The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-03 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 3, 1865.

posal to reduce the period from six years to one
year was unreasonable and absurd, and he (Mr.
Beecroft) did not think the period should be less
than three years. (Hear, hear.) It must, indeed,
be most gratifying to the Chamber to hear that at
last a commercial department was to be established
in the Foreign-office, to be specially devoted to the
care of our commercial interests abroad. (Hear,
hear.) The commercial community was much in-
debted to his hon. friend, Mr. Forster, the member
for Bradford, for his great exertions in endeavour-
ing to obtain that boon. (Hear, hear.) In conclu-
sion, he would only say that the flourishing revenue
of the nation was a proof of the sound prosperity of
the country, and that he looked forward to the time
—which he believed.not to be far distant—when the
various branches of the trade of this district would
enjoy an unexampled prosperity. (Applause.)
Sir JOHN W. RAMSDEN congratulated the Cham-
ber on the great success which had attended. their
labours during the past year ; but said it must be
obvious that for the Parliamentary action which
had been taken they were indebted to the zeal
and ability with which their views were always urged
upon the House of Commons and the Government
by their representatives. (Applause.) He was very
glad to hear that the reform of the bankruptcy law
was occupying the serious attention of the Chamber.
There was a special reason which at this moment
should make that a topic of immediate importance.
At the present moment there was upon the wool-
sack a great law reformer—one who had made this
question of bankruptcy from the beginning his own.
They would remember that the Bill of 1861 was in-
troduced by Sir Richard Bethel, and introduced, he
(Sir John) believed, with the almost unanimous ap-
proval of the commercial community. That Bill,
unfortunately, did not pass into law in the same
form in which it was introduced. Now, there had
been several years' experience of the working of the
measure, and he was afraid it had not been found to
meet the expectations which were entertained when
it was passed. But they knew that the Lord Chan-
cellor was anxious and ready to complete his work.
He made an invitation to the country to support
him in carrying the reform of bankruptcy law to a
satisfactory conclusion, and he (Sir John) had no
doubt that during the present Session of Parliament
he would receive from those who are deeply in-
terested in this question the support which he needed.
Sir John concluded a short speech by stating the
willingness of his hon. colleague (Sir F. Crossley)
and himself to be of any use to' the commercial
class whenever it was in their power to do so.
(Applause.) _ _ _

The proceedings then terminated with the usual
vote of thanks.

Reform Meeting in Manchester,

On Wednesday evening a crowded meeting was held at
the Free-trade Hall, under the auspices of the National
Reform Union. The chair was taken by Mr. G. Wilson,
the president of the union.
The CHAIRMAN said the meeting was assembled for the
purpose of calling upon the Government to redeem its
pledges, by bringing in a measure of reform during the
coming session of Parliament ; and if he might judge from
the appearance of the meeting, the call they should make
would not be a feeble one. (Hear, hear.) The despised
question of reform, which had been trampled upon until
very recently, seemed to have recovered again to some-
thing like its former strength. (Hear, hear.) It might be
well to remind the opponents of reform that that question
had received the highest sanction. On six occasions in the
last 12 years the Queen had recommended the subject to
Parliament, and the Earl of Derby, Earl Russell, and Lord
Palmerston had acknowledged its necessity. The people
would not ask for a measure of reform that should meet
the views of all who sought it ; but if Parliament would
bring in a bill like that recently shadowed forth by Mr.
Gladstone, the people.would give it their support. If Par-
liament did not grant reform, there were the people to ap-
peal to, and they would never fail to support those who
served them honestly. (Applause.)

Mr. T. BAZLEY, proposed " That in the opinion of
this meeting it is the imperative duty of the Government to
carry out the reform measures to which they were pledged
on accepting office." He said there were important signs
that a large measure of reform was coming to the people.
Only the other night the Conservative members of South
Lancashire were ready to concede an extent of reform ac-
cording to some undefined homoeopathic scale—(laughter)
—and he rejoiced that the promoters of reform had a new
recruit, and that Earl Russell had a son that did honour to
his father, and who would do honour to the cause in which
he had embarked. (Applause.) He should be glad if there
was spirit in the Government to propose such a measure as
Mr. Gladstone had suggested, though he had his misgiv-
ing on the subject. If Parliament did not, in the ensuing
session, propose some great and good measure of reform, he
hoped that they would dissolve and appeal to the country
on the question. (Applause.) If the opponents of reform
would only declare that the people did not deserve emanci-
pation from the thraldom under which they existed, he
should be glad ; but they were tantalised by sometimes
being urged to hope that reform was coming, and when
the cup was raised to their lips it was dashed away.
(Hear, hear.) He- hoped that the spirit of the country
was rising, and that they would require nothing less
than a comprehensive measure, which should include
the intelligence of the country, as well as represent the
great body of the working classes. (Hear, hear.) A reso-
lute demand for reform must be urged both within and with-
out the Houses of Parliament. The conviction no doubt
prevailed that reform was necessary, and that the people
were quite loyal, and deserved it. The indebtedness was
admitted, but payment was deferred. Was it wise to wait
for indications of rebellion ? (Hear.) The working classes,
especially those of Lancashire, had shown their fitness for
reform, and in his opinion the safety and prosperity of the
empire could only be preserved and promoted by a com-
prehensive and parliamentary reform. (Hear, hear.) In
1832, the reform given to the people was exceedingly bene-
ficial ; it rescued the country from the precipice of political
ruin, and, acting like oil on the troubled waters, it gave
peace and concord to the people. Let another measure of
reform be given, Doubting and timid people retarded the
progress of the movement ; let them but throw aside their
doubts, and it would be shown that the people had not
warranted the fears. (Applause.) They asked for re-
form, vote by ballot, and other comprehensive measures,
such as those which worked so satisfactorily in the colo-
nies. But they needed to exercise patience under dispa-
raging circumstances and difficulties. Even a prisoner
could object to a juryman who might be asked to try
him : but the people had to submit to the jury of the
House of Commons whether they liked their jurymen or
not. (Cheers.) Under the existing state of things he thought
that the name of the House of Commons should be altered
to that of the House of Deputies of another place, and the
Representatives of the Rich. He had no fear of the re-
sults of a measure of reform. If the reform which they
contemplated was carried, only 25 per cent. would be added
to the present number of electors. With so small an in-
crease, and with the House of Lords and the Queen stand-
ing as two to one to the House of Commons, what fear could
there be of a reasonable measure of reform. (Hear.) Though
he doubted whether Parliament would have the wisdom to
propose a bill in the coming session, he would still recom-
mend the people to persevere, and to "go forth to the
struggle in the strength which is born of right." (Cheers.)

The Rev. G. W. CONDER seconded the motion. He said
that, though a minister of religion, he had no hesitation in
appearing before that meeting. He considered that it was
the business of a minister of the Gospel to make all the
great questions of right and wrong his questions; and wher-
ever a great and serious wrong existed it was his absolute
duty to use all his efforts for its removal or annihilation.
The kingdom for which he _laboured was a kingdom of
righteousness, and therefore he could not stand in a more
proper place than upon that platform. (Applause.) He
looked on the question of reform as one of justice and right.
Every individual had an immeasurable interest and stake
in the character and quality of the institutions of his coun-
try, and the laws which hemmed about his life. (Applause.)
Why, then, was not reform granted to them? They had
waited for it long enough, and he would now hie them go
to the door of the Treasury and tell those who sat upon its
bench that they had been knocking at their door for all
these years. Let them knock at once, and not give the
Government the opportunity of saying they were not aware
the people were there. Let them tell the Government that
their door must be opened ; opened by any key they liked,
anything better than the crowbar and the gunpowder of the
people
itnetuiotsniadle.pow(Aerp,ptlhaeuysew.)nullfdtbhraeynwd ethreosneogt
gentlemen
nd
on
the Treasury Bench as false to their professions, traitors to
their party, and would hoot them ignominiously from place
and power. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that it would bo
easy enough to get up such a demonstration as would make
Lord Palmerston busier with his pen than ever Earl Russell
had been. (Cheers and laughter.) Without overstating or
exaggerating a single fact, it would be easy to rouse an intense
feeling in the popular mind; but they who had that reform
movement in hands were chary in resorting to such means.
(Hear.) One great difficulty in the way of obtaining reform
arose from the fact that reformers in the house had their
hands tied. (" Hear, hear," from Mr. Bazley.) The people
had foisted a power into place that had no principle ; but
since 1832 a power had been growing in the large manu-
facturing towns to which principle was dear, and it was a
power too which if it unhappily rose in conflict with the
classes above it, that class, and all other classes, would be
at their mercy. (Applause,)
Mr. HANDEL CossHAM, of Bristol, supported the motion.
He said that the people were tenfold more fit to exercise
the franchise than they ever were before. He therefore
asked the Government to fulfil its pledges, for if it did not

the Liberal party would be gone. He doubted not that
when reform was obtained we should have a better Govern-
ment in power than we had now, and a Government which
would not nail its flag to the bloody mast of the Southern
States. (Applause, hisses, and interruption.)
The motion was also supported by Mr. E. 8v..0.v5, of
London.

Dr. J. WArrs said that the title of a Working Man's
Conservative Association, like that inaugurated the other
evening at Oldham, was to him a very non-understandable
thing, for he wanted to know what there was in our
oonstitution that they wished to conserve. He believed
that if the whole of the people were admitted to power it
would be attended with great advantage even to Conserva-
tism. Was it prudent that the country should allow this
agitation to go on as the Anti-corn Law agitation went on
for seven years, at the cost of a million of money, before
the landlords would allow their rent rolls to be improved ?
The present state of things worked well for the family
of such a one—the Hon. Algernon Egerton—who
addressed the meeting at Oldham. It worked well
for the gentleman who was vacating his seat for Salford
the gentleman who sent the last Reform Bill upstairs—
(laughter)—and who now, in order to avoid being turned
out, got into a permanent and well-paid situation. He
might earn his money. He (Dr. Watts) should not grudge
it him. He hoped he would deserve it, and if he serve India
as well as Mr. Laing had done during his short term of
office, and was not wheedled by Sir C. Wood, who did not
work well, they should have no reason to regret his absence
from Salford, and would welcome his accession to the
India Board. (Laughter.) He believed that if 50 mem-
bers of Parliament pledged themselves to wait on Lord
Palmerston and tell him they were determined to have a £6
franchise for boroughs and a £lO franchise for counties,
they would get them.
__ _

Mr. S. PoPE, who was called for by the meeting, said he
did not know how he could add to the proceedings of that
meeting.---LA Voice : Put yourself up for Salford.] (Ap-
plause.) He thought that meeting had been somewhat too
hard on the Government, for it would have been impossible
for the Government to have broken its pledges if the
Liberalmembers had not betrayed their trust. (Applause.)
Let, then, the Liberal party be purged of those who had
got into its ranks by false pretence; and professions of
Liberalism, with the view of obtaining the sweets of power.
(Hear.) He hoped that the people, in an opportunity which
would shortly be given in an adjoining borough, would
speak with no uncertain sound as to their convictions on
reform, and take care that the place of the gentleman who
was going to India should be supplied by some one who
would better represent reform sentiments than the late
member, though perhaps he might not make so graceful a
chairman of committees. (Applause and laughter.)
The meeting was also addressed by Mr. R. COOPER, and
the motion was adopted.
A vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding closed
the proceedings.
In consequence of the crowded state of the large room
another meeting was held in the Assembly-room, which
was presided over by Mr. Richard Wilson. The meeting
was addressed by Mr. Alderman Heywood, Mr. J. R.
Cooper, and other speakers.

Railway and other Companies.

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE.

The directors of this company have decided on recom-
mending the proprietors at the ensuing meeting to declare
a dividend for the half-year ending the 31st of December
last at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, less income tax.

pany with the Great Western and arrangementswith other
companies.

SIRH OWY.—For deviations.

South Northumberland; S outham (further powers); Rick-
mansworth, Amersham, and Chesham ; Dublin, Clontarf,
and Dollymount ; Isle of Wight (steam boats); Busby ;
and the Tiverton and North Devon.
Other cases were partly heard.