The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

The moment, my lords, that majority was declared
there arose a cry of " factious combination," " unna-
tural coalition," " unprincipled attempt to overthrow
the Government." There arose charges most revolt-
ing to the feelings of every honourable man—charges
which I shall prove to be as base as they are un-
founded—charges which I do not think any of your
lordships, at all events, will have the courage to stand
forward and support. (Hear, hear.) For myself I
will only say—and I say it on the word and honour
of a peer and of a gentleman—l do not know, and I
have not known, of any concert, of any combination,
of any agreement, of any understanding with regard
to those votes and those motions in either House of
Parliament between any persons not professing the
same political opinions. (Cheers.) I distinctly and
solemnly declare I have been no party to such con-
cert or combination, and I as emphatically declare
my solemn conviction that the vote arrived at in the
House of Commons was the result of no combination,
of no concert, still less of any desire to coalesce
against the Government for political objects, but that
it was the spontaneous expression of opinion, reluc-
tantly expressed by many, with regard to the con-
duct of officials whom the Government supported.
(Cheers.) What I have stated now will, 1 hope,
carry conviction to tho minds of all of those with
whom I have the honour of personal acquaintance,
and, I trust, also to the minds of many more to whom
lam not personally known. But I will proceed to
state facts which I think will convince the most
sceptical that there cannot be any coalition of this
kind.

Your lordships will, perhaps, have done me the
honour of recollecting that upon the first night of the
session, having no information but what was to be
derived from the public papers, I expressed great
anxiety with regard to the position of affairs in
China. I expressed doubts as to the legality and
prudence of the course pursued, and great apprehen-
sions that it would be productive of signal disaster.
Shortly afterwards the papers were laid upon the
table of the house, and I made it my duty most care-
fully and most anxiously to examine their contents.
The information furnished by her Majesty's Govern-
ment strengthened and confirmed the impression
which I had previously received. I gave notice ac-
cordingly of my intention to bring forward certain
resolutions, and, at the same time, I asked to be
furnished with other papers necessary to the full
elucidation of the case. I thank the Government for
the ready courtesy with which they furnished every
information on the subject; but, having read those
papers, I came to the conclusion that it was my
bounden duty to bring that case under the consi-
deration of your lordships. I did not mention that
intention of mine to above three or four persons
of those most intimately and politically connected
with me; and, until the time I came into this house
and laid the resolutions on the table, I believe I am
literally correct in saying no human being had seen
those resolutions or was responsible for one syllable
they contained. (Hear, hear.) If the House of
Commons is to be accused of factious coalition and
unprincipled combination, why is not the same
charge and the same imputation made here ? The
charge is *l3 applicable to one house as to the
other. (Hear, hear.) How was the party formed
which supported my resolution in your lordships'
house ? Not only of those noblemen who usually
sit upon this side, and share to a great ex-
tent in my political opinions, but it comprised,
also, the two noble earls opposite (Earls Aber-
deen and Grey), and the noble lord the Comp-
troller of the Exchequer (Lord Monteagle). My
resolution was also supported by a noble earl
than whom there is not a more staunch supporter of
her Majesty's Government, nor a more decided Whig
of the old school I was supported by the high
authority of Earl Fitzwilliam, and her Majesty's
Government do not appear to have borne him any
for his share in this supposed combination, if
I may assume for a fact the statement which has been
made in the public journals, that his eldest son has
recently been appointed Lord Lieutenant of the West