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

PUBLIC MEETING.

DEFEAT OF THE WHIGS.
(From the Edinburgh Advertiser, a Tory paper.)
Yesterday a public meeting of the inhabitmits of
Edinburgh, called by the Lord Provost, on requisition,
"for the purpose of addressing her Majesty in sup-
port of the pineiples on which her Ministers have
hithert. conducted tho administration of Ireland,"
was held in the large Waterloo Room, at three o'clock.
Half an hour previous to that time, a considerable
portion of the audience had collected ; and a large
force of police and constabulary were in attendance,
but notwithstanding the stormy character of the meet-
ing, their sem ices were not. required. The room
being at length completely crammed with a miscella-
neous assemblage of Chartists, Ministerialists, and
neutrals, the concoctors of the demonstration, proceeded,
amidst much eenfusion and clamour to take their seats on
the hustings. Among those who entered the room at
this t me were the Lord Provost, Sir James Gibson
Craie-, Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Sir John Robison,
Sir James Spittal, Bailies Richardson and Starks, Ex-
Treasurer M'Laren, Ex-13ailies Miller and Crooks,
Bailie Hill, Portsburgh, Councillors D. Watson and
John Rtehie ; Robert Thomson, Esq., Thomas Mait-
land, Esq., James Crawford, Esq., and. James Men-
crieff, Esq., advocates, Colonel Mayne, John Veitch,
Esq., Leith, Sze.
Sir J. G. CRAIG moved that the Lord Provost be
requested to take the ehair..(Cheers, hisses, groans,
and continued uproar.)
Mr. FRASER. rose in the middle of the room amidst
cries of " Down," " Put him out," groans, and com-

motion.
The LORD PROVOST—Gentlemen, I thank you
for—

Mr. FansEß—My Lord Provost—(Continued con-
fusion, during which the Lord Provost and Mr. Fraser
both continued to address the meeting, as appeared from
their gesticulation ; but not one word of what either said
was audible.)
Sir T. D. LAUDER—Hear Mr. Fraser, certainly.
Mr. FRASER—My Lord Provost and gentlemen, I
mean to move an amendment.—( Hisses, followed by
cheers, which were emphatically repeated.) I am ap-
pointed en the part of a large body of the Radicals of
Edinburgh to move that the Chairman—(Renewed
confusion.) The Lord Provost at the last two meet-
ings—on the Corn-laws and on the Ballot—in conjunc-
tion with his party acted a most unfair—(Cheers and
hisses)—a most. disgraceful part.—(Cheers and uproar.)
We have no confidence in the Lord Provost.—(Cheers,
cries of " Oh," and renewed tumult.) The conduct
of him and his party was such on those occasions as has
given us warrant to believe that we shall not meet with
impartiality.—(A cry, " You have nothing to do with
it ;" cheers, groans, and clamour.) We are opposed
to uproar and confusion ; and all we wish to know is,
whether, by a show of hands, it is the desire of the
meeting to put the Lord Provost in the chair, or to put
Mr. Robert Douglas, whom shall nominate—(Great
uproar)—at the request of a Committee having the
confidence of a large portion of the citizens—the Radi-
cal citizens of Edinburgh. If the majority of the
meeting be in favour of the Lord Provost, we are ready
to submit ; and I presume the gentlemen there will be
as ready to submit as we arc to the decision of this
meeting. As no Chairman is yet appointed, I propose
that the gentleman who has nominated the Lord Pro-
vost shall take a show of hands 'for his Lordship first,
and declare the result--and that I shall take a show
of hands for Mr. Douglas on the other hand. I be-
seech our friends to behave themselves peaceably ; all
we want is a simple honest expression of opinion, with-
out the disagreeable noise which has characterised this
meeting since it commenced. With the consent, then,
of the gentlemen on the platform, and with the consent
of the meeting, I shall take a show of hands for the
Chairman I propose, Mr. Robert Douglas.—(Renewed
clamour.)

A show of hands was according taken for Mr.
Douglas, to whose pretensions a large proportion (we
should think a decided majority) seemed favourable.
Sir J. G. CRAlG.—Gentlemen—(Groans, hisses, and
confusion)—Gentlemen, I do humbly—(Howls and
groans)—l do humbly submit that this is a proposal
diametrically opposite—(Great clamour, in the midst of
which Mr. Fraser held some by-talk with certain Mi-
nisterialists near him but not a syllable was audible.)
Sir J. G. Craig, after waiting to be heard, amidst cries
of " Down !" and unremitting uproar, at length resumed
his seat.

Mr. FRASER then attempted to address the meeting.
He called for silence, which, however, was not ob-
tained ; and he cried out that unless his proposition
were accepted he should move that Mr. Douglas take
the chair.

Si:• J. G. CRAIG rose again amidst confusion, which,
however, was somewhat modified. He said, protesting, as
I do, against the motion now proposed to be put, as de-
rogatory to the dignity of this meeting—(Lau ;titer,
hisses, cheers, groans, and commotion)—in order to put
an end to the noise and tumult I propose that the vote
be taken, and I again move that the Lord Provost he
requested to take the chair.—( Loud cheering, intermin-
gled with groaning, and succeeded by hissing.)
A show of hands was accordingly taken ; and a consi-
derable proportion of the meeting also appeared to sup-
port the Lord Provost.—(Cries of " three to one," " ten
to one," and tremendous noise.

Sir J. G. CRAIG said—Gentlemen, I am put in the
disagreeable situation of being called on to declare with
whom the majority rests—whether with the Lord Pro-

cost or with Mr. Douglas. I have no hesitation in say-
ing, that a very decided majority is in favour of the
Lord Provost. (Cheers, cries of "No, no ;" " show of
hats," groans and confusion.)
Mr. FRASER—My impression is that we had the ma-
jority. But I shall admit this, that I think the ma-
jority was not exceedingly great, and I will not ask you
to displace the Lord Provost frotn the chair ; but think-
ing we had the majority I will make a fair proposition,
that we will allow his Lordship to be in the chair, if you
will allow our chairman also to preside. {Great commo-
tion and laughter.) Thus the meeting would have two
chairmen.—( Laughter.) We had the majority I
believe, and I can't, in the position in which lam
placed, do otherwise than insist that either our chair-
man shall be in the chair, or that, supposing the number
of the supporters of each somewhat equal, you should
allow our chairman to go and take his seat.—(Cheers,
laughter, and renewed confusion.)
Sir J. G. CRAIG rose amidst cries of " Show of hats."
_ _

He said—it was expressly stated—(renewed interrup-
tion)—l was called upon to say who had the majority,
that gentleman declaring that whoever was declared by
me, they would be satisfied. Now I call upon him to fulfil
his pledge.—(Renewed commotion.)
Mr. FRASER—No, Sir ; I have as good a right as
you to decide who has the majority. I have proposed
that there shall be two chairmen, and I maintain that

---
this a fair proposition.—( Hisses, cheers, groans, cry of
"Go to the Calton Hill with your chairmen," and
clamours.)
Sir J. G. CRAIG—I was called on to declare the
majority, and was told that whoever was declared by
me to have the majority, the other party would agree,
as was stated by the gentleman. He has broken the

pledge upon which—(Renewed uproar.)
The Hon. Mr. ERSKINE MURRAY rose at the upper
end of the room, attempted to speak, and was under-
stood to call for another show of hats. He was
greeted with a fresh burst of clamour, and was peppered
by a man near the central of the room with a series of
questions, of which the effect, as far as their import
could be gathered, was whether Mr. Murray had a
house in Edinburgh—whether he was entitled as such
to speak there, or represent the city as a delegate else-
where. "It seems to me," Mr. Murray WSS heard at
length to say ; but the storm was again renewed ;
halooing, groaning, howling, hissing, and clamour of
every variety continued until— •

Mr. FRASER rose again and said, amidst some►bat
subdued commotion, that he would state what had

been agreed on by him and his friends before they
came to the meeting. They had resolved that if the
balance were so near that neither party could claim a
large majority, they should propose that both the chair-
men nominated should preside—(Cries of " No, no,"
and confuson.) Could there be anything more fair ?
" We will not insult you (he continued) as you have
insulted us, by sa3inp• that it is beneath our dignity for
your chairman, the Lord Provost, to preside over this
meeting. The intelligent labouring men here are as
worthy of respect and honour as you who use such lan-
guage—(Cheers and confusion)—language disgracful to
Sir J. G. Craig as a gentleman.—(Cry " I3e quiet, Sir.")
If my proposition be rejected, I will stand here insist-
ing on the right of the chairman whom I have nomi-
nated."—(Cheers and renewed commotion.)
A man in a white coat and red cravat, said, from
the centre, My Lord, I just say this ; let's have fair
play.—(Laughter, cheers, and confusion.)
Sir JAMES SPITTAL rose and spoke a few words
which were inaudible amidst the tempest of noise.
Mr. FRASER, however, raised his voice above the
storm, and said, Sir James Spittal intimates, that unless
you allow the Lord Provost to take the chair, the
meeting will be dissolved. We are not to be juggled
by these men.—(Great confusion.) We know what
is due to ourselves and our principles ; and we will not
adjourn.

Mr. CRAWFORD, Advocate, begged to submit that
this meeting, having been convened for a great pub-
lic purpose—(Confusion, hisses, groans, and cheers)—
should not be adjourned.—(Hisses and commotion). I
say that, if this meeting be adjourned, any set of men
may come here and kick up a riot, and procure an ad-

_ .
journinent.—(Commotion). We should not adjourn,
since, there is for the Lord Provost a majority of good
and loyal subjects.—(Continued clamour).
. _.

A GENTLEMAN said, in consequence of hats having
been held up, doubts seemed to be felt as to who had
the majority ; and he moved that the vote be again
taken for the Lord Provost.—(Cry, " Single hands.")
A show was accordingly taken for the Lord Provost,
with the same result as on the former occasion.—(Great
confusion ensued).
Mrk FRASER was understood to say that some of his
friend! had mistaken the object of the vote.
_ _

Mr. TnomsoN GoilvoN—My Lord Provost—