The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-26 00:00:00

GREAT REFORM MEETING

MANCHESTER.

A meeting was held at the Free Trade Hall, Man-
ehester, on Wednesday evening, which was admirably cal-
culated to give an impetus to what, after the indications
given by ministers, may be considered a new Reform Bill
for the coming session of parliament. It would he difficult
to estimate precisely how many people were present at the
meeting; the ball was originally constructed to held 10,000
people, and rather over that number have occasionally
been present, but some alterations in the building, of a
decorative character, have curtailed the space, besides
which scats had been placed on this occasion for ladies, and
, ' for the more distinguished portion of the audience.
Among the gentlemen on the platform were :—G.Wiesox,
Esq. (in the chair), Sir Joshua Walmsley, M.P., President
I of the Association; W. J. Fox, Esq., M.P., George Thomp-
son, Esq., M.P., Robert Kettle, Esq. 11. 11. Tindal Atkinson,
Esq., H. J. Sleek, Req., Robert Le Blond, Esq., members
of the Council ; J. C. Dyer, Esq., W. Benton, Esq., Henry
Rawson, Esq., E. H. Smith, Esq., Joseph Barratt, Esq.,
Newton-heath, Fox Turner, Esq., J. Duffield, Esq., Isaac
Watts, Esq , A. Brier, Esq., E. Ashworth, Esq., J. E.
I Royle, Esq., S. P. Robinson, Esq., J. Lees, Esq., F. Lees,
Eq., W. Morris, Esq., and Henry Morris, Esq.
_ .

Letters of apology for absence from the meeting were
read from Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P. ; Richard Cobden
Esq., M.P. ; T. M. Gibson, Esq., M.P. ; J. Bright,,
Esq., M.P. ; Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P. ; Thomas Wakley,
Esq., M.P.
Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY, who was loudly cheered,
said—Sir, our business this evening is not with individuals,
save so far as they are calculated to advance the work we
have in hand. But even on these grounds I may well con-
gratulate the friends of political progress on the fact of your
occupying the chair on this occasion, and on the prominent
position you arc taking in the great work of parliamentary
reform. Those who know you best have ever given yes
credit for the most liberal opinions, and no one will more
sincerely rejoice than I shall to see those talents which have
been so eminently suceessful in promoting the physical aro
forts of your fellow men exerted in the more ennobling o►
letta of elevating their social and political condition. la
you the cause will find a man who has not to learn that
high position has its duties at well as its privileges. gad
arc who to the prestige of success brings the emend bud
to contrive, and the ready hand to execute the week.
Friends and fellow countrymen, I am beyond expresaies
gratified and delighted by the spectacle which this vast hall
presents. It assures me that the errand on which we have
gorge, and the objects for which we are assembled, have
the approval and support of the trreet body of the producing
chores. It haslong been admitted that in no ether city of
the empire is it possible to congregate so large an amount
of wealth, talent, and effective energy for the attainment of
any great national object; and this meeting fuUy sustains
the character which Manchester mjuetly and proudly enioya.
That which most pleases me in its composition is, that I see
before me thousands of those who, by their indomitable I.
dustry and nnrivalliel manufacturing skill, have made we
country the workshop of the world, and an inspiring example
to surrounding nations. If, at this moment, the products of
all nations are gathered under a crystal dome in the metro-
polis of our empire, we have the satisfaction of knowing that
the machinery and textile fabrics of England, and especially
of this district, stand prominent and unrivalled. I am
happy to say that this is not exclusively a Manchester meet.
Mg. We are favounel by the presence of numemus Tepee.
sentetives from many of the great towns in the county, who,
I doubt not, will carry from this hall the pure dame of re-
form, and spread it in their various localities. The end
sought to be achieved by this meeting—which, we trust,
will be a model one, and the precursor of similar meetings
throughout the country,—the object, I say, of this great
gathering, is a high and patriotic one. It is—to restore
the just political rights of our disfnmehieed fellow-subjects.'
I speak advisedly when I my disfranchised, for se one
has correctly read the history of this country who doer stet
know that the constitutional rights of the people lam,
from age to age, been gradually circumscribed and our
tailed until the most intelligent and valuable portions of'!
the population ore destitute of the rights once
freely exercised by men inferior to themselves. Wit
are here to claim the rights of the constitution—the
rights of freemen—the abolition of a degrading political
serfdom. We are here to aid in the removal of the
badge of political proscription, and to restore to those
. who, equal in the eye of the common law of the land,
demand rights which their ancestors enjoyed. The mono-
poly of the elective franchise in a community like ours,
, by one-seventh part of the adult male population, is on
the face of it a monstrous injustice and a glaring usurpa-
tion. That it has been tolerated 1.0 long, leading as it has
done to the imposition of such unequal burdens, is a
proof of the patience and forbearance of the sufferers. Let
that patience and forbearance be rewarded by the same
art that thall annihilate the injustice, and make the House
of Commons in reality an sasembly of the commons of Eng-
land. as c are told by the greatest amongst the expounders
of our constitution, that the House of Commons should
be the emlwelirnent and expressioa of the eery mind and
will of the people. Yet it is a notorious fact, proved by
the arithmetic of the question, that a majority of that house
represent but one-seventh (gilds limited electoral body, and
hut one-fourteenth of the annual rateable realised property of
' the kingdom. Yet this is the socalleil House of Commons.
Does this state of thing.; agree with Blackstone, who says
that upon the true theory and genuine principles of English
liberty every member of the community, however poor,
should hare a vote in electing those deleeates to whose
charge in committed the disposal of his property, his liberty,
and his life. We are not here to quarrel with the theory of
our government, but to demand that it be practically carried
out. Our watchword should be the constitution, the whole
constitution, and nothing but the constitution. The save-
reign has her share, and we would not diminish it. The
second estate in the realm have theirs, and we do net swell
it. But the people have been denied theirs, and it is desk
right that we are met to demand, and, with your united aid.
to enforce. I speak as ono of yourselves, as one to whew le
denied that which I possess, but pewees by no elegant
constitutional prerogative—by no superior merit—by no
urgent necessity, but by the mere accident of houw
rent, money, or landed estate. I speak, I say, as one
of youreelves—m one not content selfishly to enjoy a
right, which bad men have made exclusive, bat wMdlt is
the constitutional laborites's of the humblest man called to
bear the burdens, maintain the pace, obey the laws, sad
fight the battles of Ilia ematry As ens et yearethes, sad
resolved, if you will mom' me as seek, to be a fellow
labourer with you, I seasesen you to the great work of
cleansing. reforming, and renewing your own hisses of par-
liament. You have ibe power to de thb; you mast have the
will. You must regal year gem= ensegies; you must
wisely apply those soorgtes ; s make the necessary
sacrifices ; and exhibit the anfea wklek to essential to vic-
tory. If you will permit me, I wallahs a glance at our posi-
tion and our prospects. Figheoss meals ago, I had the ho-
nour to stand on this Odium the lbeseNe but earnest advo-
cate of parliamentary reform, sad reakehererely do I conger
' tulate the friends of that great cause the progress which
bee been made daring the interveL I will not claim
credit kw myself; or for the asseciaties I ass permitted to
g for claim men Asa_ aloof* sad aessteata-
t:dyisliamaring ia the edit of dillonitiso asdribeemage-
meals to heal the diagonal's.* of rival parties, and to
union of effort fur a emu= and and national object.
Dearialleaible gametic* to IM principho on which the
gessialks was foseadei hen gassed sum to withdraw
ties Re ssppert, lbis earns /MOEN la its eke ester has was
my le it maks, sad implied essaisese I. the integrity
sad she erity elite body, If lam ad seaborised to MIT
that there is ea meths and ham feeling ea the subject. I
=
least,
joillled is elirmieg that Otero is an all but
reavistisa et it assessity, a carrespondiapi
belief that it mama hag he risiaerp/s r :
"
tsapectation that aserthar swiss of . i mot
psi without the intiadoeffea a ssemsehmeire
emesue of electoral reform. Yon are all aware
of ens nature and latent of that scheme of repseeenr
&a which the Matisse! Amesiation advocates—that it em
beam residealial isdlrese, eves by ballot, triennial parka.
meals, the more equal appoeffesment of members to po_pu-
taboo, and the abolition if the property qualification. This
plan of reform has the seastlea ef most of the radical atom-
isers of the Home et Ceemens. his bead apes the old
Saxon law of Mamma min soot sail let; it is la rubes
with the habits of Me pub • it meeld dueness the near
her of design taco too to four millions; it is oafs, me-
dad, wed aseelitedegal ; and it is the least measure of
mhos "bilk dm people &sold gelletita. If this scheme
be reasseable awl aseassey. these en eamiesthethis MU.
adieu of its pressisaldlity sad essomplishaseet. Amapa
the pounds for lope and amfidearse, 1 mby paint to
the spirit of gage Thigh his recently Mows itself
amosopt reformers; to tee mutual desire amongst mea of
=neepolitisid apish= to bid their special views,
W the seelieMisa el • sued lambed seas.
eau of usilmajoaei to the ~Mrs ,mope toes to,
agysVelepirentethesighisse the seasti.
is the pees% Tow, mil prosperity of
boxiowor. wear to be aseseeplahed : I
we le mail deeleoutive liberalism ee tam one
smi mielehtilleiledem ea the other. Our peeper*
liinowe, dmilirheposee. Thais hough to stiaseists, math to
sektate oar Moiled ulsietaref ihe omen has him-
ffirelored iataiisa to isheolooo a now measure of
and woe know lo mod gad a little war. He has
ss to infer thee his mums wit be based more upon the j
&meads and support of She paple than upon any precon. I
solved plan of hie own. He am-signified hi‘ willingness to I
abolish the peeped, gualifieatiss—o concession of no small
, importer's,. as it world num them invidious distinctions
which mho out elf • lest, sad leave the people
*we to elms, them whom tiny dam the most eligible to
Opposeent them. His silence ou the question of the ballet.
=with the historical fast that he proposed it to the
of 1834 *Mel the held thet ho will not ammo the
realisation of Met patios of the pope's scheme of reform.
Noe is it unimpmeat that the three principal law aliens
isf the ,sows lave meorded their opinions in favour of its
pain and aseemity. Another cabinet minister has Ind-
mud his wiiiiegaces to emend the demise busbies to the
male usepule of w
• tam& berm ma to tea *my Mom.
limb are she reedmissa whisk the higi edmiehlwalealmar
so he made es the peat queries at the day, mil we he