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a proper respect for the feelings | but he certainly would have of great public bodies was more signed it if he had had timely attended to by the three estates notice that such a meeting was of the realm! If that had been in contemplation. He had been, the case, the question which the on all occasions, most happy to freeholders were now assembled meet his brother freeholders of to canvass would never have the county of Middlesex, when come under their consideration. they thought proper to enter on In conclusion, the worthy She- the discussion of any great subriff, by his address, expressed ject connected with public afhis desire that nothing should be fairs. He attended for that pur offered to the meeting save pose on the present occasion. what was strictly in unison with Some gentlemen, who meant to the terms of the requisition. have taken a prominent part in The requisition (signed by 68 the proceedings, having been freeholders) calling on the She-accidentally delayed on the road, riff to convene the meeting, was he was called on to introduce then read. the subject to the meeting, and A person, whose name we he would fulfil the task which understood to be FLANNAGAN, had devolved on him to the best moved that, the correspondence of his ability. They were, he between Mr. Sheriff Rothwell conceived, much indebted to and Mr. Sheriff Parkins be read their patriotic Sheriff—and it to the meeting. was not often they met a patriotic Sheriff, Mayor, or Magistrate, who would call them together for the purpose of consulting on

man.

Mr. Sheriff PARKINS said he had a number of papers on the subject adverted to, which were at the service of the hon. gentle-the safety of the constitutionto him they were much indebtMr. FLANNAGAN observed, ed on this and on many other that he wished those documents occasions, for his readiness in to be read, in order to shew to acceding to the popular voice. the meeting why Mr. Sheriff (Cheers.) As the worthy SheRothwell was not present on riff dispensed with the complithis occasion. ment which was contained in the documents that had been recently adverted to, he (Mr. Moore) deemed it proper that the substance of those documents Mr. Sheriff PARKINS.-" As I should be stated, because, in am not a man of compliment, I his opinion, a compliment so will dispense with it."-(Ap-well merited ought not to be plause.) lost. (Applause.) He would

Mr. P. MOORE said, as the correspondence was complimentary to the Sheriff, he thought it ought to be read.

Mr. P. MOORE then proceeded now proceed to the business of to address the meeting.-He be- the day, and he hoped they gan by observing that his name would make some degree of alwas not attached to the requisi-lowance for an invalid, for such tion which had just been read; he was. Indeed, some gentle

men who had seen him on the now attempted, they had better preceding day concluded that stay away. (Applause.) The he would have been unable to people, under such circumstanattend, "But," said Mr. Moore, ces, would be better without a "here I am." (Applause.) The House of Commons, since it subject which they had to con- only became a legal instrument sider was that noisome, pesti- of oppression. (Cheers.) ferous, infectious, scurrilous, had for a long time been refalse and filthy green bag.turned to Parliament for the (Cheers). The Queen-God pro- same city. This honour, he betect her! (loud cheers and lieved, had been conferred on shouts of Amen!)-was only a him, on account of the fidelity great instrument by which the and consistency of his conduct. consideration of the rights of During the period that he had the people of England was sat in Parliament he had seen brought before the country. In many of these green bags. It defending her rights they pro- was not, therefore, to an insutected their own-in supporting lated green bag, but to the systheir own rights they upheld tem-to a prolongation of green her's. (Applause.) For they bags-that he called their atwould give him leave to say, tention. The system began with that this foul Bill of Pains and Mr. Pitt, at the commencement Penalties he would call it a of the French war. It had gone bill of falsehoods and perjuries, on for a long series of years, --was intimately connected and, if not stopped now, it with the liberties of the people. would go on till nothing was (Applause.) If it were passed, left of the constitution but the it would be a disgrace for any name. (Applause.) He had man to sit in the House of Com- scanned the contents of various mons. They would be, in that green bags for twenty years, case, no longer under the con- during which he had been a retroul and protection of fixed and presentative of the people; and established law and none but he had paid attention to others the minions of power-none but for ten years before he had árthe persecutors of this unfortu-rived at that honour. They had nate lady would be fit to sit in had many green bags; but they Parliament. (Applause.) Mem- would begin with five or six in a bers of Parliament might say bundle. Gentlemen knew what what they would, but the voice the Civil List was. (Laughter, of the people ought to be and cries of "Yes!") They obeyed. To support the inte- knew it, at all events, by name. It rests of the people ought to be was what the American General their primary study all else Lee, in his celebrated Letter to was alien. (Applause.) If mem-the King of Poland, called the bers did not go to the House of source from which Members of Commons to protect the rights Parliament were bribed. of their representatives against Mr. Burke's bill for regulating illegal inroads, such as were the Civil List, a clause was in

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troduced, and continued for à sion of the Habeas Corpus Acf, long time afterwards, which set which was effected through the forth certain provisions which medium of a Green Bag, he were necessary for the more would show what the Opposi effectually preserving the inde- tion had done; for he was dependence of Members of Par-termined, on a great publie liament." But, latterly, that question, neither to spare his clause had been left out; so that friend nor his enemy. (Apit was now almost avowed, that, plause.) When a message of as General Lee said, the Civil the kind to which he had alList was the source of parlia-luded was submitted to a commentary corruption. During the mittee, a member might move, late reign they had several of as his friend, Mr. Tierney, had these green bags, or rather they often done, "that such and such had matters connected with the persons be called and examined, Civil List repeatedly laid before and directed to produce their select committees. When a vouchers for the sums claimed

message came from the Throne, by them." "O! no ;" said as it was said (but, in fact, it was members, "that won't do at the message of ministers the all; if we do that, we must be King was mostly ignorant of it, detected. No; we must have and, let him have ever so good no examination of persons-we a heart, he was likely to be de-must keep to the dry vote-yes ceived,) a select committee was or no; and, as there were ge appointed to take it into consi-nerally about 18 ministerial to deration. These committees, 3 opposition votes on these comfor some years past, had been mittees, the sum called for was called on to transact a deal of voted. This was a good picbusiness. The compact which ture of a Green Bag Committee, was entered into at the com- though it went under the demencement of the last reign was nomination of a Civil List Com'800,000l. per annum. The Civil mittee. The only difference List, however, soon got into between the two was this:arrear arrears of 600,000l. of the Green Bag Committee acted 800,000l. and of 1,000,000l. when some attack was to be accrued from time to time.-made on the Constitution-the Messages came down from the Civil List Committee exerted its Throne on this subject, which powers when a portion of prowere, as usual, sent to a select perty was to be taken from the committee. To whom were people. As he had before said, those messages referred? Why, the compact with the Crown to the very men who wanted fixed the Civil List at 800,000%. the money. (Great applause.) a year; but in the course of It was very true that members time it had increased to nearly of the Opposition were fre-1,400,000l., and, besides that quently placed on those com-sum, arrears to the amount of mittees and, by-and-by, when 9,500,000l. were paid off at difhe came to speak of the suspen-ferent periods. Such was the

result of the money Green Bag | believe those statements." His system. He would now touch (Mr. Moore's) answer was,on the suspension of the Habeas Then you believe what is Corpus Act a short time ago, false; but I will not tell you which measure, with all its mis-why I think so till the report is chiefs, was to be traced to Green brought before the House:" and Bag information-to the infor- when the report was presented mation contained in a Green he stood up in his place, and Bag, of a different description declared that it was a libel on from the present, but no less the nation. (Applause.) The replete with filth and falsehood. Habeas Corpus Act was, howThat Habeas Corpus Green Bag ever, suspended; and they all accused persons of all ranks knew the mischief that followed. throughout the country with-The Manchester business had treasonable and wicked designs. a Green Bag of another kind. These accusations were founded It was an open one, containing on well-calculated perjuries and the statements of magistrates, feasible falsehoods. Well, a informers, constables, spies, and committee was appointed to he knew not what other parties. examine its contents, and five Their depositions went through members of opposition were no- all the letters of the alphabet, minated on it. The committee three times told. But when it made their report, and they was asked, "What people are were unanimous in declaring these? Who is Mr. E.? Who is that the situation of the country Mr. K.? and who is Mr. X. ?" was such as rendered a suspen- the answer was, "O! we cansion of the Habeas Corpus ne-not tell you; there is the matter cessary. (Shame, shame.) But, before you, and you can have from what had since appeared, no farther information." (Apthose whom he addressed must plause.) At length the Green feel, that the Green Bag of that Bag relative to the Queen was day was just as false and un-laid on the table of the House of founded as the Green Bag which Commons, and language was occasioned them now to assem-held which created alarm in the ble together. He had a con-minds of ministers. He (Mr. versation on this subject with Moore), after witnessing what an hon. friend of his (Mr. Pon- had been the result of former sonby), who was then the leader Green Bags, told the House, of the Opposition, and to whom that, to save trouble, instead of they had given their full con-referring the Green Bag then fidence. He said to that indi-produced to a select committee, vidual, My good friend, what it would be just as well to turn kind of evidence had you as to it upside down at once, and the truth of the contents of this write Guilty upon it(LaughGreen Bag?" "Why," said ter.) But a report had been hę, they are founded on dis-made elsewhere on this foul and patches-they are supported by filthy bag, as it had been proevery kind of formality-and we perly denominated by an hon.

and worthy baronet; the greatest they had not taken up the busipatriot of England, Sir F. Burness sooner. Ministers had exdett (cheers), and he looked plicitly told them that they were npon that proceeding to be a not going to try this illustrious gross stretch of authority, an person by the laws of the couninjustifiable dictum of power. try, but that they were going No tyrant on the face of the to make laws for the purpose. earth could have gone a shorter They could not regulate their or a more effectual way to work. proceedings according to the (Applause.) A pause took place existing law; but they felt it in the House of Commons--- necessary to form laws that even Hypocrisy came forward would sanction their unconstito produce that pause. (Laugh- tutional conduct. The hon. genter.) What was proposed?-tleman proceeded to observe, Ministers found it necessary to that he would excuse the fortake another course, and instead mality of a grand jury in this of insisting that the House of case; he would overlook the Commons should write Guilty formality of having the witon the Green Bag, they were nesses' names on the back of advised, like hypocrites of the the bill---he would even overchurch, to fall down on their look the interference of a petty knees and pray for forgiveness. jury; but, he demanded what (Applause.). Let that advice was of more importance than come from what mouth it might, all, who were the accusers ? it had done good. Here he (Applause.) He was sorry to thought it would be proper, say that all the persecutions amongst other points, to look the Queen had undergone were to the conduct of the church. aided and countenanced by the It was necessary to consider first and highest orders of the what their churchmen were church. He held in his hand 'about. They ought to afford a list of those whose duty it was consolation to the distressed---to console the afflicted and supthey ought to administer com- port the distressed, but who, in fort to those who were per- violation of that duty, had come secuted; and yet, he believed, forward and proposed to sever, they would find that some of in the most unnatural manner, them were the supporters and 'protectors of this Bill of Pains and Penalties. (Shame, shame.) Some of them had gone into the Secret Committee, and had returned a verdict of " Guilty" on the back of the Green Bag. If the bill which he had just spoken of passed, away went their whole code of laws---the Constitution was gone, and they would only have to lament that

the ties of nature. Those dignitaries of the church to whom he alluded, and who seemed to look more to their rent-rolls than to their rubrics (a laugh), had advised that all intercourse between the mother and the daughter should be prohibited. (Cries of read, read.) It would be sufficient to read a few of the names, and the first on the list would show the connection be