The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-21 00:00:00

arrest was now in Leicester, waiting only the deci.
sion of some question in a metropolitan court before it
was put into disgraceful execution ! And who were
the foul perpretrators of this shameful deed ?—who, he
asked, were behind the scenes ? were there no Clergy-
men, no upright Churchmen in this town, or no miser-

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able tools of an exasperated faction who must blush
with shame ? Let them distinctly tell these men,
that they were not wont to tremble before power ;
that, in this sacred cause—the cause of innocence, of

conscience, and of righteousness—they laughed at their
chains, and defied their dungeons. Let them bid them
to enlarge their prisons, and in the true spirit of their

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system, delightedly to forge new manacles, and utter
swelling threats. Let them with unfaltering tongue,
assure these agents of tyranny that they were not to be
eclipsed by the darkest episcopal frowns ; that they
would not be abashed by the most resolute resistance
of their adversaries, or the painful lukewarmness of
their friends. Their path was open, and deliberately
chosen, and in the dread name of God they would
pursue it. But, so far from blaming, let them thank
these men. They were doing their work for them.
In their blind zeal they had snatched the standard of
liberty from their hands and were hastily planting it
on a citadel, to which the friends of freedom were
climbing, with tedious, difficult, but persevering steps.
These rash and bigoted Churchmen deserved the
hearty applause of every consistent Dissenter. But
they possibly thought that he whom they had marked
out as the victim of their rage would draw back. No.
He seemed to see him passing thoughtfully within the

prison doors, exclaiming " none of these things move
me." He could imagine him replying to the dastardly
suggestions of enemies and compromising friends, as he
entered his forlorn dungeon, " Whether it be right to
hearken unto men more than unto God, judge- ye." He
venerated the men who were willing to suffer in

this glorious cause. A few more instances of such
vile persecution and noble endurance, and the battle
would be over—the victory must be won. By such
means those secular establishments which nourished
and sanctioned these enormities would be unsettled

and destroyed the mightiest impediments to the
spread of true religion would be cast down, and the

great Son of God would hasten to his throne ex-
claiming, " Behold I create all things new." Let not
their opponents mistake them. They did not expect
this result to-morrow or next day ; but it was at hand,
and the hateful persecutions of these days were ad-
vancing it. What though they might sleep in the
dust, their children should enter into their labours,
and see the parent of ecclesiastical despotism con-
veyed to a disgraceful tomb. He invoked the friends
of this great cause to awake, to exert themselves in
every legitimate way. They were about to place
their petition at the foot of the throne, and he ear-
nestly wished it might avail. Should their amiable
sovereign be left to the promptings of her own bene-
violent and excellent disposition—should she be unat-
tended by those who might pervert her intentions—
should those dark shapes that too frequently flitted about
thrones, and threw their equivocal shadows over their face,
be kept in their own place—should her Majesty, aided
only by the counsel of her wise and noble mother, act
as the woman as well as the Queen, their prayer would

be heard. But, whether or not, he invoked them so-
lemnly to unite with him in prayer to that Being by
whom kings ruled and princes decreed justice ; who
hated oppression, and who succoured the oppressed ;
who " loved mercy rather than sacrifice ;" and while
there was such a throne to which to appeal, they could

never surrender hope. But as prayer without effort was
presumption, he besought them not to be regulated by
the customs of the times ; he prayed them to recollect
that the smiles of men were more transient than the
summer's ray. He implored them to discard all sickly
refinement, and mawkish sentimentality ; all fear of
their equals, and all subserviency to their superiors ;
never to suffer principle to bend to rank, but to compel
rank to bend to principle ; and in the name of humanity,
of justice, and of religion, to set themselves to the over-
throw of that worst form of oppression—ecclesiastical
tyranny.
The Rev. T. MAYS, in rising to second the third
resolution, said—Ladies and Gentlemen, when you see
poor Irishmen going through your streets, with their
wooden brogues, and in appearance as rough as their
shillelahs, you may recollect that they are more free
than you are. They have no Church-rates in Ireland.
These things curse not their land.—(Cheers.) In this
particular they have taken their station before us. We
boast of our Nonconforming forefathers, in what light
will our children look upon us. It remains for us to
determine whether our children and our children's chil-
dren shall regard us as men following in the steps of
such forefathers, and worthy to extend their names, and
perpetuate their memory. I have heard to-day a ques-
tion from a lady—" Why should ladies be present ?"
I will tell you the reason why they should be present—
because we have before us, in part, the mothers of the
coming generation, who are to train their minds, who
are to form their characters.—(Hear, hear, hear.)
It is incumbent on them that they should cultivate
the principles of religious liberty within their own
hearts, in order to implant them in the hearts
of their children. Ladies, mothers, allow me to
appeal to you. The question before you is one
which appeals to your hearts, whether your children
and your children's children shall be opposed to these
Infernal ecclesiastical curses or not. Let these prin-
ciples be impressed daily on the minds of your children,
that, when they stand by your graves, they may venerate
your memory as the friends of liberty, of humanity, and
of religion.—(Cheers.) I have great pleasure in second-
ing the resolution.
The Rev. J. P. MuasEeL said—Reference has been
made to a pecuniary effort on behalf of poor Thorogood.
It is intended to raise a purse which, we hope, will not
fall short of 501., however far it may go beyond that
sum, and the subscription list will lie at Mr. Davis's
during the week.
C. R. EnmoNns, Esq., moved a vote of thanks to the
chairman.
Alderman CRIPPS seconded the motion.
The Rev. E. MIALL said, I am sure, men and women
of Leicester, that you will testify your respect for our
esteemed friend Mr. Baines, by acclamation ; and I
further suggest that you do so by standing up.—[The
whole assembly here rose simultaneously, with a burst
of enthusiastic and long-continued cheering, presenting
a most imposing and magnificent appearance.]
The CHAIRMAN said—ln returning thanks for the
kindness which you have manifested towards me ; I
assure you that I do so with perfect sincerity. It is
quite impossible for me to give utterance to what I feel
on this occasion ; but I cannot but express the high
gratification which I have experienced in presiding over
a meeting like the present. I am sure that if the highly
respectable individual on whose account this meeting
has been called, could have been present, it would have
encouraged him to endure the solitude of his prison,
even for ten months longer. We have heard it said by
our opponents that the anti-Church-rate ardour in this
town is cooling ; that we shall soon pay what is de-
manded of us, and become peaceable neighbours and
good citizens.—(Laughter.) Would that such per-
sons were here to-night. I would simply direct their
attention to the present meeting, and say, " Here is
my argument, and your refutation."—(Cheers.) Your
attention has been led to-night from Chelmsford to Lei-
cester.—(Hear, hear.) With reference to an indivi-
dual, with whose feelings I am somewhat acquainted, I
may say that it is the wish of his persecutors, as well as
the fear of some of his friends, that the building
yonder (pointing in the direction of the Borough
gaol), with its massive walls, and ponderous gates,
may prostrate his moral courage to the ground, when
he approaches it—(Murmurs of indignation)—but,
from what I know of that individu.4l, and the support
which he has hitherto received, I trust his moral cou-
rage will not fail—(Loud cheers)—but that he will enter
into that prison, and there remain till he is let out. I
again thank you most heartily for the manner in
which this motion has been proposed, and in which it
has been received.
[The worthy Chairman sat down amidst loud and
general cheering.]
After a few moments pause, the Rev. J. P, MITE,
SELL said, The meeting seems unwilling to sepa-
rate ; I think we had better commence the sub-
scription.
The subscription was then begun on the platform,
but several persons in the body of the hall, requested
that donations might also be taken at the doors, in or-
der that those who could only give small sums might
have an opportunity of contributing. The question was
then put to the meeting, and unanimously acceded to ;
after which the meeting gradually dispersed, twenty-
nine pounds having been raised in the hall.

WESTERN INDIA AND THE .. 74-OCK.—We are
requested to state that the New Work, " Western
Ina
nd
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wi nr e laBd 33,
a,"nbdy
mayMr s P
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hadsta no sf ,
the A u tpho
u br elisss of h
ers:‘ Cutch,
Messrs.
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Saunders and Otoksellr
ley,
Booksellers. Also streei‘tia
Major
the Libraries,
New
e
and
Work, " The Rock," illustrative of Gibraltar, with
numerous drawings, by Lieutenant Lacy, dedicated by
Majesty.
express permission to her Mrs. Edward
Thomas's New Work, " Sir Redmond," a Metrical
Romance, will be published to-morrow ; and Miss Pres-
cott's New Work, " Poems, written in Newfoundland,"
is now ready.
FATAL OCCURRENCE.—On Monday afternoon,
about two o'clock, a most deplorable accident occurred
in Fetter-lane through the falling of a large portion of
some dilapidated houses in that place. It appears that
the premises, which belonged to the Goldsmiths' Com-
pany, had been for a long time in a most ruinous state,
as had otheer property in the same neighbourhood be-
longing to the same affluent company, and had been
partially pulled down, leaving, however, the greater
portion of the front external walls standing. On Monday
several boys were amusing themseives in the ruins, and
it seems that they were pulling out some rotten wood
when the mass of bricks fell into the street. One poor
boy, whose name is Thomas Jenkins, was killed on the
spot, and two others were removed to St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, where they linger from severe injuries. This
is the sixth occurrence of falling down of houses on the
same estate, and near the same spot, within two years.