The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1854.

the most consistent with the principles of justice.
At the commencement of the last session of Par-
liament, I confess it was with surprise that I heard
the speech which her Majesty had been advised by
her present counsellors to deliver to Parliament. I
regretted to see how little they anticipated the pro-
bable, nay almost the certain, war which was im-
pending, and how calmly and deliberately they talked
about the various measures of internal improvement,
or the various measures of internal innovation which
were to be introduced and carried through both
Houses of Parliament during the session. ("Hear,
hear," from the Opposition.) I remember that at
that time, the noble President of the Council, in
speaking of one of the suggested measures, and one
not the least important—a projected reform in the
constitution of Parliament—stated that a war with
Russia need be a matter of no such importance as
to interfere with the ordinary deliberations of Par•
liament. Nay more, the noble lord said that he
thought the period at which we were entering upon
war with Russia was the period of all others to
select for the amendment of the constitution of Par-
liament—(" Hear," and a laugh)—and that it would be
a splendid moral spectacle for Europe and the world
to see that we considered a war with Russia as a
matter of such trivial and unimportant concern that
we hardly gave a side glance at the war, but turned
our main attention to the arrangement of our own
internal affairs, and, among others, to the revision of
our parliamentary system. (" Hear,hear," from the
Opposition.) Various other measures were at that
time proposed or promised. Peace we were told to
look forward to, and meanwhile the Government were
drifting towards war. (" Hear," and laughter.)
That, my lords, was the expression of a member of
the Goverement ; but, while the Government was
felt to be drifting towards war, there was no end
to the promise of measures which were to be
brought under the consideration of Parliament.
(Hear, hear.)
Now, my lords, I rejoice greatly in the altered
tone of the present Speech from the Throne. The
promises of last year failed. Those promises pro-
duced no fruit. Of all the great measures which
were proposed, hardly one, if one, was eventually
carried. The Government were compelled to aban-
don the whole of them in consequence of the univer-
sal conviction that the war with Russia—the proba-
bility and almost the certainty of which was denied
by the Government—was the one event upon which
the hearts, the minds, and the feelings of the whole
country were set, and was the subject which alone
deserved serious and important attention. Now,
forgive me for saying that a tone more worthy of the
occasion pervades the present Speech from the
Throne. My lords, it recognises this as a great and
important occasion. It recognises the war in which
we are engaged as a great contest, calling for the
united efforts of the whole country, and requiring
that it should task its energies to the utmost. Her
Majesty, devoting almost the whole of her Address
to Parliament to that single and engrossing topic,
expresses a confidence, which is not misplaced, that
towards the vigorous and successful prosecution of
the war no efforts on the part of the people, no
energy on the part of Parliament, no sacrifice on
the part of the country, will be felt too great in order
to support her Majesty in the most just and honour-
able course which she is pursuing. (Cheers.)
My lords, before I proceed to comment upon any
portion of the Speech relative to that absorbing topic,
I will, in a very few words, pass over the few other
subjects to which the Speech refers.

GRATIS.

Of course it must be a matter of sincere rejoicing
to all to be informed, upon the authority of the Speech
from the Throne, that the state of the revenue is
highly satisfactory, and that the general prosperity of
the country is uninterrupted. Undoubtedly, so far
as the agricultural interest is concerned, the blessing
of Providence, which has given us a bountiful and
superabundant harvest, combined—by a curious and
unprecedented coincidence under such circumstances
—with a range of prices higher than were ever known
under any similar circumstances, has added to the
means of those directly interested in the land, and
has placed them in a position of very considerable
prosperity. I hope, my lords, that the same may be
the case with other branches of commerce, but I con-
fess that, unless I am mistaken, the present
prosperity of some of the manufacturing districts is
not such as to be made a subject of congratulation in
the Speech from the Throne. It may be that there
is a fair amount of business doing, and that a fair
amount of profit is realised, but this I know, that in
Manchester, and in some of the manufacturing dis-
tricts in that part of the country, a number of mills
are working short time, and a considerable number
have stopped altogether. There is at this period less
demand than I ever recollect for land for bailding
purposes, and certainly, though I do not pretend to
say—for lam thankful that it is not the case—that
any great:and extensive distress prevails, I should
hardly have thought that our manufacturing pros-
perity at this moment was such as to demand pecu-
liar notice in the Royal Speech. I may add that, for
the first time for a long period, considerable facilities
have been afforded for recruiting her Miesty's mili-
tary forces in Manchester and the adjoining towns,
arising partly from the general stimulus which has
been given to the feelings of the country, but in some
measure, doubtless, from a considerable number of
hands being out of work.
Her Majesty informs us that she has concluded a
treaty with the United States of America, by which
subjects of long and difficult discussion have beet
equitably adjusted. It must, of course, be a matter
of satisfaction to us to know that any subjects of
difference—and especially of long-standing difference
—with a community connected with us by the ties of
blood, of language, and of laws, and with whom upon
all occasions I trust it will be the desire, as I am
sure it is the interest, of this country to keep up the
most close and intimate connections, have been ad-
justed. That treaty will be laid before your lord-
ships, and until it is before us it would be improper
for me to pronounce any opinion upon its merits, or
as to how far it deserves the character given of it by
the advisers of the Crown.
My lords, the other subjects which are to occupy
the attention of Parliament in the course of the pre-
sent session—the species of " et ecettra" which is
substituted for the magniloquent promises held forth
in former Speeches—(a laugh)—are included in a
very modest paragraph, which expresses a hope that,
amid the pressure of war, other matters of great in.
Wrest and importance to the general welfare will not
be neglected. We have not received, either from her
Majesty's Government or from the mover or seconder
of the Address, any intimation of the character of
those various important measures, and their nature
and character may possibly be hidden at present
from the knowledge of the Cabinet itself. (A laugh.)
For our part, we can safely join in the expression of
her Majesty's hope that if various important mea-
sures should be laid before us they will not be neg-
lected. That is a sentiment upon which thee can
be no difference of opinion. (Hear.)

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