The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-17 00:00:00

MEETLNG AT OLDHAM.

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On Monday evening one of the largest and moat
crowded meetings ever held et Oldham took place in the
lownhall, called by the head constables upon a requisition
signed by upwards of 600 voters of the borough, for the pur-
pose of considering the propriety of giving their support to
the new reform movement with a view to a reductioa of ex-
penditure aid an equalisation of taxation, Mr. Clegg
presided.
Mr. RICHARD COOPER moved:
That this meeting hr of opinion that the public expenditure of this
country is much larger than Is consistent web public prosperity or
with goal government. It therefore cannot view that expenditure
rapidly and curimmtly increanlng, and the hunien of taxation becom-
ing more and more ippria ice and unequal, without feelings of ex-
treme alarm. And thin meeting believes there will be no well-grounded
hope of any efficient remede PO long as • great proportion of those
who pay the taxes are not directly represented in the commons bowie
of parliament.
Dlr. It. Ft LTOISIR seconded the motion, and it was car-
ried with only half a dozen dissentients.
Mr. J. Mutton moved the second resolution:
That thin meeting cordially njmniathisin with the movement now
being made In favour of hinewhold oufft age. vote by ballot, short par-
ihrnento, and equal electoral dl-Irian, and pledges itself to co-operate
fn nt curing these measures of pardamentery reform, so u means for
effecting retrenchment in thin expenditure of thin country, dna sworn-
pluthing the gull and final PUOOCIPS of thane fundamental principles of
twin-nal regeneration, namely, equality of repreerntation and taxa-
tion, which have veer been the object of the radical reformers in this
borough.
Mr. Jonas Swing seconded the motion.
Mr. ROBERT GIFFORD, of Royton, a chartist, moved en
amendment:
That thin meeting views with feelings of gratification the appeal-
=timid the middle cinema to Hume measures of national reform de-
-1 sired by the working chimes, yet us the suffrage to mix's inherent
right, without r property 0141fielll1011, thin meeting CPOOOt with con-
sistency join in any agitation short of the people's charter.
Mr. AMEROVE ICOOT expressed regret that this amend-
ment, had been interposed.
I Mr. ALKKAAIDEit. TAyboa and several of the speakers de-
preeated t. e amendment, and Mr. Hurst, at length, with-
drew his sanction from the amendment, observing that he
had learnt that it was a middle class meeting to sympathise
merely. with a movement originated elsewhere, and under
thou eircumstancis h.• thought they should not be opposed.
The chartists, amidst great uproar, got another seconder in
place of Mr. Hurst to their amendment, and it was put
by the chairman, who called on both sides to hold up
both hands. The result was that the chartists were
defeated.
Mr. W. WILDE moved the formation of a society, to be
called " The Borough of Oldham Reform Association."
Mr. J. CHADWICK seconded the motion, and it was sup-
ported by Mr.R.J.RlCllAunson,ot Manchester.
The motion was carried, and the chartists were so far re-
conciled at the close as to agree, with the exception of about
• dozen, in a vote of thanks to the chairman.