however, rejected on its second reading in the House of Lords, on the 6th of October, by a majority of 41, and meetings in support of the ministry became general throughout the country. An immense open air meeting of the inhabitants of Oldham, probably the largest assemblage of the populace which ever took place in this locality, was held on Curzon ground, on the 13th of October, for the purpose of agreeing upon an address to the King, desiring him to take such steps as were essential to secure the passing of the reform bill. Mr. Jonathan Mellor, churchwarden, presided, and the meeting was addressed by Messrs. William Fitton, John Haigh, John Knight, William Knott, Alexander Taylor, James Holladay, Joseph Platt, Joseph Bentley, James Mellor, Charles Harwar, and the Rev. T. F. Jordan. An address to the King, in support of the reform bill, was carried by a vast majority. On the 20th of the same month parliament was prorogued, and did not re-assemble till the 6th December. On the 12th of that month, the measure was re-introduced in the House of Commons, and, on the 17th, passed a second time by a majority of 160. During the month of November, the town was visited by commissioners authorised on behalf of government to report on the most proper course to be pursued with respect to the limits of the proposed borough. One of the principal results of this event was the grant of two members to Oldham, in the bill introduced in the Commons on the 12th of December, and the comprehending of the four townships of the chapelry within the limits of the intended borough. Whilst the measure was again in committee of the House of Commons during the early part of February, 1832, a material alteration was made in the bill so far as affected Oldham, for though that place was still inserted as entitled to two members, the boundaries of the proposed borough were limited to the township of Oldham alone. The most vigorous proceedings were immediately taken in the latter end of the month, to secure the elective

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