The Express.
London, England, 1855-02-10 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1855.

strong ant
otherwise.

and rather a legitimist than

Mr. Lindsay, M.P.,is now in Paris, on his way to
Constantinople, on a special mission to organise a
prompt and regular service of steamers between Se-
bastopol and Marseilles. He is in communication
with the French government on the subject. It is
thought that the sick and convaleseen t may be removed
with advantage to the lazaretto at Marseilles instead
of remaining at Constantinople during the unhealthy
spring months.

THE PRESENT CRISIS.—ILEETING IN
SOUTRWARX.
A public meeting wee held In the Solthmark
Literary 'method's, Borsegit.road, he evening, to take
into consideration the present state of public affairs, and the
late ministerial crisis. The room was net quits Wad. Mr,
Apsisy Pellatt, M.P., was present, bat p letter from Sir
W. Molesworth, the other member, was read by Mr. 0.
Newman, the hon. eeentary, in which the right hon.
baronet said—" My noble friend Lord Palmerston is new
pied in constructing a government which, I frost, will, by
its conduct and administration of public affairs, merit and
gain the approval of the nation. Of that government my
noble friend has 'eked me, and I have consented, to beanie
a member. This I trust will, in existing circumstances,
be a sufficient excuse for my not attending the meeting on
Friday night. I shall, however, he osmosis to learn the
result of that meeting, and the resolutions agreed to."
Dr. Evans was called to the chair. Be briefly adverted
to the present state of the war, observing that such had
been the hardships and privations to which oar brave
army was exposed, that if it bad not been for the timely
disclosures by the public press, perhaps there would not
be a soldier now left alive in our whole camp. It was
in consequence of thou diee:oeuree of their mismanage.
ment that the government, a few days ago, were dis-
charged by a vote of the House of Commons. This war had
been carried en in a very extraordinary way, from some
mysterious cause which no one could explain. The army
bad been sent out jut as if they were to have nothing
more to do than walking and riding about at Constantinople,
as they might do In Bt. James's, park at home. The govern-
ment seemed to have expected that when our army arrived in
the Crimea, the Russians would run away, like the Chine.. in
the war • few years ago. Now, there was an ostensible
change of governmeat, and a batch of new ministers, but
they were pretty much the tame set, and seemed only to
have changed places; whether they meant to change their
actions, also, might here her appear. It was necessary,
however, that the public should watch very narrowly the
conduct of this or any other government. The voice of
such meetings as the present one, diffused through the public
press, should now be head all over England, and should
even be heard far off in the Crimea, to encourage our poor
soldiers and officen there, and to revive their spirits.
Mr. TILWAITMS, in moving the first resolution, protested
that we should not allow the acts of the government to be
regarded asanyrepresentation of tbeenerein and iatelligenoe
of the English people. We should not let foreigners suppose
that the power of this empire was on the wane, or that the
spirit of its inhabitants was impaired ; but let it be known
that by grievous mismanagement alone, our army, one of
the noblest in temper and discipline that ever went
abroad, bad, in a great measure, perished from disease and
privations which might be, directly or iimirectly, traoed to
the faults of the executive government. (Cheers.) He went
on to complain of the imbecility of aristocratic rulers, and of
the exclusiveness of their cliques. He believed there were
commercial men who had yet never entered a public office,
but who, if they had had the conduct of this war, would
so have managed all its details as to have brought the cam-
paign to a very different pesition. Indeed, the smallest shop-
keeper, with the most ordinary information and intelligence,
would be ashamed if, In his own business, he could have
been guilty of the blunders which our aristocratic govern.
meat had made in the transmission of stores and of the
m.terials of war. (Cheers.) Mr. Thwaites likewise cen-
sured the system of dispensing military appointments, and
ce
instand the remark of Sir Dr Lacy Evans the other day,
" I was as good a general twenty years ago as I stn now,'
which was a touching allusion to the ungrateful treatment
he received in earlier life, and the long neglect of his ser-
vice.. It was now the time for an expression of public
feeling; and it was to be hoped that Lord Palmerston, if be
were now backed by the people of England, would have
courage to set aside mere party pretensions and family
claims, and reform the administration. If the noble lord
would do that, then, taking the government broadly, as it
stood, the liberal public would not twit their statesmen
with past failures, but look to them, by their intelligence,
energy, and determination, to redeem whatever was amiss.
(Cheers.) Bat the public would not give their confidence
to any government which should concede terms of peace
without curtailing the power of the Cssr, and providing
guarantees against any future aggression. There never was a
question upon which the people were so universally agreed ;
and it was only the anxiety that had pressed upon then minds,
and their doubts whether it were judicious and Rafe to
declare the public sentiment, which had hitherto kept that
unanimous feeling in . The people had grumbled
when their best blood was wasted, and the name of Britain
tarnished, by official mismanagement; now their grumbling
must be heard. (Cheers.)
Mr. THOMAS rOSTIK, In seconding the resolution, 1191g-
gotta that in the administrative busineu of government, a
class of men should be employed who were endowed with
practical good sense and business-like habits, and who had
the advantage of experience in managing large cow
menial concerns. There were such men in the
country, who were fit, with a little training, to
do the work of statesmen ; and Lord Palmenton should
undertake now to train two or three of those men, who
were younger than himself in years, to succeed him when
he should quit the business of the state. It was time,
indeed, that the old see-saw game of whip and tones
should be done, for the country was in a dismal position,
such as the oldest man could not remember; and yet Lord
Derby could amuse the House of Lords with laughter and
joking, while the papers were fell of such dismal accounts.
Mr. APALUT PILLATT, 2.1 P., being requested to speak
next, said that, although it might be thought a civilian had
no right to discuss military affairs, he had some things to
mention which seemed to him very questionable in our
military system. He understood that if a soldier, after
many years' good service, were promoted to the rank
of sergeant he was deprived of good conduct money,
which, as a corporal or as a private, he might
earn, and that the Warsaw of pay which he would obtain
by such a promotion wee only twopence a day, while he
would be put to increased expenses for the mess, for cloth-
ing, sad other matters, amounting to three pence a day ; so
that instead of being any better, he would be actually
worse off, by three peace a day or the promotion. What
now would be said by the workmen in his (the hon. mem-
ber's) own establishment, or in any other industrial esta
blishment, if they found that, when promoted a step higher
above their comrades, they received really less money than
before ? Those sergeants were the men who net only were
employed to drill the troops, but who had also to look after
their equipment, their morality, and in fact all the internal
organisation, and who were, in a tonsils muse, the teachers
of the young officers. Again, as for the navy, which he
, (Mr. Apsley Pollan) did not know so much about, he was
informed that when a man from three or four grades
beloworas made a boatswain, he ceased to be entitled to
any pension for his widow in case of his death, if he were
, a mauled man, which previously, in the lower rank, he
would lave been entitled to receive. These anomalies were
, very ridiculous, bat they were also to be regretted ; for it
t was the working clause in our army and navy to whom we
must look for our salvation ; it was they who, in the great
battles at the Alma and letterman's, sustained the power
of England. Statham who governed the army would net
reform these defects until the voice of parliament and of
the public reqaired them to do so. The hon. member then
referred to the French alliance, as one compee-
r sating advantage of this war. The French, our
, nearest neighbours, should exchange with us the mutual
benefits of commerce and of friendship we taking their
wines, the natural produce of their codntry, at a reduced
duty, and they taking our manufactures in retina. As for
other interests concerned in this conflict, he believed that
religious liberty would be safer under the role of Turkey,
with the civilising superintendence of the four powers,than it
' could ever be eider the A.atocrat,who was high priest es well
as emperor, and by whom these who left the Greek church,
however sincere, were persecuted with the knout and Sibe-
rian exile. With regard to the new ministry, we had in it
, a kind of infusion et a working clue ; we had a practised
' man, although a nobleman, selected to be Secretary for
' War, for which we must be thankful,. and as for Lord Pal-
' memos, although be (Mr. Apeley Pollan) had, when he
first entered palmist., no great love for his lordship's
antecedents, yet now he must say that upon name-
.
....a.. err p•reemal oemattinfultioft with him,
introducing to him various &pistonss on matters
of trade, and on matters of smoke, and other alleged nui-
sums, ha had found is Lord Palmerston the most open.
hearted,and most patient, sad the most keen-eyed man, that
ever he came near. Lord Palmerston would always
listen to reason, bat no man could possibly get on the wrong
aide of him. (Cheers and laughter.) That was the man we
now wanted ; and if Lord Putman, as he was getting into
years, had not so much energy u was requisite, Lord Pal-
' merston would urge him on to employ efficient men, and
adopt a common-sum system. And who was coming to
assist Lord Penman ? A man who h..d frequently frankly
and ably spoken upon this war—Mr.; Layard ; wham
genius and energy, whose knowledge of the countries and
know of the Eat, having very recently visited the Crimea
also, would make his services most valuable in that subordi•
nate office. Mr. Follett then touched upon some questions of
social reform, such as primogeniture, and the established
church. In (occlusion, he observed hat, as it IVY now, so
two hundred years back is our history, when the Dutch
came up the Medway and threatened the Thames, it was
the incompetence of the government aloes by which the
power of England was paralysed. Lord John Russell
might have ns geed last November, if he had been
prompted byan expression of public opinion, instead of
waiting for our. Roebuck's motion. But now, though late,
we had a new ministry, and be hoped far better than the
' old one. He (Mr. Pollan) had nothing to do with the
' bringing in of the new government, bet he had something
to de with turning out the old one. He did so without
asking his constituents what to do, but he felt sure of their
' approval. (Cheers.)
After some remarks from Mr. Vantalt, who objected to
any congratulations upon "handing over the {O7
' verement from one relay of old lords to another,"
the resolution was unanimously adopted as felheers:
" That, in the opinion of this meeting, the conduct el the
war hitherto has been a disgrace to the government of this
' snotty ; and while rejoicing in the peespest Mt a ding%
' its confidence is withheld from any Waisby whisk is Est
determined to presents the war with vigour, god Mto
reform the several departments of government Yea rsy
shall more accord with the habits el a great osmiwsial
people ; and it is further of opinion Set die wet onset
be satisfactorily eoncluded Was the pewee of Ramie be
curtailed, and the rights and liberties et seneesiing states
; respected."

The second resolution wu then adopted, white wee
Roved by Mr. M•asui, end mauled by Mr. Comm,