The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-28 00:00:00

the qualities which the people of this country are
accustomed to respect in its Ministers. There is
the Lord Chancellor, who is called "the keeper of
the Queen's conscience." And how has he kept
the Queen's conscience? There has been nipped
in the bud one very significant little job, which I
take upon myself to say was one of the most un-
blushing things which ever proceeded from a Lord
Chancellor. (Hear.) We have heard almost
nightly in the House of Commons that he has
been flooding the bench with magistrates of his
way of thinking. So much for the Lord Chan-
cellor. Then, we have a Foreign Secretary
who, we are told, is "necessary to the peace
of the world." But all that can be said
for the Foreign Secretary is that he speaks
French better than he writes English, as his
despatches testify—(a laugh)—and what has he
done ? Why, of all the unfortunate diplomatists
we have ever had commend me to Lord Malmes-
bury. (Hear, hear.) He has been jockeyed by
Russia in the proposed Congress, and is weak
enough to let this be seen and to complain of it—(a
laugh)—yet Lord Malmesbury is necessary, for-
sooth, to the peace of the world, and. Parliament is
dissolved to keep him in office. Then we have a
Board of Trade under the control of two ex-soldiers,
with the Earl of Donoughmore, an Irish peer, of
whom very little is known, except that he has fre-
quently fits of the gout, and that his speeches are
"inaudible in the gallery"—(a laugh)—as presi-
dent. That is the constitution of your Board of
Trade. I have nothing to object to his vice-presi-
dent, Lord Lovaine. And how have they carried on
matters in the sister country ? We have heard some-
thing of Irish jury packing, where men are chosen
on a jury not with a view to the merits of the case,
but according to their religious opinions, and or-
dered to stand aside if they happen to be Roman
Catholic. (Hear.) Yet the Government, finding
they are losing confidence in Ireland, and fearing
that the elections will go against them, have in-
creased the salaries paid to Roman Catholic chap-
lains. So, while on the one hand they are persecut-
ing the people, on the other they are encouraging
the priesthood by giving them additional money.
But all is of a piece; the unfortunate publicans
might have complained for ever as to the billeting
of soldiers upon them. But there came a general
election, and on the day Parliament was dissolved
the publicans found that instead of getting lid.
per day for the billeted soldier, they would get 41d.
(Hear, hear.) On Monday night Lord Derby comes
down to the house and declares that war is immi-
nent, and that it will be necessary to have this
country prepared, so that it may keep an armed
neutrality, and on Tuesday he dissolves Parliament !
Why, if Parliament was of any use at all, it was of
use in such an awful state of the world as this if only
to control Ministers. We have already been almost
involved in war from Lord Malm esbury's well in-
tended: blundering. The Foreign Secretary tells
the House of Lords that he offered to guarantee
Sardinia, if France would join him, against all
attacks of Austria in case Sardinia disarmed ; and
it is only a mercy that France did not accept
the offer. If she had, we should have doubt-
less found ourselves involved in a war, and the
prosperity, blood, and wealth of this country sacri-
ficed without our knowing the reason until we were
called upon to pay the bill. Yet the Government,
with some such dreadful contingency looming in
the future, takes upon itself to dissolve Parliament.
(Hear, hear.) You will be six weeks without a
Parliament ; the Government of the country acts
on its own responsibility alone. But I will ask
the constituencies how they are satisfied with such
a state of things. How are you satisfied with an
" armed neutrality," but with no check upon Mini-
sters ? God knows how soon we may find ourselves
involved in a war without the constitutional check
of Parliament upon the Government. (Hear.) I
say that this act alone—a Ministry for party pur-
poses dissolving Parliament in the face of such a
state of things as now exists in Italy and upon the
continent, would in other times have served for and
demanded impeachment. (Loud cheering.) One
word on foreign affairs. I agree with the words of
Lord Aberdeen, that " when war ceases to be a
necessity it becomes a crime.") Without scanning
too accurately the designs of Sardinia, without in-
quiring too microscopically into the motives of
France, I sympathise with Italy—(cheers)—as an
individual, I sympathise with these 25,000,000 who
are beneath the iron heel of irresponsible despotism
—but as the representative, as I hope to be through
your assistance—(enthusiastic cheering)—of tax-
paying Englishmen, I will never advocate a war of
propagandism. (Cheers.) Chai ity begins at home;
and I will have no hand in plunging this country
into a war for anything but an occasion of self-
defence. (Prolonged cheering.) I sympathise with
Italy from the bottom of my heart, and wish her
patriots God speed ; but at the same time I will
never call on you to support me in urging on
Government any measure which shall plunge
this country into a continental war, least of all a
war in defence of despotism and tyranny. (Loud
cheers.) The natural alliance of this country, let
who may be on the throne, is France. (Hear, hear.)
Our natural alliance is not with monarchs, empe-
rors, or presidents, but with the French people.
(Loud cheering.) I wish to see that alliance and
that good understanding which have existed be-
ween France and England kept up—(hear, hear)—
but not even to purchase that alliance would I be a
party to a continental war. (Hear.) So much,
gentlemen, for foreign affairs. You are called on,
in common with other constituencies, to give your
opinion on that point, and I hope if you send me to
Parliament I shall in this respect be faithfully re-
presenting your feelings. (Cheers.) The hon.
gentleman concluded by expressing his conviction
that the opinions he had expressed were shared by
Sir W. Russell, and resumed his seat amid loud and
prolonged cheering.