The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-12-03 00:00:00

SYMPATHISING WITH THE FRENCH.

On Monday afternoon, a preliminary meeting can.
ventd by circulsr was held at the Cannon-street
Hotel, London, to take into consideration the relative
position of the belli;erents at present, with the view,
if possible, to the speedy restoretion of peace on a basis
honourable to both.

The meeting, or conference as it was called, was as.
serobled by a circular signed byllslr. A. C. Crane, acting
as the honorary secretary of a committee sitting at the
same hotel, in which it was stated that a number of
gentlemen had for some time past observed with regret
"the change by Prussia from a defensive to an aggres-
sive policy, and felt that the opinion of the City
of London, as the centre of the British metropolis
should be expressed in favour of a speedy and
honourable peace." The circular also stated that
it was not intended that the conference, or any
subsequent proceedings which might be taken under
its sanction, should be directed againet the Govern.
ment, anti care would also be taken that both the
initial and subsequent proceedings should not be turned
to the uses of auy political or other party. It added
that in the interest of an honourable peace it was
hoped that men of all parties would loyally and
earnestly co-operate. Nearly 100 persons assembled
on the occasion, and the chair was ocoupitd by Mr.
Merriman, who, it may be remembered, was at the
head ttf a deputation not long ago to the Provisional
Government of France, who desired to express their
sympathy with the French people in relation to the
disastrous turn which the war had taken with respect
to them.
. . .

The chairman said, although the meeting was small,
yet, viewed in the light of its representative character,
it was one of the most important ever hell in England.
The object in convening it was to give expresbion to
the latent forces of opinion, which he believed to be
now almost entirely in favour of France. It was a
meeting almost entirely composed o men who
usually take no part in any agitation in this country.
They were men usually engaged in business in the
City, and were there to exiiress their opinions in rela-
tion to this great crisis. One object of the conference
was, if prwible, to convene a mass meeting in the
Guildhall, with the consent of the Lord Mayor, in order
to afford the citizens at large a suitable opportunity
of expressing their opinions on the general subject.
The feeling of the English people was unmistakably in
favour nf Prussia before the battle of Sedan, but, after
that, the moral as well as the political aspect changed,
and the opinion of the country ceased to be on the side
of Prussia. It was a monstrous iniquity for Prussia to
ineist on the possession of Alsace and Lorraine, and the
English Government should boldly and distinctly de-
clare that Prussia should no more have those province.
than the Czar should be allowed to violate a still more
recent treaty.
Dr. Charles Mackay moved a resolntion
. _

"That the war In France having ceased on the pert of
Prussia to he a war of defence, and become a war of
aggreaslon, thla meeting Is of opinion that Prussia In thin
acting hal f,rfelted the sympathy and incurre.l the repro-
bation of the British and of all other free nations."
Tire motion was seconded by Mr. Marriott, a
member of the Bar, who argued that it might. be eon&
deutly asserted that at present the sympathies of the
great majority of Eon lishmen were really with France.
The Rev. G. M. Murphy moved an amendment to
the effect that in the opinion of the meeting the time
had not come for the British Government to interfere
in the quarrel between Francs and Prmsia.

The auleniment was seconded by the Rev. W. Tyler,
and supported by Mr. Henry Kimber.
Mr. Cremer demurred to the meeting being called a
meeting of citizens of London, contending that it was
an open conference. The meeting by vote decided not
to hear Him.
_ _

Mr. Mottershead presented himself to speak, but
was similarly opposed by the chairman, and he re.
corned his seat, declaring that was liberty with a
Vengeance.
Eventually Dr. Mackay's resolution was put and
carried by a large majority, 11 hands being held up for
Mr. Murphy's amendment.
The Rev. Newman Hall moved an atnen.lment to
the effect that. without offering any Opinion on the
comparative merita of the belligerents, the meeting
desired to express its deep sympathy with the people
of both countries, and to ur,di upon the Government
to continue its exertions in favour of establishing a just
and permanent peace.
The amendment was seconded by Mr. Cunnington.
Mr. E Imond Ilealea said he felt the strongest sym-
pathy with the French people, awl would do anything
reasonably within his power to put an end to this
horrible war. He thought the resolution proposed by
the Rev. Newman Hall was the one that came nearest
the object they had all at heart.
Dr. Kenealy, Q.C., urged that time was now of the
very essence of the question, for unless some speedy
means were used to restore peace. France, he feared,
would disappear from the face of Europe. Could any-
body doubt that if France now disappeared as a nation
Russia and Prussia would eventually direct ths entire
policy of Europe, and if they combined together, as he
believed they intended to do, against the general march
of civilization and freedom, what part of Europe could
offer them any effectual resistance?
The amendment of the Rev. Newman Hall was
eventually put and negatived, and Dr. Macksy's rest).
lotion was carried by a large majority amid much
cheering.