100 MEMOIR OF ALFRED SMEE. [Chap. IX. 



4. The Kbei'&l doctrines of Bright, Mill, and Co. really amount to the 

 lowest pay for the largest amount of labour, and the least quantity of the 

 necessaries of life for the largest amount of money. 



This was almost too exciting for the masses. It completely carried 

 them away, and completely turned the tables against the employers of 

 labour and the small shopkeepers, the enemies of the Conservative cause. 



5. Labour and capital equally suffer from disagreement, and members 

 of Parliament should be their mediatoi's. 



6. The Conservative Reform Bill has given the power to the people, 

 but at present the people are not freemen, as their masters compel them 

 to vote as they please, to their own injury. 



This doctrine was generally met with shouts of the names of the 

 Government contractors at Rochester, who command the electors, and 

 frequently with suggestions for the ballot. 



7. Violent political struggles are inimical to the interests of the 

 people : hence Gladstone had done great injury by stirring up the Church 

 question. 



By this line of argument I showed that the aristocracy, gentry, and 

 clergy constitute the Conservative party, with the working men, but that 

 the Liberal party were composed of the employers of labour and the small 

 shopkeepers. 



The Liberal party were furious at the enthusiasm produced by these 

 doctrines, and called an indignation meeting, but the multitude completely 

 foiled the attempt. 



At Rochester I carried the clergy, the gentiy, and the working men 

 with me, and I have no doubt that we have the key to the future Conserva- 

 tive government of the country. A large majority of working men were 

 compelled to vote as their masters dictated. 



And again, at the complimentary dinner given to him at 

 Eochester on the 17th of December, 1868 : — 



It is with a great deal of diffidence that I rise to express the thanks 

 which I feel for the honour you have done me this day in asking me to 

 come amongst you after the defeat we have experienced at the late election. 

 "We have ujimistakably had a great defeat in Rochester, a defeat which we 

 did not expect. The moment I entered the city I received numerous promises 

 of support ; those promises came roUing in day by day till 10 o'clock each 

 night ; they amounted at last to 1024 on the day before the nomination. 

 After the nomination, at which, as you know, we gained the show of hands, 

 that same evening no more promises came in, but promises began to fall 

 off; withdrawal began to be made, which showed the city must be under 

 the power of certain persons in it (sensation) ; and on the next day these 

 1024 promises degenerated into 702 performances (shame). Accustomed as 

 I am to numbers, I sat ticking off the votes at the Guildhall as they came 

 in, and I soon saw that there was something wrong. I sent word to my 

 committee, " Why don't the voters come up ? " No answer came. I 

 wrote again : " Tell me, why don't the voters come up ? " A slip of paper 

 then came with £ s. d. upon it (sensation). I understood at once the 

 meaning. Now there must be some very potent reason which prevented 

 1024 promises from realizing more than 702 votes. In the first place I 



