New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-04
BRITISH POLITICS.
TWO LIBERAL MEETINGS.


rrFtp-spEFcH OF LORD hARIINGroN-AGIIA-
TON REVIVED ..-.
IyRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT VI 'iS 'h',''
Iovpo> Noe 16-Two Liberal meetings OF some
imnortance TO the future of the party were heid
vesterday-ono in Sheffield the other III Manchester
That in Sheffield did something to bind up the
wounds Of the party; that III Manchester something
TO keep them open. his Is rough descriptions
and perhaps AZ accurate as such descriptions usually
are IL does not pretend to be full one And there
Are certainly plenty of men who fight under Lib
,rai Aar who would refuse to admit that the
name Liberal could he rghtfUy applied 10
The Manchester assembly. They would say
n was a Radical, not Literal gathering.
IL was in fact a conference of the National Reform
Union an organization sufficiently described, per
hans, by it's name II anything he wanting 10
complete account of its character, the want would
be supplied by the names Of the members attending
H. More than 600 delegates were present coming
mainly from large towns which are the stronghoids
Of radicasn The Chairman Of the Executive Cont
mittee presided, and among those WHO spoke were
Mr. Joseph Arch, Mr.. Macdonald one OF the WORK
Ingmen's representatives in Parliament Mr.. jacob
Bright Mr.. [. b. Potter, Mr.. Rylands, MI Jenkins
ali radical NJ. Ps., past or present; Mr. j. o Wrigt
and Mr. Dale of Bir1ninghan, MIR. George Potter,
and. besides all these, two men of quite different
,aliber. Mr. Lyuph Stanley and Mr. John Morley.
An invitation which had been sent to Lori Gran
vile was declined, as might he expected, III acNil
letter Lord Granville IL not the man TO lead
pioneer parties or forlorn hopes. To the men on his
avn side who do he wishes well, FROM safe dis
tanoe in the rear
If all the propositions adopted yesterday by tins
Reform Union should be adopted by the Liberal
party the latter would certainly escape tue repro"ch
il has lately endured, Of having no programme.
a.. inf
and any one of them might do for political cam
paicn But az you glance down the long list, the
obvious criticism is the true one. There are too
many of them Mr. Morley himself, probably the
nblest man present, in speech moderate enough III
tone proposed less than four distinct measures as
necessary bases of future political acton. Inc
marty Inc thourht would not be worthy of the name
Liberal if il were not ready to come forward with
some definite scheme Tor dealing with drunkenness;
IL must take up land reform as we'll; II must
settle the education question; and u must
establish religious equality by disestablshlng
and disendowing the Church of England. he ex-
tsn.ion Of household suffrage to the counties and
the equalization Of electoral power were moved by
Mr.. Lyuph Stanley and adopted but not before Miss
sturge got in an amendment to include women.
Resolutions pledging the Union to ag.tate for land
r,forIn religious equality education, and license
system for the sale Of liquors. subject to popular
eontr4l." were SUCCESSFULLY adopted. The only
things proposed that were rejected were Home Rule
for Ireland and Manhood Suffrage. Religious
eauality" is defined to involve " the disestablish-
ment aud disendowment Of the Eng ish and Scotch
Established Churches and the establishment OF
national secular system of education"
Most Americans would think AID say that all Ser
aearly all these were reasonable Objects and perhaps
rather wonder that anybody not personally inter
a ia aP ghQ
nd of srch h0ary abuses as the Union attacks But
this IA England not America, and one thing at time
In politics is the motto of most men who DO not pre-
fer nothing at all 1t is a country in which II Is diff
Gcult-l might say impossible-to carry any great
reform about which a majority Of the people are not
very much III earnest. II IS a country in
which the people are seldom desirous of
REFORM unless 10 be a reform Of a grievance
which il practically felt to be q grievance ;
A grievance under which they suffer in person. III
feeling in pocket. or in cherished convictions. The
country being such country as that what can be
aid of Mr. Morey's dcclaration-the keynote of
The Conference-that they had not come there
merely tn invent programme for the sake of push
ing party but rather to reOrganze party'for tile
Iake of carrying their programme What Is there
In the proceedings of the Conference that looks like
reOrganizng IA partyi The Conference itself was
composed Of the most rad cal members Of the party,
aud they cannot agree among themselves Whch Is
the most important If their many objects. Mt.
Edward Jenkins thinks 1t is education. DR..
Pankhurst regrets that reform Of the House
OF Lords is not brought to the front.
Mr. Joseph Arch holds the enfranchisement
of the 400 900 ters of the soil who hsve polit-
neal power to he the most pressing question Mr..
I. Is. Potter expresses equally confident belief
that II the Liberal party is tO be rallied il must BE-
:allied under the banner of religious equality. With
al these doctors dsagreeing, who shall decide1 The
ruth is none of them can decide. No one man, or
vet Of men, can decide which shall be the great
movement for reform in this country. Each of them
sau do something, at Manchester and elsewhere. to
push forward the particular movement which he
deems most urgent. All Of them together, working
Tor different objects, but all working for reform
If some kind can do an immense aud benefcent
work That work is not in the direction of
party organization il is a work Of agitation of stir
nng up the always letharCC minds Of people IN gen
.ral of stimulating political thought; Of Keeping
particular reforms in mOtiOn-each competing with
he others for popular favor II may 10 say and 80
III the long run creating activity IN place OF stagna-
hon hope 10 place Of despair and finally heading
general rush OH what shall prove To he the weakest
place in the enemy's line. That IL the true use of
,ucli bodies ~ the National Reform Uni0n, and such
meetings those Of yesterday at Manchester. Or
ganization with definite objects will meantime push
On with their specific efforts.
very different scene was enaoting az the same
Time in Sheffield. meeting held of far more
Immediate practical importance ard even sgnit-
tancs Sheffield ia Literal town by right. At the
last general election IL committed the folly Of send
Ing Mr. j A. RoebUck "a the House. by cOmbina-