The Press.
London, England, 1853-06-04 00:00:00

JUNE 4, 1853.

CHIEF CoMMIsSIoNER : Is it a tact that in 1829 you expressed your
readiness to assist the Duke of Wellington in governing the
►country, by becoming a Lord of the Treasury ?
Sir .1. GRAHAM: I am proud to say that, at so early a period of my
career. I appreciated the great civil qualities of one who sub.
sequently became the most illustrious of my colleagues.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER: But his Grace (lid not then avail himself of
your services ?
Sir J. GRAHAM: He did not.
CHIEF COMMIssIONER : And I believe you then went to Brookes's, and
stated that you had no doubt the Duke meditated the estab-
lishment of a military despotism, and that he ought to be im-
peached"
Sir J. GRAHAM : Impeachment is a great constitutional weapon.
CHIEF CoMMISMONER: I apprehend I am not in error when I state
that, after having produced a very able work in favour of an
inconvertible paper currency, you were one of Sir Robert Peers
principal supporters in framing the present Bank Charter Act ?
Sir J. GRAHAM: Each work may have been adapted to the period in
which it appeared.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER : I believe you left Lord Grey's Cabinet on a
"No Popery" cry yourself ?
Sir J. GRAHAM . Something of that sort.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER: And that you and Lord Aberdeen refused to
join Lord John Russell in 1851, because you looked upon a
Protestant ;policy for this country us an " impracticable ab-

surdity" ?
Sir J. GRAHAM ; I will not canvass your statement.
CIIIEE COMMISSIONER : I believe that in the year 1841 you gave it as
your opinion in the House of Commons that the manufac-
turing system of this country was too much developed, and
denounced the Whigs as pirates, because they proposed a fixed
duty of Ss. per quarter ou corn ; and that a very few years
afterwards you induced your colleagues totally to repeal the
Corn Laws, on the ground that England was not an agricul-
tural country ?
Sir .T. GRAHAM : 1 dare say all these things may be found in

Hansard.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER: I have pursued this line of inquiry because,
as you state there is no predominating opinion in the Cabinet.
it is important to ascertain what may be the opinions of those
who arc predominating members of it.
Sir J. GRAHAM : All the members of the present Cabinet are pre•
dominating members.
Sir R. INGLIS: Having stated to the Commissioners that with refer-
ence to all the important questions. both of foreign and
domestic policy, specially mimed to by the Chief Commis-
sioner, little or no unanimity prevails in the present Cabinet,
and having given us to understand that, not improbably,
there may not be two individuals in her Majesty's Govern-
ment who are of the same opinion on any given subject, and
having led us to believe that on all subjects of great public
interest, both civil and ecclesiastical, your own views arc
liable to frequent, not to say periodical, change, would you
have the extreme goodness, if possible, succinctly to place
before the Commissionerss what, in your estimation, is the
main and undeniable motive which induces so many dis-
tinguished statesmen, still of discordant opinions, and who
have passed the greater part of their lives in mutual recrimi-
nation, to join together so unexpectedly for the conduct of
public affairs?
Sir J. GRAHAM I look upon the motive that animates us, and super-
sedes all difficulties of opinion or conduct, to be PERSONAL
HOSTILITY TO LORD DERBY.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER : Then you conceive that to he the principle on
which the present Government is established?
Sir J. GRAHAM : And carried on.
CUM' COMMDMONEn : I believe relations of very intimate friendship
once subsisted between you and Lord Derby ?
Sir J. GRAIIAM : They did.
CHIEF COIMMISSIONER: Pray. Sir James, do you happen to be ac.
quainted with Lawyer Ford, of Newmarket?
Sir J. GRAHAM (somewhat surprised. and drawing up): I do not
exactly catch the purport of the Hon. Commissioner's
question.
rum: CommostoxEn : I repeat the question, and require nn answer.
sir J. GRAHAM: It is not impossible that I may have heard of such a

person.
Cm El, COMMINSIONtR : Were you ever mistaken for him?
Sir J. GRAHAM : There are second nicaning,s to be attached to the
word "mistaken."