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^ rnnJ c Vv I H T would ado P ° * countenance the calumnies that have been spread respecting his Royal Htah ., ness Prince Albert . ( Hear , W , \» nd U iSSwS * li these calumnies were hke ordinary calamniea , aud had on § nSr ffr . l migbt * d 5 si ? O ? . W them wit 3 notice , and let them pass away in the course of time ; but there has been , so much of honest delusion as well as of foul calumny in them , that I do feel it necessary to make some statements with regard to the position of this Ulustrioui prince . First , gentlemen , as to the charge of unconstitutional interference on the part of his Royal Highness—it has been generally admitted throughout the country , « nd by all persons , that there never was a sovereign who acted more strictly in the spirit of the constitution in the exercise
of her prerogative than her Majesty . { Loui cheers . } Her Majesty has accepted the Minister whom she found approved of by the House of Common ? , and to him has . given , her entire confidence . On her accession she found Lord Melbourne Prime Minister ; and lie had her complete confidence * Lord Melbourne was succeeded by Sir & Peel * and ~ SIr B . Pee ] , too , enjoyed the " entire confidence of . her Majesty It was my destiny to succeed to Sir R . Peel ; and fa ? more than five years during which I held that honourable position , I can say most truly that I received from tee Majesty every support and every mark of confidence that * Minister cooM fairly expect , and I took occasion to express to her Majesty my gratitude for the jkindneaa with wnith I was treated , and for the attention with whfcfc all mv reDre
aentations were listened to tor her Majesty . ^ ellr thenvUtft not a strange and incredible assertion that ^ while Vher Majesty , having the Prince Consort by hex idderduring tbe greater part of that time , had pursued a coarse ofc ^ duct entirely constitutional in respect to . her GoTernmenC ; fcbd Prince Consort could have been acting on t % pp ^ has ^ : ia anunconstitutionalmanner ? . There is , sio ^ ethlh ^ eniire ^ absurd and contradictory oa the face of such arstatein ^ E But I do feelV it necessary , owing -to this ^ honestd > lu £ [ ib&J which I said prevailed , to : enter more ; into what is " tliBv position , not much defined in any of ourla ^ -boaka , an&ttbfc fenced by the usual guards p £ law and precedent . s /^ hsn ' ' tak Majesty came to the throne , being thca QnJr ; e ^ te ^ pjai » of age , and of course inexperienced in
frair&XordMelbourne considered what it became him to do wheit otr Majesty was pleased to . say thai he should continue iu tfia post of First Lord of the treasury . It seeme 4-to » Lbidl Melbourne that it was hi » da ^ to advise ;^ ]^ esty on a ^ subjects with , respect to matters of domec ^ inten » t ^ Witi& respect to the arrangements o £ the pa ^ ok as weU as ' wiitbi respect to the higher and ordinary duties « a Pume Minyhter . But , doubtful whether he had comet « a rig ^ opinioo ,. he resorted to the highest advice . he could , bbiiui ; he went : to the Duke of Wellington and stated his viemu . The Duto of Wellington entirely concurred with l ^ id , Melbourne , and said that , if he held the office of jPrime Minister , lift should take exactly the course which Loro ^ ^ ibjourxM had -pointed out . About three- yeara ^ Eter , her ^
Mjipresent Prince Consort . The , position in ^ whict PnnCe Albert would stand , was likewise mailerofconsideraiiaxr . He was , as the House knows * naturalised bj Parliament , aad in such a manner that he could become * member ^ the Privy Council . Some doubts have , been started on this , sul * ject , bnt everybody who looked into the subject ia awtfp that Prince Albert ; was not only able but , folly authorised . t sit in the Privy Council . Lord Melbourne a&k ^ . mej—I ana quite uncertain as to the date—as to < the course , that should be pursued with r « spect to despatches and alL the most secret communications of the Ministry . X said ! 1 had no doubt whatever that her Majesty should ^ roniunieate ., them as she thought fit to the Prance Consorly , and that J did no * think that ia his relation to her Majesty 4 b would be fit to
have any concealment on this- subject . I am not sure ^ from , recollection ,, whether Lord Melbourne or myself mentioned the subject at that time to "the Cabinet ; bat £ am . perfectly sure , as far aa Lord Melbourne and , myself are concerned , that we thought it our duty to advise the . Queen : that such should be , her conduct with respect to the despatches and communications . I think any other advice , would haye beeia . foolish and unbecoming . It could ' not bat happen that tha Prince * after . hi& marriage , would discuss public events vith her Majesty ; and , to fancy that he should only gather his information from newspapers and public statements , waiHa her Majesty had all the despatches and official information , would be to- suppose not only an absurdity , but a thing that would have been impracticable . ( Cheei's . ) Such . then .
being the position of the Prince , it is auite evident that there is no truth in the colour wbioh has been attempted to bo placed on his Royal Hi g hness ' * relation to her Majesty in this Tespect ; that Lord Melbourne constitutionally debarred the Prince from a knowledge of state affairs , and that Sir Bobert Peel was the first person to introduce him to a knowledge of those affairs . I bolievo it is true that in Sir B . PeeTs tune it first happened that his Eoyal Highness was present during the interviews which the Ministers had with tha Queen , but the House will at once see , that if his Bovfcl Highness , according to the advice of Lord , Melbourne , was informed or all that was going on , and knew , as well as her Majesty , all that was taking place , his mese introduction jnto the closet when the Ministers had their communication , wifcii her Maiest-v was merely a convenience , and added nothing
Ministers must keep their pledges and bring in - * reform hill ; and haying made out that , he continued : — u It may be most unwise to introduce euch a measure under any circumstances , and it may be little short of madness to introduce such a measure under the present circumstances of the country—( cheers frorn the Opposition benches' ) —but the present Ministry must bring in a large measure of Parliamentary reform . Now , when that measure is
introduced , I and my friends , after digesting it as a bluebook , will take the liberty to offer our humble observations upon it . I may be permitted to say , at the outset , that that is _ an adroit arrangement which favours the belief that there is any necessary connexion between a measure for purifying the representation'of Parliament and a measure for reconstructing our electoral . 'ystem . -J hold that these two subjects have no necessary connexion whatever /' ( Cfteers . ) . ^
He would vote for a stringent law to suppress bribery . The landed interest are not interested in bribery . But the settlement of 1832 is hallowed by prescription . " But if ' the bill , the whole bill , and nothing but the bill , ' is at hist to be brought before us and laid upon this table of execution by its pure projectors , who b y its means sailed into popularity upon the tide of faction , I mast realty take the materials of which this House ia composed , and endeavour to effect an adjustment more complete than now exists between the various classes of this country and the manner in which , they are represented in this House . ( Cheer * J I have had occasion before to point out , when large measures have been
proposed by the hon . Member for Montroae the extreme injustice with which the landed proprietors are treated with ] regard to the representation of the boroughs . I have placed the state of population and property before the House , and have shown that the greatest anomalies brought forward by hon . gentlemen opposite haye been not only equalled , but infinitely surpassed , upon their own principles and dogmas , by the arrangement by which the inhabitants-of counties are represented in the Commons House of Parliament . We have had very important returns ordered by the present Government , which only confirm and illustrate by fresh : evidence those principles which 1 have placed befor * + n « b Tlrtnaa Tt M nAf . ffonidi ) at 4- \ % * ± tn ^ AAnf * MAr * iAn 4 > ' 4-ltA +
v- * w aavvw * *» m * *« wv UIMUVU ) « W VUD fiWWUH U « UlU « UH | r WUC » V . considerably more than half the population of this country u represented in this House by a body of between 160 " and 170 county members , while you hare 7 , 600 , 000 persons represented by nearly 400 members , who are called borough members * We have thought that a great injustice in our present arrangements , and , while you declare the importance of the huge towns , there are very large portions of the population , larger than those contained in thft large towns , who are represented in a very imperfect manner , because they have not that number of members which , according to your
own principles , they are entitled to possess . When you come forward with that bold measure—when jou add to that horde of forfeited seats which the noble lord has been sedulously accumulating , then we shall come forward , not with clamour , not with those organised arrangements " which are brought into play if anything b demanded by the large towns : but we shall come forward to the House of Commons and ask you to apply your own facts and principles- and to do us justice , remembering at the same time , when we ask you . to do us justice , that if you accord that which we supplicate you will add to the strength and the reverence of the constitution of ETnglandv" - { Loud oht * r $ . \
! Lord John Busseli , now struck in . Replying to Mr . Disraeli ' s philological observations on the Vienna note , he said the policy of the Ministry was intended to preserve peace with honour . Tha terms now proposed to the Emperor of Russia had the full assent of Turkey ; but it would be mislead' * ing the House to say that lie expected the Emperor would accept them . And while they were anxious for peace thej did not intend to permit the Emperor of Russia , while pretending to negotiate , to complete his warlike preparations and find them unprepared . With respect to the position of Austria and Prussia he gave some information : —
" 1 may say that , considering the position of Russia as regards lurkey , the position of England « nd Prance was taken to oppose any designs upon tha Turkish frontier . We have thought it would be an immense advantage if Austria and Prussia wer » : to combine with us to prevent a war ensuing upon the aggressions that lave been made by Russia . There has been published in the newspapers a protocol signed by the Ministers ; that declaration does sot fully meet the views of the Government of Great Britainbut still it is a great advantage so far as we can go together . I think it not unlikely that the Government of Austria should perceive that war is imminent , and that the negotiations in which she has -willingly taken part will not be successful in inducing the Emperor of Russia from desisting from his purpose , and that nothing- but a bolder measure and a stronger blow will enable her to aid in effecting this . I say that u the Great Powers—if Austria , seeing her
interests that are greater than , those of England and France—( hear , hear ) —and seeing also that the interests of Europe are involved in the settlement of the question , will , together with the King of Prussia , act cordially with ub , there can be no doubt what the ultimate , the immediate results will be—I say that , considering all things , oar time has not been lost . Wo have adopted measures of pacification for awhile , and everything which we could do , consistentl y with honour , we have done , in endeavouring to persuade the Governmont of Austria to take a lucre successful measure . " Lord < Kohn laughed at the idea of abandoning the Reform'Bill , because Pitt abandoned his . The reforms abandoned by Pitt , said he , were not carried until forty years after ; " now I certainly cannot afford td wait so long . " But the most interesting portion of / hia speech related to Prince Albert : — " I hope I have not been wrong in supposing that no
The Speaker having read the address and -put the question , the Opposition did nat keep the House long in suspense as to their sentiments . Mr . HfiMux Bailije , while expressing his willingness to -wait for the papers on the question , fully showed what view he took by calling Ministers to account for having followed an antiquated policy and supported the " integrity" and ' deformity" of the tottering Turkish empire . He thought we should have told
Turkey from the first that we would not go to war for her independence . That would haye settled the question . Mr . Blackett rated the Government for not showing confidence ia the people of England , and publishing information . There was precedent for it in the case of Sir Robert Peel , who produced papers relating to Servia at the ^ request of Lord Palmerston . Had Government been explicit , Prince Albert might have been spared even the shadov of
suspicion . Amid this serious speaking up got Colonel Sibthorp , told Ministers he did not believe a word of their speeches , and declared that he hoped we should have a war , and that the Russians would get a good drubbing . Sir Robert Pbec followed in a speech which at the opening won a load cheer by its grave denunciation of the hypocrisy of Russia . Sir Robert went on to justify the coarse pursued by Government ; to
attack the aggressive policy of Russia ; to applaud the French and cast doubt on . the German alliances . If Ministers , said he , replying to Mr . Baillie , have followed an antiquated policy , it is the policy which will command the support of the country . Turning from the East , he congratulated the House on the brighter prospect at home ; a prospect of increased trade , and sound prosperity . With regard to Parliamentary reform , he was for disfranchising the corrupt and giving members to places like , Birkenhead and Staley bridge . '
Mr . Hume made a brief speech in favour of carrying out internal improvements ; and of giving the working man the franchise . Mr . XaD&Exi , first , but faintly , attacked the working of the shipping laws ; then Russian policy against Turkey , denouncing the Opposition view put forward by Mr . Baillie ; and boldly asserting that if Turkey was to fall , the time for her dissolution had not arrived . He spoke the sense of the country when he said the people would support any measure to preserve its honour . With regard to Parliamentary reform , Mr . Liddell strongly urged th » Government to postpone it , as we were on the eve" of a war . Mr . Pitt adopted that coarse . Let them , follow Mr . Pitt's patriotic example .
Here the debate suddenly became Irish . Mr . Sergeant Shee seemed offended at the omission of Ireland from the Queen ' s speech , and he drew an explanation from Sir John Young that the landlord and tenant bills of last session vrill he introduced this in the House of Xords . After some observations from Mr . Digby Setmoub , Mr . Faoan , Mr . Haj > fieu > , and Mr . J . Phxl-UMOBJi , Mr . Disr-ajeli rose * and made an adrpit speech , chiefly on the main topics of the evening ,
the East , and Parliamentary reform . On the former he was by no means clear . He taunted the Government with having said last August that the Russo-Turkish question was as good as settled . He declared that they had not held language sufficiently explicit and firm ; and he boasted of his share in securing the French alliance . He gave Ministers credit for striving to maintain peace ; but he expected to find that they have been faithful guardians of the national honour .
But the real temper of mind in which he treated of the question may be judged from the following sentences : — " If , ' * he said , " there be one thing which notwithstanding the gloomy prospects of the country on this great matter , stul inclines me to hope that there ia some chance of an honourable peace , it is the ample means that her Majesty ' s Ministers have devised to occupy tha time of Parliamunt during the coming session . I can hardly conceive that a body of men . who believed that they were about to embark upon a great European struggle—as the common phraBO is , but which is also an Asiatic struggle , and may stretch even to a third quarter of the globe , for Russia is not merely an
European and Asiatic power , but is also an American power —I say I do not believe that a body of statesmen who believed they were about to meet the aTwful conjunctions and indefinite combinations which they nauat be prepared to encounter under such circumstances , would have asked us not only to reform the whole civil service—not only to reform the ecclesiastical court *—not only to reform the Poor Law—but even to reform the House of Commons . { Laughter and oheert . ) Sir , I came down here to-day with some fuar , as many of us had , that some awful disclosure , or some terrible announcement miglit be made . I thought we were coinn to
make war upon the Emperor of Rushiu , and I find that we are going to make war upon ourselves . ( Cheers and laughter . ) 1 agree with the hon . Member for Liverpool in many of the remarks he has mado upon Iho fact that the Government are about to bring forward a measure of reform . But if you are are about to go to war , when all tlio energy of tlio nation ehould bo collected and concentrated in tho struggi 0 that affects your external honour , then , 1 » ay , it would bo entirely unwise and unstateamaiilike to diatru-ct and diusiputo those enorgios , and to divert public feeling to other objtxLa of a different character . " ( Cheeru . ) Mr . Disraeli insisted with gpreat pertinacity that
to the principle adopted . ^ Cheers . ' ) Naturally , if the Prince had not been present ( he is usually present , but not alwajs so ) when the Ministers were with the Queen , tier Majesty wonld have communicated to him what had occurred . That would have been * circuitous report of what tho MiniqterA had said , and , I think , a Less convenient mode of communication than if liis Royal Hi g hness were present at the . tiino j for I need hardly Bay that his Royal Highaesa having the , in * tollect , the information , and the knowled ge that belongs to him , it would have been quite impossible that heij 5 £ aj 6 aty should not liu . ve spoken to aim on every matter of great urn portanoo . I am now speaking generally of these relation ? , without any reference to the constitutional relations which exist ! between tho Sovereign and her Ministers , because I stated at tho commencement that there never had . been aaiy complaint that those relations wore not properly conducted !
Untitled Article
February 4 , 1854 . J | THE LEADER : 99
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 4, 1854, page 99, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2024/page/3/
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