The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-20 00:00:00

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

The popular manager of this theatre last nigh
took his benefit, and a house crowded in every par
showed that he had won golden opinions from all
sorts of men. The bill of fare was crammed with
' good things. The "Leve-Knot" was the first piece,
which went off remarkably well ; and the "Loan of
a Lover" folio wed, in which Mrs. Keeley performed
very cleverly and humourously Peter Spyke, and
Gertrude was deliciously sung and acted by Miss
Louise Keeley, who promiqes to be a very clever
actress in these Vestris' parts. A conceit followed,
in which Madame Rudersdorff, Madame Poma,
Mr. Henry Haigh, &c., assisted. The transforma-
tion scene of the pantomime followed, which un-
doubtedly is the very best the season lv,s produced.
At the close of the first piece, Mr. Smith was
warmly and cordially ca'led for, and coming for-
ward, addressed his numerous friends and the pub-
lic to the following effect, which, as it at once shows
what has been done, and what is about to ensue, it
is useless to enlarge upon :
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,—I beg to return you my
sureere thanks for the approbation I have met with at
your hands. Indeed, it is not the first time to-day, for
the same compliment was paid me to-day from the
mouth of a noble duke and a gallant soldier, the Duke
cf Cambridge, for the usa of the theatre today for tae
purpose of subscribing for a monument to that brave
man, General Havelock. lam happy to state the idra
of a testimonial to his worth occurred with me. I ap-
pealed to the publie, and several licensed victuallers of
the metropolis commenced a subscription for the pur-
pose of presenting him with a sword. Alas ! this cannot
be. It is now to be devoted for a monument to hand
down to future generations the saviour of 'lndia. The
relief of the poor widows and fatherless children con•
fined and ready to be massacred by an infuriated foe.
While on this topic it may be as well to state that the
boards o Old Drury have also assisted me, for I was
also the first person in promoting the subscription for
the widows and fatherless children of our brave soldiers
in the Crimea. I handed over to the Lord Msyr.,r
driey a large sum of money, and the committee followed
by an appeal, which has realised a large feud for that
benevolent purpose. Now, then, ladies and gentlemen,
it is my duty to state something to you respecting the
theatre as a devoted steward. Mr. Charles J. Mathevts,
you will see by the bills, has been announced as acting
manager here ; be, according to his agreement, was to
have performed here six weeks after Christmas ; he has
played the truant, is now married, and changed his line
of business from comedy to Romeo with Mrs. Mathews.
If I have not been able to obtain better talent for the
beards of Old Drury it is not my fault. I have strived
and failed, but in acenlc effects, from pantomime to
comedy and comedy to farce, I believe my friend Be-
v.iley and myself have done our best, and I have spared
nothing to achieve that object—your satisfaction
and approbation. Most likely Eoglish Opera
will be produced at Easter, if so, let me
beg of you to encourage " Native talent." Gus-
tavus Brooke is on his road to England ; he
will be here in a month ; if I can engage with him you
shall have Shakespeare's plays performed in the same
sty le they were produced two years ago with that gentle-
man. lam on the most friendly terms with alt my
aliee—Buckstone, \V&bsrer, and other managers, not
forgetting Mr. Charles Kean, whose fatuity occupies a
private box on my right. Once more thanking you for
past favours, and looking forward to a future and pros-
perous campaign, I bid you farewell.

TOWER HAMLETS PARLIAMENTARY
BEFOIOI ASSOCIATION-.

Last evening a public meeting was held in the
Albion Hall, ANA). square, Da!sten, to explain
the nature and principles of the above association.
SAMUEL MORLEY, Esq., was called to the chair,
and, in opening the business of the evening, said be
experienced a very great pleasure in taking a part
in that meeting. He bad long, in public as well
as iu private, given his adhesion to the great prin-
ciples fur which this society contended. He was
very glad to obst,rve that the members of this asso-
ciation had not adopted the suicidal policy of some
men, who, because they could not agree with all
that others said who would not go so far as they
did, therefore contended against them. He would
not urge any one to think as be did, but if the
people had any confidence in the integrity of those
who took a leading part in such associations as
these, they ought to be willing to secure a large
instalment of their demand, rather than say they
would have nothing short of all they required. Ho
had bean connected with a similar body, who had
drawn out a programme of their intentions, which
had been laid before the pubic ; and in every part
of the provinces where that programme had been
submitted (except where the most extreme opinions
were held), there appeared to be a readiness to coin-
cide with the movement. For himself be must
admit that that programme was shot of what he
wished, nevertheless he was willing to accept
it as a first instalment. His fist proposition was,
that man, not money, should be the basis of the
suffrage. (Cheers.) eveithi-les, there should
be a proper and needful resirictiou. There were
thousands of men deprived of the franchise who
were quite as able to exercise that right as any one
present. Ile would instance numbers of young men
wno were ealpioyed in warehouses, who were per-
fectly competent to exercise the franchise ; yet,
because they did not choose to take upon them-
selves the responsibifity of a house, they were ex-
cluded, as also were such as held only parts of
houses. Their object was to obtain for such the
elective franchise. Another thing they would
olish was the property qualification for members
of Parliament, which was a mere sham. He hart
known cases where property had been assigned to
a gentleman just previous to his entrance into the
House of Conan:tens which one month afterwards
was returned. This, therefore, he would have
abolished, if it was only for the sake of national
morality. (Hear.) Another thing they would
abolish was the expense of elections—the expense
should be borne by the electors, and not by the
representative. But one of their greatest objects
was to obtain the vote by b allot. (Applause.) He
was surprised to find that this proposition was pre-
judiced by such terms as "secret voting." Yet
those who called the ballot by such nausea were
glad to hide behind the ballot-box when a person
was to be chosen to their club whom they feared
might prove a trouVesome member. Another
thing they wished was a re-distribution of the
electoral districts. These, among others, were the
objects desired by the " _tower Hamlets Parlia-
mentary Reform Association," whose principles
they were met to explain.
It. CHARLES, Esq. (president of the association),
stated that this association had sprung from the
strong feelings of some who were not content with
the mere policy of new Governments. They had
long been promised a new Reform Bill. It ap-
peared to be the common property of each succes-
sive Government. It was to be had in twelve
months, or next session. They wore not content
with promisee, but hoped by united effort to gain
their objects. He moved " That an extensive
measure of reform is necessary for the complete
representation of the people. This meeting,
therefore, declares its opinion that the prin-
ciples of the Tower Hamlets Parliamentary Reform
Association embrace the most important essentials
for the enfranchisement of the people [and the
equitable distribution of political power. It there-
fore pledges itself to promote the operations of
that association by energetic and constitutional
efforts."

This motion was seconded by Mr. HALLAM,
supported by Mr. SKILLETT, and carried unani-
moudy.

It was further unanimously reselved,—" That
the borough of the Tower Hamlets contains a popu-
lation of above half a million, and a constituency
of more than thirty thousand ellutOrs, while other
boroughs in the country, with less than a hundred►h
part of those numbers, send as many members of
went;Parli that such inequalities are scandalously
unjust, and ought not to b.; endured. This meeting,
therefore, pledges itself to insist ui.on such special
measures as will secure to this borough a larger
share in the representation of the country."
A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the pro-
ceedings.