The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-30 00:00:00

The Reform Bill.

NOISY MEETING AT SALFORD.
On Wednesday a meeting was held in the Salford
Town Hall, convened by the Mayor, in compliance
with a public requisition, " to consider the propriety
of supporting the measure of Parliamentary Reform
brought forward by her Majesty's Government."
The Mayor (Wright Turner, Esq.) presided.
The CHAIRMAN said that as Mayor he had no
politics, and he should confine himself to conduct-
ing the business of the meeting.
Arr. J. B. FODEN read letters apologising for the
absence of several gentlemen whom the promoters
of the meeting expected to be present, among the
number being one from Mr. T. B. Potter, M.P.
Mr. 0. Heywood had verbally expressed his regret
that his health would not permit him to be present,
but he sympathised with the policy of the Govern-

ment.
Mr. Alderman POCHIN proposed, " That after the
repeated delays and disappointments to which the
country has been subjected, this meeting desires to
express its satisfaction that the Government is now
resolved to deal seriously with the question of Par-
liamentary reform." Re said that all parties were
pledged to a measure of reform, and the country
and the circumstances of the times demanded a large
extension of political power• Though the bill pro-
posed by Government did not go so far as he per-
sonally would have liked, he considered it an honest
measure, and worthy of their support. He was not
desirous of giving the franchise to those who had it
not at the cost of swamping those who possessed it.
(Hear, hear.) Ile strongly advocated the re-dis-
tribution of seats, to which he considered the Go-
vernment were now fully committed.
Mr. HENRY RAWSON seconded the proposition.
He said that the question had been too much tam-

pered with ; it had been a question of party politi-
cians for 15 years. Previous reform measures had
been tampered with, and they in Salford were to
some extent responsible, and there were even yet a
number of members in Parliament who had made
professions such as those made by the gentleman
who once sat as their borough member. (Applause.)

He spoke of Mr. Lowe and his lot, who, forgetting
that they once expressed opinions identical with
those gentlemen who promoted the present mea-
sure, but who, now that they had left the Treasury
benches, discovered that their opinions were wrong,
and they therefore stood forth as opponents of the
bill. He denied that there was any force in the
arguments deduced against working men from their
conduct of trade's unions, for he believed that the
interests of capital and labour were the same, and
that anything but peace and unity would be detri-
mental to the benefit of the working classes.
Mr. J. WAINWRIGHT supported the motion. He
expressed his surprise that Mr. Pochin should have
said anything about " swamping" the m iddle-
classes, any fear of which he considered to be
most absurd. (Laughter and applause.) He con-

sidered the bill a middle-class bill, but if it was
carried Government would gain great power, and
should the working classes succeed in getting their
head and shoulders into the house they would soon
be in altogether. (Applause.)
M. S. HEELIS rose to address the meeting. He
was received with much interruption, but he an-
nounced that he had but recently dined, and he was
quite prepared to remain in the room till 3 o'clock
next morning.
The CHAIRMAN appealed for a hearing for Mr.
Heelis, and, the noise having lulled to a compara-
tive calm,
Mr. HEELIS said that if he had desired to have a
speech upon his view of the question, he could not
have wished for one in stronger terms than those of
the last speaker. The position to which his prin-
ciples led was unmistakeable, for he said, " Give us
this measure, and we will have a great deal more."