The Press.
London, England, 1853-05-14 00:00:00

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TO THE WHIGS.

LETTER 11.

GENTLEMEN,—The case at issue in the last general election had not
been confined to the question, whether the act that repealed the
corn laws should or not be modified. Even in the counties, the
general cry of the farmers was, not that free trade should be abandoned,
but that free trade should be impartially carried out. The paramount
question everywhere was ay or no to a fair trial of Lord Derby's
Government. The question was answered by the rettu•rt of about three
hundred members more or less pledged to grant to the new Admi-
nistration a support, whether provisional or permanent; cordial or
qualified. What were the other parties which assembled in No-
vember last on the &era the House of Commons? First in point of
numbers were the Radicals, viz., those who favoured a bold in-
crease of the Democratic element in the constitution. Nor was this
body undistinguished by leaders remarkable for influence and energy
without the doors of Parliament, and for ability and eloquence within
its walls. It is impossible to affect contempt for a party, whatever its de-
fects, which comprised the ready intellect of Mr. Cobden, the inflexible
purpose of Mr. Bright, and the perseverance and acumen of Mr.
%liners, sharpened into passion by his ►wowed hostility to the aristo-
cracy, to which by birth he belonged. Sir William Molesworth lent
his austere philosophy, and Mr. Bernal Osborne contributed his
••,rustic wit, to the intellectual resources of a host thus formidable to
any Government front its numbers, and still more formidable to
our mixed constitution from the principles which sought to remove the
sristoc►attic medium, placed by Time between those two contending
powers that never yet in the history of the world have been long left
nakedly confronting each other. viz., Monarchy and Popular Suffrage.
That all this party, whatever its subdivisions or its jealousies,
would be actuated and combined fur the time in one sentiment of
hostility to Lord Derby's Government was clear. Free trade was
;:afe ;—but so was the Constitution : and the common object of this
party was not only to preserve the one, but to change the other.
Below the gangway, in the ranks of this motley Opposition, assem-
bled the special followers of the late Sir Robert Peel, determined not
only to protect his policy, but to avenge his fall. These gentlemen
could not but regard in Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli the most illus-
trious victims they could dedicate to the Manes of their hero. With
them, therefore, as with the Radicals, it was not enough that free
trade should be recognised as the future principle of our financial sys-
tem ; it was not the future that engaged their fears; they had to etlitee
a debt of resentment in the past.

Next came the Irish party, popularly termed The Brigade. Free
trade was no more to thee► than Hecuba to Hamlet.. Whatever the
financial measures of lull Derby, to Lord Derby's Government they
bail pledged their opposition, on the simple ground that they had
►Teemed it a duty incumbent on their patriotism ►aid their conscience
to oppose every conceivable Government whatsoever.
Now I turn to you. the Whigs, and I ask what could be your sympa-
thy with any one of these three divisions, bent on the overthrow of
that Government which had succeeded to power on the inevitable expi-
ration of your own :► Could you sympathis• with the ulterior objects
of the Mullenls—was the " democracy" of Lord John identical with the
►lenioenlcy—we will not say of Mr. Bright—but of it single honest
leader of the Movement ? Could you sympathise with the followers of
Sir Robert Peel ? Wind to you was their desire of retribution against
those who hail assailed his conversion on the ►luestion of the corn
laws? You sympathise with their resentment ! You were the last
men to do so ; for none were so bitter in all societies against the
skilful adversary who had contrived to repique you by a bold discard
of the suit you had counted on his retaining. Free trade was one
thing ; that you were bound to defend: the supposed wrong to a foe
who, by destroying his own party, had outwitted yours, was another
thing: and that, wrong, real or imaginary, you were not bound to
avenge. Not a sarcasm of Mr. Disraeli's in the most heated period of
old debate but what sonic of you had cheered in the House of Com-
mons, and nearly all of you cited in clubs and drawing-rooms, with the
acrimonious pleasure of furtive enemies, when others say what them-
selves think, but do not think it wise to be the first to utter.

Lastly.—What had yott in common with the Brigade? The author
of the Durham letter in eommon with Mr. Duffy?

Thus, really remote from the three sections antagonistic to Lord
Derby's Government, and unable to form of yourselves an Administra-
tion. what was that position which became you best? Surely you had
but to evince neutrality in order to obtain the office of arbitrators.
Free trade was secure. The first net of Lord Derby's Government. on
the assembling of the new Parliament, was precisely that anticipated

SATURDAY,

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