The Sun.
London, England, 1832-11-01 00:00:00

REPRESENTATION OF MIDDLESEX.
During the last eight or ten days, placards and adver-
tisements have been issued, calling upon the electors of
Middlesex to unite agoinst an " untoward and unseemly
coalition forming against the principles of liberty, and
rights of the people," having fur its object the ousting of
J. Hume, Esq., at the ensuing election. The placards
also stated, that " a requisition, most numerously and
respectably signed, hid been forwarded to Sir John Scott
Lillie, calling upon him to stand between the people and their
enemies ; and that he had responded to the call, and had
come forward as a candidate for their suffrages." The
placard concluded by calling upon the electors to return
him, "in conjunction with Mr. Hume." Since the pub-
lication of these placards, however, Mr. Hume wrote a
letter to Sir John Scott Lillie, declining to enter into any
coalition with him. Notwithstanding this, a meeting was
yesterday convened at Foutaine'v Riding-school, Worship.
street, Finsbury-square.
W. J. LENTHALL, Esq., a Magistrate for the County,
having en called to the Chair,
Mr. LEIGHS proceeded to address the meeting, and
stated that it had been convened to ascertain whether cer-
tain rumours were true respecting a coalition between
Mr. Byng and Lord Henley, whose sentiments were tv -II
known to be hostile to the wishes and liberties of the
people. He had occasion to know that Mr. Byng was
not acting in that consistent and upright manner with
which one gentleman ought to act towards another, but
that he had endeavoured to keep in favour both with Lord
Henley and Mr. Home, for the sake of getting their split
votes, and keep himself at the head of the poth He knew
that Mr. Byng had uttered sentiments dir.etly opposite to
those of their friend, Mr. Hume.—(No, no.) He should
he able to prove every assertion he had made.—(Hear.)
He did not care whether Mr. Byng or any of his agents
were present or not; to what he advanced he defied a
denial.--(Cheers.) On the 10th of October he wrote a
letter to Mr. Byng, requesting to know if it was his in-
tention to stand as a candidate at the ensuing election ?
On the 13th of October he received a letter in reply, dated
Wrotham-park, to this effect :—" I feel much flattered by
your letter, and certainly intend to offer myself for the
county, and if elected I shall certainly continue to devote
myself to the service of the country, by supporting the
Reform of all abuses."—( Hear.) Subsequent to this, lie
had an interview with Mr. Byng, for the purpose of as-
certaining the particular sentiments of that gentleman on
great and important questions. Mr. Byng received him
very kindly, and on learning his business, candidly said
he had no secrets to keep, and therefore should answer all
questions most openly,—( Hear.) The speaker then pio-
ceetied to read from a note-book the following, which he
stated was the substance of the conversation which passed
between them :—Question.--" The abolition of tithes
arid church rates is loudly called for by the people of the
United Kingdom, and a thorough Reform of the Esta-
blished Church; nor is there one dissentient in a hundred
opinions on this most important subject. The great and
enlightened body of the Dissenters throughout the coun-
try also demand to be released from the unjust and op-
pressive burden laid upon them for the sums :rt of a reli-
gious form of worship they cannot conform to, end to he
allowed to pay for the support of their own religion, and that
only. You are, no doubt, of opinion that equality in all re-
ligious matters is demanded alike by the laws of God and
every principle of justice ?" Answer.—" With respect to
tithes, I certainly shall not vote for their abolition. I think
something might be done in order more equally to support
the servants of the Church, but Church property is undoubt-
edly the property of its ministers, and therefore the Legisla•
lure have no right to appropriate it to any other purpose.
And as to reform in the Church, I think the people have
now more reform than will do them good : I, however,
shall not object to a better arrangement of pluralities.
Every man ought to pay for a regular established church,
whether he attends or not; and 1 think without one, no-
thing but anarchy and confusion would spread." Ques
tion.—" The assessed taxes are most oppressive and unjust,
being drawn principally from the middle and trading
classes." Answer.—" I think the middle classes fancy
themselves more aggrieved than they really are. Every
roan is taxed according to the number of his windows,
and the poor have not a sufficient number of windows to
pay any tax ; nor can they who are tradesmen justly
complain of paying more than their share ; they have not
many windows, while the upper classes of society have a
great nullifier, and pay in proporCou to the number. I think
a great deal of complaint is made where the cause is not
very strong. The Reform Bill, in my opinion, goes quite
far enough, and I think the people ought to be satisfied,
without agitating any other questions ; let them make
good use of that." Question.—" I extremely regret to
find your sentiments on these two most important national
questions at issue with the wishes and opinions of the
great majority of the people ; and will now take the
liberty to ask your opinion on another equally important
subject,—the corn laws, which have the effect of making
bread dear, and which are most bitterly felt by the
mechanic and industrious classes as an unjust and
highly impolitic burden. Answer.—" With respec
to the corn laws, I believe they are a very wise pro•
tection to the farmer, and upon the protection of the
farmer the well-doing of the tradesman depends." (The
answers of Mr. Byng, as thus given, elicited great disappro.
bation.) These were questions lie put, and the answers he
received ; it was his intention to have put more, but these
replies convinced him that more questions were unneces-
sary. He believed, however, that Mr. Byng did not mean
to be quite so plain on that occasion it the questions had
not been pushed home, for it had always been the plan of
Mr. Byng to " run with the hare and hold with the
hounds."—(A cry of " No," followed by applause.) He
was ready to face Mr Byng himself before any assembly,
and state these things.—(Cheers.) He also asked Mr.
Byng about the vote by ballot; Mr. Byng scouted the
idea, and called it nonsense."—( Laughter.) He also re-
probated short Parliaments, and observed, it would
" be better to wait to see how the reformed Parliament,
as it was called, worked first."—(Laughter.) He re-
spected Mr. Byng, but he opposed him from principle, anti
he doubted not that many of the electors felt as be did, and
that they would be loath to discard an old servant; but
principle ought to outweigh private esteem at all times.—
(Hear, and applause.) He then proceeded to state that
tie waited upon Sir John Lillie, and conversed with him
on his political sentiments, and found them utterly at
variance with those of Mr. Byng, and therefore he deter-
mined to support him as the coadjutor of Mr. Hume. It
the electors returned Mr. Byng with Mr. Hume, they
would neutralize bath, anti make the county a nonentity.
Mr. WRIGHT, an elector, here called upon the speaker
to desist, and to let Sir John Scott Lillie come forward
and tell hie own story.—(Hear.)
Sir JOHN SCOTT LILLIE begged to say that he was
not opposed to Mr. Hume, but was anxious to lend him
his support, and to join wi:h him in accomplishing the
liberties of the people.—(Hear.) He thought the ques-
tions before the meeting now were, whether they would
elect two Members who would concur in the great sub-
jects of church reform, assessed taxes, tithes, and others,
or whether they would elect two men who would oppose
all reform, or whether they would return two men to op•
posite principles, and thus neutralize the representation of
the county.__( Hear.) He then proceeded to m.ke some
remarks upon Lord Henley's plan of church reform, show-
ing that his Lordship had taken an untenable position, in
saying that the church property was unalienable. He had
no wish to disturb either of their present Members, it
they were satisfied with them ; but if not, he would its
himself the honour of coming forward at their call.
Mr. WARBURTON, M.P. did not intend to say any
thing for or against Mr. Hume, or Sir John Scott Lillie,
but simply to declare that Mr. flume was no party to any
coalition.—( Hear.) He did not say, support Mr. Hume
or Sir John Scott Lillie, but he would say, oppose
Lord Henley.—(Cheers.) He would tell them why--
because of his Lordship's new plan of reform, of calling to-
gether a convocation of the clergy, which had not taken
place these 130 years.—(bear, hear.) At a public din-
ner it was said, that Dr. Parr refused to drink the toast
of " Church and State," alleging that it meant church
without religion, and state without liberty.—(Hear, and
applause.) He (Mr. Warburton) was very much of the
same opinion.—(Cheers.) He concluded by observing
that Lord Henley and Mr. Hume were decidedly opposed
in principle, and he would have the electors themselves to
decide what Members were worthy of their suffrages.
Mr. PITT came forward to vindicate the conduct of Mr
Byng, but the meeting would not hear him, until
Lord DUNBOYNE entreated that he might be indulged
with a bearing.
Mr. Par then proceeded to say, that Mr. Byni, at a