The Sun. — London, England, 1855-03-20 00:00:00

ii.wiE=ml■l= THE SUN ) LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 20, 1855. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. There was an unusual attendance in their lordships' house this evening ; the galleries on either side of the house were filled with ladies. The neighbourhood of the throne was densely crowded, as also were the galleries devoted to the members of the House of Commons, among whomlwe observed Sir de Lacy Evans. The Earl St. Germans appeared in the house this evening for the first time since his return from Ireland. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the mayor and corporation of Kidderminster, in favour of summary jurisdiction being given to magistrates. The noble and learned lord said that, seeing his noble friend the late Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in his place, he begged to give notice that tomo rrow he should ask him a question. relative to the liberation of Mr. Carden, who h a d been convicted of the abduction of Miss Arbuthnott. THE RECALL OF DORD LUCAN. The Earl of LUCAN said,—l rise, my lords, in pursu ance of notice, to move for a copy of Lord Raglan's report _of the Battle of Balaklava. I consider it due to your lord- ships and tomyself not to forego this, the first, opportunity which has occurred to me to make a statement of what was my conduct on the day of that battle, and at the came time to show what has happened since in reference to it. Up to the present moment I have most scrupulously ab stained from saying ono word in this house upon this sub jest. Having applied for a court-martial, I considered that court the most competent to deal with charges exclu sively of a professional character. As long as I could hope to have such a tribunal it best became me to be silent in this house, but, my lords, tkis has been resolutely refused me, and I am told as a reason for this refusal that there is no precedent for stick a court-martial, and therefore I cannot have one. My lords, I believe that it is equally unprece dented that an officer of high rank should be summarily recalled from the army in the field, and that ho should have charism of the greatest severity reflecting on his pro feasional c haracter brought against him four months after the event, he having in the meantime commanded his divi• sion before the enemy. I believe it to be equally unpre cedented on his arrival home—these charges being brought for the first time against him—that he should not be al lowed an opportunity of meeting or refuting them. Having failed in my application for this court.martial, when come to make my statement in this house I am met by th e Minister of War, who warns your lordships against allow ing this house to be made the arena for the discussion of mili tary discipline. He also warns you against trenching on the prerogative. There is no noble peer in this house less inclined than myself to trench on the prerogative. I freely admit that her Majesty has the power to recall from the army and the service any officer she thinks fit, but I tell the Minister of War when he, as the adviser of the Crown, nal advise the exorcise of that prerogative, he must not allow himself to accompany that recall with charges discreditable and disgraceful. As in the else of a person in the noble lord's employment, be would undoubtedly have a right to dismiss him, but he could not snake charges of a disgrace ful nature against him without affording him an oppor tunity of proving their inaccuracy. I cannot believe that in this house, however your lordships may be disposed to pay attention to precedent, or however sacred you may be disposed to 'Aoki the prerogative, you will prefer either precedent or prerogative to justice. It will be necessary for me to trouble your lordships at seine length, and in my endeavour to exculpate myself it is my intention and my wish not to inculpate others. (Hear.) It is now my intention to make this matter as clear as I can, and I shall now have to take your lordships to the Battle of Balaklava. At about eleven o'clock on the 24th of October that excellent soldier Sir Colin Campbell—l cannot allow myself to mention in this house the name of that officer, with whom I was acting in concert for four months, with out stating that a more gallant or useful soldier never edged; in the army- (cheers)—forwarded to me a letter stating that a spy had arrived with news of the approach - of the Russian army. I immediately joined Sir Cohn Campbell. We ex smined the spy, and we thought the re-' port he brought so deserving of attention that Sir Cohn Campbell wrote a letter to Lord Raglan, which I thought of such importance that I ordered it to be conveyed by my aide-decamp, who happened that day to be my son. The spy reported that 20,003 infantry and 5,000 cavalry were marching on our position ut Balaklava from the south and south-east. My aide-de-camp told me that he delivered the letter to General Airey, who made no reply, and that he subsequently met Lord Raglan, who only said that, if any thing new should happen it must be reported to him. At this time we were accustomed to be mounted an hour before daylight, and immediately at dawn I proceeded to the fort No. 3 on the plan. (A plan of the position had been fur nielied to all their lordships, and the noble earl continually referred to it.) This was the extreme fort of our position. I then found that heavy columns of infantry were advanc ing from Tchernaya river and from the Kamara range. Sir C. Campbell prepared his troops and battery on the left of No. 3 fort, and I brought my cavalry in position and posted my battery on the left of No. 3 fort. The engage ment commenced very soon afterward s , an d N os . 1, 2,3, and 4 forts were attacked by the Russians. No. 1 was driven in after a very respectable resistance. I am anxious to state this, because the Turks on the occasion got lees credit than they (1,33 c rvecl. No. 2 fort was then driven in. Tnere were in these forts in all 9 English guns. After these forts wore evacuated by the Turks I, by previous concert, with Sir C. Campbell, brought my cavalry close to No. 5 fort. The cavalry were particularly well placed in a position to receive in flank any Russian force which might come from the east. To my great discomfiture, I received an order from Lord Raglan to take the whole of the cavalry and take ground on the second line of the redoubts occupied by the Turks. By this order all the cavalry were moved in a mass to the westward of No. 6 fort. They wore standing in a mass according to Lord Raglan's order, when through the orchard, I saw some Russian cavalry coming over the hill. I ought to mention, that just before, I had received an order that part of the cavalry just moved should go back to Balaklava ; and eight squadrons of heavy dragoons had just gone a-quarter of a mile on their way when I saw the Russian cavalry advancing. I rode at speed, and just succeeded in joining the cavalry as they rounded the or chard, and had just time to wheel up the Greys and Ennis killen Dragoons and to order - a charge under General Scar lett. As the Russian cavalry advanced with wings our cavalry only covered their centre, and, their two wings outflanking them, wheeled inward and enveloped our force. Having the sth Dragoons disposable, I took the opportunity of attacking the Russians in the rear. This shook their column, but did not break it, when I ordered the 4th Dragoon Guards to charge. They did so, and this enormous column of Russians, consisting of five times as many as their assailants, and amounting at least to 3,500 men was repulsed and touted. (Cheers.) I should do little justice to the heavy brigade if I did not take this opportunity of stating bow they had distin guished themselves. (Cheers.) I believe there never was ea action in which the English cavalry more distinguished themselves than in this action, and what were its results? They were most important. Lord Raglan has told you that the Russian infantry amounted to 25,000 men on that occasion ; and that great masses were moving up the centre valley between Nos. 1,2, 3,4, and were marching on Balaklava, but when that large mass of routed cavalryfeli back on the infantry, it induced them to retire. This cavalry charge was not only a wonderful feat of arms, but its results were of more importance from this fact that no infantry had come down to oppose the Russian infantry, excepting a portion of the 93d Regiment, under Sir C. Campbell. Ido not think there is a disposition in this country to do fell justice to that charge. The French, than whom there are perhaps no better soldiers in the world, and who understand the science of war to a greater extent than any other Europe an arm y, did full justice to it, for they looked upon it as one of the greatest feats of arms in military history. It has been asked why there were not more men present at the charge ?—why I did not take advantage of the light cavalry ? My answer is, that Lord Raglan had placed them in a position in which they ,were altogether out of my roach. After the charge we dismounted, and the prisoners were being taken away when I received- an order (No. 3) from Lord Raglan, which I think will create much discussion. At that moment the heavy dragoons were very much in the position which had been occupied by the Russian columns. Tho order put into my hands was— " The cavalry to advance and take advantage of any oppor tunity to recover the heights. They will be supported by infanty, which has been ordered. Advance on two fronts." The original order did not say " to advance," but it is pos sible that the word " to" may have been inserted by ' -mistake in the copy which I furnished to Lard Raglan, asxl I therefore wish to impute nothing to his lordship with respect to it. There was a full stop after the word " ordered," there was no " to," and there was a large A to " advance." •It would have made a great difference if " to" had been inserted and " advance" had commenced with a small " a," so as to make the whole one sentence. • Bat 013 sentence, " Advance in two'fronts," stood by it self. Immediately on receiving this order, I took up a position to the eastward with nine squadrons of cavalry, the heavy cavalry, being in the rear of the front marked No. 5 on the plan, which was merely a sort of breastwork. When we first mounted our horses the infantry were com ing down the hill from the Sebastopol heights, and there were no infantry in the valley. I was anxiously waiting their arrival, as I had been told that they wero to support Die in endeavouring to recover the heights. I had been • waiting here for 35 or 40 minutes, when Captain Nolan galloped up. with what I considered, and what I think your lordships will consider as a fresh order, quite inde - pendent of any previous order. The order was to this effect : " Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front, follow the enemy, and try to prevent the enemy c arrying away th e guns. Troop of horse artillery may e L"° l3l , Pany. - French cavalry is on your left." """ 1 — " rci.-B •aglan when he g a v e thi s or d er - was u p on very high see gt. bout couldhet quarter of a mile to my rear, w h ere h e an the itifaunt,:tussien cavalry to the north and east, and ship also fanci Y et im t l i se other side of No. fort. His lord ntniho saw—autl hew, s not the only man who labour e d antler same impression —although, in fact, I did not s e Nos. 4 foTt ri ft eemy taking our guns ont of sent this order to prevent tr .moving off, and therefore he duce half-a-dozen men, a ll o r,ting taken. I could pro -I:Xmotlan that I disap the same impression. I tam l'lil n say they were under s there was great proved very much the rneve ' ral t passed. wLn a llow um I danger attending it ; but if your lore will read my letter explaining what " In your lordship's report of the cavalry action of klava of the 25th ult., given in the papers w 1 , 1 , 1, gala genernai arrived from England, you observe that, fro m „, m u e " n va s .trt ceptiou of the instruction to advance, the lieutenant considered that he was bound b attack at all hazards, and he accordingly ordered Lord Cardigan to move forward with the light brigade.' Surely, my lord, this is a grave charge, and an imputation refl e cting seriously on my professional cha ract.z. I cannot remain silent. It is, I feel, incumbent on me 1 to state those:facts which I cannot doubt must clear me from what I respectfully submit is altogether unmerited. The ca- Talry was formed to support an intended movement of the infantry, when Captain Nolan, the aide-de-camp of the Quar • termaster-General, came up to me at speed, and placed in my bands this written instruction." (The noble earl then repeated the order and proceeded.) I certainly understood the order to be an imperative and positive order to be taken per se, even before anything had been said by the aide-de-camp, but when I spoke to the aide-de-camp he told me something that Lord llaglan did not say in tho order —namely, that his lordship intended that the cavalry should attack immediately. " After carefully reaching this order, I hesitated and urged • the tirelessness of such an attack and the dangersattending it. The aide-de-camp, in a most authoritative tone, stated that they were Lord Raglan's orders that the cavalry should attack immediately. I asked him, Where, and what to do 1' " ' I think it is right that I should now read to your lordships what an aid e -d e - ow i s . The general orders of the army, which no officer can violate with impunity, say,—" All or ders sent by aides-de-camp are tobe delivered in the plainest terms, and are to be obeyed with the same readiness as if de livered personallyby a general officer." I ask any military man—l ask the noble duke near m e (the Duke of Richmond) who has been aide-de-camp to no less a man than the Duke of Wellington—whether an aide-de-camp is not the organ of his general, and whether an officer who took upon himself not to receive an order brought by an aide-de-camp would not risk his commission ? If this were not so, why could not an orderly dragoon deliver an order as well as an aide-decamp? An aide-de-camp is chosen because he is an officer of more education and intelligence than a dragoon, and is therefore more likely to convey an order correctly; he is also supposed to be in the confidence of his general. I shall be told that Captain Nolan was not in the confidence of his general. Was he not? General Airey told me this.—" I first of all cemmunicatep the order verbally to Captain Nolan. Captain Nolan turned his horse and was galloping away, when I called him back and put it in writing." Under such circumstances, I would ask any reasonable man whether I am to be told that any mistake was committed on the part of Captain Nolan ? The words of Captain Nolan were that the ca valry should attack immediately ; and I may here quote from my letter to Lord Raglan what passed between my self and Captain Nolan " I asked him, Where, and what to do ?' as neither enemy nor guns were within sight. He replied, in a most- disre spectful but significant manner, pointing to the further end of the valley, There, my lord, is your enemy ; there are your guns.' So distinct, in my opinion, was your written instruc tion, and so positive and urgent were the orders - delivered by the aide-de-camp, that I felt it was imparativo on me to obey, and I informed Lord Cardigan." My lords, I here wish to bring another matter trader your consideration. Tho words of the order were these " French cavalry is on your left." Now, the French ca valry were not within my reach—in fact, they were f a o /i reason to suppose that they were much nearer l to Lord within three-quarters of a mile of my position, u( I Raglan than to me. They were entirely out of sight,my ' and out of my reach; and what was the meaning of the words " French cavalry is on your left," but to inform me that I was to receive support from that French cavalry, and that the French cavalry were to act with me in a combined movement? Had I failed in performing any part of the duty intrusted to me, I felt that I should have placed the French cavalry in a position in which it would have been difficult for them to defend themselves. (Hear, hear.) I felt perfectly satisfied as to what my duty was, and that I could not hesitate under the circumstances. I accordingly desired the light brigade to advance, and your lordships are well acquainted with the brilliant character of the charge which was then made by Lord Cardigan. (Cheers.) It is impossible to exaggerate the gallantry o f th e B r iti s h t roops on t h a t d ay , an d, from all that I hive witnessed, I believe that a more brilliant charge was never made. (Cheers.) I may now tell your lord ships what arrangements I made when I found, as I con sidered, that I had no choice left in the matter. I thought that a senseless atta ic was about to be made, and lendea veered to take measures to render it as safe as possible. I formed the cavalry in three lines, and I brought up, not, my lords, two regimouts of heavy dragoons, as it has been supposed, bat every heavy dragoon I had. It ieunlonetedly true that in zny letterof the eoth of November .1. only men• tinned having brought up two regiments of heavy cavalry, bat everybody knows that I had in support, in addition to those two regi vents, the 4th Dragoon Guards, thesth Dra goon Guards, and the Enniskillen Dragoons. I mys,lefol lowed the light brigade up to near No. 3 fort. It is a mistake to suppose that I ever imagined the charge could be successful by the mid of one brigade alone. I thought that the services of the whOle divine - a were called for, and the only reason why the whole of the division was not in the same difficulty as the light brigade is, that when I found the perfectly hopeless natur e o f th e charge, seed that any further advance of the hoary dragoons would merely lead to their destruction without rendering assist ance to the light cavalry, I prevented them from a I van cing, and placed them in a position where they would be enabled to render the mos; effective support to the light brigade. (Hear.) Tho consequence was that they wore not pursued; and can any man assort that they would not have been pursued if the enemy had not seen that the heavy ca• valry were watching their movements? (Hear, hear.) It is right to tell your lordships that at this time the first di. vision, commanded by his. Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and the fourth division, commanded by an officer *hose death your lordships must much lament—Sir George Cathcart -advanced, and it is also right that your lordships should recollect that both these officers were my seniors, and were, therefore, my cemmanding officers. Having gone so far, it is now proper that I should deal with the letter of Lord Raglan. Oa the night of the ac tion at Balaklava I saw Lord Raglan, and the first remark made to me by his lordship was --" Why, you've lost the light brigade.' I denied that I had lost the light brigade, and I said —" I folt myself obliged to carry out your lordship's orders." Lord Raglan made no further remark upon that occasion, except to say that I, being a lieutenant-general, ought to have exercised my own discre tion. Notwithstanding that Lord Raglan, as commander in -chief, was upon the spot at the time, and far better able to see what was going on than myself, his lordship said to me that if I disapproved the charge, as a lieutenant-gene ral I had a discretionary power and ought not to have made it. He maid, " Yon did not advance far enough in the movement before," but he never attempted to show that one order had the least connection with the other. The day but one after the action at Balaklava Gen. 'Airey oalled upon me in my tent. The moment he came in I said " General Airey; this is a most serious matter ; you may depend upon it, it will create a great deal of talk and dis satisfaction at home." General Airey's reply was, "Oh ! these sort of things will happen in war; its nothing to Chillianveallah." (Hear, and a laugh.) I said, "I know nothing about Chillianwallah ; but I tell you, Gen.Airoy, that, this is a most serious affair; and what is more, I tell you that I do not intend to bear the smallest particle of responsibility. I gave the order to charge under what I , considered a most imperative necessity, and I will not bear l the blame." General Airey then tried to convince me that the order was not imperative, and after some conversation with bins upon other matters, I said, " Now be careful, General Airey, that no responsibility is placed upon me, for I will not boar any." His reply was, " You may rest quite satisfied, Lord Mean. Yon will be pleased with Lord Raglan's report." Perhaps I had better here call your lord ships' attention to the fact that throughout the whole of this conversation General Airey, though he had signed the two orders which I received from Lord Raglan, never gave me any reason'to suppose that there was any connection between the two. Had the last order be e n in any way connected with the first, would he not naturallyhave called my attention to the fact ? But he did no such thing. He never pretended that the last order had the slightest or _ remotest connection with that which preceded it. Now, my lords, I did not expect that any injustice would be done to me at home. In my simplicity I even omitted to supply the English public, who do not appear to deal very justly with their absentfriends, with a copy of the order I received. I did nothing until Lord Raglan's re port arrived at the end of November; and I beg to cell your lordships' attention to what then happened. On the 28th of November I , read Lord Raglan's report in the riewsasper, and I felt exceedingly hurt and grieved to receive at the same time several letters from my friends asking what I had been doing, and saying that my conduct had been strongly censured at home. I considered what I should do, and I thought the most moderate course I could take would be to wait upon Lord Burghersh. I accordingly waited upon Lord Burghersh, and said, " I come to you more as a nephew of Lord Raglan than as his aide-de-camp. 'feel greatly grieved at the report Which: his lordship has made, but Ido not `wish tar say anything which can give Lord Raglan the slightest pain. Will you ask Lord Raglan to see me, eo that we can telkthe matter over in a friendly way ?" Lord Burghersh came over to nee the next day, and said, "If you particularly desire to see Lord Raglan he will see you, but he is very much occupied at this mo ment." I replied, "I can very well believe that Lord Raglan would rather not have any conversation with me, but it has occurred to me that it would not be objection. able to Lord Raglan if I were to write a letter to him explaining the facts, sad requesting him to send it to England." Lord Burghersh immediately brightened up, and said, "Lord Raglan can have no objection to that, if that is all yox require." I replied, " I require nothing more on earth than that the English public should know the facts of the case ;" and I added, " If in my letter there should be anything offensive or annoying to Lord Raglan, if he will be kind enough to point it out I shall have great pleasure in altering it." Now, my lords, I don't think that was either au unfriendly or a disrevectful communication to make to my commander-in-chief. I wrote the letter that very night, as the post was going out on the let or 2d of December • and I delivered it early next mornin,g in the hope that Lord Raglan would have sent it by that post. Ent I heard nothing more of the letter until the 4th of December. On that clay an aide-do camp of General Airey called upon mo and began to talk about the hutting of the horses. At last he said, " General Airey will be glad to speak to you upon that subject." Well, my lords, I went to General Airey, and he began in a rambling manner to talk about the hutting for the horses ; but after some time ho produced my letter, and said, " The real object of my wishing to see yon is with respect to this letter,", I said, "That letter ! I believed that letter to have been half on its way to England by this time." He replied, "No ; Lord Raglan thinks that this letter is very unnecessary. Ton have received the thanks of her Majesty and the thanks of the Minister of War; surely you ought to be sat'sied." I said " General Airey, I don't know why lamtobe so particularly grateful. I think both her Ma jesty and the Minister of War have said quite as much as Lord Raglan's report would have warranted ; but if you put the question to me whether I am charmed with this report of Lord Raglan, I' Rey I think my Lord Raglan was exceed ingly scanty when he came to my praise. I wanted nothing more than justice in that. report, bat when I recollect that with 700 men I have successfully repelled the attack of some thing like 3,000 or 4,000 men, and I repelled it undertho most disadvantageous circumstances, I do not see in that report anything with which lam very much enamoured. But I have only touched upon this subject in consequence of your having sent for me, for if you had not, I should never have mentioned it either to you or any seal living." I also said, "I am very much annoyed by the word ' miscon ception f there was no misconception of the order." Gen eral Airey answered, " Lord Raglan is very much annoyed by this letter, and says that no power on earth shall in duce him to hange his report." My reply was, " I h a v e not expressed any wish that he should change his report ; it would be moat unreasonable that I should ask him to do so, for I take it for granted that when he made that report he believed it to be true, and I have no right to ask him to change it. I only ask him to carry out what I uuderstood to be agreed upon—namely, that my statement of facts should be sent with it to England." General Airoy, not a very unskilful diplomatist, then thought ho would take a higher tone, and threaten; he was sure that Lord Raglan would be so annoyed about it that he would wish m 5 to be sent back to England. I said I was very sorry, but I could not help that. Lord Raglan had not objected to the letter ; it was written by agreement, and I did not ask bun to change his report. Upon that Gen. Airey changed round all a t once. " Oh , " sa id h e, "if you d on ' t as k Lord: Raglan to c h ange hi s repor t h e h a d no o bj ec ti on t o s .no. the statement," and upon that we parted. On the 9 th or th e mo ntl I got another letter from Qeneral Airey, sayin g Lord Raglan g i wished very much that I should ha ve conversation with hi m (G enera l Ai rey ). I me t some more co n thi m s letter accordinl at :Ili: when he he said, " Lord Raglan don't like e not see it. Point out to me where justice." 1 said, a I 4 eV* you have chatged him with a l longiave donet le time, s o. he " pointed Nell, tiatisheoawtionrgaab,,otultrananedrihteedsi,,t,atairndg extraordinary—Lord said " There." I said it should to make Raglan had had this letter ten days. any alteration, and it was strangeAthiraetyhilcilr ii i l i i a l nose jeer to that one word. General ob jeer said something about th e cavalr y , upon which I sail, ' s l ip I to understand that y ou, as quartermaster -general of, the army, say that his lordship is dissatisfied with the com mander of the cavalry ?" He said, "I do not mean that;" but, said I, "You s aid something to that effect." " Then, my lords, he said , Well, but to should be removed," and all, it wise agreed between yourself and Lortllall3l4llfitah that any word objected d t ill 3 that Aux littl e g we parted with the thorough un ore ant difficulty about the word " unmerited" was explained away, and that the letter was to go. My lords, I heard nn more of this letter, and fancied it had gone to England by the next post, but it did not appear to have gone till two posts after. now come to the letter of observation, but before ladvert to it I may be permitted to say—and I believe I can say it with truth—that therA never has been anything approach ing to a quarrel betweeen myself and Lord Raglan, but that all our communications since have been as friendly as they were previously, and fully as friendly as with any other divisional officer. My lords, on the 13th of February, I received my recall, and I now come to the letter of obser vation, and I will enter into an undertaking with your lordships that I will refute every sentence and every word in that letter of observation. I will read it to your lord ships, and I will tear it to rags : "My Lord Duke,—l regret to be under the necessity of forwarding to your Grace the copy of a letter which has been addressed to me by Lieutenant-General the Earl of Lucan. When I received it I placed it in the hands of Brigadier-General Airey, the quartermaster-general, and re quested him to suggest to his lordship to withdraw the com munication, considering it would not lead to his advantage in the slightest degree." Now, my lords I have given your lordships every word which passed between Brigadier-General Airey and my self, and I put it to your lordships whether he asked me to withdraw the communication ? No doubt he wished me to do so, and tried to induce me to do so, but that he did not put that question to me I boldly and solemnly assert. His lordship continues " But, Lord Ldean having declined to take the step I re commended, I have but one course to pursue, that of laying the letter before your Grace, and submitting to you such ob servations upon it as I am bound in justice to myself to put you in possession of. Lieutenant-General the Earl of Lucan complains that in my despatch to your Grace of the 28th of October I stated that from misconception of the instruction to advance the lieutenant-general considered he was bound to attack at all hazards. His lordship conceives this state ment to be a grave charge, and an imputation reflecting seri ously on his professional character, and he deems it incumbent upon him to state those facts which he cannot doubt-must clear him of what he respectfully submits is altogether un merited. I have referred to my despatch, and far from being willing to recall one word of it, I am prepared to declare that not only did the lieutenant-general misconceive the written _instructions that were sent to him, but tint there was no thing in that instruction which called upon him to attack at all hazards." My lords, I never said there was, and if your lordshipe will refer to my letter of the 30th of November you will not see one word of the sort ' • on the contrary, I always talked of movement. It is perfectly true that Captain Nolan told me - there was to be an attack, but I never said there was to be an attack. I never used the Word " attack," but this word " attack," which was used by Lord Raglan, ho endeavours to fasten upon me. Lord Raglan proceeds :—" There was nothing in that in struction which called upon him to attack at all hazards, or to undertake the operation which led to such a brilliant display of gallantry on the • , rt of the light brigade, and, unhappily, at the same tisae, occasioned such lamentable casualties in every regiment composing it. In his lordship's letter he is wholly silent with respect to, a previous order which hail been sent him." Unquestionably I was, and I was equally silent with respect to orders 1 and 2 ; I had received altogether three orders ; and why, in the name of Heaven; should I be expected to allude to an attempt to dovetail three separate orders? But I defy any person reading the two orders in question to fin 1 the least connec tion beta•een them. At all events, General Airey never once -attempted to do 50, although his signature was at tached to them all. This previous order was in the fol lowing words : —" The cavalry to advance and take advan tage of any opportunity to recover the heights." Very well. Yon have the map before you. The cavalry were to advance, and the order goon on to say, " They will be supported by infantry, which has been ordered to advance in two fronts." Now, the infantry never were so ordered. The Duke of Cambridge never received any order to ad vance, nor - did Sir George Cathcart; because my aisle-de• camp went to Sir George to ask him, and he said he could not, because he had had no instructions to do so. (Hear.) Under these circumstances, I did all I could do. I put myself in the position which Lord Raglan's aide-decamp told me to take up, and I was waiting there for the co operation of this infantry which was to support me—which infantry, for want of orders, wore stationary, and had their arms piled. Now, from 35 to 40 minutes had slaps sal between the arrival of the two orders, Lord Raglan being on the hill all this time; and if the former movement which I was ordered to make had been mismanaged his lordship was surely close enough to see it, and could have given directions accordingly. lam not to suppose that Lord Raglan was not looking on between the delivery of the first and the second of these orders, and, therefore, if he found that the first had not been properly carried out, he had nothing to do but to send an ai le-de-camp and call my attention to it, and say " You have not executed this movement exactly as I wished it to be executed." But nothing'of the sort ;he sends an order that the cavalry are to advance to the front, and " take advantage of any opportunity to recover the heights." Now .what did taking advantage of any eppor tnnity mean ? Was Ito create the opportunity myself, or was it to be created for me by the infantry ? As to re covering the heights, the fact was there was not a single Russien on the heights. In the morning redoubts 1,2, 3, and 4, upon the evacuation of the Turks, became occupied by the Russians; but after the heavy dragoon charge the enemy evaegated No. 4, and there was not a single Russian until you came to No. 3 fort. Now, I ask any military man hose present, what the cavalry were to do in order to " recover" the heights," when the whole of the enemy upon those heights were in redoubt /Co. 3, the strongest of the whole, or beyond it ? Did Lord Raglan intend the cavalry to attack that redoubt ? Was it not more reasonable that the infantry should attack, and that the cavalry should wait for the opportunity of cutting off the retreat of the Russians, when the infantry had succeeded in their attack? (Hear, hear.) I ask, will the order admit of any other construction? Had I given any other directions than those which I actually gave, should I not have been justly charge able with imprudence? There were no heights to recover, but there were three forts, Nos. 1,2, and 3, to recover, and I know when the infantry were ordered down to our position it was intended to recover them. It was the wish of Sir George Cathcart to attack them, but it was thought that, as the - y could not be held, they wore not worth the loss of life which would certainly attend any attempt to recover them. I have now shown, I think, that there is not a single sentence thus far which I have not shivered. But Lord Raglan goes on to say :—" So little had he sought to do as ho had been directed that he had no men in advance of his main body." Now the fact is that Lord Cardigan's brigade was so much in advance that I received a communication from his lordship through his aide de-camp, objecting to stand where he was, because he was so much in advance that he ex pected the batteries on the left to open upon "him. I think, therefore, that I have disposed of that statement, for it would have been very imprudent to place my men more in advance than they actually were.—" He made no attempt to regain the heights" (No • first of all, because there wero no h e i g hts to r e g a in, and, secondly, because was waiting for the co-operation of the infantry); "and was so little informed of the position of the enemy that he asked Captain Nolan where and what he was to attack, as neither enemy nor guns were in sight." Now, if your lordships will only read my letter, you will understand in what tone and in what manner I put that question to Captain Nolan. I was expressing to him the absurdity and uselessness of the order, and when he persisted in telling me to attack, I said, "Attack, Sir ! attack what? and where ? Where is your enemy ?" I knew very well where the Russians were, net having lost sight of them since 6 o'clock in the morning. " What guns are those'we are to recover ?" I asked. " There," said Captain Nolan, and he pointed exactly to where the Russian battery was. Your lordships should observe this. I have stated theim pression which prevailed that the Russians were taking away our guns from forts 1,2, and 3, and the spot pointed to by Captain Nolan was the only road by which they could be taken away. Now, those guns were never moved. The whole thing was a misapprehension, or, to use a more popular word, a misconception. The letter proceeds— " This is the lieutenant-gemiral's own admission. The re sult of his inattention to the first order was, that it never occurred to him that the second was connected with, and a sepolition of the' first. He viewed it as a positive order to attack at all hazards." (The word " attack,' be it observed, was not made use of in General Airey's note.) Now, my lords, I altogether dispute the inference here drawn as to the use of the word " attack." [Lord PAN MIME hero made an observation that was inaudible in the gallery.] My lords, I thought I had shown just now that the orders of an aide-de-camp are to be received as the orders of the general himself; and did I not say that Captain Nolan ordered me to attack the enemy immediately ? If this was so, then I was surely ordered to attack. But I will give your lordships another argument. I was told " to advance rapidly to the front"—to " folloW the enemy," and to " prevent them from carrying away the guns." Now, I confidently ask any military man what that means if it does not meanirarnediate attack? (Hear, hear.) Were we, in the face of such an order, to stand with our hands in our pockets ? (Laughter.) Were we not clearly called on to pursue till we reached the enemy ? Will the noblelord opposite say what I was to pursue ? Lord PANMURE, when he interrupted the noble earl, had simply pointed out to him that the word "attack" was used in his own letter. He had made no comment whatever. The Earl of LUCAN—What I object to is the phrase here used, " attack at all hazards." But, to proceed, I was told that in carrying, out this operation " a troop of horse artillery may accompany." Your lordships will observe that the word " may" was used. I considered so much of the order as discretionary, and, I may say, I never exer cised mere discretion in my life. Just fancy a troop of horse artillery proceeding through this field, which was a ploughed field, at a gallop, to face three of the Russian guns opposite. Why, there is not a noble lord here who will not think as I did, that if I had taken these guns into that valley the horses would have fallen, and the guns would have been lost without ever coming into action, or with any probability of doing so. (Hear, hear.) I, him ever, exercised the discretion which I thought was reposed in me, and saved Your guns. (Hear, hear.) Then the letter proceeded—" He was informed that the French ca valry wan on the left, and he did not invite their co operation." This is a most extraordinary charge. Why, in the first place, we had that co-operation without seeking it, and, in the next place, they were out of eight on the other side of the ridge of the Inkerman valley, and much nearer to Lord Raglan and General Caurobert than to me. I could not tell whether there were 300 or 3,000 French cavalry, and I could not guess whether they were governed by subalterns or by a general. Iforeover, I was told the attack was to be immediate, and I could not have reached the cavalry in less than a quarter .f an hour. (Hear.) But, my lords, we had the co-operation of the French cavalry, and of the greatest use that co-operation was. There were only three squadrons of French dragoons, and they took the battery in the flank and reverse, silenced the battery, and saved my brigade of heavy cavalry by so doing. (Hear, hoar ) It is next said—" He had the whole of the cavalry at his disposal ; he mentions having brought up only two regi ments in support." Now, in my letter of the 30th of No vember, I then mentioned two regiments, but Lord Rag lan must have seen that I had every heavy dragoon under my command in his proper place at that moment—that the whole five regiments of heavy dragoons wore in line at in tervals of 300 paces, which is the proper distance, and were the last men in the field. (Hoar, hoar.) It is after wards said—" He omits all other precautions from want of due consideration," &c. Now, I cannot help thinking that I took every precaution that could be expected of me, and I should like to know what precaution I omitted to employ ? It is immediately added that I showed " a want of due consideration." As to this charge, it must be evi dent, frein what I have said, th a t I did not jump into this business bnt after a great deal of consideration. (Hear.) Then it is stated that I acted on the supposition that the enemy were not in such numbers as they really should were. tzs like ks o Now, t , oi m y k y tnh l o o ew r s nw , ohr ‘ y v n 1 nie it was had wi l nas tha ue beenpfpacoes of f n t t th h ha e et fi l e idf enemy,r o notml latow **Bathing of their force? (Cheers.) My lords, I said I would answer every charge in that letter from Lord Raglan ; I said I would tear it to rags and tatters ; and I ask if there is a single word in it that I have not fully answered? (Hear, hear.) I shall now allude to a letter from the Commander-in-Chief. When I am obliged, in Ply own defence, to refer to any communi cation of my Commander-in-Chief, I shall remember to whom I am referring, and it shall be my endea vour to show him that respect to which he is entitled, and. which I have accorded to the commander-in-chief ever since I became connected with the service. But, mylords I must ask the Minister of War whether, when he gave an extract from the letter to which I allude he was aware that lie-was not giving the exact copy of the letter sent to me, but that, whether accidentally or purposely, there has been an additional paragraph added to it. I wish to know whether that was done purposely or accidentally ? Lord PANMURE—I was not aware of any difference. The Earl of LUCAN—The letter states :—" It is to be regretted that the lieutenant-general, acting upon a mis conception of a written order, did not show that order to Lord Cardigan." Of course, my lords, if the commander in-chief tells me it is the duty of a lieutenant-general to show his orders to his two major -generals, unquestionably that will be my.guide for the future, but certainly I never conceived it to be the duty of a general to do so. There was no more reason why I should show that letter to Lord Cardigan than to General Scarlett, because it was not in tended to be an attack of a brigade but of the whole divi lion, for which reason I placed myself in tho rear of one brigade and in advance of the other. I cannot understand how it, could possibly be my duty to discuss the order with my major-general, unless it were supposed I had a wish to throw on him a responsibility which ought solely to attach to myself. (Hear, hear.) •" And that, influenced by the authoritative tone and disrespectful manner of the aide do-camp, he did not decide upon his own judgment." With the greatest respect for the noble viscount, I ask why he supposes I . allowed myself to be influenced in any way, except by a sense of duty, to carry out the orders conveyed to me? Ido not know where the noble lord has been so informed, but I.a.slt the noble lord to tell me how I showed ikself to be influenced by tho tone of the , aide-de-camp ? I altogether deny that I was influenced by anything said or done by that aide-do-camp. I was influenced by a sense of duty, which imposed upon me the necessity of carrying out what I considered an imperative order, and therefore I say, to impute that I allowed my feelings or temper to be actuated in any way was not doing me fall justice. .( Hear.) "Supported by the concurrence of his major -general that the charge ought not to be made"—l deny that it was necessary to ask the concurrence of anybody, or that a divisional general should consult with a brigade general. I think-a divisional gene ral is unfit to be at the head'of his division if he does not consider himself fully qualified and fully able to carry out the instructions he receives from his commander-in-chief. (Hear.) I never did conceive it to be the duty of . a divi siOnal general to consult with a brigedo general, and I should very reluctantly adopt such a course. (Hear.) I have certainly heard many straege things said since my re turn in the way of private crit cistn. I have hoard it said, " You should have had moral courage enough to disobey your general." I say to. my lordi, I had not the moral courage to show myself insubeedinate, and to con eider my opinion as superior to and overruling that of the cOmmander-in-chief. (Hear.) Then I have been told it is asked,, why I did not head the light cavalry charge? Be ceuee, ha-t I taken the light cavalry charge I could not have commanded tho cavalry division. (Rear.) It seams to be intagiued that I was unexposed iu the affair. All I can say is, that I was under No. 3 fort, with four staff officers, and out of five of U 3 only one escape 1 untouched. My own al ie-de-camp was killed. I was wounded myself. At other officer had his forage cep shot off close to his head. Another had a ball in his horse; and I think that for four out of a party of five to be struck is sharp prac • tire. (Elena) One reason of my recall is stated to be that I plated myself towards my general in a position which • made it most advisable that I should be recalled, I Could' ialy have placed Myself in that position by MY letter:of: t 30th of NoVemlier. I have - no doubt thatapptisired to the noble duke to be a very uncourtedwi and 'insubor dinate letter, but I can assure the noble duke I never heard that letter so characterised by any other person. Perhaps theesoble duke did not always think it is so very viilent and immoderate. Perhaps, at one time, h e th oug ht it calm and t e mp era t e . If he did , I believe he only enter taieed what is, at the present moment, the universal opinion. (Hear, hear.) lam ostensibly recalled on account of that letter, hut, with regard to any quarrel, I never had a word of difference with Lord Raglan. Lord Raglan never found fault with a single act of mine, or said that I could do anything better. Long subsequently to the letter he very kindly received recommendations from me and appointed officers to my staff on my nomination. I have not only communicated with Lord Raglan since upon the subject of the command of the division, but on matters totally foreign to that command—respecting transport, ambulance, . and other corps—and I therefore think, when the - noble duke found it necessary to withdraw me from my con:- wand in consequence of bad feeling between me and Lord Raglan, the noble lord acted under a misconception. (Hear, hear.) I - can tell your lordships a fact which will appear rather extraordinary. This recall, which, as your lordships are aware, came very unexpectedly on me, came as unexpectedly on Lord Raglan. My Lord Raglan, I am told, said he could not in any way account for it.. that he never asked for it, that he (lid not understand what it meant, that ho know nothing about it. My autho rity is General listcourt, who told me, when I was putting my foot on board ship to come, to England, that Lord Raglan could not guess, that he had not the least n o ti on what occasioned the recall—that he was as entirely ignorant of the cause of the recall as I was myself. I w ill tell your lordships how I obtained this command. When I heard of troops being embarked on active service I wrote to the Commander-in-chief asking for employment. Not believing much cavalry would bo sent, I asked the com • mandera-chief to be good enough to appoint me to a brigade of infantry, stating that, having already served in the infantry, having served a campaign in Bulgaria, and being accustomed to foreign armies and foreign officers, I thought my services might be useful. The noble lord, in the kindest manner possible, anal believe of his own acc or d, for which I h ave a l ways f o ltl owe him a personal obligation, wrote to say the Government had determined on sending a division of cavalry, and to offer me that appointment. I very soon embarked, and I arrived in the East previously to the arrival of the division. Unlike many of my brother officers, I was blessed with continued good health. The consequence was, from the time that the division landed till the noble duke so summarily recalled me I was never absent one hour—one moment—from my duties. I believe I am net overstating it when I say there was n 6 divisional general in the army who exerted himself more than I did. I believe I can say that not only was I constantly at my post and doing my day, bat that I was not altogether an unsuccessful general. During the time I was at the head of the cavalry division the flanks or rear of our army were never annoyed by Cossacks or the enemy's cavalry, and I had the good fortune to command and carry out all the details of the heavy dragoon charge at Balaklava. (Hear.) Therefore I do not think I was altogether an unsuccessful general. (Hear.) I may be allowed to state that I acted in concert with Sir C. Campbell for four months, and what did he say ?t the time I came away? He said, "I shall always remember this, that when we had in the army croakers, grumblers, and dissatisfied men; you have always laughed at every difficulty"—(hear)—and that observation, coming from Sir C. Campbell, was very flattering to me. I knew that the Adjutant General of the army said, not to me, but to others, " If they reca ll that officer th e y w ill re call a man who, while other officers are skulking and flinch• is always at lila post." I can told that duty,tbeattle of Balaklava I need not h ave jliowbigetyhf g obeyed that a t t h rh'le at itro ercler--th a t I ought to have had moral courage not to have done so. But what is the opinion of all the military men—of all the best authorities in the field there ? That the order was imperative, and that I had no choice ; and there was not a commanding officer of the ten regiments of my division but said that the order _ was of a character that I dare not disobey. It is said you might have unquestionably taken agether course; but you could not have shown yourself in that army—you would have been held responsible for the gime which it was erroneously imagined were being carried away. The censure would have been thrown on yon,—you would have destroyed yourself. That is the opiniion of every senior officer—the opinion of every officer whose opinion was worth taking in that army. lam talking of living officers, bat I will now give you the opinion of an officer who, un fortunately for the army and the country, is now no more, —I mean Sir G. Catheart. I will give his opinion with regard to that cavalry charge, and with regard to my con duct. (Hear, hear.) This is a letter which !Sir G. Cath cart could not have anticipated I should have seen; it opi nion is conta'ned in a l e tt er wr itt en by Si r G. C a th car t t o Ladycame under my notice by th e meres t a c c ident. Tkis a Cathcart. This letter was on his person when he fell, and when taken from his body it was found that a bullet had passed through it. The letter was written on the 2d of November, three days before the battle of Inkerman and eight aft er th e Balaklava charge, and the following is the extract which refers to it : " I have another opportunity of writing to you. You will read about the allltir at Balaklava in which the Light Cavalry Brigade suffered so severely. It was a most gallant ; but un fortunate affair. Neither Lord Lucan uor Lord Cardigan was to blame, but, on the contrary, for they obeyed orders. . . ' . I was sent for with my division to sot matters to rights, and did so as soon as we could arrive, but we had six miles to march." Without wishing 2.)orer faire rear, I may say that I did use' duty, and I suddenly find myself recalled. I am not told that I am recalled by the prerogative, but I am given to understand that I am recalled in disgrace, for I defy your lordships to put your fingers on a sentence in the letter containing a word of comfort. You might hare endea voured to hare softened the recall, but there was not one word of consolation to be found. Before I left this country her Majesty did me the honour, in consequence of my ap pointment, to invite me to Buckingham Palace. On their return from the army there has been no officer of any rank who has not received from her Majesty that gracious invitation ; but she has not—and I conceive could not do otherwise—thought me a proper person to receive that honour. I am positively in such a position that .1 have not been able to avail myself of even the satisfaction of waiting on her Majesty at a levee. I have troubled your lordships at some length, but I believe I could not have compressed what I had to say. To the Government I say—you have wronged—grievously wronged—as zealous a soldier as her Majesty has in her army. (Hear, hear.) I say to you, if you have acted in error, give my statement your attention, and if you become convinced that you have committed a gross iejustice, I ask no more than this,—tha: you will reconsider your decision, and give me a court-martial and a fair trial. The Earl of CARDIGAN—I regret that I feel myself called upon to address your lordships upon this cccasion, because I came down with the firm determination and wish not to mix myself up in this question or to take a part in the proceedings. (Hear.) My lords, I only rise to correct a statement made with respect to myself. When the noble earl, in his address, said I sent my aide-de-camp to state that the force of the enemy were se numerous iu front of the Light Brigade that I felt it difficult to hold my ground —(cries of " no")—yes ; those were his very words. I sent no such message whatever. In the message I sent, I said, observing a movement was going to be made, that the hills on both sides of the valley, leading down the valley at right angles with it, on which was the Russian battery, with the cavalry behind it, were occupied by Russian riflemen and artillery. I sent this message; and when the lieute nant-general came in front and ordered me to attack the battery in the valley, behind which was placed tlio large force of Russian cavalry—which had been perfectly per ceptible to myself and the whole of the Light Brigade for at least 20 minutes—my reply was, "Certainly, sir, but before I go I must be allowed to point out that the hills in both valleys are covered with Russian artillery and rifle men." The answer I received was, " They are Lord Rag lan's positive orders." I immediately obeyed orders; and so true was the report I had made with regard to the Rus sian batteries and riflemen that we had not advanced 20 yards before Captain Nolan, who was galloping in front at about the distance of 100 yards from the Light Brigade, and in no way leading the charge, was killed by a shell from one of those flank batteries which I had pointed . out. I have nothing further to say. I only wished to re move any misconception as to my having said that the Light Brigade was not safe in the position in which they were placed. (Hear, hear- Lord PANNIURE—I am sure your lordships will agree with me in thinking that a more painful discussion than the present has never been brought before this house, and that a gallant officer, whose courage, be it remarked,, has cover been accused, was never placed in such a position as that in which we have witnessed the noble and gallant earl. The noble and gallant earl has gone into detail as to his services, and has given the history of certain great and gallant actions in which he was engaged with great mi nuteness, which may have been extremely interesting ;- but, at the same time your lordships will perceive this is a subject into which it is impossible for me to feilow him ; it is a subject upon which I cannot presume to have an opinion. I must sayl am somewhat surprised at the course whicb the noble earl has taken; not only in making state merits which is impossible for me to contradict or even in any way to modify, but also in Making statements im pugning the discretionary powers of his Commander-in- Chief and the orders and counter-orders given by him upon the eventful day in question. No one can regret , more deeply than I do the existence of what has been called the "misconception" of an order by any officer. The disastrous effects which attended that misconception were lamented throughout England; but I cannot say that I altogether regret the occurrence of a cavalry charge which will never be effaced from the history of British arms—(hear hear)—or that I look upon it as entirely ineffective, because it has carried into the heart of the enemy a terror of the British cavalry that I am quite convinced will be of good service to the army, for the very appearance of those squadrons in some future well-fought field may perhaps put tonight the squadrons of Ruske even , without the necessity of a collision. (Hear.) I had anti cipated that the noble and gallant earl—for gallant I admit him to be in every sonse'of the word—(hear, hear)-e-would have dwelt upon that part of his case upon which he has on former occasions laid se much stress—namely, his demand for inquiry at the hands of a court-martial. But the noble and gallant earl has simply referred to that point in the latter part of his speech; he has contented himself with a vindication of his military conduct, and with laying before your lordship"; what he terms the injuatiee of the report to which he has referred, but he has- altogether nreitted to touch upon any of the doubts which I am sure must have arisen in his mind as to the legality of his claim to a court martial and the expediency and propriety of granting such an inquiry. With reference to the recall of the noble and gallant earl, I have simply' to referto the statement in your lordships' hands. Ho states that it mightboen more ccur teously worded, so as not to have hurt his feelings as a soldier; but I think it sufficiently sets forth that it is in no way connected with any doubt auto the 'gallantry of his conduct in the field. Differences had arisen between the noble and gallant earl. and the Commander-in-Chief with regard to the term used by the Commander-in-Chief in the despatch wherein he attributes the unfortunate result of the charge to a misconception of his orders by the 'noble and gallant earl, and it was quite evident to her Majesty's Government that the confidence which ought to exist be tween the Commander-in-Chief and an offiler commanding e division in his army had to a certain extent been shaken. It therefore appeared to the Government anti to my noble friend the Commander of the arny, that it was for the benefit of the public service and for the advantage of the army that one or other of those offieers should be so called, and, with all deference to the officer commanding the cavalry, I think lie was the person to whom the recall ought to have been directed. The noble and gallant earl says that he is entitled to an inquiry into his conduct upon this erentfni occasion. Now, if this had been a question , confined to the noble and gelled, earl, there might have: been less difficulty, la cprnityg to a tlee4fotr, upon it ; but ; • iu this, as in all other imlitley ; mature ; it - precedent set •in the case of the noble and gallant earl .must be followed tiftoughout the army—what is law for him must also he -law for the meanest private; and the question arises whe ther there are grounds in the,eomplaint of the noble earl which would justify him in calling for inquiry, any more than a man in the ranks who has been' censured by his superior officer, who has claimed a right to have that cen sure reversed y a military court. There is no law which cur guide this case, except that law by which all armies are governed--either the Mutiny Act, or the Articles of War, or the custom of war. I have looked with care into like Mutiny Act and the Articles-of War—l have reviewed under the most competent advice all the customs of war in oases similar to the present, and I cannot find in the one or in the other any, ground whatever for granting the• in quiry before a military court edsich the itioble and gallant earl has demanded., There aro ceses stateti in the. Mutiny Act in which a itildier has en option of Using tried by a court-martial or .or,asaabraittieg, o cortitin punishments, such as forfeiture ot.pay or Imprisonment ; but they are specifically recorded is the ad'and in the Articles of War for the information of the soldier, and among none of them can the ,case of the noble and gallant earl be ranked. But it may bo said that the peculiar circumstances of this case ought to make it an exception to the general rule. I cannot ace any ground for their so doin g . And here let me draw a distinction with restpect to a word which has been frequentls , used by the noble and gallant earl. He says that cer tain charges have bean brought against him byLord Raglan. Now, no charge, in tho technical sense of the word, had been brought against him, and I will presently' show your lordships that, in the technical meaningof the phrase,no charge could be brought against him by Lord Raglan. His conduct has been described by Lord Raglan as a miscon ception of orders, which led to unfortunate results. His not such conduct as that been attributed to officers and general officers in former days over and over again? During the Peninsular campaign did the Duke of Wellington never say that, owing to the misconception of one order, the non-fulfilment of another order by officers, certain great operations had miscarried, and did the Duke of Welling ton ever dream of bringing those officers to a court martial, or have they ever been brought to a court-martial in consequence of such observations having been made ? If you aro to recognise the right of every officer to be tried by a court-martial who may make the claim on the ground of his foolings having been injured by remarks mado by his superior officer, there would soon be an end at once to all discipline in the army, to all the power of the Com manderain-Chief, and to all control over the troops. But suppose we were to recognise the right of the noble and gallant earl to an inquiry, by whom are the charges against himself to be frame ? Are they to be framed by Lord Raglan himself ? (Hear, from the Earl of Lucan.) The noble lord, who expresses his assent, knows little or nothing of military law. (The Eerl of Duran again cheered.) If the noble earl assents to that propositidn he knows little or nothing of military law, or he would be perfectly aware that the first maxim 'of military law is the - Cany officer or soldier who shall have been guilty of any crimes for which he may be brought to a court-martial, if he shall have bean employed upon any day before the court-martial takes; place, such employment absolves hi m the crime he has committed. (Hear.) The person who would have had to frame the charges against him has con , doned his offence, , and cannot therefore make those charges. While I admit that the noble andiallaut earl is competent to perform gallant and glorious actions in the field, ' I will not yield to him in the technicalities of military law, and I think he .will find that I am putting a proper interpretation upon them. (Hear.) If then, my lords, Lord Raglan cannot frame these things, is the Judge-Advocate-General to frame them ? If I am right, I believe that the person who would have had to frame thorn would have said, at the very outset, "These charges will never hold water. - Tho crime or act has been condoned by the general officer in command of the army." (Hear, hear.) It is impossible, in such a case, that the sentence of any court-martial could be confirmed, or that the carrying oat of any such sentence could be re commended. Upon these grounds, therefore, even if it were expedient, it would be impossible to grant a court martial in this case. But I rest the whole facts of the ease with regard to a court-martial upon the question of disci pline. I resisted it on the question of discipline from the very beginning, for I believe that to grant a military in quiry in this case would be to strike at the root of the whole discipline of the army. (Hear.) Now, my lords, let us look at what happened last year. A military com mission sat upon the promotion of officers in the army. What can be so great an offence in the eyes of an officer as to see himself passed over in a promotion ? That military commission, however, recommended that promotions for merit should be made by selection, and that officers of noted and general merit should be promoted out of their turns, and over the heads of other officers who were their seniors. This, toe, was to be done without any other rea son being given than the merit of the individual officers promoted. Now, if all the officers over whose heads other officers were promoted for merit were to complaiis of being passed over, and were to claim an inquiry into their merit, I apprehend that it would b 3 impossible to carry out the recommendations of the commissions. Without imputing to the noble earl anything whatever that could injure his reputation as a soldier, either in point of courage in per son,'or of conduct in the field, or upon any other matter except on those points of misunderstanding which have arisen between the noble earl and Lord Raglan, I think the Goyernanent can, without casting any re flection upon the noble earl, refuse the inquiry for which he asks. lam afraid I can hold out no expectation of our reconsidering the determination to which we have arrived, and I am afraid I can give him no ansWer to the ex parte statement • which ho has made of the events which have attended the campaign in which he has been engaged. I only hope and trust, after tie appeal which the noble and gallant earl has made—after the opportu nity which your lordships have kindly given him of stat ing, in his own vindication, all the acts of his public ca reer during the last four months—that here the matter will rest, and I do hope that when this ex parte statement gees forth to the Crimea it will not add to the anxiety of the gallant general to whom wo are all so deeply indebted for the exertions he is making for his country in the field of battle, nor render the position he occupies still more painful than it must have been from all that has passed in this country during the last few months. (Hear, and cheers.) Viscount HARDINGE hoped that as the noble and gallant earl had referred to him in thecourseof his speech, their lordships would allow him to say a fthv words in ex planation.l He regretted, with the Minister of War, that the statements made by the noble and gallant earl had been so one-sided and ex parte, and that the noble and gallant earl had thought it necessary to detail so much of what had passed between himself and Lord Raglan. It was perfectly impossible that any person should he able to answer such statements on the instant ; but he had the highest confidence in the honour and integrity of Lord Raglan, and, without' imputing to the noble and gallant earl that he had mis-stated anything that had passed be tween himself and his Commander-in-Chief or Col. Airoy, he had no hesitation iu saying that nobody could read the firm and explicit words of Lord Raglan, in his despatch of the 16th of December, without perceiving that the noble and gallant earl was wrong in supposing that he was or dered to attack at all hazards. Lord Raglan said :—" I have referred to my despatch, and, far from being willing to alter 0113 word of it, I am prepared to declare that not only did the lieutenant-general misconceive the written 'instruction that was sent him, but that there was nothing in that instruction which called on him to at tack at all hazards, or to undertake the operation which led to such a brilliant display of gallantry on the part of the light brigade, and unhappily, at the same time, occasion e d such lamentable casualties in every regiment composing it." The despatch proceeded in the same strain, showing that Lord Raglan had no doubt in his own mind on the subject, and it then stated that the noble and gallant earl " was so little informed of the posi tion of the army that he asked Captain Nolan where and what he was to attack, as neither enemy nor gnus were in sight.' This, your grace will observe, is the lieutenant general's own admission." The noble and gallant earl had stated in explanation that he obeyed the orders of Captain Nolan, but it was his duty to have obeyed the written order of Lord Raglan, and to have paid no attention to what Captain Nolan said. (Elear,lhear.) There could bo no doubt, from the following passage, that Lord Raglan considered his order discretionary, and not imperative : " I undoubto:ily had no intention that he should maka such an attack; there was nothing in the instruction to require it, and theiefore I conceive I WAR. fully jlillti6A iu stating to your grace what was the exact truth—that the charge arose from the misconception of an order for the advance, which Lord Lucen considered obliged him to at tack at all hazards." Theirdordsbips would observe that the despatch from which ho quoted was written by Lord Raglan some time after he had received the letter of the noble and gallant earl. Was it likely that a Man of the strict honour and veracity of Lord Raglan would have stated in such strong and unmistakeable terms that he never meant his order to be imperative if the fact were not so ? lie believed the noble lord had, to use his own emphatic words, stated " the exact truth," and that he never did intend the attack should be made at all hazards. Moreover, he would undertake to say with the greatest confidence, although he had not read the private corres pondence of Lord Raglan, that upon no occasion had his lordship reflected in the slightest degree on the conduct of the noble and gallant earl. For his own part, ho thought the noble and gallant earl ought to have shown the written order to the Earl of. Cardigan, and taken his opinion upon it. The Earl of Cardigan had told him since his arrival in England that if he - had seen the order he would not have considered it an order to attack at, all hazards, but ho should have thought him self justified in exercising his discretion. He believed the noble and gallant earl had no right to demand a court martial. His recall was a measure of prudence, and ho was not entitled to make it the subject of a military inquiry. The Duke of RICHMOND expressed hie earnest regret that this subject had been brought before their lordships. Fie thonght the noble and gallant earl ought not to have ad iel the weight 'of his high character to the attacks which had been made so unjustly upon the conduct and capacity of Lord Raglan. '(Hear.) The noble earl had appealed to him to say whether an officer was not bound to obey the orders of his superior in command. There cold he no doubt he was so bound to obey ; but ho would tell the noble earl what Major-General Robert CraWford, who cominanded the light division, did in the Peninsula.. An aide7de7eamp took an order from the Duke of Wellington to General Crawford, and then he did pretty much what Capt. Nolan did in the Crimea—he gave his advice as to how, when, and where the attack was 'to be made. The reply of Crawford .was, " When General Crawford seeks Colonel A—'s opinion, he will give it, but not till ' then." (Hear, hear.) . That was ,the way in which he would- have treated Capt. Nolan. (Hear, hear.) As he understood it, the noble earl meant to say that ho had re ceived both a verbal and a written order from Captain Nolan. [The Earl of Lucan—Hear, hear.] Then what, in Heaven's name, was the good of sending a written order ? (Hear, hear.) He should not have himself regarded the order to " advance in pursuit" as one to attack the enemy at all hazards. (Hear.) The Earl of DERBY hoped that, after this painful— perhaps, under the circumstances, unavoidable—explana tion, their lordships would be • spared any further dis cuesions on this subject. He was not prepared to say that there wore not Icgal and technical, as well as sub stantial, difficulties arising out of the exigencies of the public service, which might have rendered it impossible, or at _all events inexpedient, to grant the court-martial or court of inquiry for which the noble and gallant earl had asked. . But if it was impossible to afford him the opportunity of • defending hinaself s -against charges, and accusations, and imputations upon his professional charatter, which seriously affected him iu the opinion of the army and of the public, and perhaps also of his Sovereign, it was most unfortunate that the second letter of Lord Riglau ; ,which contained these serious charges and impneations, was ever placed in his hands by the noble lord 'the .S . i*eteiT.,of War, as indicating the reasons for which ho Wets le:caned.. He did not think the noble earl wetigleariehad alit fiebund for demandine a court-martial to inquire whether there had or had nut been on his psirt a "misconception" of the orders given to him; but when ho was charged by the . General Comrnanding-in . -Chief 'with having committed the erimo of disobeying it positive oder, and that charge was stated officially by theskieister of the Crown as the reason why he was brought back to this coun try, to a certain degree under a cloud, then he said that the position of the noble earl was one of great hardship, and one in which every noble lord must deeply sympathise with him. Nor could he blame his noble friend that, after having urged, entreated, end besdught the Government to give him an opportunity to have his conduct investigated before the fittest—a military—tribunal, he should avail himself of his right to n seat in that house to make the plain, straightforward, and manly statement they had heard from him that night. Ho was not going to enter into the merits of the question at issue between Lord Rag lan and the noble earl ; but he must say that be thought the latter had been placed in a moat unfortunate dilemma, from one of the horns of which it was hardly possible for him to escape by the exercise of any amount of j udgeeent. He was accused by the noble lord the Commasider-ia-Chief (Lord Harclinge) with' not having exercised, with regard to the order to advance the cavalry, that discretion which was to be expected from him as the lieutenant-general in com mand, But, on the other hand, his bad exercise of this dis cretion with respect to the former order, that the cavalry should occupy the heights, was in Lord Raglan's letter made the ground of a charge against him of positiee disobedience of orders. (Hear.) Well, on receiving the second order, in emsequence of not having obeyed the first, the noble earl conceived he had no discretion; and executed it; and then he was told that he shOuld have exercised a discretion, and disobeyed the order: Ho (the Earl of Derby) would ask their lordship's what would have been said if, on the second order k laving been sent, in consequence of his non-compli ance with the first, the noble earl had again abstained from obeying the order, and acted on his own discretion ? (Hear.) There might, indeed, to some one man in ten thou sand who would venture to incur the responsibility of such a double disobedience of orders, acting on his own discre tion; but ho did not think it could be imputed as a fault to the noble earl that ho conceived himself bound by such positive orders, even though he deemed them injudicious. Then the noble earl was accused of not having assumed the proper responsibility attaching to h s rank oil ieutenant general,while, oa the other hand, the Commander-in-chief had blamed him for not having consulted the Earl of Car digan, because they were nearly of the Fame rank, both being major-generals--forgetting that the noble earl had the rank of lieutenant-general, and that the Earl of Cardi gan and General Scarlett wore only major-generals com manding brigades under him, and were consequently of in ferior rank to himself. After expressing an earnest hope that the noble and gallant earl would not again feel it neees.sery to bring this subject before that house, his lord ship'said that his gallant friend need be under no appre hensions that, whatever opinions people might form as to the responsibility attaching to him with respect to that brilliant but unfortenate charge of light cavalry, the coun try were likely to forget the important services which he . and the officers under his command had rendered, nor that, on the very same day, ho had the merit of having ordered another almost equally brilliant and more success fed charge, under the command of his old and valued friend, General Scarlett, which covered with glory the troops who were engaged in it, and must reflect credit on tho general who had the good fortune and the skill to direct that impor tent movement. His nobleand gallant friend would also have the satisfaction of reflecting that it was no fault of his if there had not been the fullest investigation of every part of his military conduct, and with that knowledge he(the Earl of lserhy) trusted that he would thenceforth permit the subject to drop in that house, and would rely on thejustice, the feeling, and the honour of his countrymen. (Cheers.) The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he was not about to outer into any discussion of the questions between the noble and gallant earl and Lord Raglan, because it was impossible for any one so imperfectly informed as all their lordships necessarily were with respect to the facts, to do this with out injustice to the latter noble lord. He though:, how ever, that the noble earl who spoke last had done injustice to Lord Raglan on one point, since he did not understand his lordship to make any complaint of his first order for the cavalry to advance not having been obeyed by the noble earl. He simply gave the fact as a reason why the second order was sent. Nor !should he enter into the question of the propriety of granting the noble earl a court-martial. He was, however, confident that his noble friend th e S e - cnetary of War anti the Commander-in-Chief had filly con sidered that subject, and had are ived at a conclusion on the fullest and most sufficient data. He could not, indeed, help regretting that it was not thought ad vieablc for the sake of army that such e, court-martial should.be held, as it would undoubtedly go forth to the public that a gene ral who might have a seat in that house had over other officers advantages which it was most unfortimate he should possess. The noble cart who spoke last complained that his noble friend the Secretary of War should have given the noble and gallant earl the letter of Lord Raglin,which contained, he thought, accusations against him. But the noble earl forgot that the noble lord did not give the noble and gallant earl the letter until he had come forward in his place in Parliament, read a letter of his own to Lord Raglan, and ina.de an ex parte statement on this subject. Then his noble friend did feel that it was only just to an absent man to give the noble and gallant earl Lord Raglan's letter, in order that he might piesd use it if he thought fit, and thus put the house and the public in possession of the whole feels of the case. Hethought his noble friend had acted with perfect fairness and propriety in taking this coarse, and that he had done no more than was requisite in justice to the noble lord at the head of the army in the Crimea in subsequently laying his lordship's letter on the table of the house. The noble and gallant earl having appealed tohim on one or two points, he could assnre him that Lord Rag lan's private letters home were all couched in the kindest spirit possible towards him, and that his lordship had made no complaints other than those which were contained in the papers before the house. The noble earl also asked if he (the Duke of Newcastle) had not at one time said that the letter which be wrote to Lord Raglan was not calm and temperate in itself ? He had said so, nor had he ever altered that opinion ; but he had at the same time ex pressed an opinion that if that letter ever came before the public, it must be most detrimental to th e p u bli c serv i ce and the discipline of the army. He (the noble duke) had ouly to say in conclusion that he had never performed any act of his official life with greater pain than when, in obe dience to a sense of his public duty, he felt compelled to recall the noble aid gallant earl. (Hear, hear.) The Earl of HARDWICKE differed entirely. from his noble friend as to the inconvenience of discussions of this kind. He thought it was a great advantage to the House of Peers that officers of the army or navy who were mem bers of it should be able to come before them and to de fend themselves against' charges which would cloud their honour•and lower them in the opinion of the country. A similar course had already been pursued in the other house on behalf of a gallant admiral whose conduct had been im pugned, and whose case was brought under consideration by an hon. and learned Member. The Marquis of BREADALBANE thought the noble earl took quite a mistaken view of the privileges of their lordships' house, which were only, giiren them for a useful purpose. When a peer became an officer in the army or navy he was as much amenable to military law as the meanest private in that service, and to take advantage of his privilege to bring before that house questions which ought only to be submitted to the militaryor naval autho rities, was not, ho thought, a use of those privileges which would tend to the public advantage. The Earl of LUCAN, in reply, said the noble duke (the Duke of Newcastle) had charged him with betraying some private letters. . The Duke of NEWCASTLE begged to contradict his noble and gallant friend. All he said was that as his noble and gallant friend had asked hitn whether he did no% ex press a certain opinion with reference to his letter to Lord Raglan, he (the Dnke of Newcastle) would ask the noble earl whetherhe had not also, at the same time, expressed aro ? -- - The Earl of LUCAN was quite ready to produce the cor respondence which had taken place between him and the noble duke. lie certainly made no private communication to the noble duke, although the noble duke did, no doubt, send him a private letter. What passed was simply this. A gentleman waited on the noble duke on behalf of him (the Earl of Lucan) to ask him to produce to the house his letter of the 30th November: On that occasion the noble duke gave his reasons why that letter should not be pro duced, and said, " Lord Lucan, 1 conceive, should not puhli.ih that letter until he is attacked before the public. When he is, I think it is your duty to publish that letter." The Duke of NEWCASTLE must again beg to contra dict the noble earl, The witness of what paced between A MMIMENI s took them was now, unfortunately, no more; but what as lace was this. While he (the Duke of N ew castle) ° so Secretary at War, the Lae Mr. Parkinson (the Pr ivste bila licitor both of himself and the gallant earl) waited on on behalf of the gallant earl, placed in his hands the jester of the 30th of November, ten days before he (the D oke of Newcastle) had received a copy from Lard Itogi' v i to said that he had been authorised by publish it in the Times, but he felt this was rotalcome and proper course to pursue, and ho had thereor s i c as a friend to- himself (the Duke of Newcastle) to at what should be done. Ho told Mr. Parkinson holding the official position which he did, it 'V" in)P io Bible for him to give him any advice. Mr. Parkinso Ord s at this interview stated that he 'was instructed by Lucan to ask him if he had received this letter fr i tl. r. Lord Raglan, and on his in the Pave, replying •no ol d Parkinson asked if he was likely to receive it soon. . 1 -`„ that that he did not know, and Mr. Parkinson then stuu nfi ke ho would wait until the next mail; on which he (th,!'7 o ," the noble ear .00 of Newcastle) said, "I think you act wisely in tie"' oat In coneequence of a detention of the mail of which all arrived together) it was some time before further proceedings took place. Mr. Parkinson then ne t to him again at the last moment and said, "I,f_t i tben publish this letter." He (the Duke of Newoo"*" o rder acknowledged that he went beyond his duty.• for, ill_ A ° l to hold Mr. Parkinson harmless with the noble to d 6— it a er, earl, he consented to write private letter to the la a , expressing bis opinion that Mr.Parkiuson had acteo in the course which ho had taken. It was in that lett i t . b ,a stated that he thought the letter which the noble on 0 Written to Lord Raglan was calm and temperate, b u n i s t. the same time, he added that the noble earl Nos P :bisi, tacked, that Lord Raglan had made no charge agoin s ",,l to (the three Davy and that he thought that any one who came fors i TD' o th publish letters before they were attacked would a ''' . improperly and imprudently. (Hear.) The motion was then agreed to. I w" The Despatch of Business Court of Chancery Bi l • read a second time. , fl ittee , The Commons Inclosere Bill passed through C 0133- afte r Thei r h wich t ie adjour- ed at ten minutes be f ore o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTE O3Y; lo The SPEAKER took the chair shortly before 4 ° c PRIVATE . BILLS. to b e The following bills were considered, and orde rcu ' read a third times —Brighton Improvemen t ;,ter, sioncrs and Municipal Corporation, F o lkestone o y, Hoarwithy Bridge, Lands Improvement C°% l/ d P;tir• Price's Patent Candle Company, Ratcliffe Gas, W I rey Gas. PETITIONS. Mr. TFIORNgLY presented a petition from "":„. of merchants and metal brokers of Liverpool in fa"' decimal system of coinage. Mr. BAXTER presented a petition from 1 '°144 praying for the repeal of the newspaper stamP• •,17.0 11 Sir G. PEOHELL presented a petition from 1313 ° to the same effect. t . 10 311 r . Mr. LAYARD, Lord DUNGARVAN, and otheroes-,00 hers, prce.ented petitions praying that the sale of sti l u e• eating liquors may be prohibited on the whole of „pe Mr. H. BERKELEY presented two petit ions from Duckinfield, and the other from -Ashton- Lyne, praying for the repeal of the beer tot of ' 3- ~t sion. Sir B. HALL, yresented three petitions from lebone —one praying for the repeal of the n ip, 'tamp, another in favour of the Public .114alth f 3 l: i the third praying the .National. Gallery an d Museum may happened onSundiys; Mr. CRA.UFURD presentedt - Vie petitiOnsfroter? in. Scotland praying for the 'repeal of the ile si stomp. GOVERNMENT OF THE METROPO°' Sir B. HALL brought in his bill for the better Management of the Metropolis, which was ro d time, ana ordered to be read a second time on Or of April. Mr. KERSHAW presented a similar petillea Stock J ort. Sir .V. SHELLEY presented a similar petiticl 2,480 of the letter-press printers of the raetrePt i Mr. HUDSON presented a similar petition vs') Mayor and Corporation of Sunderland. Mr. M. GIBSON presented - a petition from in humble life, named Joseph Cooper, compla ililr his wife had absconded, and praying fora law of' as. th i that should be alike available by the poor The honourable member also presented a lerg% c of petitions praying for the repeal of the ne stamp. PASSENGER TRAINS. Mr. SCOTT asked her Majesty's Goverutnet" steps bad been taken by the Board of Trade, 10' steps it was proposed to take, in order to oblise . railway company tl establish a communication b; the guard and engine-driver on every passenger Sir G. GREY said a bill was prepared last s es ' this subject, but it was not brought iu. a dd w ould bill was now ready for introduction nould be brought in. asseoger ORDER OF MERIT. Captain SCOBELL asked the First Lord of t sury whether her Majesty's Government had de 6 1 recommend the institution of an order of merit whether such order was intended to be a new a nd one, restricted to the military and naval servit applicable to everygrade therein • a nd whether if termined to bring such order o f merit operation Lord PALMERSTON said it VW the irate the Government to establish an order of the des( Of course, it would apply to both services ; rangements for the institution of the order wer e settled. O into NEW WRIT FOR CAVAN. Mr. GROGAN asked if Sir J. Young had the offioe of Lord High Commissioner of the Islands ? Sir G. GREY replied in the affirmative. Mr. GROG-AN begged leave, under Voss stances, to move that the Speaker do issue his to the Clerk of the Crown to make out a, n aw the election of a knight of the shire for the c. Cavan, in the room of the right hon. hart. The motion was agreed to. TRANSPORT SERVICE• Mr. CAYLET asked the hon. member for TY) when he intended to bring on his MOtioll the trnsport Mr. a LINDSAY said, unless the Governm e e give him a day for the purpose he must bring on going into supply. NEWSPAPER STAMP. g i r The CHANCELLOR of the EXCH . F.QUI; I ‘ —. . t I to the house prepared to introduce resolution s W 1 to the newspaper stamp; but although the stn telu i be made on the resolutions, the bill I shall ask of the house to introduce is not yet in our pes se ' l 7y / o ' 3 therefore it will be inconvenient to enter' in t° ,,,ijos l upon the question at present. If, therefOre, " ci ost s r the wish of the house that there should h e /I ,‘ tlso ll night, it may be more convenient to PostPtuK the ment until the second reading. If the house w' tt tly my statement, and agree to postpone the debat e of second reading, lam prepared to make it. v tftsfms, Mr. DISRAELI—It would be very conven' e house to be favoured with the statement of th . T w os , gentleman, for there is considerable obscur ill .4 the exact meaning of the resolutions. (laen r '' o alv The house then went into committee, Air' for the chair. ,vn-- -)1 ' '1 0 °11 The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQw -'— o'4 l AP verie, in the year 1851 a select committee sranctfor o p . ; the motion of my right hon. friend the men we " r sts chaster to inquire into the question of the nevrol o a o l4'l and that committee examined many witnesses, e t ' lo bo o r gated the entire subject in considerable detail. T beY • r e f is ¢ 0 their opinions respecting the result of that inq to port, and that report terminates with the followi h v eir g P os ti t he —"lu conclusion, your committee consider i t t . cio st tc : t itr direct attention to the objection Land abuses in t, th e a te' present system of newspaper stamps, arising o f t h e A ti° „ eulty of defining and determining the meani 4 i 0 0 . news ;' to the inequalities which exist in t b i e , 110 of the Newspaper Stamp Act, and the anononlei, 1 0 ,0 4 sions that it occasions in postal arrangemenfs ; . ro OV o cK I fair competition to which stamped newspaP er r ." o o with unstamped publications; to the 0 410 0 by the stamp upon the circulation of the be st I' ol ° ,,ee' and to the impediments which it throWs in the a_ o diffusion of useful knowledge regarding claret' t ' d ter events among the poorer classes, which sp ec l Dir di d " ledge, relating to subjects which "must obY,i ° ' bs, c fjoif them, calls out the intelligence, by awakeai n g.o , - -, a ir 4 sity, of those classes." Then they , proceed to — r oil' se{ far it may be expedient that this tax should be r o . oe , as a source of revenue, either in its Pre e t t se c & f l o c' modified form, your committee do not feel fr e e f upon to state ; other considerations, net sTS O vince, would enter into that question. 0 11 07, 0 d fiscal considerations, they do not consider t r ot itself a desirable subject of taxation." n'A se ss; evo, friend followed up the subjectsubsecl uen v iki cb, o s , last session he brought forward a resolution t bi . s . ti! i , debate, was carried by an unanimous voteaTbo t i s i a That resolution,is in the following words r oc° e a' D e opinion of this house that the laws in rol l aeOl o t periodical press and newspaper stamp ar e tose. t o elv irregularly enforced, and it appears to th e by subject deserves the early consideration o f ottsitior That resolution having been agreed to unannlLo house last session, the question naturally oar asps o 'f consideration of Lord Aberdeen's Goverantei pre o gy p3cess. The subject fell necessarily within Ive co s; my right hon. friend the member for the_ 4 , /i , Oxford, and the plan which he submitted o h ; boePool ration of the Government is now before t ,pAP 6 :II I SO involves substantially the abolition of the ne.":, r ese°4ll .10 as a compulsory stamp. The reasons whicne1;0101,0.10, Lord Aberdeen's Government at that time w unanimous resolution of the House of Comm ° o f i' t otl o i last session, and partly tho anomalous stltoinie.ists,j, which had grown up bf late years under the .10 5 of the Inland Board of revenue. That snow: j t t e eh o ll i , the law was fully investigated by the coll,`„duce'le cc and it had grown up from the relaxations ' o ' - rio dic' st ioe v purpose of meeting the views of a species 0 1 F., t ;o0 e t cation which are now known under the de 13. 0 „r, acldamesitnteedvrepwaapsers. the case e e o fi f rs t t h e e ase Ld in er t h a re l t o e, awhich was merely no a contained newspaper t ti b ca i ;1 1 t n h o e ti s c b e r s i - : i li e e ;o r r o o f t r i ; act. It was found, however, by the ns.' re tlla, v e „.e paper, that it would iss extremely convenient P o i Lion of its circulation should enjoy tite_ t r. o lVe' l lfiee ro r stamp to be transmitted through the Pe_ accordingly, in a portion of tie impression_ 1 71 political news. were introduced, in o rder p 'riectol es i the newspaper stamp. In that manner uas, t ov.„i introduced of a partly etaroped and P w ,jas '7Ol publieation. That principle was 3fte otion ° 0 0 3, oil to a large number of periodical pull._. so , s r pt tip to subjects which interested particular ` o ",diens bor tie je . instance, as professions. There were pr" t f d a lso -° ~13. t0 . 13,W, to medicine, to architecture, _ so ca se s ' es ture, and various other subjects. In alt pot' green, the rule was eatablished that they env— :I,_4trtrist"a portion „ . klier a time, apt s tio:Lekt4"4l:lo;ii:::o,3Cen,;:l:9etiiefde.llll:leci number a w o i ) tub accord f ti I,lt.eLaity from Meaning of ! t tri) 4 4 1 ho _ practice 11 last recess, 4 4k ,,'n• If the G 6,,!1!1,10ns lily Re r to e ra iz k v e Itill,heYloust has ta u o f pewsp e!.rea bill to r My right !etettl!rciaed a very lail e J o ' law more a tos)ake it I„a9 lint to the a C'Ple with the Itc,,are not iden ticCrlay belon g 1 44p at t o him. ( kLliea4: the psrini, these rest 1,7 4 0 the f o l lowing. 1/4,i°l riewspapar Ospers to all I,'7;r4t intervals Ike Periodicals /I,: ezial ty with r hz with Llsithout a sta th e pro 1i et . 1 . 4 1) any porti o ] ue rtlllst ame d 4 ?I the sheets p st s ibject t o p 11144taial contents, tO stl, the I SW c arried y by : fnhre,a3' contain cze,,nalfpenny • iii 6cial but ain eontenta ikpe4PPear withi k, to all pe r ( ( ,nPortion of tl C,,, t , i te the ea'in surance. °f Printing t ., 1 °4 to the Sta.] itt,:'l,Aber of k 14e1)*office, and th ai1:1?,:p;1.1.0 tithe poopfrtnaihnol: la ra le with r est c l ' e„, at h shall bo k eur e ities he a Present r 14 '4 L oudon a ssurance tc ion for libel. sve prooi 'tich shall p st Is why we le time it ,i wapapdra, parate le Itch inatio. .slid mil to an bojto ,Gweeu path 'away wets 'h .4 is' kerne& Cir culation of Aying on tl of the cc on any pin inauence arear, ' 0 hav e ea e. they know notoriety. ' whit the cin d partial, ion is qu ik that securities • But th teae securi libels, ai Jrurnent. I able securit tat a subse , ir private ] 1g an act( ')el by th dsions I Lich we nc 410 of the it of privt ( Sons we pi Periodica the s. li: Lessential ° „the hou se ; * * l 7 do n • They fo eat 'eristin le unded on s, retain them. ‘lol e effect of jabs with res '4e Athenceunt they will which the: bylaw, which the , . extendeZ papers,, su( zing Eleralc le same , o stamp as ni 7 post, and ti nd it for tl do not prop( 1e submit to gar. Which have be there would Ice by prin , per and a Would, eon, I have tow far th, the numt th e re tuxn has 1 number titaxe-eo - nduet stamped v to been heal :apaprs, it I land in print Propose. 01 4 Portion of tillstainped : all menab 't Punch. and I nude lek, of wl nue tamped. et that publi Limm not With re ,tt tte.t„;:l t ti:l i i n c a t t ii i o a l 44,c't1 ditaculty tqi:ar of Puncl 1 44, i . 4 q0n caused -anipe nod Litt,' further d in quiz ts 'illAt l ,?w ispapo r is p -111 Ped a er ft the P w as l' to t°l Inireedeir ; th a PedCopies op t t at th a t ef Londonl A4 iiw co pies t o b e tue year, 1m j,,tiable of con ,t have cowl or ti ,l3 ) . iv e 4 .4, a nom copio/1 kt,9tOklttinted with 4'4 opinion t n ewspaper . i l . " e a and unsta] t e ion, and 1 legit. an ted to ins tAly, s , l °4 to repeal ti; t4138t danger( ic 1 4° th eeds ( t , .10 0 _ o e s C 1 1 (1 , 4 ore not ti l l Which have o t°t l; tl . l4 : e r 01 : 1 11 , t on thus dt atra i h 4 40 4. friend 410, boo ." ci „ 1 4 th d wZiat if ia her e a ny found of these a f`il:4kll : slll i : E . : t e t :l l' 11 lit : 41e : t: e llorr . aeew t ia h sit°st a eY'll t is tv o eO scus, an sasthe t 4 .ft y indirect an uustau I,)'-al)ers not cc p, hers which ci atter the 7e l i' er eot cha ra( S i 4„ th e ,i//to? i! Week, a 4t,11,t • it iK wsr styles, but there u 16,1011 a ?teeeded circulatic k,,Q1%. it IN" put Ql's OIVSkt.4 PlibliSllo rtklivgb numbs: konaewb t b a itatt kit. ut certa i4e14.4: of chea k1:5413 ~,bJeettOt: tiltile,'4-1:lertl is a 4Net!r_eu late 3 24( „1., in the 4ZofTra the tas i 4,14°11 il whc ) 0 Itt 4,gerolis r evers e tt l e o "° t tere .whi. hh . 4r was c e strations ti,4 41,,4t these '4l have ha tls but NbliCatiOn: 40 ions, 4'..r. , ,;.., 4_, . uo r 00 - r -tril 4 44..rnd last oe? , k le .10_ _ an ititlehg,wfor I ,y, TOT i,hiezhiche„E ,-- . sp er ~.704, -u eV4','„a c Oki t r Reba M. 1 3. lt ~0 ~ 'e he ts tit L I Bi 3ti. of WsPaj . ,Pivr),ltPari 1081 '44 '''`delli 0011 net 5. 4 on e 131°4* P q,, A .L .. 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(11, t1 Priv r ti ',, e s ,ii4;4l.oflariP,g at tel c °P i ot' , ° (i tltit: p ro Wel I evc X, r oi .I,l'fki t%\i,J:isto, Id 1 4° it t he' k4duich ‘ ilthtespec'ne 01 bPett,4eret of] ' t be Pet:ro,A•`oSer 4118°D8 le eigi'so, llileareel). perk rit ~,it.,101 ' 4 4 ,e tit) e :` se t i ad .03 ttt:, ti !lle ho', Tic 114.,,ir kt 1143, 1 d it..•9lr ni eree ' The ) 1 rOO4 i to is e,,nt - e • 0 °f '' Z:inacied to alto t -ole e t ft lie asor; P;,rt i . tifetite with e mt. 118 "lam Ire ) 1° .• fi e. th take'oz; w hich ted Will by.i 1 r x •d;0 ~,i4 ,Ivhich Le I°l3 Iti , b e exte ) ,ea or i. paper' 0 . c'' the sank R e e itc u o t kt i ,i to stamp is tv bitrsfor by post, v vtr'• of find it f al Ido ' c. )ti , t o I - , not ) hear) no ii to tybi;L I 1 A O ,tnit there ha yoel?`:10 I°,lt•ofac w c e l aril° t t(lpa eby ,i 0 eftsb Ilv)oer ai olti (0,1,4 t 40,,,,. 11,1, ii l'o°' ' 1 ho 111 li I'4 tll - fa ' '4(l th e 1 ' r cOe all h e moral 4 i S ire et '%, thes e it !I re , Of ~ti4l't 81„c°n it - 0 Nt, eve ,-1111 to .' J 4% u 40 4 A 4 wso 'ea )0 1 - 0-- f ape 0 ° ti andVn ' rs ' si .10°4 ' 144: Pre In I io , ' „ i t' , „„ 8 4 , P i ' s, 0.0. ~„ 1,, yortic Pe v 'Ali' t u'stPtta dei., str !kt 14„13 \all Thl tili),A) to 'lirkp?:,l-' 1 p, II lif'itie ..)0 ti :,,aad I ittil ‘Vte r k, 0 m , Or _neaten