The Press.
London, England, 1855-06-02 00:00:00

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JUNE 2, 1855. THE PRESS. 521
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THE DILAPIDATED OFFICE. By injustice you mean vigour?
office are unsafe, and have to be supported by If you please. A vigorous prosecution of the war would have
The principal apartments of the Foreign-placed the allies in a position of unjust advantage over the Emperor of
shores whenever used for large parties; and a subsidence has taken place in th foundation of
that part of the building where Cabinet Councils are held, itc.—Ti s, May 31,11. Russia.
And therefore you took care that the war should not be so pro-
So the Office for Foreign Affairs secuted ?
Is becoming a dangerous station, Without committing myself to phrases which might hereafter re-
Is ruin'd in front and back stairs, quire explanation, I will merely remind you that the Peelites were
And sinking from roof to foundation.
Oh! who would have thought that the Grey-Russell lot the powerful part of the Cabinet ; and I will ask you whether the war
was conducted with vigour?
Had been half so keen after places ? But this system of yours sacrificed an army.
By thronging in scores they've weakened the floors I can recognise no consequences where duty is involved Nor
And shaken the house to its basis. can I assent to the establishment of distinction between man and man.
Had the war been effectively pressed thousands of Russians would
Its rafters are bent by the tread have been slain, and we could sanction no such wickedness.
Of Johnny's diminutive figure, But you forced our men to fight at disadvantage.
And the clerks underneath are in dread This was the inevitable result of the original wrong. I may say,
Of his constitutional vigour. •
however, that we are nqt chargeable with this. If the commanders
Oh! who would have thought that the Grey-Russell lot were too dull, and the soldiers too ardent, to comprehend the course of
Had been half so keen after places? action which the Government, by not furnishing them with arms and
By thronging in scores they've weakened the floors stores, evidently indicated to them, and consequently disasters
And shaken the house to its basis. ensued, the fault was not at home.
I understand that this policy was common to all the Peelitos ?
The Council Chamber of State To Lord Aberdeen, to myself, to Graham, to Herbert, and to New-
Is subsiding into a cavity castle. And a glance at the departments intrusted to each will show
Beneath the unusual weight you that we had the opportunity as well as the determination to save
Of the Premier's newly-found gravity. the nation from committing aggression and wrong.
Oh ! who would have thought that the Grey-Russell lot What was Lord Aberdeen's special reason for keeping Newcastle
Had been half so keen after places? in the War Department against Lord John's representations?
By thronging in scores they've weakened the floors Is it not evident from what I have stated ? Palmerston had lent
And shaken the house to its basis. himself to the war-cry. Let me add that no person in the Cabinet
had the slightest doubt of the entire insincerity of my Lord John
The Clarendons, Granvilles, and Greys, Russell's demonstration. To entertain a conviction on such a subject,
Cry out for a better bestowing, and to resign it as he did, of course stamps the proceeding as utterly
And their voices in terror they raise hollow.
As they find themselves helplessly going. Are you prepared to defend the wisdom as well as the justice of
Oh ! who would have thought that the Grey-Russell lot your course ?—I mean as regards the interests of Russia, from whom
Had been half so keen after places? • even the present Government will now insist on extorting severe
By thronging in scores they've weakened the floors terms, and from whom, if the Conservatives take the control of the war,
And shaken the house to its basis. they will demand actual sacrifices?
I admit that in this as in other matters the good intentions of the
But vain is the Family moan Aberdeen Cabinet were not rewarded by the measure of success which
At the wreck of the wind and the weather, they deserved. But we did our best for Russia ; and even now she is
The fault and the folly 's their own unconquered. This last news is not satisfactory, certainly; but the
If they're all of them sinking together. honour of Russia has been maintained. The mean trick by which the
Oh! who would have thought that the Grey-Russell lot soundings at Kertch were obtained deserves reprehension from all
Had been half so keen after places? refined persons.
By thronging in scores they've weakened the floors Your own financial policy is explained by your views on
And shaken the house to its basis.
X. the war?
I trust that justice will now be done me. What was supposed to
be my incompetence and short-sightedness in regard to providing funds
WHO STARVED THE WAR? will now, I humbly hope, be recognised as faithful adherence to a non-
aggressive system.
ANTICIPATED EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM E. GLADSTONE, In a word, you starved the war?
LATE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, ON THE REASSEMBLING OF If the war has been starved, honour where honour is due. War
fever, like any other fever, should be treated with starvation. '.
THE SEBASTOPOL COMMITTEE. And you are prepared to advocate peace upon the terms of
W. E. GLADSTONE, Esq., called in and examined.— Russia ?
I was Chancellor of the Exchequer under that venerable and Upon any terms which she may propose.
Suppose she asks compensation—the expenses of the war—the
venerated man the Earl of Aberdeen. Do not know that I am called
surrender of some of our territory—say the lonian Isles, or Malta?
the Pony Peel. Do not know whether " pony is a monetary phrase, Ido not believe that she will ask anything unreasonable, nor do I
and directed at my financial arrangements. Did not know that it was see anything so formidable in the suggestion you have made as to in-
a racing word. Never go to races, though I have shown that Ido not duce me to say that I should be precluded from discussing it.
Russia is a poor country—we are rich, and can afford to give a moral
think a man worse for betting on them. lesson of generosity. For the lonian Isles I care little ; their
By the CHAIRMAN.—I perfectly well remember the last speech I
population, like that of all Greek regions, is a most rascally one, and
delivered in the House of Commons. It was on the subject of th ethe strong military rule of Russia is better suited to it than ours.
war, and explanatory of the policy adopted in regard to the war by that In the Pacifico debate you took another view of the Greeks, whom
portion of the late Cabinet to which a soubriquet is appended, arising you thought Palmerston had oppressed.
It is possible ; but I have no doubt that the two views are capable
from their adherence to the doctrines of the late Sir R. Peel, Bart.
of reconciliation. I find little difficulty in reconciling anything. But
Are you not ashamed of that speech? you spoke of Malta. For Russia to possess Malta, and thus to be kept
On the contrary, if it were right to be proud, I should indulge a constantly under the eye and influence of the civilisation of Europe,
sentiment of pride that I had been fortunate enough to be able to
• would be to guarantee her gradual improvement, and thus to lead to
deliver that speech. the general benefit of the European family.; ,1
I assume, then, it contained a truthful narrative of the
But all this implies abject humiliation on the part of England.
proceedings of the Aberdeen Cabinet during their conduct of the cam-
Humiliation is by no means an unwholesome exercise for the
paign ? whether in. the councils of Europe or in the cell of the penis •
Yes, of the Cabinet. Such proceedings, however, were initiated proud,
by the Peelite portion, the others being convinced by the superior tent. (Clock sallies.) Excuse me. (Exit, muttering ." S. M. ! Ora
P nobis.")
ability of ourselves.
You distinctly avow that your policy was favorable to Russia?
I should regret to have distinctly avowed anything, because that
TIME AND THE PREMIER.
form of address is uephilosophical and not unattended with danger.
But the tendency of what the Cabinet did—and of its acts of absti-
Palmerston is only a month or two younger than I am. • . . Ile certainly enjoys no
nence from doing anything—were intended to enable Russia to extri-
immunity from the effects of age.—Lord Aberdeen to Lord John BusselL
cafe herself with honour from the difficulty.
• Mr. LAYARD.—By the difficulty you mean the consequences of her
His whiskers still are dark,
burglarious and murderous entry into Turkey? Tho' Time bath blenched them long,
Some persons qualify the passage of a contemptible river by those
harsh epithets, but I think this is an exaggerated view of the case. And seventy years have left their mark
What is the crossing a river ? Which of us does not cross one On a form once lithe and strong :
almost every day of his life ? Is an act like this, multiplied by the The years have borne away
number of an army, to justify bloodshedding? The graces of his prime :
By the CHAIRMAN.—Yes ; the Peelites (if we accept the term) were
But, still no sago in spite of age,
resolved that the war, which was unjust in itself, should be conducted
He pays no heed to Time.
with as little injustice as possible.
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