Lord WARD rose and said: For the first time, and perhaps for
the last, I now address your Lordships. I beg to know from his
Majesty's Ministers whether they have advised an Honourable
Friend of mine, the member for Dudley (Mr. T. Hawkes), to
present an Address from that place to his Majesty, in favour of
his Majesty's present Ministry.
[The Duke of WELLINGTON, and the other Members of the
Government who were on the Treasury Bench, appeared for some
seconds in consultation; but no answer was given.]
Lord WARD: Am I to infer from the silence of the noble Lords
opposite, that such is the case, that the Honourable Member
for Dudley has presented such an address to his Majesty?
because, if he has, I feel myself called on to say that it
was not founded on fact--that that address was got up at a
hole-and-corner meeting--that it did not express the opinions
of the people of the town of Dudley--that his Majesty has been
deceived and cajoled by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the
first Lord of the Treasury; and I think it high time that his
Majesty's confidence should be disabused, and that he should
be informed that such are not the sentiments of my Honourable
Friend's constituents.
The Duke of WELLINGTON: I understand that the Noble Lord has
inquired if any Members of his Majesty's Government in this
House have advised the presentation to his Majesty of an
address from the town of Dudley in favour of his Majesty's
present Ministers. In reply, I beg to assure the Noble Lord,
that I have no knowledge whatsoever of the presentation of any
such address.
_Morning Chronicle, April 7._
* * * * *
From the COURIER, April 7.
Among the things which occurred worthy of notice, last night,
in the House of Lords, the short speech of Lord Ward must not
be overlooked. He asked the Ministers whether they had advised
his Hon. Friend the Member for Dudley to present an address
from that town in favour of his Majesty's Ministers. No doubt
they willingly accepted that or any other little help to eke
out their popularity and make a show to the King; and no doubt,
as Lord WARD stated, his Majesty was cajoled to believe that
his Ministers were very popular in the country. Sir ROBERT
PEEL seems to have the same opinion, for he appealed the other
night from the majority in the House to the majority out of
doors; but he and his friends have so little confidence in
his popularity, that they carefully exclude, as yesterday at
Westerminster, all but their invited supporters from the little
clubs which they call public meetings. Lord WARD stated a plain
fact in a bold and manly manner.
* * * * *
AN ADDRESS OF THE NON-ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH AND NEIGHBOURHOOD
OF DUDLEY