The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-28 00:00:00

THURSDAY, April 9.

Antrim (County)
Down (County)
Dublin (County) l

Donegal (County)

Tipperary

Fermanagh
Longford (County)

TUESDAY, April 14.

The Frankfort journals record the return on the 24th
of M. de Bulow, minister of Denmark to the Diet, from
hie political visit to the Condo of Berlin and Vienna.

Lord J. RUSSELL. —I ascribe the kind reception
whfch you have given mo to the fact that I stand
here to vindicate the, independence of the electors
of the city of London. I cannot think it right that
any select set of geutlemen should tell you, not
only what class of members you ought to rt. turii,
but who should be the particular persons whoni you
ought to choose from that cla,s3. It appea-s to me,
indeed, that such a system would be one of int )16-
rable dictation. (Rear, hear.) I may, perhair, be
allowed to refer to some statements that have been
made by Mr. Dillon. I entertain great respect for
that gentleman, and I hope nothing I may say of
him will be inconsistent with that respect. It is
quite true that Mr. Dillon received a letter from
me expressing my intention to decline the honour
of coming forward as a candidate on this occasion ;
but he had previously received another letter from
me informing him that I meant to consider maturely
what course I should pursue, and, as the election
could not take place until some time after that letter
was written, I thought that at least several days
would be allowed me to come to a decision. In de-
termining what course I should take I considered
that I had for a lengthened period discbard_th9
duties Of one- of yetii represrilatives—(ccreers)—
that those duties were by no means light, and that
I might properly resign them to others when the
principles of free trade had, even by the avowal of
their opponents, been firmly established. But,
gentlemen, when I found that at a meeiing not
very numerous—and which had probably been pre-
arranged with a good deal of care—(" hear," and
laughter)—it was presumed without any authority
that I had resigned ; when I found that Mr. Dillon
had not thought proper to undeceive any persons
who entertained that impression, and to state that
he knew I had not made up my mind to re-
sign, although I admit he was not bound to
do so ; when I found that a small num-
ber of the electors had come to a decision, without,
I believe, the discussion of any proposal in the
shape of a general resolution excluding me from
the honour of representing the city of London, I
felt, having served you for many years with fidelity
and integrity, though I may, no doubt, have com-
mitted may errors, that thus to exclude me was an
insult to myself and an injury to the electors of the
city of London. (Cheers.) Under these circum-
stances I could entertain no doubt as to the course

I should pursue, and I determined not to shrink
from this contest—(cheers)—however severe it
might be, and however small might be the number
of electors who polled for me, but to come here
and put it to the constituency at large whether
they will confirm or deny the decree of the self-
constituted power to which I have referrel (Loud
cheers.) Mr. Dillon tells me, gentlemen, that he
does not like my faults. (A laugh.) Very well.
I have no doubt that I have my faults—(laughter
and cheers)—but I wonder whether, when the
Registration Association put forward four gentle-
men to represent you, they ascertained that no one
of them had any fault whatever. (Renewed laugh-
ter and cheering.) Are we to presume that we
have before us to-day four faultless candidates for
the honour of representing you, who have been put
forward by four faultle>s proposers and four fault-
less seconders? (Loud laughter and cheers.) For
my part, I am quite ready to admit my faults, but
I doubt very much whether in this city of London
you would be able to find four men to sit in the
House of Commons—unless, indeed, they s ayed
away, as one of them has frequently done—who
would not commit faults in the conduct of public
business. Cheers.) There was another point
upon which Dillon enlarged with some ,yehe-
memo. He says he hears I am to have the sup-
port of a grea-tiumber of Tories. I don't know
how that may be, but I can very well understand
that, although gentlemen holding Conservative
opinions may have no sympathy with me as Tories,
they may sympathise with me as Englishmen.
(Cheers.) It is the feeling of Englishmen—be they
Tories, be they Wbigg, be they Radicals, or be
they Chartists—to t4e4igr to see fair play. (Cries
ur - --z ones They know heat i nave
not had fair play—(thee s)—anti thuy wish to sod
justice done to me. (A Voice,—" So we will
to-morrow.") (Loud cheers.) The resolutions
passed in the first instance by the committee in
their secret councils, and afterwards brought for-
ward and adopted at a meeting without discussion,
and apparently without any direct reference to me,
declared it expedient that the city of London
should be represented by four commercial men.
Now, I doubt, gentlemen, whether you should ac-
cept that proposition. I don't think it necessary
that every commercial town should have none but
commercial representatives. (Cheers.) Such a
practice has not prevailed either in this city or in
other places, and it must be remembered that Par-
liament is called upon to deal very extensively
with public business which does not at all partake
of a commercial character. Liverpool is a great
commercial port, and was for a long time repre-
sented by Mr. Canning, who held high office under
the Crown, but who was not connected with the
mercantile business of the port. Mr. Huskisson,
who succeeded Mr. Canning in the representation
of Liverpool, although holding office at the Board.
of Trade, was unconnected with the local commer-
cial business of the town. I say, then, that a bad
general maxim was put forward, but I do not be-
lieve it was advocate in sincerity as a maxim
which should always be observed. I believed it
I
was put forward in order that no risk might be run
by excluding my name directly from the list o f can-
didates, but that an attempt was made indirectly
to debar me from again becoming one of your repre-
sentative. (Hear, hear.) I think, however, gen-
tlemen, that another question• is involved in this
election, which it behoves all electors to consider,
—namely, the independence of Parliament. I quite
allow that Lord Palmerston is a man who is fit.to
preside over the councils of this empire. (Loud
cheers and faint hisses.) I think he deserves the
support of the House of Commons and of the nation
(cheers)—but I cannot admit that if the House of
Commons cometo a vote adverse to the Government,
they, or the majority of them, are to be stigmatised
as desiring to make the degradation and humiliation
of their country a stepping-stone to power.
(Cheers.) I think th e House of Commons ought to be
independent, and that they ought to vote upon the
merits of every question. They may commit errors,
but they should have a free and independent choice,
and they ought not to be browbeaten as they have
been by any Minister. (Cheers.) There are some
other questions to which I wish to refer. (Cheers
and interruption.) I will not detain you long, but,
as. I am standing alone against a powerful combina-
tion, I wish to explain the grounds upon which I
claim your suffrages. (Cheers.) I think that among
the measures proposed to the House of Commons
ought to be one for a considerable extension of the
suffrage. (Cheers.) It was my duty in the first in-
stance as the organ of my own Administration, and
subsequently as the organ of Lord Aberdeen's Ad-
ministration, to introduce a measure which con-
tained provisions for extending the right of voting.
I have sometimes been accused of inertness in these
matters, but allow me to say that it was owing to
the want of support both in the House of Com-
mons and the country that I was induced not to
persevere with that measure. I am happy to see
that there is now a disposition among the people to
support a measure of that kind. I trust that that
disposition will grow so strong that such a measure
may be carried by a majority of the next House of
Commons. (Cheers, and a Voice—" It will if you
bring it forward.") It belongs, in the first place, to
the Government of the day to bring forward such
a measure. Lord Palmerston was a member of
the Government of Lord Aberdeen, which intro-
duced the last proposal on this subject, and ho
may think it right to renew such a proposaL (" He
never will.") But if he repeats the objections which
he stated to Mr. Locke King's motion, and says
that be is neither for a large reform nor for a small
reform, I shall deem it my duty, if I am a member
of the House of Commons, to ask for brave to bring
in a bill to extend the franchise. (Cheers.) Gentle-
men, there is another question in which you take a
deep interest, and to which I can only promise my
continued support.. It is the extension of the advan-
tage 3 of religious liberty to our fellow-subjects of
the Jewish persuasion. (Cheers.) I know not how
such a proposition may be viewed by the next
House of Commons, but I shall be glad to see it re-
ceived by Parliament with favour, because I think
that,. the edifice of free trade having been com-
pleted by the repeal of the navigation laws, the
edifice of religious liberty ought likewise to be
completed by the emancipation of the Jews.
(Cheers.) There is another question on which there
has no doubt been great difference of opinion. I
allude to church-rates. I believe that question
may be fairly settled, but I do not think it can be
so settled unless the House of Commons takes into
consideration the claims of the Dissenters on the
ono band, and the rights of the Church on the

Other. .No partial measure, no . measure which is
not founded on that fair and equal foot;ingi is, in
my opinion, likely to succeed in the:House of
Lords. (Interruption.) Upon other topics I will
not detain you long. With regard to the'ballet I
have nothing to add to what I have hitherto 'said,
and I must, therefore, leave that point without
further remark. But there are two or three mat-
ters relating to foreign policy (in which I wish to
offer a few words—(hear)---.--and one of them has' re-
ference:to my conduct at Vienna. (Hisses ant
cheers.) I cannot state that conduct .fully. I can
touch on only one or two portions of it, because it
vvai not thought right by the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs to produce tho d•-spatche4 whiiih I
had written. Ido not find fault with his exerpise
of the discretion vested in him ; hut, the fact' tning
a; I have stated, it is irupo:sible for me to have my
case fully before the public. This, however, I Will
say deducing it only from what I said in my place
in the House of Colmmons, and from that which
has appeared in the documents laid before Paitlia-
naent, that it was my opinion that France, Great
Britain,. and Austria ought all to combine for the
purpose of securing Turkey. (Cheers and
in r-
ruption.) I proposed a treaty to that effect tof)4e.
Austrian Government, and, although toe prop Pal
met with little success then, it has been since adopt-
ed, and a treaty was accordingly signed last April
al., Paris, on the basis of which the present security
of Tutkey rests. Another point which I desirie t
mention is that I wro a from Vienna, with respect
to the Circassian forts, that Russia should not again.
lie
allowed to occupy the ; 'because it always ,ap-
pelt-0d to me that the greatest danger t.) Turkey
came from the side of Asia. And I grett'y regket,
when the peace of Paris was made, that that pro-
posal of mine did not form part of the treaty ; !for
then weshoull not have had what we have nbw,
viz., Rus-ia preparing t) subdue the independ4nce
of the Circassians, and thereby taking an aidi•
tional step towards the conquest of Turley.
(" Hear, hear," and confusion.), One word, And
one only with respect to my vote on the subject of
China. It was my opinion that not only as, re-
garded the Chinese, but as regarded British sub-
jects and British property, the conduct of Sir John
Bbwring was quite unjustifiable. (Cries of " Yes,
yes," and " No, no.") My belief was; and still is,
that a fleet and troops should have been sent out—
that any demands which you had to make for the
complete fulfilment of treaties should have been
made with a large force in sight ; then, Without
bloodshed, these demands would have been jac-
cepted, and you could have done at once what
you will only be able to do six months hence,_whe

the Earl of Elgin arrives, and is supported by' an
armament which ought to have been there at the
commencement of the contest. (Hear.) That course,
however, was not then taken ; and I ask, if the pre-
sent Government think it wise mid right now, why
did they not think it equally so when the first) ac-
counts reached them of the proceedings at Cantbn ?
(Interruption.) I hold, therefore, not less for the
sake of the general principles of justice,- that that
course should have been adopted ; and I venture to
sty—and I always will say—that your ought never
to separate British might from British justice.
(Renewed interruption.) Gentlemen, lam for
peace ; but there are occasions when it is abso-
lutely necessary, both on behalf of right and of the
general interests of Europe, that the sword should
be unsheathed. Such was the case when Russia at-
tempted her late aggressions upon Turkey. qua
will be the case, I will venture to say, if Austrfa
shall pursue the aggressive course which she, has
shown a disposition to pursue towards the G rvern-
welt of Piedmont, and if Sardinia—a small Power
—if to be attacked or oppressed by a.great Power
for the crime (and it is the only mime laid
to her charge) of permitting the liberty of the press.
(Cheers.) While I think, therefore, that we ought
not to' use our power without a sufficient cause, I
still maintair‘that we ought to exercise it inl de-
fence of a weak State fighting for principles th 4 we,
ourselves profesilf and which, because it enjoys*
free and happy constitution, is envied and hat6d
by a neighbouring despotism. (Cheers.) Having
now eTplained to you my own conduct, and what
I think ought to be the procedure of the next Par-
liament, I shall with confidence leave my cause in
your handift I have felt it right, at all events„ rot
to be shoved out of th© representation of this ,city
without a word—not to lie caitod off like rubbish
rrom Lou or one or your memoors.
(Cheers.) I stand here in the face of day to claim
the honour of representing you, c niscious that I
have always acted with integrity. (Cries of " You
have, you have.") I freely grant that I may have
committed many errors, but, relying upon that
love of fair play which pervades all parties in this
country, and which I am sure pervades the electoi s
in this hall, I appeal to you to do me justice and to
give me an honest support at to-morrow's poll.
(Loud cheers.)
Baron ROTHSCHILD was received with great
cheering. He said he presented himself again to
claim the honour of being elected as one of their
representatives. His case could be stated in a
very few words, for his claims upon them wore very
few. His justification for presenting himself be- •
fore them was that his cause was theirs also.
(Cheers.) His only reason for coming forward was •
to procure a settlement of the question whether
the citizens of London had or had not the right to
choose their own member, and the man they
thought best qualified to represent them in Parlia-
ment. (Cheers.) There could be no other reason •
but that for choosing him. If they thought they
ought to be able to send to Parliament the man ,
they preferred they would do well again to confer
upon him the distinguished honour of representing
them. The electors of London had already elected
him upon three occasions. He was sorry to say that as
yet he had not-been able to do any good to any class
of his fellow-subjects, but he den.ei that the opi-
nion of a constituency so enlightened and so im-
portant as that of the city of London ought to be
set at naught by a small majority of the House of
Lords. (Uheers.) He had been asked what pro-
gress the Jewish question bad made. He thought
that in one respect it had made groat progress, for
he could confidently say that in all his canvass, and
iu the canvass of his friends and relatives, neither
he nor they had heard a single objection upon ac-
count Of religious feeling. (Cheers.). The Comer-
vatives of course objectNl to him, and there were
certain persons who were against every reform and
every alteration, but he hid received from that
large and enlightened constituency marks of appro-
bation and expressions of kindness and good feel-
ing which he should never forget. (Che-rs.) Fie ;
bad already stated in a circular that if the Jewish
question were not carried in the next session he
would immediately place his seat at their disposal. ;
(Cheers.) It would then be for them to consider
whether it would be wise to give up the fight.
(" Never !") which they had so generdusly and
gloriously commenced, and whether they wished
him t- retire from the contest. (" No, no I") He
could only say that his services would always be at
their call, and whenever they honoured him with
their support he would be too happy and too proud
to obey their commands. (Cheers.) He had ben
asked how he should have votzd on the China ques-
tion. Now, as a commercial man he would state,
without entering into the merits or details of the
question, that he should uuhesitat.ngly have.voted
with the Government. (Loud cheers.) The Go-
vernment ouglit to avoid every occasion for plung-
ing the country unnecessarily into the miseries -of
war ; but as a commercial man he thought it well
for a principal to confirm the acts and contracts
which his agent was empowered to enter into and
had a right to make. He knew the disadvantage
that agents laboured under when the confirmation
of ther acts was doubted, and the effect which that
doubt and uncertainty would have in the negotia-
tions of other great questions. (Hear, hear.) They
all expected that the next would be a very- liberal
' Parliament, and ho felt sure that the friends of
Jewish emancipation would succeed. He would
now leive his cause in their hands. (Cheers.) He
asked them for their support as well for his own
sake as for the evidence it would afford of their
consistency. (Byron Rothschild retired amid gene-
ral cheering, mingled with faint disapprobation.)