The Sun.
London, England, 1832-05-15 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1832.

,f your industry for ever? Are you eternally to euhmi.
to the extraction of 9s. out of every 16s. you earn in the
vay of taxation to support men who never did nor
•ver will do the st ite any service?—(Cheers, and cries ni
No, no !) They take from you twenty millions annually
in taxes on your drink, sugar, and tobacco. In order to
explain to you how you are affected by the taxes, I have
a diagram here. The circle imports the whole of the
taxes, which in 1819 amounted to 54 millions, one-half
of which is laid upon beer, sugar, tea, and tobacco. The
other half of the circle represents the imposts
upon stamps and customs. In order to let
you see how the taxes are expended, I have another
circle, the half of which is comprised of the debt called
national. How long are we to continue to pay the inte-
rest of that debt ? The other half of the circle represents
the Bums paid to useless placemen, pensioners, sineeu-
riate, &c. If we had a reformed Parliament, would they
not abridge the Boroughmongers of their ill-gotten plun-
der ? Would they not cut down the expenses of the
army and navy, and abolish all useless places and pension.?
If a reformed Parliament would not do these things, it
would be useless.—(Cheers.) I am satisfied with the
pre,ent Government because I believe it would, after the
question had been settled, have proved a cheap Govern-
ment; and as it is any opinion the boroughmongering
!action will not give us a cheap Government, I will
support a petition to the House of Commons, not to vote
any more supplies--(Loud cheers.)—and I have a belief
that the House will adhere to the recommendation. We
cannot legally pace a resolution to pay no more taxes, but
we can resolve amongst ourselves not to consume those ar-
ticles which are so heavily taxed.—( Hear, hear.)
.--Thera- is tea, which is so very common a
beverage, costs 6e. per pound, ie taxed 3s. per pound,
and Is. per pound of a monopoly tax. Sugar costa about
2's. or 28s. per cwt and is taxed 27e. per cwt. Malt
pays a tax of 2s. 7d. per bushel. and, as for spirits, I ara
unable to say to what amount they are taxed, but it is very
serious. Tobacco coats 4d. per lb. at first hand, yet taxa-
tion increases the price to the consumer to 4s. per lb. and
you will find that these boroughmongrrs always take care
to throw the weight of taxation upon your shoulders, by
laying the heaviest imposts upon the poor man's necessaries.
—(Cheers.) Mr. Harvey then moved the third resolution :
That this meeting concurs entirely with the petition that has
already been sent from Manchester to the House of Commons on
this subject, and does hereby solemnly call upon this House to
adhere with steadfast and unyielding determination to the Bill,
and above all, to vote no supplies whatever until the Bill, or a
measure in every particular at least equally favourable to the
rights of the people, shall have been passed into a law.
Mr. WHITTLE (Editor of the Manchester and Salford
Advertiser) then rose, and begged to offer a few obser-
vations. He said the resolution just moved was the main
object of the meeting that was to support the petition al-
ready presented to the House of Commons from so large a
body of the inhabitants of this town, to stop the supplies
until an effective measure of Reform is passed into a law.
From the earliest period of English history, it had always
been a question betwixt the oppressors and the oppressed,
whether the people had a right to expend their own money.
Time was when a King of this country, instigated by a
foreign wife, attempted to take the money out of the pockets
of the people of England without their consent, and what
was his eate?.—(Cheers.) It always wart a principle of
British law, that property was sacred, ..nd the re establish-
ment of the Bill of Rights confirmed this principle; but
the boroughmongers, finding that they could not get at
our pockets constitutionally, had recoure to corrupt and
tyrannical means, and the object of this meeting was to
overthrow that tyranny and corruption—(Loud cheers)
—by withholding the supplies, and the most wealthy
men in Manchester had publicly declared that they would
not voluntarily pay any more taxes until a Reform Bill
was passed equally efficient with that proposed by Earl
Grey.—(Loud cheers, and cries of Na Taxes—No
Supplies !) Events, big with importance, were passing
by, and he (Mr. Whittle) should not be surprised if the
Habeas Corpus Act was suspended and the throats of the
people exposed to the swords of the dragoons:—(Cheers.)
Forty years since, similar scenes bank place, and the Duke
of Wellington was then a cornet of dragoons. That man
now enjoys the highest offices and places in the empire.
He has bad a princely fortune bestowed upon him, every
shilling of which has been wrung from your sweat and
indnetry.--(Loud cheers.) lie has wasted myriads of life
and shed oceans of blood to put down the liberties of the
people ; and it now remains to be seen whether a dragoon
like this is any longer to he permitted to trample upon the
rights of humanity..--(Tremendous cheers). He cordially
seconded the resolution.

Mr. BROOKES (an operative) then rose. He said,
that before be gave his consent to the resolution, some
explanation was necessary, or it would seem inexplicable
why these who had so long contended strenuously for Ra-
dical Reform should have compromised their principles.
This resolution pledged them to support a petition for the
Bill of Earl Grey—the whole Bill, and nothing but the
Bill.—(Loud cri,!s of No, no.)
The CHAIRMAN read the resolution.

Mr. Batiorzes resumed. He would n :deceive the meet-
ing, nor be himself deceived. Tie c ild have wished the
resolution had gone so far as to rail sir a full and free re-
presentation of the people, but it did nut. However, he
was not wishful to throw any difficulties in the way of the
meeting—(Cheers)—he would give the resolution his sup-
port, in the hope that it would tend to unite the two con-
flicting interests which had so long divided the town. He
felt great satisfaction at hearing gentlemen, who had
been considered the enemies of the working classes, de-
clare this day that they would have a Bill of Reform
which would benefit all classes ; and if they should
by some mystery get such a Bill as the one which had
been rejected, he hoped they would not desert the people,
when they attempted to procure a full restitution of their
rights.--(Loud cheers from the gentlemen on the hustings,
and cries of We will support you !) He had not for-
gotten the promises made by the King on Reform, and he
also remembered the immense price that had been paid for
those promises in grants of 00,001)1. a-year, and others
of a similar nature. The people would go on with the
higher orders as far as they went, and if they chose to
lig behind, the people would travel on without them.
—(Tremendeus cheering ) He hoped, too, that after
what had passed to-day, the public press would demean
itself towards the poorer classes with more kindness, and
that its conductors would not step out of the way, as had
often been the case, to ridicule tbem.—(Cheers.) He
trusted the people would still keep their eye on
the great question of Radical Reform, and con-
sider that this Bill, if gained, was but a step towards
the main object.—(Cheers.) Mr. Brookes concluded by
observing that at some future period, although, perhaps,
not in his time, this country might have another old
woman, with a petticoat over her head, for a King—
(Loud laughter)—hut they would not harm him. Fur
his own part, he would not—be would take especial care
of him—(Loud laughter)—he would provide fur him
comfortably; he should live well—(Roars of laughter)—
hut be hoped the votes of the countless thousands of his
fellow-townomen assembled here to-day, would show that
they were determined not to live under petticoat Govern-
ment.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. Lomax, another operative, expressed his satisfac-
tion at seeing the merchant, manufacturer, and trades-
man, united with the artisan in demanding his rights ;
and adviving him how to regain those rights. He
hoped to see them united, should it be necessary, in
contending for the salvation of the country—(cheers)—and
if they could lay aside all animosity, and travel toge-
ther in the same path, they would soon obtain genuine
liberty.—(Cheers.) He hoped from this time they would
be one body, joined together for oue common object. and
it this were the case they would have reform next week,
for no faction could withsta❑d the united wishes of twenty
millions of people.—(Cheers.) The King had been lauded
to the skies as a patriot, but be had suffered himself to be
cajoled by a woman, and, Sampson like, Ise had been shorn
at his strength. It had been said that " the King's name
was a tower of strength," and a pretty tower it was, which
suffered itself to be gulled by the petticoat ideas of a foreign
woman.—(Loud laughter.) The speaker concluded by
expressing his satisfaction at the union which had taken
place this day, and he emphatically remarked, that if the
middle classes stood by the resolutions which they had
supported at this meeting, the working classes would de-
serve to be slaves all their liveb if they did not support them.
The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously
with three cheers.
Mr. Jot-frame moved that a petition to the House of
Commons, founded on the resolutions, and also an Address
to his Majesty, be adopted by the meeting.
This being seconded, was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. FIILLDEN then moved the adoption of the following
Address to the King.
TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
The Address and Petition of the people in Manchester in Pub-
lic Meeting assembled this 14th day of May, 18.3'2.
May it please your Ma,}esty, we your Majesty's dutiful pea.

pie of the Town of Manchester, yielding to no part of your sut
jects in loyalty towards your Majesty's person, and in respect lc'
your Royal office and functions ; but, at the same time, not us
mindful of our own undoubted right, beg leave to represent h
your Majesty, that your Majesty graciously declared to the Pat.
liament en the sth of December last, "that a speedy and satis-
factory settlement of the question of Parliamentary Reform wa.
of pressing importance to the security of the state, and to the
content and welfare of your people," have learned with surpris(
and with sorrow that your Majesty, yielding to the advice of evil
counsellors, has been prevailed upon to withdraw from Earl Gres
and his colleagues the only possible means by which, under th.•
present circumstances, such Reform could be effected.
That we deem it our unquestionable right that every man o:
sane mind, and untainted by infamous crime, should have a
voice in choosing those who make the laws affecting his property
and his life. But that for the sake of harmony we are willing
to try the effect of a more limited su RI-age and to forego() for the pre-
sent a part of that right : our oppressors, however, resolved still to
despoil us of the fruits of our industry and toil, have resolved
that they will continue to nominate those whom they insultingly
call our Representatives.
To your Majesty, therefore, we appeal for protection against
their tyrannical and perfidious designs, and humbly pray your
Majesty to be graciously pleased to recall to your councils those
Ministers under whose influence alone we can hope to see tran-
quillity restored to the country, and to see continued to exist that
constitution which is the foundation of your Majesty's throne, as
well at the guarantee of the rights of the people.
Which was s,conded by Mr. Seed, and carried amidst
the cheers of the' vast multitude.
Mr. HETHERINGTON, the Editor of the Poor Man's
Guardian, complimented the meeting on the unanimity
displayed, and felt highly gratified at seeing the wealthy
come forward in support of the rights of the work.
ing man. The meeting had been called upon to
stop the supplies, and he hoped they would take the
means into their own hands—(Loud cheers)—and
stop the supplies which they furnished. He recommended
them to buy unstautped publications, not to pay any more
fourpenny Auty ; to set a good example; to show a bid.;
front, and victory was inevitable.—(Loud. cheers.)
Mr. PRENTICE explained, that as they had so lately sent
up a petition numerously signed, he should move that
the petition and address be signed by the Chairman,
on behalf of the meeting. He was sure a more honour-
able name than that of Walker could not he attached to
it, for he was the son of that very Thomas Walker who was
tried for high treason in 1794, for doing the very thing
which they had done this very day. He should move
that the honourable son of so honourable a sire attach his
name to the documents on behalf of the meeting. —(Cheers. )
The CHAIRMAN expressed his gratitude fur the honour
done him ; he had always been the adv,cate of Reform
he was horn a Relormer; he had lived a Reformer, and
if it pleased God he would die a Reformer. He was con.
fident there was a moral force in the country which would
supersede the necessity of appealing to physical force.
After thanking the meeting for their conduct this day, he
sat down amidst loud cheering.
The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously.
Mr. Gaxjn moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman,
which was seconded by Mr. WHITTLE, who expressed his
conviction that the Union formed this day would be pro-
ductive of a Political Union of all classes to carry forward
the great question of Reform.—(Cheers.)

Mr. Thos. POTTER concurred with Mr. Whittle in
hoping that a general Political Union would result from
this day's proceedings.
Mr. BROOKTS proposed a ♦ote of thanks to Mr. Hunt.
Some disapprobation being expressed, Mr. PitcYricx
hoped that the apple of discord would not be thrown
amongst them.

Mr. BROOKES then proposed three cheers to Mr. Hunt,
which were given by the crowd. Three tremendous
groans were given for the Duke of Wellington, three for
the Bishops, and one groan more for the Duke of Welling-
ton. Three groans for the petticoat government. Three
cheers for Radic it Reform, and three for Henry Hether-
ington. After which the immense multitude separated
peaceably.
As one step towards the promotion of the great object,
we may mention that in the office of the Advertiser news—
paper is placed a document pledging the signers not to
purchase the goods of any person distrained for taxes, and
which is tieing rapidly signed. Silk handkerchiefs have
also been printed, bearing the inscription, " Pay no taxes
until d. Reform Bill is passed," with a star in the centre,
surrounded by the motto, " Vox Populi, vox Dei," and
which are selling rapidly.