cbc Iiirtrupolig. At a meeting of Reformers, at the Crown
and Anchor, on Monday evening, it was unanimously resolved to call a public meeting of the in- habitants of Westminster, at twelve o'clock on Monday next, at the Crown and Anchor, to consider the declaration of Lord John Russell against the Ballot and other measures of Reform.
The Southwark Reform dinner took place at the Bridge House Tavern, Southwark, on Wednesday. The company consisted of about 350 gentlernem—as many as could be accommodated in the room. Mr. Benjamin Wood took the chair. The chief speakers were, the chair- man, Mr. Humphery, Mr. IIarvey, Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Hume, Mr. Grote, and Mr. Wakley. Mr. Humphery had a friendly feeling towards Ministers, but was exceedingly annoyed by Lord John Russell's speech on the Address. Mr. Harvey spoke cautiously ; intimating that there were many persons present who did not go as far as himself in con• demning the policy of the Government. Regretting exceedingly the declaration of Lord John Russell, he still thought that much good might spring from it- " Illusion and false confidence are at an end ; and the obligations of the People are clear, and not to be mistaken. The People of England are no longer spell- bound by the drivelling calculations of trifling speculators. So long as the late King lived, and the stairs of the Court were crowded with the enemies of Re- form—so long as every crevice was filled by some concealed or undi,guised enemy of the People—so long as the Royal ear was open to the poison of treacherous counsel—so long as the 'Melbourne Government felt itself thwarted by the malignant spirits, ever busy in breathing into the Royal mind imputa- tions against them, that they contemplated the overthrow of every institution upon which the throne was fixed—it might have been a fair and just appeal from the Ministers to their friends to forbear the pressure of objects which complicated and strewed their path with thicker difficulties. I was not one who listened to this appeal with overweening confidence, and the result has jus- tified my hesitation. Yet many excellent Reformers did, and preferred to hazard their own popularity to the hazard of casting dangers upon the cause to which they were and are mainly devoted. But how lung were we expected to forbear ? Was it to pass beyond that event which has at length occurred? Was it merely to give the Ministers time to secure places for themselves and their adherents? In sober truth, was it not believed by the most confiding, that the death of the King would be the revival of popular freedom, and the ad- vancement of those great objects which have been ever contemplated as the natural and just consequences of the Reform Bill?"
How were Ministers to resist the formidable force opposed to them ? There was a course which would yet lead to honour and victory-
" Let the Ministers show themselves to be Reformers, by bringing forward
well-considered Reform Bill; avowing in itsjustification, that without more popular power to aid them, no substantially useful measures of national regene- ration can be carried out. Against this manly course, what combination could prevail ? The present Parliament might hesitate—the Lords might look un- utterable things—but how would the People act ? They would act as they acted when they carried Lord Grey's Reform Bill. (Tremendous cheers.) That mighty power only slumbers—let it be again aroused, and it will be found that repose has imparted new life and vigour to it. Appeal to it again, I say, and it will quickly be seen with what cheerful promptitude the citizens of the state will grasp the torch of freedom, fresh kindled at the altar of their country, and guide a Reform Ministry through every peril to a glorious triumph." Mr. O'Connell said the Reformers were in a very " difficult" po.. sition-- He deplored the declaration made the other evening by Lord John Russell; bat he rejoiced at it so far as England was concerned. The People of England would be aroused by that declaration to act for themselves. Englishmen were not horrifies. They knew how to act when they knew their precise situation. Their energies once in motion, they were sure to ubtaiu the birthrights to which, as Englishmen, they were emitted. Tine Par:iament and the 3lieietere mustbe told, in a voice nut to be misunderstood, that the first and rey:ieite improve- ments of the Reform Act must be had—that the extension of the franchise, and the Ballot to protect its exercise, and the shot tening of Parliaments, must be conceded. But all depended on the People; and to achieve their objects, they must act on three little %voids of advice which he had often given to his own countrymen—they must "agitate, agitate, agitate." They must petition from one end of the country to the other. All most act as if every thing depended on himself. There should be no hanging back—no waiting to see others in motion. No matter what number moved ; they should agitate from one end of the country to the other. When effecting the great moral revolution to which he was humbly instrumental in his own country, he agitated with four when he could not get six.
Mr. Hume first uttered some of his known opinions against the Ministers, and then relapsed into his usual course. He called on the People to support Ministers, and on the press (!! !) to tell those Minis- ters what they ought to do— He would support the present Ministers—not only to keep out the Tories for ever, but in the hope of soon teaching the present Ministers the ti■lly (f their own recent declaration. There must sooner or later be those ref Tins which had been demanded, particularly that of the Ballot. He had been aid should continue the enemy of bad men and bad government—not despairing of seeing still further reforms, quite as great as those that had taken place, which were greater than he had hoped to see. Although he deplored Lord John Russell's late declaration, he thought they could not do better than support the present Ministers as far as possible.
Mr. Grote said, that after Lord John Russell's declaration, he could not entertain the same expectation from the Ministry that be Lad pre- viously indulged—
The speeches of Lord John Russell in former times, and the speech of Lord Howick on the last discussion on the Ballot, had led him to expect a more mitigated opposition than Lord John Itrn‘eell was now disposed to offer to the Ballot. It was said Lord John Russell spoke only his own sentiments, and not those of the Government. He hoped su ; for if the Government were not de- termined to correct the abuse- of the present system, it would be impossible for the Radical Members to continue in their track.
Mr. Wakley alluded to the course he had taken on the Address— A hundred honourable Members hail told him that his motion was most in- opportune. It was easy to make an asset tion, but not one of those honourable Members had been able to favour him with au argument in support of their assertion.
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