The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-08 00:00:00

LAMBETH.

Last evening a very large meeting of the inhabi-
tants of Lambeth was held at Wilcoeke's AF.aembly
Rooms, Westminster-bridge-road, for the purpose
of taking into consideration the question of man-
hood suffrage. J. P. Murrough, Esq., was called
to the chair.

Mr. W. WILLIAMS said if a bill came into the
house in favour of manhood suffrage it should have
his cordial support. (Cheers.) The bill now
brought forward had been erroneonsly called a
Reform Bill, but it was not one at all, and he had
made up his mind to oppose it from beginning to
end. (Cheers.)
Mr. W. ROUPELL then addressed the assembly,
and said, as he was borne to the hustings on the
shoulders of the working classes, it would be a
dereliction of his duty if he failed to complain
of the bill which excluded them from the fran-
chise. He . felt assured that no portion of the
British constitution would suffer from reliance
on the • people. He concluded by declaring his
uncompromising advocacy of the complete en-
franchisement of the working classes of the king-
dom. Both hon. members then left the meeting to
go fhe house, amidst loud cheering.
Mr. ERNEST JONES moved, " That in the opinion
of this meeting any measure of reform with a less
extension of the franchise than registered manhood
suffrage would be unsatisfactory to the people gene-
rally, and a great injustice to all those who would
be excluded."

Mr. M. CULVERWELL seconded the resolution,
which was carried unanimously amidst tremendous
'cheering.

The petition embracing manhood suffrage, ballot,
&c., having been adopted, the: proceedings ter-
minated.

CHELSEA.
Last evening a public meeting was held at the
Oakley Rooms, Manor-street, Chelsea, to consider
the steps necessary to be taken to press on the
Government the claims of Chelsea to enfranchise-
ment, their present Reform Bill omitting all men-
tion of that district.

The chair was taken by Mr. T. M'CULLAGH,
who, in opening the proceedings, stated the object
of the meeting, and observed that they must either
abandon their claims or adopt measures to press
their claims on Parliament while yet there was
time. After alluding to their good fortune in
having on the platform their two valuable county
members, Mr. Byng and Mr. Hanbury, he con-
cluded by saying that the resolutions which would
be ;submitted to them were so moderate that they
commended themselves to their recommendation.
Mr. ARCHBUTT moved the first resolution :
"That in the opinion of this meeting the Govern-
ment Reform Bill now before the House of Com-
mons, without on this occasion entering into any
other grounds of objection, is defective, on the dis-
tinct ground that it proposes to enfranchise many
places far inferior in all respects to Chelsea, and yet
leaves Chelsea as at present virtually unrepresented ;
and this meeting does not consider that the division
of Middlesex into two districts (of one of which
Chelsea forms part) and the giving two members to
each district, thereby increasing the county
representation, even though accompanied by the
lowering of the county franchise to the same basis
as that of the boroughs,is by any means an adequate
or satisfactory compensation for withholding dis-
tinct representatives from Chelsea." __ _ _

This resolution having been seconded by Mr
RABBITS,

Mr. R. HANBURY, kill., M.P., addressed the
meeting. He said that, looking at the wealth,
population, and intelligence of Chelsea, he candidly
confessed that he thought it ought to be represented,
and they might trust in his doing his utmost to
further their claims in his place in Parliament.
Mr. BARTLETT then moved an amendment, to
the effect that the enfranchisement of Chelsea as
proposed would not be attended with any national
and local advantages, which could only be attained
by the institution of equal electoral districts.
The amendment was seconded and supported by
two working men, and then negatived by a very
largo majority, after which the original resolution
was carried unanimously.
It was next agreed that a communication on the
enfranchisement of Chelsea should be addressed to
the House of Commons, and the committee be em-
powered to wait on the Government on the subject.
The Hon. Mr. BYNG, M.P., spoke to the meeting
on the first resolution, and expressed a strong
desire to see Chelsea become a metropolitan borough.
After the meeting, a Reform Association was
formed for Chelsea, and upwards of forty names
were at once enrolled.