The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-29 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

Manchester
meeting was held yesterday morning in the
Manchester Town-hall to consider the question of
parliamentary Reform. The Mayor (Mr. M.
Curtis) took the chair, having convened the meeting
41 compliance with an influential requisition.

Mr. R. N. PHILIPS moved the first resolution :--
"That in the opinion of this meeting an extension
of the suffrage, which will at least eonfer the fran-
thise on every male person who is rated for the relief
(If the poor, together with vote by ballot, a more
equitable distribution of seats, and shorter Parlia-
kents, is a necessary measure of reform."
Mr. BAZLEY, M.P., supported the motion, and
Itas warmly 'cheered. He wished that her Ma-
J.stfe Ministers and Liberal members of the
lllitonituaye of Commons, who were sceptical as to the
of reform, could have witnessed this large
meeting. They would have mutually exclaimed,
`re must set our house in order." (Cheers.) He
l!aatrit iii
denever for a moment doubted that there had been
the minds of the people a sincere desire
for a comprehensive, practical, and beneficial mea-
sure of reform. Because the people had not been
turbulent, but quiet and orderly, pursuing their
°Min
nary duties life, maintaining the social fabric
eg,„" integrity, adding lustre to the renown of their
I,,7,ntry, and doing honour to themselves, it had
It—„T of them that they were indifferent to reform,
"".,00ntent with things as they are. Before pro-
to the House of Commons for this session
k„ took publie and private opirrtnnities of making
I,n his opinion that a period of calm and con-
Roent ought to be taken advantage of for effect-
ing reform in the House of Commons. He had
toted for Mr. Locke King's motion, and should
it
extend
the member for Leeds in his proposal to
thethe franchise. (Cheers.) He believed that
e,.° trust reposed in the people had been beneficially
,-serelsed, and, for himself, he was perfectly pre-
•;ftred to be identified with them, believing that an
41ensicin of the franchise, a redistribution of seats,
,
3,, ajadicious amendment of their representation
iipld be accompanied by greater prosperity and
tlt'',44,faction in the country. Considering the diffi-
n't'es in the way of reform inside the House of
4.3-riltaens itself, he did not blame the Government
do as many of his Liberal friends were inclined_
kn. for the course that had been taken. The people
°f Commons
take more care to send members to the House
',commons who would really carry out large
oensures of reform, and act up to their professions
4 the hustings, but he did think her Majesty's
Platers had erred extremely when they stultified
Deform in the late speech from the Throne. No speech
4ught to have come from the Queen that did not
ielude the word "reform." (Hear, hear.) If the
ctli
evernment felt powerless in the matter, they might
have said, through the voice of the Sovereign, that
there were State reasons why reform could not be
Aroposed at that particular juncture, but that the
lovernment were pledged to it, and that at the ear-
liest possible opportunity reform would be conceded.
This declaration would have placed the Govern-
kent in a much better position, and given to the
people more encouragement to confide in them.
(Cheers.)
Mr. R. COOPER, on behalf of the working classes,
140 were unable to attend this meeting in any
tr.ecgth, owing to the inconvenient hour of assem-
tht,ng, wished to say that the prevalent feeling
tvong them was that they had been betrayed by
e very Government in whom they had been led
tallaee more confidence than in any since 1832.
rd X. Russell had been faithless to his cause and
tie' reputation. Had all the really Liberal mem-
-1.8 of the Government given in their resignations
qh Alen Lord Palmerston wished them to ignore this
ie-elliticon, he (Mr. Cooper) believed that indepen-
kollt, steps would have led to the retirement of the
44.,g treacherous Prime Minister of modern times,
iltig a Cabinet would have been formed that would
ee been equal to the wants of the country.
tk,9nd cheers.) A Tory Government might have
ter'Btrned for a time, but could not have lasted long,
apirToryism was utterly incompatible with the
of the present age. The great object of the
sent Premier,
ought now to be to get rid of their pre-
It rremier, whatever the consequences might be.
ben nonsense to be afraid of a Tory coming in
tgen we had a Tory in already. (Laughter.) He
neW of nothing more impudent and ungrateful
teethe plea that the people wanted no reform,
their best friends to rely on the solemn pledges of
eke Government, and therefore remained quiet and
sii_frp‘eercetnatntb.eca(unseear.) Were they to be called in-
they had trusted to the promises
_re. ' gentlemen ? " (Cheers.) Those who had de-
Z.!v. ed the people on this question—gentlemen so
I:Ted—were political blacklegs, who having got
I,'o power under false pretences now sought to
:_ea.ain there by trickery and subterfuge. Let it
!-9rth, then, to Europe that it was the demoral-
tetion of the higher classes, and not of the lower,
Cltsc't threatened this nation with disorder. (Loud
tlleers.) This talk about popular apathy was a mere
btscsak for treachery. It was no less sound in argu-
rat now thanat the time of the last election and
rfinutly, when so called Liberal members and can-
didates emphatically declared reform to be at that
e necessary and expedient because the people
pere so quiet. (Cheers.) Did the Government
sa,a,
"nt another Cato-street conspiracy, Peterloo mas-
Ve, Bristol and Birmingham riots, orNotting-
hamConflagration ? If so, let it be known that it
has our rulers, and not the people, who were insti-
"Lors to
111 physical force. (Cheers)
The resolution was passed unanimously.
Mr. Alderman HEYWOOD moved :
v:tb,(lilat, in the opinion of this meeting, her Majesty's Go-
snt, having taken office with a distinct pledge to
more comprehensive Reform Bill than that of Lord
4 bill .Government, is morally bound either to pass such
1, without delay or to re,ign."
Was Nvork;the greatest possible mistake to suppose that
they `ng men were indifferent on this question, but
and if certainly more rational than formerly,
Aare not admitted by the upper classes to a fair
obt of political power they would proceed to
th ai n it by means more deliberate and effectual
an those ref erred to by the last speaker. (Cheers.)
1:)r. WATTS seconded the motion.
tta.4ll,_fte! several other speeches, the motion was
' tn
ohl,,rede resoluti unanimously, as well as a petition founded
ona.