Cbc A meeting of the electors of Westminster, summoned by

the High Bailiff to take bite) consideration the state of the representation of Westminster, was held in Covent Garden on Monday, the hustings being erected in front of the church. The meeting was numerously attended, both by electors and notaelectors ; and was quite orderly,_ more so, indeed, than any similar assembly that we tecollect in the same place.

The High Bailiff having stated the business of the meeting,

Colonel Jones moved resolutiona, to the effect that Westminster had been for a lung time it destitute of any actual representation in the Commons House of Parliament ; that Sir Francis Burdett, by his change of politics and declared hostility to uli the measures proposed by the present Government for the remedy of abuses in Church and State, had forfeited the confidence of his old friends and supporters, and of the whole Reforming constituency ; and that Sir Francis be called upon to resign his seat. The Colonel said, that it was a pain- ful duty which he had to perform. For thirty years he had been a .warm supporter of Sir Francis Burdett ; and though he found fault with the representative, he still loved the man. He hoped that the electors of IVestminster would part with their old Member On friendly terms. As for Colonel Evans, he had now for a long per loci neglected the duties which his constituents had elected him to discharge. Ile was, it was true, engaged in an arduous service in Spain ; but when he made up his mind to go a- soldiering, no matter in what cause, he ought to have given up the representation of Westminster. Colonel Jones therefore moved, that Colonel EettlIS also be requested to resign, unless, as indicated in his late letter from St. Sebastian, he should re- turn at the end of his present engagement, which would terminate on the loth of June. A final resolution proposed that a Committee be appointed to curry the above into effect, and to take measures for se- curing an efficient represeotation for Westminster.

Mr. De Vear seconded the re-olutions. Mr. Wakley then oddressed the meeting. He believed that Sir Franca; Burdett would at once resign o hen lie was informed that the resolution to that effect had liven carried ; and then it became a ques- tion what the next step should be. Their object was to get rid of an snefficieilt representative, and procure one who would work for them. The Tin ies forgot all differences and united themselves under one

man.- leader was Sir Robert Peel, and lie wanted a " Leader" for II'estaninster. Mr. Leader was a little man, but in every respect a trump.....

His heart was full of benevolence; his head full of knowledge; lie bad I long purse crammed with gold ; and he was, above all, a sincere Radical Re- former. That was the leader they wanted ; and lie was one who would never lead them blindfold through the swamps and quagmires of political mystery. kIe had watched Mr. Leader, and could safely say that since he had been in the House of Commons lie had never given a vote that was hostile to the liber- ties of the people in the broadest sense of the term. They were again threat-

ened with disunion in Westminster.! 'This was the rock on which the Reform party throughout the country had always split; this was the weak side which their enemies hail so well known how to take advantage of. The apple of dis- cord was thrown among them, and they were fools enough to pick itaup and eat it. With respect to the Whigs, there were, he admitted, some men amoog

them who had discharged their duty faithfully, and the Radicals were very glad to avail themselves of their assistance on the reed towards thorough reform. The moment the Whigs stopped, the Radicals weald bid them good by, and proceed on their own account ; and he was satisfied they would never stop until they had obtained full justice to the whole empire.

He objected to delegating power to a Committee, which the meeting could exercise directly. He wished Colonel Jones would 'ulnae his candidate at once from the hustings.

The resolution calling upon Sir Francis Burdett to resign, was put by the High Bailiff, and carried unanimously. The resolution calling upon Colonel Evans to resign, in the event of his not returning at the time specified, was also agreed to unani- mously. The resolution for the appointment of a Committee to select a can. didate in the place of Sir Francis Burdett having been read, Colonel Jones said that the Committee would not presume to put forth a candidate until they had ascertained the wishes of the electors.

Mr. Wtakley repeated his wish that the gallant Colonel would name his man at once— The matter must have been discussed, otherwise there could be no opposition to the claims of Mr. Leader. He supposed they hail soine lord ill view. (Lauyhter.) They had already too many lords in the !louse of Common,:

whenever one stumbled over some odd-looking fellow there, on making in- quiry one was sure to learn that he was a lord. They were there only to ob-

struct every good measure, and to puke some clog into the constitutional wheel. It would he much better if there were no lords in the Commons at an. Mr. Leader was present on the hustings, and would answer any questions that might be put to Limn. He called upou the meeting to let Mr. Leader speak 1-at

himself; and if he did not answer every quest: as they wished, he hoped they vrould not have him. His role wish was to secure to Westmiuster the electior of the best man ; he believed Mr. Leader to be the best man: but if a better were found, lie was teady to support the best. He moved ati amendinent, that Mr. Leader be requested to state his opinions to the meeting. Mr. John Crawford seconded the aunetiffinent; which was put and carried almost mianimously. Mr. Leader then came forward, amidst loud cheers, and addressed the multitude in front of the hustings-

" Electors and citizens of Westminster, in compliance with the call which hag been made upun me, I come forward to tell you first how it happens that I appear before you on this occasion, and then briefly to declare my political opinions. The gaii int Colonel has talked of vanity aud presumption in so young a man coining before the Westminster electors. Now, to show you that It is not vanity wlach brings me hete to day, I will tell yeti precisely what has induced mime to appear. Last Wednesday, a acquisition was presisited to me by a deputation of electors, requesting IIIe •to become eJ111.1i.titt., on the first

vacancy, for the representation of Westminster. 'flea any portion of the eke- turs of this, the Int:most cite in the world, should have fix: 'I themi. thoughts on

me for their representative, 1 then considered, and I em ,I1.111 C.11,111a, a very

great honour. My political existence date, from two ■ ears iuc ; and I au...

Wvii aware that, however good niy intentions may have heen, I have not in so

short a time been able to achieve ;mmu iii mg which can hi.riy entitle Inc to look for so gteat a rewaid. The application nos as unripe ied as it was gratify-

ing ; for I can honestly assure you, that, f.ar front hewn time vaulty awl pre- euniption to thrust inyte.lf forward in search of your mintage, I looked upon rue reptesentation of your city as much too great an Leven- for one who :lad served 60 short a time in the cause of civil and religious freedom. I come nut, then, presumptuously to intrude myself upon your notice—I come ill obedience to the call, in compliance with the request, of a gi eat body of the thorough Refirrmers of Westminster, who hate declared that they not only agree with me in political opinions, but that they consider I am the most likely person to succeed in a contest for the represeutatioa mmfM'eentlinster. SO much for the gallant Colonel's taunt, and for the cause of my appearance befure you this day. My political opinions may be summed up in very few words: I ant for the Many as opposed to the Few—for the Peuple as oppoetel to the Peers--fin the Democracy as opposed to the Aristocracy. Let the governed many be fairly, fully, and honestly represented ; let the governing few be strictly responsible to the people through their representatives. Wheu suck a system is established, thee, and not till then, shall we enjoy the blessings of good government."

To obtain this object, the suffrage must be extended, the pa otection of the Ballot given to the electors, the duration of Parliaments short- ened, the Rate-paying clauses of the Reform Act repealed, the pro- perty qualification of Members abolialied, and such a fair distribution of representatives made as would prevent Harwich with its 200 electors from having as large a share in the Legislature as IVestinitister with 12,000. , The composition of the present House of Cominuns was such that it was absurd to expect from it efficield measures of reform- . " Do you fondly believe that your colonies will be well governed, or that the interests of the trading and labouring classrs will be Mounded, so long as your house of Commons is more than half full of country geutlemen, who know as much of colonial policy as they know of trade, and who actually lose their temper when they hear the repeal of the Corn laws mentioned? Do you ima- gine that the educatiun of the people will be cared for, or religious freedom ad.. vanced, by men who, having most of them derived their limiters of religion and learning frein Oxford and from Cambridge, seein to hold that knowledge is too precious a gem to he touched by the people ; and that no man can have goodness, or niurality, or religion, who dissents from the religious doctrine preached in those aristocratic and exclusive places which are called, in mockery, the National Universities of Great Ili itain ? Du you fancy that the Pension- list will he revised by the friends and aelatives of pensioners who sit in your

House of Commons? (" it's a shame heep up pensions when they pass such a l'oor•law," shouted one front u distant part ttf* the netting.) I wilt tell you my opinion ou the Poor-law, as on every other measure. Undo the old Pour-law, the etTait s of time poor and time pooz-rates were administered by the Overseers and by itresponsiide mlagistrates; by the present law, the affairs of the poor are administered by a Board of Guardians, elected by the rate-payers. Su far the new law is better than the old one. But the Guardians are elected under a system of plural voting, and of voting hy proxy: that is bad—to that I decidedly object : let every late-payer, or every man, have one vote, and one vote only, which he must give in person, and then you would have administra- tors of the Poor-law chosen by the people, and responsible to the people; and that would clearly be better than the old administtators, who were not chosen by the people, and were responsible to uo one. There have been, I doubt not, some cases of hardship and even of cruelty wader the new Poor-law; but that is owing to the harsh and injudicious manner in which the law has been carried into effect, and not to the principle of the law itself. I am. ready and noxious to have a full and searching inquiry into the operation and into the provisions of the new Poor-law : where it is found to be bad, harsh, cruel, or inoperative, let it be altered. But whenever you speak or think of the new Poor-law, bear this in mind—that the old Poor-law, as it was administered under the old sys- tem, was ruining the rate-payers and demoralizing the poor themselves. Let the aged, the disabled, and the able-bodied who cannot find work, have suste- nance, or work to procure them sustenance, found for them by the community : but remember this, that the poor who receive relief, obtain that relief, not as some imagine, from the overgrown riches of the wealthy, but chiefly from the hard-earned pittance of the industrious poor. When, then, you talk of the Poor-law, bear in mind that if the idle, the dissolute, and the profligate among the poor, are supported by the community, the chief part of their support is wrung from you, and such as you, the industrious and well-conducted working classes. Well, do you think that your present House of Commons will abolish the uojust and most unjustifiable system of plural voting, and of voting by proxy, in matters connected with the Pour-law, and with other parochial af- fairs? And, above all, do you think that your House of Commons, containing IN it does so large a portion of the Aristocracy, will receive well, or ever carry, a measure for reforming that hereditary, irresponsible, proxy.voting body called the Home of Lords? Here is a long list of reforms which no sane man can expect to see passed by any House of Commons elected under the present elec- toral system. Well, then, the course which you ought to pursue is plainly marked out. You roust first obtain a House of CUI111110119 really representing the people."

Mr Leader concluded with making an offer of his services to the electors ; and promised that if the meetilig decided in his favour, he would attend parochial meetings of the electors and discuss political subjects with them. Mr. Roebuck, though not an elector, and merely accompanying Mr. Leader as a friend, was loudly called for by the meeting; and with the permission of the High Bailiff, responded to the call, in an admirable speech ; bearing testimony, in the first place, to the courage, intelli- gence, and working qualities of Mr. Lender; and in the second pluce, delivering a lecture, seasoned with sarcasm, on the principles of repre- sentative government and the duties of electors. Mr. Front moved, that " this meeting is of opinion that Mr. Leader is a fit and proper person to represent the city of Westminster in Parliament."

Mr. Howard Elphinstone seconded the resolution ; which was carried all but unanimously.

Colonel Thompson and Dr. Wade addressed the meeting, in speeches not reported. Colonel Thompson eulogized the conduct of Colonel Evans, who was lighting in the cause of freedom turd good govern- ment in Spain.

Admiral Napier said he had come a ',melee,: miles to teke the part of hisgalliait friend General Evans ; and the Admiral spoke for some time in hit:lily-eulogistic terms of the gallantry and disinterestedness of General EVallS ; who, he trusted, would present himself to the electors on the BALI of June, covered with honour arid glory.

At the request of the meeting, the high Rio iir undertook to transmit the resolutions to Sir Francis Burdett and to Colonel Evans.

Mr. Pouncey hoped that it would not be supposed, though there had been a little difference as to the floret of proceeding, that there was any disunion among the Refornmrs, or any party ho-tile to 31r. Leader. Ile then moved the thanks of the meeting to Mr. Smedley, the new high Bailiff; who, on this his first appearance among them, bad conducted himself so courteously and impartially in the chair. This vote being curried by acclamation, and acknowledged by the High Bailiff in complimentary terms, the meeting sepanited in good humour,