The Express.
London, England, 1857-11-28 00:00:00

REFORM MEETING AT MANCHESTER.

A meeting of the working men of Manchester
wee held in the People's Institute, Heyrod-street, on Wed-
nesday night, for the pupa of paestng resolutions In favour
of the reform proemial°s recently put forth, and for the
purpose of electing two delegates to represent this district in
the forthcoming" National Couferenoe," lobe held in London.
The chair was occupied by
Mr. J. E. NWION, who said he was very much pleased
to meet his friends on that occados, to compare notes with
them, that they might express their views together as to the
necessity of reform. We wanted reform. If be said the
labourers claimed on the question of wages, or on any other
question, could be heard in the Commons House of Par-
liament, he should not be speaking the truth. Two men
waited on him (the chairman) who were out of employment.
They said they had been to the workhouse for relief, and they
had been sent to work on the estate at Crumpeall They got
21b. of bread and Id. for theirday'swork. (Cnes of " Shame,'
and " True.") These men weld buy in the shop 21b. of the
bast bread for 3d., therefore 4d. was all that they got for
their day's work. Were men likely to be quiet under such
circumstances as theme P Whatever they might say about
the aristocracy of England there were many noble hearts
emote them who would willingly ameliorate the condition
of the working classes. It was not the sesta:ray that was
so much the enemy of the working men as the mousy-
ocracy of this country. They wens the people who were in
parliament, and they never attended to the business of the
working man. They were always too intent on serving
other interests more nearly their own. The speaker then
read an eatract from an act of Hairy VII., showing
that the knights then serving in perlisrucnt were paid re-
presentative.. And he was satisfied that men must be paid
for this service now. If they must have good men to repro-
met them, they must pay them. (Hear, hear.) Men be-
lieved in pay in England—(cheers)—and members of par-
liament had as much right to pay as either Lord Palmerston
or any other lord of the tee:tarry. There were not now many
men in parliament who would venture in the coming session
to depict the sufferings of the working classes of this country,
which he could are must come about this eneuieg winter.
The charter had become a faith, and they should never give
it up. It was therefore that Ernest Jones addressed theme@
this occasion. In five years they would sea more chartists in
England than ever they had. When they now again had
buckled ea their armour, he hoped they would not take it off
until they had obtained a better representation for the work-
ing classes of this country. (" Hear, hear," and cheers.)
They must know that there was never any standstill to
titles any more than there was a standstill In science. He
to call upon
-lE-EDW. HANSON who said he should never give up the
charter until the people had got the "six points," but be
would go with the middle classes in getting, if they 000ld
not get the whole charter, as much reform as parliament was
willing to give them. Even the tones themselves were ready
and willing to disturb the arrangements of 1832. The middle
claims were also anxious Li have further reform and for that
purpose Mears. Mien and Roebuck had Issued their pro-
gramme. Lord John Russell, and even Lord Palmerston,
were convinced of the necessity of reform, but he had no
doubt they would keep as quiet as poesible, and watch for
the pressure from without. Was it not to their interest to
rip with the middle clams I Yes; but Palmerston and
Russell would regret to see that union brought about, and
especially at the present juncture, for they knew very
well that they could offer no effective resistance to such
a combination. Let them (the working men) then unite,
and cooperate together with the middle classes, in
trying to get whatever reform they could. (Hear, hear.)
He begged to propose the following resolution :—" That this
' meeting is of opinion that the time for enuring a more effi-
cient representation of the people In the British House of
Commons hal fairly arrived, and that It believes no measure
of reform hasever tem propounded that is so likely to effect
this as the people's charter; but seeing the many difficulties
that stand in the way of its speedy enactment in its entirety.
this meeting considers that the most prudent mama would
be to endeavour to effect a union of the working with the
middle classes to secure a reform measure that .ball embrace
universal manhood suffrage, vote by ballot, and the abolition
of the property quuliacetion for members of parliament.
That this meeting also pledges itself to support, to the utmost,
the projected conference about to be held in London."
Mr. WILLtSM HILL seconded the resolution. If the
mirldlo CIAANaI, were honest and sincere, and their actions
were in the future what their words now bespeak them—
(hear)—they were on the eve of a political agitation such as
the people of England had not teen since 1832. Ito could
not see why all men—good, honest, and sane mon—of
twentrone should not have the power of voting in elections.
Many of the men who now had votes were not only not more
honest than the working men, but they had no more brains
than the working men. Bricks and mortar were not brains.
Now they were told by parliament that the working men
were not prepared to exercise the vote—that they were igno-
rant. But that was not so. What the governing claws of
this country feared was that they (the people) had too much
good sense to vote for them—to vote as they might wish.
(Loud applause and " You've hit it.") Then there was the
ballot; if the hadn't that they would be done again ; they
might as wellyhe without the franchise as have it without the
ballot. (Rear.) The aristocracy of this country were no
more tyrannical than the manufacturers, and there was no
place In England where the ballot would be more newer/are
than in Lancashire.
_ _

Mr. FIN LAN said he had a few words to offer in opposition.
He had been • chartiat for twelve years, and wee one yet.
He denied that there was say political programme before the
country that would bring about the social weal of this
country. He conjured the working men to try for something
for themselves, am well as for that which was firr the exclusive
benefit of the middle classes. How could they join the middle
demos in • movement like this, which was for their benefit
the very classes to whom the charter was wormwood—the
very classes who treated as they had that illustrious man,
Fears' O'Connor t (Cheers.) He believed the reform pro-
gramme, mit was called, and now said to be before the country,
would, like ha four predecessors. be &failure. (A Voice " They
only Ceded from want of union." Another Voice : " Why you
are trying to eplit us now.") The speaker proceeded, amid
cries of " Time," " Gammon," " Sit down," and "Go on."
He moved—" That this meeting, instead of pledging itself to
support part of the people'n charter, is of opinion-that the
whole of that document should be agitated for, and that they
wish to this end that the National Charter Association should
be resuscitated."
The amendment was seconded, but the resolution wee
carried by • large majority. It was then moved, seconded,
and carried, that Mr. E. Hooson, of Manchester, and Mr.
W. Hill, of Stalybridge, be the accredited delegates to repre-
sent South Lancashire M the national conference.
After 'event other speeches, the meeting broke up about
halt-put ten o'clock.

lalsit SUBSCRIPTION TO VIZ INDIAN RELIEF
Fr NIL—A general meetinf the committee of the Indise
Relief Fund we held Thursday at the Dublin Mansion-
hones. Amougst those intent were Lord Talbot De
Malahide, Sun James Poet', Bart., Major-General Day.
General Sir I lepton S. Scott, C. 8., Sir Edward Borough.
Bart., and Sir Edward M'DonneL It appmred that the mint
total of the Dublin fund for the relief of mutterers in India I.
now 1'2,8%1, of wlich the sum of 10,000/. has been lent at
interest on the wordy of government etch. The committee
resolved 'lint by die last returns of the great central fond
in London, we find that the total receipts ham reached the
!UM of 261,000 L, while the recegnised and admitted claims
hare beer, up to tide time, comparatively ineassiderable;
that .hon. 54,5001. has Mien remitted to India, to be thus
dist:dated, if cotes entitled to relief from the fund shall re-
gent themselves; that a balance of some thousands of
poonde lit. in the Bank of England, available at any mo-
wet , and theta large nun has been invested to be forth-
coming at period: mum remote ; that, under these circiun.
stances, this committee see no necessity fir at present sending
the MUD entruited to them either to London or to India, but
shall retain it under their own control, until channels be
opened for its judicious application."