The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-23 00:00:00

MR. LAYARD AND HIS CONSTITUEN7S•

Last evening Mr. A. H. Layard, M.P., addressed
a meeting of the electors of the borough of South-
wark at the Bridge house Hotel, London-bridge, in
explanation of his conduct during the last session of
Parliament. Mr. Geo. Newman was called to the
chair, and having briefly opened the proceedings,
Mr. LAYARD rose to address the meeting, and
was received with much applause. Having alluded
to the local topics which at the present time more
immediately interest the electors and inhabitants of
the borough, such as the removal of St. Thomas's
Hospital, which he condemned, and the disfigure'
mint of the streets and thoroughfares by the coa-
-1 struction of the Charing-cross Railway, he pro-
ceeded to refer to the questions of foreign politics
which had occupied the Government during the
session, and were occupying their attention still;
and first among these he alluded to the question
of China. He had been taunted in respect of tide
question that when out of office he repudiated
the Chinese war, but that when in office he bad
given his countenance to it. There was no doubt he
did repudiate that war, and lost his seat in cons&
quenee ; but that war had nothing whatever to do
with the present state of China and the conduct of
the Government in respect of that country. The
great object of the Government bad always been to
have direct communication with the Emperor of
China and his ministers, and that had been accom-
plished, no doubt, by the war, and now Prince Bung,
having put under the war party in China, wished on
behalf of the young Emperor to have the assistance
of this country in raising that country to its proper
position among the nations of the earth. For that
purpose Englishmen had been allowed to enlist is
the Chinese service. The Chinese Government had
obtained the services of Captain Osborn, and be eves
happy to say he saw a despatch from that gallant
officer the other day which stated he would soon be
able to place the Chinese navy under a proper sYs"
tem of discipline and regulation. No doubt come
plaint was made that the Government of this coun-
try war, aiding the Chinese Government in putting
down the Taepings, as they were called, who were
in rebellion against it ; and he said at once, that if
these Taepings had proved themselves to have been
men of enlightened minds, having heads and hearts
and capable of governing, that there might have
been some justice in their cause, but from the most
authentic accounts which could be gathered of them,
they were neither more nor less than a set of bar-
barians and banditti, living on rapine and plunder,
incapable of governing or of advancing the cause of
civilisation. In fact, they had now been given LIP
by everybody except by his honourable friend Col.
Sykes, who in the House of Commons last session
detailed a string of horrors of a terrible character
committed upon them, but which, on the most
searching inquiry, had been proved to be without
the slightest foundation. After enlarging still filY
ther on the good effects which friendly relations
and intercourse between this country and China
would effect, the hon. gentleman went on to sal
that there was one other question connected with
foreign politics which he could not pass over,
he meant the question of America. (Hear.) 13°1:
at the same time, he should not say more upon
than was consistent with strict prudence. He be-
lieved that the policy the Government had pursue'
towards America had met with the general if not
with the unanimous approval of the country. Thai
policy had been one of strict non-intervention, gn
he believed that no other policy could have been
pursued in justice either to this country or to. the
United States. A valued friend of his, one of hid
own constituents, a clergyman of Southwark, bed
some time ago sent him a pamphlet on slavery, and
had asked him whether he considered the Govern-
meat were acting properly in respect to that ques**
tion. His answer was that in dealing with this
American question Government bed no right to
take into consideration the question of slavery or
no slavery, or in any way to refer to the origin or
the cause of the quarrel. If he was asked in tbe.
abstract, was Government right on the question of
slavery, he would say at once that it was, and be
would say more, that during the last few month°
the Northern States had shown the respect they
attLched to the representations of this country on
that subject by striking the heaviest blow at slavery
which perhaps had ever yet been struck, by giving
way on the right of search question, and eenaectiac
to the propositions of this country respecting it.
The United States had also shown that they were
sincere in their opinion on the matter, for they bad
.
publicly executed Capt. Gordon, who had persisted:
in carrying on this illegal traffic. That could 11.0 t
have been done some months ago; and while e
said all honour to the United States for their con-
duct in that matter, he would venture further to
say
that when the history of Lord Palmerston was writ
ten it would be found that no man in this country
had done more for the abolition of slavery through',
the world than he had done. That conduct irl:
nothing to do with the conduct of this ceuntrYhteir
wards America during the present struggle, as
interference with it would cniy embarrass the 1`,,..4
them States, for they were not, as he bad said, called
on to express an opinion as to the causes of the
flict, but to maintain a strict neutrality. Last sessw't
several attempts were made to cause the Goveenl3_..i
to interfere, but they were put down, and propev
eJa
so, for the recognition of the Southern Stab
,be
would only have been another name for raising old
blockade all along the coast, and that again 'Qs: the
have only been another name for war wit%ici
North ; and as the recognition of the South w°
so,
not have given them cotton, he should like to Igbuv.o
whether a war with the North would not Tog
greatly enhanced the sufferings of their starbere,
operatives for the want of it. (Cheers.) He t d
fore thought the Government had acted rightioti,il3lo
he hoped the time would soon come when the 13e.th'is
of the North would see that the conduct °l l'_ll
country towards them had been just, and that
the heart-burnings which now existed would
ie
passed away. The hon. gentleman then hs re,
alluded to the conduct of the Government ,a_eruo.
garded Italy, and trusted that the great D.17.'0020
tion to the peace of that country—the French 'also
in Rome—would be speedily removed. He
_try
alluded to the respect entertained for this couia
t.O
on all parts of the Continent, and attributede
an
cause of the advancement of the people at hfraoad to
the respect entertained for the country autrhough
the great Liberal party, which he was sure'
_tided
CO The ho,
they might have their shortcomings,
the support and sympathy of the country
member resumed his seat amid loud apphithbanks
to
Dr. RENDLE then proposed a vote °f
;/:, Parliament
Mr. Layard for his diligent attention) ;
and elsewhere, to the interests 0f —Evi
N GTO',
which having been seconded by e'er'
was agreed to with much cheering-
seconded
BAYNES,
e
On the motion of Mr. J. W. ressiv°
borough,
by Mr. W. IL Cox, another resolution
.e:Psy
of cordial approval of the non-intervention
eeielis; as
naore
pursued, by the Government,
terminated with a voto
and the proceedings term
regarded the war in America,
thanks to the chairman. was a.lsoPagreed_ tcoo'

tbheshmSteonctkonEFxriedhayaringeext,ha il4or
d 'c
ed tohri close
a that of
Qv
Theem
=—_
Christmas-day. establishment
is understood that a sirudae
after
er committee
csls
will be adopted in most of the public markets, includioi
step
that for corn, and also in many of the principal houses °
111
business. The attendance in the City on Saturday 13°t
likeswniosoczpNeGcteodcteoubßeßsmENalcl.E
—ln the midst of the st( rtn which awe t over the couotil
ianofratal accident took place on Friday night or Saturds/
—Loss OF THREE LIOS'
Mills,ning in Shropshire. This was at the Tibberton Pap,eor
near Newport, which are the property of ISIr. Marti,
Billing, of Bingham, and are worked by him. There are twciu
chimney stacks, one of which has been recently built, I,o'
closo
is square, 120 ft. in height; there are several cottages
by it, within some 15 yards. In the midst of the sterols
and in the dead of the night, some GOft. of this clainaneY tie
snapped off, and descended with a frightful crash on
to L
cottages. A man and his wife were killed in their
beds
upon the instant. There were five children and their ,r;
ild7
rents sleeping in an adjoining cottage; one of the ch
wsa
was killed : that the others should have escaped is alls._,.
miracle. The cottages were destroyed at a blow, the
(33.1 A,
mates forced from their beds, and in other respects the
struc t ion was very great. Mr. Billing himself was sieePlail
in a cottage close by, but the mass of building which fell
not reach it. The occurrence has created much excitetnte.o!
in the district, and being within a short distance of 411°0
famous Lelleshall Ironworks, a great number of pas°
have visited the scene of the disaster.