The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-19 00:00:00

MEETING AT TUE LEAGUE ROOMS.

Mr. Bright, on leaving the meeting at the Town-hall,
proceeded on .foot to the League-rooms, accompanied by a
crowd, which groaned and hooted him, some of them even
threatening him with their fists, while his friends loudly
cheered him. The Council-room of the League was soon
filled with a very numerous assemblage of Mr. Bright's
supporters, and a vote of thanks was passed to the gentle-
men who a moved and seconded the amendment at the
Town-hall.
Mr. BRIGHT addressed the meeting at considerable length
with reference to the proceedings of the day, and the cir-
cumstances which had led to them, as well as on the policy
of this country in the war. He said it would be remem-
bered that his recent letter on the subject of the war was
in reply to one from Mr. Watkins, asking him to attend
a meeting to collect sabscriptions for the relief of the
widows and orphans of soldiers, at which that gentleman
considered it desirable that the representatives of Manches-
ter should be present, that he (Mr. Bright) should make a
speech to explain his views on the war, and that the meet-
ing should decide whether to petition for peace or go on
with the fund and support the war ; he did not see much
connexion between the two. Nothing could be more out
of place than to make a charge against him because his let.
ter was published at St. Petersburg, which would equally
have applied if he had made a speech and that had been
published in St. Petersburg. Mr. Watkins should not
have written him the letter if it was not desired that his
sentiments should be made more public than could be
avoided. No man in England could have less sympathy
than he (Mr. Bright) had with the Russian system of go-
vernment, and he was one of those who had received with
the greatest delight the ex-governor of Hungary when he
came to this country, and who was the most wonderful
man, probably, that had visited these shores for a long
time. He had not merely disliked, but he had an absolute
horror of what he considered the unfortunate and wicked
step which was taken by the Russian Government in put-
ting down the attempt of the Hungarian people to gain
freedom for themselves, and he had no doubt that a great
deal of the present clamour in this country against Russia
had been the inevitable consequence of that false step. But
should it not rather tend to shake the confidence of the
people of this country as to the cause in which they were
engaged, when the Czar did not fear to laybefore the people
of his capital a translation of a statement of facts such as his
(Mr. Bright's) letter ? He hoped the people of Russia would
learn from it that there was a country—unfortunately, the
One with which they were at war—where, however strongly
public opinion might ruu in one direction, and although
there might be a violent clamour in its favour, yet a man
might, in opposition to that clamour, and fearless of the
public opinion and of Government alike, publish his own
()pinions to that public and to the world ; and he hoped it
might lead the people of Russia to consider whether they
might not, with great propriety, endeavour to make their
own system of government approximate more nearly to the
one which permitted the exercise of such freedom. Were
we all to' shut our mouths when our Government made a
grievous mistake in foreign policy, which might lead to
consequences that not only ourselves, but our posterity
would have to regret ? And was he not to warn his coun-
trymen when he found them running after something
which would turn out to be a " Will-o'-the-whisp " and
a delusion ? With regard to the meeting of that morning,
he could only say, without wishing to be in the least de-
gree uncharitable to those who had not been vary charita-
ble to him, that with the feet that out of the 613 names
attached to the requisition for that meeting, not more than
43 of all the 18,000 electors of Manchester could be found
who voted for him at the' last election ; it was difficult to
believe that personal feeling and party hostility had had
nothing to do with it. His opinions on the question now
chiefly occupying the attention of the country were well
known, and he had stated them fully at a meeting at the
Albion Hotel not more than a year ago, as well as in the
House of Commons last March, and whatever might have
been there said in reply by the.ll inister who was sup-
posed to know so much more of foreign affairs than
any other, he had ventured upon no answer to his (Mr.
Bright's) arguments. The people of this country be-
lieved that they were engaged in this war with a noble
object, but ho believed the sequence would show that the
war had no reference to the liberty of Europe or the ad-
vantage of this country ; and we might form some estimate
of its character from the character of those who were en-
gaged in it as our allies. And it was no easy matter to
great eaapire ea it auta proposed to " humbly
Russia." If there were such a combination of Govern-
ments for the purpose of bumbling this country and dis-
membering our empire would not every man among us,
who conceived it possible that ho could handle a musket,
rush to resist the invader? But now we were reduced to
the necessity of engaging 15,000 German mercenaries—men
who had no rn.ro moral pi inciple than to sell themselves
to slaughter anybody in any part of the, world ; and he
(Mr. Bright) should give his most decided vote against
the measure which was now before the Legislature in refe-
rence to the hiring of foreign troops. In conclusion, Mr.
Bright expressed his doubts of the cc,ntinuance in power
of a coalition Government which had shown that it had
never coalesced 'and contained none of the elements of
strength ; but ho was ready to support that or any suc-
ceeding Government which should avail itself of any
honourable opportunity to restore tranquillity to Europe.
(Loud cheers.)

- LORD DUNDONALD ON THE WAR.

TO THE EDITOR or THE MORNING HERALD.

---
"Death is preferable to the endurance of false imputa-
tion when credited by the public."
Sir,—l send you an anecdote from my Greek journal
showing the effect of hot shot even on vessels of slender
construction, and consequently the peril that would at-
tend a protracted naval attack on batteries prepared to
lodge that comparatively tenfold destructive missile in
the store-rcome, or in the solid scantling of ships of
war. _ _

From this practical proof a discerning public can-
not fail to draw a just inference in regard to the profes-
sional judgment and judicious forbearance of Sir Chas.
Napier in avoiding destruction to the fleet intrusted to
his charge.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
DUNDONALD.

Twenty-three Greek armed vessels, equipped, pro-
visioned, and paid by the Hellenic committee, together
with seven fire-ships, were nearly ready to proceed and
attack the Turkish and Egyptian fleet is Navarino, in
order to frustrate their intended invasion of the Islands
of Hydra and Spezzia, when in an evil hour (as it then
appeared) the Greek Government at Egina granted a
letter of marque to an influential friend.
No sooner had the fierce " sea lions" commanding
these national vessels learnt the concession of this
seemingly inestimable boon, which (as naval Commander-
in-Chiefi I had stipulated should not be conferred on any
person, than they manned and armed their launches,
and without leave asked or given set off for Egina, to
intimidate the feeble Government to " do them equal
justice ;" the consequence of which was, the weakening
of the national armament, so that crews for seven vessels
and three fireships could scarcely be collected.
Considering what course could be pursued under such
untoward circumstances, it occurred that it might be
well to follow the advice given in one of the Philippics,
which I had read a few days before whilst sitting on a
stone (near the ruins of the temple), whereon it is said
the banished orator was wont to meditate on the perils
of his country.
In that oration Demosthenes warned his fellow-
citiZens not to await the development and then endeavour
to counteract the enterprises of the enemy, but promptly
to'adopt measures whereby to distract attention and
frustrate Lis plans.
It was resolved to put this counsel in execution.
Therefore, having proceeded, and passed by Navarino
out of sight from its heights, and arrived off the
Gulf of Lepanto, the steam-vessel Enterprise, the Sauveur
`brig of war, and three gun-boats, were sent in (under the
command of the brave and zealous Captain Hastings) to
destroy several small Turkish vessels of war and some
transports, all of which were speedily burnt by sparkling
white hot shot, corruscant from the furnaces of the
boilers.
Intelligence of this unexpected attack was quickly
conveyed to Navarino. Th Ooman fleet, as was
got under weigh toe puntt ish the aggressors,a but
cipated,
fornienpdasssiinrg Za
Edward
where
d,
cadriagttahae
lflaayg-s ,
Sir
of my g
rp
Edward,
iaalldaingt.
Twit at the breach of faith of which the Turks seemed
guilty (for they had acquiesced in an armistice a few
days before), made sail, and singly standing thwart the
Turkish line, fired across the headmost vessel.
The Ottoman chief, to avoid hostilities with an all-
powerful maritime nation, retraced his course, impressed
with a belief that Sir Edward countenanced an aggres-
sion of which he was as ignorant as the Greek expedition
was of the existence of an armistice.
The decisive battle of Navarino followed soon after.
Thus, at the expiration of 2,000 years, the counsel of
the most celebrated of persecuted patriots (so arrogantly
rejected when given) may be said to have achieved the
emancipation of his country from a yoke more cruel and
degrading than the dreaded sway of the Macedonian
Mon arch.