The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-05 00:00:00

HALIFAX ELECTION.

HALIFAX, SATURDAY Evanixo.
The re•eleotion of Sir Charles Wood, consequent
on his removal from the India Boma to the post of First
Lord of the Admiralty, took place to-day. At eleven
o'clock about 2,000 persons assembled in the area of the

Piece-hell, and B.r Charles, the Mayor (who officiated so
returning officer), and a large party of the hon. baronet's
leading political supporters, shortly afterwards arrived.
There being no eppoaition, the proceedings were almost
formal la their character, and wars conducted amidst •
storm of rain.

Mr Jen* CamLiT proposed Sir Charles Wood as a St
sod proper person to represent the borough in the Rouse of
Commons, remarking that this would be the 9th time Sir
Charms had been returned as member for Habra:, for
which he had now sat for a period of 22 years, without inter-
albumin.

Mr. Aid. J. BALDWIN seconded the =ruination; and no
other gentleman having been proposed,
The MAYOR declared the Right Hon. Sir Charles Wood
duly elected. (Great cheering.)
Sir C1iA21.113 Woon then come forward, amidst reiterated
cheers, and said—Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, it is now my
pleasing duty to return you thinks for the honour which you
have done me, and I assure you from the bottom of my
heart, that in my opinion a higher honour cannot be coo-
leered on a B •• h subject. (dear, beer.) I well remem-
r the pride with which two and twenty years ego (as Mr.
Croseley hes told you) I was first returnsu one of the RlND-
bets fur an important town in my native (musty. But you
may well believe bow much that pride is increased when
for two and twenty 3ears I have received such repeated
proofs of your continued kindness, and now, for the ninth
time, I am returned a member of parliament for Halifax.
(Applause.) lam the more proud on the present occasion,
because I was more than usually anxious for this proof of
your approbation. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I need only
advert shortly to the circumstances which have led to m
now appearing before you. You are well aware that Loa
Aberdeen's government resigned in consequence of a vote of 1
•be Haase of Commons. You are also aware that Lord
Derby. to whom her Majesty applied to form • government,
tailed in doing so. He applied to Lord Palmerston, the
head of the present government, to Mr. Gladstone and Mr.
Herbert, to join him ; and on their refusal he did not feel
sufficient confidence in the members of his own party alone
to propose them as a sufficient government for the ouuntry.
Lord John Russell was requested to form a government, and
ne too failed; and her Majesty then empowered Lord Pal-
merston to form • government, as almost the last resource,
lest we should be left without a government at all.
(Laughter, and Hear, hear.) That government was formed,
hut ales! within ten days of its formation, three of its
most important members retired ; and I cannot
hut say that in the post of Chancellor of the
Exchequer arid in that post to which I have since been
celled (he Admiralty) I. feel that both Sir Jamas Graham
and Mr. Gladetooe had most efficiently discharged the duties
of their =Eon. Nor ems I avoid adding that I consider it a
great evil that they have considered it their duty to leave
their posts. (Hear, hear) But in these circumstances Lad
Pitlenentun, however difficult his task might be, did not
shrink from what he considered to be his duty to his Queen
and country—to endeavour to form a government (the hest
!hat he could) to carry on in the present difficult state of
public affairs, and to promote the sacred and brit interests
.1 the country. (Hear, hear.) In that government he
called upon me to take the pest which was vacated by Sir
James Graham. Gentlemen, if I hod wholly consulted my
own wisher' and inclination,' I should have declined that
offer. I have filled for the last two years, es Mr.
Crossley has told you, no unimportant post in the
government, connected with the administration of
as immense empire, comprising nearly 160,000,0001
of people. I had carried terough • great muslin of
reform in the government of that empire; I had put for-
ward many measures for the improvement of the internal
administration of that empire, for the education of its
people, for the development of its trade, for the extension of i
public works, and fur the formation and increase of rail-
ways; and you will readily believe that I was naturally
anxious to watch over the execution of these measures,
which, or,.ered from home, depend theleu for their
success NI a great measure upon their proper execution
there. (Hear, bear) It was, I think, natural I should
wish to perfect and watch over the welfare of, I may say,
my own children. (Hear, hear.) But I was called upon
to do what I believed to be my duty. Lord Palmerston
and my colleagues thought it advisable I should un-
dertake the ,barge of a departmeat most important
at all times, but above all, in a time of war, when it is more
important than any other—namely, the direttioa of the
naval resources and the naval expedition' of this country.
(Hear, bear.) It was not • matter of business with which I
was unacquainted, having for some four or five years occu-
pied the post of Secretary to the Admiralty ; and I thought
that, under such circumstances, I was not justified
in consulting my own wishes, ease, and inclination, by re-
maining in the post where I was, and declining that
wherein my colleagues thought my services would be more
useful. 1 never have, from any personal considerations,
declined to do that which I believed to be my duty. (Hear,
hear.) I felt that I was a public servant ; as such you
have trusted me—as such you have sent me to parliament
and I believe you would think I old wrong if I declined
to do that which I was called upon by my sovereign to un-
dertake. (Hear, hear) Gentlemen, I was =ma-
lieg to put you to the trouble of an elastics;
but I had confidence in you, that if you believed I wee
doing my duty you would approve and sanction that mane
by approbation. For this reason I felt anxious about the
result of the election. And, gentlemen, I am more than
usually proud of the honour of being returned by you to
parliament from the circumstances under which I am now
so returned. I am most grateful to you for this renesed
proof of your oonadenco. I thank thou of my friends on
whose support I felt that I might entirely rely; and I owe
my thanks also is those who on former occasions have been
my opponents, bat who on the present occasion have thought
proper to bury party differences, and for • public object, I
believe, to concur in my return at the present time. (Ap-
plause.) To one and all of the electors of Halifax I return
my moat grateful thanks ;.and I promise you now, not elec-
tors alone, but non electors also, that I will 1101•0
from that course which has won for me your generous
confidence. (Applause.) While I endeavour to protect and
advance the interests of the country, I will not forget this
town and neighbourhood, and the claims which its inhabi-
tants have upon me. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I have so
fully, at a former meeting this week, explained my opinions
upon the topics of the day that I will not now occupy you
time at length to-day. Gentlemen, I am glad to believe,
from what has been received very recently, that the state
of our gallant army in the t rimes is fast improving.
(Cheers.) They have received assistance, comforts, and
the means of protecting themselves from the weather and
disease—comforts se d assistance rendered them by the
country and by the bounty of their grateful fellow-ciliates.
(Applause.) By the kindness of their fellow-countrymen
they have received the means of improving their coadition.
Their spirit of gallantry had n fsil.d. (Loud applause.)
Sad and grievous u the sufferings of our soldien have been,
they have borne up under them with a gallantry
which, lam sure, we
gallantry and bravery which they exhibited in the field have
been more than equalled by the patieacts and endurance
ander which they_ have all barge up under calamities even
more crying to Ibt courage then 'steal warfare, because
while it possesses all the danger and suffering of the battle-
field, it is devoid of its ezeitement. (Hear, hear.) The
Mayor has alluded to a circumstance, intelligence of which
was received last night, which cannot but be productive of
temmiderable influence on the affairs of Europe. It is (titl-
ark to epaulets on what may happen in consequence of the
death of the Emperor of Russia; and God for bid that we
should rejoice at any man being suddenly called away from
this world. Bat if ever the ealamities of war had to be
attributed to the will of one man, the present war, with ell
its fatal consequences, is to be attributed to the over-1
weaning ambition of the Emperor of Russia. (Hear, hear.)
It wee necessary for the rest of Europe to combine in resist-
ing his promote of aggrandisement, which threatened the
liberty and independence of his neighbours, and which
would have put him, if successful, in • position to exercise
• preponderance over the affairs of Europe. (Heu, hear.)
That aggrandisement it was necessary to resist; and until
that meaner.* had effectually accomplished our object, it
was imperative to carry on the war under any eircemstanees.
(Hear, bear) At the same time we should be wonting in
our duty if we neglected to seise the first opportunity of
seeking an honourable and a safe peace. (Applause ) Gen-
timer, I cannot but hope that the event which has hap-
pened may tend to produce that result ; and if this should
he the case, grieved as we may be at anyone being suddenly
Galled away to his last account, the sufferings of one man
may be productive of inestimable benefits to Estop* and the
world. That such may be the can, I hope God in his
mercy will grant. (Applause.)
The procsedinge terminated with a vote of thanks to the
mayor.

NORTHAMPTON ELECTION.

NORTHAMPTON. MAzom 4.

The circumstances amidst which the new President
of the Board of Control seeks re election are of a peculiar
character.