The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-07-27 00:00:00

PUBLIC MEETING OF FREEMEN.

A very numerously-attended public meetint, of freemen,
and other persons entitled to their freedom, of the borough
of Liverpool was held on 'Wednesday night in the Car-
penters'-ooms, Bond-street, Mr -Robert Brew in the chair.
Mr. JACKSON, in reference to the object of the meeting,
which had been briefly introduced by the chairman, said that
it was pretty well known that at the present time freemen,
or those entitled to the freedom of the borough, could not
exercise their franchise until they had paid the sum of £2 as
an admission fee. Although this was not, perhaps, an ex-
orbitant amount, yet when their parliamentary privileges
were shared in common with the rated £lO householders,
and their local right of voting had been taken entirely from
them, it did not appear to be unreasonable that the charge
should be reduced. It was probably also known that an act
had lately passed the legislature by which the stamp duty
now paid on admission to the freedom of corporations in
England was abolished, and for this there was great reason
to thank those who had shown that they were still the friends
of the much calumniated freemen, in spite of the stigmas
that had been cast upon them by those who would rob them
of theirirights, and ride over them to power. If this liberality
could be exercised by the legislature, it was but reasonable
to expect that a council professedly liberal should abrogate
the payment of those fees by which the lower classes of the
freemen were prevented participating in the advantages
derived by the rich. This was a point that did not require
much logic in its enforcement, but was plain to every man,
and he was sure that all would agree that a petition to the
council to abolish those fees was most desirable. It would
especially come with a good grace froth them, and the town
council might yield with less reluctance at the present time,
inasmuch as it was no new doctrine that had been started,
but was an act for which they had the exathAtp of the legis-
lature to back them, and for the perfortnan' of which they
would have the gratitude of the petitioners. He then read
the following clause from the act to which he had alluded,
and the words of which, he remarked, were so emphatic, that
he did not see how the town-council could avoid compliance:
" Whereas the right and privilege of the freemen of the
cities and boroughs in. England, who have acquired their
freedom by birth or servitude, to vote for members to serve
in parliament, have been confirmed by divers statutes; it is
expedient that all impediments to the admission of persops
entitled to the freedom of corporations should be removed,
and that the stamp-duty payable on such admission should
be abolished: be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most
excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of
the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this pre-
sent parliament assembled, and by the,authority of the same,
that after the passing of this act no stamp duty shall be
chargeable on the admission of any person entitled to take
up his freedom by birth or servitude in any city or borough
in England returning a member or members to serve in par-
liament."

Now, he contended, that as the fees for admission having
still to be paid by the sons of those men who had faithfully
served their apprenticeship to their masters was a restriction,
and that it went directly against the spirit and the words of
the act of parliament, which distinctly specified that all re-
st! ictions should be removed, he hoped that the council
would, on the first application, concede this boon; if they
refused, the freemen would, at all events, be enabled the
better to distinguish their friends from their enemies. He
wished them to give to the freemen only that which was their
right, and if it were denied them, he would leave them to
judge who were their friends and who were their foes. He
then moved the adoption of the following petition, and begged
to state, that in point of order it would be necessary to trans-
mit it to the mayor; and as that gentleman had shown a
disposition to benefit all classes since he had been in office—
rendering unto Caesar his due—he hoped that his worship
would lose no time in exercising his privilege by laying it
on the council table:—

r" To the worshipful the Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Coun-
- oilmen of the i.orough of Liverpool.
"Gentlemen,—We,tbe undersigned burg,esses,and sons and
apprentices of burgesses, interested in the freedom of this
borough, beg respectfully to submit the following statements
to your consideration. '['he reasonableness of .our petition
will, we feel disposed to hope, ensure its favourable reception,
and procure your ready compliance with its prayer:
"Prior to the passing of the reform act, the parliamentary
franchise was exchlsively vested in your petitioners—in some
by actual possession, in others by inchoate right--and, until
the municipal reform bill came into operation, they, also pos-
sessed the power of electing the chief magistrate, 8:c. .
" Whenever a freeman had established his claim for admis-
sion, the sum of two pounds was demanded fur expenses and
fees, before he was allowed to exercise his vote. Of this sum
one pound was paid for the required government stamp, two
shillings were given as a fee to the sergeant-at-mace, one
shilling to the water-bailiff, and seventeen shillings to the
town-clerk.
"Upon the passing of the reform bill, the right of voting
was extended to all the inhabitants paying taxes upon a house
rated at ten pounds per annum, whilst uponthe municipal
reform bill becoming a law, your petitioners had their local
right of voting entirely taken from them, and transferred to
the rate-payers. The registration fee paid by a householder
is only one shilling per annum.
" Your memorialists, therefore, pray that, as the legislature
of the country has now considerably taken off the stamp duty,
in consequence of the altered circumstances in which the
freemen are placed, you will also be pleased to direct the re-
' peal of those fees which were formerly applied to remunerate
officers now paid out of the funds belonging to the corporate
estate.

" In thus seconding the kind intentions of the houses of
parliament towards the freemen, you will exercise an act of
justice, for which, as in duty bound, your petitioners will ever
pray, &c."

Air. JACKSON said he would detain the meeting with one or
two more observations. If the town-clerk and the other offi-
cers were now paid as formerly, viz., out of the fees received
from apprentices for enrolment, it might be asking too much
to request him to give them up; but as the council had taken
the pay into their own hands, and the officers were not now
remunerated from these fees, the freemen were asking only
for participation in their own proper estate, and it therefore
appeared to be the more reasonable that the humbler classes
should ask for those advantages which they could not obtain
unless they were backed by the more able. (Cheers.)
Mr. SHARP seconded the motion.
Mr. ALLAN deprecated the petitioning those for rights
whom they knew to be their enemies, and moved an amend-
ment to that effect.
The amendment was not seconded, and fell to the ground.
The original resolution was carried with three times three
tremendous cheers, and only one:dissentient.
Mr. BRADSHAW said it had formerly been their right to
have what they now wanted to be granted by petition. He
expatiated upon the hardship of people being obliged to rob
their wives and families of money, to pay for a privilege
which belonged to them. It was their light, and they would
have it. He strongly condemned the reform act, and moved
"That the mayor be requested to lay the memorial before
the council, at their next meeting, and to support its prayer."
Mr. HARRIS seconded the motion.
Mr. JACKSON intimated that if the memorial were to be
sent to any member of the town-council for presentation, it
could not be in tune for the next registration, but the mayor
had the privilege of laying it on the table immediately. With
the common council a month's notice was requisite.
Mr. THOMPSON said, that when he first saw the placard on
the walls, he was afraid they were going to be again em-
broiled in electioneering turmoil. Since, however, he had
been in the room he found that they were engaged in one
common object, and that therefore they were sure to succeed.
However just it may be to say that they were entitled to
their privileges as freemen, yet it must be admitted that a
great change had taken place, and that they were bound to
obey the law. He would appeal to the good sense of the
meeting whether it would not be more to their interest for
them to go respectfully to the council with their claim than
with any demand, now that the council had the power in
their hands. He would suggest that a copy of their address
should be placed in the hands of every councillor, and
thought, with a former speaker, that as the reformed parlia-
ment had seen the justice of taking off the stamp duty on the
admission of freemen, surely a liberal, enlightened, and re-
formed council could not do better than follow the example,
and take off the fees. He moved—
" That a copy of the memorial be also forwarded to each
member of the town-council, with a request to support its
prayer."

An apologist of the corporation, whose name we did not
learn, and who spoke from the body of the room, remarked
on the contradictory nature of the speeches compared with
the resolutions. • He approved of the petition, but not of the
language of those by whom the motions had been made.
(Hear,)
Mr. OLIVER came forward, and said that lie had been the
person who licld up a hand against sending a petition to the
Town-council, though..ho would have supported a strong re-
monstrance. He thought thQ freemen bad neglected their
Own interests. When the municipal corporation bill was
brought before parliament, they ought to have shown that, if
'it were passed, a principle would be laid down that would de-
prive many persons of their rights. He was free before, that
act was sanctioned by the legislature, and now his son had to
go to the council, who were anxious to get rid of the cursed
and debased freemen, to ask them to remit what they had no
right to claim. He had examined many charters, and found
it in none of thetn. If the claim was based upon a bye-law,
then arose the question, was that bye-law sanctioned and
approved by a common-hall ?If it was not so adopted, he
had the authority of two juries at Lancaster that such a law
was not binding. If the claim was not legal, he did not think
that the meeting would succeed by praying to the Town-coon-
cil. They might make the experiment, but he believed the
prayer would never be granted, though after another election,
if the boon were now refused, and honest. men were got in,
they might have some chance. lie inquired whether it was
intended to have another meeting to consider their present
and former conduct if the council refused their application ?
A person observed that the meeting could expect nothing
but a refusal from the council for stigmatising them as dis-
honest men.

Mr. OLIVER replied that if they were present he would say
a great deal more of them, and would bear out his expressions
by facts. _

Several voices exclaimed that they had no right to appeal
to them.
The motion was seconded and carried.
Mr. JACKSON then moved, and Mr. BRADSHAW seconded,
with high compliments, a vote of thanks to the chairman, and
the meeting separated..