The Press.
London, England, 1855-02-17 00:00:00

150

And we rejoice to be able to assure our
readers that the heart of the Conservative
party is thoroughly sound upon the pressing
question of " the q.mmittee 91 Inquiry.'
Ilk
a
It will not in any lend kiitelf to can 7
ceiling or "co mpro ' , . " thl ;floral*.
resolution by which q.ted foc COO-
mittee. It rightly tIO tit . • course
could be so injuriß f a to th Cilawn, the
Constitution, al the oilniWy M 1,9 ftttemili
to smother the i quiry, and it will press toi
have it followed up with vigour. It feels with
the people of England, that the tax-paying
public has a right to the discovery of those
evils which lurk in the system of the War-

office.
• Concealment as to the official causes of the
tremendous blunders which have occurred
would, on public grounds, be the worst policy.
Secrecy would only annulate prurient imagi-
nation, sharpen censorious tongues, and sug-
gest still more enormous and odious scandals
than those known to have occurred, but whose
" inexplicable" causes must be clearly dis-
covered. The most rapid mode of getting up a
pernicious class-cry against rank, property, and
the institutions of the country would be to at-
tempt to screen the official blunderers. Publi-
city will, on the other hand, be a safety valve to
the peat-up indignation of the people. At the
present moment all conductors of the war, the
capable and incapable, the active and the in-
dolent, alike are stigmatised. Inquiry will re-
move the brand from the guiltless, and affix
the odium to those only who deserve to be
obnoxious.
So much for the public reasons which
should animate a member of Parliament, or
any spirited Englishman, in urging forward
the investigation. But there are, also, some
practical considerations which ought to con-
vince any impartial mind that it must be
'utterly impossible to avoid the inquiry, let it
.be ever so invidious.
In the first place, let us recollect the rela-
' -••veen the War-office and the public
'tted that dreadful mis-
some most important
we could get the great
of the mediocre Lord
possible that even a Pitt
all at once upon the several
elected their duties. mis-
,d, while showing servile
tell routine, have rebelled
\nets of humanity? A
'ether Lord PANMURE, or
'the best nomination that
been made), would not
,isite for investigating the
wrongdoers during the
must naturally attend to
'f his department put,
using the very instru
le chiefs of departments
deceived. He may be
, to those that have not
trustworthy officials, and
einent which has prevailed
,ot be warranted in accept-
tharacter from the recent
)lice. An inquiry, there-
Astituted in the Commis-
id Medical Departments.
that such an investiga
before a parliamentary
left to the prejudiced
.tapist nominee of the
.Ady )urthened War Minister.
The efficacy and immediate utility of such
an inouity we may illustrate by a single
example. Certain persons are taking ad-
vantage of the temporary disrepute of our
public service to raise a class cry against
aristocracy." Let us see how inquiry would
at once demolish that absurd bugbear. No
one department connected with the whole
Crimean campaign has been more severely
censured than the Quartermaster-General's
department. Nor have we any doubt but that
some indignant Democrats whose minds have
been poisoned by calumny and cant are ready
to cry, "No wonder, when the whole staff
" appointments are given to the aristocracy."
Well, let us see the value of a little inquiry as
io bow far " aristocracy " has
im anything to
the

tionship between the Wa
Service. It is admitte
'takes have occurred in
'departments. Now, if
Lord CHATHAM in place
"PANMIIRE, how is it pow
could put his hand alI al
officials who have negle
taken their orders, and,
obedience to a wretched
against the first instin
War Minister now, whet
Lord ELLENSOROUGH
could possibly have bo
have the time requisite
cases of the various vi
last six months. He m
.the immediate wants of
in doing so, he may be
ments by whom the latl
'lave been possibly d
giving onerous offices I
shown themselves till
after• the mismanageme
a Minister would not I
ing certificates of chat
heads of the War-offil
fore, ought to be insi
sariat, Transport, and
Obviously it is better
tion should take place
committee than be 1
itiews of some red•t
already overburthened