The Sun.
London, England, 1868-09-28 00:00:00

REFORM ItIEE7ING AT TVIIV DSOR.

On Saturday a meeting of working men, which
had been extensively advertised for the last fort-
night, was held under somewhat exciting circum-
stances, in the Bachelors' Acre, Windsor. Several
delegates, including Mears. Cremer and 'Worley,
of the Reform League, came down from London to
assist at the meeting, which was intended, on the
one hand, as a sort of demonstration against the
policy of the present Government, and on the other
to encourage the return of Liberals to the new
Parliament. The Bachelors' Acre is a hollow plot
of ground several feet lower than Victoria-street,
which bounds it on one side, and the raised path-
ways around it. For the purposes of the meeting
and to serve as a platform for the speakers, a coal
waggon, lent for the occasion by Mr. Councillor
Chamberlain, had been placed in the centre of the
Acre, and upon this shortly before 6 o'clock in the
evening the orators took their stand, Mr. Rolfe, a
working man, acting as chairman. In the Acre and
near the waggon some hundreds of people congre-
gated to hear the speeches, which were delivered in
the midst of cheering, hooting, and hissing from
the mob.

Mr. CREMER in the course of his speech (which
was marked by constant interruptions) among other
subjects urged the establishment of Boards of Ar-
bitration between the employers and employed, so
that the constant warfare between capital and
labour might be put an end to, as the decisions of
the boards would be binding on both parties. The
law relating to masters and servants (the speaker
alluded to this in most condemnatory terms) re-
quired repealing. At present if a man left his em-
ployer with a view to better his condition and left a
portion of his work unfinished he was liable to be
committed to gaol for three months, while his only
remedy against his employer who had wronged him
was by civil process. Under this cruel act within
the last ten years 80,000 of their fellow workmen
had been madecrimivals. That was a remnant of a
barbarous past which he should like to see wiped
out of their statute-book, (Hear, hear, and loud
cheers.) He trusted there would be no divisions
among them, and that they would all unite to sup-
port the great Liberal party, who had given them
cheap bread and a cheap press. He hoped that on
the polling day they would come out—every man.
The people of Ireland who had so long suffered
under the oppression of an alien aristocracy were
looking to the working men of England for justice.

The people of England were just to a man. They
had asked the people of Ireland to wait till the
people of England had given their verdict, and
then, if it was not in their favour, to go their own
course. (Cheers and excitement.)
It was then proposed by Mr. W. MORRIS (mason),
seconded by J. WAKEFIELD (carpenter)," That this
meeting believes the existence of the Irish State
Church to be a great evil and a legalized injustice
to the people of Ireland ; that Mr. Gladstone's
policy with regard to it is sound and statesmanlike,
but that the present Government, by its shifting
and vacillating policy on this and all great ques-
tions of public welfare and progress, has forfeited
the confidence of Parliament and the nation, and
ought, therefore, to be no longer tolerated."
This was carried amid much excitement.
It was also moved by Mr. J. BAILEY, mason, and
seconded by Mr. G. llAlrocx, tailor, " That this
meeting pledges itself to use all honour able and
lawful means to secure the election of Mr. Roger
Eykn, as a thorough and consistent Liberal, to re-
present the borough of New Windsor in the next
Parliament."
This resolution was also assented to by those near
the waggon.
About this time Colonel Richardson Gardner,
the chosen candidate of the Conservative portion of
the constituency, who is now residing in the clois-
ters at Windsor Castle, and who had strolled out of
curiosity into the Acre, was observed by the roughs
of whom there was a large sprinkling in the crowd
which occupied the middle of the Acre. Their at-
tention was directed to the Colonel by a cry of
" Colonel Gardner for ever !" Some 150 to 200
roughs then made a rush at him evidently with the
intention of severely maltreating him. Although
he was at first somewhat surprised at this sudden
and unexpected onslaught, he took the matter
calmly, and gracefully retired, lifting his hat re-
peatedly to the mob, who struck at and at-
tempted to throw him by seizing his legs. lie never
turned his back to his cowardly assailants, who but
for his presence of mind would have doubtless
trampled him under foot. He retired slowly up the
grass slop rising from the bottom of the acre to the
roadway of Victoria-street, and across it to the
house of Mr. Beall ; he entered the wicket of the
small front garden separated from the footway by
a slender iron railing. The latter held the mob at
bay. The scene lasted about five minutes, during
which the roughs never ceased striking at, thrust-
ing, and pushing the gallant colonel. Standing
within the little enclosure, the colonel again bowed
to the mob, who now as suddenly, appreciating his
courage, cheered him as they crowded round the
house. In the meantime Mr. Chief Superintendent
Davis, of the Windsor borough force, who had been
informed of the commotion, promptly sent a file of
police to the spot, but as the disturbance had sub-
sided the men returned to the station.
Baulked of their intended prey, the roughs went
back to the Acre, where the speaking, which had
been interrupted by the outrage upon Col. Gardner
was still going on. Darkness had set in and candles
were held around the orators. The chairman, who
was provided with a book for the purpose of regis-
tering the names of voters, invited those present
who were desirous of supporting Mr. Eykyn to
enrol their names upon the spot. There was
only one response to this invitation—that of Mr.
Scott, of 25, Prince Consort's Model Cottages, who
desired the chairman to record his name amid the
cheers of the crowd. Cheers for the "great Liberal
party" and the Queen were then given, and the
National Anthem was sung. Towards the close of
the proceedings, Mr. Cremer, referring to the con-
, duct of the crowd, said that only one mistake had
been committed, and that was the exhibition of
brute force which had been made. lie regretted
this very much. They might have kept Colonel
Richardson Gardner among them and compelled
him to hear the truth, which he could not learn in
gilded saloons. (Hear, hear.)
A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the
meeting to a close.

TILE PRINCE OF 1% ALES.—By a telegram received
yesterday from Dunrobin Castle we are requested to con-
tradict the report that the Prince of Wales had been shot
or hurt. There is not the slightest foundation for the
rumour ; all are wcll.

THE DRY WEATHER.—At the Worcester match
on Wednesday last, which was held on the farm of H.
Allsopp, Esq., Hindlip Hall, the ground was so hard that
in the All-England Class only one plough (Messrs. Ran-
some and Sims) was able to face the work and get through
the allotted piece. These ploughs were also successful
during the same week in winning the All-England prizes
at Abingdon, Elomsthorpe, and Benington, as well as the
farmers son's prizes at the last two mentioned placer.