The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-11 00:00:00

writs from decayed boroughs, and granting the pri-
vilege to new ones alike populous and opulent,
having been entirely abandoned, while the change
in the state of the country has been unprecedented,
a few individuals, by purchasing up the small num-
ber of decayed and tottering houses in boroughs en-
titled to return sometimes two Members, have, by
thrusting their creatures into the House of Com-
mons, acquired an almost irresistible ascendancy in
the Government. For availing themselves of that
branch of the legislature, they concussed the
Sovereign into appointing them to places of highest
trust, when, elevating their friends or dependants to
the Upper House, they were enabled to usurp the
power of the state, and convert the public wealth
into a species of private property. And mark their
enviable situation. The terror of being hurled from
their thrones, which shake under them when the
people murmur, operates as a restraint on despots,
who well know that, though their subjects may
submit to occasional abuse of power, they will be
apt to resist the attempt to impose on them oppres-
sive pecuniary burdens of whatever description.
With the pageant of mock natural representation,
what a despot durst not have attempted, these men
have been able to effect, and yet escape the odium
of the atrocious proceeding. Did the people corn-
plain of their burdens, the answer was ready. All
money bills originating in the lower House of Par-
liament, composed entirely of their own representa-
tives, it was self-evident that, though a few might
murmur, and working on the ignorant, might beget
discontent at his Majesty's Government—(Cheers)
the nation at large was differently affected, or no
Ministry could have been successful in their mea-
sures, nor such burdens had ever been imposed.—
(Cheers.) If, however, contrary to this belief, the
country was dissatisfied, the remedy was in their
power—they had only to be in future more circum-
spect in the choice of their representatives. Again,
was allusion made to the honours showered on indivi-
duals whose merits none could discover, the answer
was alike prompt—were they to blame because
their Illustrious Sovereign honoured them with his
confidence rather than their assailants ? Or would
it become them to decline what he thought fit
graciously to bestow ?—(Loud cheering.) Thus as
noted London fences, who, dealing between the
robber and the robbed, secure an immense share of
the booty, and yet are safe from the strong arm of
the law—so these men, with the pageant of national
representation—which, standing behind the curtain,
they manage, like Punch and Polly—on the one
hand, and the gracious name of Majesty on the
other, have long plundered the state with impunity.
Happily for us all, a patriotic King, concerned for
his subjects, like another Alfred, called on them to
assist him in expelling these worse than Danish in-
vaders from the strong places of the Constitution of
which they have possessed themselves. Victory
seemed within their ardent grasp. Much, however,
remained to be achieved. Vanquished, their
enemies did not give up the contest. What they
felt it vain openly to attempt, they imagined them-
selves able by stratagem to effect—yielding to the
vain hope their almost desperate wishes enjoyed—
" quod nirnis misere volunt, hoc facile credunt"—tliat
the popular zeal would subside with time, when
strong only as supported by the nation, Ministers
might be attacked by surprise and vanquished,—
they have, by every means, protracted the struggle.
To dispel the illusion, deter from longer continuance
in their vain course, and accelerate the settlement of
the question, it is only requisite that the pecple de-
monstrate unequivocally that their ardour has suffered
no abatement. And let rue remind every gentle-
men present, that should oar enemies prevail, all
the evils we have hitherto groaned under scarcely
deserve consideration in comparison of those we shall
then be subjected to. But I have already tired
your patience, and therefore, without troubling you
with farther remarks, will proceed to read the resolu-
tion I have the honour to propose.
2. That a petition be transmitted from this meeting to
the Commons House of Parliament, pointing out the evil
consequences to the nation which will arise from keeping
the minds of the people any longer in a state of feverish
excitement, and humbly praying that Honourable House
to accelerate, as much as possible, the passing of the Bill.
Mr. THOMAS IRELAND, in rising to second the
resolution, said why, instead of meeting to com-
plain, are we not now assembled to exercise our
franchise ? We may blush to name it—a handful of
boroughmongers have resolved that they, forsooth,
should still retain the power of plundering the
people; and every low art of chicanery—every mi.
serable artifice of evasion is resorted to—that the
interest of the few should still be preferred to the
good of the many—(Cheers)—nay, these ruthless
and remorseless men are eager to speculate on the
calamities of the country, eager to postpone the
measure till the terrible scourge of war—or even the
death of our noble and patriotic King, come to their
relief.—(Hear, hear.) That they have succeeded
in stifling the public voice so long—that they have
now such power to harass and retard the progress of
our Bill, proves only the depth of our previous de-
gradation, and the extent of the public corruption.
—(Cheers.) And were it possible to conceive that
their arts could be successful, and that they frus-
trated the people in their object, then what would
be our state ? We would be the slaves of the bo-
roughmongers, there could be no flattering ourselves
with a different notion—(Cheers)—no more hug-
ging our chains and disguising them to ourselves—
no longer flimsy aprons of fig-leaves—no abuse of
Spain—no vituperation of Portugal—no pitying of
Italy—but the naked truth would meet us in the
face, and our conscience would proclaim to us that
Great Britain and Ireland were enthralled by a sel-
fish and sordid oligarchy.—(Cheers.) And who
are these men that a mighty nation should suffer all
this ? The wise and the faithful, and the truly
noble of the land ? No, these fight in our cause,
and their opponents are Irish adventurers, smooth
arid oily hypocrites, arid forensic buffoons, men who
have possessed means of doing good only to abuse
them, and power to pervert it to their own paltry
purposes.—(Loud cheers.) If these are the men,
what have their actions been ? I would cast a de-
cent veil over the doings of our own great men. I
am unlearned in the law, and know riot how far it
might be safe to chronicle their transactions. Sir,
we will do our best, in COIIIIIIOII with our fellow-
countrymen, and tell them that the people will not
thus be tr4led with—(Cries of " no, we will not")
—and that they demand that no farther delay take
place in recognising their title to the rank of free-
men. May God grant that this be speedily effected,
arid the fearful consequences of violent convulsions
averted.

Mr. WEIR, Advocate, said, that the duty en-
trusted to him was to express as briefly as he could
the sentiments intended to be set forth in the peti-
tion. The object of the opposition in the House of
Commons was delay, under the impression that
something might turn out for their advantage; but
it was evident from the tone taken in the Quarterly
Review and other publications, that they now consi-
dered the Bill carried. They had now given up
their opposition as lost, and the only thing that now
remained to them was, to appeal to the prejudices
and the fears of the House of Lords.—(Hear.) And
the intention of the petition which he wished to be
adopted, was first to request of the Commons that
they would not grant that delay so factiously called
for; and, second, to prevent the Lords from being
deluded by the sophistries and falsities of that fac-
tion.—(Cheers.) The Learned Gentleman then
read the following petition :
" Sheweth,—That after the result of the late election
was fully known, your petitioners, in common with their
countrymen, felt quite confident as to the success of the
Lionßeformof t
hßille;alid necessitythey,o
tthhaetregforerae
t, although
measure
Wthaesi rase
strongotivi.
c.
as ever, resolved to avoid every thing which could create
excitement, and to leave entirely with Parliament the dis-
posal of the Bill, your petitioners feeling the utmost con-
fidence in your Honourable House.
" That the deity which has taken pl ice in the progress
of the Bill, a delay totally unexpected by the country, has
excited throughout Scotland the greatest disappointment
and alarm, the evil effects of which are sensibly felt in
every department of trade.
That your petitioners, therefore, think it their duty