The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-18 00:00:00

38.

pathised with the working classes; and wished to unite with Mr. DUNCAN, of Edinburgh, then rose to t rap s' the
them in obtaining the great foundation of all public liberty, a fourth resolution. He was one of the two deputies that had
full representation of the people in the Legislative been sent to that meeting by the Edinburgh Radicals. in
Assembly.—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) He had been order to meet the Radicals of London. In the few minutes
sent there by nearly 400,000 persons, for although the constitu- that were allowed him he would state what the Scotch Radi-
ency that returned him, was comparatively small, that number esle thought of the present movement. -They were unaninvois
exercised their influence over their votes. He did not come, with respect to the signatures of the present petition ; they
then, in consideration of any thought so humble an indi- were unanimous that the Charter prepared by the Working
vidual might bring with him ; but, wishing to establish this Men's Association of London formed the only solid basis
principle by means of his example, that every citizen should on which their future liberties rested. They were resolved
contribute his mite towards the advancement of the public further not to place any confidence in the present
Whige—rbat
good. No man should consider how little could be done by they were traitors to liberty---( Cries of " No," and " Yes")---
his intelligence or exertion; but he should reflect that every and their whole course has been marked by imbecility.—
thing could be done by his example.—( Hear.) No man should (Cheers.) They find they have made no attempt to diminish
say that he was a drop of water in the ocean ; but he should re- the expenditure of the country, for what they required now
fleet that that ocean was composed of many drops, and without to conduct the British Government was fifty-one millions of
their adhesion the whole could not obtain form, magnitude, or money, wrung from the hard labours of the working man. The
strength.—(Cheers.) In this important crisis every man's representatives of Whiggery were content to fleece every
service was valuable, and though he could not as the engineer working man of 101. a year, and at the same time deprive
stand aloft upon the deck to direct the vessel, he could with him of a voice in the legislature. The Radicals of Edin-
the humble workmen pour the coals into the furnace that burgh were resolved further to attend at every meeting called
created the power which propelled it. Therefore he came in Scotland, and move the amendment, whatever the character
there as the representati,e of an I isle c instituency, who was of the meeting might be, of Universal Suffrage.—( Cheers. )
attached to no peculiar political section—who was independeet They were resolved further to deprecate by public re'
of Government influence, as well as the contrail of an indi- solutions, and by their sentiments expressed through
vidual, and who represented in the House of Commons his legal channels any appeal to physical force, but they were re-
own concience and his own mind.—( Much cheering.) He solved to be active, and pursue a course of agitation that would
wished to maintain the great democratic principle on which be more successful than any physical force or movement.--
was based every thing that was valuable in the Constitution ( cheers.) They were resolved, whatever might be the fate
of England, and that was comprehended in a full represen- of the National Petition in the Houses of Parliament
tation.—( Hear.) That was the right of the people according —and they trusted that it would be rejected—(
Hear,
to the abstract nature of society, for when men resigned a hear, hear)---for they believed that God infatuated
portion of their natural liberties to form into a community, in those he intended to destroy—they were resolved to del-na'd
order to obtain general protection, they did so on this condition, Universal Suffrage, Annual Parliaments, and Vote hy•Bal,;
that they should continue the operations of that community. lot.—(Cheers.) Those words were written by the national.
If that condition was not fulfilled, arid if they were obliged to voice with an iron pen, that never could be obliterated.--
submit to laws in which they had no voice, they were degraded (Cheers.) The Radicals of Scotland had resolved never
to the condition of brutes. They wore the lineaments, but did not to put their names to a petition couched in the hum-
enjoy the rights of humanity, and such was the condition of every ble language of ‘‘ We pray ;" but they were resolved
man in the country who had not a voice in the representation. to find a new entrance into the House of Commons through
—( Cheers.) The great democratic principle was the one any individual who would advocate the cause. Fifty-one millions
for which the people now struggled, and they would not were to be extracted from the working classes, and in return
struggle for it in vain—for in every contest between the they demanded their rights.—( Cheers ) The Scotch had no
people and the aristocracy, if they read the history of the confidence in either of the factions, Whig or Tory, and theY
country, they would find that the people asserted the right of had resolved, in case the petition were rejected, to get uP
governing themselves, and the aristocracy in each struggle another Petition signed by double the number, and he felt 110
were taught another lesson of humiliation.—( Hear, hear.) doubt that when that great national movement beset tLe
It was a case of the few against the many ; and if the House, Mr. Spring Rice would move the supplies, and
many would trust to themselves, and not be guided by the immediately shut up the House.—(Great Laughter.)
mind of others, they must succeed. If they ceased to walk in The Radicals of Scotland called, in that public manner, oil
the reflection of a borrowed light, which, while it encircles the Radicals of England to hold themselves in readiness to
error with a false glare, flings it shadows over truth—and if sign the petition four times during the session, and they would
they would walk in that light which was reflected from be perfectly satisfied when the signatures amounted to five
their own minds, they must in the end obtain the blessings or six millions,_( Hear, hear, and cheers.) The state of tile
of civil liberty, and in the first place that full representa- case would then be, that, on the one side, there would be
tion, which was the only means to secure it.—( Hear, 600 Whigs and Tories against from 5 to 6,000,000 of the
hear.) He cared not, comparatively considering the matter, people; and such a state of things could not by possibility last.
for the abolition of the Corn-laws—for an abolition of tithe The matter entirely depended upon the people themselves--
assessmente—for those general principles connected and inter- they were enabled to gain their ends, and might they perish if
woven with the social happiness of the people, as he did for they did not 1 The resolution called on them to wait
the means by which those principles could be effected. upon their Members ; but where was there a Member
Once give the people a complete interest in representation, from Scotland who would support their petition.—(A Person
and if they had bad laws they would have themselves to blame. in the crowd—" Wallace.") No, not even Wallace. He I'l7
—(Cheers ) Who were the parties that wished to maintain called a Radical Member, yet he had done all, both indivi-
the principles of exclusion? The Whigs as well as the To- dually and by his satellites, to prevent the petition from being
ries—( Hear, hear)—the Ministers as well as the Opposition. received in the town of Greenock. That was the
They assumed different means to oppose the extension of de- man who was prepared to establish in a Court
mocratic principles, but they pursued one end. There were three of Law that he was the lineal descendant of Sit
parties in that country—the Tories who had governed the many William Wallace, the patriot of Scotland. As for Rl':
by the will of the few for the advantage of the few—the Whigs, cal Gillon he had been all his political life so anxious to was'
who had governed the many for the advantage of the the Radicals that he had not had time to attend to anything
many, as they would tell them, but by the will of the few except the repeal of the soap-tax... 4 A laugh.) AS for
—and the Radicals, who would govern the many by the will Dennistoun and Bentinck, the members for Glaset
of the many, for the advantage of the many._( Loud cheers.) they would as soon vote for the petition as they we 11,,;
Now the Whigs and Tories equally united in denouncing for the losing of their own heads.—( A laugh.) i',.-e
the latter principle of democracy. They said the many were for the beautiful Members for Edinburgh, they acre
incapable of governing themselves, as they had not, forsooth, already afraid to face their constituents. Their Como'
sufficient intelligence to do so ; and by what train of reason- tees were afraid to call a public meeting for any Is!jr"
ing, deduced from observation or philosophy, did they draw pose, even a popular one. The public voice, so far as whir
their conclusion? Did not the obligations of British law deny gery is concerned, was extinct in Edinbur h. The resolue
its truth ? Was it a justification to any citizen to plead igno- tion he held in his hand called on themgto wait on their
ranee •f the laws? What could prevent the man who constituents. Upon his return to Edinburgh he would bare
comprehended the meaning of a statute from corn- a report to make of the response Mr.gAbercromby, an-
prehending the meaning of a Bill in its progress through Campbell. the Attorney-General, made to the call, and !°
the House ? ( Hear, hear.) No, that assumption of help him Heaven, according as that response was favourable
exclusive intelligence—that assumption to themselves of the or unfavourable they would stand or fall !He bad much
prerogative of mind, arose out of the folly and impiety of those pleasure in moving the fourth resolution :
who, while they would elevate the unit of creation would de- " 4.—That this Meeting recommend the people of the Vnitel
grade the mass, and both Tories and Whigs united in main- Kingdom to hold meetings and to appoint Deputations to rein°
taming that principle. In fact he saw little distinction between their Representatives to support and vote for the " People's Char"
them—in forms of conduct they might differ, but in principle ter," and to support the prayer of the National Petition. '
they were the same. The present position of those two parties Mr. Hums WILLIAMS, of Caermarthen, had been .ge,anet
was most ludicrous—the leader of the Ministry in the House of snO
there to assist them in the demands they were then ':f
Commons, and the leader of the Opposition, stood in the in- of their rights from the Aristocracy. The Radicals.
....
terstices as it were of the benches upon which both parties South Wales, he could assure them, were prepared to
were ranged shaking hands with one another. They would assert their rights at any time ,and in any mannerbraYi
next session, he thought, endeavour to struggle which should might be called upon by the London Committee. M. ere
draw the other to his respective bench, and he thought that force alone was a farce : unless they showed that tn.c_ss
the Honourable Baronet, the Member for Tamworth, was another force behind by their organization.—uneicsr
would evince more ph) sical power than the Noble they showed a concentration of all their energies, they novas
Lord the Secretary of State for the Home Department. In could carry their petition. A working man, alone, ;,,___,
was
mere dot, but let him when he went home convert his f 37_1_
the next Session of Parliament he would go to the House, net
workmen, get them to join him, and organise associatt :17i
to support any peculiar party, but those great principles which
and then they became formidable indeed. It was 3 ,
were comprehended in the Charter of the people's liberties.—
the Whigs had gained a great victory in Canada.—( Hear: i_
(Loud cheers.) He would support no body of men merely
That was because there was no organization amongst t"
as the servants of the Crown ; but he would support those who
were also the servants of the people.—( Cheers.) Let the insurgents—they had not waited till the proper time—theY
had been hurried forward by their leaders, foolishly, and witlicut
people do their own duty, however ; let them follow up the
being at all prepared; otherwise they would never have beee
example set them by the Irish people previous to emancipa-
tion—the example which they themselves followed, before obliged to swallow the gilded pill of tyranny, in the shape Lei
they wrung from the Aristocracy the Reform of their Lord Durham, which had been forced on them. Ile invoked tit
daring of the Radicals of London—the Radicals of South Wales
Parliament—( Hear, hear)—w hen the proud Saxon took
invoked them to lead them on in the demand now made ',-,
a lesson from the humble peasant—let them fight that moral
battle in which the people of Ireland had before triumphed their rights—they would stand by them and back them :d
—let them use the new philosophy of moral agitation any way, having thrown despair to the winds. He 'vole
conclude by addressing them in the immortal lines of that 1
—let them not attempt physical force, for when applied
to the Constitution of a country, it more frequently instead of mortal bard Byron—
re-modelling the building removed the pillars, and the whole " Freedom's battle once begun,
edifice tumbled to the earth ; let them not assemble Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son,
in the hour of night Thsuph baffled oft is ever won I", in the fastness of the moon-
tain and spew their regard fur improvement b their ~r
. al . JONES, of Northampton, said he came from a very Iff;
contempt for existing institutions ; but let them assemble in ,
iefied place, but still he could assure them that even there Inn°,
the hour of noon in crowded cities in the resence of their
working classes were determined to stand by
the worsen''
re
, p
we
rulers, and by a communion of man with man, and a combina-
classes of the other parts of the country, There were
tion of mind with mind, they would procure that full repro- five Radical Associations in the minty, and they hied
fast bacreasing. Every member of them was deter
to stand by the People's Charter and Petition.—(
sentation which should be the basis of' all free government,
and which should procure for themselves and their posterity
Mr. DOWNIE, from Stirling, said the da o fsr spou f
the blessings of education and of cheap and equal laws. y was S
ess °f
Mr. RICHAEDsoN, of Manchester, said he came forward to and the meeting had already heard so much of the progress &-
support the National Petition and the People's Charter, and radicalism in Scotland, that it was ueneessary for him tahere
he would tell them why. In the first place, he saw a great lain them. He would only say that Radicalism abounds ;0
and mighty nation, possessed of all the requisites for good ever intelligence increases.--( Hear, and loud cheery,' hich
government—a nation which had been called the envy and Ihe Associations in the part of the country from d tee
admiration of surrounding nations--degraded at home, and de- lie came were determined to stand by the Charter an oleic'
Cheers• ) t,
spised abroad. They heard of the Queen's army and navy, tletition, and they looked up to the London Radicals as
and the Queen's Courts of Law, but there was nothing be-
leaders.
longing to the nation but the national debt.—( Laughter.) The Resolution was then carried unanimously.
Now, since our rulers had given us a national debt, it was but Mr. LAYTON, of Brentford, then moved— ee this
s.—That the following eight persons be appoi:ited "' cher
fair we should have a National Petition. What was this National
Petition ? He would state the opinion of the people of Laeca- ,INlieeciettihingrst.lundiitffe with the Delegates that may be seiected
(hi); tee
shire. parts of the Kingdom to watch °v --
Charter' and P
shire. They had been long struggling fur the same National
Mr. Cleave, Mr. Irl'et"heen they are presented to Parli r gr.
Petition. In 1819, the people of Lancashire met upon the
Mr. Lovett, Mr. Vincent,
blood-stained field of Peterloo, for the very same petition.— O'Brien, Mr. Hartwell, f‘ilnrglil3()ore., and Mr. Rogers." t.,adieel!
( Loud cheers.) The people of Lancashire having already Ile had not come from ;great distance, but still the ieinci to
bled in defence of the liberty for which they were now of Brentford had sent him to sa that they were determ try.
struggling, could itbe expected they would now shrink from the stand by their Radical brethren of other rts of the_.huut a.,.,0
, -
battle? They had begun to think seriously about the matter, lie trusted that their objectsii might beg gained
...IT., an
e
and after reading Blackstone's Commentaries on the Law recourse to physical force.
Mr. MITCHELL seconded thee
of England, they were satisfied that if they could trusted that it would he tried.
not get a redress of grievances, they had a right
Mr. Reeve, of Brighton, hadmwoabtsi
eosfnuo.rree that it
gi
ht
tn,ig I.:
se w
f
le e
to arm in their defence. They had last year sent a
Radicalism in London, having been one the bs" etv
petition against the Poor-laws, which was carried away by
gentlemen in long robes and wigs, and nothing more was were btu] o g ed and ' •
kicked about at Ca he eon"
heard about it. They had resolved to petition no more, but for which -e n
he would never forgive the Whigni, whom eto "(,),
remonstrate; and some said they would not remonstrate, but der d e as bad as the Tories. He was ordered to agree bad
arm. The people had begun to arm. They were compromise, fie 0
armed.—( Hear, and cheers. )He had seen the arms. muc and he trusted none would be proposed. _ for til
hanging over their mantel-pieces. But the National Petitionpleasure in seeing a meeting of such numbers
.0 have
purpose of obtaining the same objects, which were those in 001
had come opportunely, and they would not have signed it been advocated in Calthorpe-street ; and he called uPn who
had it not demanded Universal Sufirage. If they should ow
t ,usremember that the same man was Prime Ministercr;, poor;
fail in the present instance, he would not attempt tooltfhortire-s
say what would be the consequences. The rifles would law'
Bill Home Secretary on that occasion, The tyrannlis.raition 1.,
was execrated in Sussex ; and a demo!. l_ erieul,
be loaded—that would be the next step no doubt, amid he defied theur neighbourhood of Brighton would show that tnehutiuett_
the power of any Government or of any armed Bourbon po- t al labourers detested it. !:',is constituents were deter
si. obi&
even though they lived in the
lice to put them down. It was no use to disguise the mat- Radicals,wrunisnuailsotnot a little fortified ; but the Radicals Raysl to , ...er'
ter. Secrecy was the ruin of all things. Everything would
be done openly by the people of Lancashire, ana it would most
be done constitutionally and legally. Now for the People's y
_t
c? stand by their creed.
resent was a 1
Mr; -.ARRIER. of Troubridge, said the , in
in tue vv.,- a..
Charter. They demanded it because it contained Universaltret
'auspicious day—there never was such a meetngwere
deter
Suffrage—because it gave them a voice in the choice of 14.-e_ world, for it was not a meeting of the few thousands
._ of the
presentatives—and they were justified in asking for thl,. Was
seinbled, but of all the moral wealth and ir telligcn" il the
it too much for those who produced all the food, all the whole kinFdom. There was before him a conce'ntratior! of all
clothing, all the luxuries of life, who fought all the public opinion in the kingdom worth having. lithe"' urpose'
battles of the country, to ask for a voice in the choice the Tories, had met for any sanguinary or mischievous P day.te
of their representatives ? ( Loud and oontinued cheering.) they would have said that Providence had sent the to el-
Was not the whole system of the country elective, from te sanction the meeting. Nothing was so well calculatedresent.'
parish officers, up to the Queen. Did riot the Archbishop ifiirtehea true patriot with resolution as meetings like
when he crowned the Queen, ask the people whether they spire
thc.re, were.
people were as intelligent thirty years ago as ti vl, 110
would have her for their Queen; and, as a matter of course, at present the county he came from would neyershilardett.
did not those in the Abbey sa) Yes?—( Laughter.) She s
to maintain inviolate all the rights and liberties which A ourore such an old renegade tore present them as Sir I'm elle' had goon
to ( Mr. Carrier) had been sent there in his stead. He iv
e+
established, but a corrupt Government and a base sent by thousands of men from Troubridge and Bradford,
0":,,ion•
Parliament had set their faces agaul(st, thern, and they were the right hand of fellowship to all the working classes of 1-',,. the
hurrying the Queen on to danger.— Hear.) He would nowhate": on-
state what the, people .of Lancashire were going to do. National
bceeeonverteaqiuunesutefd to inform them, that w
.. or c 1,1
Delegates thought necessary wow':
They intended on Monday next, to hold greatxilere meet- venient, the people of Troubridge and Brad i
ll' (Cheers.i!..
ing at Manchester, an aggregate meetinea— they go heart and hand, be it what it might. wed peOnt:
expected not less than 300,000 men, two-thirds of whom a
Such were the principles of the long-bemg d Sent
were fit to bear arms. He was sure they would rallyofthe who ha °the(
count of Wilts, the moon-rakers, „is br
tr.e
round the standard of real Radical Reform.—(Cheers)—that the renegade Sir F. 'Burdett to Parliament. ,i'hc for
ei
they would demand, ins voice of thunder, Universal Suffrage, Radicals had had nothing to do with that, although ae re
Annual Parliaments, Vote by Ballot, N• J Property Qualifi- would as soon see Sir F. Burgett e resentativc . ,
_,.,„
cation, and Payment of Menabers.—( Applause.) If that Methuen, or
au
other
whio. their rd p lie woutoti'e,
de in the king
should not be granted, woe to them that interposed between for a Tory to a YWhi; the same dillocee.
the people and their God. The spirit of freedom was mani- in his opinion between'anywhay. There
'Toryism'was 4
9 h t
was
iggery and ,suffrage
fence;
festing itself in every town, village, and hamlet, whether com- public rubbery and fraud. Until Universal , sewn ,_.
mercial, manufacturing, or agricultural—all breathed the obtained they would [mover be happy The arts ant hi tfs'
sume essence of liberty, and the democratic storm now would never fl • • . han" ,„ co°
flourish until they had a
blowing throughout the empire would blast and overwhelm making of the laws. He - requested -- were
c had been
the efforts the,' rusted
every petty consideration. The people would sweep away all gratulate the •'
French eople on
the spurn of aristocracy and all who opposed them ; and they making to obtain their - -rights and "i' ,nog °`
would ultimately have a Republic—(Cheers)—which was far the
the achecocive
National Guards of France would defeat t ,
from being their intention at present. lie wished to impress deepre re.) in tired
os by emancipating their country.—( -.'" ' g unites
on them the words of Addison 's Cato : f belebabbling
slot' he would urge upon them the importance 0. _
no
_,.0
" A day, an hour, of virtuous Liberty, in order to obtain their demands—let there DF' o,rievarwc
Is worth a whole eternity of bondage I ela lit Corn-laws, or Poor- Laws, or any other paltryeo" of say
Remember, 0, ney friends, the laws, the rights,
—although they were not paltry. If a man eP Sled w
The generous plan of power delivered down • be tre less,
thing shout of Uithersal Suffrage, let him
thing
prom age to age by your renowned forefathers--asked anY • res.
contempt and derision. Any men who •on OP , ~
(So dearly bought, the price of so much blood), cies" 1 toe,
was an enemy to the cause. Ile would in con .
_...g unti 4
Oh, never let it perish in your bards 1 the 1"- also).
upon them the importance of not breaking Tie had
But piously transmit it to your children.d theY
. were compelled to do so.—( Hear, hear.). L. trusted theY
the
Do thou, Great Liberty, inspire our souls,
been the advocate of moral aeitation, and By
d obtaine
And make our lives in thy possession happy, until they ha s
I would go on in peaceful agitation,
Cheers')
Or our deaths glorious in thy just defence,
' emancipation of the whole human race.-4