The Express.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

LEITH.
CLOSE OE THE TOLLj

Lord Advocate
Miller

821
701

MR. GLADSTONE ON THE PALMERSTON

POLICY.

A meeting of the electors of Flintshirc was held
on Thursday, for the purpose of hearing from Sir Stephen
Glynne an explanation of his political opinions. Mr. Glad-
stone being present was called upon by the meeting, and de-
livered an address on the more important points connected
with the foreign and domestic policy of the government.
Mr. Oxetisronx commenced hie address by saying—
It Is five yearn since you were last called upon to give
your votes, as it may be five years—it may be six or
seven years—before you are called upon to exercise the
same right again. These are the opportunities, when it be-
comes the duty of electors to review the poet conduce
of those who have represented them, and to consider
how they can beet meke provision, by the choice of
fit and proper repreentatives, for good government of the
country by the passing of good 1114.MIUMI. (Rear, hem.)
Now, there is an attempt made by some persons—who, I
suppose, find it convenient to do so—to represent the ques-
tion at issue before the electors as one simply of who is to
be prime minister of the country. Lord Palmerston will
have fair play, at least when Lord Falmeenton proposes
what I conscientiously belkve will be fur the benefit of
the country, and, when necessary, to cheek, control, or curb
Lord Palmerston—that is, when Lord Pahnerston pro-
poses measures which I conscientiously think require
to be checked and controlled. (Hear, hear.) Now what I
contend fur is, that you ought to have • member of par-
liament not prepared to follow Lord Palinereon or any
other member whoa wrong, however much disposed to give
him support when Do does right. I propose to show
you that the government of Lord Palmerston, in regard to
important and vital measures, is required ninetimes to be
controlled and kept in order, and that Mr. Mostyn has not
given that control or contributed to that order in the
government of Lord Palmerston. (Cheers.) Now, gen-
tleman, it is not usual in this country to rare much—
to trouble oneself much about our foreign policy. But
there is one question of foreign policy—indeed, more
than one—but one in particular, upon which I must say
a few words, mid take the opportunity of proposing a
resolutioe, in order to see what is your feeling on the sub-
ject. (Hear, hear.) Fur the first time in history, during the
lest twelve months the government of this country thought
at to make war without the consent of parliament—fdon'tnow
speck of the war with China, for that the government did not
make, though they adopted and appmved of it—l speak of
another war, devised and made by the Government without
the consent of parliament—the war with Persia. (Hoar,
hear.) When parliament met, the government ass asked
for information in respect of that war, but none woe accorded.
Government said "We are going to negotiate, and the
information you seek would interfere with the negotiation..
When asked to produce the estimates of the war with Persia
—no, the produotiou of the estimates would else interfere
with the negotiation. (Hear, hear.) Fortunately the war
has been brought to a close. A pewee has been made; the
term. of that peen have not been communicated to parlia-
ment, though they hare been made known to us through the
medium of the public newspapers. (A ohs:V "What mi-
nister mode the peacer) Lord Pamerston wade the war,
and he made the pear.; and the proposition I wont to urge
upon you is, that Lord Palmerston has no right to make
peace and so right to make war without the consent of the
people'e representatives in parliament. (Cheers.) Accord-
ing to the principles and the practices of our tree Institu-
tions, I contend it is the right of our Commons
Hoee of parliament to vote supplies for the war.
I eseisall, I repeet, that, according to our constitution, no
seer has a right to casks wet without thu consent of
poillimat. The war with Persia was made without the
elleinet of perliament,
and I want to have some one re-
m=ale in parliament sea Flintshire elector, that
, control, end prevent this system. (Hear, hear.)
Mawr with Persia is over, but there is one thing yet to
h~lhe bill is to be paid—(hear, hear?—sad crery
apriront, whether elector se not, will find him-
self Ils•dmit ttme called tar to take hi, ohms in the
11=lieedhlrhraglItYfiing the t
to make withrfor natimjem%nlitimih Lord
of the
=litsmposentetivee in parliament; and, therefore, I
poptee a resolution—that this meeting condemn the
making war in the name, and at the charge of
rtim of making
nation, without the cement of the natien, or the
approval of the Mion's representatives in pnriininent I
might dean you at great lengthepee the war woe China,
bat this is now to a greet extent nasseemary., A nobleman,
in whose judgment sad rapacity I have high c ontidenee, ham
been sent out to try to bring shout a aettletnent ; end I fully
believe that if be, or some one also had been rent out long
ago, we should have been awed all the trouble and bother
ocasioned here and elsewhere by the dissolution of Parlia-
ment. I Anil not enter upon that question unless yea
deans it, but peeve at once to a question of geed iin-
portant', end magnitude—the tampon and expcnditure of
tee eountry. I am going, to address you on subjects of
comma interest to every one. I have told you that
I object to the making or declaring war without
the consent of Parliament ; but I object to momething
more than that—l oltiert to • mem of foreign policy which
is peepenally provoking quarrel in every pet of the globe,
and doing no service in any. In the airliner of hat year
we were doily expecting a rupture with America, and all
fee nothing—for some undefined and undefinalk. mi.undete
standing ; in the autteon of last year we were eu the tioint
of breaking out with France ; the disagreement with Persia
is made up. but the bill is still to be paid ; the ('himee emir
is in tall force—of the cent of which we at present know
.i nothing, but of whirl', doubtless, wo shall bear enough
and by. I now go to the queetion of taxation and ex
tun, with which much of the session was occupied; se r MM.