The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-03 00:00:00

962

as it has healed up, and now I only require to recruit my
strength to be tit for dury. This 1 hope to be in a week
or two. Wounds on the head, they say, tell en one some
time after they are healed, and, as the sun is not to be
resisted at any time, I fun afraid I shall not be allowed to
try the effects of it for some time yet. if these horrid
carabineers had only charged, the " sowers " would have
caught it in style. Our cavalry, I am sorry to say, have
not distinguished themselves, though they have had some
good opportunities, but newer one like that morning. They
would hare got these fellows in flank, and sent them to
awful grief, instead of which they bolted (cowardly
hounds), leaving not only me and my guns to look after
ourselves, but their officers also, who shouted to them to
oharge.—Your affectionate brother,

J. HILLS.

MR. DISRAELI ON THE INDIAN CRISIS.
THE twenty-fifth anniversary of the Royal Bucks
Agricultural Association was celebrated at Newport
Paguell on Wednesday. On this occasion Mr.
Disraeli was the only one of the three county mem-
bers present. Upwards of 150 gentlemen, however,
sat down to dinner, and were presided over by Mr.
I'. D. P. Duncombe. The usual loyal and patriotic
toasts having been duly honoured, and the prizes
formally awarded,

Mr. DAUNCS proposed " The Health of the County
Members," taking occasion to eulogise the foresisdit
and sagacity displayed by Mr. Disraeli in regard to
the Indian mutiny, and also to animadvert on the
levity of Ministers quitting their posts to indulge in
autumnal sports at so critical a conjuncture.

The toast was received with enthusiasm.
Mr. DISIUELI, who was greeted with loud ap-
plause, said

Gentlemen, I beg to express to you, on behalf of my
colleagues and myself, our grateful sense of the honour you
have conferred upon us. Although Mr. Caveudish and
Mr. Du Pre are absent on this occasion, I can assure you
—if there be any need of such an assurance—that when-
ever the interests of the county of Buckingham are con-
cerned, no feeling of party politics or party connection
exists between us, and that we work together with one
sentiment and cue object—viz., to promote your interests,
and to guard your rights and privileges. (Hear, hear.)
When we met some short time ago in this town, and,
indeed, in this room, the prospects of the harvest, though
looking favourable, were still uncertain. It is a great
source of satisfaction to me to appear among you again
to-day, and to be able to congratulate you that, by the
blessing of Providence, you have gathered a harvest
which has seldom been rivalled for its exuberance and
its wealth. Indeed, I think I may say without exag-
geration that the general condition of our county, front
the extreme north to the extrewe south, is now one of
great prosperity. It cannot be denied that, during those
years iu which this society has been in existence, there
has been a considerable improvement in the cultivation
of the soil of this county. Of course, I am far from
attributing that great result to the operations of this
institution, which, although always useful, have neces-
sarily been but limited in extent. Of late years, other
societies have arisen in this district with similar objects,
and at tittles there has been—l think most unwisely—
a feeling of jealousy among the supporters of the older
institution. For my own part, I have never shared in
that sentiment, but, on the contrary, have always felt
that the more these societies were encouraged the more
advantageous it would be for the county. It must be a
source of great gratification to us to have at this board
one so much entitled to our respect, not only fur his
personal character, but for the credit which his unri-
valled herd and his success as a cultivator generally
have brought upon the agriculture of this county, as my
friend Mr. ]Jaunty, who is in a few days to preside over
the festival of a society which was once thought to be
arrayed in hostility to the institution the anniversary of
which we are now celebrating.
Gentlemen, I hardly know that I should have ventured
to allude to any other topic were it not felt, I think, by
almost every one that at this moment no body of English-
:wet can meet without making some slight reference to the
I imentable state of affairs which is now presented in our
Eastern dominions: and, indeed, my hon. friend Mr. Dauney,
than whom no one is more strict, rightly strict, in prevent-
ing any admixture, however alight, of party politics in
these agricultural assemblages—a principle which I always
wihold—has himself set me an example by what I ant
sere was his irresistible allusion to the circumstances in
which the country is now placed. On that subject, there-
fore, I shall take the liberty of making one or two brief
observations.
Remembering how very recently we were assembled in
this chamber—only five months ago—it is impossible fur
me to forget that since that time one of the greatest cals.
mities that ever befel this empire has unhappily come
u;ion us. This is certainly not a fitting occasion on which
St enter into the causes of these great disasters, or to in -
q tire who are the individuals upon whom the responsi-
bility for them must ultimately rest. But I think there
are two considerations which cannot at such a moment be
absent from the minds of Englishmen. In the breast of
e:ery man there must now exist a feeling of profound
armpathy for those of our fellow-subjects in India whose
sufferings having dimmed every eye and pained every heart
i i the kingdom. And there must be equally present in
every mind an anxiety that the Government should at this
crisis tale those steps which may be ade mate to the
'casion to vindicate our empire and maintain our glory.
(Cheers.)