Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-10 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES, THURSDAY MARCH 10 1859

THE ,90VERNMENT REFORM

BILL.

M R. BRIGHT Ai: _BIRMINGHAM
BIRMINGHAM, WIONESDAY EVENING.

A crowded meeting was held, to-nigh:l4 in the Town
Hall, for the purpose of considering the Dvrby-Disraeli
Reform Bill. The doors were besieg.ed long before the
hour of opening, and the utmost anxiety was evinced to
obtain admission to the. hall. The number present must
have exceeded 6,000.
Ernest Jones made his appearance shortly before the
chair was taken, and he was received with a perfect storm
of disapprobation. .
Mr. George Edmunds, the veteran reformer of '32, entered
shortly afterwards, and was greeted with loud and en-
thusiastic cheering.
Mr. Bright came on the platform, amidst vociferous
cheering and waving of hats, which lasted for several
minutes. _ _

W. Lacy, Esq., was called to the chair. He explained that
it was intended Mr. P. H. Muntz, in the absence of the
M vnr

through illy.

but circumstances had prevented his attendance. **.
Mr. Geo. Edmunds moved the first resolution, which was
as follows :---

" That the Reform Bill introduced by Her Majesty's
Government, while pretending, to effect a settlement of .the
question, makes no adequate provision for the enfranchise-
ment of the working classes ; disfranchises an intelligent
.and independent class, viz., county voters; does not provide
the.proteeti on of the ballot, an d leaves small corrupt boroughs
and dependent bnroughs in possession ofall amounts. of in-
fluence which counteract and swamp the real opinions of
the country, and is an insult to the people, and demands
the uncompromising opposition of all true refoi mers."

(Loud cheering.) -
Mr. Edmunds made an effective speech, and warned his
audience against being led away by those who traded in the
ignorance of certain classes of the people, but who wore in
reality no friends to the popular cause. (Hear, hear.)
Alderman Lloyd briefly seconded the resolution.

Mr. Bright was then called on by the Chairman to support

lasting for upwards of five minutes. He commenced y
referring to the great meeting which he had addressed in
that Hall in the month of October Last, and reminded them
that he had then stated that the cause of parliamentary
reform was in a triumphant and, at the same time, in a

perilous position. It was triumphant inasmuch as not one
dare openly profess himself against reform—(hear, hear)—

d it was in a perilous position in so far as for the moment

the conduct and coniideration of the question were in the
hands of men who had been the consistent'opponents of all
reform. (Hear, hear.) He had warned them that they

ought to entertain a wholesome suspicion respecting the

there that night to ask them whether the warning

of " hear, hear,"

and " yes, yes.") He then told them

that the cause of parliamentary reform, was at. once
triumphant and perilous, Triumphant
.because no man

dare stand up against reform, and perilous because opposed
by many who held high offices in the State. (Hear, hear.)
The bill of Lord Derby adhered to the ancient principles

and practice of his party--(hear; hear)—and was opposed
to the requirements of the people. Who had asked for a

measure of reform ? Did a majority of the House of
Commons ? • Did the gentry and clergy of the country
demand it ? But some persons must have asked for it, and
who were they? (Hear.) They must remember that the
Government had put in the mouth of the Queen a recom-
mendation for a change in the representation of the country
—(loud cries of " Hear, hear") —because there was a clear
conviction in the minds of influential people, that the House
,•

- -
of Commons did not represent the opinion of ene out of five
who had a vote for the return of members to that House.
(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Bright), and the party with whom
he acted, had asked for an extension of the elective
franchise; but not as against any class. (Hear, hear.)
They did not want to draw a line of distinc-

tion—ktd gloves on• one side, and the working
men on the other; nor did he look to the timidity

or boldness of parliament on the question ; but the working
classes, fairly, as he thought, asked for a fair measure of
representation, and not for the impudent delusive sham, in
which voting papers Were substituted for the ballot. (Loud
cheers.) They, asked that two or three hundred electors
should cease to return members in their little circles, and
that those members should be distributed among the great
oonstituencies of the country. (Continued cheering.) How
the leader of the House of Commons could have occupied
the house for between two and three hours with
such a bill as the government produced, he confessed
puzzled his comprehension. (Cheers.) •
Mr. Scholefield, the other member for Birmingham, here
ascended the platform, and was warmly and loudly cheered.
Mr. Bright continued : Men stood aghast at, and refused
his bill of the e.overnment. He (the speaker) wished to
lescribe two or three of its main points, It had yielded to
he proper demand for a reduction, in counties of qualifica-
:ions from £5O. to £lO This concession was not made
through any previous votes of the House of Commons, but
through a belief by government that there was a necessity
in its favour. Mr. Bright here referred to the statistics of
Mr. Newmarch, and observed that, according to them, the
concession was only a colourable one, and that by this bill
one hundred thousand voters in England and Wales would
be disqualified for voting in the county elections, and turned
over to the boroughs, for which many of them already pos-
sessed a right of voting. This would have the effect of really
disfranchising about 60,000 of the most independent among
the constituency of the United Kingdom. (Hear.) The speaker
alluded to the rejection of Mr. Disraeli's Budget of 1852,
and contended that he was influenced by the territorial
interests in the House of Commons. There was a monoply
in the legislation of the country which should not be per-
petrated by the territorial interests— (cheers) but partici-
pated in by the industrial classes. (Loud cheering.) By
the movernment bill many persons who had property in
Birmingham, but resided in Cornwall or other parts of Eng-
land, would have a vote for that borough, and how easily
could half a dozen gentlemen, by purchasing property under
such circumstances, convert it into one of those rotten
boroughs, disfranchised by the Reform Bill of 1832. The
government pretended to improve the country constituency,
but managed so that the small boroughs would lose the little
independence they now possessed. (Cheers.) In referring
to the clause in the government bill, giving the franchise to
the depositor in a savings' bank to the amount of £6O,
Mr. Bright said that amongst a voluminous correspondence,
with which he was favoured, was a letter from a working
man in Birmingham, who stated his case thus : —He had
£lOO in the Bank of Messrs. Spooner and Attwood,
and he wished to be informed whether, under the enactment
of the Government Bill, he would not be required to with-
draw £6O of that - amount and place it in a savings-bank
(laughter;, for the purpose of qualifying for the
franchise. He had had another letter from a working man
resident in Londonovho said he had deposited in the first
instance, £5 in a savings' bank. He had a family of five or
six children to bring up and educate. His deposit, from
sickness and other causes, diminished to £4 ; and again, by
fluctuation of prosperity, and the reverse in his circum-
stances, reached the amount of £5O. This man asked him
whether such a condition of affairs would bring him within
the pale of the franchise. Mr. Bright dwelt particularly on
this case, and argued that through a great many eirenmstances
—the education of his children, sickness, or a desire to assist
a friend in need—thebalance at the savings bank would be
fluctuating, and consequently, virtually, according to the terms
of the measure, disqualifies a man who, in every point of
view, was entitled to electoral priviliges. The government
bill was inquisitorial in principle (loud cheers), insulting
and absurd in its provisions, and should be rejected by the
unanimous voice of the country. (Continued cheering.)
Sir Benjamin Hall had dissected the returns of the Savings
Bank of Newport, Monmouthshire. There were sixty de-
positors, nearly one half of whom were women (a laugh),
but it was much to their credit. (Cheers.) Well,
according to this return, the number of parties
qualified under the government bill would be just one.
(Laughter.) This would show that the Government, with
a show of reality of the franchise, meant the perpetualexclu-
sion of the working classes. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Bright
then glanced at the opposition offered by the late Duke of
Wellington to the Reform Bill of 1832, and observed that
the Duke himself had never ventered to hint at the disfran-
chisement of 50,000 legally. qualified electors. Freedom
could not be put down. During the last seven-and-twenty
years, the progress in knowledge of the working classes had
been manifest to all, and the intent of the bill introduced by
government tended to show that they (the government) not
only distrusted the working classes, but despised them.
The speaker counselled strong and resolute conduct on the
part of the people. The remainder of the hon. gentleman's
speech comprehended those arguments which are by this
time so familiar to the British public. He resumed his seat
amidst a perfect storm of cheering. It is necessary to state,
that previously to the commencement of the proceeding;,
Mr. Ernest Jones accompanied by a small knot of local
chartists made his appearance on the platform. His
appearance was the signal for an outburst of feeling, that
would have probably deterred any man of less firmly con-
stituted nerves from persevering in an audience who -were
almost unanimously opposed to his peculiar opinion.
After a severe_ - tassel at the back of the

platform, in which Mr. jot/es seemed likely
to realise the fluctuation of popular oninion. he was rescued
by some of the gentlemen who sat around Mr. Bright, and
occupied a seat immediately behind that gentleman.
The Chairman, for the second or third time, requested
the immense assembly to preserve order, and
Mr. W. Scholefield then rose to address the audiente.
He was received with much approbation ; and with refer-
ence to the attempt of Mr. Jones' friends, said that the pre-
sent meeting was essentially a meeting of the inhabitants
of Birmingham, though he was quite assured that any per-
son who had a right to be heard, would be heard. He still
held that, in accordance with the terms of the notice con-
vening the meeting, the Chairman was the proper party to
decide whether Mr. Jones should be heard, and if that was
not satisfactory, he (the Chairman) would take the sense of
the meeting on the subject. Mr. Scholefield endorsed the
opinions of his colleague, and sat down amid much

applause.
Mr. Lacy rose, and asked for a hearing for Mr. Ernest
Jones, who hr‘d come all the way from London to address
them. The people of Birmingham were distinguished for
their impartiality, and he hoped they would prove their right
to be so distinguished try granting him a hearing. The
men of Birmingham were quite capable of deciding on the
reform question, and he would take care that they had the
opportunity of doing so ; but he wished they would give
Mr. Jones a hearing, and he asked them if they would do
so. (Loud cries of "No.") It would reflect discredit on
the town if they did not •do so. He then put it to the
meeting, and the show of hands was entirely against Mr.
Jones being heard. -
This gentleman then retired amidst the utmost confusion,
and the loudest possible groans, which, on his reaching the
door, were succeeded' by several rounds of applause.
The first resolution was then put to the meeting, and
carried unanimously. _

Alderman Baldwin then rose to move the next reso-
lution, and observed that unanimity was necessary to
secure a bill as good as that which had been proposed- by
Mr. Bright, and with one less than that, he trusted, they
would not be satisfied. He regretted the difference that
had occurred, for they could not afford to differ. They
must agree to sink their little differences till they had
obtained the victory. Me:t did not fight amongst themselves
whilst in the midst of the battle. (Loud applause)
He concluded by moving the following resolution :
" That this meeting is of opinion that it is the duty of all
liberals in arid out of parliament, in this condition of the
reform question, to sink all sectional and personal differ-
ences, and combine in opposition to a bill which• unsettles
everything, and settles nothing, and which if passed into
law, will produce political discontent and renewed agitation,.
and that it re-affirms its opinion that no Reform Bill can be
satisfactOry which does not include a large extension of
borough and county franchise, vote by ballot, and re-distri-
bution of members more equally of property and popula-
tion."
* Alderman Minton briefly seconded the ,resolution, and
said unanimity was essential to get what they wanted.
" The reselutien was put to the meeting and Tarried.
Mr. J. S. Wright proposed the following resolution :
" That a petition 'founded on the foregoing resolutions, by
the Birmingham Reform Association be forwarded to the
members for the borough, for presentation to Parliament."
'lt was seconded by Mr. J. Taylor, and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. Lacy having left the chair, a vote of thanks was
proposed by Mr. Bright, and unanimously seconded by the
entire audience, and after several 'hearty rounds of
applause the meeting terminated.

THE PMENIX PRISONERS.

TRALEE, MARCH 8

True bills were returners against Daniel Sullivan,
Florence Sullivan, John Sullivan, John Connor, and Patrick

Hennessy

The piisoners pleaded " Not Guilty.°
Four jurors were put aside for the crown, and sixteen for

the prisoners.
Mr. O'liagan, for the prisoners, would not consent that
they should join their challenges.
The Court then proceeded to try Daniel Sullivan, for
treasonable felony. _

The witnesses on both sides were ordered to leave the
court. _ _

vv
The Attorney - General, Mr. Whiteside, then pro-
ceeded to state :the case for the prosecution, which
he said was essential to the best interests of the
country. The prosecution was' founded on an Act of
Parliament passed in 1848. It was passed in revolutionary
times, when the Legislature felt it necessary to interpose
between the Crown and the subject. The third section of
the Act quoted, that if any, person after the passing of the
statute should " compass,.imagine, invent, devise, or intend
to deprive her'lla.jesty of her royal name, or to levy war
against her in any, part of the United Kingdom, or
encourage any foreigners, &c., to invade the United King-
dom, should be transported for life, or not less than
seven-years, or be imprisoned for not less than two years.
He charged the prisoner with conspiring with other persons
to subvert the Constitution of the country, and establish in
Ireland a free democratic republic. About a year ago, a
person who was known by the name of Shuke, but whose
real name was Stephens, passed through this country,
appearing at different places, and enrolled persons in a
secret society. This man had escaped justice. .He was
understood as the person through whom aid was to come
from America, and to get money from America. Some
others of the conspirators were to get money from France,
and one of their objects was to get back the confiscated
estates. The conspiracy began early in 1858. The oath
taken was as follows :

" I solemnly declare, in the presence of God, that I
renounce the allegiance to the British Throne, and that I
will yield implicit obedience to the commands of my
superiors in a secret society ; and, above all, to take up
arms at a moment's warning, and to make Ireland, at every
risk, an independent democratic republic."
It would be proved that the prisoners had solicited another
man to take an oath to join in pulling down the grants of
this country, and to obey the leaders of the secret society,
and was told by the prisoners that the French were pre-
pared to land in the country, to assist in subverting the
Constitution, and produced a book to swear him by.
The case for the prosecution not yet finished.

lowing

THE NEAPOLITAN EXILES.—The Times congratulates the
Neapolitan exiles on their arrival, and says there is an
instinct stronger than all political calculation which calls
on us to do honour to these men.
The Daily News says that the acceptance of Prince
Napoleon's retirement has been dictated by temporary con-
siderations, and will not be followed by any material
changes in the ultimate aims of the external policy of the
French Govornment.
Mr. S. Estcourt, the new Home Secretary, was re-elected
on Tuesday. In addressing the electors he said—The new
county qualification, from an occupation of between £lO and
£2O, would create 342,000 additional electors. and there-
fore the Government Bill could not be considered a small
measure.
NAVAL APPOINTMENTS, MARCH B.—Paymaster (addi-
tional)—James Lewis, to the Impregnable. Surgeons—
W. T. Rogers, to the James Watt; A. U. R. Preston
(additional), to the James Watt; Thomas H. Keown, to
the Hero; J. W. Bradshaw (additional), to the Hero.
Acting-assistant Surgeon—Patrick Keelan, to the Hero.
Assistant-surgeon —John L. Palmer, to the James Watt.
Master's-assistant -John J. Covey, to the Rhadamanthas.
Clerks—Cuthbert R. Radham, to the St. Jean d'Acre ;
Alfred P. Cox, to the Exmouth.
EXCISE DUTIES, STAMPS, AND CUSTOMS.—From a re-
tubu just issued of the sums derived from the Excise
Daties, Stamps, and Customs, during each year since 1816,
we obtain some valuable information. As the. total sum
obtained in each year is given alone, without any detailed
information, the return is not of so much use as it would
otherwise have been, and affords no data from which to
determine what duties are the most productive to the
revenue. The revenue derived from Customs duties has
increased with tolerable regularity since the earlier years
to which the statistics refer. In the years between 1816
and 1825, the sums paid into the Exchequer from this source
varied between nine and twelve millions. From the latter
date, to 1834, they varied between sixteen and seventeen
millions. In the year 1835 the amount had reached 18
millions, and in 1836, 20 millions. From that time till
1855 the variations are between twenty and twenty-one
millions, never falling short of the first sum, and only during
one year (1845) reaching twenty-two millions.. For the last
three years on the list they are twenty-three millions. The
cost of collection has not varied very greatly, and always
about £1,500,000 a year, 1858 excepted, the cost of collec-
tion in that year having apparently been no more than
£843,000. The net aggregate sum available to the Ex-
chequer from " Excise, Stamps, and Taxes," taken together,
does not exhibit so great a degree of regularity. The first
year on the list, 1816, was the most productive of
Zanya,
the
the
net available sum being £57,377,537. Until
decline is very marked, the total amount for that year
being only £24,345,246, From then till recent years a
tendency to increase is shown; but the revenue appears to
fluctuate a good deal. The decrease seems to have been
principally in the Excise department, since the total revenue
from this source was 29 millions in 1816, and is only 17
millions in 1858. In 1843 it had fallen so low as 124
millions ; and in many succeeding years, though
none of the preceding, did the revenue amount to 13
millions. In the. Stamp Department a slight inw.:case is
perceptible since the earlier years on e list,an 'an
increasedlBl9,
revenue. In 1816, however, the revenue from this source
was considerably larger ; and this will partly account for
the huge sum wlnch.is given: ix). the return as the revenue
for that year_

TOWN COUNCIL

The Council met at eleven o'clock yesttilty, specially to
dispose of the business which remained over since the sud-
den breaking up of the meeting of last Wednesday. The
William Preston, Esq , presided.
THE RECENT ADDRESS TO HER MAJESTY.
The Mayor said : Gentlemen, the council will be aware
that at the last meeting an address to her Majesty was
unanimously agrefid upon by the members. It was left to
rare a filo rrawn -clerk to ascertain in what manner it

wotilfl be most gratifying to her Majesty's feelings to
receive the address. I wrote to Mr. Ewart, M.P., to make
application in the usual way, and he did so, and I received
a letter from the then Secretary of State, Mr. Walpole,
informing me that it would be received by deputation.
Accordingly, a deputation, consisting of Mr. Stewart, the
mover, Mr. Chas. Turner, the seconder, and myself, presented
the address at the levee. of the 23rd of last month, and I can
assure the council that it was' received in her Majesty's
usual gracious manner. (Hear, hear.) I should, perhap3,
add that the Recorder of Liverpool accompanied the deputa-
tion to the levee. FINANCE COMMITTEE.

The proceedings of this committee contained the fol-

Resolution of magistrates recommenaing that the salaries
of Mr. T. M. Andertou and Mr. Richard Ellis, clerks in
the magistrates clerks' office, be increased from £l'so to

£l/4200 per annum each, tbe. consideration cf which was post-
poned at the last monthly council, pursnard to the standing

nt Mr

Thomas Hunter as

committee with greater pleasure. This was a very itepor-
tant thoroughfare, and he thought if they had paid more
attention to the approaches to the town hitherto, they would
have been better off at the preseLt day. A more appro-
priate appropriation of the surplus funds could nOt be made.
Mr. Earle said he had no doubt this would be a most
proper improvement. It came out of the corpotate funds,
and not out of their pockets directly, and it Was perhaps
all the better for tl:at. He hoped it was only tfit'forerunnee
of other improvements in the outskirts, and he hoped Mr.
Stitt.wonld support other improvements in that Way, not

out of the corination funds, as they could not do nineh that
way_ he was sorry to state.

The recommendation was adopted unanimously.
Mr. Stewart moved the adoption of the fourth reeonunen-
lation, to accept the tender of Mr. J. IT. Mullen to erect
a new bridewell, c&e.,'for the sum of £5,733.

The motion w
carried.
Mr. Stewart said he would leave the report of the building
illumination of the clock of the
ition of the council. He then
gs, an d observed

seconded by Mr. Hahne, and unanimously

)r, in reference to tilt

fall, for the consi

moved ti

teral pro,
\Tr SZI,:.

aridfiiinself, had au-

,tart of State, in reference to

h nothing was concluded, they

It would he seen, 14
300 to pay the cost

ling, WAS SCCOllth

by Mr,

e next
ated at

t to the
lered it
even with the