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

FINSBURY.

Last night Mr. Duncombe addressed a very
numerous meeting in . Myddleton Hall.. The hon.
gentleman on presenting himself was. most enthu-
siastically received: • He stated that• he was about
to enter upon his eighth general election contest,
and felt that he had strength enough to serve the
electors of Finsbury, as he had hitherto done, in
promoting the cause of reform. He had not yet
seen the Reform Bill that pleased him. (Cheers.)
Lord Derby had tried his hand for the first and last
time, but his bill was so bad that it was ignomi-
niously kicked out. of the house. Lord J. Russell
produced two bills, but he gave them up without
proceeding with them, whilst Lord Palmerston,
who promised a Reform Bill in the Queen's speech,
declared that he had not prepared any bill, and all
that had been done was, that the matter had been
talked over in the Cabinet. (Laughter.) The
country, was asked by the present Ministers to
return a Parliament that should enable them to
rule ; but they did not say on what principles they
were to rule. Reform was not to be found in their
programme. They hoped by means of bribery and
intimidation to get a majority in the new House of
Commons.. Ire knew what answer would be re-
turned by the people if they had such large and
independent constituencies as the borough of Fins-
bury. But even as things were at present he be-
lieved that there would be such an opposition in
the new House of Commons as would make it
impossible for any. Government to rule on Tory
principles. He hoped the constituencies would
speak out on the question of Italy, and make it
known to the world that the people of England
were opposed to the oppression of that country by
Austria. (Cheers.) .The hon, gentleman made refer-
ence to the other candidates in the., course of his
address, and a• good -deal of noise was created by the
partisans of Mr. Cox, who thought they detected
in the remarks of the hon. gentleman • a leaning to
the side of Sir S. M. Peto. He stated, in explana-
tion, however, that he stood upon his own bottom,
and that all he expected was one vote. (Cheers.)
Mr. Purfit proposed, and Mr. Watson seconded a
resolution in favour of Mr. Duncombe, which was
carried unanimously. .
A vote of thanks to Mr. Delarne, the chairman,
terminated the proCeedings.

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 Boa; High Holborn,
to meet Sir S. Morton Peto.: William Elliott,
Esq., occupied the chair.
Sir S. MORTON PETO addressed the Meeting, and
said he met those present as friends, for they were
quite aware of the scenes that had been presented.
by public rmeetings, so that the only course lefj to
hini was to meet them as on, that occasion, to allow
them the opportunity of putting any questions they
pleased ; for it was very, desirable that they should
know the opinions of the candidates who desired
to represent them. As to a bill put out by Mr.
Cox's committee respecting the disturbances 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 beSt man for Finsbury, he need not mind
if a dozen candidates were to come. He did not
know that Finsbury was the manor of Mr. Cox, nor
that any one who came -there was to be considered
as poaching on Mr. Cox's manor. He would carry
on the contest with the best possible feeling, and
was not • ashamed of his opinicms before men, and
he would feel obliged by any questions being put to
him as to: his; Opinions. Ile .then read a letter from
Mr. Monkton, 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 distuibances that
have taken place...
..
Mr. J.. R. TAYLOR then put several questions to
Sir S. M. Peto on the subject of Sunday trains and
the opening of-the British Museum on Sundays.
Sir S.:M. PETO 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-
ion, which was adopted, with one dissentient.
A numerous body of electors then came forward
:0 enrol themselves on Sir Samuel's committee, and
the 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 nosing 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 would 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, he 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
Metropolitan Management Bill, and the important
amendments he 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 had been ta
n.The
Reform Bill, however, was defeated, and they were
now called upon to elect their members.
wouldn the
Tower Hamlets he hoped and believedthey
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 1 c asses.
(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 not men. (Cheers.) He had
never darkened the Treasury door to ask for favours,

.v

and he never would do so. He had always given
an honest vote. He had no interest or object to
serve in giving a dishonest one. With reference to
the distribution of Parliamentary seats he wished
to say one word. In the Tower Hamlets they had
a population of half a million, and they returned
only two members ; while 71 boroughs, having a
population less by an eighth than the Tower Ham-
lets, had 113 members. (Cries of " Shame.") That
seemed a monstrous state of things, and he told the
Tower Hamlets that he would not support Lord
John Russell or any other Minister unless he pro-
posed a fair re-distribution of Parliamentary seats.
In point of interest, the Tower Hamlets ought to
have a larger share in the representation. They
had the shipping • interest, and the silk interest,
both of which, especially the latter, were grossly
neglected. He feared, from the news received to-
day, that war was inevitable. If the Government
of this country plunged us into.war, he hoped the
people would know how to deal with them when
they presented themselves at the hustings. (Hear.)
There never was an occasion when the people had
greater need to use the utmost caution in the con-
stitution of their Parliament, and he hoped in God
they would elect honest members, if they were not
able ones. (Cheers.)
In reply to a working man named Palmer, Mr.
Butler said that he disapproved of flogging in the
army and navy, the impressment act, and the game
laws.

The same Working Mau said, that he had
opposed Mr. Butler at his-Arst election, but he was
now bound to state that,he„considered his votes
had been right and g 00610,44 that:he well deserved
the support of the w00961i.P1a4; for whose welfare
he had laboured seduisi
y 40.feithfully, and of
whose interest he Ina -n - roved himself an earnest
and a faithful exponent .i;,,;1
On the motion of MrnfilAglige Pearce, seconded
by Mr. J. Weare, it yaA,,resolved unanimously,
and amid much enthusiasm, " That the thanks of
this meeting of the inhabitants of Shoreditch, are
eminently due to C. S. Butler, Esq., for his inva-
riable supportof all liberal measures, and especially
for his attention to the local interests of the parish
of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, with Iniich he is so
closely identified ; and that the worthy member is
Worthy of the renewed confidence of the inhabi-
tants, and this meeting pledges itself to use its best
exertions to secure his re-election.
Thanks having been voted to the chairman, the
meeting separated.