The Press.
London, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

elution 3nttllignut.

E►ax SUSSEX.—Lord Pevensey has issued an ad.
dress to the electors, in which he expresses his
hostility to a Maynooth grant, and his anxiety for
the repeal of the hop duty and the reduction of the
income tat . _ _

Legitimate reduction of taxation, without draining the
Treasury—economy, without impoverishing the force and
vigour of the nation—equitable arrangement of questions
relative to the Church, without disturbing its fundamental
institutions—adjustment of electoral privileges, without
extending them to classes not yet prepared to receive
them—a gradual progress of legislation, without the
spasmodic violence of Itadieal measures—a strict and
loyal adherence to the first principles of the Constitution,
without tieing blind to its defects; these are Conservative
principles, but yet they are neither obstructive nor retro-
grade. These are principles which I advocate, and which
you, each and all, may support.
WEST KENT.—A numerous meeting of the Con-
servative electors residing in the Lewisham and
Blackheath districts was held at the residence of Sir
F. M. Wilson, Charlton, yesterday week, for the pur-
pose of hearing an address explanatory of his
political views from Sir Walter B. Riddell, the Con-
servative candidate. A committee was subsequently
appointed to canvass the electors, and resolutions
adopted, pledging the meeting to support Sir Walter
at the ensuing election.
SUNDERLAND.—A meeting of the committee of the
Sunderland Shipowners' Society was held last week,
to take into consideration the propriety of writing a
letter to Mr. George Hudson, M.P., on the subject of
his attendance in Parliament during the next
session. Mr. Hudson has been absent from the
house during the past two years. After an ample
discussion it was deemed not necessary to interfere
with the question at present. It is understood that
Mr. Hudson will retire at the end of this Parliament,
and Mr. Charles Alcock, a resident in the town, is
spoken of as the Conservative candidate.
SOUTHAMPTON.—Sir Edward Butler, the Conserva-
tive candidate, has written to the South-Western
Railway Company to know if they sanction any inter-
ference with the electors in their employ, and Mr.
Chaplain, the chairman, has answered in the nega-
tive. This correspondence has been published in a
handbill and circulated. Mr. Weguelin has secured
a large portion of the flies, cabs, and omnibuses in
the town to bring up the voters on the day of polling.
Captain Weguelin, a cousin of Mr. Weguelin, is an
active canvasser for the latter, and Mr. Gladstone, a
partner of the Governor of the Bank of England, has
been down at Southampton. Mr. Falvey, the stamp
distributor, h& been restored to his office.
NEWPORT.—Mr. C. Seely, upon the requisition of
the electors, has consented to contest the representa-
tion. Mr. William Cooke, in consequence of this
resolution, retires from the contest.
SALFORD.—Mr. Langwortby, who has been pro-
posed by an influential body of electors, met his
supporters last week in the Town-hall, and explained
his political views. Mr. Langworthy expressed
himself in favour of free trade, local self-government,
an extended franchise, direct over indirect taxation,
end the bitllot. With respect to education, he
should certainly support 1 local rate for clocation,
wit* local Topgallant

SATURDAY, •

I should, in fact, advocate a system similar to that con•
sented to when Sir J. Pakington was down here, which is
a compromise between the two educational bodies, and is,
think, drawn up on a liberal basis, and a concession of
more than we might expect, I think, from the opposite
party. It embraces the proposition that religion shall he
taught, but only at appointed hours, and then without the
necessity of all the children attending.
With regard to the income tax, he thought it re-
quired a complete revision. On the subject of
peace-at•any-price principles and foreign policy Mr.
Langworthy was tolerably explicit :
We have been called " peace•at any price " men. I avow
myself a peace man, but I do not mean to say that I avow
myself a " peace at-any-price " man. I am committed to
no particular principles upon the peace question, tut I do
hold the opinion that peace ought to be preserved at
almost any cost; but, when the necessity arises, when
every effort to preserve peace has failed, then it becomes
the dignity of England to go into war with the spirit mid
vigour which is befitting her as a great nation. I should
support such measures, but I confess I look upon war as a
curse upon society of an fearful a character, that it would
require the most justifiable means before I would ever
sanction throwing this country into a war. I consider that
England has a great moral influence upon the whole
world, and possessing that influence, and occupying the
position she does, standing in the foremost rank of
civilisation, it behoves her to conduct national measures
on the strictest principles of justice. I consider that it
has been too much our foreign policy to meddle with
foreign nations. Diplomatic disputes have been fos.
tered respecting boundaries ant questions of the balance
of power. which have brough. this country into a great
many wars.
In answer to questions, Mr. Langworthy stated that
with respect to whether he vould vote for the dis-
union of Church and State, he must confess that he
would not; but if he were askel whether he would
vote for the union, if there was no existing union
betwen them, that was another thing, be should not.
As resrected annual !Parliamerts, he must confess
he would not vote for them. With reference to
church rates, he admitted trey pressed upon
dissenters, anl in so far he thcaght the tax an un-
just one ; but he was not premed to say at once
that it could be got rid of; therewas some difficulty
in it. Mr. Alderman Weston iroposed, and Mr.
Councillor Pochin seconded, a esolution, pledging
the meeting to support Mr. Langworthy. The reso-
lution was unanimously carried.
COLCHESTER.—There is likely b be a contest for
the representation of Colchester, Ihich will become
vacant by the resignation of Lore John Manners,
who succeeds the Marquis of Graiby in the repre-
sentation of Leicestershire. In aiticipation o° a
vacancy arising out of the death of the Duke of
Rutland, Mr. Gordon Rebow, of Witnhoe, issued an
address to the electors, intimatingiiis intention of
soliciting their suffrages. Mr. Reba is a Liberal in
politics, and he will be opposed b; a Conservative
candidate fr mn the neighbourhood .f Romford, who
also some time since issued an addres to the electors.

At the last election the numbers piled were-51r.
W. H. Hawkins (Conservative), t. 46 ; Lord John
Manners (Conservative), 615 ; Mr.'. A. Hardcastle
(Liberal), 408 ; Mr. H. T. Prinsep ( (onservative), 98.
DUMFRIESSHIRE.—In all probabil:y there will be
no contest for the representation o Dumfriesshire,
rendered vacant by the elevationof Lord Drum-
lanrig to the Marquisate of Queenberry, and that
Lord Henry Scott, second son t the Duke of
Bucclench, will he returned. This onng nobleman
is at present in Egypt. At a meetiv held a day or
two since the electors adopted Lord Henry Scott as
a candidate.

MR. YATES PEE).
TO THE. EDITOR OF " THE 'REES."

Sra,—lt was not till last nightl learnt that a
correspondent of yours, in a recent rticle, has made
very unjustifiable mention of my nine. I trust you
will allow the following statement tc appear in TEE
PRESS newspaper.
Your correspondent says—" Mr. :'ates Peel told
Henry Hunt, M.P. for Preston, thatthe honourable
member had better stick to his lacking. Upon
which Mr. Hunt rose in his place,and said, 'My
father was the first tradesman in iy family, the
honourable member's father the firs gentleman in
his.' "

Now, these assertions are pure]. imaginary. I
offered no advice to Mr. Hunt, eithe in the Houso
of Commons or :elsewhere, as to hi conduct in or
out of Parliament. I once only nentioned Mr.
Hunt's name in the House of Commas. Mr. Hunt
did not rise to reply to me, nor did e speak in the
House of Commons on the night I elided to his plan
of Reform in Parliament.

I am satisfied that Mr. Hunt saidnothmg in the
House of Commons at any time respeting my father
(who was, thank God, a tradesman, or respecting
his own father, who was, I believe, nt a tradesman.
It appears to me that your correspadent might be
better employed than in bringing in unfounded
charge against one who bas taken notart in politics
for nearly ten yearsor—l act, sir, yelp oiNlient serviuit,
T. PEZL,
Wareicksbke, Jan. 1; 1837.

JANUARY 24, 1857.

poses, so that the material for the employment
of convicts would not be wanting; and if the
shipping. statistics sent home by Governor
RENNIE himself tO Sir JOHN PAKINGTON are of
any weight, we may conclude that a very con-
siderable amount of labour would be required
before the islands were rendered as commo-
dious a station for shipping as they are capa-
ble of being made. In 1851, we learn from the
document, the shipping which entered the
harbour of Port Stanley amounted to 17,638
tons ; in 1852 to 22,024 tons; so that there is
every prospect that the convicts would for
many years have plenty to do in the way of
providing docks, harbours, and other naval
necessaries. In addition to this, it is to be
observed that these islands are infinitely the
cheapest spot for refitting and repairing ships
on the voyage from the Pacific to this country.
And it is calculated that by the construction
of proper docks, each vessel requiring repair
would save from a fortnight to three weeks in
the performance cf the passage.
We do not know when Mr. RENNIE ceased to
be Governor of the Falkland Islands. He might
certainly have seen reason to change his
opinion since the publication of the despatch
we have alluded to. But it is a curious fact
that he there gives a totally different account
of the capabilities of these islands from that
which he has recently put forward. He con-
siders them excellently adapted for the abode
of free emigrants, and speaks of their produc-
tive qualities in most hopeful and decided
language. That which is good enough for the
emigrant is, it need not be observed, good
enough for the convict ; and we should cer-
tainly be glad to know what it is that has
occasioned him to alter his views in regard to
the life-sustaining capabilities of the Falk-
lands. In respect to the military pensioners,
he tells us in the same despatch, that, though
they were discontented at first, they were per.
fectly satisfied when assured they would
be taken home if they wished it, and that not
one of them ever availed himself of the offer.
Thus much of the climate, soil, and situa-
tion of these islands. But when the late
Governor comes to consider their safety as a
penal prison his objections strike us as rather
those of a man who was bent upon finding
some, than of a perfectly impartial witness.
Shall we ever discover a country to which some
such drawbacks will not be attributable?
Granted that a certain number of prisoners
succeed in making their escape, has not this
always been so? Was this considered a valid
abjection to any of our old penal colonies?
And should we neglect to secure an outlet for
our criminal population, so superior in other
respects, simply because, in this one point, it
is only on an equality with former ones ?
The Falkland Islands seem to fulfil so many
of the conditions demanded in a penal settle-
ment, that we moat sincerely hope the subject
will be warmly taken up. It is probable that
if we strike the balance between Captain
Fazaoit's account and Governor RENNIE s. we
shall arrive at something like the truth. That
would give us a region in which hard labour
would be able to sustain life, but which would
present no attractions, at least for a very long
time, to large bodies of free emigrants; where,
however, sufficient public works would be
required to ensure the existence of a certain
amount of free population, with whom the
convicts would gradually amalgamate, and
thus answer the great end of transportation
the removal of criminals from amongst us
without either injustice to the honest poor, or
positive barbarity to the convicts themselves.