The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-20 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REFORM UNION.

CONFERENCE IN MANCHESTER.

Yesterday a conference of the members and friends
of the National Reform Union was held in the Man-
chester Town-hall ; Mr. George Wilson presiding.
The large room of the hall was quite filled with the
attendance of delegates appointed by meetings of
the various branch associations all over the country,
most of whom have been reported from time to time
during the past six weeks. The assemblage in-
cluded Mr. Forster, M.P., Mr. Baines, M.P., Mr.
T. B. Potter, M.P., and Mr. W. Lawson.
The proceedings commenced at half-past 11.
The CiiniumAN, in opening the business of the
conference, referred to the circumstances under which
they were met, and to the individual objects of the
meeting. The bill of last session failed, and another
Government was installed in the place of the Reform
Administration, and in all probability, if they were
defeated as the late Government was, they would ap-
peal to the country. Now, he knew a great meeting of
Reformers who thought at one time that it would have
been much better if the late Administration had ap-
pealed for itself. (Hear.) But he was not quite sure,
looking at the great gain which had taken place to
the Reform cause since that opportunity was afforded,
that they had not rather gained than lost by the
change which took place. What course should they
take now ? He would observe that they stood in a
much stronger position than the reform question
had held for the last 30 years. Formerly, within
the last year or two, the only organised association
in the country which was doing effectual service,
and which was the product of many conferences,
was that association. He was now glad to see
another and a powerful association in the field,
working, it might be, with different objects, but
working honestly in the same direction. (Hear,
hear.) Other associations were being formed in
almost every district in the country ; and the daily
press at this time was fuller with able articles on the
subject than ever he recollected during the whole
history of the reform agitation. He must say that
of all the powerful engines at work for the success
of this cause, there were none greater than those
which were in the hands of those very able editors
who were doing the work of the reform associations
from day to day. (Hear.) Their strength lay in
this fact, that out of 29 millions of population, by
the most forced construction of the representation,
not five millions were represented either directly or
indirectly through those who were their relations.
Twenty-three millions and a half were as much ex-
cluded from all participation in the election of
members of Parliament as if they lived in Nova
Scotia or Australia. The dstribution of political
power was equally unfair. 160,000 or 170,000
voters returned one-half of the House of Commons.
In these two facts lay their strength. Let them
work together with one will during the coming win-
ter, so that when the demand was made upon them
during the next session of Parliament for support
they would be able to say that the great measure of
William IV. should be eclipsed by a greater one
passed in the reign of Victoria. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. R. KELL, of Bradford, moved the first reso-
lution :—" That, regarding the combination by
which the Government Reform Bill was defeated
in the last session of Parliament as factious,
and as especially dishonourable to a section
of the House of Commons who profess to be of
the Liberal party, this conference calls upon all
friends of reform to do what they can, by every law-
ful means, to prevent the tactics of this faction
from being repeated with success." He thought it
undesirable that long speeches should be made at a
business conference, and he would content himself
by observing that he thought the opposition to the
late Reform Bill in the House of Commons
was amongst the most dishonest oppositions that

ever characterised that house. For this reason—
that there had scarcely been any public utterance on
this question from either Tory, Whig, or Radical,
which had not conceded the fact that some extension
of the franchise was desirable. Mr. Lowe was the
only man in the House of Commons who stood up
and directly told the country that it would be an
evil and a wrong to consent to a extension of the
franchise. But from the way in which his remarks
were received by the whole Conservative party, and
not a few professing Liberals, it was perfectly right
and fair to say that the opposition to the bill was
entirely dishonest. (Hear, hear.) lie remembered
that during the debates Mr. Horsman asked where
he and his friend could sit. They were not at home
on the Liberal side, and they were not prepared, it
seemed, to sit on the Tory side. He (Mr. Kell) had
had the advantage of going to America. In that
country they were in the habit of holding camp
meetings, and besides the rostrum for the speakers
there was a bench for anxious inquirers, more espe-
cially for backsliders. (Laughter.) This particular
seat was called "'the anxious bench," and he thought
if the question turned up again next session a seat
on a similar plan might be set apart for Mr. Hors-
man and his friends.
Mr. R. JOHNSON, of Manchester, briefly seconded