The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-11-04 00:00:00

"THE IR.'S IN THE FIRE."

I rejoice that the public mind has, during the recess, been
activgly given to consider the history of the past Session.
because it has resulted In dispelling entirely the delusion of
those who believe that because It has been a Session dis-
tinguished unhappily by peculiarities in the method of
offering Parliamentary opposition (cheers and interuption ,
it has, therefore been an unproductive Session. Awl of
all the coarse. that were brought against the Govern-
ment, the principal one that remains is this, that they
laid upon the table of Parliament too great a number
of measures. Now. gentlemen, I wish upon that charge to
make outs observation—it it not exclusively in the option
of a Government to determine what measure it shall lay on
the table of Parliament. It is true that, formally, that
matter lies within their choice ; but the influences that
act upon them, both from the Houses of Parliament and
from the public expectations of the country, frequently—aye,
constantly—make it a matter of moral necessity for them, ,
even while they themselves regret it, to produce to Parlia-
ment a greater number of measures than they can
eonfidently reckon upon carrying into law. Now, there were
four measures—l mean four measures of importance— I think
four was the number —which we placed on the table of the
House of Commons that slid not become law. And what were
they? I tie was the Scotth Education Bill, one was the
Licensing Bill, one was the Local Government and Taxation
Bill, and the fourth was the Mines Regulation Bill. (Inter-
ruption.) I would venture to say to my friend on the left
that it is in his power, if he thinks tit, to inflict great Inc, in-
venience on his neighbours by making it difficult for them to
hear me, and it is for him to consider as to the propriety of that
psocedure. (Cheers.' I an, not about to argue whether we
ought to have passed these four measures into law, hut what
I am about to state is this—that such was the state of public
expectation and demand with regard to every one of these
four subjects that it was not in our choice to refuse to place
: our views before Parliament in the form of a Bill upon the
table. And I believe lam within the mask in saying that if
we had attempted to avoid incurring that responsibility,
either other members of Parliament would themselves have
endeavoured to procure. not legislation on the subjects, but
at least the production of measures of their own, for legisla-
tion was impossible, and even it would have happened that
the House of Commons would have declared its opinion that
It was the duty of tier Majesty's Government to produce to
Parliament measures for the purpose of dealing with those
questions. (Cheers.)
"ALIVE AND KICKING!"

Now, gentlemen, it is often said that the present Govern-
ment has had a very easy task because they have been sup-
ported by a very large majority(interruptlon), and inferences
are drawn, perhaps by some of my friends—a knot of about
a score ,4 persons over in that quarter to the left (a laugh)—
to the effect that our intellectual capacity must he very nar-
row indeed, inasmuch as we have expert need difficulties in
doing what we wished to do while we had this immense
Liberal majority at our backs. Well, now, gentlemen, therein
a delusion In the public mind upon this subject, and perhaps
you will he surprised when, not dealing with argument, but
with fact. I inform you that we are the first Liberal Govern-
ment which has ever subsisted far three years with a large
majority. (Cheers.) Now, in my time, there have been
three Liberal Governments with large majorities. One of
them was the Government of Lord Grey, which had an
enormous majority returned to support it in the month or
December. 1,32. It survived 1833, but in May, 1834, it was
broken by schism. In June, 1834, Lord Grey was put out,
and in November. 1834, that Government was finally ex-
tinguiehed. Well, the next Liberal Government that had a
large majority was the Government of Lord Palmerston in
the year 1857, when he appealed to the country and the
country returned a majority ,d about 80 to support him. That
was in the month of Feb., 1857, and in the month of lob.,
1858, the Government of Lord Palmerston was displaced by
a vote of the House of Commons. In 1880 the Government
of Lsird Russell met Parliament with another large majority
—a majority of 70, and before the end of that Session the Go-
vernment of Lord Russell came to be counted with the things
that were. (Cheers and slough.) And now, gentlemen, 1
think I have made good my assertion-1 hope without offence
to anybody, the most elliMptible—that we are the first
Liberal Government since the Reform Bill that, having been
returned to Parliament with a large majority, have survived
the operations of three Sessions (cheers), awl we are here, in
old English phrase, 'alive and kicking." (Cheers and laugh.
ter., 1 believe there is pith in us yet (cheers); and the
speech I make to you to-day is not a "last dying speech and
confession."