The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-13 00:00:00

.NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

The following promotions were made at the Admiralty
this evening :
Lieutenant—N. C. Singleton to the Devastation.
Naval Cadet—Mr. G. G. Boys to the Strombali.
Naval Cadels (nominated)—Charles Wallace Last, and
Thomas Charles Heatcote.
Assistant-Surgeon—Thomas A. Rove to the Impreg-
nable, for Plymouth Hospital.

Lord West has arrived at Battle Abbey, Susses,
on a visit to Lord and Lady Harry Vane,

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day).

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

OBBERY IN HYDE-PARE..—George Taylor, a young
man, described as a grocer's assistant, was charged before
Mr. Tyrwhitt with stealing a watch of the value of £.5 in
Hyde-park.

Mr. Thomas Crittle, of the Three Tuns, Sydenham, said
he met the prisoner at the Cattle Show, he being an entire
stranger to him. They left rbgelv2r and walked on till they
got into the park, where prisoner seizyl his watch, and on
asking for it he knocked him down, and they had a setae
for it. Ile ran after the prisoner, calling " Stop thief,"
and on a constable coming up prisoner handed him the
watch without saying anything.
Prisoner—You spoke to me first.

Prosecutor—l was going across the park to get to Lon-
don-bridge, and went under a tree.

Floyd, 153 A, said he heard the cry of "Stop thief" from
near the Magazine Barracks. Prosecutor said prisoner had
stolen his watch, but had given it him back. Prisoner said
it was only a lark, but prosecutor had marks of blood on
the mouth. Prosecutor said prisoner had offered to show
him the way across the park to London Bridge.
Prisoner set up a defence that prosecutor had acted im-
properly. _ .

Floyd said the watch was broken off in the usual way.

Prisonor said,—Prosecutor said he wanted to meet a
friend at Albert-gate, but prosecutor denied having said
anything of the kind.

Inspector Bowles said the prisoner had refused his ad-
dress, and he therefore wished for a remand.

Prisoner said why he refused his address was because of
the respectability of his friends.
Mr. Tyrwhitt remanded the prisoner.

THAMES.

PAINFUL CASE.—ROBBINGANEMTLOYER..--Two York-
shire lads, named William Lowth and Richard Tarbottom,
were brought up on remand before Mr. Selfe, charged with
stealing eight £5 notes.

Mr. Lewis, jun., (Lewis and Lewis), Ely-place, appeared
in this case, and said the prosecutor, Mr. Charles Mason, a
merchant in Hull, had no wish to proceed, or that the lads
should be subjected to any further punishment. The parents
and connexions of the youth Lowth were of the highest
respectability, the anguish of his mother, expressed in a
letter he held in his hand, was indescribable, and the dis-
grace and degradation of her son would, he feared,
be attended with fatal results if he was
kept in custody. Lowth was clerk to Mr. Mason, and
in the absence of that gentleman at Torquay the robbery
was committed. The belief was that the elder youth,
Tarbottom had induced the other, Lowth, to break open his
master's desk, and steal the notes. They both came to
London with the money, spent of it in photographic
portraits, commenced a wasteful expenditure, and were
taken the day after their arrival in London by Dunaway a
detective officer, and £3O recovered.

Mr. Mason said he believed one of the prisoners, Lowth,
was in liquor at the time the rubbery was committed, and
he had no wish to press the charge.
Mr. Selfe said a public wrong had been done, and he
ought not to give way to importunities of this description.
The police had been put in motion, the offenders appre-
hended, and the magistracy and the police ought not to be
mere agents for the recovery of stolen money. He was ap-
pointed to hear and decide cases of felony put before him,
and it was only a question whether he ought to convict
summarily on a plea of guilty, or commit for trial at the
Central Criminal Court. It was impossible for him to listen
to such applications as these without violating his duty.
Mr. Lewis said that the act of the prisoners was more a
boyish freak than anything else, and that they were very
repentent,

Mr. Selfe thought it was something more than a boyish
freak to break open a merchant's desk in a merchant's
office, and steal £4O.

Mr. Lewis—lf you are determined to send the prisoners
for trial, you must take the depositions here, and send them
down to Yorkshire.

Mr. Selfe was of opinion the prisoners could be tried in
London.

Mr. Lewis—The boy Lowth is only 16, and the other 17
years of age.
Mr. Selfe—They indulged in mutual recrimination last
Saturday when they were here. You will take the deposi-
tions, Mr. Bowdler.

Mr. Lewis asked the magistrate to treat the case under
the police act for unlawful possession of the notes.
Mr. Selfe reluctantly acceded to the request, and said
he took a great deal upon himself by disposing of this
case summarily, for it was a very serious one, and he
could not help noticing that Lowth had abused the confi-
dence reposed in him by robbing his employer. The pri..
soners if sent before a jury would probably have been
sentenced to penal servitude. He convicted them of the
unlawful possession of six £5 notes, and sentenced Lowth
to six weeks and Tarbettom to five weeks' imprisonment and
hard lab= in the House of Correction.

Sir Robert and Lady Pigot returned yesterday to
their residence, Branches Park, Newmarket, from Inver-
ness-shire, where Sir Robert had excellent sport.
PRUSSIA.—It is now almost certain that the
Prussian frigate Araazone has been lost, with all on board,
off the Dutch coast. The Prussian Government has pur-
chased in England the Eurydice, of 26 guns, An Admi-
ralty Council was to be held at Berlin on the 13th inst., to
discuss various projects respe. ting the proposed new naval
stations. The captains of all the vessels at Dantsic have
been requested to attend. It is stated that the Govern-
ment will negotiate a loan of 10,000,000 dols. for the fleet.
The mercantile letters from New York yesterday
contain nothing to throw additional light on the political
situation, but with regard to financial matters they show
that it is the opinion of the leading New York houses that
if the war be protracted for three months longer without
the subjugation of the South being accomplished, a general
suspension of specie payments must inevitably take place.
The Trust and Agency Company of Australasia
have notified that the 12,500 new shares of this company
announced for issue at the late half-yearly general meeting
have been fully applied for, and that the list will close on
Monday. They also state that the arrangements for
opening a branch in New Zealand having been completed,
operations in that colony will be commenced forthwith.
THE AMERICAN DIFFICULTY.—In the rooms of
the Liverpool Underwriters' Association yesterday the fol-
lowing notice was posted :—" It has been suggested that
shipowners should instruct the captains of their outward-
bound ships to communicate by signal or otherwise with
any English vessel they may meet that war with America is
probable. This suggestion, we understand, meets with the
strong approval of the underwriters. By Marryat's the
signals will be—No. 6,417, without distinguishing pendant,
' A prospect of war ;' No. 9,735, with telegraph flag at some
other masthead, ' with ;' No. 6,589, with rendezvous flag
over the number, 'United States.' "
The militia of Canada, as at present organised,
is under the command-in-chief of the Governor-General,
and has a staff of adjutant-general for each province, with
two provincial aides .de-camp and a quartermaster-general.
It consists of two divisions, known as the " Active" and
the " Sedentary." There are 16 batteries of artillery, 16
troops of cavalry designated as class A, 12 troops of class B,
62 companies of rifles, and several corps of light infantry.
In Lower Canada there are 42 battalions, and in Upper
Canada 47 battalions of " Sedentary" militia. The Canadian
rifles are regularly enrolled troops, and act with the other
Queen's regiments stationed at Toronto, Montreal, and.
Quebec. The militia has shown that it can be relied upon
in times of emergency. In addition to these there is a con-
siderable force of Volunteers in both provinces, and, with
the aid of the reinforcements which have already arrived,
and those which are on their way or under orders, we have
no fear for Canada.—Canadian, Neal, Dec. 12.
WAR RISKS ON BRITISH SHIPS.—An influential
meeting of shipowners was held yesterday at the Jamaica
Coffee-house, Cornhill, for the purpose of forming an
association with a view of insuring British ships against
war risks. Mr. William Phillips took the chair, and among
those present were Mr. G. Marshall, Mr. C. Wigram, Mr.
Tindall, Mr. Anderson, Mr. F. Somes, Captain Hunter,
and many others. Mr. Baglehole, the secretary, explained the
object of the association, which was to be called "the British
Shipowners' Mutual War Risk Assurance Association,"
and to afford the shipowners of the British empire the means
of protecting themselves against the risk of war in respect
of their vessels on the principle of mutual assurance. It
was well known that already, in anticipation of hostilities
between this county and the United States of America, the
marine insurance companies and underwriters at Lloyd's
were asking and obtaining high premiums for insurance
of British ships against war risk, which no doubt would be
largely increased on the announcement of an actual decla-
ration of war. In the uncertainty that at present existed
as to the nature and extent of the risk there could be little
doubt that the underwriters in fixing these premiums made
their calculations so as to leave a considerable margin in
their own favour. The plan of mutual assurance proposed
by this associa' ion would save the shipowner any unneces-
sary outlay under this head, and secure to him a perfect
indemnity at the lowest possible cost. It was proposed to
admit vessels sailing under the British flag and bona fide
owned, the value of each vessel to be declared at time
of entry. Vessels sailing at any time during the year in
waters adjacent to the eastern or western coast of the
United States, that is to say within 50 deg. north latitude
on the north, the Equator on the south, 50 deg. west longi-
tude on the east, and 130 deg. west longitude on the west
should be chargeable with an extra premium of 1 per cent.
In order to provide a fund for the payment of claims, each
vessel should pay on entrance a premium of ss. per cent.
and that the committee should thereafter have power to
levy from the members from time to time such additional
sums by way of percentage on the amounts severally entered
by them as should be found necessary. All claims would be
abjusted according to the usuage of Lloyd's, and, when
passed, paid within the month. The chairman then sub-
mitted a formal resolution approving the formation of the
association, which was unanimously adopted, A shipowner
suggested that operations should be commenced. as early
as possible. The Americans were very quick people. An
influential committee was then appointed, and the meeting
was adjourned for a week to admit of the rules being sub-
witted aud approved.

MR. 1101?SM4N, .31. P., AND TUB NON-

ELECTORS.

STROUD, THURSDAY.

Last night the large Subscription Room was
completely filled by an audience consisting chiefly
of non-electors, who assembled at the invitation of
Mr. Horsman to hear his opinions on the various
important topics which now engross the public at-
tention. The right hon. gentleman on entering the
room was loudly cheered, and the symptoms of dis-
approbation were very slight.
Captain Hunter, who presided, introduced Mr.
Horsman, after a few preliminary remarks,
Mr. HORSMAN, who was greeted with much cheer-
ing, then proceeded to address the meeting, and
spoke for upwards of an hour and a half. He said—
When I was on this platform three years ago, and a
discussion was raised on the question of Parliemen-
taryßeform and the franchise, I ventured to predict
that promises hadbeen madethatwouldnot be fulfilled
and that opinions had been expressed with regard to
the suffrage that would not bear discussion and
ventilation ; and by a curious coincidence I illus-
trated what I said by a reference to America, show-
ing how it was under mob rule, and what must be
the inevitable result of excluding every man of in-
telligence and education from a share in the admi-
nistration of public affairs ; and I ventured to tell
you that the day was not far distant when Parlia-
mentary reform would be a secondary subject in
the minds of Englishmen, and that your attention
would be exclusively rivetted upon foreign affairs.
I referred to what was going on in France, and
warned you that Europe must ere long take the
alarm ; and in answer to a question whether I
would pledge myself to a reduction, and especially
of the income tax, I told you that before three years
were over Parliament would be called upon to vote
for a large increase of taxation in order to meet
an increased war expenditure. These opinions
were received by my opponents, not only with
incredulity, but ridicule, and they denounced me
not only as extravagant, but as insincere. The
leader of my opponents said I was dragging a red
herring across the path to divert you from parlia-
mentary reform. (Laughter.) I said "time will
show who is in the right," and time has shown.
You saw within a few weeks of that meeting the
strong and powerful Government of Lord Palmerston
not only censured but destroyed, because it was
supposed to have: made unworthy concessions to
France on a point most vital to Englishmen. And
who made the motion by which that Government
was destroyed ? A prominent member of the Man-
chester and peace party. And where is he now ?
He is a member of that Cabinet which has not only
gained strength and popularity by shelving the
question of reform, but has added to that strength
and popularity by raising our military expenditure
to the unprecedented sum of £35,000,000 in a time
of peace, in order to give effect to a foreign policy,
'which the nation unanimously approves, and to
which the Ministry know that the'smallest suspicion
of infidelity on their part would terminate their
official existence. (Cheers.) It has been said that
I have always shown a strong personal hostility and
an unjust feeling towards the Emperor of the
French. Now every remark that I have made with
reference to the Emperor has been limited to the
policy that might be imposed upon him by the will
of the French people. Personally speaking I should
judge him to be the most liberal man in France—a
man of great genius, of enlarged views, possessing
a statesmanlike mind, above all prejudice, and espe-
cially sympathising with liberal feelings and con-
victions all over the world. (Cheers.) I believe that
probably of all the French nation he is the indivi-
dual who has the most friendly feelings towards
England. (Cheers.) But admitting all this, who can
tell the policy that may be imposed on him ? He is
at the head of an army of more than half a million of
men—he is at the head of a nation that is very im-
pulsive, and whose institutions are in a very uncer-
tain and transitory state. The policy that may be
imposed upon him by his army no one can at any
moment foresee ; but the policy that may be fol-
lowed in the event of his death, by some one placed
at the head of affairs who would have the con-
trol of the army, it is impossible to conjecture.
When you have a nation like France, with an army
of more than half a million of men, increasing their
armaments in every direction, and indicating an
aggressive policy in Europe, then, for the sake of
Europe, but above all for the sake of England, it is
necessary that you should place yourselves in such
a state of security and strength that at any moment
you can meet France in council, and if need be
place a check and control upon any aggressive
movements that she may make. (Cheers.) England
is now in a state of security as regards all Europe,
and I believe it is impossible to over-estimate the
value of the influence and interest shown by Eng-
land in the affairs of Europe during the last two
years solely by her strength being so increased, and
the knowledge that if called into the field she is the
strongest power in Europe. (Hear, hear.) Let me
apply this to the American question. Supposing
we had an extremely small military establishment
—supposing we had no fleet, and that this outrage
had been committed by America, does any one mean
to say that a message, even of conciliation and
peace, would have received that attention which it
must receive when they know that we are the best
prepared nation in the world for war ? (Cheers.)
And if the knowledge of that fact makes the Cabi-
net of Mr. Lincoln pause before going to war—if it
averts war and injury to commerce, and bloodshed
of men—l will ask, is there any one in this room
who will not say that the cost of these armaments
has been paid tenfold, and that if they were a hun-
dredfold more costly they are cheap by the saving to
human life, to human misery, and all the calamities
of war. (Loud cheers.) The right hon. gentleman
then proceeded to discuss the American question,
pointing out the origin of the war and its probable
results ; but having reported his opinions on these
matters at the meeting on the previous day it
is unnecessary to repeat them here. After giving a
humorous description of the various versions given
by the Northerns of their victories, he said, with
reference to their democratic institutions, not only
has there been a break-down of the republican con-
stitutions in the State, but it has been the most sud-
den, the most remarkable, the most complete, and
the most deplorable that is recorded in history. But
that break down was inevitable, and for this reason
—that the republic itself was founded on a wrong
principle. The first principle in the governing of a
nation is that the thought and intelligence of the
nation should govern the nation, and that system of
government is most complete,and approaches nearest
to perfection, in which the greatest amount of the
intelligence, the morality, and the patriotism of the
country are made available to its public service.
Now the groat republic of America has entirely re-
pudiated that principle, and instead of governing
from the top, like the nations of the old world, has
tried the experiment of governing the nation from
the bottom. The result is that men who would be
ornaments to any civilised community, but who will
not condescend to court the vulgar passions of the
rabble, have been shut out from the administration
of public affairs; and if Washington and Franklin
were now alive they would be placed in corners,
and the Lincolns and Sewards would be their mas-
ters, because the former would never descend to the
means that are necessary in these days for the at- I
tainment of power. (Hear.) The consequence is that
you have an amount of electoral corruption not
known in any other country in the world.
A NON-ELECTOR—Let us have a reform.
Another NON-ELECTOR—Be quiet, and swallow

the red herrings. (Roars of laughter.)
Mr. HORSMAN—You have there an amount of
parliamentary jobbery not known in any other na-
tion of the world. You have military failures, admi-
nistrative weakness,and financial recklessness which
astonishes the world. You have the government in
the hands of a mob and under the influence of the
most licentious press that the world has ever seen.
And when a national difficulty arises there is not a
man deserving the name of a statesman to deal with
it. (Cheers.) We have every desire for a pacific
solution of the question, but we must remember
that whatever power is conceded to America must
be considered as a legal power, to be hereafter exer-
cised by France, Russia, and Austria. (Hear.) Emi-
nent jurists have laid down the opinion that a Bri-
tish ship is British territory. (Cheers.) If the

Northern states could legally seize Mr. Slidell and
Mr. Mason the Austrian government might legally
seize Kossuth, and the French governmen`, at the
time of the conspiracy, might equally leg lly have
seized M. Bernard. (No, no.) I am statin 4 the opi-
nions of great lawyers, but of course I must defer
to the opinion of any greater lawyer that may be
in this room. (Cheers.) I have lived long enough
to,know that with regard to strictly legal constitu-
tional questions it is right to defer to the opinions
of men who are wiser in these matters than our-
selves. And I will say that we must not get rid of
an immediate difficulty by incurring a future danger.
(Cheers.) We have great interests to contend for.
The international question has been pronounced to
be so plain that it is impossible for the Americans
not to know that they are wrong, and I do not see
how it is possible for any sane man to hesitate as to
the course they ought to adopt. (Cheers.) In the
event of a war the Americans know they have not
the smallest chance of success. They know that
all Europe has pronounced them to be in the wrong,
and I cannot believe that they are so blind or be-
sotted as to persist in what they know to be
wrong. (Cheers.) After contrasting the operative
classes of America with those of England, the
right hon. gentleman concluded by expressing a
hope that the troubles which had arisen:would con-
vince the Americans that the greatest happiness of the
greatest number was involved in the principle that
those who have intelligence and education are en-
titled to govern a country, and that the worst of all
Governments is that in which the whole of the ad-
ministration of a country is placed in one class who,
not having the leisure for education, must of ne-
cessity be the least educated. If there was any
point on which further information was required
he should be most happy to afford it. (Loud
cheers.)
Mr. PETER WOOD, who was received with
mingled cheers and laughter, then rose and said—
Mr. Horsman intimated yesterday that people at a
distance look to his annual visits to Stroud as one
of the gaieties of the season. (Laughter.) And
that must be the case when we consider his various
changes of opinion since he had the first opportu-
nity of appearing on these boards. (Laughter.) A
few years ago he eulogised Lord Palmerston to the
skies. There was no man in England capable of
taking the reins of Government, and doing as Lord
Palmerston did. In the course of a short time he
appeared as an obstructive to every measure for the
advancement of the Liberal party and giving poli-
tical liberty to the masses. (Hear, hear.) Yester-
day he was eulogising Lord Palmerston's Govern-
ment, and was prepared to support Lord Palmer-
ston's measures. (Cheers and laughter.) If that
conduct is not enough to make the people of
Eugland laugh I do not know what is. (Laughter.)
When Mr. Horsman can vary SO much in such
a short space of time, I hope he will go away from
this room and do better for the future, and be a
little more consistent in his dealings with a Liberal
Government. (Hear.) I concur with him in thinking
that the English people are not like the Americans;
but the main gist of his argument was this—that the
English people are not fit to exercise the franchise,
because if they possessed it they would exercise it
in the same manner as the Americans. (Hear.)
Same people are foolish enough to suppose that I
have the ambition of appearing on the hustings.
(Laughter.) Now I can assure you that I hays no
such ambition. (Roars of laughter.) If some people
would drink more water and less beer, they would
have,more sense in their heads and more money in
their pockets. (Continued laughter.) I say I have
no ambition to appear on the hustings, but I want
the working classes to have a fair share in the re-
presentation of the country. (Cheers.) I do not
know how it happens that Mr. Horsman when he
comes here has always in his head the panic of a
war. (Laughter.) With regard to France, he told
us to beware of our ally, and to keep our powder
dry. If he thinks the American affair is likely to
be soon settled, I hope he is right. But I think he
might tell us how far he is prepared to go with the
Government on the question of Reform, (Cheers.)
I can only say if the Government will not give us
the franchise we must become mob orators,
and then I suppose we shall have some English
spies sent amongst us to listen to our sedition, and
then we shall get a couple of years for talking
seditious language. (Laughter.) I hope Mr.
Horsman will tell the non-electors how far he is
disposed to go with respect to the franchise, and
how many of us he considers competent to possess
t, (Cheers.)
Mr. HORSMAN—I have never been in the habit of
shirking any question. I was quite 'prepared for
the question of Mr. Wood, but before I answer it
--(cries of " Oh, oh")—There is no great hurry,
and you will have your answer before I sit down.
(Cheers and laughter.) I have expressed to you
very often my opinions with regard to the franchise
—(laughter)--and am quite prepared to express
them again. I think that universal suffrage would
be the destruction of this country—(cries of "no,
no," and " hear, hear";—and I think that an un-
checked and unbalanced 1.:6 suffrage would lead to
universal suffrage. (No, no.) I have been told that
every word that I have said was against giving the
franchise to the non-electors. Now there was not a
syllable in my speech that in the mind of a rational
man could bear such an interpretation. (Loud laugh-
ter.) What I said was, that in America the whole
government is placed in the hands of one class, and
that the government being placed in the hands of
one class would ruin the country. (Hear, hear.) 1

have always found amongst the Lon-electors a ra-
tional feeling, and although I have been accused of
injustice towards them, I have never taken such
liberties with them as their friend Mr. Wood has
done. The last time we were here some of you ex-
pressed some disapprobation whilst he was speaking.
And what was his reply ? He said he had never
been afraid of the hissing of a goose. (Laughter.)
Mr. WOOD—That was not to a non-elector, but to
an elector. (Laughter.)
Mr. HORSMAN—The interruption came from the
body of the room. (Hear, hear.) And to whom did
his remarks apply to-night ? Somebody in the cor-
ner of the room interrupted him. And what did he
say ? " You have been drinking too much beer."
(Laughter.) Now I never called you geese, and I
never called you drunkards ; but Satan, who re-
proves sin, calls you both geese and drunkards.
(Loud laughter.)
Mr. WOOD—I do not think you have any right
to make use of such an expression as that. (Cheers
and laughter.)
Mr. HoßsMAN—When a man is interrupted,
and tells his interrupter " it would be better to fol-
low my example, and take water, and not beer"—

A NON-ELECTOR—He said " more water."
Mr.HoßsmAN—Well,." more water and less beer.
When a man comes into a room and says that, I
think the conclusion is that he is rather " beery "
himself. (Laughter.) If that is not the proper
conclusion, I confess that I do not understand logic.
(Continued laughter and cheers.) I have told you
my opinion of the franchise. (Oh, oh.) Would
you like me to repeat it. (Yes, yes.) I have stated
in this room, before the Palmerston and the Derby
reform bills were introduced, that there was no ar-
gument which any man could adduce in favour of
one uniform franchise of £6 which will not equally
avail the carrying of the franchise down to 65., and
eventually to 6d. (Hear, hear.) Therefore I say
that an unchecked, unbalanced suffrage of £6, either
rating or rental, is only universal suffrage at two
bites. (Cheers and laughter.) And I say that uni-
versal suffrage would lead us into the condition in
which America now finds herself—(hear, hear, and
oh, oh)—that itwouldpla
of the mostthethehands uneducated
class, class, and I am strongly and resolutely
that change. (Hear, hear.) I want to recall to
your recollection what Mr. Wood seems to have for-
gotten—that I expressed the same ()Onion in the
same words before the last election, and the consti-
tuency of Stroud, knowing my opinions, re-elected
me, and therefore I am entitled to conclude that
my opinion is the opinion of the majority of my
constituents. (Hear, hear.) It was on the ques-
tion of reform and Lord Derby's bill that I broke
away for the first time, aftertwhener tye n-afivde
ryisekaerds
service, from my party. I came
I,reityp,aslsd my opinions,idealltha
that
epvreesrLthtaintigv—e caousldeavt'allumeP-11,, ,a
expressed
and said I would stand by the result. And what

did Mr. Wood and his friends do ? Did they meet
me on the hustings; go to the poll, saying, "Your
opinions are wrong, and we will have a man who
represents our opinions correctly ?" No such thing.
Mr. Wood slunk away. He was a coward at the
poll when a verdict was to be given by the consti-
tuency; but he is a great hero on the platform,
when he thinks that on the question of universal suf-
frage he can get a majority against me. (Cheers.)
Allow me to call to your recollection some circum-
stances which it is most important you should bear
in mind. When I was invited to come here the
extreme Liberal party, of whom Mr. Wood was
one, were, and always have been, my most deter-
mined opponents. I was invited to come here,both
by the moderate and the extreme Liberals. (Hear,
hear, and laughter.) I was invited by the head of
the Liberal party ; but I refused to come forward
on a private invitation, but said that if my name
was adopted at a public meeting I should be proud
to represent the borough. At that meeting, although
the extreme Liberals expressed every dissatisfac-
tion with my opinions, they acquiesced in my adop-
tion on three grounds. The first was that they had
had a tremendous licking and could not elect a
candidate of their own. (Laughter.) The next
was, that previous candidates had been brought
forward by private parties. The third was, that on
principle I had a great objection to canvassing at
elections, and they asked me whether I would pre-
sent myself at the close of each session, and give a
review of it to my constituents. I agreed to do so,
and the extreme party in the borough, although
disapproving of my opinions, said they would
acquiesce in my election. Now, what is the mean-
ing of a representative telling you that at the end of
every session he will present himself before you to
review it ? It means this—that the election at
which he was chosen is conclusive as to his
opinions at that election. (Hear, hear.) I have
come before you annually to review the events
of the session. But what has been the course pur-
sued by my opponents ? Why, at the last election
Mr. Barnard brought down a candidate and kept
him shut up in a cupboard for two days. (Laughter,
and cries oh, oh.) He told me himself that he kept
him in his house for two days.
A NON-ELECTORI wish he was here to expose
you.

Mr. HORS:WAN—At the end of two days he found
that his candidate would have no chance, and then
he was sent back to London. (Laughter.) The po-
sition has been this. You have had year after year
a vote taken in this room upon the one question of
universal suffrage, and the vote has been carried
against me, and every one at a distance fancies I
am censured by my constituents. But I have been
four times elected without opposition, and yet I have
received perpetual votes of censure. And what does
this mean ? It means this ; that the party who is
too weak to meet me at the poll—

A NoN-ELECTOR--You'll find it out the next
time. (Cheers and laughter.)
Mr. HORSMAN—The party who have done every-
thing in their power to prevent my re-election have
raised the question of universal suffrage, on which
they ought to have taken judgment at the poll ;
but shrinking from that, they come upon this plat-
form on irregular occasions to raise a question which
has been already settled. (Cheers.) I know that last
you passed a vote which people at a distance do not
understand. They are simple-minded enough to
suppose that if you censure a man during the recess
you will not elect him when a dissolution takes
place. When I was censured last year, every one at
a distance did not know that it was done by the ex-
treme Radicals and Chartists—(oh, oh)—and they
said, " Your seat at Stroud has gone—you have
had a warning ;" and more than one constituency
somewhat larger than that of Stroud, and sup-
posed to be somewhat Liberal, was taken with
compassion, and they said, "We shall be glad
to give you a refuge as you are going to leave
Stroud." My answer was, " I am very much obliged
to you, but I am very comfortable at Stroud."
(Laughter.) And I:further said "I rather think that
I intend to remain there—(laughter and cheers)—
for although I have been four times censured at in-
tervals, I have been four times elected without op-
position." (Cheers.) When asked the meaning of
this, I said, " You must not be deceived by appear-
ances—there are two sections of the Liberal party,
so called, in Stroud—the one powerful on the plat-
form, the other very strong at the poll ; when a
meeting is held the gentlemen who hold extreme
opinions appear on the platform and get the bile off
their stomachs, and after that they are in good
humour, and the moderate Liberals return me at
the poll. (Laughter.) So it has been in times past
—so I expect it will be in time to come. (Cheers.)
And, although I have no doubt the extreme Radicals

will meet me again and urge their objection, yet I
believe that when the next election comes I shall be
again returned without any contest at all, because
if they oppose me at the poll, to use the language of
our friends across the Atlantic, " they'll be whipped
into a cocked-hat." (Roars of laughter.)
A NON-ELECTOR—WiII you vote for the £5
franchise ?
Mr. HORSMAN—I have told you over and over
again that I will never give any pledge. As your
representative I will state to you my opinions, but
out of Parliament, whether representing this or any
other place, I am; determined to go perfectly un-
fettered. (Cheers.) I have answered all your ques-
tions about the franchise. As to the subject of re-
form, I tell you plainly that it has been a great
claptrap for years past, and that the time has
come when the Liberal party must for its own hon-
our fairly say whether it is prepared to face such
claptraps or yield to them. With respect to Lord 1
Derby's bill, I told you that if you did not get that
yen would get no other for many years to come.
Am I to be reproached because what I said has
come true? I tell you plainly that the public in-
telligence of the country has condemned the ill-con-
sidered, ill-digested, agitation for reform of the last
1 few years, and as for Mr. Wood and the extreme
Radicals they may as well attempt to galvanise a
dead ja3kass as to resuscitate it. (Cheers and
laughter, and cries of "Oh, oh.")
Mr. PUMFREY—Mr. Horsman was asked a ques-
tion, and he made a speech to show how badly ho
has been served. We want to know whether he is
in favour of any extension of the franchise ?
A NON-ELECTOR—Let him say "yes" or " no."
Mr. HORSMAN—That is an intelligible question,
to which I can give an intelligible answer, but it is
not an answer which any rational or honest man
will pretend to give in one sentence. Of course,
when we see an enormous mass of our fellow-coun-
trymen cut of the pale of the electoral franchise,
many of them being fit for the franchise, every man
of common sense would say that ho wishes to see them
in the enjoyment of the franchise. In the large ope-
rative class, which is advancing in education, but
amongst whom education is very unequally diffused,
there must be many who are unfit for the franchise
as well as many who are qualified for its exorcise, and
it is a difficult task for any statesman to decide who
shall be admitted, without swamping those who now
enjoy it by those who are unfit for it. Every man
who cares at all for the good government of the
country and the contentment of the masses will de-
sire to embrace within the franchise every man that
can be safely admitted. The question is, how is
that to be done ? If you make every man an elector
upon the same qualification; if you place a man of
the highest intelligence exactly ou a level with a
man of the lowest intelligence; if you make the
proprietor of half a county of precisely the same
value as his ploughman, if you give a large master
manufacturer precisely the same power as his poorest
operative, that is manifestly unjust, because it is
making an enfranchisement of individuals, and is
not a qualification of the intelligence, knowledge, or
judgment of the individuals. When I am asked if
I am in favour of an extension of the franchise, and
were to give a general affirmative answer, it would
be a claptrap answer which I should be ashamed to
give.nvootte
v foo(tlrel,tehaiiner
a,
ehxwethae r.) B
tiysit
ohlel of
I House
otuhsee willof
franchisetell
myu w oniownshhidycihdl
has
toos ed.
lose
thanlt is
beenhas mporroep
gainthis—that h
y
munatsrtybew
very
careful of change ; and I have seen no plan yet pro-
posed which would not make the present system
worse instead of better. There are three great ele-
ments of representation—property, education, and
numbers. You must give, as far as you can, a fair

share to each. You must give a monopoly to none.
Before the Reform Bill the aristocracy, the wealth
of the country, had a monopoly. Since the Reform
Bill the middle class has had a larger share. The
question now is, whether you can introduce a further
change and give to the operative class a fair share
without giving them monopoly. (Hear, hear.) No
such plan has been proposed. In every plan which
has yet been suggested for remedying the evil I see
great difficulty and great danger. in remedying
small evils they would introduce larger ones ; and
until some plan is proposed which will bear discus-
sion, I must suspend my judgment as to any general
conclusion. (Cheers.) Every one admits that the
great mistake of the Reform Bill was the establish-
ment of an uniform household money qualification,
because it placed all future Parliaments in this dif-
ficulty—that the franchise could never be extended
except in a downward direction—thus endanger-
ing the swamping of the existing constituen-
cies. In several places the constituencies would be
more than doubled by the £6 franchise, and the
consequence would be that the election would be
entirely in the hands of a new and a poor constitu-
ency. Now I do not think such a change at all de-
sirable. (Hear.)
Mr. ALFRED STANTON then moved, " That this
meeting having heard Mr. Horsman's views on poli-
tical matters, feels called upon to express its thanks
to him for having on this and similar occasions
afforded his constituents the opportunity of meet-
ing him in public."
Mr. W. HOLMES seconded the resolution, which
was carried unanimously.
Mr. HORSMAN having briefly acknowledged the
compliment, three cheers were given, and the meet-
ing separated.

RAILWAYS AND PUBLIC COMP,4.NIEg.

CRYSTAL PALACE.

The directors of this company state in their re-
port that the accounts for the year ending the 31st
of October last show a balance to the credit of re-
venue of £48,599, being a little in excess of that for
the preceding 12 months. To this balance must be
added the reserve of £12,229 brought forward from
1860, making a total credit of £59,828 available for
interest an d dividends. After payment of the dividend
on the debenture and preference stocks and balance of
interest account for the year, amounting to £29,592,
a sum will be left of £30,235, out of which the direc-
tors recommend the payment of a dividend of 2 per
cent. on the ordinary stock (equivalent to 2s. on each
original share), which will amount to £20,058,
leaving a balance of £10,177 to be carried forward.
In reference to the capital account, it appears tothe
directors that the time has now arrived when it is
desirable to adjust this more closely to the existing
circumstances of the company, and with this view
the sum of £27,415 has been transferred to the de-
bit of capital from the Dulwich-wood account, and
£15,000 from the land purchase account. The effect
of the arrangement with Mr. Wythes for the re-
demption of the improved rent under his lease by
the payment of £14,500 as sanctioned by the meet-
ing in June last is—after deducting some other al-
lowances from Dulwich College, and the ground
rents of the houses already built and occupied—to
reduce the annual rent now payable from £3,000 to
£1,282. Other arrangements are in negotiation by
which this rent will be further reduced, and it is
anticipated that before long sufficient plots of ground
will be let to cover the whole outgoings upon the
property. But, as the principal reduction in the
rent did not come into operation till the last quarter
of 1860-61, it appears necessary for the present year
to follow the practice hitherto adopted in regard to
this property, of charging the rent to the Dulwich-
wood account, and not to the annual revenue. At
the same time, it should be stated that the interest
on the additional capital (viz„ £14,500 paid to Mr.
Wythes, and £12,500 paid to the College for the
road) has been charged to the revenue. For the
future, however, the directors think that it will be
advisable to change the revenue with the rent as
now reduced, so as to avoid making any further ad-
ditions to the Dulwich-wood account ; and as it is
apparent that the amount now standing to the debit
of the latter account is materially in excess of the
value represented by the property, they have writ-
ten off £27,415 from this account to the debit of
capital. It must be borne in mind, however, that
the property as it now stands is of great value, as
will be seen from the fact that the reduced rent
now payable by the company under the lease is
£1,282, while the total rent which will be realised
from the land when entirely covered, at ground
rents proportionate to those already ob-
tained, is estimated at the least at £3,000 per
annum. The very onerous covenants in respect of
the lease (involving an outlay by the company of
£40,000) are now practically satisfled. This sum is
made up by expenditure on the formation of roads
and the erection of houses, including under the hit-
ter head the sum of £13,572, and between £5,000
and £6,000 on additional houses now in course of
erection, and rapidly approaching completion.
Negotiations with the College are on foot for appor-
tioning the rents on the houses, so that they will be
available for sale or lease. There has been an in-
crease in the gross revenue of the past year to the
amount of £6,038. Almost the whole of this excess
has been absorbed, partly in works necessary for
the approaching season, and partly in the expenses
of special occasions. The total number of visitors
during the year has reached 1,650,760, being an
increase of 118,809 on those of the preceding 12
months. In addition to the sums now charged to
the revenue account there has been an outlay of
about £2,500 in restoring the damage occasioned to
the north wing ; this has been effected by building
an orangery, but the directors considered that this
is an item which ought ultimately to be charged to
the reserve fund. The directors look forward very
hopefully to the prospects of the company for 1862.
They believe that the time of a great international
exhibition in London would prove highly advan-
tageous to the Crystal Palace, because the number
of persons visiting the various places of public resort
in and near London more than doubled itself dur-
ing the period of the former Great E xhibition. The
directors also calculate upon a considerable acces-
sion to the exhibitors' department from parties who
desire either to exhibit in duplicate (with the pri-
vilege of making sales) those articles which they
show at Kensington, or from those who have not
been able to obtain from the commissioners the
space they applied for. The directors keep in
view the desirability of fostering and encou-
raging these important sources of revenue. The
preparations for the Handel 1, estival in June next
are being pressed forward with all necessary
despatch. Every effort is making, both by
the company and the Sacred Harmonic Society,
to render the festival so perfect, both as regards
the music and the arrangements for the visitors,
that its success shall eclipse that of 1859. At the
same time the expenditure is being carefully
vw atched. The opening of the West London Exten-
sion Railway in May. next must produce advan-
tageous results to the company. An extraordinary
meeting will be held for the purpose of creating the
balance of £50,000 of Preferential Debenture Six
per Cent. Stock. The principal additions which
have been made to capital subsequent to April 30,
1858, are the following :—Extra plant for the re-
freshment department and increased accommodation
connected therewith, £13,132; additions to expen-
diture on Dulwich-wood since the same date, X 13,504;
expended in construction of houses in Dulwich-
wood, £13,572 ; and a further expenditure, necessary
to complete the houses now in course of erection, of
between £5,000 and £6,000. The additional capital
of £50,000 now required is thus clearly accounted
for. The directors believe that the additional ex-
penditure has been judiciously incurred in the inte-
rests of the company ; and, as tho money expended
on the objects fur which it is required has been
hitherto supplied chiefly by temporary loans, the
creation of this addition to the permanent capital
will not add materially to the charge against the
revenue, while it will place the company in a pro-
per financial position.
The capital account to the 31st of October last
shows that £1,461,237 had been received, and
£1,429,434 expended, leaving a balance of £31,103.
The revenue recount for the year ending the 31st
of October last shows that £126,708 had been re-
ceived, including £10,901 for season tickets and

£77,488 for ordinary admissions, £13,141 for exhi-
bition rents, and £19,132 for refreshment contracts.
The expenditure amounted to £78,109, leaving a
balance of £48,599.

GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA.

rho traffic receipts on this company's line for the
week ending the 23d of November amounted to
17,398 duls. for local passengers, to 3,874 for foreign
passengers, to 3,343 dols. for mails, &c., to 48,148
dols. for local freight and live stock, to 2,436 dols for

timber and lumber, to 1,435 dols. for firewood,
and to 13,476 for foreign freight and live stock ;
total, 90,110 against 78,424 in the correspond-
ing week of 1860, showing an increase of 11,687
dols. The total traffic receipts from the Ist of July
to the above date amounted to 1,406,866 dols., and
for the same period of last year to 1,450,622, show-
ing an increase of 56,214 dols.