On Thursday Mr. Cross made a second speech at Preston,
this time to an assemblage of Conservative working-men. In this speech, after boasting that Government had lost only two votes, and expressing his confidence that a dissolution, though be should personally deprecate one, would increase their majority still further, he devoted himself to an answer to Mr. Bright, and to two especial points. First, that Government sought peace, and not war, and that it was shameful to say the contrary,— which would be final, if Mr. Cross were the Government, instead of Lord Beaconsfield, but as it is, only expresses his own belief ;—and secondly, that the motive of the Government was the defence of European law. He defended all the steps he Government had taken, as " precautions " rendered necessary by the conduct of Russia, especially defending the summons to the Sepoys, on the ground that India and England were "one country,"—a remark of which he will hear more—Englishmen not being willing to be submerged in Pagan millions; declared Lord Salisbury's circular the "charter of the Cabinet's policy," denied that Ministers sought the independence or integrity of Turkey, admitted that Russia must have compensation for her sacrifices, and affirmed that he desired the good government of the popula- tions of Turkey. Mr. Cross's speech, compared with Mr. Hardy's, was calm and temperate, but he gave no clue whatever either to the wishes or to the plans of Government, and fought for a policy which may lead to war as if it were a policy that might lead to an Act.
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