The Press. — London, England, 1854-10-21 00:00:00

OCTOBER 21, 1854• THE P A LAUREATE'S ODE FOR VICTORY. (BEFORE TENNYSON.) Being another contribution to the " MINSTRELSY or THE WAR." SCENE.—A second-floor front. MARTIAL POET of the Music Publishers, and CrtacAL Fawn. POST, reading : Booming deep from Orient seas Rolls the awful voice of war ! Hope and pride on every breeze Wafted from the Euxine far ! Once again! thou blood-red cross! Stainless borne a thousand years ! Thy folds to lurid war-clouds toss!! Light to menaced Freedom's fears CYNICAL FRIEND : Freedom might have fought alone, Nor ier unfurled that cross had been, Had the people not have shown Pluck unknown to Aberdeen. POET: And thou, all-glorious Tricolour! Beacon of a hundred fights ! Historic record of the brave ! Once more o'er conquered armies wave Thy storied banner raised to save By dauntless hands, in holy war, The priceless prize of human rights. CYNICAL FRIEND : Bless me, my friend, you surely rave To that flag Wood and Graham gave Worse words than to "le Rouge" by far! POET: Marlborough and Blake, and greatest he Who perished on the Gadite Sea, " His work of glory done." Or he but yesterday laid low, Thy latest, bravest, noblest foe, Immortal Wellington! CYNICAL FRIEND : With Herbert's aid what soul can know The deeds he would have done ! POET: Would they had lived to see that day When gaily joining in the fray Beside the Euxine wave. France with light heart her banner spread O'er fearless England's stately head ; And reckless Erin's joyous shout, And Scotland's slogan yell flung out, The union of the brave. CYNICAL FRIEND : Would they had heard that Malta made The utmost point of England's aid, When Gladstone Turkey show'd to be 'Mongst nations an " anomaly" ! POET : Oh ! would that from that roll of light Where flash in France's annals bright Heroes who erst in arms arrayed Her glorious orillamme displayed, Bayard ! Conde ! Turenne ! Whose martial tale aright to tell Vain the Historic muse may swell Echoes, that praise again. Or he whose name like midnight star Shines through the murky night of war, With beam of glory flaf.hed afar, The heart of France his throne ! Her memory his triumphal car ! Her own Napoleon ! CYNICAL FRIEND : Why will you strike such soundless chords Take up Sir Walter's famous words, And boldly swear " nor less their worth That bade the conquerors go forth." Prompt at weak Turkey's cry were seen The forward zeal of Aberdeen, And Herbert's patriot fire. No dull negotiators they ! Of Sinopi they saved the bay, Nor called on Hansburg's heir to sway The bent of England's ire. No shuffling dodge nor long delay Was used the needful blow to stay. They spoke like Britons fair. Graham and Wood did frank advance, Fraternal to Imperial France, To hail Napoleon's heir. Let Europe's praise their fame enhance ! Your muse will drop you there ! [Exit the Po= in a swim. I RESS. 997 TUESDAY'S CABINET COUNCIL. A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Foreign office, Downing street. Fourteen Ministers were present. Lord ABERDEEN commenced proceedings by observing that he could not conceive the reason for which the Council had met. He had attended at very great personal inconvenience, and he only hoped that a case would be made out for calling people to town at such a time. Sir CHARLES WOOD was surprised at such a speech. Had not the Noble Earl caused the Times to abuse the Queen and all of them for not being in town ? Lord PALMERSTON was afraid that the Noble Earl had had a bad breakfast, and that it had put him out of humour. He knew that while workmen were in one's house it was impossible to get anything properly attended to, but the Noble Earl might have breakfasted at his club. He regretted that he himself had not thought of asking the Noble Earl to breakfast with him at the Reform Club. Lord ABERDEEN was much obliged, but thought that there had been quite enough of invitations to the Reform Club. (A laugh from Sir James Graham.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Noble Premier had accidentally touched upon one of the subjects which they would have to consider. In a few days, he might say, Sir Charles would be home again, and the Baltic expedition and its results would become the subject of national attention. It was, therefore, a question whether the Ministerial organs were to be instructed to hail the Victor of Bomarsund or to apologise for the superannuated admiral. For his own part he was for putting a bold face on the matter, carrying the Bomarsund trophies to St. Paul's, and making Napier Lord Fitzbaltic. Lord PALMERSTON : And as to the blockade, which has not kept out, or rather kept in, one article of Russian produce, but has only made us pay double prices for it ? Lord CLARENDON : I feel that we cannot advantageously discuss : the subject further. I presume that the best instructions to the papers will be to assert that all has been done in the Baltic that it was ever intended to do, and that the blockade has been a Rost sue- cessful one. Lord PALMERSTON : Just so ; only caution them not to say this on the same day that they reprint an official paragraph now going the round, to the effect that Government have at last determined to take measures to put down the system which, under the pretext of neutrality, renders the blockade useless. By the way, Aberdeen, why is your paper attacking Dundas, and scoffing at him as without courage, and the only man in the fleet who is not eager to earn laurels? Lord ABERDEEN : My dear Lord Palmerston, you are fond of the • fine arts. Don't you know that it is possible to bring up a bad white by deepening a neighbouring black? If Napier wants an apology, let him appeal to the conduct of Dundas. Besides, the country mind seeing Dundas abused. Lord PALMERSTON : The country will not mind seeing "'- people whom I could name abused in reference to this war. But I think you are illtreating old Dundas, and that such illtreatment comes with a special bad grace from Aberdeen, whose policy Dundas has carried out to the best of his ability. Anything from Sebastopol., Newcastle ? Duke of NEWCASTLE : I haven't seen the papers. I have sent thew! nothing; but they may have news independently of me. They do manage it sometimes: I can't think how. Lord PALMERSTON : I hate to say anything disagreeable — Lord Jona RUSSELL : But sometimes you must do violence to your inclinations, my dear Palmerston. Self-denial becomes a states. man. Speak out. Lord PALMERSTON: Well, if you, as President, insist, I am bound, to say that Lord Aberdeen's peace speech the other day has done th Cabinet more mischief than another Alma can repair., • -- Several Voices : Yes—it was most indiscreet. Lord ABERDEEN : I am not aware that I am bound to give an account of what I say elsewhere. If you do net approve of the sen ments the head of the Cabinet expresses you know your course. V Lord JOHN Menu. (impatiently): We have met for business, n. for that sort of nonsense. Lord PALMERSTON: That sort of dogged way of meeting a re • is not strange from the Noble Earl ; but though we, poor hel • lambs, the creatures of his will, must receive graciously what . pleased to say, the country will not be treated de haut en bas. Sir C. WOOD (wide): What's that? Bas means stockings, know; but what has the haut ton's wearing stockings to do with the question? Lord PALMERSTON : The Noble Earl says that all we want is pea This is—l speak, of course, without offence—untrue. We want a g deal more. But, if it were true, the last and worst way to obtain pea is to tell an enemy that you desire it of all things in the world. N content, therefore, with getting the country into the war, our Nob Friend is doing his best to prolong it. Lord ABERDEEN : I have said and done what I thought proper, and I will not condescend to defend myself—at least not he r (Exit.) —^ .111 ci g 997 --. ''' ''''iTT