The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-07 00:00:00

TIIURSDAY

PAR Li A MEN TAI? Y R 1,11701131.

11.gLc. ii pUt);1(: of iZ e CAk-
ZHIB, convened by the Council of the Glasgow Par-
liamentary Reform Association, was held in the
Trades Hall, Glassford-street, Glasgow, which was
crowded to overflowing by an audience composed
chii,fly of the working classes. James Turner, Esq.,
of Thrusbgrove, was unanimously called to the
chair. Among the gentlemen on the platform were
Mr. IJicgregor, M.P. for the city; Mr. J. W.
M(Gregor, Councillor Moir, and Messrs. A. Paton,
Govan, jun., A. C. Morrison, W. Rose, J. and
W. Macadam, B. Buchanan, W. C. Pattison, &c.
The CHAIRMAN said thclt they bad expected that
Sir James Anderson, M.P. for the Stirling Burghs,
would hava been present, but he had not made his ap-
pearance, end whether or not he would mke his

nppe,arance be could not say, but he was happy to sce
their old friend Mr. M'Gregor present.—(Cheers.)
They had received a letter from Mr. Hastie, stating
that, owing to hii haviog to go from home, he could
not be present. The chairman concluded by call-
ing on

Mr. PATTISON, who read the letter from Mr.
Hastie, M. 1.),, which is as follows
" Pennicuiek, Sept. 30, 1852.
" My dear Sir,—Owing to au engagement in this
quarter pry vicus to being aware of the intended meet-
iog of the Parliamentary Reform Association, it will he
out of my power to be present this evening. I highly
approve of your meeting to give expression to what I
now believe to be the very general desire of the liberal
constituencies—an extension of the suffrage, and an im-
provement in the mode of obtaining the franchise.
" Yours faithfully,
" ALEX: lIASTIE."

Mr. GOVAN said that the resolution entrusted to
him was as follows :—" That it is the opinion of this
meeting, that no Government is entitled to the confi-
dence of the people of this country that is not pre-
pared to bring forward a measure of Parliamentary
Reform to the extent of the programme submitted by
the Glasgow Parliamentary Reform Association, em-
bracing household suffrage, vote by ballot, equal elec-
toral districts, triennial Parliaments, and no property
qualification." In general, this motion referred to
the House of Commons, and to a reform of that
House. All knew that that House was one of the

three branches of the British Legislature, and
that it was invested with the greatest power, in-
asmuch as it could bring, when it pleased, the entire
machinery of the Government to a dead lock by with-
holding the supplies—(lsfear, hear)—and in many a
contest between the different branches of the Legis-
lature, all had yielded to the will of the House of
Commons. This formidable power had been some-
times called the people's House, on the theory that
it consisted of the representatives of the people of this
country, who were chosen to carry on the affairs of
the Government, and promote the interests and pros-
perity of the country. As representatives of the
people they ought to consult the people's wishes, and
give a prompt expression of them to the Government.
If they did not do so they might be regarded as a
body without a soul. Now the question arose, who
were the people? If they looked to the Members of
the House of Commons they were apt to form on un-
just conception of who the people were, for they
found in that House the nominees of lords, landlords,
and of priests, perhaps, and Government officials by
scores, but no one need be told that none of these
were the people; but they might be told that, accord-
ing to the present system, the people of this country
were the 101. householders—so that those who did not
pay 10/. of rent might work hard and do a great deal
to promote the interests of the country, and yet not
be ",the people." According to the present system, '
only about 1 in 27 was entitled to be called one of the
people, or lin6 of the adult male population. They
were not satisfied with this, as the other five were as
much entitled to the franchise as the one. The mo-
tion demanded household suffrage, which would be a
great improvement on the present system. According
to last census, there was upwards of 4,000,000 inha-
bited houses in the country, which would give them
four to one of the present electors, which would be a
great advance, although not all that could be wished.
Until seine better system was devised, they thought
themselves justified in asking for a system of secret
voting, to prevent the electors from being intimidated.
There wes also an unequal distribution of the fran-
chise. Mr. Cobden, the other day, said that in the
House of Commons 100 Members represented con-
stituencies whose aggregate numbers did not in all
amount to the one he had the honour to represent.
The franchise was so unequally distributed, that while
one burgh with only eighty electors returned a Mem-
ber, another with 5,000 of a constituency only did the
same. Now, had they a fairer representation they
would have a fairer expression of the people's
opinion in Parliament. In reference to the militia, it
was a fact that the representation of the majority was
out-voted by the minority. He next came to trien-
nial Parliaments. They found at present that it was
only when the seven years was drawing to a close that
members began to think about their constituents. He
maintained that Members of Parliament were the
servants of the people, and in all domestic concerns,
and in every other capacity, they asked to have some
hold over their servants, so that they would not dare
to am"; against the convictions of their constituents, and
iu triennial Parliaments they certainly would have a
better hold over Members of Parliament than in sep-
tennial ones. He also maintained that the choice of a
representative should not be fettered by any such
condition us that of a property qualification. He
concluded by saying that the franchise was the peo-
ple's right, and that they must continue to agitate
until they got it, and then freedom would sit on the
people's brow—the crown and emblem of their sove-
reignty, and the insignia of their unquestionable
po seer.—(Cheers.)
Mr. W. M'Arasa seconded the resolution, which was
carried by acclamation.
Mr. MACGIZEGOE, M.P., who on rising was loudly
cheered, said—My friends, electors, and non-electors
of the city of Glasgow, in addressing you in the
terms of electors and non-electors, I am proud to say
that I was the first to take it upon myself to address
you under the head of " Electors and non-electors ;"
but I find that since that period more than fifty mem-
bers of Parliament have addressed the constituencies
for which they have been elected in the terms in which
I thought it my duty to address you. Far would it
be from my feelings--far would it be from my con-
victions of justice—to address the citizens of Glas-
gow, electors and non-electors, believing that the
non-electors have a right to be represented in Parlia-
ment according to the great maxim that was laid
down long ago, and under which was held
our liberties—that no man should pay any

tax to the Government or to the Crown,
unless he had a voice empowering by
representation that taxation. It was brought forward
in the Megna Charts, was laid down as one of the
great principles of the Bill of Rights, end it has since
been admitted even by Clarendon, the most courtly of
historians, and maintained by the greatest of the
Pitts, that " taxation without representation was
tyranny."—(Cheers.) It is upon these great consti-
tutional grounds that I support the resolution that
has been submitted to you, and which you have most
unanimously and most creditably to yourselves
adopted.—(Great cheering.) Did Scotland and the
great constituencies of this country pursue the same
course, then you would all, in spite of everything
that has been said against democracy, succeed. We
have heard a great deal about that word democracy,
and the dangerous tendencies of democracy in this
country. lam not the enemy of the aristocracy as
such, nor of any party that is friendly and faithful
to true national interests. For my own part, I tell
you most distinctly, that if the present Government
will bring forward a comprehensive plan of Parlia-
mentary reform, although they call themselves Tories,
I will support them.—(Hear.) If they do not, I will
oppose them in every possible way in which I can—not
as a demagogue, remember—(Hear and laughter)—but
as a:democrat. There is a wide difference between a
democrat and a demagogue— a democrat is one of
the people. Democracy is not well understood, be-
cause it is confounded with the word demagogue ;
but democracy properly understood is the most
sound, most constitutional, and most healthy of all the
denominations that, under Providence, possibly dwells
upon the earth. We borrow it from an old Greek
word, " Demos," which means " the people." I have
always said I was a man of the people; that I was one
of the " demos," and consequently I am a democrat.
Now, when I hear people speaking against democracy
I want to know what they that have opposed demo-
cracy, and who spurn us, the people, have done ; and
I put the question to myself, what has democracy
done ? Now, I wish to explain that word to you be-
cause a great deal of evil goes forth in reference to
the word without explanation. Democracy means
all those engaged in industrious pursuits, whether
in science or labour, in tilling the ground,
in digging the ditches—whether as mer-
chants, manufacturers, or navigators—whether
they are engaged in mechanical operations,
or whether they are those ingenious men who have
made the discoveries of those powers which God has
given to the intellect and hand of man, to exercise in
great and good works, and I put the question to my-'
self, what have they done ? In the first place, de-
mocracy were the inventors of and discovered every-
thing connected with agriculture, manufactures, and
navigation. Columbus discovered America, and
Vasco di Gama discovered the new route round the
world. Who have constructed our ships and canals?
It was the democracy. But I come back to your own
river Clyde. Who have deepened it and made it
navigable up to the Broomielaw ? It was the de-
mocracy. Who opened up the mineral riches be-
tween the Forth and Clyde, and to bring forth your
coal and iron ? It was democracy, and I defy those
who oppose you o say
steam ships anything
that to the
bridge contrathe
ry.
Who bu t
ilt the great
Atlantic ? The democracy. Who are constructing
your iron shipe on the banks of the Clyde ? It
is the democracy. Who were they that in-
vented printing, the steam-engine, the power.,