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---_---_. MR. G. HOLLOWAY,…

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MR. G. HOLLOWAY, M.P., ON THE NEW NATIONAL PARTY. At a Primrose League meeting held in the Market House, at Mincliinhampton, on Thurs- day evening last week, Mr G. Holloway, M. P. for Mid-Gloucester, delivered the following speech on the New National Party :—He said it was really most gratifying to find that the League was at last making such substantial progress in this district, for he thought it was more closely allied to our social life and domestic enjoyment than any other political institution. If the League had no other object than to bring together such meetings as these, composed of both sexes, it would be a most valuable institution, but when they reflected that in addition to this it inculcated principles of loyalty, religion, and liberty, its influence was a power in the country which could scarcely be over-rated (hear, hear). Speaking of the motto of the League, "Empire and Libetty," he remarked that if they were to search the English language through, they would not find two other words so expressive of a noble and beneficent policy. To defend the British Empire was not only to the in- terest of the people of these islands; not only for the good of the British dependencies scattered all over the world, but it was also for the good of mankind in general—(hear, bear)-for wherever Englishmen went and settled there they established principles of government and civilisation which were an example and a pattern for nations around them to copy. The well-known love of all Englishmen for peace was an important factor in maintaining the peace of Europe and of the world at the present time (bear, hear). The other half of the motto of the League was not less important—Liberty. To have perfect freedom to do what we pleased, when we pleased, where we pleased, and how we pleased, was one of the most valuable privileges that human beings possessed and it was subject only to this condition, that in the exercise of our freedom we should not encroach upon the freedom of other people, because by so doing we should abuse liberty, and it would be a spurious art'cle instead of the genuine thing which the Primrose League inculcated. It was in a proper understanding of the exercise of liberty that Conservatives were distinguished from some of their Radical friends, who, in the exercise of their supposed rights, were very apt to encroach upon the rights of other people. To give an illustration the London dockers had a perfect right to strike, but they had no right to interfere with other men working for any wages they might please, because that was license and not true liberty. In many cases liberty was so misunderstood as to become altogether a parody on liberty. At the present time a great deal was being said about the formation of a new National party in the country, composed of all the- moderate politicians of the realm. Some of our leading statesmen were racking their brains to find an appropriate name for this new party. Mr Chamberlain, in his Huddera- field speech, dwelt at length upon the import- ance of such a party, and pointed out the difficulty of finding a name all the various sections of the party would be content to adopt, remarking, as regarded himself, that, having been a Liberal all his life, it was scarcely to be expected that he could now call himself a Conservative, although he highly approved of the policy of the present Conserva- tive Government, and gave them a loyal support on all occasions, as he (Mr Holloway) knew well. Mr Chamberlain admitted in that same speech, that the present Conservative Government had passed better measures for the good of the people of the country than had ever been passed by any Liberal Government for many years past (applause). This was saying a great deal for a statesman who was an important personage in the Cabinets of those Liberal Administrations. With regard to a name for the proposed party, he could not help thinking that these moderate Liberals and those gentlemen who had Conservative tendencies, but who objected to call themselves Conservatives, could not do better than join the Primrose League, because they would be welcome so long as their object was the main- tenance of the constitution of the Empire and the good of the people (applause). That was all they wanted at present. As they knew, they were all content to call themselves Unionists, but as Home Rule was very nearly played out, the term 44 Unionist" was not so expressive now as it was a year or two ago, and it would become less expressive as years rolled on, because when" Home Rule" was dead-as it undoubtedly would be before very long-to call themselves Unionists would scarcely be a name that would commend itself to a great National Party, so that some other name would have to be found. So far as they were concerned, all they wanted was good government (hear, hear). Give them this and the Government might call themselves by whatever party name they pleased (hear, hear). All those who could not see that we had a good government at the present moment must be wilfully blind, because it was patent to all who studied the politics of the day and looked back a few years, that we had one of the best governments in power that we had had for many years (hear, hear). Judging them by whatever test they liked, either by the legislation which they bad been enabled to carry through Parliament, or by their administration of the great Departments of the State, and their record was first-class (applause). He was one of those old-fashioned politicians who liked to judge things by results. He liked to take one set of results and compare them with another set, because in that way they could see which was the better of the two. The five and a half years of Mr Gladstone's Government brought nothing but ruin, disaster, disgrace, and dishonour upon this country (hear, hear, and applause). Whilst, on the contrary, now we had peace and prosperity around us, and everything in a most hopeful and flourishing condition (hear, hear). Whether they looked at India or Africa, or their Colonies, or Ireland, there was the same im- < provement going on. We bad no useless bloodshed going on in Africa, we were not sacrificing any great man as in the case of poor General Gordon; and we were not com- promising with, or offering a compromise to, treasonable people in Ireland. In every part the world we were maintaining the dignity of this country as it had not been upheld during any administration of Mr. Gladstone—(ap- plause)—and it was in consequence of this steady good government that the moderate Liberals all over the country were gradually drawing towards the Conservatives. c He did not want to weary them with anything relat- ing to himself, but it was interesting to look back for a few years, even in the old borough of Stroud (hear, bear). He recollected making a speech—he forgot in which particular town it was—in which he challenged the moderate Liberals, who were opposing him then, to sbofr in what his piinciples differed from theirs, but there was no answer to the appeal. Buc now. after those years had passed, most of those gentlemen were his suppoi-ters-(applause)- and those who were not his supporters were not his opponents (applause). u ?' .0_, Capt. Jones-Parry, formerly Primrose League agent for the county, afterwards delivered an able address on the principles and objects of the League. He said abuse by their opponents was the surest sign of success. With regard to the ladies, the League was like Pear's soap they had only to try it and they were } oung and beautiful for ever (laughter.) Although the League numbered about a million mem- bers, there must be individuality of effort and responsibility, and they must educate them- selves before they could hope to educate others.

STARTLING EVENT IN A VILLAGE.

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