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But , in Prance , though the more enlightened classes are friendly to England , the body of the people still feel something of their former jealousies . The French Emperor , therefore , has a more difficult task to perform at this moment than the Government of England . When that horrible attempt -was made on the life of the Emperor and Empress , the French people , in a spirit of indignant consternation , visited the atrocity on the land and laws of England . There "were many extenuating circumstances in the position of France at that moment ; but the demands made on this country -were not met by the late Ministry in a spirit adequate to the occasion . " I regret it , " said Mr . Disraeli , " not merely for the honour of the country , but for the interest of France itself . I do believe that , if an English Minister at that moment , by a frankness and fairness which are quite consistent with the most active friendship , had taken a course which would have indicated , in a manner not to be mistaken , the error which was committed , this would have prevented the Government from pursuing a course of error , every step of which made it more difficult for them to recede , and which , while it would have vindicated the honour of our country , might have respected the feelings and sympathies of France , and retained tlie cordial friendship which I think so invaluable . ( I / ear , kea ? - ) I am bound to say , and Parliament has ratified the opinion , that I see a total absence in the conduct of the late Government of this country adequate to the great occasion . Instead of a public reply , we have private conversations ; instead of a frank and firm exposition to France of our feelings , and the false position into which our ally was drifting , so far as we can form any opinion as to the course which was pursued on the part of the Government , there was vacillation , timidity , intrigue , manoeuvre—anything but an open assertion of our rights , anything but a firm and friendly demonstration to the French Governmentof the error they were committing . " Having called the attention of his auditors to the fact that power hadnot fallen to the present Ministry through any of the routine arts of faction , Mr . Disraeli continued : — " The political problem we have to solve is one of no common difficulty . ( Hear , hear . ) We have , at the same time , to assert the dignity of this country , and to maintain , perhaps to revive , our cordial friendship with France . Any Minister could do either . It is very easy on the one hand to bluster and insult a faithful ally , frtlG ' iras'proved his constancy and fidelity ; on the other , it is not difficult to cringe to a foreign sovereign , and to be subservient to his wishes . But to combine at the same time the vindication of the rights and greatness of England , and the maintenance of that alliance necessary to the cause of European civilization , is a problem not easy to solve , yet from the solution of which we will not shrink . " ( Hear , hear . ') There had been apparently an attempt to change the laws of England at the dictation of a foreign power . But he did not despair that that great difficulty would be ovepcome . He -looked with confidence to the character of the Emperor of the French himself . That monarch is necessarily obliged to leave much , to his Ministers ; and it has happened before that , when they have made mistakes , the Emperor baa interposed , and brought to a survey of the whole transaction that unimpassioned intelligence which he possesses . He ( Mr . Disraeli ) felt persuaded he would do so on the present occasion , and would not hesitate to place confidence in those English laws which have not yet been tried . " But , " added Mr . Disraeli , " if it be proved that our laws are inefficient , which I am not inclined to believe—if that monstrous doctrine can bo demonstrated to be the law of England , which asserts that an alien in this country may commit a crime with impunity , which one of her Majesty ' s subjects cannot commit without meeting the penalty he deeerves—then , I am sure , the Emperor of the French will not send dictatorial messages or menaces—he will leave them to Counts and Colonels ; but he will appeal to the justice of the English nation . " Pursuing the game subject , Mr . Disraeli observed : — " At this moment , calumnies are uttered in every quarter which would convey to the people of this country the impression that the Emporor of the French , instead of being our ' faithful ally , has sought an opportunity of picking a quarrel with England , because ho thought , on account of our Indian disasters , ho hod England at some Advantage . Thore is nothing moro unfounded . There 3 s no prince in Europe so well informed on all political matters as the Emporor of the French ; there is no prince in Europe so woll informed of the monna of defence possessed by this country as the Emporor of the French . He knows more about her Majesty ' s ehips and soldiers than most of her Majesty ' s aubjoctB ; ho knows ab much ns hor Majesty ' s Ministers ; ho knows , thero-. foro ,, » aXknaw ,, tha . t , Jlo , t ^ liavo eont to India , wo have In this land at tins time a , larger offeotivoforco than wq liad at any poriod during tho 3 aat twenty-five years . ( Hear . ' ) The Emperor knows aa well as I know that , in twenty-four hours , wo could man with able-bodied aonmon the most powerful Channel fleet that over rode upon tho Engllnh waters . ( Hear , hear . " ) Tho Emporor of the French , tho boat informea prince In Europe on English politico , I dnro say knows na well aB I do tho last monthly roturu of our recruiting rota ; no knows , therefore , that in thle
country , where there is no conscription , and where we can only appeal to patriotism , there is a larger recruiting for her Majesty ' s service than in any month during the Crimean campaign . Then what an untruth it is to maintain that the Emperor of the French . has picked a quarrel with us , because he thonght we were in difficulties on account of our Indian disasters ! We must clear our minds of this . " ( Hear , hear . ) With respect to the contemplated India Bill and Reform Bill , Mr . Disraeli o-ave explanations similar to those made in the House of Lords by Earl Derby ; and concluded by saying that the present Ministers would not consent to hold power upon mere sufferance , but that he anticipated for them a prolonged and useful occupation of office .
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out opposition . In addressing ; his constituents , he said that all he asked for Lord Derby ' s Government -was that it might have a fair trial ; and he reminded the electors that , though the Whigs , on taking office six years ago , had promised peace , retrenchment , and Reform , they had involved the country in two wars and an Indian mutiny , added 25 , 000 , 000 / . to the expenditure , and carried no measure of Reform . He also strongly denounced the subserviency of Lord Palinerston to the French Government .
Oxfordshire—Mr . Henley was re-elected for the county of Oxford last Saturday , without opposition . He spoke on the chief subjects of popular interest , but without throwing much light on the policy of the Government . He said he was in favour of the maintenance of church-rates . They can only be imposed by the majority of a vestry ; and in this country we are bound bv majorities . If there were no rates , rents would be higher ; and then what would be the gain ? Cockleumouth . —Lord Naas , the new Irish Secretary .
has been again returned for Cockermouth . Nohtii LiiioiiSTEiismuE . —Lord John Manners was re-elected on Monday , without opposition , his only antagonist , Mr . Frewen , having retired . The weather was very inclement ; but some three or four hundred , electors attended at the hustings , and were addressed by Lord John Manners , who touched on the chief topics of the day in a Conservative spirit . On the subject of Parliamentary lleform , lie said : — " It is very easy to raise the cry of ' lleform ; ' but I should just like to ask the electors of North Leicestershire what they mean by reform ? ( Several , and very diverse , definitions of the word were given . ) Well , it seems you have at all
events a good many different solutions of the problem . ( Chevrs and laughter . ) For myself , I must confess that I am not disposed to endeavour to vindicate all the provisions of the bill of 1832 . I do not deny that there are many respectable persons throughout the land who might with advantage to their country exercise the elective franchise , but who at present do not enjoy that privilege . ( Cheers . ) It is no doubt true that the counties have not their fair share of the representation . I do not maintain the opinion that it was quite right to disfranchise all the small Tory boroughs , and to keep up others-for the special benelit of the Whig aristocracy . Entertaining those sentiments , 1 see no reason why I , in
conjunction with my colleagues , should not , when the proper time arrives , do my utmost to devise a measure of Parliamentary reform which , while it would serve to uphold the equilibrium of the different elements which compose our English social ami Parliamentary policy , would at the same time tend to rectify admitted abuses , and hiapart additional stability to those great and timehonoured institutions which have rendered this country the proud abode of tempered liberty and self-sustaineil order . " ( Loud cheers . ) He could not agree with Mr . Frewen in recommending the electors to petition for tho union of the two divisions of the county ; and he spoko against vote by ballot and the abolition of
church-TIIE RE-ELECTIONS . East Suffolk . —Sir Fitzroy Kelly , the new Attorney-General , was re-elected for East Suffolk last Saturday , without opposition . In addressing the electors , Sir Fitzroy urged the importance of maintaining a friendly alliance with France , but expressed his opinion that the Conspiracy Bill of Lord Palmerston's Government was introduced at a most inopportune moment . He declined saying more on this subject , however , because , in his official capacity , he would have to prosecute certaiu persons , now in custody , who have offended against international laws . The East India Bill of the late Government had also , he thought , been brought forward at a period when the country was not in a sufficiently calm state of mind , with respect to the matters at issue , to legislate effectively ; but , as a large majority of the House of Commons had determined on receiving the bill , it became necessary to take the subject into consideration . With respect to the elective franchise , lie denied that he desired to restrict it . On the contrary , his policy was all for extension . Hundreds of thousands of Englishmen are now deprived of the franchise who are -well entitled to it by education , by property , by character , by position , by all that entitles a free man in a free country to the possession of the power it bestows . When the time for legislation arrives , no man possessing those qualifications ought to be left without the franchise . Ho desired to begin at the upper end , and to descend in conferring the franchise as education advances . In counties and towns he would confer the franchise on every individual who possesses a sufficient income to afford a prospect of his using the privilege independently . He would also confer it on any man who had enough education— not first-rate classical education , but ordinary knowledge—to ensure an intelligent exercise of tho power thus acquired . Moreover , a great many towns now deprived of separate representatives should be placed in a position more in accordanco with their growing wealth and importance . " I know no reason , " said Sir Fitzroy , " why my old friends and constituents of this borough of Ipswich , who happen to live in 101 . or 201 . houses within this borough , should oontinue to enjoy a franchise which is denied to the inhabitants of the neighbouring town of Hndleigh , who are equal in property , character , talent , and education to the inhabitants here . Gentlemen , these are the evils which I wish to see remedied . I cannot but feel , moreover , that a great and undue disproportion exists under the law at present between the population and the number of members returned . 1 would , as far as may be , restore the balance , and do equal justice to all tho inhabitants of this country . I don ' t say—for it would bo absurd to dream of such a measure—that I would endeavour to parcel out tho nation into districts , with an exact proportion of population to members returned ; but surely it is not right that the fifty-two counties of England and Walos should return but one hundred and fifty members , or thoroabouts , with electors to tho number of half a million , and a population of which I am afraid to mention the aggregato , while several boroughs return a greater number of members in the proportion of at least three to one . Gentlemen , in the remarks which I make to you upon this all-important question , I must be permitted to remind you that I apeak only for myself . " Adverting to the subjeot of Law Reform , he observed that complainta had recently been uttered with respect to tho Btato of the bankruptcy and insolvency laws . He had already , daring tho short time that had elapsed since ho took office , directed his attention to that matter , and was in communication with persons conversant with commerce in several of the great trading towns of England : lio hoped , therefore , before long , to bo ublo to submit to the House of Commons a measure which would at loaet remedy tho greater part of tho ovilw complained of . Ho alao bolioved tho Government would aucceod in passing a bill which will enable every man to trnnsfer-aml- "chargo- * hi 8-land- » B-ho-ini tf ht-ti' / iimfOivaudchargo bo much stock in tho funds . In reply to a question , Sir Fitzroy Bald that tho subject of churchrates is under tho consideration of members of tho Government , and that ho earnestly hoped they would bo enabled to introduce a moaauro upon It during tho present session of Parliament . OmoiraaTBR . —Tho election for tho city of Ghiohoster took place in tho Town-liull , last Saturday , at noon , when Lord Henry Gordon Lonnox waa ro-olootod
withracs . North STAFFonnsmnE . —Mr . Adderlcy , Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education , was re-elected on Monday , without opposition . Ho believed that Lord Derby ' s promise of a Reform Bill is fur more real than Lord Palmerston ' s . Lord John Russell and the late Premier were playing a game at ' thimble-rig ' with respect to Reform ; and , added Mr . Adderley , " I have a great mistrust of those men who call themselves Reformers . I look upon many of them as simple theorists , mere politicians , men who are prepared to square tho institutions of thia old country -with their now theory of last night , and who have a model taken from America to which they would by some roady and
royal process adapt tho constitutions of nil other countries . I can have very little confidence in men such as those who recently met in London , and whoso loader stated that representation ought to bo in exact proportion to population—a principle which would give to London one-tenth of the representation of England , and would almost oxeludo tho whole kingdom of Scotland from what lawyers call entering an appearance in the Legislature of tlrid country . These are the doctrines of theorists who call themsolve 9 Ruformora . I havo much grefttor faith in men who aro taking part in public business , who huvo a share in tho Hympnthios of tho country , and whoso doctrines on this great question , If not so universally mid abstrnctoilly j ) erfoct , ' « " ° muohinoro likely to bo practical and aecoptable to tho poodle . "
South Smtoz > siiiiu < . —Viscount Newport , Vioo-Chamberlalu of tho Household , was ro-elected for Newport on Tuesday , without opposition . Enni 8 Ium , i £ N . —Mr . Whitanlila , tho AUomov-Goiiorul for Iri'lunri , wns re-elootod fur Jinnisklllou on Tuesday . TljeTo ^ YlSrno ^ Mr . Whltodido contained no pointb of intorcol boyom tho vutlior strong oxproasion ( l \> r a Minister } -- " i ^ ' " Pal in ms ton aubmittod merely to the reooption of an insulting despatch from Franco . " County ok Uvuutti . — Colonel . Taylor , one of tlio now Lords of tho Troasury , wns re-elected on 'J'Uursrtny , without opposition . Tho proceeding wore vory quiet and dull .
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9 ajr THE LEADER . [ No . 416 , March 13 , 1858 .
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Leader (1850-1860), March 13, 1858, page 246, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2234/page/6/
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