The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-06-07 00:00:00

GREAT CONSERVATIVE DEMONSTRATION.

I meeting was hAd in the Corn Exchange on
Thursday night to hear an addres from Mr. F. A.
Boianquet, QU , the candidate for East Worcester-
shire, in conjunction with Sir It Temple, who was
unable to attend. There was a large audience,
Mr. C. P. Noel, J.P. presided. There were also
present Lcrd Beauchamp, Sir Henry Lambert,
Colonel Stallard, Mcssrs. W. J. Turney, A. Freer,
11.07. Hickman, P. A. Mckman, W. Robert., S. A.
Roberzs, S. A. Brooks, C. H. Collli,, R. Eagar, T. I).
Th:mas, J. S. Williams. and W. Trow.

The Chairman said he had received letters of
apology from Messrs. P. D. Lea Smith, Eveson, C.
Webb, W. Webb and a telegram from Mr. Monck-
ton, M.P. He had the pleasure in introducing Mr,
B-)sauqucq as a gentleman who had kindly con-
oented to come forward for East Worcestershire at
the next election a,s a joint candidate with Sir
Richard Temple. It was high time that they should
sce s,imo little difference in the Ministry of this
country, when they aw that only in the last week
thette had been dastardly attempts to blow up
valuable property iind injure human life by ex-
plosive appliances. If the present Government
could not put down these sort it_aten they ou4ht
to have one that would do so, and save them from
the disgraceful occurrences which vere now
happening in this c.ututry. Under Lord Beacous-
fielA's Government such things were never heard
of, and the men who would do such things were not
allowed to come to the front as they were now
doing. _ _

Mi.:. F. A. Banquet, Q C., who was well re-
ceived, said he had been studying the policy of her
Majesty's Government for four years. but he had
had sonic difficulty—and he believed that difficulty
wai shared by the whole of the Government now

in office—in finding out what that policy was.
They were promised when Mr. Gladstone—(ap-
plause)—camo into office an endless series of bless-
ings. They had ha I bur years of the Government,
and it was about time now that, as was tdone in
every well-ordered concern, they began to take
stock of the profits, and to see what the blessings
were. (Hear. hear). They were told thtt when
a Liberal Government came into power they were
to have peace. retrenchment, and reform. Peace
was a very excellent thing, and everybody liked it;
but even peace might be ly,ught at a heavy price,
A worse thing than paying a heavy price was sac-
rificing of everything for it, and not getting peace
in return. (Hear, hear.) Let them see what sort
of peace they have got, and what sort of a price
they had paid for it. The first thing the Govern-
ment found when they came into office wls that the
boundaries of the British empire had been extended
and :hat there bad been annexed, by the request of
a large namber of inhalti,ant, a district is S.uth
Africa called the Transvaal. Mr. Gladstone, how-
ever, hauled down the British flog therein the face
of foes who were outnumbered by the English by
two to one. Was that the sort of peace we wanted ?
(No.) They had got it; and with an amount of
disgrvce, distress and expense which they would not
recer for a long time. He thou went on to refer
to the Egyptian question, and said that Mr. Glad
stone had stated that he did not-go to Egypt to put
down i,sorrection, but protect lite and property in
Alexandria. It was a sad pity, however, that Mr.
Gladstone kept our ships and in:?n at a distance
Until Alexandria had been burnt, and then went,
not to save the property, but to look after the ruins
(Laugh or, and "Hear, hear.") Tile COP,CCSI3IICO
W:,S that there was a litVe bill of four million and

more wiriehh,d to be paid, b'cttuse tey went too
i .te. iLiving taei pos-ession of Egypt, it f 'flowed
that they were responsible for it; but they said
they ere going to abandon it, ‘.-vitn the garrisons
and the men in them. Instead Qf peace, they had
had an English army engaged in a series of battics
in Egypt ; they allowed 10,000 troops to be slaught-
ered to a man, (Shame.) They sent out Lord Weisel( y
and he had slaughtered a consi:-:erable number or
Egyptians.;and they also sent out General Graham,
who only got half way to whue he was wanted,
and after slawilitering 6.000 more he was tad to
come home (shame.) That able and popular
Minister. Mr. Chamberlain—(applause)—took a
commercial view of the transaction, and viewed
peace and war as a matter of price. Unfortunately
the peace which they had been enjoying was some-
what of a sanguinary peace, and cost quite as much
as an open le to thequestion of retrenchment,
they were told. so said, that that monster of wicked
extravagence, Lord Beaconsfiad—(bisses and ap-
plause)—had run the Government into an expendi-
ture amounting to seventy-eight millions a year.
Mr. Bright (applause) had gone about the
country saying no Government was fit to remain in
office that could not keep its expenditure under
seventy-five millions a year. The present Govern-
ment of retrenchment, however, had succeeded in
taking their expenditure up to eighty-eight
millions a year. ("Shame," and "No.") To pay
some of their debts they were now giving them bad
half-sovereigns, were cutting down the grants to
the volunteers, and putting on a little tax, Re-
ferring to the subject of reform, Mr. Bosanquet
said the present
.Gov.ernment
_had. brought for.

ward what- they called a Reform Bill, but of a strange
nature, an I under the, name of a Franchise
Bill. It was a very remarkable bill, and had a
very remarkable history. It was proposed origin-
ally that the county franchise should be extended
and when it was proposed, to the horror of a large
number of Liberals, Especially of Birmingham
Liberals, the Conservatives said, "We do not mind
it; we like it." He believed he was speaking to
East Worcettershire men, and they were already a
large constituency, but they had not got their fair
share of the representation of the country. (Hear,
hear.) Now what was offered them? Mr. Glad-
stone cirri° with great liberality, and said, "I will
tell you what I will do for you in East Worcester-
shire. I will not give you any more members-...
(apanse and opposition)—l will give you more
voies." Now just see the positioa in which Mr.
Gladstone offered to place them, and to place all the
counties in England, becaute it was as well they
should think for themselves. If they were going
to have vet's, instead of taking the dictation of the
theytis s
use them.
thtel omu.l d thriiinkeyfour,erethtec;lnd-
s thateve show
Birmingham
thetheCyw
Franchise Caucus,
uuElsidl l would be followed by a Re-
distribution Bill, but with the two things he held
that they had not got real reform. (Hear, hear.)
It would merely increase the county Voters, and
leave the constituencies as they were now. Be
wished to see the Lanchise exteuded in the
counties; but he cpntcnded that to complete the
scheme and give them a fair representation they
must have redistribution. (Hear, bean) Mr.
Gladstone had told them that Ireland under the
new bill was to have as many members as it had
now. This meant that insignificant constituencies
were to return a greater number of members than
counties and boroughs which could outnumber them
in population by ten to one. The population of
Ireland was about 5.000,000, and the population
of London and Middlesex was about the same. The
fair Redistribution Bill which was offered them for
the purpose of representing, not the interests of a
party, but the nation, would enable 105 members
to :be returned for Ireland and 28 for London.
(Shame.) This he held was anything but straight-
forward dealing with the people, and he hoped that
at he next election they would put in power men
whom they could trust. (Applause.) Mr. Bosan-
quiet concluded by saying if the policy of the pre-
sent Government was called a peace policy, it
brought discredit on the country. It did not pre-
serve trade, and it was a policy never known before
hauling clown the British flag and calling upon the
enemies of the British nation to give them at any
price peace. He asked them to support the old
policy of all Englishmen—the policy which would
loyally support union at home, and manfully stand
up for the honour and integrity of the interests of
the English Empire abroad. (Cheers.)
Earl Beauchamp moved a resolution declaring
Mr. Bosanquet a fit and proper person to represent
East Worcestershire in conjunction with Sir
Richard Temple, and pledging itself to use its best
endeavours to secure their return at the next elec-
tion. He believed no one who wrote the history of
the last four years would be able to refrain from
passing a scathing censure on the manner in which
the affairs of the Country had been conducted by
the present Government. When the present Minis-
try obtained power they made promises, followed
only by miserable performances. Those who ta iced
the most about peace were not those who took the
wisest means to secure it. In the time of Lord
13.aeonsfield's Government they had peace, though
prepared for war, and the name of England was
respected in the councils of Europe. Was.Ensland
now respected? (Cfies if "Yes," and "No.')
n_e ere, was no country in Europe where Rigland
was spoken of with rEspect —(hisses and cheers)—
and where an Englishman did not blush for the
proceedings of his country. (Interruptions.) He
wioncd those who in'erropted would come on the
platform, for they did not shrink from interruptioes
It was said, What was the use of talking about
foreign aa'airs? Bat they could 21,-t embark in
conrnecul transactions with any chance of success
without confid-nee in the maintenance of peace,
a rel foreicler affairs should be so conducted that
En land sip:Lid be respected and her influence be
weighty enough to dispel the unrest which broodei
over too much of the civilised world. They were
told that the question of Egypt was raised to dis-
tract the country fom reform; but if they did not
get the county franehise for a yesr or ttco it did not
matter rnuchlbut if they los', precious opportunities
of acting in foreign affairs they might not occur
again. Earl Beauchamp contended that at the last
election a false issue was raised, and the present
Haw of Commons clicl not represent theintelli.