The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-03 00:00:00

REFORM MEETING.

The first monthly meeting in connection with this
branch of the Reform League, Wit, held on Monday
night last, (lry the kind permission of Mrs. Scott), in the
Wollaston School-room, which was comfortably filled.
W. Akroyd, Esq., President of this Branch, occupied the
choir. There were also preseut Mr. \V. Wright and Mr.
T. Wright, of Birmingham; the Revs. D. Magiunis and
J. Richards; Messrs. If. Billinglia 11l , W. Packwood, J.
Woolley,J. Blurton, It. Mills, Vatkes, Ae , its.
The Chairman said this was the tirst meeting of the
Steurbridge Reform Association, and, like many of the
most important things which had been brought to pass
in the history of the world, it began in what he ventured
to call a small way. lie was old enough to remember
meetings in that room in regard to the great question of
free trade; and, as he well remembered, they began there
that great suit important agitation with very limited num-
bers indeed. But 'wakeless the cause was so good, and
the necessity Olathe case so strong, that, in the course of
time, by the aid of lectures and pamphlets, and of a eon-
tinged agitation, the public mind became so thoroughly
informed and no deeply imbued with the justice and
wisdom of that measure, that all the restrictive—or
nearly all the restrictive—Acts upon the statute book
were removed, and they were nos entering retain the
I labours of those who through good report and ill report,
despite the argument of num said the ww of Eire engines,
carried those great measures. And so, also, he predicted
with regard to this present movement. It would be un-
true to say the numbers mcsent constituted a large num-
ber for Stourbridge, but if they were thoroughly in ear-
ni at now, SS they were formerly, they would curry the
agitation to a satisfactory issue. They were to hear
gentlemen wino had Cottle to give them the result of en-
quiries they hail made on the sukject, but before their
addresses he wished to make one or two remarks upon
. point 'mon which perhaps few persona had so good an
opportunity rif obtaining information as he had. This
vias in segard to the pr, wilt condition of the elective
franchise in the eastern division of the county of Wm-
' cester ; said they would WU from what he was about to
state that in certain parts of eueditior, under certain cu.-
cuurstauces, !wet throw nut exceptional, in the course of a
comparatively short period the class of persons who
elect, d the members would die out. Ile had taken the
, trouble to tmUltille the conditions of the register for
East Worcestershire in regard to four polling places. In
the year 1860, there were in the Stmahridge district 685
eleetor., 27 ouly of whom were reeiiitiers. la Stour-
bride in 1366 there were only 6I'J. There only was the
same number of oceapying £3ll it titers in both periods,
: yet they knelt to very considerable number of persons had
been put on is the ieterval. At Oldbury in 1860. there
I Were 306 on the cutter wgister ; in 146, 606. All these
re freeholders with the Purr ption of la in 1860, and
of 11 in PLS. In other words there was au increase in
the leek to a freehold property in Wade y
of 210. Nst, it city not en unfair lu:entree that them:
210, and a cry teosideralile moniker besides, in the six
years which loal reseed away, had acquired this qualified-
tion for Ow 'twelves, Ida if they put the two dial rt. to-
gether, Li: re was au increase ill Bteurliralge and Oldbury
•in the six p.,.re of 171. So slight aim increase in that
I time in the roaLor of (feelers sr,miami Is hits AU argu-
ment f rile tAtellsLiti of the stint .i5O, ins drill Whet.:
Ilir. s et smith am titOUrbri.ige till.l tridiniry M. re.
If lo• tern. el truill these lulisag places to EvesliAte and
r it, hoth of which were agricultural district,' the
result was vt ry dirk reel led. ed. Evesleiru had dam eased
from 31 in 10.111, to .72 it, 1866; Persliore from :i22 to
163. This was en entire decrease, on a ri.gista of
1,076 of 111 voters. It W.Ui not, hoverer, in the occupy -
tug tenants that there was any considerable decrease.
So that they might take this for grant, el, that from some
cause the number of those cullai d to partieipate in the
efi ction of members of rilritirtliti.t WU* gradually, but
sor.•ly, decreasisig in the agricultural districts. That is,
rich men were baying out the poor own, adding hous, to
hoot:, and 12.1 d to 0-1.1. &dui. of 11,es kuss. it.. ;peat
efforts widen tad born m the to put people spun tire re-
gister, yet for the whole division of Emit Worcestershire,
the total riunilw ron tbo rm giAer Wt. 6,1160 in 1666, so
gain .t 7,211 in 1660, showing a decrease of 882. These
figures might Inc relied upon, idol they formed auother
arzuurent for those who weird address them.
li which they now bud is halm& ass said to bi• per
, eve/trace a w.,rkilq; 111.111,, stiou. There Wus nOthiug
about this i•I is, in Ntsgea (Alai lii oust the Bill of Rights,
iirla the agitation in f weer of the working naui• franchise
had graWli Op front utast ? Simply from the increased
iligeltre, nod rhe better edueutain of a ...king men.
They Were the Irwin of the Is st ritileatieli of their elm-u
who an-re moving in this direction, and the MO:Cetus iit
the li.Urclikitt would depi•ud coy much upon them
selves.

Mr. Woolh y, secretary to the sie.oeiatien, Maki' th:d
N;I.Ce the if.. inatun 4 th. ir brunch at the It. twill
Leagun, weekly !meetings had been 1,4 1.1, esteli 1.1 WhICII
fro.,, I..i.uty to thirty luranlur. were a Tto y had
Iwo. 137 roar). They had ailldliqTa.t their
us AA.. rs I .ony boldly g iesiot pos.ti iii
1., and 1.1.111.. of to. prmeipail tiaLie:in,u, but ilk buil(
euuso•ltd of carting Darn.
. . _ . . . . _

11r. 11.1 Is 'I hat in the opinion of this niect-
in 4, it Is tin. Mewl:bout dui) of all tune friends of prii•
press nand Per iffuentary siuk minor differences,
iind come forward to join the Reform League. which now
includes members of till shades of pelitical opinion. sind
although adhering to its principle> of residential 11,1 n.
hood suffrage and the billet, is willing to give its wannest
a ipport to itry iisbamotial mensure of reform which the
great Lib Tal party declare worthy of the aceeptence of
the people.- 'the question liefora them WAS, why were
they not r, presented in Parliament ? Ile beliened they
(the working men) were me irepresinted there -Offer,
beer) -but Vey should show in a v.A.y little time Pont the
statements tuanle in regord to them were untrue. Wolk.
big noon were entraided with the constructien of rail-
ways and the lmilding of Alps and other works; they
conducted their Blend!), sticiet.ea in a way that rendered
them the wince of a great amount of good, and if this
wan so, lie thought they "mid jne'ge as to who was able
to represesit them in Parliament. The neccisity for the
ballot Wad cleanly shown by the exposures of the election
doings lately, snit the briber was in WMI iustanees worse
thine the bribed. The legislatien aliont the rattle plague
wan anther argiur.ent fur Dreauve the cattle
hod been Willi:tea with elistase they had to pay their value
ont of the poor rates. and not only this, het they hied to
pay snore ter their meat as well. If he had a house bnrnt
down, people would wont to know why he tiblu't insure,
end 110 should like to know why the fanneru didn't insure
then, cattle 'r
-(cheers).
141 r. W. Packwood beclouded the resolution, and Raid it
was the duty of all who were anxious for Reform to join
the Loaglie titmice. The conservative reformer and the
manhood eutirage refermer were welcoine, and fre2 to
tolvocate their vices no reform-each in his own peculiar
'Delmer. The principle of manhood residential suffrage
protected Ity the ballot, is not laid down as a elog,ma to
be binding on every nu:tuber that jcins the Leagaii-it
starlit not wit't thig, its fir it importaut principle, but
widens its sphere of action to the most scrupulous refor-
mer. In proef of this it was clearly stated at tho
It',-
form Coin relive held last Monday, in Birmingham,
which I had the honour to attend, that men of almost
every opinion of Reform War jointing tine League ; and
they hoped ins clout time to have in their ranks every
sincere rammer, no matter whatever their political
creed nosy be. And their mode of procedure wont I be
that they would aceept a email measure, end 514111011 A
large MCA:WM ; I.llt never cease agitating until they had
obtained the whole m. Bun,, O. Thiel 111E11111M' demand of
the League mil appear at first sight an objection tnn NOMA
will intended moderate reformers, and Inc used as an
elellflC against linen, joining ; hut in answer to this I
would ask if we can by swim, measure of Reform, and a
national system of eduention raise tint vast mass of the
woo king classes-more expeeitilly the agricultural labour-
ers of our 11W11 country-from IL stale little better than
eerfiloin, to intelligent, lionoureble, and wield men, ilea'
WWI yourselves, if you wound then still withhold the tren•
ehise from them it would lie selfish illl,l arbitrary. Those
who are Milting betrocn two opinions I would ask to
.iine and we, k with us- wink all 1111r,C11008, Wall make
our cause your cause, until vie have accomplished the great
purpose, and the toiling millions of the wealth producers
of the country poaseae a fair ehare of the wealth and
eemforts of the nation. I would say to my fellow.work-
ing viten, reflect on these questions that arc destined to
work eel a peaceful revolution in the constitution of our
own country. Decide at once to play your part and give
strength to the cause by joining the League. The chief
apostles of Beforin-Ittiglit, I iladstone, auil Mills-are
nobly d g their part, and if Wll only do ours as well the
ilestiniee of our children and children's children will be
lanced in the bonds of the best and wisest legislature
this country has ever had the privilege to enjoy. Oct the
other hand if we throw inside this glorious opportunity we
shall deserve Ily merit all that the Derby Lowe Iforsm inns
Votnpany have eaid against us ; end another generation
will remain in the loud of their birth. To ehow
tleit we ere in enritest, 111111 are worthy of lite confidence
if those that have bravely put themselves in front of the
battle, it should be our first duty to slipped the testi-
monial to Vont noble laglmoin patriot, Edmond Reeled
-(epplausel-.the has sacrificed his pesition through
arddly taking the lead in this movement, and defeading
for rigida. If the working elitsses do nut Meatiest a
generous spirit towar Is hint by suliserihhig their pence
'le will boa precione martyr to the eause, mid they riehl)
'writ their present ignoble fate. One word more. I ca.i
•wo no hindrance to the Slourbridge Branch becoming a
oulistantial breach. We have the rich experience of an