The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-11-25 00:00:00

SIR CHARLES DILKE ON ROYALTY.

On Monday afternoon the Town Council of Leeds
met for various town improvement purposes, but be-
fore proceeding to the ordinary business, the Mayor
(Mr. J. Barran) said he held in his hand two letters
received, along • ith several others, from Mr. Wheel-
house, M. P., and Sir A. Fairbrain (chairman of the
Leeds School Board, and a large employer in the
town), in connecti.m with the contemplated
lecture by Sir Mike, on Thursday evening,
in the Town-hall, the subject to be " Re-distribu-
tion of Seats and loyalty." Both Mr. Wheelhouse
and Sir Andrew pr. tested, the Mayor said, against the
letting-of the Town-hall for such a purpose to Sir Charles
Dilke, and especially if the lecture was to contain
peatiments corresponding with those which had been
uttered by Sir Charles at Newcastle. Now, no one in
the borough regretted such sentiments more than he
(the Mayor) did, nor would any one deplore more than
he should that such language should be repeated in the
Town-hall of Leeds. (hear, hear.) That town-hall
had been opened by Her Majesty and the late Prince
Consort, awl that wa,, a ceremony which aid honour not
only to the burgh, but to Iler Majesty also. On that
occasion the town had great reason vi rejoice, and there
hail been every Is-elision to rejoice since, for that great
event had proved a fortunate turning joint in the his-
tory of the borough. (Hear, hear.) He would say no
more on that joint, but, with reference to the letting of
the hall to Sir ( Dilke, he would only say that he was
p.werless, and that it 111,1 been let through the Ordi-
nary channels, He had nothing to do with the
matter; it was left in the hands of the corporation
Property Committee, Alderman Shepherll was the
chairman of that committee, and Mr. Collins, the
secretary of the Town-hall, acted as his agent. Mr.
Collins had let the hall to the friends of Sir C. Nike,
and of course it was beyond his (the Mayor's) power
to interfere at all with it. He .thl not know that any-
thing could be done, because a contract had been
entered into. •
Mr. Councillor Dufton asked if the Council coal
not set aside any such indiscreet or improper act of the
committee or its agent, but the Town Clerk ruled M
the negative.

rrt. Mayor added that Mr. Collins had power to let
the hall for all legal purposes. The difficulty was to
pnNe that Sir C. Dilke was going to hold an illegal
meeting, Sir (larks might have mid many foolish
things 'at 'Newcastle, but his words might be those of
wind al,•rie in Leeds.

......
Alderman Ailtlyman said so far as the officer knew
win, li•t the hall the lecture was to be one on tem-
perance. and. after all, if Sir Charles I take had said so
mane silly things, the probability was that he wished
now.he hiel not let them escape him.
Alderman Tatham hoped the Council would take no
action in the matter, and let the lecture take its course.
lie was not afraid of Royalty being let down by what
might be said in public by such a man.
Mr. Councillor Jackson was wit afraid of Royalty
being let down, but he apprehended the reputation of
Leeds would slider disastrously if the Council sanc-
tioned this lettinu of the Town-halL
The Mar'. It must be distinctly understood that
the hall was not knowingly lot firthe purpose stated.
Alderman Shepherd said the hall bad been let in
this case in the same way as on all other ocea.sions,
and Mr. Collins had full authority to act as he had
done.

saooe.
Mr. Jackson: Did the committee know of the let-
ting, and did they consider the responsibility of allow-
ing the hall to be let for such a purpose ?
Alderman Shepherd said since the letting there had
been no meeting of the committee.
Alderman Carter, M. I'., said: I may ease the minds
of some gentlenom present by saying that I took the
ball for Sir Charles Mike, and, at the same time, I
consented to be chairman at the lecture, with the lie-
tinet understanding that if anything was said disrespect-
fully of the Queen I should go out of the chair at the
very ruotnent it was said. lAuplausse.) As to the Town-
hail, if it was refused, Sir Charles would lecture in
some other room in Leeds, but I advise the Council,
if they do not want to make a great stir about
this, and if they do not want to advertise Sir
(barks Mike's lecture throughout the whole coun-
try, and came other towns, and scores of them, to hear
the lecture as well as Leeds, they will not make too
great a fuss about it. Sir ( Dilke has not done
what many people say; awl I would ask these gentle-
man who are so fearful that Sir l'harles is propagating
disloyalty to hear one of his lectures, which are nothing
more than disenssions as to the mode in which the
money granted for the Civil List is appropriated.
After further protestations, especially from the Con-
servative benches, the subject was allowed to drop.

On Monday night Sir Chilrles I )ilke delivered a lec-
tnre in Bristol in the re distriliiitlm of seats. Professor
Newman took the chair. Mr. Thinnas, Chairman of
the Briiitol Liberal Association, who it was originally
intended should preside, having declined to do no in
consequence of the remarks in reference to the Queen
niade ny the lecturerin billet° siosech at Newcastle. Sir
t 'brie+ Dilke in the course of his-speech nail, "I make
con,•eolmeot of the fact that lam a Republican Inv-
silt' and oililcil, that the men who advocated Poi-midi-
canion ilii I ,obecrueie they believed that the advantages
they nought for thetreielves and for the whole people could
be Secured wider no other form of Government. He
. .

mmuld not say, however, that that was his opinion,
but it was m. hat Republicans believaL Sir Charles
made no reference to Ids Newcastle speech, or to
the comments it hail provoked, and from first to
last his voice was drowned in the uproar, hisses,
and other discordant noises male by a portion of
the audience (the majority of which, however, was
-composed if th.ae in favour of Republican sentiments),
awl his observations hail to be addressed to the re-
). eers. On one of the audience proposing three
cheers for the Queen, the applause evoked- was speedily
os erp.wer,l by hisses and groans ; whereas the men-
tisai of a ileioddic was cheered with enthusiasm, and
Sir Charles Oilke's admission that lie was himself a
applause which lasted a cushier-
able time. A petition praying the House of 4 lommons
to inquire Mb, t la, pre,ent distribution of political
power was, adopt, ,1 I.v a large natjority.