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    386 THE LEADEB. //, _Jg f o1 _S7O, Sattj...

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    PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE TINSUCCESSFUT, PARL...

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    EMBANKMENT OF THE THAMES. A. srKCiAr, me...

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    . . . ¦ . •• . ^ -?¦ . Fphree Questions ...

    supposition of those who believe that Mr . Gladstone is over anxious to return to office . Mr . Layarb , again , iu bidding faFewcll to his late constituents , expresses regret that they Lave not thought him worthy to cq ^ janujs their representative ., and intimates that he wmald rather fall with some than stand with others . ! This points ^ t 3 £ r . Cobden . Mr . John- ¦ Bright , ' . and other tried

    fai"berals who have bee » throvrn $¥ & . ; and puljhg fflt « etings in London andOarlisle i | ia \ e shown flwt Mr . XiAyahd's feeling is shared by many Englishmen . It is to be regretted , indeed , that these meetings have been so conspicuously promoted by personal connexions of the late " Manchester party / ' and by members of the extreme Peace party . It is not by such aid that the cast-out members "will recover

    their position . They may recover it by tlie straight and short path ; and that is , to take up the cause of the . non-represented . The constituencies , najr rowed to one-seventh of the popxdatioiij have refused to be represented by some of our most consistent Reformers ; the other six-sevenths would be glad to possess such representatives ; . and if their i-eal public leaders act together -with those who still remain in Parliament , "unquestionably the number of : the unrepresented in this country can be reduced , and the public men who hare been thrown out can throw themselves in again with a stronger force than ever at their hacks .

    It is not improbable that the apparent strength of the Government may cither compel it to fall back upon , the more thoroughly Liberal support , or may afford the opportunity to the Liberal party for reasserting its own independence . The course taken by the Government implies a disposition to rely upon a majority ill the House of Commons , simply as a majority—as an overwhelming voting power which is to be conciliated by not contradicting the feelings of any section of it . Such a coulee would scarcely be consistent with the feeling of the people out of doors , and if it were pursued it

    would leave the political lead vacant for the independent Liberals , The actual Ministers , however , may see the gross impolicy of such a course , and may resist the temptation held out to them of a wholesale trimming . Should they resist , they will irritate those " moderate" men who intend to support them in . order to convert them into a virtually Conservative Government , and then Lord Palmerston will again become the acting head of the Liberal party . Either way , the united action ol Liberal members in or out of the House will do more than anything can at present to restore the strength of the popular party .

    In the Court of Arches , Archdeacon Denison has foiled his adversary , the Reverend Ditcheh . The Judge , Sir John Dodso : n , has ruled that the ' proceedings against the Archdeacon were not commenced within the two years specified by the Church Discipline Act—a provision justly protecting clergymen against retrospective persecutions . The Archbishop of CANTEKBUiiy was slow to challenge a single clergyman for his individual interpretation of doctrine in a Church of many doctrines , vrhere a narrow definition would convert a majority into Dissenters : and the Court of Arches

    pronounces agamat a tardy arraignment , a com-~ & 1 ™ Prelacy and fast judicature , which lets ttee Archdeacon escape between the two . Perhaps theOPrivy Council will sec the expediency as well as technical accuracy of Sir John Dobsoh ' s trouvaille . K ^ iTT &****?* di in the Court of Bankruptcy , where Mr . LiKKXAtm has gone rather baST r ^ 8 *» Position as a « brilliant " Immster Mr . St ^ umoh , the victim this week appears throughout to have intended honeltlj , and the false position into which he waa feradualW dragged M of a kind to change the Tenx ^ cnL consideration of others who have not folk * into the s traps . "When a professional man takes

    udvantage of another mail ' s disadvantage , he may increase the stock of his professional repute for " brilliancy / 3 l » t he tarnishes the brilliancy of his fame in aootlier way . A third court has been exemplif ying tour domestic institutions . TkeBAKiNGs and-the Gordons are two families that live near each other in Lincolnshire , at a sufficient distance , however , to make visits fracpjuKntly of aa ? esid # »& ial kind . A . ^ weference arises between Mrs . Bahin g and Captain Goudon . They suddenly hurry off to an hotel near the Great

    Western Railway station , are pursued by Mrs . Gordon and friends , who fail to recover them ; and Mr . Baring-is desirous of accomplishing the divorc thus practically begun . To do so he is obliged to bring his claim for damages , which he does in the Underr Sheriffs' Court , and the jury have to name the amount . " " What are his means ? " asked a juryman . " Nothing to do with the question , " answers the TJnder-Sheriff . " But we might injure his innocent wife and family , " rejoined the jury . "A very proper consideration , " replicates the Sheriff , " but quite out of your field . You must name the sum on

    evidence . " And , accordingly , Mr . Baring must accept 3000 / . from Captain Gordost before he can go to the House of Lords . But we manage morals strangely in . this country . In Exeter Hall they will admit the Traviata , they will admit even the words—among the singers on the platform ; but the dashing love-songs and penitential wailings of the successful but phthisical Magdalen must not " be brought home to an ^ Exeter Hall audience . The Lost One may warble in the hall of saints , but only in one oi the uninown tongues . What a commentary on national purity and national education !

    386 The Leadeb. //, _Jg F O1 _S7o, Sattj...

    386 THE LEADEB . // , _ Jg f o _ S 7 O , Sattjrday

    Public Meetings. The Tinsuccessfut, Parl...

    PUBLIC MEETINGS . THE TINSUCCESSFUT , PARLIA 51 ENTARY C-ANDIDATES AND THE REFORM QUESTION . A public 3 IEETING of the ¦ working men . of London was held on Monday evening at the Cowper-street Schoolroom , City-road , "to express regret and . sj'mpatliy with the unsuccessful parliamentary-candidates at Manchester , Huddersfield , Rochdale , and Oldhani , and to take the sense « f the working men of London as to what reforms ought to be demanded from the new Parliament . " It is calculated that nearly one thousand persons belonging to the operative classes were present . The chair was taken by Mr . S . Lucas , and . tl > e first resolution was moved by Mr . Wiles , as follows : — - " That

    this meeting views with regret the exclusion from Parliament of Messrs . Cobden , Bright , Gibson , Miall , and Fox , at a time when they laboured successfully in checking dictatorial power and promoting beneficial reforms in church and state , advancing popular education , substituting international arbitration for war , and an open intercourse between all the nations instead of secret diplomacy , reducing the burdens of taxation , extending free trade , and establishing amicable relations with all the peoples of the earth : and this meeting thankfully acknowledges the great services these eminent men rendered to -the commonwealth , and desires to see them speedily replaced in positions of public usefulness , for which their superior talents and moral worth peculiarly

    fit them . " On the motion of Mr . Laurie , the name of Sir Joshua Walmsley -was added to the list . Some opposition to the resolution was offered by Mr . Dickey , a Chartist , who said that Messrs . Cobden and Bright are not tho friends of the working classes . Their rejection would teach them a great moral lesson . He moved an amendment in favour of manhood suffrage without any property qualification for members ; but ho afterwards withdrew this , " for the sake of unanimity . " A person in tho body of tho hall , who described . himself as a Spitnlfielda' weaver , and who said he could spoak from experience of tho distress of his class , denounced Messrs . Cobden and Bright for having opposed every measure introduced into Parliament for the benefit of the

    working classes , such aa the Ten Hours Factory Bill , Lord Robert Grosvonor ' s measure for improving tho condition of working bakers , and Sir Harry Halford ' s bill for putting Jin end to tho truck system . Tho speaker admitted that Mr . Fox was tho best of tho persons mentioned in tho original resolution . Ho concluded by moving as an amendment that tho expulsion of Messrs . Cobdon , Bright , and Gibson from the IIouso of Commons was a just retribution for their opposition to measures for tho social benefit of tlio Avorldng classes . Tho amendment found a seconder ; but , ' strange to say , Mr . Brontorro O'jBrion cfimo to tho rescue of the original motion . He snid that Cobdon and Bright had always been right on the subj oat of education ; thoy had alread y dono something for tho people , and ho hoped would do more . Indeed , ho believed that their exclusion Jrom Parliament would havo tho effect of enlisting them

    more ^ thoroughly in the cause of the masses TfTT resolution tow passed , he would afterwards enibo , lv pr ^ mrame of futu re reform in a substantive mo ion The original motion and the amendment were ti , put to i & e -meeting , and the chairman declared thill n to be earned , though , the numbers appeared prettvT equal . Mr . 3 . J . Lockhart then moved ^^ meeting fe of opinion that any measure of reform in S * representation of the people to satisfy the conn r V * large ^ hoald at least contain-first , manhood S j * awwfl , a mow , equal distribution of electors to p 2 « 0 n ; three , no property qualification for . membow nf Parliament ; four , vote bytallot ; fiveteienniJuv

    , , ments . " < CW . ) Mr . Bronterre O'Brien ^ SffiS resolution , reserving his right , he said , to go lieS ? for . the whole six points of the Charter . Mr Bliirh L declared himself to be an uncom Promisin ek ' rK ? moved an amendment in favour of annual parliaml / and the payment 6 f members . Mr . Wells seconded th ! proposal . Mr . Hurst , who said he had been a ffctorv operative in Manchester for twenty years , observed tw the Chartists of that city , who were likel y to Sot £ Bright best , had done all in their power to securP £ ? I return at the last election . (/ Tear . ) The resolution as proposed to be amended was then put and carried

    Mr . J . P . Adams proposed a resolution declaring the meeting to be in favour of a scheme of national secular education , to be supported by the money now mid t « the clergy . This was seconded by Mr . Healer arid carried unanimously . —The meeting then broke up

    FREE EMIGRATION . A numerous meeting of the workmen of ¦ Westminster was held in the Great Hall , Broadway , Westminster on Tuesday night . It was announced that a number of members of Parliament were expected to be present and that Mr . Cox , M . P . for Finsbury , would take the chair The secretary , however , read letters of apolo ^ v from Lord Goderich , Mr . Locke , Sir J . V . 'Shelley Mr Eoupell , and Mr . Cox . Mr . Clancy , a workhi " man ' was then called to the chair . The object of the meeting was to urge on the Government tlie necessity that exists for rendering state aid to the working classes to emi"rate as a means of alleviating the present distress of . the operatives . Resolutions to this effect were unanimously carried .

    A . CONSERVATIVE DEMONSTRATION . A dinner took place at Bury St . Edmund ' s on Wednesday week , to celebrate the return to Parliament of Mr . H . S . Waddington and Captain P . Benuet , the Conservative members for West Suffolk . Major ' Parker presided , " and was supported by the guests of the evening , Sir R . Buxton , Mr . J . H . P . Oakes . ( la-teM . P . for the borough ) , and about one hundred and fifty of the principal yeomen and farmers of the neighbourhood . Mr . Waddington , in returning thanks for tlie toast of his health , admitted that the results of the election were " not exactly such as could have been desired by the Opposition . " He spoke in favour of reduced

    taxation and economical expenditure , and hoped that the income-tax would soon be entirely abrogated . —The chairman spoke to the same effect , and complained that " the agriculturists are at present contributing very largely to the expenses of the country , building military depots , and incurring heavy burdens , which should lie shared by the fundholders , " " the great money interest does not now pay enough . " He thought our ships of war should bo sent in all directions to discover guano . to help the farmers , who are now competing with tlie world . —Mr . J . H . P . Oakea , the unsuccessful Conservative candidate for Bury St . Edmund ' s , intimated , in acknowledging the toast of his health , that a petition

    would be presented , against the present return for the borough as soon as possible . —Sir R . Buxton said it was expected that Lord Palmcrston would bring forward measures of reform , and " what the Liberal party is pleased to call ' progress . '" He warned tho country against adopting hasty and sweeping measures of reform which "would " degrade the suffrage into the hands ol ' the ignorant , and introduce that worst of all tyrannies . tho tyranny of a democracy . " The immediate result ot any such measure being carried , would be the laying of fresh burdens on the farmers . They must not be

    discouraged at the present position of the Conservative party , which is only under a passing cloud . —Mr . Dobito said ho was once a staunch Conservative , and lie was still ready to conserve anything that it was necessary to conserve . But Sir Robert Peel had overthrown tho Conservative party , and at the present time he really did not know what were tho particular points before the public . It appeared to him that Lord Palmerston was aa good a Conservative as any on tho other side of tho House . —After some further speech-making , the company separated .

    Embankment Of The Thames. A. Srkciar, Me...

    EMBANKMENT OF THE THAMES . A . srKCiAr , meeting of the Metropolitan Board of "Works wan held on Tuesday , " further to consider a report iVom tho Committco of Works and Improvements , on tlie subject of a communication from Mr . Lionel ( jisbornc , C . K'i respecting a design for embankment and improvement of tho Thames , of which ho is tho promoter , awl on a memorial from Messrs . Loder , Jackson , nnil 3 » i' ' ' i tbo promoters of an undertaking for the formation of nn embankment on tho north sido of tho Thames , between

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 25, 1857, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_25041857/page/2/