TP CI Us X JlL HI1 b MEMOIRS and CORRES PONDENCE of JAMES ACLAND. Proprietor and Editor— written by Himtelf. " / LIKE HONESTY IN ALL PLACES."— Judge Bayley. Printed and Published by JAMES ACLAND ( SOI. K PSOPRIRTOR AND EDITOR) at the BRISIOTIAN OFFICE, Bristolian Court, Bridewell Last. VOL. IV— No. XIII. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1S30. [ PUCE I ID TO THE PEOPLE OF BR IS TOL. House of Commons, Thursday Night. I- hare this Evening taken my seat in m House of Commons— to which, as Petitioning Candidate, I am entitled, until the right of Mr. Batllie to sit as your Representative shall have been decided upon by the Parliamentary Committee, to be appointed for such purpose. Of coutse, f have- given in my Sureties, and the business forms necessary in furtherance oi the proceedings, are from day to day it- t$ gded to by me, on your behalf, with the requisite punctuality and vigilance. This is indeed a great cause, of which, to be the honored advocate, and I am proud of the responsibility you have imposed upon me. But trulv, this " House of Commons," i » a paltry farce for the Government of the Coun. try to enact, for the absence of all decorum, good breeding, and propriety in the general proceedings of Parliament, is, to say the least of it, repulsive to all the notions of right which common sense, education, and expe. rience in the world usually induce. If one gentleman enter the Parlour of another with his hat on, he would be accounted either a clown or a fool. Yet, in the Parliament of the Nation, nine, tenths of the Representatives of the People keep their heads covet ed up — probably in illustration of the old saying, that " Calfs head is best hot." But this is com- paratively nothing. The transactions within the House of Commons, taav be justly said to consist of " Spouting'* or Rawness." Now on the occasion of a Spouting Match, you may almost hear * pin drop— so anxious are your Representatives for the amusement of a well rounded speech and well turned sen. tences; whilst as to the matter of " Business," they are as indifferent ( of course I mean gene- rally) as the West India Interest to the rights of their fellow. creatures. The members form littie parties in groups, and canvas the news of the day, or the antici- pation of a good dinner, to earnestly, that it is really impossible to bear one word of the important proceedings in which tbe House is at the time engaged. Be it understood that when I say " the Hous*," 1 mean Mr. Speaker and the half- dozen who have some particular interest to serve, or some pet measure to carry. Just in such manner, for instance, was your infamous " Dock Tax" made into a law; and, just so is it that the Private Road Bills- rtha Turn- pike Acts, the Enclosure Laws, and fifty thousand other infamies are perpetrated for the good of the few and the oppression of the People. This evil must, sooner or later, be reformed altogether; and the sooner the better. Revolution is not wanted, nor caa any reasonable man desire it— but Reform is essentially necessary, and must be obtained. I trust, that is, I believe— and yet there in more of hope than belief in my mind on this * subject- - that a juar « uf necessary Heforas will now be conceded to the People. A few days hence and we shall see. You will see by the Times of this day, that : your Petition will be taken into consideration by " The House" on the 5th of January next. It stands the eighth of the nineteen Petitions, and the business tube done on the day named has merely a reference to the appointment of' the Committee. Meanwhile however, very much must be done by me, and for some days I Shall have my hands full. I think I am bound in justice to add, that every possible attention is paid to me as your Representative in the Aatter of the Petition, by all the officers of the House of Commons ; and, by the arrangements I have made, I think I can assure you of fair play— but if otherwise^ I shall certainly inform you in due time, of the why, the when, and the where. One thing I will tell you now. Ypu have not raised money enough— or any thing like it. Let the collectors resume their patriotic labors. I will not represent a half- dozen liberal gentle- men. I will act only for the People. Let tbe « 8 ® THE. BRISTOL! AN People then be just to themselves ami to me. Let them do their duty, as I shall mine— and the triumph will be ours. Not a moment should be lost. We are in earnest. Do you shew yourselvts to be so. I call upon you all to pay into the City Bank to the credit of the Purity of Election Fund— or into the hands of the Gentlemen Collectors, their quota towards the expences attendant on this glorious effort to bea1 the Slave- dealers into a proper sense of the rights cf Freemen, and the claims of nature, and o' humanity. Let me see that you consider my call. You have never found me indifferent to yoar claims on my time, talent, and labor— nor shall you if you prove yourselves worthy of them. Yours, & c, JAMES ACLAND- P. S.— I believe it is certain Mr. Denman will be Attorney General. He is a noble fellow. thereat task of the pacification of Iceland, his was. obvious.- that the Mmistery could- not hM concessions to the Dissenters, and the blow to^ lher mach , on § er- Every movem , • , . . , . . of his Grace plunged himonly deeper in the which he struck at monopoly and Magisterial ' ° . . • „ „ „ , . „ . ,,, mire. He experienced the mortification of per- tyranny, in the Beer Bill of last Session. We 1 v , . , rr • • - i i i ceiving that those for whose sake he covered were aware of the difficulties wuh which a man, ™ . ' . ... " . , • . himself with obloquy his declaration against the most of whose life has been passed in the • tented field, had to struggle in assuming the direction of the affairs of this - great country ; and expecting from him more signal failures than he actually Committed, bis conduct was for SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. Amongthe Petitions presented last night, was one by Mr. Hume, against the return of James F. van Bailie, Etq. for Bristol ; on the Bribery and Treating. ( Petitioning candidate, James Acland, Esq.) — From ( he Sun of Wednesday. The anticipated resignation of the Wellington Ministry has taken plac. The Duke of Welling- ton communicated his resignation to the House of Lords last night, wbich he said his Majesty had been graciously pleased to accept, and added, that he now held office merely till iiis some time an agieeable disappointment to us. We were first disgusted with his Ministry when We found him embaiked with Sir James Scarlett in an irritating crusade against the Press" Indeed, from that time, a sort of fatality seems to have attended his Ministery. Tbe whole of last Session was passu! in undoing one day what had been done the day before } and it was uni- versally admitted at its close, that without • important changes in the composiiion of the Ministry, it would be impossible to carry on ihe business of the country. With a strange insen- sibility to the sense of the country, so un- equivocally marked, he appeared before a new Parliament with the same imbe- cile crew ( imbecile as regards the great majority, for we do not wish to comprehend Sir Robert Peel and one 01 two others at most in the censure); and as if contempt were not enotgh, unusual pains would seem to have been taken to excite appre. hension and distrust by the wording of the speech pat into his Majesty's mouth at the opening of Reform, either from disgust or want of confi* i fider. ee in his ability to retain office, shrunk, from his invitation, and left him to encounter alone > he unpopularity he hud hazarded. Had his Grace resigned only halfa- year ago, he would have received credit for higher talents and more wisdom than he really possessed.— As it is, people must either believe that they have been under a singular delusion with regard to him^ or that— the Parliament, and the indignatioi of the nhole people by the offensive terms of the Duke's de" cl a t at io n against reform. That indignation was successor should be appointed. A similar com- j w(|, y rdeived by ; he sense of humiliation, which munication was made by Sir Robert Peel to the ,- , . , ... „ . ... ' J j the { amoiis advice to the King, to refuse to fulfil House of Commons. If his Grace possess i • r , • - 1 , ins promise to accept of the entertainment pro. any feeling, the, circums'anccs under which bis I . 1C , - . • , , ,, , vtdeti tor his Majesty in the: city, on the allegation resignation has decome necessary must be to" him c . L , .. , . , . . • J eit danger,— humiliation, trial the country should subject on which he cannot reflect without i i „ i „ -. > Lt -.- l- I J u be so lowerei as it was by an exhibition, which pain, and we are not, . therefore, disposed to ' exhibited so. conspicuously to all Europe, that dwell at'this time on Ihe signal blunders, to say , he Councils of.. England were guided by men nothing worse of them, by which he has sue- who could he influenced lo tlisseminate alarm ceeded, in'a few weeks, in erasing from the for the safejty of, the meiinpolis and llie stability memory of- ihe people of England the gratitude « f Government,. witliotuthe slightest justification. lhey entertained towards him for accomplishing To all who could read the signs of the times, it j things, dangerous to despise the public, and " From Marlborough's eyes the- streann of dotage flow." After the communication to Parliament by Ministers of their resignation! all business of D * importance was, as a matter of course, post, poncd. Mr. Brougham, when he consented to put off his motion for Reform, " begged to have it most positively and distinctly un- derstood that it was contrary to his own feelings. But as the change of Administra- tion was a matter which could not possibly affect him, he took the opportunity to state that ha oonsented to defer his motion to the 25th of this month, and no longer—( Hear, hear),— that he should bring forward the question then, whoever might be his Majesty's Ministers." We cannot take leave of the subject of the resignation of Ministers with- out the remark, that the Duke of Wellington owes his fall to no intrigue— to no faction— to no unintelligible dislike to him by the people. Never was there a Minister towards whom the country was more patient— for whom greater allowances were made. His fall is the result of a succession of acts, so admirably calculated to ruin him, that no enemv, however ingenious, could have im- proved upon them, had his object been to recommend a course for driving him from, office. His fate ought to be a warning to politicians in these times, that it is above all THE BRISTOLLfN to volunteer- the incurring unnecessary ob- loquy, with a view to gratify a few individuals whose- interests are at variance witb those of the people, for these men will be the fitst to abandon him to his fate, when overtaken by the storm of general indignation. He who lives in the esteem of a nation may have his path endangered by intrigue, and he mav be annoyed by faction ; but the approbation of the people, founded in a belief of honest in. tentions tpwards them, will ptove in all con- junctures a strong tower of defence. By renouncing that esteem, he deprives him- elf of all value even in the eyes of those for whose sake he injures himself ; for who would lie incumbered with a Minister the object of j general odium? The l'> uke i# tght at one time have fallen without incurring disgtace ; but he now dies and makes no sign — Moin_ iug Chronicle of. H'tdntsdov. We have reason to kuow that Sir John Leach would decline the Seals, should ( hey fce offered to him, according to the arrangement-, surmised by some of our cotemporaiies; and considering ( he state of bis Honour's health, Ins advanced age, and the am] ie emoluments of his present station, wiih its confined but pretty patronage and the certainty of ( he tenure, it is not strange be should shrink from the oppressive labor and precarious ei joy merit of the first place in the law. The outgoing Chancellor, himself no bad judge of good things, has been heard to declare he considered the Rolls to be the best legal ap- pointment in the King's gift. In conjunction with Sir John Leach's elevation to the Woolsack, Mr. Brougham's appointment to the Rolls is to be mentioned ; and, so far as we learn, with as little countenance of probability, the Learned Gentlemen having intimated very distinctly his indisposition to accept any office whatever, li has been Said that Sir Anthony Hart is likely to be invited to fill the vacant ^ seat, and that Mr Robert Grant might replace Sir Anthony in Ireland.— But these speculations are rather state- ments of possible and practicable, than probable arrangements, for we apprehend that nothing is known, ard for the best of reasons, because [ nothing is determined. However the event may ( all, we can, not think that, with all his supple- ness and versatility, Lord Lyndburst will contrive to insinuate himself imo the new Administration. Of Mr. Canning's, and subse- quently of Lord Godericb's Cabinet, he was, trom the cameliun complexion of his politics, no unsuitable member. Bold, loud, and con fidem of ti ngue, with nerves of iron, and front- of brass, he was well suited to defend the Woolsack against the sturdy vetera'. i who had so long called it his own. To the Duke of Wel- lington he was peculiarly necessary, as beine be only member < f the Cabinet capable o( imikmg a ctediiable exposition of the views of the Aitministrat. or, ; and upon several occacions I • e r. ndeud . great and valuable service in. that nay, Lord Lvndhurst's merits, irr respect of the three Administrations which he has served, hav « , however, altogether sprung fcom his usefulness in the management of the House fif Lords.'- For the performance of the ap propriate legal duties of the C hancellor, he was disqualified by his utter ignorance of equity ; and it has been no small scandal to the administration of justice, that for politi- cal purposes, a man confessedly destitute of he requisite learning and experience, should have been allowed so long to occupv the first tribunal in the land. As a legal' reformer his big promises, so often reiterates, led to nothing ; and the only effort at fulfilment which he made, was the proposition of last vear, which all the world scouted, and which its author abandoned with a levity betraving how little he cared in his heart about the matter. The continuance in office of such a man can only be desirable to himself, as no doubt it greatly is; for no Administration^ of which a scheme has seen the light, can have any need of his asistaneein an assem- bly " where Lord Grev, Lord Holland, Lord Lansdowne, and Lord Goderich are found ; and if he be not wanted in the House of Lords, there is surely n, o dearth of men capa- ble of discharging the legal duties of the Woolsack elsewhere, in a very different style from that in which Lord Lyndhurst slurred over them. " JVon lali auxiho nec defensori- bus is I is tempus eget " It is not in such men, nor in a Government tainted by connexion with such a man that the country will place its confidence. The Members of the new Cabinet will never stand unless they be pet- sons of clear and unsuspected character; pure in their high functions; with direct and straightforward views ; disdaining all com- promise of principle, and resolved to carry those measures of retrenchment and reform which the voice of the people demands, or to perish in the effort. They must throw them- selves boldly and broadly on the country. Such is the only chance of withstanding the Boroughmongering Oligarchy ; for any at- tempt at conciliating men adverse to popular lights, ofconnivng at abuses, and doing good only by stealth, will be attended with the same well merited failuiie in which ended the imbecile Administration of Lord Goderich * We trust the'lesaon may not have been given in vain. The friends of liberal measures never were in a more advantageous situation, nor occupied loftier or stronger ground ; for it is impossible to fall back upon a Hijdi Tory Administration. Let them, therefore, demand terms worthy of themselves and their cause. — From the . Morning Chronicle of Thursday last TO TH E EDITOR OF THE BRISTOLlAN. Sir, Pursuant to a hand bill, I attended the Watch- Rate meeting, held at the George Inii, Temple Gate, on Monday the 8th inst., and as no one has given the rate- payers ' all - account of the pro- ceedings, I will; with your permiSsioti, supply the deficiencies of an abler'pen. It appears, that'for an hour or two prist- W the meeting, Mr. Thosl FlSwe, the' late self- appointed chief constable, and • srtnte of h'is' emissaries werft busily employed in collectiti^ their forces, in order to withstand those rare, payers, who were expected to attend and demand lot' the noble ex- chief, an account of the dis- bursements of their monies for the two years last 536 THE BRISTOL! AH past. This indeed ihey did at the end of the ' took the most signal part in the drama, ought : first year of Sir Thomas's valuable services, but J to be made known to the Rate- Payers gene* he peremptorily refused to render any, and the rally, in order that they may duly appreciate - majority of ihe mte. inj being composed of him j the motives by which tbey were actuated, and his petiirs, ihe), in defiance of law, and Mr. Ring, Jun. rose, and with avehemer. ee in opposition 10 ihe remonstrance of those rate, payers who were opposed to it, made a rate for the current year. Now, Sir, with respect to the meeting on the • 8th inst.— At the appointed hour, this very faithful ex chief, together with some of the late and present petties, and a few others whose chins Str Thomas had now and then greased during the two years last past of his official dignity, exhibited rather a formidable aspect as to num- bers, and joy was depicted in their countenances by the anticipation of a successful resistance to tbeinquisitiveness of those impudent fellows who would dare to question the honesty of a public officer of such unequalled notoriety. But the accession of a few more of those rate- payet* who " love honesty in all places,* soon produced a metamorphosis upon their physiognomical contour. The present unlettered chief consable first took the chair, but as he happened to be labouring under considerable embarrassment, he was relieved from his irksome duty by a rate- payer, who immediately proposed to the meeting another chairman, and upon his being appointed, it was moved and seconded " that Mr. Howe, the late chief constable, do lay bis two year*' ac counts before the meeting," Tbis, Sir, was to Mr. Howe and his pirtiiin?, the watch word for the most uproarious conduct, and from that lime ft was impossible for the chairman to obtain any tfcing like order. The room, which was much too • nail for ( he purpose, was crowded to escess; and I believe could not have admitted any more — this however well suited Sir Thomas's purpose. It cannot be expected that I should give jwu a very minute account of a meeting, where such disorder reigned, nor would it We possible for my humble powers ta do justice to the revolting conduct of some of ^ r Thomas's adherents. When any one not \ his party attempted to speak, they essayed of tone and an outrageous gesticulation, ( only to be equalled by his venerable father when engaged with a mob of " lewd fellows of the baser sort," at a late meeting at the As j sembly Rooms, for the Abolition of Slavery) ! declared that he was satisfied with Mr Howe's: conduct, and that the Meeting ought not to call upon Mr Howe for his accounts ; this proposition was seconded by Mr. Ring, Sen. who with deafening shouts of indignation, inveighed against those who had moved and seconded the Resolu ion for producing the accounts, and this man's whole demeanour was such, as to call forth the reprehension of all those who were friends to good order and propriety of conduct. You will see that those two men consistently when you recollect the fact that Mr. Howe had for the two years last pas) put down " poor" all those houses in Pipe Lane belonging to Mr- Ring, and his deceased brother's widow, while he has rigorously e. sacted payment of the watch- rate from many whose properly is of much less Value! This outrage us conduct of the Messrs- Ring was responded to by SOMA others, of Mr. Hjwe's interested frirmk.— Mr. Smith, Tinman, who was on: of Mr. Howe's pettiet, and who for the last two years has supplied tb « wathmeo ( and 1 have been told Mr. Howe loo) with oil, was a strenuous but silly stickUr for suppressing Inquiry into the accounts ; and as an additional proof of his teal for bis fri « nd, brought hit Son there to aid and assist Sir Thomas's cause. This was not the first time ibis boy has been ( Urned to profitable account by bis father, for some time ago be made him the instrument oi obtaining the amount granted by the committee of the " Grateful Society's funds for the appren- ticing of poor boys." I must for the present at least, defer further remaiks on the conduct Of others of these actors, and proceed lo give you to clamour him down by the most disgusting the wind- up of the business. fWgsenalities; and I think that those wh » | Notwithstanding the fines « « and chicancty of this bullying Junto, the Rate payers ob- tained an adjournment of the Meeting to Monday, the 22d instant, to be holden at the George Inn, Temple Gale, at Eleven o'clock, when Mr. Howe will be again called upon for his two years' accounts J and it is hoped, that the Rate- payers will attend and see justice done to themselves, I ought not to forget to inform your readers, that at the meeiing it was stated by the party concerned, that certain defaulters had been summoned at the expence of the Ward, and that the worthy Alderman had refused to attend and give them a hearing I This allegation involving a gross derelic- tion of duty on the part of his Worship I vety much doubt, and consider it as an at- tempt to make him the Scape Goat for ano- ther's delinquencies. If it be true, however, it presents a most regretful contrast to the independent and upright conduct of that Worshipful Guardian of our parochial in- terests, the late Mr. Alderman Noble. To the truth of this remark many of the former Chiefs can testify. I am given to understand, that in St. James1* Ward, although the Chiefs have of late ren- dered annually their accounts to the Meeting for their investigation and approval, and which accounts have in the general expen< 3i. ture been approved, the Meeting refused. r « make a Rate for the Cu'rent Year, until the present Chief gave a pledge that the Resolu ticn of a former Meeting, for the substitution of Oil for Candles shall be carried into effect — with how much greater propriety then, may the Rate payers of Temple Ward refuse a now Rate untill the Accounts of the two year* last past are submitted for the approval of the Rate payers ? Your obedient Servant, A HATER OF PECULATION. MEM— The following IS extracted from the Sun of Thursday:—• * Bristol City Election. Petition of James Aclaud, Henry Philpott, and otber voters, complaining of that Election. To be taken into consideration upon Wednesday, the 5th day of January next, at twenty six minutes after three in the afternoon; and Mr. Speaker to issue his warrants for persons, papers and records. ftiated andPublished by JAMES ACLAND^ Sots PitoFntsToa AND Eeiroti) at tbt BflinpwAK OFFICE firistolian Court, Bridewell Lane.