The Sun.
London, England, 1835-01-19 00:00:00

could be made against the interests of his constituents, and
of that class in society whose interests he so improperly
separates from yours, but which I maintain are mixed up
with yours, to which he has been attached by peculiar cir-
cumstances during the last fourteen years. This being the
only declaration of opinion that I have heard of from any
member of the present Government, I have endeavoured
to make a few remarks upon it. lam not astonished at
it. It is only what we might expect in the declarations
of the gentleman, who is generally known to argue
equally well on both sides of every question, and generally
to answer himself. I believe, therefore, gentlemen, that
no reforms whatever are to be expected from the present
administration, and I infer this from the circumstances.
Why have you been put under the necessity of seeing a
general election ? Why was the last Parliament dis-
solved ? Was it adverse to Reform ? Was it opposed to
the progress of improvement in all our institutions ? Is
it not notorious that it urged reforms upon the late
Government with a force that was most inconvenient,
anxious as that Government was to promote those very
reforms, which. however, it was obliged to check, in con-
sequence of the difficulty and opposition experienced from
other quarters ? Where, then, if reform was sought for,
was the use of a dissolution ? It is evident, therefore,
that we have, in the dissolution itself, evidence of an at-

tempt to bring together, if possible, a House of Commons
opposed to reform, and more willing to support an Anti-
Reform Government than the last.. I see before me gen-

tlemen, every one of whom has been lending his most ac-
tive exertions to the support of the cause of which you
have made me the humble instrument : I wish I had the
power personally and individually to assure each gentle-
man how deeply sensible I am of the obligation I am
under to him for having thought me worthy of being the
cause of those exertions. Having said thus much of my-
self, I wish, with regard to the cause, to say something of
the importance of those exertions being increased and
continued.—(Hear, hear.) It is by the union, of which
you have set the example ; it is by those well-directed
and well-continued efforts you have hitherto adopted—it
is by that increasing activity and powerful combination that
the cause we have at heart has been so successfully worked
out. The Tories have some advantage on their side which
we cannot boast. They are fighting for their last stake.
They have the principle of self-interest acting upon them.
It is by their purses and their pockets they have the advan-

•
tape over us. It is with them a contest whether they shall
be removed from their abuses of power, and whether office
shall for ever pass away from them. It is with them a
question whether they are to bid a long and last farewell to
all their hopes of ever occupying power and place, and
therefore they will call into the field their utmost, their
greatest exertions. They have money, as I said before, on
their side ; they have also the feeling of dying despair on
their side ; but we have nothing but our anxiety for the
promotion of the public weal.—(Cheers.) I fear that in
too many instances they have succeeded in their efforts,
through a want of exertion and unity on the part of those
who, perhaps, felt as deeply as yourselves for the success of
the cause, but who did not so strongly feel the importance of
acting in it in the way you have. It is then to a union

such as yours, which sets an example to the rest of the con-
stituency, that we must look if we would attain our great
object. And 1 would here earnestly impress upon you the
propriety of continuing always in a situation ready to take
arms in defence of the principles you hold.(Cheers.)
You have seen the past ; you have seen the effect you are
produce by your combined efforts and exertions. Depend
upon it, that the enemy is not likely to undervalue the
merit of those exertions—that they will appreciate those
efforts—that if they cannot obtain the same zeal and
alacrity for themselves which you can boast, they will at least
attempt a great deal, and that which is a matter of the first
importance, if they find you unprepared they will be able
and willing to take advantage of your negligence. Whilst
therefore I acknowledge the immense importance of your
past exertions, I would say to you further, .‘ Be prepared
for the future." Let not the combination you have now
obtained—let not the organization you have now completed,
let these not sink and fall, but, on the contrary, let them
be supported and maintained, that our adversaries may
never find, under whatever circumstances may arise, you
unprepared to face and to beat them.—(Loud cheers.) If
this were a personal cause of mine, I should not have ven-
tured to say one word : if this had been a personal cause
of mine, I should never have occupied the situation I have
now the honour to fill.; but it is because it is not so—it is

because, as our worthy Chairman has said, no one but
myself could turn me out of Manchester, that I impress
these remarks upon you. When I am turned out, it will
be because I am a traitor to the principles which recom-
mended me to you—(Cheers)—but whether I were turned

out or not, just as much as if I were to remain, you would
be equally obliged to keep up your organization in order to

. .
be able to give your confidence to some other man willing
to advocate the principles you expected me to support, and
to prevent an enemy from getting in. I have then no per-
sonal motive in view. I can treat this part of the subject
with regard to the cause itself, and therefore most earnestly
would -I impress upon you the necessity as well as the
propriety of continuing in an attitude that may im-
pose upon our opponents, and prevent them taking courage
from what they may suppose to be over security in your
party, or want of strength in your cause.—(Cheers.) I
feel I am not able longer to address you. But as it may be
some time before I shall have the pleasure of seeing you
again, I would entreat every one of you to believe that
upon all public bnsiness I am bound to be your servant.
—(Hear, hear.) I entreat no man to allow himself to sup-
pose, if his business be of a public nature, it too trifling to
call for my immediate attention. I have hitherto endea-
voured to make my services as available as possible. lam
afraid they have been of little value—(No, no)—but still
I wish you to understand that the will is there—the means
will be the best I can offer, and it will be for you, I trust,
whenever any occasion arises, to do me the favour of taking
advantage of them, such as they.—(Loud cheering.) Mr.
Thomson concluded, by proposing the health of the
Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN, in an appropriate address, returned his
best thanks, and, as a toast, proposed " the great charter of
our rights, the Reform Bill.—(Cheers.)
This toast was drunk with the honours, and the CHAIR-
MAN, after suitably acknowledging it, and giving " The
Lancashire witches," proposed ill an appropriate speech,
" That great charter of our rights, the Reform Bill." The
Chairman next gave " Earl Grey and His Majesty's late
Ministry."—(Three times three.)
Mr. THOMSON again rose amidst cheering, and said—
Gentlemen, the manner in which you have received this
toast, contrary as it is to the etiquette usually observed
on those occasions, namely, that the memory of the de-
parted should be drunk in solemn silence, induces me, not
a ghost, but certainly one of the defunct, to offer you my
most cordial thanks, and those of my friends who, like
myself, are numbered with the shades below.—(Laughter.)
I know that they have been reproached with two slow a
progress ; I may perhaps myself partly participate in the
expression of that charge. But at the same time I believe
that any man who is well acquainted with all the circum-
stances which caused the difficulties of their position will be
inclined to praise them for what they have done, to laud
the courage and perseverance with which they carried
through a great deal, rather than to blame them for that
in which, perhaps they have not equalled our wishes. That
applies to the last administration but one. With regard to
that of which we have now seen the fall so lately, I do not,
in my conscience, believe that they would have exposed
themselves to that charge, or that, if suffered to exist a
little while longer, they would not have shown the country
that they merited its full and entire confidence. Permit me
to say a word with respect to the name with which the toast
is associated. That great man, for great he really is who can
look back upon a public life like that of Lord Grey—
(Cheers)—retired voluntarily, some months back, into the
bosom of his family, to seek that quiet and repose to
at an advanced age every man may be considertt entitled.
Whilst he is enjoying that retirement, it is in the power
of his countrymen, by giving to him, upon all occasions
where opportunities occur, the testimony of their appro-
bation and thanks, to confer a reward which will sweeten
the last years of his life, and send him to his grave rejoic-
ing. I delight, then, to think, that whenever an assembly
of men attached to the principles of freedom is met toge-
ther, the name of Lord Grey shall be received with due
honour ; because, as a great public principle, it shows that
a man can serve his country and meet with its gratitude.
Tne CHAIRMAN next gave " The Liberty of the Press.
Mr. PRENTICE acknowledged the toast at some length,
and gave the health of " Our Honoarable Member, Mark
Philips, Esq."
Mr. THOMSON then rose, and in taking his leave, said,
that with reference to the law of libel, to which Mr. Prentice
had alluded, than which nothing could be more absurd or
atrocious, it was known that the Government had instituted
a Committee, from whose labours, if they had not been cut
short, he trusted much good would have resulted. He had
been himself maligned in the most calumnious and atrocious
way ; he had seen articles in the public papers, charging
him with making money out of the public, by turning to his
own account his official sources of information. All this
was actionable--ho could have recovered damages—but be
INA:a unable to do so, because he would not dirty his fingers
by using such an instrument as the present law of libel.
The Right Hon. Gentleman, accompanied by the Chair-
man and others of the company, then left the room shortly
before eleven o'clock.

MEETINGS OF CREDITORS AT THE COURT,
BASINGHALL-STREET, TO-MQRROW.

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(From \‘,le 4,04..*0n Gazette.) m. m
, ~.
G. Boyer, trniii-, iloi-Oham-p ace, Southwark
~,,, id. Stuart, 'tailor, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square
J. Krngsley, sheep-jobber, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire ~... 2 hi
J. Eiumphryes, v.ctuallcr, Newgate-street
J. D. Smith, stable.keerer, Notwod4 st.trzq R"`
.. 3 L