ment assembled. 66 66 "which the Reform Bill, IF PASSED" this impression, your humble peti"AS IT NOW STANDS, would con- "tioners have with astonishment and "fer upon all classes of the nation, regret, heard it declared in your ho"will be completely neutralized, if the "nourable House, that the 10l, clause "rate of qualification for voting be "formed no part of the principle of "altered. It is in accordance with" that bill of reform, and that the pro"those views, that the undermentioned "moters of it intend to exercise no petition has been thought necessary; parental regard over this important "and it is hoped that the inhabitants of" clause, but to throw it open to public "this town, who are friends to the Min- "discussion, and allow it to be disposed "isterial REFORM BILL, will see it" of as the general feeling of your ho"their imperative duty to remonstrate "nourable House might dictate. against any change which would have "Your humble petitioners, therefore, "the result of totally destroying the" conceiving the 101. qualification to be "EFFICIENCY of this salutary mea- one of the most essential parts of the bill, "sure. The undermentioned petition "do most earnestly pray your honourable "is now lying at the shop of Mr." House, not by any means to raise the "HINDHAUGH for signatures, and will "amount of this qualification to vote; "remain there till Monday, the 30th of "for by so doing your honourable House April." "would narrow the parliamentary suf"To the Right Honourable the Lords frage all over the country, in a very "Temporal and Spiritual in Palia-" material degree, and thereby impair "the efficiency of the bill, by cutting "off from all share of civil liberty, the "whole of the active, industrious, and "intelligent part of the community; "who would, if the suffrage remained "That your humble petitioners have," at the amount of 10l., have some "in common with the great mass of the" share in sending members to Parlia"people of Great Britain, felt a lively "ment and of such vital importance "interest in the great measure of Par-" do your humble petitioners conceive liamentary Reform, which has for "this 10l. qualification to be, both tosome months received such ample "wards preserving the peace, and pro"discussion, and which has recently been "moting the permanent interests of the "brought into your honourable House," nation, that your humble petitioners "and there passed the second reading; "would rather see your honourable that your humble petitioners relied "House throw out the Reform Bill al"with implicit confidence on the often- " together, and trust to the general ope"repeated and unqualified declarations "ration of events for giving the people "of the promoters and conductors of" of this country a more extended mea"this salutary measure, that they would sure of reform than is even now pro"not depart from the principle which " posed, than to have the qualification was embodied in this Bill of Reform "raised in the slightest degree above "at its first introduction; that your "10. And your petitioners will ever "humble petitioners conceived that the " pray." "The Petition of the Inhabitants of "Morpeth, in the County of Nor"thumberland, "Humbly showeth, 66 66 66 : "total disfranchisement of notoriously In SCOTLAND, precisely the same “corrupt boroughs, the partial disfran-language is held all have been alarmed "chisement of others less corrupt, the by the speech of GREY: all have had "enfranchisement of large and import- their suspicions, their anger, their in"ant towns which now send no mem"bers to Parliament, together with the “10l. qualification for votes, were the four principal elements which consti"tuted what was meant by the principle of the bill; and in consequence of ple. At DUDLEY there has been a great 66 66 dignation, roused by that speech; by the brazen assertion that the 10l. clause formed no part of the principle of the bil, and that the qualification might be raised without trenching on that princi 66 66 " meeting, the particulars of which I have any of the members of this "Counnot yet received, but the bills announcing cil," but they are all to blame for which were in the following words :- suffering themselves to be kept silent "A Public Meeting of the Reformers of at this time. See what difficulties "DUDLEY and its vicinity will be held men get into by communicating with "at Cate's-hill, near Cawney-hill, on the THING! The devil has not half Monday next, April 23d, 1832, to the cunning that this THING has, in "address the House of Lords on the all matters relating to its own in"Reform Bill, PARTICULARLY terests. But the THING misses its mark "THE TEN-POUND CLAUSE. A this time it thought, that the Birming"Grand Procession of the Dudley Poli- ham Union would lead all the nation; "tical Union will take place at One that we should all look to it as a guide; o'clock, from their Union Room, the THING, therefore, thought that t "Stafford-street, to Great Bridge, to would have only to secure that. The "meet the following Gentlemen, with devil has deceived the THING for once; "other Patriotic Friends, from Birming- and, now, the council of the Birming"ham, &c. &c. &c.-Messrs. D. B. ham Union will be looked upon as the "ATTWOOD, O'BRIEN, G. EDMONDS, Thing's ally; and it will have no more "SALT, HAYNES, and PEARCE, and re- influence with the people at large, than "turn from thence through High-street will the Westminster Rump. Indeed it "and King-street to the Hustings. The will be deemed a Rump Council; and "Chair to be taken at Three o'clock. though this will not be just, with re"All well-wishers to the Cause of gard to the greater part of the members Liberty, and the LABOURING of it, the fault will not be with the peo"CLASSES, are urgently requested to ple, but with the council itself, who "attend." ought to have taken care not to be made What, then, are we all a set of, a na- a tool in the hands of the THING. If tion of, suspicious fools! The curious this council now move, it will have no thing here is, that some of the Birm-credit for anything that it may do its ingham Political Union Council were to movement will be ascribed to a motive be present at this meeting! What! and far from patriotic; and unless the mem◄ do nothing at Birmingham itself! This bers, under their own names, tell the is a strange affair. The Grand Mother nation the manner in which they have Council obliged to beat out to find been imposed upon, and NAME ALL THE people to keep together," as Mr. DECEIVING PARTIES, the nation will PARKES has it! Doctor Black told us, never again have the smallest confiabout twelve days ago, that the BIR-dence in them. Let us have the letters MINGHAM POLITICAL COUNCIL had" de- of the ambassador ! There can be no clared its SITTINGS PERMANENT." diplomatic secrets; or at least I hope so. I did not like this at the time it was Come, come! Let us have the " pronot sitting, but hatching, that the people tocols." What! This cannot be a "Castood in need of. I am afraid that Mr. binet," to be sure: it can have no secrets PARKES, their ambassador in the WEN, to be kept from the people: it was not has sent them down, a sitting, or as the founded on any such principle. In short, French call it couvée, of addled, or rotten | if the cause of this inaction in the couneggs. If so, their sittings will be per-cil be not fully stated by it, it must be manent enough, and, it may be well (if regarded as a tool in the hands of the the hatching do not take place in a rea- THING. sonable time) if these rotten commodities be not, in the end, applied to the tops of the "Council," seeing that they are not to be softened by their other extremities. Far be it from me to impute dishonest"a communication to Mr. Cobbett, in intentions, or even lukewarmness, to "order to gain time, and that what I " Sir CHARLES WOLSELEY has published the following: "To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle. SIR,-Through your columns I beg 66 "To WILLIAM COBBETT, Esq. 6 I showed my gun in October last. However, my being in error is a matter of little importance. I wish I may be in error now, and if Sir CHARLES will only produce me just such proof as that which he produced in November last, sooner he does this the better, for I can assure him that I am in anything but a resolution of the people; but on that I hoping mood now, except as to the have the firmest reliance. "DEAR SIR,-Upon a former occa-I shall begin to hope again—and the “sion, when you thought the bill 66 6 was in jeopardy, did I not prove to 66 6 you that you were under an errone"ous impression? and were not you satisfied with the proof I gave? and "do not the clauses of the present bili "bear out the fact that the grand 6666 principles of the last bill would not "be frittered away?' Now, my "dear Sir, with that proof fresh in 66 6 your recollection, why doubt now? "I am sure there is as little occasion "for it now as then; and am yours "sincerely, C. WOLSELEY. "Wolseley, April 22.'' I should have a great deal to say upon many points connected with this great subject, but the facts are now so pressing, in number as well as importance, that they demand all my space, We have all made up our minds to preBesides, the time for argument is passed. fer no bill at all, to a bill with the tenpound clause altered so as to raise the qualification. The proceedings at GLASGow, at NEWCASTLE, at LEEDS, and Sir CHARLES does not seem to perceive that he produces no proof now. It in LONDON, I insert the account of is very true, that, after I had, in October below. These proceedings clearly show, and early in November last, been loudly that any rise in the qualification will be expressing my opinion that GREY did of a most destructive tendency; that it not intend to preserve the 101. clause in will be the source of fresh and more vihis next bill; it is very true, it is very gorous agitation than ever; that the true, that Sir CHARLES did do that which 16 reformed Parliament will be gave me reason to hope that the 10l. smothered with petitions for "Parli clause would be preserved. It was pre-amentary Reform;" that, in short, all served; but let Sir CHARLES bear in mind that it was late in November that he did what he calls prove this to-me; and this by no means proves that I was in error when I said, in October, that I thought it was the intention of the Ministers to give up the 10/. clause. Sir CHARLES has forgotten the old story of the Scotchman, who, having got over a gate and being pushing on towards a tree hung with apples, and being hailed by the owner with "Where are you going?" answered " Only bock again, mon. I am sure that Sir CHARLES has, thousands of times, seen a flock of rooks about to settle on a pea-field, and seen them stoop for the purpose, but see them fly off into the air again upon perceiving the gun. They do not get the peas to be sure, but he will hardly say that the farmer was in error as to their intention; and upon reflection he will hardly say that I was in error when will be discontent and confusion. This is the true state of the case, and I do beseech the Lords to consider well the probable consequences. As to Lord GREY, if he wish to carry the bill as it is, I am lending him, and all these meetings are lending him, the most efficient aid; and if he do not wish to carry the bill as it is, how can we do him more harm than he deserves to have done to him? As towards him the effect of our exertions depends wholly on himself; we are laying the foundation of a nonument, either to his everlasting fame, or to his everlesting disgrace: if he carry the bill as it is, whether by making peers or without it; or, if he quit his place, explicitly telling us that he is not allowed by the King to make the peers, the former will be his rich reward; but failing in these, the latter will be his well-merited punishment. WM. COBBETT. . P. S. Just as this was going to press, Sir DANIEL "SANDFORD Suggested that, in I received an account from DUDLEY, consequence of the crowded state of the room, stating, that though the day of meeting away without being accommodated, an adand from respect to the many who had to go was one of incessant rain, some thou-journment should take place till some other sands of persons attended it, and stood evening, when a larger place might be proout the whole of the time. We shall, vided, and the meeting made a public one. I suppose, have all the particulars in and the business proceeded. This proposal, however, was negatived, print in the next Midland Representative; but it appears, that the great anxiety of the meeting was about the 101. clause. The speakers all dwelt on the ominous expressions in the speech of Lord GREY; and no small degree of indignation was expressed at the thought of raising the qualification. The people of DUDLEY, with intelligent and zealous men at their head, have showed an excellent spirit, and as much sense as spirit. One of the speakers said, that if the 101. clause were altered, the people ought to demand more, at once; and never cease their efforts till they got it. Where, all behave so well, it is wrong to give a preference; but bare justice to the people of DUDLEY de-felt for such public exhibitions-the repugmands that I give them particular praise. N.B. Mr. Parkes's letter next week. See it in the Morning Chronicle. GLASGOW REFORM MEETING, Held on the 18th of April, 1832. Sir D. K. SANDFORD then rose to propose an address to the King. As one of those who had urged the present meeting, he should have felt gratified if it had assembled in a more public manner, and on an ampler stage than now, to discuss the highly importaut subject before them; but, as it was, he was glad that so many had come forward to give evidence of their unabated attachment to the cause which had once more brought them together. The present was one of the most important crises that had yet occurred in the history of this great measure, which for attention of all classes in the country; and eighteen months had fixed the undivided ever before was the people so loudly and imperiously called on to assemble and to act with vigour in its favour. Some there were, however, who had expressed a reluctance to not surprised at the repugnance which many meet on the present occasion; and he was Dance was not unaccountable which many felt, in these unquiet times, to the glare and bustle of popular assemblies. All who consulted their own ease and comfort-who dreaded the serpeut tooth of calumny-and the fierce enmity of party on the one hand→→ and on the other the treacherous defection, or the cold support of seeming friends, must feel I BESEECH my readers to go through reluctant to come forward and join in the this article with great attention, and to struggle, when they will inevitably be exposed mark particularly the closing part of was determined not to shrink from his duty→→ Sir D. K. SANDFORD's speech. The who was resolved sternly to act for the public conduct of the Scotch has been admira-weal-who, having once put his hand to the ble all through; and their promptitude above all praise. They instantly saw the thing in its true light; they saw that action went beyond mere talk, and they acted. to both the one and the other; but he who plough, would not look back-such a man publicity, and would meet with his fellowwould disregard his natural repugnance to citizens time after time, till they had achieved the victory, and won the prize for which they had so nobly and maufully fought. However reluctant, therefore, he really felt to come On Wednesday night a meeting of the Re- before the public-and notwithstanding the form Association was held in the lower room many misconstructious of his former language of the Trades' Hall, Glansford-street, for the and conduct, he had thought it right that they purpose of addressing the King, and petition-should meet now, were it only to congratuing the House of Lords to preserve the in-late themselves on the progress which the tegrity of the Reform Bill in its fullest extent. cause of reform had made-were it only to William Sterling, Esq. was called to the chair. The room, loug before the hour of meeting (eight o'clock), was crowded to suffucation, and hundreds had to go away who could not gain admittance-although the meeting was called as one of the association only. The windows were thrown open, and a large crowd, though it rained all the time, collected on the outside, were thus enabled to hear the proceedings. thank the King and his Ministry for their un flinching adherence to the cause, and to thank the Peers, who, even at this late period at the eleventh hour-had, however tardily, come forward, and showed a willingness to coucede some little indulgence to the wishes of the people. (Cheers.) And he heartily wished that this were all. But though the bill on which they had set their hearts had attained a stage which it had never reached before, he could not help putting the question-was it been shut out from it—and on this the princiout of danger? He wished from his very ple of the measure rested. Was there anything heart that the contest were over; but though in the history of this bill, so far as it had gone, none could be more willing than he was to which could lead to the conclusion that it was hope for the fulfilment of the sanguine antici- not the bill which was first promulgated ? pations of some, who in the height of their He would laugh at those who would say that rejoicing conceived the victory already won it differed from the fine first introduced. The -he must express his own forebodings-he microscopic eye of a lawyer might detect dismust state his belief that, at no period in the crepancies, but these were of no moment; a history of this vital measure-elated as he Wetherell or a Sugden in the House of Comwas at its present advancement-did there mons, and a Lyndhurst or a Wynford in the mingle with his joyful feelings so many mis- House of Lords, might discover what they givings so much alarm-lest these hopes called a want of identity in this measure with should, after all, be disappointed. No man the last; but it was not from them he would ever more wished his anticipations to prove take his opinion as to identity. He should true, than he longed for his to prove false like to hear these reasoners give their opinion and groundless. No predictor of the mil- as to the identity of a man, because he had lenium could hail the slightest glimpse of pared off the excrescence of his nails, or shorn coming glories with more fond credulity- himself of the flowing honours of his head, or no Prince Hohenlohe could wait with more lost by exudation some portion of his personal devoted anxiety of mind for the completion of redundances? Why, in every seven years, achis miraculous edicts-no votary of the un-cording to the theory of some philosophers, known tongues could look with greater en- the whole system of the body changes, and bethusiasm, or pant with greater earnestness, for the effusion of the spirit, than did he for the full and entire confutation of his fears by the final triumph of this bill. (Cheering.) But, alas! he had many fears. Not even when the bill was first promulgated, and when the country paused for a moment to col lect its voice, and to raise it with a burst of approbation; not even when it was thrown out of the Commons by a majority of eight, on the side-wind motion of the member for Liverpool; not even when spurned by the peers; not at any of these times did he experience more fearful forebodings as to the fate of this bill than now filled his mind. He had no suspicion of the integrity of the author of t is measure. He had the most deep-rooted cufidence in the fidelity of Earl Grey; he felt certain that no treachery was meditated by him towards the country. All that he deemed necessary for the safety of the bill, he would do; and he was cheered by the bold and manly manner in which some of his Noble colleagues had pledged themselves to the most important part of the bill. But he could not but remember that human judgments were fallible, that different opinions were held upon the principle of this bill, and he dreaded the danger that might arise to its entireness aud unity. He had never raised the cry of the bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill; the term was one he had never used on any public occasion. Not that he was not for the whole bill; but he had an aversion to caut phrases, and did not wish to be the hundredth re-echoer of a cuckoo-cry, But what he had never called for before he would call for now; and be would say that he demanded that bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill, in its essence and in its spirit (cheering). He would have nothing but the life and essence of that bill (cheers). There was one great condition in the bill which could not be compromised that part of it which extended the elective franchise to those who had hitherto comes renovated, while the man is not the less |