The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-11-24 00:00:00

WEEITHAIL
ENTHUSIASTIC LIBERAL MEETING.

.RTIIICRI. BY LHr. RITRCHIS.

A pliblic meeting was held in the schoolroom at
Westham. near Weymouth, on Tuesday evening, in
sniqs,rt of Mr. 11. P. Sturgia, the Liberal candidate
for the division. The room was crowded, and the
proceedings were of a very enthuaiaatic description.
Mr. J. Dennis, of Weymouth, was voted to the chair,
and in opening the ptemerlinge he said that for
upwards of 25 years he had taken part in every
contest, both municipal and parliamentary, in
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis. Applause.) If
a were the reason why they had voted him to the
chair that night, he wished to thank them very much
for the confidence they had placed in him. (Hear
hear.) There were also, ho th.eight, other mesons
why he should occupy the position he did. One was
that he had read and reread over and ever again the
manly and straightforward address, which he believed
had reached every one of them, and which had tho
name of Mr. Sturgis attached to it. (Cheers.) He
had gone over the grand 12 or 11 reasons why he should
occIIIIY the of candidate for South Dorset, and
he could not seen single word in any of the isentences
to which, AS a Liberal, he could object. (Ilear, hear.)
On the etntrary, he felt that in theentinciation of Mr.
Stargis's principles as a Liberal hecould enter honestly ,
into every word he had ;said in the address. (Hear, ,
hear.) Another reason MU bee-ause they were called
together, not Ripply to support Mr. Sturgia's can
d .
he principles of that gentleman, !
who had been the leader of the Liberal party for
so many years (Cheers.) Of course there were some
points in the Liberal programme with which all
might rot agree, but in the main Mr. Gladstone's
policy was the policy of the Liberal and Radical party
of this country, and it was 'locates, he (Mr. I)enne)
believed the majority of aye, present that night
entered heartily into the main lines if that polies%
and that they had thus agreed to support the candi-
dature of Mr. :Burgin. that he had come forward to
be their chairman. In the early part of the coming
! year their great ship of legislation would have to la,
launched once more. It dependorl largely on the
crew who maimed that vessel as to the kind of cargo
which would be brought into port at the end I if the
ession. (Applause.) Would they have as part of the
crew Mr. Ashinead Bartlett and Lord Randolph
Churchill ?—(Cries of "No, no," and "Not wood
enough ")--or should it Is. Mr. Chamberlain, or Lord
liartington, or Mr. Goachen—.(great cheering) - and
would they have as their pilot the "Grand Old
Man r (Renewed cheers.) If so they would once
more be able to steer the great ship of legislation to
such • port that it would be a benefit to every elector
in the United Kingdom. (Amami's%)
Mr. H. P. Sruitels, who waa cheered again and
again, said the views in his address were such as he
always had and should hold. (Hear, hear.) Ile could
not do as a certain American politician once did, and
say, "Gentlemen, theta are my views. If you do not
like them I will change them." (Much laughter.)
He, however, could say he would endeavour honestly
to carry out his views. (Cheers.) The election was
so near that the day for talking had passed. They
all knew his views, so that what was needed now was
red work. (Hear, hear.) They IVA 'WWI what Om
Liberals meant to do in the future in reganl to their
pr.. 0041,1, in the House of 111111 l 0.1111, taut they t
got other nisei * •ry ii, or. ler ere they could
turn out their work preperly. There was the
great question as to hs..•l I f overt, ment. They t
have a real local Government. stet 110 POll,l IPA trust
that in the hands of herd Salisbury. (Hear, hear.)
He dare say the Tories would give ("cal I lovernment,
but he feared it would only be forth,' privileged and
the upper classes. They wanted a true represeutative
Government, in touch of the will f the people. (Ap-
plause.) Then there were very important questions, as
o Ulll Lead Laws, which were most important to

prawns whether they dwelt in town or country. He
did not believe they would have any real prosperity
in the country unless agriculture was in a satisfactory I
°Tradition, and this could, In his opinion,. only be per- i
manently brought about by a change in the hand I
Laws. It was no use trying to benefit one clan only.
They must benefit all. (Cheers.) They need only
look at the events in the past to know that if they
wished to have prosperity in the country they mint
support the Liberals. This was net forth in the Acts
they had pulsed, also in tho reduction of taxation,
pauperism, and crime, during the time they were in
power. (Applause.) When they looked back jut. the
groat wilderness 11 Tory legislation—(laughter)—all
they could net were line or two stows 1., rocord the
few Acts of the Tory party. It did not seran very
Liromisiim either if they looked into the future of the
Tories. They Imoe more had the usual platitude &snit
the Throne and the Church, but what were
they going to do reelecting them ? lb. would not
compare his ewe addnuis with that of his opponent,
which " minniluil very big, and rent very hilt
what Was there in it? tVoins ; " Nettling.") Ile
could not see a single thing that Col. liambri pee-
l...id to do excepting in ' general terms, "and he (Mr.
Stergis) would never trot the " general terms" if the
T,K1.41. If tiny " tied them (limn " they might do
something, but unless they did this the Tories would
always iomisige to get (eat of things. !bring the
_past
day er two, great posters hail Issm stuck about \Vey-
mouth, and in:the niiilille it said " Vote for flambe°. '
In 11111, corner was silk:tumid lief Majesty the (teem,
in another the l'ritur lif Wales, below the great de-
parted feral Iteaninstielil, and in the other center
ford Salisbury. (hisses) Then together in a little'
circle at the 6 ittoin were those two" happy hive bindle
Lord 11,, Churchill and Sir Stafford Northcote. (Much
laughter.) Ile thought it rather cruel of Cid, liambro'll
advisers to put thew, two no cher togetheir, for it made
them think of that which happened a few months ago
when Sir Stafford Northeire Wlll/1 "kicked into the
Hillier HAMM," (Laughter.) He (fitr.Piturgis) reo.llll-
- that in the middle there should at,... be a
'picture if Col. hlaiiuiinu, sitting on the knee of leird
Salisbury, einbracing the Church. (Roars of laughter.)
Ifethought it would be a decided addition to have Col.
Hamra-inn the inid In. (A N'oice, No ; Parnell ;" laugh-
ter.) Ile thieight they in igh t 111.1! Parnell as the Tories hie I
already used him—for a bratstool. (Roars of laug(i-
ter.) Ile (lid net knew why Colonel flambee. Moog
with other Tories, should arrmate to themselves the
insertion that they wen; the only ones for the throw,.
Were not the Liberals as much for the threw, awl the
church as anybody else. (Veins : Yes.) They
wished to do in much for the church as Colonel
Hamlin; but in • different way. (Cheers.) Then
there was the question as to the empire. That was
a big word, but both Liberals and Radicals wished to
uphold the empire. (Renewed chisini.) Mr. Sturgis
alsi repeated his views upon the disestalilisliment
question, and tho opinion as to its impracticability
during the coming l'arliament. As to the question
respecting the cheap loaf, the Conservatives were
always trying to stem from them that honour. The
question of protection Wall a deep one, but he pointed
out how utterly impossible it would he for them to
ever have fair trade or anything of that sort in thill
country. if so-called fair traders were allowed to
tamper an any way with the trade of the country. If
the Tories were strong eiriugh, and he hoped they
never would be, before many years had wowed they
would tax the bind of the people. Ti.., Tries .61
they were • rough and not very respectable lot
(laughter)—but they were quite as honest as the ether
side. (Cheers.) He repudiated the charge (lisle by
the Tories that they were divided. In the course of
his pens-nal canvass one man said to him " Colonel
Ilanibro has beim, and I have promised him my vote.
Had you come first I would have given it to you."
(Laughter.) He, however, did not care about having
such a vote as that —(hear, hear) —for he wanted
every man to use his vi Se honestly and conscientiously,
and, as Mr. Fewler said at Wry th the ether,
night, "between the voter and his Gni." (Cheers.)
The other day his opponent was canvassing in a
village, and hy his side was the agent of the Agile e,
who had almost absolute power over every math in
the village. (Cries of "Shame.") How ICW it isnsible
for the voters there to speak as they wished ? In the
evening he (Nlr.Sturgis) had a meeting there. ,len whit
were not only Liberals but geed Radicals sat looking
at liirnt and did not dare to make any signs iif feeling
because they did not know who was in the room.
(Shame.) Ile could hardly blame them, lint this was
a dreadful state 14 affairs, lii conclusion, fie CAM
(won every man who had an English heart and English
pluck to go to the poll and vote bravely and honestly.
(Much cheering.) _ .

Mr. Bei readlAN moved, and Mr. Dolmen seconde4,
a vote of confidence in Mr. Sturgis, and
all present to do their tanned to ndurn him at the top
of the poll.
Mr. linnewd, of Weymouth, in supporting it, spoke
very highly of Mr. Stllrgirl Anil hi. adelres.. Tl,.' Freye
Traders did not mean to be rolelyyl of Foe, Trele.
(Applause.) They did not intend to have femme, which
put on sheep's clothing, come amongst them. and
endeavour 111 K's ill as members of the Hock. (liear.
hear.) No; they knew who wen: real in their principles
and who simulated them. When a man put out an
;shireus almost at the end of his candidature, and find-
ing that Free Trade had taken pywession of the minds
of the (Ample in the conytitmency, wan hod to say he
would not support a policy which would have anything
to do with taxing the (mid of the people, they knew in
i what light to regard the matter. He originally came
to the place Ma beheral-Conservative. (A Voice : He
mine first of all an a Liberal.) He hall Isvn retetrri.l
to Parliament eence and reject.sl ley %Vernouth ; And
why ! B.oz:tease he voted Against the ballot. (Hisses.)
li.( 'r. Moberly) was much obliged to the people lie
allowing him to come to the meeting, for he wad ono
of thew roughs --(laughter) -a led of whom met
at the Minkel Hotel the other night. Mr. Redeems
sulwequently pointed out that Colonel Hambro,
who was represent., as being a county man, but lie
in reality is a German-Bane, although Chairman of
the County Bridge Committee, had ignored the
nsininements of Westham in respect to their bridge,
and Mr. Maws said that if they wantwd c..ii•
didoration they 1111114 hAVe It county board, which
would also deal with the drainage that was so badly
needed. (Amelause.)
The mrolution haying been carried amidst great
cheering,
Mr. J. HoWaßn BOWEN delivered an excellent
hennorous address, in the coulee of which he cauyed
roars of laughter by hie criticism of the Tory tracts
and pamphlets being locally circulated. He said thee
hearts of their local Terri., were sinking. (Roan, if
laughter.) Their organ, the Southern nava —(p,.
longed hirers and groans)--had published a sure sign
if the had time,. corning, because it had been whistling
uncommonly loud—Baughter)—in talking about "big
majorities.' Th., Noftascrn Tiara —thiasfel)- •
represent.' the little schoolboy who, before going to
In' caned, whistled to keep up his spirits. (Roars of
laughter.) The greater the whistle, however, the
bigger the thrashing would be. (Much laughter.)
Mr. G. Rowe, of Weymouth, said that in the last
he had perhaps been too Radical fore inc. (Laugh-
ter.) At all events, he had plowed himself —(hear,
he:ail—and that wad a proud privilege which all might
pews.. He intimated, amidst cheer., his intention
of doing all he could in support of Mr. Sturgis.
Mr. Sreltalm moved a vote of thanks to the Rey.
R. A. England, the rector, for the use of the school.
room.that night.

This was ,seconded by Mr. Roncea, and supported
by Mr. DICNNIM, both of whom referred in very
eulogistic terms to the general gentlemanly and im-
partial conduct with which Mr. England acted.
On the motion of kir. BOWE/. • vote of thanks was
Tamed to the Chairman, and the meeting terminated
with repeated cheers for both Mr. and Mrs. Sturgis.
Mrs. Sturgis and movers] other ladies were present.