The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-28 00:00:00

THE 8(1N, LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 1840.

worst assemblies in the world, in contravention of the
established laws of the land.

Mr. Po Vf NALL then addressed the meeting for some time.
He thought the House of Commons had acted most unjustly,
and that the Sheriffs were bound by their oath! to act as they
had done. These were his sentiments ; and the freeholders
of Middlesex had that day declared that they were theirs,
—( Cheers.) They rested their case on their rights, and
he believed that the more the question was discussed, the
more would it be seen that the claims of the House of
Commons were unfounded and unjust.—( Loud cheers.)
Mr. WARBURTON then came forward, but having waited
a considerable time in vain for the abatement of the tre-
mendous groans and uproar that assailed him, sat down,
apparently to the satisfaction of the meeting, which after
having repeated the cheers we have before mentioned,
with the addition of one fur the House of Lords, sepa.
rated.

[lt is difficult to give speeches and " row " at the same
time, so we have reserved the " row " for a separate ac-
count.]

THE SHERIFFITE ROW AT THE FREE-
MASONS' TAVERN.

Of all demonstration= of sheer, unmixed, unqualified,
unlimited, unadulterated, humbug—the long-promised—
much vaunted—perseveringly placarded—universally ad-
vertised—so-called " county meeting" at the Free-
masons', touching the Sheriffs—was the greatest and
the most diverting. Enraged at their signal de-
feat, on their first attempt, the Sheriffites resolved
to " get up" a thorough-paced, party-packed, real, snug,
quiet meeting of their own. So they, having covered
all London with bills, inviting the attendance
of electors—carefully blockaded the doors of the Free-
masons' with policemen—stationing at the outer door, as
sentinel, Adey, the anti- Waldey Coronership_candidate,
and one of the most industrious vote-objecting, Registry-
Court-attending " helps" of the " Conservative Associa-
tion ;" and be exercised on the appearance, countenance,
and other outward manifestations of those who applied for ad-
mission, a severe scrutiny, to see if there were any latent Ra-
dicalism, or any Anti- Sheriff-iteism ; if net, he allowed them
to pass. Thence they bad to enter a room whor sat n "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-

spectfulll requested a ticket. " Freeholder ?" asked a
person named Payne, exceedingly active in the afore-
said Conservative Association. " No," said we (in-
ternally wishing most heartily not we were so substan-
tial). " But we are reporters for The Sun." Reporters !
—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 get 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 Gentleman 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
confident 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, " 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 vociferation. as violent as
ever issued from a Chartist gathering. We endeavoured
to discover the cause, but the crowd was now too dense to
permit us to pass upwards 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
clamourings were as contradictory as they were powerful;
shouts of " Off, off," groaning, hooting, hissing., mingled
with tremendous stamping of feet and clapping of bands ;
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 majority—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 freehold 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 exertios, 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, snore tremendous than the others. For some timejthe
platform people did not know what to do.• For anybody to
attempt to speak would have been absurd, the explosions of
vociferation 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. Who sent him there ?—The House of Commons.
What for ?—For obeying the law." 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 indignant reprobation. Then Col.
Wood arose, and 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
large crowd of very respectable looking persons outside
the doors assured that the meeting was over ! 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 conic an hour ago and
said so, he would have had his head broke ; which
exasperated our friend so, that he threatened personal
chastisement to the 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 House of Commons, violently
denied admission, though he claimed to be 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, Adcy 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 ince.-
ing could 11,‘‘e been more turbulent and uproarious. Mr.
Warburton for some time, we saw vainly endeavouring'
to get a hearing ; butt 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 I
Sheriffites on going out, though by many they were cor-
dially cheered.

THE LONDON GAZETTE.

(THIS EVENING.)

WAR-OFFICE, FEB. 23, 1840.

3d Regiment of Light Dragoons.—Cornet T. Wildey, from
half-pay of the 7th Light Dragoons, to be Cornet, vice Brad.
shah, promoted ; J. H. Travers, Gent., to be Cornet, by
purchase, vice Wildey, who retires, Feb. 28.
4th Regiment of Light Dragoons--Surgeon J. Mouat, M.D.
from the 13th Light Dragoons, to be Surgeon, vice Perstun,
who exchanges, Feb. 28.
13th Regiment of Light Dragoons—Surgeon D. Perston,
M.D., from the 4th Light Dragoons, to be Surgeon, vice
Mouat, who exchanges, Feb 28.
15th Regiment of Light Dragoons.—Captain 0. S. Blach-
ford, from half-pay of the 59th Foot, to be Captain, vice T.
C. Brander, who exchanges, Feb. 28.
Ist Regiment of Foot.—Ensign F. Atkinson, from half-pay
ofthe 7th Garrison Battalion, to be Ensign, without purchase;
AI. P. Lloyd. Gent. to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Atkinson,
who retires, Feb. 28.

6th Foot—Captain J. Kelly, from the 40th Foot, to be
Captain, vice Beebee, who exchanges, Aug. 12; Lieutenant
G. A. Gordon to be Captain, without purchase, vice Crawford,
promoted in the 44th Foot, Feb. 28.
'27th Foot—Brevet Colonel G. Wyndham, from half-pay of
the 20th Light Dragoon:, to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Bre-
vet Colonel J. Hare, who exchanges ; Major D. M'Phers,.n
to be Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice Wyndham, who
retires; Captain S. E. Goodman to be Major, by puachase,
vice M'Pherson ; Lieutenant U. Williamson, to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Goodman ; Ensign L. C. Irwin to be Lieu-
tenant, vice Williamson ; F. Spring, Gent. to be Ensign, by
purchase, vice Irwin, Feb. 28.
40th Foot—Captain R. M. Behce, from the 6th Foot, to be
Captain, vice Kelly, who exchanges, Feb. 12.
14th Foot—Brevet M. J. Crawford, from the 6th Foot, to
be Major, without purchase, vice Ainsworth, deceased; Lieut.
T. Robinson to be Captain, without purchase, vice Kitson,
promoted in 62d Foot ; Ensign W. DI Mahon to be Lieutenant,
Vice Robinson ; Lieut. H. H. Roberts, from half-pay of 51st
Foot, to be Lieut., vice Farren, appointed to 47th Foot, Feb. 28;
Ensign H. Cadett to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ro-
berts' who retires, Feb. 29; Ensign R. W. Cooke, from the
70th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Al'Mahon, Feb. 28 ; F. Hackett,
Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Cadett, Feb. 29.
55th Foot—Lieut. W. Snowe, from the Royal African Co-
lonial Corps, to be Lieutenant, vice Saunders, whose appoint-