The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 7, 1848.

SDI ID show dist IWO they were not disposed to disturb
the frame-work d the constitution—though they did not
propose to break up the ship—they were determined to have
a better crew to man hi r. (Cheers) While the middle
classes were divided and disunited, they were fighting with
the wind—they opposed to abuse the shadow and not the
substance of opposition. If they wished to de anything—
if they wished to succeed in their efforts for reform—it was
essential that the ml Idle classes and the right minded
ame..gst the working classes should unite cordially to-
gether. (Hear, hear.) Ile had with ell the earnestness of
which ho was capable urged the recenity of such a union in
another borough with which he was connected, and he
urged it with equal esinereness hero. (Cheers.) Ile come
forward not for the gratification of any particular views he
might entertaie' hut to endeavour to find some neutral
ground on which all classes might wet and base their agita-
tion for reform, feeling convinced that if they could so unite
they might commend their own terms from the government.
(Cheers) When he said this,-ho dell no in the, confidence
that the people of this country would not be desirous
to make soy terms except those of justice directed
by policy. If they concurred with him it would
be essential that they should join in petitioning the house in
support of Mr. Hume's motion, and call upon their repre-
sentatives to support that motion which he knew they would
do. [Much cheering, in the midst of which Mr. D'Eyncourt
enteral the room, and was received with every demonstra-
tion of welcome respect.) The speaker resumed—He be-
tiered the sentiments ho and that meeting held would be
faithfully repres. nted in parliament by the two anembers foe
Lambeth. (Hear ) Ils was sorry to say that hitherto all
attempts at union between tho middle and worleMst classes
had been thwarted by the unwise conduct of certain mad
people called chartists—(liter., and symptoms of disapproba•
tion from a large leaden of the meeting, and partial
cheers) ; but the electors of Lambeth were shrewd
enough to distinguish good principles from bed
men (hear, hear) and he hoped those of the
working classes who were for m eintaining peace and
indite end for working nut the principles of reform in a
constitutional way, would cast out those whose object was
to disturb the miler and peace of society from among' them.
(near, hear.) Let them declare their principles, and show
that they were willing to unite with the middle classes,
many of whom had been driven back by the violent eeurse
which some of the chartists advocated, ant they must suc-
ceed in their object. As a universal suffragist—((tear, hear)
—he felt that every departure from a constitutional mode
of agitation prevented peaceful men from ideat; them,
and delayed the attainment of their object. (Cries
of " Hear, hear.") Let the middle and working
classes mate inutile' concessions for the purpose of cam ing
their common object—(bear, hear)—and let them make
together such a demonstration as no government could re-
sist. (Cheers,) le.t the middle classes remember that witt-
out the assisteuee of the working fasces they could not
hope bt c..rry that measure of reform which the> demanded,
and let the advocates of the six p nuts, on the other halal,
not forget that without the help of the middle classes they
could not succeed. (Hear.) Lord John Russell and the
government cared little for noisy and turbulent meet-
ines on K. manhole common or eleewher. , while they
now cle, s tlehtieg against class, but they must core
I when he saw symptoms of union among all classes.
(Hear, hear.) -It was that union of the middle and
world. g classes which it was the object of that meeting to
effect that Lord J. Remelt and the aristocrats of the upper
house dared not look upon with indifference. ( Hear.) The
resolution in the paragraph an to the maintenance of peace
anti order referred to those good men anti true who wire on
a late occasi m sworn in special constables. (Hear, anti
laughter.) Ile was not a " special," but ho was anxious
that Lord J. Russell should not mistake the object with
which those men undertook the office. The feclin which
influeneed these who had undertaken the duty of special
constables was not approbation of the government, but a
desire to maintain peace and order at all hazards. (Hear,
hear.) It was not that they were satisfied with Lord
John Rueful's finality, but that they wished to
preserve their homes in peace and quietness. (Cheers.)
He called upon the dissenters, as a port of the most mu...cr-
eative body in the country, to unite in seeking to get laws
fur Inc people %hide would prevent confusion and revolt,
and cheek that determinetion to increase inetead of diminish
taxatien which had hoen so strongly evinced by recent
governments, Ile had great pleasure ID moving the resolu-
tion.
Mr. 11. R. ELLINuTON briefly seconded the resolution.
Mr. T. WETNCOCUT, M.P., next addressed the meeting
in caption of tha resolution. He was happy, ho said, to
meet Lis constituents no so important and interesting an
occasion. lle considered that they had met to consult
anti advise, to beer every man, and weigh his opinions
against their own ; anti if he were right in that
respect, he called upon them, as their repr. 'tentative,
to bear with him if he should express any sentiments nut
perfectly in accordance with theirowa. (Hear, hear.) They
knew him as an old and tried reformer, otherwise he should
not then stand before them; and be 1. It that his conduct
would again justify him in seeking their suffeeges. They
mold not, therefore. doubt his principles—they could not
doubt his opittion to be that every man in the country should,
in tome way, be represented in parliament. (Loud chem.)
That was the glorious principle of the British constitution.
(Rear, hear.) In days genie by the policy of that constiter ion
had been to vest tile franchise in certain selected and tit
bodies, so that there should be a virtual representation of the
whole through them. But when the state of society was
such as to render it difficult so to vest the trunchise with
safety (as was seen by the borough of Stamford and other
places guilty of corruption), it was evideut that the francithe
must be extended. The voters of Stamford were praying to
he dig ranchiscd, as they could not exercise the franchise
freely. It was clear that the ballot was the measure wanted
to tueble the people to exercise the franchise freely.
Give the ballot, and then, but not until then, could
they venture to extend the franchise, fur, without it, it would
lie en absolute cruelty to invest large bodies of men with a
right to vote, who would, without the ballot, have to balance
between the exercise of his conscience and the ruin of es
family. (Hear, hear.) Ile felt that nothing short of the
ballot could give protection to the voter. Although he sup-
ported the reform bill, be was one of the few men who re-
fused to cry out " The bill, the whole bill. and nothmg but
the bid." lie said then, and be now repeated, that there
was not a word of that bill worthy of being permaiient, aa-
' cepting schedule A. And yet each was the feeling in favour
of the " whale bill, &c.." that he dared not present himself
at a public nicetiug witheut joining in that cry, and he
.-.seated hine.elf because he could not, end did uut, leek
upon it as a final measure. (Hear, hear.) If they referred to
the parliamentary debates, they would tied that e had pre
dieted that very state of public feeling which they were met
that night to represent. (Hear, hear.) He Wed upon them
to use every coustitutional means—be was sure they would
use no other—to make their opinions prevail with the
' minister and parliament. If they did so, he undertook to
say that in less than two years they would have another re-
form bill. (Cheers.) With regard to Lord John Roma-Its
late foolish declaration, and which he regarded as foolish
when he heard it uttered, he and others of the movement
party blamed themselves for not having said something iu
reply to it at the moment. But be hoped they w odd make
,epends by pressing on the noble lore's ate ;thin
the claims or the peopie for that reform which his lert,thip
seemed is-think was not desired. In order to do so muse
effectually he hoped that others would cease to urge those
particular doctrines which were opposed by the general
sense of the country. lie hints If, for instance, objected to
annual parliaments. He conceiv, d that there would not be
sufficient excitement to secure the best men if the elections
took place so frequently; but, to show his sincerity as a re-
former, he could refer to his proposal at the time of the re-
form bill that the franchise, instead of being vested in lel.
householders, should be given to inhabitants paying scot
and lot, which amounted as nearly to universal suffrage as
any reasonable man could desire. His principles on that
subject had not changed, and would nut change, if only from
the fact that he could gain nothing by changing them, while
he would lose the honour of representing Lambeth. In his
address to the electors at the last election he complained
I that they had not petitioned for those reforms which they
now sought. They were, at lest, awakened to a
sense of their position. But the moment they, saw that
the Reform Bill wee fa failure they ought tei nave more
actively supported those men who were endeavouring to
remedy the evil in the House of Commons. Ten years ago
he proposed a measure for shortening parliaments, hut there
had been no petitions in support of that measure since. It
was not reasonable, therefore, to expect members to b ing
feria-ad measures of that kind unsupported by the popular
voice, or if the people stood with fettled arms merely as spec-
tators. lie was in no alliance with the present government,
and had voted against them at often as he had voted against
any other governmt nt. But he most confess that the noble
lord at the heal of that government was justified in saying
that, as no demands for large measures of reform had as yet
been made by the people, lie 'vas not galled upon to bring
forward there measures. [the room at this period became
so crowded that there were loud calls for au adjournment to
the common ; but the chairman declared such a "move" to
lie impressible.] The hon. gentleman proceeded to observe
that Lord J. Ituoseli by his declaration had issued a challenge
to the people of England to say whether they were content or
not with their present amount of political privileges; and it was
for the people to answer it in a manner so unequivocal and
by petitions so numerous, as to leave no doubt of their de-
termination to he more fully and fairly represented in the
House of Commons. (lieu, hear.) It was a monstrous
thing to see one set of boroughs under the influence of money
corruption, and another, those to which large tracts of land
had been added, wholly under the sway of the landed in-
terest, and returning for that interest GO or 80 members. It
was absurd to suppose such a system could stand ; or that in
the present state of public feeling, not only here, but in
Europe, the people could permit it to stand without a strong
remonstrance against it made in conclusive but constitutional
language. (Hear, hear.) If the crown and parliament did
not yield to such an appeal, it would be owing to a want of
firmness and continuity of action on the
part of the people.
One word more and he was done. As a gentleman and a
member of parliament for thirty years, he felt bound
to say that they, and especially the dissenters,
did
owe to nemething the esent prime minister. hey were
indebted to him in a grea present prime minister. They were
indebted to hug in a great measure for the ReforTm Bill—
they were indebted to him for the repeal of the Test and
Corporation Acts.
Ile was
There
eboTr buraoveuseanTcoeuuradegaevoliustifengowtofrig,
and was not to be frightened. Let them, then, encourage
hint. (Laughter.) Show him that their complaints were
well-founded and he would no doubt join in endeavouring
to redress them. [This opinion did not meet with a general
concurrence, and eventually gave rise to a " Groan for Lord
J. Russell."' lie begged to observe, that he did nut belong
to the whig party. Ile often voted against them and if
they persisted in their oblique course, ae should most likely
vote many times against them again. But as a mere matter
of justice he felt himself called upon to say :hue much in re-
ference to the noble lord's past policy. (Crks of " Times"
amidst which the honlentleman resumed his 'test.)
Mr. SOUTHMELL.—Before stating his reasons foe support-
ing the resolution, he must be permitted t 9 say that unless