HAMPSHIRE COUNTY MEETING.
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A Meeting of the Nobility, Clergy, Gentry, and Freeholders of the county of Southampton, for the purpose of agreeing to a congratulatory Address to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, was held at the Castle of the city of Winchester, on Tuesday last. The High Sheriff having read the Requisition, spoke as follows :—
GENTLEMEN—The object of this Meeting is merely to agree upon an Address, according to the terms of the Requisition, to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, which, being unconnected with any political or party measures, admits but one expression of feeling from every loyal and well disposed person. That nothing may by possibility interrupt the cordial unanimity so very desirable on this interesting occasion, I trust I shall not be under the necessity of reminding gentlemen of the propriety of confining their observations strictly to the question specified in the Requisition; and although it is my duty so to do, it is almost unnecessary to caution such a Meeting of the propriety of conducting our proceedings with perfect good order, tranquility, and decorum. Every gentleman is entitled to a patient and impartial hearing, as long as his observations are confined within that limit which relates to the question for our discussion. I will now request that any gentleman prepared with Resolutions, will have the goodness to communicate them to the Meeting.
Mr Cobbett then attempted to address the Meeting, but was prevented by continued opposition.
HIGH SHERIFF.—I am not very much experienced in Meetings of this sort, but I have always understood that where any Meeting is assembled for the consideration of any distinct question, the Mover and Seconder are first entitled to be heard.
Mr HUNT,—No, indeed.
Mr COBBETT.—We signed a Requisition: we are the Movers. Those names you have read are not the persons who called the Meeting. I am not going to take the thing out of their hands, but let the Meeting hear the circumstances. It is all out of order: it was me who sent the Requisition.
Mr HUNT.—Fair play, or no Address!
Mr COBBETT.—No huggermugger
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Mr SMITH.—Gentlemen, the facts were, that his Royal Highness having performed one of the highest of the Royal functions, that of opening the Session of Parliament, was insulted, in the grossest manner, on his return; the windows of his carriage were broken, and the safety of his Royal person endangered; therefore, I think it incumbent on the Meeting to express its abhorrence of such a proceeding, and to pledge ourselves to defend his Royal Highness upon every occasion; and I think it becomes the loyal spirit of an Englishman to fulfil this pledge.
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Mr COBETT.—It was not my intention to occupy your time one moment.—(Cries of Silence)—You will lose by that. It was not my intention to occupy the Meeting a moment, but it was necessary you should be informed that the Requisition first offered to the Sheriff was presented by Lord Cochrane, Mr. Goldsmith, Mr. Hinxman, Mr. Hector, of Petersfield, and several other respectable gentlemen.
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