The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-07 00:00:00

EVENING EDITION.

NATIONAL CONVENTION.

The Convention sat yesterdai at Eleven o'clock. Mr.
FROST in the Chair.
DISSOLUTION Or THE CONVENTION.

The motion of Dr. TAYLOR for the dissolution of the
Convention, which he had moved on Wednesday, having
ken
_mid, together with the amendment, proposed by
4111fr•f-

- •
.i, Mr.. '011313:1 said be believed the rule laid down
far tar discussion was that a second amendment
amid sot be proposed until the first was disposed of.
lb the melhwbile, however, the Convention would
perhaps allow him to state the course he wished to
his pursued. He was decidedly in favour of half Dr. Tay-
bilk Incttion; he was 'decidedly in favour of an immediate
liisolution of the Convention ; but he could not agree to
the latter part of the Doctor's motion, because it would
ism the effect of excluding the members of the present
Convention from being elected a member of any subsequent
Cenvagnion that might be formed. He had stated thus
kWh, in order to set himself right with the public and his
constituents, becatise, from the statements that appeared in
The Suit Newspaper, it appeared as if he had taken a
directly opposite course. -Mr. O'Brien then proceeded
to read an address, in which he had embodied the opinions
that he thought existed among the members of the Con-
vention tit the last discussion on Wednesday, andwhich he
should propose that a Committee should be appointed to
correct and draw up. If they agreed upon dissolving, it
was absolutely necessary to tell the country why they dis-
solved; and it was also necessary that they should point
out to the country some means of carrying on the agita-
tion, so that it would not spread apathy among them.
The following are some of the leading points of the ad-
dress 1-.. The reason for dissolving the Convention was that
they were of opinion that in ordinary times the Convention
Icould not with safety to itaelf, or with advantage to the
cause, mistime a bolder position, or recommend more de-
' cisive measures than it had already done, but in the present
extraordinary times, to recommend stronger measures
would bring the people into peril, and to advise
) weaker ones would insure defeat, becaush at the
present moment there was a semblance of law
or justice shown to the working classes. The people
must remember that in . abandoning the Convention,
they were not abandoning the cause, but the step had been
taken to place it on a more secure foundation.
I As Radical Associations the people could do no more
good, its their association was suppressed by ;the
violence of the rulers of the land. The only course,
therefore, left to the people to pursue was, to
convert their taartist Associations into Election Clubs,
and DO make themselves candidates for Parliamentary ho-
-1 nours.—( Hear, hear.) He (Mr. O'Brien) had been in
several parts of the country, and he was convinced that the
eaeral feeling was that the Convention could not do
much good, more especially since the new system of pre-
, scriptiosa had prevailed.—( Hear, hear.) He was, there-
fore of Opinion that it was absolutely necessary that they
(
should *solve, whether they liked it or not.
—( Hear.) With respect to leaving a Council there, he
I thought bet ought to be made the subject of separate consi-
.l deratont, dad as soon as Mr. Hartwell's amendment was dis-
paved of he should bring the subject before the Convention.
Mr. F. O'CONNOR—What do you intend to do with that
dpliment..-which you have just read.
s.. 3.1 Y. O'BRIEN—That is part of my speech, and I have read
it tor the purpose of showing the course we should be jut-
• tified in adbpting. It will be for the Convention to say
i, whether they will agree to it or not.
Mr. PITKEITHLEY supported that part of the motion of
1 Dr. Taylor which recommended the dissolution of the
Convention. He had opposed the calling of the Conven-
tion together at the present time, as he was convinced that
else grnater number of its members would cot come, and
that even if they did they could not do any good. He was
convinced the people were sick and tired of the sittings
of the Convention, and he believed the general opinion
was,
.when the advertisement was issued, calling the
Oonvention together, that it was only to meet to dissolve
or adjourn.—( Heir, hear.) He considered they could
have adjourned the Convention as well with the few mem-
hers that were in town as calling the members together
by the advertisement tbat bad been published. The ge-
neral opinion was, that the Delegates did more good in
their own neighbourhood than they did sittingr, in London
-wasting the time of their constituents. Unless they.
dissolved themselves now, be believed the people
would send another Cromwell among them to to-n
them out.--( Hear, hear.) It was clear to him that
the Government was becoming weaker and Wezker every
day, but the Convention sitting there did not increase
their woakness but strengthen it.--( Hear, hear.)
Mr. CARDO W:l3 surprised that there should be two opi-
nions with respect to the question of dissolving the Con-
vantion. He had been asked by many persons what the
people were to do if the Convention was dissolved, but
they were equally anxious to know what they were to do
if they sat. It the Convention was disf,olved, the delegates
might still be candidates to sit in another Convention. He
should, therefore, vote with Mr. O'Brien for the first half
or Doelioe Taylor's motion, for the dissolution of the
Convention.
.dr. PITKEITHLEY hoped Doctor Taylor would withdraw
the latter part of his motion.
Doctor TAYLOR—lndeed I shall do no such thing.—
(Laughter.)
Mr. BEANS was in favour of a dissolution of the Conve -

tion. leaving the constituencies free to elect whom they
chose.
Mr. BARRINGTON sAid that his constituents at Notting-
ham 4inderstood there would either be an adjournment or a
dissolution of the Convention.
Mr.' JAMIDA TAYLOR couttnded that as the Convention
Was not seit-elected, it had no power to dissolve itself—
( Hear)—rtherefcre he should oppose a dissolution. He
was, however, in favour of an adjournment, but was against
the appanment of a Committee to act in the interim, for
be would not delegate the powers of the Convention to

any man.
Mr. HARTWELL was opposed to the dissolution of the
1 Convention, because no one could tell what events might
turn pp in the meantime. He also proposed, as an addi.
non fo the amendment he moved yesterday, " That the
ConrenAon, on receiving and adopting the above Report,
',adjourn its sittings."
Mr. aTEISgit concurred in the views expressed by Mr.
JanieLfri.r.
Mr. LOWREY thought it was absolutely necessary that a
Committee should remain in London.
Mr. O'coaireoe was in favour of an adjournment. Since
yesterday he had read a speech of Dr. Taylor's in Carlisle,
in which the Doctor denounced the minority of the Con-
vention as being traitors, spies, and cowards. That cer-
tainly was a most insolent way of treating the Convention,
and he did not wonder, therefore, at the Doctor's moving
aille resolution he had. If anything could tend to destroy
t) fie Convention it was making such charges, without
bringing forward any facts to substantiate them.--
(Hear, hear.) He thought it was most ungenerous,
most unfair; and most cowardly, for any member
of the Convention behind the backs of other Members, to
take advantage Of their absence, and endeavour to bring the
whole body into disrepute. He thought the better way
would be to adjourn the Convention, but, certainly, not to
dissolve it, because if they established electioneering clubs,
a body with administrative powers would be required to sit
in Louden. He, therefore, entirely approved of Mr.
Hartvell's amendment. If that was carried, he should
then support the proposition for leaving a small Council
in London, composed of such Delegates as those from
Hall, Nottingham, and other places, who had just been
sent up, because their constituents would think it an insult
to haoothem sent back the moment they arrived in London
to join the Convention.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HIARNEY mid he had for some time considered
himself as veritably being no longer a member of the Con-
vention, but as the trust reposed in him by his constituents
had never yet been withdrawn, although be had not at-
tended the Convention for some time, he would take leave
to make a few observations. He knew nothing of the
conduct of his colleague, Doctor Taylor, at Carlisle, or
elsewhere. What had been refuted might be true or not ;
but in his short time he bad had such experience of the
calumnies of newspaper mongers that he was very seldom
believed anything he saw in the' newspapers. But, re-
viewing all that hadVassed, and seeing the circumstances
in which the Convention were now placed, he was com-
pelled to come to the conclusion that he was only doing
an act of justice to himself and to those whom he repre-
sented in supporting the motion of Dr. Taylor. When
the men whom he represeated had withdrawn their confi-
dence from the Convention, it was but right that he should
withdraw himself too. He had received a letter from the
Northern Political Union of Northumberland and Durham,
stating That his (Mr. Harney's) constituents in the north
no longer required him to attend the Convention, and in-
forming him that the Union had come to a resolution to
send no more Delegates to the Convention for the present,
as it was attended with great expense, and had done
little or no service for securing the people their
liberty; but that they would be doing more good with
their moue' by supporting the wives and families of
thirty of their fellow-countrymen, who were suffering
imprisonment and punishment through the imfvecile con-
duct of the Convention. That being the opinion of his
constituents, and they having agreed to such a resclution,
he felt bound to support the motion of his colleague, Dr.
Taylor. The conduct of the Convention on the ts,reat
treastilioia of the National Holiday fully justified the court try
ne foes dissolution. At a very early period of its
sittings ae had called on the Convention to cease fron.'
what he conceived to be a temporising policy, and to adopt
a more energetic course of policy. received was that he asa traitor andTahsepyo.ll,
' he been.sn calumniated,w lyFaanbsewlyerhande
calansies knew they were false.
men who uttered the base
had stated that sixty The Northern Liberator
tlai4,:uens.aend colliers were ready
to turn out on the
had the Convention abided and the Weir, and
a much better spirit would have bybe ditissplaoyreidgiinnalLanveoate-
shire and **shire ; and even ineil* gham, had the
Cenventioardered a strike, that striklerrflwinould have taken
place to a very great extent.
Mr. CARPS:Y:I'22I—We had a letter from
HBeiarmr ibnegham,
treating they would not keep the holiday._
Mr. HARNEY said that several members of differen't Tarar. d)
• Unions had assured him quite the opposite would have beeens
the ease. But even supposing the worst, he would assert
that /cad the strike been ordered, and had the Convention
stook to the 12th of August, the strike would have been
universal in the three no/them counties—Northumberland,
Durham, and Cumberlaitd ; but, to use the language of
his constituents, " the organisation of two years the im-
becility of the Convention had broken down in two weeks."
It was immaterial to him whether the Convention

dissolved or adjourned, but for the Fake of his own character
as well as for that of the cause, he would never think of
tAking his seat there again. The Convention would
find that no support would be rendered to it by the
country. It WdB said the Convention had no power
to dissolve itself. That was a mere quibble—if they
burned the majority of them might go to sleep
without any fear of beiag disturbed or called upon
to resume their functions in the Convention.—( Hear. )
Ile hoped he had not given once to any one individual.—
( Hear.) If he had advanced any erroneous opinions, or saki
.%anytbing that was false, the members present could con-
viet him of his error.
CAnrawrita would not have troubled the Con-

vention, bad it not been for the serious charges
which their friend and brother Delegate (Mr. Harney) had
brought against the Convention. For his own part he had
nothing to find fault with, either as to the tone or the
matter of the accusations.—(Hear, hear.) If they were
true the Convention had covered itself with utter disgrace,
and the sooner it annihilated itself the better. But that
was a matter of opinion.—( Hear, bear- ) His
(Mr. Carpenter's) constituents had no -desire that
the Convention should be dissolved, and be believed
many gentlemen could state the same with respect
to their constituents. —( Hear, hear.) Then, as to
the conduct of the Convention in regard to the National
Holiday, he would venture to think and hope—nay, he
would venture to say, it was not true that the conduct of
the Convention in reference to the holiday, had destroyed
the organization that had been going on for two years.
Mr. HARNEY—I said a particular portion of the country.
Mr. CARPENTER would make some observations with
reference to that portion, but what was the worth of the
facts on which Mr. Harney grounded that serious accusation ?
He denied that the Convention had ever prohibited the
national holiday. All they said was that from information
which had reached them they were of opinion that the
people generally were not prepared for carrying out the
holiday, but they did not by any means prohibit it ; they
only did not recommend it. The Council of the Northern
Political Union went further—they determined that the
national holiday should be held, and gave orders ac-
cordingly. The people of those three best counties,
however, thought proper to obey the order, as it was
called, of the Convention rather than that of the Political
Council of the North.
Mr. O'BRIEN—The fact was they obeyed neither. They
neither carried out the Sacred Month nor the three days.
Mr. CARPENTER—They at all events disobeyed the
orders of the Council if they did not accept the recom-
mendation of the Convention. Mr. Harney said the
Council had come to a resolution denouncing the Con-
vention as a useless body—in that opinion he (Mr. C.)
would probably join under the present circumstances.—
(Hear.) There was one circumstance, however, connected
with the resolution, which, if true, would give him pain.
There was a remarkable coincidence between the language
of the resolution and that reported to have been used
by Dr. Taylor, while addressing meetings at Carlisle and
other places in the North. Now he would ask Dr. Taylor
whether he had denounced the majority of the Convention
as spies and traitors, for he would never believe that be bad
used such language until he heard its from his own mouth.
Dr. TAYLOR—I said a large minority.
Mr. CARPRNTER—Very well. Now allow- him to ask
whether before that resolution was come to he had any
intercourse with the Council ?
Dr. TAYLOR—NO.
Mr. CARPENTER—Or any correspondence with them ?
Dr. TAYLOR—Every day while I was in the North.
Mr. CARPENTER—It was altogether singular, the simi-
larity of the language ; and it was a fact that Dr. Tajlor
actually brought up the letter dismissing him as delegate
from Durham in his pocket ; but it was certain that his in-
fluence there was so small that anything from him against
the Convention would have little weight. Mr. Harney, as
Member for Durham, denounced the Convention for incon-
sistency and vacillation upon the question of the sacred
month, and said the people of Durham had been all
prepared for it and determined to carry it out, but that
in consequence of that vacillation they had lost all
confidence in the Convention. There was another re-
presentative from Durham—be was present when the
consideration of the holiday was most improperly forced
upon the Convention, at a time when the majority of the
members were out of town. He determinedly opposed the
fixing of the 12th August ; and said if the Convention
determined upon that day, the men of Durham were not
prepared, and would not carry it out. He not only gave
these as his sentiments, but be produced a letter from the
Council, and one from the Chairman of a public meeting
of his constituents, approving of his conduct, and directing
him to oppose the motion.
Mr. HUSSEY said Mr. Knox distinctly said the people of
Durham were prepared to keep the holiday, but that he
could not support them as he did not think they were pre-
pared.
Mr. CARPENTER said Mr. Knox powerfully opposed the
proposition, and produced and read letters both from the
Council, and his constituents approving of his conduct.
The whole fact was, that gentlemen who had been de-
ceived as to the preparedness of the country now came
forw,,rd and denounced the Convention, because, as a body,
they nad not been deceived. He could assure Mr. Harney
that he was fully borne out in saying, that from no one
place in the kingdom had the Convention received notice
that they were prepared to carry out the holiday by them-
selves ; all said they were prepared to join with the rest of
the country in doing so. He felt perfectly certain that
oven the constituents of Mr. Harney would not hold
their dissatisfaction with the Convention long after
they were made acquainted with the facts which were laid
b,2fore the Convention. He had said at first that they
would soon get rid of the exkenaes of both kinds—the
timids had left them long ago, and the present was an
attempt upon the putt of the enthusiastic, to push the Con-
vention further than the majority thought it prudent to go.
All were agreed in the necessity of suspending their
sittings for a time, but as a body—not self-elected—as a
body not elected or nominated by Councils of Unions, it
was their duty to remain in their present character, ready
to be called together when any sudden emergency arose

which called for their interference. With these feelings,
if the amendment before the Chair should be negatived,
he would propose another in accordance with these views.
Dr. TAYLOR then rose to reply. He begged to tell
Mr. Carpenter that the resolution condemnatory of the
Convention, and withdrawing him from the Convention
was passed a fortnight before he went to the north, and
vrai not sent up to him because his constituents expected
to see him daily. He was perfectly convinced the people
of Durham were quite prepared for the sacred month, and
would have carried it out had not the Convention stultified
itself by interfering and altering the resolution appointing
it for the 12th Aug. The Convention in his opinion had no

power to do so ; they ought to have used the power given
them by their constituencies at the simultaneous meetings,
and not have asked for advice, but have ordered the holiday
to commence. The men of Durham were all prepared to
carry it out on a scale that would have settled the whole
questioc, bad it not been for the chopping and changing
of the Convention, which interfered with them at the
eleventh hour, and so sacrificed a few men who were
not to be so fooled. Mr. O'Connor said, though
be cared not for the Convention, or for the consti-

tucncies of those against him, would he not care
for the resolutions of the Scotch Delegates? Now he
would say this, that neither English obstinacy, Irish blarney,
nor Scotch caution—( Laughter)—would prevent him from
pressing a resolution which he conscientiously thought was
' necessary. Mr. O'Connor had also taunted him with
cowardice, and with wishing to get to a place of safety.
They were all very brave until they were tried ; but per.
haps before they met again events might have proved it for
them, who deserved the name and who not. For his part
' he considered the place of safety to be at the head of a
body of well organized armed men, who were determined to
work out their freedom, and he would do all in his power
to place himself in such a position a 3 soon as possible.
He cared neither for the Whig nor the Tory press, nor
did he believe Mr. O'Connor himself regarded what they
said very much, and therefore he should never be induced
to withdraw his motion on such a ground as that. It was
also said that he had kept the Convention on a sick bed,
but if such was the ease, he would give them a healing
salve, such as was recommended to the Swiss when they
were a long time absent from their country. He would say
to them, " go home—your !services are no longer required
here." Mr. O'Connor bad read an extract from the Car-

lisle paper, in which it was reported that be (Dr. Taylor)
had denounced the Convention as traitors, spies, and
cowards, and he might have added murderers. What be
had really said was that there were spies, and traitors, and
cowards, among them, and be did not hesitate to repeat it,
because no one would deny that there were among them,
from the Birmingham blackguards down to Baillie Craig,
men who did not possess their confidence, or that of the
people of the country. He asked them what they were now
doing—what business had they there ? Nothing, but merely
to spend the bard earnings of the people without doing
anything in return.—( Hear, hear.) It was their duty to
return home, and see the document which be held in his
baud carried out to its fullest extent. Mr. Jackson
had asked, were the people anxious for a dis-
solution of the Convention ? What he suggested
was let them dissolve, and if the people disapproved of it,
they could return 60 new delegates in their stead.—( A
laugh.) He for one would most decidedly object to a
Committee or Council of seven being appointed. He
would not depute his power to any seven men, nor would
he give them authority even to write even a single line.
It was said that the Convention had no power to dissolve,
but the members had seldom questioned their powers on
other occasions, and he did not see why they should new
stick upon a mere technicality—if their constituents did
not approve of their dissolving the matter could be easily
rectified. Mr. O'Brien had complained of tke reports in
The Sun Newspaper, but he (Dr. Taylor) felt himself
bound to state that the words were correctly reported.
It was not the fault of The Sun newspaper, but of Mr
O'Brien himself, who should have corrected him (Dr. Tay-
lor.) He would conclude his observations by pressing his
motion for the dissolution of the Convention, substituting
Saturday the 14th, in order to afford the Convention time
to wind up its affairs.
Mr. O'BRIEN intimated that whether the motion or
amendment was successful, he should move an amend-
ment, the object of which would be to dissolve the Con-
vention, and put forth an address assigning their reasons
for such a step.
The amendment of Mr. Hartwell, for the adjournment of
the Convention and the appointment of a Committee of
seven was then put in the first instance, when there ap-

peared,
For the amendment
Against it
One member did not vote.
The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Frost) gave his casting vote in
favour of the amendment.
_

wTaylor h feor re tahpep
edilution of
5
the T Ch eo
nFo vroei
rgn itt nhi oaenl nwoaet sti
01 °tnhn e of
ppu tr.—.
Against it l6
Majority —l
The motion was consequently lost.
be had
had gO'B i
vesantaoN then
ti
e e, forprtooshpeed the a
dissolutionmnd eoftmbeen of which
t Conventioi
on the 14th inst., with the adoption of an address, setting
forth the reasons which had induced them to do so. Mr.
O'Brien proceeded at some length to urge the necessity
and advantages which would result from the dissolution
ogflotrii?oeups aresvert they bad
hody,anddownheicsc
which be
they said would be the most
h
motion for ulterior measure In the cad ourllsegreoed fhtios ob-
servations ho said that no person could have much confi-
dence in the judgment or discretion of Dr. Taylor, when
he had declared his intention of putting himself st the
Ihead of an armed body .of men as the place of grektest
saf,,ty.

Dr. TivLna denied that be had ever used such words.
Several Members said he had, and others said he
had not.

Mr, O'BRIEN concluded by moving his amendment to
the effect that the Convention should be dissolved on or

before Saturday, the 14th inst. As to the Address, it
was hii intention to bring it before the Convention to-
morrow.

Dr. TAYLOR, in seconding the amendment, deprecated
the expressions Mr. O'Brien had attributed to him.
Mr. O'CONNOR thought they ought to adjourn, and let
their constituencies dissolve them if they thought proper.
He should, therefore, oppose the amendment, and pro-
pose that the word " dissolve" should be struck out,
in order to insert the word " adjourn" with a recom-
mendation to their constituents to dissolve them. _

The question was then put, as to Whether the Conven-
tion should adjourn or dissolve, on or before the 14th inst.
And, upon a division, the numbers were—
For dissolving
For adjourning H
The CHAIRMAN then gave his casting vote, in favour of
the dissolution of the Convention on the 14th instant.

Mr. 0' CO NOR said, that the Convention having now come
to the determination to dissolve, he trusted that every mem-
ber would give his best attention to the proceedings
during the next week, in order that they might lay before
the people an account of what they had done, accompanied
with a recommendation of the course that would be proper
to be pursued in future. He trusted, also, that in the con-
sideration of this subject all angry feelings would be laid
aside.

TZB &DDILBSII.

Mr. PITIZITHLEY thought that a Committee ought to be
appointed to draw up an address to the people.
Mr. O'CoNNoa would move that a Committee of five
should be appointed for that purpose.
Mr. PITIEZITHLEY seconded the motion, which was car-
ried unanimously, and Messrs. O'Connor, O'Brien, Jones,
Frost, and Lowrey, were appointed to act as such Com-
mittee.

Mr. O'CoNNoe said, although he considered the Con-
vention as virtually dissolved, he should continue to sit as a
Convention, though alone, until his constituents required
him to give up the trust they bad placed in his hands.
Mr. CARPENTER would write to his constituents, com-
municating to them the vote that the Convention had come
to, stating at the same time that he was quite ready to act
upon it as they thought proper, and that if they desired him
to continue to do as he had hitherto done, and he found
other constituencies.doing the same, he should consider it
to be his duty to remain a Member of the Convention,
notwithstanding the vote for its dissolution.

The Convention then adjourned till this day, at eleven
o'clock.

MANCHESTER AND BIRMING-
HAM EXTENSION RAILWAY MEETING AT
TAMWORTH.

A meeting of the inhabitants of Tamworth was hold
on Saturday last, the 31st August, to consider the
steps advisable to be taken in regard to this measure.
The Mayor presided. The meeting was addressed by
the Right Hon. W. Yates Peel, Mr. Stokes, and other
influential parties, and resolutions were passed urging
the shareholders to a renewed application to Parlia-
ment. A vote of thanks to the Members for their
support of the Bill in the late Session was also adopted
and acknowledged by Sir Robert Peel and Captain
A'Court. The Right Hon. Baronet; in rising to ac-
knowledge the vote of thanks, was received with loud
and repeated cheers. He commenced by expressing
the pleasure which be experienced in coming amongst
them on an occasion like the present, when, with-
out the slightest reference to political questions,
they could meet together to discuss, he trusted
in perfect harmony, the common interests of the town
and neighbourhood.—( Cheers.) He assured the meet-
itg that the expression of their approbation, so kindly
and unanimously accorded, amply repaid him for any
labour and trouble which he might have had in promot-
ing the Bill which was the subject of consideration that
day. He trusted he might say with truth, that how-
ever active the part he had taken in political life, and
however various the occupations in which it had in-
volved him, he had never forgotten the duty which
he owed to his constituents, a duty which he consi-
dered paramount to every other. They were all aware,
in consequence of the great opposition which the Bill
bad met with in Committee, that they were unable to
carry into effect a measure which was of the utmost
importance to the town of Tamworth, namely, that
of being placed on the great line of communication
between London and Manchester. He hoped, how-
ever, they would not feel dispirited by what had passed,
or suppose for a moment that the failure of the measure
last Session was final and conclusive.—(Hear, hear.)
It was utterly impossible that any opposition which
could be brought to bear against the measure could
prove effectual ; and if its opponents did not feel that
that the Manchester and Birmingham Extension Rail-
way would prove a formidable competitor to the existing
railways ; that it would accommodate the inhabitants of
important districts, and command a vast amount of
traffic, they might depend upon it they would not have
been half so persevering or determined in their hostility
to the measure, which he bad not the slightest doubt
would be ultimately carried.—(Loud cheers.) He
would ask any man to look at the position of the metro-
polis on the one hand, and of Manchester on the other,
and then to look at the direction which the Stone and
Rugby line proposed to take, and say whether the
opposition of any rival line was likely to be success-
lul.—(licar, hear.) What, he asked, was the state
of the ease as regarded the Extension Railway ? Simply,
that it brought the great manufacturing district of Man-
chester nearer the metropolis by thirteen miles, one-
ninth of the entire distance. But in addition to this,
the line was so particularly favourable as gradients that
they might consider it further shortened by several
miles. Thus, therefore, by effecting the communication
between Stone and Rugby, an actual saving of at least
twenty miles was effected.—(Hear, hear.) Well, it
might be asked, were there any great engineering diffi-
culties on the line ? So far from this being the case, it
was one of the most favourable lines ever projected. It
passed up the valley of the Tame and Trent, and would
not require the formation of a single tunnel. Indeed,
there never was a more favourable line proposed than
that which was projected from Stone and Rugby.
Under these circumstances he could not but entertain a
confident expectation, that at the earliest possible period,
namely, the next Session of Parliament, the Bill would
be passed for enabling the Company to carry into execution
this project.—(Renewed cheers.) If they were teSing
to obtain from the legislature an advantage to which
they were not fairly entitled, he, for one, candidly ac-
knowledged, that he would not be an advocate for the
measure ; but he felt that Tamworth bad a just claim
to be placed on the high road of railroad-steam commu-
nication with the metropolis and other important dis-
tricts, and therefore he felt that they ought to be zea-
lous in insisting on this right.—(Cheers.) Let them
examine, for a moment, the nature of the opposition
arrayed against them. First of all, they had the oppo-
sition of the Canal Companies. Now, he thought, on
reflection, that the Canal Companies should feel that
they were not so deeply interested in opposing this line
as they imagined. He thought it had never been
shown that the carriage of heavy goods was not the
chief object of the line ; and that the Canal Companies
were interested in promoting the construction of railways
as a meansof encouraging the intercourse between distant
quarters of the kingdom, and calling into life new ener.
pies.—(Hear, hear.) Let them again consider the
nature of the opposition offered by the other great Com-
panies. The Railway Companies which appeared as op-
ponents in Committee against the Bill were chiefly the
London and Birmingham, the Midland Counties, and
the Liverpool and Birmingham. With respect to the
London and Birmingham, he could not help thinking
that they had seen ground for changing their opinion of
the measure. It was quite a distinct company from the
Grand Junction ; their interests were in no way identi-
fied ; and it appeared to him that the London and Bir-
mingham Company would profit by the construction of
the line. The only traffic it would take from them

would be that between Birmingham and Rugby ; but at
Rugby the Extension Company would open into this line
an immense addition to their usual traffic ; and he there-

fore thought they could not look upon the line as a for-
, midable competitor. With respect to the Midland
Counties Railway, nothing could be more preposterous
than the opposition it offered to the measure. There
was some vague notion of making a line from Derby to
Manchester by the Churnet Valley ; but all who were
acquainted with the localities of this country must know
that any line passing through the Tame and Trent
Valley must have a manifest advantage over a line
passing through a district in which the engineering
difficulties were of the most formidable character. With
resneet to the opposition of the Grand Junction and
other railways, it was merely necessary to observe that
they were using against the Manchester and Birming-
ham Extension Railway precisely the same arguments
which had been used against themselves by the turn-
pikes and canal proprietors, and which, at the time, they
treated with the utmost indifference and disrespect;
and as for the town of Birmingham opposing them on
the ground that they had vested interests in the present
line of communication, and setting that up as an argu-
ment to deprive the towns of Lichfield, Tamworth, and
other places, of those advantages to which they were
,justly
entitled, it was a plea that no rightly constituted
tribunal would for a moment listen to. It was an argu-
ment founded upon monopoly, and nothing else.—
(Cheers.) There existed no obligation on the part of
the Grand Junction Company to take Birmingham on
its line; if so, it might have formed a weighty objection.
to the Extension Railway ; but a more direct route
having been discovered, he wished to know what argu-
ment, founded on good sense, could be used against the
people of Manchester and London having the benefit
of a direct intercourse.(Hear, hear.) They had
heard it repeated ig Committee, day after day, that it
was only the saving of an hour between Manchester and
Loudon. Now, ithey found in the present day, a very
different estimate of an hour in travelling to what they
did bef;ore railways were invente.d, and he hoped to see
the day svhen Manchester and London would be only
eight hours apart. When this took place, the value of
an hour would be very different to what it was in times
when it took two or throe days to make the journey ; but if
the people of Manchester, to whom time was money, found
that they could make the distance in an hour less by this
railway than any other mode of conveyance they might
depend upon it that they would give the shortim line
the preference. (Cheers.) Again it was objected,
that as it would be necessary for the Extension Com-
pany to join the London and Birmingham line tif