The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-06-14 00:00:00

FRIDAY.

CLOSING DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS.
DEFEAT OF MINISTERS.

The adjourned debate on the Address was resumed by
Mr. M. Giesox, who observed that, in his opinion,
this question had been forced upon the House by the
course taken by the Executive Government in dissolving
Parliament on • pure question of political confidence in
the advisers of the Crown. He felt, therefore, that he
was not an attacking party, but that he only answered
• challenge thrown down by the Governinent. The
House hail been told that the dissolution was a neces-
sity, because the Government could not carry their
measures. Its object, therefore, was to increase the
Conservative element in the House, no as to carry
measures; of a more Conservative character, and, as far
AS possible, to extinguish the Liberal party. How,
then, could Liberal,' vote einifidenee in A party who AO
acted After some strictures upon the exercise of
Government inlluesice at elections generally, and draw-
ing attention to circumstances ected with the last
election for Berwick, which, he thought, called for ex-
planation, he avowed his distrust of the vague profes-
sions of the Government on the subject of Rehinn. He
could nit vote confidence in them, he said, on that
g 4, nor upon that of religious euinuslity and freedom ,
of conecietice. On the important question if neutrality
he dii not eliarge the G is ernment with a direct desire
to support by pitent aids either .hle in the war now I
going on ; hut lie w la of opinion that it had, at least,
Asietrina sympathies, and the question Was whether. in I
such circumstance., there «ell I Ile All honest neutrality
on their part. He should wait for the proulhe.l paper*
before he determined whether the Gilve lit were
neutral or not, though experience told him th.it such
documents were not always to be relied upon. He did
not charge the (love 11111 l mit with not having prevented
the war, which had arisen frau' the necesaities of the I
position, from the unfortunate state in which the Italian '
subjects of Austria haul been left. Believing that he I
should best promote the cause of Reform by voting for
the amendment, he should give it his hearty support.
Mr. Idemor said he felt, as an advocate of Reform,
that lie elluuld heat perform Ilia duty to his Liberal con-
stituents by voting against the amendment.
Mr. S. IllEeliEltr, said his refusal of couifidence in the
ministers was founded upon home transactions. Ile
thought Lord 31alinesbury had done his best in difficult
circumstances, and that lie hail been treated with great
injustice especially by his friends.
brought
3r.
Mr.
iliEe:4xeNrairs& oEvuplsed
oioußretlia a
,iiiednitomidtiiimicent.
charge
by Mr. S. Fitzgerald against the foreign policy of Lord
Palmerston in 1848, which, he contended, had been one
of strict neutrality ; whereas there was, Ile sail, smile
colour for the suppisition that the present 3linisters had
a leaning towards Austria, which hail hung like a cloud
over Italy, and had hero the indirect Cause of the lore-
sent war. Still, we could have no sympathy with Sal--
dinia, so that neutrality could be easily maintained, un-
less, indeed, matters were complicated by an invasion of
Germany.
Captain VERNON, with respect to the amendment,
characterised it as a desperate attempt on the part of
certain gentlemen, who hail been cooling their heels,
once more to get IWO:SS to a warm Treasury fire.
Mr. LEATHAR, with very great rehictance, felt it his
duty to vote against Her Majesty's Ministers, who haul,
in his opinion, failed as practical statesmen, especially
in the matter of militical reforin.
Sir G. LEWIS fully admitted that the amendment was
one of an unusual mid extraordinary nature ; but it had
been forced on the Oppoeition by the conduct of the
Government. Ile reviewed the domestic policy of the
Government, and oliserviel that all the financial calcula-
tions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer hail been fal-
sified.
Sir J. PAKINOTON remarked that the fault of the
Government was that their places were wanted by the
other aide ; that was the real question, and those who
raised it had • right to do SO. After justifying himself
ins personal matter referred to by Mr. S. Herbert, lie
primeedeil to discuss the charges made against the Minis-
ters, that they had failed in their legislation and in their
foreign policy. in speaking of the defences of the
country, Sir John taunted the other side with their
silence as to the 'date in which the late Government had
left the Royal Navy. At the time when Lord Derby's
Administration acceded to office the effective strength of
the Royal Navy was reduced to • point it had never
reached before, and he honed it would never reach
again. There were only 23 effective line-of-battle ships.
The present Government had directed their best ener-
gies to redress than state of things; at this moment we
had 40 effective line-of-battle ships, and at the end of
the financial year there would be 50. He enumerated
other measures of maritime defence, and asked whether
it was for this they were not to be trusted. If they
were condemneil by a triumphant faction, was it ex-
pected that the country would ratify the sentence!
lie insisted, was the true issue ; common mitre and
public feeling would not suffer it to be placed on other
grounds.
Imrd J. Itraart.lL said the Ministers of the Crown
having advised the Sovereign to dissolve Parliament at a
critical time, in order to ascertain whether they had or ,
had not the confidence of that House, that was the ,
question now before it; yet Sir J. Pakington hail stig-
inatised those who proposed it as a " faction." He
cheracterinel the Government Reform Bill as a measure !
whiell would have very muck diminished the popular
strength in the constituency. With much plausible
appearance, he believed, he said, that in ten years it
would have gone very far to repeal the Reform Act,
and he rejoiced in having ulefeutted it. He r,mmii.eiimned
the dissolution, maintaining that on the showing of
Minieters themselves Aillee the iliseibition there was no
excuse for it; 3101 that it was their duty to have
aecepted the amendments of their Bill, end not to have
dissolve.' Parliament. In regard to their foreign policy
he took for granted, he eaid, that the Government hail
made sincere efforts to prevent the outbreak of war, and
be thought no Government might have been able to
preserve peace. In noticium the charge hrought by Mr.
Whiteside against Lord Palmerston's Italian policy in
12148, Lord John explained the circumstances connected
with the proposal that Lombardy should be given up
by Austria. and took occasion to condemn in strong
terms the transfer of Venice to that Power by the treaty
of Campo Fortino, which lie conaidered as only second
in infamy to the partition of Poland. The whole policy
of Austria had been directed to the government of all
Italy. Still. Sardinia had not been justified in what
she -had done, and the question was what coigne this
country ought to pursue. Every body was for neutrality;
but he had no confidence in the present Government
that they would be able to maintain a neutral position.
His belief was that they were not disposed to keep up
that intimate alliance with France on which our influence
with France depended. This country had not that
weight in the councils of Europe which it ought to have,
and, with the view of giving it ite proper weight, he
was ready to vote a want of confidence in the present
Ministers.
Mr. ROEBUCK opposed the amendment. With reference
to the question of Reform, he was justified in saying
that Lord Palmerston was no Reformer, and he was lure
that be and Lord J. Russell would differ on that qua.

tion, and if they did not differ the If ooze of Lords wool'
resist their Bill.

The SOLICIToR-GENERM., after a satirical analysis o
the argutuents in support uf tle amendment. JUlti a repl:
to charges preferred against certain of the Covenantor
measures, defended the late di,solittion, which had berm
denounced by Lord Palmertiton as unwise and reckless,
but which Mr. Bright had declared to have bet n • wise
course. fie then passed some severe strictures upon the
Carlisle accusations, vindicating Lord Malmesbury from
one of them, and blaming tt,ir J. Graham for carelessly
making a statement so scrim:sly affecting the penanal
honour of a Minister of the Crown. Upon the subject
of the foreign policy of the Govennnetit lie gave a dia.
tinct denial to statements on the other side. The Go-
vernment believed that they had, under circumstances of
great disadvantage, conducted the internal affairs of the
country not without ability or success ; that their
foreign policy could alone preserve to it the blessings of
peace, render it unassailable or not likely to be a.ssailed,
and secure those blessings to other States; and they
believed that this policy would be marred and thwarted
by the transfer of power at thus moment to the han.ls of
the party opposite.
Upon • division, the numbers were as follow;
For the amendment . .
Against it ... ••• :tit)

Majority for the amendment
The motion for the Address, thus amended, as then
agreed to.
The House. after Nome further bu.ineu, adjourtmd at
hall•past 2 o'clock until 12 o'clock Saturday.