The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-12 00:00:00

DROITWICH.

Sir JOHN Pstlscro;,;eiliiingilianks yesterday, said
the government were not unwilling to consent to a
considerable extension of the franchise ; but on the
other hand they were not prepared to make the
government of England democratic. He might say,
as the Earl of Derby had said in the House of
Lords the other night, that under the circumstances of the
case and being as yet scarcely inbossession of their offices,
they must reserve to themselves a complete discretion in
regard to the time and manner when and in which they
thought it their duty to deal with the important question
of reform. They trusted to the good feeling of parliament
and the public. Their offices had been thrust upon them.
They did not expect it ; they had sot courted it. If the
late government had only playedtheir cards with good sense
it would have been impossible for the conservatives to have
taken their placer. There were two pointson which he must
confess the new government bad great advantages—first,
that there was every reason to hope that after a very
short and roguinary campaign, the war which a few weeks
ago threatened to disturb the peace of all Europe, was now
virtually over. He thought they had reason to hope now
that by the mediation of neutral powers, including Eng-
land, they should see, not only a restoration of peace, but
the removal of the causes of dimension in Europe. The
other point on which they were fortunate was that he was
sanguine enough to believe that we had no cause fur
anxiety from any part of the great American continent.
They had all observed the struggle that had been
caused in Canada by the wicked irruption of Fe-
nian, from the United States, and they must all
have observed the noble spirit with which our
Canadian fellow-sihjects rose in arms, and how the
volunteers drove back the invader, ; and while they felt
pride in these acts of their fellow-citizens, they must
frankly acknowledge the honourable, loyal, and faithful
spirit in which the government of the United States
assisted us. (Applause.) He hoped, and believed, that
such honourable and loyal conduct on their part would
have the effect of cementing and rendering permanent
that good feeling which ought to exist between the two
governments. (Hear, hear.) He begged to thank them
for the patience with which in that sultry atmosphere
they had listened to his remarks. The new govern-
ment which had just entered office must be judged
by the measures which they introduced. He was san-
guine enough to hope and believe that their
measures would be such as would deserve the confidence
of the country, and whatever might be their tenure of
office he hoped and trusted that when the time for their
retirement arrived they would leave office with the feeling
on the part of the people of England that there was no
reason for regretting the hour when power had been
placed in their hands. In conclusion, the right hon.
baronet referred to some remarks by his proposer, about
the scarcity of foxes at Westwood, and said that on that
subject he was one of the best abused men in the country.
He was formerly a foxhunter himself, but latterly had
discontinued following the hounds, but he had alwaysgiven
orders to his keepers to protect foxes, notwithstanding the
fact that when the hounds came to Westwood the hunts-
man could not find the •• varmint" at home.
Thanks to the mayor closed the proceedings.