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    obligaxehy j and , unhappil y lor thia country , tha * class being ept 5 ely = * proprietary hudy , And folding tb « t war ha . 4 caused higher prises of produce , and higher rent * , they were bribed tocondoae the war for twenty years , against flie interests of the great mass of the people , who » I firmly believe —though that does not exonerate them from having entered into- the war—who , I firmly believe , if they had had the power , would have pat an end to tbe war fifteen or eighteen years sooner than it was pat an . end to . I thick that this is , of all times , the moment wb « n a reform io Parliament may be carried out . It is a time of great political calm . It is a time ( notwithstanding the adverse circunEistance of a threatened war and of high-priced food ) of universal prosthe

    perity . Now these are ^ ost times when a wise Government would carry ont a plan of political reform , because the people who gain an extension of the franchise will not seize upon it with avidity , to apply a remedy to a pressing evil , when under the influence of passion , and perhaps make a very had use of a new ifis . trume . nt pat into their power . They will have time , I hope , if peace be preserved , amidst prosperity and comfort , and increasing intelligence—they will have time gradually to accustom themselves to the exercise of political power— -time to reflect , and tinae to judge ; and though they make some mistake * , I believe , if you give to English people the ordinary opportunities of exercising the calm judgment that usually belongs to then * , they will not in the long ran be found to make an injudicious use of the power with which you may intrust them . "

    Resuming his seat amid a hurricane of plandits , Mr . Cobden wat succeeded hy Lord Goderieh , who made a spirited and candid speech , deservedly applauded . Iq the course of hia remark * he spofce of the constitution of the House of Commons . *• ' If we pass now a measure which deserves the name of statesmanlike , we may be able te take our stand upon it for some years , and give attention , with a reformed and unproved House of Commons , to the settlement of other more important questions , which are every day pressing upon our attention . £ ut it is not every bill hearing the name of a reform bill that will fulfil these requirements . I have confidence in the honesty of the present Government . I shrink

    from believing that they do not mean faithfully to redeem their pledge . But if they expect to satisfy the wishes of the country—to stay the agitation of this question for a moment—they -mast make up their minds to feoe ^ it boldly , and grant reform with no niggard hand . ( CAeers . J It seems to me that one of the first things which this bill ought to contain is a . provision by which it shall give to the working classes of this country a large share-m the election of members of Parliament—{ cheers ) —and thatfin suehia manner as will enable them to return some menabW at least of their own selection to represent in the Hous&of JSpjamons

    their peculiar interests and opinions . ( Cheers . ) T was looking the other day at the analysis of the present house . 1 found there that a very large portion of that bouse consisted of the sons and near relations of peers , of whom I suppose I am a most unworthy member . ( Loud cheers * and a voice , ' no , no . ' ) I found it contained a yet larger amount of men described as * country gentlemen '—men , doubtless , well entitled to hold there a predominant position , such as at ipxesent they seem to me to do . I find that there weie theteinanufacturers and commercial men , a good many lawyers-ryau seem fond of lawyers at Sheffield—rC / a «^ Ater ) -rrand some men of letters . But I found that there came at the end of

    the list one class entitled , if I recollect myself rightly , the representatives of labour , and that opposite to that name there stood a ' 0 . ' Now it does seem to me that , looking at the importance of that class—looking to its intelligence and to the position which it now holds in the country—it is a state . of things which is neither safe nor just . QCneere- ' ) I believe that men possessing ardent , though strong , political opinions , entering vehemently into political discussion , I believe it will be far better on the whole that such men ^ should have their class represented , and discussion ia the House of Commons . I believe that without such a provision a reform bill cannot be complete , for 1 ° have ever found that those classes , take them as a whole , contain men of equal intelligence , morality , and patriotism with any other class in the community . ( Great cheers . ) Genius and virtue are not

    inheritances as , I believe , of any class whatever , and they are likely to be found not less numerously among tbe most numerous class . It would therefore seem—looking at the vast strides which the working classes have made in the last few years—looking at the vast change which has come over them in so many respects—their increased love of order , their increased obedience to the laws , their increased knowledge , their increased morality—I believe that the time has come when it is our bounden duty to concede those rights which these classes want— - ( laud cheering }—which other classes have won . ( Great cheering .. )" Lord Goderich thought ve should not expect too much from Government ; they were pledged , and must redeem their faith ; and if they do that we must be contented .

    Before Mr . Bright spoke , Mr . Barnes and Mr . Cheetham made speeches in Javour of a more equal apportionment of population to the large towns and populous districts . Mr , Bright spoke at great length And with great force on the injustice of the present system , making out a case for a fair redistribution of political power , and fur the ballot . At the « nd of his speech he epoke of the measure contemplated by Government , and it will be seen that hia remarks quite accord with those of Mr . Cobdeu and Lord Goderitih . •*"

    " Let the Government bring in this measure , and it would be evident that the apathy which now pervaded the country was more apparent tlum reitl . Now , what mus » t they do . simposin ^ this bill to be a good one ? When ho said u mod bill , ho did not mean one including all tho five points of tin ; Charter , for it might be good without giving them everything that they wante I . Don ' t let them be unreasonable . Alltlie ineinbern of ih « borougha proposed to be disfranchised would be m opposition to the bill . The . great question of Parlia-

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    mentary reform must he carried , oat on the , great , princi ples of justice , and not to serve indjfjdctal interests , « r suit th « views of party . Should the latter views prevail , the people would not support the ' measure ojf Qoyernment » wad it must , consequently be lost . The Opposition was . disorg anised last session , but they would now , in all probability , pluck . nj > their spirits a little , and return together again wh » M tbey found that anything seriously affecting their interests tow brought forward . They would probably find that that distrust of Mr . Disraeli which existed ia WDfte of ( heir minds would vanish , and 250 or 260 members . w . onld be found on . the . Opposition side ; while some of those gentlemen who had . a pardonable affection for small boroughs would find them ?

    selves compelled to vote against the Government . jf Government were placed in a minority they would be sore , to dissolve upon it ; and he thought it was very possible that a dissolu tion might , take p lace on this question ; for no liberal Government would lose office without testing the opinion of the constituencies of the country on a question like this . He trusted , however , that the spirit which existed twenty years ago in England , and caused the great reform whicl then took place in the representative systesQ , would aga . iu he aroused when the occasion for its exercise arose , ijebelieved the hill would be worth something ; that it wonldgive a considerable extension to the constituencies , disfranchise muuny small borongbs , give additional members to large constituencies and create new boroughs . Now , that meeting was no proof of any apathy in Sheffield ; and he believed that they Hikht

    go to any other large town like that , or evea to smaller places , and address meetings whieh would exhibit sii p % r manifestations of enthusiasm and . unanimity . E [ e believed —< -and he did it with a seriousness and an earnestness that he could not convey in words , that they would watch the openiug of the session with intense anxiety anil , a sleepless vigilance ^ -that they would examine every feature off the biUW that they would endeavour to detect the weak pojats and the strong points- ^ to protest against the one and support the other . ( ApplavseJ ) JBut , if there was any appearance of honesty in the proposition pf Qarernment , let no man or body of men persuade them , for any other purpose whatever , to withdraw their support from a Governrnent-which proposed a measure like that , or from a measure like thai , so long as it should not be enacted upon the statute-book of this country . ( Loud and long applause . " )

    The other speakers were Mr . Kerahaw , Mr . Badfield , and Mr . Crossley . The resolutions adopted were as follow : — " This meeting regards with much satisfaction the expressed intention of her Afajesty ' s Ministers to bring forward , in the coming session , a measure of Parliamentary reform , and would urge upon the Government the propriety and the duty of placing the representation of the people in the House of Commons upon such a basis as shall do equal justice (» all interests and classes of- the population of the United Kingdom ; " That the extension of the franchise , howev « r just and necessary , wfll not avail to bring the House off Commons

    more into harmony with public opinion , unless the distribution of the electoral power be greatly changed ^ as well by the abolition of all small dependent or corrupt boroughs , and the transference of the members of such horongha to new and enlarged constituencies , as by giving an increased , number of representatives to the large towns and populous districts in the United Kingdom . " That this meeting is deeply sensible of tbe evils and disgrace which arise from the prevalence of intimidation and corruption in various forms' * among the county and borough constituencies of the kingdom , ana wonld urge upon the Government the necessity of affording to the wh « le electoral body the shelter and protection of the mode of voting understood by the . secret ballot . "

    MANCHESTBB .- ^ The " Manchester School" met on Tuesday . As a political gathering , it was inferior to Sheffield in numbers ; but that was an accident , for , as the Free Trade Hall is not in , a fit state to receive a crowd , the meeting was held at the Albion . Hotel , in a room incapable of containing more than 300 people .. Those who assembled , however , may be deemed the elite of the local liberal politicians of Lancashire and Yorkshire ; there were tqn Members of Parliament , pretty nearly tbe same persons as attended the Sheffield meeting , aod Mr . George Wilson fille 4 the chair . It therefore fell to his lot to open prpqeediugi , which he did in the old League style , dealing ont a fine array of figures to show that the present system of

    representation , whether tested by population er the saleable value of property , ia unequal , anomalous , and unjust in the extreme . Then followed Mr . MUner Gibson , who , made a speech not above the average , tame on the reform question , and " Manchester " on the war topic . To him succeeded Mr . Cobden , who treated all the topics he touched upon in a more trenchant way than his colleagues , and , therefore , we again take him as a representative of the meeting . He followed a certain order in his speech—only interpolating some opinions on the strike question in relation to politics , and winding up with a long dissertation on the pastern question . The following extracts will convey a good idea of the method , and the substance of his oration : —

    " What we want , " ho exclaimed at tho outset , " in the redistribution of political power , ia that votes should follow property and persona . 1 suy property and persons , because whoro you have votes growing rapidly in England or Jjcotluud—for , unhappily in these things Ireland is always an anomal y—you-will find thut wealth increases in the smnc ratio with population ; and , therefore , you lind that Lancashire i . s increasing in numbers live or six times as fast as tho population of Huckingliamshirc or Bedfordshire , you will find that tho wealth ot Lancashire- has increased at least in tho same jiroportiou . And , Llwrefore , if you lay down the rule thai the voting power in thia count ry ahull follow the compound ratio of property und population , tiiciii you

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    will have a fcur rule of electoral power m the conntrv and wx other principle tbaa that ahoafe be toW ^ d ^* & 5 S &sbs £ Z aM , » aktS of persons who are almost evasively the employers offcl hour , those who ape above the operative classiTot I s « it n the fullconfidence that J abatf njeet wrifeb » ' wH » naertEftt we must aqt take the fafi % of a few ibou&jwd wwTacd n ^ Ufely , after all , but & . fen thousand Uda and lasses , havi ^ gone wrong upon a question of political economy , as apc < 3 f that the great mass of the community eould net he trusted ( Cheers . ) If that role is to obtain , I mn afraid onr d *»» fr&Q <^ usement must he wide Meed . Jf ail those who ! haw

    not yet mastered all the problems of political economy ar # ao * to have votes , I am afraid we most begin hy dNfeaj * chising Bocks and Dorsetshire .. ( Lwphto * ' ) I sometime think we . might gaia mnjch tolerinw towards the worfaju * people of tbis country , who may stQLeptertdin SQmeunso < qiD theories with regard to wag ^ s or ma ^ hiiiery , or the li | t % 4 we onl y hear in mind , how very receHtW the great body of the educated clashes in this couAtry had very hnperjejci views on the gajme su bject . . . , But whilst upon tjbAP Buhieot- ^ and I know it is tender gronsd , and I don ' t i ^ sh to be considered as a party interfering in the matter- ^ J most say that . I think * great deal too much has be ^ i wa 4 f > of thia . » trike in « politic *? point of ww- ^ that the questigq . is o » atricay of a prlwite charaoter between the indwdaafc

    « f t the eneagiog of a butler hy « gentleinigi wh © h » Dpoci | t | require the sendees of An © , TThe idea gf making » poli ^ caj question of a . struggle that takes p law between iwo . pa ^^ e # r ^ oae of them wish | og to . getaUttle aopre wages , andjtfer oa » er not to pay any alvalce ^ of taking at q ^ of the tvwul ( Wtegory of business questions , and wresting it wi | b f i » li » tieal character , as baa Uee& daae iu this i ^ yse ^ -l don'tsj the utility of so doing . I see that os ) e may b « made of fr for the purpose of iajoringand aspersing the cjbaracfer of n whole pQpula . tion , \ m % I am firmly coayinqed that tfeeje questions would be setU ^ d nxuph better for aH partiejs if &&j w « re allowed to be treated a « jrivatc a » i individual austwi B « fore leaving the question I think we may look at nhafc

    has been going on at Treaton with reratrd tpfibe strike , with this sansfeatipn , that it ha £ jd « vejope < l an inmnenae advan (» in the peaceable progress of tfee population of this cou » r try . I put it to any one , whatever hard language may hare been used at any tim»—and it ia not easy to speak hi the open air to 30 , 000 persons without using hard . J # ognage--J pqt it to any one , whethw thej « hw not beej ? inore of appeal to reason , more deference to itubjfc optoiooi , atjd . a less djsnositiain on Jtbe part of J ^ e muliitade to re ^ ft to physical force | han has ever been ., jma qnifee . &d in anyn ^ rj ment in this country , " ( Cbetm ) l ^ aw we get hack t # politics . ? ' I ant in favour of an eytenaion of the fK ^ ctisfv I say I do not wish it to he extended fej everybody . It is .. * progressive question . \ £ you e ^ ten ^ tbe . jjraiiiphis * to ^ monow to one miUion peoplft—and I » houil 4 , be glajd , to efteit don , e , tP ^

    inorTow—we shQuld fUl ftve m ftqpe tftat 9 « emWM > n oritw million mor « mjght . be adde 4 aftarwarfs . 1 % » mfcy « qwi » tion of time . What Is coming- now a | l tha ^ wo ^ id wer ( UTOVJ ^ to me th * t 4 he depository of political power In : the Qojmtry will be m the ; gr * at J » p 4 y of fhe neoj ^ ia , ( C&&r * y ) ISan , aa su ^ h , will nave political paw « r . Jh * mkj QU « tioa utftnr we are to come to tkiatpoint ? Weat ^ now adYOfiatin ^ some extension of the franchuie . We ar ^^ ov ^ T < K ^ tingianiYera | suffirage . But if tUe Qwenunent dpn ^ extend J |* e . elejc ) tQml pale ., r am certain | hejr scheme will he receive ^ wi& , grgaj djssatisfftption by the great bqdiy fif th © feonie . Qtmt cheering . ) I have not altered my o | iinioR . as to the nac ^ sajljr of shortening the duration of fayUamenjba , I | bjnk a if&m years' Parliament is yery slow , # © 4 CfetOiW 4 » WM& Wrt rf sMtlemegt . We ta 4 seven years . aubefttn ^ fo * th ^ y « arj a , t a , time of suppraed danger to ftur inj « itutmna , MI 4 » not see why we shoujd not go tha ^ k noprto % kk good ( fl& aciaee tnenniai

    or ot jn » ruamenj P ^ iKe * ij „ , . . . Sow , with respect % o Jlr he ^ ed ^ ritu ^ iftn of th © frapclise , J will merely 9 m oAe woxd in JUqatwupa of a « e « se in which that question has not been vfewwk So far fro . m doing anv harm to the morals of the little boxonghs hi tho roi ^ districts if you disfranchise them , and give the votes to thj > counties—instead of inflicting any injury on the pppilatM ^ in these boroughs , from what I have seeja of places in tll ^ south of England , I believe you could not confer a greater social benefit on them than Jb y d ^ fnuichising them ; W& £ believe that to be the o . pniio « of the more intelligent portMA of the population in those borough For what wes . ^ W present system do ? 1 % invests mws great natron , sp m # large landowner in the neighbourhood of those borough ^ with supreme powox and authority over them , or | t gives \ st two men a w > r \ of disputed right vhich leads to c « nntanjt quarrels an 4 contests between theaj . If there be only qn ^ patron , which is usually the case , and the borough taknoflB

    to him because he possesses the property in the iwpiedwie ueighbouthood , it gives birth to all lands of servility an , d toadyifim of the m « st miserable cbaractor . The great man comes down once & year to his mansion , and invites tliree . or four of the leading men of the borough to dine with him . 4-professional mm ot two struggle into phe j * ame ci «? k Ther * are a score or turo underneath wb » would do anything , to get within that privileged circle , and then there are to * wivea and daughters coveting the great distinct ion of being invite ^ to my lady ' s ball ( Laughter . ) Now that state of thMg ^ , founded on the desire of a-family to retain political power J » a borough , gives riao to tho moat miserable and « bj « Q $ fitafo of servility which you can" possibly conceive , and u naost deatifuctive to the honest , upnglit indojpendence of th « l ^ ngUsh character , and therefore you cannot do a better neryuJe . to the smuller boroughs theipselvee tliun to depnvo tU « m oi their borough franehifle , and merge them ip \ h& VOVfivm * ,

    ( Cheers . ) Having done with internal , Mi ? . OotxJw i ^ etQak himseli' to the external questiou , aad . wifch groat pajnjg _ ; _ aiade out his views . ' >< C \ " ^ ^ 3 ** A ? / Q ^ CS-vCfj ^ i In 1835 , there was a crwifl on t < U © JBastern Q . VlP 9 l 3 tffita ™ , / ^ Governmeut increased the navy bji 6000 jnea . "** 'i ^^ w ; i , f $ i » : ~ lthat time following my invocation aa a man of bu ^ lB 0 j 8 jm " , k '¦' : rfy ' Manchester , and it was tl ^ e cry then , raisod whic h lofj ^ njj ^^ wj . x ' t . v ^ put pea to paper and to write a paumlU , et UoatUi ^ to ^ pag l ¦ v T : ^ , L i , — £ ' -. \\\ - -al

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    jAKViAtiY 38 , t « 54- ] THE LEAQ-&R- m liiiiiiSiiBii'SiSSS' ^ w ^ w ^^^^^^ w ^ ^^^^"" *^ " *^^**^^'"^^ " ^^*^ "'^^^ ^^^'""^ " ^^^ ' ^^ 1 ™^ " ^ ' ^™^ " ^ " ^' ""^™^^ " ^^ " ^ ^^^* " ^^ " ^^ " ^""* " ^^^^ ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 28, 1854, page 75, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2023/page/3/