The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-11-17 00:00:00

LIBERAL MEETING AT THE LYE.

On Wednesday evening a crowded meeting was
held in the Temperance Hall, Lye, in connection
with the Lye and Wollescote Liberal Association.
It was announced that Messrs. G. W. Hastings and
W. H. Gladltone, the representatives of East
Worcestershire were to speak, but Mr. Gladstone
did not appear owing to an engagement in scot.
land. On Mr. Hastings entering the room he was
heartily applauded, and was supported by Messrs.
J. B. Shepherd, H. Billingham, T. Parkes, J. P.
Codclington, T. Newnam, J. Anion, F. A. Harrison.
UK, Her.iaon. and F. Evers.

Mr. G. King Harrison, who presided, read a
letter. of apology from Mr. Gladstone and which
was as follows :--,-.Erskine, Glasgow, Nov. 12th,
Dear Sir, lam very sorry to say that from unfor.
seen circumstances which have called me into
Scotland during the present week. I shall not have
the Zsatisfaction of appearing 1 e 'ore my con-
stituents at the Lye, at the meeting ov, r which you
have kindly under: aiteri to preside Will you be
g.mcl enough to present my apologies to the meet-
ing soul also accept them yourself. I remember well
the cor lial reception given us at the Lye
in the cJurse of our canvass in 1880, and I trust
• hat the Liberal cause will continue to receive the
3'1.1110 powerful support that was then accorded to
M. Hastings and myself. I will not now touch upon
politics, only saying that I shall have an oppor.
tunity of addi essitig myself on that subject next
week in 3 or immediate neighbourhood—at Hales-
owen and Oldbury. We may have a stormy time
in store ‘,.hea the extension of the County
Franchise is proposed; and I hop 3 the Liberal
party throughout the country will show its con-
fidence in the ability of the Liberal Government to
carry that great question to a successful issue. I
au, dear Sir, yours faithfully, William H. Glad-
stone. To G. King Harrison, Esq. (Cheers)
Letters of apology had also been received from Mr.
J. 13,inton, M.P., Mr. C. Harcison, Mr. C. Cochrane,
and others.

Mr. lla,stings, in the course of his speech, said if
they reviewed what had been done by the present
Goverutn..nt since they came into power' he
ventured to think flirt they had no reason to be
dissatisfied with their conduct, or dissatisfied Oa the
whole with the support they had received from the
lieuso. When be and Mr. Glaistone address-11
the constituents aq candidates they advocated, in
common with the rest of the Liberal party, a
policy of peace and friendship with etl or countries,
in c ,ntra-distinction with the course which had
been pursued for several years by the late Govern-
ment„ The presont Government had completely
redeemed their p'edges in that resp;t. If they
took the policy puNued in Afghanistan, he con.
tended that the action of the present tended far
better to secure the friendship of Afghan'ston than
the policy of Lord Beaconsfield and his Cribitiet. So
far from leading, as the Conservatives absurdly
cont-nded, to the growth of Russian influence, he
believed it would be the reverse. The Afghans
only began to Lan on Russia' becalm) thy be-
lieved there were designs by the -Englitilt Oman.