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Leader (1850-1860), 1st March 1851, Edition Town of 1, Page 193, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      men for high official station , not on account of their fitness , but in deference to their family connections . " The resolution was carried unanimously , after which several other gentlemen addressed the meeting . Mr . Charles Rawlins said the only -way in which they could obtain those desirable reforms of which Mr . Boult had spoken was by " a strong pressure from without . " No valuable reforms could be obtained in England without that . The following is the manifesto of the National Parliamentary and Financial Reform Association : — " The Council" of the National Parliamentary and Financial Reform Association to the People . " Fellow-countrymen , —It devolves upon us to address you at a moment of grave interest .

      " The Government of Lord John Russell is virtually defunct . A new Administration must forthwith be formed ; and the nation will possibly be required to express its opinion upon public policy . " Parliamentary and financial reformers of every class and of every shade of sentiment are deeply concerned in the event . ¦ It now becomes our duty to give full expression to our demands . We are required to be bold , energetic , and decided . "We have great and sacred ends in view ; the moment has arrived when we must nerve ourselves for their achievement . " Fellow-countrymen , let us review our position .

      " The Radical Reformers of the United Kingdom , having objects of common interest , have for years lacked common union . It has , indeed , been no selfish motive that has distracted us . Our want of union has mainly arisen from fear of injuring a Government in which , though none of us shared , some of us confided . Our very latest experience of the Administration , on questions involving parliamentary and financial reform , may serve indeed , to show that the fear was as groundless as the confidence was misplaced , and may teach us all to lay to heart how far preferable to dependence on a party is reliance on our own energies and earnest efforts .

      " Fellow-countrymen , these apprehensions need no longer affect any of us . Our path is cleared of the one great difficulty ; we may now unite to tread it in pursuit of our common end . Our requirements are just . We ask" For Free Trade , in all its integrity . " For Parliamentary Reform , immediate and complete . " For Financial Amelioration , economical and equitable . " This is the British Reformer ' Bill of Rights ; and , if they ask for nothing more , the British people can assuredly be satisfied with nothing less . " Such Jbjpng our reasonable requirements , how may we best atl u them ?

      " It is known to all of us that the aristocracy , although one exclusive oligarchy , is severed into two factions , each faction with its followers . Being nearly equally divided , these factions , in a political crisis , are compelled to bid one against the other for the people ' s favour . The administration of Lord Melbourne offered as a boon a fixed duty upon corn ; the Government of Sir Robert Peel subsequently outbid them by proposing a total repeal of every tax on our food . In like manner other tenders for our favour will be made by the various factions now bidding for place and power . Setting aside all other considerations and prejudices whatsoever , to secure that the party which is allowed to rule provides for us nothing less than the full measure of justice we demand .

      " The Parliamentary and Financial Reformers of Great Britain—comprising the independent voters of the empire and the great masses of the industrial population —are those whose favour public parties , of necessity , must seek . Fellow-countrymen , the people hold the balance ; our weight thrown into either scale may turn the beam . Let us bear in mind , then , the importance and the responsibilities of our position , not merely as they affect ourselves , but as they affect the entire unenfranchised and over-burdened people . Let us pledge ourselves one to another , and to

      aociety at large , to be earnest , energetic , and united in the performance of the duty now devolving on us . Let us pledge ourselves to accept no Government falling short of full acquiescence in our three demands ; and , if u Government be formed distinctly recognising , and implicitly pledging itself to carry out , our principles , let us not be diverted from our object by any other cry , but let "cquiesce . ^ ce in those principles bo our single test . To the people oeitner the support of frictions nor the aggrandizement of families can , or ought to be , mutton * of concern . ' Whig' and ' Tory' are nothing to us , save as they will advance the People ' s liill of Rights .

      " Upon parliamentary and financial reformers who , under the present limited nyatein , are elector * of the United Kingdom , it now devolves to advance the Intercuts of the bread-enter , of the tax-payer , and of the unenfranchised man of- intelligence . The council are itnxiouH to impress the immediate necessity of preparation . Arrangements cannot too soon bo made to bring forward competent and faithful candidates for Parliament , prepared to fight the people ' s battles , upon the People a principles . In making their detection , let ' lectors take non-elcctoru into their confidence ; iind , "inking for the future every minor difference , unite in obtaining u complete expreumon of the nation ' s feeling m favour of the People ' s liill of Rights . ( Uy order of the Council ) , "Johuua Walmhlky , President . " Saturday , February 22 , 1851 . " "

      Untitled Article

      THE WALTIIAM PROTECTIONIST ^ PROGRAMME . The only remarkable demonstration among tho 1 rotectioni » t » this week has been at Waltham , whore

      a numerous meeting took place on "Wednesday , attended by the Marquis of Granby , Lord John Manners , Lord Charles Manners , Mr . Farnham , M . P ., Mr . Frewen , M . P ., Mr . G . F . Young , and other gentlemen . Mr . Fletcher Norton , the president of the Waltham Agricultural Society , explained that the meeting had been called to consider the present state of the agricultural interest , and stated that the Earl of Wilton would have been present had he not been suddenly summoned to London . He then proceeded to show that Free Trade was producing universal discontent among the agricultural classes . The farmers were suffering severely , and the labourers would suffer also :-

      —" He would ask if they expected , in the present competition , to continue to give their present wages to their labourers , and w h ich , according to the computation of 600 years , was equal to a peck of wheat ? Now , let any man calculate what a day ' 6 labour would be worth at 40 s . a quarter . Why , Is . 3 d . Had the price of wheat been , as was promised , 50 s . a quarter , a fair rate of wages might , perhaps , have been given ; but that was difficult , if not impossible , under the present price . That , then , was the worst part of the evil—the low price of wages to the labouring classes . { Hear , hear . ) " Mr . Hardy , of Grantham , who , from " his position as a banker , " knew the condition of the farmers in that district pretty

      well" Could state that none of them had been able by their farms to meet their current expenses , but that all had been drawing upon their capital—( hear , hear j )—and he felt assured that unless there was a speedy rise in prices , or a diminution of expenses , they would be all involved in general insolvency . ( Hear , hear . ) It was not for him to say how this was to be brought about , but he knew that something must be done , and done quickly , or the consequences would be dreadful . " A Mr . Newball said the workhouse in his own neighbourhood of Sleaford was fuller now than it had ever been before , and if things did not take a turn soon , it would not be able to contain all the paupers .

      Mr . Frewen having announced to the meeting , amidst loud cheers , that when he left London on Tuesday evening it was distinctly understood that Lord Stanley had accepted office , the Reverend N . Morgan said they must now go for the abolition of the mall duty and the income tax . But "it was Protection , and Protection alone that would benefit them . ( Loud cheers ) . " Let no sop be put into their mouths but that—no

      reduction of taxation , such as that insult that was offered them the other day , when £ 30 , 000 was offered to the farmers of England , Scotland , and Wales , for their clover seed . Was not that exceedingly generous ? ( Hear , and laughter . ) Let them remember then , Protection and no surrender . ( Applause . ) Theywould have it or they would fis < ht for it . ( Laughter ) . He had no doubt that by perseverance and good conduct—by not being rebellious , theywould gain their point . ( Applause . )"

      Mr . G . F . Young made a long speech on the general question . He endeavoured to show that the boasts of manufacturing prosperity were not well founded . As for the shipping interest it never was more depressed than at this moment . The farmers must not look for any substantial relief from reduction of this or that duty . With wheat at 50 s . the farmers could do pretty well . An import duty would give them that , but an import duty could not be got perhaps without a struggle : —

      " Well , then , if it came to a struggle , though he did not like to hear the word , he was not the man to shrink from it . But what struggle were they to expect . A few blustering speeches from the Anti-Corn Law Leaguea threat from Cobden that he would march a body of men from Leeds . ( Laughter . ) If they were going to struggle he hoped they would struggle for something worth having . { Great applause . )" But they must not embarrass Lord Stanley by asking men to pledge themselves before they get into power , or by raising a storm for the repeal ot the malt tax , Government ht

      or any other tax , unless the new thoug sueli a course best . " All must repress their anxiety for instant relief from their difficulties at the hands of the new Government .. The country must forbear for the present . The time was close at hand when they would have to light their country ' s battle on the hustings . " The Murquis of ( Jnmb y and Lord John Manners both addressed the meeting , but all they said was merely to indorse Mr . O . F . Young ' s statement , that they must not seek to pledge Lord Stanley , but take what they can get .

      The agriculturists of Cambridge had a demonstration at Ely , on Thurndny . Their limgunge was much more warlike than that of the Waltlium men . JVh \ Bull , of Burwell , said : — " He believed that there were numbers in thin country who would prefer marching uguiiiHt Manchester to marching against Paris . Let them take tho lunKuage of the Titneti , which the other day Huid they would restat Protection to the lafit appoal . Let them nay ' Amen' to it . ( Cheers . ) It wuh a hopeful t . Uing that Lord Stanley wau at the head of uffuirH . Let them recollect his lordnhi |>'< j injunction to ugitate the country and wait the command of ' Up , Guards , and at them . ' That time had uuw uomc , and the reply should he , 'On , Stanley , on . " Let them rink nil , brave ull , and dare all , to be ruiimtnttui in that position of which they had been no wrongfully deprived . ( Loud eheert . )" .

      Untitled Article

      INCORPORATION OF MARYLEBONE . The people of Marylebone have begun to agitate in favour of the incorporation of that borough . . A meeting of the East Pancras Parochial Association was held Jast night week , at the Globe Tavern , King ' s-cross , to consider the propriety of applying , fox a charter . Most of the speakers were in favour of the proposal . A slight opposition was made on the ground that " corporations are corrupt relicts of by-gone days , " and that the affairs of the London corporation are not w ell managed . After a good deal of discussion it was unanimously resolved that a committee should be appointed to communicate with the various associations in the borough , in order to ascertain what advantages are likely to accrue from applying for a charter of incorporation for Marylebone .

      Untitled Article

      THE GREAT EXHIBITION . The preparations for the opening of the Crystal Palace , on the 1 st of May , have been proceeding this week with as much energy as before , notwithstanding the Ministerial crisis , and the danger of Colonel Sibthorp being allowed to put down the whole affair as a conspiracy against the farmers . Complaints are made that the persons intending to exhibit have not been hitherto so prompt . in forwarding specimens as is requisite . Such a number has , however , been already received as to give some idea of the immense wilderness of wonders which the palace will form when the preparations have been completed : —

      " The nave of the building will be a magnificent sight , embellished , as it will be , with the rarest and most remarkable specimens from each of the thirty sections into which the whole collection has been classified . Colossal statues—great fountains—a gigantic telescope—pillars of granite and . coal—an extraordinary dome of glass and iron , cast at Coalbrook-dale , and forty feet high—crystals of spermaceti oil as representing animal substances , and which cost their exhibitor £ 1000—crystals of alum several feet high—models of the Britannia-bridge and of the great Russian chain-bridge thrown by Vignolles over the Dnieper—a model of the glass palace itself—a model of Chance ' s lighthouse—a display of feathers by Adcock—a clock by Dent—a trophy of silk manufacture from Spitalfields , — such are among the objects with , which the western , or British , half of the lofty centre aisle is to be adorned . To this list will , no doubr , _ yet be added many other attractive contributions , and as an illustration of the desire which is felt to concentrate on this point the most remarkable things in the pountry , we may mention that a hope is entertained that the section of precious stones may be represented here by Runjeet Singh ' s great diamond—the Kohinoor . It is intended that all the stalls shall be covered with red cloth or pink calico , by which means not only will the unsightly wood work be concealed , but a warmth of colouring will be imparted to the whole ground-area of the building , which , combined with the great mass of blue overhead and the yellow stripes on the columns , will produce a most harmonious and brilliant effect . "

      Untitled Article

      CONTINENTAL AFFAIRS . All the February anniversaries are happily over , and Puri « never was quieter since it , s foundations were laid in the mud . A solemn mass was said in Notre Dame ; at St . Mary and other churches a sort of funeral service , in commemoration of what , nearly all parties in France seem now agreed to look upon as a very melancholy affair—the revolution that ushered in a republic . The Paris students , above one thousand in number ( some say considerably fewer ) went in u procession to the Plaee de la JJustille , on Sunday , to Jay their immortelle wreaths on the pedestal of the Column of July .

      An ultra-Democratic demonstration was to come off on Saturday last ; but the suspected quarters ol the boulevards and faubourg were most provokingly still and orderly . The Government were not , however , to be bafllcd of the pleasure of carrying on their vexatious measures ; an inquiry is to be instituted by the police , by order of the President , against the perpetratora of the disturbance that never took plaee . The prefect of tho police , M . Carlier , was absent during tho most critical period of the . aimiversuriealie wuh at tho timo at Sens . Nothing , it seems , has power to tempt the Pnri-Hiaim out of their equanimity . A famous letter of the Count de Chambonl , from Venice , haw failed to produce a sensation . NowspaperH of all parties have reported it without ono word of comment .

      The Hchemc for a general amnesty , uiul the bill for municipal reform , are both abandoned for the present , All in at a s + IuihIbuII in Pftrin , if we except , the diplomatic body , which is being stirred and shifted throughout . ( jJ eiieral Aupiek , late Minister at Copenhagen , and M . do Talleyrand , fimt secretary of legation at St . Petersburg , are deNtined for -the London legation . M . do MareBCulehi , now charge d ' affaires m London , in promote *! to be Minister Plenipotentiary at Stockholm . New appointments and promotions in great number appear in the same Gazette . What utruck ua in all that norm-nelnturo was the frequent occurrence of high-tummliug aristocratic itmncu . Nor is it merely in diplomucy , but in all the branches of udminiHtration the ancient nobleeao nevor made its way to power and ditftinctiou

      Untitled Article

      March 1 , 1851 . ] 3 E f > * %$ gfr £ ir * 193

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 1, 1851, page 193, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1872/page/5/