Vie gletropolist.
A meeting of Finsbury Liberals was held at the White Conduit House on Wednesday night ; Mr. Roebuck in the chair. The large room was completely filled. Mr. Roebuck explained the business of the meeting, and gave his own opinion on the conduct of Ministers and the state of parties— They were met for the purpose of expressing their opinion respecting the men who now possessed the confidence of the Crown. They were met to express their opinion that in that confidence they did not participate. This was his feeling as far as as he was individually concerned, and he was sure that such was also the feeling of the meeting. (Cries of " Yes, yes, it is.") He wished that it should be distinctly understood that was the feeling of the meetiug re- specting her Majesty's Ministers. He was lately present at a meeting of the Westminster electors, and greater or more decided hostility to her Majesty's Ministers than was there exhibited and expressed he had never witnessed: Ministers, however, were so self-complacent—had so much confidence in them- selves—that they either could not or would not believe it. In order to put that matter entirely out of doubt, that there might be no mistake about it, and that their minds alight be disabused of any such impression, a resolution had been drawn up specially with that view.
It was said that if the Whigs were put out the Tories would come in, and then no good would be done— Did any one believe that, with the strong opposition of the Whigs, backed by the support of the People, the Tories could perpetuate more atrocities? But, say they. look to Ireland ; Lord Mulgrave will be taken away. The Whigs in lb..15 liaised the Coettion Dill. (A voice in the crowd—" That was passed by Me assistance of Me Tories.") Yes, and by the apathy of tie Radicals; but the time was come when there was to be no more apathy on the part of the Radicals. The Government was all a job from beginning to end—. a job for the Whigs and for the Aristocracy; and if the Tories came into power, the Whigs and Reformed Parliament will have furnished them with admirable instruments to oppress Ireland. Unfortunately his voice had little influence either in or out of Parliament. He had been sacrificed to telling the truth. Various and perplexing were the schemes which had been for five years resorted to to blind the People of England. A new feeling came over Lord John Russell. He began to feel he was playing a part which was neither honest nor decorous. He felt at length it was the duty of a gentleman to tell the truth, and no longer to mystify or play the hypocrite. The truth was not told when he said that the questions of Triennial Parliaments and Vote by Ballot were to be reserved for the consideration of a Reformed Parliament. Lord John, it appeared, was then in error. Might it not be supposed there was an object for that error—that they wanted to keep in power, to sustain their influence; and that now, being in a state of security, they no longer want the good will of the People of England or Ireland, and speak out?
At present, the Government was a job. The House of Commons was an admirable instrument in the bands of jobbing Ministers— If the Tories were in power to-morrow, they would have a burning band of patriots, calling themselves Whigs, ranged on the Opposition benches ; awl they would have motions made by the great leaders of the party, supported by speeches full of enthusiastic ardour about freedom and good government ; but whilst they had a Tory Opposition, by common consent, they never heard the words 4, freedom and good government." But he would be just—he must give the Whigs credit for having sent Lord Mulgrave to Ireland. He believed that nobleman was the best governor that was ever sent to Ireland ; for he seemed to understand the true situation of the people whom he was sent to govern, and he refused to submit to the despotism and domination of the Orange faction, But what had been the conduct of the Whigs towards the Colonies? Did the people of England want to have an army sent across the Atlantic to fight the battle of despotism in the snows of Canada? If they did not, they ought not to support a Whig Government.
Did it never occur to them that there was another party distinct from Whigs and Tories ?— It was one thing to put out the Whigs—another to bring in the Tories why should they not bring in the Radicals ? Could they not get any one to equal the exalted abilities, the wonderful eloquence, and commanding arrange. merit of thought of the Home Secretary? They perhaps could not equal the verbosity of Mr. Rice, but they could get one who would bare some sympathy with the People. They could get a Home Secretary to reform the law. They hail with them Brougham, and Hume, and Warburton, and Grote.
Mr. Roebuck having concluded his speech amidst universal plaudits, the following resolutions were put, and unanimously carried- ,. That the meeting have heard with much surprise and dissatisfaction the declaration attributed to Lord John Russell of his decided humility to any further change iu our defective political system, and his determination to maintain that exclusive system of representation by which a great mass of the people are altogether excluded from °see casing the elect.,... frawhise. That the meeting never contemplated the Reform Bill as a east measure : on the contrary, they viewed it as the first step only in the attainment of those great organis changes in our institutions which altered times and circumstances have rendered impe. rat ice; awl deeply impressed with this conviction, they cannot refrain from expressing (heir leant r feogli.lrSec is any Ministry pledged to resist such changes. " That, in accordance us itti these resolutions, this meeting pledges itself to support by all means any proposition calculated to attain nn extensive enlargement of the elective fr inchise, t :to sLorteniug the duration of Parliament, and to afford the electors the security of voting by ballot. "'That the tharih f this meeting are especially tine to our Representatives, Thomas Witkley. Eaq., nn I T. s. Ditti,agnbc, Esq.: also to the twehLy Members who composed the minority on t:e amendment to the Address."
Mr. Wakley was cordially received. He alluded to his amendment on the Address : he had been asked what good came of it ?—
Why, it had at least shown to the People of England what was the character of the Home of Commons that had been just elected. He was told that he wanted to bring in the Tories: he was heartily sick of hearing the ten ins Whig and Tory—they were terms which were bandied about to blind the People. The real fact was, that they were now divided into two parties, the Aristocracy and Democracy ; and if the People really wished to have good government, they must put their own shoulders to the wheal, and not depend upon either section of the Aristocracy.
Mr. Thomas Duncombe predicted that Lord John Russell's decla- ration would lead to a change in the Ministry— It appeared to him that the Whigs were upon theirlast legs. lie had no doubt that, shortly after the recess, they would find themselves in some party scrape or other upon some question in which the People were not interested. The Whigs would call for ar,istance from the People, and the People would say—.4 We will cot help you out of the difficulty which you have got into. You deserted us when you might have assisted us, you betrayed us when in the zenith of your power ; you must now light your own battles ; and if you fall into the pit you have dug for yourselves, you will fall there unpitied and despised." (Loud cheers.) Such, in his opinion, was the fate of the Whigs, and they would be succeeded by a Tory Administration. When that event occurred, they would meet in that room to concoct measures for turning out a Tory Administration, and every succeeding Administration, till the People had got one on which the could repose confidence as sincere and honest Reformers. (Immense cheering.) Thanks were voted to the Chairman, and the meeting broke up.
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