The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-01 00:00:00

Alderman, in his opening address, has told you that the
House of Commons would not listen to the prayers of the
peep'e. This is quite sufficient to satisfy you that some-
Viing must be door toput an end to that system - by electing
Members of Parliament who will listen to the pra3ers of the
people. I remember when 20 years ago nearly, the brave men
of Manchester met, together with the inhabitants of many
of the surrounding towns. upon St. Peter's Field to ask
for a repeal of the infamous Corn-laws. But when we wet
there that day, innocent as larn!en but determined as men,
because we would legally proceed in our business, what
iv as the result ? We were cut down by an seined band of
ruffians.—( Shame ) Had the policy of cur rulers of that
day taken a different course we should not have to meet
this evening to endeavour to procure the repeat of these
infamous la:: s. But they persisted in their villainous in-
tentions—they have destroyed the nation as nearly as possi-
ble, and now it is the business of the people to redeem them-
selvee.( An individual here exclaimed," You're a Whig.")
I stand here an honest advocate for a real Radical Reform.
I stand here as a persecuted individual in defence of that
cause, and the truth is not in the man who makes such an
assertion. I stand here to defend the interests of thou-
sands of my unfortunate and starving fellow-Workmen.
I come with their consent to detail to you the privations
of which we complain, and to state the privileges which
.ve ought to enjoy. Had the House of Commons been the
representatives of the people whena Mr. Villiers brought
forward his motion, they would have conceded it to the
wishes of the people--(Cheers)—but they are not our
epreaentativ es. The voice of the people is as the voice of
Cod, and it ought to be heard in the -British- Senate ; and I
I trust, this evening, that you will to *a man do your duty,
a d take S;r Sobert Ref's advice, by taking your
affdrs into your own hands.—( Continued Cheering.)
Weil, tieeee, alert is the best way of doing it ?' Lord John
Roesell says we are to have no. organic changee, tell te •
him threiezh rguethae-he must tmtsmite WiSip Qf the
peopl,s; aftetfrat-we Must have organic change. - it is', im.
possible for this great nation to remain as it now is, and
the people most have the changes they desire ; and I tell
those that are now aesembled that 1 will go all lengths to.
ffeet the redemption of the country.—(Cheers.) But
while we are endeavouring to accomplish our great object,
we ought to allow other people to help us to do a part of
it ; and if they won't do it all, let us do the remainder
ourselves. It appears to me that till the confusion
which has- taken place originated in consequence of a
vote of thanks leaving been proposed to the delegates. Now
it is for the meeting to say whether they deserve our thanks
or not.—(lnterruption) I can only say that an unfortu-
nate and starving.- people would have thanked them most
heartily if they had been successful in their- undertaking,
but became th4y were unsuccessful, is that a reason why
we should nut thank them for their exertions ? I say no,
But what th,,y not accomplish, in the name of God,
in the rarne Of.ebnictmin serie, in the-nal-tie of our country,,
let us do outtseli,&=-Z(Checers.)
Mr. R.-Mootty., a hand loom weaver said there was no
man prosent'Whaellael heeti in the field of Radial Reform
16pg,er than''-himself--nay there was no one who, had been
en the field of republicanism longer that himself, fur •he
has ter'flie List five and forty years
The tipro at this Ornnent became tremendetts, in. con-
equerice'of Mr. Nightingale forcing himself through the .
crowd to the platform; in order to address the meeting.
Mr. PRENTICE-L1(0u will not allow others to be heard,
and I will'riot allow you.
r NiGHTING ALF. r 11,7,ve possession'of :he Cliair,
Mr.' PRENTICE—Mr. Moore has possfion.
Mr. NIGHTINGALE (to the mveting)--IThey won't let me,-
be heardn--(Cries of "- You shall be heard.")

The CIiAIRNIAti attempted to addressAhe meeting, but
Mr. NIGIITINdAT:E said—l am in possession of the Gtrair,
and insist Upon my right of speaking. [Mr. N. bore
`reibu:.t.-A the ttabl6 and endeavoured to'ntak.o himself ear 4„;
htit fora considerable filth': his effirts were of no avail. Turn: .
lug t;le gentlemen on the platform he I'll stay here
all n'glit, but I'll be heard --you know that." When sonic,
deg-ree of oi-tit'r had been restored, e. N
prow °ded.—
Gerrtlemen, Pam not surprised at ttte partial eonduLt crf
the (halrman,. when I'lbck upon the''anen who sot rouel
hint. ir had FssCSSi Lite. Citair lYteYious to the traitor
Currati.,4 footing and trues of " bla i, a traitor.") Ir f;
a matter' of.perfect indiffrence to me—
Th? have no objection to hear Mr. _Night •
ingale.. thoni";.r her is `not hero regularly ns a pctitiouer•
ag,%LiSt the Corn-lane.
M-. NICATINGALE —I am so upcd to the bullying cf:tho
Whigs thrit it is a matter ot perfectiodiff,renec to me w4ther
I am to be pee rd' at eight or nine o'clock, but heard I will
he. —( Cheers). Indeed,- Gentle:nen, I.kimer not tvli,-ther,l
from the uszgc I have had, that even common courtesy. 4p-
mantis fry a roes that I should respect hint who is seated. in ,
the eli 'ir.- -4 Cheers' and disapprotration). Lie has,
questioned the propriety of my addressi4; him this night.
' I thin I may, with' equal propriety, r sk. him upon what
authority, he occupies that chair.—( Cheers, and cries of-
" GJ On.") I was here at the commeneement of these pr 0...,
ceedings, 'and I pledge my honour to-those who were not;
that it was not put 'to a show of hands, taita he should take
that seat.—( (fear, heir).

Mr. Com;A:N,I calla for a show_ 9f,,lian4s fir tlle
Chairman.

Abut one third of the meeting held up their hanth.
Mr NIGIITINGALE—I call for a show -of hands against
the Chairman.

The display which immediately took place was very
large, and was followed oy tremendous cheering.
Mr. NI 011 TINGA LE the, resumed--Gentlemen, in my
progress front that end of the room to this, I oh,e,ed one
individual whom I know personally—an honest hist] Ird—
a laborious lad—l think they call hint Pat Murphy.—
(Laughter.) If Pat Murphy's in the room he'll be kind
enough to say "aye."—(" Aye, aye, aye," was immediately
responded from not less than a dozen parts of the room,
amidst shouts of laughter.) Well, working men, I'm
not to be thwarted. I beg to move that honest Pat
Murphy take the chair.--( Cheering and hisses. )
" Pat Murphy" having elbowed his way through the
crowd, was assisted on to the table by Mr. Nightingale.
His appearance excited roars of laughter. for he was one of
the dirtiest specimens of the " unwashed" that ever
was presented to a public assembly. Mr. Prentice also
ascended the table, and the proceedings were altogether
suspended for about a quarter of an hour. During this time
on the proposition of Mr. Nightingale, three cheers were
given for Mr. Stephens, three groans for Mr. Prentice,
three cheers for the National Convention, and three cheers
for Mr. Oastler. At this stage of the proceedings the
Speaker presented himself on the table, and threw Pat Mur-
phy completely into the shade, for in addition to nis sweep-
like appearance, he was in a beastly state of intoxication. He
commenced by saying, This here system of the Corn-
laws will never do a working man no good," and then went
on to talk of equal laws and equal rights, enforcing his
arguments by the most frantic gestures, and concluding
with the following threat addressed to a person just below
him, who had given vent to his feelings, " I'll put my
clogs in thy chops," a threat which he would certainly have
carried into execution had not the individual stepped efate.
A person in the crowd here exclaimed, Nghtingale
keeps a Jerry shop, and has made them two men drunk.
Down with him I"—(Great confusion. )
Mr. NIGHTINGALE—GentIemen, it necessary, in order
to conduct your proceeding,Slit a proper manner, that you
should have a chairman. You have declared by your votes
that you will have Pat Murphy. I, therefore beg to move
that be take the Chair. Hand up a chair.
A chair was handed up accordingly, which was dex-
terously seized by a gentleman on the platform and passed
out of the room, clearing away in its progress the lamp-
glasses. Two or three other chairs which reached the
platform travelled in the same direction. At length Mr.
Nightingae got p ssession of one, which he held over his
head in the must menacing attitude, as if about to
strike soma one near him. A simultaneous rush
instantly took place towards the platform, where a sharp
skirmish ensued, and several rather severe blows were ex-
changed. The Delegates were ultimately driven out of
the room, about half-past eight o'clock, and their pleees
occupied by the victorious party, who anno'need their
triumph by loud and reiterated cheers.
PAT MURPHY having now
0 undisputed possession of
the Chair, reeuestaaeach speaker might have a fair
healing.
a 4 t'e
The reporters, who had made their escape along with
the delegates, took up their position in the rear, not
wishing to return to their former situation, just below the
platform, where the most fierce part of the contest had
taken place, and where from the temper displayed by the
two parties, there was every prospect of another collision.
Mr. NIGHTINGALE said he had more than once stated
that the feelings of the people of Manchester were
nut worth the base and brutal Whigs, and he thanked G_ll
he had lived to see the day when the people weie not to
be deluded by ouch a proposition as bad been brought for..
ward to-eight, They had called this meeting, and then
said those pereptis had no right to attend -ono had not
signed the petition. He (Mr. N.) had never signed the pe-
tition, and never would. Ma object now was to move
an ameralmeet upon the resolution, for he was determine
IS. 1t leublic Meeting sent these Delegates to London no
public Meeting should return them thanks.—(" That's the
point.") Last year the hand-loom weavers signed a peti-
tion against the Corn •laws. Where were the base and
brutal Whigs then ? They were anywhere but where they
ought to have been. Mr. Curran had justly observed that
in 1819 the people of this teen and the surroundien :
_
country had been strengthened by a hireling soldiery. r
after year had the people petitioned for the repeal of these
ple to 1' ll
teoc t
.11
abominable taxes, and where were their_ rich alave:driveis
o
then ?—( Cheers- ) He wished the poo
is
simple fact—Government had it In contemplation f
t
country there were 11,0f0parisbee, and E.upp yonly
upon them a rural polio:.—(Cries of ‘ss Neseors.,o')tholn this
se2 or)i tthweored toweoauelh b parish
(esbsutthtahoey22e:ooouc sendl)d
armed men ready
to do the butchery of their blood. thirsty tyrants, who might
a rntht
wish to crush any ebullition of the popular feeling. What
did the meeting think of Mr. Leader, the Member for
Westminster, Sir W. Molesworth, the Member for Leeds,
aid 'others of ! the clique of philosophical Ridicals, who
a'eolutelyelrei,v up the People's Charter, and in order that
it might be a sort of bait to divert their attention from the
bloody rural police, and the cursed Poor-law Amendment
A}mcnte;stlayni,lel%,st•huepn tonles mtthee
cheaina r
r,eit
a v humbug ?—( Cheese. ) t the Ilehr:iWicotaitcatiolilusslcyoarinid-
He moved as an amendrneet
'hm thanks et this meeting be givea to the Delegates
of Vie N! tonal Convention, and not to the Anti-(yarn-144
Delegates.— (Great cheering.)
Mr. TONG, of Bury, siptsiAlaing the amendment, said
—These rascals, thieves, these villains behind n-e,
dq yells Viaink they ever inien led you any good? No.
These men wl o grind us down six days in the Wee
ma are ► e 'dv t ) send us to boll on the, seventh—
,Jo they think they can get 1.1; te sign petitions
I :Li: ru.deat of the Corn-lava, 9. They cannot, and why ?