The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-19 00:00:00

Lancashire,

Mr. Gladstone arrived in Manchester soon after
two o'clock yesterday from Chester. He drove to
the Palatine Hotel, where he had a conference with
the Election Committee, and wrote the following
address :

" To THE ELECTORS OF THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE

COUNTY OF LANCASTER.
" Gentlemen,—l appear before you as a candidate for the
suffrages of your division of my native county. Time for-
bids me to enlarge on the numerous topics which justly en-
gage the public interest. I will bring them all to a single
head. You are conversant—few so much so—with tholegis-
lation of the last 35 years. You have seen, you have felt, its
results. You cannot fail to have observed the verdict which
the country generally has within the last eight days pro-
nounced upon the relative claims and positions of the two
great political parties with respect to that legislation in
the past, and to the prospective administration of public
affairs. I humbly, but confidently, without the least dis-
paragement to many excellent persons from whom I have
the misfortune frequently to differ, ask you to give your
powerful voice in confirmation of that verdict, and to pro-
nounce with significance as to the direction in which you
desire the wheels of State to move. Before these words
can be read I hope to be among you in the hives of your
teeming industry.

" I have the honour to be, gentlemen, your most obe-
dient and most humble servant,

" W. E. GLADSTONE.

"Ilawarden, July 18."

He afterwards went to the Exchange and walked
round with Mr. Henry Ashworth. He was greatly
cheered. Later in the afternoon he went to the
Free Trade Hall, which was densely filled with
people, who cheered enthusiastically. He was
addressing the electors when our parcel was de-
spatched.

LIVERPOOL.
Last night the Right lion. W. E. Gladstone,
Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressed an immense
meeting in the Royal Amphitheatre, Liverpool.
The announcement that Mr. Gladstone would pre-
sent himself before the electors and personally can-
vass the constituency of South Lancashire had
been made only on Monday at the nomination, and
the meeting at the Amphitheatre had not been an-
nounced till yesterday morning ; hue the mere
statement was sufficient to arouse the whole of this
part of the division, and during the whole day the
doors of the several committee rooms were besieged
. by thousands of persons anxious to obtain tickets of
admission to the theatre. Large as the building is, it
was impossible to admit more than a tithe of those
who would have paid largely for the privilege. Long
before 3 o'clock, the time announced for the com-
mencement of meeting, there were vast crowds of
people surrounding the building, and every entrance
was stormed. No one reached the interior without
a fight, and the theatre was packed from floor to
ceiling. The stage was occupied by the leading
Liberals of the town and district. The appearance
of Mr. Robertson Gladstone and the chairman of
the committee was the signal for a tremendous
burst of cheering ; but these demonstrations were
completely thrown into the shade by the reception
accorded to the Chancellor of the Exchequer him-
self : the whole assembly stood up and cheered Mr.
Gladstone vehemently for many minutes, and the
enthusiastic shouts of applause were allowed to sub-
side only after repeated appeals from the gentlemen
on the stage.
Upon the motion of Mr. ROBERTSON GLADSTONE,
seconded by Mr. JAMES AIKEN, Mr. Wm. Rathbone,
jun., was called to the chair, and the latter very
briefly introduced the right hon. candidate to the
meeting.
Mr. GLADSTONE said—At 8 o'clock to-night,when
I have the honour of appearing before this crowded
assembly, the poll has been appointed to cease for
the University of Oxford. The very last thing that
I could think of would be to connect that circum-
stance at Oxford with one single word either of dis-
respect or indifference as regards that ancient, great,
and venerable University. (Cheers.) Gentlemen,
during 18 anxious years I have been the representa-
tive of Oxford. It has been my duty in her name
to deal, as well as my feeble powers would permit
lire; with all the questions bearing upon the relation-
ship of religion and of education to the State which I
this critical period has brought to the surface.
(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I have endeavoured to serve
that University with my whole heart ; and with
the strength, or weakness, or whatever faculties
God has given me (cheers), it has been my daily
and my nightly care to promote as well as I could
interests, and to testify as well as I could my
love. Long has she borne with me. Long, in
spite of active opposition, did she resist every
e 'fort to displace me. •At last she has changed her
mind. (" Shame ! " and groans for Oxford.) God
grant it may be well with her, but recollections of
her confidence, which I have so long enjoyed, and
of the many hours and many years that I have spent
in her service, never can part from me. (Cheers.)
And if now, gentlemen, I appear before you in a
different position, Ido not appear as a different
man. (Cheers.) I have not forgotten my former
existence in this free and happy country ; I know of
no distinction between the various classes and various
interests, and there is no reason why the man who
has been, to the best of his poor ability, the faithful
representative of the University, should not also to
the best of his poor ability, if the constituency should be disposed to grant the trust, be the faithful repre-
j
sentative of the electors of South Lancashire.
(Cheers.) In representing that University my task
has been one of no small difficulty ; the desire of my
heart has been to minister to her strength and to her
prosperity, and I will not yield to my favoured com-
petitor in devotion to her truest interests. (Cheers.)
As to the mode of promoting these interests, as to
the best method of testifying to that attachment,
there may be great differences between us—(hear,
hear)—my earnest desire, my heart's prayer is that
her future may be as glorious as her past,—yet more
glorious still. (Cheers.) But if it is to be so, that
result must be brought about by following a certain
method of action, by enlarging her borders--
(cheers)—by opening her doors—(cheers)—by in-
vigorating her power, by endeavouring to rise to the
height of that vocation with which I believe it has
pleased the Almighty to endow her—;great cheers:
—that as in other times the Universities of the land

and Oxford the first of them, led the mind and

thought of the country upon the path of improve-
ment, so now they may still prove worthy of that
high office. But if lam told on the other side that
it is only by embracing the narrow interests of a

political party that Oxford can discharge her duties
to the cocntry, then, gentlemen, I at once say I am
not the man for Oxford. (Loud cheers.) I hope, sir,
it will not savour of vanity if I detain you yet a mo-
ment longer upon this subject. (Cheers.) We see re-
presented in that ancient institution, represented
more nobly, perhaps, and more conspicuously
than in any other place, at any rate with more re-
markable concentration, the most prominent features
that relate to the past of England. (Cheers.) I come
into South Lancashire, and I find here around me an
assemblage of different phenomena. I find develop-
ment of industry--(cheers)—l find growth of enter-
prise ; I find progress of social philanthropy; I find
prevalency of toleration ; and I find an ardent desire
for freedom. (Cheers.) But, sir, if there should be a
duty more than another incumbent upon the public
men of England, it is, so far at least as I am able to

prove, the duty of establishing and maintaining
- •

harmony between thepast of our glorious country and
the future that is still in storefor her. (Cheers.) In my

humble and• insignificant person, on the one hand re-
presenting that ancient body, on the otherhand placed

now for many years in the administration of themos

responsible offices connected with the progress and
wellbeing of the country— (cheers)—l have honestly,
I have earnestly, although I may have feebly—(cries
of no, no, and cheers)—striven to unite that which is

represented by Oxford and that which is represented
by Lancashire. (Cheers.) My desire is that they
should know and love one another. If I have clung
to the representation of the University with desperate
fondness, it was because I would not desert that post
in which I seemed to have been placed. I have not
abandoned it. I have been dismissed from it, not by
academical, but by political agencies. (Cheers.) The
great majority of the teaching body of Oxford, the
great majority of those who devote their nights and
daysand the best years of theirlives in rearing...youths
have been at all times my supporters in the election,
and have not now abandoned me. (Cheers.) I'
don't complain of those political influences by which