The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-04 00:00:00

LOWDMitry TrPSDA-Y3-AtrarsT 4, MO._

lE MT'

Finsbury was likely to be placed in the Black Book, for
though be had looked to the right and to the let, he
had been unable to discover, with the exception of his
worthy colleague and himself, any other Members of the
House of Commons present. Some of the Members of
that House, he was bound to say, had advocated their
cause with great zeal. Mr. Aglionby, Mr. Warburton, and
Mr. Hume—(Cheers)—had supported the motion of his
worthy colleague on the subj.,ct of those who were in-
carcerated, and his worthy colleague and himself ought
then to be in the House of Commons, as Mr. Aglionby
that night intended to bring forward the case of another
individual who was imprisoned, not that be believed
their two votes could do any good, but he, for one, would
like to be there to have his say.—(Loud cheering.)
The truth was that they never could carry any motion in
the House of Commons that bad the good of the public

at heart, they were in a miserable minority, and so they
would be until the principles they advocated were suc-
cessful.—( Cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded
by proposing the toast of " Wm. Lovett and John Collins,
the uncompromising friends of freedom."—(Great cheer-
ing.) Air, " A Man's a man for a' that."
Mr. LevETT then came forward to address the vast
assemblage, amid the most deafening cheering. He
was delighted to be once more surrounded by ge-
nerous and warm hearted friends, instead of the
wretched victims of misgovernment and crime, with whom
his friend Collins and himself had been compelled to asso-
ciate during the last twelve months.—( Cheers.) He was
delighted to share their cheerful welcome, and receive
their honest congratulations.—( Cheers.) Those who had
not experienced the monotony and misery of a prison
could scarcely estimate how wholesome and refreshing
were the grateful blessings of freedom.--( Cheers.) Not-
withstanding these feelings, be would say, Welcome once
more the starving imprisonment cf Warwick Gaol, wel
come ; again all the misery he had suffered,
rather than the right of public meetings should be
prohibited.—( Cheers.) It had ever been a maxim of his
during his political career to speak and act as he thought
just, nut caring for the consequences, feeling convinced
that if a man stopped short for considerations of personal
safety he would do little to advance the freedom of his
country.—(Cheers.) True it was that in acting up to this
maxim he had suffered in person and property, as all must
do who endeavoured to oppose injustice on the part of those
who were supported by power.—( Cheers.) Lfe at best
was but storm and clouds, with x few spots of sunshine ;
but it was a source of congratulation, after
all, to know that you suffered in a righteous cause.—
(Cheers.) For what, he would ask, had he been
punished? For telling the truth—for not allowing truti.•i
to be converted into falsehood, in order that Whiggery
might be placed upon a more secure foundation.--
(Cheers.) He was still as convinced as he ever was, that
most of the vices and crimes with which the country
abounded were to be traced to corrupt and exclusive
legislation, and he was equally convinced that the passing
of the People's Charter into a law would lead to the
formation of a Parliament composed of good men of all
classes, who would at once put an end to the evils of poverty
and oppression, and devise means by which prosperity
would gladden their fruitful land.—(Cheers.) While he
was ,the advocate for those changes, which he believed
would ultimately take place, he was not the advocate for
violence or destruction—( Cheers)—for, notwithstanding
the insolent assertion of Lord John Russell, that he bad
endeavoured to excite the people to overturn the laws, be
had ever been, and ever would be anxious to guard against
anarchy on the one hand and corruption on the other.—
(Cheers.) Those men were the promoters of violence
who were most strenuous to uphold injustice.—(Cheers.)
He was most anxious to preserve all that was good in
the institutions of the country, and to throw away that
which was bad. He did not mean to say that the Radi.
call in the pursuit of their object, had not expressed them-
selves strongly, and in many instances acted improperly ;
but while he scrupled not to say such conduct had taken
place, and was calculated to do injury to their cause,
and drive some of their brighest ornaments from their
ranks, he could not conceal from his recollection the
numerous heart-rending tales of misery he had heard, and
which, in many instances, he was afraid were too true. It
was to be hoped that the m-jority of the Radicals by
the present time, saw the necessity for substituting
ergurnent, in the place of empty charges and violence.—
(Cheers.) A great deal had been said about a reorgani-
zation. He hoped he should not be considered presump-
tuous if be expressed a hope that shortly he and his perse-
cuted friend Collins would be able to put forward their
views on that subject; for though the imprisonment of
Warwick Gaol had injured his health, it had not tamed
his resolution.—(Cheers.) He was not constituted to
bear the fatigues of public meetings, but the abilities and
the strength he possessed should be devoted to the cause
they had so much at heart. Of all the information he
had received since his Incarceration, none had given him
greater pleasure than to hear of the exertions made by the
people of London to erect Trade Halls, and he trusted, lie
should be instrumental to some extent in promoting that
object.—(Cheers.) He had been led to hope that one
brneflcisl result would arise out of their treatment, namely,
that Parliament would be induced to rake a distinction
between libels and seditious offences, and other misde-
meanours; but in this he had been disappoin►ed, though
the law as it at present stood reflected little credit on
the Legislators of the 19th century.—( Cheers.) As the law
at present existed, two men, in two different counties, might
be committed to pri.on by the same Judge, and under
the same Act for precisely the same off,nce, and yet
owing to Magisterial regulations, the treatment of the one
man might be ten times more severe than that inflicted on
the other ; the one pets in's diet might be poor and scanty,
and the silent system might be en'orced, while on the
other the imprisonment might be light. The Magis-
trates, therefore, by their regulations, had the power to
neutralise law.—( Hear, hear ) In their case, one of the
Visiting Magistrates, the Rev. Mr. 'Larder, informed
them that the Magistrates would have been more disposed
to pay attention to . their wants, had it not ben
for the highly coloured petitions they had presented,
so that they -had been punished more for the expressions
in their petition than for libel.—(Cheers.) Every alle-
gation in that petition was true, and when Parliament,
upon the motion of Mr. Hume, applied for the rules and
regulations of Warwick Gaol, an old dietary table was
substituted for the one their in use—(Cries of " Shame")

.---by which a half pound of meat a week and two quarts
of soup were allowed, whereas, from that time the iet
had been very far different. He would give them the
whole details of this at some future opportunity. He
would now conclude by returning his grateful thanks to
those who had exerted themselves in various ways in their
behalf, more especially to their kind friend, Mr Duncombe,
for his noble and manly conduct in their behalf—to Mr.
Warburton, Mr. Hume, Mr. Aglionby, and Mr. Sergeant
Talfourd, and in short to the whole 29 Members who vated
for Mr. Duncombe's resolution.—(Cheers.) He was
happy to think the course they had pursued had met with
the approbation of their friends, and he could assure them
that it would only be a stimulus to persevere in it in fu-
ture.--(Great cheering.)
Mr. COLLINS then came forward, and was received
with the most rapturous delight. He said he could
scarcely command his feellings so as to address the
meeting in any thine- like plain and intelligible language.
The assembly bad been led to expect by the Chairman,
and by his friend Lovett, that he would go more into de-
tail respecting their treatment in Warwick gaol. To him
it awakened many bitter recollections ; but they would
Rot be unmixed bitters, because when he recollected the
indignities heaped, or intended to be heaped, upon them,
he was also convinced of the justice of their prin-
ciples, and the rectitude of their conduct, that
enabled them to endure those indignities, and to smile at
the puny attempts that were sometimes made to crush
their spirits.—(Cheers.) They had heard, and many of
them knew well, what William Lovets had been previous
to his incarceration in prison. They knew his firm attach-
ment to certain principles, and the noble manner in which
be defended those principles, but he (Mr. Collins) had
seen him in circumstances that could hardly be imagined,
and certainly not adequately described. He had seen him
languishing upon a bed—he begged pardon—a straw
pallet—( Hear)—in his illness, with his imagination, AS the
imagination of every father and husband must be, frequently
carried back to the scenes of his own fireside, and he had
seen him exposed to indignities, but he had never seen his
spirit quail Wore the enemy.—( Loud cheers.) He had
nevi heard an expression of regret from him for anything
he had ever done or said connected with the cause of the
people—(Cheers).—and the hope he had of that cause
being speedily regenerated.—( Reiterated cheers.) Tne
ules and regulatisais of the prison had, on a motion of
a Member of the House of Commons, been printed. The
Magistrate said that the petition which he and his
fellow-sufferer Lovett presented was " highly coloured ;"
but they could not contradict it in a single statement that
was made. They published, as Mr. Lovett had told them,
an old dietary table which bad been altered two years
ago, and hence they deceived both the Parliament and the
whole of the country. It would be his duty, as he was a
little stronger in consti.ution than his friend Love t, to
endeavour to undeceive them upon those particu-
lars.—( Hear, hear.) The Magistrates published in
their dietary table that he and his follow prisoner had
halt' a pound of meat twice a-week ; although they had
stated, or the fact was, that they hid none for nearly six
months, except three days when he ( Mr. Collins) was ill
in the hospital; and on Christmas day, when they were al-
loved a bit o: meat by purchasing it themselves.—( Roars
of laughter ) When they complained of it to the Magis-
trate they were told—" If you do not have the meat in a
solid, you have it in a soluble state—) ou have it in the
soup."—(Great laughter.) lie replied, " Whatever may
have been put in the soup, there is no meat in it when it
comes to us;" and, in fact, the soup was of that nature
that he could not par ake of it—it made him ill.—( Hear,
hear.) His friend Lovett having a great craving tar ani-
mal food, atteit.pted to force a little of it into his stomach,
and was congratulating himself very much one Sunday
when ho was taking his soup, and he ( 11r. Collins) his
bread and water, that he had some animal food in it, but it
happened to cause rather a different sensation Fpon his
tongue than other kinds of animal food had done, so he
must needs take it out to look at it, and it proved to be a
very fine black beetle.—( Laughter and cries of " Shame.")
So that, notwithstanding the great desire Mr. Lovett had
for animal food, he could not take it in a soluble state any
more.—(Great laughter.) Shortly afterwards two of the
Magistrates, Mr. Gelkin and Mr. Bracebridge, visited
them, and on their repeating that they had no meat, Mr.
Gelkin became very rimer' excited, and asked if they
meant to make that as an allegation ? They said they did,
He inquired upon what authority ? They replied upon the
authority of the cook who made the soup—(Laughter,
Hear, hear, and a cry of " And very good authority
too")—who weighed the meat every day, and who saw
the list hanging up with the number of prisoners in the
goal.—( Hear, hear.) It was asked by the Magistrate,
" Is that man, the cook, here now ?" He (Mr. Collins)
replied, " No, Sir, his time is up, and he has gone out."
—( Laughter.) " Can you give me his address ?" said
the isiagistrate. " No," he replied, but I know where to
Grid him when I want to proye it in a Court of Justice."_
(Great cheering.) The next day they were visited by
Sir Eardley Wilmot, in company With the Governor. The
Goveroor then admitted that there was only a Vb.
of meat in the soup, the surgeon of the prison having given
it as his opinion that half a' pound of meat made the soup
; too rich.__( Lau liter ) The Massistrates thus got them,

selves into a dilemma. Tney were aware that evidence
a
idence
could be brought forward to prove they had published
false dietary table and a false list of rules, so they were in
:topes that if they gave the two half pounds per week all
would be forgotten. There were many little annoyances,
nawever, to which they were afterwards subjected, but
which could not be entered into at a public meeting.—
( Hear, hear.) There was one other subject con-
nected with the discipline of W.,rwick Gaol to which he
wished to allude, and although it was a mode of punish-
ment to which, in consequence of their good conduct, they
were never subjected, yet they were liable to it every
day. By an Act of Parliament any person who com-
mitted a breach of the rules of the prison, or used im-
pwrooupi edr
notla n gaut
taegned, o
ther :hi- ea p iedi e
maingdh t rbeef ulsueedk
et
do
uwpo riku,
t.
hoer
solitary cell for any period not exceeding three days and
three nights, and that, too, at the instigation of the
Governor, and without any Magisterial investigation.
In the winter, confinement in such a cell must be
very dreadful. It contained an iron bedstead with wood
bobsosh
sufficient
onceofgoslieeecdri
ni
entire
nongre
tfed,
the
circulation,rdb Gi
oon dgmy
water.o.
excepti
nt
morningt
TaanyhToe hhai
coseknel
to
dti
dlmnri e t
tdtegt
the
meeting
otevt r
igiaenne:docgehmnrl
bit
might,mi
ots
door
straw,
orohe arooi wsroct,
exercise
oeg artherefore,inorc:nti
instead of sacking. The prisoner was not allowed a mor-
y
n
sel
amidst the frost and snow of winter, there not being
sufficientbaen
subjected
ed veorf
t;
ofe
openedtkeepore ad
imagineu
atn nhl
dye
that a man in such a situation must undergo the most in-
tense suffering. Mr. Collins then mentioned the case
of a bay who was confined in Warwick Gaol before trial
for having stolen a pair of bellows, value 3a., and who
having quarrelled with another boy in the prison, was
placed in one of these solitary cells. In consequence of
this confinement the lad became so diseased that a bone of
one of his toes actually became detached, which he sent to
the turnkey as a present for telling the Governor of his
quarrel. He was afterwards sent to the hospital; and
notwithstanding all the suffering endured by this poor
lad, he was after conviction sentenced to twenty-one
days' imprisonment.—( Loud cries of " Shame, shame.")
Ile (Mr, Collins) river saw anything on the part of the
Governor that would induce him to make a charge against
the Governor as a man--his object was to create a feeling
against the law that would permit any fallible man to in-
flict such punishment upon say individual without Magis-
terial investigation.—( Hear.) If God spared his life till
the next Session it was his intention to endeavour to bring
the subject before the House, and see if the House could
not be induced to make an inquiry into it with a view to
some alteration.—( Cheers.) Notwithstanding all he had
endured, he was not less a Radical than when he was
first laid hold of by the myrmidons of the Government.—
( Loud cheers.) He was not less disposed.to lift up his
voice and to denounce the unjust conduct of that individual
who, instead of protecting the peoyle, exercised that
power with which he was entrusted to oppress them.—
j(
oChhne eRr su.s)s s Nll o o dtohteabG` they
nhoard.
ianl
wrheiaedh thhee
state
et
at
tt ee
dr o
thatf L or de
(Mr, Collins) had been convicted of an attempt to force
the people to arms and bloodshed. That was not true.
There was not a man in Birmingham, Whig, Tory, or Radi-
cal,attemptedd
(t wh
e ar couldvvhen, sayh h
as hadn
gtried
ever
all
h eeoulueooh abtainthaincom-
fortable seat in Parliament for the Member for Birmingham,
and had obtained the franchise for part of his fellow-towns-
men,
he began to push a little for himself, not having hi.
therto been thought fit to be entrusted with the elective
franchise, the Government adopted the conduct of indivi-
duals who went to plays or places of public amusement.
When there was a great crowd at the door they said " Push
on, push on," but the moment they got a little inside they
sing out " What the devil are you shoving at—can't you
be quiet?"—(Great laughter and cheers.) No, he could
not be quiet—(Cheers)--while he saw around him hun-
dreds and thousands of his fellow-men, honest, industrious
and intelligent, starving in a country possessed of every
facility for producing the comforts of life, he could not be
quiet and would not be quiet.—(Cheers.) And yet while
he could not be and would not be quiet, the would beg to
tell the little Lord who had taken the liberty of slandering
him in that letter, that it he had not the honour of an il-
lustrious house to support by his conduct, that he had too
ouo n unjustly,peernen_
(Groans)—Visiting Magistrates of the county, or farms or bloodshed—( , hear)—that he
had too much love for truth to slander a fellow-
man, especially if that man was in a prison and un-
rmor uocoh respect
o
Hear, fellow-men even to- appeal to
un-
able to defand himself; and that he had too much
and
love for justice to be afraid of denouncing the conduct of
tyrannically,n men
whoex
whether theyercisedtheir power brutally,
were
London
mem-
bers of her Majesty's Ministry.—(Groans and hisses.)
His friend Lovett had alluded to a plan fora new organiza-
tion of the people. He believed it would put them in a
better position than they had hitherto occupied, and he
was convinced there was no hope of internal peace, happi-
ness, and comfort for the inhabitants of this country until
the working classes had their interests represented in
the Legislature. —( Cheers ) In conclusion, he begged
to state that he felt extremely grateful for the sympathy
which had been manifested, and although it was useless
for him to repeat the names of those whom his worthy col-
league had mentioned as being entitled to their thanks, yet
he felt no less grateful ; and he felt especially grateful to
Mr. Duncombe, for the candid avowal he had made, that
there was not one word in the libel fur which they had been
prosecuted, that he was not willing to adopt as his own
words.—( Cheers.) These things had cheered their hearts
in the ,loom of the prison ; and he should endeavour to
snow, by his future exertions to emancipate his fellow-men
from their thraldom, that their kindowss was not ill be-
stowed, and was not undeserved.—( Continued cheers.)
The following address, which it was intimated by the
Chairman had ben forwarded from Aberdeen to the Com-
mittee, was recited by Mr. Westerton, and was most raptu-
rously applauded :
With joyous rapture every bosom glows,

.. . . _ ..
To greet thee, Lovett, from thy gloomy cell—
A martyr hero from the tyrant's grasp—
A living triumph o'er our county y'e foes,
But deep undying shame shall brand their brow,
%Vie, gave thee f 1r Ph,. toil a dungeon, loathsome
As the black malignity which filled their
11.-arrs, who nur,ed thee with the tender mercy
Of relentless Algierene humanity.
And what thy crime, but hatred of wrong,
And quenchless love of virtue and of truth ?
For ye had dared the oppressors of the poor.
As terror-struck they trembled for their spoil,
Till, full of ruthless rage, they rushed like famished
Tigers on their prey, to crush and silence thee.
Perfidious cowards 1 But, impotent as cluel,
They've lost their prize ;—fir, by the mercy of
Our God, he lives ! despite their bastile torture.
Yes, Lovett lives ! His dauntless spirit
Unsubdued, bath bravely stood the onset
Of their frantic fury ; and, like tearless
Traveller, athwart whose track the prowling
Panther or the wolf bath come, he met them
Front to front, till, 'neath his glance of scorn,
The pale-lipp'd tyrants shrunk in dread dismay,
as they rise to grapple
Smote by the power which nerves an honest man,
Hail 1 patriot Lovett 1 NI, elcome to thy home !
yshall be a watchword and a spell
By every British slave who would be free,
By every friend of mankind, ansdniiyttea.lll
Revered and cherished baentdhyviflhpinorgi
TNNhoE Henceforth,lnogvlea nt ha ,etsihryco u
namentr
millions,
With the powers who rob them of their dearest
Birthright, and who tax their children's bread;
AThen,ndd eirni6tihaeni re impious
bglee, e
r.
Victims, in their hopeless agony.
Unconquered Lovett 1 while we offer thee
The heartfelt tribute of our grateful praise,
We swear before high heaven, and by our wrongs,
Wall thee to win our country's liberty.
Then be a champion of a righteous cause!
Once more go forward in thy might of mind!
Ai-sill corruption on his curse-crowned throne,
With truth's resistless force, till justice triumph ;
Till the blessing of a ransomed people,
And the victor's laurel-wreath be thine.
Then, on the brightest record of her fame,
The voice of Albion's millions will approve it.
England shall trace with willing hand thy name,
Worthy of honour, HONEST WILLIAM LOVETT.
Mr. WeTsoN rose to propose the next toast, and was
se
ec
insultir priceless
g their
worth,
received with great applause. fie bad the pleasure to
submit a toast, which lie hoped every person present
NVere such
would most heartily respond to, and he would at once
read it. It was—" Universal Suffrage, and the other
essentials to good Government contained in the People's
geeheceorns...ent to remain
Charter."—( Loud cheers.) Though during the last
twelve months in connection with the agitation for the
Charter, there had been much to regret, he, for one, did
not despair of its ultimate success.—( Cheers ) It was not
a Whig, Tory, or Coaliiiim Government, that could
Suffrage, and all the
say to the people of England " You have rights
obfutthyeolun saiiiii(lili,ni ontect‘xpeoricsiesesatltheem.s'u'—ff,.(a
slaves ?--( Cries of " No, no,")—let them then by union,
combination, wisdom, and prudence, show them who had
lately filled the gaols, that they would not dare to repeat
such conduct.—( Cheers.) The pieople must immediately
essentials of governmmit• u
of thi, country going
they possessed
Universal Suffrage would they return the eincompoods
who now sat in the Ileiuse of Coininons._( Cries of " No
They had met that day to do honour to Lovett and Col-
lins, but that honour would not be paid by merely cheer_
of agitation
good for Univear
ing them—there were the families of those now in prison
to be looked to, and let them notseparate from that festive
board and forget who had been the cause_ of all their s a
talk -6.
dis-
tress and misery. There was
the working to war with France, but he hoped
good
people of
both countries had too much
an
_sense to assist in any
such war, which was revolting
of (I,,al)minahle to every
humane feeling.—( Loud
cries
to see Hear, hear.") He
believed the people began , that it was not
_ in %i,ar. Ile ex sre
for their interest to engago
,• . , [ ssed a hope
who wag entitled to the f • ‘l'. -
that every working man
; • i anc ds.e
would not fail in becomingregistered
neglect to do great injustice had
so. Ile thanked
been committed by their
'legation with 1 •
thorn cordially for the
attention
when they 7 which
they had
listened to him, and hoped that
more substantial
might have something
~to congratulate
themselves upon.—(Cheer )
with tremendous The toast was then drank ocus cheering.
next toast
Dr. EPPS proposed
tNirembers of Parliam'eT" S. Dun-
cumbe, Esq., and thoses Parliament who have
best thanks generally assisted our friends—our. to them."
of his remarks, observed, The Doctor, in the course . that
s could boast of
no borough in the metropolis _
0..
Finsb two such inde-
pendent Members as the boroTu h t
goke was toy.—( Cheers.)
It was rumoured that some
in
_,,insb come amongst
them, but he would not take i
hes and WuraYl;l--( Laughter.)
They wanted more Du e 9
nTbmousands of e's in Parlia-
ment.—( Hear, hear.)
by little
were now disfranchised, might industry, obtain
do so.—( Har, hear
votes—let them strive to till *) It was of
no use talking ; they might
talk
never doomsdaywould
about flee
cliailer, but the Charter they
something
t get until they,
the Chartists, helped to do 3 return Members
to Parliament --(Clteers') was
Mr. CLEAVE before the toast drank, begged to per-
form of Brighton, who had
a duty to the people ~ _ . done Lo-
yea and Collins the hOnottr of sending two delegates to

that meeting, and also sent an-address-whielrlie thought
it was desirable that large assembly should be made ac-
quainted with. It was a sample of the sympathy felt by
the workinc, men in every part of Great Britain.
( Cheers) 'The address was from the Brighton Radical
and Registration Association, and was as follows ;
" When good men are cruelly persecuted, for no other
crime that. a bold alvocaey of the claims o! justice and the
demands of humanity, it becomes an imperative duty on
the part of the people so to support and honour the per-
secuted, as shall not only prove to the Government in bow
hateful a character their tyrannous proceedings are re-
garded, but also show that the time is past when the cry
of liberty could be stifled by iniquitous cruelties, and the
indignant murmurings of the oppressed, could be hushed
in the locked bosom of unwholesome dungeons.
" There is not a corner of the kingdom, but should
know what is' Chartism,' and not a working man but
should be eager to testify to our incarcerated friends the
honour in which he esteems them, and Lhe gratitude he
owes them.

" Imbued with these feelings, the Chartists of Brighton,
in common with others, have looked forward with great
anxiety to the period when their friends Lovett and Col-
lins should be liberated, and be enabled once more to mingle
with the thousands to whom they are endeared:
" The public dinner about to take place for the recep-
tion of the above ill-used friends of the people, affording a
prominent opportunity for the general expression of attach-
ment to them, it is resolved that Messrs. Morling and Land-
sell be deputed from this Association, to be present at the
above public dinner, and to convey personally to Messrs.
Lovett and Collins, an expression of our high esteem of
those gentlemen, and of our sympathy towards them.
(Signed) " W. WOODWARD, Chairman."
He begged to return thanks to Mr. Duncombe for the
part he had taken on behalf of political offenders, and had
it not been for that Gentleman's exertions, he himself
would not have been present that day to join in their fes-
tivity. There was one fact that had nut hitherto been
mentioned, but which the meeting ought to be in posses-
sion of—it was, that Lovett and Collins were months ago
offered their liberties on certain conditions; but, as indepen-
dent men, they rejected with scorn giving securities that
would have prevented them attending that day to state
the sufferings they had endured.—( Cheers.) One obser-
vation more. If the working men of London would only
forego their pot and their pipe fa twelve or eighteen
months, and drink pure water as he did, the Charter
would be theirs.—(Hear, hear.) Let them spend their
savings in diffusing political knowledge, and the damned
system tha-, oppressed them would be destroyed for ever.
—(Cheers.)
The toast was then drank with all the honours.

Mr. DUNCOMBE, in rising to return thanks, was most
rapturously cheered. He thanked them not only on his
own behalf, but on the behalf of other Members of the
House of Commons, among whom they must include
his excellent Friend and his Hon. Colleague in the
chair—(Hear)—for the kind manner in which their 'ser-
vices had been acknowledged with regard to political of-
fenders; and he was sure he was only speaking their sen.
timents when he said that the kiud and flattering manner 1
in which their services had been recognised wore far be-
yond their merits. He wished that they could have suc-
ceeded altogether in the objects they had in view. He
also bad to thank the meeting for affording him an oppor-
tunity of witnessing the interesting spectacle of that day.
They were not there to receive thanks er applause or ap-
probation, but to pay a tribute of respect to two honest
and conscientious patriots.—(Cheers.) These two gen-
tlemen had suffered severely in the cause of the people.—
( Hear.) They had all heard their sentiments and the
opinions they had expressed, and he must say that ad-
dresses more eloquent, or addresses more distin-
guished for good taste, could not have been heard
within the walls of St. Stephen's.—( Cheers.)
Well, then, why were these two men, taking them as
samples of the working classes, to be deprived of the
elective franchise ? Mr. Lovett had told them toot he had
suffered in consequence of the state of the law of 'libel. No-
thing could be more true than that. Then, ought the law of
libel to remain as it was ? What, after all, was libel, such
as Mr. Lovett had been guilty of ? Why, it was libel to-
day, and truth to-morrow, because it entirely cepended
upon the individuals who constituted the Jury at the time.
( Hear.) It was no offence against the laws of the coun-
try. Libel was not to be found defined in the
written statute law of the country ; and if he had been on
the jury (and he had stated as much in the House of Com-
mons), he would not have found these individuals guilty of
libel.—( Cheers ) He should have been ashamed of him-
self, feeling that be concurred in the sentiments of the reso-
lution addressed to the people at Birmingham, if he had
not stated in Parliament that he concurred with these two
gentlemen who were then the victims of prosecution.—
There was no instance on record of any individual found
guilty of libel, who had been treated like those two highly
respectable individuals. No, the secret was this--it was
found the Charter was gaining ground among the working
classes of England, nd it was .thought necessary to make
an example of some of the leaders.—( Hear, bear.) But
not satisfied with merely making an example of their
leaders, they wished—he would not say they wished to kill
those individuals—( Cries of " Yes, they did, they did")
—he would not accuse the authorities of a wish to murder
any man, but they certainly did not intend that these two
individuals should come there on the 3d of August, a week
after their release, and be able to address that assembly as
they bad done that day.—( Hear, hear.) Feeble, indeed,
was the voice of Mr. Lovett—better was the voice of Mr.
Collins; but he had heard from those who were acquainted
with these two individuals, that they were very tar from
being what they were before they went to prison.
They were punished more after all for what was nothing
more or less than an expression of opinion.—(Cheers.) Nu
moral stain attached to their character ; if there had been
he should not have been there to greet Mr. Collins and
Mr. Lovett.—(Cheers.) He had told them some time
ago that he believed some good had come though not so
much as he could have wished, from the motion he bad
made in the House of Commons, with regard to political
offenders, and as a proof of that, he would refer to a letter
he had received that morhing-from Mr. Vincent, not on
his own account, but that of Shellard and Edwards, who
were confined in ,Oakharn gaol. The Hon. Member then
read a letter from Mr. Vincent, in which he expressed his
firm conviction of the innocence of Shellard, and stated
that among the parties who had given evidence against
him, was an individual whose neighbours had placed over
his door—" Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy
neighbour;" and a policeman who stated that he saw the
ball coming out of the pistol, and stooped down to prevent
its hitting his head. The reading of this part of the letter
caused considerable merriment, The letter also stated that
the rigor of the treatment Vincent and his fellow-prisoners
received was considerably mitigated in consequence of the
exertions of Mr. Duncombe. Another part of the letter
stated that Vincent believed Lord Normanby to be well ac-
quainted with all the facts of the case of Shellard. If he
was not, Mr. Duncombe observed that he would take
care he should be.—(Cheers.) He rejoiced that they
bad drank the health of the Queen and Prince Albert, ac-
companied with the sentiment, that they would feel sjrn-
pathy for those who, having children, were confined in
prison for political offenees.—( Cheers.) He trusted that
when the time arrived that her Majesty had an heir to
the Throne, the Ministry would advise her to take
that opportunity of issuing a proclamation—( Hear,
hear)—an act of amnesty to all political offenders
upon so joyous an occasion, for joyous it would be, be-
cause it would extinguish the hopes of Hanover.---( Great
cheering,) He would tell the Government that there
might be rejoicings in the palace and among
the aristocracy, and there might be illuminations in
different towns, and the bells of the churches might
ring merry peals, but they might depend upon it there
would be no rejoicings among the working classes, so long
as their relations and friends were kept in the prisons of
Northallerton and elsewhere.—(Cheers.) There would
be no rej *icing unless the prison doors were set
wide open.—( Loud cheers.) In conclusion, he had
only to beg that they would allow him to join
them in their congratulations to Messrs Lovett and Col.
fins on their safe return from prison ; although they came
there damaged in health, they had seen that day that they
did not stand lower in the estimation of their fellow-citi-
zens. He trusted that in future they would have a happy
and prosperous life, and would never repent having struggled
for the rights, liberty, and happiness of their fellow-men.
—( Great cheering. )
The CHAIRMAN then said it was a source of deep regret
to him that he was under the painful necessity of asking
permission to depart, but he had other duties to perform,
and he did not choose to give his enemies tle power of
saying that he neglected his judicial duties to attend a
Chartist dinner,—( Hear, hear.) His principles were with
the people, and wholly and entirely in favour of democratic
government.—( Cheers.) His Friends Lovett and Collins,
and his Hon. Friend and Colleague Mr. Duncombe, had
I forgotten to inform them what it was they had been impri-
soned for, and subjected to a system of dietary that amounted
to little short of starvation, for Lovett was only the sha-
dow of what he had been. Did they not remember him with
his herculean frame and stentorian voice, when he could
make 10,000 men hear, whereas now be could scarcely make
one hear ? Why was that ? The Warwick Gaol gruel had
lessened his energies; and that atrocious, that infernal,
that barbarous system which had been pursued id Warwick
and other gaols, must be obviated, or their rulers should
have no peace.—( Loud cheers.) He had stated in the
House of Commons, that a more important discussiOn
could not take place. What, in the name of God (ex-
claimed the Hon. Gentleman), do they mean i Is it their
intention to deter men from the expression of their

opinions by the fear of gaols and du.ngeons?—(Cries

of " Hear.-") Are we to have our sentiments checked
and our voices stifled, because we shall be apprehensive of
the tortures they will inflict ? Why, what was their own
conduct ten years ago ?—( Hear, hear.) What was the
language they held at public meetings when they moved
forward the working classes in their ranks, and when they
besought the friendship, the feelings, and the aid of the
bone, the marrow, and the sinews of England 1—( Cheers. )
Was there any delicacy of expression to be observed then ?
—(Cheers.) No, the exclamation then was, " The Bill,
the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill," and " Down
with the Tories." More than that, the means
were unscrupulous that were to be used—you were to pump
upon them and pelt them with brickbats ; aye, and fight-
ing men were to come up from Kent to the extent of hun-
dreds and thousands. But now that the men who held those
doctrines were quietly ensconced in their seats, what is the
language they hold towards those who advocate an exten-
sion of the suffrage ? Water gruel, and nothing but
water-gruel—put them into stone jugs—into gaols—into
dungeons—restrain them by every means in your power, so
as to prevent other men from declaring what are their prin-
ciples I Gentlemen, I, for one, will not submit to this
treatment.—( Loud cheering.) I say that in the whole
history of England, throughout the entire history recorded
in type, a more infamous abandonment of principle, a
more infamous specimen of tergiversation, has neger laeea
manifested in the entire history of the world.—(9ba!".)
Our principle was this, not the 'principle of th: ,L.erorm
Bill, but the principle of the lion
representation of the
people and we said are content m
to take that will as 4 first step ; but if we find that the
people are not represented by it, then we arc at liberty to
go on,an4 advance until the object we have at heart 7.1-.,„,1
be attained.—(Cheers.) 1 ask you. ;; ;pat object at-
tained? Nc'a 91. 99tirae it 'You have a worse

ni not.

House of Commons than you ever had ; and the
I Reform Act has wholly failed.—(Hear, bear.) You have
got in the House of Commons now two sets of men—the
landlords and the mill-lords—tbe landlords and the manu-
facturing lords; ,end the object of the two sets of lords is
to raise themselves at the expense of the working people.
—( Hear, hear.) Wel! then, what I want is this—
and don't talk to me of Universal Suffrage,
or that or the other Suffrage—but what I want is the
faithful representation of the people, and I will never be
content until I have got it. I want to knpr why an in-
telligent man should be deprived of the suffrage, and
I would vote for any thing that would have the
effect of procuring a faithful representation of the
people in the House of Commons.— (Hear, hear.)
But now we have no chance of carrying any motion that
has the benefit of the people for its object. The thing is
treated with an aristocratic sneer, and they wonder how
my -Hon. Friend and CoAeague, who is about the most
honest man in the House—(Cheers)—and who, in all
respects, is a trump of the first water--( Loud cheers
and laughier)—they want to know how he can
be sincere, connected as he is with the Aristocracy, in
proposing relief to the Chartists,—( Hear, hear.) It de-
lights me to see a motion come from him on the subject--
that is the quarter it should come from—it is just the i
thing that now perplexes and annoys them. The
source is unpleasant—they say " It is exceedingly
i. agreeable. What the devil is Tom Duncombe at
again—what does he mean ?"--( Roars of laughter.) Of
course they don't know that his motives are pure. In
fact there never was a man who intended more good to
the people, and who hated corruption and oppression
more than he does.—( Hear.) The Hon. Gentleman then
alluded to the severe treatment Lovett and Collins had re-
ceived, and compared it with the leniency shown to Sir F.
Burdett, Sir John Hobhouse, and Mr. Cobbett, and con-
cluded by expressing regret at being obliged to leave the
meeting. The Han. Member, accompanied by Mr. Dun.
combe, then left the meeting.
Dr. Ergs was voted to the chair.
The following toasts were then drank ;
The imprisoned victims of political and religious
tyranny—may they be speedily liberated.
Air—_,, Those we we've left behind es," -
Frost, Williams, and Jones—may they be restored to
their homes and families.
Air--." The Exile."

The Ladies who have honoured us with their presence—
may they be ever forward in the cause of liberty.
Air—" Let the toast be dear woman."

And the hilarity of the day was COnCluded by a ball.

IMPROVEMENTS OF THE

METROPOLIS

We see by the Bill brought into the House of Com-
mons for improving the metropolis (No. 2), entitled " A
Bill to enable her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods,
Forests, Land Revenues, Wo.ks and Buildings, to
make a new street from Coventry-street, Piccadilly, to
' Long-acre, and for making and completing other im-
-provements in the metropolis," that it is intended to
make the following alterations :—One street is in-
tended to be commenced from or near to the east end
of Coventry-street, Piccadilly, and to extend front
thence to the west end of Long-acre ; another is in-
tended to commence from the north side of Long-acre,
opposite Bow-street, and to run from thence in or
nearly in a north-west direction to Charlotte-street,
Bloomsbury ; another to commence from the east end
of Oxford-street, and to run from thence in or nearly in
a direct line therewith eastward into Holborn, at or
near the south end of Southampton-street, Blooms-
bury ; and another is intended to commence from or
near to the London Docks, and to run front thence
into Leman-street, and from thence in a north-west
direction, nearly in a direct line with Leman-street, to
the west front of Spitalfields Church. Moreever
it is. proposed by the Bill to appropriate 25,000/. out
of moneys to be borrowed by the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests, to assist the Corpora-
tion of London in completing the new street which has
been begun from Holborn-bridge to Clerkenwell-green ;
80,000/, towards making a broad line of street between
Southwark and Westminster-bridges, on the south side
of the Thames, to be carried on to London-bridge,
and provide a ready means of communication between
the terminus of the Kent and Sussex Railways, and all
the west end of the metropolis, including also the
termini of the two great South and Western Rail-
ways ; and a sum not yet named to make and complete
a spacious and convenient communication between the
Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, pass-
ing through a district in the City of Westminster
which is now very insalubrious, by reason of the want
of a sufficient drainage and for other causes, which would
be thereby removed. All these are great and neces-
sary works, and after the late descriptions supplied
by Dr. Southwood Smith and others, of the con-
dition of these several parts of the metro-
polis, of the terrible diseases which continually
prevail in them spreading mephitic contagion in the
adjoining regions, they will meet, we should suppose,
universal approbation. The great street to be made at
the east end of the metropolis, from London Docks to
Spitalfields Church, will pass through one of the most
neglected, ill-drained, and, we believe, uhhealthy parts
of the metropolis, and be a noble improvement. The
same may be said of the streets which will unite Long-
acre to Charlotte-street, and Oxford-street to Holborn,
running right through the worst part of St. Giles's. A
broad street to connect London, Southwark, and West-
minster Bridges, on the south side of the Thames, is
also much wanted, and will be of great advantage in
carrying off a portion of the immense traffic
which passes along the main line of streets
north of the Thames, besides draining and
opening. a densely crowded neighbourhood. All these
new lines which penetrate places now blocked up by
masses of houses built in a disorderly fashion, will
tend to promote a circulation of air, and contribute to
the health as well as the beauty of the metropolis.
Most of them have long been recommended, which
makes it the more creditable to those who have now
undertaken to complete them. Somebody, we forget
who, lately complimented the department of Woods and
Forests as being the best conducted under the Crown ;
these improvements, which are all to be carried into
effect by that department, in conjunction with the
Treasury, the Bill having been brought in by Mr.
Stanley, if as judiciously executed as they are skilfully
planned, will add to its well-deserved reputation.
The whole sum to be appropriated to the several
purposes is 300,0001., and this cost is to be paid by the
produce of the tax on wines and coals imported into the
Port of London, which is to be continued for four years.
These improvements will certainly contribute to the
health of the metropolis, in which the poor will hc...ve
their part, but we cannot omit to remind out readers,
that the principal cause of their diseases is want or
poverty, and we therefore should have preferred, as
we strongly reprobated at a former period the tax on
coals, seeing the means of carrying these improvements
into effect obtained without continuing a tax on
fuel, which is felt in severe weather to be most onerous
by the poor. That, however, is the object of the
Bill which was brought into the House of Commons, after
a resolution which Mr. Hawes opposed on Wednesday
evening, and which will irost likely become a law, All
such openings and improvements enhance the value of
the property in the vicinity of that which is purchased for
the new streets, and we are not sure wtether the property
ought not in equity to be made to contribute the prin-
cipal share of the cost of 0..1e improvement. We learn,
however—and if anviling could reconcile us to this con-
tinued tax it is tliisl-that no part of its produce is to
go into the bands of the Corporation of the City of
London, but the whole of it is to be expended on im-
provement, which will contribute to make the metro-
polis airy, healthy, and a city of palaces.