Mackintosh in the Lower, in moving for the
production of papers relative to these events,
took occasion to inveigh strongly against the
dangerous attempts, evidently making by the
Continental powers, to stifle the growth of
freedom, and overturn constitutional monarch-
ies in all the lesser states around them. lilin-
isters resisted the motion, but declared at the
same time that the English Government were
no parties to these congresses, and that they
had officially notified to the powers there as-
sembled their dissent from the princi])les and
right of interference there advanced. It was
known that this statement was well founded,
and Parliament, satisfied with having obtained
su.ch an assurance from the Government, and
with the strong declaration of English feeling
from the Opposition, supported 3 Ann. Reg.
Ministers in both Houses by large 1621, 102,
majorities.^ "^*-
Sir James Mackintosh continued in this Par-
liament, as he had done in the last,
his able and indefatigable eflbrts gj^ james
to obtain a relaxation of the mon- Mackintosh's
strous severities and anomalies of efforts to im-
the English criminal code. His in- cr°mLal W.
creasing success, though not un-
mixed with checks, demonstrated that public
opinion was rapidly changing on this import-
ant subject, and that the time was not far dis-
tant when, practically speaking, the punish-
ment of death would not be inflicted in any
case except deliberate murder, in which, both
on the authority of the Divine law, and every
consideration of human justice, it never should
be abrogated. As this blessed changehas now
for above ten years been practically in opera-
tion, it is superfluous to enumerate all tlie steps
by which it was effected. Sufiice it to say,
therefore, that it was by the efforts of Sir
Samuel Romilly, and after him of Sir James
Mackintosh, that the necessity of this great re-
form was first impressed on the public mind,
and by the adoption of their principles by Sir
Robert Peel when he became Home Secretary,
that it was on a large scale carried into efleet.
The o:)!}' thing to be regretted is, that when
1821.]
HISTORY OF EUROPE.
353
the penalty of death was so justly taken away
for so many offenses, care was not taken at the
same time to increase the certainty and enlarge
the efficienc}- of secondary punishments; and
that from the long-continued neglect by the
colonial secrciaries of the obvious expedient of
always mingling, in due proportion, the streams
of gratuitous Government with forced penal
emii'ration, the country has in a great measure
lost the immense advantage it might otiierwise
have derived from the possession of such out-
lets for its surplus population and dangerous
crime ; and that the colonies have been led to
regard with horror, and strive to avert, a stream
â– which, duly regulated, might, and certainly
would, have been hailed as the greatest possi-
ble blessing.
Mr. Plunkett, on the 28th February, bro'.ight
gj forward a motion regarding lloman
Mr. Can Catholic Emancipation, and it soon
nins'sstrik- became evident, that if the mantle
orf Camolic ^^ Romilly had descended on Mack-
Emancipa- intosh, that of Grattan had fallen on
«'on- the shoulders of Plunkett. As this
subject will be fully discussed in a subsequent
part of this volume, when the passing of Catho-
lic Emancipation is narrated, it would be super-
fluous to give the arguments advanced on both
sides ; but there is one speech in the Commons,
and one in the Lords, from which brief extracts
must be given, from the importance of the sen-
timents which they conveyed. Mr. Canning
â– was tho most eloquent supporter, Mr. Peel the
most determined opponent, of the measure.
"We are," said the former, "in the enjoyment
of a peace, achieved in a great degree by Cath-
olic arms, and cemented by Catholic blood.
For three centuries we have been erecting
mounds, not to assist or improve, but to thwart
nature; we have raised them high above the
waters, where they have stood for many a year
frowning proud defiance on all who attempted
to cross them ; but, in the course of ages, even
they have been nearly broken down, and the
narrow isthmus now formed between them
stands between
" Two kindred seas,
Which, mounting, viewed each other from afar,
And longed to meet."
Shall we, then, fortify the mounds which are
almost in ruins? or shall we leave tliem to
moulder awa}' by time or accident? — an event
which, though distant, must happen, and which,
when it does, will only confer a thankless fa-
vor — or shall we at once cut away the isthmus
that remains, and float on the min-
Iv Ysii g^'"K waves the ark of our common
constitution ?" '
On the other hand, it was argued by Mr.
96_ Peel, in words wliich subsequent
Answer by events have rendered prophetic: "I
Mr. I'eel. jg not concur in the anticipation that
the emancipation of the Catholics would tend
to re-establish harmony in the state, or smooth
down conflicting feelings. I do not wish to
touch prospectively upon the consequences of
intemperate struggles for power. I do not wish
to use language which may be construed into
a harsh interpretation of the acts and objects
of men who proceed in the career of ambition,
but I must say this much, that if Parliament
admits an equal eajiacity for the possession of
Vol.. '— Z
power between Protestant and Catliolic in this
respect, they will have no means of considering
the state of the population, of securing that
equal division of power which is, in my opin-
ion, essential to the stability of the existing
form of government. The struggle between the
Catholic and Protestant will be violent, and the
issue doubtful. If they were to be sent forth
together as rival candidates, with an equal ca-
pacit}' for direct parliamentary representation,
so far from seeing any prospect of the allevia-
tion of points of political difierences, I can only
anticipate the revival of animosities now happih/
extinct, and the continuance, in an aggravated
form, of angrj' discussions, now happily gliding
into decay and disuse. If, in consequence of
this alteration of the constitution, the duratio i
of Parliament should be reduced from seven to
three years, then will the frequent collision of
Catholic and Protestant furnish a still greater
accession of violent matter to keep alive do-
mestic dissension in every form in which it can
be arrayed, against the internal peace and coi.-
cord of the emj)ire. These are my honest sen-
timents upon this all-important question, unin-
fluenced by any motive but an ardent i pari.Deb.
anxiety for the durability of our hap- iv. i002,
py constitution."' - ^f'^^.
This debate is memorable for one circum-
stance — it was the first occasion on 97
which a majority was obtained for Which is
Catholic Emancipation. The second c^irried in
T • J r, • -i r tlie Com-
readmg was carried by a majority of ,„o„s g„j
11, the numbers being 254 to 243; lost in the
and this majority was increased, on I'eers.
the third reading, to 19, the numbers being 216
to 197. The bill, accordingly, went into com-
mittee, and passed the Commons ; but it was
thrown out, on the second reading, by a major-
ity of 39 in the House of Lords, the numbers
being 159 to 120. On this occasion the Duke
of York made a memorable declaration of his
opinion on this subject. " Educated," said his
Royal Highness, " in the principles of the Es-
tablished Church, I am persuaded that her in-
terests are inseparable from tliose of the con-
stitution. I consider it as an integral part of
the constitution. The more I hear tiie subject
discussed, the more am I confirmed in the opin-
ion I now express. Let it not be sujiposed,
however, that 1 am an enemy to toleration^ I
should wish that every sect should have the
free exercise of its religion, so long as it does
not affect the security of the established, and
as long as its members remained loyal subjects.
But (here is a great difference between aUoiinng
the free exercise of relifjion and the t/ra)iti)if/ of
political power. My opposition to tliis l)ill arises
from principles whicli I have embraced ever
since 1 have been abb; to judge iov myself, and
wliich I hope I sliall cherish to tlie last hour of my
life." This decisive declaration on tlio
part of the heir-apparent of the throne, j.'],'^'' '''
wiiose early, accession seemed likely
from tiie he.'illh of the reigning Sovereign, pro-
duced u very great impression, and carried the
popularity of his Royal Highness to the highest
point. H(! became the object of enthusiastic
applause at all the political meetings of per-
sons attached to the Kstablished ('liurch.^^at,
wliich the singular coincidence in numbqifioii
the thirty-nine peers who threw o;tit the MU'
>54
HISTORY OF EUROPE.
[CUAP. X.
and the thirty- niiio niticlos of the ("Inireh
^
T oy' 356 ^*^'"^'^'*' ""> ""^^ ilicit iinbouiuled ap-
plause.'
Lord John Russell, about tlie same time,
brought forward a bill for a grad-
Lord John "'^^ """^ ^•'^''' -\vstem of Parliaiuent-
llussi-Us ary Reform. It was founded on res-
iiiotioii lor olutions, that there were great com-
Trf RtrornV. ?•"'"'* «" ^^^^ subject of the repre-
sentation of the people in Parliament ;
that it was expedient to give such places as
liad greatly increased in -wealth and population,
and "at present were unrepresented, the right
of sending members to serve in Parliament ; and
that it should be referred to a committee to
consider how this could be done, without an
inconvenient addition to the number of the
House of Commons; and that nil charges of
bribery should be effectually inquired into,
and, if proved, such boroughs should be disfran-
chised. The motion was rejected by a majority
of 31, the numbers being 156 to 125; but the
increasing strength of the minority, as well as
weight of the names of which it was composed,
indicated the change of general opinion on the
subject, and might have warned the support-
ers of the existing system of the necessity of
consenting to a safe and prudent reform, if
any thing could convince men who are main-
1}' actuated by the desire to retain,
V 622 623 °'' ^^'® thirst to obtain, political
' ' power. ^
The various branches of manufactures, dur-
gg ing this J'ear, exliibited a marked and
Appoint- gratifying improvement; but in agri-
ment of a culture the prevailing distress was
commiitee jjqj only unabated, but had become
into a
cultural now risen to such a height that it
distress^, could no longer be passed over in
'**'^''" '• silence. On 7th March, Mr. Gooch
brought forward a motion for the appointment
of a committee to inquire into agricultural dis-
tress; and in the course of the debate Mr.
Curwen observed, " In the flourishing days of
the empire, the income of the nation was
£400,000,000, and the taxation was £80,000,000
annually. At present the income is only
£300,000,000, yet the taxation was nearly the
same. In what situation was the farmer? The
average of wheat, if properly taken, was not
more than G2s. a quarter; the consequence of
which was, that the farmer lost 3s. by every
quarter of wheat which he grew. On the ar-
ticle of wheat alone, the agricultural interest
had lost £15,000,000, and on barley and oats
£15,000,000 more. In addition to this, the
value of farming stock had been diminished by
£10,000,000; so that in England alone there
was a diminution of £-40,000,000 a year. The
diminution on the value of agricultural produce
in Scotland and Ireland can not be less than
£15,000,000; so that the total loss to the agri-
culturists of the two islands can not be taken
at less than £55,000,000. This is probably a
quarter of the whole value of their procluc-
tions; and as their taxation remains the same,
it has, practically speaking, been increased
'Pari. Deb. twenty-six per cent, also."^ The
Iv. 1147, truth of these statements, how start-
1151. ling soever, wa* so generally known.
that Government yielded; and a committee
was .appointed to inquire into the causes of
agricultural distress, which made a most val-
uable repoi't in the next session of Parliament.
CJreat light Avas thrown ujion the causes of
this distress in a debate which took jqq
place, shortly after, on a bill of little Bank Cash
importance, introduced by Govern- Payment
ment, authorizing the Bank, if they ''
chose, to resume cash payments on 1st May,
1821, instead of May, 1822, as had been pro-
vided by the bill of 1819. The reason assigned
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer for giving
the Bank this option was, that they had, at a
very heavj' expense to themselves, accumulated
a very great treasure, and that the paper circu-
lation of the country had been so much con-
tracted that cash payments might be resumed
with safety. Ho stated that, "in June, 1810,
the issues of the Bank amounted to £25,600,000 ;
and they had been progressively diminished,
till now they were only £24,000,000. The
country bankers had drawn in their notes in a
still greater proportion. Above four millions
had been •withdrawn from the circulation in
less than two years — a state of things which
amply justifies the present proposal to give the
Bank the option of issuing gold coin, i pari. Deb.
if they thought fit, a year sooner iv. 1315,
than by law provided." * ^^l^-
The effects of the contraction of the currency,
thus made the subject of boast by ]oi.
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Baring's
were thus stated bv Mr. Baring in speech on j
the same debate: ''In lookin| at t'''^ ^^^J^^'- i
this question, it is very material to consider
what is the state of the country in this the
sixth year of peace. Petitions are coming in
from all quarters, remonstrating against the
state of suffering in which so many classes are
unhappily involved, and none more than the
agricultural class. When such is the state of
the country in the sixth year of peace, and
when all the idle stories about over-production
and under-consumption, a7id suchlike trash,
have been swept away, it is natural to inquire
into the state of a country placed in a situation
without a parallel in any other nation or tima
No country before ever presented the continu-
ance of so extraordinary a spectacle as that of
living under a progressive increase in the value
of money, and decrease in the value of the pro-
ductions of the people. It appears clear that,
from the operations of the altered currency, we
have loaded ourselves, not only with an im-
mense public debt, but also with an increased
debt betroeen individual and individual, the
weight of which continues to press upon the
country, and to the continuance of which pres-
sure no end can be seen.
" The real ditEculty is to meet the increased
amount of debts of every sort, public
and private, produced by the late continued,
change in the currency. It is an
observation than which nothing can be more
true, that an alteration in the value of the
currency is what nobody, not even the wisest,
generally perceive. They talk of alteration in
the price of bread and provisions, never re-
flecting that the alteration is not in the value
of these articles, but in that of the currency in
which they are paid. To talk of the alteration
1821.]
HISTORY OF EUROPE.
3j5
of tlie value of moncj' being tlireo, tiVo, or six
per cent, is mere trilling. What we now are
â– witnessing is the exaet converse of what oc-
curred during the war, from the enlarged issue
of paper, and over the whole world from the
discovery of the mines of Mexico and Peru.
The misfortune is, in reference to agriculture,
that what is a rumunerating price at one time
becomes quite the reverse at another. For-
merly it was thought that oOs. a quarter was a
remunerating price, but that is not the case
now. What is the reason of that? It is oc-
casioned by the altered currenc}^, and by the
produce of this country coming into contact
with the commodities from all parts of the
world, at a time when the taxes, debts, and
charges which the farmer has to meet have
undergone no alteration, llis products did
not bring their former price, while his private
debts remained at their original amount. Be-
sides this, there is the great mortgage of the
National Debt, which sweeps over the whole
country, and renders it impossible for the farm-
er to live on prices which formerly were con-
sidered a fair remuneration. The ditSculties of
the country, then, arise from this, that you have
brought back your currency to its former value,
so far as I'egards your iueome ; but it remains at
its former value, so far as regards your expen-
diture." Weighty, indeed, are these remarks,
which subsequent events have so fully con-
lirmed, and which came then from the first mer-
I Pari Deb. chant in the world, who afterward
iv. 131«, conferred honor on, instead of receiv-
1323. JQg it from, the title of Ashburton.'
The increased weight of debts and taxes,
JQ3 coinciding with the diminished in-
Vehement comes arising from the contracted
demand for currency, produced its natural and
!I
pressure on Government for the re-
duction of ta.xation. Mr. Hume* brought this
* The returns obtained by Mr. Ilnme presented the
following comparative statement of the ]Jriti.sh army, ex-
tlu.sive of the troops in India, in 17'J2 and 1B21 respec-
tively, viz. :
1792. Men.
Regulars in Great Britain— Infantry and cavalry 15,010
Do. Ireland 12,UU0
Colonies 17,323
Artillery 3,730
Marines 4,425
Total regulars 53,397
Militia disembodied 33,410
86,607
1821. Mon.
Hcgulars in Great Britain— Cavalry and infantry 27,852
Do. Ireland 20 778
Do. Colonies 32^470
Artillery 7^B72
Marines 8^000
Colonial troops — Cape 450
Do. Ceylon .'....' 3,600
Recruiting Establishment 497
Total regulars 101,539
Disembodied militia— England 55,002
Do. Ireland 22,472
1 comanry— Great Britain 30.291
Do. Ireland 30.780
yoluntecr infantry 0,934
Great Britain — Veterans disembodied 10,000
I^ast India Company's regiment 750
Total irregulars 102,328
Grand Toial 2i;3,807
—Pari. Papers, No. 363, 1621 ; Pari. Ikh., v. 1302.
subject before the House of Commons, and the
whole finances of the country underwent a
more thorough investigation than they had
ever previously done. His labors embraced
chiefly the expenses of the offices connected
with the army, navy, and ordnance depart-
ments; and there can be no doubt that he
rendered good service by exposing many abuses
that existed in these departments ; and a com-
mittee was appointed to inquire into the sub-
ject. In consequence of the universal com-
plaint of agricultural distress, Mr. Western
brought forward a bill to repeal the malt du-
ties, which was carried, on the first reading, by
a majorit}' of 24, the numbers being 140 to 1'26.
It was tlirowu out, however, on the second
reading; and so productive is this tax, and so
widely is its weight diffused over the commu-
nity, that its repeal has never yet been carried.
The majority on the leave to bring in the bill,
however, was an ominous circumstance, charac-
teristic of the depression of the agricultural
interest ; aud members were so impressed with
it that they deemed it expedient to j-ield on a
surbordinate point, and the agricul- : Ann. Reg.
tural Jiorse-tax was accordingly re- 1821, 84,
pealed this session.^ if^^*-
The committee on agricultural distress pre-
sented their report on 18th June. It jo4.
was a most elaborate and valuable Agricultu-
document, as it bore testimony to the raicomnut-
fact established before the committee, anVstlue ^'
that " the complaints of the peti- of the con-
tioners were founded in fact, in so sumption
far as they represented that, at the o[fu"ur^.^
present price of corn, the returns to ^'
the owners of occupied land, after allowing
growers the interest of investments, were by no
meana adequate to the charges ami outc/ouir/s ;
but that the committee, after a long and anx-
ious inquiry, liad not been able to discover any
means calculated immediately to relieve the
present distress." * it is by no means surju-is-
* " So far as the pressure arises from superabundant
harvests, it is beyond the application ot any Ir^iishitive
provision ; so far as it is the result of the incnasi d v^iiuc
of money, it is not one peculiar to the farmer, but extends
to many other classes. That result, however, is the
more severely felt by the tenant, in consequence of its
coincidence with an overstocked market. The dei>arlure
from our ancient standard, in proportion as it was per-
judicial to all creditors of money, and persons dejiendent
on a fixed income, was a benelit to the active cajntal of
the country ; and the same classes have been oppositely
adectcd by a return to that standard. The restoration
of it has also embarrassed the landholder, in jiroporllon
as his estate has been encumbered with morigagis, and
other fixed payments assigned on it during the ili|iniia-
tion of the currency. The only alleviation for this evil is
to be looked tor in such a gradual reduction of the rate of
interest as may lighten the burdens on the landed interest.
At present the aiiinial jirodure of corn, the growth of the
United Kingdom, is, upon an average crop, equal to our
present consiiiiiiitioii, and that, with such an average
crop, the present iiiiport prices, below which foreign corn
is by law altogcllicr (•\
especially since the rliaiitri' in lli(? currency, to secure to
the British farmer the iumplete monopoly of the homo
market. The change in the value of our money is virtu-
ally an advance upon our import prices ; and the result
of every such advance, supposing prices not to undergo a
corresponding rise in otht^r countries, mtist but expo.se
this country to greater and more grcvious lluctuations in
price, and tlic business of the farmer to greater lluctnation
and uncertainty. I'rotection can not be carried further
than Fnonnpoly, wliirli th(! British litrmer has completely
enjoyed for the last two harvests — the ports having been
almost constantly shut against foreign imports during
thirty months."— r'o/;imonj(' lirpurt, i\uic IB, 1821 ; Pari.
Deb., V. 81, Appendix.
V.M niSTOllY O
iiii; Uint it wns so; for ns thoir ilifiionltios all
arose from the coiitriictiou of tlio currency, it
was impossible tlioy ot)uKl be removed till lliat
ei)ntr«etioii was alleviateil, a tliiiit^ which the
great majority of the legislature was resolved
not to do. It is remarkable that at the very
same time Lord Liverpool demonstrated in the
House of Lords, that the <7<'He?-a/eonsumi)tion of
the country, in artieles of comfort and luxury,
had eousiderabh' increased in the last year.*
This fact is important, as uti'ording an illustra-
tion of the observation already made*
i \Tii *42 '"^ ^*' '''*â– ' eternal law of nature, that
the division of labor and imjirove-
luent of machinery, capable of indefinite appli-
cation to manufacturing industry, have no
'Ann Reg. teudency to cheapen the production
lb'21, 73 : of the subsistence of man, and consc-
i:oinnions' quently that the first and the last to
?unel8 sutler from a contraction of the cur-
1621 ; Pari, rency, and enhancement of the value
Deb. V. 79, of monc}', are the classes engaged in
â– *-PP- the cultivation of the soil.^
This long-continued and most severe depres-
105. sion in the price of agricultural prod-
Increase of uce, coupled with the reiterated re-
tlie desire fyj^ig of rarliament to do any thing
for relorm ^ ^, . ,• i- ^ i ^i •'^
among the for their relict, at length came to pro-
agricultur- duce important political efiects. It
isis. spread far and wide among the land-
owners and farmers, who in every age had been
the firmest supporters of the throne, the con-
viction that they were not adequately repre-
sented in Parliament, and that no relief from
their sufferings could be anticipated, until, by
a change in the composition of the House of
Commons, their voice was brought to bear more
directly and powerfully upon the measures of
Government. Every thing was favorable : all
the world was at peace ; trade had i-evived ;
the seasons were fine ; importation was prohib-
ited, and had ceased. jS'evertheless j^rices were
so low that it was evident that a few more such
years would exhaust all their capital, and re-
duce them to beggary. Reform had become in-