The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-26 00:00:00

pollution that had overrun the whole city—a pollu-
tion only to be exceeded by the effrontery of the
Member who had come forward and stated himsi If
innocent of all that was done, as he who has carried
away the purse denies the robbery.—( Loud cheers.)
On this, as well as on ail political subjects, the rre-
sent Lord Chancellor was deservedly looked up to
as a great authority ; " but," continued the Learned
Doctor, " this I know, flow a personal conversation
with him, that his mind has been much shaken by
the discoveries of the people on this subject. Only
three days before he accepted his present high office
I had a conversation with -him, and he then said
I shall henceforward be an advocate of Radical
Reform:—(Cheers.) To which I replied, That
by which we Radical Reformers test the honesty of
man, is by the ballot, for they are the only Radical
Reformers who are ready to remove the voters from
the influence of hope and fear, so that they may
be able to discharge their duty without fear of pu-
nishment, or expectation of ret' ard.' His answer
to this was, ' If I cannot support the vote by ballot,
or go to universal suffrage, at all events I would
support a plan which should give every house-
holder an opportunity of freely exerci-ing his opi-
nion.' I'o this my answer was, 'So far so good
And I have an opportunity of knowing that within
these few days his Lordship has said, that to the
question of the ballot he is indifferent."—(Ap-
plauae.)—The Learned Doctor then went on to re-
mark, that this was sa much gained ; but those who
had observed and felt the boroughmongering
in-
fluence of the Duke of Newcastle and the Marquis
of Exeter could not be indifferent to the ballot :
those who had witnessed the -corruption of Liver-
pool could not be indifferent to it. They must look
to the ballot as the instrument of salvation, and he
would venture to say, any plan not embracing the
ballot would be rejected by public opinion.—(Re-
iterated cheers.)—The Learned Doctor concluded
by moving the second resolution.
Mr. GILL seconded the resolution.
Mr. ARMSTRONG moved the third resolution.
The resolution was seconded and carried.
Mr. TOOKE said that the chief reason why he
could never formerly give his confidence to Minis-
ters was, because they had always been the mere
puppets of the Aristocracy.—(Applause.)—lt wae,
" I have got six votes, and you shall have them if
you will make my aunt a Bishop."—(Great laugh-
ter and cheering.)—These were the persons who
had bowed down the prosperity of the country, and
divided the population into two patties, the oppres-
sors and the oppres,.ed.—(Checring.)—But the
Ministers must now make up their minds : they
could no longer halt between the two : no gmbled
measures would do. The boroughmongers were an
inexorable set, and would acknowledge no half
plans ; while the people, on the other hand, were
beginning to feel their strength, and know of what
their rights consisted.—(Applause.)—He begged to
move the fourth resolution.
Mr. MILLER, in seconding the resolution, said,
they were told they ought to wait. But was this a
period for temporizing, was this a period for delay,
when the volcano of revolution was heard rumbling
from one end of the empire to the other.—(llear.)
He trusted that honesty did exist among the Minis-
try; but they all knew that it was tender ground, and
that if they did not take care, they would be choked
by the noxious atmosphere which always per-
vaded the neighbourhood. One fact was, however,
worth a thousand arguments ; and be would.. there-
fore just detail to them what had taken place with
respect to Rye, as a proof of the effects of the pre-
sent system. Rye had formerly had the privilege,
in consequence of its being a very considerable place,
of returning Members to Parliament, and in their
election all the inhabitants paying scot and lot had
the right to vote. About a century ago, however,
means were "taken to reduce the votes to the free-
men only ; and in order that the number might not
increase too rapidly, none were admitted to the
freedom but such as bad not sons, and appeared
likely not to have sons, as the eldest son of a free-
man had a claim to become a freeman himself. But
the most curious document connected with the way
in which things were managed by the Corporation,
was one which he held in his hand, and as it
thoroughly detailed the infamous bargain that was
entered into by the Mayor and four Jurats of the
place, he would read it to the meeting. It was to
the following effect :
.4 Memorandum, the 22r1 Nov. 1758.
We, James Lamb, Chiswell Slade, William Davis,
Thomas Lamb, and Needier Chamberlain Watson, all of
the Corporation of Rye, in the county of Sussex, do
hereby promise and agree to and with each other in the
manner following ; That we and each of
us will, to the utmost of our power, exert ourselves for
the benefit of each other, for the good and advantage of
this Corporation in general.
Item. That no application directly or indirectly shall
be made by any or either of us, for any place or office
exercised within this Corporation, which is in the gift of
the Government, without the privity and consent of all
of us.
o Item. That any or either of us shall not, nor will
at any times hereafter, propose, put in election, make inte-
rest for, or vote for,anyperson or persons whatsoever to
represent this Corporation in Parliament, without the
knowledge and approbation of all of as.
Item. That previous to the election of each of us
from time to time to the office of Mayor of this Corpora-
tion, all of us shall be advised with, and consulted, who
each of us when Mayor shall nominate, and call to his as-
sistance as Jurats, and rho each of us (when Mayor)
shall make his annual freemen.
" Item. That all of us will, to the utmost of our power,
oppose the elecaing and choosing any person or persons
whatsoevee by votes, to he a freeman or freemen of this
Correation, unless such person or persons are liked and
approved by all of us.
Item. That we and each and every of us will use our
interest and best endeavours that the said Chiswell Slade
shall be the next Mayor of this Corporation ; the said
Thomas Lamb the next Mayor to the said Chiswell Slade;
the said William Davis the next Mayor to the said Thomas
Lamb; the said James Lamb the next Mayor to the said
William Davis; and the said Needier Chamberlain Watson
the next Mayor to the said James Lamb, unless altered by
all of us.
Item: That whenever the said Chiswell Slade, Wil.
liam Davis, and Needier Chamberlain Watson, or either of
them, is or are elected Mayor of this Corporation, he of
them three who from time to time is Mayor, will choose
and appoint one of them the said Thomas Lamb and James
Lamb to he his deputy in that office; anti whenever the
said Thomas Lamb and James Lamb, or either of them,
is or are elected Mayor of this Corporation, he of them
two who from time to thee is Mayor will choose and ap-
point one of them, the said Chiswell Slade, William Davis,
and Needier Chamberlain Watson, to be his deputy in that
office.
.4 Item. We, the said James Lamb, and Chimed Slade,
do hereby agree equally to share and divide between us two
all profits and advantages arising-, or at any time or times
hereafter to arise by the present or any future collector or
collectors of the Customs of Rye aforesaid, hiring or mak-
ingssdffo,huerli
sums,
.I),trt,:stercisllnteetfeter.
lighters,(ofifn ot
ebotoroa
tts eitheri,moei.
agreed
cfrs:oeeudi
sr,
tfiftho bep al warehouses,:darit;by the
ef ho storehouses,
collector
te,oswr,
(ilohniti..)ryesuaocnfhdt
warehousesv
allowedare warehouses sotehrs
the
ortho rssvethnooerure storehouses, ,nn
owners
being n,t
eheeurfiseutoaafti
hire paid by other persons being first deducted by and al-
lowed to the • owner or owners of such ships, lighters,
boats, or vessel=, so from time to time to be hired or made
use of by such collector.
We, the said James Lamb and Chiswell Slade,
do hereby further agree, that if either of us two at any
time or times hereafter, shall so directly or indirectly, by
ourselves or by any other person or persons whatsoever,
contract or agree to any work, or find, sell, or provide
any materials, goods, or merchandizes, to or for the Cor-
poration, or the Commissioners of Rye Harbour, that then