The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-29 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

On Tuesday night a great public meeting of the
inhabitants of Edinburgh wee held in the Magic hall,
George-street:for the purpose of taking into consideration
the subject of parliamentary reform. The arcs and gal-
leries of the hall (the must capacious in the city) were
crowded by a respectable and enthusiastic audience ; and
on the platform, besides the Hight Hon. the Lord Provost
and Mr. Cowan, M.P., were observed a number of in-
fluential gentlemen, who.e names have long been closely
identified with the reform movement.

Mr. JAMES RICHARDSON moved that the respected
Lord Provost of tee City be called to the chair. (An-
please.)
The LORD PROVOST said the promoters of the pre-
sent meeting did not call it fur soy sectional or party pur-
pose. They desired the meeting to include all earnest
reformers, by whatever name they might be called.
The promoters of the meeting did not get it up either
fur the purpose of opposing or supporting the present
government, but simply with the view of enabling
the inhabitants of the city to express their wishes, in a deli-
berate and constitutional manner, respecting the great
question of reform which must seen come before parlia-
ment. The meeting originated in the visit to this city of
that tried patriot and veteran reformer Joseph llume.
(Applause.) After a lengthened explanation of the prin-
ciples asserted by the Reform Association, he concluded by
advising its meinbere to hear iu mind he history of the
Anti•corn-Law League. No popular movement was ever
so pregnant with encouragement and instruction. It
commenced with a few thoughtful, searching, practical,
educated men, whose views expanded and matured as they
went along. It trusted to the spread of inhumation, the
weight of argument, End the confirming lemons of expe-
rience alone. It gradually drew all Sects and classes--the
chartists last of all—into its ranks. It confined itself,
with severe and unswerving self-control, to one object
alone ; and that object was a practical, economical reform,
bearing directly and powerfully en the west intimate inte-
rests of the people. It refused to be mixed up with the
chartist demands. It stood aloof from all political parties.
It commenced among the radicals, recruited itself from
among the whigs, and ended by converting the chief of the
conservatives. It disdained and disclaimed the temporary
strength which it might have gained by alliance s ith fac-
tions less single in their aims, less scrupulous in their
means, less stainless in their character, than itself. And
thus it went on, conquering and to conejner, by the very
purity, directness, and 'simplicity of its course. Let us
prosecute our plan of ;reliirm in the calm and peaceful
spirit of the league, here so beeutifully and justly described,
and although administrations may fall and rise before it be
finally carried, the power of public opinion will as certainly
succeed in carrying reform us is succeeded in carrying the
repeal of the corn laws. elmud cheer...)
Mr. J. F. MACFARLAN moved the first resolution,
which was as follows: " That provision should be made fur
a large extension of the constituency, which in England
and Ireland should take place by conferring the franchise
on all persons chargeable with the poor's rate; and in Scot-
' land (where the poor's rate does nut universally apply), by
conferring the franchise on all person, who are chargeable
with any general local rate, such as an amessmeut tor the
support of the poor, for prisons, or for police purples; and
in the event of there being any burgh or district in which
no such rate is now levied, that in such cases the franchise
should be conferred on all persons who would be chargeable
with any such rate if it were levied." After a br.ef ex-
planatory statement respecting the resolution, the speaker
took occasion to advert to the present state of affairs on the
continent. In reference to the prospect of invasion, he asked,
are we now afraid of what our forefathers had no dread ?
Can we place less confidence iu the energy, the courage,
and the love of our people to their native land than before?
No '• I would for one have no fears. True, steam now pro-
pels our vessel., and the enemy might employ it but that
so a game that two can play at; and were our gallant troops
'gain sent to the continent, the laurels already gained
would wither before those they would reap now. (Ap-
plause.) But the whole continent is arraieued against us.
True, the aspect of affairs is gloomy. There is a
natural, an eternal enmity between oppression with
its dungeons and its chains, and constitutional law
with its peaceful and joyous freedom from restraint,
which must break out into bitter warfare should they
come into collision. They cannot agree ; sooner shall light
and darkness, fire and water, mingle in harmony than the
free and enlightened government of this country, ruling
lay love, concur with the despot who rules by the terror of
his prisons, his gibbets, his expatriations, and the utter ex-
tinction of all that is noble and generous in our nature.
(Applause.) But should it be so, and war should now
arise, how are we to meet it? Will it not beet be met by
the adoption of such measures as shall unite in oae harmo-
nious whole the entire people of this country ? Then war
may come. Should the despots of the continent seek to
crush the liberties of this country—and it is nut lung since
Lord John Russell said there had been such a conspiracy
formed against liberty, both civil end sacred—a united
people would meet them—would overwhelm them, and, in
the destruction of lawless despotism, open up the way fur
extending the blessings of freedom to the human race.
(Loud cheers,)
Mr. WM. M'CRIE, manufacturer, seconded the resolu-
tion.

Dr. °LOVER then moved an amendment to the follow-
ing effect That all the words of this resolution after the
tint' that' be omitted, and the following substituted:' Every
man who performs his duties to society is entitled to a vote
in choosing those who arc to legislate for him and his; but
this meeting considers Lord John Russell's promises of re-
form, like Napoleon's promise of universal suffrage, to be
I but a scheme to prolong his own sway to the imminent peril
of our national independence, by his lordship yielding to
continental despots, and engaging Britain's crown in u-
' rangements with them injurious to the rights and liberties
of the people.' "
Mr. BEERY (a working man of Aberdeen) seconded the
amendment, and the original resolution was then put from
the chair, and enthusiastically carried, only a few hands
having been hell up for the amendment.
J. H. BURTON, E.q., advocate. moved the second reso-
lution, to the following effect :—" That provision should be
made for the extension of all small burgh constituencies,
either by such an amalgamation of burghs as would form a
united constituency of not fewer than 54000 electors in
each group, or by merging the voters for small burghs in
the constituencies of the counties in which such burghs are
severally situated ; that the right to elect members no longer
required to be returned for small burghs should be trans-
ferred, either to towns which have required a large popula-
tion since the passing of the last Reform Act, or to burghs
which have so much increased in population since the pass-
ing of that act as to be now inadequately represented; and
that in any re-arrangement of members, Scotland should
have an equal proportion with England, having regard to
the population of each division of the United Kingdom,
and to the net amount of revenue contributed by each for
national purposes."
Mr. DENHAM, paper maker, seconded the resolution,
which was carried.

Mr. F. RUSSELL, advocate, moved the neat resolution
ea follows:—" That provision should be made for the esta-
blishment of the 40s. frechchl franchise in counties, through-
out the whole United Kingdom; that all real property
held by any other tenure than as freehold, should give the
same right to the franchise as freehold property ; and that,
in Scotland, provision should be made to prevent all merely
nominal owners from being registered as electors, by re-
quiring all claimant' to make up their titles in the most
complete manner, by infeftment or otherwise; and that a
residence of not lea than three months yearly should
be required within the county in which the property is
situated."

Mr. W. DUNCAN, S.S.C., seconded the resolution,
which was carried unanimou►ly.
Mr. W. TAIT, publisher, moved the last resolution
That in any measure of reform which may be proposed,
it is indispensable that provision should be made for protect-
ing voter*, by enacting that all elections should take place
by ballot; for limiting the duration of parliament to not
more than three year*; and for abolishing the property
qualification now salting is England and Ireland fur mem-
bers of parliament."
Mr. P. ANDERSON (► working man) seconded the
resolution.

Dr. GLOVER again rose, and was greeted with groans
and hisses. He moved as an amendment that the ballot
should be omitted from the resolution, as its use would to
infamous until every man had a vote.
Upon a show of hands only three were held up in support
of the amendment, which was accordingly Inst.
The CHAIRMAN said the ballot was objected to by
government because it was not wanted by the people, but
the last division clearly showed the contrary, for only three
hands were held up against it. (Cheers.)
The Chairman again rose and introduced Mr. Cowan,
M.P., who briefly addressed the meeting.
Mr. CUMMING (a working man) moved that a petition
founded on the resolutions should be prepared for trans-
mission to both Houses of Parliament, which was passed
unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. DUNCAN, S.S.C., a vote of thanks
having been cordially passed to the chairman, the vast
assemblage separated about 11 o'clock.

ROYAL DISPENSARY FOR IIISEARES OF TILE EIR,
DE tN-STREET. SOHO.SQUARP..—The half-yearly meeting
of this useful institution was held yesterday at the dispen-
sary—Richard John Cole, Esq., in the chair. The secre-
tary read the report, and the amount of subscriptions re-
ceived during the last sin months' from which it appeared
that the institution had benefited by additional donations
and subscriptions. Mr. Harvey, surgeon to the institution,
stated to the committee that the numbers admitted of the
various diseases of the car, and some complicated affections
of the heed, during the laid sit months, amounted to 500;
cured, 196; remaining in weekly attendance, upwards of
300. The committee, therefore, aidwitud the aid of the
aMuent for this valuable institution, which is entirely de-
pendent upon voluntary contributions.--A vote of thanks
was missed to Mr. Harvey, and to the chairman, and the
meeting separated.
ELI,MENTAItY DRAWING AND MODELLING SCHOOLS
PUN AKTIZANIL—A meeting of the committee, the Earl
of Carlisle in the chair, wow held yesterday at the house
of the Society of Arts, for the purpose of making arrange-
ments for a deputation to visit Bradford on Monday next.
The committee were unanimous that, in order to provide
means for establishing these schools on a permanent foot-
ing, it is desirable that the power of raising local rates, at
present enjoyed by museums and other institutions, should
be extended to these and to Schools of Design.
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND SIATE.—A public
meeting of the Anti-State Church Association was held, ho
tho Stock Exchange-hall, Leeds, on Tuesday
Alderman Carbutt, in the chair. Resolutio.4. ts,;(!,
ance with the principles and objects of the 'Zoe
adopted, and the meeting separated.
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