Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 24th December 1859, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1384, Untitled Article

Page 1384
Page 4
4 of 24

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • , -. <H ){tfftft TflLttlBiS © V< "*1 <v>)+*{ w *' ? 1384 THE LEADER. fNo. 509. Dec.24, 1859.
  • 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.

      Untitled Article

      POLITICAL FOKESHADOWINGS . On Wednesday lord Pai-mebston presided at the Romsey Labourers' Encouragement Association , at the distribution of prizes , when he addressed the ferm servants and labourers in a kind and clever speech , encouraging them to persevere in the honest execution of their moral and social duties , and particularly to attend to the bringing up of their children in habits of industry and morality . At the dinner which followed , the Premier , in proposing the toast of " The Army and Navy , " observed : " 1 am proud to say- that I believe there never was a moment—a moment of peace at least—in which both of those services were in a condition of greater

      efficiency than they are at the present time . I am sure that the country is deeply convinced that the best method of preserving peace is to show that you are capable of defending yourselves in the event of being attacked . The spirit which the country has recently shown bj- the immense extent of volunteer organisation has produced a great effect < not only in this country , but all over the world . It has tended to inspire that respect which all nations feel for a country which , without any aggressive intentions , shows that it is determined to hold its own * and to

      defend itself against all comers . Again I say , that the army and navy aTe in a state of complete efficiency , according to the numbers to which in a time of peace they can be carried , and that there are means in the country by which those armaments might be rapidly increased to whatever the exigencies of the moment might require . " His lordship made Beveral other speeches , in one of which he said : "Agriculture has undergone a great change in the last few years . It used to be a practice—it is now raised to the condition of a science . A farmer

      ought to know now something , and perhaps not a little , of chemistry . He ought to know what are the ingredients of the soil which different crops take out for their nourishment . He ought also : to a certain extent-to know the fundamental principles of political economy , and to be aware that he does not prosper by grinding down those who labour on his farm— . that it is no real saving to give inadequate wages to those who work for him : that he gains nothing by avoiding to employ labour in the winter months ; and that , in fact , there is no more advantageous and profitable investment in the cultivation of the land than labour . " In giving the toast of " The Press . " Lord Palmerston said : "If any man

      compares now a newspaper published in the last century with one of those wonderful sheets we read everyday , the contrast is the most striking that the mind of man can imagine . The quantity of information , the talent of dissertation , the amount of news of every kind which we now find in almost every newspaper we meet with , is really one of the most striking proofs of the progress which the human intellect has made in the days in which we live . It may really be put in competition with the steani engine and the electric telegraph ; but there is one part of the functions of the press , which beyond all others , has improved of late years . I have heard that towards the end of the last century

      there was a man named Woodfall who used to publish debates ; and how did he do it ? It is saidjthat he used to go the gallery of the House of Commons , listen attentively with his face in his hands to what passed , go home , drink two pots of porter , go to bed , got up next morning , and from his dreams and his recollections make out what he called a report of a debate . Now-a-days , bo marvellous is the ability and so wonderful the rapidity with which reporters take down what men say , that if speakers are not very careful the reporters take down what they hnd much bolter not have said . I remember a very worthy M . P ., an Irish M . P ., Mr . Richard Keene , who once complained that the reporters in the gallery had not done full justice to a speech he had made the night before . The reply he received had , perhaps , moro of sharpness than civility in it ,

      for it Avas—• Mr . Keene , wo made . the best speed ) we could for you , but , if you are not satisfied with our endeavours , the next time wo will report what you do say , and , whatever you may think of it , wo euspect your friends ¦ will hardly relish the infliction / It is quite' marvellous to see tho accuracy with which debates in the House of Commons tiro reported . When tho speeches are such as are calculated to attract attention they are reported word for word as they are uttered , and how it is poaaiblo for tho human hand to follow with such rapidity and such exactness I am at a loss to conceived , The subject of national defence has been tho prodominant one with the various orators of tho wcok . At Proltwlch , Sir John Paiunqton expressed his opinion that although wo were still on friendly terras , with Franca , and although ho , for one , did not fijel dlstruet In tho personal intentions of tho

      Emperor towards this country , nevertheless he thought that the state of public affairs on the Continent was such as to make it desirable to foster the volunteer movement . There could be no doubt that we had fallen into a state of false security during the long peace that we had enjoyed . There was no country in the world , no great empire in the world , in which it was so essential that the means of national defence and the means of carrying on war should be greater than in ours , on account of the extent of our empire , it being spread , over the four quarters of the world , and on account of the geographical small ness of the centre of the empire , England . He called their taken

      attention to the startling events which had place this year in France , and the immense naval and warlike preparations that were making in that country , and , although our alliance with France might be close , and we had fought side by side with the French both in the Crimea and China , and although he earnestly hoped that that good feeling might long continue , still there had been occasions within the last two or three years on which our friendly relations with France had been in danger , and in the present extremely complicated state of European affairs it was impossible to say how soon again our alliance might be endangered , and therefore they were bound to be prepared for all

      contingencies . . Mr . Ayrton , M : P . at a meeting at Dalston said we ought to be prepared for the possibility of pur fleets being evaded or repulsed ; and in addition to the regulars and militia , we required a third reserve , which should embrace the great body of the people organised upon a social basis . If the movement depended upon the subscriptions they might depend upon it that those subscriptions would not continue every year . Nor was it a reserve the enrolment in which should be induced by splendid uniforms , tickets to the . Crystal Palace , or the prospects of corporation festivities . To be effective the founded wholl irit of

      movement must be y on a sp patriotism and a sense ot the necessity for national union for the purpose of national protection . He much regretted to find the great body of the working classes separated in so marked a manner from this movement . Did anybody sup ; - pose that the country could be defended without the working classes ? He ridiculed the idea of such little combinations as the Scotch , the Irish , the lawyers , or any other class enrolling themselves separately . It appeared to hirn that by thus breaking up society into , as it were , its very elements , they were taking the most effectual steps to weaken the defensive power of the kingdom .

      At another rifle corps gathering , Sir Hamilton Seymour could say that for months and months past his declaration to his most intimate friends and to members of his family had been this , " I see an enormous danger impending ; I see one , and one only , safeguard against that danger , and tliat safeguard is that we all of us , young andold , should enrol ourselves as volunteers , should exercise ourselves in arms , and should be ready , if occasion offer , to

      come forward in defence of our country . " He was not aware that we were going to fortify London or to erect a Malakhoff tower in Belgrave-square , but we were going to take a measure , and a very mild one , for the protection of our whole isle . None but the most unreasonable man in the world could find fault with that . To whom could it give offence ? He throw such an idea to the winds . In Heaven ' s name Jet us abstain from giving offence to everyone £ but let us take every measure to protect our

      shores . Lord John Manneus , at Melton -Mowbray , pointed out that the volunteer movement was no novelty in English history . The safety of this country liad in former times been intrusted—and safely intrustedto the hundreds and thousands of gallant and hardy fellows who . came forward to defend it ugninst any possible , aggressions , and more especially at tho time when invasion was actually threatened by the French . Throughout our history , as ho had remarked , wo had depended mainly upon our volunteer forces . By tho Statute of Winchester , passed in tho time of Edward I ., it was enacted that every man should

      have harness in bis houso , and be armed ready for keeping tho peace . And tho experience of modern daya agreed with this resolution of our ancestors , for we all know thnt tho best way to keep tho peace was to be always ready to go to war . They should not bo contented with a moro temporary enthusiasm , but should aim steadily to perfect tho movement they had begun j and , secondly , that they should always bo ready to submit to tho executive Government . If these points wore kopt in view , ho did not doubt that wo might safely intrust our national security , as our forefathers did , to our hardy citizens and yeomen .

      Sir George Grky , at a dinner given to him by tho admirers of his government of tho Capo colony , spoke about the general relations between Groat Britain and her colonial possessions . He had found not a few persons who hold that tho colonies , instead

      of being a profit to Great Britain , were an actual in cumbrance and disadvantage to her . He could not comprehend the grounds of such an opinion . It was quite true that the manufacturing people ot Great Britain did in the first instance pay the taxes which supported our army any navy ; but that taxa tion was put on the price of the commodities which the colonies consumed . He believed that every individual colonist , and the barbarian nations of the in- " teripr , annually contributed a large sum to the sutu ot the armies navies ot

      port ana Great Britain . The colonists , would . ask no protection from this country except that of the navy , which was required for our commerce . If we had no colonies , we should not require one ship the less to protect our trade . But having -the colonies , our fleets , when engaged in distant operations anywhere on the globe , had harbours , and supplies , and a hearty welcome ready for them , while the fleets of a hostile power could enter none of those ports without having to fight for it .

      The newly-appointed Solicitor-General , hi his address to his constituents , observes : — " The reform of the law , in various departments , is urgent , and will have to be dealt with in the approaching session ; and , should your favour place me once more in Parliament , it will be my duty , as a law officer , to take a responsible part in devising and advocating such amendments . In so doing , I shall act in conformity with those views and wishes on the subject felt nd

      which I have long aexpressed , and which you have approved . On the important subjects of Parliamentary lteform , the Ballot , and Church-rates , my views remain unchanged , and I shall omit no opportunity of maintaining , and , as far as may lie in any power , enforcing them . I am strongly in favour of the present general movement towards a state of preparation , not to assail any other State , but to place our own free country in a condition of efficient defence . "

      The Herald says : — " We are authorised to state that a complete and comprehensive Reform Bill will appear , by request , in the- Constitutional Press Magazine for January ; and that , in the event of the Ministerial Reform Bill being postponed , or unaeceptable to the constitutional party , the Bill that is to be published in the Constitutional Press will be immediately brought before the House . " ' The JDrhjhtun Guardian states , upon " reliable authority , " that John Blencowe , Esq ., of Chailey , will offer himself in the Liberal interest , to fill up the vacancy occasioned by the death of the Hon . Henry Fitzroy , one of the nienibers for the borough of Lewes .

      Untitled Article

      JKELAND . The Cork Examiner publishes the following passages taken from a letter received by the member for Dungarvan from a gentleman of high position in Rome . It is dated the 10 th of December : — "I am happy to say that the Holy Father is perfectly well , and is very grateful for the sympathy manifested for him by the Catholics all over the world . The pastorals of the Irish Bishops , and the great meetings held in Dublin , and the sentiments elicited there , have been to him a source of much consolation . Although it

      is for him a moment of great trial and anxiety , yet he bears his troubles with the greatest resignation , patience , and equanimUy , and every cue remarks how cheerful he is in the midst of his sufferings . Rome was never more quiet than it is at this moment , and if you were here you would not see any difference from what it was last year . Of course we are looking forward anxiously to the Congress . England , no doubt , will be the great antagonist ot tho Holy Father ; but I entertain . a confident Dope that the majority of tho rcpresuntntives will bo in his favour . " has

      Another meeting of tho Pope ' s sympathisers been held at Kildare . Colonel JJunne , tho Chairman , declared that no Government on the face 01 the earth is more justly administered thim tlintoi Rome . It was a Government wliicli . coulil inv > w the strictest scrutiny and examination . Anoi " " speaker took the liberty of aaylnff that ™ W" ° ' while preparing to resist invasion , had bettor koto on good terms with tho Homan Catholic aiilJoctBCtt tho Crown . Tho caglo was looking out troni n » nest at Chorbourg , and ono of the best precautions would be to bo kind to tho Tope .

      Untitled Article

      NAVAL AND MILITARY . Thk Duko of Cambridge on Tuesday I > r 08 U , T 1 n a tVlt Christmas examination of tho Gentlemen CijdoW m tho Koyal Military Acadomy , and aitorw wflj rt viewed tho whole of tho troops in rj including the Armstrong gun batteries un «» ordora for China . The cadets ft >™ ' M % tJ 5 order on tho lawn fronting tho li oyaX W Academy , under tho command of Colonel Wiww and after a minute inspection by his Uoyal Ilighnoj Gdntleman Oftdot Laooy , tho senior "n / - ° JJJ } WftB called upon to put tho wliolo of tho oo » np »» V

      , -. &Lt;H ){Tfftft Tfllttlbis © V&Lt; "*1 &Lt;V&Gt;)+*{ W *' ? 1384 The Leader. Fno. 509. Dec.24, 1859.

      ^ tm ^ JtpiB —?¦—1384 THE LEADE B . f ^ o . 509 . Dec . 24 , 1859 .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 24, 1859, page 1384, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2326/page/4/