The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-28 00:00:00

CHURCH OF ENGLAND TRAINING SCHOOLS

AT CHELTENHAM.
A public meeting, in behalf of the New Training
Schools at Cheltenham, was held on Thursday last, at the
town-hall in that town, which was crowded by a highly re-
spectable and numerous auditory. Henry Rayne, Esq.,
having taken the chair, the Rev. F. Close addressed the
meeting at great length. He expressed himself in favour of
government inspection, and stated that the friends of the
school had succeeded in obtaining promises to the amount of
6,0001. towards the building, and they would be obliged to
obtain 2,0001. or 3,0001. more before next June, or the go-
vernment would not advance the 3,0001. which they bad pro.
mimed. Mr. Close concluded by moving the following reso-
lution :
`• That this meeting has heard with deep interest the
details of the plans and prospects of the Church of England
Training School established in this town, cordially concurs
with the design, and pledges itself to promote its complete
accomplishment by all desirable means, in dependence on
the blessings of that (Sod whose special providence appears,
iinngs. • remarkable manner, to have watched over its proceed-
Twomas BODLEY, Esq., seconded the motion, which was
adopted unanimously.
The Doxology was then sung, and the meeting was de-
clared to be dissolved, the proceeding, having lasted three
hours. A meeting of the life-governors was afterwards
held, with closed doors.

FREE TRADE BANQUET AT
MANCHESTER.

BY EXPRESS.

(From the Daily News.)
A great free-trade demonstration took place lut
evening, at the Free-trade Hall, Manchester, " to celebrate
thp return to parliament of those distinguished advocates of
recdnenercial freedom who have been members of the National
Anti-Corn-law Lesgue," and a large and most brilliant as-
sembly was drawn together on the occasion. Upwards of
2,500 ladies and gentlemen were present.
Ate few minutes put seven o'clock the chairman, George
Wilson, Esq., entered the Hall, accompanied by the tir;-
ciptl guests, among whom were Richard Cobden,
M.P., the Right Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson, M. ~
Thos. Thornely, Esq., M.P., J. P. Pilkington, Req., hI.P.,
Wm. Bereft, Esq. M.P., John Dixon Esq., M.P., B. A.
Thickuesse, Eaq., .M.P., Jetta }fright:Esq., bf.P., Dr. %w-
-ring, M.P., M. Wilson, BK, M.P., J. B. Smith, Req.,
M.P., Col. T. P. Thompson, FA., M.P., James Kershaw,
Req. M.P., J. Brotherton, Esq., M.P., G. Thom 7, Esq.,
M.P..,!J. Williams, Esq., M.P.. R.Gardner, Esq. .P., and
the Mayors of Manchester and of Ashton, besides many
gentlemen who took a distinguished part in the agitation of
the corn-laws. These gentlemen were received with pro-
longed cheering. William Brown, Esq., M.P.' Alexander
Henry, Esq., H.P., James Heywood, Esq., and J. A.
Roebuck, Esq., were expected to be present soon after ten
o'clock, which was after our express had left.
The CHAIRMAN—Ladies and gentlemen, In rising before
this vast amiably, I cannot refrain from expressing my re-
gret that the committee had not chosen some other and more
fitting person to occupy the position which they have
called upon me to take this evening. (No, no.) I
trust, however, to your kind indulgence for support.
Gentlemen, the chief object of this meeting is, uyou
are all aware to celebrate the return to parliament of
those gentlemen: who have brought this great seta.
tion to a successful termination by the Anti-Corn-Law
League (cheers), and I think no one who reflects for
one moment upon the character and composition of
this audience can say that it is unworthy of them, am
they are most worthy of it. (Cheers.) In the first plops,
this is not merely a local meeting. I see gentlemen upon
the platform honourably known is their respectiee lambdas
for services rendered t their fellow-con trymen whose

names will be found in the list of vice-presidaita (Hear.)
It is not a movement due only to one man; we do
not meet here to celebrate a victory obtained by one
constituency, but by • number of constitheedee—
not to record a triumph, carried to a seseessful
issue, in a small pocket boroath—bat to record the triumph
obtained by the people of England—one unexampled in
the history of any previous election. Gentlemen, these
has not been an election more remarkable in the mere
selection of candidates. Why, we have been told that all the
forms and usages of election have been set at de-
fiance in the return of many of the chief candidates.
My answer to that is this, that if all the
established customs were made absolute, no earthly
objection can be advaaoed to ear improving them at
the first opportunity, so far as we are concerned, if they
are bad. Then it has been said, " Did any person ever
hear of anything so discreditable as that two ennmercial
representatives should be chosen to represent a county ? "
Why I have looked through the Reform Bill, from the title.
page to the printer's name at the end, and I have never seen
any clause which said that any person whom the people chose to
return should not be their representative. I see nothing in
the Reform Bill which says that we must have agricultural
representatives. We take them as we find them ; and they
are placed in that position because the people like them.
(Applause.) Well, then, it is said you have selected
men whose great-grandfathers were
(Laughter.) It is quite possible such has been the
ease—l dare say that it is so. The men who
have been so honoured b their fellow-countrymen may not
have been dis•ngahhefl by their birth—that is quite pos-
sible—they may ass have bean monsated by a long lineage
with the aristocratic Oaf of representatives of this country.
It is very likely that they are not connected with those
families from whom ee.didates have been usually selected.
But it is a poor GOmpessilion for a coustitheney to found
their claims for rstaming a representative, on his being
connected with ems peat family in this country. (Hear,
hem.) It is se mespensation to Immr that one man, or any
one reprammativit, rate his qualification upon the
culture of manisi-eatnel nod turnips—(laughter)—for
many iweYsas The men the have made choice of rest
sum=zsat ups Vika, for their qualification.
a?1:18. lowa bean sub that the wisest and
beet this very seh eseiney Wes led when the names of
than man have Won menthes' belies than. (Hrar,hasorrl
Saw love bon alwas, ties bee. anesber• forseu
mad W basun d Irk hog and kithfal see,
lieu* ileselke Rim Iseasel. (Cheers.)
Thom ma aitan ribs have been sakerael beano