The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-06 00:00:00

pziAL.]

REFORM MEETING IN ',PREPARE.

The Reform League held another large public
meeting in Hyde-park last evening, and hundreds of work-
ing men again assembled to dimmest political questions,
and dispersed without a sign of disturbance or disorder.
Por some days placards have been posted over the metro-
polis and its suburbs having as their bead-line the scrip-
tural quotation, "To your tents, 0 Israel," and call-
ing urea the workbag classes to attend "to express the
purdis iudignation at the Parks Prohibition Bill attempted
to be pared through an expiring and self-condemned
parliament, by the enemies of all popular rights; and also
to protest against the attempt of the House of Lords to
sob the ledger of his franchise." Although the gathering
w►s not, in the terse of the pleased, a " monster meet-
ing," it was sufficiently large to testify that there has been
soabaterairat of interest on the part of those who hare
identified themselves with the League in the questions
width have been uppermost; in as. aide lee ear
many month: The spectators of all classes were,
however, mach fewer then a any previous 00014_
mien, as was, perhaps, natural after the understanding
I that there was to be no repelitioa of tie rdieiel'ineddtieg
that threatened so much and did as little at former
denmastratioas. Roughs, of course, lassioared rye went,
for where a crowd is, there at all times will the tlik of
Whiteclapel be gathered together ; but fee once
they behaved remarkably well, and did nothing much
worse than " bark " each other's shins, or by accident,
as it were, send an odd missile into t►e thick of the
bystanders. It was said that no soldiers had been " re-
served,* hut the barracks in the centre of the park were
occupied by police, who were, no doubt, if requiaed, to
carry out the Home Secretary's rather supesttuou►
undertaking to " preserve order." ()sly the ordi-
nary 000stebks were, however, visible on their usual
beats. Prom five o'clock stray groups assembled in-
side the park, much to the delight of the enter-
prising gentry whose desire to turn an honest
penny was not slow to manifest itself. The " coster" was
allowed to conduct his sales without interference, if not
without fear, and on the whole the time passed away
merrily everywhere. The St. Gilee's press, profiting by
past experience, appeared to have thrown all its energies
into one grand effort, and the Seven Dials' choristers
mustered in wonderful tome to give the limp rhymes a
suitable rendering. Old ballads, more or less of a reform
tendency, had been modernised, and many new ones were
produced wet from the cellar. They were introdueed to
the public in the fine nasal unison of male and female
voice, characteristic of the professional ballad singers of
the period, and the many-nsetred verse breathed liberty,
unity, banners, Hyde-park railings, sad all the other sen-
timents supposed to be proper for such an event.
Satirical proclamations, de.ling freely with obnoxious
officials and politicians, were tacked to the trunks of cme or
two trees, and mild squibs were hawked about under titles far
more entertaining than the compositions themselves. As
nothing more noticeable than these trillingodds and ends was
at hand, the majority of the spectators found more conge-
nial occupation in watching the carriages and making re-
marks about the exquisitely hideous pet dogs the fair oc-
cupants were airing. Seven o'clock brought Mr. Beaks,
Colonel Dickson, and some other members of the League,
who were escorted across to the large elm, where the chief
" platform " was hot time. Detachments of leaguers,
who had marched from different muster-grounds, after-
wards came in at intervals, souse with bands, and all with
banners. The Holborn and Clerkeneell branches, always
the most ornamental portion of the League's demonstra-
tions, did what they had not been able to do before—
marched through with all their flags flying, and made the
meeting as a spectacle more picture.que than any
of its predecessors. In the front ranks the red flag with
its cap of liberty was borne more as • trophy, however,
than ornament, for it boldly shook out its tatters as if in
remembrance of • certain conservative meeting in Br
James's-hall. Ten park seats were converted into as many
platforms, and a placard was hoisted over each giving the
name of the chairman. The meeting generally was much
better managed than some of the previous ones, and
within an hour and a quarter it was all over. The chair-
men delivered their speeches, and sketched out
the order of proceedings, which were confined to three
resolutions. Learning wisdom by the past, some of the
groups made the three one in order to save time, and
get through the business before dark. Mr. Beales, as •
matter of course, presided at number one platform, and
the other presidents were Messrs. Langley, Perfitt, Mantle,
Lnoraft, Cramer, Odjea, Cooper, Dell, and Weston, names
now familiar to the public ear in connection with the
league. The resolutions were the same at each platform,
and, so far as was possible, they were put simultaneously
upon a bugle signal from headquarters. These motions,.
which it need hardly be said were adopted with enthu-
siastic unanimity, were :

That this meeting, while it cordially congratulates the
goven,ment upon having assisted in paseing through the
House of Commons • large and gnerous measure for
the amendment of the representation, deeply regrets
that it should hare accompanied that measure by a
bill so invasive of the law and constitution, and
so hostile to the rights of the people, as the Royal 9arks
Bill, or Parks Prohibition Bill, and vehemently and indig-
nantly protests against such a bill being made lair, and
declares its determination to resist that bill to the utmost.
That this meeting earnestly entreats the gov,,rnment
and all liberal members of the House of Commons to reject
the so-called amendment introduced by the House& Lords,
into the Reform Bill raising the qualification for the,
lodger franchise from ltd. to ' which would render the
bill a mere mockery as regards the world/rig-claim voters inn
the metropolitan districts and elsewhere ; as.ii also to reject
the so.called amendment introduced by ti•e Homo. of
Lords enabling votes to be recorded by Inf 11110• of voting
papers, 11.4 a uwasure calculated to promote the exercise of
undue induence and corruption, and to eabatitute foe the
mme the taking of votes by ballot. That this meeting
wholly condemns and protests against the novel, mi.
llinglish, and unounstitutionid principle introduced by the
House of Lords into the Reform Bill by ling the num-
ber of votes to which • voter is entitled in imastituencitur
returning three or more members to parliament, thereby
completely destroying the object for which additional
members have been granted to such constituencies, enabling
the minority to neutralise, oritmay even gain en advantage
over the majority, and deliberately violating the ancient
constitutional principle of parliament being oumpo ed of
persons representing, or supposed to represent, the opinions
and wishes of the majority of their several communities or
constituencies.

The speeches in support of these resolutions were brief,
and composed largely of remarks not by any means of res•
pen or affection for the House of Lords. The andiences
showed how thoroughly they were in accord with the
speakers by pointing their applause at those portions
where the ability and utility of the peers were called into
question, while Mr. Disraeli was scarcely Limed, and Mr.
Lowe, whose name used to be " good " for at least three
rounds of groaning, seemed to be beneath notice. Three
blasts from the bugle gave the warning to conclude, and
with evident reluctance and self-denial the orators mitind
up with laughable abruptness. Ry this time twilight was
coming on, and just as the detachments were leaving the
ground singing the Reform League Hymn, or marching to
some popular neloily, a convenient shower cleared the
park of those who seemed disposed to linger after dark.
A small party of reformers, on their way home, n.adc a
detour into Palace-yard, and halted iu front of West.
minter-hall, for the purpose of hissing the llouw of
Lords. They were then told of the action o! their lord-
ships during the evening with regard to the lodger fran-
chise, whereupon the hissing gave place to lusty cheering
and the strains of " God save the Queen" from the band.
A correspondent, writing from Windsor last even-
ing at eight o'clock, says:—" This evening, it is under-
stood, orders were received at the Windsor Cavalry bar-
racks for the 2nd Life Guards to hol•l themselves in readi-
ness to proceed to London, by special train, in ease their
melees should be required in town in connexion with the
meeting in Hyde-park. The troorere were accordingly
astral to borraa.s."

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BROWN and POLSON'S CORN FLOUR
for CHILDREN'S DIET.
To obtain extra toroth by the sale other Muds are somettmes
*demi Instead et ROWN and POIBON'S.
eac " John ' "John Poison,' hi dined by the makers on
h packet.