The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-16 00:00:00

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the people be led away too far oven by feelings, which
were in themselVes just end creditable, much less by
blind and vulgar prejndiees. He would not sub-
e.tribe to an unqualified declaration against all payment
on account of public services. It was to the paymen►
of sinecurists he objected, and to pensions which ex
reeded the services on account of which they were al-
lowed, Where salaries were no more than adequate to
the services performed, be could not believe that the
people of England would not he as willing to pay
the public as a private servant, and on the same
principle, that the " laboUrer is worthy of his hire." The
resolution which he had to propose declared that all who
paid taxes and parochial rates had a right to suffrage. It
also called for short Perliaments--(From the crowd,
" How short ?"—to which we understood Mr. Hohhouse
to reply, " Triennial Parliaments") and expressed the
opinion of the country, that no Reform would be useful
which did not provide that the vote should be taken by
ballot.—(lmmense cheering, and waving of hats for
several minutes in all parts of the meeting.) On the
subject of the ballot, concerning which, whatever might
have been bin opinions, he bad always been at least un-
prejudiced ; it was now his conviction, that the people
could effect, by means of it, every thing which they de-
sired, and that without it they could do nothing.--
(Cheers.) But be thought that some time ought to be al-
lowed to the Administration to take their measures respect-
ing the mode in which Reform was to be effected. They
most know that they depend upon the confidence of the
people. They must know that without securing that con-
fidenve they cannot govern the country. In conclusion,
be thanked the meeting for the attention with which they
had heard him, not only respecting the business of the
day, but in defending himself against the groundless im-
putations which had been cast upon him.—Mr. H. then
lead the resolution.

Mr. Wannuwrox considered the last proposition
which had been submitted to the meeting, one of great
importance. The ballot vastly exceeded every other mea-
sure of Reform which could be proposed. Under that
view of the subject ire had thought it his duty, as a Mem-
ber of Parliament, to give notice of a motion to come be-
fore the House on the 15th of Febrnary next. Ample
proef wins furnished in the popular towns and in counties,
that the mere increase of the number of votes would afford
no security against corruption. In the towns where the
number of electors amounted to more than 5,000, tune-
moue corruption prevailed notwithstanding. The honest
voters polled first, and when a great majority had voted,
if the eandidates stood nearly equal on the poll, a small
number held back, in order to obtain the highest possible
price on account of the importance of their votes. In
suela a town suppose that 2,000 voters bad polled on each
side, the inducement to corruption, and the influence of
money and patronage bscame as strong as if the electors
were only one thousand in number. In Liverpool there
existed a club, the members of which subscribed large sums
of money to bear Ministerial candidates for that town
through contested elections. But those persons took core
to obtain good interest for their money. For, on the suc-
cess of the Minister, they seemed that the patronage of
the Gov, rnment should be doled out among themselves.
The ballot .would put an end to all that ; and he (Mr. W.)
hoped, that if be should ever again have the pleasure of
meeting the freeholders of Middlesex, be would be able to
congraulate them upon their haring obtained the ballot, if
not through him, through his Majesty's Ministers, in whom
le Was disposed to place much confidence.
The resolution having been read by the Sheriff,
Mr. WA KLItY rune forward amidst loud ebeering. Ile
eaid that he rose for the purpose of pointing out to the
meeting a vitally important variation between the resolu-
tion which bad been read by the Sheriffs, and that which
hail been submitted by the Hon. Member for Middlesex.
The latter, whirls had received the sanction of the meet-
ing, and of which he heartily approved, appeared to him
(Mr. Wakley) to declare that the right of suffrage ought
to be extended to all who paid rates and taxes. But that
whirls the Sheriff had read, was so worded as to confine,
the: right to householders, which he (Mr. W.) called
brides and mortar representation. As the Hon. Mender
for Wetentinster (Mr. Hohhouse) had said that he (Mr.
Hoblemse) would be judged by his own conduct, he
(Mr. W.) hoped that the lion. Gentleman had not de-
parted from the principle of universal suffrage, which he
had often heard him advocate. He wished the resolution
to be read as Mr. Ifollhouse had read it.
Mr. Ilosnousx said, that be had often declared that he
was ant lousier, Eo universal suffrage,—(Heer, heat.) Ile
then read the resolution, which he said bail been put into
his heed by the Committee. A few weeds of explanation,
which we could not hear distinctly, pissed between him
arid Mr. Walley, but which we believe to be to the effect
skit the resolution claimed the rights of suffrage for house-
holders paying rates and taxes, and not fur ail persons pay-
ing them.
Mr. Witeeee said that lion. Gentleman behind
him (Mr flume, we believe), for whom, and for whine
piddle cineltust he had the greatest respect, appealed to hiss
not to destroy the unanimity of the meeting, He (Mr.
Vtralthe) lead no wish to do so, but he would claim for
himself the right, which he would always insist upon for
Tethers to express him assent to, or his dissent from, any
measure in whirls he was called on to commie It was great
folly for oleo to giutrrel, and to injure one another, on sic-
connt el' difference of opinioen As a phrenologiese he,
could take upon bins to pronounce, that such quarrelling
was very foolish.' The brains of men are differently formed.
Irepreseilens from without do not make on ill men the
same iniptesehms %titbit]. It was as absurd to quarrel
with a mew about difference of opinion, as about inf.
Terence of 1105e5.--(1-aughter.) He would give every man
credit fur sincerity in his polities' opinions but the sine-
cueist, who, on the subject of Reform, was a partial judge,
looking to the probable effect of such a measure upon his
own pocket. From such a man the truth could never he
gist.,---(Closete.) Ile dill not wish to propou'any amends
ment ; lest, unless the evolution was changed, by expung-
ieg, the word " householders," and substituting "ail per-
eons," he should move MI Amendment. That meetSng
had been .ivowedly assembled in consequence of what bad
occurred in the agriculturel districts, whereby the country
secniCri iu danger of being deluged with blood. The la-
bouring classes of Englend were then suffering in a state of
miseey and privation which was Raid to be far worse tliau
that of the West Jodie slaves. Yet, while they were call.
in for the abolition of slavery in the colonica, they were, by
that resolution; prepariug for its establishment at borne.
(Sir F. Burdett coming in et this moment) Mr. Watley re-
joSee.l that he should new have the support of both Mem-
bers for Westminster on the subject of universal suffrage.
—(Cheers.) The Committee bed explained to the meet
ing, ilia they had, by logical reasoning, traced the
caose of the unparalleled distress of the agricultural la-
pourers to the corruption of the House of Commons, and
that they had discovered the remedy in such a Reform as
welds! make that House the. Representative of the people.
He supposed from that reading that they included the sere.
cultorel labourers in the people.—(Some one on the hest-
hoes said " supposed that the person who wait!
" rut" must he a Lord ; for ;some Lords had the funniest
notions, in the world about slits people.--(Laughter.)—
Whenever the question of Reform was discussed, gentle-
men were willing to extend the right of vote to houses ;
but when it was urged that men ought to be represented,
the reply was dust the labourers were stupid end ignorant.
Those persons first passed laws to prevent the labourers
from acquiring knoveleditt, and then turned round upon
them, and said that their tgriorenceunfittati them for civil
rights. They prohibit the sale, at it less price than six-
pence, of arty newspaper discussing Matters relating to the
Church or State—they were very careful of the Church—
(Laughter)—.,,,d if such a paper were not stamped, it was
ordered to be of a prescribed ;loather of inches. Time
they measured out the quantities of intelleet they would
allow to the people.—(Great cheering.)—The Act of
Perliament had beers peeled specifically to put down a ar-
ight twopenny poislication. —(Checrs.)-13ut getalemeri
eels° abject to that mode of measuring intellect seid that all
the evils of the country would be removed by extending
the right of voting to intellect, which they proposed!
to uteusiste by hollers. Did they mean that the people
were necessarily stupid—thet they were begotten in a
pecult.ar marince?—(Laughter.)—When the people were
celled on to fight for the right's of others, epithets of eulogy
were heaped upon them. ;They were tine bravest., the
nattiest; the most honest, and the most intelligent polite
its the world. But when they cams forward to struggler
for their own right*, no epithet was too zeintumacioue to
be applied to thent,—(Cheete.) They were stow pressed
to the earth with distress& The coulee was forced to
work all day to the utmost endurance of Isis strength, awl
when Ise returned to Ilia miserable home at night, his only
grat!fieation was to hear the cries and witness the starva-
tioti of hie children. The remedy proposed its the rests.
Wiese before the meeting was to extend the franchise to
Iseueetddere. That Clue of people was now all on the
*hie of the lalsourere, whom the present measure would
deetive et that support. If the labourers could uOt nosy
eistein their rights, whets thrteeeere supported by all the
,ailer chows of the conutrunity, how should they obSein
diem whew four-fifths of the real of the people would be
detached from their cause ? Ile had said that the proposed
riie44ure tended to carifiria elovery at Louie; and wino,
h„ weeel ask, distinguielted time freeman from the slave,
bet the right of :telt% government? The retrolution, N.*
put Eraser the 1:11 would seetrt tompreve of deprivieg
die ieberiosse pas t of the people for ever from thee right.
fit anprered el: the resolution, as tar as the ballot was