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which contained my viewsonthe . subject . That the house mil ohserve was very lately , hut I had no reason to expect that my views would be adopted . I had therefore to consider , when I came to reflect on the coarse whiph I should adopt with respect to the motion of the hon . aad learned member for Sheffield , whether I could fairly and honestly say * ' It is too trae that evils have taken place ; it is true that many bravemenhavefalTen at Alma , Inkerman , and Balaklava ; it is true that many brave men have perished from neglect ; it is true that the . heart of the whole of England throbs with anxiety and interest on this subject—but I can tell you that such arrangements have been made that a man of such vigour and efficiency has taken the conduct of the war department
—that such a consolidation of offices has taken place as will enable him to have the Whole and instant control of those departments , so that all supplies shall be instantly furnished , and all abuses instantly remedied '—I might then meet this motion . I felt that I could not honestly say , after what I had written to my noble friend , and I mention in this place , not to -cast any blame on him , because no one would impute it as a blame to him , he not having taken an active part in the direction of the war , that there was any person -with any power of control , or sufficient energy of mind , or sufficiently acquainted with the details , at the head of the war department . I could not say , though an arrangement had been proposed on Saturday last ,
cither that the consolidation of the military departments had been carried into effect , or that there was any prospect of their being carried into effect in such a manner that I could pledge ' my faith to the efficiency of those arrangements . Therefore , sir , feeling this , and to me it has been most painful—but feeling that I had no faith in the efficiency of that proposal , and that I must stand up to- oppose that motion or stand in the way of that which many thought would afford a remedy for these sufferings and these distresses ; or , at least , if it failed to do that , would point out the way to their correction and removal- —feeling that such would he my duty , and that many members of the House would look to me for an assurance of that kind on my part , and
would vote on that assurance—knowing that many members of this House did so honour me with their confidence , I felt that I would be betraying the confidence they placed in me if I gave that assurance when I did not feel that I could honestly do so . ( CAeers . ) It-appeared to me that the Government could not accede to such a committee as the hou . and learned member for Sheffield asked for . It appeard to me that it would not be , I will not say dignified , but consistent with the practical good working of the constitution- that there , should be a Minister sitting on that bench to govern the war and other military departments , and at the _ same time subjected to the check of a committed up-stairs , that the Minister of war should have to consider what he was to do , not only to provide for the urgent necessities of the
hour , to provide answers for the numerous requisitions which came to him from day to day , but also the evidence that might be furnished with respect to the conduct of the war after five or six months . I do not think that such an arrangement would be consistent with the efficiency of any-department ... —1 _ . therefore , felt . that _ I could come to only one conclusion , and that , as I could not resist an inquiry , and as I could not give them the only answer which I thought would be sufficient to cement the Government and stop the inquiry from taking place , it was my duty not to remain any longer a member of the Government . It would be competent then for otlxers , who think that everything has already been done or is being done that could be conscientiously required , to oppose that motion . But , for my own part , I could not do that . "
He then wrote a note to Lord Aberdeen , resigning his office , to which he received no answer till Tluirsday , when he heard from Lord Aberdeen that his resignation was accepted by the Queen : ¦—" This , therefore is the statement I have to make ae far as I am immediately concerned . Those Ministers who believe they can successfully oppose inquiry , who believe they are right in what hns been done , and is doing , are perfectly justified in taking the course they arc pursuing . At the same time , I have heard there is a rumour—and I hope it is true—that the arrangement I proposed in my first letter of tho 17 th of November , or rather in my subsequent letters —that of placing tho war department in tho hands of my noble friend ( Lord Palmorston ) — has taken place . Sir , I shall greatly rejoice if that is ( he case . I
bclievo it will bo a great benefit to tho country , that my noble friend should hold that department ; and I shall bo glnd to think that my retirement from office has in any way contributed to that change . I think it miiHt in some way have contributed to it—( laughter )—for otherwise I liuvo no doubt thut my friend at tho head of tho Government , with that fnirncHS anil candour which belongs to him , and which I always found in him , would have answered tho letter I have just rend . Circumstances must , I think , have in soiuo respect changed , for tUnt which Lord Aberdeen Haul , lie could not have honestly recommended to her Majesty he has now thought to bo necessary . This , therefore , nuiat bo n mibsequent arrangement ; and 1 ahall bo glnd if my retirement from tho less important office ahull have efl ' eotod that object . " Tho remainder of tho speech of tho noble lord was addressed to tho general question of tho war , which he
thought was n « t by any means in a gloomy position ; and he concluded by declaring that , in office or- ottt of office , he would do his best to procure an honourable termination to It . Lord PalmbrssoS then rose , and after a warm enlogiom on Lord John BosselL expressed hfc great regret at the course he had taken ; urging that , his colleagues had some reason to complain of : that course , and saying that , if his feelings , ^ r tth regard to this motion were such as he bad described ^ the- better course would have been to hare again ^ endeavoured to obtain the assent of the Government ta such an arrangement as would have enabled him " to meet the motion .. He then went on , as follows : —
" If this proposal had been again made and rejected , and the noble , lord the member for London had still retained his opinion , he would then have resigned on perfectly fair grounds to which no one could have taken any objection . But I must say that I think his colleagues are , enti t led to feel , not only regret for the loss of one of the most eminent and influential members of the Government and of this House ; but they are also entitled to say , that the loss has occurred in a manner wholly nnexpected , and which , according'to the usual practice , they could not have anticipated . So much , Sir , for the noble circumstances to which my noble friend has adverted .. With regard to the manner in which he has resigned , and the hasty and precipitate manner hi which
the grounds of his resignation were announced , I think it was a departure from the ordinary practice , which the Government would not hare been justified in explaining . Haiing said ,, this much , I will abstain from any further remarks on that point . In making these remarks I have acted from a strong sense of duty —( " Hear , 7 iear , " from . Lord John Russelly— -and not from any illfeeling towards my noble friend . Her Majesty ' s Government have felt it their duty , notwithstanding the great loss they have sustained by the secession of my noble friend , not to run away from the motion of the hon . and learned Member for Sheffield . They felt that flight would have been disgraceful . If that motion be sucsessful , of course it is unnecessary for me to say what the result will be . ( Laughter . * ) But , if , in the course of the debate , reasons shall be alledged sufficient to induce the House to reject , it will then be for her
Majesty ' s . Governmen to consider how far it may be advisable to adopt the suggestions of my noble friend . (" Hear" and laughter . ' ) The future must depend on the result of the motion ; but on whatever person it will devolve to perform thejunetions of Minister of War , I am persuaded -he will feel it his duty to act in the manner described by my noble friend : the war will be prosecuted in accordance with the feelings of the people , and I trust conducted to a successful issue . I feel , sir , the utmost confidence in the energies of this country , directed in co-operation with those of France . I am persuaded that my noble friend will prove a true prophet , and that the war will be conducted to obtain an honourable and a safe peace , which will secure not only the honour and dignity of this country , but the future repose and independence of Europe . " The subject then dropped .
THE 3 IOTIOX TOR -A COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY — Mr . Roebuck then rose to bring forward the motion of which he had given notice , that a select committee be appointed to inquire into the condition of our army before Sebastopol , and into the conduct of those departments of the Government whose duty it has been to minister to the wants of the army . Tho hon . gentleman having spoken of tho condition of the army and its reduction from 5-1 , 000 to 14 , 000 , said he proposed to divide the matter into two parts—first , what was the present condition of that army , and how was its condition brought about ! He had not gone on for more than ten minutes when he declared that his strength would not permit him to go further , and sat down , merely making his final motion . After a long pause ,
Mr . Sidney Herbert rose , and in an able speech pointed out that all the circumstances connected with tho condition of tho nrmy arose from the long-established peace system , which had reduced our forces into mere regiments , unused to acting in bodies . He entered with great minuteness into all the preparations which had been made by the authorities at home , and showed that all tho difficulty lay in the seven miles between Balaklava and Sebastopol . lie stated that tho Duke of Ncwcastlo and himself had been labouring to create a system in the War Department which would tend to greater efficiency , by bringing nil the heads of department * into unity of action . Ho strongly protested against auch a motion as tho present , declared that tho Government would not submit to it , and urged that the house would coma to an immediate decision on the question . "
~~ Mj \ Djiummoni ) followed in a very condemnatory speech , taunting tho Government with undertaking tho war with insuflictcnt and inadequate knowledge of the state , of tho Crimea . Colonel North , Mr . M . Milnto , tho Marquis of Granbt , and Mr . Lindsay having spoken , all except Mr . Milncs in favour of tho motion , Mr . Layard , in a short but comprehensive speech , dealt with the details in Mr . Sidney Herbert ' s speech , ridiculing tho arrangements of tho Government , w hich
produced abundance of returns but nothing for the troops . He pointed out the failings of the Ministry in their diplomacy , and prophesied that next Russia would overrun Asia , have Persia on her . side a > ttd threaten India , while the Allies , failing Austria , either by treachery or want of power , would not be able to prevent Russia reaching Constantinople . He should , be guilty of a crime if he did not vote for the motion , which was one of no confidence in the Government . Sir G . Grey strenuously resisted the motion , expressed his regret and astonishment at the course taken by Lord John , Russell , and decidedly accepted the issue on which the fate of the Government depended . ¦ Mr . Walfole supported the motion principally on the ground that after the decided course taken by Lord John Russell , it was impossible not to acknowledge the necessity for inquiry . .
Mr . Version Smith , while ridiculing the notion of any confidence in the Government , and believing that the appointment of Lord Palmerston as War Minister would be the best and wisest course , yet . declined to vote for the motion on account of its impracticability . After a few words from Colonel Sibtsorpe and Sir J . Fitzgerald , the debate was adjourned to Monday , on the motion of Mr . A . Stafford . The House rose shortly before twelve o ' clock . In the House of Lords , the Earl of Aberdeen made a statement explaining why Lord John Russell had resigned , and announcing that Government would resist Mr . Roebuck ' s motion . Some explanation from the Duke of Newcastle , in answer to Earl Grey , with regard to the movements of some regiments at the Cape followed .
The Earl of Wentckelsea brought forward the question of the course pursued by the Times in the comments on the war , and inquired whether the correspondent of that paper had not regularly drawn rations from the public stores . The Duke of Newcastle without going into the general question of the conduct of the press , on the war , expressed an opinion that some want of discretion had been exhibited by the newspapers . Some one not authorised to do so , had offered the correspondent of the Times a passage to Malta in a troop-ship , but it was prevented by the interference of the Government . He in
admitted that for a time that gentleman question had received rations ; but the -moment he ( the Duke ) knew it , it had been forbidden . Lord Raglan had complained to him that the letters which appeared in one of the papers Jiad conveyed information to the enemy , and he ( the Duke ) had appealed to the editors of aU the pajJers to-suppress such intelligence . From some he had received . no ^ replies , others had promised to avoid such a course in future ; but these promises had not been exactly fulfilled , and he had received a letter only a day or two ago again making similar complaints , but he felt that he could take no further step in the matter . A short discussion followed , which was not of importance , and the House adjourned at a quarter to seven o ' clock ..
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Our Lunatic Population-.- Moro « um 10 , 000 pcrflona arc under restraint « h J « " « tics ™* B ^* J ™ - Wales . DorsctBhiro " abounds" m lunatics and idiota , having as many as one in 640 of tho population . Title Hi . a < : k Ska Ticusqiiaph . - Something -wont wronic with the vessel containing the telegraph . A valv « lniMt , and they wore obliged to put into Harwich . Tho injurioa aro serious , but will be soon rectified .
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THE AVAR . The following ^ from Lord Raglan , was received yesterday at the War-Office : — "Before Sebastopol , Jan . G . u My Lord Duke , —The weather has been so bad since I -wrote to your Grace on the 2 nd inst ., that I have not yet been able to disembark the 39 th , with a view of encamping the regiment , and it still remains on board the Golden Fleece , in the harbour . " The ground is thickly covered with snow , though not very deep . " All my endeavours are directed to the speedy disembarkation and getting up of the huts , which have now arrived in considerable numbers , and the establishment of the depot of provisions , which I alluded to in my last despatch , near head-quarters , which I am now enabled to do , with the assistance of the 18 th and 39 th Regiments , tho first encamped near Balaklava , the last still sleeping on board the Golden Fleece . "There has been no movement on the part of tho enemy . , " 1 inclose a copy of the casualties that have occurred up to the 4 th inst . — -I have , &c , ' " Raglan . A letter from the frontier of Bessarabia speaks of numerous reinforcements of Russian troops moving on towards tho Crimea . Tho plan of tho enemy is said to bo first to crush the Turkish army at fcupatoria , and then attack tho French and English "rnncs , and it possible , " drive them ; into the aca . Hw same , letter states that tho Russians arc very wnffiune f ^ success , owing to the debilitated condition of tho hnglifll army . Letters received in Paris from Sobastopol , to the lith , state that the works of tho besiegers hud advanced to within forty-llvo yard * of those at tho besieged . __
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jAKTTAKg $ 7 , 185 S . ] fEI ! IBADIiB . $ 3
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 27, 1855, page 83, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2075/page/11/
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