The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-22 00:00:00

SOUTHMARK ELECTION.

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I Last evening a meeting was held of the Southwark Reform
I ilasociation, in the London Bridge Hotel.
At eight o'clock .the Chair was taken by EMMANUFL
Loorea, Ese.
ts , who said they had assembled to 'leer from Mr.
aavey whether he was vet in the position of eepreseetative for
the borough of Southwark; and if the answer should be in the
-negatiee, to consider what steps it behoved them to take in order
to secure his re-election. Ile for one was eel fectly satisfied
with Mr. Harvey's conduct—(Applau,e)—and if it were
necessary, would do all in his power to forward so desirable an
end. Ire would not detain tee meeting; as they must be all
, anxious to hear the Hon. Gentleman—he was assured he might
me, worthy candidate.
Mr. Weaver then rose and was rec ived with cheers. He
said, although all present were pretty nearly as well acquainted
with the facts whidi had led to the decision of that day, it
might probably
tier. At e be as well that they were stated in a brief man-
through :le expiration of last Session the Government,
Lord John Russsull, in a very kind and handsome man-
11e '', made him an offer of a situation, to which he wa• not
disinclined to listen ; but before he stated the qualified circum-
stances under which he had listened to the offer, he would state
,th•at some months previously an overture had been made to
nla by the Foreign Secretary of state, giving him the
offer of a consular appointment in the United States. lie had
never concealed either from his private or political friends,
that in consequence of the persecution to which he had had been
Subjected he was inclined to listen to any overture to accept an
honourable situation, one of usefulness to his country,
which was adequately rewarded ; but at the same time
he had always been determined he would accept of
no office which should under any circumstances prevent him
from acting, as he had always hitherto done, conscientiously._
(Cheers.) He had always determined to accept of no office
that would prevent, in the slightest degree, the free exercise of
his judgment, or would render it in any way necessary for him
to conceal his opinion upon any subject.—(Cheers.) Though
he was offered the Consulship of Boston, with a reversion of
the Consul-Generalship at 'New York , which would have been one
: Of honor and emolument, yet he declined the offer because the ac-
, eepting of it would have separated him from his political con-
nections and friends—and he also felt that it yas not a situa-
tints which coriespunded with his pretensions as the re-
Presentative of the borough of Southwark. When tl.e
other office was offered he was the very first to guard,
1• M the most cautious manner, again.t his acceptam e of
' it being considered as th , slightest tye tipun his free '
sexPression of opinion, or that because he accepted
tette Once, therefore he was to be compelled to support
ere essrnment. Lord J. Russell at •nce, and in the most hand-
tone manner, replied that the office was not a political one, nor
0.1 it enjoin any political obligation. At the moment it was
offered he was not without apprehension that his acceptance of
the office might be involved in legal difficulties—not from any
apprehension of appealing to his constituents, but that he knew
hat every point would be strained against him.—( Hear,
hear.) He therefore at once told Lord John Russell
that if the place were tenable with his seat, and the duties not
Positively uninviting of themselves, he would accept it, and
that he would at once apply to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
for
the Chiltern Hundreds, so that his constituents should
have the power to say whether he had done right or wrong.—
(Cheers.) He applied to the Attorney-Genera', who told
hint (and repeated it in a letter to Lord J. Russell) that the
office did not come within the statute of Anne, and that, there-
'ore, there was no necessity fora new election. Notwithstanding
that opinion, as there was doubt upon the point, he at once de-
clared to Lord John Russell that until the point was settled he
would do the duties of the office, but that he would accept of no
salary.
It might very reasonably be asked why he had
having
the office with those doubts hanging about it, and
accepted it, why did he resign it without facing his con-
gauents. As to the resignation of the office, uninviting as it
a, in et erecter, though useful as a matter of metro-
te,"tan police, he at once frankly owned that, considering
e had been in Parliament for twenty years, and the more espe-
cially as the representative of the great constituency of South-
wark, and having taken no slight part in the discussions SAfilell
the whole of that time delivered his opinions with freedom and
sMeerity ; and looking at the complexion of the public men of
th -
present day, he did not conceal from himself that if he was en-
titled to any office at all, he was entitled to a higher one than
tdhat of the mere Registrar of Hackney Carriages and Cab-
riv,ers•—( Cheers and laughter.) Then, why did he accept it
at all ? They were not unaware of the persevering persecutions
7hich for a number of years he had suffered from the legal pre-
"'ion—they had not only deprived him of the opportunity of
establishing himself at the bar, but for a great number of
Years the party had been trying all means to establish an
al)tnion that no Government dared give him office, and,
therefore, he was determined to take any office what-
ever ?!' that would not degrade him and his constituents.
ad he been as certain of the result as he then was, acting
Upon that feeling he would have pursued exactly the same course
,he had done, because he deemed the waste of six months in
he public service without reward, which six months, might
9hive been more pleasantly spent in recruiting his health
5n deciding upon some thousands of coach and cabmen's
ain's, as of no moment when compared with the higher
object he had in view. The question had been brought
before the House, but he would ask had it been done in a
Pure and honourable spirit ?—( Laughter.) Had it been so Ile
ould not have cared for the inconvenience he had been put to.
But he had no hesitation in saying, that it did not originate in
any such pure spirit.—(Cheers.) He had enumerated many
!a, saes the other evening to the House, in which he had shown
`in t many members of the House had accepted office
uoth during the last and the present Session, yet they
retained their seats, and nothing was said on the matter. As
One instance of great reward with little labour, he would give
them that of Sir H. Parnell. He was in one well-paid office,
one in which the country was entitled to his whole time, yet he
Was appointed one of a Commission to enquire into the
.working of our fiscal duties in the departments of Cus-
toms and , Excise. This was said to be an Honorary
Commission. The Members of Parliament, on which were
not to receive any pay. Sir Henry was receiving pay for ano-
ther office, which, demanded all his time, yet he was put on a
'Commission, in which it was to be presumed there would be
Considerable labour—he was a hired servant of the public, who
Paid him. Well, 2,0001. was voted for this Commission, of
Which he took his share, and still retained his scat.—
:(Loud cries of Hear, hear.) No notice whatever was taken of
this case, either from pure love of regularity, or any other pure
tnotive.—(Cheers.) He had accepted the office upon the ex-
Prass understanding that he was to receive no salary, yet they
t a to him that they would force him to take the salary now,
, 'ante that having accepted the office, he had accepted
'• t With all its contingencies. Again there were the cases
te Air. Hodges, the Member for Rochester, one of the
~,, ist Men in the House, and of M. Shaw Lefevre, who
Weas closely connected with the Government. 'They
el'? Put into a Commission to inquire into the highways. They
mire
not be paid for it, but they were both largely interested
I)litneid: and of course, though their labours might be very. be-
lle
--.44 and necess ar still they of course were deely mhtaed-
rested in all highways and byeways, and the effect the
tru the county-rate, and the manner in which the peor s-rate
acrected their interest, all this of course was interesting to themb:
hedaw, according to the decision of that day, were to -
to all indiscriminately, then Hodges had as much lost
his e
-ate as Harvey had done, for taking a hard-working office,
andno reward. Then take the case of Mr. Wynn himself. It
sPared that ever since the year 1796 he had been in possession
disome office—a steward, or constable, or something of Den:
gh—where he had small pay, great honour, and political
tvrintages and no duties. Though in London the people
je(ield upon him as merely Mr. Wynn, it was very different
f'', tne county, there the ignorant vassals would clear the way
w-i. the High Steward much in the fashion those he addressed
ould do to her Majesty when issuing from the marble gate
:7. her Palace. The office was one very useful to the Wynn
1:14:1!1.), and accordingly they were not long in nosing it for
.ee Y not yet of
togge, because Mr. Wynn would be very angry if
.:.7.Y.orie were say he was more than sixty-two years of age,
u-ng he had filled the office for forty- three years. Well, it ap-
Pelesred that he held the office quietly through the reign of
s, e, 111. Now upon the demise of the Crown all places fall
tlavinell are held during pleasure ; accordingly, his office of
reeeward ceased. There were fees to be paid upon a
eeneveal, and theress was- -also a, heavy stamp' duty,
the Air. w,,,
- eares seir nothing of these, and he goes on filling
le..eifiee without any legal right, through as reigns of George
at
and William IV% ' 'There was Mr. Wynn creeping and
it Teing round thelreaiery yearly for his 401.--(Laughter)
r_ri. very moment that feu was yearly cheating the Revenue.
res • forty Tearsa•iientl and' this eminent and disinterested
upwards
coon eman does nothing but receive 1,6001. of the people's
man
for doing nothing but for nearly forty years cheat-
ring the Revenue of its dues.—(Loud laughter.) The
esentQte en came to the Throne and down again goes Mr.
thLYan to the Treasury for his 401., and it was to th credit of
cesstriesertit Government that they said, " Why your office has
coms,--ue4.low your patent; it is not quite sure that, you can
l'eneya th in the office, therefore we cannot pay you. But ha
'new at SPring Rice was Chancellos of the Exeheraier—he
men
tte.ihmatt they had formerly sat on the same benches,
therefot e to use a common expression,
evengea'' his late protegees " It was all right."—(Laughter.)
knew "Pring Rice was Chancellor of the Exchequer, and he
, that had the cases been reversed that he would have been
e_alt right," and therefore the place was at once promised to
i e n Mtinued, but at the same time it was necessary that there
s .snould be a new patent. In the mean time he had been elected,
(land be
that the office would vacate his seat, and send him
wren. lain amon 1 'by h cuspocu- in the Heme-
lgstiis vassals, some o
et he ets the deed ante-dated before the election—fraudu-
!ntle ;„
fli,, to law, and not creditably in fact. But it was in the
ei—se of Commons as it was in our Courts of Law—in that
"se there was one decision for a party man, and another for
t:e Who had co party but the people.—(Cheers.) Had he
Hen married to the tenth cousin of some Noble Lord or
h nnourable Gentleman belonging to the Cabinet, or
Lad he even been connected with one who could not
have claimed such a legitimate relationship with any of them,
they would have found the adherents of Government sum-
Noned to defeat Mr. Wynn, though it was even doubtful
Whether that pure-minded gentleman would, under such cir-
cumstances, have brought it forward. The Attorney-General
t • anxiously and carefully looked through the Statute of Anne, and
he office in question did not come at all within its provisions.
• ehad been told that day, that had he voted once or twice
against the Government, hat in the morning he might have
r,eie,_.eived a note from Lord J. Russell, stating that the duties of
..7.
e Office were too much for his health, and that, in considera-
rn thereof, he had exonerated him from performing them any
oenger. His answer was, that he would like to see the Secretary
w, Mate who would dare to act so under such circumstances. He
,seas. anito certain that Lord John Russell was incapable of doing
ei but it seemed that such was still to be the Tory plan, be-
lns° they were his informants that day. It was an office
eeated
r, ay a Ref P ormed arliastentwith du—an office not of
Of ''''",n, but ef the people, ties attached
h an arduous nature. If the result of his case
it.ould be
not that the Person accepting office should be
te'squalified, but that in all cases he should be sent back to his
moettnatti ttui,e. ets for their approbation, lie would not for one me-
he, "lnk of the personal inconvenience, and he trusted that
jelate constituents would not care fur their share of the trouble
tablishing so very principle.—(Cheers.)
ile.—( Cheers. )
Those •important a pie s
lie, "ho agreed with him in thinking that the Par-
e. -ents were too 1 nes would—all who thought with
;in', that every one --,whes took office, or who at
a" that
ttient touched the public money should face his consti-f
sue, s would—rejoice with him in the establishment Rio
courseu principle in his person.—(Cheers.) That was tae
cidee lie fully intended to have pursued had it been de-
, that it was competent fur him to hold both the office arid
eleseat. It was most gratifying to him, that notwithstanding
jourinnaa,nifold villanies of the Press, that not one of the London
It ie.,. a had expressed one word against his fitness for office.
organs s true some of the most base and violent of the Tory
(A;_ens had attacked other parties for the paltriness of the
o“totcofvs,.icli was given him—that was the meanness et' others,
Lee
eenim ; and it was indeed gratifying that not one of them
het fur said one word against his fitness for any situation.
0 the trouble thrown upon his constituents, he would
ky be_
frele, en glad of the decision the House had come to—his
iieiZsts of mortification at the result did not arise from any per-
eenst homey,
but he regretted the trouble thrown upon his
its e heennY, the greater part of whom he knew to be engaged
..._.,..re heavy but also very useful occupations. He trusted,
ni,s. ever, that those who thought with him chat Parliaments
St Int to be shorter in their duration, would not be displeased
ebisaaving an opportunity of again exercising the elective fran-
r, -• He would give a short history as far as he knew of the
s •fie,ceeedings of the Committee. They met for the first time on
ae'eauV:i•aYe and only five member; were present nut of the 15 ; they
• ,sse the various euestiens that - ere to come before them,
I resolved them
into five, anu then sent • hem te
the remainder of
...._