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    Jak. 24, 18S3-] . ___ *J£- jlfetSi*i —— ...

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    Reform Campaign. Many Persons Presume To...

    iindimr Messrs . Muntz and Scholefield , the borough members , sent the following note : — " Birmingham , January 18 , 185 ? . « qTI » —When , some short time since , we accepted an invitation to attend the reform meeting which is to be £ S ?„ the Town-hall this evening , we were under the Session that the movement was a perfectly spontaneous one receiving its impulses wholly from the mhabi-Smis of the borough . It would now seem that the Seeting owes its origin to other than local influences , Sid that it is to be used not simply as a means of eliciting the Dublie voice on the important subject of reform , but ftlao for the purpose of disseminating the political and financial views of £ body X * JP ?«* 5 ^ **?**» " **

    . _ the name of the ' National Parliamentary and Financial Reform Association . ' Emphatically disclaiming all feeling of hostility to that body , and willingly acknowledging the zealous exertions of its leaders , and their desire tp promote the cause of good government , we cannot consent to . identify ourselves with plans and principles in many of which we do not concur , or sanction any extraneous interference with the independent expression of the opinions of our fellow iownsmen-XTndw thiiTe circumstaSces ; andbeing anxious to avoid anything which can disturb the proceedings of the meeting , we deem it the more respectful course to abstain from taking any share in its discussions ; and we are , Sii- ^ gQiirsJaithfiillv , — G ^ FvJ & ihweZt—

    ?• To the Chairman . " Wk . ScHOLBriEiiD . It would be a very mild expression to say that the reception the foregoing experienced was anything but complimentary . The Birmingham Journal ' has a report in its late edition , and says , ?? The letter was received with hissing . " Mr . George Bawson , M . A ., with whom the meeting originated , was most heartily cheered . He commented with great severity on the joint letter of the borough members .

    • ' He said he was sorry he must begin by the performance of a disagreeable duty , that of explaining all about the letter which they had heard read , and which was received about six o ' clock that evening . He would tell them the whole history of the affair , leaving the meeting to judge of the conduct of those who called it , and of the conduct of their members , who had deserted a meeting they promised to attend . { Hear . ) Birmingham politics , as they all knew , were in rather a strange state . Some persons believed in the right of prescription , some , in their grey hairs , others in their wealth , to entitle them to do everything . If they didn't do it they grumbled ; if somebody else didn't do what they thought they should

    do themselves , they grumbled again . Now , what was to be done ? It was very desirable that Birmingham should , before the meeting of Parliament , have something to say on the new Reform Bill which Lord John promised or threatened them with . The meeting should have been held in November , but the coming of the great Hungarian chief stopped it at that sime . Well , certain gentlemen consulted with him as to when the meeting should be called . He sent circulars to many , but out of the many very few attended ; and he confessed that on him lay the responsibility and the blame of calling it—of bringing extraneous people , foreigners , to it ; people not living in the

    parish , who were not born in it , over whom the chief beadle exercised no jurisdiction . ( Laughter . ) He took both the bills and the blame , and would defend himself and them as , usual , against all gainsayers . ( Cheers . ) Having , therefore , arranged a day for the meeting , and having been told that the National Parliamentary Association were very anxious to bring their views before the men of Birmingham , he did , with the consent of the small committee , invite them to come . He told them plainly that their views were not extensive enough ; that there was not a man very active in Birmingham who would stir a finger for anything Short nf linitrnrnal aii ( T >« i > n ( f 1 T *»*~* \ 'Tk »« ~ . nmn . . n ^«

    that understanding . He wrote to Mr . Scholefield , and told him that they intended to go for universal i \/ r < a w' to ' ^ ' that ' these gentlemen were coming . Mr . Scholefield sent a note on Saturday , expressing some surprise that they were coming , and he had heard nothing further until that afternoon . ( Hear , ) Now , these being M » e facts , let them see what these gentlemen said— ' We were under the impression that the meeting was a spontaneous one . ' So it was . * Receiving its impulse wholly from the inhabitants of the borough . ' Why , the five persons who originated the meeting—or himself , as he ? n « V ° the Wame—he was , he supposed , an inhabi-W ? - a meeting owes its origin to other than J- £ k uen , - That he denied altogether . 'That it a £ «?* * * T the Purpose of disseminating the political and financial Views Of a hodv of vontlompn

    nntino-SwL . i i > ? me of the National Parliamentary and fSS Reform Association . ' Now , was it likely that Infoi ^ ( ° aching of the sort when they were inW « 1 ** £ * ? m « oting would be asked to go for S tKW u " ^ thRt the meeting wa « got up he scorJ !? SOIJ £ f the 8 e gentlemen or of any body else , *! mi £ ti a (? heer 8 'K * We cannot consent to identify dHot cw ^ plan 8 and P' * n ° iple 8 , in many of which we * Uh the SS ° 5 * noti ° n any extraneous ' interference fenow . tn ^ ^ ? 4 expre 88 lon of the opinions of our thomTeivl S'l Now > nobodv » 8 ked them to identify So * eLtran » J ?« ^ » e gentlemen . Did they act upoi StoirtSrthl inter / erono ? C «« w . ) Were they to wh ? wasnotnr »^ n mi J £° ! u have a »»» amongst them Without furth . w mQ 0 h > Mr . Dawflon eeded to

    the resolution . The resolution he had to propose was : —• " ' That this meeting declares itself in favour of an extension of the suffrage to every adult male unconvicted of crime , and of sound mind . ' ( Great cheering . ) ^ So far as he could remember , the resolution was in the very same words as those of the Charter , and very properly so , because they believed that universal suffrage was just , and therefore they could not do better than use the words of a document which justified it , and had received the sanction of the men of Birmingham . They had all heard of the threatened invasion of the country , and should it take placeno doubt they Would all be called on to bear

    , arms against the foreign invaders . They were all called on by the Government to do the drudgery of the nationto sweep the streets , as it were ; above all , to pay the country ^ debts ; and yet they were denied their votes . The Government and the aristocracy were the Brahmins who sprung from the head of Brahrnah ; but the people were the poor Pariahs who emanated from his feet . Political preferment was like a piece of plate kept on a family sideboard—it was rigidly preserved for the Elliotts and the Cavendishes , and no one else . When he , looked all over Europe , and saw that the little candle of liberty was alone burning in this land—when he saw the worse than Egyptian darkness which had spread all over

    Francewhen he saw a little man miserably attempting to imitate a great man , deluding the streets of Paris j with-earnage and with blood—when he saw the hero of Boulogne , the mighty sausage and champagne monger , aping the victor of Austerlitz ^ -when he saw the Republican ^ despot transporting to Cayenne men who had committed no offence , untried and uncondemned—when he saw these atrocities perpetrated within twenty miles of England , he implored the men of Britain not to fall back but to go forward ; to press their demands for freedom , and to cry aloud to the despots , ' We will hurl you from your thrones , we will stand by our liberties ; and to every round of grape with which you mow down men we will reply with reinvigorating cheers ; and in that same degree with which you minimise liberty , so will we

    maximise it here at home ; ' for it was their duty to say to Europe , 'We are the oldest children of liberty , and we have not lost our faith in it yet . ' But it was said by some that this was not the moment to advocate universal suffrage , and people pointed to France to prove their argument . Now , he would ask , when the revolution of February , 1848 ,-took place , were the people banished to Cayenne then ? Was Louis Philippe assailed ? did the Republicans dye their hands in blood ? No , the punishment of death was abolished , and the men acted quietly but firmly , and order was not violated under the name of peace . The history of the past confirmed him in his conviction that at this period it was more than ever the

    duty of Englishmen to " strengthen and increase their liberties , and surely it could not be argued against them that because universal suffrage had not succeeded in France that it must necessarily fail here . He committed himself for ever to the principle of universal suffrage , and he had no hesitation in assisting those who were travelling in the same direction , although for the present they fell somewhat short of it . He had himself qualified as an elector , and he hoped to go up to battle against Newdegate and Spooner , ¦ to rescue North Warwickshire from those those two devoted Paladins of antiquity , those Gemini of darkness , who would keep Jews from the rights of oitizenship , Roman Catholics in abject subjection , and restore protection to the farmers , in utter forgetfulness of the rights of others in the country they misrepresented . Let England shout to the Pope that he should not

    imprison and keep down his subjeotB ; let them abjure the wanton invasion by France of Rome , the most wicked aggression of modern days ; let them look to poor downtrodden Poland and Hungary , and cry , ? We Englishmen love liberty , and will increase it . Let us alone : we tread on the wondrous dust of the men of old who went up to battle for their institutions . We are of the same stamp and blood , and the greater the darkness abroad the more brilliantly will we light up our candles at home . * Let them be worthy of the heritage their fathers left them ; let them reinspire the fallen nations of Europe with hope , and in saving themselves they would do justice to the cause of Italy , of Hungary , of Germany , and of Poland . Let them rebuke all despots , until again liberty , the cause for which their ancestors fought and bled , should triumph as of old . ( Great cheering . )"

    Mr . B . Hill seconded the resolution , which was put , and carried unanimously . The Reverend Brewin Grant moved the next resolution : — " That this meeting having heard the statements of the deputation from the National Parliamentary and Financial Reform Association , and considering the measures of that association a great improvement on the present system , and a great advance towards universal suffrage , offers the association its thanks for what it has done , and assistance for the future . " Mr . George Edmonds , the Clerk of the Peace , having seconded it , this resolution was also unanimously adopted . Votes of thanks were passed to Sir Joshua Walmsley and Mr . Thompson for their attendance , dud the meeting broke up .

    Tho Manchester meeting was almost private , and consisted of the members of tho council of the Manchester Parliamentary Reform Association , lately so rudely rebuffed by Lord John Russell , The net result of the meeting was the adoption of tho following petition , based on a resolution approving of retorm . Here , then , we have the political gospel according to Manchester . " To the Honourable tho Commons of tho United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , in Parliament assembled : — " The petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of

    Manchester humbly showeth : —That your petitioners have heard with great satisfaction that it is the intention of her Majesty ' s Ministers to introduce in the session of the present year a bill to amend the representation of the people in your honourable House . ' ? That your petitioners are deeply anxious that the change now proposed should render your honourable House a fair representation of the property , the intelligence , and the industry of the United Kingdom ; and in this view they submit the following propositions , in the hope that they may receive the consideration of your honourable House , and be adopted in any measure for the amendment of the representation .

    " Your petitioners propose that the elective franchise shall henceforth be based upon occupation , and liability to the poor rate , with such limitations as to period of residence as shall be necessary to afford a guarantee that the occupation is bonk fide ; and further , that the 40 s . franchise shall be extended to the United Kingdom , and be conferred upon the possessors of property of that annual value , whether derived from freehold , copyhold , or leasehold tenures . " Your petitioners are of opinion that your honourable House cannot satisfactorily adjust the representation of the people without a very considerable change in the distribution of the electoral power , and they suggest

    that , ' where practicable and convenient , small and neighbouring boroughs shall be united and form one borough ; that where such union is not practicable , small boroughs shall-cease to return members , and their existing constituencies merge in the constituency of the county in which they are situate ; that , corresponding to the extent to which small boroughs shall be united , or shall cease to return members to Parliament , new boroughs shall be created from the populous towns now unrepresented , and that additional members shall be conferred upon the metropolitan and other first-class boroughs in the United Kingdom ; and that , so far as is practicable , no constituency shall hereafter consist of fewer than 5000 electors .

    " That your petitioners are most strongly of opinion that the adoption of the ballot is indispensable to an honest representation ; that it would make the conviction of the elector , rather than his personal interest and fears , the leading motive in the exercise of the franchise ; that it would greatly repress the demoralising practices , so humiliating to candidates , and so degrading to electors , which seem almost inseparable from canvass and a poll under the existing system ; and that it would aid most effectually in preventing the turbulence attd riot with which elections have hitherto been too often attended .

    " That your petitioners are of opinion that the present legal duration ofJParliament is much too extended to secure to constituencies a proper control over their representatives , and they therefore strongly urge the repeal of the Septennial Act , and the limitation of the duration of Parliaments , according to ancient precedents , to a period not exceeding three years . " That your petitioners are of opinion that a property qualification for members of Parliament is neither necessary nor just y and that the law which now insists upon such qualification should be at once repealed .

    " That your petitioners , i n urging the adoption of the foregoing propositions , express their belief that they are strictly in accordance with the principles and objects of the Constitution ; that they will provide for an honest expression of public opinion in your honourable House , and are calculated to secure a just and economical Government to the British Empire . Your petitioners , therefore , earnestly pray that the said propositions may form a part of any measure which your honourable House may pass to amend the representation of the people . " And your petitioners will ever pray , & c . "

    Leeds also has spoken . A meeting was held there on Tuesday , under the presidency of Mr . Alderman Wilson , and attended by Mr , Marshall , M . P ., Mr . Edward Baines , Mr . Alderman Carbutt , and other gentlemen attached to the cause of Liberalism in Leeds . Mr . Marshall , in moving the first resolution , recalled the ? ' stirring recollections" of the Reform Bill , and argued that , as the enfranchised of 1832 had behaved well , a further extension was legitimate . " That this meeting , having considered the existing

    state of the representation of the United Kingdom , is desirous to see such changes effected as will satisfy the just and moderate expectations of the people , and render the House of Commons , in conformity with tho spirit of the constitution , a fair representation of the property , the industry , and the intelligence of the people ; and that , while aiming at this object , it is moreover anxious to adhere to the anoient landmarks of our representative system , and within their limits to introduce suoh " ohangcs only as experience shows to be wiee and safe . "

    Mr . Edward Baines seconded the resolution , and spoko up for municipal franchise applied to Parliamentary elections . Mr . Alderman Carbutt moved a resolution the reflex of the Manchester petition , seconded by Mr . David Green . Mr . Henderson proposed manhood suffrage as an amendment , and the motion was Seconded . Appeals wore made to him to withdraw the amendment , but in vain . It was put , and for a long time tho Chairman was uncertain whether it wore oarriod or not . . Ultimately it was doclared to bo lost . This ought to show the medium Liberals that their plans are only tolerated by the people becauso tho latter aro unwilling to be tho fomentors of discord .

    On the same day a meeting was hold at Nottingham , under tho presidency of Mr . Alderman Knight , and attended by Sir Joshua Walmsloy and Mr . George Thompson . Resolutions , approving of a tolerably

    Jak. 24, 18s3-] . ___ *J£- Jlfetsi*I —— ...

    Jak . , 18 S 3- ] . ___ * J £ - jlfetSi * i —— r—^ r — . ~~** "

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 24, 1852, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24011852/page/5/