The Press.
London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

My opinion is that the extinguishment of Sebastopol was
a mistake; it is acknowledged to be mistaken so far that
it was a " leap in the dark," and I think the principal
question for Englishmen to deal with now is, how yen are
best to get out of that mistake. (Hear, hear.) If we are
going to tight it out there, then 1 say the course hitherto
pursued by the Government is wholly inadequate to the
object in ♦iew. (Cheers.) We must raise an immense
army—we must find an immense amount of treasure—
and must carry on the war in the Crimea on a very dif-
ferent scale to what we have hitherto done. ( Hear.)
Now, I think there is another way by which our brave
men may be removed from that position in which, by mis-
take, they have been placed; and I think, without consult.
ing oueown passions, and looking too much to exaggerated
hopes and expectations, we are bound in all fairness to
consider the position of those brave men, and not throw
any obstacle in the way of restoring peace to this country
and those brave men to their homes. (Hear, hear.) I
would treat them, when brought from Sebastopol. with all
the consolation and honour as if they had succeeded, be-
cause we may depend upon it they have suffered ten times
as much in the abortive effort to besiege that place than if
we had succeeded by a coup de main in taking it.

Mr. Cobden afterwards expressed his belief that re-
solutions in favour of vigorously carrying on the war
would interfere with the negotiations for peace ; and
in answer to the charge that Russia had acquired
territory, he pointed to our own acquisitions in India.
In conclusion the hon. member referred to the im•
possibility of keeping back Russian aggression by
our present mode of warfare, attacking him in his
own territory, citing the failure of Napoleon's expe-
dition to Russia in proof of his views, and dwelt upon
the miserable condition of Turkey as ground for
belief that even if Russia did succeed in conquering
Turkey, of which, single-handed, there appeared very
little chance, the country would have required so
much internal care and management, that at all
events, for the next generation, which was thirty
years, we had nothing to fear from Russia; and be
should like to know from some actuary, taking into
consideration the contingencies which now sur•
rounded the whole question, and which might arise
during the next thirty years, what risk we ran from a
Russian aggression on England.
Mr. Cobden was followed by Mr. G. J. MARSHALL,
who moved the following war resolution, which was
seconded in a war speech by Mt. BAINES :
That in the opinion of this meeting the war in which
England and France are now engaged with Russia is a
great contest, forced upon them by the outrageous aggres•
sion of the latter power upon the Turkish empire, and is
intended to create a spirit of aggrandisement on the part
of the Czar which threatens the independence of other
nations; and this meeting is of opinion that the war ought
to be prosecuted with the utmost vigour until safe and
honourable terms of peace can be obtained.

A Mr. JOWETT, with the view, as he said, of taking
the sense of the meeting in another form, moved the
following as an amendment to the resolution :

That this meeting, without giving any opinion on the
origin or conduct of the war, earnestly desires that the pre-
sent negotiations for peace may he carried to a successful
issue, and the further evils of a protracted contest spared
to this country, to Europe, and to the world.

Mr. PRIESTMAN, from Bradford, seconded the
amendment, which Major-General THOMPSON, better
known as Colonel Peyronnet Thompson, once M.P.
for Bradford, also supported.
Mr. R. M. MILNES, M.P., made a vigorous speech
in support of the original resolution, and on the show
of hands the amendment was negatived, and the mo-
tion for vigorously prosecuting the war adopted by
an overwhelming majority.