The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-08 00:00:00

The Lambeth Election.

A meeting of the electors of the borough of Lambeth,
resident in Walworth, was held on Saturday evening, in
Flint-street School-room, East-street, Walworthzroad, for
the purpose of hearing from Mr. Alderman James Clarke
Lawrence, candidate in the room o f the late Mr. Williams
for the representation of the borough in Parliament, a
statement of his political principles. The spacious school-
room was crowded, and a large number of persons who
were unable to get in assembled outside the entrance to
the building.
Amongst those who occupied places on the platform and
who sat on the right and left of Mr. Alderman Lawrence,
were :—Mcssrs. Sugdeu, Thomas Webber, A. Cave, W.
Phelps, Fry, E. Lawrence, Foulger, J. Cairns, A. Law-
rence, Thornhill, G. Stanley, L. Freeman, and Captain D.
Rogers.

Mr. WRIGHT having been chosen to fill the chair, opened
the business of the meeting by introducing to their notico
Mr. Jas. Clarke Lawrence, an alderman, and a gentleman
well known in the borough of Lambeth, as a large em-
ployer of labour, and who had received a requisition signed
by upwards of 2,000 of the electors, inviting him to offer
himself as a candidate to represent the borough in Parlia-
ment. Mr. Alderman Lawrence was ready to answer any
questions that might be put to him. (Hear.) They all la-
mented the death of their late worthy representative, Mr.
Williams, who was faithful to the trust reposed in him, had
always stood forward in his place in Parliament, and done
his duty to the people. (Hear.) He had been denounced as
a Chartist, one of his great objects having been to extend
the franchise and to give the unenfranchised the right of
voting. The chairman concluded by expressing confidence
in Mr. Alderman Lawrence, who, if elected, would, like Mr.
Williams, prove a faithful representative of the borough—
(hear, hear)—and who would now address the meeting.
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE, who was received with cheers,
said—l join most heartily in the expressions of regret which
have fallen from your chairman in reference to the worth and
political honesty of your late member, Mr. Williams.
(Hear.) Known intimately to him for many years, andpos-
sessing his friendship, I was aware of the duties he had to
perform, and of the sterling manner in which he performed
them to his constituents. (Hear, hear.) Perhaps there was
no man who could represent them more faithfully, or watch
more carefully over the public expenditure than your late
representative. (Hear, hear.) It was not only in the House
of Commons that he exposed and checked the extravagant
expenditure of the Government, but in the Government
offices, where, when any extravagant scheme of expending
the public money was spoken of, some official opened his
mouth, and, with a wholesale apprehension of exposure
before him, exclaimed, " The eyes of the hon. member for
Lambeth will be upon ye"—(laughter)—and thus, an use-
ful economy was enforced in the various departments de-
spite of themselves, and the people reaped benefits from
his exertions in their behalf which they would otherwise
have failed to obtain. (Hear, hear.) I am happy that by
Mr. Williams I have always been received with confidence,
and well acquainted as I am with the views of the consti-
tuency of the borough, I am aware that if they feel that
they can find a man who has lived among them, and who
is well acquainted with them, and capable of representing
them in Parliament, they will elect him in preference to
any candidate who is a stranger, and not in any way con-
nected with their borough. I feel that the duties of a mem-
ber of such a borough as this are such that he should not
put himself forward to undertake them unless he be ready
to give up his time to the conscientious discharge of them,
and feeling sensible of the difficulties and responsibility of
such a situation I have determined to cast in my lot with
the electors of Lambeth, and to the utmost of my power
serve them. (Hear, and cheers.) I have since my earliest
years been an advocate of reform, and 1 therefore under-
stand what the people should do and what course they
should pursue to forward that object. They should seek
opportunities in every way to promote that object, and
with it the welfare of the country. (Hear.) I have in
my address, shown the inhabitants of the borough what
my political views are. I have expressed to you my opinion
on church rates, and my feeling that that grievance should li
be remedied, and I have endeavoured to express to you that
my own political views are in accordance with those of the
great body of the electors ; and I believe if elected—as I
think I will be—(hear, hear)—l will go to the House of
Commons with a resolution to aid in extending the franchise
largely among the people. (Cheers.) I shall enter into and
advocate their feelings, Views, and rights, and I trust also
that in undertaking a position there, I shall so conduct my-
self that my constituents will feel not disgraced by their
representative. (Hear, hear.) Having the improvement of
the working classes at heart, I am prepared to advocate
that the British Museum and similar institutions should be
open to the public three evenings in the week. (Hear.)
One remark I beg to make, that as the representative of a
political constituency, I should like to go into Parliament
as your unfettered representative, and not as a mere dele-
gate. I ask you, then, if you desire that your representa-
tive should acquire in the House of Commons the position
that he should have, to send him there without exacting
pledges from him on every possible subject—(hear, hear)—
and if you place me in that position, I wish you to believe
that no timid utterances will ever be found to fall from my
lips in behalf of your rights, and whatever questions may
arise in the House of Commons affecting them and the true
interests of the country, I shall be ready to advocate them.
(Cheers.) I ask you, then, if you regard the privilege of in-
dependent action and straightforward conduct, to give it to
your representative. (Hear, hear.) Have you not seen in all
parts of the country, representatives promising all sorts of
things, and failing when the time came to perform them ?
(Hear, hear.) I will not weary, you with any lengthened
speech, but I do assure you that when the time for discharg-
ing the duties of the position of your representative comes,
you will find, if you place me in that position, that I will
frankly and fairly represent you. (Hear, and cries of "We'll
elect you.") And whenever I may have to meet you, I shall
not be ashamed to tell my constituents that in which I may
believe they have been politically wrong, and I shall state

my own convictions. I am the friend of progress, but I tell
you that for no consideration of popular applause or other-
wise, will I ever do violence to my conscience as your re-
presentative in the House of Commons. (Cheers.)

Mr. WHITLocK said he had listened with attention to tho
worthy alderman, to whom he was desirous to put a few
questions. As a member of the council of the National Re-
form League he wished to ask him—Was he prepared to
support the political principles of the League ? Was he
prepared to support the principle that taxation without re-
presentation was not just ? Was he prepared to support
any measure in favour of the extension of the Ton Hours
Bill ? and was he prepared to support anymeasure in favour
of extending the elective franchise ?

Mr. G. HENDERSON wished to ask the worthy alderman
—Was he prepared, if returned to Parliament, to support
Mr. Doulton in his object to obtain open spaces for the
health and recreation of the people ?
Mr. DEXTER had two questions to put to Mr. Alderman
Lawrence. First, whether in questions relating to the Bri-
tish Museum and other institutions he would advocate
their being thrown open to the public three nights a week ?
and, secondly, was he prepared to oppose the proposed re-
moval of the national collections in the British Museum to
South Kensington, to get to which and back would cost a
man the loss of more than half a day ? Another question he
was desirous toput—was Mr. Alderman Lawrence prepared
to advocate the opening of the British Museum and other
institutions on the Sunday ? and also, was he. prepared to
advocate the running of trains on Sundays ? There was
another question, and it related to Popery. (Cries of
" Order, order," and " Hear, hear.") With regard to the
grant to Maynooth, he considered it past and gone, and he
was not prepared to disturb it ; but he wanted to know whe-
ther or not Mr. Alderman Lawrence was prepared to go
against all church endowments. He (Mr. Dexter) was not
prepared to see all church endowments go, and he wished
to get an answer from the worthy alderman.
Mr. PRITCHARD wished to ask Mr. Alderman Lawrence
whether, if returned, he would support the views expressed
last year by Mr. Cobden in reference to the licensing of
public-houses—he would not go so far as to say the Per-
missive Bill—but whether he would give the power to cor-
porations instead of to magistrates of regulating such houses.
Mr. HUXTABLE desired to know whether Mr. Alderman
Lawrence would support the interests of the Greenwich
pensioners.

The CHAIRMAN having enumerated the questions,
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE, in reply to Mr. Whitlock, said
he was always in favour of the extension of the Ten Hours
Bill, and he was still in favour of it ; and as to the exten-
sion of the suffrage, his opinion was that it ought to be ex-
tended to the working classes, who he believed would exer-
cise it at least as wisely and as well as other classes in the
country who now possessed it. (Hear, and cheers.) As to
the question which had been put to him in reference to the
foreign policy of this country, his views were that their
Government should adopt such a course as would not en-
tangle this country in wars with other countries; but he
also felt that on great questions the voice of the people
would never be content when a great wrong was done until
that wrong was redressed (cheers, and hear), and it was
upon that ground that he felt the policy of the Government
should be clear, straightforward, and honest. (Hear.) He
was asked whether he would support the policy of having
open spaces for the recreation of the people. His answer
was that he believed such to be essentially necessary to the
health of the working classes and their families, and he felt
that the House of Commons should not, as they had seen
them be, haggling, night after night, about the spending of
a few thousand pounds for such an object. (Hear.)
A VoicE—l hope you will vote for it.
Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE—Yes. He shouldmost heartily
support it. Some one asked him a question about the Game
Laws. He confessed he was ignorant on that subject.
(Laughter.) , He was not a sporting man, but he would
gladly give his support to a change in any law that con-
flicted with the principles of justice. (Hear.) He was asked
about the removal of the national collections from the British
Museum to South Kensington Museum, and though living in
the neighbourhood of the latter, he felt great regret at seeing
the efforts that were now being made to effect such removal.
(Hear, hear.) He was asked whether he would advocate the
throwing open of the British Museum on Sundays. That
was a question from which he had never shrunk, because it
might be regarded in two points of view, namely, the re-
ligious and labour points of view. He was prepared to speak
of it only in relation to that which might affect the labour of
the people, and he believed most conscientiously that the
opening of those places might lead to the employment
of the labour of the working man on Sundays, as in Paris,
and he would never be a party to wrong against the working
classes. (Hear, hear.) He was asked a question by Mr.
Dexter about the Permissive Bill, and his answer was, that
it would be a dangerous principle to trust a power to mino-
rities over majorities. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the
question put to him about religious endoivments, while he
agreed with Mr. Dexter in some of his views, he must say,
unless they were dealt with generally, he did not approve of
dealing with any one of them in particular. (Hear.) Mr.
Pritchard asked him whether he would support an opposition
to their going to war with America, and he might in reply
say, that if their statesmen had been a little more careful not
to express themselves so hastily as they had done, there
would not be any unfriendly feeling on the other side of the
Atlantic against this country. (Hear, hear.) Ho would do
all in his power to promote friendly relations between the
two nations. (Hear, and applause.)
The candidate gave satisfactory answers to the other
questions put to. him.

•
The meeting was subsequently addressed by Mr. Ashurst,
Mr. Elmhill, Mr. Sugden, and Mr. Connolly (an Irishman,
and non-elector of the working classes), who made an ex-
sollent spee,ch in favourpf Liberal views, and was frequently
and warmly applauded.

Mr J. THORNHILL then moved, and Mr Cantss seconded,
the following resolution:—" That this meeting of, electors
of the borough of Lambeth, having heard from Mr. Alder-
man James Clarke Lawrence a statement of his political
principles, is of opinion that he is eminently qualified to be
one of the representatives for the borough in the Commons
House of Parliament, and the electors present pledge them-
selves to use their best ondeavours to secure his election."
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Alderman Lawrence returned thanks.

On the motion of Captain Dresser Rogers thanks were
voted to the chairman for the impartial manner in which he
presided over and conducted the business of the meeting.
The Chairmtin acknowledged the compliment, and the
meeting separated.

Mr. Thomas Hughes and the Electors of
Lambeth.

Mr. Thomas Hughes, of Lincoln's -in; received
during the course of last week an invitation to offer himself
as a candidate for the vacant seat for the borough of Lam-
beth. Mr. Hughes declined to incur the expense of a con-
test, with a dissolution so near at hand. He was then asked
to offer himself as a candidate at the general election. In a
letter to the electors he says, with reference to this request
—" This I am quite ready to do, if I can see a fair prospect
of success ; and as a first step I wish to place my political
opinions unreservedly before you. On the question of re-
form I should be willing to support any large and well-
considered measure, but would accept Mr. Baines' and Mr.
Locke King's as instalments. I have too intimate a know-
ledge of the masses of my poor countrymen to fear any
extension whatever ; at the same time I should like to see
a scientific reform embodying the cardinal principles of
Mr. Hare's plan, which would give every voter a bona
fide representative in the house, and make every mem-
ber the representative of an unanimous constituency. I
dislike the ballot. It appears to me to be contrary to
the principles of a limited suffrage, and to the interests of
non-electors. It would be certainly convenient, and per-
haps, almost a necessity, as a means of simplifying the ma-
chinery of voting in the event of a large extension of the
suffrage, and if a constituency were anxious to have it I
should not decline txt vote for it. And •I would support it
in the case of any constituency proved to be unfairly
coerced. lam an attached member of the Church of
England, but am for the abolition of church rates, and of
all religious tests. I think our Church broad enough
and strong enough to welcome all who will come
and worship with her without asking questions. I am
against raising the whole revenue by direct taxation.
In foreign policy I am for non-intervention in the
sense in which Mr. Mill uses the word, that is to
say, for neither• intrefering ourselves nor allowing inter-
ference by other Powers in the home politics of any
foreign nation. As to alliances I should prefer that of the
United States to any other, and hope to live to see England
and her colonies and America bound together as one great
family of free nations, acknowledging virtually one common
citizenship without surrendering their separate political life.
I am for all practicable economy in the national expenditure.
The great social questions known under the general name
of the labour question' will soon become of the first im-
portance in the house as they are already outside. lam for
securing a perfectly fair field for masters and men so long
as the present disastrous antagonism is to last. I believe
that a system of arbitration may possibly be discovered
which will do much towards healing old wounds, and pre-
venting future strikes and locks out ; but I look to indus-
trial association as the only true remedy, and most firmly
believe that we are rapidly coming to it. I think the House
of Commons is in the habit of interfering too much in mat-
ters of administration, and without pledging myself to any
particular government, should support heartily any really
liberal ministry."

REPRESENTATION OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT.—Sir
John Simeon, Bart., having announced his intention to be a
candidate for tho representation of the Isle of Wight at the
next general election, Mr. Clifford, tho present member,
has stated his intention not to seek re-election.

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