The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-31 00:00:00

PeriFORK idIEtiNGS.
OTROUD.
Ten 07, irxl24ll.9olflneolor. m MB. 11038MAII.
Oa Wednesday Sight a large meeting was held. in
the gooription Rums. Stroud, to support the revere-
DOA niessure el reform. Mr. fi S. Mant.nea prodded. ,
yte Chulaarin read portions of a letter from Mr. Swope,
pg,p„ who we' absent trom illness, in which he said he
loon sopped the stoverument.
se RAM= WIXTDIUKOTAL J.P., moved, " That in
law irides of this meetics, the government bill now before
yerbilnat to extend the franchise is entitled to
ressiss tho hearty Wed* of the country ; and
esseting Pledgee itself to use all constitu-
tion MIMI to support eel further the paring of
the WV' The speaker admitted that the goverement had
a rid to soy, in the preemie of the numerics conservative
, that they most take their steps carefully and
warily; bat they had • rieht to look round ea their own
maks and reek°s oa their lism adherence. (Cheers.) They
were Dal he believed, prepaced for this—that the most
doily blows should sot be drat them in front, bat be.
hind. He respected en honest conservative. but be did lone
his rasped for a pram who for aeries—to sae noting
aay other unworthy feeling—would sunkr the great in-
teen of the party to which he beloogsd, and forget the
todati!les which from youth upwaede he had im.
(Loud cheers.) The great outcry to te
bill wee wand the resinotiori in the
CrZsa ba, end it was feared that the votes of the artisan
sad mato' classes would swamp those of the upper and
middle dames. He rejected with utter scorn and loathing
the division et classes. He did not believe in it ;it was
fates. Worth, good judgment, good emu, were not con-
fined tl one rank. Offenders spinet all that was right,
and just, and true were not oonficed to any one rank, and he
never would fail is rrepreedeg his oestempt and detedatiee
of the man who sought to set clue mend class, whether
be were advocating the exclusive right. of tie lower
classes, or whether he were advocaats( the exclusive rights
of the higher daises spied the lower. (Obeere.) lie
trustedthat government wed to the ematey. the biros&
ay Stroud would give no uncertain eued. (Load cheese)
Dr. Pews seconded the motion, and expressed his *pi-
nion that the government measure wee as loaseet, safe, pa-
rade, sad mood • mestere se had ever been propounded.
11r. Mainge. °OSMAN rooports the rorelution. He
eriarked that the arguments brought against the pretest
BALM Bill were the some u were brought in opposition
tease Reform Bill of 1832. If be hod not seen Mr. Hors-
mse name to his speech. he should have thought it had
bile old Sir Charles Wetheren's bashed up side. ("Oh,"
sod Laughter.) What were the predictions thirty
The Doke of Newcastle said that
the ReTren. Bill would destroy the throne, dn.
dry the church, abolish the House of Lords, overthrow
the coestitution, violate property, desolate the conch%
and aneihilate liberty. {Laughter.) Sir Robert Inglis
said that was revolution. not reformatioe. Sir Charles
Wetherell said ft was parliameettry confiscation, an nand.
Wiled system of spoliation, end • oorporatiou robbery.
(Laughter.) With one exception he found that axed
plead in Mr. Bersama's speech. (Hew, hew.) He could
nidersteied as booed tory opposing the mowers, but Vier
did not like to bear of oppositioe coming from the liberal
borough of Stroud. (Hear, bear.) He could have borne
it from the little village of Caine, or from • rotten borough,
bat oot from the tows of Stroud. (Cheers.) Hs trusted
tint they were not going to let Mr. Harms go la spin
usehallenged. as mid tint if they could aot fled a better
mu to fight him, be would fight him himself. Mood
cheered
Er. S. Boman' moved the adoption of a petitionte
nt in upped of the Reform Bill, which propel&
Crassseconded by Mr. J. H. Bernard, who expressed
a hope that they would sot leave that meeting mini they
led firmly determined that Mt. Horatian should no longer
t them in parliament. {Loud cheers.)
"Cs:solution was supported by Mr. BALL, and used.
measly adopted.
Mr. PITA& WOOD, a working mu, who Will loudly
dewed, said they, as warbler men, had been busily in:
suited by, me of rise representatives of the bora*. (Dona
cries of ' No, not oar represeatative.") Edward lloramea
hod insulted the wicking classes, not only of that boniesh,
bet of England. (Cheers.) He bad said that they were •
mob. sod had put him (the speaker) down as the leader of
the mob in that borough. He thought that if Mr. HOMOs
weld mix with the working classes • little more, aid
would visit their homes, he would forma different eati-
mate of them. (Hear. hew.) He moved, " Tat this
mediae expresses its deep indignities at the desertion of
the liberal party sad of every liberal disciple by the
Right Hoe. Edward Horsman, and declares that be no
lour the coafidenos one represents the principlesof the beral borough of Stroud." (Protracted oheeriag.)
Mr. A. NicnoLta seconded the motion.
NZ.BRAGG supported the reiolution, sad regretted that
be could not do so without being peered ; he, however,
muld be personal without being offensive, (A Voice :
" Hannan is parietal enough.") The speaker directed
the attention of the audience to • meeting held in that
room prior to the election, when their present chairmen
asked Mr. Berstein if be would. support • com-
plete end well-considered measure of reform, and that
merit immediately after an inquiry frees the media( as
to whether he would support a 61. franchise. Mr. Hare-
m= in reply played one of thou miraculous tricks of words
of which he was so great • master—(" bear. hear," and
lughter)—talked away for about five minutes, and at last
produced • hese image of the thing be pretended. (Cheers.)
He imposed upon their chains/a, for be professed to De
perfectly satisfied with the answer. He wanted to knew
whether their chairman now saw through the trick. (`Hew,
bear," and laughter.) It was simply verbal coojurlag.
(Cheers.)
The 0111/11UN mid be was not going to play them
false. (Cheers.) The resolution just submitted to
the meatier wee not is his programme, and be
thought that they would ham exercised a wise
audio& in leaving Mr. Horeman alone. (Cries of
"No, so," and biases.) They should bear him out.
He believed that Mr. Borman bad flown directly against
the liberal feelings of the borough of Stroud, and he could
not now be considered • liberal in the sense in which they
undertood the term. (Cheers.) The covernment measure
would certainly get se support from him. He had bad no
oommusiedion with Mr. Berstein, bemuse hie speech was
so emphatic and se didieet that any sort of dim:ruder or
expostulatim was out of the trusties. (Cheers.) He (the
etairmani approved of the government measure, sad would
joia with them heart and hand in endeavouring to get it
curled.
The resolution was carried amidst lend cheers, sad the
meting than separated.

READrito.—On Thursday evening s meeting of
the Liberal Electors' Association was held at the George
Betel, when Mr. J. B. Mona, the president, occupied the
Asir, sod about 100 of the most influential members of the
bond party in this borough were present. Several gentle-
Mee addressed the meeting, and it was unanimously Tr
mired that, as the Franchise Bill lately introduced by the
government was a substantial and just measure, it deserved
the support of Metiers liberals, and that it was the duty of
reformers throughout the country to render their cordial
Mitartee to the government is carrying the bill through
parliament. It was also resolved that • meeting of electors
and non-electors favourable to reform should be held at the
Yowa-ball es as early date, and that a petition in favour
of the bill should be submitted for the consideration of the
meting. Copies of the resolutions bays been forwarded to
the members for the borough (Sir F. Goldsroid and Mr.
Lodgers.), who will probably attend the meeting.
Similar meetings have been held at Sheffield, in
the Potteries, at Gateshead, Stockton and Middlesborough,
Felton, Leigh, and Rochdale.

TEX WORKING CLASSES AND THE RXIPORE MIEN
13G.-I.Ast evening the committee of the Workbag Men's
Association appointed to get up the great arrogate mei:t-
ies of the working men of London, to be held on Thursday
evening next, held a meeting end made their first arrange-
meats, The secretary read a large number of letters from
members of parliament, and other gentlemee, all highly
mosamsndatory of the meeting being held, and many of
the write expressing their intention of being present. The
muster, reported that invitations to attend the meeting
had been sent out to the whole of the metropolitan mem-
bers and to other well.keown leading reformers in the
middle Glum. He hail also received intimation that
many organised bodies of working men bad resolved to
amemble at their respective society bowies, and come dears
to fit. Martin's-hall in a body on the night of meet-
ing. In order that the meeting might be unmis-
takeably one representing the working elmes, the speakers
to the resolution's had been an selected from amongst the
officers of different trades and benefit societies, and every
speaker would represent many thonoands of his follow.
workmen. After the trensaction of some routine business
the committee adjourned its eittiog until Tuesday evening
lost, when a general meeting of the members of the
monists= will take place.

We (Army and Nary Gazette) understand that
it was only ma Thursday thst the Admiralty wore
enabled to complete the number of gag officers will-
led to accept the six Greenwich Hospital pan.
gore It was, therefore, head impossible, from this sod
other causes, to prepare the list of retirements for the
Gazelle of last night. It is, however, certain that the Lon-
don Gazette of Tuesday next will contain the names of all
these odious who bare retired on the score of age sad
PhYtieal
The statements which appeared some time back
atuding Lord Jolla Hey's joining the Admiralty had (ohYt
the deny and Nary Gazette) no foundation, and wore the
merest gums-work. MU the day oa which the writ was
mired for Ripon, Lord John Hay had not been formally
asked to go to Whitehall, and it was on that day only he
eeeeeted the of then for the drat time made to him.
We hope he may mark his accession by something vigorous
and racousful—sey the lanoehing of the Notthsunborland
le */ like—sow that he has joined the board.
Herr Goldeshatidt, Rays the Atheecestet, will
waded slat Madame Goldschmidt will sing at the Whit.
suntide Lower-Rheaish Yusissl reeted, whisk is to be
held this year at Dasaskliort.