The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-28 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK ELECTION.

MEETING OF SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTH'S
FRIENDS.

The supporters of this gentleman held a meeting last
evening, in the Southwark Literary Institution, which
was very fully attended.
The chair was occupied by Edward Evans, Esq., who,
after a few introductory observations, introduced the
Hon. Baronet to the meeting.
Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH Commenced by going
over the same topics which have formed the subject-
matter of all his previous addresses. He then proceeded
to notice the progress of his cause with the electors,
stating that his election for the borough of Southwark
was all but certain. He was informed by his Committee
that the canvass had hitherto been most successful. By
far the greater majority of electors pledged themselves
to support him. Next in number of supporters stood
Mr. Pileher, and least and last of all, with far the fewest
number of electors to sustain his cause, stood Mr. Miall.
He could assure the meeting that. Mr. Miall had no
chance.—(Cheering, with an expression of dissent from
an elector who sat on the second bench.) Addressing a
conspicuous individual, he inquired if he denied the fact
of Mr. Miall's utter hopelessness of success?
The ELECTOR replied, that as he had been appealed
to personally, he could not undertake personally to
deny it.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH proceeded—He should prove
that Mr. Miall's friends well knew the fact that he had
no chance of being returned. They knew the state of
the case. And why, then, did they persevere ? Be-
cause some of them had said that they would rather see
a Tory returned than him (Sir W. Molesworth). He
repeated the offer he had already frequently made, to
leave it to the Liberal electors to make their choice be-
tween him and Mr. Miall, and he would pledge himself
to retire if the selection should not fall upon him.—
(Cheers.) Why had not Mr. Miall or his friends ac-
cepted that fair proposal ? Would the gentleman who
represented Mr. Miall at the meeting explain the reason,
and tell them why ?
The ELECTOR who had before interrupted the busi-
ness begged that Sir William Molesworth would not call
upon him to sustain Mr. Miall's cause.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH would not again appeal to him,
as he had renounced and repudiated the cause of Mr.
Miall. But he had supposed him anxious to put himself
forward as an advocate.
The ELECTOR jumped up again, and indignantly de-
nied that he had either renounced or repudiated Mr.
Miall's cause.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH resumed. He would explain
the reason why Mr. Miall would not accept the offer.
It was because he well knew that the choice of the
Liberal electors would not fall upon him. It was be-
cause he and his friends were well aware that the choice
of the majority of the Liberal electors would fall upon
him. Mr. Miall's friends were perfectly aware that he
had no chance, and as he felt himself the stronger of the
two, he should persevere in goinc, to the poll.—(Loud
cheers.) The trial ought to be one of principle ;
it ought to be only between Liberality and Toryism,
and he was perfectly sure of defeating the
Tory candidate, even under the present cir-
cumstances. But still it was matter of deep regret that
the majority by which he would be returned would be

lessened by number withdrawn by another professing
Liberal candidate. However, in point of fact, the contest
lay between himself and Mr. Pilcher, and it was there-

fore with his principles alone he had to deal. He differed
from Mr. Pilcher on four different or four very important
questions. The first was religious liberty and equality ;
the second was that of justice to Ireland ; the third was
the important question of free trade ; and the fourth and
last was with regard to the necessity of certain altera-
tions which ought to be made in the institutions of the
country. Having explained his views as before upon
the first of these questions, he expressed his absolute
opposition to all endowments for religious purposes
whether Protestant, Catholic, or other denomination.—

(Continued cheering.) He then explained his reasons
for excepting the late Maynooth grant from his general
opposition to all endowments for religious purposes.
Some interruption having ensued,
An ELECTOR called out " That question is settled ; it
is only a clap-trap to throw you out, Sir William."
Sir W. MOLESWORTH-Oh, never fear. There is no
fear of that.—(Tremendous cheering.) The next ques-
tion was justice to Ireland. With regard to that ques-
tion, he should say that the first vote he ever gave in
Parliament upon an important subject, was against the
well-known Act, called the Irish Coercion Act.—

(Cheers.) Not more than half a dozen English Mem-
bers voted with him upon that occasion, and for their
conduct they were subjected to the greatest obloquy.
They were threatened with expulsion from their seats
in Parliament for their vote on that question, yet,
shortly afterwards Lord Grey's administration was
thrown out, when the reaction took place, in the pro-
duction of which that very question had an important
influence. He (Sir W. Molesworth) had always voted
on the Liberal side of every question, and generally with
Mr. O'Connell—(Cheers)—and he had seconded Mr.
Hume's motion for putting down Orange lodges in Ire-
land.—(Cheers.) The Hon. Baronet resumed his seat
amidst the most enthusiastic applause.
Mr. WAKELING rose to move the customary resolution,
to the effect that the meeting was satisfied with the
candid and straightforward statement made by Sir
William Molesworth, which had entitled him to their
support and confidence ; and that they pledged them-
selves to use their most strenuous exertions to secure
his return to Parliament as the representative for the bo•
rough of Southwark.

Sir WILLIAM MOLEBWORTH said two questions had
been put to him. The first was—What would have
been the course pursued by him bad he been in the
House of Commons when Lord Worsley's Bill for
enclosing the public commons was introduced ? To
that he could only answer, that not having ever read
that Bill, he was unprepared to state his views
upon it.—(" You ought to have read it then.") Well,
may be he ought, but the fact being that he had not,
he could give no other answer. But his conduct would
be ever guided by the principle of taking care of the pri-
vileges and providing for the wants and the amusements
of the working classes.—(Cheers.) The second ques-
tion was —What course would he have adopted with re-
gard to Lord Ashley's Bill for shortening the hours of
labour in factories ? To that he should only reply, that
the question was a difficult one, and he should feel ex-
treme reluctance in interfering between master and
workman.—(Applause and hisses.)
Mr. WAKELING was then permitted to proceed with
his speech, in the course of which he said that Mr. Miall
was injuring the cause by his conduct, in persevering in
the course he was pursuing.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution having been seconded by Mr. MAL-
LETT, was put from the chair and carried with but few
dissentients.

A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman,
when the meeting, which was a very numerous one,
separated.

MEETING OF MR. MIALL'S FRIENDS.
The friends of this gentleman held another meeting
last evening, at the Ship Inn, Long-lane, Bermondsey,
to advance the interests of their favourite candidate, Mr.
Maynard in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said the object of the meeting was to
advance the liberties of the people, by the return of Mr.
Miall to Parliament. That Hon. Gentleman would state
his political principles to the meeting, and afterwards they
would have to consider whether he was a fit and proper
person to represent the borough in the House of Com-
mons. It was his intention to grant the fullest discus-
sion as to the merits of the candidate he was about to
introduce, as such a course was the only one consistent
with truth and justice. The Chairman concluded by
introducing Mr. Miall.
Mr. MIALL, in rising to address the meeting, was re-
ceived with great cheering. He commenced by saying,
that in all the addresses he had made since the begin-
ning of the contest, he had put forward a question
which had created much division of opinion in the
borough and throughout the country—he meant the
Maynooth grant.—(Hear.) He objected to that grant
on principle. If he thought that such a grant would
tend to advance the liberties of the much oppressed Irish
people, he would most certainly have supported it. But
he thought otherwise. He believed the main object of
that measure was to stave off the redress of Ireland's