The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-05-04 00:00:00

THE LYE AND WOLLESCOTE
CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION.

Under the auspices of this newly-formed and rapidly
rising association, a lecture.was delivered in the Tem-
perance Hall, Lye, on Monday evening last by Mr.
W. Byron Reed, of the National Conservative Associa-
tion, London, on " Conservative principles explained
and vindicated." Mr. H. T. Hickman occupied the
chair and there were also on the platform Messrs. B.
Wooldridge, S. A. Brooks, W. Perry, T. Rhodes. and G.
Rhodes. The body of the hall was filled, a very large
majority of those present being staunch Conservatives
andlwith the exception of slight interruption the proceed-
ings passed off very amicably.
The Chairman said he believed that was the first pub-
lic meeting in connection with their new .association
and he was very glad to see so large and respectable
an assembly. He would not detain them long because
the Lecturer would no doubt say a good many things he
(the speaker) should like to say, but he would simply
say they had met there to consider the opinions of the
Conservative Government and the vindication of Con-
servative opinions in the Houses of Parliament. They
e met there that evening to hear opinions relative to
statements that bad been made in that room by the
opposite party in reference to political matters and it
was well to hear both sides of the question. He thought
that after the opposite side had brought such men there
as Mr. Arch, it was quite right for them to have a gentle-
man down there of their own way of thinking who
would tell them theiopinions in the opposite direction so
that they could form their own opinion and make up
their own minds which was the right course. As far as
the present Government went he considered it a very
great thing for England to have so gord a man at the
head of affairs as Lord Beconsfield (Loud cheers.)
['hey were passing through the most trying times and
he thought that if the other pirty had been at the head
of the Government we should have been at war 1 ‘ng and
long ago. He c insidered it was the dutj of all patriotic
Englishmen, putting polities aside, whatever they might
be, to take care of th., affairs of the country and not
hamp:r any uovernment that was in charge of their
affairs at such a critical time as the present. He did
not think there was a man in that room, if he was
ca.led upozi, whether he be Radical or Conservative,
that would not support the present Government and he
was of opinion that the best thanks of the whole country
were due to Lord Beaconsfield for having so far carried
them through (a hiss) He was glad to hear someone
hissing in the room because he thought those persons
who hissed wouA go away thinking the same as they
(the Conservatives) did. He concluded by in.lting those
' present to give the Lecturer a fair and impartial hear-
ing, and then introduced Mr. W. Byron Reed to the
an .iience.

The Lecturer, who was received with tremendous
cheering, delivered a long and powerful peroration which
lasted an hoar and a half and in which ha was fre-
quently applauded. Referring to the Liberation party
the Lecturer directed bitter sarcasms at Mr. Gladstone,
Sir W. Lawson, Messrs. Parnell, Biggar, and
for the parts they had taken in the question in the
House of Commons. Speaking of Conservative work-
ing men the Lecturer said that some time ago the
Liberals did not think there was such a thing in exist-
ence as British working men Conservatives, but after
Mr. Gladstone'a Government had brought the Ballot
into requisition it was proved that in Mt there was a
large majority in favour of the Conservative Govern-
ment. Speaking of Lord Beaconsfield the Lecturer
said the name of Benjamin Disraeli would be handed
down to posterity as one of the greatest men that had
ever existed in the history of England, and his name
would always be received by true Englishmen in years
to come. A man that was once spoken of as an alien had
risen f,o the highest pinnacle that any man could wish
to achieve and that was the position as Prime Minister
of the British empire—and he contendei that the
name of Lord Beaconsfield would ')e handed down by
historians as one of the greatest men that had ever held
the head place in the Parliaments of Old England. The
speaker said that at no time was England ever in so
prosperous,a condition as it was under the reign of Queen
Victoria and contrasted the happiness of England under
a monarchial government with that of France and other
countries under republican government. Regarding the
Eastern :Question the speaker was of opinion that
although we do not:want to go to war we should keep an
armed peace which had the effect of keeping Russia
from taking more immediate steps in the dirt.ctizai of
Constantinople.

A vote of thanks to the Lecturer was proposed by Mr.
S. A. Brooks, seconded by Mr. T. Ithode3, 11.3,1 to the
CLairinan, proposed by Mr, B. Wooldridge, seconded by
Purry.

The proceedings c!osei by the Chairman calling upon
tha audience to give three cheers for the Quern. which
was heartily respoy,de.; to.

OLD HILL.

FOWL STEALING AND AtIAIJLTING THE POLICE.-At
the Police Court, on Wedeesaay, before Messrs B
Hingley and H. Howard, William Austen and Joseph
Hnmphries, brewe,s, in the employ of Mr. Cox, of
Blackheath, were charged with stealing a fuel belong.
rug to Mr. Darby, realtster, Blackheath. Austen was
also charged with assaulting two policeq,llicers.—A
fortnight ago the men were summone.l for being or Mr.
Darlry's premises for an unlawful purposo, but as the
case did not appear to be a very bad one, the Magis-
trates merely made an Order for pa went of costs —The
prosecutor found the money to liberate Humphries, bet
the other man was detained for the assault,—Shortly
afterwards it was found that a fowl had been stolen,
being found decapitated in the place where the men
were concealed.—Hunaphries was then re-arrested,
and ha made a statement incriminating Austen.—
The evidence offered showed that the latter was the
thief, and the Magistrates sentenced him to one
month's hard labour on that charge as well as on the
one of assaulting the police, Humphries being dis-
charged.