The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-17 00:00:00

The Government Annuities Bill.

A, deputation from the London Trades Council waited
yesterday by appointment on the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, at his official residence in Downing-street,
with reference to the proposed Government Annuities Bill.
The deputation consisted of Mr. Odgers, secretary of the
Council; Mr. Applegarth, secretary of the Amalgamated
Society of Carpenters ; and Mr. Coulson, secretary of the
Bricklayers' Society. The deputation was accompanied by
Thomas Hughes, Esq,
Mr. HuGnEs having briefly introduced the deputation,
Mr. ODGERS said himself and his colleagues attended
there not so much to discuss the merits or demerits of the
proposed Government Annuities Bill as to disabuse the mind
of the right hon. gentleman as to there being any organised
opposition to it on the part of the trade societies, Ho denied
that trade societies as a body had been represented at the
late meeting at Exeter-hall, and said they did not oppose
the Annuities Bill. He also protested against the declara-
tion of the right hon, gentleman that they were bodies
existing for the purpose of coercing their fellow-workmen.
Although he believed a majority of the members of trade
socities and of the working classes generally were in favour
of the bill, it was opposed by a large section of them who
had no confidence in the Government who had deceived them
on the question of the franchise. This was a sore point with
thousands of the working classes.

_
Mr. ATPLEGAITU and Mr. COULSON made similar ob-
servations.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER expressed the
pleasure he felt at hearing the explanations and statements
of the deputation. He had felt convinced from the first that
the great majority of the working classes were favourable
to the principles of the Annuities Bill. With regard to his
remarks upon the Exeter-hall meeting, and the action of
trade societies, they had been much curtailed in the news-
paper reports, and thus made to appear more harsh than
they really were. He, however, had certainly been under
the impression that trade societies were generally coercive
bodies towards the minority, and had expressed himself to
that effect. He was pleased to hear they were not so, at
least to the extent he had supposed, and would take an
early opportunity of stating his opinion in Parliament. He
entirely conceded the right of the workmen to combine in
a union in defence of their wages as the only means they
had of defending themselves against the power of capital ;
but at the same time he contended for the right of every
man to sell his labour on what terms he chose. He thought
the remarks of Mr. Odgers respecting the franchise perfectly
justifiable. There was no doubt the Liberal party in the
House of Commons had failed in their duty in this respect
towards the working classes, to whom he thought the fran-
chise should be extended, and about which he should shortly
have something to say in the house. He regretted that the
class who had obtained their franchise through the efforts of
the working classes should seem so little disposed to admit
them to the same privilege. He then went on to explain
and defend the Annuities Bill, and said it was an absurdity
to say it was opposed to self-government. No man eras
compelled to embrace its benefits; and if he did, he could
do that for himself which now required a most cumbrous,
expensive, and insecure machinery to perform. He was glad
to hear the trade societies did not oppose the bill, which he
believed, as it became better known, would be more appre-
ciated.

The deputation, after some further remarks, then with-
drew, thanking the right hon. gentleman for his courtesy.

M. MAZZINI.—On going into committee of sup-
ply Sir Lawrence Palk will move "That the asser-
tion made by the Procureur-General of France at the re-
oent trial of Greco: demands the serious consideration of
this house,"