The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-10 00:00:00

THE GOVERNMENT 2 EFOR2I BILL.

[A portion of the following appeared in our impression of
yesterday :—]
A public meeting of the inhabitants of West-
minster was held yesterday at St, Martin's-hall,
Long-acre, for the purpose of adopting such mea-
sures as might be deemed expedient respecting the
Reform Bill proposed by the Government.
The hall was about half filled at the commence-
ment of the proceedings.
At one o'clock the chair was taken by T. Prout,
Esq. Amongst those present we observed Sir De
Lacy Evans, M.P. ; Sir John Shelley, M.P. ; D.
Nicoll, Esq., M.P., &c.
Letters of apology were received from Sir B.
Hall, Mr. Wyld, Mr. Byng, and several other
members of Parliament, who expressed their in-
ability to attend,, in consequence of the church rate
bill being under discussion in the House of Com-
mons.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said
he trusted the meeting would support him in the
performance of his duty. He thought the bill
brought forward by the Government on the subject
of reform was a hoax attempted to be palmed upon
the people, which would lead them into a labyrinth
of folly. (Cheers.)
Mr. POUNCEY, in moving the first resolution,
denounced in strong terms the Government bill, as by
one of its clauses it disfranchised no less than 10,000
of the 40s. freeholders. He condemned the bill, as
it contained no opening for the working classes—
(hear, hear)--and he deemed it his sacred and
solemn duty to oppose any measure that did not
admit the working man to the exercise of his
undoubted right, the franchise. (Hear, hear.) He
concluded by moving the following resolution :—'
" That this meeting considers the proposed measure of the
present Government for Parliamentary Reform utterly un-
worthy the acceptance of the people, as, by still excluding
the great body of the people from the, exercise of the fran-
chise, by perpetuating the gross inequalities of representa-
tion, by retaining the small, corrupt and nomination
boroughs, and by withholding the Ballot—the only security
against bribery and intimidation—it leaves the chief evils
and anomalies of the present system untouched."
Mr. ROBINSON, in seconding the resolution, said
he did so because he thought it would be acceptable
to the great majority of the people. He viewed
the Government measure as a trick, a sham, and an
attempt to impose upon the intellect of the people.
(Loud cheers.) The popular voice, in his opinion,
was decidedly opposed to the measure, as they had,
after waiting for years, determined to have a much
more comprehensive bill than that now put for-
ward. [A person in the body of the hall called out
" Bright's bill," which elicited cheers, hisses, and
cries of " No, no."] The Times had stated on a former
occasion that there was no need of reform, but that
journal was again turning round—(cheers)—it was
only watting until the people had pronounced, and
then it would be ready to advocate the necessity of
reform. (Hear, hear.) The bill of the Government
did not give the people the ballot. Now that cir-
cumstance alone was a great mistake, for without
it all extension of the franchise would be worse
than useless. He called upon the meeting to do all
that was possible to defeat the measure which had
so many omissions.
Mr. MANTLE then came forward, and, in a long
speech, said the bill was unworthy of the support
of the English people.
Mr. WHITEHURST (the Vice-President of the
Ballot Society) advocated the necessity of the
ballot forming a prominent part in any Reform
Bill that might be adopted. As it was not intro•
duced in the Government measure that bill ought
to be instantly rejected.
After a stormy discussion the resolution was
carried with the following addenda :--
" That this meeting is further of opinion that the only
legitimate basis of a'national reform is to be found in man-
hood suffrage, and that no bill will meet with the concur.
rence of the inhabitants of Westminster unless it contains
that vital element of reform."
Sir DE L. EVANS then came forward to address
the meeting, and was received with loud cheers.
He said in all his experience he never met with
such a sham and transparent humbug as the
Government Reform Bill, which it would be an act
of cruelty to treat with all the severity it deserved.
(Hear, hear.) But such a measure was to be ex-
pected, for it emanated from a party who never
had been very anxious about the question of re-
form. (Cheers.) It professed to be a Reform
Bill with an extension of the suffrage,
but instead of that it was an anti-reform bill, with
a diminution of the suffrage. (Cheers.) The great
principle of the bill was that it had no principle at
all. Instead of extending the franchise, it would
reduce the county constituency by two or three
hundred thousand, instead of increasing it, as it
ought to do by two or three millions.lThe Govern-
ment bill was technically the only measure before
Parliament ; but they had become acquainted with
the outline of another bill, and he should consider
it his duty to support in the House of Commons the
most liberal measure that was proposed there.
(Loud cheers.). He had tendered his support to
Mr. Bright, as he was perfectly ready to follow
him as a zealous soldier in the ranks of reform.
Manhood suffrage had been brought before them,
but he was not prepared to say that that was a com-
plete suffrage, because if so admitted he did not
see how it would be possible to withhold
from independent women the privilege of a vote.
(Laughter.) He was in favour of a large
extension of the suffrage, which he did not think
could be designated as a revolutionary step. (Hear,
hear.) There was another reason he had for ex-
tending the basis of the constitution, as there was
a military power lying alongside of us which was
preparing in a most suspicious manner, and it
behoved this country, when they saw such things
going on, to get their house in order. (Cheers.)
The gallant General then referred to the arrival of
Poerio and the other Neapolitan victims in Cork
harbour, and expressed an opinion that the people
should take some steps to show their sympathy with
them. He thought they could even now very well
give three hearty cheers for them. (The suggestion
was met with a very hearty response.)
Sir J. SHELLEY, M.P., said he thought that the
Government measure had been so thoroughly
smashed that he had little to say further than to
denounce it as an imposture, a sham, and a take in.
(Cheers.) It had been proposed to allow the bill to
go into committee, in order that some of the objec-
tionable parts of it might be amended, but imme-
diately after he had heard Mr. Disraeli's speech
he had determined to give his vote for preventing
its second reading. (Cheers.) The bill of the Go-
vernment had kept out the working classes; that was
one defect, and it kept out many respectable and
intelligent people from the franchise, which was
another; and a third was that, although it pro-
fessed to disfranchise a small number of boroughs,
it left many untouched that ought to have been
swept away. He objected to the proposed dis-
franchisement of freeholders in boroughs. The
effect of such a step would be that, in Westminster
alone, 1,387 persons would be disfranchised. The
public did not want any of these fancy franchises,
as proposed by the Government. (Cheers.) They
wanted something straightforward—(cheers)—
something they could understand. ;(Cheers.) The
proposition to enfranchise doctors, barristers, and
schoolmasters sounded well, but it was
nothing, as the classes upon whom the favour was
conferred already possessed the suffrage. (Hear,
hear.) A lawyer must indeed be a briefless bar-
rister who did not live in a £lO house, and the
medical man must be a doctor who had not a single
stomach to practise upon who had not got a vote
under the old system. (Laughter.) The bill dis-
franchised very largely, although it bad been said
it was one of enfranchisement. (Cheers.) Then,
with respect to the voting papers, it was a little
good to the sick and infirm, but it would
be of no use to the bone and sinew of
the country. (Cheers.) He did not fee how the
tenant could escape from his landlord by its adop-
tion at all—it was a case of sign and deliver, or else
out you go. The result 'would be that the land-
lords would keep all these letters signed, and then
their nominees would be certain of being returned
to Parliament. It had been said that if the Govern.
ment bill was thrown out it was intended there
should be a dissolution. He was not there to do
a little bit of canvassing—(laughter and cheers)—
but if such a thing was done, he would do his best
to obtain for the country a reform bill which would
be worthy of its support. (Cheers.)
Mr. GEESON moved the second resolution, as
follows :
`6 That the plan of Reform propounded by John Bright,
is worthy the support of this meeting ; more especially as
tho principles therein promulgated are those which the
Reformers of Westminster have advocated during the last
half century."
Mr. BIDGOOD had great pleasure in seconding it.
Mr. MANTLE reminded the meeting that they
had passed a resolution in favour of manhood
suffrage, and he thought it very injudicious to pro-
pose such a resolution. He moved, as an amend-
ment—" That in accordance with the Previous
resolution Mr. Bright be requested to make man-
hood suffrage the basis of his Reform Bill." (Loud
cheers.)
Mr. SEAWORTHY seconded the resolution.
The CIIAIRALAN put the amendment to the