Norfolk Annals, Vol. 1: A Chronological Record of Remarkable Events in the Nineteeth CenturyMackie, Charles
History
Norfolk Annals, Vol. 1: A Chronological Record of Remarkable Events in the Nineteeth Century
Mackie, Charles
Norfolk (England) -- History
3.—Pursuant to requisition signed by 540 occupiers of land, &c., in the
county the High Sheriff of Norfolk (Sir R. P. Jodrell), convened a
meeting at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, “for the purpose of taking into
consideration the severe and unprecedented distresses of agriculture and
the best means of relieving them.” The High Sheriff presided, supported
by the county members, Mr. T. W. Coke and Mr. Edmond Wodehouse. Mr.
Cobbett was in the body of the Hall, and great confusion prevailed at
intervals. Mr. Alderman Thurtell moved a string of resolutions in favour
of the reduction of taxation and the abolition of needless and,
therefore, useless places, pensions, and sinecures, such a reduction of
the National Debt as was required; and the total repeal of the Malt and
Beer taxes, which would relieve heavy burdens and encourage the growth of
barley. Mr. George Watson seconded the resolutions. Mr. Cobbett, amid
great uproar, then moved, as an amendment to Mr. Thurtell’s resolutions,
that a petition be presented to Parliament containing among other
suggestions the following: the appropriation of part of the public
property, commonly called Church property, to be applied to the
liquidation of the National Debt; the abolition of the standing army; the
total abolition of sinecure pensions, grants, and emoluments; the sale of
numerous public estates commonly called Crown lands, and the application
of the money towards the liquidation of the public debt; to suspend by
law for one year all distraints for rents; to suspend all processes for
tithes for the same period, and all processes arising out of mortgages
effected on houses or land; and to repeal the taxes on malt, hops,
leather, soap, and candles. Not three-fourths of the audience were able
to hear the reading of the petition, but it was adopted, and the
resolutions moved by Mr. Thurtell negatived by at least twenty to one.
Mr. Cobbett, at the close of the meeting, stood forward and said this was
the greatest triumph he had ever had; it was their triumph also—the
triumph of truth and sound principles. Subsequently meetings were held
in the various Hundreds of the county “to disavow the Norwich proceedings
of the 3rd,” and “to express abhorrence and detestation of the
revolutionary doctrines promulgated, and the measures of fraud and
spoliation recommended for legislative adoption.” On March 8th the
NORFOLK CHRONICLE published the following paragraph: “Norfolk Petition.
Serious loss. We understand the county has been so unfortunate as to be
deprived of its Petition by some daring depredator who had the audacity
to steal it from the coach by which it was sent to London about a
fortnight ago. The most diligent search has been made for this important
document, but without success.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account