The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-03 00:00:00

NORTVICE.

A requisition to the Mayor of this city (signed by 100
of the principal magistrates, bankers, merchants, and ma-
nufacturers, in the course of a few hours) to call a meeting
of the inhabitants for the purpose of petitioning the Lords
on the subject of the Reform Bill, was instantly corn-
plied with by that worthy chief magistrate, and the meet-
ing accordingly took !thee on Thursday last in St. An-
drew's•hsll. The platform erected at the upper end of
this noble room was filled with the most respectable people
of the city ; besides the Mayor (J. H. Yallop, Esq ), we
observed several of the Aldermen, both the late, and one
of the present Sheriffs, also the Members R H. Gurney,
Esq, and the Right Hon. Robert Grant, who came from
town purposely to attend the meeting. At one period of
the meeting there were not less than 6,000 persons pre-
sent, but the numbers varied between that and 4,000 till
the close of the proceedings. The most strict order pre-
vailed, notwithstanding the enthusiasm and earnestness
which appeared to possess the mind of every individual
in favour of the " great cause." " There was never
such a meeting before here" was in every one's mouth ;
and this is the place, where i❑ last March the Reformers
were afraid to call an assembly of the people to petition
for the Bill, owing to the number and vigour of their op-
ponents. So much for the " reaction," and so touch for
the " Lords!"

The proceedings were opened by Alderman FINCH,
who moved a resolution, that it is expedient to prepare a
petition to the House of Lords, praying that they would
pass into a law that great measure of Reform which had
been so triumphantly carried in the House of Commons.
Alderman SPRINGFIELD seconded the resolution.
The Maxort then put the resolution, which was carried
by acclamation, not one hand being held up against it.
Mr. J. W. ROBBRRDS (amidst deafening cheers) ad-
dressed the meeting in a very energetic speech, but we
have room only for the following extract from it :—" The
Peers of England know their province, they know that
they are the guardians of the State against undigested
theories, phrenzied ebullitions of wanton violence; but
that it is consistent neither with their duty, their dig_
ni-), their glory, nor their safety, to resist a question
h.c!i, after seventy years of deliberate consideration and
di-cussion, has at length been placed on so proud an
ewin, nce, and comes before them for their suffrages, rati-
fied by a commanding majority of the House of Commons,
sanctioned by the avowed approbation of a generous Sove-
reign, and endeared to the warm and confiding attachment
of the great body of the people themselves. Yet it is mar-
vellous to see the nature of some of those arguments which
have been used in order to away the judgment of that
body. Men, who aspire to be thought Statesmen, have
reasoned in such a manner as either to convict themselves
of insincerity, or to show that they are ignorant alike
of the past history and present condition of the country.
They have talked of our Constitution as of a scheme
of Government propounded, at once all perfect and com-
kpnleotew,ninantltriegnuinth
tyfa;tohmeyabhl a
have
veddrkn
described
of remote and u
edita
aaannnaiterabn-
ie
,s,yf s tae mo
h, a
nt
gha t
e;
ahands never
its ve
undergone
rydefeota a t
heyc hghaanvee or a shadow
p,
roclaimed to
be not blemishes, but the essential principles of ita vitality,
the inherent energies to which we owe all the greatness,
glory, and prosperity that we ever possessed. Would not
the veriest school-boy who has read only cursorily the
annals of his native land, be able to answer such reasoners?
Our freedom has been of slow and progressive growth;
and the main excellence of our Constitution is this—that
after it was brought into being, it was found capable of
adapting itself to all the changes and all the wants of a
people continually advancing in industry, in wealth, in
intelligence, and in power. Mr. Robberds concluded by
proposing a petition, earnestly imploring the Lords to
pass the Bill.

Mr. BRIGHTWELL seconded the motion for adopting the
petition.

The MAYOR put the question to the meeting, and
was carried by acclamation.

Mr. HUDSON (the banker) said the meeting having
unanimously adopted the petition, the next question was
into whose hands it should be intrusted ? With leave of
the meeting he should move that it be placed in the bands
of the Earl of Albemarle, a Nobleman resident amongst
them, and well known for his steady, political principles,
and for his private worth.—(Cheers.)
Mr. ISAAC WinailAN seconded the nantian, which was
agreed to.

After very spirited speetles from Mr. TllO3l AS BIC-.
NoLn,•R, H. GURNEY, Esq., awl the Hon. R. GRA>V::,
the meeting separated with three cheers for the ging, and
three groans for the boroughmongers,

ST. PAUL'S COVENT-GARDEN.
On Friday night a numerous and highly respectable
meeting of the inhabitant householders of the parish of St.
Paul, Covent-garden, was held in the •vestry-room of that
pari,h, for the purpose of petitioning the House of Lords
to pass the Reform Bill introduced by Lord John Russell.
Mr. Sawru, the senior churchwarden, was called to the
chair.

Several resolutions were proposed and seconded, and a
petition founded on them was read, which was unani-
mously adopted.

It was then moved and seconded, that the Alarquia of
Westminster should be requested to present the. y-etition to
the House of Lords, which was agreed o.•
Thanks were then voted "in the Chairman, and the
meeting broke up,
On MuTllky (this day) the parishioners of St. Martin's-
in-the Fields meet to petition the Hot= of Lords to
pass the Reform Bill, and on Thursday next the parish-
ioners of St. Clement Danes will meet for the same
purpose.

WILTSHIRE COUNTY, 44-,,v TING.
[The following is the speech a Mr. Paulet Scrope, at
the Wiltshire meeting, held at Devizes, on Friday last] :
,c Men of Wiltshire!—Are you for Reform, or are you
dtleenotnbtehtheemenesmwutilieteshcot::
nut ? Are you for an honest and cheap G,ornnment, or
for a dishonest and a dear one? Aye you for the cause of
virtue, morality, reason, and liberty, or for that of corrup-
tion and political. profligacy ? In two words, are you of
the party. of your country, or of that of the borough,
mongers ? This is the question you are called here this
day to answer. And answer it I know you will, in a
voice which will be echoed back from countless thousands
I.aAetifn4tiritm}:etingiuerai
of your countrymen this day assembled like yourselves, in
glistoexpdriesislsui expression
tollfayt!qytteruclfinteyr mloinngaetriocnarfeodr
atilevingr
provoked yoauffetcotitni
oßrertohromuibhyt about it. '1.14 allow that some time back
election, for instance, they heard of some sseb feeling.
But that they declare is now all over : it was but a mo-
lt', iv4o,vicge
place,lhi Bahlad mstaadr
mo-
mentary excitement,—a passing tla,Aneris—
,. But like the lightning, which does cease to be
Ere one ca; s:iy A lightens."
,
there w 4, swine. anxiety
Is this true, f2ltotv countrymen ? or is it a foala.nit lying
lbel on ye ? I need not pause for an answer, No ! they
are mistaken ! Are they not my frienels, stupidly. blindly,
utterly, dangerously, rnistisenif they think you have
renounced one
,Ickt 0; your determination for Reform, one
particle of your eagerness to be rescued from their sander
Mercies, and to be enabled to exercise the dearest and most
valuable privilege of freemenl 444 which aloaa can dis