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1010 T II E .,,;-vfe, .^ A D ER. [Saturd...
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PUBLIC OPINION ON THE EASTERN QUESTION. ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Not The Slightest Novelty Has Been Intro...
lie had not realljr the " pluck" that his tongue had indicated . He succumbed in the matter of Irish education , as his Finance Minister did in regard to " unrestricted competition . " William Beresford entered into the Derby intrigues ; Augustus Stafford rendered his administration of the Admiralty immortal ; and tSe stanch Protectionists , like Sir John Tyrrell , sat on the Ministerial side in a state of total mystification at these attempts "to reconcile the House of Commons with the public departments ; " to carry out
protection in the shape of " unrestricted competition , " and to exhibit the power of the Protectionist-Conservative party by yielding every point which distinguished it , and carrying on , with silly equivocations , the policy of the preceding Ministry , which was said to have been beaten , but which still imposed its own measures on its victors . The last meeting at CastleHedinghammarks a total contrast between the present day and that preministerial meeting in Hedingham Castle . Of all " the
Essex Ten , " only Bowyer Smijth was present . Disraeli sticks to his Royal Bucks , and roams not to vaticinate in Hedingham Castle . " W . B . " sends a letter that he would come and explain everything , but that proceedings against him are pending in a criminal court . And Sir John Ty ssenTyrrell sends the most ingenuous of letters , confessing that his party is broken , its moral influence gone , that it must be reformed before it can continue , that he is too old to change his
principles , and that he shall " content himself with floating on . the political surface , until it shall have become less disagreeable . " Sucli is the state of the Protectionist party , with " W . B . " under arraignment , with its prophet silent in the county of Joint Hampden , with its Premier making unpublished speeches into the ear of a X / iverpool Corporation , and with Sir John Tyssen TyrreJl floating on the political surface . A splendid declaration , however , was made at this
meeting , by a local clergyman , the Keverend John Cox , who really , to use the vulgar phrase , did " take the shine" out of every speaker present . We do not except Mr . Hound , the chairman , although that gentleman displayed so much power of imagination as to declare his j ) arty " the most important and powerful interest in the country . " The sympathy of the meeting with the reverend gentleman is shown in the fact that , after his speech , as an act of gratitude , the meeting drank a special toast to his health , awarding him a civic ci'own of beeswinjr . And lie deserves
it . It is well known that the Conservative party , like a high prerogative party in a neighbouring kingdom , have from time to time conceived the idea of basing their power on Universal Suffrage , and this idea came out for the first time in open words , if we are not mistaken , from the mouth of the Keverend Jolm Cox . lie declared totally against Wliig-Eaclical Keform—and a five-pound franchise . That , he said , is " democracy : " if they were to extend the franchise , let them have Universal Sufi rage , " for there is something imperial in that .: LooJc ut lfruncc . "
The . Reverend John Cox has a fitting contemporary in Mr . Booker , the Herefordshire nienit ) cr . At the , annual agricultural dinner of the county , Mr . Booker was in a perfect ecstasy oi UisH . The prospects of farmers wore never brighter ; gloomy forebodings and dospondings Jiavo vanished from the mind of Booker . Ho holds up his head again . A thing he never could have expected to happen , has happened . Mr . Hooltcr , the day before he made his speech , sold
a thousand bunhels of two-year old wheat for 500 / . —ton HhilliiigH a bushel ! ZVicrewa & an event to come to pass in 1 . 853—seven years , only , after the repeal of the Corn-lawn . Like Sir Jolm Tyrroll Mr . Booker f lowed at the thought of famine prices , he felt aji " lionest pride" in the anticipation of them ; and ho he said nothing , no not a word , nbout Protoetion . But there are , we aro glad to say , other representatives of the agricultural mind , benido the Roy . John Cox and Mr . Booker .
WJiilo the great Herefordshire- member pins his faith on prices , Mr . Martin , a tenant-farmer of , Cheshire , calls out for boohs . Mr . Martin has iu JKlj ^ fc Jfc 3 ? jMfw thing—county schools for the sons y ^ - ' v 'A ? ' ^ 3 * tf ! WF ^ " ^ ' rmora ' Well done , Cheshire ; that A ^ r ^' ^ 3 i | b ^^ . ^ o < i stoj ) in advance . JSroct a college \ ty ( $ i 3 '^^^^^^^ i ^ * ¦ 'tho county , says Mr . Martin ; I ^ l ^ l' ^^ SSir ^ . ^/^ it tSJ ?^ " < rn'M ron thither , and make V ^ x ^ V ^^^ i ^^^ rtfte /^ g- What prospects of improve- V wiPi ^ WNr "' l ^ y ^ ' * ' /^—^* irf ( itthtm & L Wjdl in has made a , n interesting movo-™ H « ff \ ft ^^ u ^|^ city , with whut chances of hucccbh , I-
however , we are as yet unable to tell . His position is peculiar . The shrievalty has become an office more onerous than agreeable to the magnates of the city , and they usually try to avoid serving . The refusal entails a nne and some officials profitMby that fine . Hence , a traffic in modern times to procure the election of reluctant candidates , and thus to obtain the fine . At the last election a standwasmadeagainst this abuse ;
and after a good deal of discussion and difficulty , the candidates first chosen persevered in holding aloof , and another gentleman was elected on his own terms ; that is to say , with the understanding that he should be allowed to dispense with the pageantries of his office , and to conduct his duties m a business-like manner . JNTot long since Mr . Wallis put the following advertisement into the Times : —
MR Sheriff WALLIS respectfully invites his brother Liverymen of the City of London to MEET him at the London Tavern , To-morrow ( Tuesday ) , at 2 o ' clock precisely , to consider how best they may assist Her Majesty's Commissioners in the forthcoming inquiry , and so perpetuate the constitutional right of local self-government . The meeting thus convened was accordingly held on Tuesday last . Mr . Sheriff Wallis appeared , declined to take the chair ex offtdo ; was elected to it , and the resolutions which he had prepared in accordance with his invitation were carried unanimously . A requisition will be
presented to the Lord Mayor , asking him to convene a Common Hall ; and thus , at the instigation of one of the Sheriffs , the great body of the citizens are asked to take part in aiding-a thorough reform , which should preserve to the city its local self-government while adapting it to the increased wants , and improved opinions of the day . Mr . Wallis has not expounded any plan of his own ; but from all that has passed in public , appears to be acting openly ana straightforwardly in the endeavour to obtain the genuine voice of the great body of the citizens . The Irish jury have given their verdict on the
first fatal railway accident in Ireland . They find the driver and stoker guilty of " manslaughter ;" they find the company blameless . Deliberate experiment has proved that the luggage-train had just time to stop , if the driver had begun to pull up at the place where lie saw , or ought to have seen the light . But , alas ! the company are not quite blameless as it appears to us . The luggagetrain was going fast , and it might go fast if it chose . The red tail light of the express had gone out ; the white side lights were not in their places . Clearly the signal system was again at fault . Nor was there a break-van in proper order on the crushed train . We doubt the . utility of finding drivers and stokers guilty of
manslaughter , when the system is at fault . And if the drivers and guards on the Irish railways are worked as unmercifully as they are on some of the English lines , accidents cease to be accidents , and become certainties . There is but little to say on the subject of the public health . Fewer deaths occurred in London last week than on the week previously—the numbers being 45 and (>(> respectively . But we must expect these variations . Every fact elicited by inquiry confirms the strong conviction in the public mind that impurity and cholera arc cause and effect , and it behoves the authorities to take measures accordingly .
The question in asked , whether Parliament is not to be summoned , for Ministers to consult it touching the posture of affairs in the East ; but what good ? Why assernblo gentlemen who are laid up in ordinary till after Christinas , in order that they may debate motions by Mr , Nowdcgate , Mr . It ) wart , or Sir Benjamin Hall , ami sit t ^) cheer while lord Joh n ' Bussell , vice Lord Clarendon , emulating Lord Palmerston ' s admired feat , " thrown himself on the House , " and asks to be allowed to answer questions by tfilenceP Members ca . ro no more about England , her honour , and influence , than other Englishmen do .
M . jhh Margaret Ounningliamo has been forcibly reloaHeduiulerpeeul iiir ( tircumstances . The release waHiuadeHuddenl y— -iiiHtaritryouthegraveclomand of England . It is averred that a eoinpotont ecclesiastical authority had pronounced tho tracts winch she distributed not to bo oppugnnnt to the . ItomiHli faith ; ho that who did not beard thoPope , and was not seeking martyrdom . Yet when her prison door won thrown open , sho objected to go forth without a formal order ! It is lucky that •' ¦ "H < ' » i . » y has cut short this " question" by locking out | , lmii relractorv you . itf lady , for it might have been diflumlfc for Lord Clarendon either to draw back , or to enforce hi » peremptory demand .
1010 T Ii E .,,;-Vfe, .^ A D Er. [Saturd...
1010 T II E .,, ; -vfe , . ^ A D ER . [ Saturday ,
Public Opinion On The Eastern Question. ...
PUBLIC OPINION ON THE EASTERN QUESTION . The Finsbury meeting on Tuesday was very large It was held at' the Music Hall In Store-street ; the room was crowded . Mr . Thomas Slingsby . Duncbnibe took the cLair , and explained the objects of the meeting in an opening speech . He said : — ° " I find that we are . assembled together . for the purpose of calling upon her Majesty ' s Government to assist the Turks by every means in their power in expelling' the Eussian troops from the Damibian Principalities , where they have committed a most unwonted aggression upon our old ally , the Sultan . ( Cheers . ) It is quite clear that
if the requisition convening the meeting means anything ' it means war ; and it is a matter of serious considerat ion to the people of this countryj whether they should or should not express , in terms not to be misunderstood , how far they are prepared to sanction the Government of the day in proceeding , to such an extremity . We know perfectly well that the Crown has the prerogative of declaring 1 war , or making peace ; but it is the prerogative of the people , if the Ministers of the Crowii counsel the Sovereign to conclude a dishonourable jpeace , to call those Ministers to account for giving such advice . I confess I should have been glad to see at the present moment some preparations for the re-assembling of Parliament ( cheers ) , in order that
the people of this country , through their representatives mi g ht be able to express their opinion " as to the course which England ought to pursue on . this occasion . ( Cheers . ) That there has been a most unjustifiable aggression on the part ¦ of llussia . no one can doubt . Every one is ready to admit that a great wrong has been done to Turkey , and that the occupation of the Danubian Principalities is an insult to Europe at large . ( Cheers . ) That a difference of opinion exists as to the course which this country ought to pursue , is apparent to every one who reads the daily papers . You have doubtless read an account of the proceedings of what is called the Peace Conference , at Edinburgh . Those proceedings were most amicably and delicately conducted . But I may say this—^ hat , looking at the materials with which we have to deal—the Nicholases of the North—I don ' t' think the argument of the Peace
Conference likely to make much impression ., Your negotiations with them will be useless , unless you mean gunpowder , and nothing but gunpowder . ( Cheers . ) If that be not your meaning , they will not attend to you at allthey will snap their fingers at , you , and you might just as well whistle to the winds as talk about amicable negotiations with persons who are determined to do wrong if they have the power , or if you give them the opportunity . Wow , if we are for war , let ' us know , at all events , what that war is to be for—let us know what it is likely to cost . You are well aware that at the close of the last century , before the commencement of the disgraceful wars in which this country became engaged , our taxation was only
2 , 000 , 0002 .. In the year 181 $ it amounted to 70 , 000 , 0004 , At the former period our public expenditure was aboul 3 , 000 , 0002 ., but in 1815 it had increased to 130 , 000 , 000 / . Now , although the sacrifices which we made were very great , we must not conclude a dishonourable peace or submit to any disgraceful proceedings on the part of the Autocrat of liussia . ( Cheers . ) I am well aware that , in discussing this subject , ¦ we are doing so under a great disadvantage , in consequence of tho secret system of diplomacy which has been too long pursued in this country , and which , I hope and trust , is fast coming to a close . ( Cheiu \ s . ) I don't know an instance in which the inconvenience of secret diplomacy has been so Riffnallv displayed . Look at tho six m-cat parties engaged
in the affair . Five of these nations publish to tho world tho progrew of events , by issuing circulars and manifestos ; ' but ; England publishes nothing ; and at the close of tlio session of Parliament , all we could get from the present Government w iih the usual excuse , * Negotiations nrc not yet complete , and it would bo inconvenient to develop what in in progress / Wow look at the inconvenience caused by thin attempt at socrocy . Tho JEmperor Nicholas ondpavoured , through , his minister , to , justify lu » agp'eSf ^ ° " , Wallachia and Moldavia . by . a statement which wrb f » V » e from beginnim * to end . And wliat was that' falsei stateol
mont ? That our vohsoIs having appeared within sight Constantinople , it became necessary for him tb take pos-Hramoii ol' tho ' l ^ rihuipaliticn . Now the reverse Wan exactly Mi ( 3 cuk <\ ] Jut that wai tho statement of an Emperor . It uHcd to bo Buid tihat if truth and good faith were to bo bawiBliod from all parts of tho world , it ought to bo iouna in the In'oiist , of j ) nnccs . But it ifl not so now . : Alfcor . tW « circular wasJuHtuvl what hapj ) one < l ? Tho French and JiJnuliHli GovernmontH anHWOj-f'd it ; but w « could not lor a lontf tiino get , nfc tho , precise terms of *!»« reply o f our dovornmont . Tho ronlv of tlio Frcncli Gov « . nwi « nt was * lonnu
ni ) iiikid one , and tp'fd Itus ' sio , in tho plainoHt pbsHiblo , tliat slio luul Hpoknn a f . dsohood . Xord John ¦ K uwroll ntotea , in tho ilourio of Commons , thai ; tlio English lottor was Jriuch to tho Minn ) offoct ;; but it wns not until wrun " garMtwl pitHHagCH had nppourorf in print , that Lord Ulttl *' , " don Ml obligod to publish tho enfciro loWory . 'to sot matioiH rifrht . It would have beon much Iwttor if wo had U »« "Mr * in ponHCHHionof tlmt . correnpo »( lonoo . before tho prorogau of I ' . wliainont , JLord PiUiiiorston has boon , ft" 1 " ?'" 1 '' ladioti and gontloTrmii in tho north , tolling tlwtn tJiai w present Government in £ joi » tf fw hoyond all <) llicrH , tm ( ready to proceed to t , bo correction of nil nbtw « H . » i Jj noblo lord will jiiHt for a moment ; iuijh hfs " attonlion «> t fiiUrincLnf H « ftrflfc dinlomacv . ho will find hmpjo room- * ; ¦ w »
iininwnmwit ; and I am « nut « corfcain that tli « JPW * A noon find him plonfcy to do in other ailiiii-H ¦ rtilatmff t ^ ¦ Cln <« jh aii < l HI . nU ) . (« 3 heorH . ) Gontlomon , it is not lor n ^ to anticipate tho rflHolufcibiiM which you may ' ^ . P" ^* ! ^ f adopt , nor would it , bo bncominff in mo to wiliwj"ll ( " [ . ( l ( , the HontiwiontH that , you may mlvamw ; but , 1 a *' " ? , ,,. orthia , thftt , wl » atov < jr wwi ^ UoiiM . w u ^» iiy « ioj'M "'" J , .. over opinion" you may « x ]) roHM , ihoy will Dc w > J j fl cordHiico witli ' thoao iuot and liberal pmicnrfoa winch x
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 22, 1853, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22101853/page/2/
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