The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-28 00:00:00

THE SUN,

Mr. BERNAL said he felt it his duty to observe that
several Bills had come down from the House of Lords
at twelve o'clock this day, to which several amend-
ments had been made, but which, from the
period they had come down, and the extent of
those amendments, it was impossible to give that consi-
deration which was duo to them, to the 'louse, and to

the country.
The SPEAKER agreed with Mr. Bernal. So many
Bills came down from the House of Lords at
this late period of the session, that but little
opportunity was afforded to the House to consider
them; but he had looked at the amendments
referred to, and there was nothing in them that inter-
fered with the privileges of the House, or altered, as he
understood, tho main features of the measures referred to.
Mr. BERNAL said he alluded to certain Railway Bills.
Mr. HUME said the House ought to alter the mode
of prcceeding in this respect. The table was covered
with Bills, and he thought it would bej better to
throw them all out, than pass them in such a shape,
which precluded the House becoming acquainted with
their nature. Some rule ought to be laid down with
respect to the period of introducing Bills, printing and
proceeding with them. They had already gone through
thirty-three Bills, and it was absurd to suppose that tae
House was acquainted with their nature.—(Laughter•)
He would ask if such a course of transacting the public
business wound redound to the dignity of the House?
Mr. F. MAULE said a railway Bill was read a third
time in the House of Lords this morning, in which the
Railway Board were desirous of introducing amendments,
but, owing to the late period the Bill had come down, the
President of that Board was unable to do so.
Mr. DISRAELI said the statement of the Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite, one of the Ministers, showed that the
prorogation was premature, and that the House did not
possess the confidence of the country. No Bill should be
introduced after a certain period of the session had expired.
The fact was, that when Parliament was prorogued the
heads of departments and those under them never con-
sidered the business of the succeeding session, as they
employed the six months in recreation.—(Laughter.)
The mode of conducting public business was disgraceful,
and he hoped in future sessions a bettet course would be
adopted.
The subject then dropped.
POOR-LAW RELIEF BILL.
Mr. C. LEWIS reported that the Lords had ap-
pointed a conference on this Bill forthwitb.
The several Members appointed to conduct the con-
ference on the part of the House then left.
On the conclusion of the conference,

Sir GEORGE GREY reported that the man agers on
the part of the Commons had met the Lords, and had
left their reasons for disagreeing with the Lords' amend-
ments.
Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition from the inhabi-
tants of Birmingham, strongly blaming the conduct of
her Majesty's Government in not protesting against the
French aggression at Rome ; also expressing their
sympathy with the Hungarian nation, and praying the
House to present an address to her Majesty, paying her
to protest against the conduct of the Russian and Aus-
trian Governments.

Mr. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from cer-
tain inhabitants of Westminster, calling the attention
of the House to the unhealthy state of the neighbour-
hood of Millbank Penitentiary.
Mr. MULLINGS presented a petition from the Law
Association complaining of the Small Debts' Act.
Lord J. RUSSELL rose to more that the House on
its rising adjourn until Tuesday.
Mr. HUME wished to know, before he consented to

this, what business there was on the paper?
Mr. AGLIONBY complained of the press of business
which the House had had on hand for the last month.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL confessed that the business
before the House had been very heavy of late. This was
owing in some degree to the small progress which the

House made in the commencement. So any notices of
motions were placed on the paper, and so many discus-
sions had taken place in Committee of Supply, that it
was impossible to bring in any Bill before twelve o'clock
at night. The consequence was, that the Government
were obliged to delay all measures, except those of great
importance, until a late period of the session.
Mr. DISRAELI said the Noble Lord had attempted
to explain the hasty manner in which the public business
was conducted by throwing the onus of it upon the
House, and not upon the Government. This was the
same course he had pursued at the expiration of last ses-
sion, and he (Mr. Disraeli) had then taken occasion to
I show that the cause of this press was the Government,
and not the House. He must defend the House. During
this session there had been a universal desire to facilitate
the progress of business and assist the Government; he
never recollected a session in which there had been
fewer notices of motion. If he could trust to his memory,
there had been no Committee of Supply. Since
the Ist of July, the Government had introduced
twenty new Bills, and had asked the House to sit on
almost every morning. He merely rose to defend the
House from the accusation which the Noble Lord had
attempted to throw upon it.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he had never
wished to throw any imputation upon the House.
Mr. ROEBUCK suggested that the Government
should introduce one Bill at a time, and stick to that, and
not encumber themselves with a dozen at a time.
The matter then dropped.
NOTICES FOR NEXT SESSION.
COUNTY COURTS.

Mr. FITZROY gave notice that early next session he
should move for leave to introduce a Bill to extend the
jurisdiction of county courts.
STAMPS. _ ..

Mr. MACGREGOR gave notice that he should move
ror certain returns with respect to stamps on deeds of

assurance.

MINES AND COLLIERIES.

Mr. WYLD gave notice that early next session
he should move for leave to introduce a Bill for the due
inspection of mines and eolleriier.
CO PYIIO LDS.

Mr. AGLIONBY gave notice of his intention to move
a return of the number of copyholds enfranchised by
h() Copyhold Commissioners.
NEW FOREST, &c. _ . .

Mr. COMPTON moved for returns with respect to
the New Forest, but finding they had been ordered
to be printed by the Committee on Woods and Forests,
he withdrew his motion.
LAND TAX.
Mr. WODEHOUSE moved for a return of the ap-
portionment of the land-tax quotas in the several districts
of England and Wales, and in Scotland, arranged ac-
cording to counties; showing the rate per pound in the
value of real property assessed to property-tax
in 1842; appending to each county the average
reahtae in
rged in
poun
d which the
ghs,laanudd- tatx iownss,
according to the form adopted in the papers delivered in
by J. Wood, Esq., chairman of the Board of Excise,
when examined before a Committee of the House of
Lords on the 24th day of March, 1846, on the subject
the burthens affecting real property
comprising
Appendices, No. 9,10, 11 : statement of the amount of
duty assessed on personal estate in each county
in England and Wales, by virtue of the
Act 3 William IV. c. 3, for the service of the
year ending the 25th day of March, 1833, being the
year preceding the repeal of the said duty; appendix,
No. 12. Return, showing the total amount of money
levied for poor rate and county-rate in England aid
Wales, and the amount expended thereout for the relief
and maintenance of the poor for the years ended Lady-
day 1613 to 1845, both inclusive; and showing also the
rate per head on the population in each county for the
same period.—Agreed to.
ROLLS' COURT (IRELAND).
Mr. FRENCH moved for a return of the number of
orders made by the Master of the Rolls, from the Ist
day of August, 1848, to the Ist day of August, 1849,
classified as follows :—l. Number made for the appoint-
ment or extension of Receivers in Petition matters,
under the Acts 5 and 6 Will. IV., c. 55, and 3 and 4
Victoria, chap. 105. 2. Number of like, made
in Petition matters under the Tithe Rent Charge

and other lints. 3. Number of like, in causes or plenary

suits. (The appointments to be distinguished from the
extensions in these three classes.) 4. The number
made, giving landlords permission to proceed by eject-
ment against the lands over which a receiver has
been appointed. 5. The number made for the review
of receivers accounts passed by the masters, in respect
to rents, payments, &c., or otherwise affecting the
conduct of the receiver. 6. The number made as to the
reduction of rents, repairs, allowances, &c., or otherwise,
affecting the interests of the tenants. 7. The number
made for attachments against receivers, for non•com-
pliance with rule of the Court, &c. 8. The number of
all other orders of all kinds. A like return for the
Court of Exchequer. (The number of orders made in
open court to be distinguished from side bar rules:N—
Agreed to.

MAURITIUS.
Mr. HUME moved for copiei or extracts of dispatches
from the Governor of the Mauritius, respecting the trade
and finances of the island; and also of any petitions or
memorials of the inhabitants of that island, and of the
Mauritius Association of London, addressed to her Ma-
jesty or the Secretary of State, on the same subjects;
and, also, copies or extracts of dispatches relating to the
trade and finances of the island addressed to Sir G. .
Anderson, C. 8., and not yet laid before this House.
Mr. HAWES said such a memorial was not in the
Colonial-office; itMETRO migPOLITANht be on its
POL way.—lCEAgreed to.

Lord D. STUART moved for returns of the number
and description of metropolitan police officers employed
out of the limits of the metropolitan district in the years
1847 anti 1848, as nearly as can be given; the number of
days each police officer was so employed in each year;
and the sums paid to or on account of eaeh police officer
for pay, lodging, travelling, or other expenses whilst so
employed.—Agreed to.
SERVICES IN CHURCHES IN WALES.
Mr. J. WILLIAMS said five months ago he moved
for a return ef the services in the Protestant churches of
Wales, distinguishing those performed in Welch and
those in English; part of the return had been furnished,
but that with respect to St. David' and Bangor had not
been furnished. What was the cause of this?
Mr. C. LEWIS was understood to say that they had
not been completed.
LORDS' AMENDMENTS—NEWCASLE AND
BERWICK RAILWAY.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM inquired what the Govern-
ment intended to do with respect to the Bills that bad
Came down from the Lords, both public and private.
For instance, there were the amendments to the Bank-
ruptcy Acts Consolidation Bill, and a private Bill, entitled
the Newcastle and Berwick and Carlisle Amalgamation
Bill. The latter contained, nattatis mutandis, the provi-
sious of the Audit Bill, which had been withdrawn. He
wished to know, if the House did not sit on Monday,
what opportunity would be given to discuss the impor-
tant question involved in this Bill.
Lord J. RUSSELL trusted there would be ample
time for considering these amendments on Tuesday.
He might tiAke thitt opportunity of stating thai the Pre'

rogation of the House would not take place till Wed-
nesday, With regard to the question relating to the
Bankruptcy Law Amendment Bill, his Hon. and Learned
Friend the Attorney-General apprehended the House
would have no difficulty in agreeing to them.
Sir J. GRAHAM trusted the amendments to the
Railway Bill would be printed.
Mr. LABOUCHERE reminded the Right Hon.
Baronet that all Lords' amendments would come under
the consideration of the Hon. Gentleman the Chairman
of Ways and Means.
WOODS AND FORESTS REPORT.
Lord DUNCAN wished to know when the annual re-
port of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests for the
year 184748 would be laid on the table.
Sir G. HAYTER said the report was ready, and
would be laid on the table to-day, or at least on Monday
or Tuesday.
CUFFE-STREET SAVINGS BANK.
Mr. REYNOLDS inquired of the Right Hon. Gentle-
man the Chancellor of the Exchequer how it was that
the Committee, which had sat 15 times, and asked 4,000
questions on the subject of the Cuffeestreet savings bank,
had not reported to the House. He wished also to know
whether it was intended to continue the inquiry during
the recess, and whether or no the Right lion. Gentle.
man would have any objection to the appointment of a
Committee next session?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
matter had been referred under the resolution of the
Committee to a professed accountant, and that was the
reason the Committee had not reported. He might add
that it was intended to continue the irquiry during the
recess till the accountant was in a position to report,
but he could not now consent to the re-appointment of
the Committee next session.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS.
Mr. MACGREGOR wished to ask the Right Hon.
Baronet whether any steps had been taken to render the
regulations of the Customs department consistent with
the increased commerce of the nation, particularly with
respect to the increased steam navigation and the large
intercourse that was now carried on between this and
other countries?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had
already informed the House that such amendments had
been made in the various Customs departments as
would secure a large saving of public money and in-
creased facilities for commerce.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM. rose to ask Mr. Bernal,
whether the Lords' amendment of the York, Newcastle,
and Berwick, and the Berwick and Carlisle Amalgamation
Bills had been printed.
Mr. BERNAL said that he had not authority to order
the printing of any amendments.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved that these amend-
ments be printed.
Mr. GREENE opposed the motion.
Mr. CARDWELL said that the suspension of a
standing order had been made in order that the
prorogation of Parliament might not be delayed, and the
consequence was that an attempt was now made to sur-
prise the House into a declaration of opinion with regard
to a great public question, the Railway Audit Bill, without
a discussion. He must protest against a question of
this kind being smuggled into a private Bill, which had
not been printed.
Lord J. RUSSELL agreed that it was inexpedient to
force the House into the expression of an opinion on this
question at this time of the session.
Mr. HUME suggested that the House should meet on
Monday.
Mr. HEADLAM protested against any injury being
done to those who were interested in this railway.
Mr. COBBOLD said, speaking for the Eastern Union,
he had no objection to the credit clause. He objected to
a premature proceeding of this kind.
Sir C. DOUGLAS said a Noble Lord in another
place (Lord Monteagle) had said he had an objection to
the Bill, but that he would support it if the promoters
would consent to the insertion of these clauses,
and ',they were put in and the Bill sent down
by the Lords at a time when it was impossible for
the House to consider it.
After some discussion the amendments were ordered
to be printed.
Lord J. RUSSELL intimating that in the meantime
the Government would consider the matter.
CEYLON.
Mr. BAILIE then rose to move that an bumble address
be presented to her Majesty, praying the appointment
of a Commission to inquire on the spot
into the means taken for the repression of
the late insurrection at Ceylon. The Honourable
Gentleman rested his case on the ground that the Com-
mittee up stairs found that they could not fully sift the
matter referred to them, unless they had wit-
nesses from Ceylon. Being unable to obtain all the
information they required, and serious charges having
been made against the Governor, they thought that the
appointment of a Commission was the best course to
adopt.
Mr. ELME seconded the motion.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the principle sought
to be introduced was an important one—to inquire
into the conduct of an officer under the manage•
ment of one of the departments of the Government.
It was a serious thing, however, to appoint an inquiry
into the conduct of the Governor, as it might be impos-
sible for him to carry on the government of the colony
with a grand inquisition hanging over him. Therefore,
he did submit that, while might be desirable
to appoint a Commission to inquire into the general state
of the colony and its mode of government, it was not
expedient to extend such an inquiry into the conduct of the
Governor. It must be remembered that the Committee
had refused to supply the House with the evidence upon
which they grounded this application, and the proceeding
resembled so much that of the grand inquisitions
of Spain and Venice, that he really could
not consent to it. He was, however, told
that the resolution upon which this motion was
founded was introduced to the Committee without
any notice at all, and it seemed to him, there-
fore, th vt the House being in utter ignorance
of the evidence could not assent to the proposal before
them. In fact, if this motion were agreed to in its pre-
sent shape, it would be putting the Governor on his trial,
thereby paralysing all his powtr of governing the
colony, and he must, for the sake of the goverment of
our colonial empire, resist the motion. If, however,
next session his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose
would come forward in a manly manner, and move the
re-appointment of the Committee to prepare articles of
impeachment against the Governor, he should then be
prepared to meet him.
Mr. HUME admitted that no notice was given of the
r—NiclliAenesiotolbtntelhtel ueeheeet
eaiLdorpo:naori
kc; upon which the motion was founded, but at
the time it was discussed nearly all the members of the
e
Committee were present. In reply to the
challenge of the Noble Lord he could only
state that if the information that was now
wasting were not forthcoming, if no one else would
do it ho would move the impeachment of the Governor.
proceedings
ethear.)hendao itte
tghWtseh With
kc evidenceregarde
ytCeylon
prudent
hadh od
notthebeen
beentjue
publish
studiously
br the oui
printed,
heyodf_
evi-
dence all
thatn hewch could state in ignovaenswoneer tos
itdhea t
owfa s
tthhea t
had signified h•estoi:Pni.
and yet Lord Grey
un-
qualified approbation of the Governor. The Goviesr, un-
in his opinion, ought to be recalled, and a cominissnioorn
of inquiry ought to be sent out. If the Government
wished to maintain the allegiance, and preserve
the lives and properties of her Majesty's subjects,
they must show themselves ready to inquire into the
conduct of those who tyrannized over them.
Mr. VERNON SMITH thought it was absurd to ask
the Government to accede to such a vote when the Com-
mittee refused them the evidence upon which to go.
The Hon. Gentleman who had raised this question,
whether it was that he doubted whether he should be
able to retain 39 Members in the House, or whether it
was from delicacy to the Ministers who had announced
that they had "other fish to fry" to-day—(A laugh)—
had not entered into any reason why this inquiry should
be granted. He for one should be very unwilling to
brand the Governor with obloquy. The proceedings of
the Committee ought to have been presented to the
House before this discussion was brought on. If the
Hon. Member pressed his motion to a division, he (Mr.
V. Smith) should vote against it.
Mr. DISRAELI thought it right, without at all en-
tering into the secrets of the Committee-room, which
had nothing to do with the point before the House, to
place before House what ho was perfectly justified in
stating with respect to the cause of the evidence not
being printed. There was a motion made for printing
that evidence by the Hon. Member for Montrose.
That motion was resisted because it was said the evi-
dence was imperfect, and because it conveyed
a prima facie case against the Governor of
the colony and other parties; and in consequence
of that statement, and in deference to the wishes of the
Government, there was, with the excoption of the Hon.
Member for Montrose, an unanimous decision that the
evidence should not be printed.—(Hear, hear.) In
his (Mr. Disraeli's) opinion the Government ought
never to have consented to that Committee.
The moment they appointed a Committee of the House
of Commons to investigate into the causes of the insur-
rection at Ceylon and the conduct of the Governor they
destroyed the just and legitimate influence of the Go-
vernor. lie would strongly support the motion of the
Hon. Member for Montrose.
Mr. VILLIERS supported the motion, and intimated
that his opinion was more favourable to Lord Torrington
than when he entered the Committee, for he was placed
in the most dangerous and responsible position a man
could be placed.
Sir J. HOGG opposed the motion, on the gound that
the adoption of no course would be fraught with more
danger. The speech of the Noble Lord at the Head of
the Government was unanswerable. He glanced at the
proceedings of the Committee, and held that the
voice of the Committee wwas
not inits favour.
He did hope and trust that the House would not listen
to this application. He admitted that there was not
sufficient evidence' before the Committee to sub-
stantiate the charges preferred against Lord Tor-
rington, but it was not the duty of the Committee,
but of those who made the charge, to find out the evi-
dence; and in his opinion that was an additional reason
why the motion should be resisted.
Lord HOTHAM wished to explain that no surprise
with regard to his motion before the House could have
been intended. He almost entirely concurred with the
Hon. Gentleman the Member for Wolverhampton. He
certainly had never entertained any unfavourable im-
pression towards Lord Torrington, with whom he had
for many years lived in habits of intimacy. When he
had arrived at a certain stage of the inquiry a conviction
had forced itself upon his mind that he could con-
scientiously fulfill his duty without having a further in-
quiry. Was it not as essential, and quite as little calcu-
lated to weaken the authority of Lord Torrington, to
show to this House that the imputations which bad
been cast upon his character were groundless, as to re-
main satisfied with the inquiry which had already been
made, and with the declaration of the Colonial Secretary

READING ELECTION.
PUBLIC MEETING AT THE NEW HALL
(From the Reading Mercury of this day.)
As soon as the fact of the elevation of our late
esteemed Member, Mr. Sergeant (but now Mr. Justice)
Talfourd, to the judicial bench became known in this
borough, a handbill was issued, stating that a gentleman
of known integrity, talent, and sound principles would
present himself for the suffrages of the electors, and a
public meeting of the constituency favourable to the
return of an independent and Liberal candidate was
convened last night.
In compliance with this announcement the meeting
took place at the Now Hall, Lnndon- street, which was
crowded to suffocation. Shortly after the time ap-
pointed, the Registration Committee appeared on the
platform, accompanied by Richard Gardner, Esq., who
for a short time represented the borough of Leicester.
Amongst those who appeared to have taken part in the
proceedings, were—W. W. Morley, Esq., of Eldon-
square, Mr. W. Exall, Mr. G. Barrett, Mr. Carroll, Rev.
J. J. Brown, Mr. Cowderoy. Mr. P. Davis, &c.,
On the proposition of Mr. EXALL, Mr. Edward Car-
roll was unanimously voted to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN opened the business of the meeting
by reading the placard which had been circulated, and
stated that he was anxious to see Reading and every
other town represented by a person upon whose political
opinions or sentiments they could place implicit reliance.
The Registration Committee had been extremely anxious
to introduce to the constituency of this borough a gentle-
man having such a character as set forth in the bill which
had been issued within the past few days, and they had
invited Mr. Richard Gardner, who was then present—
(Cheers)—and whose opinions, they believed would be
found to be in strict accordance with their own.—(Re-
newed cheering.) After some other remarks the Chair-
man called upon
Mr. COWDEROY, who detailed to the meeting the pro-
ceedings which had been taken by the Registration Com-
mittee to obtain a gentleman who would fairly and
honestly represent their views in Parliament.
I 'The CHAIRMAN afterwards stated that the committee
had no wish to dictate to the constituency of the
borough, but they had invited a gentleman, who was
ready to expound his views on the leading topics of the
day, and which as far as be had heard of him would be
found to be acceptable to the majority of the meeting.
The Chairman then formally introduced
Mr. RICHARD GARDNER, who, in advancing to the
front of the platform, was greeted with loud and con-
tinued applause. He said that, at the request of some of
their townsmen, he bad consented to appear before them
upon purely popular principles—(Applause)—the only
principles, in fact, upon which he could conscienti-
ously appear before this or any other constituency,
and especially before a constituency to which he was
altogether unknown, and upon which, therefore, he did
not profess to have any claim.—(Hear.) They would
understand that that meeting was purely a provisional
one, and that neither be nor they were pledged to any-
thing—that, at all events, he did not seek to thrust
himself upon this constituency, but, on the contrary,
nothing was further from his wish, and indeed from his
intention, than to represent this or any other borough in
which he was not satisfied that the independent and
thoughtful electors honestly agreed with his opinion.—
(Great applause.) In coming before them as an entire
stranger he should aot be doing justice to them, and
most assuredly not to his views, if he did not treat them
with the greatest candour and sincerity as to the
opinions he entertained on those great and important
topics which from time to time bad come under public
attention. He would take care, in explaining his senti-
ments, to do so as clearly as possible, in order that none
should go away with any misapprehensions, as he believed
very many did on nineteen times out of twenty of these
solemn electioneering farces.—(Hear, and laughter.) He
did not come here to dictate to this constituency, or to
claim for his opinions any infallibility which he knew
they did not possess; but he thought they would all
agree with him that there were, at least, some qualities
which ought to be possessed by every public man: one
w as that he should know what were his political opinions
himself, and secondly, that he should have the courage
and honesty to declare thern.—(Much cheering.) He
had often thought that there were things in which men
—and even men of honour—considered that prevarica-
tions and hypocrisy were venial and small crimes.—(A
laugh.) He thought that in horse dealing and politics
there was an exceptional code of morals. In dealing
with constituencies, as with those valuable quadrupeds
some people ventured to display a certain amount of by
pocrisy, which in other matters they would be perfectly
ashamed of.—(Hear, hear.) Those qualities to which
he had alluded were frequently possessed by
public men, who really did not keow what they were
themselves, and who took a roundabout and tortuous me-
thod of carrying their convictions into effect —(llean)
Now, in these days—and ho rejoiced at the fact—
constituencies were not to be put off by vain generali-
ties, and did not want to be told by a man in general
terms, " I am a Liberal and therefore claim the support
of the Liberal party."—(Hear.) He believed that con-
stituences now-a-days wanted to know what a
candidate's definition of the term Liberal was—(Cheers)
and not to be told, "I mean to go to Parliament to
represent such a party and ministry, and rally round
such a flag;" but that they required to know if the man
had any deep personal convictions of his own—whether
he had popular sympathies—and whether those sym-
pathies were of such a nature as to resist contamina-
don with the ungenial atmosphere of the House of
Commons.—(Cheers.) He could tell them that his
warmth for the honour was not increased, nor his sense
of the difficulty and responsibility of representing a
people in Parliament was not lessened by his experience
in that House. Ile had no ambition to take the place
unless he could carry with him the hearty sympathies
of the majority of those who sent him—unless he could
feel he should be indemnified from any mortification he
might sustain from a defeat on great and popular ques-
tions affecting their true interests, by the sympathies
and confidence of an harmonious and trusty constitu-
ency.—(Applause.) During that disastrous period,
when empires were falling into ruin, and when kings
were taking their Might; when the harvest of anarchy
and confusion (the seeds of which were sown by mis-
government) was being reaped all over the world, his
votes in the House of Commons would show that he did
not see ground for reaction as to the principles of pro-
gress, to which he had ever been deeply attached. He
asked himself at the time, where would this country have
been when the French revolution burst upon them, and
when Conservative principles prevailed, if the Reform
Bill had not passed, the corn-laws had not been re-
pealed, and the freedom of the press had been cut off ?
—(Cries of " Hear," and cheers.) He felt that the his-
tory of the past and also the history of the present
showed that they had great problems to solve for the
future.—(Hear.) They were not to cease to be Re-
formers, because revolutions were abroad ; they must
recollect that nations which did not advance must stand
still, and they must not refuse to countenance a necessary,
a moderate, and just reform.—(Loud cheering.)
He must say that these principles did not appear to him
to actuate the " powers that be."—(Hear.) It did seem
to him that the existing Ministry made the present dis-
turbed state of the world an excuse for refusing every
popular concession, and of trampling on the principles
that brought them into power.—t Hear, hear.) Ile
did not think that the Liberal party could sustain a
greater injury than from the circumstances under which
they lived—viz., that they had a Ministry in Parliament
which was called Liberal, and yet at the same time they
displayed the moat illiberal tactics.—(Applause.) Why,
they found men who ought to know better, go into
the lobby of the House of Commons with Lord John
Russell, and sympathise with him and his friends, be-
cause those personages were associated with some in-
staluseut of reforms effected twenty years ago, and which
had since been falsified.—(Hear, hear.) It seemed to
him that Lord John Russell and his Cabinet bad, to use
a commercial phrase, become a " bankrupt firm"—
(Laughter)—that it had exhaused the little capital
upon which it set up, and, to employ a somewhat
vulgar term, existed upon what was called " tick."
—(Much laughter.) The broom which threatened to
sweep clean in 1830, was in 1850, after a period
of twenty years, reduced to a poor naked stump,
and, with the accumulation of cobwebs and political rub•
bish, it was all the Ministry who had been returned to
Parliament on Liberal principles rested upon.—(Laugh-
ter.) He confessed that the political legerdemain that
induced gentlemen to unite their ardent professions for
popular principles with a general support of Lord John
Russell's Government, was beyond his powers of com-
prehension, and all he would say was, that if the electors
of Reading wished to have a Government " bath," he
was not the man.—(Much applause.) He scarcely knew,
with the exception of their commercial policy, that the
Government bad done anything to entitle them to the
support of the people, and a careful view of their acts
would clearly show this. They had said " No," to the
ballot ; they had said ditto to triennial Parliaments;
and they said a loud and very loud " No," to any
ext(nsion of the franchise.—(Hear, bear, and cheers.
By them a very small retrenchment ad been made,
and they would not be a little surprised to find that
many who professed Liberalism, did not think it in-
consistent with the principles they held to turn a deaf
car to the motion of Mr. Osborne on the subject of the
Irish Church.—(Hear, hear.) It they required a person
to represent them in Parliament who would be guilty
of such inconsistency, and support such a Government,
he would repeat that he was not the man.—(Much
cheering.) On the other hand, lie would not have them
imagine for one moment that he was a man who would
offer any factious opposition to the Government, or that
he had any animosity towards them; as individuals, he
believed them to be persons of high character and prin-
ciples; it was their misfortune to belong to the aristocra-