The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-17 00:00:00

A meeting of Chartists was held last night at the
Trades Hall, Bethnal-green, for the purpose of dis-
cussing the present state of distress of the working
classes throughout the country. At the time appointed
for meeting, the room, capable of holding übout 700,
was crowded to excess, and the majority of those
present appeared to be of the working classes. At nine
o'clock the Committee came upon the platform, when
Mr. Neesom was called to the Chair. After the Chair-
man had detailed the objects for which the meeting
had been called, Mr. Spurr, who bad on former oc-
casions taken an active part in the discussions, rose to
propose the first resolution. After a few preliminary
observations he contended that the only way to pre-
serve the peace was to be prepared to wage war, and
in support of such an assertion he thought it would be
well deserving the attention of the meeting to bear
in mind the words of a celebrated person—to put their
trust in God, and keep their powder dry, which was
received with loud cheering. On silence being re-
stored, the speaker was about to proceed, but a body
of police appearing at the door with drawn
sabres, caused the greatest possible confusion. The
chairman entreated the meeting not. to be disturbed, as
it was held on constitutional principles, but in order not
to give their enemies an opportunity of succeeding, he
hoped there would be no breach of the peace committed.
The police then, having blocked up every avenue lead-
ing to the room, prevented any person from escapin?:, but
notwithstanding their precautions several of the most ac-
tive succeeded in getting away. The police then pro-
ceeded to search the parties present,and on their prevent-
ing any person leaving, the chairman declared the meeting
to be dissolved. The police notwithstanding proceeded to F.l.
search all present before leaving the room, and on them, 0-,
as well as on the floor, they discovered a great variety
of daggers, knives, sabres, pistols loaded with ball and
primed, and other instruments. Twenty-one of the F.
persons who had taken the most active part in the pro-
coedings of the meeting were detained until after eleven
o'clock, for orders from Scotland-yard ; and eleven per-
sons, on whom the arms, daggers, and other instruments
were found, were removed to Spitalfields station-house,
and Captain May and Mr. Pierce, with a suMeient num-
ber of constables, remained in the buildings in care of
the other parties in custody.

POLITICAL SUMMARY OF THE

MORNING JOURNALS.

The Morning. Herald of this day, in a leading article
in the Queen's 'Speech, observes :—" In allusion to her
intended marriage, which is the first topic introduced
into the Queen's Speech, any statement of the religion
of Prince Albert is, as in the former announcement to
the Privy Council, carefully avoided. With this we
must deal in a spirit of candour rather than of flattery.
The law of England has made the Protestant religion
superior to any dynasty, for it declares that becoming
a Papist, or intermarrying with a Papist, works a for-
feiture of the Crown. The law which annexes so
heavy a penalty to a matrimonial alliance with a Papist,
does, by necessary implication, require an offi-
cial declaration on the part of the Sovereign,
as to the Protestantism of the intended con-
sort. But Ministers dare not introduce any such
allusion to Protestantism into the Queen's Speech
as would inevitably bring on them the castiga-
tory club of the Popish Agitator of Ireland." The
_Morning Chronicle, speaking of the division last night
in the Commons, on Lord John Russell's motion on the
breach of -privilege question, remarks as follows :
" This settles the matter. The House of Commons,
now that it has fairly taken the field, will soon prove an
overmatch for all inferior authorities. Had the motion
been lost, the constitutional liberties of the country would
have been gone forever. On the power of the House
to exercise with efficiency its various functions, and
more especially that of Grand Inquisitor of the nation,
the social edifice rests." The Times thus expresses
itself on the subject of Sir J. Yarde Bul-
ler's notice last night of a motion of want
of confidence in Ministers :—" We care not for the
mere numerical balance of votes on such a mo-
tion. The motion itself is the matter of importance.
The motion speaks what the nation thinks. The
strength of the Conservative opposition is not within
doors, but beyond them. It is everywhere ; it per-
vades the whole kingdom ; and this new proposition to
the House of Commons, which is nothing more than an
acquiescence in the popular wish, will be the precursor
of a universal movement against .Ministers from north
to south of Great Britain." The Moining Post alludes
to the Queen's Speech in the following terms :—" If
the highest perfection of such a composition be the ab-
sence of any expression calculated to excite difference
of opinion, the Queen's Speech may justly be re-
garded as the most perfect specimen ever yet
submitted to Parliament, for it did not contain a dis-
tinct opinion upon any single question that has ever
been, or can ever be, a matter of controversy."—The
Morning Advertiser expresses the following opinion on
the breach of privilege question :—" The question is
undoubtedly trammelled with difficulties ; but its train
feature is, to our view, perfectly clear—that the privi-
leges of the Commons ought to be maintained. The
House of Commons is the people's House ; unlike the
house of Lords, being elected by the people, it repre-
sents, or ought to represent, their opinions, wishes, and
interests. To protect these, the privileges of freely
expressing, printing, and publishing its opinions are
indispensable."