The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-18 00:00:00

MEETING AT PLYMOUTH.

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On nureflay evening one of the moat numerously
attended meetings, held is the Plymouth guildhall, for
many yeses, &assembled for the purpose of listening to an
address en financial reform by the Ray. T. Spencer. The
chair was anaeunceal to be taken at kaltpult seven o'clock,
and by that time every part of the hall was completely
packed, mad a large number who then and sub.,quietly
arrived, were obliged to crush into the avenues adjoining
the ball, or go away without as attempt to bear the bears.
Joenen Remoter SOVAIL Esq. (of the tine of Weal-
iamb*, Square, Stephen., and Prance, solicitors), presided.
The Rev. Gentleman at the commencement stated that it
wee evident there was something wrong about the social and
political ceedition of the counuy. This appeared not only
lis the condition of a large number of the population, who,
although willing to week, could not get a fair remuneration
ON their labour, and in the eiXauestastee that attempts
were constantly being made with the view of bettering, of
mending this state of things. This mending system,
although perhaps better than letting the matter alone alto-
gether, could not result In muck good, and besides, by and
by the thing would become a, had with repeated patching,
as to bear no further tinkering. It was natural that man
should labour, bat be ought not to be deprived of hops to
sustain him in his labour, as was now the ease. Without
hope it was impossible that people should be either cos-
bated or happy.. As Ills could net be under the present
system, it was tight to seek to adopt another ; it woeld be
end to say let it alone, sad foolish to always go on
tinkering and mending. The people of this country were
the one grand council of the nation. The parliament and
government were °laughs executive for the carrying out the
will of the people. Whatever the people will to be done is
sate to be done, if they be only earnest and united in the
expression of their wit. This had bees exemplified in the
passing of the Reform Bill, and still more recently in the
adoption of free trade. It was only for the people to get
the tide of public opinion sufficiently high, end
they can float say reform-they can effect any
change. It is very little difference who is the
minister or what the party in power to peas any measure ;
all that is wanted is a ref lciently strong expression of public
opiates; for with that, if the ircvernment approves of the
mamare, he adopts It, and if he does sot, it is forced upon
his. He did not think that more thin a very small
portion of the poor and miserable were made sec by their own
misconduct. He did not think that auk of the taxes went
to the Sovereign-to the cisme, whom he much ad
mired, believing her best sympathies lobe witntle people in
their movements for fres trade, and now for financial re-
form. Formerly the king had his own estate., was not
paid anything from the taxes, but a bargain was
made by which the country were to take the estates sad
give the kin! a million a year. These estates had been
miserably mismanaged, end the bargain had consequently
been anything but a profitable one for the people; but this
was not the fault of the Queen; than whom many of the
nobility had larger incomes, grander palaces, and more
princely furniture. The ministers of state had very hard
work, but still he thought 5,6001. a year was a large sum to
pay them, especially when the President of the -United
States bed no more, and the secretaries of the Unitea States
only 1,0001. There were others, however, mare extrava-
gantly paid then the ministers-the lord chancellor had
10,00 W. whilst in office, and a retiring pension el 1.0001. a
Derr. We had by this means to pay several lord chancel-
lors at one and the same tim'. There were even more
objection.ble things. than these amongst them, the
moat obje.'tionable is that the poorer a man is the
more he pays in proportion to his income.
In his opinion, the passing of the Reform Bill and the
adoption of free trade had saved this country from revolu-
tions such as had teen experienced by continental nations.
The House of Commons was theoretiailly the people's house,
but it had become practically a second Home of Lords.
There were many lords, and sans of lords, members, end
they were interested in keeping up the present state of
things, because either themselves or families were sharers in
the spoil.
The CHAIRMAN said he was sure the meeting must
have been delighted with the address, which had been cer-
tainly one of the ablest to which he had ever had the plea-
sure of listening.
Mr. J. PETRIE said he would like to hear the opinion of
the R v. T. Spencer on electoral districts.
Mr. SPENCER was glad the gentleman had put the
question, as he had unintentionally omitted to allude to the
subject of electoral districts. Seeing that the voice of some
20,000 persons oa the present system was only equal in power
to that of a few hundreds in some of the small boroughs, Sir
Joshua Wattle's, was in favour of the arrangement of the
voters into district', for the purpose of a fair equalisation of
the representation, and he most decidedly approved of the
idea. It was but fair and reasonable.

No one appearing disposed to make any objection,
Mr. THOMAS NICHOLSON, agent for the Cork steam
packets, spoke at s m. lergth in favour of the views ad-
vanced by Mr. Spencer, and in encouragement of the people
toga on tamest, discuss, and agitate, until their wish.,
should be attended to.
The vote was adopted by acclamation.
On the motion of r. 6rgacau, seconded by B. S. CODD,
E.q , thanks were given to the chairman, and Mr. Square in
acknowledging It, said it bad given him very great pleasure
to preside at the meeting, as ft always did to do anything
calculated to improve the condition of the people.
The meeting time terminated.

MEETING AT LOWESTOFT.
LOWESTOFT, FEB. 16.—One of the most unani-
moss and enthusiastic public meetings which is ream
bend to have been ever held in this town took place last
'evening in the Theatre, for the purpose of receiving a depu-
tation from the Norwich Reform Committee and from the
council of the National Reform Association. Considerable
excitement prevailed in the place from what was generally
considered the unjustifiable refusal of the Town Sall by the
local anthorities, " that, under their unction at least, the
peace of the town should not be disturbed ;" the consequence
of these measures was an increased' petite with the reform
party, end the theatre was accordingly filled to access, a
large number of persons returning from the absolute impos-
sibility of effecting an entrance to the building. The depu-
tation, J. S. Tillett, Esq., and Thos. hl Eaten, Esq., were
received on their appearance with several rounds of
applause.
0. S. Gomm°, Km., was unanimously voted to the
chair, and, after a few introductory remarks, he called upon
the R.:v. H. Moor to move the tint resolution, which was
as follows :_

" That the punt exceslva taxation of the country para-
lyses eosenterce, presses agriealture, and Impoverishes the
lalnarina clause." _

Mr. DALTON briefly seconded the resolution.
Mr. Titurrr supported it in an admirable speech.
The Be,. B. DAVIT then moved :
"That it is the deliberate opinb.n of this meeting that the
Home of Commons, as at prevent convtituted, does not full
and fairly rerremet the wants and wishes of the British
people, and that a reform in that house, in amordancit with
the principles of the National Parliamentary and Ensncial
Reform Association, has become absolutely neormary for the
good government of the country ; a thorough revision of the
preemt unjust system of taxation ; end a more rigid economy
is the expenditure of the public money."
The motion have been seconded by Mr. Boman, and
eloquently supported by Mr. WENTEEK.
Mr. J*cevo,e, of Yarmouth, prop, d, and Mr. BAR.-
NAND seconded a motion . " That a local essociation !miaow