The Express.
London, England, 1860-09-01 00:00:00

LOAD ELCNO OS rug VOLUNTEER

roilitiziri.

At the distribution of a series of prizes in eon-
notion with a great volunteer gathering at Montrone a day
or two since, Lord Echo spuke as follows on the progress
of ithe volunteer movement. He said—" I can assure you,
and I say it moat uafeignedly, that it was with no small
agree of surprise that I found myself asked to present
Sootland's Cup at this great gathering. I have no local con-
nexion with Montrose ; it is the find time I have had the
pleasure of being in thin pleasant part of the country; and I
mix assure you that I consider it the highest compliment
that Gould be paid to me to be asked on this occasion to pre-
seat. Soothed% Cup ; but I accepted it meat heartily and
wsad undertook the tank that had been prepared to
me. (M) Now, ladies and gentlemen, on ea occasion
such as this, taking as I do a ve7 deep interest in this
volunteer movement, and serininliff as this gathering
duel from this movonient, to which, I hope, es
Famine has edd in his letter just read, that it will
give a very peat impetus, 1 would for one moment detain
you while I make a few remarks on this volunteer move-
ment. 1 thick this ie an occaeien to nay • few worts,
though the subject has been ably touched upon, bemuse
these rifle gatherings nark epochs in the volunteer move-
meet ; they show bow far it ts advanced, and I hope the
are prophetic of bow far they will yet go. Some people, I
know, an surprised at the 41100016 which has atteoduil the
volunteer movement. Fur my part, I am not surprised
ak 6,_basiuse
,appeeleilto tire et the Offeeree Wive
nor are ; it appealed to one's sense of public duty,
mad it appealed to out love of country: (Cheers.)
I think we may say, without unduly flattering
oanelves, that there is no country in which a sense of duty
is more istaingly felt, and where the love of country
bursa more brightly than it doer here ; but there is
another reason why we have joined su heartily iu this
welenteer movement, and that is trout a love of peace.
(Hear, beard It is essentially became we me the maaw
foil climes. 01 • peace loving country that we have assumed
this garb of war, and it is in the interest of peace sod
for the sake of our hearth, and homes that we have
handled and are endeavouring to learn the use of tile
deadly weapon which the skill of the manufacturer
has placed in your hands. (Hear, hear.) Let us
look for • moment to the position in which we now
stand compared to theeition in which Eaglaud
I stood some time ago. We p
have now got au army of
150,000 men who have in a few months sprung up
almost like the fabled army that sprang from the
dragon's teeth sown in the ground. It is an fumy,
allow me to my, of whi-h any sovereign might be prou4
who saw the eights which oar beloved Sovereign saw ia
Hyde-park, London, said in the Queen's-perk, &lire
(Lmd cheers.) I Lad the good fortune to see
=lames reviews. Ido not pretend to draw any .1111111,-
, rime betimes% them—no oompszison is needed ; but I as
tell you what I told some gentlemen last night, that the
general oaken who were there told me that with the 111111
they OM in the Queen's Park a few days ago they would
be prepared to go anywhere and do anything. (Loud up-
' plauee.) Now, belies and gentlemen, with such an army,
there is no denying the fact that Fagland stands in • very
different position from what aim did. The effect of the
Crimean war, to a certain extent., was to lead foreignera to
believe that we mismanaged our military matters, siotwith-
standing the bravery shown by our soldiers before Se-
bastopol. while it needed to a certain extent the dreadful
mutiny in India to restore ma prestige, end there the in-
herent courage of Englishmen and Englishwomen went fat
to do 110 ; but nothing has done snore to rates thin country
in the eye of foreigners than this great volunteer inove-
meet. It has added enormnualy to our strength ; it lets
a material bearing on the politics of Europe ; anti every
norm who comes forwent as • volunteer may have the
satisfaction of feeling—and I nay it became I believe it in
my conscience, that every unit that is added to tl6, move-
ment—every man who comes forward—han an influence on
the great stage of European politics. Certain we cony le
that the influence of thin country will never be exerted but
for • good end wholesome purpose. It is for defence, sod
not for defiance, as it has been said, that we have taken
up this movement ; and you may be certain that Eng-
laud's voice will only be heard in the interests of peace, and
of well-order al and reasonable liberty. (Cheers.) Well,
gentlemen and belies, if thin le the state in which our
couutry has been placed, as I believe it has bLoi by
this voluuteer moveineut, I think that the feeling which
must animate every one who hears MO Is an earnest hope
that this movement may still go on—that as it has pro-
grassed slowly and steadily, as it has advanced like a tole,
so we hope it will sever remelts like • tide, bet that it will
become • permanent institution. It is sot • movement
meant to meet any sudden danger. The people of this
country wish for all time to plain themselves in a position
that they need never be deterred from their peaceful emu-
patioue by any fears of ihuger from without. How, theu,
is this to be effected? There are two great way. of giving
permanence to the volunteer movement. Ow is the. (mid
Lord Elcho, taking by the lewd a little boy, • son of Major
Tailyour, in his uniform as an honorary corporal in the
Montrose Riffs)—form cadet corps. Teach your boys
at school their drill. Train up your children so, that
when they become men—when they reach the age of
seventeen or eighteen— they will look forward, as part
of their social duty, to taking their piece in the volunteer
ranks. (Cheers.) The other mean. is by appealing to the
spirit of rivalry and competition. which is the characteristic
of our countrymen, and which is the soul and life of all
our sports. It is by the forming of associations such as this
- it is by ferrates • great national amociaition, such as the
National Rifle Association, of which I am proud to see the
gold medal on the breast of a countryman ; and 1 hope be-
fore you separate you will give three cheers for Edward
Roes, the champion of Great. Britain. (The taut given
was, at a moment's notice, caught up, and after the cheer-
ing the niihtia baud further ieternapted the noble lord's
speech by playing "The Coaquering Hero.") The hearty
welcome with which you have neeived the name of Mr.
Rees, the champion of Great Britain, shows hew fully
you appreciate the objects of the National Ride Amos-
cation. We have wished to bring the country book to the
state in which it was in the time of the Plentagensta
We wish to make the rifle now, in the days of Queen Vic-
toria, what the how was iu the time of the Edwards.
We wish to make it the familiar weapon of the British
people ; and we believe that meetings such ad this will in-
fallibly teal to this result. I hopeyou will give your sup-
port to the National Rifle Association, because, important
as the local aesmiatiie, and important as are the aroma-
them which represent a country such as Soutlanil, still en as-
sociation which brings into competition the riflemen of the
two countries must have more weight end a snore boding and
pester effect than any mare local association. Let me now
congratulate you on having come forwent and followed
the example of the National Rifle Association, and shown
Scotland the example of establishing these great meetings.
I congratulate you, as Ido most heartily, on its monies. I
think that the people of Scotland—the strangers as well as
the iehabilauts of this distriot—are greatly indebted to
Major Tailyour, Mr. Taylor, and other gentlemen who have
been so active in bringing about this great national gather.
leg. (Cheap.) They apologine for deficiencies. I confess
I have seen sone. 1 have seen everything to prose/se suc-
cess next year, because I believe this is merely the arse
and that you will have an annual gathering here. Before
=Mg the prises, allow me to say two words mere.
what I have said, you must, in order to keep
up this movement, study the strictest economy in the ar-
rangemeate of your cores. Depend upon it that, unless
these corps are made self-supporting, they do not stand on
• sound and stable basis; and, although educating our
youth, although rifle u ectings and comptititioue will do
mooch - I believe more than anything else—to extend the
cant., still you must remember that it rest. with yourselves
--that it rests with the volunteers of Great Britain- to
make it permanent. lam confident that the feeling which
led you to join the movement, that sante love of country
will snake you remain and learu te do your duty steadily
in the ranks, and that you will adhere to what you have
nobly begun with • dogged determination to do your
duty. (Loud applause.)

SATURDAY EARLY Cbeened.—A meeting of em-
ployers, principally in the drapery leads, wee held at the
George Inn, Commercial-read bat, yet day morning, at
11 o'clock, to confer as to the prentiodillity of introducing
the Saturday early closing movement into that district. Mr.
Blytte wee called to the chair. The meeting comprised
Mean. Burdett, lateguehaye, Child (of Messrs. Reed and
Co.'s), Ling, Clarke, Haddock, Emery, and Colson. Mr. H.
Clayton was also present from Whiteebspok eel Mr. Lines
from Poplar. Mr. Pitter and Mr. Kennedy attended from
the Early Closing Association. Letters were read
from Mr. Crane and Mr. Welker, of the Commereitil.ros
expressing their hearty concurrence in the movement. aed
regretting that they were unable to attend. The chairman
having ttpeneil the prooredinge, Mr. Burdett sail he should
only be too glad if ell would agree to clese et six o'clock all
the year round. Mr. Clayton obeervedthat in his own neigh.
bourhood he should be willing to close at four or five o'clock
on SetueLya if it. ...told be.lade ..byt!i;ug like genera.
Mr. Child feared it would be difficult to get • very early
hour at the outset ; but he thought it an anomaly that on
the bet clay of the week men of intelligence and position
should work on that day six or seven hours looser than a
bricklayer's labourer. There was something wrung some-
where when this wee the case. Mr. Ling suggested six
o'clock as e practicable hour at present. He hoped, by
putting an end to the flaturdity sensing trade, they a.O
be able to make Saturday afternoon one of the beat periods
of the week for business instead of one of the worst. After
some dementia, in the course of which a very good feeling
was displayed, • resolution WWI egreel to for dosing at pot
later then six o'clock on Saturdays throughout the year,
omomeadng ou the Bth instant. Arrangements were also
made for eanveming the absent employers, including the
millinen, arid for extending the nioveteteut into Poplar. It
, was also reported as probable that a meeting of employers
weal be held in Whitechapel in • day or two.