The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-21 00:00:00

MORE " RE-ACTION."

NORFOLK COUNTY MEETING.

A public meeting of the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and
freeholders of this county was held on Saturday, at the
Shire-hall, Norwich, for the purpose of addressing his
Majesty on the subject of the Reform Bill.
The meeting was convened pursuant to a requisition
most numerously and respectably signed. Amongst the
signatures were those of the Dukes of Norfolk, Grafton;
Lords Albemarle, Suffield, Stafford, Clements; Mr. Coke,
Sir W. B. Folkes, Sir J. Astley, Sir E. Bacon, Admiral
Windham, &c. It was announced that the meeting would
take place at twelve o'clock precisely, and long before that
time there was a numerous attendance of freeholders in the
vicinity of the Shire-hall. At twelve the doors were thrown
open, and in a few minutes the Court was filled in every
direction.

Amongst those gentlemen who took their places on the
hustings, and in the side galleries, we noticed Viscount
Clements ; Lords Stafford and Suffield ; the Hon. and
Rev. E. Keppell ; Sir E. Bacon, Sir J. Astley, Sir W.:B.
Proctor, Sir T. B. Beevor, Sir W. B. Folkcs, M.P. ; the
Rev. Archdeacons Glover and Bathurst, the Rev. Philip
Gordon, J. Fisk; Richard H. Gurney, M.P., T. T.
Gurdon, B. Gordon, E. Lombe, A. Hanaond, W. Wind-
ham, Ridley Colborne, E. Bacon, J. Lunge, R.
Plumptre, T. Havers, K. Harvey, A. Hods, n, W. Foster,
W. Dalrymple, H. Holley, Esqrs. ; Dr. Yelloly ; Messrs. J.
Culley, Lemon, H. Tuck, P. Bullock, J. S. Muskett, R.
Mnskett, Blomfield, Richardson, Abbott, Shelly, T. Big.
nold, Brightwell, and many others of the principal yeo-
manry of Norfolk.
The entrance of Mr. Coke, the senior Member for the
county, was hailed with loud and continued cheers. The
Hon. Member, who still looks as hale and hearty as most
men twenty years his juniors, acknowledged this reception
with great cordiality. Lord Suffield, Sir W. Folkes (the
second Member for the county), and Mr. R. H. Gurney,
were also loudly greeted on their entrance.
At half-past twelve o'clock the Under Sheriff (Mr.
CLARK) expressed his regret that indisposition prevented
the attendance of the High Sheriff, from whom he read a
letter, dated that morning, at six o'clock, stating his fears
that a severe cold, under which he was labouring, would
prevent his attendance at the meeting.
Mr. COKE, after expressing his regret at the absence of
the High Sheriff, and its cause, observed, that one of their
first duties should be to pass a vote of thanks to that gen-
tleman for the great readiness with which he had con-
vened the meeting when the requisition was presented to
him. The Hon. Gentleman moved a resolution to that
effect.

Sir W. B. FOLYES seconded the motion, which having
been carried,

Lord SUFFIELD moved that Anthony Hamond, Esq. do
take the Chair, and the motion was carried unanimously.
Lord SUFFIELD then rose to address the freeholders, and
was received with loud cheers. His Lordship said, I hail
and rejoice in the opportunity thus afforded me of testify-
ing my earnest zeal in the cause of the people, while I
cannot but lament the deficiency of that zeal which had
been but too perceptible in some of the order to which I
belong. I do indeed hail the opportunity of declaring,
that highly as I appreciate the privilege of a seat in the
Upper House of Parliament, I value still more highly the
birthright of an Englishman—the right and tide to call
myself, and to be considered by birth, education, feeling,
and principle, one of the people of England.—(Cheers )
A line of demarcation has of late been attempted to be
drawn between the people and a class denominated the
aristocracy. Gracious Heaven ! am I, by the honour-
able accident of becoming a Peer, a whit the less one
of the people of England ?—(Cheers)—acknowledging
allegiance to the same sovereign,—amenable to and pro-
tected by the same laws,--interested with all other Eng-
lishmen in peace, the welfare, the honour, and prosperity
of our country ? Am I, because I am piaced in a situation
which enables me as a Peer of the realm, as well as one of
the people of the realm, to advocate their cause even more
efficiently than I could, had my lot been cast to move in
the walks of private life,—am I on that account to be
suspected of feeling an opposite or even a separate interest
from that of my countrymen ?---(Cheers.) The grossest
insult, the most disgraceful imputation that could be offered
me, would be such insinuations. There is a recollection
coupled with this view of my relation to my countrymen,
which is peculiarly grateful to tne. How did I enter the
House of Lords? It is too important an incident in my life
ever to be forgotten by me. I entered the House, Sir, with
a petition in my hand from this great county—a petition
for Reform ! The very day I took my seat I presented that
petition, and I then declared on the 18th of February,
1822, that I would never support any Administration who
were averse to this just and necessary measure. I have
kept my word. I have been constantly at my post, and I
am not aware that during the eight or nine years I have
sat in the Upper House, till the accession of the present
Administration, Ministers can accuse me of giving one
single vote in their support, with the exception of the
measures which enlarged the 'civil and religious liberties
of the people—the Bills for Catholic Emancipation and
the repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts.—( Cheers.) But
have not other Lords, much my superiors, done more be•
cause much more was in their power ? Need I mention
the names of the Dukes of Norfolk, Devonshire, Bedford,
Grafton ; Marquises Lansdowne, Cleveland, and West-
minster ? (I name the se in a breath, but there are many
many others)—have they not voluntarily surrendered
power, which they, of all men, were the least likely to
misuse ?—have they not sacrificed, on the altar of patriot-
ism, influence which might have been turned to their own
private account, but which they repudiated because it
tended to deprive the people of their rights ? I had no
such sacrifice to make, but I have not been entirely a drone
in the hive. I have served the people to the best of my
judgment and ability, with diligence ; and so long as I
continue in this course, I have a right to credit for the
assertion, that I chiefly value my seat in the Upper House
as a means of being useful to my countrymen. As one of
the people I have attended here to-day to move an address
to his Majesty, called for, as I esteem it to be, by the
awful crisis of public affairs. Awful as the present crisis
is, there is a marked difference between the object for
which the present and many former meetings have been
held within my memory. The first, in 1819, I attended
here, was for inquiring into the Manchester massacre, and
to complain of the abuse of power. The second, in 1822,
was called in January, by agricultural distress. A few fac-
tious persons, as they were termed (a Noble Earl and my-
self was among them), introduced a prayer for Reform on
the occasion, and from that meeting emanated the petition
which I presented on taking my seat. Then a few only
were Reformers—it was almost a term of rt proach. But
mark the progress of truth and justice ! the rapid strides
they take ! It was at that time, at a hundred meeting, I was
led to declare that I was a Reformer, and no Whig, and a
gallant officer replied lie was a Whig, and no Reformer.
But we are all Reformers now of some sort ; from the bit
by bit to the wholesale of ballot and universal suffrage, no
one is now an avowed opponent of Reform. But we who
advocate the Bill have turned the tables on our opponents.
They used to say no six of us could agree. Now let us
see who will agree with their bit-by-hit Reform. We
have our Bill. But I digress. Our meetings in my re-
, collection have been to give vent to complaints or remon-
strances. A far more pleasing duty now devolves upon
us. From his present Majesty's accession to the throne
we have witnessed a constant watchfulness and care to
provide for the interests of his people. He has selected
for his confidential advisers, and especially for their chief,
one who has from his youth been a tried friend of the
people—(Hear)—for years he has been excluded from
office by his principles. Beset by every temptation to de-
sert them that could allure a man of talent; and with every
essential qualification for office, his natural ambition has
yielded to his integrity, till at length a King, a patriot
Ring, ascends the throne, and chooses for Isis Prime
Minister the friend, the advoeate of peace, economy, and
Reform.—(Cheers.) So far as the King could constitu-
tionally support and forward the views of his Ministers, he
has done so. So far as his efforts could avert from us all
those calamities which have scourged ocher u4siona, lie bac
averted them. Is it not high time, then, that we, the people
of England, should acknowledge our debt of gratitode to
the Monarch who has so justly entitled himself to the kind
denomination of a patriot King, Before, however, I
proceed to read the address, conveying sentiments to this
effect, one word on to the Big. On 11-eform generally I
will say nothing. The delay of the measure has served
only to prove its greater necessity, But the
Bill has been postponed. No man here can feel deeper or
more sincere regret at its postponement than myself; not
because I fear it ultimate strceess; onthe contrary, it is
ray firm belief that we shall have a better Bill noon made
into law. I was prepared to vote for that pill, still I
think upon revisal some of its details may be improved.
Solemnly I declare the word " content" shall never
escape my lips in approbation of any scheme of Reform
less efficient for its purpos,a thake that recently br.fore th,2
public. I regret the postPonernent sole;y beeatise by caus-
ing a great excitement throughout the country it affords
an opportunity for what the Anti-Relormers nonsensically
enough term a re•action—that is, an opportunity for all
the worst part of society to do mischief under a vete:rice
either of revenge for the loss of the Bill, or to evince their
ardent desire for Reform. Those who desire plunder or
devastation of property avail themselves of the popular ex-
citement to lead ignorant men into excesses, from which,
in time, of tranluillity, many of them would revolt. For

, .
this reason, and this only, I lament the temporary defeat
of the Dill. I now then beg to move an address to our
gracious King, and that the meeting will not separate
without a hearty cheer for him and the gallant commander
he has appointed to the State vessel.

" THE ADDRESS OF THE NOBILITY, CLERGY,
GENTRY, AND FREEHOLDERS OF THE COUNTY OF
NORFOLK, AS ADOPTED AT A PUBLIC MEETING,
CONVENED BY THE lIIGH SHERIFF OF THE
COUNTY, AND HELD AT THE SHIRE-HALL, NOR-
WICH, Nov. 19, 1831.
" MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY,

SißE,—Addresses from the county of Norfolk, both to the
Throne and the Legislature, have not been unfrequent, though
from the circumstances under which they have been framed, and
the public councils by which they have been occasioned, they
have for many years rarely spoken any other language than that
either of remonstrance against the increase of power, or com-
plaint of grievances actually endured. To the accession of your
Majesty, with a name in itself dear to our recollections, we
fondly looked as to the dawn of brighter days, and we now, Sire,
humbly beg permission to convey to your Majesty, in terms much
more agreeable to our hearts than those above alluded to,
the grateful assurance that in no degree have the hopes
we cherished failed of being realized. Sire, in that
kind and paternal regard so uniformly manifested for
your people's welfare, in that unhesitating decision, both
to protect their rights and privileges inviolate, and to restore
them if decayed—in that single-minded constancy with which
your Majesty has thus far supported (and we trust will con-
tinue to support) our Administration, guided, as we believe, by
the most unsullied integrity, and whose minds are entirely di-
rected to the public good, we acknowledge and hail with uninin.
pled gratitude and veneration the virtues of a patriot King.
Sire, by the exercise of these virtues so reasonably employed, and
especially in promoting the great object of an efficient Reform in
the Commons House of Parliament—a measure of which delay
has'only more fully proved the importance and necessity—we are
confident that your Majesty is not only wisely consulting the se-
curity of the throne, the permanence of our public institutions,
and the best interests of all classes of the community ; but that
your Majesty has already (so far as your Majesty's Royal influ-
ence constitutionally exerted could accomplish) averted from us
calamities which have scourged and afflicted other nations in
which the timely reformation of abuses has been rejected.
" Sire, a nation's gratitude is not too much to offer for these
high and inestimable benefits at a most momentous crisis thus
graciously conferred ; and we trust that your Majesty will there-
fore deign to accept this humble tribute of our thanks from your
Majesty's faithful subjects of the county of Norfolk, and that
your Majesty will do us the justice to believe, that warm as our
attachment is to civil and religious liberty, there is no part or
corner of your Majesty's dominions in which there exists a more
ardent desire to see their King great and glorious in himself, and
blest in the affections of an attached and grateful people."
Loud and continued cheers followed the conclusion of
the address.

Mr. E. LOISBE rose to second the address. He was a
Reformer, because he had an opportunity of mixing with
the people. He saw the condition of the farmer, and the
peasant, and the mechanic; he saw the farmer crawling
along, gradually reduced in his circumstances—he saw him
unable to give the same employment as heretofore; and
the consequence was, the labourers were starving, or
nearly approaching to that state. He saw trade gra-
dually declining ; that of Norwich had greatly declined.
When he saw these things, he saw the necessity of Re-
form ; for though he was not vain or idle enough to sup-
pose that Reform would be an immediate cure for those
evils, yet it could not he denied that the system of gross
extravagance and mismanagement consequent upon the
want of Reform had been greatly instrumental in causing
them ; and lie was convinced that the longer Reform was
d layed, the more would those evils be aggravated.—(Ap-
plause.) After the elaborate discussion which the ques-
tion of Reform had undergone—after the eloquent and
convincing speeches of Lord Grey and the Lord Chan-
cellor on the subject—after the many discussions out of
doors in various parts of the country, and after the recent
discussion in a neiehbouring county, where it was sup-
ported by the first Peer of the land, it would be taking on
his (.tlr. Lornbe's) part au unwarrantable liberty with
the meeting if he were to detain them longer on the sub-
ject. He would content himself with saying that he
would support the address body and soul.—(Hear and a
laugh.) He had what to him was a most important stake
in the country, and it was his determination to preserve
it if he could, and he did not think that he could do so
more effectually than by supporting the interests of those
who were the mainstay of the community.—(Hear.)
Just as the Chairman was about to put the question,
Mr. Rusx said, that it was not his intention to take
up much of the time of the meeting, nor should he at all
have addressed them, if he could concur in the address
now before them; but differing from it as he did, he
felt it his duty to say a few words on it. The address
stated that the meeting bad the same confidence in his
Majesty's Ministers now, as they had before the rejection
of the late Bill.—(Cries of " So we have," and " Off, off.")
He for one had no such confidence, because he felt that
there was no ground for entertaining it.—(The disappro-
bation of the meeting was here so loud and unequivocally
expressed, that the speaker could not for some time be
heard.) At length he proceeded to contend, that thou-
sands of thousands of the public money were shared by so
many of those opposed to the Bill. Too many of them
were living by the taxes to expect them to support a mea-
sure of effectual Reform. Earl Grey had said, that he
would stand or fall by the Bill ; and he had not yet intro-
duced any measure since the rejection of the last. lle had
taken no step to carry such a measure into effect, and yet
he held his place.—(Much disapprobation.) What had
Lord Brougham said ? He said, that careless of giving
offence to any person, he admitted that he was so far moved
by some parts of what he had heard, as to be ready to re-
consider that which he had before declared that he had
made up his mind to. Here the uproar was renewed,
and the noise became so great that not a word could be
beard. In the midst of this uproar, Mr. Rush called out
that he was prepared for all this, but would not be put
down. He then jumped on the table, and tried to address
himself to the reporters, but the noise was so great that
Ire could not make himself heard even by them, though
quite close to them. Finding the attempt hopeless, he de-
sisted, and concluded by moving that the following be
added to the Addresa:—

" May it please your Majesty, that this meeting, in sending the
above address, have put the very best construction they can upon
the declaration that has been made on the subject of Reform by
your Majesty's Ministers, trusting that what they have said can-
not, with propriety, hereafter be brought against them as words
that had a double meaning, and as such were intended to delude
the people of their rights—rights that they undoubtedly would
have re-enjoyed if the Bill that had been introduced by Lord
Grey had been passed into a law."
The CHAIRMAN asked who seconded the amendment,
but no one appeared, and the amendment fell to the ground
amidst loud laughter.
Sir T. BEEVOR owned that the address was not what he
should have expected from the terms of the requisition. It
had little in it beyond a mere complimentary cold formal
address, which meant any thing but a strong expression of
opinion, such as he thought the circumstances of the
country called for. He owned that he did not feel unqua-
lified confidence in his Majesty's Ministers. On some of
them he had the greatest reliance. In Lord Grey, for in-
stance, he had the highest confidence. He was an upright
straightforward man, without any trick or guile, and there
were others too in the Administration in whom he could
repose confidence, but he could not say the same of them
all, when be saw amongst them such men as my Lord Pal-
merston, Lord Goderich, who, as Mr, F. Robinson, in
the panic in 1825, talked so much of dispensing prosperity
to the country from the portals of an ancient Constitution,
—when he saw such men as my Lord Melbourne, who,
when Mr. Lamb, in the House of Commons, was found in
opposition even to the milk-and.water resolutions on
Reform which were annually brought forward by
Lord John Russell,—when he saw such men as these
forming the Ministry, and when he found amongst them
that little Lord, who was now looked upon as something
more than Erman, but who, when Mr. Canning's half-
liberal ad.ninistration was formed, withdrew his motion
for Reform,—when ha saw men amongst the Ministera
who bad supported all the acts of Castlereagh, and who
had opposed all Reform,—lie owned he was not inclined
to repose much confidence in them, and he repeated, that
though he had confidence in Lord Grey, and he believed
that it was his intention to act honourably and fairly by
the people; still he did not to gee hitn in shch corn-
pany.—(llear, hear,) And he had no conc.,dence in any
Ministry of which such men as he had named formed a
part. Another reason why he had not confidence in the
present Ministry was, that they did not act as if they had
any confidence in the people.—(" Ikar, hear," and cries
of " No, no.") They told the people that they must
have Patience, and wait until another Hill uhould be in-
troduced whim would be more acceptable to the "order."
—(Cries of " No, no.") It certainly was a fact that
Lord Grey had stated to some of the deputations which
had waited on him, that it would be absurd to aitempt
to bring in the same 401; but he veould admit that
the Noble Lord hrrd added, th-,t bring in
one equally effective.—(year, hear.) But the public
bad since heard nothing more on the subject, and he
(Sir T. Beevor) would contend that it would be impos-
sible for any Ministry to carry a measure of Reform
equally efficient with the last, while the House of I orals '
was constituted as it was ai present. What lie should
like err see was, .'the country come to a resolution that'it
would have confidence in Ministers provided they had
sufficient confidence in the people. If this course were
at first followed in different parts of the country, he bad
no doubt that we should not hr, a ;iqd soh scenes as had
csaareed at Oerhy, Z!lottingliatn, and 13ristol.—(Flear,
hear.) In conclusion, the Hon. Baronet again said that
lie gave credit to many of the Min'istFrs for their good in-
tentions, but the people wpu'd not he rr.ti4ed h'itii good
intentions alone. 'He had no d;:yht but girt at length we
sh°4l4 h'at'e the' whole Bill ; and if it should be
delayed much longer, perhaps a little more than the Bill.
—(Hear, bear.)
Lord SPITIELP said, that it was far from: biz, intention
to inflict another speech upon the meeting. His object in
rising now was limply to set the Hon. Baronet right with

•
regard to the address. The Hon. Baronet was not, pro-
bably, aware that a series of resolutions would be proposed
for the adoption of the meeting after the address was car-
ried. He (Lord Suffield) would not have the whole of
the business to himself; for there were several gentlemen
around him who would also address the meeting in pro-
posing those resolutions. The Hon. Baronet was not cor-
rect in stating that the address was not in accordance with
the terms of the requisition; for those terms were, to
" express their confidence in his Majesty's Ministers ;"
and it was for that purpose that they were now met there
that day.
Sir T. BEEvort wished to say one word in explanation.
It was a most unusual thing that the address should pre-
cede the resolution. The usual course was, that the reso-
lutions should be first carried, and then that an address,
founded upon them, should be adopted.
The CHAiiimAN inquired whether it was Sir T. Bee-
vor's intention to second the amendment?
Sir T. BEEvoo said, it undoubtedly was not his inten-
tion to do any such thing. had most distinctly stated
that he would offer no active opposition to the address.

The address was then put, and unanimously adopted,
and on the motion of Mr. LOMBE, it was resolved—
" That Lord Grey and Lord Suffield be requested to lay it be-
fore his Majesty, and that it be engrossed and signed on behalf of
the meeting by the Chairman."
Sir J. ASTLFY, in proposing tie next resolution, at-
tempted to address the meeting from one of the side gal-
leries ; but, owing to a misconception on the part of the
people in the body of the Court, who appeared to think
that the Hon. Baronet was about to move some amend-
ment, the noise and confusion were so great that he in
vain essayed to obtain a hearing, and at length he con-
cluded by moving that—
" The thanks of this meeting be transmitted to Lord Grey and
the rest of his Majesty's Ministers for the zeal and perseverance
already shown by them in their constitutional efforts to secure
for the people a full and free representation in the Commons
House of Parliament, and for the assurance given of their deter-
mination to persist in carrying into effect the same great object."
Mr. W. WyNonam begged leave to second the resolu-
tion. There could be nothing noire disagreeable to him
(Mr. Wyndham) than to speak of his family, but after
the personal allusion made by the Noble Lord (Suffield)
to one so dear to him (Mr. Wyndham), and one who
would have been present at that meeting that day but that
he was prevented from attending by indisposition, he
would not allow that opportunity to pass without replying
to the statement of the Noble Lord. The Noble Lord
had said that his (Mr. Wyndham's) father had been a
Whig but no Reformer. Now, as he was particularly
desirous that on all occasions his father should stand well
with the inhabitants of that county, he would just say one
word on that point. It was perfectly true that at the
period to which the Noble Lord had especially alluded, his
father might have declared that lie was a Whig but no
Reformer; hut it was also true, as had been stated by the
Noble Lord himself, that at that time there was no par-
ticular measure of Reform with regard to which the Re-
formers themselves were agreed. His (Mr. Wyndham's)
father was a Whig, he gloried in being a consistent Whig,
and he trusted that he would die one; but he was, at
the same time, as ardent a supporter as anv individual at
that meeting of the Reform brought forward by Ministers.
He hoped that they would all unite in passing a vote of
thanks to those Ministers, and that they would repose
the greatest confidence in them, and the utmost reli-
ance upon their good intentions.—(Cheers.) When they
took into account the arduous situation in which Ministers
had been placed—when they reflected upon the events of
the last twelve months—when they called to mind the la-
mentable state of Ireland at the period when the present
Administration came into office—and when they brought
to their recollection the difficulties which it had to en-
counter with respect to our foreign relations—when they
called all these things to mind, he was sure that there was
no one there who would say that Ministers did not deserve
a great share of praise—(Cheers)—and that they were not
entitled to the confidence of the country until they had
succeeded, as he trusted in God they soon would, in car-
rying that measure of Reforml—that reasonable and ra-
tional measure of Reform, and riot of revolution, which
they had brought forward, and which the gentry and yeo-
manry of that county had so long and so steadily advo-
cated.—(Applause.) He might safely venture to say,
that when his Majesty's Ministers carried that measure of
Reform, they would leave behind them a name as bright
as any that had ever adorned the page of British history.
Lord SUFFIELD said there was nothing more remote
from his intention than to cast the slightest reproach or
reflection on the character and conduct of his friend and
neighbour. It would have ben most absurd for him to
insinuate that the Hon. Gentleman's father was not
now a Reformer, for his name was appended to the re-
quisition by which that meeting had been called, and he
was well aware that nothing but indisposition prevented
him from attending that day.

Mr. WYNDHAM said, that the Noble Lord's explana-
tion was a most satisfactory one ; at the same time it was
not surprising that he should be anxious that it should not
go forth that his father was no reformer. The truth was,
as be had already said, his father was as zealous a reformer
as any one of them.

The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously.
The Hon and Rev. Mr. KEPPELL, in proposing the
next resolution, " that the thanks of this meeting be also
given to the Bishops of Norwich and Chichester, and to
those Peers connected with this great county, who hare
hitherto supported, and whose renewed exertions will, we
trust, he the means of achieving, the great national measure
of Parliamentary Reform," said, that as a sincere admirer
of the institutions of this country, and as one who was
most anxious for their unimpaired maintenance, he was a
reformer ; and he was sure that it was only by imita-
tion of the conduct of the Bishops of Norwich and the
Bishop of Chichester that the established church would be
preserved.—(llear, hear.)
- -

The Rev. Mr. COLLYER seconded the resolution. He
much regretted that there were only two Prelates of that
church of whose conduct with regard to the Reform Bill
they could speak that day with satisfaction ; but he
thought that they might well be proud of claiming one
of them as their own venerable Bishop, who, no doubt,
would long since hare been removed to a still higher dig-
nity in the church if he had been disposed to sacrifice
his principles to his worldly interests. But he had
been always the strenuous supporter of civil and religious
liberty, and he had never deviated a hair's breadth from
the cause of liberality, either in sentiment or in practice. It
was a subject for congratulation that his Lordship had at
length got a colleague on the bench who fully participated
in his own liberality of sentiment. Dr. Maltby was pro-
bably a stranger to most of those present, but be was
nevertheless connected with the city of Norwiclt by birth,
education, and attachment, and thougn lie was yclung in
office, he was cld in the integrity of his principles. It
was only for the purpose of supporting such a resolution
as that now before the meeting that lie (Mr. Collyet-) would
have been induced to come forward on an occasion like
this, fur he felt that, generally speaking, it did not become
clergymen to take a part in political proceedings, tiniest:, c,n
very particular occasions.

The resolution was thee put, and carried unanimously.
The Very Bev. Archdeacon BATH (lasi' could not remain
silent, or refrain from offering them his best and most
grateful thanks. The Bishop of Norwich lived amomo
them ; he was known to them all, and had 'seen always
known as the friend and the supiAorttri, of the rights and
liberties of his fello:y countrymen. Whatever displeasure
the gonduct of the Bishops generally with regard to the
Reform Bill might have excited throughout the country,
and he was not surprised that it Lid done so, he would
assure them that thy, character et the church of Eng..
land was not to be drawn from their conduct in that
instancc, and that it did not deserve the censure
which might he attached to them. In that diocese
the head of the parochial clergy had supported for
years e
r of civil and religious
and
the
risk
power
vu
ft
, displeasingfteliieelgocai,jd nse g .;
those in office,
p
atronage of `,11,.: country were lodged.
A
political career of Earl Grey, the
Rey. Gentleman proceeded to say, that he thought ',hat
Sir Thomas. Beevor dealt a little too hardly with him,
in
stating that he would bring ir r. Bill so modified as to
pleaSe his " Lord o:rex had brought forward pm to put an end to the unconstitutional cc.n'eroul which
that order exercised over the elections of the representa-
tives oc the people, and that he had not succeeded in car-
rying that Bill was attributable to the Lords and Bishops
by whom it was opposed. There was no doubt, liewe7r,
that a Bill equally efficient for the object in view would
be shortly again brought forwar.l„ and the peOple might
be assured t 4; 4i,cycl Grey would not depart from the
pledge which ho had given to that effect. One of the
charges of the Hon. Baronet against the present
Ad.rsni-
stration was, that there were men Iviao had formerly
supported measuica that 411;uld not have, been supported
but the Hen, Baronet seemed to forget that there via;
mate joy for one 'repentant sinner than for
(A laugh.) With regard to the .T4i4hop of Norwich he
would merely say, th4t at the, cjyanced age of 87 he had
gone
the, thNurserec,
oft rkts the journey hetween that and London, in
thr,
successive Weeks, to support the
of the people, and he believed that there had g;riez been
an instance before of a Bishop of the Church of England
having made so great an ettnri.—(everal voices,
4, Why did ;104; , tile rest follow his example ?")
wialeti with all his heart that they had done
Tbe
Noble Lord, through whose friendship his (Arcbdea-
con Bbatn father ',ad been advanced' to the epis-
copal as the friend and the supporter of Mr,
beach,
t's
w)

Pitt, and though he knew that the Bishop's principles'
were liberal, he did not ask him to act against them, and
if he had done so, lie would have met with a prompt re-
fusal. When the question of Catholic emancipation was
brought forward, that Noble Lord waited on the Bishop,
with whom he differed on the subject, and told him that
if he voted for emancipation, the favour of the Court, and
of that part of the aristocracy that distributed the Court
patronage would be withdrawn from him. Instead of
being influenced by such a consideration, the Bishop of
Norwich took that part which his principles prompted him
to take, and he adhered to it throughout his life. He did
his duty, but he did so at the sacrifice of the friendship of
his early friend, the Noble Lord already mentioned, between
whom and him an estrangement then took place that had
existed ever since. He (Archdeacon Bathurst) drew from
that circumstance the strongest argument in favour of that
measure of Reform which was calculated to put an end
to a system that had worked so ill for the country,—a
system that set interest in opposition to duty, that divorced
friend from friend, and that had brought the affairs of this
great empire to their present lamentable pass. In conclu-
sion, he again begged to express his thanks to the meeting
for the honour which they had conferred on his father.
Mr. CULLEY moved "That this meeting rejoices to offer
its cordial thanks to the representatives of this county, for
their steady and undeviating support in Parliament to the
cause of Reform."

Mr. LEMON seconded the motion.
Sir THOMAS BEEVOR hoped that before the question
was put, he might be allowed to say a few wordy. Cir-
cumstances had occurred which prevented him from meet-
ing the representatives of the county at the last two gene-
ral elections, and he was now anxious to take this opportu-
nity of putting a few questions to one of them, Mr. Coke,
on a subject on which he had seen statements go forth to
the public in the London and Provincial Press, and which
as yet, that he had se,n, had got no satisfactory answer.
He alluded to the connexion of Mr. Coke with the Dunge_
ness light-house.—(Loud groans and hisses here assailed
the Hon. Baronet from all parts of the Court, and it was
some time before he could proceed.) He had seen an ano-
nymous statement in print from some friend of Mr. Coke ;
but it was to him any thing but a satisfactory answer, and
he now wished to get that answer from the Hon. Member
himself. (Here the confusion was renewed, and the Hon.
Baronet could not be heard for a time; much of this con-
fusion arose not merely from those who considered the
matter irrelevant, but from a small knot of the Hon.
Baronet's partisans in the gallery, who •ociferously bawled
out that he shouli be heard); at length

The CHAIRMAN said that the Hon. Baronet was out of
order in introducing this subject. He admitted that a
Member was bound to give an explanation of his public
conduct to his constituents, but this affair of the Dungeness
light-house was in the nature of a private transaction ; and
at all events it had nothing to do with the object for which
they had been called together.—(Loud cheers.)
Sir T. BEEVOR said, that the circumstance to which he
referred formed a portion of the public conduct of one of
their representatives, and that as such he had a perfect
right to bring it under their notice. If the Chairman
should decide against him, he would appeal to the meeting
for a hearing.
Mr. COKE here came forward amidst great applause.
He wished to know, he said, whether the Hon. Baronet
had any other charges to make against him, for if not,
be would be ready at once to reply to that which had re-
ference to the Dungeness light-house. He was willing
to give him any explanation he should demand on that
point.
Sir THOMAS BEEVOR again rose amidst considerable
confusion and uproar, and having at length procured a
hearing, he proceed to observe, that as far as he under-
stood the question, it divided itself into two parts—lst,
as regarded the Hon. Gentleman's original connexion with
the light-house—(Groans)—and 2dly, as to that Hon.
Gentleman's own subsequent and comparatively recent con-
duct as connected with that light-house.—(Groans, hisses,
and much uproar.) The grant of the tolls of that light-
house had been made (originally to Mr. Coke's ancestors)
for what was called a valuable consideration—namely, for
supporting and maintaining a light-house there: and
though it might have turned out a profitable bargain to
them and Mr. Coke, yet up to the expiration of the patent
he was as much entitled to the profits of it as he was to
the rents of the Holkharn estate, or as he (Sir Thomas
Beevor) was to the rents of his property. If, however,
the statement published in the newspapers on the subject
was a correct one, it so appeared that in 1826, two years
before the expiration of the patent, Mr. Coke—he who had
been so repeatedly beard to declare that he was the
sworn enemy of taxation, and that no earthly considera-
tion would induce him to accept place, pension, or favour
at the hands of the Government—memorialized the Lords
of the Treasury for a renewal of that patent, and the pa-
tent was renewed to him—not, however, without some
consideration, for it was agreed that one-half of the profits
of the light-house should be paid into the Treasury, and
the other half should be received by him. He called for
an explanation from Mr. Coke as to that point. Was it
a fact that this denouncer of taxation was a receiver of
taxes? Was it true that this sworn enemy of all corrup-
tion,—this consistent and sincere Reformer,—this avo►ced
foe of taxation and of bloodshed,—this man who had said
over and over again that there was nothing in the gift of
the Government that he would take, did not hesitate to
pocket a portion of the taxes ; and was it a fact that there
were things in the hands of the Lords of the Treasury
which even he would condescend to accept ?—(Hisses.)
He wished to give the Hon. Gentleman an opportunity to
clear himself of such a❑ imputation. He would put a
categorical question to him, and to it he wsttld expect an
answer. He begged to ask him whether he had not me-
morialized the Lords of the Trec,sury for thu renewal of
this patent?—whether lie had not received that renewal
on the consideration which he (Sir Thomas Beevor) had
mentioned ?—and whether he had not up to that time
pocketed the proceeds of the Dungeness light-house ? If
the Hon. Gentleman would not answer that question, he
(Sir Thomas Beevor) should be then compelled to adopt a
harsher course towards him. The Hon. Baronet sat down
amidst great uproar.

Mr. Coca then came forward, and was received with
loud cheers, waving of hats, and other demonstration! of
applause. He could not avoid remarking, that 'ins attack
just made upon him was of that sort of t:tiaracter that he
should never have expected frotha tleman whatever.
—(Cheers,) As such an unberttlernanly and unhandsome
attack had, however, Leen made upon him, be rose to repel
it, and be wet sure that in a very few wards he should
:atiafactortly explain this matter to the meeting. He had
said, and he would repeat it, that neither in this instance,
nor any other instance, had he asked for any favour from
the Government. It was true that he carne into the pos•
action of the property of this light-house, which had come
to hint like the property of a turnpike trust, or any spe-
culation of such 4 description ; but he would show that
he had asked for no favour from Government in thence
to it, He had been fifty-six years and upwards in Parlia-
ment, and he had never asked a favour fAn:. Government for
himself or nis fatnily, or his c?nnections, in the whole
course of his life.,—,,`Cheers.) Under such circumstances
he little eqected such an ungentlemanlike attack as the
pr,...sent one, and if the quarter from which it had proceeded
were at all worthy of his notice l3e wont(' tell that ;nuivi..
dual that he had insulted hhn. All hee hsd ask ad ei the I...brds I
house was
that ;f tae patent of that light-;house, so 'ong in the hand of
himself and his ancestors
.t"l"renewed he should get the
of the Treasnry regaed,to the pupsgraege
tsar
preference !mime Trini':'house. Was he not justified in
malting that reCr:'st? This he would say, that the Dun-
geness iitl.,-.house was the be conducted light-house in
Great Britain. When he came into possession of it, it '
was not in a condition calculated to save the live: 01 Bcei-
tish seamen ; and he applied to the Trinity-house for per-
mission to build a new one, and having obtained that per-
mission, he built a new one, At considerable expense, out
of his own po,,:ket. The resolt was that lie received the
compliments of the Trinity-House, who declared that in
stability and fitness for its object, it was next to the Eddy-
. stone Light-house; and they formed so high an opinion cf
the architi>ot, Mr. Wyatt, that, unsolicited by hi,cr., (Mr.
Coke), they appointed him to the first va'ant situation.—.
Such was his answer to the unjust4-eable attack made upon
him.—(Cheers.) H.e wad welt astonished at such an
attack from {c.,11 quarter. He was not surprised at ^
meeting with the censure of such an inclivi.4.4.l. He
would not inquire of what kidney 114: was, whose senti-
ments he echoed, and what co,paity he kept.—(Heart)
But of this he was sty,e that no attack of the 1:10.4.7.41r0ngt
could alter the. opinion which the contx that be had SO
Hint here."
long represented had so often exoruased of. his public con-
duct.—(Loud cheers, erel Crii‘s 91‘.( All, Sir Thomas,
take that to your kiend Cohbett,")
cthorattempt was,
Sir T. 134.Ev01s again presented himself anli.‘?..•t*lmmense
the Hon. Baronet
iial fur renewed confusion, He held in
I:tr Afterca
n Ap:s,toeamdnvdttioleirnaigedadi
irokete's :to
I,
eee r
wwwaeane:ti
unr
geos,
tCotborue::
astir
of paper containing the amendment which
14, said it was his intention to move, and after ineffectual
efforts to obtain a hearing, concluded by handing it to the
Chairman. At was to this effect—" That the thanks of
this meeting are due to our representative, Sir William
Folkes, Bart., for his general Parliamentary conduct, and
more particularly for his steady support of the late Bill for
amending the representation of the people."
Mr. Runt seconded the amendment.
The CitaIRAAN, before putting th 4 aMenjrnent, said,