The Commonwealth. — 1866-11-10 (London, England)

PHILIPS, M.P., AT RADCLIFFE.— Mr. R. N. Philips, M.P., took the chair, on Friday evening, at a public meeting in connection with the Radcliffe and Pilkingtun branch of the National Reform Union, held in the Market Hall. After tracing the history of the last Reform Bill, he continued :—I was glad there was not a dissolution, for we had a nominal majority of seventeen, and surely with such a majority we ought to be able to carry so small a measure of Reform as that proposed. Now the Tory Government is in power, and are they going to say to Parliament and the people that no Reform is wanted ? (No.) Because if they do, I hope  there will be such a unanimous expression -of opinion in the country as will at once call for action, and that we should appeal to the country at large in a new election. (Hear, hear.) Let us, then, try and fight it out on a direct issue. Here begins your difficulty. The House of Commons is composed of 638 members—men of great intelligence, and you must remember when we come to the question of Reform, that many represent little boroughs; and if I represented a small borough which was to be decapitated'and totally annihilated, do you think my constituents would return me to make me commit what would be suicide to them? (Laughter.) This is where the Conservatives know they are strong. But we must try and face this difficulty, and I; outward demonstrations, and such assemblies a, this, where all can express their opinions, show that we really feel the importance of this question; and we shall ultimately obtain the victory. You must remember that the Conservatives have, even in my time, opposed the passing of the Test and Corporation Bill, the Catholic Emancipation Bill, the repeal of the corn laws, as long as they possibly could; but, when they could oppose the last no longer, they came in and passed it. (Loud applause.) Now, I think there are such men in the present Government, as Lord Stanley, who know full well the responsibility of the Government of a country like this, and who know the time has arrived when it is proper and fit that some concession should be made to the intelligence of the country. I have hopes that that nobleman will come for ward to do his duty in this time of pressure. I have heard him make a speech on reform in the House of Commons, and surely what lie said six years ago he may say now, and carry out, because he has the power to do so. Now, I say, if the Conservatives bring in a really honest, straightforward Reform Bill—such a bill as the late Government brought in, I for one, as a member of the Liberal party, should consider it my duty to vote for it rather than throw it out. I would attempt to improve it—that is, I would attempt to enlarge it, but if we could not, then let us take what we can get and go on. After expressing a hope that a measure would be introduced which would settle the question for the next twenty-five years, and stating that the Conservatives had already proposed a 10/. County franchise, not considering it revolutionary, he said the question ought to have the serious attention of all men, for the working classes had an immense power, and were earning wages amounting to 318 millions annually; and when he saw their organizations and trades' unions no wise statesman would see these signs and not admit a number of working men to the franchise, so that they could discuss questions relating to capital and labour in the House of Commons rather than in the public house or secret assemblies of their own.  LivEnroor..—A meeting of the Liberal Association was held on Monday in Liverpool, and resolutions adopted to hold a great reform meeting in the amphitheatre, and to write to Mr. John Bright, M.P., Mr. J. Stuart Mill, M.P., and Mr. Henry Y. Thompson (late Liberal candidate for the county).