The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-09-23 00:00:00

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER

in EDINBURGH.

The Chancellor of the Exehequer, Sir Stafford
Northcote, on his way southwards from attendance
upon the Queen at Balmoral, was called upon, on
Saturday, to address the Working Men's Conservative
Associations at Edinburgh. The right hon. gentle-
man spoke of the mingled regret and anxiety with
which the Conservative pasty regarded the removal of
their leader to the House of Peers, and, after a tribute
to the past services of Lord Beaconsfield, sketched
the difference between the Conservative spirit of im-
provement and the Radical spirit of destruction. The
people as a rule, he remarked, did not understand
foreign politics, and therefore, when their atten-
tion was irresistibly drawn in that direction,
as at present, it became necessary to explain
the principle of our foreign policy. That principle was
to maintain an honourable peace. He deprecated the
use of incautious language which they might not be
prepared to support, declared the unwisclom of attempt-
ing to drive the Turk from Europe, and assured his
audience that the Government had been earnestly
endeavouring ta promote the improved government of
the Christian provinces of Turkey. He rlenied that
her Majesty's Ministers were hampered by a super-
stitious respect for a traditional policy, or by an
unworthy jealousy of Russia. Great Britain would
act firmly and vigorou4y, but she could not act alone.
He thought the meetings being held, if properly turned
to account, would strengthen the hands of England in
the councils of Europe.—We give the following ex-
tracts from the right hon, gentleman's speech :

There are occasions on which the mind of England is
drawn to foreign politics by an irresistible impulse, and the
present moment is one of them, and I say that it is highly
creditable to the people of England that at a moment like
this, when the whole tational heart has been stirred, and
when the national indignation has been aroused by the pro-
ceeding& of which we have read with so much horror—it is
highly c.-editable to the people of Eeeland that they should
come forward, and, setting aside for the moment everything
else, they should give their hearts and their attention to
foreign politics. (Hear, hear.) But this only makes it more
necessary that we should endeavour as briefly and as
clearly as possible to explain to you and to the country the
principles on which the foreign policy of the country rests
On this point I should like to soy that the principle of the
foreign policy of the country appears to me to be the policy
of maintaining peace—(eheers)—peace, but still an honour-
able peace. (Loud cheers.) We do not desire to maintain
what might be called a coward psace—a peace founded
merely on the fear that if we engaged in a struggle it
might cost us lives, or it .might cost us money, or any
other advantages that we now poseets. (Cheers.) That is
not the kind of peade that any nation which respeots
itself, or which desires to maintain a position in the Uwe of.
the world, will ever desire to cultivate. (Hear, hear.)
Nor do we desire a selfish peace ; we do not desire that
England should remain at peace and see other countries
suffering all the horrors of war and ruin. (Hear, hear,)
We do not hold the view that ills for the advantage of
England that she alone should be exempt from the horrors
of war ; that the should sit quietly alone in her little
island and allow the horrors of war to spread over the rest
of the world, thinking that she, perhaps, is a gainer by the
sufferings of her neighbours. (Hear, hear) That, I say,
is not a spirit which England would ever tolerate, that is
not the spirit in which England will ever act, and ills not
a spirit which is consistent with the principles upon which
England always desires to promote peace. (Cheers.)
England desires to promote peace, not only on ascount of
any mere selfish advantages she may derive from peace—
not merely became she wishes to see the development of
her industry, and the quiet and good government of her
own Empire, but because, also, she is deeply interested by
the necessities of her pesition, and the temperament of the
people, she is deeply concerned in the maintenance of peace
thioughout the world. (Cheers.) No war can break forth,
no great loss can be ieflicted upon any nation, without its
effect being felt by this country. No disturbance can take
place in the cemmerce of the world, but England must be
one of the first nations to suffer. (Cheers.) And, there-
fore, I say that the position of England is a position (A.
voice, "Soy Great Britain."—Laughter), I apologise to my
friend. We are thankful to thine that we are so heartily
united that even a casual use of the local term " England "
will, I hops, not give offence to my Scotch friends. Be
good enough to meke a little mental note of errata in my
speech wherever I have used the word "England," and
please read "Great Britain." (Laughter.) But 1 was
saying that the policy of England is peace—(laughter)—
the policy of Great Britain is peace (laughter and
cheers) and Lila peace on these principles. We desire the
good Government of all nations. We feel satisfied that
peace cannot be preserved permanent'y and satisfactorily
in any ministry in which there is not established a system
of good government. . . .
I will not go into the question of the truth of the
statement, but it has been said that it was the impress
sion given by language held in England [before the out-
break of the Crimean War—it has been said that it was
by language such as was then in the mouths of many
that the Emperor of Russia was led to believe that Eng-
land would not resist the policy which he was promoting;
and when at last he went forward witls his policy in the be
lief that no such resistance would be offered, he bind to
his cost, as we also found to ours, that hostilities were
brought about and blood shed by many of us having been
led to say that which we did not mean to say. On the other
hand, there may be something even worse. It may be that
generous language which comes from wholly noble impulees,
and which expresses the real sentiments of a nation, is in-
cautiously used—incautiously allowed to be overheard by
those who are doubting whether at that moment they shall
make a struggle for themselves or submit to superior
force. The language being of a generous and en-
couraging character, those to whom it appears to be
addresitod believe that support will be given to them
if they strike a blow for themselves. They are led to strike
the blow for themselves, and the support is not given. Then
what is the con!equence ? We have heard it said that there
was a war which might have been prevented if it had not
been tbat an Eeglish seetetman was led in an unguarded mo-
ment to say that the country with whom the next move lay
woulclnot be allowed to stand alone. The country was en-
couraged to make the effort, and after all was allowed to stand
alone. There may be many difficulties in the conduct of foreign
politics. There may be questions about which it is difficult Co
know what England ought to do, hat this one thing I hope we
neve r shall do—we thall never use language which a e are not
at all events prepared to support. Now, gentlemen, to return
for a momeat to this painful question before us at the present
moment. There is a policy ot the head which I have been
trying though feebly, to lay before you and there is a policy
of the heart; and I will venture to say that although perhaps I
you may have thought that in the obtervations I was ad-
dressiug to you I was eudeavouriag to put the policy of the
head above the pulley of the heart, I can assure you I was
donig no such thing. I am perfectly well aware that no
policy; can hope to be successful which is not a policy that
carries with it the hearts and sympathies of the people. I
(Cheers.) Oaly strive to ba just, only endeavour to be
patient, only endeavour not to be hasty in action, and still
less, do not make use of incautious language which you are I
not prepared to support; take care you do not cause more
mischief than might otherwise occur. I am speaking so far
as I am able to speak upon this subject not in the interests
of policy, not in the interests of the suppozed development
of Eoglah influence hero, or English wants in another part
of the world I am speaking strictly in the interests of
humanity itself when I say—beware how you stir up generous
feeling—how you stir up a senseeof wrong which it is import-
tibia to with less strong than it is, or you may bring about
troubles and mister! une& to other people in whom you are
intereated. Remember an unwise hasty policy, an attempt
to do something like what has been described—to drive
the Turk out of Europe—take one step of that sort
—however agreeable to our feelings to think of such a
step at a moment when our feelings are wrought up by the
scsnes of herror which have been brought before us—re-
member what tuch a policy as that must lead to, and
remember the awful scenes which possibly might be
imouglat about in the attempt to exact Latices for those
which have already occurred. (Cheers.) nelieve this, that
in all those matters the Government of the country have
been endeavouring to act with the most sincere desire to
promote the very ends which you yourselves are desirous of
alt cluing. (Cheers) Believe this, that we feel that above all
things, even in the narrowest interests of England have we
desired to keep peace. Ills our duty, it is our interest to
labour for the improvement of the government of those un-
fortanate Provinces in which those terrible scenes have
occuried, and believe it, that that has been the cousieteLt
policy of the Government of Lord Beaoonsfield. We know
well that we have been mbrepreeented—misrepresented
involuntarily, I drmibt not. I am not prepared to say at such
a moment of excitement the mierepresentation has been un-
natural, but moat assuredly the conduct of the Government
has in ' many particulars been misunderstood. (Cheers.) I
have heard it said by some people that the Government
or its principal members were indifferent to the suf-
ferings of the unfortunate Bulgarians: (Cheers and
Mum) Inclifferont pass by that—l ditchbl to

relay to such an imputation. (Loud cheers.) I rejoice to
think that although it may have been made in the heat of
the moment by some, it is now no longer made by those
among our opponents whose opinions are worthy of respect.
(Cheers.) But there are other points, and points upon which
our policy has, I think, been misrepresented and misunder-
stood. It is supposed that we are hampered by some tra-
ditional policy. it is supposed that we are hampered by an un-
wortl4j ealousy of Russia. I deny both these assertions.
(Cheers) I deny that in tile course which has been pursued by
her Mr.jesty's G yvernment we have been carried away either
by a superstitions respect for her traditional policy
or by an unworthy ealousy of that great Empire
of Russia, from which, having the circumstances
beford us, and considering them as well as we are able to
do, We ourselves judged from the appearances of the
momiTt to be the best and proper line for us to take. We
may have
judgmer
a j adk
care,

se been right cr we my have been wrong in our
)nt npon certain points; but the Judgment has been
Tient honestly formed—formed with conscientious
td not influenced by motives such as those to
.which .I

have referred. Why, when you talk of the jealousy that this
country is supposed to feel towards Russia, and of that
jealowy having in some way hampered the proceedings
which, have occurred, allow me to remind you that through-
cut all these proceedings, up to the time of these unfortunate
transactions to which I have referred, we were in c rdial co-
operation with Russia as well as the other Powers of
Europe. . . . .
I believe I am right in saying that either last night or
this morning orders were given to the Porte to direct
the cessation of hostilities, and therefore to afford the oppor-
tunity for a calm and reasonable discussion of the terms
of a settlement. (Cheers.) I cannot doubt that ad-
yardage will be taken of that breathing time to put
a stop to the evils which have been golrg on. But
we know well that in this matter England will have
need of all her wisdom, of all her prudence, of all her
firmness, of all the moral support that can be given to her.
I ask you, not in the name of the present Government, but I
ask you in the name of your country, and In the name of that
humanity of which you have shown yourselves to be such
creditable advocates—l ask you now to shape your course as
far as possible with the view to promote the objects which
we all have in view. These meetings which have been held
throughout the country—the strong language which has been
used at them, here and there, may have run into excess, yet
they have their use. They have their advantage by showing
that England is actuated by no feeling of mere selfishness.
These meetings cannot fail if they are properly turned to
account to strengthen the voice of England in the councils of
Europe in this same matter, but on the other hand,
if the language, if the more excited language there used
is really to be taken as expressive of distrust of the policy of
your Government—it it is intended to weaken their hands,
and to embarrass them rather than strengthen them in their
action, I fear, whatever may be the consequences to this
Government, or the political consequences to this country,
the consequences to the peace of Europe and the interests of
humanity abroad will be worse still. (Cheers) But I look
for better things. I thank you for the honour which has
been done in presenting the address to 1113 on this occasion,
and I assure you that it has been a great and precious satis-
faction to me to be allowed to attend this assembly, and I
trust I shall never forget the honour which I have received
in being asked to address you at this time. (Prolonged
cheers.)

Oa the motion of Mr. Sinclair a vote of thanks was
given to Sir Stafford; and, thanks having been
awarded to the chairman on the motion of Sir Graham
Montgomery, the proceedings terminated.