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

THE WEEK.

TUE proceedings in the Commons this week have been of higher
importance than any which occurred since the commencement of the
war. It was understood that Mr. DISRAELI had fully resolved to bring
the conduct of Ministers before the House in relation to the
Vienna Conferences, but it was imagined that his motion would
not be made until after the Whitsuntide recess. The farce in
the House on Monday night, however, when Mr. M. GIBSON
withdrew his motion, and the ambiguous language held by the
Premier, seems to have induced the Leader of Opposition to give the
House an opportunity of expressing its opinion on the great question
of peace or war previous to its adjourning for the holidays. The
notice of Mr. DISRAELI excited some alarm in the Ministerial ranks,
and the old contrivances for patching up differences, and for giving
the Ministry as large a majority as possible, were resorted to. Various
amendments to suit the views of various members of the party were
arranged, but this time the general muster of Ministerial supporters
was held at the residence of Lord PALMERSTON instead of at Cheshain-
place.

It was rumoured at the close of last week that the Peelites,
faithful to the policy of their late chief, the venerated ABER-
DEER, were prepared to make common cause with the Manchester
peace party, and the course pursued by Mr. HERBERT and Mr G LAD-
STONE on Monday countenanced this report. It was not until Thurs -
day, however, that Sir W. HEATHCOTE and Mr. GLADSTONE distinctly
broke ground; and the evening would be memorable if only for the
first appearance in the Commons of a distinctly organised peace party
founded on the principle that all the objects of the war have already
been attained, and that to prosecute it after the concession proposed
by Russia would be not only a political error, but a national crime .
Mr. BRIGHT will have now a powerful rival for favour in the St. Peters-
&nary Gazette. We have no doubt that Mr. GrAnsToNE's speech will
meet with the honour of reproduction in that journal .
Mr. DISRAELI'S speech was principally directed to an analysis of

Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S diplomatic doings at Vienna. He brought dis-
tinctly out the opposition between his language and his actions at the
it.
Conference. His lordship declared that no peace was to be expected
on terms inconsistent with the honour of Russia, while he proposed
2 '-se ' ' Vow which, in the position of the belligerents, it was morally certain
.
that Russia would not deem it consistent with her honour to accept.
The defence of Lord JOHN to this charge was singularly illogical. He
said that Russians of great experience and sagacity were of opinion
that though the Russian fleets might make a great parade in time of
peace, they could not cope with the fleets of the other maritime
powers in time of war; that, in point of fact, the Russian fleet at
Sebastopol was of no use whatever, as the ships skulked into harbour
as soon as the allied fleets appeared ; and that now, from the vessels
sunk and destroyed, years must elapse before her fleet could be
restored to its former state. That was his case to show that Russia
would make no dishonourable concession in consenting to limit her
fleet.

But then why, as the Russian navy in the Euxine was practically
powerless, insist on its limitation ? A different case had now to be
made out. Russia, by maintaining her fleet, would indicate an inten-
tion to possess herself of Constantinople, and by her fleet being at
hand, while the fleets of the Allies were at a distance, she might fulfil
her intention before the Sultan could call the fleets of his Allies to his
assistance, and take the Turkish capital by a coup de main. Thus the
Russian fleet was represented almost in the same breath as all-
powerful and all•powerless ; and the Plenipotentiary who at the Con-
ference was so solicitous for the preservation of the dignity and
honour of Russia, now declares his conviction that if a peace had
been concluded, in which Russia, with the other contracting Powers,
had guaranteed the integrity of the Turkish territory, she would only
have watched for an opportunity of pouncing on Constantinople. With
such a plenipotentiary, is it wonderful that the negotiation failed ?

The debate was continued in the Commons last night, Mr.
WHITESIDE being the first speaker. His brilliant and effective address
made a strong impression on the House. Lord PALMERSTON was
cruelly interrupted in the midst of his peroration, which had appa-
rently been prepared with more than usual care, by a message from
the Lords. When the interruption was over he had his re-
venge—in a joke. " The Lords," he said, " had spared the
" right honourable gentleman opposite the necessity of punish-
" ing him as he doubtless meditated in his reply, by inflicting
"on him the chastisement of the rod." And with this pleasant pun,
delivered with a well-pleased air, the Chatham of the Reform Club
concluded his oration on the great peace or war debate of the session.
The House divided at t o'clock this morning, rejecting the
motion by 319 to 219.

In the Lords last night Earl GREY, in a speech of considerable
length, brought forward his motion for an address to the Queen
affirming that the proposals of Russia conceded all the original objects