Star. — London, England, 1830-03-09 00:00:00

taken from the people their just rights, and those advantages secured under the great charter. That oligarchy now nominated .1 majority of the House of Commons • and It was against the odious monopoly of power that he wa rred and would war. It scented as if the honourable house were :disposed to laugh at themselves. At the beginning of the session they passed what they called one of their sessional standing orders, de. claring that it was a high breach of privilege for any peer to interfere in or influence the return of members to the House of Commons. About half an hour afterwards one member was avow ing that he had purchased a seat from a peer; and soon afterwards another member, the son of a peer, was spoken of as having walked across the house, followed by eight or nine peers, all of whom were returned by one and the same influence, and that in fluence said to be a Peer. What then became of the standing order about the breach of privilege ? Ile was for restoring the House of Commons—for having it what it was intended to be ; he desired that the House of Commons should be no longer a dead letter; and lie would have those punished even worse than sheep-stealers, who should deprive the people of their inalienable rights. Only think of the modesty of the 2,000 people who returned so many 3lembers to the House of Commons ! They were more capable of choosing proper representatives for the twenty millions : they had more good sense, more discrimination ! yes, virtual representation was better than real representation. Insolent proposition ! But the people, to use a familiar adage, knew where the shoe pinched. How were those occupied who returned, or were returned by such means' How did they think they were occupied? Why, in getting one brother made a Bishop ; the wife of so and so's cousin made a General—others made Lords of the Bedchamber, or " Grooms of the Stole !"—(Laugh and cheers.) AU places were occupied, no matter what they were, so long as salaries were at tached to them ; nothing appeared too degrading for noblemen, as they were called, and their nominees and dependents to accept, so that salary was attached ; the cash was accepted, the degradation was unnoticed. Ah ! but the system " worked well." So said Canning and other humbugs of that description—(Loud cheers and a laugh.) But how did it work well ? Why, as the Grave. digger in Hamlet said by the gallows, " it did well fur those who did ill."--(Cheers and laughter.) But how had the Parliament worked for the people ? lily, it hail loaded the country with a debt of 800,000,0001. Who before had ever even thought of such a debt !- a debt of 800,000,0001. (Hear !)—a debt so enormous ;hat it would take a man 52 years to count out the money to pay it : a debt larger than all the money that was ever coined in the world. lie would turn to the Oligarchy or any body who said the system worked well, and hold up before them " eight hundred millions of debt!" (Hear, hear, hear.) They might have grown rich while that debt was contracting, they might have raised fine palaces, and had rare men) , nights and days while they were fastening that mill-stone around the neck of old England. (Hear.) That debt might have worked well for them, but at last what had it done for the people ; to what state had it reduced them ? Go from Land's End to John o'Groat's tavern, as far as the Giant's Causeway ; go from one end of the country to the other, —(hear, hear,) and they would find that the people were lunged into deep, dire, crushing, afflicting, universal distress. 11 ho imposed that distress on the country, or the industrious people of England ?—Was it the fault of Englishmen that they were in distress ?—(Cries of no, no) Were they not as industrious as ever ? Were they not as intelligent as ever ?--(Hear, hear) Had they not continued to make vast tin. prevenient in manufactures and machinery ?—(llear, hear, with some noise at the gates leading into the grounds, owing to the peo ple pressing forward to get in.) Mr. HUNT stepped forward and begged to state that he had just received a letter stating that there were upwards of live thousand persons on the outside, who, though anxious, were un able to get into the grounds ; he begged those present to move a little to the right and that would afford some relief.—[They did so, and in the move broke down some of the barriers in front of the gallery, which afforded some additional space, enabling many to get under or nearer to the gallery, which for a time created some alarm among the ladies lest the roof should give way. However all tentained tolerably safe, and order was soon restored.) Mr. O'Cosew ELL resumed. He would take up his address where he had left off: He was telling them—indeed he was thinking aloud," that the industry and the ability of En. elishmen had remained the same ; they were as economical and intelligent as ever, and there were masses of capital in the coun ty, if they could only be used. All the mischief was attri butable to the people not having proper organs in the house to represent their interests and feelings. He would have that defect corrected ; he would cut down the sinecures and useless places, and he would have those reduced who reduced unjustly sixpence too much, and not only make them return the blllpence, but a' halfpenny for the interest thereof. (A laugh.) This country would never have known its present distress if there had been tale play between man and man ; all had arisen because the people were subjected to the afflicting scourge of an Oligarchy. He would say, and he would say it openly, though he hated regal tyranny with all a freeman's hate, he would prefer it to the rule of an odious Oligarchy. Such tyranny would be easier to be borne than the grinding rule of an Oligarchy that fattened on the miseries of a people. The Oligarchy met them at every turn. Whatever they saw, tasted, or touched, was poisoned by taxation. In the shoes that they wore they trampled on it ; the hat that sur mounted them was likewise the subject of tax. During their lives they were taxed in every way, and in every direction ; and when they died they could not go to their graves without Kting taxed. Would any body tell him that if the represen tation were in the state in which it ought to be—that if they had an adequate House of Commons, the people ever could have been brought into such's state ? If such a house had done such things, he thought they would pretty soon have been kicked out_ (A laugh.) But the oligarchy taxed them and fleeced them ; they het realised the fable of the dogs and the wolves; they had de stroved the people's guardians, so that the " wolves^ had been able to do what they pleased. They were in the situation of hungry wolves descending from the Appennines, when the dogs were g on e , and the watc h men asleep . It' the food of the people were taxed, ei.y wa s it ? To put money into the _pockets of' the rich. lie heed the cant about tree trade. It gave cheap silks to the higher orders. while another law existed taxing food (hear ) He hated cant of every sort ; but the cant about free trade was to him peculiarly disgusting —a free trade for the luxuries of the rich, and secure tax on the necessities of the poor. Then, what eats the remedy for all this mass of mischief and evil ? He thought there teas too much good sense in the country to put up with such evils thud, longer: he would repeat, the English were too proud to endure them. M'hat ! had the iron so entered their souls that they would permit themselves to be as branded slaves? (Cries of" No, no.") Then what was the remedy? Parliamentary reform— radical reform. (Loud cheers.) What he meant by radical reform '"as. that every man should vote for his representative, and that no nuan should be eeprivitl of his vote but by the verdict of a jury, on being proved to be a lunatic, at somewhat less expense, t"'' than 30,0001. li e : tad ever insisted, and would ever Insist against the principl e of property deciding the representation ; and Y 4 they who talked about property being represented, maintained the r,:lits of the boroughs where there was no property.—(Hear.) Was nut an insult to their common sense ? rhe property in the ..or.oughti was a tietior.—in plain English, a lie.--(A laugh.) It was e di:a was p ut upon two legs and majello walk. He maintained :oat it was not property but men that were to be represented ;—not weep, bullocks, ace. but men ;—not tundholders or landowners, hat human beings who wanted to be represented. (Much cheering.) What was the use of 20,000 inhabitants of M estminster, sup posing they returned two honest men. having the two votes, it they were to lie neutralized by two votes sent from the ploughed fields of Batton or Old Sarum ? All admitted the Eng. hsti to possess common sense : some said they were nut quite so a;ute as the &well, the matte: ear a sort of disputable point ; ~ titers said they had nut so much Latin as the lash, and could • et live so sparingly as a Frenchman, who could make a good Lreakfast upon a frog ; but all admitted that the English had evolution sense : then could anything he so insulting to that con. u•, le sense . a, such a s y stem o f vot i ng , or such principles of de. fence ? T here was not common sense in it—no, nor common 'Uneasy.Why bad it l aste d I' Because they had never had public own adequately to espouse their cause. Those who had ap peig(d hail either got comfortable among the irhigs, or sold the cause they pro f essed to support : but he thought better days and b tter prusy._ets for the people wereapproaching. He trusted that should ace the days of " merry old England" again. He also co,,tentlol for univer sa l surtage.--(Lheers.) lan, nut property, 7u v ase s be rep re sented. All book s l a id i t d own as a principle that etre justly enforced, because they were assented to by the „I?le throu g h the i r representatives. And where was the man not ht let to tax ? lie mute be without hie nose and ey.:s, and have M out h Quti ,bewed : that was the only ki n d o f E ng li shman not content t h at alien they fo un d a f e ll ow of that kind, he would 11 ht the Hat " virtual" representation should do for him. assent of a people were required for a tax, to im. t 1 7..9 1 t latx without such assent would be a tobhery. On tinie u.keeene,iii.eipie the pople were liable to be celled out was slicer to of the country —and that was just ; but it was cell them out without the. demand was made by le:r . Tee:mauves. The prple of universal suffrage mc . ci thc y in %yet:moral, just, and hunest principle. Of the grades of he idimincuo. n‘ r ePt 3 esc ian ntt io iou a mliean r every cohere s ; ; al o r d wa d s no more elan a than , asst often much less ; but while be respected those d -ileums which roust arise in • society from liirtuous, intelligent, ie or 4 dustri ee l conduct , he contend for the eternal equality o f man . , ote b os . isiu . al right to be r e p resente d ? H e s h ould eontentfor .the e Noi r i It was the most important of all. Without it, ex cl., ca suffrage would b e an evil voters would be conveyed in ej jansd ts • .but with the ballot, the bribe, the command, ti c s, (flown of Aura—all would be powerless. He shootd Newly contend o ballot lie had been 30 year' , in ncht"i"g one object. lib' , Nly h ad • . boo a stick of living to be about 90—so that he had about 42 years to perform the work which he was now undertaking. The ballot he wanted, and he never would be satisfied without it. The duration of parliaments, too, must be shortened. As to the septennial act, as they who had been elected for three years voted that they should sit seven years; they might as well have voted that they should sit for the terms of their natural lives. (Hear.) — That act was s great evil. As to the duration now to be pro posed, he differed from some person. The experiment of electing for two years had been tried in America, and had succeeded ; and he was, therefore, for adhering to what had been successfully tried, in preference to the proposition for annual parliaments. But, on this point he would not differ from those who honestly sought uni versal suffrage, and vote by ballot. (Cheets.) Having these ad vantages, there were no benefits which the people might not expect to result. The parliament would then be the people's servants, not their masters. Taxes would be taken off. Parliament would not expect 60,000,000/. taxes to be collected in gold-8,000.0001. or 10,000,0001. would be cheerfully paid ; and that amount would be large enough. But, to obtain the advantage now sought, he I would not have them resort to brutal violence or physical force ; that course would only increase the strength of their enemies ; and would prevent good men from joining them. The Duke of iVel lington had found the peaceable resistence of Ireland too strong for him. He would ask of Englishmen to frown their enemies into submission, not to strike—to look them in annihilation. He would have them exert all constitutional force—no more. But in law as in war, nothing was done without a treasury. If they paid a penny a week, or a shilling a month, where Ireland had raised 30,0001. England would raised a million ; and how such a sum would enable them to break down the Aristocracy, and to compel the boroughs to be defended by 20,0001. at a time, where little or nothing was now expended. He recommended them to continue petitioning, for every petition would cause discussion, and the sentiments would get into the newspapers, and cause converts. tion. The newspaper reports were things that no Attorney-General had yet the audacity to prosecute.—To attack through the medium of parliamentary debate was the safest way of attack. He, however, as long as he lived, would set his face against prosecutions for libel. He stood up the other night in the House of Commons in defence of the Press of his enemies against prosecution. In con clusion he would call on them, with clear hearts and clear heads to support him in beating down the Oligarchy ; in obtaining legal re form, whereby be should rescue the people from the harpies of the law ; and in procuring constitutional reform, whereby all might be represented. He contended for liberty, dear liberty ! which first took its station in this country, and which was dear to Englishmen. And where liberty was oppressed,whether trampled on by the gilded spur of nobility, or borne clown by an oligarchy, those who crushed liberty were his foes. For a thousand years it had triumphed in England ; and England was yet too good to be trampled on by an oligarchy. Let all unite, and England will be what it ought to be— eG Great, glorious, and free, First flower of the earth, first gem of the sea." (Loud and long-continued cheering.) Mr. HENRY HUNT then addressed the meeting, and said he was not much in the habit of making apologies, but he should be compelled to address them very shortly, owing to indisposition from severe cold. He sincerely congratulated then in having at last got a member of parliament who was for annual parliaments, universal suffrage, and vote by ballot. Their petitions would now be pre sented ; and that for which they had long contended would be eloquently supported. This was the fifteenth year of peace, and the distress was greater than ever : did not that demonstrate that something must be done ? With the leave of the meeting he would get the secretary to read the proposed resolutions. Mr. HAND, the secretary pro lent., then read the resolutions, and the objects, rules, and duties of the Metropolitan Union : which we published in the Slur of yesterday exclusively. Mr. HUNT again stepped forward, and spoke of the immensity of the people. Besides the thousands present, he understood there were about 10,000 who could not get admission. He repeated their petitions would be presented, and pointed out to notice. He should propose a short one for the house. The committee, 20 in number, have given the fullest consideration to the Resolutions, and they had been supervised by a sound constitutional lawyer. Ile was in formed that it was the intention of a gentleman to move an amend ment. The Committee had selected from amongst the friends of Reform 36 names, to he submitted to the Meeting, for the purpose of forming a Political Council, with power to increase their number up to 50. He had received a letter from Mr. Carlile, who had acted, he must say, with perfect fairness, having stated in open committee, the suggestions which he meant shortly to submit to the meeting. The committee could not concur in the views of Mr. Carlile.—(hear, hear.) That gentleman had, however, acted fairly and openly, in stating that it was his intention to move an amendment • and Mr. Carlile was as much entitl e d to add ress t h e meeting, an d to submit a resolution to them, as he was himself. It wax for the meeting to declare whether they would sanction the views of Mr. Carlile or those of the committee. They would, of course, hear Mr. Carlile, and decide upon his proposition, which was, he understood, that two persons of his selection should be placed on the Political CounciL Those persons were Mr. W. Cobbett and Mr. R. Owen, the first of whom he characterised as a strong bad man, and the second as a weak good MAR. (A laugh.) This was a curious way to promote union. (A laugh.) If the meeting only examined the rules by which it was proposed to govern the Union, they would perceive that one of them was to choose just, upright and able men; and yet, in the face of this, Mr. Cathie would propose two men, one of whom he describes to be bad, and the other weak. (Cheers.) Mr. Hunt then proposed the first re solution, and retired amidst loud cheers. Mr. FRENCH said he should not do justice to his feelings, were he to remain silent upon such an animating occasion as then pre sented itself (cheers.) He felt too much ardour, his heart expanded too warmly with the glow of liberty, to be prevented from giving expression to the delight and exultation he experienced at seeing so many of his fellow-countrymen assembled to obtain a restitution of their rights (cheers.) They beheld in the chair sitting, if he might be allowed the expression, in conscious pride, the great emancipator' of Ireland (great cheering.) Yet he had not yet completed the great work of his patriotic fame. More remained to be accom plished, for he had yet to liberate Englishmen from famine, and from a proud and unrelenting oligarchy (great cheers.) Mr. French now became inaudible, owing to the pressure of the multitude from without seeking to obtain admission, which created so much noise that he was eventually obliged to give way, and sat down content with seconding the resolution. Mr. O'Coxsfem. said he trusted that the meeting would listen with attention to the gentleman who was about to propose to them an addition to the resolutions. As an Englishman he had a right to be heard.—( Hear.) It would be very deplorable indeed if die union were to be created; but they could not prevent disunion by not hearing their opponents.—(Cheers.) He implored them, there fore, to hear Mr. Carlile, and if he gave any reasons for what he proposed, some of them would answer him as well as they were able.—(Cheer.) Mr. CAILILE said he did not come forward for the purpose of creating disunion, fur nothing was further from his wishes than to excite any thing like want of union. So strongly were his feelings in favour of union, that he was willing to throw all else overboard that could clash with those feelings; and hence it was that he had proposed the name of Mr. Cobbett, an individual with whom he had himself clashed more than with any other man in the kingdom. He had also another reason, which was this :—Mr. Cobbett was un doubtedly a man of great talent, and his name would have great in. fluenee in the country, for he was extremely popular. At all events he thought it was a subject well worthy for the meeting to hear and to deliberate upon.—(Cheers.) He treated them as a deliberative assembly, capable of judging for themselves, when he proposed Mr. Cobbett-.-not because he admired the man ; but let Mr. Cob. beet be what he would— Mr. O'CosrxELL here stepped forward, and asked Mr. Carlilt if he lad Mr. Cobbeu's authority for proposing his name? Mr. CalLti.t--Certainly not. Mr. OTowstsr.t. then said, that he did not think it right to ills. cuss the merits or demerits of an absent person, who, if spoken harshly of, had no means of defending himself. -- Mr. CARLILZ said he would not treat the Meeting as if they had merely met for the purpose of passing a set of resolutions and a peti tion, for they would remember that the acts of that day were to be followed up by other acts of still greater moment. He hoped they would bear in mind that it was not his intention to supersede any thing done by Mr. Hunt and his friends, but rather to strengthen what they had taken up. He waived all opposition to the reso. lotions, which he looked upon as being less faulty than those of the Birmingham Union, his intention bring to move only an addition to them, and not any amendment. The distresses of the country were sot altogether owing to the wars with America and France, for they were also to be ascribed to the previous war which was waged against the liberty oldie people. He begged to remind the people that this country never had a House of Commons which as serted the welfare and rights of the people before the time of Jamas the First. In the reign of Charles the Second it became necessary, in order to preserve the privileges of the aristocracy, that House of Commons should be corrupted. Hume, the his. torten, speaking of this period, said that the nation was di. sided into two parties—the court and the country, and that the former, by means of giving places to lame members of the Com. mons, brought them to their interest, and proceeded in this way until many were bribed from their duties to the people. ' This was the origin of corruptioa in that house, and it went on gradually in creasing until at last it has ceased to represent the people. Mr. Carlile then concluded by proposing a resolution to the effect, that in the reign of Charles the Second, successful Abets had been made to corrupt the House of Commons, and that since then the Inda. mice ef the,lreers had compktod what was then begun.; that this led to distuss ; and that ministers had ackeowledged that they could not legislate remedially, the present proposed Vnion became necessary. Mr. ELLIOTT seconded the Resolution. Mr. HUNT. as mover of the original resolution, begged to my a few words. What was it Mr. Carlile proposed ? That the House of Commons was corrupt. Why he (Mr. Hutt) thought it was an admitted fact that that house was corrupt, without going back to the reigns of Charles and James to find it out. (Cheers and laughter.) [Just at this moment a pick-pocket was seised in the crowd, and brought, without any disturbance, beneath the hustings, where lie was given into custody.] Gentlemen, said Mr. Hunt, we have ftund a pickpocket, and we have secured him, and If you will only do your duty we shall eventually secure all the pick-pockets. (Great lau A liter.) 31r. O'CONNELL now came tot ward to put the resolution to the meeting. He said that Mr. Cathie appeared to think it a great evil that a foreign Prince had been called into this country ; but for his own part he looked upon it as an occurrence which we should always be proud of; for we had cashiered a Prince who was a ty rant, and called one in whom we thought to be well calculated to secure the liberties of the country. I:, another part of the resolu tion he found the words " capping the elintax."—(Roais of laugh. ter.) Really Mr. Carlile was what they called in Ireland a comical blade. He should propose to them the previous question, namely, whether Mr. Carlile's amendment should be put. The previous question was then put and carried by an immense majority, after which the original Resolution was put and carried by acclamation. Mr. GRADY, in rising to propose the next resolution, said he would not usher it in by any observations on the advantages to be derived from it. He thought, and the meeting, he believed, began to think, that the productive classes of the community were daily progressing from a state of half to a state of perfect slavery. (Cheers.) fire present proposed Union had for its object the uniting of all honest men in preserving themselves from the encroachments of those in power ; men who had, by means of corruption, got pos. session of the whole wealth of the nation—men who were con. tinually telling the people that they were represented by the honourable house—(alattgli) —men who were always ready to take away the rights of the people, but never to protect them. (Cheers.) The last week afforded a strong instance of this. A petition was presented to the house from the catholic% of Galway, praying to be placed on the same footing as the protestants of that town, who ob. tained, by a seven years' residence, the right of voting for a repre sentative in parliament. What did the duke's man say on that oc casion ? (Great laughter.) Vi'ould he raise the catholic' to a level with the protestants? Oh. no ! He said the consideration was, whether they would notreduce the two religions to an equality by taking the rights of the protestants away. What was the rule with them? It was this—Should we give to them we strengthen the rabble, and we had better be always ready to take away from our own faith their rights, rather than add to the strength of the people.— (cheers.) lie would ask them, when they read the debates in the newspapers, if they were not satisfied that no good was to be ex pected from that house ?—(cheers.) He would ask them to look at the divisions of the house, when millions of the money of the peeple was being voted away. The seventy-nine placemen were then sure to be in attendance, though it sometimes happened that, if a set were made at a person holding some 2001. a-year, that the policy was then to let him be crushed, by way of throw.' ing a tub to the whale.—(cheers aad laughter.) Their object at present was to get a rent, as well to recover lost rights as to preserve those which they still retained—to protect the liberty of the press from the fangs of an Attomey-General, whether Whig or Tory. (Cheers.) The liberty of the press was the only vestige of liberty remaining in the country, and even that was precarious, when it depended upon the will of a Crown Lawyer. (Cheers.) If the liberty of abusing the Government were to be taken away from John Bull, he would be deprived of the only one he had left him. People talked of the censorship of the press in France, but they should remember that the people In France were well fed, and that they had not an aristocracy grasping the whole property of the kingdom, in order to transmit it to their first-born, while the rest were to be portioned out upon the people.—(lmmense cheering.) In France, by means of the electoral colleges, the' people had a majority amongst the members of the House of De. , puttee. Now he would ask of what advantage it was to us that we had the liberty to speak, but had no majority upon any subject ' whatever in the House of Commons ?—(Cheers.) There was not an individual In England, with an income of only GO/. a year, who did not pay 351. of it in taxes, direct and indirect; and thee would conti nue to be the case so long as Lord Lowther could put seven coun ties in his pocket, and: so long as such boroughs as t 'ld Sarum could send two members to parliament. flow, then, could they remedy those evils ? By money. It was by money the people's rights were purchased up, and by money must they work out their restitution. These were his reasons for supporting the resolutions that had been proposed by his friend, Mr. Hunt; and being confi. dent that a great and glorious change was going to take place, he could not but hail its approach with feelings of the most enthusias tic kind (cheers.) Mr. 31er, in seconding the resolution, expressed a hope that every one would come forward to aid the Union with their pockets, for every one had some means. It was only by union that they could eftict any thing; but if they were united, it would be impos sible for government to resist them. The resolution was then put from the Chair, and carried unani mously. Mr. HUNT now came forward, to move that the 36 gentlemen named by the Committee should he appointed as a Political Coun cil, with the power to increase their numbers to 50, and to act until the Gth July, 1830, at which time a new Council would be elected by the people. Amongst the names were those of Mr. Hunt, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. J. Wood, Mr. J. Hume, and Mr. Otwsy Cave. Mr. HETHERINGTON seconded the resolution, and said that, now the people had begun to act for themselves, some hopes might be entertained for the recovery of their rights. If they gave their support to the Union it would be impossible that the country could be any longer kept in such a state of destitution and misery as it was at present. (Cheers.) He hoped they would all support the first attempt made by the people to do their duty. The resolution was then put and carried. Mr. OltaDY proposed that Mr. Hunt should be appointed Tha -1 surer of the Union. Mr. CLEAVER, in seconding the resolution, which was carried also, :arid that all that was now required was " a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together." Mr. SAVAGE, in proposing the next resolution, alluded to what had been said in the House of Commons as to the prosperity of the retail dealers, and said, if they were prosperous, he, as one of them, could say that their prosperity was obtained out of the very vitals of the poor. In order to do away with this state of things. it was necessary to adopt firm, but at the same time, legal, peaceful, and constitutional means. (Cheers.) Mr. WARDEN, in seconding the resolution, hoped they would aid the new rent, and thus provide the sinews of war, bearing con. stantly in mind the good old Scotch proverb, Many a miekle makes a muckle." Cheers. This resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. Hawn, in proposing the next resolution, said that at so late an hour be would not detain them by many observations; but one was of too much importance to be withheld. From the present meeting they might date a circumstance which had never before taken place--he meant the union of the radical reformers of Eng land and Ireland.—(cheers.) The question was, whether the time had now arrived when resistance became a virtue and obedience a crime ? He did not mean a resistance by open force, but by legal means--by a steady perseverance in what was now pointed out.--(cheers.) If they adopted such a course, and persevered in it, he would venture to predict that, as yon sun was setting on that doy's proceeding+, so would the sun of liberty the from them to illuminate the whole empire.—(cheers.) He then racved the next resolution. 111 r. Wm.x z a seconded it. Mr. Hurtr now came forward to propose that a petition should be presented to the House of Commons founded on the resolutions they had agreed to. In 1815, he said, he had taken some trouble about getting up a meeting in the county of Wilts against the Corn Laws. Upon the occasion a petition was agreed to, which was signed by 30,000 persons. The House of Commons was in too great a hurry, however, foe they passed the bill; and ,Nlr. Gobbett said that it was all over, for the bill was passed. He (Mr. Hunt) however, said, “ let us petition the House of In eumbles."—(A laugh.) He wished to petition the House of In eurables, to save them from the House of Coninions--(Chems.) The late Lord Stanhope presented the petition. He had sprit SOL upon this petition, is which there was an immense quantity of parchment, but, years afterwards, he bad been offered this identical petition for one shHling.—(Cheers.) It had, no doubt, been on the table of the noble house, and kicked about under it—but at last 1 h e was offered it for a shilling, as an original document.— (Cheers and laughter.) From thenceforth he resolved never to spend M. on puchment upon a petition to parliament. A piece of clean paper would answer the purpose quite u welL—.(A laugh.) Mr. Hunt then read the petition, after which he said that, by adopting I it, they would give to their honourable chairman an opportunity to introduce an interlude to the great question of reform, which he had already fixed foe discussion upon the 6th of May.— (Chews.) He would ask if there was any man in that meet. ] log who believed that any thing could be done without re form ? It was not for themselves alone that they sought reform, but for their opponents also, for unless they possessed the con& dens of the people how could they survive ? The law prevented Mon from saying any thing which would being the hen. house into contempt, but he would just suppose that the King or the Doke of Wellington was to become a sort of Oliver Cromwell, and s hould go Alum to the house and throe& the members into the i c til Thames ; would any of the t mos ti ng wee p at such an event ? ((Gies of " No t no no.") z bad a.%weted the question fairly, and theft anoWor woo a proof vett only by reform that the House of Commons could be eoliill*ed In the heart* and feelings of dm people, and tlierefure it woo f their own safety as much as for the benefit of the people that they were called upon to agree :3 it. (Cheers.) The following petition , was then read : To the honourable the House of Commons of tie Mike! Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled. " The petition of the Intiabi•ants of the Metropolis assembled in public meeting, at the Bowling.green of the Eagle Tavern in the City-road, " Humbly showeth, " That your petitioners have long suffered under accumulate l difficulties and intolerable distresses their industry has become ai sot • tire, their skill and capital arc without profit, their suffering. 3'o daily increasing, their resources are wasting, and they are witlniut prospect of change or relief. " That, having long reflected upon the primary and immediate causes of their misfortunes, your petitioners ascribe them entirely to the want of radical reform in your honourable house, the tnentber which, not being chosen by, or duly sympathising with, the pen o !., have, for a series of years compromised the nation 's welfare by err, neous and pernicious measures, and by a policy which prefers per sonal and particular interests to the general welfare of the whole of the community. That to the want, also, of radical reform of the representation your petitioners ascribe the ruinous war with the American colonn,.. which ended in their separation from, and entire independence v., this country. " That to the same fatal cause your petitioners ascribe the late bloody, long-continued, and unjust wars against the liberties ef France. which your petitioners believe were waged and carried on to prevent that reform at home, for which the people had so long and s. earnestly petitioned. " That to the same cause, also, your petitioners ascribe tit.. enormous debt of eight hundred and fifty millions, and the opprm. sive and grinding taxes annually required to pay the interest of the same. To the same cause, also, your petitioners ascribe the up. holding of the unparalleled and prodigal establishments in time oi peace, by taxes drawn trent the people who at the same ime are sat , feting the severest, the most cruel, and most degrading privation.— privations abhorrent and inconsistent with the character of English - men, and disgraceful to the nation at large. " That to the same cause also, namely, the want of Radical Re form in die Commons House of Parliament, your petitioners ascribo the utter neglect and shameful disregard of their distresses, the p:o. fessed inability to relieve them, and the total indifference with %hie!' the petitions of the people have been hitherto received, and the as cumulation of fiscal statutes diminishing their personal indepe..- dence, and restraining by innovations of every kind the privilegts which hare heretofore been the birthright of all Englishmen. " That your petitioners therefore pray that your hour honuurablr house will restore, in purity of form and efficacy of practice, th,- rights and civil privileges assured to them by their ancestors in ntagmt charm, in the petition of right, and in the bill of rights— the fundamental principle of which all the kings of England, from i dwartl I. down to George IV. have, by their coronation oaths bound themselves to maintain, and which guarantee our civil liberty, by providing that no man shall be taxed who is not repre sented in Parliament, and none shall he imprisoned or fined except by the verdict of his equals, and which also guarantees property Ly protecting, even for debts to the Crown, a man's tools and means ct obtaining future subsistence. " That your petitioners further pray that your honourable house will not continue to oppose such measures as may be proposed for your own Radical reform ; and your petitioners make this prayer, not only for their own benefit and the advantages of their fellow. countrymen, but for the preservation of your honourable house it. self, which can only exist in power and honour through the voices. Influence, affection, and confidence of the people." Mr. Hulce then moved the adoption of the petition. Mr. Lov eve seconded the resolution; not that he thought peti tions would be at all effective, or of any other importance than as they continually were placing before the House the abject miseries and grievances of the people. It was then moved that the petition be presented to the House of Commons to-morrow (this day) by Mr. O'Connell, which was agreed to amidst enthusiastic cheering. Mr. O'CONNELL said there was only one part of the speech of Mr. Hunt to which he was disposed to offer any opposition ; he meant that part which referred to throwing all the members of the House of Commons into the Thames, (Laughter.) His objec tion, however, was only fractional. (Great laughter.) It was con fined to the 668th part of the house. (Cheers.) He should wrong other honourable members, however, if he did not say that there were in the house several independent men, as honest and tea. lows as there were others whom he would net vouch tor. The proudest moment of his life was when the people of Clare had declared so decidedly for him that no one dared to start in oppo sition, but that he was not then prouder than he felt at that moment.—(cheers.) The people of Clare had witnessed his exer tions and had proved his honesty, but he appeared before them for the tirst time. He could only talk to them of the sacredness of his promises, but to the people of Clare he would speak of his ser vices —(cheers.) He would promise them, however, that he would honestly, firmly, and perseveringly perform his duties, and would endeavour to impress upon the House of Commons his own sense of the zeal and intelligence, and manly and independent feeling, which be had witnessed in that meeting.—(cheers.) Mr. HUNT said that, after a struggle of 26 years, he was de. lighted at witnessing the scene before him—at witnessing a member of the House of Commons coming before' his coun trymen, and pledging himself to maintain and uphold their rights in the House of Commons. Formerly, whenever a great multitude of people were to be assembled, he (Mr. H.) was generally called upon to preside, and upon no occasion, when in hea lth, had ever failed to do so. Then, however, it used to be, " Oh, it is one of Hunt's meetings"— (a laugh.,)—" one of Hunt's mob,"—(a laugh,) though he could safely say that he never attended a meeting more disorderly or less peaceable than that. (Cheer.) It was all Hunt then, but why was It so ? Because men of talent, and of consequence, and of power, never offered to come forward. (Cheers.) They would find in him. however, no feeling of petty jeslousy, for he would be as anxious to work under Mr. O'Connell as he was ever anxious that others would work under him ; and as long as he had health he would never matte to advocate the rights of the people. (Loud Cheering.) There was one little thing which was worth noticing as a sign of the times. On Friday the Age newspaper refused to insert the advertisement for the purpose of calling this meeting, be cause they (the proprietors of the Age,) were not radicals ; but on Sunday they declared themselves to be radicals, by crying out against a long list of rotten boroughs. Another sign of the times : who did the meeting think was anxious for inquiry into the state of the public distress ? Why, lord Eldon ! (Great laughter.) Ile wished to have a Committee appointed for that purpose, to which' lie (Mr. Hunt) would say Amen with all his heart.— (Cheeis.) The first inquiry, however, ought to be into his own conduct, from the (lay when, as John S c o t t, h e p rosecute d H ar d y and others for high treason. (Cheers.) He hoped the Noble lord would live to see stUi greater changes than he bad yet done. He ( Mr. Hunt) had lived over the time when he was at the meeting at Manchester, which was as quiet and as peaceable as that, and yet at which 16 men were killed, and 680 badly wounded. lie was confined upon a charge of t high treason for some days, and tuba,. quently that was changed for a charge of presiding over an illegal meeting. He had his bail waiting for him, when he was suddenly taken off to another prison. He was brought to trial at York, and found guilty, and sentenced to two yeses and six months' imprison ment in the most infamous gaol in the country, where he was kept locked up at four o'clock every evening, and until eight o'clock next alarming, without hearing the sound of a hum a n vo i ce —( cr i es of "shame. ) He never despaired, however, then, nor did he now. He was conscious that he had done no more ian his duty, and he stood before them a living instance, that sending people to gaol is not the way to alter their prinelples—(thleett.) lie then concluded by moving a vote of thanks to Mr. O'Connell, for his able conduct in the chair. Mr. GRADY, in seconding the resolution, said that Mr. O'Con. nell was not one of those thinking rogues that rot in winding-sheets, but he was a man fit to lead a battle for the freedom of the world. Mr. O'Cowwu.L, OA anon al the resolution was carried, once snore presented himself to the Meeting. He had, he said, received letters front Mr. Hume, and from Mr. Otway Cave, regretting their inability to attend the Meeting. Mr. Hume, he said, deserved the wannest gratitude of the people; for though he was continually overpowered in the divisions, yet he. by his perseverance, gave to the country the benefit of the argument and of the sttuggle.— For himself, he would say, that his Irish heart throbbed with gratitude for the honour they had done him ; a heart which, he might say, as regarded its principles and feelings, was baptised in Ireland, but confirmed in hngland (a laugh.) %Yids regard to what he had dune in Ireland, it was said that be had a kind of magic with the people of Ireland. He admitted that he did conjure a little (a Laugh); but his conjuration was this--he looked at what waa right, and dick it, without caring for any influence whatever ; and in the neat place, be resolved never to submit, but to snug. gle to the last against what app e ar e d to hi m to b e oppress i ve. This was the species of magic he had used, and he thought the people of Enland would nowt be behind hand in this kind of con (ONft.n.) tR weal* make the good of the people this Pais star of his conduct, and if he thought that they were wrong, be would fearlessly tell them so. He wished to de nte* their confidence, but in order to acquire it, he could only draw on futurity, but he could said, assure theta they should never have cause to be ashamed of the ltbnotir they had done (Great cheering.) He was a barrister and could give good advice when properly Seed; and he could mute them that the Hely Al liance, in Congress mumbled, could not bestow such a fee upowitim as had bees done by them on that occasion. He desired no other title than that which they had given hint in beland•—tleman of the people—(cheers) ; and he desbed WI other epitaph on his tomb than " here lies the man of the people."--(elacera.) Having reeelv d WWI use gl Of a people they saw, shoes that mounted lives they and when being tette tation wer, had an ads been broug things, he (A laugh.) had realist stroved the to do what wolves desc aA the wa a,,y wati lie hated the higher He hated was to him rich, and a, au the ter there was t evils much mdure the would pert no.") T radical cell was, that man shoo Jury, on I than against th y:t they a of h not at toroughs a lie that :oat it was weep, huh bat !lomat %Vila was Posing Ott 1 : they ploughed I h,la to pow a,:ute as t! Sail live s Lreakfaxr Otllinon nc hens, Lau : ? ~J nesty. public oleo !Nut d ha cause they better pros :.y shouh contended wax to b c :ax e , were pcuple thrc ~:liject to I hi, mouth tax e d ; an woa e n t ;; But it tht hot sh e the lik e the defen hut right their rep vrts th e 0 society in !lie distint 'flan a au , tuietiono 4 dustriuo 4 d ity eq ha; of , d, "es • bi h dial ily utidioz had Ii y~ ~s N I .S