The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-09 00:00:00

SECOND ANNUAL REPORT':

OF THg
ABERCROMBY WARD CONSERVATIVE
ASSOCIATION,
Established sth December, 1836,

In the first annual report for this association, which was
read at a general meeting of the members, held on the 2d
October, 1837; the causes which led to its formation, were
fully stated, and as 300 copies of that report were circulated
amongst the conservatives of the ward, your committee deem
it unnecessary to revert to that point on the present occasion.
They would, however, press upon the notice .of the mem-
bers, that the political occurrences of the last twelve Months
have clearly shown the value of such associations, which, by
strengthening the hands of the conservatives throughout the
country, have enabled them to return.to the House of Com-
mons a body of men whose patriotic and united t fforts' hate,
in 'tinny instances, saved _the _couutr y_from._ the miserable_
effects of whig-radical mislegislatitia; and who, by acting as
pilots, have snore than once steered the vessel of the state
clear of the shoals-and quicksands, on which she would have,','
inevitably been wrecked, if left to the guidance of her igno-'
rant, vaccilating, and powerless crew. Your committed
would also allude to the gratifying fact, -that during the saihe
time, the good old English feeling of conservatism'has.inade,'
rapid advances, and is fast regaining that ascendancy over
the minds of our countrymen which it temporarily lost
ring a period of blind political excitement. In snpport'or.';
these views your committee beg to quote the following words'.
from Tait's ilfagazine • a periodical which you 'well knoW•has
no kindly feeling either for conservatives or conservatism.
" This has indeed been a session of unexampled length,"andin
-
ate proceedings of which the people have taken less interest than
in those of any session since 1830. The result of the session
has been to sink the Commons, and raise the Lords-in public-es-
timation. Nowhere do we hear of any proposal.to swamp the
Lords, or to ?move the Bishops from the Upper House : but the
remonstrances against the proceedings of the Lower House, and
assertions that the reform bill has proved a complete jiziluro are
both loud and general"
But to come to the more immediate concerns ottbelistrici.;"
arson; your committee have to state that, the number-'of"
members at the period of the last report was 91 only
amounts to 123, showing an increase of 32. And they have
no doubt that many more of the conservatives of the ward
will join the ranks, and thus render the association that pow
erful and efficient instrument that it ought to be. From. the
of the last annual meeting until the first of NoveMber
following, your committee met frequently, and made ..such
arrangements as seemed best qualified to-secure 'the- retiiin "Of
a conservative candidate at the municipal election ; and
though (owing to a mistake, which, by giving us an apparent
majority, relaxed the efforts of some of our friend's,`) the re-
sult was not so favourable as coald have been wished, yetpthe
majority against the conservative candidate was much smaller
than it had ever before been in this Ward.
Nothing disheartened by. their -accidental failure, yr>uu
committee immediately began to consider how they might.
best secure victory in future; and being fully aware-of the
unaccountable lukewarmness which causes conservatives to
neglect to register, they appointed a sub-committee to super-
intend the registry for 1838; and to render effectual such in-
formation as might be from time to time received from. those
gentlemen who had districts of the ward under, their care.
Scarcely were these airangenients completed; when your
committee were called upon to act in a new capacity. :7!.rh
severe and long-continued frost of February and March was
severely felt amongst the humbler classes in this tOWn ;; .was
the families of many honest and industrious mechanics.. and
labourers were reduced to a state of absolute starvation._
the lower districts, the wealthy liberally united to supply the
wants of their needy brethren ; but it is probable that the
suffering poor of Abercromby Ward would. have been left to
starve unnoticed and unknown, had not Mr„GladstOne sent
to this committee a book, headed by a-hand Soma subscription
from himself, and another
.from Mrs. Gladstone,_and.,re-
quested that they would like charge of any further suhicrip-
lions that might be offered for • the relief of the -Ode:of-the
ward. • : . • ,
This the committee cheerfully undertook; and .having
called upon a number of the wealthy conservatives•Or the •
ward for assistance, they obtained in the course of a few. days
a handsome fund, the amount and application of which may
be briefly stated as follows: .
BALANCE SHEET OF THE ABERCBOMBY WARD RELIETPUND.•
Dr.

To amount of Subscriptions received.; tiff 0 0
Cr.
By 541 Loaves of Bread
.. 794 Pecks of Potatoes
.. 456 Cwt. of Coals

&64 0 0 *'.

The number of families relieved was 411; and of persons
1973, et. whom 254 were children above I'2 years old • and,
995 were under that age.
Whilst your committee rejoice that theyivereoindertifo-
vidence, the instruments of alleviating the misery of.ps!,
many of their fellow creatures, they think it du'e to
selves to state, that although the fund was subscribed almost-
exclusively by Conservatives, the political or reliiinini4eF,
trines of the parties applying for relief Werein`no "Case en-
quired into; •but if, on being visited,•therwere'lound“ttl
really deserving objects, they were relieved in accorclattm
with-that charity which knoweth neitber,sect nor part-
On the 2nd of April, a general meeting was called to re-
ceive a deputation from the Tra,esmans' ConscrrafireAsgo-
dation, which had been appointed to visit the various Ward,.
Associations and enquire into their state of efficiency; aii
abstract of the proceedings of the half year was read far
the information of the gentleman_composiogthe deputAtiOut
who were pleased to compliment your Committee rif the
highest terms upon their effectual state of orgairizatiou
• which they stated to be far superior to that of any _ other
Conservative Ward Association in the town.
Your Committee beg to call your attention to -theirpro:
ceedings on the occasion of the Coronation ,her Anost
Gracious Majesty the Queen,- On the 21st of Juiie,,a speciiif
meeting was held to take into consideration a letter frourlhe.
mayor on that subject, and it was resolved, that alL.part,y,
political feeling should be laid aside, and a communication
be made to the reformers of the Ward, calling upon. them to
join in the due celebration of that auspicious event. A
scription to purchase a flag was also set on foot by the Con;.
servative Ladies of the Ward; and the result was the stilMidid
Banner and two Banuerets, which were displayed%by
Ward in the procession, and are now the property _of
_the
Association.
On the '2sth ult., a public meeting of the•Conservattivei-of
the Abercromby ard was called, to nominate candidate
for the approaching Municipal election; and your Committee
feel highly gratified in being able to state, that li,ohertsun
Gladstone, Esq.' was unanimously selected. The high prin-
ciples and close business habits of this gentleman, as t; ell as
his claims upon the gratitude of. many in the Ward, are too
well known to need continent here; and your Committee are
happy to state that if proper exertions are made, there is little
doubt of his being returned to represent the interests of this
Ward in the Common Council of the Borough.
l'he Treasurer will lay before you a statement of the AC-
counts for the last year, -duly audited; and-you will observe
that your Committee have strictly followed the excellent ad-
vice which they received Irons their predecessors, and which
they strictly recommend to their successors in office, viz,—
" by a prudent and careful expenditure' to keep. the Asso-
ciation in an independent condition, At the end of the se-
cond year, after paying every demand, there is again a small
balance in the bands of the Treasurer.
Your Committee regret that they have, in self 'defence,
been obliged to object to a great number of Reformers; trey
have, however, made a proposal to the Reform Committee
• which they trust will lead to the amicable withdrikival of the
greater number of the objections on both .sides,..and. they
hope that before another registration, a law. will,be.passed to
render it penal for any party inake frivoloni objections.
In concluding their report your Committee venturelo 'ekk,
press that you will place upon the Committee,for the ensuing
year, such men only as will consider it a duty which' they owe
both to themselves and the country, to use every, exertion in
their power to promote the growtli and influence of. Co-
nservative principles.
Committe Room, Phoenix Inn. Oct.2d, 1838.