The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-02 00:00:00

REPRESENTATION OP PORTSMOUTH.

• On Thursday evening last, Mr. Serjeant GA,ELEB
addressed *large number of the electors and non-electors of
Portsmouth, in the Commissioners' Hall, at Landport. la
the course of his observations, be said he was prepared to
support the institutions of this country es he found them ;
be was prepared to reform, not to destroy ; to uphold, and
Dot to overturn, the glorious institutions of the country.
(Loud cheep.) Did they call him • republican ! He had
had the honour of sitting in the commission of ber Majesty;
and he thought say man who could wish to change, when
they had such a sovereign as they had at present, their beau-
tiful mixed constitution for a republic (not to mention the ex-
ample they had in America), must be more fit for a mad-
house than for the House of Commons. (Laughter and cheers.)
But while he bad his own views of the church, and while he
claimed to himself the right of being • member of that
church, he held out the hand of friendship to all denomina-
tions of Christians. (Cheers,) He anted not whether a man
were a churchman or dissenter, he was willing to co-operate
with him, asking no questions as to his party or his faith.
They then dims to the question of church-rates--(hear)—and
he told them at once that he thought it was • question which
had agitated the public mind longeoough, and be thought it
ought to be brought to a conclusion. (Loud cheers.) He
believed it to .be to the advantage of the church that
church rates should be abolished ; aod that many church-
men agreed with him that the property of the church was
amply suff elect to carry out all the waste and all the
requirements of that church. (Hear, bear.) If, therefore,
they should return him to parliament, he should do his ut-
most to see that the revenues of the church were not taken
from them, but that they should be properly administered
for the wants of the church and the requirements of the
people. (Chun.) They would find him a staunch sup-
porter of any liberal government. He thought they were
much indebted to the present government for having man-
, aged to keep the country out of war. (Loud cheers.) He
was inclines to think that with reference to America the
government had pursued • wise and consistent course;
and that the people of this country were highly deserving
of praise for not having urged the ministry t 3 go to war
to support their interests. (Cheers.) Thee as to the
Duce, he thought the government had due all they
could. (Cheers, and cries of "No, no.") They had inter-
fered to the utmost of their power ; and he asked those
gentlemen at the end of the room who cried "No, no,"
and who were entitled to their opinions, whether they were
• prepared to awry out their opinions, sod to enter into a
European war for the sake of the Doom! (Cheers.) They
remembered the late European war. Let them think of
the money that would be spent ; let them think of the debt
that would be incurred ; let them think of England standing
alone against the nations of Europe ; and he would
ask them whether they were prepared to undertake that!
(Loud cheers, end cries of "No, no.") If they were, he
told thole at once he was not the man to do it, and they
must chooses man of different politics to him. He thought
of all the horrors of war ; he thought of the families in
mourning ; and he then came to the conclusion that war
ought to be their lad resource, and be would ask the hon.
gentleman who said " yes" whether be thought the Danes
were right, and supposing they were, whether he thought
this greet Nation was to put forth its strength, with Fresco
marching on the Rhine, and Napoleon commencing • war
which might last longer than any at that meeting might
live. (Cheeea.) Let them think of the income tax. Let
them think of that tax being increased main ; but, above
all, the honors of • war in which the people of this country
would he involved. Surely it was enough that this great
country should carry out its own affairs without interfering
with dices of other people.
At the close of the learned serjeant's address • resolution
pledging the meeting to support him at the next election
was agreed to, although only about forty hands were held
up in its favour. The great majority of the meeting did
not vote either way.

PRIIINDLY SOCIETIES /ND THE GOTZRNMENT
ANNOITIZB BILL.

The following correspondence has been pub-
lished :

" Batheaston, Bath, March 31.
"Sir.—Will you permit me to haste your attention to
the inclosed released report of • little society, the %th-
reaten arel St. Catherine's Independent Friendly Society, I
have established in this village! My only object is to
ascertain from you how we should probably be affected
should your noble proposition be carried into law.
I am utterly at • loss to know whether we
should have to merge, as it were, into a government
society, or be annihilated by the movement. lam sure
you will forgive my trespass on your valuable time, appre-
ciation' my motive. I emconcerned for my little club,
i which s a sort of 'hobby ' with me, and which la likely
to enlarge, provided no Dew enactment shake the ocatfideoce
of the young men of the village.
" With esetimeote of high respect,
"I am, deer sir, your obediently,
" Tana. CLAIIILION FR:ca.
"Right Hon. W. E. Gladstoce, M.P.
" 11, Calico-house-terrace, April 1.
" Rev. Sir,— In replying to your letter of yesterday. I
must request you will have the goodness to observe that
the healing of the Government Aocuities Bill; when it shall
have pared into law, upon friendly societies, is, in many
respects, a matter of opinion, and of such opinionas cannot
at present be effectually illustrated by facts. In other
points of view it is • question on which mach light is
thrown by experience. bat by experience of • kind which
I do not posts. Others are far better qualified than I
am to judge bow far limitation of numbers is a hindrance
to the etablistimeet and maintenance of stable friendly
societies. But I may state, in the first place, that if it be so
I shall much lament it. It Is no part of the object of the
government to displace or injure such societies. I know of
umbiog more uaeful, more laudable, mole truly English
and Christian, than a well-constitutsd friendly society.
What we seek is to provide for those—and they are many—
who are unable to avail themselves of the benefits of such
institutions. The best practical reply, however, which I
can give to your letter is this—The greatest difficulty,
essentially inherent in the business of small assurances, is
the amount of working exposes necessary to be incurred.
Now, although the government business can be carried on
without that 'Rabelais* of working °bargee which may be
observed in certain case, I have never held out the spec.
tattoo that we can work very cheaply, since all the work
done will be minute, and must be done under checks of the
strictest kind, some of which might perhaps be dispensed
with in such friendly societies as really answer to the game.
Their machinery, on the other hand, ought to based, in many
eases, I believe is. extremely cheap; slid if they can avoid
other daggers, I think that on this ground, as well as on the
ground of their providing sick pay, which we caunot do,
they will have nothing to fear from our competition.
Among • labouring population of some 24,000,000 it does
not appear that more than 2,000,000, or one-twelfth, are
in friendly societies of any class or kind. Surely there Is
here a field broad enough for diversity of species, and
for leaving some liberty of choice to the labouring man,
which be will exercise according to his circumstances.
If I am asked what I mean by other dangers I would
venture to specify three. Friendly societies will be in
danger when, with the idea and theory of self-government,
they allow their affairs to be in the hands of managers at •
dietanee, whom the members me no more control than the
electoral body of the mussy could, without the House of
Commons, control the Queen a government. They will be
iu deoget when their rules and tables have not been beyond
all doubt uorrtsioed by emireked and instructed authority
to be, not merely legal, but Iris and prudent. Lastly, I
fear they will very often be io danger when they transact
their business at the public.bnese.—l have the tumour to
be. rev. sir, year faithful meant,
" Rev, Thomas C. Finch. " W. E. GLADSTONE.
_ .

•' P.S. As your yueatioa relates to a matter of general
loterset, I think it will sat be disagreeable to you that I
should give publicity to your letter and toy reply, which
can be dose more ounvemently now than when parliameut
shall have reassembled.'

Mr. H. Tidoy bad the honour of hariug his three-
part picture, "The Night of the Betrayal." submitted on
Thursday for the inspection of the Prince and Princess of
Wales.

MITROPOL/TAN BOARD or WOREA.—The usual
meetiog of the board was held yesterday at the offices
to Spring-gardens ; Mr. .1. Thwaites in the chair. The
chairman said they had received many applications from
various districts out of their juriadictiou to drain iato the
metropolitan main sewers. The question bad been asked
over what area the board exercised jurisdiction, and he
might state that the area was 117 square =lira To increase
it would bring a large quantity of water into their sewer,
which would mot a vast amount of money to get rid of, and
would interfere with the 'yet.= which the board wee oar.
lying oat. The conaideratiou of that had led him to another
question, which it would be for the government to decide,
namely, whether the districts out of their jurisdiction were
to be allowed to drain into the Thames. and thus pollute
the strum which the metropolitan districts wens going to
such a vast expense to cleanse. The area external to their
district was 343.000 square miles, with a population of
414,000. The &Liaised such a district must pollute the river,
sod it would be very unfair for the metropolitan dietricta
to put them to such an expense as they incur is cleansing
the river, while others were polluting it. He thought they
ought to ask government to call upon the district. out of the
metropolitan area to deodorise their sewage in some way so
as not to pollute the Thames. On the motion of Mr.
Dixon, seoooded by Mr. Carpmael, the snipjatt was referred
to the Main Drainage Committee, with instructions to
communicate with the government thereon. Mr. Dualist*
the chief engineer, preemie(' his annual report oo the pro.
gross of the maiu drama* works, which were stated to
have progressed satisfsctorily daring the past mouth.
Some uninteresting business was then disposed of, and the
board adjourned.