The Sun.
London, England, 1836-05-31 00:00:00

IRISH CORPORATION BILL !-TRI-

UMPIIANT VICTORY!!!

WORCESTER, MAY 30, 1836.
This has indeed been a glorious day for Worcester, and one
that will not easily be forgotten. The inhabitants of this city
and neighbourhood have evinced in the strongest manner the
feeling that exists in their minds with regard to their fellow
countrymen in Ireland. Never has a public meeting been
held in this city under higher auspices. The Worcestershire
Guardian (the organ of the Toiy faction) in their last Num-
ber insinuated that the meeting would not be attended by the
leading gentlemen of the Whig party. This day, however,
the contrary was proved.
Great excitement prevailed during the course of the morning
in consequence of a report that the Conservatives intended to
follow the example Aet them by their Liverpool brethren, and
move an amendment. The Reformers, however, were on the
alert; and on the Mayor, C. H. Hebb, Esq., taking the
Chair, a few minutes after 12 o'clock, the Crown Court in
which the meeting was held was quite crowded.
The Mayor was accompanied by William Acton, Esq., one
of the recently appointed magistrates for this city, and also a
magistrate for the county, Charles Hanford, Esq., a magis-
trate for the county ; and also a magistrate for the borough
of Tewkesbury, Alderman Gibb, Richard Evans, Edward
Evans, Mr. Sheriff Allies, the Town Clerk, with several
other members of the Town Council, and were received with

loud cheers.
The Mevoe shortly introduced the subject of the meeting
by reading the requisition. He observed that they were as-
sembled to exercise cue of the most valuable and ancient pri-
vileges of the Constitution—the right of petitioning the Le-
gislature.—( Cheers.) Ireland, oppressed and cruelly treated
Ireland, called for equal laws and equal rights, and he felt
perfectly satisfied that such a cry would not be made to Eng-
lish ears in vain.—( Loud applause.)
WILLIA NI ACTON, Esq., then rose, but in consequence of the
crowded state of the Court there was a loud cry for an adjourn-
ment into the outer Hall, which was immediately complied
with. Mr. Acton then, in a speech of much feeling, energy,
and eloquence, through which he was loudly cheered, moved
the following resolution :
" That this meeting, considering Ireland as an integral part
of the British empire, view with deep regret and indignant
apprehension the Irish Municipal Corporation Bill as changed
and passed by the House of Lords, which Bill when sent
from the House of Commons bore the stamp of the
English and Constitutional principles of representation ; but
when returned from the House of Lords the un-English and
despotic principle of concentration of all Municipal power in
one individual. That this meeting present a petition to the
House of Commons, expressive of their regret and alarm, and
entreating that House to give its assent to no Bill less con-
servative of the Municipal rights and franchises of the Irish
people than that which passed their Honourable House by such
triumphant majorities. That this meeting present an address
to his Majesty's Ministers, thanking them for the important
services they have rendered to their country, and entreating
them under no circumstances whatever to offer to Ireland a
Municipal Reform Bill less based on popular election and
control than the one which first emanated from their hands."
F. T. G Ina, Esq., seconded the resolution, which was put
and carried unanimously, amidst loud cheering.
CII ARLES HANFORD, Esq., in an energetic speech, in which
he reviewed the acts of the Liberal Administrations since the
year 1830, moved that the following petition be presented to
the House of Commons ; and that in consequence of the
shortness of the time it be signed by the Chairman, on behalf
of the meeting :
" To the Commons of the United Kingdom in Parliament as-
sembled, the humble petition of the Mayor, Magistrates,
Aldermen, Burgesses, and other Inhabitants of the City
and neighbourhood of Worcester, in Public Meeting
assembled,
" Sheweth,—That your petitioners consider Ireland, es-
pecially since the Union, as an integral part of the British em-
pire, and fully entitled to all the Municipal and other rights
and privileges possessed by the two other States, and which,
with Ireland, constitute that empire.
" That your petitioners have seen with deep regret, and still
deeper alarm, an attempt made by the House of Lords to pass
the Irish Municipal Corporations Bill in such a shape as would
entirely destroy all the Municipal rights and franchises of the
Irish Nation, and place its Municipal Government in the power
and at the discretion of a single individual—a power unknown
and abhorrent to the free and liberal spirit of the British Con-
stitution, and dangerous as a new element of despotism to the
liberties of Ireland and the whole British empire.
" Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your Honourable
House not to pass the Irish Municipal Corporation Bill, thus
changed and mutilated ; and moreover, that in all future legis-
lation your Honourable House will consider Ireland as co-equal
with England and Scotland, and entitled to be governed by
the same mild and equal laws ; for your petitioners are fully
convinced that it is only by placing the three countries on the
same equal and constitutional footing, that the Union can be
so maintained as to give, as it is capable of giving, strength,
prosperity, and happiness, to the United Empire.
And your Petitioners, &c."
This, motion was seconded by Mr. Sheriff ALLIES, and car-
ried unanimously.
Mr. Ald. R. EVANS moved that the following Address he
presented to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Melbourne :
" We the Mayor. Magistrates, Aldermen, Burgesses, and other
inhabitants of the city and neighbourhood of Worcester, respect-
fully tender to your Lordship, and through you to your Right
Hon. Colleagues, our sincere and our most grateful thanks for
the important services which during your administration you
have rendered to your country, and particularly for introdu-
cing into Parliament the English liinnicipal Reform Bill,
which, though deprived of some of the valuable elements it
possessed when it first emanated from your hands, has worked
favourably for the good and happiness of the people. We
are not ignorant of the difficulties with which you have
had to contend, or of the sacrifires which you have been
constrained to make ; but we, nevertheless, most earnestly
and most respectfully entreat you to move on in the
same patriotic path of improvement, conscious that you will
find in the approbation of your own minds, and in the plaudits
of a grateful country, the meed of an imperishable reward :
and above all things, we entreat you to do full justice to Ire-
land, and under no circumstances whatever to- offer to that
country a Municipal Corporation Bill, less based on popular
election and control than the one introduced by you to Parlia-
ment this Session ; from our firm conviction that such conduct
will best secure the union on which the strength and prosperity
of both kingdoms so eminently depend."
This motion was seconded by ROBERT HARDY, Esq., and
also carried unonimously.
Mr. CAREY, an aged Irish gentleman, who has resided at
Worcester for the last several years, then presented himself,
amidst loud cheers, and made a forcible appeal to the meeting
to come forward in the cause of Ireland.
Mr. PARRY moved that the petition to the House of Com-
mons be presented by George Richard Robinson, Esq., one of
the Members for this city ; and that Joseph Bailey, Esq., the
other Member (a Tory!), be requested to support the prayer.
This motion having been seconded by Mr. GREENING, was
put and carried unanimously, amidst considerable cheering.
Mr. CHAPMAN moved " That the Right Hon. Lord Foley
be requested to present the address to Lord Melbourne."
Seconded by Mr. SOUTHAN.
Mr. Parry, Mr. Greening, Mr. Chapman, and Mr. Southan,
are all members of the Town Council.
The Mayor having left the chair, Charles Hanford, Esq.
moved a vote of thanks for his conduct therein, which was
seconded by F. J. Gibb, Esq., and responded to with three
times three most hearty cheers. The Mayor returned thanks,
and the meeting then broke up, first giving three cheers for
Daniel O'Connell and Ireland. All the resolutions were
passed without one dissentient voice. Thus the Tory clique
in this city, who it is well known meditated evil against the
meeting, were grievously disappointed ; all their efforts proved
a complete failure, not one even daring to show his face on the
platform. But more particularly they had the extreme morti-
fication of seeing that edifice which was lent by the late Cor-
poration but a few short months ago to O'Sullivan, to sow
the seeds of discord, fanaticism, and all uncharitableness,
used for the very far different purpose of calling upon the
Legislature and his Majesty's Ministers to persevere in their
patriotic endeavours to redress the grievances of unhappy
Ireland.

JUSTICE TO IRELAND.

PUBLIC MEETING AT TAUNTON.

The spirited inhabitants of this borough, deeply sympa•
thising with their Irish fellow subjects in the common feeling
of indignation at the insult and wrong endeavoured to be per-
petrated against them by the irresponsible House, promptly
circulated a requisition to the bailiffs, requesting them to call
a public meeting of the inhabitants of the town and neighbour-
hood, to petition the House of Commons to reject the altera-
tions made by the Lords in the Municipal Bill, and to stand
firm in its resolution to procure for the people of Ireland
amended municipal institutions, and that which they have been
so long strangers to—justice. The bailiffs answered the call,
and the meeting was held accordingly on Friday last—the
bailiff presiding. It was one of the most respectable ever held
here. The following magistrates of the county were present
and took part in the proceedings—viz., Sir Thomas B. Leth-
bridge, Bart., the Rev. P. Thomas, A. Crosse, Esq., R. M.
King, Esq., and William Beadon, Esq.
Sir THOMAS LETIIBRIDGE moved a petition to the House of
Commons to the above effect, introducing it with a speech of
great length and brilliancy, full of good sense and right feel-
ing. Ile condemned the conduct of the House of Lords in
unconstitutionally substituting what was in fact a different
bill under the form 'of an amendment. He asserted that they
were raising a feeling in the breast of every thinking man,
which would lead to their inevitable overthrow if they were not
wise in time. " I am a friend to the present Constitution,"
said the Hon. Baronet ; " I desire no organic changes, if they
can be avoided ; but I cannot be blind to the present aspect of
things ; I cannot help perceiving that the Lords by their con-
duct are standing in the way of the peace, the good order, and
the good government of the country ; that they will not bar-
monise with a reformed House of Commons ; and therefore I
begin to think that we can have no rest from these collisions
and agitations until Reform has been extended to their Lord-
ships' House, and they also are made responsible to the people."
Immense cheering followed this avowal. Sir Thomas then
said that he was prepared to aid his Irish brethren in their
demand for justice ; and he was sure that England, who so
valued—and so justly valued—her great privileges of self-
government in local affairs, would not submit to see the people of
Ireland treated like slaves and deprived of their privileges,
because the majority of her people happened to be Catholics.
He was a sincere Protestant, but he asserte the right of a
men to think for themselves, and he was startled to find on ll
this day, after a legisLition ui the last seven )cars, an attempt
made to make religious opinions the ground of civil disabilities.
He called upon the Commons of England to be firm, and
never to rest till they had obtained "justice for Ireland." He