The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-08 00:00:00

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

CONDUCT of the CITIZENS of LONDON
with RESPECT to the REFORM BILL.
(Concluded from The Sun of yesterday.)
Mr. PEARSON trusted that the Reformers in the
Court would maintain their character for consistency,
by readily acquiescing in the motion with which he
should conclude his remarks, and thus prove that
they were calumniators who charged the citizens
with a change of opinion upon that great and im-
Portant subject.—(Cheers.) He did not like to
impugn the motives of any man, but he must con-
fess that the introduction of such a question as that
which the Hon. Member for Cripplegate was about
to bring forward, appeared at that moment to be a
trick played off as a diversion for the benefit of the
boroughmongers, and a measure intended to impede,
if not to defeat, the Blll.—(Cheers.) Delay, delay,
was become the watchword of the Anti-Reformers.
They wanted to throw the Reform Bill into the
lottery of chances, that, peradventure, the doubtful
state of the nations of Europe might possibly lead
to a war in which this country might be engaged.
Such an event would come up a prize to embarrass
the Government, and thus defeat, or rrotract to an
indefinite period, the consummation of the people's
wishes—(Cheers)—but, above all things, there
was an event to which, in the mad desperation of
the Anti-Reformers, they might look. Might.
Heaven long avert such a calamity ! But King had
no patent to exempt them from the common lot of
humanity, and if by motions, amendments, and pe-
titions, the bcroughmongers could avert for a time
their impending fate, they had a chance—a far dis-
tant one, he hoped—of the demise of the Crown,
and the reins of Government falling into the hands
of a minor, that minor a female, under the control,
perhaps, of persons opposed to all Reform.—(Loud
cheers.)—Mr. Pearion concluded, amid loud and
general cheering, by moving the resolutions, de-
claring the unabated approval by the Court of the
Bill, and agreeing to petition the House of Lords
to pass the same.
Mr. SLADE seconded the motion.
Alderman WOOD said, much had been said about
supporting the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but
the Bill ; but it must be now evident that no man
could have voted for the Bill, the whole Bill, and
nothing but the Bill, as it had undergone several
alterations, which were beneficial to the country,
without endangering the principle of the Bill. It
was the principle of the Bill which they had pledged
themselves to support. lie did not think that the
representatives of the city were tied down by the
Livery at large.—(Hear.) The clause, with regard
to which he was found fault with, was the 101.
clause; and he was found fault with because he was
favourable to a system which would give the right
of voting to payers of scot and lot. There was a
cry large class of persons in the city of London
who ought to have a right to vote upon that prin-
ciple. He was a friend to Reform, and to the Bill
he was one of its greatest friends. He had often
been nearly provoked with those protracted discus-
sions in the House of Commons in the Committee
by the remarks of the Hon. Member for Borough-
bridge, but seeing through the tactics of the ene-
mies of the Bill, he had often remained silent, lest,
by taking part in those discusions, he should delay
the progress of the Bill, He had sat in the House
every night until two and three in the morning,
always giving his best attention to the interests of
the Bill, and voting with the Government in every
division. The resolutions proposed had his hearty
concurrence.
Mr. Alderman VENIABLES completely concurred
in the resolutions proposed for the adoption of the
Court.
Mr. Alderman WAITIIMAN had felt it his duty to
contradict the report, that in the city there had been
any change of opinion with regard
.to the grand
measure of Reform. He utterly denied that there
was arty change opinion or feeling with regard to it.
(Hear, hear.) The time was arrived when it was
the duty of the whole Corporation to come forward
and re-assert their former opinions, and their deter-
nination to support the measure of Reform. A
great deal had been said about " the Bill, the whole
B:11, and nothing but the Bill." With reference to
that, the great principle of the Bill had been pre-
served throughout, and any alterations which took
place were only introduced to strengthen the Bill.
After several other remarks, the Worthy Alderman
concluded by giving his support to the resolutions.
Mr. RICHARDSON (of Cripplegate Within) then
ought forward his amendment, which was to this