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

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should not be a Catholic, also declare teat,
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the city keys should not be one ?—(" Heg#-414 ' ';',tr lit
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Why did not that same Conservative wisdoni i. W -- t- 4 .:
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that the honour of a Chancellor's wig shouldnat ?- 1- gtxr '--*' .4t
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and adorn the head and shoulders of a papistAlfgle.s6l:4 -......."
that the city mace should never be entrusted into iiraal-Xi7
gist's hands?—(Cheers and laughter.) But they have
another argument—oh, yes ! another argument against
conceding our. rights. They state that the format.on of
those enlarged municipal constituencies would be nothing
but the establishment and formation of normal schools
of agitation.—(Hear, hear.) What has been the result
of the refusal of our rights ? Why, the establishment
of as pretty a day school for agitation, and a parcel of as
apt scholars 'as our friends could desire, or our enemies
fear.---(Loud laughter and cheers.) Whv, we have a
whole college here (looking round upon the assenfaee,
which excited much laughter). But if I mistake not,
we are assembled here for another purpose. We ar it'3-
serubled here to express our confidence in the present Mi-
nistry--(Cheers)—a confidence in which I must unfeignedly
participate—(Heer, hear)—and yet, gentlemen, I will
proudly say that my confidence is not purchased by the
allurement of anticipated patronage from the Governmait.
—(Hear, hear.) The greatest enemies of the present
Government cannot accuse them of having shown me any
partiality. Oh ! I forget myself—the candid editor of one
of, our newspapers has made out a grave charge against
the head of the executive, because lie honoured my house
with his presence very lately. I suppose -by the time
that this fact has been surveyed by the microscopic eye of
a certain Learned Ser7e...ant, who is more remarkable for
his embellishments and adornments of phreseolorzy, than his
strict observance of truth and his correct recital of matters
of history—he will, no doubt, imagine that I have been
given some great place, and derive some very considerable
emolument under Governmentperhaps the situation of
Secretary for the Home Department.--(Laughter and
cheers.) As for my own part, I do not expect any thing
from the present Ministry, and I have never solicited a fa-
vour at their hands. The only advantage I have ever de-
rived from them is the society of my Lord Mulgrave, for
whom I entertain sentiments of the warmest regard and
friendship. Still, God forbid that my personal feelings •
should blind me to their real merits. If I did not conscien-
tiously believe that they had the interests of the country
at heart, I would not compromise the expression of my
honest opinion, no matter how close the personal ties or
connexion between us.—(Cheers.) I cannot, therefore, on
public grounds, but feel grateful to them for their most apt
and most perfect selections for the Judicial Bench.—
(Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) I cannot forget that it is
at their hands that we are about to receive the first instal-
ment of justice for our long-suffering and oppressed country.
I am sorry the Poor-law 13i11 is not more comprehensive ;
but still it is a beginning, and, in my opinion, will be found
the real panacea for the miseries which afflict our social
system. They have also brought in an excellent mea-
sure of Municipal Reform for Ireland, and it is not their
fault that we are not already enjoying the benefits of it.—
(Hear.) I will not go the length of saying that they are
the best of all possible Ministers ; but this I conscientious-
ly believe. that they are the best we ever had, or are ever
likely to have.—(Tremendous cheering.) They feel that
the time for compromise is past—they see the folly of en-
deavouring to conciliate or gain over a party, who are de-
termined to resist all overtures of concession, and rush
blindly on in their mad and wicked career. They must
see and feel that, besides the confidence reposed in them by
his present Majesty our most gracious King, they have no
other dependence but on the people.—(Cheers.) That
is their strong hold. Let them boldly rely on the people,
and by the people they will be supported.—(Enthusiastic
cheering.) But if they falter for a moment, like a woman
who hesitates and is lost, their fall will be as certain as it
will be merited and unregretted.—(Loud cheers.) I shall
not longer detain you, gentlemen, than by reading the reso-
lution which I have the honour to propose for your adop-
tion : " Resolved—That Municipal Reform has been ex-
tended, without religious distinction, to England and Scot-
land, and that the withholding of such reform from Ireland,
is, as regards the majority of the Irish people, a violation o
the Act of Emancipation, and as regards the nation in gene-
ral, a violation of the Act of Union."
Mr. J. POWER seconded the resolution.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE then came forward to propose the
fourth Resolution, but, owing to the deafening cheers by
which the Hon. Baronet was greeted, it was some time be-
fore he was suffered to proceed. He said—My Lords
and Gentlemen, it is with feelings of just pride that I feel
myself permitted to take part in the interesting proceed-
ings of this day. It has been my lot on more than one oc-
casion to address a public meeting, but at no period of my
life have I seen assembled together a body of people so
respectable, so peaceable, orderly, and well-conducted, and;
at the same time, so determined to enforce their just rights.
—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) A meeting, gentlemen, pre-
sided over by a nobleman who has hereditary claims on
the reveranceand affection of every man who is animated
by patriotic feelinrs—surrounded as he is by all that is re •
spectable and patriotic in your city—encompassed on every
side by as brave and determined, and, at the same time, as
loyal and peaceable a people as the universe can produce.
The position which he holds is alike honourable to himself,
and useful to the cause with which his illustrious name is
associated.—(Cries of Hear, • hear, and cheers.) Any one
who was not acquainted with the Irish character alight
be induced to suppose from the calumnies uttered against
it by interested persons that this great popular de-
monstration would have caused alarm and anxiety
amongst the authorities of your city, that the streets would
be barricaded, and cannon planted at every corner ; but, in-
stead of that, I see around me a great constitutional.
assemblage, 'determined peaceably, but firmly and boldly, toy
assert their just rights.—(Continued cheering.) It is a
source of additional gratification to me that the resolution
which has been entrusted to me does not need the force or
eloquence to recommend it to your attention. It is con-
nected with the all-engrossing topic of Municipal Reform ;
and, gentlemen, if there is any city in the empire more than
another which stands in need of such a measure, that city
is Dublin—for it has long been the stronghold of monopoly
and exclusion. Upon this measure I am happy to say his
Majesty's Ministers feel strongly. They have determined
to stand or fall by it ; and in supporting them with all
your energies upon it you will best contribute to keeping
them in their present places.—(Hear.) It is, Gentlemen, •
one of the most lamentable proofs of what party feeling and
bigotry will effect amongst the citizens of a free state, that a
large and influential party should be found—rather than
participate with their Roman Catholic fellow-countrymen in
the blessings of those institutions—ready to surrender them
altogether.—(Hear, and cheers.) If, however, they succeed
in their objects—if they do away altogether with Muni-
cipal Corporations, and vest their powers in the Crown,
constitutional liberty will receive a blow from which it never
will recover. This is apparent to themselves, as is evident
from the fact that several amongst the most moderate a.nd
respectable of the party have withdrawn their opposition to
it. There is a schism in the enemy's camp upon the satb-
ject.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Witness the con-
duct of Sir George Crewe, the member for Derbyshire...—
(Hear.) He seceded from his party sooner than bacrifi.ce
the interests of his country upon the altar of Conservatism.
—(Loud cheers.) Witness the speech made in the ll.,use
of Lords the other night by my Lord Wicklow, who,
much to his honour, declared that he would not he a
party to withholding from his Roman Catholic fellow-
countrymen. their just rights.—(Loud cheers.) I may be
told many Yeasons for denying the advantages of Munici-
pal institutions to Irishmen. I may be told that they will
be converted into normal schools of agitation and such

like ; but'l will tell you the true and only reason. The
true reason is the old one which has kept down the ener-
gies of Ireland for centuries, and like the shade of the apes
tree, has poisoned everything around it.—( Hear, hear.)
The true reason is, religious bigotry. It is because you arc
of a different religion from that established by the State,
that they would deny you a participation in the privileges.
which they have for centuries enjoyed exclusively.—( hear.)
The occasional occurrence of contested elections—of ro u-
nicipal elections—is the price to be paid for the enjoymentof liberty. By thorn are the waters of political ag, 'eation
prevented from becoming stagnant, and despotisv.a from
repressing the spirit of a people. - If I were to point. out any
set of men as most free from religious bigotry 1. -would say
that it. was the liberal party of this country. I myself stain
before you a living witness of it.—(Cheers.) I have lr.tely
been called upon by a large majority of an independent
borough to represent them in Parliament—( Hear)—al-
though differing in creed from, I would venture to say,
nearly every individual in them. But they know that. a
difference iu religion is nothing, and that religion is use"
but as a cloak to conceal other objects and other view& .by
many.—(Hear.)) This I will declare, that I or any o ch„
person sincerely attached to his own religion, and upiv &hog
its interests without trampling upon the rights of LI
4e pro-
fessors of another, is entitled to attachment and nor t,
enmity.—( Hear.) There are many persons here, I am
aware, of greater influence, who are about to adlro„ You.
I will not, therefore, trespass longer upon your tint 7.t.
(Cries of "Go ou.") I thank you much for your pa tient
hearing. I call upon you once more firmly to assig; the
Ministry in carrying into effect their resolve to stift • unit
to crush every measure in opposition to the great ,Fles-
tion of Municipal Reforin.—(Loud Cheers.) 11 I tat% e
read history aright—not alone the history of the 'British
I empire but of Europe—in Municipal Reform was, Y;Jertv
cradled. I call upon you, therefore, as freemen, eof to set-
render your rights—not to suffer yourself to be du peC , by the
• specious arguments of your crafty enemies, but Lirrr ly, fear-
. lessly, and unitedly, to stand by the Ministry, an
,1 enable
. them to obtain for you a full, fair, and honest mur re-
form—such a reform as has been obtained by Er gland and
• by Scotland, and of which they arc not more w ort liy than
the inhabitants of this kingdom.—(Loud cheer)') The Hon.