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

THE ROI SE OF LORDS.

Now, gentleman, there is a question of the future on which
you have heard much said of late. I mean the question of
the constitution of the House of Lords. i" Leave the consti-
tntion of the House of Lords alone Well, I am not pre-
pared to agree with my friend there (cheers and a laugh),
because tile constitution of the House of Lords has
often been a subject of consideration among the wisest
and most sober-minded men ; as, for example, when a
propienl, of which my friend disapproves, perhaps, Was
made a few years ago to make a moderate addition to
the House of Lords of peon holding their peerages for
life. (Cheers.) I am not going to disouss that parti-
cular measure ; I will only say, without mitering into details
that would be highly interesting, but which the vast range
of the subject makes impossible on the present occassion—l
will only say that I believe there are various particulars in
which the constitution of the House of Lords might, under
favonrable circumstances, be improved. (Cheers.) And I am
bound to say that, though I believe there are some politicians
bearing the name if Liberal who approve the proceedings of
the House of lords with respect to the Ballot Bill at the dose
of last Session (doers and interruption), I must own that I
deeply lament that proceeding. Cheers). It seems to me to
have been a great error. . . . Hut, gentlemen, the reform
of the lb 'use of Lords, which has been recommended in
many quarters, is briefly this --and here I shall agree
perhaps, with my hon friend, ill may so call him, or he will
agree with me-- the reform recommended is this, that we
should eject and expel from the House of Loris what is
called the hereditary principle. (Cheers and interruption.)
Now, gentlemen, I hope that I am at least in earnest and
sincere intention what is called a Liberal politician ; but
before I agree and before I commit myself to expelling from
the House lif Lords the hereditary principle, I will think
once, I will think twice, I wid even think thrice. (chem.)
It Is not on account of till:, or that particular error eons.
milled by a public assembly that we are vitally or pro-
foundly to change the established and accustomed usages
and principles of the (',,ootituticn....l have a shrewd
suspicion in my mind that a very large proportion of
the people of England have is sneaking kindness for this
hereditary principle. (Cheers and laughter:: I &Jul mean,
! gentlemen by that that a large proportion of the people of
England desire, or intend, or would permit that which I
hope they never will desire, intend, or permit—namely, that
the House of Lords should exercise a paramount influence
over the legislation of the country. (Cheers.) That is quite
another matter. Hut this Ido say, that the people of Eng-
land are not like the people of France, lovers of naked poli-
tical equality. (Cheers.) England his great lover of liberty,
but of equality she was never so much enamoured.

[Mr. Clad Atone then proceeded to review the recent
propoved Social Alliance, and Mr. Scott Rusaell's con-
nection with it.]

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE LAST 1:1111TEEN TEARS!
Now, gentlemen, I am drawing very near my close; but I
must still refer to a sentiment which undoubtedly has been
more perceptible tinting the present year than I have
noticed it in a good many former years—l Mall a suspicion
on the part of many members of the working class that they
are not governed as they ought to be, and that their interests
are not properly considered. I won't enter on the particular
senses connected with the state of Europe which may go far
to account for this sentiment; but I will venture to say I
this, that I think the working-,an will do well briefly
and calmly to review the histsry with respect to him-
self of the last eighteen years. I might take a longer, but
I take that period because it enables me to present re-
sults in a tolerably simple form, and because it is the period
within which! have been most intimately conversant with
the number of questions inn which the welfare of the masses
of the community is deeply and directly concerned. Now,
within those 18 years what has seem-red affecting all
classes of the community, but specially and more than
all others affecting the working mass of the people ?
In the first piece, perfectly free access line been given for
the entry into our ports of everything the winking man can
want from whatever quarter of the world—l mean pettedly
free, whether as regards prohibitions or as regards protec-
tive duties. In the second place, he has seen removed
daring these 18 years an amount of taxation which I will
not undertake and it is not necessary at this moment to
state minutely, but I will venture to say that of taxation
upon commodities he has seen removed within that period
something like £15,000,000 or a:20,000,000 sterling per
annum. This remission of taxation in which he is
so specially interested has not been purchased by an
augmentation of the burdens noon other classes bo
cause the Income-tax, although it Ls higher now than I wish
to be it—namely, ed. in the pound—is now inc penny
lower than it was 18 years ago, before these £15,000,000
01 tens were remevel. Well wItliJA thew 18 years be

has been invested with the Parliamentary franchise, and
Inc now sees himself at a point where he may reasonably
hope that before he is slit Or eight months older he will
be protected in the free exercise of that franchise by means
of the Ballot. (Cheers.) The Parliament has passed an
Act which aims at securing for alibis children, under all cir-
cumstances, a good primary education and which provides
that if unhappily he be unable himself to meet the cost it shall be
defrayed for him by the state and by Ids wealthier neigh-
bours. While this provision has been made for pri entry
education endeavours have been made through reforming the
Universities and the Abolition of Tests, sod through as ex-
tensive dealing with the public and grammar schools of the
country, tin establish the whole of our schools in a hierarchy
of classes, one deecription of education above the other no
thet wherever there is in the bty a capacity to rise in.
linty w ith facility pass on feint point to point and may Mot
°panto him the road to then n ict (Cheers.) But education
would not he of great ilite to tile people .nuess the materials
stUdy Si ere aCCossilile, iherciore an tio small cost t
political eilort the Iliati•rhil tiler ba been net free
from duty, and every madden..n in stamp or otherwise
titan the Irons Inas b.en m.ved, .1.111 the conse.mence
Inas been the creation of in Mess which for tine 1,11,
Huss of its price, for the general excel:ence—aye, for tine
general wisdom and moderation with which it is written,
and for the vast extent of its circulation, I might almost
venture to call it not only an honour to the nation, lint the
wonder of the world. (rimers ) And in order that tho
public service might be indeed the public service—in order
that we might not have among the civil officers of the Mate
that which we had complained of in the Army—namely,
that the service was not the property of the nation, but of
the uflicers—we have now been enabled toremove the barriers
of nomination, patronage, jobbing, favouritism in whatever
form (cheers) ; and every man belonging to the people of
England, if he so please to tit his children for the position
of competing for places in the public service, may Jo it
entirely irrespective of the opiestion what is MS Condition is
life or the amount of amens with which he may happen to
be or not to ho blessed. (Cheers.) Well, gentlemen, I say
confidentially hi the face of the w °Thing community I see .
before into, in the ears of all who hear me, and to the 'minds
of all who may pay the loud attention to my words through
any other medium, that when In the period I mace de-
scribed measures like these have liven achieved—though
there ninny remain much to be done—l am the last to deny
it, I tint the nest to Mina it ; but there is some .reason to
look with patience and indulgence on a system Under which
auch results have been accomplished (cheers ; some reason
for that loyality to the Throne cheers) and that nittachment
to the law which are the happy characteristics nil the people
of this country. (Cheers. But, gentlemen, while I would
impose upon the Government aunt the Legislature every
burden that they are in their own nature capable of
bearing, in my own mind they are not your friends, but they
are your enemies in fact, though Ilia in intention, who teach
you to look to the Legislature for the radical removal of the
evils that afflict human life. 1 read Ant a few days ago in a
questionable hook verses that, I thiuk, contain much good
sense, and I will read them to you—
'. People throughout the land,
Join inn one social band,
And save yourselves.
If you would happy he,
Free from all slavery,
Banish all knavery,
And save yomeelves."

(Cheers). It is the individual mind and conscience, it Is the
holividual character, on which mainly human happiness or
misery depends. (Cheers.) The social problems that con-
front us are many and formidable. Let the Government
labour to its utmost, let the Legislature labour days and
nights in your service ; but, alter the very best has been at-
tained and achieved, the question whether the English
father is tolie the father of a happy family and the centre
of an united home is a question which must depend mainly
upon himself. ((heers). And those who propose to Y°'
whoever they may be—Bellows like those seven points of
which I have spoken ; those who promise to the dwellers in
towns that every one of them shall have a house and garden
In free air, with ample space ; those who tell you that there
shall be markets for selling at wholesale prices retail quail-
titles—l wont say are impostors, because I haven° doubt they
are sincere; but I will say they are quacks (cheers) : they are
deluded and beguiled by a spurious philanthropy, and when
they ought to give substantial, even If they are humble and
modest boons, they are endeavouring, perhaps without
their own consciousness, to delude you with fanaticism,
and offering to you a fruit which, when you attempt to taste
It, will prove to be but ashes in your mouths. .Cheers )
No, gentlemen, what we have to ask ourselves are
questions which depend on ourselves isdividually, in
. the main, to answer— how are the ravages of
strong drink to be arrested? ((lheers.) In an age when, from
year to year, more and more women are becoming self.
' dependent members of the conmainity, how, without tam-
pering with the cardinal laws that determine providentially
their position in the world, are we to remove the serious social
Inequalities under which I, far one, think they labour?
:cheers.) Now, ins country where wealth accumulates with
such vast rapidity, are we to check the growth of luxury
and sandiness by a sound and healthy opium; 1 liow are
we to secure to labour its due honour? I mean not only
to the labour of the hands, but to the labour of the man with
any and all the faculties which God has given him.
Cheers. Bow are we to make ourselves believe, and haw
are we to tiring the omutry to believe, that in the sight
of God and man labour is honourable and idleness
is contemptible ? !Cheers.) Depend upon it, gentlemen, I
do but speak the serious and solemn truth when I Bay that,
beneath the political questn.nn that are found 'in the surfa,e
lie those deeper and more searching questions that enter into
the breast and strike home t.O the conscience and mind of
every Sian ; and it is upon the solution of these questienut
that the well-being it England must depend. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, I USe the words of a popular poet when I give
vent to this sentiment of hope, with which, for one, I ven-
ture to look forward to the future of this country. Be says—
The ancient virtue is not dead,
And long may it endure !
May wealth in England never fail—

(and I am snre be meaus by wealth the higher sense of it—
prosperity, and sound prosperity'

_ _ _ _
Nor pity for the poor.
(Cheera) May strength and thu 11101113 of material prosperity
never be Ai anting to us ; but it is far important that
there shall not be wanting the disposition to 115ilthinie means
aright. Gentlemen, I shall go from this meeting, having given
you the best account at 1117 position in my h ohio pow or,
within the time and under the eirenmstances of -the day—l
shall go from this meetingstrengthened by the condo t of y our
kindness awl your indulgence hi resume lay 1111111111 C AWE, in
public labours. Ni' motive will more operate upon me, in
stimulating me to the discharge of duty, than the gratitude
with which I look back upon the, I believe, unexampled
circumstance wide r which you made me your representa-
tive (litters ) But I shall endeavour— I shall make it my
hope—to show that gratitude less by words of idle com-
pliment or hollow flattery than by a manful endeavour,
according to the measure of my gifts. humble as they maybe,
to render service to a ((arcs that lives in the hearts of the
peeple (cheers), and to a nation with respect to which I will
say that, through all posterity, whether it be praiSA or
whether it be blamed, whether it be acquitted or whether
It be condemned. it will be acquitted or condemned upon
this issue. of Laving made a god or a bad use of the most
spim Aid opportunities of havesg tlllllO.l SO proper account
or failed to turn to actount the powers, the enereies, the
faculties which rank the people of this little Wand as
among the few great nations that have stamped their name
and seemed their fame among the greatest nations of the
world.
The right hon. gentleman retired amid univer6al ap-
platue.