The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

instability in our councils which the Minis-
terial changes of the last few months, and the
unsettled temper of the public, had tended to
create. He dwelt on the evil of such in-
stability in a marked manner, and argued that
it should, at a time like the present, be avoided
above all things. " I believe," he said, in by
far the most impressive passage of his
address, " it would be a very great misfortune
" if any change were to take place in the
" Administration, unless it were a total
" change to the men who are now opposed to
" her Majesty's Government." A week after
these words were spoken, the change which
he deprecated was brought about by an
intrigue among the inferior members of the
Government. The Cabinet was overawed—
the Premier was unable or unwilling to con-
trol his subordinates—and a striking example
was given of that " instability " which Lord
Jour; viewed as a great misfortune, aggravated
by every circumstance which could add to its
injurious effect. The Noble Lord is a con-
stitutional authority of some weight—he must
be supposed to know something, from personal
experience, of the damage done to a Govern-
ment by frequent changes in its leading
members—and, according to his recorded judg •
ment, it would be better at this moment if
the places of the Opposition and the Ministry
were reversed. _

In this instance we can detect a principle in
his speech which will hear examination. Any
Government, to be strong and respected, must
include the most eminent members of its
party. This is a rule absolutely without ex-
cept►nn. The party may be numerically small,
yet the party which represents it may be vino
rous while the circumstances last which secure
its ascendancy. But changes which have the
effect of extruding from office the most dis-
tinguished men of a party, while the party

in an opposite sense, and is ready to say or do
anything to keep the Conservatives out. Ge-
neral PEEL believes that the time has come
when a better Ministry could be formed from
the Opposition side of the House. By the ad-
mission of Sir DE LACY EVANS, Lord PALMERS-
TON has been wanting in the energy expected
from him, and has taken no efficient steps for
increasing our military force Mr. COBDEN
regrets that vote he gave which contributed to
overthrow the honest Administration of Lord
DERBY, and to plunge us into a most destruc-
tive and wasteful war. Yet the Legislature,
while declaring, by the lips of its most eminent
members, that it has no confidence in the Go-
vernment, hesitates to strike the blow which
would expel it from power.
The secret of this inconsistency is to be
found in the composition of the Ministerial
majority. It is principally made up of men
sho profess democratic principles that they
may carry their election and thenceforth be
free to make unsparing use of their political
position to push their fortunes, and of men
who dread any practical interference with
existing abuses. These classes unite in sup-
port of a Ministry and a system from which
they have everything to hope and nothing to
fear. While breath can be kept in the Govern-
ment they support, its instability gives them
no concern. Its weakness is their opportunity.
They settle on its sores, anti draw nourish-
ment from its infirmities.
This tendency to corruption in our re-
presentative system, if there be not virtue
enough in the great body of the people i 4)
check it, may be destined
foundations of our power.
that for the last two years
country have been grossl‘
one doubts that the pr'
weak and inefficient.

tolerance of its shortcomings
question between the welfare

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pitiable position in which his reckless ambi- itself retains power, and of filling the stations
tion has now placed the once popular Lord to which they have legitimate claim with
PALMERSTON. mediocre talents, never can be lasting or safe.
There is nothing, we repeat, in the debate They directly necessitate other changes. It is • i, .
or division on Mr. ROEBUCK'S motion calculated not in the nature of a people to submit wil-
to dishearten the Conservatives, or to lead to the lingly to the rule of Governments they despise,
supposition that there exists among them any nor of superior minds to remain content in
division or want of unanimity, and nothing, obscurity. Every change which has taken
certainly, calculated to inspirit or give permit. place in the Ministry of L(ird PALMERSTON
w, nence to this rieketty Government. On the since its formation has tended to lower its
a contrary, the debate cannot fail to add character and reduce its aggregate of ability.
still more to the disgust which is becoming Majorities cannot in such a case compensate
,ve the strong feeling of the country as regards for inherent weakness more than crutches can
)N Lord PALMERSTON and his Government. impart vigour to the debilitated frame which
in In the Lords their position was even more is compelled to use them. Instability, from
ny discreditable and humiliating. The Scotch being an accident to which all Governments
Education Bill, almost their only measure for are liable, lies at their very root, and becomes
S the session, carried after frequent divisions a vice in their nature when an attempt is
ell through the House of Commons, was actually made to prolong their existence by a sacrifice 1
or repudiated by the Government itself. They of their strength. The Sangredo system is 1
,
as had not courage to support it, and were driven not more rational in policy than in medicine. A
ed to the disgraceful alternative of voting against But, unhappily, while the Cabinet is wasting
their own measure. Will the LORD ADVOCATE under the phlebotomic treatment of its chief,
n- resign? it is we who are the sufferers from its ex-
ne haustion, and at the same time have to pay all
Ico LORD JOHN RUSSELL ON MINISTERIAL the demands of the quack who occasions
IS, INSTABILITY. the mischief.
In the House of Commons there has lately
ial Fr will be in the recollection of all who heard been expressed, with wonderful unanimity, a
ur- Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S speech of the 6th of July, conviction that the Government is destitute
ice of principle, ability, or vigour. Lord JOHN,
that the reason he urged for his retention of
as we have seen, holds that it ought to resign
it office after the proposals he brought from office, as a total change would be better than a
id- Vienna were rejected was, that his resigna- succession of partial changes—though, to be
an tion would have confirmed that opinion of sure, when he is brought to the test, he speaks
-1 :... ~......-it A% C...1A OTICI is TPiltIV to GISIV Ill' tin

.7
ined to undermine the
men No one doubts
)ars the affairs of th ill 4k-
,s s 1 y mismanagecta . •
iresent Governmffst Ll' .-11 • -v)
But to what poha,
nings to extend? r- lei ---, L
elfare of the . . . ' I vw No
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