The Sun.
London, England, 1809-05-02 00:00:00

of beroughmongera were compelleJ to apply to Par-
liament for indemnity, and were supported in. power'
by ParliaMent Against the sen4e of . the nation.—
Gentlemen, I should not wonder it we are now at

the commencement of a similar era. I should not
wcuder if the liberties of- the people were to expo-
rience an attack under the preteuce.of alarm, simi-
lar to that which .Was wade in tt►e year 1794. I
should not wonder if the Administration of the day

were to endeavour to carry into effe& 'heal-7
Isuret,tfor the purpose of preventing us from .obtain-
.ing a similar object i and .1 do most sincerely believe,
I that the only oleic& which the people had in vievVet
the period to which I have alltided, is the just and
rational objea, the attainment of which we have
met here to facilitate. But, Gentlemen, thoUgli
such an attempt would not surprise me, I trust that
I its success would not be so easy. 'To he duped once
I in an age is Surely enough for the most 'eullible. If
those wicked and miserable eepedienne forthe de-
fence of corruption should again be resorted to, I
trust that tlicy will be uiet on the part of public
with a firmness—with ti wisdom—with a . reselo
, lion by which-they may be effeetually'counteraeled,
and that we'shall ultintaiOr succeed in that ebje6t,
Without which, in my .opilliop, nothing -exists; in
this country that • deserves the name of Freedom.
Gentlemen, I am perfeetly, persuaded, thet the suc-
cess of the measure, which it is our imperious duty
to promote, is no leSs to be desired by the King 00
the. Throne than by the People. At present; the
King on the Throne is compelled to OUW this
faCtion of Borotaglimongers : he, cannot carry on his
lair share of the Government (nf which. I am sure no'
otter Wishes to deprive him) but by bare consent.
With the pretence of defending thee prerogative on
'the one hand they abuse the PeoeT, and with the
pretence of emisultingahe feelings of the People on
the -other hand they constrain and keep under the
King. It is, theretore, Gentlemen, I am 'convinc-
ed, that in doing that which it is our duty to do, we
shell consult not more our own interests and'welfare
• than the security, the tranquility, and the happiness
'of' the King on the Throne. The King and the
People suffer equally from this faCtion. l' have no
hesitation in saying that his Majesty and the Royal
Family, if they wanted it, might have an increase to
then revenues, Were it not for. the depredations of
the individuals to whom I have before alludvd. What
one family may reasonably demand, can 'lever be
,an objets to a. great and liberal pepple. Nay, not-
withstanding the unfortunate diSeoVeries (I use the
word unfortunate with a reference to the act and not
to the detection) in 'whicha Pritice of the Morel has
been so deeply implicated: I have
.no hesitation
iu saiitig, that we should even shut our eyes to those
lollies, if on the other side we saw cur rights, our
liberties, and our Constitution respected. We are
not to expect from Princes feelings and aelions.eqpA
to these of huMan beings in general, much less sue
peritne We 'ere willing to grant toem indulgence;
but Vie arennly willing to grant it on toe security of
• our liberties and our rights. It is a great cooSolattion
to tne to reile&,-Gentiemene that the Prince in '
whom we are most nearly intereded, has'not, in the
whole course of these transadions, rendered himself
, liable even to the breath of suspicion. It is a conso-
letion to me to think, that Were I to 'mention ihe
individual of the Royal. Fetnity, who possessed the
-,etramCiter„ot aci Englisisman above the rest, I would
say that it was he, Gentlemen, I hope it is not nit-
possible but that the individual .so deeply interested
May feel with us -a coalition zeal fur the common
good of 'this ediritry e may feel with us the necessity
of putting an end ton system w hich has weighed the
country to the earth ; and may be convinced of the
expediency of affording to the people that fair and,
equal government to which, by the ancient laws of
the realm, they are entitled." :We ask for nothing .
new--ewe demand no novel system—we only wish
to regain that which we have lost, and to obtain some
security for ths. future, 'in order than encroachments
similar to those .which we have sustained may riot be
repeated. It is not my object to endeavour to draw
the vengeance of the country on those who have
been, detetied in error; because 1 know that in the
system of. Government that error originates, It is
with the system that I sear. Ir is against the con-
linuaqce.of the system that ish to guard Ihe peo-
pled system so diffosed, that in the House of Com-
mons it was made an excuse for .Lord Castlereagh,
that though avowedly guilty, tew, if they consulted
their own conscience; could give a verdia'against
- There, Gentlemen,• its the grievance, and
there we must apply the remedy., Let us not bede-
luded by the punishment of any unforfuoat6 indivi-
dual. Let us not be deluded by the introdutlion of
any partial and nugatory meesprei the only obje& of
which-is to mitigate the public opinion. [allude to
the Bill, brought into. the Howie of Commons ,by. the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to
„prevent trafficking
in places. 'Can any thing be so ridiculous and ab-
titled, than that such a measure should be propoied by
a Chancellor of the. Exchequer, while he is covering.
a colleagnefrom punishment for heving arafficked iii
places in the most pernicious manner, for the purpose
'of peiverting the tepreeentalives of the people ? Pe-

Grey, who a few years ago was a strenuous advocate
for Raliainentary Reform, and who, I trust, is still
friendly to it, that used this language. Gentlemen,
it would, much better become those who talk of a

rational and temperate reform (as if there were
persons who wished for a reform' not rational or
temperate !) to apply themselves to anotherquarter,
to turn from the'people who are btirdened to the
utmost possibility of endurance to those 'by whorn

their',lanrdena have been imposed, and to repeat to
them lessons of moderation and forbearance.
Some time ago, Gentle Men, it was proposed in Par-
liament, that every labouring man, who maintained
his family without having recourse to parish. alms,
should 'have a badge of distinction... Now I should
like an see a badge of infamy on the bosom of every
man, who, by political intrigue and by, corrupt prac-
tices, betrays. the best interests of his eountry;---
'Such men always have been, and always are, extort-
ing Atlas from every labouring' man in the nation.—
Gentlemen:there is another striking grievance of
which this aggrieved country has to complain t.—
. it is the introduction of hordes of foreign troops.
I wish t/) see my country -defended by my coun-
trymen-,'- I wish to see arms in the hands of the
'father, .of the tradestnan, of the mechanic—all
'equally prepared to resist the attack of aq invader.
I wishao see the sword and the plough in the grasp.
I wish to we tluit policy which, from the time when
Bowe was in her meridian glory, to the, present
instant,. has ever been coudocive to the security and
interests of States, adopted in Great Britain. But
no, we must behold thousinds 'and thousand; of
foreigners on our coastas, with arms in their .hands,'
while a jealousy seems to exist of the natives. I
hope that we shall feel, the satire spirit on this ',co-'
sion, as that which dictated the remonstrance of our
ancestors to the untOrtenate Charles the .First.----
j We.deern it, beniaith the spirit of England," said
our brave forefathers, " ko employ foreigners in her
service, and We think that this victorious nation:does
riot statid in need of Germans to: it." I
trust that it will not be lopg before the termination
of this grievance. It is impossible to,hear of a Baron
Somebody having the command of -an English Dis,
trio without indignation. This, Gentlemen, is a
policy more insulting, and at the same time more
foolish, than I cm find words to express. Btir,
Gentlemen, when the question is arms and honour,
it is impossible not to think of the Noble Lord who
tits near me. I am so well acquainted with that
Noble 'Lord ; I knOW so sell the delicacy of his
mind, that I abstain from expressions which would
give • him pain; altheugh it would afford me the
highest gratification to use them, and although I am
sure, Gentlemen, they would receive your most
cordial concurrence. It is by such.men that En-
gland should be defended. We are not so poor in
iglish spirit; and ability, as to require, foreign aid.
Never perhaps was there a moment in which, under
every disadvantage; British courage has been so emi-
r nently displayed as in, the present. And, now,
Gentlemen, I will takeatijs opportunity of coned-
, Mg a •misappreliension of something that I said,
when I last met my constituents ittWestminster-
hall, respecting' the Gentlemen of the country.—
What I. said was, *that I wished most anxiously to
see the Gentlemen of England, in the proud station,
of lreading- the people in the defenee of their
rights. , I said 'that :I was sorry to see a.disposi-
tion encouraged to induce Gentlemen to aban-
.don the cause of their country, and to apply
only to their farms; thus defrauding the people •
ofa hat which they had a right to exped from them.
I did not mean to impute this as a universal, or.
even a general disposition. There are many spleti-:
did 'exceptions to :it. I might name a Gentlenian:
whose liberal pursuit of agriculture is not more
remarkable than the final and .steady countenance
with which he always.comea forward' in defence
of the liberties of his 'Country. I allude to Mr.
Coke of Norfolk. Without refleaing On any one,
.1 Meant only to say, that the pursuits to which I
adverted ought to be considered as secondary, and
not paramount. Gentlemen, on the success of the
present important
,question the Country reposes. as
ou its sole hope of salvation. I ask only that which
I am entitled to ask by law and the Constitution.
'Tis our birthright; lit our inheritance ; tis the
'inherirance of inheritances; for without it we are
nothing. I propose no new-fangled doarines. I
contend for Om alone for which our ancestors laid
down{ their 'lives, and I trust, Gentlemen, that we
shall not be so base and mean, when our lives are un-
endangered, to abandon that for which their
.blood,
was shed. I ail( no, more in behalf of the people
of England than what a dutiftll and loyal people
may ask, and what it is fit for a just, upright, and
beneficent King to, grant. Gentlemen, I give you—
" A speedy 'Reform in the _ KeOresentation eine Ptople..
This Toast Weir drank with three times, three; and.;
there was much applause at the close a the Hen.
Baronet's speech. •
Major CMITWAIGIIT said, he, had the honour to
rise to move the Resolutions which it was the great-.
object of' the Meeting to promote as Friends to Pia.-
liamentary Reform. They were as folloW

, - ._,
pend upon it • that a pallid measure Will M 1.. That it is the grand principle of the Constitution treat
the tbople shall have a share in the Government,by a just
thati:useless. - I recollect having somewhere reMiif
• ~
a Noble Genoese, who.i.vas a rich, nod worthy man, representation•in Parlianient," • " -
ratesa That the longt duration of Parliaments greatly facili:.
and who, finding that his countrymen Were oppress-moeni ntbheer.si ;
,oandi roves that:
. wholesome check uctonttrhoeu led by severe taxes on the neceSsaries of lift:; and
recurrenee to the opinion of their Constitu'onit(sn2t ' a frequent
paritculaily -on salt, retired from the i;vorld, and lonfaivraenition prtiSented to the llouse of Commons
passed. his whole life iii frugality and privacy,. un- ,on3inatth to be proved at the
, bar, " that 154 indi7v9iLallts t7i4ilabuyfitiricir own authority, ap.
moved by the reproich of niggardliness, in'erder that
.i i leis . point or procure the return of 307 Members -of that House
he Might accumulate money enough to ena .i e ,xciusi
of these from Scotland) who were thus enabled to
executors, on his death,' to purchase these duties, ,`;Leitle-:let questions in the name of the whole People of
and to relieve the people. On his death this was „Great Britain,"
accordingly done i but scarcely had it bean done,
4. 'That this Meeting believes individual patronage in bo.
-
rougho lasn t hasis extremelyincreasedsincel793..
representationelanndu•enaLtilr
the marne. severe burthen on the people.. Such, Gen-it is tiPlLa.rotp9iiiiitoaninolthilisr
cal led efC4. the returns are
tlemeh, would be the `
result in England Of .a part's'
l _money.; wherefore upon the whole
at hie Members of the Cum.
moment W.' might relieve the country for. a michog, that a great majority
Mons House arti so returned ;that the Nation is not coast'.
e,
moment ; but my firm opinion is, that eventually
tutionatly represented, yet it is taxed to support anex.
. pendhitro of 7o mil boos sterling per annin. •
we should not be a jot the better, but on the con-
trary worse, as we should be tirtbei than ever from .:
s., That in the Act (corm
' meth) which .placed Inc HottilielloYfcßairluennswllitcekAoao nulTSettle.
itt4pioprenos4.l il.pteati
jullitt2rni poi:
that
ts
nu
usseptettestai annwtthrectoog4l),lsseadna:ii
tifCrobintriaticli:
our wishes. We must contend for a substantive,
just, and upright Government), if we IstOp short of
rowntii,tshatTicit;:e tclaiepalatienog,t.soerrvirneeasiveasi4en4ptibnesriootntifteroninouthsee
complete reformation-4 we are to he satisfied with
what is
,called temperate reformaiioni time c,)ttotr c
-°i'h,:u'llusnnaTlVl by a report jaid on the table of the
will not be benefited. Wh:li is in-aot by the tdrmY
' ' iiricitutite last, that seventy-eight of its
I. apneiri
unripe' its reformation Ido lit well kne4; nor acv. tioose'of - Cothi.
% tvleathersere in the I at all better quiititid to comprelienLi the-tendency
' was 14erd'arreecd.eiii:y.t Aultlrd:P.ritt: lien tChf:Hwontt3°f
of the expression by the use made of it recently ill ' ' '7"74'994,411)','ta year.in 17$a it w '
the tipper Howie ,of radial-tient,. where it was con- of-i:onitivni, tha s' •bt seven or eight embers of that Roust
e
riled with some refle4-tions on modern pa trio; i, rutim),.
swtiyosie,l
et sent
itoil:tyi gio,nchisl:coaNuniAdibat r
cybila
4urfitAttrreoott,
procureal
‘tiltci u
4t. 1 1111pca.irtiratoyfit)troter
ins,, I suppose, Gentlen*it, such as I. have the ho-
t for it muter the . '-' - - might
nour to address. I understand that it was Lord House."

8. That such a state of Representation is a national gr'ev-
Ortce. .
9. That in. every department of the State into which in-
i query has been made, scandalous corruptions and abuses have
i been &rated. .
to. That the exclusion of the public voice from all influ-
ence in, and the consequent corruption of, the Governments
of the Continental States have been the causes of their sub-
jugation.
f iI. That as long as the people shall not be fairly repre-
sented corruptidn will increase; our debts and taxes will ac-
cumulate ; our resources will be dissipated ; the native energy,
of the people will be depressed; cut the country deprived Of
its best defence against foreign toes.
12. That to remedy the great and glaring evils of which we
complain, it is not necessary to have recourse to theoretical
speculations, or dangerous experiments in Government but
to recur to the principles handed down to us by the wisdom
and virtue of our forefathers. • • •
• 13. That the remedy is to be found, and to be found only, in
a full and fair Representation of the People in the 'Contuton>
House of Parliament--a remedy equally tleCClSitry 1 u err.
safety of the Throne,- and the happiness and indepcneease
of the Country.
14; That .we therefore recommend to every Town, City,
and County, to take the State of the Representation into
consideratioh, and urgently, but temperately, to apply to
Parliament to adopt such. Measures as shall secure turbo
Nat ion the reality and uses of Representation.
These. . .
Propositions being read, it was now only
necessary to put them separately to the -vote-4a ge-
neral cry of " all, all.").-He-would then; if nude
was the sense of the . Meeting, put the whole Lott.
letsiYely. • . - - ' .'
. Mr. itlsnpocks then rose to address the Meeting:
—ln seconding these Resolutions which Major Girt-
might had just proposed, and which it was their.
.pleasure to have put in a celleetive form, -he said ii
was much-gratified, because he believed in his con-
sdier.4:e that they were the troth,-tho :whole.'-stutli,
hodlothing bet' the' truth. • lilting. pledged h,in'-
self"in ha,
is plare, in Parliament, 10 'agitate' the
I question of• Parliamentary llefortn, he haw to as-
:
sure them that nothing on earth would induce:
hirn abandOn it. Independant of the former reasons
taat prompted tethis endertaking, the abuses deve-
loped by his Hon. Friend (Mr. Wardle) afforded
another strong ground for it. • He congratulated
them most 'sincerely on the revivirg spirit of this
Kingdom, which was in a great Measure owing to
the ability,: perseverance, firmness, and • patriotic
, exertions .
el his Hon. Friend.,, He (Mr. M.) would
.
not enter upon the subjeet after the speech they had
beard froth the Chairman,: indeed the matter was so
clear, that it would be absurd to think any one could
for a moment entertain a doubt. upon -it. He had
intended to read to them a short abstra6t he had
made of the manner in Which they were at pre-
sent represented ; but from the able mannerthe sub-
jeet had already been treated-of, be would not now,
occupy their time.—(Read, read i)—The Hon.
Member then read from a paper a calculation he
had made, by which it,appeared that there were io
the. House 26 Burgage Tenures, ;private proi,erty,
which returned..s2 itlembers to Parliament ; 51
Boroughs, -with about 50 voters in each, retaining
100 Members ; 23 Boroughs,, of 100 voters, 'Twin
ing 45 Members; 28, of 200. voters, returnil)4 56
Members ; and 2, of 30 voters, returning -I.:tt'tu-
bers; being in all 1175 voters, who returned a lea-
jority of the • House of Commons. resides this,
i there was a great
,increasnof intluence since it '''
''
! slated in the year 1793 ;. at that. period se% enty-tivo
Peers returned 1
.67 Members to the Lower lioll!e'
as the calculation was -taken by the worthy C1181r".
i111:111 from the Petition presented by the Friendiclt
; the. People. Since 1793 18 new Peers had been
Ii
6 Baronets who had influence over 1 1 ..,
created, who had itilloe.nce over
.39 Corumoln,ersllu;azidi
i all,. there gob Members of the House of Commons
1 under the influence of Peers, Peers made in the pre-
sent reign, ana in Ireland, bad therefore the disposal
Commons, betiLles the influence they had in WA!,
of upwards of 200 borough votes in the Houie of
ties, of which he coo:d name at least 30 represented.
by the sons acrd bothers of Peers. The Treasury re*
the Borough Fadion 91 in twill'
btuerrn,
.t!rdetul6nalle'atdll3do. Of all these he had enutnerat"
at, the number was, 396,, to which adding '3l
returned by 1., Boroughs, of tbo voters in eacn;
01111i'' !i' yd ei
ci.
.1'83'.6t1. deducting
odlueEctruail::llgiys h(urot:ni nil efitiuhueebneicorestcla under
rtledeerAl numberet hniiiosbfeisrl:lll:i3tui!tceh eti.
Home of Commons. The result was, a majority 0'
141 in favour of this borough faction.' Could they
conceive that any good effects could be derived from
-a Parliament so Constituted, even leaving Out of their
_view all the, influence of
He
nod the 178,0001. a year paid tor sinecure'',
He congratulated the Meeting'
on the revival
(IT
}rusttle* Pwuabsli en
spirit,our c onovfincv'etli icthh
the Crowe, ,from plFceg'
there hod been -no time or temper so favourable
their views. .
to their vteiks. It their enemies , said to
then;
" You watt Revolution,' theysiliocuevhtthieo
tail
attic had once "despaired'' .3,
the accusation, and say,. ~NO, we want only Rube
toratiiin. ' Restoration in the .Constitution of it 0
Cotintry, and in Parliament, that we havP h('l'lli.,
left to us as. the boasted inheritance of our (orris,
thers7-ra Parliacoee(*hich will.he a check on tik'indid
.terarand,On the Preriagative of the Crotv-n• ihe itt
not acknowledg.e Buy , Prerogative in the absr',oo
without a-Corresponding click. T 1 King, it ''' -
. 'he
true,' could mike:. peace or war • but he co"'' 1,0
neither withoot, the eiso nit, ~,t- hiicaincnoos, ',.es
, is, 11
had tice power over the supp. fie's,. It win' "Leo,
supported, and they wete met to:support, !I'd but
ruination, the whole. Constitution, and thetanothing
the Constitution.. He concluded by thanking ,;It,
and again pledging
for theattention with which they had heard 'lief
form. ' • , f 4OP
himself to the measure Of, 1,
Sir F. BURDE7T then put the Resolution, he
would
lealvelY. which 'were carried.—l-Ie then said '
„,iiii
erOwplubtai:l
better company, or' more appropriate than the I
sent—give a toast, ,which could not be usher'"o.

.asby.icinT;irAThe),:e::o-nlttC:taitrditetsettlteoa:faoirl.dwhich Hampden bled in the' FiOa"
Sydney on the scaffold."
asntd4m.aas—y we ever possess In /War °llll
Mr. WARDLt upluratglieist.°rcoxseP,lncidid"uPtro;lB:intitilld
continuect applause, and said, be was most:- god
obliged to the Meeting for the'attention 11100 his
paid to hiin, which was, extremely gratifying If his
feelingly. and such as he could never forget. lobe
Parliamentary conduet had merited all the Or!.
had received, all he could 'say was, " Little ht'iloo
done, and he sincerely' wished he could Itavliriing
more." The Peopie of England, in soPril
him (Mr. Wardle), were doing theroseive 'O4
lice, as he was only ading for their heliont' Dial
trial had been short, and they hod tai“'ilo zeal
up, and suppartei him through the whol.