The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-20 00:00:00

POLITICAL GATHERINGS.

On Saturday several popular demonstrations were
held in support of the Franchise Bill and against the
House of Lords. There was a great gathering of 40,000
people in Victoria-park, London, 'when Mr. Bradlaugh,
M.P., was the principal speaker. His remark that his
hearers would do well to find their way near to St.
Stephen's on the day when Parliament assembled was
greeted with cries of "We shall." The hon. member
added that he should go himself, but that he was not
quite sure how long he would stay. The resolutions,
which were carried with acclamation, declared that
the exclusion of two millions of men from the body
politic was a burning scandal, and that "the supreme
insolence of the peers in vetoing the national will is a
premium or revolution." Great meetings were also
held at Oldham, Alloa, Kidderminster, Mount Sor-
rel, and other places.

A Conservative fete was held on Saturday after-
noon at Hedsor-park, the seat of Lord Boston, some
five miles from Maidenhead. Lord Boston presided
at an open-air meeting, which was addressed on the
political situation by the Earl of Carnarvon, who said
that while the present agitation had disclosed the
irreconcilable hatred of the Radical party to the
ancient and fundamental institutions of the country,
it had also shown the marvellous strength of the Con-
servative party, and the reasonableness of the country
and sense of fair play in what he might call the
middle party. The Radical agitation was an attack
upon the House of Lords and the hereditary principle.
The Conservatives had accepted the challenge of the
Government to a contest of public meetings, had met
them in argument and in numbers, and had success-
fully held their own. Mr. T. F. Fremantle, M.P.,
Sir Samuel Wilson, Sir George Russell, and other
speakers also addressed the meeting. A similar
demonstration held at Ipswich on Saturday was
addressed by Sir William Charley.

Lord Hampden, speaking at a Harvest Home near
Lewes, on Saturday, said he had hoped by this time
to be able to congratulate the labourers upon the
acquisition of the franchise, which was their acknow-
ledged right, and which they would already have been
in possession of but for an ill-advised vote on the part
of the House of Lords. But they might rest assured
that they would possess the franchise at an early
date.

Mr. John Morley, M.P., addressed his constituents
at Newcastle-on-Tyne on Monday night, and referring
to the Nile Expedition, he said it promised to be one
of the most hazardous we had ever undertaken.
What the object was he did not know. So far as
they knew, the British officers could leave Khartoum
if they thought fit. If these expeditions went on,
the inevitable result would be that this or any other
Government would economise in the most important
matters of national defence. Referring to the action
of the House of Lords on the franchise question, the
hon. member said the important question now was to
execute a reform of the House of Commons; then,
when the people of the country were no longer
muffled and manacled by a fraudulent system of
representation, it would not he long before the urgent
task of still further shortening the arm of the House
of Lords was undertaken.

Mr. Richard, M.P., addressed the Cymmrodorion
Society of Liverpool on Monday, on the subject of
the relations of Wales to England. He complained
of the policy which had been pursued for nearly
three centuries by English statesmen of seeking the
extinction of the Welsh larguage, just as Russia aimed
at extinguishing that of Poland. A better feeling, he
was rejoiced to say, had sprang up. Englishmen
must take Welshmen as they found them, and Welsh-
men must discard prejudices, jealousies, and susnicions,
for which there was no justification.