Chap. 3.] SOCIAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY 95 



political import, aud were givea by meu of every trait of character 

 and position, and took x^lace in every village and hamlet six miles 

 around, and would probablj' average an attendance of 250. 



Many hundreds of thousands of pamphlets have been distributed, 

 besides which the Association has published four tracts written by the 

 Hon. Secretary. Numerous debates and other social meetings have 

 been held, a comfortable and commodious Club established, and 

 to-day the Association probably has a membership of over 300. 

 The Club had the unique distinction of being the first Liberal Club 

 opened by an Irish Nationalist M.P. (Mr. John O'Connor, M.P.) 



A Branch Club — now independent — was also established at 

 Eibchester. Another opened at Chij)ping was soon closed, owing to 

 the poor attendance. 



The writer will not soon forget the reception this bold and audacious 

 movement met with from both friends and foes. Cautious Liberal 

 friends were frightened, the Tories could not understand it, for was not 

 Longridge, as the Herald in a leading article some j'ears after said, 

 " the backbone of the constitutional cause ? " 



Ceasing to be blinded with stupor, the Tories, on their recover}', 

 recognised the importance i ^f what had been done, and with a courage 

 born of something like dt spair resolved to recover the ground their 

 confidence had temporarily lost them. A Conservative Association 

 was foi-med, and it was decided to build a club. Half of the share 

 capital, £1,500, was subscribed. The officers are, E. Smith, 

 Esq., J. P., chairman; F. Openshaw, Esq., J. P., vice-chairman ; hon. 

 treasurer, Mr. Fred. W. Smith. The club is a plain but very 

 commodious building in Berrj' Lane, and is handsomely furnished. 

 There are two billiard rooms, reading room, and office, besides 

 accommodation for the steward. There is also a Conservative 

 Club at Ribchester. Counter meetings were held, but more depen- 

 dence was placed upon the policy of meeting arguments with howls 

 and groans, and trying to stop the mouths of Liberal lecturers with 

 noise and force. ^ For some time Longridge became notorious for its 

 noisy disorderly Liberal meetings. One meeting in particular, held in 



^ "In 17C8, during the memorable their quota of armed blackguards for 



election at Preston, Longridge, Rib- Col. Burgoyne." 



Chester, and the neighbourhood furnished ' 



