased, the laws passed during the late war, cramping the liberty of the Press, and also personal liberty, ought now to be repealed:-That therefore, we prayed, that all the war taxes might cease, agreeably to law; that no other taxes might be imposed in their stead; and that all the laws, passed during the war, which diminish the liberties of the people might also be repealed.

was a time when the people of England, of their own force, were not able to defend the country; that no army, and, of course, no tax, was wanted to preserve the country against any enemy that it ever had; and, that it was very clear, and had long since been so, to the whole world, that the war was made, and the tax raised, for the purpose of crushing republican liberty in France, and of stopping, by that means, its extension all over the world.I was proceeding to shew, that, in part, this object had been accomplished; but, that we had ruined ourselves by the success.-[Here, however, I was stopped; though, I thought, that I had as much right to go into this matter as the other side had to state their notion of the cause and object of the tax.]-I next observed, that the Petition on the table, though it included the War Malt Tax, did not go nearly far enough for me; that I should move an amendment, including all the war taxes, in the first place, being of opinion, that it was a matter of indifference in what shape, or under what name a tax was raised, if raised all; that, in the end, it must be paid by the public at large, and that it signified not one straw to any man, whether he paid it, as the old say ing is, in meal or in malt. But, that I did He observed, that the war malt tax not stop here; that I was for praying, was introduced by the other side, not that no other taxes might be imposed from choice but from compulsion; that instead of the war taxes, and was for ex- they had foreseen, that unless they pressing the opinion of the Meeting, that introduced it, they would be beaten there was no necessity for any other on their own ground.--He observtaxes. All this, however, I observed, was ed, that the worthy Baronet, (Sir Wil strife, in my estimation, compared with liam Heathcote) had taken great credit the laws, passed during the war; respect- for having opposed the war tax upon malt, ng the Press and respecting personal but, perhaps, that might be accounted liberty, some of which were still in exist for by the fact, that this was a great ence, and, therefore, I should propose to barley country, and that the worthy pray for the repeal of these laws also.- baronet was owner of no small slice of After a great deal of further interruption this same country; that as to numerous from the opposite party, I moved a Peti- other laws that he had assisted in passing tion, the substance of which only I can and supporting, though of infinitely more give, having been deprived of the docu- consequence to the people, he had apment itself in the manner hereafter to be peared to feel less acutely. He obserdescribed. The Petition, moved by me,ved, that he heartily rejoiced at the was in substance as follows:

T

Mr. HUNT seconded the motion, and, though many attempts were made by Mr. PORTALL to interrupt him even while he was answering the arguments of that gentleman, he proceeded in a way, and with an effect that made faction feel very sore,

conclusion of peace with America, and That the war taxes, had now no longer acted so wisely; and that, though the thanked the King's ministers for having any pretence for their continuance, Meeting would feel with him deep regret seeing that peace with all the world that the war had. not sooner terminated, had been happily restored:-That no and before so. many disasters had taken new taxes in their stead would be would feel consolation in reflecting that, place, he was sure that every Englishman. necessary to support the credit and if the trident of the seas had been snatchhonour of the nation, provided thated from us in a few instances; if we had

And

yet, said he, though the government do
not ask, and never have asked, for a sin
gle drop of their blood, being contented
with the shilling alone, this singular for-
bearance is repaid by the virulent and
gross abuse, which we have this day heard
bestowed upon it, and that, too, by the
party, who had its full share in the very
measure now so bitterly complained of.

Mr. PORTALL rose to answer what had'
been said on our side. He objected to
the amendment because it included mat-
ter, not notified in the requisition, and
insisted strongly, that, in asking for so
much, we ran a risk of losing all. He
complained, that an unfair advantage
had been taken of him in the comments
made on his expressions respecting the
highwayman; said that the words drop-

certainly called for an apology. But, it
is but justice to observe, that no part of
his speech was so much applauded as this.

now and then suffered defeats on an the Government, to approve of the un-
element called our own, it had been dertaking and the continuing of the late
from the arms of free men, and not from wars, in the prosecution of which they
those of the hirelings of despots.-In offered and pledged "their last shilling
alluding to Mr. PORTALL'S assertion," and their last drop of blood."
that the Income Tax, being laid on in a
time of great public peril, it was suffered
to pass with little opposition or comment;
he observed, that the contrary was the
truth; that no tax ever met with such
strenuous opposition; that the nowRIGHT
HONOURABLE GEORGE TIERNEY, in
particular, called it by names almost as
odious as that now applied to it by Mr.
Portall; that he even went so far as to
declare, that the people would be fully
justified in resisting it by force of arms;
but that this was the out of place sen-
timent of Mr. TIERNEY, who afterwards,
when in place, voted for raising this same
tax from six and a quarter to ten per
cent.[Here Mr. PORTALL made a
very strenuous effort to stop Mr. HUNT;
but the Sheriff said he was in order; as
well he might, seeing that Mr.HUNT wasped from him incoutiously, and that they
only shewing that what Mr. PORTALL
had stated as to the silent acquiescence
of the country, when the tax was laid
on, was not true.]--Mr. HUNT con-
tinued by observing, that the gentleman
deprecated all enquiry into the conduct
of those who had laid on, or raised, the
tax; but, that it was material for the
meeting to recollect, who it was that
had imposed and angmented what bad
heen called a highwayman's tax, and es-
pecially when the faction, who had brought
forward this charge, were heard endea-
vouring to throw the blame upon the pre-
sent ministers, and to excite and keep up
suspicions against them.He entered
into a curious and interesting calculation
as to the tax upon Barley, before its juice
reached the mouth; shewing that every
load of Barley (40 bushels) paid nearly
twly pounds in tax before it came to
the lips of the labouring man, though the
price now received by the farmer was
not more than seven pounds; so that in
every pot of beer which the labourer
bought at a public house (if the propor-
tion of the farmer's taxes were included)
he swallowed more than four-pace_in
tor.But, he observed, in conclusion
(after a variety, of other observations),
this meeting presents a very curious
spectacle. He said, that he had many
persons in his eye, who, in that very
place, had frequently met to address

When I came to reply I was interrupted.. It was contended that the business was now closed; that Mr. PORTALL had made his motion, that we had answered, that he had now replied, and that there the discussion closed. But, the reader will see, that it was not his motion but mine, which was now under discussion. His had been made, seconded, put, and carried, without our being permitted to speak. Then came Lord Northesk's motion. That was put aside for a while by my amendment, which was now about to be put. What right, theit, in this stage of the proceedings, could Mr. PORTALU have to the last spicck?

The question was now to be taken upon my amendment; but before the question was put, I did obtain a hearing, and amongst other things, I said nearly what is, as follows, stated by the CorFIER.

66

In the Hampshire Meeting on Tuesday, Mr. COEBETT, among other things, said the "Gentlemen who brought forward the Petition had acted disingenuously; they had said nothing "of the difficulties of the Government, Did they mean to say, that the Go "vernment could go on without the Property Tax? Did they wish to substitute any other ta(Cries of, we have

06

A

"nothing to do with that! and, order!) | PETITION, moved by the Earl of Northesk, was carried by a like majority. It was then voted to be sent about for signatures, to be presented by the County Members, who, by a vote of the Meeting, on the motion of Mr. HUNT, were instructed to support it, when presented, The thanks of the Meeting having been unanimously voted to the High Sheriff, (Mr. Norris of Basing Park) hə, in answer, observed, that he hoped, the next time he met the County, he should have to congratulate them on the Death and Burial of the Property Tax.

f

of the Navy to its state of 1788; a total | discharge of the regular army; and an organization of a military force for the defence of the country upon the plan of MAJOR CARTWRIGHT, which puts arms into the hands of all those who vote for members of parliament, which gives a vote to every man who pays a tax of any description or to any amount however | small, and which impartially calls forth every able man to the performance of that first of all duties, the defence of his native land, its liberties and laws.

TRICK OF THE LONDON PRESS.

his conduct with that of his brother, who is long since dead. The attacks upon SIR GEORGE PREVOST were of the same character. The MORNING CHRONICLE, in the most foul manner, assaulted this gentleman's character, attributed failures to his cowardice or his folly, and this too, without the smallest foundation, Indeed, there is scarcely any man, or any woman, who becomes at all pre-eminent in the eye of the public, and who cannot er will not pay the London Daily Newspapers, whose characters, and, in some cases, whose property and whose life, is safe: The public have lately seen that the trifling private concern of my ac cident by fire, could not escape them. They could not 1st even that pass, with

THE effect of this Trick I mentioned in my last. The reason why I enter fully into an exposure of it, is, that the pub-out an attempt (it proved eain to be sure) lic, and that the Americans and French, may be able to form a corrett judgment of the state of the English Daily Press, and may estimate its productions accordingly. I am the more desirous of doing this at the present moment, because the London newspapers, and especially the most venal of them, are labouring hard to pave the way for some measure (it must be an act of Parliament) to enable them to be sent abroad daty free, in or der, say they "that England, that the true character of England, that the principles and conduct of England, may be known upon the Continent of Europe, where, now, owing to the infiuence of the French press, England has lost, and is still losing ground, both in weight and character." -It is surprising, that they should have forgotten America. That, say what they will, is the country, where we ought to endea vour to recover our character. But, do these men suppose, that the nations of the Cominent do not know how to judge of the principles and conduct of Eng land without the illuminating influence of their balderdash; their Lottery and Quack puffs: the paltry party quarrels; their garbled reports; their endlessings of paid for paragraphs? SIR JOHN MUR-titude against towners of land and the RAY, in the cut-set of his most able de- growers of cor, whom they accused of a fence, was obliged to occupy the time of wish to starve the people. They are now his judges for half an hour in stating his abusing those who think a Corn Bill uncomplaints against the press, the para- necessary, and ascribing to them sedigraphs in which had actually caused him to motives. And, this this (oh, imputo be condemned by the public before hederice4) is the press, which is to ENwas brought to trial; and, he alluded LIGHTEN all Europe? particularly to au infamous paragraph in the TIMES news-paper, which coupled

to deprive me of the benefit of my hav
ing insured the premises, by insinuating
that I set fire to them myself, a crime.
which is death by the law. The recent
attempt of these papers to prevent Mrs.
Perceval from marrying, is an instance
of their baseness in another line. There
is no doubt of their having been paid for
it any more than there is of their being
paid for the puffs on private character's
which they daily publish; and for their
attacks on private characters. They have
carried on this trade for years; and the
trafne has increased, because the severity
of punishments for what are called poll-
tical libels, has naturally put the Daily-
press into worse and worse hands.-
And, yet, these are the people, who re-
present themselves as the organs of Eng- ~
lish Honour! Their papers, they tell us,
would enlighten all Europe, if they could
but export them duty free! Is it not a
bounden duty on every one, who is able
to do it, to expose the tricks of this vile
press? Do not morality and political
principle call aloud for this exposure?
Last year, at this season, these prints were
bellowing forth invectives against those
who asked for a Corn Bill they were
marshalling the worst passions of the mul

Now, as to the Hampshire Meeting, the facts are these: there were several newspa