The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-19 00:00:00

This morning, at half-past eleven o'clock, a meeting
took place of the inhabitants of Liverpool to petition
in favour of the Irish Registration Bill which has been
introduced by Lord Stanley in the House of Com-
mons, and in opposition to the bill introduced by go-
vernment. It must he fresh in the memory of all,
th4t at this period last year a meeting to a similar ef-
fect took place, which was most brilliantly attended.
Although the present meeting has not, perhaps, been
quite so numerous, yet it must be borne in mind that
the time of day at which the meeting was convened
was most inconvenient, not only to the mechanics,
shipwrights, and others, who, it is notorious, are en-
thusiastic supporters of all that appertains to the Con-
servative cause, but also to the gentlemen connected
with the trade of this port. In consequence of the oc-
cupation of the Amphitheatre by Mr. Cooke's com-
pany, the arrangement was unavoidable. Amongst the
gentlemen present we noticed the following on the
platform :
Sir T. Brancker ; Revs. H. M'Neile, W. Falloon, J. R.
Connor, W. Maynard, H. E. Prior, Allen, T. Gregg, C.
W. Richards, and W. Badnall; C. S. Parker, Esq., James
♦spinall, Esq., J. S. Leigh, Esq., N. Robinson, Esq.,
Bobby, Esq., J. Rigby, Esq., C. Grant, Esq., S. Holme,
;sq., T. T. Glazebrook, Esq., C. Boutflower, Esq., Daniel
Ledson, Esq., P. Leather, Esq., Jas. Pownall, Esq.,
Nicholl, Esq., Robertson Gladstone, Esq., Shepherd,
Esq., D. Hogan, Esq., M. Edwards, Esq., D. Hodgson,
Esq..

On the motion of Mr. NICHOLAS ROBINSON, seconded
by Mr. J. S. LILIGH, Sir THOMAS BRANCKER was called to
the chair amidst tremendous applause.
The CHAIRMAN opened the proceedings in the following
words :—Gentlemen, you will all of you remember that during
the last spring we met in this building for the purpose of
petitioning the legislature in favour of the bill brought in by
Lord Stanley for the improvement of the system of Irish
registration—in other words, the putting down of fraud, and
the protection of the honest voter. (Cheers.) That bill
was thrown out of the House of Commons not by argument,
but to use an expression attributed to Mr. O'Connell, " by
the clock." (Hear, hear.) In consequence of this, Lord
Stanley has again brought in this bill' during the present
session ; and we now meet for a double purpose, inasmuch
• as the government, beginning also to find at last that the sys-
tem of Irish registration wanted amendment, have brought
in a bill of their own (hear, hear), for which they claim pre-
cedence over Lord Stanley's. (Hear.) We, therefore, meet
for the double purpose, as I said before, first to petition
against the bill brought in by Lord Morpeth, and in
favour of that brought in by Lord Stanley. (Cheers.) Last
year the result of the meeting was the adoption of a pe-
tition, which received upwards of twenty thousand signa-
tures. (Cheers.) I think I need scarcely call upon you to
repeat those signatures—(hear)—and to present a petition
this year still more numerously signed if possible, in order
that the result may be ties adoption of the measure which
Lord Stanley has now before the House of Commons.
(Cheers.) Sir Thomas concluded by saying that the time
allowed for the meeting was so lireited that he should not de-
tain them by any further remarks, but call upon Mr. Aspi-
call to move the first resolution. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. JAMICS ASPINALL ruse to move the first resolution,
and was received with loud demonstrations of respect. Ad-
dressing the chairman, his brother conservatives, and the
gentleneen present, he said that the first resolution having
been placed in his hands, it was a duty he owed to them and
to himself, not to shrink from coming forward to give it his
cordial support, and lie claimed their indulgence while he
offered a few remarks on the subject before them. When
they last met in that place, it was (as stated by the worthy
chairman), to give their support to the admirable bill of
Lord Stanley, which had for its object the real be-
nefit and prosperity of Ireland. (Hear, and cheers.)
Lord Morpeth, one of the members of that imbecile admi-
nistration which had very properly been denominated by
Lord Stanley, " the thimble r.g ministry"—(cheers and
laughter)—had since brought in a bill in opposition to that
of the noble ford, at the instigation of a man who found that
ministry ever subservient to his uses and ready at his will—
s man who, by agitations, kept Ireland in a continued
lists of trouble and confusioe. This thimble-rig mi-
toiletry bad, in obedience to that individual, brought in
a bill, which they well knew would never pass, for the
purpose of defeating Lord Stanley's excellent bill of last
Iniission. This reprehensible line of conduct opened out
4 funk discussion on one of the most lamentable mea-
onsisistbat had ever received the sanction of parliament. He
Onsaint the Irish emancipation bill, by which, as they would
be aware, the forty shilling freeholders of Ireland were dis-
franchised. The bill, however, brought in by Lord Morpeth,
made still greater inroads on the purity of registration ; and
would give (which they could not too fervently oppose),
still greater power to the priests ovef the inhabitants of that
country. To aid in the defeat of so nefarious an object
bad brought them together that day, and he trusted they
would do their duty manfully. He could not persuade him-
self to delay the meeting, however warmly he felt on the
subject, by lengthened remarks of his own, after what had
been announced from the chair. There was, however, one
amongst them whose gigantic powers of mind enabled him to
rapple with this or any other question that might be brought
before them ; one whose splendid eloquence had often re-
sounded within these walls. (Loud and repeated cheers.)
He should, therefore, leave the subject in his hands ; and he
felt assured that they would be delighted to hear what he
should advance on the important question before them.
(Loud cheers.) He concluded by moving the first resolu-
tion, namely :

" That this meeting, deploring the present defective state
and demoralizing tendency of the existing registration laws
for Ireland, rejoice to find that a bill has been introduced in
the House of Commons by Lord Stanley to supply the ac-
knowledged defects, to remove the proved abuses, and to
provide a remedy for the various evils of the said registration
law."

Mr. C. S. PARKER said, that owing to the indisposition
of the gentleman who had undertaken to second this resolu-
tion, that duty had devolved upon him ; but he would not
occupy the time of the meeting by speaking to it at any
length, particularly under those circumstances which now
rendered it desirable that their proceedings should not be
protracted. He would not, however, sit down without re-
turning thanks in his own name, and in that of his brother
merchants, to the Protestant operatives, to whom they were
indebted for this great meeting. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then put the first resolution, which was
carried amidst tremendous cheering, without a dissentient
voice.

The Rev. HUGH M'NaILE then rose amidst very animated
applause. He said—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the re-
solution I have been requested to move, is this—
" That this meeting desires to express their conviction
that the bill introduced by Lord Morpeth, by lowering the
qualification of voters, will open a fresh door for currupt and
fraudulent practices, such as the other provisions of ti►e bill
are designed to prevent, changing the nature without di-
minishing the amount of the demoralizing operations of the
present law."
We are assembled to perform a solemn duty, for the con-
scientious discharge of which we are all, I conceive, reli-
.

giously responsible. It is an universal maxim, inseparable
from the great laiv.of moral retribution, that privleges in-
volve corresponding responsibilities. This is true of every

_ .
description of privilege, and therefore it is impossible fo
men to enjoy the political privileges which we enjoy, withou
being called to the discharge of corresponding political duties
If it be the duty of the representatives of the nation in par-
liament assembled to deliberate dispassionately on all mea-
sures brought under their notice, and to record the result of
their deliberations by their votes, it is equally the duty of
their constituents to deliberate on every great national

arrangement proposed to be made law, and to record the
result of their deliberations by petition. I said, on every
great national arrangement proposed to be made law, because
on minor matters of detail it is advantageous, as well as
convenient, to leave the management, without comment, in
the hands of our representatives.
When once the law is passed, it is the plain duty of a
ehristian citizen to acquiesce in its provisions, and to do his
part, whatever his station may be, towards their practical
operation ; and the man who rebels, or threatens rebellion
against the law of the laud, should be accounted and treated

as a traitor to the state. (Lond cheers.) ---
But when a measure is proposed which has not yet become
law, the proposal, the repeated parliamentary discussions,
and the delay inevit.ai consequent thereon, form a consti-
tutional appeal to Cue nation, to ascertain tlie prevailing
opinions of the pelple, and the grounds on which those
opinions are formed.

Such an appeal was made to the nation last year, and is
now repeated, upon the subject of the registration of voters
in Ireland. Our attention is now called, relatively as well
as positively, to the merits of Lord Stai!ley's bill, because
that bill has to contend, nut only against existingabuses
which it seeks to remedy, but also against a rival bill which
seeks to supersede it. Last year it became our duty to prove
the existing evil which were loudly denied ; and not only to
prove their existence, but to exhibit their operation in a way
intelligible to all classes of the people. This we endeavoured
to do, by tracing the history of a vote, which by an easy con-
trivance was made to survive the voter. The evils com-
plained of are now admitted on all sides. lem happy to be
able to quote the grave a ords of her Majesty's Chief Secre-
tary for Ireland, in full illustration of my popular sketch of
the family of the Cassidys. (Laughter and cheers.)
On the fourth of this month, Lord Nlorpeth, in his place
in the Huuse of Commons, is reported to have said---. 4 It
would be sufficient on that point, td admit, as he freely did,
that great facilities
andfraucl
it
exited in the present system of
registration in Ireland;
cnu:d nut be denied by any
who had serious !y considered the subject, that many instances
of finch frauds had ceci...rred.
~ Those fraud's took place in the
system of certificates, in
perslnAt!ng dead or absent regis-
tered voters." Here is
the noble secretary's official admis-
sion of what I told you about living Michael voting on the
qP
ualification of dead Tom. Lord Mor etb doeso preside not,
iindueseder,
describe the master spirits from Maynooth,l,in all probability, be
wh
the system of personation. This would,
nnparliamentary, as certainly it would be uncourteous, to-
wards some of the noble lord's colleagues ;
but it is our hap-
piness out of doors (as they call every house except their
own) not to be under any of those embarrassments when we
tell the truth; and as there are no effects produced without
adequate causes, it is philosophically as well as politically wise
to notice the moving Power which manages the puppets. For
power read priesthood, and for puppets read personifiers of
dead and absent registered voters, and you have clearness and
preeision gives to the statement of the noble secretary.
(Loud atm.)