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! Oqr THE LEADER. , ¦ fNo, 505, 3STov. 2...
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——«*——POLITICAL FORE SHADOWINGS.
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show a warlike attitude, if we now show ...
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MR. JAMES'S BUIBKHY BILL. Tim hon. and l...
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Transcript
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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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! Oqr The Leader. , ¦ Fno, 505, 3stov. 2...
! Oqr THE LEADER . , ¦ fNo , 505 , 3 STov . 26 , 1859 .
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——«*——Political Fore Shadowings.
——«*——POLITICAL FORE SHADOWINGS .
Show A Warlike Attitude, If We Now Show ...
show a warlike attitude , we now we are determined to maintain the independence of the country and its honour , and the honour and reputation of theState , it is not because we area warlike or aggressive people , but because we are a free and independent people , arid that while we will do no injury to any man we will allow no man to injure us . Whereas at the end of the late war we had 240 sail of the line in royal yards , and 107 at sea bearing the royal fLag , we now have only 65 sail of the line in the dockyards , and 37 bearing the royal flag at sea . Besides this , we cannot bring forward more than 50 000 regular troops to defend the nation from invasion . It is because I know the bravery of France , because I know the power of France , arid because I know the spirit and the ability of the Emperor—it is for this reason that I say the volunteer
moveif show that A g eeat meeting was held at Glasgow on Wednesday evening at which Sir Akchibai / d ^ lison was present and made a characteristic , that is to say a voluminous speech . In the course of his remarks lie said : —No defensive preparations can ever give a foreign nation a pretext to say that we are actuated by afgressive motives , that we are disposed ta invade or disturb other countries . We are essentially a pacific people . There is no war can be waged in any part of the world wliich does not strike at some British industry , and there is no war can be waged bv ourselves that would not bring upon us , if it were with a great Power , an amount of distress and suffering which it is painful to contemplate . Therefore , we are a pacific people . And if we now
ment is indispensably called for by Great Britain , This is not a case of dispute—it is not a quarrel or temporary- necessity . It is necessary that we should . be armed .. The French are brave aud patriotic , and they are determined to rival us in every way they can ; but I say we are patriotic , and we are brave , and we are as much determined to . maintain thepovver which we possess . It is often said by people in this country that we need not be afraid of the French , for we have a great mercantile navy of 220 , 000 sailors , ¦ who at any time can be added to our regular navy , and therefore we are perfectly secure . In the present state of matters I pray you to observe thisthe great mercantile navy of England , so far from being a refuge or support , is—people say that it can easily be made ptherwise—but as matters stand it is the most serious weakness that we have . Tk »
wages of the seamen in the mercantile navy are 50 s 3 , month , while the wages of seamen in the royal navy are only 31 s . a month . It has been often said * how does it happen that there are so many English Bailors in the American , navy ? And in the late strife with that country we were really often fighting our own navy . The answer to that question simply is , that there is a wonderful strength in half a dollar a-day . That is the May that matters stand as regards our . mercantile navy . How can we expect that men , many of them having families , are to join the royal navy at so great a loss ? Do not , therefore , let us lay our heads upon our pillows and say we are perfectly safe because we have a great
mercantile navy . Our mercantile navy is just a huge competitor , which drains men from the royal navy . After alluding to our insufficient military force , the speaker continued : jt- " The first step I would take in this matter would ho at one blow , and without the least delay , to raise the pay of the soldiers and sailors and the militia from Is . Id . to is . 8 d . or 2 a . a day . If you do this for the militia , and do the same for the royal navy , you will find that the ships of the line will be filled with sailors , and you will find that the ranks of the regular army will bo filled with able and valiant men . " Proceeding to n otice the effect of a successful invasion , Sir Archibald observed that , in addition to its other horrors and insults , "In the mutter of pounds , shillings , and pence , i 6 would affect the pockets of every
been well ; but as you have not done that you mus * just make . them pay for it , and therefore I require you to lay hold of 200 of the principal merchants , and keep them as hostages for the payment of 50 , 000 , 000 of francs / and he actually levied that sum , equal to about . £ 2 , 000 , 000 sterling , upon Hamburgh , which at that time only contained about 80 , 000 inhabitants , and the imposition would be equal to £ 10 , 000 , 000 in this city . You see at what price the their
peacerat-any-price gentlemen would purchase salvation . " Sir Archibald then advocated the establishment of a volunteer force which should prove an efficient support to the regulars ; he impressed upon his hearers the necessity of training and discipline , remarking that in the contrast between the loss of the Royal Charter and the perfect safety of her Majesty ' s-ships in the same gale was to be seen the superiority of the same men disciplined over their equally brave but untutored countrymen . made
At Rugby , on Thursday , Mr . Newdegate a speech upon public affairs , in the course of wliich he spoke of the importance to the safety of the constitution of a full representation of the agricultural interest ; then congratulated his constituents upon the defeat of the attempt to legalise the appointment of Oatholjcsto the Irish Chancellorship ; and condoled with them upon the downfall of church-rates . Referring to the Duke of Wellington ' s celebrated letter to Sir John Burgoyne , Mr . Newdegate said that he read that letter in the House of Commons in 1852 , during the discussion upon the Militia Bill , and to the honour of Lord Derby ' s Government , and the patriotic spirit of X . ord Palmerston they , with much But remember this
difficulty , passed that measure . , 150 000 well-organized militia was the minimum that the Duke of Wellington said was necessary , and we have never had 85 , 000 . We have , in point of fact , never had half . Looking to the state of the navy , it has been observed that it is scarcely superior to the navy of-France alone , and totally unable to resist any combination . Such was the length which the apathy of the country , and the economical mania of some , actuated by the ; designing policy of others , have gone , that it has rendered us exposed to the aggressions of France for years . Even Louis Philippe warned her Majesty that , though he would be the last man to break the alliance , it was dangerous to leave the country in such a defenceless condition before the people of France , who in some evil hour might be incited to impel their Government , in of former victories of to make
remembrance ours , an inroad on our shores . It is , therefore , a subject of congratulation to find such a manly spirit aroused throughout the country as is manifested in the formation of volunteer corps . On our foreign policy he also made some observations . He said : —The question now remains , shall England be represented in the Congress that is proposed to be held ? I should be sorry that England should damage her position in Europe by failing to take part in any great settler ment of affairs , but England has had nothing to do with the disturbances that have rendered this Congress necessary , and therefore she cannot speak with the strength and power of a State which not only has formed a decided opinion upon the matter , but is ready to enforce that opinion . I myself cannot help thinking that it jig far better that England should abstain from entering into the Congress at all .
At Hanley , on Tuesday , Mr . Adoeuliey , M . P ., after bestowing his commendation upon the volunteer corps , said , of the homojjpolitics of England at the present moment there was only one subject which could occupy their minds , and that was Parliamentary reform . He was only speaking the sentiment , of eveiy gentleman in that room when lie said they were not only ready but anxious to carry outnot only now , but always—from time to tiriie , that system of reform which shall keep the institutions of this country on a level with the advancing intelligence and political progress of tho people , But when they found that there wore men who put this question forward as having the monopoly of reform , and indulging in $ he grossest misrepresentations in order to keep that position of monopoly , and who put themselves forward as leaders in this question , to which they had so little claim , it was high time
they ( the Conservatives' ) should understand these men , and what they wore about . Foremost of these men was Mr , Bright , who he ( M , r . Addevley ) did not hesitate to say , as ho luul frequently said in his presence , prostituted tho highest ; abilities for tho simplo purpose of personal aggrandisement . But what dU Mr . Bright say ? Ho said that this constitution of ours must bo changed altogether ; it was a moro slmm and pretence to talk of adapting it to circumstances ; it must bo revolutionised . Mr . Bright said tho House of Commons did not represent tho country ; but to his ( Mr . Addorloy ' mind tho House of Commons had always roprosontod tho country , and , had always altered itself to suit tho fooliugs of tho country , Mr . Bright oxprossea his hostility to rich men j but as ho was prottiy well o / Thiinself , and had relations rich onough to bribe constituencies , ho hud restricted hl $
animadversions to those rich men who had the misfortune to invest their- money in land , and he . said these horrible men , who filled the House of Commons , had no interest in economy ; they only take an iuterest in extravagance . He CMr . Adderley ) felt sure that if a Reform Bill were introduced , and he believed that the Reform Bill wliich will be introduced will be very much like that introduced by Lord Derby ' s government , whatever might be the shuffling of the political cards , it would only end in strengthening the Conservative party .
At Abingdon , Capt . Vernox , M . P ., presided at an agricultural dinner , and made some sensible remarks upon our relations with France . He said : - —He was very sorry that we had not undertaken the expedition to China single-handed . If he could have a voice in the matter , he would not allow a single Frenchman to pull a trigger in our quarrel . We were strong enough to vindicate our cause by our own strong arm , and we had at present a large number of troops in India who were not Sepoys , who would have answered every purpose . It tended greatly to . diminish our prestige abroad to find that we were always participating with France in our wars , and the Continental nations were bound
to believe that we were not able to make war without the assistance of France . Was the present Emperor then greater than hijs uncle ? History replied , ne ! Was the French soldiers who fought the other day on the plains of Italy , better than the soldiers of the Great Napoleon , 30 , 000 of whom overrun the whole of Italy in a fortnight , boat 80 jOOO , fought six pitched battles and gained them , destroying 25 , 000 of the Austrian and Sardinian troops—Magenta and Solferino would reply , no ! Were the British soldiers of the . present day inferior to the troops , half regulars and half militia , who fought and conquered the troops of Napoleon" at Waterloo ? The Crimea and India answer , no ! For argument sake ,
he would suppose that the French soldiers of the present day were equal to the heroes of Marengo and Austerlitz . We need not value them a rush ; pur soldiers beat them in those days , and they would beat them at any time . In addition to that there was a military spirit growing up in England which was so widely diffused that there was scarcely a man capable of bearing arms who was not anxious , in the defence of his country , to cast in his lot with his brethren whose sole business was war . The rifle movement was a great and unmistakeable fact ; and it was a great physical power in England , and it indicated a new and effective mode of defence . That made it a great moral power on the Continent ; for this was the first time within the memory of man
that they had seen England bristling with bayonets from one end to the other , and the hardiest and sturdiest race in the world were seen standing shoulder to shoulder prepared to repel and beat back an invading army . The French say that they have the disgrace of Waterloo to avenge . We had no debts of that kind , for in all our encounters with France , from Cressy down to Waterloo , we could regard the conduct of our army with considerable complacency . It did not require the gift of prophecy to reason on events that were passed ; but he ventured to predict that if the present generation of Frenchmen sought to revenge Waterloo by the invasion of England , they would bequeath to after generations a stilj greater defeat—a defeat that would be as decisive as disastrous .
In reference to the statement in the loader of Saturday ' s Times , that « the ballot has been shelved , we are requested by the Comrnitteo of tho Ballot Society to announce that Mr . Berkeley lias made no communication to them of any intention on his part to shelve " the ballot , and that they have no reason to believe that tho hon . member for Bristol has the intention imputed to him by the Times ; but should the Times be correct , the Ballot Society will tftko care that the ballot is . not sholvcd , in or out of
rar-A very crowded meeting of members and friends of tho King ' s College Debating Society was held in tho great hall of King ' s Collogo , on W ednesday evening . Tho quostion discussed was , " Is tno prosent Ministry worthy of tho confidence of tho country ? " Tho Wlug-ORadical party wiis led i > y Mr . T . P . Langmoad , and tho Conservatives by Mf . G : V . Chambers . , At tho closo of the dobnto a division took placo . with tho following rosult : —i or tho Government , 51 ; against , 00-majority ugninsn tho Government , 9 . Tho majority against tin uovernmont would have boon vory much larger ( tll 0 ro wore botwoon 300 and 40 O persons presont ) liaa 1 l not boon for a speech rondo by tho Hov . I . «• riuruptra , tho chaplain of the College .
human being in the country . In 1808 , Napoleon went to Portugal , and he said ho came as a liberator , to free tho Portuguese from thcjlr 3 oko . Tho first thing he did when he got into Lisbon wns to lay a contribution of £ 4 , 000 , 000 sterlingof Portuguese money , equal to jvt least £ 10 , 000 , 000 in Scotland . Napoleon went in 1796 to Milan as a liberator , and tho first thing ho did was to impose * tJ 800 , 000 upon tho liberated city . He next wortt to Vonicio , and ho imposed there £ 3 , 600 , 000 . in 180 « ho wont to Prussia and levied upon Prussia— -containing only about 4 , 000 , 000 or 5 , 000 , 000 of inhabitants—a contribution to tho amount of £ , 24 , 000 , 000 sterling , and ho actually squeezed the money out of tho country in the five years by military occupation . In 1812 , ho said , in a letter to X > nvoust , when thnt Genoral was in Ilamburpr , « If you had shot aix of tho principal merchants of Hamburg on the day you entered , it would huvo
Mr. James's Buibkhy Bill. Tim Hon. And L...
MR . JAMES'S BUIBKHY BILL . Tim hon . and loarnod morobqr for Miirvlybono lioj put in circulation tho following dooiinioMt , wliic | i '" is his intontlon to introduce next session . Propoaodlilll . —An Act to roquiro from M 01 " 1 ' ?! : ? . returned to sorvo In' IVlinmont ft JJocmrauw
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 26, 1859, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26111859/page/4/
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