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    Aryrx 4 1857.] T H E Ii E A D E R. B21

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    The General Election. •. '¦¦ . . . •?—: ...

    foiled from further injuring their higher victims , commenced stoning , beating , and kicking the policemen . " After this , imagining that Mr . Lowe had escaped from Mr . Sheppard ' s by the back-way to tie Albert Inn , in Bewdley-street , the rioters smashed every window in front of the building . Mr . Merrifield , the police superintendent , and "what few of his men -were not yet disabled , made a bold stand against the crowd while they were committing this outrage ; hut of course seven or eight persons were powerless against hundreds . The crowd then defiled into the town , amusing themselves by the way with occasionally smashing windows , Insulting- every well-dressed person they met , and lustily yelling ' Boycott for ever ! ' For several hours , hundreds of the populace paraded the thoroughfares , shouting and

    screaming . About twelve o ' clock , symptoms of a row were manifested by the mob collected in High-street . A-t this juncture , however , the clatter of arms and hcrses'hoofs announced the arrival of a troop of fifty Hussars from Birmingham , which had been telegraphed for shortly after four o ' clock ; and the fear of cold steel had quickly a quieting effect upon the rioters . The Mayor and magistracy , who had been sitting en permanence , made their appearance under the protection of the military . His worship at once read the Riot Act ; orders were given to clear the streets ; and the soldiers and the police effected this operation in the course of two hours . " The police , it appears , are very few in number , and the special constables behaved either ^ with cowardice , or with a secret sympathy with the mob .

    Four men were arrested , hutfwo have since been discharged . Mr . Lowe was removed from Kidderminster between ten and eleven o ' clock at night . Mr . Green , tax-collector , Dr . Ronald , and Mr . Stoekdale , of the Swan Inn , were also seriously wounded ; and hundreds of persons were cut and bruised , the mob , at the height of their fury , attacking alike both friend and foe . It has been stated that the rioters were chiefly workmen from the carpet mills ; btit this is denied by Mr . Sheppard . Several women were among the most violent of , ' the crowd . Mr . Boycott is said to have indirectly encouraged the disturbances .

    It is impossible fully to express the Indignation and sorrow which we feel at seeing a state of things , disgraceful even to the coarser and less educated days of Hogarth , revived at a time when England , as one of the few constitutional nations of the world , has a solemn duty to perform in vindicating the Arue nobility of the representative system—at a time , moreover , when demands are being made for the admittance of the working orders to the franchise , and -when it behoves them , for their own sakes , to vindicate their right to that power by calm dignity of conduct and a reference of all disputed matters to the arbitration of the intellect . Let Ms take comfort , however , in reflecting that this is almost an isolated case , and that the disturbance was made in . the interest of the Tories . The party whose hereditary principle is violence and brutal suppression of the right of free speech and free action ., only fulfils it 9 traditions in forsaking that field of argument which it cannot maintain , and descending to the lowest depths of street ruffianism and lawlessness , BUCKINGHAMSHIRE . Mr . Disraeli , Mr . Du Pro , and Mr . Cavendish were reelected without opposition on Tuesday . A speech of very great length was delivered by Mr . Disraeli . He com- * inenced by reviewing the policy pursued by the Government to which he had belonged , and showing the advantages which had accrued to the country , in the - way of improved national def ences , legal reform , and an alliance with the Emperor Napoleon , in consequence of the policy pursued by Lord Derby ' s Ministry ; and lie then proceeded to draw attention to a parallel to the present difficulty about Herat which had occurred in 1852 , and which wa 3 speedily settled : — " It is generally thought that if the city of Herat is in the possession of Persia our Indian dominion is in danger . I may mention the general opinion without entering into the controversy . Now , recently , that city having been captured by Persia , war was proclaimed , or rather undertaken , against Persia , without the knowledge of Parliament . Very considerable expenses have been incurred , and though we arc told that peace has been effected , it will always be a question whether the course pursued in respect to Persia has been just and politic . When the Government of Lord Derby was in office , the Shah of Persia not only menaced , but besieged , attacked , and captured , the city of Herat . According to the political doctrines of this day , our Indian Empire was in danger . " What was the cour . se we took ? Did we invade Persia and mnka war without tlio cognizance of Parliament ? ( Hear , ) Did we involve thi 3 country in an immen . se expenditure ? Very different was the course we pursued . We had an efficient representative at the Court of Telioran —Colonel Sheil . He was not a person of our own political opinions , but I am bound to say that he was an eflioient mnn . Wo sent to him the most energetic but conciliatory instructions . We told him to go to the Shah of Persia , and impress upon him that if he persisted in the course he was pursuing , - we should adopt measures of earnest stringency . Wo required him to give up Herat , and to return to li ' i . s own dominions , or wo should invade his country , and take measures which -would rondor a repetition Of Iii . offence impossible . What did the Shah do ? He retired from Herat , and conceded nil we required , - \ v } tJ >(> Mt qui

    racurrang those great expenses which have now been incurred in respect to the Persian expedition , and without our entering into a course which I doubt whethei the spirit of the constitution would justify . " Having glanced over other acts of the Derby Government , he next took credit for * his party with regard to their forbearance in opposition during the . war . He then referred to the attempt made hy Lord Palmerston , immediately after assuming the Premiership , to conclude " an ignominious peace , " and vindicated the course he and his party took in Parliament in consequence of that attempt . The motion brought fo rward by Sir Edward Bulwer Jj y tton , on the subject of the Vienna negotiations , during the session of 1855 , was framed at the request of himself

    ( Mr . Disraeli ); and it would have ended in the defeat of the Government , had not Lord John Russell voluntarily made himself their scapegoat . It was true , Lord Palmerston offered to stand or fall by Lord John Russell ; but Lord John determined to take the blame on his own shoulders . He ( Mr .. Disraeli ) must say he thought the unpopularity since incurred by Lord John was quite undeserved , , although tine contemplated terms were unsatisfactory and ignominious , the responsibility should have rested on the Cabinet collectively , and on the Prime Minister especially , and not on an agent . He congratulated the country on the abolition of the y ar ninepence on the income-tax ; and added that , if it was desired to get rid of the whole tax in 1860 ,

    there must be a reduction of expenditure . " It is a fact that the public expenditure has increased to an enormous amount during ' the last few years . The expenditure at the present moment shows , I believe , an increase of 6 , 000 , 0007 . above the expenditure of 1852-3 , when the Government of Lord Derby was in office . When , therefore , ' we talk of reductions ' , it is , after all , of reductions to the scale of a period when the estimates -were ver y much increased j and when the public establishments of the country -were in a very efficient state . AVithput dwelling too much upon this point , 1 may say I consider the general policy of the country , " a ? I have described it to be , one which entails considerable ex ^ - pense . It is a policy which I am told is very popular ;

    it is a policy of perpetual meddling in every part of the . world ( hear , hear } , occasioning disturbances which cause expense , and consequently lead to increased estimates . I am told that this is a very spirited policy-( laughter ') , that there is nothing like making the influence of England felt , and that there is nothing of which an Englishman should be more proud than to feel that he is like a Roman citizen in every part of the world- ( Laughter and cheers . ) But I must say I generally find that this spirit , -wjuich . I have described as turbulent and aggressive , ' is always exhibited to weak aud not . to powerful states . " (// ear . ) Thi . s policy must be abandoned if the country would have a more economical administration ; and the country itself

    must abandon its love of such exciting food . If the report were true that the Emperor of China hud disapproved of the conduct of Commissioner Yeli , that showed how easily the question , might have been settled by an appeal to the central Government . The dissolution of Parliament in connexion with this China question , be repeated , was a pretext . After lie had expressed satisfaction with the proposal to dissolve , the issue ' . was entirely changed , as Lord Palmerston consented virtually to supersede Sir John Bowring , and thus conceded the chief point at issue . With respect to Parliamentary reform , Mr . Disraeli said ho was not an advocate of -what is called " bit by bit reform , " because ho found it always ended in n job ; nor was he a

    superstitious worshipper of the Reform Bill of 1832 . The Whigs had put an end to the Tory close boroughs , but they quite forgot the Wliig close boroughs . In the course of " a great industrial controversy , now happily settled , " the counties had declared in favour of Conservative principled ; no the counties were to be tampered with , in order to make them , more in accordance with Why principles ; " As to comprehensive measures , "Mr . Disraeli said , " I believe there is no doubt that all the details of the bill of 1832 were framed in opposition to the party with which I sympathize , and great injustice was done by " those details ns they . affected the Tory or Conservative party , in respect to the disposition of political power . I think it very probable that , if a large reform bill were brought

    f orward by the Tories , much of that evil might bo remedied ; but it would be the greatest disadvantage , to the country to have the two grout parties competing for power by outbidding each other on that , of nU subject- * , in reference to . which the general and permanent interests of the country should lie considered , ( dinar , Iwur . ) Because , whatever schemes might lie devised by any party to establish and conLinue their power , the prcscienco of man is limited , and is frequently falsified by the course of events . Imprudent » nensures arc often passed for the purpose of eflectiiiLi' u particular object ,

    nnd afterwards tho result expected is never realized . ( Jlettr , hear . ) Therefore , n . s far ns L ' nin concerned , remembering the groat , partiality and injustice of the Kuheini ! of 18 J 2 , 1 .-should look to any great change in the representation with no prejudice , because I beliovo that much of that injustice and partiality might bo remedied . " Electoral districts would introduce a fatul change into Kiufhuid : —" Consider tho condition of the country , divided and cut up into ( Vutlurent electoral iVm-Iviets . lteinoniber , there in no longur to be a county of lluokinshani . ( A Voice : * ( tuttu ri' / W ) Buckingham-:

    shire is to be blotted out of the political map , and probably you would have departments , as in France , taking their names from the nearest rivers . There would be the departments of the Uppei and Lower Thames . Are you prepared to have votes in the department of the Upper Thames , and not to be electors of Buckinghamshire ? ( Cries of ' Yes . '' mid ' No / ' ) There is an elector so false to the glory cf Buckinghamshire , and to the glory of his own position ( cJieers , and cries of ' Zfcnsense . J' ) that he is prepared to sets the Thames on fire . ( Laughter , and an ironical cry of l Thai ' s sublime ! ' ) No , it is not sublime ; it is funny . I have heard of a step from the sublime to the ridiculous ; but my friend takes a step from the ridiculous to the sublime . " ( CJieers

    and laughter . ) Mr . Disraeli continued to argue against expunging Buckinghamshire from the political map , when tho democratical Voice asked , " Why not ?" Because , answered Mr . Disraeli , the traditions of a people fo rm part of their national life ; and because a man cannot view , without feeling proud of his county , " the turfen road along which . Hampden went with his Petition of Eights , the temple at Stowe dedicated to the eloquence of Chatham , or the oak at BeaconsGeld under which Burke meditated his reflections on . the French revolution . " The Yoice persisted , saying-, " I would disfranchise Buckinghamshire altogether . " Mr . Disraeli said he did not think the speaker was one of tbe electors

    of Buckinghamshire . " ' -Y « s , I am , " , said the Voice . " Then you ought not to be , " retorted Mr . Disraeli . He then went on to argue against the ballot , contending that property ought to have an influence in the election of members of Parliament , and that the lord-lieut « nant of a county should have more power in . such matters than " some man , perhaps in his service , receiving weekly wages , but exercising the franchise . " H < s also pointed to the state of things in France , as an instance of ' the . failure of the ballot and of democracy ; but at the same time eulogized tlie Imperial Government as the only one suited to the Trench . With a warning to England , he concluded .

    SUFFOLK ( EAST ) . Lord Henniker and Sir Fitzroy Kelly were re-elected without opposition . Both spoke in favour of Parliamentary reform . The latter said : — " He would , sooner or later , bring forward a measure in the House of Commons under which every man in the three kingdoms should be put . in possession of the elective . franchise who possessed either property enough , or intellect or education enough , to exercise that franchise with independence and intelligence . ( Ajiplavse . y Then would be the time to ¦ extend the franchise downwards . But let them not think that he would oppose the extension of the

    franchise still further among the ' householders in this county . However , he-. would not begin with the householders , as he considered that a most fallacious test . He much questioned whether his honourable friend Lord Tlenniker -would possess tlie franchise had ho not large property in the county , because hw Lordship , when in London , mighf . liv « in-lodgings , . or in a furnished house , or in chambers . They might have a Newton , or a Shakspeare unpossessed of the elective franchise because he might not happen to live in a 10 / . house -within any borough . " ( Cheers , ') He likewise spoke in favour of reduced expenditure , and of the cessation of the incometax in 18 G 0 . *

    MANCHESTER . To the disgrace , of the majority of tlie electors , the previous members , Mr . Bright and Mr . Milner Gibsonmen who , . whatever their mistakes on sonic points , were an honour . to Manchester and to Parliament—have been rejected Iry large majorities . Sir John Potter and Mr . J . A . Tumor headed the poll from the first , and throughout the day kept on still further distancing their opp ' ononts , till at the close of tho poll the numbers stood—Potter , 8 : ) G 8 ; Turner , 785 * 1 ; Gibson , 5588 ; Bright , . 0-158 . Tlie town was vavy crowded , and a tfroat deal of excitement prevailed , but there were no disturbances . Brief addresses were made by Sir . John Potter , Mr . J . A . Turner , Mr . Milner Gibson , and Mr . Vuughun—tho lust-nnined on behalf of bin brother-in-law , Mr . Bright .

    DKornvicii . Sir John J . ' akington , in returning tlianks on Friday ¦ week for his unopposed return , made some rather hazy declarations ! on tho . subject of Kcform . Ilesaul : — "It is perfectly idle to talk in Ihitish institutions of anything like finality . ( Jleur , hear . ) I hold that Conservative opinions arc compatible , with' the improvement and progress of those institutions . If 1 thoughtother \ vinc , I for oiio should not profess Conservative opinions . In theso days of the steam-engine and of the telegraph , to contend that British statesmen alone ought to stand fttill nppeaiH to wo to be absurd . ( IFear , hear . ) Tho line

    by winch the two great political parlies in the country Hcem to me to he separated is , that in the one party I hor , or think I hoc , a tendency to unnecessary democratic innovation ; while In the other I perceive a love of the monarchy , a love of the church , and of that principle of local self-government which I think ought to bis adhered to and extended in Knglnnd . To no detailed arrangement which shall carry out those tlmie great general principles shall I , for one , oflur any » eriou . i objection . ( Hear , hear . ) When I njie . ik of nu extension of tins franchise , I must frankly tell you I nover approved of tU * Vt ohnngc in tho suffrage which wua effected by the

    Aryrx 4 1857.] T H E Ii E A D E R. B21

    Aryrx 4 1857 . ] T H E Ii E A D E R . B 21

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 4, 1857, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04041857/page/9/