The Express.
London, England, 1859-06-06 00:00:00

VOLUNTEER RIFLE CORPS.

On Saturday evening a large meeting of the in-
habitants of Bt. George, Hmover-sqteare, was held at the
Hanover &pore rooms, to take into consideration the forma-
tion of a district rifle corps and to enrol member*.
Sir De LA( Y ROANS, -IL P., who occupied the chair, said
that be never felt more gratified it his life than by the move-
ment which we, sow taking place throughout the country fir
establishing some means of national defence le the present
extraordinary condition of Europe. (Hear, hear.) The first
document which was lamed by the government was aot
enoonreging or warm se might be desirable, bat the sexed
was more satisfactory, and contained a good deal of mead
tense. The Met question they would have to deter-
mine was as to the arm, to le used. He per
soma the weapon to be employed would be the
same en that used by the government for the great body of
the troops, but assistance should be given by the govethinent,
both pecuniary and by the lending of arms. (Hear, hear.
As to the uniform, it should be of the moat economical kind,)
so me to enable the greeted number of pawns possible to
assist in this great public and popular movement. (Chews.)
All vanity, gaiety, and gold lace would be oat of gees.
(KW, hear.) Tho age of eighteen might be a good age to
itch with, but there was no reason to restrict the age to 46,
he some mat at 60 were physically younger then Wen at
46. Some clerk in the War-office, he suppled, suggested the
limitation to 48 years; but he was sure tbe;War-oince, on re-
presentations being made to It, would act with greater
liberality. The supplying of arms and ammunition at
fleet cost IMO sot any liberal okthe port of the government,
meths that then were 14,000 mounted yeomanry, ootutisting
principally of the tenants of landed proprietors, who received
31. a year for their clothing. (Hear, hear.) These 14,000
yeomanry were voted 88,0001., in addition to which they were
paid 40,0001. for the days they turned out to exercise during
the year. Some persons looked with jealousy on the yeo-
manry, and regarded them es the train-bands of the at a-
tomise. (Hoer, hear.) lie had no such jealousy, Ma he
thought the government might extend a ponies of their libe-
rality to the gnat popular movetneat 'which was now taking
place. It seamed as if the govvrement were afraid to entrust
the people with arms. (Hear, hem.) This was no piety
movement; neither was it a elms movement. All classes
from the highest to the lowest ought to be consolidated in this
movement. If the government did not show confidence in the
people, he was afraid tint rtunate results might ensue. It was
generally found true that the more cthtlelence you reposed
in persons the Parer you were. He admit'ed that tho present
government had gone further in this direction than their pre•
decessoes—(therre)--for when he made a proposition of this
kind to the late governlrent he was literally and distinctly
pooh.poohed. (Hear, tear.) Yet fir the last half-century
there had not been a more important or so threatening a con-
tingency se the present. At the time of the French revolu-
tion Austria and Freesia interfered to dictate to the French
people what government they should have. The enthusiasm
of the French people rose against such dictation, they threw
back the Myriam, and, having gained victoi ;el, they com-
menced a career of mavens' conquest. There were not
wanting symptoms that great persons and powers were about
to commeneo the awe career of policy and conquest,
and, however innocent of ambitions views theme
gnat pawns might be themselves, they might not
be able to restrain their armies or their people if they enter-
tained any jealousy tr dislike of Maenad. (Hear, hear.) No
one could take umbrage or offence at the movement which
was now taking piece in this country, for It was purely for
defence. (Hear.) He had le en strata by • epeeoh recently
delivered by • very eloquent and able member of the House
of Compose, who hal rendered great orator to the country
in the establishment of commercial freedom; he meant Mr.
Bright. (Cheer and Mises.) He felt great admiration for
Mr. Bright, hot he held that the maintenance of their inte-
grity es a nation was of far greeter consequence than the
promotion of commercial freedom, and that anything which
would endanger their security and righta en • nation
could n,it be c ,mpenvated for by anything of that
-sort. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Bright was • most eloquent
and a most honest ram, hat be had a crotchet that all men
were pemeably disposed, aad that there was therefore no
for making generations for defence. Ha dented the
right of Mr. Bight and his friends to be called the
party, became he was • peace man, and he beinei that
they were a'l peace men. Theonly question woe mto the
bast means of maintaining peace. Now, he believed, and he
thought all in that room were of the astne opinion, that the
beet way of maintaining peace was to let lawless mad ambi-
, tic us powers know that you were ready to defend your-
selves. (Cheers.) They yet on locks and bolts to protect
themselves from pietas robbers, and could there be any
greater robbers than these who now hal greet armies to
dealing coustitutions and to dictate to other nations what in•
semitone they should have. It was evidently the itietio2t
r of the people of this country that pointed out to them the
t amesseity of taking some measures of defence. (Hear, hear.)

They *ski sot Trost the government. Thei; rulers were
very t men, and if tropes and figure, of speech could
protere=ountry, its defence might very well be bft to
men in power; but as they werechody oemped lu oontendiog
with each ogler for the great offices of etre, they had no
time to direst attention to the general defence of the sentry. ,
(Cheers.) Lord Macaulay, whilst odor ttisg the greet ,
abtlities of Mr. Pitt, said that he gave only the dregs of hie
rapacity to military affair* ; and so it wee now. At the re-
feet moment nosily the whole of Europe wee in arms. Two
ec three of the great powers were actually In colliers.
I Ruske, it was admitted by the government, entered
into a written under:tending with France. The ,
sinister of Hurts indeed had been pleased to say that it did
a* concern the interests of England, tat still he had Dot
thought It expedient to communicate to the Eaglith gore*.
most or pimple the purport of that understanding. (Her,
beer.) Bat sheet they fond that two of the greatest
military powers of the world aunieto en understandiog, sad
that one of them had sent firs corps el' emir to the freer re
to tap the German powers in check, it must be admitted
that the aspect of affairs wan serious and portentous. (Hear,
hear.) Foe his own pert he was of opinion that they was
at theoosonencement of cue of the and =mentor einrelem
that bad ever helms place between peoples for coral rights
and insitot'one. (Cheers.)
Sir H. Senora said that sonde( hat the great import-
ance of the present reran, se horrified it, would have induced
him to leave his otstotrity * order to take pert in proceedings
which were act congeeiel to Ids tares. The roe of the
data, If they merited endear* shoestikat they were stand-
ing on the verge of ow of the crises the raid bed
ever knows. (ifeat, hear.) And what added to the difficulty
wee the great tendril.* in which matters stood at meant.
(Hear, hear.) If they saw peoples rising to obtain their
freedom, that was a Wag that could be underatood ; but it
greatly iameased the difficulty of tiedersteadiog the present
state of affair. when they saw those who were not acertomed
to govern liberally at home going to fight for the freedom of
other,. (Her.) The object of the present meeting wee most
legitimate, and one which he felt bound to promote by every
sear in his power. They *circlet their private dwelliege
by iron shutters, palest Irks and chains, and ought thay
not to take the same precaution for their dear little island
which they took for their own street or Olga/Si= P (Hear,
bear.) Although he stoke in rte third parson, he wee a
very quaker In peaceable int. ntiCallle end had male greater
sacrifices foe peace than Feria,* most was, but he did n..t
believe with Mr. Brieht that It wee a WP of a garroter*
inuentica to beer a rids on one's shoulders. Ms always walked
with a walking stick in his hold, but ft sever 0.-mrred to
hen to lay it on any coo's shoulders. (Hear, sad laughter.)
They thought it right to tot spring guns and man traps, got
that they Minted for the lives or the legs of the 'mothers,
but they knew that there were three which the gathers de-
sired to have, sad they wanted themoff. (Hear, and 'righter )
This wee so party or does movement. and, therefore, he
joined It. At his age of 62, it was not likely that he would
be • lively teenaft—(fauehter)—but he thought he could
metre the goose step whilst walking along. Pi-erbllly, and
as ke wee accustomed to shoot partridges to September, if
need_ be he could aro firs at the Invader. (Cheer) lie
believed the preslnt movement wee neouteary for the
serwity of the country, and therefore he wished it all
emotes'. (Charm)
General Sir Du:foal M•Docoe it next addressed the
meeting, and said that ever since 1862 he had urged upon
seeervive goverainents the nemseity of arming the people
se es to make the c Awry iavelaareble. He weld speak
been eapertentv oa the subject which they were met to
promote, for he hod been met to Nova Scotia to
orgaalso a militia and volunteer force of 13,000 men. The
men were expected to asernble four ere daring the goer
for drill and exercise, end after those car days training the
ma were able to move in brigade with troops of the line,
and were as expert in the practice of musketry sod field-
pi me se the regular army. The roars we., that the men
having arms in their postession were in the habit of Wale.
tieing with them oonstattly. (Cheers.) There we. ample
means for deism Is the cautery if property organised.
He thought that the govorszert should give aseistaace In
prOliding arms end clothing. (Cheers.)
' General PKINGLI TAILOR add there was no °Make on
, which be thought it ao necessary to come forward in support.
of • no cement like the present. When they NW
the he meme annum ate on the other aide of the channel it
we. time for them to look at hems, for he could tell them
that men unorganised wen driven like sheep baler organ-
led soldier.. (lleer, hear.) He saw so reason why the
people of England should be sheep to be driven, and not Men
with arms In their heeds rail* and prepared to defend '
them-
selves and their smeary. (Her, hear.) Is former polio*
she bowmen ad Rashid woes resowned throughout the
world. They greed vitamin rear they had strong
aims and stout bears. (Chem) The arms, Indeed, were
' changed 11.12e0 thou, hut Englishmen had still the taw
Wrong arms and B.otlt heart.. Yet without arms and with-
out organisation they would be powerless *fors the invader.
(Hear, hear.) He lied seen what Illlnvaabin was, and be
did not wieh tow their country invaded, rat the teat wee of
avoiding it was by the people herding • pastime in the click
of the riff,. (Cheers )

The Rev. Mr. WHITMAY Dolt eddreesei the meeting,
and amid that the prefect movement had the sanction of the
motor (tithe pariah, the Rev. H. Howard, and the support
of the elegy. gensorelly.