The Press.
London, England, 1855-02-03 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 3, 1855.

resignation in the hands of her Majesty. I, therefore,
my lords, was commissioned by the whole of the members
of the Cabinet to place their resignation before her
Majesty, who was graciously pleased to accept it; and,
consequently, we only now hold our offices until our sue.
cessors shall be appointed. My lords, I wish to say that
in opposing the vote of Monday night, and in regarding
that vote as in some degree unconstitutional in itself, as
well as liable to many objections, it is not our belief, nor
is it our desire, that the House of Commons should be
precluded from inquiring into our conduct. I believe,
my lords, that an impartial inquiry would fully establish
thut no indifference has existed on our part to the wants
of the army in the Crimea, and that there has been no
absence of exertion and preparation to supply its wants,
or to maintain the efficiency of its condition.

He then said that he did not wonder at the general
feeling through the country; it had not come to right
conclusions upon all points, but it was perfectly justi-
fied in feeling strongly; it turned naturally to the
Ministers as the cause of existing evils, and he did
not complain. Still, he declared that these evils
were greatly exaggerated and, looking at the present
state of things, he saw no reason for dismay, but
every prospect of ultimate success. He then enu-
merated the various subjects of congratulation, the
large force of France, the Sardinian alliance, the
Austrian treaty, and said that with such prospects it
would be impossible to entertain apprehensions un-
worthy of them, even in the face of the present
casualties. He adverted to the internal measures of
the Government, dwelling with satisfaction on its
financial operations, and then recurred to foreign
affairs, and the treaty with Austria, all of which had
been managed by the Foreign Secretary with ability,
caution, and prudence. The want of the country was
a strong Administration. Rumour had assigned to
Lord Derby the post of Premier, but, as he saw
the noble earl in his place, he presumed that he
had not succeeded in his attempt. He concluded
by saying that whatever Administration was formed,
it should receive from him and from his colleagues
the support so urgently necessary in the actual
crisis for any Government, and that he hoped that
such Government, as soon as the real object of
the war shall have been attained, should lose no
time in realising the advantages of peace.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE, after apologising for not
contenting himself, as was usual on such occasions,
with the announcement of the head of the Govern-
ment, proceeded to defend himself from the asper-
sion of Lord John Russell, as well as from the
popular outcry against him. He explained that in
the arrangements made last year for dividing the
War and Colonial Departments he had abstained
from demanding either of the two ministries : he
had said that he was ready to take "either or
neither," and had expressly written to the Premier
to do with him as he pleased for the public service,
and yet he had been charged with presumption and
self-love in insisting on the seal of the War odice.
After adverting to Lord John Russell's final aban•
donment of his own proposition respecting the
arrangement of the War•oflice, he recounted the
propositions which had been read just before the
last meeting of Parliament to the Cabinet by Lord
John himself. It tended to establish a Military
Board, and, although the proposer said that he had
seen no reason to think it would be accepted, he cer-
tainly had no reason to think it would be rejected.
The noble duke then with much feeling vindicated
himself from the charge of indolence and indif-
ference. He had himself two sons in the services,
which was a sufficient pledge against indifference,
and, as for indolence, he had allowed himself neither
rest nor recreation in the performance of his duties.
He concluded by promising notonly his support, but
the results of his experience to his successor, who•
ever he might be.
The noble duke was listened to with evident
sympathy, and sat down amidst cheers from both
des of the house.
The Earl of DERBY said :

My lords, whatever may be the parliamentary irregularity
of the course which has been pursued by the noble duke
opposite in his reference and his answer to the speech of
the noble lord late his colleague in the other house, I am
ready to admit, and your lordships will probably feel with
me, that that course, if not regular, may well be regarded
with some indulgence, and that a sufficient apology is
afforded for the explanations we have heard this evening.
I can easily understand the feelings under which the noble
duke thought it necessary to offer before your lordships, as
Minister of the Crown, a vindication of himself against the
charges which certainly affected most materially his char-
11:ter, not as a man, but as a Minister. And I should not
tor a single moment have complained of any portion of the
noble duke's reference to the proceeding in the other House
If Parliament if I did not feel it incumbent, at the
outset of the few observations I shall have to submit
to your lordships, to notice with regret one state-
ment which fell from the noble duke, and which to
me, and I believe to most of your lordships, was utterly
unintelligible. The noble duke, in speaking of the
assistance which he should be ready to afford to his successor,
made an allusion to some gentleman who, he said, in the
other house crossed over the floor of that house, and,
speaking to my right hon. friend the leader of the Opposi-
tion there, asked his ooncurrence to a motion, not directly
_ .
conduct

THE PRESS.

of the noble duke himself. Of that statement, of that
person, that unknown individual, and of that fact, or of
anything like that fact, I can only assure the noble duke
that up to this moment 1 have been in complete igno.
rance. Further than this, I assure him that if he believed
the decision come to by the House of Commons to ex-
press their opinion of the conduct, not of the noble duke,
but of her Majesty's Government, in the management of
the war—if he conceives that that vote was the result of
concert or of previous communication, directly or indi-
rectly, between any parties whatever, to the best of my
belief and knowledge the noble duke is absolutely and en-
tirely mistaken.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE :

The noble earl has entirely misapprehended what fell
from me on this point. I meant precisely the reverse of
that which he infers I meant. What I said was entirely
founded on the speech of the right hon. gentleman the
leader of the Oppcsition in the House of Commons. That
right hon. gentleman, in his place in the house, made a
statement to the effect that there had been such a commu-
nication made by a gentleman to him. This is my autho-
rity for the fact, but the right hon. gentleman expressly
said that he had repudiated the offer so made to him.
The Earl of DERBY :

It will be unnecessary, then, for me to proceed further
with the observations I was about to make on that point.
But, notwithstanding the statement which the noble duke
has just made, I hope he will forgive me if 1 do say here in
the most emphatic manner that the vote of the House of
Commons proceeded the other day not from any one party,
more especially not from the party in direct opposition
to her Majesty's Government—nay, more, that it was
the earnest recommendation, as 1 know, of those who
are intrusted with the confidence of that party to abstain
from bringing forward any motion which should cast a
censure upon the Government, or tend in the slightest de-
gree to embarrass them.

Now, the noble duke's statement this evening, so far as
I could infer from what fell from him, consisted in part of
a vindication of his own character, and partly of a reply to
the statements made by his late colleague. I and others,
I am afraid, have been compelled to differ from the noble
duke and from his colleagues with regard to many points
affecting the conduct of the war; and I have on more than
one occasion expressed mY opinion on the subject to the
noble duke and to your lordships—not uncourteonaly, I
hope, but with that frankness which I think ought to be
exercised in this house. Hut I never heard any one deny
to the noble duke the merit of having been laborious in
the discharge of his duties, and of having devoted himself
assiduously to his office; nor have I heard any one—l know
not, of course, what may have appeared in some papers, or
what conversation may have taken Owe at the clubs—l
say, I have never heard the noble duke charged in Parlia•
ment, or by any responsible authority, with indif%rence to
the sufferings of the army.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE :
Certainly not in this house.

The Earl of DERBY :

It has been said, indeed, by some, and I have been of
opinion myself, that when the right thing was done it was
not done always at the right time, and that the neglect of
the Government in not doing the right thing at the right
time had led to increased sufferings and privations on the
part of the army. But God forbid that any une of us
should have imputed to the noble duke or to any member
of your lordships' house that he was in the slightest degree
indifferentupon such a subject, or was sparing of his labours
in the discharge of the arduous and responsible duties of
his office.

I am not, my lords, about to enter upon any discussion
—this is not the occasion on which to do so—as to the
conduct of the Government or any members of the Go-
vernment. Nor am I disposed in the slightest degree to
diminish the effect of that " Picture of an Interior " which
has been drawn in such striking terms by the noble duke.
( Laughter.) It is really one of the most effective pictures
which I have seen presented to Parliament, and when,
after having gone through all the correspondence and
conversation and friendly communications which have
taken place between him and one of his colleagues, the
noble duke wound up the whole picture by saying that he
believed that colleague was one of all whose opinions seemed
to have most of identity with his own—( laughter )—the
effect was heightened and a complete view afforded of the
beautiful internal harmony of that Cabinet. (Renewed
laughter.) My lords, lam bound to say that I think the
noble duke is quite excusable for his statement in this
house to-night; an as far as I can learn, although, perhaps,
it is contrary to the Horatian motto to decide now—for we
are probably always more strongly impressed by what we
see and' hear than by what we read in the newpapers—l
confess I think that between the two noble colleagues the
noble duke has considerably the best of the argument.
(" Hear, hear," and a laugh.) I don't know what I
might say if I " heard the other side ; " but that, at all
events, is my present impression. If, however, these dis-
cussions are constantly to take place in this house—if these
representations are to follow one another so quickly—l
can suggest only one mode by which to secure perfect in-
partiality. The member' of the two houses should meet
in the large central hall between this and the other House
of Parliament, the Lords on one side and the Commons on
the other, and there, the champions meeting in the centre,
there might be, according to the expression of the noble
duke, an exchange of words ; and I only hope it might
not lead to the exchange of anything less friendly than
words. ( Laughter.) I will, however, leave the picture of
the interior of the Cabinet—this picture of the relations
between the noble duke and his colleagues—entirely as a
matter to be settled between themselves. Nor do I think
this a fitting occasion fur comment upon the picture
which the noble earl opposite, at the commencer -wt at
• the of the

103

That funeral oration—( a laugh )—which he pronounced
upon himself and his colleagues—that general and com-
placent laudation of each and every one of them—first, of
the War Minister; next, of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer; next, of the First Lord of the Admiralty ; next,
of the noble lord opposite, the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs—l have no doubt all these laudations
were exceedingly well deserved, and that it was equally
satisfactory to the noble earl to have the opportunity of
making them, and to his colleagues to receive them at his
hands.

The noble earl also touched upon the general state of
the nation, and although, perhaps, he introduced some de-
bateable grounds into his observations with regard to the
general and abundant prosperity which, according to him,
prevails in every district of the country at the present
moment, this is not the fittest occasion on which to enter
upon the debateable grounds he has introduced. Nor, I
think, should 1 hale risen to address your lordships at all
on this occasion, had it not been that the noble earl did not
think fit to confine himself to the usual announcement on
such an occasion—namely, that he and his colleagues had
resigned office, and only held their present position until
her Majesty should have appointed their successors. I
say, I probably should not have risen if, in making that
statement, the noble earl had not thought it necessary to
make a personal reference to me as having been charged
by her Majesty with the formation of a Government. The
noble earl, undervaluing and underrating the source from
which he derived his information, stated, as a matter of
general rumour, that there had been some communication
between her Majesty and myself on that subject. The
noble earl has, I say, certainly underrated the source of
his information, because not only general rumour may
have informed him on the subject, but previously to
entering into this house I had, under my own hand, given
the noble earl information as to the result of this commu-
nication ; and, consequently, the notoriety and general
rumour which led him to believe it might be poasible—
( a laugh)—that I had had some communication with her
Majesty are phrases which must have been employed by
the noble earl in his usual care to guard against exagge-
ration, and to avoid overstating any part of his case.
(Laughter.)
As your lordships may not all be in possession of such
information, 1 can inform your lordships on this subject
that for once the noble earl is not mistaken. (A laugh.)
Upon the resignation of the noble earl, it it perfectly true,
and was known to most persons, that her Majesty com-
mended my attendance yesterday morning, at halfpast
eleven o'clock ; that 1 had a long audience, in which I
need hardly say I met with that which every person ad-
mitted to the presence of her Majesty invariably meets
with—the most condescending kindness, the most per-
fect frankness and openness, and a manner of dealing with
all public subjects, a consideration for all personal feelings,
which all who are called upon to communicate personally
with her Majesty knows to what extent she possesses, and
which must increase the affection and loyalty that every
person who has had a knowledge of those qualities must feel
for her Majesty. Ido not think it would be for the public
interest that 1 should at this time—even if 1 had the per-
mission of her Majesty to do so, which I have not—avail
myself of this opportunity to state all that passed upon
that occasion, as well as all that subsequently occurred. I
do think it would be inconvenient to the public service
if, while negotiations are going on, and the steps taken by
public men should be prematurely detailed. 1 think to do so
might lead to serious inconvenience to the public affairs of
this country. When 1 say that negotiations are going on, I
mean that previously to the formation of a Government I
think it is extremely inconvenient that there should be a
public discussion day by day ofcommunications which may
take place between different parties tending to the forma-
tion of such a Cabinet. I think it is the duty of every
public man, whether he accepts or whether he abstains from
accepting the Government, to be prepared to give at the
proper time a full explanation both to his own friends and
to the country of the motives which induced him either to
accept or abstain from accepting office. lint, my lords, I
think that that explanation should never be given until a
_ .

Government is actually formed, and the state of affairs is
decided. I therefore, upon the present occasion, content
myself with sa)ing that, feeling deeply grateful to her
Majesty for the confidence with which she has regarded
me, and feeling deeply conscious of my own inability
to discharge the duties which this arduous position
would have imposed upon me—feeling at the same
time that, with the probability of success, the very diffi-
culties with which the country is surrounded would be
an additional inducement to any man of honour and
character not to leave her Majesty without a Govern-
ment to grapple with these difficuities—l yet felt that,
in the present state of parties and in the present con-
dition of the House of Commons, I was not enabled to
offer her Majesty that assurance of being in a position sa-
tisfactorily to conduct the affairs of the country which
would induce me, at the present moment, to accept the
task which her Majesty was pleased to confide to me ; and,
consequently, at this time, I have no charge from her Ma-
jesty to attempt the construction of a Government. Fur-
ther than this, my lords, I think it would be impossible for
me to say, except that I concur entirely with the noble
earl opposite that, whatever may be the composition of the
Government (while I concur also with him as to the diffi-
culty of obtaining it), the great object which this country
looks for and requires in the present moment of difficulty,
of embarrassment, and I will say of peril, is, if it be possible
to obtain it, a strong Government. And, whatever Govern-
ment may be intrusted with her Majesty's confidence to
carry on the affairs of the great war and the great political
questions in which this country is now involved, that man
is undeserving of the character of a patriot, or of an honest
man, who does not to the utmost extent of his power give
to the Government of the Queen for these objects a distil-
terestod, and, as far as he can, a coasolentioua support.

assistance which he should be ready to affordto his sqlecessor, the interior of the Cabinet—this picture of the relations questions in which this country is now involved, that man
made an allusion to some gentleman who, he said, in the between the noble duke and his colleagues—entirely u a is undeserving of the character of a patriot, or of an honest
other house crossed over the floor of that house, and, matter to be settled between themselves. Nor do I think man, who does not to the utmost extent of his power give
I
speaking to my right hon. friend the leader of the Opposi• this a fitting occasion fur comment upon the picture to the Government of the Queen for these objects a diain-
tion there, asked his ooncurrence to a motion, not directly which the noble earl opposite, at the commencement of terested, and, as far as he can, a Conscientious support.
impugning the Government, but impugning the oondnot the evening, drew of the general state of the country. (Cheers.)
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