The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-23 00:00:00

• TO- THE ELECTORS OF MARYLEBONE.
GENTLEMEN,
The unexpected announcement of an Immediate Dissolution
of Parliament renders it necessary for me to address you,
and to explain to you the cause of my absence from England
at this time.
In the course of last summer I was, as you are aware,
afflicted with severe illness,
and which in
loss of one of my eyes, but I am, thank God, decidedly better,
and assured by the best medical authorities that there is,
humanly speaking, every probability of my being able to
resume Parliamentary life in two months.
You did me the honour of electing me, about two years
ago, by a majority unparalleled in your contests. Previous
to that Election I stated to you without reserve my views
upon all the great questions of the day, and I think I may
safely assert, without fear of contradiction, that I have not,
in one single instance, deviated from the principles which I
then professed. Under these circumstances, I venture to
hope that my absence, occasioned as it has been solely by a
visitation of Providence, may not operate against me at the
Approaching Election.
With regard to the vote of the House of Commons, which
has led to the Dissolution of Parliament, I beg to say that
had I been present I should most, assuredly have given my
auPport to the Minist,r who, at a time of extreme difficulty,
underto ,k the Government when it was abandoned by others,
and who has throughout his long political career upheld the
honour and interests of the BritiElt empire•d
I beg to offer my most grateful thanks for the considera-
tion and forbearance which you have exhibited towards me
during my involuntary absence, and to assure you that if you
will again honour me with your confidence, my best energies
shall, as heretofore, be devoted to your service.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obliged and faithful servant,
TO'g..
Naples, March 8, 1857. EBRING

•
TO THE AND INDEPENDENT
LIVERY RAND ELECTORS OF THE
CITY OF LONDON.

GzsmEmzisr,
In presenting myself for re-election as ono of your represen.
tives, I entertain a confident hope that a consistent course e•
public conduct for 20 years in Parliament, and constant at
tention to all the local and commercial interests of this great
city, will secure for me your continued approbation and sup-
port. My votes on all great questions are before you.
Every friend of humanity must deeply deplore the lament-
able occurrences at Canton. I could not, however, concur in
a vote which implied censure upon the Government, encourag-
ing the arrogant Chinese to resist treaty obligations, weaken
113,g the power and influence of this country to Protect the
lives and property of our fellow-subjects abroad, and seriously
crippling our commercial intercourse with China. But in
supporting Lord Palmerston on this occasion, and in acknow-
ledging the gratitude which the country owes to him for so
soon terminating, with honour, a disastrous war, in which we
were involved principally by the vacillating conduct of a sec-
tion of the party now opposed to him, I do not intend to aban-
don my advocacy of those measures of administrative reform
and social and political progress which the welfare of the
people so urgently demands.
I look back with satisfaction to the successful result of the
first Meeting (over which I presided) for the Repeal of the
War Income Tax. By economy and retrenchment the re-
mainder of this iniquitous impost may be soon extinguished,
but, at all events, it sbouldebri:y andplalu
d upon a more equitable
foundation, as between p
I felt myself hound to vote against the continuance of the
increased rate of duty on tea, because it seemed to me unjust
to the trader, who had reason to rely upon its diminution, ac-
cording to the Act, confirmed by the declaration of official
authorities that the scale of reduction would take effect in
April next. Nothing can be more embarrassing to all com-
mercial transactions than frequent meddling with Customs
duties.
Early in the coming session the care of the Legislature must
be directed to legal reforms. The treatment of our criminals
and a revision of our system of secondary punishments must
also come under consideration. These all-important questions
shall command my, best attention.
I will only add that I have spared no trouble to render
and
my
bumble services useful to all classes of my fellowcitizens,
should you be pleased to confer upon me again the distin-
guished honour of being one of your representatives, you may
rely upon a continuance of an independent course of conduct
In Parliament, the same industry and attention to all your
local rights and commercial interests, an anxious desire to
support every measure calculated to advance the prosperity
of the country, improve the condition of the industrial classes,
by lessening taxati°n, and to promote the cause of civil and
religious liberty throughout the world.
I remain, Gentlemen, your faithful, humble servant,
JAMES DUKE,
4 , and-place, March 16, 1857.

TO THE ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF
WESTMINSTER.

GENTLEMEN,
A Dissolution has been rather more hastily resolved on, in
the midst of the Session and season, than in my humble opi-
nion the real interests of the country required. As, however,
I took no part whatever in its supposed cause, it is not, per-
haps, for me to offer opinions on the subject.
But a few brief expressions from one or two of the most
distinguished supporters of Government may possibly be al-
uded to, illustrative of the extraordinary diversities of
opinion on this most vexed question. The Right Honourable
award Ellice, addressing his constituents, says that he does
1` not approve and sincerely laments" the extreme measures
resorted to in China. f " That reprisals should in the first in-
stance have been taken, and the ulterior course reserved for the
determination of the Government in England; that the question
of generrl hostilities should have been reserved for higher au-
thority. It would seem (he says) full time that this practice of
involving the country in wars in the East, except under the
pressing necessities of self-defence, should be brought more
directly under the control of Parliament."
• And who is Mr. Ellice, who gives these formidable reasons
against his own vote Undoubtedly one of the ablest, most
useful, and, I would almost add, most illustrious of the Whig
Party—an ex-Whig Minister.
But, however I may admire him, you know very well.that
I have not the honour of being considered a Whig, and that
I am ceitainly neither an ex nor a future Minister.
Again, Sir William Clay, also on this occasion on the side
of Ministers, says to his immense constituency, which he so
ably represents :—" The question whence has arisen the sup-
posed necessity for a dissolution, was one of the most diffi-
cult I have ever known submitted to the decision of the
House of Commons—one on which it was impossible to give
any vote without anxiety and doubt."
uses being myself impressed with a strong feeling on the
matter, believing that a, mistaken opinion had arisen upon it,
what must my doubts and perplexities have been—earnestly
urged, as I eventually was, by three sets of old and valued
friends, of vehemently different views—the one requesting
my approval, the other my disapproval, of these Chinese pro-
ceedings on so questionable an affair I had already resolved
on the latter course; thus at least avoiding a violation of my
own convictions, and I shall never regret having done so.
rut two things must now inevitably be done—the lives and
properties of British and foreign merchants must be placed in
security—the prestige and ascendancy of the British arms re-
stored
or established. It is most satisfactory therefore to
hear that a superior Government authority and some six
thousand troops are about to be despatched to the scene of
conflict. Had this been announced during the debates, or, bet-
ter still, two months 0.7,0, when the first intelligence of this
premature dis-
affair arrived, we might have been spared a
solution, and an enormous quantity of oratory.
It is true that on my last return from the field
ess, my
.health
was much shattered. I was enabled, neverthel in that
session, while the war still continued, repeatedly to take as
vigorous and efficient a part as any other man in Parliament
(perhaps more so)—in promoting the great
national object of
that period, the reinforcement, by all possible means, of our
army
In t enem.
the earlyhe y part of the session of 1556 I energetically (some
thought too much so) 'called attention to the shortconnngs
of
and mistakes 'of our War Department—to the great value
the M'Neill-Tulloch" report—to the undeserved treatment
by Government of those two meritorious public servants—an
to the mischievous prevalence of military favouritism.
In the latter part of last session I had the good fortune of
being the successful mover of the appOintment of a Royal
Commission f".r inquiry into the monster military corruption
and abuse— that of the system of sale and purchase of com-
missions. This system is at the root of all our military failures.
lam a member of that commission. We have collected a great
body of evidence. lam sanguine that the result will be the
accomplishment of the greatest measure of army reform that
ca: possibly be effected.
Gentlemen, I don't pretend to say to what it may bo attri-
butable, but never have I seen the principles of Parliamen-
tary Reform so completely ignored as by the present House
of Commons. The less regret, then should we feel on the
opportunity now offered for a declaration of opinion through-
out the country of electors and non-electors.
I came into Parliament, even before I had the honour of
being known to you, as a warm advocate of Reform. West
minster, long before that period, was the historical head-
' quarters of this great cause. I have been faithful to it. I
will never deviate from it. Whatever party may be disposed
to promote it will have my adhesion, and, I am equally con-
fident, will have your anxious and powerful support.
Again respectfully tendering you my services, probably .for
the last time, for a renewal of your canfidence,
.have the honour to be,
Your humble and obedient servant,

DE LACY EVANS
Bryaustone-square, 11th March; 1857.