Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

10 articles on this Page

LIBERAL MEETING AT LLANVETHERINE."'…

News
Cite
Share

LIBERAL MEETING AT LLAN- VETHERINE. REFUSAL TO SUPPORT TORY CANDIDATES. On Monday evening a Liberal meeting was held at the King's Arms' Inn, Llanvetherine, a parish near Abergavenny which is almost exclusively owned by Mr Crawshay Bailey, the champion of the Tory cause in the county of Monmouth. Not- withstanding that Mr Bailey's agent and two or three solicitors from the town had attended to watch the proceedings, and see what Mr Bailey's tenants would do, there was a large and enthusias- tic meeting. Mr Conway presided, the speakers being Mr Asquith, Mr G. S. Warmington (brother of one of the Liberal candidates) and others. Mr Grant Duff, jun. (son of Mr Grant Duff, M.P., was also present. The CHAIRMAN, in introducing the speakers, remarked that the intense loss and suffering which the farmers had had to bear owing to bad harvests and bad weather had been greatly in- tensfied by bad government. (Applause.) They had, owing to bad seasons, become more and more unable to bear the heavy weight of taxation, whilst the Government had managed to make that weight of taxation more heavy--decreaaing their power to bear those taxes and increasing the weight of them. (Loud applause.) It was the intention of the Liberal Government, if returned to office, to pass such measures as would afford relief in that respect. (Applause.) Mr ASQUITH then addressed the meeting. He first dealt with the aspersions which the Conserva- tive party triad to cast on the Liberal candidates for the connty. That was the only fault they could find v. ith them. He was told that one of the Conservative candidates for the county, at a place not far from the place of meeting, the other day said to a gathering of electors. We are old friends; you know me and I know you, and there- fore it is not necessary for us to do as our oppo- nents do—rgo about and make long speeches." (Laughter.) But it was possible to know too much of a man—(loud laughter)—but to his (the speaker's} mind that in an important constituency like Monmouthshire, and in a great and important national crisis like this, it was not sufficient for the candidates to content themselves with simply saying, You know me, and I know you, and I won't give you any further reasons for supporting me; we are good neighbours banded together, and that is the sum and substance of the matter." (Laughter and applause.) The two Liberal can- didates took a different view of the matter. They took it that in asking the electors of such a large constituency for their suffrages in sending them to Parliament, it may be for years, to watch their interests and speak in their name, the candidates and their constituency could not be too often brought together during the election, so as to give the electors an exposition of their policy. (Loud applause.) If Mr Brodrick was a stranger to some of them in Monmouthshire he was not a stranger,or at anylrate his name was'not strange, in the great political circles of this coun- try. They had heard a great deal of the county families "-well, the hon. Mr Brodrick was a member of a great county family, and whose in- terests were connected almost entirely with the lan<j,-and thus in this respect he bad those interests at heÎ!i which an agricultural constituency would expect to find in their representative in Parliament. (J^pvid cheers.) At this opportunity, which might notf recur again for years, it waa for them to say whether or not they were satisfied with the manner in which the Government of this country had been carried for the past six years, and whether they would renew the lease of power to its present occupiers. (Cries of "No, no.") Proceeding, the speaker asked what had they, the Conservative Government. done for the farmer ? They had done nothing only increase his burden of taxation, though when they were in opposition, and at the election of 1874, they promised a good deal, including the abolition of the malt tax. which they had not done. The speaker then referred to the present system of county government being entirely in the hands of the magistrates, and the rate- payers had no representatives such as at the Quarter Sessions. This the Liberal Govern- ment would, if returned, immediately alter. (Ap- plause.) The foreign policy of the Government was next s dealt with, the speaker contending that that policy had fmade itself felt injuriously, not only in agricultural pursuits, but throughout the whole range of the industry of the land. Re. verting to the policy of the Liberal party, If re- turned, he said they promised to extend the fran- chise to the counties, to provide security of tenure, and compensation for unexhausted improvements to the land. (Loud applause.) Mr G. S. WAHMINGTON next addressed the meeting. He Baid the result of the canvass throughout the county had been very satisfactory to the Liberal interest, and reports shewed that this was so throughout the kingdom. (Applause.) He reminded those present that after 40 years of Tory representation the electors of the county had an opportunity to be represented by two Liberal gentlemen, and he trusted that they would show their example to the other counties by returning Mr Brodrick and Mr Warmington. The election for this county was fixed for an early day—Satur- day-and the eyes of many would be directed to it, so if they returned the Liberal candidates, it would be a considerable influence upon the elec- tions all over the country. (Applause.) The CHAIRMAN That's the proper thing to do, I think for the present Government has been in office till they have seen the merchants ruined, the artisans of the country idle, and an enormous lot of the farmers got into the hands of the Jews (Laughter.) My advice to you, therefore, is to tell the old gentleman of Jewish descent at the head of the Government, We will have no more of you." (Laughter and applause.) The Rev. S. R. Yovw next addressed the meeting. He referred to Colonel Morgan and Mr Rolls being unable to deliver public speeches. He had heard that Mr Rolls met some elector from Abersychan in the cattle market at Newport, and sstiil—" are old acquaintances, you know • you will vote for me." and felt his ribs. (Laughter.) That was all very well in its way, but it was not very instructive to the constituency. (Applause,) He (the speaker) had heard that Mr Rolls WA. a very rich man, but it was said that th«$ro waa an I enormous lot of raboits on his farip- (Laughter.) Cartaiuly Mr Rolla ought to tell them what he in- tended doing when he, in his delusive hope, got into Parliament. (Laughter and applause.) He supposed both Colonel Morgan and ME Rolls no doubt intended going into Parliament, bo that come what may, through thick and thin, they would support the iieaoonsfield Government. Now, they do not want men like that—(applause)— but men who could think and act for themselves in trying to do the beet they could for the country. (Hear, hear.) lhe speaker concluded by moving a vote of confidence in the two Liberal candidates. n The Rev. W. UWBN, in aa earnesfc address, seconded it. Mr L. D. BROWNE, who was in the room with Mr Bailey's agent, Alv Partridge, and Mr Hodgens, then stepped forward, and proposed, as an amendment, that the meeting approved of the candidature of Colonel Morgan and Mr Rolls. Mr HODGENS seconded it. The CRAIRlax the-a put the amendment to, the meeting first, amidst groans and interruptions, and then the resolution, when the resolutions was- carried by a majority of about 20 to one. Mr Browne and his party then left the room, shouting three cheers for Beaconsfield, which met with a response by a ringing cheer for Gladstone, and the meeting terminated.

Advertising

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Advertising

IMR ARTHUR MORGAN AT BRYNMAWR.

WEST GLOUCESTERSHIRE ELECTION.'

CONSECRATION OF A CHDRCff*…

Advertising

Advertising

----TORYISM IN" CARMARTHENSHIRE.