The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-11-01 00:00:00

be that the present Government may fall by their own
internal dissensions. Indeed, looking to the composi-
tion of that Government, I Can feel no great eonlkkooe
that such may not unhappily be the case (a lite 0); but
honestly and sincerely I say that I desire that thnr. dif-
ferences may be made up. (Hoar, hear.) Among the
members of the Government, and still mere those
who support them, there are men who in their
are as sincerely Conservative as any of those whom I
now have the honour of addressing; there are odes=
who most unwillingly submit to a power Irina they
feel to be too strong for them; while a third esetion,
though the loudest in clamouring for entails messarse,
and ready to place themselves at the heed of • move-
ment which they feel unable to resist, would. I beam,
deplore and deprecate the success of their own aoheinee.
(('heers.) Gentlemen, tie present is not • It
nity for entering upon the consideration /Uridnei
yuestiona ; but I can say in all sincerity of beset list I
earnestly desire that the present Government met h•
enabled to bring forward such • meastire al Par-
liamentary reform as oily be bonadly sap
petted by the great body of Conservativea.
I presume that whatever measure may he introduced by
the present Government will contain some extennon of
the borough franchise. I am not prepared to Nay that
no ouch reduction Islay be attempted without
but I do say that it is necessary, before adoptiagd=r;
measure, to exercise the greatest sesdies, and 10 endse,
into the most inioote calculations as to the practical -01
effects of whatever extension of the franchise may be so
proposed. (Hear, hear.) I an not jealous—the Con•
servative party are not jealous—of the working classes.
I deaire to see their interests fully end fairly represented,
bit I confess that, looking to the revelations at Glocester,
Wakefield, and other places, I doubt whether any great
reduction of the franchise would not tend largly to
extend that corruption which is the bane of our elec-
toral system, while, if I look to the manner in which
even the most intelligent workmen have been misled by
false and delusive advisers, I think it is at least •
subject for serious consideration how far, in the interests
of the lower classes themselves, it would be desirable to
give a preponderating power to men who, if legislation
were thrown into their batiste, would probably introduce
awl pass measures which would be absolutely fatal to
themselves. (Cheers.) I speak to you in entire open-
ness, and I say that the fate of that great party which
now honours me with its confidence-1 may say, indeed.
the fate of this country, because 1 consider the fate of
the country to be involved in the powei and prosperity
of the Conservative party—is in Your hands, depends
upon your energies, upon your confidence in your leaders,
upon your united action, upon your shaking off that
apathy which has hitherto paralyzed your exertions.
What you have to do is to determine that there shall be
• Conservative Government in this country, and to act
upon that resolution in such a manner as by your own
efforts to render that possible which, without those
endeavours, will be wholly hopeless—namely, the per-
manenceof Conservative principles in the administration
of public affairs. (Great and protracted cheering.)
Lord Derby Jen defended hiniself from the impu-
tat,ons that lie I: been untluly influenced by his regard
for the Homan 4.atholies, sod declared that there were
few things tlez.rt r to his loart than the maintenance of
the dignity, the right., and the privileges of the
s dablislied church of th, s is shins. Lord Derby resumed
his seat amid great end ot meted cheering.
The Earl of Malmesbury. Lord Clielmeirrd, Mr.
I'lsraeli, and oth, rs afterwards addressed the meeting,
which did not separate until near midnight.