The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-17 00:00:00

GOVERNMENT OPPRESSION.

Mr. Feose stated that a Mr. John Hinds, who had
served his country for a long time in the Navy, and on his
discharge obtained a pension from the Admiralty, was living
at Shoreham. He had the misfortune to go out of curi-
• ity to a meeting got up in that place for the purpose of
passing resolutions in favour of the National Petition.
From the knowledgelthe people present at the meeting had
of his prudent conduct and of his good character, they
unanimously voted him to the chair. Soon after this he
was sent for by the collector of Shoreham, who told him
that he was not in future to consider himself a pensioner
on the Greenwich list, as the Lords of the Admiralty had
struck off his name in consequence of his acting as Chair-
man at the aforesaid meeting. lie addressed to the
Board of Admiralty two memorials in succession, the reply
to each of those was that he was unworthy to have
his name restored to the Pension List. He then applied
to Mr. O'Connell, to get that gentleman's assistance in
obtaining redress. Mr. O'Connell made a personal appli-
cation to one of the Lords of the Admiralty, and was
equally unsuccessful as the memorialist in getting this in.
jured man restored to what his services entitled him
Upon this he (Mr. Frost) took upon himself the writing
of a letter to Lord Melbourne some time back. In that
letter he descanted on the hardship and injustice of 1
avenging on a man the penalty of a crime for conduct
which had been sanctioned by his Lordship and his col-
leagues
prior to the passing of the Reform Bill. To this
letter his Lordship had not deigned to reply.—(Hear,
hear.) From all these circumstances he thought that
the Convention would be exercising a wise discre-
tion, if they took upon themselves the office of doing
their best to remedy the ill effects of the attack of
the tyrant oppressors on the people--( Hear, hear)---and
where could they find a more fitting object to extend their
sympathy to, than the individual to whom his motion al-
luded.—( Hear, hear.) This man, without blemish as to
his personal character, for merely exercising the right of
the su'eject to petition, is deprived of the means of con-
tributing to the support of a large family. Nothing could
be more monstrous than this interference, and he (Mr.
Frost) would not further take up their time by descanting
on coecluct which he was convinced met their hearty de-
testation—but proceed at once to read a petition to the
House of Commons, for the purpose of obtaining inquiry
into the case of poor Hinds.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. O'CONNOR— Whatever reasons he had for inculcat-
ing the necessity for the public to abstain in future from
petitioning the House of Commons, those reasons could
not apply to the case of the individual on whose behalf the
Convention was sought to petition.—( Hear.) That indi-
vidual, for exercising the right of stating his opinions on
whet he considered grievances, was visited by the paltry
and tyrannous Government with a punishment which was
intended to deprive him of existence.—( Hear, hear.)
The Convention in every way was bound to open the door
of justice to this poor oppressed man, inasmuch as he was
si:ffering a heavy penalty for adopting principles to which
the Convention, and the great masses of the country,
were booed to upheld—besides it would show to the
country at large that they were willing to try every
meaes consistent with success to obtain the object of
their wishes.--( Hear, hear.) It would be evidence suf-
ficient to pruve to the world et large their willingness
to aceon p the happiness of the people by peace, law,
and order.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. COLLINS did not agree with the observations of
Mr. frost, by which he intimated that their province should
be to take cognizance of all public grievances in order to
their redress ; but this was a case of individual hard
ship, which was the consequence of an act that tended
to spread the Chartist principles.—( Hear, hear.) Mr.
Collins said in continuation, that of all the means
taken by the Deity to afflict a country for its crimes
none were so effectual for punishment as to visit it with
a bad Government. To this infliction may be attributed
more evils than to any other source.—( Hear, hear.) He
thought this case one of the moat flagrantly tyrannous that
had ever been heard of.
Mr. SKEVINOTCN—It was their bounden duty to watch
over the interests of all individuals who were well wishers
to their cause. And he thought they could not employ
their influence and exertion to better purposes than frus-
trating every attempt at vengeance by the Government.
Mr. WHITTLE said the Admiralty had laid down very
just prieciples of action for their Government, but as soon
as they found these principles interfered with their private
views, they immediately threw them overboard.—(Cries
of " Hear, hear.") Would it not be well to add to the
petition a paragraph which would include an inquiry
into the unworthiness of many who are a disgrace to the
Pension List.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. O'BRIEN—The notice of this will further confirm
the people at large in a resolution which they were latterly
adopting, that was, nut to enlist in either the navy or
army. This notion, he was happy to say, was very press.
lent in Sussex and Kei t. He was told by many persons
when down there last meek, that various recruiting parties
were obliged to desist from their unsuccessful avocations,
as the chopsticks one end all said they never would go to
war again, tank ss in defence of their lives and their liber-
ties.--(Hear, hear.)
. . . .

The resolution adopting the petitiol was then put and
carried, tngethar w,th another proposing that it be en-
trusted to :►Messrs. Eelden and Attwood for presentation.

MONEY YOTES.

Mr. O'BRIEN brcug:.t on a motion, of which he had
given notice yesterday, to the effect that no resolution in-
volving the disbursement of the funds of the Convention
be carried into effect unless a clear majority of the Mem-
bers present be had to support the same. He said he
brought forward this resolution in consequence of what
had occurred the other day. When Dr. Tailor's reolu-
tion was before the meeting, in consequence of the many
amendments that were proposed, and the mariner in
which each was supported, the original resolution
which had pass d, with a clear majority, was vir-
tually rescinded by the course which was taken
by those who voted for the different amendments. A long
and explanatory conversation took place on this question,
but in the end the resolution obtained the sanction of the
meeting, upon an addition of Mr. Moore being attached
to it, v hich went to appoint a committee to carry it into
operation.