The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-01 00:00:00

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Lord ABERDEEN rose and said—My lords, after
the vote of the House of Commons on Monday night
your lordships will readily imagine that Ministers
at once resolved to place their resignation in the hands
of her Majesty, which resignation her Majesty was
graciously pleased to accept, and we, therefore, now
hold office until our successors have been appointed.
(Hear.) My lords, in opposing the vote of Monday, we
had no wish to shirk inquiry, but we did it because we
thought it was not unconstitutional and opposed to pre-
cedent. It was not our policy or desire to refuse
any inquiry into our conduct, because an im-
partial inquiry will fully e.tablish that we have
used our utmost endeavours to supply the wants
of our army in the Crimea. Such, I believe, would he
the result of any impartial inquiry, while it would show
that my noble friend near me, whom I must consider to
have been treated with great injustice, bas used his ut-
most exertions to promote the efficiency of our forces.
My lords, it is my conviction that the conduct of my
noble friend, the more it is inquired into, will be found
to have exhibited a degree of dexterity, power, and atten-
tion to the duties of his office which has been rarely ex-
ceeded ; but at the same time I am not surprised at the
feeling that prevails throughout the country, or that the
misfortunes of our array should have induced them na-
turally to turn to the Government of the country as an
object of censure ; and I yield with perfect complacency
to the vote which is the result of that feeling. (Hear,
hear.) But, my lords, the sufferings and privations
of our troops in the Crimea have been greatly
exaggerated. I do not mean to say that there
has not been vast individual suffering, but I do
deny that our military position is in the desponding
state that has been represented. The position of our
army has been greatly exaggerated, and if the
truth were told, I believe, notwithstanding the
individual suffering to which I have referred, I believe
we should have cause to indulge in hopes of new snc-
cesses far greater than those which we have already
achieved. (Cheers.) In the first place, my lords, the
condition of our forces have of late been greatly im-
proved, while their supplies have been increased, and
their means of reinforcements extended. (Hear.) In
the second place, my lords, our ally, the Emperor of the
French, has announced to his Legislature and to Europe
that the army consists of 531,000 men, and since that time
he has ordered the additional levy of 140,000 men.
Now, if this army is used in the same proportion against
Russia as our own, I think we may confidently indulge
in every hope of success. (Hear, hear.) Besides that,
however, my lords, we have recently concluded, with
the King of Sardinia, a treaty by which he places at
our disposal, for immediate embarkation to the
Crimea, a force of 15,000 admirable troops, to
be placed under the command of Lord Raglan,
which will form a most valuable and important addition
to our forces. (Hear.) In addition to this, my lords,
we have concluded a treaty with Austria, which has
brought matters to that point from which the most im-
portant advantages may be most confidently expected.
We have come to an understanding with the Austrian
Government upon the terms of peace to be pro-
posed to the Emperor of Russia ; the Austrian Ca-
binet has agreed to adopt these proposals, while the
Minister of Russia has accepted our proposals in the
sense in which they have been adopted and understood
by Austria. Now, my lords, Austria has engaged that
if these terms are not accepted by the Emperor of
Russia, or if they shall not lead to the conclusion of
peace, she will be prepared to join her military efforts to
our own. (Hear.) You will thus see, my lords, from this
position, that our military situation is not such as to
justify the desponding statements that have, and
were being, so freely pet forward. (Hear, hear.)
He would not detain their lordships with any statement
relative to the domestic condition of the country at pre-
sent, otherwise he might advert to what had been ac-
complished during the last few years by means of vari-
ous public measures, but especially what bad been done
to establish a. solid system of finance, which bad been
supported by the wisdom and eloquence of his right hon.
friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and by which
the prosperity of the country, notwithstanding our being
at war, has been maintained undiminished in all its
relations, commercial and otherwise. (Hear.) Re had
e
already instanced examples. He alluded to the
onel
lien of the treaty with Sardinia, and the valuable on
with Austria, in proof of the exertion and ability of 1"
o •6
noble friend the Secretary of the War Dep artme
These treaties, especially the treaty with Austriahnettd.
been throughout conducted with a degree of ability and
caution, and prudence which he bad never before in his
experience seen exceeded ; and here he (Lord Aberdeen)
thought it wise to say that we had full reason to place
the most entire confidence in the consistencyand
good faith of the Austrian Government. (Rear, hear.)
From the first, without disguising their ardent desire to
preserve peace, she never proposed to do !it with the
sacrifice of those great Europeaa interests with which
she was identified, and, therefore, proceeding with such
prudence and caution as she has done, he felt that we
had the better right to rely on her fairness. In allusion
to the Ministerial crisis, the noble earl observed
that rumour had assigned very confidently that the
noble earl opposite had been entrusted by her Majesty
with the formation of a new Government. Seeing, how-
ever, the noble earl in his place opposite, be (Lord
Aberdeen) presumed that that was not the case. He
could only hope for himeelf that any Administration
that might be formed, and which might be approved
by her Majesty, would receive that support which at
the present moment is so urgently required, and he
trusted that the future Government would carry on the
war with vigour, and with a view to what should be the
legitimate aim of all wars—the attainment of a speedy
and honourable peace. (Hear, hear.) But in striving
for that end they should net forget the real
objects of the war is which we are engaged He was
lorry for having trespassed so long upon the atten-
tion of their lordships ; and he would
add, only now stated at the commencement of hie