The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-02 00:00:00

REPRESENTATION OF WEST-
MINSTER.
Last night a meeting of the electors of St. James's
parish was held at Willis's Rooms, Brewer-street, Gol-
den-square, for the purpose of hearing the political sen
timents of Charles Lushington, Esq.
Wm. GEESIN, Esq., one of the churchwardens, occu-
pied the chair, who, before introducing Mr. Lushington
to the meeting, stated that it had been spread abroad
that the Westminster Reform Association was a clique.
This would lead a stranger to believe that it consisted of
half a dozen members, who met in some back parlour;
but it consisted of 300 very influential, highly respect-
able inhabitants, and of' some of the first working men,
in Westminster. It was established to protect the elec-
tive franchise of the inhabitants of Westminster, and for
promoting, not dictating, the election of two Reformers
to represent the city in Parliament ; also for the promo-
tion of vote by ballot, household suffrage, that each
constituency should consist of 5,000 voters, the repeal of
the 27 thclause of the Reform Act (the rate-paying clause),
triennial Parliaments, a more extensive application of the
funds of the municipal institutions of this country and 1
of Ireland, repeal of the window duty—(the Cilairrna* i
called it by its proper name, a tax upon the light of heaven) 1
—(Cheers)—the repeal of the corn-laws, the aboliti,,i, ;
of all pensions not merited by known publi._! servicec,. I
the removal of taxes which impeded the advanci•ment (,'
knowledge among the people, but particularly the rep.,i.i
of the stamp duty upon newspapers, and the more gene-
ral expenditure of the funds left for the purposes 0
education. This showed that the society MLA not a
clique, and that it had been established to promote the
welfare of the city, and therefore he was proud to la.,
long to it. It had accomplished the greatest good in
that parish. Now Mr. Cochrane was a man of assertion,
and boasted of the great things which he would accom-
plish when he was admitted within its walls. Cha-
rity was one of the greatest blessings under heaven.
but he did not consider that the giving of
donations of 51. or 10/. to the Foresters, Odd
Fellows, and Cogers—(Laughter)—for the purpose' of
promoting his election, was charity. Then what had
he done? Where was he during the repeal of the corn
laws?—(Hear, hear.) He (the ;.Chairman) was an old
corn-law repealer, but he had never heard of Mr.
Cochrane, and were they, in 1847, to take the first per-
son who offered himself, and of whom they .knew no-
thing? Mr. Lushington had a committee of three hun-
dred gentlemen of great influence in Westminster, but
he had not seen any list published by Mr. Cochrane.
He hoped St. James's would act as they had done on
former occasions, and elect a man of sterling worth like
Mr. Lushington--\Clieers)—who had been tried, and
whose votes were recorded the right way.—(Cheers.)

Any candidate proposed by the Reform Association was
objected to on the ground that Mr. Leader had not proved
a very acceptable candidate ; but Mr. Leader approved
and pledged himself to support the sentiments of the as-
sociation, and he at first did his work well. They could
not drive him to the House of . Commons, neither
could they drive Mr. Cochrane if he felt disinclined ;
but all Mr. Leader's votes were recorded the right way—
(Hear)—and when they found him getting idle they
looked out for another candidate better qualified to
supply his place, and they fixed upon Mr. Lushington
as that person. He concluded by introducing Mr.
Lushington to the meeting.
Mr. LusinNoToN then presented himself, and wss
received with loud cheers. After adverting to his first
introduction to the parish, when he was solicited to be-
come a candidate. he proceeded to say that when an in-
dividual, who had played a humble part on the Parlia-
mentary stage, which he did, retired from public life,
and after a lapse of five years emerged from his retire.
ment, it was necessary for him to remind those whose
support he sought of the course which he pursued when
he took a part in political life. He was in Parliament
from 1835 to 1841, and among the measures which he
supported during that period were to be found those which
had for their object civil and religious liberty.—
(Cheers.) Over and over again he voted for
the ballot, for the extension of the suffrage,
for an abridgement of the duration of Parliament,
and for the abolition of the property qualification of
Members of Parliament,. He always voted for the abo-
lition of the corn-laws long before he thought of standing
for Westminster—(Cheers)—and also for free trade in
all its excellence.—(Hear, hear.) Did he not also bring
forward two substantive motions for Church reform, and
did he not propose that the translation of bishops should
be altogether abolished?—(Cheers)—and did he not also
propose to the House, in spite of taunts and jeers, that
it was unfit and unscriptural that the bishops should
hold seats in Parliament?—(Loud cheers.) He only got
about ninety Members to vote with him. He was still
of the same opinion, but he feared that that great mea-
sure was still further distant, because the present Go-
vernment were opposed to an alteration, and were,
therefore, not to be shaken.—(Hear, hear.) Education
was not mooted much in those days, but he used to vote
for grants to the national schools and to the Borough
school. It was quite understood that that freedom of
religious opinion should be untouched, but latterly he
found, in consequence of the superior riches of the
Church of England, that nine parts out of ten of those
grants used to go to the Church, consequently great in-
justice was done to the Dissenters, who, although they
were taxed the same, got but one part out of ten of the
grants, the remainder being devoted to a mode of reli-
gious worship to which they were opposed.—(Hear,
hear.) He twice gave notice that he should propose an

alteration, but the session broke up and it was not
further mooted. Then he proposed that the payment of
21,0001. a year to the King of Hanover, to whose cha.
ratter he would not allude, should be discontinued be,
cause it was a payment of the most unjust denription
—(Laughter.) The efflux of time since the passing ot
the Reform Bill, and the events which had occurred
affecting it operation—the diffusion of knowledge
amongst the people—in short, the whole spirit of The
times forced upon them the conviction that the stagnant
pool of finality must be disturbed and agitated—(Loud
cheers)—and that a free course must be opened to a
purer stream of improvement.—(Hear, hear.) The
glaring abuses of which they all nipw com-
plained must be redressed. They might expect
the introduction of many salutary measures into the
next session of Parliament. His opinions were—first,
that the Government scheme of education must he
greatly modified—(Hear)—it was unjust, because the
members of the Privy Council, who were entrusted with
the funds, were members of the Church of England, and
the Dissenters thus had no share whatever in the go.
vernment of the funds ; but he considered that they
should be associated with that board. (Cheers.)
Secondly, he thought that provision pernicious which
provided that where there was a Church of England
school, and no Dissenters' school, that it should be in the
option of the clergyman or schoolmaster to dispense
with requiring the creed or catechism to be used, or
whether the children should not be required to attend
the church. It should not be left to the option of the
clergyman, but it should beimperative upon him, provided
the parents of the child required such a modification.
He was also in favour of more direct taxation, and ap-
proved of the motion recently brought forward by Mr.
Ewart. Every man of humanity must wish to see sana-
tory measures carried out, with justice, however,
at the same time, to claims and rights—
He generally approved of Lord Morpeth's Health of
Towns Bill, and was glad to find that that portion which
had reference to the metropolis (and some of the dis-
tricts were carefully organized and managed with great
propriety) was to be reconsidered. He was in favour of
the abolition of the window-tax, which was connected
with sanatory improvement.—(Hear.) That really was
an impost which, without making a pun, had interfered
much with the enlightenment of the nation.—(Cheers.)
The existing poor-law required very great modification,
as several of its provisions bore harshly on the poorer
classes, and he trusted that something would shortly be
done in Parliament calculated to satisfy the poor that
they were considered more than they at present seemed
to be, and rendered more contented, astar as possible,
with their painful lot. The separation of a man and
his wife was most objectionable—(Hear)—and out-
door relief ought to be extended in certain circumstances,
but at the same .itime a poor-law must be carefully
considered and cautiously administered, otherwise they
money which would be expended for the relief of the
poor would swallow up the finances of the nation.—
(Cheers.) He looked upon his past conduct with consi-
derable satisfaction, because he did not repent of any
vote which he had recorded.—(Cheers.) His opinions
had undergone no change since he was in Parliament;
he felt more than ever their propriety and their justice.
—(Hoar, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman resumed his
seat after expressing his willingness to reply to any
question.
Mr. BMGooD inquired whether the Hon. Gentleman
was opposed to the endowment of the clergy, not only
of the Church of England, but of other denominations?
Mr. LUSHINGTON had no hesitation in saying that he
was totally opposed to the endowment any religion
whatever.—(Cheers.) For several years he was chair-
man of the Religious Freedom Society, and the burden
of his song had always been " religious freedom to
every man, and no endowment whatever." He did hot
say he would pull down the Church of England, he was
no destructive; bat he thought it would be much better
if it were uphld on the voluntary principle.—(Cheers.)
Mr. THOMAS ATECKETT then proposed the adoption
of the following resolution:—
" That the political opinions and ,well-known charac-
ter of Charles Lushington, Esq., are fully approved of
and highly appreciated by this meeting, and we, the
electors of St. James's, hereby pledge ourselves to us.,
our best exertions to secure his return.
He considered that they ought to elect a man whose
opinions were well known, whose votes were always, on
the side of freedom, and who did not repeat political
truisms like a parrot.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Lushington
was a tried man—a man of character; but Mr. Coch-
rane had placed on record a memorable proof how ex-
cellent he was in the art of deception—(Loud cheers)—
and therefore he was unworthy of their support.—
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Cochrane was, as he had said, not a
tried man—(A voice—" Perhaps we'll try him")—and
he considered that in the present state of things a tried
man was the person they required to represent them.
Mr. HENRY BIDGOOD cordially seconded the motion.
He said next session large sums of money would no
doubt be proposed for the purpose of endowing differer:)t
religious sects, and the conduct of Mr. Lushington had
shown that he was a fit man to represent their opinions
on the subject of such grants.
Mr. HEALEY said the man whom they should elect to
represent Westminster in Parliament should be a man of
high character, of considerable experience, and not a
mere adventurer—(Cheers) a man of high moral cha-
racter, and not one who wishedtobuild his fame by fair
promises to the industrious classes, which they would
find he would ultimately break. He regretted to find
that there was to be a hard-fought contest between can-
didates who professed nearly the same opinions . but as
Westminster had heretofore led the political opinions of
the country, he doubted not but at the ensuing election
she would not be found wanting.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which was
carried with-but two dissentient*.