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

THE PRESS.

motives. This was not the first time that Lord
Derby had opened similar communication with the
noble viscount. Three years ago Lord Palmerston
had said that he saw no difference which should
prevent them from acting together, but that he could
not join his Administration alone. Therefore Lord
Derby on the present occasion anticipated the objec-
tion, and came prepared to consent to the junction of
Lord Palmerston's friends—but never contemplated
the contingency that Lord Palmerston should make
the offer of office to his friends, but at the same
withdraw his own adhesion. The noble viscount had
succeeded in forming a Government—if a strong
Government, remains to be seen. One would have
supposed from his eulogium on his colleagues that
they had been eminent men withdrawn for some
time from public notice, yet the administrators of
such political sagacity and ability were but a few
days ago, in the opinion of Parliament, utterly defi-
cient. The Premier should have dwelt on the future,
and preserved a solemn silence as to the past of his
Government. He had given a catalogue of the
improvements he intended. Admitting them to be
good, what was to be thought of the predecessors of
that Cabinet who, to the last hour of their existence,
denied the necessity of that reform, and opposed all
inquiry into abuses now so openly admitted? The
mysteries of mismanagement were such that the
most eminent statesman of the day had declared
that he could not fathom them. The house had
voted for inquiry after long consideration, and by an
unexampled majority. How could it stultify itself,
and rescind resolutions so solemnly arrived at? If
the vote had alone produced so long a list or improve-
ments, what might be expected from inquiry itself
For himself, be should use every means to sustain
the vote already given. Inquiry, and that by Parlia-
ment, was, in his opinion, urgently necessary. As
for the Opposition, it could not more cordially give
its assistance in furthering the war to any Ministry
than it had to Lord Aberdeen's, who had entered into
the war with unprecedented advantages, and came
out of it with a crushing majority against them. He
hoped that those who a fortnight ago were unparalleled
blunderers might now be converted into profound
statesmen. He could only promise them the same
support he had already given, so that if they fell by
some fresh disaster they might not attribute their
fall to faction, but to the recognition by the country
of their utter incapacity.
Mr. ROEBUCK said that the committee for which
he had moved had already been decided upon. The
only argument against it was the existence of a new
Administration, with new views; but he did not see
that they had a new Administration. The house
having decided on inquiry, the noble lord asked it to
stultify itself, and to allow the Government to do
that which a short time before it had declared it
incompetent to do. He could not see any antagonism
between inquiry by the house and reform by the
Government. He did not believe that the right
reforms could be effected by official men. Nothing
but the authority of the house could enable the
official chief to overcome the via inerta in the atmo-
sphere of office. He should move his committee, as
an assistance to the noble lord in infusing new
vigour into the constitution of the country, which
he could not do with his unaided efforts, and because
his duty to the house prevented him from with-
drawing it.

Mr. Muwrz said that be also should abide by his
vote. What, he asked, would have been the conse-
quence if the house had never given that vote ?

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said that if Mr. Roebuck did
not adhere to his motion he would greatly disappoint
the country. The noble lord had offered his own
Government as a committee after the house bad just,
condemned it. He had told them of certain reforms
to be done by Lord Panmure. He believed Lord
Panmure would disappoint both his colleagues and
the public. His vote of inquiry was not intended as
a vote of censure, but to discover where censure was
due. He believed that the fault was more abroad
than at home, and the proper offender should be
found out and punished.

Mr. Hoasitaat apprehended that members on all sides
bad shown too much deference to Government, and shirked
their own responsibility.
Mr. E. BALL dilated on the disasters and disorders that
had attended our military operations, and declared that
the house was bound to prosecute the suggested inquiry.
Mr. PHINN pleaded for some concession to the recog-
nised good intentions of the new Government, and recom-
mended the house not to abandon, but to postpone the
procedure of the inquiry.
Mr. LIDDELL and Mr. VANSITTART having spoken,
Mr. LAING urged that the recent change in the Adminis.
tration did not indicate such a change in the Ministerial
policy as held forth a hope of better management in future,
or warranted the house to rescind their late vote.
Lord EBRINGTON expressed his satisfaction with the
measures announced by the Prime Minister as being
already planned or in execution.
Mr. D. SEYMOUR, on the contrary, considered those
measures insufficient, and regretted that some new blood
had not bean infused into the Administration and the
army.