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PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. THE CONFEEENCE. Th...
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Ministers Have Proceeded Thus Far In The...
is content to minister to Louis Bonaparte . The law itself is made a lie . The election of General Cavaignac for an aristocratic and monied arrondiss ^ ment indicates the feeling of the Haute Bourgeoisie * They are already beginning to read a lesson of distrust and hate to the " power from which all prosperity was expected to flow . In another , ar >" ondissefnent , where the working population is riiost numerous , the name of Carnot shows the Republic to be yet a remembrance and a hope .
For the rest , the legislative corps will be but faintly streaked with opposition . Why should there be any opposition in a chamber of mutes ? Many of the Government nominees were so far from respectable , that honest men refused to be sullied by contact—even with their names . The sole right , says Louis Bonaparte , which the
people reserve to themselves , is the free election of a legislative body ; i . e ., to vote their own suicide , periodically . And it now appears that even the power of the purse-strings is denied to the Deputies of the French people . The Budget of 60 , 000 , 000 / . is to be fixed by a decree , before the meeting of the Chamber . Really , a dictator is an expensive luxury .
The chairs of philosophy and of science are condemned , to make room for the priestly allowance of logic and rhetoric , —in a word , the curriculum of Oxford ! The Dictator has at length begun to tamper with the seat of justice . The principle of the absolute irremovability of the judges is slightly infringed . The rest will follow . Switzerland is menaced with the "
consequences" of refusing to comply with the imperious demands of French and Austrian despotism . Her independence is absolutely guaranteed by the treaties which Earl Derby professes his determination to respect : as if they had never been broken , since 1815 , by any of the contracting powers There is evidently some secret undei-mining work going on in Belgium . In Switzerland and Belgium storms are brewing . But Lord Malmesbury
will voucli for the sincerity of the man who never pronounced the word " Republic " , till within three days of his coup d ' etat . And all this time , English travellers are hounded down , and searched and bullied like malefactors , Downing-street maintaining friendly relations with all powers . Lord Malmesbury ' s passport is a licence to imprison , if not to shoot , any travelling Englishman who believes in the signature of the " intimate personal friend of Louis Bonaparte . "
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Parliamentary Reform. The Confeeence. Th...
PARLIAMENTARY REFORM . THE CONFEEENCE . The National Parliamentary Reform Association have held this week the long promised conference in St . Martin ' s Hall . Imagine four bare whitewashed brick walls , enclosing- a considerable and lofty room , lighted by four large windows , and roofed with intersecting beams of wood . At one end , on the base of the room , is a slightly elevated platform , from which rises , rank above rank , backed benches to a considerable height . Suspended from the ceiling are eight gasiliers ,
having four burners each—two of which , as the day is dark , are faintly flickering in the cold damp air . On tlio platform arc a , table and chairs ; and sitting there , are seven Members of Parliament—Mr . Hume , Mr . Georpo Thompson , Sir Joshua Walmsley , Mr . Geach , Mr . Heyworth , Mr . Fox , Mr . Torrens M'Cullagh , and Mr . J . B . Smith ; and near theso , Sir Charles Napier , Mr . Thornton Hunt , Mr . Edward Miull , the Reverend J . Burnett , Mr . George Jacob Holyouke , Mr Lattimoro , Mr . Slack , Mr . Robert Loblond , Mr . Houghton , Mr . Manning , the Reverend . Tube / . Bump , the Revorcnd Mr . Bonn , and other gentlemen .
Sir Joshua Walmnloy , as President of the Association , the council of . which convened the mooting , claimed tho right of addressing it before proceeding to business , and bofpro electing a chairman . Ho said tho Oonferoncp had been culled together for tho purpose of considering tho best method of carrying out tho views of the great majority of tho earnest reformers of tho country . " Tho council of tho association had innmod a circular , in whioh wore se t forth tho subjects which it would be the duty of ( ho c * Tiforonao to consider . They were : 1 . What moans can bo adopted for eoouring to tho utmost possible oxtont tho constitutional rights of tho people . 2 . How
far the bill before gfirliameiit is emulated to carry that object into effect . 8 . The cdurse fo be pursued to obtain for the voter the independent exercise of the franchise . These were the objects which were recommended to the particular consideration of the conference . " But siride Lord John Russell ' s Ministry had ceased to exist , they Seed not discuss the Whig measure of reform . Th § great Object of thisconference would foe , to .-. devise tfictee measures by which a future administration , Whatever ' might be its namei would be compelled to grant to the people of the United Kingdom d full and equal representation in the House of Commons . ( Cheers . ) It was unnecessary to detail the features of the measure advocated by the National Reform Association .
" The holding of nearly six hundred public meetingsthe co-operation of the press : —the annual discussions in parliament , and the publication of a very large number of tracts and pamphlets , had made the principles of the association almost universally known , and had obtained for them a wide and most encouraging support . On one point only had there been any misapprehension , and that had arisen out of a misinterpretation of the first clause in the declaration of their objects , as set forth on the Card of membership . That clause was a definition of the qualification for the franchise . Now , it had been most erroneously supposed that ' the claiming to be rated to the relief of the poor / meant the actual payment of rates as a condition of votine . Such was not the case ; the . exact
contrary was the fact . ( Cheers . ) All that the association meant was , that tlie existing parochial machinery should be retained , as the best adapted for the purpose of local registration , under local supervision and self-government ; but the right to be upon the register , and to vote , should be wholly independent of the payment of rates . ( Cheers . ) This simple statement would , he hoped , give assurance to the friends of reform everywhere , that the association would most strenuously oppose all attempts to insert a ratepaying clause in any future reform bill ( cheers ); believing that such a clause would be the fruitful source of oppression and fraud , and little better than a penal enactment , visiting upon honest men the penalty of disfranchisement for the non-prepayment of a due , which the parochial authorities have ample power to enforce ; ( Cheers . )"
Every friend-of reform must earnestly desire to see the intelligent and powerful industrial community awakened to a sense of the importance of working out their political emancipation . The advent of the Tory protectionist party to power ought to revive the spirit which animated the people in the struggle for the repeal of the corn-laws . Had the victory over the monopolists of the people ' s bread been followed by an immediate assault upon the monopolists of the people ' s franchise , the year 1852 would not have seen 'Lord Derby in
power ( cheers ) , but a government acting in harmony with the people , through a reformed House of Commons . Let it not be forgotten that the restoration of . the duties on corn was only one amongst many evil measures which a Tory government assume office to carry through parliament . Let it not be forgotten that the principles , and , consequently , the policy of such a government would be throughout illiberal ; and that though it might not be able to carry its principle in all cases into actual enactment , it would obstruct and prevent measures of a liberal character from being carried .
( Cheers . ) For himself he would not unite in a general agitation upon exclusively free-trade principles ( cheers ) , and would counsel his countrymen who wanted not only cheap bread but cheap government , and a constant and effectual control over the national pursp , to embrace the present opportunity of securing the perpetual blessings of free trade , and a general amelioration of of existing burdens by means of a radical change in the representation . ( Cheers . ) Ho recommended the appointment of a business committoc to arrange the proceedings of the conference . Mr . Robert Heywood and Mr . Ralph Walter were appointed vice-presidents , and Mr . George Thompson , secretary to the conference . The nomination of the business committee was a work of time . Tho Chartists ,
proper , in the Hall caused much disturbance . Mr . Ernest Jones objected to the appointment of the committee . Mr . Dick proposed Mr . Brontcrro O'Brien , and stigmatized tho association as dishonest , whereupon Mr . Humo reproved him in language that from its dignity and good sense admitted of no reply . Mr . Dick , not silenced , rose again , but was obliged to sit down under tho storm of indignation . Mr . George Thompson then explained that no one , unless ho were
a member of tho association , could be nominated , Hit on a committee , or vote . During tho nominations , Mr . Huino spokp Bovcrul times , and kept tho obstructives tolerably well in hand by his good humoiuy which overcame ail opposition . Ultimately the following committee were chosen : —Mr . Serlo , Mr . Birch , Mr . 'Holyoake , Mr . Jackson , Mr . Latimoro , Mr . Miall , and Mr . Gregory Foster , all of whom at onco retired to arrange tho order of business .
Mr . Hume addressed tho mooting , and fluid that ho attended thoro that day to forward a causa in which he had been engaged all his life . For f ' orty-ono years ho had never failed to give hie vote for progressive reform .
"He tad asiistM -ifc < Mmtng . up the Charter , and hP concurred in all i & principles . ( Hear . ) But there -wei * other meii itfno did Hoi wish to go so far , and all he should do would be to attempt by fact and argument to convince them he was right . Was he , because he could not set everything hewished , to throw obstacles in the way of beneficial progress ? ( Hear , hear . ) They lived in a country where the majority must ultimately rule . He would tell Mr . Ernest Jones and the other Chartists present , that twelve years before . * they had by their conduct stayed the progress of reform . ( Hear , heat- ;) There were men in their association of aJl calibres-of understanding , Weak and andtimidlt h all
strong , t ? old yahoug were actuated by the same wish for the welfare of their country ; and the plan which should unite all their efforts Was , in his opinion , the best that could be devised . ( Hear , hear . ) It would' do to drive the coach faster than the horses would carryit . They should endeavour to pave the way to ulterior reforms by accepting the present compromise , for it was nothing more . In accepting it , he did not abate one iot of his opinions , but he said , ' Bide your tinier' They had now an administration that declared against all reform and was that a time for reformers to refuse everything ? ( Hear , hear . ) Every step they took was one in the direction of the Charter , and there was no reason why they should not go on harmoniously . "
The Rev . Jf Burnett said , that in these meetings they should endeavour to give the Government an idea of their moral power . They might depend upon it , that in meetings of reformers , calmness arid order were the only things to appal their opponents- ^ --•* ' The sure way to make the strength of Reformers felt , was by unity and co-operation . It was said that Lord Derby was in power—that was the phrase . He denied it . Lord Derby was merely in place ( cheers and laughter ) , and if he ever was in power , it would be the fault of the Reformers . ( Interruption from Mr . Dick , followed by indignant cries from the meeting . ) They might let the
man bark sometimes . ( Great laughter : ) What the association wanted was , that ' afceSry sane man —( laughter , from the poihtedness of the allusion to the interrupters)—and who had iapt feeen xjonvieted of crime , and who had a house within the limits ofthe emjjire , should possess the franchise . But if the pebple werefld ^ et this vote without the protection of the ballot ; the Conscientious tradesman would still be compelled to vote against his conscience . Then there must also be a new arrangement of electoral districts , for without that point being gained , the extended suffrage
and the ballot would not produce their full effect . And when they had secured this measure of reform , they would be able to see ministers in power in whom they had confidence , instead of seeing the great offices of the state played at shuttleeock with by a Russell and a Derby—as if there were no other men in the House of Commons fit to form a cabinet . Had these noble individuals a better knowledge of business than a Bright or a Cobden , or a more intimate acquaintance with the wants and wishes of the people than the chairman , Mr . Hume P "
Mr . Miall read the recommendations of the businesscommittee , which set forth that the object of the conference was to organize an agitation for a bill commensurate with the wants of the people in parliamentary representation , and that the association had met with the support of the working classes . Mr . Dick demurred loudly to this , amid a fresh explosion of anger , and an irate person moved that Mr . Dick " be turned out , " and expressed great willingness to assist in that operation , but the chairman again succeeded in restoring order , and intimated that one who could not behave himself ought to retire . A Chartist objected to the constitution of the association . ( Cheers . ) There were no working people in it , and it did not represent the feelings of the working
classes . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Fox , M . P ., vindicated the correctness of the statement in the report , that the working classes had given their support to the association . They had held one of the most magnificent meetings he ever saw on the invitation of the Manchester Chartists . ( " No , no ! " Yes ! " ) If the working people were not with them , where wore they ; and whom were they with ? ( Cheers . ; ( A Voice— " With the chartists . " ) A gentleman saia with tho chartists . Their being with the chartists association
did not prevent them from being with the . ( Hear , hear . ) He was a chartist , and yet he was _ member of this association . The terms of Mr . H « i " " motion had become the standard and watchword o reform . Tho ono sole object of this conference was to determine in what way to carry out tho objects or v association . Lot them put down . all dissensions anu dillbroncos among themselves , and success was coi iu , . Mr . Fox showed that a minority of tlio people returuej a majority to tho House of Commons , whether tncit dilations wore made according to tho population oi property of the electoral districts . Therefore tlio i * distribution of tho districts was one of the mow
portant objects . nOl >] , Mr . George DaWson , in a short but humorous spoeojj ; expressed Ilia readiness and that of the Chi «*»* . Birmingham to go along with the association , tnoa at tho same time thoy wont further . « tnov c . mfint . got all at once , thoy did not despise an insta m Ho was very earnest in deprecating improper ° !* ^ tions to the proceedings of tho meeting . J » f- * lagh . MJ \ , defended , the constitution and policy
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 6, 1852, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_06031852/page/2/
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