The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1848.

a great measure this bill was taken, wee a woman, who
mold ,not seriously threaten the pace of this country--a
widow—Lady Edward Fitzgerald. (Hear, hear.) He
could not agree with the hon. baronet the member
for Southwark that this was a glaring inconsistency
on the part of ministers. All depended on the point
of time with which the comparison was Istituted.
By going back a few yeses it migot be brought
out in very striking colours ; but, looking at the last great
measure which had been carried through that house, it must
bo admitted that this was a very consistent and appropriate
supplement to the " Act for the better security of the Crown
and the Government." (Hear, hear.) The one belonged
to the other : they dove-tailed perfectly ;
Sure such a pair was never seen
&thistly formed to meet by nature.
i'hey completed the conetta'ort from the policy of the old
whigs of ' this Country to the policy of Pitt, of Sidmouth, and
of Castlereagh, which, beginning with the first of these mea-
sures, might be considered as carried on some way towards
its completion in the second. (Hear, hear.) The threat
which Pitt once used egainst his great opponent, "to un-
whig the goverment," could not housed by the opponents of
the present government ; for they had most efllehntly uo-
whiaged themselves for the rest of their dale. (Hear and
laughter.) The only reason given for the measure by the
right hon. baronet (Sir G. Grey) was, that he was afraid of
republican missionaries. But the danger of French repub-
lican missionaries was at this time, surely, at the very lowest
point of probability. The power which any Frenchmen
would possess of exciting an English multitude to violence
"by open and advised speakiag " was surely In a very
lim'ted degree. The ridicule which the hon. baronet hail al-
luded to was sure to arise ; and this had clwaya been so great
that the most acceomplished French tragedian, Telma, had
never been allowed to act Hamlet on the English stage, be-
cause it was felt certain that the very first sentence he uttered
would throw an English audience into a roar of laughter.
(Hear, hear.) We must look in a different direction
for the danger, if say, of republican principles,
and must direct our legislation rather against the
writings of the illustrious deed of our own country,
than mintiest living missionaries from foreign lands. The
great republican teachers—if England could be taught re-
publicanism—would be found upon the shelves of our libra-
ries—Milton, Sydney, Hampden, Mere, and others of later
date; and if they—addressing us in our native tongue, and
giving us that language in all its richness and power, and I
surrounded by so many associatioas which commended our
reverence—almost our idolatry—lf they did not make us re-
publicans, whore was the genius or skill, the eloquence or
persuasiveness, amongst Frenchmen, Germans, or any other
people, to seduce the inhabitents of these realms from their
allegiance to their Queen? (lieu, hear.) But it might be
said it was not merely republicanism in the common sense
the word, for the free institutions of this country bad at least
as much affinity with the republicanism of other countries as
with the despotism of other countries—but the doctrines of
socialism and communism which wo had to fear. To lull
our fears let us take example from the nohle-rninded man
who was now at the head of the French people. Socialism
and communism had been the rock-a-head of the provisional
government and the people of France throughout this try-
ing season ; and though our socialist and communist leaders
had been in France during the whole period, fraternising
with the leaders of those opinions there, and making them-
selves meopieueus, had he deported any one of them
(Hear, hear.) Much better were it to imitate this example,
especially with the means which we possessed in such abund-
ance for a full sense of our own security. This and the other
measure lately passed for the better security of the crowo
and government wire as worthless for the real security
of the institutions and peace of Ibis realm, as the
parchment on whim they were engromed would
be as a buttress to that venerable abbey in whose
shade they were deliberating, which had stood the
storms of centuries past, and would abide the storms of cen-
turies yet to aqua. (Hear, hear.) It was not in legislation
such as this that our safety was to be found; nor could he
agree with the learned Attorney General in thinking that
if the bill did no good, at any rate it could do no harm. Such
mourn did this harm : they falsified the character of this
country ; they put us in an untrue position as to the public
of inion of Europe and the rest of the world ; they declared
apprehensions which did not really exist. or fur which there
were no real grounds; they imputed feelings of pliability and
fickleness, of proneness to he easily led into violence, sehith
were not the characteristiss of the people of this country;
which never had been, and which never would be. (Hear,
hear.) They put us in this false position, and were
likely most injuriously to affect our relations
with other countries. ( Hear, hear.) They might breed
misunderstandings which would plunge us into war—that
worst of all calamities; they showed suspicion of what was
going en in Europe ; they showed that we did not rely on
the events taking place being so over ruled as to guide the
world onward, amid to lead it into a better position. They
roclaimed us to he at variance with that movement, to be
looking on fearfully. j calouoly, and suspiciously; they placed
us on the wrong side, and put us in alliance with those wi o
endeavoured to upheld a part that could not be retained, and
to olcetruct n future that must and would reediest itself. They
made us the enemies of the rising republics and c ,nstitu
tional governments, and the friends of the despetisma that
were deservedly crumbling into the dust. (Cheers.)
Mr. 11. DRUMMOND said the necessity fer this
measure need not be long nought by persons who were ac-
qu tinted wits what was going on in Europe. Thu noble lord
the member for Marylebone seemed anxious that London
should continua to deserve the poetical description which
kad been given of it, as a city which
Suck:( in the dregs of each corrupted slate.
(Laughter.) The hen. gentleman then alluded to t'.e events
which had preceded the first French revolution, and con-
tended that all revolutions had been brought about by pro-
pagandism. lie expressed his determined detestation of the
principles which hail been enunciated by hon. gentlemen
opposite, and his conviction that they would end in whole-
sale slaughter. (Oh, oh.)
Mr. URQUttART was anxious for some guarantee that
the power to be v. stmt by this measure in the Secretary of
State should not be improperly employed. England had
long offered an asylum to the unfortunate of all nations, by
making her laws as nearly equal as possible for the alien and
the native ; and this measure would virtually pass a censure
on that system of legislation. Even sariptural authority was
in favour of the same law for the alien and the native ; and
the prieciple had been maintaieed in eastern legislation till
the present time. In England no necessity had ever been
discovered for an Alien Bill until the lirsarencla revolution,
and the circumstances which then rendered it at (emery did
not now elite. Propagandism was now carried on through
the medium of the press; conspiracies amongst individuals
no longer existed; anti against this the Alien Bill would be
inoperative. lie much demurred to the delegation of any
fresh powers toe Secretary of State. la a late ease, where
an individual's letters had been opened without warrant,
the inquiry had been shelved; what security then ex-
isted that aliens would not be more unjustly used ?
He believed this measure would fail of its purpose ; and he
feared it would bring us into collision with foreign powers.
It might even be used to serve the purpose of another power,
as the London police had been in the CAW` of Count DrozkL
Should seditious foreigners ensemble here in such force as to
threaten the peace of the country, curdy the government
might act on their own responsibil;ty, and afterwards obtain
an indemnity bill from the house. This would avoid the
risk of pawing a measure which ni:ght never be necessary.
An appeal being given to the privy ceuncil, in the case of an
alien deporte I, it would appear that there must be judicial
ground for such a proceeding ; and if so, why should not the
math r be brought before the ordinary tribunals of the
country? He hid voted for the Crown and Govsrnment
Security Bill, and had given the government all the powers
necessary, in his opinion, for preserving the tranquillity of
the country. Ile should therefore oppose this measure.
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY said that the
late events on the continent bad shown hew a very email
number of disaffected individuals might disturb the pence of
a country ; and there tieing in England a great number of
Germans and Frenchmen who would bo glad to see this
govi rnment subverted, he should readily support this
Satedtad.
Mr. lIUME denied the possibility of any body, however
large, of foreigners exciting the people of this country to
rebellion. He thOught the noble lord who hail just sat
down must have been bitten by the sin aial constable mania.
(Laughter.) lie had too much confidence in the loyalty
ci the people of this country to fear anything that could be
done by the French or Germans. No necessity whatever
lad been drown to exist for this bill; its only effect would
be to create ill-feeling against this country abroad.
He deeply regretted such an un-English proceeding'
it was nothing but the result of timidity and
panic. It would excite the belief utiroad that our govern-
ment was tottering to its fall; he should, therefore, oppose
the bill at every stage.
Dr, DOWRING said it had been the boast of England
that nutting here was (inn.) in secret; that every accused
I person was confronted with his accusers; but this bill
' enabled the Secretary of State, acting even on anenymmul
information, to banish any foreigner from the country. It
I had been said they might apply for letters of naturalisation;
but this could not ho done by pentane who Mlle here
only tor a short period, on either bueiness or pleasure.
He complained that this measure mould be likely to plans
he g ivernment in a bad position with respect to the requests
enti
of foreign governments. Hon. gemen cemplaiued of
propagandism, but were they not all proregandists as far as 1
they were aide—were they nut all desirous to see their own '
opinions prevail ? He would ttpp tar the measure, hecee„
he believed it would lower this country in the eyes of fureiga
countries. (Hear, hen.)
Captain HARRIS thought the government deserving of
greed credit fir bringing forward a measure of an unpopular
nature like the present. He saw on a late occasion 890[113
foreigners very busy in Trafalgar-sgeare. lie asked hen.
gentlemen to look at the Rhine, and sea wlia( wan happen-
ing there in ceesequence of the system of propagandism. Ho
believed that all respectable foreigners !maid be anxious ee,
see this hill peen.
Mr. EWAItT thoeght that the 10 st answer to this mea-
sure was the display of the people of tit is country on the 10th of
last month. He believed teat this toll w. s unaecessary, and
proceeded from au idle fear. It was one opposed to the consti-
tution of England, and, as he thought, highly impolitic. If
foreigner mixed themselves up in toe afftirs of this country,
lie believed the people themselves would soon make those
foreigners repent of their conduct.
The house divided—For the second reading 141
Against it 22-119
ELECTION RECOGNISANCES BILL.
On the motion for considering the Lords' amendments to
this bill,
Sir lt. INGLIS said he did not intend to revive any dis-
cussion with respect to this bill in the house, but he hedged
to call its attention to the fact that in the House of
Lords, where no personal interests were concereed, every
lawyer of every party condemned the bill. (Rear, hear )
As he knew, however, that it wee not intended by those
with whim be usually acted to divide the house upon the
present occasion, he should content Lineal( with entering
his protest against it.