The Sun.
London, England, 1837-01-24 00:00:00

with that which I conceive to be the most important ques-
tion of all, the diffusion of education among the masses—
(Cheers)—the establishing of a general systa mof education
by which we shall remove the.only objection that Sir Ro-
bert Peel himself makes against power being entrusted to
the people. I cannot help observing, that one of the
greatest vices of Government, since I have been. a public
man, has been to distruA the people.—(Hear.) To this
part of the subject I add no more ; and will therefore ad-
vert to another topic. The time is arrived when a clear
understanding must be come to with the House of Lords.
—(Loud cheering for some minutes.) It is impossible
that one House of Parliament can be allowed to stop- all
proceedings in legislation. Many remedies for this
evil have been proposed, and I am about to add another
to the number. I am disposed only to look at a tem-
porary remedy, and I think there is no difficulty in
finding- a very efficient one to which those objections
cannot be made which have been urged against several
of the schemes suggested. Let us not attempt to effect a
change unless it can be dime with safety. Great prudence
must be exercised in whatever course may be taken.
At the same time I am certain that a very considerable
"change must be made before long, otherwise we shall haste
:o submit to the domination of the few over the many.
I will only repeat, let those who are anxious to maintain a
Liberal Government be prepared at the same time to
give up each in his turn that which may interfere with their
general objects ; but let the Administration in their turn
also give .up something. Meet us and go with us. If
they do not, it is impossible the people can he satisfied.
Let his Majesty's evil advisers become convinced that
the people are not with the Administration, and away must
go Lord Melbourne.—(Hear, hear.) One of the most
objectionable measures of the last session was the putting a
penny stamp on the means of conveying information to the
people. If the Tories were to come in, whether agreeably
to their own principles or not, they undoubtedly would, for
the sake of obtaining popularity, repeal that tax. I trust,
therefore, that for the sake of their own character, as well as
for the good that may come from it, his Majesty's Ministers
will in the ensuing session do away with that objectionable
impost. As regards the county which I represent, before
I sit down, permit me to call your attention to a measure
on which I hope I shall meet with your unanimous support.
It is a measure to place the counties of England on the
same footing as the boroughs—(Cheers)—and to give the
rate-payers the power of appointing a board to manage
their own affairs. In the forthcoming session I have rea-
son to hope that I shall have the support of the Govern-
ment for carrying this measure into effect. I know that in
principle they agree with me. Give me the principle, and
I will never quarrel with them about the details. After
all the favourable expressions I have used towards his Ma-
jesty's Ministers, they must not believe that if they do not
go on with us and give to us those open questions which we
feel to be paramountly due to the public, they must not,
I say, think that we are going to do injury to them, if as
public men, bound to perform a public duty, we should feel
ourselves imperatively called on to adopt a course different
from that which they themselves might think fit to pursue.
—(The Hon. Gentleman sat down amidst the most enthu-
siastic and prolonged cheering.)
Mr. BYNG then rose and gave the health of " The Re-
formers of Middlesex." Three times three.
Mr. H. WEYMOUTH, on the part of the freeholders of
Middlesex, returned thanks.
Mr. Wm. CLAY, M.P., who was received with loud and
continued cheering, addressed the meeting as follows :—A
toast has been confided to my care which I have the sin-
cerest pleasure in proposing, and which I am confident you
will welcome with cordial approbation. I give you " Lord
Melbourne and his Majesty's Ministers."—(Loud cheers.)
I have supported, and warmly supported the present Minis-
ters, but it has been the support of one claiming, and not
unfrequently exercising, the privilege of entire indepen-
dence. I thank them for the good they have effected ; I
thank them for that which they have attempted to do, but
which they have been prevented from accomplishing.—
(Cheers.) In saying this do I speak my own sentiments
alone ?--( Hear.) No, lam certain that I do but find
voice and utterance to the feelings of this magnificent
assemblage—(Great applause)—l am sure that Ido but
express the opinions of the vast constituency I have the ho-
nour to represent. I believe that I speak the sentiments
of the far greater portion of all that is most pure in poli-
tical principle, and elevated in intelligence among the
people of this United Kingdom.—(Great applause.)
Deeply should I grieve were it otherwise.—(Hear, hear.)
I say without fear of contradiction, that in the four sessions
of the Reformed Parliament more great measures of real
and practical improvement have been passed into laws than
can be cited in any period—l will not say of equal length,
but of TEN times the length—since the Revolution of
1688.—(Cheers.) I am slow to believe, Gentlemen, that
the people of England are unmindful of these things.—
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear!") Still less do I believe that
they are or they have been, as hastily asserted to be, indif-
ferent whether the Ministry be displaced and succeeded by
a Tory Government. The people no doubt are tranquil.
The Tories have a monopoly of agitation.—(Applause and
laughter.) Indeed there is a very odd and somewhat
amusing change lately as to the region in which political
excitement exists. In my early days it was always the
people—the mob, as they are termed—who were disturbed.
It was at meetings of operatives at Spafields or Manchester
that violent language was held ; but now it is the masses
are tranquil—( Hear, hear)—and the upper classes are dis-
turbed.—(Cheers and laughter.) I protest the most tur
bulent class of the community at this moment is the Tory
Aristocracy—(Great applause)—and if at any meeting
language of a very dangerous and almost seditious kind is
used—such, for instance, as drawing the sword, civil or
otherwise, according to the discretion of the speaker,
against the constitutional power of the majority—ten to
one but it is a meeting of Tory peers, and squires, and
reverend gentlemen—(Laughter and cheers)—most of them
with two or three livings apiece.—(Much applause and
laughter.) Let, however, these well-dressed agitators not
reckon too much on the calm attitude of the people.—
(Cheering.) They are tranquil, but their tranquillity is
not indifference—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear")—it is the
repose of conscious strength—it is the slumber from which
the giant will awake refreshed--(Lone continued cheers)—
it is the pause of the mighty river, which seems to sleep
in the bosom of the lake, until it again precipitates itself
on the obstacles that oppose its onward course.—(Cheers.)
And now, gentlemen, I will conclude with the expression
of a hope, in reference to the statesmen who are the sub-
jects of our toast—a hope which I feel assured will not be
disappointed—may they never forget that their sole reliance
is on the people.—(Cheers.) This maxim should be en-
graven in their breasts—it should be written in letters of
gold on the walls of their most secret council chamber—it
should influence their every action. For us (the independent
Members of the Liberal party in the House of Commons)
our path is clear—not ignorant of the obstacles which be-
set the course of a Liberal Administration—aware that the
practical solution of every theoretical question of govern-
ment must be to a certain degree a compromise—that there
are powerful and conflicting interests to be conciliated—
fears and prejudices to be tranquillized, we ought zealously
and steadily to support his Majesty's Ministers, in the firm
reliance, that if the measures they bring forward are not in
all cases the best that could be devised—they are the best
which there is any rational prospect of carrying through.—
(Applause.) But there remains for us also another and a
higher duty. The Tories have lately taken every oppose
tunity of expounding their opinions and asserting that in
those opinions the people concur. It behoves us,—who are
unembarrassed by the trammels of office, the more clearly
and thoroughly to announce and etplain our principles, and
to take every fair opportunity of bringing under the con-
sideration of Parliament the measures which are necessary
to give those principles practical effect.—(Hear, hear.) The
toast was then drunk amid the most enthusiastic cheering.
Mr. Gesere then rose, and spoke as follows :—My Lord
and Gentlemen, I feel greatly honoured in having my name
coupled with a toast of so much dignity and importance
las that which you have just drunk. The toast, gentlemen,
is, " Shorter Parliaments, and protection to the freedom of
the suffrage." Allow me to translate this toast into my
own language, and to express the same sentiment in
phrases by which it is more commonly known—Triennial
Parliaments and vote by ballot.—(Cheers.) For if we
seek substantial and effective protection to the voter, I
know no other method by which it can be ensured. A
wide suffrage—an often-repeated suffrage—a free and dis-
interested suffrage—these are the cardinal points of every
good representative system.—(Cheers.) If ever there
was a time when it was important to us to have a House
of Commons faithful, freely chosen, and popular minded,
that time is the present. I have already had the satisfac-
tion, gentlemen, of supporting in the House of Commons a
motion for repealing the Septennial Act, and I hope soon to
enjoy the opportunity of doing so again.—(llear, hear.)
I have also laboured earnestly and assiduously to enforce
the necessity of the ballot, and it is my firm purpose to re-
peat the proposition in the Session now at hand.—(Hear,
hear, and cheers.) It is most gratifying to me to recollect
the growth and expansion of this important question dur-
ing the last few years—from an unnoticed theory, to a
mighty and overruling article of the Reformer's political
creed. I accept the past progress as an earnest of the
future.—(Hear.) I trust these two most important
questions, Ballot and Triennial Parliaments, will both be
brought forward in the next Session of Parliament, under
more favourable auspices, and with increased support.—
( Hear, hear.) I would fain also indulge another hope
concerning them. I hope that the Ministry will leave them
open questions. I hope that every Member of Parliament,
whether he belong to Government or not, will be per-
mitted when in Parliament to vote upon them as iris omit
sense of duty may dictate.—(Hear, hear, hear.) I in.
dulge in this hope, not merely from the interest which I
take ha the questious themselves, but from a deep convic.