POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
A public dinner was given at Birmingham yesterday to Mr. John Bright. Mr. Muntz (brother of the late Member) was in the chair. , Among the gentlemen present were J. B. Smith, M.P., Mr. Bass, M.P., Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr. C. Forster, M.P., Mr. Pease, M.P., Mr. W. Sharman Crawford, Mr. Basle), (the candidate for the representation of Manchester), Mr. George Wilson, Mr. Duncan M'Laren, and a consider- able number of the leading inkabitants of Birmingham. Letters of excuse were read, expressing great esteem for Mr. Bright, from Lord John Russell, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Locke King, and Mr. W. J. Fox. After the routine toasts, Mr. Bright's health was drunk, and he
rose. His speech was a strong vindication of a peace policy in foreign affairs.
He began by declaring that he had promulgated no views which were not upheld by the best and most revered nemes in the history of England ; particularly citing Sir Robert Walpole, Charles James Fox, Earl Grey,—who came into office to carry out "peace, reterichment, and reform" • and Sir Robert Peel, who on the very day of his lamented death made a speech in which he describes himself in saying, "If I am not mistaken I have made a speech of peace—a speech of peace." " I appeal to this audience, to every man who knows anything of the views and policy of the Liberal party in past years, whether it is not the fact that up to 1832, and indeed to a much later period, probably to the year 1860, those sentiments of Sir Robert Walpole, of Mr. Fox, of Earl Grey, and of Sir Robert Peel—the sentiments which I in humbler mode have propounded—were not received unanimously by the Liberal party as their fixed and unchangeable creed." The glorious revolution, which put a bit in the mouth of the Monarch, also enthroned the great territorial families ; and they invented the Policy which has cost so much to the industry of this country—a policy of wars "to maintain the liberties of &rope," there were wars "to support the Protestant interest," and there were many wars to preserve our old friend, "the balance of power."
"We have been at war since that time, I believe, with, for and against every considerable nation in Europe. We fought to put down a pretended French supremacy under Louis XIV. We fought to prevent France and co.ming under the sceptre of one monarch, although, if we had not 'ought, it would have been impossible in the course of things that they should have become so united. We fought to maintain the Italian pro- vinces in connexion with the House of Austria. We fought to put down the premacy of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Minister who was employed aF thus country at Vienna after the great war, when it was determined that no Bonaparte should ever again sit on the throne of France, was the very Man to make an alliance with another Bonaparte for the purpose of carrying War to prevent the supremacy of the late Emperor of Russia. (Cheers.) Aild 14114 are the results Europe is not this moment, so far as I know.
speaking of it broadly, and making allowance for certain improvements in its general civilization, more free 'politically than it was before. The ba- lance of power is like the perpetual motion." These wars have cost this small island no less a sum than 2,000,000,000/. —a sum which it transcends his imagination:to realize. Ile described the vast toil of this country ; the peasant in the field, the mechanic at his bench or forge, the worker in the factory watching. the restless shuttle, the miner in the sunless mine, and he said—" When 'I see all this I have before me a mass of produce and of wealth which I am no more able to comprehend than I am that 2,000,000,000/. of which I have spoken, but I behold in its full proportions the hideous error of your Governments, whose fatal policy con- sumes in some cases a half, never less than a third, of all the results of that industry which God intended should fertilize and bless every home in Eng iand, but the fruits of which are squandered in every part of the surface of the globe without producing the smallest good to the people of England." Among the tangible results we have the National Debt—which some think an advantage—and a mass of fixed pauperism which astonishes fo- reign countries. "Mr. Kinglake, the author of an interesting book on Eastern travel, describing the habits of some acquaintances that ho,made in the Syrian deserts, says that the jackals of the Desert follow their prey in families like the place-hunters of Europe. (A laugh.) I will reverse, if you like, the comparison, and say that the great territorial families of Eng- land, which were enthroned at the Revolution, have followed their prey like the jackals of the Desert. (Cheers and laughter.) . . . The more you ex- amine this matter, the more you will come to the conclusion which I have arrived at, that this foreign policy, this regard for the liberties of Europe,' this care at one time for the Protestant interests,' this excessive love for the balance of power,' is neither more nor less than a gigantic system of out-door relief for the aristocracy of Great Britain." (Great cheering and laughter.)
Mr. Bright described our entangling treaties,—to maintain Sweden against Russia, to interfere between Denmark and the Duchies, to defend Belgium against Holland, to preserve with Sardinia the balance of power in Europe, to protect the Kingdom of Greece, and the independence and integrity of the Ottoman empire. With what effects ? It is not all glory, after all. Glory may be worth something, but it is not always glory. We have had insolvent despatches from Vienna and St. Petersburg ; our Ambassadors have been expelled from Madrid and Washington, Naples has defied us. He entered into arguments and figures to show the wastefulness of thus substituting war for trade. The trade with the United States, for example, will not pay for the war to preserve those colonies. Wars to introduce calicoes by cannon, foolish and wretched excuses, are exposed to any man who can understand the simplest rule of arithmetic. The wars may make great states and bring large sums to great statesmen and capitalists ; but they also occasion im- mense waste, to the ruin of the people. The exposure at AVeedon is only an exposure of the system. "We have heard lately of instances of certain joint-stock institutions with enormous capitals collapsing suddenly, bring- ing disgrace upon their managers, and ruin upon hundreds of families. A great deal of that has arisen not so much from intentional fraud as from the fact that weak and incapable men have found themselves tumbling about in an ocean of bank-notes and cash, and they appear to have lost all sight of where it came from, to whom it belonged, and whether it was possible by any mal-administration even to come to an end of it. That is absolutely whatis done p hopeless sGs od u lv er rem iet etss ."
Cherbourg has been described as a zuenace—to us, who have no "jut- pregnable fort" at Gibraltar, or Malta, no," preparations" at Alderney ! Mr. Bright alluded to the born-laws as examples at once of the ap- parently the fatal prophesies that beset the change of an established policy, while the sequel has gloriously refuted those forebodings. He wanted to inaugurate a new revolution of opinion, one in which among other changes the great anomaly of such a rich country having to raise 7,000,000/. for its pauper population, and the unhappy condition of a portion of our women, would be deeply considered. He spoke with no irreverence of the Crown, pleaded not that this country should remain without adequate and scientific means of defence ; but- " Palaces, princely castles, great halls, showy mansions do not make a i nation. The nation n every country dwells in the cottage ; and unless the light of your constitution call shine there, unless the beauty of your legis- lation and the excellence of your statesmanship, are printed there in the feelings and condition of the people, rely upon it you have yet to learn the duties of Government." (Great cheering.) Speeches were also delivered by Mr. Hadfield, the Member for Shef- field, and by Mr. George Dawson, in acknowledging the Liberal electors of Birmingham.
At Devonport, yesterday, in addressing their constituents, Sir Erskine Perry and Mr. James Wilson enlarged upon the Reform question, with divers hints and suggestions. Sir Erskine somewhat vaguely indicated, as "the three characteristics of a sound Reform Bill,"—" enfranchise- ment of the people," the ballot, and redistribution of certain seats. Mr. Wilson was for "a fair representation of all classes, not increasing that of the counties ; and he thought that ballot might be useful for some constituencies, but not for others. Much dissent being expressed, he added—" If the majority of his constituents were to tell him they be- lieved they could exercise their franchise more independently and satis- factorily with the ballot, he should feel it his deity to support that mea- sure." (('heers.)
The Calcutta mail brings news from that place to the 23d September, and from Hong Kong to the 12th of September. The news is very small in quantity and in interest. It announces that great preparations are made throughout India to celebrate the change in the Government with illuminations and fireworks The order, says the Times correspondent, is well judged, as no amount of proclamations would convince a people who cannot read that the Company's raj "has ended, and the alteration of the coinage and other visible signs of a change of dynasty will require time. Besides," he adds, "the show itself is popular." Pending the publication of the Imperial proclamation the mutiny at Moult= had been occupying attention in Calcutta. According to the Calcutta view of the matter, the catastrophe will put a stop to the re-arming mania which had threatened to place some fifteen thousand traitors under arms.
Active operations in Oude were expected to be recommenced some- where about the 15th of October. The Shahabad rebels, 15,000 strong according to native reports, were fortifying themselves in Jugdespore. In Southern Oude the rebels driven from Sultanpore, had concentrated themselves to the number, it is said, of 50,000; but they are hemmed in by two great rivers to the north and south, Brigadier Grant on the east, and Lucknow, which they dare not approach, on the west. Details of the mortality among the troops, women, and children at Dumdum are given, showing a death-rate of 20 pet cent per annum, on the average strength, or about six times the proper rate. The railway from Allahabad to Cawnpore was opened on the 15th in- stant. The railway to Adjai, forty miles beyond Burdwan, was to be opened a few days later. By a telegram received at the East India House on Monday, we have Bombay news to the 27th of September from Bombay,—still latter than the fuller mail.
In Oude, "a successful attack on a body of rebels, numbering about 3000, posted on an island of the Gogra, took place on the 19th instant. Two companies of Europeans the Kupperthela Contingent, and some of Hodson's Horse, attacked and drove them out of their entrenched position on the island,'it is reported, 1000. The Artillery fire did great execution among the fugitives, and also sunk two boats laden with the enemy.
"Two of the rebel leaders are reported to be among the slain. The Bri- tish loss not severe. "The Gwalior rebels are still at Seronge, but it is thought that they will make an attempt to cross the Nerbudda, between Saugor, and Bilsa. The following are the present positions of three columns of British troops serving in Central India :—Major-General Michel, commanding Malwa field force, at Bilsa; Brigadier Parke, with Neetnuch field force, at Sarung- poor ; and Brigadier Smith, moving with his force from Goons towards Seronge. "The first cavalry reinforcement for Central India, consisting of Guzerat and Gaekwar Horse,. from Dohad, under the command of Captain Buckle, was expected at Oojem yesterday. From China the chief point of news is that Lord Elgin had returned to Hong-Kong bringing with him a treaty which he had made with Japan. A British minister is to reside at Jeddo and five ports are to be thrown open within a year of the date of the ratification of the treaty. In the Pekin gazettes the objectionable term " barbarian " continues to be used towards foreigners.
The ifoniteur of yesterday announces that the Procureur-Imperial of the Tribunal of the Seine has seized that day's number of the Correspon- dant for an article by Count Montalembert, containing an attack on the principle of universal suffrage, and on the authority of the Emperor -under the constitution.
The Court of Common Council yesterday authorized the Markets Im- provement Committee to confer with Government as to the disposal of the "ancient" site of Smithfield Market.
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