The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-08 00:00:00

No. 12,008.

AT a numerous MEETING of the INHA-
BITANTS of BRISTOL and its VICINITY, held
by public adverti,ement at the Assembly Rooms in this
City, on Monday, March 7, 1831,
RICHARD ASH, Esq. in the Chair.
1. It was resolved (with the exception of three persons)
unanimously, That this Meeting feel themselves called
upon publicly to declare their entire apt robation of the
plan of Parliamentary Reform, proposed by his Maj-sty's
Ministers ; and they beg to offer to the said Alini,ters
their corial thanks for the unc,mpromising and disin.
terested conduct which they have exhibitcil on this occa-
sion : and the Meeting pledge themselves to support the
constitutional measures proposed by every legal means in

their power.
2. Resolved, That a Petition be presented to the House
of Commons, to adopt the measures brought forward by
Lord John Russell, and pass the same into a law.
3. The Petition, signed by the Chairman in behalf of
the Meeting, be presented to the House of Commons by
J. E. Millie, Esq., and that he be requested to support
the prayer thereof.
4. That the Resolution be printed under the direction

:)f the Committee.
5. That an Address be presented to the King, emboly-
ing the above Re•olution.

SECOND EDITION.

SUN OFFICE, FIVE o' CL 0 CK.

BIRMINGHAM TOWN'S MEETING, TO
SUPPORT THE KING AND HIS MINISTERS.

(YESTERDAY.)
This morning (Monday) one of the largest meetings ever as-
sembled within the walls of a building was held at Mr. Beards-
worth's Repository, for the purpose of supporting the King and
his Ministers.

...„
The meeting was decided upon by the Council of the Political
Union on Saturday afternoon, and although there was only one
day's notice given, and that day was Sunday, not less than 30,000
persons assembled.
A procession was formed at the Globe Tavern, headed by the
Political Council, and attended by the band and banners of the
Union. All the streets through which the procession passed
were thronged by tens of thousands of spectators. The liveliest
and most enthusiastic joy seemed to pervade all classes. Large
bodies of men from the populous vicinity of the town, particu-
larlarly from the collieries, marched into the town at an early
hour, for the purpose of attending the meeting.
The Chair was taken by Thomas Attwood, Esq., at eleven
o'clock, amid loud applause.
Mr. A PTWOOD, in addressing the meeting, observed, that he
had often had to congratulate them on the progress of the great
measure of Reform, but he had on that occasion to congratulate
them on the dawning of the day of liberty. We had now ar-
rived at a day as important to England as that when Magna
Charta was wrested by the Barons of Runnemedc from the
tyrant John. We hadnow a patriot King to wrest our liberties
from a tyrant faction. Thanks to a patriot- King, the wicked

oligarchy which has so long domineered in this country is fallen.
He said fallen, because the fiat by which they must fall was gone
forth : their doom was irrevocably sealed, for there was no
power that could stand against the united efforts of the King,
the Ministers, and the people.—(Tremendous cheering.) It
would be remembered, that six months ago they met to celebrate
the French Revolution ; and on that occasion they had a variety
of songs, among which was one called the Gathering of the
Union, and in which occurred the following words :
" God is our guide, from field, from wave,
From plough, from anvil, and from loom,
We come, our country's rights to save,
And speak a tyrant faction's doom."
Little did he think, however, that this was so soon to be, ac-
complished. He was proud that the Members of the Birming-
ham Political Union were the first to array themselves under
the triumphant banners of the British Constitution, and to unite
together to wrest their liberties from a tyrant faction.—(Cheers.)
He now saw nothing to oppose ithem but what a patriot King
and people could, and he trusted would, conquer.—(Cheers.)—
At the call of the King, they were ready to rally round his
Throne, and they would takecare that during their lives nothing
should hurt him.—(Cries of " We are ready ! weare ready !")
He hoped they would not be wanted to act in any but a peaceful
way, but still if the Oligarchy determined to throttle the mea-
sures which had been introduced, the King had only to call on
his subjects, and they were ready.—(Loud cheers.)—The base
faction who had robbed them of their rights, like drowning
men were catching at every straw. They pretended that some.
thing was in danger in the kingdom. He did believe that solrie-
thing was in danger certainly, and that something was their (the
boroughmongers) craft ; depend upon it there was nothing else
endangered.—(Cheers.)—One of the greatest men of which this
country could boast was Lord Bacon, and he had said that time
was the greatest innovator, and if time altered things
for the worse, and wisdom and good conduct did not
alter them for thel better, it was extremely difficult to say
what would take place. He would now descr;be the cha-
racter of the measure of Reform which had been introduced into
Parliament. He did not pretend to say it was perfect by any
means : it was a plan, however, which would utterly destroy
the oligarchical power in England. It would wrest the power of
sending representatives from 151 individuals, and give it to about
1,100,000 men, since all would have a vote who paid a rent of
10/. per year. He did not hesitate to say that no measure of
equal importance had been introduced since the days of Magna
Charts. Sixty boroughs were to be entirely cut off; root and
branch.—(Loud cheers.)—Forty-seven other boroughs were to
have one-half of their power taken from them in one way. In the
first place they were to send only one Member in the place of two,
and, in the next place, whereas the Members were now returned
by a snug corporation consisting perhaps of some two or 300 free-
men, which by the way always meant slaves—(Laughter)---they
were in future to be sent by the bulk of the inhabitants. This
was not all, although it was true that the ballot was not in-
cluded in the scheme, still they had a decided improvement in
the manner of collecting the votes. The means of voting would
be easy, and performed so quickly, that he trusted it would be
found that before bribery could be exercised, the work would be
done. There was another tremendous nuisance which was to be
done away with ; all out voters were to be cut off, none but resi-
dents were to exercisethe franchise. In the old system, and with
a contested election, nonebut very rich men who could afford to
spend from 10 to 50,000/. could have any chance of success.--
(Hear, hear.)—He certainly wished that the franchise had been
more extensive; but still he was not disposed to look a gift
horse in the mouth. The duration of Parliament, and the ques-
tion of the ballot, were left open for further consideration. Mr.
Cobbett, who was undoubtedly the greatest political writer of
the age, and who was inflexible in advocating the rights of the
working classes, had given his cordial approval of the Bill intro-
duced by Ministers. Lord Grey, it was true, had said he would
stand by his order, and they (the meeting) would also stand by
their order, and by Lord Grey's order also, if he would do the
like by them.—(Loud cheers.)—They had no desire to injure the
honest portion of the Aristocracy of England. God forbid !
They only wanted to drive the Oligarchy, who held both the
King and the people in slavery. They delighted in such noble
men as Lord Radnor, who for 35 years had been a Radical Re-
former. The Marquis of Cleveland, who was the largest borough
proprietor in the kingdom, was content to resign his influence.
Also the Duke of Norfolk, who within these few days had de-
clared his hearty concurrence in the measure of Reform intro-
duced, and his determination to support it even though it were
ten times as great as it is, satisfied that it was for the benefit
and happiness of the people--(Loud and continued applause.)
It gave him (Mr. Attwooct) great satisfaction to find that Earl
Grey was acting a consistent part, and was closing his career co-
vered with the glory of a Washington and a Bolivar.—(Cheers.)
He was glad that the meeting had not been cajoled by a particu-
lar party, who were always saying to the industrious classes,
" Don't you meddle with politics, mind your own business, and
leave politics to other people." Now, in his, (Mr. Att-
wood's) opinion, the best private business at the present
moment was the public business. It was of little use
their minding their workshops, if, while they were labouring
the men who thus advised them had their hands in the work-
man's pocket.—(Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he trusted, that
when the Bill now before Parliament was passed, all other good
would be added, if it was not, the people would certaiuly be in a
much better condition to obtain what more they required.—
(Loud and continued cheering.)
JOSHUA SCHOLEFIELD, Esq. was cheered by seeing so
many honest faces around him. It was a proud day to see so
many thousand honest mechanics of Birmingham, leaving their
workshops at so short a notice, to approve the grand measure of
Reform proposed by his Majesty's Ministers. If the people had
done their dui y in this manner years ago, they would have had
no need to meet that day.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Scholefleld
then dwelt on the character of the men at present com-
posing the Opposition to the Reform Bill in the House,
particularly noticing Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Horace Twigs, Mr.
Baring, and Mr. Calcraft, which created a feeling of universal
contempt in the meeting. The speaker then paid a high eulo-
gium on the character and consistency of Lord Grey, who lie
considered had amply redeemed the pledge he had given when
he took office. The Noble Earl had also the merit of opposing
Peel's Bill, which Mr. Cobbett justly observed, was worse
scourge than the ten plagues of Egypt let loose at once.—
(Cheers.)—Next to Parliamentary Reform was law Reform, and
it was pleasing to see Lord Brougham cleansing the rubbish
from the Courts of Chancery.—(Loud applause.)—He would con-
clude by saying, that he hoped the most perfect unanimity would
prevail on the great matter they were met that day to discuss.
This was very important, inasmuch as the enemy were
continually saying that the Reformers were divided. He
believed, however, that although different roads had
been taken, and perhaps might again be taken, they
would all come to the same end at last.— (Cheers.)—Mr. Schott-
field then moved the first resolution—(for which see advertise-
ment.)
Mr. WILLIAM WESTON, in seconding the first resolution,
said, it was their duty to show that they had inherited the spirit
of their ancestors, by pledging themselves to support the King
and his Ministers against the borough faction, even to the last
drop of their blood.—(lmmense cheering, and cries of " We
will—we will.")—
the Unfortunately for Europe, the several Govern-
ments that had reigned of late had been half a century behind
poleoeHear)—and it was therefore now determined by the
eope to remodel and alter them. If the people of this country
sufflared the borough faction to defeat them in this great mea-
sure, they would have the curses of their children on
their heads.— (Hear, hear, hear )—He believed, however, that
this would not be allowed.— (Cheers.)
U. F. MUNTZ, Esq. moved the second resolution. The last
time they had met he congratulated them on Reform becoming a
fashion, he now congatulated them on its having become a duty.
(Cheers.) He remembered the time when it had been consider-
ed a disgrace to be a Radical Reformer. He had been called
disloyal, because formerly he could not agree in the measures of
the King and his Ministers, and a few of the same individuals
now called him disloyal, because lie did agree with the King and
his Ministers, so that it appeared he was doomed to be a disloyal
man.--(Laughter and cheers.)--The Bill which had been
introduced by Ministers, went much farther than under all cir-
cumstances he expected, and if it was not carried into effect, he
did not hesitate to say, that England would not be worth living
in. (Hear, hear.) He must be allowed
leas S say
ir a few words,—
and that Robert Peel.
of one man who opposed Reform,
There were persons to be found who called him a very honest
man, but in his (Mr. M.'s) opinion, he was the most accomplished
and jesuitical man in the world. He tautnhteedfrathnechiGseov;earnndmeynett
with not giving a sufficient extension to
he (Mr. M.) would ask if any man thought that Sir Robert Peel
would assist the Ministry in still further extending it.—(Cries of