The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-22 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

On the motion that the report of the committee of
supply be agreed to,
Mr. HUME said he did not take any part in the two
nights' debate upon the war question, but he thought it
right to state that he gave his hearty support to the
Government in the steps they were taking to resist the
aggressions of Russia. He had looked through the blue-
books, and he thought Ministers deserving great credit for
the great efforts they had made to preserve peace, and
he therefore could not sympathise with the censures
which the hon. member for West Surrey had attempted
to cast upon Lord Aberdeen. (Hear.) He blamed the
Government for having observed too much secrecy in
the course of the negotiations ; but beyond that error
he was firmly convinced that they had done everything
that could possitly be devised for preserving peace and
securing the hoaour of the country. (Hear, hear.)
The aggrandising spirit, however, of Russia could
now only be curbed by the force of arms, and,
under the circumstances, he did not think a vote
for 13,000 men was too much to ask for. The
war, when once commenced, should be carried on with
vigour ; and thcugh he had hoped never again to see the
day when the people of England should be engaged in
continental hostilities, he yet felt that the commerce of
England and the liberties of the world demanded that
the aggressive progress of Russ a should be stopped.
(Hear, hear.) It therefore behoved all parties in Par-
liament to lend the Government a heartysupport through.
out the struggle, and he for one should have no hesitation
in extending to them his confidence so long as they pur-
sued the wise policy which they now appeared to have
embarked in. (Cheers.)
Mr. M, MILNES concurred in the hon. member's
approval of the conduct of the Government, and avaiied
himself of the opportunity of expressing a hope that
means would be taken to provide for the health of our
soldiers while abroad, and the relief of the relatives
whom they left behind. (Hear, hear.)
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY regretted that more infor-
mation was not given to Parliament on this question
last session, for then the Legislature would have been
able to speak out openly upon it, which would have
done more to bring matters to a decisive issue than all
the negotiations. (Hear, hear.)
Sir DE L. EVANS did not agree with the hon. baro-
net. Matters were not ripe last year for striking a deci-
ive blow, and he could not blame the Government for
the reserve they had observed up to the present time.
It seemed now, however, that all negotiation :had been
exhausted, and we were essentially at war with Russia.
Such a war could only succeed when carried on with the
utmost rigour, and it was fortunate that the war had
fallen upon a time when there was a most favourable
combination of circumstances for carrying it on. We
were united with a powerful ally, and ho had no doubt
that the end of this struggle would see the despot of St.
Petersburg made to kiss the dust. (Cheers.)
Lord PALMERSTON must be permitted to reply to
the observations which had been made upon twolpoints,
namely, the production of the papers and the health of
the soldiery. He contended that the diplomatic corres-
pondence could not have been produced earlier than
when it was published in the blue books, for had it been
disclosed earlier the object of the negotiations might
have been frustrated. When the Government found
that there was no prospect of securing peace the Govern-
ment could have no further desire for secrecy or reserve,
and they at once laid the greater part of the correspon-
dence before Parliament. (Hear.) With regard to the
other point, he could. assure the house that the health
of our soldiery was engaging the earnest attention of
the Government, not only now, but it always had en-
gaged their especial attention, and the relatives of the
gallant fellows who were now leaving our shores in
defence of the liberties of their country might rely upon
everything being done by the Government to insure
their health and comfort while they were abroad.
(Cheers.) It was a mistake to suppose that their
country was behind any of its neighbours in making
such provision both while the British soldier was in or
out of service, and it was a source of great satisfaction
to him to be enabled to state that in no State was the
wants of the soldier and sailor better cared for than they
were in our own. (Cheers.)
Mr. MUNTZ confessed that he had read the blue-
books with much care, and the conclusion he had arrived
at was, that the Emperor of Russia never would have
gone the length he had done had the Government put cm
a bolder front, and been more energetic in their actions.
Not that they were alone to blame in that respect, for
he thought the Peace Society had much to answer
for, in having led the Autocrat to believe that the
people of England were so wedded to peace that no
amount of provocation would induce them to go to war.
(Hear, hear.) The Government ought to have taken
earlier steps to dispel that delusion, while Parliament
should have been less ready to lend its countenance to
those who contended that Russia was a weak and decrepit
power. (Hear, hear.) He was old enough to remem-
ber the battle of Austerlitz, and what he heard then had
convinced him that Russia was a nation to be feared,
rather than despised, for the rigour and prowess of her
arms. (Hear, hear.) However, war seemed now to be
inevitable, and he was not sorry that the resolution of
the Government was to a vigorous and spirited mode of
action, though he was afraid the fact of only 20,000
troops being sent to the scene of action would still lead
Russia to fancy we were not in earnest. True, these
troops were to be allied to the powerful armies of France,
but he was not quite so sure as some people appeared to
be, of the sincerity of the Emperor of France in engag-
ing with us in this struggle. Ile could not shut his eyes