The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-29 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, Nov. 28.

The Court was crowded in consequence of various
indictments for libel and assaults : among the rest
there were two against John Dicas, the elder and
John Dicas the younger. Also a third, in which
John Dicas the elder was charged, together with
Charles Bluck, with printing and publishing a scan-
dalous libel concerning certain persons connected
with the Satirist paper.
Mr. Dicas, senior, complained to the Court that
he being a defendant in three causes on the traverse
paper, had, to his great surprise, discovered within
the last hall hour that the causes had been removed
by a writ of certiorari into a superior Court, if not
by the fiat, yet with the indulgence of this Court.
he CHAIRMAN wished Mr. Dicas to understand
that no fiat or indulgence would be allowed in that
Court which was not sanctioned by law.
Mr. Dicas did not wish to impugn the proceed-
ings of the Court, but thought that he ought to
have been apprised of the intention of his opponents
at the commencement of the Sessions, because then
he should have saved the expense of preparing for
the defence of himself and his co-defendants.

APOPLEXY.—A gentleman yesterday morn-
ing fell down in an apoplectic fit at the corner of Brown-
low-street, and is now lying unknown and expiring at the
Horse shoe and Magpie, at the corner of Bedford-street
and Red Lion-street, Holborn. He has on a black coat,
dark silk waistcoat, with yellow spots ; dark drab trou-
sers ; linen marked T. G.
FRIGHTFUL OUTRAGE.— DESTRUCTION
or A WHOLE FAMILY.-We have received the following
extract of a letter, dated Wexford, yesterday :—" The
civilized county of Wexford has presented a scene worthy
of ranking with Scullabogue. On Thursday night, a
large armed party surrounded and set fire to the house of
a titan named MAnnocxs, within eight miles of the town
of Wexford. There were in the house, MAnnocKs, his
wife, a son and daughter grown up, and two children, to-
gether with two policemen, who had been placed there
for protection, it having been burned before in August
last. The alleged cause was. MAnnocKs having taken
some ground over a former occupant. The inmates were
disturbed by the flames, and made no resistance, thinking
it hopeless, as the ❑umbers outside were great, and the
house on fire in every part. Of the two policemen who
first rushed out, one named WRIGHT, was shot dead.
The other escaped. The mother awl daughter were
shot through the heart. The son, who still lives,
but almost hopeless, was shot through the breast and
shoulder-joint, and left for dead ; and the father was
likewise left senseless, and for dead, most barbarously
mangled in the hea 1; his case, I may say, is hopeless.
The children escaped, whether by accident or not is nn-
known..—Dublin Evening Mail,

Sir JOHN SCOTT LILLIE who was received with
great cheering. He said he was ashamed to appear
before them after one of their present Members stated that
he had been their representative for 40 years. He did
not oppose him on his own account, but at the call of a
large ❑umber of the electors of the county of Middlesex.—
(Cries of " Question.") With respect to the subject
which was before the meeting, this was not the first
time he had been before the public fur the purpose of
stating his views upon these odious taxes ; and he consi-
dered it very proper, especially for a ❑ew candidate, that
lie should be called to a strict account of his opinions upon
subjects of great importance. At those meetings he had
expressed himself as decidedly opposed to the assessed
taxes, tithes, and in favour of the vote by banot.—
(Question.) He was a commissioner of assessed taxes,
but he served gratuitously ; he did not partake of the
taxes. Now, from his knowledge gathered in that charac-
ter, he was aware that these taxes pressed most heavily on
the tradesmen, and most cruelly on the poor labourer. He
had seen hundreds of poor men who had been summoned
before him, with tears in their eyes, declare that it was
almost impossible for them to get bread, yet must pay
these odious taxes. He had already pledged himself to
the abolition of those taxes, as he considered it necessary
for the tranquillity of the country. They would deserve
the degradation which would be their lot, if, now they
had the power, they did not use it so as to secure the en-
tire abolition of these assessed taxes.
Sir F. Burdett and Sir John Cam Hobhouse were the
next on the list, but were not present. Their names were
received with a mixture of cheering and hissing.
Colonel EvAras was next called upon, and was received
with several distinct rounds of cheers. Ile said that
several years ago he was guilty of publishing a small
tract, in which he alluded to those iniquitous taxes,
and also mentioned the subject of a graduated property
tax. He merely mentioned this to give him an opportunity
of saying that he still continued in the same opinion upon
that subject. The Chairman had said, that a reduction
of the expenditure was the best substitute for making up
the deficiency. He would mention another reason fur doing
so. The army was enlarged by many thousand men when
the present Ministry came into power. Now that the
country was peaceable, let them, at all events, reduce the
army to the same standard in which they found it. He
understood that the metropolis paid more in house duties,
&c., than 4.8 out of the 52 counties; therefore, it might be
more properly called a metropolitan tax than a window
one. Whether pledges were proper or not to be given,
or whether he was in or out of Parliament, he would sup-
port, to the utmost of his power, the spirit of the resolu •
tions then before the mee-ing.—(Great cheering.)
Mr. MURPHY was next called upon. He found himself in
an unfortunate situation. Anxious as he was to limit his
observations to the question then before the meeting, he
could have wished, in consequence of some gentlemen
having gone into the question of pledges, to have said
something upon them, and to have done as it was said
be had in his own borough, humbugged them as to the
necessity of requiring pledges.—(Cheers.) That meeting
was to give them an opportunity of pledging themselves
before the public to support the abolition of these
taxes, and the man who would not pledge himself had no
business among them.—(Cheers.) Something had been
said about the situation of Government if these taxes were
taken from them ; but if the Government were to com-
plain to him as to their want of them, he would put his
finger upon the Pension List.—(Tremendous cheering.)
He would point to the Royal expenditure.—(lmmense
cheering.) He would tell them to look at that of the
army.—(Tremendous cheers.) Then came sinecures.--
(Loud cheers.) He would prove to them that if they
were honest with regard to their motives of retrenchment,
the sinecures and pensions alone, if abolished, would
not only relieve the country from these taxes, but ►many
others.—(Loud cheers.) It you have a house, they make
you pay taxes for it ; if you do not, they send you to
gaol for three months as a vagabond.—(Tremendous
cheers.) There was hardly a house under 301. a year
that was not assessed to its full amount, or to the full ex-
tent of the rack-rent.—(Shame, shame.) Whilst in many
cases where persons paid 4001. a year they were not as-
sessed at more than 2501.—(Cries of " Shame, shame.")
Whether be was in or out ,of Parliament his anxious wish
would be to secure to the people economy and retrench.
went. He would advert to another circumstance which
was greatly indicative of the unfair manner in which the
taxes were levied. A friend of his, who had built a house
on which he had expended 1,5001., was only rated at 50/.
a year, while a tradesman who lived near him, and who
built a house that had not cost him 1,0001., was assessed
at 601.—(Shame.) The great waste of the public money
that had taken place on that tax, the patronage obtained
under it, the horrible manner i❑ which it pressed upon
the poor, forced upon him the necessity of having this
tax repealed. He had pledged himself to the consti-
tuency ; and if they considered him worthy of being their
representative, they would find him their humble servant.
—(Cheers and laughter•.)
The CHAIRMAN said that the next name upon the list
was Colonel Junes—( Cheers and hisses)—but he had sent
a letter begging to be excused. Sir William Horne was
next.—(Cheers.) He had written to state that be was
engaged in the Court of Exchequer.
Sir SAMUEL WHALLEY was then called on by the
Chairman. The Worthy Knight then stepped forward,
and addressed the meeting. He had the honour to be
one of the candidates for Marylebone, and it was his opi-
nion, that the great abuse which prevailed in the finan-
cial system of the country, arose from an undue control
in Parliament—(Loud cheering)—and the system of
taxation which existed was to his mind a clear proof
that the people of this country were a forgiving people.
If they wished to obtain any particular object, they roust
unite in returning Members who would vote for a reduc-
tion of the expenditure of the country. When the lion,
in company with the man, visited the haunts of society,
his attention was directed to a piece of sculpture, which
represented the lion being vanquished by a man. " Ah,"
said the lion, " that is because a man was the sculptor, but
if the lion had been the sculptor, it would have been re-
presented as the lion vanquishing the man." So it was
with the people of England, who had long been overcome
and oppressed by the aristocracy. The house and
window taxes were a glaring instance of that system of
taxation which only respected those who could best afford
to pay. It pressed most heavily on the country, parti-
cularly in great towns, but more especially in this
great metropolis, where it was a direct tax upon trade.
It was well known that house rent formed one-filth to one-
tenth of a man's expenditure. A person of 1001. a year
seldom paid less than 201. rent, and he of 1,000/. a year
seldom paid less than 100/. a year rent. With regard to
rating, if a man had 10,0001. a year, his house ought to
be rated at 1,0001. a year, and if he possessed 50,0001. a
year it ought to be rated at 5,000/. Here the people were
crowded together in an unhealthy metropolis, dept iced of
the light and air of heaven, the natural gifts of roan, even
when pestilence haunted the land. The question was of
such all-absorbing importance that he could go on for hours
to show the injustice of the tax, but it would detain the
meeting too long. If he should have the honour of being
sent to the House of Commons, the guardian of the rights
and privileges of his countrymen, his first step should be
to demand, not as an act of favour, but as an act of
justice, the immediate and total repeal of the house and
window tax.—(Loud cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said the next on his list was Mr. Wm.
Brougham, from whom no answer hdd been received._.
(Loud hissing.) The next Gentleman was Mr. L. B.
Allen, candidate for Southwark, and who was present.--
(Cheers.)
Mr. ALLEN we' received with loud cheers, lie would

The CHAIRMAN said the next on the list was Mr.
Sheriff Humphries, whose absence was accounted for by
the necessity of his attending to his official duties at Guild-
hall as he stated in his letter. After him followed Major
Revell, whose absence was occasioned by being confined to
his bed by illness. Then came Mr. R. Grant, who had
returned no answer—(Hisses)—but it was due to that
gentleman to state that there was reason to believe the
letter had been sent by mistake to Mr. C. Grant.—(Cries
of "He would not pledge himself.") The next name was
that of Charles Babbage, Esq., who was now present.
Mr. BABBACZ said be was unexpectedly called upon to
take a part iritre present discussion. If be had the good
fortune to be returned by the Finsbury constituency or by
any other body, his first object would be to obtain a re-
duction of the lavished expenditure of the country, as pre
liminary to a reduction of taxation. When that hid
been removed to the lowest amount, the safety of the
country admitted—(Here the speaker was interrupted by
loud hissing, and cries of " Off, off," and " Chair," which
for some time prevented his concluding the sen-
tence)----one of the first objects should be a reduction
of the taxes on knowledge; the next, a reduction oft the
tax on prudence and free-thought,—he meant the tax on
insurances ; and then a removal of those which pressed on
the productive industry of the country. He was con-
vinced there was great inequality in the operation of those
taxes which they were met to consider, but if he objected
to the tax on the light of heaven he objected more strongly
to the tax on the light of knowledge.—( Here the hissing
became so great that the Hon. Candidate was obliged to sit
down. )

The CHAIRMAN then announced Thomas Wakley, Esq.

Mr. WaicLEY was loudly cheered on his appearance.
He said, he appeared before them on the present occasion
with feelings of extraordinary satisfaction, because he was
to receive at their hands instructions as to his future con-
duct, in case he should be returned to Parliament.—
(Cheers.) Having long seen that the miseries of his
fellow countrymen resulted from a Government not acting
in uniformity with the feelings and interests of the people,
lie rejoiced to see the voice of the people triumphant,
and that they were determined to undertake the manage-
ment of their own affairs.—(Loud cheers.) Considering
the number of interests which were involved in the ques-
tion before them, he was not surprised that it was one
of some delicacy to certain parties. Taxes were levied,
in many instances, to support persons who spent them in
foreign countries.—(Hear.) What was the amount
of the taxes on windows ? They had been told
that it was little more than two millions, and that the pro-
posal to take that small sum cif could not be even alluded
to without their hearing of some new tax. Their Hon.
Chairman, when he gave that hint, did not mean that any
new tax should be levied ; he had only given the hint
over the left.—(Laughter.) Their Chairman was too
sincere and too honest a Radical—(Loud cheers)--not
to know that he could take off twenty millions of taxes.
If he (Mr. Wakley) should be returned to Parliament, he
undertook to prove that more than that soul could be
taken off without the slightest injury to the public
creditor. If the Government found it necessary to re-
place the amount, they might take away a slice of the
tithes. He was a great friend of the Bishops, and the
Clergy, and he asked what it was they preached? Hu.
niility and prayer.—(Laughter.) They tell the people
not to love riches—(Laughter)—to regard net the affairs
of this life, but to look to heaven ; and they further add, in
the sincerity of their hearts, that " it is easier for a camel
to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a
rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven."—(Cheers
and laughter. ) There was but a small chance, then, he
thought for the Bishop of London.—(Loud laughter.)
It required some sudorifics prescribed by Dr. Hume;
they must be sweated down to smaller dimensions.
In his own neighbourhood the ratings had been altered ;
but how ? Why, in every instance the rates were reduced
upon the rich, and raised upon the industrious classes.—
(Cries of " Shame.") His house at Greenfield was rated
at 801., whilst the rector's, which was twice the size,
was rated only at 401. In the Times newspaper the
people bad been urged, during the cry for the Reform
Bill, to spurn—to spit upon—to stamp upon any candi-
date who should offer himself without a pledge for
its support; but now that same paper told them
that they were to have no more pledges. But
would not the people insist upon pledges now that
they expected the fruit of that Reform Bill ?—(Cheers.)
One of the first fruits of the Reform Bill to which
they looked was a reduction of taxation ; but there were
so many rats in the larder who loved taxes, that,
unless they looked sharp after them, they would find the
result of the Reform Bill to be nothing.—(Cheers and
laughter.) Should he be returned to Parliament, of which
he had as little doubt as the gentlemen who preceded
him—(Cheers and laughter)—he should support this,and
every other reduction which the necessities of the people
required.—( Hear.)
Mr. TEMPLE said that this was a question of such a
nature, that a man who had not made up his mind upon
it, was not fit to be a representative of the people in Par-
liament.—(Cheers.) For his own part, he was happy to
say that he had pledged himself to the reduction of these
taxes. He had done so, because he was convinced that
these taxes were not only injurious in their pressure, and un-
just in their collection, but utterly indefensible in principle.
All that they had to look to, therefore, was the abolition
of these taxes ; with substitution they had nothing to do.
It was the duty of Ministers to show the necessity of a
substitute, and if they showed such a necessity, be should
take care that the substitute was not one which pressed
upon the industry of the people.—(Cheers.) As to pledges
of this kind being turned to party purposes, he would
say that, however such objects may have been obtained
in former Parliaments, they must be defeated hereafter.
—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. BENJAMIN HAWES, jun., candidate for Lambeth,
next rose, but had great difficulty in obtaining a hearing.
He was decidedly in favour of the repeal of these taxes, and he
had declared this so often that he had only to pledge him-
self to the fidelity of his former declarations. He sub..
witted to the doctrine that they had a right to cheap
government, and also that no tax should be substituted
toe one repealed till govertnnent was carried on at the
cheapest possible rate. lie should, therefore, vote for a
reduction of all taxes injurious to industry.—(A cry of
" What do you think of soap ?") He should now retire,
assuring the meeting of his cordial concurrence in the
object for which they were met.—(Cheers and hisses.)
Mr. D. WAKEFIELD would only detain them three
minutes. It was unnecessary to dwell upon the injurious
effects of these taxes for they came home to the business of
every inan.—(Hear, hear.) If a man were obliged to
carry a burden, he would not attach it to his legs, but place
it on the part best able to bear it. Now the taxes weighed
upon the legs of the country,—the working classes, but if
they must be kept on, there was still the back or head,
namely, the wealthy, who might well bear them.
The CHAIRMAN then said Dr. Lushington was next in
his list.—(Hisses.) The Doctor, though unavoidably ab-
sent, had, in his letter, said he fully agreed in the purport
of the meeting.—(Cheers.)
Mr. Mootte then said that he would not detain them
long, as he di.l not mean to make a canvassing speech. Ile
would tell them what he thought of pledges.--(Question.)
When he first became a candidate, he stated his opinions
in print on a variety of subjects, and one of his pledges in
that printed placard was, that if he was elected, he would
vote for the immediate repeal of the assessed taxes.—
(Laud cheers.) He had held these opinions upon
this subject for more than twenty years. By this the
meeting would judge of his present sincerity. He de-
clared most emphatically that he considered they ought to
be repealed immediately, for they were a disgrace to the
country.

Colonel LEICESTER STANHOPE was next called upon,
and was received with great applause. He said he would
not follow the example of the last Hon. Candidate, for he
would make a canvassing speech. On the first of August

last he had pledged himself to render hie best assistance
to procuring the repeal of those most obnoxious taxes,
and that he considered the best mode of canvassing to
the electors of the Tower Hamlets. He was glad to see
each a meeting, for it was only by such assemblages
that the Parliament could know what the opinions of the
people were.—(Cheers.) It was by the unions and asso-
ciations that they had gained the Reform Bill.—(Cheers.)
Besides, the other party bad their Orange Clubs and Con-
servative Associations, then why should not the people
also have theirs ?—(Great cheering.) He was most de-
cidedly opposed to those taxes now the subject
of discussion. This suffering country could no longer
suffer such a load of taxation as she was op-
pressed with, but the assessed taxes were the most
odious of all, for they were the manufacture of an odious
oligarchy, who imposed them upon the industrious classes,
while they took care that they should escape themselves.
He had heard of taxation without representation being
tyranny; but this was worse, for it all fell upon those
classes who never had been represented, and on many
who even now would not be. It was upon princi-
ples of reason that he was in favour of the abo-
lition of these taxes. It was said that there ought
to be no pledges, because Parliament was a delibe-
rative assembly; but be would ask, was there no other
body in the nation capable of deliberating but them?
Did not the people deliberate? Did not the Press deli-
berate ? and was not that a deliberative meeting ? If,
upon the deliberations in Parliament, he was convinced
that these taxes ought to be continued, what did it matter
though he were pledged to their abolition ? His course
in such a case would be to call his constituents to-
gether, and tell them that his opinion was changed
—tell them the reasons which had turned him—
and if they were not sati•fied with them, the❑
he would give back that trust which they had
confided to him. This would apply in all cases and to
all subjects. If sent to Parliament, he would raise his
voice as loudly as he then did in favour of the repeal of
these odious taxes.—(Great cheering.)
Mr. CLAT then came forward amidst mingled hisses
and applause. He said, if he believed that one of those
marks of disapprobation was honestly and fairly due to
him, he would never have thought of coming forward
as a candidate, nor would he have ever dared to ap-
pear before the meeting ; but the fact was, they were
not given to him as he was in reality, but merely as he had
been represented to be. lie went heart and band in the
wishes of the meeting. If he was ever in the Reformed
Parliament, he would strenuously assist in the abolition of
those odious taxes. There was one topic which lie had
not yet touched upon, and he considered that it was
one which put those taxes in a more odious light. Many
people went to the continent, in his opinion, mainly be-
cause they, by so doing, escaped from this imposition ;
and if it was taken off it would make the tempta-
tion the less for the absenteeism of his countrymen.
When this tax was abolished, probably another must be
substitutc-I—(Hisses.) He merely meant to say that if
a substituted tax should be wanted, in his opinion it
ought to be a property tax, and it ought to be pressed
heavily on absentees. The Honourable Candidate con-
cluded amidst much hissing and partial cheering. _

Captain MA RRYATT was then called upon by the Chair-
man, and in his coming forward he was received with
hisses and tremendous cries of " Off, off." The greatest
uproar here took place, and the worthy Chairman, toge-
ther with Mr. Charles Pearson, endeavoured in vain to
obtai❑ the Gallant Captain a hearing ; almost every
word that he spoke was drowned in uproar and
confusion. All that we could hear was, that
he was i❑ favour of the repeal of the house and
window taxes, and would do all in his power to give
comfort and competency to the . lower classes ; that
course he was determined to pursue, whether the meeting
applauded or hissed him. . _ _

Mr. PY3I of Greenwich then came forward amidst
long and continued cheers. lie was delighted to see
so great a meeting giving their sanction and applause to
men who were determined to pull down the horrible
system of taxation which now existed. He was a decided
enemy to the house and window tax; for, as a Commis-
sioner of Taxes, be had had an opportunity of witnessing its
operation. He trusted that the people would not be satis-
fied with the pledges of candidates who were asking
for their suffrages to vote for the repeal of the home
and window tax, but that they would demand pledges
from them to vote for the repeal of other and
equally nauseous taxes. He concurred entirely
with the resolutions which had been passed that
day, and he trusted that the time was not far distant
when he should not only see the house and window tax
repealed, but a great many others.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. FREDERICK HAISIMOND then addressed the meet-
ing. He was one of those who had given pledges, and it
gave him great pleasure that he had done so, for he thought
it the duty of every man who wished a seat in the House
of Commons, having the good of his country at heart,
to let his constituents know what the course was be in-
tended to pursue. If he was sent to Parliament.—(Cries
of " Yes, if you are")—he should oppose every unjust and
iniquitous tax, especially that on houses and windows.
Nlr. CIIARLES PEARSON then read the whole of the
resolutions.

Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR said that although be might
differ from some of the meeting, he tru.ted be should be
heard patiently. He thought, then, in order to consult
the welfare of the people, they ought not to tie up their
representatives.—(Hisses.) They should not tie up them-
selves to a repeal of a particular tax, but go into a ge-
neral revision of the taxes, some of which pressed
upon the labouring classes, as well as upon the
middle classes. Would the repeal of the house
and window taxes best relieve the starving labourers ?
The whole system of the excise not only took money from
the pockets of the poor, but overset the English Consti-
tution, rendering every man's house no longer his castle.
Again there were the taxes on knowledge.—(The cries
here became so loud that Mr. Taylor could not be heard.)
Mr. linmE begged to remind him that the question was
as to the house and window taxes.

Mr. TAYLOR rose amidst great uproar, but being un-
able to obtain a hearing concluded by moving, as an
amendment, a resolution, to the effect that they should
support those who would move and advocate a revi-
sion of the taxes generally.
Mr. JOHN NICHOLSON said that this resolution was
untitned. When they had got rid of these oppressive
taxes they could help Mr. Taylor to repeal others.
Mr. PITT having said a few words, as also another per-
son whom the meeting would not hear, on account of the
lateness of the hour,

Mr. STEVENS said that there were enemies in the camp
who wanted to distract their attention from the question
which they were assembled to discuss, and verity the
words of the Times, this morning, that they would only
have one side.

Dr. Wan;: said he would not second Mr. Taylor's re-
solution, because it would nut now be of any service, but
at any other meeting he would. The amendment was
then withdrawn, for want of a seconder, and the original
resolutions were unanimously carried, with the exception
of Mr. Taylor.
Other resolutions were then carried, requesting Mr. Hume
and a deputation from the different metropolitan districts,
to carry a copy of the resolutions to Earl Grey ; to pre-
pare a petition to Parliament, in conformity with the reso-
lutions ; and to appoint the gentlemen who called the meet-
ing a committee for these purpose,, with power to add to
their number ; which were carried unanimously amidst
thundering applause.
Mr. M'Lm:on said that as they had heard the opinions of
the various gentlemen who had addressed them he wished
also to say a few words. He moved, " That it is the
opinion of this meeting that every individual who solici ed
the suffrages of the electors should be required to pledge
himself to support measures for the repeal of the house
and window tax, and to advocate short Parliaments and
vote by ballot."—(Loud bissivg.)
The CHAIRMAN stated that he had prevented the various
candidates Irons mixing up in any way the different
questions, and therefore lie hoped the gentleman would
confine himself to those which the meeting had bee❑ called
to consider.

Mr. M'LEon again attempted to address the meeting,
but was prevented by the loud disapprobation of the
audience.
Mr. NictßnsoN moved that the warmest thanks of the
meeting be given to Mr. Hume, for his able and
impartial conduct in the Chair, and to declare that
they could not separate without expressing their deep
sense of gratitude for his unparalleled exertions in Parlia-
ment, towards obtaining a 'eduction of taxation.—(Loud
cheers.)
Mr, PtAssort seconded the resolution" whi,:b was then