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the Political Union, and employed almost as many hands as the petition had signatures to it; and that, at the meeting of the Political Union, where the petition originated, a vote of censure was passed on one of the leading members of the Administration, for introducing into Parliament the bill for coercing Ireland, &c. &c.]

I have received a petition from the inhabitants and electors of the town of Nottingham against the Irish Courtmartial Bill, drawn in a most able manner, containing several thousand sig natures, and containing the names of a great part of those who possess the wealth, intelligence, and virtue, of that fine and patriotic town. I deem it a singular honour in having this petition confided to me.

the effects of this error. It was not a mere pledge that was sufficient; it was not a man's having voted for the Reform Bill, which was to ensure the electors against that which they now behold. They ought to have been scrupulous with regard to the past conduct of the man; with regard to his present connexions; his dependance upon the Government or the aristocracy; his relationship with church preferment, and with military and naval promotion}; to all which they appear to have paid no attention whatever. They may now be assured that this Parliament will last for seven years, unless there be some accidental termination to it sooner. They will see the result of the motion for triennial Parliaments; and when they have seen that, they will want nothing more to convince them that they have been very incautious in their recent conduct. However, death, and other accidents, will be continually making vacancies, and let the whole nation well watch the conduct of electors themselves in the fresh choices they shall make. There is a vacancy now in the borough of Marybonne, and the candidates are, one what is called a conservative, the other a Whig, besides whom there is Mr. MURPHY, who is a

Also a petition, signed by about fourteen or fifteen thousand persons, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and signed by the council and associates of the Great Northern Political Union; the first ten or a dozen signatures to which petition are the names of men every one of whom ought to have been in this House. My readers will recollect the power of petitions from this quarter, and under these same signatures, in saving the lives of the poor suffering labourers in the southern counties, in 1830 and 1831. From coal-inerchant. This is the man for these petitioners came that loud cry of humanity, which roused the whole country upon that occasion. From them came also those blood-stirring appeals which roused the country, and urged it on in the cause of parliamentary reform. To have had this petition sent to me, instead of its being sent to the Members for Newcastle, Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY and Mr. HODGSON, is an honour much more than sufficient to gratify any ambition that I ever entertained; only, again ] lament that several of these petitioners are not here to speak from their own lips that which they say upon paper. This was the great error at the last election: the people were taken by surprise: the word reform satisfied them: my exhortations, and the demanding of pledges even, were insufficient for

the

purpose of protecting them against

the electors of Marybonne; and the reasons for their electing him are neatly stated in the following paper, which has been started in the shape of a hand-bill, and which I insert here with very great pleasure, seeing that it proves that there are some persons, at any rate, who have good sense, in the borough of Marybonue.

Marybonne Election!
WHY AND BECAUSE?
Why are the People deprived of Cheap
Bread?

Because the Landowners make the
Laws.

Why are the Assessed and other Taxes made to press most on the Middle and Productive Classes?

Because the Laws are made exclu sively by the Richer Classes.

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and the Rich Classes less than TEN per Cent.?

Because the Richer Classes only make the Laws.

Why, when a Tradesman dies, is his the wonderful silence which has been little Property made liable to most hitherto kept by the great and formerly enormous duties, while the Rich Land-spirited town of Leeds; even Yorkshire owner's Property remains untaxed? has begun to perceive how it has been Because Tradesmen are so thought-imposed upon, how it has been cheated; less as to elect Rich Men for Law-Ma- and though it will be able to obtain kers. little redress, perhaps, as long as this Parliament shall last, it will be roused Why do the Stamp Laws tax the long and long before another elecPoorer Classes TWO HUNDRED per Centtion shall take place. To return, for a moment, to the electors of Marybonne; if they do not elect Mr. MURPHY they will deserve to bear their present burdens wholly undiminished. Between the other candidates there is not a straw to choose. One may sit at the back of Peel, and the other at the back of Althorp; but the Peeler will vote with Althorp, and he who sits at the back of Althorp will vote with Peel; so that if there were only these two, no man of sense would give a vote at all. That that borough should act rightly, considering who are its principal inhabitants, would to me be matter of surprise, unless the electors were protected by the ballot; but that they ought to suffer everything that men can suffer in this life, if they do not do their duty, must be the judgment pronounced on them by every good man in the kingdom.

Why have the Supporters of Mr. THOMAS MURPHY put him forward as a Representative for MARYBONNE ?

Because he is in the same Rank in Society, and has the same Interest in Cheap Government and Equal Taxation with themselves, and is therefore more likely to advance the Interest of the great mass of the Electors of Mary

bonne.

VOTE

FOR

MURPHY.

The Central Committee meet Daily at the Queen's Head and Artichoke, Albany-street, Regent's Park.

It is

This is plain common sense. curious that the Morning Chronicle, in stating the relative merits and demerits of the other candidates, never so much as names Mr. MURPHY ! Dr. BLACK can see reason for passing the Irish bill, and he can see reason for establishing a gendarmerie all over England. This Chronicle has become a paper of rather more than equivocal character; but we shall see it fully exposed before this session of Parliament be over; it is apparently under the dictation of a great jawing, double-faced lawyer; but it, as well as that lawyer, will not be able to keep their heads aloft many months longer. The mountebank tricks of the latter are being daily exposed. Even Yorkshire, with all its enthusiasm, with all its facility of being duped by impostors; even Yorkshire, in spite of the silence,

IRISH

RED-COAT TRIBUNAL BILL. THIS bill went into a committee last night (Wednesday).—Mr. O'CONNELL began opposing it, by moving an instruction to the committee: a division took place, when the numbers were as stated below. He divided the House again upon the Speaker's leaving the chair.

In the first division, there were 63 for Mr. O'CONNELL'S motion, and 125 against it. On the second division, there were 151 against Mr. O'Con NELL's motion, and 34 for it. I regret that I have not the names of this last minority; but think it right, in justice to ourselves, to observe, that Mr. FIELDEN and I were two of that thirty-four. Upon the motion, that the preamble of the bill be postponed, Mr. O'CONNELL

rose to oppose it, and I had the pleasure they would all have this conviction; and to second his motion. A pretty long if every man in England could see this debate ensued upon this question, but sight and hear those sounds, all EngMr. O'CONNELL did not press it to a land, with one united voice, would pray division. After which, the first clause to God to protect him against all his was gone into, and the debate on it enemies. In short, without him, Irecontinued until a very late hour, land would be dealt with, just as the when the chairman reported progress, Government pleased, without the oppo and obtained leave to sit again, after sition of any resistance at all; and, for which a whole string of orders of my part, I should deem myself one of the day were gone through in a few the worst of all mankind if I did not minutes, each of them of vast import- lend him all the support in my power. ance; but the members all going away, I may not, in all cases, be exactly of his and the House in complete hubbub while opinion, even in matters relating to this pondrous work was going on. Upon Ireland; but, seeing him beset, as I do, this occasion, it is impossible for me to leaving out of the question the probarefrain from expressing my admiration bility of my opinion not being so corof the things done by Mr. O'CONNELL. rect as his, it is not for me to split hairs I never had before an opportunity of in such a case, to perk up my opinion in witnessing his surprising quickness, and opposition to his, and under that prethe irresistible force of that which drops tence, leave him to be torn to pieces by from his lips. His sincerity, his good- his merciless foes. Last night, he filled humour, his zeal, his earnestness, his everybody with astonishment at his willingness to sacrifice everything for powers, and especially at his surprising the cause of the people; for the cause quickness. There he was, the mastiff, of those who never can serve him in surrounded by that which I will not deany way whatsoever; it is only neces- scribe; every one taking his bite, one sary to be a witness of these, to explain behind, another before; and he turning why it is that the people of Ireland love first to one and then to the other, and him, and confide in him; and why it is laying them sprawling upon the earth. that he is so hated and detested by every To be able to do him justice, you must one who has a tyrant's heart in his body, see him with thirty-four men only at his There is another description of men, back; with three hundred and fifty too, of whom it is necessary to speak roaring out against him, and with upon this occasion; I mean those who twenty or thirty lying quiet in snug siare actuated by envy, and I do not here lence bursting with envy still more allude to any amongst his own country-deadly th n the open hatred of his foes. for they all seem. perfectly wil-There will be reports of these debates. ling to acknowledge his superior claims These reports will be as full and as corto the confidence of his country. If he rect as the circumstances will permit, have any fault, it is that of letting the but it is not in the power of man to do kindness of his disposition get the better justice, not a tenth part of justice due to of his justice; but perhaps this is insepa- his zeal and his exertions on this occasion! rable from those other qualities which For my part, I sat and looked at him have caused him to have such predomi- with astonishment until eleven o'clock, nant sway over the minds of the industri- when, finding that there would be no ous classes of his country. It is impossible division that night, I came away. But to see the conduct which is observed my colleague, whose judgment is not towards him, without being convinced inferior to that of any man, staid the that his enemies are thoroughly per-debate out, and told me that, Mr. suaded that Ireland must have justice O'CONNELL carried on the war against done her, or he must be destroyed. If his foes in a manner to surprise him all my readers could hear the words ut- beyond anything that he had ever seen tered with regard to him; could see in his life. Very often have we seen in the looks accompanying those words; the English papers, and particularly in

men;

:

the Times, sneers at the Irish people, for being so wrapped up and so devoted to Mr. O'CONNELL: they have called the people deluded: faith, it is no delusion they know him well, they know not only his friendship, but his efficiency; they know that he is worthy of their confidence. He has, indeed, as great reward as they can bestow upon him to see him in the House surrounded by his sons, members of counties or great towns, he himself the member for the great metropolis of Ireland; to see him thus enjoying the greatest glory, the most heartfelt satisfaction that man can possibly enjoy, must give delight to every heart in which the base and venomous passion of envy has not taken up its residence.

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Hawkins, John, Newport
Handley, Benjamin, Boston
James, William, Carlisle
Lister, Ellis, Bradford
Parrott, Jasper, Totness
Potter, Richard, Wigan
Rippon, C., Gateshead
Torrens, Col., Bolton
Tayleure, W., Bridgewater
Wood, Alderman, London
Wilks, John, Boston
Warburton, Henry, Bridport
SCOTLAND.

Oswald, R. A., Ayr county
Oswald, James, Glasgow
Wallace, Robert, Greenock

IRELAND.

Baldwin, Dr. H., Cork City
Butler, Col. Kilkenny County
Barry, G. S., Cork County
Daunt, W. O. N., Mallow
Fitzsimon, N., King's County
Fitzsimon, C., Dublin County
Finn, Wm. F, Kilkenny County
Galway, J. M., Waterford County
Lalor, Patrick, Queen's County
Lynch, A. H., Galway City
Maclaughlin, L., Galway City
Martin, John, Sligo

Eagle, Sir R., Westmeath County
O'Brien, Col., Clare County
O'Connell, Daniel, Dublin
O'Connell, John, Youghal
O'Connell, Morgan, Meath County
O'Connell, Chas., Kerry County
O'Dwyer, A. C., Drogheda
O'Connor, Fergus, Cork County

O'Connor, Den, Roscommon County

O'Farrell, Moore, Kildare County
Roche, William, Limerick
Roche, David, Limerick
Ruthven, E. S., Dublin

Ruthven, Edward, Kildare County
Snell, R. L., Tipperary County
Sullivan, Richard, Kilkenny.
Talbot, J. H., New Russ
Vigors, N. A., Carlow

Tellers.

Grattan, Henry, Meath County O'Connell, Maurice, Tralee

Paired off for the amendment. Tynte, C. K., West Somerset Wigney, Isaac, Brighton

то

PERSONS SENDING PETITIONS.

EXPERIENCE has now enabled me to
give full instructions on this head.
1. If the petition weigh less than six
ounces, it ought to be sent open at
both ends, with the words, "Peti-
tion to Parliament" written on
the cover; but with no letter, nor
anything but the petition, enclosed.
2. If it be a large roll, or anything

weighing more than six ounces, it 4.
may still come by post, tied up, or
sealed up, with the words "Peti-
tion to Parliament" written on
the cover, and directed to me;
but, having no letter, nor anything
but the petition, enclosed. In such
a case, I am allowed to open the
parcel, and, upon my sending back
the cover, to the Post-office, with a
certificate, that it contained nothing
but a petition, the postage is re-
mitted. The following note_to
ine, from the Secretary of the Ge-
neral Post-office, wili fully explain
this matter.

"Sir Francis Freeling presents his "compliments to Mr. Cobbett, and begs "to place in his hands two petitions "to Parliament addressed to him, which "had been returned to the Post-office

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as refused, on account of the charge "to which they were legally subjected "in the first instance under the pro"visions of the act.

"In any similar cases hereafter, it "" may perhaps save some delay, if Mr.

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Cobbett will open the packet and "return the cover to the letter-carrier, "with a certificate on it, signed by him- 5. "self, that it contained only a petition "to Parliament, which would be a suf"ficient voucher to enable the Post"master-General to direct the charge "to be allowed."

"General Post-office, 12. March, 1833."

3. Nothing can be more just, proper, and convenient, than this regulation. It leaves no one any right to complain. It is quite proper to require the certificate, signed by the member himself; otherwise

this privilege might be abused to an enormous extent. All, therefore, that petitioners will have to guard against is, the enclosing of any letter, or any other thing, besides the petition itself; for, if I find any letter, or any thing but the petition, I will never certify; and, of course, I cannot have the petition, which I shall send back to the Post office along with the letter, or other thing, enclosed with it. There is no need of any letter to me along with, or about, a petition. Those who do me the honour to send petitions to me, may rely on my attention to them. They must see, from what I have said in the former article, that it is impossible for me, or for any member, to present any petition, except accidentally, as soon as he receives it. But, the course that I shall pursue, even under the present regulation, will ensure the presentation in a reasonable time, and in the manner most likely to ensure to the petitions their suitable effect. It is very desirable, and, indeed it is our duty, to husband our time; and, by classifying my petitions, by laying them before the House in a distinct manner, by enabling the reporters to give a clear account of their tenor, I shall render them of more utility, than by presenting them in a promiscuous and desultory way; and I shall, by the same mode of proceeding, save the time of the House, which is a very great

matter.

The right of petition is invaluable;

and I exhort my readers to look upon it as a duty as well as a right. But, there are some rules to be attended to, and these ought not to be neglected, or disregarded. FIRST; the petition should be written in a plain hand.

SECOND; however angry, and however justly, petitioners may be with the House, they ought to speak in language not abusive, at the least. No man ever wrote so many petitions to Parliament as I have: no

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