The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-12 00:00:00

REFORM MEETINGS.

ST. MARTIN'S HALL.

A meeting in favour of the Government Fran-
chise Bill, convened by the Reform League, was
held last evening in St. Martin's-hall. The room
was crowded, and a second meeting took place in
the lower hall. Placards containing a rude represen-
tation of a Scotch terrier, with au extract from Mr.
Bright's speech on the 13th ult., and with the head-
ing, " The new party—which is the head and which
is the tail ? Messrs. Caine and Stroud, sole owners
of the animal"were freely posted about the hall,
and evoked much laughter and cheering.
Mr. Edmond Beales, the president of the League,
occupied the chair, and on the platform were Lord
Elcho, M.P., Mr. Hughes, M.P., Professor Beasley,
Professor White, Col. Dickson, Dr. Brewer, Mr.
Holyoake, and the delegates of a number of trade
societies.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, com-
mended Earl Russell for having honestly redeemed
the pledge he gave to the deputation of the League,
to introduce such a measure as Parliament ought
and might be expected to pass. He named the noble
lord, Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Bright as the three
men who were pre-eminently entitled to public con-
fidence, and stigmatised Mr. Lowe as the arch-
slanderer of the working classes. He expressed his
conviction that the bill, which was a small instal-
ment of the debt which Mr. Gladstone admitted to
be justly due, would pass in spite of the tricks and
dodges of simulated friends, and predicted that if it
were rejected there would be an overwhelming agi-
tation for a much larger measure. He then stated
that Lord Elcho had attended in order, Jo defend
himself against the charge of being an enemy of the
working classes. and he hoped they would give him
a patient hearing.
Lord ELcEto then rose, but great uproar ensued,
a large part of the meeting refusing to hear him.
Mr. PIUGHES, after the clamour had lasted several
minutes, came forward and begged for silence, add-
ing that, if the meeting would not hear a man in his
own defence, he himself would not address them.
Comparative quiet having been restored,
Lord ELCHO said he hoped the working men of
London would show they possessed the love of fair
play which was a characteristic of Englishmen, by
giving a patient hearing to a man who came before
them single-handed in his own defence. (Cheers.)
He had no idea of appearing before them till on his
return from the country three hours ago he found an
invitation to attend, and this invitation was virtu-
ally a challenge, for enclosed was a letter by Mr.
Howell, secretary of the Reform League, giving a re-
solution passed by the delegates of the trades' unions
of the metropolis. The resolution was as follows :
" That in consequence of Lord Elcho having in his
speech in the House of Commons on Mr. Baines's
bill for extending the borough franchise vilified the
people in a most shameful manner—(cheers)—this
meeting of trades' delegates, representing 70,000
men, declare that they have no confidence in him
whatever—(A Voice—" Quite right, too")—and
object to his becoming the chairman of any commit-
tee, whether in the house or out of it, affecting the
interests of labour." (Cheers.) Now, he had come
there to answer that accusation, and though a friend
offered to accompany him, he preferred coming
alone, for he believed that in any meeting of his
fellow-countrymen there would be such a love of
straightforwardness and fair play that they would
form a ring, and that any one among them would
give him a knee if occasion required it. (Laughter.)
His attention had been frequently called to this re-
solution, and he yesterday addressed a letter to Mr.
Howell on the subject. (His lordship then read his
reply, in which he explained that in consequence of
Mr. Cobbett's illness he last session moved for the
appointment of a committee on the Master and
Workman'o Act, and acted on that committoe3