The Express.
London, England, 1867-09-04 00:00:00

triVOPENCE

THE PROPOSED REFORM PETE AND BANQUET.

A general meeting of the London Working Men's
Association was held last evening at the association rooms,
Holt-court, Fleet-street, in reference to the forthcoming
fete and banquet at the Crystal Palace, on the 30th
instant. Mr. Guinan Porryi occupied the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said the first business of the meeting
was to confirm the action taken by certain members of the
association, in conjunction with the delegates from the
trades and other societies in promoting the proposed
reform fete and banquet.
Mr. Bracy then moved " That this association endorse
the action taken by several members of the association,
in conjunction with the delegates from the societies of
working men who took part in the reform demonstration
of December 1866, in promoting the reform fete and
banquet at the Crystal Palace on the 30th inst., and
empower the committee to announce the fete as under the
au of the Working Men's Association."
rrVicas seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted.
The SZCIIITAIIT OM read the following letters from
Earl Russell and the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, ILP. :
" Pembroke-lodge, Ricbmond•park, Aug. 31,18b7.
" beg you will thank the committee, in my
name, lord oing me the honour of inviting me to the re-
form fete and banquet on the 30th of September. As,
however, I expect to las in Ireland at that time, it will be
cost of m 7
sower to the invitation. It would not
ea
thall
fa the dark" may produce to be a fit and endows
antic companion for those who might wish to cele-
brate the passing of the Reform Bill of 1867.
Other measures, unconnected with reform of parliament,
appear to me to be necessary to ensure the future of this
country. Among those mama are to be mentioned, in
my opinion, a general, sound, unsecisrian education of the
people, the abolition of church rates, and a redress of
grievances both in regard to the militias of landlord and
tenant, and of the maintenance of the church of the
minority, of which the Irish, as a nation, justly complain.
Upon all these measures the present government will. I
conceive, use the influence they have acquired to resist
and suppress those remedial measures which in my
judgment are absolutely essential for the future welfare
and honour of the United Kingdom. I beg you will sub-
mit this letter to the committee, and remain, your
obliged and faithful servant, "Roses.[.
" To the Secretary of the Reform Fete Committee."
The letter from Mr. Gladstone was dated from Hector-
den, Chester, August 27: and after referring to his at-
tentions* at the proposed banquet, about which negotia-
tion are still pending, goes on to say
It appears to me that such a celebration as your com-
mittee propose is amply justified by the great extension
of the franchise which has been given by the act, and that
it will tend to create an enhanced sense of the duty which
it imposes, as well as the powers and privileges it confers.
Of course your satisfaction would have been more com-
plete, bad some other parts of the subject, and especially
the redistribution of sesta, bees treated in the same com-
prehensive manner as the borough suffrage, and had the
enfranchisement in boroughs not been connected with
provisions so inconvenient and irrational with respect to
the payment of rates through the owner.-1 have the
honour to be, sir yours faithfully, W. R. GLAIMTONZ."
Mr. PACKILE then moved, and Mr. THOMAS seconded
the following soolutiou, which was carried :—" That this
association recommend the establishment of a fund to be
called the Parliamentary Working Man's Election Fund,
to be devoted to paying the legitimate expenses and pro-
moting the return of working men to the reformed par-
liament, as the representatives of labour, and thrt.the
committee be instructed to prepare a plan for working
out such proposition, end submit the same to a general
meeting of members for approval,"
The meeting then closed with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and the reform fete committee.