The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 25, 1867.

mons. The Liberal party might very well have pro-
posed a vote of no confidence, and dismissed them,
but their love for the one great principle of the bill

—household suffrage—constrained them not only to
forego such a course of procedure, but to do all they
could to get it into committee, where it might be
amended. In effecting this the tea room meeting had
the lion's share, and he congratulated his colleague
and himself for the part they honestly took in con-
nection with that meeting. He was glad that the
voting papers bad been abandoned, because he be-
lieved that such a practice would have been the most
powerful incentive to bribery and corruption imagi-
nable. Mr. Norwood also referred to other objec-
tionable clauses in the Conservative bill as it origin-
ally stood, and which had been removed, and instanced
the lodger franchise as a great improvement intro-
duced by the Liberals. lie hoped to see further im-
provements as regards the ratepaying clause and the
redistribution of seats. On the whole, Mr. Norwood
considered the Reform Bill one for which they had
cause to be thankful. He concluded amidst the most
deafening cheers.

A vote of thanks to the members for their attend-
ance was carried by acclamation.

question behind this as to the importance of giving
to those large masses of the population which con-
tributed so largely to the wealth and prosperity of
the country their fair share of the representation.
The measure that has passed is not merely with re-
gard:to burghs, but also with regard to those other
classes, a large and liberal measure, which I think
we ought to regard with satisfaction as one which
was imperatively called for, and in regard to which
we may rejoice that it has passed. I will not contend
however, gentlemen, that as regards this question
it is one to which we ought to attribute any great
importance in a party sense. As regards this great
county, I throw myself on the generosity of those
to whosepolitical enfranchisement my exertions have
I think contributed insomesmall degree. As regards
a great county like this, I have not the smallest
doubt as to what may be the general expression
of opinion ; but we cannot deny, when we are enjoy-
ing a lower occupation franchise, and a lower fran-
chise with regard to value, that this is a qualification
which is in no small degree liable to abuses, against
which, even as regards the English boroughs in
1832, safeguards were introduced and established to
prevent those abuses as to the creation of faggot
votes, and from which I think many prudent and
far-seeing statesmen are inclined to apprehend some
risk. (Hear, and applause.) You may be aware that
in the late session I endeavoured to draw the atten-
tion of Parliament to this particular question. I
had, as you may remember, some " sporting" votes,
in which I gained a majority every evening, and
lost my motion by one on the following day —so
nicely balanced was public opinion in the House of
Commons on this question ; and I fairly admit that
if this question merely referred to large county
constituencies, like those which exist in Eng-
land, there would be some reason in the strong
objections with regard to my proposal, that it
would have a disfranchising effect on many well en-
titled to the franchise. But when this question
comes on for consideration, as it must, when we have
to consider the representation of Scotland, it will be
again a question fairly under the consideration of
Parliament how far it may not be imperative to
introduce some safeguards with regard to residence,
such as those at which I aimed. These I think
most essential when you are coming to deal with
small constituencies like many of those counties in
Scotland ; unless, indeed, Parliament is prepared to
take a far more decided line, and to enter upon a
course of doubling up some of those petty counties,
which, without the adoption of some safeguards
such as I aimed at, will ultimately end in being
nominee counties in the hands of great proprietors.
(Hear, and applause.) We aro really passing
through a great revolution, and it is one that is not
yet accomplished. It is one in which there is much
remaining to be done, and in which you have still a
right to expect the vigilance of your representatives
in Parliament. But, apart from the details to which
I have alluded, I wish you on the present occasion
to take, for a moment, a broader view of this ques-
tion. Although there may be undoubted defects in
the measure passed, you will consider it as a ques-
tion of Ithe great middle classes, as well as of the
working classes' emancipation—as one calculated to
give their proper weight to those great elements of
national strength, such as the great county I have
the honour to represent, and which principles must,
in their ultimate course, tend to the recognition of
the rights of Scotland in Parliament. I think, when
we regard the question from this point of view—
when we think how important it was to give con-
tentment to those who felt their long and unjust
exclusion from the representative system, you will
rejoice on the whole with me in the passing of this
great measure, which I hope may prove some last-
ing settlement of this question.

A vote of confidence in the hon. member closed
,he proceedings.

MR. CA YE, M.P., ON WAR AND AGRI-

CUTLURE.

SID3fOUTII, Wednesday.

The Right Hon. S. Cave, ALP., presided at the
annual meeting of the Sidmouth Agricultural So-
ciety last evening. In proposing " The Army and
Navy," Mr. Cave said that as a member of the
Government he was deeply grieved at the necessity
of the expedition to Abyssinia. It was one which
could reflect no credit upon us, and might possibly
do a great deal of mischief. The mere fact that
money would have to be spent in so unsatisfactory
a way was in itself a reason why every member of
Government must look with the greatest possible
regret at it. At the same time, it was a necessity
in which he believed the whole country acquiesced.
It was said the other day by Lord Stanley in the
House of Commons that the chances were that, even
if we got back the six men whom we purposed libe-
rating, we should leave 600 men in Abyssinia. That
was extremely probable, still that was not the ques-
tion. It was not the result of the war, but the
prestige and credit of the country that the Govern-
ment had to look to—whether it should be said all
over the world that our subjects were in captivity
and we dared not release them. There could be no
doubt that if the country lost its prestige, if it was
insulted and threatened with impunity, everything
in the country, agricultural and commercial, must
r were greatly Ile believed the dan-
gersin
dend i
ffts uc
uffletri
esof therefrom. w
exagge-
rated. He had the authority of Sir Henry Rawlin-
son for saying that Abyssinia was far from being
unhealthy; that it was one of the healthiest coun-
tries in the world. The expedition was carefully
organised, and put under the command of one of
the best officers in the service ; and there could be
no doubt that our army would show themselves
"Serene amid alarms,
Unshakable in faith, invincible in arms."

(Applause.)
The Right Hon. CHAIRMAN, in giving " Success
to the Association," referred to agricultural statis-
tics, which, he said, bad fallen like a live shell
among agriculturists in many parts of Eng-
land. They had not excited as much alarm in
the county of Devon as in many other counties.
Devon had sent in more complete returns than any
other county. According to the returns, which
would be shortly published, this year there were in
Devon 42,000 acres more under cultivation than
last year; there were also 6,000 more horned stock,
95,000 more sheep, and 8,000 more pigs. No doubt
this was owing to the more complete returns, and
that was not really the increase indicated. Nothing
could be more absurd than a reluctance to send in
these returns, than which nothing could be more
valuable to the country. The farmers feared that
the returns would cause their rents and taxes to be
raised, but that was a delusion ; to avoid making
them was like the ostrich hiding its head in the sand,
fancying that nobody could sec it. It used to be
said that crime increased as corn increased in price,
but he did not think that statement was borne out
by facts. No doubt, however, the better people
lived the better they were in other respects. Ile had
just received some returns of the most interesting
character. They were returns of the importations
of various kinds of agricultural produce during the
last 15 years. Of stock, the number imported had
increased from 100,000 to 238,000 ; sheep, from
230,000 to 798,000 ; wheat and wheat flour, from
17,000,000 to 28,000,000 cwts. ; barley, from
2,000,000 to 8,000,000 cwts. ; oats, from 3,000,000
to 9,000,000 cwts. ; eggs, from 108,000,000 to
438,000,000. Of articles of consumption, sugar
had increased from 281 b. to 381 b. per head. This
was an enormous increase. Tea had increased from
21b. to 3}lb. per head. Nothing tended so much to
keep down speculation ; nothing tended so much to
keep down consumption in every article of com-
merce, in agriculture, or manufacture, and to keep
prices on a good remunerative level as well-spread
information. No doubt prices got up in consequence
of ignorance and the supposition that there would be
a great searcity in the market. During the period
named horned stock bad increased in price from £l2
to £lB a head ; sheep from 30s. to 50s. Corn, on
the other hand, had steadily fallen, showing
that we had greater chance of growing cattle
than we had of growing corn. It was now much
more difficult to import, without risk, animals from
other countries than it was to import corn. The in-
crease in the prosperity of other countries enabled
them to consume more cattle, and every year Eng-
land had to go further east to het her cattle, the

supply being exhausted in the nearer countries. The
English farmer had little to fear from competition
in foreign cattle, but he had a good deal to fear in
the competition in foreign corn. Great strides had
lately been made in agriculture in all the countries
of Europe; he had noticed the improvement, par-
ticularly during his recent travels on the Continent.
A good deal had lately been said about women
being employed in agriculture, and, without ex-
pressing an opinion on the subject, he would men-
tion that lately prizes were offered in the depart-
ment of Loire, France, for ploughing, and the
principal prize was carried off by a girl, who wore
no crinoline nor chignon—(laughter)—and who
beat seven strong agricultural labourers. In con-
clusion, the right hon. gentleman dwelt on the good
achieved by agricultural societies, and advised them
to discuss such subjects as those which he had
brought under their notice.