The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-01 00:00:00

MORE ROWDYISt, BREAKING UP THE

MEETING.

A meeting in support of the House of Lords was
held in the Corn Exchange, on Monday evening
under the auspices of the Stourbridge:Constitutional
Association, Mr. C. P. Noel, J.P., presiding. Tnen,
were also present Lord Windsor, Mr. F. Bosanquea
Q.C., Colonel Stallard, Messrs. W. Roberts, Jos.
Williams, H. T. Hickman, F, Fearaloy, (Kidder-
minster), J. Peutland (Birmingham), James Thomp-
son, (Wolverhampton), H. H. Cannell (Wolverhamp-
ton), C. H. Collis, G. A, Trotter, B. Wooldridge,
S. A. Brooks, W. Perry, T. D. Thomas, B. Bratt,
and Geo. Burton, secretary to the Constitutional
Association. There was a large audience, To pre-
vent any disturbance taking place a large number
of constables from different parts of the county were
engaged, as it was believed that en attempt would
be made to break up the meeting.
The Chairman read letters of apology from Sir
Henry Lambert, Mr. Alfred Hiekmati (Wolverhamp-
ton), Major Williams, and Messrs. Strawson, Haly-
oake Wight, and Webb. He was glad to see co
large and influential an assemblage present. He
had always set his face strongly against having
closed meetings—(hear, hear). He thought the
subiects they were met to discuss ought to be
thoroughly ventilated, and that ell, tie matter what
their political opinions might be, should hear both
sides of the question—(lrear, hear). England was a
free country, where people were wont to express
their opinions freely. If people did not agree with
a resolution when it was put to the meeting it would ,
be merely for them to hold up their hands against I
it, and not to make any unconstitutional—cowardly,
he might say—attempts to put a stop to that free-
dom of speech which England was so proud of—
(applause). He asked them to give a fair hearing
to the speakers who would address them. It was :
said the Conservatives were opposed to the extensien
of the franchise; but that was not so. They did
wish to extend the franchise, but they wished at the
I same time to have a fair Redistribution Bill brought
before Parliament—(interruption). Those who had
I seen the redistribution scheme published by the
Standard must have seen what a one-sided affair it
was. Without any further remarks he would call
upon Mr. Bosanquet, the candid at for East Worces-
tershire, to address the meeting—(applause and in-
terruption).
Mr. F. A. Bosa,nquet, Q.C., who received an en-
thusia,tie greeting, said that when he last addressed
a meeting at Stourbridge he received a fair and
patient hearing. He said that because in some
parts of England a fair hearing was not granted,
and he thought those who refused a hearing to
opponents might be fairly charged with a want of
fair play. A fortnight ago he stood on the platform
of the Great Hall at Aston and saw a scene of which
all Enalishmen were ashamed. Let them show
that at Stourbridge they cc,uld beh lye better than
at Aston. lie moved "That in the opinion of this
meeting the House of Lords—(cheers and groans)
- is deserving the support of the country in declin-
ing to pass the Franchise Bill unaccompauied by a
proper scheme of redistribution, and this meeting
also considers the House of Lords wool! tail in i:s
duty if did not persist in the same." It appear, d
to him that the Franchise Bill without redistribu-
tion took a geod deal of agitation to commend to
the country. If a certain medical gentleman had
been present he we del tell them that the Franchise
Bill was in reduced in the same way as he intro
tamed his bottles of medicine—(laughter and ap-
plause)—for he was accustomed to label his dosee,
"to be well shaken before taken." He was afraid
that some of his mixtures were so nauseous that the
more they were shaken the nastier they tasted—
(laughter). There were some mixtures which if
they shook them sufficiently and then waited till
they saw what they were composed of they would
be very little inclined to t .ke them at all—(laughter
snd ietearuption) ; or to 'lse another simile, they
were like the sewage of Birmingham, which the
more it was stirred the nastier it smelt—(laughter
and interruption). If the gentleman at the other
end of the hall who persisted in inte:rupting wculd
listen he would promise him a fair hearing, but if
he would not do so: then it was clear he had come
tor the purpose of interruption—(a Voice : "Rowdy-
ism"). Proceeding to refer to the redistribution
scheme, Mr, Bosanquet said it was proposed to take
away represmtative, from Worcester and give them
to Wales—(noise). If they wished to lose their re-
preeatation they had better vote against the resolu-
tion Did they suppose that if any que.stiou arose in
which the trade of the country was concerned that
their interes:s would be lookel after by Irish and
Welsh members ? ("No," "Yes," and opposing
cries). If they had nothing else to justify the
acti 'n of the House of Lords it was the fact that
they now knew that the scheme of redistribu-
tien which the Cabinet had in store for them would
diminish :the representation et! Engla.nd fm- the
piney se of giving an undue representation to Ire-
land and Wales—(ch:ess and coueter cheers). Lord
Harting,t ,n admitted it, and Mr. seph Chamber-
lain —(groans and applause) —had no se! contra-
dicted the statement, whilst it was comirmed by Sir
Ct,arles Dilke—(uproar). lie was glad to iluti that
those who applaudral Mr. nhambertain were only a
small minority of the meeting, and he might s y
that Mr. Chamberlain was the, only lean in the
country p,etending to the position of statesman
who had attempted to justify the conduct of those
, who broke up the Conservative meeting at Aston
and preven: ed free discussion—(hear, hear, and dis-
order).
The Chairman : This; is :an open constitutional
meeting, and I demand that there should be silence.
If you an d-terrnined that there shall not be a tree
meeting, all I can say is that I know the men who
are sent here for the purpcse of obstruction, and
who ale paid for doing so. If you have a spark of
self-respect, anti are not a set of towels, I ask you
to hold your tongues, and if you will not I shall
have cu tented cut—(cheei s and clamour).
Mr. W Bobcres seconded the res detain, and
I spoke amid continuous clamour, He stated that in
France where there was no 1101193 of Lords, and
I where universal suffrage existed, wages were low,
food scarce and dear, and the hours of labour were
from ten to thirteen per day—("Shame !").
Mr. J. Fearnley supported the resolution, tae
Radical minority assailing him with continuous '
groans and interruptions, which rendered his remarks
inaudible a few feet from the platform.
It was now evident that the Opposition were de-
termined to put down the speakers by noise and
concerted interruptions. Mr. Packwood. a Liberal,
who was talking loudly to some people at the back
was invited on to the platform, where he proclaimed
his intention of moving an amendment to the reso-
lution. The Chairman, however, statei that as the
meeting was called on behalf of the Conservatives
it 'a as not proposed to receive an amendment, but
the opponents of the Meeting could vote against the
resolution. Mr. Packwood then expostulated with
the Chairman, and insisted on his right to be heard.
In spite of the Chairman's ruling he endeavoured to
address the meeting, but was received with a hurri-
cane of hisses and groans, which compelled him to
retire. ;When the disturbance had somewhat sub-
sided the resolution was put to the meeting, and
carried amid loud cheering. Lord Windsor then
came forward to move a resolution condemning the
foreign policy of the Government., and immediately
the interruptions were renewed with great vehem-
ence. Repeated cheers for his lordship, overwhelm-
ing the yells and cries of the factious opposition ;
but every time the speaker endeavoured to utter a
word his voice was drownediby deafening shouts
and voices of every description. In vain the Chair-
man appealed for order, the Radicals having come
with a fixed determination to hear nothing, and pre-
vent everyone else from hearing, kept up intermit-
tent interruptiees, Mr. Packwood apparently incit-
ina thernin _ir disorderly manifestations. With
tasty lune-, they Sang," Wait mill the clouds roll by."
but this was quickly met by the Conservatives join-
itig in the "National Anthem," which was taken up
by the great body of the meeting and effectually
drowned the voices of the rowdy element.
Lord Windsor at length finding it impossible to
matte himself heard, aadressed his remarks to the
reporters who stood up close to the platform. He
expressed his desire for a Reform Bill to be passed,
but he ci,mianded a genuine Reform Bill and a fair
reilistriuntioo of the representation of the country.
He was adverse to a one-sided measure of Reform
which would only benefit one party. He proposed
"That this meeting is of oeinion that the for.,ign
polies of her Mjesty's Govornment has been one
continuous series of disasters, fl owed by disgrace
and that the Government no longer deserves the
conff fence of the country." lie thought the ques-
tian of foreien palicy of the Government was no less
important than the question of the franchise. Th 3
members of the Government admitted that the re-
sults of their policy lia.ti not been as perfect as they
could wish but the yattributed this to thelegacy left
tio-!:n by Tory Government when they went out of
office. This was an argument of transparent weals.
uess, and more over it we s not true, baeatise though
the Goverarnent might hate showed a justifl eat !t
fer such an argument had they followed the policy
of the Conservatisos faithfully, they him dotte
nothing but reverse it in every part'cular. What I
we; the cause on the trouble in Egypt, the Cape
end elsewhere, hut the fa t that they Itisd to use an
American express:on, "(limed down' on every
occasion. It was the duty of every patriot to give
expression to their feelings on their iniquitous
foreign eolicy of the Government, because the one
thing that suffered above all others was the trade 6
and .commerce of the country.

confusion and uproar were now so grea`.
at Lord Wind,or brought his s.leech to a conclu
sion, and the Chairman and the promoters of the

meeting then left the hall, amid lend cheers for the
House of Lords, mingled with groans and yells from
the opposition.
After tee meeting in the• Corn Exchange had
terminated many of the Conservatives went to the
rooms of the Constitutional Association, where a
meeting was held.—Lord Windsor, continuing his
speech. said they ought not to be diseourged by
what had happened. It showed the Radicals would
not allow others to speak. They might be pleased
Hint the recess was coming to an end, and that the
subject of the long discussion would be brou ht
before Parliament, whe..e there would the be same
practical result. rile believed the Franchise liill
would not be pass d this s asion, but be postponed
until the people ha.d been able to decide between
the two parties, The House of Lords would not
give wzy to the mere threats made against them.
Mr. Gladstone had told the House of Lords to take
case lest those who wished to combine the franchise
with redistributioe would find somethieg else com-
bine With both. That was the sort of way, as the
liberals were pleased to call it, the House of Lords
were warned, or, as others interpreted it. they were
meneced. If they had ever before the country a
refermed Constitution direilted specially against the
House of Lords he was sure the House of Leiels
would not shrink from th->ir task. Anyhow if up
to the last moment of their existence they voted
according to what they believed was to the best
interests of th ir ceuntry at large they would, he was
sure, get stronger verdict in their favour front the
country than if they gave way to the menaces and
threats of the Prime Minister. Lord Windsor also
referred to the foreign policy of the Government,
which acted prejudicially to the interests of the trade,
and waslfollowed by Mr. Bosanquet and Mr. Pent-
land.

After the Conservatives left the Corn Exchange
the Liberals present held a short meeting of their
own, and passed the following resolution, on the
motion of Mr. W. H. Packwood, seconded by Mr.
Dangerfield : "That this meeting heartily approves
of the action of the Government in carrymg the
Franchise Bill through the House of Commons, and
coufident:aly relies on their promise to complete their
measure of reform by bringing in a bill for an equit-
able distiibution of electoral power,"