The Sun.
London, England, 1834-12-23 00:00:00

LONDON TAVERN.

REFORM MEETING at the LONDON TAVERN,

The vast crowd that had assembled adjourned to the Lon-
don Tavern. Among those on the platform we noticed Mr.
Clay, Mr. Grote, Mr. Thomas Tooke, Mr. P. Grenfel, and

Mr: Fearon.

On the motion of Mr. FEARON,

(Great cheering.) He and his collesgues enabled us to pass
the Reform Bill—still what trial was given to them ? And
will it be said that a new class of Ministers—unfortunately not
new, for they have been long enough in office to do us
no good, but much mischief.—( Much cheering.) I say,
Gentlemen, what kind of trial are these men entitled to
receive, when we remember the sufferings that we have
endured from them ?—( Renewed cheering.) Gentlemen, I
will carry your recollection back only four years, and I will
ask you whether, previously to the election of 1830, when the '
Duke of Wellington and Peel were in office, we did not hear
of every rank Tory candidate being a Reformer ?—( Hear.)
Were they not all Reformers, and what did they do? Why,
in the month of November, 1830, the very first you heard
from the Duke of Wellington was a declaration against all
Reform. It was an unexpected, but a glorious declaration.—
( Hear hear.) It was a declaration that has given us the Re-
form Bill, and it was one that I trust in God the people of
this country will retain.--(lmmense cheering for some time.)
Gentlemen, that parliament was tried. First, they carried
the Reform Bill by a majority of one. Then came a motion
made by General Gascoigne, which would have the effect of
setting aside the Reform Bill, and it being carried by a ma-
jority of six, I believe that Parliament was sent about its busi-
ness. The new Parliament met—the Reform Bill was
again introduced, but what was the conduct of the Tories on
that occasion? They strenuously opposed Reform, and up
till within the last fortnight—till the very moment that they
came into office, they opposed Reforms of all kinds.—( Great
c h ering. ) Office, however, had worked wonderful changes
on them ; for now not a Tory was to be found who was not a
reformer.—(lronical cheering and laughter.) All English-
men are reformers, and Tories the very best.—( Great laugh-
ter.) I will call your attention only for one moment to
a meeting which was held of the Clergy—Members of
Pa, liament newly pledged, Baronets and Lords assembled to
speak treason against the people. It was held at Ashford,
and there that worthy Nobleman, Lord Strangford, declared
" that now there was a fine prospect opening for the country.
The Duke was now in office, and the Reform would be got
rid of." Sir Robert Peel was not at home at that time,
but is the case much altered now ?—( Cheers, and loud
cries of No, no !) Now, Gentlemen, don't interrupt me
for one moment because I am going to praise a Tory
Minister. I know there is not a more honourable man breath-
ing than Sir Edward Knatchbull. Yet he was present when
Lord Strangford made those declarations, and perfectly agreed
in them all.—( Loud cheers.) One thing was certain, that
Slr Edward at that time had not the slightest expectation of
being made a Cabinet Minister.—( Cheers and laughter.)
Now of course be agrees with his master, Sir Robert, that the
Reform Bill shall remain as it stands, and the country shall
be goverred in its spirit. With all these things coming
upon us, is it ru3siLla for one Reformer to put his trust in
them ?—( Loud cries of " No, no.") What, then, is the
course that we must take ? I trust that the people at large,
and God grant that even the Tory people at large, may see
the necessity—the absolute necessity—of governing the coun-
try in a different spirit than what they did in former times.
If they are really Reformers, why are they making
now such an uproar throughout the country ? If all
arc to be Reformers, as they declare themselves, why
not let us send quietly such men :into the House--
such men es we can put our trust in ?—(Cheers, which lasted
for some time.) If they believe the assertion they themselves
make, would they now be making such exertions throughout
the country to get rank Tories returned? Would they be now
using all the means they used to do in former times. I need
scarcely say intimidation and bribery are the principal—in
order to get a house according to their own liking?—( Hear,
hear.) I will coeclude by heartily seconding and supporting
the resolution.—(Tremendous cheering.)
Mr. CLAY, the Chairman, then rose, and said before I put
this resolution to the meeting, I will ask, according to my
pledge, whether there is any gentleman present who wishes to
speak to this resolution ? If any wish even to oppose it, I
will pledge myself, on the part of the meeting, that he shall
have a fair and patient hearing.—(Cries of " Yes, yes," and
cheers.)
No one, however, rose, and the resolution passed amidst
immense cheering.
Mr. Alderman HARMER next rose, and was rebeived with
loud cheers. After the very able speeches they had heard it
was not his intention to detain the meeting long, but he had
to propose to them a resolution which he knew would be car-
ried unanimously—it was a vote of thanks to their excellent
Chairman. There was one observation, however, he wished
to make. He was one of those persons who liked to hear all
sides, although his principles were pretty well settled, and
he trusted they would be settled, namely, that of being a
thorough R form r.—(H an) He happened over the way
to meet Mr. Lyons, Mr. Attwood, and one or two other gen-
tlemen of that clique—(Laughter)—and they said, s' What
do y6u here, Alderman Harmer ?" He answered, " Why, I
came to hear what you had to say. perhaps I may be con-
verted."—(Laughter.) No, said the gentlemen, you won't
be converted, for you will hear no speeches ; so that, if that's
your object, you may depart. Well, he stated, I should like
to see what's going on here. But the answer was, We only
came here for one purpose, and that is to sign the declara-
tion ; have you not seen it, Alderman Harmer? No, I have
not. Oh, you should look in the newspapers, and then you will
see what the declaration is. What does it consist of? Why,
that the King has a right to exercise his prerogative in dis-
missing his Ministers.—(Laughter. ) Have you any thing
more ? Oh yes ; there is another that the present Ministers
are better than the last. Well, I can't agree with you
in that, we ought to have some consideration for the late Mi-
nisters, seeing the difficulties they had to contend with." He
would ask the meeting whether they had not had difficulties to
contend with, difficulties they were not before aware of, and
which they could only now, for the first time, see.—( Cheers. )
Who was it who bad created those difficulties ? Why, the
very men who came forward now and said they were Reformers.
Reformers were not to be gulled in that way. He trusted
they knew full well who were their friends and who were their
foes, and he trusted that there would be but one unanimous
feeling, that the Reformers, would oppose the Tories.—
(Cheers.) He would now beg to read the resolution.
Mr. FEARON said he merely wished to state, in point of
order, that previously to putting the resolution containing
their thanks, which were so eminently due to the Hon. Chair-
man, that they cught to put upon record their thanks to their
two worthy representatives who had appeared before them to-
da--( Cries of " Hear, hear, hear,")—and who, indeed,
ap-
peered before them always when Reformers met, but who
had appeared especially in the contest that had been carried
on over the way. He begged to move " that the warmest
and most cordial thanks of this meeting be presented to G.
Grote, Esq. and C. Crawford, Esq. as our Representatives in
Parliament for their consistent support of the principles of
reoras, for baying atten'el the proceedings of this day, and for
coming forward as they had upon this occasion to state the sea..
timents of their fellow citizens.
A Gentleman upon the hustings said he begged to state
that Alderman Wood, on account of being present at
a contested election in one of the Wards, was unable to

Mr. CLAY took the chair. Oa coming forward he was
cheered most enthusiastically, and addressed the meeting
amidst the most profound silence. It had been thought expe-
dient by those around him to confer upon him the honour of
taking the chair. He undertook the task with great pleasure.
( Cheers.) He had attended the meeting over the way, as he
had an undoubted right to do, having been both born slid bred
a merchant and a shipowner, and being descended from a
family who had been connected with that occupation for more
than half a century. He yielded to no man in loyalty to his
Sovereign, but he could not agree to the address that had
been published If that meeting had been an open one, he
should have stated his sentiments at it, but they had been told
that it was not so, and the disturbance that had taken place there
had been so great that it rendered it impossible for any person
to be heard who attempted to address them.—( Cheers.) As,
however, it was most important to the country that the King
should know the sentiments of his people really and truly, the
present meeting had been called.--( Great cheering.) He
had no doubt that the meeting would hear every person, let
his principles be wi.at they might, with the greatest impar-
tiality.--( Great cheering.)
Mr. C. W. NORMAN came forward to propose the first reso-
lution. He appeared before them upon an extremely short notice,
but before he proposed the first resolution he would, with the
permission of the meeting, shortly state the reasons that had
called the meeting together. All present most be aware that
an advertisement had appeared in the newspapers, which seemed
to express that a general meeting was to be held at the city of
London Tavern, which might be considered as affording an op-
portunity of trying the strength of all parties that at present
divided the country.—( Loud disapprobation.) He had at-
tended that meeting to express his dissent to the address to
be proposed for the acceptance of the meeting.—( Cheers.)
Mr. Grote and Mr. Clay went as a deputation to the chair-
man of the meeting over the way, and the Committee, by
whom he was surrounded, for the purpose of knowing a hat
the real character of the meeting was, and they had learned
from him that it " was not to be a public meeting"—( Much
disapprobation)—that it was not for the purpose of discussion
generally—(Hissincs)— but was merely for the attendance
of those persons who should approve of the address to his
Majesty, such as it had appeared in the Times newspaper of
that morning.—(Groans.) In order that there should be
no mistake, and that, when the meeting was over, the Tory
newspapers should not declare that the friends of Reform had
not attended the meeting, the deputation thought it proper
that the answer of Mr. Ward should be given on the public
hustings. That answer, or rather conversation, we intended
should be heard by the whole meeting, but in consequence of
the confusion that took place, it had been found impossible
for Mr. Ward, Mr. Grote, or any body to make themselves
heard. The deputation thought it better that a meeting should
be held in the place where it was now assembled, leaving the
other gentlemen to adopt any course they might think fit.—
( Cheering, and cries of " Let them do what they like.") The
deputation had also thought it necessary to adjourn to the pre-
sent place, in order to allow the vast majority of the intelli-
gence, patriotism, and wealth of the city of London to express
their opinion, and not to let it go forth to the country, that in
the change of the Administration that had taken place the ma-
jority of that wealth and intelligence saw any cause for satis-
fection, but the greatest a2prehension.—( Loud and long-con-
tinued cheering.) The resolution might rather be considered
a declaration and statement of facts, its object being to put
upon record the opinions regarding the present Ministry clearly
and distinctly. The resolution was as follows :
" That a meeting having been called at the City of London
Tavern of the merchants, bankers, ship-owners, traders, and others
connected with the City of London, desirous of expressing their
assurance of loyalty and attachment to their Sovereign on the occa-
sion of the late exercise of the royal prerogative, we, the merchants,
bankers, ship-owners, traders and others assembled ourselves in
pursuance of such advertisement; but the Chairman of that meet-
ing having publicly declared that such meeting was not called for
the purpose of discussion, but simply to agree to an address previ-
ously prepared, and that persons who did not concur in the senti-
ments therein expressed had not been invited to attend that meet-
ing, have adjourned in consequence to this place."
Having read the resolution, he would state shortly what he
thought of the prospect of affairs. Call the matter as they
would, twist and turn it as they liked, the declaration put for-
ward by the present Administration—the honied phrases of
Sir Robert Peel, that it was their intention to grant no Re-
form.__( Hissing.) He hoped and trusted that all present
were reformers.—( Loud cheers, and cries of " We are.")
The meeting over the way consisted of Anti-Reformers only.
—( Loud cheers and disapprobation.) He concurred in what
had fallen from the Chairman as to his loyalty to his
Sovereign. He thought that the people for many things
ought to be greatly obliged to his Majesty for what he had
done.--( Cheers.) He had now exercised, however, a prero-
gative which undoubtedly belonged to him, and it was un-
doubtedly the prerogative of the people to exercise their's.
His Majesty had a right to appoint such Ministers as he
thought fit—it was the right of the people to return such a
House of Commons as would render the existence of a Mi-
nistry like the present, totally ineffective.—( Great cheering. )
Such a Ministry, in his opinion, was inconsistent with
the public good.—Great cheering.) The present Ministers
were Anti-Reformers, they might say and declare what
they pleased, but he had no hesitation in saying that they would
oppose reform, and every measure that they brought forward
would either directly or indirectly tend to that object.—(lm-
moose cheering.)
W. G. PRESCOTT, Esq., rose to second the resolution, amid
the most deafening cheers. The resolution was only a decla-
ration of facts of what had taken place at the other side of the
street.—( Great cheering.) They had been met there by the
declaration that it was a private meeting of those only who
were prepared to agree to the address that had appeared
in the Times that morning.—( Hear, and disapprobation.)
It became necessary, notwithstanding that the advertisement
could hardly be deemed sufficiently authoritative, to put the
question to the Chairman of that meeting in his official capa-
city, in order that they might ascertain whether it was a public
meeting or an exclusive one, where their presence was of
course unnecessary.—( Hear, hear.)—( Mr. Prescot here
stated what the questions put to the Chairman were, which
we have already mentioned in a previous part of our report.)
These were the questions, and the answer of the Chairman
was that the meeting was not a meeting for discussion—( Hear,
and great laughter)—that in publishing the advertisement
it was supposed the public would understand that it was a
private meeting—( Renewed laughter)—and that it was the
intention of the Chairman in publishing the advertisement to
have it considered es a private meeting, and nothing else.—
( Hear I and loud laughter.) _The meeting was then asked if
it was satisfied. and it stated that it was, and it was then inti-
mated to the Chairman that they should not have thought of
interfering in his private meeting, if they had been aware it
was such.—( Cheers. )
The resolution was then put and carried (with the exception
of three hands, which were held up against it) amidst loud
cheering.
HENRY WEYMOUTH, Esq., in moving the next resolu-
tion, said it was a very common practice of the Tories
to assume to themselves a monopoly of loyalty.—(Laughter.)
His (Mr. W's.).definition of loyalty, and he thought they
would be of the same opinhin, was, that-they-should tell the
King the truth at all times, and if ever there was a period in
which the opinions of his Majesty's subjects should reach his
ears, it was the present—( Applause.) They had now reached
an unparalelled crisis after having fought for four years man-
fully, and obtained the Reform Bill, to which they should na-
turally expect further additions—at such a moment, without
the slightest expression of dissatisfaction on the part of
his Majesty with the measures proposed by his Ministers—at
a time of profound peace and without any dereliction of prin-
ciple on the part of his Ministers ; on the contrary, at a
moment when they were about to introduce more efficient re-
forms, under such circumstances his Majesty had thought pro-
per to dismiss them, without the slightest notice whatever.—
( H ear.) He could scarce imagine to what cause this extra-
ordinary proceeding could be attributed.—( Cries of " Hear.")
Gentlemen—l am persuaded this meeting will concur with
this resolution, expressive of regret at the dismissal of his
Majesty's Ministers.—(Hear, hear.) I am very well aware
those Ministers did not perform all that was expected of them,
but at the same time I would beg you to recollect the difficulties
they had to encounter.—( Cheers.) I would beg you recol-
lect the difficulties they had in every measure which had for
its tendency any thing of a liberal nature in the House of
Lords.—( Much cheering.) We are now better informed on
that subject ; we now know more of the difficulties Ministers
had to contend with than before, therefore we are prepared to
give them great consideration, and. not to cast those reflec-
tions upon them which otherwise we might have done.—
( Hear, hear.) Although they have not obtained all we ex-
pected, yet it is very well known measures of reform were about
to be introduced into the House of Commons with respect to
the Church both in England and Ireland, as well as other
measures of a similar nature, which have still more endeared
them to the public.—(lmmense cheering.) I beg to read the
following resolution.
" That this meeting does not s ield in loyalty to any class or as-
sembly. of his 3lajesty's subjects, and are at all times desirous to
recognize and uphold his Majesty in the Royal prerogative ; but
while avowing these sentiments, they cannot refrain from express-
ing their deep regret at its recent exercise in the dismissal of the
late Ministry, and in the appointment of Ministers who, whatever
may be their present declarations, are not, from their past conduct,
entitled to the confidence of the country."
BENJAMIN Woon, Esq. (brother to Mr. Alderman Wood),
said, in seconding, Gentlemen, the Resolution which has been
read I have very great pleasure, and I shall occupy tut a vary
few minutes of your time. Gentlemen, it has been stated in
the Address of Sir Robert Peel, and more particularly by
those friends Who have supported him on the present occasion,
that the present Ministers ought to have a trial.—( Uproarious
cries of No, no ! and a voice called out—" A trial at the Old
Bailey."—Laughter, and cheers.) Gentlemen, you will not
misunderstand me. Allow me to ask you what trial the late
Ministers had when Lord Melbourne was in office as Prime
Minister? Had he any time to accomplish those objects he
was appointed to accomplish ? What trial was given to him ?
Who had shown himself a more devoted friend to Reform ?

attend. e-a
Mr. FE/MON said he begged to include Mr. Alderman
Wood in the Reiolution, because he was among the party who
had conducted the interview that had been referred to with
great abi:ity.
The Resolution having been seconded, the Chairman put it to
the meeting, and it was carried unanimously.
Mr. GROTE then came forward, and was received with
deafening acclamations. He begged leave to return his
most cordial thanks for the kind manner in which they
hid received the mention of his name, and he
c nigratulated himself in thinking that he had the gratification
of experiencing that favour at their hands on so many and such
different occasions, he should not have thought it necessary to
t-ouble them with a single observation, were it not that he should
d 3 injustice to his own feelings did he not congratulate
them on the new and important triumph which the
cause of Reform had achieved.—( Cheers, and hear.)
by the result of this day's proceedings.—( Cheers.) It would
have been an indelible disgrace to this country if the citizens
of London had allowed such a proceeding to pass un-
noticed. —( Hear, hear, and cheering.) They had been
tali' there was not any intention on the ILI of the Tories to
make the meeting on the opposition side of the way any
thin beyond a private and conversational assembly. No
doubt that had been uttered with great sincerity by the
leaders, yet the meeting would recollect how all the Tory
newspapers, and with what exertions they endeavoured to get
into the House of Commons all the Tories to be found
in the country.—(Loud cheers.) He had no doubt that
when they recollected all this, they would not wonder that he
congratulated them upon their determination that day to beat
the hopes of the enemy. He thought:their enemies would learn one
or two important lessons from what had happened that day, and
which, he trusted, they would profit by,—one was to write
their advertisements in future in the ' newspapers in a
less ambiguous manner.—( Laughter.) If they had
from the beginning inserted the advertisements in the News-
papers, in the words in which it appeared in the Morning Post
and Times of this morning, he was quite sure that no
one present would have thought,,,, of interrupting them,
and although they might be attached to their own opinions,
they (the meeting) were no less attached to the great rights
and privileges of all English subjects, which Was that they
would not allow the Tories to father their children upon the
citizens of London.—(Loud cheers.) He knew of nothing
more necessary to be said to that most commanding and
unanimous meeting, except that he trusted every gen-
tleman in the room would remember that when he retired from
it it was only for the purpose of preparing himself to resist
their enemies at the forthcomtng election.—( Loud cheering.)
Mr. CRAWFORD came forward, and was received with loud
cheers. He offered his acknowledgments to them for the ho-
nour they had again done him on that day, by coupling his
name with those of two other of their Representatives, in
offering their grateful thanks, for the exertion of those repre-
sentatives at all times, and on all occasions—( Cheers ) On a
former occasion it might have appeared that he bad made some
sort of an excuse for not addressing them at any length by saying
that his Hon. Colleague and Friend had left him little to say.
Since that time, it had been imputed to him that he had fol-
lowed in his Hon. Colleague's footsteps more closely than had
been anticipated by some of his friends. Whatever political
shades of difference might exist -eetween him and them, he was
proud to repeat the words he had formerly made use cf
and he cordially concurred in language which he could not
expect to equal.—( Cheers.) Having said this much, he did not
think that it was necessary for him to say more than repeat his
thanks, and again express his gratitude for the favour they had
just conferred upon him.—( Great applause. )
JosEPn BLACKETT, Esq., seconded the resolution. He was
proud of the manner in which they had conducted themselves
that day. He trusted they would be always thus ready. They
had an election coming on shortly,._ and he would recom-
mend to them to take the advice of Mr. Grote, to be united,
and lie was satisfied that the people of England had nothing to
fear from Peel or Welling-ton.—(Tremendous cheering.) The

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1834.