The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-30 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE REFORM LEAGUE,

IN FOSTEIt-STREET.

On Saturday evening last an open.air meetly g was held
in Foster.street, convened by members of the Reform
League, for the impose of supporting the candidature of
the lion. C. G. Lyttelton. There were three or four
hundred persons present.
Mr. R. Miles was called to the chair, and lie briefly
opened the proceedings by requesting those present to
give the speakers a patient hearing; and if any persona
wished to speak in opposition to them, the platform would
be at their set vice after the resolution was proposed and
seconded. He then called upon Mr. Woolley to move
a resolution.

In the course of his remarks, Mr. Woolley said that
that Mr. Lyttelton belonged to a family in their county
of high position, and which was much respect. Of Mr.
Laslett they knew nothing beyond the fact that he was
once a Liberal, suit that lie now occupied before them
the position of a renegade Liberal—(a voice, So is
Gladstone"). One of his chief qualifications was that
he was a rich man. They admired Mr. Laslett'a liber-
ality, for they could not but admire virtue irrespective of
cre;4 or politics. His charity o as brought forward as an
inducement to the electors to vote for him, and it was
suggeated the district might share in his liberality as a
reward for support. hie did not think that was
the worthiest of motives to hold out to elector-..-(cliecrs)
—it looked very much like bribery. If Mr. Laslett had
such a long parse, he could sp:nd it much better in pur-
chasing, another cemetery. or bestowing A:1,000 to relieve
thu distress at the Lye. Mr. Lytteltou, moreover, cause
before them and told plainly and in a straightforward
manner in his address what he was in favour of. and
what he would support—(hear, hear). But Mr. Laslett's
address was vague and ambiguous. The latter said he
was an independent candidate, lint he also said he would
follow Mr. Disraeli—(eheers). He said he was a Church-
man and Protiatact to the backbone, but lie nevertheless
would vote for the Maynooth grant. Ile had also said
that if the Church were disestablished the country would
become heathen. Mr. Laslett made a good iles.l of the
Nonconformists; but he (Mr. 1Vooley) would commend
to their attention the fact that Mr. Laslett thought the
country would become heathen if the Church were di,
established, thus counting as nothing the noble army of
disinterested workers, ministers, Sunday.school teachers,
and local pranelters among the Nonconforming bodies—
(cheers). Mr. Laalett wan also the friend of the farmer,
and how was he so' Just in this way, that he thought
it a great shame that foreign wheat should come in free
of doty—(" Oh I 41 "). It was just protection again,
and befriending the farmers at the expense of the people
—(cheers). Mr. Lyttelton, however, would support Mr.
Gladstone, the great, the honest—the Mks who had done
a.) much to remove taxation from the people's food-
-(cheers). Fle trusted that all of them would do all
they could in canvassing and persuading friends to gain
supporters for Mr. Lyttelton. Ile begged to move that
this meeting approves of the political sentiments ex.
pressed by the Mon. C. 0. Lyttelton on Thursday even-
tog, deems a meet fit and militants person to represent
the Eastern division of the county of Worcester in Par.
liarnent, and pledges itself to support him by all legiti.
mate means at the coming election, as as to secure his
triumphant return to Parliament—(loud and prolonged
sheering).
Mr. D. Clark seconded the resolution. He said that
, the Liberals had been on the wincing side fur the last
afty years, and he believed they would continue to boon
side--(hess, hear). He an& they ought Vett/

_
well detect the principles of men by the arguments they
brought forward in support of them; and if they wishtd
to arrive at a correct Idea of policy and eoundnesss of
maintaining or disestablishiog the Irish Church, lie
wont refer them to the speech of Mr. Ilarward, at the
Corn Exchange, on Thursday evening, and to that of
Itr. Jeston Homfray, at the Lye, the previous day. Both
were Churchmen. The speech of Mr. Ilarward was a
speech of moral dignity—was the speech of a man who
believed in truth and God, and in the strength and tri-
umph of truth in the world. lie Mien,' that the Irish
Church was an injustice, and he was sure it would be
stronger when it ceased to be unjust—(cheers). Mr.
Homfray's speech tended to something like this The
Lye people were wretched, therefore the Irish Church
must be maintained; the Lye people are poor, therefore
the Irish Church must be right ; Mr. Laslett is rich,
therefore the Irish Church must be continued; Mr. Las-
lett had given tt25,000 to the poor of Worcester, there-
fore the Irish Church must bathe most ruagnitient in
the world—(cheers). Mr. Clark then went on to condemn
as infamous appeals to electors' pockets, and as being
simply bribery in another form. In conclusion he
strongly urged them to do all in their power to return Mr.
Lyttelton, who wont I support Mr. Oladstone.
Mr. Packwood and Mr. Blurtou supported the resolu•
tins.
The Chairman having announced that any one who
wished to move an amendment had now an opportunity
of doing ao, and no one availing himself of the oiler, the
resolution was put end curried unanimously.
After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting
separated.