The Press.
London, England, 1855-08-25 00:00:00

truth. Apart from the licence of the novelist, we
shall find tho plan notably worked out, the
groundwork of the story adopted as the prin-
ciple of the Whig party policy. With all the
talent of the country against them, with almost
a complete absence, on their side, of ability, we
aro at a loss to discover their secret of sue.
cess, except in a power of cohesion, such as
that ordinarily attributed to a soaciety enjoying
the habitual notice of the detective police.
Every act, every hour, furnishes us fresh proof
of their system of mutual assurance. The
Whig laudations, constantly interchanged, are
taken as current coin by masses willing to be
relieved the trouble of thought. Ideas are
incontinently appropriated. Obstacles are
overturned with no merciful hand. Oppo
nents, however sincere, or however insignificant,
are taught to repent the independence of
their judgments by the persecution of their
persons, the defamation of their characters,
and the embitterment of their existence.
No praise is sufficient fur a supporter,
no, accusation too foul for an antagonist.
Consistency with Whig interests is the
conscience, the gauge of morality, with the
Whig party.
If we look to the speeches of the Reform
Club and to the articles of their organ, we
shall find the language used towards Sir
CHARLES NAPIER when supported, and when de-
nounced. If we compare the invectives at pre-
sent launched in the private circles of the
Whigs against the Duke of NEWCASTLE, a pri-
vate person, with the commendatory terms
applied to him as a Whig Minister, we follow
up the clue to Whig success. If we compare
the exaggeration of the feats of the Baltic Ad-
miral of this year with the measure given to
the capture of Bomarsund, we shall see that
the successes attained with inferior means by
Sir CHARLES NAPIER are unpatriotically depre-
ciated to furnish a foil for the much easier
achievements of the Whig commander.
Few persons have of late received such
furious commendations as those lavished on
Lord PANMURE. The comical and somewhat
quarrelsome Scotchman has raised himself, ac-
cording to the Whigs, a colossal reputation for
organisation, originality, and activity. What-
ever success, whatever honour may be
achieved, they are all owing to his astounding
merits. He is already by anticipation raised
into a niche of Whig idolatry. His appear-
ance is the signal for enthusiasm—the men-
tion only of his name draws down over
powering applause. Yet there are, in our
opinion, some occasions on which that won-
derful activity has been dormant. There are
certain acts not so wonderfully original ;
there are some plans not so very wonderfully
organised.

We need only refer to a letter lately pub-
lished in the columns of one of our daily con-
temporaries to show how recklessly one chance
has been thrown away for the profitable work-
ing out of the great Whig measure, the
Foreign Enlistment Act. That circumstance
has been prominently brought forward and
cannot be ignored. Unfortunately there are
others more disgraceful, but, from being less
known, turned to their own a Ivantage by our
present Administration.
Not long before the prorogation of Parlia•
went the country was informed with much
emphasis that her Majesty's Government had
determined to avail themselves of the services
of Italians in the formation of one portion of
our mercenary Legion. The nation was left to
infer that this was a spontaneous and original
act of Lord PANMIIRE. His energy and inven-
tive genius was held up to public admiration.
Ancient country gentlemen of the Whig party
nodded their heads approvingly, and gave an
ungrudging support to questionable measures.
If the truth were known, however, the idea
was not so mightily original, the action not so
very energetic. But even if he could claim
the plan as his own, the mode in which it has
been carried out by the new Secretary for War
is singularly apathetic. Lord PANMURE will not
presume to deny our statement that the Act had
scarcely passed when applications and offers
came in numbers from all parts of Italy.
While the Opposition were told that their
criticisms had interposed obstacles to the re-
cruitment of foreigners, and while the