The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

which he then made. I must at once say that I myself te give it his support. He feared that the words of the
came down to this house bully impressed with a belief motion were calculated to prejudge the question, which
Was still op ;n, and with regard to which the cemluet of
that our army was suffering unheard-of misery, and I
went away with my mind disabused of the impression . the officers mention°, f was about to be made the subject of
investigation. The words either bore that construction, or
theyi
iceeatrisnueriedtehle,
brenrilietlairlyeddemprset:,unenktitetfor.‘ned-hwathitehhe
out a Case that the army was not suffering—that they would be no inie :onduet at all in the case of a complete
had everything at their command—`that they were, in , acquittal. Under these circumstances, he (Sir J. Peking-
fact, as an English army ought to be, properly cared fer i too) could net support the how and learned member's
by their ceuntre. Such was the impression left on my ii motion, and therefore the course ee was about to pursue
mind by the speech of the right hon. gentlemen. But, I would be to abstain altogether from taking tent in the
sir, very shore ly after this, more stories of suffering and ! present divition, reserving to himself the right to bring
misery were told from day to day, the same harrowing forward his owes views whets, its his opinion, the fitting
opportunity had arcivel. At the same time he felt bound
disclosures occurred, and very speedily the impression
to state that, in his opinion, the conduct of the Gevern-
, thente ti,
gravestwith
made on the house and the country by the speech of the
right hon. gentleman was at en end. Anxiety and &armreeeeneasi:itireteatnitesne,hettnetaivsoarchtieonhsroh.aiodhtbethene oßtuthehetett)
possessed the public mind. Such was the brit act of this before the house, he should certainly allutle'te the ex.itra-
horrible drama. When Parliament again met I gave no- ordinary omission, on the part of the Government, to
tico that I should move for a committee to inquire into communicate the report of the commissioners to the Com-
the state of the army before Sebadopel. The house muse mander-in-Chief. He believed that that house had never
he aware of the effect produced by the notice then given, felt greater astonishment than when, on a former evening,
One effect was the disappearance from the ranks of the the Secretary for War made the faltering statement, that
Government of the noble lord the member for London the first intimation Lord Herding() received coucernieg
these reports was v: hen be received a copy in his capacity
(Lord J. Russell). He, like a timid fisherman who hear.
of peer of Parliament. When the proper time arrived he
the storm threatening and notes the advancing clouds, (Sir J.Paltington) meant to draw attention to the inference
turned his boat to the shore and ran howling on the which he could not fail to deduce from this fact, namely,
land. Many objections were taken to the motion ;it was that there was not that harmony subsisting between the
said that the investigation would do injury to the army; Commander-in-Chief's department anti that of the Secre-
that we were a body 3,000 miles off ; that we could not tary of State which the exigencies of the country's service
hear with our own ears, see with our own eyes, that into required, and further to the great injustice which had been
which we were to inquire. It was stated that a commit- inflicted on the otlicers whose conduct was impugned. As
tee of this house was a means of investigation totally in- an illustration of this injustice, he thould allude to the
1 adequate ; in spite of these statements, in spite of the case of Mr. eetanissary-General Filler. He begged to
dangers of the step, the house supported me in my mite say that he had no acquaintance with that gentleman, nor
tion. It is well known with what consequences. The
ea somewhat
l''c'sass ehdoevial his
d to advocatestion3 tbhuatn uteh the eo
tstood
o fifia
first consequence was the utter disruptiOn of Lord Aber- there was all die greater necessity thate he shor-Iddahefiveseadn'
deen's Ministry. The danger at that time was great. We ample measure of justice at the hands of Government.‘ He
were at war. We were waging a terrible war with a had, on the previous day, in consequence of a letter here-
powerful adversary, and yet notwithstanding the danger ceived from Mr. Filder, requested the Government to lay
which would result, the houseldid not hesitate in its sup- on the table the letter which that gentleman had addressed
port. What was the result of our inquiry ? That every to Lord Paninure, and while making that application he
statement made by the press was verified to the letter: that stated, ou the authority of Mr. Filler, the extraordinary
every story of misconduct, and every harrowing detail of fact that, although be was the officer most deeply incul-
suffering was proved before the committee. Thus then, peta in the rep :We its contents had never been comumni-
• , caterharedg
ets a hind,,a n,
ts o h ti
mh a twae thet
hfier s
.t,
pi n
et ianiraantei
eo no f ht eh e heelre oo fr
ttlg
before two tribunals—the press the first, that house the e
second, was the matter investigated, and the same result the puldic papers. In his (Sir J. Pakington'e) opinion
in each case followed ; it was shown that our army was that was an injustice which neither the country nor the
melting away, that we had sent abroad a body of valiant army ought to tolerate. The house would recollect that
men to undertake our defence, who were netth cted, and whoa the Under-Secretary for War answered the ques-
left to die of cold, hunger, and disease ; that the powers tion reseecting Mr. Filler, he went out of his way to rew
of England were exhausted in the hands of the imbeciles vert to a subject of which the house knew nothing, stat-
who then ruled, and were no longer able to protect her ing, that at the proper time he should be prepared to vin-
dicate the recall of Mr: Filler. Perhaps the house would
sons whom she had sent to fight her battles in a distant
be surpused te hear that he (Sir J. Pakington) had that
land. Such was the result of the two inquiries. But at
this time, at the vvry time when the house appointed a ;.:Ineo r n
statedi ngr
thateiv enc.! another enteh e.
ar
w tletterhe reportfr .
Mr.
the question
ithowhilcliht
committee to inquire into the state of the army before he
in the newspapers ha had not been awareques tlaatahe
Sebastopol, the Government which had succeeded Lord was recalled at all. (Hear.) He should not trouble the
Aberdeen issued a commission to inquire into the state house by reading the letter, he merely mentioned it as an
of the sane army. The gentlemen appointed to this par- illustration of the manner in which the public business was
pose were Sir J. M`Neill and Colonel Tulloch. Now, I conducted. (dear.) Mr. Filler stated that he left the
am told that butts these gentlemen were reluctant to Crimea on the Ist of August, antler the direction of a
undertake the office, that they knew the inquiry that medical beard, and unless the mewl crossed him on the
voyage he had no notion that :wry Fecal had been issued.
they were about to make would be a disagreeable one,
He should not, however, permit himself to be drawn fur-
and they were unwilling to put themselves in a position
which would subject them to objectionable conse- thenan
a intothehtter disctis sion,
h reservingut
there himselfwaso forane
quences. But it was pressed upon them as a matter subject to which he opportunity;attached so much portioninterest that he
of public duty. They yielded, sir ; they went to the trusted the house would allow him to make one or two ob-
Crimea ; they inquired and they reported. Their first servatious respecting it. What he wished to say in the tnost
report was made in the month of June, 1855. What was emphatic manner was, that in giving his notice he bailout
the result of this inquiry ? I dare say it di-appointed the slightest intention of prejudging the case, or of doing
those who appointed the commissioners. Tne result of the slightest iujumice to the officers whose conduct was ino
the inquiry was to justify every assertion that had been pumeei. He-could not imagine anything more unfair than
undat the moment when their Conduct uto made by the press, as they had been already justified by
ergoh preliminary
aresiejanrinhing ithvenstigation, he openshoulddh in that
the mental, tee of this house. Certain persons were espe-
r conduct
dally inc ulpated by the report. There were Loots Luc&s •
rohaesyewaelre undoubtedly iYscenetsillnd etoonteheerreagtetstefiorbearance
and Cardigan, General Airey, Colonel Gordon, a, d from the Government, but be thought that if the words of
Commissary-General Filder. I beg to state unreservedly . his tonendment were referred to it would be seen that -it
to the house that Idu not intend to take upon myself the was the conduct of the Government, net of the officers,
task of justifying the accusations of the commis: i iners ; which was impugned. Oa that point his opinion remained
1, ie not the ohje o which I have in view, Theta persees the same, and he wished explicitly to mark the distinction
were inceipate , and this was the next act of the drama, he drew between the conduct of the Government in sane-
When that report was laid before the Govern relent, what tioning the p. ometiou of these officers and the conduct of
was the course which ought to have been pursued ? I the officers them-mires, as about to be investigated by the
coministion. The commis-don was instructed, first, to in-
think that course a plain and cltar one, aud, had it been
101 l 'wed, I think it would have been sati•Wactory to a'l (cTierleatinne,pothicw,usetss
twhlrtethielhaael
hakeltnels,toe delay it, tilde. issue
e
oart:ee. Time Government should have considered the Quer. ter,nTster-GPeneral.'s de' pttyi t'umenvt, the loOlugsienl'etwalitlifteel
rep .it as tee indictment of a gra iet jury. ---t. T i
ln-ebt thatte wernment were not justiiitel in teking :tenon respect-
be considered as an ex parte statement, if they net that officer until the commission hats made its report ;
pleased, not made up tn oath, but still confirmatory et d he also thought the Government hail been guilty of
of and confirmed by precious inquiries. Government indis :e ion and a want of due care in promoting to ap-
would have been jestified upon teat report, not in eli- p tin me its (I trust et hotneotherofficers against whose con-
necting further inquiry, but in putting upon trial the uuet inquiry was also directed. He did not meats to say
me ,west as r warded the conduct of those officers, who, he
persons accused. It every person accused had been sent '
hoped, would establish their innocence in a triumphant
before a ceurt-m ,rtial to be tried, what would have been
mienntr bef rte the cournission, its which case his cone-
the result? The oersons accused would have been called
upon for their eefe ,cr, no harm would have been done to istaamine.t at.,;larihnastt til.:ee Geo7nerinaiihneendt
owfoualdndretmheedenopLetcrisewlyotnhhei
any oi,e, and every tme would bare had an opportunity, co isplein of it, was, thatp pending the inquiry the L.- Govern-
if possible, of clearing himself. What has Government meat prejudged the case by promoting these officers, al-
done ? They have issued a commission to certain gene- though h: thought that these officers had suffered great
ral officers, to report upon the report of their own com- iejestic ,in bring compelled to submit tea new inquiry.
missioners. It has been taken as an objection to me He trusts i, however, that they would not suffer from the
that I have used these words. But let anybody read conduct of the Goverumeet. He believed that the errors
the warrant placed on the table, and see if lam not jug- had been exaggerated, although they had led to the gravest
queue s. Ie must be recollected that they were coin- ,
tified. By this proceeding, the Government have done enoTteteett under circumstances of extraordinary difficulty ;
irreparable injury to the army. I want to know whether, and whatever m ght have been their errors, every
with this proceeding staring him in the face, you can ex- one would admit that they were men of undoubted
pect any man in future to undertake a task like that gallantry and the highest honour. He thought,
intrusted to Sir J. M`Neil and Col. Talloch. No man therefore, that the general feeling would be that
can more admire than Ido the courage of these coin- their position before the commission ought not to be pre-
inissioners. They had told the truth. But in future, can iudieed by a preliminary discussion. He wished next to
call the attention of the house to the language which had
you depend upon men to do so ? They will beer in mind
the fate of Sir J thn INl‘Neill and his coadjutor. They been held by the Secretary
;firfr War with regard to nand to
the full responsibility ecent appointwouts, and to
will so shape their report as to meet the views of the
pereons before whom it has to b. rem. A than in such n s?'
Government t
that whatever
h
ild nbaet found with i wllbtti censure-toconduct
th
aotf the
nositien could gem to himeelf. " The truth may be die- .
guage. The noblelordhad avowed in the most distinct man-
co
agreeable; to tell it would be to subject myself to pain and ner that the Government held itself responsible for these aps
misery, and that is a risk I will not run." I ask the house pointments. And in doing so he (Sir J. Pakington) thought
is not that human nature? But beyond this you are sub- they had adopted the pottier course. On that subject, how-
stituti eg an inefficient for an efficient inquiry. If it was an ver, like the others, he should abstain from troubling, the
objection to the Sebastopol Committee that it sat 3,000 house at greater length. (A. laugh.) It was quite right that
miles from the seat of war, is it not an objection that the the house should understand where the responsibility lay,
but further than this passing allusion he shoul.s postpone
board of general officers wouid be equally distant from
the scene of affairs ? TiweGovernment having sent corn observation on the matter, confining himself to a repetition
•
f
missioners to the seat of war, having themselves ap-
le his inability to suppose the motion of the hon. and
pointed those commissioners, having received their re.arned measlier for Sheffield.
General PEEL said that the reluctance he always felt
port, the whole of which they have not yet preduced to
the house—they sub titute tor that the very when addressing the house was immeasurably increased
s mode i f in-
quiry with which they found so much fault when I pre. when he felt obliged to ask its attention while he said a
posed the appointment of a committee of this house. few words respecting himself. ( dear.) But at the same
There is this differeece, however. I proposed a mode of time he felt bound not to sit silent under such sneers and
inquiry which the house granted, and it placed upon implications as hail been indulged in by the hen, and
the committee men of different opinions, so t' at truth learned member for Sheffield. If the house would grant
was likely to be elicited, for that which one man ee 1 hitn its indulgence for a few minutes he would show them
desire to conceal another would wish to be brou h t that if he had not had the good fortune to see active ser-
light. But what is the cornolexion of this come ittee ?
ice it was not his fault, but his misfortune. He selected
First upon it are some old eenthenert who hare set n v
t in '
the, arm ,not no tithe of peace, but in the height of the
great service ; for the it I have the greaten, p t.s re-
euiusular war. At the age of 14 be went to Seudhurst
epect. But I teinle we had a conversation some nights passed- through all his examinations and three drays helot!!
ago about ill judees which is applicable here. T. the battle of Waterloo, when lie was 153 years' ofaee, he
very same arguments which applie l to cld judges ripen ,Mtained his ensigncy in the 95th, now the Rifle Brigade.
the bench there—the Queen's Bencn—applied t i old He next joined a regiment which was equally distiu-
judges upon the bench here. Then there are cet tai guished, the Grenadier Guards, left it with promotion and
eareet enighte in the cermnission—men who never saw returned to the line. After 12 years' service he was sp-
a shot fired. I want to know what is theie capacity for pointed to the colouelcy of a zegiteent, anti he thought he
judging a question like this ? There is one other g -
had just light to assume that he, at the time, was deemed
e
tiernan upon the list, the hon. and gallant member for
Lellorttity no boil the appointment, for the Cernmenderhin-
auntiogdon (General Pel). I can understand the qua weirs"pltoinbettewsl
inhim thoe hisre o
eweri,
urteagtiiinv
ea nitn. p
,Srhiloartnt
tenl! tot (te.r
a-
lideetien of teat Is tn. :Ind gallant gentleman. Oe every , large constituency—that ofpNorwich, and as there wits no
eecesson I fled him on the side o' the prs ins accused. prospect of war, he devoted himself entirely to the ser-
I don't meen to see, that the hoe, anti gallant mem- tics of his constituents. (!',ear ) When the present war
her, in giving his opinion, has acted in any way discre- broke out, circulars were sent to all otficers, asking
Bitable to his frank and truthful disposition ; but I say whether they were able and willing to sere, and he an-
that the fact of his taking such a view is the great reason swered affirmatively in both particulars. (Cheers.) But
ter his appointmeet. If he had formed ether opinions, lie did more. He wrote to the Secretary foe Wax, stating
if he ha I eaken another course he would not have been that being blessed with more than ordinary health and
there. I would ask this !tense to consider with me the strength, he was notify to serve any where anti in any cape-
censequences of tide proceeding. First
of
a'l, it
will city. Again, after the battle of lukennitn, when it was
the weaken , reported that many officers wished to return home on ac
support of our army. We vend gallant , count of their health, he went to his gallant the
men abroad ; they go to fight our battles ; they have the i • • telling
commander-in-chief, him he was ashamed to hold
idea that the aegis of Eigland is over them wherever they t the rank he did without service, anti that he was most
may be ;they look to this house to protect them ; in all l anxious to go out, to the war in any capacity. Ho thought it
their dangers and distresses their regards are turned to too bad that he who had always been ready and anxious to
home. What is the case of the army in the Crimea ? I can eerie should -be thus taunted oy the hon. anti learned mem
understand a gallant man stricken in the field, and full of her. Then when the hon. and learned member accused
life and health made at one blow a corpse. I can under- him of always voting with the accused, he might say that
stand him dying with a full feelingin his heart that he the difference between him and the hon. and learned mem•
would be attended by the good wishes of his countrymen, ber was that the hon. aud learned member was always
ready to assume the guilt of the accused, while he (General
But the 'soldier in the Crimea suffered a very different m
Peel waitfil until he had heard the evidence, (Loud
fats ;he suffered cold, and hunger, and thirst, and died e
with the feeling that he was deserted by his country. Then cent e reuntil.)
eases
ienoemoe-
I say to this house, be careful how you possess your army before the committee ire which there were direct accuse-
with the idea that you desert them in the time of their tions egaiust intlividu de. One was against Admiralßoxer
need. Nothing that you have done for• the army has for having detained a transport, and he (General. Peel)
been felt so much as the anxiety which you showed last at once moved that it should be reported to the Ad-
year for its safety and comfort. Now if you turn round miralty. The other was that of an officer accused of do-
and take another course, you say that we were governed tai
ILI tto"6 .
the Ho
-guards
of his regiment, and in that case he
by party feeling, that we had no care for the army, we
;ley the accusal-ng,uvaaredassteoeidteamanidoancotzt
following
Hdip.
thought of ourselves. If you allow them to draw that
to bo unfounded ; but he thought these instances went
conclusion woe he to your army, woe be to England ; some way in controverting the hon. an i learned member's
you will endanger the glory of England if you desert assertion. His (General Peel's) anxiety when on the coin-
the army which fought for her. (Hear.) The hon. meal- mittee had been only to elicit the truth and to further the
ber concluded by moving the following resolution : ends of justice. ' (Hear, hear.)
"That the appointment of a commission of general officers Mr. PEEL could not concur in the hon. baronet's eulo-
to report upon the report of Sir J. MelCeill and Col. Telloch, gium on his own amendment, but he could concur with
is to substitute an inefficient for a very efficient mode of in him in o othin th pp g o motion of the hon. and learned mem-
quiry : and that the effect of such appointment will be to ,_ .
hide the misconduct of those by whom various departments °er. With the instinctive fooling of English gentlemen the
of our army have been subjected to the command of officers house would refuse to enter into a case which seas about to
who have been inculpated by the Commissioners appointed to be submitted to a board of general officers. He was not
inquire into their conduct." surprised, however, that the hon. and learned member for
Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion. Sheffield should bring forward this motion, for in doing so
Sir J. PAKINGTON found himself in the difficult po- he was only following the course he had taken in the pre-
salon of being unable to proceed with the motion of which ceding year. The hon. and learned member minutely de-
he had given notice, on account of the interposition of the tailed themotion he had male in the previous year in order
forms of the house. He was ono who entertained a very to procure the Crimean committee, but he altogether
decided opinion as to the conduct of her Majesty's Go- • dto mention thatwhen omitted
vernmeut with reference to the transactions to which the table, he submitted a motion stigmatising every member of
hon. member (Ur. Roebuck) had adverted. In cense- Government who had been in office when the disasters oc-
queue() of that opinion it had been his intention to ask the curried. The answer to that motion was, that had the mem_
opinion of the house on the subject. He felt that, for leers of the Government, known what the hen. and learned
various reasons, it would ho better to postpone the mo- member was about to do, they would have demanded to be
tion. And within the last few days circumstances had themselves examined before the committee. The case to-
night was somewhat similar. A case was about to be sub
arisen which greatly strengthened his conviction. A com-
mitted to a board of general officers, and before they hail
mission bad been issued by her Majesty, and therefore it
even commenced their labours the hon. and learnett mem-
,
might be seriously doubted whether the present was a ber so ight to take the opielion of the house upon the sue-
fitting time for introducing the subject to the house. But rits. With regard to the Government, the hon. and learned
the hon. and learned member for Sheffield had thought member said that Government had appointed this commie-
proper at once to raise the question, and Isis announcement 1 sion to screen their own misconduct, but the house would
to that effect rendered it imper dive that ho (Sir J. Pak- I not be love that Government would be guilty of such solemn
ington) should at once place cm record the views that i mockery et to issue is formal document creating a board
he entertained. The noble lord, however (Palmer- merely with the object of screening their own misconduct.
ston), having refuse •to the hon. and learned member the The hon. and learned member now complimented the Cri-
opportunity of introducing the subject as a substantive mo- mean cominisWouers, bat at the time of their appointment
tion, he (Sir J. Pakington) was precluded from giving to the hon. and learned member declared them unfit for their
his views the form of an amendment, the mode which, as work, and that their mission would turn out a sham. Yet
he had given notice, he hail intended to have adopted. In i all this was now forgotten, and the commissioners were de-
seying this he did not intend to impute any blame to the i el :red to be the most ze dons and impartial that could be se-
noble bed at the head of the Government, who hail never I le cted. Then with respect to the present ceminission the hon.
been wanting in courtesy to hon. members on teat (the ' and le tweed mem eer said that the government had appointed
Opposition) side of the !muse, but merely to explain why his ! re erimean wen inisson, anti now they a p tinted wordier to
views could not be brought before the house in the form of imi Qin) into the coeti set of th 3 cow initsion Nom there was
an amendment. He whaled if, to be understood that it eves not a eyrie ble of truth in that assumption. The commis-
only because he was precluded by the forms of the house i stoners went to the Crimea, not to inquire into theconduct
that he abstained from moving an amendment on the pre, of certain officers, but to inquire generally into the conduct
sent oceteiou- He must alsoadd that, while precluded from of the commissariat. That was the first in traction, and,
moving his own amendment, he was equally unable to sup- , three days after, further instructions were sent out that
port the motion of the hen, and learned member. It was ' they should inquire into the oelay in the unshito,in; and
true that within the last few days the hon. and learned dimributittu of the goods Wh re did the hon. and learned
member had considerably modified his proposal, but as the member find in their instructions any directions to inquire
hon. and learned member had omitted many points which , into the conduct of the officers?
°telt-to be included, ho (Sir J. Pakington) felt dill unable ' Mr. ROEBUCK—I beg pardon, (Order, order, I