The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-16 00:00:00

feeling ever will arise if proper precaution betaken to I
prevent mistake ; but a sense of disappointment would
be engendered in the minds of our soldiers if they
thought that their services were about t be dispensed
with on account of the Volunteers, and the Volunteers
themselves would be equally displeas .In deed I have
been told that many of them have aid they would
retire from the movement if it were to have such an
effect. There is no doubt of this, that if it were not
for the Volunteers a larger standing army, and as a
consequence a greater expenditure would be re-
quired. In that way the country is much indebted
to the Volunteers ; but the strength of the regular
army must always be depended on for distant gar-
risons and foreign service. A large number of our
troops must be kept in distant places, and a large
number must be kept up at home with a view of
relieving them. Ido not know any more than
any other gentleman here what may be the inten-
tion of the Government; but I say it is probable
that some reduction may be necessary in order to
bring down the army establishment to the number
voted by Parliament. At the commencement of the
present financial year there were 15,000 more men
in Innia than there were on the Indian establish-
ment. So long as they remained there they were
paid by the Indian Government; but I, for one,
always knew that when they did not require those
troops the Indian Government would send them
home. (Hear.) lam sure that the army will not be
reduced below the numbers voted by Parliament.
This is not a time when our army could be dimi-
nished. We see Continental nations keeping up
great armies on a war footing. We ourselves are
raising fortifications of great magnitude. Those on
the south side of the Thames alone will require
61,000 men to garrison them ; and therefore I am
perfectly sure there is no intention of lowering the
number of our troops below that voted by Parlia-
ment. (Hear, hear,) I place the greatest confidence
in the noble lord at the head of the Government, and
feel no doubt that he will uphold the power of the
country and defend its honour.
" The Militia and the Volunteers," was then given.
Mr, DAy returned thanks for the Volunteers.

After several other toasts had been drunk,

Mr. FELLOWES, M.P., in returning thanks for
" The County Members," observed, in reference to
what had been said by one of the farmers, that he
thought the best lease a tenant could have was a
good understanding with the landlord. He had
never had leases on his property, but, nevertheless,
he had never had any difficulty with his tenants.
(Hear, hear.)
Lord ROBERT MONTAGU, M.P., also returned
thanks, and in the course of his observations said
that borough members were expected to come down
once a-year to their constituents, give an account of
their stewardship, enter into details about the last
session, and explain their general votes and the part
they had taken in the legislation of the country,
but at that meeting the members present were de-
barred altogether from entering into politics. What
was that for ? He presumed it was because the
members of the Huntingdonshire Agricultural
Society had a hatred of party spirit, and were
determined that no factious feeling should arise
at their dinners. He did not complain of that ;
they Ni ere right in it. No one hated party
spirit more than he did. It was it that had
denuded the House of Commons of that feeling
which at one time distinguished it, and made it
reckless of all that which it once held dear. His-
tory showed that every kingdom which had de-
tlined commenced its ruin by displaying an increase
of party spirit; and the Atlantic Monthly, one of
the most important publications in America, attri-
buted the present war to party spirit. After some
some further observations in denunciation of party
spirit, the noble lord concluded by heartily thank-
ing the company for the manner in which they had
received the toast.
The toast of " The Borough Members" having
been drunk.

Gen. PEEL rose and said—My hon. colleague
may be equally gratified with me at the manner in
which you have received this toast ; but at the pm- I
sent day it is not very easy to address an agricul-
tural meeting. The very day on which this dinner
was fixed I read an article in the Times newspaper
which referred to the difficulty under which mem-
bers of Parliament laboured who were called on to
speak at agricultural meetings. The article remarked
that if they spoke on agricultural subjects they were
sure to be impertinent, and if they spoke on politi-
cal subjects they were sure to be offensive. (Laugh-
ter.) Now, were Ito address you on the former of
these topics I should be guilty of great folly and
show my ignorance, for you have been addressed by
gentlemen who have forgotten more than I ever
learnt on agriculture. (Laughter.) Knowing that I
had to come here, the only way I thought I could
get out of the fix was to read the reports at agri-
cultural meetings at which members of Parliament
attended, and learn what they said. Well, the first
I took up was one which the Times headed " Mr.
Henley and Colonel North in Oxfordshire." This
pleased me, for I know of no more safe guide than
my right hon. friend Mr. Henley. I knew that he
would say nothing impertinent—that he would
utter nothing offensive. However, I had not pro-
ceeded far with his speech till I found him avowing
that he did not know very well what to say. He
informed the company that he had been warned of
the presence of the press. In answer to that warn-
ing he stated that he had nothing to say ; but
then he received the additional warning that he
had better get himself up on something. (Laugh-
ter.) That was what my right hon. friend said he
could never do. Neither could I. He then made
another remark with which I agree. Like him, I
am delighted that the gentlemen of the press are
here, for they make better speeches for us than we
can ourselves, and I know that they have an esprit
de corps that will make them not wish to see the
borough members read worse than those of the
counties. (Laughter and cheers.) Well, gentle-
men, I stuck to reading the agricultural speeches ;
and there was one thing struck me, which is this,
that " one man may steal a horse, while another
may not look over a hedge." (Laughter.) One day I
saw one story in the times, and another day another.
In one place politics were permitted, in another
they were rigidly excluded. A meeting was held
near Bosworth; and, by way of parenthesis, as I
know that neighbourhood well and used to getup by
candlelight to meet the hounds there, I must observe
that no county wanted an agricultural movement
more. (Laughter.) Mr. Newdegate broke out on the
subject of family. I do not know why he did so,
but the report mentioned that there were a number
of ladies present. (Renewed laughter.) There was
a meeting in Staffordshire, and an hon. 'gentleman
gave utterance to some sentiments there which were
received with anything but approbation. At other
agricultural meetings subjects were entered on
(1
which I should think it prsumptuous in me to dis-
cuss there. Here you sP..y that politics are excluded,
but allow me to tell you that some of the speakers
have entered on two of the most important of poli-
tical subjects. A gentleman has spoken of tenant-
right. If that gentleman had had as much experi-
ence of the discussion of tenant-right as I have had
he would know that the question is a most difficult
one. (Hear, hear.) And I would say more—that any
question between landlord and tenant ought to be
discussed between the two parties themselves.
(Rear, hear.) Something has been said about the
want of labourers in the rural districts. Are the
proprietors sure that they have not to answer for
that themselves ?
(Hear, hear.) Are you sure you
have paid thatou attention to the. labourers torn-
forts Which
These
„glib. to induce him to remain ?
other places by m ifec.ts have. been ably handled in
friends Sir
(Rear.)
Pakington and Sir
agricultuor hlav- e
the
;
taken an active part
si na ypr
dependo mo t i n
upon
Laurence Palk, lien
on it thata are subjects which
discuyss among yourselves.
you would do better to and again I
There was another agricultural meeting, attended
by a noble lady who goes over every year to be pre-
sent at a similar gathering. I refer to the meeting
at which the Marchioness of Londonderry adodrees. egd
her tenantry. An hon. and learned friend
Sir Hugh Cairns, was also present, saida.f mine,
that
it did not require a man ,should be a farmer in order
that he might have a sincere wish for the prosperity
of the agricultural interest. I concur in that, for I
am not a farmer; lam, nevertheless, a sincere well_
wigglier of that interegt—but the nhgeiNent put of