The Press. — London, England, 1856-07-12 00:00:00

MO THE WEEK. ME entry of the Guards into London is like the fall of the curtain upon the drama of the war. The world, so far as the great Powers — which aline can give occasion to great wars—are concerned, is again at peace, nor, scanning the political horizon, is there any probability of further collision. Russia is bound over, by the very fact of her great defeat, and her impotence for aggressive warfare, to keep the peace for half a century to come. The Germanic Powers are powerless to excite or to maintain a great war. The United States will certainly not seriously think of war for a generation to come, and it would be trea son to the friendship prevailing between France and England to speculate on their hostility. It is probable that a long period of peace is once more before us, and that it is in the arts of peace that the rivalry of nations will now be displayed. The war has been a striking episode in our history, and has not been without great political consequences. It has made the nation, on the whole, Conservative, to an extent which the most sanguine Conservative never anticipated. Radicals bred in the school of HuME have suddenly become transformed into Tories of the type of PITT. Reform has gone down to zero. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who wept so copiously over his bill on committing it to the tomb, has never been known to visit its grave since. The fact is, that the nation is now as Tory as it was after Waterloo, the main difference being that Whigs and Radicals are now shamming Tory principles. The appointment of Lord SHELBURNE to be Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs is another instance of "the jobbery of Liberalism." His Lordship has been for several years in the House of Commons, and he has never distinguished himself by eloquence, or capacity for business. In that respect, Lord SHELBURNE is unlike his late and lamented brother, the Earl of KERRY, who was a nobleman of brilliant promise. But Lord SHELBURNE is son of the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, and is married to the daughter of Count FLAHAULT. What do the " Administrative Reformers" say to such qualifications for the Foreign office ? Though not very sharp people, they ought to be clever enough to see through the tour d'addresse of screening the job, by bringing in General WlLLimas for Calne. Lord SHELBURNE, in his parting address, takes an affectionate farewell of his con stituents, and expresses so much regret at leaving them, that one would really think he had been of some use in the House. With what charming coyness, too, does he say, " I have not been able to resist the " opportunity offered me of," &c., &c.—like the lady in the poem, "swearing she will ne'er consent—consented " But then the " Depart ment " he is about to serve in has always been " a subject of particular interest" to him. Yes, we may depend upon it, Lord SHELBURNE, for the last twenty years, has devoted his attention entirely to the duties of the Under-Secretary's department, and that hence he must be the most fit man for the office, as well as being Lord LANSDOWNE'S son. The sudden and serious attack of apoplexy Lord HARDINGE ex perienced last Monday at Aldershott has, of course, given rise to many speculations. The first is that he will necessarily be compelled to resign the command-in-chief of the army—a mere inference as yet, without any positive foundation. The second—who will be his suc cessor.? Many names are put forward for the post Prince ALBERT, the Duke of CAMBRIDGE, Sir COLIN CAMPBELL, General BENTINCK, and many of the Crimean generals are mentioned Of the latter, it will readily be admitted that Sir CoLIN CAMPBELL is the man of most mark —the man of most experience, of great military knowledge, and of un doubted administrative capacity ; but the promotion of Sir CoLIN CAMP BELL to so high a post would give rise to such heartburnings, that a more agreeable, and to the army generally a more congenial, appoint ment must he looked for. Dismissing, then, the Crimean generals, there remain the two Princes. The appointment of his Royal Highness Prince ALBERT we do not hesitate to say would give rise to much dissatisfaction. Besides, the specialite of his Royal Highness is anything but military. On the other hand, his Royal Highness the Duke of CAM BRIDGE is undoubtedly one of the most popular men in or out of the army. He has served with great personal bravery, coolness, and dis tinction in the Crimea ; he is noted for bis care and management of his troops ; he is loved by men and officers ; and his bearing is frank, bold, open, manly, and English His appointment to the post of Commander-in-Chief would be regarded by all classes with much satisfaction. The Duke possesses a thorough knowledge of official duty ; he would have the confidence of the army ; his high rank would render him superior to any indirect influence ; and with his good sense and sound discretion we might safely anticipate a most successful period for the efficiency and advancement of the army in all its branches. The escape of JAMES SADLEIR from justice has caused lively discus sion in " the City " and the clubs. It is evident that there has been some sharp practice somewhere in conniving at his departure, after the notice of Government and the public had been directed towards him by the MASTER of the ROLLS. If it had been suspected that such an escape had been connived at by a member of Lord DERBY'S Admi nistration, what would the virtuous Sir B. HALL have said or done ? The Solicitor General for Ireland appears to have been unhappy in his observation about the " injudicious remarks " of the Irish MASTER of the RoLLs, for that high legal functionary has taken up the matter with a warmth which may Possibly cause the Government some ;egret for their officer's indiseretiuu. lik. THE PRESS. SATURDAY, The Lords' Appellate Jurisdiction Bill has formed the principle topic in Parliament this week. How it was that the Bill was affirmed on Monday by a majority of 49, and on Thursday defeated by 22, is inexplicable, more especially as on the former occasion the House was much fuller than on the latter. The success of Mr. RAIKES CURRIE seems to have been due to Radical influences. A certain class ofjour nals are now getting up a great outcry on the iniquity of limiting the Royal Prerogative, and the character of these journals, decidedly not over favorable to monarchical power in general, leads to suggestive re flections as to the cause of their present line of argument. But the pre sent Bill, be it noted, does in nowise limit the Royal Prerogative. It merely declares that a certain order of public functionaries shall be ex officio members of the House of Lords„just as the Bishops are. It is no compromise at all between Lord PALMERSTON and Lord DERBY, for it literally does not touch the original question on which the Government were defeated in February last. Jealousy of the Upper House is at the bottom of the whole agitation. The public are only concerned to have an efficient Court of Appeal constituted. Whatever expenditure is necessary to effect this object should be cheerfully sanctioned. The highest Appeal Court in the kingdom should command the services of the most vigorous legal intellect, and. this object could only be attained b) investing the offices of the Appellate Lords with such circumstances of dignity and emolument as to make the posts coveted by the most eminent members of the legal profession. The ex otrzei; scat in the Lords would meet all other difficulties ; and there need be no fear that the " Judicial Com mittee " would ever be regarded as a sham if it adequately fulfilled its functions, and commanded respect as the last, the highest, and the ablest Court of Appeal in the realm. That it should be the ablest, and that access to it should be rendered less expensive, are points of the first importance. The entry of the Guards on Wednesday was only not quite a failure. In the first place, military shows are nothing without masses. You must mass your men for effect; and the long, straggling column of four deep is weak iu appearance. The Guards on Wednesday might have been formed incompanies five and twenty deep with ease, and the effect would have been far better. Then we are not an enthusiastic nation : we think that if we give up time to look upon a show, we have done sufficient ; and if it were not for the ladies and gamins on such occasions everything would pass off in dead silence Our want of vivacity is certainly a remarkable feature in the national character. The entry of the Guards on Wednesday formed no exception to this rule, despite the reports of tremendous cheers and enthusiastic receptions. There was really little of the sort. Perhaps it was fatiguing to display an enthusiasm of fifteen minutes length, but when the old colours, scorched and torn with many a Russian bullet, were unfurled, we did anticipate something more hearty, more united, than the feeble cheer which here and there broke out among the line of spectators. At no point, except just round the Palace, was there any real display of enthusiasm. As to the Guards themselves, they looked a noble set of men. The old veterans with their browned faces, long beards, soiled uniforms, and dusky bearskin caps, looked the beau ideal of soldiers ; and when they marched past in open column at the inspection► in the Park, so far as one could see through five rows of hats and bonnets, they had not lost an atom of that solid regularity for which they were so pre-eminent on parade. With respect to reviews, the Times this week suggests that we should have our " Campus Martins " somewhere near London. Anything would be better than the present arrangement for seeing a review iu Hyde-park, for unless one comes at nine in the morning and takes a front place, there is no chance of seeing at all, the ground is such a dead level. Since their return to London, the Guards have been objects of interest on every occasion of appearing in public. In common with the rest of our army, they nobly sustained the honour of the country, and their example should live in the hearts of their countrymen. What is the number of Guardsmen who originally went out to the Crimea and have now returned ? We have heard a very low figure stated, but have no returns at hand to show the truth. Mr. BUCHANAN has replied to the address of his Democratic sup porters. His address contrasts favorably with some exhibitions in our Legislature. It is moderate and statesmanlike. He altogether deprecates the supposition of war, though he admits that the possi bility of it in the background should not quite be lost sight of. He says : Should I be placed in the Executive chair, I shall use my best exertions to cultivate peace and friendship with all nations, believing this to he our highest policy as well as our most imperative duty ; but at the same time I shall never forget, that in case the necessity arise, which I do not now apprehend, our national rights and national honour must be preserved at all hazards and at any sacrifice. We imagine there can be no doubt of his election. The Government of this country will find in him a firm supporter of the rights and dignity of the United States, but not, we apprehend, a fixtious oppo nent. We do not hear anything further on the Central American question. The key to its settlement is the frank recognition on both sides of the principle of the Clayton Bulwer Treaty, with such arrange ments as may be required to give that treaty full effect. The relations between the two countries will rapidly improve, from the moment when it is understood that this country has no desire or thought to check the natural progress of the United States' power on the American continent.