The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION ON THE REFORM BILL.

A large and most enthusiastic meeting of liberals
of all shades of opinion was held last night in the Town-hall,
Leeds. Resolutions were unanimously adopted strongly
disapproving of delay in dealing with the reform question,
consequent on the course adopted by the government ;
rejoicing in the abandomnennt of the resolutions ; and ex-
pressing the opinion that the scheme of reform sketched
out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer is very un-
satidactory in the way in which it deals with
the redistribution of seats, and utterly inadequate in the
proposed extent of the occupation franchise. The reso-
lution further declared that the real interest of the nation,
as well as the just claims of the working classes, would be
met by no measure which does not give votes to a much
larger number of working men than would be enfran-
chised either by a 6/. rating suffrage, or by the measure
introduced by the liberal government last session.
Mr. Baines, M.l'., who came from London for the
purpose of attending the meeting, made an able speech,
in the course of which he strongly denounced the govern.
ment scheme. Re agreed with Mr. Bright that the re-
form question could alone be properly settled by the libe-
ral party once more taking power, although he questioned
whether that course would be favourably entertained by
the lions* of Commons. It was resolved to send copies
of the resolutions to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and
to Mr. Gladstone.

A. telegram from Hanley informs us that at au aggregate
meeting of the representatives of all the reform unions in
the Potteries the government proposals were unanimously
condemned, and public meetings throughout the district
were resolved upon.

The following resolution was adopted on Wednesday
evening by the committee of the Bradford Reform Union :
—"Considering that there are in this country about five
millions of adult males who have no voice in the election
of representatives to parliament, that the measure of re-
form sketched by Mr. Disraeli will enfranchise only about
418,000, of whom, at the utmost not more than 150,000
will be working men, that the proposed redistribution of
seats is wholly inadequate to redress the existing ano-
malies in the representation, this committee is
of opiaion that the reform scheme of the present govern.
ment is whaly unworthy the serious consideration of
any section of reformers, and expresses its indigna-
tion that any government should presume thus to trifle
with the just claims and desires of the people, and pledges
itself to resist that scheme to the utmost, and that, whe-
ther it be tossed or not, this committee will not for •
moment relax its agitation for a substantial and honest
measure. Thix‘committee is further of opinion that no bill
which does not give a much more liberal extension of the
suffrage than the bill of last session will be satisfactory to
theieople. That for the purpose of more effectually car-
rying on the agitation, the members of this oommittee will
double their subscriptions to this association, and will in-
vite the whole body of members to sAlo_p_t this resolution in
its entirety at the annual meeting on Monday next."

TRISATSIENT OF PATIENTS IN COEXIST-HATCH
LUNATIC ANYLUN.—A general meeting of the magistrates
of the seemly of Middlesex was held yesterday at the Ses-
sions-house, Clerkenwell-green. Mr. H. l'ownall, who
was in the chair, drew the attention of the court to a let-
ter sent to the Commissioners of Lunacy in reference to
the treatment of lunatics in the asylum at Colney-hatch,
in which it was stated that a patient named Harrison
had been put to bed in No. 5 roorn in D ward in a state of
nudity, without bedding of any kind ; and that another
patient, named Hobbs, was so greeted for 140 nights
during the winter of 1864 and 1865, and that he died one
morning soon after being unlocked. There were, it was
added, other patients who have been so punished, some
for longer, others fur shorter terms. To this communication
the Commissioners of Lunacy returned • reply to tbe com-
mittee of visitor' of the asylum, who, with a view to
afford Dr. Sheppard an opportunity of refuting these
charges, invited his attendance at a meeting of the board
on the 18th ult. He at once admitted that the state-
ments contained in the letter were substantially true, and
that a similar mode of treatment was adopted as a system
in cases of which there were, as he informed the board,
from time to time many in the asylum, wherein patients,
by tearing and biting, habitually destroyed bedding and
clothing, and even the lining of padded rooms. Dr. Shep-
pard went on to say that Harrison and Hobhswere patients
of that character, and so destructive that they would in a
short time after being placed in their rooms, and supplied
with clothing anal bedding tear them to shreds, even the
strongest dresses anal quilted coverlets. The instructions
to the attendants, as he told the board, are to warn
patients with such propensities that if they were found to
have destroyed their clothing or bedding they would not be
allowed any. Locked leather gloves had been found use-
less. As to the use of such gloves, he replied that
when used they were not deemed to be or entered in
the medical journal as mechanical restraint. He was in-
formed that the employment of all such means of personal
restraint should be duly recorded under that head in the
journal. Dr. Sheppard further stated that the medical
books contained no record of the confinement of patients
in a state of nudity, as above described. He knew, as
he said, no other means of trecang inveterately de-
structive patients, such as Harrison and Hobbs,
and he expressed his desire to receive any suggestions
upon the subject. He added that he invariably found
the skin of such patients in • state of burning heat, and
that they were quite insensible to cold. They would, he
said, in some cases stand up during the entire night. The
above disclosures were of so startling a kind, anal the prac-
tice now for the first time brought to the knowledge of
the commissioners was in their judgment so much to be
oontletuned, and affected so gravely the character of the
asylum, that they suggested an immediate and full inquiry
on the part of the committee. The commissioners add,
that in all their experience they have met with no case of
insane patients to which such treatment as that described
could properly be applied, or would admit of any kind of
justification. in a communication to the committee of
visiting justices, Dr. Sheppard states that Ho'ihs was
not placed in his room, in the manner described, for more
than four nights out of 67, anal that the statement that
Harrison had been shut up in his room for ten iircees-i, e
nights without bedding or clothing was not true. This
communication was transmitted to the Commissioners of
Lunacy, who understand that the objections to the treat-
ment, in question are equally entertained by the e.ao•
mittee, and that no recurrence of the practice will be per-
mitted. Some discussion took place and the report was
put and agreed to. The other business was disposed of,
anal the court was adjourned.