The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-02 00:00:00

NATIONAL REFORM ASSO-:

ClitTlON.-('rms DAY.)
k"uferenco of delegates teem all parts of the country
was .I(P7+ this day • i 11compliance
at at. Martin la ,
pittiq noticei-seeet by the National Reform Assn-
tattier).- "
hThe meeting Ara; hold in the smaller hall, and there
lte'e • pm. '
etesel J iited at-renounce of persona at 11 o'clock
44 the day advanced the number increased.
ee•-" noticed present Sir Joshua Walmsley, M.P., Ad
hrtral .`sir Cherles Napier, Mr. Geach, M.P., Mr. Hume,
1,1•1)., Mr. Geo. Thompson, M.P., Mr.M'Cullaeh,M.l.,
J' IV• Feor, M.P., Eclivd. Miall, the Rev. 'Mr. Bar-
tbeett, Mr. Ralph Walter, Mr. Elbert. Dewey, Mr. Hough-'
wen' ?tr. Lettemore, 'Dr. Simpson, Mr. Searle, Mr. Slack,
1e14,1°1144e, 'Mr. Salisbury, and others..
,108111711 WALMSLEY addressed the meeting to the
ct the business of this cenfe='
b.. , the entire' tnatinii°g;m"engt of whano proeeedings will
be your helale per:nit me in the name of the ceuntal
ta off,
da best thanks for your at entlanee here to-.
F, and for the valuable assistance you hive rendered
the cruse of reform In your several lecalhics.
!Ise to eiTsuggestion; is, that in all we may
it ,
deem • ‘r a
bofi it necessary to bay during the eating.. of ttlrs
in,,Y; the should aim at the c.oidensation of our matter,
aat reducing our propoeitions to the most practical
shape.—(liear.) I would also suggest
toat hhaws gentlemen who have any special information
gm: to the conference,or any plans to submit, should,
F`actleAle, put such information and plans into writ-
is
og, aril in as condensed compt.vs po,sible.—(Hear.).
tatitmen, when the circular was issued which as
flounced the intention of the council to convene this
illeetiag, it was their expectation that you would as-
semble under-somewhat different.ciscutnstances, and be
titilSd upon to discuss the details of " A Bill for thelin-
rteent of the Repre aentatien,” introduced to l'ar-
ovrallient by her Mejesty's late Governmeno I need nut
,I
141Orn1 Sou that the Whig Administration has
eessea to exist, and that Lord John RUB .L
1101 I'd reform- is therefore no longer a Govern-
...kilt measure. These events have relieved us
hem the necessity of spending much time in deliberat-
, upon the merits or the demerits of the Whig scheme
"` reform. The great object et this conference will be to
e
'43/is() those measures by which.a future Administration,
Itvellatever may be its name, will be compelled to grant to
People of the United Kingdom a full and equal re-
tresentation in the House of Commons,—(Hear, hear.)
"hail dismiss the late Reform Bill with a very few
word'; After listening to the statement of the late
Prime ilainister on the 9th of February, I felt it to be
g'hly duty to declare in my place in the House of Come
let)na that-the measure, the outlines of which had been
I:Latched by the Noble Lord, was totally unworthy of the
Iteroean!etjeramons, totally unworthy of being called a
e&1111)ilh and totally unworthy of the political ,aute-
ai-11:6 of Lord John Russell.—(Cheers.) To this
adhere.--(lleer.) It is no Reform Bill, for it
aietteeaao Provision tor the independent, exorcize of the
bp7et;:lef,ihtieg. By the omission of the ballot, it brings
the ~."08 coudemnation so emphatically pronounced by
keen!" employers of labour at a late conference in
itturhoter, who declared " that any extension of the
the ch;se, unaccompanied by the secrecy and security of
110 R,belt'let, would he mere mockery."—(Cheers.) It is
en 'oral Bill, for it would not bestow the right to vote
eeitti. More thin half a million of the at present unfran-
-11074d clasees, Or. upon one in eight of the mil-
. theiev,tha are unjustly dei.arred the right of electing
Petty to whom- are committed the disposal of their pro-
liberty, their liberty, and their lives.--(Cheers.) Such a
itirs;tare carries upon the face of it the appearance of an
foi;tt rather than of a boon.—(Cheers.) It is no.Re-
- •tx Bill, for if es) some extent it widens the area of 66
iteeltiiiß boroughs it leaves otherwise untouched the
,
lliftet{:latio Inequalities, and corruptions of the existing
hapott'-'"(llear.) It is no. Retorm Bill as respects the
Sibilitits of representatives to their constituents,
liateee, es not repeal the Septennial Act, but leaves Par-
:, 4ftee's"'"lo a seven years' existenceeand Members to the
Akite-", during-that period, to the deteriorating associa-
-14 the Iluuse of Commons.—(Cheers.) Such being
',',leeiattleter of the Bill brought in by Lord John Bus-
e:., ktevr\cannot regret its fate; but must rather con rata=
larlan the fact that it no longer exists to impede
Ct•deL°ll.ll-to obtain a measure more consistent with the
:"Ibtiet'ausods of the people, and tee
einterests of the
oeee;r3l at large. With these observatiOns I come at
4efettneeilla plan of reform advocate by the National
IPee•e'' Association —(Hear.) It die unnecessary to
see ldi betarieltitohvetfeatures of the measure which, after
atto has been adopted. with a view to the
Oat Itilettlit of a great practical good, by a concession on
alitse-e"u of extreme and abstract opinions, and the
tattee-at°eat on the other of those restrictions and limi-
free 8 which stood in the way of the extension of the
Nene to the intelligent and industrial classes of the
ihitilaitY.—(Hear; hear.) The holding of nearly six
PreB2-:', public meetings, the co-operation of the
ltbo•;„3.l:aet- annual discussion Parliament, and the
DliletAuDa of a very large number of tracts and pum-
raost ""e made the principles of the association al-
wide ilairersally known, and have obtained for them a
bee the most encouraging support. On one point only
thate,re been any misapprehension, and I am anxious
tetiLalier. the holding of this conference and the publi-
The-ti ?f its proceedings, it should no longer exist.
hell Misapprehension to which I have alluded has
out ee a misinterpretation of the first clause in
Of ,eeelatation of our objects, as set forth on the card
lieVahertihip. That clause is a definition of the qua-
tieee-e"ao for the franchise. Now it has been most
te t'eously- supposed, that by the claiming to be rated
tetra relief of the poor is meant the actual payment of
he' as coudition of voting. Such is not the case.
lithvxnet contrary is the fact.—(tiear.) All we mean
teetathe existing parochial machinery should be, re
a 9 the best adapted for the purpose of local re-
lase 4114011, under local supervision and self government;
bemot to be upon the register and to vote should
Of 4%1Y independent cud irrespective of the payment
teptettQf----(Cbeere.) This simple statement will, I
frieti',,et this question at rest, and give assurance to the
het:,B of reform everywhere, that we shall meat stre-
alee,°l oppose all attempts to. insert a rate paying
to la any future Reform Bill, believing each a clause
144 a fruitful source of oppreesior, chicanery, and
' and little better than a penal enactment, vieit-
keetatm honest men the penalty of disfranchise-
PtirSeor the nun-pre-Fayment of a due, which the
(Chi , authorities have ample power to enforce.—
1'0%2;2.) It will, doubtleet, be expected that I should
ferebe.: ther Operations of the association since the con-
s tine 1850. In confer:ail with the recommends-
el that thei bed'., the council has ever since been
heee Lae the most popular principles, and thnresutt has
ettaggee we have had the benefit of the opinions and
4phetilaZ°l2B of men intimately aware of the wishes and
he triae
`,. the great body of the unenfranchised classes.
l'aeteors of th
to te assoche iationprinciples upon have adhered
which the
with no-
k
e.hv fidelity
thoaed7.4„was originally based, considering themeelves
Ales eeet;',.‘ati one hand to demand all that those princi-
„4 extftd4,gekd, and on the other toyeeist every attempt
Pressed -se tuetp, tit:leas with the consent and.at the ex-
tkilear emesire of the majority of the entire body,—
;tare -This feeliug has restrained the counted
;nit. tie,.74h even a verbal alteration in the statement of
▪ 'erre 1-e'neiPles as they have thought it better that
of ta be 'a
partial and' temporary misconception
Peltrlueet;:teaairtg of a phrase than a suspicion of a de-
'elite:: from the original basis. •To this course may, I
oe ascribed much of the confidence and co-ope-
darie; wkith which the association has been favoured
Peete3 'tue Progress of its agitation. As was to be
ZiQe ahthe association has had ,to contend with difficul-
the nPPositioo. • These have arisen partly from
%eke 4114414 - tgo the society, open or con-
the '• • °L. EtAlorC, tarty .politiciwns, but more from
ap.thy d
"r- snestaasa of the uneufranchised classes.
et 8 e°P;LPPmeiPiiec'uli whih'have been received from all
•
tittaltiOnthwebrere gouaeem„ 'boatieeed peraonal visits of the de,-
se convinced the council twat time to time sent forth,
ciaAlorge number of pr-
t°, as belonging to what are
eltrsons di in elves in possession 0 the middle clue& a
71DOrelofextending tho franchise), are
desirous
it political 0 working classes
rights.—(Cht ors.)
Net a few of these
to the have proved by their acts that
LeY are entitled
have not, during
eet ge confidence of those whom, •.-,37 ate seking to
recent
They, however, comPleau, end with much jue-
Yetive
;:°l4 the working claeses
ow„-"' Nanifested that aothtusiaam and energy in their
tiot; "age which are essential to the niece. 818°f any exer-
(etiB Which others may put. forth on t,;ildl.oentr enthusiasm
haw.—
the eeerlq They point to
the labour,l
flict for the sovinor-
f
throv:hPle in 1831 and 1832, in the ceu
etrt,
anti to
theire
lupe" af the boroughmomgering 637 St
hment of-the
strug le and orifices for the eetts 5
esopo,3,„g s sacrifices
With the apparent
aeheet ('barter, and contrast the
the present time.
ern 01 the working classes at
t this state of
thin friend of reform must deeply regret
intelligent and
Peie„4.at and earnestly desire to se ,o the.
-ekened
to it"."4l body of the ieelustrial community
own
polio see of the•importance of working out
theird
to Co.
ernencipation. Others are PrePare .8 to
tieae‘ti With 'them; but if the great object
terate-,°4lPlislaCel it must be by the efforts of the unen.
themselves, aided and supported .by their
hie,: waOalready Possess the suffrage.--(Hear, hear.)
e,ottet" 'laid that there are men in every part of. the
let tell who merit'the confidence of the working classes;
tiaite 'eat hasten the
bestow thiet confidence, and to
litetedwitla those who claire to. elevate them. Having
(hie „ Wh4t I eiineeiVe io the principal reason why
eetorgrees has not-been A 3 rapid and as great as we
reed. desire, let me also gratefully ecknowledee the
cite !eneets with which large numbers of the producing
te"to enaye United with us, and made concessions ter
00-oeratioa, while at the same time holding
etrt aa,,uvatidid opinions. I must also notice with' sin-
aid wed deelh felt gratitude the sanction and valuable
92tv0 received in various places from Christian
twee-"ers, tsh •'the • intimate connexion
e, , 0 have perceive(
'ott tali improvement of the social and civil condi-
elf tr fib a"
and their'own success in the discharges
littered duties which devolve upon them.--(Hear,
tsetl.Pole G6tienien;the advent of nProtectionhit party
peer. will doubtless revive the spirit which animated
tr during the struggle for the repeal of the
knltirtwe."--(11mr, hear.) No one will witness the
"''(Hear,
that spirit with more 'satisfaction than
44q, of
sco the energies of
*he as but I should deepty regret to ,
of
Pritee `th direeted'exaliteivelv to the maintenance the
to ettPlesi of free trade, instead of being directed
*helciho h., change in the sstem of representation
tas.
resets ellintne d from power all monopoln
er Dt ex
•or'
ie`a_eers., cOmmercial; eCeleS.imisticatir,6l
,at
this moment
Acre it is •be(.tcr.audseo pznemtpies
lily
resources which
401 atUalled into action to'aboliagh the corn-laws were
rested the ,the time when repeal was obtained at ODCO di-
eltal he.° enlarc,embut arid purification of the elec-
igotie,-,-;',Yha-(Cheerb-e.) Mid the signal victory over the
4ore schtste of the people's bread -been followed by ,a,a
tiv
lefecattee upon the monopolists of the People
~7tby ih' "30- year 15.52 would not have
seen Lord
liZoPaw, but Government acting in, harmony
7 a
Pte, thEvagli a relconuecl std regernMed