The Express.
London, England, 1849-10-26 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY

AND FINANCIAL REFORM.

GREAT MEETING AT THE FREE-TRADE
HALL, MANCHESTER.

The Manchester Financial and Parliamentary Re-
form Argentina have opened their second winter's e mpaign
very appropriately, by inviting their two parliementuy re.
presentative., Mr. Milner Macon and Mr. Bright, to one
of their immense gatherings in the Free-trade Hell. The
meeting had a double object: the one, t, gather, as far se
possible, from their members, what hope the experience of
the past amnion in parliament had given them of success in
the ultimate attainment of their objects; and tie other wee,
the establishment .f a working-man's freehold society, for
obtaining votes on the principle of those established at Bir-
mingham end other towns. With the lest-ninsed object in
view, the council of the Manchester Association had invited
Mr. lames Taylor, Jun., of Birmingham, tho founder of
these societies to be present, for the purpose of ex
plaining the principles on which they ate worked, and of
showing how admirably they had been found to answer
the end in view. There was also another object in view,
which, if sot annouaced beforehand, was understood by
many, and gave great additional interest to the meeting.
It is known that Mr. Bright has, since the close of lest
session, made a tour in Ireland, and those who know how
much consideration the hon. member has given to the ques-
tions arising out of the policy hitherto punned by the
British legislature towards that country, were naturally
anxious to learn how far his views might have been strength-
ened by all that fell under his observation during his recent
tour. _ _

The platform was crowded by members of the council of
the association, including some of the leading merchants,
manufacturers, and tradesmen of the town and neighbour-
hood, and alto a number of seats in front of the platform, in
the body of the ball, were occupied by the more respectable
portitn of the audience, whilst the extensive galleries of the
Free Trade Hall were appropriated to the nee of laths,.
Ono. Wusorr, Esq., presided, and entered the hall a little
alter half-put seven (the hour for which the meeting had
bean convened), accompanied by the members for Manchester
and soma other friends. Their appearance was the signal
for a loud burst of hearty cheering.
The chairman having opened the proceedings, Mr.
Sickle, the secretary, read the following report
The council have to report, that since the last meeting
6/ the association, which was held in May, they havv been
earnestly mimed in endeavouring to extend its basis, by an
active correspondence with the friends of financial and par-
liamentary reform is all ports of the kingdom, as well an by
the continued enrolment of new members. From the letters
which they receive daily, and from the other sources of in-
formation at their command, they are strongly impressed
with the conviction that there is a powerful and growing
feeling throughout the country in opposition to the waitehil
mismanagement of the national resources by the government,
and of increasing discontent at the too ready acquiescence in
that mismanagement by the legielat-ere. On this subject there
is also a wide spread desire for the diffusion of information •
nct only of that peculiar kind which exposes in detail, and
lays bare to the public view the extrevagant expenditure
and corrupt practices which characterise the various depart-
meats of the public service, but also of that kind of informa-
tion which shall mewed practical means both for getting rid
of abuses and of preventing their recorrence in future. On
the question of the necessity of fiaancial reform, the council
have found a singular unanimity pervading all clause of
political and social reformers, own in a great measure,
as they believe, to the labours and valuable publications cf
the Liverpool Financial Reform Association. But that se
sociation confines itself to the spreading of intimation on the
subject of financial abuses alone, leaving out of view one great
political evil—the want on the part of the t .xpayers of a mote
direct and Emplite control over the House of Commons. I
The council of this assiciation, acting in the spirit of
the resolutions passed et the meetings held on the
30th cf January and the let of February lost, have sought to
promote the attainment both of financial and psrliamentary
reform by the practical means pointed out in thou reselu-
from—namely, by watchful attention to the registration of
parliamentary electors in boroughs and counties, and by
promoting the increase of the hboral voters in the county
constituencies by means of the forty shillings freehold fran-
chise. In furtherance of these object., the council Lave
availed theuseeives of the services of Mr. Prentice, who has
visited upwards of forty cities and towns in England, Wide*,
and Scotland. Mr. I', entice hu made a brief report to the
council of his lab eau, and of the state of public feeliog in
the places he has visited,
As we have already reported the various meetings men-
tioned by Mr. Prentice we need not repeat this portion of his
elaborate and comprebe ',sive report. It went on to say that
" bubstautive rep: r s of the meetings appear( d in all the
places where newspapers nee published, and coptes of the
reports were in some places reprinted for distribution. In
the English towns the tracts of the Liverpool, and in Scotch
towns three of the Eliabergh Association were invariably

recommended se furcial.mg authentic proofs of the neres-4
of further parliamentary retorms; eserywh• re the forma-
tion of freehold land societies was recommended es ten excel-
lent means of amending the instrument by which other re-
forms w ere to be effected ; and everywhere di- re was a strong
inculcation of the duty of ell who might, by claiming to 'de
placed on the register, become voters in the boroughs, to eyed
themselves of the opp atuaity. In no rose Mae race w. s there
any opposition offered to the proceeding,; and although In
some places there had been disputes of a ',Mini ordure
am•ngst the liberals, and in others between marten and
men, every sneaker in favour of fin inlet r: form and more
complete control err the Rona of 1":`"'':lliis was most is
seemly received. The present agitation will he greatly
aided by other movements which have recently gain.d
&Gareth. The teachings of the Anti-corn law League, by
thow:rig the mutual dependence of nations, gave a gnat
impulse to the peace movement; and the penal societies, so
far as I could judge from conversation with many of their
members at the great Congress in Patin, regard the
financial movement as one in the same direction
as their own, inantuch as the lessening the smouct
of our enormous military and naval force would
remove a cause of much irritation end offence to other
power. I am bend to acknowledge that, during my pro-
gress, I have received valuable assistance nom the temper-
ance societies, which have gained much strength end in-
fluence within the last ten years; and I believe that they also
will forward the cause of financial and puliatnentery reform
in two ways. In the first place, there can now be no meet-
ing held in which tuere are not numbers of men sebo have
spent much time in reading and thought, and will, therefore,
gercise a beneficial influence in tee formation of send
opinion amongst the industrial Omar ; and in the second
place they are lookir g out for such investment of the savings,
derived from their practice of temperance, as shall yield them
a fair interest fur their money, and at the 810k0 time give
them the political influence to which their frugality, intius-
try, and intelligence, will entitle them.
(Signed) 't AliciernALD PRENTICE."
On the subject of registration, the communications that
have been received manifest a desire for the existence e f a
central c filtre, to which reference may constantly be ma-le ;
and the council have had many applications, from various
boroughs and counties, for advice and assistance, which to
the utmost of their ability they have cher dully rendered.
The more immediate attention of the council has been di-
rected to the transmission of information relating to distant
voters in all parts of the kingdom registered for other coon-
ties, and specially to the registration of this and the wigh•
bouring counties,- but as the revision for the present year is
not yet concluded, they are unable to give the results in the
present report. They can state, however, generally, and with
confidence, that they will be found to he highly satisfictory.
The attention of the council has also been directed to
the suhject of the increase of the county constituencies by
means of the forty-shilling freehold franchise. In June last
they appointed a committee to consider the propriety of
forming a freehold land society for Manchester on the prim
ciple of the one established by the working men of Bir•
mingham. The committee, after a cat ful consideration of
the whole subject, presented their report, strongly recom-
mending the formation of a lend society, and also prepared al
prospectus and a draft of a body ot rules for its management.
The council haying taken no further steps to carry out the
recommendation of the committee, as they were antacid, to
as how far the qualifications allotted by the Birming-
ham society would bear the test of the revision court. The
Taub of the revision is, that a number of the members who
hold paid up allotments have had their names placed upon
the register for North Warwickshire, notwithstanding the
opposition of the conservative agent, who had objected to
their right to vote. The council have felt that the prosperity
and usefulness of the proposed societywill very much depend
upon the soundness of the basis nn which it shall be esta-
blished, and they hops that the delay which has taken place
will have tended to serve this important end.
The meeting was then addro easel in an able speech by Mr.
MrEetra Gnaws, M.P., after which Mr. BRIGHT gave an
eloquent picture of the wrongs and miser'''. et of Ireland, in-
dignantly denying the slander that they were attributable
to the faith professed by the greatest portion of the Christian
world. He said the true cause of her distressed condition
was to be found in the plunder and crimes of her legislation.
The first act necessary as a remedy would be to give security
and compensation to tenants for the visible improvements
they might make. Mr. Might concluded a brilliant speech
omelet loud cheering.
Mr. TAYLOR and other gentlemen then a Idressed the
, meeting, which luted upwards of four bona, and was
attended by 5,000 persons.

THE SMITHFIELD NUISANCIL—This plague spot of
the metropolis wi:l not, we feel unwed, long disgrace the
first city of the world, for proof of its filth and its inefficiency
is daily being made pubte. On Monday there were wily
unpleseant scenes with the poor cattle, Over driven, ruining
into the shops of the tradesmen to their injury, and to the
danger of foot psseengers. Several of the I..rgeet salesmen
are " converted," and can see full well that they would
havilocrevatd accommodation and push a better trade at
Islington. One of them states that be is certain 'nine of the
cattle ws.old fetch 21. a head more at Isliegton than Smith-
deli. Again, therewere at market on Monday no less than
6,220 head of cattle, which is almost more than double the
number the market can accommodate, and of sheep there
were no less than 29,000 head. Even on the " pocket" side
of the question the corporation of London could rive
3,0001. a year by the removal of the market. The
cholera has left no but if we leave plague breeders each
this market dormant, there is no knowing what the stammer
of 1860 will see amongst us.
TM: LATE FIRE AT LONDON-WALL—RECOVERY
OF 30,0001. WOILTH or SALVAol.—Owing to the exertions
of Mr. Jacomb, who has had the superintendence of remov-
ing the salvage from the rains of Mesas. Gooch and Cou-
ains's premises, which were destroyed by fire a few week.
since, property of the value of 30,0001.1 ms been collected,
which will be divided amongst the of interested, so that
their losses will not be near so heavy as was at first believed.