The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

LIBERALISM tN CARDIGANSHTKE. CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES. PUBLIC MEETING. On Tuesday morning and afternoon delegates from every part of Cardiganshire met at Aberystwyth to diseu-s the prospects of the Liberal party in Cardiganshire, and to re- solve as to what steps should be taken, with a view of winning back the seat now held by Mr Lloyd, of nut-d- more. The conference was, of course, of a private charac- ter, and considering the tempestuoiis state of the weather, it was astonishing so many delegates were able to attend, seeing that many of them possess no railway commvuiica- tion with Aberystwyth. We may state thr.t at one of the meetings of the conference twenty-four gentlemen were chosen to sign the beautifu'ly illuminated address on be- half of the Liberals of Cardiganshire. At seven o'clock in the evening the Temperance Hall was crowded in every part by an audience composed partly of ladles there was also a fair sprinkling of Conservatives. but thegreat bulk were Liberals from Aberystwyth and other places in Cardiganshire. On the platform were the dole- gates from the different polling districts, a few ladies and some of the leading Liberals of the town. Among those on the platform were—MrH. C. Fryer, chairman, Mr David Davies, MP., Mr E. M. Richards, Mr Phmp Williams, Mayor, Alderman Richard Roberts, Mr Asa J. Evans, Cardigan, Mr Thomas Harris, J.P., Llechryd, Mr J. Griffiths (Gohebydd), the Rev. W. Jones, Cardigan, Mr James Williams, Cardigan, Councillors John Rees and Peter Jones, Aberystwyth, the Revs. John Bowen, Punt- rhydfendigaid, Robert Jones, Talybont, L. Roderick, New- quay, Mr John Jones, Devil's Bridge, Mr William Julian, the Rev. T. J. Morgan, Pengarn, Mr I). J..Jones, Lampeter Mr J. R. Richards, Bioginin, the Revs. J. Williams, P. Jones, T. Williams, Morris, Mr D. J. Davies, Mr A. Breese, Penllwyn, and ladies, the Rev. J. Jones, &c On the appearance of Mr E. M. Richards and Mr David Davies, preceded by the chairman, Mr H. C. Fryer, and followed by a number of the gentlemen whose names we have just recorded, there was round after round of applause. From first to last the speaking was good, and notw.thstand- uig the very natural disappointment at the absence of Mr. Henry Richard and others who were expected to be pre- sent, the meeting and conferences were eminently su ccess- ful, and the action decided upon at the conference will no doubt result in increased political activity, which cannot fail to have an effect on the result of the next election. There was no disorder of any kind, and the arrangements were very satisfactory. Mr E. M. Richards made a good point in referring to the remarks which would in all pro- bability appear in the Conservative papers describing the meeting as small and insignificant, and in other ways of but little importance. The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said they were met there that evening for an especial purpose, as they were probably all aware. That purpose was to present Mr Evan Matthew Richards, the late member for the county, with as addre63 showing the deep sense of the Liberal party in general, and of the Liberals in Cardigan- shire in particular, of what they owed Air Ricnards, who had done so much to further the interests of the party. (Hear, hear). In the first place in 1868 when the Liberals could find no one to come forward to fight tho Liberal battle, Mr Richards came forward and broke the monotony which had long hung over Cardiganshire, which for the ffrst time, in the year named, returned two Liberals-one for the county and one for the boroughs. (Cheers). He had watched Mr Richards's conduct in Parliament during the five vears he had been there, and every time be had recorded his vote on Liberal side, thus redeeming the pledges he had mada before he was sent, and he (the Chairman) did not think there was a person present who would not admit that Mr Richards had deserved well of the county, (cheers). During the time he had been in Parliament he had borne the whole of the expense of the registration for the county -(near, hear)—and perhaps they would remember what course of action he tcok in respect to the eviction fund, a fund to relieve those who were compelled to give up their holdings soon after the election of 18G8. Mr Richards came forward and started a fund amounting to £ 4,000, which was divided amongst those who had been evicted from their farms. That was a large sum to collect and a large sum to distribute, and entailed a great amount of trouble upon Mr Richards; and it was only natural to expect that this would have been favourably remembered, but it was feared many of those persons who owed a debt of gratitude to Mr Richards for what he had dene in 1368 for got it in 1874. (Hear.) The present meeting had been called primarily to present the address to Mr Richards, but they could also make use of it to revive the Liberal party in Cardiganshire. The Parliament that bad just passed away, of which Mr Richards was a member, had passed several great and important measures, one of which was the disestablishment of the Irish Church. In the elections that had recently taken place great stress had been laid upon the point that the Liberals had greatly increased the taxation of the country; but if they took the facts as thev stood it would be found from the actual figures that no less than twenty millions were paid off the national debt, taxa- was reduced twelve and a half millions, the cost of the A bysainian war was paid, and the Alabama indemnity was also paid, and all these things were paid off in addition to the ordinary expenses of the country. (Cheers.) On that account the Liberal party deserved the thanks of everyDne in the country—(cheers)—but, he was sorry to say, some of the measures passed, although most beneficial to the country at large, had touched the pockets and in- terests of some people. He supposed that in a very few years to come a very small proportion of people would b- lieve that England, until the year 1870, had really no national system of education but lie late Government, feeling the necessity of national edtscation for England, had dealt with the question and, although iS was a very difficult one to deal with, bad given thy country a system of education. (Cheers.) He hoped the- present miniatry would not go back—(hear)—but that .'>t1 Education Act would be carried which would bring education to the dorrs of everyone. He hoped education would be made sompjl- sory, as he did not believe it fair to leave It in the.- power of any person not to reap the benefits of education. He also that the expense should be A national buiden. (Hear.) They could well take a lesson from the colony of Victoria. There education was compulsory up to a ce-t-ain age, ar.d the expense was borne by the State. It had been sÙI in England, and in some parts of Wiles, that th-j increaie of thy rates was due from the Education and other Ac-ts. Many people in the late election -veretold that the Liberal party had brought in the Education Act, anc: there was no doubt that many on that account voted against their political convictions. The ed lication utewere higher in some places than they ought to be: and there were some grounds fur thinking they would be relieve J, for the raieable :I. would be spread over a greater number of people, or the expense of national education would be made a national burden. He did not go so far as SirMassey Lopes in say- ing that every sort of property ought to be rated; but did nst think it fair that poor rates should be put upon property, and then be used fur other purposes. There was about twelve millions collected for what waa supposed to be poor rates, and out of that about four millions want to ob'ects with which the poor had nothing whatever to do He wa3 only sorry that Mr Gladstone had not been nut into power with a large majority, for he would hiv.e arr^n^ed local taxation as it was one cf the first things on h^3 programme. (Hear.) They were not present that congratulate one another upon a victory, acr evening because, though they had been beate-, they believed the than woulrl dow aid flow with a greater s:rt:1gtb than e,ver b, (cheers)-and he believed thai when the tinae ca-"e again challenge the feelings of tie electors of LarcL. sLire, they would again be found to be Liberal. (near, hear.) He was sorry that Mr Henry Richard—(cheers)— w a.1 not able to be present that evening He LiCl written a letter to say that he had an engagement in London which prevented him from attending tie meeting. He was bora "in Cardiganshire, and Cardiganshire ought to fesl, did feel, proud of hinj, (Loud cheers.) He was one o* the first who had made himself heard in the rause of peace, and his name would be handed down to posterity 38 one of England's greatest men. (Cheers.) The time had not come when the lion shemd ue down with tiie but it would come, for they cad it upon the highest authority— ^gn the war drurn throbs no longer, And the battle flags are furled In the Parliament of men, The federation of the w«nd. e Ono of the first names tmLa- upon the scroll Ol fame as one who advanced the peace f ta* woilu would W tu,. of 1/t Henry Richard, (.ucud caters ) Ihe Clia.r^a,. again expressed his regret that. MiRichard was not a: to be present, and called upon tee secretary of the Lib-.al Committee (Mr J. W. Thomas; to read the letter rece;vea from Mr Richard and other members of Parliament. "104, ClaphamRoad, London, March 0th, 1874.— Dear Sir,-I am very sorry that, owing to important engagements in London, from which I cannot withdraw, I am not able to attend the meeting at Aberystwyth, over which I under- atand you are to preside. I need not say how deeply I regret the issue of the Cardiganshire election, by which the constituency has lost the service of one who, I can say with all sincerity, was an honour to the county and to Wales. Few have had such opportunities as I d observing the public and Parliamentary course of Mr E. M. Richards, for I have been very intimately associated with him >" many ways during the last five yeais. And I venture to affirm with confidence that in every capacity ar.d reiati' c, V"Ul.u'C Ul :lY"'l."e intercourse with 1113 te^or-- m-oibers, or in addressing the House of Commons, or in on Committees, or m taking part in confersECc3 alll( ^etings outside the House, he has won the respect a- estoer.: of all who have known him as a man of marked i -t:fy of honourable character, and of a most gerer; o-i-ial temper. His absence from the House I V.UTi qT-'erelv as I lose a fa:tbf:;l friend and sair.vdo' and an earnest fellow-worker in all good object-, I w: indl.Ilge in no surul ist-q as to tne cause of our .1. T*. 7RT. pf wice men not t>> maulge in vain lamenta- tionVc^V he PS but to gfa* their loins for vinous ac^on i the future! There r\ J- T.-»A v,N> in vfrv P'ft ot wales, better only a considerable number of loading Liberals in the c ty of Corlijan bad acted with the rnsdnsh devotion to pUni^ ir: S.ts which have distinguished a "f.n'1 "TV', ag ha»e encountered would have been iu;pos;ibic I eai-iSt'y hope they will be prepared to 'io for t.)e,rutt,.v. jf,; di r.so remains to be done in promoting tha political edn 'i': -n of the people. We^nust try to educate not ortlv the but the conscience of our countryUH-B, and te?cb t: e:n to feel that the fianchiie is a trust which thr.y oiv'ltC tc «li £ chai'g'« under a religious sen-e of responsifciafcj'. I hope the friends who Will Psser.ule at Aberystwyth oi will not separate without laying at heart tho fovJ./s.t'ion some plan for^ prom jtlHg the t.u's I h:-ve indi'sV-Vd. —I am, sir, with great respect, Ajra MXXI.1- RICHAM),—ti. C. Frjtr, I The following letters were also received from gentlemen ) who were unable to attend the meeting "2, Stone-buildings, London, W., March 4tt, 1874.- Dear sir,—I »ni much obliged to you fo" your invitation to the meeting to lie held at Abeiystwj th on the 10th instant, for the purpose of presenting soi a 'dress t- your late mem- ber, Un'ortunatelv my professional engagements tn ikn it quite impossibk for me to have London Jut now. I much regret, therefore, my inability to shew my respect for Mr Richards whose loss to the House of Commons, even foi a time. I greatly, both on public and person d grounds, lament. Of course it is not for me to express an opinion on the decision of the Cardiganshire electors, but I cannot help thinking that, before long, the constituency itself will regret the loss of a member who reflected as faithfully a3 any representative could do the opinions of the majority of Welshmen, and who won the respect even of his opponents by his manly and straightforward course cf conduct.— Kindly communicate this note to your commit' ee and be- lieve me, yours truly, CF. OSBOENE MORGAN*.—R. Roberts, Esq." George's-road, Pimlico, London, March 4th, l-^1 Dear sir,—I have to-day received your circular, dated the 2, th Feb. I regret to say that it is not in my power to go to Aberystwyth on the 10th of March, otherwise I should have much liked to have attended your meeting. It is very clear to me that the Liberal party throughout the country has been eut-generalled by the superior complete- ness of the organization on the Tory side. In the Denbigh Boroughs we were nearly beaten by what seemed to me the overpowering physical force and machinery of our opponents-as to the Conservative re-action which we hear so much of, and do not in the least believe in it, and I have seen no real sign whatever of a real change of political opinion in the country-the explanation of our reverses is quite simple to my mind the vast and radical reform of Mr Gladstone alarmed and roused many powerful interests in the country; the mistakes which he made irritated others or made them indifferent, hence the spirited and too powerful organization against us, but as for any general change in political opinion I do not credit it, and we have only to set to work to rouse our party once more into action and to perfect our organization, and we shall reap the re- ward of another great victory for the Liberal party throughout the length and breadth of the land. If at the last moment I find that I can join you I shall be only too glad to do so.—Youts faithfully, WATKIN WILLIAMS. Richard Roberts, Esq." King's Bench Walk Temple, March 4,1874.—Dear sir, -I much regret my inability to attend the conference and public meeting at Aberystwyth on Tuesday next. The result of the election for your county has disappointed me, as well as the great body of North Wales Liberals, and I hope the result of the next election (whenever it may take place) will be the restoration of the county to the Liberal cause. I should have been glad to be present at your meeting. and to have an opportunity of expressing the high opinion I entertain of Mr Richards, and my appreciation of his services and earnest devotion to the Liberal cause.— Believe me, yours faithfully, MORGAN LLoyu.-Richard Roberts, Esq." "London, March 7th, 1874.—Gentlemen,—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your circular of the 27th ult., which reached me this morning. I very much regret that it will be quite out of my power to be present at Aberystwyth on the 10th inst., as I have business on hand which most imperatively detains me in London. I trust that I need hardly add, how most cordially I sympa- thize with the objects of the conference and the meeting that is to be held on that day.-I am, yours truly KEN- SINGTO: -Richard Roberts, Esq." "laesgwynneJ Whitland, S. Wales, March 5, 1874. —My dear sir,—I regret that I have neither a vote or any ,interest in the county of Cardigan. If I had, the Liberal candidate (Mr Richards) would have re- ceived my hearty support. I have a firm conviction that the result of the next election in this county, as well as in Cardiganshire, will be very different. We had here no organization, and did not work—which our opponents did. Wiih every good wish for the Liberal cause, I am, dear air. rour3 faithfully, W. R. H. POWELL —H. Roberts. Esq." m- Brymbo, near Wrexham, March, 3. 1874.—Dear Sir, —I am obliged by your invitation to attend your meet- ings on the 10th, but shall not be able to be present. In common with other Liberals, I was grieved to see the de- feat of Liberal principles-with the Ballot-in your county, as well as in other places in Wales. I do hopb steps will be taken to set this right at the next election; not a day should be lost in forming a Liberal committee in every poll- ing district; such a committee would see the register was at- tended to, and in case of a contest in a few days every voter would be seen and canvassed. Do, my dear Sir, wke effectual steps to wipe away the disgrace of rejecting O man like Mr E. M. Richards.—With great respect, I am, yours truly, W. H. DARBY." I Carnarvonshire District Bank, Portmadoc, 7th March. 1874.-Aly dear Sir,—I am very much obliged for your kind invitation to attend your conference, &c.,on Tuesday next. I should have been very glad to attend but cannot possibly do so as I am already engaged to attend a meeting at Aber- gele, and which was convened about a fortnight ago, I hope you will have a good meeting and that it will be the means of inspiring the Liberal friends in your country to give a closer attention to the registration, &c., as I have no doubt but that you have failed in that respect as well as we have failed in this county. I should also like to impress upon my friends there, as well as here, the importance of educat- ing the people in matters concerning politics while we are not in the heat and turmoil of an election contest. I feel confident that we shall be able to regain this county the next opportunity, and have no doubt but that you will also succeed to do the same. We have had a lesson not to be over confident at the time we should be up and doing our duty.—With best respects, I am, my dear Sir, yours very faithfully, ROBERT ROWLA.ND.-Richard Roberts, Esq." Bryngwenallt, Abergele, 7th March, 1874.-Dear Sir,—I am much obliged to your committee for in- viting me to attend the meeting at Aberystwyth on the 10th instant, but an important engagement will prevent my being present on the occasion. No oce, I am sure, can regret it More f&sm I do, tie defeat of our friend, and your very faithful asci able former representative, Mr E. M. Richards at tie- last Election, and the defeat is not the i less disappointing, because it was unexpected. I sincerely tru^t that oteps wiil be at once taken in your county to perfect the organisation of the Liberal party, so that Mr Richards miy be safely reinstated in his former position at the first opportunity.—I am yours faithfully, JOHN ROBERTS.—J", W. Thomas, Esq." Spring G-ardensr Haverfordwest, March 7th, 1874.— Dear Sir,—It srould afford me great pleasure to attend your meeting on Tuewiay next,.but I am unable. I deeply regret the loss of yjur seat. In 1868, the Liberals of Cardiganshire achiev3d a victory that nothing in this country equalled, looking at the powers they had to con- tend wit, and- let us. hope that by united effort, and proper organization in lie futurer they may retrieve their position. The reaction that we have experienced will tend, I think, to arouse the Nonconformists from their apathy and indifference, and that at the next General Election we shall drop-all minor differences and fight with a determin- ation that will seoure for the Liberals a greater majority in the House than ever. What sad losses the Dissenters have sustained. The people m-abt be taught the secrecy of tho ballot. In thGoovere tontests here and at Pembroke, our first objecb was ta convince them of this, whilst our oppo- nents' objects waathe very reverse, and we suffered severely in. this respect from the outlying voters, which convinced me that it is quite -Ageless to aontest either Carmarthenshire Pembrokeshire, or Cardiganshire, before they are well organized y for in the three counties the power of the landlords is enoamous. In Pembroke contest every land- lord of any importance, and every Tory of influence worked might and main, but we managed, by holding public meetings in every district,when thousands assembled so to explain the ballot as to convince the voters that they were perfectly safe.—Believe me yours truly, W. DAVIES. —Richard Roberts, Es., Chairman of the Liberal Com mittee, Aberystwyth." Mr DAVID DAVIES, M.P., Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen.- Perhap you will permit me to depart from the ordinary rule on this'oceasion,and to go for a little way in a direction contrary to that marked out for this evening's proceedings, in order to thank you for having elected me to the proud position of representing you in Parliament. (Cheers.) I have had no opportunity of ticking you be- fore, except in the dark when I met a great many of you in the streets, and perhaps you were there on that occasion, but if so I did not know you, and I am sure I cannot say whether you were there or not(laughter)-but I thank you elbst heartily for your reception of me, and for having elected me. (Cheers.) Mr Henry Ridhard's suggestion to educate the people was anticipated at the conference this afternoon, and plans were proposed which will accomplish what he desires to see brought about. (Cheers.) My friend, Mr E. M. Richards has been defeated, but he does not look any worse for it, and we have not methere to-night to cry over spilt milk. (Laughter.) It is lolir own fault that we have been beatenj and yet it is not my fault for I worked as hard for him as ever I could. (Cheers.) The fast i3 that after the general election in IS08 the Liberals had so large a majority-one hundred and twenty—that they hardly knew" hat to do with themselves, and gave over working, thinking they were all right.when they were nothing of the kind. As was quite natural the Conserva- tive a took advantage of us and serve us quite right, for they have taught us a lesson which will do us a great deal of good, in fact it has done us good already, and we are be- ginning to look about us. (Laughter and Cheers.) To return to myself: I am now your nnmber—(loud cheers)- and I am proud of it—(renewed cheers)— it is a great honour for any man to represent an intelligent constituency iike that of the United Boroughs of Cardigan, and you in- crea ed that honour in my case by returning me without a coiitts-. (Loud Cheers.) Abou-, a week after I was elected I received a circular which rather astonished me, and I will tell you what it was about. It was sent by a London tailor—(laughter)—and he said that b:; business princi- pally consisted of making clothes for members of Parlia- ment—(laughter)—and that his terms were, so much for cash. (Laughter.) I did not understand why the man should put his terms for cash in the circular unless sop_e of the members of Parliament are in the habit, of not paying their debts, and this tailor is anxious "f ti, -Ve .c^8^ so that if they avail themselves rC.Q^eir».riv^e°es—0Qe of which is, I believe, that they 'ar-'htpi' ^ir bills, he will be ail right. (Loud Pt-1, ■ fan you that tailor's name because I (Cheers ) T ar and ta^e Cilre never to know him. defeat, and if ou^friend^M^ wi-U COlne °ut, °f °Ur (.ird:r'anfehire rjorhflrxQ i'o .u ft'-t iHGiVibor for before long. (Cheers.) ^1 wLvel?ber forsom.cwh«e else the five days before the election, s^oakin^Trlt°in^ Y°] crcd then in Welsh, that I could iSS a aU L TI1 hhx'ct afterwards, and I am glad this r&Xin- wLl u :I.e day when it was first thought to hold it, as I have liau time to recover, and U?re I. am, YOIlr member. (Cheers.) I feel very independent—(laugM'-r)-and I have felt more independent than ever since the iMrty was in a minority, as pit we shall have to do in the House cf t. mcai this Se.sioil £ ? to keep the el-, at Lay. (Cheers.) The Liberal party has been defeated in many | places all over the C"U*try, and one cause of this is owing to Liberals having become, so idle; but another cause is i*ore io our credit, snd ma. be found in the fact that the lata Government did a gn.'at, d-.al for the working people. (Cheers.) The late Government passed a measure winch* affected publicans, but the Lie -using Bill is one for which publicans ought to be grateful, a3 it makes it more dulicult than it used to be for any one to begin busi- ness as a licensed victualler, and everything that tends to make it more difficult to open a new public-house gives the publicans all the trade to themselves, and that issurtly an advantage. The Lte Government also passed an act legalizing trades unions, and a Mines Regulation act, bcth of which were intended to benefit working men. (Cheerd. I Now farmers I am a bit of a hrrnEr invseli'~—are Verv tinnd and they were afraid that trades unions were going to ruin vs, and when the agricultural labourers seemed inclined to throw obstacles in the way of getting in the harvests I, too, began to think that they were going a little too far; but it all came right except that landlord? were frightened, and farmers were frightened, nd the late Government suffered in consequence. (Cheers.) The Conservatives are now in office. and, as you all know, they are b id mana- gers, in fact they cannot manage at all. (Laughter.) In- stead of managing they are going to have a gay session, and having a gay session means that they are going to spend a lot of money. (Cheers.) Well, I always look at England as a great joint stock company, and you know there are two kinds cf joint stock companies; in one kind there is alwaps a lord at the head and several aristocratic men with s'x or seven letters after their names. The other is managed by business men, and if ever you are going to invest money in com- panies always pick those managed by sound business men. (Laughter and cheers.) I liken the present Government to the aristocratic company with a lord at its head, and men with plenty of letters after their names, and the late Government to the company managed by sound commercial men. Tiley both start with equal chances, and at the end of the first year the aristocratic company pays a dividend, the stconi year there is an enquiry into its affairs, and the third year it is wound up. (Cheers.) The other company pays fifteen per cent. the first year, twenty-five per cent. the second year (when the other company is asking for an en- quiry), and the third year thirty per cent., when the com- pany with a lord at its head is being wound up. (Loud cheers.) There is nothing like trusting your business to commercial men, but at the same time we must not be too hard on the lords, because they were born lords, and cannot help being ignorant of business. (Loud laughter.) The Conservatives have been in power "bout a month, and com- mercial prosperity has been receding ever since, as you will plainly see if you will look at the newspapers, and if you will take my advice you will be careful of your money, as you will probably want most of it before you get rid of the Tories. (Cheers and laughter.) Mr Glndstone promised to do away with the Income-tax now we know very little about taxation in these days, for although we have not re- duced the eight hundred millions of debt to any great ex- tent as far as its bulk is concerned, yet on account of our greatly increased wealth we can pay it much more easily, and the 3d. in the pound of income-tax is more of a nuisance than anything else, especially to men in business, who find it inconvenient to show their books when they are making large profits, and it is equally inconvenient to show them when they are losing money. We might feel inclined to put up with the annoyance if the income-tax was bringing in something like twenty millions but as it is only bringing in about five I think the sooner iG is done away with the better.^ (Cheers.) We shall have to make the best we can of the Tories now, but I hope in three years they will be in difficulties so great that they will have to be wound up, and the Liberals will have to come in and put things straight. (Cheers.) When I was elected I thought of sitting next to Mr E. M. Richards but he will not be there as the member for Cardigan- shire at present, and I have not asked him whether he is going to come forward again, but if he does net sit for Cardiganshire, he may get in for some other place, as it may be a good while before there will be an opportunity in this county. As I have just told you trade is a very susceptible thing, and you cannot do better than take care of your money now, as trade is going back rapidly, and hasjbeen going back for a month, ever since the Tories came into power. and commercial men are not now speculating or investing: they are waiting until the Tories have halt ruined the country, and then they will come in and bring it up again. (Laughter.) As soon as the Liberals get in, securities will go up, and then is the time to invest. (Cheers.) I do not know that I can say any- thing that would please Mr Richards, but if I knew of anything, you may be sure I would say it, as he is a gentle- man for whom I have the greatest possible respect. (Loud cheers.) When Mr Richards fir3t came into Cardiganshire J'e asked me my advice, perhaps because I had fought the covmty before, and I told him he must get to know whether the vGoderddan interest would be on his side, and if the Gode:, idan family went with him and he workedj hard, he would d,, it, and not by a very large majority either. I was never very much in favour of the ballot, but Mr Richards was, and ha>- trusted to it, thinking that it would help him, and the peopk,e had not been canvassed as they ought to have been, for there is nothing like getting a distinct promise from a m\ Q- The result of trusting to the ballot is the return of Mv Lloyd, whom I don't know yet, but I hope to shake hands with him when I get to the House of Commons. Before I F,,it down I must again thank you for returning me unopposco, and it is a great pleasure to me to think that the electors vere so unanimous that the other party did not even think of offering opposition, but if I do not please you by my conduct, I shall have opposition next time. You have a University Li Aberystwyth, and at some future day it may have a member ae London University has. Mr Robert Low was, like myself, returned unopposed. (Laughter.) If the Welsh University prospers as I wish it may prosper, it is sure to have a member, and I have no doubt that I shall be that member. (Loud and pro- longed cheers.) Mr J. W. THOMAS, before reading the address, said lie would much rather have been present there that evening Do celebrate the victory of a Liberal candidate than to present an address to a defeated one. They must remember thai the race was not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, and that had been verified by the result of the last b election. JLhe liberals felt themselves so strong that they did not fight as they might have done at the last election. Their action seemed to be very much like what they lead of in the fable of the hare and the tortoise." The hare, making too sure of its victory, slept on the road, while the tortoise kept on a steady course to the end of the race, and when the hare awoke it found that it had lost. The Liberals felt that they were so far ahead of the Conserva- tives as to think that they could go to sleep, and when they awoke out of their sleep it vas to find that they had been beaten. He hoped they would all learn the lessons of de- feat—(hear, hear)—and do all they could to make the Liberal cause in the county strong and powerful. He hoped after the next campaign they would be able to meet in that hall to celebrate the victory of a Liberal candidate. (Cheers). Notwithstanding the severe weather of that and the preceeding day, thep had had a splendid gathering of delegates from all parts of the Principality— men whojhad comedown from the mountain districts through the snow, with a determination to be present that day to do their duty, that which they were always ready to do when wanted. (Cheers). Mr Thomas then read the address, which was as follows :— "To Evan Matthew Richards, Esq., Brooklands, Swansea. "Dear Sir,—On behalf of our respective districts, repre- senting various sections of the Liberal Party in Cardigan- shire, we beg to convey to you the following expression of our sentiments:— Considering ourselves under a lasting debt of gratitude to you for faithful political services rendered to the party in the past, we beg to tender you our sincere thanks for the courageous way in which you came forward in 186& to con- test this county in the Liberal interest (when no other can- didate was forthcoming), and for the manly and resolute manner m which you carried on that severe and protracted contest, as the champion of our cause, with ultimate sue- cess, thereby wresting the representation of our Noncon- formist county from the domination of the Tories, in possession it had remained unchallenged, with one exceptioa for a period of more than forty y&ars. We take this opportunity «f declaring our emphatic protest against any and evczv Parliamentary enactment that exists in any way interfering with or restricting the completest civil rights and religious equality of the people, believing that the old-fashioned Tory doctrine of standing still" is alike mischievous and delusive, and strikingly antagonistic to those progressive ideas which uro best illus- trated by the triumphs of the age in science and legisla- tion. Consistent with these, our cherished convictions, we shall actively and persistently continue to favour every legislative action, as far as the Government of this country is concerned, that has a tendency to reform abuses, redress wrongs, and adjust or repeal all unjust and inequitable laws in t ae Sfcitute Boolc of the realm. "Notwithstanding the recent defeat sustained by our cause, which in our belief was occasioned in a great decree by a too sanguine confidence as to the result, without an effective organization to achieve it, we desire to record our profound and unqualified convictions that the majority of electors in the county of Cardigan remain yet loyal at heart to the great and enduring principles of equitable legislation upon which the Liberal party have governed this country for more than a quarter of a century, and which have raised Great Britain to its acknowledged pre-eminence among the nations of the world, for the large measure of civil, commercial, and religious freedom we possess, and the material prosperity which all sections and classes of the people comparatively enjoy. While deploring the fact that, owing to a fortuitous combination of circumstances, the immediate political con- nection which has existed between yourself and our county is for the present severed, we respectfully pray you t) ac- cept this recorded testimony of our continued ani unabated appreciation of your personal worth, our high estimation of your eminent commercial and political knowledge and attainments (qualifications in themselves so essential in a representative of the people); but more than all, of our admiration for your fearless advocacy of the Liberal cause, and your earnest, faithful devotion, during the time we had the honour of being represented by you in Parliament, to the principles of justice and progress which are the watch- words of the. Liberal Party, and which, though for a time apparently under a cloud, will yet, most assuredly, at no distant day, be sgain in the ascendant ir. tho ccucty of Car- digan as well ns in the country at large. i Si nCfl). H. C. Fryer, David Davies, Richard Robert?, J. W. John Williams, Asa J. Evans, Enoch W. James, John Richard Hichard-, John Evan?, D. J: Jolle,, Thoma" Harris, William Jor.es, Itees Thomas, Lewis Roderick, Wm. Griffiths, Abti Green, Til'was Hughes, John Jones, David Oliver, Evan Jone, Daniel L. Jo ies, David Davies, Jenkhi W. Evans, Jenkin Jenkins." i ie meeting cHvSr;d heartily :t& the oonc.'u.i, • 0? t) e r.:àG!, (jf the aùdrrs. ii The CHAIHMAN then presented the address. He said- Mr Ev tn Matthew Richards,—I have the greatest possible behalf ,f th-- Lib-rals of this county, to pre- sent to you this address, evincing the very great aff c ion in wnioh you are held by ail the Liberals of this county,and the sense which we all feel of the groat and enduring benefits you have bestowed upon tae Liberal cause, not only in this county, but in the country generally. May this address bang upo i your walls as a memorial of our united good feeling towards you, and may you long live to look upon it. The address was then handed to Mr E. M. Richards. Mr E. M. RICHARDS rose to speak amidst deafening ap- plause. He said—Mr Chairman, ladies, and gentlemen,— I qiii sure you can readdy understand that I fall short of evfTrtssion to acknowledge with propriety the kind words that have been spoken by the chairman, anci mors than I flittering words that have been recorded in this address, which I receive with gratitude that I hope will be lasting. (Cheers). It has been my good fortune to stand upon this platform on several occasions, and although I caniot say that 1 am a particularly bashful man, I really hardly know how properly to express my few words of thanks to-night to you for speaking words of comfort to me, and words of encouragement to the Liberal party of the whole county. (Applause). I will, however, im- perfectly try to express how deeply I feel the kindness you have been good enough to exterid to me, and I hope I shall be able to impart to you the confidence I myself feel, that the d"y is not long distant when we shall be able to wipe out this temporary blot from the his-ory of progress. (Cheers ) I have been asked by a great many of my friends, How came this great reverse upon us?" I have ha.d letters expressing various opinions on the matter, and we have, this afternoon, discussed in the room below, how ic was that the Libclals were defeated; and, perhaps, you will allow me to tell you all tlut was there maintained upon this point. (Cheers.) First, let me say, that I be- 1 eve the great and primary cause of defeat was over confi- dence. (Hear.) We felt strong in the principles of Liberalism we felt that Cardiganshire had done more than any other county in England or Wales to give the voter the protection of the Ballot. (Hear, hear.) We knew-or many of us at any rate knew- that it was the evidence given what had taken place in Cardi- ganshire soon after the election of 1863 that made such a great impression upon the committee who sat in the House of Commons and that really nothing was to be done but to give protection in future by the Ballot. (Cheers.) Confident thit Cardiganshire had contributed so much to the past; could we believe that men would have used the Ballot not for protection but for deception ? We were lulled into security by the knowledge that out of the 4,300 voters in the county at least three-fourths of that number are men who profess Nonconformity and who pro- fess Liberalism. It has been urged bv some who have written to me, and by some who have discussed the matter with me, that our organization was bad, and that our defeat was brought about by imperfect organiz tion, whilst on the part of the Conservatives the organization in Cardi- ganshire was, as no doubt it generally is, extremely good. Well, Mr Chairman, if organization and good organization. mears that people shall be taught untruths if or^aiization me-tns that people shall be taught that their votes are to be given in direct oppostion to the principles they profess; if organ- ization means that men are to be taught lies—we must give things in plain English -if organization means that those who canvass shall tell the voter, Mind, in a week we shall know how you have voted ;(cries of Shame ")- if organization means that our canvassers should tell the voter "if you want Richards to go in then put a cross opposite Mr Lloyd's name—(" Shame ")—if or- ganization means that people are to be brought to vote by means of promises of drink and money; if organization means giving a man at Borth 25 for his vote ;—(" Oh, oh !") if organization means that a fishing net sh ill be purchased at Borth for k3 and then left behind ;—(a laugh)—if organ- ization means that people should be told-and told by men calling themselves respectable men—men looked up to be- cause they happen to be in a good position-that the Liberals brought taxes upon the people, when the taxes were created long before the liberals were in power and if organiza- tion means altogether subverting truth and obtaining power by surreptitious means, then I don't hesitate to say that our organization has been incomplete. (Cheers.) Let me tell you that I have done nothing, since I came here in 18C8, to bring bring discredit upon the town that gave me birth -(cheers)-or the town that has shown so much kmdness as I see expressed in the address. (Cheers.) When I last stood on this platform it was professing the same political principles as I professed in 1868. At the present time I am grateful for the kind reference made in the address to the manner in which I came among you, and for the kind ex- pression of satisfaction with which my Parliamentary career has been witnessed by you. Let me again say that the principles I professed in 1868 I professed in 1874, and I have boldness and confidence enough to say that I carried them out in their entirety. (Cheers.) I made no man drunk. I made no promises of bribery. I came in 1868 as the free representative of a free people. I told you that if I was returned to Parliament I must be sent there without men being bribed to give me their votes, that I must be sent there by men in their sober senses, that I must be sent there without the necessity of making men wallow in drink, and who gave their votes just because they had received drink at the hands of those who wanted their votes. (Hear.) Those principles were followed out by me in 1874, and I can now appeal to the whole of Cardiganshire, and ask the electors to bear me out when I say that the votes recorded in 1874 were given upon the same principles and upon the same platform as they were given in 1868, and I think I failed to some extent because I would not follow the practices that were followed by the other side. (Cheers.) How could I have done otherwise than I have done, to obtain the support of a people professing etrong religions convictions. (Hear.) How could I follow the devices of the opposite side? How could I look in the face of men who from Sunday to Sun- day worshipped in their churches and chapels, and pro* fessed religions convictions, if I carrrkd out principles-i'lat have secured the late victory ? That is the £ *>-calied want of organization. I do maintain that want of organization in the ordinary acceptation of the word; has hal very little to do with the recent defeat. I do not mean to say that our organization- has been what it ouz)-h to be. but allow 1me to- say that there are 4,300 nauies oa the register. At least 300 are composed of duplicate names—men whose names appear in. four or five different places, men in foreign rts and at sea, and a certain mitnber of names of men who ars dead. I dora't think I ana far wrong in estimating that there would, ba about 4,000 men to be repre- sented in the receat contest, out of which about 3,600, iÐ round numbers, voted-that means that nine out of every ten recorded their votes. The men came to the poll, and if they had voted our friends coniijeully expected they would have voted—knowing their, axtese. dents and basing their calculations upon the result of 1868—we should have had a fais- majority; fJltlt there is no doabt over confidence prevented the Liberal party from canvassing or learning, from each voter how he was going to vote, and obtaining a, pledge from him that he would vote in a particular way. We felt that, the billot had done away with-the necessity for tbaat. kut!ar, hear.) Wo were told by the men themselves, with a sort of wink, Don't canvass rae • it's all right ;v and we relied too mucfl upon that indefinite ¡ sort of feeling, and the, coaseqlience was that the men had not acted, to a considerable extent, as the Liberalo- ex- pected they would There was also a feeling that I was safe, and so some of the electors voted for the ither side to please their landlords; biii beyond all that no,orga- nization on our part cwikl prevent the appointments af the Sheriff. No organization of ours cculd have prevent K1 the Sheriff of the county appointing one of the strongest partisans as a returning officer in a district where h2 was a local agent, and where every man who polled his vote knew he was doing so in the presence of that local agent. ("Shame.") No organization, on our part could have pre- vented the ballot boxes being aken and de-posited a whole night in the private house of the presiding, cfiiee to whom I have referred, nor other ballot boxes being deposited in a Conservative committee room at Aberayron, (Hear, hear.) Now, I am not making any charge that these boxes were tampered with, but I do emphatically say that as long as oak and ash grow the belief will not be taken away from many people in Cardiganshire that I was not fairly beaisn I say that from Aberayron down to the Tify and feom there to Pencader the belief is strong and unalterable that I have never been beaten by fair play. It might be asked, probably, Why don't you petition ? Thojre are two sides to that. There may ha reasons even with right upon one's side it is not a pleasant thing—perhaps not a wise thing-to petition; and I think we have taken the wisest course in maintain ing- our own principles, and taking I care in the future, as far as possible, to prevent a recur- rence of what has been alleged. (Cheers.) The address so kindly presented to me refers to a great many roatters, and the framers have been good enough to express kindly senti- ments to me for the way in which I have maintained Liberal principles. Let me say that I have endeavoured in every respect to do my duty—(cheers)—to a, constituency who had taken me upon faith and had behaved so nobly t3 me. If I had consulted personal feelings I should never have come forward to contest the seat at the last election, as I really felt physically unable to bsae the fatigue. It was the strong representation of friends that in not coming for- ward I should be deserting the party to which I felt proud to belong, that constituted my greatest inducement to con. sent. (Hear.) I can, therefore, look with feelings of greater satisfaction at my late defeat than many can who worked hard for a whole fortnight in helping me. I know III, men in Cardiganshire whose hearts beat favourably towards Liberalism feel the defeat more than I do and it was «on- sideration for the party, and the party only, that induced me to do my duty a month ago. (Clieers.) I have never in some fifty years' experience of life, felt greater satisfac- tion than with the course I adopted on that occasion. (Hear,) I have felt the inward satisfaction that I have tried to do my duty, and, consequently, failure has brought no disgrace upon me. (Cries (of "No, no.) It has brought dis- grace upon those people who deserted their colours aud for- feited their principle. (Hear, hear.) Tothoaewhotriedto do their duty it was nothing but a regret-(h,ar) but it is a matter for lasting regret that those from whom we expected so much have been found faithless to the prin- ciples which they professed. (Cheers.) I feel to-night that I cannot sufficiently express to you tha obligations that I am under, not only for the kind things said now, but for the united kindnesses I have received at ynur hands. I feel also that out of evil must come good. The over-con- fidence to which I have referred will, no doubt, indues the Liberal party of this county to gird up their loins afresh, and take care that the causes of defeat in the P 1st shall not occur again. (Cheers.) If we are to exist as a Liberal party in this county we must exist as a real party, (Chevrs.) Those who were afraH to avow their principles must be told that those who are not for us are against us- we must not be put off with the remark, ÐOY, t call upon me; I am all right, you know." We_must know our friends and our enemies. Men who protossealy take the lead as Liberals—men in churches and chapels—should be mal" ta say ono way or the other; are they'for US or against us? It is better to have 1,000 good wea and true tkan j 2,000 out of which 400 would desert in the day of battle ( heers.) I wiii v^-mure t» sty that th^ Liberal partv ought at. once -o rake me isures by which those men iu o.ir camp who profess to be of us should be ;uade t> identify themselves with u> or made to go against us. ( Api-1-une ) If we go on oa that priucipie I am sure of the rcbulr. gress does not depend upon the success ot a .y particular election. Progress means ttiat every man shall do all he can honestly and consistently t • advance the cause of right, and if the men of Cardiganshire have been false in the past, out of evil will come good if each Liberal will from this day, take care that so far as in him lies men shall be made to tpeak the truth and act the truth. (Cheers ) We h ivy no right to say that, every Dissenter must be a Rascal. I. for one, would scout such an id'a, but I do clunk it fair and right to expect that the Noiicon- formistsof to-day who hive benefitted by the principles of those Liberals who have gone before them—and fought the battle of Nonconformity, should, all things being equal, be true and faithful to the Liberal party. (Cheers.) To my mind it is almo-t incomprehensible that any man can say conscientiuusly that he has done his doty, when, hav- ing an opportunity of voting for one of the Liberal party, he turned round and voted in favour of those who in every condition of life, and in every act passed in reference to civil and religious liberty, have tied the tie of bondage around us. How can any Nonconformist, consistently with his conscience, vote in that way ? I say it is to my mind incomprehensible. It may to some men be possible; but let us know who these men are, and let them be valued at what they are worth. I hope I am not taking undue liberty as a defeated candidate, in putting this matter be- fore the Liberals of Cardiganshire. I believe, as my respected friend, Mr Henry Richard, says, that our neigh- bouts want teaching in this respect, and let it be our duty, and I would say our pleasure, to instruct these men in what is right, and how to do that right-(. pi,lause)-and then tue election of 1874 will bring about a result such as I have indicated, and instead of regretting the past we shall have to rejoice* (Cheers.) I aai unwilling to sit down without endeavouring to say how much I feel indebted to our Chairman, (Applause.) My friend, Mr Davies, has told you shortly the advice he gave me in 1858. He told me. as you know. that I was to get the co- operation of the Gogerddan famiiy before I mule a venture upon Cardiganshire. (Cheers ) I can only say that I have had great kindness shown to me by that family, and more than kin i- ness has been extended to me by Lady Prys (Cheers ) Differ- ing, as I know she does from my political views, I have, notwith- standing, received at ill timos a hearty reception, and marks of kindness and good will which T s iill never forget. (Cheers.) A I this could be said of the Chairman. \t all times he has Leen always ready to forward the Liberal cause; he has done what he could in thii registration cour s he his done what be could by his presence at public meetings, to give courage to those by whom he was looked up to; and to m i personally he has been a warm hearted friend, a wise counsollor, at all times, and one that was ready and willing to bel. me in any way I indicated. Cheers.) I know my friend, Mr Fryer, will not think the com- pliment less to him when I say that I value the reception by Mrs Fryer still greater. (Cheers.) Recently I have been in- dispos- d for about a week, and the kindness I received from Mrs Fryer at that time was more than I could have expe ted. (Hear.) The Liberal party of Cardiganshire are in a deep debt of gratitude to Mrs Fryer for her exertions.- (applause)—and I believe that no me in this county will feel the recent defeat, more than the good lady at Lodge Park. (Cheers.) It may be that my connection with Cardiganshire has terminated-(Cries of "No, lIo,")-bnt whether that be so or n jt, I assure you I shall always look back with profound gratitude to you for your united kinaness to me, and the satisfaction that I feel to- night at having your goodwill expressed in such a marked manner. It will never be effaced from my memory. What Mr Frver has indicated will be adopted by me, and the address will be hung upon my wxl;s as one of the brightest trophies I can ever place be'ore my children. (Ch :ers). I came here with very humble pretensiouw, and those preten- sions were certainly not put before you in anything but plain ordinary expressions. I received from the press generally ample and due justice; but I should not be at all surprised—seeing what I do to-night—to see to-morrow an account of a very small meeting at Aberystwyth, with a few boys and voung girls there- (laughter)-with a very very modest attendance—a half-hearted meeting; that the people evidently wished to go right, but that wa failed to go right. (Laughter.) But in justice to the press, I say that I look to the other side, and I know that this grand meeting, this magnificent attendance to-nisdit, will be fairly and properly recorded. (Cheers) In taking leave of you, let me say that I do so with a conviction in my mind that if ever our desires be mutual, and we are agiin brought together to fight the battle of an election or in any other fight, we shall meet as old friends —(cheers)—and that the humble man from Swansea will be re- ceived—whether it he in 1875, 1876 or in lE-77 -as warmly and as heartily as you welcomed me in 1868. (Loud and prolonged applause.) Mr ASA J. EVANS, Cardigan, then addressed the meeting in Welsh "GOHEBYDD" was then called, and was received by the audience with much cheering. He said thar, the meeting before him was a very different thing indeed from the picture he had drawn in his mind in coming here on Monday. He himself, though zealous for the conference part of it, could not at all see the advisability of noldiug a public meeting, and he feared that he was only coming down to what tn?y termed a wylnos, and that he should ni,e, with a few score of friends to present the proposed "adli-ess," pulling long faces at the state of affairs in the county, and when he saw the fall of snow in the morning he almost wished in his mind that the Temperance Hall might be covered before night, so as to put an end to the idea of a public meeting. However, the cheerful faces of the large audience he saw before him, and more especially the resolute and deter- mined tone of the influential conference of delegates in the afternoon, had convinced him that the Liberal interest in the county of Cardigan was neither dead, nor going to give way to despondency. (Cheers.) And though he regretted, with th m- selves, that they were now severing the connection, for a time at any rate, between Mr Richards and Cardiganshire, still he felt that neither Sir Richards himself, nor any one of those who had helped to send him to Parliament, need be ashamed to show their faces before an Aberystwyth audience to take a glanca at the history of the 1 rocedings ot Parliament during the time that Mr Richards had been their representative. The late Par- liament was a memorable Parliament. He saw araund him learned Professors of their University for Wales. He ventured confidently to appeal to them as historians to point out any Par- liament in the annals of the history of England which had such a record of great and important and comprehensive measures as the Parliament of which Mr Richards had the honour of bein<* a member. It would be a great source of gratification here- aiter to Mr Richards to look hack over the long list of measures he had helped through Parliament. It would be a source of pride and gratification to his descendants to think that they hacJ a father or a grandfather in Parliament when the great Act establishing Religi usEquatity in Ireland was passed, the Act securing justice to Tenants in> Ireland, the Education Act, the opening of tte National Universities the Abol tion of Par- ehage in the Army—measures which marked anew era in the history of our country—were passed. Smoking again at the tinansial achievements of the late Government, it was reallv wonderful what had been accomplished. The I.i;,pr»l ment had now transferred the country into the hands of the Conservatives in a state of prosperity unparalleled in the history of the nation any., turning to Afr Davies,. Gohebydd said that he hcped he would keep a sharp loolt upon them. (Loud laughter.) Philosophising on the cause of" the turn in the tide of ahairs, the question was oftenasked, notwithstanding these wont'.erful achievements of Mr Gladstone and the party, and in spite of the benefits conferred by their measuires upon the na- tion, how had they become so vsry unpopular at the late elec- tions ( He believed that this puzeling problem was satisfac- torily solved in a oon'l'erslLtionnhe had at the time of the late Schoel Board elect; in London a, week or two before Christ- mas with an old friend of his who kept a milk-shop. Happening to turn in, the evening of the f lectson,,ifc3ame out in a conversa- tion that his friend, who used to be a jtaunch Liberal, an this occasion had voted: for the Tordos. "When questioned on the cause of this ch oice of politics, it turned out it wig the Adul- teraAionAet. "I will have no more to 10 with th& Liberal, I hate the very name of Gladstone. KyeryrJody knew. that wamixetl a litt1 water with the milk—(loud laughter)—and nobody grudged V; 1 ut now this Liberals (Government of yours has come in and interfdred between me and my customers, and I shallinsver again vote for any one of thi8 whole lot." (Lond laugh- ter.). This friend TKIS only a type of many classes of the com- munity. Though the Adulteratioc.Aftt was a gseat benefit to London at large, stfilat the time it was a canse of worry to the milk dealers, and made an enemy of them, at least for a time. The Irish Church Act frightened tie clergy almost all to tho Tory Tsamp many who were w., former elections Liberals now voting for the Conservatives, Tb.9 Land Act frightened the landowners; the Abolition of Purchase system alienated all connected with the army the Education Act-an Act which although not perfect would be of great advan- tagoto the country caused %round3ess foars to many ratepayers abc-ve all the powerful army of the great Beer interest swore vengeance upen the Liberal iroverument |on account of the licensing Act. .Taking all these things into consideration, he was not at all surprised at the, result of the general election. There was anoaher reason. When the country was in a flourishing condition John Bull quickly became a T, ry, ease and plenty had a most degenerating effect on his political principles. Mr Davies, who,e business foresight no one could doubt, had told them that this country had reached the climax of its prosper.ty when the Tory Government came in. He {Gohebydd) hoped not. But he waa struck by finding the very same view put lort" in the 1,s.>1omb6r of the Saturday JiemGW. What tho future would bring forth we did not know, but we now had an able and powerful Tory Ministry, with a stroag majority at its b^ck whilst, on the other hand, the Liberal party was without a leader' without a programme, and without any definite policy rn i] V words of' the Saturday Review, Xoihicg to fl»ht for nnt h;„ propose." This was plainly their present position s a m Dalt\ of Birmingham, in a review ot the situation » m i1 following sagacious remark :When a Liberal" Mi'nwi1 power, it is the almost inevitable tendency of l ls in form to advocate, to worry the Cwvernment e?ls-a re" convert the nation. The' political edncauAn nf t' 0l ylnf? carried ou most rapidly whoa tho T n coun.try Their duty ™ therefore fct-iT '7PPf'f- ff mill inn xhi.X?\ W -v ,Wltcout consulting you and me ■:> l^er') We, toe Nonconformist wing of the party, have several grievances to redress. I left Aberystwyth tho last time I was here to attend the Rev. Professor Parry's funeral. That funeral was attended by at loast 150 mini-ters, and amongst them some of the leading men of the denomination of which Dr Parry was a member. Yet, notwithstanding all this, his body could not be placed in the grave without first calling in the aid ot a minister of a denomination with whose formularies Dr Parry had no sympathy, and with whose state connection he was so much at variance that his whole life had been an emphatic protest against it. The removal of this disability he (Gohebydd) thought, ought at any rate to be one feature of the next Liberal programme. (Loud and continued applause.) Mr J. W. THOMAS announced that since the commencement of of the meeting he had received a te»egram from Newcastle- Emlyn, where a meeting of Nonconfornrat delegates had boen held. At that meeting the following ie»olUuion had been unani- mously passed 'Ttiat f ?lAlnental principles as Nonconformists ire of ne y^ -«d fco play :i prominent part iu the a.-ena of our^ vve feel gritv.-d and deeplymourn the elasticity csome few friends, of whom there are strong suspic ons tn.it at the lasi eleciion con- test they have failed theirprinciples but more espe- cially would we c1 v o vi ^duccd ard betrayed IrpriVVej will be JM.Ill,J xiSSSagXJJ "w'e°'l» wl i°,,f oi> HI e hoti -rvH,- ,a')l'1'uval of the Parliamentary i?-' hards and sP-'c<>r*?v 1 ;c!l resPected niembei\E. M. he will again contest this coum ti'T\ °p ,ri 11 a'ty tint nnt m i county and that arrangements will foul play can possibly he InfeS » for the suspicion of any fOld 1'1!lY can pos:'11ly he e rit(lr*tiil,-(I,, se con do?/,5 a'vo t e* of ^tliank't'^ 1 h e 6r h Y ° R Wi5I!amS) ThpriuiDMiVT maniv:, to the Chairman. proud to%PP }U acltUowted £ iu £ tile compliment, sakl he waa Stoma ttot t™ fe *"T V« j. f" were present, and it was a very good thing that they wis ij, could see how uninimous the Liberal party ho it. tV .He felt a little indignation that Liberal C irdigan <i lrned traitor to t'ie Liberal came, and allowed herself to t,e I ;it t]-la chariot wheels of J e-actirm and Tor ism, and no hoped the Liberals would unite r till more to strengthen thi Liberal cause, s as to ensnra its triumph in the future. (Cheers.) Mr RICHARDS said he had the permission of the Chairman to say a few words he ha 1 forgotten in his previous address. He did not think he should b) doing justice to Cardiganshire if lie a.lh-wed ihe present opportunity to pass by without acknow- Jodgiagj not uttly the kind:n:?s 4ii had received irolp hjs }!i)[lt.Ç¡\\ j friends, bit the kind way in which he had been received by his olmc ti opponent#. He vtis i oiind W w'M V'on tut- C0:'s;°:1;l he had been broucht into contact with Umservativog.i.tiuiiien in Cardiganshire tlu-v had treated him with in,irked civdity, and ha coal 1 aim.-st s .v'with kindness. Considering the way he had come i.-t.» the c unty ihe Conservatives naturally hiving strung fteliugs in tiieir breasts about a manufacturer from Glamorganshire c on n? to take the aristocratic county of Cardigan by storm-the ki.idness of behavIOur ani ooll feeli ig mauifested toward; him spoke well for the natives g :ertity, aud for the Conserva ivo gentle- men of the county. (Cheers ) The meeting th«n ter.nimted. «9 eo:ife e!?cri' on lay afternoon. Mr David A«OCKHJ. Vpri°/alsed ~10J tr,'v'lr<ls the funds of the Liberal also s.;V.0V°r,the c"nnty which is about to be formed, and ha of the I ihorT would oaiitri-jute £ 500 towards the exi?ense3 vacancy. c 'n'Jjll 'te who fought the county at the next

9POD TEMPLARISM ^Ti P0(*JIEL^3-—4-b«'ut two months ago a lodg=- w insti- tuted in tfcis place and the rapid progress it has made, con- sidering the numerous enemies it hits to encounter, is re- markable. The lodge now numbers uowards of eighty members, and only one has violated the pledge CONVENTION AT BALA. On Tuesday, March 3rd, the third half-yeaily convtn- tion of the members of the Independent Urlltr "f Good Templars was held at the Congregational cbapel, Bah1. The delegates from the various lodges in the county ar.d members of the Order assembled at one o'clock, p.m. Brother E. Jonathan, D.D., of Four Crosses, Festiniog, presided, and the following members officiatedW.C.T, Brother Ei Jonathan, P.W.C.T., Brother E. Rowlands, W.V.T., Brother John Jones, W.C., Brother Rev. D. Jones, W.T., Brother John Jones, W.S., Brother VV. GriT5th< W M pother J. T. Jones, W.A.S., Brother D. T.' Lewt! W.RH.S.. Sister M. liowlauds, W.L.H.S., Sister K. Roberts, W.I.G., Brothers D. G. Evans and R. Powell, TH' ers. Jones and J. Vaughan, e Convention having been formally opened, the cona- oncredenuals reported that the following delegates represented their lodges — on Diphwys Lodge, Brothers E. Jonathan, J. Cadwaladr, er P R lodge' Bothers C. F. Thruston, Esq. J P. lodge, Brothers J. Hughes, and J. Rowlands; Khiwbrvfdir lodge, Brothers Edward Owen, D. G. Jones, Mathew Rowlands and John Williams • Glanau'r iryweryn, Brothers Rev. E. Peters, J. Jones, E. Pugh, and Richard Jones; Mawddach lodge, Brother Juhn Jones Bala lodge, Brothers G. Jones and D. T. Lewis Festin;og lodge, Brothers John Evans and John Williams Gwerfyl Ddue' I5rother John Watkina; Corris lodge, Sister Katff Roberts and Brother Humphrey Davies; Derfel lodge« Brothers Rev. R. Edwards, W. T. Owen, and R. D. Ed- wards Llys Bradwen, Brother Howell M. Jones SaleD2 lodge, Brothers T. Morris and J. Williams; Uasteil y Brothers T. K. Rogers and George E. Jones • Glan* yrafon lodge, Brother T. VVilliams; Wnion lodge, Brothers O. Rees and W. Griffiths Egryn lodge, Sister M. Rowlands and Brother E. Rowlands; Meurig lodge, Brother D. levies; Barlwyd lodge, Brothers Rev. S. Owen and J. H. Jones Artro lodge, Brother Hugh Evans; Lily lodge, Bro',1 a; John Jones; Manod lodge, Brothers E. R. Jones and S. Griffith. The D:striet Deputy, Brother E. Jonathan, reported npofl tht. state of Good Teiaplary in the county. The members numbered 5,000 and there were 58 lodges. He ente; e I into the details of the history of the lodges which h,d s -nt ils their returns, and said that notwithstanding a reduction iø the number of members in some of the lodges the increase in the others made up for more than the deficiency. At the same time he impressed upon the delegates the iumoitancfl of each lodge increasing in zeal and faithfulness and though they had lost some whojiad not counted the cost or the sac- rifices they had to make and temptations to withstand, and some weak brethren, still the good work is progressing favourably, and the statistics were encouraging and interest- ing. The report was most attentively listened to, and the speaker often cheered. After the subjects left to stand over at the last Conven- tion had been considered, tho-ie referred to this CoLventiOI2 by the different lodges were taken. It was resolved That each lodge send a petition to Parliament in favour of the permissive Bill." It was resolved "That this Convention submit to the Grand Lodge the importance of sending deputations to ad- vocate the cause of Good Templary throughout Wa'es." Brother E. Jonathan said that as he was lea 7iug the county he was obliged to resign the office of District Deputy and he wished the Convention to appoint a brothel to succeed him. Brother Rev. D. Jones, Llanbedr, was unanimously elected as District Deputy for Merioneth. A unanimous vote Of thanks was passed to Brother Jonathan for his va'uable services in the cause of Go"d Templary as District U. puty* It was unanimously resolved That a District Lodge b6 instituted for this county." At this stage Brother J. Bowen, G. W.C.T. for Wale, came in (though travelling all day from Merthyr he wa3 delayed till this meeting was nearly over), and the D.P. gave up his seat to him. The following officers for the District Lodge were elected; —D.W.C.T., Rev. D. Jones, Llanbedr, J). \V. V.T.« Brother Thomas Jones, Blaenaa Festiniog, D.U., Rev. S* Owen, D.T., Brother Evan Rowlands, D.S., Brother W. Griffiths, D.A.S., Brother D. T. Lewis, D.M., Brothe* Joseph T. Jones, D.D.M., Brother D. Jones, Tyheø, D.R.H.S., Sister Margaret Rowlands, D.L.H.S., Roberts. In the evening at six p.m., a crowded public meeting w held in the Congregational chapel, presided over by Mr J- Bowen, G. W. C.T., and stirring and eloquent addresses wers delivered by the Chairman, Brothers E. Jonathan, S. Owellt E. Rowlands, Thomas Jon. s, and the Rev. R. Thomas (late of Bangor.) The Juvenile Templars marched throu-h tW streets to the chapel, and sang some of their tunes'in meeting and the Bala Choral Union, conducted by Mr B* xiowlands, Board School, also sang several pieces. The meeting tt-rminated with a vote of thanks to the choir anJ the chairman. Mr George Roberts, grocer, prepared dinner and tea fot the delegates in a most satisfactory manner.

FATAL ACCIDENT. On Monday, March 2nd, a shocking accident happen^ at the old mine works, Llaugjaog, to a man named Thom9* Timethy, miner, Ochr, Llanafon. About half past two i" the afternoon the deceased was going down the incline to his work. The men at the wheel at the top told him tha* the waggon was gone out of its course, and he wa? in tb0 act of pushing it with bis right shoulder to its proper route* when it is supposed that he overbalanced himself and l°s his hold and fell to the bottom of the pit, a depth of of wards of twenty yard?. A man named John Bio wer s him fall, went down as quickly as he could, and found hIøJ on his right side, the blood flowing fast from his ears, and deep wound at the top of his head. The miners brought him up as soon as possible to the surface but the poor wat1 was dead before he reached it. They cokveyed him to tb0 office until a medical man was in attendance, who n51 T^r,rG bod7 to his home the same evening- TT -3 1? y' ^arc^ 5, AN inquest was held before R. Harrison, Esq coroner, and a jury of whom Mr 3obV ^0S' L.Ianaf°n> was foreman. The chief witness was John Blower, who gave clear evi- dence. Captain Hill was present. The jury, after a shor1 conference, returned a verdict of Accidental Death." The coroner thanked Captain Hill for his presence, the jury for their attendanc • on the occasion. The deceased was fifty-two leari of age, and has left a widow.

THE INDIAN FAMINE. A telegram from our (Daily News) Special Commission*1, in India states that in North Eastern Tirhoot there is nO be,8™ "ft s by iheth"31""1™ has b"™ lh°"° A. tel,egram from the Yiceroy Inaia tù; ff4tlline III Bengal state,, that the Commissioner of rl1;tI1 aiaphs from Durbhuuga that he is not now appr-hensi^' the relief works have staved off the danger. The Viceroy states that the staff of Europeans for the relief work3 been increased. All the requests for the Bengal Gcver11* ment for men have been promptly and fully complied "and nothing," ho adds, "shall stand in the way of &ee*' ing the wants of the famiue districts We [Daily News) publish this (Tuesday) morning lette^ from our special commissioner ln India remectin- the in Benga\ Our correspondent speaks in hMi "er^ of the heaVquaA^f of Td the ^oritiesV Bankipor* most urgent. The Comn returned from a toUr of !^er- °A,Pat?.a' ?ho back a verv H-sp.-Cuion in those districts. broU„ u no doubt-thai r ac.c°uat of their condition. There from want of 'l'Vt'ra^ deaths had actually occur* v food- 11 w».3 regarded to some <-xtent l in^ication that high caste women were a low casts labourers since the great fear had been tb3 tney would rather starve than do anything to infringe Caste. Of the machinery organized and being organized f" the conveyance of food "into the interior from the r:ulW^' our commissioner gives full particulars. Calcutta, March 10th. —A few deaths are stated to hav0i occurred at Durbbangu-, North Tirhoot, before the :irriv?. of the Government grain. Storage for the "rain alrt*"? at hand is being provided by Sir Geo-co Campbell. other districts where the famine prevails favourable rev°T* are received as to the relief afforded, and no deaths &aV oc2urred. A telegram f:o n Calcutta (Wednesday), states that t# repoiti from the dist;e»sed districts are more encouiag1^ except in Northern Tirhoot and a portion of Fair.gP0*; The spring crop is expected to be rather below an and in some places only half an average. °

TIDE TABLE FOR ABERYSTWYTH, I ABERDJVEANDBARMOUrH. I March. Aberystwyth. Aberdovey. j Baraioti^^j aTmp. m. a. m. p. m" p. Fri. 13 1 51 2 37 2 20 3 6 "j 2# Sat. 11 •'? 31 4 2-3 4 0 4 50 3 40 Sun. 1"> 5 6 5 2d 5 3.) 5 •' Mon. 10 5 40 6S> 6 9 G ;J8 5 40 Tues. 17 0 3o 0 o9 j ( 4 7 oa 44 '1 Wed. IS 7 22 7 42 7 51 S T1 7 31 i Thur. 19 8 2 S 22 8 31 8 51 8 11 1 Printed by R. H. VENABI.ES- and v 1 vwoori^fi) at the dweHing-house of TATAB for their P, tho county of Merioneth ?0NES!, -Egh-stre.>t, »'.>> Abervatwvth J of JoH>l GIB;ON, 3, Que^^v ccZXot^ldig^'f nd of D"VID •1 J>4 l £ 1° consjy CarnaiTor. ■fVicfoy, 31 arch l&h, 1874. I