The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOJI OP THE SUN.

SF 11,-.4. write to inform you ofthe great joy whin s *l'4uprested
by all ranks of persons in this town, at the measure of ft#fortri,.
which has been proposed by his Majesty's Ministers. The peOti.tf,
arc so full of expeCtatibtt
.the good which will result from the
Bill passing into a law, that 1 drf,ad the consequences which may
ensue should the House be so mad al tH reject lt. 't he working
classes have met in large numbers at the pUblic,liou,es every
night since the measure has been introduced intd Parliarmilt, in
order to discuss its merits' and read the debates of the Members ;
and, although they regret th at the, suffrage is limited, itbdi,ahbve
all, that the vote by ballot is not introduced, still, seeing,
cessity for unanintity, In order to overcome the vile oligarchy
which grinds them into the dust, they are willing to accept the
measure with gratitude as it is. In the mean time, the wealthy
and influential portion of the inhabitants art, bestirring them-
selves in right earnest. The Political Council met this morning,
and have decided on calling a meeting of the members and friends
of the Union, on Monday next, to support the King and his Mi.:
nisters. The liveliest excitement prevails, and it is expected that
the meeting will be attended by an overwhelming number. Even
the Ultra-Whigs and Tories are moving. A requisition to the
High-Bailiff or the town is in progress of signature, and was
numerously signed before it was known that the Council of the
Union intended to call a meeting.
It is intended to have a general illumination should the Bill
pass the first reading.
A meeting was yesterday held at Wolverhampton of the most
respectable inhabitants' to support the Ministers.
Birmingham, March 5, 1831.

PORTSI4OUTH, MARCH 6.—The Reforti:
measure introduced to the House by Lord J. RUSSELL,
was first announced to the inhabitants of this towel
through the spirited exertions of the Proprietors of The
Sun Paper, which arrived here about eleven o'clock
by ,n express from London. It was most eagerly sought
after, agd when the substance became known it gave the
most general satisfaction; it even exceeded the wishes of
our most ardent Reformists and they appealed to be ex-
travagant, till this noble and effectise measure was
made ' public. Already meetings have been held
in many places, and are to be held during the week, in
different parts of the county, praying that the ptoposed
measure may pass into a law, and expressing the peti-
tioner& determination to support the Govetument at this
crisis.

WHAT OUGHT THE COUNTRY TO DO ?
The Ministerial plan of Reform is in danger—how shall it
be supported ? In the metropolis numerous public meet-
ings are already announced, and one was held on Thursday
to wipport Ministers and their measures by petitions. We
have heard of similar meetings being summoned in other
parts of the country.. Ought not Leeds and the towns of
the West Riding immediately to meet for ae s one pur-
pose ? The necessity is urgent ; the Duke of WELLING -
TON declares that the Ministerial measure will destroy the
Monarchy, and Lord WHAIINCLIFTE calls it " a new
Constitution ;" tae tocsin of alarm is sounded by the
boroughmongers, and doubtless the KING will be In-set to
induce him to turn out the Ministry. If it is more fitting
that the four thousand 10/. householders of Leeds should
have the elective franchise, than that it should be exer-
c:sed by the forty-two voters of Boroughbridge, at the
command of the Duke of NEWCASTLE—nay, more, if the
country is to be saved and settled, instead of being plunged
into revolution—the people of Leeds ought, heart and
hand, to support the Ministry. We throw out these sug-
gestions for the immediate consideration of the reformers
of Leeds and Yorkshire.—Leeds Mercury.

By some strange oversight the town of De-
vonport, with its forty thousand inhabitants, the seat of
the most important arsenal in the kingdom, and of the
nano and military commands in the west, is omitted in
the list of towns to which Ministers propose to extend
the franchise, on account of their population and national
importance. The surprise which this circumstance has
excited is general among all (mien of men here. Either
undue influence has been exerted to prevent the rightful
claims of this town from being considered in the proper
quarter, or a real ignorance exists in that quarter of its
relative position and political wants. The latter may pos-
sibly be the case, as we perceive by Lord JOHN Russzee's
speech that the scheme now introduced is based upen the
census of 1821, when Devonport was unknown by its
present name, though it had long existed as a separate
town, perfectly independent of Plymouth, and governed
by its own Act of Parliament. The importance of
Devonport is not confined to its bein; the depositary of
many millions of Government property, but it is a place
of commerce, and carries on a foreign and colonial trade,
which requires only a fostering hand to make it consi-
derable, as from its situation at the mouth of a navigable
river, anti on the borders of a rich agricultural district, it
possesses many advantages and facilities for supporting an
extensive internal trade. But setting aside these evident
claims to attention, we need only dwell upon the nature
and extent of its population, as it is by population only
that the plan for the improvement of the representation• is
regulated. In this respect Devonport stands far above
four-fifths of the twenty-seven towns which are to have
representatives, and is doubly entitled to possess Members
of its orrnias from the peauliar tenure of the great bulk of
the landed property in the parish, the inhabitants have
begin hitherto unrepresented even as a part of the county.
It is just possible, that the near neighbourhood of the
borough of Plymouth, may have had some influence in
withholding the rights to which Devonport is unquestion-
ably entitled, but the interests of Plymouth are numerous,
important, and complicated enough, to occupy the un-
divided attention of its members, and experience has
proved that so far from such a position being advantageous
to the people of Devonport, it is in many cases just the
reverse; for though in general the interests of both towns
go hand in hand together, yet in such large communities
occasions must arise in which they will clash, and then
the weakest invariably goes to the wall. The inhabitants
of Plymouth are far too liberal, too enlightened to allow
any paltry jealousies to thwart the course of political jus-
tice, in respect to its neighbour. Little more need be
said on the matter: here we merely stand out for our.
rights, as subjects of this great empire, entitled to common,
privileges upon the faith of being the sixth unrepresented'
town in the kingdom in point of population, and in the'
value and iinpOrt,ince of our public possessions unequalled,
by any other vwhateVeri—Devonport Telegraph.

Nothing is now talked of but political Re-
form, a measure which some declare to be of doubtful;
good ; but the Reform in which all human beings must
take an interest, is the Reform in the British tOnstittition,,
lately brought about by Dour—a Reform connected with
the science of the table, wherein health is made for the
first time to go hand in hand with Epicurean indulgence..
The great result is achieved in the numerous original co-!
linary receipts embodied in this successful Dictionary of
Cookery, lately published by Mr. DOLBY, head-cook of,
the Thatched House Tavern.

A peculiar source of interest is involved in the
recently published work entitled " The English. Army in
France." We-allude to that Onion of the volumes whicl
describes the day after the battle of Waterloo. The authos ..
is a medical officer, and it was his duty to inspect. the
wounded lying on the field of battle; during which toelani
choly task many incidents of the deepest interest are de.l
`veloped. Scenes such as these transcend, all the inven4
tione of romance.

REFOR NT.

MANCHESTER, TlA,7cii 5.

et
I never on any occasion saw such imanimitvian,c:hoisf
town, as prevails on the subject of the illini,tedal solo ra-,
000rnef Refno:mj.ainAilnl rcaorimkarn,eavn(diatiopfix•rsoonfs
thhiedicrlincgonadlu. Lastl ar
night it was determined to send forth a legoi,ition to call
a public meetiog, to express approbation of their conduct.
It was sent on 'Change to-day at elercu o'clock, and by
/ne o'clock bad received 2io signatures of the first re.
spect4ility. The Borougtr...eve and e.onstabizs have this
afternoon consented to cal a meeting on Wednesday, and I
believe it will be snob a one as never was witnessed in
Alanebetter before.

MEETING AT LIVERPOOL, MARCH .5.
(Abridged from the Liverpool Journal)
An advertisement, signed by upwards of 200 of the most
rev:lll43e merchants an go:ale:nen of the town, having
appealed day's paper,. inviting the inhabitants to
attend a public meeting to pasta vote of thanks to his
;Westy, for having been graciously pleased to sanction,
with his royal approbation, the Reform Bill now before
ParliamsnS, a meeting took place at the Music Hall, at two
o'cloc4 this afttsnoon. Notwithstanding the shortness of
the notice, we have seldom seen a more numerous or re-
spectable amlience than was assembled on this occasion.
WALLACE CURRIE, Esq. took the chair.
Mr. Cunnuz said that the occasion on which they were
met together Waa one of momentous consequence—it was
amst glorious, and all felt the enthusiasm that was associ-
ated with it. They had all been taken by surprise as to
ths extent of the plan proposed by Ministers—they did not
expect it was to be a plan of such signal merit; and al-
though it con'sd not be expected that in the discussion of
its details al would agree, there was sufficient leason to be.
have that our earnest wishes would he gratified.
Colonel WILLIAMS said under all the circumstances, he
was satisfied.

11r. CI:011'EP. said, that every friend of peace and of
got.d order should come forward and support the Govern-

:neat.

Mr. S. YATES moved an amendment; expressive of the
thanks of the meeting to his Majesty, for the
liberal sentiments he had always entertained and fre-
quently expressed in favour of Reform.
Mr. OTTIWELL WOOD seconded the amendment.

Ver. Mr. SHEPHERD said it gave him great pain to
differ from the gentlemen who fad brought forward the
amendment, hut he did differ with them tot° ccelo. Air.
Yates will have it that the original resolution intimates
that the King has interfered with the rigl.ts of Parlia-
ment, Now, in his opinion, it did no such thing.—
(Cheers.)-1t only thanked him for what he is known to
have done, and acknowledged the obligation under which
he has laid all his suhjects.—(Cheers.)—He (Mr. Shep-
herd) was perfectly satisfied with the constitutional pro-
priety of the resolution. He entertained doubts list
night, but he had since yeceived a communication from a
high constitutional authority,—for such he considered
him,—acknowledging the high constitutional -propriety
of the. resolution, and advising its adoption as a mea-
sure likely to:, be of vast benefit.—(Loud cheers.)_
He gave the gentlemen who opposed it credit for good
motives, beeatu•e he /tad last niht entertained doubt§
himself.

.....
The amendment being pot. only three hands were held
up for it, al&rlst great laughter. The original resolution
was then carried amidst great plaudits.
Mr. THEAKSTONE considered himself entitled to the
indulgence of the meeting, for it was not. many minutes
since the resolution he was about to propose had been put
into his hands. In taking a review of the important sut,..
ject relative to which they had as it met his entire.
approbation'; and why? becanie it was founded on the
basis of property and intelligence.
The resolution was then put, and carried unanimousi..
The Rev. Mr. SnErnEno arose arnid,t loud cheer..
The resell of Reform now yes on with the wind and tidt'r
in her favour ; but when she berran she was surrounded
with shrralsand rocks, end beset with storms and tempests.
Tie first difficulty was to bring the subject before the
people. It required no small degree of caution and cou-
rage; their opponents then had a trick of putting them
down by popular clamour, for at this time the people were
aphid them. (Here Mr. Thomas Smith, of Lord-street,
rose in the holly of the room, with the seeming purpose
of addressing the Chair, bat the cries of " Down, Sir,"
were so loud, that after an effort to speak he sat flown.
After the interruption lia4 ceased, Mr. Shepherd con-
' tinued) At the time of which he was speaking, if they
• the (Reformers) ventured to name Old Sarum, the an-
swer was, " You are an enemy to the country." If they
alluded to any of the rotten boroughs, they were accused
of wanting to participate in the spoil of the country, and
of giving encouragement to revolution. Government spies
attended public meetings, and affixed the name of " Ja-
cobin" to their backs. It was said also, that the system
worked well. Aye, for whom, though, did it work well ? For
all the proprietors of boroughs—for those individuals, who,
by virtue of Parliamentary influence, fixed themselves like
leeches on the body politic, and infested the army, navy, &c.. The cry of Reform is now raised from John o'Grt at's
House to the Land's End. For even' Scotland itself
arouses for freedom. His Majesty's Ministers have done
their duty, in coming forward to grapple with the bo-
roughmongers, and have marked them to be put down ;
and it remains for the country to do theirs. Mr. Shep-
herd then proceeded to say, that if asked whether he were
content with the present Bill, be would, as a private indi-
vidual, say he would give a right of franchise to every
individual who is liable to serve in the militia. But we
must be content to have this measure with the present
Ministers, or the Duke of Wellington with " no Reform"
at all.--(Applause.)—Let it be recollected, that Minis-
ters have a powerful enemy to contend with—a culprit
who is sitting in judgment on himself.—(Applause and
langhter.)—That culprit is a section of the House of
Commons. But if the people will raise their voice, that),
must swallow the pill whether they will or not. Should
either of our present county Members, continued the Rev:
Gentleman, vote against the measure, I will mount my
horse, ride to Lancaster, and vote against him whenever a
dissolution takes place.—(lt is impossible to express the
degree of applause which this assertion called forth.)--If
Constitutional measures be taken, a very different scene
of things will ensue. By speaking our sentiments, we
shall bring on a general expression of tie voice of the
people. The R•-v. Gentleman concluded amidst the
greatest applause, by reading a petition to the House of
Commons, embodying the sense of the meeting in favour
of the measure.
Mr. Tnoraimv, in a very able speech, seconded the
resolution. He observed that in the, event of the measure
being carried, the inhabitants of Liverpool, he had no
doubt, would erect a monument to William IV., in com-
memoration of the glorious event,
Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meet-
ing separated. • •

In consequence of a requisition most numerously signed,
having been addressed to the High Sheriff fir Surrey
(Harvey Coombe, Esq.), calling upon him to convene a
county meeting, for the purpose of taking into considera-
tion the best means of supporting Ministers in carrying
the tnessure of Reform, that gentleman has appointed a
meeting to be held at Epsom, on Saturday next, at noon.
On Saturday a numerous meeting of the inhabitants of
Bishopsgate took pl zee at the school-house, in Sun-street,
to adopt resolutions expressive of its approbation of the
celebrated ministerial plan of Reform, and to move an
address to his Majesty on the subject. Alderman Cope-
land, who was in the chair, designated the plan of Reform
introduced by Ministers as tone of the most extraordinary
and unexpected magnitude. He highly approved of the
outline of the plan ; but he believed that there were parts
which would be capable of much improvement. Mr.
Stevens, Mr. Peacock, and Mr. Charles Pearson, also ex-
pressed themselves in energetic language in support of
Reform, after which the resolutions were agreed to, and
an address voted to his Majesty on -the subject. Mr.
Peacock then said, that be had heard from a gentleman
in the confidence of Ministers, that Isis Majesty had not
only declared himself, by word of mouth, in favour of
Reform, but actually committed to writing his sentiments
on it at considerable length. The meeting adjourned after
a vote of thanks had been passed to the Chairman.

THE REFORM QUESTION.—There are two
remarkable features in the present debates on Lord JOHN'
RussaLes motion, which, in the progress of so important
a question, should not be suffered to escape observation—
these are, that not a siagle county Member, from any part
of the three portions of the United Kingdom, has ven-
ture&to raise his voice against the Ministerial proposition ;
and that the Members returned at the last general election,
for what are usually termed the Government boroughs,
have expressed an opinion against the measures of his
MAJ EST Y'S Ministers.
MR. COOPER.—This gentleman's last pro-
duction, "The Water Witch," has procured for hint the
appellation of the "Wizard of the Sea." In all that relates
to a sailor's chequered life he is indeed unrivalled. 7
Virdhiett•oe
shall we find descriptions at all comparte ftnirtert,r,sur,
CO
nature, forcible delineation, and inren:i.?;
eugage.ent
those- given in the above-narned
o
the
between the Cogst‘tte *nd a Ferrlcl: frigat.r, and of the
destruction of the formic by fir