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

FINSBURY.

Last evening a very crowded meeting was held at
Myddelton-hall, Islington, presided over by Mr. C.
Gilpin, M.P., to consider the Government Reform
Bill. On the platform were Mr. Alderman Lusk
and Mr. Torrens, the members for the borough, and
many of the leading gentlemen of the different
localities, as Mr. Holborn, Mr. Samuel Smith, Mr.
Owen (of the Poor-law Board), and Mr. Hanson.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, sai▪ d
i
that though he would by no means be disposed ▪ n
the matter of Reform to "rest and be thankful, '
even if the bill proposed by Government were car-
ried, he did not hesitate to say that the duty of Re-
formers of every grade was to joy heart and hand

to carry the second reading of this measure. (Cheers.)
He was bound to say that the bill did not, at the
outset, create in his mind any great enthusiasm ;
and this when he heard the most eloquent man of
this country, Mr. Gladstone, expound its principles ;
but when Mr. Gladstone announced that the Go-
vernment would stand or fall by the measure he came
to the conclusion that the Government meant busi-
ness, and that it was his duty to support the bill.
And prima facie the bill had great claims to sup-
port. When the reformers, represented by Earl
Russell, Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Bright, were found
banded together in the advocacy of this bill, there
was every reason for every effort to be made to
support a measure which he believed to be the honest
measure of an honest man representing an honest
Government. (Cheers.) He could not rest, however,
with a bill which left one voter in a place like Caine
equal to about 50 voters in the Tower Hamlets and
30 or 40 in Finsbury. He concluded, amid loud
cheers, by
measure
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—“That this meeting desires to express its cordial
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Wales by increasing the number of electors, and
fully relies upon the promise of the Right Hon. the
Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce another
measure to effect a mlistribution of seats„Bo, that_
the interests of all classes of society may be fairly
represented in the House of Commons." In the
course of the speech which the mover made be
greatly praised those public men who had shown
themselves in favour of the measure, and strongly
blamed those who had expressed different opinions.
The Rev. Dr. Massie seconded, and the Rev. M.
Wilks spoke in support of, the resolution.
The resolution was about tobeput from the chair,
when a working man, who gave the name of Ben-
yon, claimed the right to speak, and was allowed a
hearing. At first there was a disposition to hiss him,
but on addressing the meeting as the representative
of a working man's club he was listened to at first
in silence. On showin, however, that the views of
the members of his club were in accord with those of
the meeting—in favour of the bill—he was warmly
applauded.

The resolution was then put and carried unani-
mously.
Mr. BARNARD moved the second resolution, to
the effect that a petition should bepresented, through
the borough members, to the House of Commons,
in favour of the Ministerial bill.
Mr. S. ALLEN seconded the motion.

Mr. TORRENS, the senior member for the borough,
was then called upon to address the meeting, and on
coming forward was received with loud and long-
continued applause. Holding forth a copy of the
Franchise Bill, he said the measure was a small on%
as they might see. He wished it was bigger, but
small as it was it was good—(cheers)—and from
what he had heard at that meeting, he did not think
that his valued friend and colleague, Mr. Alderman
Lusk—(cheers)—and he would be doing very far
wrong in voting for the enfranchisement of 400,000
additional voters for Finsbury. (Cheers.) He ex-
pressed his great pleasure that the members for
metropolitan boroughs had not in blind haste given
a hurried expression on this measure, but had, as
representatives of large bodies of the public, taken
time to think, and, having thought, had determined
to support the measure. (Cheers.) He was sorry it
was not a general bill for the United Kingdom, for
he thought that these partial measures tended to
alienate the different parts of the empire, and there
was no good reason why the three parts of the king-
dom should not be provided for together, and the
empire made to throb as one great heart. (Hear.)
He regretted that this measure was not more com-
prehensive. (Hear, hear.) If he had had the draw-
ing of Wire should have put the 'county qualifica-
tion at £lO, and if he voted for the £l4 it was not
because he had gone back since he voted for Mr.
Locke King's measure. (Hear, hear.) With regard
to the noble lords and the many more hon. gentle-
men who desired to maintain the exclusion of class
from class, he could speak their fault in one sen-
tence—" They know not what they do." (Cheers.)
It was said the middle classes were against the
measure ; but the meetings held throughout the
country showed the contrary ; and the members who
would go into the lobby in favour of the bill would
not go there if there was the faintest suspicion that
the middle classes were hostile to it. (Cheers.)
Much had been said about the working classes not
petitioning the house for Reform before this mea-
sure was proposed, but that was owing to the
fact that past Parliaments had quenched the faith
of the people, and with true dignity they stood aloof
and refused to be trifled with. (Cheers.) But the
proposal of this measure had breathed fresh life
into the people, and they had come forward to
petition in an orderly manner. (Hear.) He then
went on to speak of the several clauses of the bill,
with some of which he said he dissented, as the sav-
ings-bank clause, the registration of lodgers, and the
disfranchisement of dockyard voters, and concluded,
amid loud cheers, by expressing his determination
to vote for the bill.

Mr. Alderman Lusx, M.P., who was also most
cordially received, addressed the meeting, and de-
clared his intention to vote for the bill through thick
and thin.

The motion was carried by acclamation, and after
other resolutions had been moved, the proceedings
terminated with a vote of thanks to the hon. mem-
ber for presiding.