The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-28 00:00:00

(From Wednesday's nous.)

We have been requested to publish the following
statement with reference to recent rumours as to •
supposed " New Social Movement."
It would, we are asked to mention, have been pub
-
listed sooner liad it not been for the difficulty lif con-
sultation between persons widely scattered and much
engag“l.
Early in the summer Mr. Scott Russell applied to
one of the gentlemen whose names have been men-
tioned in connexion with this matter, .m behalf of
a Representative l'ouricil of Working Men, of which
he was chairman, and he expressed a strong wish
that some leading members of both Houses should
consent to act together in considering the reason-
able requirements of the working classes, and such
legislative measures as might be proposed to them.
' Re urged that friendly relations between two bodies

thus constituted might have the good effect of averting
alienation of feeling between classes. He offered to
be the medium of communication, and he wished it to
be understood, if the plan proceeded, that it was to he
wholly unconnected with political party or party de-
signs, and strictly limited to the promotion of an
object of national importance.
The result of this application was, that a certain
number of noblemen and gentlemen consented to act
together in compliance with the request iif the Work-
ing Men's Council, sal they expressed their readiness.
at Sir Stafford Northcote has stated in his published
letter, to consider any suggestions for legislation on
questions affecting the well being f the working
classes, and discuss them in a friendly spirit.
The subjoined memorandutn, expressing the views
they entertained, was drawn up and agreed to on the
Ist of August, and was communicated to Mr. Scott
Russell.
In the absence of Mr. Scott Russell at Vienna no
further communications have as yet taken place, nor
have any resolutions been signed or sanctioned by the
gentlemen in question.
,NDCM.

EMORAI

" At the request of Mr. Scott RusseU, as chairman of •
council of representative working men, we, the undersigned,
have consented to consider in a friendly and impartial spirit
whether and in what mann. r we can co-operate with this
council in measures calculated to remove the disadvantages
which affect the well-being of the working class.

We appreciate the confidence thus shown to be placed
in us; we fully recognize the national necessity of a le-arty
good feeling between the different classes of society ; ue
believe that this good feeling can and ought to be secured
where both parties are in earnest on the subject.

'•Awaiting communications from the Council, we readily
engage to give on attentive consideration to the memores
which may be hereafter submitted by them to our judgment.

it the same time, we do not conceal from ourselves that
the task which we have been requested to undertake is not
free from difficulty.
•• We cannot become parties to any legislation which we
do not lielieve to he consistent with the real interests of all
classes. We must reserve to ourselves the most unfettered
discretion in the selection of objects and in the modification
or rejection of measures proposed to Ile for consideration,
and we must hold ourselves free, either collectively Or in-
dividually, to retire from the task to which we have been
Invited w believer we may be of opinion that our assistance Ii
wit likely to be for the advantage of the public or satisfactory
to ourselves._ _

" SALISBURY.
UARNA RVoN.
" LICHFIELD.
" RANDOM

"JOHN MANNERS.
JOHN S. FAKINOToN.
" STAFFORD NuRTHCOTE.
GATHoRNE HARDT."