Year: 1863

Messrs Scholefeld and Bright addressed
their constituents in the Town Hall, Birming


ham, on the 11th ult.


Mr. Bright who was received with prolong
ed applause, spoke of the Lancashire dis
tress, attributing the order of the operative
to the instrumentality Of an untaxed press
The Hon gentlemen then proceeded as fol
lows Il should like to state in this hall tina
which | once stated to a very eminent Amer
can gentleman who asked me to give hin
some idea of the course Of public opinion ii
this country from the first moment we heart
of the secession of the cotton producing
states. | endeavored to trace it in this way
| told him that, so far as could see. nobod,
thought the south had any just cause fo,
breaking up the integrity of a great nation
Now, appeal to you whether that was no
the case, and whether persons of ditiere nj
olltlcal views in this country were not read,
to admit that the south was ruled bv Gov
ernment mild and in no degree oppressive
1t was Government, it is true, which some
among US loved and some disliked.


1t was not costly monarchy it was no,
an aristocracy creating and living on patro
mage; it did not support very burdensome
foreign policy it had no great army, Nc
great navy, no suffering millions to be dis
contented and overthrown-charges all O!
which have been brought against Govern
ments in this country and throughout Europe
a hundred times over. cloud cheers There
fore it was said very generally here, when
the intelligence of the secession of the south
reached US, why should these men revolt?


At tie moment at which that revolt took
place the Government at Washington ap-
peared to be paralyzed it had no army, it
had no navy. and it was by many thought
that the North would, under the circumstan.
ces, acquiesce in the rendng of the republic
asunder; it was told, indeed, by certain pub
lie writers in this country that the contest
was entirely hopeless, and a similar view of
it was lately taken by no less a parsonage
than the Chancellor of the Exchequer. |
am, however, happy to say that, although
the Chancellor of the Exchequer can often
decide to penny what shall be the rate of
taxation in England, they cannot determine
what is to be the fate of whole continent.
tCheers.)


|. was az the outset. as before observed.
that the contest washopeess.and it was asked
only under those circumstances. should it be
continued by the North at the cost of so
much blood and treasure. and to the disturb
ance of the commerce OF the whole world
Well. in answer to that question. | would
say II We are to constitute ourselves the
Judges OF the conduct OF foreign nations we
ought to apply to it the principles by which
we ourselves think it right to be governed
My honorable friend referred to the case of
the Trent, and | read in the papers that YOU
had meeting in this hall last year, in which
the conduct of our Government in making a
great manifestation of force against America
in that case was duly applauded, and that at
least one minister of religion upon that occa-
sion took that view.


Now am not in the least complaining
that it should be so but if you thought the
act Of an American captain who, not under
instructions from his Government, took two
men from an English merchant vessel, justi-
fled you in going to war with the United
States, when say you ought not to scan too
narrowly the course which the North pur-
sue under circumstance much more difficult
than those in which you were then placed.
(Cheers.) Take, again, the case Of the Rock
of Gibralter some of you have, | dare say
been there. |, at all events, have and the
things which most interested me were the
monkeys on the top of it-Qaughter)-ex
cept perhaps those whom found there, and
they were good many, living on the Eng,
lish taxes. CA laugh.)


Well, the Rock of Gibralter was acquired
by this country when she was not actually at
war with Spain. and kept in defiance OF
every principle of honor and morality. CA
voice-No, no.') | have no doubt the gen.
a. H. 5 No =,
quainted with the history of the transaction
than am: but | would suggest that We
have, perhaps, read two different histories Of
it. Laughter.) Well, suppose Spain were
to equip an expedition for the purpose Of re-
taking that fortress, which is not of the
slightest advantage to any Eng!iShman liv.
ing, except those VINO hold appointments on
it, would not cur Government. | would ask
do everything in its power to resist such al
attempt?


You know that it would, notwithstanding
that the possessio of the fortress only tends
as | heard distinguished officers of the Gov
the two countries, and notwithstanding thai
if such man as my friend Mr. Golden, fo
instance, were commissioned to cede it tc
Spain, we might hope for the establishment
with that country Of commercial treaty ad
mitting English produce to her ports, at
duty of not more than ten per cent. Bat, b.
that as it may, cannot help thinking tina
if our Government would resist, as you know
they would, an expedition fitted out by Spair


against Gibralter, the course taken by tn
| Northern States can scarcely be viewed b.