The Sun. — London, England, 1832-05-15 00:00:00

3 q ~; /' O i ~/ KEY, MAYOR. ACOMMON COUNCIL holden i 0 742 CHAMBER of the GUILDHALL of the CITY of LONDON, on Monday, the Ilth day of May, 1832 Resoirtd unanimously—That an humble, dutiful, and loyal address, remonstrance, and petition, be presented to his M.Jesty, on the prevent alarming state of the nation. WOODTHORPE. SOMERSETSHIRE SOCIETY. THE 'TWENTY-SECOND ANN! VERSARY MEETING of the GENTLEMErt; Connected with the COUNTY of SOMERSET, will tir en WeDNESDAY, the 16th Day of May, 1632, at thp Albion House, Alderwate.street. EDMUND AYSHFORD SANFORD, E.g. M.P. the Ch ;ie._ ...._ , STEWARDS. - i MAJOR GENERAL GEORGE REED, E. • PALMER, M.P. CHARLES HYDE, Esq. W. SANDFORD, E.q. J. A FRAMPTON, Esq. WILLIAM PINEY, Erg. GEORGE VINCENT, Esq. J. BAILWARD, Esq. E. S. BAILEY, Esq. JAMES W. ADAMS, Esq. P. HURD, Esq. WILLIAM WARRY, Esq. Dinner at Five o'Clock for Six precisely. Tickets, one Guinea each, may be had of the Steward., • Committee, or of the Secretary, No. 5, King's Bench Walks, Temple, or at the Albion. P. HURD, Honorary Secretary. THIRD EDITION SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. REFORM MEETING AT MANCHESTER STOPPING OF THE SUPPLIES. I BY EXPRESS. FROM OUR OWN REPORTER. MANCHESTER, Monday, May 14. The excitement that prevails in this town on the die- Patrons turn which political rdfaire have taken is beyond All precedent. The windows of a great number of trades- men and shopkeepers are placarded with the following an nouncement : " NOTICE. " taxes paid here until the Bill be passed unrnutilated. Be Peaceable, but be determined." Numbers of others, who do not make this public an. nouncement, have a firm and settled determination to resist payment of taxes for the present, and the resolution to hare Reform is expressed in the most unequivocal manner. Immediately after the news of the defeat of the Grey Ad- Ministration, placards, emanating from some of the most respectable of what is termed the radical class in this town, appeared upon the walls, calling a meeting to he held this day on the ever-memorable plains of Peterloo. The announcement of the resignation of Ministers caused such a display of political feeling as was never before witnessed in this or in any other town. In the space of a few hours, a highly respectable meeting of merchants, manufacturers, and others, was herd in the Town-ball. A petition to the House of Commons to stop the supplies was resolved upon. This petition received 25,000 signatures, and in little more than 24 hours from the receipt of the news of the r esignation of Ministers in Manchester, a deputation was in London bearing this all-itnportant petition. What took place on the presentation of the petition, the readers of The Sun will be familiar with, having appeared in the report of Friday night's debate. In the mean time, active measures ►ere being taken in the town to strengthen the prayer of that petition, by securing a great attendance at the meet mg of to-day. The following placard was plentifully posted upon the walls of the town. " MEETING ON REFORM. "The Inhabitants of Manchester will meet in St. Peter's.tield on Monday, at twelve o'clock, under the requisition already Published, for the purpose of taking into consideration the best Means of supporting the petition to the House of Commons, sent on Thursday night from Manchester, to stop the supplies till the Reform Bill be passed unmutilated." " ALL HANDS ALOFT.—THE CRY IS, EITHER NOW OR NEVER. " It is particularly requested, that the shopkeepers, manufac turers, and masters of Manchester will c lo s e their sho p s, mills, and Warehouses, on Monday the 14th of May, 1832, in order that ev er y man may have an opportunity of attending the meet ing, which is to be held on Peterloo, for the purpose of devising the most Judicious measures to be acted upon at the present mu, rnentous crisis, and the utility of withholding all supplies. "Ily order of the Council of the Political Union of the Work ing Classes." Some paltry knot of individuals, however, for, whether truly or not we cannot say, the Tories as a body disown' any knowledge of the proceeding, have been endeavouring to stifle this intended expression of public feeling, and as a counterpoise to the preceding placard, have issued the following " All hands at home. The cry is harmony, peace, and good will. Inhabitants of Manchester !—Keep away from Peterloo on Monday. The King, the patriotic King will call to his Counsel another Ministry, one who will bring forward and pass a Reform Bill without delay, a Bill which will confer upon every man his just and natural rights. Keep therefore to your shops, your mills, your warehouses, and your families. Do not be deluded by either Whigs, Tories, or Demagogues, their only object being to create anarchy and confusion for the promotion of their own selfish ends." As this Meeting, though originating from respectable individ ua l s , was avowe dl y i nten d e d to b e joined by the class of R a di ca l s w h o h ave hi t h erto not b een very mi ld in their conduct and demeanour, the authorities of this town were rather apprehensive that the exasperated feelings of the multitude might boil over, and some injury to the per sons and property of those individuals who were known to be adverse' to their views, might possibly take place. They, therefore, took every necessary precaution to pre serve the peace of the town, by calling out all the special constables and military, stationing them in convenient flocks, to act in case of need. Almost immediately before the time of the Meeting to commence, individuals were found to be plentifully circulating the following insidious placard amongst the people in the principal streets of the town : " MEN OF MANCHESTER, Do not let the King, whom you have idolized, suspect you to be a headstrong, ungovernable, and worthless race of beings-- Let him see that you are peaceable, deliberate, and judicious. Do not l e t hi m compare you to a r i pe an d ready bridegroom, who would run a-muck at all he meets, because, forsooth, he cannot get what he wants the first time of asking ; but let him see that you can act dispationately and discreetly,. AS WISE AND coon MEN ; that you are not weak enough to suffer your senses to be stolen away by any party or faction, be it Whig, Tory. or Radical. Compel his Majesty, by your conduct, to respect and rank you amongst the rational and thinking part of the community.—Show to him, in this moat trying moment, that your judgment can rein your passions. Be quiet for a time, and all will yet be well. Be otherwise, and you will retard that which you seek to get. Recollect Rome was not built in a day." During the morning a conference took place in the Committee-room of the Town hall, between the gentle men who had called the meeting and delegates from the various bodies of working people in' the town, as to the course to he punned at the meeting. Many were for going to the full extent of universal suffrage, annual Par liaments, and vote by by ballot, but the more moderate party, by strong arguments, as to the necessity of only endeavouring to obtain at present what there was a proba bility of being got, and by consenting to the introduc tion of an address to the King, in which the right of all men to a share in the choice of the representatives was admitted, succeeded in inducing the ultra-radicals to con sent to the mild language of the resolutions subsequently passed at the meeting. At twe've o'clock, the time appointed for the meet ing, there were assembled on the plain and its approaches, from 60 to 70,00 individuals, which number would have been doubled perhaps, but from the per.. tinacity of acme individuals who would not per mit their workmen to cease labour. As bad been previously arranged on at the private meeting at the • Town-hall, Charles Walker, Esq. the son of the late eminent Reformer of that name, took the Chair, amidst tremendous cheering, the hustings being sur rounded by bands of music and emblematical flsgs. Amongst the latter were some bearing the following in scriptions: —" We will not live upon potatoes—those that will not work shall not eat." " The Reform Bill or no supplies." " The King, his Ministers, and Reform," with a black line struck across " the King his Minister." Another flag bore a representation of the Peterloo Mas sacre, supported on the hustings by Mrs. Fildes, of Peterloo celebrity ; and another, the portrait of the King with his bead downwards. After the dense multitude bad stationed themselves in something like order, and sib-nee was partially obtained, the Chairman opened the business of the meeting by apologizing for his in capacity to fill the arduous office they bad called hint to, from his being totally unaccustomed to it. After reading the placard convening the meeting, • the Chairman continued, that he had to request that in their proceedin g , ti,ey would be firm and unanimous, but - temperate and moderate in their language. Nothing had ever been gained in this country by intemperance either of language or conduct; and it would be a disgrace to this t o wel if they could not carry on their proceedings with the same unanimity as the people of Birmingham and London, and other places bad done. He entreated the meeting to imitate their example, and avoid all petty jealousies. Let Uefermers of every class and grade unite to obtain, by /\ ~u/ / V (No. 12,378.) just and peaceable means., • their one common object.— (Cheers.) ROBERT Purteres, Esq. a wealthy merchant of th town. then briefly moved the following resolution : That this meeting has heard of the virtual loss of the Reform Bill in the House of Lords, and the 'consequent resignation o. Earl Grey and his colleague!, with such sentiments as it be comes Englishmen to entertain, w hen the best interests of th e country are being sacrificed to the selfish views of a faction. Rosette HYDE GREG, Esq. rose amidst great cheer ing to second the resolution. He said that when h beheld the living ocean that surrounded him, he felt the , if he had a voice of thunder, it would not be more that , sufficient to make himself properly heard. Little did he expect to have met with them on an occasion like the pre sent. He had flattered himself when next they met That the country would have shaken off a part of ite bonds at least. Eighteen months of agitation and the ex pense and confusion of a general election, were not thought too much for the attainment of this object—the " sickness of the heart from hope deferred," was not thought too much for the object, but still it was denied them. The Ton faction had again wrested the power into their own hands, but he trusted only with the convulsive strength of dying men.—(Cheers.) They had thrown down the gauntlet; l e t the people take it up, and " God defend the right." Let the people continue to demand their rights by every constitutional means, and let them tell those who de nied them those rights, that the Constitution afforded them a means of obt titling another charter, at another Runnymede —(Tremeedous cheers.) The ignorance of the Tories was almost unspeakable, and of this he would give them an instance. On Thursday last, a Tory gen tleman, of a neighbouring county, dining with a friend, said that he had just returned from Macclesfield, where he had seen the news of the resignation of Ministers received by the people with perfect indifference. He also said that he had just seen a friend from Manchester, who had informed him that the people there received the news will, pleasure, and this too at a moment when every eye was flash ing indignation, and when thousands and tens of thousands were rushing to sign a petition, couched in no very mild language—a petition which prayed to stop the very mainsprings of all the motions of Government. It was from the ignorance of the Tories th it they said there was a reaction on the subject of Reform from one end of the country to another. Complete, indeed, was their igno rance ! It was the duty of the people to throw out a ray of light that should penetrate the profundity of their igno rance.—(Cheers.) He concluded by seconding the reso lution, which, being put from the chair, was carried unanimously amidst great cheering. Mr. JOSEM JOHNSON ruse to propose the second resolution ; in doing which, he took occasion to observe that there was no question of the right of the people to have a full, fair, and equal share in the representation of the country. It did not depend upon the passing of the Reform Bill, it was the people's right by law. Black stone, an authority which even the Tories themselves would not deny, said that every man who was a free agent ought to be in some measure his own governor. Such was the state of things in the petty kingdoms of Greece; but in this country, where the people were more numerous, it was wisely ordained to choose representatives ; but if the choice of these representatives was left to the borough mongers, to the Lords who had rejected the prisent Bill, how could it be said that the people of England had any share in the representation of the country ?—(Cheers) It was the representation of the borouglimongers alone ; they were the sharers of that plunder, extracted from the people by the laws which they themselves made.—(Cheers. ) Would this measure of Reform take from the Peers any privilege which they ought to possess? No, but it would give them their loaf. It would take nothing from the Peers which they ought to have, or which they had a privilege to maintain. Were the people to be deprived of their rights by a faction of 151 buroughmongers?—No, never ! If the people of England were satisfied to give up a por tion of their claim to their rights—if they were satisfied to try the measure of Reform which was about to be given to them—if they were satisfied to do this, would they submit to be deprived, without one struggle, of the little they were willing to take.---(Cheers.) He (the speaker) was for the whole, but he would try this Bill, and if it did not do all they wanted, then he would go for the whole Bin. He begged to conclude by earnestlq entreating the people to go on steadfastly and unanimously in the good work, and moved the following resolution : That this Meeting, satisfied that the Ministerial plan of Reform was no more than a partial restoration to the people of their constitutional tights, of which they have too long been unjustly deprived, and well knowing that no part of the Bill could directly or indirectly interfere with any legal and honest possession or privilege of that body by which it has been defeated, is unable to find language sufficiently strong to express the indignation with which it has witnessed this second refusal of an acknowledged right. Mr. THOMAS Parrett seconded the resolution. It was known, he said, that he was no orator; but if he were, such was his indignation at the conduct of the Peers that he could not trust qimself to speak of them.—(Cheers.) Mr. PRENTICE, observing some little misapprehension of the resolution, rose to read it over again, observing that it was as well it should be read by a person with a strong voice. It was true, he said, that it stated that the plan of Reform only gave them a partial restoration of their rights ; but, partial as it was, the borouglunoisgers had rejected it. He hoped that every one was determined not to accept any such measure of Reform from a Wel lington or Polignac Administration.--(Cheers.) They might take it from a Ministry that they had confidence in ; but he trusted that the people of England would take nothing but a full and just measure of Reform from a Wellington or a Peel.—(Loud cheering.) The object of the present meeting was to obtain a higher degree of sup port to those parties who were now fighting their battles in the House of Common,. He hoped this would be done, that the Reformers would reject minor differences, and confine themselves to one object, namely, that of stopping the supplies. But if they did not get their ob ject by stopping the supplies, there was another resource, that having lifted up their hands here in favour of resolu tions to maintain their rights, if this last resource was thrust upon them—if all legal, constitutional, and peace able means had been tried in vain, then let them lift up their hands with something in them.—(Tremendous cheering, which lasted several minutes.) He (Mr. Pren tice) had always advocated peaceable measures, and though he had sometimes made himself unpopular by it, he had always held out that if peaceable means were in vain, lie knew what to recommend afterwards. He would recommend now, that if there were any more attempts to coerce the people, any attempts to cry down such a meeting as this, that then the people would exer cise the privilege of bearing arms, and of using them.— He said this, that they might look to the ultimate re medy after all others had failed, but it bad not come to that yet, there was yet a pod deal to he done done. There was the petition to stop supplies—there was the abstaining from using taxed articles; and if the Duke of Wellington should dissolve the House of Commons, he hoped they would heed him not, but continue to sit and act for the people.--(Loud cheers.) Mr. Prentice then referred at some length to the acts of some of his ances tors, who had not scrupled to raise their hands against the tyranny of Charles the First and Second, and he trusted if the time should come which should be needed, that he would not be the last to raise his hand against the op pressers of his country.—(Cheers.) After some further observations as to the propriety of unanimity in their pro ceedings, Mr. Prentice concluded amidst great great cheering. Mr. ELIJAH DIXON appeared as the representative of the working classes of the town and the neighbourhood, and expressed his entire concurrence in every sentiment of the resolution, inasmuch as the gentleman who had pre- ' pared the resolution had agreed to admit that every man had a right to a share in the choice of representatives in the House of Commons. These rig ht. were acknowledged, and if they were denied to them, they had the remedy in their own hands. He would not say how they were to apply that remedy, but he would repeat the words of the great Lord Chatham, " if the House of Commons is not reformed from within, it will be reformed from without with a vengeance." Mr. JOHNSON, an operative, said that he agreed with Lord Lyndhurst, that it would have been better to have gone first to the consideration of the enfranchisement clause ; because if they had done so, it would have been found that every man having a right to the elective fran chise, the disfranchisement clause would not need to have been considered at all. After some further remarks on the necessity of radical reform, the speaker concluded, and the Chairman putting the resolution from the chair, it was carried unanimously. Mr. HAevar said the resolution which I have to pro pose will, lam sure, meet with your unanimous vote. It is to withhold the supplies—(Cheers)—until an effec tive measure of Reform is passed. I ask will you suffer the borsughmongets to continue to tax you to the tune o fifty millions annually? Are they to fatten on the spoil. ..., / / -.----‘,.---------- ) •::;, „,-••••, =,.. s ......t. ~ e. ~,(1 . •..). ......, ~,,,„,., ........,..,,..:. ......,.,,„„, ~. ~.-r- 1 • -- - ---It \ - ...4t ‘ - ; - - , JV 0 .... A.... 41.. t .„. 4 . t1 ..,.. 4* ,. - \ -4 . . • „• " Ce. / ' \• ' s ' Y 4'j ' ' tB " '. - - * - " 4 ..., 1 :0_ 01: si i - 4. 4; k:- 4 ric; te— \''' il G. ••• • <.,..",f 'llv. • ' ~' ott; ••••• •'" s "---.....„_ . i...1--A I ta •t0 ....k atre g iti - wii • 1 - , jrt 0 ....-;-- diale tPlfr''' " V -SIM , 1! „ ~ ...• ; r 5 ( ~,, \ ''' ' (PRICE 7D.) LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1832. , f your industry for ever? Are you eternally to euhmi. to the extraction of 9s. out of every 16s. you earn in the vay of taxation to support men who never did nor •ver will do the st ite any service?—(Cheers, and cries ni No, no !) They take from you twenty millions annually in taxes on your drink, sugar, and tobacco. In order to explain to you how you are affected by the taxes, I have a diagram here. The circle imports the whole of the taxes, which in 1819 amounted to 54 millions, one-half of which is laid upon beer, sugar, tea, and tobacco. The other half of the circle represents the imposts upon stamps and customs. In order to let you see how the taxes are expended, I have another circle, the half of which is comprised of the debt called national. How long are we to continue to pay the inte rest of that debt ? The other half of the circle represents the Bums paid to useless placemen, pensioners, sineeu riate, &c. If we had a reformed Parliament, would they not abridge the Boroughmongers of their ill-gotten plun der ? Would they not cut down the expenses of the army and navy, and abolish all useless places and pension.? If a reformed Parliament would not do these things, it would be useless.—(Cheers.) I am satisfied with the pre , ent Government because I believe it would, after the question had been settled, have proved a cheap Govern ment; and as it is any opinion the boroughmongering !action will not give us a cheap Government, I will support a petition to the House of Commons, not to vote any more supplies--(Loud cheers.)—and I have a belief that the House will adhere to the recommendation. We cannot legally pace a resolution to pay no more taxes, but we can resolve amongst ourselves not to consume those ar ticles which are so heavily taxed.—( Hear, hear.) .--Thera- is tea, which is so very common a beverage, costs 6e. per pound, ie taxed 3s. per pound, and Is. per pound of a monopoly tax. Sugar costa about 2's. or 28s. per cwt and is taxed 27e. per cwt. Malt pays a tax of 2s. 7d. per bushel. and, as for spirits, I ara unable to say to what amount they are taxed, but it is very serious. Tobacco coats 4d. per lb. at first hand, yet taxa tion increases the price to the consumer to 4s. per lb. and you will find that these boroughmongrrs always take care to throw the weight of taxation upon your shoulders, by laying the heaviest imposts upon the poor man's necessaries. —(Cheers.) Mr. Harvey then moved the third resolution : That this meeting concurs entirely with the petition that has already been sent from Manchester to the House of Commons on this subject, and does hereby solemnly call upon this House to adhere with steadfast and unyielding determination to the Bill, and above all, to vote no supplies whatever until the Bill, or a measure in every particular at least equally favourable to the rights of the people, shall have been passed into a law. Mr. WHITTLE (Editor of the Manchester and Salford Advertiser) then rose, and begged to offer a few obser vations. He said the resolution just moved was the main object of the meeting that was to support the petition al ready presented to the House of Commons from so large a body of the inhabitants of this town, to stop the supplies until an effective measure of Reform is passed into a law. From the earliest period of English history, it had always been a question betwixt the oppressors and the oppressed, whether the people had a right to expend their own money. Time was when a King of this country, instigated by a foreign wife, attempted to take the money out of the pockets of the people of England without their consent, and what was hi s eate?.—(Cheers.) It always wart a principle of British law, that property was sacred, ..nd the re establish ment of the Bill of Rights confirmed this principle; but the boroughmongers, finding that they could not get at our pockets constitutionally, had recoure to corrupt and tyrannical means, and the object of this meeting was to overthrow that tyranny and corruption—(Loud cheers) —by withholding the supplies, and the most wealthy men in Manchester had publicly declared that they would not voluntarily pay any more taxes until a Reform Bill was passed equally efficient with that proposed by Earl Grey.—(Loud cheers, and cries of Na Taxes—No Supplies !) Events, big with importance, were passing by, and he (Mr. Whittle) should not be surprised if the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended and the throats of the people exposed to the swords of the dragoons:—(Cheers.) Forty years since, similar scenes bank place, and the Duke of Wellington was then a cornet of dragoons. That man now enjoys the highest offices and places in the empire. He has bad a princely fortune bestowed upon him, every shilling of which has been wrung from your sweat and indnetry.--(Loud cheers.) lie has wasted myriads of life and shed oceans of blood to put down the liberties of the people ; and it now remains to be seen whether a dragoon like this is any longer to he permitted to trample upon the rights of humanity..--(Tremendous cheers). He cordially seconded the resolution. Mr. BROOKES (an operative) then rose. He said, that before be gave his consent to the resolution, some explanation was necessary, or it would seem inexplicable why these who had so long contended strenuously for Ra dical Reform should have compromised their principles. This resolution pledged them to support a petition for the Bill of Earl Grey—the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill.—(Loud cri,!s of No, no.) The CHAIRMAN read the resolution. Mr. Batiorzes resumed. He would n :deceive the meet ing, nor be himself deceived. Tie c ild have wished the resolution had gone so far as to rail sir a full and free re presentation of the people, but it did nut. However, he was not wishful to throw any difficulties in the way of the meeting—(Cheers)—he would give the resolution his sup port, in the hope that it would tend to unite the two con flicting interests which had so long divided the town. He felt great satisfaction at hearing gentlemen, who had been considered the enemies of the working classes, de clare this day that they would have a Bill of Reform which would benefit all classes ; and if they should by some mystery get such a Bill as the one which had been rejected, he hoped they would not desert the people, when they attempted to procure a full restitution of their rights.--(Loud cheers from the gentlemen on the hustings, and cries of We will support you !) He had not for gotten the promises made by the King on Reform, and he also remembered the immense price that had been paid for those promises in grants of 00,001)1. a-year, and others of a similar nature. The people would go on with the higher orders as far as they went, and if they chose to lig behind, the people would travel on without them. —(Tremendeus cheering ) He hoped, too, that after what had passed to-day, the public press would demean itself towards the poorer classes with more kindness, and that its conductors would not step out of the way, as had often been the case, to ridicule tbem.—(Cheers.) He trusted the people would still keep their eye on the great question of Radical Reform, and con sider that this Bill, if gained, was but a step towards the main object.—(Cheers.) Mr. Brookes concluded by observing that at some future period, although, perhaps, not in his time, this country might have another old woman, with a petticoat over her head, for a King— (Loud laughter)—hut they would not harm him. Fur his own part, he would not—be would take especial care of him—(Loud laughter)—he would provide fur him comfortably; he should live well—(Roars of laughter)— hut be hoped the votes of the countless thousands of his fellow-townomen assembled here to-day, would show that they were determined not to live under petticoat Govern ment.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Lomax, another operative, expressed his satisfac tion at seeing the merchant, manufacturer, and trades man, united with the artisan in demanding his rights ; and adviving him how to regain those rights. He hoped to see them united, should it be necessary, in contending for the salvation of the country—(cheers)—and if they could lay aside all animosity, and travel toge ther in the same path, they would soon obtain genuine liberty.—(Cheers.) He hoped from this time they would be one body, joined together for oue common object. and it this were the case they would have reform next week, for no faction could withsta❑d the united wishes of twenty millions of people.—(Cheers.) The King had been lauded to the skies as a patriot, but be had suffered himself to be cajoled by a woman, and, Sampson like, Ise had been shorn at his strength. It had been said that " the King's name was a tower of strength," and a pretty tower it was, which suffered itself to be gulled by the petticoat ideas of a foreign woman.—(Loud laughter.) The speaker concluded by expressing his satisfaction at the union which had taken place this day, and he emphatically remarked, that if the middle classes stood by the resolutions which they had supported at this meeting, the working classes would de serve to be slaves all their liveb if they did not support them. The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously with three cheers. Mr. Jot-frame moved that a petition to the House of Commons, founded on the resolutions, and also an Address to his Majesty, be adopted by the meeting. This being seconded, was put and carried unanimously. Mr. FIILLDEN then moved the adoption of the following Address to the King. TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. The Address and Petition of the people in Manchester in Pub lic Meeting assembled this 14th day of May, 18.3'2. May it please your Ma,}esty, we your Majesty's dutiful pea. pie of the Town of Manchester, yielding to no part of your sut jects in loyalty towards your Majesty's person, and in respect lc' your Royal office and functions ; but, at the same time, not us mindful of our own undoubted right, beg leave to represent h your Majesty, that your Majesty graciously declared to the Pat. liament en the sth of December last, "that a speedy and satis factory settlement of the question of Parliamentary Reform wa. of pressing importance to the security of the state, and to the content and welfare of your people," have learned with surpris( and with sorrow that your Majesty, yielding to the advice of evil counsellors, has been prevailed upon to withdraw from Earl Gres and his colleagues the only possible means by which, under th.• present circumstances, such Reform could be effected. That we deem it our unquestionable right that every man o: sane mind, and untainted by infamous crime, should have a voice in choosing those who make the laws affecting his property and his life. But that for the sake of harmony we are willing to try the effect of a more limited su RI - age and to forego() for the pre sent a part of that right : our oppressors, however, resolved still to despoil us of the fruits of our industry and toil, have resolved that they will continue to nominate those whom they insultingly call our Representatives. To your Majesty, therefore, we appeal for protection against their tyrannical an d perfidious designs, and humbly pray your Majesty to be graciously pleased to recall to your councils those Ministers under whose influence alone we can hope to see tran quillity restored to the country, and to see continued to exist that constitution which is the foundation of your Majesty's throne, as well at the guarantee of the rights of the people. Which was s,conded by Mr. Seed, and carried amidst the cheers of the' vast multitude. Mr. HETHERINGTON, the Editor of the Poor Man's Guardian, complimented the meeting on the unanimity displayed, and felt highly gratified at seeing the wealthy come forward in support of the rights of the work. ing man. The meeting had been called upon t o stop the supplies, and he hoped they would take the means into their own hands—(Loud cheers)—and stop the supplies which they furnished. He recommended them to buy unstautped publications, not to pay any more fourpenny Auty ; to set a good example; to show a bid.; front, and victory was inevitable.—(Loud. cheers.) Mr. PRENTICE explained, that as they had so lately sent up a petition numerously signed, he should move that the petition and address be signed by the Chairman, on behalf of the meeting. He was sure a more honour able name than that of Walker could not he attached to it, for he was the son of that very Thomas Walker who was tried for high treason in 1794, for doing the very thing which they had done this very day. He should move that the honourable son of so honourable a sire attach his name to the documents on behalf of the meeting. —(Cheers. ) The CHAIRMAN expressed his gratitude fur the honour done him ; he had always been the adv,cate of Reform he was horn a Relormer; he had lived a Reformer, and if it pleased God he would die a Reformer. He was con. fident there was a moral force in the country which would supersede the necessity of appealing to physical force. After thanking the meeting for their conduct this day, he sat down amidst loud cheering. The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously. Mr. Gaxjn moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was seconded by Mr. WHITTLE, who expressed his conviction that the Union formed this day would be pro ductive of a Political Union of all classes to carry forward the great question of Reform.—(Cheers.) Mr. Thos. POTTER concurred with Mr. Whittle in hoping that a general Political Union would result from this day's proceedings. Mr. BROOKTS proposed a ♦ote of thanks to Mr. Hunt. Some disapprobation being expressed, Mr. PitcYricx hoped that the apple of discord would not be thrown amongst them. Mr. BROOKES then proposed three cheers to Mr. Hunt, which were given by the crowd. Three tremendous groans were given for the Duke of Wellington, three for the Bishops, and one groan more for the Duke of Welling ton. Three groans for the petticoat government. Three cheers for Radic it Reform, and three for Henry Hether ington. After which the immense multitude separated peaceably. As one step towards the promotion of the great object, we may mention that in the office of the Advertiser news— paper is placed a document pledging the signers not to purchase the goods of any person distrained for taxes, and which is tieing rapidly signed. Silk handkerchiefs have also been printed, bearing the inscription, " Pay no taxes until d. Reform Bill is passed," with a star in the centre, surrounded by the motto, " Vox Populi, vox Dei," and which are selling rapidly. REFORM MEETING LIVERPOOL YESTERDAY. BY SPECIAL EXPRESS. This day (Monday) one of the largest meetings of merchants, manufacturers, and inhabitants of this wealthy port, was held in Clayton-square, than is recollected to have taken place on any similar occasion in Liverpool. Long before the hour appointed for the meeting, the square was crowded to excess, and numbers were, during the meeting, flocking to the square, but unable to obtain either sight of the orators, or to take any part in the proceedings of the day. The large balcony in front of the Ball Hotel, was converted into hustings, which were densely filled by merchants and by gentlemen. The houses around the square, both the tops and the windows, were also filled. At the latter a number of fashionably dressed females were apparently watching the proceedings with intense interest. Though the weather was rather inauspicious, yet, such is the enthusiasm of the people of Liverpool in the great cause of Parliamentary Reform, the multitude who assem bled on this occasion was extremely numerous. There could not, at the lowest computation, save been less than twelve thousand present, among whom were numbers of the most respectable inhabitants of the town and its neigh bourhood. The Committee who had arranged the pro ceedings of the day, took their stations on the balcony of the Bull Inn, whence the speakers addressed the dense multitude cAagregated in the square. Mr. JOSEPH LANGTON proposed that a young nobleman who was known to the people of Liverpool as a stanch Reformer, should take the chair, He meant Lord Viscount Mulynrux.—(Cheers.) Mr. T. B. BARCLAY seconded the motion. He was satisfied that his Lordship's conduct in the chair would justify the choice. Lord Mor.rsatux was then called to the chair by the ac clamation. of the multitude. The Noble CHAIRMAN, as soon as the applause bad subsided, said, that at this most momentous and unparal leled crisis, on this most transcendently important occasion, he felt how utterly unfit he was to discharge the duties of Chairman in the presence of the immense multitude he had the pleasure to see before him. At the same time, he felt, that no man, however bumble his abilities, could hold hack, and not come forward in defence of the rights and the liberties of his fellow-countrymen.—(Cheers.) He did live in hopes, that we never should have been assembled again to discuss the subject of Reform. He had hoped, that the very name of Reform and of Reformer would never again be heard, except in a vote of thanks to the honest Government by whom a measure of Reform had been passed, and a patriot King who had sanctioned it with his approbation.—(Cheers.) To the indulgence of such hopes the people of England were led by a train of circumstances, by promises and professions from very high quarters,—pro mises and professions which, as they raised their expecta tions and brightened their prospects, had, now that they were broken, plunged the country into the depths of dis appointment and desperation.—(Great cheering.) When last the people of Liverpool met in that square, the House of Commons—a House of Commons better selected and more strictly the representatives of the people than any on record, had most triumphantly, most gloriously passed the Bill, for the completion of which the country were looking. They passed that Bill, and sent it to the Upper House, as it is called but, as be now contended, to the House of the , People's enemies. —(Loud cheers.) In that House it was read mice, it was read twice, and the Government and all England looked as quietly and contentedly, but not, as the enemies of the measure unblushingly said, with spiritless apathy.--(Loud shouts of No, no !) Reaction indeed Where was the reaction? The people looked on quietly, but they knew that there was yet a trial to come. They knew that the men who were not averse to the Bill going into the committee, would not allow it to go through the House i n i ts i ntegr ity and it s e ffi c i enc y. But they never expect e d, that the first thing which its enemies would do would be, that Lord Lyndhurst, one of the greatest foes. one of the greatest enemies of the liberties of the people, would propose that the vital principle, the essential clause of the Bill should be, as he hypocritically proposed," post poned." The people demanded that the rotten parts the foul ulcers on the fact of the consti tution, should be removed, to afford the patient a chance o f reorrery ; b u t th e s t a t e physicians thought -he nation's health would he improved if the fifty-six horri tad loathsome ulcers were allowed to remain. On th. iccasion those honest men, Lord Grey and Lord Broochar —(Cheers)—went to their Sovereign—that Sovereign most of the acts of whose Government had been to lea , the people to believe that he was a firm friend to Coneti tutional Reform—they went to him, expecting that h would redeem his promises, for promises he had certainh given, if not in his own person, at least in the acts of hi. Government. Well, what was his Majesty's answer ? I was, that the only means by which the rights and liberties of the people could be secured he could not grant —(Tres mendous hissing and groaning.) Honest men, like Lore Grey and Lord Brougham, had no alternative but to re sign the seals of office. Honest men he (Lord Molyneux) had always thought them, and honest men they Lad proved themselvee.—(Loud cheers.) Such was a brief outline ol the history of recent events. The people of Liverpoo' were now met, that the opinion of this great and en lightened town might be expres►ed on those events, mt, once expressed, that it might reach the highest quarter, as affording one mare evidence of the feelings of indig nation which pervade this great and mighty nation.— (Cheers)—to prove, in short, that there is neither spiritless apathy nor reaction—(Great laughter)—to prove that the people only want their rights, an.. that their rights they will have.—(Tremendous cheer., When last he heel the honour of addressing the people of Liverpool, they considered themselves almost sure of their object. And what was the reason of that security? Jr was because there were then three parties arrayed against one. There were the King, the House of Commons, and the people anainst the House of Lords.—(C , tees.) the King has .deeerted us !—(Tremendous groaning and haissing.) We have also lust the Minister, and an honest one he was; hut we have a strong, a powerful assistant in the House of Commons.—(Great cheering.) He knew no words which could better express his opinion on this subject titan those used by Mr. Strutt, the Member for Derby, in the House of Commons, on Thursday night. " Happily," said that Hon. Gentleman, " happily there was one resource by which all danger to the courery might be avoided, and that existed in the wisdom, firm ness, and decision of that House. Let that House only come forward and place itself at the head of the people— let it show itself determined to be true to its former professions—let it show the people, that as loug as they were true to themselve, that House would not desert them —let that House teach the people to look to it as their natural leader, and not elsewhere; he should then feel the greatest confidence that all might still be safe, and that the great measure of Reform would be carried to a triumphant termination."—(Three cheers were here given for Mr. Strutt.) With the assistance of such a House of Commons, firmly and patriotically determined to do its duty, the people must triumph.—(Cheers.) His Lordship then alluded to the nature of the resolutions which would be proposed to the meeting. He nest oh served, thet, on the last occasion when he had the honour of meeting the people in that square, he had asked them a simple question: tbat question went to their hearts, and he never should forget the unanimous voice in which they answered it. That question was, " Had we net then an honest Minister ?" He now asked them, whether 'hey wished to change that Minister?—(Loud cries of " We do not !") He further asked them, whether they wished to see the Duke of Wellington at the head of the Govern• ment ?—(t• No, nor followed by hisses and groans.) But I am going to open all your eyes wider than they were opened before.—(A laugh.) If the Duke of Wel lington takes office, and, for my part, I have no doubt he has taken it already, as I have a latter from a par ticular friend of yours, my father,—(Cheers,) —in which he states, that the Duke has kissed the King's hand on his acceptance of office.—(Great indignation and hissing.) But I have still further to open your eyes. If the Duke of Wellington takes office, it is my firm belief, that it is his intention to bring forward a new Reform Bill, and to pass it.--(Hissing.) Now if you can trust a man who, but a short time ago, publicly de clared that he would oppose all Reform, it is more than I can do. I was censured for some observations I made, the last time I met you here, on the Noble Duke, and, perhaps, I was not justified in then going so far as I did. Rut, now, there is not a word of which I repent.—(Loud cheers.) I then told you, that the Duke's object, in a speech which he had recently delivered, was to get himself and his friends into place again. And I new say, if that Noble Duke, as he is called, should, after having ejected the present Ministry, take office and carry Reform, such political venalty and baseness never were acted before in the living world.—(Cheers.) The Noble Lord con cluded by requesting the attention of the meeting to the speakers who would address thein.—(Loud cheers followed his Lordship's speech.) Captain Cocclum thew stood forward to move the first resolution. Gentlemen, and•hrother Reformers, your Com mittee, elected at the last meeting here by yourselves, hav ing done me the honour to place me in the chair in the absence of our excellent friend, Mr. James Brancker, I have to announce to yon, that, from the moment we heard the account of Lord Lyndhurst's trickery in the Lords to defeat the great principles of the Reform Bill, we assembled together, and determined upon calling this meeting, and prepared six resolutions, which will be submitted to you for your judgment and decision.—(Here Captain C. read the first resolution, and continued.)—lf you pledge your selves to this resolution, you will oppose every innovation of that Bill which was so gloriously carried in the House of Commons. As the Noble Lord, our chairman, has said, our enemies have dared to say, that there has been a reaction; that, in fact, like themselves, you do •et know your own minds, and care nothing about the passing of the Bill ! Is it so ?_(No, no !) I thought nut. Falsehood is not the only vice they have to answer for : to preserve their usurpations they have been guilty of almost every species of delusion. Reaction, indeed ! Do's the presence of the thousands here prove it ? No, no. It is the free action of the people which, like the waves of the ocean, have gone on with a continuous roll, until it has become irresistible. Brother Freemen ! I address myself particularly to you. By the first Reform Bill which passed the Commons, and so unceremoniously kicked out of the Lords, the franchise, as now enjoyed, was to cease with yoar own lives and those of your children born at the time the Bill should have passed into a law, so that, when your wives shall have t• rejoiced that a man is born into the world," you may rejoice that he is born a freeman. This right being reserved to you, will you not assist your fellow-townsmen in obtaining the object of their wishes,—their inalienable rights as Britons? Brother Reforanere! the boasted freedom of Englishmen is but a name; nor will you ever enjoy your liberty until the Reform Bill, with its provisions and principlea, as passed by the Commons, shall have passed both Houses, and received the sienature of your Sovereign. I have, in other countries, made use of language and freedom of conduct, for which, had I done so in this, I should have been referred to some gagging-bill and put into prison. Gentlemen, the language of the Reformers has been decried as intemperate, and some words uttered from this place have given great offence to the delicate leading' of Anti-Reformers; but what think you of the language of that man whom Mr. O'Connell so happily designated by a quotation from Shakspeare, " The prince of darkness is a gentleman, Wetherell by name and Bother.dl." That man, whom you cannot mistake, and:whom the grea bard, who knew all strange characters, must have had in his eye, is reported to have said, on the people's wish and Lord Grey's proposal to the King, to create Peers and insure the passing of the Bill, that it was "concealed vil lany under the insidious pretext of liberality." Now, I ask, did you ever hear language more insulting than that, or any thing more offensive, as used to the advocates of the people's rights ? Edmund Burke, no great lover of the people's freedom and rights, said, " Let us break the cords and snap the chains that tie us to an ungrateful shore, and enter the friendly harbour that shoots out its moles and jetties to receive us !" And what were these moles and jetties but the arms of the people I—(Cheers.) Though the Lords have diamasted, they Nave not sunk us: it is not, in the service I belong to, a natural consequence, that the dismasted ship is cap'ured; and shall we suffer ourselves to be taken. No.—(Cheers.) Our Commander iu.Chief is wounded, but not mortally ; not by the sword of the enemy, but, alas! by the bodkin of his bosom friend ! —I will not entertain any other opinion of my Sovereign than that he will return to the deck and continue the fight with all his officers, and remain with us until victory shall have crowned our efforts and made us free. You will all, I am sure, make allowances for the influence of a fond wife, though I by no meant recommend to you to sul►ruit to petticoat government , —(Laughter.) Gentlemen, I have told you before, that Lord Wellington's declaration made me a Reformer, and I am ours his conduct will continue me one to the end of my life.—(Cheers.) Men will triumph neer systematical slavery, if they determinedly oppoev themselves to it. Gentlemen, you must be firr, resolute, ,nd determined, and never cease to address the King and ?etition the C 0111111013% but not the LordF : no, after the utanner they have trampled upon your rights, -a:3 -mill not imtition them. Adhere to the provisions c.;id principles , if the Bill ; let nothing deter ru Irr:m obb;ning it; • 1 Do this and tread upon the. Greek end Rimau names..." I now apologize for the tithe I have detained you, and, thanking you for your patience, take myleare. . Mr. JOUR . EWART seconded the rese!ution. He ob served, that the bate Ministry 'ere. juetly pepitlar because they had brought forward a measure of Refierm. The Duke of Wellington was once more in of and, it was said, he would concede Reform. But tees Lath r :rapes from thorns ?—(cheer.) He 1 , ri nee personal ettachment to Earl Grey, nor any persoeel berility to t; e Duke of Wellingteen ; he mereltereearded tleen in their tettlic capacity. But when he refientel that reel (grey was an honest reformer, and that t:te Dicke of Wt!ington had mede a pnlilic declaration Against ale Refor,e—a decht -ation which caused his downfall, he never lei lied Lu see the Doke minister agein.—(Cheers.) It might he paid that the Duke would now early Reform. Ile carry Reform! It is the people that will carry Reform, in spite f hint—(cheers.) Mach had been sae/ abent a etestion •f Pests; bat when it was considered that above two eundred Tory Peers had been created within the hot fifty tears, it was high time that the balance of parties should he redressed, and by the creation of a large number of liberal Peers—(Applause.) The Chairman then put the revolution, which was carried by an unanimous show of hand'. Mr. W. W. CURRIE, in moving, the eetiond resolution, slid, with great deft-relic, and suLtniseitie, he would state, teat their Noble Chairman had net apeken of the ext e nt of the meeting with his usual actiurit y. II ha been in formed, by a person who was well qualified ter jtetge, that there were not fewer titan from 14.000 to 15,000 pertme assembled before their.—(Cheere.) o.:e of the most vette fel duties which a grateful heart had ever te pertOrm, was o express gratitude to those to whom it wie , etue. If ever there were men who da-werved of, thanks ; the heerttelt gratitude of the British people, they te..r. due to the late Miuistry and to those Mern'tere of t! e Heuse of Commons and the House of Peers who had -o nobly itone their ding end stood firmly by the people estd th.:ir riOtte...-(Leetid applause.) At the ft. meat fri. rids wkly. they the ught of, it was ine.asible, from his pre.senieeet strtien, not to eingle out, without casting any reCctions upon the r-e', the noble, tl.e illustrious Lent Glen.—((:he-rs.) He was an old man ;he could teat' te:!sele 'ifs had beiin 'pint in the service of the cause of Reform, awed he alas worry that he was compelled to gee, even for a moment, the cup of promised heppinese etreeel to the people dashed from their 1ip5.....-(Cheers.) It had been urged against him, and egninst those who ha: , at diffe• cat periods brought the subject forward, that 'tow they went ten times further than they one e did. It Lord Gr e, at the end of forty years, brought fel wet , : s meatinre mere full, more complete., and more satisitritety to The riati,n than be did in 1792 or 1793, what ma- the reettee ? He knew the time heel arrived when the penile would no longer be deceived and insulted by the smel t ery of a re presentation.—(Cheers.) He knew it was time to put an end to thos-! 'foul ulcers to which Chainnan had alludes!. --(Applause.) He knew that the time bad come when the intelligence, the edueatior. sod the settee of the people of England demanded a more enlarged and powerful voice in the choice of their reprecentativ. (" And will have it!" exelaimeel the tueltittele.) Mr. Currie then gave a detail of the view and active,. of seve ral of the leading anti- Reforinits. lie would now add a few words by way of conarast. It must n,vur be for gotten, in thinking of that questhu, that the anti Re formers would have stood still, with their hams folded before them, to all eternity, and never stirred one step ex cept against their will. What they had conceded they conceded because they could not help it.—(Ce e ee a and hisses.) This was and always had been their plan, is give nothing till they could not avoid it, tied then to t. t it be as little as possible.—(Cilett.) There were some who said they were for a large me: sure, but why were they for it? Because, will he, Hill he, they must give it.— (I.e.ud cheers.) lie would, therefore, ask them, who they would have, men who had all along teen frientis co that measure, or men who had been re:uetzutly forced to yield it by the voice, or should he say the rice, which they could no longer withstand ?—(Leughter and cheers.) Mr. BROCKLERANE, in seconding the motion, said as people ought to be grateful to Lord Grey fur bringing for. ward the Reform Bill so nearly in i:a present shape, and most particularly for the dialranchisernent clause, the mutt important part of the Bill, 4) compare with which the en franchisement clauses can be deemed of secondary consi deration only. It would be better to have 400 rt:yreset • tativee, honest and unalloyed, than 5 or 600, with so lase an alloy as is infused into the representation Iv , means of nomination boroughs, or, more prep' ly speaking, rotten (Concluded in our fourth nags, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MAY 14. (Concluded from our second edition of bat night. Sir E. SUGDEN would net tloal go into the question m to whether Gatton and Old Sarum eught to Le disfran chised. But when the Noble Lord thought proper to at tack Gentlemen upon his aide of tba House fur having changed their opinions, he thought it right is remind the Noble Lord that he himself was liable to the same charge. He never was more surprised than when he came into that House, and beard it complained of the' Gentlemen upon that (the Tory) side of tke Hense bad mixed np the King's name with this discussion. He would ask the House whether it was not by the Gentlemen opposite the name of the King was first hrought forward in this ques tion? They united it with the name of 6- people; and he would desire nothing more elrne.t!y Caen teat the King's name should always be united with the name of the people, only that from that union the aristocracy should not be omitted.—t Cheers.) The Nehle bed had Sisid that the present was a question of character. lirc:l, in what way wan the character of the Duke et Wellington compromised by the coarse which he had adopted ? (Hear, hear.) He was sure that his Right Heil. Friend (Sir R. Peel) could not be pleased to hear himeell lauded at the expense of the Noble Duke. He was sere that his Right Honourable Friend placed confi.kuce in the Noble Duke, as did also a great portion of the pea ple.—(A laugh, and cries of Oh, oh, replied to by cheers.) So far as the character of public men was concerned, he thought that the reproach was to be oast on others, nest open the Duke of Wellington. During the debate upon the second reading of the Bill, he (Sir E. Suvieu) had paid particular attention to the *pinch of the Noble Duke, and to the reply; and the only thin; which he at that moment had in his pocket was an extract from thet reply. The Noble Earl (Lord Grey) said to the House of Lords, " Pass the second reading of the Bill, and then the 8.11. will be in your hands, and not in mine. If you interfere with its principle, I will oppose such interference, but rill it will be fur you to decide whether or net you will make the alterations." He (Sir E. Sugden) declared solemnly that when he beard the Noble Earl use theme words, his full conviction was, that Lord Grey meant to convey that there would he ne creation of Peers, and that after the se cond reading the Bill would be eltogrther in the Lands and at the discretion of the Lords. Fir what ether Pease could be given to the words of the ri..tole Eocl, silo, that it was hie intention not to interm wire this Moose, hut leave the Bill entirely to their Lardehips' discretion ? (Hear, hear.) But now hie firm conviction was, that the Minister, had determined that neither the House of Lords nor that House (toe Contnito-) should in any way modify the Bill, otherwise than as thy (the Ministers) should think best suited to their own purpitt" Did not the country know that the principle: of the Bali had beets altered by the Ministers, without any good reason having heels assigned ? The qualification had been altered. An alteration had been made in the schedules, both of dis franchiestment and of enfravehieement ; and in othtr re spects the original Bill had been depero;e front is its most important principles. But these chttoges were made by the Ministers themselves, and yet they reino:d to bath Houses of Parliament the right to interfere with the Bill in any respect. What was the advice which was understood to have been given to the King on the present state of the Reform Bill ? Nothing less than to &loge the Ruse of Lords by the creation of sixty or seventy new Peers. Was there any man acquainted with the Fast history, or the present political state of the country, who could fur a moment doubt that the adoption of sorb a coarse would give to the Constitution a fatal stab ? What seventy Peers to be brought into that House pledged to a par ticular measure ? He believed there was not a man of sane mind throughout England, or be :ni g ht add through out Europe, who would for a moment hesitate to admit that such a measure would have the instant effect of de grading the House of Lords far below any thing which even its worst enrusies could devise. Ile wee at a loss to imagine Peers tn b a nything the House of Lords—introduced, as it was intende d they should be, for the purpcoe of drow nin g the o pinion of the sudden more calculated introduction t o degrade of se venty the House of the Howse of Peers. If he were right on the point to which he had just before bees alto ag, th e matter that they had then under th eir consideration jest resolved itself into this, the late Mimetersmust have carried their point, or have been defeated; they had been defeated ; and they raid to their political itchNildriesi " Yon mast pass the Bili, as /l