The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-28 00:00:00

702

The Conservative party is clear from all the
blunders which led to the war—it is clear
from the blunders of the war itself. None of
the deplorable transactions of the last two
years attach to it. But if it were not in a
minority, it would not be in opposition. Its
warnings have been ncOetsted. Thapeople would
have Lord PALmEnstoe—they are not yet tired
of him, though there is scarcely a man in the;
kingdom more unfit for the post he tux.
His nature is too trifling to be animated by
a grand ambition, and his instincts too selfish
to allow him to look beyond his own immediate
personal ends. The one object of his life has
been place, and by having early concentrated
all his energies to attain it, and by pursuing
it through every maze of change and intrigue,
he has achieved a larger measure of success
than would have been possible to statesmen
of higher capacity and purer aim. In this
manner, unprincipled mediocrity may often
distance genius and patriotism united. He
has no care for principles, except as they are
in some sort or other connected with the party
to which he attaches himself as best able to
advance his interests. Such a man, however
high he may rise, can never be anything better
than an adventurer. He has dexterity, but
no force. He wants intellect to strike out a
vigorous and consistent course of policy, and
moral passion to vivify it. The jester's bells,
not the thunderbolts of supreme authority,
are appropriate to his hand. It is a bad sign
if the people applaud as he shakes them, and,
ignorant of their peril, contentedly resign
themselves to his giddy guidance.

SIR WILLIAM MOLESWORTH.
No more conclusive sign of the exhaustion of
Liberal statesmen can be seen than in the de-
light of certain coteries at the appointment of
Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH to a Secretaryship
of the Colonies. Recollecting the whimsical
conduct of the Philosophical Radicals in other
days, the nomination of the enthusiastic editor
of " Hobbes" has a touch at once of the hu-
morous and sentimental. It is not all at once
that we can recognise the transitions from the
Radical Baronet into the colleague of the pupil
of CASTLEREAGH, from the follower of Mr. Roe-
BUCK and Mr. WARBURTON into the associate of
the GRANVILLES and the GREYS. But a Hob-
house, the patron of the Cobbett school, even-
tually became a Whig and a Peer. With some
" Liberal" politicians the platform is sought
for as the stepping-place to a title, and to rail
against Lords is considered the best way of
becoming numbered amongst them. Talking
democracy while thinking of DEBRETT, your
rich leveller chuckles as he uses the multitude
for his tools. Constitutional Governments
have no more troublesome politicians than the
dandy demagogues.
Against Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH personally
we entertain no prejudice. We never liked the
school to which he belonged, because it is
unreal, unpractical, and un-English. What
school he belongs to now, and to what extent
be may be conventionalised, it would be
difficult to determine. When first he came
WILLIAM MOLESWORTR Was
for his mixture of outlandish
)utrageous Radicalism. He
with astonishing waistcoats
theories. His hat looked like
; his walking cane had a
viduality ; and even his handker-
of crotchets. He lisped out
sentiments with a die-away
I,:ed long about the people, and
about his tailors. It was im-
. him bring forward a motion
the Constitution of England
rget him. His foppery was
wonderful ; and in those
hardly blame him for professing
(possibilities, since he himself
. From SoLow and Mei:mous
on to JEREMY BErrnAM and
was original in his oddity,
queer in the raptures of his
dress, his appearance, his
affectel tone of manners were
being entirely peculiar, as if a
IUECHEEK had been the pupil of
.Ls, and started in the nineteenth
imitator of Count D'ORSAY in a

into notice, Sir 'V
most remarkable fa
dandyism and ou
was then a senator
and astounding th
a circle of revolutic
fantastic individus
chief seemed full (
revolutionary sen
languor, and talke
thought deeply al
possible to hear I
for abolishing th
and ever to forg
really something
days we could har
to believe in imp
looked like one.
ho used to skip a
himself; and he
and singularly q
egotism. His
diction, and his a
L........_ suggestive of a bl
Sir ANDREW AGM
the Abbe SIEYEEI,I
century as an im
masquerade.
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