The Express.
London, England, 1848-04-26 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 26, 1848.

There was sue print tart' excellent speech of his
friend Mr. Collier with Ada he could not concur. The
drama was not so depressed u he had represented it,
and the inhabitants of Stratford, he was glad to think,
would have an opportuaity of seeing their little theatre
re-open in the course of next month, and the "Merry
Wives of Windsor," performed for the endowment of the
house in the theatre (standing on part of Shake arc's
garden at New.pluej, by Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr. Forster.
Mr. George Cruikahank, Mr. Leech, Mr. Lemon, and the
covers' gentlemen amateurs smelly acting with them. Mr.
Canaingham concluded by observing that u they had al-
ready drunk to the immortal memory cf a poet , Shakspeare,
who had described, as Mr. Collier obse.ved, temale excel.
Jennies the best, so he would now propose the memory of a
poet, Robert Burns, who had sung of female beauty the
best.
The toast of "The Chairman " was proposed by the Earl
of BUCHAN.
Viscount VILLIERS gave "The Warwickshire lame,"
observing, in a neat, short speech, that it waa easy to see
why Shakspeare had described female beauty better than
other poets, because he had drawn his inspiration Irons the
charms of the Warwickshire lasses.
Mr. W. H Coons, of the Oxford Circuit, proposed " Lord
Ellesmere and the Shakapeare Society ;" to which Mr.
COLLIER replied, expressing, in Lord Ellesmere's name, the
extreme regret which his -lordship felt at not being pre
sent on this occasion.
Other touts followed, of which the chief were, " Pros-
perity to the Royal Shakspearesn Club," proposed by
Mr. Collier ; " Lord Morpeth and the London Com
mittee and Subscribers to the Shakspeare House
Fund," proposed by Mr. Bracebridge ; and " The
Press," which was cleverly given by Mr. Mark
Phillips. After the chairman's withdrawal the festivities
were kept up under the able superintendece of the Mayor,
who presided over a mixed circle of Shakspeare admirers
till put three in the morning.
But the entertainments at Stratford on this occasion were
not wholly confined to the attractions of a public dinaer.
Many of the party arriving on the Saturday made pleasant
visits together to the house of the great poet ; to the woods
of Welcombe, where be roved when a boy; to the little ham-
let of Shottery, where he went to court Ann Hathaway;
to Charlecote, where he robbed Sir Thomas Lucy of his
deer, and the tomb of the poet in the noels chancel of the
church. The corporation records were thrown open to visitors
attending the meeting, and the " glover " document put
prominently forward. Mr. Hunt exhibited his mulberry-
tree table, and his curious portfolio of Shakspeare prints.
Mr. Whaler threw open his large and unique collection of
Shakspeare documents, including the only existing letter
addressed to Shakepeare, and the gold ring with W. S. upon
it, found in a field at Stratford, and reasonably conjectured
to have belong. dto the great poet. Mr. Lucy, too, the pro-
prietor of Charlecote, threw open his house on this oc-
casion, and allowed all who took tickets for the din-
ner to view his house—a very interesting structure
of Shakspeare's age—containing • large and very fine
llobbima, and • kind of Hampton Court gatehouse,
in an unaltered state, suggesting pleasant thoughts of
Shakspeare and the now more generally believed story that
he really did steal the deer. The weather was good, and
the whole visit something to be remembered even in these
stirring times. We have only to add that Lord Morpeth
held out hopes of government assistance being afforded to
the committees when the nation had fully responded to the
appeal made in behalf of the great poet of our nation.

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.—MEETING AT
MANCHESTER.
A very respectable meeting of the middle classes
of' Manchester took place on Monday night, at the Old
Meal House, to consider the following proposition :—"That
a society be formed, having for its object the obtaining of
household suffrage, vote by ballot, triennial parliaments,
and equal electoral districts."—J. Kershaw, Esq., M.P.,
presided.
The exam/gals opened the proceedings by giving a short
history of the movement in London, commenced by mem-
bers of the House of Commons itself; at the head i f
whom were Mr Cobden, Mr. Hume,_ and others, and said,
short as had been the existence of the present parliament,
the country must have seen eneugh of it to know that it did
not represent the feelings of the country. (Cheers.) He asked
if it was to be supposed that the people were in favour of the
army and navy estimates which ha been carried ? And though
' government might make the disturbances which had since
taken place a plea for such expenditure, there could be rio
doubt that they would have been carried through the House
of Commons even if that plea had not seisms. lie believed
this was a favourable moment to unite in some great move-
ment that should cement the middle and industrious classes.
(Linn' cheers.) As for the charter, it had both bad points
and good ones, and he thought that the chartists themselves
were convinced that they had utterly failed in their objects,
and, as a political body, his (the chairman's) conviction was
that the chartists who advocated physical force lied placed the
cause of liberty further off than before; for the middle classes,
being convinced that liberty could not be attained but by
peaceable means, very properly shrank from anything like
tumult or bloodshed. (Hear, hear.) He was convinced
that nothing could begot for the people in this country by
means of physical force, and he feared that the present dis-
tracted state of Ireland would soon afford another proof of it.
Oa the other hand, the history of the late Anti-Corn-law
League showed that the peaceful but determined pursuit of a
good object must eventually be attended with success. (Loud
cheers.) That meeting had been convened in order to as-
certain whether they were willing to unite in requesting
from the government an extension of the franchise, for no
government would refuse it if requested in a firm and signi-
ficant voice. All classes—rich and poor—were asked to
unite in requesting an extension of the suffrage,
for the country could not be by the present system
fairly and justly represented. (Loud cheers.) lie
had never in his political life committed him-
self to any particular system of suffrage, but was willing to
accept the most extensive that could be offered. lie could
not be certain whether they would be united on the subject
of household suffrage, hut he believed that system would be
proposed for the adoption of the country at the next meeting
of the reform members of Parliament; and if that was the
system on which the people had Let their hearts, as the be
which could be procured, he was ready to join them in
seeking it with determined energy and perseverance.
(Cheers) Other arrangements would naturally flow from
the system of universal suffrage, which, however, he would
not anticipate. With respect to the present House of Com-
mons, it had been well described as " the laughing house,"
whatever sympathy it might have with respect to the phy-
sical, it seemed to have none will the present degraded
political, condition of the country ; though there were
many honourable exeeptiona which number he believed
would rapidly increase if the people showed their wish that
the legislature should move onward for the political
regeneration of the country. lie (the chairman) had, since
he was about twenty-two years of age, been attached to the
Whig party, which had struggled for various privileges and
righta for the people ; but he had lately thought he perceived
a dereliction of principle on the part of the Whigs, and when
he was returned to parliament he declared that he should
go thoroughly uncommitted or unpladged to any govern-
ment ; and he had never eines seen any cause to regret the
course he had taken, for he was daily lining confidence in
the political integrity of the wing government. (Loud
cheers.) The majorities of the present government were to
a large extent made up of tones; and that government must
be feeble which relied on its opponent for support- (Hear.)
Speaking of the conduct of the present ministry with
respect to their proposed increase of the income tax,
he expressed his beliet that the House of Commons would
not have been so determined in it opposition if an increase
of duty had been proposed on some article of consumption
among the people; because the aristocracy did not like direct
taxation, as it touched their pockets. (Hear.) lie believed
he should never protest against the income tax, as such ; but
be must protest against Its being continued in its present
shape, seeing that the poor clerk with 1501. a year had to
pay at the same rate as the millionaire. He (Mr. Kershaw)
believed that the Crown and Government Security Bill,
which he had opposed at every stage of its progress, was a
severe and ui•required infringement of the liberty of the
people. Mr. Kershaw then adverted to Mr. Gibson's retire-
ment from the ministry, aad said he believed that gentle-
man was an honest and consistent politician, and that
though his connexion with this government might
have led him astray for a short period he hail made
his atonement, and he (Mr. Kershaw) hoped they would re-
ceive him kindly and generously. (Cheers.) The hon.
member concluded by saying that they must go onward,
abandoning the creed of finality. The people were growing
wiser, and he trusted the time would s-son come when they
would show that they were deserving of more than house-
hold suffrage, though that wan all they might expect to get
at present, and for which they might have to work many
years. (Loud cheers.)
Mr, ABEL HEYWOOD moved:
That in the opinion of this meeting it le desirable that an SPHOSHI.
lion be formed of the burgers*e in the Collegiate Church ward, for the
purpose of aiding the efforts of the reformers throughout the country
in obtaining a reform in the Commons House of Parliament, by
means of household suffrage, cote by ballot, triennial parliaments, and
equal electoral districts.
Mr. M. THACKRAY seconded the motion.
Mr. JOSEPH HICHIN (late Secretary to the Anti-Corn-
Law League) said, there were thirty-six boroughs with a
population of 169,908, of whom 7,291 were electors, who re-
turned thirty-eight members; thirty-two boroughs with a
population of 210.512, and electors 11,767, who returned
forty-three ; and eighteen with a population of 154,515, with
g,047 electors, which returned twenty-four members. In
Sutherlandshire there was a population of 24,782, electors
171', who return one member; and Buteshire, with a popula-
tion of 15,740, and electors 420, returns one also. This gave
a population of 675,457, with 27,695 electors, who re-
turned 107 members, or one member for each 5,378 of
the population. At the same rate Lancashire should
have 309 members—(a laugh)—and Manchester itself
forty. In Thetford the population was 3,844, the num-
ber of electors 160, and they returned two members.
Harwich contained a population of 3,730, electors 181,
and returned also two members; or, taking them toge-
gether, one member to 1,893 of the population, while Man-
cheater has one representative for 120,183. Lancashire has
a population of 1,667,000. and returns 26 members, while
iltshire bas a population of only 258,000, and returns 20
members ; that is, about one seventh of the number in the
latter county returns the same number as the whole county
of Lancaster. (Shame.) The resolution was then put and
carried, with only one dissentient, who was said not to be a
burgeon of the ward.
Mr. R. SHEPHEARD moved a set of rules for the adop-
tion of the association, which was seconded by Mr. Timm,-
sos, another member of the town council, and carried
unanimously.
Mr. G. 11. WINDER moved a list of members to be ap-
pointed tee officers of the association, namiett the chairman
a- president, which was sec ,-tied by Mr. P. I). SCULLY, and
also unanimously passed.
A vote of thanks was pawed to the chairman, and the
meeting terminated a few minutes after 10 o'clock.