The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-07 00:00:00

SPIRIT 01.-' THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The &Si)lk Chronicle and the Ipswich Journal
of Saturday last contain long accounts of a conference
between Messrs. Morrison and Wason, the representa-
tives of Ipswich, and their constituents, in the Shire-
ball of that town, on Thursday evening last. The
meetinef was very numerous, and the result was most
gratifyina, affording, as it did, a proof thMembers bat when du
e-
e
pains are taken to place the • conduct of
fore their constituents in a proper light, the latter are
seldom indisposed to listen to reason. Mr. Mee_
rison, who first addressed the meeting, was at some
pains to remove an impression that he was averse to
the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the
operation of the New Poor-law, because he had op-
posed Mr. Walter's motion towards the end of the
session. It was impossible, he said, that any good
would have resulted from such a committee, for no re-
port could have been presented ; but there was a
general understanding amongst Members that at
the commencement of the next session a Com-
mittee should be appointed to investigate the
complaints made against the Act. It would ap-
pear from what took place at this meeting that
there is a good deal of excitement in Ipswich on
the subject of the Poor-law Amendment Act, and a
pledge was given by Mr. Wason that he would move
next session for a Committee of inquiry into its opera-
tion. On another subject—to which great importance
is attached in all parts of the kingdom—the ballot, it
bad been stated in the Szdfolk Chronicle that Mr.
Morrison had recanted his opinion. So far from this
being the case, he said that he had not only always
advocated the ballot in Parliament, but he was in
favour of its adoption from the period that he was old
enough to understand what the ballot meant. He felt
that when the Legislature conferred the franchise on
the people, they meant that they should truly exercise
it—that every man should vote upon his own judg-
ment, and not be influenced by intimidation ; for if in-
timidation were to be allowed, the Reform Bill would
be a curse instead of a benefit. Church-rates, he said,
must be given up, for it would be impossible to collect
them. The Honourable Gentleman' having gone
through various measures which had become the law
of the land; came to the Irish Tithe Bill. The conse-
quence of the course pursued by the House of Lords
was, that a large amount of public property would be
fairly lost. And who would derive benefit? " Those,"
he said, " whom he was the least inclined to benefit
of any class within the kingdom—the Irish landlords.
He thought the House of Lords would regret deeply
that the measure was not carried in the late session
of Parliament, for he firmly believed if the question
were not settled very soon tithes would totally disap-
pear in Ireland, and the Church must be left to subsist
upon the voluntary contributions of its members."
Having alluded to the rejection of. the Irish Municipal
Reform Bill, the Jewish DiSabilities Repeal Bill,
the County Elections Bill, and the Post-office Bill,
all thrown out by the Lords, Mr. Morrison observed
that " before the Reform Bill the House of Lords
possessed, by means of the rotten boroughs, a ma-
jority• in the House of Commons, and it might,
therefore be said that the people were governed by
the House of Lords ; but the power of nominating
Members in the House of Commons no longer rested
with the Peers, and it was therefore perfectly useless
on their part to resist the determination of the people,
as expressed through their representatives in Parlia-
ment. if the Lords do not give way, it is impossible
that the demand should not be universally made for a
change in the constitution of the House of Lords, so
that it should work in harmony with the House of
Commons." With respect to a Poor-law for Ireland,
be had always been an advocate for that measure. It
was absurd to suppose that two millions of people
would remain peaceable whilst in a state of starvation.
If a Poor-law had been introduced into Ireland,
that country might now be as prosperous as Lan-
, eashire. It was because there could be no se-
curity for property without Poor-law, that people
would not invest their money in manufactures af-
fording employment for the population. He be-
lieved that Ireland with a good Poor-law would
rise rapidly from its present prostrate state, and
be as prosperous as England or Scotland. Mr.
Morrison alluded to Law Reforms, and stated that
he was an advocate for the abolition of imprisonment
for debt ; he himself bad never arrested a man for debt
unless he turned refractory, and refused to surrender
his property to be equally divided among his creditors.
Having adverted to various other measures, Mr. Mor-
rison proceeded to give his reasons for supporting Mi-
• lusters.
" I know," he said, " I often agree with the Government
in opinion, and we often differ. I support them because,
upon the whole, their policy has. I think, been eminently
serviceable to the country : and I do say, that if they can-
not carry on the government, and they will not be en-
abled to do so unless supported by .Liberal Members and
by the constituency of the country, there is little hope
f'or the sort of reform which you desire to receive at their
hands. The establishment of an ultra-Tory Government
in office is quite out of the question. I apprehend that
we shall see neither the Duke of Newcastle Premier, nor
Lord Winchilsea Secretary of State : and it is quite idle
to expect that the Radicals could carry on the affairs
of Government. No one who views the power possessed by
the Tories, or contemplates the recent elections, and the
nieelg-balanced state of parties in the principal towns, can
be-otherwise than satisfied that it is impossible we can have
a Radical Government. If we do not support the. present
Ministers, and if they are driven from power, we must have
a Cabinet less liberal in their place. If 'see Government lose
the confidence of the country. you will a Cabinet com-
posed of the least liberal of the Whigs and the most liberal
of the Tories—the next Government we should haw; would
be a Peel-Whig.—(Not no.) You may judge of what would
he the policy of such a Government. You say the present
Cabinet moves on too slowly ; a Peel-Whig Government
would be forced to move, but it would be at a snail's pace
indeed."—(Laughter.)
i
From the favourable reception exper enced Ly Mr.
Morrison from the more decided Radicals, the Tories
will see that they have but a slender chance of profiting
by divisions between different classes of Reformers.
'Whenever a representative comes forward like Mr.
„orrison, in a manly manner, and places the question
fairly before his constituents, he will carry them • along
with kiln. The people have sufficient good sense to
understand that half a loaf is better than no bread. A
good deal of pains have been taken in Suffolk to in-
.flain? the people against the new Poor-law Act. But
we have no fear as the result of an inquiry. Much
misrepresentation prevails with respect to the new law ;
but the truth is sure to prevail. We cannot afford
space for a notice of Mr. Wason's speech ; but we may
oberve that the ineetine were quite satisfied with his
statements. The Tories have, we suspect, as little
charee in Ipswich as elsewhere. The conclusions
drawn from the recent municipal elections in Ipswich
are by no means warranted.—Morning Chronic/e.
The Standard will have it that the most perfect
lireenony prevails among' the Tories. "We are still
s says our Evening the fond illusion,"
Dukeof
Contem-
porary, " that Lord Lyndhurst, with the
ot Issee
of
ff
Commons, Lords,
Wellington, commands in theas Sir
Robert Peel commands in the Hoand'
that the three leaders act with a perfect harmony and
good understanding." Oh yes, there is a perfect liar-
mosy and good understanding among them as to the
adiantage of being in place ; but this seems to be the
lily point of agreement. It is reported of George
111. that when
he was told of the death of
a Law
Lori, who had been most assiduous in his attendance
at Court, and between whom and his Majesty there
appeared to be a good understanding, he exclaimed,
" one of the greatest rascals in my dominions is
gone 1" We cannot pretend to say what exclamation
would fill from Sir Robert were the exit of his Noble
.and Learned Friend to be announced to him ; but we
think he would hardly be so much affected by
the news as to die of a broken heart. It is just
possible he might, like Mr. Pitt in his last
moments, exclaim, " Oh, my country !" but it is
snore probable that the bereavement would add
to the portliness of his person. The history of Lord
Lyndhurst's leadership is too brief to allow us to forget
any portion of it. We all know with what avidity
he endeavoured to seize the occasion for distinction
in the Lords which Sir Robert Peel's moderate op..
position to the English Corporation Bill in the Com-
mons had left to him. His Lordship entered into a
treaty offensive and defensive with the Town-clerks
of the various Corporations, rallied the more outrage-
ous Tory Lords around him, and showed a disposition