The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-09 00:00:00

country.
Lord PALMERSTON said the right hon. gentleman
appeared to have forgotten some of the antecedents of his
own party, and had talked of bloated armaments, although
the Government of which he was the leader in this house
took great credit to itself, in the person of Sir John Pak-
ington, for reconstructing the navy and augmenting those
bloated armaments. The right hon. gentleman had objected
to naval, to military, and to moral power; but in the ab-
sence of these it was hard to say what rower we were to
exercise to retain our influence among the nations of the
world. He also said we were in a perpetual state of hostility
with France, the power with which we professed to be in
amicable alliance ; but this was not the fact, as was proved
by the frank and open communication between the two Go-
vernments in relation to American affairs, and more especi-
ally in the matter of the Trent. It could not be expected,
however, but that questions would arise which might be
looked at in different lights by England and France, ac-
cording as they viewed them with reference to their respec-
tive interests, and this sufficiently accounted for the differ-
ence in their views respecting the occupation of Rome and
the affairs of Italy. He should have been ashamed of the
Government if they had not expressed their sympathy with
the cause of Italian independence, but they had not em-
ployed any portion of those bloated armaments for the pur-
pose of enforcing their ideas on that subject. He should
like to know where the right bon. gentleman was when the
navy and army estimates were proposed. As an economist,
as a reformer, as the patron of the gentlemen below the
gangway on the opposite side of the house, as the supporter
of the Pope, and as the mouthpiece of the Government of
France, bow did the right hon. gentleman reconcile it with
his duty not to have raised his voice from his place against
those bloated armaments ? He (Lord Palmerston) was as
sensible as any one of the necessity of practising real eco-
nomy in the public expenditure ; bat economy was a distri-
butive virtue, and must be tempered with prudence. He
also agreed that the keystone of our foreign policy was a
friendly alliance with France; but without anticipating
attack, that object could only be attained by meeting her
on such terms of perfect equality of power that our councils
should not be ascribed to the dictates of fear. France had
more iron ships building than we had,-so that it was a total
perversion of facts to say that the English navy was a
bloated service as compared with that of other countries.
Our relations with France were as friendly as it was possi-
ble for the two countries to be. and the policy of the Govern-
ment was simple and -31ain. It was the cultivation of friend -
II ship with every foreign power that was disposed to cultivate
it with us.
After some observations from Colonel Dickson, Mr.
Lindsay (who condemned the foreign policy of the Govern-
ment, as most dangerous with regard both to America and
Italy), Mr. Whiteside, and Mr. Ball,
Sir W. JOLLIFFE said the noble lord had expressed
disapproval of the use, by Mr. Disraeli, of the term " bloated
armaments," but he believed there was hardly a man in the
house who would not say that the armaments both of
France and of this country were equally deserving the ap-
pellation. With regard to the bill under consideration, be
objected to the manner in which it proposed to tamper with.
that great instrument of defence, the income tax.
Some observations by Mr. GRIFFITH on foreign policy
brought the debate to a close, and the bill was read a second
time.
The house then went into committee of supply, and
agreed to the vote of £542,000 for education.
On the vote of £7,017 for the Royal Dublin Socioty,
Mr. pILLWYN moved that the Chairman report. pro-
gress.
The motion ws:.s resisted by the Government, but on a
division it was carried by 65 to 59, and the house resumed-
The Companies,
etc., „ Al, W the Public Works and Har-
bours Act Amendment 80, the Oxford University Bill,
and the Drainage (Ireland) Bill were severally read a
second time.
The Rtd Sea and India Telegraph Company Bill and the
Smoke Nuisance (Metropolis) Acta Amendment Bill Were
respectively read a third time and passed.
The house then adjourned.