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    - " - - ¦ -GRAND ; BADICAI DEMCmSTBATICm AT BZBBnNGfSABL On Monday last , Birmingham "was the scene of one of die most splendid « ad enthu ^ uc demon-Srations in few of Radical principles , that hare ever been witnessed in the country—a scene which death alone -will be able to erase from the memories of tens , yea hundreds of thousands of staunch and unflinching Radicals , for some time previonsithad Deen ^ tidelj mads known tkat ademonEtrstionwouLd he got up Hi favour of 'Rariiwriiwn- on ± he day above mentioned ; and as Birmingham had signalized itself on account of the determined support which it gave to the passing " of the Reform BiH , the demonstration was looked forward to with no small degree of anxiety , not only by theirihabitants of Birmingham , and the surrounding districts , but by the whole Ul iiiuuuo

    UU 1 U 11 Q HI iiUKC . -CdXlY ill tue lllUilUilg ; parties were observing thronging to the town in all directions , accompanied with bands of music , and other insignia , which are used as the distinction of the party . At ten o'clock the members of the political nnion were admitted to the Town Hail , a spadons and splendid building , for the purpose of receiving the delegate * who came from different part ? of the country , and also for the purpose of electing a council -to transact the affairs of the union for .. the ensuing rear In a short time all the galleries , and the body -of the Hall were completely filled , and severalappropriatejBags were suspended from different parts of ike room . About half past ten o ' clock , Mx . Attwood , accomniuiied by the gentlemen who / were depntad by other towns to attend the meeting ,- made their

    appearance and were received with three times three cheers and one cheer more , after which the clapping of hands , and stamping of the feet , and other signs of approbation that succeeded had the most thrilling and heartstirring effect . When the £ rst burst of applause had subsided , three cheers wereproposed for F . O'Connor , Esq ., who was there as the representative of several large pubic meetings in Yorkshire and Scotland , " when seven loud and hearty cheers , accompanied wjthmnch clappiBgofhan&s&c were given to that gentleman . Three cheers each , with much clapping , were then given to the delegates , from Scotland , for Dr . "Wade , and Messrs . Vincent and Hetberington , of London , and _ Mr . Richardson , of Manchester . The applause being . ended , three

    groans were proposed for the trickster Whigs and rrrant Tories . The proposition was immediately followed bT the most Meltons yelk , 'hissings , and Lootings , the effects of vrhich . alter the cheering produced the most striking and fearful contrast . A communication from Manchester , relating to a meeting which is to be held on the 16 th instant , in commemoration of the bloody scenes of Peterloo , was then read , which seemed to excite the deepest sympathy on the behalf of the nnforfcraate persons who suffered on rant melancholy occasion , as well as feelings of the deepest abhorrence and detestation towards the merciless perpetrators of that mnderou *

    tnnsacdon , -sriicii -trill lire for ags 5 in the memories of posrerity . Three cheers were then given for the hrr . ve Radicals of Manchester . The gentleman who read the advertisement , intimated that he had come from Oxford , a distance ^ of sixty miles , to attend their meeting . ( Cheers . ) He was a member of the Reform Association of that place ; and though he had come to witness this demonstration , he must say that he was not deputed by that body to attend this meeting , but had * volunteered , without being solicited-in any -way . ( Load Cheers . ) A deputation &oe > Liverpool -eras then announced and received with , cheer * , afcer which the meetm * proceeded to elec ? a Council , to conduct the affairs of the

    BirmiriEham Polices ! Union ior the . ensuing year . The foIio"Kin 2 members of the Union were then chosen as a Council , Messrs . T . Attwood , banker , Kew-street ; Isaac Aaron , surgeon , Deritend ; Joseph Abbott , bras ^ -foander , Suffolk-street ; ffn . Kaxhnd , draper . BaB-srreet ; Tho 5 . Aypinall , lampmakir , Lo ^ er Temple-street ; S . iS . . Blunt , merchant , Charlotte-street ; J . H . Curler , wire-worker , 2 CeTrton-stre ? i ; H . K . Douglas , gentleman , Journal Oi 5 . ee ; Geo . Edmunds , attorney , St . Mary ' s-square J . £ mes , button-maker , Lionel-street ; John F . vnn - . surgeon . Paradise-street ; John Field , bone-tovmaker . Moseley-street ; "Win . Giles ^ -engine-turner . Great Hampton-street : B . Hadley , button-maker . Bly-cottage ; ¥ a Gamraon , juru , glass-maker

    ~ SY ~ m . Hariow , printer ; ¥ m , Hutton , plater ; Kch . HolKs . ^ xramaker ; Joseph Holl , japanner ; _ TT .: i Jennings brass-founder ; F . Luckcock . lime-merchant ; G . F . Mnntz , merchant ^ P . H . Mantz , ditto ; JohnMacdish . varnish-maker ; John Pierce , thiaibie-inaker ; T . C . _ Salt , lamp-maker ; VT . H . Smith , factor ; Charles Sturges , com-facror ; TVin . Trow , rope-maker ; John Winfields . factor ; J . A . Attwood ; John Collius , steei-penmaker ; John . Hanckes , plater ; "VT . D . Whitehouse , Studley ; Charles Trneman , pawnbroker "; George H or ton ; VT . H . Ashmoore , button-maker ; W . C . Younge , jaoanuer ; T . Griffiths , SmitMeld ; TT . 3 fonk , " Ssliy Oak ; J . Hart , of Harbome ; T . Steel , of Berlwnd ; C . H . Smith ; H . Watson ; T . Baker . Scifford-street .

    The Treasurer then read an abstract of his accoums by which it appeared , that he had a considerable balance of cash in hand . Some anangemeats w : ere then made respecting the ordtT In . which , the several parties should proceed to the place of meefiDg ; after the completion of which , the meeting at the Town Hall separated to proceed to Holloway Head , the place of general rendezvous . From twelve o ' clock tQl about half-past one , the ' streets were thronged with processions moving towards Holioway Head , ¦ while flags and banners were hung Irom hundreds of windows wanng , as it were , ~ a welcome" to the dense mass of people as they passed alons . The place of meeting was well chosen . It formed a kind of amphitheatre , at the bottom of which was erected

    a large ana commodious hustinss , in- u "Sue with which were plsced a great number of carts furnished ¦ wizh seats , which were let for a small , remuneration to persons anxious to be out of-the crowd , and to have a full view of the immense assembly . From one to half-past , the place began to fill , and towards two o ' clock there appeared not standing room to be obtained for another individual within ~ several hundred yards from the husdrsgs . The assembly was immense , and "oras said by many to surpass any congregaliou of the people ever tritQe . * -ed in BiniilDirham before- For a considerable time after the proceedings began , processions came marching to the iield , accompanied by their bands and banners ; and . thus the assembly , already grown-to an enormous

    size , kept continually on the increase . To see ? uch -a . vast assembly congregated together , and bearing m triumph their tokens not only of sincere and imaeviating patriotism , but also of theirioll and fixed determination to obtain their rights at all hazards , — to see a multitude like that , so full of intelligence , aad yet so patient under suffering , which their intelligence told them was altogether ¦ unnecessary , being thi result only of oppression and plunder ,- ^ to see such an exhibition might have afforded , and doubtless would afford , one of the most useful lessons wMch it is the interest either of the statesman or the philosopher to learn . That ixnmense assembly could not consist of fe-wer than "between two and three hundred thou ^ ind persons .

    > V hen the ? peaker 3 ascended the platform , they were 2 iailed with loud cheers , which were prolonged for a considerable length of time , and followed by "universal elapping of bands throughout the immense multitude . Thomas Attwood , Esq . was unanimously called -to the chair , and again the cheers were literally astounding . He _ said—Friends , couritrymen , and brothers , -upon this great and solemn occasion it is but just and right that we should implore the blessing of Almighty God upon our cause , and therefore I request that you will all take off your hats and repeot with me a shcrtprayer . ( The wliole of the men present then took off their hats , and the hundreds of thoasands of bare heads which were then to be seen , presented a spectacle the most solemn , and interesting that we ever remember to have witnessed . ) Mr . Atrsvoodthenproceededwithhisprayer , iii the foliowiusrwords , themestmg toits fartherst boundarie . < , eehoinff the solemn invocation in the most reverent aad

    interesting manner . " Oh God , we thank thee for the manifold-blessings which tbon hast bestowed upon our country . We are now engaged in the great work of obtaining good government for the people , and we , therefore , implore thy blessing upon us and our righteous cause . —Amen . A deep and solemn ? Ainen"' was heard irom every part of the immense ^ nuiutude , after which a dead silence for a few SKocds gave a grandeur and solemnity to a scene wjich of itself was quite sufficient to arrest the attention and engage the interest even of the most thonjbdess and indifferent person . Mr , Attwood then proceedea to say that this great meeting gave him great joy ; and . every jast g and upright man !? ii £ te . ^ fned a ? beholding

    " ^ i ^ saeh a splendid and interesting sight ( Hear , hear . ) These - great meenngs not only disdnlni ^ ed xhe'people of England from all the rest of mankind , butihey did great : W to om- country . ( Hear hear . ) ^ He wished Marshal Soult were' there that he might seenowEnglishmen conquered each otherhow different was it from that way in which they conquered him . ' ( Bear , hear , and cheers . ) They had no weapons of destruction ; but they had a good « ause ; and with sound Heads and hearts , they were determined to seek the liberty and prosperity of our country . ( Ciieers . ) God had given us all blessings ; Go .-ern ment had given us none : but by the blessing ui

    uoa tney would change their part of that Government . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) He went with a -deputation , consisting of fifteen persons , to Lord -Melbourne in November last , representing the in--terests of all the Whi g * , Tories , and Radicals of tna : great district , demanding a change in ttie ad-^ mmsrranon . He told them that therl was no hope of anytaing ef the W , as the whole- House of Commons was against them . The deputation , however , told him that they would change tie Honseof Commons for Mm- ^ heaT , heax ) -and they would change it—( loud cheers > -notin some taifiing matters , bat they would effect a thorough - and total

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    change . ( Cheers . ) A small change had been made seven years ago , but it had disappointed the expectations of the people ; they now came . for a total change , _ and no mistake . ( Cheers . ) They had tried the Whigs in the balances and found them wanting . ( Hear . ) They had given them six weary years , and they had done nothing ; they bad digged about the tree ank used every means to make it bear fruit , and all without effect ; and should it not now be cut down and cast into the fire r ( Loud , tremendous and continued cheers . ) They saw that it produced no grapes—nay that it produced nothing but thorns , and it should now be cut down and cast into the fire . ( Continued cheers . ) He rejoiced much on all occasions when he came among

    the people of Birmingham ; they had sent him to Parliament for Universal Suffrage ; and he had held that situation for sis years , subject to the call of the non-electors , and even to the women and children ( for he would not represent men unless he had the confidence and affection of both men and women . Cheers . ) As therefore he had already possessed that confidence he had nothing to gain in thft way of being more seenre of his seat ; for he was sure if they sent him now , when they had only a £ 10 suffrage , they would continue to send him if they had Universal Suflrage . ( Cheers and " We will . " ) He felt a great interest in the cause of the working classes . ( Hear . ) When he was in the House of Commons he was weak ; but when he was among the people

    of Birmingham he was strong . ( Cheers . ) They gave him strength with a hundred thousand right arms , bold heart * , and sound beads . ( Hear , hear . ) They gavehima strength that it was the honour and happiness of no man el&e to possess . That strength was very great ; but the mfldDes ? , the integrity , and the quietness of their conduct doubled that strength . For six years they had waited y ith patience ; they had waited , waited , waited , till it was time they should wait no longer . He was no agitator ; he had nothing of personal ambition Xo gratify ; he sought only for liberty and prosperity in full measure , even to overflowing . ( Cheers . ) Their conduct had been so bold , so crave , and so patriotic , that their friends had come from every part of the United

    Kingdom to behold their proceedings . There were gentlemen there from Manchester and London and many parts of Yorkshire , as well as from Scotland and Ireland . They had given prooi" that they were able to lead the way in the good cause ; therefore their strength was deservedly great . Thus had they met to speak the downfall of a faction like honest Englishmen . They would speak the downfall of both Whigs and Tories , and -wonld raise up the people ana place the mana ^ emtnt of their own House of Commons in their own hands . ( Cheers . ) If they had Universal Suffrage they would then be able to coDtrol their representatives , which they ought to be able to do ; and if vpth Universal Suflrage they had Annual Parliaments , theirmembers would come back

    to them once a Tear , and if they had not done their duty as they ought to lo , they would then have it in their power to say to them , ' begone lliou unjust steward of thy country , we will have no more to do with thee . " ( Hear . ) They would be all right if they only obtained Universal Sufirage and Annual Parliaments . For they would then not only be able to beut-fit themselves , but thw masters too ' wouU be benefitted by the change . They would then compel the House of Commons to adopt measures that would be calculated effect to thepromution o " the common benefit cf all . ( Cheers . ) They bad been told by a great man , who was now no more . ( Lafayette ) that for a nation to be free , it was sufficient that she willed it : undoubtedly that was tme . But

    how xras their will to be maoe kuowa ? He .= aid , show to the world twenty snch meetings as that , and he wonld show them the governors of England . Cheers . ) That meeting of itself had no right to dictate to the country : they inusr , at lea ^ t , have twenty such meetings . ( H ^ ar . hear . ) They had had one in Glasgow , and several in other parts of Scotland ; they had had one in Northumberland , where the soliiers passed through amongst them ; they had had several in Yorkshire ; and they expected meetings in Manchester , Liverpool , Sheffield and other places ; and , if the working men of other districts would rally round them , as he expected they would do , he sbonJd like to see the Government r <> fuse their demands . If they did , they would put a little gentle compulsion upon them . ( Cheers and laughter . ) What the women call sweet compulsion :

    iul they would not hurt a hair of their heads . They would , however , turn them out of their places , ana put the people of England in those places , in ttk-ir stead . ( Loud cheers . ) Very often had they petitioned , and they were about to petition again . Mr . Attwood thus continued . Now my friends petition , petition , petition . ( Loud cheers . ) I know many object to petitions . Yon cannot expect to get much Irom the petition of two , three , or five hundred , they will not regard me with such a petition ; but when 1 have 100 , 000 , aboutme , when 1 produce twqmillions by next Christmas-day , banded together —( immense cheering)—ay , banded together in one solemn and holy league , acting with one heart , one mii ; d , one head , and one hand , you shall see that the voice of the masses TtiU make itself heard imd respected . We shall have no blood—no blood . Far from me

    be the guilty ambition of wising robe a Robe > pierre —far from me be such afeeling . No blood shall be shed by us ; but if onr enemies shed blood—if" the }' attack the people—the \* must take the consequence * upon their own heads . ( Creat cheering . ) I will take care , as long as I possess tae confidence of my countrymen , and I will never forfeit it . ( Loud cheering . ) I will take care that that two millions of men shall act as one man—shall act peaceably , and never break the law ; but woe unto the man who breaks the law against us . ( Immense cheering . ) My fr iends , we will have the national petition brought forward . Yon will find that it claims all your just r ights . It will claim them , ny , and demand them . ~ Many peopleshr ink at the word "demand . "

    It is a constitutional right , which lias existed for centur ies . ( Cheers . ) In thepetirion of rights which was delivered into the hands of William ibe Third , our forefathers used these words , "We claim demand , and insist of . '" ( Loud cheers . ) Shall we not use the same language ? ( Cheers . ) Shall we not claim , demand , and insist of ; and when we number two millions of men we have a r ight to insist upon the liberties and the happiness of the people . ( Cheers . ) My friends , unless we act together we are weak , il" the peopl- - of Birmingham act one way , and the people of Glasgow another , and we move for one object , and the people of Glasgow for another , we are weak ; but let us move at one time , for one obiecu with one heart and one h : ; nd , and we

    are omnipotent . ( Loud cheer . * . ) Let us all agree to send delegates to London . We shall propose to you to nominate six or eight from this great meeting ( Loud cheers . ) These men will superintend the national petition . Yes , forty-nine delegates of the people , meeting under the law , will knock at the gates of Government and at the door ? of every member of the House of Commons , and will tell them that 2 , 000 , 000 of Englishmen demandjnstice and liberty , and if they deny us that demand , they will meet again , and have a amnltaneous meeting on one and the same day throughout England . Scotland , and Ireland . [ Immense cheering . ] We will have five millions of men next . [ Tremendous cheering . ] They will set no good by delaying . They raijfut

    have got ofi bj an honourable sacrifice in the first instance , but they will not mind themselves , and if they do not care they will make bad wor ^ e by the mending . [ Loud cheer * . ] But again , I say , we must act together , we want to take possession of our oivn house . [ Lond cheers . ] When we have a Parliament of onr own , what must be our first object ? We must first abolish Corn Law ? . [ Cheers . ] We mustbring down food to alerel withlabour . [ Cheers . ] And by abolishing the Money Laws we will bring down labour to a level with food . We will thus profit all classes of the community . Then we will deal with the Poor Law . It shall not be allowed to stand one month . ( Cheers . ) A plough-share shall bepa .-5 Sftd over the bastiles by act of Parliament .

    ( Loud cheers . ) This is onr great object The Factory System must also be considered . We will make them do justice to all in one session , and if they do not do so we -will send them about their business and get better men . My friends , we must drive the House of Commons . [ Cheers . ] We will not say a word about the House of Lords or about the Crown . We will stand by the Crown —( cheers)—aye , and by the House of Lords in it- ? proper place . But we will not suffer the House of Lords to encroach upon our House . ( Loud cheers . ) The House of Commons shall be a House of Commons —( bear ) —a Teal House of Commons . I will read to you an extract from the works of a good man and a patriot , who died many years ago—John Home Tooke . He

    said he " believed the people of England , if justice were done to them , would not be discontented with the Government of King , Lords , and Commons . " I do not object to King and Lords , taking care , that they do not exceed their bounds . I do not object to give the King and the Lords their fair and respective shares in a properly-conducted Government ; but I would objecs to their having their own rights and the rights of the Commons too . ( Tremendous cheers . ) Such , a situation of King and Lords it is impossible but that every man in the country should abhor as I do . ( Cheers . ) We will put that to rights , we will put the Crown and the Lords in possession of their own fair rights : but we will take care that they shall no longer have ours . ( Cheers . ) How are we to secure that ? Wemusttake carethatour own house

    stands righteous and clear before the country . If we go beyond , our own house we will get into difficultie * . We will be suspected of revolutionary designs . We must , therefore , stand by onr own house . They may say that we trouble them . No doubt we will trouble them , keeping , however , within bounds , until we get justice ; and , when we do , then we will trouble them no more . I will not detain you much longer . Yon can expect to attain nothing except by harmony and union . ( Cheers . ) The question is , what are the best means we can adopt to obtain onr holy objects ? You have heard of a sacred week . ( Loud cheers . ) You all know what a strike means . ( Cheers . ) I would not recommend that the masters and men should act aga ^ Mt each other ; but the time is coming when "we shall ail have a strike against the House of Commons ,

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    ( Cheers . ) Suppose we establish a sacred week for one week . You can an spare a day . ( Londcheefs " : ) Suppose the forty-nine delegates in . London should pronounce that there shall be a sacred week , when no beam or shuttle shall move , and no anvil shall sound throughout England--a sacred week , during ' which every man shall forego labour . God forbid that he should be driven to this . ( Loud cheers . ) If there should be occasion for it , the forty-nine delegates had but to stamp on the earth and two millions of men would answer the call , and if that did not do , five millions would answer-it . ( Loud cheer . " . ) But there would be no occasion for a sacred week . We will get all we want ' without the necessity of Having , recourse to that ; but if not , let

    the enemies of the people take the consequences . He had only one thing to say ; he had heard the ministers of the late King charged in the House of Commons with having gi v en instruction to the Poor Law Commissioners , that _ the great considered that law as the means of bringing the labourers of England to live npon a coarser description of food , ( Great groaning . ) His blood shuddered to hear of such a charge , and he would not have believed it if he had not heard it , and if he had not seen the ministers preserve silence , [ At the suggestion of . a person in the crowd three groans were given for the ministersVj Four or five years ago these men complained ot overproduction . Now we have famine in the land , and a low p rice for labour ; the workman

    at half hi » wages , and pays the full price for bread . Yeg , 'there .-was half wages , half work , arid double the price of food . Wei will bring down food to the level of wages . ( Cheers . ) Yes , and we will lift up wages to the level of food . We do not want to hurt lie agricultural labourer ; we wish to have him fully occupied ; the ports shall be thrown open , in order that millions of hungry mouths may be filled with agricultural produce . We will open millions of markets for agricultural produce . The people , perfectly happy and contented , will ' rejoice , and each man , under the visitation of Divine Providence , will live in amity with his brother , no man making him

    afraid . We have tried the present government ax years , and we find they have done nothing . Wp now , therefore , appeal to you ; we call upon you to support us firmly , warmly . Stand round your country . Look at Glasgow . We have men of high intellect and character from thence to see and judge of the feelings that animate thepeopleof Birmingham . We must bind the people of England , Scotland , and Ireland in one solemn and holy league , until we complete the happiness and prosperity of the country . ( Cheers . ) 1 have not another word to Siiy , but have to read to you a letter from my good friend George . Fredorick ' Muntz . ( Loud cheers . ) It is dated from North Wales , and is as follows :

    "My dear Sir—If I could with any degree of propriety have left home , I should not have needed your second invitation to attend the meeting on Monday . j \ Iy zeal in the good cause alone would liave been quite sufficient to have induced me to go , without the additional aid of my personal regard for you . There are , however , bounds to the family sacrifices made for the public good beyond which one ought not to go , and which can only be judged of by the party called upon to make them . Unfortunately , I am now so situated that nothing would justify my now leaving home , and I can most sincerly assure you that no one regrets it more . than I do . I have . served man y years in the ranks of the Reformers , and I hope " done some good . I also feel convinced that I

    shall again frequently aid them in their meritorious exertions to emancipate themselves from the tyranny of party , under every aiid any name or title- The ignorance of the aristocracy is much more thy bumof the people than their infamy , ^ though there is much , too much , of the latter ; and the bad effects of either are the same to the industrious classes . The people never bad more cause than they now have for exerting themselves ; they have no hope but from themselves . Infamously robbed by the corn-laws , because prevented from raising their wages of labour in the same proportion by the equally iniquitous money-laws , they have nothing to expect but quiet starvation , periodically , when thousands die , without the public beiug aware of it , from want .

    ' Solong as the landed interest and the moneyed interest have the power they now have in the jilouse of Commons will the industrious classes be oppressed and pillaged . Their only chance , therefore , is by every legal and peaceable means to eftect such a change in the constitution of that house as sluill make it work uprightly for the good of all the different branches of society ; and this they niust effect if they will persevere like honest aud good men . Nothing ever could , or ever will , eventually withstand llie united exertions of an honest , active , mid persevering people .

    *¦ 2 >\ ost sinceTfl ? wishing yon every success , ' Believe me yours very truly , ' '(; . F . Mrxtz . " Mr . Attwood then sat down amidst enthusiastic chpering . The advertisement calling the meeting was then read . Mr . P . MrxTz came forward to propose the fir , < t resolution , and was loudly cheered . He said that if those cheers betokened-energy and activity he was glad to hear them ; but , if not , he would not thank them for all the cheers they could offer . They were there met to endeavour , by all peaceable and legal means , to obtain what he believed the people wart ? determined to have . ( Cheers . ) Lord John .-Russell had told them that they were to have no further

    reform ; but the people of England , of Ireland , and Scotland , with one voice demanded reform . The people of Birmingham had met before at NewhnllhilL Theyinet in 1832 ; 200 , 000 voices then demanded reform , and 200 , 000 hands would have buen held up to enforce the demand , if it hud not been acceded to . ( Cheers . ) Were they not prepared to act in 1 S 38 as in 1832 ? ( Cheers . ) He would not insult and degrade the present meeting by comparing it with that of Newhall-hill—that meeting was for . a trilling purpose in comparison with the present . ( Cheers . " ) They now met for the fir ~ t time in Birmingham upon the sacred principle of Universal Suffrage . ( Loud cheers . ) The petition which he would have theplea « ire of proposing for their adoption contained

    the three CTeat cardinal points of reform , equal representation , protection in the exercise of the the representation , and a frequent appeal to the constituency to know whether those appointed had done their duty . This petition , this national petition , had alread y been adopted by many hundred thousands of their fellow-subject !? " , and before any long time had elapsed it would be adopted in every town aud village by the industrious classes , those men who make the " wealth of a nation . ( Loud cheers . ) Ay , by those industrious classes whose petitions have been hitherto disregarded , who have ' been laughed at , spurned , and ciillrd a canaille , unfit for being entrusted with the franchise . They had to look to "their , own resource . ? , and tho . se only .

    The people of England , without regarding the two great Houses , the great lords and the little lords , were determined to enjoy theirrig-hts . Look to the state of the country ! They were laughed to insult by foreigners—the colonies were in revolution and anarchy—the Exchequer was insolvent—the workman was starr ing , and bread was raised to-starvation price by that must wise and excellent measure , tho Com Laws , while from the same cause the farmer was mined . He was no friend to revolution or disturbance , there would be no necessity for them if Government did its duty . What had the Whig Government done ? He had never , been a friend to the Whigs , but nevertheless , within the lust eighteen months , in Birmingham and elsewhere , he Lnd

    drawn odium upon himself because lie defended them . But what had the }* done ? The very men whom they had forcd into the King ' s ' Council . * , against the King ' s will , now turned round and , insulted them by telling them that they were not . fit for reform , and their subsequent conduct made the industrious classes quite disgusted with them . The present Government was entirely under the thumb of Sir Robert Peel . Sir Robert " Peel governed this country , ' while the Whig Ministers had all the responsibility . If they were to have a Tory Government , he protested ngainst having one without the responsibility attaching to Government . But they must get rid of both Tories and Whigs . They must get up _ a general system of agitation . They must '

    not agitate any paltry question . And above . all * they must beware of the old motto , "Divide and conquer . " They must make their stand upon the national position , throwing aside all minor points that caused disunion . ( Cheers , ) The question of Corn Laws must be laid aside , as well as every other question that set the . manufacturer against the fanner—the man against the master , and the landlord against the tenant . These ninst all be laid aside , and they must join hand and heart in- one great and general effort . ( Loud cheers . ) Let them once get a fair and just representation of the people , and they would ultimately secure the peace , the happiness , arid the permanent welfare of the people . ( Cheers . ) Let not the attention for a moment be withdrawn from the main point of Universal Suflrage . AJ ] other evilsthe the

    , Corn . Laws , Poor Laws—forget all these for an instant—let nothing be thought of but tie pr inciple-which will give you tlie power of returning such men as , when returned , will repeal a dozen such laws in a single day . ( Cheers . ) H « had sincere pleasure in proposing the following resolution : — / " That ih . e _ namma ! petition now read , claiming from the justice of Parliament the undeniable rights of Universal Suffrage , Annual Parliaments , Vote oy Ballot , Wages of Attendance , and the Abolition of Property Qualification in Members of the-House / of Commons , is cordially approved by this meeting , and that it be recommended for signature to all the industrious classes of the United Kingdom generally , who are requested to forward their petitions ( when signed ) to Mr . Joseph Holl , at the Journal-office , New-street , Birmingham . "

    Mr . R . K . Douglas rose to second the resolution . The first great point in the national petition was , that every man of legal nge , uhconvicted of crime , aud of sane mind , should , have a free voice in choosing those men who made the lawis to which every man in the community was subject , and who im * posed taxes wliicb ., in a greater or Jess proportion .

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    every man ' in the community must pay . The next point was to give every man so . situated the power of exercising the right conferred upon'him , that was ^ the power of delivering his vote by ballot . The next point was annual Parliaments , that is , giving the elector frequent opportunities of calling his representative to account . The next point was the doing away of the qualification for Members and lastly , as they all had full remuneration for their labours , they should folly risinuneraite those whom they emp loyed , and the man who gave up his time , his labour , and his intelligence , for the general good , should be fairly remunerated . These -were the points for which they were that day asaiernbled , and which , with : God ' s Providence , they were determined to have . ( Loud cheers . ) He did not seek change out of any sickly or diseased love of rarity , but he sought for change , because there was

    nothing in the present system which should induce a wise ana good man to seek to perpetuate it . They were assembled there to-day because as long as the people remained quiet there was ' no hope oi redress . ( Cheers . ) The present vras an unnatural state of things . Let any man look round on this good land , ; and see how Providence has blessed it , Beyond any other country in the world , Unpossessed the means of agricultural , mannfucturing , * and commercial greatness . It was : evident that Providence intended that the people should be happy ; buthow was the case ? Taey found that instead of a man earning his bread by the sweat of his brow , hesweatedfrom morning to night , and earned nothing but starvation . ( Cheers . ) Unfortunately .

    man hrfd but clogs bh the : circulation of those benefits with which Providence had blessed the land . It was their first duty to get rid of those clogs—to get rid of their bad laws ; and the only way in which they could do this was by returning men to Parliament : who would give them good laws . Let them'be active , firm , and united if they-- wished to attain the objects they had in view . We d p not ^ my friends , contend for mere abstractions of liberty , which is to bring nothing to us but a name . The state of liber ty is a sweet one , even in an abstracted sense . He would say with the poet—" One day , one hour of liberty is worth a whole eternity of bondage . " ( Cheers . ) But , at the same time , we go for the fruit as well as the tree . ( Cheers . ) We- ' want a tree like that

    spoken of by the Psalmist , which was planted by the river , and which yieldeth fruit in due season- ^ aye , and whose leaf never fadeth . We do not want the tree which we at present possess , yielding sickly fruit one day and no fruit at all the next , which is tantalizing us witli something like fruition one moment , and thfin something like the apples of Sodom the next . The fruit we want is an ample supply of food , clothing , and shelter , in return for the capital we expend and the labour we give for its cultivation . Will you go for that tree or not ? ( Vea , we will . ) They tell you that you are ignorant ; and with whose ignorance , forsooth , is your ignorance compared ? I asked some honest men the other day , who occupied £ io houses , whether they could tell

    mo the difference of understanding between them and their neighbours ' who . paid only . £ 9 19 s . Gd . rent ? There was the differoncft of sixpence only in the value of their understanding , but that sixpennyworth makes a great political . difference . ( Cheers . ) The man of £ 10 has the power of moving in a political sphere , it erects him into a political agent , while the want of ( id . degrades another into a political slave . The ignorance of the classes isat least , u more sel fish ignorance than the ignorance of the ¦ innssL's . You who wear the shoe know a great deal better where it-. pinch . es than Use men who ask you to wear it . If you had your own men in Parliament you would know how to deal with them if they did not perform their duty ; you would send them about their business . When I employ a man , my wish is to pay him well , but I also wish . " not only to have the power of selecting him , but of dismissing him also

    if he docs not do his duty . Are you capable , or are you not , of performing that function ( we are )? Will any man tell me that a journeyman , a labourer , or a mechanic , who has the power to execute the most delicate pieces of machinery , who can make his own private contracts with his uiasti'i , who can discuss his social rights in his club , and in fact can manage every thing relating to his private affairs , with-judgment—will any one tell me that such a man is incapable of judging ¦ whether Mr . Attwood and Mr . Scholefield are honest members of Parliament , merely because that man docs not occupy & £ 10 house ? Our excellent friend Mr . Murphy , whom I regnjt I do not see here , told us an old story rplated hy Franklin , of a man having a qualification to vote by possessing an ass of the value of forty shillings . The man happened one day to lose , bis ass , and at the same moment he lost his vote . ' ¦ * ' I should like to

    know , " said ' Franklin , ' - 'whether the franchise existed in him or in bis as « . " ( Laughter . ) He would ask whether the man who rents a house of £ 10 , and lets it out in lodgings , is better entitled to vote than the lodger , who pays riot onl y the rent , but often the taxes into the bargain ? Is it the house or the man who has the vote , for that is the question ? I f you believe it is the man , and not the Iiousp , then you will with one heart , and with one accord , sign this petition . ( Cheers , and cries . of . . ^ we will . " ) The object of this petition is to erect the man , the sensitive and reasoning being , into a political agent , and to leave brick and mortar where they always ought to be—the shelter of man from the inclemency of the seasons—instead of investing such objects ,. vhich know as imieli of law and members of Parliament , as stone and lime can do , with attributes that belong only to intelligent beings . ( Loud and continued cheering , )' - -

    The resolution was adopted with acclamation . Mr . ScHOLKFiEtD then came forward to move the second resolution , and was received with loud plaudits . On no occasion on which lie had , he said , addressed them , did he consider the subject which they had to discuss of such importance as that concerning which they were then met . The difference between the former occasions of their meeting and the ¦ -present was this : —In the year 1832 , when they made that great demonstration which . did Birminghum and Eiigl . uid honour , they supposed that they had attained their great object in getting a Parliament that would do justice to them . They were then going on credit , but that credit was now exhausted ; and they must at length be convinced , as he was .

    that the Parliament hsul done nothing for them , and never would do anything . ( Groans . ) They had had the benefit of experience—the best of all advantages . He himself entertained a very different opinion of the House of Commons from what he did before he belonged to it . When they sent him and his hon . friend- Mr . -Attiropd- to represent them in Parliament , he didsupposethat they were , at least , going into a society of intelligent and honest men . He felt-as they , the honest men of Birmingham would feel , when going into a jury-box , where each juror took an oath that he would do justice before God und his country ; he thought there could not be much j wrong w'hen inen so pledged their consciences . But if they should find that the jurors were nearly all of them feed lip by one of . tVie parties , ttiey could no ^ onger

    expect justice from them . Now , he had found in Parliament so many men who had an interest in doing wrong to the people that he could hope for no good from them . To seek a man in , Parliament ' who looked only to the public interest was like hunting for a needle in a bundle of hny . ( Laughter . ) If you spoke to them of the general good , if they did not absolutely laugh in your face , they would at least affect ignorance , and ask , what particular interest it was you wished to serve ? And if your reply was , " Why the general good , " they would declare that they did not understand what you could mean . ( Groans .. ) But if you spoke to--them of particular interests , they were all alive like a bed of fleas . ( Laughter . ) - He had left them about a fortnight ago heartily sick -of what he had to do ; for in fact there was so little to do that

    concerned the people , who alone were his friends , that he might as well have been at Birmingham three parts of his . time . The subjects of discussion in Parliament were such merely party questioris , arising out of the personal jealousies of the opposite factions , that iiien of common sense would be ashamed of them . They were all in pursuit of private interests . . Onl y look at their last measurethe lamentable question of the Irish church . ( Cheers ' : ) They had given to the clergy of that church a million of inoney , as coolly and quietly as you would throw an old hat away ; and for what ? Because there was scarcely a man in either House that had not a relation connected with the church . They pretended a regard for religion ; but it was a

    falsehood ; an abomination ; it was not religion that they cared for . ( Cries of no !'') ' What , besides , had the present Parliament doue ? He had a long list of their deeds in his hand , which vvere anything but creditable to them as men of common sense and common honesty . The other night there was a quarrel as to whether a Mr , Turtoriwas a fit and proper person to go to Canada . What did it matter to them , the men of Binningham , whether Mr . Turton went to Canada or into the sea ? ( Cheers aad laughter ?) Then , again , a night or two since , there was a discussion ¦ whether a , paxson ,. by the name of Sampson , should be a magistrate or not . Why , to them it was a matter of utter indifference . But such was the shameful waste of public time ! The last matter which they had dealt with was the pension list . And here one would blush for the name of man , to think there could be any one who would

    stand up in Parliament , with the knowledge of so many thousands of his fellow-men wanting food , ana yet should advocate gi . ving . tens of thousands of pounas away to persons , wno had plenty . There was one pension paid to a woman who but a little while ago had upwards of £ 100 , 000 left her , and whose husband was possessed of £ 18 , 000 a year , and yet-the . coriimitteeliad not struck off her pension , ( Shame . ) The last act of the Duke of Wellington , before he went out of office , was the foulest piece of plunder that ever was transacted . He gave to a lad of the name of Holmes an inebnift of £ 500 . Arid for what ? He had never served the country , but his father had done the country great disservice * This was revieveed by the committee , and they decided that the boynrast have the pension as long as his father lived . Then there was the King of Hanover ' s pension . ( Deep groans were uttered at the mention

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    of this name . ) If this did not fill their hearts with indignation , those hearts must | be of stone / That man had gone to Hanover , where the whole of its revenues were | his own , still some £ 25 , 000 or £ 27 , 000 a-year was paid to hirn by this country ( Cries of "Shame , " " shame . " ) While Parliament had been doing these thirigs , which they ought not to have done , what have they been doing . for tjie i > eop le ? Absolutely nothing . When their excelent representative , Mr . Attwoqd , attempted ( as he frequently did ) to bring before the House of Commons the grievances of the people , he never could obtain attentions T ^ e members either sat listlessly by , disregarding hie ? appeals , or they- took np their hats and walked away . ( Groans . ) They were afraid

    to hear the truth . It was his belief that the last Parliament was riot worse than the present—if it was , then was it bad indeed . They would , perhaps , say that he was going a long way in the spirit of Condemnation , when he should have uttered what he was now about to say ; but he wotild most deliberately declare to them that he didnot think they could find , out of the whole 658 members that constituted the House of Commons , 50 meu who had any community of feeling in the people at all . He boldly staked his character for trnth that therewere not 50 men in Parliament who cared a curse for the pepple at all . What was it that the people gaid ? " Me cannot get sufficient wages ; " and thei ' their friends , looking about fot the cause , beheld the cpm-laws ,

    arid called for theirrepeal ; but no , said Parliament , we will not repeal them . When that excellent man and inerriber of Parliament , Mr . Villiers , brought forward the question , thegreat landed aristocracy Of the House would not deign to discasa th ' ematter with him . And wh ^ would they not repeal those laws ? Because ' = their own rentals would be diminished . Their whole property depended on keeping up the rents . How then could they be expected to have any consideration for the people ? They must be angels instead of men to doso . Itwas then said to them— " If you will not repeal the corn-laws , put on a property-tax . " Nothing could be fairer . Every one knew that the men Of property could spiareapart of what they possessed . ( Hear . ) But no , the men of property laughed at you . Well , you said to them— ' * Make just money laws , that profits and wages may be duly and steadily maintained . " "Oh ! " they exclaim , " that is all nonsense , we shall

    do nothing of the kind , " everything which did riot immediately promote their own interests was nonsense with them . The more he saw of them the more he was convinced that there was no hope for the people , until they obtained a better representation in Parliament . In fact , they had no representation at all . There were but 4 , 000 persons to elect the two Members of the town of Birmingham . Was not that a shame ; ( Cries of " yes . " ) Thfr only remedy for the evils winch they suffered under was a better system of representation—that was to say , a fair representation of all . classes . It was his humble opinion that they would gain this if they resolutely adhered to their de . te . rmination of 6 btairiing it . ( We will . ) Take no denial . Repeat your claims . You cannot be too firm . But act peacefully , bp uniformly in the right , but act with all the vigour that becomes men aud Englishmen , and you will be sure to attain vour end . Let him who looks to violence

    be considered your enemy . ( Cheers . ) I deprecate all quarrel * between masters and men , and violence is the worst mode that can be adopted to adjust such unhappy differences . It is the defective state of the law which generates these quarrels . Itis no interest of die masters to oppress the men . If they could obtain suineient profit upon their capital , they Would rejoice to give higher wages to those who labour for them . Therefore , master and man ought to unite , and not look with jealousy upon each other . Theirs is one common cause . We depend and live , upon the exertions of each other . This is my honest view of the matter . Before I conclude I beg to contradict an assertion made by a very great scoundrel , Edmund Burke , who had tlie audacity to say . that the people had nothing to do with the laws but to obey them . Of all the impudent things that ever came horn the lips of man that was one of the most audacions , and uttered too bv a scoundrel who robbed the

    country of a pension of £ 300 a year . It is said that tlie working classes are reckless of change , because they have no stake in the country . This is a monstrous fallacy . There is not one of you who has not as great an interest in the well-being of the country as the greatest Lord among them al | . Why , your all is at stake . ( Cheers . ) When the peace and prosperity of the country are disturbed , your property—which consist in labour—is most seriously affected , and the evilthat threatens you is starvation . If you lose a week ' s - wages starvation stares you in the face ; yet I know it is one of the most popular errors to say that the working classes have no abiding interest in the country . H « has a stronger interest than the richer classes can possibly have , because he has no resource but in the peace and prosperity of the land , ( Cheers . ) The Honourable Gentleman concluded by moving the following resolution : — '

    " That George Frederick Muntz , Philip Henry Muntz , Robert Kellie Douglas , Thomas Clutton Salt , George Edmonds , B , Hadley , J . Pierce , and j . Collins , be appointed delegates ! from this meeting to attend a general convention of the industrious classes , not exceeding forty-nine in number , to be assembled iu London for the purpose of adopting every legal measure which may be necessary . to induce Parliament to carry the great objects of the national petition into a law . " , Mr . O'Connor was the introduced to the meeting and was received with three times three cheers arid waving of hats and clapping of hands . He said tkat when he saw the wealth , the strength , the power , and the virtue of the people before bim ,, he recognised them as the sieving , sealing , and delivering of-the great moral covenant which had that day been entered into between tlie people . ( Cheers . ) Me was not a little proud to meet that which he

    had long wished for—a pure , free , incorruptible , and virtuous jury of working ^ ^ men : he was not a little proud to see the infffla-tf that he had travelled with for six years , alrn ^ i ^ alone and unsupported , now grown to the giant form in which he beheld it . ( Cheers . ) He was not a little proud to think that the good men of Birmingham , who gave us the poison were now about to give us the antidote . It was now nearly seven years since they met under that flag —( pointing to a large flag of the Union which was held up in the crowd)—sent to theriifrom Somerset House , to . induce them to do the dirty work of the Whigs . Upon this occasion they were met as ajury to consider whether or riot these Whigs had rendered them justice for their services . They were now met to indict that faction , and to take a verdict upon every count of tlie indictment . As each session of Parliament would furnish more than sufficient

    matter for a separate indictment , they would confine that indictment to six counts , each- session ibrminga count , and if they took it fronl . the Irish Coercion Bill , to the passing of the Arms Bill ; or whether he looked to the injustice done by them to the poor of England , or to the injustice done to the nation at large by their acts of this last session , he felt he had the strongest grounds for appealing to them—the people—whether the Whigs ' were guilty or not —[ Loud and tremendous cries of _ guilty ! " ] Thus then they bad returned their verdict ; and the next thing for their consideration was how they could best correct and remedy that guilt . ( Criesof . ' Turn them out' throughout the whole meeting . ) They had been told by their Whig leaders at the passing of

    the Reform Bill that all they required was the power of Government , and then ail their demands , « hoUld be immediately conceded . From that day to this they had made " everything more corrupt , conveying their corruption even to all their municipal institutions . ( Hear , hear and cheers . ) They Bad boasted of their municipal acts , they had boasted of the great amount of information they had acquired by their numerous commissions ; and see at what ari' expense it had been acquired ; see what they had gained by establishing a weak , truckling arid vacillating government in the country , -while there was an irresponsible government behind it more powerful than even the Whig government itself . ( Cheers . ) Thus the Whiffs , too weak in themselves , and riot having

    the people to back them , had recourse to the tortuous means which were alone open to them for dealing with the public purse . Being no longer able to put their creatures into office , they devised another mode of providing for them , and they accordingly isfued their various commissions of inquiry . They had commissioners of education , commissioners of infant prisoners , commissioners of fisheries , in short , coinmissioners of bibles , of potatoes , —( laughter)—of the blacks and of the whites , for their Mends and kindred , and thus they had created a kin _ d of secondary patronage , aud established ari imperium in imperio in the country . ( Cheers . ) The Whigs declaimed against the House of Lords for not allowing thein to carry out their full measure : of reform ; they asked

    the people to back them , and promised as their reward that they would bring forwardgoodrrieasures . The people did back them , but they'did not ask them for the Irish Coercion Bill , and they asked them not for the New Poor Law . ( Cheers . ^ They did not pray the Whigs instead of reforming the Church , to give them two new bishops to sit in the House of Lords , nor did they ask them to empty the exchequer by handing the ppblic money , over to the pockets of the rich while they replenished their exhausted treasury by going into the pockets of the poor . ( Loud cheers . ) The people were told

    that the Lards were a great obstacle , arid according ! the Whigs paraded the country like baboons , diking about the 170 old women ( the Bishops ) who sat m the House of Lords wearing pantaloons : bnt = a 3 trie mountain would not go to Mahomed , , M »** " ' ? went to the mountain . ( Cheers and laughter- ) -Ana when the Whigs found that the Lords ^ o " ?^ * bestow their privileges upon them , nor fjUow . < tl » * JLO franchise to be disturbed , they turned about m& promised to be better cooks for the future , and . that they would make thei ^ mea ? ures so palatable next time that the Lords should inevitably rebah them . This worked well enough . for . them , for in exactly the same . proportion that the ^ peo . pie lost their power , the power ^ of the , WWgs became increased , by favouring the House of Lords .

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    Much had been formerly said of thegreat evil of ^ T single plague-spot in the coostitutton of- the UtvS House ,, namely , the presence of the'Bishops' ^ fi £ Whigs declared that they could not do jnstice to ^ pepple solong as the Bishops had seats in PatHw menV The sense of fee nation was in favour of removing them . But how ^ had this Whi g * answer ^ tljeir demand ? Wmpiiakim tw £ hew BfaH to begin with . ( Laughter . ) He had heard 3 £ several crotchets , which had on former occasions dS . triuJted the people and obstructed them in thefr coarse . He had heard them recommended to thro # away those crotchets , and join witkheajtand hand in the jjreat object whichtheyfought to accomplishand at this it Tva ? impossible , for him to telf ho *

    mucn ne was rejoicea . He cared not , however one farthing for all their measures of reform , unless ' the ^ were to be obtained b y ^ Universal Suffrage . { Ji them abolish the Perision List , it would soon be doubled m commissions . He had ^^ heard , also much said about the iniquity of the Corn Laws ; but his friend Muntz . had well observed , that if the peoule obtained Universal Snffrage , the repeal of the Com Laves might be made advantageous to them but that it was impossible the repeal of those laws could be made to work for the - -benefit of :. th ' 6 ^ people so Ibh ? as Universal Suffrage was withheldi . The effect of any change would onl y be to . gire ; an advantage to some : one of the particular classes , and riot to the masa of the community . He bad never given hu consent . to any of these crotchets . He was t > , a » k

    representmg the wishes arid feeMngs of 3 , 000 , 000 of determined minds and stalwart arms . There was not a man among them who was not sadsfled to truBt themoralpower of the nation , even jo downbending , even to submission , even to a fawiing plial bility that might be ! capable of b

    " Come he slow or come he fast , It is ? but death that comes at last . " ( Tremendous cheering . ) But when the moral strength was expended , and the mind drawn put at last , then , as Mr . Attwood had said , if wrong should come from any party , cursed be that \ irtuous man who refused to meet force by force . ( Cheers , loud and long-continued . ) He had a moral creed and a political creed j his moral creed ) was "to do onto others as he would they should do unto him ; " and his political creed was ¦'» ' a good day's wage for a fair day > work . " They did not seek to abstract the wealth of others ; they did not seek to take froni the rich that which had been given them bv bad

    laws ; but they sought to prevent the rich from applying the national resources to the purposes of corruption , \ iolence , and injustice . They sought t 6 open the bosom of nature , and iapply the natural resources of the country to the benefit of all . They knew well that there was no such thing as poverty in this country ; but when they spoke of poverty they meant the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few , by bad laws , whereas , if there were a proper distr ibution of that wealth , there would' be no Such thing as poverty . Yes , the wealthy had assumed the power Of dictation and of action ; and what had been tHe last acts of theirs ? Not 8 atisned with the station which legitimately belon ' eed to him . thev

    found Lord John Russell constituting hifnself the gaoler of the infants of the country . ( Cheers . ) Not satisfied with the old system of Pdor Laws , they had constituted into one Cerberus—one monster ,-three devil-kings ,, -who had in them power to rob both the poor and the rich , riot only of their money * but of all the attributes of mercy and justick while they atthe same time gave their support tofa corrupt Government . The Whigs- and G 'Connell had talked about " Justice to Ireland . " He also had agitated for justice to Ireland , and they conldihardly expect it in England till tlie oppressed people of Irelaud had received it in full measure . He did not seek : for n transfer of power from one fact ' on to another .

    He did not seek to take the tithes from the parson and to give them to the landlord , nor to pull down one corrupt system of corporations and to estabiish another . They heard muph talk of the ignorance of tie people . What was that ignorance ? 'If it was indeed ignorance , it would be trusted , for . ignorance was the tyrant ' s best title _ to power ; but it was because they had that description of knowledge that was hostile to tyranny , that they were riot allowed to rise that knowledge . ( Loud cheers . ) How were they now governed ? Was it riot by Acts of Parliament which had been passed b y men who could not write ; their own names ; and if they contrasted the increasing knowledge and resources of the present day and that to which he had just referred , they would see ho wmuch the balarice had been turned in favour of thepeople . The Whigs being unable to live upon any-real merit

    of their own , asked ilAre we not better than the Tories ; " This reminded him of the dandy who wanted to take the taste of unions bnt of his mouth , when his friends told him to swallow a clove of garlic . ( A laugh . ) Now , Lie would nbts ^ allow the onions of Whiggery , nor yet the clove of Toryism . ( A laugh . ) He would recornirieria such a dose of Radicalism as would take the smell of both out of their noses . ( A laugh . ) He was riot for joining in that crusade Of Tory against Radical , when it was well known that a Tory Government had , in Ireland , a power above the law . When he spoke of these men , did he arraign their judgment ? Np . But he objected to those calamities which either a

    want or a misapphcatibn of judgment could bring upon the people . But they dared not be honest . The Whigs might judge fairly , but to judge fairly and to act fairly were very different things . They were so beset by pensioners and titled paupers , that if they wished they could not keep in the right path . If the nation demanded relief , if they cried out for justice with a lorid voicej the Whigs would go abont it with a feverish , slow , unrrieasured step ; but if the nation was to he coerced , whether in Canada or in Ireland , there was a , party iri the cabinet , who exhibited untiring energy and activity . But when relief was to be afforded , oh ! they ' must proceed with the utmost caution ..: They must have

    commissioners , reports , and debates , session after session , as to what means or descrip tion of relief was to be afforded to a starvirig people . Witness the poor laws in Ireland . There would be no change for the better until the masses were set in riaotiontill they were made acquainted with their own strength . In Yorkshire and Lancashire they were as one man . ( Loud cheers . ) He had travelled over 2 , 000 miles within the last- -- ' six- - months . " He had seen the soldiery intrude upon the meetings of the people , and , as if prepared for better days ' , every man stoad unawed . ( Cheers . ) He had told the soldiers to give them notice when they would have a field day . He told them that if they were going to

    begin the work of carnage to give him . time to muster this battalion , and if two rriilbons were not sufficient , five millions would stand up to do Justice . ^ ( Lpud cheers . ); This fact he . - wished to brme their miniJs to bear upon . When he spoke of Yorkshire and Lancashire * he spoke of 3 , 400 , 000 of the population , sending sixty Members to Parliament to misrepresent them . There were there men whom the vile press of London had designated as ¦ fiery madmen , who would lead the cowtry into ruin and war / are There were Stephens arid . Oastler —( cheers)—who for declaring that the New ^ Poor Law should not I )? brought into operation iri these counties , were looked upon as incendiaries , and were spoken of as

    recommeridirig the people to resort to arm 3 . A rnore gross libel on the characters of men of tfie niost sterling Wortli —( hear , hear , and loud cheers ) - * could riot , he uttered j for he ha , dattsndedalriiO 3 t every meeting of importance at which they had been present , arid he declared before that assembly that he never heard them recommend the use of arms upon any occasion . < Rear , hear , and cheers . ) When be recommended the rise of-arms he would bea ? a musket at the head of the people himself , ( Tremendoi ) 8 cheers . ) In that assertion , therefore , they had tie best possible guarantee that he would nut recommend them rashly to the ttse of arms . The moment thev resorted . to arrris they would set all parties

    against each other . ( Hear , hear . ) They had bees called by the editor of The Morning Chronicle impracticable fellows . When 24 , 999 , 800 people in these kingdoms had no power , it must appear nnpractica- - blethat two . hundred should have the power or coercing them . Was it not meet and propef . ttaj the people should have the power of cenlrtiuuiB their own affairs ? The ' only principle worth cojttending for was Universal Suffrage . He had . tow them years and years ago that Household Sunrage was put forward merely as an an tidofe to X mverjaf Suffrage . If they gave tip Universal Suffrage , t&ey would And that the next day Household botWge would be buried in the same grave . The pnnap «

    of Universal Suffrage was worth lmng for ana a ^ "& for . ( Loud cheerg ;) He was in favour of an A ^ ditary monarchy , but he would have a respoosiWe power behind the throne more powerful than U > e throne itself . But when did they ever have sao ^ batch of ministers as the present . They had U « ° Lord John , and Lord Howick , arid that great state * - inari , Lord Palmerston , and Sir John Cam HobhonsOj and last ,, not least , the shopkeeper-general ot v > . nation , Spring Rice . [ A laugh . ] fie never saw suchaDoxof ^^ lucifers , ^^ The Whigs had deceived the peop le ,. If the Whigs' had told the people thai f . h « Reform Bill was to be a final measure , thepeptne

    ple would have thrown out the Reform Bill and Whigs together . ( Long and continued cheennW There was no use , however , in talking about jnonu ; power , for the more strongly it had been ^^ Q the less it had accorriplished for the people .. •_ . ; . * > j » . people had in ^^ themselves immense w < jrai po » " ' but it ^ required to be put into action * Let tnero . c ^ their moralpowec , and the substance wouldloii ^ - When they had fotty-nine . delegates ^ % ° Jo „ them attend them to the number of . 3 pO , o ^ . 400 , 0 ( X ) . wth aJpetiUon on then-shonlders jw w door of the Hottfe of Gommons , and let them-wu

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    ¦ 6 ¦ ¦ ¦ THE NORTHERN S ^^ AtjGus ^ ^

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 11, 1838, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct353/page/6/