The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-11-17

C,ir,sJ1i.i, nee Of the IARaidphin THqt;nfr.
LONDON, Oct. 20, 1866.
THE ENGLISH REFORM MOVEMENT.
Two matters have absorbed the attention
of the British public this week. The season
of Social Science and Church Congresses
has ended, but the great Reform movement
is still in progress. The event Of the week
has been the grand meeting ut Glasgow, q
fitting innate, if it be such, to the series com
mencing in London and working n0rthward
until the steady people OF Scotland have IN
turn shown to the Government that they are
no longer satisfied with the existing state oi
things. You will recollcct lhat one great
plea of the opposers to the Reform DIlI OF
last session was that the middle classes ana
the workiugmcn of the nation took no
interest in the question Of reform, ana were
not ut all anxious for an extension OF the
suffrage. This assertion was probably found
ed on the fact that there had been II" open
demonstration on the part of the advocates
of Reform. who had been working quietly,
trusting to the effect Of their silent labOrS
upon the general intelligence of the country.
The gauntlet thus thrown down was promptly
accepted, and now the Opposition tnd that
they have unwittingly evoked a spirit which.
unlike the "Old Man Of the Sea, will MOI
again be coaXcd or cOerccd into the con
fnement from which it has been liberated.
The people were told that they did not wish
reform. Their practical answer is to respond
to the call of theit leaders, and assemble III
masses requiring no fewer than six figures
for their computation. 1t makes no differ
rnce in what quarter of the kingdom the
demonstration takes place, whether it be
London, Birmingham, Leeds, or Glasgow
the result is ever the same.
THE CHAMPION OF REFORM.
Mr. Bright was again the chief speaker al
Glasgow, and it would seem that he finds the
subject eyhauStlcss. for his last efforts tcCmcd
with fresh illustrations, although of course
the arguments were those which have been
used IL thousand times. Some Of his state,
mcnts and cnunciations were not only inter.
estng but highly important, and worth re-
Numbering. Perhaps the most astounding
fact mentioned was that, throughout the
United Kingdom. only sixteen out of every
hundred grown men are entitled TO vote at Il
Parliamentary election. These sixteen rule
the remaining cighty-iour with Il dcapotlsm
exceeding that Of Russia. The larger mum
Der are kindly permitted to pay their proper
ton of the taxes Of the kingdom, but they
have not the slightest voice in directing its
affairs, and are of course entirely UnrGprc'
scented in Parliament. But Mr.. Bright was
not content with this revelation. He showed
that 30, or onc-third Of the members OF the
llouHc VI ~ nnn
half than the number OF grown men IN the
one city of Glasgow alone. If this were not
enough, he then demonstrated that onc-haIt
the House were chosen by about 10000
electors, only onc'ScNchth oi inc chtfe mum
Der, and fewer IMAM inc grown men III "Ia"-
Cow and Edinburg.
Such facts and ilgureS as these 40 not i"il
TO produce tremendous ehrct, ana thc'r
correctness cannot DC challenged;
Ot the character OF the great BODY Oh ms
associates Ia inc house OF Commons, ar
Bright has no very high opinion, as he has
often before lhtimaleu. oh thG present DC.
casion his illustration was as follows -,li'
he says, 1.-THE CLERK OF the House OIL I"m'
nous were placed at Temple bar WIN or
ders to lay, his mana upon the sho"iacr o.
every well 'dreSSed ana apparently cIcan'
washed man VINO passed through mat ancient
gateway until ne haa numbered "'0' ana II
the Crown summoned tnoSc"noH 10 DC lho
Parliament lpr lhe h'tcu hlh9uoul' my
honeSt conr'c'h0h as 'Aat go" ~o"'u "aEc
leief idrttdmCM ina" no" ectStS. 40"
this IS bold LANGUAGE, and amounts to Il per-
sonal defiance OF the great body with winch
Mr.. Bright SITS IN eSimnSter' II Is under
Stooa ALREADY ,'1"' ne WIZ DG e"i'u" uPou: "
apologize Tor the insult "heh 'he session
opens.
Mr.. Bright made othcr statements cg"!Iiy
aStoundtng' "hlch can omiy aliuue 10 IrIel'
ily. lie says that one. hall the Iand III Eng,
land Is owned by less than one hundred ana
fifty men, and that ten or at most twelve
individuals, own one, halt the SOIL IN Scot
land; III Is Uni" I"nucu interest,"; ne ""{:'
which is Iu'', ,tIi Wy cDu"'!. "s at