The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-11 00:00:00

MARY LEB ONE.

(Concluded from our Paper of yesterday.)
By these various and distant movements time had quickly
passed away, and it was now nearly half-past two o'clock, when
every thing appeared to be arranged for the proceedings of the
day; but just as Mr. Hume was about to be called to the chair,
Mr. Savage, an active member of the Committee, and who had
a resolution of importance to propose, was discovered to be mis-
sing, and no tidings for some time could be heard of him. In
the course of half an hour, however, it was announced that in
quitting Achilles, Mr. Savage had some difficulty in getting over
the iron-railing, but he would soon be up, and presently it was
announced that he had arrived at the border of the meeting, but
that the crowd was so dense it was impossible for him to make his
way to the hustings, and after various attempts made to suffer
him to pass through in vain, he was seen approaching from the
outer edge of the circle, walking with a steady step literally on
the heads of the closely-packed multitude until he arrived at the
hustings.
Mr. POTTER then moved that Joseph Hume, Esq., should
take the chair, and this being unanimously acceded to with loud
cheering, the Hon. Member addressed as follows an assemblage
that at this moment could not at the most moderate calculation,
have amounted to less than 40,000 persons.
The CHAIRMAN said that this was a most important crisis
in the history of the country, and their proceedings should be
conducted with a decorum becoming such a momentous period.
The question involved in the proceedings of this day was alike
valuable to the King and the peasant. He hoped, and was sure,
therefore, they would act as became Britons, and do justice to a
patriotic King and a liberal Ministry ; let them be united and
firm, but moderate and peaceable. if the Lords could see this
meeting—if they only knew half of what is passing in the nation,
they would not think of resisting their just claims. As for the
Right Rev. Bench of Bishops, who were the instruments of
destroying the just hopes of the people of this country on the
present great question, there ought, he thought, to be some
allowance made for them. They are a set of men innocent in
the ways of the world.—(Loud laughter.) He was speaking se-
riously—they were men who had been brought up in cloisters,
and led secluded lives, and knew not what was passing around
them.—(Cries of " They know their own interest.") He (Mr.
Hume) did not say they did not know that ; but it would be only
exercising towards them that Christian charity which they pro-
fessed, if they did not always practise, to suppose that their fatal
decision was the consequence of their ignorance of what was
passing around them, rather than any wish to perpetuate injus-
tice. It was, however, very unfortunate, that the twenty-one
Bishops who voted on the occasion did actually decide the ques-
tion against the people ; for if they had voted for the Bill, they
would have neutralized the twenty lay Peers who composed the
majority, and carried the Bill by one; the same glorious number
one that brought it triumphantly through the Commons. But let
not the people for a moment give way to despair; let them remem-
ber, and never lose sight of, that last declaration of Lord Grey ;
which he (Mr. H.) heard that honest and upright Minister make, at
five o'clock in the morning, in his last address to the Lords on the
Bill! That he would be unworthy the confidence that his august
and kind-hearted Sovereign had reposed in him if he could ever
think of deserting that King or his people so long as he was sup-
ported by both, and was capable of doing them service; and that,
happen what will, he should never forsake his post while he
could benefit his King and country. The present question with
the people was Reform ; but might it not be revolution.—(Tre-
mendous cheering.)
Mr. MABERLY, in proposing the first resolution, addressed
the meeting at considerable length. The unjust decision that
had been come to by a portion of the House of Lords on the
Reform Bill, was most discreditable to the interested body who
formed the majority on that occasion.
Mr. W. SMITH also addressed the meeting in moving one of
the resolutions, and expressed the delight he felt at being present
at such a meeting as this, after having retired, as he might say,
altogether from public life. But this was an occasion when it
was the duty of every man to lend his aid to assist the people's
rights.
Mr. SAVAGE and Mr. POTTER also, in proposing come of
the resolutions, spoke at great length and with much ability,
Mr. WARDEN, who called himself " one of the rabble,"
addressed the assembly with great force and much humour; they
had been, he said, at the great Binningham meeting, on Monday
last, when he saw 150,000 men and women assembled, and the
women were as active and as enthusiastic as the men, and as in-
telligent too, and held up their hands in support of the measures
proposed for the liberties of the people,with as firm a mind as any
of their husbands or sweethearts.-(Cheers.) But the thing must
soon end, and we have only to endure it patiently a very little
time longer.
Mr.. OGILVEY, Mr. BAXTER, Mr. FLOOD, and several
others also addressed the meeting, and it was not until near dusk
that the day's proceedings were brought to a close.
A body of strong resolutions, and an Address founded upon
them to his Majesty, were read to the meeting, and put separately
by the Chairman, and carried unanimously amidst the loudest
acclamations, particularly the Address to the King, which was
proposed by Mr. Potter, and during the reading of which, at the
request of the Chairman, the whole meeting stood uncovered.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, with three times
three and waiving of hats for a considerable time.
Mr. HUME recurred thanks.
The meeting then giving three cheers for their good and patriot
King, dispersed in the most orderly and miipt manner.