The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-01 00:00:00

' The:Ma:mu ptopursed, tA The ileulth of the three cotlnk
Membrs—Mr.,Henley,lEr.Harcourt, and '
.
Mr. HENLEY, in returning.thanks, said that, in spite of
the warning given them from the chair to avoid political
subjects, it was impossible for all present not to feel that
they were met together undei somewhat anxiety! circum-
stances. (Hear, hear.)- Wiwere engaged in a great war
in the East, and he wishedhe could say that.the West was
altogether free from 01044 and that the- horizon in that
direction was quite clearnhd alio belieed-,therk
was no one ,who would rforbe-gla ace virit in per cant'
language of the-day was called "6 Beano and 'honourable
peace" (a term of which. by the wa11301: had never yet
heard any man give a definition); but 'still his experience
led him to the conclusion that, when two strong persons
fell out, unless by some providential interposition the mind
of one of them was changed—which did not very often hap-
pen—nothing came of it until one or the other got a very
good thumping. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) This al-
ways produced some effect, and then things which to the
defeated seemed unjust, became just and admissible. un-
palatable conditions were swallowed, and a secure and
honourable peace was the result. He concurred in every-
thing which had been said in praise of our noble army, and
he did not believe, whenever this struggle terminated, that
England would find the prestige of her army weakened, or
her glory diminished. (Cheers.) The country throughout
seemed anxious to afford the Government such support as
should enable them to carry on the war and secure the ends
for which it was commenced ; he saw nowhere any signs
of flinching. From one end of the land to the other no-
body seemed to dispute the justice of the grounds upon
which we went to war ; no one pretended to say that the
causes of the war had ceased to exist, or that the future
was secure ; and he did not believe the people would give
up the struggle into which we had entered with our ally
until the object for which we had commenced it was se-
cured, and safely secured. (Cheers.) If this country were to
bring the war to a conclusion before it had good grounds for
doing so, all the blood and all the treasure which had been
spent (and this was not a little, as they had been reminded)
would be wasted ; and then, though he might not survive
to witness it, many a man present would live to see the
fight begin over again, and as much more blood and trea-
sure would have to be expended. (Hoar, hear.) The hall
in which they were now met was wont to be used for other
purposes, and he recollected an'incident which took place
there so apposite to the subject which now occupied every
mind that he could not help recalling it. A landed pro-
prietor of that county went to law—he believed about
nothing more than the turning a goose or a jackass upon a
piece of waste. There was an array of bigwigs in the hall,
and no end of fees. It was in the days of old Serjeant
Ludlow. At last the case came on, the jury was sworn,
the people in court were gaping to hoar, and the wretched
plaintiff stood behind his counsel. The barristers whis-
pered one to another, two words came from the judge, and
then a verdict was taken for the defendant upon six
pleas and for the plaintiff upon six pleas, with leave to
move. (A. laugh.) Of course the uninitiated wondered
what it all meant, and the wretched plaintiff, leaning over
to his counsel, said, " Serjeant, what have I got ?" Ser-
jeaut Ludlow immediately turned round to him and said,
" You've got nothing, and you've lost all your money."
(Laughter) Now, that would be exactly the case if this
country were to make an unsafe peace—we should have
gained nothing and lost all our money. (Cheers.) Ho hoped
this would not be done. It must be recollected that we had
entered into a great European struggle—in intimate alli-
ance, thank God, with another great European power. Iu
this struggle, reckoning Sardinians, Turks, French, and.
English, it was nu exaggeration to say that 100,000,000 of
people were arrayed on the one side and 60,000,000 on the
other. It was a fearful struggle, and he thought they
ought to rejoice at the language used at the closing of the
Paris Exhibition by our great ally, who when he said that
the decision of this struggle was an European question,
clearly had in his mind the idea that principles of justice
and equity must obtain in settling this great quarrel, and
that neither France nor England nor the allies together
must bo led away by any false glory to ask for terms
which the interests of Europe did not demand, but that it
must be looked upon with large views, with an eye to the
common interests of all Europe. In his opinion the honour
of this country would be eveseApallas,sukaared if, after so
lavish au expenditure of blood and treasure, we should
prove to Europe that we had been actuated by no selfish
notives, that we had been struggling to accomplish no low
and unworthy objects, but that we had been fighting in he-
rmit of the security and the welfare of the whole civilised
world. (Cheers.)
Col. NORTH, following up the remarks of his right hon.
colleague, said, that certainly no war had ever been entered
into by this country with greater fairness or with less of
personal feeling than the present. It was undertaken to
gratify no ambition, but to establish the freedom of the
whole world, and he for ono hoped the Englishman was
not yet:born who would wish to see peace brought about
unless it redounded to the honour and glory of his country.
(Great cheering.) Our countrymen had shed their blood
nobly abroad; at home the people had not been behind-
hand in furnishing the sinews of war • and ho was sure
considerations of motley would never induce them to desire
a hasty and insecure peace. In the French nation we pos-
sessed a noble ally, as anxious as we could be for peace
when it could be honourably obtained, but also determined
never to terminate the contest until they could insure such
peace as would reflect honour oa those nations which had
undertaken the war against the common foe. (Cheers.)
Mr. G. G. HAECOIIIIT said if Mr.Cobden bad been there,
'and had denied the justice of the war, and declared that
the negotiations of Vienna ought to have brought about a
pacific solution, he might have teen tempted to enter into
an argument in order to combat such a notion. His right
hon. friend (Mr. Cardwell) had, however, laid down so
distinctly, and so eloquently, those principles of interna-
tional law and public morality upon which the justifica-
tion of this war was rested by Parliament and by the na-
tion—he had stated so properly that the aggression on the
part of the Cz sr was perfectly unwarrantable—he had
spoken so truly of the determination of this country to
pc ooiritn ttyo
such
in
ethh nextmeasures
military
Parliamentry policy
prosecute the war to a satisfactory termination, that he
(Mr. Harcourt) hoped the members for both the city and
unanimous in their determination to ive a vigorous sup-
forward by the Government - that they
affairs, necessary to carry the war to a would unani-
mously supply those means which, although burdensome
to the country, were, in this unfortunate condition of
be found
tion ; and that it would be found there was no more diffe-
rence of opinion than prevailed, ho was happy to say,
among those now present. Upon the subject of the war,
then, he would really, in the expression of his opinion, adopt
as
successful
e mights
sfabl etebrrmOU:
the language of his right hon. friend : he could not speak
inure justly—he could not speak more distinctly. At the
same time let no man doubt that be (Mr. Harcourt) was. as
much impressed as spy ono with the calamities under which
wo were suffering in consequence of this war. Three
years ago Parliament had hoped to continuo its progress
in financial reform, and in gradually lightening the bur-
dens of the people, while during the last two years it had
been their painful duty to increase those burdens. He
was convinced, however, that if the reasons adduced by the
Government for the continuance of our present taxation,
and possibly for its augmentation, should bo satisfactory,
he should gratify his constituents much more by giving his
assent even to that increase, if necessary, than by shrink-
ing
from the sacrifices required to place our military an,
to
naval forces upon that footing which alone could insure o
us a safe and honourable peace. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. Alderman SADLER said the people of Oxford would
never desire to see the sword sheathed, whatever burdens
might be imposed in consequence, until the aggressive ten-
dencies of Russia were repressed, and a safe and honour-
able peace was arrived at. He concluded by proposing
"The health of the Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire, the Earl
of Abingdon."
The Earl of ABINGDON, in returning thanks, observed
that we were on the eve of welcoming among us a Sove•
ent,had
reign who, at a time when popular and constitutional
unknownnd on
the
Co n
t constitutional Continent,
Govern-
ment, and whose troops. had proved themselves worthy,
sPeciuuereiPdietso
ompanions ip of French and
wereh
ihis
almost
country
a free
.ey had formed, and of the h t h
He hoped t a , with such allies, we
by their achievements in the, field,
.of the great alliance
English soldiers.
4. use the homel hrase of his
that "good thumping," e°
nld bring abouyt,pnot a hollow
right hon. friend—which wo successful •ofthe
sue
should inflict upon the enemy that signal chastisement—
truce, but a glorious and
(Cheers.)
permanent“ The h h Sheriff of the county" was
to.
next drunk, and duly respondeddnot
hte only at the opinions
Mr. LANGSTON was deg
• bed by the various speakers with
which had been enunciated
t the feelings so unequivocally
the toast, con-
hose present. (Hear, hear.) II
expressed on the part of t „0
proposed " The health e given by
reference toepatlehtahecewo.fart,hbeutlfieg
was
MAYOR •;
and " The health of the
The SEeiebn i'utoefroEr
gratulated the city functionaries on the cessation of
" Town and Gown' rows.
The VICE-CHANCELLOR orateshe University then proposed
porfoctihtnoearsMoknay.Dowri.edging
" The Aldermen and Magi of the City," which was
" The V' •
' to the toast of e inters,"
In responding
that it was
Sir H. VERNNY observed with the greatest
delight he saw that all classes were animated by one feel-
ingwas a determination to
alone, and that carry on the
and
spoken to by Alderman BROWNING.
high eulogium upon the King of present contest until a safe honourable peace was ob-
tained. He passed a t
Sar-
dinia for his efforts to emancipate a e -that country from
priestly dominion, and to uphold there the cause of civil
and religious freedom. It was a most interesting sight
when other States were cowering at the feet of despotic
sovereigns, to see Sardinia, as he had seen it during his
late stay in Italy, rising above its neighbours and throw-
ing itself heart and band into the struggle which was
taking place in Europe. They could not feel too grateful
to his Majesty for the part taken by him in the endeavour
to check the ambition of R ussia, and to fight the battle of
liberty against despotism. (Cheers.) •
Major REED was happy to see that the sentiments put
forward by that small section of the community called the
Peace-at-any-price party found no echo in the City of Ox-
feed. (Hear.) The people of England had evidently arrived
at the conviction that this war, to be brought to a just and.
honourable conclusion, must be prosecuted with the great-