The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-11-12 00:00:00

coNsri lUTIONAL ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of this association was held
of Stourton Castle, presiding.
Aaltrt.hAerkroleo,mjsu,nH.,igh Street, on Thursday evening,
QMr. B. Wooldridge said that the circular callinQ
the meeting announced that Mr. Hammond Smith
was to take the chair, but he had expressed to him
his very great regret that he was not able. to be
present. Mr. Wooldridge read letters of apology
for non-attendance from Sir Richard Temple and
Mr. M. Grazebrook. He then introduced Mr. Arklo
to those present, gating that he belonged ta an old
conservative family, warm in the cause they sup-
ported as to politics. With regard to the affairs of
the country they sallied rather to have driven the
wrong way during the last parliament. If Lord
Beaconsfield had been alive and at the head of
affairs, matters would have been very different. He
thought the Transvaal was a very discreditable
thing ti this country, that we had gone down very
much, aad had been obliged to ‘. eat dirt a good
deal." In reference to Irish affairs he said such a
state of things was never known. The legislationt
of Alr. Gladstone had been a mistake from begin-
ning to end. He condemned his Irish Church Dis-
establishment and also said that the people were
worse, despising English legislature and the Gov-
ernment more than ever was known during the
ree,llection of any living man. If their friends
(the Conservatives) had been the guiding men, they
should not have f?,,ne to so low a level. Since Lord
Beaconsfield had bJen out of office they had been
going the wrong way altogether, and it was very
much to the great regret of every patriotic Eng-
lishman.

Mr. Arkle, after explaining the reason of his tak-
ing the chair, and of his inability to fulfil the office,
said he thoroughly appreciated the Conservative
cause and would do all he could to strengthen it.
Mr. Greenfield, hon. sec., then read the report of
the committee, which was as follows:
The committee have great pleasure in present-
ing the 12th annual report, and trust that the way
in which they have discharged thek duties during
the last twelve months will meet with the approval
of the members Of the association. Since the issue
of their last report gfeat and saddening change had
taken place in the political world, foremost of which
we have to lament the death of that far-seeing and
patriotic statesman, whom we were proud to acknow-
ledge as our leader the Earl of Beaconsfield.
Under his firm and fearless rule, English honour
and Englikh interests were safe, both at home and
abroad. Can as much be said of the shifty and
vacillating statesman who is now ot the head of tho
Government who has been blown from one point of
the political compass to another, until it may fairly
be said a him "That he is all things by turns and
nothing long," and who, instead of leading his col-
leagues, is driven by them in any direction to which
their bigotry or prejudices may point. Seldom has
there arisen such a necessity for Conservatives, as
faiends of love and order, to bind themselves more
' firmly together than exists at the present tim-. At
home we have ancient right of freedom, of ce-vtrikst
between landlord and tenant taken away In the
Ctround Gime Bill; .aucl,..we,..have the Imbuing