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Leader (1850-1860), 19th November 1853, Edition Country of 2, Page 5

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      Admiral Napier And Mr. Urquhabl At Manch...

      Mr . Isaac Gregory moved the first resolution , as follows : — - " TLat the occupation of the Danubian provinces by the Emperor of Hussia , for the purpose of enforcing upon Turkey concessions inconsistent ivifh her independence as ' a nation , is a violation of the law of nations , against which it is the duty of all free Stales to protest ; and that this meeting desires to express its admiration of the dignified conduct of the Sultan , and of the patriotic ardour . ' with which the people of the Ottoman empii-e have taken up arms to resist the invasion of a barbarous and hypocritical enemy , " . , Mr . T . Schunck seconded the resolution . Sir C . Napier was received with repeated rounds of the most hearty and enthusiastic cheering . He

      said—I beg to thank you most sincerely for this very flattering reception . It is not the first time that I have been in Manchester . On a former occasion I had the honour of being entertained here after the settlement of the last Eastern question , and I little expected then that I -should be upon this platform to denounce Russia for an infamous attack upon Turkey . Having referred to the attacks made on Turkey since 1815 , the gallant Admiral went on to say with respect to the last—I had the honour of partaking in the expeditions at that time , and it is a singular thing in \ the history of Turkey that the combined ileets and armies were commanded by a , British Admiral , that the Turkish fleet was also eomiiianded by a Christian—an English Admiral ; and I , a Christian Admiral , had the honour of

      commanding the army . ( Cheers . ) I will not at the present moment accuse Turkey of being a great fool , but she did not show that attention to the remonstrances of her allies , did not accord to the Christians that peace and quietness which she had promised in her adversity . I . hope , however , after the lesson she has had , after she has succeeded in driving Hussia from her territory , she will pay all due attention to her Christian subjects , and take from Russia every pretence for again interfering on that ground . In 1839 the Sultan granted to Turkey by a hatti schcriff her Magna Charta . I don't mean to say that that has

      been precisely carried out as it ought to have been , but there can be no doubt that the Turkish Government has done a great deal . She recruited her army , improved her navy and finances , and , had she been left ti'anquiliy to go on , I believe tliere is no doubt she would have re-established herself on a solid and respectable footing ; but , unfortunately Russia and Austria , who are constantly on the watch , found great fault with her for exercising her hospitality , as she had a right to do , only imitating our example , Dy givua o protection to the unfortunate Hungarian refugees . ( Cheers . ) TI 113 naturally excited remonstrances from Austria and Russia . Lord Palmerston came forward

      again and told them to be quiet . ( Cheers and laughter . ) A fleet was then again sent to Besika Bay , at the entranco of the Dardanelles , and had the effect of compelling Russia and Austria to take the hint . ( Cheers . ) This leads me to the present question—to pass over some small affairs such as the rebellion of the Montegrins , which , I believe , was excited a great deal by the instigation of Russia , who camo forward and insisted that , it was a free country , and under her protection . The Ottoman Government submitted again to Austria and Russia , and thought by that means at all events to have peace and tranquillity . But when people are determined to quarrel with a neighbour it is excessively easy to do so . Russia and Austria sent missions to Constantinople again under various pretexts . Prince

      Jvlensehikoli' was to be put at tho head of the Russian mission , and JPrineoXeimngonftt the head of the . Austrian . Prince Mensehikolf fell ill of tho gout , and it is a pity it did not got to his head or his stomach . ( Clioer . s and laughter . ) But tho Austrian commissioner was more successful , and went to Constantinople , and fiiiceeoded in everything ho proposed . Then conies Prince MensehikolY , having recovered from lii . s fit of tho gout , to Constantinople ; and , I believe , Europe al . largo does not produce one mnglo instance of kuo . 1 i an insolent embassy us that flout by tho Czn . r of . liiiKsia to intimidate a weaker Power . Prince Meusclrikoir was Mini . slor of Marine ; but not satisfied with that , thoy sent an admiral who commanded tho Russian floel , at Selmstopol , and tho wnernl who

      commanded tho army of ( he frontier ; n . s much ns to nay- — " If you don ' t mibinit , I have an army mid a ilcot ready to conio down upon you . " Well , the Minister at Connlunl . inople at tho time , becoming iilarrnud , united our fleet , uh UHual , to come to J 3 cMika Bay , but tho Admiral who commanded our Heel ; at Malta wisely and properly did 110 I , accede to JiiH request . Tho Baltic would be open iu a month , whore Ru . sniahad a / loot of ( . wonty-sevonNail of the lino , and the . I'eaeo Somel . y ( lnugliter ) had reduced our fleet lo nothing in IHIi ) . ' in that case , it \ vn « perfectly iinpoHHihlo to provoke ItuH . siu by Mending our ( lent to l , he Dardanelles , when wo had not thomoium of Hondingoneto the Baltic . Now , ¦•¦ don't hlaino ( ho Government lor that , but 'the Peace Society ( hear , hour ); and it is a dangerous point , ( hat , J <> touch upon in their capital (" hear , hear , " ami I'Highlor ) ; but , nevertheless , it in <| into true thai , in defiance of | , ] , ( i Duke of Wellington ' s loiter , in 184 H , wherein ho pointed out M 10 nnkcdnc . sM of the la . nd , mid Hhowed

      thai , wo could ] io invaded by a powerful nation wil ! i an iriny « f 400 , 000 or 500 , 000 men , and ( hat we could not produce iJ () , ( K )() men in Kngland , while wo had vory feW Hhip ;) | , o contend against 11 . 11 enemy -the Whig < JovermnenL and i (; wan a Whig Government , 1 am m > rry to nay , at the l . imo -obeyed ( . ho <• 11 . ll of the Peace ( Society , « u \ d reduced l , he urniy 5000 .. men , n . ud also ( lie fleot ( iyo ^ ail o ( the lino ! I havo , 110 lieuiliilion in Haying tlnit , '' we ha < l i ,, | | ;] 10 /] ,, ()| , j , ( i ,, | , W ( , have now , with a "mall addition to it , and when , . RiiNsia lir . it menaced ' urlcoy , we could have said to Russia , " if you-. oroNu Mm I'utli , ( , l , e Mediterranean fleet go < - « lo CoiiHtun'tinoplo ; » nd the Hrttmh homo ( lent , iiiHl . oiid of voviewm / jf at ^ pithoml , will hold her review in tlm Hnltie . " ( TJhoora , « w » d laughtor . ) I \ vinh it to be clearly understood that . 1 atu not blamiiifr the ( jlovoimnoiit for not acting with more vigour iu time , bectiuao it waa not in iLoir power : but 1

      wont let them entirely escape either , because after they had got their fleet up and paraded it at Spithcad , they neglected to send it a little . further on . It is true the season was far advanced , and you all know perfectly well that the occupation of the Baltic during winter is perfectly impossible , for the simple reason that you can't float tliere for the ice . I said that Hussia had sent a most insolent mission to Constantinople . Then Count Nessclrode issued a still more impertinent manifesto , and I dare say you have read the declaration of war of Russia , which is more impudent still . There never -was such infamous conduct , such insolent language , used in declaring-war by one nation on another . Let us consider what will be the consequence to Europe if Kussia remains in the Principalities . I believe 60 years ago there was a distance of nearly 200 miles between the frontier of Austria and the frontier of

      Hussia . If you look at the map , you will find now that they run alongside of each other for nearly 500 miles ; and if Eussia remains in possession of tho-Principalities , that distance will be nearly doubled , and on the Danube her frontier , instead of being 80 miles , will be 300 or 4 < 00 miles . Wow , let [ Russia be once- established in those Principalities , and judging by her conduct for many years past , —her cautious conduct—because she is very cautious , always at the end of every war acquiring more territory and more power ,: —wili any man in this meeting believe for one single moment that , if the Powers of Europe allow Hussia to possess these Principalities she will stay there content ? ( "No , no . " ) It is contrary to human nature , it is . contrary to . what has taken place since the creation of the world . On she will-go till she

      gets to Constantinople , and then whafc a pretty position Europe Avill be in ! ( Hear , hear . ) She will have the Baltic to the north , the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles to the south , and she will stretch her brawny arms and hug all Europe in . her hideous embrace . ( Hear , hear . ) Do you think she will stop there ? ( " Is o , no . " ) We have seen that Mehemet Ali , a servant , I may almost say , of the Sultan , succeeded in marching from Alexandria across the Taurus , defeating and destroying the Turkish army , and coming 1 upon -the very banks of the Bosphorus . If the Egyptians could do that , and if the Russians get to Constantinople , may I a sk you what is to hinder them from marching from there to Egypt , and then what becomes of your passage to India , I should like to know ? ( Hear ,

      hear . ) How . will your trade be carried on ? EWwillyoiu communications be carried- on , and how will all- your . manufacturers send their goods to India ? You will havo to return to the Cape of Good Hoj : > e . But , instead of that , you have now a free passage across the Isthmus of Suez , which will be blocked up by Hussia . Will she bo satisfied -with that ? We hear already that . she is intriguing in India with many of the discontented kings and governors , or whatever you call them , for really I forget all their names , there are so many of them , and at some future day India will be destroyed . I therefore think it is our bounden duty , and not only our duly , but the duty of France , and Austria , and Prussia , to coino for-Avard and insist that Hussia immediately evacuates the

      Principalities . ( Hear , hoar . ) Now I h ' avo shown you what England has done and what she lias not done . France hofi gone with us up to the present moment , but there ; is even danger there . ( Hear , hear . ) In the last eastern question Louis Philippe threw us overboard , and that very nearly brought on a Avar with Trance . ( Hear , hear . ) It is left to Louis Napoleon now to com © forward and assist England to keep up the balance of power in Europe ; but suppose things go wrong , and suppose Trance sees that Hussia will got to Constantinople , has Trance no eyo at all upon Egypt herself ; and has Trance no eye either upon tho Rhine ? All these things may take place , and eonfusion may aviso by the micoesa of' Russia . Things may bo deranged ; there's no knowing how all the Powers will

      go : —every 0110 perhaps will look out for himself ; and I vory much fear- and I am sorry to say it—that we shall not get tho lion ' s share ( his time . Our navy has beon so reduced and so lowered ; ro little attention lias been paid during the peace of 37 years ( o mini it , that when wo wmit men ( hey an ? not to be had . The lute ( joverinnent voted fSOOO men , and they deserve great credit ; for so doing ; ( hey are no friends of mine ( elieers and laughter ) , nor ( . he Whigs oi ( her ( hiughfer ) ; but ., nevertheless , tho Tory ( jiovernniont , seeing our danger , not . from Russia at thai ; time , but from 'France , came down to Parliament and asked for an addition of 5000 soldiers and 500 seamen , which were grunted to them by acclamation . Even Mr . Cobden himself acknowledged in the llouno of Commons

      that ho did not resist it , because if they asked for ' 20 , 000 men it would he granted by acclamation . That showed thai , the people of England did not wi ' hIi ( o expose their wives and families to l > o detUroyed by foreigners , and they felt that any Tower almost , even a' mtmndary Power , in the stain we were in , could have invaded this country . ( A . Voice- " " No , no I" ) . Somebody culls " No . " Lot inn ask how we could prevent them ? ( Hear . ) I'Yiinoe , for instance , tins 51 ) 0 , 001 ) men , mid we have ;}( > , ( )( H ) ; and is ( hero no means of crossing the Channel ? The country " \ viih not sale ; thank Ci ' od il ; is safe now , and I talio some eredil , to myself for driving ( hem to lnnlco it safe . ( Cheers . ) I did ' not get much thanks for it ; but you have it now , and you are all willing ( o ]) ay for i |; . js there anybody hero who

      grudges to pay a half pev cent , morn of liis capital to insure safely and tranquillity to his hearth and hin wife and family ? ( "No , no . " ) | daro say you have all read Lord Aberdeen ' s speech ( lie other day , " when ho wan feasting ( it the JV 1 minion-house , afterdating turtlo nom ) . ( liaughtor . ) After being woil entertained ' there , he wiid , and mud properly , that the policy of the Uovonvment wus pence ; that he would maintain pence uh long as he jiomnibly could ; ( hut he w < m vnluetanl ; to go to wnr ; hut if war was demanded---murk you and phi inly demanded , if consistent ; wilh the honour and interest of this country , ho would go to war . ( Hear , hour . ) Well , wlmt , ho meant by Unit iH , if Mnglnnd demands that we shall go to war , ho i ' s ready to go ; hut England will not . demand \ vur unions nho Hqoa it ia absolutely nocoasury ibv tho honour ivnd interest

      of the country . You are all prosperous now , all making money as last as you can , particularly in Manchester ; but you are not quite sure you will make that money if you are at war . 'Therefore there cannot be a doubt that this meeting ., and every . meeting' throughout Great Britain , if they do-follow this that takes place , will desire peace , and will not drive . the Ministry into war unless it is absolutely necessary . Now , I am just as fond of peace as any of you , and am almost too . old to go to war ; but , nevertheless , if the honour and interest of this country demands it , I am perfectly ready to come forward and shed the last drop of my blood for the honour and credit of the British people . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . S . B . Johnson moved the secord resolution

      " That the avowed policy of Eussia . and her insidious encroachments upon all neighbouring States , are at variance with the common interests of other countries , and ought to be resisted by the united efforts of all civilized nations . " Mr . H . Fletcher seconded the resolution . Mr . D . -U . rquliart rose to support the motion , and was received with loud cheers . He expressed the apprehensions with which he had heard the intelligence that the Russians , in their retreat , had diverged to the left , so as to take , refuge in . the Austrian territory . He dissented from some of the statements made by the gallant admiral , and at some length urged on the meeting the necessity of putting down , not only the system which existed , fatal to the interests of this country , with reference to the east , but their own ignorance oa such subjects .

      Dr . Vaug-han also addressed the meeting . He had thought the Government laggards ,, believing- that it was their duty , when the Russians first crossed the Pruth , to send our fleet into the Black Sea directly ; but he could not make that a ground for a vote of no confidence in Ministers . He moved the following resolution : — ¦ . " That this meeting rejoices in the determination of the British Government to ' uphold the independence of the Ottoman Empire , even , if necessary , hy force of arms . " Mr . P . Royle seconded the resolutibn . Thanks havin g been voted to Sir O . Napier , Mr . Urquhart , and the chairman ,- the proceeding's terminated .

      A requisition is in course of signature to the Mayor of Liverpool , praying him to convene a meeting in that city .

      Noymmnn 19, 1853.] ' The Leader. 1109

      Noymmnn 19 , 1853 . ] ' THE LEADER . 1109

      The City Commission. Numerous Witnesses ...

      THE CITY COMMISSION . Numerous witnesses have given evidence before the City Commission this week , the chief among whom have been Mr . Elliott and Mr . Bennock , two common councilmcn , and Mr . Wallis , the sheriff . The character of the evidence has been chiefly speculative , and varied statements have been made ns to what kind of reforms arc requisite . At present , there has been a , preponderance of evidence in favour of abolishing the aldermen ; t , s unpaid magistrates , and of appointing two or four stipendaxiea in their phice . Tho two common councilmen above mentioned , consider the aldermen as a great city abuse , which ought to he abolished . The police also , it seems to be generally agreed , would be less expennivo , and quite as efficient , under the control of the Metropolitan Commissioners . Competent witnesses , Mr . PowIuh and Mr . Cattley , agree in thinking that the harbour masters of the Thames efficiently perform their duty ; they also agree in describing the navigation eominittee , composed-of forty persons , an utterly unqualified by previous training for their duties ; and they . suggest a mixed committee , comprising delegate :- ) from mercantile associations , ho that the committee might act as a Chamber of ( , 'onirheree , in 2 > r <> tecti ; ig merchants from grievances , or in representing them to Government . Homo of the witnesses would enlarge the constituency

      ¦ --one proposition going ho far an to abolish the livery , and place the City under the provisions of the Municipal Act of 1 S : {(> . The eoal tux found a defender in Mr . Elliott , who thinlvH the revenue has been well Hpent , and put . H forward tins Hfcartling argunient , that coals would become too ehoap , and too common , and too many would bo consumed if the tax were removed ! Among tho Mep . 'inifce grievance ! - ) is the . shrievalty . One gentleman , Mr . Remington Mills , attended to show that he had boon elected Hherilf without ; Inn knowledge , and made to pay (> 00 / . iine for rcfiming to nerve , after ho had eeaned ( , o reside in the county of Middlesex . Mr . Walliu also eonoeivoN that the MhoriH '

      should he an <\ v-o // n : / o member of tho Common Couneil-VVit . h renpeof . to bribery ,. ' Mr . Wallm n ; iyn , t . hal , lie has known 15 , 000 f . upon ! , on holli nido « fora mayoralty , 10 , ()()()/ , for the c : h ; unherla , inHhi |) , and 15001 . for an alderinaii ' H gown ; ami he allegew , : in a reason why tho elections for common eouncillojH are pure , that " the matter at nt : d ; o in not ko much . " Hut , Mr . 'Konnook throvvM tho greatest flash of light on tho oorruptioiiH ol ' the corporation . The mode in which the ooiwuiMeoM of tho Common

      Council « re appointed in vei-y lit idly . Then ! nro about nixteen of thene puid ccnnmiUee . s in the year : they are paid 111 m ) ut ii !)()()/ . The money iu dicpoMod of for tho purposou of ronvivinlity . If a bnlimeo hIiouM remain over it in NoHietiuieH applied to Hie unwilling the ehiiirnnm with 11 piece of pinto , i . huvn / teen n member of more unpaid ( huii pnid oonnnitleen , und 1 believe that ( he former have been attended by inoro intelligent men . \ heliovo tho commiUeo men might appropriate tho money to theniNoIveH if they pleased . If a man appeared , to be tin fait on a particular

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 19, 1853, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19111853/page/5/