The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-16 00:00:00

X;;It

GREAT MEETING IN BIRMINGHAM.

--
BIRMINGHAM, WEDNIBDA.Y.
Last night a meeting was held in Bingley Hall, in this
town, for the purpose of receiving the reports from the
various committees appointed at the Conference, sitting
to consider the conduct of the war, &c. The meeting,
numerically, was decidedly important, and evidently
shows the great interest the working classes are now
taking in the war, and all matters connected with it.
The number present was variously estimated at from
8,000 to 12,000, and were certainly most enthusiastic,
and the interest was maintained until eleven o'clock at
night.
Mr. Alderman ALLDAY occupied the chair, and opened
the business in an appropriate speech, in which, after
stating the object for which they were assembled, he pro-
ceeded to caution the people against attempts which he
understood were being made to introduce the idea of re-
sorting to physical force amongst them. He wished it
to be clearly and distinctly understood that any man who
same amongst them and advanced the doctrine of physicat
force would be denounced as a traitor and villain, and
as such would be held up to public odium. (Cheers.)
They wanted no violence, no brute force, there was no
neeessity for it. All they wanted was law and justice ;
the British Constitution and its protection, and no
more, and they would not be content with less. (Load
cheers.) Another arrangement to which he wished to
direct their attention was that by which they intended
to dispense with the aid and advice of foreigners: They
would not have anything to do with foreign refugees in
that movement. (Cheers) Theirs was an English,
movement--(hear)—for English objects, and purposes
worthy of E❑glishmen—(hear)--and into which foreign
influence, and foreign aid, and foreign advice could not,
and would not, be admitted through foreign refugees.
(Cheers.) They were assembled for the defence of their
Queen—,(hear)—for the maintenance of law, the honour
and glory of England, and the legal conviction and just
punishment of all those who would be found betraying
the interests of the country. Having thus stated their
objects, and cautioned the meeting against being se-
duced by bad men into any unconstitutional steps, Mr.
Allday proceeded to read several extracts from the Blue
Books, relative to the negotiations which preceded the
declaration of war, and from which he contended that
they all went to prove complicity on the part of our
Ministers with the enemies of England, and demanded
their most serious and prompt consideration. -
Mr. LANGFORD, the secretary, said they had received
200 letters from very able and distinguished men in
various parts of England, fully approving the object of
the meeting. _

Mr. Haim then brought up the report of the com-
mittee appointed to inquire into the circumstances of a
former war with Russia, the finding of which was.
" That unless there was a change in the policy and ad-
ministration on the part of England our possessions in
Hindoetan would inevitably go under the dominion of
Russia."

Mr. DALZILL brought up the report of the committee
on the probable effects of the war, in the following order,
viz. :—England's commerce, her influence on the people,
the people's position :—" First,—The Committee de-
clares that England's commerce will be impaired; that
she will sink to a third-rate state if the people's inter-
posing hand doses not stay the decomposition to which
she is hastening ; her influence on the people will be
subversive of that state of honour which is essential to
the political well-being of a mighty nation ; the people's
position will be miserably degraded if we strike not the
effective blow ; and we are further of opinion that Eng.
land's present Prime Minister is guilty of treason of the
deepest dye."
Mr. HAwUNS presented the report of the committee
to which was assigned the consideration of the obstruc-
tion of the River Danube. It declared that the com-
mittee had not been able to fully consider the subject,
and that were it not for the interference of Russia the
river would be navigable.
Mr. RAFFERTY brought forward the report of the com-
mittee respecting the probable effects of the war, which
were said to be ruinous indeed to England. The Prime
Minister was announced therein to be guilty of treason
of the deepest dye.
Mr. LANGLY produced a report on the policy of Eng.
land with reference to the fall of Poland and Hungary,
and the document, after reviewing all the transactions in
connection with the partition of Poland, concluded as
follows :—"After having thus betrayed Hungary, he
sent an insulting letter to Austria, which clearly shows
that it was not for her he had woven his web of deceit.
Our verdict, therefore, against Lord Palmerston and his
colleagues, with regard to the assassination of Poland,
is, guilty.

Mr. CoLLETT presented a report with reference to the
Four Points, disapproving of all, and pronouncing the
Government guilty.
CHAS. ATTWOOD, Esq., then submitted the address,
which was unanimously adopted, amidst loud and con-
tinued cheering.
Mr. DALZELL then seconded the adoption of the ad-
dress, and in doing so, detailed an attempt which had
been made within the last few days, by a son of the
Inspector of the Worcestershire Police, to obtain ad-
mission to one of the committees appointed by the Con-
ference, and to his having recommended the use of phy-
sical force. The speaker said they did not object to the
police being on their committees, nor would they object
to the soldiery—indeed, they would be happy to have
them all ; but net by intrigue, not underhanded or un-
known to their. If the police wished to come to their
committees, they had only to announce who they were
and they would get all necessary information, as the
Conferenco -wore fully determined not to have any
secrecy.
Mr. LANGFORD next addressed the meeting, and
urged upon them the necessity of immediate action, in
order to secure the nation against the effects of intrigue
a tld treachery.

Mr. THOS: CHANDLER, of Stroud, in a brief speech,
irnpr,seed upon the meeting the importance of watching
Lord Palmerston. with reference to whom he said, "
hope a universal burst of execration will go forth from
this meeting and reverberate within the walls of that
Russian fortress in Downing-street, and that ere to-
morrow morning the prime punster and blusterer of all
England shall shake in his shoes."

Three cheers were then given for Mr. D. Urquhart,
three for the Queen, and three for the people, and the
meeting displayed the utmost enthusiasm.
Major ROLLAND then came forward and proposed the
following protest : —" That this meeting solemnly pro-
tests against the wrong and danger to the country of
leaving any office of national trust in the hands of Vis-
count Palmerston, who stands denounced in the face of
Parliament, by the Queen herself, as having abused her
royal confidence, and who must therefore be supposed to
remain in power only by means of some unconstitutional
coercion ; who stands convicted by documentary evi-
dence of having deceived the Parliament by falsified
and garbled public papers and despatches ; and who also
stands accused of having, through many years, aided the
inimical designs of Russia, by men whose charges have
never been replied to, nor ever investigated before any
competent tribunal ; but which have been investigated
and established before that Conference, whose reports
thereon have now been laid before and have bees
adopted by this meeting." The gallant Major said the
protest he had just read required no comment from him,
and he should leave it with the meeting upon its merits.
Mr. G. CRAWSIIAY, of Newcastle, seconded the adop-
tion of the protest, which was put and carried amidst
renewed cheering.

The opinion of the meeting was next taken relative to
the course which had been pursued by Mr. Collett and
Mr. Hart, at the recent Polish meeting held in London.
Mr. COCKBURN, of Newcastle, brought forward the
subject, and having contended that the Polish meeting
was a complete sham, he eulogised the conduct of Mr.
Collett and Mr. Hart, in having exposed the imposition
sought to be practised upon the public by the friends of
Lord Palmerston, and, in conclusion, proposed a resolu-
tion, highly approving of their conduct.
Mr. BARRETT, of Nottingham, seconded the resoln-
tion, which was carried.

Mr. COLLETT returned thanks, and, in doing so, went
over the reasons which induced him to protest against
the proceedings at the late meeting in London, observing
that on looking at the noblemen and others who took
part in the meeting, it was obvious they were present
by the order and advice of Lord Palmerston, and that
was sufficient to induce him to question the propriety of
the movement.
Mr. D. URQUHART then presented himself to the meet-
ing, and was received with loud and continued cheering,
which lasted some time ; after which he spoke at length
upon some of the main points set forth in the various
r-ports of the eommittee4, and concluded an animated ad-
dress amidst renewed applause.
nthtehyatwalla,
Mr. DALZ ELL then announced that
aftitidllytrPeachery
holdpurposean association for the
mo
monthly
iy inquiry
meetingsh adb eoefntfhoermi
inhabitants
baintadn that i
and report progress. He moved the following
. resolu-
tion : " That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the
great and important questions which have been investi-
b ey gatedon
beyond
by a the
doubt,var ?hues
of the leading members of the and present Admi-
csuulbiacobiTinityi,thlt:tileheatv,e
nistrations ; and that it is the duty of the members of
the Conference, aided and assisted by the country, t 0
continue their patriotic efforts until the guilt y,
' G
And we y Parties
are brought to justice. _ . are fartherof • •
that, i.n order to save this country from impending
opinion
and restore again that vitality which ruin,
sessed, it is imperatively necessary that
England once pos-
sessed, taken to raise a fund amongst th immediate steps
ently large to meet the emergenciese operatives, suffici-
ently Mans seconded the of futureloperations."
with great enthusiasm, motion, which was carried
A vote of thanks to theUT chairman, proposed by Mr.
great cheering, clossecondededMr.meeting the business at eleven o'clock.
significant, and was
enthusiastic, and, on the whole,
reverse Wouldnot to be despised. A serious foreign
present temper make the movement formidable in the
mper of the masses.

ACCIDENT ON THE LANCASHIRE AND YORIESIIIII
RAILWAY.—On Monday afternoon a collision took plumb
at the Bolton station on the above line between a pas-
senger and a luggage train, which, happily, was not ah-
tended by any fatal, or, we trust, permanently serious
results. It was fortunate also that the train was a light
one, there being only four carriages. All the passes•
gers were jolted from their seats, and some of them suf-
fered injuries on the face and other parts of the body.
Among the sufferers was Mr. W. A. W. Paulton (one
of the proprietors of the Examiner and Times), and his
lady, who were thrown violently against each other.
The directors have instituted a strict inquiry into the
accident.
BISHOP OF LONDON'S PASTORAL LITTER.—Her Ms-
jesty's Government having refused to allow a Royal
letter to be issued in faVour of the church buildinclr
education societies, in accordance with a motors rb___t
has long prevailed, the Bishop of Londo_n_ diesesigms4
a pastoral letter, addressed to the clerri et aJg