The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-31 00:00:00

MEETING IN BIRMINGHAM.

TUESDAY EVENING, FIVE O'CLOCK. —Since Mr. Dun-
combe's disclosures in the House of Commons respecting the

Grahanzising, as it is termed here, of the letters passing
through the Post-office, the utmost desire has prevailed
amongst the working classes to pay that gentleman a tri-
bute of respect for his conduct in bringing to light what is
deemed by all as a most gross violation of those rules which
ought to govern so important a branch of our national esta-
blishments as that of the Post-office. With a view to carry
out their feelings, a committee of working men was ap-
pointed last week to make the necessary arrangements, and
they obtained the use of the Town-hall, and the consent of
Thomas Weston, Esq., Mayor, that he would preside on the
occasion of a public meeting to receive Mr. Duncombe. To-
day was accordingly fixed for the meeting, and at one o'clock
the Mayor took the chair, amidst very great cheering, which
lasted for some time.
The MAYOR explained the object of the meeting, and
paid the working classes some high compliments for their
conduct.
Mr. CLARKE came forward to move the first resolution,
and in doing so, said they were met that day to do honour
to the man who had presented a petition signed by three
millions and a half of the men of England—the man who
had in fact proved himself the greatest friend they ever had
in the House of Commons. They were assembled to do
honour to that man who, above all others, had done more
towards exposing the oppressions of the labouring classes in
the House of Commons than any other man who now occu-
pies a seat in that House. They honoured Mr. Duncombe
not because he was more honest than he ought to be ; but

now that they had so few honest men in the-House of Com •
mons, they ought to appreciate the man who had courage to
come forward as ➢Zr. Duncmnbe had done. He had nobly,

he had honestly done his duty ; and he (Mr. Clarke) felt I
great pleasure in proposing the following resolution :—" That
we, the inhabitants of Birmingham, in town meeting assem-
bled, having with inexpressible pleasure the presence
amongst us of Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, Esq., M.P.,
take this opportunity of thanking him in person for the
manner in which he has advocated the cause of the persecuted of
any class or country, but particularly for the services which
he has rendered the working and industrious millions of this
empire by strangling that monstrous specimen of tyranny,
the Masters and Servants' Bill, and for his conduct in bring-
ing to light the most disgraceful act of which the honesty
of our country speaks—namely, the opening of letters in her
Majesty's Post-office, which department, we consider, ought
to be held as sacred as the innermost recess of the closet of pri-
vacy. And we further hope that Mr. Duncombe will not rest
satisfied until there is a full and public exposure of all the
circumstances connected with this most most disgraceful

transaction."
Mr. DUFFY seconded the resolution, attacking the Bir-
mingham Whigs for not having joined the working classes
at the late election, when Mr. Sturge was candidate for that
borough. But they might depend upon it the people had
taught the Whigs a lesson which they would never forget.
They would keep this party down now they were down, and
never, until they came forward in favour of the great object
of the people's affections, would they receive the support of
the masses.

Mr. DUNCOMRE, M.P., then came forward, and was re.
ceived with great cheering, which lasted a long time. He
said the Mayor had told him the more he saw of the people
of Birmingham, the more he respected them. Now, he (Mr.
Duncombe) could assure them that the more he knew of the
people of England, the more he respected them, and the more
fully convinced was he that they were justly entitled to those
rights and principles for which they were contending. He
could not but feel extremely grateful for the distinguished
mark of respect they had paid him; and if he should at any
time stand in need of a stimulus to renewed exertions, he
would find it in the recollection of the exceeding great kind-
ness he had received at the hands of the working classes dur-
ing the last few days. The day before, he met in the town
of Sheffield thousands and tens of thousands of tke working
classes, all of whom were actuated by the most intense de-
sire to promote those great principles which had been so fully
and forcibly laid before the people during the last four years.
He could with great truth say he saw the day before an im-
mense demonstration—a whole riding turned out to welcome
him, and do honour to those principles of which he had
been the humble advocate. They might depend upon it the
spirit of the people was most decidedly in favour of liberty,
and it only required combination to insure success. The Hon.
Gentleman then proceeded to the consideration of the two
important points in the resolution they had just passed,
namely, the Masters and Servants' Bill, and the Post-office
delinquencies. In reference to the first measure, he said it
was a most iniquitous attempt to tyrannise over the working
classes. With respect to the Post-office regulations referred
to in the resolution, the Hon. Gentleman said it had been
pretty well ascertained that the Government, aye, that the
Queen herself, had been made instrumental in spying into the
letters of unfortunate men, who desired the welfare of their
own country. England had been, without all doubt, engaged in
spying for foreign despots. But it was not only foreign letters
that were opened ; but he believed it had been proved before a
Secret Committee of the House of Commons that letters had
been opened in England. Yes; in Manchester letters had
been opened, in the year 1842, when the strike for wages
took place amongst the working classes. Whatever might
be the result of the Committee now sitting, it would yet be-
come a question whether the people of England would allow
the Government to posses the power which they now enjoy,
from an absolute and base Act of Parliament. This, however,
they must make up their minds to do—they must resolve
upon union.—(Hear, hear.) They must sink all small diffe-
rences. They must insist upon their representatives demand-
ing the removal of those Acts ; and, above all things, they
must cordially work together to place men in the House of
Commons who would insist upon the removal of those infa-
mous and defrauding laws, which gave to any Ministry the
power to open their letters, and become acquainted with the
most secret transactions of their lives.—(Loud cheers.) He
could not say anything that would have the effect of creating
in their minds a greater horror of the iniquitous system which
has been pursued by the Government, than what already
existed ; but he considered it right to tell them, that what-
ever might be the result of the Committee now sitting on the
subject, it would still rest with the people to say whether
the Government should have the power they had been so long
in the habit of exercising. They must cause those Acts under
which Sir James Graham took shelter to be repealed—they
must be swept away from the statute-book, or they would
have no security that the next Minister, whoever he might
be, would not practise the same outrages upon their feelings.
—(Great cheering.) The Hon. Gentleman, after delivering
a very effective speech, sat down amidst repeated cheering,
and was followed by
Mr. RICHARDS, who, after briefly addressing the meeting,
proposed a resolution in favour of the Charter ; which having
been seconded, and Mr. F. O'Connor having addressed the
meeting, the resolution was carried.
Thanks having been given to the Chairman, the meeting
separated.

Lady Brougham's soiree, not ball, as erroneously
stated in some papers, takes place on Friday.
METROPOLITAN JUNCTION RAILWAY.—London,
which is a county in itself, is now fairly promised the
benefit of internal railway communication, and by a very
feasible scheme the great railways which have their
termini at present at various points on the outskirts of
the City, are to form one continuous line, connecting
the North, South, and West of England. This junction
line is to pass from Waterloo-bridge, across the West-
minster and Vauxhall roads, to the South-western
terminus, thence by a railway bridge at Battersea, across
the river, to Kensington, and the termini of the Great
Western, and London and Birmingham lines. The boon
to the public secured by this undertaking may be esti-
mated from the fact that, at present, as much time is
occupied in transporting goods, by the Regent's canal,
to the Euston station, as from the Euston station, by
railway, to Bath or Bristol. When Sir John Rennie's
report upon the survey is before the public, we shall
return to a consideration of this subject. In the mean
time we with the project success ; it is one of national
value.