Vibe jilttropolts.

The public meeting of the " merchants, bankers, shipowners, and inhabitants" of' London, on the subject of New Zealand, was held in Guildhall on Wednesday. It was originally summoned for the Man- sionhouse, but the Lord Mayor having ascertained that the interest taken in the question was very great, and that considerable numbers intended to be present, issued a notice changing the place of meeting to the Guildhall. At two o'clock, accordingly, his Lordship took the chair. The platform was occupied by a most respectable body of in- fluential inhabitants of the Metropolis, Members of Parliament, &c. In our list we observe the names of the Honourable Francis Baring, Lord Ingestre, Lord Petre, Sir George Sinclair, Sir William Molesworth, Mr. Smith O'Brien, the Belgian Ambassador, Mr. Dandeson Coates, Se- eretary of the Church Missionary Society, Mr. Hutt, Mr. George Pal- mer, Mr. Aglionby, Mr. G. R. Robinson, Chairman of Lloyd's, Mr. G. F. Young., Mr. Joseph Somes, Mr. Woolcombe of Devonport, Mr. C. Enderby, Mr. Aaron Chapman, Mr. Philip Howard, Mr. Martin Tucker Smith, Mr. Hawes, Alderman Pine, Mr. Wakefield, Mr. J. W. Buckle, Mr. Bouleott, Sir James Stirling, late Governor of Western Australia, Mr. H. G. Ward, Alderman Copeland, and Captain Bolden). The Lord Mayor briefly expressed his satisfaction in complying with the wishes of so large a number of his fellow citizens by calling the tneet- ing. The Honorary Secretary, Mr. Curling Young, read the requisition, which appeared in our advertising columns last week.

Mr. George Palmer, M.P. moved the first resolution- .. That it is an object of high national importance to maintain inviolate the Tights of the British Crown in the Islands of New Zealand, subject to those of the native inhabitants."

Mr. Palmer defended himself and those with whom he acted on this occasion from the imputation of underhand and jobbing practices, brought against them in the Times. Ife maintained that it was the duty of the British Government to extend the benefit and protection of British laws to the colonists of New Zealand; and protested against the disavowal by Government of the title of the British Crown to the sove- reignty of that territory. He proved his right to speak on the subject by the local knowledge he evinced ; and illustrated his argument by uneedows,of some of the more distinguished inhabitants.

Mr. F. Baring said be believed he should best consult the convenience of the meeting by seconding the resolution without making a speech.

A working man, Richard Spur, then came forward, and spoke with much vehemence about the oppression of the working-classes in Eng- land by the iron hand of tyranny—their natural right to cultivate the land as declared in Scripture—the advantage of being free from Bri- tish laws in New Zealand, (where Sir Robert Peel had possessed him- self of (ieenty millions of acres!) which advantage this meeting would take away. He moved an amendment denying the right of the Go- vernment of this country to interfere with the natives of New Zealand, or the British settlers there.

Captain ackerley seconded the tunendment ; and inveighed against the Missionaries, and against Lord Durham, who had obtained possession tf fifty thousand acres qf land, "by sending out gin and rum, and all such things." The Reverend Mr. Dennis, Prebendary of Exeter, replied to a tpleS- tioa put by Richard Spur, whether the Government had ever seut working man to New Zealand Ile could state that a shoemaker of Exeter, who had made himself useful to Lord John Russell, at an election, had betel sent by his Lordship to New 'Zealand with the appoint- ment qf a Magistrate. (Laughter.) The amendment was pin and negatived; a few hands only being raised in its support. The first resolution was then carried. Mr. Hawes, M.P., rose to move the second resolution- " That, deeply impressed with time pernicious molts of Convict Coloniza- tion, this meeting earnestly deprecates the establishment of a Penal Settle- ment, whet En r British or Foreign, in any part of New Zealand." He considered it of the highest importance to prevent the establish- ment of a convict settlement in New Zealand, whether by France or any other power--

lie disclaimed all intention of interfering with the rights of the French or any other Governnment : he merely wished to ray, on broad principles, that there ought not to be penal settlements introduced into a well-ordered system of colonization. The question was not whether a settlement should be formed, but whether, one having already been floned, the name, the languor, the re- ligion, told the laws of Eneland, should be diffused in those vast regions that were under the British sway. He regarded the system of Transportation a.9 one of the greatest evils that could beintlicted upon a colony; and he would raise his humble voice against the infliction of it upon New Zealand. Ile would do so upon every principle of humanity, and from a sincere desire to protect the natives as well as the colonists from the irremediable mischiefs that

such an establishment must necessarily entail upon them. He had hopes that a resolution passed by so highly respectable a meeting as the present, and sanc- tioned by the Lord Mayor, would not be without its weight, not only with our own Government but the Government of other countries.

He read a letter on this subject, received front the Archbishop of Dub- lin, who was unable to attend the meeting, hut could not miss the opportunity of protesting against Penal Colonies by whomsoever established, Mr. Martin Tucker Smith seconded the resolution. It was also sup- ported by

Mr. George Frederick Young ; who met with a very cordial reception from the meeting Mr. Young adverted to the ignorance of the public on the subject of New Zealand ; the past history, actual condition, and the right of the British Crown to the sovereignty of that country. He briefly stated the circumstances under which it was first taken posses- sion of by Captain Cook ; the various acts of sovereignty performed by British Governors and other functionaries ; and the undisputed title by which the territory was held as a portion of the British dominions. He defended the parties with whom he acted in the attempt to colonize New Zealand on righteous principles, front the attacks made in a quar- ter where the possession of information should have prevented the im- putation of base motives ; and then referred to Lord John Russell's " blue book " on New Zealand, issued that morning as a Parliamentary paper—

He held in his hand that IvIdeb, if it were not that it was already published, and published under circumstaoces which were discreditable, and if it were not that probably there would be a strong desire that the public should be informed upon the subject, he might feel his lips sealed. Communications had passed between Members of her Majesty's Government end those persons who had taken upon themselves the solemn responsibility of assisting in the work of

locating many hundreds, Ile might say thousands, to settle on the lands of New Zealand. He was present at a meeting the particulars of which were in that book recorded. Ile was present with a considerable number of persons, headed. hy a noble lord with respect to whose political opinions he would only say, that that noble Ion', had as much right to entertain them as any other man had. That noble lord, every individual; 1v1atever party he might be attached to, must admit to he as high-minded and as hieh-spirited a man as any whose brows a coronet adorned. Ile spoke of the Rod of Durham—(31ach cheering) —And he must say here, that it was mmt creditable to that influence which the public press of this vast metropolis could not fail to exercise—an influence which was so beneficial, if exercised in a fair, straightforward, and candid manner—it was not fair that one of those received organs, by which the public mind was instructed, should have lent itself to those Iow calumnies which he had happened to read within the last few days in the columns of the Times news- paper. He WEiS present when a Minister of the Crown, (at whom devolved the duty of making these arrangement, said to Lord Durham, " Well, my Lord, what is it you ask ffir this Company ?" ". My Lord N»;...ntoby," %vas the dis- interested reply, " The Company wants nothing for itself ; :t in.ks fur no mo- nopoly—for no privilege." If he (Mr. Young) were to be ;sited to condense time import of such words, he would use the words of the French political eco- nomists, " laissez " Dot," said the noble earl, " uliat we ask far the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of those whomn we are to be instrumental in re- moving fr,m1 this their native land, is, that you, the Government, shoeld ex- tend to them, in locating themselves in Ni.v Zealand, protection, law, and. order ; and that you should extend tile eame Idessings to time native pepulation amongst whom these persons are to reside." I low was this appeal responded to by the Lord Normanby ? Mr. Young, asserted unhesitatingly, upon his honour as a gentleman, that his own conviction was on leaving the room, that the reply of Lord Normanity to this pathetic appeal was such as to justify every one who had been present in feeling that all that could paaihly be done by the diligence of the Government, aided by a perfect Itemowled:Tem of the subject, would be done to carry out these praiseworthy object. lie said for himself, that no consideration on earth would !levy inditcod him to lend his aid in the removal of these persons, if be had not felt quite sure that the objects to which he had referred were to be carried into effect.

But now, what dia the Government :lethally do ? Why, as usual, they did nothing. The New Zealand Association asked what was to be done with seven or eight hundred persons embarked for New Zealand? were they to go out as a set of marauders ? were they to be protected? Upon tide, the Government sent out Captain Hobson as Conga; and this blue book contained a Treasury minute on his appointment--

What Was the nature and effect of that Treamry mitiute. ? Why, it created a duubt which had never been rak...(l hefore ; and raising a new view as to our relations with the colony, tile Goverament refrained from

taking the step they ought. What was the result A company was instantly established in Frame. which proveeded on the partial abjuration of the sove- reignty on the part of this country ; and its influence it) France was great. The Government ()I that countq could not succeed, (o. straggle against the tide of public opinion, though pro' ably the Governmem were not in a con- dition to take part wMtli it. An expedition had gone our, to which tile Govern- ment of France lent its finals; and for what object ? Was it to cooperate in those beneficent views which were the only legitimate excuse for the in of one country attempting to !orate themselves in another country ?

It was to establish a iaand colony. And now he 1,m.vged to assure the respect- able individuals who bad movemt an mei:dolma to a former resolution, that it was not the object of those who had convened this meeting to aggrandize them- selves ; they were not actuttied by the seldsli object of the augmentation of fortune fin. theeaslves. lie scorned almost to :emy fl:is for himself': and let any man look at the list of =mei which weds ena tain..al iii 111.: requi,dtion, and let lihn dare to say that the foul stain of any such keling emild attach to the names of those gentlemen who had sl:ened tic rm1mmiimimmm. lie said it was an tritest desire to promote the welfare of the labouring elass,s that prompted high-minded individuals to devote their at tent inn, in a tle;:ree vhich was unex- ampled, in the li ye of provking an asyll1111 for tionn. Frair.0 was about to settle a penal colony, just at the momealt when we w) re on ille point of sending out persons of good conduct ; and this, he contended, %, as an invasion of our rights of sovereignty.

He would not descant upon the mirtir mei disingenuous practice by width it was attempted to carry certain object o, led he would call atten- tMn to a document which had recently i,s eal mon tile Colonial Office-- it was the general impression that a baneful and sinister influence had for years pervaded the Colonial department ; mm m iidlnence paralyzing ertry thing that was good, and promoting every thing that was evil. (Crime; " Hear, hear !" " Name, name!" " Who is it ? ) Who was it ? Why, Mr. Ste- phen. (Groans.) Mr. Young did believe there was not anether man to he found who could place on record such a memorandum. and put it in the hands

of British Legislators. It was a document which lie would undertake to prove, not as a logician, for that he did not profess to be, but as a man of plain

common sense, was replete with such contradictions and inconsistencies as utterly to Subvert its authority. After a very unfitly statement • of circum- t stancer, this precious document concluded tints—" If these solemn acts of the Parliament, and of the King of Great Britain, are not enough to show that the pretension made by this Company on behalf of her Majesty is unfounded, it might still further be repelled hy a minute narrative of all the relations be tween New Zealand and the adjacent British Colonies, and especially by the judicial decisions of the superior courts of those colonies. It is presumed, however, that, after the preceding statement, it would be superfluous to accu- mulate m•goolents of that nature, and the rather because they could not be intcliigUIv6tated without entering into long and tedious details.3'

In conclusion, Mr. Young soul-- Parties at the Colonial Office cottld not control the determination of the British people, urged by the pressure of the population, that the advan- tages of British law and protection shouhl be conceded to New Zealand. If the French were to take possession, how long would it be before a hostile collision took place ? What would the Government do then Ile would leave it to the profiettel wisdom that had plunged them in such a succession of diffi- culties:1nd ilisitster. to poiut out the mode of extrication from that, the last and greatest of all—hostile collision. lie would exhort the assembly, if they valued the independence of their country, as they valued the sttereil rights of humanity, I:ot to be led into the belief that thew were partial mid interested objects ht view on the part of those who had signed the requisition for the meeting. But even if they did so believe—if they did suspect such objects— he still implored tie in not to be led away by hottest zeal against a supposed evil intent, Irons the direct and straightforward prosecution of an object which embraced the dearest interests of the human race.

The second resolution having been carried, after some interrruption by Richard Spur, Mr. NVard, 3I.P. moved the third- " 'that, as the settlement of New icaland by British subjects. is rapidly pro- gressing without law or orili•r, it is indispensable to the svellheing of her Ala- jest.) s iitjrCts alit:J(1y e:.1,11)1 kiied there, as Weil as of the native itiliabitants, that provi, ton be maSe o tlentt further dela v tor the regular administration of

British law in New Zealitiiil, for securing io the 111C11113 of morel and reli- giousii ruction, and for substitutiog tjtiUieiiis system of colonization for the present lawler:s practices of holivieltuile."

„ 1\1r. Wasd dwelt upon the value of colonies to the Mother-eountrY and used strong language in reprobation of the t;oyernment.

Arr. Aaron Chaptuao seconded the resolution ; and it was carried unanim.ously.

Mr. (1. It. Robinson moved the adoption of the following petition- " To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament asseedded.

"The humble petition of the undersigned merchants, bankers, awl shipowners, of the City of London, and others,

" Sbowet"..—That tue exclusive British possessiott of tlw group of islands coin- moldy ca..; .) New Zealand, is an object of the deepest in:portal:4.e to her 3lajesty's Coluni:::: in Ansi ralia, whose great and rapidly-increasing trade with each other

and w Skitter-country vould, ill case of wer, be at the mercy of a lb.

reign rows,: est in their neighbourhood, and in the direct tract of home-

ward-heti ad ; end that the establishment of colonies by more than one

sovereign 'cos er in a countrs nut so large HS Great Britain, would. to judge

from ail I.; ye a di'rect tendency to ptultice wars between the parent

states bv el.it eolonial jealousies and collisions.

" i!. I.-land- comprise a territory toady- as large as (rent Britain. rich in •1,1,1i,m., blessed with Cite lidppiest climate. intersected by nunieroo - i:s, in eons i•nient harbours, mid thinly inhabited by a

race of • ■7111 regular Jinn,: of government, reotimially it war with ts,I i imieis ere iittoi meth ci, itiieCti tiOnality to 1.:., 1.., tle.rir hinging» for the country tit:A they inhabit.

" That said 1-1:inds:, nitholigh the Northern extremity of one of them may

have l mmi t a di,:unc.. 1,y Abel „Intr.eit Tasman in 16-12, were in fact

originaily ni-rovevt )1 by the illustrious British navigator Captain Cook ; who circa- sseissottS tSeal touched at immerous places, and in pursuance • of ti commit-40n thorn King George the 'third, took formal pos•es-ion or them in ti c name of the Crown, hy acts perforomi in each of the t wo priocipid islands.

it it) the year 17Y...7. nhen the British Government determined to cola- Mat ,! !ands di:nose:n:41 by Ci,ptain Cook, a lkyal commission was gro.t C,:ptain appoiming lint, iii porstitinee of the British sove-

reigniLs i• ; , o!) hich Captain Cook had estaldislird, to Captain -

Co. :•; it, and or: r the territnrs• of New Smith Wales

owl .' ncies ;' which territory was de .cribed hi the said

‘12Nlt•:... r :111 Cape York, latitude II (1).g. :4' sec. to the Smith Cape

bolo • -. do see., and inland to the oestwarti as lift. as I:15 (1,,g, east l'oogis

tad,. • ,• ••healing al! the islands adjaceat I:. the Pacific Oceau within the IE.) a' est I.•.tiii Corm part of the territory describe.' in the • • : the same way as Northlk Island nod Van Diemen's Land. t ' ef (my more than New Z. Jand, seas specifically named in if., eo)::o.:-.-iori; and that thi):, conitni •sion, ;hooded upon the previoro.

act: e:S :,.•".iir which was puldi.,1:cd to the wol:'1, and immediately en t•-

ried inf•, et is iiimot imperaiment or (pletihn 11,11,1 sover Igo pom. r, cou ttito' te• y one potitioners 1,..lievc, the -ole and -ioilleient title a iLe Itri-

t-o!: r. :■1.1 fore4m powerF!, pt. the 1.•LiiVI to till, territory and to the (a pendencies thereot, smut as New Zeithool, Nnit...t. I .! md, art N arm Iiimtren', Land.

'• :•' i:• peroinne- s,,verti.zr.ty in New the cap- tele h I r-m.mr.rrm.Ch,im of New South V,i)ili•s aim it- cies .1! '.u n t„t:t:on,•r; are iiiformed, all tie: 'Mit of Not o:kjh,•1. Ielthy ,'!“I Iv o•gitlar totroni,,,ion. of

certain ..! of t.L ci is mg aberisinal natives of New Zealand, to Se

Justice • of P..))••• in and fi 0- those a5 mm 4,11(.11(1Cla'y if his gartIll- nicnt • ; :110 0. 0..11 Pi)- 1/01, r P'•'.:!1:' • '1,1O acted or, Ow commi,sion,, within Nev.. Z.a • and, otfetMer:‘ a:.2aito.t the hos of I 'e ohted, too! scoffing them • 1,1-1 ■:.•-' • trio' it the seat of such government in :Sew Smith \Vales. '•1 !!! : means of the varioris acts whim:N.1,y Ne,.v Zealand had thus rallle

to f cmi ii et the British dominions in the rsootherii Pacific, iitimbers of ',cr-

ams-, were encouregtd to settle there, and mote :Sally at the !lay of EI:ook, win-re Nth-Sonars. :tt!I•ruclits ovto foitioltd ill the year 1811; and that iii c••11- to place New Zeuland under a kind of national government, by mean, of forming a Confederation of Chiefs residing at and near the Bay of' Islands t whont an officer of the British Crown (who had been appointed to rel'is°„ there) presented a ling, intended to express New Zealand notionality; sni that, in point of fact, this atteinpt to establish a national government for Nets Zealand utterly failed, in conseqttence of the incapacity of the native chiefs to act either as it legislature or an executive; and that accordingly the „Al, means by which order has been in any degree maintained in New Zealaua down to the time of the latest accounts, has been the occasional visits of British ships-of-war, whose captains have administered a sort of rude justice in the name of the Crown, by determining disputes among the settlers, and now am then inflicting punishment on offenders against the law of England. " That notwithstanding the absence of any regular government in Ness Zealand, the tine soil and climate of the islands, their valuable natural produc- tions, and their admirable position as a centre of maritime trade, have attracted thither several thousands of her itlajesty's subjects, including about twelve hundred persons, who have emigrated directly from the l:nited Kingdom dunes the past year, in ten vessels proceeding from the ports of London, Glasgow' and Plymouth ; and that other bodies of persons are preparing to enilgrat thither from the United Kingdom during the present year.

" That frequent and urgent applications have of late years been made to her iSlajesty's Executive Government, as well by settlers in the islands as by bodies of Ilritish merchants, traying them to establish a proper authority in New Zealand, for the protection tool restraint both of British subjects and of the native nines inhabiting the country, hut that all such andicatious have hitherto been without effect.

" 'nut in consequence of the want of a regular authority in New Zealand, emigrants to that country have had no means of acquiring land lbr settlement, except by effecting purchases from the barbarous natives of the country; a practice which is t'orbidden by every other civilized government lic.ving rela- tions with savages, and which is calculated not ouly to prodttee great onus, Minty and tentless litigation with respeet to titles of land, but also to render impossible the adoption of any judicious system in the disposal of waste land, by competent authority, for the purposes of colonization ; and is also most 111.11.11101.1$ to the native inhabitants, by preveoting any general and systematic reserves of land fur their use, so that tribe alter tribe is gradually dee:Seed es its ordinary means of subsistence. " That it appears by a Slinute of' her lfajesty's Treasury, bearing date 19t11 July ItS39, that a sort of diplomatie Ilp,(•11t has been appointed with the title of Om, till who has been instructed to obtain cession l of sovereignty from the native chiefs, In mike the the territory (cded may become a part of' the colony of New South Wales; but whose atith(»ity to treat uppears to be confined to such territories as arc possessed by British subjects. "'Ilia according to the princioleA hitherto recognized by colonizims states and which, es your petitioners 'believe, form a part or time cm:11,161:yd law oriel- thins, Great Britain, tts the discovering power, has from the .vear I 7mnil down. wards, possessed the imle right of acquiring territory from Ow leitivss or New Zealand. as tesaiust all foreign pov..ers whatever ; and therefore neither the presentatiott of the nationel ling ma a small number of chiefs in (me corner of one of the islands, nor the appointineitt of a CORSO instructed to treat for cession of sovereigntv, in any way resembles an abandonment or repudiation of the right of Great ilritain to exercise dominion before all foreign powers, but are to he regarded simply as acts which the Crown has perfiumed for regulating the peditical relations which it atIone is entitled to hold with the native chief&

" That shortly after the departure of the said Consul in her 31,1jesty's ;Up Druid, and the publication of a portion of his instructions, together with the said Treasinry Minute, 1Iw poldic mind PriLIWC c.%Cited OIL tile subject of' the acts or the British Government, a iol the depaitlll'n of the said coloni“, front Great Britain, and t iiat the res:ult of this excitement hasheen,the formation of it Company with a capital of one million francs, Ihr fortiliog a settle- ment in New Zetthind, and the dsspatelt of an expedition fl•ion ?barged (in violation, tts your petitioners consider, of the law of nations) to

effect a settlement at 13anks 1k', ii in the South Island; which expedition is reported to have bad an arinement of forty sailors front the French navy, and aid of money from the French Government, by whom the leaders of the expe- ilitiou are said to have lie": mm instructed to report on the tittles: of Banks' Pellinsula es a place of tronsportation for convicts, and at all events to reserve fie. the use of the French Government one-filth of the territory 'shish they nminimacquire in this part of the Poitish dominions. ""flitit even it' France really possessed imy right ()I' colouiatition, your ped- tinneii•s would deprecate in the strongest tern is her proposed cstaldisli inent of a pima colony ; it being es id, idly ill.; msdble that COIIViCt di,C1111.1111. Call be maiu-

taltivil in the Immediate $1:11tity vi IlallVC stiliC111ClItS; and time l•!•C:IpC the convicts intist thett•iiire be titithiptited, who, associated. with British runaway convicts Ilion ustralia, %timid gradually demoralize the

I,- hole country, preclude the po-sihility it its becomitig the resort of respectable Brit ish emigrants, mid extet minute time native inhabitants, hy taking part in t hen. wars, and teaching them only the vicei.: of eivilizatiem " That the ship in o Ludt ties said Consul twoceeded to his destination, ha, ls sit ordered ti.) leave Mtn there ami proceed to ( Wort ; and the Consul will therefore be destitute of all natims, not only of Erlich:on); foreign aggressions.. but of affording foie ilat;ree of protection to the ortleily sel el her May sir's sithicct s ; mm lit, under the present circumstances, it appears not at till improlrible, 11.;:t hostile collision may take place between settles;

' fres) this country and. ihe vim have emigrated from France•

That uttles inonedialo tAeti to establish the complete adminis- tration of British law in New Zeinimul, it h. greatly to he feared that the largo ar.d. re,...ppetable body Or licl. Ali)i,ty's S1111.4.0,4 NI 110 have 1,..cently proceeded IA ill he placed in a slat,: of anarchy., and subjected to great evib ac- cordingly.

" That the :•tat o of anarchy hi 7•;ess• Zemmlnlnml, gehist which no sufficient pro-

vision has been hy her 3filjesty.'s Goveruniant, cannot lint is.. deeply info- ! rious to the helpless natives, \Ohm !laced in cootact with settlers frou: Lowe, lime-trained by :toy law. or • oy other authority- than that which they may establish lin. their men defence.

" That unless an immediate stop lie put to the acquisition of land front the lerrharou, natives of New Zealand hy private persmis, the most serious

will ensile as %1 ell tO t Ile WO to settler, from this country ; and that it is iniiila•mahle to the W(.111),..iiig .1. ail Clim,,(.., of her :Slajc::ty's: subjects there, and to the future prosperity 0 the country, that decisive steps sholflil limi promptly taken to remedy the es ;Is that have already ari,en front tin: h:thi

rate acquisitions of laud.

" That although the said Como!! is instructed to act as Lieutenant-1101'011"y aity territoly of %Odell the -1.1ereiglity may he ceded to hint, still that iii,, anithin•ity 1(1 trent for (((('11 ce),...i.m.; is encumbered with restrictions which limy.

deprive oval! or or any eensideraide effect, Masi ouch as possession of the lout British subjects is nettle a condition precedent of any attempt on his part to obtain 1.1.,••1011 (ml' sovereign rights ; and furthermore, that, according to thmm said Treasury 3Iinute and lost, lust ions, any territory of which the sovereignty flay perchance be ceded, is to form part of' the colony of New South Wales, mei to he ruled by t lie t;overnor and Council of that colony, its a distant de- pendency, whereby the humeroits evils which have already arisen trout the dis- tance het svecn New Zealand and the seat of government cannot be remedied, but will be perpetunted. " Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Honourable Ilotase will

be pleased to take the premises into your consideration, and by such measures

as your riedom m

may deem expedient, to preserve these valuable islands to her Majesty ['dominions' and establish throughout the same the regular authority of British law, and alawful, system of colonization under a distinct and suffi- cient colonial government. This being seconded by Mr. Stuart Donaldson, and carried unani- mously, it was further agreed that the petition should lie for signature during the Easter recess; and that Lord Ashburton should be requested to present it to the Lords, and Lord Eliot to the Commons.

Thanks were voted to the I.ord Mayor ; and the meeting broke up.