The Sun. — London, England, 1831-02-25 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. In the course of the present week two cr three very important decisions have taken place in the two Select Committees of the House of Commons,—we allude to those on salaries and the Civil List. The Committee on salaries came to a r esolution on Mon day morning last, that in future no new superannu ation or allowance ought to be made to retired public servants, who had filled high offices, without a spe cial vote of the House of Commons on each indivi dual case,—a very proper resolution, as it seems to us, considering the abuses which have grown up under the existing law. A division is understood to have taken place in the Committee on this question, the numbers being seven and seven, and the Chair man, Mr. Baring, carrying it by his casting voice. This Committee have also recommended a reduction of 1,0001. from the salaries ef the Ministers, making the Secretary of State, First Lord of the Admiralty, &c., 5,0001. a year; the Secretaries of the Treasury are reduced from 4,0001. to 2,5001.; and, as all salaries are in future to he net money, this is not an unfair remuneration. The Committee on the Civil List on We Inesday came to a resolution that the salaries of the Lord President and Lord Privy Seal should be considerably reduced, or rnther entirely abolished. The first (and we may say reasonable) proposal was to reduce them to 1,500/. a year. It was suggested by the leader of the severer sect, that 1,000/. was sufficient for those non-efficient officers, without de partments and without labour. This proposal ap pears to have been considered so preposterous or so radical by the Tory members of the Committee, that Lord Stormont proposed to take away all salary whatever from those two offices; and, strange to say, he was taken at his word, and this ultra-propo sition of the Tory party (probably made in a pet) was thus adopted by the Committee. We may ob serve, that it may be very right to retain these two offices for form sake, or perhaps , for some use. Under all Administrations the Lord President and the Lord Privy Seal are most usefully employed in sitting the one on the right the other on the left of the First Lord of the Treasury in the House of Lords, to occupy the benches and prevent a va cuum. They preserve the first Minister from the severe infliction, which otherwise awaits him, of being teazed to death by any and every bore who may have some important suggestion of his own to impart to the right or the left ear of the exhausted listener ; and in our opinion 1,000/. is not too much for such services. We hope the Committee will be of the same opinion on more mature consideration. The same Committee has recommended a reduc tion of one-third from the salaries of the Great State Officers of the Household : they think— and the public agree with them—that 1,5001. or 1,000/. would be quite sufficient for a Lord Steward or a Chamberlain, or a Master of the Horse, these places being always conferred on distinguished members of the Aristocracy, who of course value the honour of being in imme date contact with the Sovereign more than any salary or emolument. They are amply rewarded by the importance of the office,—by the pomp - arid cir cumstance thereof,—by the fuss, if we may so call it, of the situation,—by the occupation and the pa tronage which it gives them. We are sorry, how ever, to learn that the sum total of the reduction proposed in the Civil List does not amount to more than 10,000/. Indeed, much reduction cannot be expected from a Committee formed under very par ticular circumstances : it was named under a Tory Administration, and of course the friends of good salaries were fully represented ; and those who were then the Opposition being now the actual Ministers, the Committee is composed in great part of the Ministers in and the Tories who are out, and must, therefore, from its very composition, be as little diarosed as may be to the use of the pruning-knife.—Times. Yesterday was the first drawing-room held by a QUeen of England since the time of Queen Char lotte. The attendance was numerous and brilliant. We take this opportunity of stating, that several complaints have been made to us of the extraordi nary omissions of the Court Newsman in his record of levees, &c. We are told, for instance, that he never inserts the name of the Duke of Richmond among the Ministers who attend the Cabinet Councils; and that M. Falck and the Baron de Zuylen, who are constantly present at the confer ences on the affairs of Holland and Belgium, are never noticed. What the motives of this person may be, we know not: he probably does not know the individuals unless they give their cards. At all events, we have nothing to do with these matters except publishing them. The account is a circular sent to all the papers, and with which the editors -have no more to do than they have with the draw ing up of the shipping-list. We may here state, and we trust with all due courtesy, that our paper cannot be made a registry for the fashions of ladies' dresses. There are various publications dedicated to this elegant branch of knowledge—Nos musas colimus severiores.—Times. We regret to find that the accounts from Leland are not calculated to allay our apprehensions for the peace of that country ; but while we candidly ac knowledge that the letters received in town from the counties of Meath and Louth report a state of things that must create uneasiness in the minds of every friend to the country, we cannot but deplore and deprecate the facility with which some of our Evening Contemporaries receive and publish the most exaggerated statements from the sister island. The simple fact is no more than this :—The rustic and half-famishing population on the contiguous bor ders of Meath, Cavan, and Louth, have assembled in large bodies, and entered into resolutions to de znand a lowering of the rents paid for potatoe land, and a rise in their own wages; and, as far as we are yet informed, their demands, thus improperly urged, are not very extravagant. The peasant in Ireland who had the misfortune not to be with out land, was here compelled to pay the owner or occupier for his potatoe garden, a rent:vary ing from Si. to 12/. per acre, while his wages fluctuated from 4d. to 10d. per day. The tariff agreed upon at those rustic assemblages from the information that has reached us,. se.elts to fix the former at 6!. per annum, and the latter .et Is. per day. Though while strongly reprobating the course these unfortunate people have taken to obtain an alleviation of their sufferings, sse would, at the same time, bespeak the commiseration rather than the vengeance of the Government towards these mis guided people. Their old opponents—the as cenoancy gentry of Ireland —cry out " Rebellion," and demand martial law and the proclamation of those districts, that they may be afforded, under the fearful powers of the Insurrection Act, an op portunity of transporting the unfortunate wretches they have driven to despair. We would say it was the duty of a humane Governmenr.gs we doubt not it is the inclination of his Majesty's present Ministers, while they take all fitting precautions for the safety of the country, to hesitate ere they entrust power , — and, above all, arbitrary power—to men whom the history of that ill-fated country has shown to be so little deserving of the trust. From our letters, it appears that a great meeting was to have been held at the villa ge of Nobbor, on the north-east borders of the county of Meath, and that on the evening of that day a conflic t took place between some of the people and a part of the police or military force in the town of Navan, some twelve or fourteen lir me notiles nearer Dublin, the particulars of which ac curately known when th e post left Dublin, e thoig though it appears some lives were lost. We have seen one' letter, written on Monday, by the lady of a highly T2spectable gentleman of. that county, at present in town, residing within a few miles of Navan, and who seemed to have been so wholly unconscious of danger, as to say " I shall drive out to post this letter." —Morning Chronicle. The revolution seems to have been .every where in Italy effected with the greatest ease. A thorough conviction of the necessity of this change has long been entertained by all well-informed persons in the Peninsula ; and it is well known to every one who has visited Italy, that the Italians have been pre pared for the first favourable contingency. le wobld appear from the last accounts, that the prevailing opinion at present is to form a Federal Republic. In this resolution we are inclined to think there is much wisdom. Italy has long been divided into a number of States, the people of which differ from each other equally in character and civilization, and it would be as well to limit the functions of a ge neral Government to the concerns of the whole Peninsula, while each little Republic attends to its own separate affairs. In general, from the division of property, the residence of the landowners in towns, &c., the habits derived from these old republican institutions, the Italians are gene rally democratically disposed. In all these changes which are taking place throughout Europe, the less that we interfere, either directly or indirectly, the better will it be both for the people of the countries affected by the changes, and for our selves. It is not for us to make outeelves the champion of every King who is driven from his throne, or of every people who wish to improve their institutions. Our insular situation places us beyond danger from any conceivable result ; and those who are entrusted with the disposal of the re sources of the naticn, are not warranted in wasting them in the quarrels of other States, on any vague principle of sympathy or liberality. In this respect the French arid ourselves are very differently cir cumstanced. The French cannot, if they would, isolate themselves. Their language and literature are the language and literature of Europe. What ever takes place in Paris is felt in every country, from the Straits of Gibraltar to the Frozen Ocean. The revolution of July was the commence ment of an European revolution; and nothing but the inability to chastise the Parisians prevented the Russians, Austrians, anti Prussians, from advancing instantly to Paris. The despotic Powers were fully impressed with the danger of the example to their own subjects, and their delay afforded no proof of their abandonment of all intention to grapple with the new Power. The instinct of the French teaches them that their monarchical neighbours can never become their friends—that they will seize the first opportunity to attack them, and on the principle of insuring their own safety, they naturally seek to en courage the spread of the revolution. Who does not see that the Italian revolution paralyses Austria? Who does not see that a revolution in Germany would secure them against a combination of despots on their northern frontiers ? If they abuse the con fidence reposed in them by the nations, and seek to establish their ascendancy in Italy and Germany, they will once more range against themselves the indignation of the people of Europe. However this may be, in the mean time the French cannot, if they would, be indifferent spectators of the grand struggle which i s agitating Europe from one extremity to the other. If the French Government, from a desire to conciliate the other Governments of Europe, does not share the sympathy of the people in this emer gency, it will assuredly be borne down. The French peopleknow that the (.Governments in question are not to be conciliated, and that the putting down the diffe rent revolutions would be the watch-word for the movement against themselves. Separated as we are from the. Continent, and secure against all attack, let us attend to our own affairs, prosecute the re forms and improvements which the time demands, and avail ourselves of the blessings which are within our reach. Burdened as we are, the resources of the country are so great, that if we avoid rushing into war, we shall every year feel the load of our taxes less heavy. It has hitherto been our good for tune, that in our dissensions foreigners have not in terfered with us; and if we had only not interfered with the affairs of foreigners, all would have been now well with us. Better, however, late than never. What is it to us whether Belgium remain separate or unite with France ? We repeat it, no good can be derived from any combination with Foreign Powers, which can compensate for the in jury we must sustain from embarking in another war. Reform and improvement must come; the danger is rather from too great impatience on the part of the people, than from any ability of the Aristocracy to resist them. All we require is, peace and the uninterrupted prosecution of our in dustry; and every good must follow in their train. — Morning Chronicle. It is not in the nature of things probable that, in the case of population and labour, the supply and the demand can always accommodate themselves to each other. There must be, from temporary and ,ocal causes, frequent excesses and wants, both o; the one and of the other. But that, speaking gene rally, either England or Ireland is over-peopled is untrue, and a mistake which those only fall into whose view is limited to partial inconveniences, without embracing (as the eye of a Statesman ought to do) the situation and the interests of the whole community. We have two parties in this country, who have taken up the opposite sides of this question with a more than ordinary degree of zeal, not to say of rancour,—the over-population emigrationists, with Mr. Wilmot Horton at their head, who think that nothing but expatriation can remedy the redundancy which they assume; and those who, under the lead of Mr. Sadler, look upon its people as a nation's strength, and who would, therefore, by a better distribution of our po pulation, retain it at home as the source of oar own wealth and strength. Though we incline decidedly towards this latter class of political economists, we do not see why the views of each might not to a certain degree be met—that is, why b th home colonization and emigration might not be encouraged and practised at one and the same time, as remedies for the pressing local evils under which same parts of the kingdom are now suffering. Pos sessing, as we do, extensive and fertile foreign pos sessions, they present a natnral outlet for such parts of our own people to whom a new country may be come desirable. We say desirable, becaus,, unless emigration be entirely a free and voluntary act, we kn.ow rot how it differs from that which, under an other name, we inflict upon the worst of criminals. But the plan propounded by Lord Ho , ,vick goes still farther than this. It not only proposes to com pel men to leave their country whether they will or not, but actually taxes the rest of the community, in the ;,hope of a new species of national debt, with the cost of the!r transportation and location. Now this, we trust, is w iYt Parliament will have the good sense to set its face against. Encourage emigration if you please ;—t empt men, by evc.,l fair and honest inducement, to people countries which may hereafter be the attached and valuable scions of the parent stock; but let us have irQ compulsory removals, no mortgaging of poor rates, ,till you have convinced us (which you cannot do) that our nativ - , resources are exhausted, „that we are dying of e plethorc. , , which nothing but eopiotz depletion can relieve. Turning to the other party, we ahwnld say, " It is time that you did something more than wrist and talk. Your principl:s have been sufficiently dis-' cussed. if Are; are of any value, tic times call for their practical adoption: While to the Govern , ment we should say, that, 4:stead of taking up the extr , Ane views of ether branch of I:hese political theorists, th,,e'r policy and their duty . is to cull the best and most practical parts from each ; to hold'otit to voluntary emigrants every reasonable inducement and advantage which our colones pre-ent;', and open still more widely those minei of native , wealth and cultivation, whiel, both in England and Ireland, pres = ent the means of supply of labour, which, if rightly applied, are capable, if w; mistake not, of silencing the over-populationists for at ;eat another century,—Morning Herald. NATIONAL LIBRARY-SERI E 4 OF STAND ARD NoVELS. —We are requested to state that the first Number of the " Standard Novelist Series of the Natitinal Library, will he ready for delivery, with the Magazines, on the first of March, comprising COOPER'S Tale of " The Pilot," the three volumes in one complete, for 65., beau titully illustrated and neatly bound. POLITICAL UNIONS. EDINB UR G H. (From the New North Briton of Saturday.) In our paper of Saturday last, we gave a short notice of the recent meeting of a number of gentle men in the Waterloo Tavern, for the purpose of constituting a Political Union in this city. We now give a full report of the proceedings at this meeting. On the motion of Mr. ALEXANDER CRAIG, the chair was taken by Mr. GEORGE BRODIE, Advo cate, at half-past seven o'clock. The business of the meeting was then opened by Mr. AYTOUN, Advocate.—Mr. Chairman, I rise for the pin pose of moving that we, the gentlemen here assembled, resolve ourselves into a Political Union, founded on the principles expressed in our printed circular. I presume we are agreed upon the expediency of a wide extension of the elective franchise—of the abolition of all the rotten burghs —of shortening the duration of Parliaments — ?f vote by ballot—(Loud cheers) —of retrenchment in every part of the national expenditure—of the aboli tion of all taxes of knowledge—and of free trade with all nations. Sir, this is not the time nor the place for me to urge one word in favour of those resolutions which may be styled our iaolitical creed, as I am sure there is not a gentleman now present who is not convinced that the triumph of these our principles can alone give to the people their legi timate influence—can alone secure us against those internal disorders with which we are threatened — disorders, thenatural consequence of that universal discontent Which exists in every part of the empire, arid which has taken its rise in the misgovernment to which we have been so long subjected—a mis government which could never have existed for a moment had the people been fully and fairly repre sented. But, Sir, I shall not trouble the meeting with another word with regard to our political prin ciples. We must reserve such subjects until we call together the full body of our fellow-citizens of every political opinion, to have them fully and fairly dis cussed; and frequent occasions, I anticipate, will not be long wanting fer that. In the mean time, however, I hope I shall be allowed by the meeting to explain in a few words what I conceive to be the advantages and the object of our association. By forming ourselves into a Union, Sir, for a great con stitutional object, the cause of Reform, we become, as it were, a single body, animated by one soul; we give a force, a strength, a unity in our exertions—in short, we render those exertions ten times more effective than if each individual acted entirely by him self and for himself. Such I conceive to be the great advantage of a political association. Now, Sir, with regard to the means which we intend to adopt, in furtherance of our plans for Reform. We intend, as is expressed in our circular, to employ every legal and constitutional means within our power for that purpose; we shall have frequent meetings with the object of discussing questions of political importance, in which discussions our fellow citizens will be freely invited to join; and we sheil exercise, when we deem it expedient, the privilege of petitioning Parliament; in short, we shall make every exertion, in a legal and constitutional manner, to gain as many converts as possible to our cause, and to secure the triumph of reason and public opi nion which we know to be enlisted on our side. — Sir,l am well aware that the Political Union of Edinburgh N% i 11 be soon surrounded by enemies, by those interested in the perpetuation of the abuses which it is our object to do away with ; and we know well that those persons will be happy to find the slightest pretext to injure us in the public esti mation, by imputing to us the desire of exciting anarchy and sedition. But we shall take good care that our enemies do not succeed in this; for we shall convince the country, by the legal, moderate, and constitutional nature of our proceedings, that we are the true lovers of order and . good govern ment; that we are the real friends of tranquillity; and that, in straining every nerve to bring about those changes which we consider necessary for the salvation of the country, we are actuated by the con viction, that until those changes have been brought about, it is impossible to expect that Great Britain can be either tranquil or prosperous. Another good effect will result from a political association being formed in Edinburgh, consisting of well-educated and intelligent Members; and which will serve, in a great degree, to prevent excitement and disorder in the present critical state of affairs; we shall be able to give a tone, a feeling, a moderation to the lower rank of reformers; and by heartily joining our cause with theirs, we shall be able to prevent their plunging into those excesses which have too often disgraced the cause of Reform, where a line of demarcation has been drawn, with regard to their political principles, betwixt the well educated and the working classes. Sir, there is only one other point upon which I beg leave to trouble the meet ing. 1 hope that no person will suppose that in forming ourselves into a political body, we are ac tuated by any factions opposition to the present Ad ministration. On the contrary we all expect that the Ministers will redeem those pledges they gave the nation when in the Opposition; that they will fulfil those expectations which the country has formed from their high talents, and from the patriotic sen timents which they have so often expressed ; in short, that they will introduce such a Reform as will fully satisfy every rational mind; and we all hope and trust that, if any exertion is to be made by us this session, it will be entirely in support of the administration, against their natural enemies the bo roughmongers. But if unfortunately it should turn out that Ministers forget those promises they have so often made; if it should appear that they have become corrupted by power; if we should find that they attempt to put the nation off with the mere farce, the mere humbug of a Reform ; if they wish to give us the shadow of a representation while they withhold the substance; then shall they find that we are the supporters of measures, not teen, and that we shall, in conjunction with the other political associations now springing up in every town of the empire, use the most strenuous endeavours to have them turned out, and to have their place supplied with men more worthy of the confidence of the country. I now, Sir, conclude with moving, " That we, the gentlemen here assembled, do form out selves into an association, to be called the Edin burgh Political Union." Mr. JOHN WARDLAW seconded the above resolu tion, which was carried with the most cordial approe bation of the meeting. Mr, WILLIAM TAIT—I rise to express the high satisfaction with which I regard the proceedings of this evening, and to prepese a few regulations for the future government of our Union. Qur regula tions will naturally grow with the growth of our ine etitution ; and that growth, I venture to predict, will Ise both rapid and vigorous. If I am not greatly mistaken, we ste l .l see Unions similar to our own, composed of respectable individuals, actuated by the best motives, springing up in every considerable town of Scotland, before we see the snows of another winter. From such Unions, an honest reforMing Ministry has much to hope, and nothing to fear. — They are the best support of such a Ministry ; and as the approaching conflict between the Ministry and the boroughmongers must be seers, a eef9rm ing Ministry sviil require all the support that such Unions can give them. It is in vain to expect that the boroughmongers will lightly yield up that undue shore of power and influence which they have so long posseeees;. They will do so to no considera tions of justice or injustice; still less will they be coaxed or flattered out of their 'rotten berceghs.— The Ministry must be in a condition to say to them, " The country has declared against 'submitting longer to your iniquitous domination; the country is united; the country is irresistible; you must submit." I rejoice to think that not the - least efficient shaft en the quiver of a reforming Ministry will be that union of the citizens of Edinburgh Which we have just formed. When I look at the individuals who have come forward on this occasion, I feel confident that this Union will be such as befits the capitol of Ser:- land, and give the right tone to the* numerous Unions which we may expect to see arise in the pro vinciul towns. When I said that Unions like ours would be the stay and support of an honest :reform ing Ministry, I must be understood to mean an active as well as honest Ministry. A Ministry, that in stead of proceeding instantly to the reformation of flagrant abuses, against which, as individuals, they had been declaiming all their lives, should ask us to wait, to give them time, and to content ourselves in the mean time with the comfortable assurance that we have at last tot a reforming Ministry, and should, after as much delay as they think safe, when they find they must do something, begin to dole out to us crumbs and dribblets of Reform, one by one, slowly and reluctantly, giving us as little instead of as much as they can ; such a Ministry, I say,neither should nor will be tolerated by the country. Far be it from me to suppose that such will be the course of the present Ministry. With the resolute sup port of the whole country, what have they to fear ? Their position is impregnable, and their power of carrying Reform irresistible. Reform, and not office, I am still willing to believe, was the game of which the Ministerial greyhounds have continued so long and so ardently in pursuit; and I shall not antici pate any want of alacrity in mouthing the game, now that it is within a single bound. Could we sup pose that office was the game pursued, it must be admitted that our greyhounds have shown no want of alacrity in mouthing that game ; no, nor of a readi ness to bring up a whole pack of young grew:, who had not appeared in the chace, to a share of the prey. We cannot conceal from ourselves that since the Ministry *altered upon office, the indications of their intentions exhibited in what are called feelers, in the public journals, have been, if not positively unfavourable, at least equivocal. I allude especially to an abominable article in the Edinburgh Review on the late and the present Ministry. Still, we shall wait for their actions, hoping the best. If they give us effectual Reform, our voice shall be loudly raised in their support, as often as required. If they deny it, the voice of the country shall be raised against them; they shall assuredly be scattered; and the places they now fill shall know them no more. In what ever way the Ministry may choose to act, the Edin burgh Political Union cannot fail to serve the great purpose for which it has been established—that of supporting a Ministry truly zealous in the great cause of Reform. In this country there happily can now be none but a reforming Ministry. Whether it shall be the present Ministry that it will fall to our lot to support, or another set—" the next change, a stage farther on," as the Examiner has it—depends solely on the Ministry themselves. As they act, so shall they find us, and so will they find the country. I have just one word more to add. It is addressed to timid reformers ; to the advocates of moderate Reform, gradual Reform, cautious Re form, and all that sort of thing. These men say to us, who are more bold and decided re formers than themselves—" What you wish to have is perfectly just, and what the boroughmon g.as wish to retain is plainly unjust. But don't ask too much at once. It would be dangerous to irritate the boroughmongers by stripping them suddenly of their unjust privileges. It would be highly dan gerous to do full justice all at once, in the great cause now depending between the boroughmongers and the people. Don't ask the Ministry to do more than half justice in the mean time, and wait patiently _ _ for the other half of that justice to which you are unquestionably entitled, but which they may per haps find it necessary to withhold." I would ask those timid reformers, who tell us that there is dan ger in doing full justice, is there no danger in with holding full justice ? Is there no danger in irritat ing the people, as well as in irritating the borough mongers ? The men whom I wish to convince ad mit that the people are the stronger party. It is only farther necessary to admit that the people are now awakened to a sense of their wrongs; and from these premises it undeniably follows that there would be more danger in withholding than in doing justice; that the unjust privileges of the borough mongers can no longer safely be maintained, and that the just rights of the people can no longer safely be withheld. Besides, it appears to me a great mistake to suppose that the quiet of the country is more likely to be disturbed by a complete and speedy Reform than by a gradual Reform. During the whole process of reformation there must necessarily be a spirit of irritation between the bo roughmongers and the people; and that is a dan gerous spirit to keep long in operation. If the people are to be for years cutting and paring at the privileges of the Aristocracy, there is no security that the process of - cutting and paring shall stop at the exact point where justice ends and where injustice would begin. Having got into the way of helping themselves so long, the people might, not improbably, take a slice too much before desisting, Then, consider the case of the suffering borough monger. Why would You prolong his pains ? Cutting off his rotten borough is like cutting off his rotten limb; surely the more quickly such an opera tion is performed the better. Would you keep sawing and haggling like a bungling surgeon's ap prentice, the patient in agony all the time, instead of whipping the diseased member off, like Liston, in an instant ? No. Off with the rotten limb and rotten borough at once !—I shall now read the re gulations which I propose should be adopted, sub ject to addition or alteration, as may afterwards be found necessary. 1. That the members of the Union shall insert their names in a book to be kept for that purpose. 2. That the Union shall have for office-bearers, a Chair man, two Vice-Chairmen, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected annually by ballot. 3. That twelve gentlemen, members of the Union, shall also be elected annually ; who, with the office. hearers. shall form a Council for the purpose of carrying through the measures and the details of the business determined on by the Union. 4. That the Council shall meet on the first Monday of every month; and that there shall be two stated general meetings of the Union yearly, on the second Monday of March and November respectively. 5. That any six members, by applying to the Council, may have a general meeting of the members called, for any purpose not inconsistent with the principles and object o f the Union. _ 6. That every member shall pay a yearly subscription in order to defray the expenses of the Union; which sub s;:ription, shall not exceed five shillings, Mr. WILLIAM WEIR, Advocate, on rising to second these regulations, said—lt may not be alto gether unnecessary to state the views which have induced me to take such a decided step as joining an association like the present. I conceive such Unions to be decidedly called for. Although the necessity of Reform seems conceded at all liaads, the cause has still many lurking enemies; and worse, a large and influential body of its friends are men w ho have indulged in vague and general feelings of dislike to the old system, but have taken no trouble to form any very decnite ideas respecting time mea sures likely to amend it. These met 4ve been taken unawares; they are granted their request, and find that they did not exactly know what it was. I have every confidewe in the honesty and inten tions of biz 4tjesty's Ministry; but I know that there is among them a strong leaven of this body of men. I believe that they are willing t,c grant an effective Reform; but L fear that between secret enemies and timorous friends, they may be terrified into the 4elief that less vigorous measures will be sufficient than the present crisis demands.- Lbelieve that the formation of Unions like . the present, in every town of the empire, would be of the utmost benefit, by showing Ministers to what WI extent t hey might rely upon the national support iu bring ing about an efficient Reform. I adhere, in their full extant, to the principles professed by the Union. same men speak much 0.30t:t gradual Reform. They forget that- Reform has been necesary, and demanded, more than -Idia-century ago; that the necessity has in crease d w i t h every y ea r; that the rcmeilies which mi g h t t h en h ave b een sufficient will not do now; that the disease has grown in virulence with the laP•e of time. Our object is easily ex pressed—a 'louse of CoMinons . which shall really represent the nation.' Were'this granted; all im prove:news of our system which time has rendered necessary might be entrusted to its care. The fear lest this important boon may be allowed to slip through our fingers has induced. us to forego our wonted habits, and stand forward more prominently in the eyes of our fellow-citizens. The moment our object is attained, we dissolve our Union, and live quietly on in domestic privacy. The approbation I hear, I accept as a proof that I express the senti ments of each of my hearers. Mr. THOMAS IRELAND moved that a meeting be held on Monday, the 7th of March, for the purpose of choosing office-bearers. Mr. JOHN WOTHERSPOON seconded that motion; and it was unanimously approved of. It was moved by Mr. J. J. REID, seconded by Mr. ALEXANDER BRODIE, that Mr. John Wardlaw, bookseller, 12, St. Andrew-street, shall be appointed Interim Secretary, and be directed to keep a book for entering the names of all who join the Union. This was also approved of. On the motion of Mr. GEORGE KINLOCH, Ad vocate, the thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to the Chairman, who rose and returned thanks. RENFRE W SHIRE. (From the Glasgow Free Press.) A public meeting of the Committee, office bearers, and other supporters of the Renfrewshire Political Union, assembled at half-past one o'clock on Monday, in the Rev. Mr. Baird's church, St. James's -street, Paisley, for the purpose of consider ing and adopting the rules and regulations, and ap proving of the objects and duties of the members, and of the council of the Union, formed at a public meeting held within the Court-hall, Paisley, and published in the Free Press of the 2d inst. The members of the Committee were enthusiastically greeted on entering the church. On the motion of Mr. GEORGE GARDNER, Sir JOHN MAXWELL, of Polloc, Bart., the chairman of the Committee, was unanimously, and with loud ac clamation, elected Freses of the meeting. Mr. WALLACE, of Kelly, then rose amid great cheering.—The budget, he said, had just appeared, and it contained good news for the operative classes. The unjustifiable duties on soap and candles, and printed calicoes, and glass, were to be taken off, — tobacco was to be cheapened. These were good earnests, no doubt, but the deep disappointment created in the continuance of the shameful amouot of the civil list, did more than counterbalance this; and the taxes to be laid on—for to do so was pro posed, however monstrous it must appear—with the exception of a small addition on wines, could not be said to bear on the rich more than on the poor. In fact, the present Ministry were borne down by the system—they had every desire to relieve the nation, but to do that and fulfil the pledges and engagements of their reckless predecessors, was utterly impossible, or they too would fall to the ground. Fall they would, for they had a character and a station as Statesmen—some, at least, of them had—which left room to fall from. Of this the Wellington ad ministration could net boast, for they had no poli tical place to descend from,—they were mere mud suckers from the first, and, therefore, fall they could not. Lord Grey had greatly disappointed the nation, but not so our King. And now to the main point of this day's duty—the forming the Renfrew shire Political Union, in a fixed and permanent manner;—the qualifications for being members you have all heard—the duties are plain and simple—the advantages innumerable, cheap, ready, and influen tial. In the manufacturing districts of England, every city, town, and district has its Political Union. They may be said to be linked together in an interminous chain, which connects one hundred thousand Union men, arid shed an influence at once benign and powerful over a million of men. The attitude of these Unions has become too im posing and influential to escape the notice of the Government; and the scales and rate of the taxes to be taken off and adjusted, have evidently not been without due attention to the views and ob jects expressed and disclosed and acted on by Political Unions. His Majesty, accompanied by the Queen, has announced his intention of visiting Scotland, and it no doubt would be highly gratify ing to these benevolent :and truly patriotic person ages to know that they will find in this region bands of men, who, being well educated, and knowing their political rights, have embodied themselves for the purpose of obtaining the restoration of these, and of doing so by the force of public opinion being made to act on the present distorted condition of the representative system : for be it never forgotten, that the King is now a declared Reformer. The Rcrifrewshire Political Union, and that of Glasgow, Airdrie, and other towns, will, ere long, shake bands with the Political Union now raising in the city of Edinburgh; and, without leave asked or granted, even of the Royal Archers, they will guard and protect, and cheer and welcome the royal visitors from the eastern unto the western sea,—ay, and wear the badges of the Union as proudly as those brave men do who won them on the more bloody but less constitutional field of Waterloo. Yes, friends, their Majesties will see us but one Scottish Political Union,—and so in truth will the conjoined Unions be when met—one in name, one in prin ciple, with the same objects and views, and in the presence of their beloved royal Reformer King— what else could they be styled but the Scotch Poli tical Union ? The great end and object of all Unions, is the bettering of the condition of the middling and working classes, and their only hope and chance, a reformed—a thoroughly, radically re formed—House of Commons. Every Political Union declares this. The Union now formed here has prudently adopted a mild mode of expression, in carrying to the Legislature their anxious and ardent desire for Reform. This is done in the hope of such measures being propounded by the Govern ment, as shall warrant such a course. The men in office may intend such, but are they in power in reality, as rulers in office ? Are they not so hampered by the system, as to render the measures they ate to propose, as likely rather to widen the breach between the people and their rulers ? Will the people find themselves freemen ? No, no ! no ' such thing. It is to be feared the infernal oligarchy will gain the loan-jobber, and overpower the Mi nister, or control him before-hand. If it should be so, let not the Minister forget the mire in which the Waterloo conqueror is now floundering ! Let the Minister and his coadjutors keep in mind that the King, their master, is a Reformer,--that his people, to a man, are fteformers,—that they will demand, in thunder-like calls, to get such a Reform as the King's Prime Minister taught them to know was strictly constitutional in 1793, and can be no less so now. His Majesty is to visit Scotland, and it is devoutly to be hoped he will not run the risk of bringing with him anti-reforming unpopular courtiers. The men who oppose themselves to Re form will be will marked is s assuredly e a d n i d y h s o h o a t r e e d , in tilawhilet enthusiastic i a who c shall stand ic.ing, by the Constitution, their co un t r y, an d ' joy which will be evinced over broad Scotland on seeing our deservedly-respected Monarch, with his beloved consort, in his never yet conquered coun try. uwsheifcahl P ti hc o a l n i n t o i c i: a ..fi l u U aet n n i ti o ai a l s i lt s , , i n t i h ite e hl t ed i, o m ab y sta ti f n r h i i e e n n ge t I no s i y , f are emf n ( a, o ri less ll7 iig chance for the restraton of our liberty and pros perity—an object roost deeply and publicly sought after by every class'save one, uld that one, surely, ere long, will join its desired influence to that of the universal cry of the country for 'Reform—that class is the Clergy, and all the good and holy persons who are unwearied in their endeavours to benefit the • people. Let Clergy and Laity unite, as good men and true, in political as well as religious reformation, and most assuredly, the good works which both have at heart will be speedily attained. Mr. A. H. Suititso - s, writer, seconded the reso lution. . Mr. SPEIRs, of Elderslie, said be had been look. ing over the black book, and certainly the system therein exposed was the most disgraceful which he ever read or had heard of. He impressed upon the Meeting that it was these men who would endeavour to defeat the measures of the present Ministry, and that it was the business of the meeting, under these circumstances, to accept of what the Ministers may eel 01 be enabled to give to the country. The obje,_ taking the taxes off soap, candles, and oth er articles, st o n e d s b im or i o la u r gh so m c o ie n t g ie e sfas T h to e check . Adm i t n h i e influence s trat ion of were and he trusted they would go still further, and enable; the meeting, and others in a similar condition, ;to attend public worship in a decent manner, and enjoy the blessing of domestic comfort. He put it to the meeting if 75., the weekly average of their incom!, was an adequate sum to support themselves and their families with food, clothing, and education. 1-1 again declared lie never saw people conducting themselves, under such privations, and peaceable manner ; and said he would be p row a and happy at all times to he of any service in further.- ing the objects of the society. He concluded w1,91_ proposing that the o ffi ce-bearers and Committee 13,1 re-appointed, and continued till the first On ° meeting in July. • - M% JAS. FLEMING, in seconding the m0ti0n,..,. served, he had little to hope from the present luici nistry, as they appeared to be deficient in nerve and patriotic inclination. He could not help contras: ing their conduct with those of other natior particularly of America, where the salaries of t" President and the whole of the Executive did of amount to so much as the sum received by our r e. sent Lord Chancellor. He saw no method of gr form that would be so successful as the total sbo lition of the corn laws. At this moment the wag e : of the operatives in this country were below tht on the Continent, while we were paying d ° , 11 ,7 1 , - price for provisions. The country should no, in a more orderly; determined stand for the abolition of the corn la . and it might be accomplished by all parties na it ' n l, together in Unions similar to that which he , 8 , dressed. He concluded with seconding the reci t '" which was carried unanimously, with three cheertt Mr. R. C. BONTINE, of Ardoch , proposed t h a t petitions be forwarded to the legislature, In fa b e of Parliamentary Reft,rm. He congratulated t"c meeting and the country on the great change the had been e ff ected in society, from one end o p sr empire to the other, in favour of a Reform in VW !lament. :aeveral members of his Majesty's Onve rii : ment were entitled to the confidence of the con iii arid he hoped they would not be disappointe d re ,,li carrying forward their measure of Reform. 111 , — ,a ference to the petition, he observed, that they vi ",i. ready at all times to support the King and Ca n % tut ion ; and he felt confident the Reformers of 1i,,; frewshre would turn out to a man in defence 01 $ 0 good a cause. The petition, though moderate, 11 o f firm and constitutional. After giving an outha e bg the petition, Mr. Bontine remarked that it twg ys have contained much on monopolies and other gr' e r antes under which they laboured ; but he CO 6l sidered it unnecessary to dwell on those points li e the measure of Reform had been obtained. „I hoped that that petition would be at least " IT; e ; ligible" to the whole host of pensioners and ° 'O r tt leeches subsisting on the vitals of the country. 1. , concurred in opinion with Mr. Hume, that ''' s ll state paupers ought to wear a badge to disting ° ' them from their fellow-subjects. o f k Mr. WILLIAM BARR seconded the motion. " --f % . adverting to the national calamities, arising fro m fo r cessive taxation , he regretted that a craving „ e , Law Reform had not been in c l u d e d in the r oi l tition. The present legal practice was long ; 8 0 dreary, and all the lawyers desired , but not sn',/ete the public wished. He recommended a sr`i t i conclusion, similar to he that s aadopted Has sn extremelysm all d e debt sorry co u r t t i, s ;, tbb; , • t assessed taxes had not been repealed. Frna l i ,,r connection with that establishment, he had ° P; of tunities daily of witnessing their results, and W a "er opinion that they very materially affected the P e°. classes. ed ' 4 Mr. JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM was highly grati — fst the formation of Political Unions, as nothing s° l , A promoted their interests as applications in su c t ;to manner. The country, he observed, was in s 5 11,r of disease, from a want of " a thorough radical _ o f form," and the physician was " the united voietlog the people."—He proceeded to remind the tre e nt e of the excessive taxation under which the ° j g! laboured, and observed that it pressed n l °,oo heavy upon the industrious and operative Pt re' of society, as the rich could avoid its effects :Jog moving to other countries.—The only rell'e,,u B oa to remove the taxes from the p oor , an d lay t",,o' real tangible property. He concluded wit h ' E lie posing that a craving to that effect be inserted iv petition. ro ot The prefatory part of the petition was again 'Or. and, after a few observations from Mr. SPEtg i ',„,itb 4 Cunningham declared himself satisfied, an d drew his suggestions. . bel le ' Mr. WALLACE observed, in reference to the dog ficial results arising from Political Unions/ b id, members of these institutions were thereby eu B l i o us at any period, to forward to the Legislature Pet' e r in favour of particular subjects. Mr. W. t ri n eWs'; hibired to the meeting the first number Of t"'," „ a d a, paper entitled 7 1 / 2 e Ballot, from which h a f , — pert. paragraph which formerly appeared in t h en ce al l regarding the attempts of the Tories to int le ,„ -c •stlT illustrious personage respecting the present . 1 """„ l e d il l These gentlemen, he said, may perhaps be see d e l' a manner similar to that which the Duke o f lington received in London. He hoped the : rt ieoi papers would publish the names of the li p" o lltY that the country might know them. ' l° oo sion to the reduction to take place on the 3 60 1 affecting newspapers, he observed, the oPers,bich of Glasgow were establishing a n ewspaPe r ' h i s t 11° which ,,,o was ul t d o Nt b vean e sd s ei t r i n pp till o lie r sEn te p d by themselves, o ld s t alf iel oav,l,lerthtoe give. He :In t " be - „ ee p t r of ceeded to advert to the individuals the ° se were to choose for presenting their petition: , p re; proposed that the petition to his Majesty fs e ,,s i seitted to the Duke of Hamilton—that to th e m by by Lord King—and that to the House of C° ' by the Lord Advocate. ilP *ll The motion was seconded by Mr. Sit lo ,, ij o sics. MNG, in an able address, and carried unanitl'oe t Mr. GEORGE GARDNE R th en proposed , - ee til! t r . few appropriate remarks, the thanks of th e , , cb ei i to Sir John Maxwell, f or hi s con d uc t in t , i ' d . . ; S II h ; The motion was carri e d by l ou d acalatnat'°of after three enthusiastic cheers for the snag s ' f e le"' brave Poles, the meetingseparated about font ° „ iti v , _ illii. VP ei t On Tuesday last an inquisition Wast:eso, Gurteenabowl, on the body a young vf a— t . jibs' 01 JOHANNAII CAREY. It appearrd in evidence ureo deceased left home on Sunday morning, for th e , d e ad t?, hearing mass in Michelsto wn , an d was fon' foj t 70 , (limning in a small stream of w a ter, about a ,bor t oil within a few yards of the high road, and at a ; a sid e ' i r stance from her own house, with part of her 1,010 outside clothes scattered about. Or, 01.i1a1 ., ° i l4 l,A , lo re ing the body, stated, that in his judgment h' r „i f igf t i t er occasioned by strangulation; and not by drbsv",poood being livid marks about her neck, and 4 1 ',* hi ,,t a fr" se wrists. It further appeared that the decease" i ;0 61 4 0 1 by a young man in the neighbourhood, Ivii ° f e OI T marry her. The Jury returned a wild murder."--=Cork Southern Repor:er. .......................„," i BIRTHS. lady CIL r slr ~ ..,I" ces On the 19th inst. at Mersnam-hatch, the 16 • .. r tr „ Knatchbull, of a son. MO' of ' On the 22d inst. Mrs. Luke J. Hansard,;,of 1()° arse' ,' of a daughter. „ ca ge m - 4ell' On the t'...1 inst. in Surrey-street, Mrs. l' lia , daOtiuhter. . g the 24th inst. in Harley-street, ?4r 5 . * L'ell'. el.e- ..2%0 06;Ch of On son. . 0 1 Y . niChs 0 1 On the 21st inst. at Brighton, the lady of ot toli' o rtt Esq. of a daughter. t ir. 1300 11 MARRIED ' pot. J. 1". ftl, On the 22d inst. at Hurst Church, the . ,_ e late i v _, Binfield, Berks, to Ann, fourth daughter of tn Os , tli fi• c , Esq., of Binfield. le, vsil• / rylob °l ,r .-- _ ti nt , On the '24th inst. at Christ Church, 1 1 3 ,„„tirO , ' cle . ,, e it Esq. to Mary, eldest daughter of T. a "" „ to —, 50* - ' Alhany. yorol3 l . - Ne V/ i Le On the 22d inst. David Samuel, Esq. o f ._ 0 third daughter of San.uel Samuel, r•-• sc, ' ' to Goodman's-fields.. Qi of the DIED; a ged - -L hter - tot , ' On the 23(1 inst. James 80‘i.,.,,,, Esq., 1 3 t1g." , nO - the 23d inst. Margaretta Maria, eldest t al n• vs 9 ... J. Nottidge, Esq., of Isockiog. , ; jai ~ o f I* On the 2:kl inst. John, son of James lk° aC ob oto e 641 — '11 • field, Hackney. at the 1 ' ag foil'', On on the t : 2` , 1 - .•.yle, k g i l i f ° ' Bordeaux, and late of New York. 2`.3 2 d d inst. iilt. i a iti Kensington,Finsb ury..o a re, in-law Dr. B. G. Babington, Benjamin - - -. u p, ,--- -''' OV SCh .. . . ...,., ~n X , PRINTRD AND I'UBLISHEDA ST Dit i .rtm.- DP'.' ...., 10 1, . .... :svx Onus, 112, *MAHN J. Bell, 1 . 0 1.0 IV 1 t,, „ ad Yo c t h e t 444 2 t l itt:4 4 q C V I TA] i 4 d a a, ftiow ,( ) f th -..e 141411:the d 11; t tla t INt i t„ .4%1tii.1.d! irC it FL Y 4r Rat,PY P .1 14 E Wlt