The Express.
London, England, 1860-09-11 00:00:00

LORD WODEHOUSE ON RIFLE CORPS.

At a public meeting held at Wymondham, near
Norwich, on Friday last, for the purpose of homing a
rifle corps for that town and the surrouuding dustriet, Lord
Wutlehowie the I'nder Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, male the tollowiog rearm-Li :-" Many persons, he
was aware, still felt some objection to joining these
corps, under the idea that it was calling upon them to do
something out of their usual sphere' and to undergo
incouveniences which they were not hound to subject
themselves to. Ile thought a moment's reflection would
show stuyoue that this movement was precisely in accord-
ance with the general character of our institutions. There
was not one of us who was not called upon every day to
submit to considerable personal inconvenience iu order to
carry on what was in fact the govorumeut of the country.
Many gentlemen preseut acted 1U various positions of re.
spowsibility-either as overseen or as guardians of the pour,
or as unpaid magistrates-all of them °ilium for which no
remuneration was received, and which were discharged foe
the general benefit of the public, because it was the charism
teristic of Englishmen that they instuaged their own con.
cerise. (Hear, hear.) This volunteer movement was based
on the saute ides--namely, that, though it might be per.
smelly inconvenient, and even expensive to us to dieharp
these local Mikes in our several counties, we were hound to
undertake those chines ; so were we also bound to undergo
wane personal incouvenienee and expense in Relating In
the defence of our country. (Heir, hear.) He (Lord
Wodebouse) held that every man was quite as much
bound to contribute to the defence of his country ae he
was bound to perform any other duty which might ;twelve
ou a citizen. (Hear.) One of the first principles on
which any society could be Lased was that each man
should do his best in defence of the country. lu other
parts of the world this was effected by the personal con-
tributions of the inhabitants fur the maintenance of an
enormous standing army. The principles of our madam-
tion had always, however, beau opposed to the maintenance
of a large standing army. He boded that that principle
would always be adhered to--(hen)-hut then, if we did
not have a large standing army, we must, es reasonable
men, provide in some way a force which would be suffi-
cient to place us in safety, we that we might have no fear
of any events either at house or aimed. He should say
nothing, after all that had been said by so mauy having far
greater authority than himself, as to the purely defensive
character of the volunteer movement, but it must be ackisovr-
ledged-and it was cue of the advantages of the movement-
that them was nothing in it offensive to any nation whatever.
It was simply a movement which showed that we were de-
termined to place ourselves in such a position that wesheaLl
be enabled to take our own course without Laving regard
to auythiug but that which we believed to be to the advan-
tage of the country and the promotion of general peace
anti tranquillity throughout Use world. (Applause.)
There were two aspects in which this movement might be
regarded, both of therm he thought, very ailvautageous to
it. In the first place, it provided for the defence of the
country ; and, seeoudly, what was of no inconsiderable im-
portance, it afforded a healthy and ueeful recreation to all
classes. (Hear.) He thought we were in want in this
country of something which should bring different chewer
of society together by eugagiug thorn in some common ob.
ject which was at the mune time maul and agreeable, 1110
such a means of social intercourse and remedies was
provided by valuta...l. corps. (Hear.) There wee no one,
he was sure, who began to pewtiso rilleorhooting who
woad not fled it extremely amusing and attractive ; a man
felt that he was acquiring an art which some day or other
might be useful, and which at any rate could do him
no harm to !mum The noble lord then proceeded to ex-
plain the necessary steps to be taken in forming a volunteer
corps, and observed, with regard to the expense, that as
that deterred many from juiumg, he thought it ought to
be kept as low as powsilde. As the goiernment now found
the rides, the members would only have to provide their
ruder= and accoutrements, which he was informed at the
War-office need not coat snore thou 31. 10a., and could even
be provided fur a lower sues than that. He suggested a
general eubscriptirin for defieviug the expense of procuring
a practice-ground, end that honorary members should be
admitted for au annual subscription of from 51. to 10a.,
with the privilege of practisiug at the butt and wearing
the unifonn. With respect to the drill, he observed that a
volunteer, in order to he enrolled as au " effective," was
only required to attend eight drills in four months, so that
the tax on one's tints and convenience was really very
trifling. After offering a donation of AUL aud annual sub
scriptioe of U. to the corps, and expreseing Isis regret that
his official duties in town would prevent bins front becoming
1111 active member, Loot Wodelesuse, in conclusion, said he
believed that a more patriotic movement than this had ma
been inaugurated during the present century. Nothing had
been dune more calculated to raise England both at limue
sad abroad -both in her own self respect stud in the estima-
tion of other nations-than that we had gone heart and
heed in a movement so essentially English, being calculated
to give us a cheap meatus of defence, and at the wine time
to improve the personal bearing, be might say, if every
man who made !dowel( .410 of a body of men who were
aoireeted by such hiudable and patriotic motives. (loud
applause.)

GARIBALDI EMT.' BRIAINDITH FROM MANCRILBTIR.--•
Yesterday Captain Namibia proreseshsl to Manchester front
Liverpool, awl presiona to his leaving snails M 5 deka* in
the afternoon forty.aeven persons had (demi themselves as
excursionists to Na.ples and been acsisopteil. Unfortunately
there is a great want of }nada to equip the ptty.