The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-11 00:00:00

Reform Meeting at Woolwich.

Last night, at 8 o'clock, a Crowded public meet-
ing of the inhabitants of Woolwich, Charlton, and
Plumstead was held at the Lecture-hall, Nelson-
Street, Woolwich, to promote the movement in
favour of an efficient measure of Parliamentary
Reform. The chair was occupied by :Sir. Bassett,
who briefly expressed his entire concurrence with the
objects of the meeting, and eulogised the conduct of
the Lord Mayor in presiding at the Reform meeting
held at the Guildhall of the city of London. Mr.
Fludger moved the first resolution—" That the mo-
derate measure of Reform introduced by her Ma-
jesty's late Government having been rejected by
Parliament, and the present Government having
indefinitely postponed the question of Reform, this
meeting feels it its duty to • declare that the great
body of the unenfranchised workiiig classes of this
country will be satisfied with nothing less than the
speedy introduction of a bill for the amendment of
the representation on the basis of residential and re-
gistered manhood suffrage and the•ballot; and that,
unless the.present GovernMent is prepared to redeem
the antagonism it has already exhibited to popular
rights 'by the speedy introduction of a bill for the
amendment of the representation of the.-people, in
accordance with the resolution, it will be the im-
perative duty of Reformert throughout the country
to withhold from such a Govgiurtent all sympathy
and support ; and, finally, that the working men.
and others composing this meeting pledge them-
selves to support the objects and principles of the
Reform League by enrolling themselves as members,
and by other legitimate means." In a brief address
the speaker claimed the right on behalf of himself
and other working men to have a voice in the mak-
ing of those laws which they were called upon to
obey. Mr. Sherman, in seconding, said he believed
the present Government by its conduct with regard
to the Hyde Park meeting, had done much good to
the cause of reform, which was now advancing with
rapid strides. Mr. G. Brooke,of Leadenhall-market,
who attended as a deputation from the Reform
League, in the course of an address which was well
received, referred at length to the circumstances at-
tending the Hyde Park meeting. He denied thatthe
people created the disturbance ; it was entirely caused
by the arbitrary conduct of Sir R. Mayne. It was
well known that the soldiers had one ball in their
rifles, and three others ready for use ; but he firmly
believed that had they been ordered to fire upon the
people they would have fired into the air. He must
`give much credit to Mr. Walpole for the feeling he
evinced when he learnt the result of the mistake,and
that the police were breaking the heads of the people.
The Times had said that if it could be proved that
this country was not properly governed then it was
right to agitate for Reform. He denied that the
country was properly governed, and it was not likely
to be by the present Ministry. if Lord. Derby at-
tempted to stem the tide of democracy by thepolice-
man's baton or the soldier's bayonet, he did not be-
lieve that the Throne itself would be worth 50 years
purchase. Mr. J. B. Langley referred to the recent
reform meetings held as a proof that the people
were in earnest on the subject. He and others went
to Hyde Park determined at all hazards to hold a
meeting, and a meeting they held. Those eventshad
given an impetus to the cause of reform, and had
produced a great influence in favour of democracy
in other countries. The resolution was unanimously
adopted, and a vote of thanks to the chairman ter-
minated the proceedings.