The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-15 00:00:00

THE. SUN, LON DON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1837.

on a subject for which he had often been leup,hed at and
abused. They could not carry on the affairs of such en
Association without that which in, such cases was the
sinews of war—money, and he therefore recommended
them to establish a Justice Rent, or a Reform Rent,
throughout the whole of England.—(Loud and repeated
cheering.) If only a million of men subscribed a shilling
e-year each—arid what man, he would ask, was worthy of
liberty who refused to subscribe less than a farthing a week
to obtain it ?—(Laughter and cheers)—this would pro-
duce the sum of 50,000/. a-y ar, which they would find
serviceable.—( hear, hear.) .Let them find, as he was sure
they might, some good honest Birmingham man, who
would follow out this idea, and the Tories would soon find
they had been reckoning without their host, and that the
money they had been subscribing for Election Petitions
was of no use.—(Cheers.) He wanted no violent change,
no force, and, above all, no bloodshed ; but he wished the
people to go on in their demands for further reform. Lord
John Russell told them the other day—and grieved he was
to bear the declaration—that, in confereing political power, he
heddesignedly given the agricultural population a preference
over the manufacturing population of large towns. lie
(Mr. O'Connell)contended, that if a preference were to he
given it ought to lime been on the other side, on account
of the superior intelligence which they had derived from
means placed it, ithin the reach of the persons congregating
together in masses, and who therefore became more alke to
their political wants. Let the men of Birmingham then
arouse—let them meet Lot' John upon that declaration,
and tell Lim that they were at any rate as worthy of b sing
intrusted with political power as the clodpoles, and in the
mass even more so. Let them insist upon their liberty, and
they would not fail in obtaining it.—( Loud applause.) He
should to-morrow be once more in his beloved country, and
he would tell his countrymen that he had addressed the men
of Birmingham in the language of common sense, and that
they had listened to him; that they felt a deep sympathy for
1r land, and he trusted he might add, that for her sake they
would her. after give to Whigs a preference over Tories.
This statement would indeed delight the heart of every
Irishman, who now stood tremblingly alive to his critical
position—fearing every moment lest the Tories should
return to power—have the appointment of the Magistracy,
and again plant their envenomed fangs in the vitals of the
people.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and cheers.) Let
Englishmen remember that in all their battles for Reform—
whether Parliamentary or Municipal—that in every mea-
sure for increasing the franchise, or lessening the burdens of
the people of England—lrishman had always been at their
vile,—(Loud cheers.) Let not honest Enelish Reformers
deceive themselves by imagining that it was the same
to Ireland whether Whigs or Tories were in office—
let them throw them overboard if they pleased, and
have nothing more to do with them, but do not deceive
them.—( Hear, hear.) There was but one way to act with
Toryism—keep the door shut.—(Laughter and cheers.)
Keep the wolves outside-es-true, those inside might be
sheepish enough—(A laugh)—but at any rate the sheep
was better than the wolf.—(Cheers.) He called upon
them to make this distinction—the Whigs were bad for
England, but they had some mitigating qualities when Ire-
land was considered, but the Tories were bad for England,
bad for Scotland, and bad for Ireland.—(Loud cries of
" hear.") He was obliged to them for the kindness they
had now shown him, but it would be doubly gratifying if on
his return he found they had determined that neither Whig
nor Tory should swindle them out of their rights, but that
England must and would have justice and further reforms.
Mr. O'Connell resumed his seat amid loud and very ge-
neral cheering.
The Rev. T. M. MWONNELL then rose, and again read
the resolution of thanks which he had moved at the com-
mencement of the proceedings.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. P. H. MUNTZ.
Previous to the motion being put from the Chair,
Messrs. HADLEY, SALT, and Muenrz, severally ad-
dressed the meeting, complaining of the declaration made
on the first night of the session by Lord John Russell,
against all further Reform. They entirely coincided with
Mr. O'Connell as to tha necessity of agitating throughout
the country, but expressed their belief that nothing was to
be hoped from the present Ministry ; and that it was
impossible that they could much longer remain in office,
in consequence of the very general want of confidence
which they had themselves creaied.
Mr. O'CONNELL, in explanation, said he deprecated the
speech of Lord John Russell against further reform as
strongly as any man could do, and he was not there to pro-
pose any vote of confidence in the present Administration ;
on the contrary, he wished the people, by their union and
determination, to force the Ministry to go forward in the
work of Reform ; and this, he felt confident, they might
easily do. Ile had nut said the Whig Ministry was a good
one—on the contrary, he had said it was a had one—but
be insisted that the Tories were worse. Whenever, by the
organization and firmness of the people, they were prepared
to put io and maintain a better Administration than the
present, he would say, with all his heart, Turn them out ;
but until that time arrived, be warned them not to tisk the
return of the 'furies to power, who would again let louse
the Orange murderer in Ireland.
The resolution was then put by the Chairman to the
Meeting, and carried amid loud acelametions ; after which
three cheers were given for Mr. O'Com,ell, vvho imme-
diately left the Hall to proceed on his route to Ireland.