The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-19 00:00:00

WEST LONDON REFORM ASSOCIATION.

Last evening a meeting of tb e inhabitants of Chelsea
and its vicini'y was held at the Wellesley Arms, Robert-
street, Chel<es, in support of the above anociation, the ob-
jects of which ate "household suffrage, triennial parliaments,
a m ire equitable distribution of taxation, a reduction of the
expenditure, a searching inquiry into the funds available for
charitable purposes, and the obtainment of parliamentary
representation for the wealthy and extensive district com-
prising Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington, and Hammer-mith,
numbering 120,000 souls and containing more than 25,000
houses."—The chair was taken by Frederick °ashen, Esq.,
who addressed the meeting on the subject of the new reform
movement. He expressed his regret that the chartists
should have adopted a system of tactics which must he pre-
, judicial to their cause, for by endeavouring to thwart the
middle classes in their efforts for reform they destroyed the
only chance they had of seeing at least some of those points
carried. (Hear, hear.) He was of opinion that the
working classes could obtain nothing without the aid
of the middle elapses, and that the latter would be
materially assisted in their movement by the co-operation
of the former. (Hear, hear.) A proposition would be
brought before the meeting that night for adding vote by
ballot to the other objects of the association. It might be
considered strange that a question so important in its nature
should base been omitted when the association was formed ;
but the meeting would recollect that at that time men's
minds were not made up on the subject of the ballot, and it
was thought best to promote principles in which all classes
of reformers agreed. (Hear.) He could mention an im-
portant fact to show the necessity for vote by ballot. There
was in that neighbourhood a row of houses, so: one of
which paid leis than 501. per year, the occupiers being,
therefore, entitled to vote for the county ; but the fact was,
that only two of them were en the register. He had asked
the others why they did not qualify, and the answer be re-
ceived was, that they were afraid of voting, for they must
inevitably offend some of their customers, and that they
must remain without the suffrage until they were protected
by the ballot. (Hear 't In Elloane.strset and restagen
place the number of houses was 290, the occupiers of only
93 of which were on the county register. There were in
that district between 600 and 700 voters, but he was certain
that, if the ballot were adopted, the numbers would be
doubled at the next registration.—Mr. Lockhart moved the
following resolution;
That this aatoci.tion is of opinion that the election of members to
serve in parliament should be taken by way of ballot, and therefore
adopts cote by ballot as one of its principles.
He said that a striking instance of the want of the ballot,
even in parochial matters was shown a few days ago in that
parish. The meeting well knew that those who voted for
Major Maclean as churchwarden in opposition to Mr. John
Horsley Palmer, the nominee of the Bishop of London, were
marked men. (Hear, hear, and cries of "We know it.")
Mr. Ireland, in seconding the resolution, said he was one
of those who had been threatened with rain because he
voted for Major Maclean.—lr. Kinnear end Mr. R. Chambers
supported the resolution.—Mr. Johnston said that he had
been oppressed ever since the last Middlesex election, when
he voted for Mr. O.borne, and that the magistrates residing
in Chelsea had withdrawn their support from him because
he took the liberal side—The resolution was then put by
the chairman and carried unanimously, after which the
meeting separated.