The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-29 00:00:00

sons' Tavern, in a contrary sense, might have atoned, it 1
seems, for disgrace and defeat in the House of Com-
mons,
and so Chronicle leaders, all fire and tow, were
poured forth day by day, to summon and reinforce the
confederate band of ruffians for action who before invaded
the past and assumed to perform the functions of that re-
spectable class of men, the Middlesex freeholders. The
conspiracy failed, however, and the swell mob and hired
bullies at half-a-clown each for the day's job were igno-
v.niniously overpowered. The Chronicle, with impu-
dence most diverting and amid writhing most fantastic
on one occasion, denounces it as a " hole and corner
meeting," in the face of the advertisements calling the
meeting, and the fact that all who desired, and could
justify a title as Freeholders, might have procured
tickets, and thus obtained an entrance as of right.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY MEETING.

THE SHERIFFITE R.OW AT THE FREE-
MASONS' TAVERN.
Of all demonstration= of sheer, unmixed, unqualified,
unlimited, unadulterated, humbug—the long-promised—
much vaunted—perseveringly placarded—universally ad-
vert i;ed—so-called " county meeting" at the Free-
m?sons', touching the Sheriffs—was the greatest and
the most diverting. Enraged at their signal de-
feat, on their -first attempt. the Sheritlites resolved
to `a thorough.pseed, party-packed, real, snug,
(rai
of their own. S) they, having covered
st get
meeting up''
all London Kith bi!ls. inviting the attendance
of cl,7ctors--carefully blockaded the doors of the Free.
masons' with police:men—stationing at the outer door, as
sentinel, Adey, the anti- Waidey Coronership_candidate,
and one of the most industrious vote-objecting, Registry-
Court-attending " helps" of the " Conservative Associa-
tion ;" and he exercised on the appearance, countenance,
and other outward malifestations of those who applied for ad-
mission, a severe scrutiny, to see if there were any latent Ra-
dicalism. or any Anti- Sheriffiteism ; if not, he allowed them
to pass. Thence they had to enter a room where s,O iss "secret
solemn conclave" other self-important functionaries of the
illustrious Association—with books before them, they called
the registry. Weil, these sapient personages—on a gen-
tleman presenting himself—in an impertinent manner pro-
ceeded to interrogate him as to the exact locality of the
property of which he claimed to be a freeholder, and if they
could not find his name on their books refused him a ticket,
without which other authorities at the door of the large
room would admit nobody.
We approached these " potent seigniors." We re-
spectfully requested a ticket. " Freeholder?" asked a
person named Payne, exceediney active in the afore-
said Conservative Association. " No," said we (in-
ternally wishing most heartily that we were so substan-
tial). " But we are reporters for The Sun." Reporters I
—shan't give any more tickets to them—two persons from
your paper already." We endeavoured to impress upon
this obtuse individual that The Sun being an evening
paper, and wishing to got out the report the same even-
ing, more than two reporters would be required, but to no
purpose, and we were obliged to wait till long after the
hour fixed for the meeting, and should not have got in at all
had we not appealed to the courtesy of a Gentlemen among
the party—a friend of ours, a Mr. Quin—who, about half-
past one, enabled us to obtain entrance—and we should
mention that while we were waiting, we saw several per-
sons obtain tickets as reporters, but doubtless they were

for Conservative papers.
We passed on then towards the Freemasons' Hall, in the
colifident anticipation that all these carefully offen-
sive precautions would secure a perfectly docile and
tranquil Sheriffite meeting. What was our amazement
when, as we walked along the lengthened passage
leading to the Hall, we heard the distant thunderings of
an uproar, as decisively indicative of a " row," as any that
ever greeted our expectant ears. What I" a row," among
the " constitutional," " Conservative," " Sheriff loving"
freeholders? Yes—so it was. We entered the room—
we were stunned—astounded—by a tempest—a whirlwind
of noises—compounded of vociferations as violent as
ever issued from a Chartist gathering. We endeavoured
to discover the cause, bat the crowd was now too dense to
permit us to pass upward to our appointed positions.
We with difficulty elevated ourselves to see " Old Glory"
about the centre of the platform, the very focus of the row.
evidently strenuous in his endeavours to be heard, and
gesticulating with wild and impotent vehemence. The
clamouringa were as contradictory as they were powerful;
shouts of " Off, off," groaning, hooting, hissing!, mingled
with hutzaing,, stamping of feet and clapping of hands ;
while the galleries were crammed with persons whose
ardent admiration knew no bounds, and who, not
contented with waving hats and handkerchiefs— tied the
latter most scientifically to their sticks—and then exhibited
in schoolboy exstacy their mimic banners. Wherever we
went we found that at least an equal proportion—we should
say a mijority—of the freeholders thought the " Sheriffite"
demonstration pure " humbug ;" but each party was
as pertinacious, as excited, and the thunders of disappro-
bation and approbation alternately overpowered and ex-
tinguished each other like the roaring of the winds and the
beating of the billows. We have beheld many " rows"—
Chartist rows and Tory rows—meeting rows and dinner rows
—Exeter-hall rows and London Tavern rows—but in none
did we ever witness such determined continuity of clamouring
—such awful vigour of lungs. It seems to us clear, now,
that a man's means and his position for vociferation must
be in the ratio of his freenold property, since the uproar
of the freeholders would quite overwhelm the din of
Radicals. For about half. an hour, in spite of all
Sir Francis's exertion, not a syllable could be
heard ; the freeholders seemed to have abandoned
themselves without restraint to all the luxury of
noise. At last the Hon. Baronet gave a more energetic
flourish than usual, and sat down amidst a tempest of up-
roar, more tremendous than the others. Fur some time the
platform people did not know what to do. For anybcdy to
attempt to speak would have been eb-eird, the explosions of
Tociferation were as continuous and powerful as ever. Sud-
denly an officious somebody exhibited a placard, which we be-
lieve had been distributed about the shops before, putting
the question pithily thus---" Where is Sheriff Evans ? —ln
prison. \\ ho vent hint there ?—The House of Commons.
What for ?—For obeying the l.tw." The only misfortune
about this conclusive substitute for a speech, being that it
begged the whole matter in dispute; it being just
the point discussed, whether the privilege claimed
is privilege ; and if so, as the law of Parliament
must be the law of the land, it would seem
that the Sheriff was rather in prison because he chose
to obey Lord Denman's law than the law laid down by
every legal authority without exception, in the House of
Commons, and every statesman of the day. However,
after waiting some time, it appeared that there was no chance
of anything being heard, so the illustrious champions of
the Sheriffs, headed by France and Sir Francis, left the
hall, which rung to the very echo with the shouts of en-
thusiastic cheering and indienant reprobation. Then Col.
Wood arose, rind gesticulated as vehemently as Sir Fran-
cis had before, and with as little effect. In fact,
we never have beheld a meeting in which there
was such a persevering pertinacity of noise. We
happened to go down stairs, and found the
Sheriffite party, with several Aldermen, quietly ensonced
round the fire of the " scrutiny-room," and we heard a
largo crowd of very respectable looking persons outside
the doors assured that the meeting was over I On Mr.
Under- Sheriff France coming out, a sturdy freeholder,
(but, mark, we afterwards found a supporter of the
privilege) energetically charged him with being con-
cerned in an infamous imposition on the public
by pretending to call a county meeting, which was really a
farce; on which some person following the Under Sheriff
told the freeholder that if he had come an hour ago and
said so, he would have had his head broke ; which
exasperated our friend so, that he threatened personal
chastisement to tl:o impertinent Sheriffite. Many
electors loudly complained of their exclusion, and
characterised the whole proceeding as a delusion.
We ourselves saw a person, whom, apparently, Adey knew
to be a supporter of the [louse of Commons, violently
denied admission, though he claimed to he a freeholder ;
and even, when on his earnest entreaty he was allowed to
come in, and appealed to the registry, and his name was
found, Adey did not scruple to say that he
did " not believe he was the person, though he
had got hold of the name." Nothing could exceed the
indignation of many respectable electors who had been re-
fused admission when they saw persons evidently known by
the parties, without examination, allowed to enter—yet
from their appearance evidently possessing little property,
and certainly unlike freeholders. In the words of a gentleman
whom we overheard vehemently exclaiming in the hall against
the exclusiveness of the arrangements—no Chartist mee'-
leg could hate been more turbulent and uproarious. Mr.
Warburton for some time, we saw vainly endeavouring
to get a hearing ; but whatever was said during
the whole proceeding was quite inaudible, save to
those just under the speakers. Mr. Hume and Mr.
Warburton were violently bustled, and mobbed by the
Sheriffs es on going out, though by many they were cor-
dially cheered.