The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-31 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY

AND FINANCIAL REFORM.

MEETING AT BRIGETON.
On Mondty evening a crowded public meeting
wee held In the Towa Hail, Brighton, for the purpose of
forming is that town a branch of the National Parliamentary
sad Financial Retona Association, sad of ,reciairing a depu-
tation from the parent society.
Oa the motion of Kr. Jolts 000 D, Colonel Ronsare wee
called to the chair.

Ihettislß lAN, in opening the proceedings, said the
levees* her hlsjes y'e ministers had to play with amounted
to 64 millions per annum, out of whkh the industrious classes
of society paid 34 miliions. H i asked if that was a fair pro-
portion between the people and the arirocracy ? He was
not for running down the aristoeracy, because be wee fully
persuaded that in that class there were many honouiable
Rinds. (Herr, hear.) As union was creari, he trusted
that the industrious dare of society would Join the middle
clams, and that they would thereby obtain a reduo-
tioa of taxation. If they were not banded toge-
ther, they would obtain nothing, but he trusted
that they would go hand in hand. It was not
long since Lord John Russell, with his colleagues,
attempted to raise the income tan from three per cent. to live
per cent. The people successfully rt.isted that propasitioa
and now it was found that without such increased tax the
expenditure and the revenue were balanced within about

100,0001. The whigs, in his opinion, were not bold rob-
bers. (Laughter.) He was speaking of the whig cabioet ;
but ho was perfectly aware that three were iudividuals
among the Whigs who were as honourable minded as any set
of men on the fine of the earth. He looked upon Lord John
Knoell as a little study bantam cock—(laughter)—that
would tread the barn firm, them give three flaps of his wings,
three crows, and turn his beck on the people. (More
laughter.) Ile wished to see another set of men come for-
ward and try their hands—he meant the radicals. (Cheers.)
He th• ught they world have amongst them honest MD,
who weuld do their auty to their country and vase the
pockets of the people.
Letters were then read from Capt. Peelle% M.P., Mr.
Cobden, M.P., Mr. jcseph Hume, M.P., and Mr. J. V.
Shelley, Who hsd all been suited, emceeing their attendance
at the meeting.
W. CONINOHAM, Eeq . in moving the first resolution,
said he MOO forward on toe present occasion to advocate a
national question, and one which had nothing to do with
local polities. He had always been of opinion, that unless
some extensive reform in our financial system were intro-
duced, the burden of taxation would become perfectly in-
tolerable; and it appeared to him when he looked at the
preterit constitution or the House of Commons, that the only
chance they had of carrying any substantial and efficient
measure was be introducing a large measure of parliamen-
tary reform. The Horse of Commons was at present con-
stituted without any refereuce either to population, to
wealth, or to intelligence. It might bs said to represent
the vested interests of England, and, he might almost
say, the vested interests alone. The territorial aristocracy
were invested by the reform bill with an overwhelming and
prep mderating toiluenee to which he did not consider they
were emitted, and he hoped this generation would see the
time when the people wcult be fairly rept:am:ed. The
hon. gentleman then alluded to the recent intelligence from
America that the United States were about to repeal their
navigation laws, so far as regarded E (gland, • proceeding
which be said would do more towmds binding tae two na-
tions together than all that could he effected by the most
skilful diplomatists, and he concluded by moving a resolu-
tion to the effect, _

" That whilst this meeting is convinced that a great reduc-
tion of the national expenditure end a more equitable ail;ust
meat of taxation are imperatively nee: Army and almost uni-
v. really demanded, it cannot see any reasonabM hope of per.
manently securing these important objects until such a =ea-
Mfg of electoral reform has been obtained as shall give the
people a direct coatronl of the taxes which they are required
to pay ; that an association be formed in Bri/hton in enn-
nexien with the National rarliamentay and k 411L1101111 Hoe
form Association, and that this meeting will give to such
asseciatioa its hearty co-ones ation."

Me. GILES seconded the resolution.
CHARLES WORDSWORTH, Elq., said he appeared
before them es one of a deputation from the National Par-
liamentary and Finenciel Reform Association of Lanka. It
was their great object that the middle and worki g classes
Mould be of together. It was said that could not be done
unless each party made something like a concession—not a
compromise of their principles, but a concession—aAreei.-g to
work together for one common object, leap .rag to subsequent
years the opportunity and the chance to get such further re-
f-mins as they might ae.:m essential. It was therefore agreed
that a certain set of principles should be soul en; that the
middle and working classes should advocate triennial pada
meet., vote by ballot, how hold suffrage—not merely houses
boll, hut household and lodger suffrage—that there shah be
no property qualific Aloe for members of parliament, and
that there shall he an equal divia:on of electoral distrEats
throughout the United hinglom. These were the points
which were now common to the middle and working classes.
It was form.rly the law of Etc land that parliaments should
be triennial. There was an act passed to that Effect in 1641,
which was repealed in 1661, and re-enacted in 1694, and
repealed again in 1716. This was one of the points they
were contending for. Were they asking for anything which
was tutoonstitutioual? They were not asking for anything
which was novel, but for something which bad bees known
to the country and acted upon. He contended that the par-
liament of 1715, which repealed the triennial act, and passed
a hill prolonging its own existence to seven years, violate('
the coostitution ; and he refereed to Smith's harms on
history, and to Hallam, who both stated that mi. incite were
afraid et that limo to dissolve parliament, lit the consti-
tuencies should elect n new House of Commons, who were
favourable to the return of the Stunts. In 1734 they tiled
to get Mick to triennial parliaments, but the motion was lost
by 247 to 184. When Mr. Hume brought forward his motion
it was supoorted by only 84 members, 100 less then in 1734,
showing that we were not advancing in legislation, but were
going back. The speaker then ably demented on the other
' " polots," and concluded by an appeal to the meeting to
support the association by spreading its principles, and con-
tributing to its funds.
W. A. WILKINSON. Esq. next addressed the meting.
The workiffrelasses, he s oid, had the best of this be. gain ;
there was concession on both sides, but the working claws
would benefit largely, insomuch as they were to be enfran-
chised to the extent of four-fifths of their number, whereas
the middle claws generally had the franchise already,
though such was the anomaly of tbe system, that there were
some men of property who did not occupy houses who bad
no vote. The word revolution had been mentioned. What
they were seeking was a revolution in one sense, bet e
they knew that in this country the whole power was now
vested in the Lords instead of in the three estates, whereas
the association sought to secure to the people • due glare of
power. That was a revolution certainly, but not in the
general sense of the word. What they really wanted
was a restoration. And now he would say a word
'o the gentlemen in broadcloth.
to They
seettThrietyy
forso sought
which
Torn unequal taxation as the working classes did ; and they
sought more than that, they
they had. Now he wanted thee* gentlemen fully to under
stand that they must not fold their arms and sit down con-
tent with things es they are, simply because they were not
now much pressed, for there was no safety, no comfort for
them, unless the working classes were constortable likewise.
(Cheers.) Their interests were intertwined and inseparable.
The working climes hap amulet unaided to carry their object,
and heel not bees able to second. The mi Idle classes aid,
without the aid of the working classes, carried a measure
which he believed, however, was for the benefit of the work-
ing classes as much as their own—the repeal of the corn laws.
He believed it was by union, and union alone, that anything
could be done. They were not going for universal suffrage,
though some thought that universal suffrage was the best ;
but there were many who were notprepund to go that lismith.
He believed there was sot that danger in universal suffrage
shah some thought. Look at the result of universal suffrage
in France; it was about to do this extraordinary thusly,
it was about to impose en arbitrary and despotic snvernment
on France. [A Voles—" It won't last long."] He believed
that In the awes of two or three months they would have
an assembly of a different character, but so alarmed had
been the middle sad working-cluees in France that they had
elected a reactionary assembly. He believed that in the
course of the next three mouths they would have an amia-
bly of a different shortener, and so they would go on pee-
sawing, end never knowing which way to go. This made
him think there WI WIN good in a *sand chamber, but he
wanted to show the middle classes that there was net that
danger in universal suffrage which they seemed to anticipate.
The association, however, wished for no extreme measure,
but that they should unite together for the common object
which they all had in view. (Cheers.)
Mr. LINNOCK inquired whether it was intended to do
away with theme-1).1h)* clauses ?
Mr. WILKINSON—The voter will be in a position in
which he can claim to be rated, but the payment of the rate
is not to be neesnmerter his thee.
Mr. CONING HAM heady replied, and the motion was
then put and earned unankmass y.
Mr. J. G. BASS moved the second resolution :
That this meeting rejoices in the hope that a hearty
union between the middle and working dasees has at length
been attained, and strongly urges all those who c.mplain of
any grievance to concentrate all their energies to procure
such a reform in the Commons House of Parliament as shell
render all and impartial justice to all classes of her Ma-
jesty's subjects.
He did think that at a time like the present, when they
saw throughout the country an increase of pant:. risen and an
increase in the army and naval expenditure, it was time for
all persons to erase forward and support their politieel prin-
ciples. When they saw that in Ireland there had been
pauperism to en extent a known in this island, when the
legislature had been tampering with law upon law regard
ing the poor of that country, it was a proof that the ',lisle-
tare was inadequate to the task ; and when they looked at the
comp-sition of the legislature they need moths surprised at it.
When they considered that the country was governed by a
house of peers, with a bench of bishop, that the House of
Consumes was mainly composed of eons of peers, of gentle-
men in the army and navy, and of officers of government,
and that the squirearchy in the House of Commons were
nominees of the aristocre-y, how could they be surprised
that the sympathise of those gentlemen went with the aris-
tocracy of Ireland, and not with the poor of that c,uozr. ?
He was n Ireland last summer, and he sow land that had
been in cultiveinn • short time before, lyi..g iole, a-.d nt
the some time the union booms were full. Men, women, and
children, Were there doine nothing ; there was not so much
as s (location going on. The men he sew teak to' .or a
walk, end the land was lying idle. And why ? Be-nose
there was no security. They knew that if they grew any-
thing, the agent or the tax-gatherer would come to seise ft.
But he found, on inquiry, there was an decrease in

the tattle for dairy purposes. He was struck with
test, and inquired the retool, and was told
that it was brpuse they could drive cattle away
when they saw the agent or the tax gatherer coming, but
greying crops they could not remove. And all this was
going On in a country which had 49,000 soldiers to keep them
quiet, isnd polies barracks at every turn of the read, not such
stations as then are in Berland, bat more like soldiers
barracks ban anything else. They were told that the Irish
were disloyal and disaffected to this country, but only give
them fair play, and they wculd find the Irish as loyal as the
English or Scotch. (Hear.) In adverting _to the tranchite,
and the state of the electoral registers, Mr. Bus said be
would touch lightly on that subject, because heron very
long they would have a meeting specially to consider the
propriety of • freehold land and buil-liar society Wier es-
tablished in Brighton, in order to give than who had the
desire a vita :or the county. He would only add
that as regarded the unbolt of the middle and working
classes, it bad already taken place in that town, nor had
there ever been a great disruption. They had generally
been laannoaious in theses matters, and he hoped they would
continue so, for be was quire sure that the good of the one
was the good of the other. (Cheers.)
Mr. FBARGUE3 O'CONNOR, M.P., spoke at con-
siderable length. He wished, with all his soul, this was
an ordinatina—(laughter)--and that the chairman would
ordain him to solemnize the marriage between the middle
and the working classes, and in truth, as they had an union
of church and state, of church and izway, the Duke ot York
having been Bishop of O.naburgh and Commander in-Chief
of the Fortes at the same time, he did not see why the chide-
men, being a colonel, should not be a bishop on the present
occasion. (Laughter.) IlOall•tr, be assured them that
Mr. PRUUT, who was received with cheers, said he was
deputed, along with his friend Mr. Wordsworth, by the
woe-laden to attend this meeting, and he was bound in can-
dour and honesty to combat some of the propositions which
had been laid down by the last speaker. Mr. O'Connor had
said it was the middle closets wee carried the Reform Bill,
but that was not tb. The middle und the working chews
and a large section of the aristocracy combined to carry it,
and it was by their ea-opetaion it was carried. That bill '
was a repping-stone to a better bill, and they bad found it
had not worked as they expected. With regard to universal
suffrage, they had it in France, but that had not
enabled the French nation to prevent their government from
putting down a sister republic. If the French government
had sent 50,000 men into Italy last year, when Piedmont
i was strugelieg, or 100,000 this year to the banks of the
Rhine when Hungary was strugglieg, Italy would not have
been overrun by Austrian troops nor would Hungary have
had to succumb, and the brutal Hanna would have had no
(ppm-welly to perpetrate his brutalities. He was not ob-
jecting to universal suffrage, but the conduct of the French
government showed that universal suffrage had not induced
it to adopt a course to secure the liberty ot other nations.
Mr. Prout then stated the principles on which the association
was formed, and to show the necessity of a reform in the re-
presentation, he stated that the 330 members of the
House of Commons forming a majority represented
a populati in of 3,127,000, whereas 328 members,
being a minority, represented 23 973,000 persons,
Nor was property better represented, for 330 members repre-
sented oily 0 millions of property, whereas the 323, the
minority, represented 78 millions or property. Then there
were 12 boroughs which returned 24 members to parliament,
viz., Audoter with 348 voters, Evesham 416, Harwich 389,
Bodmin 318, Wscomb 460, Toteess 41d, Thetford 2:14,
Tavistock 417, Ripen 473, Richmend 341, Marlborough 310,
end Devizes 445, making the total cumber ot cencituents
4,200 only. If Bri,ehton returned as many members in pro-
portion to its constituent., it would have 20 representatiee•
If they meant to render their amistance to this association,
he trusted they weal, as Mr. Taylor of Birmingham had
shown them they might, enfranchise themselves by pro-
curio.t 40s. freeholds, which they could do by paying ab art
a ehillieg a eeek for a few years. He wanted to know
whether they would, as practical men, waist in this move-
ment. (" Yes.") If not, they would have assembled there
as mere talkers ; bur, if they would assist in their emauci-
pation, then they wadi be worthy of the name of freemen.
(Cheep.)
The rules ware then submitted to the meeting and ape
proved of, and a committee ot 21 appoint( 4, alter which •
vote of thanks was given to the chairman, and the meeting
separated at half-pest 11 o'clock, haying lasted more than
four hours.