“Lives there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself has said, This is my own, my native land?” Yes! at Manchester there were a thousand such. Not content with bringing accusations against the English sailors, not content with slighting the opinions of their officers, they now said this country had a superstitious reverence for the navy. He would not deny that they might have had such a feeling, for there was a time when they had a national faith; there was a time when they venerated, worshipped even, the statesman who guided safely the destinies of the country; when they reverenced the magistrates who presided over the administration of their laws; when they gloried in the soldiers and the sailors who maintained the greatness of the nation throughout the world; when the noblest _credo_ that they had was “Rule Britannia!” and when the finest anthem in their ritual was “God save the Queen!” [Sidenote: Mr. Labouchere’s reply.] After this protracted debate, Mr. Labouchere rose to reply. He went over the chief points urged against repeal, and asked for no vote in favour of it but from those who admitted the propriety of a departure from the system of the Navigation Laws. He was ready to consider any suggestions, in reference to the details, provided they were not inconsistent with the principle of the Bill. He saw no reason why the _present_ retention of the timber duties should operate as a bar to the immediate repeal of the Navigation Laws. He opposed Mr. Gladstone’s views as narrow and erroneous, and contrary to the true policy of the country. Our commercial policy should not be made to depend upon the views and caprices of foreign States. [Sidenote: Majority of 56 for Bill.] The House at length divided, when there appeared for Mr. Herries’ amendment (that the Bill be read a second time that day six months) 210 Against it 266 ---- Majority in favour of the Bill 56 ----