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with Russia in the construction of the "Vienna note ; -and he insisted that Xord Clarendon had more than hinted that the Pgrte should grant the Russian demands . He thus put his two alternatives : — " If the conduct of her Majesty ' s Government during the last seven months bas been influenced by . credulity , it is possible you may La-ve a war—a loaig and a severe war ; but it will be a war carried on Tor great objects , and may end in great public benefit , ( dicers . * ) ' Russia , by her perfidious conduct—if it has b-een perfidious—may have precipitated a straggle which , perkaps , will be inevitable , aad a struggle which may secure the independence of Europe ,, the safety , 0 / England , and the safety of civilisation . ( . Cheers . ) Yon -may have a war , which , as some hon . gentleman say ,-may
restore Bessarapiatothe Porte—70 a may have a war , which "will convert Crimea into an independent country—you may lar « a war that may make the ' Daumbe a free coontir—and you xnay have a war that will make the Euxine a Tree sea . ( Cheers . ' ) But all this is dependent upon th « somewhat humiliating but pardonable circamstance—comparatively -pardonable circumstance—that the conduct of her Majesty ' s Government has been the constquence of credulity . ( Laughter . ) And let us for a moment contemplate the results of the other alternative . If it has been suggested , by connivance , you may have a war ; but it will be a war such as will be carried on by connivance—a timorous war , a vacillating ; war—a war with no results , or rather with the exact Tesnlts which were originalry intended . " ( LauahterJ )
Mr . Disraeli , in looking to the future , made an atnusiag attack both on Sir James Graham and Xord John Russell . cc TheTirst Lord of the Admiralty has given as a r oata > logue—although an imperfect orte—of some of the advantages that we now enjoy , which otherwise w « might not Lare possessed , to meet the JiflBciUties that-we have to encounter . In the first place -I ana glad to hear from the right hon . gentleman tbat though the Government . have not done much in the interval they have succeeded in cementing a . good understanding and alliance with France . ( Cheers . ) The right hon . gentleman ought to be a judge of the importance of such an alliance ; ( Ironical cheers from the Opposition- ') About a year ago an alliance with
Franee was not . in such favour on the Treasury benches . I remember it was imputed as a great fault to my noble friend , the late Secretary . ©? State for Foreign Afiairs , that he was too fond of . an alliance with France ; and , when I remember , the calumny , the vituperation , and the ignorant impertinence with whicb Lord Malmesbary was assailed from the first moment of his official career , and contrast it with th-e state of public opinion at the present moment as one -who was a colleague of that noble lord , and is still happily his friend , I rejoice at -what has ocenred . ( Cheers . ) "Events have shown , and the public recognise it now , that he was a man of sagacity , and a Minister of unswerving firmness , f Ckeers from the Opposition . ) But , Sir , this time last year the French alliance , since so happily cemented by her Majesty's Ministers , was not so mu « h in vogueasat present . Far be it from me to allude to past debates , nor should I do so had I not found , to my
great surprise , that so discreet and experienced a Minister as the leader of this House had thought it expedient that this year our discussions should be enlivened by abuse of another Emperor . ( Cheers and laughter ?) Last year the Emperor of the French was a ^ aitto ^ - ^ Lattghter)—this year the Emperor of Russia is a but 6 her . QLoud cheers from the Op ~ fmntion , and laughter , ' ) After thie trial of Dr . Sacheverel , Sir Robert Walpole said the Whigs had had quite enough of roasting a parson . ( Laughter . ) I think I may say to her Majesty ' s Ministers that they have had quite enough of roasting an Emperor—( Renewed laughter ) , and I should not be surprised , if the impending war should be shorter than some persons imagine , if by this time next year the Ministers should , in the interval , lave succeeded in cementing a peace with Bnssia . ( Cheers and laughter . ' ) What the character of the Emperor may be then I cannot pretend to say . but I have no -doubt the First Lord of the Admiralty ¦ wil l do justice to him . " ( Laughter . )
In conclusion Mr . Disraeli spoke for the opposition in this grandiose fashion .: — '' On Friday night , when I made gome observations , the noble lord stated that my observations were important because I rose with the concurrence and indeed by the request of the gentlemen who usually act with me , to say that we proposed to offer no opposition to the vote which the noble lord wished to have passed . The noble lord was pleased to say that this was an important declaration . I confess I was surprised at the somewhat exaggerated view waieh the noble lord took of those simple words ; for whatover may be the opinion that -vvo may entertain of the conduct of the government in theso transactions , which have led
naitting the right of the House to be infonned upon their conduct and to express its 'opinion , * he declared that he never had expected to . hear from any Member , accusations like those put ^ forward by 'Mr . Disraeli . Sad Lord Palrnerston felt that a 'Gorern-: naent was justly chargeable with , credulity or connivance , he should feel there could he no otter course open to him than to withhold from ^ h ^ t Government the confidence of Parliament . He defended the Governments"We are accused of credulity ; I say , that vthe ^ dfl ^ patokes in these volumes Justify us in having for a-coDSidexable period reposed confidence in the assertions of . the Hussian Government . The right hon . gentleman "has accused . my
noble friend , the Secretary for Foreign Affairs , of having " misled Parliament , on the , 25 th of ^ pril , iby declaring , at that time , that the Russian Government asked for ^ nothing bat the settlement of the question of the holy places , whereas , sayr the right hon . gentlemen , at "that very fime T ^ nnce Menschikoffhad left Constantinople ; and'the "Eng lish Government knew perfectly well that he "hatl i « en -ur ^ Dg » certain treaty on the Porte . What are the lacta" ? Prince Menschikoff did not leave Const » ntiaople till 'the > 32 i £ frtrf May ; and , as ^ thekitestdeclamtkfnvwhieh ^ onthe 26 taof April Lord Clarendon had received from the'RuBsian anfchorities , its date was the 28 th of March , on which oay , ; in reply to a , question from Sir Hamilton Saymour , whether 4 he settlement of the question -as to « the Jioly . ttlaces would
arrange everything between Russia and Turkey , Cfount ^ Nesselrode with his own lips assured him that'it woula , and tbat nothing tJiereafter woxtld remain to "he settled tefrtfeen the two Powers but -some petty ^ poirits couatecWi wHn * tite ' Chancery , wholly tmirnp < niant aatlunconsequentTftl . tFfc&t Statement was repeated on the 30 th of April , when Gffunt Nesselrode declared most positively to w Hamilton { Seymour that the arranwnamit whi ^ -w ^ a hvgotiatinv ait Constantinople contained Bothiog beyond rthat wm « h had been already made known to the British Minister at St . Petersburg , and by the Rossian , Minister . » t the Court of St . James ' s to the English < jjovernment . Sir , vtjppn such positive assertion ^ as these are made by the ISoVernment of a great eountrjr like Kussta , * I
-say that th «** krirerittnent-tor # Eich ibejr are made is entitled to place coftffiaence in them . It teWiM , ffekt WB ^ heard ^ f nlititaiy prepa ^ tioss ^ n the ^ rttif ^ have inferred irom this , tbat somefotim ^ dmittid&Wei&abl foot . . We were told by the Russian Goverttitaent itself AH » t ! sach preparations were makingy but we w « re « lsatold by -tbfej Russian Government that * their " sole object >? raBrtproeaat « nMti the menacing language which , had been . aded ky Frano ^ and that they bore solely and entirely on -the question of the ! Holy Places . "We were told also , it is qnite true ,. that Rttssiaj required somejprroof of confidence , as well as seme reparation fr om Turkey , tot offences which "She ha'd'eotntmtteu miCWDnftxion with tfee change's that bad beeninaSfem ^ the ^ dt ^ tioh of theHoly Places , * nd'that the eeeurity ' ^ as ^ o itee ifLHtte form ef » treaty confirming tlie ^ Sulfc&nSs ; firnla ] ttifc *( tke settlement of th ^ tquesthm . Jtabtr ^ a&asrer . wyantitttctiHi that any sucb treaty was to apply 4 xM > therioaatter * . tWheo ,
therefore , Count . Nesselrode Asserted , ^ tHfcJrter > p 0 « iXly » &iMtt our Government had known from the «* ntae $ , wbatiwer * the whole demands of Russia upon Turkey , le asserted fhat * -& am bpund to say it—which was utterly at variance with the fact . It is painful to speak of a Government like Bosnia in terms of censure « r reprobation , but I am bound to say , on behalf of the English' Government' that the Russian Go 4 erhtrrent , by itself and its agents , i bas , thronghttut these trilfnactions ; exhausted every modification of untruth , - concealtnent and evasion , and ended with assertions of positive falsehood . I ask , however , has "anything been lost by 'the forbearance with which the Government nas cemdnefcea'this que 8 tion ? T eay , tbat if in the last summer a course fc ^ ljeen ' t * fc « rby ' tf 8 which would have brought matters then't » the , point at wnich they now are— 'if we had fotend ottrseltevtatfutie'dr Oulytaist on the point of a rupture with Russta ^ -our "position "Wodra not have been such * s it is now . .
There were a great many reasons why forbearance tt « s Ab-. drable . It was of the greatest importance , in a matter ! affecting the great interests 6 f Europe , that , thomgh-Eug-j land and Franco have been from the outset acting together ,, heartily , entirely , wnd cordially , ttrey srboUM endeavoor to ! obtain also tie concurrence * f Austria and 'Prussia . Wei know that these two countries have interests in this- tha'tter far more direct than 4 hos « - « f- Eoglan'd atfd iFrance . To Prussia and Aostria it is a matter * of vital existence , because if Russia were either to ^ appropriate any large portion of Turkish territory , or even to reduce Turkey to the condition of a state merely dependent upon Russia , it is manifest—no man can doubt who casts a dance at the map of Europe , and looks at the geographical position of those two Powers witti
regard to Russia and Turkey—that such an immense appropriation of geographical power on the part of Russia must be fatal to the independent action of Austria and Prussia . Well , it was cf great importance to get these two Powers with us , as far aB it was possible to obtain their counsel and advice ; but neither of them cojuld be expected to risk lightly a rupture with , their great and powerful neighbour . The reasons which might lead Prussia not to wish to risk Bueh a rupture—the reasons , I would rather Bay , why those who wished well to Prussia—her well-meaning allies—would not have wished to press her forward singly , arc obvious to any man who looks at the map of Europe Austria , wo know ,
OBT I ^ V * 1 *? dwt ^ wftW ^ SR ag to rive every possible » Pportumfcy 7 tfoT ^« n * an «<» W **« et * l ^ ^ « ny ^ m * ans > ifc coiildH ^ 4 ffi » ted . l AdbvB &MnNfedWw . stataag _ the , facts when Ieny tbat the condaet « f Eorfafcd * ndofFranc&m thisiespect has bean fully apprecktedvhT Anatna and Prussia ; and that , / wkateas , 3 mEhJTimn entered into and carried on in tbe coune of last sommn « e m ^ ht have ^ had no reason a nd ifeht l » s «^ ii € ! ct ' tlieir . co-ojft * - « ti 8 i ^ Ixatmiot ^ rsn ade i » ys e ttTii * lto ^ 1 fmattew ^^ tbe ^ poiotthey are iikely'to tg ^ to , the cotiaaet ^ 6 f Austria * md Pnadia wfll % e ffiflEteenfMiow ^ o "wfctt Jit TrouTd ha ^ fewh mderihose dJ&i ^ ntcirctmwttmwa ;"
Meeting "Rfr . Cobden's challenge , lie repeated fliat Ifrcat impMvementsliaa been madte . lEarkeyj it is said , fe not worth defending , because the Christian euBjerfts of the SiilUn ate not in 411 xespects placed upon b footing of equality with tlie ^ fusaulman . - "Bat ^ Sir ^ if therfkct ~ of « ay ^ r « CQ ( ia , a . i ) oiiAtry beingifiNSa a footing of civil And . { nlitioal me ^ oality is ^ ny ^ ustnWlatCi for considering tkaticountiyjw . nndelaervmg of lndeMnlent pohUtol « xistence , wl ^ t ^ would / h * ve T * en said by t ^ elwn me ^ bor for . the Wek'Kiuiiiig , ^ lr ^ # h « i 'there ^ prevailea ^ ttmt 'vkw . ( Me Ah 'Ireland- ^ wbfcii Akeed oarGaftdlfc ^ aioW ^ ubjects ^ ott a -mtlch worse'felift « fr fthanthat on-which th « 'Cm * tW subj « et *<> f the'Po + tenMT ahead . ( Eton , Jkwr , oMdlmtghter ^ imm ^ tiM in > * timi tdaysiTwiten tins cjMiiitryjprod $ ded ^ nttnylnen ^ emiii « nt ? iir : iva * ttomQt < ltoan , im 4 , im&M&ii ^
nraclusurpriwd if , ^» x ; ha 4 ^ lHm ^;|^ fti ^ - ^^ if « # »^ ^ of batbouriang , and ; das « rv ^ to . b « . ^]^ ¦ reason wnaravtr wny , tijpon ^ greax ¦ pounoal cirotuuiSa ? Uub oKmntry ^ tuid Fraoee ^—ay ^ kanKr Austria * i ^ r ¦ ¦ ffivmim ^ xjfc * tdioaid * iM « <« ombftii ^ to ^ maidiB ^ ^ < Hk rpretmtig «! gra ^ h » al poaition . ! % Gkeei * ir ) JtibeUewitfitt * e internal cprogMa ^ vmh&ihaso ^ be continued , ' and ^ tbat the tOhtbtam ^ ciid >< Mdw ^ Utenr « ttb Jecta willbe . placed on-: the « mef « ntiijg- » f , « qt » Uty . " - ^ i Estima ^ n ^ theteltftive ^ fon ^ lo-beengfl ^ in t !^ coate € t : hedBclar « a = thatithe ^^^^ ir # ii # iRlB |^? ftife # fgreition has been ovewttted . On tlrthdtherhana , thV Turks have replied with spirit to the caUf < Sr th 6 tSultan . ,, ¦ , :
^ "TfceTurkJshffoKeflraftybeaeSrteAtm-oirBoers , bntftfa eYidtnttflatiOmar P » sha Ms-cofia « rtt « d ^ fce campaign in a manfter wfcioh « vnjees && % - ' ' m BS ^ xj ^^ ii- ^^^ m ^ f tb « t any Otto greftt ? Power lii » EnglaSa oV ^ Fralfe ^ poaBe » si «* Bttchtiaval * wid ¦ 'i ^ iH ^ 'tiMSiim ^ . ^ aSS ^ it ^ tbolp « b > ttS eattBffdf Tttrker , ^ brtng iAe ^ rWt « to i ^ m ^ f ^ mhm WMJ ^ iifuw WuBB - Itttu TrtiTnnTliTrl TnrnTnWin IWIrQrnp Tinn ClIUHWL ^ fflaiMam ? thftt ^ l ^ ai « itte ^ the 3 Bm ^^ tireir desperate . ^>^ r ^ entiia ^ fb « pfer % Mt / # teimft ^« u »* oiitmtieiiA . iiStr 1 a * m : P * &faFm ^ M&&&dmo * BpWMnx > rB . 'x ney will , tcei tC'dTxe xo wWUUHKTQB co taKOsone ^ ti tithe c ^ teflt . fw / if'ftAyadnot , / Aub LkiXjaW ^ B ^ f ktortif 11 iimi "> i £ t \ ' ^ Mlfaua i miii iWKTiifclitlflT ^^ £ tAS £ fitib > 1-Vkkil ujt .. a . *— ** -. m . - ^ ^ UlUcuuL CwrKyuircu s val iraT OpvUvllBllOU . i-UUllvJ * SuQ , ' " uluaw 06 'iMlriMiMfe ^ oflttll i * l «« WJ * m iMter « fl « a : «*« PrtiB 5 & * viftVitf'fT »«> f vrtolk ¦ ¦ ¦ i fbv
—^^ % ^— ™~ ^— ^^ ™^ — ™ " ^ ~ " — ^^^ ^ ' ^——— ^^ ^ ^— ^~~ " y ^^ m . ^ ^^ v ^^^^^*^ ^^^ 4 B ^ ^ 4 ^^^ ^^^> Wv ^^ r ^ with Prassia . 1 th « r « fcr * ttiyjthafc , ' withTEnglaBd ^ a Etttoce ^ etrng ^ supporters ^ TOrk < Jjr , ' wiQi ^ tfieopinion' « f the'wbote ^ of Europe oppjdsed'tio fhe'EmpWrafe ^ if Bttssia , ^ Hft > wflliiare » &twangle alHy'itostip | JWfc'hhh m'hi ^ ^ are « r « F injnstiefe , I i » T « tto « oubt ^ to wh ^ t'mtlfct be tr ^ rtsult . ' It is * noble fcJgtttf to ^ 8 « e Engtendirtd'PtoniSej ^ t ^ o ' ewnrrWsw&feh have ioftg'beetrmHntiUrytt ^ a ooarfle of aetkm . ' ( pud i ) heer *) } 'tloadd ^ byi ^^ Tetsmrooal -on ' - gagttneat Jto - * eeK ^ 'ferrlto ^ l ^ f&fi ^ g ^ f ^^ l ^ elv ^ . » ut Bfcanding fotth ' in ^^ fer ^ , Ti 6 ^ of their bwnVMterest antt ^ r « lfaro Alone , but in b ^ rfF ^^^ nfcereSta 6 f Euro pe . < It is ** ¦ worthy-sight to ijevthaife"fleets . and armies which liate "smity , Wot armed 'tot 'the purposo of conquest , t > tit 1 ^' rttien in a noble and generous cause , to defend right ogainit ¦ ¦
xamht . l am willing to lay tbe < case or ttio Government bewreithe country and before Parliament , couvinoed « Jiat tK © . people of this country will ba -gatisfied that we . 4 ia ( v » not recklessly and without cause involved . them tia-Jb war of which I do not wish to underrate the consequences , but ' which I think will be a very 'different war from all others in which ttts country ' has ever'beelnjintoly (! ld . ^ 1 feel no hesitation in applying to the xjotintry'fbr assiStMieo to enable me to carry on with vigoar the tsontestia wtiich we may be engaged ; -and I ^ aytluHf it be * the opmioa of the people ^ of this country or of < Parliament rthatitM itavB shown weakness « nd credulity or the . infamy of-oonHitnaBtfe t let them take the oo-nduot of the war from theihand »> of ^ a Government incompetent to oarryit on , and . place it 4 n , the hands of those in whose ability , Judgment , and sagacity they can place greater reliance . " ( Loud cheers . )
This wound up the debate . It was Hearty two o ' clock , and there was only time to tdto the vo te ttf the Navy estimates without -any statement "from . But James Graham . t [ The votes were , that 58 , 500 men and boya » e grantedfor tho service of the ensuing year ; 2 tU 2 ^ i 9 lL for the wages of seamen and marines } and 870 , 824 / . foT victuals . ] When the report of Supply was brotigWt "&&& > . Wednesday , some of the membeTS who hau fcTOfflMtfb place on tho great nights gave utterance to -thteUr opinions on tho conduct of Ministers with re 3 peftV ; K » tho negotiations . Mr . Home led the way ; and : 4 Jaa < Ij& , indeed , the speech of the brief debate ; of couroeit derived its importance from his position * fts > afiaaa > - cial reformer . He said he could no * allomr this occa sion to pass without stating that it was the first ititoe since he had been in Fottfcmveat ' tftat he hwd not
taken part in tho question tff ' vWm "the irutttbter'OT men { hear , hear ) . T He had atotltateetlfrom'takirttf ^ trte usua . 1 course by tho peculiar circutnstances in wniiih tho country was now placed . He wfts one of ; thdOc
¦ was under great obligations to Russia . It was natural that she should bo unwilling to break with Russia as long as it wuh possible that matters could bo arranged by any amioablo adjustment ; and if Austria , seeing that England and France ¦ wore hurrying matters on , and precipitating a war , when she ^ Austria ) thought that by more forbearance , by her innuenco lit St . Petersburg , and by diplomacy , negotiations might havo been carried on and war avoided , England , nnd France , under those circumstances , would not havo beon entiLled to expect her uctivo co-operation in tho war . It was , therefore , of great importance to avail ourselves as much as ¦ wo could of that influence which Austria possessed , or imagined nho posaebHed , at the Court of St . Petersburg , and to convinco Austria that wo consulted her position jib well as
to such terrible results , we thought there could not be any i % fc - hafc wo 8 houl ( i feel Jt t ( > bo our duty to support the Sovereign and to maintain the honour ofthis country . I can assure the noble lord that so long as the Opposition benches we filled as they n « w are , he will be encountered by men who do nofc despair under any circumstances of the resources or u u UT 10 S of their countr y- ' j ' 1 j ° noble lord possesses much historical knowledge , nnd great experience of this House ; and the noble lord inuHt , I fear , havo drawn an iniorenoe with regard to the conduct of tiioso gentlemen who now compose the Opposition , from that of other and preceding Oppositions . J do not know whether it is an effort of memory or of remorse on tho purt of tho noble lord—( "hear . /
J t ana cteej-sl—but tins 1 enn answer for myself , and lor those friends who act with mo , that no future Wellosley ou the banks of the Danube will liavo to loavo n bitter record or an Opposition who depreciated . hiH cIlbrtH and ridiculed his tu-ents . ( " Hear , hear , " andcFieers . ) Wo shall remember jv liat wo belwvcto bo our dut . yj and , although in opposition , nowovcr prot racted may bo tho vyar , or hownvcr unfoi tunato your councils , we ahull never despair of tuo country . " ( , Uear , hear , " aiul cheers . ) x ljOrd 1 ' ai . mebston appoaxed as tho antagonist of Mr . Disraeli , and the vindicator of Ministers . Ad-
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. February 25 , 1854 . ] TH E IE ABE E ,. ^ 1 ——— ^^^^^^^^ . .. ^ ' . . ——i ^ p—— ^^ m ^~ m ****^~ &jamB
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 25, 1854, page 171, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2027/page/3/
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