HJ Wilson to the Executive of the Northern Counties League

Copy of Letter. On a visit to London at the end of Jul and heard Sir John Pope Hennessey, Governor of Hong Kong, give a most interesting and important statement as to the working of Regulations similar to the CD Acts in that Colony. After conferring with members of various Repeal Associations throughout the country the need of greater co-operation between all was the on thought, and it was agreed that the most practical way to do this would be to form a 'Parliamentary Committee' consisting of delegates from various Associations. Mr Edmondson and he therefore propose that the Executive of the N.C. League should request the Midland Counties Electoral Union to convene a Conference with this object in view.

'Sir John Pope Hennessey ... made a most important statement as to the working of Regulations similar to the CD Acts in that Colony [Hong Kong].' 'United Kingdom Alliance' See Note: letter of JB to Mrs Clark, 6 Jul 1872. 'The Liberation Society'. A society founded in 1844 by a Nonconformist divine under the name of the Anti-State Church Association, afterwards known as the Liberation Society. The Society worked for the more effective representation in Parliament of Dissenters so that by 1852 40 Dissenters were Members of the House of Commons. 'I propose that the Executive of the NCL should request our Birmingham friends to convene a conference with this object in view [the formation of a 'Parliamentary Committee']. This was set up at the Conference held at Birmingham, 7 Nov 1882. Biog: Sir John Pope Hennessey; Mr Jesse Herbert (MCEU); Mr Arthur Naish (MCEU); Rev W Wastell (MCEU); Mrs AS Dyer; Mr Joyce (Working Men's League); Mr Fred Wheeler (Rochester); HJ Wilson (Hon. Sec.) Mr Edmondson; George Tatham.