The Press. — London, England, 1853-12-24 00:00:00

IP fi i i,,ce, , e L4'44-7,7 - b i . ] , , , ;, I . • LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1853. No. 84.--VoL. I. PRICE SIXPENCE• ittt Vrtss. LONDON, BATURDAT, DECEMBER 2t, 1833. " PRESS " OFFICE. Friday Night, Eleven o'clock. AT the time of going to press no intimation had reached ua that Lord PALmEnwroN had acceded to the entreaties of Lord ABERDEEN, and consented to resume the seals of Secretary of State. That office has been vacant for more than ten days►. It has been refused by Lord Jon RUSSELL ; declined by Sir GEORGE GREY ; and cannot be resumed by Lo►d PALMXRSTON except upon conditions which every true Englishman would approve; but which, it is said, are, unfortunately, not consistent with the honour and convictions of her MiAjesty's remaining Ministers. Let us hope, for the sake of her Majesty, and considering the season of the year, that they may yet accept them. Several of Lord PALMERSTON's late colleagues have paid him visits during the week. \lr. GLADSTONE was the last. We understand the Right Hon. Gentleman abounded in reasons why Lord PALMERsTON should return to Downing-street. He distinguished between the opinion of " the Triumvirate " (Lord Aberdeen, Lord John Russell, and Rir jomeA Graham) and the remainder of his colleagues, whom nobody ever consulted, but who were prepared to assert their independence. 'We hear the Right Hon. Gentleman was extremely ingenious, and would probably have been suc cessful had he not addressed an individual who was in the habit of thinking before ho acted. The Cabinet is divided into two parties, the majority having pronounced against the tyranny of " the Triumvirate." Lord GRANVILLE, being too late by the train, was not present at the Conseil on Thtn•s day, which delay, considering that the Mi nisters were five hours and a half in delibera tion, was an adroitly-managed accident. Lord LANsuowNE, though he holds no office and does not attend the Cabinet Councils, re mains, we are assured, one of her Majesty's Ministers, which is considered not the least remarkable feat►n•e of our matchless Constitu tion NVe understand that another Cabinet will he held on Tuesday next. The eountry Mtil continues to enjoy the blessings of a strong Government. WHETHER Lord LANSDoWNE and Lord PAI.- MERsToN have resumed their seats in the Cabinet at the moment we write cannot positively be declared. All that we know is, that negotiations with that 010(4 have been very active during the last few days. The resignation, or the resumption, of power by these eminent statesmen has been considered by our contemporaries merely with a view to the influence of these incidents on the exist ence of the Ministry. We must consider them in a graver spirit. In these strange and sudden secessions from responsibility, we recognise the inevitable and inittrious conse quences of a country being governed by a body of men who, however high their personal character and ability, entertain discordant opinions on the most important subjects of policy. Whether these statesmen absolutely retire from the Cabinet, or return to it, the evils of a Coalition Government are no less obvious. If they return, they will, doubtless, return upon their own terms. In order to re tain place and - power, their obdurate col leagues, forming a large nuijority of the Cabinet, must sacrifice their principles upon the most important question of the day. Without principles there cannot long be parties, and without parties a representative Government is impossible. The Administnition of Lord DEBBY Wits overthrown by a eombination of Whigs, Tories, Radicals, and even Chartists ; of Puseyites and Dissenters of supporters of the French alliance and advocates of Russian connection. Affairs in general were, however, at that period so tranquil and so prosperous, that, notwithstanding the universal elements of discord in the womb, there was only one question on which, from particular circum stances, it was necessary for the new Ministry to make a distinct and instant profession of faith, and that was Parliamentary Reform. Lord Jolts RONEI.I. had just declared upon the hustings, and be repeated the declaration lust January. that he would " consent to sup " port no Administration, and belong to no " Administration, that would not extend the " flamelike," meaning thereby that extension of the franchise which he had himself so recently proposed and failed tAi carry. Sir JAMES tiRIDAM hail olerlar44l as much, and has since declared none. The Ministry of Lord ABERDEEN was formed on the unequivocal condition that it si hl introduce " a We measure of Parliamentary Reform." The sincerity of its members us Mell o 111111 their sagacity its statesmen, were pledged to such a HMIBIIIII. After the suspicious delay of a whole year, Lord JOHN RERRELI. Mal Sir JANIER GRAN , with the entire sanction and approval, autl with the partial assistance, of the l'itseyite MOM berm of the Cabinet, have. as it reaches us, prepared a large measure" of Reform, yet oue so dexterously framed, that, while it asasullyi the aristocracy. it must inevitably disgust and alienate the working classes. It would seem to have, for its main object, the transference of the chief depository of power to those towns where statues of Sir ROUERT PEEL are raised in grateful memory of low prices. Nothing is more remarkable with respect to the present Ministry than their total want of rout in the country. It is difficult to mention any con siderable (less of the community which fa vours them. They have, if our information be correct, prepared a measure which grievously attacks the political authority of the aristo cracy, and entirely denies the riii i hts of labour to the suffrage, au omission which, according to Lord 3ous Ressmu., was the great fault of the first Reform 11111. But %bile the Ministry would curtail the Lower of the aristocracy, and entirely oppose the privilege of tlfe masses, it would hardly seem that they enuld appeal with much surccss to the sympathies of those middle classes with which they profess to have such fine relations of feeling. The middle classes of England are essentially Protestant. They shrink with unconquerable distrust from Puscyite Secretaries of State, from Jesuits in the guise of financiers, and from impassioned Omtorians in the garb of Secretaries at War. Analysed, the assumed residue of the present Ministry resolves itself into it clique of doc trinaires attempting to govern u great country by Court favour. Their precious scheme of Parliamentary Re form is resisted by Lord PALNiEnsrox. It is resisted, as we understand, on the broad ground that it unwisely and unjustly changes the principal depository of power in our repro mentative system, and is altogether opposed to the free anal aristocratic character of the coun try. The objections of Lord Patmancrox are received by Lord AneaULES coldly and sul lenly, without sympathy or concession. Called upon, by his ',collier office, to take a promi nent part in the debates on a bill of Parlia mentery Reform, Lord Pal.mmairrom rejects the responsibility of a measuro which ho does not approve, mill he tenders his resignation, which is rCel'lV4'4l witbuUt a remonstrance The (won of Lord A nefthEEN instantly assails the late Seeretag of State, and denounces him a'. a Terv. which Lord ABERDEEN has been all hi., life. the mot d 'ordrr given to the Government officials is to circulate that the secession of Lord PAimEnstom has 4 • greatly ntreugtheut d " the Government," end that the Cabinet are " rid of a firebrand." Lord A in:III4IEN returtv, with the resignation neeepted, radiant from Osborne. Lord Jons RUSSELL and Sir .TaatEs GRAHAM hid him be " firm." They will have no more " firebrands." 'Though Lord Luss noWNE holds no office, anal will not attend the Cabinet. he !nay still be considered a Minister ; anal, though bad JoHN firssEl,l. cannot take the Feßls, Sir “EoRoE GIIEV, of course, will. Time flies on; Sir Or:ono,: GREY won't taketho seals ; the rest of the Cabinet get alarmed, think that the triumvirate have bee n precipi•