The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-18 00:00:00

WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAT.—Morning, Gh. 18m. I Afternoon, 6h. 48m.
To-Ifounow.-Morning, 711. 20m. Afternoon, 7h. 56m.

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LONDON, MONDAY, NOV. 18, 1867.

IVorking-Men's Conservative Associations are
quite the order of the day now, and attest the pro-
gress which more sober and rational views are
making among the community. At Liverpool a
soiree has been held by the members and friends of
the Liverpool Association. In consequence of the
meeting of Parliament several were prevented from
attending, and letters of apology were read from
the President of the Association, Lord STANLEY,
and others. Mr. GRAVES, M.P., made an interest-
ing speech, in the course of which he touched upon
the chief points which deserve attention at the present
moment. In regretting the absence of the noble prcsi-
dent, Mr. GRAVES took occasion to advert to the merits
of the noble lord, and particularly to the important
services which he had rendered to the country in
his skilful management of foreign affairs. We
entirely agree with the hon. member that for the
first time Lord STANLEY has made non-interference
have its full weight—its moral weight—and
that England has regained in the eyes of
foreign nations that influence which she
had unfortunately lost through the faulty
contrivances of former statesmen. It is true
that the state of the Continent is not very hopeful
just now, but that renders it of more consequence
that our policy should be spirited and decided in
respect to them.

Respecting the state of the political world Mr.
GnA-vEs stated very truly that there was a class of
men who substituted abuse for reasoning and vitu-
peration for argument. Reform has been a
very favourite point of attack with them,
and one of the ablest but most mistaken
men in the House of Commons has said that
they have covered themselves with infamy.
The hon. member illustrated the folly of this by
referring to his own case, which was indeed similar
to that of a good many others of his party. He
was sent to Parliament in the interests of the Con-
servative party, believing that a measure of Re-
form was called for. Some among the party were
averse to Reform, it is true, but these in the hour of
need have the " goad sense and patience
alike to give up their own opinions and
adopt the opinions of their party." We would
direct particular attention to this speech
of Mr. GRAVES, for it contains a very just
and proper refutation of the charges brought against
the party in the matter of Reform. " Were we,"
he asks very truly, " one of the great parties in
the State to stand still while the world was going
on around us, and to refuse to grapple with an im-
portant question which was connected with the best
interests of the community ? No, Conservatism
had a higher mission, and nobly had she fulfilled
it." As for the charge of inconsistency which
had been brought against Lord DERBY and
Mr. DISRAELI, owing to the course they
had taken with respect to the Reform Bill, Mr.
GRAVES mentioned that he had been deputed to
acquaint Mr. DISRAELI with the feelings of some of
the Conservative members on the subject, and that
the right hon. gentleman had told him that he had
long been convinced that residence and rating were
the true basis of a Reform Bill, and that Lord
DERBY thought so too.
Respecting the future prospects of the bill
that has been passed, Mr. GRAVES very forcibly
remarked that it was a serious thing to dwell upon,
and called for earnest attention from those who
rightly estimated its importance to the country. " It
is the planting of new foundations for our consti-
tution, it is the widening of the basis of our institu-
tions, it is preparing our house for a new race, a new
street, I may say." It will not do, however, to bo
content with what has been done ; we must press
forward to what remains, and one great advantage
of the Reform Bill of this year is that it has cleared
the way for the passing of other measures
that are also deserving of notice, but have been
kept in abeyance through the hindrances of the
often-delayed measure of the representation of this
country. The Irish and Scotch Refom Bills have to
be considered, and there is the vital question of
education, that earnestly demands attention from
our legislators. Respecting those he addressed

Mr. GRAVES very forcibly reminded them that a
great deal lay iu their own hands, and that they
needed no act of Parliament to send their chil-

dren to school. We are behind other countries in
this respect, and it would be well if many members
of Parliament were to follow the example here set
them, and impress upon their constituents, or those
they are connected with, the great importance of
attending to the education of their children. The
present day teems with questions of great import,
and our statesmen and legislators have no easy time
of it. The great dispute between capital and labour
earnestly demands notice, and the best abilities of
all may well be taxed to effect a settlement. We
must not as a nation neglect this, however, and, as
we are reminded in this excellent speech before us,
this must be settled if we are to maintain our posi-

tion in the world by the side of other countries.

So far as matters have as yet gone, the Abyssinian
expedition gives every prospect of success. Perhaps
the gloomy view which has been taken of its prospects
in some quarters has been really of good service to
the interests of the expedition, as it has stimulated
the authorities to every possible precaution, and do
all that forethought and energy can do to avert the
chances of diiaster. The melancholy experiences
of the Crimea, where much-needed stores tossed
about ill the harbour for want of proper arrange-
ments for landing them, finally suffering shipwreck
in some cases, has detei rained the commanders of
this more adventurous force to prepare at the outset
for the reception and debarkation of troops and
stores. The latest news which reaches us from
Alexandria is dated Nov. 14, when intelligence
received from the consul at Zoulla announced that
the advanced brigade under Colonel FIELD had
arrived there on the 21st ult., and landed all well.
The preparations for the reception of the coming
forces were then making rapid progress, and one
good pier was nearly completed. An important
item of the news, and one which augurs well for
the future of the expedition is, that Abyssibiaus from
the neighbourhood were docking W the camp in