The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY,

doctoring the market I can prevent their touching a shameful
discount. How also are we to raise the loan of eight or nine millions to
pay off the South Sea Stock? There is no balance in the Exchequer
—that has been appropriated to meet the bills which were sent in
during June. These things must be considered.
Sir C. WOOD: These things ought to have been considered before
you embarked in such absurd arrangements. Whoever heard of a
Chancellor of the Exchequer reducing the rate of interest on Exche-
quer Bills in a falling market? Whom could you have consulted?
Not the Governor of the Bank, I am sure ; and certainly no one at
the Treasury, unless they are very much changed since my time. I
told you how it would be. As for the project of paying off the South
Sea Stock, and all your other rigmaroles—
Mr. GLADSTONE : Lord Aberdeen, I must appeal to your Lordship.
I am afraid I may get into a passion if this proceeds.
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT: When we come to rigmaroles, I should like
to know whether four budgets in a year are rigmaroles?
Sir C. WOOD: A party who uses the word rigmarole should learn
how to ring his Rs.
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT ; Well, that is capital from you! It can't be
said of the present Chancellor of the Exchequer that his mouth is
full of plums.
Sir C. WOOD : I am sure his Exchequer is not.
Lord ABERDEEN : Order, order! we have quite enough of war with-
out having it in the Cabinet. Graham, what do you think of this ?
Sir JAmEs GRAHAM : My opinion remains the same. The Baltic
fleet is five and twenty strong, first-rate ships, admirably manned and
equipped. We can oppose to invasion from that quarter six ships of
the line at the most, with deficient crews. The result is not doubtful.
The enemy will arrive probably at Hull. Their march throughout
the north of England, principally inhabited by members of the
Peace Society, cannot materially be opposed. Their arrival at
the capital may for a moment be delayed by a diversion to
Cumberland. I see Netherby in flames. All the mauvais sujets will
swell their train, and all the evil passions will be let loose. The gaols
will be delivered, the hulks will be emptied, the ragged schools will
take possession of those ancient seats of learning where ourselves and
our fathers before us have been nurtured. The enemy have never
forgotten that in the last war their own venerable metropolis was a
sacrifice. They will avenge its loss, and probably set fire to the
Thames.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE : At our last meeting I agreed with Lord
Palmerston that our wisest policy would be at once to arrest the pro-
gress of Russia, which would now be comparatively easy for us, but
which in five or ten years hence may be impossible. But since I have
listened to Lord Aberdeen, and clearly understand that war with
Russia involves his own resignation and the breaking up of the present
overnment, the question assumes a new aspect. I have to ask
myself which is the greater evil—the universal dominion of the Em-
peror of Russia, or the possible return of Lord Derby to power. As a
free trader and a devoted follower of Sir Robert Peel, I cannot hesi•
tate. I would sooner see the Muscovite standard float on the Tower
of Landon than relinquish my present office to Sir John Pakington.
The Earl of CLARENDON : War is clearly impossible. This country
is governed by the middle classes, and the middle classes never fight.:
lam rather even against defending our own shores. It would be
much better to " maintain the cause of order" by paying a small
tribute ; and if quietly done, through the Billings or the Rothschilds
for example, no one would be a whit the wiser.
Sir Motsswonrit : The question, I apprehend, for the
solution of the Cabinet to-day is, to reconcile the cause of peace with
the maintenance of empire ; to prevent Exchequer Bills falling to a
disgraceful discount ; and, at the same time, prevent the country from
sinking in the scale of nations. I am for peace, but I am also for
empire ; and the course which I recommend to my colleagues is the
following :—I recommend them to change the seat of government. It,
is obvious that this country is used up. It has for a long period been
called Old England, and now appears only to possess the characteristic
of old age, namely, Avarice, " the good, old gentlemanly vice." I should
recommend that we should quit Losnox for VicromA, and enthrone
her Majesty as the Empress of AUSTRALIA. There we might. start
afresh, with all the advantages of experience—if, indeed, experience
have any advantages, a, moot point; and an entire freedom from those
encumbrances which are popularly called Institutions.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL : If the Right Honourable Baronet. who is
the President of Works, could contrive to take Woburn Abbey with
him to Australia there might be some chance of the experiment
succeeding ; but, as it is clearly impossible to move Woburn Abbey, I
think the best thing we can do is to remain here.
The Earl GRANVILLE : I am clearly for peace, and at any price.
I think the utmost we can do in the way of war is the Chobham
Camp ; and if that could have been pitched under a glass cover, which