The Sun.
London, England, 1862-06-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVE NI NG, uN E 5,1862 p

THE LATE JOSEPH ST URGE.

BIRMINGHAM, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
A ceremonial took place here at noon to-day
which possessed much interest for the inhabitants of
this town ; this was the formal uncovering of a
statue which has been erected to the late Joseph
Sturge. Elsewhere Mr. Sturge was known in
some measure as a philanthropist; also for the
peculiarity of his political views; for the part
he tock in the abolition of negro slavery, and
the slave trade; and, lastly, for that journey
to Russia—a fruitless mission, which his bene-
volent and sanguine nature induced hint to go
upon on the eve of the Crimean war, in the hope
that by the force of reason be might stop it. Here
Mr. Sturge was regarded with sincere affection, and
and his name and memory are honoured accordingly.
Shortly after his death a subscription was raised
for a public statue. Mr. William Middlemore, a
borough magistrate, Mr. John Jaifray, and other
gentlemen took an active part, the funds were raised
speedily, and the commission to execute it intrusted
to the late Mr. Thomas, the sculptor, who died be-
fore he had given the last touches to his work.
The statue has been erected on by far the best site
in the town ; it is at one of the boundaries where
the parishes of Birmingham and Edgbaston meet,
the last being the parish in which Mr. Sturge
resided. The monument consists of a central figure
of Mr. Sturge, his right hand resting on a Bible,
and the left extended towards a figure symbolical
of Peace. A figure on the other side is typical of
Charity. At the base of the statue, in front and
back, are large basins for ornamental fountains, and
at either side are drinking fountains. The principal
figure is in Sicilian marble, the secondary groups
in fine freestone. The likeness of the man is por-
trayed with wonderful fidelity. The expressions
of benevolence which spoke so powerfully in life are
depicted wonderfully in the stone. The allegorical
figures, with their symbols, are also very cleverly
executed.

There was a large assembly to-day to witness the
undraping of the statue. Mr. Bright and Mr.
Scholefield, the borough members, were present, as
were also the Mayor and many members of the
corporation.
Mr. MIDDLEMORE, the chairman of the Statue
Committee, read the following formal address to the
Mayor, dedicating the statue to the town :
"To HIS WORSHIP THE MANOR OF THE BOROUGH OF
BIRMINGHAM.
" Sir,—As chairman of the committee I have the duty
imposed upon me of making over to you, as representing
the Town Council, the statue of the late Mr. Joseph
Sturge in trust for the public for ever. The statue has
been erected to perpetuate the name and virtues of one
who, though possessing none of the advantages of birth
and position, and invested with no official dignity, made
himself a name among the good men of all lands by the
purity of his life, and by the active and unostentatious ex-
ercise of a philanthropy that embraced all ttle helpless and
suffering of our race. Of Mr. Sturge it may emphatically
be said that 'he went about doing good.' Undeterred by
ridicule, undaunted by physical difficulties, ho endeavoured
to avert a disastrous and resultless war. lie was a distin-
guished actor in the work of negro emancipation, in the
reclamation of juvenile offenders, in the cause of education,
and in numberless other ways he sought to heal the wounds
that sin had made in the framework of society. While
Birmingham has her memories of successful warriors and
eminent statesmen, it seems right and fitting that the graces
of benevolence and philanthropy, as embodied in the cha-
racter of Mr. Sturge, should be held in honour. With this
view the statue of Mr. Sturge has been erected, and it is
now entrusted to your care, in the fervent hope that the
example of his beneficent life and this lasting recognition
of his virtues may influence generations yet to come.—
Signed on behalf of the committee,
"WILLIAM MIDDLEMORE, Chairman.
"Birmingham, June 4."
To which the MAYOR replied in the following
terms :—On behalf of the contributors and the
family of our departed friend, I thank you, your
treasurer, the honorary secretaries, and the com-
mittee, for the zeal and ability manifested in car-
rying to so successful a result the responsibility of
providing a lasting memorial to departed worth.
On behalf of the corporation and the town, I
accept the noble gift, with its accompanying
obligations. It was my privilege to know Joseph
Sturge somewhat intimately. I can therefore with
confidence endorse every word of commendation
contained in your address. I never knew a man
who appeared less selfish and more loving. He
was a striking example of how true greatness
may be attained, and how much one man
might do by a consecrated life to relieve
the sufferer and the oppressed. His generous
nature knew no distinction between the dif-
ferent sections of God's great family. It was enough
for him to know that help was needed to secure his
aid. He was one of God's epistles to man, and
though dead he yet speaketh. I trust that the beau-
tiful memorial this day inaugurated may speak com-
fort to the bereaved widow and encouragement to
the fatherless Children, and stimulate many of the
present and future generations to follow his example.
We should have been glad to have seen with us this
day the genius that designed, and almost completed,
the work of art before us ; but, alas, before the
finishing stroke was given his arm was paralysed
by death, and, instead of receiving the thanks of
the multitude now assembled, he speaks to us by this
his last work, and from the grave, "Be ye also
ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son
of Man cometh."
After a few words from Mr. Scholefield,
Mr. BRIGHT said—Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, I
also deem it a privilege to be permitted to be here
to-day, although this assembly and this ceremony
recall an event which was to me a great loss and a
real grief. I have not been accustomed to look upon
the erection of statues and monuments to the honour
of the living or in memory of the dead with much
favour and appreciation. Generally, in this country,
and I fear in other countries also, they have been
raised rather to rank than to worth, rather to suc-
cessful ambition than to true goodness, and more
often to the destroyers than the benefactors and
saviours of mankind. (Cheers.) But to-day there
can be no doubt in the mind of any man—to-day
we make no mistake—to-day it is worth we honour
and not rank; it is true goodness, and not success-
ful ambition ; we erect the statue to a benefactor
and friend, and not to a destroyer of men. (Hear,
hear.) I shall not speak a history of our departed
friend ; I shall not indulge in any elaborate eulogy;
but there are certain questions with which his
name must be for a length of time—perhaps for
ever—associated, to which I should like to ad-
vert. Already reference has been made to one
question which is now of lively interest with us.
Thirty years ago you remember how prominent
was the name of Joseph Sturge in that noble and
benevolent band of men who were making war upon
the greatest crime that men have ever committed
—the crime of the continuance of slavery. (Loud
cries of " Hear, hear.") I know, and possibly many
of you know, that after the Bill of Emancipation
had passed, and the system that professed not to be
slavery, but certainly was not freedom, had been
established, Joseph Sturge journeyed to the West
Indies, investigated all the circumstances, returned
to England, and unveiled the whole of that system
of imposture and evil ; and mainly by his incessant
labours, conjoined
with the unsurpassed orations
ofGeeoernge Thompson in the country and Lord
Brougham in
a the senate, finally on one great and
Peace
wrongarci oe glorious s
sghdoeuplathe lash was struck from the hand of
e oppressor, and the shackle from the limbs of
the slave. (Loud applause.) Another question has
also been referred erred to—the question of peace. Was
it
and contempt
o right
your
t o plead
illustrious
for
to
peacewn
man, in connection
It was
w
(Hear, hear.)
awsitahmsoamtteeroothf
errisdlocfuhs
leifofrriesnomase,
proceeded to St. Petersburg just before the break-
ing toErirothers it
that
out of the war with Russia. It was, however,
done with an honest and conscientious object, and
principally it was done in obedience to what he
believed to be the will of the Most High. It was
a duty performed with a sublime courage, and I will

undertake to say, though we cannot measure re-
sults, it was not without result towards the promo-
tion of peace and human happiness. (Hear.) But
there was another question in which many men I see
before me took a great interest. It was not only for
the negro at a distance, men of different country and
different clime in other parts of the world, that Joseph
Sturgo had sympathy—he had sympathy for his
neighbours and his own people. He endeavoured to
preach a political morality and justice that would
have included the great body of the labourers and
artisans of this country within the pale of the
Constitution, and would have given to them the
elective franchise. (Cheers.) He sought by these
means to remove the barriers between classes, to
reconcile all sections of society, and to ennoble
his own countrymen. Bat some may say, " Well,
what of all this ? did he not fail in all these
things ?" No ; I say he did not fail. (Hear, hear,
and cheers.) I say that 800,000 negroes became
free ; and I say further that the action of England
in that matter has never ceased to move the intelli-
gence and the conscience of every people through-
out the world in the question of negro slavery.
(Renewed cheering.) At this moment, we see in
the North American continent a gigantic struggle
mainly connected with that question. That conflict
is the offspring of the sin of slavery ; and—l speak
with great deference, for I see very little—it appears
to me destined at no remote period to be its grave.
(Hear, hear.) On the questicn of peace, notwith-
standing the great armaments which European
Powers now support, there can be no doubt of this,
that war is less rashly entered into than at any
preceding period; that it is felt to be more perilous
than heretofore, and more intolerable ; and we be-
hold on every side the stream of industry and com-
merce widening and deepening throughout the
world, and threatening—or rather I would say pro-
mising at no distant date to make war impossible
between all civilised commercial and Christian na-

tions. (Cheers.) And if anybody says that the
exertions of our departed friend on behalf of his
countrymen in reference to the franchise were in
vain, I only say that they were so much in vain
that up to this moment the result is not cor-
rectly to be measured. But " the hour comets "
—as surely as we stand here—when one of the bar-
riers which he protested against will be broken
down, and when these demarcations and privileges
will perish, and when the institutions of this coun-
try will rest more widely than they now do upon
the assistance and co-operation of the, general body
of the people of this kingdom. (Hear, hear.) If I
were speaking a history of our departed friend, I
might dwell upon his multitudinous acts of private
benevolence. You know mere of them than I know;
but you and I together know very little of them.
(Hear.) But this little only we know because his
left hand scarcely knew what his right hand did ;
but this we have faith to know, that his deeds of
private benevolence are recorded on those everlast-
ing tablets which preserve for ever the memory of the
actions of a good man. I recollect well the last
visit I paid to the house of Joseph Sturge. It was
but a few days—a very few days—before his last
day on earth. I went with him to his place of
worship, and I sat near him. His countenance was
in the line of my eye; I observed it more than once.
I remarked the gentleness, and the purity, and the
peace that were expressed upon it. I felt that I
was looking upon what I may describe as the coun-
tenance of "a just man made perfect." Well, we
know all who are connected with the erection of this
memorial have raised it to remind us of the charac-
ter of this man, of his great courage, of his great
meekness, of his benevolence inaction, of his charity
in thought. It is not needful that this statue
should be here to remind this generation of him or,
as in the lines-
4, Why need we monuments supply,
To rescue what can never die ?'
(Cheers.) But it is raised for succeding generations
that they may know such a man dwelt here, that
as he lived and he moved so he was loved, so he
was reverenced, and that in erecting this memorial
we do it to stimulate future generations, and in-
spire them with sentiments of justice—to stimulate
them to works of mercy and in the hope it may
tend to raise up other men, who in their generation
may confer on this great community an honour and
a distinction as great as Birmingham now derives
from the life and character of Joseph Sturge.
(Great cheering.)
After the " ceremonial" Mr. Middlemore, as chair-
man of the committee, invited a large party to
luncheon at the Plough Hotel at Edgbaston.
Messrs. Bright and Seholefield ; the Rev. Dr. Miller,
rector of this town ; the Rev. Dr. Badham, the
Mayor, Mr. Alderman Phillips, Mr. Alderman
Palmer, and many other of the clergy and laity
were present.
After " The Queen" had been duly honoured,
Mr. MIDDLEMORE proposed " The Memory of
the Great and Good Joseph Sturge."
Mr. BRIGHT said,—l have already in reference
to the proceedings of the day said, as clearly as
I could, what I had to say
with respect to the
man whose statue we had the pleasure to see
uncovered, and it would have been a great relief to
me if our chairman had called upon some gentle-
man more capable to do what he proposes I should
do. But there is in the proceedings of this day a
moral which we may all gather if we will. I believe
there are few persons present, none who were with
us a few hours ago at the meeting we held at the foot
of the statue, who do not and who did not feel that
they were assisting at a ceremonial which they felt
they:were right in assisting at, and which did honour
to themselves individually and was creditable to
themselves as representatives of a great community.
Now, if we were to examine why it is that so many
persons who knew Joseph Sturge so intimately and
so many who knew him indirectly and by hearsay
think in our proceedings of to-day we are only
doing him just honour—only doing justice to his
name and memory, it is because we have all a belief
in and a respect for his virtue. There can be no
doubt in the mind of anybody acquainted with him
of the sincerity of his professions; social or political.
It is not necessary that we should all see alike or
believe alike. On the contrary, it would not be
well that we should all see alike or believe alike.
It would destry competition ; it would destroy that
rivaly which holds communities if it were so. Now,
in the ease of Joseph Sturge there was that degree
of calmness in the discussion of all questions, that
charity in all his doings, which, though I never
have pretended to imitate, I always most sincerely
admired—no one more so. (Cheers.) lam quite
sure that that calmness was one of the many quali-
ties which endeared him to all of us, which recom-
mended him, and which recommended his opinions
to us. Unfortunately for me, I have not been very
visits here,
.beeMnyvery short.
ulonnfgorctounnnaetecltyedfworithmßysierlmtinghhaavme
But while I have been in Birmingham I have seen
as much private labour for the good of the commu-
nity as I have seen anywhere. I am introduced
to somebody, and I am told that he gives a
great amount of time to Sunday-schools ; another
to other branches of education ; another to the
alleviation of the sufferings of our criminal
population (cheers) ; and from the exertions of
those excellent persons the town must derive
great advantages. Now, it has often struck me
that if we could introduce in public questions
the calmness with which we discuss social and
scientific ones, we should arrive at a much
quicker and much more satisfactory termination
than we do occasionally in Government questions.
I think intelligence and careful consideration are
pri-
vate ones. It occurs to me to refer to two questions
as necessary in public questions as they are in
which are particularly affecting Europe, and parti-
cularly the county of Lancaster. We have had for
a long time possession of a country which could
grow cotton, and which we ought to get from that
country, but which we do not get. We have not
turned our attention to it. There has not been in-

telligence enough displayed to comprehend the
question ; and there has not been virtue enough
when it has been comprehended. In the United
States of America you find the most terrific calami-
ties that ever overtook any people have occurred.
But every man can see that if 50 or 70 years ago
there had been virtue eroagh to do away with that
blot to humanity, slavery, these things would never
have occurred. (Cheers.) If these men had had
humanity enough, virtue enough, honesty enough,
to do away with this curse, this greatest crime of
the human race, humanity would have been spared
the fearful spectacle afforded by the present war.
1 have said, and I say again, it is not necessary we
we should all agree and be of the same opinion.
But it is necessary that we should all seek after
truth. Now, gentlemen, I believe there never was
a time in the country, and perhaps, with the excep-

tion of the United States of America, there never
was a time in any other country at which men were
so anxious for the good of their fellow-men. There
were never so many people anxious for the general
welfare. (Cheers.) Now, if we could only intro-
duce this feeling into our Government I am not at
all sure that we could not do great good for our
country. (Loud cheers.) 3 oseph Sturge was a man
who believed in the doctrine I have just enunciated.
He thought that these questions were not only to
be treated with calmness in all matters of domestic
concern, but in matters of universal polity as well
as in things of less moment. We have this day
been witnesses of the uncovering or the statue of
men who, whether in his private or public life, was
equally loved and revered, and who in private life
and in public life sought only that which was true.
Ido hope that what has taken place to-day fn the
presence of so many kind and sincere friends, who
admired the character of Joseph Sturge, will have
great and good effect on the growing community of
the town, although the departed was known to us,
that when men pass that monument, men who have
sons and daughters, they will take the opportunity
of telling their children why it was placed there,
and that they may picture to them what sort of
world this would be and how much its joys would
be increased if we could only have in every town
a man of such charity, a man whose kindly nature
and whose generous heart was always ready to
assist the wretched—a man who in his own notions
of what was right was so firm and so immovable
as our lamented friend and fellow-townsman,
Joseph Sturge. (Loud cheers.) Gentlemen, I will
only further say that this will be a day long remem-
bered in Birmingham, as one on which we have
met together to do just honour to a man to whom
honour was most truly due. (Cheers.)
The memory of Mr. Thomas, the sculptor, was
given from the chair. Poor Thomas, whose labo-
rious career was so early cut off, began life in a
I humble way in Birmingham, fostered by the gene-

rous hand of Mr. Branson, the railway contractor.

Mr. GUITHER (Mr. Branson's partner), in ac-
knowledging the sentiment, gave an intezesting
sketch of the early struggles of Thomas—his
modesty and doubtingness of his own ability. He
mentioned that the sculptor was much affected and
depressed by the death of the Prince Consort, to
which, combined with his arduous labours, he attri-
buted the early close of his earthly career. Mr.
Guyther promised that the widow's heart should
be gladdened by the kindly recognition of her
husband's worth, and by the tribute paid to his
memory.
- -

Several other sentiments followed before the
meeting broke up.

THE NA Vi'.

VALETTA, May 31.—There is little or no nasal
news oc importance to notice. Her Majesty's pad•
dlewheel steamaloop Trident, 3, Commander E. J

Balfour, left Malta, as expected, on the 23d inst.
for Naples, and the screw steam corvette Malacca,
17,',Capt. G. J. Napier, left the same day for Corfu,
with a mail for the Admiral. Her Majesty's screw
gunboat Surprise, 4, Commander W. H. Whyte,
and the screw corvette Pelican, 17, Commander P.

Brock, came in yesterday, the former from Corfu
and the latter from the Pirreus. The Pelican, I
understand, has come to Malta for the trial of her
master by court-martial on various charges brought
against him by the captain. We have now in port
the Hibernia receiving ship, bearing the flag of
Rear-Admiral H. J. Codrington, C.B. ; the London,
86 ; the Amphion, 36 ; the Pelican, 17 ; the Medina,
surveying ship; the Gannet, 11 ; the Surprise, 4 ;
the Procris, 3 ; the Boxer, 3; and the Hearty tug.
The Gannet leaves this morning with the mails
brought last night for Corfu. Some changes are
about to be effected shortly in the distribution of
the troops at the different stations in the Mediter-,
ranean. The 2d battalion, 3d Buffs, now at Malta,
will go to Gibraltar in about ten days to relieve the
25th, King's Own Borderers, who are to come here.
It is reported that the 4th battalion Rifle Brigade
here will relieve the 2d battalion 9th Regiment at
Corfu, ordered to this island, and that the 6th Regi-
ment at Gibraltar will change places with the 2d
battalion 2d Regiment at Corfu. The Italian cor-
vette Tripoli, which has been for some months past
stationed at this port, left on the 27th inst. for
Tripoli with secret orders. General Grivas, who
commanded the Grefk insurgents at Nauplia, and
was among those exempted from the amnesty
granted by the King, arrived here a few days ago
from Smyrna for the purpose of taking up his
residence in this island, A letter received yes-
terday from Corfu, dated May 28, by her Ma-
jesty's screw gunboat Surprise, says that her
Majesty's screw line-of-battle ship Queen, 86, Capt.
C. F. Hillyar, arrived at that island on the day pre-
vious from Alexandria and the Piraeus, having on
board the Duke and Duchess of Saxe Coburg, and
left a few hours afterwards with her distinguished
passengers for Trieste. Her Majesty's ships at
Corfu were the Marlborough, 131, bearing the flag
of Vice-Admiral Sir W. F. Martin, K.C.8., the
Malacca, 17, and the Icarus, 11. The Queen was
expected back from Trieste in about ten days. Ad-
miral Martin was with his family taking the benefit
of the country, residing at the Casino which the
Empress of Austria occupied during her stay at
Corfu. He bad been living in• a very retired man-
ner in that delightful spot. According to the news
brought by the Surprise, it was believed that he
would shortly remove to Naples.
The Curacoa, screw frigate, Capt. A. Phillimore,
was paid out of commission at Portsmouth yester-
day. George Ford, ship's corporal, James Privett,
quartermaster, and Wm. Smith, boatswain's mate,
were recommended to the Admiralty for the gra-
emmended
M , and
The Cormorant, 4, Commander C. M.
,screw steam
gra-
tuity and medal allowed for long service. John
West, sailmaker, was recommended
Buckle r
the Racehorse, 4, Commander
eesdtefrodraythmeocrnhiinnga
station.
The Norwegian screw corvette Nornen, 20 guns,
fgrnonmv esshs eele;sness. arrived T
They
y 8
arepit hreeapdo
ryt
Capt.capt 8 guns
from Spithead yesterday morn-
ing with a fine westerly
breeze. The I\l- •
sailedandthe Prussian brig Hela,
omen is
bound for Christiana, and the Hela for Dantsic.
K Smith,l
t t,