The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-11-09 00:00:00

CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.

A SOCIETY under this title has been established in the
metropolis under the sanction and patronage of a large
body of the leading Conservative gentlemen, for the pur-
pose of counteracting the attempts which have been made
by the Radical party to obtain possession of the represen-
tation of the English counties. It has been found that
through the operations of the National Freehold Land
Society, and others of a similar character, an immense
number of votes on the Radical side have been obtained
in several counties ; and it has been considered that the
only effectual means of meeting the evil is by pursuing a
similar course on the Conservative side. According to
the prospectus, the shares are fixed at .CO each, for
which the minimum contribution is Bs. per month, and
each shareholder will become entitled to freehold land of
equal value, conferring on him the franchise at the end of
ten years, but he may anticipate the payments so as to
become entitled to the franchise at once.
The Society since its formation has been extending its
operations through the several counties, and last week a
deputation visited Liverpool with the same object. On
Friday a public meeting was held at the Cotton Sales-
room, and, notwithstanding the boisterous weather, was
very respectably attended. Mr. Thomas Lee, merchant,
took the chair, and briefly introduced the deputation.
HENRY POWNALL, Esq., addressed the meeting, and
expressed his regret at the unavoidable absence of Viscount
Ranelagli ; but, owing to the delay of a train on the
Brighton Railway, he had been prevented from reaching
Liverpool in time for the meeting. H e (Mr.Pownall)craved
their indulgence while he addressed them on the object
for which the meeting was called, vvkic.li was to promote
the operations of the Conservative Land Society. He
might be met with the objection, that there were land
societies already in existence, and, therefore, what need
had they for more ? He might also be asked, why should
they come to Liverpool, which had returned two Conser-
vative representatives ? It was because the men of Liver-
pool had proved themselves to be good Conservatives that
they, the deputation of the Land Society, came down to
ask for their assistance in promulgating Conservative
principles. It was not a question whether such societies
should be established ; they already existed, as some con-
stituencies knew to their cost, when the representation
had been transferred into the hands of their opponents.
But, apart from this, it was a question that every man had
a just right to enjoy the franchise. He was no friend to
universal suffrage—no advocate for the ballot ; but he
thought that every man who had industry, prudence, and
intelligence to husband his resources, had a just right to
obtain the forty shilling franchise. Many of such socie-
ties were in existence ; and one of those, which was called
the National Freehold Land Society, had already pur-
chased 1448 acres of land, with which they had obtained
the following number of votes in the respective counties :
Middlesex
Surrey
Essex
Hertfordshire
Kent
Sussex..

Being a total of
Besides this they had an annual capital of more than
£200,000, which was being invested in a similar manner
in order to carry out the objects of the society. If one
society could do this, and if Conservatives continued to
look on with indifference, what must be the result but
the total defeat of that party which possessed intelligence
and Influence, and were of importance to the best inter-
ests of the country. If tailors and shoemakers advertise
they do so in order that the public may be aware of the
superiority of their respective goods, and obtain an
increased business; so, if one party is constantly trumpet-
ing forth that they only possess liberal measures, the pub-
lic mind necessarily leans towards that party whenever
the opportunity occurs. That might be well, but the other
party should not repose in their easy chairs and think that
the influence which they possess will continue to operate
without exertion. Some talked about Tories, but meant
the Tories of the reign of Queen Anne. "I" (said Dr.
Pownall) " profess myself a Tory, but I profess myself a
lover of my country. He loved to contemplate the pro-
gress of this great country, which, like the Sun, diffused
the blessings of light and heat wherever their influence
extended. He loved to contemplate the House of
Lords, which formed a senate which no other country
could boast. He rejoiced to have a vote to return mem-
bers to the House of Commons, for he believed that it
represented a people than which none enjoyed greater
privileges nor more real freedom, He also entertained
respect for those who differed with him, but he was anxious
for the maintenance of the principles which he espoused.
He knew their zeal at elections, but that was not all that
was wanted. They must work with equal zeal and readi-
ness in the less exciting business of the registration, and
in order to place those who were entitled to the franchise
upon the register. He loved to see the labouring man
intelligent, well-informed, and brought up on Christian
principles, and it was to give such men the right to vote
that he advocated the support of the Conservative Land
Society. If the opposing party had done so much, why
should it be said that Conservatives had done nothing for
that class which formed the great strength of the country?
The credit of furthering the cause of education had
been claimed by the Radicals, hut it was a mutual work,
as both had shared in it. He did say that, when looking
round upon their teeming population, such order, intelli-
gence, peace and respect for each other were not to be
equalled in any other portion of the globe. Speaking for
the society, he concluded by saying that they did not want
to interfere with individual or local arrangements, but
they wished to unite the great Conservative party in one
bond of union. [Mr. Pownall sat down amidst loud
cheering.]

Mr. Lewis, the secretary of the society, then addressed
the meeting. The Conservative Land Society arose out
of a political necessity, but it was also expedient and
advantageous, in order to give every man who joined it
the right of voting in maintenance of Conservative prin-
ciples. In the first place, he must confess that he should
not have recommended such a system, but the Radicals
were not so scrupulous, and their operations had been so
effectual that it was absolutely necessary the Conservatives
should exert themselves in self-defence, for, unless some-
thing was done to counteract their opponents, the Conse-
rvatives would lose their proper position in the country.
He then proceeded to show the advantages which would
accrue to the shareholders, not only in a political but in a
pecuniary point of view, and detailed the particular claims
of the society to general support. The amount of the
shares had been fixed at £5O, which would guarantee the
franchise to the shareholder, and the payments might be
made at Bs. per month, or the completion hastened by

larger paym

be divided between three

have a chance

of obtaining an early all

Mr. "1-lARaisoN, one of the solicitors to the society, also
addressed the meeting. In alluding to the late Free-trade
banquet at Manchester, he said that Messrs. Cobden,
Bright, and Co. had created a false alarm, by pretending
that the movement was in self-defence. He saw in that
banquet a proof that the Manchester men were going to
attack the Conservative cause, and one of the objects
which the society had in view was to counteract this.

Mr.N. W. SHAND then moved the following resolution :
" That this meeting, highly approving of the principles of
the Conservative Land Society, request the deputation
will adjourn the meeting till the 19th instant, in order
that the Conservatives of Liverpool generally may have
an opportunity of again hearing the statements and joining
the society." _

Mr. GEORGE BOOKER seconded the motion, which was
carried unanimously, and the meeting then adjourned.