The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-20 00:00:00

THE REFORM MOVEMENT

THE WESTMINSTER REFORM SOClETY.—Yesterday
eveting an influential meeting of the members of the West-
minster Reform Society was held at the York Hotel, Upper
Wellington.street, Strand, "to consider the propriety of
petitioning prliament in support of Mr. Hume's motion for
a reform in the representation of the people," and to receive
the report of the committee eppinted to revise the princi-
ples and rules of the society.—Mr. Oeesin having been
called to the chAr, read the principles, as recommended by
the committee, and which were as follow : Ilse extension
of the suffrage to all persons paying a rental for a house
wr any part of a house, and having been resident there for a
period not less than six months previous to registration;
the vote by ballot ; a more equal apportionment of m. mbers
to the population; and triennial parliaments." On the
report being received and adopted, together with a petition
to the House of Commons, it was further agreed that it
should be signed by the chairman on behalf of the meetir.g ;
that Mr. Luakeington should present it; and that ()enema
Sir De Lacy Evans should be requested to give it his
support.
BOROUGH OF MARTLEBON E.—Last evening a pub-
lic meeting of electors of the borough of Maryleboue took
place at the ViCtori i Tavern, Morniogton-road, for the pur-
pose of considering the questions of the reduction of taxatifin
and promoting a better representation of the people. Mr.
Thomas, a eommitsioner of the South:mi ton Riviugs Trust,
presided, and the following resolution was passed:
That this meeting most cordially approves of the me ion given no-
tice of by Mr. Mine In favour fig the ba.tot, catenalen of the indfrage
to householders, the return to the jtmt and whole...lie regulation of
triennial parliamentts with a fair revision of electors. &Atrial.
A petition founded on the resolution was curried tient. con.,
with a request that Lord Dudley Stuart and Sir B. Hall be
requested to support the same. The meeting then separated.
KINGSTON-oN-THAMES.—A petition to the House
of Commons, from " the freeholders, tradesmen, and gentle.
men of Kingston-on-Thames and its vicinity, has been nu-
merously signed, praying for shorter parliaments, vote by
ballot, greatly extended suffrage, and equal electoral dis-
tricts. A correspondent adds. " The town of Kingston
being a slow and backward place in political matters, and the
neighbourhood under the benumbing influence of a con-
servative aristocracy, this early support to Mr. Home's new
movement for representative reform may be received by
Lord John Russell as another significant hint, showing that
his lordship has over-estimated the submissive endurance of
the middle classes in England. In deference to the rather
timid apprehensions of the worthy mayor of the town, in-
oculated with the chartist-phobia, no public meeting was
called, although desired those longer-sighted liberals who
see that the best safeguard of internal peace will be found in
a reasonable reform supported by the order loving middle
classes."
AN IXWER.—A meeting was held at Atdover on
Friday last, when a petition to the Commons House of
lust.,
in favour of Mr. Home's motion on the 20th
was adopted.
COLCRESTER.—A numerous meeting of the inba:
blunts was held last night, when a petition in favour of Mr
Swim's motion wu adopted.
MaDs•rosE.—A petilon has been forwarded from
this town in favour of Mr. Hume's proposition for reform in
parliament, to Thrum Law Hodges, MP. for West
Kent, Risme . by near'y a thousand of the inhabitants.
CANTER bU RT.— A petition bas barn tons-wiled
from Canterbury tc unse, in favour of his motion. It
bears an aarregata of 1,068 signatures, of which 763 are
those of electors. A oorreapondsms say' ;—" Many persons

of the greatest respectability and of very considerable influ-
ence of all political denominations have signed the petition
from a conviction that the necessity for timely and judicious
reform was daily becoming more urgent. The principal
members of the corporation are amongst the supporters of
the movement; and very many of those who have been the
active opponents of the liberal party hitherto hoer now be-
aten. its zealous assistants. It will surprise Lord J. Russell
to find that the centre of a district so proverbially exclusive
m East Kent should have set such an example as this, and
that in the very heart of church dominion there are so many
who dare to beard it. Such an aspect of affairs in a district
like this must persuade all person+ that Vie days of class
ascendancy are numbered."
STAYFORDeIIiRti.—In the Potteries the movement
has been taken up warmly. Family petitions, gen. nil peti-
tions, factory petitions, and memorials to the members have
been sent from Barriem, Tanstall, Hanley and Shitten, and
Stoke-upon• Trent. A correspondent says the n formers of
Burelem—hitherto considered the stronghold of toryism—
have decidedly taken the lead is this movement for farther
reform. Up to Saturday eve 'sing last the gen. ral petition
had received the signatures of upwards of 2,000 males above
the age of 18. Four factory petitions and upwards of 1,040
family petitions bad been sent to the borough members; and
the memorials to three gem :cozen, requesting them to sup-
port Mr. Hume's motion on Tueslay, had received the sig-
natures of a considerable number a eleceurs
UPTON UPON-SEVERN.—A petition from the inha-
bitants of this town and Hanley Caelle has been forwarded
to Mr. Ricardo, M.P., for presentation, praying " That the
franchise may be placed on a mere just and equal basis."
" The difference of opini .n," says a lee.' correspondent,
" as it regards the extension of the euffrage, is the reason
why the above expression was adopted, in order that both
parties might, without compromise of principle, sign the
same petition. That very great disestiseiction exists in this
neighbourhood relative to the representation of the people
can no longer be doubted, from the fact that the peti-
tion is signed by an extensive and highly-respected
landowner (formerly high sheriff of the county), by
upwards of forty freeholders, by the largest tenant
farmer in the parish, and by the majority of
the respectable tradesmen. The people of this oistnct will
not give way to any as to loyalty to her Majesty, and as
sincere and decided advocates of the public p-sos against all
who madly attempt the advance of their principles by physi-
cal force, but they are determined that the noble lord at the
head of the government shall not charge them with indiffer-
ence to the important measures of reform about to be intro-
duced by the member for Montrose."
SWINDON.—There has been transmitted to Mr.
Hume, for presentation to the House of Commons, a peti-
tion from 225 electors and 659 non-electors in the districts
of the towns of Swindon, Crick] ide, and Wooten Basset, in
the count, of Wilts, prayina for household suffrage, vote by
. ballot, triernial parliaments, and an eqealisat:un of electoral
J districts. The petition is signed by males only, of 21 years of
i age and upward,.
PAISLET.—The town council have passed the fol-
lowing reso!utions :
1. That this oeueeit regards the object of all government to be the
Protection of life and property, and the promotion of the pesos and
happiness of the community, end that the people are entitled to that
form of government which will most effectually moire these.
2. That the British Constitution has from time to time received
such modifications and improvements as the circumatatieve and ext.
genciee of the age have required, sod whenever it is areertained that
in any department it is defective or liquidate, then cunt remedies or
ameliorations should be adopted is may be proved semewirv.
3. That while the council deprecate all attempts to obtain organic
reforms in the cemetitution by turbulence and violence, as calculated
to alarm the holders of property, and to cause great distress among
the operative population, by destmying that nonfi.l'nce which is
namery in a commercial community, they are at the Ca ne time of
opinion that the House of Common., as at prevent ainatituted, does
nut Indy present the minority of her Majesty's loyal subjects.
• 1. That the present agitation, so hurtful to the industrad pursuits
of the country and to the peace and good order of sod ty, will never
gem until the elective franchise be gre itly extended, the vote be pro-
tected ballot. the electoral district, be mo equally distributed,
and thduration of parliament be restricted to are
period not exceeding
Om years.
HAMILTON.—On Friday night a public meeting
was held in Hamilton, called by the provost, on a requisition
from a large number of elector., at which retiolu'ions were
passed in favour of Mr. Hume's motion for an extension of
the suffrage, etc.

IRELAND.
DUBLIN, JUNE 18.
Mr. Holmes, as we yesterday stated, has, in con-
sequence of the continued refusal of the benches
of Queen's Inn to admit Dr. Gray and Mr. Dunne
to the bar, resigned his benchership.
This resignation by the father of the Irish
bar, places the main body in a very awkward
position. In the arguments which he ad-
dressed to the bench( rs on Friday, and which
made no converts, he withheld the circumstance of
resignation. Had he stated his intention, it is pro-
bable the benchere would have averted the misfortune
by a special promise that Dr. Gray and Mr. Dunne
should be called on the 9th of November. This the
majority refused to do, and hence the rupture. A
maser in chancery was the originator of this new test,
which has led to such dibagrei able connquenees, and
the possible reform of the whole I•ystem, which places
judges in the odious position of giving verdicts by an-
ticipation, ;,;id without the mediwn jury.
zhts sailed in two days from
Nearly 400 emig,
Limerick during the past week. The ship agents
conjecture that the emigrants who left the Shannon
since the season commenced, carried on an average
151. each, exclusive of goads and farming imple-
ments. This would give a drain from the district of
60,0001. in specie within the last three months.
Among the emigrants from the south were 200 crown
witnesses from the counties of Cork, Clare, and
Limerick, whose freights have been paid by the go-
vernment.

SAVINGS BANILL—Mr. Pratt has at length made his
award in the case of the depositors in the Killarney Savings
Bank. The trus'ces are held dlscharged from all liability
for deposits made since the 7th and Bth Vic., but they are
charged with wilful and gross default for all sums deposited
before that period. The total liabilities of the bank are
37,0001., to meet which there is to the credit of the trustees
a eum of 16,0001. Of this amount 14,0001. will meet the legal
claims of the depositors, and for the less fortunate claw there
remains only 2,0001, which would give about 2s. 6d. in the
pound. It is expected, however, that the property of the
defaulting officer, together with the contribution of Lord
Kenmore, Mr. Herbert, M.P., and others, will realise alto-
gether nearly 10s. in the pound.