The Press. — London, England, 1855-02-24 00:00:00

//0 ro.7b t ttit;s .1 No. 95.—VoL. 111. LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1855. PRICE SIXPENCE. course. Those who voted against the inquiry a fortnight ago could not honestly assent to it now. Mr. GLADSTONE road extracts from his speech against the Committee to show how impossible it was that, holding those senti ments he could retain office if the inquiry were proceeded with. Even Mr. Lows fol lowed in the same strain ; and once more, as so often previously during the session, all the force of opposition to the Government—if we can be said to have one now—came from the Ministerial benches. The Premier had no thing to reply to the overwhelming attacks of his late colleagues, except that it was vain to resist the demand for inquiry. What is to be done? The debate of last night has stripped Lord PALMERSTON and his colleagues of the little character and influence which remained to them. Branded by their own friends with desertion of principle and with unpardonable weakness, they can con tinue to hold office only by the sacrifice of all real power. Hampered by the proceedings of a committee they khave been unable to resist, and liable to be overthrown at any moment, their Administration must be without in fluence abroad or strength at home. At a time when the cry fur a strong Government is heard equally within the walls of the Legislature and from all parts of the land, the rieketty rule of Such a Ministry as Lord PALMERSTON may succeed in patching up, is a cruel mockery of the public need. There is now to be a delay of some days farther, that the nominal Premier may attempt to fill the vacant posts of Govern ment. On the admission of Sir GEORGE GREY there is no Administration at present. Every office is filled provisionally, and every depart ment is in utter confusion. Lord PALMERSTON has made a great mistake. The House positively refuses him the support he solicits. He may have deceived himself on this point hitherto, but the discussion of last night must have opened his eyes to his real position. There are not materials in the House out of which it is possible for him to construct a Ministry which can possess ordinary requisites for the conduct of public business We must look once more to Lord DERY.B He is now the only hope of the country. No other public man has character or following to qualify him for the post of Premier. The country will eagerly welcome any Government that affords a promise of stability. Whether to make peace or to wage war, an Administra tion is requisite which, from the union of its members, can act with freedom and force, and which, from its prospect of securing legis lative support, and of really representing the nation, will command the respect equally of our allies and our foe. Ot V rtss. which they joined being of an essentially dif ferent character from the last. From the statements made last evening, it is established that in composing his Cabinet Lord PAiatza wroN gave it to be distinctly understood that he would resist the Committee of Inquiry as injurious to the public service, , and as casting a censure on the members of the late Govern- LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1855. ment, which, if not removed, must prevent them from efficiently discharging their Minis terial duties. On this understanding the Government held together until the beginning of the week, when the Noble Lord at its head discovered that he had not the power to induce the House to rescind its resolution, and that it would be useless for him to appeal to the country. Under these circumstances, a true regard for his own character and for the interests of the country would have in- “PRESS” OFFICE, Friday Night, Feb. 23. A Telegraphic Message for the immediate return of LORD JOHN RUSSELL has been transmitted this day from the Treasury. duced him to resign. He preferred a compro mise with Mr. Rozsucx. But this was more than the three dissentient Ministers would accede to. During the five and forty years which Lord PALMERSTON has sat in the House of Commons he never, we will It is supposed that LORD JOHN may be now at Berlin. ANOTHER Ministerial crisis has occurred to undertake to say, listened to censures so severe as those which reluctantly fell from the lips of the men who had just withdrawn from his side. In the course of his long and varied ca reer he has been assailed by stormy reproach and vehement accusation, but never before did he appear as an object of pity—fallen in his own sight, and degraded in the opinion of the impede the action of the Executive, and cast discredit on our constitutional system. Our position has with truth been termed humilia ting. The people feel aggrieved by it, and are meeting to frame angry remonstrances. It seems that the whole State has suddenly made shipwreck of its power, and is in no condition to help itself. The nation is full of vigour, but it has no head to direct its energies. Con ferences are on the point of being opened at Vienna. The greatest exertions are required to open the spring - campaign by sea and land. At Sebastopol active hostilities are about to recommence. The remnant of our gallant army, should it escape total destruction from continued sickness and fatigue, can only hope to be saved from the sword of our enemy by the protection of our allies. And at this moment we are without a Government. What eloquence can express more forcibly than the broad fact itself, the helplessness of our condi tion. The Ministerial crisis, dating from the resignation of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, has lasted a complete month, and still we see no end to the difficulty. A month wasted! when every hour was of inestimable importance to afford relief to our army, and infuse vigour into every branch of the public service. The retirement of three of the principal members of the Cabinet—Sir J. GRAHAM, Mr. GLADSTONE, and Mr. HERBERT-with the ex planations given in the House last night, em phatically condemn the principle on which Lord PALMERSTON attempted the construction of his Government. He refused to join Lord DERBY on the ground that after the vote of the House of Commons he could bring no strength to his Administration. This reason might have been respected had it been sin cerely entertained. Undoubtedly there was a difficulty, in the face of that vote, of any of the members of the condemned Cabinet im mediately resuming office, and the difficulty could only have been overcome by the Ministry In the cause advocated by the Ministers who left, him there was at least an appearance of principle and consistency. They said—Let us go boldly to the House and declare we are Billing to conduct the Government if this vote be rescinded, not otherwise. If we are met by a refusal, the responsibility will rest with the House, not with us; if our proposal is acceded to, we shall consider that we possess the confidence of the House, and be able to act with unfettered hands. Sir JAMES GRAHAM spoke last night on this point with great earnestness. He referred to that speech of Sir GEORGIC GREY in the debate on the Com mittee of Inquiry, affirming in express terms that there should be no mistake as to the vote of the House. If adverse, it would be a vote of.. want of confidence in the Ministry. If, asked Sir JAMES GRAHAM, the motion for in quiry was a vote of no confidence then, will not the nomination of the committee be a vote of no confidence now? With only two excep tions the Cabinet was the same—the circum stances were the same—and how could Minis ters retain their places with this vote of no confidence deliberately re-affirmed? He had remained true to his colours—it was the remaining members of the Cabinet who had deserted theirs. In times of difficulty men conscious of pure motives should stand in the breach of danger, as nothing was more dis honourable or more dangerous than an assent to measures which were honestly believed to be unjustifiable. The logic of his appeal was irresistible. Mr. HERBERT, who has a talent for uncon scious sarcasm, enforced this view of the case. He quoted Lord PALMERSTON'S own words on the previous Friday to show the intention he then entertained of resisting the committee. Acknowledging the need of the country for a " strong Government," he drew a distinction for his Noble Friend's especial benefit. The country did not desire a strong man to take a weak course, but a, strong man to take a strong RUSSIAN COMMERCE. IT appears that the present Government is resolved to adhere to the policy adopted by their predecessors with reference to Russian commerce. Mr. CARDWELL has been put for ward to eulogise our new code of maritime warfare, drawn up under the auspices of the now defunct Coalition, and ho has exhausted the language of panegyric in dwelling upon the unrivalled skill of its authors. It is simply, according to the President of the Board of Trade, a masterpiece of wisdom. It has been framed according to the soundest principles