The Sun.
London, England, 1832-06-22 00:00:00

REPRESENTATION OF THE TOWER

HAMLETS.

A highly respectable end numerous meeting of
the several committees and electors, from most of
the parishes in the Tower Hamlets, was held on
Wednesday evening last, at the Town-house, Mile-
end Old Town, to consider the best means of se-
curing the return of independent and fit Members to
Parliament ; Mr. SNOW, the Churchwarden of Mile-
end Old Town, in the chair.
Mr. ROBERT 0 WEN, of Hackney-road, Bethna-
green, in rising to move the second resolution, de-
termining to call a general public meeting of the
electors of the Tower Hamlets, to which candidates
should be invited, to declare their principles, said
that he strongly felt that no time was to be lost in
bringing the electors and the several candidates who
had or might offer themselves, face to face. The
time for the dissolution of Parliament was fast ap-
proaching, and there would, if the electors were
supine, be many intrigues on foot to obtain the re-
turn of Members who would defeat the purposes of
the Reform Bill, and sacrifice the interests of the
people. 'There were indeed rumours afloat that
several gentlemen were now canvassing without
having publicly announced themselves or declared
their principles. This was a state of things not to
be borne, and must be immediately put an end to.—
(Cheers.) The electors must not be duped, and he
trusted it would be ascertained that no Reformers
would he found lending themselves to such
measures.---(Hear, hear.) For his part, he de-
clared, that if lie found that any candidate had had
his emissaries on foot entrapping ♦otes without
giving such pledges as the people of England had a
right to expect, he would not only not give that
man his vote, but use all his influence, in his parish
and elsewhere, to defeat that man at the day of
election.—(Great cheering.)
A Gentleman here interrupted Mr. Owen to
state, that though Captain Marriott bad solicited
votes, yet he was anxious to come before a meet-
ing of the electors to declare that he was the
unflinching supporter of popular principles, and
would have been present at this meeting, had he not
been soddenly obliged to leave town on urgent
business.

Mr. OWEN continued—The people of England
had arrived at an important period of their history.
The road to their complete emancipation, and to the
remedy of the many crying abuses in the State, had
been paved and opened for them ; but they must
pursue their course with undeviating firmness, or
they would have obtained little by Reform. To
prevent unpledged candidates from getting a strong
footing in the Hamlets, it was absolutely necessary
that not a moment should be lost in bringing them
before the general body of the electors, when gen-
tlemen from each parish would have an opportunity
of proving the candidate's principles, exacting pro-
mises, and publicly extending or withholding their
suffrages.—(Cheers.) For his part he would not
be so unreasonable as to demand pledges from can-
didates on points where much difference of opinion
existed, or on which deliberative inquiry or evidence
were likely to elicit a more correct decision ; but on
many points the people of England had entirely
made up their minds, and they must therefore know,
ere they sent gentlemen to Parliament as their repre-
sentatives, whether they were prepared to pledge
themselves to a particular line of conduct. For in-
stance, it was clear to all that the present burthen-
some taxation could be no lona,. • '•
didat,

:e must p. ~imself therefore to alarge reduc-
tion; and, if faith were to be kept with the public
creditor, that reduction must be met by a corresponding
amount in the expenditure; and, if necessary, public
property—such as the Church property--must be
called in to assist in the exigency. A Reform Par-
liament must meet the difficulties with firnmess and
openness, and not shrink from a remedy, however
severe.--(Cheers.) Then it was to be expected
that, constituted as the House of Lords at present
is, a collision must take place between the two
Houses of Parliament, unless a'remedy was found.
The Spiritual Barons were altogether unfit to sit in
the House of Peers, and had shown so little sym-
pathy with the people in the late struggle, that they
must cease to take a further share in the Legislature
of the country.--(lmmense cheering.) The un-
natural connexion of Church and State must be
d siolved. The tithes must be abolished. The un-
reasonable duration of a seven years' Parliament
must be shortened.—(Great cheers.) The standing
army must be reduced.—(Cheers.) He only men-
tioned these among a few of the points on which
promises would be expected, and the feeling of the
meeting showed all were agreed on them ; and to
obtain at an early period of the contest a distinct
understanding on them. He strongly urged that a
General Meeting should immediately take place.
Mr. LITTLE, of Mile-end Old Town, in rising to
second the resolution, said that he fully concurred
with what bad fallen from Mr. Owen, as many per-
sons were getting their votes shackled, though en-
tirely in the dark as to the principles of the candi-
dates. This was not to be borne, and he for one
felt glad that this motion had been placed before
the meeting. Several gentlemen were said to be
canvassing, and amongst the rest Capt. Marriott ;
now, he would like to know whether that gentleman
was not receiving some income from Government,
and if so he did not think he could go into Parlia-
ment so free as he would desire.

A GENTLEMAN here said that Captain M. was
only receiving his half-pay, and that having by his
writings on impressment, and by his independent
conduct, offended Government, it was not likely he
would ever again be in active service; besides, he
was a gentleman of large property, and cared not a
rush for his half-pay, which was only about 1801.
Mr. Offer, Mr. Lawrence, of Shoreditch, Mr.
Hatch, Mr. Gole, Mr. Morris, of Wellclose-square,
Mr. Hammock, Mr. J. King, and several other gen-
tlemen, strongly supported the resolutions, and
urged the necessity of an immediate meeting.
A Sub-Committee was formed to draw up a ca-
tegory of principles to be laid before candidates, and
to prepare the business of the meeting which is to
be held at the Town-house, Mile End, Old Town,
on Thursday next, when it is expected that Capt.
Marriott and other candidates will attend.
The most unanimous feeling pervaded the meet-
ing, which consisted of the most influential and
respectable gentlemen of the several parishes, who
expressed their determination to have none but most
determined Reformers in Parliament.

ASSAULT ON HIS MAJESTY AT ASCOTT.
—The name of the daring ruffian who so outrageously
assaulted his MAJESTY, on Tuesday, at Ascot, is DENNIS
Cow/is, and the following is the account which be
gives of himself:—He is a native of Kilgarrah, a place
about 22 miles from Cork, and is now 57 years of age.
In 1797 he volunteered into the navy, and served, first,
on board the Canada, under Sir J. B. WARREN, and
next in the Atalanta, under Captain DENT. He was in
the King's service two years and four months before he
lost his leg. He was then warranted as cook iu the
Kangaroo, Captain BAKER, where he served eighteen
months ; next, on board the Valorous, at first in ordi-
nary, and afterwards in commission, fur seventeen months;
and, last, in the North Star, at Deptford, in ordinary,
for about twelve months. He had a pension ever since
he lost his leg—first of Si. and afterwards of 141. Two
years ago he was admitted into Greenwich Hospital ; in
December last he was expelled for interrupting the ward-
keeper and having words with the boatswain's mate. Since
December he has been begging about, and was, on one
occasion, committed to Totbillfields for fourteen days. A
fortnight ago be went to Southall, and thence to Salt-
-hill ; he Was at the llioutem.