The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-08-08 00:00:00

Mr. BRISTOW at KIDDERMINSTER.

Mi. A. It. Biistow having come to Kidderminster to
attend the wedding of Miss Ads Dixon, improved the
OCORRIOU by delivering on Weiluestley evening an address
to the electors it'd future electors et the boroligh, It
may he as well to observe that from 6.111 Or thereabouts,
the new constitocney will conaist of about 2.050 voters,
including the Borough aml Foreign. with the portion of
Violverley parish tacked on to the Kidderminster eonsti•
thence). The Cern Exchange was crowded, and Mr.
Noah•i2ook (weaver) presided. Mr. Bristow was remaik•
able well ruc,ived, but it was evident at the sweet ;hat of
the 60) persons or so present, by no means the whole of
them were supporters of the ex•M.P. for Kidderminster.
Mr. Cook. on rising, observed that the object of their
meeting was to hear on address from their friend Mr.
Bristow ; anal lie earnestly exhorted them to make up
their niinds that evening to give their old and tried
friend their hearty aupport. Many false tales had glue
Abroad respecting Mr. Bristow, hut they were the per.
ns who were to decide whom they would have for
M.P. ; and if the question was pulls the vote and fairly
tested—not as it was at the Lion Yard—Mr. Bristow
would be fauna o lie the man for them—).. Yes," " No,"
"Queetion.-) He Vt. introduced Mr. Bristow.
Mr. Bristow was received with elmers, and sail belied
not gone there to advocate his own cause ass much as the
cause of the Liberal party end the working men of Kid •
derminster. Ile stood before them in consequence of
circumstances which bad occurred recently in the bor.
ough. There had been in the moath of May, a meeting
of the Reform League, and there was also another meet-
ing, presided over by Mr. S. Broom, at which it laud
been said that he was the stamp of a man fitted to repre-
sent the borough in Parliament; mid at Mr. Holloway's
Auction lbeime, iu Mill-street, a resolution was passed
requesting him to be plat in nomination as a candidiate at
the next election. He. therefore, did not come there
without having received an invitation,or for the purpose
oi dividing the Liberal cause. He laud beeu accused of
both, but these aecusatimis were—and it was al • . y
nowdodays to call a spade a spade—a lie. He had at-
acted to the repeat to come forward, but in the months
of May and June he diet not said to involve them in the
excitement of an election before the time of the election
earne. But many thought the time had now arrived, and
he was therefore amongst them again; and notwithstand.
lag there were those who said he did net intend to fight
it one they would not find a was in London or Worms-
tershire more inclined ti fight it out than himself.
Since he bed last gone to Kidderminster the working
men heal become a great power in the Stnte—("And quite
time too.") lie quite agreed with that. Seven years
ago, when he was a member of the House of Commons,
he said, when speaking on Mr. Lorke King's County
Franchise Bill, that the people of this country ought to
he taken as an entirety, and that statesmen ought not to
be biassed by party considerations, but legislate for the
good of all, end for the rights of all. That county mea-
sore was only one part of a measnre repeatedly promised
and as often evaded. He also said that household suf.
frage would lie the only reform aeccepted. This he told
them in and he now congratulated them upon their
having obtained it; but it bad come to them wails very
foul List upon it, and he had written to the Daily file.fledpil exposing this blot. Then, again, it was unaccoms
pealed with the ballot; and although with such employ-
ers as Mr. T 11011129 Lea there would be no cause to
regret this, yet unfortunately there were many only too
ready to practise coercion alai intimidation: and it he
were returned to Parliament and there were no greater
and better man to take up the miestion of the Liao*, lie
shoul.l do RO. For the three years lie was in tho I arise,
and he challenged his opp meats to deny it if they could,
his name was never found absmit on a division whoa the
qnestion of reducing the national expeaditare was
brought forwara, mad if lie acted so then why, he askid,
in God's name, shou'd he not do so now ? They had
now got a Reform Bill—get it through favour, some said,
of the Tort", and there was a good deal of good in the
bill. There were many who would say, " We have now
got a bili ; let Its drop it." But he said there were many
things yet to be done. Many la-es required great alter.
atMnis before the legislation for the poor and the rich
were mina]. For his part he did not feel inclined "to
rest anal be thankful." was the question of the
Irish Church, and be was for getting rid of it ass State
Chards altogether. Some one the other day bad written
to the Birmingham papers, and said he (Mr. Bristow) did
not apeak out shout the Irish Church: but his viewa had
been known for many years, and his views with reepeet
to the Irish Church corresponded with those on the
abolition of Church•rsten. He was not for coereingany
man as to what place of worship he should go to—it wis
a matter between • man and his God, and if he liked to
go to Mumbo-Jumbo, or anywhere else, he ought to b.
protested in his rielita The Irish Cherrli. he main.
tamed, as, founded by the sword. I
civil power, and it MAR Utterly antagoidetie to rigid and
reason, and it would be a very proud thing for him,
hold* the opinions he did, to drive snail into its cot.
fin. There was another point to which lie would refer—
tradee unions; and there roust be a fair inquiry into

their funds, their capital, uml their members. and he, as
sh unprejudiced man. believed the working men anise.
stood the questions he 100 l been entwined ter there "beet
better than he did himcoll: and, strtad
they could not understand the dilfer,n-e between 'hind
trirl Mr. Making and Mr. Lea he hrel been talbini tufls
deafeht ear that tto.l hlunghtv evcr mode. lie then
rd the ilti.irPsl.4 Wh hr ;ntrn.lied issuing to the se.
tt, and, after caressing his arm intention to go to the
poll. resumed his seat.
M. rbenrge !Mansfield rose, ant, amidst cheers and
hisses, asked Mr. finstnw several questions, which were
answered in a very straightforward manner by that gen.
tleman.

After nther queations by Mr. West,
Mr. Will Brook proposed, seconded by Mr. W. Jonte,,
• resolution thanking Mr. Bristow for his whireiiii.
pleicing the meeting to use all legitimate efforts to
rare his return. It was not, however, put to the rue et•
hlg, which separated tsith a not; of thanks to the chair-
men.