The Press.
London, England, 1856-11-29 00:00:00

Volitual.

A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Monday at the
official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury,
in Downing-street. The Ministers present were
Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, the Mar•
quis of Landsdowne, the Earl of Harrowby, Sir
George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary
Labouchere, Lord Panmure, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer Sir, Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R.
Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the
Right Hon. M. T. Baines.

HIS EXCELLENCY M. DE PERSIONY held a long in-
terview with the Earl of Clarendon, at the Foreign
office, on Monday.

THE AIARQUIS TOWNSHEND, SIR ROBERT
PEEL, AND SIR CHARLES NAPIER.
A DINNER was given last week to Mr. Francis
Hunter, of Tamworth, in acknowledgment of the
manner in which he had discharged the duties of the
mayoralty during the municipal year just ended.
The Marquis Townshend, Sir Robert Peel, and Vis-
count Raynham were present.
The toast of " The Army and Navy" was acknow-
ledged by the Marquis Townshend. He observed
that so much had been lately said sbout the navy as
to compel him to say something in its defence :
There was no doubt gentlemen present who were wit-
nesses of the splendid display of naval strength which took
place a short time since. A finer fleet never put to sea
But it had been said that, though the ships were all tha-
could be wished for, the men were inefficient and wanting
in those qualities which seamen ought to possess. He
regretted to say that this language was used by the com-
mander-in-chief of that fleet. Though that gentleman was
an old friend of his, he could not help saying that he did
not believe the statement. He could ocly excuse Sir
Charles Napier on the ground that in a time of war he
made use of the expression as a ruse de guerre to bring the
Russians out fn.rn behind their batteries; but to hear him
make use of it when peace was declared could only be the
result of the squabble which he had had with the Admi-
ralty. It was hard, however, that the navy should suffer
from any such discussion. It had been said of Sir Charles
Napier that he was wanting in discretion. He ( the noble
marquis) agreed with that; but no one could say he was
wanting in the discretion which was "the better part of
valour." There was not a more gallant man in the service;
and he regretted to have heard Sir Robert Peel, in a
speech at Stafford not long ago, make use of words which
were quite uncalled for, and entirely out of place ; con-
sidering the situation he filled at that time as a member of
the Admiralty, he ought to have been the last to say a
word against any man who might be said to be at the top
of the service. He was the more free to say this because
he knew that the hon. baronet,—than whom no man pos.
Reseed more kind and generous feelings—could not but
regret that he had wounded the feelings of one who had
spent his life in serving his country, and whose name was
covered with renown, though in latter days he certainly
bad disappointed the hopes of his country by not bringing
about an action with the Russians. He (the noble mar-
quis) knew that Sir Charles had felt it deeply as a slur
cast upon his character, the more especially as be felt that
Sir Robert Peel might be speaking not only his own senti-
ments, but those of the board to which he belonged. He
was in a state of extreme pain at that moment: and he
had written to the Grand Duke Constantine, and also to
the French admiral, to know whether the statement of
Sir Robert Peel was or was not correct.
Sir R. PEEL, in reply for the health of the
members of the borough, alluded to the question of
the French alliance :
It had been a question seriously mooted of late whether
this alliance was likely to continue. It was his opinion
that the alliance with France had been productive of great
good, and would yet be productive of great good for the
civilisation of the world ; but let any alliance with any
country perish rather than that, as Englishmen, we should
sacrifice anything fundamentally connected with our rights
and liberties.
Sir Robert Peel next touched upon the Neapolitan
question :
All knew that recently a very serious step had been
taken by the Government of this country in ceasing to
hold diplomatic relations with the Government of Naples.
It was said that now there were some concessions to be

SATURDAY,

made. But, however this might be, he, like the country
at large, was in entire ignorance of the causes which had
led to that withdrawal. He thought, however, that when
we, in conjunction with a Government like that of France
made advances for the purpose of mitigating certain evils,
and from some cause or other which had not been ex-
plained retraced our steps—when this country found that
the Beet destined for Naples had not proceeded to its
destination, though immediately afterwards our diplomatic
representatives were withdrawn—every one must feel, as
he did, that the causes which led to this ought to be ex-
plained.

He then came to the Sir Charles Napier dispute :
Of course he had as much right to express his opinion
about any public man as the noble marquis had claimed
for himself that night, for he should not be the indepen-
dent representative of an independent constituency if he
were forbidden to give free expression to the sentiments
he entertained on any public question. The noble
marquis had been pleased to say of him that be had
behaved in a most unseemly manner in speaking of the
conduct of the gallant admiral of the Baltic fleet. He
had said that though that admiral had disappointed the
expectations of the service, it was most ungenerous,
unfair, and improper on his (the hon. baronet's) part,
as representing the Admiralty on the occasion in
question, to make use of the observations he did. But
he must submit that, as member for that borough, he
was not amenable to what might be the sentiments of the
noble marquis.

The Marquis TOWSSLIEND: You said it at Staf-
ford; not here.

Sir R. PEEL, in resuming, said :

There could be no doubt that the noble marquis made
allusion to the subject as bearing on the estimati in in
which his conduct at Stafford might be viewed by his
constituents. (" No," from the marquis.' That was the
direct and apparent meaning of the words he used.
(" No.") The noble marquis said it was not his inten-
tion. Well, the words were certainly exceedingly strong,
and were such as it was improper for the noble marquis to
use before his ,the him. baronet's) constituents, with
whom the noble marquis bad nothing to do, and to whom
he (Sir Robert Peel) was alone amenable. The noble
marquis might feel very strongly, but so did he, and so
did every man in that room ; and it would have been base
in him, if, knowing this, he had been afraid to say so.
More than this, he knew that the sentiments he had
uttered were shared in by some of the highest authorities
in the country; and, since the tneetirg at Stafford, the
very highest authority in the country had written to him
a letter approving of what he had said, and stating that the
conduct of Admiral Napier was most unwarrantable.
But, while on this subject, he begged to utter his most
indignant protest against the exertions which were being
made by the gallant admiral—whose failing intellect and
shattered nerves made the effort even more deplorable—to
lower the character of the British sailor by pandering to
the power, and endeavouring to lend a helping hand to ad-
vance the prestige, of our recent enemy. That was con-
duct unworthy of any man, and especially one who held
such a high position in the service of the country as did
Sir Charles Napier. He was sure the noble marquis
would endorse that sentiment.

The hon. barcnet then concluded by thanking his
constituents for the support they had given him.
The Marquis TOWNSELEND begged to be allowed to
say one word :
All he had inteneed to say was that he regretted to see a
person holding the situation the hon. baronet did giving
utterance in a public assembly to things which ought to
form the subject of a court-martial, and he certainly did
think they came with a very bad grace from the hon.
baronet, he being one of the Admiralty. In respect to Sir
Charles Napier, he admitted that be had to a great extent
disappointed the country, which might have expected too
much; but after all that had occurred in the House of
Commons it did seem as if a great deal too much had been
said, and he (the noble marquis) felt for the painful posi•
tionlin which Napier was placed. Being intimate with
him, he had told him from the beginning what a scrape he
would get into. If he had remained quiet nothing would
probably have been said except that the country would
have regretted that a man in whom they had confidence
had done nothing at all. But it was that unfortunate
cacuithes seribendi with which he was afilicted—the
eternal love of talking—that perpetual hatred of leaving.
anything quiet, which had been Sir Charles's worst enemy.
He (the noble marquis) was not defending him. He
thought he was to blame in iwt letting the Admiralty know
sooner what was to be done. He allowed months to pass
by, and then simply said, " If you had sent me out so and
so I could have done so and so." He had brought the
storm entirely on himself. But let him remain quiet for
the rest of his days, and get over the unfortunate mistake
he had made.

The noble marquis, in conclusion, expressed his.
regret that Sir Robert Peel had taken up the matter
in the way he had done, as he bad no intention
whatever to depreciate him in the estimation of his.
constituents, which, indeed, he felt sure it was in no
one's power to do.
Viscount RAYNRAM later in the evening delivered a
speech, in which he acknowledged his unbounded
admiration of the foreign policy of Lord Palmerston,
justified the interference of England and France in
the affairs of Naples, and expressed his confident
belief that if the dark shadows now visible on the
political horizon did involve us in another war,
England would be as willing as ever to put her
fortunes into the hands of the noble lord the mem-
ber for Tiverton.