The Sun.
London, England, 1831-05-04 00:00:00

contest. We may safely say that there is no ex-
ample in the history of this country, of any approxi-
mation even to the unanimity of the people on the
present occasion. The Anti-Reformers have a most
arduous task on their hands. The nation condemns
them, and the Press, identified with the nation, is
also their enemy. Sir Robert Peel and Co. hare
Announced a war ad inlernecionem against Journals.
They meditate nothing less than the crushing the
Press, as necessarily opposed to the designs which
they entertain. It might have been as well for his
own interests, perhaps, if S'r Robert Peel had nor
revealed so openly his hatred against the Press ; but
the revelation must satisfy the least discerning, that
the accession of the party to power would be a ter-
rible calamity to the country.—Morning Chronicle.
The number of cities and boroughs which had
returned real or nominal Representatives up to last
evening are 126. As London returns four Mem-
bers, if the other towns returned two each, the
whole number of Members yet returned would be
251, but in consequence of five boroughs—namely,
Abingdon, Bewdley, Denbigh, Radnor, and Ban-
bury, returning but one representative, the whole
number is 24.9. Of these 135 are for the Reform
Bill, and 114 against it, making a majority
.in favourof the Bill of 21. The contests now going on in
several of the more open boroughs will increase this
majority. The battle of Reform in the counties
has yet to be fought, and will, according to all appear-
ances, considerably swell the ranks of the Consent'.
tional supporters of the popular cause, in the new
Parliament. But while there is every ground for
the best confidence on the part of the people in the
ensuing elections, we think it necessary to warn
them against being misled by exaggerated state-
ments of success, which mtlit throw them off their
guard and cause them to relax their exertions before
the battle is won. To indulge in premature shouts
of triumph is riot always the way to ensure victory.
If the immense majorities that some writers have
anticipated could be obtained, it would furnish a
strong argument against the necessity of Reform,
because it would show that the. people had in reality,
;n their own hands, the power of returning,
under the present grossly defective system, a
decidedly popular House of Commons ; and it would
be their own fault if they did not always effectually
exercise that power. It is certain that in several
places where the popular will has been for a
long course of years merely passive, or but fes:bly
felt, while the dictation of corrupt influence has
been all powerful, the body of electors have been
roused from their torpor into an energetic vindica-
tion of their rights ; but in some other populous
places, as for instance in Sudbury, corruption has
struck its poisoned shaft so deeply into the heart of
the electoral community, that Reform alone can
cure the evil. We cannot expect that examples of
independence should be given by pocket boroughs
on the present occasion; or that paltry corporations
should have the self-denying virtue to make the
people a voluntary restitution of the rights which
they have usurped; yet we have to record to-day
the liberal and spirited conduct of a close corpora-
tion, which forms an honourable contrast to the
more open borough of Sudbury. We speak of
Banbury, a place where the right .of voting has
been confined to the Mayor, Aldermen, and capital
Burgesses, who, a few years ago, amounted only to
nineteen voters in all, and, we presume, are not
more at present—there the corporation have thrown
off the trammels of the patron, the Marquis of Bute,
and chosen a Reformer; but, unfortunately, such in-
stances of corporate coincidence of sentiment with
the public will are chiefly valuable for their rarity.
When shall we have such a circumstance to relate
of the wretched boroughs of Marlborough or Devizes?
On the whole, there is a great deal to inspire the
people with the best hopes of the ultimate triumph
of their cause. The ascendency of Reform in such
places as Ipswich, Newark, and Bristol, gives the
most encouraging presage of victory, but no good
general calls upon his soldiers to rejoice until the
battle is over, and the enemy fairly driven from the
field.—. Morning Herald.

The accounts from the country, received to-day
in the City, relative to the Reform question, are of
the most gratifying description. The English coun-
ties and boroughs are doing their duty nobly ; and
there is little doubt that, even in Scotland, the great
cause will gain several Members, while in Ireland,
wherever there is constituency, reformers will be re-
turned. The only place where there is any chance
of success for the boroughmongers is Dublin ; and
in this strong-hold, according to letters, which we
have seen to-day, Mr. Perrin, the King's Counsel,
and the Lt.rd Mayor, both reformers, will probably
be successful. Mr. Perrin is a highly respectable
man, the best common lawyer in Ireland. and a long
tried, though not a noisy, friend to the good cause.
Ile ought to have been the Attorney-General of
Ireland. The people of England will await the re-
sult of the Dublin election with great anxiety. The
Protestants of that metropolis, even as a matter of
policy, would do well to return the two gentlemen
we have mentioned. If they do not send to Parlia-
ment this election liberal Protestants, the proba-
bility is that, in a reformed one, they will find them-
selves represented by Catholics. But we do hope
and oust that there is patriotism enough in the city
of Dublin to reject the Anti-reform candidates, that
the citizens of this great metropolis will follow the
glorious example of London, and show to the world
that they will no longer be dictated to by the fallen
faction of the boroughmongers. We have said that
the great cause will gain several Members even in
Scotland. On this subject, a friend remarks that
the spirit of the people is roused in indignation
against the Members of those close and corrupt
corporations who have hitherto acknowledged no
motive for action but their own selfish interests;
these men, base in their conduct, but . still baser
in their minds, are destined to feel, if they are
capable of feeling, the tremendous responsibility,
connected with the abuse of power, in direct viola-
tion of the wishes of the united people. In Edin-
burgh, public meetings have been held of the inhabi-
tants and public Companies, and resolutions passed,
praying the Magistrates and Town Council of the
City to return a Reform candidate to Parliament, in
,room of one of the family of the "Dundas," who
has so long represented himself, his own family and
adherents. This noble example has been followed
in other places, and a happy result is anticipated in
the return of nearly a dozen additional reformers.
The spirit of the people is shaming and frightening
the advocates of corruption into subjection in some
places, although in others the emu tezan walks the
streets with unblushing front, and has the unparal-
leled impudence to assert that she is virtuous. In
a borough notoriously rotten, not far from Edin"
burgh, the sapient Town Council declare against
the return of the Reform candidate by public adver-
tisement, because he was " the supporter of measures
subversive of the chartered rights of the boroughs,
and completely annihilating the existence of the
Town Councils." 0 immaculate Town Councils
0 glorious chartered rights! Rights to live by
plunder, and to plunder that ye may live. Scotch-
men meet, and continue to meet, till you have driven
from the land the accursed thing, which has been a
stain on you and yours for ages. It is said that the
Special constables of Edinburgh intend t lay down
their batons, if the Magistrates and Council,o return
Mr. Dundas in opposition to Mr. Jeff
say, " that if Mr. Dundas has been distingaleylaT
sh d by
his talents, or, if his services to the city had afforded
any reason for overlooking his personal obscurity
if he bad any intelligible claims 011 the
hinhabitants,
nu;
there might be an excuse for electing
this is not the case, and to prefer suc a ipme.rson to
Mr. Jeffrey (the Lord Advocate),
_i
whose brilliant
talents, high honour, and eminent public services,
are acknowledged even by his enemies, b
them to be little else than offering a voluntary insultseemsto
to the citizens, and taking direct means tocreate
dissension in the city. They say that, if the Magis-
trates sow the wind they may expect to reap the
whirlwind; and that, if they raise troubles by
neglecting the rules of common prudence and the