The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-12 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK MEETING.-(THIS DAY,

Pursuant to a requisition presented to Mr. Holmes, the
High Bailiff; by upwards of 160 of the most respectable inha-
bitants of Southwark, a public meeting was this day held at
Twelve o'clock, at the To*n Hall, to take into consideration
the present alarming state of the country. The High Bailif
took the chair precisely at twelve, but offered not to commence
the proceedings till Mr. Brougham's arrival, Mr. Calvert stating
that he had promised to be present at the time. Mr. Brougham
did not arrive for the space of half an hour, but when he did
come he was loudly cheered, as had been Mr. Calvert. At
a few minutes after twelve,
Mr. HOLMES directed the requision to be read, and stated
that he had immediately appointed the meeting for today,
having chosen both the day and hour at the suggestion of the
requisitionists.

Mr. THOMAS then moved that the meeting should adjourn
to the outside of the Hall, on account of the great crowd col-
lected there.

The HIGH BAILIFF expressed his fear that the noise of
passing carts would prevent the speeches from being heard.—
(Cries of " There is plenty of room here," and " Adjourn,
adjourn.") He understood that a Committee of the Requisi-
tionists had prepared the resolutions that were to be proposed,
and he had no doubt that the whole proceedings of the day
would be characterised by that gentlemanly conduct which he
had always found to prevail at the meetings of the inhabitants
of Southwark. The country was in a most alarming state,but he
trusted that the proceedings of the day would be such as to
do credit and honour to the inhabitants of the first borough in
the empire.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. ELLIS said, that he rose to move the first resolution,
but before doing so, would take the liberty of making a few
observations, which he trusted would meet with the appro.
bation of the !netting. They now found themselves in this po.
action, that a small majority of the House of Lords were placed
in direct opposition to the wishes of the whole people.—(Hear,
hear.) They had encountered a crisis which they had no rea-
son to expect when they last met, for then they had
the expectation that long before this time the Reform
Bill would have been carried, and that they should
have been enjoying some of the fruits of it. If the
people did not succeed in the Constitutional struggle
which was about to commence, they would be in a situation
of slavery, and insist look to be still ground down by taxes.
Society at large must be degraded in proportion as society ad-
vanced, for with the advance of aristocracy, after the late con-
duct of the House of Lords, what could they expect but
;tyranny ?—(Hear, hear, hear.); He could not bring his mind to
sfielieve that his most gracious Majesty William IV. had given
up his people. [The speaker paused slightly here as if expect-
ing a cheer, but the silence of the meeting was most marked,
perfect stillness having succeeded to the slight hum which
mostly prevails in large assemblies.] He could not bring
his mind to believe but that his Majesty wished well to
the country.— -(The same silence.) It was to the base advisers
who had altered his Majesty's mind that they must attribute
the frustration of their hopes.—(A solitary " Hear.") What
had those advisers done ? They had deprived our gracious Mo-
narch of the love and admiration of the people.—(Hear, hear,
hear.) They had placed him in the most unpleasant of situa-
tions, and if they were tostfered to proceed in this course, they
would, he feared, but 114Ped not, endanger the Throne of this
realm. It was not right to avoid speaking openly on this sub-
ject.—(Hear, hear.) Any man of common observation
might see which way the tide was flowing; and that as it
had flowed so far it would not stop.—(Hear, hear.) In his
opinion it ought not to stop.—(Cheers.) [The cries for an ad-
journment of the meeting to outside the Hall here became
general; but on Mr. Calvert suggesting that the reporters
would not be able to hear so well outside as in the Hall, Mr. Ellis
proceeded]—The House of Lords had, by their conduct, stopped
all public business. The state of Ireland—the agricultural pauper
population, and many other subjects, had not been considered as
they would have been had the Lords passed the Reform Bill.
The shouts of the people outside for an adjournment of the
meeting became now so loud, that on the motion of Mr.
Richardson, it adjourned accordingly. The High Bailiff (the
Members for the Borough) and the different requisitionists who
were entrusted with bringing forward the resolutions, took
their stations in waggons prepared for the purpose.
Mr. ELLlSproceeded—The Houseof Lords somewhat resem-
bled the old man in the fable, who,although deaf, blind, and lame,
would not take warning of the approach of death. If they did
not see that the fate of the nobility of France might,. if they
obstinately resisted the wishes of the people, also be their's,
they must be both blind and deaf.—(Cheers) His Majesty,
with the most gracious condescension had been in the habit of
receiving all classes of his subjects ; but the consequence had
been the prevalence of the influence of base intriguers. No
other conclusion could be come to, when they saw the change
in his Majesty's conduct. after having been for twelve months in
favour of the Reform Bill. What, however, was the conduct now
becoming in the people i He did not recommend any thing
like a repetition of the Bristol riots ; but, on the contrary,
trusted that no set .of people would proceed to the demolition
of public buildings or property.—(Loud cries of " No, no.")
It was unnecessary ; for it was impossible for any thing to pre-
vent the Reform Bill passing. Besides, they must consider they
had nothing opposed to them but a faction in the House of Lords;
whilst their own regular regiment, the House of Commons, was
firm in the discharge of its duty, and had already given one dis.
charge of its artillery in the shape of Lord Ebrington's resolution.
They had all heard of the ancient prophecy that Richard the
Thirdahould lose his crown when Birnam Wood came to Dun-
sinane.—(Laughter, and Oesof!: Macbeth.")' It was so, but
it did not matter for the purpose of his illustration ; fur what he
meant to say was, that if the House of Lords did not take warn-
ing, Wapping would come to Whitehall.—(Cheers and laugh-
ter.) If they did not take warning, he was convinced that
Birmingham steel would be Opposed to Westminster gold
After a few more observations, in which Mr. Ellis said that the
people had before them, as the glowing reward of their exer-
tions, freedom, retrenchment, said economy. ' 'th'en named
the following resolaticiii,'Which was received a ith loud cheers :
That the inhabitants of Southwark having firmly relied
upon his Majesty's declaration,_ and the consistent support which
he has hitherto rendered to Parliamentary Reform' are struck
with grief and consternation at finding that his Majesty has
been counselled to refuse the only means that were left of over-
coming the base intrigues of a faction leagued together for the
purpose of driving from the councils of the So7ereilin an honest
Ministry, who possessed Ctx ;i.l:.fidenet; • riot only tit 'their King,
but also of the-people.
Mr. RICHARDS seconded the resolution. When he had
last the honour of addressing them, the question in everybody's
mouth was " What will the Lords do ?" That question was
put with anxiety, but not with uneasiness, for at that time they
had on their side him they considered a patriotic Monarch—
him who they thought went with the people—him who they
thought would stand in the breach against the oligarchs, because
he called on the two Houses of Psrlisansnt to consider the question
of how the abuses in the•represtntatibn*of the people might be
redressed.--IHe was sorry to say, that owing to bad advisers
the King was no longer on their side.—(Cries of " Nu, no;
not he.") They were all aware that for the best and wisest
purposes, it was not usual to impute to the King any wrong—
but they might impute wrong, and they did impute wrong on
this occasion, to his base and feeble advisers.—(Cheers.) Whe-
ther those advisers were clothed in petticoats or in purple—
whether they were foreign women or ba.:Lrdz, was immate.
rial to for tse•they 3vhbi thoy;mlolit,'he 'imputed
blame to th:61.6 Who Ocretly and isresponsiply gave advice to
the King, directly contrary to that of his honest,
awe and
constitutional advisers. Ho hoped the King would yet see reason,
and be guided by those Ministers who were actuated by a sin_
cere desire to promote his welfare and glory in common with
the safety and happiness of them all. Hewes born, as Canning
had said, under a monarchy, and he felt it his duty to support
the kingly office, but one of the objections to hail always
appeared to him Ss be :he King was. liable to back-stairs
influence and -thitiiistreating .or fetuales—which was equally
objectionable, whether they were courtezans or women of rank,
binding themselves to the purposes' of Al! history
showed the ill censeqilenCpS'ef'WqlllP4 0'1443 ilnitlence in the
souncils of the state. They all knew that Ahab, King of Israel,
was advised by Jezebel his wife—and that Louis XVI. was
advised by a German. He hoped and trusted that
-,ur Monarch would not lend himself to the insinuations of a
roreign woman, when even that woman might be against the
advice of his honed, responsible, and constitutional Ministers.
—(Loud and long-continued cheer:; had been said
although he pretended not la Itnaw' the fact, that there was
another adviser 'near the King, beSides a foreign woman. It
had been said that the man who was lately created Earl of

Munster had been busy upon this occasion. It ill became him,
looking at his origin,
_considering _ that he was the -son oe i.
player-woman, to advise his father to act against tin
sense, interest, and welfare of the English people.—
It had been said, but. he hoped it was not true, that the smia
Earl of Munster, and they all knew that ambition grew upon
what it fed, having already had high honours conferred upoi
him, was desirous of having greater, and had been consultim
with the Duke of Wellington with a view to set aside ths
legal succession to the throne. It became them, therefore,
this occasion to guard against the possible dangers of a civil
war. As he had before said when they last met, the question
in every body's mouth was, " What will the Lords do ?" But
now the question was, " What will the people do ?"—(Loini
cheers.) He was sure that it was not required of him t,
recommend order to so peaceable and well-disposed an assembly
as the present. He was sure that it was not required of Lin.
neither to recommend submission to the laws, for they must
know that it was only by moral force that they were to overcome
the abominable practises and insolent attempts of the borough.
mongering faction. The matter at issue between that faction
and the people was, whether they should be obliged to sur-
render what little was left them after the excessive taxation they
had been subjected to.—(Cries of " No, no," "they shall not
have it.") He knew that such would be their answer, and
doubted not they would use every constitutional means to
oppose a base oligarchy—they could not do better than trust in
the House of Commons, the tendency of whose late reso-
lution on Lord Ebrington's motion was as far as possible
to stop the supplies. Unfortunately the supplies had been
granted ; but the Appropriation Act had not been passed ; so
that even if the boroughmongers came into power, Mrs. Ar_
buthnot would not be able to profit by it.—(Cheers.) A dis-
solution of Parliament was spoken of, but that would only
produce a more impracticable House of Commons. Another
mode of resis:ing the boroughmongers which had been sug-
gested, was to refuse the payment of taxes. Hampden had
refused to pay taxes, and his example had always been held up
for the imitation of Englishmen placed in similar situations,—
;Loud cheering.) There was no necessity for entering into
any agreement or combination; for common sympathy would
at the proper time direct Englishmen what to do—(Cheers)
and if any person should think it his duty to refuse payment of
taxes, he trusted if his goods were seized, no one would pur-
chase them.—(Continued cheers.) The speaker then referred
to some morning paper which had, he was informed, ratted
from the cause of Reform, but the name of which he could not
mention, as he had not heard it. He trusted that no friend of
Reform would continue to take in such a paper which had
gone over to the enemy. After a few farther observations, Mr.
Richards retired amidst cheers, and the resolution was carried
with acclamation.
Mr. WOOD said, approving as he did of every word that had
fallen (torn the two gentlemen who had preceded him, it would
be unnecessary for him to take up much of the time of the
time of the meeting, yet in proposing the next resolution, he
could not but notice the last observation which had fallen from
the Gentleman who spoke last—he meant that which noticed
the report of a morning paper having gone over to the enemy.
He was aware that some of the parties connected with that
paper were intimately connected with that great statesman the
Duke of Buckingham—(A laugh) but he would tell the editor
and proprietors of that paper, that though their circulation was
large, it was raised to the present pitch by the advocacy of the
people)s rights, and they had better look to the signs of the
times before taking a step which would sink the paper below
even that so much beloved one of the Tories, the Morning
Post. It was now upwards of two months since they had all
seen the circular letter issued by the Earl of Harrowby, that
lettar had never been denied, but rather avowed, in explana.
tion it was said that it never was meant for the eye of the pub.
lic—he fully believed that, but it having been before them,
could they not now trace the intrigue which had led to the
defeat of Ministers on Monday. In the letter the Noble Earl
says he knew that Earl Grey had power, if the Bill was thrown
out on the second reading, to insure its final success, therefore
lie counselled that it should be allowed to pass that stage and
then they could, in Committee, make such mutilations in it as
they chose, but if Lord Grey was forced to take his measures,
they would then have no chance of doing so, because he would
then be too strong for them. Now what had been their conduct
—had they not allowed the second reading to pass, but the mo-
ment they had an opportunity in the committee they began
their other plan of tactics; and defeated the Bill effectually, by
voting against schedule A under a weak pretence of only poSt-
poning it. The next in order of the opponents of the Bill was
the Duke of Buckingham, that illustrious pauper who was now'
paying off his debt by instalments. Then came my Lord
Lyndhurst, that Learned Lord, the most grateful and
the poorest man in the kingdom, who was content to

live by means which the poorest man he then addressed
would spurn at, a means, which, through delicacy, he

would no more hint at. The Noble and Illustrious Duke of
Cumberland—(Hisses)—must nor be forgotten—he well de-
served those marks of disapprobation from all honest or moral
men : he also, the man who had been by his immorality, the
cause of the death of a brother Peer, must be the enemy of the
people. It had been said in the House of Commons that it was
indelicate to speak of a woman in political matters. He cared
not for that advice, for if women meddled with things with
which they had no earthly business, they must put up with
those remarks to which they rendered themselves liable by their
conduct. He would say look to history, and it would be seen
that a Queen had. led a King of this country to the
scaffold—had it not been for the conduct of Catharine
the First, Charles the First whould never have ended
his life ou the scaffold. Instances of the same sort were to be
found in plenty in the annals of France, and he would advise
our King to take warning by these lessons which were laid be.
ibre him: lie would give the King every right to act as he
pleased, but in his Kingly character he must act for the peo-
ple's benefit, or the people must take care of themselves—it
their bounden duty to do so. If it beCatne a question whether
the King, the Peers, or the people, the unanimous people of
England, should give Way, was there a man who could say in
his conscience that it was the duty of the people. He had
almost forgot another:enemy of the people in the person of the
Duke of Wellingtcat man had been praised much
above his deserts.-7-(Cli4era.) He hhd been too well paid
for anything that he h:ad. ever done.—(Great cheering.)
That was the man also who was the most consistent that had
ever appeared in the political horizon of our country. They
would all remember that when Mr. Canning was appointed
Prime Minister, the Duke could not hold office, though a sub-
ordinate one, because Mr. Canning was in favour of Catholic
emancipation. The Duke had also said that he would be mad
if he would take that same office, yet no sooner had he by his
wiles got over that weak Monarch, George the Fourth, than in
he stepped ; and when the Catholics said to hint We must
have emancipation, he, with true soldierly feeling, said, "
yes, I will gjve it you ; I am afraid of you, and,
therefore, you shall have it." There was consistency
for them with a vengeance. The same game would
now be attempted with Reform—he had heard that the Duke
of Wellington was appointed Minister—(Loud cries of " No,
no)," and he had no doubt that he would now attempt to carry
that Bill which he had so much cried out against, but would
they accept it from him—(No, no,)—he trusted in God, thcy
would not, but that the people would never pe quiet till the
late honest Ministry was once more in their places,
Lord Grey had kept his pledge in bringing in an efficient Re.
form Bill, therefore the people could never leave him in the
lurch.—(Loud cries of, "We will not.") Lord Grey had been
accused of being the cause of all the agitation that was now in
the country, but he denied that Lore Grey could be charged
with that ; he, by introducing the Bill, had forwarded the ques-
tion a little, but it had long slumbered, and must soon have
burst forth. He had great pleasure in proposing for the adop_
tier of the meetingthe secomi resolution, asfollows:—
That the refusal of the ruling powers tt',e hjsteri tc, the lust
demands of the people hat nefony it put' own country, but also
in foreign stat•:s, isedi 'the' anise of anarchy and confusion, the
deposition of Monarchs, and the subversion of Governments, and
we feel it to be our duty most earnestly and anxiously to entreat
his Majesty to use every means in his power to avert the danger
which now threatens this country, of similar effects from a similar
cause.

Mr. ARPTIIORP seconded the resolution, which was aLe
carried unanimously.

Mr. DAVIS said he had t cen .:-.4.4ted to propose to th&rn
the third resolution, whieli Ire did with great pleasure. lie had
been born, and had lived for 42 years within sight of where he
then stood, and all that time he had been a sincere Refoimer
lie had .opened the Reform account in his ledger in the names
of Grey, Brougham, Althorp, and Co.—(Laughter.; The dbbt•
was now large, and was every day increasing, but though 'lt
should be paid by. Wellington, he could ar.f.ure him that,,b,
never would get credit 'Li' pardefit tn lie bo4s;,(4reat
cheering., -44, 'Oren theenemies of the people, were oow
Reformer.; ; but it was only a stale Tory trick, lint it
would fail to deceive the people. It mattered not to .601
whether the evil advisers of the King were dressed in petti&)ats
or not--(Cheers) but he could only say the people of. England
would not now be led by petticoat government, there.waf a time,
and if the same things were to be done again, they•Wculd yet put
up with it, he referred, to the time.cf .I.li.abetl: when the tobk
smock-frocks and the lawn sleeves from the Bith-ofs.—((kre4t
cheering.) The time was now getting on fast, 4,10 -inq,ny?l'ioi'e
who were better able to'tell the people ,:vl;at, they might to do
11
had yet to speak, WP.1114 t4roleie Conclude by calling on
the people to continue then confidence in the late Ministry.--7
Xlieers.) He then proposed the third resolution
3. That the people of England canna haVe any confidence in
an Administration composed ofinen who have invariably opposed'
all Reform, or who have pretended to be Reformers, only.:. a
cloak for their own interested views, .

Mr. LOCK seconded tho 4“..tiou witO great pleasure. He
never head one proposerbto a f?nbliremeeting in WAich he
so ennliallyjoirit&-- There was a spirit abrwtd! ip tha breasts
of Englishmen, whicii iyokic tlot Allow them to be trampled
under foot Up AKY .111411----.1.10 a dictator; or the Duke of Wel-
lington, He could not believe that the King could again place
confidence in that man ; but if his Majesty should be so weak
as to offer to trust again with the Government he has
an humble individual, would advise the Duke to look arid
consult the spirit of the times bef're he eitxepciAl
The resoluti'_-:. Chen put ,and; th'e' Others, *riled
unanimously, • • • • • • -

Mr. THOMAS proposed the fourth Teinintiot, and was
• The folle7ill6 Me the remaining resolutions whieh were sub.
ed
mitt the meeting:-
4. That an address be presented to his Majesty, pointing out
the alarming danger which now threatens the stability of the
throne, the safety of the Church, and the existence of the privi-
leged oriteil of society, from the disappointment which i 4 sect lry
the people at the forced retirement from the Adminlitration• of
the supporters of Reform-1'9111;41s ',rating With hir Majesty for
having allowed his faithful Ministers to tesign,l'teprysentrinz want of confAcnO of ihe,peofile'iri any Adritinistratien ttos GOITI•
POSed of men who haVe''steadily and t,e4busly supported and al-
vocatedpieform, 'and earnestly' entreating him to reinstate those
Ministers who have so faithfully discharged their duty to their
King and to the people, and to support them by the exercise of
his prerogative in such a manner as is necessary to carry the
great measure of Parliamentary Reform.

5. That the Address now read be approved ofand adopted,
'hat the High_ Bailiff, .accompanied by. our . Represeutati
Parliament, be requested to present the Same to his Majesty-,at
the earliest opportunity.
6. That in this important ctisis, it is the duty of the peopleit.
adopt all constitutional means of enforcing their undoubted right
be fairly and truly represented in the Commons House of Par-
liament; and, therefore, that a petition be presented to the Ho:i
of Commons, praying them to refuse all supplies not already
granted, and not to appropriate those which are granted until
the Reform Bill now pending in the House of Lords shall 1
passed into a law, unmutilated and unimpaired in all its
provisions.
'7. That the petition now read be approved of and adopted, and
that Mr. Calvert be requested to present the same to the House
of Commons, and that lie and Mr. Brougham be requested to sup-
port the prayer thereof. and to vote against all supplies. &c., until
an efficient Reform Bill shall be passed.
8. That we hereby express our sense of the steadfast fidelity of
our Representatives, Charles Calvert and William Brougham,
Esqs., and our most warm, heartfelt gratitude to the great
honourable majority of the House of Commons that voted th,
timely and salutary address to his Majesty, which was moved by
Lord Ebrington.