Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-03-31 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

SIR WILFRID LAWSON ON THE  SITUATION.  On Wedneyday a great Liberal demonstration, as a counterblast to the recent Claiming meeting, was held in the Victoria Theatre, at Carlisle.—Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., presided, and, referring to the meeting of the Liberal Unionists last week. asked what they had come to teach. They had come to teach Carlisle three things—first, that representative government was a mistake; seceud, that a weak nation had no rights to set against a strong nation; and, third, that force was the only remedy. He denied all three propositions. (Cheers.) Representative government was the form of government which he had ever supported, and when they found six-sevenths of the representatives of Ireland were returned as Nationalists, and when they found their wishes, and their opinions, and their demands laughed to scorn, it was the most monstrous falling off in representative governmeet that this country bad ever seen. (Cheers.) Then as to weak nations. He believed in the equal rights of nations, and if England neglected that principle her glory would depart as the glory of Rome and Greece and other nations of antiquity, which had neglected that principle, had departed. (Cheers.) Then as to force being the only remedy. Force had utterly and hopelessly failed in Ireland, and always would fail. (Cheers.) However, ke advised Radii:els not to be disheartened by the present state of affairs Let them be of good cheer. (Cheers.) It would be as difficult now to -find a real old Tewy for *museum as to find She egg of the great euk. (Langligise.) A.nd what were the-Tories doing There working like' niggers" to 'Carry the Liberal programme. (Cheers.) But let not Mr Sullivan be afraid. Irish freedom should not be sold for British reform. (Cheers.) But in the meantime they would take "the goods the gods provide us." (Laughter.) These measures were really strengthening the position of Ireland. What a dissolving view was presented I There had been nothing in his time so cheering as the present state of the political world. Look what things they were getting. There was Bret the Oaths Bill. Did they not remember how the Tories two Parliaments ago lived upon Mr Brarilaugh ? They breakfasted, dined, and supped upon him. (Laughter.) They said that "heaven and earth would pass away" unless Mr Bredlaugh were compelled to evoke a Being in whom he did not believe. Well, the Tories beat Mr Gladstone then, but the tables had been turned, and Mr Brullaugh, upon whom the Tortes had lived so long, had by a triumphant majority done away with oaths once and for ever. Last week Mr Ritchie, a grand old Tory, had, without the slightest compunction, offered up on the altar of freedom the County Magistrates and the Quarter Sessions, the Metropolitan Board of Works, the country gentlemen, the county magnates, and all kinds of time-honoured abuses. (Cheers.) Then they had Mr Bradlaugh to the front again on Friday with his measure against pensions. (Cheers-) Next came Mr Gosehen'e Conversion Bill. If Mr Gladstone had adopted such a measure there was not a Tory scribe in England but would have dipped his pen in vitriotic vellOID, and covered reams of paper with spiteful rhodomontade against a Liberal Minister who had dared to rob the poor orphans for party purposes. (Cheers and groans.) Then there was the closure, which the Times used to cull "the gag." The Liberals were thankful tor the closure. When they got a Liberal majority they should see the political priesthood, the hereditary Peers, the privileged publicans, the military mercenaries—those four great wings of the army of obstruction which for generations past had steod like a wall of adamant in the pathway of progress—dislodged and running down a steep place into the sea. (Cheers, and laughter.) Mr T. D. Sullivan, M.P., also addressed the ineeting.—On the motion of Mr Allison, M.P., seconded by Mr Q.C., M.P., a resolution was paused welcoming Mr Sullivan, and expressing sympathy with him and his colleagues.  4-find  VERDICT OF MURDER ACIALthAT A