The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-12 00:00:00

TER CONDUCT OF THE WAR.-PUBLIC =ET-
MG AT DERBY.
-...._

DERBY, Santana:.
A very tamirded meting, attended principally by
working sat, was held last night in the Town-hall, "to
take tato easelderattoe the peesest deplorable and wretched
undid= of oar army is the Crimea, to einem the cause
thereof, and to &itemise each mesas as to the meeting
may seem good to avert the dengue besetting us."
Mr. Camellia ETOIII4 prodded, and in opening the
business of the meeting he said he felt pained in having to
meet them upon etch as occasion. (Hear.) Ho thought
the powers that be, and those who attempt to govern this
country, ought to have saved them from the necessity of
tolling the meeting. About a year ego they assembled to
*meths undertaking of a war against Russia, and he knew
at the time that the result would be bad trade, bad debts,
heavy taxation, sad other calamities; bat they thought
the war necessary, and they mails the sacrifice. He
believed the Czar intended the subjugation of Europe, and
sumer than withdraw from the contest without clipping the
claws of the Russian bear he would spend his last @billing,
and shed his last drop of blood. What then should be the
result of the meeting ? Pint of all he would advise the
Queen to enlarge the circle from which her ministers are
chosen. (Cheers.) At present it was only the leading
families who were considered eligible for office. He did
not see why a man like the Bight Hon. Edward Strait
should sot be called to office. Then, again, they had been
hunting about for a War Minister. Why not have Gene.
ral Bir De Lacy Emu ? (Loud cheers.) They mast also
tell the present and tattoo ministers that they don't want
so many squabbles amongst themselves for place—(hear)—
bat that they should tent their atteation to what they
could do for the good of the country. If they did that they
would be supported by the country. At the last meeting in
that hall they had strong suspicion of Lard Aberdeen;
that suspicion was well founded, for he hail proved
himself to be lukewarm and entirely incompetent. He'
hoped the country would demand an investigation into the
matter, and bring to punishment thoee who have so shame-
fully maltreated our men in the Crimea. The sound point
which suggested itself to hint was, that the army should no
longer be made • plaything for the aristocracy ; but that,
as in France, the humblest soldier should have an opportu-
nity of holed elevated to the office of commander-in-thief.
The third point was, that succour should be sent immedi-
ately ; that the war should bee vigorously prosecuted, so
that Sebastopol might he taken and the power of Russia
shacked in the Black Sc.. (Cheers.)
Mr. Councillor Barns moved the following resolution ;
" That this meeting—having learnt with deep affliction and
great indignation of the grievous calamities and woeful lose
of life which have beetles our brave troops before Sebasto-
pol—has observed with sincere satisfaction the neolutien of
the House of Commons to inquire into the state of our army ;
and this meeting demands that that inquiry shall be both
comprehensive in its character and searching is detail to the
end that thee, shameful evils may be averted for the future ;"
and in doing en, adverted to the unanimity which prevailed
at the eveniag of the war, to the humiliated position in
which England now was, and to the fault sot resting with
the people, who were as willing as ever Ito contribute their
money and their energies. Our government had been
guilty of the greatest neglect, whilst our army had shown
the greatest endurance. He could not tell which to admire
most, the courage of the men, who had willingly faced an
army tau times IA numerous, or those who had died in the
trenches of starvation. The whole of the matter ;came to
this—there was something in the system which required
immediate change.
Mr. Htann seconded the resolution, also urging the ne-
cessity of a change in the army gement,. He trusted
the proposed inquiry would be a most searching one, and
not askant.

Mr. WM. PLUM/480N moved the second resolution, de-
claring "That this meeting believing it is imperative im-
mediately, thoroughly, and completely to re.organise the
departments of the army, and to make great alterations in
the present mode of distributing her Majesty's commissions,
will regard no reform as satisfactory which does not conso-
lidate and subordinate under one ruling head the depart
meats new separately controlled, and which does sot abo-
lish the system of selling promotion, and abrogate et once
and for ever the false and vicious etitjuette which forbidr
the reek-1 of any deed., however heron, in the despatches
of the Commander-in-Chief, if performed by a non-com-
missioned Wither or private soldier."
Mr. LLZWILLYN JEWITT wounded the resolution, which
was carried.

Upon the motion of the ROT. W. GIITTITII a TH3llglOO
was carried declaring the war in which this country is
engaged with Russia to be both Just and necessary, and
calling upon the government to prosecute the war vigour-
°ugly with the utmost power of the country—to which end
the meeting demanded the prompt dismissal of men of an
obsolete age, and obsolete practice, and the substitution of
those men whom genius and mechanical science have added au
largely to our power and omasnereial gmataem.
Mr. R. 8. Dodawell moved, Mr. Horsley seconded, and
Jonah Lewis, a magistrate, supported the adoption of a
petition to parliament embodying the sentiments of the
resolution.. The petition was adopted unanimously, and
the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair-
men.