The Sun.
London, England, 1851-10-20 00:00:00

DEATH OF AIR. ALDERMAN TULEY.

(From the Sheffield independent.)
It is our mournful duty to record the death of one
of our townsmen, who fur twenty years past has been
distinguished by his public spirit, his ability, his use-
fulness, and his benevolence. About 1831, Mr. Wiley
added to his ordinary business that of news agent, a
business then almost new among us. early in 1832,
he removed to the Old Haymarket, when he soon
gave indications of a spirit of enterprise to which the
town had been little accustomed. At that time, Mr.
Murdo Young., the proprietor of The Sun, bad broken
new ground. He had begun to publish late editions
of his paper, giving the Parliamentary debates up to
post time. The excitement of the public mind
throughout 1831 and 1832, caused by the reform
agitation, aided his design, and The Sun, far out-
stripping its old rivals, became the favourite evening
paper. On special occasions Mr. Young sent his
papers by express to the principal towns of England.
Mr. Wiley became his agent, and frequently brought
down the express papers to Sheffield, Leeds, &c. On
some of these occasions the journey was performed
with a rapidity till then unparalleled, though railways
and the telegraph have since thrown into
the shade all the ailiments of horse flesh.
On the occasion of the passing of the
Reform Bill, on the sth June, 1832, Mr. Wiley
reached Sheffield with the news at half-past twelve,
having accomplished the journey in about twelve
hours. No man entered more heartily than Mr.
Wiley into the enthusiasm of the period. His window
became the resort of all who were anxious for the
latest news. In fact Mr. Wiley was soon one of the
best known and most popular of our townsmen, On
many topics he was the main course of information to
multitudes ; while to a more limited circle his sound
and acute judgment made him an invaluable adviser.
To the liberal party Mr. Wiley's services were for
many years most important. To thoroughly liberal
opinions he united great practical sagacity. Ho did
not allow sounding phrases to determine his opinions
without the effort to think. He grasped firmly the
subjects that came before him, subjected them to
analysis, tested their evidences, and rarely failed to
arrive at a well-founded result. At the first muni-
cipal election Mr. Wiley was returned as one of the
members for St. Peter's ward, and for that ward he
continued to sit until November, 1849, when he was
elected an alderman. In _March of the same year he
had been elected by the freeholders a member of the
Town Trust. And in April ho had received ,from
his townsmen a dinner service, of silver plate, of the
value of 200 guineas, which, according to the inscrip-
tion, was presented " to Mr. Thomas Wiley by his
friends and fellow townsmen, as a mark of their sin-
cere esteem and gratitude for the many services, po-
litical, social, and benevolent, which he had rendered
to the public during a period of 20 years." For
several years past Mr. Wiley has sufiered much from
a disease of the heart, which has kept him constantly
on the very brink of the grave, and has frequently
prevented him from taking any part in business, public
or private. But his bountiful disposition was una-
bated. Every Christmas he gladdened the heart of a
great number of old people by presents of blankets
and Christmas tare, and many at all seasons were the
recipients of his bounty. Ile has left no children
bet the adopted orphans of several of his relatives to
whom he has been indeed a father. For some weeks
past his complaint has been seriously aggravated.
Soon after ten o'clock on Monday night, suddenly
awaking from an apparently comfortable' sleep, he
sprang cut of his bed by a violent effort, and, falling
into a chair, expired instantly. Oa a post mortem
examination it appeared that his heart, instead of the
natural weight of about ten ounces, weighed two
pounds. Mr. Wiley was 57 years of age. His in-
terment will take place on Monday next, at St.
John's Church, and we have no doubt the occasion
will be seized by many to marl;character,their respect for his