The Suffragette: The History of the Women's Militant Suffrage Movement, 1905-1910Pankhurst, E. Sylvia (Estelle Sylvia)
History
The Suffragette: The History of the Women's Militant Suffrage Movement, 1905-1910
Pankhurst, E. Sylvia (Estelle Sylvia)
Women -- Suffrage -- Great Britain
Whilst the educational propaganda work of the Women's Social and
Political Union was being quietly carried on, stirring events were in
preparation. The resignation of the Conservative Government was daily
expected. The Liberal leaders were preparing themselves to take office,
and every newspaper in the country was discussing who the new Ministers
were to be. A stir of excitement was spreading all over the country and
now the organisers of the Liberal Party decided to hold a great revival
meeting in that historic Manchester Free Trade Hall, which stands upon
the site of the old franchise battle of Peterloo. The meeting was
fixed for October 13th, and here it was determined that the old fighting
spirit of the Radicals should be revived, the principles and policy of
Liberalism should be proclaimed anew and, upon the strength of those
principles and of that policy, the people should be called upon to
support the incoming Government with voice and vote.
When the evening of the thirteenth came, the great hall was filled to
overflowing with an audience mainly composed of enthusiastic Liberals,
for the meeting was almost entirely a ticket one, and the tickets had
been circulated amongst the Liberal Associations throughout the length
and breadth of Lancashire. The organ played victorious music, and
then the Liberal men, whose party had been out of office for so long
and who now saw it coming into power, rose to their feet and cheered
excitedly as their leaders came into the hall. After a few brief words
from the chairman, words in which he struck a note of triumphant
confidence in the approaching Liberal victory, Sir Edward Grey was
called upon to speak. The future Cabinet Minister, in a speech full
of fine sentiments and glowing promises, named all the various great
reforms that the Liberal Government would introduce, and appealed to
the people to give the Liberal Party its confidence, and to return a
Liberal ministry to power. Whilst he was speaking, Sir Edward Grey was
interrupted by a man who asked him what the Government proposed to do
for the unemployed. Sir Edward paused with ready courtesy to listen.
"Somebody said the unemployed," he explained to the audience; "well, I
will come to that," and he did so, saying that this important question
would certainly be dealt with. Then he came to his peroration; he
spoke of the difficulties of administration, difficulties which were
especially great at the present time. "We ask for the Liberal Party,"
he said, "the same chance as the Conservative Party has had for nearly
twenty years.... There is no hope in the present men, but there is
hope in new men.... It is to new men with fresh minds, untrammelled by
prejudice and quickened by sympathy, and who are vigorous and true,
that I believe that the country will turn with hope. What I ask for
them is generous support and a fair chance." The thunder of applause
that greeted his final words had scarcely died away when, as if in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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