Mr W. S. Shelley, Doncaster Liberal Candidate, Conisborough

On Wednesday night, in the board School, Conisborough, a meeting was held in the support of the candidature of Mr. Walter Sherwood, the Liberal candidate for Doncaster division.

Mr. John Dixon, president of the local Liberal Association, occupied the chair.

The attendance was large, composed mainly of miners. Dr Ryalls, of London, addressing the meeting, said the Tories had a good deal to say as to their being the constitutional party, but who had made the constitution? (Hear, hear) Since 1832, it had been the creation of the Liberal party. (Cheers)

Consequently the Constitution the Tories were so anxious to keep was no creation of theirs. As to Tory democracy, that was a contradiction in terms – and the principal of the Tory party had always been -“obey, “ “there’s the law and you must obey”,

Don’t talk about your rights, they cried, we have nothing to do with that. (Cheers)

On the other hand, what had always been principal of liberalism was “the welfare of mankind, the highest law.” He strongly denounced the procedure of the Tories now in office, and said it was the duty of liberals to turn their opponents out, and to send them about their business as soon as they could.

Mr Rouse (Mexborough) in a brief speech, expressed himself sanguine that, with unity amongst the party, Mr Shirley would be triumphant return on the day of election.

Mr Shirley, Blackburn) having explain the principle of the ballot, Mr Shirley, the Liberal candidate for the division, addressed the meeting. He said they should re-collect that in the party of progress they must necessarily be various sections, diversity of sentiment was not a thing to be regretted, but it was the glory of the Liberal party.

Referring to the question of the establishment Mr Shirley said he was glad to believe that there was throughout the country a growing feeling in favour of religious equality. The Church of England at the present time, with her energies cramped and aspirations carnalised, was not doing the good work in this country, which it would do if the devotion and the earnestness of its members had full play.

The customary vote of thanks closed the proceedings.