The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

may be placed in the same category of individuals with
these who think, or used to think, that five per cent. was
the natural rate of interest. (A laugh.) But, at the same
time, there are many persons in both countries influenced
by sees sincere and patriotic feelings; and their opinion%
though they may be inveterate prejudices, are not to be de-
spited at ajuneture like the present. I know that it is in
vain to appeal to persona influenced by such • conviction
on any of those economical considerations which are often
' mentioned at the present day. I know it is in vain to inn
pees upau them that, in as age favourable to industry,
ancient and highly civilised communities are diverted from
the thought of war. I know it is in vain to appeal to the
higher impulses of that philanthropy which many of us
believe in, in such communities, in societies under such
conditions of great antiquity and advanced civilisation, fur
mitigating the heart of nations. But, sir, I think I have a
right to appeal to cetera fate, which cannot be disputed—to
the past conduct of men, which, according to the theories
of these individuals, is the best test of what their future
I behaviour will be ; and I must ray, that I do not think
the history of the past justifies that too-preva-
lent opinion, that between England and France
there is a natural rivalry and hostility. (Hear, hear.) I
know very well, if you go back to the ancient history of
the two countries, Vert you may appeal to Cressy, to Poic-
tiers, and to Agincourt, and believe that there has always
been • struggle between the two countries, and that that
struggle has redounded to the glory of England. But it
should be remembered that these were not wars between
France and Eugland so south as between the King of
France and the King of England as a French prince—
(hear, hear)—that he was then fighting for his province of
Picardy or of Aquitaine, and that, la fact, It was not a
struggle between the two nations. (Cheers.) In consider-
ing tois point, our history need not go back to a more dis-
tant period than that happy hour when the keys of Calais
were fortunately delivered for ever to the care of the
French monarch. (Hear, hear.) And if we take that,
which is the real point of our modern history, as the one
which should guide us upon this subject, we shall observe
that the moat sagacious :overeigns mid the most eminent
statesmen of England, almost without an exception, have
held that the French alliance, or a cordial understanding
with the French nation, should be the corner stone of our
diplomatic system, and the key note of our foreign policy.
(Cheene) Sir, there are unduuldedly more novel and int-
=M u. te UM of the .fortuua opinion which is peeve-
the subject of our relations with France. And
the lied sad most important of these is unquestion-
ably the inseam of the armaments of this country. The
origin of the increase of the armaments is of • date much
Mrs retest than the incidents which are appealed to es the
seam of the increase. It was [minded on those great
Tied have occurred in moat of the affairs of life, and
base principally been occasioned by the application of
science to the business of life, which application has not
=aped the art of war. Those who by their position were
pmgensible for the defence of this country, and who from
*Ur charatter and their talents were best fitted to observe
the great changes which in this respect were occurring,
many years ago called the attention of the executive
government of this country to that important subject. But
we all know that, especial in free and popular communi-
ties, the few are sensible of the necessity of change, before
the multitude are convinced of it; and that it is extremely
to bring the great body of the community to agree
Ile • amp of the necessity of which they are not con-
deed. Xsay_years ago the government of this country
=sil to egos this object; but they found it extremely
to Mau the support of the House of Commas
whoa Ineemeed elpenditur,:. was • necessary condltioa dike
change; and, therefore, for a long time, AM efforts made
were few and feeble, although the convictions of the cabi-
net of the day were deep and earnest. (Hear, bear.)
There then happened, some ten years ago, under the go-
vernment of Sir Robert Peel, a very unexpected incident,
which startled even the two nations themselves at tbe pos-
sibility of a war occurring between them. The cause seems
almost a csntea.ptible ono, if we think of what was the stake
at issue ; but without inquiring now into the duos which
brought us into such a position, there can be no doubt that
for a short time eveu the possibility of • war between
France and England was not entirely out of the ques ion.
(Hear, hear.) Well, the government of that day took ad-
vantage of that state of things, end even when the imme-
diate danger had passed, endeavoured to lead the public
mind to the important object which had never left the
counsels of the cabinet, and efforts were made to introduce a
new system with regard to the public defences of the count
try. The people of this country, too, learned for the first
time that a great revolution had occurred in the art of war,
which had deprived them of their ancient, and, as it were,
natural sources of defence. From that time the question
never entirely sl ept.T here was &controversy still as to whether
the country was sufficiently defended or not, whether the
ancient means of defence were so completely sueeneded as
had been represented; and there was still • lingering super-
stition with regard to " the wooden walls of old England."
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FBIDAI, FIB. 18. (Laughter.) Suddenly we hail • merles of revolutions on
The
Sir C. Worm took the oaths and his seat. disturbance, and the people of this country were at last ,
The members appointed to serve on the Blackburn, Chat- convinced that the dream of perpetual tranquillity and of
ham, end Clitheroe election committee appeared at the materiel improvement might be broken. The words of one of
table, and were sworn. our greatest men were then prevalent around our hearths,
A number of private bills were introduced, and read • and pablio opinion at last assumed the form of an earnest
Hest time. desire to complete the defences of this country. Well, sir,
The SPEAKER announced that he had received entice I have no doubt that whatever government might have
that it was sot intended to proceed with the pettiest against existed they would hive loyally and completely done what
the return fur Stoke-upon-Treat. was necessary. It fell to the lot of the late government
RAILWAY AND CANAL BILLS. to meet the public requirements in this respect; end
Mr. SOTHERON moved " That so much of steadies I claim no credit for the late government, beyond
order, No. 160, as requires that there shall be nts more than that to which they are fairly entitled for having
10 days between the first sad second reading of any pri- earnestly
thisendezvoured to do their duty. I have
vete bill, be suspended as to all railway and eland bills bat noticed point indetail, because one of the prin-
some
that no such bill be read a second time later than the 14th cipal grounds for believing that the friendly relations be-
day of March next, except by special order of the home." tween England and France are about to be broken is the
This motion was rendered necessary by the melealea d increase in the armaments of this country. Being, however
the house two days ago, requiring emegimmadem hme humble, in a certain degree respoasible for that Increase, I
to be rowed to the committee „ t
m situ me the oh. wish to take this opportunity of pointing oat the entire (al-
lege, and It was only fair to the promotes of cash Me to lacy of that conclusion. Whoever might sat upon the throne
allow them a little more time to maga, miaow they of France, whether it were a Bourbon or • Baonaparte—
mould abandon their ansalgematioa Ammer preset with whatever might be the form of government—however dis-
hiest. The only question was, whether it was wise le 4 SAM ee however tranquil might be the state of Europe
am day, the 14th of March, isysed which so sea bills than who were responsible for the administration of affairs
should be reed a second time ; but that day bed ban se- =se mese se late: have felt it their duty to put this eowttiry
locted as being the one before which no amalgam Mies bills la wept Mate of defence, that duty arising from the great
could be read a second time. (thew Malt bee taken place in the art of war, and the
Agreed to. minas by wields offensive and defensive aperatime are con-
SECOND READINGS, daelled; era there is therefore in this increase no ground for
The Swaffhas and Bottiabaso Drainage Bill, the Teton- the Frewalwa "lief to which I have alluded. Sir, titer° ic
mouth Harbour aid Teign Navigation Hal and the White- one other same of a novel character which is daily alleged
chapel Improvement Bill were severally read a second time. as indleadeg an impending rupture. I refer to the troubled
PUBLIC BUSINESS. state ad ?ranee—the troubles which have terminated in the
PETITIONS PRESENTED. • el of what I thick is fallaciously called • military
dynasty. Now, sir, there can be no doubt that the founder
become Tax..—By Mr. WILLCOX, from • lifelines's'. of the dynasty which now prevails in Franca was one of the
society, mai= the imam tax on terndaable annuities; greatest conquerors, not oily of modern but of all ma
Mr. HUME, from Forfar,. emnplaialeaoftuaLirroplarities in it does not follow, and history, indeed, refutes the
the mode of levying the income tax in tent, that the descendants of a conqueror are necessarily
Lire= Casstaas.—By Mr. PIGOTT, from letter ter- Clisaitaters. Sir, there Is ao doubt, asankierable prejudice
den, for an increase of wets,. • t the ruler of France in this cOn‘ n —I it %host
Parnwee Darts —By Mr. HADFIELD, Ana net- against. trf say
_wt
am, he
ee alteration
er the probate duties, end pr_teiele reserve—for two re. aeons. sindentood that in nonoungl
the to power ne termusateo, void we esteem, • parliamentary
11111114112.=1/ he main to sera for the "de 41 emetitution, and that he abrogated the liberty of the preen
Hailed (Hear, hear.) As the object of them observations is to pat
MATIRIOTII OILAXT.-1y Mr. SPOONER, from King. . .
en end to what believe is a very mistaken feeling, and to
stns sal ether Paces, against the Maynnoth pant. elicit from her Majesty's government explanations which I
Cleaver, PaeArfe.—By Mr. K. SETMER, front an in- hope will aubstantiate my belief, I wish to pat as
Lion, against the opening oath* Crystal fairly as I can before the house. (Hear, hear. Sires, it is
P ara.sie ea mammary for me may that it is not probable that I should
PareAtAitiorniai Parsis.—Br Mr. E. DENISON say or do anything which would tead to diminish the in-
tro, the N Mechanics Institution; and by an' ww° r
Scenes_ or to depreciate the value of either parliament or
noN. laws tom the Cambridge Mechaelee Lodi- me press. say greatest honour is that lam a member of
tsars, he wale of parliamentary papers. this house; my thoughts and feelingsare centered in it •
RETURNS ORDERED. and as for the press, I am myself • sestinas;
Oa the motion of Sir T. Besse, copy of the instructions of the press—(laughter)—•d have so other escutcheon.
to the snlissere lar inquiring into the arterial drainage in (Loud cheers.) I know well the eiratmatences
Ireland. der which *ere gained for the country the advaa-
sa-
On the motion of the Marquis of BIANDTORD, return tages of • free press. It is only a century and • half ago
item archbishops and bishops of all districts assigned by dim we got rid of the censo.ahip of the press; and when
the erchbialmers or bishops of the several dioceses in Bug- - we had got rid of the, there was a law of libel which, for
lead earl Wales to churches built and Nembermal wader nearly a century, rendered the freedom of the press almost
1 end 2 Wm. IV., cap. SS. perilous privilege. Until Mr. Fox's peat eel apes the law
Oa the emotion of Sir J. You're), returns of the total of libel became law, no public rien mid be „ha to he
.umber d paupers In receipt of relief is sash province in safe in this country. Sir, I hope we live in barmier times
Ireland, at the close of the first week_ (sadist Saturday) of than those which preceded the passim gof that get. hope
January, 184940, 1851, 1852, and 1563 ; and of the anteuele we have arrived at the conclusion, that If the press is free
of poor rate lodged, and of the expenditure for the relief it should enjoy complete ft,edetit_(eheen)_emi that the
oldie poor In Ireland, during the year elided the 29th day best protection against the emotes of the
pesos.
of September, ucamped= with the same the the is the spirit of giicustiee, with* semee eh,
preceding year. the privileges on which society at pee= depeade.
On the motion of the Coaxesexote of the Excamteen, I think all parties have come to the concludes that the
it was ordered that be should he excused from serving ea liberty of the presets the most valuable of our imbue peg.
imbeciles committee. while he held his present ohm. vileges..becanse it in fact secures the enloyment et oh tbe
RELATIONS WITH FRANCE. others. (Hear, hear.) Bet, at the IMO Use, his always
Oa the motion that the Sraaana should leave the chair, advisable, when we are making observations ea the sedum
foe the house to go into committee of supply, of foreign governments, that we should be perfectly certain
Mr. DISRAELI rose sad rid—l wish to make some in- that the circumstances of the emntries to which we refer
quiz= of her Majesty's government respecting our rola- are identical with :hose of our own. (Hear, hear.) Now
does with Frame. (Hear, hear.) This is the moat im- sir. with all my love for the liberty of the press, lam still
portant subject of modern polities. We have now, for conscious that we enjoy it on certain conditions which do
sagely 40 years, bad the blessings of peat* between Great not, in my opinion, prevail in other countries; namely, a
Brit= sad Frame. During that interval, the social rola- long.utabliehed order, a habit of freedom of discussion,
these of the two countries have become various and multi- and, above all, an absence of all those circumstances which
plied. Orr elselmiercial transactions have, daring that in- are disturbing society in other countries. I will state • ease.
=mi, gradually, and progressively, and considerably in Let us suppose that In England at this moment we had the
creased; and, at the right opportunity, and under favour- greatest of political evils. Let us suppose that, instead of
able einumetansc, so debt, with enlightened legiflation, our happy settlement, we had a disputed succession ; let us
diem sommensial tesametioas are susceptible of considerable suppose that there was a young Charles Stuart, for ea-
sed perhaps ishilaite development. (Hear, hear.) There ample, at this moment at Breda and a young Oliver Cram-
are so two ematriee, that may be deemed first class powers, well at °oedemas, issuing manifestos and sending missives
between whoa all questions of high policy are so identical. to powerful parties of their adherents in this country. Let
And, it le somewhat strange that, when we have so many as &appose even other contingencies; that there had been
tees for • permanent good undentanaing between great revolutions in this country ; that the form of the
Martwo essatelea, so many securities for that peace which government had been changed; that our free and lemons
we desire—what the met, by the long interval of tranquil- monarchy had been subverted ; that a centralising republic
Sty that has moaned, moves that practically these are bad been establiehed by an energetic party, that the tyranny
aurae of security which an valid and eflicient—it is ex- of that party hail become insupportable, and that the army
tremely asap sad startling that, under such cireum- I had hero called is by the people, generally, to guard
stances, an idea would seem to have entered almost into them against the excesses which they dreaded. Do you feel
every man's brain, and an expression iato every m ciente sure that under such circumstances you would enjoy
mouth, that we are sumo the eve of a rupture with that the same liberty of the press as you enjoy at this moment?
country. Ido not think, therefore, that it is unreasonable, (lleer, hear.) Do you think that in the midst of revolu-
it on going into committee of supply ; when we are about tions, • disputed succession, r cret societies, and military
to vote large sums to sustain the armaments of the country ; rule, you could be quite certain of henna your newspaper
I should make some inquiries of her Majesty's go. at breakfast every morning? (Hew, hear.) Sir, these ave
vernment on • subject of such absorbing in- considerations which ought to guide us when we arc givlog
tenet, and offer • few remarks to the house before on opiaion on the csaluct of rulers and of nations.
Still
they go into committee with aspect to it. All must feel there can be no doubt that the eireametance that the pro-
that, upon sack • topic, it is of the very highest laver- sent ruler of Franco has ...topped that liberty of the press
tame that no false opinion should take pause= of the which we so much prize has occasioned great odium to
public mind. (Hear, hear.) Because, in a free country, him in this country, and has arrayed the feelings
opinion is one of the secanties Cro peace, as it is ales some- of the powerful press of England against the
times one of the causes of war. (Hear, hear.) Anti it is by French empire. I am not ashamed or afraid to say that
discussion, which le the life and soul of • society like ours, I. for one, deplore much that has occurred, and sympathise
that we arrive at the teeth upon subjects which often, to with the WOG. Bat what is the moral that I
the danger and mill of the community, become perplexed draw from all teas? it IA In. II is extremely difficult for
and obscure. (Hear, heat.) Now I know there are per- as to form an (Insists aesn French polities, and that so
sons in both countries—persons who have been born and Log as the French p. °pie use enact in their
bred probably during the last sweat struggle—who arc of mien:mist transactions, and frit ndly in their po-
opinion that there is • natural hostility between the French lilies; relations, it is ju-t as well that we should not
anti the English nations. They are persons who pro%a:sly interfere with the management of their domestic COI-

HOUSE OF LOltDS.—Faumi, FEB. 18.
T►e LORD CIWICILLOIL tuck upioa U. maim&
at i

PETITIONS PRESENTLD.

PtittISIIISTAILT P
from a mutual improvement society at 'I wine, in Oxford-
thire ; the Duke of ARGYLE, from a literary society at
Nottiligham, prayide for the free diatrinotion of puha.
meat ary papers to literary societies.
The Esrl of ELLENBOROUG II gyro notice that upon
Pridny next, upon presenting a petition from Madras, in
tisferenee to what was commonly tolled tie Eaat India
Conthany's Charter, he should take tile opportunity of oak-
um the noble lord at the head of the government whether
her Maj-sty's ministers intended to intrenket: any measure
for the future government of India during the present
erasion.
The Earl of CARDIGAN, in consequence of information
which bad reached hint, as to the present and the impends
inifste of the soldiers engaged in the affair at Six-mils-
bridge, would put another que►tion upon that subject to
the-government upon M.eaday neat. lie would put another
question, as to whether the government had come to any
decision with regard to the proceedings against those Irish
priests, whom it was the intention of the late government
to pimento.
LAW OF EVIDENCE (SCOTLAND).
Lord BROUGHAM, in rising to tin sent a petition to
the hou.o from certain boroughs in Scstland, took the op-
portt.iii.y of correcting an color which had gone abroad
with res;wet to a bill which he had introdueed into their
lordships' house for extending the law of evidence ia Scots
Landow u to assimilate that law in both Scotland and
England. It had been said that the bill .n question was to
extend to Scotland Lord Denman's Act. Now, in feet,
that let was eatrneled to Scotland Isat session, and wee at
that m meat the law of that land, haying been in Nue
there far about twelve months. The toll which he (Lord
Brougham) had introdu. ed eras to extend an amt of ►is
own, viz, the set to enable parties to snits to give evidence
thesueltes, which wider Lord DelMllll.l Act they could
no'. do.
Lord CAMPBELL had no diffi.inity in expressing the
great benefit which would arise from the extension of the
act mentioned by the noble and learned lord to Scotland.
This act had now the unanimous te►timony of the judges in
lb favour. (" Hear, bear," from Lord Brougham.) At
Let it had not been so favoured, not from any unwilling
mom es the part of the bench that our law should be im-
proved, but because the judges feared that great evil might
arim bola it. Now, however, having had actual experience
of its working, they had had renwin to change their opi.
Mons. He might name especially Mr. Baron Puke, one of
the molt able jurists in this country, whose ooinion at first
was decidedly hostile to the change in the law, but who
new was most earnest in its praise. He believed that the
sowere proposed by his noble and learned friend would
mast with the unanimous approbation of the Scotch people.
Lord BROUGHAM then presented petitions from several
corporate bodies in Scotland in favour of an assimilation of
the mercantile law of the two countries.
SHERIFFS' COURTS (SCOTLAND).
Lord DROISO 11 A SI, on presenting a petition from Dot-
fonaline, against the Sheriffs' Court. in Scotland, said that
under the present system pursued in that country there
were two judges to do that for which one only was required.
Do -ter this plan there were expanses incurred for large
star. of ofSeers who were, in truth, not necessary. Thu,
there were 34.) non-resident officers each having a salary of,
♦t the average. 40of. a year, ar.d 52 resident °Seers receiv-
ing, upon an ge, the like amount. What he (Lord
Brougham) hoped to see was, the abolition of the non• thus
dent class entirely, and, in the place (dike present resident
Uncials, others more equal to discharge those duties which
an extension of their jurisdiction, which lie trusted also to
see, would cut upon them. Lord Brougham also presented
several petitions for an extension of the jorisdittion of the
English county courts to bankruptcy and ignitable matters
now beyond their jurisdiction.