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

~
~~

I, 4,)

l
~y~

„,,, , .
„,.4::,,„•,..e..._i.,.3:.-...
.7ii44,--....-
.........„,
i.,,
„,,,,,,,:: •
lb_
...,:y.„-„,-...
r),.. 1.1....
„ is, ~....#
• , - —will ~,- ,
\ ~, il
r
i..k.,- ... ~,, ~„,,,,,,‘)_,., --, it ~, 0 ..t., .A--,.” As;
..<4 ~.„....:177 ...s:;-- '---..:.:;“.:'1.' ' .":' . 4.., . „
. , .
:4,1‘ 7:13,5*:11:::To.:0,:. ~.. ~~~•
' lii-ih . „. el.,‘"):”°4/11:0:'
, .
~.". .
_i • riii ,-A
...„, ~ 1„..,-,-..y/ •.. ,
.. :
~..00,,, 7 _ _._
.Ik-.-,..;.
~,,,,
-..
____,..... _
Grp ,IF-..,.,
. --- - .
- +
. -.
If-'--'-- 'N'v '-‘. .WiltUbltiC4llllH- te7id*"let-:'- 711/114 vt •. -Wilk r. ,- .` v , -
4 ' ~,,0"-tt „.... ' • rTd.„.-...- R01T.4 • • ', i \.\-- , :7.

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 19, 18-5-4.

MR. BRIGHT, M.P., AND THE WAR.

A public meeting was held yesterday in the Manchester
Town-hall, which had been called to "to enable the citi-
zens to declare that they do not concur in the opinions of
Mr. Bright, but aro fully convinced of the justice and ne-
cessity of the war, and earnestly hope that it will be car-
ried on with the utmost vigour, until the objects for which
it was commenced are thoroughly effected." The meeting
had been callow by a requisition to the Mayor, signed by
upwards of 600 inhabitants of all political parties. Mr.
Bright and his friends attended, and were received by a
perfect storm of cheers, hisses, and groans. The hall was
crowded to suffocation by upwards of 1,000 people, who
clamoured loudly for the meeting to be adjourned to the
open air. On the platform were Mr. Benjamin Nicholls;
the Mayor; Sir John Potter, Sir Elkanah Armitage,
Messrs. J. Aspinall Turner, Robert Gladstone, William
Entwisle, George Wilson, Henry Ashworth, R. H. Greg,
William Evans, William Lawson, W. B. Watkins, E. R.
Longworthy, Robert Barnes, Absalom "Watkin' Alexander
Henry, James Heywood, M.P., W. Bickham, P. F. Wil-
lert, Alfred Watkin, W. Rayner Wood, Joseph Simpson,
and many other merchants and leading inhabitants.
Mr. R. W. WOOD rose to Move the first resolution, and
spoke at some length, but the greater part of his observa-
tions were entirely inaudible, owing to the clamour which
was raised throughout the meeting. He said the meeting
would not hear from him a word of attack upon the hon.
teember for Manchester or any person whatever. He
would treat the question, at all events, in a calm and
philosophic spirit, without the slightest mixture of per-
sonal feeling. When the gentletnen who originated this
meeting did him the honour to ask him to propose this
resolution, they made the request, and he complied with
it, with ;he understanding and determination that the
question should not be mixed up with any electioneer-
ing measures or any party proceedings ; and for himself and
for them he entirely disclaimed any intention of that sort,
or he would never have connected himself with these pro-
ceedings. He should have refused stinks connection on the
ground that such a cowrie was unjust, for eelebettglrher dime
aerated from the sentiments contained in the letter. of Mr.
Bright as widely as his friend Mr. Watkin or Mr. Entwisle,
yet there was nothing in that letter which was not per-
fectly in accordance with the opinions, soar as he knew
them, which Mr. Bright held when he was elected for Man-
chester—(hear)----and he for one world never be a party
to attacking any man because hehonestly maintained under
all circumstances the opinions which he honestly enter-
tained. The question which the people of Manchester
were called upon to decide to-day was simply whether or
not they approved the energetic prosecution of the war,
which hail been shown to be both just and necessary ; and
he contended that such an expression of opinion was ren-
dered imperative by the publication and universal circula-
tion of the letter of the representative of Manchester.
With the view of affording the people of Manchester an
opportunity for expressing their opinion this meeting had
been called ; and with the same view he now submitted to
them the following resolution :
"That this meeting, having
John Bright, Esq., M.P., has been translated and circulated
learnt that the letter of
in Russia, desires publicly to declare that the citizens of
Manchester do not concur in the opinions expressed by Mr.
Bright, but, on the contrary, being convinced that the war
is just and necessary, do earnestly desire that it may be
carried on with the utmost vigour, until it shall bo ter-
minated by a secure and honourable peace." (Loud cheers
and groans.)
Mr. ABSALOM WATBIN seconded the resolution, but
very few words could be distinguished, owing to the inces-
sant cries of " Outside !" and the usual partisan interrup-
tions. He said the requisition to the Mayor for the call-
ing of this meeting had originated with some gentlemen
who had hitherto always voted for Mr. Bright, and
would vote for him again as member for Manchester,
when they had the opportunity. He was bound to say
that the gentlemen of the Conservative party with
whom he had been brought in contact on this oc-
casion had been most anxious that the resolution
should assume no party form ; but that a meeting
should be called which should enable the people of
Manchester to give expression to opinions which, it was
believed, were identical with those of the great body of
the people of England. The people of Manchester believed
that this war was just and necessary, because they saw that
Russia was an aggressive Power, and that she had stolen
the territory she now occupied from her neighbours. They
saw that Russia aimed at enclosing the Mediterranean and
the Baltic within her own possessions ; and, being a Power
that was dangerous to the liberties of Europe, and there-
fore ought to be diminished, they were of opinion that
this war ought to be continued until we had achieved a
sure and honourable peace.
Mr. W. B. WATKINS, an alderman of the city, came for-
ward to move an amendment, and was received with the
same deafening noises as the other speakers. In the circle
around him only a few broken sentences could be heard,
to the effect that whatever their opinions might be on
the war, he was sure they would not respect Mr. Blight,
if, knowing his opinions on such subjects, they found
him swerving from those opinions now. Although he
might differ himself from the hon, gentleman in some
of his views, he had the highest admiration for his
talents and the straightforward honesty which led him
to an open avowal of his principles. It was no secret to
his constituents that Mr. Bright had always advocated
the doctrine of non-intervention in the affairs of other
countries. Ho still retained those views. (Hear, hear,
cheers, groans, and protracted uproar.) If he had changed
the opinions upon which he first came before the country
the constituency would have reason to complain, but no one
could condemn a man because he would not change his
opinions and act against his conscience. Who wore the
majority of the men who had signed the requisition to call
this meeting ? They included some highly honourable men,
and men for whom he had the highest respect in their
private character, but were they not exactly the men who
bad always opposed Mr. Bright? (Cheers and uproar.)
Their object was to make political capital out of the move-
ment, to use against him whenever an election of Parlia-
ment might come, and therefore he (Mr. Alderman Wat-
kins) should vote against tho resolution. (Uproar.) As
regarded the conduct of the war, it was in the hands of
th Government and of Parliament, and, as far as he could
judge, it was supported by the majority of the country,
and was a popular war • but surely that was no reason why
those who thought differently might not express their
opinions. He would move as an amendment :
" That whereas in the requisition presented to the
Mayor requesting him to convene the present public meet-
ing of the inhabitants of Manchester a letter written by
Mr. Bright, our hon. representative in the Commons'
House of Parliament, to one of his constituents, is alluded
to as the cause of the requisition having been got up, it is
the opinion of this meeting that Mr. Bright exercised an
undoubted right in expressing his opinions on the subject
of the war which unhappily exists between this country
and Russia, and, although unhappily those opinions may
differ from the views of many of his constituents, it would
be unfair, tyrannical, and unjust to censure him even by
implication for the honest and manly avowal of his senti-
ments upon a subject so important to all classes of this
kingdom."
Mr. A. HENRY (late M.P. for the county) seconded the
amendment. He said his opinions were not in accordance
with those of Mr. Bright on the war, but every man had a
right to the free avowal of his opinions ; and certainly no
one who had read the requisition could doubt that the ob-
ject was rather to damage Mr. Bright as a
politician than
to express dissent from his views on the war. He confi-
dently hoped that the amendment he now seconded would
therefore be carried. (Continued confusion.)
Mr. W. ENTWISLIg, banker said if he bad thought that
the object of this meeting was to be confined to party pur-
poses, or that the men of Manchester would be swayed upon
this question by any feelings but those of an urgent sense
he would not have coessnted to take any
part in it. (Cheers and groans.) It was an extremely
narrow view of the qs
only to oppose Mr. uestion that had brow ht them there
to suppose that it wa
Bright- (Loud
of public duty,
calls for Mr. Bright, met by groans and opposition.) He
quite conceded the right of Mr. Bright to express his opin-
ions, but he held the duty of the meeting to be widely
different from what had been alleged by the mover of the
amendment. The question was as to the position of Man- I
chester and England ; and he contended that they would
not be doing their duty to the Administration, who were
committed to this war,
was
if the did
England was not
did not give them their
support. The
question
peaceful professions on his
pledged to set a limit to the encroachments of a Power
which threatened the liberties of Europe—whether it
should support the position of the Sultan, who was an old
, w
ally, or whether it should allow him to be oppressed by any
ono who, with fair words and
lips, bat with war in his heart, had made religion a cloak
for designs which aimed at despoiling him of his domin-
ions. If the meeting would have a true insight into the
objects of the Emperor of Russia, let them take the map
of Europe, and see the extent to which he has increased
his territories within 70 or 80 years. Let them look at the
nature of the proposition of the Czar to this country in
1845, for the division of the Sultan's territories. It was
sometimes said that we might
continue our cotton spin-
ning in disregard of -what was taking place 3,000 miles
away, and that it was only the meddling spirit of diplo-
matists that had committed a peaceful and industrious
people like that of England to the losses and hazards of
the war. He entirely differed from that opinion. He
did not believe that the other nations of Europe would
have stood by and suffered the ultimate dismember-
ment of the Turkish empire, and tie only question
would have been whether we should be involved in a
war with Russia or forced into a still more terrible
war with a Power nearer home ? He would ask what
might have been the consequences of our trade and com-
merce if we had had a rupture with France ? (Cheers and
groans.)
Mr. BRIGHT, M.P., then came forward to the front of the
platform to address the meeting, and was received with a
storm of cheering, hooting, groaning, and whistling, which
lasted exactly thirteen minutes before the hon, gentleman
attempted to utter a word. Then, finding that there was
a party in the meeting sufficiently strong to prevent him
from obtaining anything like a full hearing, he addressed
himself to the comparatively small number near him, who
were endeavouring to listen, and was understood to speak
as follows, after a few introductory words which could not
be distinguished :—I shall not occupy more than a very
few minutes in saying that on this question of peace and
war I claim for myself to have the right freely to express
my views, and if I am unfortunate enough not to coincide
with the views of every portion of my constituents, I
regret it extremely, but I shall not fear on this, as on all
questions, to avow my opinions. I have on many occasions
differed from a portion of my constituents, but I have never
flinched from what I believed to be true and right with
regard to public affairs, and I shall not flinch from it now.
The object of my letter was to assist in bringing about
such a temper of tho public mind that the Government
might find no obstacle, when an opportunity offered for
I
bringing about a restoration of public tranquillity. do
not regret having written that letter. lam able to prove
everything that is in it, and I rejoice at the discussion
which it has created, not in Manchester only, but through-
, out the kingdom, and in many parts also of the continent
of Europe. Every man who clamours for war makes peace
more difficult, and every expression of hostility may lessen
the power of the Government, on some future occasion,
, perhaps, to make peace. My object is to take away from
England and from Europe this great calamity of war ; and,
whatever may be the result, I shall never shrink from
keeping that course which I have taken up to this time. I
shall not attempt further to address so tumultuous a meet-
ing as this, but I have made my appearance here to show
my firm conviction that the course I have taken is cen-
t sietent with the true lagristo of this equiltrY, (The )feA.