Star.
London, England, 1830-05-27 00:00:00

THURSDAY EVENING, MAY 27, 1830.

long and consistent perseverance in a just cause—that of advocating
the rights and liberties of my countrymen.
It next appears that the Editor of the Morning Journal has In
that wretched paper declared something ; to which t answer, that
miserable man is in Newgate, and the miserableis defunct
and I give you, Sir. and your friends, much JOT papering such an
advocate and such an associate.

Next, the writer la shocked at Mr. O'Connell being my tool, to
which 1 answer, this is as ridiculous as it is contemptible. Then
the writer is rejoiced that the Marquis of Blandford resisted my at-
tempts to get him implicated and committed to the doctrines of
Universal Suffrage. " But Lord Blandford had then no suspicion
that Mr. Hunt was a Government contractor." The fact is, that,
two days before Lord Blandford brought forward his motion in
the House of Commons I had an interview with him at his noprert,l
at the Star dice, and as he asked my opinion I gave it him pretty
freely, and I certainly urged him We abandon his Bill of half measures
and to adopt another, which would be far the liberty of all. His
Loedship said be could not agree 1 Universal Sufrage, but that he
was a decided convert to the " ballot." I thought this a great point
to be conceded by so young and se aristocratical a Reformer, and I
complimented him upon it. In speaking of his plan of householder
suffrage, I pointed out to him its fallacy and its injustice in the
following words Look, my Lord. moss the way into Nor.
folk.street, in the Strand, and you will at once have a fair ape-
cimen of your householder scheme. The houses in that
street, for instance, arc mostly lodging.houses ; the ground
floor, the first floor, and the second door, are occupied
by lodgers, who pay from two to four guineas a week for each
floor, and spend probably between them from two to three thou-
sand a year. These lodging-houses arc mostly kept by women,
who have no vote; neither, of comic, has either of their lodgers;
but then there is a man who keeps the lodging-house; he lives
in the kitchen underground, and probably does not spend more
than 150 L a year ; he only has a vote, while the heads of the
three families who live above, and who spend front two to
three thousand a year, have no vote at all." Lori Blandford im-
mediately acknowledged the hardship and injustice of this, and ex-
claimed how couuld such parties be represented without resort
to universal suffrage ?" My reply was, " you create this dif-
ficulty by departing from principle." However, his Lordship can.
didly admitted that he was staggered, but said, " It is too late now
for me to alter my Bill ; it has been drawn up and revised by a
constitutional lawyer, and it is gone to press ; and be might have
added, " My speech that I intend to make is also in the press, and
I have not time to make and learn another " but he repeated, " /
am a convert to your opinion as far as the Lan." But the writer
says I am a Government contractor, and be insinuates that had Lord
Blandford known this, he would not have listened to me. It is per-
fectly true that, during the last two years--that is, between April
1828 and March 1830-1 supplied the Royal Marines with just
2,100 tin boxes of paste blacking, at threepence each box, amount-
ing to the enormous sum of twenty-six pounds five shillings. This
is the amount of my contract, which ceased on the 10th of the last
month, as will be seen by the following notice
" 36, Stamford-street, April 10.
" To Sir James Cockburn, Bart. Paymaster and Inspector-General
of his Majesty's Royal Marine Forces.
" Sir,-1 do hereby give you notice, that from this time I shall
discontinue to supply the Royal Marines with blacking.—l am,
Sir, your's respectfully. H. HUXT.
" Red. and delivered by T. H. Hart."
The history of my serving the Marines with blacking is this.
I knew that during the war, and up to a very late period, soldiers
paid &I. a box for paste blacking, therefore I made an offer to Sir
James Cockburn to supply the Marines with blacking of the very best
quality for 3d. a box, provided he would cause the marines to be sup.
plied at the same price ; my offer was accepted, and since I have dope
this the men have got their blacking at 50 per cent. less than they
ever had it before, and the Government have been supplied by
me at 25 per cent. ess than they ever were supplied before; and had
the army been supplied with all their materiel throughout the war
on the same moderate terms, there would not at this time have been
a national debt of 6d. Do you believe, Sir, or will any rational
believe, that the paltry profit arising from this insignificant tun-.
'action of 261. ever had, or was likely to have, any effect open my po.
litical actions or words s I am sure you do not believe any such
thing. But, Sir, give me leave to ask the writer of this attack upon
me what has become of my Lord Blandford ? We have not heard
any thing of him since the birth of his ridiculous Bill. Has
the Government whispered ought into his ear that has
caused him to be mum ! What has become of the author
of the letters signed " Sydney," which were published
in the Star Newspaper? Is it not quite as likely that the Mar-
quis has an understanding with the Government as that I have ?
He is silenced, aid lom not! Take my word for it, Sir, Lord
Blandford's bill was a " flash in the pan," and I shall be much
surprised if we hear any more of Sydney's letters, or of stopping
the supplies by repeated motion of adjournment till grievances
are redressed. The fact is, the " ridiculous Bill" submitted to
the House of Commons by Lord Blandford, was calculated to
damn the fame of any politician; it was a subject of ridicule and
contempt for every man in England, in and out of Parliament, ex.
apt Mr. Thomas Attwood, of Birmingham, and the majority of the
political Council of that town. Lord Blandford feels this, and I
am very much mistaken if he has not, in consequence, abandoned
that one-eyed line of politics for ever; and moreover, I think it
very probable that we may never hear the Marquis's name ever
coupled again with that of reform of any sort.—l am, Sir, your
obedient humble servant,
H. HUNT.
P.S. I should have noticed this attack before, although it is
anonymous, but I never saw it or braid of it till this day.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.
SIR,—My attention has been arrested by a letter in
your number of yesterday's date, addressed to Mr. Thomas Attwood,
and signed " H. Hunt.
Whenever I perceive in any statement that which strikes me as a
wilful misrepresentation, I am induced to think that some sinister
object is in view and as in this letter of Mr. Hunt 1 notice one of
these seeming wilful misrepresentations, I shall not stop to ask
myself what may be the aim of its author in making it, and in mark-
ing it by Italic characters, but do at once and unhesitating)
nounce the statement to be groundless, and do declare my belief to
be that it is likewise wilful Never at any moment of my life have
1 dreamed of soliciting an interview with Mr. Hunt; and if the
party (who upon the occasion referred to did, I admit, bring us to-
gether) so acted as to impress Mr. Hunt with the belief that I wished
for the interview, I assert that a gross deception was practised on
Mr. Hunt and myself.
To me it was by that party represented that Mr. Runt anxiously
desired the introduction, in order to prevail, upon me to take the
Chair at the great Metropolitan Meetingthen in contemplation. The
dictates of common courtesy led me to accede to a personal inter-
view, wherein 1 might, as I then did, respectfully, but thinly, re-
fuse to lend myself in any shape to the object In view.
Part of what 41r. Hunt states to have passed between us at that,
first and last, meeting is correct—part is otherwise ; but this is mat-
ter of small moment ; and whatever rejoinder may follow this de-
claration, 1 wash my hands of Mr. Hunt, reproaching myself for
having ever yielded to a mistaken sense of courtesy, and for having,
brought myself into contact with one of the bitterest enemies the
question of Parliamentary Reform ever yet encountered—one of the
best friends the faction of a corrupt Oligarchy ever could have anti-
cipated the possibility of drawing to hs Md.-1 have the honour,
Sir, to be your most obedient humble servant,
May 19. BLANDFORD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING HERALD.
Staniford.street, May 110.
Stet—ln your paper of this day the Marquis of Bland-
ford has thought proper to make some observations, purporting to
he a reply to a statement made by me in a letter addressed to Mr.
Thomas Attwood, of Birmingham, and which was published in the
Merrany Herald of the lath instant.
In that letter I stated "that 1 bed an interview with the Mar.
quis, as Ns mune, at the Star Offiee." The Marquis admits the
bet oldie interview, and the general correctness of my statement
to what transpired at that interviews but the Marquis 'denies
the interview took place as his repeat, adding, "l 1 de seism
hesitatingly pronounce the statement to be potuaillems mil do
clue my belief to be that it is likewise " tlegir st 1407
moment of my life have I deemed soliciting an interview with
Mr. Hunt."
Now, Sir, I admit it to be very pa sible that my Lead Bland.
lard never dreamed at ell about any thing it the asst, and that
ho Welt have boa *maim when he mob the coottatilstiat

PRICE 7n.

in your paper of this day; but, Sir, a plain statement of facts,
which will be corroborated by others as respectable end as ho-
nourable as the Marquis himself, will. I trust, bring him to his
meollection, and say you, Sir, and your readers, that my state.
*mu is, in every owed, to the very letter. I have been
in the habit of social for some time with • gentleman
than connected with the Orr se steer, and with others then warm
admirers of the Ilampb these gentlemen were fre.
queryq eadlivadog ispawki nas that his rdship was as pure
nefriot as esteripaind tie sonde at Bridsh history, and in proof of
this they laid belbosswi the letterset Sydney, publislud in the Star,
which letters wore aidrossed to the King and written by the mar.
quip, a fact that he moldy avowed ; and from the strong language
In which they were cetwissd, they drew this conclusion, that, like
another Sydney, or a snood Hampdeo, be was willing to shed his
blood in defence of the rights and liberties of his countrymen--in
truth, that he was a real radical reformer. I admit, bit, that I
was rather sceptical upon this point, and I argued that the violent
language captained in the letters of Sydney was not of itself suf.
Ikeem In my eye to stamp the author of them a radical reformer ;
however, to put this to the proof, I ptoposed that the Mquis
should be invited to take the Chair at the Great Metropolitan
Meeting, then in contemplation ; adding, that if he assented to this,
that I shoed abandon my doubts, and hail him as a real Mend
of the rights of the people. This was agreed to by all pre.
sent, and, as I understood, one of the party made this proposi.
tion to his Lordship, who at once declined the honour, and,
as I thought, gave very satisfactory reasons for not accept.
Ing it. Upon which Mr. O'Connell was solicited to take the chair,
which he unhesitatingly accepted many days before I had the Inter.
view with Lord Blsndford at the Ace of the Star newspaper, there.
fore, it was quite impossible that I could have wished an
interview with his Lordship, In order to prevail "upon him to
take that chair," which Mr. O'Connell had previously agreed to
take. However, to the point at issue—whether I solicited the in. I
terriew with Lord Blandford, or whether he solicited the interview
with met One morning, about 12 o'clock, Captain Henley drove
up to my door in a cabriolet, and said that the Marquis of Blend.
ford was at the Vim. Office waiting to see me, and that he had been
requested to come over after me, and bring me back in the cabriolet, i
as the Marquis was in a hurry, and could only wait a short time.-1
My answer to Capt. Henley was, I cannot return with you as I am
engaged ; but you will do me a favour by informing the Marquis
that I will be with him in half an hour from this time. Having trans.
acted the business I hadin hand, I went over to the Star Office,where
I found the Marquis waiting for me, to whom I was introduced,
and the conversation took place hich I have before described.
Capt. Henley is a man of honour and a gentlemen. He called upon
me yesterday, having seen my letter to Mr. Attwood ; he volunta-
rily stated, in the presence of several other persons, that every word
I had written upon this subject in that letter, was literally true ;
that he came over for me at the Marquis's request; that he was in
the Star Office when I returned from the interview ; and that I then
and there stated the exact substance of the conversation which oc.
cured, which exactly corresponded with that which I published in
my letter to Mr. Attwood. Now, Sir, you and your readers will be
perfectly competent to decide, whether in my letter to Mr. Attwood,
I made any wilful or any other misrepresentation whatever. But
the Marquis says, " Whatever rejoinder may he made to this de.
cluation, I wash my hands out of Mr. Hunt." Surely Lord Bland-
ford must be wanting in common penetration, not to have disco-
vered sufficient materials in my former letter to have shown that I
had washed my hands of his Lordship, without vulgarly telling
hint so.

The Marquis further says
." I reproach myself for having
yielded to a mistaken sense of courtsey, and for having brought
myself into contact with one of the bitterest enemies of the
question of Parliamentary Reform ever yet encountered—
one of the best Mends the faction of • corrupt Oligarchy ever
could have anticipated the possibility of drawing to its aid."
The Marquis, you will perceive, Sir, is very angry, and calls very
hard sauce. lam a bitter enemy to reform, and the best fried
to the faction of a corrupt oligarchy ; and why forsooth ? Not be-
cases I tricked the Marquis into an interview, nor because he
tricked me into one ; but because I hinted that 114 the said Mar-
quis, had his speech printed, like Mr. Shiel, before be delivered it.
Will the Marquis deny this? There is no crime in it that I know
of ; but will he deny this fact ; because if his Lordship's memory
should fail him also in this instance (and he will give me leave), I
will produce a man who saw a person from the Star office deliver
the slips of his speech into his lordly hands in the lobby of the
House of Commons. Which slips he took with him into the
House, and made his famous speech with them in his hand. It
was my allusion to this that has put the Lord into a passion, and
which hoes made him call me names. I admit that I am, and ever
he `'tea bitter eneny to his Lordship's scheme of exclusive
reds.. 4.,Ner of reform, if it were ever adopted, which would ex-
c./I'6 19.00.MM* of the people of England, 'lreland, and Scotand,
from any chars in the elective franchise. This Bill for such a put,
pose l called " ridioulows"—l still call it so ; and the lordly mem-
ber for the rotten borough of Woodstock doe.; not like it. I said that
his Lordship's patriotism was a mere " Bash in the pan ;" and I an-
ticipated that we should hear little wore of him and his scheme for
reform. Why, Sir, in my time, I have seen hundreds of such mush-
room patriots ; they have sprung up and passed away like a summer
cloud and are forgotten- in an boar ! And, if his Lordship had
au so pettishly " washed his bands of me," I could have
given him and the public a piece of information that he little thinks'
lam acquainted with. If his Lordship's hands are not yet washed
quite clean, and he will condescen4 merely to give me permission to
speak out, I will give you, Sir, and the public, one of the most
perfect specimens of the moaner and by what menu a modern pa.
Wu gets puffed into notice by the public Press, that was ever ex-
posed to the vulgar eye of the multitude. I can truly say that,
during nearly thirty years of public life, I never gavefilre *lathier;
to any one belonging to the Press, either to withhold or insert any
thing relative to myself. And yet the Marquis has a cheaper me.
tiled of managing the Press. I know how easy it is for some persons
to make prosaism, and hew easy some persons break them. I
know all about the bankruptcy at ° • °°° • • I
know • • • • • • . I know theconditions and the pro.
mina that were held out to certain parties to • • • • • • •.
I have anticipated that Lord Blandiord's pan iotism is "a flash in the
pas." I ask his Lordship whether he has never suctioned this
opinions I ask his Lordship this question--When he was applied
to by certain parties to perform his proposed promise of pecuniary
aid, whether he did not turn round upon the applicant, and say
that he should retire from politics altogether ? I know of these
things, and &great deal more—ergo, I am an enemy,. Litter enemy
to ouch sort of Reformers—Therefore, I am a friend to a corrupt
Oligarchy. But in spite of Lord Blandford, and in spite of the
Aristocratical feelings which govern the actions of all such men
u the Marquis, I have ever proved myself a straightforward and
unbending advocate for the rights and liberties of the whole human
" I am, Sir, yout's very respectfully,
" H. HUNT."