14 APRIL 1866, Page 2

Lord Elcho has done a pluoky thing. Annoyed at being

con- sidered an enemy to the working classes, he attended a meeting of workmen at St. Martin's Hall on Wednesday, by agreement with Mr. Howell, and addressed the meeting at some length. The workmen, in accordance with one of the very worst of their practices, at first refused to hear him, whereupon Mr. Hughes declared be would not speak. They then listened patiently to a speech in which Lord Elcho, while declining to dis- cuss the Reform Bill out of the House of Commons, explained that he had helped to arm workmen, had resigned his seat rather than defend the Corn Laws in the interest of a class, that he was for "justice to all, preponderance to none," and that Mr. Holyoake would give hins a character, which Mr. Elolyoake did as a friend to every social improvement. He sat .down amidst cheering, having, as was said, really paid workmen the best compliment--that of personally attending their meeting to explain his pwitia.