The Express.
London, England, 1859-06-01 00:00:00

(Stamped Id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

'NON-ELECTORS' BANQUET AT BIR-
MINGHAM TO N 8881,9. SOBOLILFIBLD AND
BRIGHT.

Crux coon OWN
BIRMINeHAM, TURADAT, 10 P.M.
This evening the non-electors entertained the
members for the borough, Mowa floholefield and Bright, at
dinner, in the Town Hall. About 700 persons sat dowse in
the body of the ball, the side galleries end a portion of the
great gallery being occupied by Mies. The members on
entering the hall wen cordially received. Mr. J. A. Liao-
FORD presided, supported on hie right by Mr. Scholeilekl,
and on his left by Mr. Bash* Mr. Alderman Lloyd, Mr.
Charles Stamm, Mr. Geo. Edna:ads, and other members of
the liberal party occupying the principal table.
After the withdrawal of the cloth, the CHAIRMAN
an-
nounoed that. it was only proposed to have one of the usual
preliminary toasts that evsniegt•fore proceeding to the bea-
nies. He therefore gave " The Queen."
The Clielatrow then proposed a raeoltdioa to the Meat
" that the warmest thanks of the nonnisolors are due and I
are hereby given to Messrs. Scholeffeld sad Bright, for the
manner la which they have unceasingly educated the prin-
ciples of reform, and expeemed a hope that their canes would
be speedily triumphant."
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Ms. SONOLIFILLDIC&ROWIIipa the compliment at SOHO
length, and was well received.
Mr. BLUM; who wee run yet with Immense
the =tire ammably Wading be mod minute%
to say that Item matter of extreme patitioatled to him,
alter be bed tetnind the moppet of We greet esearaniqm
that he should now be thought worthy to receive the coun-
tenance of sub a mestiog as that, which was composed
matey of those who were excluded by the law from expens-
ing their opinions eta polling-booth. It was to some extant
a matter of astonishment that 27 years after the psesing of
the Reform Bill it was possible in that single town to get
together an miserably like that, composed for the most part of
those who were not permitted to vote, and who were the
representatives of a large number of others who were also
excluded, and who were examples of what might be found in
all towns of similar magnitude throughout the United King-
dom. The bon. gentleman went on to refer at some
length to that which he regarded as the cense of
this anomalous state of things, especially wired-
Mg to the fulsome speeches recently made in praise of the
working classes, whilst there were at the present time
hundreds of intelligent, orderly men, aa worthy as any other
class of the community, who, under ibis popular government
of ours, were expressly excluded from taking coy part in the
affairs of the country. He asked whether this state of things
was to be continued in perpetuity, or whether, by the con-
joined efforts of all liberal and good men, the state of the law
should be altered, and the working classes admitted to the
rights of citizenship ? The Chancellor of the Exchequer, he
believed on the very night when he announced that the dis-
solution was about to take place, endeavoured to emery the
impression that the party opposed to him was the peaty in
favour of revolutionary principles. No doubt they had reed
some of the sleepy orations which had been made by that
right hon. gentleman's supporter at the recent alectioe.
Their Idea was that to bring hie (Mr. Brlght'e) theories into
action would be to destroy ell that was great and worth pre-
serving In the constitution of England. He wished to ask
these who knew what the non-elsotors anktbe working-
men of Birmingham were, what there was so dreadful in
them that they should be excluded from the frenciase ?
whence the terror enteetained on that subject by the New-
degas' and Spooner', and from what cause did it proceed,
It had been said by hie hon. colleague that there was no close
of persons more obedient to the law then the working men.
No doubt this wee the osee, end it wee not so much from
terror of the laws from their own sense of what was just
and right. The hon. gentleman went on to ridicule the idea
that if the franchise wee extended to the present non-electoral
bodies it would be the means of sending up men to parlia-
ment bent only on legislating for their own or for a class
interest ; but (he said) it they were to do so it would be
no more than was dons by the great territorial proprietors
of England from 1815 to 1846, a period of thirty year., who
converted the parliament of England into a trades union to
keep up the rent of land by mans of the corn laws.
He (was willing to concede to time who opposed
the extension of the franchise to the working
men, that if that class had votes they would
attempt to do any one of those things of which they pro-
ferried to be afraid. Their real terror was this. They thought
that if the representation of three or fear of our large town'
was mode more reasonable and fair, it might disturb the
charming arrangement by which a few hundred families have
governed the country, and perpetuated to themselves
whatever was of dignity, power, end profit In the manage-
ment of public altars. If they had had representatives in the
House of Commons before the commencement of the great
war with Prime, ha believed there wee so one so untruthful
as to my that this country could not hare been governed
except by a taxation of 70 millions a-year. This sum was
now mimed by tame to defray the interest of a debt incurred
in a war which
,was now condemned by almost all. Mears
hear.) Had the people of England been properly represented,
they might have fancied that this large amount of taxation
raised by indirect taxes, and not by direct taxes, upon pro.,
pert, might bare been dispensed with, or people, anxious fee
the welfare of religion and education, might think that It vas
not necemary to employ an archbishop on a salary of
15,0001. a-year. With out diocesans any particular form ot
church government, he had an impression that the people of
England would oome to the opinion (and they ought not to be
called fools for coming to that opinion) that one archbishop was
not worth them atom as much as one prime minister. (Cheers.)
Alludieg to the arrangement of the borough boundaries
chi, fly made to suit the territorial aristocracy, the hoe. gen-
tleman said the gentian power in this country preened
that twenty little plans should have ono or two members
each, and thus, by a complete swindle in the management of
these affairs, the representation of the people became almost
reduced to a form and a farce. Having dilated at coneiders-
las length upon the anomalies In the representative system,
Mr. Bright then adverted to the war. Ho believed (he said)
that for about 200 jeers there hat never been any considers-
, blo war in Europe in which the government of this island
had not become entangled. Repudiating the advantages of
our position, our government had on every ocessiim thrown
itself, by means of men and money, and at the sacrifice of the
beet blood of England, into every contest which had been
brought about, whether to serve she family objet's or 'neje-
' dices of a remnant, or to carry out the scheme which the
minietais of the day had at heart. (Hear, hoer.) With
reference to the war now goleg on on the Continent, every-
' body said we were to be neutral. He (Mr. Bright)
wore
almost storied In the streets because he
thought and said that the blood of Englishmen should not
be poured out to Basin a tottering and decrepid Mohamme•
den power. (Hear.) He now fouled himself not alone on
this question. lla f riled people adopting at Hole time the
principle he broached five years or. The Queen bad
issued a proclemaion of neutrality; the ministers of the
mown had announced that neutrality world be their policy,
end the aperient ministers were in favour of the same
policy ; the newspaper pre.a, and all those gentlemen who
spilled much Ink and were responsible for the spitting of
much blood, were now in favour of neutrality. The great
tnestioge recently held were all in favour of oar abstaining
I from participation in this war. Toe question was, was the
neutrality to be a real or a peetesidel one? Was there any
dw:iteenimtihneedy said they wyoctionaotog:t
rtbetioitureEnf:ete°l;;;4l:::::ewalwrointea'let;:elbehrH:eadsinc seotlnWowybfed:;`::h ,:lidyilio°b:iilvrcepreetibannwilthit7iyereogLw.fWdorohawwyvarieshaslth2ses
n
?owe::: :hi dYetemn tthen: government
cooTittloi:ben:wweincrrehti,„sharaeeh
ig7.lo6ll...totTliirereibtiontawthadu.itaos:LeetetneelB47:lLifoid•
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had raid there were men
soldiers is Busload then at any time sines the conclusion of
the last great war. What bad become of oar soldiers and
Ow ships? The Liverpool Financial Rotate Association, In
one dower putho marina had celled them phantoni Alper
It enema as if our ships were indeed phantom ebipa. We
hed contributed millions to build and man them, and they
had some to thole realms from which nothiog solid ever came
beak. The hon. gestirman next referred to the Inutility el
the raessry sad the 'militia, the former el whom hed only

distinguished themselves at the Manchester massacre. He did
not know what the militia had done, because It was a point
in dispute whether the militia was not a greet !whence, in-
asmuch es, though ft wee intended to Induce men to enlist, it
wee found that it made enlistment more diffipult. Some
People said that en attest& on this country was improbable.
If this was so, he wanted to know why it was that we
wanted more soldiers I' Why was it that, after spending
twenty.two millions annually to pay for national dehisce*
in the shape of a steadies' army and a powerful fleet,
they should invite the people—not the non-electors, but
gentlemen from various puts—to change their character
from peaceable civilians into martial heroes f Haying dis-
cussed thle part of hie subject at some length, Mr. Bright
went on to ssy that he had a positive opinion that If we wee.
to spend 22:millions annually in defence of an Wand with a
population of 32 million of the most martial and clever
people on earth, with the greatest power of mechaniem at
their hands, if they were united and resolved to keep their
shores inviolate from foreign free--if they did all this, it wee
for ministers to see, at the same time, that the peo dud.
should not be called non to arm thanadvea
cities, :towns, villages, and parishes, to meet a foe
of whom they said there was less chance ~of
souring than there eves was a foe who was always
coming, but never came • for he believed thit Louis Napo-
leon was himself bewildered at the periodical illusion, which
Weed the minds of the English people on this subject. After
alluding to the proposed enrolment of volunteer corps, the
hen. gentleman said he wee obliged to come to one of two
eseolvelooe. Either government, while pretending peace,

were looking forward to war; et they believed that there
exited sari the people a tinging for military discipline.
The government thought that by taking wiretap of
they should get a little popularity by doing that which their
predecessors had omitted to do. One important fact was
that they did not invite the non.eholore, but should a war
Wm place, they would core then to the nee-elector —to the
bone and sinew of the country—and mak theta to rally round
their national flag in defence of their home and country. In
the way the Tendon had been placed before the nation, he
could only see en insult to the working dram Our past
policy had been strongly condemned. The great
continental war left ns with an enormous debt,
and with a great amount of sadering among the lower
clears; it ended with the treaty of Vienna, almost every
stipulation of which had been broken. That treaty was made
without any reference to the rights of the tuition' affected by
it. Italy was one of those nations, and they now saw the
fruit, of the peat policy of the government of this country,
which wen most powerful in regard to that treaty.
Etna and Vesuvius, with their volcanic fires, were not
more menacing to the people who dwelt on their
slopes than had been the late disjointed state of the people
of Italy to the whole of Europe. There only wanted
the opportunity, end that had been afforded. Austria had
governed so sorely that she had not a single friend in the
whole Italian states. It was desired to bring about
the opportunity for a rupture, and it bad arrived ; but
there was another thing for which we were responsible :
the conclusion of the Russian war left Louis Napoleou not
only Emperor of France, but arbiter of Europe, and by a
foolish policy the little country of Sardinia—a country not
larger than Yorkshire or Lancashire, and not more populous
....Ins puffed into the idea that it was one of the great
powers of Europe. The war having commenced, the ques-
tion now remained as to the duty of England. It might be
true, and doubtless it wee true, that what Sardinia was fight-
ing for (not the people but the kiog)waa en extension of terri-
tory, and the growth, of the kingdom of Sardinia by taking
the territory at present under another power. What Francs
wanted woe best known to the Emperor himself. Possibly,
from an ancient feeling of friendship to the Italian Steles,
it bad united itself to the government of Sardinia. This
country was in thishappy position that our interest sad our
duty nth exactly in the same channel, and do not clash in
the lead. It wan not more our duty to keep out of this war
than it was to abstain from the smeller participa-
tion in it. All agreed that it Is difficult to excite
muthy for woe the ocenhatants; at the sem time, it was
impossible to divest their minds of sympathy for the Italian
people. While we maintain a most rigid neutrality with re-
gard to Austria and Freer we may at the same time have •
deep sympathy for Italian freedom, and express to the
world our revolution never to interfere by sheddiur our
blood or expending our gold to maintain a foreign govern.
meet, good or bad, or a foreign system of government.
He would not go into the question as to what should be done
next week with that great public malefactor (as many persona
deemed him), the head of the present administration. With
regard to the question of parliamentary reform, the hon. gen-
tleman concluded by stating thst he would have nothing to
do with it beyondthat which everyatemher of parliament must
bare to do with questions as they arise. He was now, not less
than he was fire years sgo, in favour of pesos between this
country and the other nations of the earth. Amidst all
their friendship, commerce, and communication, they might
feel and give their sympathy to suffering everywhere. He
felt that they were met in evil times, but he hoped for
better days. They might meet again—he trusted they
would meet again—when the clouds of war bad passed away,
and when they whom he was then addressing as immature@
might have their names enrolled on the list of the town. If
they hoped for better days let them honestly, fervently, and
dinaterestedly, work for them, and they might trust that
heaven it last would (Fent them. Mr. Bright resumed hie
meat awid,t enthusiastic cheering.
After the conclusion of Mr. Bright's speech the thanks of
the meeting were voted to the electors for their erre in the
recent election, as also to the officers of the weeds.
Some other business of this character having been disposed
of, the promedinge, which had been of • moat entatunatie
character throughout, were brought to a conclusion.

OLD 1,4061 IN THE " COMMONS."

Mr. Cardwell was among the first of the arrivals
at the House ef Commons yesterday aftetncon, the right
hon. gentleman occupying his old seat next the gangway on
the opposition side. He was soon joined by Sir James
Graham, with whom he entered into conversation. What-
ever orrojectures each a .t move" might give rise to were
speedily terminated by the tight hoe. baronet crossing the
house end resuming hie old poet on the seats below the gang-
way an the ministerial side. There he was soon after joined
by 'Mr. Gladstone, who woe his usual pale and thoughtful
to k. Mr. Milner Gibson stood at the door-way, and ex-
ihonged a friendly greeting with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, who arrived a few minutes after two o'clock.
Mr. Bright was not present ; nor does the bongoes yet include
Mr. Cobden within its walls. Noticeable from his peculiar
John Bingen look, as well as from the position of his seat,
was the hon. member for Oldham, Mr. Fox. The newspaper
pram ie not norepreorwed in the house. Besides the hon.
gontlemee, whom connexion with the weekly pram is well
known, ohms were Mr. Baines, of d the Leeds Meetw.e.
te M
n-
r.
Walter, of the Times. Mr. Ingrem, of the Illeqrate
don News, Mr. Maguire, of the Cart Nzeminer, and Mr.
Lowe, late of Kidderminster, now of Caine, woo is aniouget
those whom the press may claim.
The nester of the whip, Mr. Ellice (Coronary), took his
old plate on the opposition besets+, teas the seconder of
the Speaker's election. At 2 o'clock we noticed, amongst
dieter present of the indepindent member', Sir If. Wil-
loughby, Sir Jewel Hoke, Sir W. Hooter, Mr. Hoodlum,
Lord Liothave, Mr. Wilton,. Mr. Milldahon, Mr. Bowyer,
Colonel French, whom sesoional exertions on the kitabon
committee would entitle him
the t
praise of a Locullue
or a Luxembourg. On the Treasury Bench, eoon
after 2 o'clock, were the Chancellor of the Exchenuer,
Lord John hianners. Mr. Adderley, General Peel, Sir John
Pakington„ end Lord Lo sine; whilst on the remit oppoeition
Michela were Sir Gene Grey, Lr rd Duncan, Mr. Lebou-
chore, Mr. Howard, 3(r. V. Smith, Mr. Briscoe, Sir G. C.
Lewis, Sir Benjamin Sall, and Mr. Massey. Mr. Roebuck
took his old seat en the opposition side, next the gangway
but one, end that one being the noble lord the member for
London, who, it was ob.erm d, noticed the hon. and learned
member foe Sheffield with the slightest possible recognition.
Mr. Roebuck 'son afar mooed off, and Lord John Ruasell
was joined b) Sir George Gray and others, with whom he
entered into conversation.
Mr. Henley was not in the how*, but Mr. Wal-
pole was in the emcee place which be (=gird after las
retirement from the government last session. The g
ist
h
boa. gentleman was very warmly greeted by most of the
fluential members present.
Mr. Holt added a little vanity to the group on the door
by appealing In his forensic costume.
Some time was occupied in mutual greetings sari chatting
of hands between old friends, whom the business of Ch
ang ene-
ral election had erporeted. Perhaps the most sop
these politiourlendly peeps wire those Niemen Lied John
Roma' and Sir Jarboe Graham (to whom and to Mr. Glad-
stone the noble lord mimed over WI soon se he entered the
house), end between Lord J. Howell and Lord Pehnerston,
who, roiled rap, as is his wont, end rarely 'Peening ony one
about him, rather hastily, end as if awakened out of a reverie
at the tap co big kaexkles, returned the prod. red ',bake of
I the noble toed the member for Lndos, as he Lads his way
t post the *oat onositios bench.