The Sun. — 1859-03-12 (London, England)

THE HON: W. F. CAMPBELL ON .REFOILII.  At a meeting held at the Globe Inn, Harwich, last evening, Mr. Bagshaw, the late member, introduced the Hon. W. F. Campbell as a fit and proper person to represent the interests of the borough in Parliament, and expressed himself most feelingly on taking leave of his constituents, attributing his retirement to ill health.  Mr. CAMPBELL, on presenting himself, was loudly cheered, and after an encomium on Mr. Bagshaw, proceeded to refer to his (Mr. Campbell's) conduct in Parliament as the best criterion of the opinions he adhered to. He (Mr. Campbell) was a general supporter of Lord John Russell's Government until 1852, when he voted for Lord Palmerston to establish a regular militia. After referring to various events and measures between 1847 and 1852, he stated the line he should have taken on the leading questions which had been discussed during his absence from the Legislature, and referred particularly to the unhappy consequences of Lord Aberdeen's Government, and the successful termination of the Russian war. He would not, for fear of exhausting their attention, state his opinions, and he had opinions on the war with Persia, the war with China, and the Conspiracy to Murder Bill. There was no apprehension, on these points, of any difference between him and the electors. With regard to the topics of the moment, he had recently delivered his opinion upon vote by ballot at some length, and should only say now that he viewed it as the most prudent and most effectual foundation of all schemes to alter the Reform Act. Without it no measure was likely to be accepted by the people. Let it stand even alone and every sound reform would then inevitably follow. As to churchrates, whether good or bad, they could not any longer be defended. The division on Wednesday last in the House of Commons was a proof of it. The great question, however, for electors was whether a candidate purposed to support the Opposition or the Government. He then criticised the domestic policy of Lord Derby's Government, adverting to the ridicule excited by the first India Bill that Government propounded, to their late defeat on church-rates, to the degrading contradiction in which they involved both Houses of Parliament by the incumbrances they added to Lord Lucan's Bill on Jewish claims, which, standing by itself, would have been a clear and satisfactory, although not the best imaginable settlement. He referred, on foreign policy, to the uncalled-for manner in which the right of searching vessels engaged in the slave trade under false flags had been abandoned, and, above all, to the unwarrantable counsel given to the Cabinet of Portugal on the subject of the Charles et Georges, which was now a topic of debate in the House of Commons. As regards colonial policy, the appointment of a Lord High Commissioner Extraordinary to inquire into the grievances of the lonian Islands had notoriously aggravated the disorders it was meant to settle. On all these grounds he should feel linable to support the present Government. He had now performed what appeared to him to be the duty of a candidate, and would only urge the meeting to come to a decisive resolution on the business of the night. Let them either reject the humble services he offered them, and leave him to pursue some other avenue to Parliament, or so evince their firm determination to support him as to render opposition hopeless, and a majority secure. (The hon, gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud and repeated cheering). An ELECTOR inquired if he (Mr. Campbell) was in favour of manhood suffrage ? Mr. CAMPBELL replied that, in this grave emergency, no man ought to enter the House of Commons pledged to details on the suffrage. His intention was, both in counties and boroughs, to support the widest possible extension of it, consistently with the rights of the electors and the principles of 1832. A resolution to support the hon. candidate was carried unanimously ; and, after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting broke up.