The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-24 00:00:00

TEIR CONSPIRACY BILL:

GREAT MEETING AT SHEFFIELD.
On Monday evening a very large and enthusi-
astic meeting of the inhabitants of Sheffield was
held in the Townhall, under the presidency of the
Mayor (R. Jackson, Esq.), to protest against the
Conspiracy Bill introduced into the House of Com-
mons by Lord Palmerston.
The MAYOR, amidst strong signs of disapprobation
said that he tru ted the speakers who were to ad-
dle ,s the meeting woul(1 eee eel eav 11,vh,ng
winch tolght barn ftt“(-1;e. :n ,x-,,a,keii the good
feeling at present subsisting b. t ween the French
and this country. It was to the advantage of the
civilised world that the alliance of England and
France should continue to exist, and he hoped the
speakers would refrain from any irritating remarks.
WILLIAM FISHER, Esq., moved the first resolu-
tion :—" That in t'e opinion t,l this meeting the
bid brought into Path anent by Lord Palmerston,
fur the purpose of altoring the laws relating to
conspiracy to murder, is uncalled for, and at vari-
ance with the real principles of criminal legislation ;
therefore, for these reasons, this meeting expresses
its hearty thanks to the two members of this
borough, J. A. Roebuck, Esq., and G. Hadfield,
Esq., for their uncompromising opposition to the
measure." Some of his friends, when they saw he
had signed the requisition, asked if he wished to
turn Lord Palmerston out of office, or wanted to go
o war with France ? He said, "No," because he
did not know where they would get a better man ;
but when he saw the language made use of in the
Moniteur regarding our laws, and that language
having been used by a foreign Power, he could not
think, after hearing such observations, of truckling
to that Power. We had shown them that we could
maintain our independence with our arms. God
forbid, however, that we should make war with
France ; but if she wanted to make war with
England, he considered that we should be
prepared to meet it. He should be sorry
to lose the Emperor of France as an ally,
for he had been faithful to us in a recent
struggle. He expressed his regret that one who
had been sheltered under the laws of England, and
who bad seen how our Queen was beloved by her
people, should not rather attempt to imitate her
laws than resort to stringent measures for limiting
the freedom of the press and the liberty of his peo-
ple. The resolution said that any alteration iu the
law in England was uncalled for, and he believed
it was by some eminent legal men said so. Mr.
Milner Gibson told them that the law at present
was amply sufficient to punish persons who conspire
in this couuti yto murder foreign potentates. Such
laws, he considered, ought not to bu altered at the
caprice, if not t'-e dictation, of a foreign power.
(Cheers.)
Mr. Councillor HARVEY seconded the resolution,
which was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. Councillor BROADBENT moved "That this
meeting believes that the bill was introduced in
accordance with the request of a foreign power,
and that to take in any degree the initiative of our
legislation from such a source would strike a fatal
blow at the national independence, and serve as a
dangerous precedent for future times." After
reading some extracts from the speech of Sir G.
Grey on this subject, Mr. Broadbent referred to
the Attorney-General's declaration that before
Count Walewski's despatch was heard of, he was
engaged in preparing this bill. It might be ail
very well for the Attorney-General to take the
responsibility upon himself, but would any man of
common intelligence believe such a statement.
(Cheers.) There were few to be found in England
who were not disgusted alike with the bill and the
arrogance of those foreigners. who presumed to dic-
tate to this country who we shall admit to, and
who we shall deny, the right of asylum., (Hear,.
hear, and applause.) And then Sir George Graf
went on to say, "that until a change should have
been made in the law, it was impossible to answer
Count Walewski's despatch ; and that if the house-
would but pass the second reading we should be
free from the reproach cast upon us by Count Ws-
lewski's despatch." Free from the reproaches of
Count Walewski I A refugee himself—a revolu-
tionist himself twenty-five years ago I Was this
the man to reproach England ? (Cheers.) $0
far as the crime of
.assassination goes, said the •
speaker, every Englishman abhors it as much as
Count Walewski, or any other of Napoleon's minis'
ters. (Hear.) Then why were we called upon to
apologise or to conciliate the Count 1-There was no
necessi'y for Lord Palmerston's bill. Lord Camp'
bell and Lend Brougham had both declared that
there was no necessity for any change in the law."'"
that there was alrealy sufficient law in the country
to meet cases of conspiracy to murder.
bill
then was introduced to conciliate Walewski
the
Emperor. He repeated that we, at least, had no
reason to conciliate those people—that WO &Wed
upon an equal footing with Fiance—that we had
never dishonoured ourselves, but preserved with
Tah ned
the utmost good faith all the treaties we had made
with the French nation. (Hear, hear.) In con-
clusion, he said that he trusted this would be such
a lesson to Lord Pahnerston, and every other
Minister that should come after him, as woe''
teach him and them to be more careful how they
meddled with the liberties of the people. (Ap-
plause.)
The resolution was seconded by Mr. G. L.
SAUNDERS.
Mr. IRONSIDE said that the prestige of England
had been lent by Lord Palmerston, in defiance or
his colleagues and the Queen, to the originator of
the rascally coup d'etat, without which he could
not have enthralled the French nation, or put &WO
the Roman Republic. He quoted the example of
the Sultan of Turkey, when asked to give up Nos'
suth, as an example to England in its treatment of
refugees.
The resolution was carried with great cheering.
Councillor BEAL moved—" That this meeting
considers that the late Governnient of Lord Pa''
merston was deficient in judgment and dignitY In
not having at once returned a courteous and firm
refusal to the despatch of Count Walewski, and
that on his lordship's Administration rested the re'
spousibility of having placed the House of C°,lll
mous and the country in a false and undignified
po-ition."
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. Councillor BOOTH proposed, " That, while
this meeting would not wish any discourtesy to
offered to the de facto Government of France, all
desires to perpetuate our alliance with the ptioPia
of that cluntiy, it feels bound to oppose the sa.'ts—
bill, believing that it might be perverted in 1
operation so as to interfere with the sacred right
of asylum, which this country has ever been pro
L
to offer to political exiles of every party and coon"
try ; and that two petitions be adopted—on' Woe:
presented to the House of Commons by .1-• '4l". Lo rd
buck, Esq., and one to the House of Lords wbehalf
Campbell. That the Mayor sign them on
of the meeting, and transmit them for presents'
tion." Tire mover said, " They tell us Of
Zotiaves are coming. Let them come. \ Although
.
lam for peace, I am sure I shall fight. (Great •
laughter.) I ask them to smell that" (hold'
ing up his huge fist). (Renewed laughter.)
The resolution was agreed to with cheers, and the
meeting then adopted a petition founded on the re'
solutions they had passed.