Year: 1871




caslon loud cheersl We hope-I more than hope.
believe-that the government are going to bring
shall give those measures my entire support.
H there are points OF detail which may not APP
rsty Of the measures We're edangereG hear hear.
would make even some slight sacrifice OF principle
70 support these measures II that they are ade
quate 10 the OCCASION as hope they will be- know
that the opinions have attempted to explain are
opinions which great body OF the people OF this
that we are resolved, so far our power can effect
that object To uphold the greatness OF our country
and to maintain the empire or the Queen loud


Mr. GLADSTONE said From the early portion OF
his speech 1t was clear that the right honorable
gentleman adhered TO the views which he eX-
pressed at the close OF last session, and that he
still held that the government was quite wrong in
negeiiatlons before the war ont in IN reply @ to the
note OF Prince Gortchakof But he would appeal
opinion and verdict OF the counary, simply reluting
the error which the right honorable gentleman had
fallen INTO 1t is due to tile right honorable gentleman
dence he pursued during the American war entitle
him. II any man, to be a critic in this matter and
l may say for myself that while we depore that
license OF speech and that misrepresentation
rences on this side OF the water which we may occa
son see & On .ne par o. soe p1Ios m rs q Ihe
Judgment and good sense Of the American nation
for discountenancng and disarming whatever effects
rash and Incorporate speaking may produce
We are at the present moment on the eve OF de-
spatcning TO America q Commission, OF which my





sent British interests and the right honorable gem
teman VIII see therefore, that this IS not the proper
the Commission VIII nave to DEAL Papers win be
laid before the House explaining the conduct OF
the government; which wiz then be fair matter
respect TO their having solicited the
advice OF Count Bismarck. that was quite incorrect,
with the other Powers who were parties to the
Treaty OF 1850. AS to an armed neutrality,
Year, or that it would nave been attended by
beneficial results If 1t had been resorted TO. The
government were accused OF having been wanting
IN energy In preventing the war, but what
was 1t The government are required TO dor
We advised Prussia to withdraw the candidature
that, we exhausted the whole Of eur International
rights. Beyond that as neutral, we had no line OF
Gully and Prince Gorchakofs note. he said tnat The
naturalization OF the Black Sea would never nave
been regarded by this country as q question or
much importance, and since the Crimean war
ii has been practically given up by France and
Austria, II her Maesty's government had resisted
the Russian note, ana had been prepared to go
to war for strict observance OF the treaty with
Russia, no one Power IN Europe would have shared
the responsibility. Now, let the question or
armalnents or no armaments. Iknow there are many
gentlemen In this house who contend that we can
have no efficient armament unt the W whole popula
dard are we 10 go by? The right honorable gentle
man says we have no armaments because we
damaged, impaired curtaIled and contracted
them. do not know whether | have always
been as restrained as should have been In my dec
"
now adhere to at the present moment. Take
the armaments of former years, and lrst that
of this country had reached such portentous
dimensions that the right honorable gentleman
felt It his duty TO exhibit them to the public in
at home available for service In the regular army
was 92.27o. That was oloated armament In
1870 the force at home borne on the estimates was
so05l, and the microscopic eye of the right honor
able gentleman that could perceive in armament
or e2276 ploaIed Que, distinguished that OF 8905l
attpnuatpd armament, 4
case, for this bloated armament had no reserve
while the attenuated one, which showed diminu-
reserve of more than 10000 liable for SER
vice abroad. The right honorable gen
we did was to disband men VINO were uselessly en-
ployed in order that we might employ Others USE
armaments OF that year were proper armaments,
although the armaments Of 1870 were attenuated;
but, looking over the votes for home service borne
in tue estimates find that tue attenuated armament
OF 1870 SO o0e-as SAID before, proper and be-
coming and sufficient armament; while that or
1868 was $500. Now, ! ask the House ana
the right honorable gentleman what sort OF
case has he made out on the question OF au5nuated
armaments insufficient to support the just influence
OF Englandl lie believed that the best policy for
this country and for Others steady pursuit OF
their affairs and interests with firm and eirient
administration Of Its forces-which, he could assure
the House. It was the intention OF the government
to propose-and avoid unduy mixing ;sei' up IN the
affairs OF other countries, while firmly maintaining
the obligations or the country, and as firmly, but
quietly insisting uDol ether Powers adhering to
~,
had acted IN all the difficult and delicate points
raised by the course OF the war. carefully watching
the rights OF neu;rals and as carefully guard
ing that there should be no undue extension OF the
beigerents. After the war broke out many ques-
tons stu areseIscarcey & week or fortnight IN,
to consider NICE matters lOr lntervenu0n-i
mean intervention by request or expostulation. 1
need hardly say that all we have done has been
done with perfect and absolute impartiality. The
first appeal addressed to us In the course OF the
war was made by Germany, with view to induce



ments, not, perhaps strictly Unsuitable upon the
bare ground OF neutra obligation, for the transit
OF the wounded through the territory OF Luxembourg.
or cour>6we could do nothing TO extend unduiy The
rights OF neuras, or disparagc their obligations.
and did all thar In US lay 10 forward that appeal.
1t declined at the tune; but such has been the
necessity arising during The gigantic operations Of
the war; that from what i have read n the public
Germany and France for which we tried to procure
sanction at the earliest period and soldiers
wounded in action have been transported across
tral territory. AS has been stated In the speech,
we have endeavOred TO bring the parties together.
] shall not dwell on the efforts which we made 10
brlng about the conferences which resulted in the
meeting between Count Bismarck and NJ. jules
Favre, or that which was held with NJ. Theirs We
did, perhaps, stretcn point, but In language so
respectful tnat no objection could be taken,
IN expressing an earnest desre-thus only making
ourselves the mourhpiece Of universal humanity
that the extreme measure OF commandment should
not be had recourse TO against magnificent ana
beautiful city. tHear, hear.) And. perhaps, when
we lahc RIcdb severity WliUN Tie
war has been characterized, we have Tess TO lament
with respect this point than with regard TO masy
other SUBJECTS Notwithstanding that great deal or
alarm and exa5peration was created We ventufed,
may add. TO favor, so far as we might in friendly
communication with the Government OF De-
fence in France, those plans for calling together
assembly fully authorized TO represent the
nation which are only now aDont TO reach their con-
summation. We yentured to point out that little
good was likely In ARISE from Inc multiplication OF
abstract declarations with reference the or
peace, as they would, probably, operate rather in
The way or obstacles tnan the cpntrary. My noble
friend Lord Granville endeavored with the utmost
persistence to cause that France should be repre-
sented in the Conference which Is now sitting ia
London, ana 1t Is matter OF great regret to US that
this endeayor has tailed.


FRIsNTFUL CATASTROPHE.