The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-26 00:00:00

Tire ell/LIMAN having made a few remarks, in which he
praised Mr. Hodges tor his staunch support of the princi-
ples of civil and religious liberty, social progress, popular
education, and free trade, proceeded to iutroduce that gen-
tleman to the meeting.
Mr. Honor.* (who was extremely well received), ob-
served that it was more than 20 years since he had first
addressed the electors of that constituency on a similar occa-
sion ; and it was a matter of great pride to him to have re-
ceived from the meeting so warm a token of the approba-
tion they felt at his past course, and of their confidence in
his futureconduct. (Cheers.) They might doubtless be
curious to know why he, whose main-etay was the lani,
was nevertheless are advocate of free trade. The fathers
and grandfathers of the party in office had brought upon
them matey vile, and the country ceuldnot expect any geed
from their descendants. (Cheers.) The ancestors of the
party now in office had given them the American and the
French war, which had entailed upon the country a debt of
nearly 1,000,000,000 f. He believed upon his conscience
that if the present ministry could not find any principle*
upon which they could recommend themselvep to the coun-
try, they would be ready to invite another war in order to
couwalidate their power. (Cheep.) It was ridiculous to
suppose that the immense burden which our wan entailed
upon us could have been borne by the land. It was nothing
but the immense stimulus which had been given to trade
which had rendered us able to present the astounding
spectacle of a revenue buoyant in Spite of the drains which
existed upon the country's resources ; and therefore be
IVY a free trader. (Loud cheers.) With respect to the
Maynooth grant and the papal aggression, he considered it
a mistake to suppose the two things hod any connexion
with each other. lie was as sensible as any man of the de-
graded state of a people where popery prevailed. Ile was
in Ireland with his regiment in 1798, and be saw that what
that country wanted were emancipation and a poor law, both
of which he had lived to see at last given them. (Cheers.) At
the time of which he spoke all the priests were educated at
St. Omer's, and were thus ready channels of communication
between the enemies of this country and the rebels in Ire-
land. The College of Maynooth had been instituted to meet
that difficulty, and ho believed upon his conscience that it
had not added to the real strength of popery. (Cheers.)
The papal aggression rested upon Drs. Wiseman and Cul-
len, who were not educated at Maynsoth, but at Home.
(Hear, hear.) Ile thought that to remove the grant would
cost more than they were perhaps prepared to expert, and
therefore he could not vote for it at present; though it it was
shown that the grant tended to increase the power of
popery he could not say that he should not be ready to do
so. (Cheers.) tle had been anxious to retire, but he bad
received such unequivocal marks of the confidence of his
constituents as he believed had never been shown to the
member fora county before, and therefore he had been in-
duced to accept the tr .at once more. (Loud cheers.)
In answer to various questions—
Mr. Holum said he had voted for Mr. Lake King's
motion for extending the IW. franchise to the counties,
and that he bad seconded Mr. Grote's motion for the ballot.
(Cheers.) The reason he had not voted for Mr. Hume's
motion for reform was, because Mr. Hume had mixed up
with matters of which he approved matters which he did
not ; and he could not swallow them all. (Cheers and
laughter.) With respect to church rates, lie should be
glad to see some reasonable commutation for them adopted,
but he could not agree to put the money into the landlord**
pockets. (Hear, hear.) Ile had voted for Mr. lloremau's
motion, and ho was opposed to the ruseyite doctrines.
(Loud cheer..)
Mr. J. Waist, of Deptford, then moved, and Mr. SW/IN-
LAND, of Crayford, seconded the following resolution:—
" That Thomas Law Heave, E.g., is a fit and proper
person to represent this division of the county of Kent in
parliament, and the electors now assembled pledge them-
selves to exert their utmost influence to secure his return at
the ensuing election." (Loud cheers.)
This, after a little opposition, on the ground that Mr.
Hodges had not given a Pan...factory account of the comae
he intended to pursue with respect to Maynooth, was car-
ried all but unanimously.
The Hey. Mr. Conn, of Debtling, moved, end Mr. F.
Derieueic, of Blackheath-park, secouded : "That the
present ministers have acceded to power under the advocacy
of principles which this meeting repudiates as unsound,
and injurious to the beat interests of the community. That
the same ministers are now endeavouring to maintain their
position by a dexterous evasion of all declaration of any
principles whatever, and therefore do not deserve the sup-
port of the country at Isrge, nor of this division of the
county of Kent in particular." (Cheers.) Carried unani-
mously.
It was then moved by Dr. Kgrrtn, of Greenwich, and
seconded by Mr. J. E. Lee, of Lewisham ;—" That under
existing circumstances, and amid the disruption of all the
old pantes of the state, it is more than ever incumbent
upon the electors to ~'curt the return of men who will
advocate liberal principle., without reference to minor
differences of opinion," (Cheers.)
Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and the meet-
ing broke up.