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

MB. L,4YARD AND HIS COIVSTITUEIVIS.

Last evening Mr. A. H. Layard, M.P., addressed
a meeting of the electors of the borough of South-
weak at the Bridge house Hotel, London-bridge, in
explanation of his conduct during the last session 01.
Parliament. Mr. Geo. Newman was called to the
chair, and having briefly opened the proceedings'
Mr. LAYAED 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-
ment of the streets and thoroughfares by the con-
struction of the Charing-cross Railway, he pro-
ceeded to refer to the questions of foreign polities
which bed occupied the Government during the
session, and se( re occupying their attention still;
and first among these he alluded to the question
of Chins. He had been taunted in respect of this
question that when out of cffice he repudiated
the Chinese war, but that when in office he had
given his countenance to it. There was no doubt he
did repudiate that war, and lost his seat in con's'
quenee ; but that war had nothing whatever to de
with the present state of China and the conduct of
the Government in respect of that country. The
great object of the Government had 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 in
the Chinese service. The Chinese Government had
obtained the services of Captain Osborn, and he was
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 our
plaint was made that the Government of this count"
try was 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 then',
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 uP
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 west
.
searching inquiry, had been proved to be without
the slightest foundation. After enlarging still fur"
ther on the good effects which friendly relations
and intercourse between this country and China
would effect, the hon. gentleman went on to sap
that there was one other question connected with
foreign politics which he could not pass over,
he meant the question of America. (Hear.) But'
at the same time, he should not say more upon it
than was consistent with strict prudence. He be;
lieved that the policy the Government had pursue'
towards America had met with the general if nets
with the unanimous approval of the country. Vied
policy had been one of strict non-intervention, an
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 his
own constituents, a clergyman of Southwark,
some time ago sent him a pamphlet on slavery, aca
had asked him whether he considered the Govern-
ment were acting properly in respect to that
t°
ques-
tion. His answer was that in dealing with til
American question Government had no right ,
take into consideration the question of slavery 1;
no slavery, or in any way to refer to the origin (10
the cause of the quarrel. If he was asked in the
abstract, was Government right on the question
slavery, he would say at once that it was, and )10
would say more, that during the last few mont4 '
the Northern States had shown the respect the)c,
attached to the representations of this country en
that subject by striking the heaviest blow at slaver'
which perhaps had ever yet been struck, by givieg.
way on the right of search question, and concedicltt
to the propositions of this country respecting "0,
The United States had also shown that they Were
sincere in their opinion on the matter, for they ha
publicly executed Capt. Gordon, who had persists'
in carrying on this illegal traffic. That could til,eo
have been done some months ago; and While
said all honour to the United States for their con'
duct in that matter, he would venture further to nit
sag
that when the history of Lord Palmerston was "col
ten it would he found that no man in this c°llll t
had done more for the abolition of slavery throngs:oa
the world than he had done, That conduct to,
nothing to do with the conduct of this ceuntrYbeie
wards America during the present struggle., as tAior,
interference with it would only embarrass the A'
thels a
them States, for they were not, as he had said, c aCoy
on to express an opinion as to the causes of
sOO
flict, but to maintain a strict neutrality. Last °ot
several attempts were made to cause the Governr ea
to interfere, but they were put down, and Prop to
so, for the recognition of the Southern Ststbe
would only have been another name for raising
old
blockade all along the coast, and that again ; tee
have only been another name for war Wit..„.auld
North ; and as the recognition of the South ;00ae
not have given them cotton, he should like te boo
whether a war with the North would n°t ;fig
greatly enhanced the sufferings of their Sttle're
Ile LP
operatives for the want of it. (Cheers.) ea-
; ht, 913 a
fore thought the Government had acted rig &pie
he hoped the time would soon come when the Pf inlo
of the North would see that the conduct , all
country towards them had been just, and th at'
hos
the heart-burnings which now existed Wnuldbrieff
passed away. The hon. gentleman then
00 re'
alluded to the conduct of the Government ,_tree•
garded Italy, and trusted that the great 0. true'
tion to the peace of that country—the Frelac,ne ow)
in Rome—would be speedily removed. ,troll's
in
alluded to the respect entertained for this cot. 4410
causeo n all
opfatrht se
advancement
vtahnee
eContinent,
the and
people
a at attribute
h.o_moneit
d to
the respect entertained for the country anr.,_,,ugb
the great Liberal party, which he was suriett7ndect
they might have their shortcomings, cc) ,0 hoe,
the support and sympathy of the country; A"
A use.
member resumed his seat amid loud app thanks to
Dr. RENDLE then proposed a vote
; in Parliament
Mr. Layard for his diligent attentA°9
and elsewhere, to the interests
which having been seconded by
was agreed to with much cheering.
„ndea
BAYNES, See.-. 0
On the motion of Mr. J. IV. -- ssiv
revolution exPre- 0
by Mr. W. H. Cox, another rear° sage
olfirt.hßeEvbiosraoTuogrlh:
non-intervention
of cordial approval of the
reespecially
pursued, by the Government, Mo übliwelP to,
regarded the war in America, wasalso
wi
th aagrve:te of
and the proceedings terminated
thanks to the chairman*

The committee of the Stock Exchange n'.0.10
detemined to close that establishment on Friday next' ;iar
will be adopted in most of the public markets, inchl"l-
day after Christmas-day, It is understood that a sin
step
°
that for corn, and also in many of the principal house: i 0
business. The attendance in the City on Saturday n°'
likewise expected
'n to be small. Es'
SHOCK
G —CCURRENCE—Imss OF THREE "`"
—ln the midst of the sturm which swept over the cou'd y
K
a fatal accident took place on Friday night or Sat,grlcr
morning in Shropshire. This was at the Tibberton Nun
Mills, near Newport, which are the property of gr. INltyre
Billing, of Bingham, and are worked by him. There are_ol,
chimney stacks, one of which has been recently bniit'A'',,ea
is square, 1201 t, in height ; there are several cottagen,coro,
by it, within some 15 yards. In the midst of the 5:000
and in the dead of the night, some 60ft. of this chitnhettto tuo
snapped off, and descended with a frightful crash oxii. bedo
cottages. A man and his wife were killed in the r. Va.
upon the instant. There were five children and illeldren
rents sleeping in an adjoining cottage ; one of the almost
was killed : that the others should have escaped is o w.t.
miracle. The cottages were destroyed at a blew, t,,e de'
mates forced from their beds, and in other respects the de'
struct ion was very great. Mr. Billing himself Vass ifeelctlid
in a cottage close by, but the mass of building which.ex.cl went
not reach it. The occurrence has created much te,
in the district, and being within a short distan e.. 000
ce
0
famous Lelleshall Ironworks, a great number of 10
have visited the scene of the disaster,

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