The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-25 00:00:00

.REFORM MEETING AT SUNDERLAND.

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of the people, and for determining on what princi-
ples such Reform Bill should be based, and the
leading objects to be embraced in it. The hall and
galleries were closely packed, and the audience was
comprised ,of all classes of the inhabitants of the
town. The mayor, Mr. John Candlish, occupied
the chair, and was supported by many influential
inhabitants of the borough.
Messrs. Joseph Cowen, jun., and R. B. Reed at-
tended as a deputation from the Northern Reform
Union. The greatest interest and unanimity pre-
vailed throughout the proceedings.
The MAYOR expressed the pleasure he had in
presiding on the occasion, for the principles of the
resolutions to be proposed and the collateral allega-
tions contained in them were unanswerable, being
based upon truth.
•:Mr. Alderman WILLIAMS moved the first resolu-

tion to the effect that in the opinion of the meet-
ing, the present ,restrictive franchise deprives a
large number of our fellow-countrymen . of their
just electoral rights ; entails on the nation bad
legislation, financial extravagance, and an irre-
isponsible foreign policy ; and demands a radical
reform in the representation of the people in Par-
liament, based on manhood suffrage and vote by
ballot. In answer to' the objection that this was
not' the time for agitating this question—that the
`character of the Government and other bills on the
subject' should be first seen and judged of, the
speaker said, if Lord Derby was the man they took
him -for, such meetings as that would show him
what the people wanted. It was admitted by Lord
Derby, Lord John Russell,. and Mr. Bright—
(cheers)—that reform was needed, and if they ex-
cluded its two first principles from the measures to
be proposed, it was all-important that Mr. Bright
knew what they thought, and on what principles
the bill 'he had undertaken on the part of the
people to frame, should be founded.
Mr. WIGHT seconded the resolution.

Mr. J. COWEN, jun., after referring to the diver-
sity existing among reformers as to the character of
the measure best calculated to meet the wants of
the people, explained the objects of the association
which he represented—which declared that man-
hood suffrage and vote by ballot should be the basis
*of any satisfactory Reform Bill. In other words,
they asked a vote for every man, and the
privilege of giving that vote free from all improper
influence. They adopted this programme for two
reasons—first, because it was simple, and there-
fore likely to win popular favour, and secondly,
because it offered the only solution to the ever•re-
curring question of constitutional change. (Cheers.)
At present there was nothing before the country
but vague declarations from the leaders of the dif-
ferent sections of politicians in favour of some
scheme of reform. No party was committed to
any definite measure. No one knew what the
Government would propose, but they all knew
that both Government and Parliament were amen-
able to public opinion, and if the voice of the people
was earnestly and energetically expressed in favour
of a radical measure of reform, they were more
likely to get it than if they merely went for some
not very satisfactory compromise. They might be
sure the less they asked for the less they would get,
and the more they asked the more they would
obtain. He then proceeded to dwell upon the evils
arising from the present representative system, re-
iterating all the arguments to be adduced in favour
of a reformed system, and in conclusion urged the
necessity of unanimity on the great question which
was to be dealt with in the coming session.

The resolution was carried by acclamation.
Mr. SEDGWICK moved the next resolution to the
effect that the work in which the Northern Reform
Union is now engaged is calculated to extend the
political education of the people, and to strengthen
the hands of the Reform party in or out of Parlia-
ment in their efforts to obtain from the Govern-
ment a thorough measure of reform, and was there-
fore deserving of the support and encouragement of
all earnest reformers.

The resolution was seconded by Mr. GAMMAGE,
and supported by
Mr. R. B. REED, of the Northern Reform Union,
who said—The great struggle between the people
on the one hand, and the aristocracy on the other,
was about to commence, and it would need the
united exertions of the friends of progress and im-
provement to carry it to a successful issue. (Hear.)
There were many prejudices to be uprooted, many
obstacles to be removed, and many powerful opeo-
nents to combat, before a veritable Reform Bill
became the law of the land. But he had faith in
the persistency of the people of England upon this
question of reform in Parliament ; he believed that
the temperate and reasonabla advocacy, which
formed a distinguishing characteristic of the efforts
of reformers in every important town in the king-
dom, would ultimately secure those rights and
privileges which every free-born Briton ought to
en j oy.
This motion was also carried nem. con., and a
petition to Parliament based on the foregoing was
adopted.