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

REFORM MEETING AT DUMFRIES.

(Abridged from the Dumfries Courier of Tuesday.)
In consequence of a requisition presented to Pro-
vost Corson, a meeting of the inhabitants of Dum-
fries was appointed to be held in the Court-house
on Friday, the 27th ult., to express their sentiments
regarding the Reform Bill at the present important
juncture, &c. Previous to the hour of meeting the
seven trades, marshalled by Convener Thomson, arid
the several Deacons, proceeded through the prin-
cipal streets of the town to the spirit-stirring airs of
the militia band, while sixteen banners" fluttered in
the breeze." At a quaver-past one, every nook of
eur spacious Court-house was filled to suffocation;
and yet not above one-third of the Reformers could
be accommodated. Provost Corson was called to
the chair, and on his suggestion the meeting ad-
journed to the School-yard, where a temporary hus-
tings was speedily erected on the west side of the
green. Mr M6Growan, writer, was appointed Clerk.
ROBERT MURRAY, E•q. mounted the station up-
propria.ed for the speakers. They had already had
metings, but the present one was by far the most
numerous, and undoubtedly deserved to be so ; arid
lie cotifidently hoped that the rext occasion on which
they were called together would be to celebrate the
speedy and complete triumph of the Bill. Mr. Mur-
ray then briefly recapitulated the provisions of the
Bill, and characterized the right of voting in 101.
freeholders, as trot the least benefit it would confer;
this was the lowest qualification, and much had been
said to prove that it would not stand the test of uti-
lity, because it would introduce to the House a de-
mocratic rabble who would overawe its proceedings;
but he conceived that the 101. householders were as
well able to discharge honestly the duties of electors
as those who paid the higher sum of 201., and their
" still small voice" had equally a right to be heard
by those who impose on them the taxes. They
were in fact just as necessary to preserve the free
equilibrium of the Constitution, as the House of
Lords was necessary to control the proceedings of
the House of Commons. Mr. Murray then adverted
to Lord Grey's long-tried consistency, and the im-
possibility that he would ever sanction any other
Bill less efficient than his own. Here and every-
where else, theme was a universal feeling in the pro•
priety that the Bill should he passed without any
material alteration in its provisions, and this consum-
mation will be attained. Mr. Murray concluded by
reading his resolution amidst the cheers of the as-
semblage.
Capt. BUSFIBY, R.N. seconded the resolution.
Mr. M‘DtAuattp, in a brief address, moved the
next resolution, which was seconded by Major
ADAIR, and carried.
Convener TitomsoN read the third resolution,
moving. that a petition, founded on the foregoing re-
solutions, be transmitted to Earl Grey, to be pre-
sented by him to the House of Lords. The petition
was read by Mr. MURRAY.

Mr. Mek-Vmit seconded the tnolion. If the Bill
was lost there would be a tremendous melee, and its
overwhelming consequences would bury all our sacred
and most cherished institutions; but he feared no
such catastrophe. Let the people swerve not from
the path of duty—let them wait but a little longer,
and that universal voice which resounds from east
to west, and North to south, will be ans,vered by the
passing of the Reform Bill, and the restoration of
the British Constitution.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HARKNESS moved the fourth resolution.

Mr. SCOTT, hosier, seconded the resolution.

PATRICK MILLAR, Esq. of Forrest, although not
residing in the town, spoke as a burgess of Dumfries
of long standing, and suggested a trifling, alteration
in the wording of the petition. He stated that Earl.
Grey was an originator of a Bill of Reform forty.
raeansrodrtdeoupgtr. during his
steh et liromengtgaajtedsa
isrieboesfrc,ar
ilpli stßi
obrnihearingtbAie E,s.e
thioaidne
wouldybee aerns sa
ugt
hco
foot to erect a monument to Earl Grey, that the
grateful feeling of the existing generation might be
conveyed to succeeding ages, and as his Grace of
Wellington had been well paid through the medium
of the Buroughmongers, let this tribute solely belong
to the people.
Mr. JAMES BAILIEFF, a journeyman hatter, pushed
through the crowd to the hustings and begged to be
permitted to say a few words, though as he expressed
it—" he had his apron 01)." He stated that as an
unworthy advocate for the working classes, he would
make a few observations on what had lately fallen from
John Wilson Croker. That precious upholder of
hmongery and corruption had characterized
bthemNuvgorking people as being a most unsatisfied race,
and unthankful for the blessings which they enjoyed.
He would like to learn what the people should be
so much satisfied with, or what were the blessings
for which they were unthankful. Was it the late
war—which had sent thousands and tens of thou-
sands to a premature grave in a foreign clime, and
consigned their widows and orphans to all the pri-
vations of want and misery at home. Had they any
reason to be satisfied that the National Debt had
swelled to 800 millions, and pressed like a mountain
load on the energies of the state Had they any
right to be thankful for the abuses and monopoly of
the East India Company, which had circumscribed
the enterprise of the people, and filled foreign pockets
at the expense of our own ? Was there any cause

(PiticE 70.)

:or thankfulness when the Tory minions were pen
iioned, and the poor weavers wrought early and lat.
for six or seven shillings per week ? He conceived
'here was indeed little cause of gra'nlation for then;
blessings of Mr. C•oker's naming. It had not bee;
denied too, even by the boronghmongers themselves,
that there were rotten parts in the Constitution; 1)1,,
these wily pillars of corruption had characterised On
rotten parts as beauties rather than blemishes, bu
he (Mr. B,) would ask when any body ever heard
of a man thriving the better with an ulcer on his
body ? But the Right Rev. Bishop of Durham had
said that the poor people had no right to think at
all, and of course he would expect them just to toil
For their betters, like locomotive engines; if this hy-
pothesis be correct, man is not accountable for his
deeds, and perhaps the Right Rev. Prelates may be-
come responsible for the sins of their people. Mr.
Bailieff then made his salaam, and retired from the

hustings amid the waving of hats and the loud plau-
dits of the assemblage.
Captain M‘DowALL rose and said—"l beg leave to
propose three hearty cheers for our Patriotic King
—King William the Fourth, long may he reign over
us—and three cheers for Ea, I Grey."
The Captain's proposition was agreed to in good
earnest, and the shouts resounded from Dumfries-
shire to the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
Mr. NPDIARMID stated that another important duty
remained to be performed. The Mayor of Leeds,
when requested tr. call a meeting, equivocated till
the eleventh hour, and a most respectable and nu-
merous meeting was held without him. The Pro-
vost of Dumfries was, however,a man of a different
stamp, and so far from being dragooned into acquies-
cence, complied at the very first intimation given to
him; he (Mr. M'D.) therefore, proposed to return
him a sincere vote of thanks ; the motion was se-
conded by Mr. Murray, and agreed to with great
applause.
The assemblage then left the ground, and the
trades, with their banners floating, music playing,
and accompanied by an immense concourse, pro-
ceeded by Loreburn-street, English-street, and High-
street, to the Trades' Hall, when three rounds of
applause were voted to the Convenor, and all went
their several ways.