The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-09 00:00:00

GREAT MEETING OF THE WORKING

CLASSES IN LEEDS.

LEEDS, Monday.

This afternoon a gathering of from 100,000 to
110,000 persons, but so.ne of the speakers on the
platform stated the numbers at a much higher range,
composed of working men and their wives almost
exclusively, took place here. Certainly no political
movement has for a long time attracted so much
attention as was proved to-day by the collecting
together of so great a multitude from far and near,
in order to discuss and support the principles of the
Manhood Suffrage Association which has been esta-
blished here, and lately carried on a vigorous agita-
tion hi all the towns and villages comprised in what
is known as the woollen district. The place where
the great mass meeting took place is in a north-
western suburb, and is known by the name of Wood-
house Moor, which, though originally a common,
has of late years been improved so that it would
make good pasturage if only the public did not make
such free use of it for recreative purposes. This open
space consists in the whole of 60 statute acres, but
a turnpike road detaches about 10 or 15 acres of it,
and that portion was not much resorted to by the
Reformers to-day. However, the other and much
larger area was completely taken possession of by
the Reformers and by those who repaired hither with
a view only to gratification at the spectacle of so
many working men sallying forth, with a countless
array of jubilant accessories, to " pronounce" upon
a point of their political faith which they have lately
magnified into a matter of almost vital importance.
The weather, which, after weeks of rain and dis-
comfort, broke up two or three days ago, was to-day
dry and calm, but dull and foggy in the morning,
though in the afternoon, spite of the solar eclipse,
bright enough for the external display, and on the
whole it was very favourable for the object in view.
As early as 4 o'clock in the morning some arrivals into
Leeds from distant localities took place, and durin g the
greater part of the forenoon every highway and byway
leading into Leeds was overrun by larger or smaller
parties of operatives, the greater majority well clad
and in holiday trim—all of whom were hastening
with exuberant cheerfulness to some rendezvous
which had been fixed upon at their rallying point.
Along the Bradford road, as well as the Dewsbury
and Halifax, and by the country lanes leading from
the many clothing villages of the district, there came
trooping along on foot at short intervalslarge bodies
of men with music and banners. From the denizens
of Bradford, and the other larger towns first named
the railway authorities had declined to provide spe-
cial trains at excursion fares, and therefore the
sturdy thousands determined to depend upon their
own abilities as pedestrians. At many of the mills
and workshops, both of this town and of Bradford,
and the adjacent and intermediate towns, there is no
doubt that this has been a complete holiday. At
noon, too, most of the tradesmen in the principal
streets closed their shops either temporarily or until
evening, when the turmoil had somewhat subsided.
A carefully prepared programme of the proceed-
ing was published, and sold at a small charge. In
consequence of the extensive circulation which this
document obtained, the great bulk of the people
were made aware of the organisation by which it
was proposed to carry out an orderly procession,
and to avoid as much of that confusion and turmoil
as possible which is almost inevitable from the as-
sembling together of extraordinary numbers. Ac-
cording to the instructions of the committee, with
which by that time every person interested would be
acquainted, the numerous large bodies representing
populous districts at a distance, as, for instance,
such places as Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax,
Dewsbury, Cleckheaton, Guisely, Yeadod, Pudsey,
Rothwell, Idle, Hohnfirth, &c., mustered at 11
o'clock with rare punctuality, either in the quad-
rangle in front of the Town-hall or in some of the
streets which diverge from that well-known central
point. Of course, it was a work of time for the men
who were designated " marshals" to apply certain
rules of etiquette and discipline for bringing all
the various atoms of so mighty a whole into a
state of decentaud methodical adhesion. At 1 o'clock
the procession was to begin its somewhat lengthy
march, and owing to the energy and alacrity of those
oil whom devolved the supreme control of the de-
monstrations, all was in readiness for a well-regu-
lated start at that hour. The line wasfour miles long
—the men walking five abreast, and comprising not
less than 70,000 persons. To fully describe the prin-
cipal features of the procession would be an' almost
endless task, for it is computed that hundreds of
flags and banners were carried aloft, almost all of
which bore devices and mottoes, or while merely
announcing the name of the trade or community to
which they respectively belonged were so lavishly
ornamented by stencil and tinsel and spatula that
they failed not to add to the glittering attractions of
the display. The ensigns of the various trades were
among the most artistic, and numerous were the
banners belonging to various Yorkshire branches of
the National Reform Union. Arrived at the door
the flag bearers and musicians were ordered to the
rear of five platforms (waggons, having on them
piles of timber to increase the elevation) which were
placed on a line on low ground, and fronting to a
somewhat far stretching slope on which the com-
mittee of the League assert, and apparently with
truth, that at least 150,000 persons could find con-
venient standing room. Here it was evident that the
middle class were represented somewhat strongly. It
is no exaggeration to say that the whole concourse
which was assembled on the moor numbered little
less than 200,000 persons, but among these were
many beardless boys, helping to swell the ranks of
the more seriously disposed, and of working men's
I,7iTes there were not a few,who, like their husbands,
seene_‘,l proud to display green and white rosettes, or
orange cards (such as were distributed broadcast to
the children of Leeds a few days ago), on which were
printed "Manhood Suffrage and the Ballot." It was
quite evident that there were likewise very many
persons on the moor who cared little or nothing as
to what was going on, but neither from these nor
any other persons was there the least attempt at
obstruction or interruption to the proceedings.
At each of the platforms there was a chairman,
who had been chosen some time beforehand. These,
and the speakers assigned to each platform, who
had also been previously selected, were in their ap-
pointed places at nearly half-past 2 o'clock. A
flourish of trumpets was the signal for silence
on the part both of the bands and the multitude,
and then, after a few words of admonition with a
view to good order and respectful attention, simul-
taneously at all the five platforms, the first resolu-
tion was moved as follows
" That this meeting enters its solemn protest against, and
its denial of, the charges of venality, ignorance, drunken-
ness, and indifference to Reform, brought against the
working classes during the last Session of Parliament ; and
hereby pledges itself to advocate for the future registered
residential manhood suffrage and the ballot, as the only
just and proper basis of representation."
The speakers to this resolution were, at the first
platform—mover, Mr. Scotson, Leeds (TownCoun-
cillor) ; seconder, M
r. G. Potter, London. Second
platform—mover, Mr. Linsley (Town Councillor),
Leeds ; seconder, Rev. W. H. Bor,ner, London.
Third platform—Mr. E. Beales, London ; seconder,
Mr. Chadwick, Arksey. Fourth platform—mover,
Rev. H. Marley, Leeds ; seconder, Mr. Arnold,
Bradford. Fifth platform—mover, Mr. Ernest
Jones, Manchester ; seconder, Mr. W. Brown
(miners' agent), Hunslet.
Exa2tly at 3 o'clock this resolution was put to
the vote by the several chairmen, and in answer to
a trumpet call a show of hands took place in its

favour, which was oue of the most decided attesta-

tions of unanimity the most ardent and uncompro-
inising Manhood Suffrage devotee could possibly
have desired. The second resolution ran thus :

"That this meeting desires to acknowledge the services
of the Eight Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Mr. John Bright, Mr.
Jolm Stuart Mill, and all those who have supported the
people's claim and vindicated their character in Parlia-
ment; and further expresses its confidence in Mr. Juhn
Bright as the champion of the national cause in the House
of Commons."
It was proposed at the first platform by the Rev. H.
Watts, Stanningley, seconded by Mr. Snowden, a
working man, Halifax; second platform, mover, Mr.
C. Yewdale, Bramley ; seconder, Mr. J. Armitage,
Leeds; third platform, mover, Dr. Thornton, Dews-
bury; seconder, Rev. J. H. Morgan, Leeds; fourth
platform, mover, Rev. J. Myers, Harrogate; seconder,