The Sun.
London, England, 1835-01-03 00:00:00

PORTSOKEN WARD.

A meeting of the Electors of this Ward was held last even-
ing in St. Botolph Church, Aldgate, for the purpose of pas-
sing Resolutions in favour of the four reform candidates for the
City, Messrs. Wood, Grote, Crawford, and Pattison.
Mr. TYAS, the upper churchwarden, was called to the chair,
and stated that as they were compelled to meet in the church
for x:mt anotser place sufficiently large, he trusted every
person present would conduct himself with order and decorum,
and do nothing to desecrate such a place.
Mr. SCALES, in moving the first Resolution, said the time
had now come when it became the paramount duty of all Re-
formers to lay aside minor differences, and merge all animosi-
ties for the good of the country. The liberties of the country
were at stake, and therefore all private considerations ought
to be set aside. A meeting bad been held the other day at
Shoreditch, as respectable as that he addressed (and that was
saying not a little), which a Morning Paper had described as
consisting of " vagabondising snobs." ( Loud laughter.)
That paper might, however, call names, but it could not alter
facts. Shakspeare had said that, even in his time, the toe of
the peasant began to press on the heel of the Peer; but now
the toes of the two were nearly even, and, as a proof
of it, the " vagabondising snobs " at Shoreditch made
as good speeches as Sir Robert Peel, at the Mansion..
House.--( Hear, and loud laughter.) Sir Robert, on that
occasion, had advised the people to keep at home, and at-
tend to their moral duties ; and what was the cause of the peo-
ple did not keep at home ? Why, nothing else but the course
pursued by that gentleman and his colleagues. They had dis-
solved Parliament. Was that the way to make the people•
keep at home? Who caused the agitation but the Duke of
Wellington and Sir Robert Peel ?—( Cheers.) He then
moved a resolution to the effect, that though the meeting
yielded to none in loyalty to the King, and attachment to the
country—to its Constitution, liberty, and law—yet they could
but deplore the abrupt dismissal of the late Ministry, at a time
when the nation was in a state of tranquillity, the revenue
increasing, and taxation diminishing, and the appointment of
men in their places who had been the strenuous opponents of
reform in the abuses of Church and State.

The Resolution was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. STANDRING moved the second Resolution, and prefaced
it by saying that the people in that ward were proud to display
their loyalty—that those who called them disloyal uttered a
foul, slander—they were staunch to the King, but wanted to
get him out of bad dompany. They owed a debt of gratitude
to the King, for except for his exertions in the cause of Re-
form the Bill would never have passed in its present shape.
He then moved,—
" That the thanks of the meeting are due to Messrs. Wood,
Grote, Crawford, and Pattison, for coming forward to offer them-
selves as Candidates to represent their fellow citizens, the real ad-
vocates of good Government and friends of social order, and that
the electors of the ward of Portsoken will use their exertions to
procure the return of the above Candidates."
This was also agreed to unanimously.
Mr. Alderman Woou returned thanks and said that the
gentleman who had preceded him had done such justice to
the subject that he had little to say; but fully concurred in
everything they had uttered. The opposite party, he had
good reason to believe, began to see the error they had com-
mitted and the hoplessness of their cause. They were a little
down he had heard from good authority that day, and the
Tories of the city had sent for cash to a certain society at the
West-end ; but that society was just as unwilling to take
money out of their pockets as they were willing to put their
hands into the pockets of the people. He would only add
that if they returned him to Parliament he would continue, as
hitherto, the zealous,
.faithful, and industrious servant of the
public.—( Cheers.)
Mr. GROTE expressed his satisfaction at the reception be
with from so large and respectable a meeting, and could as-
sure them that no man could be more animated in the cause
than he was ; none would be more willing to carry into effec-
tual use the mandate which they might confide to him.
When last he addressed them that Ministry which bad carried
the Reform Bill were in power ; but the men in power now
were the very reverse of their predecessors ; they had done
everything in their power to oppose it, and therefore were
the last persons to be intrusted with the important task of
carrying its provisions into effect. He had an entire distrust
of the present Ministers, and he trusted that the citizens of
London entertained the same feeling, and were determined
to show it, by returning, as in 1831, four united reformers.
Mr. CRAWFORD concurred in the sentiments expressed by
his colleagues, and declared his determination to support the
Constitution as it exists ; but to reform its defects, restore its
equilibrium, and give a full and fair share of the Government
of the country to the people. He was glad to find that the shot
and ammunition about which so much had been said at the
Mansion-house dinner, was nearly expended, and that though
the struggle they were about to enter on would be severe, it
would have a triumphant issue.
Mr. PATTISON said he had not mixed much in politics, and
came forward only at the solicitation of his friends, who urged
him to it for the sake of the cause of Reform, of which he had
long been a sincere supporter. He was, as they knew from his
address, friendly to that great measure, the Reform, and so
were the great body of the people ; but till he had mixed with
the citizens during the present canvas, he had no notion of the
enthusiasm which pervaded them on that subject. He was not
in the habit of addressing so large a meeting, and would there-
fore refer them to his address which contained his political
sentiments, every word of which he would adhere to. If he
did not, he called on his fellow-citizens to take the first oppor-
tunity of turning, him out.
A vote of thanks was then passed to the CHAIRMAN, and
the meeting separated.