The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-03 00:00:00

Liberal Demonstration at Guildford.

GUILDFORD, Friday.

A banquet to celebrate the return to Parliament
of nine Liberal members for Surrey was held this
evening, in the County and Borough Hall, Guild-
ford ; Colonel Challoner, who some years ago un-
successfully contested the representation of the
county, presided, and was supported by Mr. Layard,
M.P., Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs ; the
Hon. J. P. Locke King, M.P., Mr. C. Buxton,
M.P., Mr. J. I. Briscoe, M.P., Mr. Guildford
Onslow, M.P., Mr. T. Hughes, M.P., Mr. G. Leve-
son Gower, M.P., Sir E. Colebrooke, M.P., the
Hon. Capt. Egerton, the Hon. G. B. Wriottesley,
Mr. R. D. Mangles, Captain Mangles, and a large
number of local celebrities.

The customary loyal and patriotic toasts having
been drunk, _ _ _

The CHAIRMAN proposed "The Health of her
Majesty's Ministers," coupling 'with the toast the
name of Mr. Layard.

Mr. LAYARD, in responding, said—Although I am
not unaccustomed to the task of addressing public
meetings, yet upon this occasion I must appeal to
your kindness and consideration, inasmuch as I am
labouring under a double sense of honour. In the
first place,',l have been introduced to you as one of
the Liberal members returned by the county, andin
the second place has been connected with the toast
of her Majesty's Government. I am one of those
who have never committed their principles to their
place, nor their place to their principles. (Cheers.)
I have entire confidence in the Government of which
Lord Russell is the head, and I feel that this county
and the country have also entire confidence in that
Government. This county, one of the most in-1
fluential and important in Great Britain, has re-
turned no less than nine members to Parliament
who are pledged supporters of a Liberal Adminis-
tration. (Loud cheers.) We must not forget the cir-
cumstances under which the present Parliament
was elected. It was elected when there was a
man at the head of the Ministry who, from
the personal love borne to him by almost
every class and section of the people, occupied a
peculiar position in the hearts of all. So deep was
the affection experienced towards him that before
him the rude voice of political warfare was almost
quelled. He has now passed away, but his memory
still lives among us. If it were not a paradox, I
would say that the reputation of Lord Palmerston
is not yet established in this country as largely as it
will be hereafter, and that out of the country it will
even be established more extensively than in it.
(Hear, hear.) At the present moment the Govern-
ment of her Majesty is a Liberal Government, but
it must not be forgotten that it was Lord Palmers-
ton who developed, after it had been inaugurated by
Mr. Canning, that great foreign policy which is
based not on its alliances with popular liberty, but
upon popular liberty itself. (Cheers.) And not
only was Lord Palmerston a great statesman, but,
having had much personal intercourse with him, I
am able to say that his kindness towards those with
whom he was brought into contact was remarkable.
Few of you know how great this man's qualities
were—how kind, how conciliatory, and how encou-
raging he was to all who strove to rise under his
patronage. (Cheers.) I never failed to find in him
the most constant of friends, and I may add that
his memory was prodigious. Some years ago,
speaking in the House of Commons upon a subject
which deeply interested him, namely, the slave
trade, he mentioned that a slave in Brazil, who de-
sired to obtained his freedom, had twelve processes
to go through before he could obtain it. When he
sat down he turned to me and said, " I think you
will find all that in an extract from a newspaper
sent home twelve years ago from Brazil." (Cheers.)
Lord Palmerston always took a deep interest in the
abolition of the slave trade, and I am happy to say
that he lived to see almost the entire extinction of it.
Last year only one cargo escaped from the coast of
Africa, and the ship which bore it was captured before
it reached Cuba. (Cheers.) Lord Russell has now suc-
ceeded Lord Palmerston. I believe himto be a man of
truly Liberal opinions. Many men are Liberals by im-
pulse, by fitsand starts, by hot and cold winds; but I
believe that the Liberalism of Lord Russell is founded
upon the strongest convictions. (Cheers.) In every-
thing, even to the most minute details, Lord Russell
is guided by a love for the liberty of his country.
(Cheers.) Of course you cannot expect me here to "
divulge any secrets of the Government. I will not
do so for one good reason, namely, that I am not
acquainted with them. (Laughter and cheers.) At
the same time I am certain that whatever he does
Lord Russell will do in a liberal spirit ; and every
one is convinced that the time has come when that
classof our citizensvao have most raised themselves
during this century—the working class—should have
a due share in the suffrage. (Loud cheers.) With
regard to our foreign policy, you know what Lord
Russell's policy has been already, and as head of the
Government you must know that it will continue to
be founded upon Liberal opinions. As to the
foreign policy of a Liberal Government, I will
merely mention that during their tenure of office the
Liberals have concluded commercial treaties with
France, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, and last, though
not least, with Austria. We have actually seen
Austria falling in with our system of free trade.
(Cheers.) As regards the administration of my own
department, we have endeavoured, I think success-
fully, to conduct it upon a more satisfactory prin-
ciple than existed formerly. Young men do not now
undertake diplomacy as a mere idle amusement, but
they are thoroughly educated for the service. I
have seen the reports of our secretaries of legation
and attache's, and I know that a great light has been
thrown by them upon the condition of our trade,
and that they have received most favourable notice
from the press. Last summer, when the exhibition
at Moscow of the arts and products of the country
took place, and a deputation, headed by Mr. Sam-
son Lloyd, proposed to go to Moscow to examine
the manufactures of Russia, and to hold intercourse
with the manufacturers there, her Majesty's Govern-
ment entered warmly into the scheme, and sent Mr.
Mitchell to accompany them. Mr. Mitchell's report
will soon be laid before Parliament, and I hope
it will give you a good impression of the way
in which a junior member of the diplomatic corps
can discharge his duties. You will see from his
report how universally the principles of free trade
are getting hold of all mankind. I know that re-
citing statistics is a disagreeable thing, especially in
the presence of ladies, who are not supposed to
know anything about figures ; but I only wish to
mention two facts. -In 1842 our exports and im-
ports amounted in value to £179,000,C00 ; last year
they amounted to £496,000,000. In the meantime
the Chancellor of the Exchequer has been able to
reduce taxation by 16i millions, and the revenue,
instead of being impaired, has increased by nearly
£500,000 per annum. (Loud cheers.) These figures,
I think, say more than any eloquence of mine could
for the manner in which the public affairs of the
country have been conducted, and I trust there is
no Liberal in the country who wishes to see a diffe-
rent policy inaugurated. (Cheers.) As regards our
foreign alliances, they are in the most satisfactory
position. With France, in
particular, we are on
the best of terms, and if any country can be termed
our natural ally, it is that great country on the
other side of the Channel. I hope the time is far
distant to war
distant when this country will have to
and France re
-
I believe that so long as England
main 'united not only a great war is impoa,s;ble, but
that the happiness of the human race will be pro-
moted and civilisation advanced. At the present
moment England and France are uniting to prevent
a war breaking out on the southern coast of America,
and I trust their efforts will end in bringing the
unhappy quarrel which has sprung up between
Spain and Chili to a peaceful issue. (Cheers.) The
policy which I have described has been the policy
of a Liberal Government. It has been carried out
in spite of the strongest opposition. Many of our
greatest measures —a cheap Press, free trade, and
every great measure which has tended to promote
the liberty of the country and the happiness of the.
people—have been carried by very small majorities
against the determined opposition of the other side.
(Loud cheers.) Hoping that you will always bear
that great fact in mind, I beg to thank you for the

patience and kindness with which you have heard
me.

The CHAIRMAN briefly proposed " The Eealth of
the Liberal Member for West Surrey."

Mr. BRISCOE returned thanks.
Sir T. E. CoLEBROOKE, M.P., proposed " The
Members for East Surrey."

Mr. LOCKE KING, M.P., thanked the company
for the warm manner in which they had received
his name, and the proposer of the toast for the kind
way in which he had given it. He was exceedingly
glad to meet then; there that evening, because he
could not help calling this a splendid demonstration
of the Liberal strength in Surrey. (Hear, hear.)
He hoped that he also observed in it a determina-
' tion to do still more in the future—(applause)—not
only to pursue the course which they had in times
1
past, but to go a step further in those which were
to come. He was glad to be there in what he was
i. proud to call the capital of his native county.
(Hear, hear.) His family had been attached to it
for many generations, and had uniformly belonged
to what they called the Liberal party. It might be
in the recollection of some of the oldest Liberals
present that it was a Surrey man who stood up by
himself and from the very first condemned what he
called the iniquity of the corn laws. (Applause.)
He attacked it year after year, week after week,
and exposed the injustice of those laws. He was a
neighbour of theirs, and so was his father. (Ap-
plause.) He felt that they were there for many 1
reasons. Amongst others that they wished to show
a compliment to the great body of liberal electors
who had done so much for the honour of this
country. They wished to encourage those of their
representatives who had been in Parliament before
to pursue thd same course as that in which they won
their esteem, and also that they should do some-
thing more in the future. (Hear, hear.) He was
proud to say that the county of Surrey stood in a
very proud position amongst the Liberal party, for
out of eleven members which were sent to the
House of Commons the Liberals returned nine.
(Hear.) What precious gems the Tories mustthink
the other two were. (Laughter.) These two must
want an enormous deal of nursing, they (the Tory
party) must take care not to expose them too
much to the blasts of ill winds, they must keep
these precious relics of antiquity well wrapped
up in cotton in some box, which he hoped some
day they (the Liberals) would be able to
break into, and scatter these precious relics to the
wind. (Hear, hear.) He felt that he had a right
to claim all praise for the eastern division of Surrey.
That part of the county, including the boroughs,
had a population of upwards of 700,000. East
Surrey had only seven representatiies, and all those
seven were Liberals. (Applause.) Not a single
Tory dare show himself, and yet every temptation
had been given to them to do so. He thought that
Western Surrey ought to take a lesson from it.
They had one member for about 25,000 of the
population, while the eastern division had only one
for every 100,000 of the population. In the western
part they had two Liberals and two Tories. West
Surrey ought not to remain in this anomalous state.
With respect to those two questions—finance and
reform—he would say that their present favourable
state of taxation was in a great measure owing to
that great man the present Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer. He had somehow or other made taxation
fall so lightly upon them that they were more con-
tented now in paying something like £70,000,000
annually than they were when they paid £50,000,000.
(Yes, and No.) He belonged to that wonderful
class of Chancellors of the Exchequer who did not
dread a surplus. Ile remembered quite well in for-
mer times that what a Chancellor of the Exchequer
dreaded more than anything else was to have a sur-
plus. Their present Chancellor of the Exchequer
had remitted taxation with the surplus which he had
at his disposal. (Hear, hear.) Reform just now
was a very dull topic. (No, no.) Many years ago
he was what was called a mischievous person, and
proposed a simple measure of enfranchisement in
counties. (Hear, hear.) This topic had been taken
up in four Reform bills. Lord Derby adopted it in
towns, but their fingers were too dirty and unhal-
lowed to touch this question. When the last Re-
form Bill was introduced Lord Palmerston was at
the head of affairs. The greatest praise was due to
him for his foreign policy. He (the hon. gentle-
man) quite agreed with his hon. friend Mr. Layard,
that he upheld the peace of Europe. But as a
Foreign Minister he changed his views, for at one
time he was a warlike Minister, and he became a
Minister Of peace. On the subject of reform he never
agreed with Lord Palmerston. He might say that
he completely mesmerised the House of Commons
on this question. From that sleep they had not yet
recovered, and he believed that they would find the
great bulk of the House of Commons were farther
off from reform—from passing any great measure of
reform—than they were ten years ago. Practically
there were three necessary points in reform. First,
the disfranchisement of boroughs; second, the re-
distribution and enfranchisement of towns ; the en-
franchisement of the country ; and, lastly, exten-
sion in the boroughs. He did not see, looking at it
practically, that it was possible to disfranchise
boroughs, because a great many of them belonged
to the Liberals. (near.) They would go dead
against any measure of reform which touched them.
But where reform was most needed—and that was
his hobby—was in the counties—(applause)—for in
the counties they had a vast number of people who
lived in houses between £5O and £lO. ',Hear, hear.)
That was where they wanted reform. Ile bad the
greatest confidence in Earl Russell. He believed
that he would pass the largest measure of reform !
that he possibly could ; but still he was afraid it
would come far shoFt of that which real reformers
required. He hoped and trusted that the bill would
be one which would be worthy of the intelligence
and education of the people of this country.
(Cheers.)
Mr. BUXTON also addressed the meeting.
Mr. LONG proposed " The health of Mr. Onslow,
the Liberal Member for Guildford," which was re-
ceived with cheers. He expressed great satisfaction
at the conduct of the borough which returned him,
placing him at the head of the poll. (Cheers and
musical honours.)
Mr. ONsLow returned thanks.
Mr. GASSIOT then proposed " The Members for
Southwark," which was received with cheers.
Mr. LOCKE responded.
Capt. MANGLES next proposed "The health of
Mr. T. Hughes, M.P. for Lambeth," which was
also very cordially received.
Mr. HUGHES, who, on rising, was greeted with
cheers, said that he found himself in a difficult posi-
tion, because he was called on to answer for a great
mystery. His hon. friend had been called on to
answer for the mystery of the new reform bill, on
which he judiciously said nothing; and he (Mr.
Hughes) had been called on to answer for the great
mystery of the casual ward in Lambeth, which,
however, he avowed that he could not enlighten
them oil. At the same time an extraordinary pro-
duction had brought before them in a very striking
and forcible manner the existence of a very dan-
gerous class, who were, after all, the representatives
of classes quite as dangerous who were to be found
in the purlieus of Pall-mall, and the most fashion-
able quarters. There were, in fact, dangerous
classes at both ends of society, and he contended
that a reform bill would be quite as likely to benefit
one as the other class. There were men who said
that this country was going on so well that there
was no need of reform. But he said that though he
was proud of being an Englishman, there was no
department of life in this country, visible or in-
visible, moral or physical, which did not need re-
form. (Cheers.) Look at the question of educa-
tion. We talked of being the best educated nation
in the world, when there was not a man or woman
in Prussia, Germany, or America, except those
whom we had sent there, who could not read and
write. Look a the state of London ; whether they
knew it or not he did not know, but every other day
a man, woman, or child, died of starvation. The
recent clearances which had been made by the rail-
ways showed that people were in the habit of living
together like herrings in a barrel. He pointed out
the need of reform in that portion of the law which
related to the providing new dwellings for the
population so displaced, and contended that the
poor people who were so turned out ought be cona-