The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-20 00:00:00

Representation of Finsbury.

Last night a meeting of electors desirous of pro-
moting the return of Mr. M'Cullagh Torrens for
Finsbury, at the next election, convened by circular,
was held at the Belvidere Tavern, Pentonville.
Mr. Torrens attended, pa the invitation of a large
and influential body of requisitionists, who, mindful
of his past career in Parliament and his fidelity to
the principles he avowed on entering it, were de-
sirous that a metropolitan borough of such import-
ance should be adequately and properly represented.
The requisitioniets seeking for the proper discharge
of the duties of such a position, desired that they
should be represented by gentlemen whose mental
power, political knowledge, and established public
reputation qualified them for the discharge of the
onerous duties devolving upon the representatives of
such large and important constituencies. Ileference
to the past conduct of Mr. Torrens in Parliament
had produced the conviction that in him these quali-
ties were combined, and that gentleman was there-
fore invited to lay before a meeting of electors bis
political opinions, end also state his decision whether
the amount of popular support accorded to him
would induce him to become a candidate. To this
requisitiem,
which was signed, on the whole, by
these -who used to take a prominent part in the
election of the late Mr. T. Duncombe, without any
expense on his part, Mr. Torrens readily responded,
and last night was met by an assembly of gentlemen
who might fairly be said to be representative men
from every part of the borough.
Mr. M'DosSetEnn, representative of Clerkenwell
at the DTs 'sropolitan Board of Works, was called to
the choir, and in a few brief but telling sentences
introduced Mr. Torrens to the meeting.
The learned gentleman, in the course of an ad-
dress which was listened to with the deepest atten.
tion, and with frequent and warm applause, explained
the grounds on which he ventured to solicit the suf-
frages of such an important constituency. He had
an ambition—but it was not a selfish one—it was,
in his day and generation, to make his mark on the
age in which he lived as a man who had done
something useful and permanently beneficial to his
fellowmen, He had in the earlier portion of his
public and political career at least given proofs of
the spirit by which he was animated, the objects he
aimed at, and the principles of which he was the
advocate; and to the past he thought he might
confidently refer as a guarantee for the futuren t He
did not wish to be a mere talker, a mummer, or a
dummy. In past Parliaments he had served his
time to the business of legislation. He hoped he
had learned by study and experience how the work
of the people ought to be done, and how to do it.
He made no vague promises, no elastic professions
of principle. He
would not go into Parliament tied
and fettered by ironcast pledges, but he referred to
his votes on all great questions as the surest tests
of what his future course would be. When in
Parliament he helped to carry the repeal of the na-
vigation laws, and the removal of the disabilities
of the Jews. He was one of tha small majority
that first enabled Mr Locke King to carry the prin-
ciple of a .£lO county suffrage, and he had had the
pleasure of voting with the late Mr Joseph Hume
for a large extension of the suffrage in towns, on
the ground that the exclusion of the working classes
was the chief defect of the Reform Bill, 1832. For
the adoption of the balla he had voted with Mr
Berkeley, though by itself he did not think it would
produce political purity,,but must be one of a com-
bination of measures for that purpose. With re-
spect to the administration of the country, Mr Tor.
rens expressed the opinion that they were too exclu-
sively taken from one class, and at the same time
deprecated a rather widespread opinion that
lawyers, as a class, should be excluded from Parlia-
ment in favour of commercial and practical men in
other pursues and callings of life, whose success in
a mere monetary way, though creditable to them as
individuals, was not necessarily a proof of their
-possessing the qualities requisite for a legislator.
On the subject of church rates he thought the time
Lad come when the Government should remove this
cause of religious discord. On general grounds he
would vote against the public money being given
to any sect whatever if those who received those
grants would agree to stand upon that ground.
He should advocate retrenchment of public ex-
penditure not only in general terms, but in detail.
With respect to an important question—the law
relating to the relief of the poor and the mode in
which iewas administered—.while he thought public
opinion was not ripe forthe adoption of a national and
equal rate, ho thought
the time had come for the
abrogation of the law of settlement and the adop-
tion of a union rating, with respect to the metro-
polis itself, while ho could not agree with Mr.
Ayrton and other advocates of a federal metropoe
litan municipality, he thought it was an open and
a pressing question holv such boroughs as Finsbury
could be welded into a,
compact mass, and exercise
their legitimate infinsnee on Parliament and upon
the Government for the time being. They would
never do so in their present state, and for their own
sakes, apart from general questions, it was ex-
tremely important they
should have the advantages
of local self-government. The hon. and learned
gentleman, after adverting in very felicitous and
eloquent terms to other matters, concluded by
stating that he asked no one to pledge himself to
support his candidature should a better man appear
in the field. In that case he would be the first to
withdraw from it,
If not, he promised, should he
be elected to represent that important constituency,
that he would render an annual account of his stew•
ardship, and take every opportunity of ascertaining
the views of his Constituents, though he did not
promise he would always act upon them. When
he could not do so honestly be would return the
trust they had confided to him' (Cheers.)
Dr. En's, in a very able and telling speech,
moved—" That this meeting having listened to a
statement of the political principles of Mr. Torrens,
which he consistently and efficiently advocated for
many years in Parliament, expresses its opinion
that he is eminently qualified
to become a repre-
sentative for Pillsbury in the house of Commons,
to use its best
and pledges itself exertions to secure
his return for this borough
in the ensuing Puha.
ment."

Mr. HOPW°°D3econded the resolution, and after
a short conversation, in which Mr. Collins, Mr.
Elt, and other
geutlemen took part, the resolution
was carried with two dissentients, on the under-
standing that it did not bind those present who did
not actually vote for it. At the same time no gen-
tleman present offered any
opposition to Mr. Tor-
rens, but merely reserved their freedom of selection
for the future.

The following
gentlemen were then elected a
committeeto ?remote the election of Mr. Torrens,
with power to add to their number :—Messrs. J.
L. Hopwood, Dennis m.Donnell, Chas. D. Toime;
Hugh Owen, John Robert Hall, Richard Moore,
John Lloyd, R3wles Pattisen, William Birkbeck,
T. Bounce, James Scott, Samuel Smith, M. Samuel,
John Walker, William Walker, B,:c.
A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the
proceedings.

----
HAMPSTEAD-DEATH AND TEENEW SETTLED
ESTATES ACT.—Among
the last acts passed was one, which
has just been issued io amend the Settled Estates Act of
1556. As introduced, it was ex.pected that the act would
load to the inclosure of a part of Hampstead-heath. It was
amended in the Commons, and as it now btands, it is enacted
that the Court of Chancery, in determining what are settled
estates, is to be governed by the trusts and limitations whoa
that settlement was math:, Other alterations were made to
pteseryo the law on Oa Subject,