The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-11-27 00:00:00

STOU.RBRIDGE CONSTITU I lONAL
ASSOCIATION.

A meeting VI as held at the rooms of the Consti-
tutional Association on Tuesday night, with the
object of hearing an address from Mr. J. M. Brind-
ley, of Birmingham, on "The Traditional Foreign
Policy of England." Mr. S. A. Brooks presided,
and the room was crowded.

The Chairman referred to the altered position of
the Con-ervative party, which had been the result
of the last general election. The Conservatives
were thoroughly disaepointed by that result, be-
cause they thLught the people had sufficient gra,i-
tude in them to show that they appreciated the
labours of those geutlanen who had done so much
for the century whilst they were at the helm of
the nation's affairs. But disappointments of that
kind would occur. A cry was raised of "Put the
Liberals in power and we shall have good trade."
The people swallowed the bait at once ; but had
they had good .trade - ("No"). No, they had
not. In addition to this, the present Goveremeut
had made a complete mess of everything they
touched.—(applause),
Mr. J. M. Brindley, , previous to giving his address
made a brief reference to the fact that he had just
come from Wallingford, where he had assisted in
an election which lisd resulted triumphantly for
the Conservatives. They had converted a Radical
majority of 44 at a previous election into a Conser-
vative majority of 50—(applause). The title of his
" address might more appropriately have been" rhe
Historical Foreign Policy of England." He con-
tended that the foreign policy of England had two
fundamental principles. The first was the exten-
sion by every lawful and legitimate means of our
great Empire, and the second the spread and in-
crease of our national commerce. He contrasted
the position of Eug'and six or eight months ago with
what it was now. When Lord Beaconsfield came
into power some five or six years ago the Empire of
England was shrunken, but during his tenure of
office the dimensions of it had been raised against
Russia, our jealous foe, and Cyprus, which was the
very key to England's commercial po war in the
Mediterranean, because it protected our waterway
to India aid the Back Sea, had been added to our
dominions. What a marve!lous change had taken
place in the position of this nation. lu April last
the Earl of Beacon.field stood forth the very ruler of
nations. At the Congress of Berlin his word was
law. Even shrewd Germany, with all her pride of
power, was content to concede the first place to the
great man. What was the position now? Mr.
Gladstone and national humilation. He then con-
trasted the two demunstrations—the one of bringing
troops from India to Malta, which had stayed the
progress of Russia at the vary gates of Constanti-
nople, and made her give up half of the land of'
which she had forcible possession, and the other of
the combined fleets of Europe attitudinising berfore
the beggarly little fishing village of Dulcigno
which was so utterly ridiculous and useless that all
who took part in it were thoroughly sick of the
busine-s, and which had not produced the s ightest
effect upon those whom it w:s intended to terrify
iuto submission That showed the immense differ-
ence there v. as Let weeu the rival statement. He
also spoke of Mr. Gladstone estranging Austria—our
natural ally—from us by insults, whilst he pandered
in the most slavish and imbecile manner to our
natural foe, Russia. He also claimed tsat in the
way of home legislation, the Conservatives had done
more f, r the Interests of the people than the Liberals
had. lie referred to the unwieldiness and want of
cohesion of Mr. Gladstone's great majority, and ex-
horted. Conservative to keep themselves in readiness
for whatever might happen. Though they had
been bi aten they must not be disheartened. They
had a just. truc, and noble cause :o fight for; a
ghest approval, and which their own censci-
cause which the p-st centuries had stamped with
told them was the cause of right and justice.
ea:l%h
mis W. Barton (secretary of the Birunzigham
Cptiservative Association) then proposed the f flow -
ins resolution :--" That in the opinion of this mtet-
ing it is extremely desirable that Parliament should
be immediately reassembled to adopt measures for
the better protection of life and property, and for
the suppression of lawlessness and disorder in
Ireland, a state of social confusion existing there
which has been largely promoted by members of
the Cabinet, and through their encouragement of
Irish agitators in the interests of their party. This
meeting is further of opinion that Parliament should
have an opportunty without delay. of protesting
against or iepudiating a foreign policy which has
made England the laughing-stock of Europe, and
which, if persisted in, will land the country in
interminable difticulties—a poliq, too, whlsh has

been distingpisheri by marvellous indifference to
our interests in Afghanistan, and in the East of
Europe, by an enterprise as impudent in its con-
ception as it has been contemptible in its failtne."
He dilated at coasiderahlt- length at d abil;ty upon
the Citlerent pints in tt.e resolution, and c, ncluded
by expressing his hearty approval of the movement
that had been inaugurated by the committee of the
Stourbridee Constitutional Association, advised
tl em to have a selies of lectures upon political
topics.
Mr. Hambury seconded the resoloution, which
was cturied unanimously,
A hearty Vote-of thanks to Messrs. Barton and
Brindley concluded the proceedings.