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WAR TO THE MINISTRY. The demonstration a...
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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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Onl Want Of Vi But Want Of Due September...
September 30 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER , 915 ""^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ' ^ r- nr -r - _ , T al 1 ( 1 _ ¦ — . .- -, „ --.-- -, - -, „ = * ^ •¦ I ^ mSH
War To The Ministry. The Demonstration A...
WAR TO THE MINISTRY . The demonstration at Sheffield " for the purpose of considering whether the present Government is deserving of the confidence of the country in the management of the war with Russia , " which was announced last week , came off on Monday . The feeling of the meeting -was not unanimous . The mayor , who took the chair , stated that he did so officially , and that " he did not accord with the views of the reqiiisitioriists , but held quite contrary views to them . " He complained that a number of the council who had signed the requisition were absent .
Mr . Councillor Alcock said that , as one of the parties who had signed that requisition , he was equally at a loss with the mayor as to "who had got iip the meeting . He was asked in the town council during its last meeting to sign a requisition for a meeting , but to that document no one could have had any objection , for it was simply that the mayor would call a meeting to consider whether the conduct of Government in reference to the war was deserving the confidence of the country . He had been asked to second a resolution , but not liking the petition to . be moved , he had prepared an amendment which hejwould submit to the meeting . He might say , that it was rumoured this was not a spontaneous movement on the part of the people of Sheffield , but that it had been
got up b y the Carlton Cltib in London . Councillor Saunders said perhaps the mayor would allow h 5 m to make his confession . ( Laughter . ^ He explained that he had twice refused to sign a requisition to the mayor to call a meeting to condemn her Majesty ' s Ministers and to ask for their dismissal from office , on the ground that we were not in possession of sufficient information of the movements of the allied troops . He had received a resolution which he had been appointed to second , "but he had written to the promoters of the meeting declining to support that motion . At present he thought we were doing a fair amount of military work in the East , and lie could not but believe tliat in the north of Europe something startling would soon be done .
Mr . Alderman Carr proposed the first resolution : The last time he had the honour of being before a public audience on this question , his ' remarks suffered the degradation of being pumice-stoned in Russia . ( Laughter . ) It would make little difference to him if they suffered the same fate on the present occasion . { . Cheers . ) He stood there with a clear conscience , satisfied he was doing his duty to himself and his country by moving the resolution that had been placed in his hand . { Cheers . ) He entertained the highest respect and the greatest confidence of our great warriors in the East . { Cheers . ) He believed that every man of them was there to do his duty , but he doubted whether they had sufficient authority given them to allow them to do their duty to their country . ( Loud cheers . ) He did not believe there was another man alive like Napier .
( Cheers . ) The next man to him was in the French army . The English and French alliance was a great blessing to us , and he sincerely hoped and trusted that friendly alliance would be everlasting . Whilst he reprobated as strongly as any man could do the horrors that followed war , yet he knew there were times when it was impossible for any nation to live at peace , and that it was now jmposoible for this country to live at peace with Russia . { Cheers . ) In his last speech in that hall on that subject , he stated his firm belief that if England had been energetic in preventing Russia from occupying the principalities of Turkey , no war would have happened . { Applause . ) Unless we had energetic men in our Government to carry us through the war , it would bo a lasting one , and its end would bo an inglorious one . How ¦ was it that authority was not given to our military and naval commanders to carry on the war firmly and strongly , as they wished to do ? Ho did not blame the whole of tiic Government . There wero men amongst them who deprecated the presont system as much as any one could , but ho
could not be satished with the conduct of the gentleman ¦ who occupied the highost position in this country—the Earl of Aberdeen . ( Loiul cfteers . ) If that minister wove to reflect a moment that he had been one of the greatest and dearest friends of Russia , delicacy ought to havo told him that ho was the lust man in tho world who should hold his present position . { Cheers . ) Ho did not exercise that delicacy , nay , lie was in power very much in opposition to a great number of members of Parliament , and a large majority of this nation . { Cheers . ) Now , ho came forward to call upon his townsmen to speak out and unseat tho man who so abused his power . ( Cheers , ') Tho motion ho had to niovo was tho following :- — " That ainco tho declaration of war against Russia by Una country , numerous and dangerous diplomatic interruptions , combined -with a laxity of purposo , lmve boon permitted to obstruct alike tho tactics of our naval and military loaders , and tho general progress of tho ¦ war . and thus prevented mensarcs of a decisive character , tending to tho humiliation of Russia , from being adopted . " Mr . Woston briefly soconded the motion .
Mr . Councillor Alooclc then roao , und said : — Though perhaps ' . thoro would bo a diftlu-eneo of opinion , owing to a want of explanations , ho tainted thoro would bo mo mistake of tli ' m meeting ' s dot audition uf Itussiiin aggression . ( Cheers . ) Ho condemned tho cruolly und rupadiy of ICuasia , but ho could not agrou wit li tho mode in which it , WttH proposed to treat this umiation . Although lio wuh ho adnuror of Lord AborUvon , ho could not buliovo ho had tho power in tho Ministry ho wuu mu \ to havo . litt "" V iuk UmtHHoh nion 11 a Lord John KhshcII and JUH-U A ahnorston would ait in tho comu-il an morn lookorn on . Ahoy wore and ought to bo equally runpimslblo for their endue t to luiuland . Tho policy of this countrv whuuld not bo to Mingle , out ono man in tin , cabinet , but , ' to muko all ri'Hpoiittiblo to tho country . Ho would now mibmit nn amendment , but if it wuh lioutilo to tho Imlingrt of tlumooting ho would withdraw it . 'JTlio amendment wna : " That - , , ; ° l » iK < o « l « doep cono « rn at tho conduct of her Mu-. JoHty h AlnuHtarH in their modo of c / unyiiiK 011 thu war . That 11 conbiUora their conduct in relation to Odeum ahowod nut
only a want of vigour , but a want of due regard to human life ; and permitting Austria to occupy the Danubian provinces witnout even a declaration of war against Russia , this meeting deems impolitic in the highest degree , in no way calculated to impress the Autocrat with their determination of purpose , or secure the ostensible objects of the war . " He himself did not like the conduct of the present Whig Government . He accused them of slumbering at their posts , and acting in such a manner as to arouse exceeding watchfulness of their proceedings by the public . Their conduct in reference to Odessa was really like nothing but playing at war . { Cheers . ) It had always hitherto been our policy when we obtained an advantage in war to follow it up vigorously , but that we neglected to do at Odessa , and the result was loss to this nation , and the shedding of the blood of our
sailors . When we condemned the Cabinet , we should recollect that Lord Palmerston was in office when Poland was partitioned by Russia , Prussia , and Austria . The restoration of the independence of Italy , Hungary , and Poland must be the wish of every English patriot , but we must not think that we should get any Government or any House of Commons to forward that movement with our present system of representation . He referred to the part that England took with Russia against the Turks at the battle of Navarino , for which he said Russia showed her gratitude to us by closing the Danube against our ships within a month . Our conduct has been most , cowardly . Our wars have been the wars of madness and folly , though he did not say this war partook of the general quality . We must not expect Lord Derby or Mr . Disraeli to forward the independence of Italy , Hun- >
gary , and Poland- ( A Voice : " We don't want them" ) Nor could Briglit' or Cobden raise a cabinet . He condemned our present policy with respect to Austria , in allowing that power to occupy Turkish territory , and for the shortcomings of the Government he held [ not only Aberdeen , but the whole Cabinet , responsible . Lord Aberdeen- could not control the whole Cabinet , but really , if he could , they ought all to be impeached and shot . { Cheers and laughter /) The Mayor : Come , Mr . Alcock , you are going too far ( Laughter . ) Mr . Alcock : You don't suppose I mean anything , do you ? { Roars of laugJiter . ' ) The mayor seemed afraid that he was going to say something violent . The Mayor ; No , but that you have already said it . { Laughter . ) Mr . Alcock : Well , what he meant to say was , that if men
betrayed their country they deserved to be impeached and punished . { Applause . ) He should have less regret for their loss than for the loss of perhaps thousands of our troops which might be brought about by their cowardice and a want of honesty of purpose . The longer this war lasted the greater would be the expense , every shilling of which had to come from the pockets of the people , and therefore he wished it to be speedily concluded ; and not so as to secure peace from Russia , as Lord Aberdeen said , for thirty years , but for 300 years . { Cheers . ) We ought to raise an effective- barrier to the depotism of that power ,. which , though called barbarian , possessed a monstrous lot of cunning ; for as regarded the corn trade , and the right of navigation of the Danube , they had outwitted all our diplomatists . It was not one , but all the Cabinet who were answerable for the conduct of the war . and so they ought to be , for they got money enough for it . { Cheers . )
Councillor Harvey said he had also an amendment to make , ' which might meet with the same fate as Mr . Alcock's . Strong charges hud been made against the Government , and at any rate those should bo proved before wo pronounced them guilty . Tho resolution ho had to move was to tho effect " That , in tho opinion of the meeting , the progress of tho war hitherto has not been so satisfactory to tho country , nor so vigorously prosecuted as the extensive preparations led the country to expdet , but as now there seems a determination to act with energy in the Crimea , this meeting be adjourned for a fortnight , to await tho issue of tho operations there . " ( A Voice : "Nonsense , " ) That gentleman might call it nonsense , but ho called it good common sonso . It was not his intention in moving that amendment to shut up public discussion on the conduct of Government .
There was no 0110 on tho platform who ^ bought Government had been more lax and negligent in prosecuting tho war than he did . { Cheers and laughter . ) For tho iirst two or throe- months they heard of nothing but the captures of cargoes of salt and guano by our powerful fleet . This appoarcd to him a pettifogging trifling with the nation . But what had ivo arrived at now . Perhaps ore this resolution was moved to-night , Sobastopol was in possession of tho allied armies . Ho hoped to God it was . ( Cheers . ) We had now strong opinions against Aberdeen and his Cabinet , and it was only a row months ago that wo ontertainod somewhat similar opinions of Prince Albert . Yot direotly Parliament met , tho charge against him , waa at once blown to tho winds . { Cheers . ") Seeing it stated in tho Morning Herald that tho Newcastle pooplo wero tho only sensible poovilo in the kingdom , and that the pcoplo of Sheffield wore
going to ' act likewise , ho asked them to pause before they allowed it to bo Biud they were tho only pooplo who had fallen into thnfc trap . { Cheers . ) Ho urged thoin to bo careful , lest by their conduct thuy _ whould thwart Government , who lniu manifested a dta position to carry on tho war manfully and with vigour . Thoy nhould ruthor oncourago Government to go on . In a fortnight or thruo weeks wo should Hi'ti whclhor Gluvernimmt wore- » iueero , and tlio ( iuohlinn would loao nothing in the Interval . If Lhib Government wero turned out , whom would they got hi their place ? Tho DerbyilcH ? Wo know enough of them . Lord John Ruasoll went blow enough j but . Lord Porby put tho drug on altogether . ( J . uut / lttar . ) Ik wuii a . low twaddling bigoted Tory papers who wore attempting to roiiNO up opposition to Government , of whoHo alleged unfit uosti no proof , waa given . Councillor Aleoek uoouuded tlio amendment .
Mr . \\ ilkiurt raiu to support , Mr . Huvvcy ' H amendment , which , however , he thought did not go far enough ; bocuumi a fortnight wan a vory short , timo , und might iliHcloHo nothing hiillir ' u . 'iit . Id warrant them in pronouncing an opinion ndvi'mo to ( JoviTiiiiK'ut . They ought , to waive their < liMcu . sMioti until tlio prunout huuhom h ' iw ended , und until 1 ' urlliiinont mot , no that thoy might limv tho doH ' unoo of Uuvenunont , before pro
ceeding to condemn it . His belief was that Government was wiser than this meeting . The resolution merely supposed a case , but gave no instance of Aberdeen , or his fellows , having done that which the resolution imputed to them . The meeting would be committing itself seriously by pronouncing an opinion upon mere supposition . He hoped that the meeting would not pass the resolution before it , until tta assertions had been proved . Alderman Carr having replied , The Mayor said , Mr . Wilkins had requested him to state that he only wished the meeting to be adjourned for a certain limited period—not for six months , or sine die . His worship then put the amendment , -which was negatived by nearly the whole meeting . The resolution was then pat and carried with loud cheers . Councillor Ironside ( Loud Cheers ') said his name was
down to move another resolution , but he should never object to do duty on an occasion of this description for big worthy friend Mr . Schofield ; and , therefore , moved— " That considering the treacherous character of Austria in all her tortuous diplomatic proceedings , no hope is offered to the people of England that any permanent advantages , bearing on the future peace of Europe , can result from accepting her as an ally ; and that the Austrian occupation of the Principalities , without declaring war against Russia , is in the highest degree dishonourable and improper . " In 1844 , Nicholas of Russia visited this country . After his return to Russia he sent a memorandum of what had happened , by Count Nesseb-ode . Count Ncsselrode -proposed the partition of Turkey to the British Government , and after making this proposition , the count said : — "That , notwithstanding will be the more beneficial , inasmuch as it will have the full
assent of Austria . Between her and Russia there exists already an entire conformity of principle in regard to the affairs of Turkey . " In conclusion , Nesselrode said , after showing how Turkey was to be partitioned : — "And for the purpose just stated , -the- policy of Russia and Austria , as we have already said , is closely united by the principlQ of perfect identity ^ Nbwytbat was in . 1844 . Aberdeen , who was then Foreign Secretary , received that proposition , put it into his red box , and neither returned nor rejected it . { Applause . ) When the Emperor Nicholas , A fortnight after the accession to power of Lord Aberdeen , saw-Sir H . Seymour at St . Petersburg , he got hold of him by the button-hole , and had some conversation with him respecting Turkey . His Majesty said : " The sick man is ready to die ; the time has come about which we spoke in 1844 . " In the course of the conversation , Sir H . Seymour said : " Your
Majesty has forgotten Austria . Now , this question affects that power very nearly , and she will expect to be consulted . " " Oh , " said the Emperor , " but you must understand when I speak of Russia , I speak of Austria as well . { Laughter , and cries of " Hear , hear" ) What suits the one suits the other , ( Cheers , and cries of " That ' s it . " ) Oar interests with regard to Turkey are perfectly identical . " { Cheers . ) He need not say more on that part of the question than to ask the meeting " What is Austria now doing in the Principalities ? " Omer Pacha , that noble man ( Applause ) , unaided by us , drove Russia out of the Principalities . Austria was now in . England had influenced tho Porto to sign a convention to . allow Austria to occupy that territory ; and what was Austria doing ? Hunting out the refugees—obliging Omer Pacha to give up the Hungarian refugees there ; telling them that she would not have the Polish and Hungarian
refugees in the Principalities . And our Government wero in complicity with that act . { Cheers . ) Then , he asked , what were they to do with an adjournment for a fortnight , when , for aught they knew , Austria might be shooting down those poor unfortunate refugees in hundreds , as she had done before . ( Cheers . ) Wiry , it made his blood boil to think that England should be a party to so disgraceful and horrible a transaction . ( Apjplause . ) Omar Pacha did not want Austria in the Principalities ; but Austria was thera because the interests of Russia and Austria were " perfectly identical . " ( Cheers . ) Austria held possession of the Principalities as a warming-pan for Russia ? and as Russia told Austria to declare war against us , she would do so . Austria would then gay : "I am in tho Principalities , and I'll not move out of them . " Ho ( Mr . Ironside ) regarded oar toforation of Austria ' s occupation of tho Principalities us a most
disgraceful transaction , and called upon the meeting , by its vote , to indorse hia opinions . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Pearson seconded tho motion . Councillor Alcock hoped that the remainder of tho business would bo conducted in a more friendly manner . Ho wanted to know the trnth . If what Mr . Ironsido had said was true as to Austria ' s occupation of tho Danubian Principr . HticB , that was so serious a mutter that it ought to bo tho iirst subject for inquiry on tho re-assombling of Parliament : and if it wero found that Ministers wero guilty of tho thinga imputed to thorn , thoy ought not to bo allowed to exist ( Applause and laur / hter . ) Ho ( Mr . Alcook ) saw Mr . Roe . buck a short time after Kossuth ' a visit to Sheffield . Mr Roebuck oxprosHod great admiration for the noble Hungarian , and hia sympathy with KoshuUi ' s nation ; but Mr . Roobuolt also said that « s an English statesman ho could not adopl hia ( Kosmith ' si ) viown with reference to Austria . Mr . Hocbuok wrote a lettor to tho promoters of KossulhVj
demonstration in faht'lHold in Juno last , in which ho uUtud mn reason for di . sHonting from Kosauth's views on the Aimtrinn quetUion . That letter was never rend in public Ji <> ( Mr . AlcodO rcgrottod it whs not ; boouuso it would liavo ^ iven Kotmutu mi opportunity to reply to them , and l <> P "' - I' 10 points in diaputo between iiim-and J \ Ir . Hoobuck buliiro tho public in a moot interesting light . And inoro than that , ho had Mr . Roobuek'rt authority to make it known that lio Jolt disappointed , an tho reprcHviilative <> f lhi » town , Hint his view'H wero not on that ; ocoumoii laid lnforo the public on auch an important mietjtion aa that of Auatrla ' tt influence or position with rutf'ii'u" to tint i » roscnt war . I ; or Ins ( Mr . Aliuek'ri ) own part , lio did not » ' « « AiiMtriim inu «« nco fti . all , ; ui . cl if tho oplni'in oftliu Knrl » t Ahonloon w . ia a coiTfcf , ouO , IIml , Franco eoiiia bent Kiishlii and Autariii put togotnV , ho \ vmild rather not si .-o n « In tillianoo with tho latter JflH iQjUi 4 l / eonumi lio wjih euro thai , 1 li" views of Auntria woujd bo inimical to tho intenmlH uf Turkey hi tl »« Huttluuiunf of t'hitt matter . Ho maintained , however , that thoro woro portions r >
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 30, 1854, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_30091854/page/3/
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