The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-03 00:00:00

LONDON :
WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 3, 1938.

In our columns of this day will be found an " Ad-
dress of the Sons of Liberty of Nlontreal" containing
a list of grievances, and recommending the employment
of physical force as the most effectual way of re-
dressing them ; and a letter from one of the leaders of
the insurgents of Lower Canada giving an account of
the origin and progress of the rebellion up to the 7th
ult. With the statements and opinions contained in
these documents we protest against being identified.
The real grievances of the Canadians are as grossly
exaggerated in the one, as the chances ofl their success
enumerated in the other, are delusive. Our object in
giving publicity to them is to afford the people of
England an opportunity of becoming acquainted with
the views of the individuals by whom the Canadians
have been goaded on to take up arms against their
SOVEREIGN.

Certain Reformers have shown a strong desire for
the last two or three days to run down the Meeting to
be held at thz. Crown and Anchor to-morrow. A
Liberal Contemporary asked if it "was to be an open
or a packed one ?" He then published a letter from
the Chairman of Mr. LEADER'S Committee, recom-
mending that persons should be placed at the
door for the purpose of keeping cut all but West-
minster Electors ; and another letter, signed " An
Old Reformer," appears in the same paper this
morning, containing some very illiberal remarks
about pot-house politicians, and " unwashed artificers."
What folly and inconsistency for Reformers to look
down now with such contempt on non-electors ! If
Mr. ARBER, the builder, had read the advertisement,
he would have seen that it had no more reference to
the Electors of Westminster than to the " unwashed,"
and the attempt to make the meeting exclusive came
with a very illgrace from the Chairman of the West-
minster Election Committee, who knows well how
much the Candidates he has supported owed to the
tone given by the non-electors on the nomination day.
Would he have been the man to propose that
none but electors should be admitted into Covent-garden
Market ? No. He would have called on the electors
to come forward manfully in the cause of freedom, and
hold up their hands for the Liberal candidate, and
when the multitude declared their decision by one una-
nimous shout, he would have claimed it as the voice
of the electors, though two-thirds of the " gentlemen"
were " pot-house" politicians, or belonged to a class
far below " unwashed artificers." We disapprove, as
much as any old Reformer, of any resolutions of an
anti-national character, and have as little respect for
the wicked arts of interested demagogues, as the best
old Tory ; but the way to counteract these is not
by excluding the multitude, or preventing discussion ;
but by meeting these demagogues and their followers
openly, with a view to enlighten the ignorant and defeat
the unprincipled. Every British subject has an in-
terest in the Canada question, and not a few of the
non-electors can give just as good a reason for the faith
that is in them as the 101. householders. Battles
have not been fought without the " unwashed."
The sinews of war have not been strengthened without
their contributions, and though they are not allowed
to vote for Members of Parliament, we think they may
be allowed at least to meet with electors and discuss
the policy of Government, without being stigmatised
by " old Reformers."
If

it were not for Mr. O'CONNELL, we really know
not what poor old Sir FRANCIS BURDETT would do.
He is a regular standing-dish with him—forms the
sum and substance of all his speeches. Is he disposed
to be jocular ? DANIEL is the constant theme of his
mirth. Is he inclined to be declamatory and vitupera-
tive ? DANIEL is a never-failing theme for abuse
and declamation. Does he attempt to be pathetic,
when alluding to the state of Ireland ? DA-
NIEL is as effective as an onion, in extracting
tears from his eyes. No matter what be the sub-
ject or the Hon. Baronet's discourse ; whether it be on
the Poor-laws, or the Corn-laws, on Election Petitions,
or Conservative patriots ; whether it be delivered within
the walls of Parliament or without them ; whether it
be Irave or gay, lively or severe—no matter, we say,
what he the nature of Sir FRANCIS'S speech, or where
it he spoken, still DANIEL O'CONNELL, is sure to
form the burden of it, to furnish every argument, and
lend point to every out-burst of Billingsgate. He
rings his name in the cars of his pet Conservatives, with
as much tenacity of Purpose, as ever Hotspur rung the
name of " Mortimer" in the ears of Henry the Fourth.
Alas, for the poor Baronet I were any calamity—
which may Heaven forefend I—to deprive Ireland of
the services of her ablest defender—from that day be
would be extinguished for ever as an orator, for his
only remaining idea would be taken away from him.
These reir.arks have been suggested to us by a
perusal of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT'S last speech,
which was delivered at a Stockport Conservative
dinner on Monday last. In this notable oration ann..
sinus to Mr. O'CoNNELL occur in almost every other
sentence. First, he is laughed at as a " shallow pre-
tender ;" next he is indignantly denounced as a " paid
patriot ;" then he is held up as an object of alarm and
horror, because he " supports Ministers ;" and lastly,
we find him figuring as the brazen idol " Dagon," the
very instant after he has been discovered to be nothing
more than " a great portentous bubble I" Now if this
be really and truly the case ; if in the Hon. Baronet's
opinion, O'CONNELL is merely a " bubble," is it
not wonderful that a man of his years and worldly
experience should allow himself to be so disturbed by
hint ? We can understand an elderly gentleman being
vexed and worried by a " chalk-stone" in his heel, be-
cause this is a substantial grievance ; but how he
•can permit his digestion to be disturbed, his rest
broken, and his temper soured, by " a mere bubble"—