The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-22 00:00:00

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GENERAL PEEL ON THE NATIONAL
DEFENCES AND _TEE ARMY.
-4--
The first annual meeting of the Huntingdonshire
Agricultural Association, which, after having been
in abeyancQ upwards of ten years, has recently
been revived, took place yesterday at Huntingdon.
The exhibition of stock, the skill displayed in
ploughing and other agricultural operations, and
the specimens of draining submitted, were reported
by the judges to be higtily satisfactory. At four
o'clock the members, to the number of nearly 200,
dined together at the Town-hall, under the presi-
dency of the Hon. 0. Buncombe, M.P., supported
by General Peel, M.P., Mr. T. Baring, M.P., Mr.
G. Fellowes, M.P., Lord R. Montague, M.P., and
many of the principal agriculturists of the county.
Tile usual loyal and patriotic toasts having been
disposed of,
The CHAIRMAN, in giving " The Army and Navy,"
observed that the preparations which were being
made by the Government led to the conclusion either
that this country was about to attack some other
nation, or that we ourselves were likely to be at-
tacked. No one would for a moment imagine that
the former was likely to be the case; and when it
was remembered that the destinies of a great neigh-
bouring country were in the hands of a single indi-
vidual, people might be excused if some misgiving
occasionally crossed their minds. He hoped he
might be wrong in supposing the possibility of some
great disaster occurring, but in the present aspect
of affairs, it was the duty of the Government to
strengthen our army and navy, for it would be the
most disastrous, as well as the most expem ive thing
for this country, if our shores should ever be heft
open to. attack. (Cheers.) He was.persuaded that,
under any circumstances, the army and navy of this
country would do their duty, and that any attempt
against England would recoil with tremendous
effect upon the rash man who might attempt it.

£12,000,000 voted in the estimates, was a depart.
meat altogether separate from and independent of
Parliament, and he was furtlwr. pleased to add—
(cries of " question.") I have no intention of mak-
ing an attack upon Mr. Bright, but I wish to show
that that money is not spent without the control of
Parliament. The control of Parliament over the
money voted for the army is our great safeguard
against a standing army, and it is, 1 believe, a great
constitutional privilege, which I for one should be
sorry to see dispensed with. I wish to show,
therefore, that Mr. Bright is mistaken if he sup-
poses that the Horse Guards has the power of
spending a single shilling of that money. So far
from Parliament having no control over the money
voted, there at e no estimates laid before Parliament
in such detail as the army estimates, down even to
the expense of the clothing_ of nett individual regi-
ment. They are divided into twenty-five or twenty-
six votes, every dne of which is open to question
and discussion ; and all I can say is, that if Parlia-
ment does not exercise scrutiny and control, it is
the fault of Parliament itself, and not of the Horse,
Guards. (Cheers )
•

DINNER •TO LORD' LYVEDEN.

NORTHAMPTON, FRIDAY.
Last night a public dinner was given•to Lord
Lyveden, who, as Mr. Vernon Smith, represented
the borough of Northampton for the last 27 years,
and who only .severed the connection on being re-
cently elevated to tha peerage..
Earl Spencer presided, and was supported by
Lord Henley, M.P., Mr. Gilpin, M.P., the lion.
Mr. Vernon, ono large number of the gentry of
the n eighbourhoAl -
About 106 of the noble lord's late constituents
were present, that being all ‘,17h0 could be accom-
modated. The dinner was held at the Peacock

_
THE O
CITUTir LONDON, SATR T - r
EVEN t,
7.-T
OCTOBEh 22, 1859
U I) A ne‹.x
_

4..

M1.A....pa-savemmant.yreavears.s
should direct the Lord-Lieutenant and.- the
Deputy-Lieutenants io assemble yearly for the
purpose of determining in which parishes the ballot
should take effect, and which parishes should be
exempted. I would have the latter parishes assessed
to their quota of men, and if they declined to raise
them by such means as they find available I would
hare them assessed to such amount in money as a
body of commissioners might declare. I have men-
tioned this before, and have never heard an objec-
tion to it. lam confident that in the manufactur-
ing districts of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Stafford-
shire the adoption of some plan of this kind would
work well. (Hear.) As to the pet manent expense
which must be incurred by the country for the pur-
pose of putting the army and navy on a good foot-
ing, I hope the country will be induced to look at
the subject in the light which Lord Lyndhurst,
shedding on it the last rays of his lengthened w!s-
dom, regarded it last session—as an insurance for

the purpose of protecting' us from a posihle neces-
sity, instead
.of having to add, by a prolonged strug-
-o.le, £200,000,000 or £300,000,000 to the national
debt. (Cheers.)

TILE DUKE OF HE TVCASTLE AND THE
PRESS.