The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-20 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER

La/4 evening a public meeting of the electors of
Westminster, convened by the Reform Association,
wai held at the Adelaide Gallery, Strand, to take
into consideration the future representative of the
City of Westminster. Mr. A. Wright was called to
the chair.

Amongst those present were—Gen. Sir De Lacy
Evans and Sir John V. Shelley, Major Lyon, Mr.
Prout, and many other influential reformers of
Westminster.

Gen. Sir Do L. EVANs, after referring to the cir-
cumstances of the dissolution of Parliament, alluded
to the political principles which it was well known
be had advocated, and defended his conduct as a
representative of the City of "Westminster. Alluding
to the position of parti, s in the House of Com-
mons, he said—Wi:h regard to the Toryparty, they
were very mild ; in fact, they were almost Liberals
—(laughter)—but hs thought, when they threw
d )wn the standard of protection, they had no stan-
dard at all in the Legislature, and his opinion was,
form what, they had done in the session, they
were bidding for positions. Alluding to r. L.
King's motion, he thought there was something so
clear in the measure that it required no defence.
That bill was stopped by Lord Palmerston, who
said it was not a general measure, but Earl Gran-
ville had said it was a pity the bill should have been
sopped. That was something, cowing from the
leader in the House of Lords. He regretted that
Lord Palmerston should so have acted; but the
greatest man had his faults, and he thought that,
although Lord Palmerston was the most flexible
Minister, yet he was, under all circumstances, the
best man they could have at the head of the Go-
vernment. (Cheers.)
Sir J. V. SHELLEY, Bart., then addressed the
meeting. Having alluded to the votes he had given,
and to his advocacy of all matters that tended to
promote the interest of his constituents, Sir John,
addressing himself to the question of confidence in
Lord Palmerston, defended the' conduct of his lord-
ship, not only for the manner in which he bad car-
tied the country through the Russian war, but he
thought Lord Palmerston was deserving of every
praise for the manner in which he had appointed
the recent bishops, although they did not suit the
Gladstonites. In conclusion, he trusted his past
actions would secure his reelection. (Cheers.)

Mr. STUART wanted to know if General EVans
would allow 70,0007. to b© voted on the marriage
of the Princess Royal
General EVANS said ho should not lend a hand to
anything of the sort. (Cheers.)
In answer to Mr. JACKSON,
Sir J. T. SHELLEY said he voted with the Go-
vernment on the Chinese question, because he felt
convinced the hostilities were called for and neces-
sary. _ _

Mr. DEXTER wished to know General Evans'
opinion on the Chinese question.
General EVANS said the question was a most dif-
ficult one. He agreed with most of the members of
the Government that they regretted the hostilities
in China, but sanctioned them as they had taken
place. Therefore, he thought the Government were
perfectly exonerated from any blame in the matter.
But the Government should have done, when they
first heard the news, what they had done in the
last ten days, in sending out a proper Government
authority, and a naval and military expedition to
protect the British residents in China. No doubt
they were good Parliamentary men, but they knew
nothing of military matters, and it was often that
tardiness and neglect that brought disgrace on the
country. (Cheers.)
Major LYON wished to ask if it was right for one
of their members to walk out of the house when an
important question had to be decided
Gen. EVANS said he had acted in accordance
with the wishes of some of his oldest friends in the
city.
Mr. PROM then moved the following resolu-,
tion

" That this meeting having been convened for the pur-
pose of taking into consideration the future representa-
tion of Westminster, and having heard from Sir De Lacy
Evans and Sir J. V. Shelley a statement of their con-
duct during the present Parliament, and a declaration of
their unabated attachment to the cause of progressive re-
form, resolved that immediate steps be taken to secure
their return to Parliament as the future representatives
for this city."
Mr. ROBINSON seconded the motion ; after which
Major LYON, in a long speech, suggested that the
names should be put separately to the meeting.
Mr. Bthas asked the meeting not to decide the
question that night, as it was not one of Parlia-
mentary reform—it was a question of Palmerston
or no Palmerston—(" no, no," and cheers)—and
at great length denounced the conduct of Govern-
ment in relationio the Chinese hostilities.

After some further addresses, the motion was p-ut
and carried amidst loud cheering.

MR. COBDEN AT MANCHESTER.

A crowded meeting of the friends and supporters
of Messrs. Gibson and Bright was held on Wednes-
day evening in the Free Trade Hall, at Manchester.
There were about 6,000 persons present. Mr. G.
Wilson presided, and there were present Mr. Cob-.
den, M.P., the Right Hon. T. M. Gibson, M.P.,
Rev. Dr. Halley,. Rev. Dr. M'Kerrow, Rev. Dr.
Davidson, Messrs. T. Baxley, R. N. Phillips, J.
A. Nicholls, W. B. Watkins, J. Sidebottom, R.
Platt, R. Stuart, J. Slagg, N. Heald, F. Penning-
ton, J. L. Kennedy, J. C. Dyer, E. Ashworth, H.
Ashworth, B. Syddall, W. M'Call, S. Lees, T.
Schunck, S. Pope, Aldermen Mackie, Harvey,
Heywood, Mr. J. Simpson, &c. The entrance of
Mr. Cobden, Mr. Gibson, and their leading sup-
porters, was greeted with the most enthusiastic
cheer:ng. •
The CHAIRMAN having made a few remarks, and
read a letter from Mr. Bright upon the subject of
bis candidature,
Mr. M. GriasoN, who was received with great ap-
plause, addressed the meeting, commenting on the
attacks made upon him by the Manchester Guar-
dian and by Mr. Lowe's supporters, explaining and
justifying his own vote with regard to the Chinese
quarrel, denying that he or those with whom he
acted had opposed in Parliament any necessary
measures for carrying on the war against Russia,
and referring to the ballot, extension of the suf-
frage, and Jewish emancipation, which' he bad al-
ways advocated.
Mr. T. BAZLEY proposed the following resolu-
tion, in which be entirely concurred :—" That the
grateful thanks of this meeting be given to the
Hight Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson and John
Bright, Esq., for the faithful and unflinching fide-
lity to the principles to represent which they were
sent to Parliament, and that this meeting pledges
itself to use all lawful means again to return them
to the House of Commons." (Applause.)
Mr. W. B. WATKINS seconded the resolution.

On the motion being put to the meeting a very
small number of hands only was held up against it,
and the chairman declared it carried unanimously,
save with five dissentients. The announeoment was
received with deafening acclamations.

Mr. COBDEN, M. P. ,was received with plaudits
which continued for a considerable time. He said
—I appear before you oil thi§ 0M43i911 IA the

humble representative of my friend, Mr. B. ight—
(three cheers were here given for Mr. Bright)—and,
in his none I thank you for the all but unauinems
vote with which you have announced his candida-
ture at this election. Now, I appear before you
on the present occasion under circumstances which.
I certainly never expected to encount'r again. I
have, on former occasions, found my name promi--
nently associated with measures in the House of
Commons and in the country that have led to dis-
solution's of Parliament, and to the fall of Minis-
ters. That was -when I was connected with the
movements in which our object was to cause disso-
lutions of Parliament and destrucion of Ministries.
For three times, I believe, Parliament has ben
dissolved, arising out of. questions with which my
name was prominently connected, but I certainly
never did expect to see again a dissolufon with
which I should be associate:). Now, what are the
circcinstances under which this has arisen ? On the
assembling of Parliament, we found ourselves en-
gaged in two wars, the one w.th an empire of
350,000,000 of people, with a territory about eight
times as great as that of France, and about teu
times the population ; the other was with Persia,
another of the most ancient einpir ,s in the would.
Parliament and the people hid had no voice in de-
claring these wars ; troops were moving from India
to Bushire, troops were moving from Ceylon to
Hong gong, and war was going on at our expense,
and you heal had no voice in declaring that war.
(Hear, hear.) On the assembling of Parliament, a
demand was made frona the Ministry for informa-
tion respecting the Persian war. The answer we
got was that it would be contrary (it is the stereo:
typed answer), that it would be prejudicial to the
interests of the country that any papers should be
given referring to the origin of the Persian war.
But I found oe the table of the House of Commons
all the papers having reference to the Chinese war ;
and it is a very rare thing indeed that we are so for-
tunate as to find a record of what is going on in our
name and behalf. I read these papers, as I wa 4in duty
bound to do, and, coming to the conviction that
the origin oithis war was a blunder and a crime—
(A. Voice—" No," and enthusiastictbouta of "Yes,
yes ")—I framed a resolution, which I showed to
my right hon. friend here, and asked him if he
would like to second it ; and, without consulting
any other human being, I put that motion on the
paper of the House of Commons, and it lay there
for a fortnight before my turn came for bringing on
the motion. Singular ro say—for it is an unusual
thing—not one word of that resolution was altered
to accommodate the mind of any member of the
House of Commons. (Cheers.) Well, lam told,
and we hear it daily repeated in some of the columns
of the London Tapers, whose au lacity of assertion
sometimes astounds me, even though I am habit-
uated to the perusal of the Times newspaper—
(laughter)—there is still every
day the reiterated
falsehood, as if the people bad not yet had enough
of it, that this was a motion brought forward in a
Ifactious spirit, and with, a coalition of parties, in
order, forsooth, that we might overturn the Go-
vernment and get possession of their places. Well,
now, there is a great question involved in this,
which I think the people of this country ought to
take very much to heart. Do you want the mem-
bers of the House of Commons to look after your
interests, and watch the expenditure—(yes, yes)—
and to guard you from getting into needless and
expensive wars ? (Yes.) W(11, but you are not
going the right way to work, if what I learn in your
newspapers is going to be verified in the course of
the election, for lam told that those members who
joined in that vigilant care of your interests, and
voted according to the evidence before us on the
question of that war, are all to be ostracised—sent
into private life—and that you are going to send
up other men—(no no)—to do what to look after
your interests? No 1 to go and do the huMble
dirty work of -the- Minister of the hour. (Loud
cheers.) In fact, that you are going to constitute
Lord Palmerston the despotic ruler of this coun-
try. (No, no.) Well, but it he is not checked by Par-
liament —if the moment Parliament does check him
he dissolves Parliament, and instead of sendingup
men who are independent enough to assert their
and your:rig*, you send up mere creatures of his
will, what ie that but investing hint withthe powers
of a despot ? Aye, and let me tell you that it is a
deep ism of the clumsiest, mo,t expensive, kind,
Fad atthe same time the most irresponsible on the
"thee of earth, because you surround the Minis-
ter with the sham appearance of a representative
form of government ; you cannot get at him while
be has got a Parliament beneath whose shield he
can shelter himself ; and if you don't do your duty
in your elections iu sending men up to the House
of Commons who will vigilantly watch the Minister
of the day, then, I say, yos are in a worse plight,
because governed in a more irresponsible way than
if under the King of Prussia or the Emperor of the
French. (Cheers.) But vho is Lord Palmerston
that we are to invest him with this power? Who is
he ? (A traitor.) No, I willeeY
nothing worse of him
here than I have said to his face in Parliament ;
but when I want to know what a man is, I ask,
What has he done ? (Cheers.) There is no other
test like that. That was Napoleon's question always,
if anybody talked to him about anybody being a
great man—" What has le done ?" Lord Palmeri-
ton has been fifty years is Parlia,meut—(fitty-two)
—fifty-two years in Parliament. Well, he has be-
lcnged to every Government excepting one during
those fifty years. (Laughter.) I remember the
Times newspaper, which spent about 15 years in
trying to blacken his reputation, and is now polish-
ing him up every day day—(laughter and cheers)-7.
and when it had said everything else that was gross,
vulgar, and vituperative about him, wound up by
saying that he had been "boots" to every ldminis-
tration for 30 years. (Renewed laughter.) NOV, I
beg you to understand this is the language of the
Times, and not mine. (Laughter.) (But with what
has his name been associated ? (" Peterlo a.") I
am
Yes, Peterloo. reminded that on this very
spot of ground—(" Yes, • yes,")—when the people
.
were nut down and trampled upon by the yeomanry,
Lord Palmerston was one of the Government and
voted in favour of that outrage. (Groans and cries
of " Shame.") Well, but what has he done since ?
—because men may have been, in the early part of
their career, by circumstances, like Sir R. Peel,
put into a certain groove, and hardly answerable
for the course they were obliged to run. What has
he done since he has been able to take his own
choice ? What does he propose now to do ? (" Ruin
us.") He was a member of the reform ministry in
1831, he left his old party and joined the Whigs as
a reformer. But was he one of those who put for-
ward the cause of reform, or was he there as a drag-
chain I I have seen to-day a speech which has been
sent to me, delivered by Sir J. Graham, at Car-
lisle. He says, " I and Lord J. Russell are the
only two Cabinet Ministers remaining alive who
formed the Government which brought in the re-
form bill of 1831 ;" and he says, " We had Lord
Palmerston amongst us; but I very soon found
out that he was not very much disposed for the
work that we were engaged upon." (Hear, and
cheers.) In December, 1843—little more than
three years ago—Lord Palmerston belonged to the
Ministry of Lord Aberdeen. Now, Lord Aberdeen
was considered a very liberal man ; we were all de-
luded with the idea that Lord Palmerston was the
great champion of democracy, and that Lord Aber-
deen was always the friend of despotistn ;—I was
not token in by that, but a good many people were.
(Cheers.) Well, but what did Lord Palmerston do
in December, 1853, when Lord Aberdeen's Go-
vernment was preparing a new reform bill, to be
brought in in the session of 1854 ? Lord Palmer-
ston left Lord Aberdeen's Government because he
objected to that modicum of reform that was then
proposed—(hear)—that bill, bearing on its back
the names of Lord John Russell and Sir J. Graham
—cm tainly not two very rash or democratic re-
formers—(laughter)—which proposed to give a
ten-pound franchise to the counties, and a modi-
fied franchise to the boroughs—so slightly reduced
that some of my friends thought it would rather
operate as a restriction in some boroughs than an
extension ; that bill was too much for Lord Pal-
merston to swallow in 1853, and he left Lord
Aberd. en's Cabinet avowedly because he objected
to that bill. (Hear, hear.) Well, what has he
done since ? What has he done this very session?
Why, he has opposed everything that can bear
the mere semblance of reform ; he voted against
Locke King's motion for a ten pound county fran-
chise, which formed part of the bill of 1854 ; he has
opposed even the 40s. freehold franchise for Scot-
land, if you may believe the Lord Advocate of
Scotland, who is in the Ministry, for lie has gone
down there, and announced that the Government
are opposed to it. Now, will you tell me on what
ground I am to be called upon to surrender my in-
dependence*and freedom of thought and action to
the will of a Minister such as this 1 Why, what do
you propose to get by such a policy ? It
appears
to me it is about the most audacious attempt upon
your credulity that ever was praet;sed in this coun-
try, to think of raising the cry at an election in
favour of one man—for there is no other cry at-
tempted on the hustings ; and for that man to be
the leader of the Liberal party, without having one
Liberal tenet in hi; profession of faith. (Cheers.)
Why; when I read et men that I hue hitherto core