The Press. — London, England, 1854-01-28 00:00:00

■ i KIPP" THE PRESS. E 84 '\ THE PEELITES.---No.III. TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." SIR,—It was a considerable feat to graduate in the school of Peel without a licet migrari from the school of Aquinas; in other words, to superadd the teachings of the Leaguers to the traditions of the Fathers ; but it is more important if such an attitude was not merely transitory, but is the normal phase of a political history. Mr. MACAULAY insists on the unremitting combat of Oromasdes and Arimanes, the genii respectively of permanence and of change. It is an ingenious compact to stand by Ormuzd in respect of meal, and by Ahriman in respect of malt—to battle for the one on Sundays and Saints'-days, and for the other on week-days—to flatter the ruck of the middle classes in a temporal, while you damn them in a spiritual, sense. It is so exceptional a case that I have had to look wide for a parallel, though I have one at last. When BOSWELL was testing the great Moralist's credulity, he put the case of an apparition which assumed indifferently the shape of a teapot or a leg of mutton. " Sir," said Doctor JOHNSON, " the story wants congruity." To my mind the case of the Peelites equally wants congruity ; and if it were not true it would be equally incredible. In the ethical vacuum which is described as Constitutional History such combinations do not appear to have been favoured. The " antiquated imbecility" of BURKE referred the permanence of our polity to the combined Conservative influences of Aristocracy and Religion. To the Peelites belongs the discovery that one of these is sufficient. They were all qualified to be curates, and so appreciate the influence of the Church. They were not all, nor even the most of them, aristocrats, and so depreciate the influence of aristocracy. They even combine a zeal for the former with hostility to the latter, develop into Radicals as they have dwindled into Revivalists, and become slipshod in politics, because in religion they are too straitlaced for the sympathies of constituencies. I perceive that you reproach them with forming part of a Coalition—forming part of that which they individually reproduce—and here I conceive you are unjust. In respect of dis cordant principles and opinions every Peelite is at liberty to coalesce, for every Peelite is himself a Coalition. The obligation he is under to deceive impartially all who trust in him is an incident of his position ; but it is not the less a part of his nature ; and it is no more culpable than a squint or a palsy. He is himself aware of this liability, and does not disguise it. When I com plained to my friend Fusbos, that complacent Peelite, of the presence of Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH in a " Conservative" Cabinet, he reminded me of the grocer to whom a customer complainingly showed a beetle in a pot of his honey. " Certainly it does appear to contain a foreign element," said the grocer, affably ; and Fusbos, with a shrug, made me much the same answer, on which account I dubbed him "un epicier a son insu." The rest of my Peelite friends I find just as indifferent to the double dealing which is a necessary incident of their composite I might refer for proof of this indifference to the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, but his case is so illustrative that I may consider it separately. There is my friend Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT, who, as every body knows, is the incarnate Nemesis of political inconsistency. Who will forget the tones in which he lisped his indignant scorn at the predicament of the late Ministry ? Yet Mr. HERBERT, now one of the promoters of a Democratic Reform Bill, made this avowal, according to Hansard, in 1846 :—" I am not one of those who wish to see the constitution of this counttoy :rendered more democwatic than it is. I cannot think the public mind wishes it to be more democwatic than it is. I think late events have teather shown that the mantles of despotic kings who disgtcaced the world have fallen upon democwatic tcather than upon tempetcate or mixed governments. * * * I have no wish to see the awistocwatic element weakened in our constitution." The utterer of this sentiment is now prepared for a " larger measure" than would please his colleague Lord PALMERSTON, a measure which is in tended to weaken the aristocracy ; but, unconscious of his droll posi tion, he complacently enjoys, as he comes up from Wilton, the reported approval which is promised him by the sly Republicans of Manchester. When a Peelite is competent to discern his true position, he can open his eyes wide enough if you give him a shake or two. After Mr. OSWALD was turned out of Ayrshire, in proposing Mr. CARDWELL at the election of 1852, he made this frank avowal :—" I have stood as long as I could in the unenviable position of a Peelite, and it is like sitting between two stools. I will tell you what I think is indispensably necessary for this country. It is, that the Liberal Conservatives should drop their name of Conservative at once, and frankly, as I do now." His companions have not yet imitated this frankness. Facsimiles in pet to of the Coalition of which they are part, they retain the larger half of their principles in a state of suspension. But examine them closely—give them a shake—apply any political test, and the political precipitate is—DENOCRACY.—I remain, sir, your humble servitor, JOHN OF THE FUNNELS. , uw- i LEAGUERS IN SCENE.—A Room in the Albion Hotel, Manchester, sifter the op, g Meetin Monday. PRESENT— Th e mos t notorioue Members of the League. - Mr. COBDEN (stirring his tumbler): I don't know how it is, but the spirits they send up stairs are never so good as what we get—what I used to get, I mean—in the commercial gents room. Mr. BRIGHT : I should say the alteration was in your tast e __ aristocratic claret has spoiled the bagman for democratic grog. M y opinion is that you would like to be made a peer. (Great laughter.) Mr. COBDEN : There's nothing to laugh at. I should not hesitate to accept a peerage if I felt that I could serve my country better in —(shouts of laughter drowned the end of the sentence). Of course I should stipulate not to wear a coronet, or robes—externals are every. thing, as the Quakers know. 111 r. MILNER GIBSON : One for you, Bright. By the way, you have left off " thou " and " thee," why don't you turn your collar down? Because, if coats are wicked, plural pronouns are worse. Mr. BRIGHT : I like your logic vastly—a man who commits one offence may commit a dozen, eh ? Are those your fashionable doe. trines ? My dear Gibson, you are very good in a speech—when you are not to be answered. Mr. COBDEN : Well, don't let us quarrel. The meeting went off well enough, considering there was nobody present. I hope those reporters will give the Aberdeen bits of our speeches correctly. Mr. BRIGHT : I hope so. It went against me to praise a lord ; but I think he has earned all r•e gave him. Mr. Ginsos : I do not understand the move, though it's all right, no doubt. Mr. COBDEN : Why, it seems plain enough. It is quite clear that nobody but ourselves—Manchester I mean—will stand up for Aber deen now. The country has somehow been worked up into a belief that he is a recognised tool of the Czar, and careless of the honour. as they are pleased to call it—of England. The praises which we have just uttered concerning his policy are about the last, I take it, which he is likely to hear, except from his own lips. Mr. BRIGHT : By George— Mr. W. J. Fox : " Verily," please, when you write to your friends. Mr. BRIGHT : Didn't I say " verily " ? I was going to interrupt Cobden for a minute, only to say that it makes one sick to see such dastardly cowardice as those Cabinet fellows are manifesting about the Oriental question. They are so hideously afraid of a stand-up fight. They've got into their heads that Disraeli is going to give it them, and they've been shrinking and shrinking, and calling him names by anticipation, for two months. Why can't they brave it out? Talking of that, who is Sam Ph— Mr. COBDEN (quickly): Hush, hush ! that was not to be talked about. Mr. BRIGHT: Deuced sneaking, however, Nobody likes calling names better than I do, but, anyhow, I speak out. Get on with your explanation. Mr. COBDEN : I fancy I've done. I was only going to make Gibson see that we have done a clever thing. The only people whom the Peelite Premier of England can get to praise him and his policy are of the Manchester school. _ _ Mr. Gissox (ainiply): But what good can your praises do him? Mr. COBDEN : And who praises a man to do him good ? You praise another, I take it, either to do yourself good, or to annoy a third party. At least I suppose so in a civilised country. Mr. Gissow : And what good will your lauding Aberdeen do us, then, if you come to that ? Mr. BRIGHT : Well, you are an Arcadian. Let us change the sub• ject. The Ministers are very much anoyed that we will not formally say what we mean to do on the Reform Bill. Mr. GuisoN : I take it, as Cobden says, we can't well tell what we don't know. Mr. BRIGHT : What on earth do you mean by don't know ? Mr. GIBSON : Why, what I say. Are we not to wait and see what the bill is before we make up our minds on the subject ? Mr. COBDEN : And do you think that Russell would have presumed to consider his bill complete without laying the heads of it before the heads of the League ? Mr. GIBSON : Well, you never showed it me. Mr. COBDEN ; I said the heads of the League, sir. Mr. GIBSON : If you come to that, I am not inclined to be treated lightly. lam a gentleman by birth and position, and my value on your platforms and elsewhere is best known to yourselves. I redeem you from utter plebeianism, and you know it. Mr. BRIOHT : That's right—that's plucky ! Stand up for yourself and you'll never displease me. Eh, bagman ? Mr. COBDEN (forcing a smile): When I am a peer, you know, I shall say the same thing as Gibson. Mr. BRIGHT : Shall you? Then I shall contradict you, bang, that's all. But never mind that now. You are not a peer yet, and its my private belief that you will not be raised to the peerage this session. _ _ Mr. Gino); : But about the Reform Bill. Is it good? Mr. COBDEN : Well, that depends upon peoples' notions of good' ness. It is not such a bill, of course, as we should tell oue of the League's ex-clerks to prepare, supposing we had the bringing it ill. Mr. GIBBON : Has Palmerston cut it up much ? Mr. COBDEN (laughing): I will be hanged if I can understand this boy's innocence. Has Palmerston cut it up much ? (Holds his ides, and laughs : Mr. Bright joins). No, Mr. Gibson, Palmerston h as u° ' cut it up much. Come, now, do you seriously mean to say that you believed that business ? Mr. GosoN : Why, the Times said— SATURDAY ..,.._i COUNCIL. SATURDA Y V an g Or 4 ha belerri tiSgr e:erielgheieW better r at UNCIL. iea t w ow how it is, but the )om. was in Your taste--.. ,emocratic grog. y i h, . (Great laughter.) " I should not hesitat e iy count r y ntence). Of course —externals are every. By the way, you you turn your collar nouns are worse. an who commits o ne your fashionable doe- a speech—when y ou ['he meeting went off .esent. I hope those ches correctly. to praise a lord ; but , though it's all right, It is quite clear that it stand up for Aber- rked up into a belief iless of the honour. as wises which we have last, I take it, which write to your friends. vas going to interrupt one sick to see such tre manifesting about afraid of a stand-up aeli is going to give it ing, and calling him .n't they brave it out? was not to be talked Nobody likes calling it. Get on with your going to make Gibson tly people whom the tim and his policy are r praises do him? do him good ? You good, or to annoy a country. tding Aberdeen do us, ,et us change the sub- we will not formally n't well tell what we oy don't know ? to wait and see what tbject ? would have presumed heads of it before the , sir. inclined to be treated en, and my value on -ourselves. I redeem Stand up for yourself a peer, you know, 1 contradict you, bang, not a peer yet, and its to the peerage this a it good? Ties notions of good . should tell oue of the id the bringing it in' ? I can understand this uch ? (Holds hit tides meanP a lm to o r s s t o a ny hasthat y n e o ut