The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-02 00:00:00

THE REFORM LEAGUE AND FENIANISM.

The adjourned meeting of the committee of the
Reform League was held last night at the offioes,
Adelphi-terrace, Mr. DIXHIUMAN in the chair. There was
a very large attendance.
The lizoirrAriv (Mr. Howell) said that after the public
announcement in the daily papers of that morning relative
to the retirement of Mr. Thus. Hughes, M.P. for Lambeth,
from the office of vice-president of the League, it was his
duty to inform the council that when such resignation was
sent to the League, Mr. lingbes desired to retire quietly.
The reasons given were, first, because the lion. gentleman
was not in favour of the ballot, and, secondly, because he
was opposed to the League on the question of the three-
cornered constituencies.
The debate on the resolutions and amendment intro-
duced last Wednesday was then resumed by
Mr. ACLAND, who commenced by referring in strong and
denunciatory terms io an article which appeared in a daily
paper, charging the League with being the avowed
champion of assassination and rebellion.

FINLEN said that, until he bad seen in the papers
the remarks made by Messrs. Cooper, Lucraft, and Odger,
he did not believe that the council was composed of such
" pure and bright metal." The down-trodden Irish people
were told that they should not have attempted physical
force until every other means had b, en tried, but he
thought that they bad used almost every other means, and
certainly they could not be expected to have faith io any
moral movement after the failure of O'Connell's agitation.
Adopting the words attributed to a speaker at the meeting
ou Wednesday week, lie would say, " Let Fenianism eo
on and prosper." They, as English radicals, ought not to
be the men to throw themselves in the way of Irishmen
who would be free men. They ought to be the last to
throw obstacles iu the progress of Irishmen, and to throw
water on their hot enthusiasm. They sympathised with
the Poles, they loved and honoured the names of Kos-
ciusko and Kossuth, and therefore let their words to the
Fenian' be words of cheer, and let them give that benedic-
tion which they, as members of a plodding race, might be
able to afford. (Cheers.).

Mr. ACIAND protested against the illegality of Mr.
Pinion's speech.
. . . •

Mr. MroTrrintsiign said Fenianisin was a bastard move-
ment of American birth. The mission of the American Iri■h
in this country was to commit meaningless murders, and
they were therefore deserving of maven's' reprobation.
He believed that the Fenian, to a man would go against
Garibaldi, and in favour of the temporal power of the
Papacy, and as proof of his assertion he pointed to the
conduct of the Irish at Hyde-park during the Garibaldian
riots.

Mr. DAVIM protested against the League becoming a
mere debating society. He believed the object of the vote
given on the occasion of the reading of Mr. Beides's letter
was to oppose the introduction of extraneous matters into
the council. Their conduct bad been wilfully mis-
construed, and they had been maligned and traduced for
piuty purposes. Hehoped that with the view of preserving
the unity of the League, they would put an end to this
discussion, and adhere to their platform of manhood suf-
frage and the ballot. (Rear, hear.)
. .

Upon the proposiiiiin that Mr. Guedalla's amendment
should he withdrawn, and that it shmld, with certain
eineudations, be submitted as a resolution, • long and
stormy discussion ensued. An effort on the part of the
chairman, and those immediately around him, to restore
order, was impeded by the violent opposition of Mr.
Uolding, who iusiated that the course proposed to be
taken was a piece of cowardice on the part of the League.
Eventually the chainwin suomeded in putting the motion
sus follows:—" That this council emphatically and indig-
nantly repudiates any sympathy with assassination or
secret organization for political objects, and in proof of
such assertion, refers with confidence to its past career
and its official manifestoes."

Mr. Oix:rit, on the part of Mr. Mantle, withdrew the
reeolution proposed at the last meeting by that gentleman.
The resolution was then put and carried almost unani-
mously.
The CHAIRMAN was exceedingly glad that the League bad
thus vindicated its position, and that its friends outside
were spared the humiliation of being dragged through the
mud of one of the most questionable movements of modern
times.

The proceedings terminated with a cordial vote of thanks
to the chairman.

Arrestrren MCR nut. —Early yesterday morning
a determined attempt at murder was committed by
Mrs. Marianne Miller, residing at 20, St. George's-
road, Borough, upon Mary Cattermole, aged GA, a servant
engaged in the family. It appears that Mrs. Cattermole
had attended Mrs. Miller upon each occasion of her con-
finement, and for the past twelve months as domestic ser-
vant, living in the house with the family. On Thursday it
was remarked by a neighbour that Mrs. Miller appeared to
he either under the influence of liquor or insanity. Mrs.
Miller told the poor old woman that .he thought it was time
she (the servant) was out of the world. At half-pest six yes-
terday morning Mr. Miller had left home to attend to his
business, and Mrs. Miller and her servant were alone in
the kitchen. The latter was lighting the fire, when her
mistress came behind her and struck her a violent blow on
the head with a broom, and then seizing a razor inflicted a
terrible gash on her forehead and then on her throat. The
poor woman managed to get into the street, and was found
sitting on the doorstep of the next door, blood gushing
from her. She was conveyed to Guy's Hospital, but it was
found that the wounds were of so serious a character Milt
scarcely a hope is entertained of her recovery. On the
way to the hospital she had just strength enough to ask if
her children were safe, evidently thinking that an
attempt would be made upon their lives also. Mrs. Miller
is in custody.