The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-24 00:00:00

irnE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 24, ISA

CONSE.RVATIVE
ESDEMONSTRATION IN
SEX.

SUDBURY, SATI7RDAY.
The annual meeting of the Hinckford Conserva-
ti-Te and Agricultural Club was held last evening
at Castle Hedingham, near this town. The muster
of the members was considerable, and there were no
le.,s than five local M.P.'s present—viz., Mr. Perry
IVatlington, who presided, Mr. Charles Du Cane,
the Right Hon. W. Beresford, Mr. T. S. and
Mr. P. 0. Papillon. There were also mustered
about the chairman Mr- Ashurst Majendie, Sir W.
Bowyer Smijth, late M.P. for South Essex, Major
Du Cane, the Rev. J. Cox, and several of the local

clergy.
The usual loyal toasts having been given from

the chair,
Mr. PAPILLON, M.P., pro osed "The Bishop and
p
Clergy of the Diocese," observing that he was quite
sure the members of the association, as true Church-
men, valued highly the union between Church and
State. (Hear, hear.)
The Rev. H. MAJENDIE, in responding to the
toast, said the state of the Church was in some re-
spects highly encouraging. Restorations were being
made of ancient churches, while new churches
vieing almost in splendour with older buildings
were rising through the piety and munificence
of private individuals. Education was also
making rapid strides, and so far all seemed well.
At the same time, Churchmen could not close their
eyes to the fact that danger awaited the Church of
England, as measures 'Reply affecting her welfare
were every year brought forward in the House of
Commons. He referred to the bill for the uncondi-
tional abolition of church-rates and the Endowed
Schools Bill, and he feared that those measures
would again be brought forward ; and if they
were, he believed the Conservative party—and
especially those members of it who were now pre-
. sent—would standby the Church. (Hear, hear.)
The CHAIRMAN proposed "The Army and Navy."
(Cheers.) The hon. gentleman observed that we had
been called a nation of shopkeepers ; perhaps in a
certain sense a nation of shopkeepers we were ; and
if Mr. Bright should have his way a nation of shop-
keepers undoubtedly we should be. (Hear, and
laughter.) The rulers of our country had, how-
ever, he was glad to say, wisdom enough to see
that a sense of the higher interest would not al-
ways lead men in the right direction, and that
it was sometimes necessary to control indivi-
duals by force, as well for their own sake as for
the sake of the public generally. We had had, as
Englishmen, a great mission to perform. We had
peopled distant portions of the globe; through our
colonies we had spread abroad our language, laws,
and religion ; and it was our duty to see that those
colonies were properly and efficiently protected. It
was our duty, for instance, to secure-to our fellow-
countrymen in India perfect safety and protection,
to enable them to carry on the Government with
firmness and effect ; and, if we wished to retain our
present position in the-scale of nations, we must
look well to our national defences at home, and see
that danger from without was impossible. No one,
he presumed, believed that ifs. foe did get a footing
upon the shores of Englad he would be able to re-
tain his hold. No one who knew the character and
resources of England could entertain this idea for
a second; but, nevertheless, it was our duty to pre-
sent such a front to those who did not know us
well as would remove the idea of an invasion from
, any mind which had formed ambitious designs in
the matter. (Hear, hear.)
Major Du CANE replied, and observed that, while
he believed courage would never be found wanting
in the naval and military services, what was now
required was an educated courage, and anything
which was likely to place the soldier on a proper
footing tended to give him still greater confidence
in himself in the hour of need. England had dur-
ing the last few years gone through very great and
serious trials, and there might be one yet in store
for us which would tax our utmost energies. He
did not wish to place too much reliance on idle
rumours, but when this feeling got a deep hold in
the nation it demanded respect. It might be satisfac-
tory.to state that within the last few day the com-
missioners appointed to inquire specially into the
state of the defences of the country had made a
visit to Harwich—a circumstance which showed
that the Government were fully alive to the im-
portance of the subject. The volunteer corps which
were being raised would enable all to become dis-
ciplined soldiers ; and by this means if the hour
should ever come when the utmost strength of the
country was required, every one would be enabled
to add his mite to the great means of protection
which he felt confident the country would ever
afford.
Mr. ASHURST MAJENDIE, in a speech of consi-
derable length, proposed the next toast, the " Mem-
bers for North Essex." (Loud cheers) Referring
to the church-rate question, Mr. Majendie said it
was painful to see the Prime Minister pronouncing
• a judgment as to the opinion of the people of Eng-
land which was not supported by facts. If a meet-
ing were called at the Tower Hamlets, at which
the abolition of church-rates and other taxes was
suggested, the proposition would probably be car-
ried by acclamation ; but such a course would not
be in accordance with the opinions of the people of
England generally. The people of England, he
believed, were attached to their Church, and, how-
ever free trade might prevail on other points, they
did not desire to see free trade in churches. The
Church of England was the poor man's Church,—
the ancient Church of the people—and great credit
was due to Mr. Du Cane for his exertions in
support of this view of the matter. (Hear,
hear.) The Conservative party no longer
ruled the country, but the Conservative party
was not gone, and never would be gone
as long as true principles prevailed in the country.
The Conservatives were now the most powerful
party. in England ; and he believed Lord Derby
and Mr. Disraeli were ready at any time when
called to office to obey the commands of their Sove-
reign. But for a strange combination of parties in
the house the country might now have been in pos-
session of an honest Reform Bill, but it was other-
wise determined. As to Mr. Bright, who was an
important member of what was, after all, a very
small party, it might be considered, perhaps, that
he was a dangerous person; but there was such
good sense among Englishmen that he (Ar. Ma-
jendie) was sure they would not be led away by the
idle clamour of a powerful demagogut The times
of Charles I. were a melancholy period of our his-
tory, and resistance to arbitrary power might be
considered necessary ; still the execution of the
King was a national crime. But how did Mr.
Bright speak of it? Why, in one of his speeches
he said, " You know that one Monarch came to a
very sudden and unpleasant end at Whitehall, be-
cause he would not give up any portion of his ab-
solutism." What an infamous, scandalous, base,
low, mean sneer was this ! There were, he (Mr.
Majendie) believed, true noblemen in the present
Government who would not propose to her Ma-
jesty to admit such a person as Mr. Bright into
her councils ; if they did, those he addressed knew
the spirit with which such an insult would be re-
' ceived. Mr. Bright had also attacked that impor-
tant portion of our constitution—the House of
Peers—wh© had never condescended to give an
answer to him. He (Mr. Majendie) believed the
people looked to the peers and the gentlemen of
England as their truest supporters, as they had ori-
ginated laws for their benefit and resisted the con-
duct of certain of the manufacturers, who looked
to nothing but their own gain. Mr. Bright asked
with a sneer, " Where is the British constitution ?"
and said lie had never seen it ; but Englishmen had
the benefit of seeing it ever before them, and
he (Mr. Majendie) trusted that by the blessing
of God they might ever enjoy their privileges. It
should be remembered that a noble person who
underwent a tyrannical persecution some time since
for
expressing a hope that some measures of liberty
might be given to France referred to England, as
the land of freedom, quoting the lines sun.- on the
occasion of a visit of the. Queen to a provincial town:
"Now pray we for our country
That England long may b
The holy and the happy,
And the gloriously fre."

(Loud cheers.) 1
Mr. W. BERESFORD,rising
M.P., on to respond,
hon.
was warmly applauded. The right gentleman
said, since the association last net
a very eventful
year had elapsed. Much of what had occurred in
that short time might well be scrutinised and exa-
mined. In the first place, a very extreme and strong
Reform Bill had been brought forward, not by
those who Would be the most fit and appropriate
promoters of such a measure, but by the lea
the Conservative party in the House of Commos of
Commons.
Those leaders had
e'
previously to their accedine, to
office in 1858 opposed every innovation in our re-
presentative system, but they nevertheless brought
forward a strong Reform Bill. That bill e l)' rodu^ d
a dissolution of Parlia:nent ; when the new house
met a further result was a change of Govrm ue
nt.
and, therefore, he might fairly state that much
which was eventful had occurred within the last
12 months. He did not approve—and who with
straightforward views could have approved P—the
course which was taken to arrest the progress of
the Ministerial Reform Bill. (Hear.) He had felt
it his duty to stand by Lord Derby, and to vote
with his Government against the resolution of Lord
J. Russell, not because he was enamoured of the
Reform Bill which was under discussion, but be-
cause he plainly saw—and it was evident to the
meanest capacity—that the object of Lord J. Russell ,

-
was to drive the occupants of the Treasury benches his n_arri)..ave the youth asked the extremely simple
from their position, and to appropriate their places yet e Wu:vent question—
to his own party. On a retrospect of the last few " What did they kill each other for?
Nay that I do not know, quoth he,
years he (Mr. Beresford) regrettedtoatbaenoablaiigsetdintco But 'twas a famous victory."
t
say that he could not see a very great
difference between a Conservative and a Liberal (Laug'hte r.) Great things were heard before Parlia-
Government when they were in actual possession, ment,rsnl about Conservative bribery and corrup-
and insta.lled. Conservatives in power were all for lion% out as far as the battles of the committee-rooms
progress, and in that enlightened mode they not only anr'a the archteological researches of Glocester and
talked, but acted extremely liberally. They actually vesakeficld had yet proceeded, the Liberals had suf-
proposed and passed the very measures which they fered very considerable damage by the blowing up
had vituperated, and of which they had shown the of their owes magazines—(laughter) ; and he trusted
danger. Again, it ems only fair to say that the that, for sonee time, at least, the last had been heard
Whigs when in office frequently assumed an ex- of the Pharisa,:cal vau ntings of the impure defenders
tremely Conservative front and position. Long of Parliamentary purity. The country was tby
disquisitions on Liberal-Conservatives and Conser- Lord 1. Russell that the production of one reform
Bury had been heard from Whig Trea- bill—which, whatever miht genuine been its demerits,
sury benches ; and in the late session—and partion- was at least framed in a and honest spirit
larly towards the close of it—he heard many mem-
—was not enoug'h, but that second bill should
hers on his own side deprecate any proceeding have been introduced. The noble lord came into office
adverse to the present Government, as the Conser- shortly afterwards, and, with scarcely a syllable of
vative element in the Cabinet was very predominant. explanation, the subj ect of Parliamentary reform was
For his own part, instead of hailing with pleasure quietly postponed next session. Again, Lord
this approximation to the same creed between an- Palmerston, although not a single despatch had been
tagonistic parties, who for a century and a half published on the subje ct, declared that Lord Derby's
had held diametrically opposite opinions upon poli- foreign policy had been unsatisfactory, and that it
trial matters and political conduct, he viewed it was dangerous to the honour of England that the
with some suspicion and alarm. It arose, he feared, management of foreign affairs should be any longer
from a dereliction of principle, through an over- intrusted to Lord Mahnesbury. Things would be
weening desire to obtain power. In his opinion, safer, perhaps the noble Lord thought, in his own
one of the strongest and best elements of a good hands, although of his reckless meddling policy in
government in this country, and the best security China two years since it was to be feared we were
for our free institutions, was the existence of two reaping the fruits in the sad disaster on the banks of
contending parties in the State, each thoroughly the Peiho. No sooner, however, was the noble lord
embued with a faithful and conscientious belief in, again seated on the familiar cushions of the Treasury
and firm adherence to, its own views, each convinced benches than he declared that, as regards foreign
that it was decidedly right, and that its opponent policy: the Ministry would beat, only too delighted to
was decidedly wrong. Ono party thus became a tread in the footsteps which their predecessors had
check upon the other, and the impartial umpire be- chalked out for them. (Laughter.) Every one must
tween the two was the great body of the governed admire the Protean dexterity with which the noble
who upheld those who promoted principles and ob- lord could change his tone in so short a time.
jects most in accordance with general public (Laughter.) But it was said when the present Mi-
opinion. When this system of popular rule was nistry came into office, " See the breadth of the
allowed fair play, and developed itself, the country basis upon which they are established ; they have
was well governed; but with an amalgamation or some of the Conservative element in them as well
approximation of parties successive changes of as the Radical, and as the time goes on, and they
Administration occurred Government upon the get quietly settled down in their places, the ulterior
other ; a good and strong was out of tendencies of the one will be overawed and kept in
the question; and each Administration, no matter check by the moderate counsels of the other." He
from which side it might be drawn, was forced to (Mr. Du Cane) had every desire to accord to the
take up the views and projects of its predecessors, present Ministry that fair and honest trial which
without its members adhering to their own was so generously recommended on his retirement
ideas and putting forward what they thought from office by Lord Derby, and he deprecated with
best for the country. He was afraid he had his right hon. colleague frequent Ministerial
digressed somewhat in these remarks, but he felt changes ; but when they were told about the Con-
deeply the serious character of the state of affairs to servative element in the Palmerston Ministry, let
which he had called attention. (Hear.) The resolu- them see what it amounted to. He did not deny
tion of Lord J. Russell being carried put a close to that, looking at the past, the present Ministry was
the Ministerial Reform Bill ; but it did not put a entirely destitute of a Conservative element ; but
close, as the noble lord had hoped, to the Govern- since its accession to office its members had been
ment of Lord Derby. That Administration had the strange dissemblers of their love for Conser-
disagreeable alternative before them of either sue- vatism, if, indeed, they had not kicked it down
cumbing to the crafty device by which they were stairs. But little of the Conservative element had
defeated, or of appealing to the verdict of the coun- been seen in domestic legislation, and more than
try. They chose the latter alternative; but upon once the cloven foot of Radical ascendancy had been
the assembling of the new Parliament a junction of apparent. Take, for instance, the Endowed Schools
adverse interests—into the amalgamation of which Bill and the Church-rate Abolition Bill. He
it was not his province to inquire—placed Lord would not pause to comment upon the unblush-
Derby's Government in a minority on a direct vote ing manner in which Lord Palmerston and Lord
of "No confidence." He (Mr. Beresford) voted with John Russell scattered to the winds in a few
the minority, and he had not repented of the vote brief moments the principles which for upwards of
which he then gave. He had not approved all that a quarter of a century they had espoused with re-
, Lord Derby had done and was doing ; what was gard to church rates as essential to the welfare of
more, he could not agree with that noble lord's Ad- the State ; but he would ask where was the Con-
ministration in muc they had conceded ; but he servative element of the present Ministry upon that
wished to give them what they had not obtanied— memorable occasion. Mr. Gladstone, when a poli-
viz., fair play, and he owned also that he had a titian unattached, had a few weeks before declared
firm and, he trusted, a conscientious dislike to that his confidence in the Government of Lord Derby ;
constant and eternal change of Government which but where was the well-known eloquence of
M.
was now the order of the day. It was, moreover, Gladstone as a Cabinet Minister, in defence of the
worthy of remark that although the foreign policy Established Church ? One of our most amusing
of Lord Derby's Government was much impugned dramatic writers had introduced in a well-known
when they were responsible for it, yet, as soon as play a celebrated statesman of the time of Queen
they were no longer answerable fur it, the succeeding Elizabeth whose profound wisdom was so apparent
Minister on his accession to office publicly declared upon his countenance that he was only required to
his intention to proccced in the same course: (Hear.) appear upon the stage to look solemn and serious
Therefore, as far as the foreign policy of Lord and to shake his head. The Conservative element
Derby's Government was concerned, he (Mr. Beres- in the present Cabinet was of a very similar Eliza-
ford) was :fully justified in giving them the confi- bethan character. It was in effect said to Mr. Glad-
dence which they deserved. Again, Lord Derby's stone, "Yon look so wise and profound, and the
Government on acceding to office manfully and at wisdom and the depth of your intellect are so legibly
once attended to the defences of the country—a most depicted upon your countenance, that we will not
important subject, in regard to which they did their trouble you to speak upon this question, but look
duty. Lord Derby's Government not only attended solemn and serious and go into the Conservative
to the general national defences, but also augmented lobby while we carry on the work of Church spolia-
the naval preparations of the country, and used every tion. You can thus gull your Conservative friends
meals to develop our maritime resources; and if into the belief that they are still quite safe, as there
England had a proper and efficient fleet she need fear is a Conservative element in the Government."
noenemy. (Hear.) Nextseseion,probably, the policy (Laughter.) With regard to reform he (Mr. Du
of the new Government would be fully developed, Cane) did not think that the question should be
and among the measures which would be brought made a mere stalkinghorse by which this or that
forward no doubt a Reform Bill would be the most Minister might be hurled from office till, the pas-
prominent. He should wait till he saw the objects sions and feelings of the people being thoroughly
of that bill and the means by which the latter were aroused, we were forced from the path of wise
to be secured before he gave an opinion on the sub- statesmanlike progress down the precipitous slope
ject ; for it would ill become him before he saw the of democratic innovation. He believed it to be a
details to hint the course which he should pursue Conservative policy to inaugurate changes in our
in regard to them. Last year an attempt was made representative system in acoordance with the grow-
to elicit his opinions in regard to the then coming ing civilisation of the country; but let so grave a
Reform Bill. He declined, however, to be then subject be approached with calm and impartial de-
drawn out; and if he did so with regard to the bill liberation. How any Cabinet in which Lord John
brought forward by the Conservatives, he thought Russell formed the connecting link between that
he might justly claim the same permission with re- ardent democrat Lord Palmerston and that sturdy
gard to the bill to be brought forward by those who Constitutionalist Mr. Milner Gibson could concur
might naturally .be supposed to be more ardent re- in the provisions of a Reform Bill might be a mat-
formers. The unjust attempt at the total and un- ter for curious speculation—(laughter)—but he
conditional abolition of church rates was, however, (Mr. Du Cane) trusted that the forthcoming mea-
a clear and recognised subject. It was useless to sure would be such as to secure the approval of
look at the details or the way in which such iniquity moderate thinking men, and yet afford a settlement
and spoliation were to be carried out ; his opinions of the question for many years to come. To such
on the subject were distinct, firm, and unalterable. a measure he should be only too happy to give his
He looked upon the scheme of church-rate abolition active co-operation ; but if the democratic element
as an effort to take away from the Church property in the Cabinet prevailed, it would be the duty of
which had been recognised for years as belonging the Conservative party to rally its united forces in
to it, and which had been given by our ancestors to defence of the institutions of the country. It was
those sacred fabrics in which we adored our God, essential that a fair balance should be preserved of
and in which our forefathers were buried. Let Con- the elements of education, intelligence, and pro-
servatives stand by church rates ; and, if they were perty, and at the same time it would be right to
to be defeated, let the good old British man-of-war admit within the franchise the most deserving of
still have her colours flying, her courage up, and the working classes. But in the face of the late
her determination undaunted. (Hear.) Upon one disclosures at Gloucester and Wakefield, and in the
more subject he wished to say a few words—viz face of the warning addressed to the country
the motion made last session for throwing open the through the medium of the builders' strike, lie
office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland to Roman Ca- would never give his consent to any measure which,
tholies. That scheme, of course, with his Protestant like the proposals of Mr. Bright, treated the eon-
ideas, he did not much admire; and he thanked God stitntion of England as a mere matter of arithmetic,
there was still in the British House of Commons a and admitted the working classes to the suffrage
strong Protestant party, who were determined to in mere numerical masses. (Cheers.) If one class
resist the plan. The exclusion of Roman Catholics were made the sole depositaries of political power,
from the woolsack both in Ireland and England was it was perfectly evident that the same combinations
one of the few conditions inserted in the Relief Bill which trades' unions could form for the purpose of
as a safeguard against the many immunities granted overawing masters numerically, could be formed by
to Roman Catholics in that measure. He could not see constituencies for the purpose of overawing mem-
the irreproachable conduct which the Roman Catho- hers of Parliament—(hear, hear)—who would not be
lies had displayed during the last few years which so able as the masters to protect themselves. (Hear,
required that they should be conceded fresh immuni- hear.) With regard to foreign affairs, the hon.
ties. The Protestant party resisted the measure, gentleman said if Italy, free from the Alps to the
and their ardour was somewhat damped in that re- Adriatic, was permitted to enjoy the blessings of
sistance when Mr. Disraeli rose and proposed that constitutional government, then he would fain be-
the whole affair should hs referred to a select corn- lieve that the inscrutable man to whom the destinies
mittee. For his (Mr. Beresford's) part, he cons- of France were committed wished—especially tak-
dered that to refer Such a matter to a select com- ing into consideration the recent amnesty—that, so
mittee was an aekhowledgment that we might far as he was concerned, his empire should be based
make any concession which the aggressive policy upon peace. But a man whose power was based
of Rome might ask for. By the determined oppo- upon 500,000 bayonets was not absolute master of
sition offered to the scheme the promoters were ob- his situation; he must find occasional vent for the
liged to withdraw it, notwithstanding the encore- military ardour of that vast host upon whom he leant
ragement they received from an unexpected quer- for support; and, absolute as his power might be,
ter; but they threatened to produce it again next and great as might be the force of his own intel-
session, and lie alluded to the subject now to draw lsct, he could not himself, by the force of his own
the attention of constituencies to it. The feelings solitary will, oppose the inclinations of a united
of the people of England were all right; but they nation. There were some who thought that the
required to be reminded of these insidious maneeu- conclusion of the peace of Villafranca was but
vres, and he trusted the Protestant constituencies of the prelude to a rupture with England, and others
England would jog the memories of their repre- again laughed to scorn the very idea of a French
• itatives—a course which was always attended invasion, and treated it as a mere bugbear to frigh-
with a certain weight and effect—if they wished to ten children; but he thought it was possible to
be protected from a fresh aggression from Rome. preserve a medium between those two extremes.
The right hon. gentleman, after congratulating the We did not know whether the whole French nation
meeting on the continued success of the association, were burning to wipe out the disgrace of Waterloo,
resumed his seat amid loud cheers. but we knew that it was essential for the position
Mr. Du CANE, M.P., who was very cordially re- of this country and for the protection of her vast
ceived, said the association held its meeting at a commerce and colonial possessions that she should
time of no great political strife ; but the general remain mistress of the seas. We were on terms of
aspect of political affairs was far from being devoid alliance with France and friendship with Russia,
of deep interest. Since the last gathering the and he trust d that this state of affairs might con-
country had gone through one of those periods of tinue; but let us remember the memorable advice
political excitement so devoutly wished for by the given, by Lord Lyndhurst, and not be content t re.
young aspirant who had a seat to gain, and so de- main in dependence upon the forbearance of any
voila,- detested by the cunning old stager who had power, relying solely upon our own vigour and in-
a seat to lose—he meant, of course, a general glee- telligence. Let Mr. Bright or Mr. Cobden devote
tion, which in Essex had reduced the goodly pro- their great intellectual powers to the correction of
portions of Liberalism to a mere skeleton. It was any Waste of the public money in the dockyards,
well said of that uncompromising champion of Re- and they would earn for themselves the thanks of a
form, Mr. Bright, that upon his own platform at grateful country far more than by attempting or-
Huddersfield or Birmingham he roared like a very genic changes in its institutions; but let the House
lion ; but that within the walls of the House of Corn- of Commons hate bona fide ships and men as a quid
mons he became transformed into a sucking dove, pro quo upon such retrenchment. (Hear, hear.)
In the case of a late Reform demonstration at Chelms_ The hon. gentleman then briefly touched in approv-,
ford the Reform champions who then appeared corn- ing terms on the rifle corps topic ; and, adverting
menced by being sucking doves ; and, if the same in conclusion to the prospects of the Conservative
test was applied to them as to Mr. Bright, it might cause, declared that he, fur one, would never allow
possibly be found that in the House of Commons his
ative hue of present Conservative resolution
their reform ardour. like the courage of Bob Acre. to be sicklied o'er with the
would ooze out of their fingers' end. (Loud laugh-, fur the future. (Loud cheers.)
ter.) Next March, possibly, there might be another The CllAium kN' in giving
combination, and another cunning resolution to sociation," said. liewa s favourable to party organi-
stave off a settlement of the reform question fur an- setions, ho believed they tended to secure an
other year. The Government of Lord Derby, on the efficient performance of the business of the State.
reassembling of Parliament, was met with a direct He had no doubt to,vl/4hich
existingparty he who was sin-
challenge; and considering how often, during its cerely attached to tile institutions of the
brief reign, its adversaries had kept up a bombard- country should belonce•• ' and he believed the Censer-
ment upon the outworks of tae Treasury, he did vative creel was more in accordance with the best
not know that they had any gre- t right to testify interests of the State than thepolitics of these who
any considerable amount of surprise at so summary talked so largely about intelligence and the progresso
a proceeding. But the vote and the evidence upon of reform. Conservatism was much more strongly
which that vote was moved were very different represented in the House of Commons now than
matters; and the whole affair reminded him of a when Lord Derby accepted office last year, no other
poem which he read in his childhood, and in which Administration being possible in consequence of the
a veteran soldier was represented giving an eloquent quarrels of his opponents. Lord Derby's conduct
description of the horrors of war and a well-fought merited liberal treatment from his opponents, but
battle-field to his grandchild. At the conclusion of how was it returned ? Why, when his accession to

to Gisborne. and here, for want of a better place to
give my entertainment in, I availed myself of a small
brewery in course of construction, using the empty
barrels for seats, and making my dressing-room in a
large vat. However, the brewery stands in au open
field, and to get to it you have to jump three ditches
and balance yourself on two planks. The night of
opening proving very wet, I cannot say
that thy audience was very large or very dis-
tinguished. Opera cloaks and Gibus hats were not
very numerous, and my family and myself
had to be carted from the hotel at some distance
opposite to the door of the brewery. I had, how-
ever, as fine an audience of well-drenched bullock-
drivers as I suppose were ever assembled to an
entertainment in Australia.

office had served their purposes, they intimated to
him " Our sections are reconciled, and we now want
your place. It is true that you came to the relief
of the country at a critical period ; it is true that
you appointed men of intelligence to fill the public
offices ; it is true that you introduced. a Reform
Bill ; it is true that you maintained neutrality in
the Italian war; but we want your place." He
(Mr. Watlington) maintained that the doctrine held
by Lord John Russell that it was not necessary to
' produce a reason for this course, simply because Mr.
Burke had said that it was not, was monstrous and
insulting to the people of England. But all the
Liberals did not think reason superfluous in the
matter, and some of them gave their reasons, and
very bad reasons they were. The Liberals imputed
the increased strength of the Conservative party to
the most corrupt practices in the elections ; but the
disclosures which had. been made would not put the
immaculate Radical party in the most favourable
possible light ; in fact, the evidence adduced. con-
victed the Liberal party of the grossest bribery and
corruption. With reference to the present pro-
spects of Conservatism in the House of Commons
and the country generally, he believed that the Con-
servative cause had benefited greatly by the reform
tour of Mr. Bright last year. His extreme lan-
guage, his thorough-going Radicalism, his open
hostility to some of our most cherished institutions,
including the House of Lords, and his declaration
that no measure of reform would be satisfactory
without the ballot, had alarmed many professed
Liberals, and gained converts to Conservatism. The
Conservatives ought, therefore, to feel much indebted
to Mr. Bright. (Applause.)
The Rev. J. Cox acknowledged the toast at con-
siderable length. The rev. gentleman said he en-
tirely differed from Mr. Beresford in what his right
hon. friend had said as to the fusion of parties ; so
far from this being the case, he thought the line of
demarcation between the Conservative and so-called
Liberal, or Whig Radical party was never more dis-
tinct than it was at present. Conservatism meant
the maintenance of the institutions of the country
in King, Lords, and Commons, while the Liberals
now raised a cry of Parliamentary government,
which meant the government of the House of Com-
mons only. He had in vain endeavoured to procure
an explanation of the " phrase civil and rel:gious
liberty ;" but it appeared to mean opposition to the
Church. (Laughter.) The real battle-ground about
to be taken up was, he thought, the church-rate
question, which involved the separation of Church
and State. Mr. Miall and the political Dissenters
did not deny that this was their object ; and Mr.
Drummond, the able member for Surrey, had also
correctly described the church-rate agitation as a
war a ;la outrance against the Established Church.
Mr. MILLER, M.P., for Colchestea, responded to
the toast of " The Members for the Essex Bo-
roughs," and observed that no one felt more deeply
than he did the importance of maintaining the
Conservative cause and resisting those innovations
for whith the present age was characteristic, and
which he feared would, if they were not firmly op-
posed, overthrow us both in Church and State.
Mr. PAPILLON, M.P., also very briefly responded.
A few other toasts having been given the pro-
ceeding terminated,

From Gisborne I came to Melbourne, where,
at the Olmypir; Theatre, Mr. Coppin has lately been
giving a series of performances for the benefit of
the charities at that place. His return to the stage
has been considered by some of the newspapers to
be a breach of good faith with those who elected
him to the Legislative Council.
We have had a Handel Festival in Melbourne.

It came off at the Exhibition Building. On the
first night there were selections from " Samson,"
"Judas Maccabeus," and "Israel in Egypt," and
on the second night from the " Messiah." The
great star of the evening was Mr. Farquharson
Smith, who has returned from his trip to Calcutta
with his pockets overladen with golden inohurs, and
his fine voice considerably improved. He talks about
visiting England. Should he go there he will make
a sensation, for he is twenty times a better singer
than when he left,

PROFESSOR ANDERSON IN AU:7-
TRALLL

The entrance to the Theatre Royal has been con-
verted into an enormous Cafe for the million, and
entitled "'The Vestibule." It is ornate with foun-

thins, vases, and pictures, lighted with large gas
" sunlights," and furnished with marble tables, and
velvet-covered chairs. The proprietors, Messrs.
Spiers and C. Pond, are two of the most enterpris-
ing men in the colony.
I am going to India, and when you receive this I
shall probably be half-way to Bombay. I wished
to give some fin al performances in the city, but found
it very difficult to get a place. I offered Mr. Brooke
£l,OOO for a month at the Theatre Royal, which he
declined. I could have taken the Princess's Theatre,
but nobody would guarantee that I could get out of it
as safely as I could easily get in. Then there was
the Hippodrome, but the carpenters wanted £l9O
to pit down a floor and build a small stage. Mr.
Hingston hunted up Melbourne for a fortnight,
whilst I was playing elsewhere, but was unsuccess-
ful, and I have therefore concluded an arrangement
to play in dramatic pieces for six nights, at the
Olympic.

GREAT BALLOON VOYAGE IN
AMERICA.-EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE.

(From the Watertown Reformer, Pennsylvania.)
John A. Haddock, who accompanied La Mona
taro in his late alarming ascension on the 22d ult., al
Watertown, Pa., has performed the duty of historio
grapher of the voyage. At the signal "Let go all,'
they started at 20 minutes before six p.m., with the
thermometer indicating 84 degrees. After an
ascent and flight of eight minutes the ther-
mometer showed a fall of 24 degrees, and the
voyagers found it necessary to put on all their extra
clothing. At 650 it was dark and they descended
in a wood, fastened the balloon to a spruce tree,
and remained in the basket, chilled with rain and
cold till morning. In the morning, aided by the
warmth of the sun acting upon the gas in the balloon
and by throwing over almost everything, theballoon
was again caused to ascend, but it took a northerly
course, and it was again made to descend in a
lumbering country, where it was left lashed to a
tree. A piece of a pork barrel, bearing a Montreal
brand, assured them that they were in Canada.
From this point we give Mr. Haddock's narrative
until they reached the cabin of some lumber men
on the Rospetong river.
This settled the question that we ware in Canada,
for I very well knew that no Montreal inspection
of pork ever found its way into the interior of New
York State. We travelled all day, Friday, up the
unknown creek, which kept its general course to
the south of west, crossing it about noon on a float-
ing log, and striking, on its southern bank, a
" blazed" track, which led us up to a deserted
timber road, lying on the opposite side from a large
lumbering shanty. We hoped one of the lumber
roads might take us out tJ a settlement, but after
travelling up them all until they terminated
in i
the wilderness, we concluded to cross the creek
to the shanty, and stay in it all night. La Moun-
tain got across safely, but my weight was gieater
than his, and the raft let me into the stream. I
sank in all over, and swam out, though it required
all my strength to do so, and on reaching the bank
I found myself so chilled as scarcely to be able to
stand. I took off my clothes, wrung them, and we
proceeded to the shanty, w hero we found plenty of
refuse straw, but it was dry, and under a pile of it
we crawled, pulling it over our heads and faces in
the hope that our breath might aid in warming our
chilled bodies. I think the most revengeful, stony
heart would have pitied .our condition then. The
weary hours of night at last wore away, and we held
a new council. It was evident, we reasoned, that the
creek we were upon was used for " criving logs in
the spring season." If, then, we followed it to its con-
fluence with the Ottawa, or some stream which emp-
tied into the Ottawa, we would in time get out the
same way the timber went. The roof of the shanty
was covered with the halves of legs, scooped out in a
manner familiar to all woodmen. These were light
and dry, and would form an excellent raft. Why
not, then, take four of these, tie them to cross
pieces by withes and such old things as we could
find around the shanty, and pole the structure down
to that civilisation which a saw log ought to be
able to reach. Such was the course we adopted.
We dragged the logs down to the creek, and La
Mountain tied them together, as he was evidently
more of a sailor than myself. We got under way,
and as we pushed off a crow set up a dismal caw-
ing—an inauspicious sign, and ominous of the great
trials and sufferings in store for us We poled
down stream about 10 miles, and came abruptly
upon an immense pine tree, which had fallen across
the stream, completely blocking the passage of the
raft. No other alternative was- left but to untie
the pieces and attempt to push them through un-
der the log. This was at last done ; tied the
raft together again, and poled her down stream.
To-day we each ate a raw frog, all we could find,
and began to feel that we were hungry. But there
was no complaining—our talk was of the hopeful
future, and the civilisation we hoped yet to reach.
Down the creek we went into a lake some two miles
long, and into which we of course supposed the
stream passed, having its outlet at the lower end.
We followed down the northern bank, keeping
always in shallow spots, so that our poles could
touch the bottom, until we arrived at the bottom of
the lake, where we found no outlet, and turned back
upon the southern bank in quest of it. On reaching
the head of the lake we found that the current of
the creek turned abruptly to the right, which was
the cause of our losing it.
We felt happy to have found it again, and plied
our poles like heroes. We passed, during the day,
the spot where we had first struck the creek, and
where we had made a slight landmark, which
might afterwards aid us in finding the At-
lantic, should we ever wish to do so in order
to get her out.. At night we did not stop,
but kept the raft going down through the
shades of awful forests, whose solemn silence seemed
to hold the unrearealed mystery of our darkening
future. About 10 o'clock it began to rain again.
We stopped the " vessel-," and crawled in under
some " tag " alders, on the bank, where our extreme
weariness enabled us to get, perhaps, half an hour's
sleep. Rising again (for it was easier to pole at
night in the rain down an unknown stream than
to lie on the ground and freeze), we pressed on for
a couple of hours, until about three o'clock, when
pure exhaustion induced us to stop again. This
time we found a spot where the clayey bank
lacked a little of coming down to the water. On
the mud we threw our little bundle of straw, and
sat down with our feet drawn under us, so that
our bodies presented as little surface as possible
for the rain to beat upon. But we could not
stand Such an uncomfortable position long,
and •as the daylight of the Sabbath broke
upon us, we were polling down the stream
in a drizzling rain. At eight o'clock we came to a
place where the stream canoned—rushing over a
stony bed, down a steep descent between high
rocks on either bank. To get our raft down this
place we regarded as hopeless. We tied up, and
examined the shore. Here, again, we found un-
mistakeable evidence of lumbermen, as they had
evidently camped at this point to be handy, by the
attempts they were doubtless obliged to makito get
the timber down the canon. The rapids were about
a third of a mile long, and in all the rapids of Black
River there is nothing so wild and romantic as
these. We descended the bunk, and thought it best
to try our luck on foot. After travelling about a
mile we found a bank so tangled and rugged, and
ourselves so much exhausted that locomotion was
impossible. So we concluded to go back, and if we
could get the raft down a piece at a time, we would
go on with her; if not, we would build as good a
place as possible to crawl into, and prepare for
death.

In a letter dated Melbourne, August 17, 1859, the
Professor says :—By the last mail but one I sent you
a letter from Bendigo, descriptive of things thea-
trical here at the antipodes. As I have rambled over
some ground since then, and am back again in Mel-
bourne, I will now trouble you with another epistle,
in which I will endeavour to chronicle a few of the
events that have recently occurred, and describe
some of the places in which I have lately been.
Bendigo, where I performed two months since,
has four places of amusement, the Haymarket Thea-
tre, the Shamrock, Abbott's Lyceum, and the Vic-
toria. The Haymarket was built by Mr. Coleman,
a gentleman who once had an entertainment in
England which he entitled " Masks and Faces." It
is a wooden structure, and holds about 1,000 people.
Like most of the theatres out here, it is attached to
a hotel, and both theatre and hotel
,were, at the
time of my playing there, in the occupancy of
Messrs. Howard Vinson and T. P. Brower. The
last-named of these gentlemen is the brother
of Mr. Brower, who was once one of my com-
pany at home, and has himself, for some time
past, been the manager of the San Francisco Min-
strels. Mr. Vinson is an American actor, whose
wife (Miss Kate Ward) endeavours to rank as a
" star" in Australia. Mr. Howard is a Manchester
man, not connected with the profession, but well
acquainted with colonial life, and so sharply colo-
nial in his dealings that he contrived to get posses-
sion of £lO of my money, which I could not see the
justice of his possessing. They publish nightly at
the theatre a thing called "The Curtain," in which
they put what they like, without asking leave con-
cerning any one who may be at the theatre, and
by-and-by send in an account which rather sur-
prises yau. The one presented to me was of this
character, and as I demurred to paying it Mr.
Howard coolly took possession of the amount from
amongst the money in my money-taking box. They
have a little sharp practice at home, but nothing to
what they indulge in out here.
The second place of importance as a theatre in
Bendigo is the Shamrock, where you get dancing
and singing, as well as a " nobbler," for sixpence.
Four or five years ago the proprietor, Mr. Heffer-
nan, paid £l4O per week salaries to performers, and
charged nothing whatever for admission thereto.
Abbott's Lyceum is a very nicely-fitted up place
with a small stage in the rear of a large American
bar. It has been recently occupied by Mrs. Butler,
the widow of Samuel Butler, the tragedian. The
Shaksperian Readings given by this 'lady proved
utterly unattractive in Bendigo. To use an illus-
tration which Mr. Farquharson Smith used the
other day when telling me of his recent Indian ad-
ventures, "If you would but just throw a summer-
sault over the piano they would be in extacies ; "
but then don't read Shakspere to the Bendigonians.
Their fourth place of amusement, the Victoria, is
below criticism, being merely a place for the delec-
tation of the roughest of the strange assemblage con-
gregated in Bendigo.
They call the township in which the places of
amusement are situated by the name of Sand-
hurst, Bendigo being the title of the district. All
around Sandhurst there are "gullies," as they are
termed, or valleys, between the hills, burrowed
everywhere by the gold-seekers. Each of these
gullies is a little township in itself, and has its dis-
tinct place of amusement in the shape of a large
saloon attached to a hotel. There are Eagle-hawk
Gully, Iron-bark Gully, California Gully, Lead-
horse Gully, and I do not know how many else be-
sides. Then there is Epsom, with its own little
theatre at Kangaroo Flat with its concert saloon.
From Bendigo, I went down to Castlemaine and
played a fortnight at the Theatre Royal there,
which, together with the hotel adjoining, belongs
to Messrs.byngelland Rainer. The theatre is sub-
stantially built of brick, holds about 1,500 persons,
has a good stage, and was opened not many months
ago by Miss Mary Provost, a Californian trage-
dienne, who has achieved popularity in the colonies.
After ruining my magic here for ten nights to very
crowded houses, I gave " Rob Roy" in an entirely
new form. There was no company, and I therefore
had recourse to my own family in order to place
the piece on the stage. It was impossible to play
it in its entirety, so we made selections from
the various scenes. I " doubled" for Rob

Roy and the Bailie, and you will wonder how
I managed to do that, but done it was.
My son played Rashleigh Osbaldistone and Captain
Thornton ; my eldest daughter impersonated Mattie,
Francis oAaldistone, Diana Vernon, and Helen
INl‘Gregor ; while a relative of mine, Mr. Robertson,
was the Dougal. There was a very crowded house,
and the performance appeared to give the greatest
satisfaction.

a bagatelle-table
ttooKhyinniseetolft.l,
large room at the Royal Hatelin Kyneton which
dignified by the name of the Theatre Royal, but as
K~•r.e`.on is full of churches and schools, is quiet
in its demeanour, and rejoices in its propriety,
I preferred going to a newly-built room called
the Athenmnin, and found reason not to regret
tl
at eKy n Blackc
I Forest,
stopped
that I had made the riq,ht selection. I performed four
Lb
by
nAdier a.
Emden,
andd e
n, Liverpool
li
e brother
.o dEemn dd
nights to full houses, and then moving down towards
0 ITy menp
miles
iilnesLtohnrdooung
gaveatonthee entertainment
juiletioniiotcia,tkt.ehpet
.11 the Black Forest brought.cn'loVfh
theimls et
From Castlernaine I drove down the road as far
as Tarradale, and stopped to give my magical per-
formance thcr.: in Mr. Johnston's hotel, the price of
admission was five shillings. The room had nearly
400 people in it on each of the two nights that I
played. Where they were stowed, or how they
found a seeing place, I scarcely know. The stage
was the smallest on which I had ever performed.
Opposite it were three windows ; these were thrown
open, and some drays put aside. The late comers
were admitted at the door on payment, passed up
the room, and out of the windows, and then stacked
up on the er tys in the open air. If they did not
have the best Ore for seeing, they at least had the
coolest, and as they seemed to enjoy it, I suppose
that it was nothing very much out of the way for
them to be so accommodated. Many of them had
ridden 14 or 15 miles to see me. The hotel. was
full in every room, and while some had their night's
sleep on the billiard tables, others arranged. them-
selves in rows bef“re the fire in the kitchen. My
son found a bed on the stage, and Mr. Hingston had
town on the road down to Melbourne. 'There. is
isa
all agricultFal

We went back, and after examining the stream
attentively, concluded to try to get the raft down.
We at one commenced, and I freely confess this is
the most trying and laborious work of a life of la-
bour. The pieces would not float over a rod at a
time before they would stick on some stone which
the low water left above the surface, aril then you
must pry it over in some way, and pass it along to