The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-26 00:00:00

A numerous and highly respectable meeting of the Elec
tors of the Eastern Division of this county, whose resi-
dence enabled them, without inconvenience, to meet a•
Bodmin, and who are desirous of supporting two Refor
mere at the ensuing election for that division, took place
in the long-room, at Oliver's Hotel, in that town, on Mon
day last, pursuant to a request from William Peter, Esq
advertised in our Paper of Friday last. There were about
200 farmers, &c. present from various parts in the Hun-
dreds of Powder, Trigg, Pydar, Lesnewth, &c., all 01
them persons of respectability and influence in their dif
ferent neighbourhoods, which, in fact, they represented.
About one o'clock Sir William Moleswortb, Bart. and
Mr. W. L. S. Trelawny, the liberal candidates, accom
panied by Sir J. C. Rashleigh, Bart., the Rev. Robert
Walker, Mr. Peter, Mr. Howell, Mr. A. Harris, Capt.
Collins, Mr. Charles Buller, the Rev. D. Stephens, &c.,
entered the room, which was immediately crowded.
On the motion of Sir J. C. Rashleigh, seconded by the
Rev. D. Stephens, Mr. Peter was called to the chair, awl
addressed the Meeting nearly as follows t•-•
Gentlemen, in compliance with the wishes of many of
the Electors of this District, I have taken the liberty el
requesting your attendance here this day. The object tit
our meeting (as the notice expresses) is to take into con
sideration and to adopt such measures as may be deemed
most effectual for ensuring the return of two Reformers, as
the Representatives of the Eastern Division of this county,
in the next Parliament.—(Cheers.) Though we have
obtained Reform, we still want Reformers; for Reform,
as we all know, is not an end, but a means.—(Hear,
hear.) Reform does not in itself constitute good Govern-
ment ; it is merely a means, an instrument in our hands,
for enabling us to obtain it. The Parliament has indeed
passed the Reform Bill into law, but it is for the people to
carry it into execution. Should we, after having ob-
tained this vital measure—should we stop short, and leave
its execution to our opponents,—should we allow a ma-
jority of Tories or Conservatives (as they now style them-
selves) to be returned to the House of Commons, under
the Reform Bill, we should be even worse off than during
the continuance of the old system ; we should be bringing
upon ourselves that most odious of all tyrannies—a tyranny
under the forms and semblance of liberty—(Hear, hear)—
a tyranny the more galling and less deserving of pity, be-
cause it would have been occasioned by our own guilty
blindness and folly.—(Cheers.) But, Gentlemen, I need
not dwell upon these things ; I need not impress upon
your minds the paramount duty, the absolute necessity, of
active energy and exertion.—How many are the measures,
bow many are the changes which are still wanting, and
which we all anxiously expect from the next Parliament.
—Who is there present amongst us this day,-that does not
wish for a reduction of taxes—for economy and retrench-
ment in every public department—for a just and reason-
able commutation of tithes—for the extinction of slavery,
—and for various other changes and reforms both in
Church and State ?—(Loud cheers.) All these things we
are most anxious for. And yet, Gentlemen, how are they
to be accomplished ?_lfy apathy and supineness on our
parts?—By leaving the elections in the hands of the Tories?
—By allowing the Reform Bill to be worked by its ene-
mies ?—By committing it to the charge and protection of
those very men who have done all in their power to pre-
vent it from passing into law ?—(Applause.) No, Gen-
tlemen, no.—lf we are really anxious for a better state of
things;—if we truly wish to see the Reforms of which I
have been- speaking ;—if we would see Freedom revive—
see England flourish—see her, casting off the old and
wrinkled skin of corruption, wax young again, and be-
come great and honourable among the nations,—would
we see these or any of these things, we must do our duty
energies, and defying the strength of our enemies—
despising Tory threats, Tory bribes, and Tory ma-
chinations, return none but upright and consistent and
enlightened Reformers to the next House of Commons.
—Without such men, I repeat, that Reform will be worse
than a dead letter.—( Loud cheering.) Anti now, Gentle-
men, with respect to the candidates who are in the field
for the representation of this District. Of one of them,
—uf Lord Valletort, you may, perhaps, think that the
less I say the better. I would, however, speak of his
Lordship with all due courtesy and respect. I would
willingly do justice to the good-natured and amiable qua.
lities that distinguish him in private life ;—but as a public
man, as a candidate for the representation of a liberal and
intelligent people, I do not know a worse qualified or
more unfit person.—( Hear, hear, hear.) Educated as
he has been in the school of Castlereagh—that Gamaliel
of Tory Statesmen—taught by early precept and example
to look down on popular rights and popular opinions,—
what-can we expect from him? As well might we hope
to gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, as to
find any thing like liberal and enlightened principles, or a
love of liberty, in the pupil of such a school ?---(Cheers.)
If we desire to know how Lord Valletort will act (should
he, by our folly and supineness, be retut ned to Parliament)
we have only to look at his past speeches, at his past
votes, and see how he has uniformly acted ever since he
has had a seat in the House of Commons.—(Hear, hear.)
Indeed I believe that the only object of his Lordship and
his brother Conservatives (and they even avow it) in now
endeavouring to get seats in Parliament, is to form a strong
party in the House of Commons fur the purpose of ousting
the present Ministers and bringing back. a Tory Govern-
ment.—Aye, a Tory Government, and with it, all those
abuses and oppressions under which this country has so
long groaned, and from which she flattered herself that
she was just escaping.—(Laud applause.) Gentlemen,
of the other Candidates, of my friends, Sir W. Moles-
worth and Mr. Trelawny, I ain prevented only by their
presence from saying all 1 could wish. In Mr. Tre-
lawny, Gentlemen, you will find a country gentleman of
sound and useful talents and tried principles—a straight-
forward and consistent Reformer—who for more than 20
years has been at his post manfully fighting the battles of
the people against the combined efforts of a factious Oli-
garchy and corrupt Government.—(Loud cheering.) But
Mr. Trelawny is too well known to you all to require any
further eulogy from me.—Of Sir William Molesworth,
likewise, I can with truth say, that he is a young man ol
superior abilities, cultivated understanding, and liberal
opinions, a fit colleague fur Mr. Trelawny.—(Cheers.)
One circumstance of his conduct I cannot omit. It is
the manly zeal—the high principle—the utter absence of
all selfish and interested views, which he has shown with
regard to the present election. How much soever it
might have been for his pecuniary and individual advan-
tage to have avoided a contest, and to have walked over
the course, with Lord Valletort—yet, I owe it to him in
justice, to say that he rejected every idea of the kind—
that he spurned all offers and overtures of compromise or
coalition, and did the utmost in his power to call forward
another Reformer, and to obtain a colleague of liberal feel-
ings and principles like his own.—(Applause.) I shah
detain you no longer. The Candidates are before you ;
the cause is your own ; and in your bands and to your
decision I leave it. There are some resolutions which
will be moved by a Gentleman near me, and I need not, I
am sure, request you to give both him and every other
speaker to-day the attention which they deserve. The
Hon. Gentleman then sat down amidst loud cheers.
The Rev. ROBERT WALKER then moved the first three
resolutions, which were expressive of the necessity of elect-
ing men of integrity and liberal principles to carry the
Reform Bill into execution, and of the opinion of the meet-
ing, that Sir William Molesworth and Mr. Trelawny
were in every respect qualified to represent the county.
Sir J. C. RASIILEIGH seconded these resolutions, and in
the course of a much-cheered speech, observed—The peo-
ple took to the Reform Act not as a Paper Constitution,
v experiencepe principle.—(Great i
nnG cu pvnl
eet .
r.
Government
mo(fe
TheGno tur erri aes
ancestors,
ct
reign
e o cheering.)
Administration, r i
Co gh
thatthat
hilu
at
(Hear.)
aaotrshf. ea)b
at de living
Ts t
Gh ooe
i a
that the efficacy of a law depends on its execution.—
eo
s, has
11. ,
They
wk taught
hnaiocnhdw
us, that it is quite possible for the sera of good laws to be
thaw the redress of so many national grievances, and among
other matters, the passing of the Habeas Corpus Act, the
great security for personal freedom, witnessed also, and at
the same time, the establishment of a system of the must
profligate corruption and the most absolute despotism—a
despotism which, in the subsequent reign, our ancestors
were unable to get rid of by a less extreme remedy than
an actual revolution.—(Hear, hear.)
Some questions having been put to Sir William Moles
worth relative to his canvassing Bodmin for the libels]
candidate, with a view to ascertain whether he bad used
undue influence, but Sir William having satisfactorily an-
swered them, the rtarlutions were carried.
Mr. HOWELL then moved the fourth and fifth resole-