The Sun.
London, England, 1837-05-17 00:00:00

retired to his seat amid the most enthusiastic cheering
which lasted for several minutes.)
After the applause had in some degree subsided, Lord
Charlemont again advanced to the front of the platform,
and said he had received letters from several noblemen
and distinguished gentlemen, expressing their regret that
they could not be present, but assuring him of their firm
attachment to the cause of the people, and their anxiety
for the stability of the present Administration. Among
them were Lords Howth, Langford, and Rossmore ; Sir
John Burke, Sir Charles Morgan, &c. He was proud to
have the co-operation of such men, but he confessed he
would have preferred their presence.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Lord TALBOT DE MALAIIIDE rose to propose the first
resolution, and was received with loud cheers. He said—
My Lord Charlemont and gentlemen, I have had the ho-
nour of having the first resolution placed in my hand,
which I will read for the meeting. It is as follows :
" Resolved—That, by the Act of legislative Union, Ireland
is entitled to as ample privileges as any other portion of
the British empire."—(Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, lam
convinced that there is not a single individual present
here who will not join cordially in giving, their assent to
that opinion.—(Loud cheering.) I need not say that it
receives my most entire concurrence.—(Hear, hear.) It
is a principle now recognised by every liberal man in the
empire, and which now, for the first time these six hun-
dred years, has been recognised by his Majesty's Adminis-
tration.—(Cheers.) All Ireland wants to make her one of
the most prosperous countries under the sun is fair play
and equal justice.—(Cheers.) She has been misgoverned
for six centuries, her children oppressed, and her liberties
trampled upon. All her institutions have been taken
to the other side of the water, and nothing left her but po-
verty and injustice, misery and misrule.—(Loud and con-
tinued cheering.) Gentlemen, I will not detain you longer
since there are others to follow me who are more accus-
tomed and more capable of addressing you.—(No, no.) I
will only say, in conclusion, that till we obtain justice for our
country I hope we shall ever be found zeabaus, determined,
and untiring in our demands for it. The Noble Lord sat
down amid loud cheers.

The Hon. R. WESTENRA then addressed the assembly.
He said, I come forward to second the resolution which
has my most cordial concurrence. His Majesty's Ministers
must be supported in this country, or we can have no peace.
—(Hear, and cheers.) I dont understand why the people
of this country should be kept in a constant state of thral-
dom by an irresponsible portion of the Legislature, who
does not know our wants. Many of them are absentees,
and vote by proxy. In consequence of the aggressions
which have been committed upon my countrymen, I have
gone into mourning.—(Cheers and laughter.) Why should
we as Irishmen be deprived of equal rights and privileges
with England ? Whenever our assistance was required in
the field of battle, did any man ask us what was our creed,
or from what country we came ? I shall, therefore, aid by
every means in my power a legal system of agitation till
justice is done to Ireland.
Lord CHARLEMONT then put the resolution, which was
passed unanimously.
The Hon. FREDERICK PoNsoNßy next came forward.
He said—My Lord and Gentlemen, I have been called
upon to move the resolution which I shall now read to you.
" Resolved—That by the Act of Emancipation all political
disqualifications founded upon religious distinction have
been abolished." Gentlemen, those disqualifications have
not been practically abolished.—(Hear, hear.) It is be-
cause his Majesty's present honest and patriotic Ministers
are bent upon practically abolishing those disqualifications,
I think that they deserve the support of every man that
wishes to be called an Irishman.—(Hear, hear.) Gentle-
men, I say again that his Majesty's present Ministers de-
serve the cordial support of every man that is entitled to
be denominated an Irishman ; because this is the first time
for the last GOO years that the people of Ireland have been
governed according to their feelings and their interests.—
(Cheers. I cannot see any opposition to the resolution
which I have the honour to propose.—(Clicers.)
Mr. WILLIAM FLETCHER seconded the resolution. The
resolution which my Hon. Friend has just proposed is one
the truth of which no one can question. But the Govern-
ment that carried the Act of Emancipation had no inten-
tion whatsoever that you should derive any benefit from
that Act.—(Hear.) I need not tell you that the Act
of Emancipation was carried under a military Govern-
ment. Was it carried, I will ask you, with the view
of giving you liberty ?—(No, no.) It was merely granted
from the fear of agitation, that would cause the destruction
of the then military Government.—(Hear, hear.) You
are not to thank the then military Government for that act
of grace : you are to thank yourselves—(Cheers)—you arc
to thank your own indomitable energy. If any doubt were
entertained in the mind of a reasonable and reflecting being

that the Government who passed Catholic Emancipation
never intended that it should benefit the country, the con-
duct which they have uniformly pursued towards Ireland
is a sufficient testimony of the manner is which they granted
the measure.—(Hear, hear.) Was not every opposition
given to the passing of the Reform Act, by the men who
carried Catholic Emancipation ?—(Cries of " Hear, hear")
—and is it not notorious that without Reform, Catholic
Emancipation would only be a dead letter ?—( Hear, hear.)
When the Reform Bill was carried by the indignant voice
of millions, was not every eflOrt made by the Duke of
Wellington and his military Government, or rather, the
civil army under his command, headed by the bishops,
to prevent you from enjoying the benefit of the Act?—
(Hear, hear)—and dont they refuse you Municipal Cor-
porations, and call you aliens now ?—(Hear, hear, and
cheers.) Gentlemen, it is clear that the opposition given
to the passing of the Municipal Corporation Bill in the
Lords is simply this, that without it they know perfectly
well it is impossible to carry Catholic Emancipation into
effect—(Hear)—because the corrupt Corporations have the
power of dipping their hands in your pockets to any ex-
tent they please—(Hear, hear)—and, therefore, unless there
is some Bill enabling all persons of all religious denomina-
tions to become members of the Corporations, or our muni-
cipal institution—call them what you will—it is idle to ima-
gine that the principle of either the Reform Bill or the Act
of Catholic Emancipation can be practically and fully car-
ried into effect.—( Hear, hear.) We have (it has been
well observed), for the first time these 600 years, a govern-
ment, every member of which, I conscientiously believe, is
inclined to do us justice—( Hear, hear)—and in using the
term " justice" I do not mean that its application should
comprehend the severest punishment which can be inflicted ;
but that justice which is tempered with mercy.—(Hear,
hear.) It is the first time that a government of this kind
has existed, and I trust that the energies which we shall
exhibit, not only here, but in all the counties throughout
Ireland, will render it impossible to establish even a tem-
porary military government again.—(Cheers.)
Lord CITARLEMONT then put the question. It was un-
necessary to ask, he said, was there a dissentient voice.
There was not one in the assembly.—(Loud cheers.)
Lord MILLTOWN next addressed the assemblage from
his carriage, which was drawn up near the platform. In
consequence of the distance which his Lordship was from
the reporters, much difficulty was experienced in collecting
his observations. His Lordship said—My Lord, Gentlemen,
and fellow-countrymen, it is now nearly twelve months since
we assembled upon this very ground, to petition for those
rights which are fairly given to some of the poorestvillays.
in England, and cannot be withheld from the second citv in
the empire.—(Hear, and loud cheers.) The first griestion
I will ask you is, what have we obtained by
aegitri;tioriic,ruoer
how far has our cause been advanced ?—(Hear..:hear.) I
am sorry to say we have gained nothing.—(Ti a
it is there is an increased majority of the re eresentatives of
the people of the United Kingdom, who li.scee declared their
conviction that the people of Ireland sl'.otild not be treated
as aliens and slaves in their native lar,d,---(Cheers.) True
it is that " the cup of hope," as uP3a i'ormer occasions, has
-
not been rudely dashed from our
Irp4 ; but it is held in a spe-
cies of Tantalus-fashion ovu. ,s ; and, judging from the
dispositions and characters of the parties who suspend it,
there it may remain, I. Wink, till the day of judgment, un-
less we ourselves press it to our lips.—(C,hecring.) But
true it is, also,
tl,le argument which has been repeatedly
brought aga;_os.
s:LIt3 people of Ireland—if such a stupid re-
petition of
again re •,,,d upon as furnishing a sufficient ground for the
exclus,e- bigotted phrase can be called an argument—is
n of the Roman Catholic people of Ireland from
the r Avileges enjoyed by their Protestant brethren.
car, hear.) It is declared that because the majority of
r au, my Catholic fellow countrymen, are not of the fashion-
ablo religion of the day, you are to be excluded from the
rights of frcemea.—(Loud cheers.) Yes, and mark the
sound logic—the invincible argument which they bring for-
ward to support the fact, " that although Catholic senators
may have a seat in the Legidature, destruction would en-
sue if a Catholic Lord Mayor took his seat in his gold
coach."—(Loud laughter and cheers.) What ! mark you
the position in which they place some of their quondam
leaders W hat fools or what rogues they would make
them ! If, indeed, it is so dangerous for those municipal
rights to be entrusted to a Catholic people, why was it not
seen and guarded against when Catholic emancipation was
passed ?—(Hear.) Why did not that same jealous policy
that declared that the keeper of the King's conscience