MICROFILMED 1992 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES/NEW YORK as part of the ^ "Foundations of Western Civilization Preservation Project Funded by the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES Reproductions may not be made without permission from Columbia University Library COPYRIGHT STATEMENT The copyright law of the United States - Title 17, United States Code - concerns the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material... Columbia Universit}' Librar}^ reser\^es the right to refuse to accept a copy order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of the copyright law. AUTHOR: TITLE: REPORT OF THE LIBERAL MEETING PLACE: BATH DATE: 1852 COLUMi^lA UNIVERSIT/ LIBRARIES PRESERVATION DEPARTMENT BiniJOGRAPITIC MICROFORM TARGET Master Negative # Original Material as Filmed - Existing Bibliographic Record .a*fi«»i— ,5!».'>* •<"-. -«- ^ 4.7 ' I "-^ Report of the Liberal meeting at the Guildhall. Bath... April l£th, 1852, to receive from Captain Scobell an account of his parlia-entar}^ conduct, and to meet Mr. Phinn, the other liberal candidate... ^Bath, Enp.j 1852. Nar.S.in 0. 45p. of pamphlets. No ^ 4 of a vol. Restrictions on Use: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZEi^Z/l^ZlC^.,— =^_ REDUCTION RATIO:. IMAGE PLACEMENT: lA JIA IB IID DATE FILMED:„d„?.'_iL2r INITI ALS^^^j^^Zl HLMEDBY: RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS. INC WOODBRIDGE. CT //A r Association for information and Image IManagement 1 1 00 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1 1 00 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 301/587-8202 Centimeter 1 2 3 I M I I I I { I I M M I 12 13 14 15 mm Inches 1.0 !f ■ ^ 12.8 5.0 1 5.6 3.2 3.6 4.0 .1 1.25 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 L6 nimfiMinmi I I I I I MfiNUFPCTURED TO RUM STPNDflRDS BY APPLIED IMAGE, INC. Mr. With the Compliments of Capt. SCOBELL ^ Mr. PHINN'S C^ REPORT ^ \ , V OF THE LIBERAL MEETING, AT , THE GUILDHALL, BATH, ^ MONDAY, April Uth, 1852, TO RECEIVE FROM CAPTAIN SCOBELL AN ACCOUNT OP HIS PARLIAMENTARY CONDUCT, AND TO MEET MR. PHIM, THE OTHER LIBERAL CAm)roATE ; W. HUNT, Esq., IN THE CHAIR. Re-printed from KEENES' BATH JOURNAL, of Saturday, April VJth, 1852. 1862. ..MM..IL ^ J. and J. Kbenk, Printers, No. 7, Kingsmead Street, Bath. 1- GBEAT LIBERAL MEETING. A LARGE and enthusiastic meeting was held in the banquet- ting room of the Guildhall, on Monday last, to afford our ex- cellent member, Captain Scobell, R.N., an opportunity of meeting his constituents, for the purpose of giving them a report of his Parliamentary conduct since his election. Mr. Phinn, the Liberal candidate for the seat vacated by Lord Duncan, was also present, and the appearance of both gen- tlemen upon the platform was the signal for hearty and pro- longed applause. They were surrounded by a large number of the leading liberals of the city, ranging from those of the old Whig school, to the more advanced Radical Reformers, whose unanimous approval testified to the cheering union which so happily exists in the Liberal ranks, in reference to the approaching election. W. Hdnt, esq., presided ; and on rising to open the proceedings was greeted with loud cheering. He said, in proceeding to the business of the day, he must congratulate the meeting upon the disposition they had manifested to turn Easter Monday to a very good account. (Hear.) He remembered bearing that Cobbett used to boast that he never even took a walk for mere pleasure, but always made it subordinate to business, and he supposed it was in the same spirit of laudable industry that they were met there to day, to con- vert one of the holidays of the year into an occasion for performing a highly necessary and important political duty (cheers); for when they elected fit and proper persons to represent them in the House of Commons, they only did half their duty, unless they afterwards satisfied themselves upon the extent and faithfulness with which they had consulted the principles upon which they were elected. (Cheers.) He knew there were some politicians, such for example as dearly liked good long parliaments, or such as disliked or detested the ballot, or such as had no particular objection to a little beer or a little bribery (hear, and laughter), that thought such meetings as these quite vexatious and shocking, and considered that when a member was fairly launched in the House of Commons, be should '-^V^f^- Vi,, X 4 be left (o trim his sails and steer his course just as his fancy or feel- ings might lead him. (Hear.) However this doctrine might suit pocket boroughs, he was sure it was not their notion of what a member ought to do, and he hoped never would be. (Cheers.) They attached a litile more importance to the understanding there was between them and their representative. They appreciated their political principles and oljects, and wished to see them enforced. (Hear.) He was sure they gave countenance to no objects of a per- nicious or unconstitutional character. They only contended for an enlarged and liberal policy ; for economy in expenditure, equality in taxation, freedom in commerce, justice in representation ; and in the great reforms in which they had been so happily successful, no one could point to an instance in which they had disregarded the principles of justice, or did not honestly and heartily seek the rights and welfare of every class of society. (Loud cheers.) With this estimate of their political principles, nothing could be more consis- tent than to meet one of their representatives there that day, and with candour and respect to hear from him the course he had deemed it right to take in regard to the more important measures that had come under his consideration in the House of Commons (hear) ; and, indeed, he thought it would be a poor compliment to their member if such a course were omitted. (Hear.) As a general rule they always acknowledged services that were well done. (Hear.) Our artists had their prizes, our soldiers their medals, and public men their public honours, and strange indeed it would be if an exception were made only with our Members of Parliament, whose most important and onerous duties required the whole of their time, taxed their faculties to the utmost, and demanded sacrifices that nothing but the highest and most patriotic considerations could make. (Cheers.) But these sacrifices had been made, and this attention and zeal had been given to his Parliamentary duties by Captain Scobell. (Applau.se.) Indefatigable and constant in his at- tendance at the House of Commons, keenly alive to the interests of the country and the wishes of his constituents he had shewn the accordance there was in their sentiments and his own. (Cheers.) He (the Chairman) did not know of any important measure in which he did not vote, and, not frittering away his vote by any nice refine- ments, he always voted on the right side. (Cheers.) Upon the ballot and matters connected with the naval service, be afforded valuable •• '•An information to the House, and thus with all the integrity of a good le- gislator he had shewn the practical qualities of a useful one. (Cheers.) But these points in Capt. Scobell's parliamentary conduct were the more important, as not only satisfying them upon what was past, but what they might reckon upon in future from him, in other words' they formed very sufficient reasons why they should return him as their representative at the next election. (Cheers.) Considering such qualifications he did not know that any doubt could possibly exist upon such a question, except indeed any change had taken place in their political sentiments from any mistrust of their advan- tage and soundness He certainly knew of no reason why they should be changed, and indeed if he wished in the easiest way to satisfy himself upon their soundness, he should look only to the posi- tion and circumstances of the Earl of Derby and his Cabinet. (Hear hear.) Never were men in a worse political dilemma ! Never were ingenuity and ability more severely taxed, to sneak out of difficulties into which they had so proudly strutted. (Laughter and cheers.) They well knew how unequivocally and bitterly they had all along denounced the Free Trade policy, how they proclaimed themselves champions of the landed interest and claimed for them the exclusive advantage of protection. (Hear, hear.) But now such a mass of facts had been brought before them, such reasons derived from revenue, commerce, and general comfort, why the necessaries of life should go untaxed, that they were quite conscious they must either give up their consistency or their places. (Cheers.) Ashamed to abandon the one and unwilling to resign the other, they now exhibited a ludicrous struggle between conscience and ambition. (Hear, hear.) Like the poor ape, that, caught in the trap, could not escape without the loss of his tail, the ministers found they must make up their minds to a similar calamity, (laughter), without any other resource than that of prevailing on their friends to part with their tails to, so as to make inconsistency so common as to enable them to keep their places without blushing for their circumstances. (Cheers.) This was certainly very instructive as to the merits of their principles and ours, but the lesson we ought, he thought, to gather from it was that we should consider it as a specimen of their principles-an index to their o'hole policy, and as they refused to give anything like an exposition of their policy we might well conclude they meant to be consistent with themselves, and what we knew men to have been, we 6 might fairly suppose they would as far as possihle continue to be. (Applause.) This would be quite enough to put us on our guard, quite enough to induce us to take the most etfectual precautions against such political evils, and that would be by sending to the next Parliament two members that fully appreciated a liberal policy and would apply it with judgment and decision. (Loud cheers.) If Lord Duncan was lost to them he was not lost to the liberal cause, but was the same steady unswerving friend to it he ever was, and as a proof of it, he would, if they pleased, read a letter he had received from his lordship a few days since in reply to a memorial from some of their fellow citizens, requesting him to oppose the organisation of the militia. (Hear.) [Here Mr. Hunt read a letter from Lord Duncan slating that he should most certainly vote against every attempt to organise a militia.] This he was sure must satisfy them that if Lord Duncan had made a mistake in retiring Irom a con- stituency so attached to him, he had in no way abandoned a Liberal policy, and indeed, under present circumstances, if they exerted themselves properly, he might indirectly be the means of slrengihen- ing the Liberal interest in the House of Commons. (Cheers.) And he (Mr. Hunt) could not help thinking that it was somewhat more than a g»)od omen, it was an encouraging fact, that they had had the good fortune to find a gentleman to replace Lord Duncan with no ordinary qualifications to recommend him. (Cheers.) Mr. Phinn, though a new candidate, was an old friend — born amongst them, naturally interested in the prosperity of the city, and fully ap- preciating and understanding a liberal policy, he had both a natural and poliiiral claim to iheir preference. (Cheers.) He was an ac- complished member of a profession that perhaps more than any other tended to invigorate the mind and accustom it to habits of business, as well also to exert those powers of deliberation which were so de- sirable for the House of Commons. (Hear.) Associated, then, with Capt. Scobell, his election would still secure to them two members supporting a policy thai had already produced so many benefus.and which was still so much rt-quired to promote other measures which the social and general welfare of the country required. (Applause.) He need not tell them there were opponents in the field, nor were they the less to be guarded against because only one of them as yet appeared. (Hear.) Whether Mr. Whateley's qualifications were sufficiently broad to furnish out another candidate he really did ' ■.« ^ ^ not know. One or two heads had just appeared, but vanished again into thin air— (laughter) -so that Mr. Whaieley was, at pre- sent, stalking about the field alone. (Hear, hear.) They must, however, be prepared against accidents, and not trifle with a con- test which, at this crisis; was so very important. (Hear, hear.) Of course he hoped in such a contest everything would be done with good feeling and good humour. (Hear.) Bitterness and animosity had nothing to do wiih their cause, and he could know but little of its moral strength and character that would employ such means to promote it. (Cheers.) But their success had been objected to upon the grounds that their candidates contemplated the continuance of the Maynooth Grant, and they perhaps knew that he and others had been charged with inconsistency for upholding candidates so dis- posed. (Hear, hear.) To this he replied, that if Capt, Scobell and Mr. Phinn were even resolved to vole for that grant, absolutely and unconditionally, he should even then be obliged to weigh most care- fully the value and need of the support they were disposed to give to measures indispensable to the welfare of the country before he could vole against them (loud cheers), for otherwise he might very possibly find himself in the blameable position of preferring a lesser good to a greater, and sacrificing advantages and benefits, little less than uni- versal, for the sake of guarding against some particular and partial evil. (Continued applause.) But he did not feel himself in that difficulty, for he had reason to think that neither Capt. Scobell nor Mr. Phinn were prepared to vote unconditionally and absolutely for that grant. (Hear hear.) They knew very well that the pro- priety of that grant had, for different reasons, been questioned by thousands in this and in other cities, and that Parliament was even now being petitioned on the subject. (Hear, hear.) As he was sure their candidates were not the persons to despise the right of petition, they would at least, see in them a very sufScieut reason to justify a thorough inquiry into the subject; especially as notice had already been given of a motion to that effect. (Cheers.) Such an inquiry ought to be made in justice to all parties, and such an inquiry ought to satisfy all parties, whether Protestants or Roman Catholics. (Hear.) For if their Roman Catholic friends had im- plicit confidence in the education, tendency and results of Maynooth College, they would rather court investigation than otherwise; and if any of them as Protestants, thought that Maynooth was not con- 8 ferring the benetits upon Ireland which it was intended to do, thai the system altogether fell short of the moral wants of Ireland, and was rather a political engine for priestly influence, they ought to be satisfied with an inquiry which would determine the justice of such apprehensions. (Cheers.) For himself he felt that he should be justly charged with inconsistency if he did not urge such an inquiry ; though at the same time he must maintain that he should be quite justified in voting for candidates with whom he harmonised upon their principles of general policy, though he might not exactly agree with them upon every point of their application. (Applause.) The other objections urged against their candidates were just those they must always expect from the opponents of a Liberal policy. They did not like the ballot, they did not like triennial parliaments or any modification of the suffrage, or, to use Mr. Whateley's words, they did not like " speculative theories." (Cheers and laughter.) But Mr. Whateley well knew that when theories were founded upon sound principles, they became little less than abstract truths. (Cheers.) All their various measures of emancipation and relorm were once theories, but now happily realised into practical advantages, they proved that theories were not always unwisely entertained. (Ap- plause.) However, it was right to remark that the Conservative tone was njuch more moderate than it used to be, and they were not so utterly opposed to the idea of reform. But this was traceable to the effect of liberal principles, that, in the improvement they had effect- ed, must have weakened prejudices against them. (Cheers.) But yet, let them not make the fatal mi^take of leaving the conservatives to complete what we had begun. Any relaxation on our part would soon stagnate the progress of reform, and we should have conserva- tive principles returning upon us with all their rankness. (Hear, hear.) Vigilance, eff'orts, and sacrifices were still indispensable on our part if we wanted to secure the benefits we have already gained, or would seek still further to meliorate our Institutions. (Cheers.) The only way to do this eflTeciually was by maintaining our influence in Par- liament, by means of two liberal members, and certainly if integrity, intelligence, and a hearty adherence to Liberal principles, were the qualifications we wanted, we had them sufficiently in our present candidates, to justify every eff"ort we could make for their return, and to render that return a political and public advantage. (Loud cheering.) ^J* * T 9 Capt. ScoBKLL then rose and was received with long continued cheering, waving of hats, and other marks of approval and continued confidence. He said he thanked them for this generous, this liberal reception. He was delighted to stand before them-it was the day and the hour he had for sometime been looking forward to, and it was his pleasure as well as his duty to pour out his inmost thoughts before them. (Applause.) They as electors had a perfect right to in- quire into the sentiments and conduct of their representatives (hear), and he would set his before them with a frankness, an honesty and an unambiguiiy, which should leave no one room for censure. He had nothing to hide from them— and if he could turn his mind in- side out. so to speak, he would do so, for in honesty he repeated, he had nothing to conceal. (Cheers.) It was an excellent and an ad- mirable part of the representative principle, as the Chairman had observed, that he who was trusted by the people, should come before them publicly and give an account of his services. If this were more frequently done there would be less of bribery and corruption, less of broken pledges,and more honest representatives. (Cheers.) The im- mediate business of the day, as the bill calling the meeting declared, was to aff'ord him an upporlunity of giving them an account of his conduct as their representative in the House of Commons. He should at once proceed to that as the great object of the day with him ; and if afterwards he ventured to remark upon other subjects, his observations should not be many, because as the battle was not nigh at hand, it was not worth their while to force the enemy into close quarters; besides he should have other opportunities of addressing them before the contest came. (Hear.) They would be able to gather the sentiments of his political mind pretty well from an enumeration of the chief measures which had been dis- cussed and for and against which he had voted since he had been their member. (Hear.) Although he had only been return- ed to Parliament at the latter end of June last year, he had been present at the discussions, and voted in 49 divisions. (Hear, hoar.) There had been those who, unwisely for their own credit, (for he was sure such charges must be displeasing to their readers), had described him as a mere hanger-on of the late ministry, — as a servile follower of Lord John Russell's. How far such a charge was founded upon truth, would be seen when he told them that in 20 out of the 49 divisions in which he had voted, he was in a different lobby to Lord i> I 10 John Rassell. (Cheers.) Not that he went upon the Tory side of his lordship; but upon those 20 occasions he was always found upon the Liberal side of him, in company with the more advanced section of reformers in the House of Commons. (Cheers.) And why? Lord John Russell had a great responsibility in his hands, he had also to please friends around him ; but he (Capt. Scobell)had only to give etlecl to his own opinions and those of his constituents ; and, therefore, he occasionally found himself obliged to go out against the ministers with the more Liberal portion of the House. Well, the poll whiih resulted in his return, was declared on Wednesday , the 2oih of June. The Thursday and Friday he took to pack up, in order to begin his new life ; and having told those at home to take care of themselves, for that he had other work to attend to now, he went up to London on the Saturday. On the following Monday he took his seat, and the same night the Right Honorable Mr. Disraeli— a gentle- man honourable no doubt in all things, but certainly right in few (laughter)— brought forward his measure for delaying the repeal of the Window Tax for twelve months ; and he (Capt. Scobell) had the honour of giving his first vote against it. (Cheers.) Nothing could be more free than the light which God gave ihem ; and it was highly unjust and inexpedient to restrict it. (Hear.) The Window Tax, however, was now gone, thanks much to Lord Duncan, his present colleague. (Cheers.) Let them do him justice— Lord Duncan had fought the battle well, and they would give him the credit which was his due. (Hear.) Perseverance was a great quality, and it was possessed in an extraordinary degree by Lord Duncan, than whom none had done more towards effecting the repeal of that obnoxious impost which restricted the blessings derived from the free light of Heaven. (Applause.) He must say, en passant, that he lamented Lord Duncan had withdrawn himself from the representation of Bath, since he might always have relied upon a certain return by so independent a constituency. (Hear, hear.) Let them, however, hope that those amongst whom his lordship had gone, would support him and cherish him as they would have done. (Applause.) To return, on the Friday in the same week - the first of his appearance in the House of Commons— a great and important question came on for discussion, a question which bad been much mooted in this city, and much misrepresented as regarded himself— the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. (Hear.) That bill was brought up to be read a third A Mr •^^S*^ 11 time ; and two amendments were moved to it. The first was to the effect, that as the bill said what had been done was unlawful, so the amendment said if the same thing was done again it should be un- lawful. He thought that was so reasonable— that a man who had done a wrong thing yesterday, and which it was considered right to put a stop to, should be held responsible if he did the same thing to- morrow, that he voted to prevent any similar act in the time Income. (Hear, and a voice, " With the Tories.") Yes ; with the Tories. The amendment was moved by one, who was called at that time a Peelite, Sir F. Thcsiger, but it was so rational that be could not but vole for it, because if the first act of the Pope was wrong, surely a repetition of it must be wrong also. (Hear, hear.) Was there a Roman Catholic present? If there was, could he say that he had deceived him in that? (No, no.) He would not interfere with the free ex- ercise of any man's religious opinions. He would not do anything to take spiritual freedom from a soul that breathes ; but he could not forget that, independently of his own conscientious convictions as a thorough Pioteslant, he had taken sacred oaths, over and over again, as a magistrate, and as a member of Parliament, and those oaths told him what he most firmly believed, that no foreign prince, priest, po- tentate, or person had a right to hold dominion or exercise power in these realms. (Cheers.) He did not mean to shelter his convictions nnder the cover of the oaths he had taken- he avowed his convictions as a Protestant to be in perfect conformity with them, and he was bound, therefore, as an honest man and as a Protestant, to say that whilst he would allow the widest religious freedom he would prevent the civil act of the Pope cutting up this country into bishopricks, lest the Pope might, by the immunity given him, go to greater lengths. (Loud cheers.) The second amendment was, that the penalty pro vided in case of a breach of the Act should be sueable by any com- mon informer. He thought that was wrong. (Hear.) It was taking the responsibility from the proper quarter. He voted against it, therefore; but it was carried, and he believed that was the reason why the law officers of the Crown had allowed the Act to lie dor- mant. Had the offence been left to the Government, the respon- sibility woula have remained with them ; but now they seemed to act upon the principle, that what was everybody's business was nobody's, and the statute was left inoperative. (Hear, hear.) He was not making these remarks from any desire to see the Act 12 enforced under present circumstances, and indeed he had always wished that it had been made to apply to England only. It was said, however, that as the Established Church was the Church of England and Ireland, the two countries were both in the same boat, and that any such act applying to one must apply to the other also. (Hear, hear.) This question of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, brought him very properly at this point, he thought, to the consideration of another, which had been referred to by the Chairman, — he meant the Maynooth Grant. (Hear.) It so hap- pened that he had to the present time never uttered a word upon this question iu public in his life. Though it was an old grant, there- fore, it was a new question to him. It was a question, too, arising from two distinct parties. (Hear.) First of all, there was the re- ligious world, who believed that the doctrines taught ai Maynooth were inconsistent with the Holy Bible, and therefore, upon principle, they wished the grant withdrawn. (Hear.) The Chairman had very properly said that if individuals were to pick out any questions here and there, where they chose, and insist upon those particular questions being the ones upon which the member was to act, they would never get any man to represent them. (Hear.) It was im- possible he, or any other gentleman, could undertake to represent them all in that view. They were thousands, whilst he was but a unit, and it was impossible, therefore, that he could undertake to re- present their individual opinions. (Hear.) His object had always been to represent the average opinions and principles of the consti- tuency, and that was what he should wish and endeavour to do if they returned him again as their representative. (Cheers.) There was another party, and a very ditfereni one to the religious class he bad alluded to, who raised the cry of Maynooth. (Hear.) They were the Tories. (Hear, hear.) They, in their weakness, v^ished to make the question of Maynooth the hustings cry. (Hear.) Who heard of Maynooth twelve months ago? it was then a mere speck in the question of Papal aggression ; and who doubted that the Tories only raised the cry now for political purposes.^ They thought, and rightly so, that the people of this country were thoroughly Protestant, and, therefore, if they could by the cry of" Maynooth" influence the Protestant feeling of the country, it would run through the land as upon an electric wire, and result in their advantage. (Hear ) He would tell them his opinion upon this question explicitly. He con- 4\ i /«»• 13 sidered in regard to it, that he was in the position of a man placed in the jury box to decide an important matter, and that upon this great question he must say aye or no, according to the evidence. (Hear.) He must say that he wished to hear the evidence which it was said would be adduced upon it. (Hear.) Every reasonable man would admit that he had a right to expect that. The state of the question at present was this, that a gentleman on the Tory side of the House, Mr. Spooner.had given notice for a Committee of Inquiry on the subject. In the House of Commons, when he(Capt. Scobell) was present, Mr. Spooner said, " It would be recollected that on Monday last he gave notice that he should postpone his motion on Maynooth College till an early day after Easter. If there was any compact or understanding that the endowment should continue, it was on this principle— that it was a mark of confidence towards the Roman Catholics— that it was a favour and a boon, and that we were to expect in return that the original objects for which Maynooth was founded should be carried out. (Hear.) He (Mr. Spooner) thought the system of education at Maynooth contrary to good order, and at the same time injurious to morality — [He (Capt. Scobell) had also a distinct recollection that he said disloyalty was also taught there, al- though it was not so reported 1 -and he (Mr. Spooner) must say that if he did not expect opposition from the Government, still less did he do so from Roman Catholic gentlemen themselves, for he was sure they were ignorant of the doctrines taught, of the principles incul- cated, and the books used in the College of Maynooth. (Hear, hear.) If they would but inquire for themselves, instead of taking for granted what they were told by the priests, there was not one of them who would not cry out to have the system purged. (Hear, hear.) He had not changed his opinion upon the subject, but was fully determined to move, after Easter, for a committee to inquire into the system of education carried on at the College of Maynooth, which he pledged himself to show inculcated doctrines subversive of order, injurious to morality, and completely aniagonistical to the Word of God." Mr. Spooner, continued Capt. Scobell, stands up and says, if a committee were granted him he would prove that. Well, he would give Mr. Spooner a committee, for such charges once made should be esta- blished, or shewn to be untrue. (Hear.) If Mr. Spooner chose to deraaod a committee and lo assert what was untrue, the consequences mast fall upon him ; but if he proved his assertions, then the conse- 14 qnences must follow to those who provoked the charge. (Cheers.) It was clear, at all events, that the thing must now come to a fair inquiry; and if it were found that the teaching at Maynooih was diflerent to what it was supposed to be for the last fifty years, and that disloyalty and immorality were taught there, the Roman Catho- lics muiil not blame Protestants for looking into their own business. (Cheers.) He would say, therefore, let there he a committee, and let the evidence be brought before them. He did not forget that he must not look at this entirely as a religious question, because they bad made him a political man. He could not, therefore, deny the right of Parliament to take away, if they thought proper, that which Parliament had granted. (Hear.) If it were proved that the College of Maynooih fostered immorality and disloyalty, it could not be said that the funds of the Stite ought to be devoted to its support— (hear)— and if these charges were unfounded, it was right that an opportu- nity should be given to disprove them. The next question upon which he voted was one which related to Free-trade— its object was to protect home-made spirits, by laying a greater differential duty upon home-made than foreign— it was a sly attempt upon the Free- trade policy. He voted against the motion, and it was negatived. (Hear.) Upon the 8th July came on the great question of the Ballot. (Cheers.) And he would say now— and if they were the last words he was going to utter he was sincere in this— if they gave a man the privilege, the right, and invested him with the power, of electing re- presentatives, they dealt unfairly, cruelly, by him if they did not protect him in its free exercise. (Cheers.) Tell him of the Ballot being un-English! Was it fair and just to coerce, to intimidate, or to injure a man because he did not vote according to their minds ? (No.) Well, then, if it was right and just to protect a man from this undue and cruel influence, it could not be un English ; for nothing that was fair and just was opposed to the English character. (Cheers.) Let them throw the cuckoo-cry of the Ballot being un-English to the winds. (Hear) The Ballot was a growing question. (Hear.) Even Lord John Russell had said so. And Sir James Graham— whom he believed was by and bye destined to be a Liberal states- man again, in fact it was impossible to say to what eminence he would not attain — had said lately at Carli.sle that much was to be said in favour of the Ballot and that he would consider the question. In his opinion Sir James Graham had opened the door to become a t I \ T 15 Ballot man. (Hear.) Upon the division on the 8th July, there were for the Ballot 87, against it 50, in fact it was carried ; but they must understand how that was. The Tories all remained away, and there were none but Liberals present The division, however, es- tablished this fact, that the majority of the Liberals were now for the Ballot. (Cheers.) The Ballot was, as he had said, a growing ques- tion, and it would as surely progress until it was established, as that the sun travelled onward from east to west. (Hear.) The next time he voted, and it would show again that he was not a follower of in- dividuals, was upon occasion of Mr. Hume bringing forward a re- solution of censure upon their fellow citizen Sir James Brooke. (Hear.) Mr. Hume collected evidence which made out a colourable case ; but he (Capt. Scobell) could not vote for such a motion, because he believed Sir James Brooke bad fulfilled his duty in an honorable, humane, and Christian spirit. (Hear.) It must not be forgotten that he was living amongst men to whom it was necessary it should be occasionally shewn that there was a force above themselves; and although he (Capt. Scobell) regretted as they all must, the loss of life on the occasion to which the motion referred, he believed that Sir James Brooke's conduct would be the means of preventing a greater sacrifice of life in future. (Cheers.) He had given several other votes upon questions of supply, and salaries, in which economy had always been his guiding principle. (Cheers.) They could see if he ever voted for any increase of salaries. They were generally speaking too large, and whenever there had been a motion on the subject he had voted on the side of reduction. (Hear.) There came before the House also a motion for the expenses of the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen Dowager— a claim which he believed would never have been madecould that illustrious lady have forseen it. They came down, however, and asked the House to vote ^t'lO.OOO or ^12,000 for fees, said to have been incurred for the funeral down at St, George's, at Westminster. (Shame.) He voted against that. (Cheers.) Then came the division upon the Ecclesiastical Estates Bill— for the better management of the church property— in which he was again in a different lobby to Lord Johu Russell. (Hear.) The last vote he gave in the session of 1851, was in favour of a motion moved by Mr. Hume and supported strongly that the report of the Committee on the Income Tax should be published for the information of the mem- bers and the public. Lord John Russell, however, opposed the pro- 16 position — he was cautious of giving information on the subject, and upon a division the numbers were equal. The House was then prorogued. A vole had been taken upon the (jiieslion of retaining the Crystal Palace, and he was deeply impressed with the conviction that a building so creditable to England ought to be kept up. (Cheers.) If it were devoted to popular amusements, it would give an impetus to the country in that direction, which would he highly beneficial, and we should not, as at present, be left so far behind other states in providing amusement for the people, whilst we were as for- ward as any in inflicting punishment. (Hear, and applause.) Dur- ing the Session of 1852, there had not been so many divisions as they might expect, but there had been 18 ; and he would lake this op- portunity of telling them a secret. There had not been a single day during which the House had sat that he had not been present; and he was generally there when the Speaker took his seat and did not quit until he left it. (Cheers.) The first important measure this Session was Lord John Russell's new Reform Bill. (Hear.) They saw his lordship had got rid of his notions of Finality. (A laugh.) That was gone ; and Lord John had found it possible to stretch Reform a little. He could not; however, stretch it far enough to satisfy the country. In framing his bill he had not consulted the opinions of all the Liberals ; he had only looked to the section around him, and therefore he had failed. (Hear, hear.) He (Capt, Scobell) was for household suffrage, on account of its simplicity. Lord John Russell had proposed a £6 ratal for boroughs; that was going a great way, but then he marred all the advantage of this by fixing the qualification in counties at jC20. (Hear.) He should like to know why a man should be required to rent to four times the amount in the county, than as though he lived in a borough, before he could be qualified to vote. (Hear.) Then there was his lordship's plan for preserving the rotten boroughs. That was really shocking. (Cheers.) He seemed to think that by putting three rotten apples together he would get a sound one. (Laughter.) The lime for rotten boroughs, however, was gone by, and no reform bill would be acceptable to the country that did not sweep them away. (Cheers.) It was a significant fact, which he might mention whilst upon this subject, that there were eight boroughs having representatives in the present ministry, and returning sixteen members, the populations and constituencies of which put together, ♦Jo 17 did not equal the population and constituency of Bath. (Shame.) Bath, as they knew, was nothing like so large as some other consti- tuencies, but the inconsistency, inequufity, and injustice of the pre- sent system were sufficiently apparent from this comparison. (Cheers.) The New Reform Bill, by the advent of the present ministry to power, was set aside. It was gfine to sleep, but he hoped when it awoke it would be in a different and belter form. (Hear, hear.) He(Capt. Scobell) was at the great meeting at Chesham-place, of which they had all heard, and he there saw enough to lead him to think that Lord John Russell would give us a belter bill next lime. He now came to the question which had upsel the late ministry— the militia. (Hear.) Lord John Russell brought in a bill for the organization of a local militia, when up jumped his late colleague, Lord Palraerston, and moved the omission of the word " local." The house divided and Lord Palmerston marched out at the head of the Tories. He (Capt. Scobell) went out with Lord John Russell on that occasion, because he did not wish Ui ^ee the Tories in power. The ministers were beaten, however, and in came Lord Derby to office. There would be other opportunities when he should be able to show them the inconsistencies of the present government ; but this he would now say, that the Derbyiies, if they have given up Protection are apostates, and if they have not unreservedly given it up, they are hypocrites. (Hear hear.) He did not care which position they chose to adopt ; but they must take one or the other. Either they had given up Protection, and had thereby become apostates to opinions they had so lately and so strongly expressed ; or they were hypocrites in pro- fessing opinions which in their hearts they did not entertain. (C heers.) When Lord Derby came into office, the supplies were granted with a rapidity unknown t)efore to the oldest member in the House, under the persuasion that when the necessities of the country were provided for Parliament was to be dissolved. (Hear.) Mr. Hume said he would not oppose anything, but, said be, " let us grant them the sup- plies, and then go to the country." The estimates were all provided by the former Government, so that the present ministers had only to receive the money. (Hear.) Lord Derby, however, having secured that, turned round and told them that he should not dissolve before it suited his convenience. (Hear.) The next question was the Bal- lot again. Upon a division there appeared 145 for it to 225 against. That was a stronger division then they had had for many years ; and B 18 it was calculated that there were 70 members absent on that occasion who were in favor of the ballot, so that now it might be concluded that there were more than 200Liberal members ballot men. (Cheers.) And more were coming over every day. (Hear.) Then there was a motion for a commission of inquiry to go down to Harwich to seek into the corrupt practises there. The Derby ministry opposed it and 80 did Lord John Russell ; and he (Capt. Scobell) voted in the mi- nority for the commission. (Hear.) Then came Lord Derby's Mili- tia Bill ; and, he said so much on naval matters during that discus- sion, not because he was a naval-man, but because there was no one else in the House who look that subject up, or if they did they usually made blunders about it. Mr. Cobden himself, whom he admired in many respects, often made blunders when he dealt with naval subjects ; and therefore he (Capt. Scobell) endeavoured in his humble way to enlighten the House upon those subjects. (Hear, bear.) Now what he maintained and what he wished to shew was that if we wanted national defence, the sea was the proper place for it. (Hear.) We were an island, and the sea was the element on which to say to an enemy " Hither shalt thou come, but no farther. (Cheers.) He did not want to see the country turned into a great barrack. (Hear.) If they wanted inland defence why had they not accepted the »oluntary offers of the people to form Ri6e clubs. (Hear, hear.) The number proposed for the militia was 80,000, and it was also proposed to give a bounty of £(i to each. There went a haif a mil- lion of money at once. (Hear.) The militia question, was one of expense, of patronage, and was calculated to stir up a warlike feel- ing when we ought to be promoting peace. (Cheers.) There was a curiousquestion arising outof the discussion on thisbill. Mr. Home- Secretary Walpole got up in the House and proposed that not only should the bounty be given but that every man after serving for 2 years in the militia should be entitled to the franchise! The Li- berals were completely taken by surprise— they felt that they had been outbidden completely, (hear, hear), and they thought that a great Extension of the Suffrage must be near at hand, for how could a re- spectable householder be refused a vote, when votes were to be given to all the young fellows who served in the militia. (Hear.) On che following Monday, however -this declaration was made on the Fri- day— up rose Mr. Walpole with a gloomy face (on the previous occa- sion it was all smiles and satisfaction) and said that his statement the f 19 other night was a mistake. (Hear, and langhter.) Not that the meeting was to suppose that it was put forth without the sanction of the Government, but they had in the meantime found that the mea- sure would lead to an extension of the suffrage they never contem- plated. (A laugh.) The last division before the recess was on the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill. It was a bill that came from the late ministry and was taken up by the present ones ; but the Go- vernment did not want the bill to give power to go back more than one election. He opposed that, and they went out to a division , and that time the Liberals beat them and had a majority. (Cheers.) At the last sitting the House was counted out, and he had the honor of being one of the few present on that occasion. (Applause.) He had now gone through, what no doubt they bad considered a very tedious process, and given them the principal measures upon which he had had the opportunity of expressing his opinion since he had been their member. He trusted that he had used the power committed to him in such a way that no censure could be passed upon him ; that he had done them justice, that he bad fulBlled what he had told them he would, that he had carried out in spirit and in letter all they expected, — nay, all they could have wished from him. (Cheers.) He knew the people of England were often misrepresented. He knew that they wanted nothing but just reforms— that they asked for nothing more than their just rights— that they desired only lobe brought under the pale of the Constitution, and to defend it from within, instead of being left to grumble without. (Cheers.) There were other great and vital questions besides Free-Trade to be settled yet. There was one great question relative to which he had been written toby some of his constituents. It was Church rates. (Hear.) Upon that there had been no discussion since he had been in Parlia. ment, but he should go there inclined to support any practicable measure that might be brought forward for doing away with Church rates altogether, and thus quieting that uneasy and angry feeling which now agitated parishes on this question. (Cheers.) Mr. Tre- lawny had a motion on the subject for after Easter, and he felt much inclined to vote with him to get rid of Church rates altogether. (Hear ) He had already referred to his having talked a good deal in the House about the affairs of the Navy. Why did he do it ? It was because it was a subject not understood. The Secretary to the Admiralty was a landsman, he had only been five or six weeks in 20 office, and cotjld not know mach about naval affairs,- he qnestioned if he knew the stem of a ship from its stern,— he was sure he did not know where the rudder was. (Laughter.) Now, ;f5,600,000 a-year were spent upon the Navy ; and much of this was misappropriated ; the dockyards swallowed up a great deal of it by cutting ships up to make work, and by wasting the stores. Now, they must remember, all the saving must be effected out of about sixteen or seventeen mil- lions annually, for the interest of the debt and the consolidated fund took all the rest of the revenue, and as the navy swallowed up a third of that, it required watching, and by Gods help he would watch it. (Applause.) In respect to Free-Trade, he would say that he would resist any tax upon any kind of food. (Cheers.) He was a free trader in this respect. He did not limit it to corn. He saw that a gentle- man, of whom he desired to speak with every respect, who was a candidate for the representation of this city, which, it appeared he had never seen until two or three weeks ago, (hear, hear), had issued a second short address, and there he had put the cheap food question a little fuller. (Hear.) But he would say of that gentleman, if he is a Derbyite, he is either an apostate or a hypocrite (hear), he did not intend that offensively, he meant it politically, and not personally, but he applied the term to the party. (Hear.) It was in regard to beef and mutton, that he (Capt. Scobell^ was a freetrader, as well as in corn. (Cheers.) It was very likely the gen- tleman he alluded to would pop that into his next address now he had given him the hint. (Laughter.) Free Trade in meat was almost as necessary as free trade in corn— -at all events he knew nothing better to go with bread than a good piece of beef. (Cheers and laughter.) And he rejoiced to say that he knew cottages now where the labourer and his family had meat often, whereas they scarcely tasted such a thing before they had Free Trade. (Cheers.) There was another question, as to what was to be done with the Income Tax He would say that it must be revised,— it stood on an unfair principle. (Hear.) The man who went to the Bank of England and took his dividends regularly, or he who took his rents freft from deductions, should surely pay more than the man who had to earn his income before he received it. (Cheers.) He should be glad if the Income Tax could be got rid of altogether ; but he did not sec how that could be done without patting additional taxes upon the poor which would be a worse evil. (Hear, hear.) The *J«' 21 tax, however, must be so revised and adjusted that income should no longer pay the same as leal property. (Applause.) There was another question— Law Reform, but that he would hand over to— his colleague he was going to say. (Loud cheers.) Yes, he knew they would have him, and he was glad to find them prepared with a gentleman so estimable and so well qualified lo represent them. (Continued cheers.) The subject of Law Reform he would hand over to that gentleman merely ob^erving that he wished no higher honor to him in his profession than would attend his working out just reform in the Court of Chancery, the higher courts of law, and courts of session — in fact, they wauled reform from beginning to end. (Hear.) Announcing himself then as a thorough Law Reformer he would leave the elucidation of the subject to Mr. Phinn. (Cheers.) He feared he was wearying them (no, no), but it was belter to err in length, than to be told he had not spoken out explicitly on any sub- ject. (Hear.) He did not wish to create ill feeling in the city, but these were times when they must all stand to their principles, and although there were those whe wished to pilfer their principles from them, they could not make them their own. (Hear). One subject he had almost forgotten, but he wished briefly to refer to it A writer injlhis city had thought proper to refer to him, in a long leading ai- tide, in a way that was most unwarrantable, and he did hope that after what he should say, that writer would feel himself called upon to retract the expression. (Hear.) After some remarks upon the matter in which the name of Mr. Coppock had lately become so notorious, the writer used words to this effect. " If we mistake not Capt. Scobell also received assistance from the same gentleman at the last election." Now he would not use a short expression in order lo designate that assertion by ihe most emphatic word in our lan- guage; but he would say it was a great fib, (Cheers.) He had never received a farthing from anyone towards his election expenses ; nor had he himself paid for anything but the legiiimate expense of his return. (Hear, hear.) On the very day he issued his address, he gave a cheque upon his banker for the amount which his com- mittee said was necessary to discharge the legal claims. (Cheers.) He was ool blaming those who had gone to Mr. Coppock, when he said this ; far from it, for if the money were given for a proper object and used fairly, there was no cause of blame; he was only saying that his circumstances were such that he did not require it. (Ap- X 22 planse.) He respected every man who honestly held his opinions, whether he was for him or against him ; but he could not respect those who resorted to untruth and misrepresentation in order to traduce and injure a political opponent. (Hear, hear.) For this purpose it bad been said that at the last election he had trimmed, and made promises to the Koman Catholics behind ihe backs of the other electors. That was another great fib. (Cheers.) Ue had had no communication, politically, except with one Koman Catholic, and the request preferred by that gentleman he could not grant— he had written to him putting a question, and he had denied him what he asked. (Hear.) Through a third person he was afterwards re- quested to have an interview with that gentleman, and at that in- terview, in the presence of the third person, he had refused that which was requested. (Hear.) He said the Pope was the aggressor, and that be should, therefore, support the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. (Cheers.) Theu they trumped up something about some man's clause, — that be had undertaken to support it: it was no such thing — To this moment he had never read that clause; it fell, in the House of Commons, in a most ludicrous way. A friend had said to him on the hustings, have you seen such a clause? He answered, no; he had no time then fur reading newspapers ; his friend then said it was a purely spiritual clause, and bad nothing to do with the temporal action of the bill ; he had replied that he could not then discuss the matter, but that anything spiritual he would not interfere with, but that anything temporal be should most assuredly resist. And (his he could say, that he gave no authority to any human being in any way to communicate anything to anyone respecting that clause. (Hear.) He was as true a Protestant, though a liberal Christian, as any that stood in that room, (Applause.) In conclusion, as their representative, he wished no part of his conduct, no sentiment to be considered ambiguous; and if any explanation was required upon any point, he would answer a question from the humblest elector as readily as he would if it were put by the highest in the city. (Cheers.) If they thought proper to send him again to Parliament he would continue to do his duly as befoie, — and would use his best efforts to work out those great measures which he considered necessary to secure peace, happiness, prosperity, and justice in the land ; and in so doing, he would take Perseverance for his pilot, and place In- tegrity at the helm. (The gallant Captain resumed bis seat amidst loud applause.) t ^-^ €• ^J ^ «>*^ 23 The Chairman then asked if any person had any question lo ask Capt. Scobell ? Mr. Pdnter made some remarks which we could not distinctly catch, after which, Capt. Scobell said that the excellent gentleman behind had asked if he objected to sinecures ?— that was, paying men fordoing nothing. (Hear.) The question reminded him of an anecdote of an employer who seeing a man standing idle, said " Tom, what are you doing ?" '• Nothing, sir," was the reply. " Well, William, and what are you about?" said the employer, to another. " Helping Tom, sir," said he. (Laughter.) He (Capt. Scobell), was as averse to sinecures as any man ; and should always vole against pulling money into any man's pocket which he had not earned, (Cheers.) T. F. Allen esq., who wasreceive 37 and which was approved of by Mr. Percival,- a man looked up to by the Protestants of this country. (Hear.) The grant was con- tinued yearly, and the discussion of it was annually the cause of much bickering and acrimonious feeling In 1845, in order to put an end to this, Sir Robert Peel said— "Let's have done with it at once; fix it at a respectable amount, and put it upon the consoli- dated fund, by the sanction of an Act of Parliament; and have no more of these acrimonious and irritating discussions." (Hear.) He (Mr. Phinn) thought that was a prudent policy. But now it was thought a good handle to sow dissensions in the Liberal ranks, by representing those now in power as the only true Protestants. (Hear.) He was as devoted a Protestant as any in that room. (Hear ) He believed the Church of Rome was in error; but he did not judge her— enough for him that he did not follow her. (Cheers.) But he would scorn to apply the name that was used in the presence of those who claimed to have intelligence on their side, by his opponent —he hoped in the lapse or fervour of the moment— that he stigma- tised that ancient church, the church of our forefathers, as an " in- fidel" church. (Hear.) Such a word should never pass his lips ap. plied to any christian church or sect. If they were in error, argu- ment and persuasion should be the weapons used against them, not raillery and reviling—*' Who are you that presume to judge another?" (Cheers.) Well, it was said that this money granted to Maynooth college had been used to teach disloyalty, (Hear ) He believed the Roman Catholics we;e loyal. Throughout the Peninsula they were amongst the bravest in the British ranks; upon the plains of Water- loo they were thought worthy to fight for us and shed their blood in the cause of England— and who that knew of the valor of the brave 88th, every man in which regiment was a Roman Catholic, would think of questioning the loyalty of Catholics or the devotion of Irishmen. (Cheers.) Until such a charge was proved — until the assertion was brought to the test -he would not believe it. (Hear.) But he would not refuse inquiry. If an accusation in any case were made, let it be inquired into, and he was sure in this instance that nothing less than thorough investigation could satisfy Roman Ca- tholics themselves. (Hear.) But he would have those who mooted this inquiry recollect that they were moving a dangerous machine —that there were other institutions supported by the public money and by the grants of our ancestors that were obnoxious to inquiry. iMttUiiiiAaiiMft 38 (Hear.) Not very far from this city there stood upon the banks of the Isis another— Oxford, full of magnificent establishments, founded by the muniticence of William of VVykeham,Chicheley,and others, and consecrated by them to the promotion of religion according to their then lights, and to the purposes of education. (Hear.) Those foundations, those splendid palaces, those ample revenues, those stately gardens, those magnificent halls, were all transferred at the Reformation from the Roman Catholics to the Protestant church of this country, -not, however, as gifts, bul as trusts to be exercised according to their original inieniions for the promotion of instruction and religion ; and the people had, therefore, a right to see how those endowments were used. (Cheers.) Let him not be misunderstood — he said nothing against Oxford, he was no enemy to Oxford ; he owed his education —probably his position at that moment— to it; but he did say that if enquiry were made on the other side, there was the same reason it ought to be made here, where he saw day by day, men who had been enjoying the ample endowments of the Church of England, and had been brought up under the shade of the establishment, deserting that church which they bad sworn to defend, and apostatising to Rome* (Cheers.) He spoke from experience; he was there when the move- ment commenced ; he saw its tendency and operation ; and if a man could lift a finger against Maynooih, were there none who would pro- test against the apostacy of Oxford ? (Cheers.) He acknowledged that, from that University, a devoted band had issued, the resolute defenders of the Protestant faith ; but the mark of the beast was now upon it,— the stain of corruption was upon its colleges and halls,— and if they had enquiry into the one, they had a right to an enquiry into the other. (Loud cheers.) The enquiry in both cases should be carried on in a spirit of kindness, and with a pure object; but they had a right to know how it was that institutions intended to be the bulwarks of Protestantism, had be- come the nurseries of Catholicism. (Hear bear.) He said to his opponents, therefore, who had raised this cry about Maynooth " You are moving dangerous levers," and he told them that if inquiry was asked for in the one case as well as in the other he should vote for both. (Cheers.) Let him now say to those who had already misre- ported him, that he hoped he should not be misrepresented in what he said on this occasion —that words would not be put into his mouth which he had never spoken— that a meagre abstract of his speech 39 would not be given omitting qualifications essential to the right un- derstanding of his meaning upon important questions. (Hear, hear.) His opinions were public property; and let any man meet him in fair open public argument and he would maintain them ; he might be inferior as to ability to many, but there was none whom he would not dare to meet under such circumstances. (Cheers.) He would say again, therefore, let him not be mi.srepresented. fHear, hear.) He thought it only fair to himself to make these observations in order that he might be set right with his fellow citizens. (Hear.) He was not ambitious to go to Parliament for his own interest — it would cost him sacrifices, and those he was willing to make in their service ; but he did hope that neither now, or during the contest the expression of his candid and firm opinions would make him an enemy or lose him a friend. (Cheers.) Among Mr. Whateley's supporters he had many friends whose good opinion he had and he highly esteemed it; but if he were to be held up to opprobrium as a revolutionist, he must say that it would require all the energies of those present to disabuse the mind of the public concerning him. (Hear.) He was asked the other day what were his opinions upon the question of Education. He would now touch upon that subject and the points on which himself and Mr. Whateley were at issue in reference to it. (Hear.^ In Mr. Whateley's first address he found these words: -" I hold Education not founded upon Religion to be most pernicious." Agreed. (Hear.) ButMr. Whateley continued— " and I will promote t«> the best of my power the Establishment of Schools for the humbler Classes in connection with the Church of England ; but I would not exclude from the benefit of Instruction any who may be desirous of obtaining it." (Oh !) Now he (Mr. Phinn) read that paragraph as he believed every one else did, as meaning that Mr. Whateley would apply the funds of the State to the Establishment of Schools in connection with the Established Church only, and that he would exclude Dissenters from any such assistance. (Hear, hear.) Well, he (Mr. Phinn) dissented from that, and he now repeated what he had before declared, that not one shilling should be taken out of the public Treasury with his consent for Education that was not shared equally by all parties, (Cheers.) What was Education? It was not the mere teaching of children to read and write and cipher, or even to learn the Bible by rote. (Hear.) It was the cultivation of the intellect, the affections, and the sympathies— that was Education ; •mA. . .....uik .Mj... 40 and the conveying of religion to the mind of the child by the medium which nature had provided. (Hear.) He repeated that for educating men in the paths of true religion there was no education like the education of a mother. (Cheers) Those were the sentiments he had itefore expiessed, and he now saw that in a second address issued by Mr. Whateley that gentleman had taken up his views. (.\ laugh ) He told them thai the air of Bath was very salubrious — it was also very liberalizing. (Laughter) Mr. Whaieley had already felt ite influence — he had already come round a good way, and if he re- mained in Ikth much longer, he (Mr. Phinn) should not be surprised if he found him at the next election a candidate on the radical inte- rest. (Renewed laughter.) He had no doubt Mr. Whateley had been told that there were a great many Dissenters having votes in Bath ; and so he had resolved to throw his net this time wide enough to catch them. (Hear and laughter.) He would, however, be mistaken. (Hear.) He had read what he said in his first address; just hear what he said now in his second ■ — " I will earnestly promote schools, vt here the humbler classes may receive education founded upon religion. I would by no means disturb the present arrangements for disiribuling the Parliamentary Grant for Schools in England, for I sincerely re- spect the zeal and piety (»f the Protestant Dissenters, and in the cause of education I consi»ler them as fellow-labourers in a good work." ("Oh!") What a change had come o'er the spirit of his dream ! (Laughter.) Where were the Protestant dissenters in the tirst ad- dress? (Hear.) Where were they in the second ? (Hear.) He (Mr. Phinn) told them the air of Bath had a liberalising effect—but the proof of the pudding they knew was in the eating. (.\ laugh.) Why he and Mr. Whateley were pretty well agreed now ! The repentance of that gentleman was certainly a little tardy— was it sincere? (No, no.) He did not believe Mr. Whateley would say anything he did not believe to be true. (Hear.) He said he would not di>turb the present arrangements for distributing the Parliamentary grant for schools in England, He was a bold man who would (hear); for he who would venture to take away from the small pittance granted for the education of the youth of this country would be put down by the frown of the people of England. (Hear) But Mr. Whateley also came forward as the champion of Protestantism ! He (Mr. Phinn) ventured to say he was as good a Protestant as that gentleman (hear) ; but be would not call any christian church an " infidel" church. t is 41 (Hear.) Again, he had announced himself as a thorough supporter of Lord Derby. Still he suid he would vote against the May- nuoth grant: how could that be? (Hear) Who was the most prominent man next to Sir Robert Peel, in passing the Act for the endowment of that college? Why Lord Derby. (Hear, hear) What were that nobleman's words on that question ? He said — "And while I cannot express the alarm and dismay which the re- jection of this measure, [the Maynooth Endowment Act] would occasion in my mind, I have too high a sense of the wisdom, justice, and patriotism of the illustrious assemblage which I represent, to dread they will involve the country in the fearful consequences I apprehend I" (Loud cries of hear hear, and " oh.") Pretty strong language that for a nobleman, whom a gentleman opposed to the grant to Maynooth, was to support. (Hear.) The sec >ii(i reading of the bill was carried in the house of Lords by 226 to 69, and amongst the majority were an archbishop and five bishops, and every peer now in Lord Derby's ministry. (Cheers.) Amongst its supporters it numbered the Earl of Derby, Lord Lonsdale, Lord Salisbury, Lord Eglintoun, Lord Hardwicke, the Duke of Northumberland, and the Duke of Wellington— all members of the ministry which Mr. Whateley had said he should su .f><>ri. (" Oh!" and applause.) In the House of Commons, too, the second reading was carried by 317 to 184, and amongst its supporters there also, were Lord John Manners and other members of the present Government. (Hear.) In the face of that then, could any man come before them .oii say the turning point of this election was to be the Maynooth Grant, and then turn round and call himself a supporter of Lord Derby and the present ministry. (Loud cheers.) Did Mr. Whateley expect the Govern- ment to turn their principles as easily as they turned their coats: if he did not he could expect little encouragement from them in his ad- vocacy of the repeal of the Maynooth grant. (Hear hear.) When they found Lord Derby gravely declaring that he would be tilled with alarm and dismay, and that he dreaded the fearful consequences in which the country would be involved, if the grant were refused— if he were not prepared to eat those words, he could surely not have the support of Mr. Whateley. (Cheers.) He feared that he was tiring them by this very long speech. (Cries of " No no.") Well then if they sent him to Parliament he should gladly come and stand before them as the gallant Captain had done that day, to give them 42 an account of the way in which he had discharged his duly. (Hear.) He was not sanguine enough, however, to suppose, that in everything he might do, he should meet with their unqualitied approval. Ho should go to the House of Commons prepared to carry out those principles he had set before them (hear hear); but he must also go there prepared to act according to his own independent judgment upon cases of emergency, and it might be necessary sometimes to stop the current of popular prejudice, and to look out a-head and see that they did not do from sudden impulses what they might af- terwards have to retract. (Hear hear.) And he had no doubt that conscientiously and faithfully as he would do his duty, he should have to ask ihem when he came amongst them to account for his stewardship, lo be, as the poet said — " To my virtues very kind. To my faults a little blind." (Cheers and laughter.) He hoped they would act towards him in the same spirit of confidence in which he should always deal with them, and that if he were elected, of which he had little doubt, that their union would be cemented for many years. (Loud applause.) There was one question which he had omitted lo touch upon, but which he must not overlook, although he felt that they were all agreed upon it— he meant Free Trade. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Whateley, in his first address, said : — " 1 will strenuously support any practi- cable measures for the relief of the Agricultural Interest, and for the general protection of the industrious classes of our country; but I am persuaded that these objects must be obtained by other means than by re-iraposing a Tax on the Importation of Corn." Bath had liberalised him a little on this point also. (Hear.) In his last ad- dress he said:— "I will vote against re imposing a Tax upon the Importation of Corn ; or any other measure which, in my judgment, will raise the price of Bread — for, from much personal intercourse with the poor, I well know the blessing of a Cheap Loaf. (Oh !) I would, however, heartily concur in any practical measures for the relief of the Agricultural or Trading Interests." (Ob!) There he had come out a little stronger they saw— depend upon it they should get him farther by and bye. (Laughter.) Now, he (Mr. Pbinn) was a Free Trader to the back bone. (Cheers.) But he did not think the question of Free Trade depended so much upon the re-imposition of a tax on corn. No man would be bold enough to attempt that. i ^14 43 (Cheers.) It was all very well for the people calling themselves Protectionists, to go down to the farmers and bluster about reimpos- ing the Corn Law, but they who were behind the scenes knew that that was all humbug. (Hear, hear.) No minister would dare at- tack the principles of Free Trade in that way; but he would tell them how Free Trade would be attacked. It would be by insidious measures. (Hear ) They would nibble at it at one corner, and at another; they would perhaps attempt something with regard to the Navigation Laws, or the introduction of other things besides corn. (Hear.) But the people must beware, for they could not take a single brick out of the beautiful edifice of Free Trade without doing injury to the whole. (Cheers.) Now, in 1847, Mr. Whateley went down to South Shields as a candidate. The Navigation Laws were then the great bone of contention ; and it must be seen that if they took the import duty off articles of food, it was highly important that that food should have free entry into the country by means of cheap freights. It was necessary, therefore, to have free trade in ships as well as free trade in corn. (Hear.) Well, Mr. Whateley went down to the people of South Shields, and told them that if the Navigation Laws were repealed they would lose all their trade, and that no ships would be built in this country. (Oh!) The South Shields people, however, found a gentleman amongst their ship builders who now had no such fears, and they sent him to Parliament. Now, how far had Mr.Whateley's fearful predictions of free trade in shipping been realised? He (Mr. Phinn) was a little astonished lately at reading in a Bath paper— one opposed to him in politics — a statement that an order bad just been sent to South Shields by the Austrian Go- vernment, for the building of thirty large ships ; and that the ship builders were there so busy that they had actually been obliged to decline the order. (Loud cheers.) It was also a striking fact that the tonnage of the English shipping had increased by about one-fiflh since the repeal of the Navigation Laws. (Hear, hear.) The false prophet, therelore, finding no honour at South Shields had now come to Bath. (Cheers and laughter.) There was one other question which he would briefly advert to — Law Re- form. (Cheers.) They could not, of course, expect law for nothing. Law, however, ought to be cheap, and it ought to be speedy— those were the two most important considerations in Law Reform. (Ap- plause.) The whole machinery of obtaining justice ought to be 44 found by the State— all the officers of the different courts should be paid fair salaries out of the public treasury, and suitors ought only to have to pay the costs of the advice it might be necessary for them to seek, or the witnesses they brought forward to support their claims. (Cheers.) As to the Court of Chancery, no patching would do there —they must pull down the present edifice, which was a very intri- cate one, and build up a very simple one in its place. (Cheers.) He should like to know why they should not have local courts for cha.i- cery business, by which persons might at once bring their disputes to a settlement. (Hear.) He -Konni, in fact, have every court in the kingdom put upon the simplest possible fooling, and every man should have free access to it. (Cheers.) They had an excellent in- stitution in the County Courts, although they «>nly weiu to a certain amount; but they also had been patched and patched, until they had become neither one thing nor the other. (Hear, hear.) There should be local courts for the settlement of all kinds of claims and disputes, cheaply and speedily. 1 1 was a most absurd thing that all the business of the country must be carried up to London to be set- tled ; and he should not rest satisfied until justice was brought to every Englishman's door. (Applause.) He had now drawn upon their attention, their patience, and their kindness so long that he could not venture upon any other questions on this occasion. He should, however, meet them again ; and if they elected him he should always be glad to come amongst them not only to make set speeches, butlo talk mattersover. (Cheers.) He was now, and always should be, ready to answer any questions that might be put to him, or if any person dilFered from him upon any point, and would come to him, they would argue it out in a friendly way between them. (Applause.) He thanked them from the bottom of his heart for their kindness and support, and whether he were successful in this contest or whether he were worsted, he should always recollect, with feelings of pride and gratitude, that his fellow.cilizens had received hira,upi>n his first appearance, with a kindness and a consideration which he did not anticipate and which he was sure he had not deserved. (Mr. Phinu resumed his seat amidst enthusiastic cheering that was continued fur some minutes.) Mr, Allen said he wished to ask Mr. Phinn a question— not be- cause he had a shadi)W of doubt about it himself, but because some *^ i 4* 45 persons were making an election rnte of it— did he intend going to the poll ? (Cries of" Yes !" and " We will carry him too.' ) i 1 Mr. Phinn said he presumed that with those who ventured to in- i sinuate that he would not go to the poll— the wish was father to the I the thought. (Cheers.) It was a weak inventinn of theenemy. He I had every ptospect of success (applause) ; but, if he had only one voter for him, he would give him an opportunity of recording that vote at the poll. (Loud cheers.) Capt. S.\DMAREZ thought it only due to Capt. Scobell that the meeting should know that Mr. Coppock had tendered assistance to him, bnt that be had instantly declined it (cheers). The Chairman having congratulated the meeting upon the able speeches they had heard, and the excellency of the two candidates before them, Capt. Scobell moved and Mr. Phinn seconded a vote of thanks to Mr Hunt for presiding, which was responded to by the meeting with three hearty cheers. Several rounds of cheering were also given for Capt. Scobell and Mr. Phinn, and the meeting separated. A