The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY
AND FINANCIAL REFORM.

ALLEGED HopeLlY BT • RAILWAY-IRMO*
)[sews.—Haul Lee, the seekstant station-malter eh Beaton,
was en Saturday lest committed for trial at the seri as. The
evidence given before the msg'strates went to show that Mr.
C. Sykes, a student at Cambridge, passed through Boston
from Hull en the 19. h October, and that on his arrival at
Peterborough, he mimed a box containing several books, a
picture, some gloves, site. About that period, John Watson,
ore of the porters, had been instructed to take a box %tithe
prisoner's Ildginr, be being nt the time acting m station-
master during the temporary absence of Mr. Carruthers. Mr.
Sykes had written to the station-master respecting his loss,
and the prisoner had been questioned about it. but he
affected to be ignorant of the matter. Subsequently whey
losses occurred at the liNtoo station, end as prom to the pri-
spaer's appointment (on the sth of October) nothing had
ever been mimed, he was suspected, and his lodgings were
sweat ; in b;s bedroom Mr. Sy km' books were found, and
ever the mantel-pieta of the sitting-room the picture wee
aMsed.—StastfOrd Mercury.
RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Thursday morning an
Kenton% happened tv the mail train on the Liaeoln and
N ottingham% Sae, by the felling of mangst* bridge, beyond
leewuk. The enemas sad tender got over the bridge, but
the parcels' Tan was smashed pima, and all the parcels
war, swept away in the Weir beside the Trust—eke bridge,
if appears, giving way directly the engine and make and
Pdatd. There were no passengers. The engineer and
stoker tate tart, the train guard much hurt, and the mail
guard severely cut. The mail bags had to be awned to
&week, a distance of a mile and • half, and they were talon
to Lank% by a poet-chaise, arriving at 8 o'slock, three
hours after the usual time. Several of the carriages were
ausked.

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OLD WILIAT. —LEEDS, Dec. 7.—We have been
favoured with the eft of a simple of English whist, about
24 leen of 1, which was grown in Yorkshire. The (Amer
who pm, it lied 61. a quarter offered for it, buo, thinking
this too Ht ie, he vowed he won/4 not sell it under 71. To
this vow he hiss religiousla adhered, and it may be an in-
structive lesson to his neighbours to calculate bow ouch this
Min's &Tarim has cat him, reckoning di predation in value
el A* Pala and lass of interest in espial. The wheat has
beu lathed up and run over by rats and mi.., until it ro-
bs/Ay would not now be worth 20s. • gainer, if ale" on
tae market. In hopes of • " good time coating,- the wheat
i. )et Lehi fora buyer at 71., which the owner "trots he
ilaY Rat:" possibly ha may realise his hopes, but it is to b
bared he must "wait a little longer.'

IMPORTANT MEETINU OF TENANT
FARMERS IN NORFOLK.
The Norwich Committee of the National Parlia-
mentary and Financial Helens Aneeletion is devoting itself
most energetically to the purposes fir which it wuinst:tuteel,
fad has already 'meted nu sm.II degree of enthusiasm in the
county of Norfolk in favour of a m.. 1111 equitable representa-
tion in parliament, and a e onsideruble reduetien in the pre-
sent intorinous and eppreselve neuters. Arrangements have
been completed for v.siting every town in Nerfulk for the
purpose of brineing then important question, before the
people, and from the encouraging semen which has already
attended the efforts of the Animation, there is reason to be-
lieve that ere long every clan in the county will be fea-
sibly alive to the signs of the urgent ceemeity for reform.
On Thursday evening hot a nosed& table number of the
members ot the NOM jek Association visited the town of
N.rth Waltham, where, in rot:sequence of its being market
day, they succeeded in obtaiaina , et the large Concert RJORD.
a densely crowded meeting, wheel cons sted principally of
influential tenant farmers In the district.
GEORGE THROBALD, Esq., of Southreppieled:e,
having been voted to the chit, Introduced the proeseding,
of the evening by stuirg the object for which the manic g
had been called.
Mr. TILLETT sail there was a powerful class ie
thin country which pi...scribed " protection." Now
protection meant that the legislature should in-
linen, by act of parliament, to give to the cul-
deaden ot the soil a higher price for their commo-
dity than in the market they could otherwise obtain; bat.
without stoppirg to go into the queetion as to whether pro-
, *action eve- hail accomplished, or ever could accomplish, the
object proposed—he would simply tell them now that it was
utterly impregnable for them to obtain it again; there was
not an intelligent man in the kingdom' acquainted with the
state of parties in parliament, or with the state of teethe.
amongst the wens of tho people, who would tell them
honestly and concientiously that there was any hope of
their ever obtaining protection again. (Cheers.) They
complained of free trade—why the kunst !sneers had
not got free trade—they had only got one-half of
it. (Appleine.) They were compelled to ,ohmic
to that free Trade which affected their incomings,
but they had cot that which regulated teen outgoings.
There had been an agitation for seven person this question,
and the public opineth right or wrong, bad decided in favour
of free trade, and a parliament basing a mieority of 7t) sworn
to protection, had repealed protection; and did they think.
thin, thvt that power which compelled than gentlemen to
eat their own words and break their own pledges, coula net
compel them to keep the law as it was' He would say
a few words as to what were the burdens that so
augmented their outgoings as to make them re ter
than their incomings. (Cheers.) One of these—
and a very grievous one it was—was the malt tax. Now,
why did not the trotectionists go for the repeal ot this &boon-
sable tax? Why did no: they come forward and say "this
is a monstrous tax, and we pe .pose its repeal ; it interferes
with the beet mode of cultivation and the feeding of cattle ;
and, to show that we have the interests of the tenant farmers
at heart, we actually propose that the pronrty tax be in-
creased to such an extent as to make up to the government
the toss it would otherwise sustain." Taking the average
of ten tears, from 1831 to 1840, the consumption was
40,797,000 bushels; but in 1811 it was only 36 millions, a
decrease of more than 10 per cent.. although the population
had increased nearly two millions since 1831. They might
lay perhaps that this setae hum the condi ion of the worse.
lag classes, but such was not the case, for teey loved, with
respect to coffee, that while In 1821, when the duty was Is.,
the consumption was 7,327,00011 n.; in 1811, the duty
having been reduced to 6d., the consumption had increane
nearly foot times, from 7 mill one, in rut, to 27 mildew,
(Applause.) Mr. Tillett then proceeded to refer to theson-
sequ-nces which resulted :o the te cant tanner front the ape
ration of the game laws, when he was informed by I.
I gentleman on the platters' thet his observation
happily d d not imply to that district. He expensed
his pleasure at hearing this, but awned the meeting that
although he had sleeken on the subject is very many parts
of the country, it was the first time that he had had the good
fortune to find that his remarks were not applicable. He
wee extremely glad to learn that the landlords in that die
triet were setting so good an example to the other landlords
'of Easlsnd. Tithes had been pers. rkd from the purposes
fur which they were originally intended; and he assured
them that their payment of tithes, poor rates, and church
rates was utterly inconsistent with the object for
I which the tithe system was established. (Great
, cheering.) He coesielered that they were perfectly justilieu
in asking themselves on what authority this question rested,
and what good reason there was that, whilst they were at
liberty to cinote their own lawyer, and surgeon, and trades-
' nut, and professional man, and marine, they we re not at
I liberty to choose their own parson. (Tumultuous applause.)
Now severe' burdens had arisen out of this state of things.
and it was fur them to cement, the question and to see whe-
ther they could not possibly be removed, without honey to
any living indiv dual. lie wool suggest that when gentle-
men talked to them about " vested rights," they should ask
whether then tithes were not intended for the repairs of the
churches and support of the poor, and whether for centuries
the clergy had aot been putting the entire aniount into their
own pockets. Talk of " reated rights "—tor his part he cen-
Wend that there was no " statute of limitation " against '
gonecientioue right, and that the longer the wrong had been
perp traced the quicker the parents ought to be in making
restoration. (Great cheering) He war walking up a ttreta
in Norwich the other day, when he was met by • farmer,
who told him that he bed just had a nod brush with one
el the M.P.s of the county. " lie seed to me," repea•ed
the farmer, " ' What do you think of Gee credo?' We
bee's% got it,' said I." Hav'n'tl got it ! Why you have
free trade in corn now • there can be no doubt of that.'
Ah, but we hair.% got free trade, tire laid 1, we hav'n't
got it,' Why, what do you neat ?' said he, What do
you mum ?" 'Why,' netted I, ' we an't got free trade in
patens yet.' " (Inn ewe! cheering) Teen (continued
Mr. Tillett) he must mention the enormous harden of taut-
don under which they wets premed He believed that no
better protection newel poesibiy be given them than the ut-
most powile economy iu the expenditure of their money, •
proper adjestment of taxation, and the bestowal upon the
lahouring population of such means as would enable them to
teams the Levan farmer.' customers. (Applause.) Mr.
Thlett then made some observations on the dependence of the
different clews on each other, after which he concluded by
moving, " That the enormous sum exacted from this country
in taxation puede:es commerce, detentes agriculture, and
impoverishes the labouring classes." (Immense applause.)
The Rev. SAMUEL REES, rector of Alby, rose and pro-
ceeded to comment on the speech of Mr. 'feint ; but his
observations were received with gnat marks of disapprob I-
lion. Mr. Tallith he said, had not minutely 'mein the
subject, and had not given it fairly on both sides. Mr. Te-
nn might have spent a few years of study on the subject of
taxation, but that was of little use ; the question required
half a lifetime. The rev. gentleman was proccediog to ;
combat ehe statement that the repiedy was in their own
hands, when he was interrupted by sbeuts of different de-
ecriptions—seme requesting that he should mount the plat-
form, othere that he should give his opinion on the tithe
question, others that he should sit down, and he at length
complied with the last-named request, the chairmen pro-
mising him the opportunity of speaking when the other
gentlemen had concluded.
O. GOWER, Esq., of Dilham, an extensive tenant
farmer, and deputy.enainnan of the union, seconded the re-
solution. He referred to the fact that some tenant farmers
expected a remedy for their condition from a reduction of
their rants, but that, he said. was a question between them
end their landlords, and one with which the government
weld not interfere. He expressed his decided opinion that
they ought to look for relief in a diminution in the different
maws which were incurred by the state, and especially
tho salaries. He then controverted, on several grounds,
Ms idea that protection was ever of any use to the tenant
Miser, and couclucled by confirming the statement already
mods as to the kindness end consideration of the landlords
In the district in reference to the game. (Appleuse.)
The CHAIRMAN then read the resolution again, and
was about to put it to the am leg, when
PHILLIP MILLARD, Esq., clerk to the magistrares,
nee and declared hie opinion that free trde was the cause of
Ms evil. Ho seed no arguments in suppoart of his view, but
moved, amid marks of great disapprobation,
" That the miseries and the evils under which all classes
were suffering, arose from the mischievous principle of free
lode—(lsaglater and hives)—that by this measure the
*calmer@ had crippled eirricalture, and thus destroyed the
prosperity of all the people in the country, and that a memo-
in* be presented to her meat gracious Majesty to dissolve
parliament, in erne that tee seen of the people might be
taken on the subject"
At the announcement of this amendment a burst of
laughter rang through the room, and although the business of
the meeting was detained some little time to give Mr. Mil-
lard the opportunity of finding • seconder, no one appeared,
sad the or ginal motion was then put and carried without
amathsr dissentient amid immense applause.
THOMAS M'ENTEEB, Eq. then moved the following
en laden ;
" That the parliamentary representation 'scow monopolised
by those who have a direct interest in the continuance at the
neer st enormous and unequal niece's, and therefore it is
fressabent u non all who desire good and economical govern-
ment to unite with the National Reform Association to
obtain the fall, tree, end lair representation of the people."
la
speekerdvocating the sentiments of this resolution the
referred mere particularly to the law of prim-
, geniture, and pictured the many sets and the great injus-
tice which it engendered. lie vies showed that these evils
could be remedied only by a reform is the representation of
the wino He dwelt also upon the advantages which
would accrue from tenant-right, and stated that all those
adv.ntagee had been realised in the province of Ulster,
where lent-right tad been long recognised as just end
Macomb's; and he then concluded with some lengthened
comments cam speech of Mr. Disraeli, tztroots from which

Mr. Wes then sat down, end no tree esing t Ptiptort
lm, the original motion was put and canted with acclann.
tion.
On the motion of J. H. Titturr, stconded by J. D
SMITH, Esq., of Norwich, a v.te us thanks was passtd to the
chairman, who briefly nsponded to the vote.
The meeting was then declared at an end, upgr. which a
I •rice nuo.hcr of gentlest a flicked round the table of the
>teutaly and enrolled themselves as members of the ma-
viatica.
The Itcr. Mr. Mena didnot again offer himself to the notice
of the nutting.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

THIS DAY.

BOW•STREET.

IMPI:DENTII,IIE7Y:267stoiiat Au charged with
robbery. Tr e prisoner had been seen lurking in front of
the shop of Mr. Syloolt, a broker, in White Hart-street,
Drury-lane, yesterday afternoon. There were numerous
pieces of furnitura csdcavel for ssie in front of
the shop, and while Mr. Sylcult was engaged
ith a curt)cner, the prisoner, without being observed, drew
a hrgc vrritink desk from off some other things, and dc-
camped with although the desk was star ding within a
few inches of Mr. Syleolt's back. Abut two minutes after
nude Mr. Sylcult turned round, and immeolately missed
I tie de,k. He went to the cation-touse an Bow.street,
to give inlorenatl, n of the robbery, when, to his great
surprise, he found the desk in the hands of a police constable,
and the pri-once in charge. Tee prisoner was met and ap•
pretended Miectly after the robbery by S:rgeant Thompson,
of the F
The prisoner was committed for trial.