The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-09 00:00:00

Mr. J. Locke and his Constituents,

Last n'.glet Mr. J. Locke, M.P. for Southwark,
met his constituents at the Bridge House Hotel,
Londore-bridge, for the purpose of rendering an ac-
coun t of his stewardship during the last session.
The chair was occupied by Mr. J. Oastler, of the
firma of Messrs. Hoseley, Palmer, and Co., leather
manufacturers, in the Borough.
Mr. LOCKE said that this was the seventh time
he had appeared before his constituents during the
Parliamentary recess, in order that they might
commune together upon the interests of the neetion
at large, and those of the borough of Southwark in
particular, and it was extremely gratifying to him
to find that the course he pursued always met with
their approval. Since he first came before them, his
opinions and those of the great bulk of the commu-
nity had ceincided, and he believed that the great
benefits conferred upon this country, during the
time he had been their representative, were due
to that party in the House of Commons whom,
through him, they had supported. (Hear, hear.)
Since they had last met, they had lost several most
influential and active persons in the borough, and
among them Dr. Challice and Mr, Day, the latter of
Whom had done much to promote the movement for
the equalisation of the poor rates. (Hear, hear.) It
Was said that the late session of Parliament did
no thing. That was always said at the end of every
wession, but he shoul I like those who made the com-
plaint to sit in the House of Commons, as members
did, until 2 o'clock in the morning three days a
week, and see what was done. During the session
125 public and 250 private acts had been passed,
a'ad therefore Parliament must have laboured to
some extent. (Hear, hear.) With regard to local
matters he expressed his regret that no site had
been found in Southwark for St. Thomas's Hospital.
Had the committee of the hospital done their duty,
they would have kept it within the borough,
and thus carried out the object of King Edward
Vl.'s charter. Difficulties had arisen, however,
in one quarter and another, and now, un-
less the parties peculiarly interested did
not exert themselves, there seemed to be every pros-
peat
that the hospital would be rebuilt at Stangate.
That would certainly be better than the original
proposition to take the hospital five or six miles
out of town ; bat he contended that the men of
Southwark had alone the right to possess that hos-
pital. (Cheers.) Another important local question
was the proposal to have a park for Southwark,
which was much discussed seven years ago. The
Metropolitan Board of Works, for whom they en-
tertained deep gratitude from a lively sense of
favours to come—(laughter)—had resolved that
there should be a park for Southwark ; and, if he
were rightly informed, they had given notice to pro-
ceed next session with a bill on the subject contain-
ing powers for rating the whole metropolis for the
expense of forming the park. If the inhabitants of
Southwark Were united, and did not quarrel among
themselves as to where exactly it should be, their
chance of getting a park would be much improved.
A VOICE—The miserable dwellings of the poor
are of more importance. (Cheers.)
Mr. LocKE said he had forgotten that subject, but
he thought that a park was intimately connected
with the dwellings of the poor. (Hear, hear.) 'With
those dwell ings was also closely bound up the
equalisaCio'n of poor rates. Complaints were made
through,arlt the country, and especially in the agri-
cultural districts, that the houses of the labouring
classes I vere not only in a very bad state, but too
far rem oved from the places where they performed
their v;ork. One reason was that until last session
a man was not irremovable until after five years'
residence in a parish, but now that period was re-
duced to three years. The object of those inte-
rested in land in certain parishes was to prevent
working men residing within them, because, if they
hll into distress after a three years' residence, they
would be irremovable, and those parishes would
have to keep them. The present system of poor
law weighed heavily on the working classes in
the agricultural districts, because they were
oblie,ed to crowd together in small parishes far
away from their work. But, fortunately, there
vita at the head of the Poor-law Board one of the
mast distinguis'ned men of the country for phiien-
throps , intelligence and honesty, Mr. Charles Vil-
liers—(chce,rs)—the man who firstagitated the repeat
of the corn. laws, and therefore before either Mr. Cob-
den or M.r. Bright took up the question. (Cheers.)
He was 'untrammelled by the cobwebs which con-
Elornereeed round the minds of those who previously
occupied hie position, looked straightforward, and
kept always in view the principle that the rich of a
community should be taxed for the support of the
poor. (Cheers.) Under the present system in South-
',mark the poor were compelled to support the poor.
(Hear, hear.) The dwellings of the labouring classes
in many parts of the metropolis were pulled down
to make way for improvements, without others being
erected for their accommodation, and the result was
that those people all congregated together in poorer
districts of the town. Mr. Villiers succeeded last
session in extending the area for poor rates to unions
and rendering a man irremovable after three years'
residence. The first provision did not benefit South-
',mark, as large parishes in themselves formed unions,
'but it was a step in the right direction. (Hear, hear.)
They could not do everything at once. In commit-
tee he moved an amendment to the effect that for
the purpose of the bill the whole metropolis should
be, taken to be a union, and, though he never ex-
'Petted to carry it, no one gainsaid the justice of the
litiaciple that all who benefited by the labours of the
Working
rt classes, or possessed property, should con-
„;"te their fair proportion to the relief of the poor
He f°‘ld a, spotw
dl' 'Con among a large class of mem-
bers abolish the law of settlement, which gave
rise to etionions
inconvenience and expense, and,
especially in the
i o untry, bound down the
working
classes to the soil,
and prevented them going into
other parishes.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the
Thames Conservancy, the hon, member said the
Government had
taken into consideration the
report of the conerui •
ttee of last session on that sub-
ject, and had given notice
of. a bill for next session,
making the board of tom
issioners more represen-
tative and popular.
Then, there was the impor-
tant question of the Thames Embankment,
(Hear, hear.) It was somewhat remarkable that he
heard a word said by
had never his constituents
embankment of
the
worth
pase.ed for an
about the embankment of the surrey
Ina former eY: side. (" It is
indispnsable.”)""Lun a bill was
aide of the
passed for the
Thames, and last session ano.t..her.egaa
Vauxhall-
eubankment on the Surrey.sine from as,
•• eetuunster•
bridge to a point, he believed, beyond
ves bridge. If his constituents bestirred themselves it
was not too late yet to get that embankment con,
tinned from Westminster-brhi„ae in a direction
towards London-bridge. (fi Var.) In thecour
car) "s4Z
of the session some very important public
were passed. First, there was the bill founded on
budget, taking off 2d. from the income tax and sd.
from the duty on tea—another advance in the
direction of free trade, which had been so beneficial
to the country at large. (Cheers.)
Ha need do
more than simply refer to that subject, as there
no
was hardly a man in Southwark who was not a
stern and strong free-trader. (Hear.) (A Voice—
" What about the game laws ?") An act was passed
last session called the Nuisance Removal Amend-
ment Act. (Laughter.) Everybody knew the disad-
vantage of eating bad meat. Formerly they could

seize diseased meat but not the animal which con-
tained within it disease, and the act in question rec-
tified that omission, and increased the penalties.
._Nothing was so insidious and so dangerous as bid
:71reaett•edIhf.mtaken by a human being, it not only
_ ahl at the moment, but ate into his whole
iLienalts
vitiold caeused innuLuerabl., diseases and corn-
no question on which
iAtally. (Hear.) There was
opinion in
this ten there was such a diversion of
country as the war in America.
Some were
Confederates, some Federals, some both,
and some neither. ghter.) But it should not be
forgotten that last ness.
act was passed giving
area to a treaty enteredl an act
between this coun-
try and the United
Mates,
of both
countries extending the
ewers
for the suppression
p
of thf, slave tra3e. (Cheers.)r"o Law Revision
Act, prepared by the direction of the
ceilor, and introduced by theA ttorneoyr-ad nGdeCd'ecaan;,
would also have an extremely important
ain
tary effect. It struck off from the statute-book

obsolete or unnecessary acts of Parliament, whose
short titles extended over 76 closely-printed pages,
and thus tended greatly to simplify the kw. He
trusted that both the Lord Advocate an the At-
torney-General would continue their fxertions in
this good work of law reform. (He hear.) They
might all congratulate themselves en the general
prosperous condition of the country. (" The Lanca-
shire weavers.") Considering the American war,
the present state of things was most wonderful, and
he attributed it to free trade and the French treaty.
If there had not been that scope for the industry of
the country which free trade gave, the condition of
the Lancashire weavers would have been much
worse, but the rest of the community being pros-
perous, they had been able to contribute largely to
their support. (Cheers.) Now, however, matters
seemed to have taken a turn, and they would be
able, he hoped, soon to get a supply of cotton from
other sources than America. If they were, and the
cotton was untainted with slavery, such a result
would be for the benefit not only of this country but
for the whole human race. (Cheers.) Therefore,
after all, the American war might turn out, under
Providence, to be for the benefit of mankind; but,
whatever the result—whether the North overcame
the South, or the South became independent—he
believed slavery was doomed. (Cheers.) It was
not for us to interfere in the struggle; and the Go-
vernment had adopted a course which was strictly
in accordance with the opinion of the people at
large. (Cries of " No, no," and cheers, and con-
seeiedee
ianbtler uy pe
nr ot Twhhei policywhich
h eboe fl the
dG
ho va edr
tnhme e
anpt
pwr
ea
bation of the whole land. (No, no," and cheers.)
Engr
North
ha nadn
dh
tande bse
South,
en t violentlyb e teedwabry
wboatehevtheer
when ta b
ulis
the, whole Anglo-Saxon race on the American
continent would appreciate the course she had
taken. We ought not to be too thin-skinned as
to what the American press raid of us, nor
should those across the Atlantic be too
thin-skinned as to what was said respecting
them in the English newspapers. He did not
himself believe that the New York Herald expressed
the opinions of the better classes in the United States.
But however that might be, we had a simple duty
to perform—to remain neutral, and we should ulti-
mately have our reward. The great majority of the
nation were clearly for non-intervention. There
were many foreign questions of extreme import-
ance, but with respect to a great number of them
they had not full information, The Cabinet, they
must presume, had, and they must trust to them as
the executive, deciding those questions in accord-
ance with the information they possessed. There
was the difference between Denmark and Schleswig
Holstein. He had been in many societies of into,-
agent men, and he never met with more than two
who distinctly affirmed that they understood that
question. Although Lord Palmerston had not said
he did not understand it, he had not distinctly de-
clare that he did. (A Voice—" He knows every-
thing.") (Laughter.) But Lord Palmerston had
said that it was an extremely difficult question.
Prussia seemed to have taken up the matter as if
for the purpose of deferring that liberal constitution
which she had so long promised to her people, but
looking at the good sense displayed by other coun-
tries, he did not think it would lead to war. ',Next
came the question of Poland. (Hear, hear.) That
was a most melancholy question, and he should
deeply regret if any hopes had been raised in the
minds of the Poles by the course taken by this
country. No doubt the Poles were entitled to the
consideration and sympathy of this country, and
something more, but did England see her way to a
war with Russia on their account ? (Cries of No,
and Yes, and much disturbance, chiefly caused by
a vehement individual in the crowd declaiming
against the Emperor of Russia as a wholesale mur-
derer.) We were upon this subject placed in a very
unenviable position. Twice had we remonstrated
with Russia on behalf of the Poles,in 1831 and again
recently, but without avail. (A cry of " Gunpow-
der," and laughter.) Did the people of England
think that their going to war with Russia would
ameliorate the condition of the Poles. (Hear.) He
wished that Poland were an independent nation,
and regretted that steps were not taken at the time
of the Crimean war for the purpose of establishing
her independence, but at present all they could do
was to leave the matter in the hands of the Govern-
ment. Another question of foreign politics was
that relating to Japan. Our admiral on that station
had been found great fault with for having fired a
broadside on the Japanese. Our merchants ex-
pected protection from the British flag in whatever
quarter of the world they traded, and if they did
not get it, no set of men would be more vociferous
in blaming the Government. The Chinese war
took place for the protection of our trade, and the
object of the war with Japan was the extension and
protection of our trade with that country. And if
they were to have trading establishments among a
semi-barbarous people like the Japanese, the pro-
bability was that they would come in collision with
them. An English vessel sailed by one of their
forts and was fired upon, and if the admiral had not
retaliated, what would have been said of him? (An
elector, "He would have been called a coward.")
And did any man like to be called a coward,
especially an officer in her Majesty's service ?
(Hear, hear.) The admiral, after ample warning,
fired; but the sea being rough the shot went over
the fort, and unfortunately set the town, which was
built of wood, on fire ; but he had not heard that
any people had been killed. Therefore, until they
understood the thing fully, they ought not to ern.
demo him, and should not suppose that any British
admiral or officer in the army would be guilty of
any cruelty if he could avoid it. (Hear, hear.)

An ELECTOR—What is your opinion about
church rates ? (Hear, hear.)
Mr. LOCKE said he had always steadily voted
for the abolition of church rates ; but he thought
that the more violent advocates of that measure.—
and especially the members of the Liberation
Society, who were examined before the Lords'
committee—had thrown back the question. They
had given evidence in favour of the abolition of
tithes and other matters, which afforded their
opponents a powerful weapon of attack. The hon.
member then declared that all the measures he
advocated were for the advancement of the people,
and concluded by asking his constituents to say
whether, after the explanation he had given, they
thought he had dune his duty towards them.
(Cheers. )
Mr. WELLER complained of the injurious effect
which petroleum stored in warehouses in South-
wark had upon the health of the inhabitants, and
asked what Mr. Locke's views were on the subject.
Mr. LOCKE said that an act for the prevention of
the evil was passed last session, and if its provisions
were not carried out the House of Commons was
not to blame. In reply to other questions he said
S"o:thu not in favour of the recognition of the
(cheers)—and that ho was not as advocate
for universal
of
the
frtrisel suffrage, but desired a great extension
Upon the (Hear, bear.)
Tuoomtaotion of Dr. E. B. JONES, seconded
by Mr.
:11841WALKER, the following resolution
WaS unanimously
That this meeting
by Mr. tooa.tisfaction at the course pur-
expresses its entire Passc'd '—``
asupepdrcciation of hissZell Parliament, and its high
raeasuus and constant attention,
affectingl the general
not only to those
interest of the country, 11::
borough, and
Welfareaosf° to the local ques-
vytiohnicshine:ilivleinngtlytehnetities him to tthhecoVnued con-
fidence and support of his constitn,rita
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

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