The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-08 00:00:00

description, in a variety of forms and Protean shapes.—
(A laugh.) One of the apparitions or hues he tied as-
sumed was that ef a commissioner off• taxes, and in that
capacity was doubtless just. But he mieht have been a
little more just in Tele; eece to the mode in which he had
treated the poor Members for Finsbury for their conduct
upon the question of the window-tax in the last session
of Parliament, and he might have remembered what
threw Members had done in times past.—(llear, hear.)
For the fifteen 3 ears he had the indescribable honour
and the inexpressible pleasure of representing them in
Parliament be could truly say that he had never, to
serve himself, given one vote or done one act in the
House of Commons.—(Hear, hear.) He had never given
a single vote or done u single thing in that assembly
which was hostile to the interest or advantage of the
peeple he bad the honour to represent.—(Cheers.) In-
stead of flinching or dreading scrutiny he wattle' say at
once that he (Mr. Nicholay), in making the allusion he
had to his conduct, had acted with the most strict pro-
priety. He commended him for it. It was this kind
of notice of the conduct of public men that spurred
them on to discharge their duty—which kept them up
to the collar; and if they flinched from it, er dreaded to
give explanation, then the inference was that they de-
served the castigation that was inflicted upon them.—
(Hear, hear.) In the last session, when the questio❑ of
the window-tax was moved, his Hon. Colleague, Mr.
Duncombe, was almost it might be said on his death-bed
—(Hear, hear)—and he was now so ill that he (Mr.
Wakley) did nut like to refer to it, and would only say
that every man must deplore his state; but it must be
hoped that they would see him appear again in health
and spirits, for a more faithfal, more indefatigable, or
more able representative was never seen in the House of
Commons.—(Hear, hear.) For himself, he (Mr. Wakley
had only to say that size was not strength. Once, in-
deed, be had got strength, but continuous labour for many
years had struck his nervous system, and rendered him
incapable of performing his duty ; and he had
already intimated that if in the coming session he
found himself still incapable of attending to his duties in
Parliament, he should resign his seat.—(Hear.) He
was bound in honour to take that course, and did not
shrink from the avowal of it.—(Hear.) If he had been
absent on one occasion without reason, and had not
voted when the questi n was brought forward, Mr.
Nicholay might blame him; but that had not occurred.
When Lord Duncan—who had fought the battle bravely
—brought forward the motion, he (Mr. Wakley) bad
made what was called in the House almost an inde-
corous speech, on account of its violence; for the opi-
nions he expressed were that the window-tax was one
of the most odious that could be imposed—that it was
absolutely a brutal tax, and that no words were too
strong to indicate the objections that would be raised
against it. He said that the fault of it not having been
repealed laid with the constituencies, with the people,
and not with their representatives.—(Hear.) They
had now raised a goodly reform association; it
was like a young Hercules in the cradle, and he honed
they would be as energetic, and manifest as much seal
as he had for the thirteen years of hard service he had
passed in his Parliamentary duties. He had proclaimed
in the House his hope that all the parishes in London
would rise against this odious tax in the next session of
Parliament. And after all, what had been done ? No-
thing. Lord Duncan had stated that, if they would
only act, repeal was certain ; that it was doomed by the
Crystal Palace. But he (Mr. W.) would tell them that
it was not doomed, but required the most powerful ex-
ertions from the moment he was speaking till the ques-
tion was again brought before the House of Commons.
It the parishes of London had been •properly organised,
and if there had been so strong an expression of public
opinion that there could have been no misunderstanding
of it by the Minister, the thing might have been
done. But there has been a great deal of gentle-
manly delicacy and scholastic forbearance in
the matter, and if they had only spoken out and
said we will have it, the result might have been different.
He said, call the rept esentatives of London together, and
ask them whether they would vote for the repeal or the
tax—put it to them directly, not as a mere paltry finan-
cial saving, but as a question of morality end health, and
let them say-- We will have it. The question of the
nature of the tax was decided. All was decided as to
its statistics, its origin and operation, aid its evils. The
only practical question was how to get rid of it. Some
people thought that petitioning Parliament was of no
use; but there was a mistake, for it was of use when con•
ducted properly, but it was not one or two or ten peti-
tions that would accomplish an object, for Ministers
asked how many petitions there were, and when this for
example was produced, although it represented the opi-
nions cl 60,000 men, it told in the House of Commons
as the petition only of the single man, able or influen-
tial as he might be, who had signed it on behalf of the
meeting.—(Llear, hear.) What they wanted now was a
petition from every man who held a house.—(Cheers.)
He should like to see that plan adopted, and if it was
not he should say the inhabitants of London were not
sincere, and so would the Minister.—(Hear.) But if he
saw every man anxious to put his petition in the hands
of his representative, he would admit it to be a mani-
festation of public opinion which he could not resist.
The Honourable Gentleman concluded by a long
and able speech by professing his determination to exert
himself against this tax in Parliament to the utmost of
his power, if his health would permit, and he would at all
times discharge his duties as he had done on previous
occasions.

Mr. HODGSKINS proposed a resolution declaring the
explanation of Mr.Wakley to be satisfactory.—(Cheers.)
It would be only justice.
The resolution was carried unanimously, with cheers.
A vote cf censure on the pariah authorities of St.
Mary, Islington, was then moved by Mr. G UEDDELLE
and seconded by Mr. ELMES, and carried unanimously;
and thanks having been voted to the Chairman, and
acknowledged by him, the meeting separated at ten
o'clock.