THE REFORM DEMONSTRATION.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3040, 24 April 1867, Page 6

THE REFORM DEMONSTRATION.

The great Reform demonstration took place on February 11, and went off quietly and in perfect order. Trafalgar-square was the rendezvous, and here the various bodies of demonstrations mustered accordingly, about an hour or bo later than was intended. Of spectators it is estimated, that some 50 000 assembled in the square ; the demonstrators were under 20,000. The route of the procession was from Trafalgar-square, by PaU Mall, St. james's-street, Piccadilly, Regent-street, Langhamplace, Portland-place. Park-orescent, Euston-road, Pentonville-road, to the Agricultural-hall, Islington. By one o'clook the traffic through the square, which had always been more or lesa impeded, became so dangerously mixed up in the crowd that it was brought to a dead standstill ; and from this time forth the few mounted police who were stationed in the streets whjch intersected the line of route did good service, to the procession at least, by stopping the traffic till it had passed. No extra force of police appeared to be employed, and, in fact, none seemed necessary. The crowd, though very large, wm perfectly good-tempered, and, with the exception of some gangs of " roughs," who now and then tried to vary the monotony of looking on by "bounetting)" a byafcander tiere and there, there was nothing to be seen very different from the usual conduct of lookera-on at the opening of Parliament or a Lord Mayor's Shaw. The procession did not differ materially from that we had to describe two months ago. It was headed by a band, and by a troop of farriers, who performed the duty of pioneers. Then branches of the League, including deputations from Scotland and the provinces, interspersed with trade societies, followed with their bands and flags. An immense concourse had congregated in the vicinity of the Agricultural Hall, among whom thievei and pickpockets appear to have been well represanted, for several most impudent robberies were committed during the afternoon, among the sufferers being two of the deputation from the Leeds Reform League, who were despoiled of their watches whde passing into the building. The meeting commenced at 7 o'clock « Mr. Beales was ia the chair, and was supported by The O'Donoghue, Mr. P. A. Taylor, M.P., Mr. T. B. Potter, M.P., Professor Rogers, Professor Beealey, Colonel Dickson, and Mr. Ernest Jones. After much speechifying and the adoption of a few Reform resolutions, the immense gathering quietly and orderly dispersed. Mr. Bright recently addressed a crowded and somewhat excited assemblage at Rochdale. The topics of his speech were threefold : Bis personal consistency, the dominance of the aristocracy, and the «isting necessity for Parliamentary Reform. Delivered with his customary force and eloquence the observations of the member for Birmingham could not be devoid of interest. He described at the outset the means which had been employed to blacken his good name in the eyes of his countrymen ; and from this topic he revetted to his connection with Mr. Cobden and their agitation for the repeal of the corn laws. He took credit for being instrumental in obtaining the abolition ofthe newspaper tax, and for having sketched the outlines of a sound and statesmanlike policy for India. Alluding to Reform, he thought it would subserve the general good if the sceptre so long wielded by the aristocratic class were to be torn from their grasp by the millions of his unenfranchised countrymen. Mr. Bright disclaimed all revolutionary views, and contended that in asking for an extension of electoral privilege he was only seeking to give Parliament the power which it possessed in theory, but not in practice.