The Express.
London, England, 1861-08-09 00:00:00

(Stamped, Id. Additional.) [TWOP

MR. BERNAL OSBORNE, KP., AND HIS

comarruitirrs.

(From the Waters Daily Marta')

On Wednesday night Mr. Bernal Osborne, the
member for Liskeard, met hie constituents at the Town
Hall, Liskeard. The ball was well filled before the hour
announced.

On the motion of Mr. GlitCH, moontled by Mr. SAISN-
DM, Mr. Andrew Ringdon was unanimously called upon to
take the chair.

The CHAIRMAN, in introducing the hon. member to the
meeting, descanted upon the topics which their representa-
tive might touch upon, and in particular alluded to the
unnatural conflict which was being enacted between the
Northern and Southern States of America.
Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE then rose, amidst loud cheers. In
speaking of the struggle in America he said-1 think the
House of Commons showed a wise discretion in avoid.
log the discussion of that subject—in avoiding those topics
which might irritate and inflame both sides ; for we know
our American brethren to be of • remarkably touchy and
setisi.ive disposition. (A laugh.) I think they behaved
judiciously in avoiding that discussion, and I think the
ministry behaved judiciously in the course which they have
pursued. And while touching upon this subject, I may be
permitted to say, without entering fully into it, that. I hope
the people will not be deceived into the belief that the cur-
test in America now unfortunately going on is at all con.
seated with the abolition of slavery. I am sorry to say
that these are not the grounds on which they are fighting.
If any gentleman wishes to be convinced that they are sot
fighting upon those grounds let ilia refer to the. noel
of President Lismob, and teed what he
. iseat epos
the subject. Only thisother day taw ia the
issued by one of the generale of the Foam! stay, that
they have forbidden that say ?Deities alive 'hall be received
by the advancing army. And not only so ; but, for the first
tunic that such a thing has been known in the history of war,
they have directed that bleak mesh shall be treated as goods
contraband of war ! If I wanted any other argument to
show that that is not the question at lane, I should find it
in • speech in which the other day a very dstinguished man
in the American Senate, formerly a great abolitionist,
explained the intentions of the government, and in
which he declared that they were not trying to abolish
slavery, but to subjugate rebellious subjects. There-
fore, I think this contest has nothing whatever to do, on
the pert of the Northern people, with the abolition of I
slavery. No . • I believe it is much more a question of
mosey. It is a singular thing that, in turning over the
pipe 1 Cobbett's Political Register—and I believe no
man knew America better than Cobbett—he almost
peepholes the present state of things in America. He
says : 'The fact is, it is a contest between the export-
ing and the non-exporting interests of America;" and,
he goes on, is a paper written in 1833, to say :—" The
bet is, all these Southern States of America are, come-
oly speaking, closely connected with Birmingham,
Sheffield, and Manchester, and thus, having no such
connexion with the Northern States, there is no tie to
bind them together, except that of a mere political nature.
There is a natural division of interests. The heavy duties
imposed by Congress upon British manufactured goods is
neither more nor less than as many millions • year taken
from the Southern States and given to the Northern com-
petite's." And he goes on to my that some day or other
there must be a rupture between the Northern and
Southern States. That was written in 1833, and we have
now, in the year 1861, seen what has been called " the
Morrilltariff "—that is, perhaps, the highest tariff ever
upon British goods, for their exclusion.
played
Iles present war is more • quarrel upon
that than upon soy other question. 1 naturally,
as all other Englishmen most, most deeply deplore seeing
so great • nation fighting, and using all the arts which are
better employed for purposes of peace, to destroy one
another. I do so, if for so other reason, because of the
results which I much fear will be felt in this country. If
the Lancashire districts should be pinched for cotton there
will be wide-spread publics distress ; and we can never see
to what this unfortunate and fratricidal war will had.
(Applaun.) Now, gentlemen, I do not intend to go any
further into that subject. The sword has been drawn, and
battles have been fought. I can only deplore the event, and
I think the best thing we can do is calmly to abide by the
policy of non-intervention which we have pursued in other
eaves of a similar kind. In reference to church rates the hoe.
gentleman said-1 am surprised that the church—l am •
member of that church—should suffer this trumpery
question to r on, fretting and worrying those who con-
scientiously dissent from the church. It is the wont state
of things that could be permitted to exist. But I must my
that if this bill is not passed and the rate abolished, it is in
some measure owing to the members of a very excellent
society. the Church Liberation Society, who have been
most imprudent in the course which they have pursued. In
giving evidence upon the subject before the committee of
the House of Lords, they were not contact with saying that
they wished to abolish church rates, but they said, in addi-
tion, that their ultimate view was the abolition of the church
itself, and thus let the cat out of the 'bag. That was taken
advantage of by those who supported church rates—theytook
bold of the admissioci made by Dr. Foster, who is the leader of
the society, and it is now a drawn battle. My own opinion
is that if the question of church rates is to be effec-
tually settled, it is the bounden day of the government
to bring in a bill to abolish them. (Hear, hear.) It is
sot in the individual power of any independent man
to bring the question to a successful issue. Sir John
Trelawny has done all that a man could possibly do in
the matter. But it a man has to go before a committee,
and the people whom lie calls to establish his case com-
mit him to extreme doctrines—as there are always
people who do hold extreme doctrines—he is placed in •
very difficult position. I think the dissenters owe
Sir John Trelawny very great thanks, and I think it
is the bounden duty of the minister of the day, whoever
he is, to settle this question by bringing in a bill epos
the subject. (Loud applause.) Turning to the reform
qnseteon be mid—What has been the treatment which
this subject of Reform has received? Well, gentle-
MOM, I am one of those who very much regret that
Lord Derby was not allowed to go through with
his Reform Bill, because I am very sure that
the House of Commons would have licked that bill into some
shape, end it would have settled the question. Bus
hew has it been treated now? Why both parties
have treated it with something very like main-
onity, and have shown that they consider, se
Goldetuith said of the hone—." A very good horse in the
stable, buts jade on the Toed." (Loud laughter.) Some
of them have made it neither more nor lea than a
bobby hone, upon which they have ridden into office •
and then they have left it. The question has sunk at last
into the Lilliputian dimensions of the Appropriation of
Seats Bill. Do you, gentlemen, know what that measure
was? The government brought in a bill for what they
called the appropriation of Rests—seats that had lapsed,
two of welch had been occupied by the mem-
bers for St. Albans, disfranchised, not for build-
ing churches-4 laugh)—and one from the borough
of Sudbury. They brought in a bill to give
two members to what are called metropolitan boroughs,
and another to Lancashire. Well, the bill was passed,
but it was passed by the conservative party—the go-
vernment project was defeated, and sever formed at all.
This bill is a conservative measure ; and they have treated
it very much as Sheridan said the gni ksies treated their
children—they disfigured the bill to e it peas for their
own. It is the little bill they call " Appropriation of
Seats BilL" In fact, I am very sorry to say reform is at
a discount. Now, I do not blame Lord Palmerston for
this. I do not think anybody ever thought him a very
ardent reformer. (Hear and laughter.) Neither is it very
natural to suppose. that • noble lord, who has been upwards
of half a century 10 office, is likely to find fault with, and
endeavour to improve the system under which he has
been born,
bred, and has flourished. Therefore. nobody
he could have been a very violent Reformer.
Is fteentell Tel to suppose that a noble lord, who has been
mimed all his life is drawing reform bills for foreign
nations as draw them for domestic work ? (Laughter.)
Now, I think if any party has been to blame, it has been
the liberal party itself. The natural leader of the liberal
party has been put into the background, pretty much in
the nine manner as they do at chess when they castle their
king. The natural leader of the Tarty is Lord Jobs Rus-
sell, whose name has been connected with all the mat
improvements of the age. If, then, theychoose to have Lord
Palmerston as their leader instead of Lord John Russell,
you will have such measures as the Appropriation of
Seats Bill, and no real measure of reform. (Hear,
hear," and applause.) After entering at length into thi
national expenditure, the bon. gentleman concluded as
follows :—I think there is something to be said
about unjust suspicions end disregard for the feel-
ings of the Emperor of the French, for I think the
Emperor of the French has shown a disposition to cul-
tivate the good graces of this country. He has
lately, in the teeth of very violent opposition, reformed
his commercial code, and I can tell you the pro-
tectionists is France were much more powerful,
and the interests as great as the protectionists en
this country. He has shown a disposition to cultivate
sommercial relations, and put them on • oew footiag with
this country, aod he has also done a special favour to this
country in the abolitioa of purports. Hut what is the use
of all these things if the country n daily hounded on, and
if the warlike sympathise and prejudges of the country
an to be alarmed, and we are always to be pointing to
Fiume? In saying this no man will mistake me. I am not
• peace at any price man. I glory in • national
spirit when properly directed, but I will not be
• platy to bairns the passions of this country, I
and to be continually pointing to France. I will t
not be a party to iociened taxation, knowing very well i
that qty millions • year to pay for our army and navy is
quite sufficient to keep this country in a stet, of preserves-
visa. I was quite delighted to see Mr. Dinueli so tea- I
perately recommend to us to come to some understanding

with Prance on this subject. What is the use of emboss-
dews, or being assured in pacific Queen. speeches, if we are
to run this race, this beggar-my-neighbour game of out
building the Emperor of tie French, and adding to the
taxation of the country. But that wan not an original
proposition, because I have heard Richard Cobden propose
it in the house long ago ; and I look on his name with pecu-
liar satisfaction in .this age of public greed and gain—when
I remember that he has not only refused the highest offices,
bat that he has also refused the highest honours. You may
naturally ask me my opinion of the prospects of what is
called the liberal party, and really I should have some dif-
ficulty in answering your question. My opinion is at pre-
sent that the liberal party are rather a set of confirmed
invalids—(laughter)—yet confirmed invalids sometimes last
than healthy men. But at any rate they are such •
body of invalids that I am very much of opinion that •
change of air would be good for the liberal party, and
tbat if they changed to the other side of the
Speaker's chair there would be a greater pros-
pect of renovating their principles and refreshing
the creed which they formerly advocated. The hon.
then proceeded to notice at some length
tir recent changes in the ministry, which he criticised with
some severity ; and concluded by saying :—The state of the
liberal party is becoming somewhat of a mongrel minus.
We have now got into a state of confusion, and if you ask
one man what he is in polities he will tell you liberal eon-
serrative, and if you ask another be will say he is a cos-
ervative liberal. What is to be the end of all these political
differences? Unless some energetic measures are taken by
her Majesty's government to meet paribunent with mea-
sures entitled to public approbation, not only about spending
money, but cutting down and reforming the expenditure, I
believe that question will be taken out of their hands, and
they will be consigned to the outer darkness of opposition.
I don't despair of the liberal cause. If the old liberal
banner be unfurled, which was unfurled in Lord Grey's
time, with the words, " Peace, Retrenchment, and Re-
form," whenever that banner is unfurled I shall be found
et my post, and I hope you will be found at yours, and
will send me again to do my duty in the House of Com-
mons. (Loud and prolonged cheering.)
A vote of confidence in Mr. Osborne brought the proosed-
inp of the meeting to a close shortly before U o'clock.

BOMBAY, BABODA, AND
_CENTRAL INDIA

la iii FA Y:

The sixth annual general meeting of proprietors,
continued by adjournment from two previous meetings, for
the purpose of deciding upon the re-election of Mr. Hayman
to the direction, a ballot having been demanded on the pert
of Mr. Hayman against the decision of the majority
rejecting the motion for re-electing that gentleman, took
place yesterday.
The CHAIRILAN having explained the object of the meet-
*, proceeded to declare the result of the poll, as follows :
Voters for Mr. Haymen, 59, representing 153,000 i. of
capital ; against him, 42 voters, representing 119,0001. • the
total number of voters for Mr. Haymen, 1,534 ; ageing'
him, 1,179 ; majority, 355 voters. The election had beta
carried oo in the usual form, and of course they must bow
to the declared will of the majority. Having met for an
express purpose, and as much evil might arise from dis-
cussion which had no definite object, the subject•matter of
the meeting being disposed of, he would at once, with the
pet ion of the shareholders, declare the proceedings at
ea end.

Mr. ROOPZIt contended that the election had been carried
by jobbing and trickery; and added, that ut the last mo-
ment, not, in fact, an hour ago, when the majority was de-
cideffly against Mr. }laymen, see shareholder came in as
the represeetative of the Atlas Company, and by 870 votes
swamped thicubp=re of the independent proprietors.
An angry and somewhat libellous discussion fol-
lowed, vb. the efforts of the chairman were for a long
time powerless to stop. Ultimately Mr. Rooper having in-
timated his intention to memorialise the Secretary of State
for India for an investigation into the charges brought
against Mr. Hayman, and the chairman having promised to
afford every facility for that purpose, by giving access to
the books and papers of the company, the declaration that
Mr. !laymen had beep duly re-elected was allowed to be
made, and the proceedings terminated with the usual vote
of thanks to the chairman.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. —The
directors of this company have resolved to recommend to
the proprietors, at the half-yearly general meeting on the
15th inst.. that the dividend for the half-year ending 30th
Jose, Did!, be at the rate of four per cent per annum on
the ordinary consolidated stock of the company.
GIERAT WHIMSY RAILWAY.—The directors of
this company have deckled to recommend to the proprietors
a dividend at the rate of 24 per cent. per annum for the
half-year ending the 30th June last, leaving a balance of
about 2,4001 to be carried ever to the next half-Lear.
MARYPORY AND CARLIBLZ RAILWAY. —The direc-
tors will recommend to the shareholders a dividend for the
last halft the rate of seven per cent. per annum,
leaving • balance.
NORTH ERN RAILWAY COMPANY. —The ordi-
nary half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in this com-
pany was held yesterday at York ; the chairman of the com-
pany, H. S. Thompson Esq., M.P., presided. The report,
which has been published in our columns, was taken as
read. The chairman, in moving its adoption, entered into a
few facts and figures relative to the traffic receipts and work-
ing expenses, showing that the affairs of the company were
in a satisfactory state. The resolutions adopting the report
and declaring the dividends were adopted, and it was also
resolved that a renewed application should be made by the
company to parliament in the next session for power to con-
strnct a railway up the valley of the Derwent, from Blaydon
to Comrade, and that an application should also be made to
perliament to construct a railway from the Hull and Selby
line near Howdeu, to join the Great Northern Railway near
Doncaster.

tHE---k HELEN'S CANAL Al!!) RAILWAY COM-
PANY. —The anneal general meeting of this proviebuywag
held on Tineds7, at the station, St. Helen a ; Gilbert
Greened, Esq., in the chair. From the statement of ac-
counts it appeared that the grow revenue for the half "ear
was 51,8471. 7s. 11d. ; working expenses, &c., 21,5641.
12s. GI; leaving • surplus of 30,2821. 15e. tid. Deducting
interest on loam, and adding the balance from last meeting,
there remained • sum of 23,3184 19s. ld. applicable to divi-
dends, which it wee proposed to divide on the various stock
as follows :-3 per cent. per annum on stock A, 5,0101.;
6 ditto on stock B, 3,6001. ; 6 ditto on stock C, 4,7521. ;
4i ditto on stock D, 2,3131. ; 4i ditto on stock E, 1,626/.65.;
6 ditto on stock F, 1,4311. 12s. ; 5 ditto on stock 0, 2,500/4
&ditto on the shared' of 1860, 1,982/. ls. Bd. A balance d
1031. 19a. sd. was to be carried to the next amount. The
directors regret that, owing to the disturbance's in America.
the revenue, instead of its accustomed increase, shows •
decrease; but this will not be matter of surprise to the
shareholders when they coasider how largely the alkali
trade of this district is dependent on the American market.
The new directors in place of those who retire by rotation
were elected.

AND JOINT-STOCE COMPANIES. —At the
commencement of the session the total number of petitions
wesented for bills by public companies amounted to 370.
The total number of bills for railways deposited was 2AD, of
which 240 were for authorising new works. The bills intro-
duced by established companies were 123, and by cow rail-
way companies 117, to authorise the construction of about
3,000 miles of railway ; about 60 of these being
principally bills for new railways, either did not proceed
or were withdrawn, and about 40 more were thrown out in com-
mittee, so that out of the total 370 bills of all classes de-
posited at the opening of the session 270 only received
the royal assent at its close, and now become a :is of parlia-
ment.

-----
INCREASED ACCOMMODATION AT THE BIRKENHEAD
Docus.—At the meeting of the Mersey Docks and Harbour
Board yesterday. a very long discussion took place upon the
proposals el Mr. Bold nod Mr. Laird to increase the entrances
to the docks at Birkenhead, and also to 'peruses the sire of
some of them so that they could be used as graving docks.
The matter was ultimat referred to the works committee
to report upon. Mr. Boland Mr. Laird, in favour of their
motions, argued that it was advisable both for local and
national reasons to make the Birkenhead docks suitable in
every respect for the accommodation of the largest vessels
that could be built, either for mercantile or naval pummels.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE EASTERN COUNTIES
Ititrt.wAr.—On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after three
o'clock, a fatal accident occurred between the Finningham
and Hanghley Junction stations, on the Ipswich and
Norwich line, by which Mn. Churchyard, the owner and
occupier of a small farm, met her instantaneous death. It
appears that Mrs. Churchyard's land abuts on the line, and
that on the afternoon in question she got on the line oppo-
site her house, and was in the act of crossing when a train
from Norwich came up at a speed of between 40 and 50
miles an hour, and she was knocked down and fearfully
nuingleih her head being cut in two, and the upper part of
her body cut to pieces. The driver of the train on seeing
the deceased on the line sounded his whistle, but she being
deaf did not hear it, and having • pomp! up did not see the
approaching train. On WednanUy Mr. Gross, county
coroner, held an inquest on the body, and the jury returned
• verdict of " Accidental death?' There was not the
slightest fault attached to those in charge of the train.
THE PHOGER/18 or THE BUILDING FOR THE GREAT
ISIBBITIou Or NEXT YeAß.—ltila great edifice is now being
rapidly proceeded with, and everything seems to bid fair for •
most successful Exhibition In tier. Everywhere heed and hand
are busily engaged in preparing works of art and scientific manu-
facture for the approaching show. As one of many instances is
which intelligent tradesmen may be shown to be now advancing
the chicly of art among the mason may be named a liberal offer
lust made by Mr. Bassos, the well-known watchmaker of Lad-
oga-hill and Cornhill, of Prises to the School of Design Omagh-
out the Kingdom, for the Best Designs applicable to Watch
Ornamentation. His Illustrated Pamphlet, which he sends by
post for two etampa, shows to what an extent he has already im-
proved on old ornamentation, while still provithvg the public as
ecoeomically as ever with most exact and highly finished
Wateas•—(Advertssexasthi