The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-03 00:00:00

The Manchester Reform D3monstration

The Reformers of Manchester were gratified on
Saturday. Their demonstration, which has been
looked forward to anxiously for some time, was in
every way a complete success. Early in the day
evidence that something unusual was about to occur

was given by the presence of unwonted cumbers of
visitors from the surrounding towns. They lounged
along Market-street and Piccadilly, and observed
the flags and other decorations which were hung
liberally in the main thoroughfares. The greatest
effort at display by means of bunting was at the
offices of the National Reform Union, in Market-
street. By two o'clock in the afternoon large bodies
of men, in holiday attire, began to assemble at seve-
ral well-selected spots. Those who arrived by train
at the Vietcilia station, from the out-districts, met
at the baseof the cathedral, in Fennel-street, whilst
the passengers by rail who entered on the Salford
side grouped themselves in the open space in front
of the Salford station. Very minute instructions
were issued by the officials of the Reform Union,
arranging four other places for preliminary assembly,
in addition to those for the people coming by train.
The Salford Town Hall was the point selected for
Salford, Swinton, Eccles, Pendlebury, and the
other townships round them; All Saints' Church,
in Oxford-road, for Hulme, Choriton, &c. ; Junc-
tion-street, Oldham-rood, for Oldham, Leas, Fails-
worth, Blackley, Harpurkey, ; and- New Cross
for the Reformers of that densely-populated district,
in which many of the incidents in Mrs. Gaskell's
" Mary Barton" are reported to have occurred. At
each of these points processions of various bodies
of workmen, of friendly, temperance, and other
societies, many of them headed by bands of music,
and displaying flags and banners, continued to arrive
until about half-past two, when they, having fallen
into order, marched four abreast to Albert-square,
the place from which the Reform Union partion
of the grand procession was to start. At half-past
three the whole mass was set in motion, going from
the square into Cross-street, then along King-street,
York-street, and Portland-street, to Piccadilly,
where the united committee, upon which had de-
volved the general arrangements of the demonstra-
tion were assembled, with particular friends who
had joined, in numerous carriages. At this point
also the various branches of the Reform League
and the members of the numerous trade societies,
who had before grouped themselves in Stevenson-
square, approached, and added considerably to the
greatness of the monster procession. After a short
halt the order was again given to move. There
were, first, twenty-five carriages, containing mem-
bers of the united committee, then ten carriages
occupied by the executive of the National Reform
Union, -and following them, the most noticeable
feature of the whole affair, came six carriages, in
which sat thirty men, survivors of " Peterloo.'
Conspicuous among the Occupants of these car-
riages was Samuel Bamford, famous among the
"Radicals" of former days. After them came the
body of the procession, consisting of, first, the
branches and friends of the Union, and, second,
the branches of the League and the trade societies.
There were of course frequent bands of music, and
numbers of flags, banners, and badges of various
kinds. The whole line of procession through the
principal streets of Manchester and Salford was
crowded by masses of spectators, who cheered lustily
as well-known gentlemen passed. A long time
elapsed before the meeting place, near Brooks's Bar,
was reached. There six platforms had been erected,
and around them the people assembled in order, and
listened to the speeches which were delivered. Upon
the first Mr. Geo. IVilson presided ; at the second,
Mr. R D. Rusden ; at the third, Mr. Councillor
Murray ; at the fourth, Mr. Jacob Bright; at the
fifth, Mr. Councillor Warburton ; and Mr. Elijah
Dixon. at the sixth. Among the speakers were
the Rev. J. W. Massie, LL.D., the Rev. John
P age llopps, the Rev. J. Parker D.D., Mr.
Edmund Ashworth, Mr. Ernest Jones, Mr. E.
Beales, Mr. Win. Warburton, Mr. Henry Ogden,
Mr. George Pottery and Mr. Odgers. In all, about
50 speakers appeared on the different platforms.
The proceedings were in every respect orderly, and
the resolutions were adopted unanimously and amid
great applause. They were as follows :
First. " This meeting congratulates the Liberal
party upon the success which has attended its
efforts, as proved by the concessions wrung from
the hereditary opponents of progress, and calls
upon all sections of reformers to continue their
exertions in order to complete the work thus
auspiciously begun."
Second. " This meeting, whilst acknowledging
the considerable progress which has been made in
the extension of the borough franchise, regrets the
obnoxious restrictions which remain, and considers
the inequality yet existing between the county and
borough franchise as most unsatisfactory, inasmuch
as the great bulk of the operative classes in counties