The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-01-25 00:00:00

have been so long oppressed, why should we endeavour to kel
the people in a state of feverish agitation in order to obls,
minor points, which the course of events is likely soon to,. pr tt"hr====tmgmem-212trammir
t. il
duce? Does the virtue of Reformers consist in collec mg
al Isere
materials and fanning the flame of an interminable excitemed t
As we are a commercial people, do we not need some repob-eto
'ietyc;arthriaetdthoenpewoiptille aw
esnyts tetom a no df 11
A While in the slave states, as he emphati
and front their several places of
and must not the further want of it be destructive of our
interests and adverse at once to individual happiness and to eel.
public weal ? ,oere the viva voce sy-stetn of voting w
"I am, gentlemen, your faithful and devoted servant, eel" of crime, bribery, strife, and eve
IL-tuner of corruption, was most discus
"ROBERT WAITHMAI4
that gentleman's character for
Mr. WI Let AMS said,—Brother electors and fellow-citizenq.k. e
Stanley or any other man. (Hear
the requisitionists have intrusted me with the task of introdta,
g a ~ereat way for the purpose
cing to you the first resolution. That resolution embradt
63'ballots; they have travelled 3,0 W m
the three great important topics for the consideration.
but why have they not crossed
,-"oltece at the population of France ?
which you are assembled here this day—namely, to petitia:f ceala ••
for triennial Parliaments vote by ballot, and for a repea
the ballot, would theyhave returned
the assessed taxes. Gentlemen, I and you, as well as the.coes 11,t(74,tthialltlaFteralT,ceef healeddE,
try at large, expected there would have been no occasionro
consider the propriety of petitioning for the ballot and the 'd; ".
i":if these
peal of the Septenial Act, as it will be in the recollectiour orated majority who, in the Chamb,
Charles from his throne and counts
you all that Lord. John Russell, when he brought forward ti
Reform Bill, did promise not only to the House of Common en, the Frenchmen of all parties reg
but to the country at large, that as soon as the Reform ]3 feted shield at elections. (Cheers.)
should be carried, those two important questions should
"g• Nose of the inhabitants of that ci
brought forward in a distinct manner. Those measures we :
not introduced to the last Parliament, because every one AI,
r; 4nYyarty who thinks of doing away •
* estre of altering the ballot to open v
could read saw that they could be introduced into the Refo
4110: at our own. Look at the scenes of
Parliament with much greater certainty of pieces,. We the f:l3's gentlemen, should we travel into •
fore expected that one of the first acts, in conformity with
s. tavt_.h.paevet, and Norwich. They tell us le.disgraced'the proceedings at 1
promise made by Lord John Russell, of the reformed Parllth 'l
i,! candidates actually gave the sum of
meat would have been to introduce these two' great measur
but to our astonishment several of his Majesty's ministers. D -all myrtle plant. Another gave 10 g
Ilildfoid. Look at the riots at Coven
ticularly Mr. Stanley, have declared it their determinatio
4,1 Hertford. Look at all these scenes
that the ballot is not necessary ? Lo
resist and oppose them whenever brought into Parliamc
That expression of Mr. Stanley and the Ministers has cal' le
tession that has been exercised at St
he hich freemen dare not exercise thei
the greatest alarm, astonishment, and dismay in the mind
Re
principle of the ballot is so self-evid,
the people. (Loud cheers.) That is the principal cause of
meeting this day. Gentlemen acquainted with the histor .
, een any argument urged against the I
-0 to advocate it, or point out its goo(
their country know that it was the custom, from the ear
periods of our history, that the. Parliaments were elected an
with tenfold force in its favour.
ear that I have too long trespassed on
ally, and the salutary custom continued for a series of yea, fPIY
until the period of the Stuarts. One of Charles L's family !
veral gentlemen to follow me wh
away with that custom, and that led to that monarch's lose
eliver their sentiments, I will not dee
his head on the scaffold, and ultimately to the expulsion
i•
next subject is the assessed tax
that family from the throne of this country. The successorsa Ile
the Stuarts, William and Mary, almost immediately on est Will •ke but one observation, bee
who will follow me is so well
lishing themselves upon the throne caused an act to pass to
stay
10.1.11
z,i,,e,ct that he will be much better a
tie that most important question, the preamble of which
°°1:1 than to enable the 10,000 persons i
P who were deprived of the franchise
that, whereas, by ancient laws aud statutes, Parliaments ye will however, observe, that if the re
more frequent, and that their frequency tended to a good wge ,s,
13' their taxes, to do so, it will effect a p
went between the King and the people, it was enacted thatf
Parliament should sitaonger than three years. Unhalon v
be speaker concluded by moving the fir
succeeding generations, shortly after this act Passed
eouse will be pleased to repeal the stun
1715,—the act having only passed in 1694,—in the first year't l'olintieeffct Commons' hHateuitseisefexppaerdiiieatefic
the reign of George 1., that most daring act of usurpation,
Septennial Act, was passed, which did away with the act, ,
daring that frequent Parliaments produced a good agreedins, reign of King George 1., commonly
. f et ; and also to pass an act to cause
serve in Parliament to be at all futu
between the people and the King. The reasons assigned.
all rye
and also to pass an act to repca
the passing of the Septennial Act, were, that frequentslectioe'
and further praying tl
might favour the designs of the Papist faction, and lead t
( sstesbsedranetahxoefs, the taxes which is coma]
hellion and the invasion of the country, and that they
quent elections) were burdensome, by reason of the reat es 1
'lased to pass these acts with as little delay
Jr. NICHOLSON stood forward to sewn
pense attending them. Happily, none of these reasons. is
exist. The Reform Bill has done away with the necessity
•‘-a—After what has fallen from ths
expense at elections, except merely the cost of the hustin
addressed you, it would be bad ha
our time by any argument to prove th
and no candidate who possessed the confidence and esteem q't
1,-`; the Septennial Act. Mr. 'Williams,
the electors need be at any other expense. As to the Pop
has given you the history
faction, that did not now exist, because, happily, our breth
and fellow-subjects the Catholics are now admitted to
ir?, 'at' subject,
Parliament was elected for three ye
rights with ourselves. Will any one now say that we are t re .jet
i'llk the • made was that y did no
cued with invasion from a foreign enemy? No, for we are ;V" to exist for seven
treeyears and the
peace with all the world. When the act passed it well deser -. eda . 3
sting, and that their children she
,a: tion of the Lords, that we might be
the character given it by an eminent writer, Junius,
said it gave to the members of the House of Commons,
years for transgressing and one year for repentance. (Laugh
That act generated all the evils which this country has e o`uoiseg HouseLerdso.f
(Lead Commons,
.l, ballot, it was left as a question for
since endured. Its first child, nursed with great fondness, iue.)uni°°
the borough-mongering system, and that laid the foun a' hatd John Russell, when he introduc.
of the long and bloody wars which immediate y I ensued p tit' k ••ou of what has taken place in ,
- ' cularly that against the American colonies, which endedin and at Stafford ? I happened to be
loss of those colonies to this country ; and that against thee of the election, and the first da
liberties of France, which lasted 20 years, and which cost us
~.;_
' £1 to £lO each, but the last day 1
much blood and such countless millions of money; it made up _ „
' .( £lO to £2O. And by whom ?—by 1.-
debt of £800,000,000, which was before but trifling;
ed the establishment of not less than 300 barracks, and a sta s
! Covered with hair. He offered a fai
I "te six voters £lOO, but they demanded
ing army of 100,000 men in time of peace, to compel pefopae,
pay taxes which ground them to the earth. It laid the foul''
;ltrket price having risen. 1 cannot tell
non of four Admirals being appointed to each ship of the .osite candidate was, who had re
and three or four Generals to a regiment of horse. It leild4
11 those bought voters, to see them
the dead-weight of £6.4J00,000 for sinecures, and pensions, sr
v to vote against him. They di
to a host of women pensioners who were living on the vital? q
-'e Poor men who had got wives al
the country; it led to the passing of the dungeon and gaggit rt, and who therefore thought it the wi
bills, and to the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, bvt t.E2O as the price of their votes. (Cries
tyranny of Pitt, Dundas, Castlereagh, and Sidmouth. t
-I ould that have been the case if we has
that act which has led to the misrule, misgovernment, and '
set '` No, no.) In some places, howe
pression of Ireland, till at length thatcountry has been redo. s
,e're served in a different manner. Wh
to a condition which makes it impossible for the people ta;
t-ventry on the top of a coach, I saw
longer to bear them. To enumerate all the ills of the Sep
,t Li
tae -vill a Me.Ellice. I asked what was
-e Me that the corporation was buyinp. uiai Act would be a great waste of your time, and is perie!, tit the old members. Well, said I, do s
unnecessary, as I dare say you are sufficiently convinced t:2O ?
their existence. If Ministers are determined to stick by r` Yes. Right ; but how do you vot
declarations, and not *peal the Septennial Act, it will pbr
tolliat they voted honestly, according. to th
that their wish is to coerce.the people and make them to su •
;a.ittst the favourites of corruption. (t
euble
to injustice. But how can Earl Grey instruct his fellow Min is , you farther (cries of " Hear, I
tors to oppose a motion in favour of the ballot brought forty 'and it is a curious thing, and you will
by a member for London ? (Cheers.) I find that, in a r hear it. The Times newspaper—mind, it
lion presented to Pistliament in 1823, by the noble Earl, h
I' ? speak of that mighty engine (a laugh)
ii 1. t e
signed by his own hand, there is a sentence runs thus—" F Tnnes is here, I will not object t
in, 'lines, may please to put in, or anythi
ly, to shorten the duration of Parliaments, and to remove
cause of that confusion, litigation, and expense which now ,
seutd rattier that they would confine th,
frequently occur at elections, and render them what our anr, ilw, %hat is the case ? The Times
titine against the ballot for the last five
tors at the revolution asserted them to be, the means of
it,
government, and a liiippy union between the King an 'orrow morning (a laugh)—no, it may I
people." But, if Earl Grey should act in direct opposition h
et a letter from Berkshire (laughter)—b
this his declared condemnation of the Septennial Act, '-nrsday next, you will find the 1 hues
,I,t. to the fullest extent. (Cheers and
are now in a very different position from what we used to.
We have a reformed Parliament, and are not dependent u ,p hand.
for my reason. I have got the
the of any Minister whatever. (Cheers.) I trust a hand. (Cries of " Read, read.") 1
that arilPment will act in accordance with the desires oft'ti 11 allow me. Observe that Mr. Walt
people. (Hear.) The next important question founded upon , erkshire, is the proprietor of the Tim
resolution is the vote by ballot. You will find that all the .
evs to you, to be sure. (" No, no.''
foyers and expectants of places and the spoil of the moll &there ? This is his report, ill hi.
both Whig and Tory, with all their hireling press, are c.lsahle...‘ does he say in this part of his
ous in their abuse of the ballot. They say that Engh ! In adverting to the first Parham.
31 "; lie could but express his regret th:
are courageous, and desire to give their votes in an open 0 ot
woven made as perfect as it might ha
manly way. Englishmen are courageous, but they are t hliament, so that it might have enabl
kind-hearted, and feel for the miseries they inflict upon e , ,
0 give his vote without coercion, and
families ; and you know there are some Englishmen who ,
s!I eanscience. In that case, his two ho,
not vote as they wish without the risk of being ruined by
be os
tyrant who has power over them. How many men have filet have secured their election wit!
deprived of bread, how many thrown into the workhouse, P
inconvenience ; but that defect in
- Times that speaks, not me ;—laughter
turned out of farms and houses, for not obeying the dictate ea ,sdi_ ~
eu He had once thought that the
those who have power over them! It is said thatththber
ilt a final measure ; but when he found t
is un-English, but what a droll charge is this, when.
.i. ees held out a,junist honest poor men,
not an institution, not a club-house, not a district in thei co
,is
‘lting as tl•sy wished, he owned he c
try, where the elections are not conducted by ballot. (Ghee t something more remained to be do
Look at the benefit societies of the artisans, for labouring so
and you will find them all carried on by the ballot. Loo
tasure of refor (Cheers and cries of '
w, I know from several gentlemen, m
the great clubs at the west end of the town, which count for t . 4
•'S committee that if lie had had the
members all the great and rich nobility of the country,--:, lased
1 ate) votes.
great members of the church,—all those who hold commissiro; more than he did. Lc
rim more part of the world—from Italy
in the army and navy,—and there all the elections are cars ;ter elaces, wrote to their £5O tenants,
on by ballot; not 'even a Royal Duke can be admitted Its :r, .v. , ~.
atter toey must quit their land. (CI
them without the use of the ballot. At all our great charitrt .(I .. Shame. __.„
) Would not that be sot
institutions with which this country abounds—the hospi A,'i ttlap,
eu_amte useal r
even the Royal hospitals, which are munificently endowctffa It.e? "e, I° the ballot ? Is it
to the of Essex in support of m
Christ Church, St. Bartholomew's, and St.Thomas's Hospiwit ~rd
i Chandos who moved the 150 tenai
the elections are all carried on by ballot. Look, again, at 41 ~ras that clause which had turned out '
our scientific institutions, such as the Royal Society, the Ho l 4
[l4 been vote by ballot Western and la
Antiquarian Society, the Society of Arts, and a long lists '‘-ti returned. (Cheers.) Now for the sr
sides • in all these the elections are carried on by ballot. „I. kes,
i aud sine fin persua ed I shall have
the London University the elections are also carried on by ilo'a I h ,
u 16 -au time I could lay a statement b
lot. Is this proceeding then un-English ? (Hear, hear.) a sv
Lail- , Inost distinctly- its terrible and monsti
at the Bank of England—the directors of that immense ,„.
de; ii ' hear, hear.") I have been au advocas
powerful establishment, who exercise more power over the 00 i: assessed taxes for above twelve year!
fillies of the country and its wealth than any other body in lot- v. ,
v• it does not require argument, but
country, except parliament itself, are all elected byban,,t ise
ought to be laid before y-ou. T
Then turn to the East India Company, and you will find..P.'ooB,l, 0
Y partial, and consequently terri
the directors, who exercise a monarchical sway over 80 milliy,onratios .
IQ 1 took the trouble this mortal
of human beings, are elected by ballot. Yet it is said hat i" l°factql., and from the petition which I hi
is an un-English proceeding ! (Cheers and laughter. I lotiltiou
about to be aclopted by this meet.
if we except parliament itself, there is no whereinstitution.lat_o Iled
with abundant illustration of my
ballot is not in use. We are told to look at the Unitet(llSit
itsuat.,;(l
e are 52 counties in England and Wail
of America, 17 out of 22 of which adopt the ballot.
And
nbaliot ist4 ties there are only 66 houses rated to t
most remarable fact, that those states in which tl ,
eir -elle
f £llO a-year. In six counties there h
not practised are slave states, which elect men to sell to
the constituli:ore than £9O a-year, and in those colt
lows as they would a beast at open market. In
provision to electna! that have cost £lOO,OOO, and £2OO
tiou of the whole American states there is a
the
purpose oti'ounties in Wales there are only tv
at stated periods, a convention of the people,
for
rbe found to mei than £lOO, and there are only six 1
altering and amending those parts which ma
but in no on aced at £BO. In one of those coot
quire it. Those conventions meet frequently of the ballottlaiesea resides in a mansion and gar
instance was it ever dreamt of to abolish the use
th gentlett: garden also to the extent of an ac
(Cheers.) I was in conversation so • me time ago wi a . _ ,
it.... h .
York—and he told onis,luis, w o receives £20,000 a-year as
man—an eminent merchant from New
when a most inWo lei' an average of £6 to £7 a-year fi
that a convention met about two years ago,
qualification was hefts. il
ins (Hear, hear.) Assembled as we
tant'alteration was made, for; as the qua i
franchise to alms 11,`,'1 of these grievances, Mr. Alderman
much confined, they extended the elective
the whole population (cheers) ; but on that occasion there N 1,,,,` we are premature. Why Mr. Aidern
no suggestion to do away theballot.
(Cheers.)
, He state t„lon on the books of the house of Con
d wealthy std 'if he had brought it forward, and i
that the elections in that great, populous, an e„,......._

,•44.t will be seen from .shat afterwards occur
I(' pasprt ofth the sneaker the extract in ues
5 the ee of 111 r. F. Pakuor. at the luq
te