The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-05-27
Miscellany.


An effort has already commenced to pre-
vent the return of Mr.. Thomas Hughes 10
the British parliament, as his straightforward
honest course could not fail to make enemies
But he intends 20 run for reelection, and
in reformed" way A meeting of his com
mittee was held lately, to which Mr.. Hughes
made a speech, probably without parallel in
the annals of contested elections. First, he
reviewed his own career in Parliament, set
ting forth principles of action as extraordina-
ry as they are honorable to him. He had
made it his business, he said, to give time
and attention TO questions which were COM
paritively in the shade, on which the liberal
party was itself divided, and the touching of
which was more likely to bring man ohio
guy than popularity. To compel the great
land companies 10 rebuild convenient dwell
ings fer the poor whom they dslodged, to
urge arbitration of the alabama" claims at
a time when both parties had rejected it, to
bring to justice the authors of the Jamaica
outrages, TO secure the representation of mi
norities; finally, to bring about the passage
of a Sunday trading bill which should relieve
from Sunday work the 10000 shopmen and
tradesmen who now are harder worked on
Sunday than on any other day-these had
been his leading efforts. Singular catalogue
for member OF parliament!
More singular still is Mr.. Hughess plan of
campaign for the coming eIection-coming
no one knows when, but not later than Jan
uary next. AT the last election he spent
9l100, and another election conducted in
the same ordinary way could not cost less
But he did not mean TO spend any such sum-
partly because he could not afford it, partly
because he wanted to see the elections thrown
open to much poorer men than himself. He
announced, therefore, that he won not en-
ploy any paid agent whatever, nor hire any
room except one, at which, just before the
election, his brother or some friend might be
present. He believed that the ordinary meth
DDS of paid-canvaSsers, biIl-sticking, commit
tee-roOms,and stats Of clerks at public-honses,
were pure superstition. Instead of that he
would trust to public meetings to be held ia
every part OF the borough. Such decision
is Characteristic of Mr.. Hughes's pluck and
independence. He is one of the few men in
England who don't think it absolutely nee
essary to go on till doomsday doing in each
particular just what their great-grandfathers
did. If he succeeds now, he will open the
door to a class ofmen hitherto shut out from
the house by poverty, for what with election
expenses, with the abseDse of all compelSa-
ton for legislative services, and with the So
cial demands upon the purse Of member of
parliament, it is estimated that no man with
less than $4,000 year can afford to enjoy
InlS dlSGmcClOn. In some OF the constituent
cies, where workingmen are to be brought
forward, ii is proposed to raise by subscrip-
ton $500 or E400 year for their support
a plan in every way Objectionable. n man
could desire to sit in the house as a pension
er. Yet it is not easy to see how men de-
pendent on their earnings can enter the
house otherwise. To cut down, or, as Mr..
Hughes proposes, to abolish the expenses OF
elections, is at any rate one step.
The opposition to Mr.. HIshes's reelection
proceeds mainly from the publicans and sim
ners, their Sunday customers who are enrag-
ed at "Tom Browns" efforts to close the
and shops on Sundays. He
was threatened at the time with the loss of
his seat, but is not good man to threaten.-
The enemy have become so active that he
thinks it prudent to meet them thus early,
but his seat is in no real danger so long as
there are workingmen in Lambeth.