The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-22 00:00:00

SIR MORTON PETO'S MEETING.

Last night an influential meeting of electors of
the borough of Finsbury, of the parishes of St.
Andrew, Holborn, and St. George the Martyr, was
held at the George and Blue Boar, High Holborn,
to meet Sir S. Mcirtaii,, Pete. William Elliott,
Esq., occupied the" chair:'
Sir S. MORTON PETo addressed the meeting, and
said he met those present aifriends,-for they were
quite aware of the scenes that had been presented
b publie'.ine&ings, SO that :the- only Course left to
him was to meet theinras •on that occasion, •to: allow
them the opportunity of putting any questions they
pleased'; for it-was very d.eiirable that they should
know the Opinions of the candidates who
~desired
to represent then)... As to 'a bill put out 'by Mr;
Cox's committee respecting the disturbaribes caused
At his meeting by Mr. Cox's friends, 'he "had a wit-
ness who was present at the meeting in Clerken-
. well when the plans were reSolved'upon. Mr. Cox
was continually complaining about his coming into
the borough, but Mr. Duncombe did not complain
nor would Mr. Cox had he not felt how- insecure
was: his position but' if he: felt convinced that he
was the hest man for Finsbury, he need net mind
if a dozen candidates were to come. lie did not
know that'Finsbury was the 'manta' of Mr. Cox, nor
that any one who came there was to be considered
:Us poaching on Mr. Cox's 'manor! He would carry
on the contest -With the best possible feeling, and
Was not' tigharaed of his Opinions heferemen,and
he would-feel 'Obliged
.by Any questions' being. pit to
him as to his Opinions. He then read a letter froth
Mr. Meinkton,- of Gray's
,Inn; which stated the
almost unanimous support promised to him in that
Inn, especially by voters who usually held aloof, on
the sole groUnd of the disgraceful disturbances that
have taken place.
Mr. J. R. TAYLOR then put several questions to
Sir S. M. Peto on the subject of Sunday train? and
the opening of the British Museum on Sundays.
Sir S. M. Poro•stated that he held railroads to
have simply taken the , place of the common roads
Of the country, which it was practically impossible
to close on Sundays.. He was not for opening the
British Museum on Sundays, but he -was anxious
to co-operate with other employers in giving the
working classes a Saturday half-holiday, in order
that they might have the opportunity of benefiting
by such places.
Mr. FALKNER, of Red Lion-square, moved a re-
solution, " That this meeting is of opinion that Sir
S. Morton Peto is a fit and proper person to repre-
sent the electors of the borough of Finsbury in the
Commons House of Parliament."
Mr. COTTLE, of East-street, seconded the resolu-
tion, which was adopted, with one dissentient.
A numerous body of electors then came forward
to enrol themselves on Sir Samuel's committee, and
he meeting terminated.

TOWER HAMLETS.
MR. C. S. BUTLER'S MEETING.
Last night a meeting of the electors and other
inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets was held at the
School-room adjoining the New Tabernacle, Old-
street-road, for the purpose of hearing from
Mr. C. S. Butler, an address explanatory of his
Parliamentary career and political principles, and
with reference to the forthcoming election for the

borough.
Shortly after eight o'clock the chair was taken
by Mr. J. M. Browne, who briefly addressed the
meeting, and bespoke for each elector who might
desire to deliver his sentiments a fair and impartial
hearing. It was most desirable that their pro-
ceedings should be conducted with decorum, and
that nothing might occur of a character similar to
that which he regretted to say had disgraced some
of the electoral gatherings of their Finsbury
neighbours. (Cheers.)
Mr. C. S. BUTLER, next presented himself,
and was received with a good deal of applause.
Having apologised for not appearing before them
at the precise time named for commencing their
proceedings, he expressed his satisfaction at finding
himself summoned by so large a body of electors,
and numbering as it did so many of the parochial
*authorities, who exercised such deserved influence
in the district. In 1852 he became their member
under peculiar circumstances. He promised to be
attentive to his duties, only absenting himself one
night from Parliament during the last, and not one
night during the present session. It was true he
had not attended so many district meetings as other
hon. members, but he was not physically a strong
man. (Hear, hear.) It was impossible for him
to do so, and he would not bind himself to attend
two or three times a week the meetings that were
held in the borough. It had been said that he
never met his constituents. (Hear.) Why should he
not meet his constituents ? (Hear.) What had he
ever done to be afraid or ashamed of meeting them?
(Cheers.) He was proud of the representatation of
the borough but such was the state of his health
that he mould not pledge himself to attend every
meeting. His door was always open to every
elector, and they could approach him, they knew
well, at all times, and with the certainty of receiv-
ing from him attentive consideration. (Hear.) As
an elector himself, lie thought they had a capital
representative in the gentleman who addressed
them—(laughter)—as well as in his valuable col-
league, Mr. Ayrton. (Cheers.) Both represen-
tatives were perfectly satisfied with their position
--(laughter, and cheers)—and he thought it would
be a great mistake to disturb existing arrange-
ments. Mr. Butler referred to his exertions on the
L Metropolitan Management Bill, and the important
amendments be was instrumental in having effected
in that measure, and to the part he took in the
debates on the equalisation of poor rates, and on
other measures of great and social importance. He
next alluded to the Government Reform Bill, which,
professing to be an enfranchisement bill, really was
a disfranchisement scheme, and he had acted up to
the promise made to the electors some time since of
voting against the bill, as he would have done at
every succeeding stage, had the second reading
been carried. (Hear.) He protested against the
name of the Sovereign being dragged into these
elections •, but when the question became ventilated,
it would be found with what injustice, and with
how little reason that liberty hack been taken. The
Reform Bill, however, was defeated, and they were
now called upon to elect their members. In the
Tower Hamlets he hoped and believed they would
have no change. As yet they were not, at all events,
threatened with any opponent or contest. Many
members of the Government were quite as honest
and as able as those who sat on the Opposition
benches, but they were not the men to intro-
duce a Reform Bill, as they had little, if
any, connection with the industrious classes.
(Hear, hear.) As far as he was concerned, he little
cared whether they had a Derby Ministry, or a
Russell Ministry, or a Palmerston Ministry. He
wanted measures, and notinen. (Cheers.) He had
never darkened the Treasury door to ask for favours,

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