The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-25 00:00:00

placed were cut away. The British Museum was not as-
saulted, but the garrison, I believe, managed to consume
the three days' provisions before Sunday. (Laughter.) Well,
now come to a later time—the period of the Exhibition in
llyde-park in 1851. There was then alive a man who stood
pre-eminent in this country, the Duke of Wellington. He was,
terrified—a man who was supposed never to h ave been alarmed
—but he was alarmed at the people of his own country. He
urged upon the Government, who of course agreed with him,
to draw near to the metropolis a large number of troops in
case of emergency. Why, if half-a-dozen foreigners had at-
tempted to get up an insurrection in London, they would
have been put into the reservoirs in Trafalgar-square by the
people themselves, and yet it was considered necessary to
bring these troops near to London, to be ready in case of
disturbance. I remember the noble lord the member for
Tiverton (Lord Palmerston) gave us an account of what some
foreigner told him as to the conduct and deportment of the
masses of the people. The noble lord knows a good deal of
the character of the people, and he said, " All this order
is the result of a sense among the people that they have a
Government which, upon th whole, does not intend to
oppress them, that they are a people good in themselves,
intelligent and orderly, and that a policeman among them
is an authority of high dignity, whom they at once obey."
The remark is creditable to the noble lord's good taste, and
is perfectly just to the people of this country. Now, I ask
hon. gentlemen opposite why are they so afraid of the
manufacturing, ? The manufacturin, the employing class, does not
fear them. At the Bradford meeting were present, when I
moved the resolution, Mr. Titus Salt and Mr. Crossley, We.
brother of the member for Halifax. Those gentlemen con-
duct vast manufacturing and commercial undertakings.
There are no men more prosperous, and none
have more confidence in the people. (Hear, hear.)
Those two gentlemen agreed cordially with every proposi-
tion I made as to an extension of the suffrage. The meet-
ings at Rochdale, Bury, Blackburn, and Bolton were attended
by gentlemen equally eminent ; at the meeting at Bolton
there were four gentlemen who employ not less than 6,000
or 7,000 people, and who own property of not less than a
million sterling ; one of those gentlemen thought my pro-
posal as to the suffrage was not sufficiently extensive.
(Hear, hear.) Why is it they do not regard the people with
the same fears you do ? They must now what they are
about ; they know that any convulsion or disturbance in
society would touch them first. Your landed estates are
much more permanent as property than our inanufactories.
Any disturbance or violent action of a democratic nature
would be more dangerous to us than to you. (Hear, hear.)
Yet a large proportion of the employers of labour favour a
large extension of the suffrage, and believe it would prove
for the safety of their property; for the working men, in
thinking over this question, feel they are distrusted, that
they are marked as inferiors, that they are a sort of pariahs.
In that position, should there be an opportunity, great dis-
content and turbulence might arise ; but if you give them a
vote they will have more self-respect, more elevation of
mind. I will read an extract from a letter I have received
from a working man—l believe a stonemason—on the ques-
tion whether or not working men have any interest in the
country. He says :
" But some say that we, as working men, have no stake
and no interest in the country. 1 hardly know what is meant
by these assertions ; but if to make sacrifices for the good
of our country be any proof of an interest I believe the
working classes can clearly show greater sacrifices, and
fairly claim to have greater stake and interest both in the
country and in good government. I had three uncles who
all lost their lives fighting for their country ; I had three
brothers, two of whom served under Loyd Wellington
throughout the Peninsular campaign ; and my third and
youngest brother lost his life in the Indian -war, and now
lies buried at Kurnaul. I had two nephews, one of whom
died of the cholera at Varna, and the other, after serving
throughout the Crimean war, was raised from' the ranks,
and is now a lieutenant. No doubt but very many working
men could tell of even greater sacrifices and aim ilar tales of
their families, except the last. To these statements I would
only add, that if the working classes have no stake and no
interest in their country, they must be wonderful lovers of
their country for nothing."
Now, there is only one other point to which I will allude;
it was touched upon by the Solicitor-General when he re-
ferred to the state of Europe ; he warned the house to be-
ware what it was about to do in regard to this question. I
draw quite a different lesson—a different conclusion from
what he said of the state of Europe. In 1830 there was also
a state of Europe and France that was not satisfactory, and
it had great effect on the legislation of this house, in the
course of the two succeeding years, on the question of re-
form. In 1848 the state of Europe was again unsatisfactory,
and was it not a subject of congratulation that two
years before the corn laws had been abolished, and one
great cause of discontent removed ? (Cheers.) I assure you
that resistance is not always conservative. (Cheers.) I pro-
fess to be, in intention, as conservative as you. I believe
infinitely more so, if you look forward 20 or 30 years into
the future. Was not free trade conservative ? (Cheers.)
And yet you resisted it to the last. I recollect when the
Chancellor of the Exchequer used to get up, and, with
dishevelled hair, tell us of the cruelty practised on the
ruined and betrayed agriculturist. (Cheers and laughter.)
I recollect he addressed us on the condition of the opera-
fives two or three years afterwards ; and since that time
his condition has gone on improving rapidly. Is not pro-
sperity conservative ? Is not peace conservative ? (Hear,
hear.) Any energies I possess I have devoted to their ad-
vance ; I have endeavoured to stand on the rules of political
economy, and to be guided by the higher rules of true
morality ; and when advocating a measure of reform larger
than some are prepared to grant, I appear in that character,
for I believe a substantial measure of reform would elevate
and strengthen the character of our population; that, in
the language of the beautiful prayer read here every day, it
would tend "to knit together the hearts of all persons and
estates within this realm." (Cheers.) I believe it would
add to the authority of the decisions of Parliament; and I
feel satisfied it would confer a lustre time could never dim
on that benignant reign under which we have the happiness
to live. (Cheers.)
On the motion of Sir S. NORTHCOTE, the debate was
then adjourned.
The Nottingham Charities Bill passed through com-
mittee. _ _ _

The house adjourned at 10 minutes to ono o'clock.

THE NAVE

The steam storeships Dee and Rhadamanthus yesterday
commenced shipping boilers and machinery for ships build-
ing at Portsmouth and Devonport. The wharfs and land-
ing-places are completely choked with long rows of huge
boilers and steam gear, required for the many ships under
construction and fitment in the western yards.
On Wednesday a court-martial assembled on board the
Formidable, guard-ship of ordinary at Sheerness, to try
Commander John H. Cave, and Mr. George P. Heather,
master of the paddlewheel steam-sloop Ardent, in conse-
quence of the said paddlewheel steam-sloop having, on the
24th of December, 1858, been run on shore on the Main,
off Great Poko, on the West Coast of Africa, while in charge
of Lieutenant Neal, D. F. Lillingstone, as: officer of the
morning watch. The Court sentenced them to be repri-
manded and admonished to be more careful for the future.

The Trafalgar, lately converted into a screw
battle-ship at Chatham, has arrived at Sheerness, and has
been taken into the fitting basin. She is ordered to be
taken into No. 3 dry dock, to be immediately made ready
for being commissioned.
Stork, 2, screw gunboat (tender to Excellent) has re-
paired defects to her hull, and will haul out of No. 2 dock
at Portsmouth to resume her official duties.
Sutlej, 50, sailing frigate, in No. 9 dock, at Portsmouth,
has had moulds placed to lengthen her some 80 feet, for the
purpose of converting her to a screw.
The Urgent, 6, iron screw troop frigate, will take her first
trip to Berehaven, after which she makes short voyages in
succession with exchanges of troops, finishing at the West
Indies.

A great number of bluejackets arrived at Portsmouth
yesterday afternoon by railway, to enter on board the
Mersey, 40, screw, Captain Caldwell.
Admiral Bowles returned from Osborne to Portsmouth
yesterday in the Fire Queen.
THE NAVAL FORCE IN COMMISSION.—The following is
a resume of the present position of our nava/ force in com-
mission at home and abroad .—On home stations there are
135 ships, tenders, &c., carrying 2,315 guns, and with a
complement of 19,767 officers and men • on foreign stations
there are 135 ships, tenders, &c., mounting 1,715 guns, and
with a complement of 20,427 officers and men ; on particu-
lar service, surveying service, ordered home, and paying
off, there are 34 ships, tenders, &c., with 432 guns, and
5,453 officers and men. In addition to the above there are
232 flag officers and retinues, 1,813 supernumerary marines
in China, &c. ; 1,932 supernumerary engineers, warrant
officers, &c. in ordinaries ; 49 supernumeraries in flag ships
abroad; and 419 Kroomen, making a total of 50,092 officers
and men.

The steam transport Peninsula yesterday completed her
shipment of guns and war stores for Gibraltar—namely, 47
guns of 95 cwt. each, and 100 tons of shot and shell. The
Wensleydale, also laden with guns and war stores, has
sailed from Woolwich for Malta, and the Jessie Annandale
yesterday left the pier with a cargo of guns, shot, and shell
for Gibraltar.

The following appointments were made yesterday at the
Admiralty :—Commander F. S. M'Gregor, to be inspecting
commander of the Coastguard, vice Harrison, whose period
of service has expired ; Commander T. P. Coode, to the
James Watt; and Lieut. G. W. E. Lloyd, to the Tartarus.

THE ARMY.

Major-General Sir W. F. Williams, commanding the
garrison at Woolwich, attended by Colonel Bloomfield and
the garrison staff, yesterday passed his annual inspection of
the field batteries of Royal Artillery.
No. 8 field battery, composed of 18-pounder heavy gims,
ambulance waggons, ammunition carts, loaded and packed
ready for service, forges, &c., yesterday left Woolwich
Arsenal for Sheernesss, and two other batteries are in readi-
ness for departure. Every department in the Arsenal has
for some days past assumed the most active appearance in
preparing gun-carriages, platforms, ammunition and powder
cases, and fitting out guns, batteries, and war stores, for
transmission to the coast and the colonies.
The Government has granted the sum of £3,000 for the
purpose of enlarging the Royal Engineer officers' mess at
Brompton barracks, Chatham.
gunswhen
48 ex
Mr. John Anderson, assistant-engineer for rifled ord-
nance, yesterday took over the charge of the old Lancaster
shell foundry in Woolwich Arsenal to immediately com-
mencepetriheeninced anuitecnture
of
employeds!rWi the Royal
Armstrong's
Standard gun
foundry were transferred to the new department.