SEDITIOUS MEETINGS' BILL.
Mar. 28.—The Solicitor-General moved, that the Lords' amendments to this bill should be taken into consideration. Lord Cochrane considered it his duty to delay the progress of the bill by every means in his power; and under that impression, he should have taken the sense of the House on every one of the fifty-four amendments; but as he could not find a seconder, he must suppose the majority of the House were right, and that he was wrong. Several verbal amendments were read, and agreed to. Mr Brougham contended, that all the amendments could not be properly considered at so short notice, and he should therefore move that the farther consideration of them be adjourned till Monday. The House divided, For the adjournment 31; against it 77; majority 46 The several other clauses were then gone through, and a Committee of Conference to communicate with the Lords was appointed.
Mar. 29.—Mr Vansittart, Mr Brogden, and others, who had been appointed to manage a conference with the Lords, stated, that they had left the bill, and a copy of the amendments, for their Lordships' consideration. A message from the Lords informed the House, that their Lordships had agreed to the amendments.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Mar. 31.—The Speaker, attended by several Members, went up to the House of Lords, and heard the Royal Assent given to several bills. Mr Vansittart moved, that the House, at its rising, should be adjoured till Monday fortnight. Mr Ponsonby hoped, that Ministers would, in the meantime, take some measures that would lead to a complete removal of the distresses of the people. Adjourned till Monday fortnight.
BRITISH CHRONICLE.
FEBRUARY.
I.—Meeting of Merchants.—A meeting was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, of the principal merchants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, Sir Robert Wigram, Bart, in the chair; and a declaration to the following effect was unanimously adopted: After deploring the criminal excesses which had lately disgraced the metropolis, it stated, "that they were fully sensible of the distresses and privations of the lower classes of people, and were anxiously desirous of using every practicable means of relief, at the same time pledging themselves, individually and collectively, to support the government and constitution as by law established; and to resist every attempt, whether of craft or violence, that may be directed against civil liberty or social peace." The opinion of this most respectable body of men has always had great influence upon the public mind, and will doubtless have a good effect at the present crisis.
6.—The Levee.—The Prince Regent's levee, at Carlton House, this day, was one of the most numerous that is recollected, as persons of rank and distinction, of all parties, were anxious to congratulate his Royal Highness on his escape from the late treasonable attempt on his person.
6.—Edinburgh Address.—At an extraordinary meeting of the Town-council of Edinburgh, on Monday the 3d instant, the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council, voted a dutiful and loyal address to the Prince Regent, expressing their detestation of the gross outrage offered to his Royal Highness on his return from opening the Parliament, on Tuesday the 28th ult. Similar addresses have been voted by the Lord Provost and Magistrates of Glasgow, and by the Town-council of Paisley. Meetings for the same purpose have been called of the counties of Edinburgh, Haddington, Fife, Roxburgh, Renfrew, and in various other parts of Scotland.
Greenock.—First Ship from the East Indies.—Yesterday morning, the ship Anna Robertson, Macfarlane, from Calcutta, laden with sugar, cotton, indigo, &c. came into this port, being the first arrival in the Clyde, consequent on the breaking up of the East India Company's monopoly; and it is truly gratifying to find, that the most sanguine anticipations then entertained of the benefits to be derived from throwing this trade open, bid fair to be amply realized.
8.—Mildness of the Season.—As a proof of the extreme mildness of the season, the following plants were observed in blossom on the 30th ult in a garden in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, viz. the wall-flower, stock primrose, cowslip, polyanthus, daisy, hepatica, crocus, Christinas rose, green hellebore, winter aconite, white coltsfoot, whitlow grass, scurvy grass, golden saxifrage, and early flowering heath; besides which, many gooseberry-bushes, currants, roses, honeysuckles, and even some plants of hawthorn, had already unfolded their leaves.
10.—Spafields Meeting.—Every precaution was taken to prevent any riot or disturbance from the meeting at Spafields, which was announced to take place this day. About one o'clock several thousand persons had assembled, when Mr Hunt made his appearance; and, after stating that Lord Cochrane could not attend, and that Sir Francis Burdett would not, he delivered a long and
