The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY

additional naval protection was necessary. But the argu-
ment of the hon. member (Mr. Cobden) would go to show
that we might dispense altogether with, not only the nave,
but the anny, and even the police. (Cheers.) The hon.
member mud, what was the use of our ships of war, they are
always lying useless in the harbours, and the men are clean-
ing the decks, or employed in other equally peaceable and '
ageism occupations.. (Hear.) He wished the hon gentle-
man void emcee his ingenuity in describing, in
the MN way, the occupations of the soldiers in
their barracks. Because, if it were a good argument
that because oar sailors were not employed in hostile
occupations, that therefore we have no use for them,
it would be equally good as against our army that in time of
pesos they were only employed in barracks or on parade,
and in the same way it would apply to that army of blue
coats who we saw walking about the streets with their hands
in their buttonholes and staring every person out of coups
temence who ventured to look into a shop window. (" Hear,
hear," and a laugh.) He must say that the bon. gentleman,
who talked of childish argument and hildish reasoning,
had, ia endeavouring to show that our navy should be re-
duced in time of peace, adduced a line of argument
which was net likely to have much weight with the
house nor with any reasoning man in the country.
(Hear, hear.) The honourable gentleman would refer
the question not to a naval man or a statesman,
hut to the ploughmen and the weavers. (A laugh.) There
is no danger of invasion, said he, for the ploughman ploughs
on without dread of a foreign fee, and the weaver has no fear
et foreign occupation. (Cheers and laughter.) Now he
(Lord Palmerston) could not consent to leave the question
to that tribunal—(hear, hear)—nor did he con eider that be-
cause the ploughman and the weaver did not believe the
descent of a foreign enemy possible, that we ought therefore
to strip the count, y of its naval defences, and depend for
protection altogether on the doctrines of free trade. (Cheers.)
Those doctrines he had opted admitted and pressed upon the
house as doctrines tending to peace, but he was not
prepared to say they could be relied on as au
efficient substitute for that more material and physical pro-
tection which a great nation like this would &lease require.
(Hear, hear.) The right bon. gentleman (Sir J. Graham)
had said that he trusted no member of the government, in
addressing the house on this question, would depart from
that reserve which was becoming of the present occasion ;
but the lion. member fur the West Riding exhorted them to
tell ill fthe.secrets of the Foreign-ottice. (Hear, hear.) He
k Lord Palmerston) had no secrets: Heaven knew that what
was now passing in other countries was no secret. (Hear.)
Those silents were notorious to all mankind; and it any'
reasoning or reflecting man in the house could have thought
six weeks ago the force proposed was greater than cape.
diency or the necessities of the public service re
quired, he was sure no man in the present sta e
of affairs, and in the face of future events, which he
hoped would not be of that character which some expected
—but a. ill with a future big with uncertainty—bear, hear)—
whatever the wishes and hopes of the government that that
future would end in peace might be—and he could assure
them that whatever influence the government possessed
would be steadily exerted for that object--(hear), and in
urgently and impartially endeavouring to inculcate the
doctrines of peace to all who might be disposed to listen to
their compete—still with a future big with events, the cha-
racter of which no one could venture to predict, no ease-
ful man in this country could wish that our
naval and military force should be reduced to a
lower amount than that rat which it now stood. (Hear, hear.)
If they wished the councils of this country to carry any
weight, we must be in a condition independent of fear and
alarm. A country that was itself powerless could not expect
other nations to listen to its appeals. For 'one *annuls to
have any weight you must show that you do riot desiie peace
out of humility or fear. (Hear, hear.) You most show
that you demand it because you think it is consistent with
the true advantage of all countries—that you demand it be-
cause of your love of peace in itself, and not out of fear
of the consequences of war in your own case. He
could sesure the house that it was not only the
desire of the government that this country should
continue to enjoy the inestimable blessings of peace,
but it would be no fault of theirs—when they ventured to
offer counsel to others—it would be no fault of theirs if
Europe should be involved in the calamities of war. (lieu.)
No one, he thought, in these days would venture to pro-
phesy what might occur. Events had followed each other el
i late with such rapidity that no man would attempt to anti.
• ciliate what might be the results of the coming week.
t (Hear.) But he trusted they would not think this was a
moment when they should direst the government of those
means which, at the beginning of the session, they proposed
that the house should intrust to the government for the ser-
vice of the country. ( liear, hear.)
Capt HARRIS defended the military and naval ser.
' vices from the imputations of the hon. member for the West
Riding, and said that when that hon member spoke
slightingly of the Duke of Wellington he did not know the
hearts of the people.
/dr. BRIGHT (who was fur some moments prevented
from proceeding by the calm for a division) said the speech
of the n,hle lord (Palmereton) was precisely like the
speeches of all the foreign secretaries for the last 60 years.
He wished to recall the house to the question under con-
sideration—viz., whether they were to vote this enormous
sum without deduction or not, and in point of fact whetb r
the committee should give its sanction, which had been for
so many years followed, of perpetually increasing the mili-
tary expenditure of the country? (Hear.) Ot what was
that expenditure now composed ? The interest en the
national debt, the navy, the army, and the ordnance, were
all expenses which arose from. those warlike propensities
which hap; been so extensively gratified by present and past
governments. (Hear.) These branches formed almost the
whole expenditure of this great empire—(hear)-47,000,0001.
a year were paid either for wan that had already token
place, or in preparation as it seemed for wars that seer-
expected. (Hear.) The nohlo lord (Palmerston) asked,
" How can you expect to have influence with foreign coun-
tries unless, when you recommend peace, you are
in a powerful position as to your armaments ?"
(Hear.) Now there were two answers to that proposition.
the noble lord did not consult the interest of this
country—he thought it was his duty, for the purpose of
upholding the balance of power, to interfere with the ar-
rangements of continental states; and the other answer was
to to found in reply to the question, was the United I
States powerful or not ? Had not the United States obtained
tiom France the restoration of rights and payments which
France for a long time had refused? Had cot the United
States obtained from this country the settlement of the
Maine boundary question and the Oregon question? And
yet, until the Mexican war, the United States had, as com-
pared with our own, a ridiculous amount of armaments both
military and naval. (Hear, hear.) But there was
another question which the noble lord (Palmerston) and the
Secretary for the Admiralty seemed to bass lost sight of,
that wen, where was the money to come from for these con-
stantly increasing armaments. (Hear, hear.) They might
bring forward documents and are-tie, that because France or
some other power had increased its armaments, therefore we
must mid to ours. But there was a limit to this, which if
they passed they would entail mere mischief en the country
than could result from any increase of the armaments of
foreign countries. (Hear, hear.) Let them consiel r the
discontent which the proposed increased expenditure and in-
creased taxation had occaaioned throughout the country
during the last three months. (Hear, hear.) The people
were not, however, sufficiently alive to the extravagance
of the government, nor to the necessity of MLA.-
ing by all constitutional means these unnecessary
additions to our taxation. (Hear, hear.) But it was
because 500,0001. more was asked for in the present
estimates than in those of last year, and because 2 per cent.
had been attempted to be added to the income tax, that an
amount of discontent existed against the present government
which no previous government or many years past had
met with. The industry art the people was paralysed, their
means were exhausted, and from the highest to the lowest
they were in a state of extreme difficulty aad suffering. It
this course was continued, we could scarcely hope to
escape some of those troubles which had resulted in
other countries from the same cause. (" Oh," and "hear.")
The noble lord talked of his desire for peace, but had he sent
any ambassador or envoy to any foreign nation with a direct
and tangible prorsition to reduce the military expenditure
in conjunction with this country? (Hear, hear.) Nothing
of the kind had ever been done, and yet there was no doubt
that Friesen, Russia, Austria, and all the continental
powers, were sighing for some relief from those all but into-
lerable burdens. (Hear, hear.) If we had a secretary fur
foreign affairs who thought more of the true interests of his
weeny than the exaltation of his office (" oh" and cheers)
he could imagine him entering into a correspondence 'efto
intelligent ministers of other countries to bring about such a
reduction of expenditure as he bad alluded to, and such a re-
duction as this country would enforce before long. (Divide.)
. When he remembered that there were 150 gentlemen in
that house connected with the army and navy, be was not
surprised that what he was saying now, and what he had
said on former occasions' should be unpalatable ; but if that
house really represented the commons of England, and held
the purse-strings of that enormous taxation which was ex-
tracted from the people, he knew of no more solemn duty
that could devolve upon its members than to protest against
an expense which they believed to be excessive, and which
was occasioning discontent through all classes of the indus-
thou people of the country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. DRUMMOND—When he heard gentlemen be-
longing to the military and naval professions charged by the
free-trade party with selling the interests of their country,
he feared they were on the verge of carrying into the military
affairs of the country those tenets which had brought ruin on
the country in every other way. (A laugh.) He would
not detain the house on that question now, because other
occasions would arise, when he was determined to trace in
all its ramifications the principles of the tree-trade schools,
and to show the injury which had resulted from their adop-
tion.
Sir H. VERNEY said a few words in vindication of the
Irish Roman catholic soldiers, than whom (be said) there
were none in the British service more reedy to do their
duty.
Mr. HUME replied, and the committee divided—
For Mr. Hume's motion
Against it 347-100
The original motion was then put and agreed to, the hone
resumed, the Chairman reported the resolution to the home,
and obtained leave to sit again.
ELECTION RECOONISANCES BILL'
Mr. BRIGHT asked the hon. and learned member for
Midhunt (Mr. Walpole) whether the second reading of the
Election Reeognissnoes Bill would coma on to-night ; if not,
whether it would come on at all; and, if at all, when?
(Laughter.)
Mr. WALPOLE wee willing to take any course which
might he agreeable to the bottom As the gi' of_ the select
committee appointed on this, subject, he tibiah forward
the bill, hut after the division which ha place upon
it on Wednesday last, he did not entertain much hope of
being able to psis it in its present form. The ball sought to
do justice to all parties, both petitioners and sitting mem-
bers, and it pea for thalami: ie decide whether be hail the-