The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-19 00:00:00

NATIONAL CONVENTION.
(YESTERDAY.)

JOHN FROST, Esq., in the Chair.
After confirming the minutes of the proceedings of yes- I
terday, the Secretary Mr. LOVETT, proceeded to read the
letters. To a question which one of them put, whether
the petition from Cirencester had been received, Mr.
Collins answered that it had. A letter from Mr. Richard-
son, stating his progress in Manchester since he went
down. In it he complained of a resolution passed, which
went to order the holding of public meetings in Whitsun
week.
Mr. O'Ccestloa was glad the Chairman called his at-
tention to this letter, which be must say was an imperti-
nent letter, inasmuch as Mr. Richardson sought to set up
his own opinion against the opinion of the country.
—( Hear.) If the gentlemen whom Mr. Richardson allu-
ded to were not present to give their sanction to such
resolution, it was the duty of those gentlemen to be pre-
sent.—( Hear, hear. )_ A letter from Bolton said that the
character of Mr. Wood, the late Delegate for that place,
was incomprehensible. When that gentleman returned
from attending the Convention he gave the most flattering
description of the conduct cf the body and of the excellent
manner in which they acted on all occasions.—( Hear,
hear.) At a late meeting he took occasion to decry the
character of its members. He said they were doing no-
thing, had done nothing, and could do nothing. And if
the people wished to have a physical revolution they must
elect another Convention, vs the present one was deter-
mined not to do anything to promote that ol'ject.—( Hear.)
But the climax of this gentleman's charges were comprised
in what he said of some of the Members of the Convention.
He said that many individuals of the Convention had ap-
plied to the Whigs for Government situations.—( Hear,
hear.) The letter stated this change of opinion was ob-
served to take place immediately after Mr. Wood had ac-
cepted office.—( Haar.)
Mr. WARDEN, the new Delegate from Bolton—When
Mr. Wood made the charges alluded to against the Con-
vention, he ( Mr. Warder.) told him that it was his duty to
bring those charges against the Members implicated before
the Convention.—( Hear.) The people of Bolton did not
give any credit to Mr. Wood's statement—they had no con-
fidence in that gentlemen—in eeidence of which they were
not long in sending forward a person to represent them in
the Convention. But as the letter was from a private
party. it could not, he thought, come under the notice of
the Convention. Mr. Woo.i toll him (Mr. Warden) that
the parties who applied to the Whig Government fur situ-
ations were successful.
Mr. O'CoNsoasaid that Mr. Wood in his charge against

Members for accepting office, confounded the Whig Govern-
ment with the Corporation of Birmingham. Ile had coupled
the circumstance of Messrs. Edmonds and Douglas taking
situations in Birminitigham with wbrt be thought of get-
ting situations under Government. He had jumbled both
these things in his head together.
Mr. WHITTLE moved a resolution—That the Conven-
tion being informed that Mr. Wood, late Delepte from
Bolton, has accused curtain members of the Convention of
having solicited office under the Government, must deem
the force of that accusaticn lessened by the fact that Mr.
Wood had previously accepted the office of Poor• law Guar-
dian, in opposition to the expressed wishes of his own con-
stituents ; but nevertheless request Mr. Wood to adduce
whet evidence he can of the truth of his statement.
Mr. MILLS seconded this resolution, which passed una-
nimously.

ATTENDANCE OF MEMBERS.

Mr. SMART brought up the Report from the Committee
appointed to devise measures to enforce the attendance of
members. It recommended that a resolution should be
adopted, erdering the Secretary to write to the absent
Delegates to return, and should they not do so, their con
stituents be requested to elect new Delegates is their stead.
Mr. O'CONNOR moved the adoption of this resolution,
which was seconded by Dr. AP DouaLt„ and passed after
some discussion by the casting vote of the Chairman being
given against an amendment proposed by Mr. Whittle, to the
effect that reasonable excuse would be sufficient to excuse
such absence. It was said by the supporters of the original
resolution that it was not necessary- to introduce any such
words, inasmuch as that it was always understood th•,t mem-
hers who were compelled to be absent from sickness, or
other like causes, had the leave of the Convention fur such
absence.

Mr. WHITTLE said that in proof of what he stated in his
speech of yesterday, of the intentions of the Government
to put any down every exrression of the people, with a view
to attain their liberties, he would read an extract from the Jour-.
nals of the House of Commons. That extract was as follows :
" April 17.-60. Seditious Societies' Act (39 Geo. 111.,
c. 79) read, Bill to amend the said Act ordered to be
brought in by the Solicitor- General and Attorney- General.
64. Bill brought in and read a first time as above. Sedi-
tious Societies' Act Amendment Bill—' To amend an Act
or the 39th of Gecrge 111. for the more effectual sup-
pression of Societies established fet seditious and trea-
sonable purposes, and for preventing treasonable and sedi-
tious practices ; presented, read a first tim to be read a
second time on Wednesday, April 24, and to be printed.
Brought in by the Attorney- General, and the Solicitor-
General."