The Sun. — 1839-02-07 (London, England)

NATIONAL CONVENTION.  ( Continued from our Paper of yesterday. ) Mr. RICHARDSON then proposed that that part of the Queen's Speech, which referred to the National Convention, and to the agitation now going on throughout the country, be read—which proposition having been seconded—the paragraphs in question were read.—Mr. Richardson proceeded to remark that he had been very anxious that this portion of her Majesty's speech should be read—inasmuch, .as he thought it had particular reference to himself, and many other gentlemen in that room. lie for one had always done all he could to effect legally agitation—but what were they to think, when th were openly stigmatised as using dangerous and illegal practises. It was notorious, that Ireland was daily teeming with murder and insurrection, and while they, against whom not one single case of this nature could be urged, were stigmatized as common miscreants, and as such to be put down by the strong arm of the law—yet, Ireland, in the same speech, was declared to be in a peaceable and quiet state. The people of the north were more loyal, and more attached to the laws than these parties who were daily acting against the laws and against the Constitution ; but he would throw back the taunt into the teeth of those Ministers who had concocted the Speech. If Lord J. Russell were to hear rightly, he would find that the people of the North were not deaf to the voice of humanity ; and that they would never allow humanity to be sacrificed for the purpose of agitation. But they would not obey the titled mushrooms of the Bench, sprung from the bones of the working millions. They would not obey the dictates of the cottonlaw Magistrates. Sir Robert Peel had stated in his speech delivered in the House of Commons last night, that he (Richardson) had openly declared in his speech delivered in Palace-yard " that the people of the north were armed against. the law." What he said was, " that the people of the north' were armed—their rifles are hung over their mantle-pieces— they demand (for petition is of no avail) Annual Parliaments— they demand Universal Suffrage." Mr. Richardson then proceeded to animadvert on the conduct of Mr. G. W. Wood, the Manchester Magistrate, and said that his, and the actions of others of the same class, were to prepare the Magistrates and the Squirarchy for thesrural police. On this question of the rural police depended the success of their Charter. In conclusion, he hoped that. all now present would agree with him in the propriety of appointing a committee " to draw up an address to her Majesty, in answer to that part of her speech which was supposed to allude to the Chartists." Mr. WHITTLE • said he would second the resolution, and would give an entire negation to the parts of the Speech which made such assertions ; he had no doubt in his awn mind that the object that the Ministers had in view was the introduction of the rural police throughout the country. Lord John Russell some years ago published a trashy book which he called an Essay on the English Constitution. What did he say in that work ? " A standing army which destroyed the freedom of England would not march by beat of drum to Westminster, and dismiss the House of Commons—it would not prescribe the House of Lords, and deluge the streets of Lendon with the blood of its Magistrates—it would appear in the shape of a guardian of order, and would support the authority of the two Houses of Parliament—it would be hostile to none but mobs and public meetings—it would shed the bloostof none but labourers and mechanics.'' Since he had come to town he had held a conversation with an elderly gentleman, who had stated that it was in his recollection to have seen the head of a traitor fixed on Temple Bar. Should Lord John Russell by any means prove himself a traitor his head might perhaps be fixed there also.  An amendment was proposed by Mr.