'bf 13robincrs,

The COM( -- hour the Whigs ••,, person of Mr, 'Me following aee, . how closely the (.7■,!.1.. -

To-nes, At the eleventh . : Baldwia. in the for Carlow.

d';-rent hours shows

1 ' 177

.11i/f-pa;i -Vint „u',•'.• 7'nc;lre

Four o'clork

for Baldwin, 7,

The Liberal i.ctiec',-., Parliament, and corn .need of the 11 abolition of the s and sob r 7 reform of the rept..., .:.nit t Ss N:7.'777 , that object. The 1,11,1:.1•SI public Is...,

cester was held at the Theatre of

tition the Legislature in our .1 11 and Triennial Parlimoonts.

'gained the viols of the pc:, a1. meeting- " The last we n: At bore, it was. t law; a law which, in my npioaja'm. is prosperity. The Ls.gi-las ore base refu-. hare rota-c1 cvcil to curve to a tote have disposed of it lw a sort of side-it intelligent men of :ill piss-o.. that the r,, hinted from the 1.q.,',1atuye as now C.,. present meeting.- 3tr. NV. Biggs said he was painfully convinced that the Reform Act was a failuro. He had lately been I., London in the eo.,,:h'ity of Corn- law Delegate for Leicester. and there he met persot,-: from all parts of the country who cone:Ivrea in the statements or Ntroac and widely- 7: a.

7.. ,1 /7 1,- /. : 1! 7 '1171/ 1•„

s• I ••, the 13efortnecl

l• z obtain • :',1rther ..; with Lei- .: to fie- .

1 . 1.11.11r, ex- ■ , call the

unjust

,tiona; thcy

.11 V1 • 1, , :1." 7, 171e7 Ji -

i. This 1,,i to t.. Ong the

,':01-11e, 17,1 ; .. iority sjority. es. spread distress, for which they expected no relief from Parliament as at present constituted- ; As far as he could collect the opinions of these gentlemen, they despaired of success in any attempt to obtain a repeal of the Corn-laws from the present House of Commons; almost all emicanTed in the necessity of a reform of the Reform Bill, and for a general agitation for Household Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and Triennial Parliaments. The Anti-Corn-law League being, how- ever, composed of, and supported by, men of all shades of political opinions, and some few even of those who subscribe largely to its funds scarcely agreeing with its leaders upon any other subject but the Corn-laws, that body could not he expected, as a Corn-law League, to take up questions of general politics, though, of course, every one of its members was at liberty, as private members of society or as influential politicians, in their respective localities, to agitate for any political change which might be deemed expedient. With this informa- tion as to the position of the Anti-Corn-law League, and thoroughly con- vinced that no measures of a liheral or popular kind could he obtained from the present House of Commons, he immediately upon his return reported what he hail seen and heard to the Leicester Anti-Coin-law Committee and to the Working-men's Anti-Corn-law Association. A few days after, a deputation waited upon him from each of these societies, calling upon !dm, as Chairman of the Reform Society, to convene a meeting Of its Committee to consider the propriety of originating a public meeting to petition the Legislature for an ex- tended suffrage. The Reform Committee unanimously resolved, that the time had conic when it became their duty to take the field, and agitate on those subjects for which the public mind was fully prepared—Household Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, and Triennial Parliaments ; rightly concluding, that, svhile these objects if gained would popularize the House of Commons, they would, at the same time, have the support of the greatest amount of public opinion; for, while differences exist among Reformers upon almost every minor point, all the middle class, and a very large proportion of the working class, agree in the propriety and de:irableness of those three cardinal objects. 'Under these eirenni- stances this meeting had been called; and lie wished to impress upon all, for the advancement of the cause of civil liberty, to merge every minor objection in supporting these propositions. "This," said Mr. Biggs, 'is the first meeting which has been called for these objects in the country—the first in which, latterly, the middle and working-class haw met each other on common ground. If we are unanimous and united, we shall set an excellent moral example to the whole kingdom. I have no doubt that, in a short time, numerous meetings will he held, and that ere long an effective agitation will have commenced, which will only end with the acquisition of the suffrage by every resident housebaler throughout the country, and a thorough reform of the present House of Commons."

He proceeded to explain the effect of establishing Household Suffrage in popularizing the representative body. It would produce, he contended, an overwhelniiiig Liberal majority in the House of Commons— In the United Kingdom there are 309 cities and boroughs, which return 405 Members to Path:anent ; these, in addition to the Liberal Alembers sent in from Irish conmies, would constitute at least two-thirds of the Legislature. if the whole of these boroughs could he popularized, or a very, large portion of them, by the ia kinduction of Household Suffrage, a majority in the House of Commons might be fairly calculated upon of from 100 to 200 Liberal Members— a majority amply sufficient to effect a repeal of the Corn-laws, to relieve the grievaric,., of Dissenters, and to pass any necessary, salutary, or just laws, which might be rendered necessary.

Very little difference of opinion prevailed, among Liberals at least, with respect to the Ballot. Any system which gave a man a vote and did not secure him in the free ma of it, was an insult and a mockery. He preferred Triennial Parliamente to annual : he thought that trien- nial elections would enable eenstivimencies to exercise a sufficient con- trol over their representatives, and he did not wish to subject either members or electors to the ;tunnel excitement of a party col, last. He considered a row disteihution of necessary, to remove the gross and palpable discrepancies at present esisting ; and was in favour of a property quai eat ion fin. Members ; but Household Suffrage, Ballot, :tad Triennial Parliaments, were the three great points to which Re- formers should mainly direct their attention-

"! en .-;der this the most important meeting ever held in Leicester shire the pi.ssing of the Reform Bill, I s iew it as the eummencement of a lone political ceinpoieti. I have no doul,t of the ultimate result ; but, in the it:- terin,, we must n ake up our minds to repulses, annoyance, and vexatious de- lay. Ai, sting !to- meeting will have to be called, and petition after petition must he s •Nt ; to get up the irics,ane ordeal of a long-

contired rod eiddy-exten-led ; limit all this noist be encountered

and seely:rted. must go to the :4:,!;:tare as a united party—as a whole -aid aim:tided people : we :ti=t siel: every minor difference of opinion, and unite I.ert and ;.toad for the alto:id:WM of these gr.-at and important mci- sures. l am not rurpri,ed that the ti,hhile class is heir to enter upon a new trweer of agitation ; unthino tut the overwhelming conviction that there is no here et may farther, 0 ,e'ed, nr popular measure being passed by the preeent [louse a Coninioes, would mild ever itelin have brought us into this arena.

Ile moresed a resolution in c,:fortuity with his speech.

.Mr. Winks hoped the Dee.; N‘ (.■!1,1 remember the treatment which

the eti•ioners :.gainst the Cori.-laws had experienced from the House of Commons-- When all England almost had up petition; for the repeal of these laws,

how had the prayer of the peopie trei.ted? Se„rcely a sufficient number of blew hers were present to bun, a Dow e when Mr. ‘villiers clehivered his Trowel ful speech on the question. Anil what, In would tusk, was tin conduct of the Members opposed to the rell..:t1 t.f the Corn-lawR' when Mr. Villiers's mo-

tion sses thus I.:irked ?—Wby, heel of haiel, ter. He had heard flremons leading their victims ;cot cl,en lie saw the British

Legislot latt.41,111,; at the ie rcat t,!' a ;,:eatire as the repeal of the ('ore.-Ina he thoag.ht their I,,,!, nil that it was the ditty of esen.y Chri.-liar to lease im constitutional means nettled to hint them out, and semi omen hu thcir stead who c co:1,6(.1,6;11.1y discharge their ditty, and pro- mote the true irarrests of the country. Wiila respect to the questions for which they haii ant, Loth he and his Mewls had been willing and anxious to

advorate them, but the y :0 •, surrout led by es ternal circumstances over which they had no imitrot " that they tad till then been prevented. lie joined aim Mr. ;;,r a milted expression of opinion in frvotir of the tit,:'-nn ti., toet t,, e. It 1vos clear they could expect nothing

from the pre-, t.: lit.

Mr. Bo ;•den. a I hertist, moved an amendment-

" The: this 11,4.4.ting ti ars, whihe property and not per:tat is the qualifier:thin t9 1(,•/.1,-,,I,tativi:, elways fund means to exerco.: 1!. 11,;:t e-,Mth Lc prevented front

orzupy p■si ehti I h. e, the operutives of Lei-

cester-, ,e,,,ve.-ied . this con eenfelet.ce only in the entictinel:t of the aeeregate principles rontabt..! in tilt I:hurter Bill."

Lie would not press his resolutiea to a division if the majority were

opposed to it ; but those with whom he acted would have a right to censure hint if he did not state his views on this occasion—

He could have wished that the present movement had been commenced in

sonic more populous district ; and he could not help observing that he thought there was some insidiousness about it, and that it was intended to divert the people from the attainment of the Charter. (Hisses and cheers.) Whatevet might be the object of the parties making the movement, lie hoped it would result in an agitation that would banish distress from the laud. (Cheers.) Mr. Bowman seconded the amendment. It had been said that the man who opposed this movement was an enemy to his country ; but he maintained that the man who did not oppose it was a far greater enemy to his country—

The Reform MR had not secured that which was expected from it; crud

why ? Because those having the management of affairs never intended it should; and he believed that those getting up the present meeting, did net intend to benefit the people, but rather to mislead them. (Hisses and groans, with some cheers.) He hoped they svould allow him to speak his sentiments, lie said he thought the object in view wits not to benefit the operatives. It was well known there bad been an agitation on foot for some time among the working classes, in %Odell they asked for universal redemption, but did the middle classes assist them in it? No.

The Mayor rose to order : he understood that the mover of the amendment which Mr. Bowman was supporting, bad withdrawn it, A cry was raised among the Chartists against the withdrawal of the amendment ; and Mr. Burden said he would divide the meeting upon it. Mr. Markham had advised his friends, the Chartists, not to press their amendment ; but he also recommended them to withhold all assistance front the Whigs in this movement. It was perfectly unrea- sonable in the middle classes to expect the cooperation of the unen- franchised for their own exclusive advantage. They refused to aid the working classes in obtaining Universal Suffrage, but expected mpeeatesdsets would

emlo join the movement for Household Suffrage, by which m th not be benefited— If gentlemen would undertake to defend and justify what oppeared to him such unreasonable conduct, it would go very fur to remove his prejudices against the present movement ; but until then, he could not; and he would advise the Chartists in this district not to render assistance to any party who refused to ask the just rights of every man. It has been intimated by Mr. Biggs, (part of whose speech he only heard indistinctly,) that this meeting was intended as the presage to a great and general movement ; and lie fully con- curred with Mr. Burden in expressing his regret that it did not commence in some more populous district—that, as Chartists, they might have had the ad- vantage of time conduct of their brethren to guide them in the course they should take at this meeting. But in the absence of a guide, he thought every per- pose would be answered by the avowal of their determination not to sacrifice their principles or assist any movement 'Which fell short of the People's Charter, of until they ascertained the course pursued by their friends, f w formed but a very minor branch ; and if subsequent events should ahoy they they ought, in conjunction with these friends, to oppose in the most deter- mined manner theyresent plan, he would, as he had done before, take his place, whatever odium might attach to him, and morally demand the just rights of the people; but if in the meantime those gentlemen will seek to obtain all Hutt we believe to be right, sic will fall into their ranks, fight on their side, and never desert them until every enemy is laid low at their feet. (Cheers.)

Mr. Burden then t'ithdrew' his amendment, and the original resolu- tion was carried.

The Rsverend Charles Berry moved the next resolution. Ile was in favour of the re:liter reforms which Mr. Biggs advocated, but did not think that the !reform Bill had been an entire failure-

" I think it has done great good. Yenrs ago we could not express our opi- nions without danger: now we stand on equal grounds with our opponent,. Those who have hived many years moist acknoWledge the difference. I think it was worth all the trouble ale agitation which the Reform Bill cost, to obtain the Municipal Bill, by which a better system of government has been intro- duced into this and other towns; but will any one say that time Reform Biil does not wont curry log further? Burin.- the sitting of the Committee on the Ludlow election, what scenes have been''diselosed ! Is it not abominable that the stealth of the aristocracy should be employed in corrnpting, honest men, elm would oth-rwise he inde.pendent ? I am perfectly williug to go to the ex- tent of household suffrage; bat I cannot—I never did—and I do not think that I ever shall be brought to approve of universal suffrage; my objections to it rather Mc: ease. I du not wish to eater into a controversy upon time subject; but all 1 s,:y is chi., I do not deny that there are among the unrepresented many honest and good men, even living in garrets—for good men are often compelled to lime in garrets—and 1 should be rejoiced to give such meu a vote it I could seleW. tl■c::. out ; but no law could recognize individuals, hut classes, and it is my opinion that universal suffrage would include mouth great metiers who ought to be di•qualitied, that it could not tie safely given. ("A'a, eon I say, ie it were the lost sMse I hail to speak, though I do not say. the time will liev,r come, but it is my opinion that, in the present state of society, universal it image would rain Mid allireraid desolation. ("No, no; and /our/ ni!,,,pprnbal inn ) As far as I can see into the futurity by the light of history, I think it mvould lead to a worse despotism than any we have ever been cursed with. (Noise and disonprohalian.) 1 often read in the papers time remark, that the Ministry would de more if they could. Now I scorn the man that will not do justice. I do not think we have ever had in my thile-1 had almost said in any period—a inure honest, faithful, well-meam ing Alinistry than we have at pret,citt. (Cries of "Olt, oh!" " N,, no, no r) Gentlemen, observe; I have chosen my words with Some care. I said honest, litithfiil, mid well-meaning; 1 m:ght also, to a certain extent, enlightened; though in some point; I think they are in the dark ; but I believe they act without corruption—s nese e Oh, oh:" kwyhter, and capressions of pad fli.lapproholionj—ntud with an intention to work nut the happiness of thecoun- try. (" fro 1'' kissing, and onyits.,n2s.) Gentlemen, you have only heard one side of the picture with regard to the Ministry. (A en/co—" Ay, go on, and flier tea some teas 'ma ."') I should be ashamed to stood here, and not to bay what was just of any man; yet I say they are so linked with the misto- cracy-1 was going to say so tainted, but I will use a milder word, aim touched, so tinged with attachment to the Miura, not furgettine n the abuses of the Church—that 1 t IAA they are really not awore of the time fe:ling of the coun- try. I eau upon you to support the proposition, because it may be taken either stay. If Alinist, rs deAre to carry out the spirit of the Helium Bill, 1 should think they would be thankful for such a movement as this. If they are sa

surrounded with difficulties that they cannot carry out popular measures which they wish for, c hot is so desirable for their assi.itattce as the peat: ful force of public opinion:. II' they are not litvourable to the objects we are seeking—sad I must say in my heart that I stn afraid they are not—then it is high time for the country to convey to them its opinion that such changes are accessary.' The resolution was seconded and carried ; and a petition to Parlia- ment adopted. At the conclusion of the proceedings, the Mayor bore testimony to the distress which prevailed in Leicester, and t

(Unary patience of the people under their affliction— he extraor- 14 It has been my lot," he said, " to hold this important post in a year of extreme depression of trade. .My situation as Mayor and as a Magistrate Ilse brought me into contact if an immense amount of suffering. The a,eeting would scarcely credit, if I were to relate to them, the instances of older, which have come to my knowledge. I wish to express my admira- tion of the beautiful moral spectacle, %shah, amidst great physical suffering, bus been presented by the people of Leicester. Never was there a population suffering so much who conducted themselves so peaceably. I can hardly find words to express my feelings on. this subject. No town has been so quiet. There has been no necessity to increase the peace force of the borough, no oc- casion to have soldiers quartered here. We trusted to the good sense, to the right feeling of the inhabitants, and we were justified in so doing. Every man has considered that the distress which existed was not the fault of the people in Leicester, but of bad laws—of a system of bad legislation, which must be re- medied by other means than riot and disorder."