The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-06-14 00:00:00

MEETING OF REFORMERS.

At a Meeting of the General Committee of the Tradesmen's
Reform Association, held at the office in Clayton-square,
on the 27th of May, 1839.
JOSHUA WALMSLEY, Esq., in the chair,
The report was read by the honorary secretary, Mr. H. T.
Atkinson :

It is deemed advisable thus early to furnish you with an
epitome of the treasurer's half-yearly accounts, ending the
26th instant, from which it appears the members' subscrip-
tions amount to £932 10s. Gd. on the crenit side ' • the ex-
penses, including gratuities, amount to £929 Bs.' leaving a
balance in the hands the treasurer of £3 2s. Gd. The num-
ber of members last year was 1443, at present they are only
932. This statement, when contrasted with the annual re-
port of November last, will, it is hoped, stimulate to bolder
and more extended exertion. The resources of this powerful
body have been drawn out by Colonel Williams' suggestions
(as the mouthpiece of the Melbourne administration) in get-
ting up three petitions to the commons together with one on
the corn laws, in sending delegates to London, although de-
prived of a hearing by the shuffling of ministers, yet, upon
the whole, it has been an advantage, by keeping alive agitation
in the country, and the question must come before the house
with greater weight early next season.
The political department will, for the future, be conducted
by Mr. Atkinson and assistant, in an office in India-buildings.
By this regulation the correspondence will be kept secret', the
testimonials scrutinized, fitness considered, and the patron-
age distributed, not only in the church, but in the excise,
customs, docks and corporation, among our immediate friends.
The board, as now. constituted, consists of Robert Ellison
Harvey, Esq., William Rathbone, Esq., and Joshua Walrus-
ley, Esq.
The address to the Queen, expressing satisfaction and ad-
miration of the firm and spirited manner in which she has re-
sisted an attempt to deprive her of her free choice of her fe-
male domestics, friends and attendants in her household, has
been seized upon as a rallying point. Had . the tories suc-
ceeded, this association could not have existed twelve months.

The success of Mr. Ewart's election may be mainly attri-
buted to this association, who were induced to send tried can-
vassers to join and assist the committee and canvassers of
Wigan, for which a small sum was voted by the Finance Com-
mittee to defray expenses. The collectors are instructed to
use due diligence, by calling upon those who are lukewarm
the cause, and to press upon them the necessity of doubling
their subscriptions, as the fund is nearly exhausted.
The Reform Association have agreed to support by sub-
scription Lord Nugent, who is considered a fit and proper
person to oppose Mr. Cresswell at the next election. As
many of the members will be seen in the course of getting up
the requisition, it will be well to direct their views to the con-
solidation of the association.

This association declare they own no temple but the sanc-
tuary of the laws, no god but liberty, no gospel but the con-
stitution, and to give to the people a degree of consequence
they never possessed amidst the boasted freedom of Greece
and Rome, by reducing labour to the lowest rate, by con-
tracting the circulation, by rescinding the corn lam, by pro-
viding no means to pay the national interest, by trammelling
the state machine, by loading the pension list with favourites,
and by increasing throughout the country agitation. All this
must be done to keep the Melbourne or Roman catholiC ad-
ministration a little longer.

The Tradesmen's Reform Association in Account current
with the Treasurer, from the 27th November, 1838, to the
27th May, 1839.

1839. DEBTOR. X s. d.
April 4. To Cash paid H. T. Atkinson, Political
Secretary
To Cash paid George Ashburner, Clerk 5O 0 0
May 27. To Cash paid J. Townsend, two months'
Salary as Secretary, at £2OO per annum 33 6 8
To Cash paid J. Geddes, Clerk
To Cash paid T. Bond, Registrar
To Cash paid R. Davies, do.
To Cash paid C. Ranson, do.
To Cash paid J. Hartley, do.
To Cash paid J. Hartley. Objector 2O 0 0
To Cash paid J. S. Phillips, Messenger 25 0 0
To Cash paid Delegates to London on the
Corn question lOO 0 0
To Cash paid Canvassers on the Wigan
Election
To Cash paid Chairman of the Chartists
and Non-Electors
To Cash paid Expenses on Universal Suf-
frage Petition ....
To Cash paid Expenses on Memorial Edu-
cation Petition 32 8 6
To Cash paid Expensei on Vote by Ballot
Petition l9 15 6
To Cash paid Expenses on Petition to the
Queen to retain the Ministers
To Cash paid John May, Law Expenses 7 10 0
To Cash paid for Rent and Gas
To Cash paid J. G. Snowball, Solicitor 5O 0 0
To Cash paid for Books and Stationery,
Advertising, Printing, &c. &c. . 208 16 0
To Balance