The Sun. — London, England, 1831-02-08 00:00:00

kr, usioNs• PA RLIAMENTARY REFORM. Journal.) h written addr e " uddersfield, Abs L ° ll , n, in defence of stet the present j une' e paftiettlarly: ge.Bs: hi g hly ereditabirti, We give clorroin the Durham Chronicle of Saturday.) A rh. II VT 1 7 OF DURHAM MEETING. In I t 7ting of the Freeholders of this county, convened Slkkollinaoce •f a requisition addressed to the High 'es t b e ' ill'as held at the County Court, on Tuesday last, Rceti)Pornose.of petitioning Parliament in favour of a 1 4 i n the Hon of Commons. Notwithstanding the tti l S r ° : 4 . l 'le state of the weather, the meeting was very Isle t tn nY and respectably attended ; the muster of the of the • • , fuller one than , te_e county, in particular , was a ire. han thn angst tuber to have seen on any former occasion. a country r t'',,f Metionth:ftibrrautesaci,ifg6s-ef. i u g lt others who resent we observed the fol were p • 2, hl on. (inrgii;•--Lord Win. Powlett, ALI M.P. ; the Ilc n. H. T. e, which o f in oble in , r i b i ll . If. t o , t :he Ilan. T. H. Liddell : R. E. D. Shafts, Esq. ; er mode ,atrY - oil ', oilkinson Wilkinson,Cuthbert main) gr, o te i Nino :ians t i h s e t s e n ° t; e3, , t o 7:o , . ° 'itriktoilur:;E:ssiO: Col. 11:1 . ilis s , q 11:1 ; P. ; Col. Shadforth ; Col. R. Riddell E • W. T. S dein, Du. ;L. and putdieiNicio: 7-''' amongst ,ein44 l; 1 ..' c 1.,; H. I. Spearmae, Esq. Recorder of Dim ,se ; nor bY c gotsll), #,lili t 1 ,"" 8 Allay Esq. ; iii". Harland, Esq. ; Dr. Fen -I,',t-sea j the!' pes.plsl 7,1 ) , 1:01;• Maude, jun., Esq. ; John Pemberton, Esq. ; ' l'rumstan.,„,°lo,f,rel, • , I niin, Esq. ; U. Flounders, Esq. ; T. Fenwiek, tea to be v i 'ntrof "Qin Fawcett, Es q. ;W. Mills, Esq. ;J. Nelson, ids his aid teu see '; 'Ord I I ef Justice c e s, ' Qr.. , Esq. ; John Ward, Esq. , Dr. Trotter ; ii))diterso 6 i...,, J i o ,„ lrell, E, q. ; , 1827. of ~~ op , - re &h i I. the Revd.. Messrs. Gilly (Preben rmers • i t s 0. hair r„am, and their to ,„ 1, ), Temple, Shipperdson, Penson, &c. iit'icalrefortly o lo . : r • . Ilea "tits taken at twelve o'clock; after which ratters lO ee i t , i the„';e:thill°H SitEßlrk said he had called them together on , e re ar r t b d fi d u e n l rC ltio - A r ' ct tl ie k4 c 3 i ir s q ; in consequence of the reqeisition he held in:his ideavbur to ` s - v n tion,i iiretsoeilestil den of b .. 7 st number of very respectable persons— thoe titillatect;ntiiie_tl be lbettrty. ~, great property and high character in the ; understood,' „ t e per_s,; f f. -the requisition would be read by the Under r neither Le t ; intliO L. I: a nd When the meeting bad heard the names it r'sirricepry'ithdestirieorileilS ttle ttLhought they would be of opinion that he bad ve to he abs ° al_e_o h e „'e most proper course in calling them together. and i og of o! i v a OP - fl It regaisition Living been read, itadi _ b id, it. r. s px try—a In proof 0 1. " . 0 t it ~,, A it3lAll, after a few prefatory remarks, said resolutions. utro..„.„.iiii.. with word' 5 u ffe.,:7 l ,l ohv e 4 8 no small source of satisfaction to him to find, idea of the i s lis t% t o . 41: fi rst occasion on which he had ventured to stand aidiird ain' hro asb i. ht b ian advocate of Parliamentary Reform, that he c are a c e o la f s g r r "„ t t .o o l ( tit 4,4 bad circumstances more propitious to its success ke ri e m very 'l t o tai",co st ,) ever occurred since the question had arisen.— nd our faell . .„ o l p „, 4 hey l a d witnessed the settlement of the great i ' fl a t t he o n rch t ingoe 'T d' . letloll%le agitation had shaken the country for years ! s a t nd e imperce c , er e s re ' eat not be al firmed if they heard the same dire pro been in ocl ifi a _...,'h• and ,cv-di t .„'itli h,,avt'lul denunciations indulged in against Reform length 'les (not T r o c nol e o , - -1 6 44 4 , 1 8. 7 been tittered against Catholic Emancipation.— c: s h,A.ii,terasntoit'icl;,,tf.tb4grireahtey had . been told, that from the moment ,i toil we arc 3 0 .4 , 4 :g o woo question should be carried, the . sun of Great ta l e of wagl'i c ti,l4, lit drag ti:d a r t ever;for arsm el but that fair . luminary yet held taxation, w d ev7, - ,. li4di ' c ourse tow d meridian splendour, and, notwith itte of extreineof* L every Pie ce es, Os ni ° on in" Prophesies and denunciations, .wo . u . ld light at our cottAeoleol• now o' s sisos cs e 5,.. - o .sl ° ,, s c' 'le achievement of another great victory. i lav e ent •to .... -C '° , lll,l ----The celebrated declaration of the Duke of Wel ieneswe teke i l e le"„( is ha been the means of promoting rather than of its wealth; ;roe s / i g th ele gy Fti e 0 , 41 7 t ee l cause , of Parliamentary Reform ; and it was all the , of the grea t op pi p ; 4k ett b 'Toad shown of theopinions of the people, as ed in stating % 0 1 4 , s o , Y his conduct on that question, which rendered ;he very china ' P ik ;4ti 4l to direct the affairs of the country. By praising nseeuenees _ s ett k 0 , 14 _ . _ is wh i c h str o v e to it 4 : 4 1 11, 4 , e °I Commons, which the shortest experience ictuhree.enVount. peedlitollcilisfeas , e ) , G m nvinced him would, at any time, turn round ave ass i s t e is; lead s I ', on any measure favourable to the people, o, t i i i a ig ve into ate h isivs , \tilt: false movement which ended in his overthrow. fallen. r j . it i fr th e e ' ). Had he appealed to the people, and called rselves, 0n5,,0 Ittttyoll to stand by hint while he gave them Parlia- .. tures, 10). ae--0. lk t 4 f dry 's weal, l ai i Ore 0 1 4, 4 e 01 '111, and shook himself free from the accursed proclaim to t , asld ,t4 b of borough influence lie would have been sup- Ctell them th at asiel is Y th e ' g cause of oy iu ; ' E st i 10 p bb , M.--- (Cheell.)—lf they had been so appealed ondition. s ill i ai lti',, ine would, with one voice, have cried out, that as s leg o a f l r n a'r e lraW; o l 4 ; O rs i ; 4 41 '1l i ti s u tl er ° and brothers stood by him, and laid down their tte and site°, ate . ," i tk *„, s ,PPort of the independence of Europe, at Waterloo, en unheeded 'Our ~ , t of inct i and,. i.cd , , es. no_an_so,Ltand by him in defence of the civil liber sliced ; has been po, , c fo ;ef (40 fescno (Cheers.)—Had he not been ignorant listress, yet t the. 14, 4_ ng of the people in favour of Reform, he would inquire tritl od . 4 i u A ir ' li - ab andOlied them for the friendship of those !....the reli c ojr- ,0 1: i I \JO 0 _ He had ral British s woo p i i ,, t . L. , a the mammon of unrighteousness. private testi 0 1 4 01 4,1 11 4 1 ittt :1 4 a fatal error, of which he had paid the full e ed nf of thous; ' ttltt . Itwot, thank God !he had been succeeded by a 0 p h i o n was io as as w a e l l e l acquainted p uk e was i t s V n i with an British t o fiu them. tbe- ilnoitle,atonged nth°rePr':"lftill's 144441 purpose d 0 0 n' t ell u° o_: . i l l e _ first measures to which that individual had and privif e t:tho o ft 4 miself was Reform •; and let the people stand y :o the poop and ,‘ s- cry of .$ We will")—and not lose the best op- Parliamenl , „, otos ,o k guy s deelaratio ~,r ~ A % tittba! had ever been offered for carrying this im -1 to violate:4' o l o o i:t l e 14 ,estion. They had been told that they ought roperty. '„ tf i._,, ta „_ iLs of the eo a tt o - 0 - 9 or ise S i ''stit ti- " 4 '; or that they ought not to petition now, 11AINTAIN,0,01#,.9 t-, , 4 441 , -. ) ;;: v t ° 1 1 1 41 betray the distrust of Ministers, and cueem n an i' v brae ntitled it reicio , t ..ge„tee,szvo them. But let not the people listen to l exceeding for,' ‘Ns tl * qtlel l 'itch might proceed . from mistaken . friends, nployersA c ator ..n ti f ,nor „...e likely from designing enemies.—(H . ear.) ae time .5 i1 a ",01 4 4 414, eltutsters were not earnest and hearty in the i " ` 1 ution ° greto t l i , ' general expression of the public voice in its fa tt, Lidimin st ai et r d o tt h t riven l° as " ro 0 11, 4 t,. _ tend to make them so ; and if they were ' , l of being bgn e g pre : cri..4 sh t th et e h „. ~- s e believed them to be, they would cordially i e lepth of r i ve Wor 1 41 944,, People for their support, and these might be as feelare, tha 0ue . ,001 , v it -1 are not 5 ° o il -b" - ow sai d pot in need of all the support they could receive. e literally if it. yds tk t , txrli supposed that the monster of corruption , people; b 'pit7o o . 1 0 ' ki, i . re without a struggle, and a violent one ; or dg) orecu re ess a es 1,4 L e irt y o°4 would not require every aid from without de, imer we r ti 7 i, It" p,f 4 the eo nt • ' of trie,ethe a.. 4 i er r „,, unseat Wah. The Learned Gentleman an Kin find ‘v.",. w . .,,P",,; tett si t the I 0 tlie illustration given by Mr. Harland at •. Nay , I ; a rtisc_er t s •Cleg os 1 Ineetin . aby that gentleman at a , 1 their Tallse is to ot ,„__. g (and repeated the indu,she 0 , too ti rcirt of the present proceedings) of the impor. Oman '''. i pr . el 4 kisitikeil .el*ssity of the petitioning on the subject. ixious to I, wne„cio Refs, If any People . . it is ne "....0 3 'i, e t, L._sit ~... Y Person, at all acquainted with the sac iples 0 1 1 „Y c iple! e Or' 1ii,,,7 7 411 e - " ei llies, could do otherwise than believe, that, fort—Pr' s 0 s ki "ci, 0, od : - Nev e" — ' 0 prevailing upon the people not to pc :: feeling r , by 0 . wets dideanne u de . f e, e ..tb illtt loa b ,.„ id recur to their former logic ?It was the i should be ttio"Ak n CY of their that are o.e on are,. V, . Of...aY 46._ opponents that they were not united and relir, that,Torf.‘atuitaish„ ,vas as to time Reform they would have.. persuati‘7„,gin de Illp k: 110t . ; vv.. . to . ".. quite sure—that whether their enemies p t e thar', r el so ', It (o;lis rt to so' wbe,ti, they ardently wished it, and were reumstansavr,oto , power Le To er' 0 tr t `) , b th e seeds of dissension amongst them.— equillity. _ l an o ee th,, b e ._ Re h e f a nce tw e fir i, st the .1 1) , ex, thought the differences of Reformers r e e ai o readYri, ei°..n e. o 6° 'ni t gre 4t uggerated. Me conscientiously believed . 11; bond °.'„ - desiF e lllt 1 4,4 4 t,' th majority of the respectable and intelligent ,e, who avor t that of . pt t i es 41,0t4ttttItiyeile°earIni MUnity were not only united in princi and trancr! a i o 0 1 , 0 0 , gh t li n . ~, . Y agreed as to what would satisfy them. ward al t i t "„ J „ ana,tioi ea k 1 44 artances undoubtedly still existed. But these egrada A 0 4 0 l'!lT,olleeti o e h il ee B and shades of opinion were natural sassed At COli fq the N. aild 1,.. " which men had thought for them , whicb; % - vbic b • 11,4•41.;')_tlie honesty of from them the strongest conclu tives by 4 Oly 0 . : tha t 1 ,.`,Y of Reformers—an inference so con tuated :••••' o tiol' sr e ,lei t , l 2 se oti .„ "Joh was to be deduced from that simi of.o the de.s n tr t he c e olfi 1 ty 01 of L'ent which was professed by two brilliant eporte!bat e sn i A , Sootiona certain Honourable House, who, to con °liras of L tha t ~,?, A , iee l , it . of their entire unanimity, unhappily said, ir sorrow s tOb . , 4, Pl 7 Oth ) 14 ' ill tre h formed a n d in e ., o all , ek s ' ....j d t• , but one idea between the/m— -t.' th e e m p i o ,l% - et n i e t "cof t ,V I S lll. te to ofeBVV_Otlld urge the Reformers, however,. to l tiness, :east tl o u ci i„' the Wh o 1 , en se--as men of the world and practical for his e o bic h 1 40 ' 14, 1 lak e ot.'new how to act in a common cause, and ,i ng of 0 4 t eis of 1),,, S ti n otk et , 4 general good, to make mutual allowances y. A n n ty 107, 4 y th g tite --(ch„ the e' Jt ! the 0 4 0 44, Who conferred) ro.--Men of extreme opinions were s, aVSgur c i o k or o"-J' f0 t0 1 , 44 tiogruatic, any advantage on mankind ; but . i e t he ri y ts o til n otion ai adherence to fine-drawn schemes and nay Pr ° P e sh o o t : t het. 4ll all it s. had done more harm to the cause of Re rs of the tp °4l,l It Th a Z.:vowed and inveterate opponents put to- Inbe nA r i. 4'4 0 . 01 lit n „ "fled Gentleman, after saying that he Hudder:ocipe ho IO en s Pt to excite the passions of his hearers, ;ee. Alm itititioktlea4 that he rejected the doctrine of ab nleY• a. it H° ~d e Il r- t tt ef 44 , th e e l I e !l t !Is, but was favourable to a great ex ,ton. tics cc. La's" 0. s t „ . Itit Ive franchise. He described the work - ,ton• I s t, i A l t,lti e 'llb le % Prtsent r epresentative system ; and put it to d, Jan' _____ ewlis e le eolid e l Lik l, 0 " ► '4' I nt Prise of the country whether the manner in tij o l • er d tt oletitZet Zit,tvere returned for the rotten boroughs te a n tb 4 s ha d n that principle of the Constitution to O r 00 1 4 t ilt. al l d o tt is j o ,ty ,i, pot ,luded ?-- (Cheers.)—On the contrary, Afonallo ; ~,,V 'si t t he te l t 'Jody o f h V 0 L e o ,, P bli men who made laws, and voted er 25 ' 1 T- e n so,,, k!'te,,, ''‘ trout th ni oney, over whom the people had no year' . ',J P 0tt0i`...14,"..,, they had over the Polish diet?— isl 9 1 ° ; -- I " tar Q t t,,,' tio so an Vitt had said that under such oyeorl chlAir el su a n could be ' ' lar f . s . i ‘ b of te h e an honest Minister. He (Mr. , r i n ee 0 . , 1 ,tit*. i tu,_ th e , .eobld not be an ind d tone. He had .„ 1;0'40 0 , P o t ts set ik acie tei t b epen en till ic or de " 0 1 40414 Tat e , 30 'pity of purchasing the boroughs ; but be pursued or not, he was sure e ,i Du' il‘ ' Asir - '"ase t }7 l an be measure if adopted long ,Itsfit4;4oBZ.h—e "Per.oBphl:hiadd paid the fee-simple of them Aci:dee-isilone:?! i A, i . ill 1 11 4 l ie l it %it iot e galn, in pensions, places, and sinecures, to ,c,/, pg I,llit,ilaieti,.4,'"--(Cheers.)—He attributed ninety-nine k RS A lt , ' o:i 0 . N IL 4 t ttlreeti;:U.°!.the evils which oppressed the country work 13° 0 0 0 1 CNC 'led ,-,;(ate Of the representation.—(Cheers.) 3, L oa. re d io . It -gh t of whievir, notlernan concluded along and eloquent . linoroinNisa ,01 t , t ( lti t :s.tu at i iri : ,or time will not allow us to give more ' a go o° OP ; ti t te 4 :_tor th ,'1 declaring his opinion that the only I lov e biP l ' 4 t ld '' 4 l . th e c "otry a • • ' ven ~„ 01, , 11,,, s b) eae e ~ , gainst the continuance and re el ee 0 , , h. _ vile Ives Parliamentary Reform, which o ilx) 11 0 tok ~,midi i ti e bo s/ ' 4 4-t4):111 eitte ted by an union of King's Ministers, and I _, s eitP„ to ts• of , t „ u I t Zlast Prevail over all the efforts of corruption e yo Ado ...r a pes h ial l 4.: great and desirable consummation. Mr. 1 yin' bY Woleti " dow n Y. mill t o itt el, .4i f i r tq u. , amidst loud applause, after moving than k ; el° i fil h OA o li I h vp ith ros e to ~ s In a 0, ~t ,ty ~ 4 1 0 se cond the resolution, and was re radjearY Pi , ,of !N L l N, Lil ' l ah tol:tg;:eontinued round of applause. He said, , 0 V o s t :fe t ,7 l o, likeet,,„,l_'!talvare that the light of knowledge had %tell ° orl ° of i4O , it g _ th, rt ,"!: th e cloud of of delusion. Human vitt, exnerceli4eee_ived by blind confidence in existing e to il l ' C ore °° isle 't4 Zt 't 4 g_ be e on or bich o t Vite 4 _I 110 to 4 its powers in judging for itself. netsq n „ i cea re di s ee . bo t ,"aciL l tt t h e gee venerable for its antiquity, nor injury an 1 0 . 0 0 .4 Ntte•to th e pea of precedent. The people, as yet k o ii nt ..0 1. .. ,„.. Corruptionsof on , fa ts nt i4 tli,° l l.. eus. , . Church and State, by the O co of .telfwil Se . , teis-`svered neeeption now rang e , ne di.• se-, §141414:,1 shay. to . .81,V and knew the truth. be falsities which had hitherto a te e T;, , 0104% I,l :sch i ti pet P° 4 ... tl eni as facts. They saw themselves the dov i espr esa i Al,- h ,1141 ' the w coon fa principles and impudent i in ..es, theele> iithi 4._ th e saw the whole secret of Statepolicymto engi- eat . _ . -4 Plunde r Nt e i L b ted th o itt ,_ of the many for the gain of the few. red a p otic . t c o . . -11014,,_ teat and Purpose of our spiritual and ed is .' Y "`txne 10 be, personal profit and worldly . • ' 1 advantage. For instance, they had been taught to believe that tithes and other property now claimed by the Church— The HIGH SHERIYF here interrupted Mr. Rippon, and desired him to confine himself to the question before the meeting. Mr. Rirrow said no one would bow with more defer ence to the authority of the Sheriff than himself. But his object was to show the necessity-- The HIGH SHERIFF said that as long as Mr. Rippon confined himself to the object of the meeting he should be heard and no longer. _ . Mr. Rirros said the Sheriff would of course hear his explanation. They were met here to consider the pro priety of petitioning for a Reform in Parliament; and he conceived the necessity of that Reform could not be fairly shown to the people unless the abuses which would be corrected by it were pointed out to them.—(Cheers.) If the gentlemen here assembled were of opinion that the Church was not the first and foremost of those abuses, then he (Mr. IL) had done. . The Thou SHERIFF again intimated that he would not allow Mr. Rippon-to pursue the line of remark upon which he had entered. Mr. Rierow—Then, in the Cathedral-crowned city of Durham, the abuses of the Church are to be sacred ! (Laughter and applause.) Passing, however, over this subject, which he was prevented, by the decision of the Sheriff, from dwelling upon,—which decision was peremp tory, and by which he was bound to abide, though he still entertained his opinions upon the course be intended to have pursued—(Cheers)—he would proceed to consider the question of Reform on other grounds. The first step to redress of grievances was Reform in the representation of the people—in other words, in allowing their power to be used for their advantage. This point gained, all other Reforms, great and important though they might be, must and would be consequential.—(Cheers.) Of this the cer ruptionists were aware. A knowledge of this fact would stir up, in one House, the turgid pride of a haughty aristo cracy, dreading and detesting the increase of popular ,power—it would rouse the infuriated resistance of a bo roughmongering nobility, clinging with tenacious grasp to their long-enjoyed system of national plunder—it would awaken the selfish fears of an overpaid mammon-seeking hierarchy, well knowing that the reign of darkness, in which their powers could alone exist, was now fast drawing to a close. Had we not seen political independence, and the services of willing slaves, lyingly denominated repre seniatives of the people—had we not seen these pros tituted by boroughmongering nobles, to the use of minis terial power, for the mere value of a yard of ermine to their robes, or a strawberry leaf to their coronet? Had we not lately seen the mustered minions of a wealthy peer, ranged in opposition to the rights of the people? Then let the order beware,—let them remember, if they dared to array themselves, or use their present powers, in resisting the just claims and expectations of the commonwealth, the phantom of their existence might vanish in a moment be fore the breath of the people.—(Cheers.)—Again, in the other House, we should witness the dying efforts of those impotent representatives of patronage and wealth, whose presence could never disgrace a reformed House of Coin mous. We should hear the expiring wrath of discarded placemen, and see the final opposition of hungry pensioners, the titled beggars of the State ; for the plunder and ad vantages of all these would be determined by an act of reformation.—(Cheers.)—To resist the united efforts of this phalanx of detected uselessness, and expensive perni ciousness, we bad a Ministry, honest, he trusted, pledged to Reform, and relying upon the people.— (Cheers.) —Whigs and Tories were to him but names. He had seen them, in past times, equally corrupt —alike quartering their hungry friends and needy rela tives on the exhausted resources of an impoverished nation. He ❑ow saw them, thank God ! equally powerless. His trust in the present men was not derived from their pro fession of party; though of some , of them, especially of those who were not systematized in the old trade of Go vernment, he entertained the highest opinion.—(Cheers.) —But his confidence was created by this declaration— that their power was dependent on the approbation of the people.--(Cheers.)—lf the present representatives refused the proposition for Reform, would the Minister dissolve the Parliament, and appeal to the nation ? Yes ; he had declared his determination to do so. If the House of Peers—if they who were permitted to exercise the powers of legislators, on the lottery-like qualification of birth—if they resist, d the wishes of the people, as expressed by their present or future representatives, for Reform, would the 'Minister do his duty—would he dilute the precious essence of hereditary nobility, by an infusion of life nobles or plebeian peers? If he would not, he must at once stand back, and leave the people to pursue their own course of remedy ; for they were determined to have the sub stance, not the shadow, of Reform.—(Cheers.)—They looked forward to a termination, at no distant day, of that hideous harlotry, the impure connection of Church and State,—they expected the same principle of purificatiln to be applied to a House of Peers which they now required in a House of Commons. They knew that they were alike their legislative representatives, using their power, by their permission, and for their ad vantage. Was not a Spiritual Peer the mere duplicate of a plebeian placeman or pensioner? Were they not alike created by the breath of a Minister, attached to him for past services, devoted in supple compliance to his will, in expectation of benefits to come ? Rub off, then, he would say, these fungi of nobility, whi , ..,11 defaced, by their ex crescence, the lofty stem of true rank.—(Cheers.) Purify, by their removal, a British Senate, which was likened, by their presence, to the conclave of a Spanish Inquisition. Did not Charles the First, in compliance with the oft-re peated wishes of the people,—did not he remove the Bench of Bishops from the House of Peers? The His! SHERIFF again requested that Mr. Rippon would adhere to the question. Mr. RirroN considered that both Houses of Parliament came under observation in discussing this question. The HIGH SHERIFF thought otherwise. They were met to consider the propriety of petitioning for a Reform of the House of Commons. Mr. RirroN—Then the House of Peers and the Church shall be both held sacred !—(A laugh.) He would now say a few words on a point of Reform, on which, un fortunately, a. difference of opinion existed, even among the best friends of the measure—he alluded to the ballot. Without entering upon its merits, he begged leave to say, that the safety of our peaceful success depended upon our union. Unity was strength. (Hear.) Looking at the difficulties of our present situation, he was induced to recommend a temporary postponement of all discussion upon this point of detail ; and thus secure the safety of the general measure—thus obtain the certain and easy means of hereafter completing the great scheme of Re form. This be deemed a prudent sacrifice to present cir cumstances. But as he declared it to be the right of every man freely to exercise his judgment and opinion, un awed by power, unfettered by connections, so he should deem all Reform but illusive, which did not secure to every voter, as far as was practicable, the liberty of acting according to the dictates of his conscience, free from the controul of every man.—(Great cheering.) It had been said that the boreughmongers—Whig and Tory—had expressed a hope of pecuniary conspensation ; but if compensation were required, it must be from them to the people—from them for having so long enjoyed the benefits of a property, created by the plunder of the people's rights, by the pillage of their immunities.— (Great cheering.) A struggle was at hand. Parliament, in a few short weeks, might, in all human probability, be dissolved. In the hands of the people would then be the salvation or destruction of the country. As Englishmen, he hoped they would do their duty. They would remem ber that the present fabric of our glorious Constitution was reared by the valour and exertions of our ancestors, and was cemented by their blood. They would feel it to be a duty they owed to themselves, their children, and poste rity, now to second the wishes of a patriotic King, the best, the most beloved, and revered Monarch, that ever sat upon the British throne—to succour the efforts of a Mi nistry relying on them far su pp ort , an d d ec l ar i ng them selves the willing instruments for completing their wishes. --(Cheerio.) The resolution of the people would determine whether the present sun rise of liberty should advance in unclouded course to meridian splendour, or be again ob scured by the mists of bigotted misrule. Let the people determine, then, to do their duty. Let them resolve to return those only to be their representatives who would be the honest and undaunted defenders of their rights. Let them consider the conduct of those they had hitherto trusted, and compare their acts with their pro fessions. The freeholders of the county of Durham would remember that one of their reprentatives, and as the gentleman was now present, he more particularly called their attention to the fact, to allow him an oppor tunity of vindication—they would remember that one of their representatives was seen on a late memorable occa sion, supporting by his vote, the tyrannous prin c ipl e o f irresponsible e xtr a vagance, in bestowing Miley, wrung from the scanty means of an impoverished people, in feed ing those unacknowledged paupers, the pensioned vermin of the State.—(Cheers.) Before he concluded, he wished to say one word to the next powerful body—to the gentle men of the Press—to them who were the voice of pub lic opinion —to them whose duty it would be to ring in the ears of resisting tyrants the will and wishes of th e people. He th an k e d th em f o r their past services ; but lie asked of th em re d ou bl e d exer ti ons in days which were to come. Once more he called upon the people, as men and Christians, as desirous to exalt the honour of God, as de termined to vindicate their rights as men-1e called on them now to come forward, now to secure by their ex ertions the abolition of all abuse, whether in Church or State.—(Cheers.)—All hope was in the united spirit of the people. Their strength was in firmness and co-opera tion. Nothing could resist their consolidated might. The wave of public union would carry away with its resistless force all impediments of corruption.—(Cheers) Let then, the day of trial come when it might, lie trusted, nay he believed, his countrymen would do their duty— would uphold the glory, and assert the rights of this their native land. Mr. Rippon concluded, amidst reiterated cheers, by seconding the resolution. The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. Mr. G. H. WILKINSON then rose to move petitions to the two Houses of Parliament founded upon the resolu tion, which be introduced in a very able and eloquent speech, in the course of which he said that the time hail arrived when the circumstances of the country were such as, in the minds of the great bulk of intelligent men in the country, to shrink from the discussion of this question, or to temporise any longer with the corruption that had risen out of the representative system, would be not merely idle but criminal.—(Cheers.) —After alluding to the strong conviction of the necessity of Reform now pre valent in every part of the kingdom, he said that it must be felt with increased force in this county, which returned only four Members to Parliament, and many of whose leading interests were consequently inadequately repre sented. With respect to Reform in general, there could be no question of its necessity. It had, it was true, been said that the system " worked well ;" but if it had at all worked well, it had only been by the watchfulness of the public Press,—the ludgs of our political system as it might be called—which had served to correct the corruption that rankled in l articular parts of it.—(Loud cheers. )—lt was only through the influence of the Press. that some Peers have been induced to return to Parlia ment, individuals who commanded, by their talents and integrity, that respect which never would have attached to them as the mere representatives of the places for which they sat—it was the Press, in fact, which had worked out our deliverance in spite of corruption.—(Cheers.)—The Learned Gentleman then adverted to the workings of the system in the foreign wars against opinion into which it had led the country, the intolerable pressure of taxation which it had produced, and the outrages which had lately resulted from it in the South. Would such have been the care if the House of Commons had fairly represented the people ?—(Cheers. )—Comparisons had lately been made between the evils of this country and those under which France laboured previous to the first revolution. Never, however, had this country, since the days of Charles been in such a state of thraldom and oppres sion as the people of France before that mighty convulsion. He trusted the comparison would fail _in other respects— that such evils as we had to complain of would be re moved by the good feeling and wisdom of the Government, and that relief would not be withheld until its refusal should provoke excesses similar to those that had been witnessed in France.—(Cheers.)—To him, the course best calculated to obtain Reform appeared to be, to abstain from the discussion of details. It was enough for them, at present, he thought, explicitly and solemnly to declare their conviction of the necessity of such a Reform as would re store the Constitution to its pristine purity, that would be a restoration and improvement, not a convulsion or violent change.—(Cheers.) He did not recommend a blind con fidence in the Members of the Government, but such a confidence as front their past conduct and character, and their present professions, they seemed to deserve.— (Cheers.) The Learned Gentleman described the difficul ties-with which a Reforming Administration will have to contend in Parliament ; and then alluded to the question of the ballot, which he said he did not think would be es sential under an extension of the suffrage—(Loud hisses) —though if any thing like the present system were to re main, he would say, " For God's sake give us the ballot," for then it would be an alterative.—(Cheers.) But surely it would not be wise to call in the physician before they' saw whether they could get well without him—that the vigour of the system would not throw off disease without the aid of extraordinary remedies.—(Great disapproba tion.) The Learned Gentleman concluded by again ear nestly recommending union amongst Reformers, as the su rest means of success—and sat down, amidst considerable applause, after moving the petitions, and that they should be entrusted for presentation, that to the House of Lords by Lord Durham, and that to the Commons by Lord Wil liam Powlett. Mr. HARLAND seconded the petitions, and observed that he would lay before them one or two facts in addition to what had been already stated to show the abuses of the late—he meant the present, but be hoped expiring repre sentative system.—(Laughter and cheers. )—ln 1785, he happened to be in the House of Commons when Mr. Pitt brought forward his celebrated, but what some termed his humbugging, proposition, for adding 100 members to counties and cities, and disfranchising thirty-six rotten boroughs. He was opposed by Lord North, who called upon him to produce the petitions from Manchester, Bir mingham, Leeds, and other large towns, well knowing that there were none, and who, in consequence, insisted that the people w ere very indifferent about Reform. This showed the necessity of the people raising their voices in favour of Reform at the present time.-- (Cheers.)—Another fact related to the first return of Sir William Middleton, for Northumberland, when it was notorious he was returned in opposition to the Duke of Northumberland, the grandfather of the present Duke. 'lie Duke was a good deal disappointed and nettled at first, but he folded his arms, and said he would nullify every vete Sir William might give. For that purpose he instructed his agents to purchase a Cornish rotten bo rough, by which means he put two men in Parliament to upset every thing Sir William did.—(A laugh.)—H e (Mr. H.) trusted, however, that the day of retribution was near at hand, and that Northumberland would soon have the satisfaction of seeing its representatives boldly speaking their sentiments without regard for the controul or influence of the Duke of Northumberland.—(Cheers.) —The worthy and venerable gentleman concluded by ex pressing his anxious hope that, by the plan of Reform in contemplation, the House of Commons would be rendered what it ought to be, the express image of the opinions and feelings of a high-spirited, honourable, and independent people.—(Cheers.) After some discussion on a point of form, in the word ing of the petitions, they were unanimously agreed to. Lord Wm. POWLETT said he would have the greatest satisfaction in acceding to the wish of the meeting as to the presentation of their petition to the House of Com mons, where he would give it his best support. When the requisition was addressed to the Sheriff he was 200 miles distant from this place; but he had felt it his duty to attend there that day to show his respect to the requi_ sitionists, and as it was the first meeting which his consti tuents had held on the subject of Reform since he Was officially connected with the county.—(Cheets.).— Though he differed from many of the sentiments he had heard expressed to-day, he thought that after the great diffusion of knowledge, and the increase that had taken place in the population of the country, some change in the constitution of the House of Commons could no longer be opposed.—(Cheers.) What the plan of Reform contem plated by Ministers might be he knew not ; but he was glad that it had been made a Cabinet measure, as lie was sure it was the only safe mode by which Reform could be accomplished. He hoped it would be effected without any difference between the two Houses of the Legislature (as had been hinted at by Mr. Rippon), which could on ly degrade and debase the country, and that the plan would be such as both Houses might fully concur i n . He was favourable to the extension of the elective franchise to large towns ; but with regard to the close boroughs, though they were called rotten boroughs, be differed from many gentlemen who had preceded him.— (Hi sses .) He remembered a saying of the late Lord Chatham, who was himself an ardent Reformer, that though they were the rotten parts of the• Constitution, they must be carried about with us, for amputation might be death.--(Disapprobation.)—lf the House of Commons was to be the representative of all classes, he should like to know in what other way the army and navy, aid ether professions, were to find their way into Parlia ment.—( A laugh and disapprobation. )—He was favourable to the extension of the suffrage, but would never support vote by ballot, which was unknown to the Constitution, and un-English.—(Cheers and disapprobation.) —He justified his conduct from the charge brought against it by Mr. Rippon with respect to the Civil List. He did vote with the late Government upon that question. The only difference of opinion on that occasion was, not the ex travagance of the grant—which had been reduced 300,0001., though there was now a Queen Consort—but as to the &propriety of referring it to a Committee. He sought nothing for himself by any vote that he gave in Parliament--he was sensible that be was dependent upon their favour, and not on the property of himself or his family, for the seat he held—and he would endeavour to merit their continued approbation by an uniform course of personal independence, and by giving to the interests of his constituents the best and most constant attention in his power.—(Cheers.) Mr. LIDDELL said, that after a considerable proportion of the proceedings of the day he bad thought he should have little to do but to signify his general acquiescence in the petition—though he should not sign it, as it embraced some points on which he dissented from the meeting.-- (Disapprobation.) He had heard, with great satisfaction, the explanation of the Noble Lord, and bore testimony to his unvarying attention to the business of his constituents and the welfare of the county.—(Cheere.) He would now take leave to make some observations on the speech of Mr. Rippon, which he characterised as the most inconsistent with itself that he had ever heard delivered in any assembly, public or private.—(Tumult.) And if he could not make good his point, that its author was inconsistent, and had shewn a deplorable want of historical knowledge, he would be content to be hissed out of Court. Mr. Rippon, in his retrospect of public affairs, bad represented the whole secret of State policy, to their disgusted imaginations, to have con sisted in the plunder of the many for the gain of the few, had talked of a haughty Aristocracy dreading and detesting the power of the people, arid the hideous harlotry of the Church and State, and had called upon them to rise and resist tyrants, and subvert the church for tire honour of God.— (Great tumult.) But here was the inconsistency of his speech. He spoke of the glorious Constitution teared by our forefathers. But if that Constitution was not suffi cient to preserve the country from all the evils described by Alt. Rippon, it was not a glorious Constitution and was not worth maintaining. The time of Charles the First had been alluded to. But the meeting would remember, that if the Constitution should fall, it would lead, as it did then, to anarchy and confusion, and the temporary suspension of our liberties, by raising up some great military leader to trample on our freedom. He therefore called upon them to distrust those who would lead • them into anarchy and confusion, and stick to the good old temple of the Consti tution, while they should, at the sane time, get rid of those tbuses which time had brought about. The great object in view was the sending of an increased number of repre sentatives to the House of Commons ; but he had no doubt the measure to be introduced by Ministers would cure this difficulty, while it would maintain the advantages which the country had so long enjoyed. He urged Reformers to ' act with moderation, and not to go all the lengths which might- be recommended by the demagogues of the day. He was friendly to the extension of the elective franchise, and agreed that the power of the aristocracy and of sonic individuals had risen to too great a h e i g ht i n re t urn i ng Members to the House of Commons ; but he did not think any positive deprivation should take place to any class of men in the kingdom. He believed a thorough and effi- cient Reform • might take place without it. He would take one Member from small and depopulated places, now possessing two, and give them to extensive places which returned 'nrine, "which, combined with an extension of suffrage, would be as effectual a Reform as the state of the times. required.—(Disapprobation. ) Colonel MILLS expressed his regret that the state of Mr. Russell's health did not permit his being present at the meeting . ; but he read a letter from that gentleman, in which be expressed his warm approbation of the object of the meeting, and his determination to support the mea sute in his place in Parliament. —(Cheers. ) In respect to. himself (Colonel Mills said), although he stood before them . ..the, representative of a borough—a rotten borough --(A lattgh)—which might probably never return him again, he assured the meeting, that during the short period he had been in Parliament he had endeavoured to dis charge his duty to the public to the best of his power.— (Cheers.) lie had not the slightest doubt, in his own mind, of the necessity of Reform, and whenever the plan of Ministers might be brought forward, be trusted it would be such ..as the public welfare required.—(Cheers.) Mr. Metros( said he had been threatened with a lecture on consistency by Mr. Liddell, and that some strange his torical inaccuracy should be pointed out to him; but up to the present time he had been quite unable to discover it.— (Cheers and laughter.) He had been charged with speak ing inconsistently of the Constitution ; but if that Consti stitutiod were perfect, where would be the necessity of Reform?—Cheers.) He would say that the Constitution was great and good, but that it might be made much better. Like an old house it should he remodelled and suited to meedeim tastes and purposes.—(Cheers.) Without referring at all to those factious demagogues and monsters which seemed to be going at large, and to have created so much dread in the mind of Mr. Liddell—without touching upon that ' delicate part of the history of Charles the First to *Lich he had already adverted, he would say that if anarchy and confusion did produce a military dictator, we were ourselves now living under the dictation of the aris tocracy—that worst of dictation.—(Cheers.)—And were the people to submit to that for ever ? He would say that the present choice was between Reform and Revolution— ' between peaceful amelioration and painful destruction— ' between right and wrong. It was only by necessity they came forward ; but that necessity would compel all men boldly to express their opinions, to declare themselves friends or foes of corruption, and to place themselves under the banners either of liberty or oppression, —(Cheers.) Dr. FENWICK, in obedience to a general call from the body of the Court, then stood forward and addressed the meeting at considerable length, and in his usual eloquent and fervid manner, in favour of Reform ; but it is utterly out of our power to give any report of his observations, or of the speeches of Mr. Fawcett, or of Colonel Chaytor, by whom he was followed. The latter gentleman avowed himself decidedly friendly to the ballot, and the declaration was received with loud cheers. In answer to some observations from Mr. Fawcett and Mr. Rippon, Mr. Liddell disclaimed having used the term "demagogues" in reference to any gentlemen present at the meeting. Thanks having been voted to the High Sheriff, the meeting broke up. The following i s a copy of the peti t i on a d opte d at t h e meeting :-- " TO TAE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED. " THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE FREEHOL. HERS OF'THE COUNTY OF DURHAM, Sheweth,—That it is the opinion of your petitioners, that a well-regulated representative system affords to a nation the best security against misgovernment. " That to the want of such a system may be justly attributed rnany'of the evils which afflict this country; and that the best preventive of their increase or recurrence is to be found in an adequate and substantial Reform of the representation. " That your petitioners, therefore, regard with the highest satisfaction, the avowed {intention of his Majesty's present Go vernment, of submitting to your Honourable House a measure Of Parliamentary Reform; and your petitioners, therefore, ur gently, but respectfully, en treat t hat your HonourableHouse will be pleased to take the same into your most serious considera tion, and adopt such measures as to your wisdom may seem best calculated to remove the defects of the present system, and give to the country the blessings of a real and adequate representation. o And your petitioners will ever pray, &c." KISSING GOES BY FAVOUIt.--It appears, thethe Pension List, that the Duke of WELLINGTON, from byl commencement of his course as Prime Minister, up to the Ist of June, 1830, granted pensions to forty-five in dividuals, at a cost to the country of 6,6771. ss. Bd. per annum. Out of this sum, 4,0931. 10s. 6d. was bestowed on twenty-eight of the fair sex, (in some instances for three or four lives) who had doubtless " done the State some service"—.but of the nature those services the country is tit present kept in the dark. The pensions granted from the Ist of June to the 20th of November, 1830, amount :to 4,7341 . 11 s. making a total of t w he ith tw w e l n i t ic y l - i tw hi o s In G n ra n c t e hs h i a je s y r annu m, held the reins of Go v e rment. b 1 1.1 1 ; 4 t end 1 1 t 6 h s e . 8 c ot P t r e during DEATH OF THE HON. FRDEERICK WlL rum ROBINSON.—The dissolution of this lamented young gentleman occurred on Sunday at Hastings, where he was residing for the benefit of his health. Mr. ROBINSON, who had lately taken his degree at Oxford, was the only son and heir -apparent of Lord GRANTHAM, and nephew to the Ese of EN"I.KILLEN and Viscount G ODERICH . Mr. RonissoN , who, if he had su rv i ve d, wou ld h ave atta i ne d his majority in April, was also heir presumptive to the Earldom of Ds Gaiiy, hie Noble par en t b e i ng i n rema i n d er to that title ; and i t is a fact which may be unparalleled in the annals of th e , Peerag e , th a t prev i ous to t h e bi rt h o f L or d Gonsnrcri s son and heir, in 1829, Mr. ROBINSON w as heir to the Earldom of Ds GREY, the Viscounty of GODERICH, and the Barony of GRANTHAM. Mr. BANKES made last night what he no doubt thought would be an irresistible attack on Mr. P. T . il on the s u bj ect o f t h e or d er respect i ng t h e barirra °' duty; but the result did not correspond with his anticipations. On this occasion he was very feebly sup ported by Mr. HER MES , an d ot h er Mem b ers, w h o b e f ore seemed as eager as himself. It had been discovered, in the mean , time, that the practice objected to was of frequent occurrence. The objection to the reduction of the duty was soon disposed of. By the help, indeed, of the intro duction of free trade into the discussion, Mr. SADLER was enabled to deliver himself of a speech which had nothing to do with the question.—Morning Chronicle. Though the Duke de NEMOURS has been electe d King of BELGium, it is believed that the father has refused to allow him to accept the Sovereignty. Though Prince TALLEYRAND has communicated this refusal officially, we are somewhat sceptical. Means will be found of overcoming his scruples, or we are much mis taken.—Morning Chronicle. The letters from Liverpool mention a dreadful c irctemstance•--the loss of the mail-coach betneen Glasgow and Liverpool. No details of when or where the accident happened are given in the letter we have seen ; it merely states that the coachman and guard were found dead, and that no traces of the coach with the passengers and the horses have yet been discovered. COURT CIRCULAR. A Cabinet Council was held at one o'clock yesterday after noon, at the Foreign Office, which was attended by Earl Grey, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Durham, Viscount Melbourne, Viscount Pahnerston, Viscount Goderich, Viscount A Ithorp, the Earl of Carlisle, the Right Hon. C. Grant, and Lord Holland. The Council sat in deliberation near three hours. The Lord Chancellor arrived at the Foreign Office at the time that the ~ ther Ministers were leaving it: his Lordship had an interview with Earl Grey, Immediately after the Council had broken up, Viscount Pal merston joined a conference of the Representatives of the Great Powers on the affairs of Belgium, the Members of which had been assembled since two o'clock. There were present Prince ralleyrand, the French Ambassador, Prince Esterhazy, the Austrian Ambassador, Prince Lieven, the Russian Ambassador, ilaron Billow, the Prus,ian Minister, Baron de Weissenburg, Minister from Austria, and Count Mastoushewitz, Minister from Russia. _ The Ministers were engaged in consultation till near six, Last evening despatches- were sent off from the Foreign Office for Lord Ponsonby at Brussels, and also for Viscount (iranville, our Ambassador at Paris. Count de Moltke, the Danish Minister, has arrived in town from Denmark. His Excellency transacted business yesterday at the Office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. A deputation of Licensed Victuallers, headed by Mr. Briscoe, M.P. for Surrey, attended at the Treasury yesterday, and had a conference with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Viscount Goderich arrived in town on Sunday evening from Hastings, accompanied by-Sir Henry Halford, whom his Lord ship took with him on leaving town, in order to render his pro fessional assistance to his Lordship's nephew, the Hon. Mr. Robinson, who expired on Sunday morning. BRIGHTON, FED. 7. His Majesty gave audience to Captain Woolmore yesterday; afterwards their Majesties, accompanied by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cumberland, took a carriage airing on the West Cliff; as far as Hove, returning to the Palace at half-past four. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland walked through various parts of the town : Prince George of Cambridge and Cumberland were also on foot, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Harvey. Captain Fitzclarence arrived yesterday morning at the York Hotel. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex is much better, from his late indisposition. The Duke of Devonshire, Count and Countess Munster, Ad miral Sir Charles Rowley, Mr. Greenwood, Captain Woolmore, Mr. and Mrs. Jerningham, Colonel and Mrs. Dawson Darner, and Mrs. Fitzherbert, had the honour of dining with their Majesties. The calls at the Palace were numerous. The departures for London are very many, including the Earl of Uxbridge, die Bishop of Ely, &c. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland left the Palace this morning at an early hour for town. FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. ARRIVALS. The Marquis of Londonderry, in Park-lane, from his seat in Ireland; Lord Francis Osborne, in Norfolk-street, Park-lane, from his scat, Gog Magog, Cambridgeshire; Earl Spencer, from his scat, Northamptonshire; Sir Charles Saxton, Bart., from his seat in Berks; W. Whitmore, Esq. M P. from Kidderminster; Colonel and Mrs. Clavering, at the St George's Hotel, Albe marle-street, from Yorkshire; General Brown, at ditto, from ditto; C. Tyrell, Esq. M.P. at Kirkham's Hotel, Lower Brook street, from Suffolk ; H. J. Adeane, Esq. M.P. at ditto, from Cambridgeshire; H. Dover, Esq. at ditto, from ditto; H. R. Russell, Esq. at ditto, from Hants; Frederick Shaw, Esq. M.P. at Symmons's Hotel, St. James's-street, from Dublin : Thomas Gisborne, Esa. at the St. James's Hotel, Jermyn-street, from Derbyshire; Wilbraham Egerton, Esq. M.P. in St. James's square, from his scat, Tatton-park, Cheshire; Sir Roger and Lady Gresley, from their seat, Drakelow, Derbyshire; Captain and Mrs. Hall, in Regent-street, from Bath ; the flight Hon. Lord and Lady Waldegrave and family, at Mivart's Hotel, Lower Brook and Davies-streets, from their seat, Strawberry. hill ; Colonel and Mrs Fitzgerald, at ditto, from Somerset shire; John Sayer, Esq. at ditto, from Brighton; Mr. and Mrs. Turby and family, at ditto, from ditto ; Sir Richard Joddrell, Bart. in Bentinck-street, from Oxfordshire. DEPARTURES. Prince and Princess Lieven, for Brighton ; Lord Southampton, from the St. James's Hotel, Jermyn-street, for Leicester; Earl Brecknock, from Arlington-street, for Norfolk; Captain Field ing, for Chippenharn ; R. Ellison, E.sq., for Beverley, Yorkshire; Captain Streattield, Royal Engineers, from Morley's Hotel, Cock spur-street, for York ; Captain Moynell, from the Pulteney Hotel, Albemarle-street, for Brighton ; William Radcliffe, Esq., from ditto, for Dover; S. M. Boulderson, Esq., from Mivart's Hotel, Lower Brook and Davies-streets, on a tour; Sir John Brough ton, Bart., from ditto, on a tour ; Colonel Wildman, from ditto, for his scat, Newstead Abbey ; Mrs. Bateman aad Mr. Osborne Bateman, from Fladong's Hotel, Oxford-street, for Brighton. MR. PERCEVAL'S GENERAL FAST. (From the Morning Chronicle.) The last Quarterly Review (in reference to Mr. PercevaPs no tice of motion for a General Fast, and to the manner in which it was received by the House of Commons on the day before the adjournment), contains the following paragraph :—" It is with no common satisfaction, therefore, that we can remove those apprehensions from pious minds, and this disgrace (for disgrace it would be if the charge were true) from the British character. Mr. Perceval was heard in silence; there were no acclamations of astonishment ; there was no laughter. These were interpola tions made more suo by the Gentlemen of the Press." This is only one of the vulgar attacks common with those who are interested in bringing the statements of the Newspapers into disrepute, to which we can afford the most satisfactory answer. We have seen not less than four persons connected with " the Press," who state distinctly that they heard from several quar ters in the House, when the notice of motion was given, the sig. nificant inquiry " General tvhat 7 as well as the laugh which followed Mr. Perceval's solemn repetition of the words " General Fast." The best contradiction, however, of the calumny, that the inquiry and the laugh were the " interpolations" of the Reporters, may be supplied by the following litcratim, b'ut very intelligible copy of the note of a Reporter of the greatest ex perience, and of the utmost fidelity, taken at the moment in the discharge of his duty :--- " PERCEVAL—Take early opportunity, Address to appoint day for General Fast throughout the kingdom." " General what ?" .. PERCEVAL—GeneraI Fast."—(A laugh.) How came Mr. Perceval to repeat the words " General Fast," if the repetition had not been rendered necessary by the inquiry ? and how came "a laugh" to be registered, unless it was heard ? We presume it will not be supposed that what we have above quoted is a forgery ; and if it be not, what becomes of the asser tion of the Quarterly Review 7 Only what has become of many other assertions on the same authority. SENTENCE ON LORD WILLIAM PAGET CAPTAIN OF H. M. S. NORTH STAR. PORTBMOUTIT, FEB. 7.—The Court re-assembled and opened this day at ten o'clock, and having heard the defence read, the Court was cleared, and soon afterwards opened, when the Deputy Judge Advocate read the following sentence :—The Lords Com missioners of the Admiralty having received a letter in which it was stated that a boy, Wm. Herritage, had been cruelly flogged and ill-treated, and that in order to avoid the same punishment he jumped overboard and was drowned, a: Court Martial was therefore ordered to try Captain Lord W. Paget for the same. The Court having heard the evidence produced in support of the charges, and by the said Captain Lord W. Paget in defence thereof, and having maturely and deliberately weighed and con sidered the whole, the Court is of opinion that the charge has not been proved, but that it is unfounded and malicious—that the punishment given to the boy was not severe, and that the p un ishment ordered was correct. The President then returned Lord William's sword. SPORTING .NTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL' S. Filagree, Varennes, and Caleb, were in force yesterday, the two first named in particular ; although quoted at even with Bo hemian, Blunder, and Caleb, Varennes is clearly in greater force than either of them. The layers of the odds against Blunder and Rattler were more numerous than the takers. A new fa vourite appeared in the Oaks betting against Sister to Lion ; she sprung at once from 20 to 1 to 16 to 1 takers, and left off with plenty of friends. This change has been expected for some days past. The betting closed as follows : THE DERBY. 12 to 1 agst Mr. Beardsworth's Colwiek (taken) 14 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Filagree colt 15 to 1 agst Lord Sligo's Bras de Far 16 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Blunder 16 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Bohemian 16 to 1 agst Mr. AV. Chifney's Caleb 16 to 1 agst Lord Verulans's Varennes colt 18 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Hremus 18 to 1 agst Mr. Petre's Rattler 28 to 1 agst "Colonel Udny's Antiope eolt 30 to 1 agst Duke of Grafton's Pastille colt (taken) 30 to I agst Lord Jersey's Cobweb colt 33 to 1 agst Sir J. Shelley's Cressida colt 35 to I agst Mr. Cook's Incubus 45 to 1 agst Mr. Vansittart's Slight colt (taken) 50 to 1 agst Lord Orford's Medora colt (taken) 50 to 1 apt Sir R. Bulkeley's Pickpocket (taken) CAN to 500 on Filagree agst Blunder (taken) OAKS. 5 to 1 apt Mr. Houldsworth's Circassian 11 to 2 agst Duke of Grafton's Oxygen 11 to I agst Mr. Sadler's Delight 16 to 1 agst Mr. Stonehewer's Sister to The Lion 18 to 1 agst Lord Cavendish's Espagnolle filly 18 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Dahlia filly TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sin,—l send you the following extract of a letter from a run midshipman belonging to his Majesty's ship Madagascar, dated " Malta, Jan. 0, 1831," and addressed to his father, which, in the belief it will be perused by a large portion of your readers with a sympathetic interest, correspondent with the general esti mation towards that distinguished officer, you are welcome, if you please, to give insertion in your paper. I am, Sir, your humble servant, AN OLD SUBSCRIBER. February 5, 1831. " I wrote a long letter to you by the last packet, acquainting you with the melancholy death of our much lamented Captain. He was buried on Sunday, the. 12th of last month, at half-past ten, a.m. The following is a short description of the funeral procession : " The ship's company were landed first, at nine, opposite the ship ; in quarter of an hour afterwards,"the body was brought on shore in the barge, attended by the other boats of the ship, and alsoby the boats of the Ferret, where it was received by the Ge neral, Sir F. Ponsonby, and his staff. The rifle band walked first, playing the Dead March in Saul;' then followed the 2d battalion of Rifle-corps, with their arms reversed ; next the sur geon and assistant -surgeon of the ship ; then the chaplains of the ship and garrison • then came the General, as chief mourner, followed by Mr. Geary (Ist Lieutenant) and Mr. James, with two of the midshipmen; then, in succession, the seamen, midship men, and officers of the ship, followed by the marines; and, lastly, all the other naval and military officers and civilians, who closed the procession. The body *as interred at the head of Strada Meggodi, in a small stone vault, which had been prepared for the occasion on a small patch of grass-plot. The funeral ser vice was read by our own chaplain, Mr. Morton ; after which three volleys were fired by the Rifle-corps, and we returned on board. The General wrote a note addressed to the officers, &c.,_ thanking us for having assisted him in performing the last mark of respect to his beloved cousin, and praising the regularity with Which every thing had been conducted." Agaha " We were ordered out the other day on a sudden, to go and save some soldiers who had been wrecked in the Countess qf Har court transport, near Cape Passan. We were in rather an un prepared state for going to sea—however, the occasion was press ing, and we soon proceeded —were 47 hours absent, during which we ran 120 miles, embarked 320 people and their baggage, and returned to our moorings in Valetta. I had six trips to the shore in one of thecutters, assisting tobring offthe unfortunate people." SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, There is much discussion in public on the subject of the pensions, and the determination of Ministers re specting them. The principle on which present pensions are to be continued is that of charity ; —an agreeable sen t'ment to the distressed, an unassailable one to the phi- Irrithropist,—to the haughty beggar, to the alms-catchiug no'ile, justly painful and degrading. Ministers, therefore, may think they have acted adroitly in placing this outlay of tie public money to that account. They may have acted adroitly for two reasons: first, they will have placed those who persevere in receiving the public bounty in their proper light and character, as callous beggars; and nest, it cannot be conceived but that some will from a mere sense of shame relinquish the plunder. Will the noble act of the King in foregoing his 50,0e0/. be a solitary act? Will it not operate as an example? Of this we are sure, that whatever example a King sets of an op posite character, that is followed and copied zealously enough. Are the generous deeds of Royalty only to re main without imitators? There are many upon those pension lists which have swelled our columns lately, that are better able to relinquish a portion of their claims upon the public purse than his Majesty--some even of the wealthiest of the nobility ! It may be readily supposed that such individuals as the Bankheads, for example, who probably may not be well off, cannot now give up what they never ought to have received ; they might else be obliged to starve or work,---grievous alternatives, no doubt: but such would not lie the case with Lady West meath, the sister of Lord Salisbury, or with Lady Morn ington, the mother of the Duke of Wellington, and of the Lords Maryborough and Cowley ! These names occur to us first, but we could mention scores of others. Can it be believed, then, that the Marquis of Salisbury will any longer suffer his sister, Lady Westmeath, or the Duke of Wellington his mother, Lady Mornington, to be main tained, wholly or in part, as objects of charity, by a dis tressed nation ? Impossible. If they do suffer this, there is not a shopkeeper in London, who by ho nest industry has got a little before the world, that has not a nobler soul than the Marquis, and that Duke. There is not an honest shopkeeper in Cheapside, or the Strand, or in the town of Hatfield, or the ♦illage of Mornington, that would not scorn to have his sister or mother kept by the public through charity / We were going to speak of the Holmeses, father and son,—the latter, we believe, a youth at College ; but we found we were launching into too wide a subject at present. As it appears clear, however, that Ministers, in making all the persons who figure on the pension lists objects of charity, have tossed them down for the examination of that public which supplies the funds of the charity out of which they arc to be fed, we do say that the names of the objects cannot be too often brought before the country, nor their pretensions to eleemosynary support too strictly canvassed. It will be seen, by reference to the report of proceedings in the House of Commons, that some discussion arose on the Pension List; and we infer with pleasure, from the candid tone of Lord Althorp, that the list is not so peremptorily unalterable as was hinted by an Hon. Baronet on Friday last. Indeed, we have such confidence in the Noble Lord, that we anticipate not merely reductions in this branch of expenditure, but in others of a more extensive nature, so that the public burdens may be sensibly alleviated.— Times. In giving the news yesterday of the election of the Duke of Nemours to the throne of Belgium, we expressed our conviction that the King of the French, Louis Philip, would refuse his consent to his son's acceptance of the proffered honours. We relied on the solemn pledges of his Minister Sebastiani, but particularly on his own good faith, which has never yet been sullied. We fully appreciated the high value of those qualities in a new Government, and felt persuaded that a dynasty just recognized by Euroie would rather sacrifice an accession of territory, or an in crease of temporary power, than endanger its permanent security by deceiving its Allies, and laying its foundation on duplicity and perfidy. It is therefore with great plea sure that we announce the firm resolution of the French Monarch to refuse his son to the turbulent people of Bel gium. Had he acted otherwise, we could scarcely find language strong enough to express our opinion of his character. The whole course of conduct pursued by his Ministers would then have been liable to interpre tations destructive of all confidence in their future pro fessions or engagements, and Punic faith would scarcely have been a type of the fashionable faith of the Palais Royal. Some appearances had certainly excited suspicions in the conduct of the Belgic negotiations, but we must now believe them to have been accidental. Had not the official refusal of Louis Philip to the appointment of his son been announced at the same time that his Minister Se bastiani's last letter was published, we should have sus pected it part of a system of trickery, not only to get Belgium, but to get disencumbered of its just obligations. The French Minister objects to the settlement of the pe cuniary claims between Holland and Belgium by the Allies; but this seems to us precisely a question in which, as acknowledged mediators, they had a right to interfere. The fortresses on the Belgic frontier, for the expenses of which the Dutch have contributed so much money, or contracted so much debt, were constructed or re paired, not for Dutch, but for Belgic or European objects. Unless, therefore, the Allies themselves stepped in to indemnify the King of Holland for a part of the charge, he has a right to look to Belgium as his debtor. Whether, then, is it fitting that the Allies should settle a question resulting from a treaty to which they were all parties, or allow a war to break out between the litigants, which would endanger all their previous ar rangements? Besides, if M. de Sebastiani would look at the series of protocols which have emanated from the London conferences, he would see that such a settlement of the Belgic obligations to Holland was contemplated among the first of them. In a former document of this kind it is said that Belgium, though politically indepen dent of Holland, had not released itself from its duties and obligations to Holland and to Europe. Prince Talleyrand, who has been a party to all those transactions, must cer tainly have understood his instructions, and therefore such a disclaimer of his acts seems to argue a change of system, either with regard to him, or to the policy which he has pursued. In the first case, we may expect the resignation of the Prince; in the second, a termination of the London conferences. We solicit attention to the letter of M. de Potter, in order that it may be seen how much Belgium has gained by her late revolution. It completely confirms every thing that we hare ever said on the subject.— Times. A number of petitions presented by Lord King against tithes, produced a discussion last night in the House of Lords on the tithing-system and every thing connected with it—as lay-impropriatiens, residence of clergy, com mutation, and the rest. From this discussion, we learn that Lord King has many more petitions to present against tithes, so that the subject will be frequently revived in the House, and always in the way of attack. And the Arch bishop of Canterbury has some project in petto for further enforcing the residence of the clergy. To both lay and spiritual Peers we should say, "My Lords, do what yon like, but leave us at last a national church if you please, consisting of a body of well-educated clergy, and of man ners and habits such as usually distinguish men of culti vated minds: for if you eradicate these, we know full well what extravagancies will overrun the land under the name of religion." Lord King asserts that the church property is public property, or the property of the state ; and how any man can deny this who practically and positively saw the state (under a peculiar form of Government cer tainly !) take the whole of it in France, and dispose of the possessors in a manner equally compendious, we canna conceive. The same may be done in England at any time, if the will become general, both with the posses sors of church, and of every other species of property. It is madness to attempt to controvert Lord King's principle on this point, which is mere matter of fact and of history. What has been done in one place, may surely be done in another. Equally right and unanswerable is his Lordship in his reply to the Bishop of Lincoln, that the property which was left or given to the clergy, by pious men of old, for the purpose of promoting the divine worship, and supporting a resident clergy, was given to the Roman Catholic clergy, and therefore never can belong, or of right appertain, to a Protestant church ! The revenues also, which anciently belonged to the King, belonged to a Popish Ling, and therefore could in no case descend to a King who was of the reformed faith : and, in truth, all the property of the kingdom anciently belonged to Papists, and therefore could not of right be transferred to Pro testants when the Reformation took place. So that there is no such thing (though there be a lineal descent of church from church, and of persons from persons out of the pale of the Church) as a just and legal possessor of any property in this kingdom of England, if we except the few Roman Catholic noblemen and gentlemen who still adhere to the ancient superstition. We cannot, in can dour, however, ascribe the merit of this argument to Lord King ; for he, in truth, borrowed it from that eminent statesman and honest politician, William Cobbett..— Times. The business of Parliament last night was not unimpor tant. In the House of Lords, Lord King, in the course o te f nd some ed w excursiveere tiieproperty remarks of t upon p tithes, s,w elicitedh ic h front con- bt i: t e ' Bishops of Lincoln and Bath and Wells an a clrnissson b t o a rather than that the subject should continueis to Rock, the source of discord between the pastor co uainnd b n tr l y and upo in n lie t o h i Church would (sapient to a cominutati tithes. Lord King congratulated the on