The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-20 00:00:00

BELFAST ELECTION.

DUBLIN, MONDAY Num.
The nomination for the vacancy in the represen-
tation of Belfast caused by the retirement of Sir H.
Cairns took place to-day. Mr. Charles Canyon
and Mr. hildechan were both nominated. The
show of hands was in favour of the former, and a
poll was demanded on behalf of Mr. Mliechan,
and fixed for Wednesday.

MR. THOMAS HUGHES AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Last evening Mr. T. Hughes, the member for
Lambeth, met his continuants et the Lance-Judi, Carter-
et:eel, Wa'worth, for the purpose of giving an amount of
his stewardship daring the pest session. Mr. BELWAY, the
chairman of Mr. Hughes's committee at the election,
having been voted into the chair,
Mr. Hamm, 'rho was reetived withioad cheers; said be
had met them on this occasion because he thought ft right
that a member should keep himself in sympathy with his
constituents. He had laid down the rule that Ise would con-
fine his speaking in the House of Commons to those eases
in which he found he bed contenting le say which nobody
else would say. The first subject on which he addressed
the home was that of the vendee by railway companies
of the poor from their dwelling-houses. (Hear, hear.)
' lie opposed the ern MU that !proposed to do
I this, and being joined by others, they threw out the bill
triumphantly. Two or three nights afterwards another
bill turned up, and he set to work and opposed it, and then
the chairman of committees got up and said if that course
were taken it would be detrimental to large interests, and
he suggested that, as everybody agreed with the object he
had in view, the best way to do would be to draw up a
standing order. He agreed to that, and drew up an
order, to the effect that a company seeking powers to
take down dwelling-houses should be compelled to build an
oral number of other houses of a Muller description
within a certain radius. But when he proposed the adop-
tion of this standing order the chairman of committees said
this was a great alteration which be did not think they
could sgree to, and he auggested that it should not be
pained as a standing order, but that it should he introduced
into Mr. Mauer Clime:is bill on the subject. Not knowing
so much of the House of Commons at that time as he did
now he acceded to that ruggestion' and drew up the
clauses, but week after week passed on without the bill
ba=ng proceeded with, and at the end of the session Mr.
Gibson withdrew it, leaving him (Mr. Hughes) out in the
cold, and the poor people who were turned out of their
houses out in the cold too, for between the time that he
proposed that standing order and the end of the session not
less than 20,000 persons were turned out of their dwellings.
It was found impossible to do anything in that matter
during the whale of the session. Mr. Torrens had a bill
to provide for the erection of improved dwellings for the
pops but at the end of the session be was obliged to with-
draw it. Take a contrast. The very fun night of the
session a measure was brought in by the country patty for
dealing with the cattle plague. It contained provisions of
a very strong character, such as no one would have thought
would have ever passed the House of Commons, but that
measure was forced and carried through the house
within three weeks. That showed what a class having
a direct rep-mentation in the house could do.
The next time be addressed the house was on the subject
of the neutrality laws, in reference to the Alabama. He
and Mr. Mill advocated the reference of that matter to ar-
bitration. It seemed there was to be a commission ail-
pointed on the subject. He was glad to find that Earl
Derby said some civil things of America at the Mansion-
house. His lordship said that the laying of the Atlantic
Telegraph by an English company had vindicated Eng-
land's old claim to the dominion of the seas. Now, he
thought that was an unfortunate expression, because there
were two sides to that question. He would read some
hues in reference to it in a letter, published in America,
from Jonathan to John :
We own the ocean, too, John,
You inert not think it hard,
If we cannot think with you, John,
It's just your own back yard.
Ole uncle 8.,
Says be, 1 gum,
If that's his game, says he,
The fencing stuff
ill cost enough
To bust up ole J. lb
(Laughter.) The next time he had the honour of address-
ing the house was on the subject of reform, and the ob-
ject of his speech was to show that in all cases in which
their interests came in collision with the repreten.ed
classes the unrepresented went to the wall. As instances
of this the hon. member referred to the law relating to
masters and servauts, the state of education (which be said
ought to be compulsory), the question of hourei, and the
iuefficiency of the laws for the prevention of adulteration
of food and drink. These questions, he maintained,would
soon be settled if the people were directly represented. He
believed that the Reform Bill of last mantra would have
passed the Commons but for so much talk concerning it.
Whether Lord Derby's government would bring in a re-
form bill he did not know, but if they did, and it gave
household suffrage, he would support it. For himself, he
was in favour of Mr. Hare's plan of giving representation
to minorities—C' No ")—anti he should like an edu-
cational test, not such an one as that provided
in Mr. Clay's bill, but he thought that if a
roan could write hie name freely he might be
allowed to vote. The hon. member then referred at mire
I lentrth te the .LC;:n.: Trhich he wrote in reference to the
Hyde-park disturbances, and which appeared to be a sore
subject with the meeting. He justified himself on the
plea that the government had °tiered facilities fur refer-
ring the matter to a legal tribunal, and that he thought
that offer ought to have been accepted. lie gave the Re-
form League credit for every desire to prevent disturb-
ance, and admitted that within their organisation there
was no disturbance, but beyond it there was an uncon-
trollable mob. on this subject he would again quote from
the letter "from Jonathan to John:"
Our folk believe In law, John,
And it's fir her sake m.w
They've left the age and saw, John,
The anVil and the plough_
Ole uncle :4,
Says he, I guess,
If la crt lit for law, says he,
There'd he one shindy
From lure to Indy.
Which world not suit J. 11.
(Cheers and laughter.) He only made one other speech in
the House of Commons, and that was on the subject of
Jamaica. He and Mr. Mill, the member for Westminster,
urged on the government that it was their duty to put
Mr. Eyre, the late governor of Jamaica, ou his trial.
(Loud cheers and some slight hissing.) There were grave
constitutional questions involved in this matter which
could be settled in no other manner. In conclusion, Mr.
Hughes thanked the meeting for the patience with which
they had heard him, and said he highly appreciated tho
honour of being the member for Lambeth, but he had felt
ashamed at the recent exposures that in that borough
there had been a great number of persons convicted of
using false weights and measures, and he hoped that the
disgrace would be wiped away.
The CHAIRMAN said he was rare Mr. Hughes would be
glad to answer any question.
An ELECTOR—Very well; then, I should like to ask
where's his brother chum. (Loud laughter.)
m:releseHriU.G.H. Rol
occasion
wihsicahnl answer
giervetlinnotww;asuigidvtehan
on a
o`•Am Imy brother's keeper!" (Cheers.)
In answer to other questions,
Mr. Hruirt..s mad he was not an opponent of, but ho
Twee not an advocate for, the ballot ; and that on the sub-
better of church and state he thought on the whole it less
that the church, should remain in connexion with
the state.
On the motion of Mr. Garivux, emended by Mr.
LAING, a vote of confidence in Mr. Hughes was then
passed, and the meeting separated.

PROFESSOR ANDERSON IN BiNCROPTCY.—YEeteI,
day, at the Birmingham Bankruptcy Court, before Mr.
Commissioner Saunders, J. H. Anderson, "The Wizard of
the North," better known as "Professor Anderson," came
up for his final examination and order of discharge. Mr.
Griffin, instructed by the trade assignee, Mr. Hogan, of
Wolverhampton—where the professor's good luck deserted '
him—and Mr. John Smith, who appeared for the bankrupt,
examined the profeprofessor at great length as to the several
entries in thebalance-sheet; which were of a rather extra-
ordinary and amusing character. He was also examined
as to the tricks which " took " beet, but on this point the
professor was extremely reticent. In regard to an item of
51., for which Mr. Wright, a 'elicitor, was set down as
creditor, the profesior explained that in the lawsuit in
regard to St. James's Hall, Mr. Pike, his then solicitor, had
1201. Shortly after, Mr. Wright became his solicitor, and
Mr. Pike kept 601. for law expenses, and handed the
naiades over over to Mr. Wright. Mr. Wright, who was pre-
sent in court, said there was as much as 751. due to him
for law expenses, and he would send in his bill. The
to
the said there did not seem to be any objection
to the bankrupt passing ; therefore be could take his die-
ems%