The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-29 00:00:00

RESULT OF THE DEPUTATION.

Upon the return of the deputation,
Mr. HIDER, who had acted as its spokesman, reported
to the meeting that the deputation had had an interview
with Mr. Fitzroy at the House of Commons, in com-
pany with Sir R. Mayne, Sir J. Shelley, and another
Member of Parliament, whose name he did not know ;
but he was sorry to inform the meeting that their hopes,
if highly raised, would be disappointed. The first thing
which Mr. Fitzroy did was to express his regret at the
step which they had taken, as, however much he might I
have been inclined to do for them on Monday, he was

- --
not, through their subsequent conduct, in so good a po-
sition to do it now. They then went into the consideration
of the conditions contained in the memorial. The first was
the demand of Is. for a hiring under two miles. Mr. Fitz-
roy said he could not accede to it. It was unreasonable
to ask it, and quite impossible to do anything of the
sort. ("Oh, oh !") The next condition was the pay-
ment of is. for every mile beyond the fourth, and Mr.
Fitzroy said he should that night propose a clause fixing
the fare at is. for every mile beyond the fourth—Charing-
cross to be the central point. (Cheers, and " That will
do.") In fact, upon looking into it, the clause was found
to agree excellently with their proposition. That was
the first thing Mr. Fitzroy could give them, and the next
was the 6d. which they required for every
passenger be-
yond two; and that Mr. Fitzroy was also willing to grant,
whether they carried three, four, or five passengers.
(Cheers.) The next point was the luggage. Mr. Fitzroy
admitted the reasonableness of their request, and stated
so to Sir R. Mayne, but decided that no such alteration
could be made. They next came to the time charged,
which Mr. Fitzroy insisted was in their favour ; but he
(the speaker) objected that all the seeming advantage
which it conferred upon them was more than counter-
balanced by the disagreeable feeling which it raised in
the minds of passengers. (Hear, hear.) They then
passed to the appeal, with which Mr. Fitzroy said he
could do nothing, as the clauses were to be introduced
into the Chancellor of the Exchequer's bill. (Oh, oh !)
Mr. Fitzroy also admitted that the request with regard
to the Hansom cabs was a reasonable one ; but for the
same reason as the preceding demand, he could not do
it, inasmuch as it was a mere point of discipline, and
would render necessary the introduction of a new act.
(Oh, oh !) Mr. Fitzroy again alluded to the disagree-
able feeling caused by the strike, when lie (the speaer)
said it would be exceedingly easy to do away with
that feeling by granting all the demands made.
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Fitzroy replied that Parliament
might have been in a position to do so, but their very
foolish movement had put it out of the question to do it
now, and they had themselves to thank for that.
(Laughter.) He replied to this, that he believed the
movement would never have been attempted had it not
been for that very unfortunate decision at Bow-street
about Phillips. (Hear, hear.) Sir R. Mayne said,
" Yes, yes ; that was very bad ;" but Mr. Fitzroy said,
" You ought not to come here and blame me for the
wrong decision of a magistrate," and yet Mr. .Fitzroy
had the proper place to appeal. Sir J. Shelley al so
blamed them for the step which they had taken, and
asked why they had not first brought the matter fully
before those who were so anxious to do them justice
(laughter) ; and yet Sir J. Shelley had told him, when
asked to present their petition, that he was entirely
against them • and he should have done very wrong to
go to him after that. (Sear, hoar.) Sir J. Shelley also

told him that there was an application before Parliament
to work 200 hackney carriages, Mr. Fitzroy adding that,
they had made arrangements so that the licenses could
be had, and that the capital employed would be im-
mense. He (Mr. Hider)- said, "So much the better, for
they would want it." (Laughter.) Mr..-Ifitzroy. said,
"The feeling of the house will be against' ," and the
member present, whose name he did not know, added,
that he had- intended to vote for theni, but would
go against them now, solely because of their con-
duct, as he had seen too much of combinations.
Mr. Fitzroy referred him to the important meeting of
Monday, and to his reception of them then, as a fast
which should have kept them from adopting the stet
which they had taken. But he told that gentlemanth4
he had not promised to alter the act this year, and he•
admitted that he had not because he could not com-
mit the Government ; arid yet it might be inferred from
his statement in the house that he had given a distinct
promise. (Hear.) He told Mr. Fitzroy that it was not
the object of the proprietors to withdraw their property
from the streets, as they wished to pursue their business,
but he thought the concessions were the very least they
could ask for ; and if those concessions were diminished
ou eiota it would be impossible to carry on business.
(t..hcers.) Mr. Gamble (one of the deputation) told Mr.
itzroy that the omnibus interest were considering whe-
ther, under the circumstances of the bill, they should
-take the same step as the cab proprietors had done,
when Sir 11. Mayne said that no class of men should be
permitted to set themselves up a-bore the law, and asked,
"Is there no law to prevent this 'I" (Laughter.) A
wire," Is there no law to prevent a shopkeeper front
shutting up his shop'!") Mr. Fitzroy told them to ex-
pect nothing further than the concessions to which he
had consented, and to which Parliament would assent.
He replied that it would not be sufficient for the trade.
' Mr. Fitzroy did not exactly ask him whether they would
go to work again, but it was evident he wished to know,
for he said the railways had made arrangements to bring
up conveyances from the country, and, as for members
and that such a proceeding
ao
nf
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gibahemt
conduct
ut
He
te
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fwr
thee opulil
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that t
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re ride
or
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(Hear,e thansosub-
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ear
to
see members riding in carts,
might be easily prevented by agreeing
.to all they re-
quested. Mr. Fitzroy repeated that it was perfectly
impossible ; he could say no more, and must leave it to
the sense and discretion of the trade. In the end Mr.
Fitzroy took him aside, and told him he was quite sure
the bill, with his amendments, would answer their pur-
pose, and Sir H. Mayne finished up by saying, "Go to
work, Men !go to work." (A Voice—" Yes, and be
pulled up next day !") So the question stood, and the
meeting must decide upon any further steps to be taken.
A long discussion followed upon the policy of making
another attempt to get the shilling for the first hiring,
but the meeting finally resolved to keep as they were
rather than make any further appeal to the Home-office.
The meeting pledged itself to keep all their cabs at
home to-morrow (this day), and separated apparently
wbiiltlh,
aandfunllbtdbeintegrmbuint attbioenbitoll,h,aasve
d‘ra‘ twhen bbiyll, thetbem swelhvoelse.