The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-13 00:00:00

maintain a sufficient means of defence is like a banker
who would fill his chest with gold and leave his doors
unbolted and his windows unbarred. (Hear, hear.)
We know what the result would be to the banker—
(laughter)—and history and experience :tell us what
has been the result of a similar policy to nations.
(Hear, hear.) At the same time, our means of de-
fence, in order to be sufficient, need not and ought
never to be carried to the extent to which continental
nations carry the numerical force of their armies—
armies which are destined apparently more for ag-
gression than for internal security ; but we ought to
have a proper regard to those defences which secure
the people of this country from those innumerable and
indescribable evils which befall a country that is the
seat of military operations. Along with that security
and that precaution it is the duty of a Government to
maintain, by every means consistent with national
honour and self-respect, the most friendly relations
with all the great Powers of the world. (Hear.) Well,
gentlemen, we have done that. We are upon good
terms with all the great powers of the world ; and the
way in which we have observed neutrality in
chat afflicting war which has desolated the pro-
vinces of North America, in spite of the strong
expressions of passionate partiality which broke
forth from different classes of the country
—some in favour of the North, others in favour
of. the South—l say that the stedfast and perse-
vering manner in which we refused every solicita-
tion, and solicitations, too, which came from America
as well as from England, entitles us, I think, to the
thanks, as they contributed to the welfare, of the
country. (Cheers.) While the South imagined at
the outset that by stinting us in our supply of cotton
we should be compelled to take part with them, the
North imagined that their determination to abolish
slavery in the South would enlist in their favour the
philanthropic feelings of the British nation, and
that on that account we should assist them. Well,
that cotton famine was a great calamity to this coun-
try. (Hear, hear.) It lasted several years, and its
pressure was extreme. But noble, on the other
hand, was the conduct of that part of our manufac-
turing population who were thrown out of employ-
ment by the cessation of the cotton supply. They
showed that they had rightly understood the posi-
tion of . things. They knew full well—they could
not be ignorant of it—that that pressure, that dimi-
nution of supply, was not owing to any act what-
ever of their rulers. They saw that it was the re-
sult of events over which the Government of their
country could have no possible control. (Hear.)
That was one motive which induced them to bear
the pressure with patience. But, on the other hand,
they saw the readiness with which their fellow-
countrymen stepped forward to contribute to the re-
lief of their necessities. They saw that our Poor-law
arrangeinents provided great means of relieving
their distress, but they saw also that the nobles and
gentry of the land came forward with magnificent
contributions in aid of the resources furnished by
the Poor-law to avert from them some of the evils
which the cotton famine inevitably inflicted.
(Hear.) Well, that was a great drawback from
our, national prosperity. Then, again, we had in the
sister island three successive bad years, and those
who know Ireland, and are aware how much the
great bulk of her agricultnral population depend
upon the produce of their small bits of land, will
well understand how great was the calamity of those
successive failures of the harvest. But, in spite of
these local calamities, in spite of these partial draw-
backs from the advancing prosperity of the country,
I maintain that the wealth and welfare of the United
Kingdom have increased in a greater degree, and in
a more rapid manner, during the six years to which
I have referred than in any equal period of our
history. (Hear.). Again, it has been thought by
some that her Majesty's Government have been too
much occupied with political matters, and have not
sufficiently attended to the extension of our com-
mercial intercourse with other countries. Far is the
truth from such an assertion. We have been assi-

. .
duously engaged in Europe in extending not only
by our example .and our precept, but also by our
treaties, those principles of free commercial' inter-
course which have so well succeeded in this country,
and which we arc telling foreign nations would suc-
ceed equally well with them. (Hear, hear.) We
have great:y enlarged, to the advantage of both
nations, the commercial relations between England
and France ; and depend upon it, gentlemen, that
one of the -securities for a friendly understanding
between two great countries is the fact that each
country has a commercial interest in maintaining
peace and friendship with the other. (Hear, hear.)
We were assisted in that by the late Mr. Cobden
(cheers), and most honourable and successful were
his exertions in carrying locally into effect the in-
structions which he received from the Government.

His conduct was, indeed, in all respects noble, for
he declined those offers which it was my duty to
make to him of rewards from the Crown, preferring
that reward which a good conscience affords to a
man who has well acid faithfully served his country.
(Loud cheers.) • Gentlemen, there were among the
French people great prejudices to be overcome.
There were separate interests, which would, as they
thought, be thwarted and possibly ruined by the
competition of British manufactures. They seemed

to suppose, as many men do in many continental
States, that commerce is a one-sided operation, and
that the manufacturers of England are silly enough
to what they call " inundate" foreign countries with
their manufactures without requiring in exchange
an equal value in the manufactures and produce of
the industry of those foreign countries. They have
found out their mistake. Other nations in Ger-
many are beginning to be undeceived ; and I trust
that the doctrines of the great advantage which
freedom of exchange in productions invariably be-
stcws upon a nation is making its way—that while
we ourselves shall derive great benefit from its
universal adoption we shall also have the consola-
tion of thinking that we are conferring benefits
equal to those we receive, and that, therefore, we
are the friends of humanity at large. (Cheers.)
Gentlemen, there was one remote part of the world
which men in their ignorance—I should rather say
in their unacquaintance—had magnified into an
unapproachable region, with which it was vain to
expect any friendly or commercial intercourse—l
mean China and Japan. Well, with both China and
Japan we are now upon friendly terms, and our com-
merce with both is rapidly and most prosperously
increasing. (Hear, hear.) I have here behind me an
hon. friend of mine, Sir John Bowring—(cheers)_
who had much to do in carrying out these great and
advantageous transactions, and to whom great merit
must be attributed for having been the first almost
to deal with the Japanese question. Then, I say,
seeing that the prosperous and successful exertions
of industry, whether agricultural, manufacturing, or
commercial, are the foundation of national wealth,
national welfare, and national happiness, a Govern-
ment which, like ours, have laboured incessantly
and successfully in extending our commercial rela-
tions with foreign nations deserves, as I think, the
confidence and support of their fellow countrymen.
(Cheers.) I trust, then, gentlemen, that I shall find
the electors of Tiverton in the same mind as the
House of Commons lately dissolved was, and that
they will give a fair and honest support to me as
representing here that successful Government ; and
that I shall not be deceived in the expectation Ihave
formed that I shall again carry away from this town
that honour which I have for so many years—and I
may say for so many Parliaments—enjoyed of being
one of its representatives in the Imperial Parlia-
ment. (Cheers.) I wish you, gentlemen, a good
day, and, as is said in the play, " We will meet again
at Philippi" (laughter), by which I mean at the
hustings and the polling-booth to-morrow. (Loud
and prolonged cheers.)

Mr. Denman and Mr. Waldron having spoken,
The Mayor then took the shovi of hands, and
declared it to be in favour of Lord Palmerston and
Mr. Denman.

A poll was then demanded on behalf of Mr.
Waldron ; and thanks having been voted, on the

motion of Lord Palmerston, seconded by Mr. Den-

man, to the returning officer, the assemblage dis-
_

persed,

The contest between Mr. Denman and Mr.
'Waldron will be very severe. Lord Palmerston's
return, it need hardly be stated, is quite secure.

BIRMINGHAM.
The nomination of candidates for the representa-