The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-22 00:00:00

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still further concessions at the hands of Parliament.—(Cheers.`
The present, however,. was not the time to annoy a well.inten.
tinned Ministry, by the discussion of abstract theories, and upor
this point the great body of the people thought with him. Si
far from being dis,atisfied with the Bill, the experience of every
day convinced him that the working population of Birininghan
were daily becoming more and more attached to its provisions
;Cheers.) For these reasons, he should most cordially support
Ihe motion, as a mutual act of justice to the people of these dis-:
tricts, and the Government of the country.—(Cheers.)
Mr. T. C. SALT said lie should support the resolution brought,
forward by Mr. Hadley, not so much with the intention of cen-
suring Mr. Hunt, as expressing his regret that he had fallen int,
uch glaring error.

Mr. .ATTWOOD commenced by stating that, no doubt, Mr.
Hunt's statements, respecting the dissatisfaction of the working
men of Warwickshire anti Staffordshire, with the Bill of Reform
now before Parliament, had given the greatest displeasure, and
;sere altogether unfounded.—(Cheers )--dt was certainly pos-
sible that some of them might think that the Bill would have
been better if the franchise had been more extended, and
perhaps if it had embraced universal suffrage; but it did not,
therefore, follow that they were not deeply grateful for the
present Bill, and disposed to be highly gratified with it. Hi
himself was quite convinced that the working men of these
counties would never express or feel any dissatisfaction with
the great measure of Reform now hi progress, provided it hat:
the effect which he trusted it would have, of bringing into Par-
liament so many able and upright men as would be competent
to restore abundant employment and abundant maintenance, it:
exchange for honest labour.—(Cheers.) This, of course, was at.
solutely necessary. It was not to be endured that the labourers
of Ireland, for instance, should any longer be allowed to perish
by inches, under the pressure of famine and distress, arising from
mismanagement, nor that the labourers and working classes of
England should any longer be exposed to the privations, injuries,
and degradation which they now endure. If the present Bill
should not produce these great and necessary effects, of course
they must push forward. The wrongs and injuries of the nation
must be remedied, and then there was no danger of discontent
among the working classes. To pretend that these men would
not be better protected by a repressntation of 1,000,000 of their
next door neighbours, living under the same wants, infirmities,
and necessities, as themselves, and acquainted and identified with
all their feelings and interests, than they are now by a representa-
tion of 151 individuals born in the clouds, living in the clouds, and
dying in the clouds, and knowing nothing and feeling nothing of
their wants, interests, and necessities—was little better than mad-
ness to suppcse.—(Cheers.) He was perfectly convinced that of
the working classes in Birmingham and its neighbourhood, there
did not exist one in a hundred who could be prevailed upon by
anything short of force or bribery, to sign a petition against the
present Bill.—(Loud cheers.) He fully agreed, therefore, with
Mr. Hadley, in thinking that the Council ought to petition, it:
order to explain this truth, and to counteract the influence which
the erroneous statements might possibly have. He attributed
these statements to the excitement produced in an ardent and
enthusiastic mind, at meeting crowds of friends to whom he must
have been tempted to put leading questions, which might pro-
bably draw answers in the heat of the moment which no working
man would give, upon having time for reflection.—(Cheers.)
He, therefore, blamed Mr. Hunt for great indiscretion, and be
had written to him, urging him to explain that what he had said
must mean, that the working men would many of them have
been better satisfied if the Bill had given them naives.- al suf-
frage; but that they were none of them hostile to the present
Bill.—(Chee.s.) It was stated in The Sun Paper, that Mr.
Littleton, the Member for Staffordshire, had made mention of
their Political Union, and then apologised for such an allusion,
as if the House had been contoodnated thereby. He trusted
this gentleman's pride would be humbled one of those days, and
that he would be glad to take refuge in the Political Union, front
the storms which his own measures were raising. The working
classes of England had, at all times, and particularly of late years,
exhibited the greatest patience, loyalty, and forbearance, under
privations and sufferings of many kinds, and under a state of re-
presentation in which they might be said to have no interest
whatever. He doubted not that these meritorious classes of inen,
the real strength and wealth ofthe nation, would exhibit the same
loyalty to their gracious Sovereign, and the same attachment to
the laws and institutions of their country, when the natural and
healthy reward of their industry should be restored, as they had
exhibited under periods of extreme adversity and privation.
Fully believing himself that the Reform now in progress would
have the effect of restoring the prosperity of both the work-
ingelasses and their employers—and knowing that the working
classes in this neighbourhoogl were impressed with the same be-
lief—he fully concurred in Mr. tfailley's motion, Ile had always
however, in expressing this opinion, taken ease to guard him-
self, by stating that he did not expect these results to arise from
the mere abstract work of reform, but front the great measures
which would necessarily be effected by the introduction of real re-
presentatives into the House of Commons, acquainted and idea.
tified with the wants, feelings, and interests of the community.
He thought it proper also to say, that, unless the return of such
men ha Parliament were duly attended to by the people, under
the action of the Reform Bill, the Reform itself would but, in
fact, increase thegeneral embrrassment and distress of the nation.
It would break up still further the great machinery upon which
the welfare and existence of the nation depended ; and, instead
of relieving its difficulties, it would add to its embarrassments-,
that was to say, provided the present fatal measures of the
Legislature were persevered in. he could not better explain
this view of the subject than I.w stating to them the consequences
which had been produced in France by the great and vital, and
most necessary political changes of July last. He ( Mr. A.)
had lately been infornied by Mr. Jacob, whose authority could
not be disputed, that 31,000 bankrupt& s had been declared in
France, since the revolution of July ; and still the Freneti
vernment were blundering on in their old way. None of these
mischiefs could have occurred in France., if the French House
of Commons had been composed of proper and efficient represen.
tatives. Therefore, it was of the greatest importance that Eng-
land should take warning by their example, and in working the
great Reform in Parliament now in progress, it was most im.
portant that they should take care to send representative's Who
were both able and willing to restore the prosperity of she
country. To men of business there conlit bJ ito difficulty in ac-
complishing this in England, and even in Ireland, however
difficult such accomplishment might appear to the present Mem-
bers of the Homo of Commons. lie would undertake to assert
that with men of business in Parliament, and men of integrity,
there could be no possible difficulty in quickly produeina state
of things which would ensure to every honest vsoaing man in
England, and even in Ireland, too, an atairdanee of bread and
beef and beer, for the maintenanee cthimself and family, in ex-
change for his lionest.lAnur. Apologising for these digressions,
Mr. A. concluded by expressing his cordial approbation of the
motion.-.(Cheers.)

Mr. EDMONDS said, he considered that Mr, Uuut had used
his present elevated position, to do great mischief to the great
question of general Reform, and fur no other reason that he
could conjecture, but to the pot.walloppers of Preston.
He knew that Ips
with rhairlias dment depended altogether
stcorist:atiioig by lkolitte(r)srhealnd,
ron likizrdloXelyl,lehweswTs determinede
(Cheers.) A professed advocate for univegal suffl'age, the
Member for Preston was absolutely oppoaing a measure, by
means of which, if his theory ever wero'adopted, he could alone
expect it to be obtained, -1-sur his (Mr. Edmonds') part, even
if he were an advoeato for the most extended suffrage, he
should pot consider that the present was the time when it
should be brought into practice. It gave him sincere pleasure
to reject, that, although the false sentiments of Mr, Hunt had
afforded the enemies of Reform strong arguments against the
Bill, the authority of the Political onion upon the points to
which he alluded, was a thonsalid times more important and
influential. Supposing they were certain that the Bill would
pass, would gny but a tbol or a traitor oppose its progress by the
diACtission of abstract principles of doubtful applicabilityb The
Bill proposed to enfranchise the most hone t and trustworthy of
their fellow-countrymen—the fathers and heads of families—and.
at one fell swoop to destroy the factio,nary nature and character
of the representative brooch of this Legislature. He felt nothing
but the deepest disgust for men who, in order to defeat such a
beneficial mea-nre, demeaned themselves by the utterance of the
most direct acid self-evident falsehoods. Such conduct could be
the result only of gross folly or gross wickedness,-.(cheers.)
He heartily concurred in the propriety of petitlAning the House
of Commons, and thought they were in duty hound to express
themselves strongly on the gross inisroliresentations made by
Mr. Hunt.—(Cheers.)
Mr. MUNTZ ylwod the conduct of Mr. Hunt with tho ut-
most indignation ; nor was he inclined to give him credit for
any i+! these worthy motives by which some speakers who pre.
veiled him thought he might have been actuated. He had done
more mischief to the cause of Refer% than any of its professed
opponents, of whom he wal l'u;sw hailed as the champion. He
quite agreed with Mr. E,loionds, that the state of society in this
country was not 4A/ed for the establishment of universal suffrage.
He cordia'W*fifircivod of the petition.—(Cheers,)
Me. WESTON said, having been much It; Mr. Hunt's com-
pany, while in Birai ngliam, he fat v,,,aarid to otThr a few words
in his justification. In his op :,,skin, Mr. Hunt had shown ill.
dependence and honesty:, tCough not his prudence, by the ()cause
he had pursued. He ?fad always been an advocate tor the snot
extended sima•age, on the ground that the middle, classes, or shop-
kecile.;4,'Were either depexclent upon tlit# superiors in society,
Cr' Oppressed by their inferiors. Hc, therefore, honestly told Par-
ham nt that the people wc,nld pot be satisfied unless they went
step farther than tikfa proposed. He, (Mr. W.) however, eX-
tremely regiti;c4 the rough manner in which Mr. Unlit had
c.onkt.etgi himself, and the erroneous statements lie had
i-pade, with regard to the sentiments and feelleO4 of the working
classes in this part of the country. lie should not oppose the
motion.—(Cheers.)

Mr. 8188 addresseJ tUA meeting in a short speech, in support
of the motion.
Mr. THOMAS WESTON perfectly cmiciared in the object
of 'i.llo motion. Although Mr. Hunt had, as the representative
Of his constituents, a right tct state their sentiments in Parlia.
ment, He had no riglit gcosply to misrepresent the opinions of
the people of WuWivitshire.—(Cheers.) One gentleman had
said, ttic!..MWther for Preston had not violated his principles; in
,31:r , W.'s) opinion, he had, at any rate, with regard to them,
VlS•dated the truth.—(Cheers.)

Mr. W. NVESTON again rum He had just had a statement
put into his hands, purporting to have been made by• Mr. Hunt,
in the House of Cow,mons on Monday night, containing, he was
sorry to say,. several untruths, if not direct falsehoods. Mr. Hunt
was, nut invited to Warwick, but itivitoil bY him (Mr. W.) and
Mr. Pearse, to accompany they to Darlaston, where a dinner
was to be given for the. express purpose of supporting the Mini..
sterial measure: or Refonn.—(Cheers.) Mr. Hunt stly,tos that
thrcllkundred were present at the dinner, and only about fifty
Would have attended had he not honoured the party with his
company. Now this was false, for alive. two hundred had pre—
mised to dine; and-there was no doubt as many would have
attended had Mr. Hunt issuer appeared in the town or neighbur-
.hood. It was, •doutiticsi, true, that Mr. Ilunt addrmwit a large
conceAse of people ; 'hut it was equallyy, true, he was not so well
.:eceisied as litinself and others who. asitc4,ited the meeting in sup.
port 'of the Ministerial ineasure:4- Ileform.—(Cheers.) He ( Mr.
V.) really could not tell wl4a* was Mr. Hunt's object in making
these. error t.taternents ; but this he knew, the peor,lie, of
these as far as he could judge, were without TP-I:e4.tatiOn
c.1036:,6Xiy in favour of Lord Russell's BilL—(Loud clieors.)
HADLEY then proposed that the petiwussitould be trans.
witted to Mr. O'Connell for presentatVA,
Mr. HIPKISS, Mr. BlBB,riti4 othorS, objected, and suggested
that it ought to bo izip, i
a;il n other hands. The petition, being
submitted to Mr WOOltnell, might lead to a revived quarrel be-
tween I?.W,lakid*Mr. Hunt,

„_...
i‘.Ir.:IIILINTZ wished to know what w.c,s the ground of the last
quarrel. Did it not arise from tho,mts-statements on the part of
Mr. Hunt, of which th.ey. I,iow domplained ?—(Cheers.) Thsl
had nothing to do Niiin'theprivate quarrels of the parti‘s. Mr.
O'Connell wi.s, In his oPinion, the proper pCI.:DA to present the
Ntir4on.-I.(Chetri.)
ETWONDS said, 14. O'Connell was the first man to con-
traditt the tnis..statements 'of Mr. Hunt, and it was to Li n,
therefore, they Were bound to transmit their corroborative testi.
moiiy, in support of what he advanced. With the feelings of Mr.
Hunt they had nothing to do. Whose feelings had he ever con-
sulted ?

After a few more observations, the motion was !c irrieil unani-
mously, and the meeting shortly afterwards separated.