The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-19 00:00:00

?METING OF THE CONSERVATIVE
PARTY.

- - -
On Tuesday at twelve o'clock, at the Carlton Club,
the Conservative peers and members of Parliament
met together to consider what the action of the party
should be with regard to the crisis which has arisen on
tho Franclhise Bill. No meeting of the Conservative
peers and members of the Lower House has been held
since the occasion when Lord Beaconsfield summoned
the party to assemble, soon after the general election,
at Bridgwater House. The number present yesterday,
though not equal to that of the occasion mentioned,
was nevertheless very large, and at one time there
were as many as 300 people in the library of the
Carlton Club. Lord Salisbury was in the chair,
supported by the members of the 'front Oppo-
sition benches in both Houses a Parliament.
Lord Salisbury opened the proceedings by review-
ing the history of the Franchise Bill since its intro-
duction. He dwelt on the fact that no real concession
whatever had been made by the Government to the
Opposition, and he contended that if they allowed the
bill to pass they would be at the mercy of the Govern-
ment with regard to redistribution. 'lf the Redistri-
bution Bill were round to be unsatisfactory the Oppo-
sition would be in this position, that if they did not
assent to it the Government could go to the country
under the 'Franchise Bill. He held that the position
the House of Lords had taken up was a moderate and
reasonable one, and he advised that they should con-
tinue.to maintain a courageous, conciliatory, and tem-
perate attitude. Lord Salisbury's remarks were re-
ceived with loud cheers.

Lord Wemyss in an able speech explained his
motives"for moving the resolution of which he had
given notice, and combated the argument that bad
been used by Lord Salisbury that a compromise such
as he suggested would involve a surrender on the part
of the peers. •
Lord Jersey and Lord "Ravenswortlt supported
Lord Weroyss, and in the conversation which followed
a few members of the Rouse of Commons gave a
partial support to the resolution.
Sir 'Robert Loyd-Lindsay was of opinion that the
energies of the Rouse Of 'Lords should have been
reserved .for the discussion of the Redistribution Bill,
and he thought the peers would have been wise in con-
senting to the extension of the franchise.
Sir 'Stafford Northcote strongly advocated the
adoption of the course proposed by Lord Salisbury,
and maintained that it was the duty of the peers to
reject the bill so long as it was unassociated with a
measure of redistribution.

Sir W. Ifart-Dyke and Sir George Elliot spoke to
.a similar effect.

Ifr.M. Chaplin addressed the meeting at'length on
'behalf of.the Conservative county members. He said
nothing had occurred since the division on Lord
'Cairns's motion, as far as he could see, to render it
•either necessary or desirable for the peers to re-
consider the decision they had arrived at in the first
instance to support that motion.
Though the meeting was on the whole practically,
unanimous on the rejection of Lord Wemyss's resolu-
tion, it was ascertained that some few peers who had
previously voted for the reiection of the •bill would
abstain ' f rom Noting against Lora Wemyss.