The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-30 00:00:00

[STAMPED, ld. ADDITIONAL.]

THE COMMONS PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

The committee of this society held a meeting at
their offices, in Parliament•street, last evening, to
consider several cases in which commons and open

spaces near the metropolis have been enclosed. kr.
Shaw Lefevre, M.P., was in the chair; and among
those present were the Right Hon. William Cow-
per, M.P., Mr. Thomas Hugh, M.P., Admiral
Hamilton, the Rev. Leslie Stephen Mr. Charles
Pollock, fx. J. C. Parkinson, Mr. Stephen,
and
Mr. Arthur Lankester. Plumstead-common, Hamp-
stead-heath, Epping Forest, Wimbledon-common,
and Blackheath, were all subjects of discussion,
and were all said to be either threatened with en-
closure, or to claim the local conservation pro-
vided for by Mr. Cowper's measure of last session.
At Plumatead, a common known as Shoulder-of-
Mutton-green was enclosed by order of the autho-
rities of Queen's College, Oxford, acting as lords
of the manor. Here the inhabitants have pulled

the palings down, and legal proceedings are now
pending to determine the commoners' rights. At
Hampstead, Sir Thomas Wilson is iitz+ed to
have built a house on a portion of the
heath, and to be meditating further in-
novation. Certain residents in the locality
applied to the Commons Preservation Society
for assistance and advice, and a public meeting has
just been held at Hampstead to determine future
action. Epping Forest has recently bee, the cause
of a suit in equity. In the parish of Loughton the
inhabitants have exercised from time immemorial
the right of cutting firewood, by what is tradition-
ally spoken of as Queen Elizabeth's charter. This
right, they say, existed from the 11th November to
a specified day iu April in each year, on condition
that the first axe was laid at 12 o'clock at night on
the former date. Curious stories are told of the
means taken to prevent this law being kept.
Sappers given and conviviality promoted, in
the midst of which an astute and sturdy com-
moner has stolen out at midnight to keep the bond
and preserve his own and his fellows' rights ; money
gifts proffered to induce intending wood-choppers
to keep at home ; and persuasive arguments as to
the utter uselessness of keeping up an obsolete
form—such are said to have been the means fruit-

lowly employed to shake the resolution of those
bent on maintaining the charter. Where
this document is, and under what circum-
stances it was granted, have not been stated.
Midnight is supposcd to have been fixed
in order that the privilege of wood-cutting
should be restricted to boad fide inhabitants, but
the evidence of the existence of the charter seems
to mainly rest upon the unanimous testimony of
old parishioners, and the persistent efforts made to
prevent its first clause being observed. Tradition
states that three other parishes near originally had
the same privileges as Loughton, but have lost
them through succumbing to the temptations
quoted ; and it is also said that at Walthamcrowi
similar rights were extinguished by the monks, who
gave a supper to the commoners, and by engaging
them in revelry until the magical hour was passed,
• caused the rights to lapse, and made enclosure
legal. At Loughton recent proceedings have
assumed a peculiarly painful character, owing to
the lord of the manor, a clergyman, having felt it
his duty to visit condign punishment upon some
poor cottagers for continuing to chop their wood
after being warned that the ground it stood on had
been made by him private instead of public pro-
perty. Imprisonment, loss of employment, of
means of subsistence, and of home have followed,
and it is probable that particulars of their hard
treatment will be brought before the public, and
steps be taken for their aid.
The great differences of opinion which still exist
between Earl Spencer and the inhabitants of Wim-
bledon are to be determined in a suit in equity,
which is about to come on ; while the dwellers near
Blackheath will shortly call a local meeting, at
I which members of the Commons Preservation
Committee will attend to proffer explanations and
advice. In all cases, the central society aims at
stimulating local public spirit ; and its usefulness
consists in promoting the objects of Mr. Cowper's
Act more efficiently than can be done by any exist-
ing organisation. The great desideratum is to pre-
servo the open spaces near London for the benefit,
not merely of those living near them, but for
I smoke-dried Londoners themselves. It is well
known that many waste lands have been enclosed
through the apathy and ignorance of those dwell-
ing iu their vicinity, which would be priceleis as
open spaces now. Mr. Cowper's Act, and the vigi-
lance of the l'reservation Society, are designed to
prevent those enclosures for the future, and while
the latter encourages the formation of, and invites
co-operation with local committees for the same
end, it is especially anxious to embody in its ranks
all interested in the health and well-being of the
• community.

Drama.

NEW ROYALTY THEATRE.

A burlesque on Douglas Jerrold's Blael-Eyed
SUM?, from the pen of Mr. F. C. Burnand, wr.s produced
here last night. This is a much more favourable trample
of its author); handiwork than A,•louy and Cleopatra.
Considerable fun has; been extracted from the story, and
the situations are less redolent of midnight oil than in many
of Mr. Burnand's later drolleries. We are sorry to say
that the working-out is not at all equal to the design ; the
animal spirits want evening-iiress, and are hardly fit in
their present costume to appear before society of a decent
intellectual grade. The piece has been mounted with
great care; costumes and scenery are all that could be
desired. Messrs. Dewar and C. Wyndham played with
real, and apparently unforced, humour ; and most
of the ladies in the company poison fine figures.
Burlesque might be driven tomuch worse extremities than
those which are to he found at the New Royalty. There
is a groat superauity of dancing in Black-Eyed Susan ;
and a front-scene representing a telegraph office requires
either new points or wholesale cuts. The burlesque was
uproariously received by a crammed house; author and
actors replied to a series of boisterous calls.
A new farce, called The Gentleman in Tilite, followed,
but its reception was, as a matter of course, an anti-climax.
Mr. Wyndham played with spirit in a part smacking of
Plumper in Cod as a Cueumter and Jeremy Diddler.
It was past midnight when the curtain fell.

MR. BRIGHT ON faun PoLtcY.—ft gentleman
at Exeter has received the following letter from Mr.
Bright in reference to the Irish question :—" Rochdale,
Nov. 24, 1866—Dear Sir.—l thank you for your note and
the newspaper. The Irish landlords feel that they can
rely on English force to sustain them, and they are care-
the ato the condition of the country and the feelings of
tenantry. My plan would rob nobody. I would give
more than its present market value for any estate pur-
chased, and I would make a new race of proprietors
out of the present occupiers, awl thus convert them from
disoontent to a real loTalty to their country. Everything
proposed for Ireland, is opposed by the tory, and church,
and landlord party, and yet this party has itself nothing
to suggest. Discontent and insurrection may menace the
country, but English force is always at hand. so the land-
lord sle-ps in peace, and feels that his rents and his power
aro secure. If Ireland were 1,000 miles away from us, all
would be at once changed, justice would be done, or the
landlord'would be exterminated by the vengeance of the
people. I lies nothing better in the future so long as the
people of the United Kingdom are excluded from the
House of Commons, and how seen we may be able to hear
them included is more than I can telL I do what I can
for them, and now they are doing something for them-
selves. I hope there may be some result before long. My
correspondence is very burdoasome, so forgive this brief
note, and believe me yours very truly, JOHN Baton?."
The parish of Westbury-on-Trym, in Somerset-
' shire, has a population of 10,000 persons, and for the space
of ten days very reoently not a single death took place in
the parish.
Amongst several of our religious sects there are
individuals who call themselves Cummingites after the
famous Small& divine, Dr. Cumming. These indivi-
duals believe that the world will come to an end this year.
Notwithstanding that 18G6 has nearly expired many of
these persons fancy there is time for some great physical
catastrophe to happen.—Aseeriamt paper.

ETWOPEN

LOAD IMBRALEY ON P.l ALLAMETISY
REFORM.

i

Nied....gmr:nciscvitedarrybeorarnmisesrutfneowt:et
On Wednesday evening a reform meeting was
held at the Subscription-rooms, SUsand, under the preei-
being
ded
Con-
desiderahndwcYrerwolemserfrelpeo,
Itirhteoannoe
band, which was stationed outside the hall, and played
thet
hve,lNnse. a.ttyi7naolloftallteea brusfpormlat.
inspiriting airs at intervals. Among those upon the plat-
r.
te
League
;6Mn Handel
HelmC°4l"l°lierley
eutohilthremdthaetestveht"daneißesii!dsx',!.!;thehfoPrin.taPe;it:ilttihalidntinggwi,
en,:dg.theverroomal of
bethewa.movreo.
prominent local reformers. Lad Amberley was present,
vo-
ciferously cheered.
The CHAIRMAN said that before proceeding to the busi-
ness of the meeting it was his duty to read three looters.
The first was from Colonel Nigel Itingeoote, ILP., who
expressed his regret that be could not be present, but
recorded his deep sympathy with the reform movement. .
The next letter woe from Mr. `Scrape, one of the borough
members, who regretted that it was out of his power to
attend the meeting, his health and spirits being Just sow
unequal to the exertion required. The hon. member
concluded by stating that be should support, in his place
in parliament, any measure that might be proposed from
any quarter for the extension of the franchise to many
of those who were as yet without it. (Loud cheers' with
three special cheers for Mr. Scrope. A Voice : "No letter
from Mr. Horsman," with hisses and groans.) His lordship
said he wassorry to say he Lad no letter from Mr. Horsman.
itselMore hisses.) His lordship, in reference to the wee
f,
tself, said he ficeepted with pisesure the hewer
upon him is calling upon him to take the e
on that occasion. (Applause.) Fix months ago they hit a .
liberal government in power, and a liberal Reform . • g•
before the House of Commons. Had that Reform Bill been ••
passed into law, it would hare bees unnecessary for them
to hold any such assembly as that which was then beliore
him. (Applause.)
widoauuldse.)at Tlheatastbillhamudve esrahojewn"iihtawsst
ait could not have satisfied the wishes of advanthced tea
pßleug
rumonhi
was not determined to turn a deaf ear to the just (wpm,
Cations of the people. (Hear, bear, and applause.) It
have shown thatthey were willingto make BOUM con
however small, in the direction of an extenaion
suffrage. (Hear, hear.) But moderate as that bill was " •
not meet with the acceptance of the House of CUD •
He needed not to detail to them, because they don alias •
rembered it perfectly well, the manner in which it *As .•
opposed. It was opposed acrimoniously, sts;enignisinind
constantly, as much so as if it had proposed to createicom-
plete revolution in the institutions of tile oo try. „Wear, .
hear.) Now, what was the ground for that
ton, Under whatever liarlianientary. (onus it N
been veiled, whatever shapes it in4;lit have assurneil, Ott:.
was impossible to doubt that the real reason of the' ots;• • • .
position was that the bill proposed to extend, tifeittlm"•••
ehise to some portion of the working 'clasiee.
hear," and applause.) That was the reason of the h , . 6
„
it created, and that was why the House of Cep 0 se'''.
was not prepared to accept it, either with or leithdtit they,
re-distribution of seats. The result of that tetelitign ems t?.,. rs • ,
that the late government were defeated,_ attd Wernigno- •
coded by a conservative aultninistmthin. Now, thelyound c. et
upon which the present governmenk Cane into teas. . ' •
that of denying any extension of the • frumhisa. •
might not have been the technical reason upon whic3t he
late government were defeated, buttflitt Mal in f t the''
express ground upon which the present tgovtrn •
—it was that of denying any reforus rid, any 94egge in 11,?
their representative system. It was sometimes said "in- '
deed, that the cause of the defeat of'llar' later titideHaftlent
bill, as well as the other Reform nills„ was not ..16mbill . -
itself, but in the mistakes which were niatie in the, %an: *. 1
ner in which it was conducted. He was not gbagThen tot ,at&
enter into and inquire as to the manner in whiolveinatill ' t
was or might have been conducteet by the late gov dent:, • •
but he believed that the real groundOf pßpcsation oto.:
any mistakes which they made, . thetr• r • • •
the cause of reform. (Hoar.) It No. *ill
1.44 ail se
of Commons that they were anxious 41y.4 i.,t that i .
they wont not playing with 'this ideetioh, lou that . •
they meant what they said. (II Au.; ihnit.r•• ilk' late •
government was too sincere for ,the R4lum, •
mons. (" Hear, hear," and applatuse.), .
176frigrIP
however, that it was not too sincere for the ar
land. (Loud cheers.) He was convinced that cy would
appreciate the course that was taken by the late govern-
'4.44u ment—(hear, hear)—sad by those statesinet who ~+ip-,, ..•
ported, through thick and thin, theltisinitof Ww • aswerwv '
a larger measure of enfranchi.euiciit. (Applause.) Well,
, such a measure as that of last session basing beau denied,
I it became necessary for them to wish fur some reform,
and to speak, end to agitate, and to meet until such a
reform was carried. (Loud cheers.) It war a great
honour to them on that occasion that they had with
I them a man who hail come forward in the spirit of self-
merifice and self-devotiou to lead that great popular
movement. It was almost unneee.eiary for him to men-
Hon the name of Mr. Beal, s (Levi the. rs.) He wit 4 •
much too well known, be wet much too closely
identified with the cause of reform to need any in-
troduct on from him. lie h,:d shown his
earnestness—he had come forward 131 a manner
which they could not but ralw ire, whether or not
they entirely agreed with ahl the old :i• ..s lie had ex-
, •
pressed. (Hear, hear.) For his owe part Car did not fully
agree with everything that hack been raid by the Reform
League. but he could not help that they
were doing I/ good and useful worL-- (• hear," and
applause)—and he speed with Clam that the next reform
bill, if it was to meet the expectations of the people, was
by nu means likely to be su moderate of the h. ek (Hear,
hear.) He was sure they all sympatlinnol with the course
taken by Mr. Reales iu encleavonrin to procure a fair
hearing for the working men of Loudon, who wished to
hold a great meeting in Hyde-pork. (.11.1 !ause.) That
meeting was prevented by the g„ovenionnu t, purse one of
a policy which appeared to hint as anger- roo sit was
unwise. (Hear.) Men who only d.siredl to eNpress in a
perfectly legal and constitutional way their opinions on
the great question of Refonn act-Te prcernted from
entering the park, and we are told that it was not intended
for such purposes as that. (Shame.) pis, therefure,could
not 11.:11) feeling the. strongest ailiniraiun for time manner
in which Mr. Bealea came forward to maintain that claim
of the people. (Applause.) It would not be right in him
to detain them longer, and he wouhl nay say one word as
to the objects and jouposes of their meting there that
night. They were not called upon there to diSCUSS the
details of a ilefurm Bill, of to propose any particular plan.
They met in orderthe. they might have unison unity —that
they the working cis ate.: of Stroud might be able to show
their corny:lncas in the matter of reform. (Applause.)
They knew the manner in which the oppuneuts of reform
endeavoured to make out that the moven:mit was pot up
by political agitators, that it wu hollow, and that it did
not carry with it the fee:hog of the couistry at Faze. (Hear.)
It was for them, in such 'mouldier. a.i t:i..t, to contradict
that anertion ; it was for them to show that they really
wanted a measure of reform; it was for them to tell the
government, and to tell the House of 'ono:oohs, that the
question of reform mint Le tritli•il wide no more. (Ap-
plause.) Ile hail only one word to wiz/ in e•e.eliedon,
aril
that was that it was in their power to deny the ciuiros of
their enemies—that the movement of r. form w:.s not sup-
ported by the feeling of the people at li.rge. (Applause.)
It was for them to tell the goner:l:mut and the House of
Commons that the subject must be trit!...l uo more
(" Hear. hear," and applause.) It was for them to de-
clare their opinion—and their opinion could not be neg-
glected—that the time was come when it was no longer
right nor just to refuse their honouraele da sire to bear
their part and to exert their influence in the legislation of
the country. (Loud chet. rs.)
Mr. It. WINTYMUOTHAM proposed Om fird resolution:—
" That it is the opinion of this meeting runt the working
classes of this country are, by the pi esent system of re-
presentation, deprived of their due and proper intiuence
upon the councils of the nation." (Applaufte.)
Mr. J. SIBRFE, M.A., seconded the resolution, which
was supported by the Rev. Mr. HIBBS, and carried by a
largo majority.
Mr. Pk.TEIL Woof) moved, " That it is the deliberate
conviction of this meeting that no permanent and satis-
factory settlement of the reform question can be arrived at
until the principle of residential manhood suffrage, pro-
tected by the ballot, he adopted." (Lund cherras.)
Mr. 11. Kier, of Bristol, seconded the motion, which
S.* WSU by Mr. ltx.G.:as, and earri..4. -
Mr. .tiara. Ciwsnam, who was cordially cheered on
rising,
to ilir
ntemoved, "That,ime u, thetgrahetelfzinglhtth:Holokns.oNfvitil-i.iiius
ameeigwartting
be
Gladstone, John Brigh., John Stuart Mill, Professor Faw-
cett, and the other true friends of the people, whose nobly
struggled in the last 'elision of parliament fur the exten-
sion of the franchise to the working classes. And that
this meeting hereby records its strongest disapproval of
the conduct of those members of parliament who, having
been elected on the faith of their professions of liberal
opinions, have by their speeches and votes betrayed the
cause of reform, and been the main agents in musing the
defeat of a ministry which possessed in an eminent degree
the confidence of the people of this country." The
speaker supported the motion in a powerful speech, which
was warmly received throughout by the meeting.
This resolution wee seconded by Mr. J. BARNARD, and
carried aeon on.
A vote of thanks WM afterwards passed to the Council
of the Reform League for its services to the people's cause;
te'ldr. Basica, its representative, for Lis able address ;
and to the noble chairman for thei kindness and courtesy
with which he had presided over the meeting.
•

; -ce

111

;k1 -t4,11
fAlk-.44

SOUTHAMPTON, Nor. 29.—The Hamburg and
American Company's steamer Borussia, from New York on
the 17th inst., has arrived with 44i passeogers for this
port, Havre, and Hamburg, 100,000 dole. for England, and
.i,436 dots. for Hamburg. On the 2..dh hut. she spoke the
American ship Portents.