The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-04 00:00:00

LONDON, FREMY EVENING, MAY 4, 1832.

NATIONAL POLITICAL UNION.

Last night an extraordinary meeting of the mem-
bers of this Union was held at the Great Room re
Saville House. The room was crowded with menu
bets. About half-past eight the Council took thei,
seats upon the platform,nnd received with loud cheers
Josern Hustle Esq., M,P., took the Chair, and
expressed his earnest desire, as a member of ths
Union, to do anything calculated to serve their in-
terests there or elsewhere.—(Cheers.) He took
the opportunity of making a few remarks on the
circumstances which made their meeting necessary.
The point Reformers looked to was this—they
were aware that by a compromise on the part of
some of the Anti•reforming Lords, the Ministers
had carried the second reading; but they were also
aware that those Lerds had said, that unless they
could do this, that, and the other in the Committee,
they would still turn round and vote against it. For
his part, if they did in Committee anything like a
third of what they proposed, he would not give a
fig for the Bill.—(Loud cheers.) They were met,
therefore, to call upon the House of Peers to pass
the Bill unmutilated and untouched in any of
those great principles, without which it would be
utterly valueless. They might depend upon it that
the Peers would make as many alterations in the
BIN as they thought could be made with safety. It
was necessary, therefore, to assume a firm position;
nothing had ever been gained by the people of Eng-
land but by presenting a sturdy front, and exhibiting
an undaunted determination.—( Cheers.) If he had
read the pages of history right, the freedom of England
had been most advanced in times of difficulty and
danger. It was when the people would no longer
submit to pillsge and plunder—it was then, and not
till then, that any thing could or would be wrung
from the aristocracy. Nothing was to be gained
but by union—the most determined union on the
part of the people.—(Applause.) lie could not
wish that any expression should fall from him which
might be construed into want of confidence in Lord
Grey—still he could not but regret that the course
which that Minister had thought proper to take,
was not that bold and decided course which it would
have been his best policy to have adopted. There
was Earl Grey with the people at his back, with the
Sovereign at his elbow ; and thus supported, good
God ! what had Lord Grey and Ministers to fear
from the fraction of the nobility opposed to them ?
—(Cheers.) It was their policy to have taken a
more decided course ; there was nothing which
struck more terror and dismay into the minds of the
Tories, than the circumstance of the King coming
down in 24 hours, and dissolving in person that
Parliament which had opposed itself to the declared
wishes of the nation. If, after the rejection of the
Bill in the Lords by a majority of 41, thenext morn-
ng's Gazette had contained a list of 60 new Peers,
created for the purpose, the whole Bill would have
been passed long ere this.—( Great cheering.) The
Ministers had thought differently; they might, per-
haps, have adequate reasons for the course which
they had thought proper to pursue; but it was the
duty of the people of England to prove that in them
there had been no change; that their opinion re-
mained unaltered ; that they were still determined
to have Reform—(cheers)—and that they would
have all that the House of Commous had granted ;
and that they would not be satisfied with one iota
less. To those who had any objection to the crea-
tion of Peers, he would address a few words.
Almost during his own life—at least, from the com-
mencement of the reign of George 111. to that of
William IV.—no less than 360 Peers had been
greeted. Of these, 330 had been Tory Peers, made
by the dominating power—for what purpose, but
for the purpose of carrying measures, not merely not
consistent with,but actually opposed to, the interests
of the public ? If, therefore, the Tories had made
300 Peers and upwards, to carry measures opposed
to the wish of the nation, he appealed to their com-
mon sense whether any Minister should have hesi-
tated to create Peers to any number, for the sake of
carrying a measure which a whole nation united in
demanding. Lord Grey was too much afraid of the
power opposed to him. Much had been said on the
subject of threats. It was said, " What ! surely
you'll not threaten the Peers ; they are brave men,
and will not be intimidated ;" but he would say, that
they never gave anything up in their lives without
being threatened, and they never would. They
would never remove their yoke till the people
evinced their determination no longer to submit to
it.—(lmmense cheering.)
Mr. D. WAKEFIELD, jun. proposed the first re-
solution, which he was sure must meet with the ap-
probation of all real and ardent Reformers. The
resolutions was as follows :

" That this Union sezes this opportunity of declaring
to the people that although the principle of Reform has
been recognised by the House of Lords, it has no confi-
dence that the Noble House will pass the Reform Bill, un-
less the opinion of Englishmen be universally and ener-
getically expressed upon the subject."
He remarked upon the importance attached to the
expression of an opinion, on the part of that Union,
the apostasy of Lord Carnarvon and other Noble-
men, who had supported Reform before there was
any chance of its being reduced into practical opera-
tion. Nothing could be greater fallacy than that
which had been so industriously promulgated by the
Tory Press ; he meant that comparison of every
effort at change (and this Reform Bill was one of
the greates,) to the attempts which led to the
sanguinary scenes of the French Revolution—that
was the result of ignorance, this of intelligence. He
trusted that they would agree to the resolution he
had proposed, and every other that was calculated
to send forth to the people of England their stern
and unflinching determination to carry the Bill.
Mr. Fox SMITH seconded the motion.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, which
was carried unanimously, amidst loud cheering.
Major REVELL moved a resolution, declaring, that
if any alteration were made in tEe enfranchising,
the disfranchising, or the 101. clauses of the Bill, the
meeting would esteem such an alteration a direct
attack upon the principles of the measure, and resist
it by every legal means in their power.
Mr. MACLEOD seconded the resolution.
Mr. SAVAGE supported the resolution.
The resolution was then put and agreed to.
Mr. MURPHY moved the third resolution, which
was as follows :
" That an address be presented to his Majesty, founded
on these resolutions; and that Messrs. Fox, Place, and
Wakefield be appointed to prepare it."
Mr. DETROSIER seconded the resolution. It was
only by the determined union of the people of Eng-
land that they could hope for success. Still there
was one remedy to which they might resort if driven
to extremity—he did riot allude to physical force,
but to the resisting of the payment of taxes.—
( Great cheering.) Nay, he was sure that if the
Noble Lords in the Opposition drove them to it,
there would be still virtue and talent enough in this
country to form a National Assembly, and to save
this land from impending destruction. This was
their sheet-anchor. The people should cast their
eyes abroad on all occasions to select men, not only
of good character, but of courage and talent suffi-
cient to protect the interests of this great nation.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. B. PERRY moved the adoption of the follow-
ing petition :-
1 '6 TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD! SPIRITUAL
AND TEMPORAL IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED.

" The Petition of the undersigned Persons, who are
Members of a Society calling itself tl e National
Political Union—
" Snowarx--Tbat in the hope the Bill for amending,
the Representation o f the People in England and Vales,

;low before your Lordships, would become law in the sau
-tate in which it passed the House of Commons, your Pr
titioners have endeavour,d to persuade, and to a consider
able extent have succeeded in persuading, the ardent an(
honest advocates of a more extended suffrage, than i
thereby provided, to unite in support of that measure as
whole.

" That your Petitioners submit to your Lordships, tha
a mutilation of any of the provisions of the Bill which tend
to secure an ex'ension of the elective franchise, will pro-
duce consequences as fatal as those which would assuredlt
follow the rejection of the Bill.
" That in either case there is reason to expect that
cessation of the payment of taxes will take place ; that
other obligations in society will he disregarded ; and that
the ultimate consequence may be the utter extinction of
the privileged orders.
" That to prevent these calamities, and to promote a
peaceful and effectual Reform, your petitioners pray that
your Lordships will plss the Bill for amending the repre-
sentation of the people untou'ilatel and without delay."
Mr. BELLER seconded the motion, which was car-
ried unanimously.
Colonel .TONES then proposed the next resolution,
which lie enforced in an appropriate speech. The
resolution was as follows :
" That this Union entertains the warmest feelings of
gratitude towards the Reformers of
.Scotland and Irelan
fur their patriotic and sincere co-operation in furthering
the cause of Reform, and will support them in obtaining
the same measure of Reform in their representation which
the Reform Bill will give to England."
Mr. DETROSIER moved the following resolution,
which was seconded by Mr. MONGREDIEN, and car-
ried unanimously

" That i❑ the meantime this Union earnestly recom-
mends to the serious consideration of the Reformers of
England the progress which Political Unions and the estah-
ment of reading rooms for the diffusion of u'eful political
knowledge amongst the people are nuking in Scotlind,
which, coupled with the fervour of the people in favour of
the passing the Bill in its preNent efficient state, affords a
prospect that must be gratifying to the people of Scotland
as it is to this Union, and to all enlightened Reformers
throughout the kingdom." _ _ .

A Mr. LOCKHART then proposed a pledge to Uni-
versal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and no Property
Qualification ; but only two hands being held up in
its favour, it was, of course, negatived by an im-
mense majority.
Thanks were then passed to the Chairman, and
the meeting broke up at a quarter before Twelve
o'clock.