House of Commons, May 23. REFORM OF THE REFORM BILL.

New Zealander, Volume 4, Issue 247, 11 October 1848, Page 3

House of Commons, May 23. REFORM OF T HE REFORM BILL.

Mr. Hume icae at eleven o'clock and postponed lii s motion on further reform till the 20th June, the firs l open day. Mr. 1?\ O'Connor moved the adjournment of the house, in order to obtain an opportunity of saying a few words. (Hear, hear.) Heat once attacked the honourable member. The working clashes hid been before deluded by the middle class — (loud cheers from the Opposition) — and he would now aik them whether they believed that people would any longer confide in them ? — (Renewed cheers from the Opposition.)—- He had told the hem. member fur Montro-e, and be had told the parly with whom the lion, member acted, that if they hoped to obtain the confidence of the people they must make a determined stand upon tko<e principles which they had recently professed ; but what was the fact? — (" Hear, hear." fioin the Opposition.) — Why, th<jy had completely juggled the people. (Loud laughter and cheers from the Opposition.) tfoMr. Cobden came to the rescue of Mr. Hume, and of Mr. F O'Connor : he aaid, I have had long experience of that lion, member, and perhapi he will not accuie me of being actuated by any teeliius of hostility towards h in, — for certainly no hon. member hui ever lavished so many complim -nts upon me as he has done ; —but I say, that my experience of the conduct of the honourable member out of thU house, and of the spirit and mam er in which he has tried to array the working elas&ei against every man who could er' lee tially assist them in carrying* forward the obj cts in whicu the hou. member himself professed, to wish i hem success, convinces me that he hat done more to retard the practical progress of the working cla-sco of England than any other public man that ever lived in this countrs. (Cheers). Lord John Russell said— making 1 no comment upon the [<er>oual observations that hare passed— the hon. member for Nottingham saying (hat no confidence ought to be placed in the hon. member for Montrose, and the hon. member for the West Riding saying that no c infidence ought to b j placed in the hon. member for Nottingham (laughter) — avoiding remarks upon thete questions of personal confidence— l must say my belief is that the middle and working clashes of thi* country, speaking generally, wish for neither the one great reform nor the ether (cheers)— that they arc anxious for neither the peopk's charter, as proposed by the hon. member for Nottingham, nor for the great plan of reform, which comes komewhat near the people* charter (hear,) as proposed by the hon. member tor Montrose. I do not think that they at present desire either the one or the other. My belief is that the middle and working classes desire tbat there should be a gradual progress in reform (hear, hear) ; that this house should give its attention to the questions that are before it ; and that iv securing the peace and the quiet of the country rest their true interest a. id prosperity. (CheeiB._)