The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-07 00:00:00

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not have been creditable even in a representative of
the smallest and least important constituency in
England, and he should have thought, if there had
been in the House of Commons a man who had any
knowledge of the feelings of Manchester, or to
whom its reputation was dear, he would have risen
at once to contradict that statement. The debate
would be read with the deepest interest in all parts
of the world, and it would go forth in the reports
that Manchester, by the voice of its representative,
had declared that opinion. He wus bound to hrt-
lieve that what the right hon. gentleman bad said
he believed to be true, but the only conclusion at
which he could arrive was that some per ons had
been trying "to make a fool" of the right hon.
gentleman, and they had succeeded in so doing.
(Laughter.) He (Mr. Wood) could truly say that,
during what he could call his political life, extend-
ing over about 30 years, he never remembered a
vote which appeared to him so calamitous as this
one. He had alwaps felt and believed that, in
those great commercial transactions which England
carried on through all parts of the world, English
property and English life were safe under the pro-
tection of the English Government, under the re-
spect due to and maintained by the British people,
mid under the homage invariably enforced for the
British flag. Would that be the ea% hereafter 1 He
had real two days ago some very interesting ac-
counts of a gross outrage which had tlken place in
Mexico. An armed force, under the orders of the
revolutionary Government, attacked the British
Consulate, demanding surrender of a large amount
of property belonging to a British merchant well
known in Manchester. He believed there was
14;0001. of treaertee• at stakei -auckthaAons,ul,actwic,
as the representative of England-oUgbf to dm-- Ha.
hoisted the flag of the Consulate, and refused to
surrender the property until the armed force broke
open his doors. That man did his duty, -and for
doing it perhaps he would find that be had been de-
nounced in the British House of Commons as a
troublesome and meddlesome official. (Applause.)
That association was not formed for any political
purpose. The first words of its code of laws de-
clared it to be an association for the promotion ani
protection of the trading interests of its members,
and on that ground as well as—if he might be al-
lowed to say so—on far higher grounds, he asked
the meeting to pass the resolution which he had
now the honour to submit :
" That this association, composed of merchants and ma-
nufacturers deeply interested in trade and commerce with
all quarters of the world, views with profound regret the
probable consequences of Mr. Cobden's motion in the
House of Commons on the 3d inst.
" That without venturing to offer an opinion on the
technical or legal merits of the question at issue, the asso-
ciation well knows that much difficulty and embarrass-
ment in our dealings with China have been caused by the
aggressive spirit displayed by the native authorities, and
by their systematic evasion of obligations imposed by
treaty; and they cannot but regard with the greatest ap-
prehension the effects likely to ensue from the repudiation
by our Legislature of the acts of our diplomatic, military,
and naval representatives at Canton, not only in its bear-
ing upon our future commercial intercourse with China,
but also as being calculated to diminish that respect
hitherto entertained for the rights and liberties of British
subjects in foreign countries generally." (Applause.)
Mr. J. GARNETT suggested that in one respect
the resolution required alterationto make it strictly
accurate. The " repudiation" was not by " the
Legislature," but by the House of Commons only.
Mr. R BIRLEY seconded the resolution—which
was altered in accordance with Mr. Garnett's cor-
rection—but observed that while at first he had
been quite ready to do so, on second thoughts he
felt some reluctance, because he really could not
conceive that any set of Englishmen could by pos-
sibility seriously mean to leave our representatives
in foreign countries in the lurch. He believed
that those who had been the means of repudiatin,,
the acts of our representatives in China would be
compelled, if they were in office, to do precisely as
Lord Palmerston had done. (Hear,) The whole
previous acts of Lord Derby and his party showed
it, and he had therefore tio faith at all in that re-
pudiation, believing it to be a mere party move o
lie Conservatives to get into office. (Hear, hear

Mr. Birley, was, however, understood to second
the motion.)
Mr. M. Ross, in support of the motion, said he
could not but regret, looking at the matter strictly
as acommercialman, that our consuls and governors
in any part of the world should inciu a hos ile vote
of the House of Commons, throwing on their
shoulders the responsibility f acts in which they
had exercised all the ability and judgment they
possessed for the benefit of the people over whom
they had control. (Hear.) Looking at the various
quarters of the world in which we were mainly
dependentonhumansagacity and energy, we should
be more and more convinced that we should strain
every nerve to support our representa'ives abroad
in carrying out the measures they might deem cal-
culated to promote the general interests. (Cheers.)
There was no human being that had ever been
placed in such positions but bad had difficulties to
overcome, and, instead of magnifying those diffi-
culties to the disadvantage of those men, we ought
by every possible means endeavour to shield them
from that clamour to which they would under any
circumstances be exposed ; for there was no posi-
tion in which they could possibly be paced but
we should find parties able and willing—aye, only
too ready to pick from the smallest hole the
largest rent. (Applause.) It was with this feeling
that he had the most cordial sympathy with
the parties who had been attacked in Parliament,
mid believed that their condemnation only reflected
discredit on those by whom it was carried. Look-
ing at the names of those who appearei in the di- '
vision lists, and seeing the differences of opinion on
almost every topic which were known to prevail
among those who voted in the majority, it was im-
possible to come to anyotherconclusion than that a
factious opposition, and opposition personal to the
head of the Government, had influence l the de-
cision. (Cheers.) Allusion had with great pro-
priety been made to the spirited conduct of one of
our consuls at Mexico. What course would that
man not have been justified in taking, if he bad
had the power, in order to protect our honour and
our property when they were attacked as had been
described? (Hear, hear.) Because in exercising
that protection a few lives had been sacrificed was
that any reason why parties in the House of Com-
mons sh iuld make our representative a scapegoat
for their political intrigue ? Ise confessed he was
most indignant at the mode in which those who
ought to have been supported had been treated in
this matter. (Hear.) Nor was this the only in-
stance of such a course being pursued. When the
conduct of S;r J. Brooke was arraigned in Parliament
for what was called the massacre of the Bornese
pirates, who were the parties that wished to give a
ticket of leave to those pirates but the same men
who bad instigated this opposition to our proceed-
ings at Canton ? (Cheers.) The mock philanthropy
and mock humanity which dictated such proceed-
ings merited the just indignation of this commer-
cial community. It was impos,ible to believe at
this moment the lives and property of our country-
men in China were safe. He did not allude to the
reports of attempted poisoning, which he hoped
were greatly exaggerated ; but what could we rely
upon when we heard of the governor of a province,
in a country which Mr. Cobden claimed to be feel-
ing the influence of 2,700 years of civili-ation,
offering a reward for every Englishman who
should by fair or unfair means, be laid down at
his feet ? We talked of the barbarity of
uncivilised nations, and we had a member of
our Legislature, a representative of a large
community, lauding that as a civilised nation which
could descend to such acts of barbarity as this !

(Cheers.) He, in common with most of his coun-
trymen, looked with pride and pleasure at the
talents which were assembled in the House of Com-
mons, but he believed those talents in the late de-
bate had been prostituted to a bad purpose, and
be lioped the result of a dissolution of Parliament
would show to every representative of the British
Government abroad that the mercantile community
would use every exertion in their power to support
them in protecting the lives and interests of Eng,
lishmen. (Loud cheers.),
Mr. Grim, of London, having been invited to
speak of his experience iu China, where he said he
had for some years been a resident, though for the
last 10 years he had not been in that country, said
he should certainly desire to represent the charac-
ter of the British merchants in that part of the
world in a more favourable light than it was re-
gard,)d in the House of Commons. (Hear, hear.)
While they were in eternal disputes with the man-
darins and authorities, they were on the best terms,
always, with the trading community, with the
Hong merchants, and the native merchants
of Shanghai. It bad been alleged that the British
merchants were glad of these disturbances, to avoid
payment of their just debt to the Chinese. Now,
the fact was that where the English merchant was
indebted to a Chinaman it was an exceptional case.
(Hear, bear, and laughter.) Ho did not think
that at present a single instance could be found in
Canton of British merchants being in debt to the
Canton merchants. 'On the contrary, the lime
with which he was connected were large creditors
of 'the Chinese, and he believed that the debts
would have been faithfully met, as the Chinese with
whom they dealt were usually honest men, but I)Y