The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-07-31 00:00:00

LORD GRANVILLE AT THE CITY

LIBERAL CLUB.
On Monday afternoon the annual meeting c,f the
City Liberal Club was held at the Club. Lowe in
Walbrook. Earl Granville, the president, occupied the
chair. From the report it appeared that the average
weekly attendance of members had been 1280. The
present total number of members was 1031, of whom
529 were life members. In moving the adoption of
the report,
Earl Granville said that there was no doubt at. this
moment one all-absorbing political question; but he
did not propose to enter into that question that afteir•
noon. He had heard so much said, both in and out o!
ParliamenL, that he did not know whether much more
that was useful or new could be found until men's
minds were a little calmer. It was also necessary that
they should have before them some authorised or rival
scheme for the purpose which Mr. Gladstone and, his
colleagues had proposed to Parliament, and which bad
been rejected by a majority of the constituencies of Eng-
land. They were all aware of the consequences of that—
that Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues had sent in
their resignation, slightly anticipating the time which
was formerly considered the constitutional period) for
doing so. Mr. Gladstone, in the formation of his
Government, had been taunted for being b 0 long in
producing his plans; but the Liberal Governinent,was
desirous of not prolonging the time for their successors
to produce theirs. (Laughter.) But he (Lord Gran-
ville) would be extremely sorry to say anything which
would in the slightest degree add difficulty to their
already difficult task. (Cheers.) At the same time,
however, be thought it possible there might be some
change in opinion on the subject, even in that room,
and he was unwilling to initiate a debate. Perhaps
they would allow him to say one word in reference to
himself. He had for along time been anxious or a ton-
siderable development of the principle of self-govern-
ment for Ireland. His own view was in favour of a pro-
posal which had been thrown out by Lord John Russell
—namely, the granting of large powers of self-govern-
ment to each of the four provinces of Ireland; but he
was convinced with Liberals who disagreed with him
that that was impossible now. He was sure that
sooner or later some such principles as those advo-
cated by Mr. Gladstone would be adopted, and he only
hoped that they would be applied under circumstances
as favourable as might have been the case if his col-
league's measures had been carried. Having said so
much upon that great question, he would take credit
for the Government that he doubted whether there
was any department in Mr. Gladstone's Government
where the heads would not be able to hand it over in
a satisfactory state to their successors. (Cheers.)
Ile feared there had been great difficulties in
foreign affairs—difficulties greater than might
strike superficial observers; but Lord Rosebery
had been able to cope with them most. successfully
(Applause.) As to Egypt, matters moved slowly
There was no doubt whatever that there was improve-
ment at this moment. With regard to the Balkans,
Lord Salisbury had judiciously put away any petty
fear of appearing to be inconsistent, and had acted
upon principles which had been up to that time
authorised by the Liberal.party. It was due to the
temper and lirninesss of Lord Rosebery that he hay]
succeeded in reducing the objections entertained by
Russia to the Turco-Bulgarian agreement to almost a
minimum, and had been able to persuade the Sultan
to modify the agreement so as to make it acceptable
to the Powers. The Prince of Bulgaria had objected
to any alteration whatever, but in the end had with-
drawn his opposition. Another question was that of
Greece, which had also been satisfactorily settled by
Lord Rosebery. (Applause.) There was one ques-
tion of infinite importance to the City—the necessity
for a commercial treaty with Spain. It was the more
important because it had been constantly upon the
point of taking place, but had been frastrated,at the
last moment. He thought it was most favourable to
our relations with Spain, and most important to the
trade of the country that that treaty had now been
concluded. His lordship then referred in congratu-
latory terms to the fact that during his term of office
as Colonial Secretary& great exhibition had been held
which would, in his opinion, promote the social and
commercial relations between the mother country and
her dependencies. In conclusion, he hoped that the
result of the general election would not discourage
the members of the club in their efforts to promote
Liberal principles. The report was adopted.

MAliluaGE.—Of all the actions of a man's life his
marriage does least concern other people; yet, of all
the actions of our life, Ids most meddled with by °Ulu
people.—Selelen.