The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-29 00:00:00

REFORM MEETING AT ABERDEEN,

(Abridged from the Aberdeen Journal of Wednesday.)
On Saturday, the 22d instant, a most numerous
and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of Aber-
deen and its vicinity, was held on the Broadhill of
the Links, in consequence of the rejection of the
Reform Bill by the House of Lords. The
working classes assembled at the amphitheatre
in Crown-street, arid after having been mar-
shalled, proceeded along Union-street,. Castle-
street, King-street, Frederick-street, and Con-
stitution-street, to the Links. The several
trades had banners and flags, with inscriptions ap-
propriate to the object of the meeting, and were
preceded by bands of music, who played national
airs as the procession advanced to the place of meet-
ing. Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of
the weather, which was indeed most boisterous with
both wind and rain, we have never witnessed so
many of our fellow-townsmen assembled together
upon any occasion, excepting on the day of the
election of Mr. Ross, of Rossie, as Member for
this district of burghs in Parliament. As the mul-
titude advanced from Crown-street, along Union-
street to Castle-street, the sight was most imposing.
A large union flag was placed, early in the morning,
ma the highest summit of the Broadhill, and the
colours of the vessels in the harbour were displayed
during the day. The most of the shops in Union-
street, along which the procession passed, were shut.
A temporary hustings was erected on a conspicuous
place on the hill, and the different classes, as they
arrived in procession, took up their stations in front.
When the whole were assembled, there could not
be less than from 10,000 to 15,000 present. A
signal that the business of the meeting was about to
commence was given by the firing of a piece of
ordnance, stationed on the summit of the hill, beside
the union flag.
Mr. BANNERMAN having taken the chair, the va-
rious bands of music (which had been stationed in
front of the hustings) played " God save the King,"
amidst the most enthusiastic plaudits of the meet-
ing and the firing of cannon.
Mr. BANNERAIAN then addressed the meeting.—
Fellow-townsmen,—l feel happy that this meeting
emanates from the best of all unions—the sponta-
neous feeling of a large population, quietly and peace-
ably assembled for the purpose of voting a loyal and
dutiful address to their beloved Monarch, beseech-
ing him, with the advice of his Ministers, to adopt
such measures as may be deemed necessary to se-
cure the speedy success in Parliament of a measure
on which they are convinced depends the peace and
happiness of the empire. I have been asked why
I should attend such a meeting as this, and run the
risk of the consequences which may occur from col-
lecting so vast an assemblage of the people ? I an-
swer, that the House of Peers have collected this
assemblage, and all similar ones.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. GERARD, of Midstrath, en moving the first
resolution, said—Friends and countrymen, I will
be bold enough to beseech you to let your firm-
ness and determination be the measure of your tem-
perance and forbearance, at this important crisis.
It is due to the hest King that perhaps ever sat
upon a throne—it is due to the most liberal, en-
lightened, and, above all, honest, Ministry that were
ever called to the Councils of a Sovereign—it is
due to our fellow-subjects throughout the empire,
who have done themselves not less honour by their
moderation and magnanimity under a cruel disap-
pointment, than by their indomitable spirit ; thereby
shewing their inflexible purpose—their stern re-
solve to attain their ends by just means—by conci-
liatory rather than coercive measures. What, in-
deed, have we to fear ? Has not the tide of public
opinion set in with a strong and mighty current to-
wards the sacred precincts of St. Stephen's—has
it not absolutely filled the House of Commons.? Is
not the surge already lashing the gilded portals of
the House of Lords ?—(Cheers.) And shall
" Dame Partington, albeit excellent at a puddle or a
slop—and shall she, forsooth, drive back the Atlantic
ocean ?" Impossible ! Mrs. Partington of West-
minster must follow the example of Mrs. Partington
of Sidmouth. The oligarchical majority of 199
will yield—not willingly—not graciously, I fear;
but yield they will ; for justice sometimes supplies
the place of reason, and self-preservation is the
strongest instinct of our nature. They have shown
themselves deaf to reason, as insensible to feeling
as to reason. For myself, I have no reliance upon
their wisdom, none on they candour, none on their
magnanimity; but I nevertheless believe that their
Lordships will yield.
Mr. BLACKIE then spoke as follows :—Gentle-
men, although a majority of the House of Lords, un-
willing to give up their unjust rights to nominate
Members of Parliament for their rotten boroughs,
and turning a deaf ear to the voice of the peoples,
have rejected the Reform Bill, I am still far from
despairing of the success of the good cause, sup-
ported as it is by the King, the Ministers, and the
people. Such displays as we witness here to-day,
and which are being made all over this great country,
cannot fail to open the eyes of the enemies of the
measure, and to convince them how very vain and
faultless it must be for them to continue to oppose
the uplifted voice of a united nation. The Reform
Bill, do what its enemies can, will and must pass. It
is the people's right; the people know that it is
their right; and knowing it they will have it. But,
Gentlemen, it is unnecessary to remind you, whose
admirable conduct on the 23d May last, called forth
the loud praise of even the hottest enemies of Reform
in this city, (and God knows there are some of
them even red-hot)—l say, I need not tell such men,
proud in their high civilization, that the way to at-
tain our wishes is not by riot and violence. No.
Such a course of conduct would only afford our op-
ponents a strong argument against us. Let us, on
the contrary, obey the law in all things, and be
careful to avoid every thing having the most dis-
tant tendency to tumult. On the subject of Reform,
then, let me exhort you to remain firm and deter-
mined of purpose; but at the same time let me
exhort you, as you value the glorious cause in which
you are all engaged, for God's sake to remain quiet.
Our cause, be assured, is in t'ie best hands—Lords
Grey and Brougham, man of impeached integrity, have
given us their pledge that they will carry through
the people's Bill, and that pledge they will redeem
at no distant date. I now beg leave to second the
resolution so ably introduced by Mr. Gerard.
Mr. WARDEN—The Bill, Mr. Chairman, though
it now lies prostrate at the feet of their Lordships,
will spring up again like the phoenix from its ashes,
in all its pristine vigour. 'When it went into their
Lordships' House, the mephitic air with which that
House is impregnated, threw it into a fainting fat;
but you may depend upon it, that although it now
lies in a seemingly lifeless state, it will spring up
again like a giant refreshed, and be as healthy and
vigorous as ever. The people have only to blow
their vivifying breath into its nostrils, and when
this affectionate operation shall have been performed
by the whole nation upon their darling child, every
symptom of its sickness will, it is to be hoped, va-
nish; and the Bill, like King Richard, will " be.
itself again." I shall only add, Mr. Chairman, that
if their Lordships imagine that the inhabitants of
this country will quietly stomach the rejection of
this Bill, they will find themselves mistaken. Agi-
tation produced Catholic emancipation, but the agi-
tation on the Reform question is far more extensive
and intense than it was upon the Catholic one ; and
for myself I hesitate not to say, that while I will
countenance no unconstitutional or illegal proceed-
ings, and though I would prefer the calm region of
literature to the stormy element of politic, I will
not cease while I have a tongue to speak, or a hand
to hold a pen—l will not cease to contribute my
humble share to the general agitation, till this mo-
mentous question is settled to the satisfaction of the
country. Mr. Warden concluded by submitting to
the meeting the second resolution.
Mr. CANT I rise to second the resolution just
now put. It is surely not to be endured that the
Lords should become a power behind the throne,
greater than the throne itself.—(Cheers.) But who
are the Peers of this realm ? Why, Sir, they are