The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-07 00:00:00

REGISTRATION OF VOTERS BILL.

Clauses to 15 were agreed to,
Clause 16.
Lord LYNDHURST moved, as an amendment, that no
mortgagee or trustee should have power to vote out
premises, unless in the receipt of the whole rents and profits
of the same. .

Viscount •MELBOURNE °Node,' to this amendment, as
being, in his opinion, better adapted to the Fictitious Voters
Bill than the measure before the House.
After a short conversation the House divided—
For the amendment 23
Against it l6
Majority —7
The other clauses of the Bill were then agreed to, and the
House resumed. The report was ordered to be received on
Thursday next.
The Duke of WELLINGTON asked when the Bill would
come into operation?
Viscount MELBOURNE—When it had received the
Royal assent.
The Law Societies (Ireland) Biil was read a third tin e
and passed.
The House then adjourbed.

G REAT MEETING OF TILE poLl.

TICAL UNION A l' BIRMINGHAM.

( From the Morning Ado, rtiser.)
MONDAY NIGHT, SEVEN O'CLOCK.
This great meeting, which hacce: cited so general a sense`
tion throughout, not only the midland counties, but rtmotiV;
the Radical RiArmers of Great Britain, has just now termli
meted. The objects of the•meeting will he most easily define,
by reference to the following proclamati in issued by the
Council of the Birmingham Union, at which the subjoined re-
solutions were agreed to :
" This Council considering the grand demonstrations of
public (pinion which have lately been exhibited in Glasgow,
Newcastle, end other important towns and distr:cts, in see
port of the great le-inciples of Universal Suffrage, Annual P 41."
laments, Vote by Ballot, wages of attendance, and the
aboli-
tion of property qualification in Members of the House 0d
Cumulous— ixine,ples recommended by the Council, 59,
edopt d by the Union, as vitally necessary to the safety, the
libsrty, and the prosperity of the people, and ( qually wee's'
sary to the sefe:y and the glory of the Crown, which is the unity
of the people; end this Council considering that many years
of painful experience have proved that the late reform of the
Home of Cotnftons has been a mere delusion, and that,
under the present state of that House, there is no hope °f
any real or porn anent prosperity for the industrious classes:
ground doe n and oppressed, as they are, by unjust and cruel
laws, making the means small and the burdens great, ag4rs9'
disiug the rich and impoverishing the poor, crushingindustrYo
creating poverty among the people, and then depriving Pc;
serty of relief; and considering also that unless the preseie
,t :to, of the House of Commons can be changed, and:„.tae
wrongs and injuries of the millions of the people can be rectii
fled peaceful and legal means, the most fearful peliti°3..
convulsions may be apprehended to our country—convulsion
vtlich may involve all in one common ruin—and this Council
considering that, in this great and vital crisis, it is of hie
ittipo,-ta,ce that the inhabitants of Birmingham, and of th.s
midland district of England. should come foi tit intheir strengte
to in the great and holy work of peacefully and legall);
vindicating the liberty, and restoring the prosperity of theid
country, their long oppressed, misgoverned, and exasperate
country ; considering things—
'`
theslt was resolve unanimously—
, " Is'. That a general meeting of the inhabitants of Birmint
ham, and of the Midland District of England, be held in tie
fields at the foot of Holloway Head, in Birmingham, on AIOe
day, the 6th day of August next, at twelve o'clock in tie
forenoon. the chair to he taken at one o'clock precisely.
" 2d. That the Nat onal Petition, already numerously signed
in different districts of the United Kingdom, and contaio
all the great principles above auuded to, arid also the Pei:Plc;
Charter, recommended by the Working Men's Association °
London, and embodying the same principles in the form of
Bill in Parliament, be submitted to the approbation of the
meeting.
" 3d. That it be recommended to the meeting to appeint
delegates from the town of Birmingham, to conduct the pre
sentation cf the National Petition to the House of Cernmong!
and in conjunction with other delegates from different tow":
and districts, to form a General Convention of the industriet:
classes, and to conduct the legal measures necessary fer ,
purpose of carrying the objects of the National Petition int°
few.
4th. That the different towns and districts o: the Unite('
Kingdom be requested to hold public meetings of the inhabit•
ants without delay, for the purpose of obtaining signatures 'Ol
the National Petition, and also of appointing delegates fro
each town or district, notifying such appointment to the
Chairman of this meeting, until the number of delegates ar
pointed shall amount to forty-nine, which is the highest Ml°.
her allowed by law to sit as a permanent body.
" sth. That no delegate can be legally appointed by soh
Political Union, or other associated body, but that every 0;0
delegate must be appointed at a public meeting of inhabitant
generally.
"6th. That the Chairman of tire 7,feeting be instructed to
assemble the delegates in London, at such time as InaY h
necessary before the meeting of the next session of Parlianseal,
" 7th. That the owners of manufactories, iron-works, CO;
lierics, and other establishments in the neighbourhood, be re,
spectfully requested to close or suspend their works on thea,t'io
of the meeting, for the purpose of giving their workmen'.
opportunity of attending.
" Bth. That Mr. John Pierce and Mr. John Collins be apt
pointed Marshals of the Meeting, to superintend and cook;
the whole of the arrangements, and that the different bed;
of men, as they enter the town and the place of meeting'
requested to attend strictly to their directions." te4
In consequence Qt. this proclamation, which was circtlia 0
extensively throughout the kingdom, a large number of tn`g,
sent their delegates to the meeting. Amongst them wa;,-
deputation from the tradesmen of London and from Glasg°;f
all the manufacturing towns within a circuit of fifty miles
Birmingham contributing also their quota. the
Before nine o'clock this morning all the streets .9 of
neighbourhood of the Town-hall presented an a
bustle and business which had never been equalled save at
pen,
great meeting convened here whilst the Reform Bill was a
inn. At ten o'clock the Town Hall was crowded densei2reeo
every part, a meeting of the Birmingham Union having
convened previou; to the commencement of the proceecling;ho
the National Convention, the object of it being to elect
C4:uncil of the Union for the ensuing year.
MEETING AT THE TOWN HALL.
Messrs. Attwoed, Salt, and Edmunds were received, ati,ete
tering the hall, with loud cheers, as were Mr. Feargus r.
nor and the delegates from Stotland, Messrs. Purdie and M'„jj
and those from London, Dr. Wade and Messrs. Vincent 9",
ppearaneetbe
Hetherington, and Mr. Richardson, the Manchester delegare
Three groans were proposed, and emphatically given,
.• trickster Whigs and Tory tyrants."
reed the fulloaing placard,ntgV:hiteahk'hte!, Asair
id.
Fhaa
Previous to the chair bring
in Manchester, and which was received with loud and re,
bursts of applause :
" MURDER DEMANDS JUSTICE. that
" Brother Radicals,—The memorable 16th of August,
ris ver-to-be-forgotten day in M tachester, is near at hanul! "Of
we ertil upon you once more to assemble on the Plains.
Peterloo, and there prove to the perpetrators of that inbti
(liienbeeer,nofi.,uobstifsol
jrcedi,
deed that you have not forgotten, tier will you ever Wore
until Justice' has been obtained for the outrages thatuerd
committed on flea day. Shall the shrieks of the bute" argil
children—the piercing cries of the slaughtered women' tie,
tile dying groans of the murdered men, be forgotten ,bYaallf
Radical Reformers of Manchester, for peaceably and ILe'b'ael,
meetine to petition for a repeal of the infamous Cornjß
and a R tdical Reform in the representation of the poP
le
the Commons' House of Parliament ?
lie hate
" Fellow Labourers in the cause of Freedom.— epe'
oahntdaiinvieladtaismteheekrclsßeform
o tihiet -co ilsilinue-idctss csHouse? olfl tebLi'vee-o'gal
a New Pour-law Amendment Bi:1, Civ virtue of which yl.ingo
be tor from the boa tints of your wives and your little air'Pt. mss'
for thsn crime of being reduced to poverty, by a system o,„tbsC
rule, and exiled t a union workhouse : and in addition ens'
most mest abominable Act, several of our workmen have bee9,t tbo:
prted for nobly defending the rights of industry—to
CCP I:elHr Labourer; and others. mine'
Fellow Citizens,—Bestir yourselves as men deter ear
to be frt e! Arise fioin your seeming apathy, sled Yee
oppressor; see that knoehig your rights you arc deternon
ea
maintain them.
" Brother Radicals,—We (the Committee) call uP°..teYbt'

to follow the example of the immortal Hunt, car ovrigii;e
Cobbett, and other noble heroes, who have brace d t
ssies'
battle and the breeze against the iron hand of oPPre, the
and whose names will be handed down to posterity a off
greatest ornaments that society could boast of in the agc
vsir
laved.
" Brother Radicals,—We call upon you to come fg, r fob°
in defence of your rights, and support such men as ivi.„— ri,eedg'
F.elden, I', far Oldham, Mr. Feargus O'Connor, of
Mr. Thomas Attwood, of Birmingham, and other brave coo'
who are willing to lead you on to victory, legally, &coat*
quest to conquer, until you have obtained Annual Parlie etti
Universal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and, above all, no pry
qualification in the Elector or elected,
at/ ts
" A procession will be formed at the New Cross, 0,
cocci from thence to the blood-stained field of Peter,l,cooA,
ti
the evening of the 16th of August, by half.past six oeoe:
when the meeting will be addressed by several geesa es°
friendly to the cause of justice, and firm patriots in "- A
thr
of freedom.
rial
" N. B. The public arc most respectfully informed
there is a Union formed in Newell's buildings, OP thae
vase
ciples laid dcwn by the Birmingham Political Union' coel
those friendly to the cause of liberty would do well —1.060
forward and enrol themselves as members, and not ale
the old moito, Union is strength, knoWi''vepiaer
power.' A meeting is held regularly every Monday c A
at seven o'clenk. it 1"-et
Mr. FAt;LKNER having concluded reading, said tbatod
the first time he bad ever raised his voice in so 'are 0106 -
spectable an assen,bly, but he had on this occasion c
a ,„
met
miles for that purpose.—(Cheers.) Above all, he wasOP'''teo
ber of the Reform Association in that nest of Tortes,
dept/
—(Cheers.) He b gged to say the!. he had not beeli3irtal"'
by the Association, but had come as a volunteer to
ham —( Cheers.)
tbe.-
O
Mr. COLLINS, one of the marshals of the day, 001,Ait
forward, and said he had received a letter from Liaerfclere",
extract from which he would read to them, as be casrot:
to be of impartance. He then read the following eft 1859:10
Liverpool, Aug- 'l► ,:tiorn
" D. ar Sir—We have adopted the National Pe" let •tt‘
if you have got any printed copies of it, please Pilaf I' 1
bearer have a number of them, for which he wil'iritiea; for
We intend to send a delegate to ale 'National Cerivirienos ip
have likewise to present you the bet thanks of our itatie'idet
raising. the country into that dglorious state of AIF grell°to
and %i:4011-, until we obtain tl' ose rights
We ought
which it now is, arid which it is hoped' will increase mover
Eloping that our tffirts will shortly
ed itli
have be..-n dei;ri‘el of.
be
v cr°"1111f.
f
success, 4` I am, dear Sir, t'our's most -4 TO,n-
-' " CHABL°

..e::;tilisrd..eopc...u,l.tl.ielisiDN'tosettallhneensnitrseeatetid.t,iniDgh,eale.street." sl9°
the spirited
Pti
hit; e..
i'yhol arotu LtgQiiiv't.'enr.nPle7::ceitrag:t :I:: Igf:, rrtSithh/ei °:
Several
p7ve(raLowlcheers.) - I) oil
as::
0 f
)asi,
tlhbeanni noenres
tywieirceit thenv ad, i
cs I. Alat eyd
cc %iris three loa feB one et them
devi .. x•
as
6J. in Enr land:much iaro-er, I'' pia;
e ciNav 1 t froml
114
in
sibicercoi
brngcei o:
bliti:
~ ; andther b . flu
in France ; anot'ier stilt lar:rper, marked
61. "I
~dip;
eei
motto being, << 'The effects c. 7 the Corn Laws. he rn o'r
Mr. Ensultios then said That he h.,cl to inform t ed ,co
that Mr. Feargus O'Connor had been deputed"::;t ofcl'o'n&
meeting by a considerable rtis mbcr of towns—tb :itile se
was Halifax, at a public :.netting held there&

i

1.- Marshals, M
Messrs. Pierce and Collins, and attendants,.
n
seal horseback; 2. Council of the Political Union; 3. ettle
ers of the Union; 4. Gun-makers ; 5. Holloway Head Dis-
trict ; 6. Hibernian Society; 7. Silk Hatters; 8. Tailors;
9,5 r • Carpenters ; 10. Bricklayers; 11. Plasterers ; 12. Sawyers ;
Stampers and Piercers; 14. Gilt Toy-makers and Jewel-
-4; 15. BraB. ss
verd S founers ;
Platel-6workers. . Pinmakers ; 17. Plumbers and
Glaziers; lil
The second, cr Wolverhampton Division, under the care
.0.! Mr. Wilkes, proceeded up Great Hampton-street, Snow-
'ill, Great Charles-street, Congreve-street, to Edmund-street.
I.,,The third, or Walsall Division, under the care of Mr.
Jar, Taylor, proceeded up Lancaster-street, Steelhouse-
tu,e, to Colmore-row.
The fourth, or Dudley Division, under the care of Mr.
44 etc'Y Sansum, proceeded up Spring-hill, Friday-street, to
rest Charles- street.
pihe fifth' or Halesowen Division, under the care of Mr.
stree Pn
Thom so roceeded down Broad-street and Edmund-
, to Congrevi pestreet.
11 Tnrhe Sixth, or Warwick Division, under the care of Mr.
tine„.Y„A.
"Amore, proceeded along Bordesley, Digbeth, Bull-
'h eh-street
cw Alteh.street to the head or New-street.
seventh or Studley Division, under the care of Mr.
fl,,galle Horton proceeded along the Bristol-road, Horse-fair,
,brook-street, to top of Hill-street.
t be divisions were composed of the deputations from the
'''„,'",wine places •
knefi ••' • • men of Birmingham ; the
kto rst division comprised the
11, Int division consisted of the Reformers from Woblver.
1.11,,t°n, Bilston, Willenhall, Darlsston, N.Ved.rie- bury,
Cst°rorriwich, and Handsworth ; the third division con-
ticiled of the Reformers f, or Walsall, Bioxwieh,. Bteadrr,ofStuhte-
Percis4nd Erdington ; the fourth division
41(1-niers from Dudley, Tipton, Oldbury, Sinoth-
-0., and Birmingham Heath : the fifth division Consisted
h •''e Reformers from Kidderminster, Brieiley-hill, Stour-
L •
3k, Rowley, Hagley, Halesowen,Cradley, and Her-
-I.,ett, the sixth division consisted of the
_Reformers from
Len, ligten, 'Warwick, Kenilworth, Coventry, Knowle, Soli-
Iler :nsi Shirley-street ; the seventh division ccnist_cd of the
Stt,°,iireers from Worcester, Bromsgroye, Rednais I, Reddie 1.l ,
King's Norton, Northfield, and Selly Oak.
Ifni"' vast multitude and the Council of the Birminghaiart !
rlived at the p'ace of meetise shortly after one o'clock,
cf:a
i tlleb hour. the appearance of the ground was indeed one
Ittriphr,.ll,lY imposing character.. The ground formed a perfect
the ,o:Lueatee, in which 200,000 spectators could be,
..without
te' i"htsst inconvenience contained : and the hustin„s we
Ithheeptliadree:adterthat on the risit'ig ground which compassed them,
number of those assembled could hear distinctly
14.04a:strew, delivered to them. The various trades ap-
tosnhc.hed the platform, by bands of music,. adn
BS well as preceded by several.
character, and flags
keilitthseriptions and devices of a patriotic
lc
tt,ouglY beautiful in appearance- the
fiethiagerhats and advan-
platform were
oes,,Die%Positions in the immediate vicinity
from an early hour by eager an.do. anxious. thousands,
ittle; "Y the exlasnations, which they
.I.‘er,l, now and then
4 AV' evinced the ardour and enthusiasm of their feelings
ean,e for the promotion of which they had coancsregated.
,
'distance
Illeeetin, the beating of the drums, which, at
n'es e" the approach of the procession, was heard, all
hr°eßeed strained in the direction from which the soundsf
/thie;teedt and in a short time the mass of human beings o h,r.
• was composed. eared in view, incalculable in num.
occpying a space almost measureless in extent.
jatife°llld not have been less than 200,000 men in the field
Thais—llast one o'clock, at which time Mr. Muntz moved
isheAttwood Esq.. M.P. to the chair.
€C It
said,—Friends, countrymen, and brothers !
‘‘e sh.-▪ ,Zat and solemn occasion, it is hut just and right that
implore the blessing of Almighty God on our cause, st
ill order to
with mesarequest that you will take off your veva, eV repeat
ilhoUrei:L" Oh, God ! we thank thee for the many blessings
kreat bast shown to this country. We are engaged in the
riovrortkke,of obtaining the great blessings of good govern-
persle, and we implore this blessing on
iethre end this our just and
,righteous cause." ( Here
isevl.) ,esPolise Amen ; ran trough the entire
"s:ve hirn -the Chairman proceeded to say that meeting
"thath - great 103, and every just man ought to feel great joy
la eautiful sig'st.—( Cheers.) That meeting was sufficient
onl ndsiteittiguiridtib'debPoenople of England, for there was no mise
our to the country. He wished Marshal
Testtlnit been there that day_ he would then have an op-
'''. the Y of seeing how Englishmen vanquish each oth.er,
'they Yd" quite in a dill. rent way from that in which
the ;euenquererl him.—( Cheers. ) They were embarked in
ttribl St cause of obtaining their rights, and they were de-
-I.lA,tieT,l to obtain them.—( Cheers.) God had bestowed
theste,,sedelesings on the country, but Government had be-
w",ne•--(Cheers.) And, with the blessing of God,
'',Oehi.°,ll'd char, e that Government.—( Cheers.) They
e 'ange theg House‘ of Coanncns. lie had gone with
4)liteertation to Lord Melbourne some time ago, which de-
liad• consisted ef 15 representatives of Whigs, Tories, and
Lord Melbourne said that they could do nothing
",,Tell:• :luse of Commons was against them. He told Lord
.;*":otin4,ise that the people would change the House of
:111thmi —(Cheers.) He trusted th•t they should change
43-se,'S Commons- not on a little nis.ter, not with a
tlear st'uange, but vi.th a total and absolu:e change.—
)'etsr, T,hey had made some small change about seven
peo'gni . nut that ell'ange disappointed the best Lopes of
-13. e. They now, therefore, called for a total change.

Ls
•
meetin
at a Public meeting held there ; the third, at a public
g in Preston ; and also from Huddersfield, Keightly,
and Dewsbery.—( Loud cheers.) He understood that some
of those towns bad deputed Mr. O'Connor by public meet-
tr,,,
es., and ethers by associations
there, but all gave evidence
"' the universal interest ta:en in the welfare of the millions.—
( Lend cheers.)
Sabo having At eleven o'clock the Chair was taken by Mr.
Merwoon,
.a,n.d having been received with loud and continued cheerine
read the requisition, said that he would now, before
le names of the Council were read, call on the Treasurer to
Tnlale his report—( Hear)—and to show the amount cf the
_ads receivid, and how they had been applied for the benefit
Cf.the T.lnien end of the country.
Doeet.es, the Treasurer, then came forward, end said
that the statement he had to make was a brief one ; but he
trusted it would be satisfactory. It concluded the transactions
9f the five quarters which had expired since the renewal of the
:nion in the July of last rear. The total amount received
from the sale of tickets up to Saturday last was eOO/. 15s. G 1.
--(Cheers. ) The told amount of donations received op to
the satne date included the interest of the bequest of :11r.
Stator, which' was 1001.; also ‘)-11. 3s. contributed by the gun-
as Cbeering. ) He always looked on that donation
a very satisfactory one, coining from the gun-makers. There
was another also for which they must also feel grateful, it was
one of 20/. from Mr. Scholefield, who he had the pleasure to
announce to them would be with them that day on Holloway
qead. He then proceeded to say that the addition to the funds
Dr the Union, since the renewal, amounted to 213/. 19s. Id.
The amount disbursed, including the sums advanced for the ex-
penses of the day, were 529/. 13s. 10d., leaving in his
hands a balance of 185/. 6s. 9d. This was the tree-
Surer's account. He had further to inform them that
he had himself received payment for only 2,858 tickets
for the quarter. He hoped, however, that before
the quarter was over he should get payment for
no less than 8,000 tickets—(Cheers)—which would leave in
his hands a balance of 128/. Os. 11d. Some debts bad been
incurred, and were outstanding ; but he had no doubt that the
donations which they would receive would cover all those debts.
Frem these calculations he expected that they would have in
their possession, to go on with whatever agitation they pleased,
a sum of 150/. 18s.—( Cheers.) He believed it would not be
more satisfactory to the bulk of the assemblage he addressed,
than to those gentlemen who had come from a distance to see
them, and who were around him on the platform, to hear that
the greater portion of those sums had been made up by the
contributions of sixpence each from the industrious and use-
ful class before him—the working men of Birmingham.—
(Cheers.) He had now to inform them, that he had just
beard that a deputation of 10,000 men had just arrived from
Walsall.—( Cheers.) He had also to tell them, that he had
tgot a letter from a very useful Member of Parliament, Mr.
mlis, the Member for Bridport, enclosing an annual subscrip.
'on of SL—( Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to read the names of the
Council
Thomas Attwood, banker, New-street; Isaac Aaron, sur-
geon, Deritend ; Joseph Abbott, brass-founder, Suffolk-
street
; Thomas Arpinall, lamp-maker, Lower Temple-
street
; William Blaxland, draper, Ball-street; G. V. Blunt,
merchant, Charlotte-streeet ; J. H. Cutler, wire-worker,
„ew Town-row ; •R. K. Douglas, gentleman, Journal-office;
jeorge Edmonds, attorney, St. Mary's square ; Emes,
button-maker, Lionel-street ; John Evens, surgeon, Para-
jdoish e-street ; John Field, bone toy-maker, Mostly-street ;
Giles, engine-turner, Great Hampton street; William
Oa
buttrnMon, un,,Bay
C I k Ashted ; Benjamin Hadley,
g aa ,
en.makjer, ss- mottager e ; John Harlow, printer, Sum-
rilane ; William Sutton, plater, Great Charles-street ;
in 'Liar(' Hollis, gun-maker, Staniforth-street ; Joseph Holt,
iPaaner, Lea-bank ; Mr. Jennings, brass-founder, Livery-
s_reet ;F. Lurkisck, lime- merchant, Cambridge-street `;
etihtF. Muntz, merchant, Water-street ;P. H. Muntz, mer-
L. chant St. Paul's-square ; John Meredith, varnish-maker,
stye
et ; J.
ftel.strect ; John Pierce, thimble-manufacturer, Broad-
V•C. Salt, lamp-manufacturer, Edmund-street ;W.
,r Smith, factor, Gough-street ; Charles Sturge, corn-factor,
',3„?ad-street ; Wm. Trow, rope-maker, Jamaica-row ; John
iptafield, factor, Frederick-street; T. A. Attwood; John
eriluis, steel pen-maker, Bread-street; John Hawker, factor,
eT'tend ; W. D. Whitehouse, Lindley ; Charles Trucman,
tihroker, Great Barr-street ; George Horton, Dunbow,
; Ashmore,
H. button-maker, Leak-street ;
Mon C. Tounze, japanner ; T. Griffiths, Smithfield ; W.
Silly Oak, Bond Balder ; J. Hart, Harbone ; T.
jrer Deritend ; C. H. Smith ; Henry Watson ; and Tho-
:asriaker, Stafford-street; being thirty-six. Their number
fifty, so that they bad fourteen to elect. He had since had
a list of six names handed to him. The first thirty-six were
elected en masse. The first six names were put seriatim, and
carried unanimoust The Chairman remarked that they had
objection to have. one.half or one-third of the Council of
'e working classes if they chose.—( Cheers. 1 There was
another name added, which made seven newly elected, and
Which left still a deficiency of seven, which would leave it
°Pen to any member of the Union to nominate at the next
meeting such honest men who might have time to attend to
the business. Mr. Thomas Baker was then nominated, and
elected unanimously.
Immediately that the Council were elected, the meeting
.I,4"Jeurned to the Holloway Head. After the meeting at the
ushall had been concluded the various processions prc-
'seeded to the hustings t Holloway Hd-fields. The
Erst, or Birmingham divisa ion, formed atea the Town-hall,
SlugOrderceder
•

They should have it, and no mistake. No violence was want-
ing to effect it. They had been now for six years'.waiting
since that small change occurred—they had tried the tree year
after year, but they would wait no longer. They were now all
convinced that it ought to be cut down and cast into the fire.
He sought Reform, because he believed it would serve the
industrious classes. Six years had they been waiting, waiting—
they is ere now trmined to wait no longer. They had at
that meeting not alone those from all the neighbourhood, and
within twenty miles of Birmingham, but they hal deputations
from the reKtreme parts of Glasgow, and from L-eland. —( Hear.)
Their countrymen were rallying around them, and would be
led by them to greater victories. They had a right to get Uni-
versal suffrage. Their masters benefitted by keeping them in
subje.etion, but they ought no longer to endure it. They had
some honest men who were anxious to' ssist and advise them,
and who never would desert them —( Hear, hear.) They
should recollect that when they served themselvei they served
their entire country, and every class contained in it. The
tracta and manufactures of Birmingham would he bene-
fitted by the measures which they would fret passed in the
House of Commons. fie would remind them of a .saying of
a patriot now no more who said, " For a nation to be free, it
has only to will it."—( Hear, hear. ) It was his wish that
that will of the nation should be made known.--( Hear. )
That. great meeting would make it known. Let them show
him twenty such meetings as that was, and he would show
them the Government of England —( Hear.) That meeting
has of itself no right to force its opinions on the country, but
let there be twenty such meetings.--( Hear, hear.) There
should be meetings in Glasgow, Northumberland, Manchester,
Sheffield, and Liverpool. If they had meetings such as that
was in those places—meetings of men with English hearts and
English bands—he would be glad to know what Government
would resist them ? They would then put a little gentle
compulsion on them.—(Cheers and laughter.) The French
call it sweet violence.—( Laughter.) Bless them ! they
should not hurt a hair of their heads, but they should squeeze
them out of the seats they had taken possession of, and
put the people of England into them.—(Cheers.) Peti.
Iron, petition, petition l That was his advice to them.
Let then) congregate as they had that day done, in
numbers amounting to one hundred thous Ind brave men,
and if that did not do, they should bring together
2,000,000 as he promised them, that there should be 2,000,000
assembled together on next Christmas-day.—( Loud cheers.)
Yes, they should meet hand in hand together with one heart,
with one mind, with one head, with one hand, in one hour;
and shew that they could command success. But there should
be no bloodshed : far from him the guilty ambition of de-
siring bloodshed. He never would be Robespierre in his
country.—( Cheers.) There should be no blood with his con-
currence, but if their enemies should wish for blood, when
the proper time would come, then let their enemies take the
consequences on their own heads.—(Cheers.) While he
had the confidence of this country, he would never induce his
countrymen to break the law ; but woe to them who would
break the law against them. They would soon hear a nation's
petition read to them, and they would have a right to demand
what it contained. It may be thought that demand was too
strong a word, but it was a constitutional word, for when the
People's Petition for their rights was presented in the
time of William the Third, it contained the words,
"We claim, demand, and insist ;" should not the same
words be used now, when there were two millions to de-
mand their rights ? Unless they acted together they would
be weak. If the people of Birmingham met at one
time and the people of Glasgow at another time, they would
be weak. They should move with one heart, and then they
would be omnipotent. They should have delegates in London.
—( Hear.) They intended to send 49 of them who would
press their claims, and press them again if denied ; while to
enforce them there should be one grand simultaneous meeting
through England, Scotland, and Ireland.—( Cheers.) They
should have two millions meeting in England in one day, and
they should have five millions on the next day. Soon would
a Parliament chosen by them abolish the Corn-laws, and then
they would bring down food to the level of wages. They
should also abolish the money laws. The Corn-laws should
not stand a month—they should have a ploughshare drawn
over the pastures by Act of Parliament.—( Cheers and laugh-
ter.) When that great object should he attained they would
ask, if they felt that they were miserable here, to say to their
Representatives—" Set about your business." They would drive
out the House of Commons, but he would not say one word about
the House of Lords or the Crown. They would not suffer the
House of Lords to intrude on their House. He did not think they
wished to interfere with the House of Lords or the Crown,

If they did not succeed they should adopt other measures.
They all knew what a strike was—he did not mean a
strike between the employer and the workmen; but he
meant that they should have one sacred week throughout
England, during which week not a plough should be driven,
not an anvil should be stirred, until the great work was
achieved of the redress of the wrongs of the country. He
had heard it stated in the House of Commons that Ministers
bad given instructions to the Poor Law Commissioners to
consider the means by which they might compel the
labouring classes of this country to live on a coarser
description of food. His blood ran cold with horror
at the moment he heard it, as he was sure theirs
did. Had they not at present the famine price of bread,
and had they not double labour while they had double price
of food? His wish was to bring down food to a level with
wages, and to raise wages to a level with food. In doing so
they would not injure the agricultural population; but they
would have increased marts for the produce of their agri-
culture.—(Cheers.) He would read for them a letter which
he had received from an excellent friend of his, Mr. G. F.
Muntz.—(The Hon. Gentleman then read the letter, which
was an apology for the writer's absence from the meeting, and
expressed approval of its objects.) After reading the letter
the Chairman concluded, amidst loud cheers, by reading the
proclamation cf the Council, by which the meeting had been
convened.
Mr. PkilLIP HENRY MUNTZ then said, that they should now
have some real change, and not a trivial one, as they had be-
fore, of a 101. qualification, which was raised first to the same
as 181., so that at length it became equal to having no fran-
chise at all. The people, indeed, were called the canaille ;
but it was their fault if they were not attended to. He at one
time was blamed for defending the Whigs, but lie believed
now that they were indefensible. The real Minister at pre-
sent was Sir R. Peel, who had all the power without the re-
sponsibility. After some further observations, he concluded
by moving the first resolution :—" That the National Petition
now read, claiming from the justice of Parliament the unde-
niable right of Universal Suffrage, Annual Parliaments, Vote
by Ballot, Wages of Attendance, with the Abol;tion of Pro-
perty Qualification in Members of the House of Commons, is
cordialiy approved of by this meeting ; and that it be recom-
mended for signature to all the industrious classes of the
United Kingdom generally, who are requested to forward
their petitions, when signed, to Mr. Joseph Hall, at the
Journal Office, New-street, Birmingham."
The following is the petition :
" Unto the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, the Petition of the
undersigned, their suffering countrymen,
" Humbly Shea eth,
•

" That we, your petitioners, dwell in a land whose merchants are
noted for enterprise—whose manufacturers are very skilful—and whose
workmen are proverbial for their industry.
" The land itself is goodly, the soil rich, and the temperature whole-
some ; it is abundantly furnished with the materials of commerce and
trade ; it has numerous and convenient harbours; in facility of internal
communication it exceeds all others.
" For three.and-twenty years we have enjoyed a prof nod peace.
" Yet, with all these elements of national prosperity, and with every
disposition and capacity to take advantage of them, we find ourselves
overwhelmed with public and private suffering.
" We are bowed down under a load of taxes ; which, notwithstand-
ing, fall greatly short of the wants of our rulers ; our traders are trem.
bling on the verge of bankruptcy ; our workmen are starving; capital
brings no profi', and labour no remuneration ; the home of the artificer
is dentate, and the warehouse of the pawnbroker is full; the workhouse
is crowded, and the manufactory is deserted.
" We have looked on every side, we have searched diligently, in or-
der to find out time causes of a distress so sore and so long continued.
" We can discover none in nature, or in Providence.
" I leaven has dealt graciously by the people; but the foolishness of
our rulers has made the goodness of God of none t til•ct.
"Th energies of a mighty kingdom have been wasted in building up
the power of selfish and ignorant men, and its resources squandered for
their aggrandisement.
" The good of a party has been advanced to the sacrifice of the good
of the nation; the few have governed for the interest of the few;
while the interest of the many has been neglected, or insolently and
tyrannously trampled upon.
" It was the fond expectation of the people that a remedy, for the
greater part, if not for the whole, of their grievances, would be found
in the Reform Act of 1832.
" They were taught to regard that Act as a wise means to a worthy
end ; as the machinery of an improved Legislation, where the will of
the masses would be at length potential.
" They have been bitterly and basely deceived.
" The I'lllo which looked so fair to the eye has turned to dust and
ashes when gathered.
" The Reform Act has effected a transfer of power from one domi-
neering faction to another, and left the people as helpless as before.
" Our slavery has been exchanged fir an apprenticeship to liberty,
which has aggravated the painful feeling of our social degradation ; by
adding to it time sickening of still deferred hope.
" We come benne your honourable House to tell you, with all hu
minty, that this state of th'ngs must not be permitted to continue;
that it cannot long continue without very seriously endangering the
stability of the throne and the peace of the kingdom; and that if,
by God's help and all lawful and constitutional appliances, an end can
be put to it, we are fully resolved that it shall speedily come to an end.
" We tell your honourable House that the capital of the master must
no longer be deprived of its due profit; that the labour of the workman
must no longer be deprived of its due reward; that the laws which
make food dear, and ►hose which, by making money scarce, make
labour cheap, must be abolished ; that taxation must be made to
fall on property, not on industry; that the good of the many, as it
is the only legitimate end, so must it be the sole study of the
Government.

" As a preliminary essential to these and other requisite changes ; as
the means by which alone the interests of the pe,pla can be effectually
vindicated and secured, we demand that those interests be confided to
the keeping of the people.
" When the State calls for defenders, when it calls for money, no
considera'ion of poverty or ignorance can be pleaded in refusal or delay
of the call.
" Required, as we are, universally to support and to obey the laws, na.
Lure and reason entitle us to demand that in the making cf the laws, the
universal voice shall be implicitly listened to.
`- We perform the duties of freemen, we roust have the privileges of
freemen.
" We demand Universal Saline
" The suffrage, to be exempt from the corruption of the wealthy, and
the violence of the powerful, must be secret.
"The assertion of our tight necessarily involves the power of its un.
controlled exercise.
" We ask for the reality of a good, not for its semblance.
" We demand the Ballot.

" The connection between the representatives and the people, to be
beneficial, must be intimate.
- •

"The legislative and constituent powers, for correction and for in-
struction, ought to be brought into frequent contact.
" Errors, which are comparatively light when susceptible of a speedy

popular remedy, may produ.7o the mast disaFtrcars effects when permit-
ted to grow invetera!e through years of compulsory endurance.
" To public safety, as well as public confidence, frequent elections
are essential.
" We demand Annual Parliaments.
" With power to choose, and freedom in choosing, the range of our
cho'ce must be unrestricted.
" We are compelW, by the existing laws, to take for our representa-
tives men who are incapable of appreciating our difficulties, or who have
little sympathy with them ; merchants-who arc retired from trade, and
no lcmg, f.!el its harassings; proprietors of land, who are alike ignoraht
or its Vi:6011:1 their care; lawyers, by whom the honours of the Seucte
sra sotaz4lit aitronly as a means of obtaining notice in the Courts.
"The labours of a representative, who is sedulous in the discharge of
his duty, are numerous and burdensome.
" It is neither just, nor reasonable, nor safe, that they should continue
to be gratuitously rendc red.
" We demand that, in the future election of Members of your Ho.
nourable House, the approbation of the constituency shall be the sole
qualification; and that, to every representative so chosen shall be as.
signed, out of the public taxes, a fair and adequate remuneration for
the time which he is called upon to devote to the public service.
" we would most carneAly imprees on your Honourable
House, that this petition has not been dictated by any idle love of
change ; that it springs out of no inconsiderate attachment to fanciful
theories ; but that it is the result of much and long deliberation, and of
convictions, which the events of each succeeding year tend more and
more to strengthen.
" The management of this mighty kingdom has hitherto been a sub.
ject for contending factions to try their selfish experiments upon.
" We have felt the consequences in our sorrowful experience—short
glimmetings of uncertain enjoyment swallowed up by long and dark
seasons of suffering.
" If the self-government-of the people should not remove their dis-
tresses, it will at least remove their repinings.
" Universal Suffrage will, and it alone can, bring true and lasting
peace to the nation ; we firmly believe that it will also bring prosperity.
" May it, therefore, please your Honourable House to take this our
.
petition into your most serious consideration, and to use your utmost
endeavours, by all constitutional means, to have a law passed, granting
to every male of lawful age, sane mind, and unconvicted of crime, the
right of voting for Members of Parliament ; and directing all future
elections of Members of Parliament to be in the way of secret Ballot •
and ordaining that the duration of Parliament so chosen shall in no case
exceed one year ; and abolishing all property qualifications in the Mem-
bers; and providing for their due remuneration while in attendance on
their Parliamentary duties. And your petitioners," &c.
Mr. DOUGLAS seconded the resolution. He said that the
first great point of the national petition, and the first great
point for their consideration was, that every man of legal
age, who was unconvicted of crime, and of sane mind, should
have a voice, a free voice, is choosing the men who made the
laws to which every member of the community was subject,
and who had the power to impose those taxes which in a
greater or less proportion every man paid.--( Hear, hear.)
This was the first great point in the petition. The next point
secured to every man so situated the power of exercising the
right conferred by the first; that is, it gave to every man the
power of delivering his vote—.the power of doing that freely
which was conferred by the first—the Vote byßallot.—( Hear,
and loud cheers.) The next point in the petition was Annual
Parliament which would give to every elector full and fre-
quent opportunities (if his Representative failed to perform
his duty) to call him to account for his negligence.—( Hear,
hear, and cheers.) The next point was the qualification of
him to vote for whom the others gave the power, and the
highest required for the representative was their' perfect
confidence in him. —( Hear, hear, and loud cheers.) The
next point was—they went for a fair remuneration for their
labours, and why not, therefore, remunerate those whom they
employed, and give to those who gave up their time, their
labour, and their intelligence to the service, a fair remunera-
tion and a fair return for the time and labour thus bestowed ?
—( Hear and cheers.) Those were the points of the petition
—those were the things for which they called, and which,
with their assistance, and the aid of God's providence, they
were determined to have.—( Loud cheers.) If God created a
good and productive soil, it was the Divine inteation that
people should be fed from it—if he gave intelligence and ca-
pacity for labour, it was his intention that the thews and
sinews and the exercise of intelligence thus given should be
remunerated.--( Cheers.) If with his finger lie banked our
shores with magnificent and convenient harbours, it was hisin-
tention that they should be employed for the happiness of our
inhabitatits.—( Cheers.) If then they looked and found that
none of those issues resulted from those benefits—if they found
that the men who ought to be comfortable and happy were neither
comfortable nor happy—if they found that the masters were
borne down by rivalry with each other, and that those men,
who, by the labour and sweat of their brow,
from morning to night, instead of earning food, had earned
starvation—( Hear, hear)--if they found clogs and stops in the
way of were employed
that free interchange of interests which should link
society into one connected chain of brotherhood—if they saw
bad laws every where marring and endangering what God lied
given as a good, then they were bound to go, and they went
to the root of the matter, and sought to alter such a system
—( Hear, hear, hear)—if they proved that Englishmen
with all their facilities for enjoyment, must be miser-
able and poor, hungry and naked, then he would tell
them what he would say, .‘ Go down on your knees, 'and be
patient in your suffering ;" but if he proved that by taking
off the loads with which they were burthened. and by having
the people framing laws for themselves, and by taking out
of th'e hands of the factious the power- they had abused,
and turned against the people for their own purposes, and
if he proved that by doing so God's decrees, which had
gone forth, would be carried into effect, then he would
prove that for which lie contended.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.")
He did not contend for that liberty, which, in the abstract,
merely had a name; he could :Ante, however, that even in
the abstract it still was sweet, and with the fact that one day
of liberty was worth an age of bondage. Would any one
tell him that the journeyman mechanic, who had a head ca-
pable of constructing the most delicate piece of mechanism,
of arguing with his master, of discussing his opinions in his
club, and of managing all the functions of a man—would
any one tell him that such men were not as capable of re-
turning to Parliament such representatives as Messrs. Attwood
and Scholefield, as if they possessed 10/. houses?—(Great
cheering.) Mr. Murphy, whom he was sorry he did not see
there to-day, had told the men of Glasgow, the other day, a
story of the great Franklin. It was, that if he had an ass of
the value of ten dollars, and a purse with 30 dollars its it ; and
if the question of a property of 40 dollars arose to give privi-
lege of voting, and if he went to a market and lost the purse,
and if the ass died, he would like to know if the franchise was
in him or in his ass?—( Hear.)

Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, M. P., in supporting the resolution, said
that so little did he see in the conduct of Parliament which
concerned the public or the people of Birmingham, that he
might as well be at home for half his time.—(lear.) Let
them look to the enormity which had recently occurred of
giving a million to the Irish Church, as coolly as any one
present would throw away an old hat, and without any claim
to it, or for any reason, but that there was scarcely a
Member of Parliament who had not a relation in the
Church.--( Hear, hear ) They gave it, therefore, to the
Clergy, and not to religion. Let them look also to the
time occupied in discussing whether Mr. Turton was a pro.
per person to be sent to Canada. What did they care whe-
ther he was in Canada or in the sea ? Look also to the time
expended as to the propriety of the appointment of one Irish
Magistrate—this was absolutely shameful. Look also to
the conduct of Parliament on the Pension List, where a
lady's pension was continued although she had recently been
left a fortune of 120,000/ , and her husband had 18,0001., a
year. Let them look to the 500/. a year continued to a Mr.
Holmes, a young man in college, which was continued for
the life of his father, who had done nothing but injury to the
country—but the same was the cases in hundreds of other in-
stances —( Hear, hear.) The pension of 25,000/. a year was
continued to the King of Hanover. It was infamous to con-
tinue such asy stein—in fact the last Parliament was not worse
than the present. What was the reason why the Corn-laws
still existed? Because the repeal would take from the rentals
of the rich. For the more the poor had to pay for bread, the
more the rich would put in their pockets. But if they would
not repeal the Corn-laws, let them have a property tax—that
would be but fair. But such a proposition would not be lis-
tened to—it was laughed at. All was nonsense which affected
the pockets of the rich, and there was no hope for a contrary
system till they had a better representation. Let them be
united, and peaceably and lawfully strive for this, and they
would doubtless obtain their end.—( Loud cries of " Hear.")
He cordially supported the petition, and would do so, in and
out of Parliament. so long as he had health to sustain him.
Mr. l'Eanut7s O'CONNOR said that when he saw the wealth,
strength, and the power and virtue of the people before him,
he recognised this meeting as the signing, sealing, and de-
livering of the great moral covenant which had been this day
ratified by the people.—(Cheers.) He was proud that Bir-
mingham, which six years since had given the poison of which
they complained, was now ready to supply the antidote.—
( Great cheering.) The Whigs had hoisted of their Municipal
Act, and of the information they had obtained ; but at what
expense had it been procured ?—( Hear.) Let them thus see
what they had gained by sustaining a weak Government,
whilst there was an irresponsible Government behind, the
more powerful
of the two.—( H. ar. ) Thus they had been
obliged to have recourse to Commissions on education and
prisons, bibles and potatoes—( A laugh)—Commissions on
blacks and whites, in order to create a secondary patronage.
an isnperium ua 'imperio, in the country.—( Hear, hear.)
They had arraignA the Lords as the cause of their
in-
ability to carry out the Reform Bill, and they asked the
people to back them against the Lords ; but the people Wu,
not ask for the Coercion Bill—for the New Poor-law—they
did not ask th-m to grind the white slaves to death, whilst
they g.'ve 20 millions to liberate the black. They did not ask
them to add two Bishops to the House of Lords, or to empty
the Exchequer in filling the pockets of the rich. The Whigs
bad told the people that the Lords were the only obstacle
and barrier against their rights, and their buffoons went
through the country talking of one hundred and seventy old
women in pantaloons; but what had been the result? Ma-
hornet could not go to the mountain, but the mountain went
to Mahomet ; and when the Lords would not surrender up
theirprivileges to the 10/. houses, then it was sail that the
10/. houses would be better cooks for the future, and would
render the dish so agreeable to their palates, that they could
not but assent to it—( Hear.)--and they had ass3nted to it;
and since then there had been no more truckling to the
Lords, for in proportion as the people had lost their poser
that of the Whirrs had increased, and had been thrown into
the hands of the Lords. It had been complained that the
Whigs could not do justice to the people while the Bishops
were in the House of Lords—he wished for their removal
sense of the nation on the question, they bad taken the and
found it favourable to their removal ; but how had their demand
been answered ?a—by the creation of two new Bishops.—
( Hear, hear.) This was reform. He stood there as the re-
presentative of Leeds, Halifax, Keightley; Dewsbury, and
Preston—of beyond three millions of men, with determined
minds and stalwart arms.—(Cliers.) He had a moral and a
political creed—his moral creed was, Do to others as you
would wish to be done by."—( Hear.) His political creed was )
6' a good day's wages for a fair day's wark."—( Loud cheers.)
He did not seek to traffic with the wealth of others, but he