The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-08 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 8, 1849.

• spinet Ile etas ing companies, but trusted that 70
Mises, ot L nd.tn wuulfl hesitate helot.. they took upon
miesselets ue responsibility of coo.flicating the property in
"ka, so imp an amount of capital as 600,0004. had been
io-70-md. (Oh, oh.) Ile trusted that the coasmiuion would
sot decode so intncuts and important a quevtion wilt out
Wne, to a said committee. (N no) He t',erefore
proposed that " the question be et ferred beet select eons
mato a Are, to fißCOilie aud report on the means by
whisk the ei mew of London might be suppll3l with gas at
M. Ma 1,000."
fir. Depuoy.LOTT secondtd the motion, taking owasbn
maaimadeir.ia strong tenw on Mr Pearsoo's observations.
ga trusted that the court would not deride on so important
&ration without full investiest on
ot. suppteted Mr. Harrison's motion, and
• at
that flu wart would not low further time, but pro.
mad at oatw to a division. ..he hardly en. anted y weuld
wig rut ow coming from each numerous boat,. of rate-
rya', pr.... Wing so large a proportion of the property of
she Cite of Landes.
r BLAKE followed on the same side. lie denied that
Me steams et the new esompany would Ito eontiwation to the
Mr. C II.11)Wleli said that the new company would not
luof ,t, onsinal outlay or the old, arta, therefore, half
the prier w-ol i give an squat dividend. in his opinion no
papery tv. r cause forward under Brewer advantages than
• Ctstrio Company. H. thlught that the introduct:ou tot
moMe Who would be a_great boon to the City of London.
Aidas, LAWKENCM questioned the forewent:la of
mo we cusp tny's estimates. He btlieeed that in the quer.
Imelpse Slide the espouse would he at least 20,04.91.,
maga 6,04101., the wow mentioned to the tstimate.
Br. Monty BRI was auzious th it the new mou-
rn, aluseld be called on to guaranis. as low a rate far the
imose Lefts as they ware now pnytag—atalfilely, 41. do 1,000,
mmr ti.y obtained the oijeet of to AT pvtitien. Another
woken was, whether they would be prepared tog. into the
game ores and alleys as en lo as the main streets. lie
vote for the select committee.
Attar away tarther dissuasion, the commisaien divided.
/a Mr ilartimes motion

Agaicst it ll

]tafai•y 24
The atnoostmest of the niovabm wag received with
oodioooo efonsiog, and oriel of Pow mole for aeer.••—
no wart miasmal at 6 ...dick.

DEMONSTRATION TO W. J. FOX,
ESQ., 31. P. FOR OLDHAM.

MAXCHEataII, Dec. 7.
The demonstration got up by the electors of Old•
bient. last or -ring, in honour of thee iiheral raprenntative,
Kr W. J. Fox. Was a more brilliant affair even than hod
been aeleipated. TLe applications to the committee fur
gemau ecru so anmaTons that it was found the large
Baselky-roon is the Town-hall would not afford amnia-
lined a for so natty gas's to the tee-party, and with the
rim cf gratityiag the greatest ;visible number of H. . Fox's
Mends, roe lecturnroom of the Hell of Science wet engaged
k te.ditio• to the Town-hall. but even this previa-is did
net mutt the requirements of all the epplie tots' and it was
kneed necessity as a hat expedient to have three
removes at the Town-hail, three parties sitting duwu
Y sueeession to partake of the entertaiumeet,
nil at the conclusion the whole of the snylous comps
fen re-essembling is the Working Men's ball to listen to
the address of the honourable member, end to the qt. miles
also of tl.e guests who bad beei. invited tonged him. When
the wh. I- company assembled together there &petered to be
from 2WO to 2,600 persons presee.t, and when the boo.
member enured the hall his reception was nest enthuses ic,
the nameny yi-Sag repeatedly to she. r him.
JOHN Pae.ITT, E•q., of Oldham, presiete4, and
opened the proceedings by saying he cud not forget
the treatment their honourable member incised on
the occheii•n of his election, and therefore the slateat
ushered teeing of approbr ion with which the elet-
Ises had received him on the present occasion was a since of
deep gratificetiou ear himself ast well as to Mr. Fox. (Coeen.)
It was a W.W.I, that the honourable gentleman 'e paella-
fleentery es•nduct since he had bee me the representative of
Oldham hail given the most complete Wideman, u d tt was
no Hetet ry to Me, Fox to soy that he was cue of 'he a lest
an moat enlightened politicians of the day, and that his
return ice this borough r• Ii ChM the high. st honour upon
Oldham. (Cheers.)
Mr. FOX then came forward, and was received with
shouts of applemee, the baud striking up " B,e the o .uquel-
Ing hero." After some minutes bee been occupied io tune
down strattne of we come, the hon. member earl: Mr.
Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen. I tear 1 shall but ill
Justify your praise of my el. queue, for assuredly 1 have
rarely, I may say never, test myself arl inadequate
to the task of expressing whet I :eel. Sir, uu this
eximmiem there are grog peiutiples to Le brought before
this meeting, and worthy and able advocates to do
justice to those principles. I will not anticipate
the grounds which it will be far more giatilying
to myself to find them occupying, hut perhaps
I may be allswed to mike a few general remarks on the
policy of the country, idled t • those mote separate ant more
detailed observation which you may exont from th • more
able advocates of every good cause by vehicle I have the ho.
nous to fie d myself surrounded. (Hear, hear.) Sir, in an
ceptieg—mr you know I did nut see k, in the fiat instance
the honour of being one of the lemmeentatives of the
borough—(hear, hear)—my view was to have my horn mind
Impressed, and to dad your opinions in amortise ce• with
mine, at to the polity which such a county a- this might to
puree—a policy of peon, setting a high Christian eximple
of forbearance, abstaining from that interference which can
esly prove vexetious and genera:et needless causes o' qu artl
—a policy of peace which would change the character of
our history, so MU of bloody deeds that, actually reckon-
ing our lodise wars not so much national wars as the
wan of the East India Company, actually this present
peace .1 35 yenn is the :meta this nation has snjored for
ataxy centuries-1 believe the longest since the Newman
toequest, with the single est: ptioa of one in the reign el
Henry the Sloth, when there being no foreign war, the
pugnacity of the nation made up for it by a cell contest,
which deluged the land with blood. The po.icy of the
government should be to imilong this white and bright
page in our acts, but not to do so by asy unworthy compro-
mise. I do not hold it neCraillry, for the preservation 31
}seep, that we should flitter the devotees( Euro. e—(near,
lear)—••r he indifferent to the patriots of Europe—(loud
eimern)-1 say at whatever peril, where public merit of the
*kern order is is danger, where its possessor is hunted as
Eke welt • wild beast, I say let the shield of Britain's pro-
tection be thrown over him, and teU the worli that the
martyn or freedom are sacred in our 'eyes. (Loud cheers')
The Forney of paste is also a policy of economy. What
hes 'Vets the course of events with us?—what
with other governments ? Why, the debt of
Europe in the beginning of 1848, which cannot
have Screened their emburassment, was 2,000,000,0001.
Marilee, and about one-third of this blowing by this country.
Now, taking this data, • very math larger amount lies been
raised ty the tandem of suncseive years, until we have
wasted than resources whisk she'd.* have made this island a
gam of glory, and the wealth which abould have enriched
its inhabetaate, welch sbadd have cultivated literature and
the art., and everything which harmonises and refines us,
should have raised the population sow to allow England
with her usual prerogative of teaching the nations hew to
Gee. Ile hs been my mister:one. in opinions of settees'
policy, to rind myself still on the side of nation .1 discontent.
I am slot very sorry foe this, bermes-, although discontent
May seem an ugly word, it Is an incomparable prineeole—it
is the gent agency which Providence kas given for
the impecensuent of our condition. (Hear, bear.)
The non lathe American styes, they boast, is happy, and
be Maps sad deems, sad feeds and lays himself down at night
is deep; bat his \applies makes the aspect of his condition
all the more painful. Diseentest would show the ketoses of
the Bate, sad be some promise of be future emancipation.
And then one is apt to newish dim:oaten by seeing the ti-
nselingy skew working of our constitutional principl e. 1
stew myself as much a constitutionalist es Lord John Res•.
sell, whole particularly orthodox ea that subjoin. (L welter.)
n• difference between us is this—be looks at the principles
of the British sonetitution as ansseekkes whidtballe bun fully
realised Ia the past ; I retard Me principles of He British
coessitudea eomelbig white is partly rev teed only, and
resales to be developed in the future. Laws is hind all,
should be assented to by all (Cheers.) That is a greet
easetitufienal maxim; but we bees some way to travel yet
in order to arrive at its accomplishment. Religious liberty
is a principle of the Britirsh constitution, but Can
it be said to exist, however toleration may have
been It:eroded—and in many 'esteems nobly vateadied
In pare czars—yet can we be said to have accompli-hid and
wrought out the prime:pie of religion liberty so ling as any
diatinclon whatever exists be timer man and man on account
of the 4.llerecee of their creeds ? (Cheers.) Br, I look to
the future for the realisation a' the principles of the British
constitution; and it is our discontent which must help on
that work. It is our discones at which throws light en that
work. 1 hoe is nothing dose without it in political and
legislative marten. It is, es in that narrative which every
reader of his Bible remembers for its beauty—" the Pool of
Bethesda only became healing when the angel descended
sad troubled the waters." The waters must be troubled be-
fore there is any healing tor those who groan under oppr. s-
alon sod suffer unmerited wrong. There is scarcely a country
in Europe in which submission to the state is not a question of
prudence rather than duty. Tiro legitimate governments of
many states are their exiled pa•riots. Thoae who hold the
throne; are sanguinary usurpers. (Loud chmre.) Telt,
homey( s, oar minium don't understand. They tarn from it
as ths suppression of a cans:less outbreak, in order to con-
sols themselves with their tote enduring quiet at home. And
what II this prospect of stability ? What reason have the
member of the cabinet gamily—fur they are a family—
(inghter)—two or three nom s sow this—who endeavour
kiln this whole broad land of England, will its political
pent& among themselve•—(hear, hearp—what ninon have
they to t5..11.k this state of things can endure? Wty, they
stand like the rope-dune r; they move upon an immure
beefing, wickcning every step beneath them, belonging a
pole, with conservatism at one end and radicalism at the
ether, and if either tips the other up, down they go. (Loud
descry and laughter.) Who knows how EMU same unions.
ease quetnn may bring this shouts? There wants nothing
bat • de wt. mato action amongst then who peer
Ass to be fed,
pathy with the people in defence of their
fights in order to change this elate of things so degrading M
been a-d so utterly inensirent with all got. raiment
Tem) I have supported what is called (food
new lew movement
, Pow wiesniiir. Hu 31.i.a motion for reform—because
it Mears to me to have a te.den'y to produce this unity of
'mien, though I don't proems .myselt entirely satafied with
it as a.l dietitian of misciples. I cannot do sa, because my
own principle fa many a loos year has been the universality

of the sofrege. (Cheers.) Img we should assume the
right, and inquire then it there be any necessary exceptions
instead of aerating the suffrage as • boon, first to this
and then to that Cass, end seeing how far, and by what
slew and narrow steps it may be expected. We should lock
to is univernlity, and only adopt where ft must inevitably
follow the necessity of exclusion. And it is because I see
that Mr Humes propesition, which would emancipate, be it
remembered, some three mellow of voters or thereabouts,
and woad assuredly not he untrue to the common cause of
humanity, because I approve of that, I rejoice in the two move-
mein s new going on in the count,y, the agitation conducted by
Sir Joshua Walnteley and Mr. Thompson for parliamentary
sad Animist reform, and that at the head of which is Mr.
Cobden, lee the extension of the freehold franchise.. I should
be sorry to see the least feeling of alienali in or antagonism
arbor betel, these two movements, essential to one another
in us) °pluton. The parliamentary and financial reform
agitation ge to the steam up, and the freehold land movement
supplies the m iebinery by which that steam is applied to the
gemnal movement of the political carriage. (Hear, hear.)
there are here, I know, with great gratifioatiun, nosey of
the truest blends of b fth these movements, who
will address you in the course of this evening. I
beg you to be assured of my personal Fyn pithy
with the progress of both, and my delight in the 40.. move-
ment, in that it combine a great social obeect with a political
object, i.e-.d whilst it prumises to sinker a men at some
future time with the tights of a :keen, and the enjoyment
of the franchise, it incites him to ba worthy of those rights.
He earns the enjoyment of them ; It has produced moral
determination; the privations he endure% the sacrifice he
makes—all these are of substantial benefit to himself and his
family; and whilst he emancipates himself ftom the
c 'edition of political slavery, he frees his senses,
perhaps, firm the poser of intemperate.. He learns
to appreciate intellectual erjoyment, sad he rises
more into the metal dignity of man in getting
the franchise. (Cheer.) Well, after all this we must work,
hied your represeuiatives can best work when they have
your hearty support. (Hear, hear.) Toe ablest chase-
, pious of re torm are, after all, oily like that redoubtable
merrier Earl Telboe, in Shekspefte's " Henry V 1.," whom
' a lady entrapped into her castle, she having played him
this trick merely for tie enjeement of seeing the man who
had wrought such havoc in France, herprisoner. The earl
blew his bugle hero, and his troops rime pouring in from
qu ran. " lhese, madam," said be, " are my limbs
a- d sinews—my sword and ; in there lie the power
' of Talbot, and it is in these that he e inquers, and not is
hie own limited physical frame." (Dealers.) We must
work for it, I ray; for Lord J Ruesell has sow, to my
knowledge, been thinking fur two sears ahout same
little way In which some little extension of the little
Beal tights of the country can be made. (Cheers and leught- r.)
lie has not yet disc-noted it—(a laugh)—and when he does
he will give the little privilege with some little drawbacks—
(renewed laughter)—for it is characteriftie of whig .govern-
ments—and this has been brought out very s'rengly.even in
the proteedirgs of the last two years—never to do anything
entirely, heartily—(great laughler)—never to give up tee
contest end do the dung required with a goal greet : they
no not imitate the tones, who, after giving catholic 'menet
potion, throe overboard the proposal of securities for the
church. TIAN is • very old saying which saes "(lino a
MU the richest eardens on an uncerta n or limited
tenure, aced it will become a wild* reels. Give
bins • bit of bare rock, the reseesion of welch
is freebo.d, and I.e will make of it a cultivated
garden." The plan of a wise government wont be,
throughout England and Ireland, to encourage the owner
of property as much as they possibly can, through ad greets
of the soot! wale, until the poor shou!d feel that they had
something in the lead they could call their own. (Hear,
hear.) Well, as I raid, they have stopped short in this as
well as in other meiroires. They undertook to extend the
principle et religious liberty, to emancipate the Jews; bat
they t ok eniesicg acre that, while emancipating the Jews,
the principle should go so further. and thus it an Hinder
r ad be en returned to pull...went in the i2terval, vision alter
sesiion would have to be wasted is discussions involving
the game principle, ere he could tette his seat.
They resolved upon geeing • constitution to Aestralia. What
is that conatitutsou as already before the public in the sketch
of the it act of parliament t It withholds Iron the repre-
sentative government to he crated the rights of the parse
in all that relates to the civil l'st, and so far es it at preeekt
exists, in what tel to matters of religion ; would saddle
Australia with authorities to be paid amniotic to the libera-
tate fixed epee by the government of this coinetry, that ex
estates its patronage in sending them there. And here,
where of till places in the world every kind el
retie ien na lett Le free aid equal, the re they
propene to erect an establistiment of four sects, at d
Isar only, who are never to be paid lees out of the
taxes or Australia than at tl.is mom it, and are to have
is
these items an indeteasible property. Why, this shows
men who really are quite inadequets to any great or Itral
work. I once heard one of their number (dir Juba Cam
noblsouse I, in a discussion on renal a few years
age, say thet ev. ry greet measure would be a compromise.
If compromise were of the character of a testae*, there never
were such great measures as those introduced by this mos:
empronliong edministratiost (Cheers arid 'aught. r.) Sir,
the ercourtgement this meeting givss me by ite approval of
the past, leads me to calculate up Ai its 'empathy and astistnece
fur the tutors. (Cheers ) I will briefly say, there ere three gnat
questions or clones of questiens to shish I think the whole
of my political Use in future will be devoted. The Hint class
of questions is that which relate to working men —the mea-
sures already exietir g for the improvement of their coodi•
Lion, or which may hereafter be devised or enacted; and
here I feel that it would be quite unworthy of myself and
unjust towards you if I were not to tap a word oh a question
so very interestit.g to this per. of the country as the Ten
Hears Bill. (Cheers.) I consider that I hold my seat for
Oldham on the tenure of coup meting that hill, and not allow-
ing it to he repealed or impaired. (Lou.l cheers) I spon-
taneouely pledged myself to this regard for it when I
was before you as a candidate, but I had previou•ly and
frequently adv edited the measure both in writing end
speaking at different times and in different localities. 1
b. Have it to he perfectly consistent with every sound prin-
ciple of political economy. it interferes not between the
adult male labourer and his a mpluyer, but declares that
neither one party nor the other shall bargain for the labour
of a third. That is to say, the dependent woman and the
dependent child. (Hear, hear.) For this hold it to be
• just and good rowans. Another class of qm *-
times I contemplate relates to the condition of
the country as to religious liber:y and equality. It is
evident there is much yet to achieve in this respect, so
lease as believers in one creed bee me entitled by their
orthodoxy to levy rat aon their iftiethboure' heresy. nu re
is evidently much to be desired in thic particular, so long as
a man for his honest opinions is taxed—to long as • clergy-
man is denied the privilege of ceaaime to be a clergyman,
and may be hunted by • bishop like Harry of Exeter, who
teas • taste for that game, and carried through a aeries of
persecutions as bad as any poor hart or stag with the dogs at
Ls heels ever wa• doomed to endure. (Loud cheers.) I
think all relioion is disgraced and dishonoured when notori-
ous defalcations in 'eel. siastieal funds—when miesppropria
tiens of large revenues—held as sinecures—take place;
•hilst these who wink diligently for a smaller pittance
than those enjoy who are employed in the merest meehan•
ilal occuration have to supply those funds. If the chum*
were severed from the state, it gond be ashamed as a reli-
gions body of thews things which now, as a mere political
body, the government and l ors said Malted ins of this
country beer the blame of. (Hear, hear.) The -.bird class
of topic—sod with this, es I teal my strength failing me, I
tust conclude what I have to say—relates to popular educa-
tion. 1 have pledged myself to a motion on this great sub-
iner, under a strong sense of duty ; for I would gladly see it
W bands of these whoa longer standing in the house
would give them greater advantages ; but I have felt it to be
a public duty that this subject should sleep no longer. (Hear,
hear.) This country is sadly educated, both es to thesmount
sad quality of the instruction. It is defficult to say
which is the worst. There are half a million of
children of teachable age that have no tuition whatever—
Let even the limited iustruction of the Sunday !shod. It
his been effieulated that only one out of 30 has a fair oppor-
tuaity of learning to r• ad, and only one out of 40 of learning
to write ; and when they are taught, the character of the in-
struction is t* often perverted by the school being made
only • recruiting shop for the church ar chapel. Proselytism
prnmount to inierectiem. Kneeledge is power, and know-
ledge will raise the muss of this country, however long
they may have Liu in their present coadition ; or it wel
exert that natural progress which I tilltt is going on in them
to • cessiderahle extent. Knowledge is power—a power
analogous to that witch geologists t-11 us exists in the centre
of the earth, where there is ea intensity of heat by which
various matters carried down into the sea by rivers are
amal-
gamated and hardened until they become like those strata
which, in the cutting of railways, you make obvious to the
scree., and see tier open tier of different substances, all, as
it were, blended into one, end it is clear was once the bed of
the ocean rata! d by expansive action to their present
position. fimie is it now with the great masses. They
have been at the bottom of the social sods : tee
waves of wealth and aristocracy have rolled over
them heedlessly for ages, and they have been, as it were,
oat ot eight of the world, and disregarded; but, with the
groat% of instruction, they hive hardened and memo
fated—their strata have become firm, and regular, and
orderly, ani the time comes when that expensive force
raises them to the surface, and we behold a new island—a
new vitt inent—what was once merely the bed of the billows
shed for man to inhaldt—to have towers, temples, and
p dew and abodes of j:ay, theatres et instruction and scenes
of delight, ringing through the country from end to end—
harvests bringing *nasally their riches, and the blue sky
beneieg ov. r all. (Lend and prolonged cheering.)
Mr. KERSHAW, M.P., was next introduced to the
meeting, but e sensed himself from a long speech on the
ground that there were many more eloquent gentlemen
around him whom the audience would be anxious to listen
to. The subject placed in his hands was That free trade
is the best means of prosnotitig peace with all cations." It
was • subject truly worthy of their consideration, sad he ;
trusted the British nation, as well as the British people,
would learn more to understand and appreciate it. It we
wished to improve the cemmeree of this country, we did it
unwisely if we entered into war with other countries. ; the
result of which, as it had once teen well remarked, would be
tit.t we should be killing our customers. (Hear.) He congra-
tulated the meeting upon the atteute it ad talten ; its sen-
timents would have • powerful influence in showing govern-
ment that they were in earnest for pewee, and that retrench-
ment on a large scale would be expected from them in our
finances. Let those who w ista d for war be called upon to pay
for it, and we should secure peace. He congratulated time
electors of Mit:amen having suck an eloquent representative ;
he could assure there the speech they hat just listened to ea,
no clap tem, but that Mr. Fox 'poke nut the sentiments he
had uttered todtight in the House of Commons, boldly and
manfully. (Cheers.)
Mr. BEIOIiT, M.P., was received with prolonged and
heartjekeeriag. Ito said : During a portion of the day,
were online to the meeting, 1 was speculstin: u2oh the

mdtliic.:eionhaatryvommeete:beseoetldnighluis in
eodaslodlahmhatargamte.
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hicaonalettrienyistallinmt
shouldesaul intelligence
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me
seeertne)avdtiat:
i:r!lotiri:olgtawibmtiiinc7bkon
umoliaamaila.aeuiPyreibtilliaht:lbut men reeving opinions which theyhereusliy.auddo
hold in their hearts, and which they coed for, and which
they were willing to make some sacrifices for. (Hear, hei r )
Now that is precisely the order of men I like to he with, and
if I want to sleuth, that 1 Ike to speak to. (Hear, hear.)
I am not die-minted ; for nu man in this platform can say
for an instant teat 'hie meetirg bee anythieg of the ebarac;
ter of " a sham" ab int it. (Laughter.) It appears to tee to
be a real pdio Leal gathering. You are met—a very fair and
large representmion ot the 'lettere of this borough—for the
purpose of dojos honour to the man you have sent to parlia-
ment as your representative; and in so doing to test stain,
it it ba necessary, your coefidence in the principles you
have long held your more confirmed faith, if it
be possible, in their truth; and your undying resolution
to maintain them wherever your political (Tinctures 'save to
be exerted. Now, if a stranger from another country were
brought upon this platform and beheld this meeting, and if
he were told that it was a meeting of the constituency of
o.dhein, assembled to meet their paliarnentar2 reprreentio
live, I tare no doubt it he were a men of intelligence and
liberality of View", he would say at ones that it was a noble
country (rem which such a gathering as this, for such a pur-
pose, was to be seen. And no would at once teeny that he
had found a clue to many or Cone gr. at qualities fur which
the people of England ars said to be distinguished,
and for some of that greatness which attacees to
the altimeter of %Lis venters. And no doubt le
would laser that public . pinion did exert enormous
influence un the government, and teat there was
everywhere, throughout this united kngdoca, a great feeling
of cordiality with the administration sod with the parlia-
ment by whi h the country is govern.d. Neer, I am ready
to admit the value, the incalculable velue, of our Fewer te
hold meetings such as this; hut I could tell that stranger
that if he fended for a moment that in every boruugh in
England and every district meetings of conethueucies like
this hold be hold he would make a fetal mistake. (Heat,
hear.) Yon see here a boroueb in which it bappem, luckily
for yen end for the country, there is a reraarkabk
degree of accordance in sentiment between the entreachieed
and the unenfrenchised porliens of the population. (Hear,
hoar.) Arid I venture to say that no man could be re
naiad in this borough that dii not tairlr re; resect
the majority of the electors, and who did ut as filially as
fairly represent the niej teat) of the electors, if every house,
holder and every man of twenty-one yei re of age in your
boromeh were enfranckieed. Meer, hear.) but bier in
naiad that there are men of • ty different cheirecur. I
won't here &rude to the meant peculiarity of your
borough. I have teen it in the House of Coen-eons, but
we keep it a secret, and m• re y whisper it here, that ea.
Fox wales out into one lobby of the Home of Cemnions,
and Mr. Somebody-else waits out into anotuer—(cheers
andllaughter)—and that thereto., as far as votes go, tedham
dies not gaieamuch by representation. Weilet we are here
twilight—for to-night l'il be for the moment ene of tie-
cerstituency of Oldh .m, inumuth as I always recommi ocher
you to send Mr. Fox to parliament, and hammock es I ae.
piauded your act, and hoped you etude' never depart mom
it—lam one of those who may be arid to have sane minute
interest in returning him tor this horeugh, and t; erefore em
one of his constituents to-night. (Laughter.) Well, here we
are assembli el, but ore you a are ot the fact that, natvith-
"tannin./ thi re are some se area, it may be, or piss a in this
country where the franchise is so widely extended and so
free that good as d hoetet men are returned to perliameta,
and do honestly the public *atria, there etc at least en
equal samba of places or districts, boncuglea or counties
woo affect to return membsrs to jealiantent, and whey;
voices are as loud in perlieueerit as yours, where the re is toe
public opinion brought is beer era elections, end where there
Isno freedom in the evade+ of the tranchim. You ere
swere, pr, behly, that ie she House of Commc ns the mem-
bers of one early sit on one side the house, the members of
another party sit on another side. Each et these parties is
divided into two or three sections. We who represent
large constituencies —I belie," 60,000 or 70,000 in
o.dham, and some two hundred or 301,600 in the
borough of Maio:heeler have contently eittieg ow oder
to us, men called the hosioureble members for sosseese,
but they are bog the namlefis for so-andse, Out the hon-
ourable members for the Marquis to Ex ter, or me Lord
this, or Sir venebedy that. (Laughter.) Now 1,400 en
1,500 freemen send then. to parliament, and yet ti-ty come
.L'll that house a r d effect to be members of a jpo; tear body,
ucie as that professes to he, and to represent the dupe sum-
hie of persons who sent them there, and are called members
tor three places, when in mite of fact tory ere someth ng
quite different. Having eluded to what parliament bee
Ilene, or rather what it had not dime, fur eamomy, for
peace, and for Irelenil, lie. Bright went on thus.
We end a lone-enduram people. Wo nave bone
tiovition almost without queelen ; we hew taken from oli-
garchic sod &lists relic ti presentative' government 'tick as
they chose to give, without even herretigming its qu.iity or
resui s. And lam sure tent there is &breed throuichunt the
; onsierancheetel classes a greet eiscfflitent which "amoalthering
as it goes, in Wet es feeds," and which, it not remov d, bode.
but ill to the greatness and power nod trer.quillity of this
kingdom. (Hear.) I am not surprised that tome of this"
diainguished men should fear the people lam net speak
ieg now of members of the present novernment ; for enian-t-
-ing faro that House of Commons, I know net now you min
have a better government thin you have. But men cut lid,
order are net much accustomed to mingle with the people.
They exaggerate their vies—they are, to a large retries, in-
r until.? of their virtue s•—t hee teen to know nnthieg of our
industry, 'Prep* en something that may be lased—(Cease)
—they seem to Wally nothing of that grand heroic struggle
which the cruet mars of the population of this district ere
making for health, for cdueati n, for competence, ter elevation
in the social scale ; and they seem to know molds, MI that
prodigious improvement which even the most desponding
amongst us must admit has tisk, n place within the last 2O
yews. (Hear, hear.) Now, I give all credit to that which
has been done ; I balite .1 that, by the aid of schools, Sur.dey-
scheols, reading rooms, libraries, and by all the vast ma-
chinery—insufficient it must be allowed still to be—that
there is an amezing improvement in the intelligence and '
morality of the people ot this chantey : and 1 say that, as we
menace in these virtue., it as vain for men of birth and men
of blood to try to shut the deers of Attlee upon this people.
Day after day—year after yea—election after election—with ;
more and more power wi:l we tress open that
coot, and ail the power of that banded mine-
crag shall not nrevail against the pe Op". of Bag
laid. (Cheers.) You are strafe that I wee MAO IA
those engaged o r a long time in a very arduous battle ;
with this powerful class, fir that very common and most
obvious right, that we should be allowed to buy our breed
in the cheapest market. Well, we got that right, and I
diOnc think we mean to pat with it. (Cheers) 1 think
the present price eta Lack of II our is an inducement for most
men not to with the corn laws to be put un again (lieu,
hear.) That was a questi in, io my mind, worth ram/tiling I
after. I cever regret for a moment that I gave five or six
years of almost unremitting labour to that question.
(Cheers.) L have always, within my own breast, tee con.
meatiness that with all my heart and strength cite I work
tor that which, I believe, shall be the very greatest act of
justice and benevolence whieti any parliament ever conferred
upon any people. (Lend tiers.) But I we. not
abserbtd by that multi el to the ezchasien of all others.
(Hear, hear.) I did not Had that we get by slow degree.
into that citadel of monopoly without discovering why our
progress was so slow. 1 totted out that the class, the party
by whcm the corn laws were maintained, were entrenched
within fortification—wall after wall—which male their peed-
tion all but impreguabl , and my resolution was, that when
the corn laws were abolished there was no pubic: question
which it would be worth while for the people of this country
to enter into such another crusade for, except it were that
they might carry the citadel itself, and become them-
selves rulers of their own parliament. (Loud cheers.)
And I am glad to see that public opinion is
tending to this point. We are no. damaged somewhat
by the km of the whigs being in office ; but that may not
' last for ever. (Laughter.) The whips in office have tot;
; owes in the eountry—men liberally inclined, who have tol
lowed the whine in their b-tter lays, and hope sometOieg from
them now, and ere not willing readily to Menthe them. I
I don't blame men each as these; they fought a rood fight in
their time, and I'll not heap unmerited obl-quy on men
who have fcught well in past head
and WO will not, or can
not, keep pace with public aspirations now. (Ilea, hear.)
These men object to oppose their own party now they ere in
AI el, because they say they might embarrass tee ;tavern-
meat. But governments must be embarrassed. (Hear,
hear.) They ate put In office to be embarrassed
—(" Hear," and laughter)—erd it is our duty to em-
barrens them. (Applause.) It they were net embalms se d
the people would be utterly forgotten. I say we suffer
somewhat by these men being in Ulla. Bet now ole.erve
the speeches they mace. The discussions un parliamentary
re lorm are encouraging for them, but there is not amongst
them the man who would make the speeches which Ddr.
Croker and Sir Charles Wetherell made against the old
Reform Bill. There is not a man namely who will deny
that there nava be an extension of suffrage to some extent
or other. Well then, we are in a better position than in
1532. Everybody admits our position ; therefore, in feet sae
are all parliamentary reformers in the shored, just as, 4 oe 5
years ago, we were all free trades is the abstract, and in
time we shall pus out of this abstract condition, rid no
• doubt we shall have before a very long time hi:s elacad
some extension of the suffrage. (Applause.) There is not
a mace in your borough interested in bad goverr.meut, you
have no interest in high taxes or any kind of extra-
' +assocs. I believe it is a mistake to believe in veer .uh-
Preto the people would exercise their power uswisely. You
would net have an interest in going wrong, sod when you
have no interest or pleasure is going wrung, I believe the
inducements to go rht are so strong that we need have 11l
rev on that point. I have merely to say that whatever be
the mode suggested, if it be an honest mode, for procuring
the extension of the franchise, and a better arranetment of
your representation generally—if it be by bolding public
meetings, spreading opinion in that meaner, by all means
extend and spread your opinions as far es you can, and give
yourselves force in the couctry. If it be hy another m rde.
con-
by enfranchising yourselves by such machinery as the con-
stitution now allows, by all means adopt that mode. IV po-
etises no honest weapon that comes to your hand ; for, recol-
lect, if you should not do your utmod, sour
country will suffer tor your neglect. The boa. member
concluded by saying he helieveil they h he no • ces-Irn to
; despair ot ace enrlislaing their object. They bad measersd
the strength of the enemy they knew enough of these
straggles to know that majored 3 et the House of Commons
might soon bee one minorities, alsoy knew how ma-
*nu in the House of Lords were turned into mine-
Atka. (Loud cheers.) He called upoa the electors of
Olikans to be careful at the next election not to neutolis:

n op•

the representation of the borough by returning two u..
posed is politics, and sat down amidst great cheering.
Mr. JOSEPH BROTHERTON, M.P., wu received
with much cheering. He said they were aseenahled for two
objects—one wee to pay a just and 'merited tribute
of respect to the it e xeellent First Mr. F.a ; and the other
to advtexte principles they con:eived calculated to advance
the politiesl, intellectual, and social character of the cornesu•
silty. He believed it was fiftjiitive years ago that he first
visited Witham, sod the object of that sisit was to look at a
new invention of machinery connected with the cotton
manucae•nre. Since then be bad bat seldom visited it. The
town had then a population of about 10,000 people, and now
it contained. probably, 60,000 ; he hoped they had gone on
and would go on increasing in prosp rity in the same ratio,
and he c...rigratulated them that they had entrusted their par.
liamentsry interests into the hands of so able and elequeut
a man. The hon. member enforced the necessity ot a great. r
unity of the liberal patty if they wished to atta n prac•icii
reforms. Men must not expect too much at once even from
their own friends ; that were to be like the child who shout I
say, 11 Mum*, give me the moon !"—(lauehter)—well
knowing it asked an impossibility, and yet would not be
satisfied with less. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H PARRY, lately a candidate for the representation '
of the City tot Norwich, said he was highly delighted to take
part in the proceedings, and paid a tribute to tte eloquence '
and *ernes ness of Mr. Fox is his advocoey of the rights of
the people. He then proposed the following sentiment :
" That the increaaing expenditure of the country impera-
tively calls for parliamentary and finan:ial reform." and sup.
putt d the =Aeon by are tamest protest against the eraava-
gancies of the present government, and the heavy expend'.
tore entailed upon the country to find "places " for peccle
who had an interest with those in power.
Tut CHAIRMAN neat introduced Mr. Henry Vincent
to ropose a sentiment.
Mr. H. VINCENT immediately stepped forward, and
was received with mods steering. He said the seotim. nt
pine.' in his band. was—" Tint the best means of i ro-
!noting the happiness and caviar:el prosperity ot this ...rountry
is by the spread ra eduzatiqn and the extensiou of the suf-
frage." 'Poe sentiment was a very appropriate one in coo-
nesitn wick the name of Mr. W. J. Fox ; for that gentleman
in 1 is career bad not devoted himself exelusivel7 to mete
palitical speculation; hut while he advocated the right of the
people to a greater voice in the repres.ntatiOn of the country
than they at present puns ssed, he also felt that no poistical
p ovarnment could be of avail to any people, unless t net peo,.le
troughs to bear up is the government virtues of au higoe.t
characer ao,l ieredigence of the mos: remarkable 'clod.
Mr. A. HENRY, M P., addressed tie meeting very
1)6.4, and the procudinis soon afterwards terminated.

RAILWAY MEETINGS.

DIRECT LONDON AND EXETER.
Yesterday a meeting of shareholders in this company teak
place at And. rton's Hotel, Fleet street, in consequeoce of a
decision of Muter Brougham that the parties who had agued
'he deed, and had paid their deposite, had rendered tne
selves Heide to the claims upon the company.—Mr Ewan
took the chair, and stated teat tee decision of the Master was
irrevocable, and could only be set aside by an appeal to the
C.tirt of Chancery. It appeared to some gentlemen i.no
were:interftted in the affairs of the company that the dexision
woe CAA woich ought to be brought before a higher tribunal,
and the present mewing was accordingly convened for the
purpose of rei log a sum of money, and pateing certain roue
.utious to enable the ahareholders to pieced with their
at peal.
Mr WADDY, in rising to I roxilie the raolutioas, anted
th st tee air. r ieent nt calling the meeting had beta put be-
ton the public at the esprees request of 4 number of gentle.
men who, like himself, were a tacked to the cordially, and
ho had met him at the Master'. office on Tuesday; when
Mr. Brougham Betided that these shareholders who had
si3tted the d. ed, or who had accepted letter of allotment,
and had paid their deposits, were to be considered es 000trilva-
ton to this speculation. Mr. Waddy then proceeded t 3 lay
before the meeting an account of the rise, progress, and
;antra positdm of the company, and in doing
that he read a few settee's from the report of
the official manager, a gentleman appoiutcel by the
muter himself to investigate the affairs. The company was
launched in the year 1845, with a capital of three milione,
and sum that time various frauds had been committed by
the directors upon the therehuldees. After the failure of
this extraordinary bubble, a gentleman, narotri Wontner,
nasal en @eclat% against the tionpany, and the result was
in fumy of the plaintiff, the decision being, that he
' was eetltlsd to recover the whole of In dela a..s.
TM general body of shareholden stood in the
IMO p:sitiom as Mr. Wontner, aid why should
they nut get back their deposits? Were the directors to be
allowed to tide rough shod over the s'airehodlete because
M stet Broughton h• d decided that they had tie claim, he.
that they must appeal to the. Court of Chancery ? Ile, for
one, would appeal against the dei Won; and he fttlt assured
that the L ad Chancellor would be of opinion that the deal-
. tiou was wrung. The remedy proposed by the Matter was
such as they were perfectly willing to accept. It would be
for them to (ottani. r on tkie statement of fac:s ecolealted in
the report of the afield manager, whether they wttuld j.in
with him (Mr. Waddy) and the other gttntlemen who had
attended at the master's attic, on Turoday in pr,stcuittg .he
apueel. It they were willing to cfoop rate with him in
bringing the uecieitin hclore the Lard Chescrllor,
sustained, a; they were, by every principle of
equity, he would pledge himself to use his utmoet
endeavours to prove that the decision of Master lirou,Mt.ci
mast he eat aside. Amocest the various acts of tread corn
mined by the directors, they had paid Mr. Wonther's claim
out of the sis ney belonging to the shareht Icier,* They had
been defrauded altegetha to the amount of 29,3de1. los.,
with 9071.0,. 04. interest; and, its his opinion, the Lord
Chancellor ou.tht to make an order upon the directors to
refund the whole amount, lie could amnion innumerable
laugucts of fraud committed by the director', and, amongst
the most glaring, was the fact of their having stated aa a
meeting, oat tee lids Deeemb. r, that their saute amounted
to 1921. only, when the eum in hand MA 114 i lets than
14,0001. tle thought it right to inform them that, after a
consultation with some cf the shareholders who were cit.
cumetaucted as he was, he had laid the case before an eminent
criminal lawyer, and, upon the plain sureinent of facts
embodied in the Gfhtial manager's report, that R.
at decided that the whole of the &rectors were Ii ihle to an
indictment for c twine.; to defraud the shareholders. In I
support cat this opinion he had cit d the ease of " Burrs v
Pennell," in wt..ch L Campbell and Lord Brouvhsts
had given a decision bearing upon the question as to the
liability el railway direc'ors. Hu concluded by proposing
the following r solutions:
"Teat in consequence of the decision of Matter Broua-
ham, making all persons who have signed the deed or load '
the cekosios coat ibuton, in the winding up of the Difitt
London and Exeter Rada ay Company, it le the *rim of
tots meeting thet a combined gaga of act.on is Unto:way
necusary for del; nding the into eats of the char- hol hrs."
" That it eppears from the report of the official manager
that most flagrant and systematic frauds were carried out by
the directors in the general management of :he eompany."
" That there are the strong• st grounds in quity for ineist-
ing *As the repeyment of 29,3651. fns , with 01i71. Ur. 9d. ta-
mest, moat illegally and dishonourably squandered by the
board of tuanag. mint."
" that a fund not exceeding It. per share be raised
amongst the subscri• cry to the deed for the purpose rf
weeding to the L ,rd Chancellor against the uecisien of
Muter Brougham:
" That a committee, consisting of Mr. Ewell, 3, EV*Z.
court, Temple, Mr. Beale, 107, It gentestre, t, Mr. Wieldy,
103, Jermyn-street, be appoir.eed for the purpose fit r a
ducting such appeal, arid w etching over the putrid in•eresis
of the shareholders, and that subscriptions be received by
Mr. Beale, auctioneer."
Mr. BEALE seconded the reselutions, which were ea'riad,
and a ••de of thanks having been passed to the caducei),
the meeting esparsted.

DERBYSHIRE, STAFFORDUNCTIOSHIRE, AND WORCES
TERIIIIRS JN.
Yesterday the hall-yearly meeting of the shareholder, was
helu at Nu. 6, Guildhall Chambers, City ; Mr. M•rrliaw,
chairman of the boar !of directors, in the chair.
The SECRETARY read the nport, from which I; ap-
peared that • diminution bed been effectea in the debts &Ed
Helms of the company sums toe present year. The directors
had been indefatigalbe in their exertions to obtain payment
of the cell of 11. per share, and had applied the amount re-
ceived to the liquidation f the debts incurred previous to
their appointment. A large amount ati.l remained
unpaid. The board had commenced actions against
raversl parties for cads, and in cases which had gone
to trial, the judzes, both at nisi plias sail in Banco, sold the
decision had been in favour of the company. Same of the
I parties had sires become bankrupt. 'the bid of for. Mee-
' we're?, • split-Ikm, amounting to 2,1161., had been di.inioed
from the Master's office with costs. The only current ex-
penses at present were 2001. a year for the secreeaiy, aod
471.55. for rent and cleaning. Provicus to the le.t h
If-
yeery meeting two vacancies had occurred in the oirectier.,
and two when gentlemen would now go out by rotation.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption tithe report,
dwelt at same Ingth, and with much 'attraction, upon the
reductions which had teen mode in the solicitors' bills of
; emu, m .rs particularly those of Mr. Bninbrigge.uoder the
management on benalf of the company, of Mr. Harris, to
Iwhose indefatigable exertions the company was indebted ter
those reducions. Toe diminution was so great that there
could be no doubt Our the elmpany wou,.d be exemptcd
itaen costs.
The report was then adopted.
Mr. Alston and Mr. Harris were et-elected director,.
Mr. Ledger and Mr. 1) nis..n were chosen as auditors. in
the room of two gentlemen who had reired from tnc
On the motion of Mr. MUMS, s •ronded by Mr. LZDOER,
the meeting was ',Jousted to Tourstisy, the 7th of March,
at 12 o'clock.
; On the motion of Mr. LEDOZA, seconded by Mr. Tzomr-
,, I BON, a voto of thanks less given to the chairman and the
board of directon.

AMIENS AND BOVLOONE RAILWAT.—Traffi..! fmm Nov.
25 to Dec. 2,1849: Pawl:lg.-re, 26.493.. 30c. ; merdisi•lse,
6,103 f. 600. ; total, 32,5961.80 .—C1,303.
Dumnairrotv.—We undentand that bleeds. G. ai.d. J.
Barns, of this city, have whim • lame for ma yous of lie
Dumbarton Railway trim Bowliog to B ,11cm, It iv, we
belt, re, the intention of this entsrpneing fins, besioes
haring a regular lire of Mesa eis plying in coma.. ni..n with
the rsilway and *his city, to place eitber one or two atesintre I
Olt Lochlomond for tourists, &c. Tae railway romp-any ue
bout-d ituuer a penalty to have the lire opened on ta.e lstot
June. Toe opening of this portion of the railway will be a
great ateommodation to the inhabitants of the Vale cl
Lana and turrounding C.)2.ltry.—North Bri:isle .31a4.