The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-16 00:00:00

THE REFORM MOVEMENT.

GREAT MEETING AT LEEDS.
Yerterday, at noon, a great meeting took place at 1
Leeds, in support of Mr. Ilitine's motion for an extension of ,
eb Moral reform. The assemblage was convened by the
Mayor. in pursuance of the following requisition, signed by ,
about 1,600 electors and other inhabitants of the borough
To the Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough of Leeds.—We, the I
undersigned, electors of the borough of Leeds, cannot longer remain
idle spectators of the stirring events which seem to be crowding upon the ,
attention of the nation. It is vain to disguise the fact that we arc on '
the eve of taking another great step in our progressive march of elee-
toral return,. The glaring COTTUIIIUM of the present limited constitu-
ency, the unequal distribution of electoral power, and the acknow.
lodged fitness of the people for the exercise of their right., imperatively I
demand the serious convidcration of all. When a thing his become
inevitable there is wisdom, if not even piety, In obeying as it were the
lichee. of providence, and performing our task, or tour duty, with
alacrity and eheerfulni . ; that a chance is necessary is evidenced by
the stagnation of our trade, the starving condition of our operatives, and
the 1 tut call of millions of our orderly and industrious fellow-
citizens for admission within the pate of our constitution. Excessive
agitation is ever highly detrimental to trade and commerce, and,
if lung continued, may paralyse, if not utterly destroy, them.
Prudence and the interests of all demand a speedy settlement of the
great questions that now agitate the country. Let none deceive them-
' serve: with the fallacious expectation that this agitation can be
stopped by aught abort of consummation. The moderate use and the
eenrailidation of OUT previous triumphs have prepared us for another
movement in our orderly march to rational freedom. Amidst the
crash of empires and the fall of thrones, the English nation, ever loyal
and peaceful, sublimely pursues its magnanimous count of political
amelioration; its reward ought and must be liberty. Let us, then,
add our voic, to the general cry for enfranchisement, retrenchment,
and economy. Let UN convince Lord John Ituthell, who (lectured in
his place in parliament, on uewlay night. May 23, that the middle
and working clause generally neither required universal nor house-
hold suffrage, that he is profoundly ignorant of the state of feeling
and opinion in this country. In order to ascertain toe opinion of the
people of Leeds on these great questions, and with a view to petition
the legislature to pass such laws a. will compose the miNds and sa-
tiety the reasonable expectations of the people, we humbly request
your worship to call a public meeting of the inhabit:Lite of this
borough.
The meeting took place in the large area of the coloured-
cloth hall, and at one period there could not have been
fewer than from 9,000 to 10,000 persons present.
The MAYOR said it was well known that there had been
lately held in the metropolis anti other places meetings, the
proceedings of which had contributed to inspire the peace-
able inhabitants of the country with feeliags of alarm. In
consequence of this some had gone so far as to ware and
counsel him about the propriety of convening a large meet-
ing in this borough at the present time. But he had not
hesitated for one moment to accede to the requisition which
had been presented to him. lie knew how to distinguish
between meetings which were held for tumultuous purposes
or for purposes of intimidation, and meetings which, like
the present, were held for definite and constitutional objects.
In looking over the requisition he had been much pleased
with the passage which declared that excessive agitation is
ever highly detrimental to trade and commerce, for there
could be no doubt that that was strictly true ; and he hoped,
as the resolution expressed it, that they would persevere in't heir
magnanimous course of amelioration without having to sub-
vert any institution. They did not want to pull down the
old house for the Bake of building up a new one. Already
the people of England were in possession of many of those
franchises and privileges which other nations were only now
' beginning to seek. They had only to follow in the leading-
strings of experience to enaWe them to enjoy loose privi-
I legea of which they had not yet got the full development.
Let them get that tint, thea they could gn oatonmething

further. His worship said he had come there to give the
magisterial sanction to the proceedings of the meeting, and
he hoped that every speaker would be heard fully and fairly.
The Rev. A. CiILIIIII4T said that the first resolution, which
he had the honour to propose, was ea follows :
That In the deliberate judgment of this meeting, the House of
Commons, as at present constituted, does not represent the opinion of
the entire population, amongst the evidences of a Inch are especially
prominent the exec... Use amount ot the national taxation, its unequal
and unjust pregame npon particular classes of the tax payers, and the
profuse appropriation of a large portion of It to purposes which the
majority of the nation disapprove of, and against which the public
voice has been loudly but ineffectuslie raised.
Mr. Joust Houses had much pleasure in seconding the
resolution.
The resolution was put by the mayor, end was adopted
unanimously.
Mr. PUNT said that before moving his resolution he
would read it as follows ;
Tout the alnvat total absence of sympathy betwixt the people and
the Commons I louse, combined with the unequal distribution of mem-
bers amongst the prevent electors, and the almost total exclusion of
the operative class tram the parliamentary franchise, has moult a .
deep anal wide-spread spirit of discontent through the community,
must injurious to the public peace and welfare, and which this meet-
ing believes can only be removed by such a reform of the lloave 01
Conimaneln will constitute it a faithful and mewl repri.seatation 01
the opinions and interests of all climes.
Mr. Plint said the present meeting was an attempt on
the part of the middle chines to unite with the working
classic ter a commove object, and he should rejoice if the
union was effected. Though in many of his views he went
further than it was propmed they should go at present, if he 1,
might allude to the next resolution, yet be was milling to go
with the present movement as far as they could promote
union between them.
Mi. T. Moticiaw said he cerdially seconded the resolution.
At present, 3.59,738 electors returned 413 members ; whilst
577,643 electors return only 155 Oscan"' ; but if there was •
redistriliwion of the franchise the latter number of electors
ought to return 378 members, and the former only 198 mem-
bers.

The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. D. GREEN moved the third resolution, which ran as
fellows :
That whilst thin meeting recognises the right of every man on-
tatuird by crime to the parliamentary franchise, it earnestly invites
the middle and operative classy to a cordial union In the effort to
obtain a reform in 'be House of Common,, on the bads of heusehokl
starrier (expressions of dineent), vote b) ballot, triennial intrliaments.
and such n redistribution of member* as will give a rote to every man
possessed of the household qualification, and will remedy the present
groodv unequal and anomalous state of the representation ; and that
whilst inviung the respective classes interested in such a reform to
the vigorous, earnest, aid persevering *kw of constitutional means,
this meeting would record its emphatic and unqualifted abhorrence of
all other means, and more espectaty the resort to physical loose, be-
lieving that any departure from the legitimate weapons of public
diecuoion and petition would not only retard the object aimed at and
most disastrously ai ct all facial interests but wuukl strike a fatal
brow at the very Muudation of order and government.
Referring to expressions of dissent irons that portion of the
resolution which referred to household suffrage, he said that
perhaps he was as democratic in his views as most of those
who wished for a larger suffrage ; but as a universal suf-
frage man he thought it was their duty to go fur the proposed
suffrage as the only means of constitutionally obtaining what
they wished. It was, in his opinio 1, the easiist way of
achieving their object. Ile did not say that that was the
extent of their rights; it was all that they could expect to
attain at present, and if they did not join the middle classes
they would not so readily acquire the larger franchise. Ile
argued in favour of this gradual change, because the attain-
ment of the larger suffrage at once would cause a der gerous
revulsion of feeling which might have a serious effect up it
trade ar.d the commerce of the ceuntry. The people roust
be won to the Rile( cacy of univie,al suffrage ' y argument
and peaceful means. In this view of the subject he had much
pleasure in moving the resolutions
Mr. MILLS seconded the resolution.
Mr. BROLiKE said the working classes would not be satisfied
with less than the chaster. This was an important meeting,
and it was now for the people of Leeds to say whether they
were for principle or expediency. tie hoped that atter this
meeting tie middle classes wougl put a ide their pi ejudiees
against the operative classes, and that henceforth they would
work harmoniously together. In this spirit he weal
st to the promoters of this meeting whether it would not
he well that they should be united in cuppott of a resolicior,
like this:
That this meeting rejoices to learn that the unjust system of I pis-
lotion complained of is about being brought before parliament for
drv-
mis'ion, for the purpose of alarm:Mc it; and, believing the [rancid,
to be the right of every man, begs to express its conviction that a vote
should lo) given to all men of 21 yearn of age, of sane mind and un-
tainted with crime.
lie suggested this for consideration ; he did not like to move
it by way of amendment, so as to create any appearance of
division.
Alter some conference between the partite,
Mr. FLINT said With regard to the effect of household
suffrage, he would observe that even in the borough of
Leeds household suffrage would give about 32.000 eicctcrs
instead of the present 6,000 and odd under the Reform Act.
heux!i he was himstlf a universal auffragisf, he would ask
whether that limited extension of the suffrage would not
give a most effective repress ntation to the working classes ?
Whether that was so or uot, he would ask whether it would
not give for one vote to the middle-class man two or three
to the operative classes; and in that case which would hove
the largest share ? The ri quisition for the present meeting
had been generally signed u, on the principle of household
suffrage he should not, therefore, take upon himself the
responsibility of acceding to Mr. Brooke's euggistion, but
must adhere to the resolution moved be Mr. Green.
Mr. BlohiKE said that he hail no wish to divide the meet-
, ing. lit was as anxious as Mr. I'iint or any other gentleman
to have a united vote, and he was sorry they had not de.
eided to adopt the very mild resolution he had suggested.
After what hid taken place he would not propose his reso-
lution as an amendment, but would allow it to he put to
those who pleased voting for it or against it at their pleasure,
but afterwards he would propose it as a substantive resolu•
Lion, substituting for the words which ho had inscribed as
qualifying the suffrage, the words adopting the vote by
Whit, and the other of the six points of the charter.
Mr. J. BAKKER, of Wortley, said he would vote for the
resolution before the meeting, though he was for universal
suffrage.
The MAYOR then put Mr. Green's resolution, and it was
carried by six to one.
Mr. Beooe then moved—
That this meeting having manifested its desire for a union of the ;
middl,nal working classes, for amending the present unjust !system
of legidation, deems it right to exprers its optima that no measure
short of the !ranch se to all men of full age, of sane mind, and un-
tainted with crime, together with vote by ballot, annual porlmments,
equal t leetoral dimriets, no property qualiticatom fur members, and
pity meat of no, mhers, will do justice to all classes of society.
Mr. J. BAHR EH briefly seconded the motion; and on its
being put from the chair, it was carried amidst loud applan-e
and clapping of hands, scarcely a score persons having held
up their hands against it.
Mr. WHITELEY next proposed a petition to the House of
Commons, ter ich concluded as follows:
Your petitioners therefore pray your honourable house to take into
its immediate consideration a reform of the reproantative system, on
the basin of household suffrage, vat? by ballot, triennial parliaments,
and such a redistribution of members as sill give a coke to every
man warming the household qualification, and will remedy the pre-
sent unequalled anomalous state of the representation, as the only
certain means of removing the discontent which exists, of harmonizing
the several e IV& 5, and laying a sure foundation fur the national sta-
bility and welfare.—And your petitioners will ever pray.
Mr. Alderman R. WILSON seconded the proposition, and
it was adopted.
Mr. D. Oriente then proposed a vote of thinks to the
mayor for his services in the chair, which were carried by
acclamation, and the meeting terminated shortly before
four o'clock.