The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-07-11 00:00:00

LYME REGIS.
Tax ELK'Tim

The friends of Mr. F. K. Dumas were invited to
assemble at the Masonic-hall last Tuesday evening,
to hear an address from that'gentleman who, it will
be remembered, was the prineipal promoter of a
railway proposed about a year ago, to be made
between Chard-road and Lyme Regis. He was
warmly received by a large meeting.
Dr. MARDICR was called to the chair, and after
explaining why he consented to occupy that post,
remarked that Mr. Thelma purposed explaining the
circumstances of the railway scheme, which, through
most disastrous failures, had almost come to grief;
but it was not yet abandoned. (cheers) and he
was sure would not be if Mr. Dumas could prevent
it. (Applause.) This was not a political gathering.
Mr. Dumas had a large number of friends last year,
but it appeared to him (the chairman) that he had
a much larger number now. He then introduced
Mr. Dumas, trusting they would heartily support
him, and listen to him patiently and impartially.
Mr. F. K. Domes was received with long and
continued manifestations of welcome. After thank-
ing those present for their attendance, and briefly
referring to the reception which the railway scheme
received last year, he said that ever since that time
he bad laboured earnestly to carry out that scheme.
(Cheers.) Under the advice of eminent counsel and
engineers the plans were prepared, and they went to
the House of Commons to endeavour to pass the
Bill. In November last, the case was thoroughly
inquired into, and on account of the engineering
difficulties alleged to exist by the opposing party,
the Bill was lost. [A. Voice: "Never mind; try it
I again."] During his absence from Lyme, reports,
I painful to his feelings, and prejudicial to his
character, had been circulated. It would be easy
for him to say he could not carry the proposed Bill,
and therefore he should retire from seeking the
honour of representing them in Parliament, but he
still hoped to carry the Bill, to which he appended,
as a rider, the hope of being elected as their
representative in the House of Commons. (Cheers.)
Reports had reached him in London that he had
wished to make a bargain by introducing the rail-
way, and they were very painful to him. The
gentlemen with whom he was associated
in the proposed railway, had laboured in all
sincerity of purpose to promote the good of the
town and neighbourhood, but his inability to eve
I with the G.W.R. Company and the opposition'ot
; those from whom he had least expected it, wail
I rarely no breach of the pledge he had given them.
(Applause.) He had said that if he made • railway
to that town, he thought be might fairly ask, as an
equivalent, to be elected their representative. They
would all admit that a greet deal of credit would be
due to the person who placed them in communication
with the rest of the country by means of a railway.
He had shown himself anxious to effect that object,
' and he again said that it was his sincere wish to see
'the railway opened at Lyme Regis. (Applause.)
' He bad just been told by an eminent townsman of
theirs that there had been no increase in the popula-
tion or trade of the town because they bail no
railway, and the gentry could not come there;
that there were large plots of land imitable for
building purposes, but there was no demand for

houses, and cinsequently it was useless to build.
(Hear.) The railway was to be the panacea for all
their evils. (Cheers.) Ile was not so sanguine as
some seemed to be, that a certain gentleman would
represent the views of the great body of the electors;
and he hoped it would never be thought that he
had made a transfer of the borough interest. He
believed that be had done sufficient for the town
to justify him in asking them to confer upon him
the honour of representing them in Parliament.
(Applause.) His only motive in allying himself
with any party was to carry out the railway,
and he did not think the scheme was yet
dead. (Cheers.) He believed it was capable
of being revised, and made • perfect auweet.
He hoped they would not forego the advan-
tages • line would afford to the town, but he
assured them that no one would promise them •
railway and expect no return. If they wanted •
railway they must incorporate the borough of Lyme
with it. It was for them to consider at this, the '
eleventh hour, who was most likely to fight heartily
for their interests in that respect, and to support the
candidate they believed would be most likely to
obtain a railway for them. He begged them to
understand that all the rumours which had gone
forth about him were totally unfounded. (Cheers.)
Their Chairman had said it was not a political meet-
ing, but he would forgive him if he said a few
words respecting his own views and opinions. He
thought that all must rejoice that the present green
old Parliament had terminated with the country in
a far more prosperous state then it was when the
session commenced. He would ask them to which
party—Liberal or Conservative—did they owe that
prosperity? They knew perfectly well—he was
not going to trouble them with statistics—that during
the last five years the taxation of the country had
been lessened by about 10 millions sterling, and that
, the deposits in the Savings' Banks had been increased
from £25,000,000 to £44,000,000. This, he thought,
was a good criterion of what had been effected by
the present Government for the good of the country.
(Applause.) It behoved them all, and especially
the working-classes, to consider to whom they were
indebted for that prosperity. Since the last Parlia-
ment the French treaty had been made, which
now was found to be of immense advantage
to the commercial interests of the kingdom. That
treaty was at first opposed by the Conservative
party. He felt strongly with respect to those
apathetic Whigs, who held with the Conservatives,
and, not listening to the Radicals, thought they
could walk over and sit on both sides of the House
if they thought proper to do so. (Laughter and
cheers.) It was the Radical party only that kept
the Conservatives at bay. (Uproar.) He only
trusted that they would secure a representative who
would vote freely on questions that tended to en-
hance the prosperity of the country, and he did
most heartily hope the Borough of Lyme would
maintain its Liberal character, and would return a
Liberal to Parliament. He was aware that in his
short, and perhaps, hasty speech he might have
omitted various subjects on which they might desire
to be informed. If such had been the case, he
trusted they would do him the justice to question
him on any point on which they were not satisfied.
He felt sure they would ask him clearly and allow
him to answer the question fairly, so that no sub-
ject should be left in doubt.

It was resolved on the motion of Mr. Walter,
seconded by Mr. Brown, that the explanation given
by Mr. Dumas is perfectly satisfactory to the
meeting.
Mr. A. DUMAS then made some remarks respect-
ing his brother (Mr. F. K. Dumas), and the efforts
he bad made on behalf of the railway.
Mr. DUMAS again urged them to return a Liberal
to Parliament.

After some humourons observations by an elector
named Jackson, votem of thanks were passed to Mr.
Dumas, and the Chairman; when, after much
cheering, the meeting ended.