The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-18 00:00:00

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TILE L4MBE2I-1 TRAMWAY.

Last night a public meeting of the ratepayers
and voters of Lambeth was held in the large room
of the Horns Tavern, Kennington, to oppose the
removal of the tramway from Kennington Park to
Westminster-bridge, Mr. Hugh Wallace was called
to the chair shorty after eight o'clock, when the
room was filled by persons who seemed to take a
lively interest in the matter.
The CHAIRMAN was commencing the proceedings,
when he was interrupted by cries of "You are not
a ratepayer," and great uproar, in the midst of which
Mr. Wallace said he was a ratepayer, and handed
his card to a person who with very vio;ent gesticu-
lation advanced to the platform, and demanded it.
He then proceeded to say that he was a large rate-
payer, and connected with a large firm, whose
place of business was not far from that spot. The
only object he had in taking the chair was to pro-
tect the interests not only of the ratepayers but of
the inhabitants of Lambeth. The question they
were met to discuss was one which affected the in-
terests not only of the inhabitants of Lambeth but
of the whole of the metropolis, and, indeed, of the
kingdom. (Loud cheers) The question was, tram-
way or no tramway. The vestry of Lambeth had
given Mr. Train leave to construct a tramway for
the general benefit of the public. Rightly or
wrongly, they believed they had a legal right to do
that, and he would say that, as it was not always
they found the vestry on the side of the public,
he hoped that when they were so, they would
receive the unanimous and zealous support of
the inhabitants in any further proceedings that
might be requisite to sustain their rights, and the
rights and interests of the poor which were threat-
esed by recent proceedings against the tramway by
uninterested parties. He would state that the vans
of his own firm had daily passed over the tramway
with precious goods without the slightest accident
of any kind. That was a public meeting, not a
packed one. Every one should have a fair hearing,
and he hoped that the vestry and Mr. Train would
besupported in their united endeavours to promote
the comfort and the convenience of the inhabitants
at large. (Cheers.) For himself he had no pecuniary
interest in the tramway beyond what any other
traveller got by it, and he took the chair solely from
a sense of public duty. (Cheers.)
Mr. WC-melanin' said a quibble had been raised
as to the eligibility of the chairman for his position.
Now, he was not a ratepayer of Lambeth, but, as
an inhabitant of the metropolis, he claimed a right
to speak on a question of domestic economy, the
sanitary reform, and moral reform. If Mr. Train's
tramway was carried out, as it ought to be, to the
downs and wolds of Streatham, Brixton, and Clap-
ham, instead of stopping at Kennington Park, as at
present, one great object of a late representative
of that borough—of carrying the working classes
into healthily-situated dwellings—would have a
beneficial effect upon both their physical and
their moral health. The resolution he had to
propose was, " That this meeting is of opinion
that the vestry had the right to enter into the
contract with Mr. Train, and that they exercised
that right for the interest and convenience of
the parish. Therefore, this meeting pledges itself
to sustain them in the exercise of that right." With
respect to the legal question involved, he would only
say that he deeply regretted the manner in which,
Mr. Train had been dealt with by a British jury,
(Hear, hear, and oh, oh !) He regretted that any
jealousies as to that gentleman being a foreigner
should have been excited, and though he did not
sujpose that any decision that meeting might come
to would in the slightest degree influence the
judges to whom the legal questions at issue were
referred, yet in this country public opinion was an
influence which every public benefactor might fairly
endeavour to enlist on his side.
Mr. HEN RETTE seconded the resolution, and
strongly condemned the hostile animas which had
been exhibited towards Mr. Train, an American,
one of our cousins, who was now more than ever
entitled to our friendship and sympathy. As to the
value of the improvement he had introduced, there
was a very simple method of dealing with those
who had caused that interruption. Those who be-
lieved that Mr. Train's tram carriages were cheap,
comfortable, safe, and convenient, would be good
enough to hold up their hands. (Nearly the whole
meeting answered this appeal.) Those who wished
to clamber up to the top of, or get stifled is narrow
and ill-ventilated old-fashioned omnibuses, hold up
their hands. (Two hands were held up in the
midst of shouts of derisive laughter. He thanked
the meeting for that decisive settlement of the ques-
tion, so far as they were concerned, and heartily
seconded the resolution.

The CHAIRMAN, in introducing Mr. Bubb, a
member of the Newington Vestry, to support the
motion, said that they had been careful to exclude
from all participation in the proceedings of that
meeting members of the Lambeth Vestry, as well
as the shareholders in the tramway, or persons in
any way pecuniarily interested. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BUDD haviLg briefly spoken,
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, which was
carried wits the same two dissentients, amidst
loud cheers.

Mr. FRANKLYN moved the second resolution,
which was—" That this meeting is of opinion that
vestrymen should not be held individually respon-
sible for acts done by them in their corporate capa-
city, and under their common seal, as such a respon-
sibility would deter respectable citizens from acting
as vestrymen, and would be destructive to the rights
and authority of all corporate bodies and local Go-
vernment." He was proud that this question had
been raised in Lambeth, where the great majority
were working men, always ready to come forward

in support of popular rights. It was of the utmost
importance that the vestry should be sustained in
the course they had taken. They ought to do more.
There was a bill in Parliament proposed by Mr.
Ayrton, the member for another great metropolitan
borough, the object of which was to promote the
general formation of tramways on common roads,
and he earnestly urged that they should petition
Parliament in support of that bill. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Train was here recognised in the body of the
meeting, and, in spite of the opposition of the
chairman, was forced on the platform by the meeting
and greeted with three cheers.
Mr. HEALEY seconded the resolution. The for-
mation of iron roads on the common roads was one
of the deepest interest to the working-classes. They
had upwards of 10,000 miles of iron railway roads,
and be saw no reason why they should not have
10,000 miles of tramways on common roads for
connected
vestry)
general accommodation.
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indirectly
that meeting, he felt it necessary to correct a
misapprehension which appeared to him to exist.
It was supposed that the jury at Kingston had con-
victed Mr. Train, the foreigner, while they had let
the vestry g o scot free. That was not the case. Upon
ien
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haaeto
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much right to complain of the way in which they
an ex parte statement Mr. Train and twelve of the
hveigsthrwyowye.r
He
were treated.as Mr. Train. He was ashamed of
his country on the occasion. Before the case was
quite over the twelve special jurymen said there
was no occasion to proceed further, and gave a ver-
dict against the whole of the twelve vestrymen, as
well as Mr. Train. It was upon the suggestion of
their counsel that the judge gave leave to say
whether the Terdict against them would lie in
Westminster Fall. The question would be tried
in bane° he hoped next week, and meantime Mr.
Train had a right to complain that he had not been
heard in his own defence by a British jury. (Hear,
hear.)
The resolution was passed, with the same two
dissentients.

Mr. WARWICK moved the next resolution, which
was, " That this meeting is of opinion that the
tramway is a great public convenience and advan-
tage, and supplies a deficiency long felt hithertoin
this district, and that every effort should be made
to secure its continuance."
The resolution was agreed to by the same over-
whelming majority, and a deputation was appointed
to wait upon the vestry. at their next meeting to
communicate the resolutions passed at the meeting.
Mr. TRAIN then addressed the meeting, in the
midst of tumultuous and enthusiastic cheers, and
the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the
chairman.