The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-11-22 00:00:00

THE MEETING OF THE CONSERVA-
TIVE PARTY.

The interest taken in Tuesday's meeting of the
Conservative party at the Carlton Club was indicated
by the very large attendance of members of the Oppo-
sition from both Houses, and also by the unusual
crowd of on-lookers gathered in Pa&Mall. Previous
to the general meeting several of the leaders met for
a preliminary consultation at the residence of the
Marquis of Salisbury in Arlington-street. At the
subsequent meeting in the large upper room of the
Carlton Club, Lord Salisbury, who presided, was
supported by Sir Stafford Northcote, the Duke of
Northumberland, the Duke of Richmond and Gordon,
the Earl of Carnarvon, Lord It. Churchill, Earl
Cairns, and other leading members of the party
from the two branches of the Legislature.
The attendance numbered fully 300. The
Marquis of Salisbury, as chairman, was the
first speaker, and he referred with satisfaction to
the material concessions announced on the part
of the Government as practically vindicating the
course taken last Session by the House of Lords. He
remarked that the peers would now have some means
of assuring themselves that the promised Redistribu-
tion Bill would be of a moderate and equitable cha-
racter, that his rapid advancement would be guaranteed,
and that its many provisions would be made known
to them before they passed the measure for the ex-
tension of the franchise. Under these circumstances
it had been agreed to advise that the second reading
of the Franchise Bill should not be opposed, and that
its subsequent stages should also be agreed to upon
the introduction, in the meantime, in the House of
Commons of such a reasonable Redistribution Bill as
might be based upon mutual conference be-
tween representatives of the Government and
of the Opposition. Sir Stafford Northcote's
speech was in the same sense, and Earl
Cairns also expressed concurrence, In the course of
a brief discussion which follnwed, the Earl of Jersey
and other speakers expressed themselves as satisfied
with the solution of the difficulty, but other gentle-
men evinced some desire for distinct assurances that
the Government would stand or fall by the main pro-
visions of theßedistribution Bill as eventually drafted,
and would not evade responsibility for material
amendments by any independent action of their fol-
lowers. Lord Salisbury read the communications
which had at his instance passed between Mr. A. J.
Balfour, M.P., and Lord Trartington, on behalf of
Mr. Gladstone, from which it appeared that the Govern-
ment would not insist upon an absolute and explicit
pledge for the passing of the Franchise Bill as a con-
dition precedent to any conference or understanding
upon redistribution, but that the willingness of the
Conservative leaders to enter upon such con-
ference with the Government would be ac-
cepted as sufficient guarantee of their bona-fide
intention to pass such a measure when drafted
upon a mutually acceptable basis. A question having
arisen as to whether the Government would stake
their existence upon any Redistribution Bill which
they might introduce, whether in its original draft
form or modified after conference, Mr. C. T. Ritchie
stated that through Mr. Heneage he had the previous
night obtained from the Premier an assurance upon
this point in the affirmative. Among other speakers
were Lord Oranmore and Browne, Mr. Chaplin, Sir
W. Hart Dyke,. and Sir Walter Barttelot. It was
agreed that Lord Salisbury, in consenting to the
second reading of the Franchise Billt . should
endeavour to obtain a more precise and eaplicit state-
ment than had yet been given by the Gpvernmrt
upon certain doubtful points,. regarding which
questions were asked. No resolutions were proposed,
nor was any division taken, the recommendations of
the leaders of the party being agreed to with
unanimity. The proceedings lasted little more than
an hour.

CHEAP RESTAIIRANT.—Waiter : "Sixpenny plate OP
a f
Diner: " What' s the difference ?"
Waiter:"T:noepe" "Twopence."—Moonskine.
What with the death of Tyler, the formidable
battle-axe of William the Conqueror, the swords of
the Crusaders, and the " killing " appearance of
Queen Elizabeth on her charger, Mr. Sanger has
achieved the task of presenting the most "Sanger-
nary show on record.—Funny Folks.
Don Piatt says "musicians are not made—they
are born." We know a young musician in this city
that in addition to being born will be killed unless he
gives up practicing on the flute six nights out of the
week. This is reliable.
A Tory sheet saith that the Conservatives do not
believe the Redistribution Bill exists even in skeleton.
This is strange, for even the draft of it wait it is setd,
"boned" some time ago.—Fun.

SATURDAY NOV. 22, 1884