The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-30 00:00:00

AN ENGLISH OFFICER IN HUNGARY.

TO Tll.l EDITOR OP "TUB 1MPHP.0.9."
Sir,—Yon are wrong about Guyon—he is not
Irish, but Bautista. His father was a captain io the British
royal navy; his brother is still serving as a lieutenant, and
was lately first lieutenant of H.M.S. Sidon.
Yours truly, H. H.

CITY ELECTION.—Up to the time of our going to
press, the protectionists have been unable to get a candidate
to eater the lista in oppmition to Baron Rothschild. A
numerous deputation waited yesterday on Mr. George F.
Young, and endeavoured to persuade that gentleman to come
forward, but even that ardent and sanguine protectionist de-
clined the honour of leading so forlorn a hope as a contest for
the represeannion of the City under the circumstances of
this election. The deputation sub eqnently waited on Mr.
Bevan, and that gestlemsn also refused to become a candi-
date. The prevailing opinion in the City, even among the
proetoctioniets themselves, now is that a candidate cannot be
got, and If got, would halm no chino, whatever el sawed-
Ing.—Beeriang paper.

PROTECTIONIST MEETING IN SOMERSET-

&HIRE.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of the county
of &merest, convened by the high sheriff, George William
Blethwayte, Esq., woe held at Bridewater, on Thursday,
for the purpose of taking " into consideration the depressed
condition of the agriculturel interest, and to deliberate on
the best Maine to be adapted for its relief." The meeting
was originally announced for the Towa-hall, but, in conse-
quence of the anticipated largeness of the attendants, hust-
ings were subsequently erected in trent of the market place.
About had an hour before the chair was taken a strange
incident occurred. An individual dressed in a blouse and
strew hat, and " bearded like the pard," ascended the plat-
form and addressed the audience thus :—I will undertake
prove to this meeting that I am the true son of God.
(Oh.) I can remove the cause of all the suffering and dis-
ease in this world. I will remove the oppressive taxation of
• tyrant government. I will undertake to remove the
governments of alt counting. (" Bravo !" " That's a
brick !") I will elegege to supply you all with spiritual and
divine power, and no other man can do so. ("Hear," and a
voice, "You're • nice boy, you are !") I will engage to
secure to this and all other countries prosperity and happi-
ness. (Bravo! You're the bey to protect 'em!") I will
accept the office of president of this country—(taughter)—
and it l toil l it lose my head—
Here a policeman interpoied, and reminded the gentleman
that his widen' was foreign to the object of the meeting ;
upon which he pulled off his coat and waltooat, drew forth
areeral paper , and was about to read them; but at length
seeing that the assembly was indisposed to hear him, he de-
sisted.
From some cause, probably the slow rate at which the
farmers and the farmers' friends came in, the proceedings
did note issinense till nearly en hour after the time named
for taking the chair. At that period there were not more
than a thousand persons assembled. The numbers submv
quently increased, but at no time did the meeting comprise
more thou two thousand persons.
The HIGH SHERIFF having taken the chair, briefly in-
'reduced the businessof the meeting, and expressed a hope
that a fair bearing would be given to the various speakers.
Ids. HANCOCK. (stated to be • tenant farmer), came fur.
ward to propose:
That in consequence of the low price of wheat and other
grain end airrieultural produce, distress prevails amongst the
egricultural classes of this country; and such distress exceeds
to the artisans and mechanics, by reason of the inability of
the sgricultwists to c nsume their goods or afford them em-
ployment. That the existing distress is attributable mainly,
if not wholly, to recent acts of the legislature, which, by re.
ducirg the du'iee on foteign grain and other comma-
ditere, enable foreigners to undersell Englishmen in
their own markets, without taking the produce of British
labour in return. That the advantages now enjoyed by
foreigners are utterly inconsideut with the rights of Eogliee-
men and good government, and that petitions be forthwith
presented to her Man sty and both houses of parliament
praying that they will take the preening into their immediate
and most s. rictus consideration, and adopt such measures as
will not only relieve the present distress, but enure to the
agriculturists, artisans, and mechanics f this hitherto itou-
nshieg kingdom that preference in their own markets to
which they are justly entitled.
Mr. J ACOBS having seconded the resolution,
Mr. H. G AN DRE WS, of Rimpton, came forward to
propose the following rider to the resolution :
That the resolutions which have been proposed and se-
conded point to the reversal of the free trade policy to which
the great and incr. asing difficulties of the country are attri-
buted. Tb it the pet a nt governmen, and a msjority of the
House of Commons, have abewn their de termination to per-
severe in a course of legislation which is proving
destructive to the capital invested In agriculture, and other
imp 'runt sources of employment to native industry, sad
have shown no dispositim to afford any kind of relief to the
classes whose property is disappearing wider the operation
of their leeniation. That the constitutional means of re•
vereing the tree trade policy rests with the constituencies,
and that it is incumbent on the electoral bodies favourable to
protection to support their views by exercising the paella.
mentery "'tenth of the protectionist party. That the pro-
tectlentst . lectors of both divisions, and the protectionist
electors of the reverel boroughs within this county, do
therefore immediately form a commiree of five, or more,
from each constituency, for the purpose of arranging a
public meting in each, to memorialise such of their
member. as are supporters of free trade, and to form sopa-
me associations for the purpose of securing the recent of
protectionist represen'atives whenever opportunities' occur.
That the gentlemen and electors present, who are wiling to
assist in this movement, immediately on the dissolution of
this meeting by the high sheriff, do assemble at
the Clarence Hotel, there to nominate and organise a
county committee, appoiut • chairman and secretary,
and fix ea a day of meeting for such committee,
allowieg time for one month's notice of the day so fixed to
be given to each of the persons nominated. That
tee secretary of the county committee forward •
circular to influentii protectionist electors in aid of
the several ciestituencies within the county, informing
them teat the county committee, at its first meeting, will be
ready to receive deputations from each oecstitnency to con-
sult on the beet mode of proceeding."
Mr. ANDREWS said—lie confessed he was one of those
who thought the protectionists should now proceed to some-
thing wore than the mere war of words—(oh)--the time for
arcumeot and discussion had gone by. (" Cheers," " Oh,
oh," and contusion.) They must now be prepared to act—
to act on their own convictions founded on experience, sad
confirmed bj a trial which, as tar as it had pone, clearly showed
that free trade had produced nothing but private distress and
public emberrosament. (Hisses and confusion.) Had they
not ha i enough of free trade ? (" No, not half enough.")
Had they not had enough of Mr. Cobden ?—(cries of " No,
" Yes," cheers and counter cheers)—of the duplicity of Bir
Robert Peel ? Had they not hal enough of wbig inconsisteaey
and whig incompetency ? It they had they would need no
argument from him ; if they had not, nothing he could say
would change opinions perversely maintained in the faze of
the admitted ,fact that free trade hal produced distress to
almost every producing Man in this great empire.
(Cheers.)

Capt. ARVIN, in seconding the resolution, said he agreed
with Mr. Andrews, that now was the day for action. (A
voice, " Then lower the rents," and cheers.) They must
have deeds, and not words. (" Lower the rents.") They
must send to parliament men who would represent and de.
fend their interests—who would strengthen the protection
party—(groans)—a..d reverse the present policy of free trade.
(Groans and uproar.) That system not only prejudiced
agriculture, but cramped the commerce of that once rising
town. Somebody had asked, "Why not lessen the taxation,
of the country? (General cheers.) He wished from his
heart that they were less taxed, but there was the national
debt, they must maintain the public credit, and this was the
difficulty of lowering the taxation of the country.
Mr. LOVEBOND came f irward to propose as an amend-
ment, that a petition be sent to parliament, and was met
with cheers and opposition, which was repeated at intervals,
and led, in the coure of. hie address, to several
conflicts in the crowd, in consequence of Width the high
sheriff more than once threatened to dissolve the
meeting. Mr. Lovebond proceeded at considerable length
and with much earnestness, tocousider the general question,
and contended they were all interested in cheap govern-
ment. (Cheers) Lit them get rid of every job, and let
them ask teat all the recipients of the public money may
come down 26 per cent. There was no injustice in this :
prices were so much lower that they would be in the same'
place they were in years ago. (Cheers.) The tenant farmer
never was much interested in preserving the tax on corn'
which went into the landlords' pockets. He hoped that
the result of the meeting would show that new lights had
broken in upon the tenant farmers, and that they would be
humbugged by prateeti do no more. (Cheery.) Mr.
Lovebond concluded by propelling the following petition to
parliament :
"That your petitioners view with alarm and regret the great
distress which prevails among' the agricultural class of this
country ; that your petitioners are of opinion that such die-
trees can be greatly alleviated by a reduction and more equal
distribution of the general taxation of the country ; that the
maintenance of the poor and ether low burdens have of late
years increased in such en alarming degree that, if not
stayed, the rent of the land will be absorbed; that la carrying
out the principles of free trade all realised property of a per-
manent nsture, 'Jelling a fixed income, should contribute to
many of the burdens, particularly the maintenance of the
poor, now borne exclusively by the land ; and that, in the
opinion of your petitioners, a more extended system of too.
nosily and retrenchment in every department of the state
should be immediately effected."
Mr. J. BROWNE having seconded it,
Mr. W. MILES, M.P., next spoke. He said the benefit
of the lab iurer undoubtedly lay in having a large loaf at
a low price—that was if it was produced by home labour
(beisr)—but if produced by foreign labour he had no interest
in it, because he could net ears the money to buy it. Then
it was said—" Why did not the farmers pay more wages ? "
The eeaeon was they could not do so, and at the present de-
pressed prices they would not be able to pay even the
present low see,.
Sir A. HOOD, Bart , M.P., spoke in denunciation cf free
trade, which he said had revolutionised property, and con
fiscatid it at home and abroad.
Mr. PINNEY, M.P., satirised the proceedings of
the protectionists in taking the rival theatre to Covent-
garden, and went iota statements to show that the
present depression wu not wholly awed by free
trade.
Mr. STRANGEWAYS complained of the pressure of taxa-
tion en the land, and said it was unfair to burthen it with all
the poor rates, highway rates, county rata, eke. The time
was come when the people of England should speak out and
declare that taxation and the national expenditure must be
reduced. (Cheers.) There must be a sweeping reform in
that respect, without which the nation could not prosper.
After some farther remarks in explanation by Mr. PINNEY
and others,
The HWY SHERIFF put the amendment. The show of
hands was by many considered to be it its favour, but the
High Sheriff, who from his more elevated pos;tion could
probably see belt, decided otherwise, and the resolution of
Mr. Hanwell, with its rider, was declared as having passed.
A vote of thanks was then carried to the High Sheriff,
and the meeting separated.

THE "LADY ADA ALICE WYATTVILLE." —This
notorious character, who is but a few days liberated Atom
the county prison, has favoured Cheltenham once more
with s visit. She re commenced her system of giving
liberal orders to tradespeople, but, as we have heard, with
very :i tie success. She hu amnestied, however, in again
rendering herself amenable to the law. The police are on
her trail, and we expect to witness her speedy appearance
at the b►r of justice. Obtaining goods under false pretences
is the charge against her ladyship on this cnension.—Chekere.
ham Examiner.

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.
MEETING AT MANCHESTER.
A meeting of chartists, and other persons, in favour
of parliamentory reform, was held on Thursday evening, in
the Corn Exchange, Manchester. There were from 300 to
350 persons present when the bushing communed, but the
number increased subsequently to nearer a thousand. On
the motion of Mr. G. IL SMITE, Mr. Councillor Hz 111001)
was called to the chair.
Tie CHAIRMAN, after reading to the meeting a placard,
stating that the Mayor bad refused to call the meeting, raid
he did not suppose the meeting would be the worse for being
held there instead of at the Town Hall. The people of
Manchester had for a series of years been conversant with
the objects this meeting was assembled upon. The subj. et
had been brought before the people, not only of Manchester,
but of the whole wintry in every variety and shape.
Arguments of all sorts had been deduced. Petitions had
been adopted and had been forwarded to parliament from
all parts of the country; yet, notwithstanding the vast num-
ber of petitions which had been presented to parliament, no
alteration, except a alight one, had been made in the
Reform Bill since it was passed in 1832. This was not so
surprising, because they must bear in mind that great poli-
tical subjects took considerable time and discussion before
they acquired much hold of the public mind, and along time
was consume d before those who took them up could being
them prominently before the public in such a manner
as should lead to their finding favour. If the intelligence
of the people called for an extension of rights, then
be must say that the advance which intelligence had
made since that period, was far beyond anything which
had been previously known. There was one fact which
he could state upon his own knowledge connected with
Manchester, which bore upon this subject. In 1932 the total
number of weekly publications which came into Manchester
trom London did not exceed 8,000 or 10,000 copies. In*. pre-
sent year no less than 80,000 per week were sotto Maschwiler.
And those did not include any kind of religious magazines
or publications whatever. If the intelligence of 1832 was
any argument for reform, surely with this tenfold increase
there was much greater reason now for a change.
Mr. RUSHTON moved
•• That in the opinion of this meeting the grievous burdens
to which ti.e maws of the people of this country are sub.
ject, are in a great measure the result of clan lo gi,lstion; and
that there is no prospect of these burdens being removed, or
cf wise measures being adopted until the commons house of
parliament is made a retie: of the whole people."
He said they were met together to advocate no new mea-
sure, but one which they felt convinced, if they only bided
their time, trust yet be obtained. The day was het crewing
nigh when, it the government did not hearken to the views
of the people without, they would themselves bring sudden
and instantaneous destruction upon themselves by the it own
misgovernment. He denied that the reform of 1832 had
menet the main evils of the system, or made the people
happier; and he pointed to the starving state of Ireland,
and the extreregant exeeuditure which was practised by
the government.
Mr. STOREY seconded the resolution. He advised the
people not to petition parliament any longer ter an acknow-
ledgment of their rights ; that was vain and useless let
them become sober and well-informed, and they would, if
they used their knowledge aright, advance until every evil
was redressed. (Hear.)
Dr. J. WATTS supported the motion, and spoke more
particularly on its latter clause, showing, on several grounds,
that the House of Commons did not at present represent the
whole country. Assuming that one-third of the power of
government was surely not too much to put into the hands
of the people, even this assumption could not be maintained
pines a large portion of the c, unty constituencies, and a con-
siderable number of the boroughs, were in the hands of
the nobility and other rich and titled families ; and thus a
large mass of people could have ne power over their repro-
seatatives at all. The people had a considerable amount of
power in their own hands. As they increased in intelli-
gence, they would increase in economy ; and their opportu-
nities of getting a livelihood would be improved by educa-
tion, and the 101. franchise would not long exclude an edu-
cated man from a chart in the government of his country.
Education, therefore, was one means. The renunciation of
the habit of drinking was another; for, estimating the
money expended in liquor throughout the kingdom at fifty
mllione annually, this sum would be pretty nearly equal to
the whole amount of taxes levied. Alter noticing the Free-
hold Land Society es another important sit, Dr. Watts
concluded by cordially supporting tin resolution.
Mr. WILLIS amidst coasiderable interruption, moved an
amendment, to the effect that, se the evils of society Win
attributable to the non-performance of the various duties
incumbent upon its members, it was vain to ask for a reform
in the Howe of Commons, rue that house always wee,
and would he, just what the people tn.de it.—The amend-
ment not being seconded fell to the ground.—The Chairman,
having read a note of apology from Dr. Schofield, put Use
motion, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. GEORGE H. SMITH thec moved the adoption of a
lengthy petition to the Commons House of pathetical*,
praying for parliamentary reform. The petition embodied
the principles of the people's curter.
Mr. JOHNSON seconded the adoption of the petition; it
was supported by Mr. Cooper.
Mr. J. P. ROBERTS next addressed the meeting. He
thought that the mayor would not have demeaned his dig-
nity or honour, had he acceded to the request made to him
by the chartist council. The Town Hall could not, in hie
(Mr. Sobers's) opinion, be more legitimately or constitu-
tionally &persecuted than in accommodating such meet-
ings u the one then assembled, and it did seem an invidi-
ous exercise of power that a hall, built and paid for by
the working clams of the Sewn should be denied tq them
when asking to exercise a legitimate and constitutional
privilege, while it was grained for any purpose, however
insignificant, when it was asked by the classes said to be
above them. The mayor was a man who stood, from his
name, high in the estimation of Manchester. No name
ranked higher than that of Sir Thomas Potter, as a friend to
the working classes ; and he (the speaker) did trust that his
son might live to learn that his father's dearest honour and
highest pride was, that he was looked up to with reap et
and veneration by the working people of the town to which
he belonged.
The petition was then put to the meeting, and carried by
acclamation.
A proposition, to the effect that the petition be signed by
the chairman of tke meeting, and forwarded to J. Bright,
, M.P. and T. IL Gibson, E.g. M.P., was also carried,
ant: thanks bans voted to the chairman, the proceed
lags closed.