The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-11 00:00:00

The Representation of Rochdale.

On Saturday evening a public meeting was held in the
Public Hall, Rochdale, to hear an address from Mr. W. B.
Brett, Q.C., who has been brought forward by the Conser-
vative party as a candidate for the representation of Roch-
dale. The large halllwas crowded, and excitement ran
high. Mr. J. Nield, in the absence of Mr. Entwistle, pre-
sided. The Chairman, in opening the meeting, paid a tri-
bute of respect to the memory of Mr. R. Cobden.
Mr. BRETT, on rising to address the meetingovasreceived
with rounds of cheering mingled with hisses. He remarked
that in the address which he had laid before them he had

gone so openly into political questions—which seemed to

be questions of the day—that he felt a difficulty in treating
on the same subjects without a painful reiteration; but, as
the day on which they were to decide who was to be their
candidate was so near, ho would again endeavour to state
his opinions clearly, so that no man might make a mistake
as to the difference between him and the gentleman who
was to be his opponent. The first matter he would refer
to in his address would be religion. When he found an
honest and true-hearted man, he respected and esteemed
him, no matter what religious persuasion he belonged to.
(Cheers.) He was for the maintenance of the union
between Church and State, because it secured religious
freedom and freedom to all, which was the right of
every individual. He next came to the question of reform,
and he did not at all wish to mince the matter. He differed
with his opponents as to the result, and as to die means
desired to arrive at the result. The Liberals desired to make
a change in the social position of the people—to bring the
upper and lower classes into one dead level. Such a blow
would not strike the landed aristocracy alone, but those
also who had acquired estates by successful trading. What
would be the result if they were all brought into one dead
level ? What motive would there be to urge a man to raise
himself by industry, if the result was to be nothing ? Now
he entirely differed with those persons who wished to bring
about such a state of things. The means his opponents
wished to bring about were these, and they did not conceal
it. There was one class in this country so numerous, that
if they gave the franchise to every member of it they would
outweigh in number the higher and middle class, and they
would have exclusive power in carrying their own wishes.
It Would be the wildest thing imaginable to put the power
into the hands of one class of tyrannising over the other.
He would not advocate the placing of the power exclusively
in one particular class. The speaker next referred to the bill
. _

introduced by the Lord Chancellor. The present state
of the County Court law was this :—A person who might
be put into the county court for contracting small debts
Could not be imprisoned without it was shown that he had
had means to pay. The Lord Chancellor called himself a
law reformer, and he endeavoured to gain popularity by
bringing forward a law to do away with the power of the
County Court Judges to imprison for small debts. Indeed,
the bill was brought forward for the purpase of doing away
with the power of small shopkeepers of giving credit to
their customers. They would find in a magazine which
represented the opinions of the Government, that it was
brought forward in favour of a new invention which had
been tried in their town—the system of co-operation—and
he called that legislative favouritism. He would go further
and say it was most dangerous legislation. No man could
have watched the crisis through which Lancashire had
been passing without coming to the conclusion that the
credit system had been of great value to small-customers.
(Hear, hear.) If many of the working classes could not
have got credit, they would not have been able to tide over
bad times, and compelled to receive parochial relief. (Hear.)
It was also necessary for the small shopkeepers. If they
could not give credit they would not have been able to
have carried on business. Mr. Brett concluded by referring
to our colonies, and the necessity of their protection.
Mr. ETrwismE, who by this time had arrived, explained
that he had mistaken the hour at which the meeting was
to be held, took the chair, and informed the assembly that
Mr. Brett would answer any questions that might be put to
him.

A WORKING MAN asked, if Mr. Brett was returned, would
he support the Permissive Bill ? Mr. Brett replied that ho
would not vote for anything of the kind. A more tyranni-
cal and a more personal interference with the liberty of the
subject he never heard of. (Cheers and hisses.) The Work-
man said that Mr. Brett had admitted that the working
class were honest and intelligent, then why not extend tho
franchise ? (Cheers.) Mr. Brett replied that he did not ob-
ject because they-were deficient in anything, but because
there was too much of one thing—too much of their num-
bers. (Hear, and cheers.)—Another Working Man asked
if he would support Mr. Baines's bill. (Cheers and hisses.)
Mr. Brett said he could not support the bill, and ho would
not. (Cheers and hisses.)—The Working Man then asked
if Mr. Brett would vote for the :ballot.—Mr. Brett said he
would answer by one single monosyllable, "No."—After
Mr. T. Watson had asked other questions, but in another
form, Mr. R. Mattley moved, " That this meeting, having
heard the political opinions of Mr. W. B. Brett, pledges it-
self to use its utmost endeavour to secure his return."—Mr.
R. Shepherd seconded this motion, which was carried.

PRESENTATION OF A MEDAL.—On Saturday last,
at a muster of the 48th Middlesex Havelock Rifles,
at Somerset House, Lieut.-Colonel George Cruikshank had
to present a medal to John Spooner, the sergeant-major of
this corps, which had been awarded to him by the Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty for long service and good
conduct. The corps having been drawn up, the gallant
Lieut.-Colonel called Sergeant-Major Spooner to the front,
and pinning the medal on his breast, in a brief and telling
speech expressed the pleasure he experienced in perform-
ing the duty which had devolved upon him, and the grati-
fication which he felt at the able and satisfactory manner
in which he had discharged his duties towards his former
commanding officers, but also since his attachment to the
corps to which he now belonged and his confidence in his
future zeal and soldierlike bearing, wishing him long life
and health to enjoy the goodwill of his present command-
ing officer as well as the officers and members of the corps.
This is the second medal which Sergeant-Major Spooner
has received, the previous ono being for service in the

Baltic.
THE LATE BOAT ACCIDENT AT ERITIL—AII in-
quest upon the bodies of Hayter, Bessemer, Wonostrocht,
and Charles Rupert Johnstone, cadets of the Worcester,
who were drowned on the 28th of February off Crossness
Point, was bald before Mr. Carttar on Monday afternoon
at the Pier Hotel. The bodies having been identified and a
few questions asked, a verdict of " Accidental Drowing"
was returned in both inquiries. Wonostrocht was buried
at Erith Church the same afternoon, and was followed by
the officers and boys of the Worcester, a Union Jack fringed
with crape being carried before.
THE TALLAHASSEE IN THE MERSEY.—The Tal-
lahassee arrived at Liverpool on Sunday from Bermuda,
and immense crowds of people went down to the landing
stages and pier-head to view the well-known Confederate
cruiser. We understand that the cruising days of the Tal-
lahassee are over; that she has been rechristened the
Amelia, and will shortly be placed in the merchant service.
At present she flies the Confederate ensign at the peak.—
Manchester Courier.

PARSON BROWNLOW.—Parson Brownlow, who is
now Governor of Tennessee, has been giving his subjects
a bit of his mind upon a topic on which he is used to speak
plainly. .Some loyalists are instituting suits for damages
against Secessionists on account of acts done while seces-
sion was in the ascendant, and the Governor, speaking of
the defendants, works himself up to this climax :—" Lot
them be punished; let them be impoverished; lot them bo
shin, and, after slain, lot them be damned!"
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