The Express.
London, England, 1849-05-23 00:00:00

fear, hear.) I lust say that lorth whip and tubs are to
for it, and that it is in a great measure your own
baba You ge a little frightened by affairs that Nippon on
the toothiest under a very different state of things, and you
say that those armaments an very fine *legs and must
be utaintered. We are for estreselimeat sow, hew-
ers/ ; bet it is truly ridiculous to tee the petty
re read= eat that is going ea— disibughte unfortunate
oinks, with large families, perhaps, and "mil salaries—
catchiag the small tries, whilst the Urge spider, the bier
thane of tazatioe, were allowed to break through theologise.
(Cheers) " Hers," said they... we hen saved some thou-
sands by rrducing the clerks; ' but at the some time they
furbished up an a t of wiriest by which the permanent
Secretary of the Tremor", who before veered 2,0001. • year
wee now allowed to receive taw so, while they an eteP•
ping the hole at oast end. they an ealarging it at the other.
(Carers.) Bat I say, if they are Caere at all, they ought to
begin with the leads of depanments. (Load sheen.) We
ht tub:en cos siewrity by cutting them down, and sot ia-
with the pose ualertanate clerks (Renew ed chews.)
The di establistimentoosts upwards of 180,0001. a year.
But the week eta surely be dose for much lea. Now here's an
Mau. For upwards of a year we have had no asabanador
at Madrid, and kis salary wee 6,6001. a year, besides shams
for secretaries, residues. and so forth. Well, he chanced to
be a most wobble, sad excellent, aid clever man, quits
thrown away tier,. A cant quarrel happeaed, and he was
withdrawn. We have had no ambassador at Madrid
since w.d is it not notorious that our affairs
are 'getting on much better there, because there
b no breeference ; whilst at the sense time we are
aria; 6,6001. a year (Hen, hear.) Then let us
been and take a tea at the ambassador if we are sincere,
mid don't let them " take a pull at the EitcUques" (ae en
excellent friend of seise said the other day is the House of
Commons) any more. (Chem' end laughter.) If we are
sincere don't let us have Hingeless mat to republics; but
let Huggins take his tune, and I'll sumer for it that Bug-
gies, and Smith, and Jenkins will do the business equal y
well and 'enslave,. for—say 1,0001. a year. (Oreat
Wachter and cheers.) There is another *ohne: to which I
must refer—the HMO Guards and the Ordnance. You often
hear of half-pay butuants who have been in ail climes
Zrarg " half-irerown nut of bd. a day," being cut off the
od the Prime Minister saying, See what I
have done ; I have disbanded those men ; I have
taken off some of the dead weight '• " bat
at the same time shutting their eyes to the tact
that we have two most slangy, departments in this country
—the Horse Guards end the Ordeanee—c_ in redact-
ing the NOS linden, at the aces of 194,0001. • year. Why
not take a tura at those departments ? (Cheers.) Is Lord
Anherst's time he remind about 1,0001. •y ea as commander-
ie ; but the peseta trommarider-taclief receives uo less
than 8.7111. &yea besides the pagnialsee. To make up Ws
taxation. great spy:rale have hemmed' to our warlike propen-
sities, and we are always gives to uadoestand 'that we must
put on an imprints appearance • for, if we dent, somebody
is going to stuck ma. A very lever writer says, ta review-
ing the whole system of the Briar constitution, it occurs to
him that war is made to raise taxes, and not taus raised to
carry ea war. (Cheers.) Then you ate told, "Oh, but
you've got es lapin (and this is one of the constitutional
claptrap of the House of Commons, which beg taken the
place of the far-lamed British bon) on which the an never
sets." I have often wondered what that was to any work-
ing man, to the menfacturer, or the farmer. What is the
meaning of it t Depend upon it they all end in the same thing
—taxation. It is clear to me that you may go on botheriog
for financial reform for ever and
orgaain yourselves and reconstitute the House of Commons
how is this to be done ? It is very true, in the torougle
you have net got a chance, because to vote for a borough
member is MO mast have a hue worth 101. a year; mut
reside within 7 miles of the borough, must pay certain rata
and taxes; but there is another way, and I mak hellos%
in which it can be done in the aunties. Ail I said ray I
am astoaished, that When the Rehm Bill gaud the iii-
garchy of the day left the 40e. kaariMue unleneased. Bat if
I am astonished at the, I am still amen ansaishoi that it
has been made so little use of by the people-end deg while
you have agitators, some precisions', others non-;
they have not put their finger on the My pointrttad=
be made use of, and rescue that 40s. freehold franchise foes
the dust, where it had been 13 iag for centuri s. When
that 40e. franchise was graat‘d, I suppose money
was much more voluble than now, but the law
is still the same, and any number of men
aspiring freeholds worth 40s. a year, are entitled to vote
for the county. I hope some of you will get these freeholds,
sad I hope, when you do, you will give au the benefit of
your v.tes. (Cheers, and "We will.") Well, perhaps you
are sot aware that while you are letting this power slum-
ber, and are making • great fuss about the Chaados clear,
there is In the savings banks of this country upwards of
20,000,0001. of nosey. Why shruld not some of that
20,000,0001. he invested in the purchase of 40a. freeholds?
. Why the working men may Glob together • and if teens
of any field or tenement they broom pousied a is of th
value of MOM than 40s. a to each of them, they are
sassily @attend to be in th• register with the oldest
and the largest freeholder. (The km, gentleman was loudly
cheered ea mummer his seat.)
Mr. CLARKE mid this resolution plopped to units all
claims of reformers, and they would permit him to my that
if there were any clam of reformers interested in sash • re-
Wake it was that to which he belonged—the obartisia.
(Cheers.) He taw armed him many gentlemen of static*
mach more elevated than his own who had long thought that
the chartists were opposed to the real advance and true pro-
gress of reform. He trusted that those gentlemen whom be
now addressed would believe that that was not their object.
(Chun.) It appeared from the programme which had been
read that one ;Nat Ulu of the association was the drstrue-
It- • et elisa -41.4 upon them, tf they
were sincere is the expression of that desire' to put
an end to the property qualification. In Scotland
there was no property qualification ; yet tha. country was as
respectably represented as England herself, and if Boutin,
won Rt to go to Paris in the room a the Marquis of
man y,
Huggins was fit to go to parliament to represent
their views. (Hear, hear.) He could assure the meeting that
to persons were more anxious fur • hearty anion cf the
working and middle classes than that who had been stigma•
toed as chartists.
Mr. STUROE —A" a reformer who had arrived at a time
of life when he had thought he might fairly retire from poli-
tical life, he might be excused or having, until two or three
boars ago, knows tothiou of this meeting ; but being then
informed of what see about to take place, he thought he
should do well to come forward to speak a few words on
behalf of his working Mr nde—(cheers)—and to give them
also a kind word of advice. Ten years ego the demand for '
popular reform was associated with every Idiom, and the '
name of chartist was understood as meaning an advocate of
physical force. But they had seen since, that those who con-
demned chaniem on that ground, hod since resorted to phy-
sical force to put down pubic opinion. He had jired the
chartist—because being bruit • member ef a peace society,
and one who would not therefore commit himself with any
movement with which physical force wee under any
circumstances to form a part—it would show that the
charter and physical force were not the same
thing. It would be as re tumble to condemn
Christianity, because of the church establishment—(bar,
hear)—or because of the horrors of the inquisition, as to
condemn thus principles which asserted arid advocated the
right of every man to the possession of the franchise, be-
cause some of thou who proleced those principles were
favourable to physical force as the means of carrying them
cat. (Hear, hear.) He hoped this amendment, which was •
mere verbal oat, would not be peered, to break that unani-
mity which on such an occasion was so desirable.
(Hear.) It was strange that the governing powers did not
read the signs of the times. (Hear.) They might depend
upon it that the people of England would not long rentals
without their rights while they raw what was going on in
other countries—thear, Mary—but let the governing powers
only in to the people justice, and they need not tear od-
orant suffrage. (Cheers.)
Mr. PHILLIMORE sail he considered that if they
&and to put forward a sort of cant phrase to en-
able men to deceive the people, and members of par-
liameat to deceive their rani, units, that object would be
oersted by laying down the doctrine, " not men but mea-
sures." It was the mutual confidence of men working to-
gether for one common object that alone insured that
united exertion which was essential to soma. (Hear, hear.)
The plan now proposed would give the franchise to 3,712,676
of the people. That was taking it on the census of 1841,
but looking at the increase in the population since that tone
it might be reasonably concluded th 4 • much larger number
would be admitted if the plan succeeded. And if then
were those who would coronet* in that object would it
be matinees to reject their assistance because they would not
go for further objects, in which, under present circumstance,
they might nit think it right to concur ? (Hear, hear.) The
principle of universal suffrage was undeniable, but whether
It was practicable or eves advantageous, under the circum-
stances as they now existed, was the question.
The reeolution, as amended, was then put and carried un-
animously, amidst much cheering.
Mr. WILLIAMS (late M.P. for Coventry) moved—
. That, is the opinion of this meeting, the expenditure
of the seas is characterised by an extravagance the most re-
prehensible; that to sustain this reckless waste an enormous
amount of taxation is required, which, as now levied, presses
sat unequally open the dinerent sections of the commu-
nity ; that so large • proportion of the taxes is imposed
upon the necessaries of life, that no economy or self-denial
on the part of the poor man can enable him to escape hose
those her tens ; that the effects of each • ernes are not may
creel, arbitrary, end pernicious towards the isdostrions
elute, but are calculated to produce that wide spread de-
menalisation and those !levant crimes which are the off
spring of poverty and diaries ; u d that, therefore, the
whole framework of taxation should be so attend as to ad.
just its burdens to the respective means of those who are to
beer them."
Forcibly dr striptive as this resolution was, it conveyed but
a feeble idea of the gnat afdietions which were created by
this system of rearm aad enemies expenditure. The
whole system of tuition was framed so as throw the great
proportion of the harden on the industrious and productive
clams. The taxation of last year was 67,000.0001. e to which
were to he added 23,000,0001. for locoing', staking together
80,000,0001. st Are, taken mainly from the labour and in-
dustry of En.land. They were told that the IteMxin Bill
would lieu taxation, hut how bad that posies been kept ?
bread or a degrease, than had been an increase of not less
Mut Is the tunes of the country, and an in-
orosee4di.tteieLespeaMturo of est less than 7,000,0001. since
the last year of the exlettesee of the old bocoult-mongering
=t. (Hear.) The hem member for Middlesex (Mr.
had Maui teems &cries inedaded in the mieral-
lasmem salthaserm has them was samba dam of eitardes
whit shosid set ges meastised—those ea the seaselidated
had. These abuses were almost wholly for the tof
peasisee and salaries. (Criss of "Shame.") Its7riktalest
• ' el he unformed parliament those items amounted to
they atne etoed at 7,000,0004. The object

thesf increase being to support an additional nom
her of pens onus and plammen. Bat this was sot all
that had occurred since the passing cf the Reform Bill:
40,000.0001. had been added to the national debt—C. hear"
and " shame ")—and so lees than 11,000,0001. of this hiatus
bad essomed t
daring. the short three years that the refonnner
Lend I. Knoell, bed been at the head of the governor
sad eries of " tarn him oat ")—this too, be it
remembersd, after thirty-three years of profound peace.
Whet was the result of this ?—that the industry, not only of
easeshoss, bat of our children's children for generations to
MI" wmortgaged to pay • debt so contracted. (Chime )
Kew let them look to the mode in which this eiaisiNme
meant of taxation was levied—the manner is whit& Ihp
pest weight of the burden was thrown on the Wilk ash
washing closes. The great proportion of the tress use
raised on the necessaries of life. Some, it was nue, were
levied on the luxuries which were centiumod by the rich
hot let tit m oocsider how different wee the rulev
of taxation when it cuss to bear open the arti-
cles consumed by the poor, as comparedwith those
articles which come into the consumption of the wealthy.
He would take tea in the first instance—an article of cans-
sal consumption—alnunt now • necessary of life. The tea
worth Bd. a posed, bore preMsrly the same tea per
as that which was worth 4s. or 2s. 21d. (rerl
Take another nectessu7--sup. The commonest soap at
41d. a lb., which was used by the leboorer's wife, paid
the same tax as that whisk was used by the countess and
cost 2s. ed. • lb. Theo take the beverages of the diffuser*
classes. The tax on beer was just double the original cost,
or cont. per ant. What was the tax on champagne and
claret? Just 15 per out. (Hear, hear.) So that in all
cases the poor man paid seven thus as much duty per
coot. as the rich ma*. Hear, hear," and "shame.")
When Sis Robert Peal peopteek the Meuse tax is
the year 1842, he mid, Ise cedar to opuses the mu*
of the leaded gantry, who were in open Mollies
against hiss, " I eon give you the most uncle-
sive proofs that yes bus arrived at the limits
of taxation on the articles of unsumptioa of the in-
dustrious classes." (Hear, hear.) Now, • mat of See mph.
city of Sir Robert Peel knew as well as say mem bee he
could extract the last shilling from the worldeadeues Mae
statement was disputed. Sir Robert Peel Wimilml Ite ani
in this way : He said they had three years haw pat an
ditional five par cont. on the amiss and eseleme, tehleh
should have realised 1,800 -stWrind Weed pesdneed
showing that the writhing 111111 SOW gip 110•11071211g1
added that he could den Meg more pea at MIN to-
suit if necessary. (Hear.) What were the ommegusemeap
this system ? Trade was falling, and a social des
was foiag as aimed them whose lalmir and skill prodhemi
all the luxuries these taxers enjoyed. (Hear, hear.) The
condition of the middle classes was deteriorating, and the
working classes were deteriorating also. (Hear.) Last
year, 3,500,000 received relief in tee United Kingdom, sad
in England and Wales 100,000 were lent to primes for
crimes of various degrees. What chance they hal of ob-
taining Worm frees the present House of Commune, mien
under the pressure of such a society as this, might be
gathered from the fact that only 84 members could be get to
vote for Mr. Cobden's mottos for the gradual reehaseft of
our expenditure, until it was brought down to the
of 1835 ; and only 40 for Mr. Hums's proposition r red,
in a very Beall degree, our standing army. (Shown) Tho
reform this association sought was neither neon nor leas
than that whisk Lord John Russell promised when he In-
Massed the Reform Bill. (Hear, hear.) On that occasion
his lords=
I mopes fhb that the pespio disll semi to the Comm
How of Oak real to hillorate antis*
Wit
to emit ea their to mentar their grieves% to
tell this pareleinp of the to lso tho trumhitm tor
wilatary dismoss late witislat owslts et the peep* ant
thither* eta not be pwassa he tho lama al Maness to men rowed
hum their shemems at 13 AWE st sight to tows hr what they lame
net
(Groat laughter and Awe.) Now, be hoped when Lord
John Russel taw the report of the meeting in th22llio
press, that he would loss no time in Beading a au
to qualify hies a member of the emaciation. (Loud 17;ruFeil
They wanted no more than that, and with less they
not be content. (Loud cheers )
Mr. SAMUEL MORLEY said, as one belonging to the
middle clue's, he was glad in having an opportunity of
identifying himself with that movement, which he believed
had much to do with the happiness of a g mass of the
working people. (Cheers.) He felt glad that he had
an opportunity of giving his most hearty adhesion to this
movement, and endeavouring to prevail upon every one to
give their support to it. (Cheers.) He believed that if the
association pursued its course with rigour and energy all the
electors for the counties of England would be secured to it,
and afford them great aid in carrying out their great object.
The speaker concluded by alluding to the Metropolitan Home
and Coun.its Freehold Land Society, established in con-
melon with this associatioo, under the presidency of Sir
Joshua Waltneley, and Galled upon every reformer, what-
ever his means might be, to avail himself of the great advan-
tages which it offered, (Cheers.)
Dr. LONOSTAFF sald,it was of importance to everybody
that all axes should be laid fair and above board,!so that every
one should knew at ones what it was he was paying. Let
him give them an example of the way in which tie customs
operated. He went a short time since to purchase a ease of
tea, and he was told that it was le 4d. per lb. That he
thought was not dear; arid he was not surprised, be-
cause he was acquainted with the feet when he was
afterwards celled upon for 21. 2d. duty and 5 per cent. But
he put it to the meeting whether, after going to purchase
their tea and paying their shilling a pound, they were
stopped on their way out, and 2s. 2d. duty and 5 per cent.
were demanded fur the " exigencies of the state, ' such a
monstrous imposition w -told be submitted to for • day?
(Cheers.) So much for the customs. Precisely the same
thin; occurred with Nerd to the excise, enhancing the price
of articles and intorceruag with the operZtra of mean-
fecares, and it was high time that tho. system was changed
How was that change to be brought about ? Why, in this
simple manner, by securiog • change in the parliamentary
representation, and he had therefore great pleasure in sup-
porting this association. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. L. BEYWORTH, M.P. member of the Liverpool
National Confederation for Direct Taxation, supported the
revelation. He said it was very strange, alter all the expo.
rience this country had had in the management of its final
system, that there never was more ignonnee displayed *
soy nation in raising the revenue of the country, for it took
money for the government in such a way as must impoverish
item person in the conantry. He did not say that our legit
laws had adopted that system on purpose, for he believed
that they had done it accidentally, They began by imp /slog ,
the customs duty upon a few art, and found the money
raised so easily, that they persevered in the same
course, and now no less than 36.000,0001. annually
was collected from the people in that fashion (Shame.)
At present that sum was extracted from tho pockets of the
poor man, and, of course, he was therefore obliged to con-
sume less of the irides of consumption, so reducing the
productive powers of the country. By the system
of direct taxation every man would be taxed, and taxed
in such a way that no one could deny it. Every one
then would be entitled to a voice in parliament, or those
who interfered to prevent them and yet Appropriated their
money, would fairly be called "thieves" on the principle
that a pence was a thief who, without your consent, robbed
you of your money. (Cheers.) In conclusion, he would
say, that if there were an universal expression of opinion
among the men of England for universal suffrage, it must in-
evitably be conceded to them. Let them put theirshoulders
to the wheel; let them think of these Wogs maturely, and
he was sure that they would work out effectually their own
salvation. (Cheers )
The resolution wee then put and carried unanimously,
with great cheering.
Mr. D. W. WIRE proposed the third and last resolu-
tion :
" That in the opinion of this meeting the Commons'
Hoare of Parliament, as at present constitu.eil, represents
neither the population, the property, tor the industry of the
country ; that the election of its members has in numerous
Muteness been the result of bribery and corruption, coercion
and intimidation ; that the electoral distributions present the
monstrous ampaaly of • few hoadred voters in tome districts
returning as many members as funeral thousand constituents
in other districts; that the Reform Act has totally failed to
realms the expectations of the country or to harmonise with
the spirit of the age; and that therefore a large extension of
the franchise, • complete independence in its exercise by
means of the ballot, a more equal apportionment of repre-
sentatives to population, and the limitation of parliament to
three years, become not only measures of oommoa justice,
but also of prudence and safety."
(Great cheering interspersed generally throughout the re-
solution.) That cheer, he thought, would do instead of a
speech. (Cries of " No, no.") The resolution recom-
mended itself. It asserted • fact, it deduced a
conesquence, and it pointed to a remedy. (Cheers.)
Lit them reform their parliament—(cheers)—ellend their
saber, equalise their electoral districts, and they would
atoll get financial reform. (Cheers.) He was glad to see
that the people were now beginning to be alive to the fact
that direct taxation was better than indirect taxation.
Mr. REYNOLDS next depressed the meeting. He
maintained that every individual who performed the de-
fies and bare the burdens of a citizen had a right to
be represeated in the House of Commons. It seas said
that property was the real qualification; and the aris-
tecracy—and there was no more despicable aristocracy
than that which they hid in England, half of them having
obtained their landed poosesaions by spoliation, being de-
scended from the Normans, and the other half by the
prostitution of their ancestors in the time of Charles ll.
said that no man ought to have a ewe unless he ha 1 a
,take in the country. Nnw he theught that ala
man who bad • salary of 13s. or 14s. • week had irt:°=
stake in the country as the Duke of Sutherland, mho
had an income of 200,0001. or 300,0001 • year ; breams
if the Duke of Sutherland beams di-satistied with the
country he could go and live abroad, but it was not so with
the mechanic and labourer: he was chained to the spot.
Therefore he had the greatest stake in the country. Every.
thing proved the venality which existed in the governing
powers. Upwards of a million and a half had been spent at
the last general 'levies, and amongst those who einculated
in boroughs were some of the most clever and cautious capi-
talists in England. Why was this? Because they knew
that the money so invested was returned cent. per cent. in
the provision which this political power enabled to make for
sone and other dependents.
Another person in the body of the meeting strayed to
'peek to the revolution, but
The CHAIRMAN stated that the arrangements the had
en'ered into with the proprietors of the room, thcompelled
them to ekes the meeting at five o'clock, which hour had now
arrived. He regretted that the gentleman who had last &t-
-rimmed them should have used the word " infamous " in re-
ference to the aristocracy. (Hoer, hear.) For himself, he
would be no party in applying the term " infamous" either
to the productive, the middle, or the upper classes. (Hear.)
The motion was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. PROUT then moved • veto of thanks to the president,
Sir J. Walamlsy, for his impartial madam ia the chair, and,