Account of the speeches, &c., at the great Reform Meeting held at Durham, on Monday the 31st of Oct., 1831. The meeting was held in front of the Courts, and the number estimated at 10,000. There were severals flags displayed expressive of attachment to li

Ail Account of the 89*IDi£G£lliii§' &e., at the g^reat
•'dS*'. ‘ ' ’ S-^.
rpHE High Sheriff having taken the chair, said it bad fallen to his lot
“■-to call them together on this occasion, by a requisition very numer¬
ously and respectably signed. He was at Alnwick when it was present¬
ed to him, and he objected to that little word OR, it stuck in his throat,
[uproar, and cries of swallow it] it might have been to form a rail road,
or to get an act for paving and lighting Durham. 1 stated this to Mr
Wilkinson, and he said he saw my objection and said it was to present
an address to his Majesty. I then signed the requisition myself and
called the meeting.
Mr Wilkinson of Harperly, said before he proceeded to move the
fust resolution, he begged to say a few words to the chairman, that
gentleman, to show his boroughmongering principles, had quarrelled
with a few words in the requisition, and the little word or, stuck in his
throat, and that at a meeting so convened we might proceed to get an
act to pave and light Durham, but he considered the wording of the re¬
quisition dear enough, and might be understood by any one who had
sense enough to walk through the streets without knocking his head
against every lamp post he came to : but he would not trouble himself
til filler with such trumpery, bpt proceed to move the first resolution and
the address to his Majesty. The cause ot corruption has triumphed for
a while, but our cause will in a short time be victorious, and to make
that certain we must begin with the lords. The regeneration of that
house must be effected. Time is a great physician, and two months
may do a great deal, it may instil a healthy vigour into their bodies,
there are some of them at present no better than the gingerbread nobles
of our children. But we must wait a little longer before we apply se¬
verer measures—extreme remedies are only to be applied when other
constitutional measures fail. If the king stands firm, and he will stand
firm, (applause) our victory is certain. If the lever in the royal hands
should fail, then the screw' in the hands of the people must be applied, to
screw them to the sticking point, (applause.) What is our sheet anchor ?
Why our representatives—we must call upon them, and that firmly, to
refuse the supplies, (applause.)
During the time Mr Wilkinson was speaking, there was an attempt
made to throw the meeting into confusion, by about a dozen drunken
Durham Freemen, but they were ultimately carried out of the crowd, aiwT
received such chastisement as completely reformed their manners.
Mr Harlarid stepped forward to second the resolution, and said, he
regretted that they had occasion to meet once more to advocate their
rights. We must distrust all moderate—bit and bit—reformers, and
place confidence in our patriotic king and his ministers. 1'he opposition
they had received had been solely to embarrass ministers, and to get
back into office. For seventy years have the people been striving to
gain their just rights and privileges, and in every reasonable expectation
frustrated by the party factions, and private interests of a domineering
aristocracy. But the day of retribution is at hand, the energies of the
people have become as a flood damned back and swelled to that pitch,
that unless relieved it will burst its hanks, carrying as it rolls in its course
indiscriminate destruction and confusion, (applause) To the present
ministry we owe much—they accepted orlice when the borougmongers
no longer could go on—when the midnight incendiary stalked abroad—
and stand pledged to carry the question of reform. And that reform
once had, it it does not give you cheap bread, at all events it will leave
more money iU your pockets to buy it with. To be free we have only to
prove ourselves worthy of freedom—and England’s gay jubilee will shine
out yet—and our monarch shall have the highest tribute that can be given
to a monarch—love from the heart that loves liberty, (immense applause)
Mr Rippon moved the second resolution and said, the bill that the
king and his ministers had proposed exceeded his expectation, and had
no doubt that the next one would be equally as efficient. Would any
one dare to insinuate that the king would desert the people’s cause ? If
any there be 1 pronounce him a traitor and a tractucer of one of the very
best of kings. It is impossible for any friend here to disguise from
themselves that We are at this moment on the very brink of a most im¬
portant era. And I hope the people will assert their power, and call
firmly and loudly for their rights. These lords have shown that they are
willing to bury their own order under the ruins of their country. What
do they offer us, revelling as they are with the plunder of an exhausted
country, they offer us a civil war. Will the people suffer themselves to
be trampled upon by 300 of their equals—no. they will let them know
that there is blood enough in their veins to make a noble stand. I bid
them remember that the people deserve something from them, should
they continue to resist the just wishes of the people, they will meet with
contempt, disgrace & war. ("applause.) There was a time when to men¬
tion the Bench of Bishops without reverence you would have been met
with disdain, but where will the individual be found to vindicate the
Bishops on a late occasion, [cheers.] They profess to be ministers of
peace, but they have made themselves instruments of civil discord. They
are in that house to protect the state, but instead of that, they protect
nothing but their own interests. I am glad of the vote they gav<l on a
late occasion, for I think by that vote they have benefitted reform*
plause] A reformed parliament will effect much, it will cause'these'
Bishops to retire for ever from the political counsels of the nation*
[cheers] kook to these reverend prelates^—they have ever been wedded
to tyranny and oppression—ever first to sanction any law that would
fetter the people. 'They have been the same in other countries, look to tlie
hooded monks of France, the worthy brothers of these right reverend pre¬
lates ; [cheers] they stuck by the tyrant Charles, to the last. And^the
Bishops in this country supported James in his tyrannical government,
[cheers.]**. 1 believ6 the bill will pass, and it is the boundeii duty of all to
remain firm and peaceable, waiting the event, and'should the people’s
hopes be once more frustrated. They will not accept the bill from-other
hands than the present ministers, but look up to God and themselves.
[loud cheering]
Mr Shaft© seconded the resolution. %
Mr Lambton stepped forward and said, he was nwh disappointed,
as he had been told there was to be an opposition to ovenurn tne whole
of their proceedings, that the Marquis of Londonderry, Mr Hardinge,
and Mr Trevor were to be here, but the whole had turned out to be a
dozen drunked Londonderry freemen, [cheers and laughter] Mudi had
been said about the lords, but he hoped they would look to thd minority
in that house, amongst whom were Earl Grey and Lord Brougham, and
truly it might be said of them, that they had earned the civic crown, and
well deserved the epithet of Saviours of their country. And w^en over
their lire sides discussing the matter, and mentioning the •wench of
Bishops with abhorrence and disgust he hoped they would not forget the
two of that body, the Bishop of .Norwich and Chichester, who had voted
for the people’s rights. That bench had forgot that the large revenues
which they swallowed up belonged to the people, [cheers] That Cathe¬
dral belongs to the people and not to the Bishop, he is no more than a
te> ant at will. The revenues of the prelates are fifty thousand more than
any other country. Be sincerely hoped and trusted that they would
speedily retrace their steps and sin no more.—[Laughier and applause.]
The boroughmongers held it black ingratitude of us.to look for reform.
But I say they are no more the source of our prosperity than the com¬
mon s< wer which runs beneath our feet is the sou ee of the Weir. Sup¬
posing it could speak, it would say, “ O! ye banks of the Weir, I am the
source of your prosperity ! O ! ye ungr ateful shipowners of Sunderland,
without me, your ships would he left dry upon the beach and useless l”—
How stands the fact ? What did these boroughmongers give us ? '1 hey
gave us a long and fruitless war ; and what did that war give us ? It gave
us the national debt!—(Cheers.)
Mr. Granger said he was not astonished at the opposition and observa¬
tions made by the High Sheriff; but there were some people th$ would
straign at a gnat and would swallow a camel. When we meet in small
numbers, they tell us a reaction has taken place; and when we meet iri
thousands, they tell us we are credulous fools, and led away by insinua¬
ting demagogues. Some, after using strong language, tell us is not the
language of intimidation, but he openly avowed the language of intimi¬
dation. He had no doubt, that had these reverend prelates listened to
Mr. Rippon’s speech, they would tell you it was not a warning, but inti¬
midation.—(Applause.) Reform has not advanced one single step by
any other means than intimidation. What made Wellington change his
opinion with regard to the catholic question?—Why, intimidation!—-
(Cheers.) You will not, I am convinced, drive a huxter’s bargain with
these boroughmongers, who would give you a part that they might kehp
the rest.—(Cries of “ Never !”) You will notbe like a Newcastle fish-;
wife, to ask twice as much as you will take. Yon will not accept it from
this duke, because he can say, “ I am the Hero of Waterloo, and was
never beaten by any but Daniel O’Connell.—(Laughter..) Threaten a
lithe longer and a little louder, and make me your minister again, and 1
am the man that will grant it.”—(Laughter.) Yon will not tamely look
on and see Lord Eldon picking Earl Grey’s pocket of his bill.—(Laugh¬
ter.) Ministers did not make reform, reform made them ministers; and
should the people forget reform and let the question die, they would be
left like the wreck upon the beach after a storm.—[Cheers.]
Mr. Russell said he was grateful to hear those cheers, as they proved
they were satisfied with his conduct, and that he had done his duty. The
battle was to fight over again, and he would-be found at his post. [Cheers]
It was lamentable to think of the labour and time spent in the people’s
hojise to carry this question of reform, and to have it thrown back by a
few boroughmongers.—[Cheers ] l say the bishops have no business
in the house of lords; the clergy are excluded from the house of com¬
mons, and why should th~ bishops sit in the house of lords ?—[Cheers.]
He wished one noble lord had made his appearance here this day, that
he might answer him regarding the censure? thrown out by him in
the bouse of lords. The question would be carried next time, lor he
had no doubt that many noble lords who were now skulking about the
country would be convinced of the necessity of reform.—(Cheers.)
The meeting was also addressed by Sir H. Williamson, Mr. Chaytor,
Mr. Silvertop, and Mr. Attwood. Cheers were given for the king an$
bis ministers, and three honible groans fbf the boroughmongers. TheC •
people then dispersed in good order. />$•“». r
Stephenson, Printer) (fateshearl, (sjjsBjs
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