The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-31 00:00:00

ELECTII

CITY OF LONDON.
An influential meeting of electors of the city of Lon-
don was held yeSterday at the London Tavern, It was
convened by a circular signed by Messrs. J. I. Travers,
R. W. Crawford, and W. J. Hall, for the purpose of
hearing an important communication from those gentle-
men on the subject of the approaching election. Amongst
those present were :—Messrs. J. -A. Smith; M.P., R.
Currie, M.P., John Williams, M.P., G. Moffat, M.P.,
C. P. Grenfell, J. I. Travers, R. W. Crawford, S. Mor-
ley, J. Pontifex, W. Hawes, M. Prendergast, Q.C., T.
Dakin, W. F. A. Delane, A. Hastie, M.P., Alderman
Wire, W. Pritchard, H. J. Prescott, T. Hankey,
Wm. Cumming, James Hutchinson, Thos. Barkley,
R. L. Morgan, Deputy Peacock, Wm. John Hall, Thos.
Spencer Hall, Edward Sharwood, John Lu pton, Ed-
ward Hooton, Alderman Humphery, William Williams,
S. Read, J. P. Gassiott, Joseph Surr, Benjamin Wilson,
J. G. Rhoads, Percy Proctor, F. Pattison, W. Kirk,
H. Bateman, J. Anderton, W. Hackblock, D. Dewar, S.
Whitbread, R. Martineau, John Todd, J. R. Carr, J.
Waterlow, M. Saward, W. Rock, H. Rock, J. Powell, T.
Webber, Deputy Stevens, William Nicholson, George
Moore, John Forester, J. P. Buckler, Edward Mar-
riott, Henry Marriott, F. Bennoch, A. De Symons,
Donald Nicoll, W. Leaf, J. T. Norris, Sergeant Wilkins,
B. Cohen, W. White, jun., J. Wylde, W. M. Hind-
march, W. M. Christey, T. M. Weguelin, W. Wilson,
D. Laurie, Jas. Harmer, J. T. Atkinson, Gregory
Foster (Temple), John Dillon, R. Salomons, J. D.
Saull, and J. Parker.
Mr. William Hawes was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said they would all recollect that at
the last election he and a few others felt it their duty to
express dissatisfaction at the course which the Govern-
ment of Lord John Russell had taken with regard to
administrative reforms, and particularly with regard to
a reform in the Customs. They were, however, not able
to join in giving cordial support to Lord John Russell,
because not only had he himself satisfied them that he
was anxious to support those reforms which they thought
were not sufficiently attended to before, but they had a
positive assurance that it was the intention of her Ma-
jesty's Government to introduce such administrative re-
forms into the different departments of the State, and
particularly into that of the Customs, as would not only'
remove impediments to trade, but would fit the depart-
ment to meet the wants of the increasing commerce of
this great country. They had, besides, the further reason
for supporting Lord Sohn Russell at the present election
that they found him supported by gentlemen who had at
other times advocated different opinions, but who were
now united in advancing those great reforms in the law,
in our commercial policy, and in the representation,
which were absolutely necessary in order to perfect the
institutions of the country. The Chairman concluded
by calling upon Mr. Travers to make a statement to the
meeting.
Mr. TRAVERS said : Mr. Crawford and myself have
been for some time chairman and deputy-chairman of a
committee for promoting a reform of the Customs. At
a late meeting of that committee, and before this Ad-
ministration was finally determined, it was agreed that
we should, on the part of that committee, ascertain the
views of the new Administration upon that important
question of Customs reform. But whilst we were pre-
paring a letter that we intended to send to Lord John
Russell for this purpose, a communication was volun-
teered to us on the part of his lordship and his colleagues,
having for its object to ascertain the wants and wishes
of the mercantile community. That communication was
of necessity confidential. An offer was also made to us,
by the gentleman who made this communication, to see
one or more members of the proposed Administration ;
this offer was accepted, on condition that as soon
as that Administration was formed we should be at
liberty to make that communication public to our friends.
That is the reason why Mr. Crawford and myself and
Mr. Hall have upon this occasion presumed to invite
your attendance here. A statement was made to us
that there were three leading principles adopted by the
Administration—that the Government pledged itself to a
measure of electoral reform, and that they would cor-
dially and zealously undertake the conduct of the Jew
Bill—that they wished entirely to alter the oaths as they
at present stand in the House of Commons, but that the
members of the present Administration were so convinced
of the necessity of doing something to put the represen-
tation of the city of London on a proper basis at the pre-
sent moment, that they would not even delay that mea-
sure for the time that a bill would take in passing both
houses of Parliament, .and that it had, therefore, been
agreed that Lord John Russell should bring forward a
resolution in the House of Commons at once to admit
the Jews, and that that resolution should be sent up to
the House of Lords, where we were told that there was
at the present moment no reasonable doubt of its
success ; but that, if such a measure should not be
successful, we should have the cordial support of the
Government in any other course we chose to adopt.
It was, thirdly, stated that the Government would take
in hand the question of Custom-house reform, not only
as regards the administration, but as regards the sys..
tem. These statements were made in the most full and
satisfactory manner. It was now for us to seek to
pledge the new Administration to details ; we merely asked
that the bill to embody these reforms should be sub-
mitted to the mercantile classes before it was finally
submitted to the House of Commons. This was cor-
dially agreed to. Under these circumstances, Mr. Craw-
ford and myself—speaking, as we believed, the senti-
ments of the commercial body of the city of London—
assured the nobleman whom we met that we had no
doubt these declaratians would be satisfactory to the
citizens of London, and would produce harmony in the
party. lam prepared to give Lord John Russell my
warm and cordial support, because I believe that the
new Government will really bend themselves to the
grant task of administrative reforms.
Mr. CRAWFORD—I really have nothing to add to Mr.
Travers's statement, except to bear testimony to the
accuracy of his account of what passed between us and
the nobleman whom we met at the other end of the town.
I may make allusion, perhaps, in a few words, to what
occurred in July last, and to the circumstances under
which I very unwillingly assumed a rather prominent part
before the citizens of London. As soon as there was a
probability of a vacancy occurring in the representa-
tion of the City, I took an opportunity of conferring
with those friends who had been kind enough to
wish me well on a former occasion, and to state, in
answer to propositions made to me, that, as far as I was
concerned, everything would depend on the nature of
the communications that we might receive from the new
Government, of which Lord John Russell was to form a
part. In fact, it would entirely depend upon the bill
of fare that he produced before us what reception Lord
John Russell met with, as far as those with whom I was
in the habit of thinking and acting were concerned. I
received with the greatest satisfaction the statement
made to us. I have the most implicit confidence in the
truthfulness of the intentions which have been expressed,
and there is no person in the city of London who will
more cordially support Lord John Russell than I shall.
do. (Cheers.)
Mr. R. CURRIE said that when they met in June last
he ventured to characterise the Government of Lord
Derby as an unprincipled Administration. Some gentle-
men then thought that rather a strong expression, but
they had lived to test its truth. He wished the Parlia-
mentary history of the last six months could be blotted
from the page of history. They had heard of Sir Per-
tinax Mac Sycophant, who could not stand upright in
the presence of a great man, but was always bowing ;
Lord Derby, in like manner, could not stand up in the
presence of amajority ; he bowed and bowed, and deserted
the principles on which he entered office, and at last he
had made his bow to office, a result in which he (Mr.
Currie) heartily rejoiced. The Administration which
had just been formed united more of ability, high charac-
ter, and official experience than any which had existed in
this country since the Revolution, and he should cer-
tainly give it his cordial support. It was one of the
greatest of the public services which Lord John Russell
had rendered to the country that, with an entire abnega-
tion of personal ambition and feeling, he had taken any
post in which his Sovereign thought he could render the
greatest service to the country. He moved the follow-
ing resolution :—" That this meeting having considered
the address of Lord John Russell to the electors of the
city of London, and having been assured that it is the
intention of the Government to make such reforms in
the administration of the Customs as to place that de-
partment in unison with the general feeling of the coun-
try, and also to carry out other important measures of
practical reform, it is resolved that this meeting will give
its earnest and unanimous support to Lord John Russell
as a candidate for the representation of the city of
London."
Mr. W. J. HALL, in seconding the resolution, dwelt
upon the necessity of extensive reforms in the adminis-
tration of the lights and pilotage, and also expressed his
opinion that the ballot was necessary for the protection
of voters • and he called upon the citizens to make its
adoption 'by Lord John Russell the condition of their
supporting him at the present election. (Loud cries of
"No, no.' )
Mr. KIRK said that the only question they had to con-
sider was, whom they would choose for their member.
Now, he attended a meeting of his ward the previous
evening, and they would have no other man than Lord
John Russell. He was noble, not only by birth and
education, but by principles and practice, and they
ought to be proud to rally round him, and not seek to
clog and tie him. Thera could be no doubt that the

Government of which he was a member \ vould do great
things for the country.
Mr. Alderman, NV= expressed himself 'pe rfectly, satis-
fied with the statement that had been mode with re-
spect to the intentions of the present Go\ yen invent. He
and his friends, in supporting Lord Jo ha Russell on' Shr
this occasion, ,did not at all sink the Iciples they
had advocated on former occasions, bi it they took st,
him because they thought he was pledged to '2O
carry out many of the objects which the .. city of Lon-
don had in view. Even if he did not sq u are with all
their opinions it was desirable they shout kl try an Ad-
ministration formed of such materials as . the country
had never seen before. He concluded by s v ggesting the
following amendment, which he said he - thought em-
bodied the feelings of the meeting better the n the motion
before them :—"That no Government can b e ac•eptable
to the constituency of this City unless it iis pledged to
promote a large and • efficient measure of ele. A ,oral reform,
the abolition of the present Board of Cus t oms, an ad-
ministrative reform in all branches of the E 'tate with, a
view to a more efficient and economical a, i ministration
of our affairs, and, lastly, the passing of a I oill to admit
our fellow-subjects, the Jews, into Parliam. n ; and un-
derstanding from the statement now re a de by Mr.
Travers and Mr. Crawford, that Lord John. I Russell will
give a hearty support to these measures, t his meeting
hereby pledges itself' to give to him its un: t 1 dmous sup-

50
50
50
25

port."
Mr. CURRIE said that they were met there
simply to consider whether they wo u .ld re-elect
Lord John Russell, and he did so , think it
was either logical or in accordance w i th common
sense to take that opportunity either o I making a
declaration of their individual opinions or of ! calling upon
the Government of which his lordship ham y ;lied to be a
member to do such and suoh things.
Mr. BATEMAN expressed his wish for nue pledges s,
from Lord John Russell himself on the que Bt ;ions of Par- S
liamentary reform, the removal of Jewish... disabilities, 5(
and the reform of the administration of the • Customs.
Mr. WILLIAMS, M.P., remarked that the % character of St
•
Lord John Russell had now been before Ih e public 30 M
years, and he was sorry that, on an occas'ie n like that, 161
topics wholly unconnected with the object of: the meeting St:
should have been introduced. His lordship, had treated 20
in his address upon the topics adverted to, by the last 14
speaker, and he (Mr. Williams) knew no om e more en- 50
titled to their support at this juncture than Le rd J. Rus- 20
sell. 'He would not impose any pledges upoa t a Cabinet 11
Minister, because he must necessarily consul t the other 10
members of the Cabinet with reference to any , course that St.
he might adopt. St.
Mr. ROBERTS said that his support of Lord John Rus- St
sell was founded on the principles which IL ia 1 for thirty St.
years guided his lordship's political life, and • more parti- 50
cularly upon the declarations he had made, v Thich ought 40
to satisfy every friend of liberty that, sup a %rted as he 25
was by Sir W. Molesworth and Mr. Villie rt ;, he would 25
not belie the great character he had atts d ned in this St.
country. 81
St.
Mr. S. MORLEY wished to ask whether :he was cor-
rect in understanding Mr. Travers to have I said that at St
the interview which took place between him elf and Mr. „
Crawford, and one or two influential gentle: a ien—he be- I'o'o'
lieved, of the Peelite party—there was ad is 'position on St.
the part of that section of the Government ta be parties 25
to a large measure of electoral reform ? 50
Mr. TRAVERS said that his statement re si 'erred more 20
particularly to the questions of Customs r 'orm and of
the Jew Bill. The statement which was a a ade to them St.
with respect to electoral reform came, he baid no objet- 15
tion to state, through Mr. J. A. Smith, M. P . 50
St.
Mr. J. A. SMITH, M.P., said that he coy 1 d not allow 16
that meeting to separate without expressi n g the satis- 16
faction which he felt on seeing the Liberal party in the 8
city of London united in supp@rting the ele c tion of Lord 8
John Russell. He had not the smallest mi E giving as to 20
the hearty, unanimous, and cordial suppoi i, of the pre- 20
sent Government being given to the generr d reformation 10
of all practical and proved abuses. As far a s Lord John St.
Russell himself was concerned, he thought. it but due to
his lordship, and but honest in reference to t hat meeting, St
to declare, in language as plain and as e: :plicit as he St.
could use, that as far as his knowledge of th, e facts went, St.
Lord John Russell was free from either exi:v essed or im-
plied pledges upon all details with repo dto his dis- 10
position to reform ; and if he could not obta in their con- 26;
fidence by an appeal to the whole of his past life, he
ventured to believe that all professions wo.ci Id now ein 13
vain. With regard to the particular men ,surer of the 20
emancipation of the Jews and the refs )rm of the 20
Customs, his lordship's assurances had gone' further than
mere general expressions of opinion, and ;there was no 50
question whatever that he would view NEr ith pleasure St.
an examination into the Custom-horis e, with a 50
view to a complete and thorough rerno,ra lof all the 20
abuses and evils which at present press upo n the. com- 20
merce of the country. And with respect, to the Jew
question, his lordship had now for the firot time ex- 25
pressed, not only his willingness to support it, but his
anticipation of early and triumphant success s. With re- V)
Bard to the general question of Parliamerrtary reform, 50
his past conduct must be the only guar taitee of his 20
future conduct which his lordship would I himself offer, 20
or which he (Mr. Smith) would presume t > offer on his 10
behalf. He disavowed altogether any int coition of at- St.
tempting to ask from Lord John Russell any pledges 25
as to his future conduct. The sterling value of the 25
present Administration was, that it cont reined a great S—
t.
number of persons of various shades of ,'liberal opin-
ions, who were, he believed, united in thaa intention to
give the country all the reform which the ci re umstances of ' St.
the times called for and admitted of. He beide ved that such 5
was the only mode in which to secure a ste: Ldy progress St.
in reform, and also the stability and value o: f the changes
which were made. He had not been, nor • Was he then, 20
a party or privy to any precise pledges in detail as to 15
!*
anything, but he believed that Lord John Russell, and
the Government of which he wag a membe,r, had given 6,
them reason to believe that in supporting his lordship as 6
member for the city of London, they would adopt a
course alike consistent with their, past opinions and past 3
conduct, and best calculated in times to come to pro-
mote those great principles for which they had hitherto 5
struggled. (Cheers.) 7
Mr. Currie's resolution was then amended by the in- 6
troduction, after the words "practical reform, of the
words, "calculated to complete and secure the enjoy to
-
ment of civil liberty and religions equality.," and this 20
being satisfactory to Alderman Wire, he withdrew his
amendment, and the original motion pat ised unani-

mously.
Mr. CRAWFORD then moved the following n resolution:—
"That the acceptance of the office of Foreign Secretary
by Lord John Russell, after his having far more than
five years filled the distinguished office of Prime Minister,
thereby showing his abnegation of all personal and selfish
feelings, and his having by his address to tb e electors of
the city of London declared his intention to devote his
distinguished talents and the influence which his long
and consistent career necessarily attaches to him to the
best interests of the country, entitle him to the sincere
thanks of the electors of this great constituency, and of
the country at large."
Mr. GRENFELL seconded the resolution, which passed
unanimously.
After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the proceed.
ings terminated.

MORPETH.
Sir George Grey arrived in this town on Wednesday
morning from his seat at Falloden, for the purpose of
canvassing the constituency for the seat vacated by Capt.
Howard. The right hon. baronet proceeded to his com-
mittee-room at the Black Bull, where a number o f the
electors who identified themselves with his cause during
the late contest for the northern division of the county,
with Mr. Robertp and others had assembled to meet him.
On his arrival the company gave the right hon. baronet
a most cordial welcome. He addressed the meeting at
some length, intimating that it was his intention to give
the Governmelt his support. The nomination takes
place to-morrow (Saturday).

HALIFAX.
the defeated Tory candi- it,
formerly. representative for a
Sir Charles'Wood, Bart., is to be opposed by Mr. 25
Hall,dtse,loeeftiHeno,p.eand.
this borough. The nomination is on Monday.
Hdaetneryat Ethdewros
12
10

OXFORD CITY.
Mr. Cardwell is engaged canvassing the electors, but
an opposiVon is threatened, and active steps are being
taken to )ring forward another candidate. The nomi•
nation is ;ixed for Tuesday.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
At prSsent there is nothing certain about an opposi-
tion to Mr. Gladstone, but it would seem that one is St.
contemplated. 20
A Convocation will be held on Tuesday for the pur- St,
pose of electing a representative.
15

BRIGHTON.
Lcrd Alfred Hervey has issued hia address, and the 10
nomination is fixed for Tuesday next. Mr. Trelawney,
fornerly M.P. for Tavistock has been invited to oppose 10
the noble lord. 25
10
1.0.1

HERTFORD.
Mr. Cowper has issued his address, mid is likely to be St.
returned to-morrow without opposition. 20

SCARBORO'.
The Earl cf Mulgrave is canvassing the electors, in 5
anticipation an opposition, but as yet there is no other St.
candidate in the field. Nomination to-morrow.
17

TIVERTON.
Lord Palmerston, in his address to the electors, simply
states In the present posture of affairs it is mani-
festly desirable that an Administration should be formed
combining within itself as many elements as possible of
strength, and I trust that the new Government will
answer the just expectations of the country." The -I(
nomination will take place on Monday, when he will be
11
returned without opposition.

GLOUCESTER.
The nomination is fixed for Tuesday. A strong oppo-
sition has been got up against Admiral Berkeley, and
Mr, H. T. Hope is to be put in nomination on the other
side. He sat for the city for several years, and was
rejected at the last election. 1

SOUTHAMPTON.
Sir A. G. Cockburn will be opposed by Mr. A. B
Cochrane, who formerly sat for Bridport.

CAVAN.

Sir John Young is to be treated to a contest in Cavan,
and, what is most probable, he will be signally defeated.
The good men and true of that county are determined
to punish the " combinator" against the late Govern-
ment, which possessed their confidence. The Hon.
Cavendish Butler, and Mr. Humphreys, of Ballyhaise,
are spoken of on the part of the Conservatives, who are
about to meet to select a candidate.