The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-08 00:00:00

WORKING MEN'S MEMORIAL TO
THE LATE SIR ROBERT PEEL.
A most rictoue public meeting, in aid of this object,
was held last evening, at the Whittington Club (late
Crown and Anchor), Strand ; Mr. Hume. M.P., in the
chair, suppornel by Messre. Cc' den, M.P., Bright,
M.P., G. 5. Brown, M.P., Wyld, M.P., George Thonspe
son, M.P., &c.
the CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the meet-
ing, stated that he had watched the course in Parliament
of the late Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel for forty years,
and though he had been generally opposed to his policy,
he felt convinced that he had ever been actuated by an
honest and conscientious desire to serve his country.—
(Cheers.) What had come to his knowledge since the
decease of the Right Hon. Baronet had tended to raise
the character of the departed statesman in his estima-
tioe. They had seen that Right Hon. Baronet not only
declining honours for himself-, but leaving it as his
last request to his family that they should never seek
honours for what he had done, being content to leave
the vindication of his character and bib fame to the
people. Be (Mr. Hume) therefore called upon the
millions to come forward and subicribe towards a testi-
monial to the late Right lion. Baronet. The object of
that meeting was to promote that subscription, numbers
and not amounts being what they required. In order
to obtain those numbers the committee appointed at the
Belvidere, at Pentonville, had limited- the amount of
subscriptions from ld. to ls., so that every individual,
however poor, might_ have an opportunity of enrolling
his name amongst the subscribers. Another object of
that meeting was to fix a time when the subscription
should be brought to a close, and the nature of the tes-
timonial decided upon. One hundred and sixty-seven
committees had already been formed, and subscriptions
had been entered into for defraying the necessary ex-
penses, it being intended that the whole of the pence
collected should be appropriated to the testimonial en-
tire and untouched.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., rose to move the first resolution.
The crowded state of the room showed that those who
had first proposed this testimonial had not overrated the
sympathy which existed amongst the people at the un-
fortunate event which had deprived this country of the
services of Sir R. Peel. It was proposed to raise a memorial
to the memory of that departed statesman, and he trusted
that it would be subscribed to by thousands—nay,
millions, of his fellow-countrymen.—(Cheers.) He (Mr.
Bright) was, in principle, generally opposed to monu-
ments, believing that there had been more raised to bad
men than to good; and, with regard to the memory of
the late Sir Robert Peel, he might ask with the poet—
" Why need we monuments supply •
To rescue what can'neier die?"
He asked that question, because he felt That every man's
household must contain a'memorial of the advantages of
the policy of the lute Right Hon. Baronet.—(Cheers,
and cries of " No, no.") The policy which Sir Robert
Peel had pursued from 1842 to 1846, in ameliorating
the fiscal and commercial regulations of the country,
had been of essential service in raising the condition of
the working classes.—(Cbeers, and cries of " No, no.")
If they looked to Parliamentary returns they would
see that grim poverty had been driven back in its
course and shorn of its terrors.—(Uproar, cries of
"No, no," and "Turn him out.") He maintained that -
the man must be ignorant, or prejudiced indeed, who
could deny that pauperism had been much dimi-
nished within the last three or four years.—(Cheers.)
That was owing, in a great measure, to the policy of the
late Sir Robert Peel, rendering it easy for every work-
ing man to obtain a sufficiency of food.—(Loud cries of
s No, no;" " Hear, hear;" " It won't do, Bright," and
uproar.) There was another important fact to be de-
duced from Parliamentary and other returns—namely,
that there had been a great diminution in crime.—
(Cries of " Nu, uo;" " Yes, yes;" and " We hope there
has been.") That, too, was owing to the policy of the
late Sir Robert Peel, which rendered food cheap. From
the year 1843 to 1846 he had been in Parliament, and
watched the alterations which had taken place in the
opinions of Sir Robert Peel, by his changes in the fiscal
regulations of the country, until he finally threw to the
winds his former opinions, and gave, to the country a
free supply of food, which he felt convinced no Mi-
nister ever dared again to attempt to take from them.
—(Cheers and uproar.) By that Act Sir Robert Peel
had deprived himself of power, so far as concerned
the direction of an Administration, but during the last
four years he had enjoyed that greater power of in-
fluencing almost every vote in the House of Commons
by his single voice.—(Herr, and cheers.) He believed
that during that period he had acted most conscien-
tiously, by his having, on the very last occasion ou which
be addressed the House, opposed the policy of a Mi-
nistry which he had supported for four years. Upon
that occasion he had been asked by a gentleman how he
intended to vote, as a knowledge of his intentions might
influence many other votes, when Sir' R. Peel replied
that, in his opinion it was a matter of conscience, nut in-
fluence, and every man ought to vote on his own convic-
tions. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that
the meeting, recognising the great benefits which, at con-
siderable personal sacrifice, the late Sir R. Peel had be-
stowed upon the country, approved of the proposition of
raising, by subscription, a memorial to his memory, and
pledged themselves to give it every possible support.
Mr. YATES seconded the resolution, and stated that
some difference had occurred in the committee as to
the vs ay in which the money should be applied, some
being in favour of an education institution, while he
thought alnashouses might be more desirable.—(Loud
cries of " Elocation.")
The CHAIRMAN was about to put the resolution, when
two or three working men claimed to be allowed to
speak, and considerable confusion ensued,
Mr. Soutane having appealed in favour of everybody
having a lair hearing,
A Mr. MILLER, a working man, who was.evidently
very much excited, stepped upon the platform, and most
vehemently attempted to address the meeting. He com-
plained that because he had taken exceptions to soma of
the statements of Mr. Bright he had been interfered
with by the police.--(Here a scene of considerable con-
fusion ensued, a large number of parties standing on the
forms waving their hats and handkerchiefs, and demand-
ing the expulsion of the police. The confusion lasted
some time, during which the speaker was seen gesticu-
lating in a most extraordinary manner.) The speaker
continued for some considerable time amidst the most
outrageous uproar to denounce the whole system of Sir
Robert Peel's policy as destructive of the interests of the
working classes.
Mr. COOPER followed in a somewhat similar strain.
At the conclusion of this speaker's address, of which
scarcely a word could be heard in consequence of the
uproar which prevailed,
Sir JOSMUA WALMSLEY, M.P., addressed the meeting,
and explained that the whole of the confusion had arisen
in mistake, it having been not only the intention of but
an instruction to the chairman, before putting the re-
solution, to ask if any working man wished to speak
upon it.
Mr. Fox, wbo described himself as a costermonger,
addressed the meeting, and was heard throughout with
the greatest attention. He regretted to hear Mr. Yates
say that he was opposed to the memorial being one for
educational purposes, as he well knew how much such
institutions were wanted by the poorer classes of society,
and he would readily exert himself to procure subscrip-
tions if ho could have a pledge that they would be so
applied.—(Hear, hear.) There had been a penny sub-
scription for a testimonial to Sir R. Peel at the time of
the repeal of the corn-laws—he should like to know
what had become of that?
The CHAIRMAN said that it would be all accounted
for, and he was authorised to say that it would be
handed over in augmentation of the subscription now
being raised.
Mr. Fox was glad to hear that, but he could not re•
commend his friends to aid the subscription without they
received a deep pledge from the committee that the
funds would be applied for the purpose of erecting edu-
cational institutions for the lower classes undistinguished
by the badges of charity. In establishing the institu-
tions he had mentioned, care must be taken to secure
them to the use of the working classes, and not to allow
all their advantages to be monopolised by the middle
classes, as had been the case in other institutions:
Mr. OSBORNE, another costermonger, followed on the
same side, and brought forward an amendment which
he said it had been the intention of the previous speaker
to move, pledging the committee to apply the subscrip.
dons in the establishment of educational institutions for
the " canaille." The word is that used by the mover of
the resolution, and not applied by us iu an offensive
sense.
On the suggestion of Mr. G. THOMPSON, it was agreed
to make the amendment a substantive resolution, in the
shape of a recommendation, and that and the original
resolution were both carried.
Mr. COBDEN next addressed the meeting, and, having
gone over the same ground as Mr. Bright, moved that
a simultaneous collection should be made throughout the
kingdom on the 31st of August, and the whole subscrip-
tion closed in September.
Mr. W. BROWN seconded the resolution.
Mr. BRONTERRE O'BRIEN, amidst continual uproar,
denounced the whole movement, Sir Robert Peel having,
throughout the whole course of his political life, been
opposed to every act likely to benefit the working
classes, and supported the Six Acts, the suspension of
the Habeas Corpus Act, and every other measure to op-
press them. The speaker concluded amidst great confu-
sion and laughter, to move that the whole of the sub-
scription should be applied to the erasure of the objec-
tionable measures supported by Sir R. Peel from the
statute-book.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. CoBDEN,
the resolution was put, amidst considerable confusion,
and carrii.d.
Mr. O'Brien's addendum being negatived by a large
majority, it being somewhat singular that those parties
who had already decided that the subscription should
be applied to educational purposes also supported the
motion of Mr. O'Brien.
Upon the motion of Mr. GEORGE THoMpsoN, .M.P.,
seconded by Mr. WYLD, a committee was then appointed
to carry out the foregoing resolutions; and, after a vote
which lasted
have thoo
utrhse,
scehpaairraniteado., the meeting,
no featrhlayn

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MORE LIBEL.---" Ma," said a little girl to lier
mother, "do the men want to get married as much as the
woman do ?" " Psha! what are you talking about I" "Why,
Ma, the women who come here are always talking about
getting married, but the men don't do so."