The Sun.
London, England, 1835-10-22 00:00:00

(Cheers)—and this too, in a Parliament which he, Sir Ro-
bert Peel, had himself called,--(Cheers.) Sir Robert Peel
afterwards tteknowledged the principle that DO Minister
could govern this canary who had not the confidence and
support of a majority of the Members of the House of
Commons ; and if lie bad much longer persisted in acting
against this principle he would have endangered the stabi-
lity of the Monarchy itself.—(Cheers.) Sir R. Peel did
continue in office, and brought forth what he called his
measures. Gentlemen, most of these measures were ours
—they were stolen from us—they were our children ; but
like the gypsies, who were in the habit of stealing children,
they so disguised and disfigured them that they might not
be known by their real parents.—(Laughter.) He brought
forward to be sure a measure for the commutation of tithes
id* England—but that commutation was voluntary on the
part both of the parson and the landowner. It was a mere
delusion to say 6;0 tithes could be commuted in this
manner. He a:0 broug-2it forward a measure for the re-
lief of Dissenters in regard to their marriages ; but this
Bill, he (Sir John) asserted, oni; tended to disgust the
Dissenters ; and drew such a line between thm and
members of the Church, as to mark the mkjriages of Dis-
privileged as a sort of privileed concubinage. He then alluded
to Sir R. Peel's Irish Tithe Bill, and contended that, by
that measure, all the abuses of the Irish Church wens: al-
lowed to remain without either remedy or redress. It now,
he said, became time to give another hint to Sir Robert
Peel, as neither that on the election of the Speaker or the
Address had been taken. Lord John Russell brought for-
ward his Resolutions regarding the Irish Church, and
which, he said, were calculated to promote the peace and
prosperity of Ireland. These Resolutions were opposed
by the Tories, but were carried by the House of Commons,
and then at last Sir Robert made his bow and retired. In
the formation of the new Government, the office which he
(Sir John) formerly held was offered to him by Lord Mel-
bourne, and he hoped they did not think him wrong in ac-
cepting it.—(Cheers.) He was warmly attached to Lord
Melbourne's Government, and vvahout a moment's hesita-
tion accepted the offer. But the Sessit;n of Parliament was
now fast waning away, and the Governmel:t thought they
were right in confining their attention to two great mea-
sures, namely, the Irish Tithe Bill, founded on Loral John
Russell's Resolutions, and the English Municipal Bill. Sir
John then, at considerable length, described the progress
and passing of these Bills by the House of Commons, and
the opiNsition which they had encountered in the Up-
per House, ;i: consequence of which the one had been
entirely lost, and the other considerably mutilated.
The House of Commons--that House which had been
called violent, intemperate, and radical, displayed on this
occasion a forbearance, moderation, and magnanimity
which strongly contrasted with the conduct. of the Upper
House. They were anxious to avoid a collision, and there-
fore willingly overlooked the intemperate displays which
had been made in the House of Peers. They de-
termined to do everything, and to forbear every-
thing, for the good of the
.country. Don't you
think, said Sir John, that we did well in this ?
(Cheers.) I tell you that we greatly disappointed the
hopes of the Tories- Their object was to disgust us, and
to bring the two Hou;es into collision, hoping that, in the
confusion, their own part;' would again get into power.
Gentlemen, we disappointed the Tories by agreeing to
the Municipal Bill as it had come ths:• second time from the
House of Lords ; but we agreed protes;:ing for the liberty
of taking the first opportunity afforded us of remedying all
the defects which the Lords have persisted in retaining.—
(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I glory in thinking that the Bill is
now the law of the land. Gentlemen, I must now refer to
a subject of great delicacy, namely, the Church Commis-
sion. Petitions were presented for additional endowments
to the Church of Scotland. I have often declared, what I
now heartily again declare, that I am a sincere friend of
the established religion of the country ; but I thought, and
I believe all thinking men will be of same opinion that
to propose an additional grant, without enquiry, would be
highly culpable.—(Cheers.) If an Establishment be ne-
cessary and beneficial, which I think it is, at the same time
I think much may be trusted to the Voluntary principle
—(Cheers and hisses)—and in my humble opinion they
work most harmoniously and beneficially together. Gen-
tlemen, the Scotch Church Commission was agreed
to in the House of Commons by an unanimous vote of
the Whigs, Tories, and Radicals. Whence, then, has arisen
the clamour which I now find prevailing in my native land ?
I deeply regret the spirit which prevails in some part of
Scotland on this subject. I observe that the Synod of
Glasgow and Ayr have resolved on establishing Orange
Lodges in every place within its bounds ; they have re-
solved on establishing Protestant Associations, and these I
conceive to be synonimous with Orange Lodges, so that
the Ministers of peatse, whose duty it is in every part to
preach the Gospel, have resolved to do every thing in their
Power to set man against man, pod to make dispeace in-
stead of inculcating Christian charn; in their parishes. I
do not know if most of my auditors have read the Reports
of the Committee of Inquiry on Orange Loogres, but sure I
am that no human being can read them without seeing that
more mischievous institutions were never established in the
country. But I trust, notwithstanding the opinions Cx-
pressed by the Synod, or by other Bodies under the same
delusion, from which I hope they will speedily recover,
that religious peace will prosper in the country, and that
while religion spreads and prospers, members of different
persuasions will learn to look upon each other in the spirit
of Christian charity. Sir John then said, we are now looking
forward to a new Session of Parliament. It will not be ex-
pected that I should specify the measures which Govern-
ment intend to bring forward then, but I trust they will be
such as in your opinion will be calculated to improve, re-
form, and consolidate the institutions of the country.
By many it is thought that the House of LOrds will be
a bar to all improvement. I hope better things. My
opinion is, that the expression of public opinion will
sway the Lords, and that when the people speak in a
determined and constitutional manner, their voice will be
obeyed. The Lords for a long period opposed every Li-
beral measure, but they yielded all one by one, and I
have no doubt they will still pursue the same course. The
Municipal Reform Bill they were obliged in substance to
yield, although how they could conscientiously pass a Bill
which they described as containing so many evils is more
than I can solve or understand.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen,
we need not wonder that the Peers have been a little
restive of late—( Laughter)—power has been snatched from
them in a manner that was not expected. Our majorities
have been only about thirty-five ; but if on a dissolution
of Parliament you gave us our old majority of two hun-
dred an :I thirty, the Lords will give us no trouble at all.
They labour
..:.ocler a delusion that they arc exceedingly
popular, and that tLeY express the views of the nation.
If you disabuse them ortt< you will find them exceedingly
have been talked of for
accommodating. Various
reforming the Lords.—',Great chce,:ng.) My plan, Gen-
tlemen, is this—let the people return a g,„,:(1 liberal House
of Commons, and the House of Lords will be rt:.l:"rmed•
have very auspicious forebodings with regard to s'..."other
Session of Parliament and the future destinies of the cone:-
try. ,Never in my time did more general prosperity pre-
vail in it. I rejoice in my heart to find improvements
going on in every corner of the land. Industry established,
industry rewarded, the wages of industry bearing a larger
proportion to the price of provisions than was ever known
in any former period. Not only are great. capitalists reap-
ing clue return, but all the operatives, with exception,
perhaps, of handloom weavers, as a body, arc better
clothed, better lodged, and better fed, than at any former
period.—(Cheers.) I believe even that the agricultural
interests, if properly understood. are in a flourishing con-
dition ; that is, their produce, year by year, is increasing,
and, therefore, they are becoming more wealthy and more
powerful. What is the cause of this ? It must be ascribed
to the good government which has prevailed. Sir John
concluded by returning thanks to the meeting for the ho-
nour they had done him, and for the patience with which
they had listened to him. if any part of his conduct re-
quired explanation he was ready to give it.
In reference to what Sir John had said regarding the
establishment of Protestant Societies, a Gentleman stated
that whatever character Orange Lodges might have in
other parts of the empire, here the Protestant Societies
were strictly of a religious character, with the view of ex-
citing among their flocks a spirit of inquiry as to the princi-
ples on which their faith was founded. Sir John said that
was exactly the language held by the Orange Lodges,
though they were decidedly political Ortizans.
The DEAN of GUILD said, after the dear, manly, and
straight-forward and convincing statement of the Right
Hon. Member, he was sure it was the opinion of the meet-
ing that the City of Edinburgh was most fortunate in
having such an efficient representative. He would, there-
fore, move that they approve of the conduct of Sir John
Campbell in Parliament, which had their entire approbation.
Mr. FORREST, of Comiston, seconded the resolution,
which was carried by acclamation.
Mr: ANDREW RUTHERFORD proposed the second reso-
lution, that the meeting express their respectful congratu-
, %Ins to their other Representative, the Right Hon.
cbercromby, on his elevation to the office of
Jarnp '•e House of Commons, and the high gratifica-
Speaker to s