The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-15 00:00:00

ST. JAMES'S REFORM MEETING.

Yesterday the most numerous and respectable
meeting we ever witnessed of the parishioners of
St. James's took place in the Circus in Great Wind-
mill-street, Haymarket, which had been convened
for the purpose of adopting a declaration, pledging
the meeting to support the King and his Ministers
in carrying the Bill far effecting Parliamentary Re-
form, and to enrol themselves as an Association.
Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. was announced to take
the chair, but the Hon. Baronet was prevented from
attending, and Colonel Evans was unanimously
voted to the chair.
Mr. BARBER BEAUMONT, in moving the first
resolution, said they had met, and he was happy to
say so exceedingly numerously and respectably
(about 1,500 were present), to form a parochial
Association to aid their Patriot King and his Mi-
Bisters in carrying the Reform Bill. He was firmly
persuaded that parochial associations were absolutely
necessary to strengthen the hands of the Govern-
ment in procuring a Reform in Parliament, and
securing to the country protection from disorder.
He would put it to any man of common understand-
ing, whether it was just or reasonable that, on a
great question submitted to the decision of three
parties, the concurrence of two out of three she•sid
go for nothing—(" No no")—and the onv];orsetrtient
should carry the question ?—(" No, no- fottlo 11n
all partnerships or references, and the like the
majority decided.—(Hear, hear, frees.) They were
all arquainted with the prepovatierance of " the best
two in three"—(Hear. end laughter)—but how
the worst one shoe's:, beat the best two it Was diffi-
cult to comprs2oentl. He might well say the werst
one ; for although the political importance of the
Hoosse of Commons, as the representative of the pe-
',elation arid property of the country, tees seir-evi-
denf, as also the indispensible use of the. King and
his M histers, as an executive governing power, he
really could not imagine that any harm could happen
if the Peers—not excepting the Bench of Bishops--
as a privileged political class, were entirely swept
away.—(Cheers.) It had been said they were use-
ful—(What for ?)—as mediators between the Crown
and the people.—(Oh, oh.) Strange mediation--1
`Heat)—when they forbade the union of the Crown
and the people—(Hear)—and strove against the
wishes and interests of both.--(Cheers.) It was
also said, that they were endowed with their patents
of nobility by Sovereigns to support them irt their
Crown and dignity. Strange support, when on for-
mer occasions they had dethroned one King and set
up another, according to their caprice or interest, and
were now the bitter opponents and personal revilers
of the best King that ever sat upon the throne of
England.—(Great cheering.) He would propose to
the meeting he had the honour of addressing, the
mode of cure for their grievances. All patents,
which were granted by the Crown, were reversable
at the will of the Crown, if they were found to be
injurious to the public.—(Cheers.) There were
sufficient grounds to annul the patents of the refrac-
tory Peers, should that mode of removing their ob-
struction be deemed expediene—(Cheers.) Another
mode was the creation of a number of Peers suffi-
cient to outbalance those made by the Tories—
(Cries of " No, no," too many already)—but if they
were to have more Peers, he hoped it would be for
their lives only. Another course was, upon
the Bill being again carried by the Commons, for
the King to issue writs for a new Parliament, in
conformity with such Bill, without asking the plea-
sure of the Peers upon the subject.—(Hear and
cheering.) Such a power was part of the prerogative
of the Crown ; anti if the refractory Peers made arty
more difficulties and obstructions, a reformed House
of Commons, with the voice of the nation and the
power of the King, might easily reform the Peers
thernselves—(Hear and great cheering)—at least
relieve that House of the Bench of Bishops.—
(Cheers.) He would conclude by moving a resolu-
tion to the effect, " That the peace and security of
the country appeared to be endangered by two op-
posite factions, viz--a corrupt oligarchy, and many
of the people, who, exasperated by long-suffi ring,
are liable to be misled by designing men to commit
acts of violence," &c. &c.
Mr. MAULE seconded the resolution.
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, on introducing a gentleman to
the meeting, said that his friend, Mr. Boller, a
Member of Parliament, possessed two boroughs, but
he had disinterestedly arid nobly sacrificed his pri-
vate interests to the public good by voting in favour
of the Reform Bill.—(Continued cheers.)
Mr. BULLER came forward amidst the loudest
applause, and thanked the meeting for the kind
manner in which he had been received. There were
no thanks due to him for giving up that which he
had no right to possess, but thanks were due to the
people of Englund for the spirited and truly pa-
triotic determination which they had evinced in the
enforcement of their usurped rights.--(Cheers.)
They would, by their unanimity and support, give
a power to the Ministers in whom they confided,
that would defy all obstructions against the measure
of Reform, who would remain firm, and undaunted
by those boroughmongeriug Peers and selfish Pre-
lates—(Cheers)—who had been able to check their
esuse, but not defeat it.—(Great cheering.) The
King might exercise his prerogative, and by putting
a few words into the Gazelle, accomplish the mea-
sure without consulting the Peers. (Cheers.)
Some, however, trusted in the magnanimity of the
Peers, and thought they might yet repent, and as
they went down to vote on a question of such im-
portance to the people, they might determine to sa-
crifice their sordid interests.—(Hear, and " No,
no.") Also, that the Bishops' hearts might be
turned—(Cheers and laughter)—though the church
service s iys that to turn their hearts required the
working of " great marvels."—(Loud laughter.)
These were not ordinary times, arid ordinary mea-
sures would not be sufficient to show their deter-
Initiation, at every hazard, to have the full enjoy-
ment of their political rights. There were two
ways to obtain the desired end. First, the King
could create Peers; and, secondly, he had the prero-
gative of issuing writs to large towns and cities, and
witholaing them from the boroughs.—( Hear, hear.)
The Peers boasted of their prerogatives, which they
exercised for the ill of the ceuntrv, and should they
dare to gainsay the prerogative of the King to be
used for the good of the country?—(Cheers.) The
people he hoped, would co-operate to resist the bo-
roughmougers power, which existed in Army,
Navy, Church, in the Lieutenancy of a majority of
the counties of Esgland, and the Officers of the
yeomanry—(Hear)—but he might fearlessly assert
that the yeomanry were too honest arid too en-
lightened now to act with the boroughmongers
against the people.—(Cheers.) He admitted that
he was favourable to vote by ballot, and he believed
it was an actual essential to a tree representation—
(Great cheering)—which would be adopted by the
first Reformed Parliament.—(Cheers.) He was not
for annual Parliaments or universal suffrage at pre-
sent—(llear)—and was glad they were struck out
of the resolution he had the honour to propose, as
he was thereby enabled to join their highly re-pect-
able Association, as were great numbers of other in-
habitants of that parish. lie recommended parochial
associations in every town and city in England,
which would in fact be an association of the whole
empire.—(Hear.) He concluded by moving a re-
solution of thanks to Earl Grey and his colleagues.
Mr. NEWELL seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.
Mr. WA ITHMAN, a son of the Alderman, called
open the parishioners of St. James's to enrol them-
selves as special constables, and every individual bad
a right to arm himself for his personal safety, and
—"
• to protect his property.—(lleac hear) A chip of
r The old-,block.") He concluded by moving, " That
I Parochial A • •iation to assist his Ma-
,' •Association
ernment in the great measure of Praha-
sit form, and also to carry the salutary print-
- •P'lLVl4:**
ifHof "
• form into effect within our own parish."
Ol
•la,. NS, on seconding the resolution, said the
sold no longer be charged with apathy, He
MO, a az, raystee-of opinion the rejection of the Bill by the
s

Peers vve.s opportune, happy, aud useful. They
would now have to reform the Peers as well as the
Commons.—(Hear, and cheers.) Had the Peers
been wise, they would not have rejected the gill at
a moment when the French Chamber was discuss- I
ing the use of Peers as Legislators.—(Hotta'.) He
dared not trust himself to talk about these holy
rogues.—(lmmense cheers, and cries of " The
Bishops.") He compared the House of Lords to
the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and having contrasted
the Peerove of England and the Prelacy with the
existing establishments in America and Scet!mttcl, he
concluded by seconding the resokltion, which was
unanimously agreed to,
A declaration, founded upon the resolutions, was
adopted.
Resolutions relative to the details of the Asso,-
ciation were also agreed to, and the meeting sepa-
rated, after passing a vote of thanks to the ChAir-
man, and giving three cheers for the King, with
three groans for the Bishops.