The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-30 00:00:00

urgent necessity for a .Reform in the representative
system, not only as_ it . respects our own city, but
likewise the kingdom at large, being now so gene-
rally acknowledged, the whole question being now
so fully laid open and understood, I consider it
would be a waste of time, as well as an insult to
your understanding, were I to attempt to expatiate
further on the subject. I will trespass, gentlemen,
a little upon your attention while I make a few ob-
servations upon one of the clauses of the petition just
read,—a clause, in my opinion, more important than
all the others put together; a clause in which is re-
commended that which I conceive would prove a
main remedy for the disease which we all acknow-
ledge and deplore,—l allude, gentlemen, to the vote
by ballot.—(Tremendous cheering.)—Many per-
sons, who are desirous of Reform, yet object to the
vote by ballot; they represent it as being un-Eng-
lish, and as militating against the spirit and genius
of the Constitution, for that men ought to c me
boldly forward and give their votes in an open,
fearless, and conscientious way.--(hear, hear.)—
And so they ought. But what says expetience,
which is the only unerring test by which the merit
of any system can be truly ascertained ? It tells us
that if we expect men to do so, it is forming a more
exalted opinion of human nature than she is found
to be entitled to; that it is a mere Utopian idea of
perfection which never can be realized.—(Very
great cheering.)--It has been said that Reform in
Parliament, and especially if accompanied by vote
by ballot, would tend to loosen the connexion and
weaken the attachment which subsists between the
aristocracy and the people. I put it to any rational
man—l put it to the meeting, to say whether or not,
on the contrary, vote by ballot which would tend
to keep the power of the aristocracy within those
limits prescribed by the Constitution, and which
would deter them at elections from aiming at the
exercise of more influence than they are legitimately
entitled to, would not, by allaying that discontent
which men must naturally feel when their privileges
are interfered with, increase rather than diminish
that respect and attachment which it is certainly de-
sirable the people should bear towards the aristo-
cracy.--(Much applause.)—Some persons are op-
posed to the vote by ballot on the plea that it would
hive factious demagogues more power and influence
than they now possess, for that the people would
elect them as their representatives in Parliament. It
is not improbable that, in some cases this might
occur;
hut I likewise think it equally us improbable
that, if elected once, they would be elected a second
time.—(Applause.)—l myself can see no evil, but,
on the contrary, much benefit in their being so
elected; for if one thing more than another can tend
to diminish the influence of such men, it would be
the sending them into Parliament, where they would
meet with their match and soon be brought to their
proper level. They might indeed march with a
triumphant air into the House of Commons, their
brows encircled with the laurels of popular favour,
but it would be found that there is something in the
air of St. Stephen's peculiarly unfavourable to the
health and verdure of these laurels, which would
soon cause them to droop and fade—(Applanse.)—
Many more arguments might be adduced in favour
of the ballot, the benefits arising from it may be
summed up bre few words. It would substitute
peace and order, for riot, anarchy, and bloodshed ;
industry, sobriety, and comfort, for idleness, de-
bauchery, and wretchedness.—(Cheers.) It would,
by striking at the roots of bribery and corruption,
prevent that demoralizing effect which such a vicious
systemis calculated to produce on the minds, not
only of the receiver, but of the giver of bribes.—
(Hear, hear.) It would in short tend to restore the
Constitution to that purity, and thus piornote the
happiness and prosperity of the nation at large.—
(Great applause.) We are told that it is wrong to
agitate the question of Reform at this time, because
such a discussion will tend to increase that excite-
ment which now prevails among the people. I diffrr
from that opinion, and agree with our worthy chair-
man that a meeting like the present will tend to
tranquillize the public mind, and allay, rather than
increase, the excitement now existing.—(Cheers.)
I must confess to you that I don't conceive that we
need now indulge any melancholy forebodings re-
garding our country, for I trust a brighter day is
dawning upon the land.—(Applause.) It is not,
however, because our beloved Sovereign has called
to his councils men pledged to Reform, men eminent
for their talents, their attainments, and their pa-
triotism; among which number this county has the
honour of reckoning its distinguished representative.
—(Applause.) No, this is not the ground on which
I build my hopes of future prosperity; it is because
the station is beginning to arouse itself from its le-
thargy, on this important subject, and is every day
becoming more alive to the necessity of Reform; it
is b.cause public opinion has, within these few days,
driven from the seat of his power that Minister who
dared, in defiance of that opinion, to'declare that
Reform was not necessary.—(Much cheering.)
Don't let us delude ourselves with the idea, that
because the present Ministers are pledged to effect
Reform, that therefore, to speak figuratively, " the
field is won ;" don't let us mistake the trumpet
which only sounds a charge for the trumpet of vic-
tory.—(Applause.) For, believe me, the borough-
mongers will make a determined effort to rally their
forces and maintain their position.--(Applause.)
must, therefore, be obvious that those enlightened
and patriotic men, who now have charge of the ves-
sel of state, will, in these their noble efforts, require
all the aid and support which the true lovers of their
country, and the real friends to the Constitution can
give them —(Much cheering.) They require to be
backed by the peoples voice; and, if so backed,
don't doubt that this great measure will be carried.
I move, Mr. Chairman, that the petition which has
been read, be adopted as the petition of this meet-
ing.—(The speech was received throughout with
the greatest applause; and its conclusion marked by
several enthusiastic cheers.)
THOMAS 11EYsHAM, Esq. of Carlisle, seconded the
petition.

The CHAIRMAN then put the question, when
Mr. K. ABRAHAM, surgeon, having mounted the
hustings, said stop, Mr. Chairman,--I have a fsw
words to say with respect to the present petition
—a petition in which I perceive that important re-
quisite—without which any extension of the fran-
chise would be but an increase of the means of ty-
ranny and the mischiefs arising from the intimida-
tions of power—l mean the ballot.—(Great cheer-
ing.) I cordially concur in its general import; but
there are two or three points contained in it with
which I differ. First, then, a part of the prayer
of the petition stands thus :

" That your petitioners have no wish to unnecessarily
trench upon the privileges of the resident freemen, but
that it would tend greatly to the advantage of your peti-
tioners, as well as of the city at large, if a right was vested
in tile resident householders of Wring up the freedom of
the city, in the same manner as persons claiming by birth
or apprenticeship."
Now, if I am right in the construction which I put
upon this sentence, I think it is most objectionable.
The expense of taking up the freedom under the
present system is so heavy—every one being obliged
to purchase a stamp, and pay most enormous fees,
to be divided between the Crown and the Corpora.
tion; that in almost every case the freemen are
" nude" at the expense of the candidate, generally
upon the eve of a contested election.—(Cheers.)
Now I think—

Mr. JOSEPH FERGUSON (Fisher-street.)—We do
not wish it to be done so: we merely wish that we
should be placed upon the same footing as the free-
men with regard to voting at elections.
Mr. ABRAHAM continued—l urn exceedingly glad
to find that the Committee do not mean, what the
words of the petition most certainly set forth.—
(Cheers and laughter.) What I propose is a re-
gular registration of voters, free of expense, by
which a man of ordinary fortune, or of no fortune
at all, if any thing illegal should take place, would
be able to have his case investigated, without the
expense at present attendant upon it. This altera-
tion may be made without materially altering the
petition. Another objection which I take to. the
petition is, that it does not mention a word-about