The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-01 00:00:00

SUNDERLAND REFORM MEETING.

(Ahrideed from the Sunderland Herald of Saturday.)
Yesterday the numerous body of reformers in the
townships of Sunderland, Bishopwearmouth, and
'Monkwearmouth, assembled to vote au address to
his Majesty on the rejection, by the House of Lords,
of the Bill for a Reform in the C.immons' House of
Parliament. Considerable excitement existed on
the occasion ; but we are happy to state that the
whole of the pr ► s were canductetsyth a pro-
priety w orthy of the•oce ily..pEt of
the day the Sunderland band o music, dressed in
gay uniforms and accompanied by a large blue
banner, paraded the different streets of the town,
and enlivened the inhabitants brspirit-stirring
various flags were exhibited from the windows of
houses, and, shortly before noon, nearly the whole
of the shops were closed, their occupants being
anxious to attend the meeting, and, by their pre-,
-once, stamp the opinion of these great towns on the
utility and necessity of the 4111-engrossing topit—
Parliameistary Reform. Sir H. Williamson, Bart.
\LP. for the county, accompanied by H. Lambton,
E•q. brother to the Right Hon. Lord Durham, were
drawn into the town by the populace, shortly before
twelve o'clock, amidst the cheetings: of an immense
concourse f spectators, and immediately proceeded
o the Assembly Room, the place appointed for the
meeting by the Magistrates to whom the requisition
had been addressed. At twelve o'clock, the large
room was crowded to excess, and, after Bernard
Ogden, Esq. had been voted to the chair, it was
agreed, amidst sortie confusion, to adjourn to the
large open area in front of the building, which, also,
Was complettelrfilled. After these necessary altera-
:ions had been effected, the worthy Chairman re-
quested J. P. Kidson, Esq. to read the requisition.
The CHAIRMAN then attempted to address the
meeting, but was interrupted by the noise of the
multitude. He requested they would be attentive
to the speakers that should follow, and consider the
resolutions that would be proposed for their decision.
HEDWORTH LAMBTON, Esq., brother to the Right
Hon. Lord Durham, then addressed the meeting to
the following effect :—This day decides, whether we
are to be the servile slaves of tyrants, or flee from
the con upt influence of ass interested boroughmon-
gering oligarchy. If the inhabitants of this great
town are the ardent admirers of freedom and their
country—if they are the haters and abominators of
corruption—that meeting would cry with a unani•
mous shout, " Down with the horoughtnengeriee
peerage!" (Here loud acclamations followed.)
That shout was loud enough to have been heard at
'Wynyard OrSt:ahem. Why was the noble owner
of these domains not present at this meeting—why
not here? When he looked at the British public,
he was not surprised that they were bursting with
indignation. It was vain to say to the borough-
mongers, " ye, yourselves, are the cause—examine
yourselves.' He avowed his respect for the middle
classes of society, and regarded that order of the
people of England, Scotland, and Ireland, us the
sinews of these kingdoms, and as the soul of the
Constitution. He contended that among them were
to be found the wealth and intelligence of Britain.
The Lords lately summoned to discuss the question
acted like so many basbaws—forgot that the Lords
were made for the people,. not the people for the
Lords—that their.order took its rise in feudal times.
Divest their guilty edifice of its trapping, and their
pretences would vanish like the lamp of Aladdin.—
Should the Aristocracy of rank be so desperate as
to contend with the aristocracy of nature, the cir-
cumstances of the case would appear in dreadful
colours—as well might the raven, contend with the
eagle, or the moth 'with the lion. A few months
ago a sprit of rebellion prevailed in the southern
counties of the kingdom. Incendiaries everywhere
were at the callous work of wanton destruction;
and, when the Duke of Wellington declared against
Refottn, civil war stared us in the face. Then Lord
Grey appeared with the Reform Bill, and, what
happened ? Why, the sun shone out, the sky
cleared to windward, and that nobleman struck a
cord that vibrated through the hearts of thousands.

As the measure would benefit poor men, it might be
emphatically teamed the Poor Man's Magna Chum.
He regarded this as an awful and dangerous crisis.
It was now necessary to attempt to extricate
ourselves—the people must come forth with resist-
less energy. Mr. L. concluded by moving the first
resolution, and remarked that this was the first time
of his addressing a meeting of this nature, and
begged the indulgence of the audience.
WALKER FKATIIERSTONHAUGII, Esq. seconded
the resolution. It had long been thought that u re-
formation in the Church was indispensably necessary
and no one was stronger in that opinion, than t;tl
iA-
dividual who was so universally respeAed in this
place. He meant the late S:r }Amy Vane Tempest,
who had often declared th 4 to be a priest-ridden
county, and he indeed thought that the conduct of
the majority of the Bishops, on the late occasion,
had proved the necessity of a %Com in the Church,
a Reform, he had almost said, as necessary aka, Rie-
form in the Commons House of Pakkic,4lo., He
exhorted them to continue that wad peaceable
conduct for which they had ever signalized themselves.
Sir H. WlLRAigesciti, hart. M.P., in an energetic
speech, saicl,-.swe were met to show that we had
confidence in the administration, though an unfortu-
nate, interested, and dispirited faction had rejected
the Bill. No sooner bad this event taken, p`..sti.e than
the House of Commons passed a Kew.hition of sup-
porting Government. No; I.v.Quiti this country relax
till the measure law, triumphantly carried. The
Hon. Agouet concluded by expressing a hope that
the resolution he held would be carried with, t',.4 same
unanimity as that already passed.
Dr. ULANNY exulted in 014 assusance he felt

, 111
having at the next metzti::g to congratulate each other
on the passing of the measure.--(Loud cheers.)
a. J. -Witicarr, Esq. said it has been amusitig and
vexatious to mark the vain pretexts with which a
selfish and overbearing oligarchy Arst, by their no-
minees in the House of Commons, and latterly, in
propriarrsql,ta. in the House of Peers, have endea-
voured to justify their contemptuous disregard of
the innumerable and energetic petitions of the
people, of that momentous Bill
s,
itclspecies and
their
of rejection
i Iwould
revivingcorruption
the blessings of pure repre-
a n ae given a deathblow to
every
and patronage b)
which the aristocracy has been enriched, uric
the nation has been impoverished and oppressed.
Mr. W. then read the third resolution, declarator;
of the satisfaction of the meeting at the discrimina-
tion evinced by his Majesty in his judicious selec-