The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-12 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 12, 1831.

REPRESENTATION OF LEEDS.

We mentioned in our last that Mr. T. B. Ma-
caulay was considered by many influential and jodi-
cious persons in this town as eminently qualified to
rvresent the borough of Leeds in the Reformed
Parliament, along with our esteemed townsman, Mr.
John Marshall. The name of that gentleman had
been mentioned to the " Leeds Association," and
received by them with much favour, as all that was
known of his poll-ical principles coincided with their
own, and there could not he two opinions with re-
gard to his intellectual qualifications. They thought
it prudent, however, respectfully to request of Mr.
Macaulay that he would favour them with his opi-
nions on the several points contained in the follow-
ing resolution, which forms the basis of the Asso-
ciation :

" That the principles ,by which the Association shall be
guided are, such a Reform of the representative system (in-
cluding the vote by ballot) as shall rescue the electors from
corrupt influence, ar.d identify the House of Commons
with the interests of the people—reduction of taxation,
with rigorous economy in the public expenditure—extinc-
tion of all monopolks—the total abolition of Colonial
Slavery, and non-interference with the internal affairs of
Foreign States."

The Chairman having written to Slr. Macaulay,
that gentleman returned an answer, which gave full
and cordial satisfaction to every member of the
Association. The following is Mr. Macaulay's letter :

" London, Sept. 9, IS3I.

" My DEAR have received your communica-
tion, and 1 thank you most cordially for the friendly and
courteous manner in which it is expressed.
" With respect to the mitigaiion of public burdens, the
abolition of slavery, and the principles which ought to re-
gulate our intercourse with Foreign States, toy opinions
strictly coincide with those which are professed by the As-
sociation. lam decidedly opposed to all monopolies, and
in particular to that great monopoly, which will in a few
months come under the consideration of Parliament—the
monopoly of the East India Company. A free trade with
China, and a fundamental change in the Corn Laws will
be, I hope and believe, among the earliest fruits of the Re-
form Bill.

"My opinions on the subject of Parliamentary Reform
I have avowed in the House of Commons. They are un-
changed, and, I believe, unchangeable. But on the sub-
ject of the ballot I have never yet expressed my sentiments
publicly. In fact, till lately, my opinions on that subject
have been in a fluctuating state : and I can even yet
scarcely venture to say that they are absolutely fixed. I
‘vili however lay them before you with perfect sincerity ;
thou2ll they are, I fear, too moderate to please either party.
"Most of the arguments which are urged against the
ballot I consider as fallacies. Greatly as I revere the in-
tellectual powers of some of the Statesmen who use those
arguments, they have not convinced me that there is any-
thing in secret voting inconsistent with rectitude and
manly spirit. I have never been able to understand why
it bbotild be considered as more un-English in an elector to
vote in secret, under the protection of the ballot, than to
vote against his conscience for want of the protection of
the ballot.

" The objections to this mode of voting seem to me to
be slight; its advantages, on the other hand, to be obvious
and considerable. It would clearly diminish the expenses
of elections. It would, at least in large constituent bodies,
extinguish corruption. It would protect the voter from
ejectments like those of the Duke of Newcastle on the one
band, and from outrages like those of the mob of Wigan on
the other.

"I am therefore favourable to the ballot. Yet I can-
not but remember that this is a question which has but
very recently begun to excite general attention. This is a
question on which I have the misfortune to differ from
many of the most virtuous anti enlightened public men in
England, from the majority of the Parliamentary supporters
of the Reform Bill, and from almost every Member of the
Cabinet by which that Bill has been brought forward. It
is, therefore, I think, a question which ought to be treated
in a mild and tolerant spirit—a question which ought
rather to be left to work its way by force of reason and by
the progress of time, than to be violently hurried forward,
at the risk of disuniting those sincere Reformers on whose
hearty union the sa'ety of the State depends.
" 1 do not, indeed, consider this point as by any means
so important as the other points to which reference is
made in the fourth resolution of the Association. I think
secret suffrage desirable; but I do not think it essential to
good government. And I am firmly persuaded that the
great measure now in progress through Parliament will,
by its indirect operation, mitigate or remove many of those
evils ugainst which the ballot is, in the opinion of many
most respectable persons, the only security.
"In short, lam a supporter of the ballot. But Ido
not consider the question of the ballot as one of those vital
questions which ought to be pressed forward at all risks,
and which draw impassable lines of distinction between
p irties.
" Permit me again to assure you of the grateful sense
which I entertain of your personal kindness towards myself,
and of the pleasure which your favourable opinion of my
public conduct has given to me.
" Believe me, my dear Sir,
" Your most faithful servant,
" To G. Rawson, Esq." " T. B. MACULAY.
The Association immediately determined, without
a dissenting voice, that Mr. Macaulay's splendid
and diversified talents and his excellent public prin-
ciples eminently fitted him to represent the borough
of Leeds in Parliament, and that a requisition should
immediately be prepared and signed, requesting him
to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate at
the first election for this place. 'We may add, that
the two requisitions to Mr. John Marshall and Mr.
Macaulay will be immediately handed round for sig-
natures; and we trust every sincere Reformer in
the borough, who desires to see Leeds represented
by two men of high chariicter, excellent talents, and
sound and liberal principles, will affix his signature.
—Leeds Me; curt'.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.

A most oppressive combination has been for some
time carried on by the large proprietors of Padding-
ton stages for the destruction of the small ones.—
Several of the latter have been ruined by the course
thus pursued, and if means be not taken to coun-
teract the efforts of the former, the real %%ill be, as
it was some time ago, under the dominion of the
greatest blackguards in the metropolis.
several times during the last week complaints
were made to the LORD MAYOR by the proprietors
who are suffering from the combination. Numbers
of gentlemen also waited upon his Lordship, and
stated that the conduct of the cads and drivers who
work upon the offensive system was most base, and
that the language they were in the habit of using
was most indecent.

The intention of the larger proprietors, as was
mentioned to his Lordship, is to drive the smaller
ones off the road, so as ultimately to obtain posses-
session of the whole business, and then to impose
such terms upon the public as they think fit. To
effect this purpose a certain number of proprietors
have joined together, and engaged a coach on their
joint account, bearing the name cf the person whom
they hire to put their plan into execution ; and that
plan is that this coach shall take the lead of the one
whose owner is marked out for destruction, stopping
as he stops, moving on as he moves, keeping always
a few yards in advance, with a view to pick up the
passengers, and preventing him by various means
from his getting his fair share of the public patro-
nage. In some instances the way of entrance into
the coach of the smaller proprietor is completely
blocked up by the adverse party; and as the public
are not aware of the treachery, and naturally look to
heir own ease, the unfortunate victim often drives
for hours without gating the value of a feed for
Iris horses.

Mr. Brown, the Marshal, wa: perfectly aware of
!he system, and had advised those who were daily

sustaining injury to indict the large coach-owners
fore onspiracy.
The LORD MAYOR had himself observed the
conduct of one person who drove a stage. As he
was walking along the street he saw this driver,
~..those name is Bolton, and who had been often be-
fore here for similar conduct, drive right across the
door of the omnibus, evidently for the purpose of
preventing passengers from getting in. He (the
Lord Mayor) took care to have Bolton summoned
before him ; but what was his surprise when Bolton,
after hearing the evidence given by the officers and
others who witnessed the transaction, declared that
the complaining party was altogether in the wrong ;
that he (Bolton) was the sufferer, and that lie had
t wenty witnesses to swear to it. The witnesses al-
luded to were actually in the Justice-room, and stood
forward to swear, " but (said the Lord Mayor) I
told Bolton that I should like to hear the gentlemen
whom he wished to call, as I happened to witness
the whole transaction myself. Oh, if that's the
case,' said he,' I shu'n't trouble your Lordship with
my witnesses,' and he paid the fine which I inflicted
at once."—(A laugh.)
A gentleman who constantly travels on the Pad-
dington•road slated, that to his knowledge nine of
she small coach-masters had been totally ruined by
-conspiracy, and, although fines had been inflicted
repeatedly, the system continued in full force.
The small proprietors have published hand-bilk,
stating that the public can easily see that John
Williams, the proprietor of a single coach, is the
present of of attack, and it is expected that, as
soon as they shall have finished off Williams, two
widows with large families will be subjected to this
cruel persecution.
The LORD MAYOR desired that the officers would
use their utmost vigilance, and declared that he would
inflict the highest penalty in future upon those who
committed obstructions such as has been described.

If evidence of a conspiracy could be produced, it
would of course be advisable in the sufferers to in-
dict, but he thought the discrimination of the public,
who hated oppression, might, as soon as the sys-
tem was properly exposed, be depended upon as
the most. effectual remedy.
THE SPANISH REITGEES.—Mr. nobler received

the following note, upon which it is unnecessary to
make any comment, from Mr. Williams, the pro-
prietor of the beef-shop in the Old Bailey :
" 4, ad Bailey, Ludgate-hill.—Friday morning.
" L. W. Williams presents his compliments to Mr.
llobler, and begs to inform him that should those unfortu-
nate refugees, spoken of in the newspapers, not have
been provided for, they shall be welcome to a dinner every
(by, Sundays excepted, until something ie done for them,
upon their bringing on the first occasion Mr. Hobler's card
to the dining rooms, as above."