Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 10th December 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 4, POLITICAL FORE SHADOWING S.... - - v. ' ...

Page 4
Page 4
4 of 24

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • or& OftY oaOtttft /^JitftUJ Ji . ^ " - "" ¦ ¦
  • Text (4)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      1336 The Leader. \^O. 507, Dec. 10, 1859...

      1336 THE LEADER . \^ o . 507 , Dec . 10 , 1859 .

      Or& Ofty Oaotttft /^Jitftuj Ji . ^ " - "" ¦ ¦

      gtmut 3 ?* N-

      Political Fore Shadowing S.... - - V. ' ...

      POLITICAL FORE SHADOWING S . ... - - v . ' .

      The Duke Of Rutland Presided At An Agric...

      The Duke of Rutland presided at an agricultural dinner last week , on which occasion he said , with regard to the generally felt presentiment of invasion : — "I wish to say that I , for one , have not shared m the apprehensions that have been so generally entertained by my countrymen . I think that we hav ^ e been alarmed rather needlessly , because I think that if the Emperor of the French had ever seriously contemplated the invasion of this country , a man of his sagacity , of his foresight , and of his intellect would not have allowed the opportunity to slip , that was presented to him during the time of the Indian mutiny . If he had contemplated such a thing as that the time

      the invasion of this country , was , that was the opportunity that he would naturally have seized upon . When I say , therefore , for God ' s sake let us put this country m an emcient state of defence—let us call out the militia , encourage the rifle corps , and do all we can to make ourselves safe—I say , also , let us not in the same breath , which is not necessary , abuse the ruler whom the French people have chosen , or run down the church which they choose to support . And if there is a feeling in France ^ -and I fear to some extent it is true—against this country , I ask whether it has not been mainly fermented , and whether it is not mainly owingto the vituperative language that has

      been used by the press of England ? " Referring to a recent speech of Mr . Bright , he said , " Mr . Bright evidently thinks it is no longer fitting that the agricultural body should have any political influence in this country of England . From his speech , I collect that , although the agriculturists are not any longer to have any political power , as far as-I can understand the mass of figures with which he overwhelmed his Liverpool audience , he does not contemplate , while he relieves us from all responsibility and all power , that we should be relieved from all taxes . He says , " Gentlemen , I don ' t wish you to be disturbed by the knock at the door of the candidate for your

      suffrages , but I have no objection to the tax collector coming to you and asking you for your money . ' Mr . Bright talks of doing away with all indirect taxes , and he mentions a great number of them ; but I remark that he never alludes to the malt tax , which is an indirect tax of a very large amount . Gentlemen , this is not the place , the time , or the opportunity , in an after-dinner speech , to meet these arguments of Mr . Bright , but perhaps you will allow me generally to state my own conviction that direct taxation is the very worst taxation you 45 an have—that it docs press on the poor , not directly , but indirectly—that it crushes the springs of prosperity and industry ; that it drives capital

      abroad ; that it reduces the wages of the labourer , and that it is paid by the honest man and evaded by tl-. e dishonest . I would also make this further remark on Mr . Bright . In all his speeches , he has hold ur > America as the model that we are to copy . Mr . Bright forgets , however , that one of the mstin t \ istinctions between this country and America ja , that while we raise our revenue , partly by direct , and partly by indirect taxation , America raises the whole of her revenue by indirect taxation . Mr . Cobden hua lately been to America , but I doubt whether , even with his eloquence he has been able to persuade the Americans to give up one jot of the protection which they give to their manufactures in that country . "

      At the Sturminster Agricultural Society ' s dinner , Mr . H . G . Stubt , M . P ., in a discourse upon public affairs said : —" With regard to the Chinese expedition , ho himself was rather opposed to our engngingin any military expedition with the French , because in the Crimea wegot all the fighting and the / got all the glory . Ho hoped that orders would be given to our generals that , if tins or that fort were to bo taken , it should be done by pur own men , and that if we won , as of course we should , that the credit due to the victory would not be swallowed up in the flowery reports of our Imperial ally . Ho had no hesitation in saying that the Emperor Napoleon was a very expensive

      ally , for we were in the habit of annually paying largo sums of money solely on account of tho policy oflua Imperial Majesty . Within the last eight or tea years the Emperor had increased his navy to a most unprecedented extent , and as a necessary consequence we had been obliged to increase our own . It was difficult to know what to do , but at present our alliance with France was like one person greeting another with his right hand and holding a revolver behind him with his left . The Government , however , had taken every precaution , and had exerted every Influence to avert the impending danger . They had given countenance , for Instance , to the formation of rifle corps , which was a very capital xnovomont . It ought to be encouraged , throughout

      the representative of Great Britain at this Con gress to perform his mission manfully , for much would depend on the energy and resolution of the British Minister whether Italy was to be freed or not . Our assistance ought only to be given with the view of securing to the Italians the rights thev justly claimed . Referring to the necessity pf this country being speedily placed in an efficient state of defence , the gallant colonel said that no one unacquainted with the scenes on a battle-field could imagine what a fearful thing war would be in this country . With the feverish anxiety every one appeared to entertain as to what might possibly take place , it behoved us to be ready to defend our countrv ' 1 ¦ ¦ ± 7

      •_ _ a . a " 1 _ __ TT' _»_ *„« « . ' J . against any hostile power . He claimed their support in the votes he should probably have to give on the Army and Navy Estimates to be submitted durin " the approaching Parliamentary session , for he could not place his hand on his heart and say he had acted honestly as a member of the H ouse of Commons if he did not vote for estimates calculated to place the army and navy in a fitting position to ensure the safety of this country . The famous exploits of American riflemen in former days against picked British troops could be equalled if not surpassed , by the riflemen of England , and he '

      sincerely and heartily wished the volunteer movement the utmost success . ^ With respect to the < iuestion of Parliamentary reform , they well knew it was much wanted and must come . During the last ten 3 'ears they had had three Iteform Bills brought into the House of Commons , and another suggested by Mr . Bright ; they had had three Queen ' s Speeches recommending reform , and they had alsojiad the response of Governments and the sanction ' of the House of Commons . The Sovereign , the Government , and the House of Commons were pledged to a Reform Bill . The men now in office would be

      disgraced for ever if t hey did not bring forward such a measure as would answer the reasonable expectations and . wishes of the people . lie voted against the sham Reform Bill brought in by the Derby Go ^ vernment because it did not enfranchise the working classes , so called , who were entitled to a voice in the expenditure of taxation to which , they contributed so largely . On this occasion , Mr . A . W . Kixgx-ake , M . P ., denounced the absurdity of concealing the fact that the armaments * we are making are against France alone and not against any other powerj for that there is no other State that : is strong enough to

      cause us any uneasiness . The hon . member said that the bulk of the people and of the army of France were inclined to peace rather than war ; but he pointed out the real danger of a collision in these words : — "In the state of things which actually exists you have the vast army of France , the enormous pecuniary resources of France , the navy of France , and even the coimnerciiil navy ¦ of France , all placed under the power of one human being . The Emperor of the French not only commands all the armies of France—not only commands the navy of France , but he has the power of marching almost the whole of the commercial navy of France--marching them like soldiers—to serve in the military navy of the country -, and we all know , also , that he has succeeded in inventing a financial system which enables him to borrow the earnings ot the

      country , and to raise almost any amount of money at a very short notice , and without the intervention of the ordinary capitalists who used to be employed for purposes of that sort . It comes to tins--tnai you have sitting , as it were , in his library a thougiuful man who is in the habit of keeping Ins own counsel—a man who pores bver books relutwg w battles and wars . 1 recollect ho told me once that he was engaged in writing a history of all tho battles that had ever been fought . There he sits alone in l » a library , surrounded by books of this description , surrounded by plans mid designs of all contrivances which human ingenuity has invented to uesuoy human life , and commanding at i * h e same time the resources of which I have endeavoured to givc you some conception . It is very evident tlro « jnw man is a dangerous , neighbour . Any >» odic » i maw will tell you that , however friendly his ««»«> f ot in ( llL

      the length and breadth of the land , for the panics by which England was occasionally seized were humiliating to the country . They had heard something of a general disarmament , but he hoped the answer of the Government would be , although in more diplomatic language " Catch a weasel asleep . " It was all very well for the French with their system of conscription , to make such a proposition . The French Emperor had only to write a few lines to raise as many soldiers as he liked ; but it must be remembered that in this country the raising of an army was a work of time . We were living in momentous and critical times , and he hoped ,

      that in the ensuing session , the Conservative party would oflfer no factious opposition to the existing Government . Parties in the House of Commons were , no doubt , evenly balanced , and there would probably bu great temptations to a trial of strength in the ensuing session , but he himself would be no party to a factious vote as long as the Government kept us prepared against every foe . With regard to the subject of Parliamentary reform , he said the necessity of a change had been acknowledged by all parties , and therefore the sooner the question was set at rest the better . That question would doubtless be the battle ground of the ensuing session . He had no doubt the Government would bring in a Reform

      Bill , but he was afraid that his party ( the Opposition ) would attempt to make political capital out of it . He only hoped that the Government would bring in a moderate bill , and one which would set the country at rest for the next twenty-five years . Notwithstanding the temptations there might be to turn out' the Government , it was the bounden duty of every Conservative , and of every man who called himself a Conservative , to support such a measure , and to assist in carrying it into effect . " On the same occasion Mr , Ker Setmek , M . P ., also alluded to the question of the entente cordiale . He said : — "We had no wish to send out a single man to invade France or any other country / but

      while such was the feeling on this side the channel , he regretted to say that there were thousands on the other side who would like nothing better than a " go" at this country . Our French neighbours , having upset half-a-dozen Governments of their own , now wished to disturb the peace of Europe , and we had therefore become alarmed . This time last year Europe was in a state of profound peace . Everybody knew at that time that Austria did not govern her Italian provinces as she ought , but the mere fact of that misgovern ment could have afforded no ground of offence to France , and France had no more right to go to war with Austria than with England . And yet , at the beginning of

      January , the French Emperor came out with a warlike speech , and it was evident from that time that France was determined to pick a quarrel with Austria . That quarrel had resulted in war , and we were told that it was all for an idea . Now , people who went to war for an idea were most dangerous enemies , for it was impossible to say what the next idea might be . It might be to avenge Waterloo , and that , he believed , was the idea of France . If so , we must look out for squalls ; the Emperor of the French was a wary and clever man , and had no desire , himself , for a war with England ; but he was obliged to do that which was necessary to keep him on his throne . He might have no desire to attack or invade

      this country , but it must be remembered that the array was his master , and that if the feeling of that army was in favour of war , he must engage in it . It therefore rested with ourselves to show such a bold front that , whatever the design might be , the actual operation of invasion should not take place . It was , therefore , highly important that we jhould look to our fleet . But , supposing it possible , as had been suggested , for the French fleet and tho French army to slip over in a fog , he believed that such a spirit had been aroused among the general population as would show the enemy that we were prepared to resist foreign aggression to the last . Looking at the great interests we had to defend , he would say—wo will continue to arm , and we will not disarm . He highly approved of the rifle movement , and lie would toll them why . If the French Emperor talked

      about a mutual disarmament , ho could not ask ua to disarm our volunteers , who , to a great extent , had been at tho expense of thoir own equipment . As long , therefore , as we had 200 , 000 or 800 , 000 men ready to fight for tho country , he thought we should do protty well . " At Bridgewnter , on Monday , Colonel Kemeys Tyntb , M . P ., addressed a large and enthusiastic meeting , upon foreign and domestic polities ; — " He wantpd to Know whether the Italian peoplo had not the same right that we had , at our great revolution , when wo sent away a king unfit to govern us , and by virtue of which , our present valued Queen occupied the English throng . Ho wanted to know by what right any Congress could send back the deposed Princes to peoples discontented and opposed to thoir tyrannical sway ? It was tho duty of Englishmen to speak out and to boldly state that they expected ,

      may bo to-day a more fit of tho gout or ° " tion may convert him into an o » omy to-morr ow . Your security , if you rest it upon tho Jji roneh , rouw repose upon the will ' of one man . Will you trua it to tho good-will of oHb man ? ( Crica of » o . ) What wo must look to is not to the worda ot tn « Emperor of the French , or of any living l » rlnco , » u * to his acts . The acts of tho Etnporor ot tho h rene are of thin kind : —He has surrounded lumsoll wj » so vast an army , under the name of a pence o » t » " . ment , that at a few weeks' notico ho can attuo , on victoriously attack , one of the greatest mil »«»*/ ompiroa in the world . But agalnat whom ib »>» making l » is groat naval prenaratJons ? * ' ' * purposo is he busily engaged In preparing J » ° ° ™!! fortifications of Franco P Why all tho world Know that thoro is no country against which U > Q » "V preparations of Franco can bo dlructuii u . \ u » i ISngland . It comes to this , that you buvo ono nia » ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 10, 1859, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10121859/page/4/