The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-18 00:00:00

Mr. lit me then root and was received with Pool cheers. He
begged of the meeting to be as peaceshle and quiet as possi-
ble. as he had a gnat hoarseness, and amid nut make him-
self heart at a distance. He wee melee to speak after
Mr. Kriel, because he always held up Mr. Kydd and
other" of Inseam as entitle d not ocly to the franchise,
but to Bee right of sitting in parliament. Ho would ask
whether tie re was anymember re the Rorie of Commons
or the House of Peers who could have advoeseted so ably and
so eloqu utly the cause be represeoted an Mr. Kydd had
done. It was. not fair, then ;it was not jest, Coat each a man
should be debarred of his just right rot eery to vote but to
r. ',event. His hon. fined (Mr. Williams) had dated a few,
aud but a few, of the evils which had been entebed on the
country by class legislation, and be had pointed cut what
they ought to do to extricate the country from its present
sin uriumde situation. He agreed that the course nem-
standee was the proper one, namely, a c ballot union ernoopt
he coddle end working classes. They were all couvieced of
the existence of the evil. (Hear.) Every man of common
eerie would admit that the course which had been recom-
mended by Mr Kydd was precisely that which had Buggered
itself to many me cabers of the House of COITDOns. Ile had
shown that the into ro eta a to middle sail working climes
we re the ame,and that one could not suffer without the other
suffsriwg also. They must, teerefore, have a cordial union.
He was in that hall 16 years ago, when the la..t meeting in
favour of the Reform Bill took 'place. No MAD was more
straightforward and more devoted in that struggle then he
was. Many who were present now had grown up since
then, but there were many amongst them also who remem-
bered that the watchword which carrie I that measure was,
"The bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the hill." That
cry rallied reformers of all shades of politics, axed the great
measure of reform—for a great measure it was, considering
that they were then completely in the hands of the. aris-
tneracy—was carried. Ile held that the theory of the
British constitution was, that all should be represented.
But he was essentially a man of peace, and he would carry
out, by the principle of moral force, all the reforms which
were necessary for good government. They wanted nothing
rte than good government, and notbi, g more was
necessary for that, but that the interests of all
classes should be consulted. (Hear.) Well, with the
widish: classes now lodged the power virtually of sending
proper repo eettatives to parliament. If they peroormed
their duty as they ought to du, and as they were 'rood to
do, and if theta who were nut represented alio did their
duty, they would have the means of obtaining these further
reforms to which he looked as the meas.' of maintaining
public order and peace, and striving at a more jot to stem
of telethon. (Hear.) Durine the 16 yearn ho hid spoken
of he was a member of the House of Commons. Ile
anxiously watched the progress of events, and he could con-
scientiously say, that no member of the ; some was mere con-
servative than he was, fur he was desirous of removiug every
cause of disooatent, and of giving its lull value to the lehour
of the working man as well as to the accumulated capital of
the wealthy. He believed that much of the evil wioich
pressed on the working men arose from the taste le. fs'ntion
of byaoce yeah. (Hear.) Many of them must be aware of
the evil which they suffered from the corn law, He believed
that those laws were the principal stun of preventing the
working man from obtaining the proper reward us his la-
Wet; and, as soon as the!, returned to a eutural state of
things, he believed that the wothiog man wcuid Get a fair
return for his labour. S-ring that, in this freest copied, one
etas, was arrayed against the other with a vicar of keeping
theta down, be and others in the House of Commons united
fur the purpase of preventing a recurrence of such a State of
ewe, looking at the causes while produced it, they
Mend that it was the wont of the elective franchise.
(Cheers.) And when Mr. Kydd and oils TS Ilk' I tin were
considered unworthy of voting for a memh, rof parlia.nent,
be did f of wonder that discontent wee wide tom ad —ne was
not surprised that the working dames and the middle choice
a so should begin to consider why it was that men who were
wilting to work, to maintain themselves and their impaled
without having recourse to the workhe use, were not eb:e to
do so—he was net surprised at heariseg ref c iug men
say that something must be wrong wben there
were thousands riling in wealth while mildew" were
enduri g the extromeof pev.rty. He WAS one of throe who
attributed tlei. state of things to class legislation. He quite
timed with Mr. Kydd that it was by raisiug the moral in-
flueece lend status of the working men that they would pass
on to a totter state—that they would obtain good govern-
ment and allow no more drones to exist. It was wi is that
view that they met to consider by %hat means they could
eea, eably ~net cpietly, and vet eertiOnly, obtain them re-
forms which they emoted. lie would ask every mail who
heard him, whether he had a vote or net, to ask himself, on
considering the situation in which they were plated, what
were their duties towards each other ? At that moue nt, as
was truly rated by Mr. Willi oms, there were unitel in one
strong phalanx the higher orders of the country and all the
infinemoe that wealth and station and power conferred
againet what heconside red to be the just rights of the people.
I (Hear, heir.) He did not believe that the higher orders
were aware of the evils arising trem the present system, and
that it would be necessary to instruct and convince them.
Their plan would be to let the country kn ow what they
wanted, and on the 23rd of this month they would promul•
gate in the Howie of Commons what the country expected
and required. (Hear, hear.) The piers, ;hat great pro-
tector of all their interests, would diasemina-e their princi-
ple', their opinions, and their sentiments throughout the
land. But it was not in the Rouse et CtA11010:.6 that they
expected to succeed. It won in and by the enumry that they
must prevail They must have from the electors and non-
electors that support which wee necessary to ensere su ocent.
The public voice must be raised, MA when it was once heard
he hod no fear out they would obtain the changes they de-
sired. (Hear, hear.) Birminchem. M..netirster,Lem..er.r,
and Glasgow had already deelared themselves., sod other
place swere p eparing to join in the movement. Hu had no
doubt that that a nott meeting would demonstrate to those
who were deaf and blind to the state of public opir ion that
a taloa existed In this great community which would
shortly call with a voice of thundor for the admis-
sion of the people to their just rights and privileges.
To none was it of so much importance to maintain the public
peace as to the working man ; bersum the rich man, having
more than he wanted, suffered but little from violent
changes; whil-t the poor man, who supported himself from
day to day, felt immediately and intently their effects.
(Idea,. hear.) If the workina, men did their duty, they in
tue H ,use ot Commons would do theirs. They could not
exp. et a reduction of taxation, an equalisation of the public
burdens, it any (Sort to relieve the comunity lave, unless
a change was effected in the House of Commons. It was on
that around that he came forward to ask them to jells to-
gether. They had great difficulties to contend with. Those
who kept their rights from the people were in possession of
the citadel. Trey were the besieger., and their object w a
to effect a bleach by which they could obtain the rights they
were entitled to. They should then march tome' d in an
united body. (Heir, hear.) He had toren fur to irty.eight
year, in parliament, and he told them, as one who led
them on to victory before. thet prudence mud discretion were
great and important means of carrying conviction to the
minds of those who now kept. their ri, hts from them. His
opinion was:that every man ought to be represented. That
he declared twenty years ago. He thought that taxation
and re preeenta- inn should go [Nether, and such he be lo ved
to be the principle of the constitution. But if any indie idual
thought the words of the re solution too limited, let him
account fur it in this way, that they were anxious to emery
the it ohjo et by means of those who hot the power of doing
it. If the electors did their duty,
and it thewere sup-
ported by the unrepresented—and they ought to be, fur their
cause was one—(cheers)—he believed that in the next par-
liament--and nobody could say how soon that may I e—they
would obtain their just rights. He was amities that the
people snould not be asleep when the time came, and that
they should understand the principles on which they came
forward as leaders of the people. He wax motion, that all
should Ice represented, and that there shouts' lv no geed:da-
tion for members. He was a member for Scotland, where
the r'ght of electing as • burgess, and the riaht of being
elected, was the rime. He did nut think that the members
for Scotland were the wens. for having no propetty qualifier
I titan require 1 of them ; and he did not bee why the Ertel alt•
man and the Irishman should not po•StAS the mine right as
the Scotehrnan. He was anxious that all should enjoy their
felt! rights; but before all things they must be moiled.
Mutual torbearanee and reconeiloation were aleoluteiy
CA t—ary to enable them to carry their object. The aristocracy
were Isigued azainst them, rood they, the people, mud
have cordial union among themselves. They would
carry their point by conviction, and not by physical
force. (Hear, hear.) But they must tell the wealthy,
that if tint y wished TOl have their wealth in peace anti con-
tentment, they must deal justly towards nthste. (Cho: n.)
By the present system of vreang at elections home et and
well-disposed men were prevent. horn the trees sod un-
biassed exercise e f their judgment through fear of liejoring
their families. He would prevent the interference and in.
tonidation which produced teat state of 'hisses by the secret
ballot. (Cheers.) Upon that ground the exteesion if the
fruec' lee mast he built, and then the next important eon-
sideratiori—es they were all rem that short reroute made
good friends—wax the shortening the duration of parliament
to three aeon. (" No. one year.") He only ohjecte dto
one year teem e no ono could understand the business of
legislation in so short a time. (Hear, hear.) He had only
one more point to press upon the etteutioe of the House of
Commons and the coentry, namely, a morn equally dis-
tributed represeetation, sn that such anomalies e odd not
exit an having two members for a place like Harwich with
150 voters, ae d only the FBO2O number fur the Tower Ham-
lets with nearly 400,003. No men in the House of Commons
who refused to vote for a chimes in that rarct reedel be
honestly disposed, while those who should vote for it sere
the nil et nservativeo of the British cone ittp ion, by dime
llin
discontent end timely averting its consequences. (11 or.
Ile was anxious to hold out the hand of tellowehie
who were disposed to join him in Peeking for the four points
he hod referred to—(sties of tt Six," which gave rise to
some uproar) —and he called upon all these voters and non-
elect°, who laud hitherto held back to en-operate be obt en-
ing for the people a new charter to their liberties. (Loud
cheers.) The g ntlernut concluded by moving
That to secure the stability of the throne, puha. cmke..m I con-
tentment, the eonsiltutionalristita of the proole, ejoshaitial, of taxa-
tion, COnoolll3, of the pubic expanalittre, ja.t laws, and geed coo en-
moot, it is tothapenaablothat the elective traschhe kaotild be cut' ead
to all men woo are re,that rei se resident' fir a ;ignited time ; tlist the
donation of parliaments should not core al three arse.; that notes
.hould he taken br Laliot ; awl that there ebookl be a more equal
appoo donee, nt of roe:abet. to population.
Mr. Serjeant GAILLEE very briefly seconded the reeds-
lion. He denied that this was not a fit time for agitatieg
the general question of the people's rights. He thought it
the most fitting, for he could net but re collect that tee re-
volution of 1830 preceded the R. form Bill, and he hoped
that an extensiuu ef the suffnee would soon follow the revel-
:moon of 1848. (Cheers.) There was no doubt that the
two great parties in the state woul I combine to withhold
from the people their just rights. The people must the re-
hire depend open themselves. Re was aware that he was
addreesing many chartiets, to whom the middle el trees now
mod, concessions which he hoped would have the effect of
amalgamating both for the common good. The middle