The Press. — London, England, 1855-03-03 00:00:00

210 Patient I watched poor Clarendon, In troubled waters angling ; 'Mid sewers and stinks I muddled on, And Chadwick's endless wrangling; For I foresaw, with firm belief, The nation soon would say, sir, That such a crew, with such a chief, Were not worth half their pay, sir, When on their blunders fast and thick Came crowding fresh disasters, I thought 'twas time to cut my stick, And try a change of masters. And then arose the fond belief, The game I so could play, sir, By swamping every other chief, Myself to get the pay sir. When Johnny gave us all the slip, From Roebuck's motion shrinking, I vowed 'twas shame to suit the ship, To save himself from sinking. Yet secretly 'twas my belief, When he was out o' th' way, sir, That, Jonah like, our ancient chief For all the crew might pay, sir. So overboard " lecher " we threw, That antiquated lumber, And with him his companion true, The luckless Lord of CluMber, And it became my firm belief, Since each dog has his day, sir, That I should now, as England's chief, Dispense both place and pay, sir. And so. God bless my noble self, And next our gracious Queen, sir, I now have gained both power and pelf, And laugh at Aberdeen, sir. And it is now my fond belief That ,free from Time's decay, sir, I long shall rule, of humbugs chief, For nothing else will pay, sir. MONSTER MEETING OF PEELITES. YESTERDAY an enormous meeting of members of the Peel party assembled at the residence of the late Premier, the Earl of Aberdeen, K.G., in order to take into consideration the present state of public affairs, and of the war, and to decide what future course should be adopted by the party in question. The importance of the crisis, and the peremptory summons which had been sent round by the promoters of the meeting, occasioned the attendance of all of the members of the Peel party, and in consequence every one of the six chairs in the late Premier's breakfast-room was occupied. Sir JAMES GRAHAM moved, and Mr. GLADSTONE seconded, the motion that Lord Aberdeen should take the chair, and the rest of the meeting held up its three hands in unanimous approbation. Lord ABERDEEN, on taking the chair, advised the meeting to draw its own chairs up to the fender, as, notwithstanding the weather was warmer, the damp caused considerable chill, and though they were not so old as some people—(cheers)—still good people were scarce. (Laughter.) He then said that at a time like this it was the duty of a great and a powerful party in the State to leave the public mind in no uncertainty as to their opinions and intentions. He said a great and powerful party, for at no distant period their numbers had been about ninety, and though now they were not quite so numerous — (Hear, hear)—that made no difference in their own estimate of their importance. (Cheers.) The eyes of the country were upon them, and its destinies were in their hands. He rejoiced to see that splendid muster which he beheld before the fire, and he could assure them that so long as a powerful party was united, and true to its leaders, there was no saying what it might do, or might not. (Cheers.) But other and better speakers than himself would address the meeting. At this stage of the proceedings a third of the meeting quitted its seats and proceeded to stand, with its four coat-tails under its arms, and its two backs to the fire, but a good humoured protest being made against this course by the other two-th;rds, the Duke of N ewcastle and Mr. Sidney Herbert sat down again. Mr. GLADSTONE then addressed the meeting in a long and luminous speech of about two hours and a half. We regret that we can only give an outline of it. He said that the present crisis was a very re markable one, and it was hot for them to shrink from it. (Cheers.) It . was the part of traitors and cowards to slink away from the post of duty when the country required their best services. Indeed, if ho did not feel that in going out of office, at a time when their doing so had occasioned injury and inconvenience, he and his friends had behaved SAttlllliAt. wisely and. patriotically, he for one would have remained in place, in order to counteract the objectionable policy of the present Premier. But they felt that they could do more mischief—he meant good— (cheers) —when seated beside Mr. Bright than upon the Treasury bench. They should be able to speak more frankly from that position, and their official knowledge would enable them to strike more darrwr,ing blows than others could do, while in regard to such matters as it might be deemed indecorous in ex-officials to discuss, they could serve the cause of truth, and promote the welfare of the nation, by affording to Mr. Bright (for whose talents he had the utmost esteem, though he did not agree with his theological views), and to their other new asso ciates, hints and promptings as might render the task of defence a difficult one for the Government. Convinced, therefore, of the recti tude of their course, he would move the first resolution, which was, "That this meeting pledges itself to remain true to the real principles of Peelism, and to carry the same into action whenever circum stances may permit." Sir JAMES GRAHAM seconded the motion. He might be permitted to feel peculiar pleasure at the present crisis, for he had abandoned an office the duties of which he understood, and had discharged, he be lieved, satisfactorily, and had caused those duties to be handed over to Sir Charles Wood. (Roars of laughter.) Well, poor dear Charley, he could not help his deficiencies. Ships were made of wood, and now to see what Wood would make of ships. The frightful mull— if he might be pardoned the expression—which must bhortly be made at the Admi ralty, would be a subject, on which, with the permission of Providence, he should feel it his duty to bed little disagreeable. (Cheers.) Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT moved the second resolution, which was, " That this meeting has no confidence whatever in the Right Hon. the Vis count Palmerston." He thought such a proposition needed no argu ment from him. What confidence could they have in a man of 70? (" Hear, hear," from the Noble Chairman.) Ah ! but Palmerston was dif ferent. However, to waive that question, he would remind the Noble Chairman that Lord Palmerston had described his fbreign policy to be that of " antiquated imbecility," and yet had solemnly assured their friend Sir James Graham, that ho intended to adhere to it in all respects. (Cheers.) What confidence could they have in him after that? If Lord Palmerston did adhere to their policy, which he had no right to do, for it was theirs, and not his, he, Mr. S. Herbert, should move a vote of censure upon him for his double-faced jesuitism. (" Hear, hear," from Mr. Gladstone.) Mr. CA.RDWELL seconded the motion. He had felt, he said, that he had been placed in a situation of tremendous responsibility. Lord Palmerston had told him, in a tone of more levity than the circum stances warranted, that he might stop if he liked. But he had felt that the nation and the world were watching his every movement, and that a false step at this time might entail fearful consequences. He had, therefore, declined giving the Noble Viscount his support. The Duke of NEWCASTLE : Let's see, Cardy, were you in office with us ? I almost forget. Mr. CARDWELL (highly o f fended) : My course not having been marked by blunders, it did not attract so much attention as that of some de partments. But still The Duke of NEWCASTLE disavowed any intention of giving offence, but it was impossible to remember everything. He had no resolution. Sir JAMES GRAHAM ; So everybody said of you. (Laughter.) The Duke of NEWCASTLE : Quarter-deck wit was sometimes out of place and pitiable. Sir JAMES GRAHAM : Yon are both. (Sensation.) Lord ABERDEEN here interposed, and begged the Noble Duke might be heard without interruption. The Duke of NEWCASTLE had really nothing to say. He had no re solution to propose, and being in the House of Lords, unluckily, Sir JAMES GRAHAM: For the Lords. The Duke of NEWCASTLE should not complain again. In the Lords he might not have so much opportunity of assailing the Government as elsewhere, but he would do hie best. Ere long he hoped to see that strong Government for which the nation was languishing, namely, a Peelite Administration; in which he hoped to bear a humble part. (Cheers.) He was glad to see that his successor, Lord Panmure, was already preparing the way for his downfal, for he had actually been weak enough—(the Duke was seized by a violent fit of laughter tchichlasted him eight minutes),—he begged pardon, but Lord Panmure had been weak enough t—t—to deny that his predecessors had been guilty of much mismanagement. (Shouts of laughter, and cheers.) After that heima gined their own return to office was not far off. He proposed a vote of thanks to the Noble Earl for his conduct in the chair. The vote was carried by acclamation, a forest of five hands being held up for it. Lord ABERDEEN returned thanks, and rang the bell. The meeting refreshed itself with six glasses of sherry, and then broke up. Thanks to the admirable arrangement of Lord Aberdeen's footman and hall porter, the vast assemblage dispersed without the slightest confusion or accident, with the exception of the loss on the part of the Duke of Newcastle of a housewife in which he used to carry needles and thread to stitch up auy holes he observed in the canvas wraps of the boxes for the Crimea. It was, however, found next day by an intelligent housemaid, and bent to the Duke's residence. A NEW MINISTRY. With costs all paid, on double dealings bent, Lord JoHN ÜBIQUE to Vienna's sent. A combination new our Premier tries, A Minister of " Peace and Colonies !" TIIE PIIESS.