The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-21 00:00:00

(From Wo4throolay's Ti,o, Octobcr

My nanie having Iwo' mentioned in roimesion with
rertain ret non,: Raid to have I,en asleed upon between a
holy 14 working men on the one lentil, and various men iberi
of the Omservative party on the other, I think it right to
state that I lotte llver awfented I, or in any way espressol
approval of, the ideai set forth in those resolot. . and I
shall he obliged to you if you will make this statement
remain. your ohediAlt servant, itthnv.
'•Knowsley, tot. 10."

'1 have only just returned to England, and lily atten-
tion has been called to certain statements that have ap-
peared with regard to a " New Social Movement," in width
111111 rep net tin have given my consent and signature to
stile seven resolotions of a very ambiguous wording and
diameter. Si far as I ant concerned I have neither made
any proposals to any body of working men nor undertaken
ti fraine any legislative measures, and though I would
gladly 1•I perate to the best of my power in any reasonable
aotiume for pb minting the well-being of the working classes,
I have never assented, nor could I assent, to the resolutions
in question. I contain, Sir, your obedient servant,
" GO, Grosvenor-street, W., Oct. 17."

"('AIN.tEV X.

" I have not hitherto noticed the reports which have ap-
peared in certain newspapers, 1.14 I did not imagine that I'll
such unauthentic 111111,111, f should be credited or rliseredited
with opinions so unlike toy we. As I see, however, that
some of my friends Judge it best to contradict the statements
made as to them as well as myself, I beg to say that I have
given no adhesi.oll, either express or implied, by signature IT
otherwise, to the resolutions to which I ant alleged to have
been a pa rty.—• Your obedient servant.
•' Ilemsted-park, I let. 17." •• OATH. oRNE H ft py:.

An Amyl...hire elector having drawn the Marquis of
I...rile's attention to the above Alliance, awl Inquired as to
the truth f the report, the following reply has been se-
ivml 'let. 14, 1571. Sit,—lt is not true that
1114%, Joined ally such association as that to which put re-
for in your letter of yesterday's date.-1 remain, your obe-
dient servant, "

The Obxereer says :
" We understand that the accounts given in several of
our silly contemporaries Wit It reference to the alliance be-
tweet) the Conservative Purrs and certain representatives of
the working classes are suleitantially en a-reel, in so far as the
preliminary negn.tiat ions are coll.:cried. We can, loos-ever,
state pckitively that no retiltontiorr of the draught tennis pro-
is lined by the council 4.1 skilled workmen has as yet been ex-
changed, Tier has any COll ter., SO far I:11,11 place between
the members of the Legislature who are reported to !nave
signed the draught document and the working class repre-
sentatives. ills not, indeed, believed Iny the principal parties
to the negotiations that any very definite result will follow.
The working men themselves, rightly or winningly, nio not re-
gard the nnovement as hearing any political or party charac-
ter. They are not unwilling to seh.e an opportunity 411110.111-
testing their opinion that the present Government has not
evinced sufficient activity in legislating for the interests 4.f
the working classes: Ind they wish it to be understood that
If the Conservative leaders are ready to leo:rill, their twin-
ciples to secure the ens-operation of the artisan electors, they
on their side are an t prepared to sacrifice their political
principles in order trio-mire the aupport of the Conservatives
in measures of social ',form."

The Nand, lr f;,.nr.i.'an of Saturday further stated that
the reprtsental ives of tin Peers and ormulons have pledged
themselves to take immeliate action in Parliament ; they
. .

" accept the responsPolit) ot adng with Um council of
representative working men reganling the I.•gialative
uten-
sil? es respecting the physicalonoral, and intellectual welfare
of the working classe%," and .• of preparing those legislative
measures for carrying the objects of the working men into
effect, and of bringing in and passing those measures through
both houses of Parliament."

On Sunday evening a large meeting of the London Demo-
crats. was held at the club-room ..f the Loudon Patriotic
Society, in Kirby-street, Ilatton-garden, to discuss the new
movement for the combination of a " council of Legisla-
thm " formed of Conservative Peers, with leading represen-
tatives .4 the labouring classes; Mr. Galbraith occupied the
chair.

The chairman, in dpening the meeting. expressed his
astonishment that them shoohl have been this cosittion he-
tween kits, cloßties and the Tory
party, with whom he thought the ,v,, king classes had broken
on for ever. Ile asked the attention tot the meeting to an
Whin,. by Mr. Mottothead on a subject connected with the
politi-al power of the people.
- • • - ••• • •

•
Mr. Motteshead, who wr;s r,cei veil with warm cheers, drew
a forcible picture of the position of the people before the
Reform movement of 153.2, contrasted that condition With ,
their present condition, mei declared that the result of the
reins Inni been only to change the masters of the people,
lint not to improve the government sri far as the people are I
concerned hr since the middle classes had been In power,
through the help of the artisan classes the taxation of the
working classes had greatly increased, the cost "( govern- .
ment had increased, and the people were not bettered either
in regard to more equal taxation or social advantages. It
wield be true that the hours of labour were less than they
used to be, but-then the work now, he sail, ° link ore out
of a num " than the work of al time, and he attributed
this to the emit introduction ,if machinery, now worked
for the benefit of the middle daises, who now hinned the
goveniing classes. lie proceeded to dead with the "huidi
question," and he maintained that Mud should pay 50 per
milt. id the national taxat,on, in lieu if 1.1 per cent., as he
declared it ilid now. this inequality ern i4tudstilt, eve, thiiiigh
the tioverinnents hail dealt hi all the Lilreral shibboleth,
but had Imikel after the interests of the employers and not
of the employol. The speaker then toadied upon a sub-
ject which at owe attracted great attention—the agitation
fora Republic. Ile questioned a tether, If there should he a
Republic tomorrow the people would he better ill, and he
&demi that the 11111180 of Commons, with all its faults and
failings was a good legislative body. (Dissent.) Ile knew he was
not going to say what womb] receive general approbation when
he ,blared that if the (.111W11 of Brunswiek wen, thrown
into the Thames at .mce the people would not be benefited
'dissent ), and he, for one, would not step front his hearth for
what would not benefit himself and his class. Ile referred
to the derlarations of Massisi, Kossuth, Anil Karl Blind as to
the power alibi' was to fall to the people by the establish-
ment of Republics, soul saying that the people had obtained
the powers whieh were to come from Republican install-
there, he passol in wview the imlition of the Continent as
well as England to point the moral that the people were not
benefited. Ile advocated the iinhealrisattria of the people, the
adopti ~,, of the ballot, and equal doctoral districts ass cure
for one of the i`oils of which he complained, but he urged
that combinations with aristocrats and middle classes Shilittla
be alike avoided, nail that the 11,10 shall elect their iiWll
classes to Parliament. The proposition of the new alliance
would not satisfy the people. than)
Mr. Davis followed, and while criticising some of the
speaker's views, he dealt with the stated coalition as a °secret
treaty." Ile declared that the persms who were set nri us
"Shined artisans" were not artisans stall, and said but that
the Marquis of Salisbury hail disclaimed the matter he should
haw coneeived it was a plan on:the part of tho aristocracy
to sell to the State the worst railways in the country.
Mr. Frank declared that much credit was taken by the
Libsrals for giving the people cheap food, but how far was
this true? lie asked. The I.ile.rals had given tea at 83, a
pound, but moat, in place of li. iii- A. and 01. was now
shillings pound. Ile urged that the only end the people
should have In view should be the declaration of a republic,
• and that they should traiu the people to almlish all theology

Mr. Whin and Mr Osborne bath speke.str.mgly =twit iwg
combination with Tury lords. nod repudiated the ',dwelt
assumed by the " working side of the crialitton eli'repre-
a,ntiiiti the wotkinu ,I.kaffes The propositions were de-
clarcd to he a muse til heat the people.
In the other speoehei lett.le it was declared that the advo-
cacy I Rviltil oilcan jailleipleassoutiri Orhi islitage the people
more than any Collll.ination with the Tories. who, is was said,
were entleay.turine to cheat the artisan class.

The meeting closid at a late hour with thank to the
chairman.