The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-04 00:00:00

848.

THE REFORM LEAGUE.
BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY—A meeting of the sub-
scribers to the declaration in favour of household suf-
frage, triennial Parliaments, vote by ballot, and elector,'
districts, was held this morning in the Town Hall. In
ccusequeuce of the universal sari agist meeting held on
Monday, and the differences which have occurred
between the Chartists'and tile more moderate Radical
IReformers, this meeting was looked to with the greatest
interest. It was said to have its origin in the recent
movement in London, of which Mr. Hume. Mr. Cobden,
and other Members of Parliament have talien the lead.
The declaration of the subscribers, by which the present
meeting was composed, was eigned by upwards of 8,000
persons. The hull to day when fullest might contain
about 3,000.
Mr. Alderman Westin was called to the chair; and
amongst the gentlemen 14 whom be was supported were
Mr. Slants, M.l'., Messrs Douglas, Pet kills. Blythe, G.
Edmonds eCle; kof the Peace), Ashmore, J. Webster,.
W. H. Smith, and other of the more ititiuential class of
tradesmen in the town. There were also mauy Chartists
in the organ gallery:
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, shortly
stated the objects of Ilse meeting, and said it was tx
petted that those who had not signed the declaration
would not take any steps to frustrate or to defeat them.
There was no question, he thought, that
t prevaisome measulet
rei
of reform was necessary—the greatest distress
throughout the land—and he bad no doubt th at niauiy.
persons thought that the measures now proposed d
not go so tar as to confer upon the people those prißvi-
leges to which the rights of man entitled them.
he put it to them, whether or not, if they obtained
household suffrage and triennial Parliaments, they were
not likely, if these measures did not secure their liberty
and prosperity, to obtain still further concessions ; and
by God's help, if the objects of the present meeting did
not succeed, that would and should be the case. It was
not to be endured that the people should be going on in
intelligence and that Government should stand still, or.
rather, retrograde.—(Cheers.) After some further ob-
servations the Chairman called upon the meeting
n to listen
with attentio
to the various speakers who would ad-
dress them.
Mr. MuNTZ, M.P.,
then presented himself amidst loud
cheers, .and commenced In the first instance by apolo-
gising for the abs.
nee of his friend Mr. Scholefield. He
was unavoidably d t ed •
assured them he fully y
e sin in London, but he (Mr. Muntz)
merit. After the speechums pathised in the present movemwhich he had delivered it would
not be easy for him
the subject which had eaTl:cr thing new with regard to
them together. They must
excuse him, then, if he again went minutely into. points he-
had previously alluded to.
First, then, what had brought
Was n
them together ?—that small consideration—tor,
two 3 ears ago, he believed fifty
hall
for similar purposes.
persons could not have
been brought together in that e
What was the cause? It was the w" of means to
make themselves comfortable. It was*
onlywives and children called 'for bread—whn ruin when their
them in the face—that they asked what waertoi e done.stared
There must be a reason for this. By some, the distress
of the people at the present moment had been attri-
buted to the Irish famine; and, by others, it had been
still more recently attributed to the state of the foreign
market. But no remedial measures had been proposed.
True, a committee had beef, appointed, and wall now
sitting for the purpose of inquiring into the
state of the
currency, and be bad refused to be examined before
such a humbug.—(Cheers and laughter ) He had been
named by the lion. Member for Shrewsbury as a mem-
ber of the Committee, because he believed that he (Mr.
Muntz) would not be humbugged.—(Cheers.) He
could not, however, have acted upon that Committee
without a great sacrifice. He should have to sit two
days a week, and at the end of the session his labours
would have been thrown away, inasmuch as the majority
of the Committee had made up their minds before the
commencement of the inquiry. Then came the great
Chartist meeting in London, and for the prevention of
which such extraordinary means were adopted by the
Government. The military called out—special constables
called in—and all this he (Mr. Muntz), believed was
done for the express purpose of carrying the Crown and
Government Bill.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Muntz), in the
first instance, voted for the introduction of that Bill,
seeieg, as he did, the dreadful murders committed in
Ireland, believing, as be did, that it would be accom
panied by remedial measures ; but none had been
brought forward. With the Crown it had nothing to
do, and he was now convinced that the only object of
the Crown and Government Bill was to eive power
to a weak and vacillating Government~—(Great cheer-
ing.) The people, then, wanted redress from the
grievances under which they were suffering, and the only
eay to obtain this was by an increase of political power,
by which they should be enabled to select such a num-
ber of Members of Parliament as should consult and se- •
cure their interests. It was true that no extension of
the suffrage would relieve th. ir immediate distress; but.
let them unite, soberly and constitutionally. for the pur-
eese of obtaining the power to elect a majority of Mem-
bers of the Ilethe nt Coultrows, competent. by honest%
end talent, to protect. tin ir liberties—let them say that,
until they obtained this, they would riot ream. their exer
tiens.— (Chet rs.) He implored them not to he divi,'ed
—their enemies knew that it they were not divided
they woubl be omnipo'ent.—(Cheer .) When they
:bud obtained the object:, which' the present meeting
was called to promote, he would plainly tell them
that they could get more. . Let them not be led away
by party, which was the bane of the many for the
gain of a few. Mr. Muntz concluded by moving the
following resolutions That tels meeting is of
',pinion that the present critical state of the country ren-
ders an immediate reform of the electoral system neces-
sary ; and that this meeting is prepared to advocate an
extension of the suffrage to every one holding a distinct
tenement, whether part o' the house, or the house itself,
and who shall pay a bond fide rent for the same, and
who shall have occupied the 'same at least six calendar
mouths prior to the election of a Member of Parlia-
ment ; that as a protection against bribery, this meet-
ing considers vote by ballot indispensable ; and, that the
country may be more fairly represented, this meeting
proposes a division of the country into electoral districts,
consisting of an equal number of registered voters, sub-
ject to a revision every ten years, according to the last
census ; and this meeting is further of opinion that'
these reforms will be best ensured from abuse by li-
miting the legal duration of Parliament to three years."
Mr. G. Emmet:is (Clerk of the Peace for the
borough), in rising to second the motion, said he at-
tended the meeting for two great objects—the advance-
ment of the liberty of the people, and to preserve the
monarchy of the country; so that both monarchy and
liberty might go down to posterity hard-in-hund
perfect safety.—(Cheers.) Mr. Edmonds referred at
some length to his early efforts in the cause of reform
in Birmingham in the days of Major Cartwright, and
after that quoted a paper, from which he pointed out, es
an argument in favour of Parliamentary reform in this
country, the exttaortfinary manner in which England
was taxed in comparison with continental nations.
In the United States the taxation was 9s. 7d. per head
p, r annum ; in Russia, 9s. 9,1. ; in .Austria, I Is. 6d. ;
in Pruesie, 12s. 4d. ; fri France, 245.; arid in
England, 52s.—,(Cries of " Shame, shame.") Now,
Cobbett had truly said. that the whole was a mune)
question. !'he speaker proceeded to argue in favour
ut hou-ehold stiffrsge.—(A Voice—" Why not go for
universal suffrage?") He (Mr. Edmonds) would tell
them, because for years, with all their exertions, without
the aid of the middle classes, they had not been able to
get it.—(Hear, hear.) But they had in their proposition
of all others the most important—he alluded to the di vi
sion of the country into electoral districts.—(Cheers.)
This he (Mr. Edmonds) esteemed the most important of
the several measures fur which they were now contend
ing. Mr. Edmonds concluded an energetic speech
by
seconding the resolutions.
Mr. W. MANTLE, a Chartist, presented himself, and
was about to speak, when he was asked whether or not
he had signed the declaration. He admitted that he had
dime so on the previous day for the e
Xpeess purpose of
obtaining a hearing at that meeting. Upon t
w this state-
ment the speaker was allowed to proceed, b when, although
he had signed the declaration iti favour of household
suffrage, he argued in favour of universal suffrage.
At the conclusion of Mr. Mantle's speech,
Mr. MASON, another Chartist, presented himself at
the wetting, for the purpose of speaking, when he was
He declared that he bad e had signed the declaration.
not, when the Chairman took
the sense of the
Mason should be heard.
meeting as to whether or not Mr.
This was decided in the affir-
mative by a majority of at least 3 to I.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. MASON then spoke at considerable length. He
advocated uuiversal suffrage, but would not interrupt
the exertions of those who were now contending for
household ff
su rage. He would not, however, compro-
mise his own feelings He was certain that in three
months after household suffrage was obtained the battle
would have to be fought on the question of universal
suffrage.—(Cheers.) There must be no compromise
and he called upon Mr. Muntz, Mr. Scholefield, and
other Hon. Members to bear in mind that, with regard
to what they now met for, there must be with themrzo
lowpremise.—(Loud cheers.) He trusted thhaet edfaith would be observed, and that now, when whidalte classes,
work-
ing classes rendered assistance to the .p 3
as the struggle
they would render them equal assistadnfheezers.)
which most ultimately ensue.
—(T sse. d the meeting in
Mr. SEILL, another Chartist. addressed
Ile could bare
a similar strain to the last
the franchise' upon "roan, the
wished that they had
andput
tnot upon bricks and mortar. I,
noblest work of God," t
think
that Mr. Muntz, Mr.
He could not help, too, but
Seholt-tield, and others would be taunted by the Tories 1
same manly course of sup-
with not having taken the, f
lonead o totieelked suffrage
posting universal. suffrage,their adhesion to the '
former.
when they had given in
Mr. Meterz said, in reply, the two last speakers were
lebourii g under a mistake. Be and those who thought
with him, had not for a moment imagined that a house
was superior to a man. Be (Mr. Muntz) was as fond of
principle as any man, and he and his friends did not ask
the advocates of universal suffrage to Compromise in the
slightest degree their opinions upon that
subject—
(Cheers.) All they wished was, that they .them—th suffrage—in e advocates of household should assist
age—in getting
nineteen-twentieths of what they (the Chartists) wanted
—(No,no)—then twelve-twentieths, and:was that nothing?
—(Cheers.) Was it not better to have half a loaf than
none at all?—(Cheers.) The Hon. Member then left the
hall amidst loud appleuse.

PAR LIA3IEN TARY BUSINESS.
(From the Votes (4,611 Prelreealleg% el the hind. .4 COMM)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 3.
STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
The following Resolutions were reported tr.itu the above
Committee:-
1. That in the case of the Liverpool Dol,ks (Er t" c met
of Warehouses and Constructo.n of New 4,6% ork,;)
petitudi fur additional Provision, the statiding order.
oukht to be dispensed with:—That the parties be per.
mated to it:trounce such additional Provision, if tins
Committee on the bill shall think fit.
2. That in the: case of the North-Weer ern Railway
(Diversions at Skiptun, Casterton, and Sedbergh) Bill,
petition fur cispcusing with one of the sessional orders
of the 14th March last, and for enabling the Committee
on the Bill to tem ive evidence, the sessional order ought
to be dispensed. with, and that the Committee on the Bill
be empowered to receive evidence, it they shall think tit.
—Resolutions agreed to.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.,

From the Votes and Proceedtnys of the How; e of Comm. oak )

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3.

GREAT YARMOUTH FREEMEN DIS?FRANCHISE•
MENT 131LL.(IN 'IHE COMMITTEE.)

Motion made, and Qaestion proposed, " That the Pre-
amble be postponed: "—Afterwards Motion made, and Qua.
don put, " That the Chaulna,i do report progress, and ask
le.ive to sit again." The Committee divided

MINORITY—AYES. 16.
poplin, John Colvlle, C. It: Vyse, H.
Barkly, Henry Fox, w. J. Willoughby, Sir
Berkeley, Grantley Greene Thomas
13uller, Sir J. Y. Hodges, T. L. MUMS.
Clay, James Itufford, Francis Staftird, Augustus
Clitiord, li. If. Sturt, lienry.G. Hume, Joseph
Cobbuld, John C. Thompson, Colonel

MAJ (MITI-1N Oils, 107.
Monsen, William
Fuller, A. E. Mowaft, Francis
Galway, Viscount Newdegate, C. K.
Arundel, Earl of Ogle, S..C.
Gaskell, J. M. French, F.,
Ord, W.,
Palmer, Robert
BAA " ram': nw n gse
st r o.
, hnMgt '.
' George 7
.. B .
,Charles W. Patten., J• W.
Beresford, William Grentel
Bilearrintitnittk°,nLeVridscona.nt Gibson, T.
C.
Berkeley, Captain
Pearson, Charlet'
Boyle, Colonel
Lord R Perfect, R.
Philips, Sir G. R.
Bro,kman, E. D. Hardcastle, J. A. Finney,
H sumer, Sir J.
Bright, John W.
Grey,Gro sesnirorG..Lor R.
Plowden, W. H.
Brothertou, J.
Brown, W. Hayes, sir E.
Al
de
Raphael, exan r
Banbury, E, H. Headlam, T. E.
Harris, Hon.. Capt.
Prime,' Richard
Rawdon, Colonel
lsusteild, William Heald, James
Ricardo, Osakaa
Campbell, W. F. Herries, Johln C.
Wardwell. Edward Hildyard, K. C. Rice, E._R.
Carew, W. P. Hill, Lard klarcus Romilly, Johit
Chichester, Lord J. Hornby, John Russell, Lord J.
Chnimele.Y, Sir M. Inglis, Sir H. Scrope, G. P.
Christy. (Samuel Jervis, Sir John Shell; It. L.
Cocks, 'f. S. Iteppel, G. T. Shelburne, Earl St
Colebrooke, Sir T. Kershaw, James Somerville, Sir W.
Cripps, W. Lewis, Sir T. Spooner, Richard
Cubist, William • Lewl. G. C. Stuart, H. Dlvett. Edward
Duncan,
31.1i.titztlaegt:iiite. :..BRir. E
Lincoln, Earl of Talfeurd. Sergeaat
Duncan, George Colonel
mTtlizineironejely, T.
jAotiihnniiral LLuinsdhisangy;o7.
Elliot, John E.
Dundas,
ugleyte.nC,haur.less.
Estcourt, J. B. B. Walmsley, Sir J.
Evans, Sir De Lacy
I.l3lMannaaiht°laenrsn' dV,:Lilo'ir'do"Gt.s. INlV'lo'l°°dria°ken,'WH2denarryt.thß.eir
Fellowes, E.
Fergus, John Martin, Samuel
Foley, J. H. Maine, Fox
z Henry Kw
Fortescue, J. W. Melgund, Viscount Seyiner,
Fordyce, A. D. Miles, William Stuart, J.

RESOLUTIONS ON THE GENERAL
PRINCIPLES OF REPRESENTATION.
BY EARL STANHOPE.
I. That, for tire purpose of preventing bribery and
corruption at elections, oaths shall be taken, or declara-
tions shall be made, by each candidate and by each
elector, the former stating that he had not given and
would nut give, and the latter stating that he had not
received and would nut receive, any money, or any
article having the value of money, directly or indi-
rectly, with the view of influencing the election; that a
similar oath ur declaration shall. at the commencement
of eve ry session, be taken, or made, by every Member
of the House of Commons; anti that every person ta,lo.ng
any such oath, or making any such declaration, and
Being proved to have acted contrary thereto, shall, ex-
elusive of other pains and penalties, be subject to those
1 of perjury.
11. That, for the purpose of securing from any 'undue
it,flueece those el• rho :nay consider there selves
sui.:o,ct thereto, every elector may, it he thinks ••proper,
vote by ballot.
111. Ile:, for the purpoie of avoiding those cspenses
hicti might otherwise prevent many fit 8,4.1 proper
persons from sitting in Parliament, the neoressary art.
pens,: Lute:Kiln:, an Cite:don shell be paid by a rate to
be levied on the electors; end that every representative
shall, during the session of Parliament, rece:eve, it hf
shirt think tit, an allowance fur his eexpensts.
IV. That, tor the purpose of conducting v.ith greater
convenience the public serveye, and of allowing to the
Crown the unrestrained exercise of its prerogative in
the appointment of its Ministers, a certain number of
persons ho.ding (4116:11 statie ns shall, by virtue thereof,
have seats in the !louse of Commons.
V. That, for the purpose of maintaining the due re-
sponsibility of the representatives, the duration of any
Parlienaent shall not exceed three years, and shall not
be :Affected by a demise of the Crown.
VI: That, for the purpose of establishing a full and.
fair representation of the people, all the rights, interests,
qualiticetions, and franchisee, which now exist with
regard to elections in counties, towns, borouths, and
universities, shall be abolished.
VIE. That, for the purpose of enabling each class of
the community to elect muse representatives who may
support its rights and promote its interests. there shall
he representatives fur each of the following classes,
viz.:-
1. The owner and occupiers of laud.
The manufacturers, arid those who make any article
for sale' on their own account.
3. The merchants, and those who traffic in any article
on their own account.
4. Those who are employed in daily labour, whether
in agriculture, in manutacturee, or in trade.
5. Those who have professional employments, or who
have tent-charges, annuities, or mortgages charged
upon real or personal property, or who receive salaries
or yearly wages.
VIII . That, for the purpose of giving to every citizen
of the State his due share in the representation, every
person of full age shall be entitled to vote in each of the
above-mentioned classes to which he may belong, and in
each district wherehe is either an owner or occupier of
land, or a manufacturer, or a merchant; and when alb-
a. lit. to vote by proxy. •
IX. That, for the purpose of allowing a tree and un-
restricted choice at elections, every citizen of the State
being of full age, brit g willing to take the requisite
oaths, or to make the requisite declarations, arid not
being a Peer of Parliament, shall be eligible as a repre-
sentative in the House of Commons,

NOTE .—The preceding resolutions were,' kee believe,
submitted by Lord Stanhope to Earl Grefs Govern-
ment, in 1830.

In Lord Stanhope's opinion the House of Commons
ought not to contain more than five hundred members.
To each of the preceding classes his .Lordship would
commit the business of electing one hundred repro:a:a-
tatives.—Pmt.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.—The perform-
ances of Franconi's equestrian troupe at this theatre
continue to attract very crowded audiences. Among
the recent visitors have been their Royal Highnesses the
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge aced the Princess Mary.
and his Serene Highness the Prince Frederick of Hesse,
his Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia and suite, the
Conde de Mordemolin, his Excellency the Prince Calli-
maki, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Duke and
th Duchess
of Montrose and family, the Earl ot Munster,Earl
(Dowager)
" ngdon,
Fozhaidinge, Baron Knesebeck, Baron Koller, the Duke
and Duchess of Bedford, the Duke of Beaufort, the. Earl
oafndEseseoxu,ntthesesßoifriCobt tkstieninfioeult the CEoaudnotef
Hunti
the Earl De Grey. the Duke of Buckingham, the Mar.
Maidstone
qwis of Londonderry, Lord W. de Eresby, Lady' Eli
beth Bolton, Lord B. Clinton, Lord Pembroke, Vie
Lord Strafford,
count sotnerton, Lady Becher, Viscount and Vii -
COUIHRES
Drumlanrig, Lord William Paulett, Lord
aadn'cligLailaClyAlfarenddPlAdageyt,
Lord Canterbury, Lord Somerville, Lord
,Ltehnenox,Lady 9
Webster,
,eLI , 0 r Lord
dri e wGr
y.
LHoorwde
s,
nLdoLrda
dayn Ladyd
Guernsey,
i,or
de
De aTryabbee3a,l,
and family, Lord Sandwich,
LordLBdY lion. Colonel Phipps
Petre, Lady Duncan and family,Lord Feversham, Lord
Stevenson,
the
Hon.
It. the Hon. Captain
tague. the Hon. F. Curzoa, the Hon: Spencer Mon.
John Wilde, Sir Stanhope, the Earl of Zetland, Sir
Sir John (`sin GeorgeHobli Wombwell, Sir Henry Webb,
Sir Bellitiaatn and Luse, Sir R. King, Sir William Don,
Sir li. W4t...0”. Sir , .
cy, i Graham, Sir George Clarke,
tiqi. (2,101,ei
J(k 1.f1,,rd, the Bon. G. Barring.
bQrly, &c.. hiv+4.ll, C010n..1 Trevor, Colonel Ma-

THE PoINIATOWFII Toes(lcy a large
portion of the celebrated eolleeriou of rare antique en-
grivr d Wet, ih the pi-erse►on of the late
Prince l'onir.towski. were put up to aucCutit by Mr.
Pi ice, Quality-coon, Chancery-lane, by order .•t the
mortgagees. The prices of some of the gems were as
follows :—Gany-mede presenting a cup of nectar to tho
eagle of Jupiter, oriental cornelian, 61. 10s. ; IJygeia
seated, feeding the serpent, 7L 10s. ; Minerva throwing
a Terminus at Mars, cornelian, 71. ss. ; the heads of
Motagres and Ctebiphon the architect, sardonyx, 7/. ;
the Birth of Bachus, Jupiter is seated on his throne, at-
tended by his eagle, receiving the infant from Semple,
who is reclining on a couch beneath him, do., 61. Ss. ;
Hercules emerging from the Body of the Sea Monster ;
Calcedery partaking of sapph►re, 71. The auctioneer
stated that the entire collection was valued at 12,000/.,
Cad that the lots were only fetching nominal prioecu