The Express.
London, England, 1861-02-14 00:00:00

ENFRANCHISEMENT OF KENSINGTON.
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Last night a public meeting of the inhabitants of
Kensington and the surrounding district was held at the
Vestry-room, Kensington, for the purpose of supporting the
bill for the enfranchisement of Chelsea and Kensington
Mr. GREENWAT, churchwarden, in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN briefly stated the object for which the
meeting was called, and read a letter from Mr. Whalley,
M.P., expressing regret that be was not able to attend.
Captain SHETTLEWORTH moved the following resolution :
" That this meeting hereby records ins conviction of the in-
disputable claim of this district, arising from the popula-
tion, extent, and large amount paid Ly it to the taxation of
the state, to a direct representation iu the Commons House
of Parliament." He was so sure that the resolution carried
with it its own recommendation that he should do no more
than simply propose it.
Mr. WALRKR, chairman of the Chelsea board of guar-
dians, seconded the resolution.
Mr. FIELD! moved the following addendum :—" That
this meeting, having no confidence in her Majesty's govern.
meat, la of opinion that the best way of securing two repre-
sentatives for the new borough is to request Mr. Bright to
bring in his reform bill without delay." (Oh, oh.)
Mr. PR/ENT seconded the amendment, for which only the
proposer and seconder held up their handsm
h.
original resolution was then put and adopted nnani-
Mr.y. Witeura proposed the following resolution :—" That
the meeting approves of the bill brought in by Lord Enfield
for giving two members to Kensington and Chelsea."
Mr. Ancueurr seconded the motion.

Mr. SEARLE said be felt, as an old inhabitant of the dis-
trict, that he eught to say a few words on the question
before them. When he looked at the meeting before him,
which was attended by scores when it ought to be attended
by thousands, he could not help feeling that the inhabitants
were not doing their duty. Of course he did not blame
those who performed their duty by attending ; but those
who kept away. He confessed that the condition of
England generally presented a very sorry spectacle at that
moment. It was not to be expected, when the people ex-
hibited so much apathy, that the government would come
forward and do for them what they seemed so little to care
about themselves. (Hear, hear.) He was sure, if they
showed themselves anxious for reform, that the government
would be obliged to give it to them. (Hear, hear.) He
hoped and believed that, if this district obtained its =flan-
alinement, it would prove a modellconstituency, and return
members who would be an honour to the borough and to
the country. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was caned unanimously.
Mr. FREEMAN proposed the next resolution, which wag
that a committee be appointed to carry out the object of
the meeting. He believed that there was no borough in
the kingdom which had an equal title to two out of the
four representatives which were in abeyance. (Hear.)
Mr. 131.01 th said he was not accustomed to see such large
meetings in the district as the one before him, and he took
that to be • sign of the interest that was felt is the subject.
He was rejoiced to say that they had now a prospect of see-
ing their wishes accomplished. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. McCutz•ce said it had been remarked that the
masses of the people in the parish were not present in the
room. The pop In itian of the district was about 120,000 or
130,000, and it would be very difficult for that room to hold
them. But he believed the intelligence and the respectabi-
lity of the parish were very fairly represented there, and
that fact would weigh considerably with parliament arid the
government when they came to consider this question.
(Hear, hear.) He believed that no town in England could
compete with them in their claim for representation. What
were the facts on which they relied? Putting aside the
130,000 inhabitants of the district altogether, he could make
such • claim as regarded property as no honest man could
refuse to acknowledge. He held in his hands a return which
was made two years ago to the House of Com-
mons. This return contained the amount of pro-
perty and income rated under schedule A in the
255 boroughs and cities of the United Kingdom. He bail
also the return of Mr. Laing, which contained the amount
of property rated under the same schedule in Chelsea and
Kensington. How many of these 255 boroughs were rated
higher than Chelsea and Kensington Only 15. (Hear.)
It followed as a consequence that 240 cities and towns sent
members to parliament which did not equal them in
wealth. (Hear.) They were rated under schedule Ato the
amount of 8103,000/., and if to that they added, as he con-
tended they had a right to add, the property Wed under
schedules B and C, they had, with a population of 130,000,
a taxed propertLoS le=d.. (Hear, hear.) There was
nothing In STlff or Ireland, to be compared
with that. (liar hear) At the time of the Reform Bill,
22 towns were declared to be worthy of two seats each, and
of these 22 but three had a population equal to that
which they had ten years ago. There were only six towns
that had crept up to the population they had ten years ago.
(Hear, hear.) In fact, whether the basis of representation
was to be population, property, or intelligence, or all of
these combined, they bad au indisputable and undeniable
claim, and he 111 no doubt that the legislathre would re-
cognise the claim of such property, intelligent*, and popu-
lation. (Loud cheers.)
. . . . .

The motion was pat and Cllrried unanimously, a few
names being added to the committee as originally proposed.
Mr. Detiruan proposed, and Mr. DELANY seconded, a reso.
lotion for a ppeetition to parliament in favour of the bill foe
the entrees • t of the borough of Chelsea and Kens
sulks, which was carried.
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the pro.
ceedfap.

ABERDEENSHIRE ELECTION.—The nomination of
candidates for the representation of Aberdeenshire took
place yesterday. The Hon. Arthur Gordon was proposed
in his absence by Sir James Burnett, Bart., and seconded
by Mr. Mark Ciurnbrogre, a tenant farmer. Mr. Leslie, of
Warthill, the conservative candidate, was also propo,ed and
seconded. The show of hands was in favour of Mr. Conlon.
The poll was fixed for Friday.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON Asa WEDNESDAY.--•
Viscount Palmerston moved on Tuesday evening that the
House of Commons, at its rising, should adjourn until two
o'clock yesterday, in order (although his lordship did not
say so in so many words) to enable the members to attend
thyme Service in the church of St. Margaret, Westminster,
the parish in which nor legislative assemblies meet for the
despatch of the national business. The Speaker is supposed
to go in state on Ash Wednesday to St. Margaret's Church,
sod to be accompanied by some of the members of the go-
vernment holding seats in the lower house, as well as by
essay independent representatives. Any one attending St.
Margaret's church yesterday morning to witness this im-
posing ceremony would have been grievously disappointed.
The Speaker was absent from his post, and the congregation
consisted of about a dozen persons, ran tionres is ~audits
raelu,but there was not a single member of the House of Gout-
moos among them. The morning was extremely cold and
cheerless, and the service parsed off without any allusion
being made to the absence of the distinguahed persons who
are on such occasions expected as visitors. The Chancellor
of the Exchequer and two or three members from the
National Club in Whitehall-gardens attended sersice at the
Chapel Royal, Whitehall, where a sermon was preached by
the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, the late bead master of Harrow
School, now Vicar of Doncaster, and there were two or
three present at the Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace,
whoa the sermon was preached "before her Majesty" be
the Bishop of London. When the House of Commons aid
assemble yesterday all the business on the japer was de.
spatched in lees than half an hour.
DEATH OF THE REV. H. S. BARTER, WARI.EN
OF WINCHLsTER COLLEGE.—It is with feelings of the
deepest sorrow, which are dared by every class and rank of
persons in this city and neighbourhood, that we announce
the death of the Rev. Robert Speckntt Barter, the Warden
of Winchester College. This mehweliolv event took place
at 20 minutes before 11 o'clock on Friday night. The
interest that has been excited in the town ever since it SAS
reported that the Warden was dangerously ill has been
ex-
treme ; and we will venture to my that there is no pereon in
Winchester, of sehatever political or religious opinion.' who
does not feel that be has lost a friend—that he and his
fellow-citizens have lost one iu whose faithful true-hearted
kindness, in whose active and self.denying benevolence they
have reposed the most perfect confidence. Mr. Barter had
reached' his 70th birthday on the 3nl of July last year. Is*ing
the youngest of the three sons of the Rev. Charle- Hater,
Vicar of Cornworthy, in Devonshire. Both his paltntd
lived to the sue of 96. He was admitted, in early Isobo,dl
a scholar of Winchester College, from which he was elected,
at an earlier age than is usual, to New College. HaevAire
Chronicle.

AN IRISH LICIHTHOUSE. —A vessel belonging to
this port (says the Dubfix Errning Moil laden with coals
from Whitehaven, was wrecked last Tuesday evenim' AO.
the entranee of Stvangford Lough, and all on lag' ol
perished. This is but one of many cases of destruction to
life and property in that place, and might have been
averted by the simple precaution of placing a light ..n the
Angus }Cock. to indicate the true channel. An
called "A Lighthouse" (tars. (I nom larends) iP there,
which was erected 'seven or eight years ago by the Dublin
Ballast Board ; but it appears to I c noT.ody's business to
trim the lamp. The Ballast Board here no authority in
the matter ; the Trinity House pleads, in justification of
the neglect. that the place is not yet in its jurisdiction ;
and their highnesses at the Board of Trade have nut con-
descended to give any directions or to throw light upon the
matter iu any way. Sooth to say, enlightening is not their
province. There stand, the column, a hollow mocks".
and the subject of many • taunting jibe against Ireland
and Irish lighthouses (or dark lanterns) to the las.in;
seaman.

VALE OF NEATH RAILWAY. —The director; (.f
this company, in consequence of the heavy gradients on the
line (a breed gauge one), and partly in consequence of
certain offers made to them by the directors of the West
Midland Company (a narrow gauge line), of running over
their line to the port of Neatli or Swansea, have determined
on applying to pkrliament for powers to lay down a third
rail, so as to make the line available for narrow gauge tratfi.e.
The management of the concern not having been sate-
, factory to some of the shareholders, they iotend at the next
half•yearly meeting (on the 211th instant) to move the sub-
stitution of two new directors for Messrs. Cuthbortaou and
Vivian, two of the three retiring directors who offer them•
solves for re-election. Accordingly the chairman. Mr.
Bruce, M.P., has lined a circular, in which he declares his de.
termination to resign should Messrs. Cuthbertson and
Vivian be rejected.
CRYSTAL PALACE. -- ONE SHILLING DAT.
WEDNEADAT,FES 13.—Adtniasions On payment, $l5 ; ditto
by semen tickets, 508 ; total visitors, 1,324.