The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-11-07 00:00:00

ELECTION NEWS.

EAST WORCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.

LIBERAL MEETING IN THE COBB EXCHANGE.

On Monday iiicht litO, a meotinc of the sup-
porters of Mr. C. G, Lyttelton and Mr. Martin.
was held in the Corn Exchange. On the plat-
form we noticed the Rev. .T. Richards, Rev. D.
Magiiini., Messrs. W. H. Foley, McEwen.
W. Wisiinc. W. krova. W. Pearson. F. Eyer,i,
3. It. Shenh-rd. H. Dillingham, R. Wood, H.
Hughes, .T. WIl, &c.. &e.

Mr. W. Alcroytl was voted to the chair.

The Chairman (menet] the precerelines by oar-
ing that that meet ieg anenrad well for the corn-
ing election. They bad received a plain and
simple invitation to attend the meeting, and he
wee proud to see and congrettnlete them one and
all upon the response they had made. (Cheers).
The ranee on which they were Resembled to-
gether wan one of no mean importance. and he
yentered to bespeak at their hands a patient and
attentive audience for these gentlemen who
would address them. Finding, es he had already
said, the great importance, not only to them as
individnels, het also to the country at large, of
the great strugele piton which they had now
entered, he bemired to call upon them mapfully
one and all, faithfully, and with strong detertui-
nation, to see that the issue that had been raised
he carried not to a leeitilnate success. (Cheers).
They had presented to them from time to time
reverts of voriong meetineg in reletinn to that
election Unit had been held in the Eastern Divi-
sion of the county, and they bad presented to
Juts mind strange and very extraordinary points
of difference and contrast. On the one hand
they had presented to them the addregges and
'needles of two gentlemen who had nothing
whatever to conceal, who came before them with
plein, straightforward, anti manly declarations
of their principles, and who gave in their adhe-
sion to a party in 'a mariner that wan tangible
and about which there could be no mistake, and
that a warty which dii not Reek to hide its prin.
dries, its purpeseg. or its objects by the adop-
tion of names which it wag afterwards con,.
pelted from time to time to repudiate. These
gentlemen stood before Omni on Um candidates
of what he ventured to cell the ereat Liberal
sleety. (Cheers). Why did lie call it the great
Liberal tarty ? Simply because it was the re-
presentative of every Mee that was Lite et in
politics, in thenlogy. anti in morals. And how
were the gentlemen before than met? They
were met in the first place by deelaration that
the Tories—no. the Liberel-Conserrativeg had
• rieht to share in the renrestntatimi of the
enmity. Quite an. They were entitled, lint
they were only entitled to Ilia Moira that be-
longed to a minority in which they were meet
11( ltdessly and honelesely fixed. (Cheers). Bet
the hon. candidate, Mr. Amphlett, of is Item be
knew nothing personally. Caine before thein as a
LiberaLConeervntive ; then gh he led new r
weltered to gay that he would follow the lead of
the Rieder of that party in the House of Com-
mons, Mr. Ltisraeli, end he had rt vel. youth: ed
to nay thet ho came forward IS the representa-
tive of the old Tory party, or as tine exponent
of their principles. No, he s tiled tinder false
coheirs. (Cheers). And how did lee Plage tide ?
There was an old adage to BD, effect that a man
was known by the eompativ he kept. (leitighter).
In :al these old adages there ass some truth,
but that one W3R all troll: iti every pogeilite reg-
pect. And with whom did they lied Mr.
aruplilett associating With the remnant of
the old Tory party whose name Le wished to
drop,bnt by whose principles he was bound, and
from whom he received well nigh his entire sup-
port. (Cheers). It was no more possible for a
thorough in-bred Tory to elpinge his pellet( than
for the leoperd to change his spots; atel if they
would refer to the list of committeee that hail
been published with so much pomposity on their
walls, those of them who were old enough to
remember would find the old Try 1111111eS sup-
porting this gentleman audio were still sticking
to their old principles, end only following the
lend of Mr. Disraeli because there was no other
roan in their party capable of leading them.
Anti why ? Because his intelleetnel power was
infinitely superior to that of the greatest man
in the party. (Cheergi. Now, they were aware
that Mr. Amplilett had seid that he wished to
take the Trial, Church out of the (trona of part:
politiee. But these were idle words, windy.
meaning nothing. (Cheers amt landiters
Conld any question LP taken cut of the arena of
party politics where,flg in this eonntry. the great
mass of the peopla had perfect freedom to net,,
to speak, and to declare what they believed t 3
be right And if it were poasible to tale the
question omit of the arena of party politics. wonld
It be right or jngt to do so? He said "No."
(Cheers). Therefore, that great question had to
be derided—hy an appeal to the great parties
Into whiah the public of tho nation 1.7 f divided.
They could not have a party without haying is
leader, and the Liberal party had ft leader iii
whom they could place the most implicit confi-
dence --- (cheers) if he mild understand
the signs of the times, that party purposed to
Carry him triumphantly to the highest position
that tho mileage of a nation ti • a confer noon
a subject. (Che.ergi. He need not name that
hoe, gentleman, 3fr. Gladstone. (Cheers, anti
interruptions at the back). If any persen
wished to be heard, let lain come tip to the plat-
form mid he would hate an opportunity of doing
so. (Cheers). It was declared of this right
bon. gentleman by his enemies (and such deem.
rations ever betoken fear and defeat), that he
wants to destroy the Church. It was impossible
for anybody to tell his motive beyond the (lecke-
rations be heel made, and they were in an oppo-
mite direction, viz., that he believed in the course
he recommended that he was about to make the
church more stable and pot it on a much firm. r
basis. (Loud cheer. But there was another
charge against him, that he was seeking for
pJayer and for place. (A Voice: " So be is."
Another Voice: " And he will have it.") He
would grant that lie was seeking for power anti
place, and he begged to observe in his de-fence,
if any defence were necessary, that as well might
lawyers, doctors, preachers, end tradesmen of
various kinds he coniplained of n the same
score. There was a professioa called stutesman-
ship, and he ventured to say that no man, unless
he had directed a large portion of hie time to
learn the intricate ways of statesmanship was
fit to be trusted with the interests of a great
station even in a trilling degree, touch lest its
Prime Minister Find chief director. (Cheers).
In Mr. Gladstone they had a man of column-
mate skill as an author alld speaker, in great sta-
tistician, end the best Chancellor of the Exche-
quer this kingdom ever had. I Loud cheers).
But how did he attain this mighty power? For
however great hie intellect, without experience,
on being brought into contact with the wily dogs
he had to deal with, hoe would he be able to
meet them with a fur chance of success?
There was nothing in this man's seeking an op-
portunity of briegms into operation the powers
he poasessed and the skill he hail Ilepiired, and
to turn this knewledge lie had obtained to the
service of his country. (Cheers). He put it to
them whether that old scripture passage, " the
labourer is worthy of his hire," wits net as ap-
plicable to t'ue place and duty of a statesman as
to any other public servant whatever? It had
been Rail he was going to destroy the Church,
and it had been asked what he was going to do
with the money. It seemed to him that the
persons who spoke so much about the money had
itching palms—(laughter)—and wiehed to kuow
whether. when the money was taken from John
Doe, any of it would come into the hands of
Richard 1t.,,. Renewed laughter). lint there
was mid purroet to which he thoughtevery man
there would willingly devote thee: public feuds
—viz., to the puissise of edueation. That was
a subjeet which wee of much greater importance
than the llrieh Church. To that purpose the
funds [night be applied benefleially to the pro-
s "it generation, bet with i•itiiiitely greater ad-
name to sue teetling diens. Some might
cry out " Sacrilege." and so forth, but their ac-
qaaiutance with history must be very imperfect,
and their power of judgment very limited.
Take an example. From whence did the funds
which niaiiitained nearly the whole of our Gram-
mar Schools of this kingdom COUVV. The Ines-
tees
.of a great nany of them received their
inthiries year after year, wen° for two centuries,
without geholars. or only a few. Sim.e lie re-
membered, there was uot a aiugle pucil to the

-
Grammar School of that to..vu. Every
worth of the property that belongs to that school
was at one time the property of the Canrch—
the national chureh. And the rule held good
not only in Evian I, but in every country where
great political changes had taken place— where
what is called a revolutdon hut he carried into
offeet, the estates of the Church were the first
property that were taken for the service of the
public. The Chairman concluded by asking
thoso present to vote fur the Liberal candidates
—(cheers).

The Hon. C. Q. Lyttelton, who was warmly I
received, said the time had now arrived when '
they could make some probable forecast as to
the result of the election. This vet, the first
meeting at, which they had been able to say as
much, but the returns they had now received
showed the victory was virtnally won. (Cheers).
The system of getting split votes for Mr. Aleph-
lett had entirely failed, :old Mr. Martin, he was
happy to say, was running a neck-and•neek race
with himself. What, then, was the poeition in
which Mr. Ainplilett was placed? if he found
he could not get in by the insidious principle
of split votes, he could only then get in by hav-
ing a clear Conservative majority in the division;
ant how did lie exp:2ct to get that maiirity?
At the last election, Mr. Laslett contested the
division with the utmost determination, money
was spent in the most lavish and unscrupulous
manlier, lies and misrepresentations of every
sort were dispsrsed about, aud yet the Liberals
wen a glorious victory. le what hail the posi-
tion changed since then ? Mr. Amphiett must
expect, if he expected to %lin, to make a con-
siderable impression on the Liberal majority at
the last election, for he could not expect a ma-
jority among the new electors in those parts of
the division which the Conservatives has en-
deavoured to disfranchise and keep front their
rights. There was is nicotinic the ether night
at Stourbridge at which Mr. Annahlett Wan pre-
, sent. It was a tea meeting, and the admission
, was Is. per head. (Laughter). Mr. Amphlett
I said he had canvassed the whole county, and he
I hod Lund seven-eights of the ladies with him.
Now, there really must be scene mistake about
that. (Laughter). Mr. Martin and himself
had canvassed the county with equal industry
to Mr. Ampalett, and they found they had got
eine-tentlis of the 'Consul with them. (Laugh•
ter and cheers). He was afraid this allowed
either that the ladies were most cosmopolitan in
their wishes, or they were humbuggilig Mr.
Martin and himself, or Mr. Amphlett. (Laugh-
ter). He was considerably puzzled about it;
hat, the fact Lad since come to light that it was
Mr. Amphlett they were humbugging end not
himself. (Renewed laughter). Oat) lady, at
the otlo•r end of the division, was on the regis-
Flow she got there he did not know ; bat she
must be a lady of great nterprise and deter-
aiinetion, and is such he thought she cool I lie
very well regarded as repreaenting the ladies of
the divisioa. That holy had pramised Mr. Mar-
tin and Maisel. (Laughter and closer). 00e
,if the ebj •etions ni ide against the Liberal can-
didates was their age; bet, if Mr. Amphhat
were ;calmed, in two year,' tit:e lie wield l7c
vi till to sit en committees of the lloase if
Cam:- one. Mr. Lytteiten then dialed to the
aSteralnt that Mr. Mail ii wits tieing brought in
under his wing, and that iii•itation was beiiia
lemmiseil Cloud also dealt 10 Ii the Stitennatt
ii4ai he hal coalesced with Mr. Martin. Me.
Amollett pleaded not to be called a Tory ; but
;ad; he was a Liberal.Coes; raid iii, or Censer-
vetive-Liberal, or something of that amt. Now,
what W3A the diterance betweed a Tory and a
fdlieral-Conservatlie ? AT. iry Was a 110:iticiaa
of very mistaken vie eve, wlia leelenged ti ;t pany
that Mel often c(nenitt•al the greatest opine.
cilia and iejustici•e, bet which stuck to its prie-
elates, and, being beaten 00 ;,;.y ailed iju, Siloll,
gave up pia 4e, and power, ;mil patronage. A
Liberal-Conservative was exactly the satue as a
Tory at bottom; but when, by force of eirenin•
at:niece,. or by force of an overpowering Liberal
opposition. he hal been beaten on s• 0110 of his
principles, then, bistro] of walking ont of slice,
Its they did in old time, la. Facs Liberal mea-
sures, is so retained ;ea.,. li:heirs). Wil•ei
they saw the ark Liberal to do) word Conser-
vative. lie then:4ht they might undrrstand this,
that they war • Liaeral toy when they woe,.

made tst he Liberal, and whoa :nit to be Libor
nitatir, loss of Mike. Aiiiliorr2l. Mr. liy tt
il-
tot thou tonehed on the Irish Church vestimi,
and Mr. Giadattuels ac it i in the tt,ttt If
there was any danger to the English Lure Ii
trout the disestalAisliment of the Irish Charelt.
be said tha respoitsibility was on those wlio said
the disestablish went of the Clurch
most follow from that of the Irih Church. A
more if:Loge:ants policy conld not be follorei
than that followed by the cler ry of the Esti&
lished Church in this respt.t. Hear, lean.
people were told over and over again the cases
of the two Churches were noidogons, they wonlil
at hot C .1110 to beieve it, mil they wolthl late
the clery at their word. There wero tea iv
other points on which he nmight touch, but thy
already knew liis opinions pretty well. Alit,:
adverting to tie question of education and tile
ballot, Mr. Lyttelton in conclusion, said they
came befora the electors st supporters of that
great statement Mr. Gladstone, who was eu.
li,,htened and far.seeing, and whom they knew
to be hourst. Mr. implilett, on theother hand,
11,4,4 o supporter, thiek and thin, of Mr. Disraeli
—a statesman who, in his opinion, had done
more to diser di public institutions, end to on-
rniz.e the pu:ilie faith lit the (diameter of our
publ:e men Erin any other nom. II dii ii it
believe, between these alternatives, they could
hesitate for one single moment. (C'heors).

Mr. IL IS. Martin said Mr. Akroy I tiod Mr. Lyttelton
bat given him a vecy good introduction to the meetiaig.
and this, perhaps, might seem necessary, when he con.
!Mimed the statmnents wnich had been circulated, that
he Wai not tit to be their representative. lie came be.
fore then to neate his claim for their support; and if
they did not a' prove of hint, he hoped they would choose
some it or 'Antal. Ife could only say thst it there
had hewn brouthit before them any other Liberal to con-
test the c .nute, and prevent tho loss of the seat to the
It e. a patty, he and al connected with hi rn would have
given him their earnest anti hearty support. Upon the
qneetion of the blob Church, he was a follower of Mr
Uladstone, believing in the views lan advocated and de-
fended were thorosighly right cmi 1.00,4. lie knew if
the Conservatives were in power the pressure the coun-
try would bring to benr on them on the sithject of the
Irish Church would moult in measures more disasterous
to the temporal insereets of that Church than thme
which the Liberal, :advoented. fie was sorry to seethe
way is which the Litglish Church let he m drawn into
, the qlestion. It v mid be quite sutlisient time to con-
sider arty views w,th respect to that Church when they
were. brought bofihm them. If it had been a mere mat-
, ter of pistons:clone, he rtrt..htl a m had 'mine scruples
uhoutidesteoying the Church of o hick he was a member •
hut he therouthly believed that the disestablishment of
. .

Vie Irish Church would in the main assist and help the
Church, not only in Ireland Ind in Hoglund. On the
great subject of education, Mr. Martin exme.sed him-
self favourable to a scheme which should not be bound up
with sectarian view,. The ipiestion 11115 of more impor-
tanee since time exteosion of oltiJil. p iteer trader tho
Reform 1111 even than before., and it WAS a subject which
could not be neglect'. d. Mr. Martin then expreased
himself favourable to the repeal of the ratepaying clause,
and the niiniority clause, describing the latter as an
Alone and disgasting trick. Ott the question of tb.•
national expenditure, Mr. Martin said it was quite mon-
strous tine slmt,nii be spending so mantis money as they
were doing. lie hoped tin, day would come when the
government of the country wouid he carried on in quite
a. etti.7ient a manner as at present, at perhaps half the
present cost—(cheers)—and that those great armaments
kept np iii Europe would be succeeded by a new era.
Mr. Martin then repeated his v ova on the ballot, g one
laws, and ankle other questions; and in :onclusion, said
he regarded that town.. the head. quarters of Literalsin
ia the county, and he hoped they would stand fast by
the motto above lila head Civil and Religious Lib-
erty—Union—Juatice." (Cheers).
Mr. Bayliss, chainmaker, Wordslev, asked a question
with reference to tie game laws. Ile complained that
they could not take a walk in the lanes in the neighbone•
hoot without frequently meeting policemen, paid out of
the rates, but who were acting really the part of gaine•
keepers. Were the candidates for the suppression and
abolition of the game laws as they stiol ut present?
Mr. Peter Chance asked a question as to the ballot
and some one else in the hick of the room cried out:
'• What about the ratepaying clauses r
Mr. Lyttelton said that if they had any gime at all, he
thought they must have some special laws to protect
game, or some law of Hosp.. He did not pretend to
any that a simple law if trespass would not serve as
well. or better, than the present laws. If the speaker
asserted that policemen wete empl .yed at Higley to pre.
serve the g :lee, he simply denied it, and said that he
mia.t have been subject to come kind of optical ticlusion
if he imagined he ow p,liecmon idemt there for that
purpose. Mr. lyttelton then described the system ad-
opted on the Bagley estate with regard to the pomp.
They simply let the forma without special agreements as
to the game, and it was presumed the tenant had com-
plete control, not only of the hares and rabbita, hot of
.1 the game on his land. He found with all this that
there was sufficient sport for himself and his friends;
and the hares and rabbits were scrupulously kept down.
Ile hoped he had satisfied the gentlemen no far as their
admiaistration of the game laws was concerned. Mr.
I,3:Helton then stated his views on the ballot, on which
he asked them to rotors him unpledged ; and with re-
gard hi the third question. lie said he was entirely II
tie air of the abalithie of the ratepaying qualuleatiou as
a hoes for the franchise.

Mr • Martin, al•in fteovered the TiesVous. si fir as he
h% I not taile'lell ini thin in his :T. 0,11. In retAy ti a
,t ion hainlec ti hint. he nil he wnlsl vote for a bill
tor A proteeiboi of trade soteittoei funds.