The Sun. — London, England, 1831-03-18 00:00:00

For twenty-one years, should be admitted to vote at , county elections. „ Mr. CORBETT approved of this resolution. He then proceeded to congratulate the meeting that the reformers, after being persecuted and stigmatized for years, had at last got upon the throne a reforming King, and in the Government a reforming Ministry. They ow e d d eep grat i tu d e to t h e King for his firmness in abiding by his Ministers in spite of the monstrous intrigues which were carried on daily for the sae of diverting him from his honest and glorious purpose. (Great cheering.) They had, however, still greater cause for gratitude to the Ministers, for the extensive measure of Reform which they had produced. He gave his hearty approbation to the resolution ari d to the petition. Mr. FLEMING then came forward amidst mingled approbation and disapprobation. He was right in saying that the borough system was a part of that Constitution which had made England the wonder and the envy of the civilized world.--(Hoots and hisses.) He was sorry to hear such a body of men as that which he was now addressing deer: the glo rious British Constitution.—(Hisses e And laughter.) Englishmen ought to be more sensible of, and more thankful for, the blessings they now possessed.— (Hisses.) He devoutly prayed that the time might never arrive when they would regret the loss of such a Constitution,---a Constitution which, whatever might be its theoretical effects, had in its practical working produced a greater sum of liberty and hap piness, and glory, than had fallen to the lot of anv other country in the world.—(Latighter and hisses...) Other countries had been visited with the scourge of despotism, and had been laid waste lee the fire and sword of invading foes; but t nglishmen had always preserved their freedom, and their glory, and their happiness, under that Constitution which too maey were now ready to discard.—(Here the up roar became so great, that, notwithstanding the ex ertions of the High Sheriff and of Mr. Marsh, who laboured to quiet the meeting, the Member was for a long time unable to proceed.) If defects had crept into the Constitution, let them be reme died, but let not the Constitution be destroyed ; and, above all, let them not adopt a new Constitution without any experience of its mariner of working. (Hisses.) He was persuaded that the people could not have considered the consequences of that prin. ciple of spoliation which was introduced new, for the first time, into an Act of Parliament._(" Oh, oh.") The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to argue, amidst interruption of hisses and groans, against the mea sure , w hi c h h e d es i gnate d as a revo® lutionary measure,-:--as subversive of Monarchy and of the Constitution, and he concluded with quoting a passage from a speech of Lord John Russell's, in 1819. Sir W. HEATIICOTE rose amidst loud hisses. He '.would tell them openly, and at once, that he was op posed to the Bill.—(Hisses.)— He thought that the Bill was a fatal blow to the interests of the farmers, whatever the farmers themselves might think of it.—(Cries of " That won't do.") He had always thought that the number of the represen tatives of the agricultural interest would be found too few, if it had not been for those towns which, situated in agricultural counties, returned members who were altogether attached to the landed interest. —(Cries of "So they will now.") The towns would now have another interest. Mr. CoBBETT defended him:elf from the charge of incrnsistency. Sir J. M‘Dos. - aw held in his hand the noblest Bill that had ever found its way into Parliament since the days of the Bill of Rights —he meant Earl Grey's Bill of Reform.—(Cheers.) The Bill was short and simple, and he should have thought, but for what he had heard that day, comprehensible to the meanest capacity.—(Laughter.) It was likewise comprehensive and efficacious; if it had been otherwise, it would have been unworthy of the Monarch who had sanctioned it, of the Ministers who had introduced it, and of the people for whose welfare it was intended. He was present when this measure was first ushered into life in the House of Commons, and it was received, he could assure them with curses loud and deep by half the Ilouse of Commons. He put it to them whether there could be found any other assembly of 600 Englishmen in which such a measure, with such an object, would have met with such a return. They were told, that this Bill was revolutionary. Revolutionary' Rather say, counter-revolutionary.—(Cheers). Our opponents are too blind to see that a great revolu tion has been long begun and is still in progress. That revolution must be met, and how ? By vio lence ? Ridiculous T. No, by a great healing mea sure which will pour balm into the wounds of so ciety, and which will restore that confidence which has long ceased to exist between the rulers and the ruled.—(Cheers.) Mr. BARING WALL could not support this mea sure of Reform, because he looked upon it as an anomalous, ungracious, unjust, unconstitutional, and revolutionary measure.—(lmmense outcry, and shouts of " It won't do :" and " Give us some thing new 1 " ) The Hon. Member then proceeded in the same strain for some time, but the interrup tion prevented us from hearing a word he said. Mr. PELHAM moved the address to the King, ob serving, that although he should lose his seat in Parliament if the Bill passed, yet he should be happy to make any sacrifice for the success of so l i great a measure.--(Cheer:;.) Mr. KNIGHT seconded the address, arid moved that it be presented to the King by Lord Yarmouth. The petition and the address was then put, and carried unanimously, amidst loud cheering. Mr. MARSH moved, that Sir Thomas Baring be requested to present the petition, and to support it in the House of Commons.—Carried unanimously. The meeting dispersed at half-past five o'clock. There are, we understand, no less than three Re form dinners in Winchester. CUMBERLAND. A meeting of the freeholders of Cumberland, convened by the High Sheriff of the county, was held at Wigton, on Tuesday. There was much enthusiasm amongst the free holders upon the subject ; and had the day proved favour able, there is no doubt but it would have been the most numerously attended meeting ever held in Cumberland. But, unfortunately, the day was most unfavourable. The rain began to fall early in the morning, and at one o'clock, the hour appointed for the meeting, it poured 'down in torrents. Still, as good Reformers, the people assembled numerously, and about two thousand persons were present. Soon after one o'clock, the High Sheriff, accompanied by a numerous body of the principal gentlemen of the county, ascended the I listings, and proceeded to open the business of the meeting by reading the requisition. W. JAMES, Esq., of Barrack, formerly M.P. fur this city), stood forward, and was received with three times three cheers by the crowd. When silence had been ob tained, he said—" Notwithstanding the ' pelting of the pitiless storm,' it was with no small degree of pleasure that he came forward once more to address the freeholders in support of that great and spirit-stirring question— Parliamentary Reform ; and that pleasure was increased by finding himself surrounded by so many gentlemen of the that rank and character in the county, who were then assembled to discuss a measure so momentous to the best interests of the country. The meeting would do him the justice to recollect, that when the county was last assem bled, in the early part of last year, he (Mr. James) had then expressed his conviction that it was only through Re form that the distress under which the country was suffer ing so severely, and under which, he lamented to say, it still continued to suffer, wag likely to experience any snitiga gation. The opinion he then expressed, apppeared now to be that of the whole coinrounity—ultr a Tory, bigots, and boroughmongers only excepted.—(4, Aye, we're a ll Re formers now!") From one end of the kingdsm to the other there appeared to be hut one wish and determi nation—that of supporting the King and his Mi n i sters, in carrying in to effect the wise, just, and constitutional plan of Reform they had proposed.—(Much cheering.)__ True friend of his country as our present King was __ fearless in the discharge of their duty to the country, and honest as his Ministers had now beyond all doubt or ques . t ion proved themse lves to be, it was clear to every one who ;- e" watched the political fe atures of the times, that it was not C in their power, however desirous they might be, hampered as they now were by the boroughmongers, to afford any very material relief to the distresses of the people . , (Applause)—therefore it was that he rejoiced that we were at last to have our Reform—(Cheers) —at last to have a real, substantial, honest Reform—and which un doubtedly would ere long be accomplished ; for what power, he should like to knew, could contend for any length of time, successfully against the King, the Government, and an united people.—(Loud and con tinued cheering.)—He would, tlaelsefes'ea impress upon the meeting, that if any Mitt listre likely to retard the mea sure it wonld rte t want of union amongst themselves.—(A voice in the crowd----" We are united to a 1 4 !Aill.')—Hows ever some might Wish for t !asger extension of the fran chise, for a shortes duration of Parliament, or even , the ballet- , sure he was that it was the true interest of all honest Reformers to join heart, hand, and voice in support of the great And a•siSe plan of Reform now pro posed.—(Cheers,)--Souse thought Reform would not prove ss panacea for all the evils which afflicted tl,e coo„ try ; but the people would soon find that it, would prove a panacea for a considerabte portion of them— (Cheers) —but it rreatlss depended on the conduct of the people, how fsr they exerted themselves in support of the Nin,re and his Ministers at the present crisis. They might rely upon it tkat every opposition and resistance were making and would continue to be made by that faction, who, from the long possession and enjoyment of privileges which they had naurped, now dared to consider them as constitutioisal rights—(Cheers)--but lot the people he trne ho themselvet, and victory would be certain.— (Much cheering.)—The boroughmongers would make a struggle ; they would die hard ; but their death was cer tain, and that at no distant period—(Cheers)—their po litical death of course he meant. " Poor fellows, it was all over with Thom."—(Loud laughter.) Their doom was teaa!el; some of them had already made their last dying'speechea and confessions--(Cheers and laughter)— and for his own part he hoped there would he a funeral sermon on the occasion—(laughter)--and that Dr. Phil potts would he sent for to preach it.—(Roars of laughter.) He was cunlident that when the clerk came to the close, with his usual " amen," the people would all join chorus. —(Continued laughter, and much cheering.)—lle really felt ashamed to detain the meeting amidst such a severe storm.—(Several voices "go on ; we'll stop all day ; never mind the rain.")---He was an old Reformer.—(A voict its the crowd—" Ayr, the most honest there.) — Reform Was his favourite hobby ; upon which he had now ridden for some yeara, and which he hoped had nearly brought him to his journey's end. He had been an ad advocate of this great cause, when it was not quite so fashionable as he rejoiced to fled it at present—when the Reformers were designated, " a low, degraded crew," branded as disloyal and disaffected, and as enemies of their , tountry.—(Cheers.)—But the tables were turned. It was the Tories who were now seditious and disaffected.— (Much laughter and cheers.)—They are now the enemies of the King and the Government.—(Cheers.)—For his part enemy to the country as he had been called, he did not, no: never had wished to see a change in the form of the Government : he desired no alteration or remodelling of the British Constitution. That Constitution, as they all knew, consisted of three estates, King, Lords, and Com mons. But the Tory Constitution consisted of King, Lords, and Boroughmongers.—(lmmense cheering.) That was the Constitution he wanted to see altered. Timid people were taunted and terrified with the word " revolu tion ;" but that was precisely the word he applied to the proposed change : he, too, called it a revolution—a glorious revolution,—a revolution from had to good— from decay to purity.—(Great cheering.) It was a re volution, of the necessity of which he had been long convinced. During the six years he had represented Carlisle, he had ample opportunities of remarking, that under the present corrupt borough system, the Ministers of the (lay did not care what infringements were made upon popular rights—nor what wounds were inflicted upon public liberty.—(Cheers.) The old story was that the system was a good one and worked well ; and some people had the impudent folly to say so to this day ; but he fancied the meeting would agree with him it was only good for the chosen few who prospered upon the ruin and misery of the many.— (Cheers.) The real sore place, where the shoe pinches, was an inordinate overwhelming taxation—this was the great hank of the country.—(Applause.) He did not think any individual in the kingdom would object to a handsome provision for the Sovereign, and any resonable sum to meet the just and reasonable demands of the State ; but in such a condition as the nation now was, when the people were actually pressed to the very ground by cruel and unequivocal taxation—when merchants, manufac turers, farmers, and tradespeople, in return for the use of their capital and skill, were conducting their respective busi nesses with little, and in many cases no profit—surely in such a state of things—and he did not think the picture was at all overdrawn—the people's money should not he lavished, and squandered away as it had been amongst pensioners and sinecurists, and public officers, whose services were not really required.—(Much cheering.)— These, as had been well said, were the birds that preyed upon the vitals of the country, and exhausted its best energies. The six hundred thousand and odd pounds, thick were annually divided amongst 131 Privy' Coun sellors, if left in the pockets from whence it was taken, would afford regular employment, at half a-crown a day, to upwards of thirteen thousand honest labourers.—(Much cheering.) Speaking of birds of prey, don't let them forget another bird of prey—a foreign bird, who was sucking out the very heart's blood out of the country. Throwing aside the me taphor—this gentleman, Prince Leopold, was actually receiving no less than 136/. 17s. a-day—a complete sine cure—(Much cheering)—for if any services in the country had been performed, they must have been far over paid al ready, as he had received considerably above half a million nut of the impoverished pockets of the people.--(A cry of " Shame, shame," and much cheering.)—Such extrava gances and abuses as this could not exist with a reformed Parliament, which could alone extricate us from all our difflcultiera—(Cheers.)—He did not believe that the great Henry Brougham—the wonder of the age, with all his Herculean powers of mind—that even he, with his gigantic besom, could sweep out that Augean stable, the Court of Chancery, without the aid of a reformed Parliament.—(Very great cheering,) He did not think that our present distinguished repre sentative could eradicate the abuses which he had so ably and honestly exposed in the department over which he presided, without the aid of a reformed Parliament. Did any one think, that this single extravagance with regard to Prince Leopold, for instance, would be permitted by a House of Commons really chosen by and responsible to the people ? In fact, it could not exist under a good Government.—(lmmense and long-continued cheering.) And what more did the formerly calumniated reformers ever wish or ever ask for but good Government ? But they knew, that in order to obtain it, and what was more, to secure its continuance, some adequate checks upon the conduct of the governors were really required.—(Cheers.) Mr. James then went on at some length, d welling upon the necessity of cheap Govern ment—upon having the supplies dependent upon the people themselves, through a House of Commons chosen by themselves, which, he contended, would prevent all further plunder—that his Majesty and the Government would be amply supplied, for the proper conduct of the affairs of the country—but that the issues from the Trea sury would be scrupulously examined into; and the great paupers of the state no longer permitted to luxuriate upon the spoils of an oppressed people.—(Cheers.) In fact, the consequences of Parliaments chosen by boroughmongers were appalling—their deeds were written in blood— (Cheers)—their crest was a figure of 8 with eight cyphers to the end of it.—(lmmense cheering.) This debt—this monstrous debt, contracted partly to put down Reform at home, to place the Bourbons on the throne of France, and to enable certain monarchs, at the time impi ously calling themselves Hay, to trample upon the liber ties of mankind.—(Cheers.) But this was a fruitful topic; and he would not detain them longer upon such a disagreeable day.--(Cries of " go on, go on," " we're not tired," "we care nothing for the rain.") The bo roughmongers must be got rid of, the country is resolved no longer to tolerate them.—(A cry of, " No, we won't —down with them.") He thanked the meeting for the attention with which they had heard him ; but as other gentlemen would be desirous of addressing them, he would conclude by once more offering them his most hearty congratulations on the cheering prospect now before the country. They had at length arrived at a happier and brighter era in their history. A truly excellent and pa ' triotie Monarch—a wise and honest Ministry, resolved no longer to withhold from the people their just but long-lost rights ; and he was sure that all who heard him would consider them entitled not only to the regard and esteem of every true friend and well-wisher of his country, but to the lasting gratitude of countless generations yet unborn. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving the petition, praying the House of Commons to pass the Bill now be fore it. The petition, he said, had his hearty concurrence, and he trusted it would meet the unanimous support of all present. Mr. James's speech was followed by cheering, which lasted for several minutes; and, indeed, throughout he was received in the most enthusiastic manner. WtLFRFD LAWSON, Esq., of Brayton-hall, seconded the motion, in a short but energetic speech. The meeting was then addressed by the Rev. E. Stan ley, W. Wybergh, Esq. of Isell Hall, W. Crackanthorpe, Esq., of Newbiggin Hall, W. P. Johnson, Esq., of Wal ton House, W. R. Walker, Eeq., of Whitehaven, in favour of the measure. The petition was received most unanimously, and carried amidst much cheering. IPS iv_telf. Pursuant to a requisition, very numerously signed, ad dressed to the Bailiffs of this borough, a public meeting of the inhabitants was held on Wednesday, at the Town-hall, for the purpose of addressing his Majesty and the House of Commons in favour of the Ministerial plan of Reform. The object of the meeting eteiterl the most lively interest, hills were placa-dcd rotund the town, calling upon the in habitants to come forward " to support the King in his struggle with the boraughmongers," and the attendance of the inhabitants was very numerous. Several gentlemen addressed the meeting, urging strongly the necessity for strengthening the hands of Ministers in their endeavours to effect thb lung-required plan of Reform, and resolutions, upon which an address to the King and a petition to the House of Commons were founded, were unanimously agreed to, expressive of the concurrence of the inhabitants of this town in the proposed measure of relief, and pray ing that it might be allowed to pass into a law. The i n bitants of Halesworth, also, in the county of Suffolk, met upon the same subject on Tuesday last, and various other towns in the same county, are following the like examples. PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCS. Paid. Per Share. Brazilian Mining Company £s Brazilian Imp. Min. Co. (iss. at 5!. pm.) E:10 Ditto National l5 Ditto Cocaes 24 t 4 25 53 been guilty of, to entitle him to such an ho nour, and are compelled, after a long and painful in vestigation, to report him wholly innocent. We understand that at the meeting held yester day, at Lord ALTUORP'S, on the subject of Reform, his Lordship was so well satisfied with the result of the deliberation, that he said,with much animation, " Gentlemen, I feel persuaded that the Bill is carried already, and that by a great majority. In another part of The Sun will be found Refoim meetings of the three great counties of Cumberland, Suffalk, and Hampshire. The spirit manifested at these is in the highest degree satisfactory. At the one held in Suffolk it ►vas formally announced that the Duke of GRAFTON highly appproved of the Ministerial Reform Bill. SUFFOLK. In pursuance of a requisition signed by G2O freeholders and substantial householders in the county of Suffolk, ad dressed to John Reed, Esq. of Primrose Hill, Holbrook, High Sheriff of the county, a public meeting was con vened yesterday at Stowmarket, " for the purpose of de termining what steps should b e t a k en for strengthening his Majesty's Ministers in carrying through Parliament the measure which has been introdu ce d un d er their sanction for reforming and improving the representation." At an early hour in the morning the bells in the town rang a merry peal, and vast numbers of persons of all classes were seen entering the town (which is situated in the centre of the county) from all quarters. In the market-place a number of waggons were placed in the form of a semi circle, and towards one o'clock those vehicles and the large area of the market-place were filled with well-dressed persons. We must not omit to notice the excellent accommodation provided by the High Sheriff for the re porters. At ono o'clock the High Sheriff took the chair. He observed that he had convened the present meeting in pur suance of a requisition signed by 620 respectable free holders and substantial householders. He regretted to state that he had received letters from the Lord Lieutenant (the Duke of Grafton) and from the two county members (Sir H. E. Bunbury and Charles Tyrell, E.g.), excusing their attendance, but he was, nevertheless, happy to state that their sentiments corresponded with those of the requisitionist., and proved them to be friends to the great measure of Reform before the House of Commons. The HIGH SHERIFF again addressed the meeting, stat ing that among the vast number of requisitionists he found many members of the three learned professions, as well as bankers, merchants, and tradesmen, all of whom were freeholders and substantial householders. For his own part he would rather have postponed convening the meeting until after the assizes, but he found it was neces sary that whatever resolutions should he agreed upon, should he placed (by petition) before the House hv Mon day next, and therefore he had called them together thus early, although by so doing, the Lori Lieutenant, the Members for the county, and other influential persons were prevented attending. With regard to his own opinion of the proposed plan of Reform, he had given it his best consideration, and he had come to the conclusion that it was the best suited to the present age, end under the sanction of our most gracious Sovereign, the hest calcu lated to unite the people of this great country together. Sir Roar. HARLAND, Bart. stepped forward to propose a string of resolutions, strongly expressive of the satisfac tion with which the proposed plan of Reform was viewed by the country. The resolutions prayed that the Bill might be allowed to pass immediately without modifica tion or alteration.--(Cheers.) Mr. MOSELY seconded the resolutions, which were im mediately carried amidst great cheering. The HON. BARONET then said, that those resolutions having been carried, he could not help proposing that the thanks of the country were justly due to our enlightened and liberal Sovereign—(Loud cheers)—and to his Minis ters, for bringing forward so bold and extensive a measure —one which would be of the greatest advaniage to future ages, and which would be the very salvation of the State. —(Cheers.)—The Hon. Baronet nn;ed_a petition upon the subject to his Majesty, which was also carried unani mously. It was then moved and agreed to, that the Duke of Grafton present the petition to the House of Lords, and the county Members that to the Commons ; also, that when the address to the King shall have been numerously signed it shall he presented by the High Sheriff to his Majesty. The finen.es of the day attracted a vast concourse of persons to the spot from all parts of the county, and the little town of Stowmarket presented an unusually lively appearance. PRICES OF IRISH STOCKS, DUBLIN, MARCH 15. Bank Stock ..... ........... 2lO St. Patrick lnsur. (per sh.) Consols, 3 ner cent. Goy. Stock, 3' ' per cent. 847,', ;National Ditto — Ditto, New 7' 85 :Patriotic Ditto — . ..... 1 per Cent —; Hibernian Bank Gov. Deb. 3% per cent.... 83% ; Provincial Ditto Royal Canal Stock 4O Royal Irish Mine — Grand Canal Stock — Imperial Mine — City Deb. 4 per cent Ballast Office Deb. 4p. c. S 6 Commercial Buildings — ---.....__ ~.. ..... Arrived. Due. a Arrived. Due. 0 America 0 0 Hamburg 1 0 Brazil 0 Buenos AyreF. 0 Carthagena 0 0 Leeward Islands ... 0 1 Dublin 0 0 Lisbon 0 0 Flanders 0 0 Malta 0 1 France 0 0 Sweden 0 Guernicy&Jersey.. 1 1 Waterford HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW. ?Morning... 41 minutes after 5. 1 Erening...ll minutes after 6. D ÜBLLY. The Reform meeting, convened by the Lord Mayor, was held on Tuesday, in the Royal Exchange, which was crowded at one o'clock, the hour appointed for the com mencement of the proceedings. The meeting was one of the most splendid and gratifying public assemblies we have ever beheld, comprising men of all parties. Shortly after one o'clock the Lord Mayor entered the hall, and took the chair amidst loud acclamations. Amongst the noblemen and gentlemen present, we observed the Duke of Leinater, Lord Cloncurry, Sir Charles Morgan, the Rev. Sir Harcourt Lees, Sir John Milley Doyle, K.C.R.; Messrs. J. D. Latouche, Redmond, Maurice O'Connell, Morgan O'Connell, (of Grena), R. Barrett, Edward Dwyer, &e. &c. The resolutions in favour of the Mini sterial Reform Bill, were put and passed unanimously. CARLISLE.—A meeting took place, on Monday, at Carlisle, when a petition to Parliament and Address to the KING, praying them to pass the present measure, were unanimously agreed to. About 3,000 persons were pre sent. JOHN DixoN, Esq., of Knells, in the chair. The Radical Reformers join heart and hand in the measure. STAMFORD.—In consequence of the Mayor of Stam ford baying declined to call a meeting for the purpose Of expressing approbation of the Ministerial plan of Reform, a public meeting has been summoned by many of the most respectable inhabitants for Friday (this day.) LONDON, MARCH 16, 1831. WE, the MERCHANTS, BANKERS, and others, INHABITANTS of LONDON, whose names are hereunto subscribed, have perused with feelings of the deepest regret the details of a Bill which has been just submitted to the Legislature, under the sanction of his Majesty's Government, for the avowed purpose of effecting an ex tensive REFORM and A LTERA TION in the existing CONSTITUTION of the COM MONS HOUSE of PARLIAMENT. While w•e should have been far from opposing ourselves to the adoption of any proposition so recommended, of a temporate character, gradual in its operation, consistent with justice, and the ancient usages of this realm, and having for its object the correction of acknowledged abuses, or any amelioration in the administration of public affairs which might seem to he called for by the changes or necessities of the times, we feel it impossible to regard in that light a measure which, by its unprecedented and un necessary infringement on the rights and privileges of large and wealthy bodies of people, would go far to shake the foundations of that Constitution under which our So vereign holds his title to his Throne, his Nobles to their estates, and ourselves and the rest of our fellow-subjects to the various possessions and immunities which we enjoy by law ; a measure which, while it professes to enlarge the representation of the kingdom on the broad basis of pro perty, would in its practical operation have the effect of closing the principal avenues through which the moneyed, the funded, the commercial, the shipping, and the colonial interests, together with all their connected and independent interests throughout the country, or dispersed throughout our vast empire abroad, have hitherto been represented in the Legislature, and would thus in reality exclude the pos sessors of a very large proportion of the national wealth from all effectual voice and influence in the regulation of the national affairs. The silence which the opponents of this project have hitherto felt to be imposed on them by their respect for the authority from which it emanates, so long at letst as it was not before them in a defined and tangible shape, having been misconstrued by the ill-informed into an uni versal acquiescence in its principles and provisions, we deem it a duty which we owe to ourselves, to our country, and to posterity, at the earliest practicable period after the printing of the Bill, to protest against it by this public declaration, and to invite our fellow citizens of all classes, participating in our sentiment.i, to unite with us in every practicable and lawful effort of temperate but determined resistance to the further progress of a measure, which in our consciences we believe to be rash and inexpedient in its origin, and tending to consequences equally pernicious and irretrievable, menacing to the peace of the country, fraught with alarm and peril to public and private credit, and calculated eventually to undermine and destroy all those venerable institutions and establishments, under whose influence and protection England has hitherto enjoyed a prosperity, and maintained a station, unexampled among the nation s of the world. The above declaration having already been signed by many of the most influential and eminent Merchants, Bankers, and others, now lies for signature at the City of London Tavern, with a petition to the House of Com mons, founded upon the same. DOUBLE SHEET ATLAS. CONTAINING UPWARDS OF FORTY SQUARE FEET OF LETTER-PRESS, AND EQUAL TO FOUR OTHER NEWSPAPERS. THE ATLAS of MARCH 27 will be pub lished, without extra charge, on a DOUBLE SHEET, to give the FULLES T REPORT that can be accomplished in a Single Newspaper, of the IM PORTANT DEBATE on the SECOND READING of the PARLIAMENTARY REFORM BILL. Should the Debate be continued into the following week, and re quire more than the ordinary space devoted to Parlia mentary Reports, A SECOND DOUBLE SHEET will be published on Sunday, April 3. To prevent disappointment, Orders should be given immediately. BRISTOL—Mr. Bingham, Mr. Harding, and Mr. Butcher. BATH—Miss Williams and Mr. Barratt. BIRMINGHAM—Mr. Cooper and Mr Mansell. MANCHESTER—Mr. Lewis, Mr. Wheeler, and Mr. Andrews. LIYERPOOL—mr. Wilmer and Mr. Arnold. Emxnuttun—Mr. Walker and Mr. Sutherland. GLASGOW—Mr. M.Phun. Or to any Bookseller or Newsman in Town or Country. Advertisements for the Double Sheet must be sent to the Office by Thursday evening. Printed and published in the Strand, on S►turday after noon, and forwarded by post so as to be received within 200 miles on the following day. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sta,—There are many Members of the Commons ene • mien to the proposed Reform Bill, who, for fear of losing their places in a new Parliament, will hesitate to place themselves in opposition to the now decidedly expre ssed opinion of the country. These persons will, in the first place, vote for the Bill going into a Committee, thinking thereby to satisfy t heir constituents; and after that they will absent themselves from the House, so as to leave the Ministers and their party to battle the watch against the open opponents of the measure, who will then be enabled to pare it down to nothing. It behoves the Ministry therefore to be on their guard, and if they find any thing of this kind going on to abandon the Bill at once and call a new Parliament, by which these pseudo friends will find themselves taken in and the mea sure be triumphantly carried. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Lymington, March 16. FAIR PLAY. We have been privately informed by a high Parliamentary authority, that "three hundred names ol Memtiers are set down as positively supporting the Bill." This will do.—Kent Herald. A Court of Common Council was held yes terday, at which the usual routine business was transacted. A curious scene occurred in the Mullingar County Court-home, on Friday last. The Chief Baron Jor came into Court at five o'clock in the evening, to open the Commission for the county of Westmeath. After he had taken his seat on the bench, and order had been re stored among tht crowd who were in attendance, the Judge called on the proper officer to read the writ for opening the Commission. Some delay occurred ; and at length it was announced that his Lordship's Secretary hod forgotten the writ at Trim, a town about twenty-five miles distant. A policeman was instantly despatched for it, and his Lordship requested the Grand Jury to meet him again at twelve o'clock that night, by which hour he hoped to have the writ, and to be thereby enabled to open the Com mission. The variety and splendour of the dishes at the Marquis of LONDONDERRY'S banquet, which was honoured by the presence of her MAJESTY, prove the great superio rity of all the arrangements connected with the cuisine at Holdernesse House ; and slum also how rapidly the in structions contained in " DOLBY'S Dictionary of Cookery" are gaining ground in the high places. But though the style of DOLBY'S receipts is admitted to be fashionable in an eminent degree, those who resort to his book for in formation will soon ascertain that economy is one of its ruling principles. GRATIS —With each Copy of the NEWS of SUNDAY NEXT will be given THE PAR LIAMENTARY REFORM BILL, at full length. Orders for the Paper received by all the Newsmen. Office of the NEWS, 28, Brydges-street. PRICES OF STOCKS 'PHIS Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Bed ".... ~ . . 3 per Cent. Cons. 764 , i i If, N 3!4 per Cent. shut Ditto lied shnt New 3!., per Cent _MN 6% 6n 3 per Cent Ann. 1726 - 4 per Cent. 1g Bank Long Ann to expire Jan 5, 1810 shut Oct. 10, 1559 slant Jan. 5, 1860 l6 Jan. 5, 1880 - April 5, 1880 - Jan. 5, 1870 - 1 ____ PRICES OF FOREIGN FtrStns Austrian Bcnds — Brazilian Bonds 57M. Ruenos Ayres Bonds — Chilian Bond: — Colombian Bonds Ditto, 1824 Daniuh Greek Bonds — Ditto, 1825 Guatimala — ' , lexican Bonds — )itto, 1825 — DAY AT ONK O ' CLOCK. New 5 per Cent. — India Stock Ditto Bonds 5 4 3 pm. South Sea Stock Old Annuities shut New Ditto per Cent. Ann. 1751 AL Bills, £1,000...16 16 17 pm. Ditto ..... .......591 l6 18 pm. Ditto Small Ditto Commercial Ditto Advertised pm. Bank fbr Account — India for Account Cons. fcr April 12 ...176% IA ~,/, 14 Tilts DAT AT ONE O'CLOCK. INeapolitan i Pcruvian Bonds Portuguese Bonds Prussian, Old 'Ditto, New 93V, Russian 'Spanish, Del 16N i7W French Rentes, sp. c. 82t. —c. Exchange 2sf. 30c. -- 3 per Cent. Exchange ite Un4 LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 18, 1831. In the House of Lords last night, an idle and unnecessary discussion took place on the subject of Lord BROUGHAM'S recent drive through the Horse Guards, in his way to the KING'S Levee. We need hardly say that his Lordship's explana tion was satisfactory, and that his confession o f perfect indifference for the pomps and pa geantries attached to his office, was in perfect keep i n g with what hia countrymen already know of hi s character. It is the man that should lend lustre to the office, not the office to the man, and Lord BROUGHAM confers more dignity on the Chancellorship, than it will ever confer on him. In the Lower House, M r . HORATIo—or as he delights to style him seif--HoRAcE Twtss, made an elaborate attempt to explain away his attack on the middling classes. We cannot say much for his explana tion. It was passable, so far as it went, and no far ther. We hope our countrymen will look well to this gentleman, should he ever presume to offer himself as candidate for a seat in a reformed Parliament. W e have been endeavouring " with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength," to find out what public acts of charity, disinterestedness, or sagacity he has ever An attempt, we find, has been made to get up an Anti-Reform meeting at Edinburgh, which is re m' kable for nothing but its ludicrous failure. Though it had been generally understood that the meeting was to be a public one, the sight of one or two of the Editors of the Edinburgh Papers appears to have taken it quite by surprise, and they were accordingly ordered to withdraw. This desire for concealmen t on the part of the Edinburgh Anti-Reformers by no means improves the justice of their cause. Truth needs no mystery. Her best friend is candour. For this information we are indebted to that spirited Journal the New North Briton, The Paris express contains an article from Gali,gnanis Messenger which is of considerable im portance, being neither more nor less than pro posals for a grand national association to secure the independence of France, and prevent in future the possibility of foreign dictation. Each associate is to pay a subscription of five sous monthly, and pledge his life and honour to do his utmost to preserve France from the foreigner and the BOUR BON. The report of General DIEBITSCII, though it tells little that is new respecting Poland, will be found interesting. FRENCH FUNDS, MARCII 16.-Five per Cents. 831. 30c. 20c. 83f. 821. 90c. 83f. 10c. 831. 831. 10c. sc. 831. 82f. 9.5 c. 83f. 82f. I,oe. 90c. 80c. 90c. 83f. 82f. 95c. 831. Three per Cents., 53f. 25c. 10c. sc. 15c. Sc. 53f. 53f. 15c. 25c. 40c. Bank Actions, 1,41.5 f. Itente de Naples, 56f. 75c. 57f. Rente d'Espagne, 1314 14 13 1 ,-2M 14 1385. Royal Spanish Loan, 60. Itente Perpetuelle d'Espagne, 423:', 42 41N 424 1% 1,!, !.-Exchange on London, one month, paper, 25f. 15c. ; money, 25f. 15c.-Three months, paper, 25f. 3 money, 23f. The Allgemeine Zeitung and Austrian Obsefver give some particulars respecting the state of affairs at Warsaw, which we recommend our readers to receive with a liberal allowance of caution : MANTUA, MARCH 3.—To-day at noon his Royal 'Ugh nese the Duke of Modena, with Count Guicciardi and other officers of his suite, arrived here on his return from Vienna. His Royal Highness alighted at the Palace, and in a quarter of an hour afterwards the troops entered the gate of St. George, and passing in columns under the windows of the Imperial Palace, drew up in order of battle in the ancient Piazza Virgiliani. His Royal Hi:ill ness was received with repeated huzzas by his soldiers. The Lieutenant, Field-marshals, Generals, and other superior officers of this fortress, paid their respects to his Royal Highness. PIACENZA, MARCH I.—Her Majesty the Duchess of Parma has issued a proclamation to all persons belonging to the military corps, enjoining them not to pay any re gard to the acts of the self-constituted Government at Parma, and farther commanding them to repair without delay to Piacenza, where they shall receive from the General commanding her troops any arrears that may be due to them, and also an indemnification for the expence of their journey to Piacenza. GENOA, AlAncn 2.—Prayers for three days commenced yesterday in the cathedral for the restoration of the health of our beloved Sovereign. A very numerous assemblage of civil and military officers, and persons of all ranks, at tended to join in the prayers of the clergy. Her Majesty Queen Maria Theresa, and the Princess Maria Christina, were also present. We have just learned that his Majesty is recovering. CrtAcow, Maacir 3.—Private accounts from Warsaw, of the 28th of February, say that the Municipality of Waraiw had seat a deputation to the Commander-in-Chief of the army Gen.Skrzynecki (whose head-quarters were at Wola, nine miles from Warsaw,) with the wish to avert the total ruin of the city, which would be the inevitable result of a bombardment, by entering into negociatione with the Russians, now that there is still time ; to which the depu tation is said to have received for answer that negociati')ns were out of the question, and the army was resolved to bury itself under the ruins of Warsaw. General Skrzynecki has also declared he would have any General shot who should not obey his orders. It is said that General Krucowiecki thinking himself slighted by the appointment of General Skrzynecki to the chief command, has asked and obtained his discharge. General Chlopieki's wound has b?come much worse. It is affirmed that he has been wholly re moved from the army by General Skrzynecki. BERLIN, MARcir 7.—The newspapers of Warsaw to the 3d instant, which we received yesterday, contain no thing particularly remarkable. Praga, and even an emi nence out of the fortifications on the right bank of the Vistula, are still in the hands of the insurgents, though the first account of the burning of the larger unfortified part of Praga is confirmed. The Journals say, that 24- pounders had been placed on an eminence in the suburb, which had compelled the Russians to retreat. As for the letters they hear the expression of firmness and even of hope, for they calculate on assistance if the defence can be protracted for four weeks. Whatever may be thought of this, and however certain it may be, that the Poles by the battles of the 24th and 25th are confined to Warsaw, and in great danger, yet the tranquillity and order that prevail in Warsaw are worthy of admiration, of which an evident proof was given by the drawing of the lottery of the Polish bonds on the let instant. The letters from merchants in Warsaw speak indeed of the dearness of provisions, and of the necessity of giving the troops some relaxation. Other accounts say that Field_ Marshal Diebitsch having left only a sufficient force before Praga, intends with the main army to pass the Vistula at Plosk, and that it is his plan, if possible, to save Warsaw from destruction. It seems that the inhabitants of War. saw are themselves of this opinion, and are therefore under less alarm than the state of things might seem to justify. VIENNA, MARcit 7.—Four per Cent. Metalliques, ; Bank Shares, 967. A society of some novelty has just been formed in London, under the title of the " Association for the Encouragement of Literature." The excellence of the object, and the want of some such institu tion, appear already to have secured it a fair share of support, and we confess we entertained a prepos• session in favour of the scheme, as soon as we saw that one of its main-springs was Mr. THOMAS CAMPBELL, a man whose genius and public spirit are the ready inventors of new plans for the im provement and elevation of our species—to whom we owe the London University, and to whose social worth we rejoice on any occasion to pay our humble tribute. It would seem that the Association is to purchase of authors the copy rights of meritorious works, on liberal terms, and is to take upon itself the risk of publishing them. Thus it may be anticipated that an impetus will be given to the composition of many valuable works, which, by reason of the depraved taste of a large class of readers, the booksellers cannot at present undertake to usher into life. The monopoly of the novel writers may thus be in a great degree destroyed ; and by the assistance which th e sanct i on o f th e Association might give to works of real merit in the higher departments of knowledge, the appetite of the public may possibly be led gradually to higher things than the wretched trash that is at present swallowed under the name of literature. We are far from being confident that the Associa tion will be a profitable concern, but that does not affect the merit of the plan. The eminent publisher s of the day may be supposed to view it with hostility, although a long time must necessarily elapse before they can be materially affected by anything the As sociation can d o . If t h e pu bli s h ers we re to ask opinion of the p o li c y o f t h e i r procee di n gs in bring n g our i out such a mass of vapid inanity under the flan' of novels, memoirs, travels, reminiscences, an d the like, we sh ou ld say , t h at t h e y are very short sighted i n l oo ki ng to merely., the fruits of the single se ason d ur i ng w hi c h a l one suc h per forman ces are likely t o b e rea d. B ut if t h e i r atten tion we re turned to the fi e ld o f use f u l an d enno bling knc" ledge, th e i r p ro fi ts wou l d, we are conv i n ced, b e much greater, i n th e l ong run, than they ate at present,' What is rea ll y goo d , w ill i n the end fi nd its reward, as su re ly as water finds its level, a nd al though its re t urns m i g h t b e l ess i mme diate, th e y would event ua lly h e f ar super i or to t h ose on an .In ferior article. Th ere are pu bli s h ers on the Cont" nent, whose d e ali ngs are muc h moreex t en sive th an those of the genera li t y o f ours , w h o h a ve ma de princely fortun es , so l e l y b y t h e i r j ust est i ma te of th e necessary progress of th e h uman i nte ll ec t. CoVr A t of Tubingen and Stut gar d, i s an ex t rao rdinary )1 " stance of die distinctions an d wea lth th a t maY attained by the course of conduct to which we ha ve alluded. The most important service which literary asso ciations can at present do to the cause in which they are associated, is to petition and remonstrate . in every possible way against the continuance of taxes on knowledge. The apathy of the booksellers to the weight of the paper duty, is a strong indica tion of the publishing trade being at present OP" fined to too few establishments, Whose extensive ha' siness renders them rather favourable than other wise to the heavy duty with which the raw mater ial of knowledge is charged. This is not as it ough t to be ; and to endeavour to set it to rights should be the first endeavour of the new Association. I t is surprising that the Useful Knowledge Society he hitherto made no effort to procure the repeal of t e taxes which impede and obstruct, at every turn, I t° endeavours for the enlightening of the community' THE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CITY TWELVE 0' CL 0 Or' We have no arrivals, not even a ship-letter has come t° hand. A long official bulletin has been published at Vi r 'ir saW of the battle of the 25th of Febru a ry. It s t a t e s that tbe cause of the retreat of the Poles to Warsaw was owing t i the thaw having commenced, and that the General fe sr the breaking up of the ice w ou ld h ave carr i e d away t' e bridge, preventing a ll comm un i ca ti on , an d d e p r iving f th e e army from receiving supplies. It e s tim a t es th e loss o, Russians, since they entered Poland, at 30,000 men 1 2 ° P de combat, in killed, wounded, prisoners, and sick - . The Polish army lirs taken up a position round Warsa'l' guarding the Vistula and the bridge of Praga, Wa iti6 with impatience the signal fur new combats. THE FUNDS. Consols, which left off yesterday at 76+ a for the ac e count, opened at the same price, and have since been ac' n h for money at 76a; at present they are 76t-. Altbeeg r the express from Paris has arrived, we have no poli t.l° news of conseqtrence up to the present time. Little or nothing is doing in the Foreign Market' prices touch the same as yesterday. Consols have just reached 76+ for money. We have seen the following postscript to a letter b a l l Rotterdam, dated the 15th inst., which was exhibited °, 'Change :—" I am this moment informed, by the 1 0 news from Poland, that Praga in possession of the Rich 105: signs--that General Diebitsch summoned Warsaw, w hi ,i s has capitulated—that three or four of the chief Gen er '„ had received passports from the Russian General, and " retired into the Austrian states." tb The above letter is also posted at the North and Cou it American Coffee-house, but in regard to the truth 0 ' we cannot as yet vouch for. BRIT'S Bank Stock, India ditto, 3 per Cent. Cons. 76% Ditto, for the Acct. 764 % 3 per Cent. Red. por Cent. FUNDS. Ditto, Reduced, Ditto, New, Ss , ,ti, Four per Cent. (1816) •"" India Bonds, 3 5 Exchequer Bills, 16 17 FOREIG FUNDS. Oreck, tO 1 Mexican, 35 6 Peruvian, 13 14 Portuguese, 42. 4 Prussian, Russian, til9V, 90 Spanish, 167 HALF-PAST oS ; ' t be The letter received from Rotterdam, stating O at n i- Rns,dans had possession of Pra,ga, and Warsaw had C a r o tnlated, is not credited. We have seen letters I'l.'o Frankfort of the II th inst., which do not menli ° word on the subject. Metalliques, 66i. The private letters from P ar is e xp re ss much anxi ft Y t ' h % it is expected that some commotions will take place in above caal on the 20th imt. Conso!s, pit which were looking up in the early P art d e . the morning, and were done at 76- for money, ba L e o pel (dined to 761 -‘a, and 76+ -1 for the account. The '— Market being over is the cause of their receding. '" In the Foreign Market Sp an i s h B on d s have rec„ . e" THREE O'CLO CA ' Consols, 764 Brazilian, 574 Buenos Ayres, Chilian O 21 Colernhian, 15 Danish, 574 French 5 Per Cent. 82 1 ‘ ; Ditto 3 per Cont. 5314 A SPY.--CASTLEREAGH'S precious - i s te"- we of espionage has lately; been enacting in Idelfast..o 1,0 have our eye upo n th e wre t c h ; an d we s h a ll make I ' l o 4 notorious as another Oliver, if he shall pursue his Ca farther. —Northern Whig. Mer l : POLAND.—Extract of a letter in the - ; ing Chronicle :—" I had concluded my letter l e i received the most g ratifyi ng i n t e lli gence f r om Polar' e pot have learnt from an eye-witness th a t the Russians oj A for conquerors—that the Poles are confident and prePar,7oo the enemy—that the moral state of the Polish argil oral finest imaginable--th a t th e R uss i ans f ea r another g e t o.e combat—that the Pol e s will not surrender—an d cause is not only not lost, but is looking better thaneyor MAJOR KEPPEL.—Of the Nortll-riestn Of tion of Asia Minor, few modern travellers have g iv , e , tie . description. The new work of Major ElzrrEL7 t. e t, rative of a Journey across the Baleen," about t o e tru e limbed, will throw much light on this celebrated , n og/ of country. The sites of no less than six cities 3r :ller• for the first time ascertained by this eminent tretc-rest' The author's adventures in Turkey, are said to be i° • ing to the highest degree. esa sY SINKING OF A COLLIER.— , Olt " about one o'clock, a collier brig, the Spring, ladef er bish u cargo of coals from Sund e rl a nd, was m o ored of Floiß he %I when, owing to the squally stat e of the weather, recondel driven upon her anchor with su c h force, that it of icl' eu through the outer sheeting, and a large hole W e ' 'to hs in the bottom of the vessel. She filled with w ater od ' pidly that it was found impossible to save he r ite 00 captain and his crew only escaped just before down, leaving her masts only visible. Alt a wise s re Comets, doubtless, answer some r to -„ good purpose in the creation ; so do women. ` l° , e oru e „,' -' incomprehensible, beautiful, and eccentric ; so ar e ig ht Comets shine with peculiar splendour, but at to pear most brilliant; so do women. s ` * . tt enir Comets confound the most learned, when they e4 ° of ascertain their nature ; so do women. Col et b ", cid , e sac x rre c u i e t t e aloi t )si h eel e ,y admiration of the philosopher and of t t hereP i c ‘ : admiration the valley; so do women. 'Comets and n'oul e f' b e ino ith a a ltl n h a teh l a oa g nt o er u : s n ; al anibdrui:t almost s n t a t t to u o r e ad: o o f r s e t a:, e air e t e • other. —Mirror. ; C AI A woman about forty, of a medic); soeo pearance, and who, it was stated, was a reg ular her b o e ls at a place of worship, was charged with putttg bandinto a gentleman' s p oc k e t d ur i n g the time t l a st, o tt Sunday s o bser playing in St. James's Palace on w h o .„ n abstracting a snuff-box therefrom. Ske bo ins" — be tOOO took commit it in t t l o le theft by a a nd pol o ie n ema se n , arei vi iz r b e e4. lo : discovered the box in her bosom, together w' _ or esr, tract, tier entreaties to be set at liberty were bv:erived .r oe but the policeman disregarding them, she ° d tha t o n" serious accent, that it was the Lord's D a y , en _ vet aft er did not attend Divine Worship she should be Identided foc e happy. The gentleman. at the station -house this ° joss the b femaleox,but pickpocket. i nconse ne discharged,' non - a t te d a u s n : e h n e e r r r r e e i cl ig e i ;p e e, tract handed over to her; which- she no r it to her than she lifted up her eyes,' fervently prole" and left the dock muttering a prayer. one .6 1 , 0 pe . (t A ,, citigu n ht .4t d at 4 4 - 1 , 0 3 ( t O i nttlitt "e littin g ° f Jos( 'tg, tious. 'N E 31 ,q4 r . ous s , gals iu !4 :IY, but „4 4r ;;_quo, a A tio ' il e, full b '^', tt S 1 ', a r 3 Mar h l 4l val:d of l'tl, eof f l iotid„• , t.1, 1) ,VY, Ail titt rns, w] 1 PIA, s 'fißeastsl944 •••• r itY diti 14? ()xen, 't sii , , &c.. • lir 4 tf ,'„ e t i l;:iii; 10,,—“'e t } di t 4 Weth e tie s tiPPLI ~.1 4. 8. s k __li 17v I -GAT} ..... ......... . ........... 2 4" and tiG'urt O I,p( l ed 4 t Wh e t alte r t I t Plied t itince, t h e S. th e, 4l.lB e . 11, , , 4 h e d "" Kay e 81 ► Ni g " ( ;eacl th sh 1 * - t• * L the - qu I I the of S it m U lle le l 1 ) 4 4, W itnt l of tkt Ca , „" l , 4 evid t r 1,7.