Potter's Electric News

THE liEPKESENTATION OF THE COUNTY. The ejection of a Knight of the Shire to serve in Parliament for the County of Pembroke took place nt the Shire Hall on Saturday. The High Sheriff, G. R. G. Rees, Esq., assisted by his deputy, W. Davies, Esq., conducted the proceedings. There was a numerous attendance of country gen- tlemen, and the galleries were occupied by ladies connected with the leading families in the county. The writ having been read, and the usual formal business transacted, The High Sheriff said: Electors of the County of Pembroke—Gentlemen—You are all aware of the nature of the business we are called together to perform, and 1 will therefore at once call upon you to propose some gentleman to represent this county in Parliament. If any gentleman has a candidate to propose, now is his time to do so, and I would earnestly request you to give a patient and impartial hearing to any gentleman who mav address you. (Hear, near.') Mr Saurin, of Orielton Mr High Shedf, Elec- tors and Freeholders of the County of Pembroke- Gentlemen—At the last election for this county I had tne honor.r to propose to you a gentleman as a fit and proper person to represent us in Parlia- ment, and I cannot let this opportunity pass with- out expressing my acknowledgments—which I believe are shared by many here—for the able manner in which he has discharged the duties that were conti.ded to him—(applause,) and in relin- quishing public life, I believe he will carry with him, not only the good wishes of this county, but the approbation of the great mass of the electors (Loud applause.) On that occasion, gentlemen, we had a question of magnitude and importance before us,—the extension of the franchise in this country. That question has, I hope and believe, been well and wisely settled; but however gt-enr was the importance of that question, its magnitude has been dwarfed down to nothing by the import- ance of the question of to-day -the total dis- establishment of the Protestant Church in Ireland. (Applause.) That question, I hold, requires to be approached with calmness, with judgment, and with justice—(hear, hear)—and while Roman Catholics in Ireland, who enjoy equal rights and liberties with their fellow Roman Catholics in this country and their fellow Protestant subjects in this realm, clamour for justice, I say that justice must not be denied to the Protestants in Irel-nnd. (Applause.) I don't stand here as an opposer of progress, hut rather as a supporter of reason and sound policy. I trust this measure for the disestablishment of the Irish Church may not have been dictated by ambition, by love of power and place but it is opposed to all previously expressed opinions of its mover, and I confess it leaves me sceptical on that subject. (Hear, hear.) I hope it may not have been introduced more to secure the support of the Roman Catholic party in the House of Commons than to execute justice, to uphold the stability of the State, its Protestant character, and its Protestant faith. ( \pplause.) Violent measures, I think, .should be met by mode- rate mea, men not carried away by party-spirit for a party purpose—(hear, hear)—but always having in view the strengthening of the institutions of our country by just, by wise legislation. (Ap- plause.) Geiulemen, I am one of those who be- lieve that a great deal of the material prosperity of this country is due to her free institutions and her Protestant religion—(applause)—and I would ask you in these times to remember what Euzlatid has been and what she is—[A Voice The brigh- test star in the world] — I would say to you be not induced by the specious arguments of republicans and demagogues,—(some of whose assertions would be useful if they were not wanting in the beauty and holiness of truth).—to forsake our own shores for that 01 other nations in search of polity and laws. England need not go to America for her laws, for all that America knows was learnt from this country. (Applause.)- England must not go to Rome for her theology but I would say to her, depend, as she has hitherto done, upon her own faith. Let her put her trust in the God of nations^ whom we WOL hp at a thousand altars in simplicity, truth, and holiness^ and England will continue to be what she has ever been, great and free. (Applause.) Amidst the coming contest of parties, I hope our reformed House of Common ? will not be unmindful of the education of the people, and that a measure on that sunject, and a judicious one, may not be longer delayed. (Hear, hear.) It has been proposed by some to make that measure compulsory, but I hold that all compulsion in a free country like this, is foreign to the habits of the people fur if dictation be re- sorted to, it may not only be dictated tc us what we must learn but what we may not learn. (Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, I think an agricultural county like this, ought to be represented by a gentleman intimately and personally connected with agrjcu ture, and that legislation should not be confined to the advantage of large towns and seats of com- merce, however desirable it may be to foster and encourage trade. We have amongst us a gentle- man well known to a)I: he is a resident amongst us, and one who,in his of sixteen years of Parliamentary life as member for this borough, has proved himself worthy of the confidence that has been placed in him—(applause)—one who has èe ervedly earned for himself the character of being one of the most practical, and one of the most useful men in the House of Commons. (Loud ap- plause.) Gentlemen, I beg to propose to you John Henry S ourfield, Esquire, of Wil!iamston, as a fit and proper person t) represent this county in Parliament. (Loud applause.) Mr Colby, Ffynonne Mr High Sheriff,—Brother Electors of the County of Pembroke-Ladies and Gentlemen—I rise witti much pleasure to second the nomination of John Henry Scourfield, Esquire, as a fit and proper person to represent this county in Parliament. The last oc vision I had the honour to address you up m a similar subject was to sejond the nomination of a perfectly untried man. I then said that I felt. sure he was in every way cdculated to make an useful member of Parlia- ment; and I think that on his trial he has proved that the prediction was a correct one-(ilpplause) -and I only regret that his services have been so brief. (Hear, hear.) I have now the pleasant task of seconding the nomination of John Henry Scour- field, Ksquire, who has served in no less than four succ ssÏie Parliaments, extending over a period of sixteen years. (Applause.) During that time, he has invariably distinguished himself by his activity and zeal, and while a member of Parliament; has looked after your interests and welfare in every possible way. (Applause.) Any thing I may say in his behalf would be perfectly superfluous, and would be a mere waste of your time. I therefore second the nomination,—whidh I do with great pleasure,-of John Henry Scourfield, Esquire, as a fit and proper person to represent th » county in Parliament. (Loud applause) High Sheriff: Has any other elector a candidate to propose? [There was no response ] High Sheriff: There seems to be no opposition, but I must ask the question the usual number of times. [The Sheriff then repeated the question twice, and there was no reply] High Sheriff: There is no oiJposition to the election of Mr Scourfield, an! I therefore declare John Henry Scourfield, Esquire, to be duly elected a Knight of the Shire to serve for the County oi Pembroke in the next Parliament (Loud applause.) The Member-elect was then, according to cus- I tom, girt with a sword by the High Sheriff amid the loud cheers of the assembly. Mr Scourfield, who was loudly cheered, then addressed the electors. lIe said Air High Sheriff and Gentlemen — Electors of the County of Pern broke—Although it be rather an unusual mode of speaking in this ilail, yet, Icannct refuse to follow the excellent example which was set by both can- didates at the recent election I, r t .e Borough of Haverfordwest, and include the "La ies" In my address to you this day. (Applause ) Were J a much more ambitious man than I believe myself to be. that ambition must he amply gratified at receiving at your hands the highest honour that can be conferred upon any one connected with you -that of having been elected unanimously, and without the semblance of opposition to serve as your member in Parliament. (Ap dause.) As has been previously stated, I have for the period of sixteen years represented three boroughs situated in this county; but the difference bi tween the present occasion and those on which I formerly appeared before the electors, is this :-that on every other occasion, whenever I was nominated as a candidate, I experienced a very active oppo sition, and by ;he kindness of rny friends I was elected a member, but on the present occasion all opposition has disappeared. (Hear, hear.) This in itself is most gratifying, and to myself, a re- markable circumstance but of course I feel it has this little counterbalance against it, inasmuch as in reading a novel, so long as the hero is encom- passed with difficulties and dangers, he becomes an object of sympathy and attention, but the moment that all his troubles are over—when he is married and done for,—then he is dismissed from the con- sideration of the reader. (Great laughter ) So that upon the present occasion, not i aving gone through any contest, I am not perhaps an object of so much interest, as if I had passed through the vortex of opposition. (Renewed laughter.) I cannot help remembering on this occasion some of the circumstances which have led to my being placed in my present position. Very few years have elapsed since changes have taken place in the re- presentation of this county; very few 3ears have passed away—not more than two—since the hand of death removed from von one with whom I was most intimately connected—-me who was your member—a man younger than myself, and who ] might reasonably have expected would have sur- vived my connection with the county—one who I am sure whatever opinions may have been held by those politically opposed to him, was endeared to you by his kindness and genial temper. (Loud ap- plause.) Since that time, two other gentlemen have offered themselves to your notice: Air Bowen and Lord Emlyn, and either of them would have been most acceptable, I feel convinced, to the constituency of this county. (Hear, hear') Of my predecessor, Mr Bowen, I can only re-echo what has been said by my friend a- d proposer, Mr Saurin, that daring the brief tine he oc- cupied the post of member, he displayed quali- ties which, I am perfectly sure, fully warranted the confident expectation entertained by his im- mediate friends, that if elected to be your member, he would have proved a most useful and valuable member and an ornament to this county. (Loud applause). Gentlemen,—I don't wish to weary you with merely personal remarks there is, as Mr Saurin has said, a very great question before the country. Now, we know there is no such thing as a special sessions of parliament, still par- liaments are summoned in which some subjects assume a special importance. Any one that as- pires to be your member, I think is bound to state fairly and emphatically what his opinions are, and I think also bound to state some reasons for holding those opinions, so that at all events you may feel convinced that your member, whether you agree with him or not, has not with levity and with little consideration adopted those opinions. (Hear, hear.) Of course, the question to which I allude is the disestablishment and dis- endovvment of the Protestant Church in Ireland. I cannot help repeating what I have expressed be- fore, my great regret that a subject of such impor tance as this is, should have been subjected to the heats and passions of a contested election. (Loud applause.) A great French statesman, philosopher, and writer, M. Guizot, has made thin remark, that there are some subjects on which discussion throws light, and there are other sub- jects on which discussion throws fire. (Applause.) I am convinced that theological subjects are those which are best discussed in calm controversy- I hardly like to use the word controversy—be- tween one and another, and not made the sub- ject of one party displacing another in political power. (Loud applause.) I may, in the first in- stance, state, that if this measure is considered with reference to the magnitude of the pecuniary interests involved, it in no way deserves atten- tion, and is not warranted in causing the strife which I fear it is likely to do. (Applause.) Ac- cording to the best returns that can be obtained, the tithe income of the Irish Church is between £ 37():000 and £.100,000, and if we add to that the other ecclesiastical revenues, the whole may he comprehended under the sum of jE600,000 a year. Now sums are large or small by comparison, and according to the wealth of a country like Eng- land that sum is hut a small one and in order to give a practical illustration of its comparative insignificance as a mere money question, I would merely refer to a paper which I hold in my hands containing an account of the expenses of the Civil Service of the country, by which it appears that the expenses of the printing and stationery of the Houses of Parliament were estimated for the last year—that is for the coming year—at £ 390,000. being rather more than the whole income of the Irish Protestant Church; and if you add the postage of the public departments, you would have a sum which completely measures its whole expenditure. (Applause.) Therefore, I say as a money question, it is not one which I think ought to agitate the country to its length and breadth. (Applause.) With regard to the disestablishment of the Church, I will promise you that in the very few references and quotations I shall make, I will not quote any oiie-persoii who is supposed to hold Conservative opinions I will entirely draw my quotations and references from persons who de- cidedly belong to what is called the extreme Liberal party. With regard to the disestablish- ment of the Irish Church or of any Church, I would refer to the opinions of a most excellent man, well known throughout England, the late Br Arnold, who speaking of the connection be; tween Church and State, said that he considered separation was fraught with great calamity inas- "I z, Y, much as a State without a Church, had a tendency to become worldly and profane, and that a Church entirely divorced from the State had a tendency to become formal and superstitious. (Applause.) With regard to Ireland, if there is to be an estab- fished Church at all, from the very circumstances' of the case itself, it can only be the Irish Protestant Church. (Applause.) The Roman Catholic j Church it cannot be, for in consequence of its ecclesiastical arrangements, they could not submit to the supremacy of the Queen which constitutes the of our own Church,—(loud applause), and it is stated that the difficulty on the present occasion is only to be solved hv having no reli- gion at all. It is said that you must either level up" or "level down." I don't stand up for the elegance of these expressions — (laughter)—but people understand what they mean. I am old enough to remember these expressions being in- troduced into the country: they were introduced to the public in a comic performance by the late Mr Matthews, and were, I believe. originally im- ported from America. But I dispute the neces- sity of these alternatives. I contend that there is a third course, and if I was obliged to select be- tween "levelling up" and ''levelling down," I should prefer "levelling up," for that principle appeals to a higher feeling. while the contrary principle—"levelling down,"—appeals to a lower feeling, one of dislike and envy. The third course is the one we have at present adopted, which I think with some modifications.we may continue it is that of having a Church, professing no invi- dous ascendancy—no assumption of supreimcy, but one professing to have a distinct and clear opinion, and at the same time not considering itself justified in oppressing and injuring any 1!1 other persons, and that I consider, to be an es sential characteristic of the Protestant Church o! England. (Applause.) It does not hesitate to proclaim distinct and clear ideas but it does not consider itself justified in oppressing or persecu- ting others. (Applause.) But if this principle of having no Church is to prevail in Ireland, at all events let us give credit to the real orginator of the idea. Waiving all prior claims, I think I can quote the occasion when this idea was brought, forward in a rather graphic manner. In the riots which are generally called Lord George Gordon's Riots, when fierce religious fceling-l will not prostitute the words religions feeling," for it was not a religions feeling: it was a feeling of excitement connected with the No Popery cry, which infuriated the people of London, and led to most fearful outrages. On that occasion, severai persons in order to avoid having their houses pulled down, and their windows broken, chalked the words No Popery over their doors but one gentleman more prominent than the rest ch Iked over his door No religion at all." (Laughter.) If you wish to know who that gentle- man was, I can tell you. It was Mr Grimaldi, the progenitor of the illustrious race of clowns in England. (Loud luughter.) I respect all men who have contributed to the amusements of their country but although I may think it right to go to clowns for amusement, still at the same time I should not think of going to them to be instructed in politics and religion. (Roars of laughter.) "With regard to disendowment, I shall only refer to the opinions of one or two persons whose opinions. I think every one must admit to have the greatest weight on the subject. Sir Roundell Palmer, the attorney general of the late Liberal Government, and one who under all circum- stances must, I think, hold a prominent position in this country, has declared most distinctly and unequivocally the injustice and dishonesty of doing away with the revenues of the Irish Church. (Applause.) He states that the money is most beneficially employed that there is no competing scheme, and that consequently it resolves itself merely into a question of confiscation. (Loud applause.) There is another gentleman, whose letters you may have possibly seen in the Times, and to whose opinions I am inclined to attach very great weight, because he is one of a very valuable class of members belonging to Ireland,—a gentle- man of character, of fortune, and of an old family connected with the political history of the í country,—a gentleman, too, whose designation is peculiar to Ireland—I refer to the Knight of Kerry. He h;i3 written seme letters, setting forth opinions which he believes to be the opinions of the inde-. pendent gentlemen of Ireland. The Knight of Kerry is a decided Liberal, and his father made as great pecuniary sacrifices in the Liberal cause as any man in Ireland. He complains, and I think with justice, of Ireland being made the battle field of parties; and his evidence and his opinions are strong in reference to the disendowment of the Church. In regard to disestablishment, he has set forth the great evils that are likely to arise he points out that Protestant gentlemen will dis- perse into the different districts of Ireland, where there are large populations of Protestants, if the application of the revenue of the land is diverted from paying the Protestant ministers. In the event of the application of the money for another purpose, he says one of three things is likely to happen. Either, the Protestant landowner, find- ing a new charge,—and a heavy charge—put upon him, will, if he wishes to secure the ser- vices of a Protestant minister, leave the country, and go to those places where by association with others, he can procure the services of his own religion.—(hear, hear,)—or, if he does contribute that sum, which he may ill afford, he will be obliged to save that money' either by greater stringency in the rents, or by refusing to con- tribute money to charitable institutions, in the support of which both Protestants and Catholics a-e combined. (Hear, hear.) Or, thirdly,-and which he points out as a great evil-he will be obliged to enquire into the religious views of those whom he takes as tenants, and so require their co-operation, and prevent him bearing the exclusive burden of paying the sum necessary to obtain the services of a Protestant minister. (Hear hear.) Either of these three evils are extremely probable in a country where absenteeism has long been complained of; and I cannot help feeling that there is great danger that Protestant gentlemen will retire from those parts of the country where their presence is of the greatest use, and betake themselves either to towns in England or possibly to towns in Iceland, where, by association with others, they can be relieved of the burden of maintaining their own ministers. (Applause.) I am sure no man of common sense, who makes observations of things aroun'd him, but must have seen the effect our im- proved means of communication has had in drawing people from the country to large towns. There seems to he great danger of establishing what I may call a congestion of the population in a certain limited number of places; and I think anything that hastens that movement, and which draws persons from the country where their presence is of the greatest con- sequence, deranges our social relations, and is, I think, most injurious to the general prosperity of the country. (Loud applause.) I don't wish to underrate the arguments ot persons who are apposed to me I 1 am quite r t L. '-any 6-J estimable people think that we ought to trust to voluntary effort, and not rest upon endowments, which theY think paralyses energy :—th^f we should not requir" from the State that which people would be willing to contribute. But I fear thos3 persons make the mistake—and a very common one it is-of measuring o'her people by their own mindv and think that others are quite as generous as theru'selves. (Hear, hear.) We know that if every persoTF was anxious to do his own duty, and something mo're, the action of Government would hardly be required at al1- (applause):—it is because people will not to. tke a f ir share of the public burdens that the action of Govern- ment is necessary. We have all heard of the phrase —'gliding the willing horse to (ieab," and it /s tie business of the Government to see that the wiJiirg horse is not entirely ridden to death. (Hear, hear.) There is one other argument that I will refer to, and then I win go to another part of the subjects, ITpoff which f wish to address you. It is said that if yea. withdraw from people all assistance, the people will, under a little hardship and gentle pressure, develop energies which they would not otherwise displa". That is a common argument I am quite aware th: t persons who are subjected to difficultiesand hardship$ very often show an amount of industry which, had hey been placed in more easy circumstances, they would not have displayed. But to whom are the hanks due ? Certainly not to those who subject them to those difficulties. ( Vpplause) It is due to the people themselves, who display the increased enegy and industry. I say let every person do his dn'y but if the State orovides the means for the decent maintenance of the ministers of religion, and those ministers do not do their duty, the responsibility rests upon them but if the State withholds all decent -1 means for the maintenance of the ministers of religion, and the ministers of religion under that pressure display tenfold energy, the credit of that arrangement would be entirely due to the ministers, and not to the State which had subjected them to that severe and unjust pressure. (Loud applause.) It is necrs- sary to speak rather longer than you may te willing to hear me but I think it is due to vou to show that I have not adopted these opinions without at least some consideration and a fair investigation into the matter, (Hear, hear.) I will also allude to some matters which are moreponnected with local interests. and with those interests which hear upon the general prosperity and social condition of the country. It is impossible to deny that a very great feeling has lately arisen in consequence of the pressure and increase of what is called the local taxation of the country. Many complaints have been made, and many remedies have been suggested. One remedy which has been largely discussed, and which may possibly lead to some legislative action, was that of establishing Coun'y Financial Boards. I don't wish to prejudge that question in any way whatever, but I must observe that if the establishment of these boards succeed in satisfying a sentiment, they cannot altpr a fact. They miy possibly he a source of some gratification to the persons who sit upon them; but they cannot alter the fact that expenditures are made by acts of parlia- ment —made by statute, and capable of being enforced by mandamus, or what is equally pfF»ctivp. ty the withdrawal of the Government contingent, which is dependent upon the report of part'es who are com- missioned to judge of the sufficiency of the expendi- ture. (Hear, hear.) It is the c Sj at present with regard to the local expenses of the country that the greater part is statutory—that is, enforced by parlia- ment or enforced equally effectively in this way that where Government action comes in to help us, they say:—" We will not help you unless you do SO and so," and certainly the power of the magistrates is little or nothing in checking this expenditure. (Hear, hear.) Their choice represents that option which is giyen in a conge d'elire, and Dr. Johnson said he thought that form of liberty to elect resembled throwing a man out of the window and recommending him to fall soft. (Great laughter.) I say if there be undue increase of local taxation, the place to check it must be in parliament; and if it is not checked there I don't consider that any other power would be sufficient to control it. We know there is, at present, a sort of hinting, suggesting, inflammatory mode going on, through the medium of a set of gen- tlemen, who are called Commissioners, and whose presence invariably leads to an increase of expendi- ture. (Hear, hear.) It is not an unnatural feeling there is nothing so pleasant as giving advice when that advice is to be followed by an expenditure by other people. (Laughter.) There is something very charitable and benevolent in recommending a large expenditure of money but I for one prefer that this expenditure should be brought more strictly under the supervision of persons responsible to Parliament, such as the Secretary of State, and not inflamed as now by this kind of hints and suggestions, such aS You are not obliged to do it: it is your choice but if you don't, you know what is going to happen there will be a mandamus or a withdrawal of the Govern- ment grant," (Hear, hear.) Therefore, with regard to the reduction of local taxation, it is 10 Parliament you must look for it. 1 think you will not derive any material diminution from local authority, in whatever position or influence that authority may be placed. (Hear, hear.) There is one subject of a more general nature to which I will now refer, and that is the general expenditure of the country. I have observed for many years past that one party invar ably charges the other with having increased the expendi'ure of the country. One party says It is you," and the other says" It is not. 'tis you, (Iaughter)-and we have the usual schoolboy argu- ments, each party charging the other with the increase in the expenditure. (Great laughter.) I think it is impossible to deny that both parties are to blame; but I think that blame is not so justly due to both sides for increasing the expenditure, which in most instances has been forced upon them, as trying to extract out of it a party-cry, and raising a false standard of expectation in the minds of the people. (Applause.) For if these reductions, which are promised, cannot be effected, the people to wbofo they were promised naturally become exasperate with those who promised them. (Hear, hear.) Nf Henley, the other day, alluded to this fact, and showing the great increase of expenditure that ha taken place since Sir Robert Peel's administratiOOI points out that he believes the greater part of it v*"aS probably inevitable, and he says that the best would be for both parties to put their sbouldei's the wheel and try to reduce the expenditure as .weis as they can. And he makes this remark—and it 1 a very curious one—that of late the people have been more extravagant than the members, and the £ hers more extravagant than the Government; a.°rn- ihink the action of Government, whatever ment it may be, has been to promote rather decrease the expenditure. I think Mr Willialn PlVenl! in his speech in this hall at the borough election Tuesday, alluded to a remark which Sa^i,p ;n heard me make, and which 1 dare say I f^a a conversation,—that Mr Gladstone guarded Consolidated Fund like a tiger. (Laughter.) tainly that is the duty of all. Chancellors ° Exchequer: that is their mission: they a 11 defend the Consolidated Fund against 0 occasions. (Hear, hear.) I think it was •_ who in his comments upon a French finance mi • said, whil speaking of him in the highest ern » he was deficient in one respect—he had not a & I