The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-15 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY
AND FINANCIAL REFORM.

MEETING AT

The meeting at the Free-trade Hall on Wednesday
night to receive the deputation from the National Reform
Astociation wen a lugs sad crowded gathering of reformers,
animated by the best spirit, and full of enthusiasm. The
nestle( took place at seven o'clock in the evening, under
the presidency of Mr. Alderman H ,of Salford. The
deputation included Sir Joshua Wslmsley, M.P., who was
received with great cheering on mating to the front of the
platform ; George Thompson, Esq., M.P., who was also re-
cognised, and named by tho great bo of the meetieg with
demonstrations of apples..; Mr. E. Mini, Mr. A. Mackay,
and Mr. Vincent. There ware also present Sir Francis
Knowles, But. ; S. Lowe, Etq.' Derby ; 8. T. Walkinaon,
E.q., York; T. A. Wilkinson, Esq., and other friends of
the cause. A number of ladies were present at the meeting,
as were some members of the fixiety of Friends.
The CHAIRMAN, on rising to open the proceedings,
was greeted with much cheering. He said he was sure that
the genet/men whom they wcre going to hear on this aces
don came with an earnest desire to benefit all classes of the
community, especially the industrious classes, warms labour
it was that produced the wealth of the country.
Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY, M.P., presented himself
amidst prolonged applium. He said—On behalf of the
association which we nave the honour to represent, I take
leave to disclaim any intention, either here or elsewhere of
interfering with any other society, still less of meddling
between any borough and its representatives. Our object is
to form a committee of earnest, energetic men in every city
and bcrough in the empire in favour of the principles we
profess, Aral thu• to deserve the name we have ventured to
assume. (Loud cheers) lam free to confess that, under
all the circumersoces, I have looked to this meeting with no
inconsiderable • The spectacle, however. which I
now witness amerce me that in the cause of parliamentary
reform, as in every other good cause, the brine of the men
of Manchester are sound, Nor can such a demonstration as
this be without its influence on the minds of those who
direct the councils of the country. (Heim) We do not
appear before you under the idea of having anything to com-
municate or to teach of which you are not already informed.
Our mission to this, as to the other towns and cities of the
empire, is not to meats a public sentiment in favour of
reform, for that exists on both sides of the Tweed and on
both aides St. George's Chatinel—(thears)—it is simply
to develop ant embody that public sentiment, and to
give it a prutical direction and effret—(renewed cheering)—
to submit a distinct and intelligible proposition sustained
by the bast and most widely esteemed reformers of the
present day. Our scheme of enfranchisement is based upon
the motion of that veteran to former, Joseph Hume, and
supported by between 80 and 90 member" of the House of
Commas (including your own two able and excellent re-
presentatives), and the mole object of the association which
were t is to mate that motion the law of the land.
cheering.) Your late distinguished townsman, Mr.
Cobden,
has on numerous occasions proclaimed the notorious
bath, that without the support of the great body of the
people, it is useless to hope for the success of that motion.
Wear, hear) The National Parliamentary Reform Asso-
ciation has determined that the people in every pert of the
country, in free and open meetings like the present, shall
have the opportunity of pronouncing their deliberate verdict
upon the political creed they have propounded—(hear)—
that the minister may not be able to plead ignorance of the
real state of public feeling upon this vitally important quer
clan. Already with limited means has this question bees
submitted to not fewer than 120 public meetings, many of
them convened in the capitol cities and towns of England
sad filareand. The verdict, without • solitary eicaption,
hue been unanimous in our favour, and we are here to ask
your veakt, that we may add it to the many already re-
seeded, and so strengthen our future efforts by the
knowledge that the inhabitants of this groat seat
of commutes and manufactures are not a whit behind
others of their fellowoountrymen, in demanding a full,

;free, and fair repensentaiion 'of the
.people: Were
the suffrage at this moment trended to the full
limit of the scheme now before us, it would admit of demon-
stration, that property, station, intellect, and worth, would
have a more than equal chance with the proportion of those
who might be disposed to dieregard their attributes. (Haar,
hear.) Are not the employers and capitalists of this
country, their numbers only considered, an tang-
nifiesat minority, and yet is it not en unquestionable
fact that in • thousand matters of vital Importance,
they flc rt by reason of the influence which
their station gives them a direct ascendancy ever those
*hose numbers are vastly superior to their own ? (Hear.)
Ii this be so in affairs of everyday occurrence, as between
the many and the few, is these any reason to doubt that the
widest possible tZtelleiol2 of the franchise would leave to
the intelligent, the talented, and the patriotic their just in-
fluence over the mind. of their Alio caubjects ? Is it nut
also • fact admitted by all who have mined with the people
that the greatest independence and the greatest honesty are
to be found amongst the industrial classes of this country ?
I have said enough, both in explanation of the objects of oar
society sad to vindicate thank from the imputation of being
either dangerous or unconstitutional. It only remains
that I should add my earnest exhortation to the re-
formers of thin important city to mite with us for the
attainment of the end we have in view. (Hear, hear.) We
shall confidently look for an amount of support commensu-
rate with the greaten. of your city ; but Amid we be disap-
pointed we shall continua to prosecute with unabating energy
and uncompromising integrity the work to which we hare
put ear hands, and ;never relax until the millions of our
countrymen, who are the support of the throne, the sinews of
the state, and the foundation of our country's greatness, are
brought within the polo ol that constitution whisk is based

apathy Seery tbst Walls tatSpreasatifitm an Moen
toads sad isespamble.
Mr. G. THOMPSON, ILP., oP99l=hit
beady sheared. Tlrs VS t
Ibien qtr the &Ms Ihe."ll•Laalaselikita at
CM:was the resseteMlliel Mallow of Osessems, ddefly
elm et the extmella el the alartge and die emotion-
meat of members le popleties. (Mar.) The remelts
which he (Kr. Theetpies) pewees& to sake beihre the
meeting were intended to Mom neesmity whit& existed
for promoting the great meek that seas bed leader-
takes with peer. sod euzgt He mai seek SID better
illastration existed fre * thereugh
the elastitatisawrlthe Hears of Osaimems rent that
supplied by ea analysis 'Ahriman* &rids apes the amead-
moot proposed by the preleageMits to the address in reply
to the epee* hem the Meow. In that mlissrity Mae
were 90 gentlemen, reptemettieg laglish sad Welsh saw
ties, who were bobbled k thek seats is she legislature
mainly to the yseaden oldie Modes clause ha the Rases
Act cot 1832, whirr essferrell gas Me territorlate=
the power a tisk erisikate to le
vote for wheals's they might Meese to put is
dee. NotMft bat the wide exesslea el she mato to
honest aad Wspeadeat men maid slaw Me easties Inn
SS Stases sad secure sits Me Smote el Ipr *0
Mane of such saes se they mould prefer waste hft to
vote according to their own INNINISSISIL If the Mak
country could be polled *es sea end of the lead le the
other, and give the honest expands* of their opinion egos
the subjects submitted to them, he(Mr. Thompson) had ate
doubt there would be Mai a large majority favourable le
the curtailment of the method expenditure, the rediscribe.
dm and mote equitable adjusts:teat of =slime, the aboll.
dots of the church establishment is Iceland, the reduction of
the army, navy, and orrEaase estimates, the removal
of all taxes upon the diffusion of knowledge,
the abolitioa of the law of entail, and the wise and beast.
omit government of the whole of our foreign de_pendesides,
ineludieg oar vest empire is India. (Cheers) Those, hew.
ever, were all objects sought by some portion or other of the
British people, and they were convened from time to time to
frossider and discus those matters, and to support spades
employed to *dunce their pr.gras. Whence seem
the aseetaty for those separate and distinct efforts,
sad ler so many separate end costempereaseas eye.
teem of agitation? Simply from the eireustease that
the House of Commons. se at
icatatiessatitated,
allreform, and was as is favour
71tessa• meet rank abases is ek sad data
any House of Commons that ever Feuded it.
Why cautious • Hew of Commas sake, it was
universally admitted, weald do nettling fee the people
but that which was 'atoned be. its fears? Why man-
tain • legislative body that disabused nose of the fans-
dons appertaining to its nominal character, bat on the con-
trary, imposed upon the people the necessity el settling oat
of doors .eery question before it was taken up in the plies
where constitutionally it ought to have arisen eponteneously,
and been discussed upon it. asked merits, irrespective of
bow it affected this or that party Why continue the no
amity cf agitating five or sores years, from one end of the
country to the other, in order to obtain from a totorlously
intractable and ohatritetive house a solitary measure of no-
tional and partial reform, when a compliance with
the national dammed for the establishment of
the people's political rights would lead to the
election of s house which would as natui ally and willingly
give the measures now sought for, as the present body as
naturally repudiated and insultingly defiled them ? (Hear,
bur.) Holdieg each views, need he (Mr. Thompson) say
that he looked upon the reform of the House of Commons is
the question of questions? He would unhesitatingly plate
the power of electing its numbers In the hands of the
people, using that word " people " in its widest signs.
Seaton. (Loud and prolonged cheering.) He might be
told that swing upon that principle the votes would be
thrown chiefly into the hands of the democracy of this
ream; most undoubtedly they would be; and it was in
those hands that he would unhesitatingly trust them ; it was
there that the constitution itself intended to deposit them for
the maintenance of the just balance of power in the state.
Let it be granted that the votes for the return of members to
the House of Commons would be in the hands of the de-
mocracy : was there not, as a set-off and counterpoise to that
democracy, the crown and the Hones of Peers ? (Hear.)
Did the aristoeraey in this free Christian country—this land
of Saxon people, and originally Saxon institutions and Saxon
kings—did that aristocracy wit mere than a house of their
own—an hereditary Louse—an assembly which could orly
be entered by a man of plebeian origin, as it wee celled,
with the golden key of the royal prerogative ? (Cheers )
Did the church &raced more than that her bishops should
sit as spiritual barons smongst the temporal peers of the
realm, with power conjointly with them to veto the acts of
the Commons and watch over the secular as well as
ghostly affairs of their own establishment? Was it
too much to ask, in thee I and of prescriptive rights and vene-
rated titles, where gentle blood, u it was denominated, was
universally worshipped, and everything ancient regarded
with almost supentdeous awe, that the House of Commons
should be reconstructed according to its ancient design
and origin 1 (Arun, and be In reality, in essence
and substance, what it was in theory and name, the
House of the Commute of England;? (Vehement cheers.)
In conclusion Mr. Tkumpeoea called upon his audience to
admit the claims and recognise the rights of thou at present
wittiest a voice iu the government of the country. Let
them do that, and they would show their faith in justice
and right. Let them do it, and they would make some
compensation for past years of neglect and wrong. Let
them do it, and they would heal all feuds that had grown
out of separation end estrangement. (Haar) Let them do
it, and tiny would avert those national calamities which
wrongs accumulated on deserving, intelligent millions never
failed, sooner or later, to produce. (Alter en eloquent
peroration, the hon. gentleman resumed kis seat, amidst
enthusiastic applause )
Mr. J. WHYATT moved : " That a change in the re-
presentative system, to at least the extent proposed by the
National Reform Aesociation, is imperatively required in
justice I. the intelligent population for the united king-
dom, and as the only dr-end means for obtaini g • re-
dress of the numerous gearwheel universally complained
of, this meeting approves the objects of the National Re.
form Association, and pledges itself to support the same
by oontributions to its funds, and by every other means
in its power." (Cheers.)
LONODEN, Esq., seconded the motion, and it was
carried unanimously.
_ _ _

E. MULL, Bsq., next addressed the meeting, expressing
the earnest sire he felt that all partiss—all men who have
arrived at the age of reason, and are able to express it,
should have guaranteed to them by the constitution of these
realms those politics: rights which are their due. Ile said :
We take to ourselves pride in the superiority of the present
we In all these points over the st,i,e that has preceded it.
We are eonstanUy pointing with the highest satisfaction to
oar commerce and thriving manufactures, to our trade, our
shire, our colonies, to our literature, and to our churches.
We bout our scientific ecllievements: we lay that we live
in en age when we have ell but annihilated space and time :
when we can employ steam to do our heavy work, and
lightsiag to carry our menses between town and
town: and we are here, in the middle of the
rineteenth century, with all these elements of na-
tional growth awl greatness existing in profusion around
as. (Hear, hear.) We are here to settle whether
ire-sixths of the men who have contributed to produce that
national growth and greatness shall have anything more to
do with the political arrangements of this country than
simply consists in paying the taxes which are levied upon
them by the other one-sixth of the community. (Hear.) It
was decided the other day, in Gee of our courts of law that
in matters of ecclesiastical taxation, the majority might be
legally overridden by the minority; and have
and
patriots, in various parts of the kingdom have cited out
against that decision as contrary to the spirit of our British
constitution. I wish it were. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Wall
concluded by invoking the aid of Manchester it
this movement for reform, and calling upon its citizens to
give it their hearty, e meet, unmistakeable ca.operatien.
(Mr. Miall resumed his seat amidst enthusiastic and pro-
longed sheering.)
The CHAIRMAN then stated that it was originally
intended that Mr. Alexander Mackay should address the
meeting at that stage of the proceedings, but In conse-
quence of the advanced period of the evening that learned
gentleman thought it advisable not to do so.
Mr. 11. VINCENT said be felt, daring the speech of Mr.
Thompson, that the great question they came that night to
support was not only sustained by those great principles of
Christian equity which constitute the chief strergth of any
movereont, but that it wee also austeinel by those ens
lightened views of expediency by which so many of our best
statesmen have always prokesed to be guided.
After some further remarks by Mr. ROISZRTS, Mr. !CALL,
and Mr. THOMPSON, which the pressure of other matter
prevents us from reporting, a vote of thanks was given to
the deputation.
The meeting separated about eleven o'clock.

FINANCIAL REFORM.—A preliminary meeting of
gentlemen Interested in the proceedings of the National
Financial Reform Association wan MIA yesterday at the
rooms of the Liberal Registration amiety, Bristol, J tihnard,
Esq., in the ebair, at which a conmaithe was appoint, d to
oonfrr with the council of the ssemiation with a view to the
holding a public meeting of refunnen of the dry sad to the
formation of a local auxiliary association.

CoNSTANTINOPLE, Jllf. 23.—Our city presents
a most singular septet—within the fart few days we
have hat a storm from the north &accompanied with
a heavy fall of Snow' and a temperature of from 10 to
12 degrees Rotuma,. Scarcely on s Tutuila to go ontr
and the streets are quite a : the magnifies, shape,
and booths are closed. The very few pinata who are won-
poled by necessity to venture abroad puma the most gres
to are appearance, being wrapped up in shawls, mantles,
and anything they can lay their has& upon, luring only a
little hole for oae of their eyes. Two persons have been
found frozen to death in a house at Galata, and a milkman,
with hie three horses, were fated frasea to death.