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5 t to 1202 THE LEADER. rSATtntDAT,
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
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FOREIGN KNLISTMENT BILL. In the House of...
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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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5 T To 1202 The Leader. Rsattntdat,
5 t to 1202 THE LEADER . rSATtntDAT ,
Imperial Parliament.
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT .
Foreign Knlistment Bill. In The House Of...
FOREIGN KNLISTMENT BILL . In the House of Lords on Saturday this Bill was moved through , the stage " report . " The Earl of ISllenborough renewed his opposition , and the Lord Chakceixoa renewed the defence , with respect to the legal aud constitutional objections . Subsequently the alteration of 10 , 000 men instead of 15 , 000 was agreed to , and the third reading was ordered for Monday . On Monday some sharp discussion , occurred , Lord Ellenbokough recapitulating the alterations whi'jh had been made in the bill in its progress through the House . If we were to Lave at all this foreign legion why could it not -he trained in Malta or Corfu as well as in England ?
"Why bring it to England for drill , England not being the nearest way or the nearest place to the Crimea ? He said that her Majesty ' s Ministers seemed to distrust the fidelity of these foreign troops if placed in the Mediterranean , garrisons , and he could not understand how they could be trusted in the Crimea . If they revolted in Corfu , might they not desert at Sebastopol ? He wished to know whence these troops were to come ? He adhered to his opinion that there were no troops in the world like British troops . A chain cable formed of wrought and of cast iron links might look equally good in all its parts , and might act equally well in fair weather , but when the strain of the storm came the cast
iron links ¦ bo sure to give way . His wish ¦ was that the British army should be composed in all its parts of wrought iron . There was a sense of personal dignity about an Englishman which lie believed did not exist elsewhere . An Englishman felt if he disgraced his colours that he would be liooted when he went home—not a woman would look at or speak to him . It was different with foreigners . If they turned their backs they but disgraced the arms they had assumed , and they would go back to the hanks Of the "VVeser , or the Oder , or the Elbe , as much respected as they were before . He wanted to know what consideration we were to give these German princes for thus obtaining the services of their subjects ? If these petty German princes were willing to sell the blood of their
sub-Beets for money—and he could not see why else they should give their consent to this system of enlistment—then he wanted to know what difference there was between this tTaffic and that carried on in the kingdom of Dahomey ? Could that be tight on the banks of the Weser which was denounced as the last atrocity on the banks of Dahomey ? He concluded by announcing that his object in thus opposing the measure was to force the Government to draw their forces entirely from English subjects . He wished to drive Ministers out of that course they seemed to have adopted , of making war without a reserve , and of conducting a campaign without means of transport ; a system which he condemned as leading only to victories which were bloody and fruitless .
The Marquis of IiAnsdowne characterised the objections that had been raised against the bill as exaggerated and absurd , and declared than all the dangers which had been attributed to it would vanish like spectres upon investigation . The Earl of Deuby again remarked upon the constitutional _ peril and national degradation which would follow the passing of the present bill ; but , after the vote of the previous night , declined to ask for another division on the measure . Jjord Harding B said there was no parallel between the alteration in the Articles of War in the present case and that to which Lord Ellonborough had referred , of the Indian army . Originally , corporal
piuushmont existed in tho Indian as in the British army ; that -was abolished by Lord William Bontinck , ¦ who substituted other punishments , -which did not work well . He approved of the prcBent moasuro , as an attempt to get the largest force they could at tho earliest possible period ; and though ho had every confidence in tho army now in tho Crimea , nnd in the spirit of tho British people , Btill he cpuld not think that would justify him in resisting thia measure . Earl Orev adverted " to the manner in which poors opposite had allowed their passions to overpower their judgments . " What bufc a feeling of tlus kind
could have induced the noble carl ( the Eavl of Ellenborough ) to compare tho object of this bill with tho slavo trado on tho coast of Africa ? Tho constitutional argument also , ho thought , was only an example of that vnguo kind of langxingo which men were in tho habit of using when they wished to give a measure a Tbad name , without knowing exactly what to say . Ho ridiculed tho " wrought-iron argument" of Lord EUcnborough , and said there never was an army composed throughout of troops of equal quality , and that even some British regiments were considered superior to others . lie thought this Mouse and tho House of Commons would toko upon themselves a foorful responsibility if they refused to
Ministers the means they asked for to carry on this great war ; and he rejoiced , therefore , to learn that it was not intended to divide the House against the bill . Earl Gbanville supported , and the Earl of Mai . mesburt opposed , the bill . Lord Redesdaxe wished to know how these foreign troops were to be officered , but the required information was not given . The bill was then , read a third time , and on the question that the bill do pass , The Duke of Newcastle agreed to strike ant the 5 th clause , relating to tlie Articles of War , which he said had been copied from former bills . The clause was struck out accordingly , and the bill in its amended form passed .
The second reading was moved on Tuesday in the House of Commons by Lord John Russell , who rerecapitulated at some length the arguments employed on its proposal , and stated that unless it was adopted the present Minister could not carry on the war with the confidence of the country . It was very strongly opposed hy Sir Edwaud Btjlwer Lytton , who commenced by observing that neither he , nor any gentleman on that or either side of the House , need express their willingness to support the Government in any measures for carrying on a war in which the honour of England , and civilisation itself , were identified . But he thought the honour of England would be
sacrificed if we were content to earn our laurels by proxy . Honour was not so intolerable a burden that we should get foreigners to relieve us of part of the weight . It was the spirit of nationality upon which we depended mote than upon wealth or extent of population ; and that spirit of nationality was about to be damped . The presence of foreign soldiers paid by the people ' s taxes , and lodged in barracks declared too small for our own troops , would excite much discontent—and , besides , it was admitted that more men , are being enlisted than can be drilled and employed by the Seeretary-at-War . Our soldiers would never resign into the hands of mercenaries those standards which had been so gallantly planted at
Alma and so gloriously defended at Inkerman . The admission that a protracted war was expected implied a grave censure upon Government , which should have foreseen and provided for ib . In the last nine months they ought to have collected a sufficient number of troops to enable them now to dispense with the beggarly instalment of 10 , 000 mercenaries ; and the Alma ought to have shown them that reinforcements were immediately needed . Why was it necessary for these professed warriors to be brought to England to be drilled ? "Why did not Government exercise its privilege , and send them from their own countries direct to the Crimea ? The bill itself was a model of carelessness . It was not
understood in all its bearings until they had been compelled to look at it a second time ; and , though they professed the measure to be so important , they bhindered or did not care about the difference of 10 , 000 or 15 , 000 men . A very exact precedent for such a measure should be found . That of 1804 was none . Then the King of England was elector of Hanover also , and British and German interests were closely identified . It was said that we were under obligations to the Germans for military instruction j but times were changed , and the Germans could scarcely have improved on the charges of the Scots Greys , theEnniskillcners , or the Light Brigade . He thought wo might look at them with groat
affection for what they had taught us in art and literature in time of peace . Between ourselves and tho Avhole of the German people there was so close an affinity of race , of commercial interests , and of all that belongs to intellectual interchange , that he should consider it as something monstrous—as something out of the ordinary course of nature—if Prussia , descending from that front rank among the nations to which sho was raised by the genius of ^ Frederick the Great , wore to refuse her co-operation in rolling back from the frontiers of civilised Europo tho advancing tide of Russian barbarism . ( Cheers . ) But if wo are to have an alliance "With tho groat Gorman people , in Heaven ' s name let it bo in a way that is worthy of them and us , Let us havo nations openly for our allios , and not tho scum of tho earth . Ho called upon Government , if they saw their way to tho
restoration of Poland , to aay so manfully , but not to enlist 1 ' oles unless they could bonofit them . Thoy had novor blamed Ministers for their reluctance in going to war . What thoy blamed was , that Ministers had not frankly explained to the Czar tho feeling of this country in opposition to his schemes , which , ho beliovcd , would havo boon a better security for peace than tho compliments thoy luul lavished on tho moderation of that potentate . Tlio boundless resources of thia country , and ' tho magnificent exordium of the Queen ' s Speech as to tho vigour with which the wax was to bo carried on , with thia crooping , crawling , begging proposition for foreign levies , reminded , him of a gentleman who was boasting to a stranger in a coflbo-houso of his oxtonsivo and vuluablo estates , his diamond and gold mines , and then winding up all by saying , « By-tho-by , X lmvo got i
«™ «? ii . ? ? ^ ; d ° ; happen have the sum of IHA . about you ? " If he were to presume to give ndvice on this question , he would say , goto the market of war—the best market was at home—and buy the "best article at any price ; it would be the C v £ ai 1 f * "Vil * !? " ? $ run - ,, The m ere mechanical dirhculties of the drill would soon be got over by our skilful officers ; and for the rest , our recruits even before . they joined our ranks , had gone through a discipline far more precious than the three '
years holiday service of the foreign soldier . They had been trained from their cradles to hardy habits to patient endurance of fatigue , and , above all , in an indomitable conviction in the strength of their own right arm . These were the habits which made soldiers invincible ; without them , armies might be faultless in the drill and valueless in the field . He concluded , amidst the general cheering of his party , by moving that the bill be read a second time this day six months .
Mr . M . Mixnes considered the present a European war , and would consequently support the measure . Mr . A . di > eki , e * urged that recourse should be had to our colonies , in preference to foreign countries , for soldiers . Mr . Watson supported , and Mr . Ball opposed . Mr . Milnemi Gibson said that the noble lord had concluded his speech with a very important announcement , to the effect that if the bill were defeated the Government would feel it necessary to resign their offices .
" He felt , after that announcement , they approached the question under considerable difficulty , and he did take upon himself to protest against the system of overawing the people of this country . ( Cheers . ) By telling them that if they did not , after a few hours' previous notice , make up their minds upon an . important legislalative measure- —a constitutional measure—the Government would feel at liberty to retire from office . He could not understand why resignation was to be the consequence of the defeat of this bill . Had they not seen , during the last session of Parliament , important measures of domestic policy , involving the principles of a great party , and yet the Government defeated , but at the same time considering that they could
honourably continue to administer public affairs ? Then it was not fair , upon a measure of tliis character , which is after all but a minor part of the proposals that have been made for the carrying on of this war , that the rejection by the House of this legislative proposal , involving a principle , is to necessitate the resignation of the Government . He , in voting , whichever way' lie might think proper to vote on the measure ( Jaug ftter ) , should vote in reference to its merits and his own conscientious convictions . He felt there was a great principle at stake in the bill—a principle that he valued more even than the resignation of a Government . He wanted to know -whether it was consistent with a sound view of public law that Parliament was to make
provisions for the Government of a country to commujizcate with the subjects of some neutral state . Arc such Governments to communicate with . Governments ? £ Je would appeal to any honourable member in the House whether in the law of nations it be a sound principle to separate peoples from their sovereigns , and to give power to the Crown to negotiate with individual subjects of neutral Powers without saying ono word as to the recognition of their Governments ? Had ivo not a law tipon our statute-book that made it a misdemeanour for any one to come here , and , without the consent of the Queen , to enlist troops to serve in foreign countries and in a foreign war ? It was not consistent with sound principles that private subjects of a State should make
war against a country when their own country is at peace with that country ; and it appeared to him that thoy could not give their sanction to the converse principle . The House could not recognise such a principle Not a word had been aaid about any auuh treaties having been ontorod into with any foreign Government . Not a syllable hntl been said nliout any alliance or understanding ; but her Majesty vrmi merely to bo empowered bytliis bill to throw lier recruiting ofllcers into any foreign country or any neutral state , to enlist forces to carry on tlio war with Russia . Thia wiis cither to bo done with tho consent of those neutral Governments , or zigainut their consent and without their knowledge . If it was to bo done with tho consont of those foreign Governments , then lie maintained that they
would forfeit their neutrality . Thoro would then be no necessity for tho bill ; for thciuo Governments would bo bolligorenta against Runsin , and thoy were bound to declare war openly , and in the face of Europe . They would then bo bound to enter Into un alliance with this country , and to hoik ! their forces as their contingent » n mipport of tho common war . Such ft course of proceeding would bo oonnifltent . with tho law of Europe . If , on tho other hand , il . was tfb bo done without tho consent of those Governments , or against their wishes , th « n ho maintained that tuu Hritlnh Parliament ought , not to ttanotlon any miolx course of public policy . Tim Government of Switzerland , and other Governments ) throughout Kuropo , hud already pansod laws—municipal lawn—to prevent , tho carrying on of war by moaiiH of morccniiricn . Tho noblo lord tho President of tho Council might quote
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 23, 1854, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_23121854/page/2/
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