The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-02 00:00:00

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'RICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

MR. ROEBUCK, M.P., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS

SHEFFIELD, MONDAY,

Mr. Roebuck, one of the representatives of this
borough, met his constituents this afternoon in the
Temperance Hall. The conduct of the hon. member
upon two occasions appears to have been strongly
condemned by a section of his constituents, namely,
when in 1859 he supported the continuance in. office
of the Administration of Lord Derby, and again
this session when he addressed the House of Com-
mons in a speech favourable to Austria. A meeting
was held in Sheffield about a fortnight ago, at which
a resolution was passed calling upon the hon. mem-
ber to ♦isit his constituents and explain his conduct,
and on Tuesday last Mr. Roebuck wrote to the mayor
to convene a meeting for this day.
Mr. Roebuck arrived in Sheffield on Saturday,
and proceeded to the residence of the mayor (Mr.
H. Vickers), where a number of gentlemen met him
at dinner by invitation of his worship. This after
noon, escorted by a large body of his supporters, he
proceeded to the Temperance Hall for the purpose'
of delivering an address, but on reaching the build-
ing the hall was found to be so closely besieged by
thousands of persons that the hon., member was
compelled to remain in the rain for a considerable
time expo.,•ed to the jeers of the mob before an
opening could be made for him.
On entering the hall it was discovered to be
densely crammed in every part—between three and
four thousand persons having contrived to squeeze
themselves into a building calculated to hold
about one third of the number. Mr. Roebuck
was received with mingled cheers and hisses, and
the Mayor attempted at once to open the proceed-.
ings. The uproar and confusion were, however, so
great, and the demand for an immediate adjourn-
ment into the open air soincessant,that his worship
essayed in vain to obtain a hearing. At length a
working man mounted the platform, and with
stentorian lungs demanded a patient hearing for
Mr. Roebuck. Order was to some extent restored.

The MAYOR, having briefly opened the proceed-
ings, called on Mr. Roebuck to address the meeting.
Mr. ROEBUCK rose, and was received with loud
cheers, mingled with slight hisses and groans. He
entreated the people to be calm and quiet, but the
uproar became greater every moment. Finding that
his entreaties and remonstrances were unavailing.
the hon. member abruptly resumed his seat, where-
upon the cries for Roebuck and for an adjournment
into the open air became deafening.
Mr. ROEBUCK explained, but the words only
reached one or two persons in his immediate neigh-
bourhood, that his health would not permit him to
address an open-air meeting, especially in such
inclement weather.

Mr. HOOLE, the ex-Mayor--tMy friends, we do
not meet to justify Mr. Roebuck, but the people
have placed him upon his defence, and he is here to
answer the accusations which have been made
against him. Why should you not give him a fair
hearing? Why should emissaries be sent here to
disturb the proceedings ? I have fought many a
battle with the people, and I hope to fight many
again. I am not here to justify Mr. Roebuck's con-
duct, but, as an honest man, I am here to give him
fair play and to hear his defence. (Adjourn.)
The MAYOR —We cannot adjourn. We cannot
ask Mr. Roebuck to injure his health by speaking
to us in the open air, and if you really wish to hear
him you must hear him now. (Oh, oh, groans, and
confusion.) If you won't hear him be good enough
to say so, and I will put on my hat and take my
departure.
Mr. ROEBUCK—If you would be kind enough to
hear me I will speak. (Great uproar.)
A Voice from the platform—l would not address
them at all.

Mr. ROEBUCK—I do not see how I can.

The scene here became perfectly indescribable,
and all attempts to procure the slightest approach
towards order were unavailing. Mr. Roebuck, after
consulting with several friends near him, reluctantly
quitted the platform and entered an ante-room.

Mr. HADFIELD, M.P., then rose and said—My
friends, allow me to try to drop a little oil upon the
troubled waters, and to prevail upon the meeting to
govern itself. I never yet heard of a Sheffield
meeting that would not hear a man who was labour-
ing under ad. accusation. (Hear, hear.) Ido net
believe the present meeting will prove an exception
to the rule, and I have communicated with my hon.
colleague, desiring him not to leave the premises
until he shall have had another opportunity of
making himself heard. Fair play has never been
refused in Sheffield since it became a town, and I
venture to say that if my worthy friend the mayor
will resume his seat, and my hon. colleague will
come and take his place upon the platform again,
from that moment you will give him a fair hearing.
(Cheers.) And besides, I want to say a few words
to you on my own account at the close of your inter-
view with my hon. colleague. I want to induce you
to send up to the Heuse of Commons such a petition
as was never sent up before—a petition from 20,000
male inhabitants of Sheffield in favour of a bill now
before Parliament, which, if permitted to be carried,
will increase the number of electors in Sheffield to
20,000. (Cheers.) Do not lose the present oppor-
tunity, but do hear what we have to say. (Cheers
and uproar.) It is not every day that we can come
and meet you in this manner. We have work in
abundance upon our hands, and we want all the sup-
port you can give us. Do, then, let us resume busi-
ness, and not bring a reproach upon that which is so
dear to us all, namely, self-government.( (Cheers.)

Mr. HOOLE--There are an immense number of I
persons outside, but they do not wish to create a
disturbance. They say all they want is for their
friend Mr. Roebuck to obtain a hearing ; and if he
can justify himself they will remain his friends
still. Will you, then, hear your representative ?
(Yes.) I will put it to a show of hands.
On a show of hands being taken nearly the
whole were in favour of hearing Mr. Roebuck.
Mr. ROEBUCK then came forward, and, address-
ing a noisy crowd immediately beneath him, said—
Gentlemen, if you will be quiet I will endeavour to
speak, but if you persist in making a noise I can't
speak. (Cries of " Order," "Put 'em out," and
great uproar.) Mr. Roebuck waited ,until some-
thing like order was restored, and turning to the
Mayor continued.) Now, sir, I want to know, in
the first place, why I am down here ? (Cries of
" Hear, hear.") I accept that cheer, and I ask
again, why am I down here ? (Loud cries of
" Hear, hear.") Allow me to answer that question
myself. lam down here because base insinuations
have been made against my charticter. (Cheers,
hisses, and general uproar.) Now, if every one
will only take care to keep himself quiet, you have
no idea how quiet the meeting will be. I say that
base insinuations have been made against my cha-
racter. Now, I have done certain things as a mem-
ber of Parliament, and after 30 years of service,
beginning a poor man, remaining so—(cheers)—
fighting your battles against every temptation, they
could not find a better thing to say of me than that
for sordid purposes I have gone against my own
opinion. (Hear, hear, cheers, and a few hisses.)
Now, lam here to vindicate my own opinion. (A
Voice—" More power to you," and cheers.) Wait
and hear me. (Confusion and uproar.) Do not by
your yelling and by your clamour try to put me
down. Listen to reason, though it speaks by my
voice, and I believe that if you will listen to reason
you will say that I have done
e nothinghear a
nthat
cheers.)ong ht
to give you offence. Ha
Now, Sir, a great man—
English philosophy---11
like the long-bow,
one of the great lights of
as said that evidence was
upon theth
strength and capacity
but that argument was like
the cross-bow.
The first dependewdbon
of the man
arrow—theby an
necoind had h
infant
tor tbye a samegia force whether
let owhthe , elarar
hleetrelo, olsehope,
to speak the voice of reason. I do not
wish you to put faith in my character. But that

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