The Express.
London, England, 1866-10-25 00:00:00

!wry* MORN MUTING&

A torchlight meeting in favour of parliamentary
reform, and attended by weeds of 6900 _Parma, was
held last night, near Bradla Wandsworth-road.
A preassign bearing noungrous banners, and room=
by a band et soaks, left the Builds.' Arms, 0
Week South Lambeth, at 7 o'clock, and arrived at the
about the tine at which the proceedings cam-
awosd Messrs. lizedlaugli, Connolly, and Babb at-
tended as a deputation from the Reform League. It bad
been announced in the bills that Mr. T. Hughes,
would preside, but the ban, tleman did not make an
appeases., 1$ bsing that his absence arse
from et diadem le take pest in an openeir dunce-
Antic& Mr. B. V. Holliday, steel merchant of
Bisafteld, was voted to the chair. Mr. T. licliormy,
of Dartford, proposed the first resolution, as follows
" Tbat it is the clinker of this meeting that the adoption
of the programme of the Reform League, via., registered
residential mashed salvage with the p otectjan of Hie
ballot is the only safeggerl of our national end
believing it to be true in principle, pound in policy and
both • and beneficial in practice, we therefore pledge
ourselves to use every legal and constitutional mean, to
promote its adoption as the basis of any future reform
bill" Mr. Warren aeoonded the resolution, which was
supported by Mr. Bradlaug,h and carried amid whims-
tics. Mr. Stevens proposed the next resolution, which
wee—" That in the opinion of this meeting kthe Batik
Lambeth Branch of the Reform League is deserving et
the =,,,yrinapatgzrropert et the Wenn got s
ett
tide pledge muisime Oa In
et minime, sari salmis amid in agile&
ing
osticavoott thle emititosseriaill its anal victory.*
Yr. seereded the Isolation, grid& Irma.
ported by . Connolly in an able and humorous
and unanimously agreed to. Address in further.saser'2
the object of the meeting were delivered by Mr. Bubb and
others, after which the promedinp terminated.

The reformers of Lincoln showed their Sym-
pathy with the cause of popular progrois bye a grand de-
monstration kohl in that city yesterday. weather
was gloriously fine, and the local branch of the Belau
League rimmed no possible exertion to render the gather.
ing a MOON& At 2 o'clock in the afternoon a prooseeker
was formed in the Breed-gate, whisk, with bands of music
in *Malawi, and flap end barmen, paraded the prhee
streets of the *My. Needy every branch of tr. s& th•
neighbourhood wee repreemMed, and many of the mottos
spin the flags were exceedingly appropriate. The open-
air meeting was very largely &Maeda, and the chair was
ably oesupied lq Mr. Brogdea. The resolutions were of the
usual ammeter, ea asoempromtring determination being
evinced to obtain a large and immediate measure of reform.
In the evenings monster meeting was held in the Theatre,
at which Mr. John Norton provided. Deputations were
present from all pans of lanoolnshire, and the proses&
ings passed off in a most enthusiastic warner. Tbe prin-
cipal speakers were Mr. Ernest Jones, Mr. Busies, Mr.
John Beyley, and others.

DAILLINGI'OII.

A crowded and enthusiastic public meeting was
held yesterday at Darlington, to inaugurate the for-
nation of • benne of the National Reform Union, having
for Its object the extension of the franchise in counties
and boroughs to all persons liable to be rated to the relief
of gill . The chair was °peopled by Lieutenant.
Colonel Amoapt the speakers were Mr. Henry
Team, ex M.P. for South Durham, the Rev. A. Hall. and
Mr. Mark Price, a deputation from the Manchester League.
Resolutions were weed favouring the objects of the
society, including vote by ballot and more equal distribu-
tion of members. A resolution was also passed to the
effect that in the opinion of the meeting the present
House al Commons hoe forfeited the oonfidenes of the
people by its factious hostility to reform.

A breach of the National Reform League having
recently been established here a public meeting of that
body was held here on Tuesday night, to agitate for the
adoption of manhood suffrage and vote by ballot. The
meeting was held in the Musk-hall and the proosedinp
went off very quietly, no attempt being made to raise any
opposition. Mr. Councillor Woodward presided, and a depu-
tation wee present, coacds of Messrs. Wright sad Dada
of Birmiaghein, and Mr. Cramer of the London Reform
League. Mr. J. Mills moved—" That this meeting views
with great salislastion the intelligent efforts put forth ily
the working men of Worcester for the extension of the
elective franchise, and pledges itself to use all lawful
means for obtaining the same. Aldermen Hill (a
candidate for Worcester at the next election)
seconded the resolution, which was supported by Mr.
Wright in a long speech, anti earned uranimonsly.
Mr. J. Grainger moved, Mr. John Heath seconded, and
Mr. Creme supported, the next reaolntion, as follows :
" That this meeting enters its solemn protest against and
its denial of the charges of venality, ignorance, drunken-
ness, and indifference to reform brought against the work-
ing classes during the last session of parliament, and con-
sidering the present system of parliamentary representa-
tion to be inadequate to the wants of the people, hereby
pledges. itself to advocate for the future registered
residential manhood suffrage with protection of the
ballot to the voter as the only just and proper
basis of representation." This resolution on being
put to the meeting was also carried unanimously.
Mr. Harrison then moved, " That this meeting desires to
acknowledge the :berries, of the Right Host. W. B. Glad-
stone, Mr. John Bright, Mr. John Stuart Mill, end all
those who have supported the people's claims and vindi-
cated their character in parliament, and further expresses
its confidence in them as the champions of the national
cause in the House of Commons." Mr. Scott seconded
the motion, and it was supported by Mr. BalsieL Thanks
were then voted to the deputation, and Mr. Cramer, in
acknowledging the vote said he did his duty on the 23rd
lof July when he walked into Hyde-park over the ruins of
the inp, and spoke there. A vote of th to the
f chairman closed the proceedings, which occupiedanks about
tied three hours.

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE MIDLAND
RAILWAY WORK&

A sad accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon
in the tunnel at Bradway near Dronfield, of the new Mid-
land Railway from Sheffield to Chesterfield, one
man being killed and four injured. To facilitate the
making of the tunnel a somber of thefts have been sank
in the Bradway bill ; and the accident occurred in
the excavation from No. 3 shaft some 40 or 50 yards from
the bottom. At the time of the accident 22 men were
at work in this part of the tunnel. For some dis-
tance this portion of the tunnel bad been driven
through the solid rock. The roof was firm, requiring
little supports. This tunnel is being arched with bricks
to the thickness of two feet six inches, and preparatory
to the arching the roof has been supported by beams of
timber about seventeen inches in thickness, the beanie
being placed lengthwise of the tunnel and borne u
thep by
strong props at each end. With these precautions
tunnel was worked without accident up to Tuesday. A
day or two ago the edge of the rock was reached in No.
3 shaft, and as a consequence a treacherous roof of
what is called " bind" succeeded to that of stone. The
bind bed a rather firm appearance, but, nevertholem, the
supporting beams were increased to five, in order to pro
vide against accident. Dining Tuesday, Mr. Coombs, the
ganger of the men employed in No. 3 shaft, observed that
there was considerable pressure on the beams ; indeed, one
of them had been slightly "sprung." As the beams were
26 feet long, be wisely decided to support them in the
middle. Accordingly he gave interactions for the placing
of what is celled among the men a " horse's head"—a strong
cross beam of timber, supported by props. This cross beam
was being raised to rapport the centre of the long beanie
when the accident happened. The long beams proved
unequal to the weight of the loose roof, and mapped in
the centre, at the very spot where, in a few numeric
they would have been firmly supported. The beams
snapped so suddenly as to leave little time to get away,
and a major of the men bad a narrow escape.
fall of "bind was heavy, amounting to several tons.
The occurrence naturally created great alarm among the
workmen, whose first impulse was to get as far out of
harm's way as possible. Four of their number were
struck by the falling mass, some of them being partly
covered. Their comrades promptly returned to extricate
them, and on the number being counted up, it was found
that there was still one missing. lie was found in about
an hour under the middle of the fallen mass, and was of
course quite dead. His back was apparently broken, and
he was bruised from head to foot. His name is Jemee
Stevenson ; be is supposed to be about 33 years of age, and
he leaves a wife and, four young children.—Shelidd Jude-
pendent.

Tun HACKNEY Woinnougn.—At the' meeting
of the Hackney board of guardians yesterday, a letter was
read from the l'oor.law Board, enclosing a copy of one
addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Driscoll, master and matron of
the workhouse, requiring them to resign their offices in
oonsequenoe of their conduct in refuaing to admit a boy
suffering from cholera. The letter to the guardians called
attention to the statement made at the recent inquiry, by
the master, to the effect that, although the food ti the
inmates was very badly cooked, owing to the employment
' of a pauper cook, he bad never reported the matter to the
guardians. The eseentan of the Poor.law Bend wee
directed tossuggeat the propriety " of the guardians ap-
poMting suitable persoc. not an inmate, ti set as cook
in the workhouse, and that sus* person should be property
remunerated for his services.

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