d joined in the
movement for the Reform of Parliament, became less extravagant in
their demands. On the 14th of December, 1829, sixteen gentlemen,
called together by circular, met at the Royal Hotel, and founded the
great Political Union. Rules having been prepared, it was proposed to
hold a Town's Meeting, under the presidency of the High Bailiff--Mr.
William Chance--to ratify them. That gentleman, on the proposal being
made to him, stated that he could not view it as "any part of his
duty to call a meeting of the inhabitants of the town for any such
purpose." The meeting was, notwithstanding, held at Beardsworth's
Repository, on the 25th January, 1830, Mr. G.F. Muntz being chairman.
About 15,000 persons were present, and a number of resolutions,
embodying the principles and objects of the new organisation, were
proposed and carried; some "unanimously," some with "one dissentient,"
and some "by a majority of at least one thousand and one;" and the
"General Political Union between the Lower and Middle Classes of the
People," became an accomplished fact.

From this time, for more than three years, nearly the whole of Mr.
Edmonds's time was devoted to the cause he had so much at heart. Night
after night, and month after month, he fanned the flame of popular
feeling, until it culminated in the unparalleled meetings on Newhall
Hill. At the one held on May 14th, 1832, there were nearly 200,000
persons present. Mr. Attwood occupied the chair, and the proceedings
commenced by the vast assembly singing a hymn composed for the
occasion by the Rev. Hugh Hutton, the two final verses of which were
as follow:

"God is our guide! From field, from wave,
The plough, the anvil, and the loom,
We come, our country's rights to save,
And speak a tyrant faction's doom.
And hark! we raise, from sea to sea,
Our sacred watchword, Liberty!

"God is our guide! No sword we draw,
We kindle not war's fatal fires;
By union, justice, reason, law,
We claim the birthright of our sires!
And thus we raise from sea to sea,
Our sacred watchword, Liberty!"

At this meeting, what has been described as "one of the most solemn
spectacles ever seen in the world" took place. After it had been
determined to petition the House of Lords "not to drive to despair a
high-minded, generous, and fearless people," Mr. Clutton Salt took
off his hat, and, calling upon the people to follow his example, the
enti