The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-09 00:00:00

'NEWSPAPER
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the limited suffrage existed. (Hear, hear.) It was
only by the people having a voice in the matter that
would cause an alteration in the law. (Hear, hear.)
They were not against the laws, and, above all,
against the poor law ; but he knew by the Word of
God there was but one test ; that was the labour
test, and not the workhouse test. If a man would
not work let him not cat ; but they had no light to
say to him, " Unless you part from your wife and
children you shall not eat." (Hear, hear.) Yet
that was the law brought in by a Parliament elected
the same as the present one. They asked for man-
hood suffrage that the poor man might be assisted
by his fellow-countrymen when they stood in
need of it, 'and not be obliged to break up his
house, to separate from his wife, and to
turn his back on his:offspring. (Great cheering.)
He abhorred this system of separation, and
contended that the workhouse as at present reg,a-
lated was anything but a blessed place. (Hear,
hear.) Then as to the measure of outdoor relief
that was granted, was it not, he asked, a shame and -
a lie? Speaking, as doubtless he did, to men of
liberal hearth, he knew they were only gratified
when they gave more than was expected from them.
by those who were the recipients of their kindness.
But when John or Mary went before the guardians
they were relieved with what prevented them from
starving just at the moment, but which insured that
they should starve a few weeks hence. It was false
to call this relief ; it was simply a pretence of
charity; and they asked for manhood suffrage in
order that if relief be given at all it might be worth/.
of the name. He thought he had said sufficient to
prove to every thoughtful mind and every fee-ling
heart that a change was necessary, and that the
law should be equal as regards rich and poor.
(Hear, hear.) But to accomplish this end the
people must have votes, and they must therefore
join heart and hand with those who were seeking to
get them admitted to the exercise of the franchise.
(Applause, and a Voice, " What is your opinion of
the ballot ?") Lord Teynham said his interrogator
should have everything in season. (Laughter.)
He had been connected with the Northern Reform
Union a long time, and their motto flag had al-
ways been, " Manhood suffrage and vote by ballot,"
and it had not changed. (Applause.) His lord-
ship considered he had said sufficient to persuade
every one, and it was his duty, as an Englishman, to
help in carrying out the cause, for the happiness of
their homes was at stake in the question of a limited
or universal suffrage. There was reason for asking
that every man in England should be in favour of
manhood suffrage, and he trusted the reformers
would obtain that gratifying result before they
ceased agitating. They must not trust to anybody
else, but obtain it for themselves. (Hear, hear.) He
had no faith in turning to a Tory Government and
saying " Please, Tories, bring in a Reform Bill."
(Laughter.) He had no faith, much as he honoured
Mr. Gladstone, in bending theknee to that gentle- -
man, and ask him if he would- bring in such a bill
as he did before. The men of England must bring -
in their own bill. (Applause.) He was in favour
of manhood suffrage, and nothing less; and what-
over might be the extension of the franchise given
by the Conservatives or by the Liberals, if it did not
embody this, he should be prepared to stand on that
platform and still cry out that there were those be-
fore him who had not the franchise, but who were
worthy of it, and as it was their right, he shcwld ask
them to go to Parliament for a new Reform Bill,
and trample under foot that which left millions of
their countrymen without a vote. (Applause.) Every
party was crying out for a settlement of the ques-
tion, but there could be no settlement short of man-
hood suffrage, and so long as he lived there should
be no settlement short of that.. (Applause.) Lord
Teynham was again asked his opinion about the
ballot, and whether he would support it in the
House of Lords, but he continued his remarks, stat-
ing that every man was bound to take his share in
the work without attempting to shirk it. (Hear,
hear.) There should be no money qualification for
membership in a Reform League. (Hear,'hear.)
If there was to be no money qualification for a man
to vote for a member of Parliament, there ought
to be no money. qualification for a member of the
Reform League. A man that professes the same
ends, and would work to gain those ends, should be
a member whether he gave something or nothing,
and should be looked upon as a brother and a friend
of the cause. (Applause.) He felt satisfied that, if
in the course of the work money was required, it
would be forthcoming from those who had the means
to contribute. He recommended them to do the
work like men. If they were to make a clock, let
them work it until it struck the time ; if they were
making an engine, let them work it until it dragged
the train along ; and if they were in favour of
reform, let them work, and work, and work until
every man had a vote. (Applause.) Their work
would not be done until the whole of the com-
munity was represented, and the evils which pressed
chiefly upon the poor were altogether set aside.
(Hear, hear.) Adverting to the question of the
ballot, his lordship observed that his first politi-
cal visit to Yorkshire was on that errand,
and he was still unchanged. (Applause.) He
believed the spirit of oppression more or less
belonged to all men, and they had therefore a right
ftoooplreodteacntd slavesthemselves,
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whoight hd
nota bebe-
thou-
sands in their pockets to spend. (Cheers.)
Onc©
made s
for all, he was for the ballot. (Hear, hear.) He
believed there were numbers of quiet, calm, domestic
,simply because they were quint
t
men in the country who did not vote or take any
public political par
men, and would not undergo the turmoil that was
connected with the present system of electing mem-
bers of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) His lordship
said he would not detain the meeting longer, but in
conclusion asked them calmly to think the matter
over, and reminded them that they would be doing
wrong to their homes and their country unless they
put their shoulders to the wheel and urged on the
chariot of reform until manhood suffrage and vote
by ballot were possessed by our happy land. (Loud
and prolonged cheering.)
Mr. ORTON said they had the same difficulties to
encounter in Sheffield with referenc3 to the middle
classes that their brethren in Rotherham had to deal
with. A certain number of reformers held aloof
from the League, alleging that the members went
too far for them ; but they intended to go on, aad
if the middle classes would not join them they
would do without them. (Applause.) But they
must work hard for themselves, and they might
depend upon it if they did this the time was not far
distant when they would be admitted to the fran-
chise and enjoy the rights and privileges of citizen-
ship. (Great applause.)

aeyot)

'p~~~'-

Votes of thanks having been passed to Lord
Teynham, Mr. Orton, and the chairman, the meet-
ing separated.

Mr. James Mcllenry has addressed a circular to
the holders of the securities of the Atlantic and
Great Western Railway, of which he is the finan-
cial agent, and which will be found in our columns.
The lino was opened in May, 1865, for 507 miles.
During the present month the consolidated freight
line:through from New York to St. Louis, in "con-
nection with the Erie, Ohio, land Mississippi Rail-
ways, will commence running. The liabilities are
first the mortgage debt of the railway, £600,000
sterling ; second, the certificates of debenture,
£2,800,000 ; third, the share capital, £6,000,000.
The interest required for 1867 amounts to $351,813,
together with £513,037, while the net revenue is
estimated at $3,200,000. Mr. Mcllenry complains
of the persistent misrepresentations which have been
made regarding the line, which have compelled him
to give this explanation, which under ordinary cir-
cumstances would have been deferred until the pub-
lication of the annual report with audited accounts.
Every promise made to the public has been ful-
filled—every liability met; yet the securities of the
line are at present as speculative asif dividends
were doubtful for many years, though few railways
have such brilliant prosv:ets.