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    j| J T L E ' ' ' AY & 1852. _ HE AD El. ...

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    The Week In Parliament. The Mi1itia Bill...

    , 250000 men from Prance may come over to ^ this y mtrv' He says , ' They wiU come ^ unopposed . ' Then , co untry . , viu take possession of London . ( Laughter ifc Sy willsLe the Bank of England ( not to f A I hope , the 18 , 000 , 000 ? . supposed to be lodged there ) ?? auihte ? and <* eeM- ) Thev are to hve by contnbuhons % ! c 5 wens ( renewed laughter)—the ; parliament is to on tiie'ciw i ter )—the courts ofjust ice are to be b SSf ^ thiFrench generaVW issue-edicts * J > . ° jSeJ )_ a new Parliament will assemble , to Consist Mivof Frenchmen ( laughter )— the Code Napoleon is to 8 J « p in the place of the law of England—the Sovereign is ? live like a private individual in Scotland ( laughter ) rf i flnallr the government of this country is to be anm \ ? m ISI and the administration of affairs to centre in the

    SvSg army- ( Loud laughter and cheers ^ ^ Bu ^ says ihl other gentleman in the dialogue , what will that sig-X ?'—( hear , hear , and laughter)— ' we shall go onwork-• I our mills . ' ( Loud ministerial cheers , and laughter . ) i We shall stand behind our counters and sell our wares in nur shops' ( Cheers . ) ' People must eat—they will want nlothinff—we shall supply their wants—and shall go on makinff money . ' ( Loud cheers and laughter . ) One might gav to these gentlemen , if that event should ever happen , what has been de scribed by the poet' ' Sic vos non vobis melliilcatis apes . iSie vds non vobis vollera fertis oves . "

    ( Laughter and cheers . ) It will be for them to take care that " the wolves do not eat up the sheep . ( Renewed lauffhter and cheers . ) But , sir , the pamphlet goes on to male a statement which I think will astonish the house . The gentlemen in the dialogue first speak of an ambush , but then go on to say that , awe-stricken , this country , without applying for assistance to Austria , Prussia , or any other power , would deliver itself into the hands of the foe —but that in the course of time , and after some fifty or more milli ons sterling had been remitted to France , the French wo uld be so terribly ashamed of their position—so utterly ashamed of the very ridiculous situation in which

    they had p laced themselves , that they would leave this country to its own resources ( Laughter ) . ! N " ay , so deeply would the sense of their ridiculous position be impressed on their minds—and we know that the French people are most susceptible of ridicule—that they would offer to send us back those 50 , 000 , O 0 OZ . sterling which they had taken from our bankers , merchants , arid tradesmen ; and then they would be done again ; we should show them a more glorious example—we should magnanimously refuse to take ft . ( Soars of laughter . ) Yet I firmly believe this is written in sincere and sober earnest , and not at all in the spirit

    of ridicule . He wound ¥ p by stating that it was for the country and Parliament to determine whether they would become the victims of submission with the peace party in and out of the House / or whether they were " still sufficiently wedded to their ancient notions of independence and self vindication" to provide a force to resist and repel every invader . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . Wakley , bursting with indignation , expressed his sorrow that Lord Palmerston , a man of such " gigantic intellect , " should fall into the unfortunate position of quoting such despicable trash as he had addressed to the House . ( Laughter . )

    " The noble lord had not informed them who was the publisher of the stuff he had quoted , or by whom it was written , but he ( Mr . Wakley ) strongly suspected it was published at Hi gbgato , in this county , where there was an admirable asylum for lunatics . ( Great laughter . ) Ho recommonded the noble lord to visit it ; ho was sure the noble lord would admire it , and the kind of intellect ho would find there . ( Laughter . ) To quote such trash a 3 that ! ( Groat laughter . )"

    Entirely forgetting the Militia , Mr . Wakley fell foul of the Protectionists for ironically cheering the passage about mills in the pamphlet . " Gentlemen opposite know perfectly well that thero was something more potent about mills than they affected to admit ( hoar , hear ) ; among othor effects produced , mills had ground the party of Protectionists into a party of Free-traders . ( " Oh , oh ! " ) Oh , yes ! they might niako faces

    wry ; tho operation might have been remarkably uiBagreoablo , but tho operation had been porformod ; witness tho budget of last Friday night . ( Hoar , hoar . ) xvvoh tho mills which had dono it all ; 'twas tho mills which had saved tho country , bo don't lot gontlomon opposite reproach tho mills , and don't lot them roproach their jnastov and toachor , Richard Cobdon . (" Oh , oh ! " and laughter . ) Ay , their master and teacher , and a greater man than any of thorn . ( Laughter . )"

    After a few words from Colonel Thompson ngninst tho bill , Mr . DnuMnoNB delivered ono of his characteristic speeches . Whatovor Punch-liko qualities tho poaco pamphlet "" Blit possess , ho could inform tho Houso that it was imbliHhed by Mr . Charles Gilp ' m . He avivs not itivour-!»> " > to tho bill , but ho thought it tho best they were lilcoly to got . v , ; ° could soo no reason whatovor why any troops « !• l , ! & tionod in tho neighbourhood of * tho mnnuiaoff

    ««'" umlricts . ( Ohoors and lnughtor . ) Ho hold , with wiw T" momlln ^ for Manchostor and his friends , that it , ' ft ( ll ' ° « dful thing for tho military to tramp lo upon tho l n 3 ' ° > laugh ) ; and thoroforo ho would not put that wlinVi ¦ in tho Wftv of tho troops , but w ould have thorn Sv Wl , » dr < wn . ( Laughter . ) Nay , if tho Peace Sowi / r ; h ° t P ° a ifcivoly unijortako to onler into a treaty un ^ tho President of Franco that ho should sail into tho wasrf'V nfjtofttl of int 0 tho ThamoH , ho ( Mr . Drummond ) thia km Ur , ° thftfc «« would not bo inclined to vote againHt mi altogothor . ( Hoar , hoar , and laughter . ) Ho

    . ury as a ' to which intelligence—and he hoped he might add morality ( a laugh)—existed in those great constituencies . They had had a general Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations , but they had now done with it , and were pulling down the place . Suppose they built another , and had an exhibition of the morality of all nations ? ( Laughter . ) In what position would the city of London stand ( a laugh ) —to say nothing of Finsbury ? ( Renewed laughter . ) He might ask those who had bought coffee , or tea , or bread , or butter , or milk , in Finsbury . ( Much laughter . ) Why , the hon . member for Finsbury ( Mr . Wakley ) had shown that ther 6 was no place in Europe where there was such a mass of fraud as among the tradesmen of this enlightened city . ( Cheers and laughter . )"

    to the honmember for Finsb witnessto the extent thought it was not improbable that a small invasion might do them a great deal of good . In his opinion this country was much in the same condition in which they sometimes saw a great overgrown spoilt boy , when one was inclined to say , ' x wish somebody would give that fellow a gob ! licking . ' ( A laugh . ) Now , he was inclined to think that a good licking would do us a great deal of good ( laughter ); and he believed that the first time an army got near to London those mills which had done such wonders would cease to work ... ( Hear , hear , and a laugh . ) But it was said that the House was to be entirely guided on this question by the great constituencies , which they were told contained all the intelligence , and all the science , and all the knowledge of the country ,, He would appeal

    Lord John Mannees and Lord John Rttssexi ; , in lame and wearisome speeches , wound up the debate ; and on a division , the amendment was lost by 285 to 76 . Not dispirited by so complete a defeat , Mr . Hume , Mr . Gibson , Mr . Bright , and Mr . Cobdek assailed the Government with importunate solicitations for a postponement of the measure . Mr . Cobden hoped that , although the majority was large , they . would not forget that a minority had its rights and duties in that house . Would the contemplated Militiamen be liable to the lash ? , No categorical answer was given , and Mr . Hume dividing on the motion that the House should go into committee , was again beaten , "b y 219 to 85 .

    Consequently the House went into committee , and here another stand was made at the outset by the Opposition . Mr . Beight asked for a " long day "—a proposition which the CHANCESffiQE . ° f the Excheqtjee characterised as " preposterous , " arid broadly he asserted that the opposition was maintained only for the purpose of " agitating" the country . He named Thursday for proceeding with the bill . On the question being put that the Chairman report progress , and ask leave to sit again , Mr . W . J . Fox renewed the combat , which was now carried to extremities . He repudiated

    the imputation of tho Chancellor of the Exchequer , and declared that he knew little of the feeling- of the people if he thought agitation necessary to excite the strongest antagonism against the measure . ( Cheers and counter cheers . ) The people dreaded and abhorred the Bill , and those feelings would not be diminished when they knew that they would be brought into compulsory service , and put under the lash . ( Oh ! oh !) In vain Mr . Wai-pom : and Mr . Diseaeli attempted to soothe the irritation , the latter insinuating that he meant nothing discourteous by accusing the

    Opposition of factious motives . Mr . Gibson , Mr . Wakxey , and Mr . Hume charged tho Government with precipitation—Mr , Wakley asking wlien tho dissolution was "to take placo , and menacing tho majority with every kind of constitutional opposition . The storm , partially allayed , was provoked again by Mr . Newdegate , who reiterated tho accusation of Mr . D \ sraeli about " agitation . " This brought up Mr . Cobden , who , upon Mr . Bernal saying that the only question before them was Avhothor he should leavo the chair , said there was something more than that involved : —

    " Whon the hon . gentleman ( Mr . Newdegato ) spoke of agitating the country , ho would ask him , and those who actod with him , wlio had boon trying to agitato tho country for tho last live yoars P "Was thero a platform or a thcatro in London on which tho hon . mombor hud not bcon an actor P ( Choors and counter-cheera . ) If tho hon . mombor imputed to thorn on his ( Mr . Colxlon ' s ) aide of tho House that they wore getting up an agitation to bring thorn back to tho Treasury benches , and whon thoro to repudiate tho principles by which fchoy had got into

    oflico ( groat chocring ) , then they , might fall under his etigma . Jiut ho ( Mr . Cobdon ) warnod tho Chancellor ot tho Exchequer not to repeat , in tho tono ho had uhoiI , ( chooring and countor-chooring ) , tho imputation of motivoH in wluoh ho had indulged ronpoeting Jiis ( Mr . Cobdon b ) sicio of tho Houso , ana particularly not to ropont it to thoso who , having boon placod in antagonism to tho right hon . gontuainan on many occasions , had , ho huinWy Submitted , shown to him forboaranco and coiiBkloration . ( Ohoors , and cries ofOh t oh ! ' )"

    ' Tho CirATsroni . riOn of tho ExoMHQUim . —It in oxpediont whon thoro lias boon a long diHOunsion to remombor its origin . Wlion tho lion , mombor ( Mr . Bright ) npoko ol delay for tho purpose of appealing to tho country , what ho meant was , that tho country should bo agitated . | Mr . Bright . — " I novor said so . " ] Ah to tho charge brought forward by tho hon . mombor ( Mr . Cobdon ) ot obtaining power by tno assertion of principles which , whon in power ,

    we did not carry out , lL beg to inform him that that is a charge which does not apply to me . ( Cheers . ) I-a 111 here , Sir , to put in practice , as far as I am able , the policy I advocated when on the other side of tho house , and I say so without the slightest hesitation . ( Great Ministerial cheering . ) Notwithstandingthe complaints of ^ my demeanour , which are perfectly unjustified as I think , and if I used any expression or exhibited a manner calculated ^ to give offence—which it is neither my habit nor disposition to do—I must say I feel , it is the duty of Government , and I think we are only acting with regard to the opinions of the vast majority of the house and of the public out of doors , by calling on you to proceed with this bill . ( Cheers . )

    After another galling attack from Mr . Wakley on the abandonment of Protection by Ministers , the Committee divided on the motion of Mr . Hume , that tho debate should be fixed for Monday . Ayes , 31 ; Noes , 103 ; Majority , 72 . Even this did not terminate the-conflict , so pertinacious and enterprising was the sturdy opposition . Another division was taken on the Chancellor of the Exchequer ' s proposition that the bill be again considered in committee on Thursday next , when the numbers

    were— Ayes , 105 ; Noes , 29 ; Majority , 76 . The bill was accordingly ordered to be recommitted on Thursday , and the House adjourned at 20 minutes past two o ' clock . On Thursday , therefore , the debate was renewed in Committee . The stand of opposition was made upon clause three . Mr . Hume moved the repeal of all the existing militia acts , to prevent confusion . This was objected to by the Attoeney Geneeai . Sir Geobge Grey / , who has faculties for getting up a personal contest , here objected that Ministers had pretended to obey the order of the House when they introduced , this bill . Now the House used the word

    " consolidate" as its resolution . But here were Ministers coming down with a bill which did not consolidate the militia acts . This led to a smart discussion . Mr . Diseaeli declared that Government believed they could not have passed the measure had they repealed all preceding acts . They had , however , consolidated , for they had " consolidated by reference " -r-a statement which Lord John HussxlIi professed he could not understand . Mr . Waupoxe admitted that consolidation

    by reference was not , strictly speaking , consolidation at alkj but he promised well for the future . Mr . Cobden broadly asserted that the object was to avoid bringing to light the infamous provisions of the unrepealed acts . The Attoeney-Geneeax , finding feeling running against them , began an attack on Lord John Russell , and declaring that no bill would satisfy him , he would even be able to oppose his own by specious and ingenious argument .

    Sir W . P . Wood repelled this insinuation , and diverted the course of the debate back to Lord Palmerston , whom he charged with beginning the personal attack on Lord John Russell . Somewhat sharply Lord Paxmebston retorted that ho had not spoken for the benefit of Sir W . P . Wood . He never preached to the converted . He took it for granted that Sir W . Wood having voted for Lord John Russell ' s bill would vote for this also . Sir W . P . Wood replied that if tho bills were the same , why had the noble lord opposed tho introduction of the one , and lent his support to tho othor ?

    Nettled at this , Lord PalmeeSTON insisted that he did not say that tho bills were identical ; but whether they were identical or not , his conduct should' not be identical with that of the late Government ; he would not attempt to overthrow a measure which he thought necessary , on account of a verbal difference . At this stngo tho House grew impatient , refusing to hear Mr . Ewort , and tho gallery wuh even cleared for a division . Tho CiiAXCEtLOR of tho ExoiiKQUEit interposed , and requested tho noisy to be silent , nnd thoso anxious to go to remain a little longor . After a few words from Mr . EwAiwv tho Committee divided , but tho amendment was lost by 1 G 5 to 82 .

    Mr . MlijNEH Gibson moved an amendment to tho effect that tho qualification for doputy-licutenants and oflicors ot tho rank of major , or of higher rank , be abolished ; to which ho added another amendment ( to bo proposed in tho event of the first not being carried ) , qualifying any person possessed of a certain amount oi personal property . Mr . WAiil'OMJ expressed his willingness to accede to tho second proposition , to tho extent of qualifying officers possessed of personal property of similar amount to that which qualified holder ** of real ofitato , After considerable discussion , and on Mr . Wulpolo promwing to introduce n , provision on tlio subject , tho amendment was withdrawn , nnd tho clause agreed to .

    On cluuso 7 , Mr . CiiAitTimiS proposed thut 40 , 000 mon , instead of 80 , 000 , should bo raised to servo fivo years . Of theso ho proposed that 20 , 000 inon should bo called out in 1852 , and 10 , 000 in 1863 and 1854 . respectively ; and ho proposed , to strike out all tho

    J| J T L E ' ' ' Ay & 1852. _ He Ad El. ...

    j | J T L E ' ' ' AY & 1852 . _ HE AD El . . . : # *

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 8, 1852, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08051852/page/3/