The Sun.
London, England, 1836-06-06 00:00:00

NEWCASTLE MEF;TING ON THE
IRISH MUNICIPAL CORPORATION BILL.

(From the Tyne -Mercury.)
On Monday last, according to a requisition signed by
Mr. Sheriff Dunn, Mr. Alderman Headlam, Mr. Alder.
man Shedding, Messrs. Councillors Bell and Charnley,
meeting of the Council was assernhled, the :rtight Wor-
as
shipful the Mayor in the chair, who expredssed his great
pleasure at meeting on this occasion, stud, regretted that he
was absent at,the period when the requisition was signeis
or the meeting should not have been deferred so 100 hi
seven days.
Mr. Alderman HEADLAM then rose and said, tit one
who had taken the liberty of signing the requiAition which
had called the present meeting to take into eAVP:deratiot
resolutions.
the measure of Municipal Reform in Irelassil, lie- had newt
tlt length any obser-
come prepared to submit to their notice.
which r.d had called their slttene
He thought it unnecessary-to make
tion, because `,"se opinions ah::s sentiments he held upon it
vations on the subject
were bee' sed the resolutions which he bad
-ter e)spreset., to
n'.;W the honour of proposing. He was not willing thsat he
should be considered as raising a discussion on
party question ; but on the present occasion the subject
was one of paramount importance, and requi'red their se-
rious consideration. Indeed it was one 'which involved
the rights of our fellow-countrymen and the public inte-
rest so much, that the utmost possible public demonstra-
tion should be made upon it ; and perhaps there were no
individuals more capable of justly appreciating, or laetter
acquainted with the advantages to be derived frora muni-
cipal corporation, and the local interests and pu.blic affairs,
more than themselves. They must be well saSisfied of the
important benefits accruing from such a system, and he
was sure they could not but regard with regret that any
portion of his Majesty's dominions should be denied the
same rights which they Possessed. Even-handed justice
should be imparted alike to all his Alajesty's subjects.
There was no place like Ireland where municipal reform
would be more advantageous in removing the injuries un-
der which she was now smarting, produced by acts of for-
mer oppression.—(Applause.) It was essential to the
good government of that country that she should be in-
vested with privileges similar to those which we possessed,
and that the people might have the power of electing their
own local governors, who would become responsible to
them for their own affairs.—(Applause.) He was sure
they could not but regret the decision of the House of
Lords with regard to the Irish Municipal Bill. It appeared
that the majority of their Lordships considered the people
of Ireland unable to manage their own affairs. They cer-
tainly did hope at one time that that country was partly
conciliated by the passing the Catholic 'Emancipation
Bill, but if it was now refrssed to (Trans them municipal re-
form on the ground. of religious "difference in opinion, it
would be tantamount to an re-enactment of those penal
disabilities which the Catholic Bill was intended to remove.
They must not wonder then that the people of Ireland
should murmur under their injuries. Independent of the
principle of common justice and the right of every one in
the participation of the laws of the country, it. was the
further purpose of Parliament to sanction the removal of
all grievances. The House of Commons had now, he was
proud to say, acknowledged the wrongs of Ireland, and had. pledged itself that they should be redressed. Had not his
Majesty in his speech, declared in words to the effect—
" That in case any evils should be shown to exist ira the
Municipal Corporations of Ireland, in that case the same
remedy should be applied which had affected the reforms in
the Corporations of England and Wales." Here then
we had the gracious declaration of his Majesty backed by
the pledge of the House of Commons..—(Hear, hear.)
It was the duty of Government to regsrd all men alike in
the eye of the law, whatever their relissesus creeds might be.
It was evident that the proceedings of the House of Lords was against common reason and ;.;ustice, and we could not
be astonished that dissension, slziould arise in that country,
and that another cry should 'be raised for the repeal of the
Union. There was ano':ner question which he begged to
touch upon, and that '-.'as with respect to the constitution
of the House of Lards. He could not but admit the re-
spect winch he I.leld for that House as the first legal as-
sembly in silo nation, and would be sorry to see it in rimy
way inviditl:ated, for it had been interwoven with many glo-
rious rasa important events in our history, which had heen of great. service and interest to the country ; but with regard
te, their conduct to Ireland, he could not help thinkitsg that
any act of unjust legislation on the part of a majority of that
body at present would occasion much dissatisfr.ction in
the country, and especially on the question now 'Linder con-
siderations-L(Applause.) The present questirin was one,
however long their Lordships thought fit to resist, which
would still proceed, for there was a pow'sr in existence
stronger than theirs, and which would be *found irresistible
both in this and in every other Government—be they free
or be they despotic. He was satisfle d that no public body
whatever could resist the streresth of public opinion,
when fairly and openly expressed
.-(Applause.) Mr. H.
then concluded by calling on th'e council to express their
opinion, observing that they represented the great majority
of the respectable classes ati inhabitants of the town, and
their proceedings on this occasion could not fail to have
some weight with the LP gislature of the country. Mr. H.
then read the Resolutiosis, which were seconded by Mr. Bell.
Mr. SPEDDING, iF• a neat speech, moved an address to
his Majesty, which 'was seconded by Mr. Sillick.
Mr. Lose be7ged to propose an address to the House
of Lords, and. 'said, as it bad just been put into his hands,
he thought hr. had better read it to them as an apology for
a speech, Mr. L. then read the address, after which be
remarked that it was important that the people of Ireland
should be confident in the claims of their agitators, and that.
they should have no mean pretence to gain situations which
many of them were fully entitled to by their talents, and
that they should be kept in check by the more moderate
party. Ireland, he was fully sensible, ought to be enabled
to make known her local wants, and to refuse her rights on
the ground of religious differences was unjust. Was there
not in that assembly persons of all religious classes of the
community?—and he was no more afraid of them than he
would be of the councils in Ireland. -With those few ob-
servations, he begged to move the address, which was
seconded by Mr. Bargate.
Mr. FIFE then rose and said, that lie had just now
placed in his hand a petition to the House of Lords, and be
presumed it would be in accordance with what had already
been adopted. He thought it was almost incredible that
any body of men could now be found so rash and ignorant
of the present state of things as to place themselves in op-
position to the power and omnipotence of public opinion.
'llia body of men, be they strti'.4 or great, who had denied
not only the principle but the, details of the Irish munici- • pal Bill on the ground of their creed, were opposed to what
our ancestors had laid as the foundation, and added stone
upon stone to British liberty. Monstrous as this was, he
still hoped the people would remain. in that tranquillity
which now distinguished them. He trusted that there was
no one to be found to be misled by such men as Sir George
Sinclair, or that. the House of Lords is worthy of that re-
spect which be. Said they were entitled to. Mr. Fife then
concluded by reeving the petition, which was seconded by
Mr. Charities'.
Mr. IlcreGsoN said they could not confer a greater ho-
nour on the council, than by entrusting into the hands of
Earl Grey the address to present to the Lords, to Lord J.
Russell the address to the King, and to Wm. Ord, Esq.,
the address to the Commons.
A brief conversation then was entered into by Mr. Ni-
chol and Dr. Headlam upon the propriety of the present
fleeting, Mr. N. contending that a public meeting ought in
the first place to he called to know the sentiments, and Dr.
H. expressing his entire accordance with such a wish, but only
that before a public meeting was held the influence of the
Resolutionuould have been lost, because the question would
have beer, disposed of. He was yet quite willing that a re-
quisition should be signed for that purpose.
A vote of thanks was then moved by Mr. CHARNLEY
to the Chairman, for the courtesy with which he had re-
ceived the deputation, his readiness in calling the meeting,
and for his able conduct in the chair.
The Mavon briefly returned thanks, 'by observing that
the mere fact of receiving the deputation so cordially was a
simple act of duty, and one for which he would be sorry to
lay any claim to praise, and if a requisition was presented
to him, he would most gladly receive it, and appoint a day
of meeting.

THE FRENCH PTAINCES IN GERMANY.—Extrac t
of a letter of the 20,".11 ult. from Berlin :—" In all our political
circles, and by persons of divers opinions, the two French
Princes are treated with equal respect. Many instances of
the extrP:me kindness of our King towards them are cited,
and so deeply have they felt it, that they acknowledge his Ma-
jesty's conduct to be altogether paternal. Eye-witnesses de-
clare that it is impossible to find more tact, modesty, instrue-.
tion, and amiableness combined than are displayed by 0.10
two Royal Dukes, who are everywhere mentioned as mce:tela
of good manners and grace. In the two brothers are dia_
cerned features of their father's character, under the most at-
tractive form ; great firmness united with an elasticity of cha-
racter that is truly remarkable. It is thought that the visit o£
the French Princes has not a material object, as several publi.
cists would have it believed. The dejeuner dansant of the
French Ambassador in Berlin was honoured by the presence
of the King and all the Royal Family of Prussia. AI. Ores..
son is said to have received an allowance of 150,000 f. to cover
the expenses occasioned to him by the visit of the sons of his
Sovereign. A most gracious invitation has been addressed to
Prince Charles by the Court of France, which the Prince has.
eagerly accepted. The grand cordon of the Legion of Ho—
nour, accompanied by a letter written with Louis Phillippe.'*
Own hand, has been sent to the Minister for Foreign Affairs."'
Letters of the 21st state that the Dukes of Orleans and Ne-
mours had gone to visit the army
marlceounvrteheopnretcheedi2nlgstd.as?.l,.aralidr
had assisted at grand military
Royal Highnesses then dined with Prince s
Albert, the Kr ag's
son, and in the evening they were invited to a ball by time
Augustus of Prussia.