TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE CENTRAL ASSOCIATION.
OUR advertising columns announce that the Reform Associatica is fully organized, and prepared for action. We recommend a perusal of the" Addreis to the People of the United Kingdom," and a glance at the names of the four or five hundred gentlemen already enrolled as members. The first will show that the ob- jects of the Association arc such as all the friends of good govern- ment must heartily desire; the second, that the cooperation of a numerous, powerful, and influential body of men will not be wanting for the attainment of those objects. The Reformers stand on the defensive. Our antagonists aim at nothing short of rendering the Reform Act a dead-letter, or an instrument of corrupt government. They boast of their power to convert the law which was intended to render the Representation real, into the means of making it rotten. It is beyond question, that this unlawful, unconstitutional project, will succeed to a very great extent, unless prompt and effectual measures are taken to counteract its supporters. But those measures will be taken. The example of tile metropolis will be followed throughout the country. In every town, hamlet, and rural parish, District Asso- ciations will spring up for the exercise and protection of electo- ral rights. We do not underrate the power of the Anti-Re- formers: they are wealthy, active, cunning, selfish, unscrupulous. But they have been beaten, and shall be again.
The struggle on which we are now entering may be long; and we fear it will be fierce. Look to Staffordshire, where the spec- tacle of Parson Magistrates, calling in the military for the slaughter of the people, has been witnessed. Blood has been drawn in the cause of Toryism !—yes, long boasted, there is "a fight for it" now ; the " dust is laid in blood."
The Reform Association has not been formed a day too soon. It is evident that we must combine closely together for mutual pro- tection against these violent men. Not content with corrupting, they are doing their utmost to sow discord among the People, by inflammatory speeches and writings—" deceptions practised on the fears of the timid and the prejudices of the uninformed "—lies and Nonsense about the Pope, perjury, and O'CONNELL'S Tail. It will be an essential part of the duty of the new Association to dissemi- nate better knowledge, to inculcate more virtuous and Christian- like doctrines among the masses. It raises a blush for our fellow countrymen to find that such trashy falsehood as the Tory writers put forth can even be supposed to influence the People of England. In order to render the Association an efficient instrument in the hands of the friends of order and good government, it is necessary that its efforts should be zealously seconded by Local Societies. In the Address, it is well said, that although subscriptions of any amount will be received, it is not desirable to divert from local societies contributions which they can more usefully employ. Let every man exert himself in his own neighbourhood to form a
society in connexion with the parent institution. In this way his assistance will be most efficient. In this way will even the most
humble Reformer be encouraged to set corruptionand intimidation at defiance,- and give his vote according to his conscience. To enable every man to do this, is all that is expected or desired.
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