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Leader (1850-1860), 23rd December 1854, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1207, Untitled Article

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      the American war ? They raised the comtitaency of Bristol against him , and he -wrote one / of the most eloquent , convincing , argumentative , and unanswerable letters that ever was -written ; and if any of you have Burke ' s words to refer to , as no doubt you have , it would be worth your while to lead them over carefully , and more than once . "What "was the case -with regard to Mr . Fox in the early days of the French war , when he -was opposed to it ? They stated that th « Empress Catherine of Russia had actually got the bust of Mr . Fox between a hust of Demosthenes , the great Greek orator , and the bust of Cicero , tire great Roman orator ; and they said to Fox , you are the friend of the Empress Catherine , you axe not a true friend of England . What was Mt . Fox ' s

      answer ? It would be presumptuous of me to quote Mr . Burke or Mr . Fox as models whom I was aspiring to follow ; but if I find meu distinguished in the liistory of the world placed in that position , at least I may turn to them , and say , there were great intellects in the days of our fathers , who found themselves opposed to the popular clamour ; they did not yield to the clamour . We are their posterity , and we pay them the tribute of having been Avise , at the same time that they were honest . ( Land c 7 ieers . ~ ) I am able , I believe , to show to all rational men—and I am perfectly confident that the verdict of events will prove that I am right—that the war has no reference whatever to European liberty . Because if you find men pursuing an object in

      coni unction with other men , and you want to learn what is the object , you judge from the associates of those men . Why , if this country is going . for liberty in Europe—. for independence and civilisation in Europe—I cannot myself believe that these are the objects ( in the sense the people of this country understand ) that the Emperor of France himself very much applauds and if he applauds them , I doubt very nvueh that anybody here will believe that the Emperor of Austria applauds those objects . ( Zoud cheers . ) Our Government is in this position , that it is making alliea . wherever . it can ; and it does not matter one single straw whether those allies are in favour of liberty of any kind or not . They may trample upon Hungarians , and send the

      patriots of that country to the gallows and to the block ; they may trample upon the Italians , as they do , with an enormous army ; and yet such is the cause in Mrhich we are embarked , that we welcome to our arms , as it were , the emperor and the cabinet by whom that policy in Hungary and in Italy is supported . You are to take the Crimea 5 you are to destroy Sebastopol ; you are to dismember Russia , in fact—because unless you come to actual and positive dismemberment , you still leave Russia a great and gigantic empire , as I venture to say you will leave it—but at the same time you will weaken Turkey by the great wasting struggle which you have incited her to enter upon ( for if it had not beeu for

      tins . Cabinet , which had . a minister at Constantinople , It would not have been entered on ) , you will waste Turkey ; and when this -war is over , be it to-day , or twelve months , or twelve years hence , I venture to foretel that the power of Russia , as compared with the power of Turkey , will be far greater than it was before this war began . And having taken this unfortunate , decrepit , and tottering Turkish power under your care , you cannot again leave it if it is to remain there at all , and in all probability every object for which you have entered into the war will not only be thwarted , but the result , in my opinion , will be precisely opposite to that wkk'h the people of this country have expected . "

      He had for twenty years paid as much attention to political subjects us any man had , and he believed that the objects which the Government had in the war were quite opposite to those which the people had ; . u , as to this question about the German mercenaries . It is one of those points which tho people ought to look at very narrowly ; it shows that it is not in defence of tho country , not in tho feeling of patriotism only that you wish to actuate your soldiers ; but you buy 15 , 000 men who have no more moral principle than to hire themselves out for daily wages to slaughter any pexsonn , in , any part of the world , against whom your government has declared war . Those mon will not light

      because they arc fighting for their fatherland , or bacauao they are fighting for tho honour of their country , or because they bolievo the cause is just ; thoy euro nothing about , the country ; thoy liavo 110 sentiments of honour in it ; thoy know nothing of tho interests of the war ; thoy have no cause of quarrel with those they go to shoot down and to bayonet ; and yet this government has led you , within about eight ! months of tho declaration of tho war , to a point , whon perhaps it' you uro to eaye tho army that you have yonder , nt least flo they soy , you must hnvo rccourao to this moat

      objectionable , and to my mind , most criminal nystom . I havo given tho Government on nil financial anil naval questioiiH—and on all mat tarn in which they have gono in tho direction thoy proininod tho country thoy would go in whon they took oflico— I have- given thorn my cordial mipporL ; but I tell you no man can mipport . this Government—this Government will bruak down . ( Applause . ) From tho beginning of it it . was a houtw of oardu ; it w / tn a coalition that novur otmlo « sud | Micro arc not , at tint * moment , tho eluniouU * of miuuutM or of stability about it . Their internal condition hau druggod

      you into this war—which I could undertake , if there were time , I think , to demonstrate—and that same internal condition will enable them only to carry on this war in a manner that will be disastrous to this country ; and you may rely upon it , that however valuable peace may be , and I shall rejoice as much as any man living when it comes , yet for all these objects , for which the country believes it has gone to war , you will make a peace which history will describe , even if your war was just , to be shameful and ignominious . " g Mr . Bright then said the people must prepare themselves for another Ministry—he knew not of what description—but certainly one that would make peace , and which he would consequently support .

      " Now with regard to my difference with men in this constituency : you know I cannot help that . Did I not differ with many people about the papal aggression ? The statesmen who opposed the parpal aggression are now at the head of the Government . Did I not oppose the panic about the French invasion , which led to the increase of the militia—which led to the increase of our armaments—which led to a strong spirit for war , and which led ( approximately , no doubt , to a great extent ) to the war in which we are now engaged . I endeavoured to keep myself with an eye singly towards what appears to me sound in principle , and truly advantageous and honourable to the country . If the country runs in one direction or the other , I cannot therefore follow it .

      I lament it . When I see it going wrong I stand still . I would take the opinion which I heard had once been expressed by the Duke of Wellington . He said' Whenever you are wrong ( in position , he meant ) , don ' t fidget youself about getting right . If you will only be quiet you will find . by and by that those waves and billows will much subside and after a little while everybody will admit that you were not wrong after all , and that probably . they were in the wrong . ' Tliat is what I am looking forward to . There is no amount of labour or sacrifice that I will not mats on behalf of what I believe to be the interests of this constituency so long as I . am permitted to represent them in Parliament . '( Applause . ") If half of those who

      voted for me were to send me a requisition to say that they are discontented with my conduct on this question , although on many questions they were not , but that they considered this matter of such paramount importance that it was their duty to be represented by sonicbocly of . different' opinions , I would then take the C hilt cm Hundreds . ( Applause . ') I would ask for the only appointment I dare say I shall ever ask for , by the very first post , and I would give them an opportunity of returning another man to the House of Commons . ( --l £ > - plause . ) But I ask you whether ( and I shall speak as if I were simply an elector and not a representative ) , it is better for us , electors of Manchester , that we should be represented by a man who , although he may have strong

      opinions , and occasionally may make errors like other men , yet endeavours to uphold the dignity and character ( loud applause ) of the constituency , maintains their posk tion in the House of Commons , and is not reckoned there as a kno > t of the tail of any statesman that ever lived , or any set of men ? ( Applause . ) In another year or two you will probably find' the country look buck upon the mon who went into this war Awth indignation and contempt . And even though you tannot take precisely the view I tnkc , yet let me recommend you this—do not combine with any men , or set of men , that would make the restoration of pence less possible . This ministry will got tired of tlie war . They will want to make peace . ( Appluusu . ) They havo been driven

      partly into it by thu clamour of the JSnglish press—and this press , which is profiting by tho war , still hounds them on to continue it to tho last extremity . Do you not bo parties to anything of the kind . The blood that is being shed , the interests that arc being naorifici'd , tho generations of animosities that arc being engendered , all tlie hopes of tho future bid nvo appeal to you , whntovisr you may think as to the causa of tho war or uh to its results , to lieg , if you can , by all monntt , upon any fair , honourable , and moderate terms , that tho sword may be sheathed again , and that tho countries of Europe may be blessed with that tranquillity winch for so many years Iijis been undisturbed , Aa to freedom , wav suta up the military spirit . This Avar will double tho nrnuus of Uuasia , will double tho armies of Austrin , will increaao t ) je armies of Prussia , increase tho annios of France , and

      double tho armies of thin country . ( Applauw . ) Do you think , when nil thesu nvnuos avo doubled , and men ' s minds are led oft" from the contemplation of ovory thing in tho form of homo affairs , whon every man ' s mind itt filled witli thoughts of Hlaughtor , and glory , and all your literature tinged with the same thing—1 ask you whether that plant of freedom , which \< mt \ matured , It . is truu , by the blood of your unoustura , and nourished by tho learn and prayum of Uioho who huvo gono before us —I auk you whuthur you think , after thin wiir , tluit liberty in Europti , wforin , or anything good in tho politics of thin country , will bo in a bettor pon ' ilion than it wart before thi . s war eoininonuc < l V ( Applatmc , and crim of" No . " ) llely upon It , that tlii ! verdict , of events will bo glvou , and that , verdict of event * will bo givou in our favour . (• ¦ 1 ; . ' - plttiuw . ) ltoaMiith Iium said there is an , inexorable lotfio

      in events . I am willing to abide by that , and if any man blames me in this constituency ^ I ask him only to wait . If I am proved to have been wrong in the course which I have taken , I shall be willing to abide , by any blame you cam lay upon m « , but , at any rate , wait until the result 13 before us until all the evidence of facts an J events is before us . Until the result is shown , I hold myself free to take the course I have hitherto taken . " ( Lovd applause J ) A vote of thanks was then proposed and carried , to > which Mr . Bright briefly responded .

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      CONTINENTAL NOTES . The Press in Piedmont . —The situation of the newspaper press in Piedmont has of late been less satisfactory than the best friends of this young constitutional state must desire . The last mail from Turin brings news of three press prosecutions , all originating with the executive government . The responsible editor of the Opinione , a Turin paper , was condemned on the 7 th to a fortnight ' s imprisonment and 200 f . iine for ii letter which it ' published about a year ago against the Queen and the government of Spain . The responsible editor of the Voce della Liberia , M . Brofferio ' s paper , was condemned to tlie sauie punishment for having reproduced the objectionable article . The Gazcltn del Popolo has beeu seized by the police for au article hostile to the French army .

      The late Akma . kd Mark ast . —The Emperor of the French has granted from his private purse the munificent pension of COOOrV a year to Madame Marrast , tlie widow of Armand Marrast , the eminent republican president of the Constituent Assembly . His Majesty accompanied the grant with a letter stating that lie entertained a groat esteem for her late husband . M . Aeliille Marrast , his brother , lias lately obtaiued a lucrative post in the management of a railway . " Prussia , and the Great Powicits . —M . Vincke , in the course of a debate , lamented that Prussia was isolated from the great Powers . " Not from Russia !" triumphantly exclaimed ISL Gerlach , a leader of the dominant court party- —'' not from Russia , a great power , and some sav the greatest . "

      The Czar's name-day was kept at Berlin on the 18 th , the feast of St . Nicholas , according to the Russian calendar . Tlie Russian Ambassador , Baron Budberg , gave a dinner , at which the " Health of the Czar" was proposed by M . Manteuifel , the Prussian Premier . Baron Budberg in turn proposed the " Health of the King of Prussia . " The next day the Russian Ambassador dined at court . A Special Missiox from : Pkussia ^ -IIis Excellency Herr von Usedom has beeu charged with a special mission from Prussia to the Court of St , James . He arrived iu London on Thursday . The Berlin correspondent of tlie Cologne GazctU hints that the object of the mission is to obtain in advance a mild interpretation of tlie four points , and a promise not to press Russia for an indemnification on account of tlie costs of the war , and that these points conceded , Prussia will accede to the alliance .

      Tins Bavakian Ministjiv is now urging forward a bill to abolish tlie system of a general representation of the country introduced in 1848 , and to substitute the system of representation of orders . Under this system the members of the clue toil chamber would be chosen respectively by -various classes and bodies , the nobility , the clergy , the universities , landed proprietors , and civic corporations . Si \ un\—The Diariu of the 10 th says that tho Government is preparing to reform the Concordat , and to soil tlie property of tho clergy to make , up tlie deficit which will be occasioned by the suppression of thu octroi .

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      BRUTALITY OF A COTTON-LOUD . The following , which we extract from tho Manchester Examiner and Times , illustrates , we hope in . aim uiiusual manner , tho relation of the employer to tho employed : — Thomas Elk-. rbodc , col Urn manufacturer , who with hta brothor Joseph « r « tho proprietors of tho Roach Mill Weaving Shed , Hoy wood , was charged nt tho Bury J ' olioo Office , before William Openshaw and John Lomnx , Enquires , magistrates , under two warrant * , with « n indecent assault , on the <> th ultimo , upon Kli / . nboth Davenport , ugod 1 <> yearn , and with violating tho person of luir

      Hirttur Mary Ann Dnvonport , ngod 20 yonm , on thfl Mth ultimo . Mr . Cropland , rtolicit . or , appeared in ( support ot tho charges , and Mr . U . T . <« nindy for tho primmer . Mr . Crosriland Htutud that tho glrU woni two of tho daughter * of Mr » . Jnf . kHon , who had ( Ul «» l tho » Uuutit > n of hoimokcnpcr to gi'iitlwrion In tho neighbourhood , who npoko in high loniiM « * Iwr conduct . Tho jrlrlw hn < l formerly bi'on employed nt Mr . WhIIcoi- ' m mill in Bury , and thuir clmniotcir wan uuiinpoachablo . Thoir father had bunn ( load fora w > nnidoral > lt ) period and thoir motlutr had r < i-inarri (!< l ; but in (!< nin «| ii ( mr ( i of tho ill-tr < int . numt ol hor Huoond luinl > and ulio Inul lived apart from him for upwards uf ton vonra , and had with industry and exertion

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      December 23 , 1854 . ] T H E L E A D E R . 12 # 7

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 23, 1854, page 1207, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2070/page/7/