The Press. — London, England, 1855-05-26 00:00:00

THE PRESS MAY 26, 1855 PEACE AT ANY PRICE! It would be considered by her Majesty's Government to be their duty to give the most favorable consideration to any_ proposals whi c h may come to them from or through Austria.— LOAD PALMEASToN.— Time*, May 22, 1855. PeaCe upon any terms ! cheap or clear— At any sacrifice distant or near— Peace upon any condition ! That Whigs in peace may make family cheer With the family State provision. Peace ! that their luck may be less untoward, Whatever place they get into ; Peace ! that their prospects may not be sotted— That the Gower may kindly serve the Howard, And the Eliot care for the Minto. Peace ! that a Premier wheezy and stark May not—to show that he's up to the mark— Have to simulate youthful vigour; Peace! that his whiskers so youthfully dark May recover their wonted figure. Peace ! lest his followers give the slip At the tokens of failing nature. Peace ! that each yelping Radical rip May come to the crack of the Treasury whip In the fear of the Lord and of Hayter. Peace ! that John Russell may freshen again His slightly bewildered noddle, And quit of Vienna—of failure and stain, At Bedford or Bristol may vent his strain Of constitutional twaddle. Peace ! that " Reformers," the Blue and Red, May finish their tranquil story; And Peace ! lest England dream that her dead Crave "Vengeance !" from their bloodier bed Neath the turf that shrouds their glory. Peace ! that the Muscovite may discern The supremacy of our nation, . And, as our trenches to aheepwalks turn, From our " Rails" and Telegraph may learn The triumph of civilisation. Peace! lest the Tories compel the same By pressing the Czar in reality ; And, as for the war they're not to blame, May put their credit against our shame, And beat us in totality. Peace, then, Peace !—whether cheap or dear— At any sacrifice distant or near— Peace upon any condition ! That Whigs in peace may make family cheer With the family State provision. THE SYMPATHETIC 203. Two hundred and three gentlemen assembled at Lord Palmerston's on Thursday to express their decided conviction that a dissolution at this time, and with the conn:ry in its present temper, would unseat at least one•half of them, and be otherwise inconvenient and unconstitutional. The secrecy of the Ministerial organ in regard to the speeches which were delivered is not very surprising, and, indeed, does credit to its discretion ; but as we have not the same object in concealing the wisdom of the two hundred and three, we venture to avail ourselves of a report which has been sent us, and which purports to give the reasons assigned by several of the number for supporting Sir Francis Baring's amendment. Lord PALMERSTON said that he should support it, because he did not like anything in which there was no joke, and he saw no joke in being turned out of office. Lord ROBERT GROSVFNOR said that, as a homoeopathist, he should naturally look most favorably upon the proposition which contained the smallest possible dose of truth. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that frankness and candour were essential to his existence, and he should feel degraded and ashamed of himself if he hesitated to declare his intentions. Having prefaced his expla nation in a speech of about an hour's length, and with tears in his eyes, he stated boldly that the subject demanded consideration. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH should support the amendment, because it promised a vigorous prosecution of the war; and the greatest of philosophers, Hobbes, had declared that war was man's natural state. At the same time he must say that he had no desire to be in a state of nature, and he would appeal to those who knew his habitual toilet whether it was not in the highest degree artistic ? 497 Mr. C. P. VILLIERS said he was the brother of Lord Clarendon. Mr. MACAULAY said that the structure of the amendment was as illogical as its phraseology was inelegant, but that he supported the advocate of a Liberal Minister, not the enemy of Lindley Murray. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that there were obvious reasons why he ought not to vote upon the question, but that they should see his readiness to trample upon mere conventionalities. He should divide with Sir F. Baring, in proof of his conviction that when he was at Vienna be was the right man in the right place, and that if he did nothing it was because nothing was the right thing to do. Providence —Tries " Question, Question.)" Mr. OLIVEIRA said that he would take that opportunity of going into the question of the wine duties. (Murmurs.) If Lord Palmerston would not procure him a hearing ho should probably feel that a Minister who evinced so little comprehension of an important subject did not deserve the support a vote would give him. On this point a compromise was ettiTted, ari.l Mr. Oliveira, being promised an open night, shut his mouth. Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE quoted the largest part of Cicero's oration in behalf of L. Muro3na, and several striking passages from the " Speaker," including " Thus stood Eliza on the wood -crowned height." His memory would probably have enabled him to go on until the pre sent moment, had not Mr. R. PHILLIMORE broken in somewhat angrily. After very pro perly rebuking J. G. for the introduction of irrelevant matter, he recited some effective pages of Cornelius Nepos, and something else which he stated to be a picturesque description from one of the novels of Justinian. Mr. MUSTZ said that gentlemen had talked bosh. Did they mean to keep out Lord Derby, or not? If yes, vote Baring , if no, vote Disraeli. He was a manufacturer. That was his stick. (Bang.) Sir JAMES Hoao said that if there were no other reason for his wishing to keep the present Ministry in office there was an ample one in their appointing Mr. Vernon Smith to govern India. That truly great and good man, who know nothing about India, except that it produced very beautiful matting, which was laid down in his beautiful house, and who thought that the Directors used to meet in Leaden hall•street to go through the Indian sceptre exercises, had the invaluable merit of doing as he wan bid by those who knew better. Mr. V. SCULLY said that he should not only support tho amend ment, but should do so in a speech of seven hours' duration. Sir R. BETHELL said that be had the misfortune to differ with Lord Palmerston on most subjects, the ballot being the last on which they had opposed one another. But Lord Palmerston was so good humoured, and had called him and Mr. Layard " the brace of Aylesbury ducks ;" and, on the whole, especially as he was his colleague, he must vote for him. Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE said that the last joke was worthy of himself, though, to say the truth, Sir James Graham had rather spoiled him an a wit, by pretending never to understand what he said, and by making him repeat it over and over again. He had only made one joke which could be called brilliant in connection with the present subject, and that was a riddle. Why was this amendment like a child that can't walk ? Sir CHARLES WOOD: Because it's ajar. Oh no, no ! I see, that don't apply. Let me see—stop a minute. Because a bird in the hand is not gold that glitters —no. I'm very stupid to-day. Mr. OSBORNE : Why say to-day ?Do you give it up ? because it ought to be carried. (Much disapprobation.) Mr. F. PEET. said that it was most irregular and informal to begin such a discussion SS was proposed upon a Thursday, and therefore he should feel it his decided duty to oppose the motion and support tho amendment. Mr. VERNON SMITH said that after the kind reference that had been made to him by his friend Sir James Hogg, Ile could only say that it would be very hard to be turned out of office before one's maiden despatches had well reached Calcutta, and he should certainly vote against any motion which threatened a change. He would take that opportunity of saying that he did not believe that there was any torture used by the company's officials, at least none to speak of, and the whole thing was a misapprehension. We put the screw on in England, ha! ha! but it did'nt hurt, and the same with the thumbscrew in India. Mr. BRIGHT said that he had promised to hold his tongue for ten years if the Government would only make peace. He trusted that when they met after Whitsuntide he should hear that this temptation had assisted in inducing them to patch up something. Let them make a peace, and take off a tax, and Johnny Bull would roar a little for a fortnight, and then grumble off to sleep as comfortably as pos• sible. What was noise—he made noise enough, and ought to know. It was nothing. Peace at any price, except money. Mr. M. GIBSON said that he hoped he had acted his part in the little interlude of Monday to the satisfaction of all parties. (Applause.) Encouraged by their approbation, that unpretending little trill) would be repeated on an early evening after Whitsuntide, of which due notice should be given. Mr. HATTER said that there had been a great many wise speeches. The proof the legislator was in the lobby. He did hope that he should have no trouble on Friday night—remember they had the Derby the day before, and they were going to have a long holiday. He was sure that the party would come out well. (Applause.) Lord PALMERSTON then thanked the assembly for attending, and convulsed them with laughter by his parting joke. 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