The Blackpool Herald. — 1883-01-19 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

WAINWRIGHT AT BLACKBURN.  Last week Mr. H. H. Wainwright delivered a lecture in St. John's Conservative Club, Brookhouse, on "The Irish Policy of the Government." The chair was occupied by Mr. Edward Billington, and there was a very large attendance. The CHAIRMAN, in introducing the lecturer, stated that Mr. Wainwright had his heart and soul in the Conservative cause, and was well up in politics. Mr. WAINWRIGHT commenced by remarking that he understood it was their determination to return two Conservative members instead of one at the next election, and he sincerely hoped that they would work with a will, and do their very best to tarn out from the representation of Blackburn Mr. Briggs, as he did not know a man who had done more damage in Parliament than he had. Mr. Coddington was an excellent man, and thy ought to have another good man to sit beside him. The great secret of securing success for Conservatism , was organisation, and he was very pleased to see Isuch a large meeting as that, as it proved, if they could get similar meetings in each ward, that they would soon be able to return two Conservatives. (Hear, hear.) He then went on to mention a few circumstances conneatel with Mr. Gladstone's reign in Parliament. The Conservative party were not given to making promises, because whenever they were in power they always fulfilled all pledges made when out of office, and that was a very great thing. The Liberals, on the other hand, were very ready at making promises, but slow to perform them. He mentioned the promises of peace, retrenchment, and reform and pointed out the manner in which they had been performed, dwelling particularly on t' • Transvaal war. He charged Mr. Gladstone with great inconsistency in regard to that war, pointed out its deplorable condition at the present time, and stated that it would be one of the first duties of the Conservatives when they were put in power again to take over the Transvaal as we did before, so that peace and happiness would be regained. lie also referred to the war in Egypt, and quoted part of Mr. Gladstone's speech when he denied they were at war. He believed that if it had not been for the great victory in Egypt the Liberals at the present time would not have been in power. The Liberals had preached economy, and yet Mr. Cowen had taken them to task, charging Mr. Gladstone with having spent five millions more annually than would have been spent if the Conservatives had been in office. He then spoke of the loss they sustained in purchasing ships, selling them for less than they cost, and repurchasing the stores for more than the entire ships realised. The income tax, when Lord Beaconsfleld was in office, was 5d., but now in had increased to id. In speaking of Ireland,he said its present state was anything but good. Personally, he believed that Mr. Gladstone was as much a traitor to his country as Mr. Parnell was a traitor to his country. (Hear, hear.) As far as principle went they were both the same. Mr. Parnell was at the head of a body which openly advocated and openly practised plunder, treason, and sedition in Ireland, and Mr. Gladstone bowed in adoration. He (the speaker) denied that the Irish Church was a grievance at the time Mr. Gladstone severed its connection with the State, which was a great scheme of confiscation. Mr. Wainwright traced the policy of the Liberals from the time when Mr. Gladstone was elected, and compared the state of things during his reign and that of Lord Beaconsfield's. In the year 1879, when Lord Beaconsfield was in power, the outrages in Ireland amounted to the comparatively small number of 863, whilst the total number of outrages committed in Ireland since the beginning of April. 1880, when Mr. Gladstone came into power, up to the end of December last year, amounted to 10,087. The lecturer having mentioned the introduction of the Coercion Act by Mr. Gladstone, who alleged that it would be for the benefit of Ireland, animadverted on the fact that when it was passed he took good care not to use it, so that at the present moment Ireland is in an unhappy state. He , attributed the murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish to the policy of Mr. Gladstone. In conclusion, he . urged upon them to do all in their power to alter "1 the Government, and turn out Mr. Briggs at the I next election.  A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer.