The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

THE WEEK.

THE Legislature is adjourned under gloomy circumstances.
It is felt amongst politicians of all parties that since the
year 1834 (when such great domestic changes took place) there
never was a recess which might be looked forward to with so
much interest, as being likely to bring forth most serious inci-
dents. There have been great political changes since the Ist of
January last. The Whigs had secretly organised an electioneering
system ; Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY had been made a member of the
Cabinet; and the opportunity was taken of a dissolution on the
Chinese pretext. The Conservatives stood firm, and gained
rather than lost; but the isolated sections were swept
away, and an anomalous majority was returned. The Minister
appeared to have a triumph, and without " foresight " committed
himself positively to undertake a Reform Bill for the next session.
By procrastinating this measure to 1858 the Premier hoped to get out
of the difficulty. Various measures were laid aside until this Reform
Bill should be disposed of and the public mind relieved. The Divorce
Bill was introduced and carried, after compromises and cuttings
and parings without end. Then came the Indian crisis, which Ministers
from the first, and even up to the present week, have so studiously
persisted in underrating, that they can have no fair excuse for
endeavouring to avoid their promise of a Reform Bill. If they attempt
to ride off from their Reform pledges, on the ground that the Indian
crisis is of such magnitude, they convict themselves of want of fore-
sight, and their speeches, " pooh-poohing " the danger, can be quoted
against them again and again. We cannot suppose that they contem-
plate a step which would ruin their already damaged reputation, and
we take for granted that they still meditate adhering to their solemn
pledges on a Reform Bill. To conclude. The second Parliamen-
tary Session of the year may now be said to be at an end ; but there
is every prospect, according to present appearances, and the Premier's
hints on Thursday, of Parliament meeting again before Christmas.
It would, therefore, be precipitate to assume that the Parliamentary
year has expired.

The spirited debate upon Thursday night was excessively da-
maging to the Government. By Sir W. WILLIAMS'S observations
and Lord PALMERSTON'S explanations, the Ministers were placed
in this dilemma—either they must admit that they were willing at
any time to yield their convictions to a political necessity, and by
sacrificing the interests of the empire to secure their places, or else
that they are the most uninformed, ignorant, and incapable Govern-
ment that ever sought to rule the destinies of this great empire, for
no effort of their supporters can relieve them of the tremen-
dous responsibility they incurred if aware of the dangerous
condition of the Bengal army, or if, with wilful self-deception, for a
selfish and unworthy end, they blinded themselves to the con-
sequences of their criminal blunder, and consented to reduce our
military resources. Lord PALMERSTON, in point of fact, admitted
that instead of boldly grappling with the difficulty before him, he
only uttered a cry for " place and power," and surrendered. And this
is a becoming spirit for men holding in their hands the des-
tinies of an empire ! It is upon the double Government of
India that rests the general responsibility of these terrible dis-
asters now scourging our unhappy countrymen and women in the
East; but more especially is the Government of Lord PALMERSTON
responsible for all those atrocities, all that murder, robbery, and
rapine which has occurred upon the confines of the Presidencies of
Bombay and Madras. The extension of the revolt in these districts,
at Indore, Mhow, Aurungabad, and further south, would have been
checked, if not prevented, had the Bombay and Madras armies
been preserved intact, and not drawn upon to supply the wants of
that Persian war Lord PALMERSTON thought proper to enter upon at
a moment when interests far dearer, and of incalculable importance to
the honour and dignity of the empire, were at stake. A writer from
Calcutta in one of our daily contemporaries justly remarks :

Mr. Vernon Smith and Lord Palmerston mast bear the responsibility of a very heavy
loss of life and property. Had they not in their wisdom brought on the Persian expedi-
tion, Bow Lay troops would have continued to occupy Nasseerabad and Neemuch, and
none of the petty States would have dared to revolt.
The " promptitude" which plunged us into a war with China, and six
months afterwards despatched 5,000 troops, which have so for-
tuitously been diverted to Calcutta, is more than counterbalanced
by that prescient sagacity which, depriving Bombay and Madras of
their military means, left the poor victims of Neemuch, Allahabad, &c.,
to a miserable fate. Again, when it is urged that a fleet of vessels
should penetrate the rivers of India, and rescue our unhappy fugitives,
what is the reply of Lord PAutEasros, but that the fleet of the East
India Company is engaged in the Persian Gulf! A deep re•