The Sun.
London, England, 1833-02-23 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM POLITICAL UNION.

At a meeting of the Council of the Birmingham Poli-
tical Union, held at the Rooms of the Union, in Great
Charles-street, this 19th day of February, 1833, G. F.
MUNTZ, E•q.. in the Chair, it was

Resolved unanimously,—That in the opinion of this Coun-
cil, the Bill which it is reported Ministers are attempting to
pass into a law, for the alleged purpose of pacifying Ireland, is
utterly subversive of all the principles of the British Consti-
tution ; and that if it were possible that it should be carried
into effect, it would in fact lay the lives and liberties of the
whole population of Ireland entirely at the mercy of a single
individual. That if the example be once set of allaying dis-
content, and silencing the voice of misery in Ireland, by the
employment of tyrannic power, common sense shows, that the
same principles mvy be brought into play with equal justice and
equal effect, in England and Scotland.
That this Council do therefore earnestly implore all classes
of their fellow countrymen, as they would preserve their coun-
try from the horrors of civil war, as they would preserve the
liberty which has been purchased by the blood of their fore_
fathers, and as they would wish that the lost prosperity of their
country should be restored, to come forward without delay,
and meet respectively in all their towns, for the purpose of
petitioning the House of Commons, not to pass this Bill into
a law.

And this Council also beg of the different constituencies, to
exert themselves to the utmost to induce their respective repre-
sentatives to oppose the Bill, and to require immediate investi-
gation into the causes of distress and misery with which the
industrious working classes are at present weighed down,
throughout the whole of the United Kingdom.

G. F. MUNTZ, Chairman.
By order of the Council,
G. DE BOSCO ATTWOOD, Hon. Sec.

COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE.

Last night the usual Lenten musical performances corn.
menced at this house with a novel sacred entertainment, which
will probably save the management here the trouble of future
selections during the continuance of this season. It was an
oratorio, or rather sacred opera, entitled The Israelites in
Egypt, or Me Passage of Me Red Sea, the dramatic portion of
which was founded upon the events which preceded the final
escape of the Israelites from their first bondage, and the music
was selected from Handel and Rossini. The adaptation of the
latter and the composition of the former are both the work of
Mr. R. Lacy, and reflect much credit on him. The piece
opens with a meeting of the exulting Hebrews, who, after the
eighth plague, have extorted their liberty from Pharaoh, and
are arranging the course of their departure; it proceeds with
their disappointment, in consequence of the -love of Amenophis,
the King's son, for Anal, one of the fairest daughters of their
race, whom he dreads to lose by their departure. The plague
of darkness is introduced, as the palpable obscure may be on
the mimic scene, and afterwards that of the death of the first.
born of Egypt, ilmenophis being struck with a thunder-bolt,
just as he is on the point of slaying Moses in the Temple of
Isis. The whole concludes with the passage of the Red Sea,
and the destruction of the Egyptian host. The mode in which
this series of events is put together by the dramatist is at once
simple and effective; the interest is of the most elevated kind,
and is fully sustained even to the end. Such are the
Greek tragedies. The music, which consisted in a great
measure of heavy concerted pieces, powerful chorus, and
an energetic recitative, was very judiciously selected, and in-
deed full of grandeur. The opening chorus, which we take to
he Rossini's, the subsequent one of Handel—" He gave them
hailstones," &c., and the concluding chorus of the second part
(Rossini again), were particularly fine. The music of the
latter master prevailed in the piece; but the recitative was,
for the most part, from Handel, or in his style. Phillips per-
formed the part of Moses, on whom the chief effort of the com-
position devolved, and it could not have fallen into better hands.
Both in his solemn acting and emphatic singing, Mr. Phillips
deserves the highest prase. Mrs. Wood appeared as Ania, and
was in excellent voice, which she particularly displayed in an
exulting triplet, which concludes the piece, and which she gave
with all the power of her lungs. The choruses were well sung,
and the orchestra was very full and powerful—a great deal too
much so in its accompaniment to the duett between Mr. and
Mrs. Wood, commencing " Ah, if thou whom I adore," how
absurd to drown the two singers' voices in the full storm of all
its instrumentation—drum, cymbal, and all ! To conclude,
the dresses aed scenery of this sacred drama were most care-
fully got up. The scene of the bona fide passage of the Red
Sea was as successful as it was daring.

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