SIR WILFRED LAWSON ON THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
Sir Wilfrid Lawson .was present at a meetini' of the West Cumberland Liberal Association at Cookermouth recently, and moved a, resolution expressing satisfaction! at the pros-’ pect of peace being- restored: in the East of Europe, and trusting that the attitude of this country and the policy of the Government will be such as to discourage national animosity, and to ensure a lasting peace.;; Sir - Wilfred, referring to recent events in the House of Commons, said there' had been storms and calms, wars, and rumors of wars.• (Laughter.) 'They had had, promises of peace and threats of war. They had had telegrams telling lies and telegrams contradicting . them. (Laughter). They.had orations.and perorations, They had been, alternately hot and, cold, in a rage, and in'a state of terror. Thoy bad had amendments moved and amendments withdrawn ; they had noble lords and ;hon. gentlemen walking into the House and walk-ing,'out-aginm ’ (Laughter.) Ho was sure they had such a state of. confusion, worse confounded as . the; oldest 'inhabitant' in • .the House of Commons, could, hot 'remember. (Cheers.) It \yas, refreshing;.to come to this' meeting , st Cookermouth,: a town in which he bad mado his first political speech. , From that time he had ever been in favor of retrenchment, arid reform/and he was glad jow to propose- the resolutions-in -favor of peace, and as he-read'it, in'favor of non-inter-vention, which was the policy he always advocated. (Hoar, hear.) 1 He wias itot ’one of those who would' have employed the material forces of this country in assisting the Turkish provinces-by fordo -of • arras to obtain,, free-
dom. He did not believe Russia was so disinterested as some people said. In his opinion it had been a struggle of rival races and contending creeds. He thought that was at the bottom of it, and as Artemus Ward" said, a religious fight was worse than a prize fight. (Laughter). Without, however, . giving; the Russians credit for disinterestedness, he held that the despatches published on Monday last showed the Czar had been at least straightfor- ; I ward in his' dealings with this country. T pey told us long ago what they meant to do, and they had stuck to their text. (Hear hear.) ; He was afraid there had been something cpn'cealed in the diplomacy of this country. As the Duke of Clarence once, in sending a depatch to Admiral Codringtoh tolling him' not to take his ships into action, wrote a private note on the . corner, “Go it Ned,” so he feared therehad been agood deal ©f the “ Go it, Ned,” business in the diplomacy of this country. (Hear, hear.) He reviewed the course of business in Parliament during the session, and said that at the beginning they ought to have made an' announcement something like this—“ Grand Theatrical Performance.” The piece called “ British Interests” will be played every evening for the next fortnight by her Majesty’s servants. The First Lord •of the Admiralty, Mr. \V. H. Smith, will ■ sing “Hearts of Oak.” (Laughter.) Lord John Manners, crowned with laurels of lilies, will perform the “Sword Exercise.” / (Renewed laughter.) Mr. Cross will dance the “ War Dance." (Loud laughter.) ’ Mr. Cavendish Bentinck will appear in the character of a BasLiBazouk. (Much laughter.) ' Lord Beaconsfield himself will poke up the British lion till he roars again. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will take the money at the door. (Roars of laughter.) The band will play “Rule Britannia" the whole time, and the proceedings will conclude with a panorama, mi which would be seen in the background the British fleet sailing up and down the Dardanelles, the crews singing in chorus — : 1 : Here we go up, up, up ; Hero we go down, down,’down : Here we go round, round, round,
(Cheers and laughter.) For their war policy he did not blame the Ministry,; but the colonels and war party who talked such bunkum and bosh. But that was a dangerous game, because foreign nations did not understand the exigencies i of lour parliamentary system. He advocated going into the Conference in .a spirit of peace, which would be the only way to place British honor and British interests on a firm and abiding basis. (Loud cheers.) .
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5324, 20 April 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)
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703SIR WILFRED LAWSON ON THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5324, 20 April 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)
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