Star.
London, England, 1831-03-09 00:00:00

SUPPORT OF MINISTERS.

What a glorious display of public spirit is evinced in every
part of the country in support of the Reform Bill ! What
a glorious victory of reason, justice, and liberty, is in pro-
gress over the sordid wretches who, availing themselves of
antiquated rights, have enriched and exalted themselves by
their abuses of power ! What a glorious recovery from ruin
and perdition will attend the future prospects and condition
of this empire ! Author of a petition on this subject so
long since as 1790, and of scores of hopeless petitions since
the writer of this paragraph is disposed, with the PROP H E r
to exclaim—" Lo RD, now lettest thou thy servant depart
in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."
How many thousands have not been so blessed, as he
has been ! They died in the belief that the evil would
work its own cure ;—but they never hoped that a day would
arise when a PATRIOT KING, seeing that it was wiser to
rule over the reason and affections of the people, than to at-
tempt to satisfy the avarice and insatiable cravings of a Par-
liamentary majority of Boroughmongers, would range HIM-
SELF on the side of the people ; and that, by their united
power, the reptiles would be expelled from the lodgment
they had made in our Constitutional fortress. The STAR
has lived through the entire period of this struggle—it re-
views many of its volumes with pleasure—and it hopes to
be in at the DEATH of the Boroughmongering system !

The whole country is absolutely rising in one spirit. The
Marquis of Chandos, with all his anxiety for hurrying
through the second reading, will not be able to outrun the
people. Let the opponents of the bill take warning in
time. It is not wise to provoke attention to such contrasts
as that now presented. However, we repeat, let the people,
for the sake of peace, make such demonstrations as will
cure them of their insanity.
The following public meetings, to support his Ma-
jesty's Ministers in their reform of the Commons' House of
Parliament, were held yesterday:
THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK, the High Bailiff, in
the Chair.—The Rev. Dr. Kenney, Rector of St. Olaves ;
Mr. Calvert, Sir Robert Wilson, Messrs. Ellis, Walker,
Davies, Blackett, Arpthorp, B. Wood, and several other
Gentlemen, addressed the meeting, and proposed resolutions,
which were carried by general acclamation. Petitions to
both Houses of Parliament were also carried by acclama-
tion; that to the Lords to be intrusted to Lord Durham,
and that to the Commons to Sir Robert Wilson and Mr.
Calvert, who, in the course of his address, said he had, fur
one or two Sessions, sat in Parliament for the boroaugh of
CJtton, and never was so ashamed of himself in his life.
ST. Luli PARISH, an extremely crowded meeting, at
the workhouse in the City-road; Mr. Walker, the church-
-1 warden, in the chair. The Rev. Dr. Rice, minister of the
parish; John Wilks, Fig, M.P. and several other speakers,
addressed the assembled parishioners ; and addresses in sup-
port of the Government were carried with only oue dissenting
voice—that of a decent-looking man, who objected to the
Government plan of reform " because it did not extend the
elective franchise to the order of working-men to which he
belonged ;" and thereupon he moved an amendment, insisting
upon " universal suffrage," which, being put from the chair,
was lost by an immense majority, only six hands, out of
several thousands, being held up in its favour.
ST. JAMES, CLERKEN WELL, a numerous and highly
respectable meeting, held in the parish church; Mr. Key,
the senior churchwarden, in the chair. Petitions to both
houses were carried unanimously, and intrusted respectively
to Lord King and Mr. Hume.

ST. PANCRAS PAR,bII MEETING, held at Fairlie's
spacious premises, Augustus-street, Cumberland-market;
N. Stalwood, Esq. in the chair. At this meeting an attempt
was made to introduce a prayer for the vote by ballot, but it
was eventually negatived, and the original petitions, praying
'the Government measure might be passed into a law, were
carried by a great majority.
BROAD-STREET WARD; held at the New York Tavern,
Royal Exchange ; the Alderman of the Ward in the Chair.—
This meeting was the more remarkable, inasmuch as the in-
habitant; have not been called together to discuss political
subjects but once within the last forty years. Mr. Jupp
proposed the resolutions, and Mr. Grote (the banker;, and
several other gentlemen, addressed the meeting, and ad-
dresses to both Houses were carried tnanimously.
CRIPPLED ATE WARD ; Mr. Ald. Wood in the Chair.—
Addresses to the King and to both Houses, expressive of
gratitude and confidence in the King and his Ministers, and
praying that the measure might pass into a law, were car-
ried sac voce.

At Birmingham, on Monday, pursuant to a resolution of
the Council of the Political Union, a meeting of the inha-
bitants took place, at Mr. Beardsworth's Repository, for the
purpose of expressing their deep and sincere gratitude to the
King for the proposed measures of parliamentary reform, and
their determination zealously to support government in car-
rying them into effect. The members of the Union, deco-
rated with their medals, met at the Globe Tavern, and from
thence proceeded in a procession to the place of meeting.—
fhe Union banner led the way—that glorious Bag —the red
cross of St. George, which, to borrow a quotation aptly
used by Sir R. Pcel in his late speech,
has braved a thousand years
The battle and the !mese.
"On arrival at the Repository, the place was immediately
crowded in the great area of the building. Not less than