The Express.
London, England, 1864-10-20 00:00:00

[Stamped, id. Additional.]

WED sres LEY, M.P., AND HIS CON-

01'ITITENT9.

KING'S LYNN, WIDDRIMAY Briars°.

To-day Lord Stanley, met the electors and
aow-elestors of this borough in the Town-hall, and addressed
Man at length upon public afar'. The MAYOR (Yr. W.
Heart), presided sad introduced the noble lord to the
merles, which was at first rarer thinly attended.
lead STANLEY, who was received with cheers, said, in the
aurae of his apse*, there were at this time four leading
questions in foreign affairs which are likely to occupy arm-
tice far some time to coma. Pint, there is the Atomism
war, as to which I think the duty of absolute neutrality is
plain ; so much so, that for say part I deal wish to violate
that morality, even to the extent of expressing sympathy
with one side or the other. I speak of it simply as as ob.
server, and if I were to venture a prediction, which
is always huardms, I should say that I me no
prospect of its early close. When two nations are worked
up to • pitch of mutual hatred, in which their own lanes
sew to affect them, if only they cm inert a pmter loss
epos the earay, nothing willswer them exempt utter
eshaostice of one or the other. The time for that be. not
yet some. Neither party, as I believe, is half beaten yet,
and am:inhere the determination which the North hen
shows, I think it likely, as I did three years ago, that with
its 400191010 superiority of form it will occupy sad orients
the whole territory of the South. The North may mimed
se far as to gratify its feeling of revenge sad its M. foe
sapeesesey ; but when it has dome that its political diflleal•
sin will begin- I cannot realise the manner in which • re-
pathos. community of 20,000,000 is to bold, sarietently
with he own prutriples of government, or indeed with any
' principles of government, another community of 6,000,000
or 7000.000 utterly disaffected to its own role. (Hear,
bear.) That is the reel perplexity of the Americas
future. As to the drain of men sod money, Ido Dot attach
much weMht to it. The overflow of Europe will fill up all
pips in the populatior, and although I should be lays&
equally sorry to be s es:Editor either of the North or of the
South, yet • emery with the sigma@ natural resources of
America cacaos be
iperniansitly ruined. All we can do—'
all we ought to do, sto let them light it out. We are sot
Is say way responsible for the war ; we did not make it or
advise it, and we know for certain that any offer of
Mb mediation would be repelled as an iamb, and
probably be seethed to interested motives, although our
smoire in the question, as the thing has tweed out, is
really more one of humanity than of sell-interest. I doubt
if we called into account the state of the cotton markets is
1860, and set against the cotton famine the opening of new
marker elsewhere sod the gain to India, whether we have
beta, on the whole, serious losers by this war. I
(Hem Mar.)
There is next the prelim of Italy ; and as to that think
we see oar way more clearly thaw we did two or
three years since. The hare people have undeniably
shown moderation and good sense under considerable diffi-
culties; sad they have their reward, for I think it is ins.
parrs to doubt 'that Rome, or at least the Boman
territory, will pass into other Made at no very distant date.
The whole srmagement with Prance emus to Ws—that
the Pope may bold his own if be can, his debts being mid
for him, and time being given him to organise an army of
his own. Now, eves 11 the Italian goverment were I
inclined to cheers that treaty strictly—end probably they
will rheum it only is the letter—they cannot prevent •
rising in Rome Itself, and the ,cannot prevent the pouring is
over the extended frostier , some, sod volunteers ;
sad then the question manias whethr any army which the
Pope am maintain on his own amonat, supported as be may
be indirectly by Austria and Spain, but not assisted by any
European state, will suffice so put down a rising. Ido not '
think we in England can easily understand the extreme M.
perm* which the Italians attach to the possession of what'
✓ an unhealthy sad deasying tows, possessing no
misalisz military sad commercial advantages, and
with nothing to recommend it except an historical ;
mine. But if they think it worth while on that
account to quarrel with the bulk of their clergy and their I
&droller (who form in Italy • powerful class), and so
isear the ill.will of the cialholie pewereo think the *hors
will be in their own heads ; at all events, they will not
have to wait a considerably long time. It is impossible that
they ear long maintain their army upon its present footing ;
they are at this moment spendiag 60 per mat. above their
, i 040410, sad the altereatre before them is plain—either to
di arm in pert and to adopt permanently a policy of peros,
or to involve themselves io a fresh war with Austria, the
issue of which would be exceedingly doubtful. Per my
own accepting Italy as a feet, sad wishing well to he
per end goveriment, I hope they will Mom the former
sad sot the letter comm. Most states desire to extend their
frostier, bat it is a bad bargain to do that at the mat of m-
ama bankruptcy ; and to accomplish this object they have
to cell in torero aid ; they might be expected to pay for
it es they did before, sad that would, I think, be • trams&
iron not very edifying on the score of political morality and
sot very esoducive to the maintenance of political 'tran-
quillity in Europe. (Hear, Mar.) There is another pert of
Europe in which we shall probably see groat champs before
long—l mesa Germany. It is clear that the clumsy scheme
of a German oosfederstioa has in practice broke. down,
and it is equally clear that the mutual rivalry of Austria
and Prager, to say nothing of the jealousy of foreign stare,
will make it impossible torah Germany to be mated for any
purpose,
.or is say meaner, sea Angle community. The
may alterative is that the smaller states should
unite among themselvs for purposes of mutual protection,
is which ere they would be deperient upon Francis to •
great egret, or that according to their geopaphisal posi-
tion and their political tendencies they should contact them-
selves, some with Austria and some with Prussia, so
as to be for diplomatic and military purposes
reetiailly seamed to three canaries. The latter alter-
Naive is, in my minim, the most likely me en be the result
witemed ; and is such (era &boatel, bops that England
will not interfere wee by her voice to prevent it. The
existence of thew petty Guars sovereignties is melees ;
they multiply, as we have seen, the risks of war ; they serve,
as far as Ime perceive, no single purpose, sad the
somber they disappear from the map of Europe the bettor,
in my judgment. (Hear, hear.) The fourth quartet of
which I spoke is that of the Feat. It does not pier at this
moment, sad therefore I shall Italy teach it in paring. 1
believe the Mathias up of the Turkish empire to be only
• question of time, sad probe* sot a very loos time. The
Turks hue played their part in history ; they have had their
day, sod that day is over ; and I coulees I do not understand,
except it be from the Jae mom of old diplomatic Podiatrist,
the determination of or older statesmen to stand by the
Turkish rule, whether right or wrong. I trek we are
making for ourselves ',emir of ruin which will
very boos become in Eastern countries dominant
nom and I think we are keeping beck countries by
whose improves:seer we, as the greatest traders
of the world, shell be the great gainers, sad that we ere
drag this foe so murky &drainage, either present or pros-
pective. I admit that England has an interest, and a very
strong one, in the neutrality of Egypt, and some interest
also, although to • lees extent, in Constantinople not falling
late the Mods of a great European power ; but them two
points eat ride, lan conceive no injury wiser to Great
Britain from any transfer of power which might affect
the Turkish empire ; and although this is not • practical
question at the present moment, I have • very strong idea
that before loos it will become so. The Noble lord thee
proceeded to speak on our colors' policy. He thought it
would be ere for the English government at once to stop
transportation to Wasters Australia. With oar fiscal policy
of the last few years he found no fault. But he believed
we ought in a year or two to be able to knock
' off from the navy estimates from • million to •
million aced a belf, and from our naval and
military departments two millions, and possibly more.
At Ceylon, Mauritius, the Cape, and New Zea the
garrisons ought to be much reduced. The whole subject of
lour African settlements needed inquiry ; we ought sot to
go brad, bat to keep clear of protectorates and alliances.
Our sesistanos to Canada ought to be made conditional upon
the colonists doing more for their own defence. He
looked forward to • relief from taxation in the next four
years to the extort of six or seven millions. The worst
tax beyond exceptiou that we had was that on fire lase-
MOOS, and if reduced to sixpence, as he thought should be
the case, in • few years he believed it would yield three
times as much. If we could reduce the lemma tax to half
its pretest amount, we might fairly be content. me
duties on corn, fruit, and timber would at Do very distant
date disappear. He maid not support a motion for the
total abolition of the malt tax. Consider (said the noble lord)
how the question stands. Yon would lose, by a total re-
peal of the malt tax, six millions, or nearly so, at one blow ;
and if my estimate of our present and farm liamicia
condition is correct, you would thereby cut yourselves
off from the possibility of dealing with any other tax,
or of relieving any other interest for several years to come.
(Hear, hear.) But them is more than that ; the loss does
not sod with that one tea. Yen would be obviously
diminishing to • great extent the rerun from spirits.
Probably also cheap beer would do something to lessen the
consumption of tea. It is • very moderate estimate to
allow for • lose in this indirect way of two or three millions
more ; and I do not see, looking at it from mother point of
view, how the duty on tee is to be permanently erased if
beer is to be wholly exempt. One r as much a poor ma's
luxury as the other, and certainly tea is, on the whole, the
more harming of the two, (Laughter and &pelages.) I
hold therefore that the conatry gentleness will act with
leas than their usual prudence and good seem if they
oessect themselves to • megaton for total npeel.
Reduction is another matter, and I dare my we may see in
I coarse of time 1.000,0001. or 2,000,0001. rhea off that duty,
bet to that case, as in that of the terser dorm I do sot
think the claim for remake is very urgent, sad eartaisly I
do not think it might to come before the laconic tax sad the
fire issuance duty. Ou them questions of demos the ge-
nera principle which we have to follow I think isobar. I
trek we ought he divide seek surpluses so we may have es
fairly en may he between embers of direst sad haler
rearm if we stick to that role I do ad apiesimil any

(TWOPENCE

very serious differences of opinion. There Is, I know, a school
of financiers who dears to sweep away all indirest taxation
whatever, making up the deficiency by direst tams co pro-
perty. Now my objection to that doctrine is that in the
t pleas it is utterly impracticable, the public won't have
it ; and in the watt phis it is utterly unjust. You would
be exempting in practice three-fourths of the nation from
all taxes, and throwing the whole of the burtheu upon the
remaining fourth. If these ideas should make any programs
in the public mind, 1 might Ms • mat deal more to may
about them ; but at present they are in the mature of spe-
entities only, and I think they will long remain so. (Haar.)
Now there is one question of great importance at al
times, bat one on which you will hardly expend me to
enter into details to-day—l mean that which relates to the
mission of the franchise. It is useless to Manua that
matter until we Into, whether anything is likely to be done
or attempted in that direction by the present cabinet. How
that may be I do not know, met possibly they themselves
do not. Bat Ido know ibis--that while • small measure
would not satisfy that party from whom the demand for
action preside, a large unsure swot be carried cut ex-
cept with a state of popular feeling very different from
that which exists at present. It Is quite idle to think
that where the whole questa° in dispute is the transfer
of power from nee class to another, you can
settle the matter after a little [riser.), discussion
is a way which will satisfy everybody. Any man who
expects that will be disappointed. There are many
persons here who reatssiber Ma. At that time the whole
middle mod lower clams, with the exception of a small
minsirry, were on as side, sad on the other there were
only a few hundred pores, interested in the maintenance
of the roam bieweghs. Yet you all remember that the bill
of 1839 was not wiled without • straggle whisk *Wed
the country from me sad to the other. It is not the
upper it is the middle class, the owners of the greater part
of the propirty of the country, sad by far the moot power-
ful bless in it, which DISIVISC4 political supremacy at the
' present day. They ere not likely to part with it of their
own fres will—et hest if they do it will be a fact new in the
I history of the country--and I sae no such movement on the
part of the working classes which would be likely to
overbear the metopes which might be expected. I doe't
think the conservative party have anything to reproach
themselves with on that subject. They were expected by
parliament and the pathle to make, in 185ti-9, some pro-
pels' which shook be in the nature of • com-
promise. They made it; they failed; they withdrew from
power. Their nocessors made a similar attempt ; they
failed also, and they have stayed where they were. (Cheery
led laughter.) Now, my opinions on this question are
three which I held in ; but if it is to be dealt with at
all it cannot be settled without • diosolutioc of parliament,
sad therefore any pastas who wish to have from toe a
detailed explanation of what I should or what I should
not support will be perfectly sure to have his opportunity.
(Hear, bear.) Bat it dose not follow, even if the whole
quails be ISt untouched, that parliament need be idle.
We have a vast mama of miscellaneous work on hand,
quite sudsiest to soupy our attention for many years to
coma. Our law, after modern reforms, perhaps the most
cumbrous and complicated in Europe, requires to be con-
solidated and amplified. That is • process involv-
ing, no doubt, labour at the hands of graces to
wham parliament may entrust it ; but, otherwime,
she ask is not especially difficult. We have
that eatmerdinary of purchased commierious in
the army which I to sea done away with,
at least so far as regards the grades. (Hear, hear.)
Ws have the question of parish or union rating for poor-
law purposes, toed connected with it is that intricate pro-
blem the law of settlement. We know that the adminis-
tration of oar public charities is faulty, and I cannot coll-
ative • better investment of tins sad labour than would
he a parliamentary inquiry into at least the chief of them,
with • view to utillae the east funds at their disposal.
(Hear, hear.) We has a relieving system which satisfies
nobody, sad the reform of which was recommended by •
committee of the Hones of Cosmons ton yeas Mom la
Ireland and Scotland the laws which regulate are
is • state only fit for • barbarous country. (Hear, .)
It cannot timid that whet is called the private legislation
of parliament is in • condition altogether satisfactory,
although, as I frankly admit, it is easier to say that than to
suggest a remedy. (Hear, hear.) Than oar past
laws want awaiting, it the privilege of granting patents
for inventions is to be reamed ; and that itself ie • question
for very serious dimension. A commission has bees issued,
upon which 1 bayethe hosour to sit, to inquire into the
laws relating to capital punishment, and whatever opinions
may exist as to the limits within which such punishment
shall be indicted, I think almost every one egress as to the
isonvenissoce of hay* sass tried over spun in private at
the Home-office, after they have been publicly tried by •
judge and jury. (Hear, bear.) Well, I might go on almost
oadediattely with a list of questions which require to be
dealt wither demand, but them I have meutiooed are
eosin as • sample. You me there is plenty of
work which yes may put upon us, and I only wish
that you, the oesetitasacies, would look a little
more sharply miter us, and make sure that we de it.
(Laughter and cheers.) Idleness, is Dot conservatism—(bear,
bear)—econamy red administrative impiovemest are quite
s mach the interest of those classes whose principles and
associations make them conservative as of sny ether ; and
if, es I believe, the country does not desire oegasie Mange,
it as little wiabes foe • state of utter lethargy ad devo-
tion. Regulated activity disarms agitation ; apathy and
whoa create It. (Cheers.) Now, gentlemen, you will be
glad to hear that I as drawing to • close of what his
**anomaly been a very long survey. (Cheers.) lam not
bred of long speeches; my only excites moat be that the
ground to be gone over is extensive, and that, in view
of an electioe, sad probably of • contest, I did not wish
any voter in this tows to may that be had hem
deluded or left in the dark an to the opinions of his rip
plesstalave. (Cheers.) There are two classes of eubjents
which I have loft untouched—thole relating to ladle,
which I fear I could hardly make interesting, and
not intelligible, to gentlernea who only beer of them for
first time; sod questions of an selesisatical character, with
regard to which, although there may be a good deal of talk,
it does not seem to me parliament is disposed to take
any active step. Bat ea these, se indeed any other matter
within my power, I shall be glad to answer any cpastiose
that (may be put to me. (Hear, hear.) Party politica as
you know, Ido not deal in upon these osseous. (Cheers.)
In the Home of Osintose if a man webs tu do anything ill
i. almost inevitable that he must act with • paitiail party ;
but Como has never been a time in my me-
mory when party spirit had so little life in it.
The sass, I believe, is that between moderate
inewervativio sod moderate liberals the difference are alight,
sad those who represent extreme opinions on either side
were never fewer, and never exiwased lees Influence than at
pressat (Hear.) There may be au sztreras tory party,
though I never saw oss, nor do I know what its rules are.
There is so doubt a derniLautie party, but it numben bat a
small minority of the House of Commas ; all between re-
preset shades of opioios which imperceptibly merge into
one another, the most ressomble one in my opinion being
`spirally found near the middle. (Hear, bear, and
laughter.) That is • state of things which is em-
barrassag to many people, but as far as I can
see it is not injurious to the country. It may
be that those who are now in what is called swaths ma
be called upon to take their turn of pow... If they are, I
hope sad believe that they will use it wisely. But one
ad-
vantage lam afraid they will not have—l greatly doubt
whether they will be treated with se much pesos and as
much forbearance as during the last few years has been
exhibited by them to their rivals. (Cheers.) But who-
ever may administer affairs, it is °pram which peens.
Opinion is the stream—sod politicians, with all respect to
them, are the strews which Boat upon it. It is opinion
which governs, and I bars that opinion in Lapsed
was Dever mors moderate than now in regard to
home affairs, and never more resolute as to the
menisci's* of pesos abroad • never more willing to deal
with practical and posed abuses, but never less inclined to
sidervalue the wefts of the system under which we live.
(Cheers.) And now coos more let we apologies for this long
address ; let me thank you for the kindness at your radon-
, tioo ; and let me express • hope that the political tie which
now connects us may lour remain unbroken. (Cheers.)
Broken by my fault I hope it may not be ; broths by my
choice I assure you it never shall be. (loud cheers.)
Thanks to the mayor and three chess for the noble lord
closed the meeting.

CITY OF LONDON COLLDOZ, 52, LILA DENNALL-
onrsr.—Tbis 'vetting. Mr. O'Dell Travers Hill will lecture
• " Fast Life ; or Aspects of the lea." The chair will be
Wee at 8 p.m. by Mr. C. W. Price, one of the vicieprest.
deals of the eon's*. On Thursday last the 1t.,. Charles
Houten, M.A., delivered a lecture on "Heraldry, Historical
end Popular," in the hall ef the City of Loudoo College,
before a very crowded audience, who listened with the
utmost attendees to • very able wed istereetleg docceirm.
The platform was surrousided by a profusioe of interesting
and attractive illuatratioes of the science. as the rev. lectuier
was pleased to term it. The lecture was brought tea close,
at a late boar, by the exploitation of the origin of the cost
of arms of the royal family. Coostant rounds of applause
peeved the interest of the audience donee the whole evening.
The chairman (Mr. Richard Divisible. of Aldermanbury)
having Hooked Mr. Houten in a few appropriate terms, the
howoesry secretary (the Rev. J. Haskell) mimed a similar
compliment to the charms., remarking that without the
support of the City nierolian ta the college cannot be expected
to prosper. Eleven hundred young men from the mercantile
sad hankies firms and wholesale warehouse, of the City
lam already eieraibd themselves as members, and this
term bids fair to surpass all it. prisdoessoon.
Madame Ragou (the wife of M. Adolphe Ragan, the French
professor at the City of Lando, College sad several other
public imtitetioas) has just resumed her ladies' ;dames for
the study of the French language and literature. The
clews meet weekly for two hours, under the patroriage of
the meet ialleential families, who testify to the importunes
of each re-unions by their continued support. Coo sem-
Hemel meetings are also held every week, when the method
pursued is to dieser, io the Frisch longue, the most Is-
terestiag leper of Ye day.