The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-31 00:00:00

COUNTY WILTS MEETING.

(From Keene'sßath:Journal of Monday.)
Friday last was a day that will be long remembered in
the county of Wilts. The Anti-Reformers have been in-
dustriously propagating the report that there is a re-action
in the opinion of the public, but the whole county seemed
on this day to move spontaneously towards the scene of
action, to convince the nation that such was not the casein
Wiltshire. In every town within twenty miles of De-
vizes, the central town, all the post-chaises, chariots, flies,
vans, Irish cars, and every other description of vehicle,
was in requisition ; and about eleven o'clock all the roads
leading into Devizes became a scene of animation. From
this time the town began to fill, and about twelve o'clock '
a long procession of vehicles and horsemen entered, ton.
nisting of about forty carriages, and a vast number of
horsemen, from Trowbridge, still mote from Bradford,
and a great number from hielkshatn. Shortly after, an-
other party entered from the Marlborough road, so
that the spacious market place was crowded with
vehicles waiting accommodation at the different inns.
The town was now one scene of buck and ac-
tivity in all parts. The meeting -was announced
to take place at twelve o'clock, but before then-
sands who attended could get accommodation for
their cattle, and the area in front of the hustings
eoul I be restored to order, it 'Waal half-past twelve.
The processions having arrived, displayed their nunaerous
banners to the eye, all various, but appropriate to the oc-
casion, and numerous bands of music delighted the eats.
We shall not particularise the banners, but public opinion
was strongly manifested by them in respect to the Bishop.
The exhibition of a representation of one of these person-
ages being made by more than one banner—*--one of which
with his tithe pig in one atm and his tithe sheep in the
other, was mounted conspicuously in front of, and at-
tached to, the hustings. On this one was inscribed the
words "21 ofthese tyrants against the Bill." With the
banners and music the people were amply entertained until
the time above mentioned, when the High Sheriff, Paul
Methuen, Esq. and ail the nobility and gentry who in-
tended to take an active part in the proceedings of the day,
proceeded with difficulty through the dense mass which
filled the whole of the spacious street-, with scarcely room
for one to be added to their numbers ; and having made
their way to the hustings to the amount of upwards o; a
hundred of the first in point of rank and wealth in the
county, the public immediately recognised their repre-
sentatives, and those gentlemen whose opinions in favoar
of the great measure of Reform were known, and they
were received with acclamations that rent the air.

The HIGH SHERIFF, in taking the Chair, with his
usual eloquence, called attention to the object of the meet-
ing, and the Under Sheriff read the requisition signed by
the first men of the county, and including among them
the signatures of Lord Suffolk, Lord Andover, Lord Rad-
nor, others of title, the Mayor and Mayor Elect of Sak.
bury, &c. &c.

Lord SUFFOLK now came forward. If there be any
re-action, this meeting proves that there is none in the
county of Wilts. The Noble Lord then entered into a
description of borough corruption, all which, in the e) es
of the Anti-Reformers, was the purest part 01 the Consti-
tution. Did the people think that those boroughs were
bought and sold? Oh ! .no such thing. There was pay
Lord Harrowby, whose family had been connected ninety
years with a borough, and he declares that he has never
psid any money in his life, and he is a very honourable
man, his word is not to be disputed : but how did he per-
manently bold the representation of the borough ? Because
be was Lora Harrowby ? because he was an honourable
man? or, because he had been all his life a Minister of the
Crown, and connected with the Treasury ? This is the only
thing that will account for tie permanency of his seat.
He was thereby useful to the electors of Tiverton ;
but his election expenses were note paid for out of
his pocket, nor out of the pockets of the people of
Tiverton ; the whole has been paid for out of the
pockets of the people of England—(Tremendous cheer-
ing)—who had been for ages paying the Aristocracy
to enable them to maintain their corrupt influence over
the people. The people saw the evil of the present sys-
tem so clearly that it was useless for their Lordships and
the Bishops to attempt to stifle the voice of the nation.
The Tories, in their very weakness, persuade themselves
that they are every thing, and the people nothing. They
talk of standing or falling by their order ; Gentlemen, I
can only say that at present I am ashamed of my order.—
(Tremendous and long continued cheering.) Would to
God that all of their order would listerr to the voice of
the people constitutionally expressed. Under present cir-
cumstances
he would stand or fall by no order but that
of the people, and wi-h such an order he would be au, e
not to fail.—(Cheers.) His Lordship then moved the
first resolution.

Dr. BRABANT came forward to second it. He need
not occupy them with any arguments on the great que--
tion of Reform, on which all minds were made up, which
was clearly understood by the people, his Majesty, and his
Ministers, whom may God long preserve to us. Our op-
ponents say, once yield to innovation and a revolution will
follow. The Reformets too are called revolutionists, but
the magic of the word has lost its influence, the Anti-
Reformers are found to be the only revolutionists. They
had destroyed by their revolution the Constitution of
1688, of which the Lords and the Bench of Bishops were
parties in the establishing, and let it not be forgotten that,
at that time, the time of the revered wisdom of our
ancestors, the Lords and the Bench of Bishops were in fa-
your of triennal Parliaments, I•ut this Constitution by
their revolution hail been destroyed, and this it is
which our revolution will again build up. The
determined, the unanimous will of the people must
prevail over all opposition.—.(Tremendous cheering. 1
Change, revolution, indeed ! resistance to change is revo-
lution. What brought Charles to the scaffold and Louis
XVI. ? What led to the deihronement of the Stuarts'?
What has now driven from the throne the first family in
Europe and made them v,gabonds on the earth ? R--
sistance to the voice of the people. The Lords know, the
Bishops know, and the people of England are heainnine
to know the difference between conventional and natural
righta.—( Great cheering.)
Lord Raneioa now appeared amidst tremendous and
long continued cheering. He said, having been teuested
to move the second resolution, he hesitated not a moment
to do so, as he was always willing to do any thine io his
power to aid the great cause of the people.—(Cheers.)
This was the third meeting he hail had the pleasure of attend-
ing in that place within a period of a few months on this
subject, and respectable and numerous as were each of the
preceeding meetiugs, they could hardly be compared to
this, which seemed a climax of the determined energy of
the people to convince the Anti-Reformers that there is
no re-action in the public mind. Let us look to the great
principle of the Bill—let us see above all that it gets rid
of all nomination boroughs. That it will pass the Lords
to this effect has been doubted by some, but if not, he for
one should not he satisfied with it, and he hoped they wood
not. —(No, no, we must have the Bill,from a hundred voices. )
And let us now so express ourselves—let the Ministers be
given to understand that such is our determined resolution,
let us enable them to say, on undoubted authority, that such
is the 'wish of the pe,ple, and that nothing less will be
agreed to by them. The minimum constituency of the
rejected Bill is 300—which would effectually do away
with the evil of self-elected corporations. This, then,
Ministers must fully stand out for. This the people must
not relax their efforts to obtain. The next principle, the
extension of suffrage to 101. renters, may he opposed ;
thought it probable that an alteration on this subject might
he acceded to.—(No, no, the whole Bill ) He did not
think 10/. too low, hut at the same time, in certain large
places, it may be found requisite to raise the qualification,
but 101. as a general standard, could not be objected to.
He should vote for the full extent of this clause of the Bill.
These are the main points for us to direct our attention to,
and if we obtain these, he imagined very little aifference
would exist as to a few minor and subordinate particulars.
Sir ALEXANDER MALLZTT alluded to the prosecutions
of the Reformers, anti said that one of the Anti-Reformers
had shewn the spirit of his party in saying he would go a
hundred miles to see Lord John Russell hanged. Mit
what is this spirit of persecution, against whomsoever di-
rected ? Is it for the good of the people ? No—like the
persacution of the Roman Catholics, it results not from a
desire to benefit the people, but to keep the loaves and
fishes to themselves ; to govern the purees of the people
by binding their consciences. The Anti. Reformers had in •
terpreted holy writ to thir own advantage : to him that
hath they give, and from him that bath nut they take away
even that which he bath ; and attempt to blind
us into the belief that the system works well, and
that its very evils are its greatest virtues. But the
people are no longer to be deluded—tbey see in the
Reform Bill those principles on which alone they can
,restitutinn ,ot theii-iighis. We want
depend for
active men of business, to repre-
men of liPeral feelings,
sent us in Parliament, not a lot of drones, who sleep on
the Treasury benches until the whipper in BUURTIIOIIB them
to vote on any side their masters may think proper. In
order to abate the ardour of the people, the agriculturists
have been told the Bill will injure them, but here again
tbey are foiled by the spread of knowledge. That respect.
abbe body of people knew too well the intimate connection
between the two great interests of the nation to be moved
by '6dt-sophistry. They know frotn experj nee that they
mad the manufacturers have both prospered and suffered

together, that they are launched in the same bark, am
have both one common interest in the general weal. With
regard to confidence in his Majesty's Ministers, he 'thought
them well deserving it. He had no confidence in parties.
In Whigs or Tories be saw nothing of that liberal elle-
ratter which would suit the pedple; 'they had both, in
support of prejudice and telfishnisas, deterted the cause of
the people, and joined their enemies. As Whigs, then,
he would place no confidence in them, but as men, as
Reformers, ivho had shown us by their ace,ona what they
are, he would place every confidence in them. He con-
cluded by seconding the reeelution, with much cheering.
JOHN BENETT, Ell., M.P. for the county, now came
forward, anti was received with enthniastic ekpressions
of approval. He would not attribute sinister' inotiVeS
the great Lords who desire tas rule both the king and the
people ; but he would say that ainbiticli urged them or. :
they hoped and expected that Ministers would resign, and
leave them to 'carry their milk-and-water Reform into
effect and reap all the glory. But they have bilim disap-
pointed. Our staunch friends, his Majesty's Ministers,
have, by firmness of resolution', raised themselves superior
to such machinationthey have declared that they will
stand or fall by the measure. But did they say when theywould ftll ? No. They mean to be staunch tt the %hest
tense of the word, they will not fall until -ell ptiospect and
all hope of the Bill is lost, and that will never be, while
supported by the King, the i'arliament, sod the people.
The Ministers have given us their assurance that the Bill
shall be in principle the same, and if the present Lords
shonid not accept it, the King will find those who will.
He then alluded to the impressive address of Earl Grey to
the Bishops, in which he argued for the sake of morality
—the foundation of all ought to support
Reform; hut his appeal, cogent as it was, proved of no
avail. Whether through ignorance or dishonesty, lie
would not isnpute motives, but the Bill was lost through
the Pistiops. Mr. Benett concluded a long and animated
speech, of which our space will only admit an imperfect
report, amidst enthusiastic and several times reiterated
cheering,.

Sr. J. D. AS' LEY came forward, amid great applause,
to second the resolution which his friend, Mr. Benett, had
moved and supported with such ability. He could only
say that he fully concurred in every thing he had ad-
vanced ; he deeply regretted that the Bill had been re-
jected by the Lords, for what is that Bill short of the una-
nimous opinion of twenty-two millions of the people. He
was happy to understand that another Bill was in preps.
ration, founded on the same principles, and which the Mi-
nisters stand pledged shall not materially differ from the
rejected Bill, and he trusted that we should not find 199
Peers dare to reject it a second time.
Mr. BENETT here read the addres, which was expressed
in strong and powerful language, and passed, as were all the
resolutions, without a dissentient voice.

Mr. Jor then proposed the next resolution, and compli-
mented Lord Suffolk on the manly speech he had delivered,
and said he had added that day another leaf to the many
laurels Le had gained in his country's service. We are
accused, he observed, of promoting revolution and
anarchy, but who would gain by it? These who are ac-
cused ate those who would lose every thing by anarchy;
they have the greatest stake in the country, but to use the
language of Sheridan, not one stolen out of the common
hedge.—(Cheers.) Look at Lord Grey, was he desirous
of anarchy ? He had been a patriot from his earliest years,
he was never known to look to self but to principle. His
principles had been adverse to office for 50 years, not be-
cause he disdained office, but because he would bold it
only on terms by which he may serve his country. Is
he in office now ? It is by the voice of the people that he
holds it, and we find him the strenuous advocate of
those principles which have been the ruling ones of h;s
political life, and he stood now in a proud position—
public confidence the basis of his influence. But what has
been the character of his opponents ? Their conduct in
the rejection of the Bill was of so vindictive and so un
courteous a nature towards the King, the Ministets, and
the people, as to stand without a parallel in Parliamentary
annals.—(Cheers )

Mr. SceoPE now came forward to second the resolu-
tion moved by Mr. Joy. He said, since their last meeting
a new leaf had been turned over in the history of Reform.
The Lords had contumeliously rejected the Bill which had
been adopted by the most independent and the greatest nu-
merical portion of the Commons, and approved by the
whole people. But how do the people receive the rejec-
tion ? Do they bow submissively to the dictation of the
Lords, and say, your will be dine? No! The Right
Honourable and the Right Reverend Peers have taken the
boroughmongers under their protection, and their slaves
may aquiesce, but the people of this meeting, and a thou-
sand others, chew the same invincible spirit of freedom
which they have before so powerfully shown, unabated in
ardour, sanctioned by truth and justice, and with pros-
pects undiminished of final triumph. In recommending
perseverance by every constitutional means, and the obser-
vance of order, he asked of what use would it be to be
violent? It would be like knocking down a flea with a
sledge hammer. To oppose with violence a few petticoat
Lords and Bishops would be like blowing up a house to
destroy the rats that infest it. We have only to be quiet
and firm; and when we hear the wholesale plunderers of
the public accusing us of robbing them of their rights, we
have only to look to our own interests and button up our
pockets. He could not conclude without meeting the
sophistry of those who say the system *arks well. Let us
see how it has worked--is the loss of America well—bas
war protracted to twenty years been well—is the national
debt a proof that the system has worked well—do we
find proof of it in our prisons—in our poor houses—in the
Gazettes filled with b inkruptcies. If it has worked
well, for whom has it been ? The producers receive not
the wealth. The operatives with sixteen hours labour per
day cannot keep their families from the workhouse ; and
the agriculturalisls and manufacturers have to pay a heavy
amount of poor's rate to keep from starving those, who
under a better system, would be able to maintain them-
selves ; and beside all tiiis the farmer has an immense por-
tion of the produce of his hard labour enacted in the shape
of tithes, by rich and greedy pluralists. There is not a
branch of the present system that evinces not the necessity
of Reform. The people are obliged to pay to a church
to which they do not belong ; and cannot recover a small
debt without ruinous legal expenses. The tradesman
finds everything slipping through his fingers he knows not
how—so complicated and so ramified is corruption be-
come, that in whatever means he tries to gain, a fang of
the devouring leech will enter his pockets, and take away
all the profits of industry. The system may work well
for the 130 Privy Councillors, and all placemen, and pen-
sioners, with all their numerous family dependents; and
in precisely the same ratio it works had for the people.
By the Twice have all things been mismanaged. They
not only take our money, but insist upon making our
laws—to marshal our armies—to direct our colonies, in
any way they think proper. They insist upon our be-
longing to what church they think proper—they oblige as
to have our notes from a certain bank—and to buy our tea
of a certain company. We cannot hake—we cannot
brew-r-we cannot pray—we can hardly walk without their
especial leave and licence—from out cradles to our grave
we are under their controul—their especial and gratuitous
care.—Mr. Serape concluded a long speech with over•
whelming applause.
The Hon. Captain BOUVERIE moved the next resolu-
tion, that the address be presented by the High Sheriff.
He said that the Lords might further delay, but could not
defeat the Bill. In the Course of atm very pertinent and
good remarks, he alluded to the contest in Dorset, where
the Anti-Reformers_ had gained a contest, such a one,
however, as report says will not bear investization. Mr.
Ponsonby would appeal against it, but this will be attended
with great expense, and he hoped all true Reformers will
be ready to add their names, however • small in amount
they may contribute, to subscription lists, which 'will be
opened.
FuLwEn. CRAVEN, Esq., then came forward to con.
gratulate the county of Wilts on the auspices of the day.
The Bishops are not fit to be in the House of Lords, and
should be excluded on the same principle as clergymen are
from the Commons. There is an old saying that the sauce
that is good for the goose is good for the gander. But he
would recommend them to do all things in order, and to
let their conduct be an example to the world. He would
say no more than to wish them "Patience under their suf-
ferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions."

Mr. MONTAGUE GORE, in rising to move a vote of
thanks to the Sheriff, was received with great applause.
He spoke of the great importance of such meetings, in
giving a vent to public feeling, and tending to nation ,l
enlightenment. Dr. Franklin was once asked why the
oountry was not on the ere of a revolution ? He replied,
the reason why it was not was our county meetings : these
afforded the people the opportunity of expres.ing their feel-
ings ; the contest was not that of bloody brawls, but of
sound argument. This was the weapon with which the
Aoti-Reformers were now opposed. Oar opponents call
the rotten boroughs the security of the Constitution ; but
they are merely a marketable commodity, belonging to
trading politicians. Their security is this, that for a cer-
tain number of guineas, any knaves may get into the
House of Commons, and make the Constitution to suit
themselves. We regret that our spice will not admit the
whole of Mr. Gore's eloquent speech.
NAPIER, who was loudly called for, at length
came forward, greeted with enthusiastic cheers. He
said it was not his intention to -have addressed them to-

ally, but tieing open in bo Aatteilog a manner
ivotild not shrink from the expressions of his opinions.
At the same time he begged that if, in the course of his
observations, he should say anything ill-timed they iv6ula
listen to him with patience. Ile fiad, With them, only
one object in view, the for Warding of the great measure of
Reform. We itre how met once more to add our efforts
t' the great exertions making throughout the kingdom to
attain this noble object. Of the difficulties and obstacles
to be encountered, he did not reckon among the least the
apithy and supineness with whi'dt many sincere Refor-
mers regarded the pregress of the measure. The
objet 6f every hincere advocate of Reform should be to
Prevent anarchy on the one hand, and apathy on the
other. There should be warmth of feeling and 'vigetar
of expression on the part of thn people tempered
with judgment and dlibretien. This is a measure of
vital, imOttalice: it is one on which the very peace
tf the nation depended, and it should not be tam-
pered with or delayed. He thought that few viewed it
aright, they did not consider it as what it really was—a
great and glorious reveletioe.::.--not a revolution such as
the Anti- Refertnera would make it appear—(no, no)—but
it it it paSsing from darkness to light; it is the revolution
of mind, which, once put into movement, cannot be de-
layed, its course is onward, and woe be to us, if the people
who ought to be at the head falter, and fall back into the
rear. He regretted the long prorogation of Parlia-
mentashe was Berry the people were contented with it.
Ile knew the declaration of Ministers—admitted that it
was manly and noble, but declarations will not do with-
out acts; let them, by the latter, chew the sincerity of
their hearts, and the people will stand or fall with them.
The people cannot fall; but, if Ministers do not their
duty, they will fall, and the people will stand of them..
selves. He urged them to place no confidence in men, of
whatever set or party they may be. Look to yourselves,
and form your resolutions according to your own mature,
unbiassed judgments. You must, gentlemen, depend
on yourselves and your own exertions. You were told
the Bill could not possibly fail in the Lords; he at that
time said that if the people obtained success it would depend
on their own exertions. And how are opinions verified ?
Has not the Bill been rejected with scorn ? And is it not
now undergoing a change that will make it palatable to
those who rejected it ?—(No, from several voices.) He
appealed to the words of Earl Grey for the truth of what he had
asserted. Did not that Noble Lord, in reply to the deputation
which waited on him, say that it would be absurd to bring in
another Bill that would be sure to be rejected by the Lords.—
(" No, no, we'll have no other BilL") When he last spoke of
Reform in that place he was accused of violence ; he was vio-
lent, and held it to be no sin. Our enemies said we were luke-
warm in the cause, because we were not violent. Then hesaw,
or thought he saw, their enemies creeping on them in their
slumbers ; but now, he was proud to say, he saw the strong man
awake, he had burst the seven green links that bound him, and
stood erect in all his Majesty and might. He would now say
that there was no occasion for violence. The British lion was
aroused, and his kindling eye would pierce his enemies, and
defy them to the combat—would cause corruption to crouch be.
fore it in silence and dismay. It would be found now, that the
noise of a few Lords—the violence of a faction, will not subdue
the Majesty of a great and enlightened people. We must not be
violent, but firm and resolute. The angry waves that
break upon the shore leave but small traces of their
power. It is the great and deep heaving of the water s
by which he would typify the people of England. The power
of public opinion, the Press, the great engine of enlightenment,
let us wield with union of purpose. But if we do not do this
we shall be crushed, degraded, and debased. Our liberties, the
very moment they are in our grasp, will be lost. While we
know that to be hasty and rash, only evinces intemperance and
want ofjudgment ; let us also know that apathy is the charac-
teristic of cowardice. Let us then be determined to do no
wrong, but let us be equally determined to have our right.
Commune with yourselves, and each with his neighbour in
your private moments, and then one spontaneous act will be
the result, should circumstances render it necessary. He con-
cluded by adjuring theth, as they valued the happiness of them-
selves and their families, to follow the advice of no man, or set
of men, but to satisfy their own judgments.

The thanks to the Sheriff was carried with enthusiastic accla-
mations, who, in rising to return thanks, rivetted the attention
of the meeting to a speech at once forcible and eloquent, in the
course of which he combated the Gallant Colonel who preceded
him, but expressed his regret at differing with so eloquent,
honest, and warm-hearted a friend to the great cause; but
there was one remark in his speech tantamount to this—a man
is found in a ditch, a Tory comes by, the poor fellow calls for
aid to help him out, but the reply he gets is—my good fellow,
you are very comfortable where you are, you had better remain
there. A Whig then comes by, and says—my good fellow shall
I assist to lift you out of the ditch ? and then comes along
Colonel Napier, and says—my good fellow, don't listen to him,
they are both knaves together, and you had better have nothing
to do with them, but depend on yourself; no body can get you
out of the ditch but yourself. The Tories must give way—our
cause must be gained--but let us conide in Ministers. The
Tories will, by them, be taught not to defy the laws because
they can make and unmake them at pleasure. We will let
the Aristocracy keep all things to which they have a right,
but let them not try to get those to which they have no
right, or they'll lose all. I have heard that Rome was
saved by the cackling of geese—if cackling would have
saved this country, the Tories would have saved it
long ago. The Tories are all for Reform until you
come to the question, and then they won't admit any, and if
you don't mind them they will again be riding back to Cornwall
over the necks of the people. But by firmness in aid of the
Ministers we shall obtain a legal preventive. If we are firm,
even the Duke of Wellington cannot save the worn-out trunk
of corruption, and its shattered branches under whose spread.
ing foliage even Royalty has heretofore reclined. How fallen
is the great military leader What an army did he muster the
other day—Falstaff's army was princely to it—a band of pen.
sioners was his advanced guard, and the bench of Bishops his
powder magazine. An army that will leave him when their
pay ceases—without honour—without credit. He wished, for
the sake of religion, that the Bishops were not politicians. The
wisdom of our ancestors had connected Church and State: but
we must now give up these venerable prejudices. He esteemed
Dr. Phillpotts for his inconsistencies, he hoped he would be
consistent in his inconsistencies, and as he had turned on a
former occasion, he hoped he would be inconsistent enough to
turn again now, and support the Bill. He then complimented
the Lords who supported the Bill, and said they must be distin-
guished from those who have nothing distinguishing but their
titles, nothing ancient but their prejudices.
Three cheers were then given for the King,- three for Re-
form, and three groans for the Bishops, and the meeting sepa-
rated at four o'clock.