The Warwickshire Herald. — 1894-05-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

NEWCASTLE. On Monday night Mr. John Morley addressed Liberal demonstration in the Town Hall, Newcastle. There was a crowded audience, and when Mr. Morley appeared upon the platform, accompanied by the chairman, Dr. Spence Watson, President of the National Liberal Federation, he was accorded an enthusiastic reception. After an introductory speech by Dr. Spence Watson, Mr. Morley, at the commencement of his speech, made a touching reference to the incalculable loss the country had sustained In the retirement of Mr. Gladstone. Continuing, he said: But, gentlemen, the battle must still be fought. The torch which he kindled with us glows with light and must be handed on, and this meeting convinces me that it will not be extinguished because he has retired. Mr. Goschen, at York, said we were being torn to pieces by a disruption of interests. Ido not in the least accept that description of the situation. It is quite true that amongst the various interests which this Government represents there is a rivalry for priority. Why not? A disruption of interests is one thing, the pressure to put a particular bill in the front place is another. Whatever rivalry there may be there is one common interest—that is, not to turn out the Ministers. We hear arguments for a second and revising Chamber. We are told that it is necessary in order to check the tide of popular passion and a great sweeping invasion of some dominant popular sentiment. It is exactly then that the House of Lords dare not say one word in opposition. And let me put this argument to you. We can settle in the House of Commons the Budget as we please. What becomes, then, of this argument of the House of Lords being a bulwark, when in perhaps the most important department of legislation, namely, the taxation laws, they are not allowed and will never be allowed to interfere. You have known my views on this question for 11 years. You know that little jingle of mine in which I indicated by two words two courses. As to "mending "—(a voice: "Ending")—a man of great ability and power, Lord Salisbury, has tried his hand. Another, whom we here regard as a man of greater ability and greater power, Lord Rosebery, has tried his hand, and both these two able and distinguished men admit that nothing has come of their efforts. The more the need for mending is felt, I am afraid , the more difficult or impossible is mending found to be. There will have to be some definite attempt to carry out what Mr. Bright at the Leeds conference in 1483 suggested, by which the power of veto of the House of Lords—this non-elective, this non-representative, this hereditary, this packed Tory Chamber —shall be strictly limited. The policy of the Opposition is partly to rely upon the House of Lords, but partly also to wear us down by the wasteful consumption of public time. The question for you to consider is whether the House of Commons is to be permitted to make those laws which the majority of the electors desire. If we are to do the national business, which you send us to do, speeches will have to be' shorter. Debates will have to be shorter. Proceeding., Mr. Morley observed that no man had been tried under the Coercion Act since he became Irish Secretary. There was a danger that when Ireland was reduced to quietude England might forget her. He hoped there might be no mistake as to the condition upon which this tranquillity was obtained. The condition was that there should be no paltering with the Irish demands. Any failure to place local autonomy for Ireland in the very forefront of legislative proposals would not only break up the Goverrunent, but it would put indefinitely back all the most serious British reforms which they and he had at heart, and, worst and most deplorable of all, it would undo that feeling of friendship and mutual confidence which had been the most blessed—he hird almost said the moat saered—result of the unsparing toil and labour which they had devoted to that cause. Reviewing the work of the session, Mr. Morley defended the Registration Bill, the Budget proposals the Evicted Tenants Bill, and the proposed Daestablishment of the Welsh Church. Be adverted to the proposal to form an independent labour party, and said that for special representatives of labour to make war upon the Liberal party was insanity and suicide. He was not blind to the signs of the times. He saw new ideas, new principles, new aims coming above the horizon. He was not afraid of them. He believed in the wisdom and prudence of the English democracy; but before the Working population of this country took their destinies Mt* their own hands, as they Would assuredly do, there was enough ground to be cleared, which only the Liberal party was capable of clearing.  f P • „Al ' NT. , us. . • • e b , ontipday recess. . R. T, Ileid the eat sp re-eleetion tor the Miseries is se BolicirotKieneral. reply r- C. Chat