The Sun.
London, England, 1835-01-13 00:00:00

Coercion Bill.--(Loud cheers.) It is very true-that the late
Parliament has much to answer for in punks that Blll—
only to you. the present constituency, but also atthninu•
of posterity. And here I beg to assure you, if you wile:lye
trust to him who now speaks to you, it was only on theedu-
derstanding that amongst the Ministerial arrangements, the
Coercion Bill was not to form the basis for the Government
of Ireland, that my Lord Duncannon and myself joined the
late Cabinet.--( Loud cheers.) It is right, considering
that I am now standing here to give an account
cf my stewardship__l say it is right that I should tell
you that, when the King did me the honour to pro-
pose, through his Prime Minister, that I should join the Ca-
binet which was then about to be formed, I said to that noble-
man there must be one or two questions first answered as pre-
liminaries, and without which I cannot enter the service of
the Crown. The first question was, "Is the Irish Coercion
Bill to be passed?" Lord Melbourne answered " No." My
next question was as to the Irish Church Establishment, and
the appropriation of its superfluous revenue, as "I never could
consent to the absurd proposition that the means designed for
the maintenance of a national establishment, in places where the
functions were not exercised, should not be appropriated to
the service of the people.—( Cheers.) Such a proposition
appeared to me little short of madness. It is true that some
influential gentlemen differed from me ; but not in the late
Administration ; they were all agreed that this should be the
principle and basis on which our Government was to be formed
—that instead of fighting against shadows or contending
against the removal of those things which could not be main-
tained according to the dictates of common sense and coin-
mon reason, we should at once come to the determination
that, when the revenues were not wanted they should not
be retained. It was always intended by the late Cabinet,
on the first meeting of Parliament, to give notice of
another bill, for adjusting in a much better manner than
at present the English Church Establishment, and for a com-
mutation of tithes, on a plan which I firmly believe would,
when well considered, be satisfactory to all.--( Cheers.) We
also intended to bring in measures of redress for all practical
grievances under which the Dissenters are labouring—(Hear,
hear)—so that the causes of real complaint might be com-
pletely removed. And I can speak with more certainty on
this stibject, as I happened to be one of that section in that
-Cabinet to whom was entrusted the preparation of those mea-
sures, and I have the bills now at home. I have now stated
what was our intention at the first opening of the session, and
I trust you will think with me, it was a tolerably good bill of
fare. We, however did not rest here—we went further—we
proposed to do for England what had already been done for
Scotland, by introducing into this country great and salutary
municipal reform.—(Loud cheers, in which several of the
Nottingham Corporation joined.) We were, in fact, a
Government, opposed to monopoly in every sense of the
word—the determined opponents of all monopoly of
power that was not exercised for the general good.
Cheers.) Whether it was for this we have been dismissed
from office is not for me to say, though it may be for you to
guess. A story has been told, that there was disunion in the
Cabinet—that we were not all agreed upon certain points.
Upon my word, it is a fable from beginning to end, for at no
time during the existence of the Melbourne Administration,
which was only about four months, was there the slightest
division of opinion. And this, indeed, was but natural ; for it
will be recollected, that when the changes occurred after the
secession of the Stanley party, and then the retirement of
Earl Grey, it inevitably followed that our Government was
rendered more popular, having for its basis the measures
which I have now detailed to you.—(Hear.) You may depend
upon it, that so sure as the constituency of England send a
majority to the House of Commons to act against the present
Government, so certain will the measures of future Cabinets
be decided for the next half century. If the present Govern-
ment should fall quickly by a vote in the new House of Com-
mons, it will be impossible for this country ever to be governed
again except by men of decided political character. This is
my opinion of the appeal which the head of the Cabinet has
made to the nation ;_ and if I should be honoured with your
suffrages, it is- my determination to act according to the best
of my judgment, and follow your directions in Parliament.—
(The Right Hon. Baronet concluded amidst loud and con-
tinued cheering.)