The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-05 00:00:00

lii.vENlNa EDITION.

scy Jkl haepia.ten place in our city as that which oc-
c- .ed on Monday, becanse we doubt not it w illbe
tibL'a advantage of by the friends of the iron rule as
11;-, evidence that the country have no sympathy with
Ix-insures of conciliation and justice, and that the pope-
"pity which attends such acts for a while is fleeting and
vain. We remember that some years ago the lame
men who on this occasion hooted down an attempt
to approve of a just and conciliatory policy towards
Ireland, wemcd with unexampled enthusiasm the
man whose nrighty exertions have been in a great
measure the means of rescuing his country frorru
micry and oppression ; heard with breathless and.
indignant silence his narrative of the wrongs which hiS
countrymen had suffered, and heartily echoed his exult-
ing anticipation of the better day that seemed dawning
on the land. We did not expect, when we contem-
plated that scene, that when the people of Edinburgh
—celebrated as they have been for their shrewdness
and consistency—should be called upon again to give
their opinion oil the subject of the best policy towards
Ireland, they would treat the call with angry disregard,
.rd break in with unmannered ruffianism on the pro-
ocedings. That the people of Edinburgh in
general feel less for Ireland—that they are less
a•ivo to the wisdom and justice of a conciliatory
po:cy there, than they formerly were—we do not
believe ; yet the scene which took place will, we need
cot doubt, be employed to prove how worthless such
ts policy is in their eyes. Well might the Chart-
' chairman call on the Tories to come liberally for-
w with pecuniary assistance in aid of their pro-
ct!edings
Certain individvals have banded themselves together
to- declare, that no public meeting shall be held, except
trier their auspices, and for their purposes ; and
there is sip doubt that they have in the mean
t: put an end in Edinburgh, to this eco-
ns,,eieal, manly, and exhilirating form of collecting
p),d-:ie opinion. That a meeting should be a place for
ocliberating and voting, is out of the question. The
ceiling of a meeting, is an invitation to those partial to
purposa for which it is called to come forward ; and
.here are persons of a different opinion, who wish to
v their strength also, the proper form of doing so is
•:; a.separate meeting. _

We. must admit to the persons who so effectually
cititslietrfhe proceedings, the credit of having been much
setter disciplined than the original holders of the meet-
ing. They were in the room before the hour of meet-
ing, ready packed and arrayed, and in considerable
numbers. They had been, indeed, gathered together
..with great pains ; the villages for some miles round
Edinburgh baying been taxed for the metropolitan sup•
ply. We do think that when the show of hands was
Wort, there was a majority in favour of the Lard Pro-
yost, but it undoubtedly was not a large one, and the
force en the occasion was very different in
tit of number to the little knot of dissentients who
t,t!inpted to disturb the meetings in favour of the
ti alot and against the Corn-laws. Before leaving this
1:-.pleasing subject, we are bound to say, for the infor-
:nation of our friends at a distance, that much impru-
dont zeal was displayed in this attempt, which was
by no means the doing of the Reformers of Edinburgh
cs a body. When the question was, whether they
•!;ould respond to the call' after it was made, no man
who has observed the difference between the old and
modern rule in Ireland—who has, in the words of an
i;lustrious orator, traced Ireland through the statute-
ok, like a wounded man, by the track of blood—could
:!iFsent from a declaration in favour of the Normanby
policy. The names, however, of those of the tried Re-
formers of Edinburgh who attended, are by no means an
ii;,lex to the number who thought the time a prudent
nod fitting one for such an attempt, and those who has-
ti;y and unaclvisedly persisted in it, have incurred no
ait,-meable responsibility.

NATIONAL CONVENTION.

YESTE RDA Y.

Mr. CARDO, Delegate from Marylebone, in the Chair.
GREAT CHARTIST MEETIN• AT STR.OLID, LEEDS, AND

BIRMINGHAM.

Letters were read from Mr. Frost, which gave an
ac-
ount of hi! proceedings since ha left London on Thurs..
:lay. On that night he got to Gloucester, and on Friday

uoceeded to S!roud to-have a little serious conversation

e ith little Finality's constituents. When he got there he
poreelved the walls of the town placarded with a notice
for a public meeting. On getting into the town he pro-
-1 •-esded to the inn, where he found the committee were
reting, and upon his announcing himself he was hailed
-es.:,h three rounds of cheers. The people were assembling
` ie thousands in order to go to the place of meeting at
iledbororigh Hill. As soon as the preliminary arrange-
meets were concluded, the Committee, together with
tlse Delegates frolU Cheltenham, Cirencester, Gloucester,
a d other placce, accompanied by the multitude, pre-
, e,led by a most excellent band of music and beautiful
e• . appropriate colours, went to the place appointed to
L :.1 the meeting. When they arrived there the view
e- the assemblage was one of the most beautiful and in-
-1 t .",,Cng that could ho imagined ; the hill teeming
w .11 living beings ; not less than ten thousand could be
l ecet, From the summit was a view of the beautiful
1 -
• ..1 interesting valley of Stroud, with the fertile
eadows, bordering the silvery Severn immediately
• eatla and around you, and in the dis-
e
t eicos the blue hills of Monmouthshire, lending
-.:eir sombre outline, to fill up the background of the
' e cite ; indeed, so fine was the day, and spirit-stirring
he scene, that he fancied he could see his beloved home,
end witqess the anxious watchings of his own household
and of his neighbours for his return. Gathered around
were a multitude of labourers and weavers, whose pale
and heart-worn countenances depicted that they lived
in the most extreme poverty. The view of those poor
creatures tesede him philosophise on the enormity of a
' -
:system which could bring men to such a state of poverty
and starvation amid the abundance which reined around
them. Here, heexclaimed amidst the works of nature and
of art in a most fruitful country, an abundance of every
et thing calculated to make life easy, are beings with-
out food or raiment ; and there sits Lord John Russell,
the patron of religious education societies, exerting all
his powers to render the situation of those beings miser-
able who raise the food and produce the raiment. Eight
shillings per week is the average wages, out of which
taxes to be paid reduce the real income to only four
shillings. The Learned and Very Pious Secretary of
State receives 6,000/. and perquisites for filling, no, not
filling, but doing the work, and dirty work it is, of his
office. His Lordship quarters himself on six hundred
of these poor heart-broken weavers, who, amid their own
destitution and poverty, must contribute to his support
the half of their scanty earnings—to give a moity
of their meagre sustenance to support him in
the lap of luxury. The system which allows
this must be one that all ought to revere !! !
Would it not be a good plan if his Lordship and his
colleagues were to go about and collect thoir own sa-
laries, and to get them in kind as tithes were formerly
obtained ? How pleasing it would be to see this scion of
the house of Bedford accompanied by Cupid, going
nmong the shopkeepers and others seeking for the
means of support, and returning with their wallets
loaded with the miscellaneous produce of their day's
toll—tea and sugar, rolls of butter, pieces of soap,
and meat, See., to crave a breakfast from one poor
weaver, and a dinner from another. If this were so,
would his Lordship:see the thing in its true colours ?
then would himself and Cupid find out that they were
actually swallowing 1,200 weavers alive. Can the patience
of God suffer this to last much longer? The chair
was taken by a working man, who stated the objects of
the meeting in a short and sensible speech. The first
resolution, which was of confidence in the Convention,
passed with enthusiasm. The second, appointing the
writer (Mr. Frost) to represent the industrious classes
of that neighbourhood, was also carried unanimously.
If Lord John Russell heard the shouts with which this
resolution was carried, he would feel that " Othello's
occupation eves gone." In speaking to it he told the people
of Stroiid that on his return to London he would send a
copy of its to his Lordship, and challenge his Lordship
o meet the people of Strom! in his presence, when he
teould repeat all the charges which he then made, in
crrder that they might test his Lordship's fitness to be
their representative, and should his Lordship refuse
t.) do so he would consider himself their true repre-
e ntative, and leave Lord .T. Russell to represent the four
manufacturers of that place, if they could again thrust

forward as the representative of the electors and
'474iabitants of Stroud. He gave the history of the
causes of the e•reot ilitreis of the people, and the means
'o he adopted to remedy that distress. Of the opinions
Ind principles of Lord J. Russell, before he attained
47-Ace, and how much those opinions were changed in
‘‘lesequ.ence of receiving the pay for official duty—in
ids conduct in the hateful and tyrannic Irish Coercion
13ill—in regard to the Russian loan, which empowered
Ciat country to enslave the Polish people—in the des-
potism used towards the Dorchester labourers—in the
Calthorpc-street affair ; and last, though not least,
in his conduct on the New Poor Law Amend-
ment Act. He gave them the history of the Poor
Laws, and of the rapacious courtiers of Henry
he Eighth, among whom was a Mr. Russell, the
:,ncei.star of Lord John, who was rewarded by
tno.narch for his subserviency by obtaining
i.he confiscated property of the church and poor,
s witness Woburn Abbey, Tavistock Priory, Co-
nt and other properties ; how the Mem-
i-:rs of Edward the Sixth's Parlinment made laws to
rob the poor and the Church, to enrich themselves. He
tl:en spoke of the miseries entailed on the people by the
n.-3v Nor-law. His audience were most attentive, and he

riought Lord J. Russell would have much trouble to
xif)e away the impression which he had made. He then
alluded to his intention of becoming a candidate for
Stroud which announcement was responded to with
deafening shouts ; an
f7,-qn a d he received promises of support
great"roany electors. He gave a history of his dis-
t-issal from the magistrac, hec,luse of his independence,
y
rod concluded this
part of his epistle by stating that
, a vote of cengure was passed on the Government, au d
! rin Lord John Russell in particular, for their conduct
regard to the, happineas and wishes of the nation.; and
tii:a went on to describe the great success of the
( 'watt . 7,lo,llncotliedii.; G:ouecstershire. ,

He saw The Sun of Monday, in which it was stated 1
that in consequence of the resignation of their Bir-
mingham Delegates that paper predicted the dissolution
of the Convention. Dissolve, indeed ! No, no. There
are to trimly firm men in the Convention to allow of its
being dissolved for the seceding of some few of its
members. No, they were determined to nail their
colours to the mast, and go down with the
vessel sooner than give up. Resign, indeed !
because a few had not nerve enough to
abide the coming struggle. He longed to see The
Sun of Tuesday, which he hoped would have an account
of the great Birmingham meeting ; and coucluded by
stating that he would be at his post on Monday
morning.
A letter was read from Dr. Taylor, stating that he
proceeded on Sunday to Leeds, at which place a meet-
ing was held on Monday, attended by no less than
30,000 persons. It was the first open air meeting in
that place, and every thing went on as merry as a
marriage bell. No opposition---the Convention, and
nothing but the Convention. Ile returned that night to
Birmingham, and on Tuesday found that everything was
arranged at a previous meeting, held on Monday, for
the great display to be held on Wednesday. The pre-
paratory meeting was attended by 15,000 person.,
and the resolutions to bo adopted on Wednesday were
got ready and sanctioned. On Wednesday the great
meeting was held at Holloway Head, the people assem-
bled intens of thousands at the Bull Ring, and marched
forward to the scene of the meeting with music, and
banners, and the cap of liberty. There were from
forty to fifty thousand persons present. Resolutions
condemnatory of the conduct of the members who
resigned, were passed with acclamation, and
measures adopted to elect in their room men
more worthy of the confidence of the working classes.
_ _

A letter from Mr.:Jones, Member for Wales, stated
that a great many of the middle classes in his part of the
countrywere cominc into the ranks of the Chartists.

AGITATION OF THE METROPOLIS.

It was resolved that a proper and immediate system
of agitation should be got up in London, to procure sig-
natures to the petition, against the sixth of May.

MR. FROST AND TIIE RADICAL MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE

OF COMMONS.

Mr. CARPENTER brought up the petition to be pre-
sented to the Houses of Lords and Commons for the
restoration of Mr. Frost to the commission of the peace,
which passed unanimously, it being first signed by the
Chairman on behalf of the Convention.

A lengthened and interesting discussion took place on
the question of which of the Members of Parliament
should be entrusted with its presentation, during which
the relative merits of Messrs. T. Attwood, Fielding,
Whittle Harvey, and others, was canvassed with great
freedom, Mr. Richardson (of Manchester) contending
that Mr. Fielden ought to have the honour of present.
kg it, on account of his refusing the honour of the ma-
gistracy, knowing well how independent men would be
treated by the present Government.
Mr. DEEGAN contended that as Mr. Harvey bad the
car of the House, he would be the best to bring on a
discussion on the merits of the question ; and, more-
over, it was known that Mr. Attwood was never beard
in the House.

Mr. CLEAVE said that Mr. Harvey had identified
himself with the Chartists, not only in his former con-
duct, but more especially in his speech on the Corn-
laws. Mr. Wakley also signed the Chartist declaration,
but latterly he did not attend to his duty as he should
do. Notwithstanding which, they ought to ask his
assistance when the petition should be presented. They
ought not to be too severe on these gentlemen, if they
are willing to do their duty ; indeed, to some persons,
General Johnson does not come up to the mark.
Mr. Moon said it was not a Charter question, but
one appertaining to the duties of the Secretary of State,
in regard to Mr. Frost. He therefore thought that
Mr. Hall, who was the personal friend of that gentleman,
should have the petition to present.
Mr. SANREY gave his testimony to the manly and
independent conduct of Mr. Wakley ; and he had also
a conversation with Mr. Attwood, who disapproved of
the conduct of the Birmingham Delegates who had re-
signed.
Mr. HARNEY would support the motion of Mr. Dee-
gan, because he thought where all were bad one was as
good as another. Mr. Harvey would just answer as well
as any other of the Members.
Mr. Deegan's motion, which entrusted the petition to
Mr. Harvey, was carried by a majority of three.
Mr. CARPENTER moved that Lord Brougham should
present the petition to the House of Lords. He hoped
—na♦ he was sure there would not ho a dissentient
voice on this question.
Mr. lICLLY seconded the resolution.

Dr. FLETCHER moved an amendment that it be given
to Lord Stanhope, who was ever the friend of the
poor and labouring classes. He did not think with Mr.
Carpenter that there could be no second opinion on the
conduct of Lord Brougham. For if there was env man
in the British empire who for decided truckling of con-
duct deserved the contempt of the people, that
man was Lord Brougham. There is no po-
litical wind of doctrine, hut what has affected his Lord-
ship.—( Hear, hear.) lie has not omitted any oppor-
tunity of showing how little he cared for the rights of
the people, unless his own interest was at stake.
Mr. PITKEITHLEY coincided with Dr. Fletcher in all
he said about Lord Brougham, who was the framer of
the accursed New Poor-law.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. RICHARDSON said when Lord Brougham was
Lord Chancellor, he increased the Magistracy to an
enormous extent to bolster up the cause of the base and
bloody Whigs.
It was resolved unanimously to give the petition toLord
Stanhope.