The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-31 00:00:00

MANIFESTO OF THE LABOUR REPRE-
SENTATION LEAGUE.

The foboeing address bee been boned "to the working-
clue voters of the Untied 1 ingdom "

Fellow Workers, The long expected electoral
strudgle is at last upon us. The two great political
parties of the country are about to grapple with each
other all over the kingdom; and as your aid will be in-
voked from both sides, it is necessary you should at
once decide as to your corn se of action. At such a
juncture it Is our duty to inform you that you must
nut look to yourselves. Hitherto you have been ex-
cluded from sharing directly in the parliamentary re-
presentation of the country. Through the hindrances
opposed by law you have been compelled to leave
the care of your interests to others. Now, if you
desire it, you may take the protection of these
interests into your own hands. There are at the pre-
sent moment several labour candidates in the field,
and we ark you earnestly, emphatically, and al you
prize your rights as free oitizene, to vote for these
without hesitation. We tell you that in doing so you
will not be acting in an exclusive class spirit. As a
class, you desire no predominance in the council, of
the nati en ; but as honest men and selftrespecting
citlz Me, you do desire to put an end to that most unjust
clam exclusion, from wlieh the great labour elites of
the country alone suffer. So long as any one close is
excluded our Parliament cannot too fairly regarded
as national, especially if that class Meru ies, as ia your
case, a majority of the British people. We ask you
to vote for labour candidates, that you may
practically assert the principle of direct labour
representaticn. We ash you also to vote for labour
candidates that you may remove from yourselves
the degrading stigma of class exclusion. And
we again ask you to vote for the labour can-
didates at present in the field that the voiots of
those who have worked and suffered among you
may go forth to the nation from the House of Cons.
h one to justify your claims and vindicate your rights
'o general political questions the working men 0;
“ta it Britain, to whom the past has been an oppression`
and a wrong, should give neither countenance nor
support to those who would carry them back to any
point from whence they have advanced, or who would
Mope Is their pregress in the present towards the higher
ground they seek to occupy in the future. As
working-men you are entering on a great caretr, to be
accomplished only wheo civil equality and civil and
p clinical right are guarantees by Inc. Disregard,
therefore, meaningless patty cries, and support those
otily who are ready to grant substantial reforms in
every branch of the country's business; men who
have made their minds up to do something, and
who possess the intelligence and courage to
tell you what they mean to do. You have yet to
, struggle for a complete religious equality; for a sound
economy in the national expenditure; for such changes ,
La the tenure and transfer of land aR will give security '
to the farmer and comfort to the labourer; for such
improvement in cur electoral system as shall be equit-
aisle to all, in fact, fir such acknowledgment of nght,
and extension of power in regard to the masses of the
British people, as will enab'e working men to effect the
complete emancipation of labour, with the consent and
by the aid id an enfranchised, a liberalized, and pro-
gressive community. Let those vote for political
reaction who fear the future. You must work for
the future and trust in it. If you do so honestly
at the present moment, caring nothing for the
hypocritical pretences or slanderous falsehoods of elec.
tioneering agents, a Parliament will be returned, com-
posed in part of working men, prepared to lead the
country onward in the direction of a higher justice,
and an increased security and comfort for all classes.
Working men, vote in your full numbers, vote so as to
secure the le kitimate advancement of your interests,
vote with the view to make your welfare as a c ass
harmonics with the general welfare of the community.
—Wanton A LLAN (lhairMall ; DANIEL GULL F, Trem
surer; HENRY FROADIIUILOT, Secretary, 21, Cock'
spur-street, Charing.crom, London, W.C.