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" THE FRIENDS OF ITALY . " This Society met on Wednesday , in the Music Hall , in Store-street . It was the evening of " the Derby , " and the attendance was comparativel y scanty . Mr . P . A . Taylor , the chairman , opened the proceedings l ) y a comprehensive commentary on the recent acts of the Continental Sovereigns , and the late proceedings of the Jesuits in Piedmont , and includ ed in his attack the present English Ministry , as " the same who held the reins when the Bandieras were betrayed and murdered . " Using wide denunciations and strong words of this stamp , the Chairman spoke for some time , and then introduced Dr . Epps , who was still more elaborate in his oratory . He proved , with arguments of great weight , and largely set forth , that the Emperor of Austria has no equitable right to the throne of Hungery , as he was never elected by the Hungarians , and never conformed to the constitution of Hungary . Dr . Epps referrea with contempt to the popular aversion to war , and ( professionally ) pooh-poohed the morbid objection to loss of life . He stated that , during our wars from 1793 to 1815 , we lost but 20 , 000 men" a mere trifle . " Professor Newman followed Dr .
Epps , in a speech of some power ; he attributed the support which our aristocracy give Austria , not so much to any love they bear to despotism , but to the iear they feel for democracy ; which , were Austria overthrown , would widely prevail in Europe . Mr . Lawrence made an historical indictment against Austria ; " she had always been treacherous to England from the time of Richard the First , to the alliance of Ferdinand with Napoleon Bonaparte . " Mr . George Dawson pointedly contrasted the treatment which Kossuth had received in this country with that accorded to Louis Philippe . He vindicated the right of Englishmen to conspire with great force and effect .
Kossuth was present , and though not come to speak , was roused by the cheers of the people to say a few 5 Tords . " Since their last meeting , the reasons which he had then expressed for reserving himself to pronounce a single speech , when the great hour should strike , were rather increased than otherwise . He would only beg leave to make a single remark in relation to the foreign policy of England . It was generally involved in the dark mysteries of diplomacy . The House of Commons and the public would hardly be allowed to know anything of the transactions at the Foreign Office before they were concluded and unchangeable . The result of this system of
secrecy was , that the external relations of England , being little influenced by the people , were not what they might and should be , for the advantage of the universal cause of justice and humanity . As an illustration , he instanced the treaty for the succession ^ the Danish crown , whereby it will depend only on three lives whether Denmark shall not become a Russian province , and whether the key of the Baltic , the Sund , shall not bo in the hands of the Czar . As to the Italian question , he requested the meeting to regard his presence among them as a now proof of his persuasion that , for the common interest , Hungary and Italy must bo intimately and permanently united by tho ties of a brotherly alliance . "
Loud applause followed this announcement , and the meeting separated .
AliEIVAL OF MAZZINI . Mazzini arrived " safe" in London on Tuesday , evading tho Austrian police , through the loving aid of his countrymen . The Daily News states as " a fact , " to illustrate popular feeling in Italy , that " tho leader of the insurrection in Milan was in that city three months before the outbreak—his errand known to lmudreds—yet his presence not betrayed . More than thai , we are informed , that he rested securely in that city for a month after tho insurrection had been suppressed , and then left Italy in safety for London . "
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MR . ItOUNDKLL PALMER . Mb . Rounder Pamou is a candidate for Plymouth , and has addressed tho electors in a speech distinguished by its frank manner , happy tone , and correct delineation of tho present political situation . Ho claimed a peculiar position as one who unites the suffrages of the Conservatives and tho Liberals , honourably deprecated any personal acrimony towards his opponent ( Mr . Braine ) , and correctly characterised tho causes and circumstances of our recent commercial policy , pointing out tho present plenty and happy conditions of employment throughout England as one most remarkablo result . Referring briefly to tho political history of tho Protectionists up to their defeat iih a Ministry , he
Maid : — It waH clearly inipoHsiblo for tho Protectionist Ministry to govern on any but Protectionist principle . Those who woro frionda of thowo gontlomon will excuse mo for Having that it was impossible that individuals who hud organized thommilvos into a party upon a false busis could return to power upon a basis which bad boon proved to bo falwe . They wont out in a porfoctly honourable manner . I should have been glad if thoy could Imvo boon sharers in tho fusion but uinco thoy oould not , wo find other persons occupying their plucoo , and carrying into oflbct that consolidation of parties which was nocosaary and desirable , and
without which good government for the future was not likely to be placed upon a stable and permanent basis . A Government was formed on principles and in a manner highly honourable to those who took part in ifc . I think they would have been wanting in their duty to their country if they had declined to unite with each other on any ground of personal feeling , or on account of any want of confidence arising out of p arty considerations . This has been called a coalition , and if a coalition meant a
coming together , so it is ; but if a coalition means a union of persons not agreed on principles and objects for the one purpose of party attack and defeating an opponent , I deny it is a coalition in that sense , and the country knows it is not so . ( Cheers . ) How could the Government have been carried on if each man had said , " I will have my own way ! " What Ministry could have been formed on such terms ? Unless they agreed to merge personal and party differences , they could not obtain the public confidence . If all men were to have their own way the world would not be governed at all . ( Cheers . )
Alluding to the " predominance of commercial interests" in our present public opinion , Mr . Palmer said—That tendency is represented in the constitution of the present Government , for I believe that commerce is eminently Conservative and Liberal . It is Conservative , for the wholeness of our credit , the fabric of commerce depends upon the security of our institutions , and public credit would be instantly destroyed if the stability of our system of government were at all imperilled . On the other hand , commerce is essentially Liberal , and every impediment
that is created by an artificial and cramping legislature it is the tendency of commerce to throw off , and to set itself free ; and again , the interests of commerce are opposed to the abuses of administration , for those abuses involved a large and wasteful expenditure of the public money , and heavy taxes , to which commerce is repugnant . Besides which it is not too much to say that commerce bears a close connexion with the spread of intelligenceand education amongst the people , and the extension of intelligence and education , while it will stimulate the minds of the masses to see and
demand the removal of proved abuses , will also make them recognise the close relation of one person to another and to society at large , and the necessity of maintaining the principle of government that keeps society together . For those reasons I think that commerce is essentially Conservative and Liberal—Conservative of everything that is the office and end of government , or that tends to keep society together ; and Liberal , because it is the determined enemy of every species of abuse , and the friend of all wellconsidered improvements , developments , and adjustments of those institutions that may increase the happiness of man and swell the well-being and prosperity of the country . ( Cheers . ) Having examined the Budget in a friendly spirit , and defended its provision for the future , he referred to Parliamentary Reform in the following words : ¦—
I shall always rejoice to see the franchise open to the educated classes of the country , who are qualified for it , and to give them liberty to enjoy it . It is a question of great importance , and of vast difficulty in its details , but I shall be ready to support a Government that deals with the ?| uestion in a spirit at once Conservative and Liberal . Cheers . ) With regard to corruption , I am of settled opinion that the knife must be applied to the heart of corruption in all constituencies where experience has shown that there does not exist that independence of spirit which gives security for the proper use of the franchise confided to them . ( Cheers . ) No measure , therefore , will bo satisfactory which would not protect us from the degrading and humiliating exhibition which the history of the last election in some small boroughs has disclosed .
This political " pronouncement was well received by the meeting . The general feeling in favour of Mr . Palmer wa « further shown by another meeting met to oxpress aversion to Mr . Braine , who is considered objectionable as not uniting all sections of tho Liberal party .
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ENGLISH OPINION ON INDIA . Politicians of all varieties of opinion met on Tuesday at Bristol , to express opinions on the Government of India . One resolution demands " inquiry previous to permanent legislation , " and another is simply declaratory of a fact well known—namely , that many of tho social evils of India " are attributed" to the system of government : a resolution which does anything but resolve the question at issue . Mr . Bright was the only important speaker . He heartily denounced tho present system of . Indian
rule—It was the most anomalous government on the face of tho earth . Tho world possessed despotic governments - tako tlioso of Russia , Austria , and Franco ; democratic governments , liko that of America , and intermediate governments bH-woen them ; but ( hero was nothing olso to bo found like tho Indian government . Tho proprietors of India Slock numbered about 1800 men , vomen , and children ; Homo wore Mnglish , and boiiih went forcignern , hoiiio minors , and somo too old for anything . They none of thorn felt or wero likely to feel , any interest in India ; 7 . ¦ - ¦ . F ¦ I 111 elected
* ^ and yet they formed tbo constituency . They a body ofdirei-lorK ,-thirty in number , six of whom went out annually but were almost universally sent back again at tho end of a year . These sham elections wore practically electioiiH for life , for thero bad scarcely over boon a gentleman who bad lost his re-election because he had voted contrary to the wishes of his constituents . What a mockery it . was to conduct tho government of it people numbering U 50 , < XX > , < XX > by a body of gentlemen elected by 1800 porsoiiB , not ono of whom had uny intercut in tbo matter .
This authority , coupled with the Board of Control , where there was " absolute power and no knowledge , " formed a patchwork Government , the evil results of which were a want of internal improvements , the absence of necessary roads , the deficiency of irrigation , the almost unbroken annual deficit in the country , and the increase of the debt from 30 , 000 , 000 ^ ., in 1833 , to 50 , 000 , 000 / ., at the present time . The Metropolitan Society , instituted for the organization of public opinion on the Indian question , makes progress * . A meeting of the committee was held on Saturday last , at the society ' s rooms , 12 , Hay market , at which Messrs . Danby Seymour , Bright , Otway ,
Lucas , Bell , Blackett , and Hadfield , members of Parliament , and other gentlemen interested in the affairs of India , including Mr . H . Ashworth , of Manchester , were present . The committee resolved that , as the Indian minister has promised to declare the intentions of the Cabinet on the 3 rd of June , no appeal should be made to public opinion until the decision at which the Cabinet had arrived was made known ; but that if the Government policy was not of a nature to satisfy the jus = t claims of the native petitioners from the three Presidencies , a public meeting should be immediatel y convened in London to oppose it . Letters from some of the leading native gentlemen of Madras and Bombay were read to the meeting , showing how great an effect had been produced on the associations at those Presidencies by the intelligence which had just reached
them of the intention to establish an Indian Refor m Society in this country . The writers of the above letters resent the supposed intention of the Government to treat their petitions with contempt , and to legislate on the basis of the present system , in spite of their strong representations of its injurious results . They point out the fact that the natives of all creeds and classes are now acting in concert , and undertake , in case a . Reform Society be established in England , to maintain such a permanent Indian agitation in connexion with the home society , as should eventuall y induce the British public to pay attention to the grievances of India , whether or no the Government attempt to get rid of the subject by precipitate legislation . Assurances of a liberal pecuniary support were given to the society by the above letters from India , and by communications from Manchester , and a number of
private donations were announced by the secretary . The London Mail—a new journal , with large Indian and city" connexions—has some judicious remarks on " the grand want of the Indians , " " an organized , permanent , and authenticated representation here . " " Even " it continues in its issue of the 24 th of May — " even at this season of activity the want is felt severely , If proper representation had existed , it would have neutralised these paltry jealousies to which wo have alluded . Tho interest in India is widely spread ; but public opinion newly-awakened wants a fixed standard . Tho English would lend their support to Indian opinion , if thero wero some authenticated standard of it hero . There is none .
The Court of Proprietors does not itself occupy such s position in tho estimation either of tho public or of Government , that it can lend any sufficient weight to its opposition . Ingenious pamphleteers have contributed to stimulate public attention ; but they dilfer amongst eaeli other ; and , what is worse , they do not act together . Worse still , a man may write a clever pamphlet and yet bo unfitted , intellectually , morally , and even physically , ' for taking- tho conduct of a public movement . ; which requires , if not sincerity of purpose , at least decision of men and force of personal hearing . We regret to say ,
that , up to this point there ! lias not effectively been any body before whom all Indian movements of reform could be brought , and through whom iill Indian opinion could be concentrated into a mass , and made to reach the public without detraction . The desirn to supply such a channel exists ; the fuel , that several members of Parliament Jmvo attempted to establish an ' Indian Reform Society' is Hiillicient earnest of the desire ; but , for want probably of a gciiuino Indian standard , thoy have not yet como out with energy or decision , or in that unmistakable course which commands confidence by its directness of purpose and its force .
" There is a chance that Indian aid to London Itoformers may bo diminished in its effects , !> y being impropriatcd to crotchets , or locked up in the bureau of Homo unintelligible and unsuccessful M-heme . Indian gentlemen may exert their energies and talents , and , for want of an clfectivo channel to bring them together with the actiiu ) public iu Knglimd , their best , correspondence may ultimately bo used as raw material to be used up and Holeetcd for individual objects . Money may bo sent , and find its way into the accounts , liouost but unsatisfactory , of agitations destined to como to nothing for want of vigour and directness . It would be quite otherwise if 'India were actually represented iu London .
"Now , the degree of success already attained , in spito of those abatements and diversion of means , is considerable ; we ascribe it vory much to ( lie main foroo of personal zeal and honest vigour ; but much remains to be done , and tbo amount of practical improvement which India may realize ( lining tho series of reforms which aro promised as lying open to her , will dejtond upon tlio genuineness and strength of I ho representative agency on the spot , to influence direct , and support tho reforming spirit in tho public and in tho Parliament . This subject is well worth the coneidoratioii of Indian politicians . "
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May 28 , 18 & 8 . ] THE LEADER . 511
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Leader (1850-1860), May 28, 1853, page 511, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1988/page/7/
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