The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-19 00:00:00

POST-OFFICE REFORM.

PETITION presented to the HOUSE of COMMONS, by
Mr. WALLACE, on WEDNESDAY, the 13th December, 1837.
To the Honourable the Comment of the United Kingdom of Great

Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled,

The humble Petition of the undersigned Printers, Booksellers,
and Publishers,

Sheweth,
That the trade in which your Petitioners are engaged, requires
every facility of making known aid describing to the Public, the
books, literary predictions, and works of art, which it is their
business to dispose of, and that by the present great expense of
Postage they are debarred from the means they would otherwise
adopt of addressing themselves by letter to the particular quarters
for which works are calculated, in addition to advertising them in
the public papers.
That if the law for the support of the post did not prevent it,
the communication by steam-vessels would enable your petitioners
to forward letters to Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle,
Hull, and many other towns on the coast, and in the neighbour-
hood, at the rate of one shilling per thousand, and with a dispatch
nearly equal to the mail-coach ; and that, after the three principal
lines of Railroad are completed, an equally cheap mode would be
opened to your petitioners for communicating with Dublin, Belfast,
Cork, Waterford, Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Bir-
mingham, Bristol, Southampton, and all the principal towns of the
United Kingdom. _ _

That many London periodical publications are now sold with a
profit, and delivered with punctuality and dispatch in all parts of
the United Kingdom at the rate of one penny and three-halfpence
each.

That notwithstanding a newspaper weighs more than six average

letters, it is found that the penny stamp enables Government to
forward it even to Edinburgh with a considerable profit, while for
six single letters received from any part of Scotland your Peti-
tioners have to pay no less than six shillings and ninepence.
That the present exorbitant charge for the conveyance of letters
prevents the sending of orders by the pest for single publications,
and by postponing the demand often prevents the sale ; and your
Petitioners beg to state to your Honourable House, that, i■ many
eases, the postage of an order would amount to from five to ten per
cent. on the cost of a book.

That many of your Petitioners would in the regular course of

their business circulate from twenty to fifty thousand letters per
annum more than they send at present, if the charge for postage
were considerably reduced ; and your Petitioners are of opinion
that other traders would, under those circumstances, find it their
interest also to avail themselves of so secure and prompt a means

of delivering letters as the post.
That the rate of profit on all trades and manufactures is exceed-
ingly redliced of late years, which makes every charge on trade a
more important consideration.
That, in the opinion of your Petitioners, the reduction of postage
to a reasonable charge would prevent the forwarding of letters by
parcels, and would so mueh promote intercourse by letter, that the
revenue would not suffer eventually any material abatement.
Your Petitioners therefore pray, that your Honourable House
will sanction a very considerable reduction of charge, in both the
General and Twopenny Posts ; and they have no doubt that, owing
to the increase of education, the extension of commerce, and the
rapidity of intercourse resulting
amount of postage received will s

from modern improvements, the
eedily be restored to its present

standard.
Longman, Orme, and Co.
John Murray
T. and W. Boone
John Andrews
John Hatchard and Son
Samuel Highley
Bradbury and Evans
C. Roworth and Sons
C. Wisittingham, jun.
Shaw and Sons
Nuttall aid Hodgson
Vizetelly and Co.
Charles Tilt
Charles Wood
John Hill
Stewart and Murray
Chapman and Hall
Ackermann and Co.
John Hearne
John Bohn
James Moyes
Horatio Rodd
F. De Porquet and Cooper
William Wuod
Richard Watts
S. Sweet
J. Holmes
John Rider
J. and C. Adlard
Richard Baynes
John Snow
Jonathan Bagster
Jos. Capes
William Smith
Baynes and Son
E. Palmer and Son
James Dinnis
Thomas Jones
W. Houlston
Thomas Tegg and Son
Relic and Fletcher
W. H. Allen and Co.
Smith, Elder, and Co.
Harrison and Sons
J. Chappell
G. and A. Greenland
W. Walker
T. Richardson and Son
J. Cumberland
Thomas Dykes
Jos. Smith
J. L. Cox and Sons
Gilbert and flivington
H. J. Warren
Giles Balne
Ann Eccles
Darton and Harvey
J. S. Hodson
Darton and Clark

J. G. and F. Rivington
James Duncan
Simpkin Marshall, and Co.
James Ridgway
Jos. Rickerby
Henry Butterworth
Andrew Spottiswoode
R. H. Laurie
L. and G. Seeley
Seeley and Burnside
Jos. Bonsor
William Lake
Cunningham and Salmon
Thomas lbotson
C. J. Stewart
M. A. Naftali
John Leslie
James Bohn
Robson, Levey, and Co.
Jos. Lilly
Black and Armstrong
R. J. Kennett
W. Wilcockson
Rayner and Hodges
E. C. Wilson
P. P. Thorns
Sherwood and Co.
E. Grattan
John Van Voorst
Ward and Trego
George Wightman
W. Strange
B. Steill
Remnant and Edmonds
J. W. Parker
Pelham Richardson
J. and A. Arch
H. Leggatt and Co.
John Richardson
John Brooks
S. Cornish
John Haddon
Arthur Taylor
T. Teape
Charles Woodfall
James Dennett
William Watson
E. B. and G. Clarke
Samuel Hutchins
Dewick and Son
Henry Wiz
T. C. Johns
Alex. Maxwell
John Limbird
Jos. Harding
John Lepard
James Bain
Saunders and Otley
Benjamin Fellowes
Charles Knight and Co.

LAMBETH REFORM MEETING.

Last evening a public meeting of the Reformers of the
Borough of Lambeth was held at the Horns' Tavern, Ken-
nington, for the purpose of coasidering the propriety of peti-
tioning the House of Commons fur an Extension of the Fran-
chise, Vote by Ballot, and short Parliaments. At seven
o'clock Mr. TaNN was called to the Chair.

The CHAIRNIAN then proceeded to read the resolutions,
hich were received with loud cheers.

Mr. CITEEt,EMAN, in rising to propose the first resolution,
to the effect that it was unwise and unjust to legislate for a
particular class of the community, and that a preponderance of
the landed interest in the Legislature was ruinous to the hap-
piness and permanent prosperity of the country, said, that
however incompetent to the task which had been assigned to
him, he would endeavour to acquit himself of the duty as
well as possible. He agreed with the Chairman, that every
one should be prepared to do his part in shaking off the
trammels which they had too long worn, and which had been
forged upon them by the two great parties in the State.—
( Cheers.) They had met there to express their gratitude
to two gentlemen who had done great service to the
cause of Reform—he meant Lord John Russell and Mr.
Wakley.—(Cheers and laughter.) He for one did not par-
take of the gloom which Lord John's declaration had im-
parted to many, as it would excite such a whirlwind as would
blow away every agreement that had been made to render the
Reform Bill a final measure.—(Cheers.) As for Mr.
Wakley, he had done more than any other physician of the
present day ; in fact he had per formed a miracle.—( Laughter. )
Lord John Russell had said that Mr. Wakley had adminis-
tered three doses to him.—( Hear, hear.) So he had ; the
first made him uneasy on his seat ' • the second rendered him
still more so ; and the third excited him to such a state of in-
dignation, that he arose and spoke the truth.—( Cheers and
laughter.) They had been told that if they agitated at pre-
sent they would endanger the safety of the Reform Ministry.
This might be very well for those who had friends in power,
but he would ask, what connection was there between the
Whigs and the great body of Reformers ?—( Loud cheers. )
Every Reformer must admit that Vote by Ballot, Extension of
the Suffrage, and short Parliaments, were indispensable in
obtaining good government, and if the present Government
objected to these measures, he would ask what sort of Re.
formers must they be? In his opinion they were not Re-
formers at Hear, hear, and cheers.)
Mr. WaBBER briefly seconded the resolution, which being
put, was carried unanimously.
Mr. WELLFORO proposed the second resolution, to which,
when about to be put by the Chairman,
Mr. NORTHOUSI rose to move an amendment, to the effect
that, whilst the meeting were determined to support Reform,
they deprecated all divisions among Reformers, and therefore
instructed the representatives of Lambeth to pursue the
course they had hitherto followed in behalf of the people.
Mr. Northhouse had heard, upon good authority, that it was
the intention of the Government to support Vote by Ballot,
Extension of the Suffrage, and the shortening the duration
of Parliaments, although it was not their intention to bring
forward those measures.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. CLUB seconded the amendment.

Mr. Northouse's amendment was then put, when there ap-
peared but few hands in favour of it. The original resolu-
tion was then agreed to by a very great majority.
Mr. NPLEOD then proposed the third resolution.
Mr. FALL seconded the resolution.
Mr. GOLDSMITH moved an amendment on the resolution,
that the words " Universal Suffrage" should be substituted for
an extension of the elective franchise."
Mr. CARVER supported the amendment, which being put by
the Chairman, was carried by a large majority.
The resolution, as amended, was, " That a petition, signed
by the Chairman for and on behalf of the meeting, praying
for Universal Suffrage, Triennial Parliaments, and the Vote
by Ballot, he presented to the House of Commons ; and that
our representatives, Benjamin Hawes, Esq. be requested to
present it, and the Right Hon. Charles Tennyson D'Eyncourt
to support it."—Carried as amended.
Mr. AiTocao proposed the following resolution That
as the present crisis demands prompt and continuous exer-
tions on the part of the people, it is expedient to appoint a
Committee of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Lambeth, to
co-operate with any other of the metropolitan cities or bo-
roughs in forming aßritish General Association, having for
its object to obtain efficient Parliamentary Reform, with
power to add to their numbers," which being seconded by Mr.
WELFORD,

Mr. HAWEs presented himself to the meeting. He would
not be the follower of any Ministry, but was he on that