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

MR. BRADLAUGH, M.P., ON PENSIONS.

Mr. Bradlaugh, LP., delivered a lecture on Monday
evening in the Skating Rink, Plumstead, on "Perpetual
Pensions." The rink, which is capable of holding three
thousand persens, was well filled, though the admission was
by ticket at prices from one shilling to fourpence.

Mr. Bradlaugh, who met with a very enthusiastic
reception, having called to mind that the last inquiry
into the questions of pensions was held by a Select
Committee in 1838, said he had no desire or intention
to attack pensions generally. The Radicals did not
object to pensions being given for services actually
rendered when the person could no longer render them,
nor did they object to large pensions for valuable
serN ices. What they objected to, and what he in-
tended to attack, were perpetual pensions. There
were three classes of perpetual pensions. The
first were those which, having been imposed by
Act cf Parliament, would require an act of Parlia-
ment to do away with. The second were those taken
out of the Estimates, which could be stopped by a
mere act of the House of Commons. Of the existence
of the third he admitted he was not aware till last
Friday, as it did not appear in any of the accounts of
the expenditure of the nation, but it was nevertheless
still paid in full. Mr. Bradlaugh then enumerated
several pensions, and criticised the causes of their
original bestowal, dwelling particularly on those given
to Sir Thomas Clarges, granted in 1673; to the families
of the Duke of Richmond, the Duke of Grafton, the
Earl of Kinnoul, the Duke of Marlborough, the Earl
Amhurst, and the Lord Rodney and Earl Nelson
families. He reckoned that if the sums paid to the
sons of Charles 11. had been invested at 3i per cent.
compound interest, the amount of money realised would
be a little more than the whole of the National Debt.
He gave the several amounts of all the pensions he
mentioned, compared them with the pensions usually
paid to officers and non-commissioned officers of the
army and navy, and declared the relative proportion,
a disgrace to the nation. To make the matter worse
many of the present recipients of large pensions had
no real claim upon the nation whatever. This ques-
tion had not been brought before Parliament since the
days of Hume. It was time that somebody should
once more do so. As no better man seemed inclined
to come to the fore he intended to do so (cheers), and
in doing so he hoped and expected to be well sup-
ported from outside. (Loud cheers.) He should not ask
for these pensions to be stopped at once. He meant
to ask only for a Commission of Inquiry. He could
not see how Any member of Parliament, except those
who might be personally interested, could offer any
objections to such a proposition as that. (Hear, hear.)
He believed and hoped that the present House of
Commons possessed enough justice to accede to such a
proposition as this. He believed and hoped that there
was enough Radical spirit in the present House of
Commons to do so. (Cheers.) What he felt he most
needed at present was outside help. He asked for
support in the way of petitions to Parliament. He
had said some strong things that evening. They
might depend en him that he would say quite as
strong, if not stronger, things in the House of Com-
mons, where he would be in the presence of some
persons who were members of the very pensioned
families to whom he had been referring. (Cheers.)
Petitions were being sent round for signature in all
quarters. Fortified by these petitions well signed, he
should do his best in the' House of Commons to rid
the country of these perpetual pensions. (Cheers.)