The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-14 00:00:00

REFORM MEETING AT BERMONDSEY.

Last evening a crowded public meeting was held
In Newtons' Factory, Ronel-road, Bermondsey, in support
of a lodger franchise, and in opposition to the personal
rating clause of the Government Reform Bill; Mr. B.
Dreamer Rogers occupied the chair, and was supported by
Messrs. Locke and Layanl, the members for the borough,
and • large number of the influential ratepayers. The
Chairman opened the proceedings with • strong condem-
nation of the government bill, and a declaration that no-
thing short of • residential and registered manhood suffrage
would satisfy the great body of the people.
. Mr. Locke,
M.P., was received with loud cries of How about the
tea-room ?" He, at some length, defended his conduct in
attending what was called the tea-room meeting. By
attending that meeting he had no intention of deserting
Mr. Gladstone or the liberal party, to whom he had given
' a constant support, but to endeavour to get rid of the arbi-
trary 5/. rating line. He was one of the few members
of the House of C mmons in favour of household suf-
frage, pure and simple, with a liberal lodger franchise.
He bad voted with Mr. Gladstone both on the 12th of
April against personal rating, and again with him last
Thursday evening in favour of the compound house-
holder. He was still in hopes that the bill might be so
improeed as to make it acceptable to the people, but if
not, they must endeavour to amend It in the reformed par.
liament.—Mr. Layard, M.P., said he had not the
same faith as his honourable friend that the
bill would be made any better or more acceptable
by the present House of Commons. Neither was he at
all sure that a new parliament elected under the provisions
of the present bill would be inclined to amend its ob-
noxious principles. His owu impression was that it was
like to be even more retrograde than the present House
of Commons. While there were fifty traitors in the
liberal camp there was but little hope of any real or satis-
factory improvement of the bill. The bon. member then
went on to explain what would be the inevitable working
of the present bill in relation to the compound house-
holder. It had been asked, then what were they to do!
(Cries of "Throw out the bill.") He was quite willing
that it should be thrown out. It would be thrown out if the
liberals were true to themselves and their principles,
but, as he said before, they bad fifty traitors in their
camp. He would advise them to keep on and
increase their agitation, hold meetings everywhere, send
in petitions against the bill, and where the constituencies
had been betrayed let them insist on their members doing
their duty, and it was possible they might yet succeed.
He thought the advocates of manhood suffrage would be
satisfied with • household suffrage, pure and simple, and
a lodger franchise of 101. for the present. A parliament
elected under this principle would pass measures of edu-
cation, &c., that would in the course of • few years fit
every man in the country for the possession of the fran-
chise. A resolution in favour of • lodger franchise, and
protesting against the principle of personal rating, was
unanimously adopted, as was also another expressing con-
fidence in Mr. Gladatono, and condemnatory of those mem-
bers of the liberal party who hat voted against him.

THE STRIHIL OF ENOINE-DRIVERS ON THE
NoRTH EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Yesterday, at the Darling-
ton Police-court, the adjourned ease against eight of the
engine-drivers, who struck on the 10th of April last, came
on for hearing. The railway company, contrary to the
practice pursued in the earlier stages of the strike, do not
appear to wish to press the cases to obtain a criminal con-
viction. The solicitor for the prosecution, Mr. Richard-
son, of York, stated that •if the man pleaded guilty the
company would not ask for anything more than the for-
feiture of their wages, which they had lost all claim to by
breaking their contract. The men then each pleaded
guilty, and the magistrates ordered the forfeiture of their
wages, which in all but two cases averaged 51., over 61.
being due in come eases. This decision will rule in the cases
of all the men in the Darlington district. The men who
were now summoned were the first to strike, and in re-
sponse to the call of whom the men on other parts of the
line also turned out. It was stated on the part of the
company that they would not receive any of them back.
All the working arrangements of the line are now per
but two or three passenger trains are still kept off.
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