ページの画像
PDF
ePub

nately, the mass of discordant of discordant matter communicated to the committee in the progress of inquiry, so much, retarded any parliamen tary determination respecting the resolutions, that hat no alteration in the law had taken place, when a change of circumstances had given a very different idea of the state of the country. An uncommon inclemency of the seasons as the year advanced, presented, such gloomy prospects for the approach ing harvest, that the price of corn, began to rise, and instead of apprehensions, that the stores in the farmers granaries would rot unconsumed, or become mere drugs in the markets, the alarm of scarcity now took its turn. This fear, was too well rerified by the event for the year's produce of grain proved so deficient in quantity, and inferior in quality, that, after harvest, the price rapidly ascended beyond the point at which the ports were open for importation; and the dearth extending through most of the countries of Europe, anxious looks were cast towards those quarters whence, foreign supplies might be procured in aid of our boasted home, resources,¿1 Distress now appeared among the cultivators of the land, in a different shape; and the complaints were of scanty and ruined crops, and the poor in danger of starving. Before the year closed, riots broke out in some parts, occasioned by the sudden rise of the markets, but they were no more than transient disturbances. It may, however, be hoped, that the remainder of the former harvest, together with such importations as may always be commanded by superior capi

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

ד

[ocr errors]

+

tal, will ward off any extremity of want joyet a high price of the necessaries of life will continue to aggravate the general calamity till a return of plenty.

1.

The discontents among the inferior ranks of people, occasioned by the want of regular employment, and by reduced wages, first began to assume a menacing appearance in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Huntingdon, and Cambridge; where nightly assemblages were held, threatening letters were sent, and houses, barns, and rick-yards were set on fire, displaying melancholy proofs of the degradation of national character produced by long distress, and an interruption of the usual habits of industry. Many articles will be found in our Chronicle, relative to these unhappy incidents; of which the most remarkable was a kind of organized insurrection in the Isle of Ely, which was not suppressed without a strong hand, and which terminated in the trial of a large number of criminals by a special commission, several of whom paid with their lives their daring attacks upon the peace of society.

:

The distresses arising from the stagnation of manufactures were no where more severely felt than in those districts, which had been rendered populous and flourishing by the numerous branches of the iron trade, several of which derived a large share of their de-. mand from the consumption of war. Many great works of this class, were, suddenly put, to a stop, with the effect of throwing entirely out of employment the la bourers of different kinds, who had been engaged in them. The southern

[ocr errors]

same cause.

a tumultuous manner; and were not restored to order without military interference, joined with such conciliatory measures as prevented any considerable mischief. In the other districts of the kingdom which partook, some of them largely, of the declension of manufactures, the public tranquillity was rarely disturbed. The hand of charity was liberally extended to the relief of distress; and plans were adopted in many places, for supplying the want of usual employment by new undertakings of public utility. In the metropolis, large subscriptions were entered into for relieving the numerous poor, who were reduced to the most urgent necessity by the failure of demand for the silk manufactures in Spitalfields, as well as by the loss of various other sources of employment; and in almost every parish contributions were raised for enlarging donations without additional burthens upon the poor-rates.

southern part of Staffordshire was particularly affected by this melancholy change; and the most lamentable accounts were transmitted of the state to which the working people of the populous village of Bilston were reduced, being rendered totally dependent on parochial relief, the funds of which were inadequate to preserve them from absolute famine. A body of men intimately connected with the iron factories, were the colliers, whose labours were nearly suspended from the Some of these resorted to a mode of obtaining relief from the public, occasionally practised in hard times-that of drawing loaded waggons of coals. to distant towns, for the purpose of exciting commiseration. A division of these wandering petitioners approached the metropolis; but their advance was properly intercepted by the police, through the apprehension that their appearance might be attended with tumults, and they were sent back with admonition, and a gratuity. The same reprising that the public mind was ception was given them on their disposed to complaint and dismarch to other capitals; for al- content; and that, in meditating though they preserved due deco- upon the source of the existing ruin of behaviour, their mendi- evils, every defect in the system city came within the notice of of government, how remotely the vagrant laws. soever connected with the mass of present misfortune, was studiously brought to view. We have seen, that in the great council of the state, the immense load of debt and expense entailed on the nation roused an active spirit of economy, which subjected to a rigorous scrutiny every demand upon the public purse not justified by utility, however sanctioned by the laxity of former times;

For the most part, the sufferers in the iron manufactories bore their hardships with due resignation, and were grateful for the charitable exertions made for their relief. In the great works of South Wales, however, especially those in the vicinity of that new creation of art and industry, Merthyr Tydvil, large bodies of discarded workmen assembled in

In a state of society so pregnant with calamity, it is not sur

and

[ocr errors]

and the resistance made by ministers to some proposed retrenchments, was by no means calculated to inspire general confidence in their government. A spirit of petitioning for a redress of obvious grievances was therefore diffused through the country, and in many places produced public meetings, at which the waste and corruption arising from pensions, sine eures, and extravagant charges of every kind, were exposed with great freedom and severity. When, however, the lower classes, irritated by their distresses, and at all times readily acted upon by bold declamation, began to take a conspicuous part in such assemblies, the superior orders, alarmed with the dread of popular commotion, found it expedient in general to stand aside, and await the result of the lessons already given, of the necessity of conciliating the people at large, by farther sacrifices of personal interests. This quiescence was doubtless promoted by the introduction at meetings for petition, among other topics, of that of parliamentary reform, so often a subject of unavailing discussion, and almost discarded as an impracticability, by the party considered as taking the lead in political improvement. Whether such an emergence as the present is a seasonable time for exciting a warm interest in the community, respecting a matter so important and difficult, we shall not enquire; but as a fact it may be stated, that the most guarded addresses for the abolition of abuses, carefully avoided that topic. On the other hand, it formed a conspicuous object in some remon

strances, especially in the address presented in December, to the Prince Regent, from the Corporation of London, which, with the answer of his Royal Highness, will be found among the State Papers, as a political document worthy of preservation.

Although assemblies in populous towns were convened for political purposes, which included the lowest and most uninstructed members of the community, yet either from their orderly disposition, or from the precautions employed by the government and magistracy, the public peace was little disturbed; and even in the metropolis, where popular meetings are peculiarly dangerous, they might have harmlessly passed over in listening to field orators, had not, on one occasion, a few desperate enthusiasts taken the advantage of collecting a mob, for the purpose of putting in execution a daring, though absurd, insurrectionary attempt, which, for a short time, threw the whole city into alarm, and threatened serious mischief. It was, however, without any difficulty, quelled by military assistance, and the principal agents were taken into custody. (See Chronicle for December, for the particulars.) The year closed with general tranquillity through this island.

Ireland during the present year has suffered under a continuance of those disorders and atrocities, which so much prevailed in the last year, and which have rendered necessary the maintenance of an additional number of troops in that unfortunate country. The parts particularly infested with these disturbances, and the state

of

of the island in general, will be found in Mr. Peel's report, inserted in our Parliamentary History. At the same time the people of Ireland have partaken even more than their share of the calamities proceeding from unfavourable seasons, and a deficient product of the necessaries of life, combined with commercial distresses. The situation of the country is indeed extremely melancholy, and little prospect is yet afforded of its melioration. With respect to the admittance of the Roman Catholics of Ireland to the full rights of subjects, so long and anxiously expected by them, no progress towards that event has been made in this year; nor have the different opinions among themselves, relative to the terms to be proposed for obtaining the desired concession, been brought to an agreement. In the meantime it has been resolved by both parties, not to intermit the annual practice of petitioning for the redress of their particular grievances.

In the midst of the gloom which was spread over the nation, in consequence of so many spectacles of distress, the public feelings were cheered by the disposal in marriage, to the general satisfaction, of that Princess who appears destined, at a future period, to wear the British Crown. In the choice of a partner, political alliance was wisely made no part of the consideration, and the personal merit of the individual was the deciding point. Leopold George Frederick, younger brother of the reigning Duke of Saxe

Cobourg of Saalfeld, a Prince of the Protestant branch of the House of Saxony, obtained high reputation in the war against Buonaparte, where he had a command of cavalry in the allied army; and after the surrender of Paris, in 1814, he accompanied the sovereigns on their visit to England, where he became advantageously known to the Prince Regent. The propriety of his conduct, and the solidity of his understan:ling, made a favourable impression on the court, which terminated in his being honoured with the hand of the daughter of the Regent. The nuptials between the Princess Charlotte and the Prince Leopold took place on the 2d of May, (See Chronicle.) The parliament with perfect unanimity made a liberal provision for the illustrious pair; and numerous public bodies throughout the kingdom presented addresses of cordial congratulation on the auspicious event.

Another matrimonial union in the Royal Family, though rather a domestic than a political occurrence, was greeted by the public, as affording the well-founded promise of an addition of happiness in that august House. The Princess Mary, fourth daughter of his Majesty, married in July her cousin, the Duke of Gloucester; a couple regarded, by their manners and principles, as eminently suited to the duties of domestic life. Their establishment was framed upon a scale of moderation, which rendered unnecessary any application to the public purse.

CHAPTER

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]

T

HE general peace on the Eu ropean continent has happily, during the present year, left no other employment to the British land forces in this part of the world, than that of assisting in the preservation of the external tranquillity so dearly purchased; but an unexpected circumstance has procured to the British navy the opportunity of acquiring fresh laurels of no common splendor..

It has long been a topic of reproach, which foreigners have brought against the boasted inaritime supremacy of England, that the piratical states of Barbary have been suffered to exercise their ferocious, ravages upon all the inferior powers navigating the Mediterranean sea, without any attempt on the part of the mistress of the ocean to control them, and reduce them within the limits prescribed by the laws of civilized, nations. The spirited exertions of the United States of America in the last year, to en-, force redress of the injuries they had sustained from these pirates, were calculated to excite invidious comparisons with respect to this country and either a feeling of national glory, or some me other unexplained motives, at length inin spired a resolution in British government, to engage in earnest in that task, which the general expectation seemed to assign it. VOL, LVIII.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1

Of the original plan, of operations, and the first, proceedings towards putting it into execution, we are furnished with no documents from authority; but the following concise narrative is regarded as in some degree official..

Early in this spring, Lord Exmouth, the naval commander-inchief in the Mediterranean, received instructions to negociate with the Barbary powers, for treating the Ionian isles as British possessions; and also to mediate a peace between these powers and the kingdoms of Sardinia and Naples; and further, if sible, to procure a general abolition of Christian slavery in Barbary. The Dey of Algiers was. first applied to, and he readily consented to consider the Ionian isles as entitled to the privileges of the British flag, and to make peace with Naples and Sardinia; but declined any overtures for the abolition of the slavery of captives. Lord Exmouth then proceeded to Tunis and Tripoly, with the Beys of which he concluded an arrangement similar to that made with Algiers, relative to the two first objects; but with the addition of a declaration on their part, promising in future not to make slaves of prisoners of war, but to conform to the practice of civilized European nations. Lord Exmouth then re

[blocks in formation]
« 前へ次へ »