(_cheers._)--Gentlemen, these are my sentiments--wish, you many
happy--re--hem! a-hem--and by early displaying a determination
to--(_cries of 'we will! we will!'_)--eyes of the whole country upon
you--crisis of our national representation--patient
attention--latest day of my life.--Gentlemen, yours truly."
Mr. Titmouse's REPORTED Speech.
"Silence having been restored, Mr. Titmouse said, that he feared it
was but too evident that he was unaccustomed to scenes so exciting
as the present one--that was one source of his embarrassment; but
the greatest was, the enthusiastic reception with which he had been
honored, and of which he owned himself quite unworthy, (_cheers._)
He agreed with the gentleman who had proposed him in so very able
and powerful a speech, (_cheers,_) that we had arrived at a crisis
in our national history, (_cheering_)--a point at which it
unaccustomed as I am to address an assembly of this--ahem! (_'hear!
hear! hear!' and cheers_)--civil and religious liberty all over the
world, (_cheers_)--yet the tongue can feel where the heart cannot
express the (_cheers_)--so help me----! universal suffrage and cheap
and enlightened equality, (_cries of 'that's it, lad!'_)--which can
never fear to see established in this country--(_cheers_)--if only
true to--industrious classes and corn-laws--yes, gentlemen, I say
corn-laws--for I am of op--(_hush! cries of 'ay, lad, what dost say
about_ THEM?') working out the principles which conduce to the
establishment a--a--a--civil and religious liberty of the press!
(_cheers!_) and the working classes, (_hush!_)--Gentlemen,
unaccustomed as I am--well--at any rate--will you--I say--_will_
you? (_vehement cries of 'No! No! Never!'_) unless you are true to
yourselves! Gentlemen, without going into--vote by Ballot (_cheers_)
and quarterly Parliaments, (_loud cheering,_) three polar stars of
my public conduct--(here the great central banner was waved to and
fro, amid enthusiastic cheering)--and reducing the over-grown
ancient ignorance and unsightliness, (_cheers._) The great Bill he
alluded to, had roused the masses into political being, (_immense
cheering,_) and made them sensible of the necessity of keeping down
a rapacious and domineering oligarchy, (_groans._) Was not the
liberty of the press placed now upon an intelligible and
imperishable basis?--Already were its purifying and invigorating
influences perceptible, (_cheering_)--and he trusted that it would
never cease to direct its powerful energies to the demolition of the
many remaining barriers to the improvement of mankind, (_cheers._)
The corn-laws must be repealed, the taxes must be lowered, the army
and navy reduced; vote by ballot and universal suffrage conceded,
the quarterly meeting of Parliament secured, and the revenues of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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