The Morning Post, which may be accepted, we believe, as
the organ of the Ex-Ministers, seems inclined to sorrow over Lord GREY and the Ministry on account of the fewness of the public meetings in favour of Reform. That there have not been so many as might have been expected, is quite true. It is true also, that there have been quite enow to show the feelings of the country, for there is no class or interest in it that has not spoken out on the occasion ; and we feel confident, that, had it not been for the opinion—a very foolish one, we confess—that meetings might embarrass the Minister in his plans, many more would have been held. To prove that the sorrowing of the Post is not with- out hope, we would just remind it, that if there have not been many meetings in favour of Reform, there has not been one nor an at. tempt at one against it. We would also call to the recollection of our worthy contemporary, and those who think as he does, that there were many, very many meetings" against the Duke of WELLINGTON'S Reform, which the Post withstood with as much sturdiness as it does Earl GREY'S, though it had not the same backers ; and yet the Duke's Reform was carried. May we not add, and so will the Earl's ? Asia specimen of the sentiments entertained in the country, and in one instance of the sentiments of those who dwell iri the very
—the administration of the bribery oath to the candidate as well as the elector—and the ballot ; which last improvement, however, it left form could be practical, rational, or efficient, without ballot." they were afraid might be misinterpreted.
petition, founded on the original resolution, carried unanimously. ' excuse it, in consideration of the strong tendency to misinterpret and misrepresent for which Lis worthy brother of the gown was distill_ meeting of the inhabitants of the western division of Kent gnashed. In the present instance, the statement of the worthy knight took place at Rochester on Tuesday last week. It was very numerously attended by the neighbouring farmers. The principal speakers were Mr. Bentley and Mr. H. Prentiss A petition for reform, and a resolu. Mayor had had the concurrence and approbation, both in public and -- tion in favour of ballot were unanimously agreed to. Laurie, whose concurrence and approbation were csrtainly confined to Cuesrsvam..—A requisition was presented last week, to the High his private opinion and, private advice. The Lord Mayor hoped that, Sheriff, calling on him to assemble the freeholders in order to take the for the future, the worthy knight would not subject himself to retorts
• question of Parliamentary reform into consideration. He declined, on which would be calculated, supported as they must be by the authority account of the disturbed state of the country. This is pretty much as if of his own brethren, to injure him as an authentic historian.
a man should refuse to send for a doctor because the patient was very The observations of the Mayor were brought under the notice of Sir restless. Whenever, according to the Sheriff's doctrine, the people shall Peter next day, by Mr. Chalmers, of Thames Street, one of the persons prove by their apathy that they care nothing about reform, the counties who had waited on Sir Peter on Tuesday, on the occasion of the Smith- will set about agitating the question. The requisitionists not having the field meetings being prohibited. Sir Peter sent his nephew to inquire fear of tumult before their eyes, resolved to call a meeting for them- whether the words attributed to the Lord Mayor had really been used
selves. by his Lordship ; but the Lord Mayor declined answering,- unless Sir The Cornwall meeting, in consequence of this resolution, took place Peter asked the question in person. Here the affair rests. We under- on Wednesday ; and proved the vanity of the Sheriff's fears, for it was stand, that in case of a meeting being determined on, Sir Claudius accompanied by no disturbance nor appearance of disturbance. The re- Hunter has offered his interest to procure a white charger for his friend quisition to the Sheriff, and on which he refused to act, was signed, we the Mayor, but .his Lordship prefers a Jerusalem pony. - In a tilting- may remark, by seventeen magistrates of the county, several 'clergymen, match, it is supposed that Sir Peter Laurie will come off first : he and seven hundred merchants, farmers, and inhabitant householders. knows the • points of a saddle too well to be easily unseated. At the At the meeting on Wednesday J. T. P. Trevanion, Esq. presided, and same time, it is admitted that the Mayor can sit a donkey in such a the resolutions were moved Cy J. Colman Rashleigh, Esq., William masterly Way that you would take him fin- a piece of his steed. Peter, Esq., the Rev. R. 'Walker, J. Rundle, Esq. It. R. Peters, Esq., THE LORD Mayor's DrxwEits,--The dinners intended as substi. George Call, Esq., David Howell, Esq., and lastly,. by the excellent totes for the feast which was so lamentably interrupted on the 9th member for the county, Mr. Pendarvis. It is a pleasant thing to write November, took place on Tuesday and Thursday.
these fine old British names. Even O'Connell could not find fault with
" Trevanion," " Howell," " Pendary is "—there is no echo of the mnEntanc— Old Mr. Clarke, the report of whose death Saxon about them. The resolutions and petition were carried without we contradicted in our second edition last Saturday night, is dead after a dissenting voice ; and so, we doubt not, would the ballot, had Mr. R. all : he departed this life on Sunday morniv. Still there is hope that Be. Peters seen fit to press it, but he was averse from exciting contro- Alderman Waithman's gown may yet be spared, and that its worthy which was called, in consequence, without his assistance. One of the of course addressed, by that excel. +.t friend to reform, 11Ir. Hume, who first steps in reform, we may Observe, will be to put an end to these never allows any one to slip bui. ...ins& ; he pleaded strongly for Sir James's fitness to fill the office of Chancellor—a wag added, " of the absurd and capricious refusals in every " petty, pelting officer." A heriff or Mayor, or whatever he may be called, ought, when a requi- City Exchequer." The Common Hall for the election was held:yester- S day. Alderman Waithman was put in nomination by Mr. Blacken. sition is presented to him in due form, and properly, signed, to have no He was followed by Sir James Williams ; who objected to Sir James discretion : his ought to be a ministerial office, not a judicial one, in Shaw's delicate state of health, which had led, Sir James argued, to the such cases. The pretext of which such worthies commonly avail them- escape of Rowland Stephenson ! Mr. Charles Pearson, before the meeting seh-es, of danger to the peace, is unfounded—the peace is ever least en- proceeded to elect a Chamberlain, begged to press on its attention the dangered by meetings held under authority. The meeting at Manchester enormous amount of the balances in the hands of that officer, and the was held in the Town-hall. The company, which comprehended all the absurdity of the old securities. The balances, according to Mr. Pearson, property and talent of the town (and there is not little of either in Man- stood during the last seven years thus-1823, £74,214 ; 1824, £101,617; ehester), amounted to about two thousand. - The resolutions were moved 1825, £116,654 ; 1826, £151,196 ; 1827, £143,188; 1828, £151,122; by R. Potter, Esq., and seconded by Mr. Shuttleworth, in two speeches, 1829, £146,773. Sir James Shaw, in answer to Mr. Pearson's judicious of much soundness and power. The meeting was also addressed by Mr. remarks, replied that • he was quite prepared, if elected, to submit the Prentice and several others. We need hardly say, that bAot was disposal of the balances to whatever rules the Liverymen; might see among the resolutions, and that the whole of them passed unanimously, proper to frame. Mr. Waithman spoke of his services in respect of the
Iiissassatmouon.—A meeting, was held at Knaresborough on Tues- Orphan's Fund, and .the reforms he had attempted on the, office of day last week, when a petition for reform and reduction of expenditure Chamberlain itself: The.Worthy Alderman reminded the Liverymen,
notices of such meetings as have taken place during the week. . tation in Parliament, but-from the peculiar hardship of feudal subjection to the self-elected and jobbing Town-Council of Edinburgh. We- are - BERKSHIRE:A meeting for the purpose of petitioning Parliament glad to liave another voice added to the national call for reform ; and as in favour of reform was held. on Monday at Reading ; John Walter, men of all parties, possessing property and influence, join in the cry, we Esq. of Bearwood, the High Sheriff, in the chair. The Earl of Radnor, need not fear the consequences—unless borough, proprietors are mad the county members, the members for the borough, Mr. Pusey, member enough to offer resistance to the general feeling. We feel gratified that for Chippenham, and a number of other gentlemen, were present. Mr. our labours in the public cause have obtained for the Spectator the diss Hallett moved a petition, which prayed for the extension of the right tinction of being the " one London paper" in which the resolutions of of representation to large towns—the diffusion of the elective franchise the Leith Commissioners are announced.
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