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    « ,, 250 OOO men from Erance may come over to ^ thig y « fVv' He says , < They wUl come uiiojmosed . ' Then , fc SpeaU they will take possession of London . ( Layghter KeTrs V They will seize the Bank of England ( not to Sd'Stthe l | GQO , O 0 O ? , suppo 36 it 0 belodgoithore ) Setter and cheers . ) They are to ^ hve by contnbutions Shi citizens ( renewed ^ laught ^ - ^ pftrUament ^ to Je swep t away ( laughter ) - ^ the courts ofjustice are to be Liiatod flailghter)—theOFrench general will issue edicts Xuffhter )—^ » ew Parliament will assemble , to consist Tiplv of Frenchmen ( laughter)—the Code Napoleon is to nnme in the place of the law of England—the Sovereign is to live like a private individual in Scotland ( laughter )—fl « dfin allythe g overnment of tMs country is to

    beainu-, , ZiUtpA and the administration of affairs to centre in the SdSff army . ( Loudslaughter and cheers . ) ' But , ' says the other gentleman in the dialogue , ' what will that sig-* . jf v p »_ _( lfear , hear , and laughter)— ' we shall go on work-\ ne our mills . ( Iibud ministerial cheers , and laughter . ) < We shall stand behind our counters and sell our wares in ~ mir shops . ' ( Cheers . ) ' People must eat—they will want clothing—we shall . supply their wants—and shall go on making money . - ( Loud cheers and laughter . ) One might say to these gentlemen , if that event should ever happen , what has been described by the poet" Sic vos non vobis melUfleatis apes .

    Sic vo 3 non vobis ypllera fertas oves . " / Laughter and cheers . ) It will be for them to take care that the wolves do not eat up the sheep . ( Renewed lauo-hter and « heers . ) But , sir , the pamphlet goes on to make 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 timej and after some fifty or more millions sterling had been remitted to France , the

    French would be so t erribly ashamed of theirposition— -so utterly ashamed of the very ridiculous situation in which they had placed themselves , that they would leave this country to its own resources ( Laughter ) u Nay , so deeply would the sense of their ridiculous position be impressed on theirminds- ^ -and wei know that the French people are most susceptible of ridicule ^ that they would offer to send us back those 50 , 000 , 000 ?/ sterling which they had taken from our bankers , merchants ; and tradesmen ; and then they would be done again ; we should show them a more glorious example—we should magnanimously refuse to take it . ( Roarsi of laughter . ) ^ et I nrmly believe this is writton in sincere and sober earnest ,-and not at all in the spirit

    ofridicule . " He wound up bystatingibhat 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 ti * ash as ho had addressed to the House . ( Laughter . )

    " Thenoble lord had not informed themjrho was the publisher of the stuff he had quoted , or bjHwhom it was written , but he ( Mr . Wakley ) strongly suspected it was published at Highgato , in this county , where there was an admirable asylum for lunatics ; ( Great laughter . ) Ho recommended the noble lord to visit it ; ho was sure the noble lord would admire it , and the kind of intellect lie would find thero . ( Laughter . ) To quote such trash as that ! ( Great laughter . )" Entirely forgetting the Militia , Mr . Wnkley fell foul of the Protectionists for ironically cheering the passage about mills in the pamphlet . " Gentlemen opposite know perfectly well that thoro was something . more potent about mills than thoy 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 , yos ! they might mako wry faces ; the operation might havo been remarkably disagre eable , but the operation had been performed ; witness the budget of last Friday night . ( Hoar , hoar . ) Twos tho mills which had dono it all ; 'twas the mills which had saved tho country , so don't lot gontlemon opposite re proach the mills , and don't lot thorn reproach thoir master and teacher , Biohard Oobdon . (" Oh , oh ! " and laughter . ) Ay , their master and teacher , and a greater man than any of thorn . ( Laughter . )"

    After n few words from Colonol Thompson against tlio bill , Mr . Duummond dolivored one of his chnracterintic speeches . Whatever Puntc 7 i-Y \\ co qualities tlio pouco pamphlet might possess , ho could inform tlio Housp that it was published by Mr . Charles Gilpin . He was not favourable to tho bill , but ho thought it tho best thoy were "K oly to get . " IIo could boo no reason whatovbr why any troops Bnou , lcl bostationod in tho neighbourhood of tho manufaociist

    " *« nff ncta . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Ho hold , with " > o . non . member for Manchester and his friends , that it waij ft dreadful thing for tho military to tramplo upon tho poopio ( a laugh ) and thoroforo ho would not put that ^ Vi lon ln t ^ o way of tho troops , but would havo them wholly withdrawn . ( Laughter . ) Nay , if tho Poaoo So" j , 7 , « wjd positively undertake to enter into a troaty "L « i « io Prosidoat of Franco that ho should sail into the ^ oreoy instead of into tho Thames , ho ( Mr . Drummond ) Jj ,. " ° . buto that ho would not bo inclined ito voto against "us bill nltogotUw . ( Hoar , hoar , And laughtor . ) Ho

    thought it was not improbable that a small invasion might do them , a great deal of good . In his opinion this countrv was much in the same condition in which they sometimes saw a great overgrown spoilt boy , when one was inclined to say , ' T wish somebody would give that fellow a good 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 fd t near to London those mills which had done such woners 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

    to the hon . member for Finsbury as a witness to the extent to which intelligence—and he hoped he might add mo r ality ( 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 ( alaugh ) —to say nothing of Finsbury ? ( Renewed laughter . ) He mi ght ask those who had bought coffee , or tea , or bread , Or butter , or milk , in Finsbury . ( Much' laughter ) Why , the hon . member for Finsbiiry ( Mr . Wakley ) had shown that there was no place in Europe where there was such a mass of fraud as among the tradesmen of this enlightened city . ( Cheers and laughter . )"

    Lord" John Manners and Lord-John Russeli , 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 . Bbight , and Mr , Oobden 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 , by 219 to 85 .

    Consequently the House went into committee , and here another stand was made at the outset by the Opposition . Mr . Bbight asked for a " long day "—a proposition which the Chancelxob of the Exchequer characterisedTas " -preposterous , " and 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 the 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 bo brought into compulsory service , and put under the lash . ( Oh ! oh !) In vain Mr . Walpole and Mr . Disbaeu attempted to soothe the irritation ^ the latter insinuating that he meant nothing discourteous by accusing tho Opposition of factious motives .

    Mr . Gibson , Mr . Waki / ey , and Mr . Hume charged the Government with precipitation—Mr . Wakley asking when the dissolution was to take place , and menacing the majority with every kind of constitutional opposition . The storm , partially allayed , was provoked again by Mr . Newdegate , who reiterated tho accusation of Mr . Disraeli about " agitation . " This brought up Mr . Cobden , who , \ ipon Mr . Bernal saying that the only question before them was whether he should leave the chair , said thero was something more

    than that involved : — - " When the hon . gentleman ( Mr . Nowdogato ) spoko of agitating tho country , ho would ask him , and those who acted with him , avIio had boon trying to ngitato the country for tho last iivo years P Was thoro a platform or a thoatro in London on which tho hon . mombor had not been an actor P ( Ohoera and eountor-chocrs . ) If tho hon . mombor imputed to them on his ( Mr . Cobdon ' e ) Bido of tlio IIouso that thoy woro gotting up an agitation to bring thorn back to t ho Trousury bonchos , and whou thoro to into

    repudiate tlio principles by which thoy had got office ( great cheering ) , then they might fall under his stigma . But ho ( Mr . Cobdon ) warnocl tho Chancellor of ( ho Exchequer not to repeat , in tho tono ho had used , ( chooring and cduntor-ohooring ) , tho imputation of motives in which ho had indulged ronpocting hi « ( Mr , Gobdon ' H ) sido of tho Houho , and particularly not to repeat it to those who , having boon placed in antagonism to tho nghfc hon . gontleman on many occasions , had , ho humbly submitted , shown to him forbonranco and consideration . ( Cheers , and cries ofOh ! oh ! ' )"

    ' Tho OiiANCfli , j . on of tho ExciruQuKK . — It in oxpodionfc when thoro has been a long diHOUBHion to reinonibor itH origin . When tho hon . mombor ( Mr . Bright ) upoko ot delay for tho purpose of appealing to tho country , what ho meant was , that tno country should bo agitated . [ Mr . Blight . — "I novor said so . " "} As to tho ohar ^ o brought forward by tho hon . member ( Mr . Oobdon ) ot obtaining power by tho assertion of principles which , whon in . powor ,

    we did not carry out , I beg to inform him that that is a charge which does not apply to ine . ( Cheers . ) I ^ am here * Sir , to put in practice / as far as I am able , the policy I advocated when on the other side of the house , and X say so without the slightest hesitation , ( Great Ministerial cheering . ) Notwithstanding the complaints of my demean , nour , 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 onl y 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 the debate should be fixed for Monday . Ayes , 31 j 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 Attobney Genebax . Sir Geqbge Geet , 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 coining 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 "—a statement which Xord John Russeil professed he could not understand . Mr . Wai-pole admitted that consolidation

    by reference was not , strictly speaking , consolidation at all ; 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 Attobney-Genebax , 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 "PalmebsTon retorted that he 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 the bills were the same , why had the noble lord opposed tho introduction of the one , and lent his support to the other ?

    Nettled at this , Lord Palmebston insisted that he did not say . that tho bills were identical ; but whether they were identical or not , his conduct should not bo identical with that of the late Government ; ho would not atteirpt to overthrow a measure which ho thought necessary , on account of a verbal difference . . At this stage the House grew impatient , refusing to hear Mr . Ewart , and tho gallery was oven cleared for a division . Tho Chancei / lob of tho ExonEQUEn interposed , and requested the noisy to bo silent , arid those anxious to go to remain a little longer . After a few " words from Mr . Ewakt , the Committee divided , but the amendment was lost by 165 to 82 .

    Mr . Milwbb Gibson moved an amendment to tho eflbot that tho qualification for deputy-lieutenants and officers of tho rank of major , or of higher rank , be abolished ; to which ho added another amendment ( to bo proponed in tho event of tho iirat not being carried ) , qualifying any person possessed of a cortain amount of personal property . Mr . Wampolb expressed his willingness to accede to tho second proposition , to tho extent of qualifying officers possessed of personal property of similar ninount to that which qualified holdors of real crituto . After- considerable discussion , and on Mr . Walpolo promising to introduce a provision on tho subject , tho amendment was withdrawn , and tho clause ugrcoil to .

    On clause 7 , Mr . Ciiabtetus proposed thut 40 , 000 mon , instead of 80 , 000 , should bo raised to servo nv . o years . Of those ho . proposed that 20 , 000 mon should bo called out in 1852 , nnd 10 , 000 in 1853 and 1854 respectively ; and , ho proposed to strike out all tho

    Untitled Article

    ' : : MA ^ ; 8 , f ^^ 431

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 8, 1852, page 431, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1934/page/3/