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    l 7 ad universal suffrage in France and America . Was Knee free ? They had there-a military despotism , and France was in a state of slavery such us had never Jeen exhSited -in any nation in die . - world in the same ctatc of civilisation . In America thd - electoral system Jas notoriously corrupt , and with immense possessions the spirit of aggrandisement prevailed ; above all , sSve ry-that blot on humanity-existed . He did . not Siv that universal suffrage was the cause of all these evils but that this and the ballot , as was shown in France and America , were no guarantees of good government Payment of members would make a seat in the House of Commons desirable for other reasons than the

    desire to do one ' s duty . How long would a House _ of Commons elected on universal suffrage act in unanimity with the House of Lords ? ( A voice : " We don ' t want no House of Lairds . " ) That was exactly what he anticipated : and , having got rid of one of their great fundamental institutions , would they next depose the Queen .- ' He ventured to say that the cry would be with the salaried candidates for membership— "We don ' t want no monarchy . " (" No , no . " ) In conclusion , Mr . Horsmansaid it had been the fashion to call the non-electors slaves . That was absurd . The mere change from a iOi ' . to a 9 / house could not constitute a man a slave , nor a change the other way make him a free man .

    Mn . Bright . —A journal enjoying the hon . gent , s confidence has the following announcement : —" The Reform meeting to be held at Bradford , on Monday , promises to be of more than usual significance . Mr . Bright intends to avail himself of the occasion to explain how far he proposes to extend the -disfranchisement of small boroughs , and in what manner he would distribute the members or seats obtained from the operation of the schedule A in his Bill ; to give to the public , in fact , those details of his measure which have not been explained in his former speeches . The -report of the Bradford meeting will put the country in possession of the most important portion of the Bill which Mr . Bright has been engaged in preparing . The meeting will be attended by great numbers of the friends of lie form from all thctowns of the West Riding . '

    Mr . John Abel , Smith , -M . P ;—At Chiehester , on the 7 th , this gentleman addressed his constituents . After some remarks on thewar with Russia and the India Bill , lie referred to the Reform question , lie denied that it would be an organic change to have a large extension of tlie suffrage ; that it would be an organic change to take the members froni those places which in the course of time had become reduced in importance and population , and give them to those places where trade and commerce had drawn together large numbers of people . He was in favour of a very large extension of the suffrage , he was in favour of vote by ballot ; but if , w they talked of a more equal appointment of members to he did not

    population , they meant electoral districts , agree with them , because he did not believe that such an apportionment would be acceptable to the mass of the people of England , and he considered that old arrangements and old associations possessed great importance . With regard to the present Government , he could not , forgot the great obligations whicli the country owed them , he should look at measures and not men ( cheers ) , and if Lord Derby ' s Government proposed a Reform Bill which he believed to be hones . tly framed for the purpose of introducing those changes and those alterations which time had rendered desirable and necessary , ho should give them his support .

    Mit . Greek , M . P . —At a public meeting at Colcraino this gentleman said that the question of Parliamentary Reform had been deferred on the ground that Lord Derby would , next session , introduce a Reform Bill of his o * n .- It -was satisfactory to know that the Prime Minister of a Conservative Government was pledged to the country to introduce Reform , for in 1830 the Duko of Wellington , at the head of a Conservative Government , declared the constitution of England to bo so perfect it was impossible to improve it . Lord John Russell had been a journeyman in Buch matters for some years . He

    had put before the country two or three Reform Bills which had . never been debated , ami they might expect that he ( Lord John Russell ) would come forward if Lord Derby failed , Ho was glad to find Mr , Bright coming forward to demand a comprehensive measure of Reform ,. so that , when carried , the Houho of Commons would represent the people . Having expressed himself strongly in favour of the Ballot and reform of the electoral divisions , ho urged the importance and justice of a measure of tenant right , and culled upon the , pooplo to potition in favour of it , and to re-establish the Ulster tnnant right aooloty .

    Mit , SoitoPic , M . I * . —The hon . gentleman has issued an address to the constituonoy of Strqud , in which ho says ho docs not avail himself of this opportunity of add ^ saing the electors because in " the prosont misty nndunaortain state of the palltloal atmosphere ho has nothing definite or positive to state to thorn , " Oh the eubjeotof Reform , Mr . Soropo says :, " With regard to Koforin , there are certainly many persona at prosont not possessed of the parliamentary franchise , who from their intelligence and education may bo safely and advantagoouul y entrusted with it . It is also undeniable that Bomo localities possess more , eomo loss , than their just proportion of the entire representation . I think a

    favourable opportunity is now afforded for the correction of these anomalies ; Moreover , I have always been of opinion that the voter should be protected in the conscientious exercise of his suffrage . While , however , I am a parliamentarv reformer to this extent , I may say that I shall not be found to support any extreme and hazardous change in the machinery of our representative system , which in its present form has been productive of so much beneficial legislation , and I believe moved quite as fast in the path of progress as public opinion would permit . Moreover , the contrast exhibited during the same period by other countries in which fundamental institutional changes have been attempted with results fatal to all liberty , does not encourage us to riak a continuance of the blessings we have been all along enjoying by any rash experiments .

    The Right Hon . W . E . Gladstone . —We believe that the speculations of a contemporary , of Mr . Gladstoned remaining for any length of time in the Ionian Islands , are entirely unfounded . Sir John Young ' s tenure of power there will almost immediately terminate , and pending the short interval between his departure and the arrival of a successor , Mr . Gladstone will , in a few days , receive the authority requisite for conducting the administration . But the right hon . gentleman will ,

    we learn , be in London in ample time to participate in the leading events of the session . r-Daily yews . Meeting of ParliaSient . —At a Privy Council at Windsor oh Tuesday , it was ordered that Parliament should assemble on Thursday , February 3 rd , for the despatch of business , and a proclamation to that effect was accordingly published in the London Gazette . Chklsea . —An important meeting was held on Monday night , intended to promote the claims of that metropolitan locality to distinct representation in the h

    House of Commons . Mr . W . T . M'Cullagpre-Eided . Chelsea has a population of between 60 , 000 and 70 , 000 ; the ratable value of the parish is more than 200 , 000 / . ; and it has over 8000 houses . But according to the resolutions that were passed the people of Chelsea would be content with one representative , ' -and-the argument in favour of such a constituency having its own member was ably put by the chairman . The meeting resolved to address the Parliament in support of their views , and also to communicate with Lord l ' almerston . Lord John Russell , Mr . Bright , and the members for Middlesex . in

    Provincial Movements . — -A great meeting favour of Parliamentary Reform was , held at Carlisle on the 7 th inst . The Mayor presided ; and the principal speakers were Mr . Sutton and Mr . Wilks . The meeting declared itself for a ratepaying suffrage and the vote by ballot . A vote of thanks to Mr . Bright was adopted . —Large meetings , have been held during the present week in Newcastle-on-Tyne , Lincoln , Newtonheath , and other places . In all these towns an enthusiastic support was accorded to Mr . Bright .- —The Sheffield Town Council have adopted a petition in favour of a rating suffrage , vote by ballot , and the other points . — The next election for Banbury promises , unless the Liberal candidates can come to an arrangement , to place that borough in the hands of the Conservatives .

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    GATHERINGS FROM LAW AND POLICE COURTS . In the Queen's Bench Mr . Bovill , on the part of Mr . Ingram , has moved to enlarge the time in which to move for a new trial in the cause " Scully v , Ingram , " but the Court refused the application . In the Court of Exchequer an application was made in the compensation case against the Great Northern Railway , arising out of the accident at Calton . The jury , after being locked up , were discharged , ami it av : i 9 now urged that there had been some irregularity in making up the jury lists , which wus attributable to the negligence " of the attorneys . The Court granted a rule to show cause why tho attorneys should not pay the costs of tho trial .

    JL'ho ruin for a now trial in tho Marchmont caso has been refused at tho Court of Divorce . Tho court , however , may yet have- to deal with tho case in another way . At tho Guildhall , Georgo Gibson has been again examined on tho charge of having becu concerned in tho notorious Stamford-hill robbery , several years ago . Evidence was brought forward with a view to show tit at ho was identical with a man named Elliot who had boon sentenced to transportation for ton years , and rocontly liberated . Ho was again remanded .

    Esther Grigga was placed at tho bar of Marylobono police-court , before Mr . Brougliton , on tho remanded charge of throwing her infant out of window last week . An attempt was made to show that the woman was under tho influence of drink when she committed tho not ; h , cr own allogatlon being that it was from terror , ono of tho other children having eallqd out w fire "in its sloop . The li ^ fant now lloa in tho workhouse , suffering from concussion of tho brain and a fractured skull , and the magistrate has again remanded tho prisoner for a wook , ns tho child i « not yet out of danger .

    A wretched woman , whoso looks ondoraqd ' tho ploa of starvation sho urged in defence , was charged before Mr . Yardloy , at tbo Thames polloo-conrt , with stealing a

    table from a furniture-brokers in Whitechapel-road . The salesman had placed the article in her way , and then set himself in ambush to watch the result ; which came up to his expectations * The magistrate severely rebuked this person for hi 3 conduct in so tempting the prisoner , and merely sentenced her to two days' imprisonment . In the Court of Divorce on Saturday , the judges for the first time sat to hear appeals . The first heard was that of Mr . Curtis , the engineer , whose wife had obtained

    a judicial separation , oh the ground of cruelty . Mr . Curtis set up the plea . that he was insane at the time the alleged acts of cruelty took place . Lord Campbell confirmed the decree for separation , in which decision he was supported by the other judges . —In the notorious case of Evans v . Evans and Robinson , application was made by Mr . Evans that the decree for the dissolution of his marriage should be issued , and that Mr . Robinson should be required to pay the whole of the costs . The Court complied , with both these applications .

    The Newcastle sessions terminated last week , the number of prisoners having been more than usually large . " With regard to the Recorder , " says the local Chronicle , " the difference : in his court appears to have terminated . The members of the bar attended as usual , and the ordinary harmony and good feeling appeared to prevail . ¦¦ <• ¦¦ The Master of the Rolls on Wednesday gave judgment on an application for a new trial in the suit the

    " Swinfen v . Swiiifen . " The whole case turned upon question whether , at the time he made the will , old Mr . Swinfen was in a fit state of mind . The jury who tried the case found a verdict for the defendant , Mrs . Swinfen . His honour said that upon a careful consideration of th 3 whole of the circumstances of the case he . had come to the conclusion that the jury were right in finding that Mr . Swinfen was in a fit state of mind , and in returning a verdict for the defendant , and therefore he refused the application of the plaintiff for a new

    trial . \ . '¦' ¦; , A charge of perjury has been brought by Mr . Isaac Barrat-t , furniture dealer , at Woolwich , against Mr . Murrell , of Walbrook , auctioneer * and Captain Thomas Xutting , of Peckbam-rye . The charge arises out of an action for assault tried in the-Court of Queen ' s Bench last month . A portion of the evidence for the prosecution was taken , but there being many witnesses to examine an adjournment till Tuesday next was ordered . The voung woman , Anu Collyer , who has undergone severalexaminations at Wandsworth polIeeTCOurt , on the charge of setting fire to her master ' s house at West-hill , a fortnight ago , when it was burned to the ground , has been committed , by Mr . Ingham , for trial at the Central Criminal Court .

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    CRIMINAL RECORD . On Monday , an attempt was made to blow up the house of Mr . P . oole , butcher , in the Wicker , Sheffield , a proceeding by which the lives of eight persons were jeopardised . James Linley ( brother-in-law to Mr . Poole ) lived in the house with his family . About seven o ' clock , while the inmates were still in bed , a loud report was heard , and the house was shaken in a most violent manner . A large can , filled with gunpowder , had been lowered into tho cellar , where it exploded ; from the circumstance of the cellar door being left open the ex . plosion found vent , and not one of the inmates was injured . Linley is a sa \ y grinder , and it appears that the attempt to blow up the house has been resorted to for the purpose of intimidating him into joining the sawgrinder ' s union . Little more than a year ago ho was fired at with a pistol through the window .

    Tho polioe have at length traced the friends of the unfortunate young woman who was found dead in a pond in Epping Forest , with her infant child , on the $ th ult ., but there still hangs over tho case tho presumption that both the deceased were murdered . The unfortunate young woman appears to have boon the stepdaughter of Robert Oswoli , the keeper of the Enfield-lock , on tho River Loa , Her name was Emma Morgan , and her ago twenty-two . She was in domestic service at Tottenham , hut left her plnco in July , being then pregnant . She was confmod at tho workhouse , which sho left on the 20 th August . Her proceedings since that time are not distinctly known .

    A terrible murder has been committed in Dublin . Black , a journeyman painter , seoms to have stabbed his wife , a handsome young woman , in a nocturnal quarrel , and hold her in bed until she bled to death . He absconded , but hiis since given himself up , and boon oommittod to gaol . On Saturday tho oonviot Whitwortli , who murdqrod his sweetheart , a domestic servant , suffered tho extreme penalty of tho law at York . Tho criminal id said tQ have died repentant . A young girl , under six , toon yoars of ago , named Emma Coppins , was barbarously murdered in tho stroofc at Quoonaborongh on Tuesday night . The assassin is Frederick Prontis , a bricklayer ' s labourer , whoso addrossoa tho girl had refused j and in consoquonco ho sooms to hnvo waylaid hor and out hor throat with « razor . Tho murdoror haa been apprehended .

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    No . 460 . January 15 , 1859 . 1 THE JLBAPEB . 69

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 15, 1859, page 69, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2277/page/5/