The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-17 00:00:00

THE GOVERNMENT REFORM BILL,

MANCHESTER.

A public meeting was held in the Free-trade
Hall on Tuesday evening, wider the auspices of the
Lancashire Reformers' Union, for the purpose of sup-
porting the reform measure of Mr. Bright, in oppo-
sition to that of the Government. About 4,000
persons were present.
Mr. G. WILSON took the chair. He maintained
that the Government of Lord Derby had been in-
finitely superior, especially in the administration of
foreign affairs, to that which preceded it—(cheers)
—but it was utterly impossible for them, with the
most liberal intentions, to pass an adequate reform
measure through the phalanx of their own sup-
porters. (Cheers.) The requirements of such a mea-
sure were sufficiently obvious. There were 1,200,000
voters in this great country, from which must be
deducted duplicates in large numbers, and others
who were not otherwise disposed to vote. In Man-
chester the register had been augmented from-
-14,000 to 19,000 by the act of Mr. Bright—(cheers)
—but besides there were in Manchester from 8,000
to 9,000 persons living in houses at from £8 to £lO
rated to the relief of the poor ; and was it possible,
in walking the streets of Manchester, to discrimi-
nate between them and those in houses from £lO to
£l2 P (Hear, hear.) For himself, he did not care
where a man lived, and was no monopolist in votes
any more than in corn, believing that a man who
rose at six o'clock in the morning and worked till
six at night, who brought up his family and minis-
tered to their wants as he ought to do, who complied
with the wants of society, and against whom the
police had no claims and society no grievance, was
as much entitled to .a vote as he was himself. He
believed it was miserable political parsimony on
the part of the ruling class to refuse to such men
the small gift of a 20,000 th part in the power of
returning the 327th part of the House of Commons.
(Cheers.) However, the franchise was only a small
part of the question, whilst the great cities of
England were swamped in the House of Commons
by the smaller constituencies. At present 171,000
electors had power to return 330 members—a clear
majority of the house. (Hear.) He referred to the
boroughs of Arundel, Calne, and Thetford, as in-
stances of pocket boroughs. It was impossible that
the Roman Catholics could require the aid of the
Duke of Norfolk to be represented in the House of
Commons, after having contributed some of its
most intellectual members, as Mr. O'Connell, Mr.
Sheil, and Mr. Lucas—(cheers)—who were the
disinterested choice of their friends, and most able
representatives of the opinions of the Roman
Catholics of England. After referring to the attacks
on Mr. Bright by members of the aristocracy', he
warned those noble lords to consider their position.
The peerage did not contain so many illustrious
members that the Commons should be very careful
to consider them in making an arrangement which
applied only to themselves. He believed the rea•
son why there was the slightest cause to expect a
satisfactory amendment of our representative sys-
tem was because the bill of Mr. Bright was now
before the country, and he called upon the meeting
to support it. (Loud cheers.)
Letters of apology were read from Mr. Bazley,
M.P., Mr. J. A. Turner, M.P.,Mr. J. Cowen, jun.
(Newcastle-upon-Tyne), Mr. adfield, M.P., and
Mr. Kershaw, M.P.

Mr. H. ASHWORTH (of Bolton) moved : " That
this meeting believes that the so-called Reform Bill
introduced into parliament by her Majesty's go-
vernment is most unsatisfactory to the country, in-
asmuch as it still continues to the small and cor-
rupt nomination boroughs the power of sending
members to parliament, makes no provision for vote
by ballot, denies to the industrious classes their
just political rights, and destroys a large number
of the most ancient class of freehold voters ; the
meeting, therefore, pledges itself to use its most
strenuous exertions to prevent this bill passing
into law."

Mr. WATKIN (late M.P. for Yarmouth) seconded
the resolution. The monopoly of government had
brought us to this—that we were positively depend-
ing for the future prime minister of the country
upon the tottering steps of three old gentlemen,
who were rapidly passing to the grave.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Alderman HEYWOOD moved the second re-
solution :—" That this meeting recommends that
any measure of reform to be brought forward should
have for its object an extension of the suffrage in
counties, not less than such as shall confer the fran-
chise on all occupiers of £lO a year; an extension
in boroughs not less than such as shall confer the
franchise-on all persons rated or liable to be rated
to the poor for any tenement or part of a tenement ;
a more equal distribution of members ofPatliament,
in reference to population and property ' • the un-
controlled exercise of the franchise by affording to
the voter the protection of the ballot ; and shorter
Parliaments."

The motion was unanimously adopted.
Mr. BARNES (late M.P. for Bolton) moved a vote
of thanks to Mr. Bright, which was adopted with
loud cheerinr, ; the meeting being addressed, in
conclusion, by Mr. J. B. Torr, Mr. W. Wilks (of
Newcastle-on-Tyne), and Mr. W. P. Roberts.
A motion in favour of manhood suffrage, by Mr.
Hooson, was negatived.